JP7582125B2 - Testing Machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a testing machine and a conveying device.

Conventionally, there is known a testing machine that holds both ends of a test piece with a chuck, applies a test load to the test piece through the chuck, and performs a breaking test on the test piece. This type of testing machine may be equipped with a conveying device that supplies the test piece to the testing machine, removes the test piece from a container, and automatically sets the test piece in the chuck of the testing machine (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-213709 A

In general, in a test machine for testing test pieces, the standard of the test piece to be tested is specified in advance by the Japanese Industrial Standards, etc., and the test machine is configured to handle only test pieces of a fixed size. For this reason, for example, when trying to handle a test piece with a thickness different from the standard, even if the test machine itself can handle the different test piece, the transport device needs to change the position of the test piece due to the thickness, and there is a problem that the test piece cannot be transported appropriately to the test machine.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to appropriately transport test pieces of various thicknesses to a testing device.

A first aspect of the present invention relates to a testing machine comprising a gripping device that grips a test piece in a thickness direction and a testing device that applies a test force to the test piece, and a transporting device that transports the test piece to the gripping device, wherein the transporting device comprises a holding mechanism that holds the test piece, and a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripping device, and a control device that controls the movement of the holding mechanism by the moving mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripping device, and the control device stores a calculation formula for determining the amount of movement of the holding mechanism by which the moving mechanism moves the holding mechanism depending on the thickness of the test piece, and when the transporting device transports the test piece to the gripping device, the control device has a thickness measuring device measure and obtain the thickness of the test piece, determines the amount of movement based on the calculation formula from the obtained thickness, and controls the moving mechanism to move the holding mechanism depending on the determined amount of movement .

The second aspect of the present invention relates to a transport device that transports a test piece to a gripping tool that grips the test piece from the thickness direction, the transport device comprising a holding mechanism that holds the test piece, and a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripping tool.

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, when the test piece is set in the gripper, the holding mechanism can be moved so that the center of the thickness of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper, so that the gripper can properly grip the test piece. Therefore, even if the test piece has a different thickness, the test piece can be properly transported to the testing device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an automatic material testing machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the conveying device as seen in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. 3 . 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the operation of the conveying device of the first embodiment, in which FIG. 5(A) shows the state in which the suction mechanism is held in the raised position in the collapsed position, FIG. 5(B) shows the state in which the suction mechanism has moved to the lowered position for the thin test piece, and FIG. 5(C) shows the state in which the suction mechanism has moved to the lowered position for the thick test piece. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the operation of the transport device of the first embodiment, in the case where the transport device transports a test piece having the thinnest thickness among the test pieces handled by the automatic material testing machine. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the operation of the conveying device of the first embodiment, in which FIG. 7(A) shows the state in which the suction mechanism has been rotated to an upright position when conveying a thick test piece, and FIG. 7(B) shows the state in which the test piece has been moved in the width direction from the position shown in FIG. 7(A) so that the center of thickness coincides with the gripping center of the chuck. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a method for measuring the amount of movement based on a reference test piece. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing a conveying device that is only intended for test pieces of a certain thickness, where FIG. 9(A) is a diagram showing the case in which a test piece of a certain thickness is adsorbed, and FIG. 9(B) is a diagram showing the case in which a test piece thicker than the certain thickness is adsorbed. 13 is a flowchart of an alignment process of the control device. 4 is a flowchart of a calibration process of the control device. FIG. 11 is a diagram of a conveying device according to a second embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[1. First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an automatic material testing machine 1 according to a first embodiment.
The automatic material testing machine 1, which is an example of a "testing machine" in this embodiment, applies a test load as a test force to the test piece T, thereby measuring the tensile force and elongation of the test piece T.

The automatic material testing machine 1 includes a test piece supplying device 10, a testing device 30, a test piece recovery device 50, and a control device 100.

The test piece supplying device 10 supplies the test piece T to the test device 30. The test piece supplying device 10 includes a storage supplying section 12 that stores the test piece T in a pallet 11, a transport table 13 to which the pallet 11 is transported from the storage supplying section 12, a transporting device 20 that transports the test piece T from the pallet 11 supplied to the transport table 13 to the test device 30, and a measuring device 14 that measures the size of the test piece T when the pallet 11 is transported from the storage supplying section 12 to the transport table 13.

The storage supply unit 12 stores multiple pallets 11 containing test pieces T, for example, stacked one on top of the other. The storage supply unit 12 is configured so that any one of the pallets 11 can be pulled out by a rod-shaped pull-out member (not shown) and transferred to the transport table 13. The pallet 11 has an opening (not shown) formed at the bottom, and multiple test pieces T are stored side by side on the pallet 11 in a lying-down state spanning the opening.

Pallets 11 are supplied to the transport table 13 from the storage supply section 12. The transport table 13 includes a table 13A on which the pallets 11 supplied from the storage supply section 12 are placed, and a number of rollers 13B that guide the pallets 11 on the table 13A. On the transport table 13, the pallets 11 are guided and moved by the rollers 13B, so that the test pieces T on the pallets 11 are sequentially placed at the predetermined removal positions.

The transport device 20 includes an arm 26 equipped with a suction pad 29. The transport device 20 uses the suction pad 29 to pick up and hold the test specimens T one by one from the pallet 11 set on the transport table 13, and transports and supplies the test specimens T to the testing device 30. The transport device 20 sets the test specimens T in a predetermined position in the testing device 30.

The measuring device 14 measures the thickness W of the test piece T. The measuring device 14 includes a backing material 14A and a measuring gauge 14B supported so as to be movable toward and away from the backing material 14A. The measuring gauge 14B is, for example, a magnetic scale. The measuring device 14 corresponds to an example of a "thickness measuring device."
In this embodiment, the measuring device 14 measures the size of the test piece T when the pallet 11 is transported from the storage/supply section 12 to the transport table 13, and measures the size of the test piece T before it is set on the transport device 20. The measuring device 14 moves the measuring gauge 14B relative to the backing material 14A so that the test piece T spanning the opening of the pallet 11 is sandwiched between the backing material 14A and the measuring gauge 14B, and measures the thickness W of the test piece T on the pallet 11 based on the amount of movement. A measurement signal from the measuring gauge 14B is input to the control device 100.

The testing device 30 applies a test load to the test piece T supplied from the test piece supplying device 10 to test the test piece T.
The test device 30 has a base 31. A table 32 is provided on the top of the base 31. A support column 33 extending vertically upward is provided on the table 32. A pair of support columns 33 are provided in the width direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) SD of the test device 30 of the automatic material testing machine 1. A cross yoke 34 extending between the pair of support columns 33 is hung on the top of the support columns 33. A screw rod (not shown) is provided inside the support column 33. The screw rod is composed of a ball screw. Both ends of a crosshead 35 are connected to the screw rod via a nut (not shown). The crosshead 35 rises and falls relative to the table 32 by the rotation of the screw rod. The screw rod is rotated by a motor (not shown).

