Multiple component supply device

Abstract

This involves making the entire device more compact, or improving the degree of freedom in the behavior and operation of transport devices such as robotic systems. [Solution] The parts delivery unit 200 is positioned off-center near the end of the support substrate 6, and the parts supply passage member 300 extending from the parts delivery unit is positioned almost parallel to one side 6a of the support substrate 6, and a support base member 400 that moves back and forth while transferring multiple parts 1 from the parts supply passage member is positioned close to the other side 6b of the support substrate 6, almost perpendicular to the parts supply passage member, and the parts supply passage member and the support base member are configured so that there are no members protruding upward, and by setting the height position of the support base member and the parts supply passage member lower than the height of the parts delivery unit, a behavior space 45 for the transport device 46 that transports parts 1 to the target location is formed between the parts delivery unit and the support base member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a supply device for a plurality of parts that transfers a plurality of parts arranged at a predetermined position to a target location by a transfer device such as a robot device.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-151485 describes feeding parts into a plurality of receiving recesses attached to a reciprocating transfer member, holding the plurality of parts by a transfer device such as a robot device, and transferring them to a predetermined location.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1 above, there is no description of a reciprocating transfer member for moving parts or a supply passage member for reaching parts to this transfer member. There is also no description of the mutual positional relationship among a parts feeder as a parts supply source, a parts supply passage member extending from the parts feeder, and an elongated support base member for receiving parts from the parts supply passage member and arranging the parts in a predetermined array state. Furthermore, regarding a transfer device such as a robot device that transfers the parts held on the support base member to a target location, there is also no description of imparting benefits to its movement range.

[0005] This invention is provided to solve the above problems, aiming to make the entire device compact and improve the degree of freedom of the movement operation of a transfer device such as a robot device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is, At least the parts feeding unit, including the parts feeder for dispensing parts, is positioned off-center near the edge of the square support board. The component supply passage member extending from the component delivery unit is positioned so as to be approximately parallel to one side of the support substrate. Multiple components are transferred from the component supply passage member, and a long, slender support base member that moves back and forth is positioned close to the other side of the support base, almost perpendicular to the component supply passage member. The component supply passage member and the support base member are configured so that there are no members protruding upward. This is a multi-parts supply device characterized by setting the height of the support base member and the parts supply passage member lower than the height of the parts delivery unit, thereby forming a behavioral space for the transport device that transports parts to their target location between the parts delivery unit and the support base member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] At the very least, a parts feeding unit, including a parts feeder for dispensing parts, needs to be provided with sufficient space in terms of both installation area and height, including the parts feeder body and its attached components. Furthermore, the parts supply passage members extending from the parts feeding unit and the support base members positioned perpendicular to them must also be arranged so that the entire device fits compactly. In addition, since there are height differences between the parts feeding unit, parts supply passage members, and support base members, the arrangement of these devices must successfully secure the operating space for conveying devices such as robots.

[0008] Since the component delivery unit is positioned near the end of the square support base, component supply passage members extending from the component delivery unit and support base members receiving components from the component supply passage members can be placed on the support base other than the location where the component delivery unit is installed, resulting in a compact multi-component supply device. In addition, sufficient space can be secured for the installation of structures that cause the support base members to move forward and backward.

[0009] A component supply passage member is positioned approximately parallel to one side of a rectangular support base, and a long, slender support base member, which moves back and forth while transferring multiple components from the component supply passage member, is positioned approximately perpendicular to the component supply passage member and close to the other side of the support base. In other words, the support base member is positioned approximately parallel to the other side of the support base. As a result, since the component supply passage member and the support base member are positioned along each side of the rectangular support base, it is possible to fit the various functional devices onto the support base in the smallest possible space, which is advantageous for miniaturizing the entire device.

[0010] Since the height of the support base member and the component supply passage member attached to the support substrate is set lower than the height of the component delivery unit in its tallest state, a space for the transport device to move components to their target location is formed between the component delivery unit and the support base member. In other words, one side of the component delivery unit is empty space, and this space is designated as the space for the transport device to move components.

