JP3487149B2 - Body transfer 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 body transporting apparatus for transporting an actual pallet on which a body is placed and returning an empty pallet that has been transported in the same transport path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a process of manufacturing a vehicle body of an automobile, a body shell (horrid body) is assembled using several lines and then the body shell is conveyed to the next line.

Of the line for transporting such body shells, for example, the portion where the body shells, which are guided to the lifting station on the upper floor or the lower floor by a lifter device, are transferred to the next line, for example, a line for carrying out to the outside, reciprocates. It uses a body transport device that employs a conventional transport path.

Since the wheels are not attached to the body shell assembled by welding or the like, it is often used that the left and right (vehicle width direction) sides of the body shell are supported from below by a pair of pallets (receptacles) to be conveyed. Has been done.

Specifically, in the above-mentioned body transporting device, the pallet is positioned at the elevating station, receives the body shell being elevated and lowered, and the actual pallet on which the body shell is placed is sent from the elevating station to the pallet delivery station. Then, an actual pallet is transferred from this pallet delivery station to the next line for external unloading by a carrier truck or the like.

By the way, after the body shell is carried out to the outside, the empty body pallet cannot be received again until the empty pallet is returned to the lifting station. Therefore, conventionally, in the reciprocating body transport device,
On the way out, the actual pallet with the body shell is sent from the elevating station, and on the way back, the empty pallet is returned to the elevating station.

Specifically, a reciprocating conveyer is used in the convey path, and the convey operation in the forward direction of the conveyer conveys the actual pallet on which the body shell is placed from the elevating station to become the pallet delivering station. Guide to the end of, and transfer to the carrier at the same point,
It is moved to the body storage part formed in the line for carrying out to the outside and prepared for carrying out the body shell to the outside. And
When this carrier truck returns to the end of the reciprocating conveyor,
Place an empty empty pallet (a pallet that has finished unloading the body shell) stored in the pallet storage unit formed on the previous line for external unloading, and lead it to the end of the conveyor. The pallet is placed on the standby position at the delivery position, and the empty pallet is returned to the elevating station by the convey operation of this conveyor in the return path.

[0008]

By the way, even in the body transporting apparatus which adopts the reciprocating type transporting path, high transporting efficiency is required like other transporting apparatuses. However, in the case of a reciprocating transfer path, even though empty pallets can be supplied from the pallet storage section (external unloading line), there is only one loading / unloading section, so the actual pallet The work of sending the empty pallet to the end of the transport path and the work of setting the empty pallet at the end of the transport path must be performed separately.

For this reason, the reciprocating transfer path is inevitably stopped, that is, waiting, during the idle time from when the actual pallet is sent from the end of the transfer path until the empty pallet returns to the end of the transfer path.

Therefore, the one-cycle process from the sending of the actual pallet to the returning of the empty pallet cannot be efficiently advanced, which is an obstacle to improving the efficiency of the line. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a body transporting device capable of improving the efficiency of a one-cycle process from the sending of an actual pallet to the returning of an empty pallet. Especially.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the body transporting device according to claim 1 feeds the actual pallet on which the body is placed on the outward path and emptys the body after it is unloaded on the return path. At the end of the reciprocating transfer path that returns the pallets, there is a receiving path for the forward path that receives the actual pallets from the transferring path and a receiving path for the return path that receives the empty pallets from a predetermined empty pallet receiving position. The receiving path for the return path and the receiving path for the return path are selectively positioned at the end of the transport path according to the forward / backward path to replace each receiving path, and the receiving path for the return path is emptied when the receiving path for the forward path is positioned on the transport path. A pallet receiving device is provided to position the pallet at the receiving position so that when the actual pallet is sent from the forward receiving path, empty pallets can be received from the returning receiving path, and Lies in the fact that was made possible the return of empty pallets to the use of free time that Edemi palette has been carried out.

That is, according to the body transport apparatus of the first aspect, the actual pallet on which the body is placed is sent to the end by the forward movement of the transport path. At this time, the forward path of the exchanging device is positioned at the end of the transport path, and the actual pallet is delivered from the end of the transport path to the forward path and is then carried out.

