HK1057737B - Component arranging and delivering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Component arrangement and transport device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a component arraying and conveying apparatus for a component having a deformed cross section in one direction and divergent directivity and successively conveying the component to the next process, and more particularly, to a component arraying and conveying apparatus capable of efficiently conveying a very small number of components to be conveyed.

Background

For example, conventionally, in a product composed of a plurality of parts such as a fastener, each of the parts assembled in an assembly sequence is transferred to an assembled part in the same posture and is thus assembled into a predetermined part. For the transmission, ｃA bowl-type transmission apparatus such as that disclosed in japanese patent No. JP- ｃA-6-64736 and ｃA horizontal cylinder-type transmission apparatus such as that disclosed in japanese patent No. JP- ｃA-9-156751 are commonly used. Examples are as follows:

the bowl type transfer apparatus disclosed in japanese patent No. JP- ｃA-6-64736 includes ｃA bottom vibrating bowl having ｃA spiral component transfer passage along an inner wall surface and ｃA plate-like slide for connecting ｃA component assembling part of the next process and an outlet of the component transfer passage in the bowl. During component transfer performed by the bowl-type transfer device, components that are scattered on the bottom surface of the vibrating bowl are collected into the inner wall surface, picked up into the spiral-shaped component transfer channel and transferred along the transfer channel to the outlet. At the same time, the component turned in a direction different from the pre-set directionality is ejected from the transfer channel and dropped halfway into the bottom part of the bowl again.

The horizontal cylinder type conveying apparatus disclosed in japanese patent No. JP- ｃA-9-156751 includes ｃA bottom cylinder having ｃA slightly elevated open side and rotating about an inclined axis and supporting it, ｃA thin plate-like slide rail slightly inclined downward from the inside of the cylinder, extending toward the outside of the cylinder and oscillating in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of plate-like plates parallel to the axis at a predetermined phase angle extend radially and axially on the inner wall surface of the bottom cylinder. A large number of parts accumulated in the bottom cylinder are scooped up by the sheet-like plate at a time with the rotation of the cylinder. As the sheet is rotated upwardly in the barrel, the components slide off the sheet and are caught at and received by the upper edge of the chute.

Thereafter, the vibration of the component through the thin plate-like slideway is transmitted to the outside of the cylinder. In this case, when the direction in which the component placed on the slide is held is not the original preset direction, the component is detected by the first and second abnormal optical posture component detecting means and is removed from the thin plate-like slide mechanically or by a jet.

In the bowl-type transmission device disclosed in japanese patent No. JP- ｃA-6-64736, the transmission of the components depends on the vibration of the bowl in the circumferential direction. For this reason, it is difficult for the member to smoothly move to the spiral conveying passage and smoothly move forward along the conveying passage, and the improvement of the conveying speed of the member is limited. Furthermore, it is not guaranteed that the transition from the spiral conveying channel to the plate-like ramp is carried out very reliably.

On the other hand, also in the horizontal cylinder type conveying apparatus disclosed in Japanese patent No. JP-A-9-156751, the conveying speed of the parts depends on the rotation of the cylinder at the bottom. Therefore, theoretically, the transport speed of the component can be increased. However, the parts often fall out halfway in the conveyance of the plate-like chute depending on the shape of the plate-like chute. Furthermore, when the rotational speed of the drum is further increased, the footprint of the part falling out becomes less consistent and the part cannot be reliably placed on the slide. Therefore, it is impossible to further improve the productivity.

Further, the case of small-lot production has recently become more extreme. For example, in the assembly of slide fasteners, there are a large number of different types of sliders. For this reason, when assembling many sliders of the same type, production is required to be performed over several to several tens units rather than several tens to several hundreds units.

In view of the ratio of parts falling from the chute, the conventional parts transfer apparatus is designed to be dedicated to mass transfer to efficiently assemble the same kind of parts in large quantities, and the number of parts to be transferred is very large. Therefore, such a component transfer apparatus is suitable for mass production. If a small number of parts are produced, for example, about several or a dozen parts are transported by using such a part transporting apparatus, the number of parts to be transported into the part transporting apparatus is limited, the number of parts to be transported on the slide with a predetermined directionality is further reduced, and the dropped parts are not guaranteed to be transported again to the exit of the slide with the predetermined directionality, and the interval of transporting the parts is increased. Therefore, such transmission is not possible to be performed at all in terms of productivity.

