JP2595070B2 - Assembly method of constant velocity joint - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention assembles a constant velocity joint comprising an outer member, an inner member, a retainer incorporated between the outer member and the inner member, and a steel ball mounted on the retainer. It relates to a method for performing a quality inspection.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a method of assembling a constant velocity joint of this type, as proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-34503,
A method is known in which a steel ball is sequentially press-fitted into a plurality of windows provided in the retainer after the inner member and the retainer are assembled into the outer member.

As a method of inspecting the operation of the constant velocity joint assembled by such a method, a method of tilting the inner member to a predetermined angle while rotating the inner member and judging the quality of the constant velocity joint from the rotational torque value at this time is known. It is proposed by Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-201631 and the present applicant. And 62
In the method proposed in JP-A-201631, the operation of the assembled constant velocity joint is inspected simultaneously with the absence of missing steel balls.

These assembling methods and inspection methods aim at improving the production efficiency and quality of constant velocity joints by automating the assembly and inspection of constant velocity joints, which have conventionally relied on manual operations by skilled workers.

However, for example, as proposed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-201631, when inspecting for the absence of missing steel balls simultaneously with the operation inspection of the constant velocity joint, grease is applied to the constant velocity joint during the inspection. Need to be injected,
Thus, even if a missing steel ball is found after the injection of grease, grease adheres to the missing part, etc., so that the steel ball is re-pressed or this constant velocity joint is disassembled and reused. It was difficult.

As described above, these methods independently assemble and inspect constant velocity joints, and have no relation to each other, so that early detection of inconvenience such as missing steel balls or such defective products can be performed. It was not possible to smoothly carry out measures such as re-use, which hindered further improvement in the production efficiency of constant velocity joints.

(Problems to be Solved) The present invention solves such inconveniences, performs assembly and quality inspection of constant velocity joints in relation to each other, and can further improve the production efficiency of constant velocity joints, as well as improve quality and failure of constant velocity joints. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method capable of easily managing non-defective products.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the method for assembling a constant velocity joint of the present invention, an outer member conveyed by a conveying means, an inner member incorporated into the outer member via a retainer, and a predetermined number of steels mounted on the retainer are provided. An assembling process of assembling a constant velocity joint from the ball, a missing item inspection process of inspecting the assembled constant velocity joint for missing steel balls, and a constant velocity having a predetermined steel ball after the missing item inspection. A grease injecting step of injecting grease into the outer member of the joint, and an operation inspection step of inspecting the operation of the constant velocity joint in which the grease has been injected are provided continuously in the middle of the transporting means, and In the non-defective product transport means and the defective product transport means provided at the end,
Distributing means for selectively transferring the conveyed constant velocity joints is provided, and is determined to be non-defective after each step. The defective constant velocity joint conveyed to the end thereof by the conveying means without being subjected to the grease injection in the grease injection step and the operation inspection in the operation inspection step, and The defective constant velocity joint determined to be defective in the inspection step and transported to the end thereof by the transporting means and the non-defective constant velocity joint by the sorting means at the terminal end of the transporting means according to the result of the missing item inspection or the operation inspection. It is characterized in that it is transferred to a transport means or the defective product transport means.

(Action) According to this means, the constant velocity joint assembled in the assembling step is first inspected for missing steel balls in the missing item inspection step while being conveyed by the conveying means.

At this time, if the constant velocity joint has a predetermined number of steel balls, grease is injected in the grease injection step, and then an operation inspection is performed in an operation inspection step to determine whether the joint is good. The non-defective constant velocity joint determined to be non-defective in the operation inspection step is conveyed to the terminal end by the conveying means. Further, the defective constant velocity joint determined to be a missing steel ball in the shortage inspection step is not subjected to the grease injection step and the operation inspection in the operation inspection step in the grease injection step, Conveyed to the end. Further, the defective constant velocity joint determined to be defective in the operation inspection step is transported to the terminal end by the transport means.

