WO2024252836A1 - Linear conveyance system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a linear conveyance system whereby, when the linear conveyance system is constructed by assembling a plurality of module bases on a mounting surface of a mechanical device, module bases arranged adjacent to each other can be easily positioned in a short period of time even by a person who is not a skilled worker, the number of linear modules to be arranged can be easily changed, and a product production line can be easily rearranged. Alignment grooves (14) each of which is open toward an adjacent module base (3) and extends so as to coincide with the longitudinal direction of a track rail (4) are formed in the bottom surface of each module base (3), rod-shaped axis-determining members (11) each of which straddles mutually adjacent module bases (3) and fits into the alignment grooves (14) are provided, and the module bases (3) are fixed to the mounting surface in a state in which the axis-determining members (11) are fitted into the alignment grooves (14).

Description

Linear Transport System

The present invention relates to a linear transport system that allows the installation scale to be easily changed by arranging multiple module bases in series on the mounting surface of a mechanical device such as a stand.

Patent Document 1 discloses an example of constructing a linear transport system by arranging multiple module bases in series on a mounting surface provided on a frame. A linear guide track rail is positioned on the module base, and a linear motor stator is arranged along the track rail. A linear guide slider is attached to the track rail, and a carriage equipped with a linear motor mover is attached to the slider.

For this reason, by arranging multiple module bases in series on the mounting surface and connecting the track rails included in each module base, a linear transport system is constructed in which a carriage driven by a linear motor can move continuously over the multiple module bases. Such linear transport systems are used, for example, to transport workpieces in product production lines. In this case, by arbitrarily changing the number of module bases to be combined, the scale of the linear transport system can be easily changed, and the product production line can be easily rearranged.

WO2021-124426

On the other hand, when assembling multiple module bases on a mounting surface, the positioning of the two module bases arranged adjacent to each other is extremely important. If the positioning accuracy of the module bases on the mounting surface is low, the end of the track rail included in one module base and the end of the track rail included in the other module base will not be connected correctly, impairing the smooth movement of the carriage.

In addition, from the perspective of easily rearranging a product production line, it is important that even unskilled workers can easily position two module bases that are placed next to each other in a short amount of time.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a linear transport system that allows even unskilled workers to easily position adjacent module bases in a short time when assembling multiple module bases to the mounting surface of a machine device to construct a linear transport system, and that allows the number of linear modules to be easily changed and product production lines to be easily rearranged.

In other words, the present invention is a linear transport system in which multiple module bases, with the track rails of a linear guide positioned and fixed, are arranged in series on the mounting surface of a mechanical device, and a slider attached to one track rail can move while sequentially moving between the multiple track rails. The bottom surface of each module base is formed with an alignment groove that is open toward the adjacent module base and extends in the longitudinal direction of the track rail, while a rod-shaped alignment member that fits into the alignment groove is provided across the adjacent module bases, and each module base is fixed to the mounting surface with the alignment member fitted into the alignment groove.

According to the present invention, when assembling multiple module bases to the mounting surface of a machine to construct a linear conveying system, even an unskilled worker can easily position adjacent module bases in a short time, and the scale of the linear conveying system can be easily changed, making it easy to rearrange the product production line.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a linear module that constitutes the linear transport system of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front view of the linear module shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a linear transport system configured by arranging three linear modules in series. 1 is a perspective view showing how two linear modules are arranged in series using a connecting member. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a combination of a shaft fixing member and a distance adjusting member. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the combination state of each linear module with the axis fixing member and the interval adjusting member. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example in which the linear transport system shown in FIG. 3 is constructed on a base plate of a stand unit.

The linear transport system of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a front view showing an example of a linear module for constructing the linear transport system of the present invention. The linear transport system 1 is configured by arranging multiple linear modules 2 shown in FIG. 1 in series on the mounting surface of the machine device.

The linear module 2 includes a module base 3 that is bolted to the mounting surface, a track rail 4 that is fixed to the module base 3, a slider 5 that is attached to the track rail 4, and a carriage 6 that is fixed to the slider 5. The track rail 4 and the slider 5 form a linear guide, and the slider 5 is attached to the track rail 4 via a large number of rolling elements and has an infinite circulation path for the large number of rolling elements. Therefore, the slider 5 can freely reciprocate in the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4, and the carriage 6 fixed to the slider 5 can freely move on the module base 3 along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4. In addition, the track rail 4 is positioned relative to the module base 3, and when the module base 3 is positioned and fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, the track rail 4 is positioned relative to the mounting surface, and the carriage 6 can be moved with high precision on the mounting surface. Furthermore, as a combination of the track rail 4 and slider 5, any known linear guide can be selected and used depending on the required movement accuracy and load bearing capacity of the carriage 6.

In addition, in the linear transport system 1 of this embodiment, a thrust force is applied to the carriage 6 by the linear motor 7 along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4. Coil members 7a serving as stators of the linear motor 7 are arranged along the track rail 4 on the module base 3, while magnet members 7b serving as movers of the linear motor 7 are provided on the carriage 6. The magnet members 7b have a structure in which north and south poles are arranged alternately along the movement direction of the carriage 6.