In this case, for example, when several parts are to be assembled, manual assembly is often performed, resulting in a significant increase in the cost of the product. In particular, the working pressure of the operator is not very great if several parts are to be assembled. If the number of parts is about twenty to thirty, the work pressure of the operator increases, and it is difficult to complete the assembly task in a short time.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has as its object to provide a parts arrangement and transfer apparatus which can be applied to mass production and is competent to handle assembly of several products.

This object can be effectively achieved by the component arraying and conveying apparatus according to the present invention which can continuously convey directional components as a basic structure, comprising a endless conveying belt having an upwardly inclined conveying surface and driven to rotate, a component discharge portion provided at an upper end of the conveying belt, a component conveying path connected to the component discharge portion and for conveying the components to a side of a lower end of the conveying belt in a predetermined conveying posture, a component moving and placing portion connected to the component conveying path and conveying the components to the component transfer portion, the component transfer portion being provided at a side of a downstream end of the component moving and placing portion and for receiving the components conveyed from the component moving and placing portion and transferring the components to the processing portion with a constant directivity, and a member return path for connecting a downstream end of the member moving and seating portion and a lower end conveying surface of the conveyor belt.

When a component is placed on a component conveying surface of an endless belt driven to rotate in one direction, the component is placed on the conveying surface and conveyed to an inclined upper discharge end. When the part reaches the upper discharge end of the endless conveyor belt, it naturally falls into the part discharge portion and slides down in the discharge portion. At this time, when the position of the center of gravity is changed, for example, as in a slider of a fastener, the component slides down in the discharge portion in a predetermined posture, and this process depends on the position of the center of gravity. By utilizing the change in the position of the center of gravity, accordingly, the component is moved and the placement portion is transferred in a preset posture along the next component.

When a component conveyed in a predetermined posture along the component moving and placing section is received in almost the same direction by the component transfer section disposed on the downstream end side of the component moving and placing section and transferred in the component transfer section, the component is transferred to the next step in exactly the same direction. And those components which are not transmitted with the predetermined directivity and which are not received by the component transfer portion are conveyed to the lower end along the component moving and seating portion and reach the component return passage. The part-returning path is disposed to face the lower end of the endless conveying belt and those parts reaching the part-returning path are automatically placed on the lower end of the endless conveying belt and are again transferred to the next step following the path.

The endless belt is driven to rotate by a driving power source. By adjusting the speed of rotation, it is therefore possible to appropriately set the speed at which the component is conveyed to the component conveying passage by the endless conveyor belt. Accordingly, any smaller number of components may be transferred thereto at a corresponding rate. Therefore, the components can be efficiently transferred over a wide range of either 100-min mass production or mass production.

In the present invention, the components are often transported on the transport surface all at once, if the endless transport belt is not inclined. Further, it is desirable to shorten the projection surface of the endless belt in order to reduce the size of the entire component arrangement and conveying apparatus. In embodiments, the installation angle of the endless conveyor belt is often increased. In this case, the conveying surface of the endless conveyor belt has a large inclination. For this reason, the components placed on the conveyor belt attempt to slip off along the conveying surface of the conveyor belt and cannot be conveyed at a desired speed.

Therefore, in the present invention, the conveying surface of the endless conveyor belt should preferably be provided with a plurality of projections extending in a direction crossing the conveyor belt at a predetermined gap in the conveying direction of the belt. With this structure, the components placed on the endless belt are caught by the projections. Since the component is caught on the projection, the component can be reliably conveyed to the upper end of the conveying belt even if the component is conveyed at a high speed. Furthermore, in the case of handling a small number of components, it is desirable that the gap between the components should remain constant during the transfer. Therefore, in order to smoothly process the part in the next step, it is desirable that the projections should be provided.