The constant velocity joint of the non-defective product or the defective product conveyed to the end of the conveyance unit in this way is transferred to the non-defective product conveyance unit or the non-defective product conveyance unit by the sorting unit, and separated and conveyed.

(Example) An outline of an example of a method for assembling a constant velocity joint according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the constant velocity joint, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a schematic plan view and a schematic side view of the entire apparatus for assembling and inspecting the constant velocity joint 1, respectively.

In FIG. 1, 2 is an outer member of the constant velocity joint 1, 3 is a retainer, 4 is an inner member, and 5 is a steel ball. The retainer 3 has six windows 3a on its outer periphery through which the steel balls 5 can be pressed at equal intervals, and is fitted to the outer periphery of the inner member 4. The retainer 3 and the inner member 4 are fitted into the outer member 2 via the steel balls 5 which are press-fitted into the respective windows 3a of the retainer 3, thereby forming the constant velocity joint 1.

In the constant velocity joint 1, the crossing angle between the rotation shafts of the outer member 2 and the inner member 4 is variable, and one rotation is transmitted to the other via the steel ball 5.

Next, in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, A is an assembling step of the above constant velocity joint 1, and B is a step of inspecting the assembled constant velocity joint 1 for missing balls 5 when no missing parts are found. Is an inspection injection step of injecting grease between the outer member 2 and the inner member 4 only; C is an operation inspection step of inspecting the operation of the constant velocity joint 1 injected with grease; D is a constant velocity after the operation inspection step C; This is a sorting step of sorting and transporting the joint 1 into a non-defective product and a defective product. Reference numeral 6 denotes a transfer device that transfers the constant velocity joint 1 during and after assembly to the sorting step D. The details of the transfer device 6 will be described later.

The assembling step A is performed by the applicant of the present invention in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-34503.
It is the same as that proposed in JP, a step A ₁ for press-fitting the ball 5 into two windows 3a facing the retainer 3 fitted to the inner member 4, the inner member 4 of the outer member after the press-fitting and step a ₂ which fits into the 2, a step a ₃ to match the rotation axis of the outer member 2 in the mated inner member 4 of both members in the horizontal 2,4, then the ball 5 has not been pressed and step a ₄ press-fitting the ball 5 into two windows 3a adjacent to no other, it consists then press-fitting the ball 5 on the remaining two windows 3a to step a ₅ Prefecture.

In Step A _1, inner member 4 retainer 3 is fitted are sequentially turned along the groove 7a of the inner chute 7 base 8
It is transferred onto a horizontal support plate 9 provided thereon and comes into contact with a guide wall 9a orthogonal to the shooter 7. Then, together with the contact, the pressing cylinder 10 provided on the base 8 is operated, and the side of the inner member 4 is pressed by the piston rod 10a, whereby the inner member 4 is moved along the guide wall 9a. It moves on the support plate 9 to a position where it comes into contact with the orthogonal guide wall 9b.

The inner member 4 is held at a position in contact with the guide wall 9b,
In this state, press-fit cylinders 11, 12 provided on the base 8 with the inner member 4 interposed therebetween on a straight line connecting the two windows 3a of the retainer 3 facing each other are actuated to operate their piston rods. The balls 11a and 12a move toward the window 3a, and the balls 5 housed at the distal ends of the piston rods 11a and 12a are pressed into the window 3a.

Then, the piston rod 13a presses the side portion of the inner member 4 the pressure cylinder 13 provided on the base 8 in Step A ₂ is actuated, whereby the inner member 4,
It moves on the support plate 9 along the guide wall 9b toward the inner gripping device 14 that is standing by on the base 8 in a horizontal state above the transfer device 6. At this time, the inner gripping device
The gripper 14 is moved toward the inner member 4 by the moving cylinder 15, and the gripping device 14 grips the inner member 4 at the end position of the support plate 8 by the gripper 14 a such as a chuck mechanism provided at the tip thereof.

