Automatic deburring and cleaning line

Abstract

We provide an automated deburring and cleaning line with excellent operational stability that can continuously deburr and clean small workpieces using a rotating basket and ultrasonic irradiation device. [Solution] The rotating basket 1 has a cylindrical body, a side wall, and a meshing gear part provided on one of the side walls. The ultrasonic cleaning tank includes a storage tank with an upper opening, an ultrasonic irradiation unit, a support unit for the rotating basket 1, a drive gear unit for rotating the rotating basket 1, and a lifting mechanism for moving the rotating basket 1 between a standby position directly above the upper opening and a processing position. An inlet / outlet hole for workpieces is provided on the other side wall. The system includes a transport mechanism that moves the rotating baskets 1 to the standby position and then to the discharge position while maintaining a horizontal central axis, so that multiple rotating baskets 1 are moved sequentially to and from the standby position. It also includes a hopper mechanism 53 that directs the inlet / outlet hole of the rotating basket 1 upwards and accommodates the falling workpieces inside the rotating basket 1. It also includes an extraction mechanism 54 that directs the inlet / outlet hole downwards and drops the workpieces for extraction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic deburring and cleaning line capable of continuously deburring and cleaning small workpieces, and particularly to an automatic deburring and cleaning line capable of continuously deburring and cleaning small workpieces by using a rotary cage and an ultrasonic irradiation device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a cleaning device that irradiates a workpiece with strong ultrasonic waves in a liquid to perform deburring and cleaning of the workpiece. An automatic deburring and cleaning line has been proposed in which a plurality of such cleaning devices are juxtaposed, a plurality of small workpieces are placed in a cage container, and the cage container is sequentially immersed in the cleaning devices and irradiated with ultrasonic waves for deburring and cleaning.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of ultrasonic cleaning devices are juxtaposed in a straight line at a predetermined pitch interval, and a container holding and lifting device is provided that is disposed above each cleaning tank and immerses a container housing the workpiece in each ultrasonic cleaning device, and a conveying mechanism is provided that sequentially moves the container between the container holding and lifting devices, thereby disclosing an automatic deburring and cleaning line.

[0004] On the other hand, there is also known a deburring and cleaning device using a rotary cage and an ultrasonic irradiation device.

[0005] For example, in Patent Document 2, a rotary (accommodating) cage having a hexagonal cross-section with a large number of through holes formed in an outer wall surrounding the periphery is attached to a drive shaft, and at least a part of the rotary cage is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank, and a deburring and cleaning device is disclosed that rotates the rotary cage around a horizontal rotation axis with a drive shaft. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank is circulated and degassed, and strong ultrasonic waves are radiated into the cleaning liquid from a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators disposed on the lower surface side of the cleaning tank, so that deburring polishing can be performed together with the cleaning of the workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-181355 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-42926 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] An automated deburring and cleaning line is being considered that can continuously deburr and clean small workpieces using a rotating cage and an ultrasonic irradiation device. However, when constructing an automated deburring and cleaning line using a rotating cage, there are issues such as how to automate the opening and closing of the rotating cage lid and how to automate the loading and unloading of workpieces inside the rotating cage.

[0008] In other words, (1) The rotation position of the rotating basket needs to be positioned so that the lid faces a predetermined direction when loading and unloading workpieces. (2) In the above, the orientation of the lid opening is usually opposite, either upward or downward, when inserting and removing the workpiece, and positioning is required for each. (3) A complex locking mechanism is required to prevent the lid from opening during cleaning, especially to prevent it from rotating under strong ultrasonic irradiation that can be used for deburring. (4) In the above, automating the process would require operating and releasing the locking mechanism with simple operations, which is contradictory. These are some of the problems.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its objective is to provide an automated deburring and cleaning line with excellent operational stability that can continuously deburr and clean small workpieces using a rotating basket and an ultrasonic irradiation device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to the present invention is an automatic deburring and cleaning line that continuously deburrs and cleans small workpieces using a processing apparatus that combines a rotating basket and an ultrasonic cleaning tank, wherein the rotating basket has a cylindrical body portion provided with a plurality of through holes through which cleaning fluid flows, side wall portions that close both ends of the cylindrical body portion, and a meshing gear portion provided on the outside of one of the side wall portions for rotating the rotating basket around the central axis of the cylindrical body portion, and the ultrasonic cleaning tank has a storage tank having an upper opening and storing the cleaning fluid inside, and irradiates the storage tank with ultrasonic waves The device comprises an ultrasonic irradiation unit, a support unit that rotatably supports the side wall portion of the rotating basket, a drive gear unit that engages with the meshing gear unit to rotate the rotating basket, and the device moves the rotating basket, which is positioned in a standby position directly above the upper opening of the storage tank with its central axis horizontal, down while maintaining its horizontal position so that at least a portion of the rotating basket is immersed in the cleaning liquid of the storage tank, the rotating basket is rotatably supported by the support unit, and the meshing gear unit and the drive gear unit are engaged, and then moves the rotating basket to a processing position where it can rotate, and thereafter the rotating basket is moved The rotating cage includes a lifting mechanism that raises the rotating cage while maintaining its horizontal position to disengage the engagement between the meshing gear and the drive gear and move it to the standby position, and further, on the other side wall of the rotating cage, an entry / exit hole for the workpiece is provided around the intersection of the cylindrical body with the central axis, and a plurality of the rotating cages are prepared and moved sequentially to and from the standby position, the rotating cage which is positioned with its central axis horizontal in a horizontal view at the loading position outside the standby position is moved to the standby position while maintaining its horizontal position, and the rotating cage which is at the standby position The invention is characterized by comprising: a conveying mechanism that moves the rotating basket to an unloading position outside the standby position and the loading position in a horizontal view, while maintaining its horizontal position; a hopper mechanism that directs the front loading hole of the rotating basket upward, accommodates the falling workpiece inside the rotating basket, and then rotates the rotating basket so that its central axis is horizontal to position it at the loading position; and an unloading mechanism that rotates the rotating basket, which is positioned at the unloading position with its central axis horizontal, to direct the loading hole downward and drop the workpiece out of the rotating basket.

