Parts supply device

Abstract

To provide a parts supply device that has low installation costs, can be installed in a confined space, and can supply relatively large parts of various shapes to the next process in the same orientation. [Solution] The parts supply device 10 includes a material input unit 20 for housing the protector body 12, a transport unit 30 for transporting the protector body 12 from the material input unit 20 toward a target position 31, a sensor unit 40 for observing the front and back orientation of the protector body 12, an inversion unit 50 for performing an inversion process to reverse the front and back orientation of the protector body 12, a supply unit 60 for supplying the protector body 12 from the target position 31 toward an external device, and a control unit 70 for controlling the inversion process in the inversion unit 50. The control unit 70 controls the inversion unit 50 to perform an inversion process if it determines that the front and back orientation of the protector body 12 does not match the target orientation, and prevents the inversion unit 50 from performing an inversion process if it determines that the front and back orientation of the protector body 12 matches the target orientation.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a component supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in various industries, component supply devices for supplying various components to manufacturing lines for product production have been used (for example, see Patent Document 1). The mechanism of Patent Document 1 is said to be able to align a large number of components in the same posture and sequentially supply the components to the next process by accommodating components such as irregularly shaped components and leaded electronic components in a bowl and then applying vibration to the bowl and the supply path extending from the bowl.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine or a motor, a rectangular tube-shaped protector is frequently used to bundle wire harnesses, electric cables, etc. The protector partially wraps a wire harness, an electric cable, etc. by combining a first member and a second member having a C-shaped cross section. By fixing a locking portion provided on the first member or the second member to the vehicle body, the wire harness and the electric cable are routed along the vehicle body.

[0005] Such protectors are relatively large, and their protector bodies and covers come in a variety of shapes. Therefore, the mechanism described in Patent Document 1 is insufficient, and assembly to wire harnesses and electrical cables relies on manual labor, requiring improvement. Furthermore, in recent years, a parts supply device called a 3D picking robot has become known, which uses a 3D camera to capture three-dimensional images of parts, recognizes their orientation, and uses a multi-joint robot to hold the parts and supply them to the next process. However, such parts supply devices have the problems of high initial costs and the need for a large installation space.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to provide a parts supply device that has low installation costs, can be installed in a small space, and can supply relatively large parts of various shapes to the next process in the same orientation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the parts supply device according to the present invention has the following features. A parts supply device capable of supplying parts to external equipment, A housing unit that houses multiple of the aforementioned parts and sequentially dispatches them, A transport unit that transports the parts sent out from the storage unit toward a target position, The transport unit includes a sensor unit for observing the front and back orientation of the component being transported, A reversal unit performs a reversal process to reverse the front and back orientation of the part at the target position, A supply unit that supplies the aforementioned components from the target position toward the external device, The system includes a control unit that controls the inversion process, such that if the sensor unit determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component observed does not match the target orientation, the inversion unit executes the inversion process, and if the sensor unit determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component observed matches the target orientation, the inversion unit does not execute the inversion process. Parts supply device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The parts supply device according to the present invention has the advantages of low installation costs, being installable in a small space, and being able to supply relatively large parts of various shapes to the next process in the same orientation.

[0009] The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by referring to the attached drawings and reading through the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an overall perspective view showing a parts supply device and parts according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the protector. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the material input section and the material conveying section. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view showing the material input section. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the transport unit, sensor unit, and inversion unit. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows various orientations of the component that can be observed from the viewpoint of the sensor unit at the target position. Figure 6(A) is a schematic top view showing the protector body with its inner surface facing upwards, Figure 6(B) is a schematic top view showing the protector body with its outer surface facing upwards, Figure 6(C) is a schematic top view showing two protector bodies overlapping, Figure 6(D) is a schematic top view showing the protector body with its side plates facing upwards, and Figure 6(E) is a schematic top view showing the protector body with its longitudinal end faces facing upwards. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the reversal unit. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 shows the procedure for the inverter unit to correct the protector body. FIG. 8(A) is a schematic top view showing the protector body at the target position. FIG. 8(B) is a schematic top view showing the protector body placed on the first surface of the inverter unit. FIG. 8(C) is a schematic top view showing the protector body placed on the first and second surfaces of the inverter unit. FIG. 8(D) is a schematic top view showing the protector body placed again on the first surface from the state shown in FIG. 8(C). [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a control unit that controls the operations of the transport unit, the sensor unit, the inverter unit, and the supply unit.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, a component supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the direction in which components are sequentially transported in each figure is referred to as the "transport direction". For convenience of explanation, "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", and "down" are defined in each figure. The "front-rear direction", "left-right direction", and "up-down direction" are orthogonal to each other.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a component supply device 10 and a protector 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The component supply device 10 includes a material input section 20 as a storage section, a transport section 30, a sensor section 40, an inverter section 50, a supply section 60, and a control section 70.

