Conveying device and conveying method for bundled wire materials

Abstract

The present invention provides a device that securely grips bundled wires at a predetermined position perpendicular to the conveying direction (width direction) of the bundled wires, thereby ensuring reliable transport. [Solution] The conveying device 4 is a device for gripping and conveying bundled wire WB that is bundled in a cylindrical shape, and in a plan view, it is arranged opposite to the conveying direction of the bundled wire WB and comprises a pair of arm members 41a, 41b that are movable in a direction approaching the bundled wire WB and a direction away from the bundled wire WB, and a moving mechanism 42a, 42b that moves the pair of arm members 41a, 41b in the conveying direction and the opposite direction, wherein arm member 41a positions the bundled wire WB in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and arm member 41b presses against the bundled wire WB with a predetermined pressure to grip the bundled wire WB.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for sandwiching and conveying bundled wire materials bundled in a cylindrical shape.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in the bundling process, wire materials bundled in a cylindrical shape are conveyed to a bundling process in which a plurality of locations are bundled at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with a string member. Regarding the conveyance of the bundled wire materials, for example, in Patent Document 1, a top plate is provided at the tip of a pair of arms so as to be swingable, a roller is incorporated in the top plate, and the roller is brought into contact with the bundled wire materials and the bundled wire materials are conveyed by pushing them from the rear side in the conveyance direction. A technology has been proposed.

[0003] In addition, in Patent Document 2, a pair of clamping arms are advanced and retracted by a cylinder, and a detection mechanism for detecting that the tip of the clamping arm is pressed against the bundled wire materials with a predetermined pressing force is provided. When the detection mechanism detects the pressing contact of the clamping arm, a technology for stopping the cylinder has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the proposed technology of Patent Document 1, since the bundled wire materials are pushed and conveyed from the rear side, when the outer diameter of the bundled wire materials is larger than the interval between the pair of arms, the bundled wire materials may come off between the pair of arms and move in a direction different from the conveyance direction.

[0006] Furthermore, in the proposed technology of Patent Document 2, the position perpendicular to the transport direction (width direction) of the bundled wire is determined by the clamping arm that first contacts the bundled wire. As a result, the clamping position in the width direction of the bundled wire fluctuates with each bundled process, which may cause the binding position in the circumferential direction of the bundled wire to fluctuate in the subsequent binding process.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a device that can grip bundled wires at predetermined positions in the width direction and transport them reliably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, a conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention is a device for gripping and conveying bundled wires bundled in a cylindrical shape, comprising, in a plan view, a pair of arm members arranged opposite each other in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the bundled wires and movable in a direction approaching the bundled wires and a direction moving away from the bundled wires, and a moving mechanism for moving the pair of arm members in the conveying direction and the opposite direction, wherein one of the pair of arm members positions the bundled wires in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the other of the pair of arm members presses against the bundled wires with a predetermined pressure to grip the bundled wires.

[0009] In the conveying device with the above configuration, one of the pair of arm members may position the bundled wires such that the axial center of the bundled wires is located in the center between the spaced-apart pair of arm members.

[0010] Furthermore, in the conveying device with the above configuration, one of the pair of arm members may be driven by an air cylinder, and the other of the pair of arm members may be driven by an electric actuator.

[0011] Furthermore, in the conveying device with the above configuration, the shape of the clamping portion that holds the bundled wire of the pair of arm members in a plan view may be channel-shaped.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for conveying bundled wires using the conveying device described above is provided, characterized in that one of the pair of arm members positions the bundled wires perpendicular to the conveying direction, and then the other of the pair of arm members presses against the bundled wires with a predetermined pressure to clamp them. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the wire bundle conveying device of the present invention, the wire bundle can be gripped at a predetermined position in the width direction, and the wire bundle can be reliably conveyed to the next process. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing one embodiment of a bundle-taking device. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a plan view of the bundle handling device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the unwinding unit. [Figure 4] This is a view from the downstream side in the conveying direction, showing one embodiment of the bundle handling unit. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows the bundling unit viewed from the upstream side in the conveying direction. [Figure 6] This is a plan view showing one embodiment of the transport unit. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the transport unit. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the conveying unit in the bundle handling device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the conveying device of the present invention will be described based on the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Also, the conveying direction, width direction (direction perpendicular to the conveying direction), and vertical direction in this specification shall mean the conveying direction, width direction, and vertical direction shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. In the following embodiments, the same or corresponding configurations may be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description may be omitted as appropriate.

