JPH0216864B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention provides a method for transporting an engine, etc. to be tested, mounted on a transport pallet, into a testing device for engines, etc., equipped with a plurality of test benches. This relates to testing equipment for engines, etc.

(Prior art and its problems) In test equipment for this type of engine, etc.,
After transporting the engine, etc. to be tested to each test bench, connect the various piping (water supply and drainage, exhaust gas, oil, fuel, etc.) and electrical system wiring provided for each test bench to the engine, etc. on the test bench. When the test operation is completed, the piping and wiring are removed from each engine, and then the tested engines are carried out by the carrying-out means.

However, in the conventional test equipment of this type, the piping and wiring provided for each test bench were manually connected to the connecting points such as the engine by an operator. In such a method, it is necessary to deploy workers to connect and disconnect piping and wiring immediately after carrying in the engine, etc. and immediately before carrying it out, and it is not possible to achieve rationalization. Moreover, it requires a great deal of time and effort to connect and disconnect the piping and wiring, resulting in a disadvantage that the test cycle time becomes longer.

Therefore, a drive for removing and removing piping and wiring is used to automatically move the end fittings of the piping and wiring installed on each test bench so that they can be connected to the connection point such as the engine on the test bench. The idea was to add a means. However, in one test bench, there are many pipes and wires that must be connected to the engine, etc., and the method is to install a dedicated drive means for disconnecting and disconnecting each of these many pipes and wires. In this case, the entire test equipment equipped with multiple test benches requires a very large number of drive means for removing and removing piping and wiring, which not only leads to a significant increase in costs, but also leads to an increase in the size of the entire test equipment. become.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides a transportation pallet that supports an engine, etc. in a fixed position, with units for connecting various piping and wiring. A flexible connecting pipe, etc. is connected from this connecting unit, and a support means for supporting the connecting tool provided at the tip of the flexible connecting pipe, etc. is provided on the pallet, and a plurality of test benches are installed. The route for transporting pallets loaded with engines, etc. to the test equipment equipped with
An automatic connecting means is provided for connecting the end fitting supported by the support means to a connecting part such as piping of the mounted engine, etc., and the end fitting is connected to the carrying out route of the pallet on which the engine, etc. is mounted from the test equipment. The test bench is equipped with an automatic detaching means for detaching the engine from the mounted engine, etc. and transferring it to the original supporting means, and the test bench is equipped with an automatic detaching means such as piping that can be freely connected to and detached from the connecting unit. This paper proposes test equipment such as the following.

(Operation of the Invention) In the test device of the present invention described above, when a pallet carrying an engine, etc. arrives at the position of the automatic connecting means in the delivery route, the automatic connecting means connects the pallet to the supporting means on the pallet. The supported tip fitting is automatically connected to the piping connection part of the installed engine, etc., and the piping connection part of the installed engine etc. and the connection unit on the pallet are connected to the flexible connecting pipe etc. communication. When the pallet carrying the engine, etc. is carried into one of the multiple test benches, the test bench's automatic attachment/detachment means automatically connects the piping, etc. on the test bench side to the connection unit on the pallet. By doing so, it is possible to connect the required equipment on the test bench side to the required parts of the engine or the like to be tested.

A test operation of the engine, etc. is carried out in such a state, and after the test is completed, the piping, etc. on the test bench side is automatically detached from the connection unit on the pallet by the automatic detachment means. Then, the pallet carrying the tested engine, etc. is sent out to the transport route, and when the pallet reaches the position of the automatic removal means, the above-mentioned end fitting is removed from the connection part of the piping etc. of the engine, etc. It can be removed and transferred to the original support means, and the connection between the tested engine, etc. and the connection unit on the pallet side can be broken.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1a
1d are test benches arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the lateral direction, 2 is a main line for transporting the engine parallel to the parallel direction of the test benches, 3a-
3d is the main line 2 and each test bench 1
Carrying in/out means provided between a to 1d, 4a
~4d carries out the engine on the main line 2 in a right angle direction onto the carry-in/out means 3a-3d, or vice versa, sends out the engine inherited from the carry-in/out means 3a-3d at right angles to the conveyance direction of the main line 2. It is a means of conversion. Reference numeral 5 denotes a conveyor for carrying the engine into the test apparatus 6, which is composed of the plurality of test benches 1a to 1d, the main line 2, the loading/unloading means 3a to 3d, and the turning means 4a to 4d. Connect to the starting end.
7 is a conveyor for carrying out the engine from the test equipment 6, and is connected to the terminal end of the main line 2.