[0011] A conveying device, like a robot, has the function of holding various parts and transporting them to a target location. It is designed to simultaneously hold all or part of multiple parts that are held on a support base member. Therefore, the holding head portion that simultaneously holds multiple parts becomes a holding mechanism with large dimensions in the vertical and horizontal directions. In order to bring such a sized holding head close to multiple parts on the support base member, it is important to create sufficient space near the support base member so that the holding head does not interfere with surrounding members.

[0012] For transport devices such as robotic equipment, it is desirable from the standpoint of simplifying operation and improving the durability of the equipment for them to move forward in a straight line, pick up parts, and then move backward along the same straight line to return to the standby position. However, normally, peripheral equipment placed for other purposes is located in an upright position near the support base member, making it difficult to achieve the linear transport behavior described above.

[0013] As described above, in the present invention, since a behavioral space for the conveying device is formed, even if the conveying device is made to perform special avoidance behavior to avoid surrounding equipment until the holding head of the conveying device enters the behavioral space, from the point where the conveying device enters the behavioral space, it can hold the parts by drawing the most suitable behavioral trajectory relative to the support base member. In other words, the movement trajectory of the holding head of the conveying device can be freely selected according to the surrounding conditions. For example, it is possible to prevent the holding head from coming into contact with the parts delivery unit or surrounding equipment, and to enable the holding head to draw the best possible behavioral trajectory within the behavioral space. As a result, the movement trajectory of the holding head relative to the support base member is always uniform and does not change abruptly, and accurate operation of the conveying device is obtained. For example, during the transition period when the holding head holds a part or when the holding head starts to move backward, the parts will not be thrown off the holding head due to abrupt changes in the holding head.

[0014] Although this invention relates to a device for supplying multiple parts, it can also exist as a part supply method that focuses on the behavior of the conveying device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing the entire apparatus. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view showing the entire device. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the parts. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of (4)-(4) in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the location of the support base member. [Figure 6] It is a sectional view taken along line (6)-(6) of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a side view showing the drive mechanism of the support base member. [Figure 8] It is a partial sectional view showing the fixing structure of the support base member. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing the support bracket of the pulley. [Figure 10] It is a simplified side view showing the support base member and the robot device. [Figure 11] It is a sectional view of the holding unit. [Figure 12] It is a simplified plan view showing the position state of the behavior space. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing the behavior space and the behavior locus of the transfer device. [Figure 14] It is a simplified side view showing another advancing and retreating structure of the support base member.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the supply device for a plurality of parts of the present invention will be described.

Examples

[0017] FIGS. 1 to 14 show examples of the present invention.

[0018] First, the parts will be described.

[0019] The parts to be supplied include various ones such as bolts, nuts, washers, etc., but here it is the part 1 made of a steel plate shown in FIG. 3. A long and narrow strip-shaped steel plate is bent into a U-shape to form the main body 2, and a flange 3 is formed at the open end of the main body 2. And the upper surface of the main body 2 is the held surface 7.

[0020] Next, the entire device will be described.

[0021] The entire supply device is indicated by reference numeral 100. A rectangular support plate 6 is placed on the factory floor 4 via a buffer 5 made of an elastic material such as rubber. The support plate 6 is made of a sufficiently thick steel plate because it will support various functional devices such as the parts feeder described later. The support plate 6 could also be rectangular, but here a nearly square one is used.

[0022] The support substrate 6 is equipped with a component delivery unit, a component supply passage member, a support base member, and other components, which will be described later.

[0023] Next, I will explain the parts delivery unit.

[0024] The entire parts feeding unit is indicated by reference numeral 200. The parts feeder 8 has a spiral parts transport plate 10 attached to the inside of a circular bowl 9. By applying a combined vibration in the arc direction and the vertical direction to the bowl 9, the parts 1 stored in the bowl 9 move counterclockwise on the parts transport plate 10. The parts feeder 8 is fixed off-center near the end of the support base plate 6. In other words, the parts feeding unit 200 is off-center towards the top of Figure 1.