The gripping device 14 that has gripped the inner member 4 is retracted to the original position, and is rotated by the rotating cylinder 16 together with the moving cylinder 15 at this position, and is vertically oriented such that the gripping portion 14a is down. At this time, the outer member 2 inserted into the transfer device 6 along the groove 17a of the outer shooter 17 is standing by in a horizontal state vertically below. Then, the gripping device 14 is moved toward the outer member 2 by the moving cylinder 15, and the inner member 4 gripped by the grip portion 14 a is fitted into the outer member 2 via the retainer 3 and the ball 5. Therefore, the inner member 4 is fitted into the outer member 2 with its rotation axis orthogonal to the rotation axis of the outer member 2.

The outer member 2 fitted with the inner member 4 as described above.
It is then transported by the transport device 6 to the position of the step A _3. Then, the in step A _3, actuated pressure cylinder 18 is first provided on the lower surface of the base 8, the inner member 4 to which the piston rod 18a is vertically oriented tilted by pressing from the lateral side, then A pressing cylinder 19 provided on the base 8 is operated, and its piston rod (not shown) presses the inclined inner member 4 from above to make it horizontal, and the rotation axes of the outer member 2 and the inner member 4 are aligned. You.

Outer member 2 fitted with inner member 4 in a horizontal state
It is then transported by the transport device 6 to the position of the step A _4. Then, the in step A _4, the piston rod of the press cylinders 21 and 22, each of the two windows 3a adjacent to each other in which the ball 5 of the retainer 3 is not pressed is provided on a base 20 of the transport apparatus 6 The inner member 4 is inclined so as to face the press-fit cylinders 21 and 22a.
Thus, the ball 5 is pressed into each of the two adjacent windows 3a in the same manner as described above. After the press-fitting, the isina member 4 is again brought into the horizontal state.

Then, these outer member 2 and inner member 4 is conveyed by the conveying device 6 to the position of the step A _5, in the step A _5, provided on the base 22 on the opposite side of the position of the press-fitting cylinder 21, 22 ball 5 in the remaining two windows 3a is pressed by the press-fitting cylinder 23, 24 which are in the same manner as in step a _4,
The assembly of the constant velocity joint 1 is completed.

Thus Step A ₁ to A ₅ assembly process constant velocity joint 1 assembled through A consisting, the inner member 4 is conveyed by the conveying device 6 in a horizontal state to a position of the test injection step B. At the position of the inspection / injection step B, six balls 5 press-fitted into the retainer 3 on the lower surface of the substrate 26 which is moved up and down by the elevating cylinder 25 above the transfer device 6.
The ball detection pins 27 are protruded, and each pin 27 is located vertically above each ball 5 of the constant velocity joint 1 transported in the inspection and injection step B. The substrate 26 is also provided with a grease injection nozzle 28.

When the constant velocity joint 1 is transported to the position of the inspection and injection step B, each detection pin 27 is moved together with the substrate 26 by the elevating cylinder 25.
Descends toward the ball 5 and comes into contact with the ball 5,
For example, a limit switch (not shown) connected to each pin 27 operates to confirm that the ball 5 is at a position corresponding to the pin 27. Therefore, when the ball 5 is missing, the pin 27 corresponding to the missing position does not come into contact with the ball 5, so that the limit switch does not operate, thereby confirming whether the ball 5 is missing. Is done.

The grease injection nozzle 28 is linked to the inspection of missing parts by the detection pins 27, and injects grease into the constant velocity joint 1 only when it is confirmed that there is no missing part of the ball 5, Grease is not injected into the constant velocity joint 1 in which the ball 5 is missing.

In the present embodiment, the inspection for missing parts of the ball 5 and the injection of grease into the constant velocity joint 1 are performed in the same step B, but it is needless to say that these working positions can be separated. is there.

