JPH0755668B2 - Heavy load equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention is to mount a heavy object such as an engine unit on a mounted object such as a vehicle body supported by a carrying jig and carried into a work station in an assembly line. The present invention relates to a heavy load device used for mounting and mounting.

(Prior Art) For example, in a vehicle assembly line, a vehicle body (mounted body)
When assembling and mounting a heavy object such as an engine unit or suspension unit on the
The vehicle body is supported by a transfer jig such as a hanger provided on the trolley conveyor and is intermittently conveyed to the mounting station by a predetermined pitch, and at the mounting station, for example, as shown in JP-A-59-206266. , A heavy equipment with a lifting table was installed,
A heavy object is placed on the lifting table and lifted by the operation of the lifting table.The heavy object is moved to the mounting position of the vehicle body that has been carried into the loading station so that the heavy object can be assembled. Often used to be assembled.

In such a vehicle assembly line, assembling in which heavy objects are fixed to the vehicle body using bolts or the like has conventionally been performed manually by an operator, but in such assembling, it is troublesome to tighten bolts and the like. Since management of the applied torque is required, it is desired that the operation be performed by an automated mechanical work rather than relying on the manual work of an operator.

However, the vehicle body carried into the loading station is usually caused by a dimensional error in manufacturing the transfer jig or the vehicle body, or an error that occurs when the vehicle body is positioned to be supported by the transfer jig. The position of the heavy object placed on the lifting table is displaced. Therefore, when the assembly is performed by the automated mechanical work as described above, when the heavy object is lifted with respect to the vehicle body by the lifting table of the heavy object loading device at the loading station, the heavy object is There is a possibility that it may not be properly aligned with the assembly position in the vehicle body, and as a result, assembly may not be performed properly by using mechanical bolts or the like. Therefore, the position of the vehicle body carried into the loading station is detected using an appropriate detection means such as a visual sensor, and based on the detection result, the heavy object is loaded according to the actual position of the vehicle body carried into the loading station. The position of the lifting table of the loaded heavy object loading device in the plane along the transport direction of the vehicle body is changed, whereby the positional displacement of the heavy object with respect to the loaded vehicle body in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with respect to the vehicle transport direction. It is possible to correct

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, if the vehicle body carried into the loading station is
When there is vertical displacement with respect to the carrying direction, or when the position of the lifting table of the heavy load device is displaced vertically from the reference position with respect to the carrying direction of the vehicle body. As described above, even if the position of the lifting table in the plane along the conveyance direction of the vehicle body is changed and the displacement of the heavy object with respect to the vehicle body is corrected as described above, On the other hand, when it is lifted up, it is displaced with respect to the assembling position provided on the vehicle body. And
When such a positional deviation occurs, for example, when a heavy object is assembled to a vehicle body using a bolt and a nut, the bolt or the nut does not properly engage with the mounting holes of the vehicle body and the heavy object. There is a problem that the assembly due to the work cannot be performed properly.

In view of such a point, the present invention is provided with an elevating table that moves a heavy object up to an assembling position of an object to be loaded, which is supported by a transfer jig and is loaded into the loading station, and is loaded into the loading station. When the body is displaced vertically with respect to the carrying direction, or when the position of the lifting table is displaced vertically from the reference position with respect to the carrying direction of the mounted object. Also in the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heavy object loading device capable of properly assembling a heavy object with respect to an assembling position in a mounted object by an automated mechanical operation.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the heavy object loading apparatus according to the present invention is a loading object on which a heavy object to be loaded is loaded on a loaded object carried into a loading station. A lifting table having a placing surface, a lift means for moving the lifting table to move a heavy object to an assembling position on the mounted object so that the heavy object is assembled and mounted on the mounted object, and provided on the mounted object A visual sensor for visually detecting the position of the reference index thus obtained, and control means for controlling the movement of the lifting table based on the detection output obtained from the visual sensor. And
The visual sensor is moved together with the lifting table by the lift means, and visually detects the position of the reference index provided on the mounted body from a position separated from the hanging line by a predetermined distance, and The control means includes a detection output obtained from the visual sensor when the lifting table takes the first position, a detection output obtained from the visual sensor when the lifting table is moved from the first position to the second position, and , The distance from the mounted object of the lifting table is calculated based on the moving distance of the visual sensor accompanying the movement of the lifting table from the first position to the second position, and according to the calculated distance, The moving distance when the lifting table is moved by the lift means is controlled.