[0025] A continuous series of discharge pipes 12 for sending out parts are connected to the arc-shaped parts transport plate 10.

[0026] The parts feeder 6 is equipped with a storage box 13 for replenishing parts 1 into the bowl 9, and a ceiling plate 14 is provided on top to prevent impurities such as scrap metal from entering the bowl 9. The storage box 13 and ceiling plate 14 are fixed to support columns 15 which are fixed to a support base plate 6.

[0027] As described above, the parts supply unit 200 is formed by integrating multiple components such as the parts feeder 8, storage box 13, ceiling panel 14, and support column 15, which are parts supply devices.

[0028] Next, we will explain the component supply passage members.

[0029] The entire parts supply passage member is indicated by reference numeral 300. The straight parts supply passage member 300 is composed of both the delivery pipe 12 of the parts feeder 8 and a long, straight supply passage member 16 that extends from the delivery pipe 12 to the support base member described later. The parts supply passage member 300 is positioned parallel to one side 6a of the support substrate 6. Furthermore, as can be seen in Figure 1, the parts supply passage member 300 is positioned so as to traverse the approximately central part of the support substrate 6 in the vertical direction of Figure 1.

[0030] Various structures can be used for the supply passage member 16, such as one that provides a downward slope to allow the part 1 to slide down, or one that is a linear feeder that applies transfer vibration to the supply passage member 16. Here, the latter linear feeder 17 is used.

[0031] The linear feeder 17 has an elongated supply passage member 16 that holds the parts 1 in a row, which is arranged in a continuous manner with the delivery pipe 12, and is configured to apply vibrations for part delivery to the supply passage member 16. The supply passage member 16 is fixed to an elongated base plate 18 using bolts 19 as shown in Figure 4. The iron base plate 18 is positioned above a base member 21 fixed to a support base plate 6, and the base plate 18 is supported by a leaf spring 22 positioned diagonally. An electromagnet 23 is fixed to the base member 21, and by passing an intermittent current through the electromagnet 23, a combined vibration in the vertical and forward / backward directions is applied to the supply passage member 16, and the parts 1 are transported to the right in Figure 2.

[0032] In the component supply passage member 300, the only member protruding upward is the supply passage member 16, and there are no other protruding parts.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, the U-shaped component 1 is held in a position straddling the supply passage member 16, and slides along the supply passage member 16 in this straddling position.

[0034] A component supply control mechanism 24 is attached to the support substrate 6 to feed only the component 1 waiting at the leading edge of the supply passage member 16. Various methods can be used for this mechanism 24, such as those using electromagnets or air jets. In this case, a type with a retractable control rod is used.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the first air cylinder 25 and the second air cylinder 26 are fixed to the support base plate 6 in a parallel arrangement. The piston rod 27 of the first air cylinder 25 presses the second part against the side surface of the supply passage member 16, stopping it, while the piston rod 28 of the second air cylinder 26 protrudes in front of the first part 1, preventing the delivery of the first part 1. Both air cylinders 25 and 26 are fixed to brackets 20 that rise from the support base plate 6.

[0036] Figure 5 shows the state in which the second part 1 is pressed against and stopped by the piston rod 27 when the first air cylinder 25 is activated, and the piston rod 28 extends when the second air cylinder 26 is activated, causing the first part 1 to stop.

[0037] Here, when the piston rod 28 retracts due to the operation of the second air cylinder 26, the vibration of the supply passage member 16 sends the first part 1 toward the support base member described later. At this time, the second part 1 is in a stopped state due to the operation of the first air cylinder 25. Next, the piston rod 28 moves forward due to the operation of the second air cylinder 26 and waits for the second part 1. After that, when the piston rod 27 retracts due to the operation of the first air cylinder 25, the vibration of the supply passage member 16 moves the second part 1 to a position where it can be received by the piston rod 28. Then, the third part 1 is moved in and is pressed against by the piston rod 27 and comes to a stopped state.

[0038] Next, we will explain the support base member.

