Ring aligning device

Abstract

To arrange a plurality of bound C-shaped rings without a hitch, while smoothly untangling an entanglement of the C-shaped rings.SOLUTION: A ring aligning device includes: a rotating member that has a screw groove formed on an outer peripheral surface to extend spirally around a shaft center and is passed into a plurality of bound C-shaped rings, in which a length of a string having a central angle 90° connecting two points on a valley of the screw groove is longer than widths of incisions of the C-shaped rings; a rotating / driving device that rotates the rotating member around the shaft center so that the C-shaped rings fitting into the screw groove are fed toward a tip part of the rotating member; an untangling member that has a plurality of baffle plates arranged with an interval in an extending direction of the shaft center of the rotating member so as to be contacted with a part of the plurality of C-shaped rings, respectively and is arranged below a region where the screw groove of the rotating member is formed; and a vertically moving mechanism that moves the untangling member in a vertical direction with respect to the rotating member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a ring alignment device for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a snap ring alignment device for separating and aligning a plurality of entangled snap rings (C-shaped rings) one by one is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This snap ring alignment device includes a cylindrical rotor having a cylindrical portion on the base end side, a tapered portion on the tip end side, and a screw portion between the cylindrical portion and the tapered portion, and is rotated around its axis by a motor, a pressing roller arranged above the cylindrical rotor, a comb tooth loosening portion having a plurality of baffle plates and arranged below the cylindrical rotor, a ring hitting member supported swingably on both the left and right sides of the cylindrical rotor, and a cut edge alignment plate for aligning the cut edges of the plurality of snap rings. When the plurality of snap rings are aligned by the ring alignment device, the plurality of snap rings are set on the cylindrical rotor so as to surround the cylindrical portion. When the cylindrical rotor is rotated, the plurality of snap rings set on the cylindrical rotor are pressed downward by the pressing roller and move from the cylindrical portion to the screw portion while being caught by the plurality of baffle plates. Furthermore, the plurality of snap rings are hit from both the left and right sides by the ring hitting member. This disentangles the snap rings from each other.Then, the snap rings are fed one by one toward the outlet by the spiral groove formed in the threaded portion so that the cut edge alignment plate can be inserted into the cut edge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-160477 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the conventional ring alignment device, the cylindrical portion of the cylindrical rotor is provided with a protrusion extending in the axial direction, and if the end of the snap ring gets caught on the protrusion, the snap ring may be ejected from the cylindrical portion. In addition, in the ring alignment device, the pressure roller is supported rotatably around a rotation shaft provided near the base end of the cylindrical rotor, so that the snap rings may move to the threaded portion in an entangled state without hitting the pressure roller. Furthermore, in the ring alignment device, most of the baffle plates are disposed below the cylindrical portion, so that the movement of the snap rings toward the threaded portion may be restricted by one of the baffle plates, which may cause the snap ring alignment operation to be delayed. In addition, in the ring alignment device, after the snap rings are untangled, they may be struck from both sides by the ring striking member, causing the snap rings to become entangled again. In the above-mentioned ring alignment device, if the cut edge of the snap ring faces upward at the threaded portion, the lower part of the snap ring will come into contact with the cut edge alignment plate, causing the alignment process to be delayed.

[0005] Therefore, a main object of the present disclosure is to smoothly untangle the C-shaped rings from one another and smoothly align a plurality of bundled C-shaped rings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The ring alignment device disclosed herein is a ring alignment device for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings, and includes a rotating member having a screw groove formed on its outer peripheral surface so as to extend spirally around an axis, and which is passed through the inside of the bundled C-shaped rings, wherein the length of a chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley of the screw groove is longer than the width of the cut end of the C-shaped ring; a rotary drive device which rotates the rotating member around the axis so as to send the C-shaped ring fitted into the screw groove toward the tip end of the rotating member; a loosening member which has a plurality of baffle plates arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the axis of the rotating member so as to be able to contact a portion of the plurality of C-shaped rings, and which is positioned below the area of ​​the rotating member where the screw groove is formed; and an up-down movement mechanism which moves the loosening member up and down relative to the rotating member.