[0011] With these features, by providing the entry and exit holes for the rotating basket on the side wall, it is possible to create an automated deburring and cleaning line with excellent operational stability that can continuously deburr and clean small workpieces.

[0012] In the invention described above, the hopper mechanism may be characterized by storing the workpiece in a storage position outside the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position in a horizontal view, rotating the rotating basket, and moving it to the loading position while maintaining its horizontal position. Alternatively, the retrieval mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket from the unloading position to a collection position outside the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position in a horizontal view, while maintaining its horizontal position, and rotating the rotating basket to retrieve the workpiece. Furthermore, in the invention described above, the hopper mechanism may be characterized in that, in a horizontal view, it stores the workpiece in a storage position outside the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position, rotates the rotating basket, and moves it to the loading position while maintaining its horizontal position, and the unloading mechanism may be characterized in that, in a horizontal view, it moves the rotating basket from the unloading position to a recovery position outside the storage position, the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position, while maintaining its horizontal position, and rotates the rotating basket to unload the workpiece. With such characteristics, the workpiece can be stored or unloaded simply by rotating the rotating basket so that the loading / unloading holes face upward or downward, and the workpiece can be dropped, resulting in excellent operational stability.

[0013] In the invention described above, the loading position includes a first loading position equal to the processing position in terms of height, and a second loading position equal to the standby position, and the conveying mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket, which has been moved to the first loading position by the hopper mechanism, to the standby position via the first loading position and the second loading position. Furthermore, the unloading position includes a first unloading position equal to the standby position in terms of height, and a second unloading position equal to the processing position. The transport mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket, which is in the standby position, to the second discharge position via the first discharge position, and then handing it over to the retrieval mechanism. With this characteristic, the structure and operation of the transport mechanism can be made relatively simple and the operation stability is excellent.

[0014] In the invention described above, the conveying mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket from the first loading position to the second loading position in synchronization with the movement of the rotating basket from the processing position to the standby position by the lifting mechanism, and then moving the rotating basket from the standby position to the first unloading position, and moving the rotating basket from the second loading position to the standby position. Furthermore, the conveying mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket from the first unloading position to the second unloading position in synchronization with the movement of the rotating basket from the standby position to the processing position by the lifting mechanism, and the hopper mechanism may be characterized by moving the rotating basket to the first loading position. With such features, the structure and control of the conveying mechanism can be simplified when moving multiple rotating baskets in synchronization, and the operation stability is excellent. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] (a) a top view and (b) a side cross-sectional view of a rotating basket and rack used in an automatic deburring and cleaning line according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the rotating cage and rack. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the rotating cage and rack. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the automated deburring and cleaning line according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a side cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus and the ultrasonic cleaning tank inside it. [Figure 6] This is a transparent top view of the washing line showing the transport path of the rotating basket. [Figure 7] (a) A transparent front view of the processing device including the rotating cage and (b) A diagram showing the position of the rotating cage on the transport path. [Figure 8] It is a front view showing the conveyance path of the rotary cage in the processing device. [Figure 9] It is a front view showing the movement of a plurality of rotary cages in the processing device.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, an automatic deburring and washing line as one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0017] First, the rotary cage used in the automatic deburring and washing line will be described.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary cage 1 includes a cylindrical main body portion 13 disposed so as to surround the periphery of the central axis L and side wall portions that close both end portions of the cylindrical main body portion 13. The cylindrical main body portion 13 is composed of a combination of plate-like bodies such as punching metal having through holes 13a through which the cleaning liquid flows, and here, it has a substantially regular hexagonal cylindrical shape having the central axis L. Of the side wall portions, one side wall portion on the left side of the paper surface is defined as the gear side side wall portion 12, and the other is defined as the hole side side wall portion 11. Further, the rotary cage 1 is housed in the rack 2 and is conveyed together with the rack 2 as will be described later.

