Parts supply device

Abstract

To provide a component supply device that can be miniaturized. [Solution] The parts supply device 1 includes a supply unit 10 that houses and sequentially sends out multiple parts 50, a rail unit 20 that transports the parts 50 sent out from the supply unit 10, and transfer units 30 and 40 that transfer the parts 50 from the rail unit 20 to external equipment. The supply unit 10 includes a rotating drum 11 that houses the parts 50 inside, a discharge port 12 that connects the inside and outside of the rotating drum 11 and has a passage 17 that is shaped to allow only parts 50 in a predetermined target orientation to pass through, a guide body 13 that is arranged inside the rotating drum 11 to guide the parts 50 to the discharge port 12, and a guide path 14 that guides the parts 50 sent out from the discharge port 12 toward the rail unit 20. The rail unit 20 is arranged to connect the guide path 14 and the transfer units 30 and 40, and the transfer units 30 and 40 sequentially transfer the parts 50 transported to the rail unit 20 to external equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a component supply device capable of supplying components to an external device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, component supply devices for supplying various components to manufacturing devices and the like for manufacturing products using those components have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional component supply device, a feeder (so-called vibrating bowl feeder) that sequentially feeds out a plurality of components accommodated in a bowl-shaped bowl by vibrating the bowl is used. However, this type of device is difficult to miniaturize due to the size of the bowl itself and the size of the vibration mechanism, and requires a large space when installing the device.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide a component supply device that can be miniaturized.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above-described object, the component supply device according to the present invention is characterized as follows.

[0007] A component supply device capable of supplying components to an external device, a supply unit that accommodates and sequentially sends out a plurality of the components, a rail unit that conveys the components sent out from the supply unit, It includes a transfer section for transferring the parts from the rail section to the external equipment, The aforementioned supply unit is The system includes a rotating drum that houses the aforementioned component, a discharge port having a passage that connects the inside and outside of the rotating drum and is shaped to allow passage only for the aforementioned component in a predetermined target position, a guide body disposed inside the rotating drum to guide the aforementioned component to the discharge port, and a guide path that guides the aforementioned component discharged from the discharge port toward the rail section. The aforementioned rail section is It is arranged to connect the guide path and the transfer section, The aforementioned transfer section is, The system is configured to sequentially transfer the parts transported to the rail section to the external equipment. It is a parts supply device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the parts supply device of the present invention, parts are guided to the outlet of the rotating drum by a guide body positioned inside the rotating drum, and parts in a predetermined target orientation are selected by a connecting passage at the outlet, and those parts are discharged from the outlet. The parts discharged from the outlet are transported to the transfer section via a rail section, and are sequentially transferred to external equipment at the transfer section. By appropriately designing the direction of the rotation axis of the rotating drum (for example, vertical rotation or diagonal rotation, etc.), the size in the front, back, left, and right directions can be reduced compared to the conventional feeder described above (so-called vibrating bowl feeder). Furthermore, by connecting the supply section and the external equipment with the rail section and the transfer section, parts can be properly supplied to the external equipment even if the supply section and the external equipment are far apart. Therefore, the parts supply device of the present invention can be miniaturized without impairing its original function.

[0009] The present invention has been briefly described above. Further details of the present invention will be clarified by referring to the accompanying drawings and reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the entire component supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing tape clamps being supplied to external equipment by the parts supply device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the supply unit shown in Figure 1, with a transparent view of the inside of the rotating drum. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view showing the supply unit shown in Figure 1, with a transparent view of the inside of the rotating drum. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of AA in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a side view corresponding to Figure 4, showing the rotating drum rotating and the opening / closing lid open. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the supply nozzle shown in Figure 1, viewed from below. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the rail section and transfer section shown in Figure 1. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the first step in the transfer process when the transfer section transfers the tape clamp from the rail section to an external device (not shown). [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the second step in the transfer process, where the transfer section transfers the tape clamp from the rail section to an external device (not shown). [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the third step in the transfer process, where the transfer section transfers the tape clamp from the rail section to an external device (not shown). [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the fourth step in the transfer process, where the transfer section transfers the tape clamp from the rail section to an external device (not shown). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, the component supply device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The component supply device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a device that supplies a tape clamp 50 (see FIG. 2) attached to an electric wire or the like (not shown) by tape winding toward an external device (not shown). The external device is, for example, a tape winding device (not shown) for attaching the supplied tape clamp 50 to an electric wire or the like. The tape clamp 50 is made of an elastically deformable resin and is composed of a band portion 51 extending in a band shape and a clamp portion 52 protruding from one side surface at the central portion in the extending direction of the band portion 51 as shown in FIG. 2. The band portion 51 is a portion that will be attached to an electric wire or the like by so-called tape winding, and the clamp portion 52 is a portion that will be locked to a mating component for fixing the electric wire or the like.

