Part feeder bowl and part feeder device including the same

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of conveying parts.SOLUTION: In a part feeder bowl 20 which has a conveying path 30 formed along the circumferential direction for conveying carried-in parts with vibration, at least the conveying path 30 is covered with a ceramic coating formed by room-temperature impact-curing phenomenon.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a parts feeder bowl and a parts feeder device equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a parts feeder device equipped with a parts feeder bowl having a circumferentially formed conveying path along which parts that are carried in are moved by vibration. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-343601 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Parts feeder bowls such as those described in Patent Document 1 are generally made of metal, and are therefore prone to corrosion and rust. If slight unevenness caused by rust or the like forms in the conveying path, it will create resistance to the movement of parts, hindering smooth conveyance of parts, and parts that are in a position where movement should be permitted will get caught on the unevenness and fall back to the bottom of the bowl, which could result in a significant decrease in part conveying efficiency.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to improve the efficiency of transporting parts by a parts feeder bowl. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a bowl for a parts feeder in which a conveying path along which the parts that are brought in move by vibration is formed along the circumferential direction, and is characterized in that at least the conveying path is covered with a ceramic coating formed by the room temperature impact solidification phenomenon. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the efficiency of transporting parts by a parts feeder bowl can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a parts feeder device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bowl for a parts feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a bowl for a parts feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a part feeder device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 and 2, the part feeder device 100 includes a part feeder bowl 20 (hereinafter referred to as "bowl 20") into which parts are carried in through a carry-in entrance 21, and a vibrator 10 that vibrates the bowl 20 in the circumferential direction at a predetermined amplitude. Note that Fig. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the part feeder device 100, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the bowl 20.

[0011] The parts feeder device 100 vibrates the bowl 20 using the vibrator 10, and transports the parts loaded into the bowl 20 in the vibration direction, aligns them in a predetermined position, and then carries them out of the discharge opening 22 of the bowl 20.

[0012] The vibrator 10 has an electromagnet (not shown) and transmits vibrations of a predetermined period generated by an alternating current supplied to the electromagnet to the bowl 20. The source of the vibration is not limited to an electromagnet, but may be a piezoelectric element, or may be a device that converts the displacement of a solenoid actuator or a fluid pressure actuator into vibration via a mechanism such as a cam. It is preferable to provide vibration-damping rubber between the vibrator 10 and the floor on which the vibrator 10 is placed in order to suppress the transmission of vibrations to the floor.

[0013] 2, bowl 20 is a cylindrical bottom having a bottom surface 20a and a cylindrical portion 20b, and is made of a metal material with good castability and machinability, such as an aluminum alloy. Bowl 20 is fixed to vibrator 10 via a bolt (not shown) that passes through an insertion hole 24 formed approximately in the center, and vibrates circumferentially about central axis O at a predetermined period and a predetermined amplitude. The vibration period and amplitude of bowl 20 are adjusted by a control device (not shown) that controls the AC current supplied to vibrator 10.

[0014] The cylindrical portion 20b is provided with an inlet 21 through which parts are carried in and an outlet 22 through which parts are carried out, which are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. The inlet 21 and the outlet 22 are each formed to extend radially outward from the cylindrical portion 20b to facilitate the transfer of parts between the preceding and succeeding process devices.

[0015] The bottom surface 20a is highest at the center where the insertion hole 24 is formed, and is gently inclined downward from the center toward the cylindrical portion 20b so that parts do not accumulate in the center of the bottom surface 20a.

[0016] Bowl 20 is also provided with a circumferentially extending conveying path 30 along which parts carried in from inlet 21 move toward outlet 22. Conveying path 30 is formed over a range less than one full turn in the circumferential direction, connecting inlet 21 and outlet 22.

[0017] Because the transport path 30 is not spiral, it has no slope and is formed substantially horizontally from the start to the end. Therefore, compared to a transport path along which the parts move formed in a spiral shape, the lack of slope in the transport path 30 requires less thrust to move the parts, making it possible to move the parts smoothly toward the discharge port 22.

[0018] In addition, the conveying path 30 may be formed in a spiral shape for one or more revolutions in the circumferential direction to connect the inlet 21 and the outlet 22, in which case the conveying path 30 becomes an inclined surface with a slight gradient that gradually rises from the starting end to the end.

[0019] The bowl 20 is also provided with a selection section 40 that allows only parts in a predetermined position to move along the conveying path 30, and a slope 50 that accepts parts that have been removed by the selection section 40 and returns them to the conveying path 30.

[0020] Next, the selection section 40 and the slope 50 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the plane of the bowl 20, Figures 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views showing cross sections along lines AA, BB, and CC in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section along line DD shown in Figures 3 and 4A to 4C.