[0013] The material input section 20 stores a plurality of protectors 11 and sequentially sends them out. The transport section 30 transports the protector body 11 sent out from the material input section 20 toward the target position 31. The sensor section 40 observes the posture of the protector 11 transported to the transport section 30. The inverter section 50 reverses the protector 11 at the target position 31. The supply section 60 supplies the protector 11 from the target position 31 toward an external device when the inversion process is performed. The control section 70 controls the operations of each section including the inversion process.

[0014] <Protector 11> As shown in FIG. 2, the protector 11 has a protector body 12 and a protector cover 13 which are resin parts with a substantially C-shaped cross-sectional shape that is continuous. The protector body 12 and the protector cover 13 have bottom plates 14, 15 and side plates 16, 17 respectively. The protector body 12 and the protector cover 13 are combined such that the inner surfaces 14A, 15A of the bottom plates 14, 15 face each other and the outer surfaces 14B, 15B face away from each other. Thereby, the protector 11 constitutes a rectangular tube shape capable of partially accommodating a wire harness or the like inside.

[0015] The locking portion 18 is provided on one side plate 16 of the protector body 12. Such a protector 11 is for accommodating a wire harness between the inner surfaces 14A, 15A of the protector body 12 and the protector cover 13. The protector 11 is fixed to the vehicle body via the locking portion 18 to route the wire harness along the vehicle body. In the following description, only the supply of the protector body 12 will be described, and the description of the supply of the protector cover 13 will be omitted.

[0016] <Material input section 20> As shown in FIG. 3, the material input section 20 has a storage box 21, a stirring section 22, an inclined vibration section 23 (see FIG. 4), and an individual supply section 24. The storage box 21 stores a large number of protector bodies 12. The stirring section 22 stirs the large number of protector bodies 12 stored in the storage box 21. The inclined vibration section 23 vibrates the storage box 21. The individual supply section 24 individually supplies the large number of protector bodies 12 stored in the storage box 21.

[0017] The storage box 21 has a rectangular plate-shaped bottom plate 21A and side plates 21B (only the left and right ends are shown in Figure 3) that rise from both the left and right ends and the rear end of the bottom plate 21A. The bottom plate 21A is provided in a long length along the front and rear direction. The upper surface 21C of the bottom plate 21A is a low-friction discharge surface for discharging the protector body 12. The upper surface 21C has an uneven structure in which convex arc surfaces 21D are formed regularly or irregularly. Therefore, the upper surface 21C comes into contact with the protector body 12 by numerous arc surfaces. The storage box 21 is arranged so that the upper surface 21C (discharge surface) is inclined downwards as it approaches the transport section 30. The operator can load a large number of protector bodies 12 into the storage box 21 through the upper opening.

[0018] The stirring section 22 has a rectangular rod-shaped rotating body 25 that is stretched between parallel side plates 21B, 21B and oriented in the left-right direction, and a pair of elastic bodies 26, 26 supported by the rotating body 25. The rotating body 25 is connected to a stirring section pulley 25A provided on the outside of the housing box 21. The elastic bodies 26 are rubber sheets with numerous elastic slits 26A. The elastic bodies 26 are reinforced by a hard plate member 27 from the rotating body 25 to a position that partially overlaps with the elastic slits 26A. The stirring section 22 has a gap between the tip of the elastic body 26 and the upper surface 21C of the bottom plate 21A through which the protector body 12 can pass sequentially.