The constant velocity joint 1 on which the above operation in the inspection injection step B has been completed is transported by the transport means 6 to the position of the operation inspection step C. This transfer is performed regardless of whether or not the ball 5 of the constant velocity joint 1 is out of stock. At the position of the operation inspection step C, a rotation drive shaft 29 connected to the inner member 4 from above on the rotation axis of the inner member 4 of the constant velocity joint 1 conveyed to the position is movable up and down by a lifting cylinder 30. , And rotatably provided by a rotating cylinder 31 via a chain 32. The rotation drive shaft 31, the lifting cylinder 30, and the rotation cylinder 31 can be tilted to a predetermined angle by a tilt cylinder 33. In addition, constant velocity joint 1
A holding member 34 for rotatably holding the lower portion of the outer member 2 from below on the rotation axis thereof is provided so as to be able to move up and down by a lifting cylinder 35.

When the constant velocity joint 1 in which grease has been injected is transported to the position of the operation inspection process C, the rotary drive shaft is
29 is lowered toward the inner member 4 in a horizontal state and connected to the inner member 4, and the holding member 34 is raised toward the outer member 2 by the elevating cylinder 35 to hold the lower part of the outer member 2. . Next, the rotation drive shaft 29 is rotated by the rotation cylinder 31, whereby the inner member 4 and the outer member of the constant velocity joint 1 are rotated. The tilting cylinder 33 gradually tilts the inner member 4 together with the rotary drive shaft 29 to a predetermined angle. The rotational drive torque at this time is sequentially measured by a torque meter (not shown), and the torque value is compared with a predetermined torque value to determine the quality of the constant velocity joint 1.

On the other hand, when the constant velocity joint 1 in which the ball 5 is missing and grease is not injected is transported to the operation inspection process C,
The above inspection in this step C is not performed.

After receiving such an inspection, the constant velocity joint 1 is transported by the transport device 6 to the position of the sorting step D. At this position, a sorting device 36 to be described later is provided.
The defective constant velocity joint 1 is transferred to and transported to the defective product transport rail 38, and non-defective products and defective products are sorted and transported. That is, only the constant velocity joint 1 which has been confirmed to be non-defective in the operation inspection step C is transported on the non-defective article conveying rail 37, and the ball 5 is not missing in the inspection injection step B. The constant velocity joint 1 in which the product is confirmed and the constant velocity joint 1 which is determined to be defective in the operation inspection process C are transported on the defective product transport rail 38. In particular, since the constant velocity joint 1 having the missing part of the ball 5 is conveyed on the defective product conveying rail 38 without receiving the grease injection and the operation inspection, the lack of the ball 5 of the constant velocity joint 1 The ball 5 can be press-fitted into the product part to form the constant velocity joint 1 having a regular configuration, or the constant velocity joint 1 can be easily disassembled and reused.

Next, the transfer device 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the transfer device 6, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG.

3 to 5, reference numerals 39, 39 denote rails 40a, 40b on which the outer member 2 of the constant velocity joint 1 is mounted, the rails being parallel to the transport direction.
Are open / close rods provided at positions outside the rails 39 and 39 in parallel with the rails 39 and 39, respectively, which can be opened and closed mutually in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction and movable in the transfer direction, and 41 to 46 are open / close rods 40a, respectively. Clamp pieces 41a to 46a projecting inward at equal intervals and clamp pieces 41b to 46b projecting inward on the opening / closing rod 40b at positions facing the respective clamp pieces 41a to 46a. A clamper for detachably holding the outer member 2 of the constant velocity joint 1 on the rails 39, 39, an opening / closing cylinder 47 for opening and closing the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b, and a transporting direction 48 for the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b. This is a moving cylinder for moving to.

The rails 39, 39 are connected to the base 2 as shown in FIGS.
The outer member 2 is fixedly supported horizontally on a plurality of support stands 49 erected on the upper side, and the outer member is mounted between the rails 39, 39. In this mounting, the lower end of the center of the outer member 2 is the rail 39. , 39
It protrudes downward from the gap between them.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the clampers 41 to 46 are respectively provided with opening and closing rods at positions corresponding to the steps A ₂ , A ₃ , step ₄ , step ₅ , inspection injection step B, and operation inspection step C, respectively. 40a, 40
Fixed to b.