[0007] When aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring aligning device of the present disclosure, the rotating member is passed through the inside of the bundled plurality of C-shaped rings and is rotationally driven around the axis by a rotation driving device. Further, when the loosening member is lifted by the vertical movement mechanism, a part of the plurality of C-shaped rings hits the baffle plate, and the movement of the tip end side of the rotating member of the C-shaped ring that has hit the baffle plate and the C-shaped ring located behind it is restricted. Here, in the ring aligning device of the present disclosure, since the length of the chord of a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the crest of the thread groove is longer than the width of the cutout of the C-shaped ring, the rotational force applied from the rotating member to the C-shaped ring can be made larger than the component of the gravitational force acting on the C-shaped ring. As a result, a plurality of C-shaped rings whose movement is restricted by the baffle plate can be rotated around the rotating member, the entanglement between the C-shaped rings can be loosened, and each C-shaped ring can be fitted into the thread groove. Then, when the loosening member is lowered with respect to the rotating member, the restriction on the movement of the C-shaped ring by the baffle plate is relaxed, and the C-shaped rings fitted into the thread groove can be sent out one by one to the tip end side of the rotating member. Further, when the loosening member is lowered while any one of the plurality of entangled C-shaped rings is hitting the baffle plate, the rotation of the one C-shaped ring that has been restricted by the friction with the baffle plate until then is allowed again. As a result, the plurality of entangled C-shaped rings can be relatively rotated to loosen the entanglement between the C-shaped rings. Also, when the loosening member is lowered while the upper part of the plurality of entangled C-shaped rings is moved to the tip end side of the rotating member by the thread groove and the movement of the lower part of the plurality of C-shaped rings is restricted by the baffle plate, the lower part of the plurality of entangled C-shaped rings swings forward with the upper part fitted into the thread groove as a fulcrum. As a result, the plurality of entangled C-shaped rings can be swung back and forth to loosen the entanglement between the plurality of C-shaped rings. As a result, according to the ring aligning device of the present disclosure, it is possible to smoothly loosen the entanglement between the C-shaped rings and align the bundled plurality of C-shaped rings without hesitation. In addition, in the ring aligning device of the present disclosure, it is not necessary to arrange members for applying force to the C-shaped rings on both the left and right sides of the rotating member, so the entire device can be made more compact. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a ring alignment device according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing an example of a C-shaped ring to which the ring alignment device of the present disclosure is applied. [Diagram 3] 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a rotating member and a pressing roller included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 4] 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a large diameter portion of a rotating member included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. FIG. [Diagram 5] 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a small diameter portion of a rotating member included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view showing a loosening member included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a loosening member and a vertical movement mechanism included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a loosening member and a vertical movement mechanism included in the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for explaining the procedure for aligning multiple C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. [Figure 15]1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams for explaining a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings using the ring alignment device of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a ring alignment device 1 of the present disclosure. The ring alignment device 1 shown in the figure can align a plurality of C-shaped rings R with the same posture. In this embodiment, the C-shaped ring R is a snap ring to be attached to a transmission mounted on a vehicle, and the ring alignment device 1 is installed to the side of a production line for the transmission. As shown in FIG. 2, the C-shaped ring R has two end portions Re that face each other via a cut Rc of width w. The width w corresponds to the distance (shortest distance) between the two end portions Re.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the ring alignment device 1 includes a rotating member 2, a rotary drive device 3, a pressing roller 4, a loosening member 5, a vertical movement mechanism 6, a chute member 7, and a cutting section 8. The rotating member 2 is formed in a substantially columnar or cylindrical shape from metal or the like, and includes a large diameter section 21 and a small diameter section 22 aligned with the large diameter section 21 in the axial direction, as shown in FIG. 3. The small diameter section 22 has a smaller diameter than the large diameter section 21 and extends coaxially with the large diameter section 21. In this embodiment, the axial length of the large diameter section 21 is longer than the axial length of the small diameter section 22. Furthermore, between the large diameter section 21 and the small diameter section 22, an intermediate taper section 23 is formed, the diameter of which decreases from the large diameter section 21 toward the small diameter section 22, and a tip taper section 24 is formed on the opposite side of the small diameter section 22 from the intermediate taper section 23 side, the diameter of which decreases as it moves away from the small diameter section 22.

[0012] Further, a first screw groove T1 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 21 so as to extend helically around the axis A of the rotating member 2. Further, a second screw groove T2 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 22 so as to extend helically around the axis A of the rotating member 2 in the same direction as the direction of the first screw groove T1. The pitch and thread height of the second screw groove T2 are the same as the pitch and thread height of the first screw groove T1. Further, the pitch of the first and second screw grooves T1, T2 is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of one C-shaped ring R and less than the thickness of the two stacked C-shaped rings R. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the large diameter portion 21 of the rotating member 2 is formed so that the length L1 of a chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr1 of the first screw groove T1 is longer than the width w of the cut edge Rc of the C-shaped ring R. As shown in FIG. 5, the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 is formed such that the diameter D2 of the valley Tr2 of the second thread groove T2 is longer than the width w of the cut Rc of the C-shaped ring R, and the length L2 of a chord having a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr2 of the second thread groove T2 is shorter than the width w of the cut Rc of the C-shaped ring R.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotating member 2 is supported by a support member 25 so as to be rotatable around the axis A, and the support member 25 further supports a rotation drive device 3. The rotation drive device 3 includes an electric motor (not shown) connected to the base end of the rotating member 2 (large diameter portion 21) and drives the rotating member 2 to rotate around the axis A. The lower end of the support member 25 is fixed to a moving table 26, and a sufficient gap is formed between the rotating member 2 and the moving table 26 in the vertical direction. The moving table 26 is supported by a guide rail 27 laid at the installation location of the ring alignment device 1 so as to be slidable in the extension direction of the axis A of the rotating member 2. Furthermore, a lock mechanism (not shown) that restricts the movement of the moving table 26 is provided between the moving table 26 and the guide rail 27. An extension frame 28 is fixed to the upper end of the support member 25 so as to extend along the axis A above the rotating member 2.