A load cell 36 is installed on the crosshead 35. A joint 37 is attached to the load cell 36. The joint 37 extends downward. An upper chuck (gripping tool) 38 is connected to the lower end of the joint 37. A cylinder device (not shown) is disposed in the upper chuck 38. The upper chuck 38 opens and closes in the width direction SD when the cylinder device (not shown) is activated. The upper chuck 38 grasps the upper end Ta of the test piece T in an upright state. The test piece T is positioned on the gripping center L of the upper chuck 38.

A lower chuck (gripping tool) 39 is disposed below the upper chuck 38. The lower chuck 39 is fixed to the upper surface of the table 32 via a joint 40. The lower chuck 39 is configured similarly to the upper chuck 38, except that it is configured vertically symmetrical to the upper chuck 38. The lower chuck 39 grasps the lower end Tb of the test piece T in an upright state. The test piece T is disposed on the gripping center L of the lower chuck 39.

With the test piece T held by the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39, the upper chuck 38 moves up and down together with the crosshead 35. As a result, a test force is applied to the test piece T held between the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39. At this time, the load cell 36 measures the test force applied by the upper chuck 38 via the joint 37. The measurement signal of the load cell 36 is input to the control device 100.

1, a test strip recovery device 50 is disposed to the right of the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39. The test strip recovery device 50 recovers the test strip T from the testing device 30.
The test piece recovery device 50 includes an upper recovery device 51 provided in correspondence with the upper chuck 38 , and a lower recovery device 81 provided in correspondence with the lower chuck 39 .

The upper recovery device 51 includes a recovery mechanism 52 that recovers the test strip T, and a support mechanism 53 that supports the recovery mechanism 52 so that the recovery mechanism 52 can face the test strip T gripped by the upper chuck 38 .
The upper recovery device 51 is fixed to the crosshead 35 and can be raised and lowered together with the crosshead 35. In the upper recovery device 51, the recovery mechanism 52 is configured to be movable between a recovery position facing the upper chuck 38 and a retracted position retracted from the upper chuck 38. When the recovery mechanism 52 moves to the recovery position, the test strip T is recovered, and when the recovery mechanism 52 moves to the retracted position, the recovered test strip T is discarded.

The lower recovery device 81 corresponds to the upper recovery device 51 and includes a recovery mechanism 82 corresponding to the recovery mechanism 52 and a support mechanism 83 corresponding to the support mechanism 53. The lower recovery device 81 is arranged vertically symmetrically with the upper recovery device 51 and is configured similarly to the upper recovery device 51 except that the support mechanism 83 is fixed to the upper surface of the table 32. The lower recovery device 81 is maintained at a constant height relative to the lower chuck 39.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conveying device 20. As shown in FIG.
The transport device 20 takes out the test piece T from the pallet 11 supplied to the transport table 13 , transports the test piece T to the testing device 30 , and supplies it.
The pallet 11 on the conveyor 13 is a tray-shaped container. A plurality of test pieces T are stored in the pallet 11 in a flat (lying down) state. Each test piece T is a vertically long plate material having a uniform thickness. In a plan view, the test piece T has a middle part Tc connecting the ends Ta and Tb on both sides, which is narrower than the ends Ta and Tb on both sides, and has a so-called dumbbell shape. The ends Ta and Tb on both sides of the test piece T are the parts that are attached to the chucks 38 and 39 in the test device 30. The change (deformation, etc.) of the middle part Tc when a test force is applied in a direction that stretches the ends Ta and Tb is measured by the test device 30.
As the test piece T, for example, a dumbbell-shaped test piece specified in Japanese Industrial Standard K6251 can be used, but in this embodiment, a test piece T having a thickness other than that specified in Japanese Industrial Standard K6251 can be used. That is, a plurality of test pieces T are arranged on the pallet 11, and the plurality of test pieces T on the pallet 11 may all be test pieces T having the same thickness, or may be test pieces T having different thicknesses for each test piece T.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the transport device 20. As shown in FIG.
2 and 3, the transport device 20 includes a fixed portion 21. The fixed portion 21 is fixed to a floor surface. A transport slide device 22 is supported on an upper portion of the fixed portion 21.
The transport slide device 22 includes guide rods 22A, 22A extending in a direction from the transport platform 13 toward the test device 30. In this embodiment, the guide rods 22A, 22A extend in the front-rear direction (first direction) FD on the front side of the test device 30. The guide rods 22A, 22A are arranged in pairs in the width direction (second direction) SD of the test device 30. The second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction and extending horizontally. In other words, the width direction SD is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction FD and extending horizontally.

A transport stage 22B is attached to the guide rods 22A. The transport stage 22B is supported so as to be slidable along the guide rods 22A. Power is transmitted to the transport stage 22B from a drive source (not shown). The drive source is, for example, an electric motor. The transport stage 22B is configured to be movable between an extraction position (solid line in FIG. 3) where the test piece T is extracted, and a set position (double-dashed line in FIG. 3) where the test piece T is set in the testing device 30.

A width direction sliding device 23, which is an example of a "moving mechanism", is supported on the transport stage 22B.
The width direction sliding device 23 includes a guide rod 23A extending in the width direction SD of the test device 30. A platform-shaped width sliding stage 23B is attached to the guide rod 23A. The width sliding stage 23B is supported so as to be slidable along the guide rod 23A. The width sliding stage 23B is driven by an electric actuator 23C as an example of a "driving device". The electric actuator 23C includes a cylinder body 23C1 and a cylinder rod 23C2 extending in the width direction SD. The cylinder rod 23C2 is supported so as to be extendable and contractible with respect to the cylinder body 23C1. The electric actuator 23C is a linear actuator, and is configured to be capable of controlling the position of the cylinder rod 23C2 relative to the cylinder body 23C1. Specifically, the electric actuator 23C includes a stroke sensor 23C3 (see FIG. 3), and the stroke amount of the cylinder rod 23C2 relative to the cylinder body 23C1 can be detected by the stroke sensor 23C3. The electric actuator 23C controls the position of the cylinder rod 23C2 in the width direction SD based on the stroke amount detected by the stroke sensor 23C3.

The cylinder body 23C1 is fixed to the transport stage 22B of the transport slide device 22. Meanwhile, the cylinder rod 23C2 is fixed to the width sliding stage 23B and supports the width sliding stage 23B. When the cylinder rod 23C2 expands and contracts relative to the cylinder body 23C1, the width sliding stage 23B slides in the width direction SD along the guide rod 23A together with the cylinder rod 23C2. Here, if the thickness of the thinnest test piece T1 that can be handled by the automatic material testing machine 1 of this embodiment is W1 and the thickness of the thickest test piece T2 is W2, the width sliding stage 23B of this embodiment is configured to be movable in the width direction SD by a distance of (W2-W1)/2 or more.

