JPH0462914B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Object of the Invention (1) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automobile assembly conveyance device for conveying vehicle bodies for assembling automobiles.

(2) Conventional Technology Conventionally, on an automobile assembly line, vehicle bodies are conveyed and assembled using an overhead conveyor or a slat conveyor.

(3) Problems to be solved by the invention By the way, automobile assembly work involves a large number of parts and many parts that are heavy, so automation has been attempted to reduce the labor burden on work vehicles. It is coming. However, in the conventional transport device described above, the direction of the vehicle body is constant over the entire length of the assembly line, and the movement is complicated and difficult to automate assembly work in, for example, the engine room or trunk room. However, there are problems such as it takes too much time and equipment costs are high.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and allows the vehicle body to be transported by selecting the direction of the vehicle body in either of two directions orthogonal to each other, thereby facilitating the assembly of parts and reducing the number of parts. An object of the present invention is to provide a transport device for automobile assembly that facilitates automation of assembly.

B. Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle assembly transport device for transporting a vehicle body for assembling a vehicle. A plurality of first wheels capable of rolling on a first road surface extending along the vehicle body conveyance direction are attached to a traveling trolley for traveling in two rows in parallel, and a plurality of first wheels extending along the first road surface and The second road surface is higher than the first road surface.
A plurality of second wheels capable of rolling on a road surface are installed in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the parallel direction of the first wheels,
The mounting positions of the first wheel and the second wheel on the traveling trolley are such that when the first wheel is in contact with the first road surface, the second wheel is lifted off the first road surface, and the second wheel is mounted on the second road surface.
The first wheel is set to float above the first road surface when it is in contact with the road surface, and a table on which a traveling cart can be placed is provided at a predetermined position on the first road surface, and a table for driving the table up and down is provided. A reloading and redirecting device comprising an elevating drive means and a rotary drive means for rotatably driving the table around a vertical axis, and is capable of reloading and redirecting the traveling trolley between the first and second road surfaces. A mechanism is disposed on the table, and the table includes a plurality of positioning cylinders that can extend and retract between an extended position where the piston rod can engage with the engaged portion of the traveling truck and a retracted position where the piston rod is disengaged from the engaged portion. , are arranged at intervals from each other about the vertical axis.

(2) Effect When the traveling trolley runs on the first road surface along the vehicle transport direction with the first wheel, the second wheel is floating above the first road surface and does not interfere with the running of the first wheel.
Furthermore, when the second wheel is traveling on the second road surface along the first road surface, the first wheel is floating above the first road surface and does not interfere with the traveling of the second wheel.

When the traveling truck reaches a predetermined position on the first road surface, the traveling truck is placed on the table of the reloading and turning mechanism, and the table is raised, lowered, and rotated together with the truck. It is possible to simultaneously transfer the vehicle between the two road surfaces and turn the vehicle by 90 degrees, thereby allowing the traveling bogie and the vehicle body on it to change by 90 degrees with respect to the transport direction. .

In particular, the positioning cylinder above the table can accurately align the rotation centers of the traveling truck and table by engaging its piston rod with the engaged portion of the traveling truck, and can also accurately align the rotation centers of the traveling truck and the table. It is possible to reliably prevent the traveling cart from slipping or falling off the table during elevation and rotation.

(3) Embodiments Below, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. First, in FIGS. 1 and 2, which show an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle body 1 is mounted on a traveling trolley 2 during an automobile assembly process. and is transported in the transport direction 3 by the traveling trolley. Moreover, conveyance direction 3
Each part is assembled on the car body 1 while being transported along the transport direction 3, and depending on the assembly characteristics of those parts, the car body 1 can be placed in a position with its longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction 3, and with its width direction aligned with the transport direction 3. The vehicle body 1 on the traveling trolley 2 is transported while changing its posture to match the transport direction 3.
The height is also adjusted.

In FIG. 3, the traveling trolley 2 has a rectangular base 4.
Equipped with. This base 4 includes a plurality of first wheels 5 arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the base 4, and a plurality of first wheels 5 arranged in two rows in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the first wheels 5. The second wheels 6 are each pivotally supported.