[0039] The entire support base member, including the member for receiving the parts, is indicated by reference numeral 400. A part of this support base member, 29, is made of a long, straight, thick stainless steel plate. The support base member 29 is structured to move back and forth and is positioned close to the other side 6b of the support base plate 6, almost perpendicular to the aforementioned parts supply passage member 300. Since the support base member 29 is positioned almost perpendicular to the parts supply passage member 300, it is positioned parallel to the other side 6b of the support base plate 6. Looking at the entire length of the support base member 400, the tip of the parts passage member 16 is closest to the center of the support base member 400.

[0040] The supply passage member 16 extends to the vicinity of the support base member 29, and the part 1 that has slid along the supply passage member 16 is transferred to the part receiving member 31 on the support base member 29.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, the part receiving member 31 is made up of a nearly rectangular parallelepiped and is fixed to the support base member 29 with fixing bolts 32. The part receiving member 31 is also made of stainless steel, and its dimensions are set such that part 1 is transferred while straddling the part receiving member 31, as shown in Figure 4. A stopper surface 33 for receiving part 1 as it enters from the supply passage member 16 is formed on the upper part of the part receiving member 31. A permanent magnet 34 is embedded near the end of the part receiving member 31, and when part 1, which is waiting at the very front of the supply passage member 16, is released by the retraction of the piston rod 28, the attractive force of the permanent magnet 34 forces it to be transferred while straddling the part receiving member 31, and it hits the stopper surface 33 and stops. At this time, the attractive force of the permanent magnet 34 acts on part 1, causing part 1 to abut against the stopper surface 33 and come to rest while straddling the part receiving member 31. In other words, displacement of part 1 is prevented.

[0042] Multiple such component receiving members 31 are attached at equal intervals to the upper surface of the support base member 29. The equal-spacing arrangement of these four component receiving members 31 is shown in Figures 1 and 10, but it is also possible to change this equal-spacing arrangement to an unequal-spacing arrangement or to increase or decrease the number of members.

[0043] In the support base member 400, the only member protruding upward is the component receiving member 31, and there are no other protruding parts.

[0044] Next, we will explain the reciprocating movement structure of the support base member.

[0045] Various structures can be used to move a long, slender member back and forth along its longitudinal direction, including air cylinders, electric motors with forward and backward output, and endless belts. Here, a structure using an endless belt is shown.

[0046] A support base member 29 is fixed to a timing belt 37 that stretches between a drive pulley 35 and a driven pulley 36. The rotation axis of the drive pulley 35 is rotated and reversed by an electric motor 39, causing the support base member 29 to move forward and backward.

[0047] When the first component 1, which is waiting at the front of the supply passage member 16, is moved onto the component receiving member 31 by the attractive force of the permanent magnet 34, the electric motor 39 then moves the adjacent component receiving member 31 to a position that aligns with the supply passage member 16, and subsequently the second component 1 is moved onto the component receiving member 31. This intermittent operation is repeated until the four components are aligned in predetermined positions on the support base member 29.

[0048] As described above, in order to accurately move the support base member 29 by the distance between it and the adjacent component receiving member 31, it is preferable to use a standard servo motor or stepping motor for the electric motor 39.

[0049] Various methods can be used to fix the support base member 29 to the timing belt 37, such as a combination of fastening fittings and bolts or adhesive, but in this case, adhesive is used. As shown in Figure 8, the L-shaped connecting fitting 40 is bonded with adhesive, and the area colored black is the adhesive 41.

[0050] Furthermore, the structure supporting the driven pulley 36 consists of a U-shaped bracket 43 with an axial hole 42 attached to a column member 44 that rises from the support base plate 6, with the driven pulley 36 housed between the U-shaped brackets 43. It is desirable to use a similar column member for the electric motor 39 as well.

[0051] Next, we will explain the behavioral space of the conveying device.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the parts feeder 8 has a structure in which the bowl 9 is positioned above the vibration exciter (not shown), so the bowl 9 is positioned at a required height from the support base plate 6. Due to this arrangement, the delivery pipe 12 is also positioned at a corresponding height. A base member 21 and a straight feeder 17 are interposed to make the height of the parts supply passage member 300 approximately the same as the height of the delivery pipe 12.