Reference numeral 8 denotes automatic connection means disposed at the terminal end of the engine carry-in path by the conveyor 5, and 9,
This is automatic removal means disposed at the starting end of the engine removal route by the conveyor 7.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the engine 10 to be tested is supported in position on a transport pallet 11 via a support attachment 12. As shown in FIGS. This palette 11 includes test benches 1a to 1a.
Piping connection units (sockets) 13 are protruded from the front and rear sides of the conveyor 5 and 7 in the transport direction, and the piping is connected to the pipes. A flexible connecting pipe 15 connecting from the connecting unit 13 to the piping connecting part 14 of the installed engine 10 is connected to the rotary joint 1.
6, and further this flexible connecting pipe 15
Supporting means 18 are provided on both sides of the pallet 11 to protrude from both sides of the pallet 11 for supporting the connector 17 attached to the tip of the pallet 17 in a fixed position.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the tip connector 17 of the flexible connecting tube 15 has a clamped portion 19 having protrusions 19a that protrude on both left and right sides, and a built-in sealing material that is elastic. A slide portion 20 that compresses and reduces the diameter of the sealing material by moving backward against the
It has an operating lever 21 for switching between a sealing material diameter-reduced position and a sealing material enlarged-diameter position (the position shown in FIG. 6), and a positioning hole 22. The slide part 20
Since the internal structure and the like are already known, illustration and explanation will be omitted.

The support means 18 is shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9.
As shown in the figure, the connection tool 1 is placed on the support stand 23.
A U-shaped fitting member 25 that fits into the small diameter portion 24 adjacent to the slide portion 20 of No. 7, and the positioning hole 2
2 and a pin 26 that fits into the pin 26 is provided in a protruding manner.

The automatic connecting means 8 and the automatic disconnecting means 9 are provided with a pair of manipulators 27a and 27b at the front and rear of the conveyors 5 and 7 in the conveying direction. These pair of manipulators 27a and 27b are each suspended from a support arm 29 that extends back and forth from a portal frame 28 that spans the conveyors 5 and 7, and a clamping tool 30 that can be opened and closed is provided at the tip of the support arm 29. ing. With this clamping tool 30, the parts shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, when the clamped portion 19 of the connector 17 is clamped so as not to rotate relative to each other, the U-shaped operating piece 31 that is loosely fitted into the roller 21a that is pivotally supported at the tip of the operating lever 21 of the connector 17. , a cylinder unit 32 that pushes and pulls this U-shaped operating piece 31, and a manipulator tip member 33 that pivotally supports the clamping tool 30 between the clamping tools 30.
It is set in.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a stopper 3 is provided at a location of the conveyor 5, 7 corresponding to the automatic connection means 8 and the automatic disconnection means 9, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
4, an elevating body 37 equipped with a positioning pin 36 that can be fitted into and removed from a plurality of positioning holes 35 provided in the pallet 11, and cylinder units 38 and 39 for driving these. ing. 40 is a guide roller rail that guides the pallet 11 from side to side.

As shown in FIG. 5, each test bench 1a to 1
d, a support stand 4 that pivotally supports a free roller 41 that movably supports the engine-mounted pallet 11;
2, and a pallet lifting stand 44 which is movable up and down with respect to the support stand 42 and is equipped with a positioning pin 43 that fits into the positioning hole 35 of the pallet 11.
When the pallet 11 is lifted to a predetermined height by the pallet lifting table 44, each connection unit (socket) 13 of this pallet 11
An automatic piping attachment/detachment means 45 is provided which can be freely connected to and detached from the pipe. This piping automatic attachment/detachment means 45 is
A connection plug 46 that can be fitted into and removed from the piping connection unit 13, a flexible piping 47 having the connection plug 46 at its tip, and the connection plug 4.
6 and a movable body 49 that moves in and out by a cylinder unit 48.
In the illustrated example, one piping connection unit 13 is shown on each side of the left and right sides of the pallet 11 for convenience, but in reality, a plurality of piping connection units 13 are shown on each side of the pallet 11.
3 are arranged in parallel, the movable bodies 49 provided on both the left and right sides of the test bench support a plurality of connection plugs 46 corresponding to each of the plurality of connection units 13 arranged in parallel. Two movable bodies 4
Due to the advance movement of 9, multiple connection plans 46 are created.
It can be constructed so that it can be connected to or disconnected from each corresponding piping connection unit 13 at the same time.

