JP3347437B2 - Method and apparatus for adjusting holder for transporting articles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article transport holder adjustment and an apparatus therefor suitable for transporting a plurality of articles (work pieces) having different shapes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a press working process for press working a work of an automobile body or other various products,
The press process is performed while the workpiece is sequentially fed one pitch at a time. A rod-shaped workpiece holding hand provided with a workpiece gripping means such as a vacuum cup or a magnet at the distal end is provided as such a progressive feeding device. 2. Description of the Related Art It is conventionally known that a work is carried out from each processing station by moving a holding hand in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, and is carried into a next processing station.

Further, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 58-66047, the vertical movement of a work holding hand is performed by a rotating operation around a horizontally extending guide rod. In addition, a work transfer device has been proposed in which the work holding hand is moved in the horizontal direction by moving the work holding hand in the direction in which the guide rod extends.

In the work transfer apparatus having such a configuration, the guide means for moving the work holding hand in the vertical and horizontal directions conventionally requires two guide rods for the vertical and horizontal directions. However, only one guide rod is required, so that the facility can be simplified and the capital investment cost can be reduced.

[0005] In the above-described work transfer device, the posture of the work holding hand is set in advance before the device is operated. This posture setting is to change the posture of the work holding hand in advance according to the type of the work so that the work holding means provided at the tip of the work holding hand can hold the work properly. Each time the type of work to be performed is changed, the posture setting is often repeated.

Heretofore, such posture setting of the work holding hand has been performed by input of an operator, and the operator releases the fastening of a plurality of fastening portions and adjusts the position each time it becomes necessary. After that, the above-mentioned fastening portion was re-fastened.

[0007]

In recent years, in order to cope with diversification of user's preference, the tendency to perform multi-product small-quantity production has increased, and a plurality of types of workpieces are often flown on a single assembly line. Further, even in the same vehicle type, for example, a work W made of pressed products having different shapes and dimensions from each other, such as a front fender as shown in FIG. 12 and a hood (engine room hood) as shown in FIG.
Are often transported while being held by the same robot hand.

As described above, when the type of the work W is different,
Work holding positions provided by the vacuum cup VC as the work holding means provided at the end of the work holding hand (four work holding positions are indicated by # 1 to # 4 in FIGS. 12 and 13). Therefore, if the frequency of switching the type of the work W increases, the frequency of changing the posture of the work holding hand of the transfer device naturally increases.

[0009] However, such a posture adjustment and setting operation of the work holding hand is a heavy labor requiring skill, and therefore requires a considerable amount of manpower and time, and it is difficult to respond quickly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and relieves an operator from heavy labor, and adjusts the posture of an article carrying holder such as a work holding hand according to the type of work. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for adjusting an article-conveying holder that can be changed quickly and reliably.

[0011]

Holder adjustment method for an article transport according to the invention To achieve the above object, according to have a movable part locking and unlocking can be for including and attitude change an article gripping means at the distal end
Rutotomoni provided article holding hand to the robot arm, this
The above-mentioned tip of the article holding hand can be locked at a predetermined position
Locking means arranged relative to the fixed part of the robot
The article holding hand in a state where the movable part is locked.
The de of the tip is moved to the predetermined position, after the front end portion engaged by the locking means at the predetermined position, this
In the locked state to unlock the movable portion, then adjusting the article gripping position above Symbol article holding hands by driving the robot arm to lock the movable portion thereafter, and the tip of The locking is released.

Further, the article transport holders adjustment device according to the present invention is provided on the robot arm, the movable part of the object article holding hand that have a movable portion for including and attitude change an article gripping means at the distal end and a locking means for releasably locking the locking Allowed the leading end of the article holding hand in position
Locking means disposed on the fixed portion of the robot so that the tip of the article holding hand is locked in the predetermined position by the locking means, and the movable part is locked by the locking means. And an adjusting means for driving the robot arm in a state where is released to adjust the article holding posture of the article holding hand.

[0013]

According to the present invention, after the tip of the article holding hand is locked at a predetermined position, the lock of the movable part is released, and then the robot arm is driven.
Since the object holding posture of the article holding hand is adjusted, the article holding posture of the work holding hand can be automatically changed by the robot itself equipped with the article holding hand. There is no need to prepare. In addition, there is an advantage that it is quicker and more reliable than a change in the posture of the work holding hand due to human power of an operator, and can immediately respond to a change in the type of work.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 are schematic views showing one example of a work transfer device provided with a work holding hand adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the entire configuration of the work transfer device, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a clamper (locking means) for locking the tip of the work holding hand at a predetermined position when the posture of the work holding hand is adjusted, FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the tip of the work holding hand is locked by a clamper.

