Workpiece alignment device

Abstract

The objective is to align and hold multiple circular, flattened workpieces. [Solution] The workpiece alignment device comprises: a first storage section having an upper opening and a lower opening smaller than the upper opening for storing a plurality of circular, flat workpieces; a cylindrical member inserted into the lower opening so as to be vertically movable and capable of holding a plurality of workpieces stacked vertically inside; and a vertical movement mechanism that moves the cylindrical member up and down relative to the first storage section, changing the amount the upper end of the cylindrical member protrudes from the lower opening.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a workpiece alignment device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a device that includes a hopper for moving parts straight by the vibration of a vibrator, and a sorting mechanism including a rotary cylinder for rotating a standing plate in the hopper and a front-rear cylinder for moving the standing plate in the front-rear direction, and that feeds a predetermined number of parts from the hopper into a tray.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when the workpiece has a flat shape, when a predetermined number of workpieces are spread out and discharged into the tray, it may be difficult for the operator to grasp a predetermined number of workpieces at once.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece alignment device capable of aligning a plurality of flat workpieces.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A workpiece alignment device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first storage unit having an upper opening and a lower opening smaller than the upper opening for storing a plurality of circular and flat workpieces, a cylindrical member that is vertically movably inserted into the lower opening and can hold a plurality of workpieces stacked in the vertical direction inside, and a vertical movement mechanism that vertically moves the cylindrical member with respect to the first storage unit and changes the amount of protrusion of the upper end portion of the cylindrical member from the lower opening.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the workpiece alignment device of the present invention, multiple flat workpieces can be aligned in the vertical direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1A] This is a perspective view showing the structure of the workpiece. [Figure 1B] This is a perspective view showing the structure of the workpiece. [Figure 2A] This is a side view showing an example of workpieces stacked and aligned vertically. [Figure 2B] This is a side view showing an example of workpieces stacked and aligned vertically. [Figure 2C] This is a side view showing an example of workpieces stacked and aligned vertically. [Figure 3A] This is a side view showing the structure of the first storage section and the cylindrical member. [Figure 3B] This is a side view showing the structure of the first storage section and the cylindrical member. [Figure 4A] This is a side view showing the structure of a workpiece alignment device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4B] This is a front view showing the structure of a workpiece alignment device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing the structure of the first and second storage sections. [Figure 6A] This is a perspective view showing the structure of a workpiece constant supply device when the upper plate and lower plate are in the first position. [Figure 6B] This is a perspective view showing the structure of a workpiece constant supply device when the upper plate and lower plate are in the second position. [Figure 7A] This is a side view showing the structure of a workpiece constant supply device when the upper plate and lower plate are in the first position. [Figure 7B] This is a side view showing the structure of a workpiece constant supply device in which a workpiece is supplied when the upper plate and lower plate are in the second position. [Figure 7C]It is a side view showing the structure of the work constant supply device when the upper plate and the lower plate are in the first position. [Figure 8A] It is a plan view showing the structure of the work constant supply device when the upper plate and the lower plate are in the first position. [Figure 8B] It is a plan view showing the structure of the work constant supply device when the upper plate and the lower plate are in the second position. [Figure 8C] It is a plan view showing the structure of the work constant supply device when the upper plate and the lower plate are in the first position.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the work alignment device 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, for components having the same functions as those already described, the same reference numerals will be used and the description will be omitted. For the sake of convenience of explanation, the height direction in FIGS. 2A-5, 7A-7C is defined as the vertical direction. Also, in the left-right direction (horizontal direction) in FIGS. 4A, 7A-8C, the left side is defined as one side in the horizontal direction and the right side is defined as the other side in the horizontal direction.

[0010] The work alignment device 1 includes a first storage unit 11 for storing the work W, a cylindrical member 21 that is vertically movably inserted into the lower opening 11L of the first storage unit 11, and a vertical movement mechanism 31 for vertically moving the cylindrical member 21 with respect to the first storage unit 11 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B).

[0011] As will be described later, the work alignment device 1 can align and hold a plurality of workpieces W in a state where they are stacked vertically inside the cylindrical member 21 (see FIGS. 2A-2C). In the following description, the alignment of the workpieces W shall mean a state where a plurality of workpieces W are stacked vertically. More specifically, each workpiece W is arranged in a posture substantially parallel to the horizontal direction, and each workpiece W is arranged so as to be stacked vertically. At this time, the postures of the workpieces W in the vertical direction do not have to be aligned in one direction. That is, the arrangement of one side surface W1 of each workpiece W may be on the upper side or the lower side (see FIGS. 2A-2C).

[0012] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the workpiece W has a circular and flat shape. That is, the thickness of the workpiece W in the vertical direction is smaller than the outer diameter of the workpiece W. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the workpiece W can be stacked vertically, and has one side surface W1 which is one side surface in the vertical direction and the other side surface W2 which is the other side surface in the vertical direction. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a flange is provided at the radial end of the workpiece W. This flange is provided at an intermediate portion (that is, a portion between the upper end and the lower end in the thickness direction) excluding both ends in the thickness direction of the workpiece W. In other words, the workpiece W has a shape in which a gap between the flanges occurs at the radial end in a state where the workpieces W are stacked vertically. The workpiece W is, for example, a grommet that is inserted and fixed into a through hole provided in a vehicle body part.

[0013] As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first storage portion 11 includes an upper opening 11U and a lower opening 11L that is narrower than the upper opening 11U. The first storage portion 11 has, for example, a funnel-like shape, and a plurality of workpieces W can be stored in the first storage portion 11. As long as the first storage portion 11 includes the upper opening 11U and the lower opening 11L that is narrower than the upper opening 11U, the shape of the first storage portion 11 is not limited to a funnel-like shape. For example, the first storage portion 11 may have a shape including a substantially flat bottom surface around the lower opening 11L.

[0014] As illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B, the cylindrical member 21 has a circular cross-section with a hollow interior and is inserted into the lower opening 11L so as to be vertically movable. That is, the cylindrical member 21 is inserted into the lower opening 11L and is positioned to protrude upward from the lower opening 11L so as to be vertically movable. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 21 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the workpiece W. Therefore, the cylindrical member 21 can hold multiple workpieces W stacked vertically inside.

[0015] As illustrated in Figures 4A, 4B and 3A, 3B, the vertical movement mechanism 31 moves the cylindrical member 21 up and down relative to the first storage section 11, thereby changing the amount S of protrusion of the upper end of the cylindrical member 21 above the lower opening 11L. In other words, the vertical movement mechanism 31 causes the cylindrical member 21 to reciprocate up and down between an upper limit position where the upper end of the cylindrical member 21 is located above the lower opening 11L and a lower limit position lower than the upper limit position. Note that the height of the lower limit position is not limited to the example in Figure 3B. For example, the lower limit position may be the position where the upper end of the cylindrical member 21 is at the same height as the lower opening 11L (i.e., the amount of protrusion S is zero), or the lower limit position may be the position where the upper end of the cylindrical member 21 has moved below the lower opening 11L.

[0016] When the vertical movement mechanism 31 moves the cylindrical member 21 downward relative to the first storage section 11, the amount of protrusion S decreases. This encourages the workpiece W in the first storage section 11 to fall into the cylindrical member 21, allowing the workpiece W to be introduced into the cylindrical member 21. Conversely, when the vertical movement mechanism 31 moves the cylindrical member 21 upward relative to the first storage section 11, the amount of protrusion S increases. This causes the cylindrical member 21 to abut against the workpiece W near the lower opening 11L from below, thus clearing any blockage of the workpiece W near the lower opening 11L. Therefore, even if the workpiece W becomes blocked near the lower opening 11L when introduced into the cylindrical member 21, the abutting action described above can clear the blockage of the workpiece W, allowing the workpiece W to be introduced into the cylindrical member 21 again. Furthermore, as the cylindrical member 21 moves vertically, it moves relative to the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21. Therefore, the alignment of the workpieces W within the cylindrical member 21 is promoted. Accordingly, the workpiece alignment device 1 can continuously introduce the workpieces W into the cylindrical member 21 and align the workpieces W within the cylindrical member 21 while eliminating jamming of the workpieces W.

[0017] Figures 2A-2C show an example of how multiple workpieces W are stacked vertically and aligned inside the cylindrical member 21. The workpiece alignment device 1 aligns the multiple workpieces W such that each workpiece W is positioned approximately parallel to the horizontal direction, and the workpieces W are stacked vertically on top of each other. In Figure 2A, the top surface of the highest-placed workpiece W is the other side W2, and the top surface of the second-highest-placed workpiece W is the one side W1. In Figure 2B, the top surface of the highest-placed workpiece W is the one side W1, and the top surface of the second-highest-placed workpiece W is the one side W1. In Figure 2C, the top surface of the highest-placed workpiece W is the one side W1, and the top surface of the second-highest-placed workpiece W is the other side W2. The upper plate 71 in Figures 2A-2C will be described later.

