JP4135530B2 - Article transfer device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an article transfer apparatus for handling articles such as stacking (depalletizing) articles stacked on a pallet by a robot or stacking (palletizing) articles on a pallet.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Some article transfer apparatuses that handle articles by a robot are provided with a suction pad and a clamp arm, as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, respectively.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-257965 (FIG. 1)
[0004]
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-131585 (FIG. 1)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above-described conventional configuration, the article holding device stably holds the article by using the suction pad and the clamp arm at the same time. However, for example, when handling a plurality of types of articles of different sizes and types, a single type of holding member cannot hold a plurality of types of articles because the arrangement position of the holding member or the positioning member interferes with the article. was there.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an article transfer device that can hold articles having different conditions such as form and properties without interference by separate holding means. .
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an upper base plate and a lower base plate that are arranged in parallel to each other are provided on a base frame that is moved by a robot , and between the lower base plate and the upper base plate, A first holding means capable of holding a first article by a pair of left and right latching devices each projecting downward from both the left and right sides of the lower base plate and having an openable and closable latching member, and disposed between the latching members A second holding means having a plurality of suction tools that can hold the second article, and a plurality of positioning members projecting downward from both the left and right sides and the front and rear sides of the lower base plate. the latching pawl is arranged and positioning means positionable relative to the hook portion of the first article by contact and separation dynamic shifting device Te, before the first holding means A hooking member, provided engageable latching pawl engaging portion formed on the first article, the second holding means, through the opening formed in the lower base plate, said locking member An adsorbing device lifting device for elevating and lowering the adsorbing device between a use position below the lower end and a standby position above the first article supported by the latching member, and the first holding means, With the suction tool lifted to the standby position by the suction tool lifting device, the hook member is moved closer to engage the hooking claw with the hook portion of the first article, and the first article is moved. The second holding means is configured to suck and hold the second article from the upper surface with the suction tool in a state where the suction tool is lowered to the use position by the suction tool lifting device. It is.
[0008]
According to the configuration of the first aspect, the suction tool is retracted to the standby position with respect to the first article, and the first article is hooked by the plurality of hooking members and held by the first holding means. Let Further, for the second article having a wide upper surface that interferes with the latching member, the suction tool is lowered to the use position below the latching member, and the upper surface of the second article is sucked by the suction tool to be second held. Hold by means. Accordingly, the suction tool is lifted and lowered between the use position and the retracted position by the suction tool lifting device, whereby interference between the second article held by the suction tool and the latch member or the latch member is held. Interference between the first article and the suction tool can be prevented, and even if the article has different conditions such as the upper surface area and cannot be held by one holding means, the first holding means and the second holding means can be used properly. And can be held stably. Further, the positioning means can position the latching claw of the latching member with respect to the latching portion of the first article so that the latching claw can be reliably engaged with the latching portion. By engaging with the latching portion of the first article, the first article can be stably held.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the positioning members are disposed at the side plates respectively disposed at the front and rear portions of the pair of left and right latching devices, and at the front and rear portions of the lower base plate. The shift device includes a side shift unit integrally including a cylinder and a guide rod, each of which moves the abutting and separating of the side plate against the first article, and the front plate includes the first front plate. A front shift unit integrally including a cylinder and a guide rod that are in contact with and away from the article, and a back shift unit integrally including a cylinder and a guide rod that is in contact with and away from the first article. Are provided.
[0010]
According to the configuration of claim 2, wherein each causes abut on the left and right sides of the first article by left and right side plates of the side shift unit's place-it decided Me means, the front shifting unit and back front plate and the back plate With the shift unit, the front and rear side surfaces of the first article can be brought into contact with each other, the latching claws of the latching member can be positioned, and the latching claws can be reliably engaged with the latching portion.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect, the side shift units are arranged at the four corner positions on the lower base plate, and the front shift unit and the back are arranged on the lower base plate between the left and right side shift units. A shift unit is disposed on the lower base plate between the front and rear side shift units, and a latching cylinder of a latching device that opens and closes a latching member is disposed between the lower base plate and the upper base plate. An adsorber lifting device is disposed between the left and right side shift units, the front shift unit, and the back shift unit.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Here, an embodiment of an article transfer device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 5, the article transfer apparatus includes an article holding apparatus 7 capable of holding a first article (for example, a container) W1 and a second article (for example, a cardboard box) W2 having different top shapes, and an article holding apparatus. A work robot (robot) 1 that can move the apparatus 7 to an arbitrary position, and palletizes (stacks) articles on the conveyor, or depallets (stacks) a group of articles stacked on the pallet. The product is transferred to a conveyor, or the article is transferred between the conveyors, or the article is transferred between the conveyor and the carriage.
