JP7851598B2 - Reinforcement bar transport assistance device and reinforcement bar transport assistance method - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a rebar transport assistance device and a rebar transport assistance method.

Traditionally, reinforcing bars have been bent to achieve a predetermined shape. This bending process utilizes a reinforcing bar bending device (reinforcing bar bending machine) that employs the cooperation of a fulcrum member, a bending roller (force point member) that rotates around the fulcrum member, and a reaction force receiving part (reinforcing bar receiving member) that receives the force on the opposite side of the bending direction during the bending process.

Patent Document 1 proposes a device for performing three-dimensional processing of reinforcing bars using bending rollers and pivot members.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-116594

In the rebar bending process disclosed in Patent Document 1, the process requires the supply of rebar to the rebar bending machine and the removal of the bent rebar, among other rebar handling operations. While some degree of mechanization has been achieved, a significant portion of the process still relies on manual labor.

The objective of this invention is to provide a solution that facilitates the transportation of reinforcing bars during the bending process.

The above problems can be solved by the following means. That is, the technology of this disclosure is as follows.
[1]
A rebar transport assist device that assists in the transport of rebars processed by a rebar bending machine,
The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending.
A transport assist member on which the workpiece reinforcing bar can be placed,
The system includes a drive unit for driving the transport assist member,
The rebar transport assist device is such that the transport assist member can be positioned at a first position which is between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, and at a second position which is between the standby surface and the aforementioned mounting surface.

[2]
The rebar transport assist device described in [1],
The conveying assist member includes one that is positioned between a plurality of bending units of the rebar bending machine, and is part of a rebar conveying assist device.

[3]
The rebar transport assist device described in [1],
The standby surface is provided with a shaft member that extends in the direction in which the workpiece reinforcing bar is extended while in standby position, and that supports the transport assist member,
The drive unit is a rebar transport assist device that drives the shaft member.

[4]
The rebar transport assist device described in [3],
The aforementioned conveying support member is configured to be detachably attached to the shaft member, and is a rebar conveying support device.

[5]
The rebar transport assist device described in [3],
The shaft member rotates in the first direction, thereby moving the transport assist member from the second position to the first position.
A rebar conveying assist device, wherein the conveying assist member is supported so as to be immovable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in the first direction, and is supported so as to be movable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[6]
The rebar transport assist device described in [1],
A rebar conveying assisting device wherein the holding tip of the conveying assisting member is inclined to the opposite side from the first position when in the second position.

[7]
The rebar transport assist device described in [1],
The rebar transport assist device further allows the transport assist member to be positioned at a third position vertically above the standby surface.

[8]
A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars processed by a reinforcing bar bending machine,
The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending.
A step of positioning the transport assist member at a first position between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine,
A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars, comprising the step of moving the transport assisting member from the first position to a second position between the aforementioned placement surface and the aforementioned waiting surface after bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine, thereby separating the bent reinforcing bar from the aforementioned placement surface by the transport assisting member.

According to the rebar conveying assist device of [1], since the conveying assist member can be positioned in a first position, the conveying assist member can move and retract to the side of the installation surface rather than the mounting surface, thus preventing interference between the rebar being processed and the conveying assist member during bending by the rebar bending machine. Furthermore, since the conveying assist member can be positioned in a second position, for example, the rebar being processed after bending can be moved to a position higher than the mounting surface during processing, thereby improving the ease of removing the processed rebar.

According to the rebar transport assist device of [2], since the transport assist member is positioned between multiple bending units, even when, for example, two bending units are used to bend the rebar portions that protrude outwards from these two bending units inwards, the transport assist member positioned between the two bending units can move the processed rebar to a second position. This makes it easy to remove the processed rebar after bending. Furthermore, since transport assist members can be provided on both sides of the bending unit, the transport assist member can contact the processed rebar at least at two points during the supply and removal of the processed rebar, enabling stable transport of the processed rebar.

