conveying device

Abstract

It can reliably pick up parts of various shapes, such as sewn products, and can efficiently transport them while eliminating picking errors. The conveying device (11) picks up multiple parts (P) arranged on the same plane after the sheet material is cut in the cutting process section (21) and conveys them to the next assembly process section (22). The conveying device (11) has multiple picking arms (14), each picking arm (14) having a retractable arm (15) and an adsorption hand (16) that adsorbs the part (P) at the front end of the arm (15). The picking arms (14) are configured to move between the cutting process section (21) and the assembly process section (22). Moreover, the control unit that drives the picking arms (14) is configured to change the relative position of the adsorption hands (16) when viewed from above according to the graphic data used in the cutting process, and to adsorb and pick up a cut part (P) by one or more adsorption hands (16).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying multiple parts that have been cut from sheet material and arranged on the same plane to the next process. Background Technology

[0002] Until now, the main task has been to manually pick up sewn parts after they have been cut by the cutting device and transfer them to the next process.

[0003] To obtain a product, multiple parts are needed, and these parts are generally not of a single type but rather come in various shapes. Typically, these parts are cut from sheet material to avoid waste, so the arrangement after cutting does not take into account the next process. Therefore, the cut parts are visually judged and picked up in an orderly manner, for example, according to type or sewing order.

[0004] However, if an error occurs during this picking process, it will hinder the subsequent operations and lead to problems such as defective products and work delays.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a conveying device that mechanically picks up cut parts without human hand and moves them to a sewing template. The conveying device has a picking device with picking heads distributed on the same plane. The conveying device selects a portion of the picking heads from among the multiple picking heads to pick up the parts based on information about the parts.

[0006] Existing technical documents

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-48926 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0010] When picking up objects mechanically, such as with the conveying device in Patent Document 1, the error of picking up the wrong object can be reduced compared to picking them up by hand.

[0011] However, since the pickup head is a structure that exists in a predetermined position and performs a partial action to pick up parts, it cannot handle subtle differences in the shape of the parts, and may fail to pick them up as expected. Furthermore, the presence of a pickup head that does not contribute to the picking process also presents a challenge of low operational efficiency.

[0012] Therefore, the main objective of this invention is to reliably pick up parts of various shapes and to efficiently transfer them while eliminating picking errors.

[0013] Methods for solving problems

[0014] The means for solving the problem is a conveying device that picks up multiple parts arranged on the same plane, obtained by cutting sheet material in a cutting process, and conveys them to the next process. The conveying device has multiple picking arms, each having a retractable arm and an adsorption hand at the front end of the arm to adsorb the part. The picking arms are configured to move between the cutting process and the next process. A control unit that drives the picking arms is configured to change the relative positions of the adsorption hands when viewed from above based on graphic data used in the cutting process, and to adsorb and pick up one of the cut parts using one or more of the adsorption hands.

[0015] In this structure, when multiple parts arranged on the same plane and to be cut in a predetermined order are picked up and conveyed to the next process, the control unit selects one or more picking arms based on the graphic data of the parts to be picked up, according to the size and shape of the parts. In cases where parts are large or have complex shapes, or where a single picking arm cannot adequately hold them, multiple picking arms work together. The selected picking arm is driven, and the part is picked up by adsorbing the appropriate part using a suction hand, and then released after being conveyed to the next process. Picking arms other than those used to pick up a single part can be driven and controlled to pick up other parts.

[0016] Invention Effects

[0017] As described above, according to the present invention, since the relative positions of the adsorption hands configured as pickup arms change according to graphic data when viewed from above, and are held by one or more adsorption hands, parts of various shapes can be reliably picked up. Furthermore, a pickup arm among the multiple pickup arms that is not used to pick up a single part can be used to pick up other parts, thus achieving efficient transport. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a top view of the conveyor.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side view of the conveyor.

[0020] Figure 3 These are the rear and front views of the moving object and the pickup arm.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a side view of the pickup arm in its retracted state.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a side view of the pickup arm in a slightly extended position.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a top view showing the front ends of a pair of pickup arms, left and right.

[0024] Figure 7 It's a block diagram.

[0025] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the transmission action.

[0026] Figure 9 This is an illustrative diagram showing the process of adsorption and printing using multiple adsorption hands.

