Core transport device

Abstract

To provide a core conveying device capable of efficiently inverting and conveying a plurality of mold-formed cores to be used in engine casting.SOLUTION: A core conveying device 1 includes: a plurality of gripping parts 4-6 for individually gripping a plurality of cores C1-C3; a holding part 7 for holding the plurality of gripping parts 4-6 aligned in a predetermined arrangement direction X; a flipping part 8, connected to the holding part 7, for flipping the holding part 7 vertically around a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction together with the plurality of gripping parts 4-6; and a conveying part 3, connected to the flipping part 8, for conveying the holding part 7 holding the plurality of gripping parts 4-6 through the flipping part 8 to a predetermined placing place where the plurality of cores C1-C3 are placed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a core transport device. [Background technology]

[0002] When casting an engine, a casting mold is generally produced by combining multiple cores of various shapes with a metal mold, either manually or by automated equipment, to form the intake and exhaust gas passages, cooling water passages, etc. These cores are usually formed by filling a mold with materials such as resin or sand, so they are somewhat fragile and require careful handling and transportation.

[0003] When molding a core, it is preferable to mold the core in an orientation that is upside down from the orientation in which it is assembled, taking into consideration factors such as the ease with which sand or other materials can be filled into the mold, the position of the filling port, and the ease with which the core can be removed from the mold using an ejector pin.

[0004] Therefore, when transporting multiple cores used in casting an engine with multiple cylinders, such as an in-line four-cylinder engine, after molding, in the past it was necessary to manually remove the multiple cores from the molding machine, then flip each one upside down in the order in which they would be assembled and place them on a transport tray.

[0005] In recent years, as cores have become larger due to longitudinal expansion, such as in in-line 6-cylinder engines, the labor burden increases when manually flipping and transporting the cores.

[0006] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, specifically to reduce the labor required for core removal work, shorten cycle time, and reduce capital investment, it is possible to use a single transport device to remove multiple types of cores from the molds of the molding machine all at once and place them on a transport tray.

[0007] As described in Patent Document 1, a conventional conveying device is known that includes a pressing member that presses a casting core downward, a claw that is inserted under the lower end surface of the core while the core is pressed by the pressing member, and a conveying mechanism that conveys the pressing member and the claw horizontally.

[0008] In this conveying device, the pressing member presses one core and the claws are inserted below the bottom end face of the core, so that the core is held from above and below by the pressing member and the claws. In this state, the cores can be lifted by the claws and transported individually horizontally. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-36814 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, the above-mentioned conveying device only has the function of scooping up cores one by one with its claws and transporting them horizontally individually, so it takes a long time to transport multiple cores. Furthermore, the above-mentioned conveying device does not have the function of flipping the cores, so a separate device for flipping the cores is required. Therefore, even with the above-mentioned conveying device, it is difficult to efficiently flip and transport multiple cores.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a core transport device that can efficiently turn over and transport multiple cores used in engine casting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention Claim 1The core transport device is a core transport device that transports a plurality of molded cores used in engine casting, and includes a plurality of gripping units that individually grip the plurality of cores after molding, a holding unit that holds the plurality of gripping units in a state where they are lined up in a predetermined arrangement direction, an inverting unit that is connected to the holding unit and that turns the holding unit upside down together with the plurality of gripping units about a rotation axis that extends horizontally, and a transport unit that is connected to the inverting unit and transports the holding unit that holds the plurality of gripping units via the inverting unit to a predetermined placement location where the plurality of cores are to be placed. The gripping unit includes at least a pair of gripping claws extending horizontally at positions spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, a gripping claw drive unit that moves at least one of the pair of gripping claws in the vertical direction, and a frame body having a size that can surround the core, the frame body holds the gripping claw drive unit, and one of the pair of gripping claws is directly held by the frame body and the other is indirectly held by the frame body via the gripping claw drive unit, or both of the pair of gripping claws are indirectly held by the frame body via the gripping claw drive unit. It is characterized by:

[0013] According to this configuration, multiple cores after molding are individually gripped by multiple gripping units, and while maintaining the gripping state, the holding units holding the multiple holding units are flipped upside down around a horizontally extending rotation axis by the flipping unit. This makes it possible to simultaneously flip multiple cores while holding them with the multiple gripping units. Then, by transporting the holding units holding the multiple gripping units via the flipping unit to a predetermined placement location where the multiple cores are placed, the multiple inverted cores can be simultaneously transported to the predetermined placement location. This makes it possible to continuously and efficiently flip and transport multiple cores using a single transport device. As a result, it is possible to reduce the cycle time and capital investment required for flipping and transporting multiple cores.

