JP3073091B2 - Press-in device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a press-fitting device for press-fitting a rack tube constituting a power steering mechanism of an automobile into a housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In assembling a power steering mechanism of an automobile, a rack tube is pressed into a housing. At this time, it is necessary to support the housing against the force of the press-fitting. In this case, as shown in FIG.
It is most desirable to receive a press-fit on the back surface of the flange Ha around the press-fit end side of the housing H because of its high mechanical strength. Therefore, the rear surface of the flange portion Ha, the end surface Hc on the opposite side of the press-fitting side of the housing, which has been subjected to the grinding process, and the opening (rack guide hole) Hb on the side surface.
Are provided with backup pins 200, 202, and 204, respectively. And these backup pins 200 ~
When the rack tube T is pressed into the rack tube T when the rack tube T is pressed into contact with the respective portions Ha, Hb, and Hc of the housing H, the press-fit is received. At the time of this press-fitting, the ring-shaped spacer S placed at the tip of the housing H is also press-fitted at the same time.

[0003]

However, in this method, the back surface of the flange portion Ha is a non-processed surface and the black scale at the time of casting remains as it is, and the thickness of the black scale indicates the axial direction of the rear surface of the flange portion. The position varies. Therefore, the axial position of the housing H of the backup pin 200 needs to have a gap L corresponding to the maximum thickness of the black scale with respect to the back surface of the flange portion Ha. The positioning of the housing H in the axial direction with respect to the rack tube T is as follows.
This is performed by a backup pin 202 inserted into the rack guide hole Hb from the side. Therefore, when the thickness of the black scale is thin, the backup pin 202 alone receives a press-in until the back surface of the flange portion Ha contacts the backup pin 200. For this reason, an excessive force is applied around the rack guide hole Hb, and the rack guide hole Hb
There is a problem that b is deformed. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a rack tube press-fitting device that can press-fit a rack tube without deforming each part of the housing.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an apparatus for press-fitting a second member into a first member having a flange portion,
A gripping mechanism for gripping and holding the non-press-fitted portion of the second member, a flange support member that is in contact with a flange portion of the first member and is movable in an axial direction of the first member, and the flange support A wedge member that moves the flange support member in a direction that comes into contact with the flange portion in the axial direction of the first member by contacting the member and moving in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first member; Press-fitting having an elastic member connected to the wedge member, a drive mechanism for moving the wedge member forward and backward through the elastic member, and a press-fitting mechanism for moving the second member in the direction of the first member. Equipment was created.

[0005]

According to the press-fitting device of the present invention having the above-described structure, the press-fitting of the second member into the first member is performed as follows. First, the second member is held by the gripping mechanism. Subsequently, the wedge member advances in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first member by the drive mechanism, and the flange support member advances in the axial direction by being pushed by the wedge member, and is moved to the flange portion of the first member. Contact and support. At this time, since the drive mechanism pushes the wedge member via the elastic member, the first member is accurately positioned in the axial direction with respect to the second member without excessive force, and is brought into contact with the second member. Even at the maximum forward position of the drive mechanism, the force applied in the axial direction to the flange support member via the wedge member by the elastic force of the elastic member is smaller than the force required for press-fitting.
The state where the member and the second member are in contact with each other is maintained.

[0006] From this state, the second member is moved in the direction of the first member by the press-fitting mechanism with a force higher than the force required for press-fitting, and the second member is press-fitted into the first member. At this time, the press-fit is received by the flange portion having high mechanical strength and is received by the wedge member. Even if a large axial force of the first member is applied to the wedge member, the wedge member does not retreat in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction due to a frictional force generated between the wedge member and the surrounding surface. Thus, before the press-fitting starts, it is possible to position the flange support member, the first member, and the second member in a positional relationship in which the first member and the second member are in contact with each other regardless of the thickness of the black scale. For this reason, the flange portion of the first member can be received by the flange support member from the start of the press-fitting. Thus, the second member can be securely pressed into the first member without deforming the first member.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the press-fitting device of the present invention. Reference numeral 2 denotes a rack tube press-fitting device as a press-fitting device, which is a device for press-fitting a rack tube T (second member) into a housing H (first member) of a power steering device.
The rack tube press-fitting device 2 mainly includes a housing support unit 10, a press-fit unit 30, a rack tube holding unit 40, a flange support unit 50, and the like. Hereinafter, the structure of each part will be described in detail.

