Conveying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a conveying device that can move a rotating body smoothly while suppressing rattle. [Solution] The conveying device has a contact portion 13 that comes into contact with the object to be conveyed moving along a reference plane SF, and comprises a rotating body 11 that rotates around a first axis 11A, a connecting member 15 connected to the rotating body 11, and a support member 17 that supports the connecting member 15. The support member 17 is rotatable around a second axis 17A that is inclined with respect to the first axis 11A, while maintaining a constant angle between the second axis 17A and the first axis 11A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] As a conveying device that requires less space at the installation location, does not apply excessive force to the conveyed object, and can arbitrarily and easily change the conveying direction of the conveyed object, there is the following. The conveying device includes a rotor having a contact portion that contacts the conveyed object provided at a corner portion on the upper surface side, a pair of self-aligning bearings attached along the extending direction of the rotor shaft, and an inclination angle changing portion that changes the inclination angle of the shaft. The inclination angle changing portion includes a fixed flange attached to the upper self-aligning bearing, a flange attached to the lower self-aligning bearing, and a movable plate to which the lower flange is attached. Since the shaft of the rotor is rotatable around the center of gravity of the portion of the shaft supported by the upper self-aligning bearing, the inclination direction of the shaft can be changed as the movable plate moves. By changing the inclination direction of the rotor, the conveyed object can be conveyed in any direction of 360 degrees (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the inclination angle of the shaft of the rotor described in Patent Document 1 changes, due to its structure,the shaft moves in the thrust direction with respect to the bearing. Therefore, in order to make the change in the inclination angle of the shaft smooth, it is necessary to secure a certain amount of clearance, which makes it difficult to form a highly accurate structure and may cause play in the shaft.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, this disclosure relates to a conveying device that can move a rotating body smoothly while suppressing rattle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A conveying device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a rotating body having a contact portion for contact with an object to be conveyed moving along a reference plane, a rotating body that rotates about a first axis, a connecting member connected to the rotating body, and a support member that supports the connecting member, the support member being rotatable about a second axis inclined with respect to the first axis, while maintaining a constant angle between the second axis and the first axis.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, the support member that supports the connecting member connected to the rotating body can rotate around the second axis while maintaining a constant angle between the second axis and the first axis, thereby enabling the rotating body to move smoothly while suppressing play.

[0008] Furthermore, as a conveying device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the conveying device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the connecting member may be a shaft fixed to the support member, and the rotating body may be connected to the connecting member via a bearing and rotate relative to the shaft as rotation around the first axis.

[0009] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, the torque required to rotate the rotating body is relatively small compared to the case where a shaft fixed to the rotating body is rotated.

[0010] Furthermore, as a transport device according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the connecting member and the support member may be integrally molded in the transport device according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0011] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, the stability of the connecting member and the support member when they rotate around a second axis can be improved.

[0012] Furthermore, as a transport device according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the transport device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the connecting member may be a shaft rotatably supported by a bearing provided on the support member, and the rotating body may be fixed to the shaft and rotate integrally with the shaft as rotation around the first axis.

[0013] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, the rigidity of the rotating body can be increased.

[0014] Furthermore, as a conveying device according to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, the rotating body and the connecting member may be integrally molded in the conveying device according to the fourth aspect of this disclosure.

[0015] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, the rigidity of the rotating body and the connecting member can be increased, and the stability of the rotation of the rotating body around the first axis can be improved.

[0016] Furthermore, as a conveying device according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in a conveying device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present disclosure, in a cross section encompassing the first axis and the second axis, the contact portion has a straight portion of a predetermined length, and the sum of the first angle, which is the angle between the straight portion and the first axis, and the second angle, which is the angle between the first axis and the second axis, is 90 degrees.

[0017] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, the contact portion of the rotating body makes line contact with the object to be conveyed, thereby ensuring a stable contact area and contributing to stable support and reliable conveyance of the object to be conveyed.

[0018] Furthermore, as a conveying device according to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, a conveying device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present disclosure may include a first drive source for rotating the rotating body about the first axis and a second drive source for rotating the support member about the second axis.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the rotating body and the support member can be moved independently of each other.

[0020] Further, as a conveying device according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the conveying device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present disclosure, a plurality of sets of the rotating body, the support member, and the connecting member are provided, and a power transmission member that connects the respective support members in the plurality of sets to each other is provided. In the plurality of sets, the direction of the inclination of the second axis with respect to the first axis may change synchronously.

[0021] According to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the number of contact portions that contact the object to be conveyed can be increased, the contact area of the contact portions with respect to the object to be conveyed can be increased, and this contributes to stable support and reliable conveyance of the object to be conveyed.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present disclosure, since the support member that supports the connecting member connected to the rotating body that rotates around the first axis can rotate around the second axis while maintaining a constant angle of the second axis with respect to the first axis, the rotating body can be smoothly moved while suppressing looseness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. <酬 [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view of a rotating unit included in a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the roller axis, the gear axis, and the contact portion in a rotating unit included in a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] It is a schematic plan view of a rotating unit included in a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of a rotating unit included in a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a rotating unit included in a transport device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or equivalent components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. Also, the dimensions and proportions in the drawings may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual proportions.

[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conveying device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The conveying device 1 is a device that can change the direction of movement of a conveyed object (hereinafter referred to as "workpiece W") in any direction. An overview of the conveying device 1 shows that a plurality of (seven in this embodiment) rotating units 10 are visible on the surface. Each rotating unit 10 rotates in the same direction about an axis. The upper surface of each rotating unit 10 is inclined with respect to the lower surface of the workpiece W being conveyed, and a portion of the circumferential direction of the upper surface that rotates about the axis contacts the lower surface of the workpiece W. By changing the direction in which the upper surface of each rotating unit 10 is inclined, the position of the upper surface that contacts the lower surface of the workpiece W changes, and the workpiece W can be moved in the direction in which the portion of the upper surface that contacts the workpiece W is moving. The configuration of the conveying device 1 will be described in more detail below.

[0026] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the conveying device 1, with the upper cover 31 and lower cover 35 shown in Figure 1 removed. Each of the multiple rotating units 10 provided by the conveying device 1 has a roller 11 (corresponding to a rotating body), a shaft 15 (corresponding to a connecting member), and a swivel gear 17 (corresponding to a support member). Each rotating unit 10 is rotatably supported by a plate 21 via bearings. In this embodiment, the plate 21 is formed in the shape of a plate that is generally rectangular and of uniform thickness, but its shape and thickness can be appropriately changed depending on the situation in which the conveying device 1 is applied. In each rotating unit 10 supported by the plate 21, the roller 11 and the swivel gear 17 rotate independently.