[0014] The pressure roller 4 is formed into a substantially columnar or cylindrical shape from metal or the like, and is supported rotatably (freely rotatable) by an elevating mechanism 29 fixed to an extension frame 28. The pressure roller 4 is disposed above the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 so as to face the area of ​​the tip tapered portion 24 side of the small diameter portion 22 with a gap therebetween, and the axis a of the pressure roller 4 extends parallel to the axis A of the rotating member 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the pressure roller 4 on the large diameter portion 21 side is tapered, and the base end 4r of the pressure roller 4 abuts against the tip tapered portion 24 of the rotating member 2 due to the weight of the pressure roller 4. As a result, when the rotating member 2 rotates, the pressure roller 4 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating member 2. The lifting mechanism 29 allows the pressure roller 4 to move up and down relative to the rotating member 2 (small diameter portion 22), and includes a locking mechanism (not shown) for holding the pressure roller 4 in a position close to the small diameter portion 22 and at a position spaced above the small diameter portion 22. The pressure roller 4 may be biased against the rotating member 2 by a spring (not shown) included in the lifting mechanism 29 so that the base end portion 4r abuts against the tip tapered portion 24.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 6, the refining member 5 includes a base plate 50, an extension portion 51 extending from the base plate 50, and a plurality of (for example, four in this embodiment) baffle plates 52. The base plate 50 is formed of metal or the like and has a substantially rectangular planar shape. The extension portion 51 is formed of a metal bar or the like and extends further forward (to the right in the figures) from the tip of the base plate 50 (the right end in Fig. 1 and Fig. 6). The plurality of baffle plates 52 are each formed of a thin metal body and are fixed to a region on the base end side of the base plate 50 at intervals in the longitudinal direction (long side direction) of the base plate 50.

[0016] Each baffle plate 52 extends upward from the base plate 50 and in the direction of the short side of the base plate 50. In this embodiment, the heights of the two baffle plates 52 located on the base end side (left side in the figure) of the base plate 50 are the same, and both of them extend perpendicularly to the base plate 50. Furthermore, the heights of the two baffle plates 52 located on the tip end side of the base plate 50 from the base plate 50 become lower as they move away from the base end of the base plate 50. Furthermore, the two baffle plates 52 on the tip end side are inclined so that their upper ends move away from the base end of the base plate 50. That is, the upper ends of the two baffle plates 52 located on the tip end side of the base plate 50 are located lower than the upper ends of the two baffle plates 52 located on the base end side of the base plate 50 (left side in the figure), and the baffle plate 52 on the tip end side is inclined toward the surface of the base plate 50 more than the baffle plate 52 on the base end side.

[0017] Further, the loosening member 5 includes a first ring locking portion 53 and a second ring locking portion 54. The first ring locking portion 53 is formed at the tip of the base plate 50 so as to be located below the upper end of the baffle plate 52 closest to the small diameter portion 22, and has a plurality of (for example, two in this embodiment) engagement grooves that extend in the short side direction of the base plate 50 and can engage with the C-shaped ring R. The second ring locking portion 54 is formed at the tip (free end) of the extension portion 51 and is located below the first ring locking portion 53. In this embodiment, the extension portion 51 includes two rods that extend forward (to the right in the figure) from the tip of the base plate 50, and the second ring locking portion 54 is formed by bending the tips of the two rods upward so as to be able to engage with the C-shaped ring R.