[0014] Also, The above-mentioned core transport device So, The gripping unit includes at least a pair of gripping claws extending horizontally at positions spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and a gripping claw drive unit that moves at least one of the pair of gripping claws in the vertical direction. are.

[0015] According to this configuration, the gripping unit is equipped with at least one pair of gripping claws extending horizontally to grip the core, thereby reducing the vertical height of the gripping unit. Furthermore, the gripping claw drive unit moves at least one of the pair of gripping claws vertically, enabling the core to be stably gripped from above and below. This makes it possible to continuously invert, transport, and place the core in a predetermined placement location while it is being held from above and below by the pair of gripping claws. As a result, the core does not need to be temporarily placed when being placed in the placement location, making it possible to more efficiently invert and transport the core. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned core conveying device, the gripping unit further includes a frame body having a size capable of surrounding the core, and the frame body holds the gripping claw drive unit, and one of the pair of gripping claws is held directly by the frame body and the other is held indirectly by the frame body via the gripping claw drive unit, or both of the pair of gripping claws are held indirectly by the gripping claw drive unit. According to this configuration, the gripping unit includes a frame that holds the gripping jaw drive unit and also holds the pair of gripping jaws directly or indirectly via the gripping jaw drive unit, making it possible to stably grip the core surrounded by the frame with the pair of gripping jaws held directly or indirectly by the frame, and enabling more stable inversion and transport of the core.

[0016] Furthermore, since the pair of gripping claws extend horizontally, there is greater freedom in the positioning of the gripping claws and gripping claw drive unit compared to methods in which the core is pinched from above and transported using a pair of vertically extending gripping claws, making it easier to modularize the transport device.

[0017] In the above-mentioned core transport device, it is preferable that at least a part of the gripping claws is made of an elastic material.

[0018] With this configuration, the pair of gripping jaws can bend (flex) elastically in the vertical direction when gripping the core. Therefore, compared to conventional conveying devices, this device can absorb misalignment of the mold used to mold the core or the molding equipment, and the gripping jaws can follow the shape of the core even if there is some shape error in the mold shape. This eliminates the need to perfectly match the gripping jaws to the core shape, improving versatility.

[0019] In the above-mentioned core transport device, the elastic body is preferably composed of a tip cushion portion and a band plate portion.

[0022] The core transport device according to claim 4 of the present invention is a core transport device for transporting a plurality of molded cores used in engine casting, and comprises a plurality of gripping units for individually gripping the plurality of cores after molding, a holding unit for holding the plurality of gripping units in a state where they are lined up in a predetermined arrangement direction, an inverting unit connected to the holding units and for inverting the holding units together with the plurality of gripping units upside down about a rotation axis extending horizontally, and a transport unit connected to the inverting unit for transporting the holding units holding the plurality of gripping units via the inverting unit to a predetermined placement location where the plurality of cores are to be placed,The holding portion is configured by a frame member that collectively surrounds the plurality of gripping portions and supports each of the plurality of gripping portions at both ends in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. It is characterized by:

[0023] According to this configuration, the holding section that holds the multiple gripping sections is formed by a frame member that collectively surrounds the multiple gripping sections. This frame member supports both ends of each of the multiple gripping sections in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction, making it possible to stably and simultaneously invert and transport the multiple cores held by the multiple gripping sections.

[0024] In the above-mentioned core transport device, it is preferable that each of the multiple cores has an elongated shape extending in the cylinder row direction of the engine, and that each of the multiple gripping portions grips the core so that the longitudinal direction of the core is perpendicular to the arrangement direction.

[0025] With this configuration, each of the multiple gripping parts grips the core so that the longitudinal direction of the core is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the gripping parts, making it possible to stably grip multiple long cores in a limited space.

[0026] In the above-mentioned core transport device, it is preferable that each of the multiple cores has an elongated shape extending in the cylinder row direction of the engine, and that the multiple pairs of gripping claws grip the core at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the core.

[0027] With this configuration, multiple pairs of gripping claws grip the core at positions spaced apart along the length of the core, making it possible to stably grip long cores, which in turn enables stable and rapid inversion and transport of long cores.