Further, it is desirable that the parts discharge portion should be composed of an inclined member having a parts falling surface. If the inclined slide-down surface is thus provided, the component falling from the upper discharge end of the endless conveyor belt can be received and quickly transferred to the next component conveying path. Therefore, the operation of the transmission can be reliably and quickly carried out.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the component transfer passage be tubular with a substantially U-shaped cross-section. As described above, the component is conveyed from the component discharge portion to the conveyance path in a preset posture. Further, the component transported along the component transport path is reliably transported by the component transporting section on the way of the transport. For this purpose, it is advisable that the directivity of the component should be further adjusted as much as possible in the component transport channel. As in the present invention, if the component transfer path is configured like a pipe having a U-shaped section, the component, which has been previously conveyed in a predetermined posture, has a direction to be further adjusted during the transfer along the transfer path and is reliably transferred in the component transfer section. The sectional shape of the component transfer passage is not particularly limited to the substantially U-shaped section as long as it has a shape that the component to be transferred does not slip out of the component transfer passage.

Further, it is preferable that the component transfer section should be constituted by an elongated plate-like member twisted from a downstream end side of the component moving and placing section to the processing section from a horizontal shape to a vertical shape. Also in the component having the vertical posture in the next step, in order to automatically transfer the component transferred along the component transfer path and the component moving and placing portion to the component transfer portion, it is more efficient that the transfer portion of the component is turned in the horizontal direction instead of the vertical direction. In this case, as a matter of course, the receiving portion of the component transfer portion is also turned into the horizontal direction. Therefore, in the present invention, the elongated plate-like member is used as a chute for reliably transferring the part to the next step in a constant direction, and the chute is twisted from a horizontal shape to a vertical shape so that the horizontal posture of the part is changed to a vertical posture.

Further, it is desirable that a vibration generating portion for vibrating at least the component transfer passage and/or the component transfer portion should be provided to effectively transfer or transfer the component. In particular, it is effective that the component transfer portion vibrates in the component transfer direction.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a general perspective view showing a main structure of a slide arranging and transferring apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view for explaining the operation of the discharge end of the endless belt in the present apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a slide posture in the component transfer section of the present apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the slide in the parts moving and seating portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view showing a part of the component moving and seating portion in a section.

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a part of a transfer attitude component removing device on a thin plate-like slide as a component transfer section of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view showing the structure of a component return portion of the present apparatus and its peripheral devices, some parts of which are omitted.

Detailed Description

The following description will specifically explain the preferred embodiments of the present invention based on examples as shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 is a general perspective view showing one example of the main structure of a component arraying and conveying apparatus 1 according to the present invention. In this example, a continuous arrangement and transfer apparatus for the slider 2 of the fastener stringer as a component is illustrated.

The component arranging and conveying apparatus 1 according to the example includes a base 10 having a horizontal surface, an endless conveying belt 11 for a slip sheet provided with a conveying surface inclined upward at a predetermined angle, a component discharge passage 12 having a downwardly inclined surface as a component discharge portion, which extends in a direction traversing the endless conveying belt 11 from a lower portion of an upper discharge end of the conveying belt 11, a component conveying passage 13 connected to a lower end of the component discharge passage 12 and extending to a middle portion of the endless conveying belt 11 in parallel with the endless conveying belt 11, a component moving and seating portion 14 connected to the component conveying passage 13 and having a moving and seating surface inclined downward on a side opposite to a side on which the endless conveying belt 11 is provided, a thin plate-like member transfer portion extending to an outer side of the apparatus at right angles to a slip direction on a component slip-off end side of the component moving and seating portion 14 as a component transfer portion A slide passage 15, and a part return passage 16 extending from the part moving and seating portion 14 to a part input lower end of the endless belt 11.

Further, in this example, a component input cylinder 17 is disposed on the side of the component input lower end of the endless belt 11, and in addition, a vibration generating portion (vibration generating means 18) for vibrating the component conveying passage 13, a component moving and setting portion 14, the base end of the thin plate-like chute 15, and a component return passage 16 are disposed. The vibration generating device vibrates the component transfer portion (thin plate-like slide 15) in the component transfer direction. Further, standing walls 19 are provided along both lateral sides of the endless conveyor belt 11, and component escape preventing walls 20 are installed around all of the component discharge passage 12, the component conveying passage 13, the component moving and seating portion 14, the base end of the thin plate-like slide passage 15, and the component return passage 16. Further, on the conveying surface of the endless belt 11, a plurality of projections 11a extend in the transverse direction of the belt 11 at predetermined intervals in the conveying direction thereof.

