Vehicle seat mounting device and vehicle seat mounting method

Abstract

To provide a device which prevents damage on a third-row seat and interior with interference of the third-row seat and a gripping part with a vehicle side and prevents stop, breakage and the like of a robot when the third-row seat is carried in from an opening of a back door.SOLUTION: A third-row seat loading device comprises: a vehicle position measurement device 10 which measures a distance to a prescribed spot of a vehicle 1 on vehicle conveyance lines 311, 313 from a prescribed reference position to output a measurement value; a computing unit which calculates a correction value from a reference length of a carry-in position of a seat 3 and the measurement value; and a seat carry-in robot 30 which carries the seat into the vehicle from an opening 5 of a back door by correcting the seat carry-in position based on the correction value and places the seat at a prescribed position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a third-row seat installation device that measures the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on a vehicle on a conveyor line and corrects the position at which the third-row seat is brought into the vehicle in accordance with the measurement value so that a robot can bring the third-row seat into the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, it is known that vehicles called station wagons and light vans are provided with third-row seats (also called "third seats"). In recent years, vehicles for large families that have seven-seater specifications and are made by extending the body length of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) have been attracting attention. The third-row seats are not only a conventional two-row five-seater specification, but also have two seats in the third row by extending the body length. Such third-row seats are delivered to the vehicle assembly conveyor line by opening the back door at the rear of the vehicle and using a conveyor such as a robot through the opening. That is, in the vehicle assembly line, the robot grasps the third-row seats from the rear side and delivers them through the opening of the back door of the vehicle.

[0003] In such SUVs, the seat position, which was previously fixed, can be changed to a position with more leg room or a position that prioritizes luggage space, etc., and functional improvements have been made, while at the same time, there is a demand for even greater comfort in terms of occupancy. However, the size of the back door opening of the vehicle to which it is to be installed cannot necessarily be made large due to design considerations, etc. For this reason, there is almost no dimensional margin in the width direction of the vehicle when the robot loads the third row seat into the vehicle through the opening.

[0004] Therefore, variations in the position of the reference pin of the cart on the vehicle transport line and variations in the rotation position of the vehicle turntable lead to deviations in the seat delivery position. As a result, when a third-row seat is delivered through the opening of the back door, the third-row seat or the gripping part interferes with the vehicle, causing scratches on the third-row seat or interior, or causing the robot to stop or become damaged.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of installing a front seat in which the front seat is brought into the vehicle through an opening on one side of the vehicle body and installed on the vehicle floor, allowing the front seat to be installed automatically while other work can be performed on the other side of the vehicle body, thereby achieving excellent workability, space saving, and productivity.

[0006] Specifically, a front seat supplying means and a front seat gripping means are installed on only one side of the assembly line, and a front seat placed on the supplying means is positioned and gripped by the gripping means and carried into the vehicle through only an opening on one side of the vehicle body on the assembly line. Next, the reference point of the gripping means is aligned with a reference point on the vehicle body floor to place the front seat in a predetermined position on the vehicle body floor, and then the front seat is temporarily fixed to the vehicle body floor by the fastening means.

[0007] Patent Document 2 discloses a work transporting and assembling device in which a work transport line, which transports workpieces placed on a pallet, is positioned above a vehicle transport line and is equipped with a pallet stopping means, and a work assembly robot is provided on the side of the transport line, with a slider mounted on a support erected on the floor so that it can be raised and lowered, and the slider is equipped with a work gripping means for receiving the workpiece from the stopped pallet and inserting it into the vehicle.

[0008] Specifically, the workpieces are placed on a pallet transported from the work delivery location on the work transport line, and the pallet is stopped on the work transport line above the vehicle transport line. Then, the workpieces are grasped by a work gripping means attached to the slider of the work assembly robot, lowered along a support pillar, and loaded onto a vehicle on the vehicle transport line for assembly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-287683 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-117481 DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, the front seat installation method disclosed in Patent Document 1 describes a process of positioning and gripping the front seat with a gripping means of a robot, bringing it into the vehicle, and then aligning a reference point of the gripping means with a reference point on the vehicle floor to place the front seat in a predetermined position on the vehicle floor. However, no technology is disclosed for measuring the distance from the reference position of the robot or the like to the vehicle's carry-in entrance to determine the seat carry-in position. Therefore, there is a problem that when there is no room in the dimensions between the opening and the seat, it cannot be applied to the technology of carrying the seat through the back door.

[0011] The work transporting and assembling device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a work transport line arranged above a vehicle transport line with a work assembly robot provided to the side of the transport line, in which the work transport line transports the work with the work placed on a pallet and is provided with a pallet stopping means, and the work assembly robot has a slider mounted on a support pillar erected on the floor that can be raised and lowered, and is provided with a work gripping means that receives the work from the stopped pallet on the slider and inserts it into the vehicle.

[0012] However, this device has two work assembly robots installed on the left and right sides of the vehicle transport line, and each of them grips a work placed on a pallet on the work transport line installed above the vehicle transport line, and lowers it to carry it into the vehicle. This work transport and assembly device occupies the left and right spaces of the vehicle transport line, resulting in poor space efficiency. In addition, since it occupies the left and right spaces, it is not possible to ensure a working space, and two work assembly robots are required, resulting in high costs. In addition, since this technology is a technology for carrying in a seat from the side of a vehicle, there is a problem that it cannot be applied to a technology for carrying in a seat from a back door as it is.

[0013] The present invention is a third-row seat that can be delivered through a narrow opening, in which a seat delivery robot (hereinafter referred to as "robot") grasps a third-row seat (hereinafter referred to as "seat") and delivers it through the opening of the vehicle's back door, by measuring the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined point in the vehicle's width direction on the vehicle's conveyor line, determining the difference between the measured value and the reference length, and passing this difference data to the robot, which corrects the reference length of the seat delivery position based on the received difference data, and delivering the seat through the opening of the vehicle's back door based on the corrected delivery position data. of mounted For vehicles that Seat mounting device (hereinafter referred to as "seat mounting device") and a vehicle seat mounting method (hereinafter referred to as the "seat mounting method") The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] According to the present invention For vehicles The seat mounting device moves the seat of the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line from a predetermined reference position (G). Rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side Measure the distance to a specified location Possible configuration death, The distance is measured, A vehicle position measuring device that outputs the measurement value (X); A difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and a reference length (D) from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the mounting surface of the rear bumper retainer is calculated, and the difference (ΔD) is output. A computing device; The above The difference (ΔD) determines the time for sheet loading. Correct the reference length (E), Based on the sheet input position (Ex) corrected by the difference (ΔD),The seat is carried into the vehicle through an opening of a back door of the vehicle; Inside the car A sheet carrying robot that places the sheet in a predetermined position; It has the following.