[0015]
The work robot 1 is supported by a base 2 fixed to a floor surface or a gantry so that a robot body 3 can turn around a vertical axis via a turning shaft 2a. The robot body 3 has a base arm 4b and a tip. A bendable working arm 4 made up of an arm portion 4a is rotatably supported. The distal arm 4a includes a tilting device (not shown) that can tilt around an axis orthogonal to the distal arm 4a, and a tilting member 5 that is tilted by the tilting device. A rotation device (not shown) that can rotate around the direction axis is provided, and the article holding device 7 is supported by the rotation device via the rotation shaft 6.
[0016]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the article holding device 7 includes an upper base plate 11 and a lower base plate 12 connected in parallel to each other via four connecting rods 13 to form a base frame 10. A rotating shaft 6 protrudes upward at the center of 11. The lower base plate 12 includes a first holding means 14 having a plurality of hooking arms (holding members) 21b capable of holding the first article W1, and positioning the first holding means 14 with respect to the first article W1. Positioning means 16 having a possible positioning plate (positioning member) and second holding means 15 having a plurality of suction pads 33 capable of holding the second article W2 are provided.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the first holding means 14 is composed of a pair of left and right hooking devices 21, and is a pair of left and right hydraulic units disposed at the center position of the left and right side portions of the lower base plate 11. It comprises a pair of left and right latching devices 21 each having a pneumatic latching cylinder 21a and a latching arm (hanging member) 21b that is suspended from an output member of the latching cylinder 21a and can be opened and closed. At the lower end portion of the latch arm 21b, a claw portion (a latch claw) 21c that can be engaged with a latch hole (a latch portion) Wa formed on the left and right side surfaces of the first article is projected. .
[0018]
The positioning means 16 includes a side shift device 22 disposed at the front portion and the rear portion of the first holding means 14, and a front shift device 23 and a back shift device 24 disposed at the front portion and the rear portion of the lower base plate 11, respectively. It is comprised so that it may surround and position the surrounding side part of the 1st goods W1.
[0019]
Each of the side shift devices 22 includes a side shift unit 22a integrally including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods, and is suspended from an output member of the side shift unit 22a to the first article W1. And a side plate (positioning member) 22b that can be moved toward and away from each other.
[0020]
The front shift device 23 includes a front shift unit 23a integrally including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods, and a front plate (positioning member) that can be freely opened and closed depending on an output member of the front shift unit 23a. ) 23b.
[0021]
Further, the back shift device 24 includes a back shift unit 24a integrally including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods, and a back plate (positioning member) that is freely opened and closed depending on an output member of the back shift unit 24a. ) 24b.
[0022]
Accordingly, the shift units 22a to 24a of the shift devices 22 to 24 are contracted and the shift plates 22b to 24b are moved closer to move the work arm 4 side or the first article W1 side to move the first article W1. The position of the 1st holding means 14 with respect to can be adjusted, and the nail | claw part 21c of the latching arm 21b can be made to oppose and engage with the latching hole Wa.
[0023]
The second holding means 15 sucks and holds the second article W2 by the four suction pads 33. As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting plate 31 connected between the upper base plate 11 and the lower base plate 12 is used. In addition, a pair of left and right pad lifting / lowering units (adsorption tool lifting / lowering devices) 32 are disposed, and a support member 34 disposed in the output member of the pad lifting / lowering unit 32 through the opening 12a formed in the lower base plate 12 is provided. The suction device 30 is supported by a pair of suction pads (suction tools) 33 attached to the lower ends of the support members 34 . The pad lifting unit 32 is integrally provided with a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods. And this pad raising / lowering unit 32 is hold | maintained by the use position D from which the suction surface of the suction pad (adsorption tool) 33 is below at least the lower end part of the latching arm 21b and shift plate 22b, 23b, 24b, and the latching arm 21b. The lifting / lowering stroke L is set so as to move up and down with respect to the standby position U positioned above the upper surface of the first article W1.
[0024]
In the above configuration, when the first article W1 carried in by the conveyor C1 and the article W2 carried in by the conveyor C2 are palletized (stacked) on the pallet P on the conveyor C3, the first holding means When holding the first article W1, the work robot 1 is operated to drive the work arm 4, and the pad lifting unit 32 of the second holding means 15 is operated to raise the suction pad 33 to the standby position U. Then, the article holding device 7 is positioned and lowered above the first article W1, and the latching device 21 and the positioning means 16 are fitted from above the first article W1. Next, the shift units 22a to 24a of the positioning unit 16 are operated to bring the shift plates 22b to 24b closer to each other, thereby positioning the claw portion 21c of the first holding unit 14 with respect to the latching hole Wa of the first article W1. Further, the latching cylinder 21a is operated to bring the latching arm 21b closer to engage the claw portion 21c with the latching hole Wa to hold the first article W1. Then, the work arm 4 is operated to stack the first article W1 on the conveyor C1 at a predetermined position on the pallet P.
