JPH089418B2 - Vibration parts feeder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vibrating component feeder.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

FIG. 1 shows a pump blade (1) which is made of steel and is plate-shaped, but has a notch (2) on one side surface, and one edge is edge-shaped at both ends. Further, although it is arcuate as a whole, a bulge portion is provided along this arc. There is a case where it is desired to supply one component (1) having such a complicated shape in the direction indicated by the arrow in the addressing step.

Generally, a vibrating component feeder sets the components in a predetermined posture and
When supplying to the next step, it is necessary to stock the straight troughs in a row in a predetermined posture with the rows connected to each other. However, the pump blade (1) as shown in FIG. 1 has not only a very complicated shape, but also it is impossible to stock or pool such parts by connecting them on a straight trough. is there.

[Problems to be Solved by the Present Invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and even if a component having a complicated shape as shown in FIG. 1 can be reliably pooled in a linear trough, a required amount can be pooled in the next step. It is an object of the present invention to provide an oscillating component feeder that can reliably supply the product in this posture.

[Means for solving the problem]

The above-mentioned object is to vibrate a horizontal and linear trough to transfer a component on the trough, and to feed one component to the next step in a predetermined posture, in a predetermined posture, in the longitudinal direction of the trough. A plurality of partition walls are integrally formed in the vertical direction with respect to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough along a predetermined pitch, and an intermittent supply mechanism is disposed close to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough, and the intermittent supply is performed. In the state in which the partition wall divides one component transferred by the linear vibration of the trough by the partition wall, a part of the component transferred by the linear vibration of the trough at a first predetermined stroke along the longitudinal direction of the trough It is moved forward at a speed slower than the transfer speed, and is moved upward in a direction substantially vertical to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough by a second predetermined stroke, and along the longitudinal direction of the trough the first predetermined stroke. It is moved back, and then it is moved downward in a direction substantially vertical to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough by the second predetermined stroke, and thereafter, it is driven so as to repeat the forward movement, the upward movement, the backward movement and the downward movement at a predetermined timing. This is achieved by the vibrating component feeder.

[Action]

A plurality of partition walls, which are arranged close to the linear trough transfer surface that linearly vibrates, are formed integrally at a predetermined pitch along the longitudinal direction of the trough in the direction perpendicular to the trough transfer surface. The intermittent feeding mechanism isolates one component transferred on the trough by the partition wall, and moves the partition wall in the component transfer direction with a predetermined stroke at the same speed as the component transfer speed, and then the next process. One part is cut out to the vertical direction, then the partition wall is raised almost perpendicular to the transfer surface of the trough to avoid interference with the parts on the trough, and then with a predetermined stroke in the direction opposite to the transfer direction of the parts. It is moved back, and then the partition wall is lowered to isolate one part. Hereinafter, by moving a plurality of partition walls so as to repeat the forward movement, the upward movement, the backward movement, and the downward movement at a predetermined timing, it is possible to surely stock one piece even if it has a complicated shape. Supply to the next process. The parts on the trough are pooled by a partition wall while maintaining a predetermined posture and keeping the distance between the parts almost constant.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a vibrating component feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the whole of the vibrating component feeder of this embodiment. As shown in these figures, the vibrating component feeder as a whole has a component storage section (10) and a vibrating part feeder (1).
1), a linear vibrating feeder (12) connected to this discharge port and provided with an intermittent feeding mechanism (33) according to the present invention, and a posture shown in FIG. It comprises a supply parts stock section (13) to which the parts (1) are supplied.

The parts storage section (10), the vibration parts feeder (11), the linear vibration feeder (12) and the supply parts stock section (13) as described above are installed on a common base (14). As shown in FIG. 2, it is supported on the floor via height adjusting bolts (16). Further, according to the present embodiment, the casters (15) are fixed to the base (14) so that the whole of the feeder can be easily moved to a necessary place if necessary. .