A take-out device 24 for the test piece T is supported on the width sliding stage 23B. The take-out device 24 can be moved in the front-back direction FD by the transport stage 22B, and can be moved in the width direction SD by the width sliding stage 23B. The width direction SD corresponds to the direction in which the chucks 38, 39 are opened and closed (the gripping direction).

The take-out device 24 includes a rotation mechanism 25 and a suction mechanism (holding mechanism) 28 supported by the rotation mechanism 25 .
The rotation mechanism 25 includes a cylindrical rotation mechanism body 25A. The rotation mechanism body 25A is fixed to the width sliding stage 23B via a bent plate-like frame member 25B. The rotation mechanism body 25A includes a rotation shaft 25A1. The rotation shaft 25A1 extends in the front-rear direction FD along the guide rods 22A, 22A. The rotation mechanism body 25A of this embodiment is configured as an air swirl device that can be driven by air supplied from an air supply device (not shown). The rotation shaft 25A1 is configured to be capable of being driven in both forward and reverse directions. An arm 26 extending radially from the rotation shaft 25A1 is supported on the rotation shaft 25A1.

FIG. 4 is a view of the transport device 20 as viewed in the direction of the arrow X in FIG.
The arm 26 rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 25A1. The arm 26 is configured to be rotatable in both forward and reverse directions by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 25A1. The arm 26 rotates between a lying position indicated by a solid line in Fig. 4 and an upright position indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 4. Here, the lying position is a position where the suction pad 29 can adsorb the test piece T in a lying state. Meanwhile, the upright position is a position where the test piece T adsorbed by the suction pad 29 is in an upright state.

A lifting cylinder 27, which is an example of a "second moving mechanism", is supported on the radially outer end of the arm 26. The lifting cylinder 27 has a cylinder body 27A that has a box-like appearance, and a cylinder rod 27B that extends in the vertical direction TD in FIG. 2. The cylinder rod 27B is supported so as to be extendable relative to the cylinder body 27A. A suction mechanism 28 is supported on the tip of the cylinder rod 27B. The suction mechanism 28 moves up and down as the cylinder rod 27B extends and retracts in the vertical direction (third direction, the direction approaching and moving away from the test piece T) TD relative to the cylinder body 27A. The third direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. In other words, the vertical direction TD is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction FD and the width direction SD.

The lift cylinder 27 is configured to be movable between an elevated position indicated by a solid line in Fig. 4 and a lowered position indicated by a dashed line in Fig. 4. The cylinder rod 27B of the lift cylinder 27 in this embodiment is configured to be able to be elevated and lowered a maximum distance H (= W2 - W1) or more. Specifically, for example, it is configured to be able to be elevated and lowered 10 mm or more.
In the following description, thickness W2 and thickness W1, and test piece T2 and test piece T1 do not necessarily indicate the test piece T1 with the thinnest thickness W1 and the test piece T2 with the thickest thickness W2 that can be handled by the automatic material testing machine 1. In some cases, thicknesses W2 and W1, or test pieces T2 and T1 with thicknesses W2 and W1, are used simply to indicate that thickness W2 is thicker than thickness W1.

The suction mechanism 28 includes a long plate-shaped suction arm 28A. The suction arm 28A is supported at the tip of the cylinder rod 27B. A suction pad 29, which is an example of a suction member, is supported at the radially outer end of the suction arm 28A. A pair of suction pads 29 are provided. In FIG. 4, the suction pad 29 extends in the vertical direction TD, and has an expanded diameter at its lower end. An air supply device (not shown) is connected to the suction pad 29, and when the air supply device (not shown) is activated while the suction pad 29 is in contact with the test piece T, the test piece T is sucked onto the suction pad 29 and held releasably.

1, the automatic material testing machine 1 is provided with a control device 100 that controls each part of the automatic material testing machine 1. The control device 100 is a device that centrally controls the automatic material testing machine 1, and is connected to the automatic material testing machine 1 so as to be able to transmit and receive signals therebetween.
The signals that the control device 100 receives from the automatic material testing machine 1 include measurement signals output by the size measuring device 14, measurement signals output by the load cell 36, and appropriate signals required for control and testing.
The signals that the control device 100 transmits to the automatic material testing machine 1 include a control signal for the test piece supplying device 10, a control signal for the cylinder device (not shown) of the chucks 38 and 39, a control signal for the motor of the screw rod (not shown), a control signal for the recovery devices 51 and 81, and other appropriate signals required for control and testing.

The control device 100 includes a computer, which includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), a memory device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), and an interface circuit for connecting the control device 100 and various peripheral devices. The processor executes a control program stored in the memory device or storage device to realize various functions of the automatic materials testing machine 1.

The control device 100 of this embodiment controls the test piece supply device 10. The control device 100 controls the storage supply unit 12 to supply the pallet 11 from the storage supply unit 12 to the conveying table 13. The control device 100 controls a pull-out member by a motor (not shown) to move the pallet 11 so as to pull it out from the storage supply unit 12, and moves the test piece T stored in the pallet 11 to the measurement position of the measuring device 14. When the test piece T on the pallet 11 moves to the measurement position, the control device 100 controls the measuring device 14 to measure the thickness W of the test piece T. The control device 100 acquires the thickness W of the test piece T measured by the measuring device 14 based on the measurement signal output by the measuring device 14. When the measurement by the measuring device 14 is completed, the control device 100 moves the pallet 11 by a pull-out member (not shown) to move the measured test piece T to a predetermined take-out position (position to be adsorbed by the conveying device 20) facing the conveying device 20. The control device 100 controls the transport device 20 when the measured test piece T moves to the removal position.

The control device 100 controls the rotation mechanism 25 of the transport device 20 to move the suction mechanism 28 to the lying position. When the suction mechanism 28 moves to the lying position and the suction pad 29 faces the test piece T, the control device 100 controls the lifting cylinder 27. The control device 100 controls the lifting cylinder 27 to lower the suction mechanism 28.

5A and 5B are diagrams showing the operation of the transport device 20 of the first embodiment, in which Fig. 5A shows the suction mechanism 28 held in the raised position in the fallen position, Fig. 5B shows the suction mechanism 28 moved to the lowered position of the thin test piece T1, and Fig. 5C shows the suction mechanism 28 moved to the lowered position of the thick test piece T2. In the following figures, the parts that move together are shaded for ease of explanation.
When lowering the suction mechanism 28, the control device 100 controls the lifting cylinder 27 so that the suction mechanism 28 is driven with a force sufficient to restrict the descent when the suction pad 29 comes into contact with the test piece T. In this embodiment, the control device 100 controls the descent for a predetermined time sufficient to allow the suction pad 29 to come into contact with the thinnest target test piece T1. As a result, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the suction pad 29 reaches and comes into contact with the upper surface (surface in the thickness direction) of the test piece T, regardless of the thickness W of the test piece T.