The opening / closing rods 40a and 40b are located at the front and rear positions, respectively.
As shown in the drawing, rollers 53a, 53b supported on rollers 51a, 51b provided on the upper portions of the rod supporting members 50a, 50b and provided on upper end portions of outer plates 52a, 52b of the rod supporting members 50a, 50b. Are in contact with the upper surface and the rollers 51a, 51b and
It is movable in the transport direction between 53a and 53b. Then, the concave portions 54a, 5 provided on the lower surfaces of the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b.
The protrusions 55a, 55b at the upper ends of the rod supporting members 50a, 50b are fitted into 4b, and the movement of the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction with respect to the rod supporting members 50a, 50b is restricted. ing.

The rod supporting members 50a, 50b are
Bracket 56 erected on the base 20 at the outer position before and after
A lower part thereof is fitted to the guide rod 57 so as to be movable together with the rods 40a and 40b along a guide rod 57 provided between the a and 56b in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. 4 and 5, the lower end of the outer plate 52a of the rod support member 50a is fixed to the end of the base 20 via an auxiliary arm 58 and an L-shaped arm 59. The L-shaped arm 59 is rotatably supported around a shaft 60 erected on the base 20 at a central portion thereof.

Therefore, as the piston rod 47a expands and contracts in the transport direction by the operation of the opening / closing cylinder 47, the L-shaped arm 5
9 rotates around the shaft 60 and is connected to the auxiliary arm 5
8 moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction, and the rod support member 50a moves along the guide rod 57 with the movement.

At a center position between the front rod supporting members 50a and 50b, there is provided a turning member 62 rotatably supported around a shaft 61 erected on the base 20. The rod support members 50a, 50a are provided at both ends of the arm 62 via arms 63a, 63b, respectively.
The lower end of Ob is rotatably connected around shafts 64a and 64b.

Accordingly, as described above, as the rod supporting member 50a moves along the guide rod 57, the rotating member 62 rotates around the shaft 61, and the rod supporting member 50b guides in the opposite direction to the rod supporting member 50a. The opening and closing rods 40a and 40b are opened and closed by moving along the rod 57, so that the clampers 41 to 4
6 opens and closes.

On the other hand, these opening / closing rods 40a, 40b and clampers 41 to 4
The moving cylinder 48 for moving the base 6 in the conveying direction is rotated around a shaft 66 between brackets 65, 65 provided in parallel from the front end of the base 20 toward the rear as shown in FIGS. The piston rod 48a is movably supported on the base 20.
Bracket 67,6 in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction
The lower arm 69 is connected to the lower end of the lower arm 69 extending downward from a rotation shaft 68 rotatably supported between the rotation shafts 7. The front ends of the opening / closing rods 40a and 40b are connected to the upper end of an upper arm 71 extending forward and upward from the rotation shaft 68 via auxiliary members 70a and 70b.

Accordingly, when the piston rod 48a expands and contracts by the operation of the moving cylinder 48, the rotation shaft 68 rotates and the upper arm 71
Pivots about the rotation shaft 68 in the transport direction, whereby the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b and the clampers 41 to 46 move in the transport direction. In this movement, the stroke of the moving cylinder 48 is appropriately set, and the movement corresponds to one step.

The auxiliary members 64a, 64b connecting the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b and the upper arm 65 are connected to the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b and the upper arm 65 by a spherical slide bearing (not shown), respectively, and are swingable. It swings with the opening and closing of the opening and closing rods 40a, 40b.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 72 denotes a chuck unit for gripping the lower end of the outer member 2 projecting below the rails 39, 39 when the outer member 2 of the constant velocity joint 1 is mounted on the rails 39, 39. It is. The chuck unit 72 will be described with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 6, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of the chuck unit, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG.

