JP2018115069A - Component supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a component supply device capable of saving space.SOLUTION: A component supply device comprises: an upper conveyor 10 for transporting a plurality of trays T aligned in a first direction D1 in the first direction D1; a lower conveyor 20 which is provided below the upper conveyor 10 to transport the trays T in a second direction D2 opposite to the first direction D1; a roller conveyor 30 for transporting the trays T from the upper conveyor 10 to the lower conveyor 20; and a stopper 40 capable of regulating a movement of the trays T transported via the upper conveyor 10. The roller conveyor 30 can move to a first state in which it is at a position capable of moving the trays T from the upper conveyor 10 to the roller conveyor 30, and a second state advanced from the first state with the first direction D1 as a reference.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a component supply apparatus.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a transfer device that transfers a product to a predetermined position. In this transfer device, a container supply conveyor device and a container delivery conveyor device are provided in two stages so as to overlap in the vertical direction. At the side ends of these conveyor devices, a lifting device that lifts and lowers the container is installed.

JP 11-334865 A

  In general, a component placed on a tray may be conveyed to a predetermined position using a component supply device. In such a component supply apparatus, all of the sequentially conveyed trays are conveyed to the same position, and empty trays are collected after the components are supplied. For example, when the technique disclosed in the above patent document is used, it is conceivable that the container is moved to the lifting device by pushing the container from the conveyor device on the container supply side toward the lifting device. However, in this case, it is necessary to provide a cylinder or the like for pushing out only the earliest container by separating a plurality of containers transported sequentially. In this case, the conveyor device is configured to be longer by the operating distance of the cylinder or the like. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the device.

  An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a component supply device that can save space.

  The component supply device on one side is arranged below the first conveyor for conveying a plurality of trays arranged along the first direction in the first direction, and the second conveyor opposite to the first direction. A second conveyor that conveys the tray along the direction, a third conveyor that conveys the tray from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, and a stopper that can regulate the movement of the tray conveyed through the first conveyor, The third conveyor is movable between a first state in which the tray can be moved from the first conveyor to the third conveyor and a second state advanced from the first state with reference to the first direction.

  In such a component supply apparatus, for example, the tray on which the component is placed can be conveyed in the first direction by the first conveyor. The tray conveyed on the first conveyor can be conveyed to the second conveyor by the third conveyor and conveyed (collected) in the second direction by the second conveyor. Here, when the tray moves from the first conveyor to the third conveyor, the tray can be moved to the third conveyor by setting the third conveyor to the first state. The tray moved to the third conveyor moves to a predetermined position when the third conveyor is in the second state. By setting the position as the component supply position, the component placed on the tray can be reliably supplied to the predetermined position. And even if it is a case where a several tray is conveyed sequentially, separation | separation between trays can be performed by the movement of a tray being controlled by a stopper. Therefore, since a pushing cylinder or the like is not required, the apparatus can be saved in space.

  In one aspect, the third conveyor may have an anti-back portion that abuts against a rear end of a tray placed on the third conveyor and restricts movement of the tray with respect to the first direction. Good. In this configuration, when the third conveyor moves from the first state to the second state, the tray is prevented from shifting to the rear side in the first direction.

  In one aspect, the bottom surface of the tray is formed with a groove portion that is open on the first direction side and closed on the second direction side, and when the tray is placed on the first conveyor, the groove portion is The anti-back part may be accommodated. In this structure, it is suppressed that the tray arrange | positioned on a 1st conveyor and an anti-back part interfere.

  Moreover, in one side surface, a stopper controls raising / lowering of the control part which can control the movement of a tray, and the control part to the position above the mounting surface of a 1st conveyor, and the position below a mounting surface. The regulating portion may be capable of contacting the end portion on the second direction side of the groove portion of the tray when the regulating portion is controlled to a position above the placement surface by the lifting portion. . In this configuration, the movement of the tray can be easily restricted by raising the restriction part at the timing when the groove part and the restriction part overlap in the transport direction.

  Further, in one side surface, the inner side surface of the groove portion of the tray has an inclined portion so that the groove width becomes wider toward the first direction side at the end portion on the first direction side. A contact portion that contacts the inclined portion may be provided. In this configuration, the inclined portion extends in a direction intersecting the first direction. Therefore, in a state where the contact portion is in contact with the inclined portion, the movement of the tray is restricted with respect to the first direction and the direction intersecting the first direction.