The robot R shown in FIG. 1 grasps works W conveyed from left to right in the figure one by one by a conveyor having only the work mounting surface indicated by reference numeral 2 and sequentially moves the pallets 3. The workpiece W shown in FIG. 13 is, for example, the one shown in FIG. Therefore, the robot R is provided with four work holding hands (article transfer holding tools) 5 whose posture can be adjusted at the tip of the robot arm 4 protruding from the fixed portion 1. A vacuum cup VC as a work holding means is attached to the tip of each work holding hand 5.

At a position where the work holding hand 5 of the robot R receives the work W from the conveyor, a work lifting device 8 having a plurality of work receiving members 6 and 7 is provided. As shown by the phantom line in FIG. 1, the work lifting device 8 includes a standby position in which the upper ends of the work receiving members 6 and 7 are below the work mounting surface 2 of the conveyor, and a rising position from the standby position. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, the work W on the conveyor is supported on the work receiving members 6 and 7, and the work W is lifted upward from the work mounting surface 2 of the conveyor. It is configured to be able to move up and down between them.

A pair of brackets 9, 9 extend horizontally in the fixed part 1 of the robot R, and a tip of a work holding hand 5 (a tip part 1 described later) is attached to the tip of each bracket 9.
Clampers 10A and 10B for locking 9) are respectively attached.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the work holding hand 5 in a partially cut state. The roots of the four workpiece holding hands 5 are attached to a single spline shaft 11 that is horizontally extended and fixed to the tip of the robot arm 4.

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional side view showing a support structure of a base end portion of the work holding hand 5, FIG. 6 is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. FIG.

The work holding hand 5 is spline-coupled to the spline shaft 11 and is slidable along the spline shaft 11. The work holding hand 5 is fixed to the cylinder 12 so that the cylindrical body 12 cannot slide. A horizontally movable locking means 13 which can be locked; a root block 14 which is rotatably fitted to the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 12 and which can rotate around the axis of the spline shaft 11; And the base end side of the base block 14 is inserted into a rod insertion hole 14a formed in the base block 14 so as to be slidable in the axial direction and rotatable around the axis. A supported rod 16 and this rod 16
A rod expansion / rotation locking means 17 capable of locking the slidably / rotatably, a wrist part 18 provided at the distal end of the rod 16, and a vacuum cup VC provided at the distal end of the wrist 18. And a hand portion 19 to be held.

As shown in FIG. 5, a pole spline is used as the spline shaft 11, and a plurality of ball grooves 11a extending in the axial direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spline shaft 11. The cylindrical body 12 is fitted on the spline shaft 11 via a steel ball 21. Since the ball 21 is fitted into a concave portion of the inner peripheral wall surface of the cylindrical body 12, the cylindrical body 12 cannot rotate around the spline shaft 11, but the spline shaft 11 can slide freely in the axial direction. is there.

The horizontal movement lock means 13 which can lock the cylindrical body 12 so as not to slide is fixed to a flange 12a formed at one end of the cylindrical body 12, and as shown in FIG.
A fastening body 22 formed in a U-shape and fitted to the spline shaft 11 so as to sandwich the spline shaft 11 at a U-shaped bent portion at the lower end thereof, and a gap 2 between both U-shaped legs of the fastening body 22
3 and a cylinder 24 acting to narrow the gap 2
3 is formed by a coil spring 25 acting so as to spread the coil 3. The cylinder 24 is provided with the hydraulic pipe 2
6 (see FIG. 4), and when the hydraulic pressure is supplied, the gap 23 is narrowed so that the fastening body 22 tightens the spline shaft 11, and the axis of the spline shaft 11 of the cylindrical body 12 Direction sliding is suppressed, so that the base block 1 of the work holding hand 5
4, the movement of the spline shaft 11 in the axial direction is suppressed.

The rotation locking means 1 for locking the base block 14 so that rotation around the spline shaft 11 is impossible.
5 is the flange 12a of the cylindrical body 12 and the base block 14
, A rotation-locking brake plate 28 fixed to the flange 12 a side, a hydraulic cylinder 29 fixed to the base block 14, and a shaft 30 ( 6 (see FIG. 6).