[0027] Figure 10 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the adsorption location of the part.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a top view of a conveyor system in another example.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a top view of the printed cells, showing other examples.

[0030] Figure 13 It is shown Figure 12 A side view of the printing unit.

[0031] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of the front end of the arm, showing other examples. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following description uses the accompanying drawings to illustrate one method for carrying out the invention.

[0033] Figure 1 A top view of the conveying device 11 is shown. The conveying device 11 picks up and conveys multiple parts P arranged on the same plane, obtained by cutting the sheet material in the cutting process, to the next process.

[0034] In the accompanying drawings, part P is depicted as being transferred from left to right. The left side of the drawing shows the front stage platform 12 where the trimmed part P is placed, and the right side shows the rear stage platform 13 where the picked-up parts P are stacked in a prescribed order.

[0035] Regarding the part P to be picked up by the conveyor 11, it can be moved either after it has been directly cut in the cutting device or after the cutting process has been completed without disrupting the arrangement of the part P. The front stage platform 12 in the example is equipped with a cutting device (not shown), which is configured to cut the sheet material according to the input graphic data. Here, the part having the front stage platform 12 is referred to as the cutting process section 21.

[0036] The post-stage loading platform 13 is the section that prepares the required parts in the pre-joining process where the picked-up parts P are joined together. The section having the post-stage loading platform 13 is referred to as the assembly process section 22, which is the next process. In the assembly process section 22, in addition to stacking the parts P in an orderly manner on the post-stage loading platform 13, the parts P can also be stored in a suitable box. Furthermore, the parts P can be arranged in a predetermined positional relationship. The next process can also be the section where the joining process is performed.

[0037] Specifically, the conveying device 11 shown in the figure is suitable for manufacturing various sewn products such as car seat covers, airbags, and clothing. It orderly picks up the required parts P from the cut parts P without human error and sends them to the sewing process.

[0038] The conveying device 11 has multiple picking arms 14. Each picking arm 14 has a telescopic arm 15 and an adsorption hand 16 at the front end of the arm 15 for adsorbing the part P.

[0039] These picking arms 14 are configured to move between the previous stage and the next stage (the next process), namely, between the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22. The movement of the picking arms 14 can be achieved using any structure, such as a rotary structure, as long as it can move from the previous stage to the next stage and from the next stage to the previous stage. In the example shown, a moving body 17 that moves between the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22 (more specifically, reciprocating from the area of ​​the cutting process section 21 to the area of ​​the assembly process section 22 and vice versa) is configured to be movable.

[0040] Furthermore, multiple pickup arms 14 are provided on both sides of the conveyor line connecting the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22. Specifically, each side is provided with two pickup arms 14, and these pickup arms 14 are supported by the moving body 17. That is to say, the pickup arms 14 can move one by one along the conveyor line via the moving body 17.

[0041] That is, track sections 18 are provided on both sides of the conveyor line on which the front stage platform 12 and the rear stage platform 13 are arranged. The track section 18 is formed to be longer than the length connecting the front stage platform 12 and the rear stage platform 13, and a standby section 19 is provided at a position on the front stage side of the front stage platform 12. The standby section 19 is a part for the moving body 17 and the picking arm 14 to standby.

[0042] Figure 2 The figure shows the state of the conveying device 11 as viewed from the rear stage side, i.e., the rear stage platform 13 side, in the conveying direction. As shown in the figure, the aforementioned movable body 17 is supported on the track section 18 in a movable manner. The movable body 17 is configured to have a movement motor 31 composed of a servo motor, a stepper motor, etc., and is connected to the track section 18 via a mechanism such as... Figure 3 As shown by the imaginary line in (a), the engagement of the rack 32 of the track section 18 enables it to move / stop at a desired position on the track section 18.

[0043] in addition, Figure 3 (a) shows the state of the moving body 17 and the pickup arm 14 as viewed from the rear side, i.e., the ends of both sides of the conveyor line. Figure 3 (b) shows the state of the moving body 17 and the picking arm 14 as viewed from the opposite direction, i.e., the front end side of the picking arm 14.

[0044] Since the moving body 17 and the pickup arm 14 are arranged on both sides of the conveyor line as described above, the arm portion 15 of the pickup arm 14 does not have multiple axes of rotation; it only needs to be a structure capable of linear extension and retraction. The arm portion 15 is as follows... Figure 4 , Figure 5 That configuration allows for a longer travel distance while reducing the space occupied during contraction.

