Bolt feeding device

Abstract

To provide a bolt feeding device which can increase the number of bolts discharged per unit time by efficiently and stably arranging them in a line in a vertical posture, and thereby a takt time is shortened.SOLUTION: A bolt feeding device comprises: a single row discharge part 10 which arranges bolts 1 in a line and sends out them in a horizontal posture; and a posture conversion discharge part 20 which changes the posture of the bolts 1 into a vertical posture and arranges them in a line to discharge. The posture conversion discharge part 20 has a discharge guide 21. The discharge guide 21 has a pair of parallel guides 22 which are disposed in parallel with each other, and change the posture from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture in a state of fixing both sides of a head 3 of the bolt 1 to discharge it. The pair of parallel guides 22 have a slit 23 through which a screw portion 2 passes. The parallel guide is inclined downward toward the transfer direction. A posture conversion region 24 has a rocking part 30 for rocking the screw portion 2 in the width direction of the slit 23. In the rocking part 30, a plurality of collision protrusions 31 against which both sides of the screw portion 2 of the bolt 1 alternately collide to rock the screw portion 2 is disposed to be separated from each other in the transfer direction of the bolt 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a bolt supply device that discharges bolts in a vertical position and in a line. [Background technology]

[0002] A bolt supply device that discharges bolts in a vertical position has been developed (see Patent Document 1). As shown in Figures 17 and 18, this bolt supply device has a mechanism that discharges bolts that are supplied in different positions in a line with their heads facing upward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-130560 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The bolt supply device 900 of Patent Document 1 drops bolts 901 supplied in different orientations into a zigzag drop passage, and controls the orientation so that the heads 903 face upward and are vertically oriented before discharging. A problem with this type of bolt supply device 900 is that, when attempting to supply a large number of bolts 901, bridging can easily form in the drop passage, causing clogging. To prevent bridging, the bolts 901 must be supplied individually and dropped into the drop passage. This necessitates a complex structure for supplying the bolts 901 individually, and furthermore, since a large number of bolts 901 cannot be supplied to the drop passage per unit time, there is a problem in that a large number of bolts 901 cannot be lined up in a vertical position and discharged per unit time.

[0005] The present disclosure has been developed with the aim of resolving the above-mentioned problems, and one of the objects of the present disclosure is to provide a bolt supply device that can convert bolts that are supplied in both a forward position, in which the threaded portion of the bolt leads, and a backward position, in which the threaded portion leads, to a vertical position, and can efficiently and stably discharge a large number of bolts per unit time in a single line in a vertical position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A bolt supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes all of the following configurations (a) to (h). (a) The bolt supply device is a single-row discharge unit that arranges the supplied bolts in a single row and sends them out in a horizontal position; The bolts sent out from the single-row discharge section are changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and a posture changing discharge section that discharges the items in a line. (b) The posture change ejection section is The bolts are supplied in a row from the single row discharge section. It is equipped with a discharge guide that changes its position from horizontal to vertical and discharges the products in a line. (c) The discharge guide is The bolt head is locked on both sides and then changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position for ejection. A pair of parallel guides are provided which are arranged in a parallel position to each other. (d) A pair of parallel guides A slit is provided through which the threaded portion of the bolt passes. (e) Parallel guides are The angle of inclination (α) at ​​which the bolt slides in the ejection direction under its own weight. It slopes downward in the direction of bolt transport. (f) Parallel guides are The threads of the bolts supplied horizontally from the single-row discharge section are a posture change area in which the object is dropped into a slit and changed to a vertical posture; and an external discharge section that discharges the bolts that have been changed to a vertical position in a line to the outside. (g) The attitude change area is The screw part falls into the slit and tilts, A swinging portion is provided to swing the slit in the width direction. (h) The swinging part is The screw part falls through the slit in the parallel guide and tilts. The two sides of the bolt's thread collide alternately, A plurality of collision projections that cause the threaded portion to swing in the width direction of the slit are arranged at intervals in the direction of bolt transfer.

[0007] In this disclosure, "tilting" primarily refers to the inclination or change in posture of the bolt (threaded portion) in the longitudinal direction, vertical direction, or forward or backward direction (forward or backward) of the direction of travel. For example, as shown in FIG. 12 , "tilting" of the threaded portion 2 refers to the state in which the threaded portion 2 performs pendulum motion within a horizontal plane including the slit 23, where the threaded portion 2 tilts on the tilting plane within the slit 23. The foot-side tip of the threaded portion 2, supplied in a horizontal position, falls into the slit 23, initiating tilting of the threaded portion 2. The forward or backward tilting decreases, and the bolt 1 assumes a vertical position. "Swinging" primarily refers to the movement, meandering, swinging (including lateral tilting), positional change, and posture change of the bolt (threaded portion). For example, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 15 , the bolt 1 (threaded portion 2) performs pendulum motion or meandering in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the slit 23. The swinging unit 30 swings the bolt 1 in the width direction of the slit 23 while transporting it in the discharge direction. However, the swinging motion includes lateral tilting, lateral shaking, and posture changes that intersect with the tilting plane along which the threaded portion tilts forward or backward in the transfer direction, and also includes diagonal positional changes and posture changes that accompany the transfer of the bolt. Both the tilting motion and swinging motion occur in conjunction with the transfer of the bolt in the ejection direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The bolt supply device described above has the advantage that it can convert bolts supplied in both a forward position, where the threaded portion of the bolt leads, and a backward position, where the threaded portion leads, into a vertical position, and discharge a large number of bolts per unit time efficiently and stably in a line in a vertical position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bolt supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the bolt supply device of FIG. 1 from above. [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the bolt supply device of FIG. 1 taken along line III-III. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a destacking unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a rotation mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an alignment unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing another example of an outer ring plate and a flow path. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a position changing discharge section. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an intermediate guide, a discharge guide, and a pair of parallel guides. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which a bolt in a forward position is converted from a horizontal position to a vertical position. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which a bolt in a rearward position is converted from a horizontal position to a vertical position. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing a comparative example without a swinging portion or a collision protrusion, in which a bolt is supplied in a backward position, and the threaded portion falls into a slit and tilts. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the position changing discharge section as seen obliquely from below. [Figure 15] 10 is a schematic plan view of the attitude changing discharge unit, showing the swinging unit, the collision protrusion, the opposing protrusion, and the pair of parallel guides, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is a schematic plan view of the attitude changing discharge section, showing other examples of the collision convex portion and the opposing convex portion, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 17]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the behavior of bolts in a conventional bolt supply device. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating another example of the behavior of bolts in a conventional bolt supply device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Examples of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the examples described below exemplify bolt supply devices that embody the technical concepts of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure does not specify the bolt supply device as described below. Furthermore, the present disclosure in no way specifies the components set forth in the claims to the components of the embodiments. The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of components described in the embodiments, unless otherwise specified, are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure and are merely illustrative examples. Note that the drawings are simplified, schematic, and schematic for explanatory purposes, and the size and relative positions of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. In the following description, the same names and symbols indicate components that are identical or of the same quality, and detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements constituting the present disclosure may be configured with the same component, with one component serving multiple functions, or conversely, the function of one component may be shared among multiple components.

[0011] The embodiments of the present disclosure may be specified by the following configurations and features. A bolt supply device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes all of the following configurations (a) to (h). (a) The bolt supply device is a single-row discharge unit that arranges the supplied bolts in a single row and sends them out in a horizontal position; The bolts sent out from the single-row discharge section are changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and a posture changing discharge section that discharges the items in a line. (b) The posture change ejection section is The bolts are supplied in a row from the single row discharge section. It is equipped with a discharge guide that changes its position from horizontal to vertical and discharges the products in a line. (c) The discharge guide is The bolt head is locked on both sides and then changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position for ejection. A pair of parallel guides are provided which are arranged in a parallel position to each other. (d) A pair of parallel guides A slit is provided through which the threaded portion of the bolt passes. (e) Parallel guides are The angle of inclination (α) at ​​which the bolt slides in the ejection direction under its own weight. It slopes downward in the direction of bolt transport. (f) Parallel guides are The threads of the bolts supplied horizontally from the single-row discharge section are a posture change area in which the object is dropped into a slit and changed to a vertical posture; and an external discharge section that discharges the bolts that have been changed to a vertical position in a line to the outside. (g) The attitude change area is The screw part falls into the slit and tilts, A swinging portion is provided to swing the slit in the width direction. (h) The swinging part is The screw part falls through the slit in the parallel guide and tilts. The two sides of the bolt's thread collide alternately, A plurality of collision projections that cause the threaded portion to swing in the width direction of the slit are arranged at intervals in the direction of bolt transfer.

[0012] The above bolt feeder has the advantage of being able to efficiently and stably discharge a large number of bolts per unit time in a vertical position, aligned in a single row. This is because the above bolt feeder can convert bolts supplied in both a forward position (where the threads lead) and a backward position (where the threads trail) (head-first position) from a horizontal position to a vertical position using the slits in the parallel guides, and discharge them in a single row. The above bolt feeder has the advantage of being able to reliably and stably convert bolts supplied in both a forward position (where the threads lead) and a backward position (where the bolt head leads and the threads trail) to a vertical position and discharge them in a single row. This is because the parallel guides have a position change area that changes the position of bolts supplied in both a forward position and a backward position from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and this position change area has a swinging part that drops the threads of bolts supplied in a horizontal position into the slits in the parallel guides, tilts them, and swings and snakes them laterally across the width of the slit. The swinging mechanism has multiple collision protrusions arranged at intervals in the bolt transport direction. When the threaded portion falls through the slits in the parallel guides and tilts, i.e., when the position is changed from horizontal to vertical, the two sides of the tilting threaded portion alternately collide with and forcibly swing the threaded portion. As the threaded portion swings toward the vertical position, it alternately collides with and comes into contact with the collision protrusions on both sides as it passes through the slits, swinging. As it swings, it tilts forward or backward in the direction of travel, slowing its tilting speed and attenuating the kinetic energy and momentum of the threaded portion's tilt, thereby limiting and controlling the direction and degree of tilt. When the bolt's tilting speed is slowed and it is changed to the vertical position, excessive tilt from the horizontal position beyond the vertical position, i.e., passing through the vertical position and further toward the opposite horizontal position, is suppressed and reduced, preventing it from riding up onto the head of the bolt in the forward position. Furthermore, the multiple collision protrusions can each adjust the degree of collision and contact with the threaded portion. The bolt supply device described above can supply bolts to the position change discharge section in both forward and backward positions, and can stably and reliably change the position of bolts supplied in both positions from horizontal to vertical, thereby realizing the advantage of being able to discharge a large number of bolts in a line in a vertical position per unit time.

[0013] As shown in Figures 11 to 13, the bolt 1 supplied in a horizontal position can be converted to a vertical position by dropping the threaded portion 2 into the slit 23. Figure 11 shows a state in which a forward-facing bolt 1A is converted to a vertical position, and Figures 12 and 13 show a state in which a backward-facing bolt 1B is converted to a vertical position. The comparative example in Figure 13 shows a state in which a backward-facing bolt 1B is supplied to a parallel guide 22 without a collision protrusion 31, and the threaded portion 2 drops into the slit 23 and tilts. The parallel guide 22 shown in Figure 13 shows a state in which a backward-facing bolt 1B is converted to a vertical position, but there is a problem in that the bolts 1B supplied to the parallel guide 22 in a backward position cannot be discharged in a normal vertical position in a line during the process of converting the bolts 1B from a horizontal position to a vertical position. As shown by the dotted line in Figure 13, when a bolt 1B is fed into the parallel guide 22 in a backward position, its threaded portion 2 tilts significantly as it falls through the slit 23, overlapping with the head 3 of the bolt 1C in the forward position and preventing it from returning to its normal vertical position. As shown in Figure 13, the bolt 1B in a backward position begins its fall as the foot-side tip of the threaded portion 2 (the rearmost part in the direction of travel) passes through the slit 23 from a high position, causing it to fall with great force. The threaded portion 2 falling through the slit 23 with a large drop has a high tilting speed, i.e., the kinetic energy of the threaded portion 2 is large, and as shown by the dotted line in Figure 13, the threaded portion 2 exceeds the vertical position and further tilts toward the opposite horizontal position like a pendulum. When a bolt 1B tilts significantly, the tip of the threaded portion 2 may rise from the bottom end (vertical position) to the opposite side with great force and ride over the head 3 of the bolt 1C in the forward position that is moving ahead along the parallel guide 22. Furthermore, in the case of bolt 1B in the backward position, the head 3 moves ahead and the threaded portion 2 moves behind, so the threaded portion 2 starts to fall into slit 23 at a later timing than in bolt 1A in the forward position. In other words, in the case of bolt 1B in the backward position, the foot-side tip of the rearward threaded portion 2 starts to fall into slit 23 at the timing when the foot-side tip of the threaded portion 2 in the rearmost part in the direction of travel moves onto slit 23.If the transfer and supply speed of the bolts 1 (1B) is so fast that the bolts cannot be changed to a vertical position in time, the head 3 of the bolt 1B in a backward position may ride up on the head 3 of the bolt 1C in a forward position, or may collide with the bolt 1C in a forward position due to an insufficient position, causing it to become jammed and unable to return to a normal vertical position. In contrast, the bolt supply device 100 of the present disclosure solves the above problems and can reliably and stably change the position of even the backward-facing bolt 1B to a vertical position for discharge, and has the characteristic of being able to change the position of bolts 1 supplied in both the forward-facing position 1A (FIG. 11) and the backward-facing position 1B (FIG. 12) to a vertical position, thereby efficiently and stably discharging a large number of bolts per unit time in a line in a vertical position.