After a predetermined time has elapsed, the control device 100 activates an air supply device (not shown) to suck the test piece T onto the suction pad 29 .
Therefore, when the suction mechanism 28 is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, the thin test piece T1 or the thick test piece T2 is suctioned by the suction pad 29.

When the test piece T is adsorbed onto the suction pad 29, the control device 100 controls the lifting cylinder 27 to move the suction pad 29 to a raised position.
After moving the suction pad 29 to the raised position, the control device 100 controls the rotating mechanism 25 to move the suction mechanism 28 to the standing position.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the operation of the transport device 20 of the first embodiment, in which the test piece T1 having the thinnest thickness W1 among the test pieces T handled by the automatic material testing machine 1 is transported.
Figures 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the operation of the conveying device 20 of the first embodiment, where Figure 7(A) shows the state in which the suction mechanism 28 has been rotated to the upright position when conveying a test piece T2 that is thicker than test piece T1, and Figure 7(B) shows the state in which the thickness center La of the test piece T2 has been moved in the width direction SD from the state shown in Figure 7(A) so as to coincide with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.
When the control device 100 moves the suction mechanism 28 to the upright position and the test strip T is in an upright state, the control device 100 moves the test strip T in the thickness direction in accordance with the thickness W of the test strip T.

6, the automatic material testing machine 1 of this embodiment is configured so that the thinnest test piece T1 can be transported without alignment. That is, when the thinnest test piece T1 held by the suction mechanism 28 moves to the raised position and rotates to the upright position, the thickness center La of the test piece T1 coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.
On the other hand, when a test piece T2 thicker than thickness W1 is adsorbed, when the suction mechanism 28 is moved to the raised position (see solid line in Figure 4) and then to the upright position, as shown in Figure 7 (A), the thickness center La of the test piece T2 shifts in the left-right direction of Figure 7 (A) (the thickness direction of the test piece T2) relative to the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.

7A in accordance with the thickness W measured during transport. The control device 100 stores a calculation formula for determining the distance (movement amount) D by which the width direction sliding device 23 moves the suction mechanism 28 in accordance with the thickness W of the test piece T.
For example, the control device 100 may store the following formula (1) as the calculation formula.
D=(W-W1)/2 (1)
The control device 100 may then control the width-direction sliding device 23 to move the width sliding stage 23B to one side in the width direction SD (leftward in FIG. 7) by a distance D (=(W-W1)/2) (see FIG. 7B) from the position for the thinnest test piece T1. This causes the rotation mechanism 25 and suction mechanism 28 supported by the width sliding stage 23B to move together to the left by the distance D, so that the thickness center La of the test piece T sucked by the suction mechanism 28 can be aligned with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.

Here, the gripping center L is the target position to which the pair of teeth 38A, 39A in the width direction SD of each of the chucks 38, 39 move when the chucks 38, 39 are closed. In other words, the pair of teeth 38A, 39A in the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39 close evenly toward the gripping center L to grip the test piece T by sandwiching it from the thickness direction. Therefore, the gripping center L is the center position in the width direction SD between the teeth 38A, 39A and the teeth 38A, 39A in the open state before the teeth 39A, 38A start closing, that is, in the initial state of the chucks 38, 39 in the open state. The gripping center L can also be said to be the center position between the teeth 38A, 39A and the teeth 38A, 39A on both sides of the width direction SD when the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39 are closed.

However, since the mechanical characteristics of the automatic material testing machine 1 differ due to machine differences and mechanical adjustments, in this embodiment, a linear equation determined by the mechanical characteristics of the automatic material testing machine 1, i.e., the following equation (2), is stored as the calculation formula.
D=a×W+k (2)
A method for determining the first coefficient a and the second coefficient k will be described later with reference to FIG.
The above formula (2) corresponds to an example of a "calculation formula."

When the control device 100 acquires the thickness W measured by the measuring device 14, it determines the distance D by using formula (2). The control device 100 controls the width direction slide device 23 to move the width sliding stage 23B from the reference position to one side in the width direction SD by the distance D. This allows the thickness center La of the test piece T sucked by the suction mechanism 28 to coincide with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.
Therefore, depending on the mechanical characteristics of the automatic material testing machine 1, specifically, the mechanical characteristics of the conveying device 20, the thickness center La of the test piece T adsorbed to the suction mechanism 28 can be made to coincide with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.

The control device 100 moves the suction mechanism 28 in the width direction SD so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the grip center L, and then moves the transport stage 22B in the front-rear direction FD to move the suction mechanism 28 to the set position (two-dot chain line in FIG. 3). When the transport stage 22B moves to the set position and the test piece T is set between a pair of teeth 38A in the width direction SD of the upper chuck 38 and between a pair of teeth 39A in the width direction SD of the lower chuck 39, the control device 100 drives a cylinder device (not shown) to operate the upper chuck 38 and the lower chuck 39.

When the test strip T is gripped by the chucks 38, 39, the control device 100 controls an air supply device (not shown) to detach the test strip T from the suction pad 29. Then, the control device 100 returns the suction mechanism 28 to the original removal position, controls the testing device 30 to test the test strip T, and then controls the test strip recovery device 50 to recover the test strip T.
Then, the control device 100 repeats the above-described series of control steps for the next test piece T.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a method for measuring the displacements Dα and Dβ based on the reference test pieces Tα and Tβ.
The first coefficient a and the second coefficient k in equation (2) stored in the control device 100 depend on the mechanical adjustment of the automatic material testing machine 1, and therefore are calibrated during maintenance as follows.

That is, first, the user adsorbs the first reference test piece Tα having a thickness Wα onto the adsorption pad 29 of the transport device 20. Then, the user moves the adsorption mechanism 28 on the width-direction sliding device 23 so as to align the thickness center La of the first reference test piece Tα with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39, and measures the first movement amount Dα. The thickness Wα is, for example, 1 mm.
Next, the user adsorbs the second reference test piece Tβ having a thickness Wβ onto the adsorption pad 29 of the transport device 20. Then, the user moves the adsorption mechanism 28 on the width direction slide device 23 so as to align the thickness center La of the second reference test piece Tβ with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39, and measures the second movement amount Dβ. The thickness Wβ is, for example, 12 mm.
Then, the first coefficient a and the second coefficient k are calculated and calibrated using the following equations (3) and (4).
a=(Dβ-Dα)/(Wβ-Wα) (3)
k=Dα−a×Wα (4)

In this embodiment, two reference test pieces Tα and Tβ are used as the multiple reference test pieces, but the calculation formula may be calibrated using multiple reference test pieces in a number that matches the degree of the polynomial.