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the arm 15 in its contracted state, viewed from the side. Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the arm 15 viewed from the side in a slightly extended state.

[0046] As shown in these figures, the arm 15 has: a base portion 35; a plurality of movable arms 36, 37, and 38 stacked on top of the base portion 35 in a relatively movable manner; and a front arm portion 39 located at the uppermost end. The base portion 35, the movable arms 36, 37, and 38, and the front arm portion 39 are all formed into an elongated rectangular box shape.

[0047] The base portion 35, multiple movable arms 36, 37, 38, and front arm 39 are configured as follows: During retraction, the multiple movable arms 36, 37, 38 are arranged vertically above the base portion 35 with their rear ends aligned. Above the uppermost movable arm 38, the front arm 39 is positioned to extend forward beyond the movable arm 38. The illustrated example shows three movable arms 36, 37, and 38. Starting from the lower movable arm, the movable arms 36, 37, and 38 are sequentially referred to as the first movable arm 36, the second movable arm 37, and the third movable arm 38.

[0048] The base portion 35 houses a ball spline 42 driven by a motor (telescopic motor 41), and the rear end of the lower surface of the first movable arm portion 36 is connected to the moving head (first moving head 43) that moves relative to the base portion 35 in a manner that prevents relative movement.

[0049] Each of the movable arms 36, 37, and 38 has a belt 45 at its lower part, which is wound around a pair of pulleys 44 and extends in the front-rear direction. The lower portion of the belt 45 of the first movable arm 36 is fixed to a connecting bracket 46 located at the front end of the base 35 near the pulley 44. The lower portion of the belt 45 can move relative to the moving head (first moving head 43) without interfering with it.

[0050] The second movable arm section 37 and the third movable arm section 38, which are mounted above the first movable arm section 36, also have belts 45 that are wound around the pulley 44. These belts 45 are fixed to connecting brackets 46 located at the front ends of the movable arms 36 and 37, below each belt 45. The fixing positions of the belts 45 and the connecting brackets 46, as well as the base section 35, are the same as those for the first movable arm section 36.

[0051] Furthermore, movable heads (second movable head 47 and third movable head 48) are provided at the rear ends of the lower surfaces of the second movable arm 37 and the third movable arm 38, respectively, capable of moving relative to the lower movable arms 36 and 37. The second movable head 47 is fixed to the upper part of the belt 45 of the first movable arm 36, and the third movable head 48 is fixed to the upper part of the belt 45 of the second movable arm 37. A fourth movable head 49 is provided at the rear end of the lower surface of the front arm 39, and this fourth movable head 49 is fixed to the upper part of the belt 45 of the third movable arm 38.

[0052] Through this structure, driven by the telescopic motor 41, the first movable arm 36 is moved forward by the first moving head 43. The distance D1 between the first moving head 43 and the connecting bracket 46 is as follows: Figure 5As shown in D2, it shortens. As a result, belt 45 rotates and pushes the upper part of belt 45 forward. At the same time, the second moving head 47, the third moving head 48 and the fourth moving head 49 move forward by the same distance, thereby extending the arm 15 as a whole.

[0053] During retraction, conversely, when the first movable arm 36 moves backward by retracting the first moving head 43 driven by the telescopic motor 41, the belts 45 of each movable arm 36, 37, and 38 rotate in the opposite direction. As a result, each movable arm 36, 37, 38 and the front arm 39 retract by the same distance, thereby shortening the arm 15 as a whole.

[0054] The range of movement of the front end of the arm 15 is set to extend from the ends of the front stage platform 12 and the rear stage platform 13 to at least the center of the width direction of the front stage platform 12 and the rear stage platform 13.

[0055] The adsorption hand 16 of the front end arm 39 constituting the arm 15 is formed as a hollow box in the shape of a cuboid, such as... Figure 3 of (b) Figure 5 As shown, the suction hand 16 can rise and fall relative to the front arm 39. That is, the suction hand 16 is located at the lower end of the lifting tube 51, which extends vertically through the front end of the arm 15. The lifting tube 51 is hollow and, as shown... Figure 5 As shown, a rack 52 extending along the length direction is provided on the side of the outer peripheral surface. A pinion 53 meshes with the rack 52 and a lifting motor 54 that rotates the pinion 53 is provided within the front end arm 39. The lifting motor 54 is composed of a servo motor and a stepper motor.

