Parts supply device

Abstract

To provide a part supply device capable of supplying bar-like parts.SOLUTION: Provided is a part supply device 10 comprising: a support unit 30 that supports bar-like parts B aligned disorderly by separating them one by one; a direction determination unit 40 that determines a direction of the bar-like parts B supported by the support unit 30; and moving means 34 that moves the bar-like parts toward predetermined discharge holes 213 and 252 on the basis of the result determined by the direction determination unit 40. The direction determination unit 40 includes a contact part 43 disposed on an axis of the bar-like parts B supported by the support unit 30, and pressing means 41 that presses the contact part 43 to the bar-like parts B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a part supplying device that determines the direction of a supplied rod-shaped part and supplies it to a next process in the correct direction. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a component supplying device shown in Patent Document 1 is known. This component supplying device is configured to supply studs, each of which has a threaded portion at each end and a non-threaded portion sandwiched between the threaded portions, in a uniform direction. The component supplying device includes a rotor having an insertion hole into which the stud can be inserted, a horizontal insertion member that contacts the stud inserted into the rotor to discharge compressed air, and a rotation drive unit that can rotate the rotor in forward and reverse directions. The tip of the horizontal insertion member is formed along the curved surface of the non-threaded portion, so that when the horizontal insertion member contacts the non-threaded portion, the compressed air is less likely to escape and the internal pressure increases, whereas when the horizontal insertion member contacts the threaded portion, the internal pressure does not increase because the compressed air is discharged through the threaded portion. Therefore, the direction of the stud can be determined based on the internal pressure of the horizontal insertion member, whether the stud is facing upward or downward. The rotation drive unit is configured to rotate the rotor in a forward or reverse direction based on the direction determination by the horizontal insertion member to align the stud in a predetermined direction and to discharge the stud from the insertion hole under its own weight and supply it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP2018-80050 Public Relations Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional part supply devices, a cylindrical non-threaded portion having a larger diameter than the threaded portion blocks the tip of the horizontal insertion member, and the direction of the stud is determined from the difference in internal pressure caused by this. Therefore, there was a problem that it was not possible to determine the direction of a stud bolt whose tip cannot be blocked because the non-threaded portion is hexagonal columnar, or whose threaded portion is almost the same length and blocks the suction hole in either direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has been created in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a component supplying device that determines the direction of a rod-shaped part and supplies it to a next process. To achieve this objective, the present invention provides a component supplying device including a support unit that separates and supports randomly aligned rod-shaped parts one by one, a direction determination unit that determines the direction of the rod-shaped parts supported by the support unit, and a moving means that moves the rod-shaped parts toward a predetermined discharge hole based on the determination result of the direction determination unit, the direction determination unit having a contact portion that is arranged on the axis of the rod-shaped part supported by the support unit and a pressing means that presses the contact portion against the rod-shaped part. The discharge holes include two discharge holes, a forward discharge hole and a reverse discharge hole, and component pressure-feeding hoses through which the rod-shaped parts can pass are connected to these discharge holes, and the reverse discharge hole is configured to discharge rod-shaped parts in a direction reverse to that of the forward discharge hole, and it is preferable that the tip portions of the component pressure-feeding hoses connected to these discharge holes are joined. It is also preferable that the rod-shaped part has a foot and a head, and a flange disposed between them, and that the support unit includes a hanging member that abuts against the flange of the rod-shaped part and supports it by suspending it. It is also preferable that the abutment part is disposed above the rod-shaped part supported by the hanging member by suspension, and that the direction determination unit includes a height measurement part that measures the height at which the abutment part, which descends as a result of being driven by the lifting means, abuts against the rod-shaped part. Moreover, it is preferable that the shape determination part includes an abutment rod configured to be movable axially relative to the abutment part, and a movement detection sensor capable of detecting the relative movement of the abutment rod with respect to the abutment part. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, since the contact portion is pressed against the rod-shaped part to determine the direction of the rod-shaped part, it is possible to determine the direction even for rod-shaped parts with hexagonal flanges. The rod-shaped parts are discharged in a uniform direction because the discharge holes for the forward direction and the reverse direction are provided, and these discharge holes discharge the rod-shaped parts in the opposite directions. The ends of the part pressure-feed hoses connected to these discharge holes join together, so that rod-shaped parts supplied in either direction can be supplied to the downstream process, and there is an advantage that the supply speed is improved. In addition, since the support unit includes a hanging member, even if the rod-shaped part has a flange, it is possible to support the rod-shaped part in a hanging manner and smoothly transport it. Furthermore, since the direction determination unit includes a height measuring unit that detects the height of the contact portion, there is an advantage that the direction can be determined even if the dimensional difference between the leg and head is small. Furthermore, since the direction determination unit is equipped with an abutment rod that can move relatively to the abutment portion and a movement detection sensor that detects the movement of the abutment rod, the direction of the rod-shaped part can be determined from the shape of its end. This has the advantage that the direction can be determined even if the head and shaft are of approximately the same length and only the end shape differs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a structure of a component supplying device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing a structure of a component supplying device according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing a structure of a component supplying device according to the present invention; [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are front cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of transitioning from the state in FIG. 3 to the next state, where (a) shows the state when the main cylinder is extended, and (b) shows the state when the main cylinder is contracted. [Diagram 5] 1 is a partially cutaway plan view showing a structure of a component supplying device according to the present invention; [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are front cross-sectional views illustrating the operation of transitioning from the state in FIG. 5 to the next state, where (a) shows the state when the main cylinder is extended, and (b) shows the state when the main cylinder is contracted. [Figure 7] 1A is a schematic diagram showing the state of the drive of the abutment portion and the state of the shape discrimination portion, where (a) shows the state when the abutment portion abuts against the head of the stud bolt, (b) shows the state when the abutment portion abuts against the leg of the stud bolt, and (c) shows the lower limit position of the abutment portion. [Figure 8] 7A to 7C are schematic diagrams showing the state of the height measurement unit, where (a) shows the state of the height measurement unit at (a) in FIG. 7, (b) shows the state of the height measurement unit at (b) in FIG. 7, and (c) shows the state of the height measurement unit at (c) in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In Fig. 1 to Fig. 8, reference numeral 10 denotes a component supplying device that supplies a stud bolt B, which is an example of a flanged rod-shaped part, from a shoot rail L provided at the rear to a separately provided screw tightening machine or the like (not shown). This component supplying device 10 comprises a frame 20, a support unit 30 that receives the stud bolt B from the shoot rail L and supports it by suspending it, and a direction determining unit 40 that determines the direction of the stud bolt B supported by the support unit 30.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 7, the stud bolt B is composed of shafts B1 and B2 on which male threads are formed, and a flange B3 disposed between the shafts B1 and B2. In this embodiment, the stud bolt B has a directional property, and one shaft B1 (hereinafter referred to as leg B1) is formed with a male thread over its entire length, and the other shaft B2 (hereinafter referred to as head B2) has a cylindrical portion at the tip of the male thread, the diameter of which is smaller than that of the male thread. The head B2 is configured so that its axial dimension is slightly shorter than that of the leg B1, and the outer diameter of the male thread is configured to be the same as that of the leg B1. The flange B3 is configured in a hexagonal column shape, and the dimensions are set so that the inscribed circle has a diameter larger than the outer diameters of the leg B1 and the head B2. Hereinafter, the direction in which the head B2 is located on the upper side is defined as the positive direction, and the direction in which the leg B1 is located on the upper side is defined as the reverse direction.