According to the rebar transport assist device in [3], regardless of the length of the rebar to be processed placed on the standby surface, it can be transported by the transport assist member, making it highly versatile. Furthermore, since the transport assist member can be driven by the shaft member, multiple transport assist members can be controlled by a single drive unit.

According to the rebar conveying assist device in [4], the conveying assist member is configured to be detachable from the shaft member, making replacement and maintenance easy.

According to the rebar conveying assist device of [5], for example, when removing the conveying assist member from the shaft member, it is only necessary to move the conveying assist member in the second direction, which is very simple. Furthermore, even if an unforeseen situation occurs when the conveying assist member rotates in the first direction, such as an object being in the path of its movement and part of the conveying assist member hitting the object, the shaft member does not rotate freely and transmit rotational force to the conveying assist member, preventing damage to the conveying assist member or load on the drive system. On the other hand, when the conveying assist member is subjected to a load in the first direction, it is immobile relative to the shaft member, allowing the conveying assist member to hold the rebar being processed, thus reliably assisting in the conveyance of the rebar being processed.

According to the rebar conveying assist device of [6], when the rebar to be processed is placed on the conveying assist member and the conveying assist member is in the second position, the inclination of the holding tip prevents the rebar from rolling off the holding tip. This enhances the safety of the bending process.

According to the rebar transport assist device in [7], the rebar to be processed before processing, which is placed on the waiting surface, can be lifted above the waiting surface and easily removed from the waiting surface.

According to the rebar transport assistance method of [8], bending is performed with the transport assistance member positioned in the first position, allowing the bending process to be carried out in the conventional manner. Furthermore, after bending, the transport assistance member moves from the first position to the second position, lifting the processed rebar from the mounting surface, making it easier to remove the processed rebar.

This is a schematic perspective view of a rebar processing facility equipped with a rebar conveying assist device, which is one aspect of the present invention. Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the rebar processing equipment as seen from the right side. This is an enlarged side view showing the transport assist member in its engaged state with the shaft member. This is an enlarged side view showing the engagement between the hook portion of a transport assist member and the shaft member, where (a) is an enlarged side view showing the hook portion being attached to the shaft member, and (b) is an enlarged side view showing the state in which the hook portion is attached to the shaft member. This is an exploded perspective view of the transport support component. This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a shaft member showing a modified example of the shaft member. This is a flowchart showing the method for bending reinforcing bars.

Hereinafter, one embodiment representing one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following explanation, the directions of front/back, left/right, and up/down refer to the direction as seen from the front of the rebar processing equipment 100 by a worker. Specifically, facing the rebar processing equipment 100, the front is the near side, the back is the far side, the right is the right, the left is the left, the bottom (the floor surface B where the rebar processing equipment 100 is installed) is the bottom, and the top is the top. The front/back, left/right, and up/down directions are indicated by arrows in the drawings. The up/down direction coincides with the vertical direction.

The rebar processing equipment 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a frame 20 for supporting each piece of equipment, multiple mounting sections for placing the rebars to be processed 60 (hereinafter simply referred to as "rebars"), a rebar bending machine 40 for bending the rebars 60, a rebar transport assist device 10 having a transport assist member 11 for moving the rebars 60, and a drive unit 15 (motor that rotates the shaft) for driving the transport assist member 11. The rebar mounting sections referred to here include a standby surface 43 on which the rebars 61 (60) before processing are placed, a mounting surface 41 on which the rebars 60 are placed during bending, a removal surface 42 for removing the bent rebars 62 (60), a product mounting surface (not shown) for stocking the processed rebars 62, etc.

The rebar bending machine 40 includes, for example, a bending unit 40u positioned at a middle vertical position on the frame 20, positioned on the rebar 60 placed on the mounting surface 41 and defining the bending center of the rebar 60, a bending arm 40b that rotates around the bending support member 40a to apply bending force to the rebar 60, and a front wall portion 40d positioned in front of the mounting surface 41 to hold the front end of the bending support member 40a; and a standby surface 43 positioned on the upper end side of the frame 20 to hold the rebar 60 before bending.