The reference test pieces Tα and Tβ are provided with marks Mα and Mβ (see FIG. 8) indicating the thickness centers Lα and Lβ. The marks Mα and Mβ allow the thickness centers Lα and Lβ of the reference test pieces Tα and Tβ to be visually observed.

A mark M indicating the gripping center L is provided on the chuck 38, which is used to align the thickness centers Lα, Lβ of the reference test pieces Tα, Tβ. Here, the testing device 30 of this embodiment is configured so that when receiving the test piece T from the transport device 20, the upper chuck 38 grips the test piece T before the lower chuck 39. For this reason, it is desirable to align the gripping center L of the upper chuck 38, which grips the test piece T first, and so the mark M is provided on the upper chuck 38.

For ease of explanation, the following will describe a case in which the first reference test piece Tα is measured first, and then the second reference test piece Tβ is measured.
The user performs an input operation to start the calibration process using the input unit of the control device 100, causing the control device 100 to start the calibration process. The input unit is, for example, a keyboard connected to the control device 100. It is desirable to perform the input operation to start the calibration process after the maintenance of the automatic materials testing machine 1 is completed.

After the user inputs the start of the calibration process on the control device 100, the user moves the width sliding stage 23B of the width direction slide device 23 in the width direction SD so that the mark Mα of the first reference test piece Tα coincides with the mark M of the upper chuck 38. When the mark Mα of the first reference test piece Tα coincides with the mark M of the upper chuck 38, the user stops the width sliding stage 23B and inputs the thickness Wα of the first reference test piece Tα being used into the control device 100 by operating the input unit.

Then, for the next second reference test piece Tβ, the user performs the same operation as when inputting the thickness Wα of the first reference test piece Tα. That is, with the second reference test piece Tβ held by the suction pad 29 in the upright position, the user moves the width sliding stage 23B of the width direction slide device 23 in the width direction SD so that the mark Mβ of the second reference test piece Tβ coincides with the mark M of the upper chuck 38. When the mark Mβ of the second reference test piece Tβ coincides with the mark M of the upper chuck 38, the user stops the width sliding stage 23B and inputs the thickness Wβ of the second reference test piece Tβ being used into the control device 100 by operating the input unit.

On the other hand, when the control device 100 receives an input to start the calibration process, the control device 100 starts detecting the stroke amount based on the stroke sensor 23C3 (see FIG. 8). The stroke amount is the amount of movement of the suction mechanism 28 from a reference position, that is, a so-called zero point.
When the thickness Wα is input, the control device 100 acquires the stroke amount detected at the time of input as the first movement amount Dα. That is, the control device 100 acquires the thickness Wα and the first movement amount Dα for the first reference test piece Tα. The control device 100 stores the thickness Wα and the first movement amount Dα.

When the next thickness Wβ is input, the control device 100 acquires the stroke amount detected at the time of input as the second movement amount Dβ. That is, the control device 100 acquires the thickness Wβ and the second movement amount Dβ for the second reference test piece Tβ. The control device 100 stores this thickness Wβ and the second movement amount Dβ.

When the control device 100 stores the thicknesses Wα and Wβ and the movement amounts Dα and Dβ of the two reference test pieces Tα and Tβ, the control device 100 calculates the first coefficient a using the above formula (3). The control device 100 also calculates the second coefficient k using the above formula (4). The control device 100 updates formula (2) based on the calculated first coefficient a and second coefficient k.
The control device 100 ends the calibration process of the calculation formula.

As a result, even if the conveying characteristics of the conveying device 20 change due to mechanical adjustments or the like, the calculation formula can be calibrated to match the changed conveying characteristics. Therefore, by moving the suction mechanism 28 by the movement amount D determined by formula (2), the thickness center La of the test piece T can be accurately aligned with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.

9A and 9B show a conveying device that is only intended for use with test specimens T1 of a fixed thickness W1, with FIG. 9(A) showing the device adsorbing a fixed test specimen T1, and FIG. 9(B) showing the device adsorbing a test specimen T2 that is thicker than the fixed test specimen T1.
In a configuration in which only test specimens T1 of a constant thickness W1 are transported, it is sufficient to operate the suction mechanism 28 in accordance with the constant thickness W1. For example, as shown in FIG. 9(A), when the suction mechanism 28 is moved to a lying position, it is possible to move the suction pad 29 to a position where it comes into contact with the test specimen T1.

In other words, in a configuration in which only test specimens T1 of a constant thickness W1 are transported, the width-direction slide device 23 and the lift cylinder 27 are not necessary, and the transport slide device 22 and the rotating mechanism 25 are connected by a fixed member Z1, and the rotating mechanism 25 and the suction mechanism 28 are connected by a fixed member Z2. For this reason, in a transport device for test specimens T1 of a constant thickness W1, for example, in the case of a thick test specimen T2, as shown in FIG. 9(B), the suction pad 29 may come into contact with the test specimen T2 before it moves to the lying position, and the suction pad 29 may not be able to properly suction and hold the test specimen T2.

Even if the suction pad 29 could suction a test specimen T2 with a thickness different from W1, the thickness center La of the test specimen T1 is configured to coincide with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39 in the upright position to match the test specimen T1 with thickness W1. For this reason, as in the relationship between FIG. 6 and FIG. 7(A) in this embodiment, the thickness center La of a thick test specimen T2 is shifted from the gripping center L. For this reason, even if the test specimen T2 is transported to the set position in this state, when the chucks 38 and 39 grip the test specimen T2, the timing at which the teeth 38A and 39A of the chucks 38 and 39 come into contact differs in the thickness direction, making it difficult for the chucks 38 and 39 to properly grip the test specimen T2 with a different thickness.

In this way, in a testing machine for testing test pieces T of a certain thickness, it is sufficient to have a configuration that moves only a certain amount according to the test piece T, and since the amount of movement (amount of rotation, amount of lift) cannot be changed according to the thickness of the test piece T, it is not possible to transport the test piece T to the testing device 30 appropriately according to the thickness of the test piece T.

In contrast, this embodiment is provided with a lifting cylinder 27 that raises and lowers the suction mechanism 28. Therefore, when moving the suction mechanism 28 to the laid-down position, it is possible to configure the suction pad 29 to face the test piece T at a sufficient distance before contacting the test piece T, as shown in FIG. 5(A). After the suction pad 29 faces the test piece T, the lifting cylinder 27 lowers the suction pad 29 until it comes into contact with the test piece, so that the thin test piece T1 can be adsorbed by the suction pad 29, as shown in FIG. 5(B). Also, the thick test piece T2 can be adsorbed by the suction pad 29, as shown in FIG. 5(C).