[0025]
When the second holding means holds the second article W2 whose upper surface is wide and interferes with the latching arm 21b, the work arm 4 is operated and the pad lifting unit 32 of the second holding means 15 is operated. The suction pad 33 is lowered to the use position D. Then, the article holding device 7 is lowered to place the suction pad 33 on the upper surface of the second article W2, and sucked by the suction pad 33 to hold the second article W2. Then, the work arm 4 is operated to stack the second article W2 on the conveyor C2 at a predetermined position on the pallet P.
[0026]
When the first article W1 and the second article W2 stacked on the pallet P on the conveyor C3 are depalletized and transferred to the conveyor C1 and the conveyor C2, the above operations are performed in reverse order.
[0027]
According to the above embodiment, when the first holding means 14 is used, the first lifting and lowering unit 32 raises the suction pad 33 of the second holding means 15 to the standby position U to be retracted, and holds the first. After eliminating the interference between the article W1 and the suction pad 33, the first article W1 is held by the latching arm 21b. When the second article is held, the suction pad 33 is lowered to the use position D below the hook arm 21b by the pad lifting unit 32, and the second article W2 is held via the suction pad 33. In this way, the pad elevating unit 32 moves the suction pad 33 up and down between the use position D and the retracted position U, thereby preventing interference between the suction pad 33 and the hanging arm 21b and the articles W1 and W2. Therefore, by properly using the first holding means 14 and the second holding means 15, the articles W1 and W2 having different conditions such as the area of the upper surface can be stably and reliably held.
[0028]
Further, by positioning the first article W1 via the shift plates 22b to 24b by the positioning means 16, the hooking device 21 causes the claw portion 21c of the hooking arm 21b to accurately face the hooking hole Wa. Thus, the first article W1 can be stably held by reliably engaging the claw portion 21c with the hooking hole Wa.
[0029]
In the above-described embodiment, the claw portion 21c of the latching arm 21b is engaged with the latching hole Wa formed in the first article W1, but the latching part projects into the first article W1. The provided convex part may be sufficient, and you may comprise so that it may be latched by the bottom face of the 1st article | item W1.
[0030]
6 and 7 show another embodiment in which the first holding means 14 is replaced with a holding device 41 that holds the first article instead of the latching device 21 and the positioning means 16 is omitted. Note that the same members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.
[0031]
That is, the clamping device 41 constituting the first holding means 40 includes a side clamping unit 42 disposed on each of the left part and the right part, and a front / rear clamping part 23 disposed on each of the front part and the rear part of the lower base plate 11. And is configured so as to surround and sandwich the peripheral side portion of the first article W1.
[0032]
The left and right side pinching portions 42 are suspended from a side pinching unit 42a integrally including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods, and an output member of the side pinching unit 42a. It is comprised by the side part clamping plate (clamping member) 42b which can approach / separate with respect to the articles | goods W1.
[0033]
The front / rear holding unit 43 includes a front / rear holding unit 43a integrally including a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a pair of guide rods, and a front / rear holding plate (holding unit) that is suspended from an output member of the front / rear holding unit 43a. Member) 43b.
[0034]
Therefore, the shift unit 42a, 43a of the side clamping unit 42 and the front / rear clamping unit 44 is contracted to move the clamping plates 42b to 44b so that the first article W1 is sandwiched and held from the periphery. Can do.
[0035]
According to the above embodiment, the suction pad 33 can be retracted to the standby position, and the first article W1 can be held by the plurality of holding plates 42b to 44b and held by the first holding means 40. The same effects as those of the previous embodiment can be achieved.
[0036]
Note that the sandwiching plates 42b to 44b are configured to sandwich the left and right side surfaces and the front and rear surfaces of the first article W1, but either the left or right side surfaces or the front and rear surfaces of the first article W1 may be used. You may comprise so that the four corner corner part of the article | item W1 may be clamped. Moreover, it can replace with a corrugated cardboard box etc. as the 1st goods W, and can also hold | maintain an irregular bag-shaped container.
[0037]
In addition, the latching device 21 of the previous embodiment and the clamping device 41 can be provided in combination, and one can be selectively used, or both can be used.