[0016] (Overall view of the bundling device) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a front view and a plan view showing an embodiment of the bundling device. The bundling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 unwinds the wire W wound around the bobbin 9 as a raw material, bundles it into a cylindrical shape as a wire W of a predetermined length, and then bundles it at four locations at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction and discharges it. The bundling device includes an unwinding unit 1, a tension adjusting unit 2, a bundling unit 3, and a conveying unit 4. Hereinafter, each unit will be described.

[0017] (Unwinding unit) The unwinding unit 1 is a unit that rotatably supports the bobbin 9 around which the wire W as a raw material is wound. FIG. 3 shows a schematic view showing an embodiment of the unwinding unit 1. The bobbin 9 has a winding shaft 91 around which the wire W is wound, and disk-shaped regulating members 92a and 92b provided at both axial ends of the winding shaft 91. The winding shaft 91 has an axial hole 93 penetrating in the axial direction.

[0018] The unwinding unit 1 includes a pair of base portions 11a and 11b that are arranged at a predetermined length interval in the width direction and have a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the vertical direction, a pair of carriers 12a and 12b that are movable in the vertical direction along the rear surfaces of the pair of base portions 11a and 11b, and a lifting mechanism 13 that raises and lowers the pair of carriers 12a and 12b in the vertical direction.

[0019] Each of the carriers 12a and 12b is provided with a pair of head portions 14a and 14b that are spaced apart and facing each other in the width direction and fit into the shaft hole 93 of the bobbin 9, a rotation mechanism 15 for rotating the head portion 14b, and a pair of moving mechanisms 16a and 16b for moving the pair of head portions 14a and 14b toward each other and toward each other.

[0020] The pair of head portions 14a and 14b have a tapered shape in which the outer diameter decreases in the axial direction outward. One of the head portions 14b has a pair of extensions 141 and 142 that extend radially outward at opposing positions in the circumferential direction of the base. Multiple conical pins are provided at the ends of the pair of extensions 141 and 142, projecting toward the bobbin 9.

[0021] The rotating mechanism 15 includes a motor M1, a drive shaft for the motor M1, and a rotatable shaft 152 connected to the drive shaft by a belt 151 acting as a drive transmission mechanism. A head portion 14b is attached to the tip of the shaft 152.

[0022] The pair of moving mechanisms 16a and 16b move each of the pair of head portions 14a and 14b in the axial direction (width direction), that is, in the direction toward and away from each other. The moving mechanisms 16a and 16b have air cylinders 17a and 17b and elongated connecting plates 172a and 172b. The rear ends of shafts 162 and 152 are attached to one longitudinal end of the connecting plates 172a and 172b via bearings, and the tips of the rods 171a and 171b of the air cylinders 17a and 172b are connected to the other longitudinal end of the connecting plates 172a and 172b. As the rods 171a and 171b extend and retract from the pistons of the air cylinders 17a and 17b, the shafts 162 and 152 move in the width direction, and each of the pair of head portions 14a and 14b moves in the width direction.