[0028] When placing cores on general-purpose flat transport equipment such as a transport tray or belt conveyor, it is desirable to adjust the structure of the mold so that the heights of the installation surfaces of multiple cores are uniform. However, the above-mentioned core transport device may also be provided with a linear actuator that adjusts the height of each individual core.

[0029] In the above-mentioned core transport device, the transport section is preferably configured by an articulated robot.

[0030] With this configuration, the transport unit is made up of an articulated robot, so multiple cores can be transported to any position, reducing equipment costs and weight. Also, if a commercially available transport robot is used as the articulated robot, general-purpose equipment can be used.

[0031] In the core transport device, it is preferable that the reversing unit is connected to the holding unit so that the rotation axis extends parallel to the arrangement direction.

[0032] With this configuration, the inverting unit can turn the cores upside down around a rotation axis that extends in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the gripping units, making it possible to turn the cores in a balanced manner even if they have different shapes or weights.

[0033] In the core transport device, it is preferable that the reversing unit is connected to the holding unit so that the rotation axis is located at an intermediate position of the holding unit in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction.

[0034] With this configuration, the holding section that holds the multiple gripping sections is turned upside down by the turning section at a midpoint in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the holding section. This reduces the load on the turning section when the holding section is turned over, and allows multiple cores to be turned over in a more balanced manner. In particular, in the case of long cores, the cores can be turned over in a balanced manner at a midpoint in the longitudinal direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] As described above, the core transport device of the present invention can efficiently turn over and transport a plurality of cores used in engine casting. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a core transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of the first to third gripping units, a frame member, and a rotation drive unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the first to third gripping parts of FIG. 1 as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a pair of gripping claws shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the robot arm of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of transporting multiple cores using the core transport device of Figure 1, and is an oblique explanatory diagram showing the state in which multiple cores immediately after molding still have the lower mold of the molding device attached. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view showing a state in which the plurality of cores in FIG. 6 are pushed out above the lower die by ejector pins. [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective explanatory view showing the operation of gripping the plurality of cores of FIG. 7 with the gripping claws of the first to third gripping parts of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective explanatory view showing the operation of turning the plurality of cores in FIG. 8 held by the first to third gripping parts upside down together with a frame member that holds these gripping parts by a rotation drive part. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective explanatory view showing the operation of transporting the upside-down cores of FIG. 9 onto a predetermined mounting table by a robot arm. [Figure 11] 11 is an explanatory perspective view showing a state in which the upside-down multiple cores of FIG. 10 are placed on a predetermined placing table. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Hereinafter, a core transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0038] The core transfer device 1 (hereinafter referred to as transfer device 1) shown in FIG. 1 is a device that transfers a plurality of (three in this embodiment) molded cores C1 to C3 used in engine casting.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 11 , the cores C1 to C3 transported by the transport device 1 are inserted into an engine casting mold to form the intake and exhaust gas passages (e.g., intake ports and exhaust ports) or the cooling water passages (e.g., water jackets) that are voids within the engine during casting. These cores have shapes corresponding to the voids of the intake ports and water jackets. Each of the cores C1 to C3 has a long shape extending in the direction of the engine cylinder rows. While the core C1 in this embodiment is divided into two pieces, it may also be combined into one piece. The three cores C1 to C3 are inserted into the engine casting mold in an assembled state during engine casting. The cores C1 to C3 are formed by filling a mold with materials such as resin or sand. Because they are somewhat fragile, they must be held as gently as possible during inversion and transport. The cores transported by the transport device 1 may be multiple cores, and the number and shape of the cores are not limited.

[0040] 1, the transfer device 1 is generally composed of a transfer attachment 2 that collectively grips and inverts the cores C1 to C3, and a robot arm 3 (transfer unit) that is connected to the transfer attachment 2 and transfers the attachment 2 from the core molding machine to the core placement tables S1 to S3 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). In this embodiment, an articulated robot, specifically a highly versatile robot arm 3, is used as the transfer unit that transfers the multiple cores C1 to C3.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the transport attachment 2 includes first to third gripping units 4 to 6 as multiple gripping units, a large frame member 7 that is a holding unit that holds the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 aligned in a predetermined arrangement direction X, and a rotation drive unit 8 that is an inversion unit connected to the frame member 7 and inverts the frame member 7 upside down.

[0042] The main frame member 7 is a holding part that holds the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 in a state where they are lined up in a predetermined arrangement direction X. The frame member 7 is configured in a frame shape that collectively surrounds the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 and supports each of the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 at both ends in a direction Y that is perpendicular to the arrangement direction X.