[0019] Then, the stirring unit 22 rotates both the rotating body 25 and the elastic body 26 so as to push the protector body 12 away from the conveying unit 30, in other words, so as to push it towards the upstream side in the inclined direction of the upper surface 21C (discharge surface) of the bottom plate 21A. At this time, the stirring unit 22 has an elastic body slit 26A which contacts the protector body 12, so there is no risk of damaging the protector body 12. In addition, because the elastic body 26 is reinforced by the hard plate member 27, the stirring unit 22 can reliably push the protector body 12 towards the upstream side in the inclined direction, and deformation of the elastic body 26 due to deterioration over time (warping, curling, etc.) can be suppressed.

[0020] As a result, the numerous protector bodies 12 housed in the storage box 21 are appropriately agitated on the upper surface 21C (dispensing surface) of the bottom plate 21A. Therefore, even if the protector bodies 12 are jammed together or if the resin protector bodies 12 are stuck together due to static electricity or the like, the protector bodies 12 are separated individually. On the other hand, the upper surface 21C of the bottom plate 21A has a low coefficient of friction uneven structure and is inclined downward toward the transport section 30. Therefore, the individually separated protector bodies 12 slide down to the individual supply section 24 by passing between the tip of the elastic body 26 and the upper surface 21C of the bottom plate 21A.

[0021] The inclined vibrating unit 23 is, for example, a general-purpose piston vibrator or an eccentric motor. As shown in Figure 4, the inclined vibrating unit 23 is fixed to the lower surface of the bottom plate 21A of the housing box 21 via a bracket 23A. The inclined vibrating unit 23 is started and stopped by the control unit 70. The protector body 12 on the upper surface 21C is smoothly agitated and slides smoothly down to the individual supply unit 24 because the bottom plate 21A vibrates due to the inclined vibrating unit 23.

[0022] The individual supply unit 24 includes a supply plate 24A positioned in front of the stirring unit 22 (downstream in the conveying direction), a substantially cylindrical rotating shaft 24B, a plurality of supply pins 24C protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 24B, and supply unit pulleys 24D1 and 24D2 provided at both ends of the rotating shaft 24B. The supply plate 24A is connected to the front end of the bottom plate 21A of the storage box 21, and a plurality of supply plate slits 24E are provided at the front end. The supply plate slits 24E are continuous for a predetermined length along the front-rear direction and are formed parallel to each other. The rotating shaft 24B is provided parallel to the left-right direction so as to traverse each supply plate slit 24E directly below the supply plate slits 24E.

[0023] The supply pins 24C are projected along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 24B. These supply pins 24C are arranged in pairs, with five sets of pins provided at equal intervals along the left-right direction. The projection direction of the supply pins 24C relative to the rotating shaft 24B is 90 degrees out of phase with respect to the axis of the rotating shaft 24B for the first, third, and fifth sets, and for the second and fourth sets, starting from one end in the left-right direction. As the rotating shaft 24B rotates, these supply pins 24C pass through the supply plate slit 24E and do not come into contact with the supply plate 24A. The protector body 12, which slides down from the upper surface 21C of the bottom plate 21A to the supply plate 24A, is temporarily stopped by the supply pins 24C exposed from the supply plate slit 24E. Subsequently, as the rotating shaft 24B rotates, the supply pin 24C is exposed from the supply plate slit 24E and is pushed out, and falls from the supply plate 24A to the transport unit 30 by its own weight.