In addition, this embodiment includes a width-direction slide device 23 that moves the suction mechanism 28 in the width direction SD. Therefore, when the suction mechanism 28 is moved to the set position, the test piece T can be moved in the width direction SD according to the thickness W of the test piece T so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L, making it easier to properly grip the test piece T with the chucks 38 and 39.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the test piece T is easy to grasp regardless of its thickness, and test pieces of various thicknesses can be automatically transported and placed on the testing device 30.

10 is a flowchart of the alignment process of the control device 100. The "alignment process" is a process for aligning the thickness center La of the test piece T with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.
In step ST11, when the test is started, the control device 100 determines whether or not the thickness W of the test piece T has been measured by the measuring device 14.
When the control device 100 determines that the thickness W of the test piece T has not been measured by the measuring device 14 (step ST11: NO), it repeats step ST11.
When the control device 100 determines that the thickness W of the test piece T has been measured by the measuring device 14 (step ST11: YES), the control device 100 advances the process to step ST12.
In step ST12, the control device 100 acquires the thickness W.
In step ST13, the control device 100 determines the movement amount D of the suction mechanism 28 based on the thickness W and on the above formula (2).

In step ST14, the control device 100 determines whether or not the test strip T has moved to the removal position.
When the control device 100 determines that the test strip T has not moved to the removal position (step ST14: NO), it repeats step ST14.
When the control device 100 determines that the test strip T has moved to the removal position (step ST14: YES), in step ST15, the control device 100 causes the lifting cylinder 27 to lower the suction mechanism 28 for a predetermined time.
In step ST16, the control device 100 causes the suction pad 29 to suction the test strip T.
In step ST17, the control device 100 causes the lift cylinder 27 to lift the suction mechanism 28 for a predetermined time.

In step ST18, the control device 100 causes the rotation mechanism 25 to move the suction mechanism 28 from the laid-down position to the standing position.
In step ST19, the control device 100 causes the width-direction sliding device 23 to move the suction mechanism 28 in the width direction SD by the movement amount D determined in step ST13.
In step ST20, the control device 100 causes the transport slide device 22 to move the suction mechanism 28 to the set position.
In step ST21, the control device 100 detaches the test piece T from the suction pad 29 after it has been clamped between the chucks 38 and 39.
In step ST22, the control device 100 controls the transport slide device 22 to move the suction mechanism 28 to the removal position.

In step ST23, the control device 100 determines whether or not there is a next test strip T to be transported.
If the control device 100 determines that there is a next test strip T (step ST23: NO), the control device 100 returns to step ST11.
When the control device 100 determines that there is no next test strip T (step ST23: YES), it ends the alignment process.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the calibration process of the control device 100.
The calibration process is a process for calibrating the first coefficient a and the second coefficient k in the above formula (2) using two reference test pieces Tα and Tβ.
When the control device 100 receives an input to start calibration, it starts the calibration process.
In step ST31, when the control device 100 starts the calibration process, it determines whether or not the thickness and the movement amount for the first reference test piece have been acquired. In this embodiment, when the thickness Wα for the first reference test piece Tα is input, the control device 100 acquires the thickness Wα based on the input result, and acquires the movement amount Dα based on the detection signal of the stroke sensor 23C3.

When the control device 100 determines that the thickness and the movement amount for the first reference test piece have not been acquired (step ST31: NO), the control device 100 repeats step ST31.
When the control device 100 determines that the thickness and the movement amount for the first reference test piece have been acquired (step ST31: YES), the control device 100 advances the process to step ST32.
In step ST32, the thickness and the amount of movement for the first reference test piece are stored.

In step ST33, the control device 100 determines whether the thickness and movement amount for the second reference test piece have been acquired. In this embodiment, when the thickness Wβ for the second reference test piece Tβ is input, the control device 100 acquires the thickness Wβ based on the input result, and acquires the movement amount Dβ based on the detection signal of the stroke sensor 23C3.

When the control device 100 determines that the thickness and the movement amount for the second reference test piece have not been acquired (step ST33: NO), the control device 100 repeats step ST33.
When the control device 100 determines that the thickness and the movement amount for the second reference test piece have been acquired (step ST33: YES), the control device 100 advances the process to step ST34.
In step ST34, the control device 100 stores the thickness and the movement amount for the second reference test piece.

In step ST35, the control device 100 calculates the coefficients a and b of the above equation (2) (= calculation equation) using the thickness Wα and first movement amount Dα of the first reference test piece Tα, and the thickness Wβ and second movement amount Dβ of the second reference test piece Tβ, using the above equations (3) and (4).
In step ST36, the control device 100 calibrates the above formula (2) (=calculation formula) using the calculated coefficients a and b.
The control device 100 ends the calibration process.

In this embodiment, the case where there are two reference test pieces will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of reference test pieces may be three or more.
When there are three or more reference test pieces, the linear equation shown in formula (2) may be calculated by the least squares method or the like.

In this embodiment, the calculation formula is a linear formula, but is not limited to this. The calculation formula may be a polynomial. In this case, the number of reference test pieces may be set according to the degree of the polynomial.

This embodiment provides the following advantages:

The automatic material testing machine 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a testing device 30 having chucks 38, 39 that grip the test piece T in the thickness direction and apply a test force to the test piece T, and a transport device 20 that transports the test piece T to the chucks 38, 39. The transport device 20 is equipped with an suction mechanism 28 that holds the test piece T, and a width direction slide device 23 that moves the suction mechanism 28 so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.
Therefore, when the test piece T is set in the chucks 38, 39, the suction mechanism 28 can be moved so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39, so that the test piece T can be appropriately gripped by the chucks 38, 39. Therefore, even if the thickness W of the test piece T varies, the test piece T can be appropriately transported to the testing device 30.

In this embodiment, the automatic material testing machine 1 is equipped with a control device 100 that controls the movement of the suction mechanism 28 by the width direction slide device 23 so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.
Therefore, the control device 100 can automatically align the thickness center La of the test piece T with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.

In this embodiment, the control device 100 stores a calculation formula for determining the amount of movement D by which the width-direction sliding device 23 moves the suction mechanism 28 according to the thickness W of the test piece T, and when the transport device 20 transports the test piece T to the chucks 38, 39, it has the measuring device 14 measure and obtain the thickness W of the test piece T, determines the amount of movement D from the obtained thickness W based on the calculation formula, and controls the width-direction sliding device 23 to move the suction mechanism 28 according to the determined amount of movement D.
Therefore, the width direction sliding device 23 can be moved based on the thickness W measured by the measuring device 14, and the thickness center La of the test piece T can be aligned with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39 with high precision for each test piece T.

