Screw Aligner

Abstract

To provide a screw aligner capable of aligning screws simply by putting the screws into a container body in an inclined position, having a simple configuration that does not require any special equipment such as a vibration device, and suitable for single-pickup transport of screws using a robot hand or the like. [Solution] Between a container body 3 into which a plurality of screws 2 are inserted and a plurality of guide pillars 4 arranged parallel to the bottom of a frame that forms the outer shape of the container body 3, alignment grooves 5 are provided at predetermined intervals, with the curved surface that receives the screws 2 facing up, which are larger than the outer diameter of the screw shaft portion 2b but smaller than the outer diameter of the screw head 2a, and on the curved surfaces of the guide pillars 4 arranged on both longitudinal sides of the alignment grooves 5, protrusions 6 or cutouts 7 are arranged in a staggered pattern when the container body 3 is viewed in a plane.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a screw aligner that aligns a screw in an aligned position with the screw head facing up while moving the screw within a container body. [Background technology]

[0002] When using a robot hand to pick up and transport a single screw, it is necessary to use the robot hand to pick up and transport a large number of screws that are piled up in a container one by one. In this case, it is necessary to either recognize the posture of each screw using an image capture camera and hold the screw in a determined posture using the robot hand, or recognize the posture of the held screw using an image capture camera and control the operation of the robot hand so that the screw is seated with its head facing up.

[0003] In this case, if the robot hand is to grasp the individual screws by image recognition, the control program becomes complicated and the robot hand also requires complicated control operations. Therefore, after the screws grasped in random positions are put into a container, etc., it is desirable to encourage the screws to change their positions as they slide down the inclined surface and assume an aligned position with the screw heads facing up.

[0004] The following have been proposed as screw aligners for aligning a large number of screws placed in a container or the like. A through hole with a diameter larger than the head diameter of the screw is provided in the vertical direction of the plate material surrounded by the frame, and a pair of lid members that fit into the frame are provided to prevent the screw that fits into the through hole from falling out. There are two cases where the head of the screw is aligned with respect to the through hole of the plate material, either with the head facing upward or with the head facing downward (see Patent Document 1; JP 2019-172411 A).

[0005] Alternatively, a machine screw head aligner has been proposed in which a thick rectangular plate is drilled with a large number of holes, the diameter of which is larger than the thread diameter of the machine screw to be used and the depth of which is deeper than the length of the threaded portion of the machine screw, at predetermined equal intervals in the vertical and horizontal directions on the surface of the plate, and grooves, the width of which is the same as the diameter of the holes and the depth of which is approximately 1 / 2 the length of the threaded portion of the machine screw, are provided longitudinally on the surface on which the holes are drilled, and a conical countersunk groove is formed on the upper surface of the holes (see Patent Document 2; Utility Model Registration No. 3023650). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-172411 A [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3023650 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The screw aligner disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires that the screw aligner be shaken after the screws are scattered on the plate material in order to fit the screws into the through-holes of the plate material. Therefore, a vibration device is required in the manufacturing process. In addition, the screws may be aligned with their heads facing upward or downward with respect to the through-holes of the plate material. Therefore, when removing the screws from the plate material, it is necessary to turn the screw aligner upside down while one of the cover members is removed. Therefore, it is not suitable for an automated manufacturing process, except when the screw aligner is manually operated by an operator.