In FIG. 4, when each first wheel 5 is installed on a floor surface 7 serving as a first road surface extending along the conveyance direction 3, each second wheel 6 seems to be floating from the floor surface 7. First and second wheels 5 and 6 are disposed on. This makes it possible to switch between a state where the base 4 is run in its longitudinal direction using the first wheels 5 and a state where the base 4 is run in its width direction using the second wheels 6.

Again in FIG. 1, one or more conversion positions P are set in the middle of the transport direction by the traveling cart 2, and at this conversion position P, the direction of the traveling cart 2, that is, the direction of the vehicle body 1 on the traveling cart 2 is changed. The orientation is angularly displaced by 90 degrees. For example, traveling trolley 2
is made to travel to the conversion position P with its longitudinal direction aligned with the conveyance direction 3, and this conversion position P
After being angularly displaced by 90 degrees, it resumes running with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transport direction 3.

In order to move the traveling carriage 2 to the conversion position P, a pair of first drive chains 8 are arranged along the conveying direction 3. These first drive chains 8 are endless chains and are arranged parallel to each other. Moreover, these first drive chains 8 are equipped with a traveling bogie 2.
As shown in FIG. 5, holding protrusions 9 and 10 are provided projecting at a distance from each other in order to abut against both longitudinal ends of the base 4 and drive the traveling carriage 2 while holding it therebetween. Further, guide grooves 11 are provided in parallel on the floor surface 7 between both first drive chains 8, and guide grooves 11 are provided on the lower surface of both longitudinal ends of the base 4.
A pair of pins 12 protruding into the pin 1 are provided.

Further, from the conversion position P, a pair of second drive chains 13 as moving members are arranged in parallel along the conveyance direction 3. Moreover, a pair of guide rails 14 are laid on the floor surface 7 in parallel with these second drive chains 13. These guide rails 14 form a second road surface 14a on their upper surfaces, and when the traveling trolley 2 has its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction 3, the second wheels 6 are mounted and guided. When the two wheels 6 are placed on the guide rail 14, the first wheel 5 is in a state floating above the floor surface 7, as shown in FIG.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, a fitting member 18 having a hole 17 serving as a recess into which the pin 12 of the traveling carriage 2 is fitted is fixed to the second drive chain 13. Moreover, the second drive chain 13 has a traveling carriage 2 on the rear side of the hole 17 along the conveyance direction 3.
A stopper 15 that can come into contact with the rear end of the base 4 along the conveyance direction 3 is provided in a protruding manner.

Referring again to FIG. 4, a pit 19 is provided on the floor surface 7 at the conversion position P, and within this pit 19 is a rotary table 20 that can be raised and lowered for carrying the traveling carriage 2 and angularly displacing it by 90 degrees. A rotary drive means 21 for driving the rotary table 20 through angular displacement, and an elevating cylinder 22 as an elevating drive means for raising and lowering the rotary table 20 are housed therein.

The rotary table 20 is formed into a disk shape,
A plurality of, for example, four, positioning cylinders 23 are arranged on the upper surface of the rotary table 20 at equal intervals around its vertical axis. Each positioning cylinder 23 can extend and contract between a state in which its piston rod 23a protrudes upward from the upper surface of the rotary table 20 and a state in which it is retracted below the upper surface. Four fitting recesses 24 as possible engaged parts are provided on the lower surface of the base 4 of the traveling carriage 2.

Furthermore, a guide groove 25 that is continuous with the guide groove 11 on the floor surface 7 is provided on the upper surface of the rotary table 20 .

A shaft 26 protruding vertically downward from the central lower surface of the rotary table 20 is rotatably supported by a disc-shaped support plate 27 . Moreover, rotary table 20
A plurality of rollers 28 are arranged between the lower surface of the support plate 27 and the upper surface of the support plate 27 .

On the bottom plate 29 fixed to the bottom of the pit 19,
It is fixed to an elevating cylinder 22 having a vertical axis, and the piston rod 3 of this elevating cylinder 22
The tip or upper end of the support plate 27 contacts the lower center surface of the support plate 27 . Further, a plurality of guide tubes 31 surrounding the lifting cylinder 22 are erected on the bottom plate 29, and guide rods 32 projecting downward from the lower surface of the support plate 27 are slidably engaged with the guide tubes 31, respectively. Therefore, the support plate 27, that is, the rotary table 20 is raised and lowered by the expansion and contraction of the lifting cylinder 22.

