JPH0725417B2 - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring works individually conveyed by first and second overhead conveyors to a common continuous type floor conveyor.

As is well known in the art, in automobile body manufacturing lines, multiple types of conveyors are used depending on the work content such as assembly and painting.Therefore, several times between different types of conveyors may occur in the middle of a series of lines. It is necessary to transfer the vehicle body, and one transfer form is transfer from the overhead conveyor to the floor conveyor.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show an example thereof, 1 is a slat conveyor as a floor conveyor, 2 is a first overhead conveyor, 3 is a drop lifter, and 4 is a table lifter. The slat conveyor 1 is a so-called continuous conveyor in which the slat 5, which is its traveling body, continuously travels at a predetermined speed. Further, the table lifter 4 has a function of traveling in synchronization with the slats 5 of the slat conveyor 1 within the range of the stroke S ₁ as a whole of the table lifter 4 in addition to the function of raising and lowering the table itself.

Therefore, the vehicle body Bb, Bc as a work, which is hung and carried by the hanger 6 of the first overhead conveyor 2, is received by the arm 7 of the drop lifter 3,
The vehicle bodies Bb and Bc are transferred to the table lifter 4 therebelow while the arm 7 descends. When the vehicle body Bb or Bc is transferred to the table lifter 4, the table lifter 4 starts synchronous traveling with the slat conveyor 1, and the table of the table lifter 4 gradually descends during this synchronous traveling, whereby the vehicle body Bb or Bc will be transferred to the slat conveyor 1 (similar structure is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-13512).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the transfer apparatus as described above, assuming that the vehicle body Bb of the B vehicle type and the vehicle body Bc of the C vehicle type are conveyed in a mixed flow mode by the first overhead conveyor 2, for example, In addition to vehicle bodies Bb and Bc of vehicle types B and C, vehicle body Ba of vehicle type A that has been conveyed by another second overhead conveyor 8 is merged to produce vehicle bodies Ba, Bb, Bc of three types of vehicle bodies A, B and C. There is a case where it is desired to convey in a mixed flow form by the slat conveyor 1. Such a thing often happens, for example, when the specifications of a specific vehicle type are increased, or when it is desired to interrupt the next-generation vehicle into the currently-produced vehicle.

In such a case, assuming that the drop lifter 3 is commonly used for the three types of vehicle bodies Ba, Bb, and Bc of A, B, and C, at least before the transfer process by the drop lifter 3, both overhead conveyors 2, 8 Need to join. As a result, it is necessary to stop the line for a long time because the equipment currently in operation is greatly improved, resulting in a significant decrease in the line operation rate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
The purpose is to make it possible to minimize the line stop time by merging the car body conveyed by another second overhead conveyor onto the floor conveyor without passing through the drop lifter. The purpose is to provide the structure.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is a transfer device for sequentially transferring a work conveyed by the first and second overhead conveyors to a common continuous type floor conveyor as described above. A drop lifter that receives the work conveyed by the first overhead conveyor and transfers it onto the floor conveyor; An actuator-driven synchronous clamp means that is provided on the trolley, and engages with a part of the traveling body of the floor conveyor to cause the trolley to follow the movement of the traveling body of the floor conveyor for synchronous traveling; Synchronize the floor conveyor with the carriage while receiving the work carried by the 2nd overhead conveyor. It is characterized in that in downward movement in the row and a lifter for transferring the workpiece to the floor conveyor.

Action According to this structure, the work is transferred to the floor conveyor during the process in which the lifter receiving the work from the second overhead conveyor travels in synchronization with the floor conveyor,
During that time, the drop lifter is inactive.

Embodiment FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are schematic explanatory views showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which parts common to those in FIG. 8 and FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a carriage 10 capable of reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the slat conveyor 1 is arranged on the slat conveyor 1 as a floor conveyor, with the slat conveyor 1 in a crotch manner. A pair of left and right lifters 11 is mounted on the carriage 10.

The carriage 10 has a plurality of wheels 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, and travels on a rail 14 by the action of a feed cylinder 13. At the tip of the trolley 10, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, by a function of the air cylinder 15, a pair of synchronous clamping means is rotationally displaced between a synchronizable position shown by a solid line and a retracted position shown by an imaginary line. Clamper 16 is provided.

On the other hand, in addition to the fixture 17 that directly supports the vehicle body Ba or Bb or Bc on the slat 5 of the slat conveyor 1,
Synchronous pins 18 corresponding to the clamper 16 are provided at regular intervals along the entire length thereof. Then, as will be described later, the clamper 16 is held at the synchronizable position, and then the feed cylinder 13 feeds the trolley 10 so that the clamper 16 presses against the synchronization pin 18, and as a result, the trolley 10 is slatted by the clamper 16. While pushing 5 in the transport direction, the slat 5 is followed to run synchronously.