[0024] The supply unit pulley 24D2 is connected to the supply unit motor 24G via the supply unit belt 24F. The supply unit pulley 24D1 is connected to the stirring unit pulley 25A via the stirring unit belt 25B. Therefore, when the supply unit motor 24G is started, the rotating body 25 and the rotating shaft 24B rotate axially, thereby enabling the stirring unit 22 and the individual supply units 24 to function. The supply unit motor 24G is controlled by the control unit 70 to perform intermittent rotation, for example, by rotating the rotating body 25 and the rotating shaft 24B 90 degrees, stopping for a predetermined time, and then rotating again 90 degrees. The control unit 70 monitors the torque value of the supply unit motor 24G, and when the torque value exceeds a set threshold, it emergency stops the supply unit motor 24G and notifies nearby workers with an alarm sound, voice guidance, a warning light, etc. This ensures that even if an abnormal situation such as the protector body 12 getting stuck occurs in the stirring unit 22 or the individual supply unit 24, the impact will not spread.

[0025] <Conveying section 30> As shown in Figure 5, the conveying unit 30 has a general-purpose belt conveyor 32. A motor (not shown) that drives the belt conveyor 32 is controlled by the control unit 70. The belt conveyor 32 conveys the protector body 12 that has fallen onto the belt conveyor 32 from the supply plate 24A toward the front. In this conveying unit 30, a target position 31 is set on the front side of the belt conveyor 32. A pair of conveying unit sensors 33, 33 are provided so as to sandwich this target position 31 in the left and right directions. The control unit 70 moves the belt conveyor 32 a predetermined distance, and when the conveying unit sensors 33, 33 detect that the protector body 12 has reached the target position 31, the control unit 70 stops the belt conveyor 32.

[0026] <Sensor unit 40> The sensor unit 40 is a monochrome or color 2D camera supported by the supply unit 60, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 6(A), the sensor unit 40 is capable of photographing the protector body 12 (part) at the target position 31. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6(A), the target orientation (desired orientation) of the protector body 12 is defined as the state in which the inner surface 14A faces upward (facing the sensor unit 40) at the target position 31. The target orientation refers to the state in which the position and front / back orientation of the protector body 12 at the target position 31 are in the desired state.

[0027] Figures 6(B) to 6(E) below show the position and orientation of the protector body 12 that requires orientation correction, as observed by the sensor unit 40 at the target position 31. Figure 6(B) shows the protector body 12 with the outer surface 14B of the bottom plate 14 facing upwards (inverted orientation).

[0028] As described above, the material input unit 20 sends out the protector body 12 one at a time to the transport unit 30, but occasionally two protector bodies 12 are sent out at the same time. Figure 6(C) shows a state in which two protector bodies 12 sent out at the same time overlap and cannot be picked up by the suction unit 67 (Position NG). Figure 6(D) shows a protector body 12 with the side plate 16 facing upwards (Front and back NG). Figure 6(E) shows a protector body 12 with the longitudinal end face facing upwards (Front and back NG).

[0029] Note that the postures of the protector body 12 shown in Figures 6(D) and 6(E) are extremely rare. It is thought that the protector body 12 will tip over as the belt conveyor 32 stops, resulting in one of the postures shown in Figures 6(A) to 6(B). However, since this possibility cannot be ruled out, it is shown as an example.

[0030] <Reversal section 50> Returning to Figure 5, the reversing section 50 is located in front of the conveying section 30 and includes a bent surface 51 that is continuous with the target position 31 of the belt conveyor 32, reversing section walls 52, 53, and 54 rising from the front and left and right ends of the bent surface 51, a roughly strip-shaped restricting section 55 provided on the rear side of the bent surface 51, and a reversing rotation section (not shown) that rotates the bent surface 51.

[0031] The curved surface 51 is a roughly deformed pentagon in plan view, having a first surface 56 that receives the protector body 12 at the target position 31, and a second surface 57 that is continuous with the first surface 56 and intersects with the first surface 56 at a predetermined angle. In this embodiment, the front end of the second surface 57 is provided at an angle so as it moves toward the right side, it approaches the first surface 56. The reversal section wall 52 is erected from this angled front end of the second surface 57.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7, the inversion unit 50 is in a standby position (see solid line in Figure 6) where the bent surface 51 is oriented so that the front of the first surface 56 faces upward at a predetermined angle relative to the belt conveyor 32. At this time, the restricting unit 55 is positioned so that the rear side faces upward, thereby restricting the movement of the protector body 12 from the first surface 56 to the belt conveyor 32 of the transport unit 30. The inversion unit 50 is rotatable around a pivot axis along the left-right direction controlled by the control unit 70 to an inversion position (see dashed line in Figure 6) where the first surface 56 is almost upright.