[0012] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, "front-rear direction", "up-down direction", "left-right direction", "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left" and "right" are defined. The "front-rear direction", "up-down direction" and "left-right direction" are orthogonal to each other. The up-down direction coincides with the vertical direction.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the component supply device 1 includes a supply unit 10 that houses and sequentially sends out a plurality of tape clamps 50, a rail unit 20 that conveys the tape clamp 50 sent out from the supply unit 10, and first and second delivery units 30 and 40 that deliver the tape clamp 50 from the rail unit 20 to an external device. Hereinafter, each part constituting the component supply device 1 will be described in order.

[0014] First, the supply unit 10 will be described. The supply unit 10 includes a rotary drum 11 that houses the tape clamp 50 inside, a delivery port 12 that sends out the tape clamp 50 housed inside the rotary drum 11 to the outside of the rotary drum 11, a guide body 13 disposed inside the rotary drum 11 to guide the tape clamp 50 to the delivery port 12, a guide path 14 that guides the tape clamp 50 sent out from the delivery port 12 toward the rail unit 20, and a supply nozzle 15 that extrudes the tape clamp 50 from the guide path 14 toward the rail unit 20 by air pressure.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the rotating drum 11 has a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction, and both left and right ends are partially or entirely closed by end walls. The cylindrical outer wall of the rotating drum 11 is made of, for example, a metal plate, and the end walls of the rotating drum 11 are made of, for example, a resin plate. The rotating drum 11 is supported on a first support base (not shown) so as to be rotatable in a clockwise direction when viewed from the right, around a rotation axis (not shown) extending in the left-right direction (see white arrow in Figure 4). The rotation of the rotating drum 11 is controlled by a control unit (microcomputer, not shown).

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the outlet 12 is provided so as to protrude from the outer circumferential wall of the rotating drum 11 at each of the two opposing right ends of the outer circumferential wall of the rotating drum 11. The outlet 12 has a passage 17 that extends generally along the circumferential direction at the right end of the outer circumferential wall of the rotating drum 11 so as to connect the inside and outside of the rotating drum 11. A gate opening 18 is provided in a part of the extension direction of the passage 17, with a shape that allows only tape clamps 50 in a predetermined target position to pass through. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the gate opening 18 has a recessed portion 18a that is recessed to correspond to the clamp portion 52 of the tape clamp 50, and the gate opening 18 has a shape that allows only tape clamps 50 on the passage 17 to pass through if their band portion 51 extends along the extension direction of the passage 17 and their clamp portion 52 protrudes radially inward from the rotating drum 11. Therefore, from the outlet 12, only the tape clamps 50 on the connecting passage 17 that are in the target position are sent out to the outside of the rotating drum 11 by passing through the gate opening 18.

[0017] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the guide body 13 has a first blade 13a that extends toward the outlet 12 (communication passage 17) along the inner wall surface of the cylindrical outer wall of the rotating drum 11, corresponding to each of the two outlets 12, and a second blade 13b that has a hole 16 through which the first blade 13a is inserted and through which the tape clamp 50 can pass sequentially. Thus, the inside of the rotating drum 11 is provided with two first blades 13a and two second blades 13b that are positioned opposite each other in the circumferential direction.