[0018] The vertical movement mechanism 6 includes a slider 60 that supports the loosening member 5 and is supported by the support member 25 so as to be movable (slidable) in the vertical direction, and a cam mechanism 61 that moves the slider 60 up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating member 2. The base end of the base plate 50 of the loosening member 5 is fixed to the slider 60. As shown in FIG. 1, when the base plate 50 is fixed to the slider 60, it extends parallel to the axis A below the rotating member 2 and above the moving table 26, and the multiple baffle plates 52 are located below the large diameter portion 21 of the rotating member 2 in which the first screw groove T1 is formed. Also, when the base plate 50 is fixed to the slider 60, the first ring locking portion 53 of the loosening member 5 is located below the tip tapered portion 24, which is the tip portion of the rotating member 2.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 7, the cam mechanism 61 of the vertical movement mechanism 6 includes a front cam 62 that is coaxial with the rotating member 2 and can rotate integrally with it, and a driven roller (cam follower) 64 that is rotatably supported by the slider 60. The front cam 62 has a substantially annular cam groove 63, and the cam groove 63 includes a protruding groove portion 63a that protrudes radially outward at one point in the circumferential direction. The driven roller 64 is disposed in the cam groove 63 so as to roll on the smooth inner peripheral surface of the front cam 62 that defines the cam groove 63 including the protruding groove portion 63a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, when the rotating member 2 and the front cam 62 rotate once, the driven roller 64 passes through the protruding groove portion 63a of the cam groove 63 only once. As a result, the slider 60, i.e., the loosening member 5, descends only once and returns to the original position again (moves up and down) when the rotating member 2 and the front cam 62 rotate once.

[0020] The chute member 7 is a pipe material made of metal or the like, and has a cross-sectional shape that is convex upward and symmetrical. In this embodiment, the chute member 7 has a cross-sectional shape of an isosceles triangle (see FIG. 1). The chute member 7 is fixed (suspended in this embodiment) to an installation location of the ring alignment device 1 so as to extend obliquely downward from the tip tapered portion 24 of the rotating member 2 to the cutting portion 8. That is, the chute member 7 can support two ends Re of the C-shaped ring R that face each other via the cutout Rc, and slides the C-shaped ring R delivered from the tip tapered portion 24, which is the tip portion of the rotating member 2, obliquely downward toward the cutting portion 8. In addition, a plurality of guide rods 70 (for example, two on both the left and right sides) that guide the C-shaped ring R from the small diameter portion 22 are fixed to the end of the chute member 7 on the rotating member 2 side.

[0021] The cutting section 8 is arranged close to the transmission production line, and enables the C-shaped rings R accumulated at the bottom of the chute member 7 to be taken out one by one. In this embodiment, the cutting section 8 includes a cutting plate 80, a cutting block 81, and a guide member 82, each of which is fixed to an end of the chute member 7. The cutting plate 80, together with the end face of the chute member 7, defines a slit that extends obliquely downward and is slightly wider than the thickness of the C-shaped ring R. The cutting block 81 is formed so as to fit into the cut edge Rc of the C-shaped ring R that has passed through the slit. The guide member 82 includes two bars arranged on both sides of the cutting block 81 so as to guide one C-shaped ring R that has passed through the cutting block 81.

[0022] Next, a procedure for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings R with the same posture by the ring alignment device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0023] When aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings R using the ring alignment device 1, the worker first moves the moving table 26 along the guide rail 27 so that the rotating member 2 and the like are separated from the chute member 7, as shown in FIG. 9, and also moves the pressing roller 4 upward from the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 and locks it by the locking mechanism of the lifting mechanism 29. Next, the worker takes out a plurality of C-shaped rings R that are not aligned from a transport container or the like arranged to the side of the production line, bundles the plurality of C-shaped rings R, and sets them on the rotating member 2. That is, the worker passes the rotating member 2 through the inside of the bundled plurality of C-shaped rings R, and sets the plurality of C-shaped rings R on the rotating member 2 so as to surround the base end side portion of the large diameter portion 21. The bundled C-shaped rings R include a plurality of entangled C-shaped rings R, and the positions of the cut ends Rc of each C-shaped ring R are not aligned.

[0024] Moreover, when the multiple C-shaped rings R are set on the rotating member 2, the disentanglement member 5 rises toward the rotating member 2, and some of the multiple C-shaped rings R come into contact with the upper ends of the two baffle plates 52 located on the base end side of the large diameter portion 21, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. Furthermore, when the disentanglement member 5 rises toward the rotating member 2, the upper ends of the two baffle plates 52 on the small diameter portion 22 side can also come into contact with some of the multiple C-shaped rings R. After setting the multiple C-shaped rings R on the rotating member 2, the operator lowers the pressing roller 4 so as to approach the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 and locks it with the locking mechanism of the lifting mechanism 29, and moves the moving table 26 along the guide rail 27 so that the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 comes into contact with the chute member 7, and locks it with the locking mechanism.