Next, to explain how to use it, the conveyor pallet 11 with the engine 10 supported in a fixed position via the support attachment 12 is moved by the conveyor 5 to the stopper 34 as shown in FIG.
When the pallet 1 is transported to a position where it is stopped, the positioning pin 36 is raised and fitted into the positioning hole 35 of the pallet 11.
1 in place. In this state, the pair of manipulators 27a, 2 of the automatic connection means 8
7b is lowered from the retracted position A that allows the engine 10 to pass, to both sides of the engine 10 on the pallet, and the manipulators 27a and 27b are
Support means 1 on each corresponding side are operated by automatic control based on movement information learned and memorized in advance.
A pipe fitting 17 supported on 8 is automatically connected to a pipe connection 14 on the same side of the engine 10.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the clamped portion 19 of the connector 17 supported on the support base 23 of the support means 18 is held relative to the left and right sides by the tip clamping tools 30 of the manipulators 27a and 27b. Hold it in such a way that it cannot rotate. At this time, the U-shaped operating piece 31 on the manipulator side is loosely fitted into the tip roller 21a of the operating lever 21 in the connecting tool 17. Then, the connecting tool 17 is connected to the fitting member 25 and the pin 2.
After moving parallel to the top to separate from 6,
Engine 10 as shown by solid lines in FIGS. 3 and 4
The manipulators 27a and 27b are operated so as to fit into the piping connection portion 14 of.

When the end fitting 17 of the connecting pipe 15 is fitted into the piping connection part 14 of the engine 10, the U-shaped operating piece 31 is moved forward by the cylinder unit 32, and the slide part 20 is moved backward via the operating lever 21. As a result, the diameter of the sealing material built into the connecting tool 17 is reduced, thereby fixing the connecting tool 17 to the pipe connecting portion 14 and connecting the two in an airtight state. After this, if there is another connecting pipe 15, connect the connecting fitting 17 to the corresponding pipe connecting part 14 as described above.
When the connection work of all piping connectors 17 that are the work targets of each manipulator 27a, 27b is completed, the manipulators 27a, 27b are connected to
27b back to the original retracted position A.

After the above work is completed, the stopper 34 and the positioning pin 36 are lowered, and the engine-mounted pallet 11 is conveyed again by the carrying conveyor 5 and carried into the main line 2 of the test equipment 6. and,
Turning hands 4a to 4d and loading/unloading means 3a to 3d
Using this, the engine-mounted pallet 11 is sent to a target test bench, for example, test bench 1a. At this time, the pallet 11 is supported by the free roller 41 as shown in the right half of FIG. 5, and in this state, the lifting table 44 is raised,
With the positioning pin 43 fitted into the positioning hole 35 of the pallet 11, the engine-mounted pallet 11 is lifted to a predetermined height (see the left half of FIG. 5). As a result, each piping connection unit 13 on both sides of the pallet 11 connects to the connection plug 46 in the automatic piping attachment/detachment means 45 on the test bench 1a side.
will be facing. In this state, the movable body 49 is advanced and moved by the cylinder unit 48, and its connection plug 46 is inserted into the piping connection unit 13 as shown in the left half of FIG. It communicates with the upper connecting pipe 15.

Note that the connection plug 46 may be fitted and pressed into the piping connection unit 13 by the cylinder unit 48 until the engine test is completed to maintain an airtight connection between the two. Plug 46 connects unit 1
It is desirable to apply a known automatic coupling mechanism, which automatically connects the two in an airtight state when the two are fitted to a predetermined depth in the inner part. In addition, when the piping 47 is a fuel or oil supply path or a cooling water circulation path, the connection plug 46, the piping connection unit 13, and even the connector 17 are connected to the other party. Therefore, it can be constructed as an automatic open circuit normally closed valve type that automatically opens the circuit.

As described above, each pipe 4 on the test bench 1a side
7 is connected to a predetermined location on the engine 10 via the connecting pipe 15 on the pallet 11, the engine 10 is started in the same manner as in the past, and various tests are performed. 48, the movable body 49 is moved backward, and each connection plug 46 is connected to each connection unit 13 on the pallet 11.
After removing it from the test bench 1a, the engine-mounted pallet 11 is pushed out onto the loading/unloading means 3a by the pushing means provided in the test bench 1a, and then, using the loading/unloading means 3a, the turning means 4a, and the main line 2, the engine-mounted pallet 11 is The engine-mounted pallet 11 is sent onto the conveyor 7.