In the parts storage section (10), the hopper (17) is mounted on the stand (1
8) It is supported above, and a vibrating feeder (19) is arranged below the discharge port of this hopper (17). It has a well-known structure, and this trough (19a) has a linear vibration drive (2
0) causes linear vibration in the direction indicated by arrow a. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a large number of pump blades (1) are stored in the hopper (17), and when the drive part (20) of the vibration feeder (19) is driven, the trough (19a) moves in the direction of arrow a. Due to the vibration, the component (1) is cut out into the bowl (21) of the vibrating parts feeder (11).

A spiral track (22) is formed along the inner peripheral wall in the bowl-shaped bowl (21), and a component posture detecting device (23) is provided near the discharge end of the spiral track (22). ing. As is well known, a light emitting element and a light receiving element for receiving the light are disposed so as to face each other, as is well known. When a component whose orientation is to be detected by these light receiving elements reaches this position, the orientation of the component is determined by a logic circuit connected to the light receiving element by selectively shielding light from a plurality of light emitting elements. The detection device (23) is further provided with a component removing unit, and blows off the components other than the predetermined posture into the bowl (21) by, for example, air ejection means.

Further, empty parts detectors (24) and (25) are provided in the bowl (21), and this is a plate (24
a) (25a) is provided, and by swinging this, it is possible to detect whether or not there is a component by turning on and off the micro switch without explicitly indicating. That is,
If the component exists, the detection plates (24a) and (25a) are pushed up by the component to turn on the microswitch. Then, when the parts pass through this and the plates (24a) (25a) return to their original positions, the microswitch turns off.
When this OFF time has elapsed for a specified time or longer, the bowl (2
It is judged that there are no parts in 1), and this bowl (2
The drive unit (20) of the vibration feeder (19) in the component storage unit (10) connected to the upstream side of (1) is driven. As a result, the trough (19a) vibrates and cuts the parts from the hopper (17) into the bowl (21).

In FIG. 2, the movable core (26) fixed to the bottom of the bowl (21) is connected to the base block (27) by a plurality of inclined leaf springs (29) arranged at equal angular intervals.
Further, the electromagnet (31) around which the coil (30) is wound is fixed on the base block (27), and the torsional vibration drive unit is configured as described above. It is covered with a tubular cover (32). The entire parts feeder (11) is supported on the base (14) by the anti-vibration rubber (28).

In the linear vibration feeder (12), the trough (35)
Has a linear track (35a) as shown in FIG. 3, which is slightly larger than the width of the part (1). At the bottom of this trough (35), as shown in FIG.
4) is constructed, in which the movable core mounting block (36) is connected to the base block (41) by a pair of front and rear leaf springs (37), and the coil (39) is wound on the base block (41). The electromagnet (40) faces the movable core (38) depending from the movable core mounting block (36) with a gap. The linear vibrating feeder (12) is configured as described above, and the whole is supported on the column (42) by the vibration damping rubber (43).

Next, the intermittent supply mechanism (33) of the component according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

In the intermittent supply mechanism (33), as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the vertically extending air cylinder (52) is attached to the vertically extending mounting wall (50). (53) is fixed to the connecting member (58). That is, the connecting member (58) moves up and down by the driving of the air cylinder (52), and the horizontal plate portion of the connecting member (58) has a fourth position.
As shown in the figure, a pair of guide rods (56) (57) are fixed, and these are slidably fitted in the inner holes of the guide members (54) (55) fixed to the mounting wall (50). are doing.

The upper ends of the guide rods (56) (57) are fixed to the drive unit mounting plate (51). As shown in FIG. 4, a guide member (59) is fixed to the mounting plate (51), and a guide rod (60) is slidably fitted to the guide member (59). Both ends of (60) are slidable in the inner holes of guide members (61) (62) fixed to the vertical wall of the inverted L-shaped mounting member (70) as shown in FIG. Is fitted and one end of the guide rod (60) is fourth
As shown in the figure, it is fixed to the drive unit mounting plate (51). As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the mounting member (7
The drive block (65) is fixed to the other side surface of the vertical wall of (0), and one end of the drive rod (64) of the air cylinder (63) mounted to the mounting plate (51) is fixed to this. Has been done. Accordingly, the mounting member (70) is configured to be moved left and right in FIG. 6 through the drive block (65) by driving the air cylinder (63).