[0025] Next, the operator operates the rotation drive device 3 to rotate the rotating member 2 around the axis A. When the rotating member 2 rotates around the axis A, some of the multiple C-shaped rings R are fitted into the first thread groove T1 of the large diameter portion 21 due to a rotational force applied from the rotating member 2 and an external force applied by collision with the baffle plate 52 or another C-shaped ring R. Furthermore, when the loosening member 5 is raised by the up-down movement mechanism 6, some of the multiple C-shaped rings R come into contact with the baffle plate 52 as shown in Fig. 10, and the movement of the C-shaped ring R that came into contact with the baffle plate 52 and the C-shaped ring R located behind it toward the small diameter portion 22 is restricted.

[0026] Here, in the large diameter portion 21, the length L1 of a chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr1 of the first screw groove T1 is longer than the width w of the cut end Rc of the C-shaped ring R (see FIG. 3). Therefore, in the large diameter portion 21, it is possible to make the rotational force applied to the C-shaped ring R from the rotating member 2 larger than the component force of gravity acting on the C-shaped ring R. As a result, the multiple C-shaped rings R whose movement is restricted by the baffle plate 52 are rotated around the large diameter portion 21 of the rotating member 2, and the entanglement of the C-shaped rings R is loosened, and each C-shaped ring R can be fitted into the first screw groove T1. Also, as shown in FIG. 11, when the loosening member 5 is lowered by the up-down movement mechanism 6 (cam mechanism 61) in response to the rotation of the rotating member 2, the restriction of the movement of the C-shaped ring R by the baffle plate 52 is relaxed, and the C-shaped rings R fitted into the first screw groove T1 can be sent out one by one to the small diameter portion 22 side.

[0027] Furthermore, in the ring alignment device 1, the disentanglement member 5 descends once and returns to its original position while the rotating member 2 rotates once. When the disentanglement member 5 descends in a state where any one of the entangled C-shaped rings R is in contact with the baffle plate 52, the rotation of the C-shaped ring R, which had been restricted by friction between the baffle plate 52, is permitted again. This allows the entangled C-shaped rings R to rotate relatively to each other, thereby disentangling the entanglement of the C-shaped rings R. Furthermore, when the disentanglement member 5 descends in a state where the upper parts of the entangled C-shaped rings R are moved toward the small diameter portion 22 by the first screw groove T1 and the movement of the lower parts of the C-shaped rings R is restricted by the baffle plate 52, the lower parts of the entangled C-shaped rings R swing forward with the upper parts fitted in the first screw groove T1 as a fulcrum, as shown in FIG. 11. This allows the entangled C-shaped rings R to be swung back and forth, thereby disentangling the entangled C-shaped rings R. The C-shaped ring R fitted into the first thread groove T1 of the large diameter portion 21 is moved toward the small diameter portion 22 as the rotating member 2 rotates, and moves down the intermediate tapered portion 23 to the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2.

[0028] As described above, the diameter D2 of the valley Tr2 of the second thread groove T2 of the small diameter portion 22 is longer than the width w of the cut surface Rc of the C-shaped ring R, and the length L2 of the chord of a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr2 of the second thread groove T2 is shorter than the width w of the cut surface Rc of the C-shaped ring R (see FIG. 5). Therefore, in the small diameter portion 22, gravity can be utilized to turn the cut surface Rc of the C-shaped ring R upward, and two opposing ends Re of the C-shaped ring R can be hooked onto the second thread groove T2 via the cut surface Rc, so that the postures of the multiple C-shaped rings R can be aligned well.

[0029] In addition, a pressing roller 4 is disposed above the small diameter portion 22 so as to face the area of ​​the tip taper portion 24 side of the small diameter portion 22 at a distance, and the pressing roller 4 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating member 2 when the rotating member 2 rotates. As a result, as shown in FIG. 12, the pressing roller 4 presses the C-shaped ring R against the second screw groove T2, and the small diameter portion 22 and the pressing roller 4 cooperate to promote the rotation of the C-shaped ring R around the small diameter portion 22. As a result, it is possible to promote the rotation of at least one of the multiple C-shaped rings R that have reached the small diameter portion 22 in an entangled state, thereby disentangling the entanglement of the C-shaped rings R. Furthermore, in the small diameter portion 22, the small diameter portion 22 and the pressing roller 4 cooperate to promote the rotation of the small diameter portion 22 of the C-shaped ring R, and the C-shaped ring R can be quickly rotated around the small diameter portion 22 so that the cut end Rc is located on the upper side.