The pallet transport device 20 includes a plurality of legs 24.
A pair of rails 26 and a rail cover 28 are installed on the top. The rail 26 extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 (the left-right direction in FIG. 2), and the pallet P is transported on the rail 26. As shown in FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the pallet P, a rack tube support portion 21 that fits and supports the lower end of the rack tube T, and a housing support portion that fits and supports the lower end Hc of the housing H. 2
2 is fixed. The rack tube T and the housing H are supported upright by the support portions 21 and 22, and are conveyed together with the pallet P. On a base 98 installed near the pallet transfer device 20, a main body base 92 is placed so as to be slidable on rails 98a.
The main body base 92 moves forward and backward on the rail portion 98a in the left-right direction of FIG. I do. A C-shaped frame 90 is integrally fixed to the main body base 92, and the C-shaped frame 90 moves forward and backward as the main body base 92 moves forward and backward.

A press-fit unit 30 is provided above the C-shaped frame 90. This press-fit unit 30
Is configured as follows. The C-shaped frame 9
A press-in device vertical movement cylinder 32 is fixed on a mounting plate 33 fixed between a pair of left and right side plates (90a, 90b in FIG. 2). A press fitting device 38 is fixed to the lower end of the slide piston 34 of the press fitting device vertical movement cylinder 32.
Is operated and the slide piston 34 moves up and down, so that the press-fitting device 38 also moves up and down. By the operation of the press-fitting device 38, the lower end of the press-fitting head 39 presses the upper end of the rack tube T held by the tube holding unit 40 described later at a high pressure, so that the rack tube T is pressed into the housing H. Therefore, this press fitting device 38
The rack tube functions as a press-fitting mechanism for moving the rack tube in the direction of the housing with a force greater than the pressure input.

As shown in FIG. 1, the side surface of the press-fitting device 38 is slidably fitted to the press-fitting device moving rail 36 fixed to the C-shaped frame 90. The vertical movement of the press-fitting device 38 is guided by 36. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an up / down position detector 160 for detecting the vertical position of the press-fitting device 38 is connected to the press-fitting device 38. The vertical position detector 160 is fixed to the press-fitting device 38 and moves up and down integrally, a detector 164 fixed to the C-shaped frame 90, and fixed to the vertical frame 162 for detection. Part 164
And a pair of slide rails 166 that slide through the detection unit 164. Then, the vertical movement of the slide rail 166 due to the vertical movement of the press-fitting device 38 is measured by the detecting unit 164, whereby the vertical position of the press-fitting device 38 is detected.

Now, below the press-fit unit 30,
The tube holding unit 40 is provided on the C-shaped frame 90. The tube gripping unit 40 is configured as follows. A pair of upper and lower tube gripping frames 42 are fixed to the C-shaped frame 90. The tube holding arm 44 is attached to the C-shaped frame 90 so as to face the tube holding frame 42.
The tube gripping arm 44 is connected to the tube gripping cylinder 4 similarly mounted on the C-shaped frame 90.
6 to move toward and away from the tube gripping frame 42. Thereby, the rack tube T can be gripped between the pair of upper and lower tube gripping frames 42 and the tube gripping arm 44 with the central portion of the rack tube T interposed therebetween. Therefore, the tube holding frame 42, the tube holding arm 44,
The tube gripping unit 40 configured around the tube gripping cylinder 46 functions as a gripping mechanism that grips and holds the non-press-fit portion of the rack tube T. The rack tube T is transferred to the tube holding unit 40 by a tube transfer unit 140 (see FIG.
1 (not shown in FIG. 1).