[0033] The control unit 70 observes the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 at the target position 31 via the sensor unit 40. If the control unit 70 determines that the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 is one of those shown in Figures 6(B) to 6(E), that is, if it determines that the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 does not match the target orientation, it activates the transport unit 30 to move the protector body 12 on the target position 31 to the bent surface 51. Note that the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 shown in Figure 7 is the state shown in Figure 6(B).

[0034] In this process, the protector body 12 is prevented from falling out of the bent surface 51 by the reversal section walls 52, 53, and 54, and is prevented from moving from the first surface 56 to the belt conveyor 32 by the restricting section 55 (see dotted line in Figure 7). Next, the control unit 70 performs a reversal process to activate the reversal rotation section. This rotates the bent surface 51 to a reversal position where the first surface 56 is almost upright (see dashed line in Figure 7). As a result, the protector body 12 falls in the target position with its front and back orientation reversed and returns to the target position 31 on the belt conveyor 32 (see double dotted line in Figure 7).

[0035] Then, the control unit 70 again observes the position and orientation of the protector body 12 at the target position 31 via the sensor unit 40 and determines whether the protector body 12 matches the target orientation. If the position and orientation of the protector body 12 match the target orientation, the control unit 70 does not cause the inversion unit 50 to perform the inversion process. If the position, orientation, and orientation of the protector body 12 do not match the target orientation, the control unit 70 causes the inversion process described above to be performed again.

[0036] Figures 8(A) to 8(D) show the reversal process for the protector body 12 that has been transported with its longitudinal direction aligned with the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figure 8(A), the control unit 70 observes the position and orientation of the protector body 12 at the target position 31. Since the protector body 12 does not match the target orientation, the control unit 70 activates the transport unit 30 to move the protector body 12 to the bent surface 51, as shown in Figure 8(B). The length of the left end of the bent surface 51 in the front-to-back direction is set to be shorter than the longitudinal length of the protector body 12. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8(C), the protector body 12 is guided past the first surface 56 to the second surface 57, and its front end comes into contact with the reversal section wall 52.

[0037] The control unit 70 continues to drive the belt conveyor 32 until the transport unit sensors 33, 33 detect that the protector body 12 is not on the belt conveyor 32. As a result, the front end of the protector body 12 is pushed toward the reversal section wall 52, causing the protector body 12 to rotate. At this time, the reversal section wall 52 intersects the transport direction at a predetermined angle, allowing the protector body 12 to rotate smoothly. As a result, as shown in Figure 8(D), the protector body 12 slides from the second surface 57 to the first surface 56 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the left-right direction. Subsequently, the reversal process by the control unit 70 causes the protector body 12 to rotate around an axis along its longitudinal direction, fall in the target orientation with its front and back orientation reversed, and return to the target position 31 on the belt conveyor 32.

[0038] Furthermore, the protector body 12, which is transported with its longitudinal direction aligned with the left-right direction, is mounted on the curved surface 51 without rotating, maintaining its longitudinal direction aligned with the left-right direction. In other words, regardless of the orientation in which the protector body 12 is transported, its front and back orientation can be reversed while its longitudinal direction remains aligned with the left-right direction, allowing for accurate reversal of the protector body 12.

[0039] <Supply section 60> As shown in Figure 1, the supply unit 60 is composed of a so-called four-axis SCARA robot. A suction unit 67 is fixed to the tip of the SCARA robot. The suction unit 67 has a pair of negative pressure pads 69, 69 that extend directly downward from the tip of the SCARA robot. The sensor unit 40 is fixed to the SCARA robot above the suction unit 67. This supply unit 60 allows the suction unit 67 to be positioned at any desired location.