[0014] Furthermore, the above bolt supply device does not require a mechanism for selecting, sorting, and aligning only bolts in a forward position, nor a mechanism for removing bolts in a backward position. The structure can be simplified by using a mechanism in which the threaded part collides and comes into contact with the swinging part to reduce the tilting speed and momentum. Also, the bolt slides along the parallel guides in the discharge direction under its own weight, eliminating the need for a bolt transport mechanism, which has the advantage of simplifying the structure and reducing parts and manufacturing costs.

[0015] In a bolt supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the single-row discharge unit can include an inner rotating plate to which bolts are supplied, an outer ring plate disposed outside the inner rotating plate and to which bolts are supplied from the inner rotating plate, a rotation mechanism for rotating the outer ring plate, and an alignment unit for discharging the bolts supplied to the outer ring plate in a single row in a horizontal position. The above configuration has the advantage of being able to increase the amount of bolts supplied to the position changing discharge unit and improve supply efficiency without applying excessive load to the bolts, and of being able to supply an appropriate number of bolts in a single row in a forward-facing and backward-facing position to the position changing discharge unit, change their position to a vertical position, and efficiently and stably discharge a large number of bolts in a single row in a vertical position per unit time.

[0016] In another embodiment of the bolt supply device of the present disclosure, the alignment unit can include a single-row alignment unit that rotates an outer ring plate to line up and discharge bolts, and an intermediate guide that linearly lines up the bolts supplied from the single-row alignment unit and supplies them to the position changing and discharge unit. This configuration has the advantage that the single-row alignment unit rotates the outer ring plate to line up, discharge, and transfer bolts, thereby increasing the amount of bolts supplied to the position changing and discharge unit and improving supply efficiency. It also has the advantage that an appropriate number of bolts in forward and backward positions are lined up and supplied to the position changing and discharge unit, and then converted to a vertical position, allowing a large number of bolts to be efficiently and stably discharged in a single row in a vertical position per unit time. Furthermore, this configuration has the advantage that the intermediate guide lines up the bolts and supplies them to the position changing and discharge unit, further improving the reliability and stability of the position changing and discharge unit, thereby increasing the discharge volume and discharge efficiency.

[0017] In another embodiment of the bolt supply device of the present disclosure, the parallel guides can have a collision convex portion and an opposing convex portion arranged on both sides of a slit, and the opposing convex portion can be arranged as a passage gap (D) through which the thread portion passes. The swinging portion configured as described above has the advantage of efficiently attenuating the tilting and kinetic energy of the thread portion while controlling the serpentine trajectory and tilting of the thread portion as it advances while swinging, thereby enabling a reliable and stable change of posture from a horizontal to a vertical position. The trajectory of the thread portion as it advances while colliding with and coming into contact with the collision convex portion, rebounding, and changing direction can be controlled to a desirable trajectory by the collision convex portion and the opposing convex portion, and the passage gap (D) between them. Furthermore, the thread portion collides with and comes into contact with the collision convex portion, rebounds, and changes direction, and then collides with the opposing convex portion again, so the tilting and kinetic energy of the thread portion can be attenuated by both the collision convex portion and the opposing convex portion.

[0018] The collision protrusion of a bolt supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure can include a collision ring, the outer periphery of which the threaded portion collides, and a set screw that penetrates the center of the collision ring and secures the collision ring to the underside of the parallel guide. This configuration allows the collision protrusion to be secured to the parallel guide with a simple structure and is advantageous in that it can be reliably and stably changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position. This is because the set screw secures the collision ring to the underside of the parallel guide, allowing the bolt head to slide under its own weight while retaining it on the upper surface of the parallel guide. The collision ring can be positioned close to the threaded portion on the underside of the parallel guide, allowing the passage gap (D) to be precisely and accurately determined, controlling the meandering, swinging, and tilting of the threaded portion to a desired trajectory and more efficiently damping the tilting and kinetic energy of the threaded portion. Furthermore, the collision protrusion secured to the underside of the parallel guide allows the threaded portion to collide with and contact the outer periphery of the collision protrusion at a lower position below the parallel guide, thereby more efficiently damping the tilting and kinetic energy of the threaded portion, more efficiently preventing excessive tilting, and adjusting the degree of collision and contact with the threaded portion.

[0019] In another embodiment of the bolt supply device of the present disclosure, the collision ring can be a circular ring. This configuration has the advantage of being able to more reliably and stably change from a horizontal position to a vertical position. This is because the width of the passage gap (D) can be easily determined by the size and arrangement of the circular ring, which allows the meandering, swinging, and tilting of the threaded portion to be controlled to a preferred trajectory, and the tilting and kinetic energy of the threaded portion can be more efficiently damped. In addition, the circular ring of the collision ring can be freely rotated, and can be fixed to a parallel guide without specifying the rotational position of the collision ring, thereby making the collision surface and passage gap (D) uniform and allowing it to rotate to absorb impact.

[0020] A bolt supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a parallel guide having a collision protrusion and an opposing protrusion arranged on both sides of a slit, a collision ring whose threaded portion impacts the outer periphery of the collision protrusion and the opposing protrusion, and a set screw that penetrates the center of the collision ring and secures the collision ring to the underside of the parallel guide, where the collision ring of the collision protrusion has a larger outer diameter than the collision ring of the opposing protrusion, and the collision ring of the collision protrusion can be a large ring, and the collision ring of the opposing protrusion can be a small ring. This configuration has the advantage that the collision protrusion and the opposing protrusion can be secured to the parallel guide with a simple structure and can more reliably and stably change position from a horizontal position to a vertical position. This is because the collision protrusion and the opposing protrusion can both be circular collision rings, and the set screw secures the collision ring and the opposing protrusion to the underside of the parallel guide, thereby achieving the same effects as those described above.

[0021] In another embodiment of the bolt supply device of the present disclosure, a plurality of set screws each securing a large ring and a small ring can be arranged linearly on a parallel guide. The above configuration has the advantage that by arranging the set screws in a straight line, the large ring can be easily mounted on the parallel guide so as to protrude further than the small ring, and the degree of protrusion and the width of the passage gap (D) can be easily determined based on the diameter and size of each of the large ring and the small ring, which allows the meandering, swinging, and tilting of the threaded portion to be controlled to a preferred trajectory, and the tilting and kinetic energy of the threaded portion can be more efficiently damped, contributing to cost reduction.

[0022] In the bolt supply device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the collision ring can be used as a buffer material. The above configuration has the advantage of being able to reduce the noise level generated by bolt collisions, as well as efficiently damping the tilting and kinetic energy of the bolt, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the position change to a vertical position.

[0023] A bolt feeder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure can include an attitude control arm above the parallel guides that can come into contact with the head of a bolt advancing along the parallel guides. This configuration has the advantages of contacting the head of the bolt as it is changed to a vertical position while moving along the parallel guides, more reliably changing the bolt to a vertical position, transporting a single bolt in a vertical position without overlapping, and suppressing irregular bolt positions and behavior to stabilize the bolt's transport and behavior when it is discharged.

[0024] A bolt feeder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure has an attitude control arm that includes a first attitude control arm and a second attitude control arm, the first attitude control arm being arranged in a attitude change area where a bolt in a horizontal position is tilted to a vertical position, and the second attitude control arm being arranged on the discharge side of the attitude change area. This configuration has the advantage that the first attitude control arm can more reliably change the bolt's position to a vertical position by contacting the head of the bolt whose threaded portion has dropped into the slit and is tilting, and the second attitude control arm being arranged on the discharge side of the attitude change area can more reliably transfer a single bolt in a vertical position without overlapping.

[0025] In a bolt feeder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a first attitude control arm has a first contact portion that contacts the head of a bolt, a second attitude control arm has a second contact portion that contacts the head of a bolt, the vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion and the parallel guide is narrower than the vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion and the parallel guide, the vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion and the parallel guide is a distance that allows the head of a bolt in a vertical position to pass but not the head of a bolt in a horizontal position, and the vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion and the parallel guide is a distance that allows the head of a single bolt to pass in a vertical position. This configuration has the advantage of more reliably converting bolts to a vertical position and transferring a single bolt in a vertical position without overlapping. The vertical distance (H1, H2) between the first or second contact portion and the parallel guide indicates the vertical distance at the position where the head of the bolt being transported in the discharge direction can come into contact, and if there are different vertical distances, the first or second contact portion at the lowest position is used as the reference. (Bolt supply device 100)

[0026] 1 and 2, the bolt supply device 100 discharges randomly supplied bolts 1 in a vertical line. The bolt supply device 100 shown in these figures includes a line discharge unit 10 that discharges a large number of bolts 1 supplied without directionality in a horizontal line, and a position change and discharge unit 20 that changes the position of the horizontally oriented bolts 1 supplied and discharged from the line discharge unit 10 to a vertical position and discharges them in a vertical line.

[0027] The bolt supply device 100 can be used in all devices that suspend the heads 3 of the threaded portions 2 on parallel guides 22 and discharge them in a vertical position. The following specific example illustrates a device that discharges hexagonal bolts 1a, each with a hexagonal head 3, in a row, but this disclosure does not limit the bolts 1 to hexagonal bolts 1a, and the bolts 1 include all bolts in which the heads 3 and threaded portions 2 are connected as an integral structure, such as flanged bolts, hexagon socket head bolts, low-head bolts, and bolts with a circular head, as well as screws and bolts such as flat head screws, tapping screws, hexagonal tapping screws, wood screws, and drill screws. (Single row discharge section 10)

[0028] The single-file discharge section 10 discharges a large number of bolts 1 that have been supplied without any directionality in a single file in a horizontal position, and supplies them to the position changing discharge section 20. The single-file discharge section 10 in Figures 1 and 2 includes an inner rotating plate 11 to which bolts 1 are supplied in a random position, an outer ring plate 12 disposed on the outside of the inner rotating plate 11, a rotation mechanism 40 that rotates the outer ring plate 12, and an alignment section 15 that supplies the bolts 1 supplied to the outer ring plate 12 in a single file in a horizontal position. (Inner rotating plate 11, outer ring plate 12)

[0029] The inner rotating plate 11 is a rotating disk disposed inside the outer ring plate 12 and is rotatable within an inner plane around the first rotation axis 42. The upper surface of the inner rotating plate 11 serves as a loading surface 11a for receiving and storing bolts 1. The loading surface 11a of the inner rotating plate 11 receives and stores a large number of bolts 1 supplied from an external device such as a hopper, and as it rotates, it sends out the densely packed bolts 1 to the outer periphery of the inner rotating plate 11 while appropriately dispersing them using supply guides 11b, etc., and guides them to the outer transfer section 12A, where the bolts 1 are transferred to the outer ring plate 12.

[0030] The outer ring plate 12 is disposed outside the inner rotating plate 11 and rotates in the same direction as the inner rotating plate 11. The outer ring plate 12 is rotatably disposed within an outer plane inclined relative to the inner plane, centered on a second rotating shaft 43 inclined from the first rotating shaft 42. The upper surface of the outer ring plate 12 forms a ring-shaped transfer surface 12a that continues in the direction of transfer of the bolts 1. The transfer surface 12a is formed in a ring shape along the outer periphery of the inner rotating plate 11, and transfers multiple bolts 1 fed from the inner rotating plate 11 as the outer ring plate 12 rotates. The width of the transfer surface 12a is designed to be sufficiently wider than the outer diameter of the bolts 1 so that multiple bolts 1 can be placed on it and transferred. The width of the transfer surface 12a varies depending on the outer diameter and number of bolts 1 to be transferred, the size of the outer ring plate 12, and is, for example, 3 to 15 cm. The transfer surface 12a in Figures 1 to 4 is flat and has a transfer path 12b, but depending on the shape and size of the bolt 1 to be transferred, the shape of the transfer surface 12a can be U-shaped, V-shaped, or U-shaped groove in cross section, or it can also be an uneven shape, tapered surface, etc.