[0056] A cylindrical suction port 61 is formed at the front end of the lower surface of the suction hand 16. The suction port 61 is sized to be suitable for the suction of part P, and there is only one such port. An inner cylindrical portion 62 is provided inside the suction port 61 for entry and exit. There may be two or more suction ports 61 instead of one. The shape, size, arrangement, and other features of the suction ports 61 are determined according to part P.

[0057] As in Figure 6 As seen in the image, the rectangular box-shaped suction hands 16 are positioned at an angle when viewed from above. Specifically, the pair of suction hands 16 arranged side by side are tilted in a direction that brings their front ends closer to each other. This is to ensure that the suction ports 61 of the pair of left and right pickup arms 14 are positioned close to each other, so that even small parts P can be picked up by the cooperation of the suction ports 61 of the adjacent left and right pickup arms 14.

[0058] like Figure 2 , Figure 3As shown, a pump 63, serving as a negative pressure source for the suction hand 16 to exert its attraction, is mounted on a moving body 17. A tube 64 extending from the pump 63 clamps a telescopic tube 65 located on the side of the pickup arm 14 (see reference). Figure 2 And connect it to the upper end of the riser tube 51.

[0059] The telescopic tube 65 is composed of a tube body with a telescopic structure, and it extends and retracts according to the extension and retraction of the arm 15.

[0060] The suction through the suction port 61 is configured to continue during the operation of the pump 63. To stop the suction, a device is provided inside the suction hand 16 as follows: Figure 5 The opening and closing gate 66 is shown to open and close the adsorption port 61. The opening and closing gate 66 is driven, for example, by an opening and closing gate actuator 67 made of a solenoid.

[0061] The conveying device 11 also includes a printing unit 71. That is, a printing unit 71 that prints on the part P held by the pick-up arm 14 between the cutting process and the next process (i.e., between the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22 on the track section 18). The printing unit 71 is used to mark the part P with identification labels, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the printing unit 71 consists of a printer 72 and a support plate 73, which may be provided as needed.

[0062] The printer 72 is, for example, an inkjet printer, and is supported so that it can be raised and lowered relative to a support frame 74 by means of a printer lifting motor 75, such as... Figure 2 It is mounted above the track section 18 as shown. The support plate 73 is used when the part P held in the suction hand 16 becomes loose and cannot be printed. The support plate 73 is provided on the support frame 74 adjacent to the printer 72 and can be raised and lowered by the support plate lifting motor 76. In addition, the support plate 73 is supported by a support actuator 77 made of a solenoid or the like so that it can rotate in the horizontal direction, and is provided in a way that allows it to be selectively moved below and away from the part P.

[0063] Figure 7 This is a block diagram showing the structure of such a transmission device 11. The control unit 81 has a built-in ROM for storing programs and RAM for storing data required for operations. The control unit 81 inputs graphic data 83 of the cutting device based on input from the input operation unit 82, performs calculations based on the graphic data containing position information (two-dimensional coordinate information) and recognition information, and performs drive control on each part.

[0064] The drive control performed by the control unit 81 will be explained below.

[0065] First, to describe the general operation, the control unit 81 reads the graphic data 83 of the cutting device based on the operation from the input operation unit 82, which is, for example, a personal computer. Then, referring to the graphic data 83 and the identification information of part P, it determines the parts to be picked up and their order according to a pre-stored program. At the same time, the control unit 81 determines, through calculation, which part of the part to be picked up and which picking arm 14 to use.

[0066] Then, when the transmission operation begins, the control unit 81 drives the pump 63. At this time, the opening and closing gate actuator 67 opens the opening and closing gate 66.

[0067] The control unit 81 drives the motor 31 of one or more moving bodies 17 of one of the selected picking arms 14 that are in a standby state, according to the decision, so that the moving body 17 moves to the position corresponding to the part P to be picked up and stops.

[0068] Here, the extension direction of the track section 18 is taken as the X-axis, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis is taken as the Y-axis. The "position corresponding to the part" mentioned above refers to the position on the X-axis. Strictly speaking, the position on the X-axis is also considered to be the adsorption part of part P.