[0040] When the control unit 70 determines that the position and orientation of the protector body 12 match the target orientation, the supply unit 60 places the suction unit 67 directly above the protector body 12 (not shown). The supply unit 60 also arranges the negative pressure pads 69, 69 along the longitudinal direction of the protector body 12. Then, the supply unit 60 brings the negative pressure pads 69, 69 into contact with the inner surface 14A of the protector body 12 and uses negative pressure to suction the negative pressure pads 69, 69 to the inner surface 14A of the protector body 12. Next, the supply unit 60 lifts the protector body 12 from the belt conveyor 32 and supplies the protector body 12 to the next process (external equipment).

[0041] <Control Unit 70> Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control unit 70. When the transport unit sensors 33, 33 detect that the protector body 12 (part) has arrived at the target position 31 of the belt conveyor 32 (Y in S1), the control unit 70 activates the supply unit 60 to position the sensor unit 40 directly above the protector body 12 (S2). Next, the control unit 70 observes the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 via the sensor unit 40 (S3). If the control unit 70 determines that the position and orientation (front / back) of the protector body 12 match the target orientation (Y in S4), the supply unit 60 picks up the protector body 12 (S5). Next, the control unit 70 supplies the protector body 12 to the next process (external equipment) via the supply unit 60 (S6), and the process ends.

[0042] Meanwhile, if the control unit 70 determines that the position and orientation of the protector body 12 do not match the target orientation (N in S4), it moves the protector body 12 to the inversion unit 50 using the transport unit 30 (S7). Next, if the control unit 70 determines, based on the output of the transport unit sensors 33, 33, that the entire protector body 12 has finished moving to the inversion unit 50 (Y in S8), it stops the transport unit 30 (S9). After that, the control unit 70 performs the inversion process using the inversion unit 50 (S10), and after detecting that the protector body 12 has returned to the target position 31 via the transport unit sensors 33, 33 (Y in S11), it returns to S3.

[0043] <Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, according to the parts supply device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, if the control unit 70 determines via the sensor unit 40 that the protector body 12 is not in the target orientation, the inversion unit 50 performs an inversion process for the protector body 12. Therefore, relatively large parts of various shapes can be supplied to the next process (external equipment) in the same orientation without relying on manual work by an operator. Accordingly, the parts supply device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has lower introduction costs, can be installed in a confined space, and can reduce costs in various aspects compared to conventional parts supply devices having a 3D camera and a multi-joint robot.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the component supply device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the reversal unit 50 has a bent surface 51 having a first surface 56 for receiving the protector body 12 and a second surface 57 that is continuous with the first surface 56 so as to intersect the first surface 56 at a predetermined angle. The reversal process is performed to rotate the bent surface 51 to reverse the protector body 12 and return the protector body 12 to the target position 31. Therefore, even if the control unit 70 determines that the protector body 12 is not in the target position, the protector body 12 can be reliably corrected to the target position.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the restricting portion 55 between the first surface 56 and the transport portion 30 restricts the movement of the protector body 12 from the first surface 56 to the transport portion 30. Therefore, there is no risk of the protector body 12 falling off the bent surface 51 during the inversion process, and the inversion process can be performed smoothly.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the material input section 20 has an upper surface 21C (delivery surface) that is inclined toward the transport section 30, and also has a vibrating inclined vibrating section 23. As a result, the protector body 12 slides smoothly downwards in accordance with the vibration of the upper surface 21C and is delivered to the transport section 30.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the component supply device 10 of the embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface 21C (delivery surface) has an uneven structure. As a result, friction of the upper surface 21C with respect to the protector body 12 can be reduced, and this also allows the protector body 12 to slide down smoothly and be delivered to the transport section 30.