[0031] The configuration in which the outer ring plate 12 is disposed outside the inner rotating plate 11 allows a large number of bolts 1 supplied from an externally connected device to be temporarily stored on the placement surface 11a, which is the upper surface of the inner rotating plate 11, and then, as the inner rotating plate 11 rotates, the bolts 1 are supplied to the transfer surface 12a, which is the upper surface of the outer ring plate 12. This prevents an excessive number of bolts 1 supplied to the inner rotating plate 11 from being supplied to the outer ring plate 12 at once, and also prevents the amount of bolts 1 supplied to the outer ring plate 12 from becoming too small, allowing an appropriate amount of bolts 1 to be efficiently supplied to the outer ring plate 12. The outer ring plate 12 can increase the amount of bolts 1 transported by widening the width of the transfer surface 12a, and the maximum width of the transfer surface 12a is, for example, at least three times, and preferably at least five times, the diameter of the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1. Furthermore, with this structure, the bolts 1 are sent from the inner rotating plate 11 to the outer ring plate 12 while rotating, and it is possible to prevent a large number of bolts 1 from being supplied to the outer ring plate 12 in a packed state, effectively preventing the bolts 1 from rubbing against each other and being damaged. The single-file discharge unit 10 shown in Figure 1 has two rotating bodies, the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12, but the disk that carries the bolts 1, rotates, and discharges them in a single file does not necessarily have to be made up of separate members, the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12, and could, for example, be a single disk.

[0032] The transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 2 has a ring-shaped transfer path 12b that is continuous with the transfer direction of the bolts 1 and extends circumferentially around the outer ring plate 2. The transfer path 12b aligns and transfers the bolts 1, which are horizontally oriented and tangential to the circumference, in a single row, regardless of whether they are facing forward or backward. The transfer surface 12a in FIGS. 1 to 4 has the transfer path 12b on the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 2. The outer ring plate 12 discharges the bolts 1 by aligning them in a single row in a horizontal position using an alignment unit 15 (described later). The single row alignment unit 15A and single row guide 16 (described later) rotate the outer ring plate 12 to discharge the bolts 1 in a single row along the inner peripheral edge. The forward- and backward-oriented bolts 1A and 1B supplied from the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12 are guided onto the transfer path 12b along the inner peripheral edge, improving the transfer volume and transfer efficiency of the aligned bolts 1. The transfer path 12b in Figure 7 is a U-groove. The U-groove transfer path 12b can be shaped to fit the outer shape of the threaded portion 2, or can be an arc or curved surface larger than the outer diameter of the threaded portion 2, or a groove with a radius of curvature larger or smaller than the outer diameter of the bolt 1. A portion of the bolt 1 can be placed on the transfer path 12b and transferred along a trajectory along the center of the transfer path 12b. In other words, the bolts 1 can be transferred in a straight line to prevent lateral displacement. However, the transfer path 12b can also be a V-groove, a U-shaped groove that contacts the underside of the bolt 1, a step or staircase on which the threaded portion 2 is placed, or a step or staircase on which the threaded portion 2 and head 3 are placed, and the bolts 1 can be transferred in a straight line to prevent lateral displacement. The transfer path 12b need only have a width, shape, and configuration that allows it to align and transfer the bolts 1 in a row in a horizontal position facing the tangent direction of the circumference. For example, in the case of bolts 1 that can be transferred in a stationary position without rolling, such as hexagonal bolts 1a, the transfer path 12b does not necessarily have to be groove-shaped, and can be a flat surface, similar to the transfer surface 12a, as shown in Figure 8.

[0033] The outer ring plate 12 is disposed in an inclined position relative to the inner rotating plate 11. Furthermore, the outer ring plate 12 is disposed so that a portion thereof is continuous with the inner rotating plate 11, and has an outer transfer section 12A that receives the supply and transfer of bolts 1 from the inner rotating plate 11. The outer transfer section 12A has a portion of the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12 that is flush with the inner rotating plate 11 or at a position or surface lower than the inner rotating plate 11. The outer ring plate 12 has the outer transfer section 12A to which the bolts 1 are supplied from the inner rotating plate 11, and an ascending section 12B that is disposed at a position higher (upper position) than the inner rotating plate 11, and transfers the bolts 1 supplied from the inner rotating plate 11 from the outer transfer section 12A to the transfer surface 12a of the ascending section 12B. 3, the height difference between the outer ring plate 12 and the inner rotating plate 11 increases as the outer ring plate 12 moves away from the outer transfer section 12A, and an alignment section 15 is provided at a position above the inner rotating plate 11, for example, at the part where the height difference is greatest or in the vicinity thereof. The outer ring plate 12 is disposed at an incline relative to the inner rotating plate 11. To achieve this configuration, for example, the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 can be disposed at an incline relative to each other, inclined in opposite directions relative to the horizontal plane. However, the inner rotating plate 11 may be held horizontal and only the outer ring plate 12 may be inclined, or the outer ring plate 12 may be held horizontal and the inner rotating plate 11 may be inclined.

[0034] The bolts 1 transferred from the inner rotating plate 11 to the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12 may be transferred in various horizontal, stacked, diagonal, or vertical positions. The bolt supply device 100 shown in Figures 1 and 4 has a destacking section 13 disposed on the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12, and can transfer the bolts 1 that have passed through the destacking section 13 in an unstacked state. The destacking section 13 removes and releases the overlapping and stacking of the bolts 1 transferred on the transfer surface 12a, allowing only bolts 1 in a single horizontal position without overlapping to pass through. The space between the lower edge of the destacking section 13 and the upper surface (transfer surface 12a) of the outer ring plate 12 is a gap that allows only a single layer of bolts 1 to pass through. The destacking unit 13 is oriented so as to tilt in the radial direction from the outer periphery to the inner periphery, in order to move, guide, and direct the stacked bolts 1 on the transfer surface 12a inward, while removing any bolts 1 that exceed the transfer path 12b onto the inner rotating plate 11. In other words, the destacking unit 13 tilts the position of the bolts 1 on the transfer surface 12a in a direction that allows them to be moved, guided, and removed onto the transfer path 12b and the inner rotating plate 11, thereby destacking the bolts 1 and appropriately dispersing the concentrated bolts 1 along the destacking unit 13, thereby smoothly correcting the transfer direction, trajectory, and posture of the bolts 1. Therefore, of the bolts 1 transferred by the outer ring plate 12, the destacking unit 13 allows only the first row of bolts 1 transferred on the transfer surface 12a or the transfer path 12b of the transfer surface 12a to pass through, and guides the bolts 1 resting on the first row of bolts 1 or bolts 1 that are upright inside the outer ring plate 12, and also removes and discharges them from the outer ring plate 12 onto the inner rotating plate 11. The bolts 1 transported on the outer ring plate 12 always become horizontally positioned bolts 1 in a single layer as they pass through the destacking section 13. This is a simple mechanism that can ensure that the bolts 1 transported stacked on the outer ring plate 12 are in the correct position. However, it is also possible to use an optical sensor, for example, to detect bolts 1 that are in an upright position or bolts 1 transported in a stacked position, and remove them using an air flow or the like.

[0035] The outer ring plate 12 shown in Figures 1 to 4 has an outer peripheral wall 12e disposed along its outer periphery. The outer peripheral wall 12e increases the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12, preventing the bolts 1 from flying outward from the transfer surface 12a and falling due to centrifugal force. This bolt supply device 100 rotates the outer ring plate 12 quickly, allowing a large number of bolts 1 to be efficiently and stably supplied in the discharge direction. The outer ring plate 12 may have a guide that gradually narrows the transfer surface 12a as it moves in the transfer direction, between the destacking section 13 and the narrowest width of the single-row guide 16, allowing a single row of bolts 1 to pass through, to push and guide the bolts 1 on the transfer surface 12a inward (toward the inner edge). Similar to the single-row guide 16, this guide increases the density of the bolts 1 on the inner peripheral edge, improving transfer and supply efficiency.

[0036] A gap is formed between the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12 and the outer peripheral edge of the inner rotating plate 11. This is because the outer ring plate 12 is inclined relative to the inner rotating plate 11. In Figures 1 and 4, this gap is blocked by a blocking wall 12c to prevent the bolt 1 from leaking. The blocking wall 12c is provided along the first opening 12d in the outer ring plate 12 and is connected and fixed to either the outer ring plate 12 or the inner rotating plate 11, allowing it to rotate with either one. The blocking wall 12c can be connected to a disk that rotates the outer ring plate 12. The blocking wall 12c can be, for example, a vertical surface or a downwardly sloping surface from the outer ring plate 12 to the inner rotating plate 11. This reduces the impact when the bolt 1 is removed from the outer ring plate 12 to the inner rotating plate 11, thereby minimizing damage caused by the impact. The blocking wall 12c can also be made of a synthetic resin such as fluororesin, allowing it to fall smoothly.

[0037] The outer ring plate 12 has a circular first opening 12d at its center, and this first opening 12d is approximately the same size as the inner rotating plate 11. The inner rotating plate 11 is arranged so that it protrudes from the first opening 12d of the outer ring plate 12. In the example of FIG. 5 , the inner rotating plate 11 is arranged inside the first opening 12d of the outer ring plate 12 so that the edge of the inner rotating plate 11 coincides with the inner circumference of the outer ring plate 12 in a cross-sectional view, forming an outer transfer section 12A for the bolt 1. With this arrangement, the upper surfaces of the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 are partially continuous, and bolts 1 supplied to the upper surface of the inner rotating plate 11 are pushed outward by the supply guide 11b and can be guided to the upper surface of the outer ring plate 12. In addition, by inclining the outer ring plate 12 downwardly toward the outer periphery at the portion where the bolt 1 is guided from the inner rotating plate 11 to the outer ring plate 12, the bolt 1 being transferred from the inner rotating plate 11 side to the outer ring plate 12 side can be easily guided into the outer ring plate 12 by the bolt 1's own weight.

[0038] The inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 can be manufactured by cutting a single metal plate into a circle using a laser or press. This is because the outer peripheral edge of the inner rotating plate 11 is close to the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12. However, it goes without saying that the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 can be manufactured from separate metal plates. The outer diameter of the inner rotating plate 11 can be set to, for example, 10 to 100 cm so that it can store a large number of supplied bolts 1. If the inner rotating plate 11 is made larger, it can store a large number of large bolts 1. (Rotation mechanism 40)

[0039] The rotation mechanism 40 rotates either or both of the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12. The rotation mechanism 40 can rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 around their respective rotation axes. The inner rotating plate 11 can be rotatably disposed about a first rotation axis 42, and the inner rotating plate 11 can be arranged to rotate in a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane. The outer ring plate 12 can be arranged outside the inner rotating plate 11 and rotatably disposed about a second rotation axis 43 that is inclined relatively to the first rotation axis 42. The rotation mechanism 40 in FIG. 1 rotates the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 in the same direction. It supplies bolts 1 from the rotating inner rotating plate 11 to the outer ring plate 12, and aligns the bolts 1 supplied to the outer ring plate 12 in a row in the alignment unit 15 and supplies them to the posture changing and discharge unit 20 in a horizontal position.

[0040] The rotation mechanism 40 includes one or more drive motors 41. In the rotation mechanism 40, two or more motors can rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12, respectively, and one motor can rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 together. The first rotating shaft 42 and the second rotating shaft 43 can be rotatably connected to each other, so that the rotational torque of one can be transmitted to the other to rotate them. The inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12 can be rotatably connected to each other at a portion other than the rotating shaft. The rotation mechanism 40 can rotate either the inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12 by rotating the inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12, and transmitting this rotational torque to the other of the inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12 via the rotation transmission mechanism 49. The rotation mechanism 40 can rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 together at the same rotation speed. 5 is connected to a central rod 42a fixed to the center of the inner rotating plate 11, and rotates the inner rotating plate 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The motor 41 can be, for example, an induction motor, a reduction motor, or a stepping motor. Note that it is preferable that the rotation mechanism 40 has a waterproof structure as necessary, for example, a waterproof motor.

[0041] 5 illustrates a configuration in which one motor rotates the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12. The inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 are connected to a frame 48 so that they can rotate at a relative inclination. A center rod 42a, whose axis is the first rotating shaft 42, is fixed to the center of the inner rotating plate 11, and this center rod 42a is rotatably connected to the frame 48 via a bearing. A second sub-rotating plate 46 is fixed to the underside of the outer ring plate 12 via a blocking wall 12c, and a cylindrical second rotating shaft 43, fixed to the center of the second sub-rotating plate 46, is rotatably connected to the frame 48 via a bearing.

[0042] The rotation transmission mechanism 49 in FIG. 5 includes a first pin 45 connected to the inner rotating plate 11 and a pair of second pins 47 connected to the outer ring plate 12 and arranged to guide the first pin 45. As shown in FIG. 5, the inner rotating plate 11 has a first sub-rotating plate 44 fixed to its underside, and a first pin 45 fixed to the underside of the first sub-rotating plate 44, protruding from the underside of the first sub-rotating plate 44. The outer ring plate 12 has a second sub-rotating plate 46 fixed to its underside via a blocking wall 12c, and a pair of second pins 47 fixed toward the center on the upper surface of a flange portion of a cylindrical rotating shaft 43a fixed to the center of the second sub-rotating plate 46. The first pin 45 is inserted so as to be able to move in and out between the pair of second pins 47 and to move along the second pins 47. When either the inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12 is rotated, this rotation transmission mechanism 49 transmits rotational torque to the other of the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 via the first pin 45 and the second pin 47, causing the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 to rotate together.