[0053] Furthermore, the support base member 400 connected to the parts supply passage member 300 also uses a support member 11 that rises from the support base plate 6 so that it is at approximately the same height as the delivery pipe 12 and the parts supply passage member 300. In other words, the driven pulley 36 is supported by the column structure shown in Figure 9, and the electric motor 39 is positioned at a predetermined height using column members similar to those in Figure 9. Along with this height arrangement, there is no empty space above the parts supply passage member 300 and the support base member 400.

[0054] Since the parts delivery unit 200 is equipped with a storage box 13 and a ceiling plate 14, the total height of the parts delivery unit 200 is much higher than that of the parts supply passage member 300 and the support base member 400. Taking advantage of this height difference, a space 45 for the transport device that transports parts to their destination is formed between the parts delivery unit 200 and the support base member 400, as shown by the dashed line.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, the behavior space 45 has an overall width that is approximately the same as the width dimension of the support base plate 6, and as shown in Figure 2, its overall height is approximately the same as the height difference between the height of the component delivery unit 200 and the component supply passage member 300. Furthermore, its depth dimension is approximately the same as the distance between the component delivery unit 200 and the support base member 400. Therefore, the behavior space 45 is a virtual space consisting of the above-described vertical, horizontal, and width dimensions.

[0056] In order to construct such a behavioral space 45, it is important to ensure that, as mentioned above, there are no members above the component supply passage member 300 or the support base member 400.

[0057] Next, I will explain the conveying equipment.

[0058] The conveying device uses various conveying structures, such as a reciprocating arm or a swinging arm equipped with a chuck mechanism, to hold multiple parts 1 held on a support base member 400 and convey them to the target location.

[0059] Here, a robotic device is used as the transport device. As shown in Figure 10, it is a standard 6-axis robotic device 46, with a long, narrow holding plate 47 attached to its tip, and a holding unit 48 mounted on the underside of this holding plate 47. Various types of holding units 48 can be used, such as those that grip parts with opening and closing claws, those that attract parts with electromagnets, and those that attract parts with permanent magnets and then push them away with a push rod at the target location. Here, a type in which an electromagnet is housed within the holding unit 48 is used.

[0060] As described above, the robot device 46 is a mechanism corresponding to the conveying device, and the conveying device is also denoted by the same reference numeral 46. The parts of the holding plate 47 and the holding unit 48 are collectively referred to as the holding head 47.

[0061] In this embodiment, the parts supply locations, such as insertion holes, are arranged in a straight line at regular intervals, so the parts receiving members 31 on the support base member 29 are also arranged in a straight line at similar intervals. Correspondingly, the four holding units 48 are arranged in the same manner as the parts receiving members 31.

[0062] Four retaining units 48 are attached to the lower surface of the retaining plate 47 in predetermined positions. The retaining units 48 welded to the lower surface of the retaining plate 47 are rectangular box-shaped members, and an electromagnet 49 is housed inside them. Reference numeral 51 denotes the power supply wire to the electromagnet 49.

[0063] As shown in Figure 11, when the holding unit 48 comes into close contact with the holding surface 7 of the part 1 held by the part receiving member 31 by the operation of the robot device 46, the electromagnet 49 is energized and the part 1 is attracted to the holding unit 48. Next, the robot device 46, i.e., the transport device 46, moves to bring the part 1 to the target location. When the power to the electromagnet 49 is cut off at this arrival position, the part 1 is released from the attraction of the electromagnet 49 and supplied to the target location such as an insertion hole.

[0064] Next, we will explain the behavioral trajectory of the components.

[0065] Generally, it is desirable for a transport device 46, such as a robotic device, to move forward in a straight line, hold the part 1, and then move backward in the same straight line to return to the standby position. However, in order to avoid other equipment in the surrounding area, it is advisable to position the behavior space 45 of the transport device 46 near the support base member 400, thereby allowing the transport device 46 to have a degree of freedom in its behavior trajectory. A special behavior trajectory is provided to prevent the holding head 47 of the transport device 46 from interfering with peripheral equipment outside the behavior space 45, but within the behavior space 45, the holding head 47 is configured to behave in a manner suitable for holding parts.