[0018] Specifically, the first blade 13a is positioned inside the rotating drum 11 so as to tilt gradually toward the right as it moves counterclockwise when viewed from the right, along the inner wall surface of the outer circumferential wall of the rotating drum 11, and extends toward the communication passage 17. The second blade 13b extends so as to tilt gradually toward the left as it moves counterclockwise when viewed from the right, crossing a point in the extension direction of the first blade 13a, and is positioned inside the rotating drum 11 so that the aforementioned point of the first blade 13a is inserted into the hole 16. As a result, while the rotating drum 11 is rotating, the tape clamps 50 that have passed through the hole 16 sequentially, guided by the second blade 13b, are guided one by one toward the communication passage 17 of the discharge port 12, while being guided by the first blade 13a.

[0019] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the guide path 14 is a so-called chute supported by a second support base (not shown) on the outside of the outer peripheral wall of the rotating drum 11, extending in a quarter-circle arc from a position below the outer peripheral wall to a position behind the outer peripheral wall. The guide path 14 is made of, for example, a metal plate. The guide path 14 consists of a bottom wall and a pair of left and right side walls, and a groove portion is defined in the guide path 14 that opens upward and extends in a quarter-circle arc. A tape clamp 50 with a band portion 51 facing the direction of extension of the guide path 14 can be accommodated in the groove portion of the guide path 14. The bottom wall of the groove portion of the guide path 14 forms an inclined surface that allows the tape clamp 50 to slide from the top in the vertical direction downward from the top (a portion extending in a substantially vertical direction) to the bottom end (a portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction) of the guide path 14.

[0020] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the supply nozzle 15 is supported on a third support base (not shown) so as to extend in the front-rear direction on the outside (lower side) of the lower end of the guide path 14. The supply nozzle 15 is capable of spraying air forward toward an air hole 14a (see Figure 7) provided in the bottom wall of the lower end of the guide path 14. The air sprayed by the supply nozzle 15 reaches the tape clamp 50 located in the groove at the lower end of the guide path 14 via the air hole 14a, and the air pressure pushes the tape clamp 50 forward toward the rail body 21 of the rail section 20, which will be described later. The spraying of air from the supply nozzle 15 is controlled by the control unit (microcomputer). The supply nozzle 15 sprays air for a predetermined short period of time each time the position of the tape clamp 50 in the groove at the lower end of the guide path 14 is detected by, for example, a sensor (not shown).

[0021] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, an opening / closing cover 19 is provided at the opening end of each of the two outlets 12 on the rotating drum 11. The opening / closing cover 19 is configured to open temporarily by its own weight (i.e., gravity) each time the outlet 12 reaches a predetermined position adjacent to the guide path 14 while the rotating drum 11 is rotating (for example, the upper part of the guide path 14 that extends substantially vertically, as shown in Figure 6). While the opening / closing cover 19 is open, the tape clamp 50 in the target position can be fed out of the outlet 12 toward the groove at the top of the guide path 14 by its own weight (i.e., gravity) and centrifugal force.

[0022] With the above configuration, in the supply unit 10, every half rotation of the rotating drum 11, one of the two outlets 12 reaches the predetermined position (see Figure 6). At that time, if a tape clamp 50 is stored in the guide path 14 of the outlet 12, one tape clamp 50 in the target position is sent out from the outlet 12 toward the groove at the top of the guide path 14. The sent-out tape clamp 50 slides along the bottom wall of the groove of the guide path 14 from the top to the bottom end (the part that extends substantially horizontally) of the guide path 14 by its own weight (i.e., gravity). When the tape clamp 50 reaches the groove at the bottom end of the guide path 14, it is pushed forward toward the rail body 21 of the rail section 20 by the air pressure from the air jet of the supply nozzle 15, with the band portion 51 extending along the front-rear direction and the clamp portion 52 protruding upward. As described later, the tape clamp 50, which has been pushed toward the rail body 21, moves toward the first transfer section 30 along the rail body 21. If there is no preceding tape clamp 50 on the rail body 21, the tape clamp 50 can reach the first transfer section 30 solely by the air jet from the supply nozzle 15.