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a flange support unit 50 is provided below the C-shaped frame 90. In the flange support unit 50, a wedge rod 52 having a wedge portion 52a is provided in a cylinder member 56 fixed to a lower portion of a C-shaped frame 90.
Are slidably fitted in the horizontal direction. As described later in detail, a slide member 6 fitted in a groove provided in the cylinder member 56 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.
0 meshes with the wedge rod 52 in a wedge-shaped groove provided in a central portion thereof. Further, the slide member 60 has an L-shaped flange support member 62.
Are fixed integrally. On the other hand, the wedge rod 52
The rear end is fixed to an intermediate member 64, and the intermediate member 64 is connected to a piston 74 of a wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76 (drive mechanism) by a connecting member 72 via a spring 70.

Referring to FIG. 3, the flange support unit 50 will be described in more detail. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing the flange support unit 50 of the rack tube press-fitting device 2. FIG. 3A is a plan view, and FIG.
(B) is a side view seen from the same direction as FIG. 2, and FIG.
(C) is the front view seen from the same direction as FIG. FIG.
As shown in (A), a pair of cylinder members 56 of the flange support unit 50 are formed by a pair of cylinder members 56 fixed to the lower portion of the C-shaped frame 90 and a pair of cylinder members 58 integrated therewith. Is configured. A wedge rod 52 is slidably fitted to each of the cylinder portions, and the pair of wedge rods 52 is fitted to the pair of wedge rods 52 as shown in FIGS.
A wedge portion 52a protrudes inward (that is, on the side of the cylinder member 58). This wedge part 5
As shown in FIG. 3C, 2a has an inclined shape with a lower front end (left side in the figure) and a higher rear end (right side in the figure). Pressing members 53 and 54 are provided around the entrance of the wedge rod 52 on the front end surface and the rear end surface of the cylinder members 56 and 58.

The slide member 60 is provided with a groove 60a having the same inclination as the wedge portion 52a and fitted with the wedge portion 52a. The slide member 60 is slidably fitted in a groove provided in the up and down direction inside the pair of cylinder members 56 and 58. The wedge portion 52a is slidably fitted in the groove 60a of the slide member 60. Thereby, when the wedge rod 52 advances to the left in FIG.
The upper slope of the groove 60a is pushed up by the upper slope of a, and the slide member 60 is raised. When the wedge rod 52 retreats rightward, the lower slope of the groove 60a is pushed down by the lower slope of the wedge portion 52a, and the slide member 60 is lowered.

Further, an L-shaped flange support member 62 is integrally fixed inside each of the pair of slide members 60. At the lower end of the flange support member 62, a flange contact portion 62a having a similar shape to the flange portion Ha of the housing H is provided. When the slide member 60 rises as described above, the flange support member 62 also rises integrally, and the flange contact portion 62a contacts and supports the lower surface of the flange Ha of the housing H. Therefore, the flange support member 62 functions as a flange support member that can move in the axial direction of the housing H by contacting the flange portion Ha of the housing H. The wedge rod 52 moves the flange support member 62 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing H by contacting the flange support member 62 to move the flange support member 62 in a direction contacting the flange portion Ha in the axial direction of the housing H. Is composed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the rear end of the wedge rod 52 is
The connecting rod 68 is penetrated and connected to the intermediate member 64. Intermediate member 64
Has a hollow portion 64a, and a piston portion 68 provided at the tip of the connecting rod 68 is provided on the inner wall of the hollow portion 64a.
The outer periphery of a is slidably fitted. Further, a stopper 68b is provided near the rear end of the connecting rod 68, and a spring 70 is inserted between the stopper 68b and the rear end surface of the intermediate member 64. And, at the rear end of the connecting rod 68 via the connecting member 72,
The tip of the piston 74 of the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76 is connected. When the piston 74 moves forward by the operation of the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76,
The forward force of the piston 74 is transmitted to the intermediate member 64 via the spring force of the spring 70, and the wedge rod 52 moves forward (moves to the left in FIG. 3C). Therefore, the spring 70 is an elastic member connected to the wedge member 52,
Wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76 and piston 74
Constitutes a drive mechanism for moving the wedge member 52 forward and backward via the elastic member 70.