At the rear and upper ends of the frame 20, there is a rebar holding section 43a for holding the reinforcing bars 61 before processing, and a transport section 44, composed of a chain or the like, for transporting the reinforcing bars 61 to the rebar holding section 43a. The front end 43t of the rebar holding section 43a protrudes upward, and the reinforcing bars 61 transported from the transport section 44 come into contact with this front end 43t, thus being placed on the rebar holding section 43a. The upper surface of the rebar holding section 43a constitutes the waiting surface 43.

The bending unit 40u is installed on a frame table 20a extending horizontally from the frame 20, allowing it to move appropriately in the left-right direction. For example, when processing both ends of a reinforcing bar 60 simultaneously, two bending units 40u are used for simultaneous bending. In this case, as shown in Figure 1, for example, three transport assist members 11 are placed between a pair of bending units 40u arranged at a predetermined interval, and these three transport assist members 11 move the reinforcing bar 60 up and down. It is preferable that the transport assist members 11 are also provided on the left and right outer sides of the pair of bending units 40u. By using these left and right outer transport assist members 11 as needed, work efficiency can be improved, for example, when processing reinforcing bars 60 that are significantly longer than the distance between the two bending units 40u. Note that in the example in Figure 1, multiple transport assist members 11 are placed between the pair of bending units 40u, but it is sufficient to have at least one transport assist member 11 between them.

In the bending unit 40u, the bending pivot member 40a is positioned to move back and forth within the casing 40e by a cylinder member 40c connected to the rear side of the bending pivot member 40a. Therefore, when not performing bending, the bending pivot member 40a is configured to be retracted to the inside (rear side) of the casing 40e. The bending arm 40b is connected to a rotational drive member (not shown) and rotates around the bending pivot member 40a. The rotation of the bending arm 40b bends the reinforcing bar 60, placed on the mounting surface 41, so as to follow the outer circumferential surface of the bending pivot member 40a.

The rebar transport assist device 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical shaft member 16 extending in the left-right direction (the direction in which the rebar 60 extends) of the frame 20 near its upper end, arm-shaped transport assist members 11 attached at predetermined intervals to the outer surface of the shaft member 16, a drive unit 15 that rotates the shaft member 16, and a processor that controls the drive unit 15. The processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 can be replaced by the processor of the rebar bending machine 40 (the processor that controls the bending unit 40u). The transport assist member 11 moves the rebar 60 placed on the arm tip up and down as the shaft member 16 rotates, causing the arm tip 14 to move.

The drive unit 15, which rotates the shaft member 16, comprises, for example, a motor 15a, a drive shaft 15c of the motor 15a, and a chain 15b stretched across a sprocket provided on the shaft member 16. The drive unit 15 controls the rotation direction of the motor 15a, causing the shaft member 16 (and the transport assist member 11 locked to it) to rotate in a predetermined direction. The drive unit 15 only needs to be provided at one location along the longitudinal direction of the shaft of the shaft member 16. However, if the shaft member 16 is long, multiple drive units may be provided at predetermined intervals to enable synchronous drive.

Alternatively, the shaft member 16 may be configured as a discontinuous unit, with each section equipped with a drive unit 15. In this case, the shaft member 16 can be driven as a single unit by synchronously driving the drive units 15, or it can be used as separate equipment to perform different rebar bending processes in parallel.

As shown in Figure 2, the conveying support member 11 moves upward as the shaft member 16 rotates (clockwise when viewed from the right side), causing the curved holding tip portion 14 at the end of the arm to move upward. This upward movement of the holding tip portion 14 causes the take-out receiving portion 14b of the holding tip portion 14 to move to a third position 3p (see Figure 2), which is vertically above the waiting surface 43 where the reinforcing bar 61 before bending is waiting. Preferably, the third position 3p is above the upper end of the front end portion 43t. When the take-out receiving portion 14b moves upward from the second position 2p or the first position 1p and exceeds the waiting surface 43, the reinforcing bar 61 before bending is placed on the take-out receiving portion 14b. From this state, the take-out receiving portion 14b moves further upward to reach the third position 3p. When the removal receiving portion 14b is in the third position 3p, as shown in Figure 2, the upper end surface of the removal receiving portion 14b is slightly inclined toward the front. Therefore, the reinforcing bar 61, placed on the removal receiving portion 14b before bending, moves toward the front along this inclination of the upper end surface and is held by the holding tip portion 14.