[0019] The hole-side wall portion 11 and the gear-side wall portion 12 are both conical in shape, and are provided with a tubular body 11a and a shaft 12a extending along the central axis L at their apex, respectively. The tubular body 11a and the shaft 12a are rotatably supported on the rack 2, allowing the rotating basket 1 to rotate around the central axis L relative to the rack 2. The tubular body 11a on the hole-side wall portion 11 is hollow and forms an inlet / outlet hole 11b that connects the inside and outside of the rotating basket 1. In other words, the tubular body 11a is the axis of rotation of the rotating basket 1 located around the intersection of the hole-side wall portion 11 and the central axis L, and also forms an inlet / outlet hole 11b that allows media and workpieces to be cleaned to be loaded into the rotating basket 1. The cylindrical body portion 13 of the rotating basket 1 may be provided with an opening / closing cover for maintenance (not shown) around its rotational circumference. On the other hand, a meshing gear section 16, consisting of a rotating gear coaxial with the central axis L, is attached to the shaft body 12a at the top of the gear-side wall 12 at its base. The meshing gear section 16 is fixed to the rotating cage 1 to transmit the driving force necessary to rotate the rotating cage 1.

[0020] Referring further to Figure 2, the rack 2 is a frame-like structure with frames placed on each of the 12 sides of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped, so as not to obstruct the flow of cleaning fluid to the rotating basket 1 it houses. The rack 2 also has hooks 21 at the top of both ends in the direction along the central axis L of the rotating basket 1 it houses, and can be suspended by a suspension jig of the lifting mechanism described later. The hooks 21 are plates bent to have a roughly U-shaped cross-section and are provided so as to protrude outward in the direction along the central axis L.

[0021] Referring further to Figure 3, the hook 21 has a plate-like portion 21a that hangs down from the lower side of its inner portion. Inside the plate-like portion 21a, there are two sets of rail bodies 22a and 22b that extend vertically, one on each side, and are positioned to sandwich the tubular body 11a and the shaft body 12a, respectively. The lower ends of the rail bodies 22a and 22b are positioned so as to coincide with the lower end of the plate-like portion 21a. In the central part of the lower end of the plate-like portion 21a, there is a bearing portion 21b that extends horizontally inward and is positioned to close the space between the lower ends of the rail bodies 22a and 22b. The bearing portion 21b then rotatably supports the tubular body 11a and the shaft body 12a from below. In other words, the tubular body 11a and the shaft body 12a are rotatably supported while their positions are determined by being sandwiched from three sides by the bearing portion 21b and the rail bodies 22a and 22b. Furthermore, it is preferable that the movement of the tubular body 11a and the shaft body 12a is restricted from above by a stopper (not shown) to prevent them from unintentionally coming out upwards. An extraction opening 23 is provided in the portion of the plate-shaped portion 21a that faces the inlet / outlet hole 11b, allowing workpieces to be inserted into and removed from the inlet / outlet hole 11b while the rotating basket 1 is housed in the rack 2.

[0022] Thus, by providing an inlet / outlet hole 11b in the side wall of the rotating basket 1, workpieces can be dropped by gravity and passed through the inlet / outlet hole 11b, allowing for easy storage and removal of workpieces. In other words, by orienting the inlet / outlet hole 11b upwards, workpieces falling from the inlet / outlet hole 11b can be stored inside, and by orienting the inlet / outlet hole 11b downwards, workpieces stored inside can be dropped from the inlet / outlet hole 11b and discharged to the outside.

[0023] Incidentally, in a typical rotary basket, the workpiece removal opening is located around the rotational circumference (outer surface) of the cylindrical body and is sealed with a lid. In such cases, when storing or removing workpieces, it becomes necessary to control the rotation angle around the central axis of the rotary basket so that the removal opening is in a specific direction, such as upward or downward, and the opening and closing of the lid is also required. Furthermore, it is time-consuming to move workpieces that have become wet after cleaning and tend to stick to the inner surface of the rotary basket to the removal opening, making removal very troublesome. For example, when removing workpieces that have stuck around a downward-opening removal opening with an air blower, it is necessary to blow from below and lift them upward to peel them off the inner surface, while also moving them horizontally to the removal opening, which requires very difficult control. Therefore, even with the lid fully open, it is often not easy to remove the workpieces. In addition, the cylindrical body is often made of sheet metal and is easily deformed, so the degree of sealing of the lid is not stable, and the opening and closing operation of the lid is also unstable. For these reasons, if an automated deburring and cleaning line is constructed using a typical rotating basket with an outlet and lid around the rotating cylindrical body, the structure of the workpiece storage and discharge mechanisms becomes complex, and the need for a structurally robust design further increases the cost. In addition, the complex structure necessitates daily maintenance skills, and the running costs, including these, are also expected to be high.