[0030] The C-shaped ring R, which is fitted into the second screw groove T2 of the small diameter portion 22 with the cut Rc located on the upper side, moves down the tip tapered portion 24 as the rotating member 2 rotates, and is delivered to the chute member 7 via the guide rod 70. The chute member 7 supports two ends Re of the C-shaped ring R facing each other via the cut Rc, and slides the C-shaped ring R obliquely downward toward the cutting-out portion 8. However, among the multiple C-shaped rings R set in the rotating member 2, some pass between the small diameter portion 22 and the pressing roller 4 in an entangled state and move to the chute member 7. Based on this, the disentangling member 5 is provided with a first ring locking portion 53 located below the tip tapered portion 24 of the rotating member 2 and below the upper end of the baffle plate 52 closest to the small diameter portion 22.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 13, when the disentanglement member 5 is ascending toward the rotating member 2, the first ring locking portion 53 can engage with at least one C-shaped ring R below the tip tapered portion 24 of the rotating member 2 and below the upper end of the baffle plate 52 closest to the small diameter portion 22. When the disentanglement member 5 descends in a state in which two end portions Re of the entangled C-shaped rings R are supported by the chute member 7 and the lower portions of the C-shaped rings R are engaged with the first ring locking portion 53 of the disentanglement member 5, the lower portions of the C-shaped rings R are released from the first ring locking portion 53 and swing forward with the two end portions Re supported by the chute member 7 as fulcrums, as shown in Fig. 14. This makes it possible to swing the C-shaped rings R that have reached the chute member 7 in an entangled state back and forth to disentangle the entanglement between the C-shaped rings R.

[0032] On the other hand, it is possible that the tangled C-shaped rings R may slide down the chute member 7 without engaging with the first ring locking portion 53. For this reason, the disentangling member 5 is provided with a second ring locking portion 54 so as to be located below the chute member 7 and below the first ring locking portion 53. As shown in Fig. 13, when the disentangling member 5 is rising towards the rotating member 2, the second ring locking portion 54 is capable of engaging with at least one C-shaped ring R below the chute member 7 and below the first ring locking portion 53. When the two end portions Re of the entangled C-shaped rings R are supported by the chute member 7 forward of the second ring locking portion 54 (toward the cut-out portion 8) and the lower portions of the C-shaped rings R are engaged with the second ring locking portion 54 of the unwinding member 5, the unwinding member 5 descends, and as shown in Fig. 14, the lower portions of the C-shaped rings R are released from the second ring locking portion 54 and swing forward about the two end portions Re supported by the chute member 7 as fulcrums. This makes it possible to unravel the tangled C-shaped rings R by swinging the C-shaped rings R descending the chute member 7 back and forth in an entangled state.

[0033] The C-shaped ring R that has descended the chute member 7 as described above hits the extrusion plate 80 of the extrusion section 8 and accumulates downstream of the extrusion plate 80 as shown in Fig. 15. The leading C-shaped ring R that hits the extrusion plate 80 enters a slit defined between the extrusion plate 80 and the end face of the chute member 7 and extends obliquely as shown in Fig. 15. This allows the worker to remove the C-shaped ring R from the extrusion section 8 by pulling the C-shaped ring R extending obliquely in the slit downward.

[0034] Furthermore, if the C-shaped ring R that has entered the slit has other C-shaped rings R entangled therewith, by pulling the diagonally extending C-shaped ring R downward, the other C-shaped rings R entangled with the C-shaped ring R are also pulled downward and become fitted into the extrusion block 81. Therefore, even if there are multiple entangled C-shaped rings R at the bottom of the chute member 7, i.e., on the downstream side of the extrusion plate 80, it is possible to remove the C-shaped rings R one by one and assemble the C-shaped rings R (snap rings) to components of the transmission moving on the production line.

[0035] As described above, the ring alignment device 1 for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings R includes the rotating member 2, the rotation drive device 3, the loosening member 5, and the vertical movement mechanism 6. The rotating member 2 has a first screw groove T1 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the large diameter portion 21 so as to extend in a spiral shape around the axis A, and is passed through the inside of the bundled plurality of C-shaped rings R. In addition, the length L1 of the chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr1 of the first screw groove T1 is longer than the width w of the cut edge Rc of the C-shaped ring R, so that the rotational force applied to the C-shaped ring R from the large diameter portion 21 of the rotating member 2 can be made larger than the component force of gravity acting on the C-shaped ring R. Furthermore, the rotation drive device 3 rotates the rotating member 2 around the axis A so as to send out the C-shaped ring R fitted into the first screw groove T1 to the tip tapered portion 24 side (small diameter portion 22 side) of the rotating member 2. The loosening member 5 has a plurality of baffle plates 52 arranged at intervals in the extension direction of the axis A of the rotating member 2 so that each of the baffle plates 52 can come into contact with a part of the C-shaped rings R, and is disposed in the region where the first screw groove T1 of the rotating member 2 is formed, i.e., below the large diameter portion 21. The vertical movement mechanism 6 moves the loosening member 5 up and down relative to the rotating member 2.