The upper end surface of the receiving portion 14b of the holding tip 14 is slightly inclined downward toward the front when the holding tip 14 is in the third position 3p, and the upper end surface of the receiving portion 14a of the holding tip 14 is curved downward so as to be recessed. Therefore, when the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11 is positioned in the third position 3p, the reinforcing bar 61 is configured to move into the recess of the receiving portion 14a by gravity.

As shown in Figure 2, the transport assist member 11, which holds the reinforcing bar 61 in the recess of the holding support portion 14a, moves to a first position 1p below the mounting surface 41 of the reinforcing bar 60 during bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine 40. During the movement of the transport assist member 11 from the state where the holding tip portion 14 is in the third position 3p to the state where the holding tip portion 14 is in the first position 1p, the reinforcing bar 61 held in the recess of the holding support portion 14a is placed on the mounting surface 41 and becomes ready for bending. Note that the first position 1p, as shown in the figure, is slightly below the mounting surface 41, but its range is between the mounting surface 41 and the floor surface B (the installation surface of the reinforcing bar bending machine 40). In other words, depending on its length, the transport assist member 11 may be configured so that the holding tip portion 14 reaches the floor surface B, and the range of the first position 1p can be the range from the mounting surface 41 to the floor surface B.

Furthermore, the holding tip 14 can be positioned and stopped at another position, a second position 2p. This second position 2p is the position of the aforementioned removal surface 42 from which the bent reinforcing bars 62 (60) are removed, and is set within the height range between the standby surface 43 and the mounting surface 41. The second position 2p is located at a higher position above the mounting surface 41 (preferably higher than the height of the front wall portion 40d). When the holding tip 14 is in the second position 2p, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the removal position of the processed reinforcing bars 62 is raised, thus reducing the burden required to remove the reinforcing bars 62.

With the rebar bending machine 40 and the rebar transport assist device 10 configured as described above, a method for assisting rebar transport that raises the position of the processed rebar 62 can be implemented. This rebar transport assist method includes, for example, the steps of: positioning the transport assist member 11 at a first position 1p between the mounting surface 41 and the floor surface B; and, after bending by the rebar bending machine 40, moving the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to a second position 2p between the mounting surface 41 and the waiting surface 43, thereby separating the bent rebar 62 from the mounting surface 41 using the transport assist member 11. By moving the bent rebar 62 to a position higher than the mounting surface 41, the rebar 62 can be easily removed compared to when a worker manually lifts the rebar 62 while it is resting on the mounting surface 41.

Here, the transport assist member 11 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 3 to 5.
As shown in Figure 5, the transport assist member 11 comprises an arm-shaped main body portion 12, a curved hook portion 13 provided at one end of the main body portion 12 (the base end on the right side in the figure) that engages with the shaft member 16, and a holding tip portion 14 attached to the tip end 12t of the main body portion 12 (the left side in the figure) that is curved to hold the reinforcing bar 60.

As shown in Figure 3, when the hook portion 13 is attached to the shaft member 16, the main body portion 12 is mounted so that it extends diagonally downward and forward, generating a rotational force due to the weight of the transport assist member 11 (force in the direction indicated by arrow F). This rotational force due to its own weight causes the transport assist member 11 to be locked in place, with the hook tip portion 17, which is the tip of the hook portion 13, catching on the non-circular protrusion 19 that extends from the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16.