[0015] The vehicle position measuring device has a retractable rod body, The above From a given reference position (G) The above On the vehicle transport line The above Vehicle Rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side The rod body is extended and brought into contact with a predetermined location, From the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface Measure the length of extension of the rod body, The length of the stretch is It is configured to produce a measurement value (X).

[0016] In addition, the extendable rod body is The table frame is placed on the top of the measurement frame. On the guide rail, an air cylinder Facing a predetermined portion of the rear bumper retainer mounting surface The device is disposed on a slide plate that is inserted so as to be horizontally extendable and retractable. It is configured to be expandable and retractable on the slide plate.

[0017] Further, the vehicle position measuring device The above A laser sensor is mounted at a predetermined reference position (G), From the predetermined reference position (G) The above On the vehicle transport line The above Vehicle Rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side A laser beam is irradiated from the laser sensor to a predetermined location, and the laser beam is detected from the predetermined reference position (G) to the Rear bumper retainer mounting surface Prescribed of The device is configured to measure the distance to a location.

[0018] According to the present invention For vehicles The seat installation method is A vehicle position measuring device configured to be capable of measuring a distance from a predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface on a side of the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line measures the distance and outputs the measured value (X); The calculation device calculates a difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and a reference length (D) from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the mounting surface of the rear bumper retainer, and outputs the difference (ΔD). , The sheet carrying-in robot corrects the reference length (E) of the sheet carrying-in based on the difference (ΔD), Based on the seat carrying-in position (Ex) corrected by the difference (ΔD), the seat is carried into the vehicle through the opening of the back door of the vehicle and placed at a predetermined position inside the vehicle. It is something.

[0019] Also, The rear bumper retainer mounting surface of the side of the vehicle The designated location is The aboveRear bumper retainer Natori Mounting surface was formed in It is intended to be used as the peripheral surface of the drilled hole. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line is conveyed from a predetermined reference position (G). Rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side Measure the distance to a specified location Possible configuration death, The distance is measured, A vehicle position measuring device that outputs the measurement value (X); Calculate the difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and the reference length (D) from a specified reference position (G) to a specified point on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface, and output the result. A computing device and the The difference (ΔD) determines the time for sheet loading. Correct the reference length (E), Based on the corrected sheet entry position (Ex) The seat is brought into the vehicle through the opening of the back door. Inside the car and a robot for placing the robot in a predetermined position.

[0021] This eliminates the problem of variations in the distance between the robot's position and the width of the vehicle on the vehicle transport line, which can cause the seat or gripping part to interfere with the vehicle when the seat is brought in through the opening of the back door, resulting in scratches on the seat or interior, or even the robot stopping or being damaged.

[0022] In addition, the robot and the vehicle position measuring device are placed only on one side of the vehicle transport line, for example, on the left side as seen from the vehicle, and there are no placements on the other side, which solves the problem of occupying space on both sides of the vehicle transport line, which reduces space efficiency, and the problem of not being able to secure working space because both sides of the vehicle transport line are occupied.

[0023] Furthermore, since only one robot and one vehicle position measuring device are required, the problem of the costs involved in needing two workpiece assembly robots can be eliminated.

[0024] Furthermore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle position measuring device has a freely extendable rod body, such as a cylinder, and is configured to extend the rod body from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line and bring it into contact with the predetermined location on the vehicle, measure the length of extension of the rod body, and use this as a measurement of the distance between the predetermined reference position and the vehicle. Therefore, the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on the vehicle on the vehicle transport line can be measured reliably with a simple configuration.

[0025] Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, the extendable rod body is arranged on a slide plate that is inserted horizontally on a guide rail by an air cylinder so as to be extendable and scalable, and is configured to be extendable and scalable on the slide plate.

[0026] Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to reliably measure the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on the vehicle on the vehicle conveyor line. The telescopic rod is extended horizontally on the guide rail by an air cylinder, and the telescopic rod itself can be extended, so it extends in two stages. Therefore, the vehicle position measuring device can be installed at a position away from the vehicle to measure the distance, preventing interference with the vehicle or the turntable. It is also possible to secure a working space.

[0027] Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle position measuring device is configured to mount a laser sensor at a predetermined reference position, and to measure the distance from the predetermined reference position to the predetermined point on the vehicle on the vehicle transport line by irradiating laser light from the laser sensor from the predetermined reference position to the predetermined point on the vehicle.

[0028] This makes it possible to measure the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on the vehicle on the vehicle conveyor line without contact, and with high accuracy. In addition, since the profile of the predetermined location on the vehicle can be obtained, more accurate measurements can be made by image processing.

[0029] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, For vehicles The seat installation method is A vehicle position measuring device configured to be capable of measuring a distance from a predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface on a side of a vehicle on a vehicle conveying line measures the distance and outputs the measured value (X); The calculation device calculates the difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and the reference length (D) from a predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface, and outputs the difference. , The robot corrects the reference length (E) of the sheet feed based on the difference (ΔD), Based on the corrected seat loading position (Ex), the seat is brought into the vehicle through the opening of the back door and placed in the designated position inside the vehicle. It is something.

[0030] This eliminates the problem of the seat or gripping part interfering with the vehicle when the seat is brought in through the opening of the back door due to variations in the robot's position and the width of the vehicle on the vehicle transport line, which can lead to scratches on the seat or interior, or even the robot stopping or being damaged.

[0031] In addition, the robot and the vehicle position measuring device are placed only on one side of the vehicle transport line, for example, on the left side as seen from the vehicle, and there are no placements on the other side, which solves the problem of occupying space on both sides of the vehicle transport line, which reduces space efficiency, and the problem of not being able to secure working space because both sides of the vehicle transport line are occupied.

[0032] Furthermore, since only one robot and one vehicle position measuring device are required, the problem of the costs involved in needing two workpiece assembly robots can be eliminated.

[0033] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the predetermined location of the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line for measuring the distance of the vehicle is the rear bumper retainer on the left side of the vehicle. Natori The surface around the hole in the mounting surface is the rear bumper retainer. Natori The mounting surface is on a substantially concentric circle in plan view with respect to the position of the back door opening and the center of the vehicle in the front-rear direction (FR-RR) of the vehicle. Moreover, it is substantially flat with respect to a vertical plane. Therefore, even if there is variation in the angle with respect to the vehicle's transportation direction, the error of the correction value can be reduced by measuring the relevant point.