(Operation) In the heavy load mounting apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, the position of the lifting table on which the heavy load is placed by the control means is set just before or immediately after the lifting table starts to be moved by the lift means. The second position, which is the position of the reference index detected by the visual sensor while taking the first position, and the position where the lifting table is moved by a predetermined distance together with the heavy object placed on it. Based on the position of the reference index detected by the visual sensor and the moving distance of the visual sensor that moves with the movement of the lifting table from the first position to the second position. The actual distance between the mounted object and the heavy object placed on the lifting table is calculated, and further,
In accordance with the calculation result, the moving distance of the heavy object due to the subsequent movement of the lifting table by the lift means is substantially controlled.

As a result, even when the loaded object or the lifting table carried into the loading station is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the carrying direction of the loaded object, the actual load from the loaded object to the heavy object at that time is The heavy object is lifted by a distance according to the distance, the positional deviation of the heavy object with respect to the mounted object is eliminated, and the heavy object is accurately aligned with the mounting position on the mounted object. As a result, the assembling of the heavy object with respect to the mounted body can be properly performed even by the automated mechanical work.

(Example) Hereinafter, the Example of this invention is described with reference to drawings.

1 and 2 show an example of a heavy load mounting device according to the present invention, together with a part of a vehicle assembly line in which it is adopted.

1 and 2, a vehicle body 14 supported by a hanger 12 provided on an overhead type trolley conveyor 10 arranged along a vehicle assembly line includes a position detection station STs provided on a vehicle assembly line and a mounting body. The stations are intermittently conveyed to the station STp at a predetermined pitch. The position detection station STs has a body 14
There are four plane position detecting visual sensors 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d for detecting the actual position of the vehicle. At the mounting station STp, an engine unit (engine main unit and transmission A front side lifter 20 for mounting the combination 17 and a rear side lifter 21 for mounting the rear axle unit 18 on the vehicle body 14 are installed.

The plane position detecting visual sensors 16a to 16d are configured to visually grasp a range including two through holes (not shown) provided at predetermined positions on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle body 14 and through holes. In order to obtain position information about the position of the vehicle body 14 which has been brought into the position detection station STs and stopped, the vehicle body 14 is located directly below the through hole provided in the vehicle body 14 when the vehicle body 14 is in the normal position without displacement. Each of them is composed of, for example, a small video camera using a CCD (charge coupled device) image pickup device. Since the position of the through hole provided in the vehicle body 14 differs depending on the type of the vehicle body 14, the visual sensor 16 for detecting the plane position is used.
The positions of a to 16d can be changed according to the type of the vehicle body 14.

In the vicinity of the front side lifter 20 and the rear side lifter 21, respectively, carry-in / carry-out conveyors 22 and 23 extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the vehicle body 14 (the direction indicated by the arrow P in FIGS. 1 and 2). Is installed. Then, by these carry-in / carry-out conveyors 22 and 23, the engine unit 17 and the rear axle
While the units 18 are placed on the pallets 24 and 25, respectively, the units 18 are conveyed to predetermined positions on the front side of the front lifter 20 and the rear side of the rear lifter 21, and appropriate loading devices 15 are provided at the respective positions. This allows the pallet 24 and the pallet 24 and
Placed with 25. In that case, the engine unit
17 and rear axle unit 18 are on pallet 24 respectively
And a positioning member (not shown) provided on it on 25
It is placed in a state of being positioned by, and
A pallet 24 placed on a rotary lifting table 64 in each of the front side lifter 20 and the rear side lifter 21 together with the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18.
Since 25 and 25 are respectively positioned by a positioning member (not shown) provided on the rotary lift table 64, the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are positioned with respect to the front side lifter 20 and the rear side lifter 21, respectively. It is assumed that there is no displacement.

Since the front-side lifter 20 and the rear-side lifter 21 have substantially the same structure, only the front-side lifter 20 will be described below, and the redundant description of the rear-side lifter 21 will be omitted.

The front side lifter 20 raises the rotary lifting table 64 on which the heavy engine unit 17 is mounted in order to mount the heavy engine unit 17 on the vehicle body 14 to be mounted. , Which constitutes the lift means for moving the engine unit 17 to the assembling position in the vehicle body 14 which is the mounted body, and as shown in detail in FIG. 3, is carried into the mounting station STp and stopped. Further, it has a base 26 arranged at a position substantially directly below a portion corresponding to the engine room of the vehicle body 14.
As shown in FIG. 4, a fixed support column 27 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is erected on the upper side. Inside the fixed column 27, a pair of concave guide rails 28 are laid along the direction in which the fixed column 27 extends, and the guide columns 29 are slidably fitted to these concave guide rails 28. The guide column 29 extends downward from the upper end of the fixed column 27 and extends toward the base 26.
Has a length that extends to the inside, and an end face plate 31 is fixed to the upper end portion thereof.

