JPS61295183A - Car body working device in automobile production line - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable high accuracy operation during the simultaneous travelling of a movable frame by a lock mechanism provided on the lower end of the movable frame to simultaneously couple the movable frame with a truck. CONSTITUTION:A lock mechanism 11 is constituted from a pair of left and right swingable cylinders 52 mounted respectively on a bracket 51, a link plate 54 rotated about a pin 53 by the operation of the cylinder 52, a pair of left and right L-shaped lock levers 56 rotated about a pin 55 on the bracket 51 and a link 57 interconnecting the link plate 54 and the lock lever 56. The pair of lock levers 56 is operatively opened and closed by the toggle action through the operation of the cylinder 52 so that the lock levers 56 sandwich a strut 14 of a truck from the front and rear to connect a movable frame 8 to the truck.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a vehicle body working device in an automobile manufacturing line, and more specifically, to a device for automatically performing body sealing work, for example, while the body is continuously running. Regarding work equipment.

In the manufacturing process of conventional automobiles, in order to prevent water from seeping through the joints of the body panels, it is necessary to apply a sealant along the joints of the body panels after welding is completed. Therefore, 1. These sealing operations have conventionally been performed in the following manner.

That is, in reality, the above-mentioned sealing work is performed on the ridge of the metal process in which the metal parts of the door flap are assembled in the car body assembly process, in the process after the undercoat dries in the painting process (``Complete Book of Automotive Engineering Vol. 19, Automobile Manufacturing Methods''). ” April 22, 1980.

Published by Sankaido, Q) Explanation of 7.2.4 Ceiling on P168 (disclosed in Figure 8.3 on P193).

While the undercoating process and metallization process are constructed using a so-called continuous type conveyor line that continuously conveys the car body at a predetermined speed,
Separately from this line, for sealing work, we will install a tact line mainly consisting of a liftom carry conveyor or a brain shuttle conveyor that can intermittently transport one process at a time. An industrial robot is installed, and with the vehicle body stationary, a sealing gun carried by the industrial robot performs the specified sealing work.

Here, when sealing work is performed, the continuous operation system is converted to a tact operation system and stationary robot work is performed, but the accuracy of the carriage for transporting the car body on the continuous line and the positioning accuracy of the car body with respect to the carriage are reproduced. This is because it is difficult to perform repetitive tasks in collaboration with industrial robots. In addition, it is extremely difficult to make the industrial Kawaguchi bot follow a moving vehicle.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such conventional sealing work, it is necessary to install a tact line of a different type than the line leading to the previous process, and in addition, the tact line has a loading line for loading the car body. In order to accommodate the loading and post-processing (painting process), the trolley must be equipped with an unloading device for transferring and removing the car body. Therefore, even if the area occupied by the equipment is large (equipment investment θ), it becomes a significant disadvantage.

Means for Solving Problems The present invention eliminates the need to install a separate tact line as in the past, and improves the accuracy of the bogie and the position of the car body relative to the bogie during continuous running of the car body on a continuous line. The present invention aims to provide a working device for an automobile manufacturing line that is capable of performing predetermined work such as sealing work without being affected by accuracy.

Specifically, there is a so-called continuous type vehicle body transport device that carries a vehicle body and continuously transports the vehicle body at a predetermined speed, and a vehicle body transport device that is connected to a traveling part of the vehicle body transport device and can run in synchronization with the traveling part. A movable frame is provided.

a lifter mechanism for floating a vehicle body from a vehicle body transport device and supporting it on the single movable frame side before performing a predetermined work on the movable frame; a positioning mechanism for positioning the floating vehicle body with respect to the movable frame; An industrial robot performs a predetermined operation on a positioned vehicle body, and a locking mechanism mechanically connects the movable frame 1 to the traveling portion of the vehicle body transfer device prior to synchronized traveling between the traveling portion and the movable frame. The Ciroc machine $n is provided with a pair of lock levers which are rotated by a predetermined actuator and whose toggle action grips a portion of the traveling portion from the front and rear in the direction of travel.

Furthermore, as the vehicle body conveyance device, a chain conveyor, a slat conveyor, etc. can be used, but for example, a so-called tow conveyor type device in which a chain conveyor laid on the floor pulls a cart on which the vehicle body is mounted is used. .

In general, the operations targeted by the present invention include not only the sealing operations shown in the embodiments, but also various operations incidental to the manufacture of automobiles, such as deburring operations and various types of polishing operations.