Here, the hollow portion 64a of the intermediate member 64
(Ie, the length of the stroke in which the piston portion 68a of the connecting rod 68 can slide) and the spring 70
And the spring force of the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76 are adjusted as follows. That is, at the front end of the stroke of the piston 74 by the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76, the force by which the elastic force of the contracted spring 70 tries to raise the slide member 60 via the wedge part 52 a of the wedge rod 52 is applied to the housing H by the rack. Tube T
Is less than the force required to press fit. in this way,
At the maximum forward position of the driving mechanisms 74 and 76, the elastic member 7
The force applied in the axial direction to the flange support member via the wedge member 52 by the elastic force of zero is adjusted so as to be smaller than the pressure input of the rack tube T. For this reason, when the flange support member 62 raises the housing H and the upper end of the housing H abuts on the lower end of the rack tube T, the housing H cannot be further raised. Therefore, the raising of the flange support member 62 and the slide member 60 also stops, and accordingly, the advance of the wedge rod 52 also stops. At this time, even at the front end of the stroke of the piston 74, the piston portion 68a of the connecting rod 68 is adjusted so as not to push all the way to the front end of the hollow portion 64a.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, a knock pin 8 is provided below the flange support unit 50.
0 and its forward / reverse mechanism are provided. As shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 3C, the knock pin 80 is inserted into the opening (rack guide hole) Hb on the side surface of the housing H when it is advanced, thereby preventing the housing H from rotating (shaft). (Peripheral positioning). The knock pin 80 is slidably fitted in a knock pin sleeve 82, and a connecting rod 84 is fixed to a rear end thereof. The rear end of the connecting rod 84 is connected to a piston 86 of a knock pin cylinder 88 provided behind the knock pin sleeve 82.
Then, when the piston 86 moves back and forth in the left and right direction in FIG. 3C by the operation of the knock pin cylinder 88, the knock pin 80 also moves back and forth.

Next, the tube transfer unit 140 will be described with reference to FIG. The tube transfer unit 140 includes a base 14 installed near the base 98.
2, the X-direction moving unit 144,
The three-dimensional moving mechanism includes a Z-direction moving unit 146 and a Y-direction moving unit 148, and a tube clamp 152 attached to the tip thereof. The tube clamp 152 and the clamp cylinder 150 are attached to the Y-direction moving unit 148, and the tube clamp 152 and the clamp cylinder 150 can move horizontally on the Y-direction moving unit 148 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. This Y-direction moving unit 148 is
It is attached to the direction moving unit 146, and can move up and down on the Z direction moving unit 146. The Z-direction moving unit 146 is the X-direction moving unit 1
44, and can move horizontally on the X-direction moving unit 144 relative to the base 142 in the left-right direction of FIG. Further, the tube clamp 152 has three claws arranged vertically as shown in FIG.
The operation of the clamp cylinder 150 causes the center pawl to open and close with respect to the upper and lower claws, and clamps the rack tube T therebetween.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the spacer transfer unit 100 and the spacer holding unit 12 will be described.
0 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a spacer base rail 116 is provided on a base 118 near the base 98, and a slider 114 is attached to the spacer base rail 116 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. I have. Above the slider 114, a spacer base 112 on which the spacer S is mounted is fixed. Further, as shown in FIG.
On the side opposite to the C-shaped frame 90, a spacer transfer unit 100 is provided. The spacer transfer unit 100 is configured as follows. Body base 92
The lower surface of the spacer transfer guide 102 fixed to
The guide rail 102a extends in the left-right direction, and the slider 104 is slidably fitted.
A transfer base 106 is integrally fixed to a lower portion of the slider 104, and a spacer transfer unit 108 is attached to a side surface of the transfer base 106 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. In addition, the spacer transport unit 108 is provided with FIG.
As shown in the figure, the spacer carrying claw 11 having two claws
0 is attached. By opening these two claws, a ring-shaped spacer S as shown in FIG.
Clamp from the inside with the tip of the nail bent downward.