[0043] The first to third gripping portions 4 to 6 are configured to individually grip the plurality of cores C1 to C3 after molding.

[0044] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the first gripping unit 4 includes at least one pair (in this embodiment, multiple pairs (8 pairs)) of gripping claws 11 (specifically, a movable claw A and a fixed claw 11B) extending in the horizontal direction (specifically, in the arrangement direction X) at positions spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction Z, four gripping claw opening / closing drive units 14, a two-part frame body 12 that extends in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X and is large enough to surround the long core C1, and a pair of frame body opening / closing drive units 13 that drive the two-part frame body 12 to open and close in the arrangement direction X.

[0045] 3, the frame 12 has a rectangular shape that is large enough to surround the long core C1 by expanding in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. The frame 12 of this embodiment is formed by a rectangular frame divided into two parts in the arrangement direction X.

[0046] Frame 12 holds gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14, and directly holds fixed claw 11B, which is one of the pair of gripping claws 11, and indirectly holds movable claw 11A, which is the other, via gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14. Grip claw opening / closing drive unit 14 is attached to a side of frame 12 that does not interfere with mounting table S1 (see FIG. 10) when core C1 is placed on mounting table S1 (upper side in FIGS. 3 and 10).

[0047] The frame body opening / closing drive units 13 are fixed one on each of the opposing inner circumferential surfaces of the large frame member 7 that face in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. The frame body opening / closing drive units 13 drive the two divided frame bodies 12 to open and close in the arrangement direction X, thereby enabling the pair of gripping claws 11 to move toward and away from the core C1 surrounded by the frame body 12 in the arrangement direction X (i.e., the horizontal direction).

[0048] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, each pair of gripping claws 11 is composed of the movable claw 11A and fixed claw 11B, which extend horizontally and are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction Z. Specifically, the movable claws 11A and the fixed claws 11B each extend in the arrangement direction X so as to protrude inside the frame body 12. Each pair of gripping claws 11 (movable claws 11A and fixed claws 11B) is disposed on both sides of the frame body 12 in the arrangement direction X, so that the core C1, which extends in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X, can be gripped on both sides in the arrangement direction X. This allows each pair of gripping claws 11 of the first gripping unit 4 to grip the core C1 so that the longitudinal direction of the core C1 is in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. In addition, in this configuration, the first gripping portion 4 is configured such that multiple pairs (specifically, eight pairs) of gripping claws 11 grip the core C1 at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the core C1.

[0049] 4, the movable claw 11A is a claw that is movable in the vertical direction. The base end of the movable claw 11A is connected to the gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 via a movable claw support arm 20. The movable claw support arm 20 extends in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X, and the movable claw 11A is connected to both ends of the movable claw support arm 20. The fixed claw 11B is fixed to the frame body 12 via an L-shaped bracket 21 at a position spaced apart from the movable claw 11A in the vertical direction.

[0050] Each pair of gripping claws 11 (movable claws 11A and fixed claws 11B) is at least partially made of an elastic material. In this embodiment, both movable claws 11A and fixed claws 11B are made of a tip cushion portion 18 and a band plate portion 19. Tip cushion portion 18 is made of resin or rubber, etc., and has enough elasticity to bend slightly when the pair of gripping claws 11 grips the core C1. Band plate portion 19 is made of resin or thin metal plate, and has enough elasticity to bend (flex) in the vertical direction when the pair of gripping claws 11 grips the core C1.

[0051] The gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 has a configuration that moves the movable claw 11A of the pair of gripping claws 11 in the vertical direction Z. The gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 includes an air cylinder, an electric motor, or the like, and generates a driving force that moves the movable claw 11A linearly back and forth in the vertical direction.

[0052] The third gripping portion 6 has a configuration for gripping a plurality of cores C3 after molding, and the specific configuration is the same as that of the first gripping portion 4.

[0053] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, the second gripping unit 5 does not have a frame body 12 and a frame body opening / closing drive unit 13 like the first gripping unit 4 and the third gripping unit 6 described above, but instead has a pair of gripping claw horizontal drive units 15 and a horizontal movement plate 16.