[0024] On the other hand, if the above-described rotating basket 1 is used, the entry / exit holes 11b are provided around the intersection of the hole-side wall portion 11 and the central axis L, and as long as the central axis L is kept horizontal, the workpiece will not fall out even without a lid. In other words, a lid is not required and the structure is simple. Furthermore, as described above, it is only necessary to control the inclination of the central axis L when storing and removing the workpiece, and it is unnecessary to control the rotation angle around the central axis L. In addition, even if the workpiece sticks to the inner circumference of the rotating basket 1 after cleaning, for example, if it is peeled off from the inner surface with an air blow, the workpiece can then be guided to the entry / exit holes 11b by gravity, making control very simple.

[0025] Next, we will describe an automated deburring and cleaning line using the rotating basket 1.

[0026] As shown in Figure 4, the cleaning line 50 is centered around a processing device 10 for ultrasonic cleaning. The processing device 10 is a device that combines a rotating basket 1 and an ultrasonic cleaning tank, and sequentially deburrs and cleans multiple rotating baskets 1 while transporting them. The processing device 10 is equipped with an inlet-side transport mechanism 51 for transporting the rotating baskets 1 into the device and an outlet-side transport mechanism 52 for transporting the deburring and cleaning completed rotating baskets 1 to the outside, and these are located at the left and right ends of the front of the processing device 10, respectively.

[0027] Adjacent to the entrance-side conveying mechanism 51, a hopper mechanism 53 is provided. The hopper mechanism 53 is a mechanism for loading workpieces or media into the rotating basket 1, and includes, for example, a workpiece lifting device 61 such as a belt conveyor and a hopper 62 that guides the workpieces to the inlet / outlet holes 11b of the rotating basket 1. Furthermore, the hopper mechanism 53 includes a handling device, such as a robotic arm (not shown), which holds the rotating basket 1 with the inlet / outlet holes 11b facing upwards and controls the orientation and position of the rotating basket 1 so that the inlet / outlet holes 11b are positioned below the hopper 62. The handling device can, for example, grip the hook 21 on the inlet / outlet hole 11b side of the rack 2 in which the rotating basket 1 is housed and lift it to turn the inlet / outlet holes 11b upwards. In addition, the lifting device 61 is controlled to drop the workpieces into the hopper 62 only when the rotating basket 1 is in a position where it can accommodate workpieces, in accordance with the handling of the rotating basket 1.

[0028] On the other hand, adjacent to the exit-side transport mechanism 52, there is an extraction mechanism 54. The extraction mechanism 54 is a mechanism for discharging workpieces and media from inside the rotating basket 1, and includes a transport device 63 such as a belt conveyor having a receiving tray 64 for receiving the discharged workpieces. Furthermore, the extraction mechanism 54 includes a handling device, such as a robot arm (not shown), which holds the rotating basket 1 with the inlet / outlet holes 11b facing downwards and controls the orientation and position of the rotating basket 1 so that the inlet / outlet holes 11b are positioned above the receiving tray 64 and the discharged workpieces are received by the receiving tray 64. The handling device can, for example, grasp the hook 21 on the meshing gear portion 16 side of the rack 2 in which the rotating basket 1 is housed and lift it to turn the inlet / outlet holes 11b downwards. The transport device 63 is controlled to match the handling of the rotating basket 1 so that when the rotating basket 1 is in a position to discharge workpieces, the workpieces are received by the receiving tray 64 without overflowing.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the processing apparatus 10 can be configured to place a rotating basket 1 and a rack 2 housing the rotating basket 1 inside a liquid tank 3 having an upper opening 3a, and to immerse them in a cleaning liquid 4 stored inside the liquid tank 3. In particular, the rack 2 is suspended from above the liquid tank 3 by a suspension jig 5, allowing the rotating basket 1 to be sequentially positioned at a standby position 73b or standby position 74b (see Figure 7(b)) directly above the upper opening 3a inside the liquid tank 3, and at a processing position 73a or 74a (see Figure 7(b)) inside the liquid tank 3. The suspension jig 5 is configured, for example, to switch between engaging and disengaging the rack 2 with the hook 21. The suspension jig 5 also includes a drive mechanism (not shown) that enables vertical and horizontal movement of the rack 2, allowing the rack 2 to move vertically between the standby position 73b and the processing position 73a or between the standby position 74b and the processing position 74a, as well as horizontally, while housing the rotating basket 1. In other words, the suspension jig 5 and its drive mechanism serve as both a transport mechanism for transporting the rotating cage 1 within the processing device 10 and a lifting mechanism for moving the rotating cage 1 up and down as an ultrasonic cleaning tank.