[0008] The screw aligner disclosed in Patent Document 2 requires that the machine screws be randomly placed on a thick rectangular plate and that the plate be subjected to an impact vibration in the longitudinal direction, which requires a vibration device in the manufacturing process. Also, as the screw on the surface of the plate moves finely with the threaded part facing down, the threaded part loosely fits into the groove, and then the tip of the screw enters the hole at the bottom of the groove, the head is positioned in the countersunk groove, and is loosely locked in a vertical position. However, since the countersunk groove is formed in the plate, it is necessary to process the plate in advance in order to align individual screws such as countersunk screws, round countersunk screws, and pan head screws. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its object is to provide a screw aligner that can align screws simply by inserting them into a container body that is in an inclined position, and that has a simple configuration that does not require any special equipment such as a vibration device, and is suitable for single-pickup transport of screws using a robot hand or the like.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a screw aligner having the following configuration. The screw aligner aligns screws, each of which has a screw shaft portion with a smaller diameter than the head portion, in an aligned position with the head portion facing up by moving the screws along an inclined surface in a container in an inclined position. The screw aligner comprises a container body that stores a plurality of screws in an aligned position with the head portion facing up, and a frame bottom that defines the outer shape of the container body. The curved surface that receives the screw is facing up. Between multiple parallel guide posts 、 The screw head has aligned grooves at predetermined intervals that are larger than the outer diameter of the screw shaft but smaller than the outer diameter of the screw head. The plurality of guide columns forming the alignment groove are arranged along a direction in which the screws flow downward within the container body in an inclined position, The guide posts arranged on both sides of the alignment groove have curved surfaces with protrusions or notches arranged in a staggered pattern when the container body is viewed from above.

[0011] When the screw aligner is used, when a screw is dropped into the container body in an inclined position, the screw flows down along the multiple guide columns provided at the bottom of the frame. At this time, if the screw shank is dropped into the container body in a position along the alignment groove, the screw shank enters the groove and the screw head is changed to an aligned position where it is engaged with the guide columns on both sides. Also, if the screw shank is dropped in a position that crosses the alignment groove, the screw shank interferes with one of the protrusions arranged in a staggered pattern on the curved surface of the guide column while the screw head remains in the alignment groove, and is changed to an aligned position where it is engaged with the guide columns on both sides, so that the screw shank enters the alignment groove and the screw head is changed to an aligned position where it is engaged with the guide columns on both sides. Alternatively, when the screw shank is dropped into the container body in a position that intersects with the alignment groove, as the screw flows down along the guide pillars, the screw head falls into a notch provided in the alignment groove and the position of the screw shank is changed to follow the alignment groove, and the screw shank enters the alignment groove, changing to an aligned position in which the screw head is engaged with the guide pillars on both sides. Therefore, regardless of the position in which the screw is dropped into the container body which is in an inclined position, as it flows down along the guide pillars provided at the bottom of the frame, the screw shank enters the alignment groove and faces downward, and the screw head remains engaged with the guide pillars on both sides and faces upward, changing to an aligned position, and the screw is stored in an aligned position along the alignment groove within the container body. Therefore, the screws can be aligned simply by inserting them into the container body which is in an inclined position, and a screw aligner suitable for single-pickup transport of screws using a robot hand or the like can be provided with a simple configuration which does not require special equipment such as a vibration device.

[0012] The protrusions protruding from the curved surfaces of the guide pillars on both sides of the alignment groove may be columnar protrusions provided on the curved surface of the guide pillar on the alignment groove side from the top of the curved surface, and the columnar protrusions may be arranged in a staggered pattern when the container body is viewed in a plan view, or may be abacus bead-shaped protrusions provided on the top of the curved surface of the guide pillar, and the abacus bead-shaped protrusions may be arranged in a staggered pattern when the container body is viewed in a plan view. Note that the term "abacus bead-shaped" refers to a protrusion shape formed by bonding the bases of a pair of cones together. As a result, when the screw shank is dropped into the container body in a position that intersects with the alignment groove, while the screw flows down along the parallel guide pillars, the screw shank interferes with the pillar-shaped protrusion or abacus bead-shaped protrusion while the screw head remains in the alignment groove, changing its position to follow the alignment groove. Therefore, the screw dropped into the container body is changed to an aligned position with the screw shank entering the alignment groove and the screw head facing up.