A proximity switch S is fixed to the drive block (65), and a vertical mounting wall (5
Detected portions (66) (67) (68) (69) for performing ON / OFF control of the air cylinders (52) (63) are fixed to 0). That is, in these detected parts, when the proximity switches S face each other, the intermittent supply mechanism (33), which will be described later, moves left and right and up and down, but functions to determine the final point of this stroke. That is, the drive of the air cylinders (52) (63) is started or stopped by detecting this final point. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the partition wall (71) is provided vertically to the horizontal arm portion of the mounting member (70) at a predetermined pitch, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. That is, a plurality of vertical walls are integrally attached to the transfer surface of the trough (35), and the width of the partition wall (71) is, as shown in FIG. 5, the transfer surface of the trough (35). Is formed almost the same as. The partition wall (71) is arranged so as to be close to the transfer surface of the trough (35) at a lower position of the mounting member (70), that is, the partition wall (71) with a slight gap (first). (See Figures 7A, 7B and 7C). The trough (3
An overflow detection device (74) including a light emitting element (72) and a light receiving element (73) is provided close to the upstream end of (5). That is, if the component (1) is present at the upstream end, the light from the light emitting element (72) is blocked and does not reach the light receiving element (73), but if the component (1) is not present here. Light from the light emitting element (72) is received by the light receiving element (73). That is, when the light receiving element (73) does not receive light for a predetermined time or more, it is determined that the light is overflowing.

Next, the details of the supply part stock section (13) will be described with reference to FIG. This supply parts stock part (13) is provided with a pair of stock parts (80A) (80B),
These are fixed to the diametrically opposite positions of the rotary table (81). The rotary table (81) is rotatably supported by a ball bearing (82), and is rotated by a pulse motor (83) in steps of 180 °. The whole is supported on the base (14) by the columns (84).

Since the stock parts (80A) and (80B) have the same structure, one stock part (80A) will be described in detail. The mount (85) is fixed on the rotary table (81), and the pulse motor (86) is fixed on this mount (85), and the drive shaft (87) extends upward. The component support base (88) is fixed to this upper end. An inclined surface (88a) is formed on this support base, so that parts can be smoothly received from the above-mentioned linear drive feeder (12) on the upstream side. Stock section (80
In A), a U-shaped stock wall portion (89) is provided, and the component support base (88) slides along the inner wall to move up and down. Stock wall (89)
A pair of holes h are formed at the upper end of the, and they are formed to face each other so as to transmit light.
As shown in FIG. 3, a component detection device (75) including a light emitting element 1 and a light receiving element p is provided. That is, when the component rides on the slope (88a), the light from the light emitting element 1 is blocked and the light receiving element p does not receive the light, thereby detecting the presence of the component, and thereby detecting the pulse motor (86). Is driven by one pitch and the support base (88) is moved downward by one pitch. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a proximity switch (90) is provided in the vicinity of the lower part of the stock wall (89), and when the support base (88) descends to this level, When this is detected, the pulse motor (83) is driven to rotate 180 °. That is, this rotation brings the other stock portion (80B) to the position (80A) in FIG.
A) reaches the position of (80B). Therefore, FIG. 8 shows that the other stock portion (80B) is full of parts. The stock portion (80A) is configured as described above, but the other stock portion (80B) is also configured in the same manner, the pulse motor (92) is fixed to the mount (91), and the drive shaft (93) is fixed. A support base (94) is fixed to the upper end of the, and a slope (94a) is also formed on the support base (94), on which parts are stocked as shown in the figure. The stock wall portion (95) has the same shape as the other stock portion (80A), and the stock portion (80B) also comprises a light emitting element 1'and a light receiving element p'as shown in FIG. A component detecting device (76) is provided, and even if it is not shown, the robot picks up one of the uppermost components, whereby the light receiving element p'receives the light of the light emitting element l ', and the component is detected. It is detected that the pulse motor (92) is not present in the level, and accordingly, the pulse motor (92) is driven by one step to raise the drive shaft (93) by one pitch. As a result, the robot reaches the position of the hole h'and waits for the next robot to arrive. The stock section (80B) also has a proximity switch (90) 'corresponding to the proximity switch (90).