A coupling support plate 32 engaged with an opening of the fixed column 27 is joined to an upper portion of the fixed column 27, and an upper end of the lifting cylinder 30 is attached to an upper portion of the coupled support plate 32 via a cylinder holding plate 33. The part is fixed. The lower part of the lifting cylinder 30 is fixed to the base 26. And the lifting cylinder 30
The upper end of the piston rod 34 installed inside is connected to the end face plate 31 described above via a connecting tool 36, and
A substrate 35 is fixed to the upper surface side of the end plate 31. Therefore, when the elevating cylinder 30 operates and the piston rod 34 is expanded and contracted, the guide column 29 moves up and down as the piston rod 34 expands and contracts.
In order to detect the moving distance of 29, and thus the position of the substrate 35, a position sensor 19 facing a part of the guide column 29 is attached to the connecting support plate 32 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of guide rails 37 extending parallel to each other are laid on the upper surface side of the substrate 35. Four concave sliders 41 arranged on the lower surface side of the first slide table 40 are slidably fitted to these guide rails 37. Further, a pulse motor 38 for moving the first slide table 40 in parallel with the substrate 35 is installed on the upper surface side of the substrate 35.
Is transmitted to the pinion gear 38a via the clutch 39, and the pinion gear 38a meshes with the rack gear 42 arranged on the lower surface side of the first slide table 40 to move the first slide table 40 to the guide rail 37. Move in the direction along. Further, on the upper surface side of the board 35, a pair of position setting cylinders 43A and 43B for setting the reference position of the first slide table 40 with respect to the board 35 are installed in parallel with the guide rail 37. On the lower surface side of the slide table 40, when the respective piston rods 44 of the position setting cylinders 43A and 43B are extended, a position setting stopper 45 is brought into contact with the tip end of the position setting stopper 45. Then, these position setting cylinders 43A and 43B and the position setting stopper
45 and the first slide table for the substrate 35
In order to determine whether the 40 reference positions have been set, the board
A limit switch 46 is arranged on the upper surface side of 35,
On the lower surface side of the first slide table 40, a pressing member 47 for turning on the limit switch 46 when the first slide table 40 takes a reference position with respect to the substrate 35.
Are arranged.

On the upper surface side of the first slide table 40, as shown in FIG. 6, four guide members 51 having guide grooves formed in a direction orthogonal to the guide rails 37 arranged on the substrate 35 are arranged. A pair of slide rails 52 laid on the lower surface side of the second slide table 50 are slidably fitted to these guide members 51. Further, a pulse motor 53 for moving the second slide table 50 in parallel with the first slide table 40 is installed on the upper surface side of the first slide table 40. Is transmitted to the pinion gear 53a via the clutch 54,
The pinion gear 53a meshes with the rack gear 55 arranged on the lower surface side of the second slide table 50 to move the second slide table 50 in the direction along the slide rail 52. Further, on the first slide table 40, a pair of position setting cylinders for setting the reference position of the second slide table 50 with respect to the first slide table 40.
57A and 57B are installed in parallel with the slide rail 52, and when the piston rods 58 of the position setting cylinders 57A and 57B are extended on the lower surface side of the second slide table 50, respectively. The position setting stopper 59 with which the tip end abuts is projected. Then, by these position setting cylinders 57A and 57B and the position setting stopper 59,
In order to determine whether the reference position of the second slide table 50 with respect to the first slide table 40 has been set,
Limit switch on top of first slide table 40
The limit switch 60 is turned on when the second slide table 50 takes a reference position with respect to the first slide table 40 on the lower surface side of the second slide table 50. A pressing member 56 is provided.

Above the second slide table 50, a rotary lift table 64 that is rotatable in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the second slide table 50 is arranged. On the lower surface side of the rotary lifting table 64, there is provided a bearing portion 61 to which a large pulley 62 is fixed at a substantially central portion thereof, and the bearing portion 61 is provided upward from the upper surface portion of the second slide table 50. A projecting shaft 63 is fitted in, whereby the second shaft of the rotary lifting table 64 is
Second slide table to the other slide table 50
Positioning is performed in a plane parallel to the upper surface of 50. The positioning of the rotary lift table 64 in the direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the second slide table 50 is performed by positioning the respective rotary shafts on the shaft 63 on the upper surface side of the second slide table 50 as shown in FIG. A total of seven rollers arranged radially towards
Made by 65. A pulse motor 70 for rotating the rotary lift table 64 is installed on the second slide table 50, and the rotary shaft of the pulse motor 70 is connected to a small pulley 72 via a clutch 73. ,
A belt 75 is mounted on the small pulley 72 and the large pulley 62.