[0069] Next, the control unit 81 drives the telescopic motor 41 to move the suction hand 16 above the designated suction position of the part P on the Y-axis and then stops. While maintaining this state, the control unit 81 drives the lifting motor 54 to lower the suction hand 16 to a designated position (see reference). Figure 8 (a)). Then, by attraction, part P is attracted by adsorption port 61 (see reference). Figure 8 (b)). During adsorption, the adsorption port 61 causes the inner cylinder 62 to be embedded, thereby lifting part P.

[0070] After raising the suction hand 16 to a predetermined height, the control unit 81 stops the lifting motor 54 (see reference). Figure 8 (c) and drive the telescopic motor 41 as needed to position the suction hand 16 on the Y-axis close to the center side on the Y-axis. In this state, drive the movement motor 31 to move the pickup arm 14 toward the next process, i.e., the subsequent stage platform 13, on the X-axis.

[0071] During the movement, the control unit 81 temporarily stops the moving motor 31 between the front stage platform 12 and the rear stage platform 13 to perform printing (see reference). Figure 8(d) That is, after driving the support plate lifting motor 76 to lower the support plate 73 to a position below the part P to be printed, the support actuator 77 is driven to position the support plate 73 below the part P. Then, the support plate lifting motor 76 is driven to raise the support plate 73 to a predetermined position, supporting the part P and flattening the part to be printed.

[0072] In this state, the control unit 81 drives the printer lifting motor 75 to lower the printer 72 to a predetermined position and drives the printer 72. Driven by the printer 72, part P is printed. After printing, the control unit 81 drives the printer lifting motor 75, the support plate lifting motor 76, and the support actuator 77 to return the printer 72 and support plate 73 to their initial positions.

[0073] When holding a part using multiple pick-up arms 14, such as Figure 9 As shown, the warped portion of part P is supported between the adsorption hands 16 and then printed.

[0074] Then, the control unit 81 drives the moving motor 31 again, moving part P to a predetermined position above the rear stage platform 13 (see reference). Figure 8 (e) After the moving motor 31 stops, the lifting motor 54 is driven. Thus, after the suction hand 16 descends to the predetermined position, the opening / closing gate actuator 67 is driven, causing the opening / closing gate 66 to close. In this way, the suction force of the suction hand 16 disappears, and if there is a part P that has already been transferred on the subsequent stage platform 13, the part P falls above the already transferred part P, thus completing the transfer. The pickup arm 14, which has performed the transfer, is driven and controlled by the control unit 81 for the next transfer.

[0075] When a part P is being transferred, the number of pickup arms 14 used is not the full number, that is, in this example, there are fewer than 4 arms. The other pickup arms 14 are driven and controlled by the control unit 81 in the same way as described above, for transferring other parts P.

[0076] In addition, during the transfer using the pickup arm 14, when the part is placed on the printing or backward stage loading stage 13, the telescopic motor 41 can be driven to change the orientation of the held part P.

[0077] Next, an example of adsorption using the adsorption hand 16 will be described.

[0078] As necessary information stored in RAM, the control unit 81 has, for example... Figure 10The information on the shortest distance L between the suction hands 16 of the left and right arranged pickup arms 14 as shown, and the information on the diameter d of the suction port 61, are compared with the graphic data of the part to be picked up.

[0079] Then, the control unit 81 determines whether the part P can be adsorbed and held by one adsorption hand 16 based on the maximum length in the X-axis direction and the maximum length in the Y-axis direction and the outline shape of the part P determined from the graphic data, and with reference to the information such as the diameter d of the adsorption port 61.

[0080] In such Figure 10 In the case of parts like part Pa, which have a small aspect ratio, a coordinate at its center is set as the adsorption position. Figure 10 In this context, the circular markers drawn with imaginary lines represent the adsorption positions. In the case of parts Pb, Pc, Pd, and Pe, where the shape is longer than the shortest distance L between the adsorption hands 16 and longer than a predetermined value that allows for adsorption and holding with a single adsorption hand 16, two or more coordinates, including both sides along its length direction, are designated as adsorption positions. This applies not only to parts like Pb and Pc, which are positioned longer along the X-axis or Y-axis, but also to parts like Pd and Pe, which are positioned longer along an inclined direction; by determining the coordinates of the adsorption positions, accurate holding can be achieved.