The chuck unit 72 is, as shown in FIG.
The base 20 is provided at a position immediately below each of 41 to 45, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the upper ends immediately below the rails 39, 39 are opposed to each other similarly to the clampers 41 to 45. It has V-shaped chuck pieces 73a and 73b that can be opened and closed freely. As shown in FIG. 6, the chuck pieces 73a and 73b have their necks locked in gaps 74a provided on the upper surface of the housing 74 of the chuck unit 72 and move along the gaps 74a in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. It is free. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower portions of the chuck pieces 73a and 73b are
Inside, a V-shaped arm 76 is attached to a piston rod 75a of an opening / closing cylinder 75 fixed upward to the lower surface of the base 20.
a, 76b.

The arms 76a and 76b each have a housing 7 at the center.
4 is rotatably supported around the shafts 77a, 77b provided in 4,
The ends on the chuck piece 74a, 74b side are the chuck pieces 74a, 74b.
Are rotatably locked around the shafts 78a and 78b provided on the
The end on the piston rod 75a side is rotatably locked around a shaft 79. As shown in FIG. 7, a concave portion is formed at the tip of the chuck piece 74b.
As shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the chuck piece 74a passes through the inside of the concave portion so that the chuck pieces 74a and 74b can cross each other.

Therefore, in the chuck unit 72, the arms 76a and 76b rotate around the shafts 77a and 77b, respectively, as the piston rod 75a expands and contracts by the operation of the opening / closing cylinder 75, whereby the chuck pieces 74a and 74b 74
Open and close along the gap 74a. And especially the rails 39,39
When gripping the lower end of the outer member 2 of the constant velocity joint 1 mounted thereon, the chuck pieces 74a and 74b are closed and intersect,
The lower end of the outer member 2 is gripped by being surrounded by these chuck pieces 74a and 74b.

The operation of the transport device 6 having such a configuration will be described below. Outer member 2 inserted from the outer chute 17 as described above in Step A ₂ in the conveying device 6, closing rods 40a,
In a state where 40b is opened, it is horizontally mounted on the rails 39, 39 at the position of the clamper 41, and the lower end of the outer member 2 is gripped by the chuck unit 72 immediately below the clamper 41 as described above.

Thus the outer member 2 is working, as described above in Step A ₂ in a state of being gripped by the chuck unit 72 is performed, the grip of the outer member 2 by the chuck unit 66 when the working is completed is released. At the same time, the opening and closing rods 40a and 40b are closed by the operation of the opening and closing cylinder 47, and the clamper 41 grips the outer member 2. Thereafter, the opening / closing rods 40a, 40b are moved in the transport direction by one step by the operation of the moving cylinder 48, and accordingly, the outer member 2 is moved by one step, and the rails 39, ₃ are moved at the position of step A3.
It is mounted horizontally on 9.

Then, in the mounted state, the clamper 41 is opened together with the opening / closing rods 40a and 40b by the operation of the opening / closing cylinder 47 to release the gripping of the outer member 2, and the opening / closing rods 40a and 40a, It returns to its original position with 40b. Clamper 4 which corresponds to Step A ₃ is restored to the position of the outer member 2 with this return, the outer member 2 at the same time prior to the work in the step A ₃ is and the the chuck unit 72 immediately below the is gripped in the same manner, operations in step A ₃ in the gripping state is performed.

Carrying device 6 sequentially repeating the operation described above, the outer member 2 with the which is gripped from the position of the step A ₂ on rails 39, 39 in the clamper 41 to 46 Step A ₃ and Step A _4, Step A ₅ , And sequentially moves to the positions of the inspection injection step B, the operation inspection step C, and the distribution step D, and the work in each of the steps A ₂ , A ₃ , A ₄ , A ₅ , B, and C is performed by being gripped by the chuck unit 72. .

Next, the sorting device 36 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 8 and 9 show the sorting device, respectively.
It is the perspective view and front view of 36.