As shown in FIG. 7, on the upper surface side of the second slide table 50, a limit switch 66 for setting the reference position of the rotary lift table 64 with respect to the second slide table 50 has a movable contact portion as an axis. It is distributed towards 63,
Further, on the lower surface side of the rotary lift table 64, when the rotary lift table 64 takes the reference position with respect to the second slide table 50, it comes into contact with the movable contact portion of the limit switch 66 to turn on the limit switch 66. Are arranged.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, the mounting portions of the engine unit 17 aligned with the assembly position in the vehicle body 14 are provided at a plurality of positions on the side surface portion of the rotary lifting table 64. A nut runner 77 for assembling at the assembling position is attached.

Further, at one end of the front side surface portion of the rotary lifting table 64, a lifting distance for visually detecting the position of the reference hole 80 as a reference index formed in the center of the front end portion of the vehicle body 14 carried into the mounting station STp. A detection visual sensor 81 is attached. This ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81 has the same CC as the plane position detecting visual sensors 16a to 16d described above.
D Car body composed of a small camera that uses an image pickup device, etc., brought into the mounting station STp and stopped
Is in a regular position without positional displacement, it is placed at a position separated from the hanging line from the reference hole 80 by a predetermined distance. Therefore, the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance
Is to visually capture the range including the reference hole 80 from obliquely below forming a predetermined angle with respect to the line from the reference hole 80.

In the front-side lifter 20 configured as above, the first slide table 40 and the pulse motor 38 are fixed to the substrate 35 fixed to the upper surface of the end plate 31 fixed to the upper end of the guide column 29. Is driven by the vehicle to be translated in a direction orthogonal to the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp, and the second slide table 50 and the pulse motor 53 are moved relative to the first slide table 40.
Is driven by the vehicle to be moved in parallel in a direction along the carrying-in direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp, whereby the rotary lift table 64 arranged above the second slide table 50 is moved relative to the fixed support column 27. , A direction orthogonal to the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp and the vehicle body 14
Can be moved in the direction along the loading direction to the loading station STp. The rotary lift table 64 is driven by the pulse motor 70 to drive the second slide table 50.
Therefore, it is rotated with respect to the fixed column 27. Further, as the guide column 29 moves up and down with the operation of the lifting cylinder 30, the rotary lifting table 64 is moved up and down with respect to the fixed column 27.

As described above, the rear lifter 21 is also configured in the same manner as the front lifter 20 described above, each part operates in the same manner as the front lifter 20, and the rotary lifting table 64 thereof is
The fixed column 27 can be moved, rotated, and moved up and down in a direction orthogonal to the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 into the loading station STp and in a direction along the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 into the loading station STp. The nut runner 77 attached to the side surface of the rotary lift table 64 in the front lifter 20 is used for assembling the engine unit 17, while the nut runner 77 is attached to the side surface of the rotary lift table 64 in the rear lifter 21. The nut runner 77 is used for assembling the rear axle unit 18, and is a visual sensor for detecting a rising distance that visually detects the position of a reference index (not shown) formed at the center of the rear end of the vehicle body 14. 81 is attached to one end of the rear side surface portion of the rotary lifting table 64.

The front-side lifter 20 and the rear-side lifter 21 having the above-described configuration operate under the control of the controller provided for them. Even in this case, the front-side lifter 20 and the rear-side lifter 21 are subject to substantially the same operation control, so the operation control in the front-side lifter 20 will be described below.
A duplicate description of the rear lifter 21 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, with respect to the front side lifter 20, ascending / descending cylinders 30, position setting cylinders 43A, 43B, 57A and 57B, and pulse motors 38 and 53 provided therein are provided.
A controller 100 is provided for controlling the operation of the and 70. The controller 100 includes a plane position detection signal obtained from four plane position detection visual sensors 16a to 16d.
Guide columns 2 obtained from Sa, Sb, Sc and Sd, position sensor 19
Detection signal Se, which represents the movement distance of 9, Se, Limit switch 4
A reference position signal Sf, which indicates that the first slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary lift table 64 are in the reference positions, which are obtained by turning on the switches 60, 60, and 66. Position detection signals Si obtained from Sg and Sh and a visual sensor 81 for detecting an ascending distance are supplied.