[0013] The cutouts provided on the curved surfaces of the guide posts on both sides of the alignment groove may be round grooves or wedge-shaped grooves, and the round grooves or wedge-shaped grooves may be staggered when the container body is viewed in a plane. As a result, when the screw shank is dropped into the container body in a position that intersects with the alignment groove, while the screw flows down along the parallel guide posts, for example in the case of a pan head screw or truss screw, the screw head falls into the round concave groove with the groove width of the alignment groove expanded, or in the case of a countersunk screw, the screw head is engaged with a wedge-shaped groove, which promotes the rotation of the screw shank around the screw head, causing the screw shank to change its position to follow the alignment groove. Thus, the screw dropped into the container body is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank enters the alignment groove and the screw head is on top.

[0014] The curved surfaces of the guide posts on both sides of the alignment groove may have protrusions and notches arranged alternately in a staggered pattern along the longitudinal direction of the guide posts when the container body is viewed in plan. As a result, when the screw shank is dropped into the container body in a position that intersects with the alignment groove, the screw head falls into a notch that widens the width of the alignment groove while the screw flows down along the parallel guide pillar, and the screw shank interferes with one of the protrusions while keeping the screw head in the notch, promoting rotation of the screw shank around the screw head, changing the position of the screw shank to follow the alignment groove. Therefore, the screw dropped into the container body is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank enters the alignment groove and the screw head is on top. Effect of the Invention

[0015] The screws can be aligned simply by inserting them into the container body which is in an inclined position, and a screw aligner suitable for single-pickup transport of screws using a robot hand or the like can be provided with a simple configuration which does not require special equipment such as a vibration device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a screw aligner according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a portion P of FIG. 2A. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are perspective explanatory views showing the flow of the screw and the behavior of the position change. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a frame-by-frame explanatory diagram showing an example of the flow and alignment of the screws along the guide posts. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a pattern of protrusions and notches formed on the guide pillar of FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a plan view and a front view of the container body of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a screw aligner according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] 8 is a plan view and a front view of the container body of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a screw aligner according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a plan view and a front view of the container body of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a screw aligner according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] 12 is a plan view and a front view of the container body of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a screw aligner according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 14] 14 is a plan view and a front view of the container body of FIG. [Figure 15] 15A and 15B are explanatory diagrams showing other forms of protrusions provided on the guide posts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] [First Example] The schematic configuration of a screw aligner according to a first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. As an example, the screw aligner uses a robot hand in a manufacturing plant or the like to pick up and transport individual screws, and then changes the position of the screws placed in a container body that is in an inclined position to an aligned position and stores them therein.

[0018] In Fig. 1, when a screw 2 having a screw shank 2b with a smaller diameter than the screw head 2a is inserted into a container body 3 in an inclined position, the screw aligner 1 moves the screw 2 along an inclined surface and stores the screw in an aligned position with the screw shank 2b on the bottom and the screw head 2a on the top. The inclination of the container body 3 may be realized by a tilting support base, or various embodiments may be adopted, such as providing support legs that support the bottom of the container body 3 and making one side in the longitudinal direction higher than the other side in the longitudinal direction. The inclination angle of the container body 3 may be adjusted arbitrarily, and the inclination angle must be at least such that the screw 2 inserted into the container body 3 slides down the bottom of the container under its own weight.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2A, the container body 3 has a plurality of guide pillars 4 arranged parallel to the bottom of the frame that defines the outer shape of the container body. The guide pillars 4 are arranged at a predetermined interval with their semi-cylindrical arc surfaces facing upward. The guide pillars 4 are not necessarily semi-cylindrical, but may be semi-cylindrical or have a semi-elliptical cross section, and are arranged so that the curved surface side that receives the screw becomes the bottom of the container. Note that, although a rectangular frame is illustrated as an example of the container body 3, the container body is not limited to this. Alignment grooves 5 are provided between the guide posts 4. As shown in Fig. 2B, the groove width T of the alignment groove 5 is a predetermined interval that is larger than the outer diameter t1 of the screw shank 2b but smaller than the outer diameter t2 of the screw head 2a. This allows the screw head 2a to be locked between the guide posts 4, and the screw 2 can be accommodated in the container body 3 in an aligned state with the screw shank 2b inserted into the alignment groove 5.

[0020] Furthermore, on the curved surface of the guide pillar 4 that serves as a guide surface for the screw, the protrusions 6 and the cutouts 7 are arranged in a staggered manner when the container body 3 is viewed from above (see FIG. 6A). The protrusions 6 are, for example, columnar protrusions arranged in a staggered manner on the curved surface of the guide pillar 4 on both sides of the alignment groove 5. The protrusions 6 are provided so that when the screw 2 is inserted into the container body 3 in a position that intersects with the alignment groove 5 (see FIG. 2A), the protrusions 6 interfere with the screw shank 2b, thereby changing the position of the screw shank 2b to be aligned with the alignment groove 5 (see FIG. 2B).

[0021] Furthermore, the cutouts 7 are, for example, round recessed grooves, and are staggered on the curved surfaces of the guide columns 4 on both sides of the alignment groove 5. The cutouts 7 make it easier for the screw heads 2a, such as pan head screws or truss screws, to drop into the cutouts 7 when the screws 2 are inserted into the container body 3 in a position that intersects with the alignment groove 5, and allow the screw shank 2b to rotate around the screw head 2a, facilitating a change in the position of the screw 2. Note that the cutouts 7 are not provided on both sides of the alignment groove 5. This is to prevent the screw heads 2a from falling out of the alignment groove 5.

[0022] Moreover, the protrusions 6 and the notches 7 are alternately arranged along the longitudinal direction of the alignment groove 5 (see Figs. 5 and 6A). Specifically, in the longitudinal direction of the guide columns 4 along which the screws 2 flow, the notches 7 and the protrusions 6 are alternately arranged on the curved surfaces of the guide columns 4 arranged on either side of the alignment groove 5. With this arrangement, while the screws 2 flow down along the guide columns 4 arranged in parallel, the screw heads 2a remain dropped into the notches 7 and the screw shafts 2b interfere with the protrusions 6, changing their position so that they are aligned with the alignment groove 5 (see Figs. 3A and 3B).

[0023] The screw aligner 1 may be made of metal, resin, or a hybrid (such as a metal frame with resin guide posts) as long as it is suitable for mass production. In addition, if it is made of metal, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, etc. are preferably used, and if it is made of resin, PP (polypropylene) resin, PA (polyamide) resin, etc. are preferably used.

[0024] Here, an example of an aligning operation of the screw 2 using the screw aligner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 4F. Note that the screw 2 will be described by taking as an example a pan head screw or a truss screw having a rounded screw head 2a. In Fig. 4A, when multiple screws 2 are dropped into the container body 3 in an inclined position, each screw 2 flows down along multiple guide columns 4 provided at the bottom of the frame. When the screw shank 2b is dropped into the container body 3 in a position aligned with the alignment groove 5, the screw shank 2b enters the groove and the screw head 2a is changed to an aligned position in which it is engaged with the guide columns 4 on both sides (see Fig. 2B).

[0025] Also, when the screw shaft portion 2b is dropped in a position intersecting the alignment groove 5, as shown in FIG. 4B, the screw head 2a falls into the alignment groove 5 with the notch 7, and the screw shaft portion 2b interferes with one of the protrusions 6 arranged in a staggered pattern on the curved surface of the guide column 4. As shown in FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D, the screw 2 flows down the longitudinal direction of the guide column 4 due to its own weight, so the screw shaft portion 2b is changed to a position along the alignment groove 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 4E, the screw shaft portion 2b enters the alignment groove 5, and the screw head 2a is changed to an aligned position in which it is engaged with the guide columns 4 on both sides. As shown in FIG. 4F, the screw 2 is changed to an aligned position in which the screw shaft portion 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and faces downward, and the screw head 2a faces upward while being engaged with the guide columns 4 on both sides, and is stored in the container body 3 in an aligned position along the alignment groove 5.