8 and 9, reference numeral 80 denotes a distribution rail on which the constant velocity joint 1 conveyed by the conveyance device 6 is mounted.
And 82 transfer the distribution rail 80 to the non-defective product conveyance rail 37 and the defective product conveyance rail 38 along a gap 84 provided at the center of the base 83 on which the distribution rail 80 is mounted and orthogonal to the conveyance direction. The distributing cylinders 85a and 85b, whose rear ends are connected to each other, are moved to the position of one of the entrances, and are disposed on the distribution rail 80 located at the entrance to the non-defective product transport rail 37 and the defective product transport rail 38, respectively. Knockers 86 are used to operate the knockers 85a and 85B by hitting the rear portion of the constant velocity joint 1 and transferring them from the sorting rail 80 to the good product conveying rail 37 and the defective product conveying rail 38. .

The distribution rail 80 is movably mounted on the base 83 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. When the constant velocity joint 1 transported by the transport device 6 is mounted, the non-defective product transport rail 37 is mounted.
And at the center between the entrances to the defective product transport rail 38.

The distribution cylinders 81 and 82 are provided below the base 83 in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, the piston rod 81a of the cylinder 81 is coupled to the side of the base 83, and the piston rod 82a of the cylinder 82 is connected to the base 83. It is coupled to the lower part of the distribution rail 80 via an auxiliary member 87 provided from below through the gap 84. When the sorting rail 80 is at the neutral position between the entrances to the non-defective product transport rail 37 and the defective product transport rail 38, the piston rod 81a of the cylinder 81 is extended as shown in FIG. Piston rod 82a is retracted.

Therefore, when the distribution rail 80 is moved to the entrance to the non-defective product transfer rail 37, only the cylinder 81 operates and the piston rod 81a is retracted.
1 and 82 move to the non-defective product transfer rail 37 side and
The distributing rail 80 connected to the retracted piston rod 82a moves to the entrance to the non-defective product transport rail 37.

On the other hand, when the distribution rail 80 is moved to the entrance to the defective product transport rail 38, only the cylinder 82 operates and the piston rod 82a extends, and accordingly, the distribution rail 80 enters the defective product transport rail 38. Move to your mouth.

The knockers 85a and 85b are fixed to a rotation shaft 89 rotatably supported in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction on upper portions of brackets 87 and 88 erected on the base 83, and each of the good product conveyance rails 37. And at a position corresponding to the entrance to the defective product transport rail 38.

The working cylinder 86 is rotatably supported around a shaft 90 between brackets 87 and 88, and its piston rod
86a is connected to an auxiliary member 91 extending rearward from the end of the rotating shaft 89.

Therefore, as the piston rod 86a expands and contracts by the operation of the cylinder 86, the rotation shaft 89 rotates and the knockers 85a, 8a
5b rotates around the rotation shaft 89 in the transport direction. And
In particular, when the piston rod 86a of the cylinder 86 retracts, the knockers 85a and 85b rotate toward the non-defective product transport rail 37 and the defective product transport rail 38, respectively, and strike the rear portion of the constant velocity joint 1 located at the entrance. Then, the constant velocity joint 1 is distributed from the rail 74 to the non-defective transfer rail 37 and the defective transfer rail.
Transfer to 38 above.

Reference numerals 92 to 94 denote limit switches for detecting the movement position of the sorting rail 80, which detect the positions of the sorting rail 80 on the non-defective product conveying rail 38 side, the neutral position, and the defective product conveying rail 38 side. . Reference numerals 95 and 96 denote limit switches for detecting the rotational positions of the knockers 85a and 85b.

 The operation of the sorting device 36 having such a configuration will be described below.