[0043] The rotation mechanism 40 of FIG. 5 rotates the inner rotating plate 11 using a motor 41, and transmits the rotational torque to the outer ring plate 12 via a rotation transmission mechanism 49 to rotate the outer ring plate 12. In this case, the drive shaft of the motor 41 is directly or indirectly connected to the center rod 42a of the inner rotating plate 11, thereby allowing the inner rotating plate 11 to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed. Therefore, this rotation mechanism 40 can drive the outer ring plate 12 to rotate using a simple structure in which a cylindrical rotating shaft 43a connected to the outer ring plate 12 is fixed to a frame 48 via a bearing, eliminating the need for a transmission mechanism such as a gear mechanism for rotating the outer ring plate 12. Furthermore, the configuration in which the inner rotating plate 11 is directly driven by the motor 41 allows stable rotation of the inner rotating plate 11, which becomes heavy when a large number of bolts 1 are loaded. In particular, directly driving the inner rotating plate 11, which becomes heavy when a large number of bolts 1 are supplied, reduces the load on the first pin 45 and second pin 47 that constitute the rotation transmission mechanism 49.

[0044] The rotation mechanism 40 rotates the outer ring plate 12 using the motor 41, and transmits the torque of this rotation to the inner rotating plate 11 via the rotation transmission mechanism 49 to rotate it. The rotation mechanism 40 rotates the rotating shaft 43a or the second sub-rotating plate 46 connected to the outer ring plate 12 using the motor 41. Specifically, the rotation transmission mechanism 49 rotates the outer ring plate 12 by providing a drive gear to the motor 41 and a ring-shaped external gear on the rotating shaft 43a connected to the outer ring plate 12. The rotation of the motor 41 rotates the outer ring plate 12 via the drive gear and the external gear. This configuration reduces the rotational speed of the motor 41 using a gear ratio to adjust the rotational speed of the outer ring plate 12. This configuration is particularly advantageous in that it allows for the use of an inexpensive motor 41, while simultaneously adjusting the rotation speed and obtaining strong torque. Furthermore, since the rotation of the motor 41 is transmitted directly to the outer ring plate 12 via the drive gear and the external gear, the rotational speed of the outer ring plate 12 can be maintained constant. Therefore, the bolts 1 transported along the transport path 12b can be supplied at a constant speed, and the accuracy of sorting and alignment on the transport path 12b can be improved. However, a known mechanism other than a gear mechanism can also be used for the rotation transmission mechanism 49 that rotates the outer ring plate 12 using the motor 41.

[0045] The above rotation mechanism 40 rotates either the inner rotating plate 11 or the outer ring plate 12 with one motor, and also rotates the other of the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 via the rotation transmission mechanism 49, so that the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 rotate together at the same rotation speed. In this single-file discharge section 10, the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 rotate at the same rotation speed, so that bolts 1 can be stably supplied from the inner rotating plate 11 rotating in the outer transfer section 12A to the outer ring plate 12 rotating.

[0046] However, the rotation mechanism 40 can also use two motors to rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 separately. This rotation mechanism 40 can rotate the inner rotating plate 11 and the outer ring plate 12 at different rotational speeds (number of rotations). This bolt supply device 100 can adjust the amount of bolts 1 continuously supplied from the inner rotating plate 11 to the outer ring plate 12 in the outer transfer section 12A by adjusting the rotation speed of the inner rotating plate 11. For example, the supply amount can be increased by increasing the rotation speed of the inner rotating plate 11, and the supply amount can be decreased by decreasing the rotation speed of the inner rotating plate 11. Increasing the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12 can increase the discharge and supply amount from the posture changing and discharge section 20, and decreasing the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12 can stabilize the posture change to a vertical posture, behavior, transport, and meandering movement of the bolts 1 in the posture changing and discharge section 20. For example, by making the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12 slower than that of the inner rotating plate 11, the bolts 1 can be supplied stably, and by making the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12 faster than that of the inner rotating plate 11, the bolts 1 can be transported with increased momentum to the posture changing and discharge section 20. It is also possible to make it variable so that the rotation speed can be adjusted according to the congestion level of the bolts 1 and the transport situation. (Alignment section 15)

[0047] The single-line discharge section 10 has an alignment section 15 disposed on the transfer surface 12a of the bolts 1 transferred by the outer ring plate 2. The alignment section 15 discharges the bolts 1 on the transfer path 12b by arranging them in a single line in a horizontal position. The alignment section 15 transfers and supplies the bolts 1 supplied from the outer ring plate 12 to the position changing discharge section 20 by arranging them in a single line in a horizontal position. The alignment section 15 is composed of a single-line alignment section 15A that aligns the bolts 1 in a single line on the rotating outer ring plate 12, and an intermediate guide 17 that linearly transfers the bolts 1 aligned in the single-line alignment section 15A and supplies them to the position changing discharge section 20. (Single row alignment section 15A, single row guide 16)

[0048] The single-file alignment unit 15A in Figure 1 transports bolts 1 in a normal horizontal position and orientation on the transfer path 12b of the outer ring plate 2, and drops bolts 1 in other abnormal positions or orientations from the outer ring plate 12 onto the inner rotating plate 11, aligning the bolts 1 in a single file on the transfer path 12b of the outer ring plate 12. Bolts 1 in a normal horizontal position and orientation refer to bolts 1A, 1B in a forward or backward orientation that are in a horizontal position in the tangential direction on the transfer path 12b. The single-file alignment unit 15A is provided with a single-file guide 16 that, as the outer ring plate 12 rotates, aligns the bolts 1 in a single file along the inner peripheral edge and discharges them.

[0049] The single-row guide 16 guides and guides the bolts 1 transferred from the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12 to the transfer path 12b along the inner circumferential edge, transferring the bolts 1 in a single row along the transfer path 12b. Therefore, the single-row guide 16 defines the transfer path 12b between its tip 16a and the inner circumferential edge of the outer ring plate 12 with a distance (L) that allows only a single row of bolts 1 to be transferred. The single-row guide 16 shown in Figures 6 and 7 is positioned on the transfer surface 12a, outside the transfer path 12b. The tip 16a of the single-row guide 16 is configured as an inclined surface 16b that slopes downward toward the inner circumferential edge of the outer ring plate 12, and is shaped to follow the transfer path 12b. The single-row guide 16 shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 has a tip 16a that forms an inclined surface 16b that follows part of the head 3 of the hexagonal bolt 1a (for example, one hexagonal surface of the head 3 of the hexagonal bolt 1a shown in FIG. 7), and is positioned so that the tip 16b guides the threaded portion 2 and head 3 of the bolt 1 into the transfer path 12b, transferring the bolts 1 on the transfer surface 12a in a single row along the transfer path 12b. The single-row guide 16 ejects and removes bolts 1 that are transferred in two or more rows or that are transferred in a position that does not follow the transfer path 12b from the outer ring plate 12 to the inner rotating plate 11, and only passes a single row of bolts 1 that follow the transfer path 12b. In the single-row alignment section 15A of FIG. 6, the single-row guide 16 (inclined surface 16b) gradually narrows the transfer surface 12a as it advances in the transfer direction, with the narrowest width being the width that allows a single row of bolts 1 to pass along the transfer path 12b. The single-row guide 16 (inclined surface 16b) guides and pushes out the bolts 1 transported on the transport surface 12a by the rotation of the outer ring plate 12 toward the inner transport path 12b, aligning the bolts 1 in a single row along the transport path 12b and allowing them to pass through the single-row alignment section 15A. If the bolts 1 are not oriented along the transport path 12b, they are pushed out toward the inner rotating plate 11. A position in which the bolts 1 are oriented along the transport path 12b means that the central axes of the bolts 1 are aligned with the center of the transport path 12b, and the single-row guide 16 can stably transport the bolts 1 on the transport path 12b. The single-row alignment section 15A and the single-row guide 16 allow both forward-facing and backward-facing bolts 1A and 1B aligned on the transport path 12b to pass through, thereby increasing the amount of bolts supplied to the posture change and discharge section 20.Furthermore, the single-row guide 16 guides and pushes out the bolts 1 into the transfer path 12b (side) provided on the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12, and positions them along the inner peripheral edge, thereby increasing the density and number of bolts 1 passing through in the correct position and posture, and improving the supply efficiency to the posture changing and discharge section 20, both of which can improve the number of bolts 1 discharged per rotation of the outer ring plate 12 and the discharge efficiency. Also, although centrifugal force increases as the rotation speed of the outer ring plate 12 increases, the inclined surface 16b and tip 16a of the single-row guide 16 can smoothly and stably guide, induce, correct the posture of, and push out the bolts 1 into the transfer path 12b (side) provided on the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12. (Intermediate Guide 17)

[0050] The intermediate guide 17 is a guide that linearly aligns the bolts 1 supplied from the single-row alignment unit 15A and supplies them to the position-changing and discharge unit 20. The alignment unit 15 can be provided with one or more intermediate guides 17. The intermediate guide 17 can have an elastic guide, plate, or wall that allows its position and posture to be adjusted. The intermediate guide 17 has a transfer lane 17a for transporting the bolts 1. In FIG. 1, the transfer lane 17a is inclined downward in the transfer direction, and the bolts 1 are transported by the transfer surface 12a of the rotating outer ring plate 12 and supplied to the position-changing and discharge unit 20. This configuration allows the bolts 1 to be smoothly and stably supplied to the parallel guides 22 that are inclined downward in the bolt 1 transfer direction, and does not require a separate bolt 1 transfer mechanism. The intermediate guide 17 can be configured with an appropriate width, shape, and configuration depending on the transfer speed, amount, centrifugal force, etc. of the bolts 1. The intermediate guide 17 in FIG. 1 has a curved guide 17X with a curved guide and a linear guide 17Y with a linear guide. The curved guide 17X gradually corrects the direction of travel of the bolts 1, which are supplied along an arcuate path along the transfer path 12b of the outer ring plate 12, to linear travel. The linear guide 17Y reliably advances the bolts 1 linearly and stabilizes their position, ensuring stable supply of the bolts 1 to the position changing and discharge section 20. The intermediate guide 17 in FIG. 1 has the curved guide 17X located on the entrance side of the transfer lane 17a, on the front side in the transfer direction, and the linear guide 17Y located on the back side in the transfer direction, and the linear guide 17Y is connected to the position changing and discharge section 20 and discharge guide 21. The curved guide 17X and the linear guide 17Y can be separate members or may be integrally constructed. The position changing and discharge section 20 may also have a portion that doubles as the intermediate guide 17.

[0051] The intermediate guide 17 can be located on either the inside or outside of the transfer lane 17a, which guides and directs the bolt 1 and determines its transfer direction. The curved guide 17X and linear guide 17Y in FIGS. 1 and 2 each include an inner guide 17X1 (17Y1) positioned on the inner periphery of the outer ring plate 12 and an outer guide 17X2 (17Y2) positioned outside the inner guide 17X1 (17Y1). These guides are located on both sides of the transfer lane 17a, ensuring reliable transfer of the bolt 1. The inner guides 17X1 (17Y1) and outer guides 17X2 (17Y2) can be shaped to fit the threaded portion 2 and head 3 of the bolt 1, such as a curved surface that widens upward and narrows downward, or a flat, inclined surface or stepped shape, allowing the bolt 1 to be transferred in a stable position. The intermediate guide 17 in FIGS. 6 and 10 does not have a bottom surface, and transfers the bolt 1 on the transfer surface 12a. This intermediate guide 17 reliably and stably supplies bolts 1 from the transfer path 12b along the inner periphery to the position change and discharge section 20 via the transfer lane 17a by utilizing the rotation of the outer ring plate 2, and also stabilizes the behavior and transfer of bolts 1 within the transfer lane 17a. The intermediate guide 17 may also have a bottom surface. If the transfer lane 17a has a bottom surface, the bottom surface and the transfer lane 17a may be shaped to fit the bolts 1, such as a U-groove, V-groove, or U-shaped groove, or a stepped shape. The transfer lane 17a in Figure 10 has inner guides 17X1 and 17Y1 and outer guides 17X2 and 17Y2 with tapered surfaces on both sides, allowing the bolts 1 to be transferred using the downward slope of the rotating transfer surface 12a. The transfer lane 17a in Figure 10 also has a connecting section 17b connecting the transfer surface 12a to the parallel guide 22. The connecting portion 17b in Fig. 10 is disposed outside the transfer surface 12a, and its bottom surface extends from the transfer surface 12a to the parallel guide 22 to connect to and join the parallel guide 22. The connecting portion 17b in Fig. 10 is provided with a groove 17c (for example, a U-groove or a V-groove) whose width and depth increase in the direction of travel, and the groove 17c guides the threaded portion 2 into the slit 23, and also makes it easy for the threaded portion 2 to drop and tilt. The shape, width, and configuration of the transfer lane 17a of the intermediate guide 17, the inner guides 17X1 and 17Y1 on the side, the outer guides 17X2 and 17Y2, and the bottom surface can be uniformly the same, or the shapes, widths, and configurations can be different for curved and straight lines, and the shapes, widths, and configurations can be partially different depending on the curvature of the curve.For example, outer guide 17X2 of curved guide 17X can be shaped and height adjusted to accommodate the fast initial transport speed and large centrifugal force of bolts 1 supplied vigorously from single-row alignment section 15A. Intermediate guide 17 can also be shaped to minimize the reduction in transport speed, for example by making transfer lane 17a wider on the entrance side and narrower on the exit side, thereby reducing the transport speed and stabilizing the transport behavior through the frictional resistance of intermediate guide 17.