[0023] The lifting mechanism 13 includes a motor M2 provided on the upper surface of the base 11b, a pair of ball screw shafts 131a and 131b whose lower ends are fixed to a pair of carriers 12a and 12b and mounted perpendicular to the carriers 12a and 12b, and a pair of suspended jacks 132a and 132b that raise and lower the pair of ball screw shafts 131a and 131b. The drive shaft 133 of the motor M2 is connected to the pair of suspended jacks 132a and 132b. The drive shaft 133 rotates when the motor M2 is driven, and the pair of suspended jacks 132a and 132b actuate, causing the carriers 12a and 12b to rise and fall together with the pair of ball screw shafts 131a and 131b.

[0024] The outer diameter of the bobbin 9 around which the wire W is wound varies depending on the outer diameter and length of the wire W used as the raw material. Generally, the larger the outer diameter of the wire W and the longer the length of the wire W, the larger the outer diameter of the bobbin 9 used. When the outer diameter of the bobbin 9 is larger, the vertical position of the shaft hole 93 of the bobbin 9 becomes higher. In conventional unwinding units, the vertical position of the pair of head parts that fit into the shaft hole 93 of the bobbin 9 could not be changed, so only bobbins 9 with the same outer diameter could be attached. Therefore, it was necessary to provide different bundling lines for each bobbin 9 with a different outer diameter. In contrast, in the unwinding unit 1 of this embodiment, the pair of head parts 14a and 14b can be raised and lowered vertically, so even if the vertical position of the shaft hole 93 of the bobbin 9 is different, the pair of head parts 14a and 14b can be raised and lowered vertically to attach them. In addition, even if the bobbins 9 have different widths, they can be attached because the extension and retraction lengths of the pair of head parts 14a and 14b can be adjusted by the moving mechanisms 16a and 16b.

[0025] In this embodiment, the unwinding unit 1 was raised and lowered by a pair of carriers 12a and 12b using suspension jacks 132a and 132b, but it may also be raised and lowered using, for example, a push-up jack.

[0026] (Tension adjustment unit) The tension adjustment unit 2 of this embodiment is a unit that unwinds wire W from the unwinding unit 1 while maintaining a predetermined tension and conveys it to the bundle unit 3. As shown in Figure 1, the tension adjustment unit 2 includes four pulleys 21a to 21d, a pair of tension rollers 22, a discharge nozzle 23, and a cutting section 24 for cutting the wire W. Tension is generated in the wire W by the difference between the rotation of the bobbin 9 of the unwinding unit 1 and the rotation of the pair of tension rollers 22, and the generated tension is adjusted by the pulleys 21a to 21d to be within a predetermined range. Then, the wire W is supplied to the bundle unit 3 from the tip of the discharge nozzle. When the wire W of a predetermined length is bundled into a cylindrical shape in the bundle unit 3, which will be described later, the wire W is cut by the cutting section 24. After the bundled wire WB is discharged from the bundle unit 3 to the conveying unit 4, wire W is supplied again from the discharge nozzle 23 to the bundle unit 3, and the same operation is repeated. There is no limit to the number of pulleys that can be installed; five or more may be provided for purposes such as adjusting the tension of the wire W.

[0027] (Bundling unit) The bundle unit is a unit that bundles wire W of a predetermined length into a cylindrical shape. The bundle unit according to the present invention has a plurality of bundle upper parts that are movable in the width direction, one bundle lower part, and a moving means for moving one of the plurality of bundle upper parts to a usable position. Each of the plurality of bundle upper parts has a different outer diameter and / or height of the winding cylinder around which the wire W is wound on the outer circumference, and one of the plurality of bundle upper parts is selected and used so that the inner diameter and height of the bundled wire become desired values.

[0028] Conventional bundle-taking units only had one bundle-taking upper section, so to change the inner diameter or height of the bundled wire, it was necessary to use a separate bundle-taking device or replace the winding drum of the bundle-taking unit. In contrast, with the bundle-taking unit according to the present invention, the inner diameter or height of the bundled wire can be easily changed by selecting one of the multiple bundle-taking upper sections and moving it to a usable position.

