Floating centripetal device

Abstract

To provide a floating centripetal device that can return its position to its original position with high accuracy after decoupling and has no constraint in a fitting direction.SOLUTION: A floating centripetal device 1 includes: a base 10; a spring 11; a facility-side connector holding part 13; a plate 15; and a pin 17. The spring 11 is supported by the base 10 and urges the facility-side connector holding part 13 toward a work-side connector B. The facility-side connector holding part 13 includes: a fixing part 130 to which the facility-side connector A is fixed; a pin receiving groove 137 extending in a roll axis direction dZ; and a convex tapered part 131. The plate 15 has a concave tapered portion 151 that abuts against the convex tapered part 131 and centripetally aligns the facility-side connector A with a pitch axis X and a yaw axis Y orthogonal to a roll axis Z. The pin 17 is inserted into the pin receiving groove 137 to center the facility-side connector A in the roll axis Z.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating centripetal device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, devices that connect workpieces to equipment using floating mating are known. For example, the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 moves freely within a certain range to absorb errors when mating connectors, and returns to a center position when unmating, allowing for reliable connection and disconnection with minimal gaps. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-129453 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The invention of Patent Document 1 has a spring-based restoring force, but lacks a centripetal function, so the accuracy of returning the connector to its original position after disengagement is poor. Also, to avoid the influence of its own weight, the connectors had to be mated from top to bottom, which limited the mating direction.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a floating centripetal device that can accurately return connector positions to their original positions after connectors are released from each other and that has no restrictions on the mating direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a floating centripetal device (1) that adjusts the position of the equipment side connector (A) so that the drive direction (dK) of the equipment side connector (A) is coaxial with the roll axis direction (dZ) in an apparatus that is driven by a drive device in the roll axis direction (dZ), which is the mating direction with the work side connector (B), to mate the equipment side connector (A).

[0007] The floating centripetal device (1) comprises a base (10), a spring (11), a facility-side connector holder (13), a plate (15), and a pin (17).

[0008] The spring (11) is supported by the base (10) and biases the facility-side connector holding portion (13) toward the work-side connector (B).

[0009] The facility-side connector holding portion (13) has a fixing portion (130) to which the facility-side connector (A) is fixed, a pin receiving groove (137) extending in the roll axial direction (dZ), and a convex tapered portion (131).

[0010] The plate (15) has a concave tapered portion (151) that abuts against the convex tapered portion (131) and centers the equipment side connector (A) on the pitch axis (X) and yaw axis (Y) that are perpendicular to the roll axis (Z).

[0011] The pin (17) is inserted into the pin receiving groove (137) and the equipment side connector (A) is centered on the roll axis (Z).

[0012] With the above-described configuration, the present invention can provide a floating centripetal device (1) that can accurately return the connectors to their original positions after disengagement of the connectors, and that has no restrictions on the mating direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a floating centripetal device. [Figure 2] This is an example of a facility-side connector and a work-side connector. [Figure 3]3 is a view showing the pin receiving groove as seen in the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a floating fitting method. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a floating fitting method. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a floating fitting method. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a floating fitting method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a floating centripetal device 1 according to one embodiment. The floating centripetal device 1 is incorporated into a device (hereinafter referred to as the "floating mating device 100") that is driven by a drive device K in the roll axis direction dZ, which is the mating direction with the work side connector B, to matingly mating the equipment side connector A, and functions as part of it.

[0016] The floating fitting device 100 is a device that moves the equipment-side connector A in the roll axis direction dZ while keeping it fixed, and fits the equipment-side connector A to the fixed work-side connector B. The floating fitting device 100 includes a floating centripetal device 1, a drive device K, and a case pusher P (see FIG. 7, which will be described later) as components.

[0017] This embodiment is based on the assumption that a facility-side connector A belonging to an inspection facility is mated with a work-side connector B for performance testing after assembly of the work-side connector B, which is a camera. At this time, it is necessary to mate the work-side connector B while floating it within a range of, for example, 1.5 degrees or more relative to the mating direction.

[0018] Here, the axial direction in which the equipment-side connector A and the work-side connector B are mated in a posture that allows smooth mating on one axis is defined as the mating direction in this embodiment. This mating direction refers to the direction along the roll axis Z. In addition, space is defined by three axes, including two axes (pitch axis X and yaw axis Y) that are perpendicular to the roll axis Z.

[0019] When equipment-side connector A and work-side connector B are placed in the same space and assume a posture that allows them to be smoothly mated on one axis (hereinafter referred to as the "ideal posture"), their roll axes Z coincide. The direction along roll axis Z in this ideal posture (roll axis direction dZ) is the mating direction, and is also the drive direction dK in which equipment-side connector A is driven.

[0020] In this specification, the term "equipment side connector A being centered on roll axis Z" refers to the position of equipment side connector A being adjusted so that the roll axis Z of equipment side connector A coincides with the roll axis Z of work side connector B (in ideal posture).