[0052] The intermediate guide 17 in Fig. 6 has a displacement guide 17Z that displaces the bolts 1, which are transferred in a row along the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12, from the inner peripheral edge toward the outer periphery of the outer ring plate 12 to transfer them in a row along the rotational orbit. In Fig. 6, a displacement guide 17Z is provided in the inner guide 17X1 at the entrance of the transfer lane 17a, and displaces the bolts 1 from the inner peripheral edge toward the outer periphery of the outer ring plate 12 after they pass through the single-row guide 16. The displacement guide 17Z comes into contact with the thread portions 2 and heads 3 of the bolts 1 transferred in a tangential position on the transfer path 12b on the inner peripheral side of the outer ring plate 12, displacing the transfer direction of the bolts 1A in a forward position and the bolts 1B in a backward position, and guiding and directing the bolts 1 to the transfer lane 17a, which is positioned and extends in the tangential direction of the transfer path 12b or outside the tangential direction. The displacement guide 17Z can have a shape or configuration that allows the portion that contacts the bolt 1 to displace the bolt 1 in the transfer direction, such as an inclined surface, flat surface, curved surface, straight line, or curved line, or it can have a step. The displacement guide 17Z in FIG. 6 has an inclined surface 17S that slopes downward from the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12 toward the outer periphery. The inclined surface 17S can contact the bolt 1 at a low position, displacing and guiding the bolt 1 toward the outer periphery while reducing the degree of contact and collision. In the displacement guide 17Z in FIG. 6, the end of the inclined surface 17S on the entrance side of the transfer lane 17a is positioned inside the transfer path 12b, and the inclined surface 17S extends from inside the transfer path 12b across the transfer path 12b toward the outer periphery of the transfer surface 12a. This displacement guide 17Z can reliably contact and collide with the bolts 1 that are lined up and transported along the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12. The contact or collision triggers displacement of the bolts 1 from the inner peripheral edge of the outer ring plate 12 outward, allowing them to be stably guided and led to the transport lane 17a on the transport surface 12a. This ensures that the bolts 1 on the transport path 12b can be reliably and smoothly guided and led toward the transport lane 17a, not only on a flat transport path 12b (FIG. 8) but also on a grooved transport path 12b (FIG. 7). The linear displacement guide 17Z facilitates displacement when the bolts 1 contact or collide with the guide. The displacement guide 17Z that crosses the transport path 12b can guide the bolts 1 that come into contact with the guide outward from the tangent line.Displacement guide 17Z can be positioned so that the transport direction is angled outward from the tangent line, for example, at an angle of 10 to 70 degrees, preferably 20 to 50 degrees. Displacement guide 17Z is set within the above range in order to reliably guide and guide bolt 1 from transport path 12b to transport lane 17a, while smoothly guiding and directing bolt 1 from transport path 12b to transport lane 17a while suppressing and reducing disruptions to the behavior and transport posture of bolt 1 due to contact or collision with displacement guide 17Z. Displacement guide 17Z can be provided with an inclined surface Z that slopes downward toward transport lane 17a along transport lane 17a, and by providing inner guide 17X1 of curved guide 17X, bolt 1 can be smoothly and reliably guided and directed from transport path 12b to transport lane 17a. Displacement guide 17Z in Figure 6 further has a plate- or wall-like guide on inclined surface 17S, which prevents bolt 1 from climbing over inclined surface 17S and, together with inclined surface 17S, can reliably and stably guide and direct bolt 1 from the inner periphery toward the outer periphery of transfer lane 17a. Displacement guide 17Z in Figure 6 also has a guide at the tip on the entrance side of transfer lane 17a to prevent bolt 1 from falling, allowing bolt 1 to be stably and efficiently guided and directed into transfer lane 17a.

[0053] The intermediate guide 17 can be arranged with the entrance to the transfer lane 17a at the top of the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12, near that top, or beyond that top on the downward slope. The intermediate guide 17 arranged on the transfer surface 12a can transfer the bolts 1 using the transfer surface 12a. By arranging the intermediate guide 17 on the downward slope side of the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12, the bolts 1 can be transferred using the downward slope of the rotating transfer surface 12a. In addition, the bolts 1 can be smoothly and gently connected and transferred from the transfer path 12b to the transfer lane 17a on the transfer surface 12a, and the step with the transfer surface 12a can be reduced. By arranging the intermediate guide 17 at or near the top of the transfer surface 12a of the outer ring plate 12, the height difference from the intermediate guide 17 to the discharge at the posture changing discharge section 20 can be maximized. The intermediate guide 17 connects, relays, and transports the bolts 1 to the position changing and discharging section 20. The bolts 1, which are transported in a curved line in a horizontal position tangential to the transport path 12b of the outer ring plate 12, are arranged in a straight line and supplied to the position changing and discharging section 20. By arranging and transporting the bolts 1 in a straight line, the intermediate guide 17 can stably supply the bolts 1 to the slit 23 between a pair of linearly extending parallel guides 22, reducing and suppressing the bolts 1 from shaking or moving in the width direction of the slit 23, thereby stabilizing the position and transport direction of the bolts 1. Furthermore, bolts 1A and 1B can be stably transported regardless of whether they are in a forward or backward position, and can be stably and continuously supplied regardless of whether they are supplied at a low or high speed. The stably transported and supplied bolts 1 can then be changed to a vertical position in the position changing and discharging section 20, lining them up in a line, improving the stability and reliability of discharge. The length, shape, arrangement, and connection of intermediate guide 17 stabilizes the attitude and transport behavior of bolt 1, enabling stable supply of bolts 1 at a predetermined attitude, speed, and supply amount, and stable supply of bolts 1 in a horizontal attitude to attitude changing and discharge unit 20 located outside outer ring plate 12. In addition, intermediate guide 17 contributes to making the device more compact and miniaturized by connecting to attitude changing and discharge unit 20 located at a predetermined position outside outer ring plate 12 where space is secured. Positioning attitude changing and discharge unit 20 at a predetermined position and securing space ensures that bolts 1 can be reliably and stably changed to a vertical attitude and slide under their own weight. (Posture change discharge unit 20)

[0054] The position changing discharge section 20 changes the position of the bolts 1 in a horizontal position that are fed from the single-row discharge section 10 to a vertical position and discharges them in a single row. The position changing discharge section 20 is equipped with a discharge guide 21 that changes the position of the bolts 1 that are fed in a horizontal position from the single-row discharge section 10 to a vertical position and discharges them. The discharge guide 21 in Figure 9 discharges the bolts 1 that are fed from the intermediate guide 17 in a vertical position. The discharge guide 21 is equipped with a pair of parallel guides 22 that engage both sides of the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 and transports it in a vertical position.

[0055] The pair of parallel guides 22 has a flat surface and comprises a pair of metal plates arranged in parallel, allowing the bolt 1 to slide and move and transport. The pair of parallel guides 22 in Figures 9 and 10 are each plate-shaped with a flat surface, with a first guide 22a arranged on the inside (closer to the outer ring plate 12) and a second guide 22b arranged on the outside of the first guide 22a, arranged parallel to both sides of the slit 23. The top surfaces of the first guide 22a and the second guide 22b are flat so that the head 3 of the bolt 1 can be engaged and slid. The parallel guides 22 hook the head 3 of the bolt 1 and guide the threaded portion 2 into the slit 23, transporting it in a suspended state in a vertical position. The first guide 22a and the second guide 22b are inclined downward in the direction of transport of the bolt 1, allowing the bolt 1 to slide in the discharge direction under its own weight and be discharged. A slit 23 through which the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 passes is provided between the pair of parallel guides 22, i.e., between the first guide 22a and the second guide 22b. The slit 23 has an inner width (W) smaller (narrower) than the diameter (diagonal) of the head 3 of the bolt 1 and larger (wider) than the diameter (outer diameter) of the threaded portion 2 so that the threaded portion 2 can pass smoothly without passing through the head 3 of the bolt 1. The inner width (W) of the slit 23 is wider than the passage gap (D) between the collision convex portion 31 and the opposing convex portion 34, which will be described later. The width of the slit 23 determines the maximum width over which the bolt 1 swings and meanders, and the passing position and range of the bolt 1 can be determined within the range of the inner width (W). When the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 in a horizontal position falls into the slit 23, the position of the bolt 1 can be changed from horizontal to vertical.

[0056] Each of the pair of parallel guides 22 has a pair of side portions 22d on both side edges and lateral sides, forming an upper region 22c above the first guide 22a and the second guide 22b. The upper region 22c provides a space for converting the position of the bolt 1, which is transferred from a horizontal position in the position conversion region 24, to a vertical position, and a space for the head 3 of the bolt 1 to pass through. The pair of parallel guides 22 shown in FIGS. 11, 14, and 15 has a first guide 22a and a second guide 22b disposed on either side of the slit 23, and each has a pair of opposing side portions 22d connected to the first guide 22a and the second guide 22b on the side opposite the slit 23. The side portions 22d form and secure the upper region 22c, limit the movement of the bolt 1, and also connect and fix the first guide 22a and the second guide 22b via the side portions 22d, allowing for the positioning of the position control arm 26 (described later). However, the pair of parallel guides 22 may be, for example, L-shaped with the first guide 22a and / or the second guide 22b together with the side portion 22d. The pair of parallel guides 22 may also be U-shaped with the slit 23 opening upward.

[0057] The parallel guides 22 allow the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 supplied in a horizontal position to pass through the slits 23, sliding the head 3 in an engaged state to transport it, while converting the horizontally-positioned bolt 1 to a vertical position and discharging it. The parallel guides 22 have a position conversion area 24 that converts the horizontally-positioned bolt 1 to a vertical position by dropping the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 into the slits 23. The bottom surface of the head 3 of the bolt 1 in a vertical position is engaged and comes into contact with the upper surfaces on both sides of the pair of parallel guides 23, suspending the bolt 1. The head 3 of the bolt 1 in the slits 23 is engaged with the upper surfaces of the pair of parallel guides 23, resulting in a suspended state. The above configuration reduces contact between the parallel guides 23 and the threaded portion 2, preventing and suppressing damage to the threads and deterioration in the quality of the threads. Furthermore, because this configuration hangs the bolt 1 from its head 3, i.e., the base side (neck side) of the threaded portion 2, even in the case of a bolt that has an anti-loosening adhesive such as Loctite (a registered trademark of Henkel, LOCTITE) attached to the tip side (foot side) of the threaded portion 2, contact with the adhesive is prevented, and the bolt can be supported, slid, transported, and its position changed at the top of the base side (neck side) of the threaded portion 2 where no adhesive is attached.

[0058] The parallel guide 22 is inclined downward in the direction of advancement and transport of the bolt 1 at an inclination angle (α) that allows it to slide in the discharge direction so that the supplied bolt 1 advances and transports under its own weight. This configuration simplifies the structure and reduces costs without requiring a separate bolt transport mechanism, and the inclination angle (α) and the speed at which the bolt 1 slides in the discharge direction on the inclined surface can be determined and adjusted. The inclination angle (α) can be, for example, between 10 and 40 degrees, and preferably between 15 and 30 degrees. Increasing the inclination angle (α) increases the transport speed, but if it is too large, the tilt angle of the bolt 1 increases, which can easily interfere with smooth sliding, sliding, and movement. Therefore, the inclination angle (α) is set within the above range. The parallel guide 22 can be designed to determine, change, and adjust the inclination angle (α) appropriately depending on the size, supply amount, etc. of the bolt 1. For example, it can be adjusted depending on the size, mass, shape, configuration, and condition of the bolt, and can accommodate bolts ranging from plated bolts with low sliding resistance to oily bolts.

[0059] Bolts 1 that are not aligned in the front-to-rear direction are supplied to the discharge guide 21 from the intermediate guide 17. As shown in FIG. 11, the bolts 1 that are not aligned in the front-to-rear direction are supplied from the intermediate guide 17 to the discharge guide 21 in a forward position with the tip of the threaded portion 2 facing forward in the direction of travel (bolt 1A in a forward position), or as shown in FIG. 12, they are supplied from the intermediate guide 17 in a backward position with the head 3 facing forward in the direction of travel (bolt 1B in a backward position). By dropping the tip of the threaded portion 2 into the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22, the tip of the threaded portion 2 of both the forward-facing bolt 1A and the backward-facing bolt 1B falls under its own weight, changing from a horizontal position to a vertical position. Furthermore, lateral sway of the bolt 1 can be suppressed and reduced.