[0023] Next, the rail section 20 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the rail section 20 includes a rail body 21 that transports the tape clamp 50 sent from the supply section 10 toward the first transfer section 30, and a rail nozzle 22 that pushes the tape clamp 50 located on the rail body 21 toward the first transfer section 30 using air pressure.

[0024] The rail body 21 has a shape that extends linearly along the front-rear direction, its rear end is connected to the lower end of the guide path 14, and it is supported on a fourth support base (not shown) so as to extend along the front-rear and horizontal directions. The rail body 21 is made of, for example, a metal plate. The rail body 21 consists of a bottom wall and a pair of left and right side walls, and the rail body 21 has a groove that opens upward and extends in the front-rear and horizontal directions. The groove of the rail body 21 and the groove of the guide path 14 are continuous without any step in the front-rear direction at the connection point between the rail body 21 and the guide path 14. The groove of the rail body 21 can accommodate a tape clamp 50 with a band portion 51 facing the direction of extension of the rail body 21. Therefore, the groove of the rail body 21 can hold multiple tape clamps 50 in a line (see Figure 8). When the tape clamp 50 is held in the groove of the rail body 21, the clamp portion 52 of the tape clamp 50 protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the groove of the rail body 21 (see Figure 8).

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the rail nozzles 22 are supported on a fifth support base (not shown) so as to extend in the front-rear direction from the upper side of each of two locations in the front-rear direction of the rail body 21. Each rail nozzle 22 is capable of spraying air forward toward the groove of the rail body 21 located below it. The air sprayed by each rail nozzle 22 reaches the tape clamp 50 located in the groove of the rail body 21 below it, and the air pressure pushes the tape clamp 50 forward toward the stopper shaft portion 32 (see Figure 1, etc.) of the first transfer portion 30, which will be described later. The spraying of air from each rail nozzle 22 is controlled by the control unit (microcomputer). In principle, the two rail nozzles 22 and the supply nozzle 15 of the supply portion 10 spray air simultaneously.

[0026] With the above configuration, in the rail section 20, each time the tape clamp 50 moves from the guide path 14 to the rail body 21 due to the air pressure from the supply nozzle 15, or each time the tape clamp 50 is handed over from the second handover section 40 to an external device as described later, the tape clamp 50 is pushed towards the stopper shaft section 32 of the first handover section 30 by the air pressure from the two rail nozzles 22. As described later, the stopper shaft section 32 is configured to prevent the tape clamp 50 from moving further forward by contacting the clamp section 52 of the tape clamp 50. As a result, on the groove of the rail body 21, as shown in Figure 8, multiple tape clamps 50 are arranged in a line in the front-to-back direction, and the tape clamp 50 located furthest forward is held in contact with the stopper shaft section 32.

[0027] Next, the first transfer section 30 will be described. As shown in Figure 9, the first transfer section 30 includes an extension rail 31 that is continuously positioned at the front end of the rail body 21 so as to extend further forward from the front end of the rail body 21, a stopper shaft portion 32 positioned above the front end of the rail body 21, and an actuator 33. The first transfer section 30 (extension rail 31 + stopper shaft portion 32 + actuator 33) is supported by a sixth support base (not shown).

[0028] The extension rail 31 comprises a bottom wall and a pair of left and right side walls 34. The extension rail 31 has a groove that opens upward and extends in both the front-rear and horizontal directions. The bottom surface of the groove in the extension rail 31 and the bottom surface of the groove in the rail body 21 are continuous without any step in the front-rear direction at the connection point between the extension rail 31 and the rail body 21. The left and right side walls 34 of the extension rail 31 are configured to be movable in the left-right direction so that they can be selectively positioned in either a narrow position where the distance between them is relatively small (see Figures 9 and 10) or a wide position where the distance between them is relatively large (see Figures 11 and 12). The positions of the left and right side walls 34 of the extension rail 31 are controlled by the control unit (microcomputer).