[0029] Figures 4 and 5 show the bundle-taking unit 3 of this embodiment as viewed from the downstream side in the conveying direction and as viewed from the upstream side in the conveying direction. The bundle-taking unit 3 has two bundle-taking upper parts 31a and 31b and one bundle-taking lower part 32.

[0030] The basic configuration of the two bundle-holding upper parts 31a and 31b is the same except that the outer diameter and / or height of the winding drums 311a and 311b around which the wire W is wound differ. The two bundle-holding upper parts 31a and 31b are provided on the sides of the movable base plate 33, separated by a predetermined distance in the width direction. The movable base plate 33 is mounted on the front of a plate-shaped support member 34 that is positioned to straddle the top of the transport path, and moves so that either the bundle-holding upper part 31a or 31b is in a position where it can be joined to the bundle-holding lower part 32 (usable position). When the bundle-holding upper parts 31a and 31b move to the usable position, the air cylinders 132a and 132b are driven, causing the winding drums 311a and 311b to move downward and join to the bundle-holding lower part 32, making it possible to wind the wire W.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, two rails 341a and 341b are provided parallel to each other on the front surface of the support member 34, spaced apart in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the support member 34 has an elongated hole 342 that penetrates in the front-to-back direction and is long in the width direction. An air cylinder 35 is provided on the rear surface of the support member 34.

[0032] The movable substrate 33 has a protrusion 331 on its back surface. The movable substrate 33 is movably mounted on two rails 341a and 341b of the support member 34 such that the protrusion 331 is located within the elongated hole 342 of the support member 34. The tip of the rod 351 of the air cylinder 35 engages with the protrusion 331 of the movable substrate 33. As the rod 351 of the air cylinder 35 extends and retracts, the movable substrate 33 moves in the width direction, switching between a position where the bundle upper part 31a is usable and a position where the bundle upper part 31b is usable.

[0033] As for the specific configuration of the bundle-holding upper parts 31a, 31b and the bundle-holding lower part 32, for example, the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-18262 is also suitably adopted in this embodiment.

[0034] (Conveyor unit (conveyor device)) The transport unit of the present invention is a unit that grips and transports bundled wire WB that has been bundled into a cylindrical shape by the bundle-taking unit 3. In a plan view, the transport unit 4 is arranged opposite to the transport direction of the bundled wire WB in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction (width direction) and comprises a pair of arm members 41a, 41b that can move in a direction approaching the bundled wire WB and a direction away from the bundled wire WB, and a moving mechanism 42a, 42b that moves the pair of arm members 41a, 41b in the transport direction and the opposite direction.

[0035] Figure 6 shows a plan view of one embodiment of the transport unit 4 according to the present invention. The moving mechanism 42a, 42b of the transport unit 4 in Figure 6 comprises a pair of trolleys 421a, 421b that can move in the forward and reverse directions relative to the transport direction, a pair of belts 422a, 422b that are loop-shaped and have both ends fixed to both sides of the pair of trolleys 421a, 421b in the transport direction, two drive pulleys 423a, 423b and two driven pulleys 424a, 424b over which the pair of belts 422a, 422b are stretched, and a motor M3 that rotates the drive pulleys 423a, 423b in the forward and reverse directions.

[0036] An air cylinder 411 is installed on one trolley 421a, and an electric actuator 412 is installed on the other trolley 421b. A pair of clamping parts 414a and 414b, which have a channel shape in plan view and are used to clamp bundled wire WB, are attached to the ends of the retractable rods 413a and 413b of the air cylinder 411 and the electric actuator 412. At both ends of each pair of clamping parts 414a and 414b, there are four rollers R that can rotate about an axis perpendicular to the transport plane. Two auxiliary rods 415 are provided parallel to the rod 413a and movable in the width direction on the front and rear of the rod 413a of the air cylinder 411. Two auxiliary rods 416 are also provided parallel to the rod 413b and movable in the width direction on the front and rear of the rod 413b of the electric actuator 412. The tips of the auxiliary rods 415 and 416 are fixed to the clamping parts 414a and 414b, respectively. The auxiliary rods 415 and 416 primarily serve to support the clamping parts 414a and 414b so that they do not swing around the tips of the rods 413a and 413b when the clamping parts 414a and 414b clamp and move the bundled wire WB.