Then, the controller 100 uses the pulse motors 38, 53 and 7 based on the signals from the various sensors and switches described above.
The forward drive pulse signals Ca, Cb and Cc or the reverse drive pulse signals Ca ′, Cb ′ and Cc ′ are supplied to 0, respectively, and the lifting cylinder 30 and the position setting cylinders 43A, 43B and 57 are supplied.
Drive control signals Ce, Cf, and Cg are supplied to the lifting cylinder drive unit 86 that drives A and 57B, and the position setting cylinder drive units 87 and 88, respectively. When the normal rotation drive pulse signal Ca or the reverse rotation drive pulse signal Ca ′ is supplied from the controller 100 to the pulse motor 38, the pulse motor 38 rotates in the normal rotation or the reverse rotation according to the supply, and the first slide table 40 Is moved in a direction orthogonal to the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp, and the pulse motor 53
When the forward rotation drive pulse signal Cb or the reverse rotation drive pulse signal Cb 'is supplied to the pulse motor,
The 53 slides forward or backward and the second slide table
50 is moved in a direction along the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp. When the controller 100 supplies the normal rotation drive pulse signal Cc or the reverse rotation drive pulse signal Cc ′ to the pulse motor 70, the pulse motor 70 rotates in the normal rotation or the reverse rotation in response to the supply of the rotation rotation table 64. Rotate.

Under such a structure, when the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are assembled and mounted on the vehicle body 14 carried into the mounting station STp,
When 14 is loaded into the position detection station STs, control is performed so that each of the first slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary lift table 64 takes a reference position. In such reference position setting, the drive control signals Cf and Cg are supplied from the controller 100 to the position setting cylinder drive units 87 and 88, and the position setting cylinder drive units 87 and 88 are set to the position setting cylinders 43A and 43B, and ,
The position setting cylinders 57A and 57B are driven to extend the piston rods 44 and 58 in the respective cylinders, and the controller 100 supplies the forward rotation drive pulse signal Cc and the reverse rotation drive pulse signal Cc ′ to the pulse motor 70. The pulse motor 70 rotates forward and backward with a predetermined amount of rotation. As a result, the first slide table 40 and the second slide table 50 are moved to the reference position with respect to the substrate 35 and the reference position with respect to the first slide table 40, respectively, and the rotary lift table 64 is moved to the second slide table. It is rotated to take the reference position for 50. Then, when the first slide table 40, the second slide table 50 and the rotary lift table 64 reach their respective reference positions, the limit switches 46, 60 and 66 are respectively turned on and the reference position signals Sf, Sg. And Sh are supplied to the controller 100, the drive control signals Cf and Cg and the forward drive pulse signal Cc and the reverse drive pulse signal Cc ′ from the controller 100 are stopped. As a result, the first slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary elevating / lowering table 64 take the respective reference positions.

Under these conditions, the pallet is placed on the rotary lift table 64.
After the engine unit 17 is placed via the 24, the first reference position is set as described above.
The positions of the slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary lift table 64 are corrected as follows.

First, based on the plane position detection signals Sa to Sd supplied from the plane position detecting visual sensors 16a to 16d to the controller 100, the controller 100 causes the position detecting stations STs to be detected.
The actual position of the through hole for position detection formed in the vehicle body 14 loaded into the vehicle and the position of the regular through hole stored in the built-in memory are along the loading direction to the mounting station STp of the vehicle body 14. The displacement within the plane is calculated as the displacement distance and the displacement angle. Then, the normal rotation drive pulse signal C according to the calculated displacement distance and displacement angle.
a, Cb and Cc or reverse driving pulse signals Ca ', Cb' and Cc 'are formed and these are generated by the pulse motors 38, 53 and 7
Supplied to 0. As a result, the pulse motors 38, 53 and 70 rotate in the forward or reverse direction, and the first slide table 40
In the direction orthogonal to the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 into the loading station STp, and in the direction in which the second slide table 50 runs along the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 into the loading station STp. The rotary lift table 64 is rotated by an angle corresponding to the positional deviation angle while being moved by a distance corresponding to the position. As a result, the car body 14
When the vehicle is loaded from the position detection station STs to the loading station STp, the engine unit 17 mounted on the rotary lift table 64 of the front lifter 20 is also loaded on the vehicle body 14 loaded in the loading station STp.
The position of the vehicle body 14 in the plane along the carrying-in direction to the mounting station STp is corrected. That is, the controller 100 and the pulse motors 38, 53, 70, etc., whose operation is controlled by the controller 100, change the position of the mounting surface of the rotary lifting table 64 on which the engine unit 17 is mounted, and the engine for the vehicle body 14 is changed. The position deviation correcting means for correcting the position deviation of the unit 17 is formed.

