Linear carrying system

Abstract

To provide a linear carrying system which is constructed by assembling a plurality of module bases on a mounting face of a machine device, while allowing the module bases arranged neighboring each other to be easily and shortly positioned without requiring a skilled worker, and enabling the basic number of linear modules to be arranged to be easily changed and a production line for products to be easily recombined.SOLUTION: On a bottom face of each module base, an alignment groove is formed opened to the adjacent module base and extending coinciding with a longitudinal direction of a track rail. On the other hand, a rod-like axis positioning member is provided to be fitted to the alignment groove across the neighboring module bases. Each module base is fixed to the mounting face in a state of fitting the axis positioning member to the alignment groove.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a linear transport system that allows the scale of installation to be easily changed by arranging a plurality of module bases in series on the mounting surface of a mechanical device such as a stand. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of constructing a linear transport system by arranging multiple module bases in series on a mounting surface provided on a stand. A track rail of a linear guide is positioned on the module base, and a linear motor stator is arranged along the track rail. A slider of the linear guide is attached to the track rail, and a carriage equipped with a linear motor mover is attached to the slider.

[0003] For this reason, by arranging a plurality of module bases in series on the mounting surface and connecting the track rails included in each module base, a linear conveyance system is constructed in which a carriage driven by a linear motor can move continuously on the plurality of module bases. Such a linear conveyance system is used, for example, for conveying workpieces in a product production line. In this case, by arbitrarily changing the number of module bases to be combined, the scale of the linear conveyance system can be easily changed, and the product production line can be easily rearranged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] WO2021-124426 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, when assembling a plurality of module bases on a mounting surface, the positioning of the two module bases arranged adjacent to each other is extremely important. If the positioning accuracy of the module bases on the mounting surface is low, the end of the track rail included in one module base and the end of the track rail included in the other module base will not be properly connected, which will impair the smooth movement of the carriage.

[0006] From the standpoint of easily rearranging a product production line, it is important that even an unskilled worker can easily position two module bases that are placed next to each other in a short amount of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and its object is to provide a linear conveying system that, when assembling a plurality of module bases to the mounting surface of a mechanical device to construct a linear conveying system, enables even an unskilled worker to easily position adjacent module bases in a short amount of time, and enables the number of linear modules to be arranged to be easily changed, thereby enabling easy rearrangement of the product production line.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides a linear conveying system in which a plurality of module bases, each having a linear guide track rail positioned and fixed thereto, are arranged in series on a mounting surface of a mechanical device, and a slider assembled to one track rail is capable of moving while sequentially moving across the plurality of track rails, and in which an alignment groove is formed in the bottom surface of each module base which is open toward the adjacent module base and extends in line with the longitudinal direction of the track rail, while rod-shaped alignment members which fit into the alignment grooves are provided across adjacent module bases, and each module base is fixed to the mounting surface with the alignment member fitted into the alignment groove. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, when assembling a plurality of module bases to the mounting surface of a machine device to construct a linear conveying system, even an unskilled worker can easily position the module bases arranged adjacent to each other in a short time, and the scale of the linear conveying system can be easily changed, making it possible to easily rearrange the product production line. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a linear module that constitutes the linear transport system of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the linear module shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a linear transport system configured by arranging three linear modules in series. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing how two linear modules are arranged in series using a connecting member. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a combination of a shaft fixing member and a distance adjusting member. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the combination state of each linear module with the axis fixing member and the interval adjusting member. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example in which the linear transport system shown in FIG. 3 is constructed on a base plate of a stand unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The linear transport system of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a front view showing an example of a linear module for constructing the linear transport system of the present invention. The linear transport system 1 is configured by arranging a plurality of linear modules 2 shown in FIG. 1 in series on the mounting surface of a mechanical device.