[0030] The rotating baskets 1 positioned at processing positions 73a and 74a are immersed in the cleaning liquid 4 at least partially, and their meshing gear portion 16 is engaged with the drive gear portion 41 so that they can rotate using the driving force from the drive gear portion 41. In other words, the rack 2 housing the rotating baskets 1 is placed in a predetermined position in the liquid tank 3 and serves as a support that allows the rotating baskets 1 to rotate freely around the central axis L at processing positions 73a or 74a, and transmits the driving force from the drive gear portion 41 to the meshing gear portion 16. The drive gear portion 41 is part of the drive mechanism 40, and the driving force from the motor 44 is transmitted via the gearbox 43 and chain 42. The drive mechanism 40 is also made vertically movable by a hydraulic cylinder 45 or the like. This prevents the drive gear portion 41 from interfering with the movement of the rotating baskets 1, and allows the drive gear portion 41 to engage with the meshing gear portion 16 of the rotating baskets 1 at processing positions 73a and 74a.

[0031] Liquid tank 3 is a storage tank that stores cleaning liquid inside as an ultrasonic cleaning tank. An ultrasonic oscillator 32 is attached to a diaphragm 31 at its bottom, and by vibrating the ultrasonic oscillator 32, ultrasonic waves can be emitted toward the surface of the cleaning liquid 4. In other words, the diaphragm 31 and ultrasonic oscillator 32 become the ultrasonic irradiation section of the ultrasonic cleaning tank. Furthermore, one of the four sides of liquid tank 3 is lower in height than the others, and the cleaning liquid 4 overflows from the top of the lowered side, keeping the liquid level of the cleaning liquid 4 in liquid tank 3 constant and forming a standing wave using ultrasonic waves. The overflowed cleaning liquid 4 is guided via the inclined surface 33 to the overflow tank 34, where sand and other materials are separated and the liquid is circulated.

[0032] In this embodiment, the processing apparatus 10 has two such liquid tanks 3, and the rotating basket 1 is immersed in each liquid tank 3 in sequence to perform deburring and cleaning twice. Note that the number of liquid tanks 3 may be one, or it may be three or more.

[0033] More specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the processing apparatus 10 is equipped with an input line A, a first washing line B, a second washing line C, and an output line D, each in order from left to right. The input line A, the first washing line B, the second washing line C, and the output line D are located on the outside of each other so as not to overlap in a horizontal (top) view. In addition, the first washing line B and the second washing line C are each equipped with a liquid tank 3, which are arranged at the same height so as to be side by side within the processing apparatus 10. Note that these figures depict numerous rotating baskets 1 housed in racks 2, but these only indicate the positions of the rotating baskets 1 along the transport path, and rotating baskets 1 do not exist simultaneously at all locations.

[0034] Referring particularly to Figure 6, the loading line A is equipped with an inlet-side transport mechanism 51. The inlet-side transport mechanism 51 moves the rotating cage 1 from front to back along the loading line A, allowing the rotating cage 1 to be loaded from the outside to the inside of the processing device 10. At this time, the rotating cage 1 is positioned with its central axis L horizontal and facing from front to back, and this position is maintained. On the other hand, the outlet-side transport mechanism 52 similarly moves the rotating cage 1 from back to front along the discharge line D, allowing the rotating cage 1 to be discharged from the inside to the outside of the processing device 10. Here as well, the rotating cage 1 is maintained with its central axis L horizontal and facing from front to back. The inlet-side transport mechanism 51 and the outlet-side transport mechanism 52 are equipped with, for example, rollers to support the rack 2 containing the rotating cage 1 and drive rollers to move the rack 2 in the front-rear direction. They may also be supported by rails.

[0035] Furthermore, in the loading line A, a hopper mechanism 53 is provided in front of the inlet-side conveying mechanism 51, as described above. In the hopper mechanism 53, the position of the rotating basket 1 located below the hopper 62 is defined as the storage position 71. On the other hand, in the unloading line D, a removal mechanism 54 is provided in front of the outlet-side conveying mechanism 52, as described above. In the removal mechanism 54, the position of the rotating basket 1 positioned to discharge the workpiece into the receiving tray 64 is defined as the recovery position 76.

[0036] The hopper mechanism 53 may also be installed directly on top of the inlet-side conveying mechanism 51. That is, once the workpiece is placed in the rotating basket 1, which is standing upright on top of the inlet-side conveying mechanism 51 with the inlet / outlet hole 11b facing upwards, the rotating basket 1 is tilted while one end of the rack 2 is in contact with the upper surface of the inlet-side conveying mechanism 51, and rotated so that the central axis L becomes horizontal. Alternatively, the retrieval mechanism 54 can be installed on top of the outlet-side conveying mechanism 52. That is, the rotating basket 1 is tilted while one end of the rack 2 is in contact with the upper surface of the outlet-side conveying mechanism 52, and rotated so that the inlet / outlet hole 11b faces downwards. In this case, a through hole should be provided in the part of the outlet-side conveying mechanism 52 located below the inlet / outlet hole 11b, and the receiving tray 64 and conveying device 63 should be placed below it.