The return path of one of the exchanging devices is positioned at the empty pallet receiving position in conjunction with the positioning of the forward path, so that it is used during the process of sending the actual pallet to the forward path. Set the empty pallet in the return route.

After unloading the actual pallet, the forward receiving path and the returning receiving path are interchanged, and the returning receiving path is positioned at the end of the conveying path. Then, the empty pallet may be delivered from the receiving path for the return path to the conveying path for the returning operation and returned.

Thus, the empty pallet can be returned by utilizing the idle time while the actual pallet is being carried out, from the sending of the actual pallet to the returning of the empty pallet.
The cycle process is efficiently advanced, and high transport efficiency is realized in the body transport device.

In addition to the above object, the body transporting device according to the second aspect of the present invention has a simple structure in which the conveyor is displaced laterally of the transporting path so that the empty pallet can be returned after the actual pallet is sent out. In order to do so, in the replacement device according to claim 1, the forward path is arranged at a position that is continuous along the transport path, and can be displaced from a position that is continuous with the end of the transport path to a position that is laterally displaced. It has a simple conveyor for unloading, the receiving path for the return path is arranged in parallel with the receiving path for the forward path, and it is displaceable from the position continuous with the end of the transfer path to the empty pallet receiving position deviated to the side. When the actual pallet is sent from the transport path, the carry-out conveyor is positioned at the end of the transport path, the carry-in conveyor is positioned at the empty pallet receiving position, and the empty pallet is returned. The loading conveyor is to be configured with a positioning mechanism that determines a position at the end of the conveying path.

In addition to the above-mentioned object, the body transporting apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention further comprises two units that are close to each other and reduce the installation space even when transporting the body having a portion in which the frame of the body projects to the side of the carry-out conveyor. In order to carry out real pallet feeding and empty pallet return without interference with the body by combining conveyors, the carry-in conveyor and carry-out conveyor according to claim 2 are arranged so that the empty pallet carry-in conveyor is located below. , The conveyor for unloading the actual pallet is located on the lower side,
A link mechanism that is installed on the same pedestal in parallel with each other and that displaces the positioning mechanism according to claim 2 in a direction in which the height of the gantry intersects the conveyance path, and by driving this link mechanism for the forward path. It is configured to have a drive section that selectively positions and replaces the receiving path and the return receiving path.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
A description will be given based on an embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 1 shows a part of a manufacturing line of an automobile factory, for example, a body shell (welding line) leading to a lifting station (not shown) of a lifter device (leading from the end of a body assembly line to an upper floor or a lower floor: not shown). 2 shows a plane of a body transporting device for transferring a body (white body) assembled in (1) to an external carry-out line, and FIG. 2 schematically shows the whole body transporting device.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 is a reciprocating transfer device for transferring from a lift station (not shown) of the lifter device to a pallet delivery station X distant from the lift device. A pair of left and right guide rails 2 extending from an elevating station (not shown) toward the pallet delivery station X, a pair of left and right rectangular carriages 3 movable along these guide rails 2, and this carriage 3 as an elevating station. It is configured to have a drive mechanism 4 that reciprocates between it and the pallet delivery station X. That is, trolley 3
Is driven by the drive mechanism 4 from the lift station to the pallet delivery station X (outward direction), conversely from the pallet delivery station X to the lift station (return direction),
It is designed to reciprocate.

A drive roller 5 which is driven in the forward rotation direction or the reverse rotation direction is incorporated on the upper surface of each carriage 3. By driving this drive roller group, a pair of pallets 6 (supports) can be placed on the upper surface of the carriage 3 or the pallet 6 can be lowered from the upper surface.

The trolley 3 with the drive rollers can send the actual pallet 6a from the lift station to the pallet delivery station X, or can return the empty pallet 6b from the pallet delivery station X to the lift station. That is, the pair of pallets 6 are positioned at the elevating station and descend from the upper floor (or lower floor), and the left and right (vehicle width) of the body shell 7 (white body, which corresponds to the body of the present application) assembled on the welding line. (Direction) After receiving and supporting both sides from the lower side, if the pallet 6 on which the body shell 7 is placed is conveyed to the pallet delivery station X, the actual pallet 6a is fed. If an empty pallet 6 is transferred from the pallet delivery station X to the elevating station instead of the actual pallet 6a, the empty pallet 6b is returned.