Effects According to the above structure, when the moving part of the vehicle body transfer device and the movable frame are synchronized, the movable frame is separated from the moving part of the vehicle body and supported on the movable frame side to run in synchronization with the moving part. Position it relative to the frame. After the positioning is completed, an industrial robot installed on the movable frame side performs sealing work while the traveling parts of the vehicle body transfer device and the movable frame travel in synchronization, and after the work is completed, the vehicle body is returned from the movable frame. It will be returned to the running part.

Embodiment FIGS. 6 to 8 are diagrams showing a more specific embodiment of the present invention, and show the above-mentioned vehicle body sealing device.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a cart on which an endless continuous type chain conveyor laid on the floor and a two-car body B are mounted. The chain 3 of the chain conveyor 1 is provided with a pair of front and rear dogs 4a as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

4b are provided at a predetermined pitch, and on the other hand, a plate 5 is provided protruding from the bottom of the truck 2. Therefore, when the plate 5 comes into contact with one of the dogs 4 and the straddles 4b, the cart 2 is completely pulled by the chain conveyor 1 and runs continuously on the rail 6 at a predetermined speed. It has 7 wheels.

Here, the chain conveyor 1 and the truck 2 constitute a vehicle body conveying device, and the chain 3 or the truck 2 corresponds to a traveling part of the vehicle body conveying device.

8 is a gate-shaped movable frame placed across the trolley 2,
This movable frame 8 runs on rails 9. 10 is a wheel. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 in addition to FIG. 1, the lower end of the movable frame 8 has a pair of locking mechanisms 11 on the left and right sides (however, only one side is shown in FIG. 1). It is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, these locking mechanisms 11 include a pair of left and right swinging cylinders 52 each provided on a bracket 51, and a locking mechanism 52 that locks the bottle 53 at its center. The link plate 54 rotates as
and a pair of left and right L-shaped lock levers 56a, 5 which also rotate around the bin 55 on the bracket 51.
6b, link plate 54 and lock lever 56a
56b, and a link 57 connecting the two.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the pair of lock levers 56a and 56b are opened and closed between the solid line position and the imaginary line position by the toggle action of the cylinder 52, and the lock levers 56&, 56b are moved to the support column of the truck 2. 14
By inserting the movable frame 8 from the front and back, the movable frame 8 becomes the trolley 2.
mechanically connected to the Therefore, it is possible to run on the rail 9F following the movable frame 8-carriage 2 under the condition of the locked state as described below.

In this case, the lock lever 56 in the lock limit position &,
By securing a predetermined gap between the support 56b and the support 14, it is possible to reliably lock the support without being affected by the accuracy of the support 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a tube-moving assist cylinder 15 is disposed on one side of one of the rails 9. As shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, this assist cylinder 15 has a cylinder tube 17 that reciprocates with respect to a fixed piston rod f16, and the lower end of the movable frame 8 is connected to the cylinder tube 17 via a bracket 18. There is. That is, as described above, the movable frame 8 receives the traction force of the chain conveyor 1 and moves together with the cart 2, but in addition to the traction force from the chain conveyor 1, a preload is applied by the assist cylinder 15.

In detail, 1% @ 4 In the figure, if the direction of travel of the Ai trolley 2 and movable frame 8 is the direction of travel, one chamber 19 of the assist cylinder 15 is connected from the boat pa to the regulator valve 2.
An air pressure of Pl set at 0 is given, and the other chamber 21
Assuming that an air pressure of, for example, P2 (Pl>Pt) set by the regulator valve 22 is applied from Pb, the differential pressure Pi-P.

(approximately 0.5 Kp/cnl) is applied to the movable frame 8 as a preload in the forward direction. The effect of this preload will be described later. 23ij solenoid valve.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, below the movable frame 8, there is a pair of lifter mechanisms 24 on the left and right sides (however, only one side is shown in FIG. 1) for lifting the vehicle body B from the truck 2; a pair of left and right X-direction centering mechanisms 25 for centering the vehicle body B in the vehicle width direction by pressing the vehicle body B from the vehicle width direction (however, only one side is shown in FIG. 1);
Similarly, a pair of left and right Y-direction centering mechanisms 26 are provided that press the vehicle body B from the front and rear directions to center the vehicle body in the front and rear directions. Both center grooves 25 and 26 constitute a positioning mechanism for the vehicle body B.

The lifter mechanism 24 is a so-called swing type lift lever 2 that rotates around a horizontal shaft 60 by the action of a cylinder 27, as shown in FIG.
It is composed mainly of 8. The lift lever 28 is provided with a ball type floating roller 4 and a locate pin 31 that is moved up and down by a cylinder 30.

The cylinder 3 is attached to the X direction alignment mechanism 25 as shown in FIG.
Similarly, the Y-direction alignment mechanism 26 is composed of a pusher link 34 and a cylinder 35 for rotating the pusher link 34, as shown in FIG.