[0034] Therefore, the rear bumper retainer is NatoriBy measuring the distance to the periphery of the drilled hole on the mounting surface, the reference value of the seat loading position and the position of the opening of the back door can be accurately measured. Natori Since the mounting surface will ultimately be covered by the rear bumper, there will be no problem with the appearance of the product even if the distance is measured directly by abutting the rod body of the vehicle position measuring device. Therefore, the distance can be measured reliably by a simple method.

[0035] When measuring with a laser sensor, profile data can be obtained in addition to distance data. Moreover, since the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on the vehicle on the vehicle conveyor line can be measured without contact, reliably, and with high accuracy, there is no need to worry about damaging the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a seat assembly line using a seat mounting device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of the process of a seat assembly line using the seat mounting device according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle mounted on a turntable. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control system of the seat mounting device according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is an external view showing an example of a robot used in a sheet mounting device according to the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a side view of a sheet gripping device of a sheet mounting device according to the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a basic form of a first embodiment of a vehicle position measuring device using a seat mounting device according to the present invention; [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing the measurement principle when an air cylinder with a length measuring function is used in a vehicle position measuring device. FIG. [Figure 9]This is a view of a vehicle position measurement device using a vehicle mounted on a turntable and an air cylinder with a length measurement function, viewed from the FR direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a modified example of the first embodiment of the vehicle position measuring device using a seat mounting device according to the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a view of a second embodiment of a vehicle and a vehicle position measuring device mounted on a turntable, viewed in the FR direction. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a laser sensor used in a second embodiment of a vehicle position measuring device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] The present invention provides a seat mounting device that measures the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined location on a vehicle such as an automobile on a vehicle transport line, calculates differential data based on the measurement value, and passes the differential data to a robot, which corrects the reference value of the seat delivery position based on the received differential data, and delivers the seat into the vehicle from the corrected seat delivery position at the opening of the vehicle's back door.

[0038] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the drawings are schematic, and detailed descriptions are omitted. In addition, the layout of each part and the ratio of dimensions do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. In addition, the arrow FR shown appropriately in each figure indicates the front side of the vehicle, the arrow RR indicates the rear side of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, the arrow DW indicates the lower side of the vehicle, the arrow RH indicates the right side of the vehicle, and the arrow LH indicates the left side of the vehicle. In addition, when the directions of front / rear, up / down, and left / right are used in the following description unless otherwise specified, they refer to front / rear in the front / rear direction of the vehicle, up / down in the up / down direction of the vehicle, and left / right when facing the direction of travel of the vehicle. In the following description, the vehicle back door will be described as a flip-up type, but this is merely an example for the purpose of explanation and is not limited to the flip-up type.

[0039] <Outline of the seat assembly line> First, an overview of a seat assembly line 300 in an automobile manufacturing plant will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a plan view showing the seat assembly line 300 that uses a seat mounting device 100 according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the general operations of vehicle conveyor lines 311, 313, a turntable 312, a seat conveyor line 320, and the seat mounting device 100 that constitute the seat assembly line 300.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 1, vehicle conveying lines 311, 313 and a turntable 312 are arranged on the first floor of the seat assembling line 300. A vehicle 1 such as an automobile to which a seat 3 is to be assembled is placed on a dolly 314 and conveyed from the rear to the front on the vehicle conveying line 311 (step S01 in Fig. 2).

[0041] On the second floor of the seat assembly line 300, as shown in Fig. 1, a sheet conveying line 320 is installed in a vertical direction of the vehicle conveying line 311, that is, extending from the right hand side to the left hand side in this figure. On the sheet conveying line 320, the sheet 3 is placed on a pallet 324 and conveyed from the right hand side to the left hand side in this figure. The conveyed sheet 3 is positioned in front of the robot 30 as shown in Fig. 1. The sheet 3 is placed on the pallet 324 with its back facing the robot 30 (step S02).

[0042] The dolly 314 carrying the vehicle 1 that has been transported on the vehicle transport line 311 enters the turntable 312 and stops on the turntable 312 (step S03). Turntable 312 rotates 90 degrees clockwise in a plan view (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) while carrying dolly 314. FIG. 3 shows a side view of vehicle 1 in a stopped state after rotating 90 degrees. Therefore, vehicle 1 stops facing left as shown in the figure (step S04).

[0043] The robot 30 grips the sheet 3 conveyed on the sheet conveying line 320 from the rear surface of the sheet 3 by the sheet gripping device 40 suspended from the robot hand 32 (step S05).

[0044] 1, the vehicle position measuring device 10 is disposed at a position facing the turntable 312 on the left side of the robot 30. As shown in FIGS. 7, 9 to 11, the vehicle position measuring device 10 is equipped with an air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function or a laser sensor 20, which will be described later.

[0045] When the rotation of the turntable 312 stops, the vehicle position measuring device 10 measures the distance from a predetermined reference position G to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1 by the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function or the laser sensor 20 (described later) (step S06).

[0046] The measurement value X obtained by the measurement is sent to a programmable controller 50 (described later) as shown in FIG. 4, and a difference ΔD between a reference length D of the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1 is calculated by ΔD=XD (step S07).

[0047] The programmable controller 50 sends the calculated difference ΔD to the robot controller 39, which will be described later (step S08). The robot controller 39 receives the difference ΔD (step S09). Then, the preset reference length E of the conveyance of the sheet 3 is corrected by the difference ΔD, and the conveyance position Ex of the sheet 3 is set to be Ex=E+ΔD (step S10).

[0048] The robot controller 39 drives the robot 30. Specifically, the robot 30 rotates the robot arm 31 gripping the seat 3 in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by an arrow B in Fig. 1, and carries the gripped seat 3 into the corrected carrying-in position Ex of the back door 4 of the vehicle 1 as indicated by an arrow C in Fig. 1 (step S11). Then, the seat 3 is placed in a predetermined position inside the vehicle (step S12). When the loading is completed, the robot 30 retreats from the vehicle 1 (step S13).

[0049] The seat 3 is placed in a predetermined seating position inside the vehicle and then installed (step S14). When the attachment is completed, the dolly 314 on which the vehicle 1 is placed is removed from the turntable 312 and travels on the vehicle transfer line 313 to be transferred to the next process (step S15).