At the pallet delivery station X, which is continuous with the terminal end α of the reciprocating type transport path constituted by the carriage 3 with the driving rollers, the exchanging device 9 which is an essential part of the present invention is installed.

2 to 5 show the structure of the replacement device 9. The exchange device 9 includes a pair of conveyor units 1 that are symmetrically arranged corresponding to the entrance and exit ends of each carriage 3.
0a, 10b and these conveyor units 10a, 1
A pair of positioning mechanisms 11a, 11 for sliding 0b in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the carriage 3, that is, in a lateral direction.
A structure combining b is used.

Here, the conveyor units 10a, 10b
Since the positioning mechanisms 11a and 11b are symmetrical and the same, one of them, for example, the conveyor unit 10b and the positioning mechanism 11b that drives the unit 10b will be described.
The following structure is used for b.

In the conveyor unit 10b, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, two conveyors, for example, drive rollers, are mounted on the upper surface of a pedestal 12b having, for example, a rectangular plate shape, in the same direction as the moving direction of the carriage 3. Two reciprocating drive roller conveyors 14b and 15b having different stages, which are composed of 13b
The structure which installed in parallel is used.

The drive roller conveyors 14b and 15b are both set to a length corresponding to the pallet length. Of these drive roller conveyors 14b and 15b, the drive roller conveyor 14b arranged inward is defined for carrying out and serves as a forward path for receiving the actual pallet 6a from the carriage 3. Further, the drive roller conveyor 15b arranged on the outside is designed for carrying in and serves as a return path for receiving the empty pallet 6b.

The drive roller conveyors 14b and 15b are arranged so as to be close to each other, and the installation space of the drive roller conveyors 14b and 15b is minimized. Further, the inner drive roller conveyor 14b is supported by a frame support member 16b having a high height and is arranged on the upper side, and the outer drive roller conveyor 15b is supported by a frame support member 17b having a low height. Even when the drive roller conveyor 14b receives the body shell 7 which is arranged on the lower side and has a portion 7a which projects to the side of the drive roller conveyor 14b as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. And the driving roller 15b do not interfere with each other.

The drive roller conveyors 14b, 15b
In both cases, the drive sources 18b and 19b for driving the drive roller 13b in the reciprocating direction and the received real pallet 6a,
Elevating type stopper mechanisms 20b and 21b for stopping the empty pallet 6b at a predetermined position are incorporated.

On the other hand, the positioning mechanism 11b is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a link mechanism 22b is installed below the pedestal 12b of the conveyor unit 10b to move the pedestal 12b in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the dolly 3, that is, the right dolly 3 to the right (right and left). (Direction), the structure is used to displace while moving up and down.

That is, in the link mechanism 22b, for example, bearings 23b are provided on the lower surface portions which are the four corners of the frame 12b, respectively.
Assemble (4 pieces). Further, the frame plate 24 is installed on the floor surface part of the factory below the pedestal 12b, and the upper surface part of the frame plate 24 deviated from the bearing 23b toward the center of the guide rail 2 is arranged in the same arrangement as the bearing 23b.
Assemble 5b (4 pieces). And each upper / lower bearing 2
A parallel link mechanism is used in which 3b and 25b are rotatably connected to each other by a strip plate-shaped link 26b in a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the carriage 3. In the present embodiment, the lower end of the link 26 has a structure in which, for example, the ends of the support shafts 27b attached between the links 26 arranged in the front-rear direction are pivotally supported by the bearings 24b. is there.

With this link mechanism 22b, the height of the gantry becomes higher as it goes to the right dolly 3 (inward) and becomes lower as it goes to the right (outer).
The entire gantry is supported so that it can be displaced left and right.