Further, a spacer holding unit 120 as shown in FIG. 4 is provided in a space between the pair of cylinder members 56 and 58 of the flange support unit 50. The spacer holding unit 120 is configured as follows. A support column 128 is fixed to the lower portion of the C-shaped frame 90 on the same base on which the flange support unit 50 is mounted, and a slide member 126 is fitted to the support column 128 so as to be vertically slidable. I have. The sliding member 126 has a spacer holding portion 1
22 and a spacer gripping cylinder 124 are mounted, and the spacer gripping portion 122 is opened and closed by the operation of the spacer gripping cylinder 124 to clamp / unclamp the spacer S from outside. One end of a first rod 132 is connected to the slide member 126 via an indirect portion 130, and the other end of the first rod 132 is rotatably connected to a connection member 134. Then, this connection member 134
, One end of a second rod 135 is slidably fitted, and the other end of the second rod 135 is rotatably connected to a piston 136. The vertical movement cylinder 138 is
As the rack tube T is press-fitted, when the spacer holding portion 122 descends via the slide member 126, it has a function as a spring for buffering a force acting downward.

Next, the housing support unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. The housing support unit 10 is provided on a base 11 installed near the pallet transfer device 20 on the side opposite to the base 98. A unit cylinder 12 is fixed to the upper surface of the base 11, and a pair of slide rods 14 are slidably fitted to the unit cylinder 12. further,
A housing support 16 is fixed to the tip of the slide rod 14, and the housing support 16 has a pair of upper and lower contact portions 17 at the tip. When the slide rod 14 moves forward in the direction of the pallet transport device 20 by the operation of the unit cylinder 12, the housing support 16 also moves forward, and a pair of upper and lower hydraulic ports Hd and He of the housing H on the pallet P Abuts on the housing H so that the housing H does not fall down.

Next, a procedure for press-fitting the rack tube T into the housing H using the rack tube press-fitting device 2 having the above-described configuration will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the rack tube T and the housing H placed on the pallet P are transported to the vicinity of the rack tube press-fitting device 2 by the pallet transport device 20. The stop position of the pallet P is such that the housing H on the pallet P is located directly below the press-fitting device 38 when the main body base 92 of the rack tube press-fitting device 2 advances. At this time, the spacer holding portion 122 of the spacer holding unit 120 shown in FIG. 4 is in an open state at the raised position. Subsequently, the forward / backward moving cylinder 9
6, the forward / backward moving piston 94 moves forward, and the main body base 92 and the C-shaped frame 90 move forward in the direction of the pallet conveying device 20. This, as described above,
The press fitting device 38 at the top of the C-shaped frame 90
It is located directly above the upper housing H. At this time, the housing H is supported by the advancement of the housing support portion 16 of the housing support unit 10 at the same time that the opening Hb is positioned by the knock pin 80. After this, FIG.
Is closed, and the spacer holding portion 122 is closed by the housing H.
It is in a state of covering the upper end of.

Next, the spacer S is placed on the upper end surface of the housing H by the spacer transfer unit 100 and the spacer holding unit 120. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the spacer S is placed on the spacer base 112 and the slider 114 is moved to the spacer base rail 11.
6 and approach the spacer transport claw 110 of the spacer transfer unit 100 as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. Subsequently, the spacer transport unit 108 descends, clamps the spacer S from the inside with the tip of the spacer transport claw 110, and then rises. Thereafter, the slider 104 moves on the guide rail 102a to the left in FIG. 1 to transport the spacer S to above the housing H on the pallet P. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the spacer transport unit 108 descends, and the spacer S is placed on the upper end surface of the housing H. Subsequently, the spacer carrying claw 1 is inserted into the closed spacer holding portion 122 of the spacer holding unit 120.
10 releases the spacer S and rises, and the slider 104
Moves on the guide rail 102a to the right in FIGS.