[0018] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the vertical movement mechanism 31 comprises a portion 22 that moves vertically integrally with the cylindrical member 21 (hereinafter referred to as the vertical movement portion 22), and a stopper 32 that collides with the vertical movement portion 22 to stop the upward movement of the cylindrical member 21. That is, when the cylindrical member 21 moves upward, the stopper 32 collides with the vertical movement portion 22 to stop the movement of the cylindrical member 21. As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the vertical movement portion 22 is a member fixed to the outer circumference of the approximately central portion in the vertical direction of the cylindrical member 21, below the lower opening 11L. The stopper 32 is positioned above the vertical movement portion 22. That is, in a plan view, the vertical movement portion 22 and the stopper 32 are positioned so that at least a part of them overlap. When the cylindrical member 21 and the vertical movement portion 22 move upward, the upper surface of the vertical movement portion 22 and the lower surface of the stopper 32 collide. This generates vibration in the cylindrical member 21, further promoting the alignment of the workpiece W within the cylindrical member 21. The stopper 32 may be configured to collide with the cylindrical member 21. Furthermore, collision is not limited to the cylindrical member 21 or the vertically moving part 22 and the stopper 32 coming into contact, but also includes interference, contact, and abutment between these members.

[0019] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the vertical movement mechanism 31 may include a spring 33. The spring 33 is connected, for example, to the vertical movement portion 22 and the stopper 32, respectively. This allows the spring 33 to bias the vertical movement portion 22 upward. Therefore, when the stopper 32 collides with the vertical movement portion 22 to stop the upward movement of the cylindrical member 21, the vertical movement portion 22 can collide with the stopper 32 more forcefully. As a result, greater vibrations can be generated in the cylindrical member 21, further promoting the alignment of the workpieces W within the cylindrical member 21. Also, when a large number of workpieces W are stored in the first storage portion 11, the weight of the workpieces W weakens the upward pulling force of the spring 33. Therefore, when the cylindrical member 21 moves upward, interference between the workpieces W is reduced, and damage to the workpieces W is suppressed. Note that the spring 33 may also be connected to the cylindrical member 21.

[0020] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted on a frame 51. The frame 51 is composed of, for example, a plurality of frame members extending in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the vertical movement mechanism 31 includes wheels 41 that make contact with the floor surface F, a connecting part 42 that can rotate integrally with the wheels 41, and a first link L1 that connects the connecting part 42 to the vertical movement part 22.

[0021] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the wheel 41 comprises a rotating shaft 41R and a connecting portion 42. The wheel 41 is located at the lower part of the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted, and is installed on the floor surface F. The connecting portion 42 is offset radially from the rotating shaft 41R of the wheel 41 and extends from the surface of the wheel 41 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 41R. Therefore, the connecting portion 42 rotates integrally with the wheel 41.

[0022] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, one end of the first link L1 is rotatably connected to the connecting part 42, and the other end of the first link L1 is connected to the vertically moving part 22. The first link L1 moves in accordance with the rotation of the connecting part 42 accompanying the rotation of the wheel 41. As the first link L1 moves, the cylindrical member 21 moves up and down together with the vertically moving part 22. Therefore, the first link L1 converts the rotational motion of the wheel 41 into the vertical oscillating motion of the cylindrical member 21. For example, when the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted is moved to the other side in the left-right direction, the wheel 41 rotates, and consequently the connecting part 42 rotates, causing the first link L1 to move. As a result, the cylindrical member 21 moves up and down, enabling the introduction of workpieces W into the cylindrical member 21 and the alignment of workpieces W within the cylindrical member 21.

[0023] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the first link L1 may be a string-like member C1 connected via a pulley or the like to transmit power by tension. That is, one end of the string-like member C1 is connected to a connecting part 42, and the other end of the string-like member C1 is connected to a vertical movement part 22. When the wheel 41 rotates, the connecting part 42 rotates, and the connecting part 42 pulls the string-like member C1, which pulls the vertical movement part 22 downward, causing the cylindrical member 21 to move downward. Furthermore, when the connecting part 42 rotates further due to the rotation of the wheel 41, the tensile force from the connecting part 42 is no longer applied to the string-like member C1, and the tensile force on the vertical movement part 22 is also removed, causing the cylindrical member 21 to return to its original position (move upward). By repeating the above rotational motion, the cylindrical member 21 repeats a reciprocating motion in the vertical direction. The other end of the first link L1 (string-like member C1) may be connected to the cylindrical member 21.

[0024] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the rotation axis 41R of the wheel 41 is attached to the arm 43. The arm 43 is configured to rotate around a pivot axis 43R parallel to the rotation axis 41R. As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the pivot axis 43R is located at the bottom of the frame 51, above the rotation axis 41R and on one horizontal side. In other words, the wheel 41 is cantilevered by the arm 43 connected to the pivot axis 43R, which is located above the rotation axis 41R and on one horizontal side.

[0025] When the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted is moved horizontally, a moment acts around the pivot axis 43R of the arm 43 due to the resultant force of the upward reaction force from the floor surface F and the rolling resistance of the wheels 41. Since the pivot axis 43R is located above the rotation axis 41R and on one side in the horizontal direction, the above moment is larger when moving to the other side in the horizontal direction than when moving to the one side. Therefore, it is possible to configure the system so that the wheels 41 do not slip and rotate relative to the floor surface F when moving to one side in the horizontal direction, and the wheels 41 do not slip when moving to the other side in the horizontal direction. Consequently, when the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted is moved to the other side in the horizontal direction, the wheels 41 rotate, and the cylindrical member 21 moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the wheels 41, thereby promoting the alignment of the workpieces W. When the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted is moved to one side in the horizontal direction, the wheels 41 do not slip and rotate, so the cylindrical member 21 does not move up and down. Therefore, even while the device is in motion, the operator can easily remove the workpiece W from the cylindrical member 21. The wheel 41 may also be equipped with a tire on its outer circumference.

[0026] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the frame 51 on which the workpiece alignment device 1 is mounted may be equipped with second wheels 44, 44 having a rotating shaft that allows the frame 51 to move. In this case, for example, the second wheels 44, 44 are installed on a conveyor that moves in one direction horizontally, and are movable to the other side horizontally relative to the conveyor, and the wheels 41 can be brought into contact with the floor surface F outside the conveyor. When the workpiece alignment device 1 moves together with the conveyor, the wheels 41 are positioned outside the conveyor and not on the conveyor. Therefore, when the conveyor moves in one direction horizontally, the wheels 41 slide and do not rotate, so the cylindrical member 21 does not move up and down. Consequently, even while the conveyor is moving, the worker can easily remove the workpiece W from the cylindrical member 21.

[0027] As illustrated in Figure 4A-5, the workpiece alignment device 1 includes a second storage section 61 and a second link L2 that connects the second storage section 61 and the vertically moving section 22. The second storage section 61 is located above the first storage section 11, stores multiple workpieces W, and has a larger capacity than the first storage section 11. Therefore, the second storage section 61 can store a larger number of workpieces W than the first storage section 11. A supply hole 62 is provided at the bottom of the second storage section 61 for dropping workpieces W into the first storage section 11.

[0028] As illustrated in Figure 4A-5, one end of the second link L2 is connected to the vertically moving portion 22, and the other end of the second link L2 is connected to one end in the left-right direction of the lower part of the second storage section 61. The second link L2 moves in accordance with the vertical movement of the vertically moving portion 22. The second storage section 61 is displaced, for example, in the vertical direction, by the movement of the second link L2. That is, the vertical movement of the vertically moving portion 22 causes vibration in the second storage section 61 due to the above displacement. Therefore, the movement of the workpiece W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11 is promoted. Note that the configuration and direction of vibration applied to the second storage section 61 are not limited to those described above. For example, the second storage section 61 may be tilted around a horizontal axis to cause vibration, or the second storage section 61 may be vibrated in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the second storage section 61 may be vibrated using a spring or the like.

[0029] As illustrated in Figure 4A-5, the second link L2 may be a string-like member C2 connected in a way that allows power to be transmitted by tension, similar to the first link L1. That is, one end of the string-like member C2 is connected to the vertically moving part 22, and the other end of the string-like member C2 is connected to the second storage part 61. When the vertically moving part 22 moves downward, the vertically moving part 22 pulls the string-like member C2, thereby pulling the second storage part 61 downward. When the cylindrical member 21 returns to its original position (moves upward), the tensile force is no longer applied to the string-like member C2, and the tensile force on the second storage part 61 is also removed. By repeating the above oscillating motion, the second storage part 61 vibrates in the vertical direction. One end of the second link L2 (string-like member C2) may also be connected to the cylindrical member 21.

[0030] As illustrated in Figure 4A-5, the second storage section 61 includes a pipe member 63 extending downward from the supply hole 62. In this case, the lower end 63A of the pipe member 63 is located below the upper opening 11U of the first storage section 11. That is, in the vertical direction, the lower end 63A of the pipe member 63 is located below the upper end 11U1 of the first storage section 11. In addition, in a plan view, the pipe member 63 may be positioned so as not to overlap with the lower opening 11L. With the above configuration, when supplying workpieces W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11, it is possible to prevent the workpieces W from falling out of the first storage section 11. For example, it is possible to suppress the fall of workpieces W supplied from the second storage section 61 out of the first storage section 11, and also to suppress the fall of workpieces W that have fallen from the second storage section 61 into the first storage section 11 after colliding with another workpiece W inside the first storage section 11 and bouncing back out of the first storage section 11. Furthermore, by changing the length of the pipe member 63, the amount of workpieces W that can be stored in the first storage section 11 can be adjusted. This is because if the workpieces W to be stored in the first storage section 11 are close to or in contact with the pipe member 63, the fall of workpieces W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11 is inhibited.

[0031] Next, the workpiece constant supply device 91 will be described. As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the workpiece constant supply device 91 comprises the workpiece alignment device 1 described above, an upper plate 71 and a lower plate 73 that can move integrally between a first position P1 and a second position P2 with respect to the cylindrical member 21, a manual operation unit 72 for manually moving the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73, and a spring unit 74 for biasing the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73.

[0032] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 7A-7C, the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 are arranged approximately parallel to each other along the horizontal direction. The lower plate 73 covers the lower end of the cylindrical member 21 from below. The upper plate 71 is positioned above the lower plate 73 at a predetermined distance D (see Figure 7A).

[0033] As illustrated in Figures 6A-8C, a slit 71S is provided in the center of the upper plate 71 in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the left-right and up-down directions) into which the cylindrical member 21 is inserted in the vertical direction. That is, the slit 71S is formed by cutting out along the direction that crosses the cylindrical member 21. As illustrated in Figure 6A-8C, in the width direction, the slit 71S of the upper plate 71 is formed so that the slit width on the other side in the horizontal direction is wider than the slit width on one side in the horizontal direction. As illustrated in Figures 6A, 6B, 8A-8C, the upper plate 71 comprises a pair of opposing inner walls 71S1, 71S1 of the slit 71S on one side in the horizontal direction, and a pair of opposing inner walls 71S2, 71S2 of the slit 71S on the other side in the horizontal direction. As illustrated in Figures 6A, 6B, and 8A-8C, the distance between the pair of inner walls 71S2, 71S2 is greater than the distance between the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1. Furthermore, the distance between the pair of inner walls 71S2, 71S2 is greater than the outer diameter of the cylindrical member 21, while the distance between the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 21 and the outer diameter of the workpiece W.

[0034] As illustrated in Figures 6A-7C, a pair of grooves 21A, 21A are formed on the lower side surface of the cylindrical member 21 at the second position P2, into which a portion of the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1 can be inserted. The pair of grooves 21A, 21A are formed along the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1.

[0035] As illustrated in Figure 6A-8C, the lower plate 73 has a through hole 71H on one horizontal side at the second position P2 for supplying the workpiece W downwards. The through hole 71H is, for example, circular, and its inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the workpiece W. The other horizontal side of the lower plate 73 covers the lower end of the cylindrical member 21 from below at the first position P1, and does not have a structure like the through hole 71H. Therefore, at the first position P1, the lower plate 73 covers the lower end of the cylindrical member 21 from below and does not allow the workpiece W stacked inside the cylindrical member 21 to pass through. At the second position P2, the lower plate 73 allows the workpiece W to pass through via the through hole 71H.

[0036] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 6A-7C, the manual operation unit 72 is a plate extending in the vertical direction and is fixed to a wall surface connecting one horizontal end of the upper plate 71 and one horizontal end of the lower plate 73. As illustrated in Figure 6A-7C, by pushing the manual operation unit 72 to the other horizontal side, the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 can be moved integrally along the direction traversing the cylindrical member 21. That is, by the above pushing operation, the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 can be moved integrally from the first position P1 to the second position P2 along the direction traversing the cylindrical member 21.

[0037] As illustrated in Figures 6A, 7A, and 8A, at the first position P1, the pair of inner walls 71S2, 71S2 allow the workpieces W stacked inside the cylindrical member 21 to pass through. At the first position P1, the lower plate 73 covers the lower end of the cylindrical member 21 and therefore does not allow the workpieces W to pass through the cylindrical member 21. Consequently, at the first position P1, the workpieces W are aligned and filled up to the lower end of the cylindrical member 21, and the workpieces W are not supplied downwards. As illustrated in Figures 6B, 7B, and 8B, when the upper plate 71 and lower plate 73 are moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2 by a pushing operation on the manual operation unit 72, the lower plate 73 slides in a direction traversing the cylindrical member 21, and the workpieces W are supplied downwards from the lower end of the cylindrical member 21 through the through hole 71H. On the other hand, as the upper plate 71 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, it slides in a direction that crosses the cylindrical member 21, and the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1 of the slit 71S are inserted into the grooves 21A, 21A of the cylindrical member 21. In this case, the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1 prevent the workpiece W from passing through, and the supply of workpiece W from above is stopped. Therefore, only a predetermined number of workpieces W that were aligned between the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 are supplied downward. As illustrated in Figures 6A, 7C, and 8C, when the pushing operation on the manual operation unit 72 is stopped, the spring unit 74 causes the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 to return from the second position P2 to the first position P1. Therefore, the upper plate 71 slides, and the pair of inner walls 71S1, 71S1 of the slit 71S are removed from the grooves 21A, 21A of the cylindrical member 21. In this case, at the first position P1, the pair of inner walls 71S2, 71S2 allow the workpiece W to pass through, so the workpiece W is filled again up to the lower end of the cylindrical member 21. At the first position P1, the lower plate 73 does not allow the workpiece W to pass through the cylindrical member 21. Therefore, the workpiece W between the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 returns from the state illustrated in Figures 7C and 8C to the state illustrated in Figures 7A and 8A. Note that the shape and arrangement of the upper plate 71 are not limited to the above, as long as the passage of the workpiece W is allowed at the first position P1 but not at the second position P2.Furthermore, the shape and arrangement of the lower plate 73 are not limited to those described above, as long as the passage of the workpiece W is not permitted at the first position P1 and is permitted at the second position P2.

[0038] As illustrated in Figures 6A-7C, the biased portion 74A is formed extending downward from the other horizontal end of the lower plate 73. As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the spring portion 74 is in contact with the other horizontal side of the biased portion 74A. A spring 74B is connected to the spring portion 74 in the horizontal direction. The biased portion 74A is biased by the spring portion 74 in the direction from the other horizontal side to the one horizontal side. As a result, the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 are biased in the direction from the second position P2 to the first position P1. Therefore, when the hand is released from the manual operation part 72 and the pushing operation is ended, the spring portion 74 returns the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 to the first position P1.

[0039] The predetermined distance D between the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 is the distance corresponding to the height of a predetermined number of workpieces W when stacked vertically. As illustrated in Figures 7A-7C, the predetermined number is, for example, four. In this case, the stacked height may differ depending on the orientation of each workpiece W, that is, whether one side W1 of each workpiece W is positioned on the upper or lower side. In this case, the predetermined distance D can be set, for example, as the midpoint between the maximum and minimum heights that each workpiece W can take depending on its orientation when a predetermined number of workpieces W are stacked vertically. Note that the setting of the predetermined distance D is not limited to the above and may be based on different arrangements.

[0040] As illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the workpiece constant supply device 91 is equipped with a receiving portion 81 located below the lower plate 73. The receiving portion 81 has a recessed area that is indented downwards, allowing it to receive the workpieces W supplied by the workpiece constant supply device 91 from below. Since the workpieces W supplied as they pass through the lower plate 73 can be visually inspected, the worker can easily grasp the number of workpieces W supplied by the workpiece constant supply device 91, making it easy to take out a predetermined number of workpieces W from the supplied workpieces W and to easily grasp a predetermined number of workpieces W. Furthermore, when the worker directly takes out the workpieces W supplied as they pass through the lower plate 73 with their hands, if the worker drops a workpiece W, the receiving portion 81 can catch the workpiece W from below. Therefore, even if the worker drops a workpiece W, it is possible to prevent the workpiece W from falling onto the floor F.

[0041] (1) The workpiece alignment device 1 according to this embodiment includes: a first storage section 11 having an upper opening 11U and a lower opening 11L smaller than the upper opening 11U for storing a plurality of circular, flat workpieces W; a cylindrical member 21 inserted into the lower opening 11L so as to be vertically movable and capable of holding a plurality of workpieces W stacked vertically inside; and a vertical movement mechanism 31 that moves the cylindrical member 21 up and down relative to the first storage section 11 and changes the amount S of the upper end of the cylindrical member 21 protruding from the lower opening 11L. As a result, the cylindrical member 21 abuts upward against the workpieces W stored in the first storage section 11, thereby eliminating clogging of workpieces W near the lower opening 11L. Also, when the cylindrical member 21 moves downward, the workpieces W fall into the cylindrical member 21, thereby introducing the workpieces W into the cylindrical member 21. Furthermore, as the cylindrical member 21 moves up and down, it moves relative to the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21, thereby promoting the alignment of the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21. Therefore, multiple workpieces W can be held inside the cylindrical member 21 in a state of vertical alignment. As a result, the worker can easily take out a predetermined number of workpieces W and easily grasp a predetermined number of workpieces W. In addition, since it is not necessary to vibrate the entire workpiece alignment device 1, workpiece alignment can be achieved with a simple configuration. Also, since the workpieces W are aligned vertically inside the cylindrical member 21, the installation area of ​​the workpiece alignment device 1 can be reduced. As a result, the worker's workspace can be secured, the distance required for work can be reduced, and the complexity of the work can be suppressed.

[0042] (2) In this embodiment, the vertical movement mechanism 31 includes a stopper 32 that collides with the cylindrical member 21 or the portion 22 that moves vertically integrally with the cylindrical member 21 to stop the upward movement of the cylindrical member 21. With this configuration, vibration is generated in the cylindrical member 21 when the cylindrical member 21 moves upward and collides with the stopper 32. Therefore, the alignment of the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21 can be further promoted.

[0043] (3) Furthermore, in the embodiment, the vertical movement mechanism 31 includes a spring 33 that biases the cylindrical member 21 or the portion 22 that moves up and down integrally with the cylindrical member 21 upward. With the above configuration, when the cylindrical member 21 moves upward, the cylindrical member 21 or the portion 22 that moves up and down integrally with the cylindrical member 21 can be strongly impacted by the stopper 32. As a result, greater vibrations can be generated in the cylindrical member 21, and the alignment of the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21 can be further promoted.

[0044] (4) In this embodiment, the vertical movement mechanism 31 includes a wheel 41 that contacts the floor surface F, a connecting portion 42 that is offset radially from the rotation axis 41R of the wheel 41 and can rotate integrally with the wheel 41, and a first link L1 that connects the connecting portion 42 to the cylindrical member 21 or a portion 22 that moves vertically integrally with the cylindrical member 21. The cylindrical member 21 moves up and down due to the movement of the first link L1 in accordance with the rotation of the connecting portion 42 accompanying the rotation of the wheel 41. With this configuration, the workpiece W inside the cylindrical member 21 can be aligned using the rotational motion of the wheel 41, so there is no need for a separate driving means to align the workpiece W. Therefore, the workpiece alignment device 1 can be realized with a simple configuration, and the cost of parts for manufacturing the workpiece alignment device 1 and the weight of the workpiece alignment device 1 can be reduced.

[0045] (5) Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotating shaft 41R is attached to an arm 43 that can rotate around a pivot axis 43R parallel to the rotating shaft 41R, and the pivot axis 43R is located above the rotating shaft 41R and on one side in the horizontal direction. With this configuration, the moment resulting from the resultant force of the upward reaction force from the floor surface F and the rolling resistance of the wheel 41 acting around the pivot axis 43R of the arm 43 is greater when moving to the other side in the horizontal direction than when moving to one side in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the wheel 41 can be configured not to slip and rotate relative to the floor surface F when moving to one side in the horizontal direction, and not to slip when moving to the other side in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, when the workpiece alignment device 1 is moved to the other side in the horizontal direction, the wheel 41 rotates, and the cylindrical member 21 moves up and down in conjunction with the rotation of the wheel 41, thereby promoting the alignment of the workpieces W. When the workpiece alignment device 1 is moved to one side in the horizontal direction, the wheel 41 does not slip and rotate, so the cylindrical member 21 does not move up and down. Therefore, even while the workpiece W is being moved, the worker can easily remove it from the cylindrical member 21.

[0046] (6) In this embodiment, the workpiece alignment device 1 is installed on a conveyor that moves in one direction horizontally, and is movable on the other side of the conveyor, with the wheels 41 in contact with the floor surface F outside the conveyor. When the workpiece alignment device 1 moves together with the conveyor, the wheels 41 are positioned outside the conveyor and not on the conveyor. Therefore, when the conveyor moves in one direction horizontally, the wheels 41 slide and do not rotate, so the cylindrical member 21 does not move up and down. Consequently, even while the conveyor is moving, the worker can easily remove the workpiece W from the cylindrical member 21.

[0047] (7) Furthermore, in this embodiment, the apparatus includes a second storage section 61 having a larger capacity than the first storage section 11 for storing a plurality of workpieces W, and a second link L2 connecting the second storage section 61 to a cylindrical member 21 or a portion 22 that moves up and down integrally with the cylindrical member 21. The second storage section 61 has a supply hole 62 for dropping workpieces W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11, and is vibrable by the up and down movement of the cylindrical member 21 transmitted via the second link L2. Due to this configuration, vibration is generated in the second storage section 61 by the up and down movement of the cylindrical member 21 or the up and down moving portion 22. As a result, the movement of workpieces W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11 is promoted.

[0048] (8) In this embodiment, the second storage section 61 is provided with a pipe member 63 extending downward from the supply hole 62, and the lower end 63A of the pipe member 63 is located below the upper opening 11U of the first storage section 11. With this configuration, when supplying workpieces W from the second storage section 61 to the first storage section 11, it is possible to prevent the workpieces W from falling out of the first storage section 11. In addition, the amount of workpieces W stored in the first storage section 11 can be adjusted by changing the length of the pipe member 63.

[0049] (9) Furthermore, the workpiece constant supply device 91 according to the embodiment comprises the workpiece alignment device 1 described in any of the above, an upper plate 71 and a lower plate 73 that can move integrally between a first position P1 and a second position P2 along a direction traversing the cylindrical member 21, a manual operation unit 72 for manually moving the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 from the first position P1 to the second position P2, and a spring unit 74 that biases the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 in the direction from the second position P2 toward the first position P1, wherein the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 are separated by a predetermined distance D in the vertical direction, the upper plate 71 allows the passage of workpieces W stacked inside the cylindrical member 21 at the first position P1 but does not allow the passage of workpieces W at the second position P2, and the lower plate 73 does not allow the passage of workpieces W stacked inside the cylindrical member 21 at the first position P1 but allows the passage of workpieces W at the second position P2. With the above configuration, by performing a pushing operation on the manual operation unit 72, only a predetermined number of workpieces W that were aligned between the upper plate 71 and the lower plate 73 are supplied downward. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the task of gripping a predetermined number of workpieces W at once by receiving the workpieces W supplied downward after performing the pushing operation.

[0050] (10) Furthermore, the workpiece constant supply device 91 according to the embodiment is provided with a receiving portion 81 below the lower plate 73 to receive the workpieces W that have passed through the lower plate 73. With the above configuration, the workpieces W that have passed through the lower plate 73 can be visually inspected, so the worker can easily grasp the number of workpieces W supplied by the workpiece constant supply device 91 and easily take out the desired number of workpieces W from the supplied workpieces W. In addition, when the worker directly picks up the workpieces W that have passed through the lower plate 73, if the worker drops the workpieces W, the receiving portion 81 can catch the workpieces W below. Therefore, even if the worker drops the workpieces W, it is possible to prevent the workpieces W from falling onto the floor surface F.

[0051] As described above, embodiments of the present invention have been presented, but the statements and drawings that constitute part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples, and operational techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1. Workpiece alignment device 11. First Storage Unit 11L lower opening 11U upper opening 11U1 Upper end 21 Cylindrical member 22. Parts that move up and down as a single unit 31 Vertical movement mechanism 32 Stopper 33 Springs 41 wheels 41R Rotation axis 42 Connecting part 43 Arms 43R Rotating shaft 61 Second Storage Unit 62 Supply hole 63 Pipe members 63A bottom end 71 Upper plate 72 Manual operation section 73 Lower plate 74 Spring section 81 Receiving part 91 Workpiece constant supply device D Predetermined distance F Floor L1 1st Link L2 2nd Link P1 1st position P2 2nd position S protrusion amount Double job

Claims

1. A first storage section having an upper opening and a lower opening smaller than the upper opening, for storing multiple circular, flattened workpieces, A cylindrical member is inserted into the lower opening so as to be able to move up and down, and is capable of holding the plurality of workpieces stacked in the vertical direction inside, A vertical movement mechanism that moves the cylindrical member up and down relative to the first storage section and changes the amount the upper end of the cylindrical member protrudes from the lower opening, A workpiece alignment device equipped with the following features.

2. The workpiece alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical movement mechanism includes a stopper that collides with the cylindrical member or a part that moves vertically integrally with the cylindrical member to stop the upward movement of the cylindrical member.

3. The workpiece alignment device according to claim 2, wherein the vertical movement mechanism includes a spring that biases the cylindrical member or the portion that moves vertically integrally with the cylindrical member upward.

4. The aforementioned vertical movement mechanism, Wheels that make contact with the floor, A connecting portion, which is positioned offset radially from the wheel's axis of rotation and is rotatable integrally with the wheel, The device comprises a first link connecting the connecting portion and the cylindrical member or a portion that moves up and down integrally with the cylindrical member, The workpiece alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member moves up and down due to the movement of the first link in accordance with the rotation of the connecting portion accompanying the rotation of the wheel.

5. The aforementioned rotating shaft is attached to an arm that can rotate around a pivot axis parallel to the rotating shaft. The workpiece alignment device according to claim 4, wherein the pivot axis is located above and to one side horizontally of the rotation axis.

6. On a conveyor that moves in one direction horizontally, a device is installed that is movable in the other direction horizontally relative to the conveyor. The workpiece alignment device according to claim 5, wherein the wheels are in contact with the floor surface outside the conveyor.

7. A second storage section having a larger capacity than the first storage section for storing the aforementioned multiple workpieces, The device comprises the second storage section and a second link connecting the cylindrical member or a portion that moves up and down integrally with the cylindrical member, The workpiece alignment device according to claim 4, wherein the second storage section has a supply hole for dropping the workpiece from the second storage section to the first storage section, and is vibrable by the vertical movement of the cylindrical member transmitted via the second link.

8. The second storage section includes a pipe member extending downward from the supply hole, The workpiece alignment device according to claim 7, wherein the lower end of the pipe member is located below the upper opening of the first storage portion.

9. The workpiece alignment device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, An upper plate and a lower plate that can move integrally between a first position and a second position along a direction traversing the cylindrical member, A manual operation unit for manually moving the upper plate and the lower plate from the first position to the second position, The upper plate and the lower plate are biased in the direction from the second position toward the first position by a spring portion, The upper plate and the lower plate are separated by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. The upper plate, in the first position, allows the workpieces stacked inside the cylindrical member to pass through, and in the second position, does not allow the workpieces to pass through. The lower plate is a workpiece constant supply device that, in the first position, does not allow the workpieces stacked inside the cylindrical member to pass through, and in the second position, allows the workpieces to pass through.

10. The workpiece constant supply device according to claim 9, further comprising a receiving portion below the lower plate for receiving the workpiece that has passed through the lower plate.

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