[0029] The stopper shaft portion 32 has a rod-like shape that extends linearly in the left-right direction and is configured to be movable in the left-right direction so that it can be selectively positioned in either the protruding position shown in Figures 9, 11, and 12, or the retracted position shown in Figure 10. In the protruding position, the stopper shaft portion 32 is configured to prevent further forward movement of the tape clamp 50 by contacting the clamp portion 52 of the tape clamp 50 located at the front end of the groove portion of the rail body 21, and in the retracted position, it is configured to allow further forward movement of the tape clamp 50 toward the extension rail 31. The position of the stopper shaft portion 32 is controlled by the control unit (microcomputer) described above.

[0030] Specifically, the actuator 33 has an L-shaped rod that extends in the front-rear direction with a downward-facing hook portion at its front end. The actuator 33 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction so as to be selectively positioned at either a rear position behind the stopper shaft portion 32 (see Figures 9, 11, and 12) or a front position in front of the stopper shaft portion 32 (see Figure 10), and is configured to be movable in the vertical direction so as to be selectively positioned at either a lower position where the hook portion enters the groove of the rail body 21 and the extension rail 31 (see Figures 9 and 10) or an upper position where the hook portion does not enter the groove of the rail body 21 and the extension rail 31 (see Figures 11 and 12). The position of the actuator 33 is controlled by the control unit (microcomputer).

[0031] The first transfer section 30 performs the function of transferring the tape clamp 50 from the rail section 20 to the second transfer section 40. As shown in Figure 9, the second transfer section 40 comprises a base section 41 and a pair of arm sections 42 and 43 provided on the base section 41 and movable so as to be openable and closable. The base section 41 of the second transfer section 40 is supported by a seventh support base (not shown). The base section 41 is configured to be selectively positioned in either a first orientation (see Figures 9 to 11) in which the pair of arm sections 42 and 43 extend to the left, or a second orientation (see Figure 12) in which the pair of arm sections 42 and 43 extend upward. When the base 41 is in the first orientation, the pair of arm portions 42 and 43 are positioned adjacent to the front of the front end of the extension rail 31. When the pair of arm portions 42 and 43 are in the open position, the lower arm portion 42 is located below the bottom wall of the extension rail 31, and the upper arm portion 43 is located above the upper end of the extension rail 31. The positions of the base 41 and the pair of arm portions 42 and 43 of the second transfer portion 40 are controlled by the control unit (microcomputer).

[0032] The operation of the first transfer section 30 when transferring the tape clamp 50 from the rail section 20 to the second transfer section 40 will be explained below with reference to Figures 9 to 12. Now, in the first transfer section 30, the left and right side walls 34 of the extension rail 31 are in a narrow position, the stopper shaft 32 is in a protruding position, the actuator 33 is in a rear position and an upper position (initial position), and multiple tape clamps 50 are lined up in a row in the front-to-back direction on the groove of the rail body 21, and the tape clamp 50 located furthest forward is held in contact with the stopper shaft 32 (see Figure 8). Furthermore, in the second transfer section 40, the base 41 is in a first orientation, and the pair of arm sections 42 and 43 are in an open position.

[0033] From this state, the actuator 33 is moved to the lower position, as shown by the black arrow in Figure 9. As a result, the hook portion of the actuator 33 enters the groove in the rail body 21.

[0034] Next, as shown by the black arrow in Figure 10, the stopper shaft portion 32 is moved to the retracted position, and the actuator 33 is moved to the front position. This allows the tape clamp 50 located at the very front to move further forward, and the hook portion of the actuator 33 pushes the clamp portion 52 of the tape clamp 50 located at the very front forward, so that the tape clamp 50 that was located at the very front moves forward along the groove portion of the rail body 21 and the groove portion of the extension rail 31 in that order. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the tape clamp 50 is held in the groove portion of the extension rail 31 with the tip of its band portion 51 inserted between the pair of arm portions 42 and 43.

[0035] Next, as shown by the black arrows in Figure 11, the left and right side walls 34 of the extension rail 31 move to the wide position and the pair of arm portions 42 and 43 move to the closed position, so that the tip of the band portion 51 (i.e., the tape clamp 50) is clamped by the pair of arm portions 42 and 43. Furthermore, the stopper shaft portion 32 is returned to the protruding position and the actuator 33 is returned to the above-mentioned desired position.

[0036] Next, as shown by the black arrows in Figure 12, the base 41 of the second transfer unit 40, in which the tape clamp 50 is held by a pair of arm units 42 and 43, is rotated in the second direction. After this, the tape clamp 50 is received by an external device (not shown; for example, a tape winding device), completing the supply of the tape clamp 50 from the rail unit 20 to the external device by the first transfer unit 30 and the second transfer unit 40.

[0037] As described above, when the base 41 of the second transfer section 40 is rotated to the second direction (see Figure 12), and each time a sensor (not shown) detects that the transfer of the tape clamp 50 by the first transfer section 30 is complete, the supply nozzle 15 and the two rail nozzles 22 simultaneously spray air for a predetermined short period of time. As a result, the multiple tape clamps 50 that were held in a line on the groove of the rail body 21 are pushed forward again toward the stopper shaft 32 side of the first transfer section 30. As a result, the multiple tape clamps 50 on the groove of the rail body 21 are held in a line in the front-to-back direction, and the tape clamp 50 that was previously in the second position from the front is now in the forward position and in contact with the stopper shaft 32. Subsequently, the left and right side walls 34 of the extension rail 31 of the first transfer section 30 are returned to the narrow position, and further, the base 41 of the second transfer section 40 is returned to the first orientation and the pair of arm sections 42 and 43 are returned to the open position. Thereafter, the series of operations described with reference to Figures 9 to 12 are repeated, and the tape clamps 50 are sequentially supplied one by one from the rail section 20 to the external equipment by the first transfer section 30 and the second transfer section 40.

[0038] <Effects and Actions> As described above, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, parts (tape clamps 50) are housed in the rotating drum 11, guide bodies 13 (first blades 13a, second blades 13b) arranged inside the rotating drum 11 guide the parts 50 to the outlet 12, and the parts 50, which are in a predetermined target position after passing through the connecting passage 17 of the outlet 12 of the rotating drum 11, are discharged from the outlet 12. The parts 50 discharged from the outlet 12 are transported via the rail section 20 to the first transfer section 30 and the second transfer section 40, and are sequentially transferred to external equipment at the first transfer section 30 and the second transfer section 40. By appropriately designing the direction of the rotation axis of the rotating drum 11 (for example, vertical rotation or diagonal rotation, etc.), the size in the front, back, left, and right directions can be reduced compared to the conventional feeder described above (so-called vibrating bowl feeder). Furthermore, by connecting the supply unit 10 with the rail section 20, the first transfer section 30, and the second transfer section 40, the parts 50 can be properly supplied to the external equipment even if the supply unit 10 and the external equipment are separated. Therefore, the parts supply device 1 according to this embodiment can be miniaturized without impairing its original function.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the opening and closing lid 19 of the outlet 12 opens on the inclined surface of the guide path 14, thereby enabling the parts 50 to be properly fed from the outlet 12 into the guide path 14.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the parts 50 that have sequentially passed through the holes 16 of the second guide body (second blade 13b) are guided to the outlet 12 by the first guide body (first blade 13a). This prevents a large number of parts from heading to the outlet 12 at once, and allows the parts 50 to be sequentially and efficiently fed from the rotating drum 11.

[0041] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the parts 50 are pushed out by air pressure from the guide path 14 toward the rail section 20 by a supply injector (supply nozzle 15). The parts 50 pushed out in this manner then move toward the first transfer section 30 by sliding along the rail section 20, for example. By using such a supply injector 15, the parts supply device 1 can be made even smaller compared to a feeder that moves parts by vibration of the rail (a so-called vibrating straight feeder).