  Moreover, in one side surface, it further contains the support structure which has a support part by which at least one of a 1st conveyor and a 2nd conveyor is supported, and at least one of the 1st conveyor and the 2nd conveyor was supported by the support part. In the state, the support structure may be locked by a ball lock pin. In this configuration, the state where the conveyor is supported by the support portion is a state where the conveyor is supported from below by the support portion. That is, the support in this case means a state where the conveyor is placed on the support portion, a state where the conveyor is hooked on the support portion, and the like. According to this configuration, at the time of use, the support structure and the conveyor are reliably connected by the ball lock pin. On the other hand, at the time of maintenance, it becomes possible to easily remove the conveyor from the support structure by removing the ball lock pin.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a component supply device that can save space.

It is a front view of the component supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a side view of the component supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a top view of the component supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is the perspective view which looked at the tray from the bottom side. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the stopper of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation | movement mechanism of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the attachment structure of the conveyor of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure which shows a support block. It is sectional drawing along the IX-IX line of FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement process of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure which shows the operation state of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure which shows the operation state of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure which shows the operation state of a components supply apparatus. It is a figure which shows the operation state of a components supply apparatus.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. For convenience, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same elements, and the description thereof may be omitted. Moreover, in the following description, the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the object to be conveyed may be the rear side, and the downstream side may be the front side.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a component supply apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the component supply apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the component supply apparatus according to the present embodiment. The component supply apparatus 1 of this embodiment is used for the manufacturing process of the battery module which comprises secondary batteries, such as a lithium ion secondary battery, as an example. For example, the component supply device 1 conveys a tray T on which a work (component) such as a harness or a bus bar attached to the battery module is placed to a predetermined position in the first direction. When the tray T is conveyed to a predetermined position, the workpiece is taken out from the tray T and attached to the battery module by a manufacturing apparatus or the like. The emptied tray T can be transported in a second direction opposite to the first direction for collection. The tray T has a flat box shape with an upper opening. For example, the tray T is provided with a partition or the like, and a workpiece or the like can be positioned and placed. FIG. 1 shows a case where the component supply device 1 is viewed from the downstream side. 2 and 3, when the first direction D1 is used as a reference, the left side is the upstream side (rear side) and the right side is the downstream side (front side).

  The component supply device 1 includes an upper conveyor (first conveyor) 10, a lower conveyor (second conveyor) 20, a roller conveyor (third conveyor) 30, and a stopper 40. The upper conveyor 10 conveys the plurality of trays T arranged along the horizontal first direction D1 in the first direction D1. In the present embodiment, the upper conveyor 10 is constituted by a pair of conveyors 11. The pair of conveyors 11 are fixed in a state of being supported by a pair of support plates (support structure) 3. A structure for fixing the upper conveyor 10 to the support plate 3 will be described later. The pair of support plates 3 are erected on a frame-like frame 5 that forms a rectangular parallelepiped, for example.

  The pair of conveyors 11 are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction intersecting (orthogonal) with the first direction D1. The conveyor 11 has an endless belt 12 on which the tray T is placed. The belt 12 is stretched between the downstream head pulley 13 and the upstream tail pulley 14 in the first direction D1. For example, the head pulley 13 is rotated by a drive source (not shown) such as a motor. The belt 12 rotates by the rotation of the head pulley 13. A plate-like cover 15 is provided on one side surface of the conveyor 11. The guide rail 16 is attached to the cover 15 via, for example, an L-shaped attachment member 16a. The guide rail 16 is a long plate-like body and is disposed above the cover 15 along the first direction D. In the present embodiment, the tray T is conveyed by the cooperation of the pair of conveyors 11. Therefore, in the upper conveyor 10 configured by the pair of conveyors 11, a pair of belts 12 is disposed on the inner side in the width direction, and a pair of covers 15 is disposed on the outer side in the width direction. The pair of conveyors 11 are connected (fixed) to each other by a plurality (two in the illustrated example) of rod-like connecting portions 18 (see FIG. 3).