The lifter 11 includes a lift cylinder 19 fixed to the carriage 10 in a vertical posture, a horizontal lifter table 21 connected to the tip of a piston rod 20 of the lift cylinder 19, and a sleeve connected to the lifter table 21 on the carriage 10 side. The lifter table 21 is moved up and down between the solid line position and the imaginary line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 by the action of the lift cylinder 19.

Next, the operation of the transfer device configured as described above will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, vehicle bodies B and Bc of vehicles A and B as works transferred by a first overhead conveyor 2 are slatted via a drop lifter 3 and a table lifter 4. 1 is transferred to the trolley 10 as shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, it stands by at the backward limit position on the rail 14. Then, by the second overhead conveyor 8, A
When the vehicle body Ba of the vehicle type is conveyed, the lifter table 21 of the lifter rises at that position and receives the vehicle body Ba from the second overhead conveyor 8 on the lifter table 21.

When the vehicle body Ba is transferred to the lifter 11 and a synchronization command is given, the arm 7 of the drop lifter 3 rises and stands by, while the table of the table lifter 4 descends as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Stand by at the limit position. At the same time, due to the action of the air cylinder 15, the clamper 16 is rotationally displaced to the synchronizable position shown by the solid lines in FIGS. 4 and 6 (P ₁ point in FIG. 7), and subsequently the feed cylinder 13 is operated to move the carriage 10 There starts to travel (P ₂ points Figure 7).

At this time, the carriage that is driven by the action of the feed cylinder 13
Since the speed of 10 is higher than the transfer speed of the slat conveyor 1, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
Catches up with the synchronization pin 18 in front of it and presses against this synchronization pin 18 (between points P ₂ and P _{3 in} FIG. 7). Even if the clamper 16 is pressed against the synchronization pin 18, the slat conveyor 1
The slat 5 continues to run at a constant speed regardless of the pressing force of the clamper 16, and as a result, the trolley 10 presses the slat 5 of the slat conveyor 1 by pressing the clamper 16 and the synchronization pin 18 together. The vehicle will follow the movements of and move synchronously (point P _{3 in} Fig. 7).

In this way, when the slat conveyor 1 and the carriage 10 are traveling synchronously, a pair of front and rear fixtures 17 (third part) on the slat conveyor 1 side that should receive the vehicle body Ba on the lifter 11 will eventually be received.
(Fig.) Are aligned at the predetermined conveyance height position, at this point, the lifter table 21 of the lifter 11 begins to descend gradually (P ₄ point in Fig. 7), and the vehicle body Ba on the lifter table 21 moves to the slat conveyor 1 Reprinted on Fixture 17 of. When the vehicle Ba are transferred to the slat conveyor 1, carriage 10 is returned to its original position by the reverse operation of the feed cylinder 13 (FIG. 7 of the P ₅ points).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, slightly before the position where the lifter table 21 starts the descending operation (see P in FIG. 7).
₍₆ points) reverse the air cylinder 15 to move the clamper 16
Apply a rotation return force to the retracted position. By doing so, the surging phenomenon on the slat conveyor 1 side when the clamper 16 separates from the synchronization pin 18 is prevented as compared with the case where the carriage 10 is suddenly moved backward while the clamper 16 is held at the position where synchronization is possible. can do.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, when the work conveyed by the second overhead conveyor different from the first overhead conveyor is transferred to the floor conveyor, the first and second overhead conveyors are used. Since it is possible to transfer without joining the two and without passing through the drop lifter, it is possible to improve the existing equipment especially when the second overhead conveyor is added in addition to the existing first overhead conveyor and floor conveyor. Less, which minimizes line downtime.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a first plan explanatory view, FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view showing details of a first main portion, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged explanatory view showing details of an essential part of FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an essential part of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of an essential part of FIG. 4, and FIG. 8 and 9 are explanatory views of the configuration of a conventional transfer device, and FIG.
The figure is an explanatory plan view of FIG. 1 ... Slat conveyor as a floor conveyor, 2 ...
… First overhead conveyor, 3 …… Drop lifter, 5 …… Slat as a moving object, 8 …… Second overhead conveyor, 10 …… Bogie, 11 …… Lifter,
13 …… Feed cylinder, 16 …… Clamper as synchronous clamping means, 18 …… Synchronous pin, Ba, Bb, Bc …… Car body as work.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transfer device for sequentially transferring workpieces transferred by first and second overhead conveyors to a common continuous type floor conveyor, which is transferred by a first overhead conveyor. A drop lifter that receives the transferred work and transfers it to the floor conveyor, a carriage that is provided at the beginning of the conveyance of the floor conveyor and is capable of reciprocating in the conveyance direction of the floor conveyor, and a carriage that is provided on the carriage and Actuator-driven synchronous clamp means for engaging a part of the traveling body and causing the carriage to travel synchronously by following the movement of the traveling body on the floor conveyor, and the work carried on the carriage and conveyed by the second overhead conveyor. On the other hand, while receiving the Lifter for transferring the conveyer, the transfer device characterized in that it comprises a city.