After that, the drive control signal Ce from the controller 100 is supplied to the lifting cylinder driving unit 86, and the lifting cylinder driving unit 86 causes the lifting cylinder 30 to rise, and accordingly, the guide columns 29 rise together with the substrate 35. The engine unit 17 mounted on the rotary lift table 64 is the first
It is moved from the position shown by the solid line in the drawing toward the vehicle body 14 above. At that time, the controller 100 is the first in the state where the position in the plane along the loading direction of the vehicle body 14 to the mounting station STp is corrected as described above.
The positions of the slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary lift table 64 are used as corrected reference positions, and a detection signal obtained from the position sensor 19 is used.
Based on the amount of movement of the guide column 29 represented by Se, therefore, the actual rising position of the engine unit 17, according to a control program that is set in advance according to the model of the engine and the type of the vehicle body and stored in the built-in memory, Each of the pulse motors 38, 53 and 70 has a forward rotation drive pulse signal Ca, Cb and Cc or a reverse rotation drive pulse signal Ca ′, Cb ′ and C.
Supply c '. As a result, the engine unit 17
However, the locus is drawn as shown by the white arrow R in FIG. 1, and the locus is raised while avoiding interference with the existing members provided on the vehicle body 14. When the top of the engine unit 17 is moved up to a height indicated by H in FIG. 1 with a distance L (state indicated by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1), the engine unit 17 is installed on the vehicle body 14. The assembled position will be reached.

When the vehicle body 14 carried into the mounting station STp is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the transportation direction, or the position of the rotary lifting table 64 is vertically displaced with respect to the transportation direction of the vehicle body 14 from the reference position. If it is, the mounting station ST of the vehicle body 14 as described above.
The positional deviation of the engine unit 17 with respect to the vehicle body 14 cannot be eliminated only by correcting the positional deviation within a plane along the carrying-in direction to p.

Therefore, in addition, in order to obtain the moving distance in the ascending movement of the rotary elevating table 64 that is actually required for properly aligning the engine unit 17 with the assembly position provided on the vehicle body 14, The actual separation distance between the engine unit 17 mounted on the lifting table 64 and the vehicle body 14 suspended by the hanger 12 and carried into the mounting station STp and stopped is the visual sensor for detecting the ascending distance. Position detection signal Si obtained from 81
Is calculated as described below.

That is, first, as indicated by the solid line in FIGS. 1 and 8, the rotary lift table 64 is in the first position immediately before it is started to move upward (hereinafter referred to as the first viewing state). In FIG. 3, the range including the reference hole 80 in the vehicle body 14 is visually captured by the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance, and the position of the reference hole 80 is visually detected. In this first viewing state, for example, as shown in FIG.
The optical axis W of the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance and the vehicle body
An intersection E with the plane M orthogonal to the ascending direction of the rotary lifting table 64, that is, the ascending direction of the ascending distance detection visual sensor 81, including the reference hole 80 provided in the reference hole 80, is provided along the vehicle width direction. It will be located to the left of 80. Then, at this time, when the range including the reference hole 80 visually recognized by the ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81 is imaged and shown, FIG.
As shown in, the center of the reference hole 80 in the area sandwiched by the visual field limit line Ya ₁ in the vehicle width direction at the position of the distance x ₀₁ from the intersection E and the visual field limit line Yb ₁ in the vehicle width direction as well. The (center of gravity) point G is located at a position separated from the intersection E to the right in the vehicle width direction by a distance x ₁ (−x ₁ ).

Next, the drive control signal Ce from the controller 100 is supplied to the lifting / lowering cylinder drive section 86, and the lifting / lowering cylinder 30 causes the rotary lifting / lowering table 64 to move in a predetermined manner together with the engine unit 17 and the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance. The second position is raised by the distance S _{1 of} , and accordingly, the visual sensor 81 for detecting the raised distance is moved up to a position as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. The second viewing state is called). In this second viewing state, the intersection E'between the optical axis W '(parallel to the optical axis W) and the plane M of the ascent distance detecting visual sensor 81 at this time is the reference hole 80 along the vehicle width direction. It will be located more to the right. Then, at this time, when the range including the reference hole 80 visually recognized by the ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81 is imaged and represented, as shown in FIG.
View limit line Y in the vehicle width direction at a distance x ₀₂ from
a ₂ and the area surrounded by the line-of-sight limit line Yb ₂ as well, the center point G of the reference hole 80 is at a position separated from the intersection E ′ by a distance x _{2 to the} left in the vehicle width direction. Become.

Here, as shown in FIG. 11, the viewpoint positions of the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance in the first and second viewing states are U and U ', and the perpendicular line to the plane M passing through the viewpoint positions U and U'. The intersection of Z and plane M is F, the perpendicular Z and the optical axes W and W '.
Θ ₀ , the angle formed by the optical axis W with the line segment GU connecting the center point G of the reference hole 80 and the viewpoint position U, and θ ₁ ,
The angle formed by the line segment GU ′ connecting the center point G of the reference hole 80 and the viewpoint position U ′ and the optical axis W ′ is θ ₂ , the distance from the viewpoint position U ′ to the intersection F is S ₂ , and the reference hole If the distance from the center point G of 80 to the intersection F is S ₃ , then the distance from the viewpoint position U to the viewpoint position U ′ is S ₁ , and S ₃ = (S ₁ + S ₂ ) tan (θ ₀ −θ ₁ ) = S ₂ · tan (θ ₀ + θ ₂ ) ... holds. And from this formula, Is obtained.