  The lower conveyor 20 is arranged below the upper conveyor 10 in the same longitudinal direction as the upper conveyor 10. The lower conveyor 20 conveys a plurality of trays arranged in the second horizontal direction D2 in the second direction D2. The second direction D2 is a direction opposite to the first direction D1. The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 do not have to be strictly opposite directions. In the present embodiment, the lower conveyor 20 has the same configuration as the upper conveyor 10. That is, the lower conveyor 20 includes a pair of conveyors 11, a cover 15, a guide rail 16, and the like. The lower conveyor 20 in the present embodiment is fixed to the pair of support plates 3 to which the upper conveyor 10 is fixed with the same fixing structure as the upper conveyor 10. In addition, since the conveyance direction (2nd direction D2) of the lower conveyor 20 is opposite to the conveyance direction (1st direction D1) of the upper conveyor 10 as above-mentioned, in the lower conveyor 20 and the upper conveyor 10, it is a head pulley. 13 and tail pulley 14 are reversed.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the front end of the upper conveyor 10 on the basis of the 1st direction D1 and the rear end of the lower conveyor 20 on the basis of the 2nd direction D2 correspond in planar view. That is, the upstream end of the lower conveyor 20 in the transport direction is located immediately below the downstream end of the upper conveyor 10 in the transport direction.

  The roller conveyor 30 conveys the tray T from the upper conveyor 10 to the lower conveyor 20. In the present embodiment, the roller conveyor 30 moves the tray T conveyed on the upper conveyor 10 to a predetermined position. For example, when the tray T becomes empty at the predetermined position, the roller conveyor 30 moves the empty tray T to the lower conveyor 20. The roller conveyor 30 has a pair of roller portions 32 fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 31. The support plate 31 is a plate body having a rectangular shape in plan view, for example. In the width direction orthogonal to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2, the length of the support plate 31 is smaller than the distance between the pair of belts 12 in the upper conveyor 10 and the lower conveyor 20.

  The pair of roller portions 32 are separated from each other in the width direction. Moreover, each of a pair of roller part 32 has the some roller 32a arrange | positioned along the 1st direction D1 and the 2nd direction D2. In the present embodiment, the roller 32a is configured to freely rotate. Thereby, the roller conveyor 30 can move the tray T placed on the roller portion 32 in both the first direction D1 and the second direction D2.

  Further, the roller conveyor 30 has a contact portion 34 that contacts the front end side of the tray T in the first direction D1 and restricts the movement of the tray T. The contact portion 34 is fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 31 between the pair of roller portions 32. The upper end of the contact part 34 protrudes upward from the upper end of the roller part 32. In this embodiment, the groove part 110 is formed in the bottom face of the tray T, and the contact part 34 contacts with a part of the groove part 110. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tray as viewed from the bottom side. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove 110 is formed on the bottom surface of the tray T along the first direction D1. The groove 110 is open on the front side in the first direction D1, and is closed on the rear side in the first direction D1 (front side in the second direction D2). The inner side surface 112 of the groove part 110 has an inclined part 116 formed so that the groove width becomes wider toward the front side (opening side) in the first direction D1. The inclined portion 116 is formed at the end of the groove portion 110 on the first direction D1 side. In the present embodiment, the movement of the tray T can be restricted by the contact portion 34 contacting the inclined portion 116 in the groove portion 110. Therefore, an inclined surface 35 corresponding to the inclined portion 116 is formed on the rear end side of the contact portion 34. That is, the contact portion 34 has a pair of inclined surfaces 35 that are inclined so that the width of the contact portion 34 becomes narrower toward the rear side with respect to the first direction D1. In a state where the movement of the tray T is restricted, the inclined portion 116 and the inclined surface 35 are in contact with each other.

  Moreover, the roller conveyor 30 has the anti-back part 37 (refer FIG. 6). The anti-back portion 37 abuts on the rear end of the tray T placed on the roller conveyor 30 with the first direction D1 as a reference, and restricts the rearward movement of the tray T. The anti-back portion 37 includes, for example, a housing portion 37a and a locking claw 37b protruding from the upper portion of the housing portion 37a. The locking claw 37b protrudes from the accommodating portion 37a by an urging means (not shown) such as a spring, and can be accommodated in the accommodating portion 37a by applying a downward force. In the present embodiment, when the tray T is transported in the first direction D1, the locking claws 37b are pressed by the tray T. Therefore, the anti-back unit 37 allows the tray T to move in the first direction D1.