Then, as described above, when the bogie 2 and the movable frame 8 are synchronously coupled, the lifter mechanism 24 lifts up the vehicle body B and supports the vehicle body B on the movable frame 8 side prior to the sealing work.

At this time, the locate pin 31 of the lifter mechanism 24 is at the lower limit position and is 4 points lower than the floating roller 29, so the vehicle body B is directly supported by the floating roller 29, and the vehicle body B can float within its horizontal plane. It is. Therefore, by operating the X-direction alignment mechanism 25 and the Y-direction alignment mechanism 26 in this state, the vehicle body B relative to the movable frame 8 is centered in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle body longitudinal direction. It has become.

Further, a door opening/closing mechanism 36 is provided on the side of the movable frame 8, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A suction cup 38 is attached to the tip of the door opening/closing mechanism 36 and the cylinder 37.
The door D is automatically opened and closed in preparation for sealing work from the door opening side.

A plurality of articulated industrial robots 39 are suspended from the upper part of the movable frame 8. Of course, the robot enters the vehicle interior through each door opening and performs sealing work inside and outside the vehicle interior according to instructions taught in advance.

In the back door opening/closing mechanism 41 in FIG. 1, this back door opening/closing machine #141 functions in the same manner as the aforementioned door opening/closing machine #1136.

Next, a series of operations of the sealing device as described above will be explained.

First, since the bogie 2 carrying the car body B continuously travels at a predetermined speed from the previous process toward the sealing process, the movable frame 8 is not moved until the bogie 2 arrives at the sealing process. It is waiting at the position shown by the solid line in Figures 2 and 3. In this standby state of the movable frame 8, only the front lock lever 561 of the eye lock mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 6 is in the closed position as shown by the solid line.

Then, the truck 2 travels to a point tgt corresponding to the movable frame 8, and as shown in FIG.
When the movable frame 8 comes into contact with the lock lever 56 & of the lock device 41111, the movable frame 8 follows the truck 2 and starts running in synchronization. Thereafter, at a predetermined timing, the rear lock lever 56b is rotated, and the carriage 2 and the movable frame 8 are mechanically connected by one or more of the support columns 14'lk inserted from the front and rear sides thereof.

At this time, the lock lever 56 on the rear side of the column 14 of the truck 2
By being pulled forward (to the normal position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 6) by b, the movable frame 8 is reliably positioned.

For this reason, for example, the support 14 has a double-ended lever 56a.

Compared to the case where play is provided so that the spindle can move freely after spinning in the spindle 56b, the operating range of the Y-direction alignment mechanism J26, which will be described later, can be made smaller.

In addition, since the cart is integrated with the movable frame and follows the surging of the vehicle body conveyance device without any play, highly accurate work can be performed while the movable frame A is traveling synchronously.

On the other hand, 4 air is supplied to the assist cylinder 15, and from this point on, due to the tractive force of the conveyor 1 and the preload which is the output of the assist cylinder 15, the movable frame 8 follows the truck 2 and starts the synchronous traveling pipe.

Here, if we look at the relationship between the chain 3 of the chain conveyor 1 and the plate 5 on the truck 2 side in FIG. In this case, it runs only by the power of the two-carriage chain conveyor 1. In other words, one dog 4a shown in FIG. 4 comes into contact with the plate 5 shown by the imaginary line, and the chain 3 runs as if pushing the trolley 2, so that there is a ttr between the other dog 4b and the plate 5. A play is formed.

In this case, inconstant velocity movement called surging may occur due to bending or elongation of various parts of the long chain conveyor single chain 3.
A situation may occur instantaneously in which the chain 3 does not follow the movement of the chain 3. In other words, in Fig. 4, the plate 5 may hit the front chain dog 4b or the rear chain dog 4&1:, causing so-called chattering, and if the sealing work described below is performed in this state, the chattering will occur. Seal position accuracy deteriorates due to vibration.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the truck 2 and the movable frame 8 are synchronously connected, l! A preload in the forward direction is applied to the truck 2 via the movable frame 8 using the differential pressure P-p of the assist cylinder 15 shown in FIG. As a result, the plate 5 comes into pressure contact with the other dog 4b as shown by the solid line in FIG.
The movement of the chain 3 is followed while constantly pushing the chain 3. Therefore, in the sealing process, the cart 2 completely follows the movement of the chain 3 even if surging or the like occurs.

Furthermore, although the pressures of the assist cylinder 15U shown in FIG. It will act as. Similarly, the pressure switch 42 is also provided as a safety measure in the event of an abnormal rise in pressure.