[0048] Furthermore, according to the component supply device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it has a stirring unit 22 that stirs a plurality of protector bodies 12 moving on the upper surface 21C (dispensing surface) and regulates the amount of discharged so that the protector bodies 12 are sequentially discharged to the conveying unit 30 via the upper surface 21C. Therefore, even if the protector bodies 12 are jammed together or if the resin protector bodies 12 are stuck together due to static electricity or the like, they can be separated individually and discharged individually.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the parts supply device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the stirring section 22 has a gap between the elastic body 26 and the upper surface 21C (dispensing surface) through which the protector bodies 12 can pass sequentially, and the elastic body 26 rotates so as to push the protector bodies 12 away from the conveying section 30. As a result, the protector bodies 12 can be separated and dispensed individually.

[0050] <Other forms> It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified, improved, etc. as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, placement, etc. of each component in the embodiments described above are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0051] In the embodiment described above, the protector body 12 was transported, but this is not the only possible configuration. For example, two parts supply devices 10 could be arranged side by side in the left-right direction, with one supplying the protector body 12 and the other supplying the protector cover 13. The target orientation of the protector cover 13 is the opposite of that of the protector body 12, with the outer surface 15B facing upwards.

[0052] Herein, the features of the embodiments of the parts supply device according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [7].

[0053] [1] A component supply device (10) capable of supplying components (12) to an external device, A housing unit (20) that houses and sequentially dispatches multiple aforementioned parts (12), A transport unit (30) transports the parts (12) sent out from the storage unit (20) toward the target position (31), A sensor unit (40) observes the front and back orientation of the part (12) being transported to the transport unit (30), The reversal unit (50) performs a reversal process to reverse the front and back orientation of the part (12) at the target position (31), A supply unit (60) that supplies the component (12) from the target position (31) toward the external device, The system includes a control unit (70) that controls the inversion process, such that if the sensor unit (40) determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component (12) observed does not match the target orientation, the inversion unit (50) is instructed to perform the inversion process, and if the sensor unit (40) determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component (12) observed matches the target orientation, the inversion unit (50) is not instructed to perform the inversion process. Parts supply device (10).

[0054] According to the parts supply device (10) with the configuration described in [1] above, if the control unit (70) determines via the sensor unit (40) that the part (12) is not in the target orientation, the inversion unit (50) performs an inversion process on the part (12). This makes it possible to supply relatively large and diverse shaped parts to the next process (external equipment) in the same orientation without relying on manual work by an operator. Therefore, compared to conventional parts supply devices with a 3D camera and a multi-joint robot, the parts supply device (10) with the configuration described in [1] above has lower installation costs, can be installed in a confined space, and reduces costs in various aspects.

[0055] [2] In the parts supply device (10) described in [1] above, The reversing section (50) is The device has a bent surface (51) having a first surface (56) for receiving the part (12) at the target position (31), and a second surface (57) that is continuous with the first surface (56) and intersects the first surface (56) at a predetermined angle. When the reversal process is performed, the bent surface (51) is rotated toward the transport unit (30) to reverse the front and back orientation of the part (12) and return the part (12) to the target position (31). Parts supply device (10).

[0056] According to the parts supply device (10) described in [2] above, even if the control unit (70) determines that the parts (12) are not in the target orientation, the parts (12) can be reliably corrected to the target orientation.

[0057] [3] In the parts supply device (10) described in [2] above, The reversing section (50) is A restricting unit (55) is provided between the first surface (56) and the transport unit (30) to restrict the movement of the part (12) from the first surface (56) to the transport unit (30). Parts supply device (10).

[0058] According to the component supply device (10) with the configuration described in [3] above, the movement of the component (12) from the first surface (56) to the transport section (30) is restricted, so there is no risk of the component (12) falling off the bent surface (51) during the inversion process, and the inversion process can be carried out smoothly.

[0059] [4] In the parts supply device (10) described in [1] above, The aforementioned housing section (20) is The conveying section (30) has an upper surface (discharge surface) (21C) that is inclined toward the conveying section (30) and has a vibrating inclined vibrating section (23), Parts supply device (10).

[0060] According to the parts supply device (10) with the configuration described in [4] above, the parts (12) slide smoothly down in response to the vibration of the upper surface (discharge surface) (21C) and are delivered to the transport section 30.

