JPS6227952B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a self-aligning magnetic hand for a robot, which is attached to the tip of a robot arm and used for assembly or transporting workpieces.

When considering automation using robots, workpieces supplied on pallets etc. generally have poor positioning accuracy, and when the workpieces are brought from the pallet to the assembly area of the product by robots, they must be placed on the positioning table. It was necessary to set the workpiece down and grasp it again.

This invention was made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional ones as described above, and includes a magnet as a workpiece attracting means and a gripping mechanism (claw) as a means for correcting the workpiece gripping posture during handling. The object of the present invention is to provide a hand that can accurately feed a palletized workpiece to an assembly section without having to place it midway and change the grip.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnet, which is fixed via a mounting base 2 to a rod 20 that is arranged so as to be able to reciprocate vertically on a pivot axis centered on the hand. This rod 3 is robot arm 17
It is driven up and down via a connecting plate 22 by an air cylinder 23 attached to the tip. Reference numeral 3 designates a claw for correcting the workpiece position, which is guided by a guide shaft 4 fixed to the housing 7.
is attached to the top end. This pawl 3 is opened and closed by moving forward and backward toward the center by a rotary actuator 12 disposed at the upper part of the housing 7. That is, the rotational force of the rotary actuator 12 is sequentially transmitted to the timing pulley 10, the timing belt 11, the timing pulley 9, and the gear 5, and by reciprocating the rack 6 meshing with the gear 5, the claw 3 It moves forward and backward to open and close. 8 is a bearing that rotatably supports the timing pulley 9 on the housing 7; 13;
is the arm 17 of the robot by the bearing 18.
This is a pivot shaft that is rotatably supported by the rod 20 and supports the rod 20 by a linear bearing 14 disposed inside the pivot shaft. 19 is a fixing plate that fixes the bearing.

Next, the operation will be explained. When a pallet loaded with workpieces is sent, the hand is first positioned directly above the workpieces by the robot, and then the rod 20 is moved by the air cylinder 23.
By lowering the magnet 1, the magnet 1 comes into contact with the workpiece and attracts the workpiece. After attracting the workpiece, the rod 20 is raised by the air cylinder 23, and the magnet 1 is retreated to the center of the claw 3. In this state, there are considerable variations in the relative position and posture of the workpiece to the hand. FIG. 3 shows the process of moving the workpiece from this state to the correct position without changing the grip using the hand according to the present invention. In the figure, A indicates the center of the magnet, and B indicates the center of the workpiece 26. .

In Figure 3a, the magnet 1 that has attracted the workpiece 26 is attached to the claw 3.
In this state, the hand 3 closes and the workpiece 26 is moved in the direction C, so that its center coincides with the center of the magnet in the left-right direction in the figure. (Figure 3b). Next, the claw 3 opens once and then rotates 90 degrees relative to the workpiece 26 (Fig. 3 c to d). From this state, the claw 3 closes again, the workpiece is now moved in the D direction, and its position is corrected in the vertical direction in the figure, so that the centers of the workpiece 26 and the magnet 1 are completely aligned (No. Figure 3 e).

After positioning is completed in this manner, the hand transports the workpiece to the supply position. From this state, the magnet 1 further retreats to a position where it no longer exerts magnetic force on the workpiece 26, and the claw 3 opens, thereby completing the supply of the workpiece to the required location.

In the above embodiments, the drive source is an air cylinder or a rotary actuator, but other drive sources may be used instead, and the timing belt of the transmission means may also be used in other ways. Furthermore, although the claws are opened and closed using a rack and pinion, it is obvious that other means may be used instead.

As described above, according to the present invention, a magnet for attracting a workpiece is supported so as to be movable forward and backward relative to the workpiece, and a claw for correcting the workpiece position is further provided to rotate around the magnet and move forward and backward toward the magnet. Because of this, the workpiece can be accurately fed to the desired location without having to place the workpiece on the way and change the grip, eliminating the need for time for changing hands and eliminating the need for a workpiece positioning device used when re-gripping the workpiece. There are effects such as Furthermore, since a position adjustment claw is provided on the outside of the magnet that can rotate around the magnet and move forward and backward toward the magnet, it is possible to adjust the position of the workpiece without having to use a special claw configuration. The workpiece is not limited to external shapes such as polygons, and the position can be easily corrected regardless of the angular position of the workpiece.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the main part thereof, and FIGS. 3 a to 3 e are explanatory diagrams showing the process of correctly gripping a workpiece with the hand of this invention. 1...Magnet, 2...Mounting base, 3...Claw, 4...Guide shaft,
5... Gear, 6... Rack, 7... Housing, 8... Bearing, 9, 10... Timing pulley, 11
...Timing belt, 12...Rotary actuator, 13...Swivel shaft, 14...Linear bearing, 15...Timing transmission tooth profile, 16...Timing belt, 17...Arm, 18...Bearing, 1
9... Fixed plate, 20... Rod, 21... Nut, 22
...Connecting plate, 23...Air cylinder, 24, 25
...Natsuto, 26...Work. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hand that has a rod that can reciprocate vertically and vertically, and a magnet is attached to the tip of the rod, and that can rotate around the magnet outside the magnet and can move forward and backward toward the magnet for position correction. A self-aligning magnetic hand characterized by a claw.