Furthermore, a linear scale 8a is provided on the carriage 6, while an encoder 8b is provided on the module base 3 at a position opposite the linear scale 8a, so that an output signal according to the amount of movement of the carriage 6 relative to the module base 3 can be obtained from the encoder 8b. Therefore, by controlling the drive signal applied to the linear motor 7 based on the output signal of the encoder 8b, it is possible to arbitrarily control the amount of movement of the carriage 6 on the module base 3. The combination of the linear scale 8a and encoder 8b can be any type, such as magnetic or optical.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a linear transport system 1 configured by arranging three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C in series along the longitudinal direction of the track rail. In the linear transport system 1 shown in the figure, the carriage 6 and the slider 5 are provided only on one linear module 2A among the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C, and the slider 5 can reciprocate over the entire length of the linear transport system 1 while riding on the track rails 4 arranged on each linear module 2A, 2B, and 2C. Note that while FIG. 3 shows an example in which three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C are arranged in series, the number of linear modules to be arranged can be determined arbitrarily depending on the scale of the required linear transport system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the total length of the track rail 4 in each linear module 2 is set slightly shorter than the total length of the module base 3, and a part of the rail mounting surface 30 is exposed at both ends of the module base 3. Therefore, when two linear modules 2 are arranged in series and fixed to the mounting surface of a machine device, the end of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2 and the end of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2 are separated by a gap. In the linear transport system shown in FIG. 3, a connecting rail 9 is arranged at the boundary between the linear module 2A and the linear module 2B and the boundary between the linear module 2B and the linear module 2C, and the connecting rail 9 is fixed to the rail mounting surface 30 of each linear module 2 so as to straddle the two adjacent linear modules. As a result, the track rails of the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C arranged in series are configured as a single guide track.

When the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C are arranged in series and positioned and fixed in this manner, the track rails 4 fixed to each module base 3 are connected in series via the connecting rail 9, forming a single long guide track. The carriage 6 attached to any linear module 2 can move continuously over the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C along the guide track. Therefore, when the coil member 7a provided on each linear module 2 is energized, the carriage 6 fixed to the slider 5 is propelled by the linear motor 7 and moves back and forth freely within the path formed by the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C. Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the number of linear modules 2 arranged in series, the path length can be changed as desired to construct the linear transport system 1. The linear transport system 1 formed by multiple linear modules 2 can also include multiple carriages 6, in which case it is possible to give each carriage 6 an individual movement independent of the other carriages 6.

When the linear module 2 is fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, as shown in FIG. 4, a connecting member 10 is used to keep the positional deviation between the two adjacent linear modules 2A, 2B within a predetermined range. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting member 10 is composed of a rod-shaped axis fixing member 11 arranged along the connecting direction of the two linear modules 2A, 2B, and a rod-shaped spacing adjustment member 12 extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis fixing member 11. Each of the axis fixing member 11 and the spacing adjustment member 12 is a prism-shaped member with a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a recess 13 is formed near the center in the longitudinal direction, making it possible to combine the axis fixing member 11 and the spacing adjustment member 12 perpendicular to each other.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, an alignment groove 14 into which the axis fixing member 11 fits is formed on the bottom surface of the module base 3. This alignment groove 14 extends in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4 fixed to the module base 3, and one end of the alignment groove 14 is open to the end surface of the module base 3. Therefore, when two linear modules 2A, 2B are arranged in series, the alignment groove 14 formed in the module base 3 of one linear module 2A and the alignment groove 14 formed in the module base 3 of the other linear module 2B are arranged as one groove, and the axis fixing member 11 can be fitted into the groove while straddling the two linear modules 2A, 2B.

In addition, a gap adjustment groove 15 perpendicular to the alignment groove 14 is formed on the bottom surface of the module base 3. This gap adjustment groove 15 is provided at the longitudinal end of the module base 3, i.e., at a position facing the other adjacent module base 3, and extends in line with the width direction of the track rail 4. When two linear modules 2A, 2B are arranged in series along the movement direction of the carriage 6, the gap adjustment grooves 15 formed on each module base 3 face each other, forming a groove for accommodating the spacing adjustment member 12.

When assembling the linear transport system 1 to the mounting surface of a machine, as shown in FIG. 6, the axis fixing member 11 and the distance adjustment member 12 are arranged between the module bases 3 of the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 5, and the mutual fixing positions of these linear modules 2A, 2B with respect to the mounting surface are adjusted. In other words, when the axis fixing member 11 is fitted into the alignment groove 14 across the two linear modules 2A, 2B, the axis of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2A and the axis of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2B are aligned within a predetermined error range, and then each linear module 2A, 2B can be fixed to the mounting surface of the machine, and the carriage 6 can be smoothly transferred between the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series.

Furthermore, by fitting the gap adjustment member 12 into the gap adjustment groove 15 across the two linear modules 2A, 2B and fixing the linear modules 2A, 2B to the mounting surface so as to sandwich the gap adjustment member 12, the gap between the end face of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2A and the end face of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2B can be appropriately set, and when the connecting rail 9 is disposed at the boundary between one linear module 2A and the other linear module 2B, the track rails 4 of the two linear modules 2A, 2B disposed in series can be appropriately connected by the connecting rail 9, ensuring smooth movement of the carriage 6.