[0037] Furthermore, referring specifically to Figure 7, the processing positions 73a and 74a are predetermined positions within the liquid tank 3 of the first washing line B and the second washing line C, respectively, where the rotating basket 1 is rotated. The standby positions 73b and 74b are located directly above the upper opening 3a of the liquid tank 3, that is, directly above the processing positions 73a and 74a. The standby positions 73b and 74b are positions where the direction of movement of the rotating basket 1 is changed from horizontal to vertical, or from vertical to horizontal, and are determined by the control of the movement of the suspension jig 5. In addition, in the loading line A, the innermost position of the rotating basket 1 moving over the entrance-side transport mechanism 51 is designated as the first loading position 72a, and the position directly above it is designated as the second loading position 72b. Furthermore, in the discharge line D, the furthest point of the rotating basket 1 moving over the exit-side conveying mechanism 52 is defined as the second discharge position 75a, and the position directly above it is defined as the first discharge position 75b.

[0038] In other words, the storage position 71 is located outside the second loading position 72b, the standby positions 73b and 74b, and the first unloading position 75b in a horizontal view. Similarly, the retrieval position 76 is located outside the storage position 71, the second loading position 72b, the standby positions 73b and 74b, and the first unloading position 75b in a horizontal view. As will be described in more detail later, the rotating basket 1 maintains a position with its central axis L horizontal except at the storage position 71 and the retrieval position 76. This prevents workpieces from falling out of the rotating basket 1.

[0039] Referring to Figure 6 in conjunction with Figure 8, the movement of the rotating basket 1 in the washing line 50 will be explained step by step.

[0040] First, the rotating basket 1 is positioned at the storage position 71 (see Figure 6 in particular). At this time, the rotating basket 1 is held by the hopper mechanism 53 with the inlet / outlet hole 11b facing upwards. Then, the rotating basket 1, which has received the workpiece through the inlet / outlet hole 11b via the hopper 62, is tilted by a robot arm or the like so that its central axis L is horizontal and the hooks 21 of the rack 2 are positioned upwards. From this point onward, the rotating basket 1 maintains its posture with the hooks 21 positioned upwards and its central axis L horizontal until it passes through the outlet-side conveying mechanism 52.

[0041] Next, the rotating basket 1 is placed on the entrance-side transport mechanism 51 by a robot arm or the like, and is moved towards the back by the entrance-side transport mechanism 51 to be placed at the first loading position 72a inside the processing device 10 (see Figure 8 in particular). Once placed at the first loading position 72a, the rotating basket 1 is lowered and raised by engaging the tip of the suspension jig 5 with the hook 21 of the rack 2, and is placed at the second loading position 72b. Then, the rotating basket 1 is moved horizontally to the standby position 73b of the first washing line B. In other words, it is moved to the standby position 73b via the first loading position 72a and the second loading position 72b. Furthermore, the rotating basket 1 changes its direction of movement downward and is lowered to be placed at the processing position 73a. At this time, the suspension jig 5 may release its engagement with the hook 21 and return to its original position. Then, the rotating basket 1 is rotated and irradiated with ultrasonic waves by engaging the drive gear section 41 with the meshing gear section 16. In other words, deburring of the workpiece inside the rotating basket 1 is performed by ultrasonic cleaning.

[0042] After cleaning, when the drive gear section 41 is disengaged, the rotating basket 1 is lowered and raised by the hook 21 engaging with the suspension jig 5 and moves to the standby position 73b. Furthermore, the rotating basket 1 moves horizontally to the standby position 74b of the second cleaning line C, changes direction of movement downwards and is lowered to the processing position 74a. At this time, the suspension jig 5 disengages from the hook 21. Then, ultrasonic cleaning is performed in the same manner.

[0043] Then, after deburring and cleaning, when the engagement of the drive gear section 41 is released, the rotating cage 1 is lowered and raised by the hook 21 engaging with the suspension jig 5 and moves to the standby position 74b. Furthermore, the rotating cage 1 is moved horizontally to the first discharge position 75b of the discharge line D, then changes direction of movement downward and is lowered to be positioned at the second discharge position 75a. The rotating basket 1 is then moved to the second unloading position 75b via the first unloading position 75b. At this time, the suspension jig 5 releases its engagement with the hook 21. The rotating basket 1, having been moved to the second unloading position 75a, is moved towards the front by the exit-side conveying mechanism 52 and is unloaded from the processing device 10 while passing through the exit-side conveying mechanism 52.

[0044] Referring again to Figure 6, the rotating basket 1 on the outlet-side transport mechanism 52, which has been discharged from the processing device 10, is transported to the retrieval mechanism 54 by a robot arm or the like while maintaining the horizontal position of its central axis L, and then handed over. Furthermore, the rotating basket 1 is rotated by the retrieval mechanism 54 so as to tilt its central axis L, so that the inlet / outlet hole 11b is held facing downwards at the retrieval position 76. Then, the workpiece inside the rotating basket 1 falls due to gravity, passes through the inlet / outlet hole 11b, is discharged into the receiving tray 64, and is transported by the transport device 63. It is also preferable that the retrieval mechanism 54 be equipped with an air blower to detach the workpiece from the inner wall of the rotating basket 1, anticipating that the workpiece may stick to the inner wall due to the cleaning liquid.