By utilizing the movement of the link mechanism 22b, for example, when the gantry 12b is displaced outward as shown in FIG. 4, the drive roller conveyor 14b having a high inward support height is conveyed through the conveyance path. Position for receiving the empty pallet 6 from the outside while guiding the driving roller conveyor 15b at a position where the outer supporting height is low while guiding it to a position that coincides with the incoming / outgoing end (incoming / outgoing end of the carriage 3), that is, an empty pallet receiving position I am trying to lead to Y. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, when the gantry 12b is displaced inward, the drive roller conveyor 15b having a low outer support height is guided to a position matching the entrance / exit end (the entrance / exit end of the carriage 3) of the transport path. At the same time, the inner drive roller conveyor 14b having a high support height can be guided between the carriages 3 which are displaced toward the center.

That is, the link mechanism 22b causes the drive roller conveyor 14b to move laterally from the position where the drive roller conveyor 14b is continuous with the terminal end α of the conveying path to the position where it is laterally displaced.
Is displaced from a position continuous with the end of the transport path to an empty pallet receiving position Y which is laterally displaced.

3 to 5 are provided on one supporting shaft of the link mechanism 22b, for example, an intermediate portion of the outer supporting shaft 27b.
As shown in FIG. 5, a drive unit, for example, an air cylinder 29b installed in the central portion of the frame plate 24 is reciprocally connected via a substantially L-shaped relay lever 28b attached to the same portion. By expanding and contracting the air cylinder 29b, the pedestal 12b can be driven in the left-right direction while moving up and down with the support shaft 27b as a fulcrum. Then, for example, when the operating rod of the air cylinder 29b is most extended, the inner drive roller conveyor 14b is positioned with respect to the carriage 3 serving as the inlet / outlet end of the conveying path as shown in FIG. When contracted, the outer drive roller conveyor 15b is positioned with respect to the carriage 3 serving as the entrance and exit ends of the transport path as shown in FIG. 14
b or the driving roller conveyor 15b can be positioned alternatively.

By the movement of the air cylinder 29b,
The drive roller conveyors 14b, 15b (outgoing path receiving path, returning path receiving path) can be replaced. At the same time, when the drive roller conveyor 14b (outgoing path receiving path) is positioned on the transport path, the drive roller conveyor 15b (return path receiving path) is made to wait at the empty pallet receiving position Y.

The structure of the conveyor unit 10b, the positioning mechanism 11b, and the drive system is adopted in the remaining conveyor unit 10a, the positioning mechanism 11a, and the drive system, and in the pallet delivery station X, the actual pallet 6a is used.
The receiving of the empty pallets 6b and the receiving of the empty pallets 6b can be performed at the same time. Along with the return of empty pallet 6b,
The actual pallet 6a is carried out from the drive roller conveyor 14b within the time it is carried out.

Since the conveyor unit 10a and the positioning mechanism 11a are the same as the conveyor unit 10b and the positioning mechanism 11b only in the left-right symmetry, the suffix numbers are changed from "b" to "a". Is attached to each drawing and the description thereof is omitted.

On the other hand, reference numeral 30 in FIGS. 1 and 2 denotes an external carry-out line for carrying out the next line, for example, the body shell 7, located at a point away from the pallet delivery station X.

The external carry-out line 30 receives the real pallets 6a at a predetermined interval defined by the pair of carriages 3 and stores a pair of bodies in order until the body shell 7 (real pallets 6a) is carried out to the outside. Storage unit 31
And a pallet storage section 32 for storing the empty pallets 6b which have been formed in parallel and which have been formed in parallel with the body storage section 31 on both sides of the body storage section 31 in order. The carry-in end 31a of the body storage unit 31 is set at, for example, the same height as the carrying surface of the trolley 3, and the carry-out end 3a of the pallet storage unit 32.
2a is set at the same height as the empty pallet receiving position Y, for example. In addition, the body storage unit 31, not shown,
The end of the pallet storage section 32 extends to a work station (not shown) for carrying out the body shell 7 to the outside.

These carry-in ends 31a, 31a and carry-out ends 32a, 32a, and the drive roller conveyor 1 of the replacement device 9
4a, 14b and drive roller conveyors 15a, 15b
Each conveyor end is connected to each other by, for example, a carriage 33 that reciprocates in the same section, so that the real pallet 6a and the empty pallet 6b can be transferred between the external carry-out line 30 and the transfer device 9. There is.