  In the present embodiment, the anti-back portion 37 is formed on the rear side of the contact portion 34 with respect to the first direction D1. The distance from the contact portion 34 to the anti-back portion 37 is substantially the same as the length of the tray T. Therefore, the movement of the tray T in the front-rear direction can be restricted by the contact portion 34 and the anti-back portion 37.

  In the width direction, the position where the anti-back portion 37 is formed coincides with the position where the groove portion 110 is formed in the tray T. Therefore, in a state where the tray T is placed on the upper conveyor 10, the anti-back portion 37 can be accommodated in the groove portion 110 of the tray T. In the state accommodated in the groove part 110, the latching claw 37b of the anti-back part 37 protrudes from the accommodation part 37a.

  The support plate 31 that supports the roller portion 32 is supported by the lower plate 39 via a spacer 38. A projecting piece 39 a that projects downward is formed at the front end of the lower plate 39 with respect to the first direction D1. In addition, an air cylinder 36 that raises and lowers the anti-back portion 37 is disposed on the lower plate 39. The air cylinder 36 has a cylinder tube 36a and a piston rod 36b disposed in the cylinder tube 36a. In the present embodiment, the cylinder tube 36a is fixed so that the piston rod 36b extends upward. The anti-back portion 37 is fixed to the tip of the piston rod 36b. The air cylinder 36 raises and lowers the locking claw 37 b of the anti-back portion 37 to a position above the upper end of the roller portion 32 and a position below the upper end of the roller portion 32.

  FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the structure of the stopper 40 of the component supply apparatus 1. The stopper 40 can regulate the movement of the tray T that is transported on the upper conveyor 10. In the present embodiment, the stopper 40 is disposed between the pair of conveyors 11 constituting the upper conveyor 10. The stopper 40 has a lift pin (regulator) 41 and an air cylinder (elevating part) 43. The lift pins 41 can restrict at least the movement of the tray T in the first direction D1. In the present embodiment, the lift pin 41 can come into contact with the end portion on the second direction D2 side of the groove portion 110 of the tray T.

  The air cylinder 43 controls the lifting and lowering of the lift pin 41. The air cylinder 43 has a cylinder tube 43a and a piston rod 43b disposed in the cylinder tube 43a. In the present embodiment, the cylinder tube 43a is fixed to the upper conveyor 10 so that the piston rod 43b extends upward. That is, the cylinder tube 43a is fixed with the piston rod 43b facing upward in a state where the axial direction of the air cylinder 43 is along the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, a cylinder tube 43 a is fixed to a support member 45 that is stretched between a pair of conveyors 11.

  The air cylinder 43 raises and lowers the lift pin 41 to a position above the placement surface 11 a of the upper conveyor 10 and a position below the placement surface 11 a of the upper conveyor 10. That is, when the piston rod 43b is extended, the lift pin 41 is controlled to the upper position. In this state, the lift pins 41 can come into contact with the end portions of the groove portions 110 in the tray T transported by the upper conveyor 10. Further, when the piston rod 43b is contracted, the lift pin 41 is controlled to a lower position. In this state, the tray T conveyed on the upper conveyor 10 can pass above the lift pins 41.

  Next, an operation mechanism for moving the roller conveyor 30 will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining an operation mechanism of the component supply apparatus 1. Therefore, a part of the configuration is omitted in FIG. 6 for ease of explanation. The roller conveyor 30 has a first state in which the position of the rear end of the roller conveyor 30 is located behind the position of the front end of the upper conveyor 10 with respect to the first direction D1, and a second state in which the roller conveyor 30 is advanced from the state. Can be moved to. In the first state, it is only necessary that the tray T can be moved from the upper conveyor 10 to the roller conveyor 30. Therefore, if the tray T can be moved, the position of the rear end of the roller conveyor 30 may coincide with the position of the front end of the upper conveyor 10 with the first direction D1 as a reference. In addition, as long as the tray T can be moved, the position of the rear end of the roller conveyor 30 may be disposed more forward than the position of the front end of the upper conveyor 10 with respect to the first direction D1. The roller conveyor 30 includes a third state in which the height positions of the upper end of the roller portion 32 and the placement surface 11a of the upper conveyor 10 coincide, and the upper end of the roller portion 32 and the placement surface 11a of the lower conveyor 20. It is possible to move to the fourth state where the height positions coincide. The movement between the first state and the second state and the movement between the third state and the fourth state can be independently controlled. In this embodiment, it has the back-and-forth movement control part 50 which performs the movement between a 1st state and a 2nd state, and the up-and-down movement control part 60 which performs the movement between a 3rd state and a 4th state. Yes.