[0045] As described above, the washing line 50 is equipped with an inlet-side conveying mechanism 51, a conveying mechanism within the processing device 10 (such as a suspension jig 5), an outlet-side conveying mechanism 52, a hopper mechanism 53, and an unloading mechanism 54, which allows multiple prepared rotating baskets 1 to be sequentially moved to standby positions 73b and 74b, and then to processing positions 73a and 74a for deburring and washing. On the other hand, after washing, the rotating baskets 1 are returned from processing positions 73a and 74a to standby positions 73b and 74b, and then moved to standby position 74b and the first unloading position 75b located further outside. In other words, the conveying mechanism and the lifting mechanism are provided to sequentially move multiple rotating baskets to standby positions 73b and 74b, and then move them out from standby positions 73b and 74b. As a result, the washing line 50 can be an automated deburring and washing line that can continuously deburr and wash small workpieces.

[0046] In particular, by positioning the first loading position 72a and the second loading position 72b outside the standby positions 73b and 74b, even if the rotating basket 1 is held at the second loading position 72b so that it can be moved to the standby position 73b at any time, it does not interfere with the movement of other rotating baskets 1 between the standby position 73b and the processing position 73a. Furthermore, by positioning the first unloading position 75b and the second unloading position outside the standby position and loading position, the rotating basket 1 moved to the unloading position does not interfere with the movement of other rotating baskets 1 between the standby position 74b and the processing position 74a. In other words, there is no need to monitor the movement of multiple rotating baskets 1 to prevent interference, resulting in excellent operational stability. In addition, by providing a hopper mechanism 53 and an unloading mechanism 54, it is possible to store and discharge workpieces by gravity through the input / output hole 11b simply by rotating the rotating basket 1 so that its rotation axis L is tilted. This also contributes to excellent operational stability.

[0047] As mentioned above, multiple rotating cages 1 are provided, and within the processing unit 10, they repeatedly perform transport in the order of rising → horizontal movement → lowering. Therefore, by moving multiple rotating cages 1 in sync, the structure and control of the transport mechanism using the suspension jig 5 can be simplified.

[0048] First, the first loading position 72a, the second loading position 72b, processing positions 73a and 74a, standby positions 73b and 74b, the second unloading position 75a, and the first unloading position 75b are all assumed to be at the same depth position. Furthermore, the first loading position 72a, processing positions 73a and 74a, and the second unloading position 75a (i.e., positions whose symbols end in "a") are assumed to be at the same height, and the second loading position 72b, standby positions 73b and 74b, and the first unloading position 75b (i.e., positions whose symbols end in "b") are assumed to be at the same height.

[0049] For example, as shown in Figure 9, three suspension fixtures 5 are provided, and they are movable in the left-right direction relative to a suspension base 5a that can move up and down vertically. In other words, the suspension base 5a allows all of the suspension fixtures 5 to move up and down synchronously, and each of the suspension fixtures 5 can move left and right.

[0050] First, as shown in Figure (a), the washed rotating baskets 1 are placed at processing positions 73a and 74a, and the unwashed rotating basket 1 is placed at the first loading position 72a. Then, these three rotating baskets 1 are raised using the suspension jig 5. In other words, the rotating baskets are moved from the first loading position 72a to the second loading position 72b in synchronization with the movement of the rotating baskets 1 from processing positions 73a and 74a to standby positions 73b and 74b. Subsequently, the rotating baskets 1 at standby positions 73b and 74b are moved to standby position 74b and the first unloading position 75b, respectively, and the rotating basket 1 at the second loading position 72b is moved to standby position 73b. As a result, the rotating baskets 1 are positioned above the first washing line B, the second washing line C, and the unloading line D.

[0051] Next, as shown in Figure (b), the rotating basket 1 at the standby positions 73b and 74b and the first discharge position 75b is lowered. In other words, the rotating basket 1 is moved from the first discharge position 75b to the second discharge position 75a in synchronization with its movement to the processing positions 73a and 74a within the liquid tank 3. Also, in the now-empty loading line A, the rotating basket 1 is moved from the hopper mechanism 53 to the first loading position 72a. Meanwhile, the rotating basket 1 that has been moved to the second discharge position 75a is then loaded out of the processing device 10 by the outlet-side transport mechanism 52 and further moved to the removal mechanism 54.

[0052] As described above, by aligning the depth and height of each position where the rotating basket 1 is placed and synchronizing part of its movement, the transport mechanism within the processing unit 10 is simplified. For example, by aligning the height of the rotating basket 1 on both the upper and lower levels, multiple suspension fixtures 5 can be raised and lowered together using a single suspension base 5a, and only one drive unit is needed for lifting and lowering. Furthermore, there is no need to simultaneously mix lifting / lowering and lateral movement, and the control is also simpler. Here, for example, if the lateral spacing of each line—input line A, first washing line B, second washing line C, and output line D—is kept constant, the spacing between multiple suspension fixtures 5 can be fixed at a constant level. This means that only one drive unit is needed for lateral movement as well. In other words, the structure and control of the transport mechanism can be further simplified.