The vibrating component feeder according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. Next, its operation will be described.

In the hopper (17) of the parts storage section (10), a large number of pump blades (1) as transfer parts as shown in FIG. 1 are stored. Then, by driving the vibration feeder (19) arranged below this, these parts (1) are made into the bowl (21) of the parts feeder (11) of the next process.
It is cut out inside. When driven for a predetermined time, the vibration feeder (19) is stopped. In the vibrating parts feeder (11), when alternating current is applied to the coil (30), the bowl (21) performs known torsional vibration, and the part (1) moves along the spiral track (22). When it reaches the attitude detection device (23) and the attitude as shown in FIG. 1 is discriminated, it is passed to the downstream side,
A component removing means (not shown) is actuated for a component in any other posture so that the component is blown into the bowl (21). Then, the component (1) as shown in FIG. 1 in a predetermined posture is supplied from the vibrating parts feeder (11) to the trough (35) of the single linear vibrating feeder (12).

The intermittent component supply mechanism (33) according to the present invention operates as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E. That is, in FIG. 7A, the mounting member (70), that is, the partition wall (71) is in the lower position, and the intermittent supply mechanism (33) is moving to the right in the figure as a whole. Then, between the partition wall (71) and the partition wall (71), the component (1) is separated as shown in the figure and is transferred by vibration on the trough (35). Trough (3
Due to the linear vibration of the trough (35), the part (1) 'at the tip of 5) has no partition wall in front of this part, so it is transferred as it is, and the slope (88a) of the stock part (80A) is moved. ), As shown in Figure 7B. The intermittent supply mechanism (33), that is, the mounting member (70) moves further to the right as shown in FIG. 7B, and is separated by the partition walls (71) during this movement. Since the component (1) is set so as to move at a faster speed than the mounting member (70), it comes into contact with the partition wall (71) as shown in the figure. As a result, the component (1) is pooled on the trough (35) while maintaining the predetermined posture, with a space corresponding to the pitch of the partition wall (71). When the mounting member (70) reaches the right regulating position in the figure, that is, when the proximity switch S moves to the right in FIG. 6 and faces the detected portion (68), this detection is performed. The signal stops driving the air cylinder (63) shown in FIG.
At this time, the part (1) 'at the tip of the trough (35) is completely supplied to the slope (88a) of the stock portion (80A). Next, the other air cylinder (52) is driven, and the mounting member (70) starts moving upward. This upper position is shown in Fig. 7D, which is the detected part (66).
And switch S are opposed to each other, whereby the drive of the air cylinder (52) is stopped. Next, the other air cylinder (63) is driven, and then the drive rod (64) moves to the left in FIG. That is, it is retracted inward and the mounting member (7
0) moves. During this period, the parts are transferred by the vibration without being obstructed by the partition wall (71) as shown in FIGS. 7D and 7E, but the parts (1) are emitted from the vibrating parts feeder (11). The overflow detection time of the overflow detection device (74) is set so that the supply speed of the element (72) and the light receiving element (73), that is, the overflow detection device (74) causes the transfer to be carried out at approximately equal intervals. Therefore, when the parts are transferred by vibration at substantially equal intervals as shown in the figure, and the position shown in FIG. 7E, that is, the mounting member (70) reaches the left extreme position, the proximity switch S shown in FIG. The air cylinder (63) is stopped by facing the detector (67). Next, the other air cylinder (52) is driven, and the mounting member (70) moves downward from the position shown in FIG. 7E. Then, when the proximity switch S moves downward and faces the detected portion (69), the air cylinder (52)
Is stopped. At this time, the partition wall (71) is located between the parts (1) on the trough (35),
One part (1) is isolated. After that, the operations shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E are repeated. As a result, one component (1) is reliably delivered to the stock portion (80A) in a predetermined posture.