Next, the rack tube T is held above the housing H by the tube transfer unit 140 shown in FIG. That is, the tube transfer unit 1
The tube clamp 152 moves onto the pallet P by the operation of the three-dimensional moving mechanisms 144, 146, and 148, and the rack tube T is clamped by the operation of the clamp cylinder 150. Then, the three-dimensional moving mechanism 14
4,146,148, the tube clamp 152
Moves to the tube holding unit 40, and the rack tube T is held between the pair of upper and lower tube holding frames 42 and the opened tube holding arm 44. Subsequently, the rack tube T is gripped by the tube gripping unit 40. That is, the tube gripping cylinder 46 is operated, the tube gripping arm 44 is rotated, and the rack tube T is sandwiched between the pair of upper and lower tube gripping frames 42. Thus, the rack tube T is held above the housing H. Then, the tube clamp 152 opens the rack tube T, and the three-dimensional moving mechanisms 144, 14
The operation of 6,148 returns to the original position. At this point, there is still a gap between the lower end of the rack tube T and the upper end of the housing H.

Next, the press-fitting device vertical movement cylinder 32 is operated to lower the slide piston 34, and the press-fitting device 38 is also lowered integrally. Then, when the lower end of the press-fit head 39 contacts the upper end of the rack tube T, the operation of the press-fitting device vertical movement cylinder 32 is stopped. At this time, the vertical position of the press-fitting device 38 is accurately detected by the vertical position detector 160. Thereafter, the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76 of the flange support unit 50 operates, and the piston 74 moves forward. Thereby, the wedge rod 52 is connected to the connecting member 72 and the spring 7 shown in FIG.
0, pushed through the connecting rod 68 and the intermediate member 64,
It advances to the left in FIGS. 1 and 3 (C). The slide member 6 is pushed by the wedge portion 52a of the wedge rod 52.
0 rises, and the flange support member 62 also rises integrally.
The flange contact portion 62a of the flange support member 62
Abuts on the lower surface of the flange portion Ha of the housing H to push up the housing H.

The wedge rod 52 is connected to the spring 7
The spring 70 is contracted when the upper end of the housing H comes into contact with the lower end of the rack tube T, and the lifting of the housing H is stopped without applying excessive force. Then, at the front end of the stroke of the piston 74 by the wedge rod forward / backward moving cylinder 76, the force of the contracted elastic force of the spring 70 to raise the slide member 60 is necessary to press-fit the rack tube T into the housing H. Piston 7
Even if 4 advances further, the housing H and the rack tube T are held in a state of contact. Here, the holding of the rack tube T by the tube holding unit 40 is released. That is, the tube gripping cylinder 46 operates to rotate the tube gripping arm 44, and the tube gripping arm 44 separates from the tube gripping frame 42.

From this state, the press-fitting device 38 operates to lower the press-fitting head 39, and the upper end of the rack tube T is pushed down at the lower end of the press-fitting head 39 by a force higher than the force required for press-fitting. Thereby, the lower end of the rack tube T is pressed into the upper end of the housing H. At this time, the spacer S placed on the upper end surface of the housing H is also press-fitted. At this time, the press input received by the housing H is supported by the flange support member at the flange portion Ha having high mechanical strength, and is received by the wedge member 52. Here, the wedge portion 5 of the wedge member 52 is inserted through the groove 60a of the slide member 60.
Even if a large downward force is applied to 2a, the wedge member 52
The wedge member 52 does not retract due to the frictional force between the wedge member 52 and the surrounding surfaces (the inner surfaces of the cylinder members 56 and 58).
When the press-fitting of the rack tube T is completed, the press-fitting head 39
Rises to the original position, and the press-fitting device vertical movement cylinder 32 operates to move the press-fitting device 38 to the original position. Then, the rack tube T and the housing H, which are press-fitted and integrated, together with the pallet P,
Is transported to the next step. Thus, the press-fitting step of the rack tube T is performed.