[0027] Each rotating unit 10 has two adjacent rollers 11 connected via a belt 23, so that all rollers 11 are connected to any adjacent roller 11 via the belt 23. In addition, at least one roller 11 is connected to a pulley 24 via the belt 23. The pulley 24 is mounted on the end of the shaft of a roller motor 25. The roller motor 25 is a motor for rotating the rollers 11. Various well-known motors suitable for continuous rotation in one direction can be used as the roller motor 25, for example, a general-purpose AC motor or a DC motor may be used. The roller motor 25 is typically located below the plate 21, i.e., on the opposite side of the plate 21 from the rollers 11. When the roller motor 25 is operated, the pulley 24 mounted on the end of its shaft rotates, and all rollers 11 that are directly or indirectly connected to the pulley 24 via the belt 23 rotate synchronously in the same direction. Note that a roller 11 that is indirectly connected to the pulley 24 via the belt 23 means that it is connected to the pulley 24 via other rollers 11.

[0028] Each rotating unit 10 is connected to all slewing gears 17 directly or indirectly (i.e., via other slewing gears 17) through a plurality of intermediary gears 26 and one drive gear 27. In other words, each intermediary gear 26 and drive gear 27 is a component that connects each slewing gear 17 in the plurality of rotating units 10 to one another, and corresponds to a power transmission component. In this embodiment, one intermediary gear 26 or drive gear 27 meshes with three slewing gears 17. Each intermediary gear 26 is rotatably supported by a plate 21. The drive gear 27 is attached to the end of the shaft of a gear motor 28. The gear motor 28 is a motor for rotating the slewing gears 17. The gear motor 28 can rotate its shaft by any amount of rotation at a variable speed, continuously or intermittently, in both forward and reverse directions. A stepping motor or a servo motor may be used as the gear motor 28. The gear motor 28 is typically located below the plate 21, similar to the roller motor 25. When the gear motor 28 is operated, the drive gear 27 attached to the end of its shaft rotates, causing the slewing gear 17 connected to the drive gear 27 and all other slewing gears 17 directly or indirectly connected to this slewing gear 17 via the intermediary gear 26 to rotate synchronously in the same direction. The direction of the tilt of the roller 11 can be changed according to the rotation of the slewing gears 17. The configuration of the rotating unit 10 will be described in more detail below.

[0029] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating unit 10. The cross-section shown in Figure 3 represents the longitudinal section (i.e., a cross-section cut vertically) of the rotating unit 10. In the following description of the rotating unit 10, when referring to the surrounding components of the rotating unit 10, Figures 1 and 2 will be referred to as appropriate. As mentioned above, the rotating unit 10 comprises a roller 11, a shaft 15, and a swivel gear 17.

[0030] In this embodiment, the roller 11 has a top plate 12 and a neck 14. In this embodiment, the top plate 12 is formed in the shape of an annular plate, but it may also be disc-shaped or have a shape other than circular. The neck 14 is typically formed in the shape of a cylinder, but its cross-section may be a tube shape other than circular. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the neck 14 is smaller than the outer diameter of the top plate 12, for example, it may be about 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 or 1 / 2 of the outer diameter of the top plate 12, but it may also be the same diameter as the outer diameter of the top plate 12 or larger than the outer diameter of the top plate 12. The outer surface of the neck 14 is the surface on which the belt 23 is stretched, and it may have irregularities formed on it so as to interlock with the belt 23. The top plate 12 and the neck 14 are integrally formed in such a way that the axis passing through the center of the annular top plate 12 coincides with the cylindrical axis of the neck 14, and may be manufactured by integral molding. The axis passing through the top plate 12 and the neck 14 is referred to as the "roller axis 11A," which corresponds to the first axis. The roller axis 11A passes through the roller 11. The roller 11 can be rotated around the roller axis 11A by the roller motor 25 and corresponds to a rotating body as described above. The roller motor 25 is the drive source that rotates the roller 11 around the roller axis 11A and corresponds to the first drive source. The roller 11 is positioned with the top plate 12 at the top and the neck 14 at the bottom. When viewed from above, directly facing a virtual plane with the roller axis 11A perpendicular, the top plate 12 has a ring shape with a space formed inside, and the roller axis 11A passes through the center of the ring of the top plate 12.

[0031] The roller 11 has a contact portion 13 on its upper surface (in this embodiment, the annular surface of the top plate 12). The contact portion 13 is at least a part of the upper surface of the roller 11 and is the part that contacts the workpiece W. As mentioned above, the upper surface of the rotating unit 10 (i.e., corresponding to the upper surface of the roller 11) is inclined with respect to the lower surface of the workpiece W being transported, and a part of the circumferential direction of the upper surface that rotates around the roller axis 11A contacts the lower surface of the workpiece W. Therefore, the workpiece W moves along the reference plane SF (hereinafter referred to as the "reference plane SF") while its lower surface is in contact with the reference plane SF, which is the point to which the highest positions of each of the multiple rotating units 10 touch. The reference plane SF can also be described as a virtual plane that encompasses the parts of each of the multiple rollers 11 that contact the workpiece W. When viewed directly facing the upper surface of the roller 11 (i.e., when viewed in a projection plane perpendicular to the roller axis 11A), the contact portion 13 forms an annulus centered on the roller axis 11A in this embodiment. However, since the roller axis 11A is inclined with respect to the perpendicular to the reference plane SF, when the roller 11 rotates around the roller axis 11A, the contact portion 13 does not always make full contact with the lower surface of the workpiece W, but rather only a portion of it that appears on the reference plane SF in the circumferential direction of the ring makes contact. In other words, as the roller 11 rotates around the roller axis 11A, the portion of the contact portion 13 that appears on the reference plane SF changes continuously over time. That is to say, the roller 11 corresponds to a rotating body that rotates around the first axis and has a contact portion 13 that the workpiece W makes contact with. The contact portion 13 rotates around the first axis and, in accordance with the rotation around the first axis, appears on the reference plane SF and makes contact with the workpiece W, thereby moving the workpiece W.