  The forward / backward movement control unit 50 has an air cylinder 53. The air cylinder 53 controls the movement of the roller conveyor 30 in the front-rear direction based on the first direction D1. The air cylinder 53 has a cylinder tube 53a and a piston rod 53b disposed in the cylinder tube 53a. In the present embodiment, the cylinder tube 53a is fixed to the vertical movement control unit 60 so that the piston rod 53b extends forward with the first direction D1 as a reference. That is, the cylinder tube 53a is fixed to the vertical movement control unit 60 with the piston rod 53b facing forward while the axial direction of the air cylinder 53 is along the front-rear direction. The tip of the piston rod 53 b is fixed to the protruding piece 39 a of the lower plate 39 that supports the roller conveyor 30. Thereby, the position of the roller conveyor 30 in the front-rear direction is controlled as the piston rod 53b expands and contracts.

  The vertical movement control unit 60 has an air cylinder 63. The air cylinder 63 controls the vertical movement of the roller conveyor 30. The air cylinder 63 has a cylinder tube 63a and a piston rod 63b disposed in the cylinder tube 63a. In the present embodiment, the cylinder tube 63a is fixed to the frame 5 so that the piston rod 63b extends upward. That is, the cylinder tube 63a is fixed to the frame 5 with the piston rod 63b facing upward in a state where the axial direction of the air cylinder 63 is along the vertical direction. The tip of the piston rod 63b is fixed to the movable plate 65. A cylinder tube 53 a of the forward / backward movement control unit 50 is fixed to the movable plate 65. Thereby, the vertical position of the roller conveyor 30 is controlled with the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 63b.

  In the present embodiment, the component supply apparatus 1 has a control unit C electrically connected to each of the contact unit 34, the anti-back unit 37, the stopper 40, the front / rear movement control unit 50, and the vertical movement control unit 60. You may do it. The control unit C may be a computer including a CPU, a memory, and the like, for example. The control unit C controls the operation of the air cylinders 36, 43, 53, 63 in accordance with the status of the tray T being conveyed. Moreover, the control part C can also perform drive control of the upper conveyor 10 and the lower conveyor 20. FIG. In the present embodiment, for example, the contact part 34 also serves as a contact sensor. When the tray T comes into contact with the contact portion 34, a signal from the contact portion 34 is input to the control unit C. Further, other signals necessary for controlling the component supply device 1 may be input to the control unit C.

  Then, the fixing structure of the conveyor 11 (upper conveyor 10, lower conveyor 20) with respect to the support plate 3 is demonstrated. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a conveyor mounting structure in the component supply apparatus. As shown in FIG. 7, a support block 70 for supporting and fixing the conveyor 11 to the support plate 3 is fixed to the cover 15 of the conveyor 11. In the present embodiment, the support plate 3 has a plate shape, and includes a bottom wall portion 3a that is fixed to the frame 5 and a side wall portion 3b that stands up from the bottom wall portion 3a. The pair of support plates 3 are connected to each other by a plurality (four in the illustrated example) of rod-like connecting portions 7.

  Further, the support plate 3 is provided with a rod (support portion) 4 on which the conveyor 11 is supported (see FIG. 1). The support plate 3 is formed with a lock hole 3d used for fixing the conveyor 11 (see FIG. 2). The rod 4 protrudes horizontally from the side surface of the support plate 3 at a position where the pair of support plates 3 face each other. Further, the lock hole 3 d penetrates the support plate 3. In addition, the support plate 3 in the illustrated example has a substantially rectangular shape in a side view, and has a window 3c in the center.

  FIG. 8 is a view showing the support block 70. FIG. 8A is a front view of the support block 70, and FIG. 8B is a side view thereof. The support block 70 includes a plate-like main body 71 that has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and a protrusion 73 that protrudes from the lower surface of the main body 71. The main body 71 is formed with four through-holes 71 a for inserting bolts (not shown) for fixing to the cover 15. An accommodating portion 71b for accommodating a bolt head of a bolt is formed around the through hole 71a in the illustrated example. The main body 71 is formed with a lock hole 71c through which the ball lock pin 80 is inserted. The lock hole 71 c is formed with a hole 76 that intersects the lock hole 71 c and communicates the mutually opposing side surfaces of the main body 71.