[0061] [5] In the parts supply device (10) described in [4] above, The aforementioned inclined vibration section (23) is The upper surface (discharge surface) (21C) has an uneven structure, Parts supply device (10).

[0062] According to the component supply device (10) with the configuration described in [5] above, friction on the upper surface (delivery surface) (21C) with respect to the component (12) can be reduced, which in turn allows the component (12) to slide down smoothly and be delivered to the transport section (30).

[0063] [6] In the parts supply device (10) described in [4] above, the storage section (20) has a stirring section (22) that stirs the plurality of parts (12) moving on the upper surface (discharge surface) (21C) and regulates the amount of parts (12) discharged so that the parts (12) are sequentially discharged to the transport section (30) via the upper surface (discharge surface) (21C). Parts supply device (10).

[0064] According to the component supply device (10) with the configuration described in [6] above, even if the components (12) are jammed together or if the resin components (12) are stuck together due to static electricity or the like, they can be separated individually and fed out individually.

[0065] [7] In the parts supply device (10) described in [6] above, The stirring section (22) is The device comprises a rotating body (25) and an elastically deformable elastic body (26) that rotates together with the rotating body (25), and is configured such that the elastic body (26) rotates in a manner that pushes the parts (12) away from the transport unit (30), leaving a gap between the elastic body (26) and the upper surface (discharge surface) (21C) through which the parts (12) can sequentially pass. Parts supply device (10).

[0066] According to the component supply device (10) with the configuration described in [7] above, the components (12) can also be separated and supplied individually. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10. Parts supply device 12. Protector body (parts) 13. Protector cover (part) 20 Material input section (storage section) 21C Top surface (output surface) 22 Stirring section 23 Inclined vibration section 25. Solids of revolution 26 Elastic body 30 Conveying section 31 Target position 40 Sensor section 50 Reversal section 51 Curved surface 55 Regulatory Department 56 Page 1 57 2nd page 60 Supply section 70 Control Unit

Claims

1. A parts supply device capable of supplying parts to external equipment, A housing unit that houses multiple of the aforementioned parts and sequentially dispatches them, A transport unit that transports the parts sent out from the storage unit toward a target position, The transport unit includes a sensor unit for observing the front and back orientation of the component being transported, A reversal unit performs a reversal process to reverse the front and back orientation of the part at the target position, A supply unit that supplies the aforementioned components from the target position toward the external device, The system includes a control unit that controls the inversion process, such that if the sensor unit determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component observed does not match the target orientation, the inversion unit executes the inversion process, and if the sensor unit determines that the front-to-back orientation of the component observed matches the target orientation, the inversion unit does not execute the inversion process. Parts supply device.

2. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The aforementioned reversal unit is The device has a bent surface having a first surface for receiving the part at the target position and a second surface continuous with the first surface so as to intersect the first surface at a predetermined angle, and when the inversion process is performed, the bent surface is rotated toward the transport unit to invert the front and back orientation of the part and return the part to the target position. Parts supply device.

3. In the component supply device according to claim 2, The aforementioned reversal unit is A restricting unit is provided between the first surface and the transport unit to restrict the movement of the component from the first surface to the transport unit. Parts supply device.

4. In the parts supply device according to claim 1, The aforementioned housing section is It has a delivery surface that is inclined toward the transport section and a vibrating inclined vibrating section, Parts supply device.

5. In the parts supply device according to claim 4, The aforementioned tilted vibrating section is The discharge surface has an uneven structure, Parts supply device.

6. In the parts supply device according to claim 4, The aforementioned housing section is The system includes a stirring unit that stirs a plurality of the parts moving along the discharge surface and regulates the amount of parts discharged so that the parts are sequentially discharged to the transport unit via the discharge surface. Parts supply device.

7. In the parts supply device according to claim 6, The stirring section is, The device comprises a rotating body and an elastically deformable elastic body that rotates together with the rotating body, wherein the elastic body rotates such that it pushes the parts away from the transport section, leaving a gap between the elastic body and the delivery surface through which the parts can sequentially pass. Parts supply device.

Images