The engine-mounted pallet 11 sent out as described above is transferred to the automatic connecting means 8 between the pair of manipulators 27a and 27b in the automatic removing means 9 disposed at the starting end of the conveyor 7 for carrying out.
Then, the manipulators 27a and 27b are operated by automatic control based on movement information that has been learned and memorized in advance, and the tip clamping tool 30 is held in place, and the automatic connection means 8 is stopped. The manipulators 27a and 27b perform a connecting tool removal movement in the opposite direction to the movement of the tip clamping tool 30 during the connection work. However, in the manipulators 27a and 27b of this automatic removal means 9, the U-shaped operation piece 31 is at the extension limit position, and the tip clamping tool 30
When the connecting tool 17 connected to the piping connection part 14 on the engine side is clamped, the tip roller 2 of the operating lever 21 is in the operating position shown by the imaginary line in FIG.
Fits into 1a. In this state, by moving the U-shaped operation piece 31 backward using the cylinder unit 32, the operation lever 21 is returned to the non-operating position shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, the slide portion 20 is returned forward, and the sealing material is The diameter is expanded and the fixation of the connecting tool 17 is released.

The connector 17 that has been separated from the piping connector 14 of the engine 10 is moved to the manipulators 27a, 2
7b and is held in place by fitting the fitting member 25 into the small diameter portion 24 and the pin 26 into the positioning hole 22. After the connecting pipe 15 is disconnected from the engine 10 in this manner, the engine-mounted pallet 11 is transported to a predetermined location by the unloading conveyor 7.

In the embodiment, the automatic connecting means 8 and the automatic disconnecting means 9 are provided with a pair of manipulators 27a and 27b each handling one side of the engine 10, thereby reducing the time required for the connecting and disconnecting operations. However, one manipulator is connected to engine 1.
Alternatively, a single manipulator may be used, in which the position can be switched from side to side with the center at 0, or a single manipulator may be used in which the movement range of the tip holding tool 30 is wide enough to cover both the left and right sides of the engine 10.

(Effects of the Invention) The present invention can be implemented and used as described above, and in the case of engine testing, for example, the present invention can be applied to an engine carried onto a test bench, and then the engine is operated for testing. The work of connecting the various necessary piping (water supply and drainage, exhaust gas, oil, fuel, etc.) and electrical system wiring, and removing the piping and wiring from the engine after the test is completed, can be done mechanically and without relying on humans at all. This can be done automatically and the work can be streamlined. Furthermore, the work of connecting and disconnecting piping to the engine, etc., which requires expensive manipulators and takes time, is not done at each test bench, but rather before and after transporting the test equipment, including multiple test benches. Afterwards, each test bench was configured to attach and detach piping to and from the connection unit provided on the transport pallet that supports the engine, etc., so the necessary piping, etc. for each test bench. As shown in the examples, the automatic attachment/detachment means may have a simple structure, and can be easily configured to be able to attach/detach multiple pipes at the same time, and a manipulator etc. may be provided for each test bench. The entire test bench can be implemented at a lower cost than when the test bench is installed, and the operating efficiency of each test bench can be increased to improve work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of the whole, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway front view showing the working state of the automatic connection means, Fig. 4 is a side view of the same, Fig. 5 is a test FIG. 6 is a front view showing the state of pipe connection work on a bench, FIG. 6 is a side view showing the fitting at the tip of the pipe and the tip of the manipulator that holds it, FIG. 7 is a front view thereof, and FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the connector supported by the support means. 1a to 1d... Test bench, 2... Main line, 3a to 3d... Carrying in/out means, 4a to 4d
... Diverting means, 5... Conveyor for carrying in, 6... Test device, 7... Conveyor for carrying out, 8... Automatic connecting means, 9... Automatic disconnecting means, 10... Engine, 11... Pallet for conveyance. , 13... Piping connection unit (socket), 14... Piping connection part on the engine side, 15... Flexible connecting pipe, 17... Connector, 18... Supporting means, 27a, 27b... Manipulator, 30... Clipping tool that can be opened and closed freely, 45
...Piping automatic attachment/detachment means, 46...Connection plug, 4
7...Flexible piping, 49...Movable body.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A unit for connecting various piping and wiring is attached to a transportation pallet that supports an engine etc. in a fixed position, and a flexible connecting pipe etc. is connected from this connecting unit, and this flexible connecting pipe The pallet is provided with a support means for supporting the connector provided at the tip of the engine, etc., and the pallet is supported by the support means on the conveyance path of the pallet carrying the engine, etc. to the test equipment equipped with a plurality of test benches. An automatic connection means is provided to connect the tip fittings to the piping connections of the mounted engine, etc., and the tip fittings are removed from the mounted engines, etc. and returned to their original locations on the route for carrying out the pallet on which the engines, etc. are mounted from the test equipment. The test bench is equipped with automatic removal means for transferring and supporting it to the support means.
Test equipment for engines, etc., which is provided with automatic attachment/detachment means such as piping that can be freely connected and disconnected to and from the connection unit.