[0050] In this manner, the seat 3 is attached to the vehicle 1 and the vehicle 1 is transported out of the seat assembly line 300. After the vehicle 1 has been transported out of the turntable 312, the process returns to step S01, where the distance to the next vehicle 1 is measured and the seat 3 is carried in and placed. The above is an overview of the seat assembling line 300. Each component of the seat mounting device 100 according to the present invention will now be described in more detail. <Seat mounting device control system and control device>

[0051] First, a control system of the seat mounting device 100 according to the present invention will be described. The arithmetic and control device that controls the measurement and control of the seat mounting device 100 according to the present invention is a programmable logic controller (hereinafter referred to as "PLC") 50. The PLC 50 performs monitoring and control of the robot 30 that carries the seat 3 into the vehicle 1, measurement and control of the distance by the vehicle position measurement device 10, collection of measurement data, and arithmetic and control processing for correcting the carry-in position of the seat 3.

[0052] The PLC 50 is a general-purpose control device that controls various machines and devices, and is called a "programmable controller" because it is configured so that users can create control programs to realize the operation control. The configuration of the PLC 50 varies depending on the manufacturer and the model.

[0053] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, a PLC 50 is described as an example, which has a basic configuration in which a power supply unit 50a and a CPU unit 50c are mounted on a base unit 50b, which serves as a base formed in a substantially horizontally elongated flat plate shape, and is also configured to be capable of mounting an input / output unit 50e for inputting and outputting external signals such as digital signals, contact signals, or analog signals depending on the application. The PLC 50 is housed in a control panel (not shown), and is attached and wired at a predetermined position.

[0054] The PLC 50 is an arithmetic and control device that controls the entire seat mounting device 100 of the present invention, and has a PLC network 51, which is a dedicated network for inputting and outputting contact signals, analog signals, sensor signals, etc., and for sending and receiving signals and data for monitoring and controlling various devices.

[0055] 4, the PLC network 51 is connected to the robot controller 39 and the sensor controller 55 from a PLC network interface unit 50d mounted on the base unit 50b. This allows the CPU unit 50c to transmit and receive signals to and from the robot controller 39 and the sensor controller 55 via the PLC network interface unit 50d and the PLC network 51.

[0056] Specifically, the PLC network 51 transmits and receives signals instructing the robot 30 to execute a control program and monitor signals for monitoring the operating status of the robot 30. In a second embodiment described later, the PLC network 51 also transmits and receives signals instructing the laser sensor 20 disposed in the vehicle position measuring device 10 to measure distance and collect data on the measured value X (see the area within the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4). In this way, the laser sensor 20 disposed in the vehicle position measuring device 10 is controlled via the PLC network 51, and calculation processing based on the distance measurement and the measured value X data and monitoring and control of the robot 30 are performed.

[0057] Incidentally, when the counter 16 can be connected to the PLC network 51, distance measurement instructions and collection of data of the measured value X by controlling the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function arranged in the vehicle position measuring device 10 of the first embodiment described later are performed via the PLC network 51. When the counter 16 cannot be connected to the PLC network 51, these are performed by the RS-232C and input / output unit 50e provided in the CPU unit 50c. The first embodiment describes the latter case (see FIG. 4).

[0058] 4, the PLC 50 is connected to an Ethernet 52, and can perform calculation processing and data storage by transferring data to and from a personal computer 53 connected thereto, as well as statistical processing of quality information and production information. The personal computer 53 can also be used to perform settings and monitoring. The PLC 50 can be used not only to control the entire seat mounting device 100 but also to control the vehicle transport lines 311 and 313, the turntable 312, and the seat transport line 320.

[0059] The base unit 50b is a base unit formed in a substantially horizontally elongated flat plate shape, for example, the outer periphery is formed by processing an iron plate, and the inner surface is made to allow units such as the CPU unit 50c to be mounted thereon, and houses a printed circuit board (not shown) on which various signal lines (called "buses") for electrically connecting to the CPU unit 50c to form a circuit and connection connectors for connecting to the various signal lines are mounted at predetermined intervals. Therefore, a control device according to the purpose can be configured by mounting various communication units such as the various input / output units 50e, the PLC network interface unit 50d, and device-compatible control units on the connection connectors on a unit-by-unit basis.

[0060] The CPU unit 50c is a unit that serves as the brain of the PLC 50. The CPU unit 50c is composed of, for example, (1) a CPU (Central Processing Unit), (2) a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program, a battery-backed RAM (Random Access Memory) and / or a flash memory, and other non-volatile memory, (3) a battery-backed RAM or a flash memory that stores data, and other non-volatile memory, (4) an input / output port that inputs and outputs external signals, such as digital signals, contact signals, or analog signals, to the CPU, and (5) a communication interface, such as an RS-232C or an Ethernet interface, for connecting to external devices, and the like, and these circuits are mounted on a printed circuit board and housed in a substantially rectangular case.

[0061] PLC50 control programs generally use ladder logic, but they can also be created using sequential function charts, SFC language, etc. In addition, manufacturers provide engineering software that runs on personal computers to provide comprehensive support for the design and creation of control programs and maintenance work.

[0062] The power supply unit 50a is a unit that supplies DC power to each unit, such as a CPU unit 50c mounted on a base unit 50b, and sensors, and generates a voltage of, for example, DC 24V from a commercial power source and supplies it to each unit.

[0063] The input / output unit 50e is an interface for inputting and outputting external signals such as digital signals, contact signals, or analog signals. For example, the input / output unit 50e detects signals such as a start signal of the vehicle 1 entering the turntable 312, a loading completion signal, a signal during rotation of the turntable 312, a signal at the end of rotation of the turntable 312, a signal that the vehicle 1 is on the turntable 312, and a signal at which the vehicle 1 has completed carrying out the sheet from the turntable 312, using various limit switches, infrared sensors, and the like, and inputs the signals. The input / output unit 50e also outputs signals for controlling the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function, the drive unit 45 of the sheet gripping device 40, and the like. The measurement control system of the sheet mounting device 100 according to the present invention is generally configured as described above.

[0064] <Sheet gripping control by robot> The robot 30 is a six-axis articulated robot as shown in Fig. 5. A sheet gripping device 40 is attached to a robot hand 32 at the tip of a robot arm 31.

[0065] The sheet gripping device 40 is a dedicated device for gripping the sheet 3 by the robot 30. As shown in Fig. 6, the sheet gripping device 40 is suspended from the robot hand 32 by a frame 41 forming a body of the device. A fork 42 is extended forward from the frame 41.

[0066] The forks 42 are support devices that remove the sheet 3 placed on the pallet 324 on the sheet conveying line 320 and support the removed sheet 3 from below. That is, the forks 42 are inserted into the gap below the sheet 3 placed on the pallet 324 and lifted up, thereby removing the sheet 3 from the pallet 324.