[0054] Each of the multiple pairs (specifically, four pairs) of gripping claws 11 of the second gripping unit 5 is composed of a movable claw 11A and a fixed claw 11B as described above. The gripping claws 11 of each pair extend in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. Because the gripping claws 11 of each pair are arranged on both sides in the orthogonal direction Y, the core C2 extending in the orthogonal direction Y can be gripped on both sides in the orthogonal direction Y. This allows each pair of gripping claws 11 of the second gripping unit 5 to grip the core C2 so that the longitudinal direction of the core C2 is in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. Furthermore, with this configuration, the second gripping unit 5 is configured so that the multiple pairs (specifically, four pairs) of gripping claws 11 grip the core C2 at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the core C2.

[0055] 3 holds the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14, and also directly holds one of the pair of gripping jaws 11, that is, fixed jaw 11B (see FIG. 4), and indirectly holds the other, that is, movable jaw 11A (see FIG. 4), via the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14. The gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14 is attached to the side of the horizontally moving plate 16 that does not interfere with the mounting table S2 (see FIG. 10) when the core C2 is placed on the mounting table S2 (upper side in FIGS. 3 and 10).

[0056] The gripping jaw horizontal drive units 15 are fixed one by one to opposing surfaces of the inner peripheral surface of the large frame member 7 that face in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X, via intermediate bars 17 extending in the perpendicular direction Y. The gripping jaw horizontal drive units 15 move a horizontally moving plate 16 in the perpendicular direction Y, thereby enabling the pair of gripping jaws 11 to move toward or away from the core C2 in the perpendicular direction Y (i.e., the horizontal direction).

[0057] 1 and 2, the rotation drive unit 8 is connected to the main frame member 7 and is an inverting unit that turns the frame member 7 upside down together with the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 about a rotation axis R that extends in the horizontal direction (specifically, in the arrangement direction X). The rotation drive unit 8 has a configuration that generates a rotation drive force, and specifically has a configuration that includes a rotation drive source such as an electric motor.

[0058] The rotational drive unit 8 of this embodiment is connected to the frame member 7 so that the rotational axis R extends parallel to the arrangement direction X. Moreover, the rotational drive unit 8 is connected to an end portion of the frame member 7 in the arrangement direction X so that the rotational axis R is located at the middle position of the frame member 7 in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X.

[0059] The robot arm 3 shown in Figure 1 is an articulated robot that is connected to the rotation drive unit 8 of the transport attachment 2 and is configured to function as a transport unit that transports the frame member 7 that holds the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 via the rotation drive unit 8 to the mounting tables S1 to S3 (see Figure 10), which are predetermined mounting locations on which multiple cores C1 to C3 are placed.

[0060] The robot arm 3 may have any configuration as long as it can move and rotate the transport attachment 2 (that is, the assembly of the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6, the frame member 7, and the rotation drive part 8) in all directions in three-dimensional space. For example, the robot arm 3 shown in FIG. 5 includes a base 31 placed on the floor, a rotating table 32 supported on the base 31 so as to be freely rotatable horizontally, a first rotating support part 33 fixed on the rotating table 32, a first arm 34 supported on a rotating shaft 33a of the first rotating support part 33 so as to be freely swingable in the front-to-back direction, a second arm 35 supported on a rotating shaft 34a at the tip of the first arm 34 so as to be freely swingable in the up-and-down direction, a first rotating shaft 36 supported rotatably on the tip of the second arm 35, a second rotating support part 37 fixed to the tip of the first rotating shaft 36, a third arm 38 supported on a rotating shaft 37a of the second rotating support part 37 so as to be freely swingable in the up-and-down direction, and a second rotating shaft 39 supported rotatably on the tip of the third arm 38. By connecting the rotation drive unit 8 of the transport attachment 2 to the second rotation axis 39 of this robot arm 3, it becomes possible to move the frame member 7 that holds the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 in any direction.

[0061] Using the transfer device 1 configured as above, the cores C1 to C3 are turned over and transferred according to the following procedure.

[0062] First, as shown in Fig. 6, immediately after being molded by the molding device, the cores C1 to C3 are removed from the device while still fitted in the lower dies M1 to M3, respectively. Then, as shown in Fig. 7, the cores C1 to C3 are pushed upward by the ejector pins P and released above the lower dies M1 to M3.

[0063] 8, the robot arm 3 moves the transport attachment 2 to the positions of the cores C1 to C3 that have been released from the lower molds M1 to M3. Then, the cores C1 to C3 are individually gripped by the multiple pairs of gripping claws 11 of the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6.