In the illustrated example, the vibration generating device 18 is connected to the component conveying passage 13, the component moving and seating portion 14, the base end of the thin plate-like chute 15, and the lower surface of the component return passage 16. As shown in fig. 1, the parts transfer path 13, the parts moving and seating portion 14, and the thin plate-like chute 15 are linearly arranged, while the parts discharge path 12 and the parts transfer path 13 are orthogonally arranged. In addition, the component return path 16 and the component moving and seating portion 14 are linearly connected and bent at a right angle toward the base end of the endless conveyor belt 11 at the middle thereof.

However, as described above, in the present invention, there is no particular reason to linearly arrange the parts discharge passage 12, the parts conveying passage 13, the parts moving and seating portion 14, the base end of the thin plate-like chute 15, and the parts return passage 16 in a continuous curve and to connect them to each other. In this case, the vibration generating device 18 may also be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the component discharge passage 12, the component conveying passage 13, the component moving and seating portion 14, the base end of the thin plate-like chute 15, and the component return passage 16 are arranged in a curved line in accordance with the peripheral edge of the vibration generating device 18 and thus connected to each other, not shown in the drawings. With such a structure, smooth part movement can be achieved. Also in this case, it is desirable that the part transfer portion of the thin plate-like chute 15 should be extended straight toward the next step.

The endless conveyor belt 11 is configured to have a significant inclination and is driven to rotate in one direction by a drive motor, not shown, so that the drive speed can also be varied. When the component is put into the component input end below the endless conveyor belt 11, the component (slide) 2 is caught on the projection 11a and is reliably conveyed upward in the state shown in fig. 2. The part discharge path 12 has an inclined surface inclined downward from below the upper discharge end of the endless conveyor belt 11 toward the starting end of the part transfer path 13, and the parts 2 falling from the endless conveyor belt 11 slide down on the inclined surface and are thus transferred to the part transfer path 13, as shown in fig. 2 and 3. The position of the center of gravity is shifted to the side of the additional cylinder 2c for pulling the projecting block 2a in the slide, and particularly in the middle of the operation of sliding down the component 2 from the component discharge passage 12 to the component transfer passage 13, the component 2 is transferred to the component transfer passage 13 as the side of the additional cylinder 2c is turned downward.

The component transfer passage 13 has a cross section constituted by a substantially U-shaped groove portion, and the curved and vertical side wall surfaces on both left and right sides in the U-shaped groove-shaped vibrating component transfer passage 13 shown in fig. 3 correct the posture of the slider 2 on the side of the additional cylinder 2c where the slider 2 slides down along the component discharge passage 12 and turns downward, and the slider 2b is transferred downward in a horizontal state. The lower end of the component transfer passage 13 is provided with the component moving and seating portion 14 as described above, and the slide piece 2 transferred in the above-described posture slides down the thin plate-like slide way 15 along the vibrating component moving and seating portion 14, and the upper blade 2b-1 and the lower blade 2b-2 of the slide piece 2 are fitted into the thin plate edge portion of the horizontal portion 15a of the thin plate-like slide way 15 through a notch, so that the slide piece 2 is transferred to the thin plate-like slide way 15, as shown in fig. 4, 5.

Thus, the slide sheet 2 transferred to the horizontal portion 15a of the thin plate-like chute 15 has a vertical posture at the vertical portion 15c by the twisted portion 15b of the thin plate-like chute 15 vibrating in its conveying direction, and the slide sheet 2 is transferred to the next step maintaining the same posture, as shown in fig. 6. On the other hand, the slide 2 which has not been transferred to the thin plate-like slide passage 15 by the component moving and setting section 14 is discharged to the component return passage 16 on the downstream side of the component moving and setting section 14, and is automatically returned to the component input end of the endless conveyor belt 11 through the component return passage 16, as shown in fig. 7.