  The protrusion 73 has the same thickness as the main body 71, for example. The protrusion 73 has a pair of inclined surfaces 73a that intersect with each other to form a corner. The inclined surface 73 a is formed by a part of the side surface of the protruding portion 73. In the illustrated example, a substantially V-shaped cutout portion 74 is formed on the lower end side of the protruding portion 73 at a predetermined angle toward the upper side (main body portion side) by the pair of inclined surfaces 73a. In FIG. 8A, the rod 4 is indicated by a two-dot chain line so that the positional relationship between the rod 4 and the notch 74 when supported by the rod 4 can be understood. Thus, in the state where the support block 70 is supported by the rod 4, the outer peripheral surface of the rod 4 comes into contact with the inclined surface 73 a that forms the notch 74.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the support block 70 supported by the support plate 3. The support block 70 is fixed to the cover 15 by a bolt (not shown) inserted through the through hole 71a. The notch 74 of the support block 70 is supported by the rod 4 protruding from the support plate 3. Thereby, the conveyor 11 is supported by the support plate 3. Since the notched portion 74 is formed by a pair of inclined surfaces 73a, the shift of the conveyor 11 in the front-rear direction is suppressed.

  Further, the support block 70 and the support plate 3 are locked to each other by a ball lock pin 80. The ball lock pin 80 includes, for example, a cylindrical large diameter portion 81 and a cylindrical small diameter portion 82 that protrudes from the large diameter portion 81 in the axial direction. The small diameter portion 82 has an outer diameter smaller than that of the large diameter portion 81. The outer diameter of the small diameter portion 82 is substantially the same as that of the lock holes 3d and 71c. A ball 84 protruding from the outer periphery of the small diameter portion 82 is provided on the distal end side of the small diameter portion 82. In the present embodiment, the ball 84 can be unlocked, for example, by operating the operation unit 83 provided in the large-diameter portion 81. When the lock is released, the ball 84 can be accommodated in the small diameter portion 82.

  The distance from the boundary between the large diameter portion 81 and the small diameter portion 82 to the ball 84 is substantially the same as the sum of the thickness of the support plate 3 and the length to the hole portion 76 in the lock hole 71c. Therefore, the ball 84 can be inserted into the hole 76 when the small diameter portion 82 of the ball lock pin 80 is inserted through the lock hole 3d and the lock hole 71c. Thereby, the support plate 3 and the support block 70 are locked. For example, in a state where the lock of the ball 84 is released by operating the operation unit 83, the ball lock pin 80 can be pulled out from the lock hole 71c and the lock hole 3d. As a result, the lock between the support plate 3 and the support block 70 is released. In the unlocked state, the conveyor 11 can be easily detached from the support plate 3 by lifting the conveyor 11 upward.

  Subsequently, an operation process of the component supply apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation process of the component supply apparatus. Moreover, FIGS. 11-14 is a figure which shows the operation state of a components supply apparatus. As an example, in the initial state of the component supply apparatus 1, the roller conveyor 30 is controlled to the first state and the third state (see FIG. 11). That is, the piston rod 53b of the air cylinder 53 is controlled to be contracted. The piston rod 63b of the air cylinder 63 is controlled to be in an extended state. Further, the piston rod 36b of the air cylinder 36 is controlled to be extended. Thereby, the upper end of the anti-back part 37 is controlled to an upper position. Further, the piston rod 43b of the stopper 40 is controlled to be contracted. Thereby, the lift pin 41 is controlled to a lower position. In such an initial state, when the tray T is transported by the component supply device 1, the upper conveyor 10 is driven by the control unit C in a state where the plurality of trays T are placed on the upper conveyor 10 (step S1). .

  When the upper conveyor 10 is driven, the tray T conveyed on the upper conveyor 10 moves from the upper conveyor 10 to the roller conveyor 30. When the first tray T is pushed by the second tray T, it moves on the roller conveyor 30 in the first direction D1. At this time, the controller C determines whether the earliest tray T is located at the front end of the roller conveyor 30 (step S2). In the present embodiment, when the earliest tray T comes into contact with the contact portion 34, a signal from the contact portion 34 is input to the control unit C. Thereby, the control unit C determines that the tray T is located at the front end of the roller conveyor 30.