[0021] The selection unit 40 has a sorting surface 41 that is provided on the same plane as the conveying path 30, and a support surface 42 that supports parts moving on the sorting surface 41. As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C , the sorting surface 41 and the support surface 42 are planes that are perpendicular to each other in a radial cross section, and the sorting surface 41 is set to have a smaller inclination with respect to the horizontal plane than the support surface 42. Specifically, the angle of the sorting surface 41 with respect to the horizontal plane is approximately 30 degrees, while the angle of the support surface 42 with respect to the horizontal plane is approximately 60 degrees. Therefore, the sorting surface 41 supports the lower side of the parts moving on the conveying path 30, and the support surface 42 supports the side of the parts moving on the conveying path 30. Note that the angle formed by the sorting surface 41 and the support surface 42 is not limited to 90 degrees and may be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the parts, etc.

[0022] Furthermore, the width of sorting surface 41 is set smaller than the smallest dimension of the height, width, and thickness of the parts. Therefore, parts moving along conveying path 30 that are in a predetermined orientation are supported by sorting surface 41 and support surface 42, while parts that are not in the predetermined orientation fall from sorting surface 41.

[0023] Furthermore, the width of the support surface 42 shown in Figure 5, i.e., the first height H1, which is the height from the sorting surface 41 to the upper edge of the support surface 42, is set to a size that is less than or equal to the largest dimension among the height, width, and thickness of the part, and is capable of stably supporting a part in a predetermined posture.

[0024] On the other hand, the slope 50 is a recess provided radially inward from the selection section 40, and has a receiving surface 51 provided at the part where the parts fall, a confluence surface 53 formed on the same plane as the conveying path 30, and an inclined surface 52 connecting the receiving surface 51 and the confluence surface 53.

[0025] The receiving surface 51 is parallel to the sorting surface 41, i.e., a plane with no gradient in the circumferential direction, and as shown in Fig. 4A, when viewed in radial cross section, it is formed to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, just like the sorting surface 41. Therefore, the receiving surface 51 can easily receive parts that have fallen from the sorting surface 41. Note that if there are many parts that fall onto the receiving surface 51, the parts will fall further from the receiving surface 51 onto the bottom surface 20a.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5, the inclined surface 52 has a predetermined gradient in the circumferential direction, and is an upward slope inclined at a predetermined angle from the receiving surface 51 toward the merging surface 53. Therefore, parts that fall onto the receiving surface 51 move up the inclined surface 52 to the merging surface 53. Note that the inclined surface 52 may also serve as the receiving surface 51, in which case the receiving surface 51 need not be provided. Furthermore, in order to facilitate the movement of parts on the slope 50, the gradient at the connection between the receiving surface 51 and the inclined surface 52 and at the connection between the merging surface 53 and the inclined surface 52 may be gentler than in other portions.

[0027] The confluence surface 53 is a flat portion where the inclined surface 52 shown in FIG. 4B and the sorting surface 41 are flush with each other as shown in FIG. 4C, and corresponds to the relatively wide conveying path 30 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0028] 4C , confluence surface 53 is formed at an incline with respect to the horizontal plane, similar to sorting surface 41, so that parts that have moved along inclined surface 52 and reached confluence surface 53 move toward support surface 42 along the inclination of confluence surface 53. In other words, at confluence surface 53, parts in a predetermined orientation that have moved along sorting surface 41 and support surface 42 and parts that have fallen from sorting surface 41 and climbed up slope 50 join together.

[0029] The selection section 40 and the slope 50 having the above shapes are each formed by cutting the conveying path 30 having the same width as the joining surface 53.

[0030] In addition to the selection section 40 and slope 50 of the above-mentioned shape, the bowl 20 is also provided with a final selection section 45 that only allows the movement of parts in a predetermined posture among the parts moving on the conveying path 30 toward the discharge outlet 22, a buffer section 61 that accepts parts rejected by the final selection section 45 and drops them onto the bottom surface 20a, and a re-feeding section 62 that allows the parts that have dropped onto the bottom surface 20a to meet up with parts being carried in from the feed inlet 21.

[0031] Like the selection section 40, the final selection section 45 has a sorting surface 41 that is arranged on the same plane as the conveying path 30, a support surface 42 that supports the parts moving on the sorting surface 41, and a turning surface 43 that is formed continuously with the support surface 42 and whose inclination with respect to the horizontal plane gradually decreases toward the discharge outlet 22.

[0032] The buffer section 61 is a stepped section with a horizontal plane, and is provided to prevent parts rejected in the final selection section 45 from falling directly onto the bottom surface 20a. The re-carrying section 62 is an upwardly inclined surface that connects the bottom surface 20a to the start end of the transport path 30, and the gradient of the re-carrying section 62 is set to a magnitude that allows parts that have fallen onto the bottom surface 20a to climb up.