[0067] The sheet gripper 43 and the sheet presser 46 extend forward from the upper part of the frame 41 and are supported by a rotating shaft 44 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The sheet gripper 43 and the sheet presser 46 are jigs for gripping and fixing the sheet 3. That is, when removing the sheet 3 from the pallet 324, the sheet gripper 43 and the sheet presser 46 are raised and opened, and the fork 42 is inserted into the gap between the sheet 3 and the pallet 324 below. As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet 3 is placed on the pallet 324 with its back facing the robot 30. For this reason, the sheet gripper 40 inserts the fork 42 from the back of the sheet 3.

[0068] When the insertion of the fork 42 is completed, the sheet gripper 43 and the sheet holder 46 are lowered to the closed state, whereby the sheet gripper 43 and the sheet holder 46 grip the sheet 3 from the back side. In this state, the robot 30 lifts the sheet 3, and removes it from the sheet conveying line 320 by horizontally rotating the robot arm 31 counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow B in FIG.

[0069] A drive unit 45 is disposed on the rear surface of the frame 41. The drive unit 45 is equipped with an actuator and the like that drives the sheet gripper 43 to open and close.

[0070] The robot 30 rotates the robot arm 31 horizontally in a counterclockwise direction in a plan view as shown by the arrow C in Fig. 1, and carries the seat 3 taken out from the sheet conveying line 320 into the vehicle 1 through the opening 5 of the back door 4, and places the seat 3 at a predetermined position inside the vehicle. After placing the seat 3, the robot 30 opens the sheet gripper 43 and the sheet presser 46, and moves the sheet gripping device 40 backward in the RR direction to release the seat 3. After releasing the seat 3, the robot 30 moves the sheet gripping device 40 completely out of the opening 5 of the vehicle 1, and then rotates the robot arm 31 horizontally in a clockwise direction in a plan view, i.e., in the opposite direction to the arrow C, to retreat from the vehicle 1. In this manner, the robot 30 grasps, carries in, and places the sheet 3 at a predetermined position.

[0071] <Configuration and operation of vehicle position measuring device> The vehicle position measuring device 10 is a measuring device that measures the distance from a reference position to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1. The distance can be measured using an air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function or a laser sensor 20.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 7, the vehicle position measuring device 10 is composed of a measurement frame 11 having a substantially rectangular shape. That is, the lower ends of vertical frames 11a erected at the four corners are connected and fixed to a horizontally arranged base frame 11b, the middle is connected and fixed to two upper and lower intermediate frames 11c, 11c, and the upper end is connected and fixed to a substantially flat table frame 11d having a substantially rectangular shape extending to the right of the substantially rectangular shape. The table frame 11d is connected and fixed to the vertical frame 11a by a support frame 11f and supported. The measurement frame 11 can be composed of an aluminum frame, an L-shaped channel material, or the like. The lower end of the vertical frame 11a is connected and fixed to a fixing frame 11e formed in a substantially L-channel shape, so that it can be installed and fixed at a predetermined location.

[0073] The table frame 11d is a base on which the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function or the laser sensor 20 is mounted on its substantially flat upper end surface. The air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function or the laser sensor 20 is a measurement sensor that measures the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1 that has been transported to an opposing position. Hereinafter, distance measurement using an air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function will be described as a first embodiment of the vehicle position measuring device 10. Also, distance measurement using a laser sensor 20 will be described as a second embodiment.

[0074] <First embodiment: Vehicle position measuring device using an air cylinder with a length measuring function> [Basic form of the first embodiment] A vehicle position measuring device using an air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function as the basic form of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in the side view of FIG. 8(a) and the internal structure explanatory diagram of FIG. 8(b), the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function has a cylinder section 13 and a piston rod 14 housed in a substantially rectangular tubular body. Two magnetic sensors 15a, 15a are disposed near the piston rod 14, shifted from each other by a predetermined distance. The magnetic sensors 15a, 15a are connected to an amplifier circuit section 15b. The two magnetic sensors 15a, 15a and the amplifier circuit section 15b constitute a sensor unit 15.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 8(c), the piston rod 14 has magnetic parts 14a and non-magnetic parts 14b formed alternately at a fine, constant pitch on its surface. When the piston rod 14 expands and contracts in the left-right direction of the figure, the magnetic sensors 15a, 15a alternately pass the magnetic parts 14a and non-magnetic parts 14b formed on the surface of the piston rod 14. As a result, the magnetic sensors 15a, 15a detect the change in magnetism and output sinusoidal signals, as shown in Fig. 8(d). In this case, the two magnetic sensors 15a, 15a are disposed at a predetermined interval, and output waveforms with a phase difference of 90 degrees.

[0076] The amplifier circuit section 15b amplifies the signals from the magnetic sensors 15a and shapes the waveforms. As a result, the amplifier circuit section 15b outputs A-phase and B-phase pulse signals that are 90 degrees out of phase with each other, as shown in Fig. 8(e). The A-phase and B-phase pulse signals from the amplifier circuit section 15b are input to a counter 16, as shown in Fig. 8(c). The counter 16 counts the A-phase and B-phase pulse signals.

[0077] The counter 16 counts up when pulse signals are input in the phase sequence A and B (positive phase sequence). On the other hand, it counts down when pulse signals are input in the phase sequence B and A (negative phase sequence). In this way, by counting up or down the pulse signals in the positive and negative phase sequences, it is possible to measure the moving distance associated with the advancement and retreat of the piston rod 14, i.e., the length. The weight of one pulse is determined by the pitch interval between the magnetic portion 14a and the non-magnetic portion 14b. Therefore, the finer the pitch interval between the magnetic portion 14a and the non-magnetic portion 14b, the higher the resolution can be.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 8(c), the piston rod 14 moves forward and backward to the left and right as indicated by the black arrows in the figure. For this reason, if only one magnetic sensor 15a is used, a pulse signal is output when the piston rod 14 moves forward, but also when the piston rod 14 moves backward. Therefore, a configuration that simply counts the signal generated by one magnetic sensor 15a cannot distinguish between forward and backward movement.

[0079] Therefore, at least two magnetic sensors 15a, 15a are required to detect the phase sequence. This is why the sensor unit 15 is provided with two magnetic sensors 15a, 15a, and is configured to generate pulse signals with a phase difference of 90 degrees. In other words, the phase sequence can be detected based on the order in which the A-phase and B-phase pulse signals arrive. This makes it possible to identify whether the piston rod 14 is moving forward or backward, and by performing an increment count for positive phase pulses and a decrement count for negative phase pulses based on the A-phase and B-phase, the travel distance of the piston rod 14 can be accurately measured.