As described above, the shaft member 16 supporting the transport assist member 11 rotates in a counterclockwise first direction 1d in Figure 3, moving the transport assist member 11 from a high vertical position to a low vertical position. Conversely, the shaft member 16 rotates in a clockwise second direction 2d, moving the transport assist member 11 from a low vertical position to a high vertical position, as described above. However, when the transport assist member 11 receives a load in the second direction 2d, that is, when it receives a force from below directed upward in Figure 3 (a force in the direction indicated by arrow F'), the transport assist member 11 will free-slip, with its hook portion 13 sliding on the outer circumferential surface 16s relative to the shaft member 16. This free-slip state of the transport assist member 11 does not normally occur, but it can happen when some object strikes the transport assist member 11 from below while it is descending.

Furthermore, the protrusion 19 is composed of a key member of the protrusion fixed to a groove 18, which is a keyway formed along the axial direction of the shaft member 16, and is provided along its entire length in the axial direction. Therefore, the transport assist member 11 can be locked to the shaft member 16 at any position in the axial direction of the shaft member 16. In other words, the transport assist member 11 can be attached to any position in the longitudinal direction of the shaft member 16, and its position can be arbitrarily changed along the longitudinal direction of the shaft member 16.

As shown in Figure 4(a), the distance D1 between the hook portion 17f and the main body portion 12 facing the hook portion 17f is set to be larger than the maximum diameter D2 of the shaft member 16. With this configuration, when attaching the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16, for example, as shown in Figure 4(a), the opening side of the hook portion 13 is brought to face the protrusion 19, and the protrusion 19 is inserted into the hook portion 13. Then, the transport assist member 11 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 4. As a result, as shown in Figure 4(b), the hook portion 17f catches on the protrusion 19, and the transport assist member 11 is locked to the shaft member 16. If the transport assist member 11 is rotated further counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 4(b), it reaches the state shown in Figure 4(c), and the transport assist member 11 is fixed to the shaft member 16. On the other hand, to remove the hook portion 13 from the shaft member 16, the reverse of the installation operation is performed. As shown in Figure 4(c), the transport assist member 11 is rotated clockwise at a constant angle, and then the hook portion 13 is moved away from the shaft member 16.

As shown in Figure 5, the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11 is composed of two parts: a holding receiving part 14a and a removal receiving part 14b, and is detachably attached to the main body 12. The holding receiving part 14a and the removal receiving part 14b are attached to the main body 12 by fastening members 70, sandwiching the tip side 12t of the main body 12. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of the holding receiving part 14a, opposite to the main body 12, is curved upwards. The hook part 13 of the main body 12 is curved downwards, in the opposite direction to the curvature of the holding receiving part 14a. In other words, the transport assist member 11 can be described as having a roughly S-shaped form overall.

The retrieval receiving portion 14b is fastened to the fastening member 70 via an elongated hole 14d that has clearance, for example, in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions relative to the shaft diameter of the fastening member 70. This allows the retaining tip portion 14 to be movable relative to the main body portion 12 by changing the position of the fastening member 70. In other words, the retrieval receiving portion 14b can move in its longitudinal direction (X direction in Figure 3) relative to the main body portion 12. This allows the retaining tip portion 14 to be adjusted relative to the position of the standby surface 43. Preferably, the retrieval receiving portion 14b can move slightly in the width direction of the main body portion 12 (Y direction in Figure 3), and further in the rotational direction (Z direction in Figure 3) with the fastening member 70 as the pivot point. This allows for fine adjustment of the retrieval receiving portion 14b during installation.