The constant velocity joint 1 that has passed through the operation inspection step C is transported by the transport device 6 onto the distribution rail 80 at the neutral position and is mounted. If the constant velocity joint 1 is, for example, a missing part of the ball 5 or is determined to be defective in the operation inspection, the distribution cylinders 81 and 8 are used.
As described above, the moving cylinder 86 is moved to the entrance to the defective product conveying rail 38, and the knocker 85a strikes the rear portion of the constant velocity joint 1 as described above by the working cylinder 86 at the entrance. Are transferred and transported on the defective product transport rail 38. After the transfer, the distribution rail 80 returns to the neutral position.

On the other hand, if the constant velocity joint 1 conveyed on the distribution rail 80 is determined to be a non-defective product by operation inspection, the distribution rail 80 is moved to the entrance to the non-defective product conveyance rail 37, and at the entrance. The rear part of the constant velocity joint 1 is beaten by the knocker 85b, and the constant velocity joint 1
It is transferred on 37 and transported.

(Effects) As is apparent from the above description, according to the method for assembling a constant velocity joint of the present invention, the assembly process of the constant velocity joint and the missing parts for inspecting the assembled constant velocity joint for missing balls. The inspection step, the grease injection step of injecting grease into the constant velocity joint, and the operation inspection step of inspecting the operation are performed in association with each other, so that good and defective products are separated and conveyed. The constant velocity joint in which the missing steel ball was confirmed in the process is transported by the defective product transport means without undergoing grease injection and operation inspection, so that the constant velocity joint can be efficiently assembled and inspected. It is also possible to easily manage defective products such as reassembly and reuse of defective products.

Further, the assembling step, the missing item inspection step, the grease injection step, and the operation inspection step are provided continuously in the middle of the transfer means, and the common transfer means passing through each step is used to terminate the transfer means regardless of the quality of the constant velocity joint. The constant-velocity joints are transported up to the end, and good and defective products are sorted at the end.Moreover, for the constant-velocity joints that are determined to be defective in the missing item inspection process, grease injection and operation inspection are passed, thereby complicating the transport path. It is possible to manage non-defective and non-defective products without inducing a change, and to efficiently perform assembly and inspection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a constant velocity joint, FIG. 2 and FIG.
The figures are respectively a schematic plan view and a schematic side view of the entire apparatus for assembling and inspecting the constant velocity joint shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a constant velocity joint conveying device in the apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a side view of a chuck unit for gripping an outer member of the constant velocity joint in the transfer device, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. FIGS. 8 and 9 are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of a device for sorting non-defective and non-defective constant velocity joints in the device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A: Assembling process B: Shortage inspection process, grease injection process C: Operation inspection process 1: Constant velocity joint 2, Outer member 3: Retainer 4, Inner member 5: Steel ball 6 ... Conveying means 36,38 ... Defective goods conveying means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An assembling step of assembling a constant velocity joint from an outer member conveyed by a conveying means, an inner member incorporated into the outer member via a retainer, and a predetermined number of steel balls mounted on the retainer; A missing part inspection step for inspecting the presence or absence of missing steel balls of the constant velocity joint, and a grease injecting step of injecting grease into an outer member of the constant velocity joint having a predetermined number of steel balls after the missing part inspection And, an operation inspection step of inspecting the operation of the constant velocity joint into which grease has been injected, while continuously providing the intermediate part of the transporting means, and a non-defective product transporting means and a defective product transporting means provided at the end of the transporting means. Is provided with a sorting means for selectively transferring the constant velocity joint to be conveyed, and is determined to be non-defective after each step, and the uniform velocity of the non-defective article conveyed to the end by the conveying means is determined. The hand and the steel ball were judged to be missing in the shortage inspection step, and were conveyed to the end by the conveyance means without receiving the grease injection in the grease injection step and the operation inspection in the operation inspection step. Defective constant velocity joint, determined to be defective in the operation inspection process,
The defective constant velocity joint conveyed to the end by the conveying means and the non-defective goods conveying means or the defective goods conveying means by the sorting means at the end of the conveying means according to the result of the missing item inspection or the operation inspection. A method for assembling a constant velocity joint, comprising: