Workpiece machining jig

Abstract

The present invention provides a workpiece processing jig that can process multiple surfaces of a workpiece while holding it, and can shorten the workpiece processing cycle time compared to conventional methods, even when processing a workpiece while it is being transported on a conveyor lane. [Solution] The workpiece processing jig 1 of the present invention comprises a first jig 11 having a workpiece W mounting portion 11a, and at least one second jig 12 having a workpiece holding portion 12a that detachably holds the workpiece W and is detachable from the first jig 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a jig for workpiece processing.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a jig for workpiece processing for attaching components such as terminals and covers to the upper surface of an assembly (workpiece) is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, this jig for workpiece processing includes a base jig that supports the assembly by contacting five surfaces, namely, four side surfaces and the bottom surface of a rectangular parallelepiped assembly, and a sub-jig that is arranged along the side surface of the base jig and brings components to the upper surface of the assembly. When such a jig for workpiece processing is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side of a conveying lane composed of a conveyor, first, the assembly (workpiece) is assembled to the base jig. Thereafter, each of a plurality of components is sequentially brought to the upper surface of the assembly (workpiece) flowing downstream together with the jig for workpiece processing by the sub-jig and attached by welding or the like. The jig for workpiece processing holds the assembly (workpiece) until all the components are attached to the assembly (workpiece).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the conventional jig for workpiece processing (see, for example, Patent Document 1) is considered to be usable not only for the purpose of attaching an assembly (workpiece) but also for processing various workpieces without being limited thereto. However, conventional workpiece processing jigs are limited to processing only one surface of the workpiece (the top surface of the assembly). Therefore, if one attempts to process other surfaces of a workpiece using such a jig, it becomes cumbersome to have to remove the workpiece from the jig after processing one surface. Furthermore, if multiple workpiece processing jigs are used to attach parts to multiple surfaces of a workpiece as they move continuously along a conveyor lane, this leads to a problem of increased workpiece processing cycle time. Consequently, there is a need for workpiece processing jigs that can process multiple surfaces of a workpiece while holding it, and that can shorten the workpiece processing cycle time compared to conventional methods, even when processing a workpiece while it is being transported on a conveyor lane.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece processing jig that can process multiple surfaces of a workpiece while holding it, and that can shorten the workpiece processing cycle time compared to conventional methods, even when processing the workpiece while it is being transported on a conveyor lane. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The workpiece processing jig of the present invention comprises a first jig having a workpiece mounting portion, and at least one second jig having a workpiece holding portion for detachably holding the workpiece and being able to engage with and detach from the first jig. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the workpiece processing jig of the present invention, it is possible to process multiple surfaces of a workpiece while holding it, and even when processing a workpiece while it is being transported on a conveyor lane, the cycle time for workpiece processing can be shortened compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an overall perspective view of a workpiece processing jig (jig assembly) transported by a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a workpiece machining jig (jig assembly). [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the transport system for the workpiece processing jig. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the transport system. [Figure 6A] This is a cross-sectional view of the first jig after the workpiece has been placed in step S101, as shown in Figure 5. [Figure 6B] This is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly formed in step S102 shown in Figure 5. [Figure 6C] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly showing how the first component was brought in during step S103. [Figure 6D] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly showing the positioning and mounting process of the first component to the workpiece in step S104. [Figure 6E] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly whose orientation has been changed in step S105. [Figure 6F] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the first jig separated from the jig assembly in step S106. [Figure 6G] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the second jig showing the positioning and mounting process of the second component to the workpiece in step S107. [Figure 6H] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the second jig showing how the workpiece is retrieved from the second jig in step S108. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified example of the second jig in the workpiece machining jig (jig assembly). [Figure 8A] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified example of the first jig in the workpiece machining jig (jig assembly) shown. [Figure 8B] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified example of the first jig in the workpiece machining jig (jig assembly) shown. [Figure 8C] It is a perspective view of a modified example of a first jig in a workpiece processing jig (jig assembly) shown in FIG. 3.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments (embodiments) for carrying out the workpiece processing jig of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view schematically showing a workpiece processing jig 1 in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the workpiece processing jig 1 of FIG. 1. In the following description, the vertical direction is based on the vertical arrow direction in FIG. 1 that coincides with the vertical direction when the workpiece processing jig 1 is conveyed in the conveyance lane 20 (see FIG. 4) of the conveyance system S (see FIG. 4) described later.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece processing jig 1 in the present embodiment has a rectangular (including square) opening upward and is composed of a low-height square box body in the vertical direction. The workpiece processing jig 1 houses the workpiece W in the inner space and holds it detachably. In addition, although the workpiece W in the present embodiment is assumed to be a rectangular parallelepiped that fits in the inner space of the workpiece processing jig 1, the workpiece W is not limited to this, and various shapes that fit in the inner space are allowed.

[0011] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 is a first jig constituting the workpiece processing jig 1, and reference numeral 12 is a second jig constituting the workpiece processing jig 1. As will be described in detail later, the workpiece processing jig 1 constitutes a jig assembly 10 in which the first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are separable. Further, as will be described in detail later, the second jig 12 of the workpiece processing jig 1 in the present embodiment is replaceable with respect to the first jig 11 serving as a base. That is, the workpiece processing jig 1 in the present embodiment is configured to have at least one second jig 12. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12a is a workpiece holding portion of the second jig 12.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the first jig 11 is formed of a substantially plate-like body. This first jig 11 has a rectangular (including square) planar shape and constitutes the bottom of the workpiece processing jig 1 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the first jig 11 has a mounting portion 11a for the workpiece W. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting portion 11a of the first jig 11 has a rectangular (including square) shape in plan view. In FIG. 3, for the sake of drawing convenience, the mounting portion 11a is shaded. A U-shaped convex portion 11b is formed on the first jig 11 so as to surround the mounting portion 11a from three sides. The convex portion 11b extends along the periphery of the mounting portion 11a and positions the workpiece W placed on the mounting portion 11a. The convex portion 11b corresponds to the "positioning mechanism" referred to in the claims.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 3, projections P1 protruding toward the second jig 12 are formed at the four corners of the first jig 11. The projections P1 in this embodiment have a cylindrical shape. These projections P1 are formed so as to correspond to the hole portions P2 of the second jig 12 described below.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, the second jig 12 is formed of a square frame body that is open in the vertical direction. At the lower square of the second jig 12 facing the first jig 11, the hole portions P2 into which the projections P1 of the first jig 11 are fitted are formed. When the four projections P1 of the first jig 11 are fitted into the four hole portions P2 of the second jig 12, the first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are engaged. When the first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are engaged, the movement of the second jig 12 in the direction (plane direction) along the surface of the mounting portion 11a of the first jig 11 is prohibited. The first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are integrated to form a jig assembly 10 (see FIG. 1).

[0015] Furthermore, when only the second jig 12 moves upward from the jig assembly 10 shown in Figure 1, the four protrusions P1 of the first jig 11 disengage from the four holes P2 of the second jig 12, as shown in Figure 3. In other words, the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) separates into the first jig 11 and the second jig 12, as shown in Figure 3.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, in such a second jig 12, an opening 12c is formed in each of the four side walls 12b that form the frame, in each of the opposing pairs of side walls 12b. Each of these openings 12c is provided with a workpiece holding portion 12a. In this embodiment, the second jig 12 is arranged such that two workpiece holding portions 12a are aligned along the side wall 12b for each opening 12c. As shown in Figure 1, the workpiece holding section 12a holds the workpiece W, which is placed in the inner space of the workpiece processing jig 1, by clamping it from the outside. As shown in Figure 3, the workpiece holding section 12a in this embodiment mainly comprises a drive unit 12a3 positioned approximately in the center of the opening 12c in the support section 12a4, an advance member 12a2 that advances into the inside of the second jig 12 (towards the inner space of the workpiece processing jig 1) by the drive unit 12a3, and a holding plate 12a1 provided at the tip of the advance member 12a2.

[0017] The workpiece holding section 12a holds the workpiece W in the inner space of the workpiece processing jig 1 when the drive unit 12a3 extends the extension member 12a2 toward the workpiece W (see Figure 1), by having the holding plate 12a1 attached to the tip of the extension member 12a2 come into contact with the workpiece W (see Figure 1).

[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the workpiece holding portion 12a also serves as a support mechanism 14 (see Figure 6D) that supports the first component C1 (see Figure 6D), which is attached to the workpiece W (see Figure 6D), at its mounting position, as will be described later.

[0019] There are no particular restrictions on the drive unit 12a3 for the retractable member 12a2. Examples include, but are not limited to, a drive unit 12a3 having a biasing force generating means such as a solenoid that drives the retractable member 12a2, a battery, and a switching circuit that turns the solenoid on and off at predetermined timings. Alternatively, the drive unit 12a3 can also use a lock / unlock mechanism that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state of the retractable member 12a2 each time it is pressed toward the inner space by a combination of a predetermined biasing force generating means such as a spring and a ratchet mechanism.

[0020] Furthermore, such drive units 12a3, as described later, are driven by communication that acts on the switching circuit, for example, if they have a solenoid. Also, in the case of a drive unit 12a3 having a lock / unlock mechanism, the locked and unlocked states of the advancing member 12a2 (see Figure 1) are switched by a pressing mechanism (not shown) provided at an appropriate location on the transport lane 20, as described later. As shown in Figure 1, the second jig 12, which is detachably engaged with the first jig 11, holds the workpiece W, which is placed on the mounting portion 11a (see Figure 3) of the first jig 11, with its workpiece holding portion 12a.

[0021] Next, the transport system for transporting the workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the transport system S. Note that Figure 4 is a plan view of the transport system S, looking down from above in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 4, the transport system S has a transport lane 20 on which the workpiece W (see Figure 1) to be subjected to predetermined processing is transported. As will be explained in detail later, at least one of the first jig 11 (see Figure 2) and the second jig 12 (see Figure 2) is transported along with the workpiece W in this transport lane 20.

[0022] In this embodiment, the transport lane 20 is assumed to be a conveyor system that transports objects in one direction. In this embodiment, the conveyor system is assumed to be a belt-type conveyor system, but a roller-type conveyor system can also be used. Furthermore, the transport lane 20 may also be a system in which a slider moving in one direction on a rail transports the objects.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S is equipped with a workpiece supply mechanism 25 adjacent to the starting end of the transport lane 20. The work supply mechanism 25, although not shown in the diagram, includes a work storage unit for storing multiple workpieces W (see Figure 1) and a supply device such as a robot hand that supplies the workpieces W from the work storage unit to the starting end of the transport lane 20. This supply device places the workpieces W taken from the work storage unit onto the first jig 11 supplied to the starting end of the transport lane 20.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S is configured to form a jig assembly 10 by combining the second jig 12 with the first jig 11 on which the workpiece W is installed. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S has a first part loading mechanism 27A located along the extension of the transport lane 20. In this embodiment, the first part loading mechanism 27A is envisioned as a robot hand or the like that loads the first part C1 (see Figure 6C) to be attached to the workpiece W into the jig assembly 10.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S is equipped with a separation mechanism 26 downstream of the first part loading mechanism 27A that separates the first jig 11 from the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) that holds the workpiece W (see Figure 1). The separation mechanism 26 separates the first jig 11 (see Figure 1) from the second jig 12 (see Figure 1), thereby bringing the workpiece W (see Figure 1) to the outside of the second jig 12. In this embodiment, the separation mechanism 26 is envisioned as a robot hand (for example, the robot hand R2 illustrated in Figure 6F) that separates the first jig 11 and the second jig 12, which constitute the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1), by relatively displacing them. However, the separation mechanism 26 is not limited to a robot hand as long as it can separate the first jig 11 and the second jig 12.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S has a second component loading mechanism 27B downstream of the separation mechanism 26. In this embodiment, the second component loading mechanism 27B is envisioned as a robot hand or the like that loads the second component C2 (see Figure 6G), which is to be attached to the machined surface Ms (see Figure 6F) of the workpiece W that has been exposed to the outside by the separation mechanism 26, into the jig assembly 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the transport system S includes a workpiece separation mechanism 28 that separates the workpiece W (see Figure 1) after the first part C1 and the second part C2 have been attached from the second jig 12 (see Figure 1). This workpiece separation mechanism 28 is envisioned to be a robot hand located near the end of the transport lane 20, but it is not limited to a robot hand as long as it can separate the workpiece W from the second jig 12.

[0027] Next, we will explain in more detail the operation of the workpiece processing jig 1 in the conveying system S (see Figure 4) of this embodiment, while describing the operation of the conveying system S. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation process of the transport system S (see Figure 4).

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, the transport system S performs the following steps: setting the workpiece W (see Figure 1) onto the first jig 11 (see Figure 1) (step S101); combining the first jig 11 (see Figure 1) and the second jig 12 (see Figure 1), i.e., forming the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) (step S102); bringing the first part C1 (see Figure 6D) onto the jig assembly 10 (step S103); and positioning and mounting the first part C1 to the workpiece W (step S104).

[0029] Furthermore, following step S104, the transport system S performs the following steps: changing the orientation of the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) (step S105), separating the first jig 11 from the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) (step S106), positioning and mounting the second part C2 to the workpiece W (step S107), and recovering the workpiece W (see Figure 1) separated from the second jig 12 (see Figure 1) (step S108).

[0030] In step S101 shown in Figure 5, the workpiece supply mechanism 25 (see Figure 4) places the workpiece W (see Figure 4) on the first jig 11 (see Figure 4) located at the starting end of the transport lane 20 (see Figure 4).

[0031] Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view of the first jig 11 in which the workpiece W is placed in step S101 shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6A, when the workpiece W is placed on the mounting section 11a, it is positioned by the U-shaped protrusion 11b (positioning mechanism). In Figure 6A, reference numeral P1 denotes a projection that fits into the hole P2 (see Figure 3) of the second jig 12 (see Figure 3), and reference numeral 20 denotes a conveying lane.

[0032] After step S101 (see Figure 5), the first jig 11 (see Figure 6A) on which the workpiece W (see Figure 6A) is placed moves downstream, away from the starting end of the transport lane 20, as shown in Figure 4. At this time, a new first jig 11 is supplied to the space at the starting end of the transport lane 20 after the first jig 11 has moved downstream, and a workpiece W is supplied to this first jig 11 from the workpiece supply mechanism 25. As a result, a continuous row of the first jigs 11 on which the workpieces W are placed is formed in the transport lane 20.

[0033] In step S102 shown in Figure 5, the second jig 12 (see Figure 3) is supplied to the first jig 11 (see Figure 6A) on which the workpiece W (see Figure 6A) is placed, and a jig assembly 10 (see Figure 1) is formed by combining the first jig 11 and the second jig 12. Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly 10 formed in step S102 shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6B, the projection P1 of the first jig 11 fits into the hole P2 of the second jig 12, thereby forming a jig assembly 10 in which the first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are engaged. In other words, the first jig 11 and the second jig 12 are combined to form a workpiece processing jig 1 in which the workpiece W is housed in the inner space. In Figure 6B, reference numeral 12a denotes the workpiece holding portion of the second jig 12.

[0034] In step S103 shown in Figure 5, the first part C1 (see Figure 4) is brought into the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 6B). Figure 6C is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly 10 showing how the first part C1 was brought in during step S103 shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6C, in this embodiment, the jig assembly 10 is fitted with the first part C1 between the workpiece holding portion 12a and the side surface of the workpiece W by the first part fitting mechanism 27A (see Figure 4).

[0035] In step S104 shown in Figure 5, the first part C1 is positioned relative to the workpiece W and then mounted. Figure 6D is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly 10 showing the positioning and mounting process of the first part C1 to the workpiece W in step S104 shown in Figure 5.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6D, the first component C1 is supported by the workpiece holding portion 12a of the second jig 12 at the mounting position of the first component C1 on the workpiece W. Specifically, the drive unit 12a3 of the workpiece holding unit 12a advances the extension member 12a2 toward the workpiece W, causing the holding plate 12a1 to press the first component C1 against the side surface of the workpiece W. In this way, the workpiece holding unit 12a supports the first component C1 at the mounting position on the workpiece W. In other words, the workpiece holding unit 12a constitutes the support mechanism 14 for the first component C1 described above.

[0037] Furthermore, the paired workpiece holding portion 12a holds the workpiece W in place by sandwiching it through the first component C1, thereby securing it to the second jig 12. In other words, the workpiece holding portion 12a in this embodiment corresponds to the "workpiece holding portion" as defined in the claims and also constitutes a "part support mechanism".

[0038] In this embodiment, the workpiece holding portion 12a also serves as the support mechanism 14 for the first component C1, as described above. However, the workpiece holding portion 12a and the support mechanism 14 can also be provided separately and independently.

[0039] Furthermore, the mounting process for the first component C1 to the workpiece W includes, but is not limited to, joining the workpiece W and the first component C1 by welding, fastening, or adhesive.

[0040] In step S105 shown in Figure 5, the orientation of the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 6D) is changed. Figure 6E is a cross-sectional view of the jig assembly 10 after its orientation has been changed in step S105 shown in Figure 5. In Figure 6E, the symbol R1 represents the robot hand, which is shown by the dashed line (two-dot dash line).

[0041] As shown in Figure 6E, the jig assembly 10 is positioned so that the surface direction of the first jig 11 is aligned with the vertical direction. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6D, the jig assembly 10 is changed by the robot hand R1 from a horizontal state where the first jig 11 is aligned with the transport lane 20 to an inverted state as shown in Figure 6E.

[0042] Furthermore, the workpiece W held by the workpiece holding section 12a in the second jig 12 becomes integrated with the jig assembly 10 and is in an inverted state. In this embodiment, the robot hand R1 is assumed to chuck the jig assembly 10 from the opening side of the second jig 12 (opposite side of the first jig 11), but it may also be done by vacuuming or magnetic attraction of the jig assembly 10.

[0043] In step S106 shown in Figure 5, the first jig 11 (see Figure 6E) is separated from the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 6E). Figure 6F is a cross-sectional view showing the separation of the first jig 11 from the jig assembly 10 (see Figure 6E) in step S106 shown in Figure 5. Note that the robot hand R1 shown in Figure 6E is omitted from Figure 6F.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6F, the first jig 11 is separated from the second jig 12 by being pulled horizontally from the inverted jig assembly 10 (see Figure 6E) by the robot hand R2, which is a separation mechanism 26 (see Figure 4). As a result, the machined surface Ms of the workpiece W, which was covered by the mounting portion 11a of the first jig 11, is exposed to the outside through the opening 12e of the second jig 12.

[0045] In step S107 shown in Figure 5, the second part C2 (see Figure 4) is positioned and mounted to the workpiece W (see Figure 6F). Figure 6G is a cross-sectional view of the second jig 12 showing the positioning and mounting process of the second part C2 to the workpiece W in step S107 shown in Figure 5. Note that the robot hand R1 shown in Figure 6E is omitted from Figure 6G.

[0046] As shown in Figure 6G, the second part C2, which is brought in from outside the second jig 12 by the second part loading mechanism 27B (see Figure 4), is positioned on the machining surface Ms of the workpiece W and mounted and machined. The mounting process for the second component C2 to the workpiece W includes, but is not limited to, joining the workpiece W and the second component C2 by welding, fastening, or adhesive.

[0047] In step S108 shown in Figure 5, the workpiece W (see Figure 6G) is recovered. Figure 6H is a cross-sectional view of the second jig 12 showing how the workpiece W is recovered from the second jig 12 in step S108 shown in Figure 5. Note that the robot hand R1 shown in Figure 6E is omitted from Figure 6H.

[0048] As shown in Figure 6H, the workpiece W to which the first part C1 and the second part C2 are attached is removed from the second jig 12 by a workpiece separation mechanism 28 (see Figure 4), which consists of a robot hand or the like. At this time, the workpiece W is released when the advancing member 12a2 is retracted by the drive unit 12a3 of the workpiece holding part 12a. The remaining second jig 12 is transported out of the transport system S shown in Figure 4 by the robot hand R1, which is not shown in Figure 6H. Then, the removed workpiece W is recovered outside the transport system S, as shown in Figure 4. This completes the series of operations of the transport system S.

[0049] <Effects> Next, the effects and benefits of the workpiece processing jig 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment comprises a first jig 11 having a workpiece W mounting portion 11a, and at least one second jig 12 having a workpiece holding portion 12a for detachably holding the workpiece W and which is detachable from the first jig 11.

[0050] Conventional workpiece processing jigs (see, for example, Patent Document 1) perform predetermined processing, such as attaching parts to a held workpiece, while transporting it on a predetermined conveyor lane. However, the processing surface on the workpiece is limited to a portion exposed to the outside of the workpiece processing jig. Therefore, if one wishes to process other parts of a workpiece in addition to a portion using this workpiece processing jig, it is necessary to remove the workpiece from the workpiece processing jig after processing the portion that needs to be processed, which is cumbersome.

[0051] In contrast, the workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment allows the portion of the workpiece W that was covered by the first jig 11 to be exposed to the outside of the workpiece processing jig 1 by disengaging the engagement between the second jig 12, which is holding the workpiece W, and the first jig 11. As a result, unlike conventional workpiece processing jigs (see, for example, Patent Document 1), the workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment allows processing to be performed on other parts of the workpiece W without removing the workpiece W from the workpiece processing jig 1. Therefore, according to the workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to process multiple surfaces of the workpiece W while holding the workpiece W, and even when processing the workpiece W while it is being transported on the transport lane 20, the cycle time for workpiece processing can be shortened compared to conventional methods.

[0052] Furthermore, in such a workpiece processing jig 1, the second jig 12 is detachable from the first jig 11 while holding the workpiece W. With this workpiece processing jig 1, the workpiece W can be exposed to the outside more extensively through the opening 12e of the second jig 12, making machining of the workpiece W extremely easy. Furthermore, with the workpiece processing jig 1, the workpiece W can be exposed to the outside more extensively through the opening 12e of the second jig 12, which expands the freedom of selecting the machining area and machining method for the workpiece W.

[0053] Furthermore, in such a workpiece processing jig 1, the second jig 12 has a support mechanism 14 for a component (first component C1) to be attached to the workpiece W. With this type of workpiece processing jig 1, the positioning and mounting of the component (first component C1) to the workpiece W can be performed more accurately.

[0054] Furthermore, such a workpiece processing jig 1 can be configured to have multiple second jigs 12. In other words, the workpiece processing jig 1 can be configured as a jig set unit in which multiple second jigs 12 are paired with one base first jig 11. With this type of workpiece processing jig 1, multiple second jigs 12 that hold workpieces W with the first part C1 attached can be stocked, and the required number of workpieces W can be fitted with the second part C2 according to the operating status of the conveyor lane 20. Furthermore, the multiple second jigs 12 may have the same structure as each other, or they may include second jigs 12 having different structures, as will be described later.

[0055] Furthermore, in such a workpiece processing jig 1, the first jig 11 further has a protrusion 11b (positioning mechanism) for positioning the workpiece W on the mounting portion 11a. With this type of workpiece processing jig 1, when placing the workpiece W on the mounting portion 11a of the first jig 11, it is possible to more reliably prevent misalignment of the workpiece W relative to the first jig 11.

[0056] Although the workpiece processing jig 1 of this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented in various forms. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified example of the second jig 12 in the workpiece machining jig 1 (jig assembly 10) shown in Figure 3.

[0057] As shown in Figure 7, the other second jig 12 differs from the second jig 12 shown in Figure 3 in that, in addition to the opening 12c where the workpiece holding portion 12a is located, it also has an opening 12d in the side wall 12b perpendicular to the side wall 12b where the opening 12c is formed. The other second jig 12 shown in Figure 7 is configured similarly to the second jig 12 shown in Figure 3, except that it has the opening 12d. According to the second jig 12 relating to this modified form, when machining a workpiece W (not shown) placed in the inner space of the second jig 12, the workpiece W can be accessed from four directions: the upper and lower surfaces of the frame-like second jig 12, and the two side surfaces.

[0058] Furthermore, the second jig 12 is detachable from the first jig 11 and holds the workpiece W in a detachable manner, allowing the workpiece W to be repositioned on the mounting section 11a. In other words, the second jig 12 can readjust its grip on the workpiece W on the mounting section 11a by changing its phase around the vertical axis. This allows the workpiece processing jig 1 (jig assembly 10) to access all six faces of the rectangular workpiece W.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a workpiece processing jig 1 was described in which a first component C1 is attached to two different faces of the rectangular parallelepiped workpiece W, and a second component C2 is attached to the other face. However, the workpiece processing jig 1 of the present invention can be used to attach different types of components to each face of the workpiece W, or it can be used to attach the same type of component to each face.