Further, the viewing angle of the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance, which defines the above-described visual field limit lines Ya ₁ and Yb ₁ and Ya ₂ and Yb ₂ , is φ, and the visual field limit line Ya _{1 in the first} viewing state is Intersection E
J is the intersection with a straight line passing through the optical axis W and H is the intersection of the line segment EJ and the extension of the line segment GU, and I is the intersection of the line segment EJ and the perpendicular line passing through the center point G. If the intersection point of the line segment EJ and the perpendicular line passing through the intersection point K between the plane M and the field-of-view limit line Ya ₁ is N, then ▲ ▼ ＝ ▲ ▼ ＋ ▲ ▼ …… ▲ ▼ ＝ ▲ ▼ ＋ ▲ ▼ …… and then Is established, and from the formula and the formula, Is obtained. Furthermore, ▲ ▼ = ▲ ▼ ・ cos θ ₀ ...... ▲ ▼ = ▲ ▼ ・ cos θ ₀ ...... holds. Therefore, from the equation, the equation and the equation, and
From formula, formula and formula, Is obtained.

In addition, tan θ ₁ = ▲ ▼ / ▲ ▼ ・ tanφ ……, and ▲ ▼ and ▲ ▼ are represented by CX ₁ and CX ₀₁ , respectively, where C is a constant, so the formula and the formula are substituted into the formula. Then, Is obtained.

Next, tan θ ₁ is calculated from the equation, and tan θ ₁ = V ₁ ...

On the other hand, also in the second viewing state, in the same manner as in the first viewing state described above, Is obtained. Calculate tan θ ₂ from the formula and set it as tan θ ₂ = V ₂ .

Here, the values of the distance S ₁ , the angle θ _0, and the viewing angle φ are set as constants, and x ₁ , x ₀₁ , x ₂ and x
_{Since 02} is calculated based on the position detection signal Si obtained from the ascending distance detection visual sensor 81 in the first viewing state and the second viewing state, the formula and the formula should be substituted into the formulas, respectively. Gives the distance S ₂ .

Based on the actual distance S ₂ obtained in this way, the actual separation distance between the assembly position provided on the vehicle body 14 and the engine unit 17 in the second viewing state described above is calculated, A drive control signal Ce is supplied from the controller 100 to the lifting cylinder drive unit 86 according to the calculated separation distance. As a result, the lifting cylinder 30 is driven, and the rotary lifting table 64 and the engine unit 17 are moved upward from the second viewing state while avoiding interference with the existing members provided on the vehicle body 14 as described above. As a result, the engine unit 17 is properly aligned with the mounting position in the vehicle body 14 without any vertical displacement with respect to the plane of the vehicle body 14 along the transport direction. That is, the controller 100 and the lifting cylinder 3 whose operation is controlled by the controller 100.
0 is based on the position detection signal Si obtained from the ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81 that is raised as the rotary lifting table 64 is raised, and calculates the separation distance of the rotary lifting table 64 from the vehicle body 14, In accordance with the calculated separation distance, the control means for controlling the moving distance in the upward movement of the rotary lift table 64 by the front lifter 20 constituting the lift means is formed.

When such an operation of the front side lifter 20 is performed, an operation similar to that of the front side lifter 20 is performed in the rear side lifter 21 that is configured substantially the same as the front side lifter 20, and the rotary lift table 64 and The rear axle unit 18 placed on it also moves upward from the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 to the position shown by the chain double-dashed line based on the position detection signal Si from the visual sensor 81 for detecting the ascending distance. The distance is raised according to the actual separation distance between the vehicle body 14 and the rear axle unit 18, and the rear axle unit 18 reaches the assembly position in the vehicle body 14. As a result, the rear axle unit 18 is also properly aligned with the mounting position on the vehicle body 14.

After that, with the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 being supported by the front side lifter 20 and the rear side lifter 21, respectively, as described above, the nut runner 77 is raised and the engine for the vehicle body 14 is lifted.
Assembly work of the unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 is performed. At this time, since the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are properly aligned with the assembling position provided on the vehicle body 14, the assembling work by the nut runner 77 can be performed quickly and accurately. . And
After the assembly work is completed and the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are mounted at the assembly position of the vehicle body 14,
The lifting cylinder 30 is lowered in each of the front lifter 20 and the rear lifter 21, and the rotary lifting tables 64 in the front lifter 20 and the rear lifter 21 are respectively mounted on the pallets 24 and 25. Together with this, the position returns to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. Then, the vehicle body 14 is conveyed to the next station while being supported by the hanger 12, and the pallets 24 and 25 are loaded on the loading device.
It is removed from the rotary lifting table 64 by 15 and carried out by the carry-in / carry-out conveyors 22 and 23.