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the equipment-side connector A, the work-side connector B, and their ideal postures along with the mating direction (= drive direction dK).

[0022] Furthermore, for the facility-side connector A to match the ideal attitude, the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y must also match the positions of these two axes in the ideal attitude. In this case, adjusting the position of the facility-side connector A so that its pitch axis X and yaw axis Y match the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y in the ideal attitude is said to mean that "the facility-side connector A is centered on the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y."

[0023] At this time, when the floating mating device 100 is driven by the drive device K to press the equipment side connector A against the work side connector B, the floating centripetal device 1 is a device that adjusts the position of the equipment side connector A to align the drive direction dK of the equipment side connector A with the roll axis direction dZ, which is the mating direction (= make it coaxial).

[0024] Due to the function of this floating centripetal device 1, the floating fitting device 100 can be moved by the drive device K to smoothly fit the facility side connector A coaxially with the work side connector B.

[0025] The floating centripetal device 1 includes a base 10 , a spring 11 , a ball and retainer 12 , a facility-side connector holding portion 13 , an O-ring 14 , a plate 15 , a housing 16 , and a pin 17 .

[0026] Of these, the "base 10, housing 16, and plate 15" are fixed in this order (hereinafter referred to as "casing"), connected to a driving device K, and driven as a unit.

[0027] A ball and retainer 12 is provided between the base 10 and the facility-side connector holding portion 13. An O-ring 14 is provided between the facility-side connector holding portion 13 and the housing 16 along the outer peripheral wall of the facility-side connector holding portion 13.

[0028] On the other hand, the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 is held inside the casing, and is pressed by a spring 11 erected on the base 10 and is in contact with the base 10 via a ball and retainer 12 .

[0029] The ball and retainer 12 is a ring-shaped member to which a bearing is fixed so as to be freely rotatable, and is fitted onto the base 10 side of the substantially cylindrical equipment-side connector holding portion, but is not fixed.

[0030] When the facility-side connector holding portion 13 is pressed in the opposite direction to the mating direction and the spring 11 is compressed, the facility-side connector holding portion 13 approaches the base 10. At this time, the ball and retainer 12 prevents direct contact between the two, and the rolling of the bearing adjusts the position of the facility-side connector holding portion 13.

[0031] The facility-side connector holding portion 13 is in contact with the inner surface of the casing via an O-ring 14, and floats so as to slide inside the casing while holding the facility-side connector A.

[0032] The spring 11 is supported by the base 10 and biases the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 toward the work-side connector B. In other words, the spring 11 is fixed on the base 10 so as to be able to expand and contract toward the plate 15, and presses the adjacent equipment-side connector holding portion toward the plate 15.

[0033] The facility-side connector holding portion 13 is generally cylindrical overall and has a fixing portion 130 for the facility-side connector A, a convex tapered portion 131, and a pin receiving groove 137 that widens in the fitting direction. The facility-side connector holding portion 13 fits and fixes the facility-side connector A into the insertable fixing portion 130. The convex tapered portion 131 is a convex tapered shape formed by cutting out part of a cone into a strip shape, and forms a gently gradual convex portion in the circumferential direction of the cone.

[0034] The plate 15 has a concave tapered portion 151 that abuts against the convex tapered portion 131 and is centered on the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y that are perpendicular to the roll axis Z, and is fixed to the base 10 and the housing 16 to form part of the casing. The concave tapered portion 151 faces the facility-side connector holding portion 13 on the inside of the casing, and has a concave tapered shape that forms a pair with the convex tapered portion 131 of the facility-side connector holding portion 13.

[0035] As a result, the convex tapered portion 131 of the facility-side connector holding portion 13 and the concave tapered portion 151 of the plate 15 forming the inside of the casing come into contact with each other and are centered inside the casing on the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y. This adjusts the position of the facility-side connector A to the pitch axis X and yaw axis Y of the ideal posture.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the shape of the pin receiving groove 137 of the facility-side connector holding portion 13. The pin receiving groove 137 is located above the facility-side connector holding portion 13 (FIG. 1), and is a groove portion that widens along the roll axis direction dZ.

[0037] The pin 17 is fixed in a state where it is inserted into the pin receiving groove 137, and is centered on the roll axis Z. The portion of the housing 16, which forms part of the casing, facing the pin receiving groove 137 is a through-hole, and the pin 17 can be inserted tip-first from the outside of the housing 16 through an opening in the housing 16 toward the pin receiving groove 137 on the inside of the casing.

[0038] Even when the facility-side connector holding part, which fixes the facility-side connector A, is pushed by the spring 11 and moves in the drive direction dK, the pin 17 inserted into the pin receiving groove 137 does not move because it is fixed to the housing 16, and as the facility-side connector holding part 13 moves, the pin 17 hits an end 1377 of the pin receiving groove 137. The end 1377 is located on the roll axis Z in the ideal posture, and as a result, the facility-side connector A is centered on the roll axis Z.