[0066] When the holding head 47 enters the behavior space 45, it can freely utilize the space in the behavior space 45 to draw an optimal movement trajectory for the holding head 47. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the movement trajectory of the holding head 47 drawn by the solid line 52 is a combination of actions in which the holding head 47 changes direction at a right angle, making it possible to draw the movement trajectory of the holding head 47 accurately as shown in the solid illustration. Furthermore, the trajectory shown by the dashed line 53 offers the same advantages as the trajectory shown by the solid line. It is also possible to combine the curved trajectory shown by the dashed line 54 with the solid line trajectory.

[0067] Next, we will explain other examples of how to move a long, slender support base member forward and backward.

[0068] As shown in Figure 14, the electric motor 39 and timing belt 37 that make up the device are the same as those described earlier. A male thread is formed on the transport shaft 55 which is rotated by the driven pulley 36, and the transport shaft 55 is screwed into a tubular reciprocating member 56 which has a female thread. A support base member 29 is connected to the reciprocating member 56 via a bracket 57.

[0069] The support base member 29 moves forward and backward as the electric motor 39 rotates in the forward or reverse direction.

[0070] Furthermore, an electric motor can be used to provide forward and backward output instead of the various air cylinders mentioned above. It is also possible to replace the electromagnet with a permanent magnet.

[0071] The operations described above, such as energizing the electric motor and supplying / discharging air to the air cylinder, can be easily performed using commonly adopted control methods. By combining an air switching valve that operates on signals from a simple computer device or sequence circuit, and a sensor that emits a signal at a predetermined position on the air cylinder, the desired operation can be ensured.

[0072] The effects and benefits of the embodiments described above are as follows:

[0073] At least the parts feeding unit 200, including the parts feeder 8 for dispensing parts, needs to be provided with sufficient space in terms of both installation area and height, including the parts feeder 8 itself and its attached components. Furthermore, the parts supply passage member 300 extending from the parts feeding unit 200 and the support base member 400 positioned perpendicular to it also need to be arranged so that the entire device fits compactly. Moreover, since there are height differences between the parts feeding unit 200, the parts supply passage member 300, and the support base member 400, the arrangement of these devices must successfully secure the operating space for a transport device 46, such as a robot.

[0074] Since the component delivery unit 200 is positioned near the end of the square support base 6, the component supply passage member 300 extending from the component delivery unit 200 and the support base member 400 that receives components from the component supply passage member 300 can be positioned on the support base 6 other than the location where the component delivery unit 200 is installed, resulting in a compact multi-component supply device. In addition, sufficient space can be secured for the installation of the structure that causes the support base member 400 to move forward and backward.

[0075] The component supply passage member 300 is positioned approximately parallel to one side 6a of the rectangular support base 6. A long, slender support base member 400, which moves back and forth while transferring multiple components 1 from the component supply passage member 300, is positioned approximately perpendicular to the component supply passage member 300 and close to the other side 6b of the support base 6. In other words, the support base member 400 is positioned approximately parallel to the other side 6b of the support base 6. As a result, the component supply passage member 300 and the support base member 400 are positioned along each side of the rectangular support base 6, making it possible to fit the various functional devices onto the support base 6 in the smallest possible space, which is advantageous for miniaturizing the entire device 100.

[0076] Since the height of the support base member 400 and the component supply passage member 300 attached to the support substrate 6 is set lower than the height of the component delivery unit 200 when it is tall, a space 45 for the transport device 46 that transports the component 1 to the target location is formed between the component delivery unit 200 and the support base member 400. In other words, one side of the component delivery unit 200 is empty space, and this space is designated as the space 45 for the transport device 46.

[0077] The transport device 46 has the function of holding various parts and transporting them to a target location, similar to a robotic device, and is designed to simultaneously hold all or part of the multiple parts 1 held on the support base member 400. Therefore, the part of the holding head 47 that simultaneously holds the multiple parts 1 becomes a holding mechanism with large dimensions in the vertical and horizontal directions. In order to bring such a sized holding head 47 close to the multiple parts 1 on the support base member 400, it is important to create sufficient space near the support base member 400 so that the holding head 47 does not interfere with surrounding members.