[0036] In this ring alignment device 1, as described above, by rotating the rotating member 2 around the axis A by the rotation drive device 3 and moving the loosening member 5 up and down relative to the rotating member 2 by the vertical movement mechanism 6, it becomes possible to smoothly untangle the C-shaped rings from one another and smoothly align the bundled multiple C-shaped rings R. In addition, with the ring alignment device 1, it is not necessary to place members on both the left and right sides of the rotating member 2 that apply force to the C-shaped rings R, so the entire device can be made compact.

[0037] Moreover, in the ring alignment device 1, the heights of the multiple baffle plates 52 decrease as they approach the small diameter portion 22, and at least the baffle plate 52 closest to the small diameter portion 22 is inclined so that its upper end portion approaches the small diameter portion 22. This makes it possible to untangle the C-shaped rings R while restricting the movement of the entangled multiple C-shaped rings R on the base end side of the large diameter portion 21 by the baffle plate 52, and to smoothly move the C-shaped ring R fitted in the first screw groove T1 toward the small diameter portion 22.

[0038] Furthermore, in the ring alignment device 1, the axial length of the large diameter portion 21 is set to be longer than the axial length of the small diameter portion 22. This makes it possible to increase the number of C-shaped rings R that can be set at one time on the rotating member 2 of the ring alignment device 1. However, the axial length of the large diameter portion 21 may be shorter than the axial length of the small diameter portion 22.

[0039] Furthermore, the vertical movement mechanism 6 includes a cam mechanism 61 that moves the disentangling member 5 down once per rotation of the rotating member 2 in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating member 2. This makes it possible to move the disentangling member 5 up and down at appropriate timing without providing a dedicated drive device for the vertical movement mechanism 6. However, the cam mechanism 61 may be configured to move the disentangling member 5 down multiple times per rotation of the rotating member 2, and the vertical movement mechanism 6 may include a dedicated drive device that moves the disentangling member 5 down at least once per rotation of the rotating member 2.

[0040] Furthermore, in the ring alignment device 1, the length L2 of the chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr2 of the second screw groove T2 formed in the small diameter portion 22 adjacent to the large diameter portion 21 is longer than the width w of the cut Rc of the C-shaped ring R. This makes it possible to make the component force of gravity acting on the C-shaped ring R at the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 larger than the rotational force applied to the C-shaped ring R from the small diameter portion 22. In addition, the length L2 of the chord with a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley Tr2 of the second screw groove T2 is shorter than the width w of the cut Rc of the C-shaped ring R. Therefore, in the small diameter portion 22, gravity is utilized to turn the cut Rc of the C-shaped ring R upward, and the two ends Re of the C-shaped ring R facing each other through the cut Rc can be hooked on the second screw groove T2, so that the postures of the multiple C-shaped rings R can be well aligned.

[0041] The ring alignment device 1 also includes a pressing roller 4 that is disposed above the small diameter portion 22 of the rotating member 2 so as to press the C-shaped ring R against the second screw groove T2 and rotates in the opposite direction to the rotating member 2. That is, in the large diameter portion 21, many C-shaped rings R are entangled with each other, and if the pressing roller 4 is disposed above the large diameter portion 21, the entangled C-shaped rings R may come into contact with the pressing roller 4, hindering the rotation of the rotating member 2. In contrast, by disposing the pressing roller 4 only above the small diameter portion 22, it becomes possible to use the small diameter portion 22 to untangle the entanglement of the C-shaped rings R that was not untangled by the large diameter portion 21 without hindering the rotation of the rotating member 2, and to quickly rotate the C-shaped ring R around the small diameter portion 22 so that the cut end Rc is located on the upper side.

[0042] Furthermore, the ring alignment device 1 includes a chute member 7 capable of supporting two opposing ends Re of the C-shaped ring R via the cut Rc, and the chute member 7 slides the C-shaped ring R delivered from the tip tapered portion (tip portion) 24 of the rotating member 2 diagonally downward. The disentangling member 5 also includes a first ring locking portion 53 disposed below the tip tapered portion 24 of the rotating member 2 and below the upper end of the baffle plate 52 closest to the small diameter portion 22, and the first ring locking portion 53 is capable of engaging with at least one C-shaped ring R when the disentangling member 5 is elevated toward the rotating member 2. As a result, when the two ends Re of the multiple tangled C-shaped rings R are supported by the chute member 7 and the lower parts of the multiple C-shaped rings R are engaged with the first ring engaging portions 53 of the disentangling member 5, when the disentangling member 5 descends, the multiple C-shaped rings R that have reached the chute member 7 in an tangled state can be rocked back and forth, making it possible to disentangle the multiple C-shaped rings R from each other.