By repeating such operations, the slide 2 can be continuously shifted to the next step with the constant directivity. A nozzle 21 for compressed air is arranged above the horizontal portion 15a of the thin plate-like chute 15, and compressed air is always ejected out of the nozzle 21 during operation. In the case where the slide piece 2 transferred to the horizontal portion 15a of the thin plate-like slide passage 15 has no predetermined posture, the slide piece 2 is blown off from the thin plate-like slide passage 15, removed and similarly automatically returned to the component input end of the endless conveyor belt 11 through the component return passage 16, as shown in fig. 7.

As understood from the above description, according to the component arranging and conveying apparatus of the present invention, even if the number of components 2 to be arranged and conveyed is too small, the components 2 can be reliably conveyed by the endless conveying belt 11 and can be continuously conveyed to the next step while adjusting the direction thereof by the thin plate-like chute 15 as the final transfer portion. Furthermore, even if the component 2 to be transported does not have a predetermined directionality, the component 2 can automatically return to the input end of the endless transport belt 11 and can be transported along the transport path again reliably and quickly. Therefore, a small number of necessary components can be quickly placed, arranged and transported compared to prior art transport devices adapted to transport a large number of components. Thereby making it possible to provide a product with improved productivity and at low cost.

Also in the above example, a large number of components can be arranged and transported by using the component input drum 17 disposed at the component input end side portion of the endless belt 11. More specifically, the component input drum 17 is rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis on the upper end of a Y-shaped bracket 10a fixed to the base 10 by a pair of cylindrical support rollers 10b which are drivable and rotatable. When a large number of parts are put into the part input drum 17, they continuously fall from the opening side by the rotating part of the drum onto the conveying surface of the part input end of the endless conveyor belt 11, so that alignment and conveyance can be performed.

Although the above description has been made for the typical example of the present invention, for example, it is also possible to design and change the configuration of each section of the component unloading section disposed at the upper end of the conveying belt, the component conveying path connected to the component unloading section and adapted to convey the components to the lower end side of the conveying belt 11 in a predetermined conveying posture, the component transfer section disposed at the downstream end side of the component conveying path and adapted to receive the components conveyed along the conveying path and transfer the components to the processing section with a constant directivity, and the component return path for connecting the downstream end of the component conveying path and the lower end conveying surface of the conveying belt 11, without being limited by the example.

Claims (9)

1. A component arranging and conveying apparatus for continuously conveying directional components, the apparatus comprising:

an endless belt having an upwardly inclined conveying surface and being driven to rotate;

a component discharge portion provided at an upper end of the conveyor belt;

a component transfer path connected to the component discharge portion and for transferring the component to a lower end side of the transfer belt in a predetermined transfer posture;

a component moving and placing section connected to the component transfer path and transferring the component to the component transferring section;

the component transfer section is provided on a downstream end side of the component moving and placing section, and receives the component transferred from the component moving and placing section and transfers the component to the processing section with a constant directivity;

a component return path for connecting a downstream end of the component moving and seating portion and a lower conveying surface of the conveyor belt.

2. The component arraying and conveying device of claim 1 wherein the conveying surface of the endless conveyor belt has projections extending transversely of the conveyor belt at predetermined intervals in the direction of belt travel.

3. The parts arraying and transferring device according to claim 1, wherein the parts discharging portion is composed of an inclined member having a parts sliding surface.

4. The component arraying and transferring device of claim 1 wherein the component transfer channels have a U-shaped cross-section.

5. The component arraying and conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component transfer section has a plate-like member extending from a side of a downstream end of the component moving and placing section to the processing section while being twisted from a horizontal state to a vertical state.

6. The component arranging and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a vibration generating portion for vibrating at least the component conveying passage.

7. The component arranging and conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration generating portion that vibrates the component transfer portion in the component transfer direction.

8. The component arraying and conveying apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a nozzle disposed above the component transfer portion, the nozzle ejecting compressed air toward the component when the component arraying and conveying apparatus is in operation.

9. The component arranging and transporting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a component input drum disposed at a side portion of the component input end of the endless transport belt.