In this embodiment, the control device 100 acquires the movement amounts Dα and Dβ for moving the suction mechanism 28 on the width-direction sliding device 23 so as to align the thickness centers Lα and Lβ of the reference test pieces Tα and Tβ with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39 for each of the multiple reference test pieces Tα and Tβ, all of which have different thicknesses Wα and Wβ, and calibrates the calculation formula based on the movement amounts Dα and Dβ of the multiple reference test pieces Tα and Tβ. Therefore, even if the transport characteristics of the transport device 20 change due to mechanical adjustments or the like, the calculation formula can be calibrated to a calculation formula that matches the changed transport characteristics. Therefore, by moving the suction mechanism 28 by the movement amount D determined by the calculation formula, the thickness center La of the test piece T can be accurately aligned with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.

In addition, in this embodiment, the suction mechanism 28 includes a suction pad 29 that suctions the thickness direction surface of the test specimen T to hold the test specimen T, and the transport device 20 includes an arm 26 that supports the suction mechanism 28 and a rotation mechanism 25 that supports the arm 26 so that it can rotate between a laid-down position and an upright position, and the control device 100 controls the rotation mechanism 25 to move the arm 26 to the laid-down position when the test specimen T is removed from the pallet 11, and to move the arm 26 to the upright position when the test specimen T is transported to the chucks 38, 39.
Therefore, when the test strip T is transported, the posture of the test strip T can be changed from a lying down state to an upright state.

In addition, in this embodiment, the conveying device 20 is equipped with a lifting cylinder 27 that supports the suction mechanism 28 in a laid-down position so that it can be moved in an approaching/moving direction toward and away from the pallet 11, and the control device 100 controls the lifting cylinder 27 to move the suction mechanism 28 in the approaching/moving direction when removing the test piece T from the pallet 11.
Therefore, when removing the test piece T from the pallet 11, the suction pad 29 can be positioned at a sufficient distance from the test piece T, and the suction mechanism 28 can be moved closer or farther away according to the test piece T having various thicknesses W, thereby allowing the test piece T having various thicknesses W to be adsorbed.

The conveying device 20 of this embodiment is a conveying device 20 that conveys a test piece T to chucks 38, 39 that grip the test piece T in the thickness direction, and is equipped with an suction mechanism 28 that holds the test piece T, and a width-wise sliding device 23 that moves the suction mechanism 28 so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39.
Therefore, when the test piece T is set in the chucks 38, 39, the suction mechanism 28 can be moved so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38, 39, so that the test piece T can be appropriately gripped by the chucks 38, 39. Therefore, even if the thickness W of the test piece T varies, the test piece T can be appropriately transported to the testing device 30.

[2. Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

12 is a diagram of a transport device 220 according to a second embodiment. FIG 12 corresponds to the illustrated scene of FIG 7 of the first embodiment.
A fixed base 223 is supported on the transport stage 22B of the transport slide device 22 in the transport device 220 of the second embodiment, instead of the width-direction slide device 23. That is, in the second embodiment, the width-direction slide device 23 corresponding to the moving mechanism of the first embodiment is omitted.
Furthermore, in the transport device 220, a linear actuator 227 as an example of a moving mechanism is supported instead of the lifting cylinder 27 as an example of a second moving mechanism. That is, the linear actuator 227 is supported by the arm 26 of the rotating mechanism 25. The linear actuator 227 includes a main body 227A and a rod 227B that is extendable and contractible relative to the main body 227A. The linear actuator 227 can be electrically controlled, and is configured to enable position control of the rod 227B relative to the main body 227A. The linear actuator 227 may be configured similarly to the electric actuator 23C of the first embodiment.

The suction mechanism 28 is supported on the rod portion 227B of the linear actuator 227. When the suction mechanism 28 is in the laid-down position, the rod portion 227B can move in the vertical direction TD relative to the main body portion 227A, and can be raised and lowered. When the suction mechanism 28 is in the upright position, the rod portion 227B can move in the width direction SD relative to the main body portion 227A.

The control device 100 of the second embodiment differs from the control device 100 of the first embodiment in that, when the suction mechanism 28 has moved to the laid-down position, the control device 100 controls the linear actuator 227 to raise and lower the suction mechanism 28. The control device 100 of the second embodiment also differs from the control device 100 of the first embodiment in that, when the suction mechanism 28 has moved to the upright position, the control device 100 controls the linear actuator 227 to move the suction mechanism 28 in the width direction SD.

When the thickness W of the test piece T is measured by the measuring device 14, the control device 100 controls the linear actuator 227 according to the thickness W of the test piece T to move the test piece T in the width direction SD so that the thickness center La of the test piece T coincides with the gripping center L of the chucks 38 and 39.

In the second embodiment, the linear actuator 227 realizes the functions of the lifting cylinder 27 in the first embodiment and the width-direction sliding device 23, so that in the second embodiment as well, test pieces T of various thicknesses W can be automatically transported and placed in the testing device 30.

In addition to the advantages of the first embodiment, this embodiment provides the following advantages:

In this embodiment, the linear actuator 227 is supported by the pivoting mechanism 25 and enables the suction mechanism 28 to move in the gripping direction when the arm 26 is moved to the upright position, and also functions as a second moving mechanism by enabling the suction mechanism 28 to move in the approaching/moving direction when the arm 26 is moved to the laid-down position.
Therefore, the movement of the suction mechanism 28 in different directions can be achieved by a single movement mechanism, that is, a single linear actuator 227 .

3. Modifications
The above-described embodiment is merely an example of one aspect of the present invention, and any modification and application can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the thickness W of each test piece T is measured by the measuring device 14, and the test piece T is moved in the width direction SD according to the thickness W. However, if the test sequence of the test pieces T is fixed, the thickness W of the test piece can be input before the start of the test, and the test machine can be initially adjusted for each test piece T based on the input thickness W, and the automatic material testing machine 1 can be operated based on the input thickness W.

In the above embodiment, the suction mechanism 28 was described as the holding mechanism, but the holding mechanism may be configured to clamp and hold the test piece T using a gripper for transporting the test piece T, for example, an air gripper that opens and closes using air pressure.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments and variations described above are specific examples of the following aspects:

(Section 1)
A testing machine according to one embodiment includes a testing device having a gripping tool that grips a test piece from a thickness direction and applies a test force to the test piece, and a transport device that removes the test piece from a storage container and transports the test piece to the gripping tool, and the transport device may include a holding mechanism that holds the test piece, and a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism so that the center of thickness of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripping tool.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 1, when the test piece is set in the gripper, the holding mechanism can be moved so that the center of the thickness of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper, so that the gripper can properly grip the test piece. Therefore, even if the thickness of the test piece varies, the test piece can be properly transported to the testing device.