The spacing adjustment member 12 does not need to be placed on the underside of the module base 3 in combination with the axis fixing member 11. For example, the two linear modules 2A, 2B may be temporarily fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, and then the spacing adjustment member 12 may be inserted into the gap adjustment groove 15 from both longitudinal ends of the gap adjustment groove 15. In this case, the spacing between the two linear modules 2A, 2B is appropriately set by the spacing adjustment member 12, and then the linear modules 2A, 2B are permanently fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, thereby appropriately positioning the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series and ensuring smooth movement of the carriage 6.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the linear transport system 1 being installed on a mount unit 21 formed by connecting multiple mount modules 20.

This mounting unit 21 can be used by connecting multiple mounting modules 20 in a row, and Figure 7 shows two mounting modules 20A, 20B connected together. Each mounting module 20 is provided with a base plate 22, and by mounting various processing machines, robot arms, etc. on the base plate 22, it is possible to share either the processing or assembly process of the workpiece. The mounting unit 1 can be provided with a linear transport system 1 that passes through the multiple mounting modules 20, and by using this linear transport system 1, the workpiece to be processed or assembled can be freely transported along the connection direction of the multiple mounting modules 20.

In other words, the mounting unit 21 constitutes a production line that can perform various processing and assembly on a workpiece while transporting the workpiece along the connection direction of the multiple mounting modules 20. In addition, by rearranging the arrangement of the multiple mounting modules 20, the order of various processing and assembly on the workpiece can be arbitrarily changed, making it easy to rearrange the configuration of the production line.

As shown in FIG. 7, the linear modules 2A and 2C of the linear transport system 1 are fixed in advance to the base plate 22 of each of the mounting modules 20A and 20B so that they are positioned in the same straight line. When the two mounting modules 20A and 20B are connected, a certain gap is created between the linear module 2A fixed to the base plate 22 of one mounting module 20A and the linear module 2C fixed to the base plate 22 of the other mounting module 20B, and this gap is, for example, the width of one of the linear modules 2B. Therefore, after the two mounting modules 20A and 20B are connected to each other, the linear module 2B is inserted between the linear module 2A and the linear module 2C so as to straddle the boundary between these mounting modules, and the linear module 2B is fixed to each base plate 22, and the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C are connected in series.

When the linear module 2B is fixed, the connecting member 10 can be used to align the axes of the track rails 4 included in each of the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C within a predetermined error range, and a predetermined amount of gap can be formed between the end faces of the track rails 4 that face each other. This allows the carriage 6 to move smoothly between the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C arranged in series, and when electricity is applied to the coil members 7 provided on each linear module 2, the carriage 6 is propelled by the linear motor 7 and can reciprocate on the two frame modules 20A and 20B. For example, if a work table is fixed to the carriage 6, a linear transport system 1 can be constructed that can transport work through multiple frame modules.

In the embodiment of the present invention described using the figures, an example was described in which both the axis fixing member 11 and the distance adjustment member 12 are arranged between two adjacent linear modules 2. However, if the distance between the end faces of the track rails 5 facing each other can be appropriately maintained by butting the module bases 3 against each other, it is also possible to use only the axis fixing member 11 without using the distance adjustment member 12.

Claims (4)

A linear conveyance system in which a plurality of module bases (3) on which track rails (4) of a linear guide are positioned and fixed are arranged in series on a mounting surface of a machine device, and a slider (5) attached to one track rail (4) can move while sequentially moving between the plurality of track rails (4),
An alignment groove (14) is formed on the bottom surface of each module base (3), the alignment groove (14) being open toward the adjacent module base (3) and extending in accordance with the longitudinal direction of the track rail (4);
A rod-shaped axis positioning member (11) is provided to straddle the adjacent module bases (3) and to fit into the alignment groove (14),
A linear transport system, characterized in that each module base (3) is fixed to the mounting surface with the axis alignment member (11) fitted into the alignment groove (14). A gap adjustment groove (15) is formed on the bottom surface of each module base (3), the gap adjustment groove (15) is open toward the adjacent module base (3) and extends in the width direction of the track rail (4).
A rod-shaped gap adjustment member (12) is provided to straddle the adjacent module bases (3) and to fit into the gap adjustment groove (15),
2. The linear conveying system according to claim 1, wherein each module base (3) is fixed to the mounting surface with the rail spacing adjustment member (12) fitted into the gap adjustment groove (15), so that a predetermined gap is formed between adjacent module bases (3). The linear transport system according to claim 2, characterized in that the axis fixing member (11) and the spacing adjustment member (12) are provided with recesses (13) for orthogonal assembly with each other. A carriage (6) serving as a work table is fixed to the slider (5),
A plurality of coil units are arranged on each module base (3) along the longitudinal direction of the track rail (4), while a magnet member (7b) is provided on the carriage (6);
2. The linear transport system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coil units and a magnet member (7b) face each other to constitute a linear motor (7) for applying a thrust to the carriage (6).

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