[0032] The shaft 15 is a component that connects the roller 11 and the slewing gear 17, and is a component that corresponds to the shaft, and as mentioned above, corresponds to the connecting component. The shaft 15 is typically formed in the shape of a solid or hollow round bar. The roller 11 is connected to the upper part of the shaft 15 via a first bearing 16. More specifically, the cylindrical inner surface constituting the neck 14 of the roller 11 and the round bar outer surface constituting the shaft 15 are facing each other, and the first bearing 16 is positioned between the inner surface of the neck 14 and the outer surface of the shaft 15, thereby connecting the roller 11 and the shaft 15. Various well-known bearings can be used as the first bearing 16, and it is preferable to use a ball bearing, which is also used in this embodiment. This allows the roller 11 to rotate more smoothly compared to the case where, for example, a sliding bearing is used as the first bearing 16. The roller 11 is connected to the shaft 15 in such a manner that the axis of the round bar constituting the shaft 15 coincides with the roller axis 11A. The roller 11, connected to the shaft 15 via the first bearing 16 in the manner described above, rotates around the roller axis 11A, which in turn rotates around the shaft 15. In other words, the rotation of the roller 11 around the roller axis 11A is achieved by the roller 11 rotating around the shaft 15.

[0033] The swivel gear 17 is a component that changes the direction of the inclination of the roller 11 with respect to the reference plane SF, and also functions as a support member that supports the shaft 15. The swivel gear 17 has a gear portion 18 and a cylindrical portion 19. The gear portion 18 is typically formed in the shape of a circular plate, with gear teeth formed on the plate-shaped side corresponding to the outer circumference of the circle. The gear portion 18 may have a partial cavity formed inside the circle to reduce weight. The cylindrical portion 19 is the part that is fitted into the plate 21. The cylindrical portion 19 is typically formed in the shape of a cylinder. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 19 is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 15, but the outer diameter of the shaft 15 may be larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 19. The cylindrical portion 19 is connected to the plate 21 via a second bearing 20. More specifically, the cylindrical outer surface of the cylindrical portion 19 and the inner surface of the hole in the plate 21 into which the cylindrical portion 19 is fitted are facing each other, and a second bearing 20 is positioned between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 19 and the inner surface of the hole in the plate 21, connecting the slewing gear 17 and the plate 21. As the second bearing 20, a bearing applicable to the first bearing 16 can be used. The gear portion 18 and the cylindrical portion 19 are integrally formed in such a configuration that the axis passing through the circular center of gravity of the gear portion 18 coincides with the cylindrical axis of the cylindrical portion 19. They may be manufactured by integral molding, or they may be manufactured as separate parts and then connected. In the latter case, the inner surface of the gear portion 18 may be fitted onto the upper outer surface of the cylindrical portion 19. The axis passing through the gear portion 18 and the cylindrical portion 19 is referred to as the "gear axis 17A," which corresponds to the second axis. The gear axis 17A typically extends vertically and passes through the slewing gear 17. The slewing gear 17 can be rotated around the gear axis 17A by the gear motor 28. The gear motor 28 is the drive source that rotates the slewing gear 17 around the gear axis 17A, and corresponds to a second drive source. The slewing gear 17 is arranged with the gear section 18 at the top and the cylindrical section 19 at the bottom.

[0034] In this embodiment, the swivel gear 17 has a fitting hole formed in its central portion when viewed from above, into which the lower part of the shaft 15 fits. The fitting hole penetrates the gear portion 18 and reaches partway along the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical portion 19. In this embodiment, the lower part of the shaft 15 is fitted into the fitting hole, and the shaft 15 is fixed to the swivel gear 17. At this time, the shaft 15 is fixed to the swivel gear 17 in such a manner that the gear axis 17A passing through the swivel gear 17 is inclined with respect to the roller axis 11A passing through the shaft 15. Typically, the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A intersect inside the shaft 15. In this embodiment, the shaft 15 and the swivel gear 17 are fixed together. The swivel gear 17 rotates around the gear axis 17A while maintaining a constant angle between the gear axis 17A and the roller axis 11A. When the swivel gear 17 is rotated, the trajectory of the roller axis 11A above the point of intersection with the gear axis 17A becomes a cone shape with the point of intersection with the gear axis 17A as its apex and the upper end of the axis 15 as its base.

[0035] Referring to Figure 4, the relationship between the roller axis 11A, the gear axis 17A, and the contact portion 13 will now be explained. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the mechanism of the rotating unit 10. The cross-section shown in Figure 4 is a cross-section that encompasses the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A. Note that the cross-section that encompasses the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A means the surface cut by the plane on which the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A rest (in other words, the entire axis is in contact). The inclination of the gear axis 17A with respect to the roller axis 11A (in other words, the angle between the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A) is exaggerated to be larger than the actual angle for ease of understanding in the example shown in Figure 4, but is typically smaller than the angle shown in Figure 4.

[0036] As can be easily understood by referring to Figure 4, in this embodiment, the contact portion 13 is not a plane, but has a shape corresponding to the side surface of a frustum of a cone (i.e., the contact portion 13 is located in a position corresponding to the side surface of a frustum of a cone). The side surface of the frustum of a cone is the portion obtained by subtracting the conical surface of the aforementioned small cone (i.e., the small cone added to the top of the frustum of the cone) from the conical surface when a small cone is added to the top of the frustum of the cone and the whole is assumed to be a single cone. The center line of the frustum of the cone (i.e., the line passing through the center of the circle on the top surface of the frustum of the cone and the center of the circle on the bottom surface) coincides with the roller axis 11A. Thus, since the contact portion 13 corresponds to the side surface of a frustum of a cone whose center line coincides with the roller axis 11A, the portion corresponding to the generatrix of the frustum of the cone is a straight section of a predetermined length. In this embodiment, in order to make line contact between the roller 11 and the workpiece W, an arbitrary generatrix (i.e., a straight section) on the side surface of the frustum of the cone constituting the contact portion 13 is made to coincide with the reference plane SF. The predetermined length of the straight portion of the contact area 13 is important because a longer length increases the contact area with the workpiece W, thereby contributing to stable support and reliable movement of the workpiece W. The predetermined length of this straight portion is preferably 3 mm or more, preferably 5 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, or 20 mm or more, and may be 1 / 5, 1 / 3 or more, or 1 / 2 or more of the radius of the upper surface of the top plate 12 of the roller 11. Furthermore, the predetermined length of the straight portion is at most the radius of the upper surface of the top plate 12 (in this case the contact area 13 corresponds to a conical surface), but from the standpoint of the structure of the roller 11, it may be 4 / 5 or less, 2 / 3 or less, or 1 / 2 or less of the radius of the upper surface of the top plate 12. Thus, the roller 11 is positioned above the swivel gear 17, and the contact area 13 at the uppermost position has a portion that is parallel to a virtual straight line perpendicular to the gear axis 17A over a predetermined length.

[0037] As described above, since an arbitrary generatrix (i.e., a straight portion) on the side surface of the frustum cone constituting the contact portion 13 is made to coincide with the reference plane SF, the roller axis 11A corresponding to the axis of the frustum cone will be inclined with respect to the perpendicular to the reference plane SF. In this embodiment, if the angle between the straight portion corresponding to the contact portion 13 and the roller axis 11A in the cross-section shown in Figure 4 is defined as the first angle θ1, and the smaller of the angles between the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A is defined as the second angle θ2, then the sum of the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 is set to 90 degrees. Furthermore, the rotating unit 10 is positioned such that the gear axis 17A extends perpendicular to the reference plane SF. In this way, when the rotating unit 10 is rotated around the gear axis 17A, the contact portion 13 (i.e., the straight portion) that appears on the reference plane SF rotates within the reference plane SF, and the trajectory of the contact portion 13 (i.e., the straight portion) becomes an annular shape that appears on the reference plane SF. Furthermore, the statement that the sum of the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 is 90 degrees means that it is practically 90 degrees. "Practically 90 degrees" means that it is not strictly 90 degrees, but rather that an error of ± a few degrees is acceptable.

[0038] The operation of the rotating unit 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of the rotating unit 10. During operation of the rotating unit 10, the roller motor 25 typically operates to continuously rotate the roller 11 around the roller axis 11A. In this embodiment, the roller 11 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view. During the rotation of the roller 11, the contact portion 13 becomes an annular surface when viewed in a projection plane perpendicular to the roller axis 11A. The roller axis 11A also passes through the center of the annular shape of the contact portion 13. Here, as mentioned above, the roller axis 11A is inclined with respect to the gear axis 17A, which is perpendicular to the reference plane SF. Therefore, the contact portion 13 that appears (coincides) with the reference plane SF is not the entire annular shape, but typically a straight line portion extending radially at one point in the circumferential direction of the annular shape (i.e., the portion corresponding to the generatrix of the frustum of the cone). The contact portion 13 that appears on the reference surface SF is, for example, contact portion 13A, contact portion 13B, etc., as shown in Figure 5.

[0039] Which part of the contact portion 13 appears on the reference plane SF depends on the rotational position of the swivel gear 17 around the gear axis 17A. That is, by the operation of the gear motor 28, the swivel gear 17 rotates around the gear axis 17A, so that the contact portion 13 appearing on the reference plane SF can be, for example, contact portion 13A, contact portion 13B, contact portion 13C, or contact portion 13D, or any position in between these. The rotating unit 10 contacts the workpiece W with the contact portion 13 that appears on the reference plane SF, and can transport the workpiece W in a direction perpendicular to the straight portion of the contact portion 13 and in the rotational direction of the roller 11. Therefore, if you want to transport the workpiece W in the direction indicated by the symbol A in Figure 5, for example, you just need to rotate the swivel gear 17 so that the contact portion 13A appears on the reference plane SF (so that the roller axis 11A is tilted to the left in the figures, as shown in Figures 3 and 4). Furthermore, if the workpiece W is to be transported in the direction indicated by the symbol B in Figure 5, the swivel gear 17 should be rotated so that the contact portion 13B appears on the reference plane SF (so that the roller axis 11A is tilted towards the front in Figures 3 and 4). Similarly, if the workpiece W is to be transported in the direction indicated by the symbol C, the swivel gear 17 should be rotated so that the contact portion 13C appears on the reference plane SF, and if the workpiece W is to be transported in the direction indicated by the symbol D, the contact portion 13D appears on the reference plane SF. The same procedure can be followed for other directions as well. In this way, the rotating unit 10 can move the workpiece W in any direction.

[0040] As described above, when the rotating unit 10 rotates around the gear axis 17A, the slewing gear 17 is fixed to the shaft 15, and the axis of the shaft 15 coincides with the roller axis 11A. Therefore, the rotating unit 10 rotates around the gear axis 17A while maintaining a constant angle with respect to the roller axis 11A (i.e., the second angle θ2). Consequently, when the slewing gear 17 rotates around the gear axis 17A, the shaft 15 does not need to be moved in the thrust direction (i.e., the extending direction) relative to the first bearing 16. For this reason, a ball bearing can be used as the first bearing 16, and smooth movement of the roller 11 can be achieved. In addition, it is not necessary to provide an excessive clearance between the first bearing 16 and the shaft 15, and the roller 11 can be moved smoothly while suppressing play. The rotation of the slewing gear 17, i.e., the control of the gear motor 28, is typically performed by a control device (not shown). Typically, a control device (not shown) receives a control signal from a detector (not shown) that detects a workpiece W moving along a transport path (not shown) at an appropriate position, and controls the amount of rotation of the gear motor 28 so that the contact portion 13 appears on the reference plane SF at a position where the workpiece W can be moved in a direction suitable for the received information.

[0041] As described above, the conveying device 1 is configured by arranging multiple rotating units 10, with the rollers 11 and swivel gears 17 of each rotating unit 10 connected to each other. As described above, the rollers 11 and swivel gears 17 rotate synchronously in the same direction. In other words, the rollers 11 of each rotating unit 10 rotate in the same direction at the same rotational speed. Furthermore, the contact portion 13 of all other rotating units 10 (contact portion 13A in this example) appears on the reference plane SF at the same position as the contact portion 13 of one rotating unit 10 (for example, contact portion 13A) on the reference plane SF. As a result, in the conveying device 1, multiple rotating units 10 can cooperate to convey the workpiece W, and the direction of movement of the workpiece W can be changed to any direction.

[0042] As described above, according to the conveying device 1 of this embodiment, when changing the position of the contact portion 13 appearing on the reference surface SF, the rotating unit 10 is rotated around the gear axis 17A while maintaining a constant second angle θ2. This eliminates the need to move the shaft 15 in the thrust direction relative to the first bearing 16, allowing the roller 11 to move smoothly while suppressing play. Furthermore, the contact portion 13 appearing on the reference surface SF has a straight section of a predetermined length. That is, the roller 11 is in line contact with the workpiece W. Therefore, compared to the case of point contact, the contact area between the roller 11 and the workpiece W can be increased, allowing the workpiece W to be stably supported and reliably conveyed. In addition, since the roller 11 rotates around the shaft 15, the torque required to rotate the roller 11 is smaller compared to the case where the roller 11 and the shaft 15 are fixed and the roller 11 rotates integrally with the shaft 15.

[0043] Next, with reference to Figure 6, a conveying device 2 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the conveying device 2, showing the internal structure with the cover 39 removed and partially cut out. The conveying device 2, like the conveying device 1 (see Figures 1 and 2), is a device that can change the direction of movement of a conveyed workpiece W (see Figure 1; the same applies hereinafter) in any direction, and is equipped with a plurality (seven in this embodiment) of rotating units 50. Compared to the conveying device 1 (see Figures 1 and 2), the basic concept of the conveying device 2 is the same, including the principle of changing the direction of movement of the workpiece W, but mainly the configuration of the rotating units 50 differs from that of the rotating unit 10 (see Figure 3). The plurality of rotating units 50 equipped in the conveying device 2 are typically all the same configuration. The configuration of the rotating units 50 will be described in more detail below.