[0081] For parts like Pf and Pg, which have a small aspect ratio but a span longer than the specified value required for holding them with a single adsorption hand 16, four or three coordinates, located away from their center and maintaining a specified distance from the outline in four or three directions, are designated as adsorption positions. For parts like Pf, which are quadrilaterals or nearly polygonal, holding is generally possible as long as adsorption can be applied at four points. For parts like Pg, which are triangular or partially extended, holding is possible as long as adsorption can be applied at three or four points.

[0082] Regarding the selection of the pick-up arm 14 for adsorbing and holding part P, the control unit 81 refers to the position information of the part P to be picked up and the preferred conveying sequence information. That is, in such cases... Figure 10 When there is only one suction position for part Pa, the pickup arm 14 on the Y-axis closer to part Pa will operate preferentially. However, when there are three suction positions for part Pe, even if they are far apart, the pickup arm 14 on the opposite side of part Pe will be used. Additionally, for example, when... Figure 10 While part Pb is being transported, considering the relationship between transport efficiency and transport sequence, if part Pa is also being transported at the same time, the pickup arm 14 located on the other side will be used.

[0083] As described above, regarding multiple parts P arranged on the same plane after being cut, the required parts P are correctly picked up sequentially according to the graphic data 83 provided by the cutting device. Furthermore, the parts P are conveyed to the next process by being held and held by the pick-up arms 14 at their respective desired locations. At this time, the relative positional relationship of one or more suction arms 16 in a top-view view is changed according to the size and shape of the parts P, and the required suction arms 16 are used for adsorption, thus enabling reliable picking of parts P of various shapes.

[0084] Furthermore, since part P is conveyed by one or more suction hands 16, the pickup arm 14 (suction hand 16) not used for conveying part P can be used for conveying other parts P at the same time, thereby enabling good conveying efficiency.

[0085] In this way, compared with manual transfer, picking errors can be eliminated, and it can also flexibly handle different shapes of parts, with good efficiency.

[0086] In addition, the moving body 17 that reciprocates between the cutting process area and the next process area enables the picking arm 14 to move between the cutting process and the next process, thus enabling each picking arm 14 to perform its actions in an orderly manner.

[0087] Furthermore, each pickup arm 14 has a movable body 17, thus each pickup arm has a high degree of freedom of movement and can adequately cope with the different sizes and shapes of the parts P.

[0088] Furthermore, multiple pickup arms 14 are respectively arranged on both sides of the conveyor line connecting the cutting process and the next process. Therefore, combined with the telescopic structure of the arm portion 15 of the pickup arm 14, even with a compact configuration, more efficient conveying can be achieved.

[0089] Based on the ability to transfer parts as desired without picking up errors, as described above, the printing unit 71, located between the cutting process and the next process, prints identification labels for each part P as needed. Therefore, even if part P becomes disordered after transfer, it will not hinder operations in subsequent processes.

[0090] use Figures 11-14 Other examples will be explained. In this explanation, parts with the same structure as those described above will be labeled with the same numbers, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0091] Figure 11This is a top view showing a schematic construction of the part (pick-up table 12a) that moves and waits for the part cut by the cutting device in a manner that does not disrupt its configuration, as an example of the previous stage loading table 12. In the figure, 21a is a cutting table consisting of a conveyor mechanism, and 21b is a cutting head that moves longitudinally and laterally on the cutting table 21a. The pick-up table 12a, like the cutting table 21a, is consisting of a conveyor mechanism. The part P cut by the cutting head 21b is transported in its original state and then transported to a predetermined position on the previous stage loading table 12.

[0092] The pickup arm 14 of the conveying device 11 is configured to move between the previous stage and the next stage (the next process). In this example, it is configured to move between the previous stage platform 12 (pickup workbench 12a) of the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22.

[0093] Figure 12 , Figure 13 Other examples of printing units 71 are shown. The printing unit 71 in the aforementioned examples is a unit that prints a part P held by the pick-up arm 14. In contrast, this printing unit 71 is a unit that can print while the part P is placed on a temporary placement table 78.