[0080] 9 is a view of the vehicle 1 mounted on the turntable 312, seen from the rear side in the FR direction. The back door 4 of the vehicle 1 is in an open state, and the opening 5 is in a state in which the seat 3 can be carried in. A vehicle position measuring device 10 is disposed on the left side surface of the vehicle 1. An air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function is disposed on the table frame 11d of the vehicle position measuring device 10.

[0081] In measuring the distance from a predetermined reference position to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1, the predetermined reference position may be defined as an arbitrary position. In this description, the position of the tip of the piston rod 14 when the air cylinder 12 with length measuring function is at the origin is defined as the reference position G.

[0082] The reference position is G, and the predetermined location of the vehicle 1 is the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a of the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 of the vehicle 1 (see FIG. 3). Here, the rear bumper retainer is a part for mounting the rear bumper. For this reason, the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 is provided with a plurality of drilled holes 6a for fixing the rear bumper retainer. The circumferential surface of the drilled holes 6a is raised to a predetermined height and is flat. The rear bumper retainer (not shown) is a generally elongated plate-like resin part, the shape of which varies depending on the vehicle model, and is fixed to the drilled hole 6a of the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 by snap fitting (not shown) or the like. Then, the rear bumper (not shown) is mounted on the rear bumper retainer.

[0083] Next, the principle of distance measurement will be described. The reference length from the reference position G to the center position of the opening 5 of the vehicle 1 mounted on the turntable 312 is defined as E. Also, the reference length from the reference position G to a predetermined location on the vehicle 1 (the periphery of the drilled hole 6a of the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6) is defined as D. It is assumed that which of the multiple drilled holes 6a is to be the predetermined location is specified in advance. Here, the reference length refers to a theoretical dimension that does not take into account dimensional tolerances or variations in manufacturing and transportation.

[0084] The vehicle 1 mounted on the turntable 312 turns 90 degrees and stops at a position facing the vehicle position measuring device 10, as shown in FIG. 9. At this time, the vehicle position measuring device 10 advances (i.e., extends) the piston rod 14 of the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function. The piston rod 14 continues to extend and comes into contact with the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6. The extended length of the piston rod 14 at this time is the distance from the reference position G to a predetermined point on the vehicle 1. In other words, the extended length is the measurement value X. Here, if the difference between the reference length D and the measurement value X is ΔD, the difference ΔD can be expressed as XD.

[0085] In other words, the position of the vehicle 1 on the turntable 312 in the vehicle width direction (HL-HR direction) is shifted by an amount equal to the difference ΔD between the reference length D and the measurement value X. Factors that cause such a difference ΔD include, for example, a shift due to the position of the reference pin 315 on the bogie 314 and variations in the rotation of the turntable 312. On the other hand, since the variations in the dimensions of the vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction due to manufacturing are not large, this is not the main factor.

[0086] The air cylinder with length measuring function 12 is connected to the counter 16 by a dedicated cable as shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 8(b), and FIG. 8(c). Therefore, the amount of extension of the piston rod 14 of the air cylinder with length measuring function 12 is converted into a pulse signal and counted by the counter 16. The data of the measurement value X of the distance from the reference position G to the peripheral surface of the drilled hole 6a of the mounting surface 6 of the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1 measured in this manner is the count value of the counter 16. The CPU unit 50c is connected to the counter 16 by RS-232C as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the CPU unit 50c can obtain the data of the measurement value X by the air cylinder with length measuring function 12 by reading the count value of the counter 16 through communication by RS-232C. Note that the counter 16 is reset before counting.

[0087] The CPU unit 50c of the PLC 50 calculates the difference ΔD using the above formula and passes the data of the difference ΔD to the robot controller 39 via the PLC network interface unit 50d and the PLC network 51.

[0088] The robot controller 39, which has received the data of the difference ΔD, needs to correct the delivery position in the vehicle width direction where the robot 30 delivers the sheet 3 by the difference ΔD with respect to the reference length E. In other words, if the delivery position of the sheet 3 after the correction is set as Ex, the delivery position Ex is expressed as Ex=E+ΔD=E+(X- D )

[0089] The robot controller 39 corrects the reference length E for carrying in the sheet 3 to the carrying-in position Ex. As a result, the robot controller 39 outputs a drive signal to the robot 30 connected thereto. The robot 30 operates based on the drive signal, carries in the sheet 3 from the carrying-in position Ex in the opening 5, and places it in a predetermined position inside the vehicle. When the placement is completed, the robot 30 retreats from the vehicle 1.

[0090] In this manner, the vehicle position measuring device 10 extends (advances) the piston rod 14 to measure the length between the reference position G and the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 of the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1. This allows the CPU unit 50c to obtain the difference ΔD between the reference length E, which serves as a correction value for the robot 30 to carry in the seat 3, and the measured value X. The robot controller 39 corrects the reference length E for carrying in the seat 3 to the carry-in position Ex, and the robot 30 carries in the seat 3 from the carry-in position Ex corrected by the difference ΔD. As a result, an effect is achieved in that the seat 3 can avoid interference with the opening 5 of the back door 4.

[0091] [Modification of the first embodiment] As a modification of the first embodiment, a vehicle position measuring device 10 using an air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function and an air cylinder 18 will be described. In the modification of the first embodiment, the configuration of the measurement frame 11 of the vehicle position measuring device 10 is the same as that of the basic type of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7, except that the mounted object on the table frame 11d is different, as shown in FIG. 10, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0092] A plurality of holding frames 11h are provided upright on the table frame 11d, and a cylinder plate 11g is provided on the holding frames 11h. An air cylinder 18 is provided on the cylinder plate 11g along the longitudinal direction.

[0093] The air cylinder 18 is an actuator in which a piston rod 18a extends and retracts due to air pressure. A guide rail 19 is disposed on the cylinder plate 11g in the longitudinal direction. A slide plate 19a is inserted into the guide rail 19 so as to be capable of linear motion in the horizontal direction. The air cylinder 12 with length measuring function described in Figs. 7 and 8 is disposed at the tip of the slide plate 19a. The piston rod 18a of the air cylinder 18 is connected to the slide plate 19a.

[0094] Therefore, when the air cylinder 18 is driven and the piston rod 18a extends, the slide plate 19a connected thereto also extends. Therefore, the length measuring cylinder 12 arranged on the slide plate 19a also extends accordingly. Then, when the piston rod 18a is fully extended, the length measuring cylinder 12 operates, and the piston rod 14 extends and abuts against the peripheral surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 of the rear bumper retainer.