[0026] Therefore, for example, when screws 2 stored in a container in advance are picked up one by one by a robot hand and dropped into the container body 3 which is in an inclined position, no matter what position the screws 2 are in, as they flow down along the guide columns 4 provided at the bottom of the frame, the screw shank 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and faces downward, and the screw head 2a remains engaged with the guide columns 4 on both sides and faces upward, and so the screws are stored in an aligned position along the alignment groove 5 within the container body 3. Therefore, the screws 2 can be aligned simply by inserting them into the container body 3 which is in an inclined position, and a screw aligner 1 suitable for single-pickup transport of the screws 2 using a robot hand can be provided with a simple configuration which does not require any special equipment such as a vibration device.

[0027] [Second embodiment] Next, another example of the screw aligner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The same members as in the first embodiment are given the same numbers and will not be described again, but will be described with a focus on different configurations. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7, only a plurality of protrusions 6 are arranged in a staggered manner when the container body 3 is viewed from above on the curved surface serving as a guide surface for the screw of the guide pillar 4 provided at the bottom of the container body 3. The protrusions 6 are cylindrical in shape and provided along the longitudinal direction of the guide pillar 4. Also, as shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, the cylindrical protrusions 6 are provided on the curved surface lowered toward the alignment groove 5 side from the curved top of the guide pillar 4. The groove width T of the alignment groove 5 is a predetermined interval that is larger than the outer diameter t1 of the screw shaft portion 2b but smaller than the outer diameter t2 of the screw head 2a.

[0028] As a result, when the screw shank 2b is dropped into the container body 3 in a position where it intersects with the alignment groove 5, as the screw 2 flows down along the guide pillars 4 provided in parallel, the screw shank 2b interferes with one of the cylindrical protrusions 6 while the screw head 2a remains dropped into the alignment groove 5, changing its position to follow the alignment groove 5. Therefore, the screw 2 dropped into the container body 3 is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and the screw head 2a is on top. The notch 7 shown in the first embodiment makes it easier to drop in the screw head 2a and allows the screw shaft 2b to rotate around the screw head 2a, facilitating a change in the posture of the screw 2; however, this may be omitted depending on the type of screw.

[0029] [Third Example] Next, another example of the screw aligner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The same members as in the first embodiment are given the same numbers and will not be described again, but will be described with a focus on different configurations. This embodiment is similar to the second embodiment in that, as shown in Fig. 9, only a plurality of protrusions 6 are arranged in a staggered manner on the curved surface of the guide column 4 provided at the bottom of the container body 3, which serves as a guide surface for the screw, when the container body 3 is viewed from above. However, the arrangement and shape of the plurality of protrusions 6 are different from those of the second embodiment. Specifically, the shape of the protrusions 6 is abacus bead-shaped, and the protrusions are arranged at the top of the curved surface of the guide column 4. The abacus bead shape refers to the shape of a protrusion formed by bonding the bottom surfaces of a pair of cones together. As shown in Figs. 10A and 10B, the abacus bead-shaped protrusions 6 are arranged in a staggered manner on the top of the curved surface of the guide column 4 when the container body 3 is viewed from above. The groove width T of the alignment groove 5 is a predetermined interval that is larger than the outer diameter t1 of the screw shaft portion 2b but smaller than the outer diameter t2 of the screw head 2a.

[0030] As a result, when the screw shank 2b is dropped into the container body 3 in a position that intersects with the alignment groove 5, as the screw 2 flows down along the guide columns 4 provided in parallel, the screw shank 2b interferes with one of the abacus bead-shaped protrusions 6 while the screw head 2a remains dropped into the alignment groove 5, changing its position to be aligned with the alignment groove 5. Therefore, the screw 2 dropped into the container body 3 is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and the screw head 2a is on top.