The brake plate 28 is provided on the spline shaft 11.
Project in the direction perpendicular to the direction. The locking piece 31
Has one end 31a with which the tip of the cylinder rod 29a of the hydraulic cylinder 29 is in contact, and the other end 31b which sandwiches the tip of the brake plate 28 between the surface 14b of the root block 14 and When hydraulic pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 29 through the hydraulic pipe 32 (see FIG. 4), the other end 31 b of the locking piece 31 presses the tip of the brake plate 28 onto the surface 14 b of the base block 14. The base block 14 and the cylindrical body 12 are integrally connected via a brake plate 28, and the spline shaft 11 of the base block 14 is
Around rotation is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 7, a rod extension / rotation lock means 17 for locking the rod 16 whose base end is supported by the base block 14 so that the rod 16 cannot slide or rotate with respect to the base block 14 is provided. A forked fastening body 34 integrally formed with a gap 33 reaching the rod insertion hole 14a of the body 14 and sandwiching the rod 16, and a hydraulic cylinder 35 acting to narrow the gap 33 between both legs of the fastening body 34
And a coil spring 36 that acts to widen the gap 33. The hydraulic cylinder 35 is operated by a hydraulic pressure supplied through a hydraulic pipe 36 (see FIG. 4).
Is narrowed and the fastening body 34 tightens the rod 16, and the rod 16 is fixed to the base block 14.

At the tip end of the rod 16, a wrist 18 and a tip 19 are provided.
9 is a side view in which a part of the hand portion 19 is sectioned, and FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view along line IX-IX in FIG.

The wrist 18 has a multi-plate clutch mechanism 20, as is apparent from FIG. That is, a rod end bracket 41 protruding toward the hand portion 19 is fixed to the end of the rod 16, and two (a total of four) first fixed clutch plates 42 are provided on both sides of the bracket 41 by bolts 43. The part has been fixed. Similarly, at the base end side of the hand portion 19, a hand portion base end bracket 44 projecting toward the rod 16 is integrally formed.
2 fixed clutch plates 45 on both sides of each of the four (four in total)
Are fixed at the base by bolts 46.

Four movable clutch plates 47 and two outer plates 48 and 49 are bridged between the rod tip bracket 41 and the hand base bracket 44. One end of each of the movable clutch plate 47 and the outer plates 48 and 49 is inserted alternately with the first fixed clutch plate 42 through a pin 50 provided through the rod end bracket 41,
Similarly, the other end of the movable clutch plate 47 and the other ends of the outer plates 48 and 49 are supported by the pin 5 provided on the proximal end bracket 44 of the hand portion.
1 is alternately inserted with the second fixed clutch plate 45, and is rotatably supported around the pin 51.

A locking band 52 is provided on the outer periphery of the outer plates 48 and 49 of the multi-plate clutch mechanism 20 having such a configuration so as to surround the multi-plate clutch mechanism 20.
A bag-shaped diaphragm 53 made of an elastic material such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber is interposed between the inner wall of the locking band 52 and one of the outer plates 49. The diaphragm 53 is configured to be supplied with compressed air from a compressor (not shown) through an air pipe 54.
When compressed air is supplied to the
Are fastened to fix the wrist 18 and the tip 19. When the air in the diaphragm 53 is released, the wrist 18 and the hand 19 can rotate around the pins 50 and 51.

A vacuum cup VC provided at the tip 19 of the work holding hand 5 for sucking and gripping the work W is provided through a communication hole 55 and a vacuum pipe 56 formed in the base bracket 44 of the tip. , A suction pump (not shown). Therefore,
By bringing the vacuum cup VC into contact with the surface of the work W and operating the suction pump to make the inside of the vacuum cup VC negative, the vacuum cup VC sucks the surface of the work W and grips the work W. Become.

The hand portion 19 is provided with a first gripped portion 57A projecting laterally, and a second gripped portion having a shape different from that of the first gripped portion 57A is provided at the tip of the rod 16. 57B is provided in parallel with the first gripped portion 57A.
The clamper 10A shown in FIGS.
A is configured to be suitable for clamping
B has a configuration suitable for clamping the second gripped portion 57B.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are a plan view and a side view showing the structure of the clamper 10A in a state where the first gripped portion 57A of the work holding hand 5 is clamped.
The clamper 10A has a cylinder 90 fixed to the tip of the bracket 9 and a pair of piston rods 90a, 90a protruding vertically from the cylinder 90, the roots of which are connected to each other. Are provided. Clamping member 9
The holding portion 91 has an intermediate portion pivotally supported by a pin 92 and clamps the first gripped portion 57A at the tip end.
a.