[0010] The chute rail L is composed of two plates extending in the front-rear direction, and these plates are installed with a predetermined gap between them that is slightly wider than the outer diameter of the leg B1 of the stud bolt B and narrower than the opposite side of the flange B3. Therefore, the chute rail L supports the stud bolt B in a suspended state with the flange B3 of the stud bolt B abutting against its upper surface. A vibrator (not shown) is also connected to the chute rail L, and the stud bolts B are aligned and transported forward by the vibration of the vibrator. A storage section (not shown) capable of storing a large number of stud bolts B is connected to the rear of the chute rail L, and this storage section is configured to supply the stud bolts B up and down randomly onto the chute rail L.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 5, a notched groove is formed through the frame 20 in a direction perpendicular to the chute rail L (hereinafter referred to as the lateral direction). This notched groove is formed of a low stage portion 21 located on the rear side and a high stage portion 23 set higher than the low stage portion 21, and one lateral side is closed by a side wall 24. A supply port 211 that opens to the rear is formed in the low stage portion 21 of the frame 20, and the chute rail L enters into the supply port 211. An air supply hole 212 is formed in the bottom surface of the low stage portion 21 on the side of the side wall 24 from the supply port 211, and a downward discharge hole 213 is formed on the side away from the side wall 24 from the supply port 211 (hereinafter referred to as the opening side), and a bolt pressure-feed hose 214 is continuous with the lower end of the downward discharge hole 213. The air supply hole 212 and the downward exhaust hole 213 are configured so that their hole diameters are larger than the outer diameter of the stud bolt B, and are continuous with the air supply hole 22 extending horizontally. An air supply hose (not shown) that continues to an air supply means (not shown), such as a compressor, is connected to this air supply hole 22. The high step portion 23 is set so that its bottom surface is at the same height as the upper surface of the chute rail L, and an engagement groove 231 that engages with the hanging member 32, which will be described later, is formed in the bottom surface. This engagement groove 231 is formed in a generally L-shape in plan view, with a portion bent backward in front of the supply port 211, and gradually directed forward from this bent portion toward the side wall 24 or the opening side.