  When it is determined that the tray T is located at the front end of the roller conveyor 30, the control unit C controls the piston rod 43b of the air cylinder 43 to extend. Thereby, the lift pin 41 in the stopper 40 is controlled to an upper position (step S3). Since the groove 110 of the second tray T is located above the lift pins 41, the movement of the tray T in the first direction D1 is restricted.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the roller conveyor 30 is controlled to move forward (step S4). That is, the control unit C controls to extend the piston rod 53b of the air cylinder 53. Thereby, the roller conveyor 30 is controlled to a 2nd state and a 3rd state.

  In the present embodiment, as an example, a workpiece is picked up from the tray T at a position where the roller conveyor 30 is controlled to the second state and the third state. At this time, the control unit C determines whether or not the tray T has become empty (step S5). For example, a predetermined number of works are accommodated in the tray T. When the work in the tray T becomes empty, a signal is input to the control unit C from, for example, a pickup device (not shown).

  When it is determined by the control unit C that the inside of the tray T is empty, the roller conveyor 30 is controlled to the second state and the fourth state as shown in FIG. That is, the control unit C controls the piston rod 63b to be contracted, and the roller conveyor 30 is lowered (step S6).

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 14, the roller conveyor 30 is controlled by the control unit C to the first state and the fourth state. That is, the control part C controls the piston rod 53b to be contracted. Thereby, the roller conveyor 30 moves backward with reference to the first direction D1 (step S7). In this state, the front end of the roller conveyor 30 is positioned ahead of the rear end of the lower conveyor 20 with respect to the second direction D2. At this time, the front end of the empty tray T placed on the roller conveyor 30 is placed on the belt 12 of the lower conveyor 20 with the second direction D2 as a reference.

  Subsequently, the control unit C controls the anti-back unit 37 to the lower position and drives the lower conveyor 20 (step S8). Thereby, the tray T on the roller conveyor 30 moves to the lower conveyor 20, and is conveyed in the 2nd direction D2 by the lower conveyor 20. FIG. At this time, the controller C determines whether or not the discharge of the tray T from the roller conveyor 30 has been completed (step S9). For such determination, for example, a sensor for detecting the tray T may be provided at a predetermined position of the lower conveyor 20.

  If it determines with discharge | emission of the tray T having been completed, the control part C will raise the roller conveyor 30, and will control to a 1st state and a 3rd state (step S10). Then, the control unit C controls the air cylinder 43 to lower the lift pin 41 of the stopper 40 (step S11). Thereby, the restriction | limiting of the earliest tray T of the upper conveyor 10 is cancelled | released, and the tray T is conveyed in the 1st direction D1. At this time, the control unit C controls the anti-back unit 37 to the upper position. And the workpiece | work accommodated in the some tray T can be conveyed by repeating the process after step S2 again.

  In the component supply apparatus 1 described above, the tray T on which the workpiece is placed can be conveyed in the first direction D1 by the upper conveyor 10. The tray T conveyed on the upper conveyor 10 can be conveyed to the lower conveyor 20 by the roller conveyor 30, and can be conveyed (collected) in the second direction D2 by the lower conveyor 20. Here, when the tray T moves from the upper conveyor 10 to the roller conveyor 30, the tray T can be moved to the roller conveyor 30 by setting the roller conveyor 30 to the first state. The tray T moved to the roller conveyor 30 moves to a predetermined position when the roller conveyor 30 enters the second state. By setting the position as the component supply position, the work placed on the tray T can be reliably supplied to a predetermined position. Even when the plurality of trays T are sequentially conveyed, the trays T can be separated by restricting the movement of the trays T by the stopper 40. Accordingly, since an extruding cylinder or the like for separating the trays T is not required, the space of the apparatus can be saved.

  In one aspect, the roller conveyor 30 includes an anti-back portion 37 that abuts against the rear end of the tray T placed on the roller conveyor 30 and regulates the movement of the tray T with respect to the first direction D1. Have. In this configuration, when the roller conveyor 30 moves from the first state to the second state, the tray T is prevented from shifting to the rear side in the first direction.

  Further, on one side surface, the bottom surface of the tray T is formed with a groove portion 110 that is open on the first direction D1 side and closed on the second direction D2 side. In the state where the tray T is placed on the upper conveyor 10, the groove portion 110 can accommodate the anti-back portion 37. In this configuration, interference between the tray T disposed on the upper conveyor 10 and the anti-back portion 37 is suppressed. Therefore, the restriction of the earliest tray T by the anti-back portion 37 is suppressed from being released by the next tray T arranged on the upper conveyor 10.