[0060] As shown in Figure 11, when a bolt 1A is in a forward position and its threaded portion 2 is supplied to the discharge guide 21 first, the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 precedes the head 3, and the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 that is in the foreground falls through the slit 23 first. As the bolt 1 (1A) is transported in a forward position, the tip of the threaded portion 2 gradually falls into the slit 23. As the forward-positioned bolt 1A advances in the transport direction, the threaded portion 2 gradually moves from the tip (foot side) into the slit 23, and it can change its position to a vertical position without being supported in a horizontal position. In this position, the threaded portion 2 that falls into the slit 23 has a small drop, and the tip of the threaded portion 2 falls slowly. Therefore, it does not tilt significantly beyond the vertical position toward the horizontal position, and the tip of the threaded portion 2 does not rise high enough to overlap the head 3 of the bolt 1C in the forward position. The direction in which the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 falls is counterclockwise relative to the direction of advancement of the bolt 1 (from right to left in Figure 11), and the threaded portion 2 gradually falls from the tip on the foot side into the slit 23. When the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 starts to fall, the head 3, which is larger and heavier than the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2, remains behind, and the head 3 pushes it forward, causing the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2, which is in a forward position and lower than the head 3, to gradually fall into the slit 23. As the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 in a horizontal position advances, it is gradually guided into the slit 23, moves into the slit 23, and the length of its presence changes, converting it from a horizontal position to a vertical position, allowing it to be smoothly converted from a horizontal position to a vertical position.

[0061] However, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, when a bolt 1B is supplied in a backward position from its head 3 to the discharge guide 21, the head 3 precedes the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2. As the head 3 slides along the top surface of the parallel guide 22, the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 momentarily drops down the slit 23 at the timing when the entire bolt 1 moves into the slit 23. When the bolt 1B is in a backward position and changes position from a horizontal position to a vertical position in this state, the threaded portion 2 momentarily drops down the slit 23 as shown by the chain line in Figure 13. This causes the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 to fall down the slit 23 at a high speed, i.e., the kinetic energy of the threaded portion 2 is large, and the threaded portion 2 may exceed the vertical position and move in the opposite direction toward the horizontal position like a pendulum. When a bolt 1 is supplied in a backward position, swinging widely like a pendulum, the tip of the threaded portion 2 may rise from the bottom with great force and ride over the head 3 of the bolt 1 that has already moved along the parallel guide 22, preventing it from returning to its normal vertical position.

[0062] In particular, the parallel guides 22 are inclined downward in the direction of bolt 1 transfer so that the supplied bolt 1 slides forward under its own weight. When a bolt 1B is supplied to the parallel guides 22 in a backward position, its threaded portion 2 is higher than its head 3 when it begins to fall into the slit 23. The threaded portion 2 falling from a high position may tilt rapidly toward the horizontal position beyond the vertical position as it changes from a horizontal position to a vertical position. Furthermore, the forward-positioned bolt 1C, which is supplied to the parallel guides 22 first and assumes a vertical position, is lower than the bolt 1 that falls through the slit 23 and changes position, due to the downward slope of the parallel guides 22. In particular, the top surface of its head 3 is lower. Therefore, the bolt 1 that falls through the slit 23 and tilts rapidly may tilt less and ride up onto the head 3 of the forward-positioned bolt 1C. The bolt 1, with its threaded portion 2 resting on top of its head 3, cannot then return to a vertical position, and is unable to change its position to a normal vertical position, causing an emergency stop of the feeder. An emergency stop of the feeder is a serious issue that can stop the line.

[0063] For bolt 1B in the backward position, the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 falls clockwise relative to the direction of movement of bolt 1 (from right to left in Figure 12). For bolt 1B in the backward position, the timing at which the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 starts to fall (the timing at which the entire bolt 1 moves over slit 23 in Figure 12) and the direction in which it falls (clockwise in Figure 12) are different from those of bolt 1A in the forward position. For bolt 1B in the backward position, the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 behind the head 3, which is ahead in the direction of movement, starts to fall later, so during high-speed transport, the tip (foot side) of the threaded portion 2 may not fall sufficiently and ride up onto the head 3 of bolt 1C in the forward position that is moving ahead on parallel guide 22, making it impossible to return to the normal vertical position.

[0064] The above drawbacks can be resolved by aligning the bolts 1 supplied to the intermediate guide 17 by the single-line discharge unit 10 in the front-to-back direction and supplying all bolts 1 to the discharge guide 21 as forward-facing bolts 1A. However, a device that aligns bolts 1 in the front-to-back direction removes backward-facing bolts 1B and selects only forward-facing bolts 1A to be discharged from the threaded portion 2. This increases the takt time and halves the number of bolts 1 that can be discharged per unit time. In this type of device, maximizing the number of bolts 1 that can be discharged per unit time is an extremely important issue. This is because a supply device with low processing capacity requires the use of more units to increase the amount of bolts discharged per unit time. Furthermore, the need for a mechanism or structure that removes backward-facing bolts 1B and selects only forward-facing bolts 1A leads to problems such as increased complexity, size, and cost of the device. (swinging part 30)

[0065] The parallel guide 22 has a swinging unit 30 in the position change area 24. The swinging unit 30 swings the screw portion 2, which falls into the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22 and tilts, in the width direction of the slit 23. The swinging unit 30 swings the screw portion 2, which falls into the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22 and tilts, in the width direction of the slit 23. The swinging unit 30 swings the screw portion 2 in the horizontal direction that intersects with the vertical plane (side portion 22d) of the parallel guide 22, as the bolt 1 is transported in the discharge direction.

[0066] The swinging unit 30 reliably and stably changes the posture of not only forward-facing bolts 1A but also backward-facing bolts 1B to a vertical posture and discharges them from the parallel guides 22. The parallel guides 22, in which the swinging unit 30 is provided in the posture change region 24, reliably and stably changes the posture of bolts 1 supplied from the intermediate guide 17 in both forward-facing and backward-facing postures, that is, bolts 1 supplied without aligning or selecting the front-to-rear direction of the bolts 1, from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture and discharges them. In particular, the swinging unit 30 stably changes the posture of backward-facing bolts 1B supplied in a backward position with their heads 3 facing forward from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture.

[0067] The swinging unit 30 has two or more collision protrusions 31 that contact and collide with the thread portion 2 of the bolt 1 being transported in the discharge direction. One or more collision protrusions 31 are arranged on each side of the pair of parallel guides 22. The collision protrusions 31 are protrusions that protrude toward the slit 23 and change the traveling direction of the bolt 1 that collides or comes into contact with them from the front side of the transport, causing the bolt 1 to meander as it alternates between colliding with and coming into contact with the collision protrusions 31 on both sides of the parallel guide 22. The swinging unit 30 has multiple collision protrusions 31 arranged at intervals in the transport direction of the bolt 1, which alternately collide with both sides of the thread portion 2 of the bolt 1 that is supplied from the intermediate guide 17 and falls into the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22, causing the thread portion 2 to swing laterally. The multiple collision protrusions 31 provided on the swinging unit 30 alternately collide with both sides of the thread portion 2 that falls through the slit 23 and advances while changing its position from horizontal to vertical. As the thread portion 2 falls down the slit 23 and advances, it alternately collides with the collision protrusions 31 on the opposite side, and is repelled, changes direction, and changes posture by the collision protrusions 31, swinging left and right as it advances. As the thread portion 2 advances in the transfer direction while swinging, its kinetic energy is attenuated each time it collides with a collision protrusion 31, and its direction of advancement snakes, slowing the speed of movement in the transfer direction, reducing the forward and backward tilt of the bolt 1 as it advances and preventing it from passing the vertical posture and tilting in the opposite direction. It is preferable to have three or more collision protrusions 31, as this prevents excessive collision and contact with a single collision protrusion 31, distributes the collision and contact, and repeats moderate collisions and contacts, allowing it to collide and contact multiple collision protrusions 31 in stages, thereby more reliably and efficiently achieving these effects. Collision protrusions 31 protrude into the slits 23 from both sides of the pair of parallel guides 22, and are disposed and protrude at positions where the bolt 1 (threaded portion 2) traveling parallel to the parallel guides 22 will collide with and come into contact with the collision protrusions 31, preventing it from moving straight. This configuration prevents the bolt 1 traveling parallel to the parallel guides 22 from traveling straight in the posture change area 24, and ensures that the threaded portion 2 collides with and comes into contact with the collision protrusions 31, thereby attenuating kinetic energy, slowing down the transport speed, reducing the forward / backward tilting of the bolt 1 as it travels, and preventing it from passing the vertical posture and tilting in the opposite direction.

[0068] 14 and 15 has first, second, and third collision protrusions 31a, 31b, and 31c, from the front side in the direction of advancement of the bolt 1, with the first and third collision protrusions 31a and 31c arranged at a distance in the direction of transfer of the bolt 1 on the second guide 22b side, and the second collision protrusion 31b arranged between the first and third collision protrusions 31a and 31c on the first guide 22a side. Figure 15 shows an example in which both sides of the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1 alternately collide with and come into contact with the collision protrusions 31, causing the threaded portion 2 to advance while swinging in the width direction of the slit 23. In Figure 15, the threaded portion 2 of the bolt 1, which falls into the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22 and moves parallel to the parallel guide 22 while tilting in the forward and backward directions, first collides with and comes into contact with the first collision protrusion 31a on the second guide 22b side of the threaded portion 2 (the first portion 2a of the threaded portion 2 including the left or left front side of the moving direction in Figure 15), and is reflected and repelled, changing its course in a direction approaching the first guide 22a on the opposite side. Next, the first guide 22a side of the threaded portion 2 (second portion 2b of the threaded portion 2 including the right or right front in the direction of travel in FIG. 15 ) collides with, comes into contact with, and is reflected and repelled by the second collision protrusion 31b on the first guide 22a side, changing its course toward the opposite side of the second guide 22b. Furthermore, the second guide 22b side of the threaded portion 2 (third portion 2c of the threaded portion 2 including the left or left front in the direction of travel in FIG. 15 ) collides with, comes into contact with, and is reflected by the third collision protrusion 31c on the second guide 22b side, changing its course toward the opposite side of the second guide 22b. The bolt 1 moves in a serpentine manner while swinging the threaded portion 2 in the lateral direction of the slit 23, and is supplied to the external discharge portion 25 and discharged in a line. The swinging portion 30 has a collision protrusion 31 that reliably collides with and comes into contact with the threaded portion 2, and can have a collision protrusion 31 that passes with or without contact depending on the passing position, tilt, and swing of the threaded portion 2. The same applies to the opposing convex portion 34. Note that the first portion 2a, the second portion 2b, and the third portion 2c indicate the side or portion with which the threaded portion 2 comes into contact, and it does not matter whether the threaded portion 2 rotates due to advancement or collision. This configuration reduces the tilting speed, tilting momentum, and transport speed of the bolt 1 each time it collides with or comes into contact with the collision convex portion 31, thereby reducing the degree of contact and change in direction and ensuring that the change in posture to a stable vertical posture can be completed.After the attitude change to the vertical attitude is complete, the bolt 1 can be brought into contact with the collision protrusion 31 to move in a predetermined direction, or the bolt 1 can be allowed to pass without coming into contact with the collision protrusion 31. A spare collision protrusion 31 can be provided in the position after the attitude change is complete to prevent irregular or erratic behavior.

[0069] The swinging part 30 in FIG. 15 has an opposing convex part 34 positioned opposite the collision convex part 31 of the pair of parallel guides 22. The bolt 1 passes through a passage gap (D) defined by the opposing convex part 34 facing the collision convex part 31 or the parallel guide 22. The opposing convex part 34 protrudes toward the slit 23 (inside), or is positioned flush with the tip of the parallel guide 22, or does not protrude toward the slit 23 (inside). The advancing threaded part 2 swings and tilts vertically and / or horizontally, contacting and colliding with the side or bottom of the opposing convex part 34. The collision convex part 31 and the opposing convex part 34 define the passage gap (D) through which the threaded part 2 passes; strictly speaking, the passage gap (D) is determined by the distance between the collision and contact surfaces (portions) of the collision convex part 31 and the opposing convex part 34 with which the threaded part 2 collides and comes into contact. The passing gap (D) is set to be narrower than the inner width (W) of the slit 23 of the parallel guide 22 and slightly larger than the outer diameter (d) of the threaded portion 2. The difference between the passing gap (D) and the outer diameter (d) of the threaded portion 2 is set to an optimum value taking into account the thickness of the bolt 1. For example, in a bolt supply device 100 for which the outer diameter of the threaded portion 2 is 3 to 5 mm, the difference between the passing gap (D) and the outer diameter of the threaded portion 2 can be set to 0.1 mm to 1 mm, preferably 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm. This passing gap (D) can control the path and movement trajectory of the threaded portion 2 and can suppress vertical and / or horizontal tilting within a preferred range.