[0095] At this time, the sum of the extended lengths of the piston rod 18a and the piston rod 14 is the distance from the reference position G to the predetermined point on the vehicle 1. In other words, the total extended length of both piston rods 18a, 14 is the measurement value X. The total extended length of the piston rod 18a is known. When the measurement is completed, the piston rod 18a and the piston rod 14 are contracted to return to their original states.

[0096] As described above, since the piston rods 18a, 14 can be operated in two stages, the vehicle position measuring device 10 can be installed at a position away from the vehicle 1 to obtain the distance measurement value X, and interference with the vehicle 1 and the turntable 312 can be prevented. In addition, a working space can be secured. Since the rest of the above is the same as the basic form of the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted. Note that, although an example of two-stage operation has been described in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to two-stage operation, and the present invention may be configured to operate in two or more stages.

[0097] <Second embodiment: Vehicle position measuring device using laser sensor> Next, a vehicle position measuring device using a laser sensor 20 will be described as a second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 11, the vehicle position measuring device 10 has a laser sensor 20 for measuring distance attached via a laser sensor support plate 17 on a table frame 11d arranged on the top surface of the device, instead of the length measuring cylinder 12.

[0098] The laser sensor 20 measures the distance from a reference position G to the periphery of a drilled hole 6a in a rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 of the vehicle 1. Methods by which the laser sensor 20 measures distance are broadly classified into (1) a phase difference detection method, (2) a TOF (Time of Flight) method, and (3) a triangulation method. (1) The phase difference detection method involves shining laser light that has been amplitude-modulated at a fundamental frequency onto an object, measuring the phase difference between the light reflected from the object and the light, thereby determining the time t from irradiation to return, and then multiplying that time t by the speed of light, etc., to determine the distance to the object. (2) The TOF method is a method in which an ultrashort pulse with a rise time of several ns and an optical peak power of several tens of W is directed toward an object, and the time t taken for the ultrashort pulse to reflect off the object and return to the photodetector is measured. The distance to the object is calculated by multiplying this time t by the speed of light, etc. (3) Triangulation is a method of measuring distance and displacement using triangulation. It has the characteristic of being able to measure with high accuracy. The laser sensor 20 used in the vehicle position measuring device 10 according to the present invention is not limited to any of the above laser sensor measuring methods.

[0099] Here, an example of the laser sensor 20 used in the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. In this figure, inside a case 20a of the laser sensor 20, electronic components such as a control circuit 21 and a semiconductor laser 23 are mounted on a printed circuit board 22. Then, the semiconductor laser 23 irradiates laser light 210 in response to a signal from the control circuit 21. The laser light 210 passes through a light-emitting lens 24, forms a light beam forming a two-dimensional plane, and is irradiated onto a workpiece 25 (specifically, the peripheral surface of the drilled hole 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6).

[0100] The light beam of the laser light 210 irradiated to the workpiece 25 is reflected by the workpiece 25 and returns to the laser sensor 20 as laser light 211. The returned laser light 211 is received by the CMOS sensor 27 via the light receiving lens 26. The CMOS sensor 27 can obtain a profile 28 of the workpiece 25 by receiving the laser light 211. The laser sensor 20 is connected to the sensor controller 55 by a cable 29, receives a control signal, and outputs data of the measurement value X.

[0101] Therefore, by using a laser sensor 20 having such characteristics, it is possible to measure the distance in a certain section in the vertical or horizontal direction at a predetermined location. It is also possible to obtain a profile 28 of the workpiece 25 for the predetermined section. Therefore, by using the measurement data for the predetermined location obtained in this manner, it is possible to perform non-contact distance measurement of a predetermined location of an object with an undefined shape, and based on that, it is possible to obtain length data of the measurement target, etc.

[0102] In this embodiment, the workpiece 25 is the peripheral surface of the drilled holes 6a of the above-mentioned rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 11, the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 has a plurality of drilled holes 6a formed on the rear side surface of the vehicle 1, and the peripheral surface is raised and flat. The lower portion is disposed at an angle with its lower end protruding forward (FR). Therefore, by adjusting the direction of the laser sensor 20 to match the inclination of the arrangement of the drilled holes 6a by adjusting the laser sensor support plate 17, a profile 28 of the peripheral surface of the drilled holes 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 can be obtained.

[0103] Specifically, the laser sensor 20 irradiates the peripheral surface of the drilled holes 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6 with laser light 210 to measure the distance. That is, as shown in Fig. 12, the laser sensor 20 irradiates the laser light 210, which is a light beam forming a two-dimensional plane, along the arrangement of the drilled holes 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6. The location where the laser light 210 is irradiated is shown by a dashed line in Fig. 12. Note that the drilled holes 6a in this figure are viewed from inside the vehicle toward the outside of the vehicle (LH direction).

[0104] Since a plurality of drill holes 6a are formed in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6, the drill hole 6a to be measured is identified from among them. Then, the distance is measured around the identified drill hole 6a, and data of the profile 28 is obtained. In this case, it is possible to check with the profile 28 so as not to measure the distance to the back of the drill hole 6a. Note that, among the drill holes 6a present in a plurality of locations, the drill hole 6a to be measured is identified in the same manner as in the case of measuring using the air cylinder 12 with a length measuring function in the first embodiment.

[0105] The PLC 50 can obtain the distance from the reference position G to the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a of the mounting surface 6 of the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1 as a measurement value X based on the data of the profile 28.

[0106] In this manner, the vehicle position measuring device 10 can obtain, in a non-contact manner, the measurement value X, which is the distance from the reference position G to the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 for the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1, by the laser sensor 20. In addition, by obtaining data on the profile 28 of the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 for the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1, the distance from the reference position G to the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 for the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1 can be calculated. As a result, the CPU unit 50c calculates a difference ΔD=X- D The value of can be calculated.

[0107] Next, a specific description will be given of a case where measurement and calculation are performed by the laser sensor 20 arranged in the vehicle position measuring device 10. The sensor controller 55 is a controller that controls the laser sensor 20, and is connected to the laser sensor 20 via a cable 29. The sensor controller 55 is connected to the PLC network 51 and exchanges measurement data with the CPU unit 50c. Like the CPU unit 50c, the sensor controller 55 is composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, flash memory, and input / output ports for inputting and outputting external signals (not shown).

[0108] As shown in Fig. 4, the sensor controller 55 outputs a control signal for measurement to the laser sensor 20. The laser sensor 20 irradiates a predetermined location on the sheet 3 with a laser beam 210 in response to a control signal from the sensor controller 55. The reflected laser beam 211 is received by a CMOS sensor 27 built in the laser sensor 20, converted into an electric signal, and transmitted to the sensor controller 55. The sensor controller 55 measures the distance based on the signal from the irradiated laser sensor 20, and obtains data on the measurement value X and profile 28 of the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6. The sensor controller 55 stores the measurement value X, the data on the profile 28, and the like in a built-in RAM (not shown) or the like.