[0044] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating unit 50. The cross-section shown in Figure 7 represents the longitudinal section of the rotating unit 50. In the following description of the rotating unit 50, when referring to the surrounding components of the rotating unit 50, please refer to Figure 6 as appropriate. The rotating unit 50 comprises a roller 51 (corresponding to a rotating body), a shaft 55 (corresponding to a connecting member), and a support cylinder 57 (corresponding to a support member).

[0045] In this embodiment, the roller 51 has a top plate 52 and a neck 54. In this embodiment, the top plate 52 is formed in the shape of a disc, but it may also be an annular shape or a shape other than circular. The neck 54 is typically formed in the shape of a cylinder, but the cross-sectional shape may be a tube other than circular. Since the shaft 55 is attached to the inside of the cylindrical neck 54, it is preferable that the neck 54 has a length that allows the shaft 55 to be connected with the required strength. Note that the roller 51 may be made without a neck 54, with the thickness of the top plate 52 being such that the shaft 55 can be connected with the required strength, but in this embodiment, the thickness of the top plate 52 is reduced by providing the neck 54, thereby reducing the weight and reducing the rotational torque of the roller 51. The top plate 52 and the neck 54 are integrally formed in such an arrangement that the axis passing through the circular center of gravity of the top plate 52 and the cylindrical axis of the neck 54 coincide, and may be manufactured by integral molding. The axis passing through the top plate 52 and the neck 54 is referred to as the "roller axis 51A," and this corresponds to the first axis. The roller axis 51A passes through the roller 51. The roller 51 can be rotated around the roller axis 51A by the roller motor 25 (see Figure 6), and as mentioned above, it corresponds to a rotating body. The roller motor 25 corresponds to the first drive source. The roller 51 is positioned with the top plate 52 facing upwards and the neck 54 facing downwards.

[0046] The roller 51 has a contact portion 53 on its upper surface (in this embodiment, the circular surface of the top plate 52). The contact portion 53 is at least a part of the upper surface of the roller 51 and is the portion that contacts the workpiece W. The contact portion 53 corresponds to the contact portion 13 (see Figure 3) of the roller 11 (see Figure 3) of the rotating unit 10 (see Figure 3) of the conveying device 1 (see Figures 1 and 2), and has the same configuration and function as the contact portion 13 (see Figure 3). Therefore, the contact portion 53 is located in a position corresponding to the side surface of the frustum of a cone. In this embodiment, when viewed directly facing the upper surface of the roller 51 (i.e., when viewed in a projection plane perpendicular to the roller axis 51A), the contact portion 53 forms an annular ring centered on the roller axis 51A. In this embodiment as well, the portion of the contact portion 53 corresponding to the generatrix of the frustum of a cone is a straight portion of a predetermined length (i.e., the portion that appears on the reference plane SF and contacts the workpiece W). As a result, the roller 51 and the workpiece W make line contact, stably supporting the workpiece W and ensuring reliable transport.

[0047] The shaft 55 is a component that connects the roller 51 and the support cylinder 57, and as mentioned above, corresponds to a connecting component. The shaft 55 is typically formed in a generally round rod shape, either solid or hollow. In this embodiment, the shaft 55 is connected to the roller 51 by fixing the upper first end 55A to the inner surface of the neck 54. A pulley 56 is fixed to the lower second end 55B of the shaft 55. The pulley 56 is generally formed in a cylindrical shape, and a belt 23 (see Figure 6) is stretched across its cylindrical outer surface. The outer surface of this pulley 56 may have irregularities formed to mesh with the belt 23. The belt 23 is stretched across two adjacent pulleys 56 of the multiple rotating units 50 provided in the conveying device 2, and as a whole, all pulleys 56 are connected to any adjacent pulley 56 via the belt 23.

[0048] A support cylinder 57 is provided on the outer circumference of the shaft 55 between the roller 51 and the pulley 56 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the length of the shaft 55 is at least the sum of the length fitted into the roller 51, the length fitted into the pulley 56, and the length of the support cylinder 57. The axis of the shaft 55 and the axis of the pulley 56 coincide with the roller axis 51A. For this reason, the roller 51, shaft 55, and pulley 56 rotate around the roller axis 51A. More specifically, when the pulley 56 is rotated via the belt 23 by the operation of the roller motor 25, the shaft 55 fixed to the pulley 56 and the roller 51 fixed to the shaft 55 rotate around the roller axis 51A. Note that the part of the shaft 55 that is fitted into the roller 51 and the pulley 56 and the part that passes through the support cylinder 57 are appropriately machined, and in this respect there is a part that is deformed from a round bar shape.

[0049] The support cylinder 57 is a cylindrical member that supports the shaft 55. The inner surface of the support cylinder 57 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape, with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 55. The axis of the cylindrical shape forming the inner surface of the support cylinder 57 coincides with the roller axis 51A. The outer surface of the support cylinder 57 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape, with an outer diameter that varies depending on the position in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the base portion 57P located at the bottom of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., the side closer to the pulley 56) and the outer diameter of the spiral portion 57R located at the top (i.e., the side closer to the roller 51) are smaller than the outer diameter of the housing portion 57Q located between them. The axis of the cylindrical shape forming the outer surface of the base portion 57P is called the "cylindrical axis 57A," and the axis of the cylindrical shape forming the outer surface of the spiral portion 57R is called the "eccentric axis 57B." The cylindrical axis 57A typically extends vertically and is inclined with respect to the roller axis 51A. The eccentric axis 57B is parallel to the cylindrical axis 57A but offset (i.e., misaligned or eccentric). The outer surfaces of the base 57P and the swivel 57R typically extend parallel to the cylindrical axis 57A. A bearing (hereinafter referred to as the "support bearing 58") is provided inside the housing 57Q. The support bearing 58 contacts the outer surface of the shaft 55 and supports the shaft 55. Various well-known bearings can be used as the support bearing 58, and it is preferable to use a ball bearing, which is also used in this embodiment. This allows the shaft 55, and consequently the roller 51, to rotate smoothly.