When the component (1) 'is supplied to the slope (88a) in the component stock section (80A), the component detecting device (75) including the light emitting element 1 and the light receiving element p shown in FIG. Judging this, this parts stock section (80A)
Drive the pulse motor (86) by one step, the drive shaft (87) is lowered by one pitch, and waits for the arrival of the next component (1) ″. As described above, the support table (88) descends by one pitch as described above, but when the proximity switch (90) detects the support table (88), it drives the pulse motor (83) to drive the rotary table (81). Is rotated 180 ° and the other stock part (80B) is brought to the position (80A) in Fig. 8. The stock part (80B) from the robot (not shown) The vacuum suction means sucks the uppermost part and transfers it to the next process. Every time one part is transferred, the pulse motor (92) is driven to raise the drive shaft (93) to one pitch. As described above, the support base (88) of the other stock portion (80A) is ) Is a proximity switch (9
When detected by (0), the pulse motor (83) rotates the rotary table (81) 180 ° to reach the position (80B), but instead of this, the stock section (80B) is used.
, The parts do not exist for a certain time, that is, the support base (9
Since the component detection device (76) has detected that there is no component already in 4), even if the component is not stocked to the level of the proximity switch (90) in the other stock part (80A), The stock portion (80A) may be rotated to the position (80B). As described above, even if the component (1) having a complicated shape as shown in FIG. 1 is reliably separated, it can be pooled while maintaining a predetermined posture on the linear vibration feeder (12). You can

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, needless to say, the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the pump blade having a complicated shape as shown in FIG. 1 has been described as a component, but the present invention can of course be applied to general components.

Further, although the pair of air cylinders (52) (63) has been described as the drive source of the intermittent supply mechanism (33) in the above embodiment,
Instead of this, a pair of pulse motors may be used for driving.

Further, in the above embodiment, the vibrating parts feeder (11) is used to feed the parts in a predetermined posture to the linear vibrating feeder (12) in which the intermittent feeding mechanism (33) is arranged in close proximity. Alternatively, it may be supplied by a linear vibration feeder.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the vibrating component feeder of the present invention,
Even in the case of a component having a complicated shape, it can be reliably stocked in a linear trough so that one unit can be isolated, that is, one unit can be stocked so as to be supplied to the next process in a predetermined posture.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a component applied to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view showing the whole of a vibrating component feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. 2 and 3
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view showing a part of the intermittent feeding mechanism and the linear vibrating feeder in the drawing, FIG. 5 is the same front view, FIG. 6 is the same plan view, and FIGS. 7A to 7E show the operation of the intermittent feeding mechanism. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of the component stock portion shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. In the figure, (11) …… Vibration parts feeder (12) …… Linear vibration feeder (33) …… Intermittent supply mechanism (35) …… Trough (52) (63) …… Air cylinder (71) …… Partitioner wall

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vibrating component feeder in which a horizontal and linear trough is linearly vibrated to transfer a component on the trough, and the component is fed to the next process in a predetermined posture, and the length of the trough is long. A plurality of partition walls are integrally formed in the vertical direction with respect to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough at a predetermined pitch along the direction, and an intermittent supply mechanism is disposed close to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough. A component that is transferred by the linear vibration of the trough at a first predetermined stroke along the longitudinal direction of the trough in a state where one part is transferred by the partition wall by the linear vibration of the trough by the partition wall. Of the first trough along the longitudinal direction of the trough, and is moved forward at a speed slower than that of the trough, and is moved upward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough by a second predetermined stroke.
In a predetermined stroke, and then in a direction substantially vertical to the horizontal transfer surface of the trough, is lowered downward in the second predetermined stroke, and thereafter, the forward movement, the upward movement, the backward movement and the downward movement are performed at a predetermined timing. A vibrating component feeder characterized by being driven repeatedly.