The rotation drive means 21 includes a motor 34 supported and fixed with a vertical axis on a bracket 33 projecting laterally from the support plate 27, and a drive gear fixed to the tip of the output shaft of the motor 34. 35, and a driven gear 36 carved all over the outer peripheral surface of the rotary table 20 so as to mesh with the driving gear 35. According to this rotation drive means 21, the motor 34
By operating the rotary table 20 for a certain period of time, the rotary table 20 can be rotated by 90 degrees.

The rotary table 20 and the rotary drive means 2
1, and an elevating cylinder 22 as an elevating drive means.
cooperate with each other to constitute a reloading mechanism C of the present invention for reloading and turning the traveling trolley 2 between the first and second road surfaces 7 and 14a.

A pair of cylindrical guide posts 37 are erected on the base 4 of the traveling truck 2 with an interval larger than the width of the vehicle body 1 in the longitudinal direction of the base 4. On the other hand, the left and right bottom portions of the vehicle body 1 are respectively received by receiving members 38, and these receiving members 38 are movable up and down along each guide post 37.

In FIG. 9, an elevating tube 39 is slidably fitted inside the guide post 37, and a support member 40 is suspended from the upper end of the elevating tube 39 protruding from the upper end of the guide post 37 along the outer surface of the guide post 37. A receiving member 38 is fixed to the lower end of this supporting member 40.

A nut 41 is fixed to the lower end of the elevating tube 39,
A screw shaft 42 is screwed into this nut 41. At the upper end of the screw shaft 42,
A guide member 43 that can slide within the elevating tube 39 is fixedly provided, and a first bevel gear 44 is fixedly provided at the lower end of the screw shaft 42 .

In FIG. 10, a groove 45 extending in the axial direction is provided on the inner surface of the guide post 37 over the entire length, and a protrusion 46 that slides into the groove 45 is provided on the outer surface of the elevating cylinder 39. . As a result, the elevator cylinder 39 is prevented from rotating around the axis, but
It is allowed to move in the axial direction, so that the elevator tube 39 is moved in accordance with the rotational movement of the screw shaft 42
goes up and down. Moreover, the support member 4 is attached to the elevator tube 39.
Since the receiving member 38 is connected through the screw shaft 42, the receiving member 38 moves up and down in response to the rotational movement of the screw shaft 42.

The lower end of the guide post 37 protrudes into the base 4, and a gear box 47 is fitted into and fixed to the lower end of the guide post 37. A first bevel gear 44 is rotatably supported within the gearbox 47. Further, a support tube 48 extending inward of the base 4 is connected to the side of the gearbox 47, and a second bevel gear 49 rotatably supported by the support tube 48 is connected to the first bevel gear 49 within the gearbox 47. It meshes with the bevel gear 44.

A drive source (not shown) is mounted inside the base 4 between both guide posts 37, and a transmission shaft 50 connected to the drive source is coaxially connected to the second bevel gear 49. As a result, both receiving members 38 move up and down in accordance with the operation of the drive source.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. The vehicle body 1 is placed on both receiving members 38 of the traveling truck 2. In this state, the traveling trolley 2 travels to the conversion position P with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 1 perpendicular to the transport direction 3. That is, in accordance with the travel of the first drive chain 8, the traveling cart 2 sandwiched between the two clamping protrusions 9 and 10 moves to the conversion position P while rolling the first wheels 5 on the floor surface 7. . At this time, since the pin 12 is guided by the guide groove 11, the traveling bogie 2
The direction of travel will not deviate.

When the traveling carriage 2 reaches the conversion position P, the positioning cylinder 23 is extended and the piston rod 23
The tip of a is fitted into the positioning recess 24, and the traveling carriage 2 is positioned on the rotary table 20.

Next, the rotation table 20 is raised by the extension operation of the lifting cylinder 22, and the pin 12 is moved into the guide groove 1.
1 and the first wheel 5 also lifts off the floor surface 7.