[0043] The disentanglement member 5 also includes a second ring locking portion 54 disposed below the chute member 7 and below the first ring locking portion 53, and the second ring locking portion 54 is capable of engaging with at least one C-shaped ring R when the disentanglement member 5 is ascending toward the rotating member 2. As a result, when the two end portions Re of the entangled C-shaped rings R are supported by the chute member 7 forward (toward the cut-out portion 8) of the second ring locking portion 54 and the lower portions of the C-shaped rings R are engaged with the second ring locking portion 54 of the disentanglement member 5, when the disentanglement member 5 descends, the C-shaped rings R descending the chute member 7 in an entangled state can be swung back and forth to disentangle the C-shaped rings R from one another.

[0044] Furthermore, in the ring alignment device 1, the chute member 7 extends obliquely downward from the tip tapered portion (tip portion) 24 of the rotating member 2 to the cut-out portion 8, which enables the multiple C-shaped rings R accumulated at the bottom of the chute member 7 to be removed one by one. This makes it possible to significantly improve the efficiency and ease of assembly work of the C-shaped rings R to the target transmission. Note that the chute member 7 is not necessarily limited to having a triangular cross-sectional shape as long as it has an upwardly convex and bilaterally symmetrical cross-sectional shape, and may be, for example, a semicircular cross-sectional shape.

[0045] The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above embodiment is merely a specific form of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0046] The invention of the present disclosure can be used in the manufacturing industry of ring alignment devices, various manufacturing industries in which C-shaped rings are attached to objects, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 ring alignment device, 2 rotating member, 21 large diameter portion, 22 small diameter portion, 24 tip tapered portion (tip portion), 3 rotation drive device, 4 pressing roller, 5 loosening member, 52 baffle plate, 53 first ring locking portion, 54 second ring locking portion, 6 up and down movement mechanism, 61 cam mechanism, 7 chute member, 8 cutting portion, A axis, RC-shaped ring, Rc cut portion, Re end portion.

Claims

1. A ring alignment device for aligning a plurality of C-shaped rings, a rotating member having a screw groove formed on an outer circumferential surface so as to extend helically around an axis, the rotating member being passed through the inside of the bundled multiple C-shaped rings, the length of a chord of a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley of the screw groove being longer than the width of the cut edge of the C-shaped ring; a rotation drive device that rotates the rotating member around the axis so as to feed the C-shaped ring fitted into the screw groove toward a tip end of the rotating member; a loosening member having a plurality of baffle plates arranged at intervals in an extension direction of the axis of the rotating member so as to be capable of contacting a portion of each of the plurality of C-shaped rings, the baffle plate being disposed below a region of the rotating member in which the thread groove is formed; A vertical movement mechanism that moves the loosening member up and down relative to the rotating member; A ring alignment device comprising:

2. 2. The ring alignment device according to claim 1, the rotating member includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion provided on the tip end side of the large diameter portion and having a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion, The screw groove includes a first screw groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the large diameter portion and a second screw groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion, the refining member is disposed below the rotating member such that the baffle plates are located below the large diameter portion, The length of a chord having a central angle of 90° connecting two points on the valley of the first thread groove is longer than the width of the cut edge of the C-shaped ring, a root diameter of the second groove is greater than a width of the cut edge of the C-shaped ring; A ring alignment device, wherein the length of a chord connecting two points on the valley of the second thread groove at a central angle of 90° is shorter than the width of the cut edge of the C-shaped ring.

3. 3. The ring alignment device according to claim 2, a chute member capable of supporting two ends of the C-shaped ring facing each other through the cut and sliding the C-shaped ring delivered from the tip end of the rotating member obliquely downward; the loosening member includes a ring engaging portion that is disposed below the tip end of the rotating member and below an upper end of the baffle plate that is closest to the small diameter portion, A ring alignment device, wherein the ring locking portion is engageable with at least one of the C-shaped rings when the loosening member is elevated toward the rotating member.

4. 4. The ring alignment device according to claim 3, a pressing roller that is disposed above the small diameter portion of the rotating member so as to press the C-shaped ring against the second screw groove and that rotates in a direction opposite to that of the rotating member; a cutout portion that allows the plurality of C-shaped rings accumulated in a lower portion of the chute member to be taken out one by one; Further comprising: the C-shaped ring is a snap ring, The axial length of the large diameter portion is longer than the axial length of the small diameter portion, The vertical movement mechanism includes a cam mechanism that moves the loosening member downward at least once per one rotation of the rotating member in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating member, The height of the plurality of baffles decreases toward the small diameter portion, At least the baffle plate closest to the small diameter portion is inclined so that an upper end portion thereof approaches the small diameter portion, the loosening member includes a second ring engaging portion disposed below the chute member and below the ring engaging portion, The second ring engaging portion is engageable with at least one of the C-shaped rings when the unraveling member is elevated toward the rotating member, The chute member extends obliquely downward from the tip of the rotating member to the cut-out portion.

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