[0031] [Fourth Example] Next, another example of the screw aligner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The same members as in the first embodiment are given the same numbers and will not be described again, but will be described with a focus on different configurations. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, on the curved surface of the guide column 4 provided at the bottom of the container body 3, which serves as a guide surface for the screw, only a plurality of notches 7 are arranged in a staggered manner when the container body 3 is viewed from above, and the protrusions 6 are omitted. Also, as shown in FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, the notches 7 are round concave grooves, and are arranged in a staggered manner on the curved surface of the guide column 4 on both sides of the alignment groove 5. The notches 7 make it easier for the screw head 2a, such as a pan head screw or a truss screw, to drop into the notches 7 when the screw 2 is inserted into the container body 3 in a position that crosses the alignment groove 5, and allow the screw shank 2b to rotate around the screw head 2a, thereby promoting a change in the position of the screw 2. The notches 7 are not provided on both sides of the alignment groove 5. This is to prevent the screw head 2a from falling off the alignment groove 5. The groove width T of the alignment groove 5 is a predetermined interval that is larger than the outer diameter t1 of the screw shank 2b but smaller than the outer diameter t2 of the screw head 2a.

[0032] As a result, when the screw 2 is dropped into the container body 3 with the screw shank 2b in a position that intersects with the alignment groove 5, while the screw 2 flows down along the guide pillars 4 provided in parallel, the screw head 2a falls into one of the cutouts 7 (round concave grooves) where the groove width of the alignment groove 5 is enlarged, and the screw shank 2b is prompted to rotate around the screw head 2a, so the position of the screw shank 2b is changed so that it is aligned with the alignment groove 5. Therefore, the screw 2 dropped into the container body 3 is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and the screw head 2a is on top.

[0033] [Fifth Example] Next, another example of the screw aligner 1 will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. The same members as in the first embodiment are given the same numbers and will not be described again, but will be described with a focus on different configurations. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the curved surface of the guide column 4 provided at the bottom of the container body 3, which serves as a guide surface for the screw, has only a plurality of notches 7 arranged in a staggered manner when the container body 3 is viewed from above, and the protrusions 6 are omitted, which is the same as the fourth embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B, the notches 7 are wedge-shaped grooves and are arranged in a staggered manner on the curved surface of the guide column 4 on both sides of the alignment groove 5. As shown in FIG. 14A, the groove shape of the wedge-shaped groove is such that the groove opening widens on the downstream side in the longitudinal direction of the guide column 4 along which the screw 2 flows down. The notches 7 are designed so that when the screw 2 is inserted into the container body 3 in a position that crosses the alignment groove 5, a screw with a relatively flat screw head 2a, such as a countersunk screw, can be easily engaged with the notches 7, and the screw shaft portion 2b can be rotated around the screw head 2a, thereby promoting a change in the position of the screw 2. The notches 7 are not provided on both sides of the alignment groove 5. This is to prevent the screw head 2a from falling off from the alignment groove 5. The groove width T of the alignment groove 5 is a predetermined interval that is larger than the outer diameter t1 of the screw shank 2b but smaller than the outer diameter t2 of the screw head 2a.

[0034] As a result, when the screw 2 is dropped into the container body 3 with the screw shank 2b in a position intersecting the alignment groove 5, while the screw 2 flows down along the guide pillars 4 provided in parallel, the screw head 2a is engaged with any of the notches 7 (wedge-shaped grooves) where the groove width of the alignment groove 5 is enlarged, facilitating the rotation of the screw shank 2b around the screw head 2a, causing the position of the screw shank 2b to change to follow the alignment groove 5. Therefore, the screw 2 dropped into the container body 3 is changed to an aligned position so that the screw shank 2b enters the alignment groove 5 and the screw head 2a is on top.