Specifically, the transport carriage 33 is a carriage unit 34 that travels back and forth in a section between the external carry-out line 30 and the exchanging device 9, and receives / receives the actual pallet 6a mounted on the carriage unit 34. A pair of parallel conveyors for delivering and receiving, for example, a pair of reciprocating drive roller conveyors 35, and a pair of parallel conveyors for receiving / delivering the empty pallets 6b mounted on both sides of the drive roller conveyor 35, for example, pair And a reciprocating drive roller conveyor 36. Of course, the pair of drive roller conveyors 35 has the conveyor ends which are aligned with the carry-in ends 31a and 31a of the external carry-out line 30 and the actual pallet carry-out end of the transfer device 9, and the pair of drive roller conveyors 36.
The conveyor end is the carry-out end 32a, 3 of the external carry-out line 30.
2a and the empty pallet carry-in end of the exchanging device 9 are assembled.

In addition to the function of receiving / delivering the real pallet 6a in the section between the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b and the body storage unit 31, the transport carriage 33 has
A function of receiving an empty pallet 6b from each pallet storage unit 32 when delivering the real pallet 6a to the body storage unit 31, and carrying it to the exchanging device 9, and an empty pallet when receiving the real pallet 6a from the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b. 6b drives roller conveyors 15a, 1
5b is set, and in cooperation with the replacement device 9, the body transport device is operated efficiently.

6 to 13, the real pallet 6a,
The operations of the reciprocating transfer device 1, the exchanging device 9, and the transfer carriage 33 in connection with the transfer of the empty pallet 6b are shown in order. Next, the operation of the reciprocating transfer device 1, the replacement device 9 and the transfer carriage 33 will be described.

At a lifting station (not shown) of the lifter device, a pair of empty pallets 6b placed on the trucks 3 is used to descend the body shell 7 from the upper floor (assembly at the welding line). It is assumed that the body shell 7 has been received by supporting both the left and right sides (in the vehicle width direction) of the body) from below.

Upon completion of this receiving process, the drive mechanism 4
Operation, the carriage 3 is moved in the backward direction to move the pair of pallets 6 on which the body shell 7 is mounted, that is, the pair of real pallets 6a toward the delivery station X on the front side as shown in FIG. Send (outward).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the exchanging device 9 is in a state suitable for receiving the real pallet 6a. That is, the gantry 12a, 12b is displaced by the extension operation of the air cylinders 29a, 29b, and the drive roller conveyors 14a, 14b, which are the receiving paths for the forward path, are positioned at the entrance / exit end of the carriage 3 (the end α of the transport path) and the return path. The drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b, which are the receiving paths, are positioned at the empty pallet receiving position Y.

As a result, after the carriage 3 is stopped at the end of the conveying path, the drive rollers 5 of the carriage 3 and the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b of the exchanging device 9 are actuated, so that FIG.
As shown in, the pair of real pallets 6a on the carriage 3 are
A pair of drive roller conveyors 14a, 14b of the replacement device 9
Will be handed over to. Then, when the actual pallet 6a reaches the point where it is regulated by the stopper mechanisms 20a and 20b,
The replacement of the actual pallet 6a is completed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
During the process of remounting the real pallets 6a, the pair of real pallets 6a already loaded in the previous process is transferred from the pair of drive roller conveyors 35 to the carry-in end 3 of the body storage unit 31.
1a, and a pair of drive roller conveyors 3 are transferred almost at the same time.
The process of receiving a pair of empty pallets 6b (the pallet 6 that has finished carrying out the body shell 7 from the outside) from the unloading end 32a of the pallet storage unit 32 at 6 is completed, and the pallet delivery is performed with only the pair of empty pallets 6b being placed. It is being transported to Station X.

As the transport carriage 33 reaches the conveyor end of the replacing device 9, the carry-in ends of the pair of drive roller conveyors 35 are driven by the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b of the replacing device 9, as shown in FIG. Is positioned at the carry-out end of. At the same time, the carry-out end of the pair of drive roller conveyors 36 is waiting at the pallet receiving position Y.
The drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b are positioned at the carry-out end.