[0050] The support cylinder 57 can rotate around the cylindrical axis 57A. In other words, the support cylinder 57 is a member that can rotate around the cylindrical axis 57A while supporting the shaft 55, and as mentioned above, corresponds to a support member. The cylindrical axis 57A corresponds to a second axis. When the support cylinder 57 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A, the eccentric axis 57B, which is offset from the cylindrical axis 57A, will revolve around the cylindrical axis 57A, and consequently the revolving portion 57R will revolve around the cylindrical axis 57A. This revolving portion 57R can change the direction in which the roller axis 51A tilts with respect to the cylindrical axis 57A, and consequently the direction in which the shaft 55 and roller 51 tilt. For the sake of explanation, it is stated here that the pivot portion 57R rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A as the support cylinder 57 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A. However, in this actual embodiment, the support cylinder 57 is rotated around the cylindrical axis 57A by moving the pivot portion 57R. The principle of this rotation of the support cylinder 57 will be described later.

[0051] Here, the relationship between the roller axis 51A, the cylindrical axis 57A, and the contact portion 53 will be explained. This explanation is omitted from the illustration, but you may refer to Figure 4 by substituting the top plate 12 and contact portion 13, the roller axis 11A, and the gear axis 17A in Figure 4 with the top plate 52 and contact portion 53, the roller axis 51A, and the cylindrical axis 57A, respectively. In the cross section encompassing the roller axis 51A and the cylindrical axis 57A (hereinafter referred to as the "cross section encompassing both axes"), the contact portion 53 aligns the generatrix of the frustocone with the reference plane SF, and this forms a straight section of a predetermined length. The straight section and predetermined length in the contact portion 53 are the same as those in the contact portion 13 (see Figure 3). Furthermore, in the cross-section encompassing both axes, the sum of the first angle θ1, which is the angle between the contact portion 53 (i.e., the straight portion) and the roller axis 51A, and the second angle θ2, which is the acute angle between the roller axis 51A and the cylindrical axis 57A, is set to 90 degrees, so that the entire straight portion contacts the lower surface of the workpiece W. The sum of the first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 is 90 degrees, and it is sufficient if it is substantially 90 degrees. In addition, the rotating unit 50 is positioned so that the cylindrical axis 57A extends perpendicular to the reference plane SF. The technical significance of this configuration is the same as that of the rotating unit 10 (see Figure 3).

[0052] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the rotating unit 50 configured as described above has a support cylinder 57 supported on a plate 60 via bearings. In this embodiment, the plate 60 has a first plate 61 and a second plate 62. In this embodiment, both the first plate 61 and the second plate 62 are formed in a rectangular plate shape. The first plate 61 supports the base portion 57P of the support cylinder 57 via a base bearing 65. A bearing applicable to the support bearing 58 can be used as the base bearing 65. The first plate 61 supports all the base portions 57P of multiple (seven in this embodiment) rotating units 50 with a single plate, via their respective base bearings 65. The first plate 61 has through holes for passing through the base bearings 65 that support each base portion 57P, the same number as the number of rotating units 50 provided in the conveying device 2. The first plate 61 is installed so as to not change its position relative to the cover 39. The second plate 62 supports the swivel portion 57R of the support cylinder 57 via swivel bearings 66. A bearing applicable to the support bearing 58 can be used as the swivel bearing 66. The second plate 62, with a single plate, supports all the swivel portions 57R of multiple (seven in this embodiment) rotating units 50 via their respective swivel bearings 66, and thus constitutes a power transmission member. The second plate 62 has through holes for passing the swivel bearings 66 supporting each swivel portion 57R, corresponding to the number of rotating units 50 provided in the conveying device 2. The cover 39, shown in a detached state in Figure 6, is typically mounted so that its upper end is flush with the upper surface of the second plate 62, and houses the components below the second plate 62 (i.e., including the first plate 61). The second plate 62 is typically positioned parallel to the first plate 61. The second plate 62 can change its relative position to the first plate 61, typically without changing the height of its upper surface. In this embodiment, a rod-shaped projection 72 extending in the vertical direction is fitted into a recess (not shown) formed on the lower surface (or back surface) of the second plate 62. In Figure 6, a portion of the second plate 62 is cut out to show the structure around the projection 72.

[0053] The projection 72 is attached to a rotating disc 73 that rotates along the upper surface (or surface) of the first plate 61. The rotating disc 73 is a disc-shaped member, and the projection 72 is erected on the upper surface of the rotating disc 73, radially away from the rotation center of the rotating disc 73. The distance between the rotation center of the rotating disc 73 and the axis of the projection 72 typically corresponds to the distance between the cylindrical axis 57A and the eccentric axis 57B. The rotating disc 73 is connected to a pulley 75 via a belt 74. The pulley 75 is attached to the end of the shaft of the slewing motor 29. The slewing motor 29 has a similar function to the gear motor 28 (see Figure 2), and can rotate its shaft by any amount of rotation at a variable speed, continuously or intermittently, in both forward and reverse directions. The slewing motor 29 rotates the support cylinder 57 around the cylindrical axis 57A and corresponds to a second drive source. The slewing motor 29, along with the roller motor 25, is typically located below the first plate 61 and housed inside the cover 39.

[0054] The conveying device 2, configured as described above, operates as follows. While the conveying device 2 is in operation, the roller motor 25 typically operates, continuously rotating the pulleys 56 of each rotating unit 50 via the belt 23. In each rotating unit 50, as the pulley 56 rotates, the shaft 55 fixed to the pulley 56 and the roller 51 fixed to the shaft 55 also rotate around the roller axis 51A. In this way, each roller 51 rotates synchronously around the roller axis 51A. While each roller 51 is rotating, the contact portion 53 becomes an annular surface when viewed in a projection plane perpendicular to the roller axis 51A. The roller axis 51A also passes through the center of the annular shape of the contact portion 53. As described above, the roller axis 51A is inclined with respect to the cylindrical axis 57A that extends perpendicular to the reference plane SF. Therefore, the contact portion 53 that appears (coincides) with the reference plane SF is not the entire annular shape, but rather typically a straight line portion extending radially at a single point in the circumferential direction of the annular shape (i.e., the portion corresponding to the generatrix of the frustum of the cone), as shown in Figure 5, similar to the contact portion 13 in the conveying device 1 (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0055] Which part of the contact portion 53 appears on the reference plane SF depends on the relative position of the second plate 62 with respect to the first plate 61. That is, the operation of the slewing motor 29 causes the projection 72 to rotate on the turntable 73 around the rotation center of the turntable 73, and the second plate 62 rotates in conjunction with this, so that the contact portion 53 appearing on the reference plane SF can be positioned as desired. The rotation of the second plate 62 is performed in such a manner that the central axis of each insertion hole (i.e., the eccentric axis 57B) rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A. This rotation of the second plate 62 causes the slewing portions 57R, which are supported by the slewing bearings 66 inserted into each insertion hole of the second plate 62, to rotate around the cylindrical axis 57A. As the rotating section 57R pivots around the cylindrical axis 57A, the support cylinder 57 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A while maintaining a constant angle between the cylindrical axis 57A and the roller axis 51A. As the support cylinder 57 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A, the shaft 55 pivots around the cylindrical axis 57A. The trajectory of the shaft 55 during this pivot is conical, and typically, the apex of this cone is the intersection of the cylindrical axis 57A and the roller axis 51A, and the bottom surface is the trajectory of the first end 55A. As the shaft 55 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A, the roller 51 can change the position of the contact portion 53 that appears on the reference plane SF. In the conveying device 2, since multiple insertion holes for multiple rotating units 50 are formed in one second plate 62, each rotating unit 50 (and thus each roller 51) rotates synchronously around the cylindrical axis 57A.