[0035] 15A and 15B are explanatory diagrams showing other forms of the protrusions 6 provided on the guide column 4. As shown in Fig. 15A, the protrusions 6 protruding from the curved surface serving as the guide surface of the guide column 4 may be cylindrical and stand upright relative to the curved surface. The protrusions 6 are arranged in a staggered pattern at a curved surface position lower than the apex of the curved surface of the guide column 4 (between the apex of the curved surface and the flat bottom). The cutouts 7 may also be arranged in a staggered pattern alternately with the protrusions 6. As shown in Fig. 15B, the protrusions 6 protruding from the curved surface serving as the guide surface of the guide pillar 4 may be in the form of square pillars standing upright relative to the curved surface. In either case, the protrusions 6 are arranged in a staggered manner on the curved surface that is lowered from the top of the curved surface of the guide pillar 4 toward the alignment groove 5. In addition to the protrusions 6, the cutouts 7 may also be arranged in a staggered manner.

[0036] As described above, the screws 2 can be aligned simply by inserting them into the container body 3 which is in an inclined position, and it is possible to provide a screw aligner 1 which has a simple configuration that does not require any special equipment such as a vibration device and is suitable for single-pickup transport of screws using a robot hand or the like. The container body 3 may be formed in an inclined position beforehand, or may be in a flat container position and then changed to an inclined position for use, but either form may be used. In addition, the shapes of the protrusions and cutouts on the guide columns are arbitrary, and the screws 2 that are not inserted into the container body 3 with the screw heads 2a at the top are encouraged to change their posture by the protrusions 6 or cutouts 7 on the curved surface of the guide columns 3, so long as the screw heads 2a are at the top and aligned along the alignment groove 5. Furthermore, while the screw aligner 1 is suitable for single pick-up transport of the screw 2 using a robot hand, the means for transporting the screw 2 is not limited to the robot hand, and it is also useful in cases where the screws 2 are sequentially fed into the container body 3 in an inclined position by manual labor, belt transport, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 screw aligner 2 screw 2a screw head 2b screw shaft 3 container body 4 guide column 5 alignment groove 6 protrusion 7 notch

Claims

1. A screw aligner that aligns a screw having a head portion and a smaller diameter screw shaft portion continuously therefrom in an alignment position with the head portion facing upward while moving the screw along an inclined surface in a container that is in an inclined position, a container body that stores a plurality of screws in an aligned position with the screw heads facing up; A plurality of guide columns are provided in parallel with each other on the bottom of a frame that defines the outer shape of the container body, with the curved surface that receives the screw facing up, and between the guide columns, alignment grooves are provided at predetermined intervals that are larger than the outer diameter of the screw shaft portion but smaller than the outer diameter of the screw head portion, A screw aligner characterized in that the multiple guide pillars forming the alignment groove are arranged along the direction in which the screws flow downward within the container body which is in an inclined position, and the curved surfaces of the guide pillars arranged on both sides of the alignment groove have protrusions or cutouts arranged in a staggered pattern when the container body is viewed in a plane.

2. The screw alignment device of claim 1, wherein the protrusions protruding from the curved surfaces of the guide pillars on both sides of the alignment groove are columnar protrusions provided on the curved surface of the guide pillars on the alignment groove side from the top of the curved surface, and the columnar protrusions are each staggered when the container body is viewed in a planar view.

3. 2. The screw aligner according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions protruding from the curved surfaces of the guide pillars on both sides of the alignment groove are abacus bead-shaped protrusions provided at the tops of the curved surfaces of the guide pillars, and the abacus bead-shaped protrusions are each staggered when the container body is viewed in a plan view.

4. 2. The screw aligner of claim 1, wherein the cutouts provided on the curved surfaces of the guide posts on both sides of the alignment groove are round grooves or wedge-shaped grooves, and the round grooves or wedge-shaped grooves are each staggered when the container body is viewed in a plane.

5. 2. The screw aligner according to claim 1, wherein protrusions and notches are alternately arranged in a staggered pattern on the curved surfaces of the guide posts on both sides of the alignment groove along the longitudinal direction of the guide posts when the container body is viewed in a plan view.

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