[0060] Furthermore, the multiple second jigs 12 constituting the jig set unit may have the same structure as described above, or they may include jigs with different structures. Furthermore, the workpiece processing jig 1, which constitutes a jig set unit including the second jig 12 having a different structure, can further expand the degree of freedom in selecting the processing area and processing method for the workpiece W.

[0061] Furthermore, in a workpiece processing jig 1 that constitutes a jig set unit including a second jig 12 (see Figure 7) having a different structure, at least one of the multiple second jigs 12 (see Figure 7) may have a different opening 12d at a different position from the other second jigs 12 (see Figure 3). With this workpiece processing jig 1, by switching to the second jig 12 shown in Figure 3 and using the second jig 12 shown in Figure 7, the degree of freedom in selecting the processing area and processing method for the workpiece W can be further expanded.

[0062] Furthermore, the workpiece processing jig 1 can also be configured to have multiple first jigs 11. That is, the workpiece processing jig 1 has multiple first jigs 11, and each first jig 11 is provided with at least one second jig 12. With this type of workpiece processing jig 1, the combination of the second jig 12 with multiple first jigs 11 can be diversified, thereby further expanding the degree of freedom in selecting the processing area and processing method for the workpiece W.

[0063] Next, a modified example of the first jig 11 will be described. Figures 8A to 8C are perspective views of modified examples of the first jig 11. The first jig 11 shown in Figure 8A differs from the first jig 11 in the above embodiment in that the protrusion 11b (see Figure 3) is formed in a square shape that surrounds the mounting portion 11a from all sides. This square-shaped protrusion 11b (see Figure 8A) corresponds to the "positioning mechanism" as referred to in the claims. With the convex portion 11b (positioning mechanism) shown in Figure 8A, when placing the workpiece W on the mounting portion 11a, misalignment of the workpiece W relative to the first jig 11 can be prevented even more reliably.

[0064] The first jig 11 shown in Figure 8B has a plurality of protrusions 11c as a positioning mechanism. Specifically, multiple projections 11c are provided so as to surround the mounting portion 11a from the inside. In the first jig 11 shown in Figure 8B, an example is shown in which there are two projections 11c arranged on each of the four peripheries of the mounting portion 11a, but the number of projections 11c can be changed as appropriate. According to the projection 11c (positioning mechanism) shown in Figure 8B, the contact area with the workpiece W placed on the mounting portion 11a can be reduced.

[0065] The first jig 11 shown in Figure 8C has a recess 11d as a positioning mechanism. As shown in Figure 8C, the recess 11d has a rectangular (including square) planar shape, and a mounting portion 11a is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 11d. With the recess 11d (positioning mechanism) shown in Figure 8C, the workpiece W placed on the mounting portion 11a can be positioned with a simpler configuration compared to the protrusion 11b shown in Figure 8A and the projection 11c shown in Figure 8B. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1. Workpiece machining jig 11. First Jig 11a Mounting section 11b Protrusion (positioning mechanism) 11c Protrusion (positioning mechanism) 11d Recess (positioning mechanism) 12. Second Jig 12a Workpiece holding section 12d Other openings 14 Support mechanism Double job

Claims

1. A first jig having a workpiece mounting section, A workpiece holding portion for detachably holding the workpiece and at least one second jig that can engage with and detach from the first jig, A jig for machining a workpiece, equipped with the following features.

2. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 1, characterized in that the second jig is separable from the first jig while holding the workpiece.

3. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 1, characterized in that the second jig has a support mechanism for a component to be attached to the workpiece.

4. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a plurality of the second jigs.

5. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the workpiece in the aforementioned mounting portion.

6. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the plurality of second jigs has an opening that allows the held workpiece to face outwards, and at least one of the plurality of second jigs has another opening at a different position from the other second jigs.

7. The workpiece processing jig according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a plurality of the first jigs, and each of the first jigs is provided with at least one of the second jigs.

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