[0109] The CPU unit 50c reads the measurement value X or the data of the profile 28 measured by the sensor controller 55 via the PLC network 51, and calculates the difference ΔD as described above based on the measurement value X or the data of the profile 28. That is, if the difference between the reference length D and the measurement value X is the difference ΔD, then the calculation ΔD=XD is performed.

[0110] The CPU unit 50c passes the calculated difference ΔD data to the robot controller 39 via the PLC network interface unit 50d and the PLC network 51 mounted on the base unit 50b.

[0111] The robot controller 39, which has received the data of the difference ΔD, can correct the delivery position in the vehicle width direction where the robot 30 delivers the sheet 3 by the difference ΔD with respect to the reference length E, similarly to the first embodiment. In other words, if the delivery position of the sheet 3 after the correction is set as Ex, the delivery position Ex is expressed as Ex=E+ΔD=E+(X- D )

[0112] The robot controller 39 corrects the reference length E for carrying in the sheet 3 to the carrying-in position Ex. As a result, the robot controller 39 outputs a drive signal to the robot 30 connected thereto. The robot 30 operates based on the drive signal, carries in the sheet 3 from the carrying-in position Ex in the opening 5, and places it in a predetermined position inside the vehicle. When the placement is completed, the robot 30 retreats from the vehicle 1.

[0113] In this manner, the vehicle position measuring device 10 measures the length from the reference position G to the circumferential surface of the drilled hole 6a in the mounting surface 6 of the rear bumper retainer of the vehicle 1 by the laser sensor 20 emitting the laser beams 210 and 211. This allows the CPU unit 50c to obtain the difference ΔD between the reference length E, which is a correction value for the robot 30 to carry in the seat 3, and the measurement value X. The robot controller 39 corrects the reference length E for carrying in the seat 3 to the carry-in position Ex, and the robot 30 carries in the seat 3 from the carry-in position Ex corrected by the difference ΔD. As a result, an effect is achieved in that the seat 3 can avoid interference with the opening 5 of the back door 4.

[0114] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes configurations in which the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiment are substituted with each other or the combination is changed, publicly known inventions, and configurations in which the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiment are substituted with each other or the combination is changed, etc. In addition, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but extends to the matters described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 1 vehicle 3 Sheets 4. Backdoor 5 Opening 6 Rear bumper retainer mounting surface 6a Drilling hole 10 Vehicle position measuring device 11 Measurement Frame 11a Vertical Frame 11b Base frame 11c intermediate frame 11d Table frame 11e Fixed Frame 11f Support frame 11g Cylinder plate 11h Holding Frame 12 Air cylinder with length measuring function 13 Cylinder section 14 Piston rod 14a Magnetic part 14b Non-magnetic part 15 Sensor unit 15a Magnetic sensor 15b Amplification circuit section 16 Counters 17 Laser sensor support plate 18 Air Cylinder 18a Piston rod 19 Guide rail 19a Slide plate 20 Laser Sensor 21 Control circuit 22 Printed Circuit Board 23 Semiconductor Laser 24 Luminous Lens 25 Work 26 Receiving lens 27 CMOS sensor 28 Profile 29 Cable 30. Robot 31 Robot Arm 32 Robot Hand 39 Robot Controller 40 Sheet gripping device 41 Frame 42 Fork 43 Sheet gripper 44 Rotational Axis 45 Drive unit 46 Sheet holder 50 PLC 50a power supply unit 50b Base Unit 50c CPU unit 50d PLC Network Interface Unit 50e I / O unit 51 PLC Network 52 Ethernet 53 Personal Computers 55 Sensor Controller 100 Sheet Loading Device 210, 211 Laser light 300 seat assembly line 311, 313 Vehicle transport line 312 Turntable 314 Trolley 315 Reference pin 320 Sheet conveying line 324 palette G Reference position D, E standard length Ex loading position ΔD difference X Measurement

Claims

1. a vehicle position measuring device configured to be capable of measuring a distance from a predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface of a side of the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line, measuring the distance and outputting the measured value (X); a calculation device that calculates a difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and a reference length (D) from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the mounting surface of the rear bumper retainer, and outputs the difference (ΔD); The reference length (E) of the sheet conveyance is corrected based on the difference (ΔD), a seat carrying-in robot that carries the seat into the vehicle through an opening of a back door of the vehicle based on the seat carrying-in position (Ex) corrected by the difference (ΔD) and places the seat at a predetermined position inside the vehicle; A vehicle seat mounting device comprising:

2. the vehicle position measuring device has a freely extendable rod body, and extends the rod body from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined location on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface of a side surface of the vehicle on the vehicle conveying line, 2. The vehicle seat mounting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of extension of the rod body from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface is measured, and the length of extension is defined as the measured value (X).

3. The telescopic rod body is disposed on a slide plate that is inserted by an air cylinder on a guide rail placed on a table frame on the upper surface of the measurement frame so as to be telescopic in the horizontal direction and opposed to a predetermined position on the mounting surface of the rear bumper retainer, 3. The vehicle seat mounting device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle seat mounting device is configured to be extendable and retractable on the slide plate.

4. The vehicle position measuring device is provided with a laser sensor at the predetermined reference position (G); 2. The vehicle seat mounting device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the laser sensor is configured to irradiate laser light from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined location on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side of the vehicle on the vehicle transport line, thereby measuring the distance from the predetermined reference position (G) to the predetermined location on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface.

5. A vehicle position measuring device configured to be capable of measuring a distance from a predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on a rear bumper retainer mounting surface on a side of the vehicle on a vehicle conveying line, measures the distance and outputs the measurement value (X), the calculation device calculates a difference (ΔD) between the measurement value (X) and a reference length (D) from the predetermined reference position (G) to a predetermined point on the mounting surface of the rear bumper retainer, and outputs the difference (ΔD); The sheet carrying-in robot corrects the reference length (E) of the sheet carrying-in based on the difference (ΔD), Based on the seat carrying-in position (Ex) corrected by the difference (ΔD), the seat is carried into the vehicle through an opening of a back door of the vehicle, and placed at a predetermined position inside the vehicle. A method for mounting a seat in a vehicle.

6. A method of mounting a vehicle seat as described in Claim 5, characterized in that the specified location on the rear bumper retainer mounting surface on the side of the vehicle is the circumferential surface of a drilled hole formed in the rear bumper retainer mounting surface.

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