[0037] The amount of protrusion of the rod 413a from the air cylinder 411 is set so that the axis center O of the bundled wire WB moves onto the center line CL between the arm members in the non-operating state. That is, when the axis center O of the bundled wire WB is on the center line CL between the arm members in the non-operating state, the amount of protrusion of the rod 413a is set so that the clamping portions 414a and 414b each contact the outer circumference of the bundled wire WB.

[0038] The amount of protrusion of the rod 413b of the electric actuator 412 is appropriately determined from the clamping force when the bundled wire WB is clamped by the pair of arm members 41a and 41b. The longer the protrusion, the greater the clamping force on the bundled wire WB by the pair of arm members 41a and 41b. The clamping force on the bundled wire WB by the pair of arm members 41a and 41b is usually preferably in the range of 125N to 380N.

[0039] Figure 7 shows an explanatory diagram of the operation of gripping and conveying the bundled wire WB by the conveying unit 4. As shown in Figure 7(a), first the air cylinder 411 is activated and the gripping portion 414a of the arm member 41a protrudes toward the center in the width direction. Then, as shown in Figure 7(b), the two rollers R provided at both ends of the gripping portion 414a contact the bundled wire WB, positioning the bundled wire WB so that its axial center O is located on the center line CL in the width direction. Next, as shown in Figure 7(c), the electric actuator 412 is activated and the gripping portion 414b of the arm member 41b protrudes toward the center in the width direction, and the two rollers R provided at both ends of the gripping portion 414b press against the bundled wire WB with a predetermined pressure. As a result, the bundled wire WB is gripped by the four rollers R of the pair of arm members 41a and 41b.

[0040] The reason for pressing and clamping the bundled wire WB with arm member 41b after positioning the bundled wire WB in the width direction with arm member 41a is that, generally, the protruding force of the electric actuator 412 is greater than the protruding force of the air cylinder 411. Therefore, if the electric actuator 412 is operated first to clamp the bundled wire WB, there is a risk that the axis center O of the bundled wire WB will shift from the center line CL between the arm members when they are not operating.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(a), the rear end of the wire W may not be wound up and may extend from the outer circumference of the bundled wire WB. Therefore, when the bundled wire WB is held between the pair of arm members 41a and 41b as shown in Figure 7(c), it is desirable to rotate the bundled wire WB slightly (less than one rotation) so that the rear end of the wire W fits cylindrically into the winding wire WB. At this time, since the bundled wire WB is held by the four rollers R provided at both ends of the pair of clamping parts 414a and 414b, the bundled wire WB can be easily rotated even when held. In addition, the rear end of the wire W is securely held inside the winding wire WB by being pressed down by the rollers R.

[0042] Next, the motor M3 (shown in Figure 6) rotates forward, causing the belts 422a and 422b to rotate forward, which moves the pair of trolleys 421a and 421b downstream in the transport direction. As a result, the bundled wire WB is transported from a predetermined first position to a predetermined second position while being held between the pair of arm members 41a and 41b. Then, as shown in Figure 7(d), when the bundled wire WB is transported to the predetermined second position, the air cylinder 411 and the electric actuator 412 are activated, causing the pair of gripping parts 414a and 414b to move outward from the center in the width direction, and the bundled wire WB is released from being held by the pair of arm members 41a and 41b. Through this series of steps, the bundled wire WB is reliably transported from the predetermined first position to the predetermined second position.