In this manner, the housing H can be positioned and contacted with the rack tube T without applying an excessive force, and the force applied to the housing H at the time of press fitting can be reliably received by the flange portion Ha. Thus, the rack tube T can be securely pressed into the housing H without deforming the housing H.

In the present embodiment, the axial center line of the housing and the rack tube is supported vertically, and the rack tube is press-fitted from above the housing. However, the rack tube is press-fitted from below the housing. It may be. Further, the housing and the rack tube may be supported in a horizontal direction or an oblique direction. In the present embodiment, the press-fitting is performed on the transport pallet. However, it is also possible to adopt a method in which the transport pallet and the press-fitting device are installed separately, and the housing and the rack tube are reciprocated between the transport pallet and the press-fitting device. The structure, material, arrangement, quantity, size, and the like of other parts of the rack tube press-fitting device are not limited to the present embodiment.

Further, the following advantages are given as effects unique to this embodiment. (1) Since all the press-fitting of the housing H and the rack tube T can be performed automatically, the time required for the process can be greatly reduced. (2) By press-fitting on the transport pallet 22, there is no need to reciprocate the housing H and the rack tube T between the transport pallet and the press-fitting device, and the process time is shortened. (3) Since the spacer S is guided until immediately before insertion, the reliability of mounting the spacer is improved. (4) Since the axial center line of the housing H and the rack tube T is supported vertically, each weight can be received by the frame of the apparatus, and the structure is simplified, and the housing H and the spacer S can be used. Problems such as tilting are unlikely to occur.

[0032]

According to the present invention, a flange support member for abutting against and supporting a flange portion of a first member, a wedge mechanism for supporting the first member, and a wedge mechanism pressed by an elastic member to press the flange support member to a flange. Since a press-fitting device having a drive mechanism for moving the first member can be positioned and brought into contact with the second member without applying excessive force, and a flange portion of the first member can be provided. Can be pressed. Thus, the second member can be securely pressed into the first member without deforming the first member. Further, as a ripple effect of the present invention, since the member is brought into contact with the flange portion where the black scale remains during casting and receives pressure input, there is an advantage that the surface of the first member is not easily damaged. Therefore, it becomes an extremely practical press-fitting device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a rack tube press-fitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a rack tube press-fitting device which is an embodiment of the press-fitting device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a flange support unit portion of the rack tube press-fitting device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a spacer holding unit portion of the rack tube press-fitting device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a conventional example of a rack tube press-fitting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Rack tube press-in device (press-in device) 38 Press-in mechanism 52 Wedge member 60, 62 Flange support member 70 Elastic member 74, 76 Drive mechanism 140 Gripping mechanism H Housing (first member) T Rack tube (second member)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Junfumi Kosaka 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyota Motor Corporation (72) Inventor Masahiko Asano 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyota Motor Corporation (72) Inventor Takashi Nakajima 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Motor Corporation (72) Inventor Tomomi Fujii 1 Toyota Town Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Examiner of Toyota Motor Corporation Naruhari Chiba (56) Reference Document JP-A-4-315528 (JP, A) JP-A-57-61433 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23P 19/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for press-fitting a second member into a first member having a flange portion, the device comprising: a gripping mechanism for gripping and holding a non-press-fit portion of the second member; A flange support member that is movable in the axial direction of the first member by contacting a flange portion of the member; and by moving in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first member by contacting the flange support member. A wedge member for moving the flange support member in a direction contacting the flange portion in the axial direction of the first member; an elastic member connected to the wedge member; A press-fitting device comprising: a driving mechanism for moving the second member; and a press-fitting mechanism for moving the second member in the direction of the first member.