[0013] The linear module 2 includes a module base 3 fixed to the mounting surface with bolts, a track rail 4 fixed to the module base 3, a slider 5 attached to the track rail 4, and a carriage 6 fixed to the slider 5. The track rail 4 and the slider 5 form a linear guide, and the slider 5 is attached to the track rail 4 via a number of rolling elements and has an infinite circulation path for the number of rolling elements. Therefore, the slider 5 can freely reciprocate in the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4, and the carriage 6 fixed to the slider 5 can freely move on the module base 3 along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4. The track rail 4 is positioned relative to the module base 3, and when the module base 3 is positioned and fixed to the mounting surface of a machine device, the track rail 4 is positioned relative to the mounting surface, and the carriage 6 can be moved on the mounting surface with high precision. As a combination of the track rail 4 and the slider 5, any known linear guide can be selected according to the required movement accuracy of the carriage 6 and the load bearing capacity.

[0014] In the linear transport system 1 of this embodiment, a linear motor 7 applies a thrust to the carriage 6 along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4. Coil members 7a serving as stators of the linear motor 7 are arranged along the track rail 4 in the module base 3, while magnet members 7b serving as movers of the linear motor 7 are provided in the carriage 6. The magnet members 7b have a structure in which N poles and S poles are alternately arranged along the moving direction of the carriage 6.

[0015] Furthermore, a linear scale 8a is provided on the carriage 6, while an encoder 8b is provided on the module base 3 at a position facing the linear scale 8a, so that an output signal according to the amount of movement of the carriage 6 relative to the module base 3 can be obtained from the encoder 8b. Therefore, by controlling the drive signal applied to the linear motor 7 based on the output signal of the encoder 8b, it is possible to arbitrarily control the amount of movement of the carriage 6 on the module base 3. The combination of the linear scale 8a and the encoder 8b can be of any type, such as a magnetic type or an optical type.

[0016] Fig. 3 is a side view showing a linear transport system 1 configured by arranging three linear modules 2A, 2B, 2C in series along the longitudinal direction of the track rail. In the linear transport system 1 shown in the figure, the carriage 6 and the slider 5 are provided only on one linear module 2A among the three linear modules 2A, 2B, 2C, and the slider 5 can reciprocate over the entire length of the linear transport system 1 while moving over the track rails 4 provided on each linear module 2A, 2B, 2C. Note that, although Fig. 3 shows an example in which three linear modules 2A, 2B, 2C are arranged in series, the number of linear modules to be arranged can be determined arbitrarily depending on the scale of the required linear transport system.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, in each linear module 2, the total length of the track rail 4 is set to be slightly shorter than the total length of the module base 3, and a part of the rail mounting surface 30 is exposed at both ends of the module base 3. Therefore, when two linear modules 2 are arranged in series and fixed to the mounting surface of a machine device, the end of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2 and the end of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2 are separated from each other via a gap. In the linear transport system shown in FIG. 3, a connecting rail 9 is arranged at the boundary between the linear module 2A and the linear module 2B and the boundary between the linear module 2B and the linear module 2C, and the connecting rail 9 is fixed to the rail mounting surface 30 of each linear module 2 so as to straddle the two adjacent linear modules. As a result, the track rails of the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C arranged in series are configured as a single guide track.

[0018] When the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C are arranged in series and positioned and fixed in this manner, the track rails 4 fixed to each module base 3 are connected in series via the connecting rail 9 to form a single long guide track. The carriage 6 attached to any linear module 2 can move continuously on the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C along the guide track. Therefore, when the coil member 7a provided on each linear module 2 is energized, the carriage 6 fixed to the slider 5 is propelled by the linear motor 7 and moves back and forth freely within the path formed by the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C. Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the number of linear modules 2 arranged in series, the path length can be changed as desired to construct the linear transport system 1. The linear transport system 1 formed by multiple linear modules 2 can also include multiple carriages 6, and in that case, it is also possible to give each carriage 6 an individual motion independent of the other carriages 6.