[0043] Subsequently, the motor M3 (shown in Figure 6) rotates in the reverse direction, causing the belts 422a and 422b to rotate in the reverse direction, moving the pair of trolleys 421a and 421b upstream in the conveying direction, and the pair of arm members 41a and 41b return to the first position together with the pair of trolleys 421a and 421b, preparing to grip and convey the next bundle of wire WB.

[0044] In the bundling device shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of arm members 41a and 41b of the transport unit 4 transport the wire bundled into a cylindrical shape by the bundling unit 3 to the first bundling device 51 and the second bundling device 52, and the bundled wire WB is bundled at four points at predetermined intervals (90°) in the circumferential direction. Figure 8 shows the specific process. As shown in Figure 8(a), the pair of arm members 41a and 41b grip the bundled wire WB that has been bundled into a cylindrical shape by the bundling unit 3. Then, as shown in Figure 8(b), the bundled wire WB is transported to the turntable 53. During this time, the bundled wire WB passes through the first bundling device 51. In the first bundling device 51, a string (not shown) is stretched in the vertical direction, and as the bundled wire WB passes through while in contact with the stretched string, that part is bundled with the string. Therefore, as the bundled wire WB is transported to the turntable 53, two points where it comes into contact with the string of the first bundling device 51 are bound together with the string.

[0045] As shown in Figure 8(c), the transport unit 4 stops when it has transported the bundled wire WB to the turntable 53, and the pair of arm members 41a and 41b release their grip on the bundled wire WB. Then the turntable 53 rotates 90 degrees, and the bundled wire WB rotates 90 degrees.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 8(d), the pair of arm members 41a and 41b grip the bundled wire WB again, and the transport unit 4 passes the bundled wire WB through the second binding device 52. In the second binding device 52, as in the first binding device 51, a string (not shown) is stretched in the vertical direction, and as the bundled wire WB passes through while in contact with the stretched string, that part is bound with the string. Therefore, the bundled wire WB is bound with the string at two points where it comes into contact with the string of the second binding device 52.

[0047] Subsequently, the pair of arm members 41a and 41b release their grip on the bundled wire WB (dashed lines in Figure 8(d)). The bundled wire WB, which is then tied at four points with string at 90-degree intervals in the circumferential direction, is then moved to any next process, such as packaging or shipping.

[0048] (Other variations) While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but only by the appended claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0049] According to the present invention, the bundled wire material WB conveying device can grip the bundled wire material WB at a predetermined position in the width direction and reliably convey the bundled wire material WB to the next process. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1. Dispensing Unit 2. Tension adjustment unit 3 Bundle Unit 4. Conveying Unit (Conveying Device) O Axis center of bundled wire W wire rod WB bundle wire rod 41a, 41b Arm members 42a,42b Moving mechanism 411 Air Cylinder 412 Electric Actuator 414a,414b Clamping part

Claims

1. A device for gripping and transporting bundled wire materials that are bundled into a cylindrical shape, In a plan view, a pair of arm members are positioned opposite each other perpendicular to the direction in which the bundled wire is transported, and are movable in a direction approaching the bundled wire and a direction away from the bundled wire. A moving mechanism for moving the pair of arm members in the transport direction and the opposite direction, Equipped with, A wire bundle conveying device characterized in that one of the pair of arm members positions the bundled wire in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the other of the pair of arm members presses against the bundled wire with a predetermined pressure to hold the bundled wire.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein one of the pair of arm members positions the bundled wire such that the axial center of the bundled wire is located in the center between the spaced-apart pair of arm members.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the pair of arm members is driven by an air cylinder and the other of the pair of arm members is driven by an electric actuator.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of the clamping portion of the pair of arm members that clamps the bundled wire material in a plan view is channel-shaped.

5. A method for conveying bundled wire materials using the conveying device described in claim 1 or 2, A method for conveying bundled wires, characterized in that one of the pair of arm members positions the bundled wires perpendicular to the conveying direction, and then the other of the pair of arm members presses against the bundled wires with a predetermined pressure to hold them in place.

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