Furthermore, in the previous embodiment, the shift plates 22b to 24b of the positioning means 16 and the sandwiching plates 42b to 44b of the sandwiching device 41 are moved in parallel with respect to the first article W1 and positioned or sandwiched. You may comprise so that the 1st goods W1 may be positioned or clamped by making it open and close around an axial center.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, with respect to the first article, the suction tool is retracted to the standby position, the first article is hooked by the plurality of hooking members, and the first holding means is used. Hold. Further, for the second article having a wide upper surface that interferes with the latching member, the suction tool is lowered to the use position below the latching member, and the upper surface of the second article is sucked by the suction tool to be second held. Hold by means. Accordingly, the suction tool is lifted and lowered between the use position and the retracted position by the suction tool lifting device, whereby interference between the second article held by the suction tool and the latch member or the latch member is held. Interference between the first article and the suction tool can be prevented, and even if the article has different conditions such as the upper surface area and cannot be held by one holding means, the first holding means and the second holding means can be used properly. And can be held stably. Further, the positioning means can position the latching claw of the latching member with respect to the latching portion of the first article so that the latching claw can be reliably engaged with the latching portion. By engaging the latching portion of the first article, the first article can be stably held.
[0039]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the left and right side plates, the front plate, and the back plate of the positioning means are brought into contact with the side surfaces of the first article by the shift unit to position the latching claws of the latching member. Thus, the latching claw can be reliably engaged with the latching portion.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an article holding device provided in an article transfer device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the article holding device.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing suction holding means of the article holding device.
FIG. 5 is an overall perspective view showing the article transfer device.
FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing another embodiment of the article holding device provided in the article transfer apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the article holding device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 work robot 4 work arm 7 article holding device 10 base frame
11 Lower base plate
12 Upper base plate
12a Opening portion 14 First holding means 15 Second holding means 16 Positioning means 21 Latching device 21a Latching unit 21b Latching arm 21c Claw portion 22 Side shift device 22a Side shift unit 22b Side plate 23 Front shift device 23a Front shift Unit 23b Front plate 24 Back shift device 24a Back shift unit 24b Back plate 31 Mounting plate 32 Pad lifting / lowering unit 33 Suction pad 40 Holding means 41 Holding device 42a, 43a Holding unit 42b, 43b Holding plate U Standby position D Use position W1 1st Article Wa Locking hole W2 Second article

Claims (3)

The base frame moved by the robot is provided with an upper base plate and a lower base plate arranged in parallel to each other,
A first holding unit capable of holding a first article by a pair of left and right latching devices each having a latching member that protrudes downward from both the left and right sides of the lower base plate and is openable and closable between the lower base plate and the upper base plate. And a second holding means having a plurality of adsorbers disposed between the hooking members and capable of holding a second article, and projecting downward from the left and right sides and the front and rear sides of the lower base plate. Positioning means capable of positioning the latching claw with respect to the latching portion of the first article by a shift device that abuts and separates the plurality of positioning members from the first article; and
The latch member of the first holding means is provided with a latch claw that can be engaged with a latch portion formed on the first article,
The second holding means has a use position below the lower end of the latching member and a standby position above the first article supported by the latching member through an opening formed in the lower base plate. An adsorber lifting device that raises and lowers the adsorber between
The first holding means engages the hooking claw with the hooking portion of the first article by moving the hooking member closer in a state where the sucking tool is raised to the standby position by the sucking tool lifting device. The first article is held, and the second holding means sucks and holds the second article from the upper surface with the suction tool while the suction tool is lowered to the use position by the suction tool lifting device. An article transfer apparatus characterized in that the apparatus is configured to do so. The position-decided Me member constitutes the side plates respectively disposed on the front and rear pair of latching device, the front plate and the back plate arranged in front and rear of the lower base plate,
The shift device includes a side shift unit integrally including a guide rod and a cylinder that abuts and separates the side plate from the first article, and a cylinder that abuts and separates the front plate from the first article. A front shift unit integrally provided with a guide rod, and a back shift unit integrally provided with a cylinder and a guide rod for moving the back plate in contact with and away from the first article. Item transfer device according to Item 1. A side shift unit is arranged at the four corner positions on the lower base plate, and a front shift unit and a back shift unit are arranged on the lower base plate between the left and right side shift units in the front-rear direction.
On the lower base plate between the front and rear side shift units, each of the latching cylinders of the latching device that opens and closes the latching member is arranged.
The suction tool lifting / lowering device is disposed between the left and right side shift units, the front shift unit, and the back shift unit, respectively, between the lower base plate and the upper base plate . Article transfer device.

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