The configuration of the work transfer device provided with the work holding hand adjusting device according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. When adjusting the work holding hand, first, the robot arm 4 is operated to operate the work holding hand 5. The distal end is moved to a position where the clamper 10A or 10B can clamp it, and as shown in FIG.
In a state where the gripped portion 58 is clamped by the clamper 10A or 10B, the locking of each part by the horizontal movement lock means 13, the rotation lock means 15, and the rod extension / rotation lock means 17 and the fastening state of the multi-plate clutch mechanism 20 are determined. The robot gripping posture of the workpiece holding hand 5 is changed by moving the robot arm 4 along a predetermined locus while sequentially releasing the lock according to the program and following the lock release.

After this change, the horizontal movement locking means 1
3. By re-locking each part by the rotation locking means 15 and the rod extension / rotation locking means 17, and by re-fastening the multi-plate clutch mechanism 20, the work holding hand 5 can adjust the work holding posture suitable for the work W. Then, by releasing the clamp by the clamper 10A or 10B, a new work W can be transported.

As described above, in this embodiment, in order to change the posture by sequentially unlocking all the movable parts of the work holding hand 5, the vacuum cup VC holding the work W must be moved within its operating area. Can be set to all states three-dimensionally. In addition, since this posture adjustment is performed only by preparing the clamper 10A or 10B for clamping the tip 19 of the work holding hand 5, the robot R itself does not need to separately prepare a posture adjustment robot. .

Further, in the present embodiment, the wrist portion 18 of the work holding hand 5 where particularly complicated and subtle movements are expected.
However, since the movement is locked by the expansion of the diaphragm 53 by the supplied compressed air, there is an advantage that the degree of freedom in adjusting the wrist 18 is large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of a work transfer device provided with a work holding hand adjustment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a clamper that locks a tip end of a work holding hand at a predetermined position.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where the tip of the work holding hand is locked by a clamper;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a work holding hand in a partially cut state.

FIG. 5 shows a support structure of a base end of the work holding hand.
Side view with a partial cross section

FIG. 6: Bottom view

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side view in which a part of a wrist and a tip of a work holding hand is sectioned.

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of a clamper 10A.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view and a side view for explaining an example of a work and a gripping portion thereof;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view and a side view for explaining another example of a work and a gripping portion thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 Robot arm 5 Work holding hand 10A, 10B Clamper 11 Spline shaft 12 Cylindrical body 13 Horizontal movement locking means 14 Root block 15 Rotation locking means 16 Rod 17 Rod extension / rotation locking means 18 Work holding hand wrist 19 Work holding hand Hand part 20 Multi-plate clutch mechanism 22, 34 Fastener 24, 29, 35 Hydraulic cylinder 42, 45 Fixed clutch plate 47 Movable clutch plate 53 Diaphragm

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A article to have a movable portion to lock unlockable for including and attitude change an article gripping means at the distal end
Rutotomoni provided holding hand to the robot arm, which can lock the said forward end portion of the object <br/> article holding hand at a predetermined position
Locking means arranged on the fixed part of the robot.
With the movable part locked, the article holding hand
The tip is moved to the predetermined position, after the front end portion engaged by the locking means at the predetermined position, the engaging
Unlock of the movable portion by the locking state and then driving the robot arm to adjust the article gripping position above Symbol article holding hands and to lock the movable portion thereafter, and engagement of the distal portion A method for adjusting an article-conveying holder, the method comprising: Wherein provided on the robot arm, locking means for locking releasably said movable part of those <br/> article holder hands that have a movable portion for including and attitude change an article gripping means at the distal end The tip of the article holding hand can be locked at a predetermined position .
And the tip of the article holding hand is locked at the predetermined position by the locking means, and the lock of the movable part by the locking means is released. And an adjusting means for driving the robot arm in a state in which the article holding hand adjusts the article gripping posture of the article holding hand. 3. An apparatus for adjusting an article-conveying holder according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said article holding hands are provided on one robot arm.