[0042] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the rail section 20 has a rail injector (rail nozzle 22) that moves the parts 50 held in the rail section 20 toward the first transfer section 30 by air pressure. As a result, even if the parts 50 are temporarily held in the middle of the rail section 20, the parts 50 can be moved toward the first transfer section 30 at any desired timing.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the gate of the first transfer section 30 (i.e., the stopper shaft section 32) restricts the movement of the parts 50, and at the timing when the parts 50 should be transferred to the first transfer section 30, the parts 50 move from the rail section 20 to the first transfer section 30 through the cooperation of the gate 32 and the actuator 33. This makes it possible to supply parts 50 to external equipment at the appropriate timing.

[0044] <Other embodiments> It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc. as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0045] Herein, the features of the embodiments of the parts supply device 1 according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [6].

[0046] [1] A component supply device (1) capable of supplying components (50) to an external device, A supply unit (10) that houses and sequentially dispatches multiple aforementioned parts (50), A rail section (20) for transporting the parts (50) sent out from the supply section (10), The system includes a transfer section (30, 40) for transferring the component (50) from the rail section (20) to the external device, The supply unit (10) is The device comprises a rotating drum (11) that houses the component (50) inside, a discharge port (12) having a passage (17) that connects the inside and outside of the rotating drum (11) and is shaped to allow passage only for the component (50) in a predetermined target position, a guide body (13) disposed inside the rotating drum (11) to guide the component (50) to the discharge port (12), and a guide path (14) that guides the component (50) discharged from the discharge port (12) toward the rail section (20), The aforementioned rail section (20) is It is arranged to connect the guide path (14) and the transfer section (30, 40), The aforementioned transfer section (30, 40) is The system is configured to sequentially transfer the parts (50) that have been transported to the rail section (20) to the external equipment. Parts supply device (1).

[0047] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [1] above, parts are guided to the outlet of the rotating drum by a guide body positioned inside the rotating drum, and parts in a predetermined target orientation are selected by a connecting passage at the outlet, and those parts are discharged from the outlet. The parts discharged from the outlet are transported to the transfer section via the rail section, and are sequentially transferred to external equipment at the transfer section. By appropriately designing the direction of the rotation axis of the rotating drum (for example, vertical rotation or diagonal rotation, etc.), the size in the front, back, left, and right directions can be reduced compared to the conventional feeder described above (so-called vibrating bowl feeder). Furthermore, by connecting the supply section and the external equipment with the rail section and the transfer section, parts can be properly supplied to the external equipment even if the supply section and the external equipment are far apart. Therefore, the parts supply device with this configuration can be miniaturized without compromising its original function.

[0048] [2] In the parts supply device (1) described in [1] above, The aforementioned guide path (14) is It has an inclined surface on which the part (50) slides from the top in the vertical direction downward, The aforementioned outlet (12) is The device has an opening / closing lid (19) configured to open the outlet (12) when the rotational position of the rotating drum (11) is at a predetermined position adjacent to the inclined surface, and to close the outlet (12) when the rotational position of the rotating drum (11) is not at the predetermined position. Parts supply device (1).

[0049] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [2] above, the opening and closing lid of the outlet opens on the inclined surface of the guide path, thereby allowing parts to be properly fed from the outlet into the guide path.

[0050] [3] In the parts supply device (1) described in [1] above, The aforementioned guide body (13) is The rotating drum (11) has a first guide body (13a) that extends along the inner wall surface toward the outlet (12), and a second guide body (13b) through which the first guide body (13a) is inserted and through which the component (50) can pass sequentially. Parts supply device (1).

[0051] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [3] above, parts that have sequentially passed through the holes of the second guide body are guided to the discharge port by the first guide body. This prevents a large number of parts from heading to the discharge port at once, and allows parts to be efficiently fed from the rotating drum.

[0052] [4] In the parts supply device (1) described in [1] above, The supply unit (10) is The device has a supply injector (15) that pushes the aforementioned part (50) from the guide path (14) toward the rail section (20) by air pressure. Parts supply device (1).