[0033] In the final selection section 45, as in the selection section 40, parts moving along the conveying path 30 that are in a predetermined position are supported by the sorting surface 41 and the support surface 42, and parts that reach the turning surface 43 are transported out of the discharge outlet 22 with the surface in contact with the turning surface 43 as the bottom surface.

[0034] On the other hand, parts that are not in the predetermined orientation fall from the sorting surface 41 and reach the bottom surface 20a via the buffer section 61. The parts that have fallen to the bottom surface 20a go up the re-carrying section 62 and are returned to the transport path 30 again.

[0035] Although Figure 3 shows an example in which the number of selection sections 40 and slopes 50 is three, the number of selection sections 40 and slopes 50 is not limited to three, and may be four or more, or may be one or two.

[0036] Here, the bowl 20 on which the conveying path 30 along which the parts move is formed is made of an aluminum alloy or the like which is relatively resistant to rust, but because it is made of metal, corrosion can cause rust and other problems depending on the environment in which it is used.

[0037] If slight unevenness caused by rust or the like is formed on the conveying path 30, it will create resistance to the movement of parts and hinder smooth conveyance of the parts. In addition, for example, if slight unevenness caused by rust or the like is formed on the above-mentioned sorting surface 41 or support surface 42, parts in a specific position that should be allowed to move may get caught on the unevenness and fall onto the receiving surface 51 or bottom surface 20a, which may result in a significant reduction in the efficiency of part conveyance.

[0038] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to prevent slight unevenness caused by rust or the like from forming on the conveying path 30, a coating with excellent rust prevention properties is provided on the surface of the conveying path 30 along which the parts move.

[0039] The coating is a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification using the aerosol deposition method, and is formed by spraying an aerosol in which ceramic particles are dispersed in a gas onto the surface of the transport path 30.

[0040] The aerosol is generated by dispersing ceramic powder with a particle size of 0.08 to 5 μm in an inert gas such as air, nitrogen, or helium. The aerosol is then sprayed from a nozzle installed in a container of a film-forming apparatus (not shown) that can accommodate the bowl 20 (base material) at a speed of 150 to 400 m / s, perpendicular to the surface of the conveying path 30 of the bowl 20. When spraying the aerosol toward the bowl 20, the pressure inside the container of the film-forming apparatus is controlled to a predetermined reduced pressure state to improve the aerosol spray speed, but the temperature inside the container is not specifically controlled and is kept equivalent to room temperature (normal temperature). Note that the particle size of the ceramic powder and the aerosol spray speed described above are merely examples and are not limited thereto. The temperature inside the container may also be controlled to a constant temperature (e.g., 25°C).

[0041] The nozzle for spraying the aerosol has a structure that allows the spray direction to be adjusted; for example, when forming a coating on the sorting surface 41 of the selection unit 40 and when forming a coating on the support surface 42 of the selection unit 40, the nozzle angle is adjusted to a different angle so that the aerosol is sprayed in a direction perpendicular to the sorting surface 41 and the support surface 42, respectively. Then, by spraying the aerosol while moving the nozzle at a predetermined pitch speed along the sorting surface 41 or the support surface 42, a ceramic coating of a predetermined thickness is formed on the sorting surface 41 or the support surface 42. When spraying the aerosol toward the bowl 20, it is also possible to move the bowl 20 side rather than the nozzle side.

[0042] The ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact consolidation in this way is a thin film with a thickness of approximately 1 to 6 μm (preferably 2 to 4 μm), but it has a high hardness of 1000 to 1400 HV, has strong adhesion to metal surfaces, and exhibits relatively high rust prevention and wear resistance.

[0043] Unlike conventional nitriding processes, which are performed at high temperatures of 500°C or higher, the ceramic coating is formed at room temperature, eliminating the need to heat the sprayed ceramic particles and the bowl 20, which serves as the base material. This prevents the bowl 20 from deforming or warping due to heat, and maintains its shape as machined. In other words, even if the conveying path 30, including the selection section 40 and slope 50, is covered with a ceramic coating, slight deformation of the conveying path 30 due to heat can be avoided.

[0044] Furthermore, since the thickness of the ceramic coating is relatively thin, at approximately 1 to 6 μm (preferably 2 to 4 μm), even if the conveying path 30 including the selection section 40 and slope 50 is covered with the ceramic coating, the dimensions and surface shape of the conveying path 30 including the selection section 40 and slope 50 remain almost unchanged, so there is no need to change the processing dimensions to take the thickness of the coating into account.