[0070] The swinging unit 30, which is provided with the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34, can control the course and movement trajectory of the screw portion 2 that collides with and repels the collision protrusion 31, using the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34 at the opposing position. Furthermore, the screw portion 2 that collides with the collision protrusion 31, is repelled, and changes direction, and then collides with and comes into contact with the opposing protrusion 34, so the kinetic energy of the screw portion 2 can be more efficiently attenuated by both the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34. Therefore, the swinging unit 30, which is provided with the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34, has the characteristic of more efficiently attenuating the kinetic energy of the screw portion 2 while controlling the serpentine trajectory of the screw portion 2 that advances while swinging, and can reliably and stably change its posture from a horizontal position to a vertical position.

[0071] The swinging unit 30 can determine, adjust, and control the number, degree, and direction change of the threaded portion 2, the meandering, and swing of the bolt 1 by combining the protrusion of the collision protrusions 31, the number and arrangement of the collision protrusions 31, and the passage gap (D). For example, the number of collisions can be increased by providing four or more collision protrusions 31, and the left-right swing can be increased by narrowing the spacing between adjacent collision protrusions 31. Increasing the protrusion of the collision protrusions 31 increases the degree of rebound and direction change, while decreasing the protrusion of the collision protrusions 31 decreases the degree of direction change and increases straightness. The passage gap (D), the spacing between the collision protrusions 31, and the arrangement can be uniform, or can be appropriately determined depending on the placement location, for example, by setting the passage gap (D) on the entrance side of the posture change discharge unit 20, which has momentum, and the spacing between adjacent collision protrusions 31 wider than on the exit side.

[0072] The collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34, the portions where the threaded portion 2 collides and contacts (collision surfaces, contact surfaces), can be curved, flat, or uneven. The collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34 can be polygonal (e.g., circular, semicircular, triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or trapezoidal), regular or irregular, plate-like, and can be rotating or non-rotating. This disclosure does not specify the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34. For example, in Figures 14 and 15, the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34 are collision rings 32 and 35 with the outer periphery of the threaded portion 2 that collides and contacts, and the collision rings 32 and 35 are circular rings 32a and 35a with a circular outer shape that the threaded portion 2 collides and contacts. The width and arrangement of the passage gap (D) can be easily determined by the size and arrangement of the circular rings 32a and 35a. The circular rings 32a, 35a rotate in a circular shape, making the collision surface and passage gap (D) uniform and absorbing impact by rotation. The circular rings 32a, 35a can collide with and contact the bolt 1 at the portion protruding toward the slit 23, and the collision surface and degree of change in direction can be continuously changed without interruption, gradually increasing or decreasing, allowing the bolt 1 to change direction and move forward in the transport direction. This applies to the pair of circular rings 32a, 35a, which have similar shapes, whether they are the same size or different sizes. The circular rings 32a, 35a can indicate the collision surface with a tangent line. For example, the tangent line of the circular ring 32a, 35a that protrudes most toward the slit 23 is parallel to the parallel guide 22, and the degree of change in direction of the bolt 1 that comes into contact there is small. As the distance from the narrowest passage gap (D) to the front side increases, the angle of the tangent line relative to the parallel line of the parallel guide 22 increases, allowing the bolt 1 that comes into contact to change direction to a greater extent, and in either case, the bolt 1 can be changed in direction and advanced in the transfer direction. The collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34 can be shaped other than circular. For example, the collision protrusion 31 and the opposing protrusion 34 in Figure 16 have tapered hexagonal tips that protrude into the slit 23, and have a surface parallel to the parallel guide 22, a surface inclined relative to the parallel guide 22, and a corner that connects the surface parallel to the parallel guide 22 and the surface inclined relative to the parallel guide 22.

[0073] These collision rings 32, 35 are fixed to the underside of the parallel guide 22 by set screws 32c, 35c that pass through the centers of the circular rings 32a, 35a. With the above configuration, the upper surface of the parallel guide 22 is a flat, inclined surface without obstacles, allowing the head 3 to slide in the ejection direction to eject the bolt 1. Furthermore, by fixing the circular rings 32a, 35a to the underside of the parallel guide 22, the threaded portion 2 collides with and comes into contact with the outer periphery of the collision protrusion 31, which is located lower than the parallel guide 22, so that the tilting and kinetic energy of the threaded portion 2 can be more efficiently damped and excessive tilting can be more efficiently prevented. Furthermore, the collision convex portion 31 and the opposing convex portion 34, which are located below the height thickness of the parallel guide 22, can control the serpentine trajectory of the advancing screw portion 2 at the base side (neck side) of the screw portion 2 close to the head 3 of the bolt 1, thereby reducing contact with the tip (foot side) of the screw portion 2 of the bolt 1, preventing quality degradation that could damage the thread shape at the tip of the screw portion 2, and also preventing or reducing contact with anti-loosening adhesives and the like attached to the tip of the screw portion 2.

[0074] The collision ring 32 of the collision protrusion 31 can have a larger outer diameter than the collision ring 35 of the opposing protrusion 34. In FIG. 15, the collision ring 32 of the collision protrusion 31 is a large ring 32b, and the collision ring 35 of the opposing protrusion 34 is a small ring 35b. In the swinging unit 30 of this configuration, the large rings 32b and the small rings 35b are alternately arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the parallel guide 22, thereby providing a passage gap (D) that allows the threaded portion 2 to snake. In the swinging unit 30 of FIG. 15, the collision rings 32 of the multiple collision protrusions 31 arranged at intervals in the direction of travel of the threaded portion 2 are all large rings 32b with the same outer diameter, and further, the collision rings 35 of the multiple opposing protrusions 34 arranged at intervals in the direction of travel of the threaded portion 2 are all small rings 35b with the same outer diameter, so that the bolt 1 can be swung. However, the multiple large rings 32b and small rings 35 may have different outer diameters.

[0075] 14 and 15, the set screws 32c, 35c that secure the collision rings 32, 35 of the large ring 32b and small ring 35b are arranged in a straight line on the underside of the parallel guide 22, making the large ring 32b, which is the collision convex portion 31, and the small ring 35b, which is the opposing convex portion 34, and the large ring 32b protrudes into the serpentine path of the threaded portion 2, thereby providing a passing gap (D) between the large ring 32b and the small ring 35b, which allows the threaded portion 2 to meander. With the above configuration, the passing gap (D) that allows the threaded portion 2 to meander can be determined by the outer diameter sizes of the collision convex portion 31 and the opposing convex portion 34, and the collision convex portion 31 and the opposing convex portion 34 can be easily replaced.

[0076] The collision rings 32, 35 are preferably made of a cushioning material such as plastic or rubber-like elastic material, which reduces the noise level generated when the threaded portion 2 collides and has the advantage of being able to more efficiently absorb the kinetic energy of the colliding threaded portion 2.

[0077] Furthermore, the swinging unit 30 can be provided with a passing position defining guide 36 that defines the passing position of the threaded portion 2 passing through the slit 23. The passing position defining guide 36 is arranged on either one or both sides of the pair of parallel guides 22, and the passing position and passing range of the threaded portion 2 passing through the slit 23 can be defined by the passing gap (T) between the pair of passing position defining guides 36 or the passing gap (T) between the passing position defining guide 36 and the parallel guide 22. For example, by arranging the passing position defining guide 36 on the near side of the collision protrusion 31, the passing gap (T) can define the position, range, degree of collision, direction of change, and degree of direction change at which the passing bolt 1 contacts and collides with the first collision protrusion 31, thereby enabling the same collision, contact, and direction change to be repeatedly achieved reliably and stably. The passing position defining guide 36 can be the collision ring 32, 35 or the circular ring 32a, 35a, similar to the collision convex portion 31 or the opposing convex portion 34, and can define the passing position of the bolt 1 as well as attenuate kinetic energy and reduce tilting upon contact and collision with the bolt 1. The pair of passing position defining guides 36 can have the same or different size (outer diameter), shape, and degree of protrusion.

[0078] 14 and 15, the swinging unit 30 has central guides 37, which serve as passing position determining guides 36, provided at opposing positions on both sides of the pair of parallel guides 22. The central guides 37 position the screw portion 2 dropping into the slit 23 at the center of the slit 23. The central guides 37 in FIGS. 14 and 15 are positioned in front of the first collision protrusion 31a, and the passing position where the screw portion 2 dropping into the slit 23 first passes can be determined by a passing gap (T). By positioning the screw portion 2 as the passing gap (T) between the pair of central guides 37, the screw portion 2 passes through the center of the slit 23, and the position and degree of collision and contact with the first collision protrusion 31a protruding from the first guide 22a into the inside of the slit 23 can be made constant and stable. The central guide 37 can stably repeat collisions and contacts with the first collision protrusion 31 (first collision protrusion 31a) and subsequent collision protrusions 31 (second collision protrusion 31b, third collision protrusion 31c), thereby enabling more stable and reliable control of the serpentine trajectory of the screw portion 2 advancing through the collision protrusion 31 and improving the accuracy of reproducibility.

[0079] The bolt 1 moves forward while swinging and meandering, with both sides of the threaded portion 2 alternately colliding with the collision protrusions 31. In Figure 15, the threaded portion 2 that has passed through the passage gap (T) between a pair of central guides 37 first contacts and collides with the first collision protrusion 31a at the first portion 2a of the threaded portion 2, including the right or right front side in the direction of travel, and changes direction toward the second guide 22b. Next, the second portion 2b of the threaded portion 2, including the left or left front side in the direction of travel, contacts and collides with the second collision protrusion 31b, and changes direction toward the first guide 22a. Next, the third portion 2c of the threaded portion 2, including the right or right front side in the direction of travel, contacts and collides with the third collision protrusion 31b, and changes direction toward the second guide 22b. This reduces the tilting speed, momentum, and transport speed, ensures that the bolt changes position to a vertical position, and is discharged from the external discharge portion 25 in a line. It does not matter whether the screw portion 2 rotates due to advancement or collision.

[0080] In FIG. 15, the threaded portion 2 passes through the passage gap (T) of the central guide 37 and then passes through the passage gaps (D1, D2, D3) between the collision convex portion 31 and the opposing convex portion 34. The central guide 37 can have the same or different configuration, shape, size, and arrangement as the collision rings 32 and 35. For example, the central guide 37 in FIG. 15 has a pair of circular rings 37a and a set screw 37c that passes through the center of the circular rings 37a and is fixed to the underside of the parallel guide 22. The central guide 37 in FIG. 15 has a pair of middle rings 37b, each with an outer diameter intermediate between the large ring 32b of the collision convex portion 31 and the small ring 35b of the opposing convex portion 34, arranged in opposing positions. The middle rings 37b can be made of the same material as the large rings 32b and the small rings 35b. The pair of middle rings 37b are fixed to the underside of the parallel guides 22 on both sides, separated by the passage gap (T), in opposing positions with set screws 37c. By arranging a pair of medium rings 37b of the same size at the same positions on both sides of a pair of parallel guides 22, the passage gap (T) of the central guide 37 can be positioned in the center of the slit 23. By arranging the set screw 37c that fixes the medium ring 37b and the set screws 32c, 35c that fix the large ring 32b and the small ring 35b at a distance on a straight line extending along the slit 23, the passage gap (T) of the central guide 37 can be positioned in the center of the slit 23.

[0081] The swinging unit 30, which causes the screw portion 2 to pass through the center of the slit 23 using the central guide 37 and collide alternately with the collision protrusions 31 on both sides, has the advantage of being able to more reliably and stably change the position of the screw portion 2 from a horizontal position to a vertical position. This is because the central guide 37 can determine the position where the screw portion 2 falling through the slit 23, or the screw portion 2 immediately after falling, first passes at the center of the slit 23. The screw portion 2 falling through the slit 23 is first guided to the center of the slit 23, and then alternately collides with the left and right collision protrusions 31, snakes, and absorbs energy, allowing it to change its position to a vertical position. (Attitude Control Arm 26)

[0082] 11 and 12 is provided with an attitude control arm 26 that contacts the bolt 1, particularly the head 3, as it advances along the parallel guide 22, to control its attitude. The bolt supply device 100 changes the bolt 1 from a horizontal to a vertical position by dropping the threaded portion 2 into the slit 23, so it is not necessarily required to provide the attitude control arm 26, but providing the attitude control arm 26 makes it possible to more reliably and stably discharge the bolts 1 in a vertical position in a single line. The attitude control arm 26 is particularly useful when supplying a large amount of bolts 1 at high speed, for stably and reliably discharging the bolts 1 in a vertical position in a single line.