[0064] Specifically, in the first gripping unit 4 and the third gripping unit 6, the frame opening / closing drive unit 13 moves the two-part frame 12 in the arrangement direction X so as to approach the cores C1 and C3, and moves each pair of gripping jaws 11 so as to be on both the top and bottom sides of the ends of the cores C1 and C3 (see the movement direction indicated by arrow I in Figure 8). Thereafter, the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14 moves the movable jaw 11A (see Figure 4) of each pair of gripping jaws 11 in a direction approaching the fixed jaw 11B (upward in Figure 8). This enables the gripping jaws 11 of each pair of the first gripping unit 4 and the third gripping unit 6 to grip the cores C1 and C3.

[0065] In the second gripping unit 5, the gripping jaw horizontal drive unit 15 moves the horizontally moving plate 16 in the orthogonal direction Y so as to approach the core C2, and moves each pair of gripping jaws 11 to both the top and bottom of the end of the core C2 (see the movement direction indicated by arrow I' in Figure 8). Thereafter, the gripping jaw open / close drive unit 14 moves the movable jaw 11A (see Figure 4) of each pair of gripping jaws 11 in a direction approaching the fixed jaw 11B (upward in Figure 8), thereby enabling each pair of gripping jaws 11 of the second gripping unit 5 to grip the core C2.

[0066] With the gripping claws 11 of the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 individually gripping the cores C1 to C3 as described above, as shown in Figure 9, the rotation drive unit 8 connected to the robot arm 3 turns the large frame member 7 holding the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 upside down around the rotation axis R extending in the arrangement direction X.

[0067] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the frame member 7 holding the first to third gripping parts 4 to 6 is transported by the robot arm 3 via the rotation drive part 8 to the placement tables S1 to S3 on which the plurality of cores C1 to C3 are placed.

[0068] Then, the gripping of the cores C1-C3 by the gripping claws 11 of the first to third gripping parts 4-6 is released, and the frame member 7 holding the first to third gripping parts 4-6 is removed from the mounting tables S1-S3 by the robot arm 3. This ultimately makes it possible to mount the multiple molded cores C1-C3 in an inverted state on the mounting tables S1-S3.

[0069] (Features of this embodiment) (1) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with first to third gripping units 4 to 6 that individually grip multiple cores C1 to C3 after molding, a frame member 7 that holds the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction X, a rotation drive unit 8 connected to the frame member 7 and that turns the frame member 7 upside down together with the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 about a rotation axis R that extends horizontally (specifically, in the arrangement direction X), and a robot arm 3 (conveying unit) that is connected to the rotation drive unit 8 and transports the frame member 7 holding the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 via the rotation drive unit 8 to the mounting tables S1 to S3 on which the multiple cores C1 to C3 are placed.

[0070] According to this configuration, the multiple cores C1-C3 after molding are individually gripped by the first to third gripping units 4-6, and while the gripping units maintain their gripping state, the frame member 7 holding the multiple cores is flipped upside down by the rotation drive unit 8 about the rotation axis R extending horizontally (specifically, the arrangement direction X). This allows the multiple cores C1-C3 to be simultaneously flipped while being gripped by the first to third gripping units 4-6. Then, the frame member 7 holding the first to third gripping units 4-6 is transported by the robot arm 3 via the rotation drive unit 8 to the mounting tables S1-S3 on which the multiple cores C1-C3 are placed, allowing the multiple inverted cores C1-C3 to be transported to the mounting tables S1-S3 simultaneously. This makes it possible to continuously and efficiently flip and transport the multiple cores C1-C3 using a single transport device 1. As a result, it is possible to reduce the cycle time and capital investment required for the flipping and transport of the multiple cores C1-C3.

[0071] In the transport device 1 of the above embodiment, it is sufficient to provide one rotation drive unit 8 for inverting the large frame member 7, and there is no need to provide individual rotation drive units for individually inverting each of the first to third gripping units 4 to 6. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the weight of the transport attachment 2 and reduce the burden on the robot arm 3 when transporting the cores C1 to C3.

[0072] (2) In the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 each include at least one pair of gripping claws 11 extending in the horizontal direction (specifically, the arrangement direction X or the perpendicular direction Y) at positions spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction Z, and a gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 that moves at least one of the pair of gripping claws 11 (in this embodiment, the movable claw 11A) in the vertical direction Z.