[0056] Each rotating unit 50, like the rotating unit 10 (see Figure 5), contacts the workpiece W at a contact portion 53 that appears on the reference plane SF, and can transport the workpiece W in a direction perpendicular to the straight line of the contact portion 53 and in the direction of rotation of the roller 51. In other words, the position of the second plate 62 should be determined such that the contact portion 53 appears on the reference plane SF in a straight line perpendicular to the direction in which the workpiece W is to be moved, and the direction of rotation of the roller 51 at the contact portion 53 that appears on the reference plane SF coincides with the direction in which the workpiece W is to be moved. In this way, each rotating unit 50 can move the workpiece W in any direction. When each rotating unit 50 rotates around the cylindrical axis 57A, as described above, the angle of the cylindrical axis 57A with respect to the roller axis 51A is kept constant, so it is not necessary to move the shaft 55 in the thrust direction relative to the support bearing 58. For this reason, a ball bearing can be used as the support bearing 58, and smooth movement of the roller 51 can be achieved. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide an excessive clearance between the support bearing 58 and the shaft 55, allowing the roller 51 to move smoothly while suppressing play. Also, since the roller 51 and the workpiece W are in line contact, the workpiece W can be stably supported and reliably transported. The rotation of the support cylinder 57, i.e., the control of the slewing motor 29, is typically performed by a control device (not shown) in the same manner as the control of the gear motor 28 in the transport device 1 (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0057] Any major component of the conveying device 2 according to this embodiment described above can also be expressed as follows: The shaft 55 as a connecting member is a shaft whose first end 55A is fixed to the roller 51 as a rotating body, or a shaft integrally molded with the roller 51. The support cylinder 57 as a support member is formed in a cylindrical shape through which the shaft 55 is inserted, and a bearing (i.e., a support bearing 58) that supports the shaft 55 is provided on the inner surface of the cylinder. Furthermore, a plate 60 as a support body that supports the support cylinder 57 (i.e., the support member) is provided such that the trajectory of the movement of the shaft 55 accompanying the rotation of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., the support member) is conical with the trajectory of the first end 55A as the outer edge of the bottom surface. The plate 60 (i.e., support) has a first plate 61 as a first support that supports the outer surface of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., support member), and a second plate 62 as a second support that supports the outer surface of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., support member) at a position closer to the first end 55A than the position supported by the first plate 61 (i.e., first support). The outer surface of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., support member) supported by the first plate 61 (i.e., first support) extends parallel to the cylindrical axis 57A as a second axis and is supported in a fixed position by the first plate 61 (i.e., first support), and the portion supported by the second plate 62 (i.e., second support) is supported by the second plate 62 (i.e., second support) so that it can pivot around the cylindrical axis 57A (i.e., second axis). Furthermore, the system includes a roller motor 25 as a first drive source that rotates the shaft 55 around the roller axis 51A, which is the first axis, and a slewing motor 29 as a second drive source that moves the second plate 62 (i.e., the second support) so that the slewing portion 57R, which is a part of the support cylinder 57 (i.e., the support member) supported by the second plate 62 (i.e., the second support), pivots. With this configuration, when the direction in which the cylinder axis 57A inclins with respect to the roller axis 51A is changed, it is possible to suppress the shaft 55 from moving in the thrust direction relative to the support cylinder 57, and to suppress the shaft 55 from rattling relative to the support cylinder 57.

[0058] As described above, according to the conveying device 2 of this embodiment, when changing the position of the contact portion 53 that appears on the reference surface SF, the rotating unit 50 is rotated around the cylindrical axis 57A while maintaining a constant second angle θ2. This eliminates the need to move the shaft 55 in the thrust direction relative to the support bearing 58, allowing the roller 51 to move smoothly while suppressing play. Furthermore, the contact portion 53 that appears on the reference surface SF has a straight section of a predetermined length. That is, the roller 51 is in line contact with the workpiece W. Therefore, compared to the case of point contact, the contact area between the roller 51 and the workpiece W can be increased, allowing the workpiece W to be stably supported and reliably conveyed. In addition, since the roller 51 is fixed to the shaft 55 and rotates integrally with the shaft 55, the rigidity of the roller 51 can be increased.

[0059] In the above description, it was assumed that one roller motor 25 rotates all the rollers 11 or rollers 51. However, it is also possible to have a configuration in which one roller motor 25 rotates only one roller 11 or roller 51, with as many roller motors 25 as there are rollers 11 or rollers 51. Alternatively, a single conveying device 1 or 2 may be constructed by combining a configuration in which one roller motor 25 rotates only one roller 11 or roller 51 and a configuration in which one roller motor 25 rotates multiple rollers 11 or rollers 51. Or, a single conveying device 1 or 2 may be constructed by combining multiple configurations in which one roller motor 25 rotates multiple rollers 11 or rollers 51. Similarly, with respect to the gear motor 28, it is also possible to configure it so that one gear motor 28 rotates only one slewing gear 17, rather than having one gear motor 28 rotate all the slewing gears 17. Alternatively, a single conveying device 1 may be constructed by combining a configuration in which one gear motor 28 rotates only one slewing gear 17 and a configuration in which one gear motor 28 rotates multiple slewing gears 17. Or, a single conveying device 1 may be constructed by combining multiple configurations in which one gear motor 28 rotates multiple slewing gears 17.

[0060] In the above description, the conveying device 1 is assumed to have multiple rotating units 10, but it may also be configured to have one rotating unit 10 that supports the lower surface of the workpiece W with a free roller and determines the direction of movement of the workpiece W that can move on the free roller. Similarly, in the above description, the conveying device 2 is assumed to have multiple rotating units 50, but it may also be configured to have one rotating unit 50 while also providing a free roller.