Therefore, the rotary table 20 is angularly displaced by 90 degrees by the rotary drive means 21, and the rotary table 20 is lowered. As a result, each second wheel 6 is placed on the second road surface 14a of the guide rail 14, and the pin 12 is fitted into the hole 17 of the fitting member 18.

When it is detected that the pin 12 is fitted into the hole 17 and the second wheel 6 is on the guide rail 14, the second drive chain 13 starts running, so that the traveling bogie 2 moves to the vehicle body 1. The robot starts traveling forward along the conveyance direction 3 with the front-rear direction aligned with the conveyance direction 3.

In this way, the car body 1 can move by changing its direction in 90 degree increments, and the car body 1
Since it is also possible to raise and lower the vehicle body 1, the orientation and height of the vehicle body 1 can be selected depending on the parts to be assembled to the vehicle body 1, and the efficiency of the assembly work is improved.

C. Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the traveling bogie is
A first transport mode in which wheels run along the vehicle body transport direction on a first road surface, and a second transport mode in which the direction of the trolley and the transport vehicle body thereon is changed by 90 degrees and the second wheel moves the second road surface to the first road surface. It is possible to adopt a second conveyance mode in which the traveling carriage runs along the
Reloading between road surfaces and turning 90 degrees means that when the traveling truck reaches a predetermined position on the first road surface, the traveling truck is placed on the table of the reloading and turning mechanism, and the table is turned along with the truck. This can be done easily and quickly by simply raising, lowering, and rotating the vehicle, and the transport vehicle mounted on it can be rotated 90 degrees with respect to the transport direction, allowing parts to be transported. Assembling work becomes easier and automation thereof becomes easier.

In particular, the positioning cylinder on the table can accurately align the rotation centers of the traveling truck and the table by engaging its piston rod with the engaged portion of the traveling truck, and can also raise and lower the table. Also, since it is possible to reliably prevent the traveling cart from shifting or falling off the table during rotation, the traveling cart can always be reloaded accurately between the first and second road surfaces.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall plan view, FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the traveling truck, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of the second drive chain, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view, FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 3, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. C... Replacement turning mechanism, P... Conversion position as a predetermined position, 1... Vehicle body, 2... Traveling trolley, 3
...Conveyance direction, 5...First wheel, 6...Second wheel, 7...Floor surface as first road surface, 14a...Second road surface, 20...Rotary table as table, 21...times Dynamic driving means, 22...Elevating cylinder as elevating/lowering driving means, 23... Positioning cylinder, 23a... Piston rod, 24... Fitting recess as engaged portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a vehicle assembly transport device for transporting a vehicle body 1 for assembling a vehicle, a traveling trolley 2 on which the vehicle body 1 is mounted and traveling is provided with a vehicle that rolls on a first road surface 7 extending along a vehicle body transport direction 3. A plurality of movable first wheels 5 are mounted in two rows in parallel, and a plurality of movable first wheels 5 are mounted in parallel and extend along the first road surface 9 and are capable of rolling on a second road surface 14a higher than the first road surface 7. The second wheels 6 are mounted in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the parallel direction of the first wheels 5, and the mounting positions of the first wheels 5 and the second wheels 6 on the traveling trolley 2 are the same as the first wheels 6.
When the wheels 5 are in contact with the first road surface 7, the second wheels 6 are lifted off the first road surface 7, and when the second wheels 6 are in contact with the second road surface 14a, the first wheels 5 are lifted off the first road surface 7. At a predetermined position P on the first road surface 7, there is a table 20 on which the traveling cart 2 can be placed, a lifting drive means 22 for driving the table 20 up and down, and the table 20. and a rotation drive means 21 for rotationally driving the traveling carriage 2 around the vertical axis.
A reloading/turning mechanism C capable of reloading and turning between the road surfaces 7 and 14a is provided, and the table 2
0, the extended position where the piston rod 23a can engage with the engaged portion 24 of the traveling truck 2, and the engaged portion 2
4. A transport device for assembling an automobile, characterized in that a plurality of positioning cylinders 23, which are extendable and retractable between a retracted position and a retracted position, are arranged at intervals around the vertical axis.