[0019] When the linear module 2 is fixed to the mounting surface of a machine, a connecting member 10 is used to keep the positional deviation between the two adjacent linear modules 2A, 2B within a predetermined range, as shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the connecting member 10 is composed of a rod-shaped axis fixing member 11 arranged along the connecting direction of the two linear modules 2A, 2B, and a rod-shaped interval adjustment member 12 extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis fixing member 11. Each of the axis fixing member 11 and the interval adjustment member 12 is a prismatic member having a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a recess 13 is formed near the center in the longitudinal direction, making it possible to combine the axis fixing member 11 and the interval adjustment member 12 perpendicular to each other.

[0020] 6, an alignment groove 14 into which the axis fixing member 11 fits is formed on the bottom surface of the module base 3. This alignment groove 14 extends in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the track rail 4 fixed to the module base 3, and one end of the alignment groove 14 is open to the end surface of the module base 3. Therefore, when two linear modules 2A, 2B are arranged in series, the alignment groove 14 formed in the module base 3 of one linear module 2A and the alignment groove 14 formed in the module base 3 of the other linear module 2B are arranged as one groove, and the axis fixing member 11 can be fitted into the groove while straddling the two linear modules 2A, 2B.

[0021] Furthermore, a gap adjustment groove 15 perpendicular to the positioning groove 14 is formed on the bottom surface of the module base 3. This gap adjustment groove 15 is provided at the longitudinal end of the module base 3, i.e., at a position facing another adjacent module base 3, and extends in agreement with the width direction of the track rail 4. When two linear modules 2A, 2B are arranged in series along the movement direction of the carriage 6, the gap adjustment grooves 15 formed in the respective module bases 3 face each other, forming a groove for accommodating the distance adjustment member 12.

[0022] When assembling the linear transport system 1 to the mounting surface of a machine, the axis fixing member 11 and the interval adjustment member 12 are arranged between the module bases 3 of the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series along the longitudinal direction of the track rail 5, as shown in Fig. 6, to adjust the mutual fixing positions of the linear modules 2A, 2B to the mounting surface. That is, when the axis fixing member 11 is fitted into the alignment groove 14 across the two linear modules 2A, 2B, the axis of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2A and the axis of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2B are aligned within a predetermined error range, and then each linear module 2A, 2B can be fixed to the mounting surface of a machine, and the carriage 6 can be smoothly transferred between the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series.

[0023] Furthermore, by fitting the gap adjustment member 12 into the gap adjustment groove 15 across the two linear modules 2A, 2B and fixing these linear modules 2A, 2B to the mounting surface so as to sandwich the gap adjustment member 12, the gap between the end face of the track rail 4 of one linear module 2A and the end face of the track rail 4 of the other linear module 2B can be appropriately set, and when the connecting rail 9 is arranged at the boundary between one linear module 2A and the other linear module 2B, the track rails 4 of the two linear modules 2A, 2B arranged in series can be appropriately connected by the connecting rail 9, making it possible to ensure smooth movement of the carriage 6.

[0024] It is not necessary to dispose the gap adjustment member 12 on the underside of the module base 3 in combination with the axis fixing member 11. For example, the two linear modules 2A, 2B may be temporarily fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, and then the gap adjustment member 12 may be inserted into the gap adjustment groove 15 from both longitudinal ends of the gap adjustment groove 15. In this case, the gap between the two linear modules 2A, 2B is appropriately set by the gap adjustment member 12, and then the linear modules 2A, 2B are permanently fixed to the mounting surface of a mechanical device, thereby appropriately disposing the two linear modules 2A, 2B disposed in series, and ensuring smooth movement of the carriage 6.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the linear transport system 1 is installed on a stand unit 21 formed by connecting a plurality of stand modules 20. As shown in FIG.

[0026] This gantry unit 21 can be used by connecting multiple gantry modules 20 in a row, and Fig. 7 shows two gantry modules 20A, 20B connected together. Each gantry module 20 is provided with a base plate 22, and various processing machines, robot arms, etc. can be installed on the base plate 22 to share either the processing or assembly process for the workpiece. The gantry unit 1 can be provided with a linear transport system 1 that passes through the multiple gantry modules 20, and by using this linear transport system 1, the workpiece to be processed or assembled can be freely transported along the connection direction of the multiple gantry modules 20.