[0094] Specifically, the printing unit 71, located between the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22, is composed of a printer 72 vertically mounted from above with the printing direction downwards. The printer 72 is mounted on a movable support 91, which protrudes from the support frame 74 toward the space between the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22 along the X-axis, which is the extension direction of the track section 18. The movable support 91 moves along the support frame 74 along the Y-axis, perpendicular to the extension direction of the track section 18, and is configured to reciprocate from a midpoint in the Y-axis direction of the cutting process section to one end via a cylinder. A rod-shaped support shaft 92, which holds the printer 72 at its lower end, is provided on the lower surface of the movable support 91, but a slider 93, constructed of a cylinder, is provided at the upper end of the support shaft 92. This slider 93 is configured to reciprocate along the X-axis and stop at a predetermined position.

[0095] The lower end of the printer 72 is positioned above the worktable surface of the front stage platform 12 that constitutes the cutting process section 21, and close to the height of the suction port 61 on the lower surface of the suction hand 16 of the normally positioned pickup arm 14.

[0096] The temporary placement table 78 places part P in a printing position located below the printing unit, i.e., the printer 72, and where printing can be performed using the printer 72. The temporary placement table 78 can move between the printing position and a retraction position that is retracted from the horizontal area connecting the cutting process section 21 and the assembly process section 22.

[0097] In the example diagram, the retraction position is set directly below the printer 72, which is below the height of the worktable surface of the previous stage platform 12, compared to the horizontal area.

[0098] Therefore, the temporary placement table 78 is supported by a lifting mechanism 95 on a support platform 94 formed on the lower part of the previous stage placement table 12 and protruding toward the assembly process section 22, so that it can be raised and lowered, and reciprocates from a position lower than the worktable surface of the previous stage placement table 12 to a position at a height higher than that of the printing position opposite the printer 72. The lifting mechanism 95 is composed of a cylinder, and the temporary placement table 78, which is formed in an L-shaped cross section, is provided on a horizontal moving mechanism 96 composed of a cylinder provided at the front end of the moving body 95a.

[0099] A horizontal moving mechanism 96, located between the lifting mechanism 95 and the temporary placement platform 78, moves the temporary placement platform 78 horizontally, more specifically, it moves the temporary placement platform 78 horizontally along the Y-axis. Therefore, the temporary placement platform 78 can reciprocate a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the pickup arm 14 using the moving motor 31.

[0100] In the figure, the component shown at the Y-axis end of the assembly process section 22 side of the front stage platform 12, 79, is a support that prevents the ink of the printer 72 from drying out. This support is configured to be raised and lowered. When printing is not in use or when necessary, the printer 72 is held in place by the raised support 79.

[0101] In the transport device 11 with such a printing unit 71, while the pickup arm 14, which has picked up part P by the suction hand 16, is moving toward the rear stage platform 13 on the X-axis, the control unit 81 temporarily stops the moving motor 31. Then, the pickup arm 14 is extended, and the suction hand 16 moves toward the printer 72 on the Y-axis. Synchronously with this movement, the lifting mechanism 95 is driven to raise the temporary placement platform 78. Before this raising, in order to place part P on the temporary placement platform 78, that is, to prevent interference with the printer 72 when placing part P on the temporary placement platform 78, the horizontal movement mechanism 96 is driven to change the position of the temporary placement platform 78 on the Y-axis away from the printer 72.

[0102] After the control unit 81 moves the suction hand 16 holding part P to a predetermined position close to the printing position, it stops the suction of the suction hand 16 and releases part P onto the temporary placement table 78, which has risen to the height of the printing position. Then, the horizontal movement mechanism 96 is driven to move the temporary placement table 78 along the Y-axis, bringing part P closer to the printer 72 and positioning a predetermined portion of part P below the printer 72. Next, the slider 93 is driven to move along the X-axis towards the cutting process unit 21, while simultaneously driving the printer 72 to print. Then, the horizontal movement mechanism 96 is driven to move the temporary placement table 78 away from the printer 72 and back to its original position, allowing the suction hand 16 to hold part P, causing the temporary placement table 78 to descend. The movement motor 31 is then driven again to move the pickup arm 14 toward the rear stage placement table 13 along the X-axis.

[0103] In this structure where part P is placed on the temporary stage 78 and printed, the desired printing action can be performed smoothly without interference between the printer 72 and the suction hand 16. Furthermore, printing can be performed even when not being suctioned by the suction hand 16, thus offering the advantage of reliably and accurately printing even very small parts P. Moreover, instead of simply raising and lowering the temporary stage 78, it is structured with a horizontal movement mechanism 96 that allows for horizontal movement of the temporary stage 78 along the Y-axis, thereby preventing interference between the moving parts around the printer 72 and reliably performing the desired printing.