  Further, on one side, the stopper 40 lifts and lowers the lift pin 41 that can regulate the movement of the tray T, and the lift pin 41 to a position above the placement surface of the upper conveyor 10 and a position below the placement surface. And an air cylinder 43 to be controlled. When the lift pin 41 is controlled by the air cylinder 43 to a position above the mounting surface, the lift pin 41 can come into contact with the end of the groove 110 in the tray T on the second direction D2 side. In this configuration, the movement of the tray T can be easily regulated by raising the lift pins 41 at the timing when the groove portions 110 and the lift pins 41 overlap in the transport direction.

  The inner side surface 112 of the groove portion 110 of the tray T has an inclined portion 116 so that the groove width becomes wider toward the opening side, and the roller conveyor 30 has an abutting portion 34 that contacts the inclined portion 116. ing. In this configuration, the inclined portion 116 extends in a direction intersecting the first direction D1. Therefore, in a state where the contact portion 34 is in contact with the inclined portion 116, the movement of the tray T is restricted with respect to the first direction D1 and the direction intersecting the first direction D1.

  In one aspect, the support plate 3 is provided with a rod 4 on which the upper conveyor 10 and the lower conveyor 20 are supported. The upper conveyor 10 and the lower conveyor 20 can be locked to the support plate 3 by ball lock pins 80 while being supported by the rod 4. According to this structure, the support plate 3 and each conveyor 11 are reliably connected by the ball lock pin 80 at the time of use. On the other hand, at the time of maintenance, each conveyor 11 can be easily detached from the support plate 3 by removing the ball lock pin 80.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, a specific structure is not restricted to this embodiment.

  For example, although the example in which the 3rd conveyor was comprised by the roller conveyor was shown, it is not limited to this. The third conveyor may be configured by a belt conveyor having a drive source.

  Moreover, although the example in which the support block 70 is fixed to the cover 15 with the bolt is shown, for example, the cover and the support block 70 may be integrally formed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Component supply apparatus, 3 ... Support plate (support structure), 4 ... Rod (support part), 10 ... Upper conveyor (1st conveyor), 20 ... Lower conveyor (2nd conveyor), 30 ... Roller conveyor (1st) (3 conveyors), 37 ... anti-back part, 40 ... stopper, 41 ... lift pin (regulation part), 43 ... air cylinder (lifting part), 110 ... groove part, 116 ... inclined part, T ... tray.

Claims (6)

A first conveyor for conveying a plurality of trays arranged in a first direction in the first direction;
A second conveyor disposed below the first conveyor and transporting the tray along a second direction opposite to the first direction;
A third conveyor for conveying the tray from the first conveyor to the second conveyor;
A stopper capable of restricting movement of the tray conveyed on the first conveyor,
The third conveyor has a first state in which the tray can be moved from the first conveyor to the third conveyor, and a second state advanced from the first state with respect to the first direction. A parts supply device that can be moved to.   The said 3rd conveyor has an anti-back part which contact | abuts to the rear end in the said tray mounted in the said 3rd conveyor on the basis of the said 1st direction, and controls the movement of the said tray. The component supply apparatus according to 1. On the bottom surface of the tray, a groove is formed along the first direction, is open on the first direction side, and is closed on the second direction side.
The component supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the groove portion can accommodate the anti-back portion in a state where the tray is placed on the first conveyor. The stopper includes a restricting portion capable of restricting movement of the tray, and an elevating portion that controls the raising and lowering of the restricting portion to a position above the placement surface of the first conveyor and a position below the placement surface. And
The said restriction | limiting part can contact | abut to the edge part by the side of the 2nd direction of the said groove part of the said tray, when the said raising / lowering part is controlled to the position above the said mounting surface. The component supply apparatus described. The inner surface of the groove portion of the tray has an inclined portion at an end portion on the first direction side so that the groove width becomes wider toward the first direction side,
The component supply device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the third conveyor has a contact portion that contacts the inclined portion. And further comprising a support structure having a support part on which at least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor is supported,
At least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor is locked to the support structure by a ball lock pin while being supported by the support portion. The component supply apparatus described.

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