When the positioning of the carriage 33 and the exchanging device 9 is completed, the drive roller conveyors 14a, 14b, 35 and 36 are activated as shown in FIG. Real pallet 6 in
a is transferred to the pair of drive roller conveyors 35 of the carriage 33. In contrast to this, the empty pallets 6b on the pair of drive roller conveyors 36 of the transport carriage 33 are delivered to the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b of the exchanging device 9.

By this process, the sending out of the actual pallet 6a and the receiving of the empty pallet 6b proceed at the same time. When the delivery of the real pallet 6a and the reception of the empty pallet 6b are completed, the transport carriage 33 is in a state where only the real pallet 6a is placed, and the replacement device 9 is paired only with the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b as shown in FIG. The empty pallet 6b is loaded.

After that, the transport carriage 33 leaves the transfer device 9 and returns to the carry-in / out end of the external carry-out line 30, and again from the drive roller conveyor 35 as described above to the body storage section 31 to the real pallet 6a. The pallet storage unit 32 transfers the empty pallets 6b to the drive roller conveyor 36.

The exchanging device 9 transfers the empty pallets 6b on the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b to the carriage 3 waiting at the pallet delivery station X while the actual pallets 6b are being carried out.

That is, in the exchange device 9, the air cylinders 29a and 29b are contracted as shown in FIG.
Is moved to the center side while being raised, and the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b are displaced to the center side (between the carriages 3 and 3), and instead, the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b are positioned at the entrance and exit ends of the pair of carriages 3.

As a result, the driving roller conveyors 14a and 14b serving as the receiving paths for the forward path and the driving roller conveyors 15a and 15b serving as the receiving paths for the returning path are exchanged. Then, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the drive rollers 5 of the carriages 3 and the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b are actuated so that the pair of empty pallets 6b on the drive rollers 5 stand by. The empty pallet 6b is transferred to the upper part and the empty pallet 6b is replaced.

Then, after the empty pallet 6b is replaced, the trolley 3 is returned to the elevating station by the operation of the drive mechanism 4, and if it is positioned at a predetermined position, the trolley from the welding line descending from the upper floor again. Enter the process of receiving the body shell 7.

In this way, the empty pallet 6b, which was supposed to be able to be returned only after the unloading of the real pallet 6b, can be returned by the adoption of the replacing device 9 while the real pallet 6a is unloaded. Use the same real pallet 6
It can be performed subsequent to sending out a.

As a result, the one-cycle process from the sending out of the actual pallet 6a to the returning of the empty pallet 6b can be efficiently carried out, which brings about high carrying efficiency in the body carrying device and realizes a high line operation rate.
In particular, a higher occupancy rate can be expected by carrying in / out the pallet from the exchanging device 9 using the transport carriage 33 having the forward / backward conveyors 35 and 36.

Moreover, the replacement device 9 includes the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b and the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b.
Since the structure has been displaced to the side of the conveyance path, the empty pallet 6a can be quickly returned after the actual pallet 6a is sent out with a simple structure.

In addition, the exchange device 9 includes the drive roller conveyors 14a and 14b and the drive roller conveyors 15a and 15b so that the installation space can be reduced.
The drive roller conveyors 14a, 14b for carrying out are arranged not only in close proximity to but also on the upper side, and the drive roller conveyors 15a, 15b for carrying in are arranged on the lower side. Since the structure is performed by displacing sideways while changing the thickness, even if a large number of types of bodies in which the body shell 7 having the portion 7a protruding to the side of the drive roller conveyor 14 is mixed are sent out, it is large. It is possible to prevent the body shell 7 and the drive roller 15a from interfering with each other without occupying an occupied space, and it is effective for a body transporting device that sends out many kinds of bodies.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the exchanging device 9 is combined with the conveying device 1 that reciprocates the carriage 3 is given, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the conveying device that reciprocates by another system is replaced. The device 9 may be combined. Although the gantry 12a, 12b is displaced by the air cylinders 29a, 29b, the gantry 12a, 12b may be displaced by another drive source.

[0062]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the empty pallet can be returned by utilizing the idle time during which the actual pallet is unloaded. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the one-cycle process from the sending of the actual pallet to the returning of the empty pallet.