[0061] In the above description, the first drive source is assumed to be a roller motor 25, and the second drive source is assumed to be a gear motor 28 or a slewing motor 29. However, either or both of the first and second drive sources may be electric actuators other than motors, or actuators that use fluid pressure or magnetic force as input energy.

[0062] In the above description, the power transmission members in the conveying device 1 are assumed to be the intermediary gears 26 and the drive gear 27. However, instead of gears (or gears), all the slewing gears 17 may be directly or indirectly connected by belts, chains, etc.

[0063] In the above description, it was assumed that the upper surface of the top plate 12 of the roller 11 is formed in the shape of a frustocone, the contact portion 13 is located at a position corresponding to the side surface of the frustocone, and that in the cross section encompassing the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A, it has a straight portion of a predetermined length. However, the upper surface of the top plate 12 does not have to be in the shape of a frustocone, and the contact portion 13 does not have to have a straight portion of a predetermined length in the cross section encompassing the roller axis 11A and the gear axis 17A. As an example of such an embodiment, the upper surface of the top plate 12 or an annular portion located on the upper part of the top plate 12 exists as a whole on a plane, and when the roller axis 11A is inclined with respect to the gear axis 17A, the contact portion 13 that appears on the reference plane SF becomes a point. Alternatively, the following embodiments may also be adopted.

[0064] For example, as shown in the modified roller 111 in Figure 8, the annular portion located on the upper part of the top plate 112 when viewed in the direction in which the roller axis 11A extends may be formed in a curved shape that smoothly rises and then smoothly descends when traced along the radial direction of the annulus. In this case, the contact portion 13 appearing on the reference plane SF is a point, not a straight portion with a predetermined length. Therefore, the contact portion 13 when viewed across the entire upper surface of the top plate 112 has no width in the radial direction of the annulus and is a line-drawn circumferential shape. Even if the contact portion 13 appearing on the reference plane SF is a point, as in the embodiment shown in Figure 8 or when the upper surface of the top plate 12 etc. is on a plane as described above, the workpiece W can be conveyed in any direction by the cooperation of multiple rotating units 10. Similarly, the contact portion 53 of the roller 51 is assumed to have a straight portion of a predetermined length in the cross-section encompassing both axes, but following the embodiment shown in Figure 8 or when the upper surface of the top plate 12 etc. is on a plane as described above, the contact portion 53 appearing on the reference plane SF may be a point.

[0065] In the above description, in the rotating unit 10 of the conveying device 1, the shaft 15 is fixed to the swivel gear 17, and the roller 11 rotates relative to the shaft 15. However, the roller 11 may be fixed to the shaft 15, and the shaft 15 may rotate around the roller axis 11A relative to the swivel gear 17. In this case, the first bearing 16 is provided between the shaft 15 and the swivel gear 17. Also, in the above description, in the rotating unit 50 of the conveying device 2, the shaft 55 is fixed to the roller 51, and the roller 11 and shaft 55 rotate relative to the support cylinder 57. However, the shaft 55 may be fixed to the support cylinder 57, and the roller 51 may rotate relative to the shaft 55. In this case, the support bearing 58 is provided between the shaft 55 and the roller 51. Furthermore, in this case, for example, the roller 51 can be rotated by passing a belt over the neck 54 of the roller 51 and transmitting the driving force from the roller motor 25 to the roller 51 via this belt.

[0066] In the above description, it was assumed that in the rotating unit 10 of the conveying device 1, the roller 11, shaft 15, and swivel gear 17 are configured as separate parts, and the shaft 15 is fixed to the swivel gear 17. However, the components corresponding to the shaft 15 and the swivel gear 17 may be molded as a single unit. Also, as mentioned above, if the roller 11 is fixed to the shaft 15, the components corresponding to the roller 11 and the shaft 15 may be molded as a single unit. Also, in the above description, it was assumed that in the rotating unit 50 of the conveying device 2, the roller 51, shaft 55, and support cylinder 57 are configured as separate parts, and the shaft 55 is fixed to the roller 51. However, the components corresponding to the roller 51 and the shaft 55 may be molded as a single unit. Also, as mentioned above, if the shaft 55 is fixed to the support cylinder 57, the components corresponding to the shaft 55 and the support cylinder 57 may be molded as a single unit.

[0067] In addition to using the conveying devices 1 and 2 described above individually or in combination of multiple devices of a single type, one or more of the conveying devices 1 can also be used in combination with one or more of the conveying devices 2. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 1, 2 Conveyor device 11.51 Roller (Rotating Body) 11A, 51A Roller axis (first axis) 13, 53 Contact area 15, 55 Axle (connecting member) 16. First bearing (bearing) 17. Swivel gear (support member) 17A Gear axis (second axis) 25 Roller motor (first drive source) 26 Intermediate gear (power transmission component) 27 Drive gear (power transmission component) 28. Gear motor (second drive source) 29. Swivel motor (second drive source) 57 Support cylinder (support member) 57A Cylinder axis (second axis) 58 Support bearings (bearings) 60 plates 61 Plate 1 62. Second plate (power transmission member) SF reference plane W Work (object to be transported) θ1 First angle θ2 Second angle

Claims

1. A rotating body that rotates around a first axis and has a contact portion that comes into contact with an object to be transported moving along a reference plane, A connecting member connected to the rotating body, A support member for supporting the connecting member, comprising a support member that is rotatable about a second axis inclined with respect to the first axis, while maintaining a constant angle between the second axis and the first axis, Conveying device.

2. The connecting member is a shaft fixed to the support member. The rotating body is connected to the connecting member via a bearing and rotates relative to the shaft as rotation around the first axis. The conveying device according to claim 1.

3. The connecting member and the support member are integrally molded. The conveying device according to claim 2.

4. The connecting member is a shaft that is rotatably supported by a bearing provided on the support member. The rotating body is fixed to the shaft and rotates integrally with the shaft as rotation around the first axis. The conveying device according to claim 1.

5. The rotating body and the connecting member are integrally molded. The conveying device according to claim 4.

6. In a cross-section encompassing the first axis and the second axis, the contact portion has a straight section of a predetermined length, and the sum of the first angle, which is the angle between the straight section and the first axis, and the second angle, which is the angle between the first axis and the second axis, is 90 degrees. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A first drive source that rotates the rotating body around the first axis, The system includes a second drive source that rotates the support member around the second axis, The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The system comprises multiple sets of the rotating body, the support member, and the connecting member, The system includes a power transmission member that connects each of the support members in the aforementioned set to one another. In the aforementioned multiple sets, the direction of the inclination of the second axis with respect to the first axis changes synchronously. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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