[0045] Furthermore, since the ceramic coating has a relatively high hardness of 1000 to 1400 HV, even if a part falls onto the transfer path 30 covered with the ceramic coating, the coating is prevented from breaking or cracking.

[0046] The coating is provided to prevent rust and other corrosion and to ensure smooth part transport. Therefore, it is necessary to form the coating on the transport path 30 with which the parts vibrate, i.e., the selection section 40 having the sorting surface 41 and the support surface 42, the receiving surface 51, the slope 50 having the inclined surface 52 and the merging surface 53, and the turning surface 43 formed continuous with the support surface 42. However, there is little need to form the coating on, for example, the bottom surface 20a of the bowl 20 where the parts are temporarily stored, or on the drop prevention groove 66 provided radially outward from the transport path 30 to prevent parts that have spilled radially outward from the transport path 30 from falling over the edge of the bowl 20. In other words, the coating only needs to be provided on at least the transport path 30.

[0047] Therefore, in order to prevent the aerosol from hitting the bottom surface 20a or the drop prevention groove 66 when it is sprayed toward the bowl 20, the bottom surface 20a and the drop prevention groove 66 may be masked in advance.

[0048] The above embodiment provides the following advantages.

[0049] The conveying path 30 formed in the bowl 20 used in the parts feeder device 100 is covered with a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification. By covering the surface of the conveying path 30 with a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification in this way, the occurrence of rust due to corrosion on the surface of the conveying path 30 is prevented.

[0050] This prevents the formation of unevenness on the surface of the conveying path 30 due to rust or the like, which would hinder the smooth movement of parts, and prevents parts from getting caught on unevenness and falling to the bottom surface 20a, thereby improving the efficiency of part conveying.

[0051] Furthermore, because the ceramic coating is formed on the surface of the conveying path 30 by room-temperature impact solidification, there is no need to expose the bowl 20 to high temperatures of, for example, 500°C or higher for a long period of time to form the coating, and there is no risk of slight deformation due to heat in the areas of the conveying path 30 and other parts that come into contact with the parts. Therefore, even if a ceramic coating is formed on the surface of the conveying path 30, it is possible to avoid affecting the movement of the parts.

[0052] Next, a modification of the above embodiment will be described.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the part feeder device 100 is configured to include only the bowl 20. However, in addition to the bowl 20, the part feeder device 100 may further include a chute (not shown) connected to the discharge port 22 for transferring parts aligned in a predetermined position and discharged from the discharge port 22 to a downstream device. In this case, it is preferable that the conveying path formed in the chute is also provided with the above-mentioned ceramic coating. The chute may also be a linear feeder configured in combination with a vibrator.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the bowl 20 is made of an aluminum alloy. However, the material of the bowl 20 is not limited to an aluminum alloy, and any material may be used as long as it is capable of forming the above-described ceramic coating with the desired thickness, such as stainless steel or carbon steel.

[0055] In the above embodiment, bowl 20 is made up of a single member. Alternatively, bowl 20 may be made up of multiple members. For example, by making the portion where transport path 30 is formed out of multiple members, it becomes possible to change the shape of selection section 40 by replacing the members. In this case, the coating is provided only on the member where transport path 30 is formed.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the parts are carried in through the carry-in opening 21. Alternatively, the parts may be carried in from above onto the bottom surface 20a. In this case, it is preferable to provide a cushioning material on the bottom surface 20a to absorb the impact when the parts fall onto the bottom surface 20a.

[0057] The configuration, operation, and effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0058] The conveying path 30 formed in the bowl 20 is covered with a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification.

[0059] By covering the surface of the transport path 30 with a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification in this way, the occurrence of rust due to corrosion on the surface of the transport path 30 is prevented, and the smooth movement of parts is no longer hindered by rust, etc., which ultimately improves the efficiency of part transport.

[0060] The parts feeder device 100 also includes the bowl 20 having the above-described configuration and a vibrator 10 that vibrates the bowl 20.

[0061] In this configuration, the part feeder device 100 includes the bowl 20 having the above configuration. By including the bowl 20 having the above configuration, the part feeder device 100 can improve the efficiency of transporting parts.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and it is not intended that the technical scope of the present invention be limited to the specific configurations of the above embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 100 parts feeder device, 20 bowl (bowl for parts feeder), 21 inlet, 22 outlet, 30 conveying path, 40 selection section, 41 sorting surface, 42 support surface, 50 slope

Claims

1. A parts feeder bowl having a circumferentially formed conveying path along which parts are moved by vibration, A bowl for a parts feeder, characterized in that at least the conveying path is covered with a ceramic coating formed by room temperature impact solidification.

2. The parts feeder bowl according to claim 1; a vibrator for vibrating the parts feeder bowl.

Images