[0078] For transport devices such as the robotic device 46, it is desirable from the standpoint of simplifying operation and improving the durability of the equipment for the device to move forward in a straight line, hold the part 1, and then move backward in the same straight line to return to the standby position. However, normally, peripheral equipment placed for other purposes is located in an upright position near the support base member 400, making it difficult to achieve the linear transport behavior described above.

[0079] In the present invention, as described above, a behavior space 45 for the conveying device 46 is formed. Therefore, even if the conveying device 46 is made to perform special avoidance behavior to avoid surrounding equipment until the holding head 47 of the conveying device 46 enters the behavior space 45, from the point where the conveying device 46 enters the behavior space 45, it can hold the part 1 by drawing the most suitable behavior trajectory relative to the support base member 400. In other words, the movement trajectory of the holding head of the conveying device 46 can be freely selected according to the surrounding conditions. For example, it is possible to prevent the holding head 47 from coming into contact with the part delivery unit 200 or surrounding equipment, and to enable the holding head 47 to draw the best possible behavior trajectory within the behavior space 45. As a result, the movement trajectory of the holding head 47 relative to the support base member 400 is always uniform and does not change abruptly, and accurate operation of the conveying device is obtained. For example, during the transition period when the holding head 47 holds the part 1 or when the holding head 47 starts to move backward, the part 1 will not be thrown off the holding head 47 due to abrupt changes in the holding head 47.

[0080] The component supply passage member 300 is positioned parallel to side 6a of the support base member 6 at a location that traverses the approximate center of the support substrate 6. Furthermore, because the component supply passage member 300 is positioned in the above location, the lateral movement distance of the support base member 400 relative to the component supply passage member 300 can be maximized within the width of the support substrate 6. Therefore, the support base member 400 can be installed in a compact state.

[0081] In this embodiment, the parts supply locations, such as insertion holes, are arranged in a straight line at regular intervals, so the parts receiving members 31 on the support base member 29 are also arranged in a straight line at similar intervals. Correspondingly, the four holding units 48 are also arranged in the same manner as the parts receiving members 31. Therefore, if the arrangement of the parts supply locations is changed, the arrangement of the parts receiving members 31 can be changed to match this change, which has the advantage of easily accommodating such product changes. [Industrial applicability]

[0082] As described above, the supply device of the present invention makes the entire device more compact and improves the degree of freedom of movement of conveying devices such as robotic devices. Therefore, it can be used in a wide range of industrial fields, such as the assembly process of automobile bodies and the sheet metal assembly process of household electrical appliances. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 100 Feeding device 200 parts delivery unit 300 Parts supply passage member 400 Support base member 1 part 6. Supporting base 6a One side 6b Other side 7 Surface to be held 8 Parts Feeder 9 bowls 12 Delivery pipe 13 Storage Box 14 Ceiling panels 15 Support pillar 16 Supply passage member 17 Straight-line feeder 18 circuit boards 21 Base component 29 Support base member 31. Part receiving member 34 Permanent Magnets 45 Behavioral Space 46. ​​Conveying equipment, robotic equipment 47 Retaining plate, retaining head 48 Holding Unit 49 Electromagnet

Claims

[Claim 1] At least the parts feeding unit, including the parts feeder for dispensing parts, is positioned off-center near the edge of the square support board. The component supply passage member extending from the component delivery unit is positioned so as to be approximately parallel to one side of the support substrate. Multiple components are transferred from the component supply passage member, and a long, slender support base member that moves back and forth is positioned close to the other side of the support base, almost perpendicular to the component supply passage member. The component supply passage member and the support base member are configured so that there are no members protruding upward. A multi-parts supply device characterized in that the height of the support base member and the parts supply passage member are set lower than the height of the parts delivery unit, thereby forming a behavioral space for the transport device that transports parts to the target location between the parts delivery unit and the support base member.

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