The holding of the transport assist member 11 by the shaft member 16 is not limited to the configuration of the convex ridge 19 described above, but can also be configured as shown in Figure 6, for example.
In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the configuration of the hook portion 13 is the same as that shown in Figure 5, but the configuration of the shaft member 16 is such that only a groove 18 is formed on the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16. That is, the hook portion 17f of the hook portion 13 engages with the groove 18. In this configuration, when attaching the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16, there is no need to choose the orientation of the hook portion 13 relative to the shaft member 16, and attachment and removal can be performed, making the attachment and detachment operation of the transport assist member 11 easier than in the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The operation and control of the conveying assist member 11 in the bending process will be explained below with reference to the flowchart in Figure 7. In the initial state of the rebar conveying assist device 10, for example, the conveying assist member 11 is in the first position 1p.
After the operator turns on the power to the rebar bending machine 40 and the rebar transport assist device 10, the operator turns on the foot switch 30 with their foot (step S1). The processor of the rebar transport assist device 10, which detects this operation, controls the drive unit 15 to move the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the third position 3p. As a result of this movement, multiple rebars 61 are placed on the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11. When the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 detects that the transport assist member 11 has reached the third position 3p, for example by a sensor (not shown), it outputs a movement OK signal to the rebar bending machine 40, which allows the bending unit 40u to move left or right (step S2). When the rebar bending machine 40 receives this movement OK signal, it controls the bending unit 40u to move left or right. In this state, the operator performs tasks such as moving the bending unit 40u to a position according to the desired processing content.

Next, the worker turns on the foot switch 30 (step S3). Upon receiving this turn-on operation, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 stops outputting the OK signal and controls the drive unit 15 to lower the transport assist member 11 from the third position 3p to the first position 1p.

When the processor of the rebar conveying assistance device 10 detects, for example, by a sensor (not shown) that the conveying assistance member 11 has reached the third position 3p, it determines that the rebar 61 has been placed on the mounting surface 41 and outputs a bending OK signal indicating that bending is possible (step S4).

Subsequently, the processor of the rebar conveying assist device 10 enters a state of waiting for the bending process by the bending unit 40u to be completed (step S7). That is, the conveying assist member 11 is retracted to a position below the mounting surface 41 and stops, waiting for the bending process to finish.

When the rebar bending machine 40 receives a bending OK signal from the rebar transport assist device 10, it starts bending the rebar using the bending unit 40u in step S5.

The rebar bending machine 40 completes the bending process in step S6 after the bending unit 40u starts bending and performs a predetermined operation. In step S6, the rebar bending machine 40 retracts the bending support member 40a to the rear and the bending arm 40b (to a position below the mounting surface 41), preparing to start the next bending process, and then outputs a bending completion signal.

When the operator detects the signal indicating the completion of the bending process, they activate the foot switch 30 (step S8). Upon receiving this activation, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 controls the drive unit 15 to raise the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the second position 2p. In step S8, when the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 detects that the transport assist member 11 has reached the second position 2p using a sensor (not shown), it stops driving the transport assist member 11. The stopping position of the transport assist member 11 at this time is preferably a position where the bent rebar 62 has completely protruded from the bending unit 40u, for example, a position higher than the front wall 40d, and is also set to a height that makes it easy to manually remove the processed rebar 62.

After step S8, the worker removes the reinforcing bar 62, places it in the designated position, and then turns on the foot switch 30 (step S9). Upon receiving this turn-on operation, the processor of the reinforcing bar transport assist device 10 moves the transport assist member 11 from the second position 2p to the third position 3p. This completes one cycle of the bending process. When repeating the bending process, the process returns from step S9 to step S2 and the same steps are repeated.

The processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 drives the transport assist member 11 by detecting the ON operation of the foot switch 30, but is not limited to this. For example, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may drive the transport assist member 11 by detecting the operation of a switch for manual operation provided on the rebar bending machine 40. Alternatively, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may drive the transport assist member 11 automatically without receiving operation from the operator each time. For example, when an operation to start bending is performed on the rebar bending machine 40, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may move the transport assist member 11 from the second position 2p to the third position 3p, and when it detects that the rebar 61 is held by the holding tip 14, it may move the transport assist member 11 from the third position 3p to the first position 1p, and when it detects that the bending process is complete, it may move the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the second position 2p. This control may be repeatedly executed.