[0027] That is, the gantry unit 21 constitutes a production line capable of carrying out various processing and assembly of the workpiece while transporting the workpiece along the connection direction of the plurality of gantry modules 20. Also, by rearranging the arrangement of the plurality of gantry modules 20, the order of various processing and assembly of the workpiece can be arbitrarily changed, and the configuration of the production line can be easily rearranged.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 7, the linear modules 2A and 2C of the linear transport system 1 are fixed to the base plate 22 of each of the mount modules 20A and 20B in advance so as to be positioned in the same straight line. When the two mount modules 20A and 20B are connected to each other, a certain gap is generated between the linear module 2A fixed to the base plate 22 of one mount module 20A and the linear module 2C fixed to the base plate 22 of the other mount module 20B, and this gap is, for example, the width of one of the linear modules 2B. Therefore, after the two mount modules 20A and 20B are connected to each other, the linear module 2B is inserted between the linear module 2A and the linear module 2C so as to straddle the boundary between these mount modules, and the linear module 2B is fixed to each base plate 22, so that the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C are connected in series.

[0029] When the linear module 2B is fixed, the connecting member 10 can be used to make the axis of the track rail 4 included in each of the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C face each other within a predetermined error range, and a predetermined amount of gap can be formed between the end faces of the track rails 4 facing each other. This allows the carriage 6 to smoothly move between the three linear modules 2A, 2B, and 2C arranged in series, and when the coil member 7 provided in each linear module 2 is energized, the carriage 6 is propelled by the linear motor 7 and can reciprocate on the two base modules 20A and 20B. For example, if a work table is fixed to the carriage 6, a linear transport system 1 capable of transporting a work through a plurality of base modules can be constructed.

[0030] In the embodiment of the present invention described using the figures, an example has been described in which both the axis fixing member 11 and the distance adjustment member 12 are arranged between two adjacent linear modules 2. However, if the distance between the end faces of the track rails 5 facing each other can be appropriately maintained by abutting the module bases 3 against each other, it is also possible to use only the axis fixing member 11 without using the distance adjustment member 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1... linear transport system, 2... linear module, 3... module base, 4... track rail, 5... slider, 6... carriage, 7... linear motor, 10... connecting member, 11... axis positioning member, 12... gap adjustment member, 13... recess, 14... alignment groove, 15... gap adjustment groove

Claims

1. A linear conveyance system in which a plurality of module bases, each having a track rail of a linear guide positioned and fixed thereto, are arranged in series on a mounting surface of a machine device, and a slider mounted on one track rail can move while sequentially transferring between the plurality of track rails, An alignment groove is formed on the bottom surface of each module base, the alignment groove being open toward the adjacent module base and extending in accordance with the longitudinal direction of the track rail; a rod-shaped axis determining member is provided to straddle adjacent module bases and to be fitted into the alignment groove; a linear transport system, wherein each module base is fixed to the mounting surface with the axis alignment members fitted into the alignment grooves;

2. A gap adjustment groove is formed in the bottom surface of each module base, the gap adjustment groove being open toward the adjacent module base and extending in the width direction of the track rail. a rod-shaped gap adjustment member is provided to straddle adjacent module bases and fit into the gap adjustment groove; 2. The linear transport system according to claim 1, wherein each module base is fixed to the mounting surface with the rail spacing adjustment member fitted into the gap adjustment groove, so that a predetermined gap is formed between adjacent module bases.

3. 3. The linear transport system according to claim 2, wherein said axis fixing member and said interval adjusting member are provided with recesses for orthogonally assembling with each other.

4. A carriage serving as a work table is fixed to the slider, A plurality of coil units are arranged on each module base along the longitudinal direction of the track rail, while a magnet member is provided on the carriage, 2. The linear transport system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coil units and a magnet member face each other to constitute a linear motor for applying a thrust to the carriage.

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