Note that it is also possible to apply the preload by the assist cylinder 15 not in the forward direction of the truck 2 but in the backward direction.

When the bogie 2 and movable frame 8 are connected and start running synchronously, the lifter mechanism 24 shown in FIG.
By lifting up and separating from the trolley 2,
The weight of the vehicle is borne by the movable frame 8. At this time, the locate pin 31 of the lifter mechanism 24 is lowered.

Next, the X direction alignment mechanism 25 and the Y direction alignment mechanism 26
are actuated to float the vehicle body B in a horizontal plane and center the vehicle body B with respect to the movable frame 8.

Finally, the locating pin 31 moves upward by the action of the cylinder 3o and engages with the locating hole in the floor of the vehicle body, thereby achieving final positioning.

Furthermore, after the vehicle body B is positioned as described above, the door opening/closing mechanism 36 and the back door opening/closing mechanism 41 are operated to open the door D and the back door Db. Needless to say, these operations are performed while the carriage 2 and the movable frame A8 are running in synchronization.

When the positioning of the vehicle body B and the door opening operation are completed, the industrial robot 39 that has been waiting at the predetermined origin position
is activated, causing the sealing gun 40 to perform a predetermined sealing operation. In this case, in addition to the exterior parts of the vehicle, such as the roof panel and the edge of the door opening, the robot itself enters the vehicle interior and performs sealing work on the interior parts of the vehicle, such as the inside of the roof panel and the floor panel.

When the sealing work is completed and the industrial robot 39 retreats to the home position, the X direction alignment mechanism 25 and the Then, the back door Db is closed, and the lifter mechanism 24 roughly moves downward to transfer the vehicle body B onto the original truck 2.

Subsequently, the locking mechanism 11 performs an unlocking operation after the vehicle body B is transferred from the movable frame 8 to the truck 2, and at this point, the connection between the truck 2 and the movable frame 8 and the synchronized running of both are released. Then, the car body B is transported along with the truck 2 to the next process by the chain conveyor 1, and on the other hand, the movable frame 8 @ 9 The high-speed retraction pulp 43 shown in Fig. 9 is switched by the operation of the assist cylinder 15. Return to the initial position at high speed and repeat the above operation.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the continuously running trolley 2
The vehicle body B is separated from the vehicle body B, the vehicle body B is temporarily transferred 17 to the side of the movable frame 8 that runs in synchronization with the bogie 2, and the process from positioning the vehicle body B to sealing work within the movable frame 8 is performed. This means that there is no need to be involved in the tact operation system at all.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, there is no need to set up a separate line for tact operation as in the past, so there is no need for equipment investment, and it is advantageous in terms of space. This can be implemented by simply making improvements to the continuous type line.

Moreover, since the locking mechanism has a structure in which a part of the traveling part such as a truck is clamped at a proper position by a lock lever from both sides after being locked, the relative position of the traveling part and the movable frame can be reliably determined.

In addition, the locking mechanism allows the carriage and movable frame to be synchronously connected, so in Example E, when a chain conveyor is used as a heavy-duty transport device, the carriage and movable frame are integrated against surging, etc. This enables highly precise work to be performed while the movable frame is moving in synchronization.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a right side view of FIG. 2 showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. The figure is a flat 4-sided view of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the chain conveyor, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line θ)■-■ in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 shows details of the locking mechanism. The figures shown are a view taken in the C direction of FIG. 1, FIG.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the assist cylinder, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the lifter mechanism. 1...Chain conveyor, 2...unit'fM-18・
...Movable frame, 11...Lock mechanism, 15...
Assist cylinder, 24... Lifter mechanism, 25...
- X direction alignment mechanism as a positioning mechanism, 26... Y direction alignment mechanism as a positioning mechanism, 39... Industrial robot, B... Vehicle body, 56a. 56b...Lock lever-0 2 people

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Equipped with a vehicle body transport device that mounts a vehicle body and continuously transports the vehicle body at a predetermined speed, and a movable frame that can run in synchronization with the traveling parts of the vehicle body transport device, the movable frame is configured to carry out predetermined tasks. a lifter mechanism that levitates the car body from the car body transfer device and supports the car body on the movable frame side; a positioning mechanism that positions the levitated car body with respect to the movable frame; and a predetermined operation on the positioned car body. and a locking mechanism that mechanically connects the movable frame to the traveling section of the vehicle body transfer device prior to synchronized traveling between the traveling section and the movable frame. A vehicle body working device in an automobile manufacturing line, comprising a pair of lock levers that are rotated by a predetermined actuator and clamp a part of the traveling portion from the front and rear in the direction of travel by the toggle action of the lock levers.