[0053] Although embodiments and modifications based thereon have been described, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these examples. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will be able to find various alternative embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the attached claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 1. Rotating basket 2 racks 10 Processing Unit 50 Cleaning lines (automatic deburring and cleaning lines) 51 Inlet side transport mechanism 52 Outlet side transport mechanism 53 Hopper mechanism 54 Removal mechanism

Claims

1. An automated deburring and cleaning line that uses a processing device combining a rotating cage and an ultrasonic cleaning tank to continuously deburr and clean small workpieces, The rotating basket comprises a cylindrical body portion provided with a plurality of through holes through which cleaning fluid flows, side wall portions that close both ends of the cylindrical body portion, and a meshing gear portion provided on the outside of one of the side wall portions for rotating the rotating basket around the central axis of the cylindrical body portion. The ultrasonic cleaning tank comprises a storage tank having an upper opening and storing the cleaning liquid inside, an ultrasonic irradiation unit that irradiates the storage tank with ultrasonic waves, a support unit that rotatably supports the side wall of the rotating basket, and a drive gear unit that engages with the meshing gear unit to rotate the rotating basket. The mechanism includes a lifting mechanism that lowers the rotating basket, which is positioned with its central axis horizontal at a standby position directly above the upper opening of the storage tank, while maintaining its horizontal position, so that at least a portion of the rotating basket is immersed in the cleaning liquid of the storage tank, and moves the rotating basket to a processing position where the rotating basket is rotatably supported by the support and the meshing gear portion and the drive gear portion are engaged, and then raises the rotating basket while maintaining its horizontal position to disengage the meshing gear portion and the drive gear portion and move it back to the standby position, Furthermore, On the other side of the rotating cage, an entry and exit hole for the workpiece is provided around the intersection point with the central axis of the cylindrical main body, and multiple rotating cages are prepared and moved sequentially to the standby position and out of the standby position. A conveying mechanism that moves the rotating cage, which is positioned horizontally at an loading position outside the standby position in a horizontal view, to the standby position while maintaining its horizontal orientation, and moves the rotating cage from the standby position to an unloading position outside the standby position and the loading position in a horizontal view, while maintaining its horizontal orientation. A hopper mechanism that orients the front opening of the rotating basket upwards, collects the falling workpiece inside the rotating basket, and then rotates the rotating basket so that its central axis is horizontal to position it at the loading position, An automatic deburring and cleaning line characterized by including an extraction mechanism that rotates the rotating basket, which is positioned at the aforementioned discharge position with its central axis horizontal, and drops the workpiece out of the rotating basket with the inlet / outlet hole facing downward.

2. The hopper mechanism is characterized in that, in a horizontal view, it stores the workpieces at storage positions outside the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position, rotates the rotating basket, and moves it to the loading position while maintaining its horizontal position, as described in claim 1.

3. The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal mechanism moves the rotating basket in the discharge position to a recovery position outside the standby position, the loading position, and the discharge position in a horizontal view, while maintaining its horizontal position, and rotates the rotating basket to remove the workpiece.

4. The hopper mechanism, in a horizontal view, stores the workpiece at storage positions outside the standby position, the loading position, and the unloading position, rotates the rotating basket, and moves it to the loading position while maintaining its horizontal position. The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal mechanism moves the rotating basket in the discharge position to a recovery position outside the storage position, standby position, loading position and discharge position in a horizontal view, while maintaining its horizontal position, and rotates the rotating basket to remove the workpiece.

5. The aforementioned loading position includes a first loading position that is equal in height to the processing position, and a second loading position that is equal to the waiting position. The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to claim 4, characterized in that the conveying mechanism moves the rotating basket, which has been moved to the first loading position by the hopper mechanism, to the standby position via the first loading position and the second loading position.

6. The aforementioned discharge position includes, in terms of height, a first discharge position that is equal to the standby position and a second discharge position that is equal to the processing position. The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to claim 5, characterized in that the conveying mechanism moves the rotating basket, which is in the standby position, to the second discharge position via the first discharge position and hands it over to the extraction mechanism.

7. The automatic deburring and cleaning line according to claim 6, characterized in that the conveying mechanism moves the rotating basket from the first loading position to the second loading position in synchronization with the movement of the rotating basket from the processing position to the standby position by the lifting mechanism, and then moves the rotating basket from the standby position to the first unloading position, and moves the rotating basket from the second loading position to the standby position.

8. The automatic deburring and washing line according to claim 7, characterized in that the conveying mechanism moves the rotating basket from the standby position to the processing position by the lifting mechanism in synchronization with the movement of the rotating basket from the first discharge position to the second discharge position, and the hopper mechanism moves the rotating basket to the first input position.

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