[0039] (Floating mating method) 4 to 7 show the floating fitting method according to this embodiment. Note that the pin 17, the pin receiving groove 137, etc. are omitted from the drawings in FIGS.

[0040] Figure 4 shows the state before floating mating, in which the floating centripetal device 1, which has the equipment side connector A fixed thereto, is driven by the drive device K and is approaching the work side connector B, which is fixed to the work side connector holding part H.

[0041] The facility-side connector A is fixed to the facility-side connector holding portion 13, and the convex tapered portion 131 is pressed against the concave tapered portion 151 by the biasing force of the spring 11, so that the facility-side connector A is in a centered state inside the floating centering device 1. In other words, the posture of the facility-side connector A at this point is adjusted to a state in which it coincides with the three axes of the roll axis Z, pitch axis X, and yaw axis Y of the ideal posture.

[0042] At this time, the ball and retainer 12 is in contact with the base 10 or the equipment-side connector holding portion 13, but no load is applied. In Figure 4, a certain gap G is left between the ball and retainer 12 and the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 to allow floating.

[0043] Figure 5 shows the state in which the tip of equipment-side connector A, as it approaches work-side connector B, comes into contact with work-side connector B and begins to push against work-side connector B. If equipment-side connector A continues to push against work-side connector B, equipment-side connector holding portion 13 begins to compress spring 11, creating a gap between equipment-side connector holding portion 13 and plate 15. At this point, the centripetal state is released.

[0044] After the centripetal state is released, until the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 starts to press directly against the base 10 via the bearing of the ball and retainer 12, the bearing rolling of the ball and retainer 12 and the elastic action of the O-ring 14 cause the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 to perform a conforming movement (floating movement), absorbing the angle error from the ideal state caused by the release of the centripetal state.

[0045] 6 shows the state in which the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 begins to directly press against the base 10 via the bearing of the ball and retainer 12. In other words, in this state, the base 10, ball and retainer 12, and equipment-side connector holding portion 13 form a single rigid body, and the equipment-side connector A held by the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 is pressed against the work-side connector B, completing the mated state.

[0046] Figure 7 shows the state in which the case pusher P begins to push the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 with a load F in the direction opposite to the mating direction to release the mated state. At this time, the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 and the plate 15 become a single rigid body, and under the load F of the case pusher P, the equipment-side connector A is pulled out from the work-side connector B, releasing the mating. After this, the equipment-side connector holding portion 13 returns to the state described in paragraph 0041.

[0047] As described above, the floating centripetal device 1 of this embodiment can accurately return the connectors to their original positions after disengaging the connectors. Furthermore, since the connectors can be smoothly mated and disengaged without the need for a vertical mating direction, there are no restrictions on the mating direction.

[0048] (Other embodiments) In this embodiment, the pin receiving groove 137 is provided at one location in the circumferential direction, but in other embodiments, the pin receiving groove 137 may be provided at multiple locations in the circumferential direction.

[0049] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1: Floating plummet 10: Base, 11: Spring, 13: Equipment side connector holding part 130: fixed portion, 131: convex tapered portion, 137: pin receiving groove 15: Plate, 151: Concave tapered portion, 17: Pin

Claims

1. A floating centripetal device (1) for fitting an equipment-side connector (A) by being driven by a drive device in a roll axis direction (dZ), which is a fitting direction with a work-side connector (B), adjusts the position of the equipment-side connector (A) so that the drive direction (dK) of the equipment-side connector (A) is coaxial with the roll axis direction (dZ), A base (10); a spring (11) supported by the base and biasing the equipment-side connector holding portion (13) toward the work-side connector (B); The equipment-side connector holding portion (13) has a fixing portion (130) to which the equipment-side connector (A) is fixed, a pin receiving groove (137) extending in the roll axial direction (dZ), and a convex tapered portion (131); the plate (15) having a concave tapered portion (151) that abuts against the convex tapered portion (131) and centers the equipment-side connector (A) on a pitch axis (X) and a yaw axis (Y) that are perpendicular to a roll axis (Z); A pin (17) that is inserted into the pin receiving groove (137) and centers the equipment side connector (A) on the roll axis (Z); A floating plummet comprising:

2. 2. The floating centripetal device according to claim 1, further comprising a ball and retainer (12) between the base (10) and the equipment side connector holding portion (13) for supporting the equipment side connector holding portion (13) in a floating manner.

3. a cylindrical housing (16) fixed to the base (10) and accommodating the equipment-side connector holding portion (13); an O-ring (14) provided between an inner peripheral wall of the housing (16) and an outer peripheral wall of the equipment-side connector holding portion (13); 3. The floating centripetal device of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

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