In the control described above, the transport assist member 11 is configured to be unable to operate while the bending unit 40u is in operation. That is, the transport assist member 11 and the bending unit 40u are configured not to interfere with each other during operation. Furthermore, although the bending unit 40u is installed to be slidable left and right on the support table 20a as described above, the bending unit 40u is configured to be slidable only when, for example, the transport assist member 11 is in a position that does not interfere with the bending unit 40u.

As described above, in this embodiment of the rebar transport assist device 10, the transport assist member 11 can be positioned at the first position 1p, allowing it to move and retract to the floor surface B side of the mounting surface 41. Therefore, it can assist in transporting rebars without interfering with the bending process of the rebar bending machine 40. Furthermore, by positioning the bent rebar 60 at a second position 2p, which is higher than the mounting surface 41 used during processing, the removal of the processed rebar 60 becomes easier, improving the efficiency of the removal process.

Furthermore, by positioning the transport support member 11 between the multiple bending units 40u of the rebar bending machine 40, it can hold the rebars 60 on both the left and right sides of the bending units 40u, enabling stable holding of the rebars 60 during supply and removal. It can also hold long rebars 60 supplied across multiple bending units 40u. Moreover, even when, for example, two bending units 40u are used and the portion protruding outwards from the bending units 40u is bent inwards, the transport support member 11 positioned between the bending units 40u can still hold the rebars 60.

In this embodiment, the shaft member 16 that drives the transport assist member 11 is provided along the direction in which the reinforcing bars 60 waiting on the standby surface 43 extend, so that the transport assist member 11 can be driven regardless of the length of the reinforcing bars 60 placed on the standby surface 43. Furthermore, since the transport assist member 11 can be driven by the shaft member 16, multiple transport assist members 11 can be controlled by a single drive unit 15.
Furthermore, since the transport assist member 11 is configured to be detachable from the shaft member 16, it is easy to accommodate the length of the reinforcing bar 60. In addition, the transport assist member 11 can be easily replaced, resulting in good maintainability.

In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is supported so as to be movable relative to the shaft member 16 when subjected to a load in the second direction 2d, which is opposite to the first direction 1d. This makes it extremely easy to remove the transport assist member 11 from the shaft member 16; for example, it only requires moving the transport assist member 11 in the second direction 2d. Furthermore, even if an object is present in the path of the transport assist member 11 while it is rotating in the first direction 1d, and a part of the transport assist member 11 strikes that object, the shaft member 16 will not rotate freely relative to the transport assist member 11, thus preventing damage to the transport assist member 11 or load on the drive system. In this way, the free rotation of the shaft member 16 relative to the transport assist member 11 prevents load on the drive unit 15 in unforeseen circumstances, resulting in extremely high safety.

In this embodiment, the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11 is inclined upwards, opposite to the side of the first position 1p, when in the second position 2p, making it a suitable configuration for holding the reinforcing bar 60.

In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 can be positioned at a third position 3p vertically above the standby surface 43. This allows the unprocessed reinforcing bars 60 placed on the standby surface 43 to be lifted above the standby surface 43 and removed from it, enabling efficient operation.

In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is driven by the drive unit 15 and can be positioned at multiple locations of different heights. Therefore, it is possible to move the reinforcing bar 60 from the waiting surface 43 before processing to the mounting surface 41 where processing takes place, and further to other removal positions. Furthermore, because the transport assist member 11, supported by a rotatable shaft member 16 extending in the direction of the reinforcing bar 60's extension, is detachably supported by the shaft member 16, the transport assist member 11's adaptability to the length of the reinforcing bar 60 can be improved. As a result, the convenience of processing and removing the reinforcing bar 60 after processing can be enhanced. Additionally, it can easily accommodate the diversification of processed products.

In this embodiment, when the transport assist member 11 is mounted on the shaft member 16, the hook portion 13 at one end of the main body portion 12 is locked to the shaft member 16, causing the main body portion 12 to protrude radially from the shaft member 16. Therefore, the rotational moment due to the weight of the transport assist member 11 allows the hook tip portion 17 to contact the protrusion 19. This contact force of the hook tip portion 17 allows the transport assist member 11 to be easily locked onto the shaft member 16.