(Section 2)
The testing machine described in paragraph 1 may further include a control device that controls the movement of the holding mechanism by the moving mechanism so that the center of thickness of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 2, the control device can automatically align the thickness center of the test piece with the gripping center of the gripper.

(Section 3)
In the testing machine described in paragraph 2, the control device may store a calculation formula for determining the amount of movement by which the moving mechanism moves the holding mechanism depending on the thickness of the test piece, and when the transport device transports the test piece to the gripper, the control device may control the moving mechanism to measure and obtain the thickness of the test piece using a thickness measuring device, determine the amount of movement from the obtained thickness based on the calculation formula, and move the holding mechanism depending on the determined amount of movement.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 3, the moving mechanism can be moved based on the thickness measured by the thickness measuring device, and the center of thickness of the test piece can be aligned with the gripping center of the gripper with high precision for each test piece.

(Section 4)
In the testing machine described in paragraph 3, the control device may obtain, for each of a plurality of reference test pieces all having different thicknesses, the amount of movement by which the moving mechanism moves the holding mechanism so as to align the thickness center of the reference test piece with the gripping center of the gripper, and calibrate the calculation formula based on the amount of movement for each of the plurality of reference test pieces.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 4, even if the conveying characteristics of the conveying device change due to mechanical adjustments or the like, the calculation formula can be calibrated to match the changed conveying characteristics. Therefore, by moving the holding mechanism by the amount of movement determined by the calculation formula, the thickness center of the test piece can be accurately aligned with the gripping center of the gripping tool.

(Section 5)
In the testing machine described in any one of paragraphs 2 to 4, the holding mechanism includes an adsorption pad that adsorbs the thickness direction surface of the test specimen to hold the test specimen, the transporting device includes an arm that supports the holding mechanism and a rotation mechanism that supports the arm so that the arm can rotate between a collapsed position and an upright position, and the control device may control the rotation mechanism to move the arm to the collapsed position when the test specimen is removed from the storage container, and to move the arm to the upright position when the test specimen is transported to the gripping device.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 5, the position of the test specimen can be changed from a lying down position to an upright position when the test specimen is being transported.

(Section 6)
In the testing machine described in paragraph 5, the conveying device may be provided with a second moving mechanism that supports the holding mechanism in the laid-down position so that the holding mechanism can be moved in an approaching/moving direction toward and away from the storage container, and the control device may control the second moving mechanism to move the holding mechanism in the approaching/moving direction when removing the test piece from the storage container.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 6, when the test piece is removed from the storage container, the suction pad can be positioned with a sufficient distance from the test piece, and the holding mechanism can be moved closer and farther away according to the thickness of the test piece, thereby allowing the suction pad to suction test pieces of various thicknesses.

(Section 7)
In the testing machine described in paragraph 6, the moving mechanism may be supported by the pivoting mechanism and may enable the holding mechanism to move in the gripping direction when the arm is moved to the upright position, and may also have the function of the second moving mechanism by enabling the holding mechanism to move in the approaching/moving direction when the arm is moved to the laid-down position.

According to the testing machine described in paragraph 7, the movement of the holding mechanism in different directions can be achieved with a single movement mechanism.

(Section 8)
A conveying device according to one embodiment is a conveying device that conveys a test piece to a gripping tool that grips the test piece from a thickness direction, and may include a holding mechanism that holds the test piece, and a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripping tool.

According to the transport device described in paragraph 8, when the test piece is set in the gripper, the holding mechanism can be moved so that the center of the thickness of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper, so that the gripper can properly grip the test piece. Therefore, even if the test piece thickness varies, the test piece can be properly transported to the testing device.

1. Automatic material testing machine (testing machine)
11 Pallet (container)
14. Measuring device (thickness measuring device)
20 Conveying device 23 Width direction sliding device (moving mechanism)
25 Rotation mechanism 26 Arm 27 Lifting cylinder (second moving mechanism)
28 Adsorption mechanism (holding mechanism)
29 Suction pad 30 Test device 38 Upper chuck (grasping tool)
39 Lower chuck (grasping tool)
100 Control device 220 Conveying device 227 Linear actuator (moving mechanism, second moving mechanism)
a, b Coefficients L Grip center La Thickness center T Test piece T1 Test piece T2 Test piece Tα First reference test piece Tβ Second reference test piece Lα Thickness center of first reference test piece Lβ Thickness center of second reference test piece W Thickness W1 Thickness W2 Thickness D Displacement Dα First displacement Dβ Second displacement

Claims (5)

A test device including a gripper for gripping a test piece in a thickness direction and applying a test force to the test piece;
A conveying device that conveys the test piece to the gripper;
A testing machine comprising:
The transport device includes a holding mechanism for holding the test piece;
a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper ;
a control device that controls the movement of the holding mechanism by the moving mechanism so that the thickness center of the test piece coincides with the gripping center of the gripper;
The control device includes:
a calculation formula for calculating a movement amount of the moving mechanism relative to the holding mechanism in accordance with a thickness of the test piece is stored;
When the transport device transports the test piece to the gripper, the thickness of the test piece is measured by a thickness measuring device, and the thickness is obtained.
determining the movement amount based on the calculation formula from the obtained thickness;
controlling the moving mechanism so as to move the holding mechanism in accordance with the determined movement amount;
Test machine. The control device includes:
A movement amount by which the moving mechanism moves the holding mechanism so as to align the thickness center of the reference test piece with the gripping center of the gripper is obtained for each of a plurality of reference test pieces all having different thicknesses;
calibrating the calculation formula based on the movement amounts of the respective reference test pieces;
2. The testing machine according to claim 1 . the holding mechanism includes a suction pad that holds the test piece by suctioning a surface of the test piece in a thickness direction,
the transport device includes an arm that supports the holding mechanism, and a rotation mechanism that supports the arm so that the arm can rotate between a laid-down position and an upright position,
the control device controls the pivot mechanism to move the arm to the laid-down position when the test piece is to be removed from the container, and to move the arm to the upright position when the test piece is to be transported to the gripper.
3. A testing machine according to claim 1 or 2 . the transport device includes a second moving mechanism that supports the holding mechanism in the laid-down position so as to be movable in a direction toward and away from the storage container,
the control device controls the second moving mechanism to move the holding mechanism in the approaching/separating direction when the test strip is to be removed from the storage container.
4. The testing machine according to claim 3 . the moving mechanism is supported by the rotating mechanism, and when the arm is moved to the upright position , the moving mechanism is capable of moving the holding mechanism in a gripping direction in which the gripper grips , and when the arm is moved to the laid-down position, the moving mechanism is capable of moving the holding mechanism in the approaching/moving direction, thereby also functioning as the second moving mechanism.
5. A testing machine according to claim 4 .

Images