As a result, it is possible to bring high carrying efficiency in the body carrying apparatus and to achieve a high operating rate in the factory production line. According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, a simple structure of displacing the conveyors which are parallel to each other in different stages to the side of the conveying path is used, and the empty pallet is quickly emptied after the actual pallet is sent out. The effect is that the pallet can be returned.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 2
In addition to the effect of the above, even in a line for sending out a body in which there is a body that has a part that projects to the side of the width of the carry-out conveyor, the body and the carry-in conveyor do not require a large occupied space, and It is possible to return empty pallets while preventing them from interfering with each other, which is effective for a reciprocating body transporting device that sends out many kinds of bodies.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a body transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a replacement device applied to the device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining an overall outline of the body transport device and the replacement device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the structure of a replacement device.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the structure of the exchanging device as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3, together with a state in which the conveyor on the unloading side of the exchanging device is positioned at the carriage position of the reciprocating transfer device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the carry-in side conveyor of the transfer device is also positioned at the carriage position of the reciprocating transfer device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining the process from the reciprocating transfer path to the transfer of the actual pallet to the conveyor on the unloading side of the exchanging device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view for explaining a process of transferring an actual pallet previously placed on a carrier truck to a body storage unit and receiving a used empty pallet from the pallet storage unit by mistake.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining a process of positioning a transport carriage on which an empty pallet is placed on a replacement device that has received an actual pallet.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view for explaining a process in which an actual pallet of the exchanging device is transferred to a transport carriage and an empty pallet is received from the transport carriage to the exchanging device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where reception of the empty pallet is completed.

FIG. 11 shows a conveyor on the loading side on which the empty pallet is placed.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining a process of upright displacement of the gantry from the empty pallet receiving position until the pallet is in standby.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view for explaining the process of moving the empty pallet to a trolley.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view for explaining a process in which a pallet transferred to the same truck is returned.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Reciprocating type conveyance device 2, 3 ... Guide rail, carriage (conveyance path) 9 ... Interchange apparatus 11a, 11b ... Positioning mechanism 12a, 12b ... Stands 14a, 14b ... Drive roller conveyor (reception path for forward path,
Carry-out conveyor 15a, 15b ... Drive roller conveyor (return receiving path,
Conveyor for carry-in 22a, 22b ... Link mechanism 29a, 29b ... Air cylinder (driving section) 30 ... External discharge line 33 ... Transport vehicle α ... End of transport path.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reciprocating transfer path for feeding an actual pallet with a body on the outward path and returning an empty pallet after the body is unloaded on the return path, and a reciprocal transfer path provided at the end of the transfer path. There is a forward path receiving path for receiving an actual pallet from the transport path and a return path receiving path for receiving the empty pallet from a predetermined empty pallet receiving position, and these forward path receiving path and return path receiving path are used during the forward / backward path. Accordingly, the respective receiving paths are interchanged by selectively positioning at the end of the conveying path, and the returning receiving path is positioned at the empty pallet receiving position when the outward receiving path is positioned on the conveying path. A body transporting device comprising a replacement device for determining. 2. The exchanging device is arranged such that the outward path is arranged at a position continuous along the conveying path, and is displaceable from a position continuous with an end of the conveying path to a position deviated laterally. It has a carry-out conveyor, the return path is arranged in parallel with the forward path, and can be displaced from a position continuous with the end of the transfer path to an empty pallet receiving position that is laterally displaced. When the actual pallet is sent from the transport path, the carry-out conveyor is positioned at the end of the transport path, and the carry-in conveyor is positioned at the empty pallet receiving position. The body transport apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning mechanism that positions the carry-in conveyor at the end of the transport path when returning the empty pallet. 3. The carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor are installed in parallel on the same frame, with the carry-in conveyor of the empty pallet being on the lower side and the carry-out conveyor of the actual pallet being on the upper side, A link mechanism, in which the positioning mechanism displaces the height of the gantry in a direction intersecting with the transport path, and a driving mechanism for driving the link mechanism to provide the forward path and the return path with respect to the transport path. 3. The body transport apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the body transport apparatus is configured to include a driving unit that selectively replaces the position of the.