In the above example, the engine for the vehicle body 14
When the positions of the unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are adjusted in a plane along the loading direction STp of the vehicle body 14, the lifting cylinders 30 of the front lifter 20 and the rear lifter 21 respectively. The first slide table 40, the second slide table 50, and the rotary lift table 64 that can be lifted and lowered by the above are configured to be moved or rotated, but the heavy load device according to the present invention is not limited to such an example. Without using, for example, the above-mentioned first slide table on the base 26 of each of the front lifter 20 and the rear lifter 21.
40, second slide table 50 and rotary lifting table 64
Corresponding to the engine unit 17 for the vehicle body 14 and the rear axle
The unit 18 and the rear axle unit 18 are adapted to be moved or rotated when the plane positioning of the unit 18 is performed, and when the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are raised. It may be configured so that it can be moved or rotated in order to avoid interference with existing members of the vehicle body 14. Then, in this case, it is not necessary to attach the ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81 to the rotary elevating table 64 as in the above-mentioned example, and for example, it is configured to be attached to the substrate 35 so as to be simultaneously raised with the rotary elevating table 64. You may. When such a configuration is adopted, it is possible to improve the safety when the engine unit 17 and the rear axle unit 18 are raised.

Further, in the above-mentioned example, the station before the mounting station STp is the position detection station STs, and the visual sensors 16a to 16d for planar position detection are arranged there, but it is not always necessary to provide the position detection station STs. Alternatively, a visual sensor for detecting a plane position may be provided in the mounting station STp. In such a case, like the ascending distance detecting visual sensor 81, a planar position detecting visual sensor can be arranged in association with the front lifter 20 and the rear lifter 21.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the heavy object loading apparatus of the present invention, the heavy object to be loaded is placed on the object to be loaded that is carried into the loading station, and the heavy object is loaded. An elevating table for moving is provided, and when the heavy object placed on the elevating table is moved to the mounted body, the elevating table takes a first position which is, for example, a position immediately before or after starting to move. When the detection output is obtained from the visual sensor, the detection output obtained from the visual sensor when the lifting table then takes a second position which is a position moved by a predetermined distance, and the second from the first position of the lifting table. The moving distance of the lifting table according to the actual distance from the mounted object to the lifting table, which is calculated based on the moving distance of the visual sensor that moves with the movement to the position. Is controlled so that even if a heavy object placed on the lifting table is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the transport direction of the object loaded into the loading station, It is possible to correctly align with the provided mounting position, and therefore, it is possible to properly mount the heavy object to the mounted body even by automated mechanical work.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 and 2 are a side view and a plan view showing an example of the heavy load mounting apparatus according to the present invention together with a part of a vehicle assembly line to which it is applied, and FIG. 3 is shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the main part of the example shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are the substrate and the substrate in the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. 1 is a plan view of the slide table, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 3,
FIG. 8 is a front view showing a part of the front side lifter of the example shown in FIG. 1 together with the vehicle body carried into the loading station, and FIG. 9 shows the control system in the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Block Diagrams Shown, Figures 10A and B, and 11th
Each of the figures is a diagram provided for explaining the operation of the example shown in FIG. In the figure, 12 is a hanger, 14 is a vehicle body, 16a to 16d are visual sensors for flat position detection, 17 is an engine unit, 18 is a rear axle unit, 19 is a position sensor, 20 is a front side lifter, and 21 is a rear side. Lifter, 30 is a lifting cylinder, 35
Is a substrate, 38, 53 and 70 are pulse motors, 40 is a first slide table, 50 is a second slide table, 64 is a rotary lifting table, 80 is a reference hole, 81 is a visual sensor for detecting the ascending distance, and 100 is The controller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An elevating table having a mounting surface on which a heavy object to be mounted on a mounted object carried into a mounting station is mounted, and the heavy object is mounted on the mounted object. Lift means for moving the lifting table to move the heavy object to the mounted object, and a position of a reference index provided on the mounted object that is moved together with the lifting table by the lift means. A visual sensor for visually detecting from a position separated by a predetermined distance from a droop line from the above, a detection output obtained from the visual sensor when the lifting table is in the first position, and the lifting table is the first
Detection output obtained from the visual sensor when being moved from the first position to the second position and the movement of the visual sensor due to the movement of the lifting table from the first position to the second position. Based on the distance, calculates the separation distance of the lifting table from the mounted object, and according to the calculated separation distance, control means for controlling the moving distance when the lifting table is moved by the lift means, A heavy object loading device configured to include.