[0083] The attitude control arm 26 in Figures 11 and 12 has its rear end (base side) connected and fixed to the discharge guide 21 (side portion 22d of the parallel guide 22). The attitude control arm 26 has a contact portion 27 at its front end or between its front end and rear end that can come into contact with the head 3 of the bolt 1. The contact portion 27 comes into contact with the head 3 of the bolt 1 to reliably and stably change the position of the bolt 1 from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and moves and discharges the bolt 1 in the vertical position along the parallel guides 22 without overlapping. The contact portion 27 approaches the parallel guides 22 (first guide 22a and second guide 22b) as it moves in the transfer direction, and can have a portion, position, tapered surface, inclined surface, unevenness, or step that narrows the gap with the parallel guides 22. This contact portion 27 contacts the head 3 of the bolt 1 as it advances in the transfer direction, thereby more reliably and stably promoting and assisting in changing the position of the bolt 1 to a vertical position. It also stabilizes the movement and transfer of the bolt 1, ensuring that it is transferred in a vertical position. The contact portion 27 of the position control arm 26 is deformable and movable up and down and / or in the direction of transfer, cushioning the impact of the bolt 1, absorbing kinetic energy, slowing the advancement speed, and reducing noise. The position control arm 26 is made of a metal or resin elastic body that contacts the head 3 of the bolt 1 being transferred to regulate its position and position. It also serves as a buffer material, such as plastic or rubber, reducing noise levels and more efficiently absorbing the kinetic energy of the colliding bolt 1 while transferring it in a vertical position. The contact portion 27 in Figures 11 and 12 is connected to the parallel guide 22 so that it can move up and down. The upward movement of the contact portion 27 can be determined and adjusted by its own mass or elastic deformation, and the degree and range of upward movement can be determined, limited, and adjusted by providing a weight, spring, stopper, etc.

[0084] The attitude changing and discharge section 20 can have one or more attitude control arms 26. The attitude control arms 26 in FIGS. 11 and 12 are configured as a first attitude control arm 26A and a second attitude control arm 26B spaced apart in the direction of bolt 1 transfer, but they can also be integrated. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the first attitude control arm 26A is disposed in the attitude change area 24 where the bolt 1 tilts from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The first contact portion 27a contacts the head 3 of the bolt 1 moving along the parallel guides 22 in a horizontal position, causing the threaded portion 2 to drop into the slit 23, tilting the bolt 1 from the horizontal position to a vertical position and ensuring a reliable change in position. The second attitude control arm 26B is disposed on the discharge side of the attitude change area 24, maintaining the vertical position of the bolt 1, preventing the heads 3 of the bolts 1 from overlapping, and discharging the bolts in a single row.

[0085] The vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion 27a of the first attitude control arm 26A and the parallel guide 22 and the vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion 27b of the second attitude control arm 26B and the parallel guide 22 can be the same or different. 11 and 12, the vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion 27b of the second attitude control arm 26B, which comes into contact with the head 3 of the bolt 1 moving along the parallel guide 22, and the parallel guide 22 is narrower than the vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion 27a of the first attitude control arm 26A and the parallel guide 22. The vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion 27a of the first attitude control arm 26A and the parallel guide 22 is such that a bolt 1 in a horizontal position can be tilted to a vertical position and the head 3 of the bolt 1 in a vertical position can pass through but cannot pass through, so that the first contact portion 27a comes into contact with the head 3 of the bolt 1 moving along the parallel guide 22 in a horizontal position, causing the threaded portion 2 to drop into the slit 23, tilting the bolt 1 from the horizontal position to a vertical position and reliably changing its position. The vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion 27b of the second attitude control arm 26B and the parallel guide 22 is such that the head 3 of one bolt 1 in a vertical position can pass through, preventing the heads 3 of successively transported bolts 1 from moving along the parallel guide 22 in an overlapping state and being discharged. The first attitude control arm 26A and the second attitude control arm 26B in Figures 11 and 12 stabilize the change in attitude, movement, and behavior of the bolt 1, and can suppress and correct irregular positions and attitudes. The two-stage attitude control arm 26 with different heights and widths can more reliably change the bolt 1 from a horizontal attitude to a vertical attitude, prevent the heads 3 of the bolts 1 from overlapping, and smoothly and stably discharge the vertically oriented bolts 1 in a single line.

[0086] The external discharge unit 25 lines up and discharges the bolts 1 that have been changed to a vertical position in the position change area 24 to the outside. The external discharge unit 25 can discharge and remove the bolts 1 according to downstream processes, such as an inspection machine, counting device, transfer machine, or container insertion machine. To smoothly and stably discharge the vertically oriented bolts 1, the external discharge unit 25 can be provided with a head guide that guides the head 3 of the bolt 1 on the parallel guides 22 and slits 23, and a head guide gap can be formed between the head guide and the parallel guide 22. The head 3 of the bolt 1 moves on the parallel guide 22 through the head guide gap.

[0087] In the bolt supply device 100 described above, the single-file discharge unit 10 rotates the inner rotating plate 11 and outer ring plate 12 with the rotation mechanism 40 to feed out the bolts 1, which are then discharged by the posture changing discharge unit 20. Therefore, the amount of bolts 1 supplied can be adjusted and changed simply by changing the rotation speed of the motor 41 of the rotation mechanism 40. For example, the rotation speed of the motor 41 can be set and changed using an attached controller. The bolt supply device 100 described above can shorten the takt time for arranging the bolts 1 in a single file in a vertical position, and can efficiently and stably discharge a large number of bolts 1 per unit time in a single file in a vertical position. The bolt supply device 100 can supply, for example, approximately 6,500 M6 bolts 1 with a thread portion 2 length of 20 mm per minute at a rotation speed of approximately 21 rpm. The single-line discharge unit 10 rotates on a circular inner rotating plate 11 and a ring-shaped outer ring plate 12, arranging the bolts in a single line and transporting them in a horizontal position, while the position-changing discharge unit 20 reliably and stably discharges them in a vertical position. The above configuration reduces contact, collision, and overlap between bolts 1, preventing a deterioration in the quality of the bolts 1. Furthermore, without a vibration mechanism, noise can be suppressed and reduced at all speeds, from low to high, during discharge. [Industrial Applicability]

[0088] The present disclosure can be effectively used as a bolt supply device that can convert bolts supplied in both a forward and backward orientation into a vertical orientation, and efficiently and stably discharge a large number of bolts per unit time in a line in a vertical orientation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 100, 900... volt supply device 1,901...Bolt 1A...Bolt in forward position 1B...Bolt facing backwards 1C…Forward position bolt 1a...Hexagon bolt 2...Threaded part 2a…Part 1 2b…Part 2 2c…Part 3 3,903...(Bolt) head 10...Single row discharge section 11...Inner rotating plate 11a...Placement surface 11b…Supply Guide 12...Outer ring plate 12A…Outside transfer section 12B...ascending section 12a…Transfer surface 12b...transport route 12c…Closure wall 12d...first opening 12e…Outer wall 13...Destacking section 15...Alignment section 15A...Single row alignment section 16... Single row guide 16a...tip 16b…Slanted surface 17...Intermediate guide 17a...Transportation lane 17b… Liaison Department 17c…Groove 17X...Curved guide 17X1...Inner guide (of curved guide) 17X2...Outer guide (of curved guide) 17Y...Straight guide 17Y1...(Straight line guide) inner guide 17Y2...Outer guide (of linear guide) 17Z...Displacement guide 17S...Slope 20... Posture change discharge section 21...Ejection guide 22...Parallel guide 22a…1st Guide 22b...2nd Guide 22c…upper area 22d...Side 23...Slit 24...Posture change area 25…External discharge part 26...Attitude control arm 26A...First attitude control arm 26B...Second attitude control arm 27...Contact part 27a...first contact portion 27b...Second contact part 30...Swinging part 31...Collision convex part 31a...First collision protrusion 31b...Second collision protrusion 31c...Third collision protrusion 32...Collision ring 32a...Circular ring 32b...Large ring 32c...Set screw 34...Opposite convex part 34a...first opposing convex portion 34b...second opposing convex portion 34c...Third opposing convex part 35...Collision ring 35a...Circular ring 35b...Small ring 35c...set screw 36...Passing position guide 37...Central guide 37a...Circular ring 37b...Middle ring 37c...Set screw 40...Rotation mechanism 41...Motor 42...First rotation axis 42a...Center rod 43...Second rotation axis 43a...Cylindrical rotating shaft 44...First sub-rotating plate 45...1st pin 46...Second sub-rotating plate 47...Second pin 48...frame 49...Rotation transmission mechanism

Claims

1. A bolt supply device having all of the following configurations (a) to (h). (a) The bolt supply device is a single-row discharge unit that arranges the supplied bolts in a single row and sends them out in a horizontal position; The bolts sent out from the single-row discharge section are changed in position from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and a posture changing discharge section that discharges the items in a line. (b) the attitude changing discharge section is The bolts supplied from the single-row discharge section in a line are It is equipped with a discharge guide that changes its position from horizontal to vertical and discharges the products in a line. (c) the discharge guide is The bolt head is latched on both sides and then changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position for ejection. A pair of parallel guides are provided which are arranged in a parallel position to each other. (d) the pair of parallel guides A slit is provided through which the threaded portion of the bolt passes. (e) the parallel guide is The inclination angle (α) at ​​which the bolt slides in the ejection direction under its own weight, It is inclined downward in the direction of the bolt transfer. (f) the parallel guide is The threaded portion of the bolt supplied in a horizontal position from the single-row discharge portion, a posture change area in which the object is dropped into the slit and changed to a vertical posture; and an external discharge section that discharges the bolts, which have been changed to a vertical position, in a line to the outside. (g) the posture change area is The screw portion that falls into the slit and tilts, A swinging portion is provided for swinging the slit in the width direction. (h) the swinging portion is The screw portion falls through the slit of the parallel guide and tilts. The two sides of the threaded portion of the bolt collide alternately, A plurality of collision protrusions that cause the threaded portion to swing in the width direction of the slit are arranged at intervals in the direction of transfer of the bolt.

2. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, The single-row discharge section an inner rotating plate to which the bolts are supplied; an outer ring plate disposed outside the inner rotating plate and to which the bolts are supplied from the inner rotating plate; a rotation mechanism that rotates the outer ring plate; an alignment unit that aligns the bolts supplied to the outer ring plate in a row and sends them out in a horizontal position to the position changing and discharging unit.

3. The bolt supply device according to claim 2, The alignment unit includes: a line aligning unit that discharging the bolts in a line by rotating the outer ring plate; The bolts supplied from the single-row aligning unit are aligned in a straight line, and an intermediate guide that supplies the bolts to the position changing and discharging section.

4. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, The parallel guide is The collision protrusion and the opposing protrusion are disposed on both sides of the slit, Between the collision convex portion and the opposing convex portion, A bolt supply device in which the opposing convex portion is arranged as a passing gap (D) through which the threaded portion passes.

5. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, The collision protrusion is a collision ring formed by the threaded portion colliding with an outer periphery thereof; through the center of the collision ring, a set screw that fixes the collision ring to the underside of the parallel guide;

6. The bolt supply device according to claim 5, A bolt supply device wherein the collision ring is a circular ring.

7. The bolt supply device according to claim 1, The parallel guide is The collision protrusion and the opposing protrusion are disposed on both sides of the slit, The collision convex portion and the opposing convex portion are a collision ring formed by the threaded portion colliding with an outer periphery thereof; through the center of the collision ring, a set screw that fixes the collision ring to the lower surface of the parallel guide, The collision ring of the collision protrusion has an outer shape larger than that of the collision ring of the opposing protrusion, The collision ring of the collision protrusion is a large ring, A bolt supply device in which the collision ring of the opposing convex portion is a small ring.

8. The bolt supply device according to claim 7, The plurality of set screws that fix the large ring and the small ring are A bolt supply device arranged linearly on the parallel guide.

9. The bolt supply device according to claim 5, A bolt supply device in which the collision ring is a buffer material.

10. The bolt supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, Above the parallel guide, a bolt supply device including an attitude control arm that can be contacted by the head of the bolt advancing along the parallel guide;

11. The bolt supply device according to claim 10, The attitude control arm is a first attitude control arm and a second attitude control arm; The first attitude control arm includes: The bolt is disposed in the posture change area where the bolt in a horizontal posture is tilted and changed to a vertical posture, the second attitude control arm A bolt supply device is disposed on the discharge side of the position change area.

12. The bolt supply device according to claim 11, the first attitude control arm has a first contact portion that contacts the head of the bolt, the second attitude control arm has a second contact portion that contacts the head of the bolt, a vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion and the parallel guide is narrower than a vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion and the parallel guide; The vertical distance (H1) between the first contact portion and the parallel guide is A gap that allows the head of the bolt in a vertical position to pass through but does not allow the head of the bolt in a horizontal position to pass through, The vertical distance (H2) between the second contact portion and the parallel guide is A bolt supply device having a spacing that allows the head of one of the bolts to pass through when in a vertical position.

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