[0053] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [4] above, parts are pushed out by air pressure from the guide path toward the rail section by a supply injector. The parts thus pushed out move toward the transfer section by sliding along the rail section, for example. By using such an injector, the parts supply device can be made even smaller compared to a feeder that moves parts by vibration of the rail (a so-called vibrating straight feeder).

[0054] [5] In the parts supply device (1) described in [4] above, The aforementioned rail section (20) is The rail has a shape that allows it to hold multiple of the aforementioned parts (50) side by side, and a rail injector (22) that moves the parts (50) held on the rail section (20) toward the transfer section (30, 40) by air pressure. Parts supply device (1).

[0055] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [5] above, the rail section has a rail injector that moves the parts held in the rail section toward the transfer section by air pressure. This makes it possible to move the parts toward the transfer section at any time, even if the parts are temporarily held in the middle of the rail section.

[0056] [6] In the parts supply device (1) described in [1] above, The aforementioned transfer section (30, 40) is A gate (32) that can switch between allowing and prohibiting the movement of the part (50) from the rail section (20) to the transfer section (30, 40), The system includes an actuator (33) that moves the part (50), which is blocked when the gate (32) is preventing the movement of the part (50), to the transfer section (30, 40) when the gate (32) allows the movement of the part (50), Parts supply device (1).

[0057] According to the parts supply device with the configuration described in [6] above, the gate of the transfer section restricts the movement of parts, and at the timing when the parts should be transferred to the transfer section, the gate and actuator work together to move the parts from the rail section to the transfer section. This makes it possible to supply parts to external equipment at the appropriate timing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1. Parts supply device 10 Supply section 11-speed drum 12 outlet 13 Guide Body 13a First feather (first guide body) 13b Second wing (second guide body) 14 Guide Route 15. Supply nozzle (supply sprayer) 16 holes 17 Communication path 19. Opening and closing lid 20 Rail section 22 Rail nozzle (rail sprayer) 30 1st delivery department 32 Stopper shaft section (gate) 33 Actuators 40 2nd delivery department 50 Tape clamps (parts)

Claims

1. A parts supply device capable of supplying parts to external equipment, A supply unit that houses multiple of the aforementioned parts and sequentially sends them out, A rail section for transporting the parts sent out from the supply section, It includes a transfer section for transferring the parts from the rail section to the external equipment, The aforementioned supply unit is The system includes a rotating drum that houses the aforementioned component, a discharge port having a passage that connects the inside and outside of the rotating drum and is shaped to allow passage only for the aforementioned component in a predetermined target position, a guide body disposed inside the rotating drum to guide the aforementioned component to the discharge port, and a guide path that guides the aforementioned component discharged from the discharge port toward the rail section. The aforementioned rail section is It is arranged to connect the guide path and the transfer section, The aforementioned transfer section is, The system is configured to sequentially transfer the parts transported to the rail section to the external equipment. Parts supply device.

2. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The aforementioned guide path is It has an inclined surface that allows the part to slide from the top vertically downwards, The aforementioned outlet is, The device has an opening / closing lid configured to open the outlet when the rotational position of the rotating drum is at a predetermined position adjacent to the inclined surface, and to close the outlet when the rotational position of the rotating drum is not at the predetermined position. Parts supply device.

3. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The guide body is The rotating drum comprises a first guide body extending along the inner wall surface toward the outlet, and a second guide body having a hole through which the first guide body is inserted and through which the components can pass sequentially. Parts supply device.

4. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The aforementioned supply unit is The system includes a supply injector that pushes the aforementioned component out from the guide path toward the rail section by air pressure. Parts supply device.

5. In the parts supply device according to claim 4, The aforementioned rail section is It has a shape that allows multiple of the aforementioned parts to be held side by side, and has a rail sprayer that moves the parts held in the rail section toward the transfer section by air pressure, Parts supply device.

6. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The aforementioned transfer section is, A gate capable of switching between permitting and prohibiting the movement of the component from the rail section to the transfer section, The system includes an actuator that moves the part, which is blocked when the gate prohibits the movement of the part, to the transfer section when the gate permits the movement of the part. Parts supply device.

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