[0073] According to this configuration, the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 are each equipped with at least one pair of gripping claws 11 extending horizontally to grip the cores C1 to C3, thereby reducing the height of the gripping units in the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, by having the gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 move at least one of the pair of gripping claws 11 (in this embodiment, movable claw 11A) in the vertical direction Z, the cores C1 to C3 can be stably gripped from the vertical direction Z. This allows the cores to be continuously turned over, transported, and placed on the placement tables S1 to S3 while being held in the vertical direction Z by the pair of gripping claws 11. As a result, the cores C1 to C3 do not need to be temporarily placed when they are placed in the placement location, making it possible to more efficiently turn over and transport the cores C1 to C3.

[0074] Furthermore, since the pair of gripping claws 11 extend horizontally, the degree of freedom in the position of the gripping claws 11 and the gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 is greater than in a method in which the cores C1 to C3 are pinched from above and transported by a pair of vertically extending gripping claws 11, making it easier to modularize the transport device.

[0075] The gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 may be configured to drive both of the pair of gripping claws 11 to open and close in the vertical direction to grip the cores C1 to C3.

[0076] (3) In the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, at least a portion of the gripping jaws 11 is made of an elastic material, specifically, it is made up of a tip cushion portion 18 and a band plate portion 19. With this configuration, the pair of gripping jaws 11 can bend (flex) and elastically deform in the vertical direction Z when gripping the cores C1 to C3. Therefore, compared to conventional conveying devices, it is possible to absorb misalignment of the mold used to mold the cores and misalignment of the molding equipment, and the gripping jaws 11 can follow the shape of the core even if there is some shape error in the mold shape of the core. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to perfectly match the gripping jaws 11 to the shape of the core, improving versatility.

[0077] (4) In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the first gripping unit 4 and the third gripping unit 6 each include a frame 12 large enough to surround the cores C1 and C3. The frame 12 holds a gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14. One of the pair of gripping jaws 11, a fixed jaw 11B, is directly held by the frame 12, and the other, a movable jaw 11A, is indirectly held by the frame 12 via the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14.

[0078] According to this configuration, the first gripping unit 4 and the third gripping unit 6 are provided with a frame 12 that holds the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14 and also holds the pair of gripping jaws 11 directly or indirectly via the gripping jaw opening / closing drive unit 14. As a result, the cores C1, C3 surrounded by the frame 12 can be stably gripped by the pair of gripping jaws 11 held directly or indirectly by the frame 12, making it possible to more stably invert and transport the cores.

[0079] The frame 12 may indirectly hold both of the pair of gripping claws 11 via the gripping claw opening / closing drive unit 14 .

[0080] (5) In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the holding section that holds the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6 is configured by a frame member 7 that collectively surrounds the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6 and supports each of the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6 at both ends in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. In this configuration, the frame member 7 supports each of the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6 at both ends in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X, making it possible to stably and simultaneously invert and transfer the multiple cores C1 to C3 held by the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6.

[0081] The holding portion that holds the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6 may be configured other than the frame member 7 as in the above embodiment, for example, an open Y-shaped member or a rod-shaped member that holds one end of the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6. However, the frame member 7 that supports both ends of the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6 as described above is preferred in that it can stably hold the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6.

[0082] (6) In the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the multiple cores C1 to C3 each have an elongated shape extending in the cylinder row direction of the engine, and the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6 each grip the elongated cores C1 to C3 so that the longitudinal direction of the elongated cores C1 to C3 is in a direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X.

[0083] According to this configuration, the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6 each grip the cores C1 to C3 so that the longitudinal direction of the cores C1 to C3 is in direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X of the first to third gripping portions 4 to 6, making it possible to stably grip multiple long cores C1 to C3 in a limited space.

[0084] (7) In the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, the multiple cores C1 to C3 each have an elongated shape extending in the direction of the cylinder row of the engine, and in the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6, multiple pairs of gripping claws 11 grip the elongated cores C1 to C3 at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the cores C1 to C3.

[0085] With this configuration, the multiple pairs of gripping jaws 11 grip the cores C1-C3 at positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the cores C1-C3, making it possible to stably grip the long cores C1-C3, thereby enabling the long cores C1-C3 to be turned over and transported stably and quickly.

[0086] (8) In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the transfer section that transfers the frame member 7 that holds the first to third gripping sections 4 to 6 is composed of a robot arm 3 that is an articulated robot. This makes it possible to transfer multiple cores C1 to C3 to any position, reducing equipment costs and making the equipment lighter. By using the robot arm 3, which is a commercially available transfer robot, as the articulated robot, it becomes possible to utilize general-purpose equipment.