In this embodiment, the hook portion 13 has a hook tip 17 that curves toward the main body portion 12 when viewed from the side. This allows for easy attachment by hooking the hook portion 17f onto the protrusion 19 or groove 18 provided on the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16. The aforementioned protrusion 19 and groove 18 constitute locking portions provided on the shaft member 16.

In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is configured such that the distance D1 between the hook portion 17f and the main body portion 12 facing the hook portion 17f is greater than the maximum diameter D2 of the shaft member 16, thus facilitating the attachment and detachment of the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16.

In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is provided with a retaining tip 14 that curves upward at the front end of the main body 12 (opposite the hook portion 13). This retaining tip 14 prevents the reinforcing bar 60 from falling forward, thereby enhancing safety.

In this embodiment, the retaining tip 14 is detachably attached to the main body 12, allowing for the attachment of retaining tip 14s of different shapes. Furthermore, even if the retaining tip 14 experiences wear and tear due to long-term use, only the retaining tip 14 can be removed and replaced, facilitating maintenance.

In this embodiment, the holding tip 14 is movably provided relative to the main body 12, allowing its orientation to be changed when holding reinforcing bars 60 of different orientations or thicknesses. Furthermore, the height position and orientation of the tip can be finely adjusted when transferring the reinforcing bar 60 from the waiting surface 43 or when placing the reinforcing bar 60 on the mounting surface 41.

Although one aspect of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is configured to move to a first position 1p, a second position 2p, and a third position 3p by the rotation of the shaft member 16, but it is not limited to this, and for example, the shaft member 16 may be configured to slide vertically. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the transport assist member 11 is composed of three members: a main body 12, a holding receiving part 14a, and a removal receiving part 14b, but some or all of these may be integrally configured.

1d First direction 2d Second direction 1p First position 2p Second position 3p Third position 10 Rebar conveying assist device 11 Conveying assist member 12 Main body 13 Hook part 14 Holding tip part 15 Drive unit 16 Shaft member 16s Outer surface 17 Hook tip part 17f Hooking part 18 Groove 19 Protrusion 20 Stand 30 Foot switch 40 Rebar bending machine 40u Bending unit 41 Mounting surface 42 Removal surface 43 Standby surface 60 Workpiece rebar 100 Rebar processing equipment B Floor surface (installation surface)

Claims (8)

A rebar transport assist device that assists in the transport of rebars processed by a rebar bending machine,
The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending.
A transport assist member on which the workpiece reinforcing bar can be placed,
The system includes a drive unit for driving the transport assist member,
The rebar transport assist device is such that the transport assist member can be positioned at a first position which is between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, and at a second position which is between the standby surface and the aforementioned mounting surface. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1,
The conveying assist member includes one that is positioned between a plurality of bending units of the rebar bending machine, and is part of a rebar conveying assist device. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1,
The standby surface is provided with a shaft member that extends in the direction in which the workpiece reinforcing bar is extended while in standby position, and that supports the transport assist member,
The drive unit is a rebar transport assist device that drives the shaft member. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 3,
The aforementioned conveying support member is configured to be detachably attached to the shaft member, and is a rebar conveying support device. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 3,
The shaft member rotates in the first direction, thereby moving the transport assist member from the second position to the first position.
A rebar conveying assist device, wherein the conveying assist member is supported so as to be immovable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in the first direction, and is supported so as to be movable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1,
A rebar conveying assisting device wherein the holding tip of the conveying assisting member is inclined to the opposite side from the first position when in the second position. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1,
The rebar transport assist device further allows the transport assist member to be positioned at a third position vertically above the standby surface. A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars processed by a reinforcing bar bending machine,
The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending.
A step of positioning the transport assist member at a first position between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine,
A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars, comprising the step of moving the transport assisting member from the first position to a second position between the aforementioned placement surface and the aforementioned waiting surface after bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine, thereby separating the bent reinforcing bar from the aforementioned placement surface by the transport assisting member.