[0104] Figure 14 Another example is shown for the arm 15 of the pickup arm 14, configured such that the suction hand 16 at the front end is rotatable about the center point C of the lifting tube 51. That is, as shown, the lifting tube 51 is cut off at the upper part of the suction hand 16. Figure 14 As shown, the suction hand 16 is coupled to the lower end of the lifting tube 51 in a rotatable manner. A gear portion 51b is formed on the side opposite to the rack 52 of the flange portion 51a formed at the lower end of the lifting tube 51, and a motor 99 that transmits rotational force to the gear portion 51b via a gear 98 is installed inside the suction hand 16.

[0105] In the conveying device 11 with the adsorption hand 16 configured in this way, the adsorption port 61 at the front end swings according to the drive of the motor 99, thereby increasing the degree of freedom of the adsorption method of the part P.

[0106] The above structure is one way to implement the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned structure and other structures can also be used.

[0107] For example, arm 15 can also be composed of a robotic arm with multiple axes.

[0108] Furthermore, part P is not limited to being made of cloth; it can also be made of synthetic resin, wood, metal, or other materials.

[0109] The temporary placement platform 78 can also be positioned with one side of the conveyor line in a retreat position. Furthermore, the temporary placement platform 78 has a space that separates the previous stage platform 12 from the subsequent stage platform 13, but it can also have a space on one side of the subsequent stage platform 13. In this case, for example, a portion of the subsequent stage platform 13 can be cut off and the temporary placement platform 78 can be placed in the cut-off portion.

[0110] Alternatively, the device can be configured such that when part P is placed on temporary placement stage 78 and printing is performed, the adsorption of part P by hand 16 continues without stopping.

[0111] Label Explanation

[0112] 11: Conveying device; 12: Front stage loading platform; 13: Rear stage loading platform; 14: Pick-up arm; 15: Arm part; 16: Adsorption hand part; 17: Moving body; 21: Cutting process part; 22: Assembly process part; 71: Printing unit; 78: Temporary placement platform; 95: Lifting mechanism; 96: Horizontal moving mechanism; P: Part.

Claims

1. A conveying device that picks up multiple parts arranged on the same plane, obtained by cutting sheets in a cutting process, and conveys them to the next process, wherein, The conveying device has multiple pickup arms, each having a retractable arm and an adsorption hand at the front end of the arm to adsorb the part. Furthermore, the conveying device configures the pickup arm to be movable between the cutting process and the next process. The control unit that drives the picking arm is configured to change the relative positions of the adsorption hands when viewed from above based on the graphic data used in the cutting process, and to adsorb and pick up one of the cut parts by one or more of the adsorption hands. The conveying device includes a printing unit that prints the part between the cutting process and the next process. The printing unit is positioned vertically from above with the printing direction downwards. A temporary placement platform for holding the part is provided below the printing unit and at the printing position where the printing unit can perform printing. Furthermore, the temporary placement platform is configured to move between the printing position and a retreat position that retreats from the horizontal area connecting the cutting process and the next process.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein, All of the picking arms are supported by a movable body that reciprocates between the area of ​​the cutting process and the area of ​​the next process. Furthermore, multiple picking arms are respectively configured on both sides of the conveyor line connecting the cutting process and the next process.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The retreat position is located below the horizontal region. The temporary placement platform is supported by a lifting mechanism.

4. The conveying device according to claim 3, wherein, A horizontal moving mechanism is installed between the lifting mechanism and the temporary placement platform, which causes the temporary placement platform to move horizontally. The control unit that drives the temporary placement stage is configured to: move the suction hand holding the part to a predetermined position near the printing position, drive the lifting mechanism to raise the temporary placement stage to the same height as the printing position and stop the suction of the suction hand, then drive the horizontal movement mechanism to bring the part placed on the temporary placement stage closer to the bottom of the printing unit, then drive the printing unit to print the part, then drive the horizontal movement mechanism to move the temporary placement stage away from the bottom of the printing unit and allow the suction hand to hold the part, lower the temporary placement stage, and restart the transfer of the suction hand.

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