[0087] (9) In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the rotation drive unit 8 is connected to the frame member 7 so that the rotation axis R extends parallel to the arrangement direction X. With this configuration, the rotation drive unit 8 can turn the multiple cores C1 to C3 upside down around the rotation axis R, which extends in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction X in which the first to third gripping units 4 to 6 are aligned. Therefore, even if the multiple cores C1 to C3 have different shapes or weights, it is possible to turn the multiple cores C1 to C3 upside down in a balanced manner.

[0088] (10) In the transfer device 1 of this embodiment, the rotation drive unit 8 is connected to the frame member 7 so that the rotation axis R is at the middle position of the frame member 7 in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. With this configuration, the rotation drive unit 8 turns the frame member 7, which holds the first to third gripping units 4 to 6, upside down at the middle position of the frame member 7 in the direction Y perpendicular to the arrangement direction X. This reduces the load on the rotation drive unit 8 when the frame member 7 is turned over, and enables the multiple cores C1 to C3 to be turned over in a more balanced manner. In particular, in the case of long cores C1 to C3 as described above, the cores C1 to C3 can be turned over in a balanced manner at the middle position in the longitudinal direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Core transport device 2 Transport attachment 3 Robot arm (transport unit) 4 First grip part 5 Second grip part 6 Third grip part 7 Frame member (holding part) 8 Rotation drive unit (reversal unit) 11 Gripping claw 11a Movable claw 11b Fixed claw 12 Frame 13 Frame opening / closing drive unit 14. Grip jaw opening / closing drive unit 15 Gripping claw horizontal drive part 18 Tip cushion part (elastic body) 19 Strip plate part (elastic body) C1, C2, C3 neutrons S1, S2, S3 mounting platforms

Claims

1. A core transport device for transporting a plurality of molded cores used in engine casting, a plurality of gripping portions for individually gripping the plurality of cores after molding; a holding portion that holds the plurality of gripping portions in a state where the gripping portions are arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction; an inversion unit connected to the holding unit and configured to invert the holding unit together with the plurality of gripping units upside down about a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction; a transport unit connected to the inverting unit and configured to transport the holding unit, which holds the plurality of gripping units, via the inverting unit to a predetermined placement location where the plurality of cores are to be placed; Equipped with the gripping unit includes at least a pair of gripping claws extending horizontally at positions spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, a gripping claw drive unit that moves at least one of the pair of gripping claws in the vertical direction, and a frame body having a size capable of surrounding the core, the frame holds the gripping jaw drive unit, One of the pair of gripping claws is directly held on the frame body, and the other is indirectly held on the frame body via the gripping claw drive unit, or both of the pair of gripping claws are indirectly held on the frame body via the gripping claw drive unit. A core transport device characterized by:

2. 2. The core transport device according to claim 1, At least a portion of the gripping claw is made of an elastic material. A core transport device characterized by:

3. 3. The core transport device according to claim 2, The elastic body is composed of a tip cushion portion and a band plate portion. A core transport device characterized by:

4. A core transport device for transporting a plurality of molded cores used in engine casting, comprising: a plurality of gripping portions for individually gripping the plurality of cores after molding; a holding portion that holds the plurality of gripping portions in a state where the gripping portions are arranged in a predetermined arrangement direction; an inversion unit connected to the holding unit and configured to invert the holding unit together with the plurality of gripping units upside down about a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction; a transport unit connected to the inverting unit and configured to transport the holding unit, which holds the plurality of gripping units, via the inverting unit to a predetermined placement location where the plurality of cores are to be placed; Equipped with The holding portion is configured by a frame member that collectively surrounds the plurality of gripping portions and supports each of the plurality of gripping portions at both ends in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. A core transport device characterized by:

5. The core transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, each of the plurality of cores has an elongated shape extending in a cylinder row direction of the engine; Each of the plurality of gripping portions grips the core such that the longitudinal direction of the core is perpendicular to the arrangement direction. A core transport device characterized by:

6. The core transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, each of the plurality of cores has an elongated shape extending in a cylinder row direction of the engine; The plurality of pairs of gripping claws grip the core at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the core. A core transport device characterized by:

7. The core transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The transport unit is composed of an articulated robot. A core transport device characterized by:

8. The core transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The inversion portion is connected to the holding portion so that the rotation axis extends parallel to the arrangement direction. A core transport device characterized by:

9. The core transport device according to claim 8, the inversion unit is connected to the holding unit so that the rotation axis is located at an intermediate position of the holding unit in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. A core transport device characterized by:

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