[0012] The frame 20 has a top surface located above the high stage 23, and a cover member 25 is fixed to this top surface. As shown in Fig. 2, a groove 251 is formed in the cover member 25, penetrating vertically near the supply port 211, and this groove 251 is configured to be sufficiently larger than the stud bolt B. Therefore, a judgment unit can pass through this groove 251 during operation, which will be described later. Furthermore, an upper discharge hole 252 is formed through the cover member 25 on the axis of the air supply hole 212, and a bolt pressure-feed hose 253 is connected to the upper end of this hole 252. The bolt pressure-feed hose 253 and the bolt pressure-feed hose 214 continuing to the lower discharge hole 213 have their tips connected to the junction 26, and inside this junction 26, a passing hole 261 continuing to the bolt pressure-feed hose 253 continuing to the upper discharge hole 252 and a junction hole 262 continuing to the bolt pressure-feed hose 214 continuing to the lower discharge hole 213 join at an acute angle. A supply hose (not shown) continuing to an external screw tightening machine is connected to the tip of this passing hole 261, and the stud bolt B pressure-fed from the component supply device 10 passes through either the bolt pressure-feed hose 214, 253 and joins at the junction 26 to be pressure-fed to the same screw tightening machine.

[0013] The support unit 30 includes a sliding member 31 disposed within the low stage 21, and a hanging member 32 supported by the sliding member 31 and configured to be continuous with the chute rail L. The sliding member 31 is disposed within the low stage 21 of the frame 20, and a sliding recess 311 penetrating vertically is formed on the rear surface. The sliding recess 311 is configured to have a substantially C-shape that opens to the rear, and its rear end is wider than the outer diameter of the leg B1 of the stud bolt B, and its maximum diameter portion is larger than the flange B3 of the stud bolt B. The sliding member 31 is sized so that its upper surface is at the same height as the bottom surface of the high stage 23, and the hanging member 32 is slidably placed on its upper surface. The suspension member 32 is formed with a U-shaped suspension groove that opens to the rear, and the groove width of the suspension groove is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the leg B1 of the stud bolt B and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange B3 of the stud bolt B. Therefore, when the suspension member 32 is connected to the end portion of the chute rail L, the suspension member 32 suspends and supports the stud bolt B with its leg B1 fitted in the suspension groove. In addition, a guide shaft 321 is provided at the front end of the suspension member 32 so as to protrude downward, and the guide shaft 321 engages with the engagement groove 231 of the high stage portion 23. In addition, a sliding cover 33 is fixed to the upper surface of the sliding member 31 so as to cover the suspension member 32. The sliding cover 33 is a plate material fixed to the upper surface of the sliding member 31 so as to cover the engagement groove 231 of the high stage portion 23 as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and a guide groove 331 is formed on the lower surface of the sliding cover 33, penetrating in the front-rear direction. This guide groove 331 is set to have approximately the same dimension as the lateral dimension of the hanging member 32, and contains the hanging member 32 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. A notched recess 332 that communicates with the sliding recess 311 is formed penetrating the rear end of this guide groove 331 in the up-down direction. This notched recess 332 is set to be sufficiently wider than the sliding recess 311 of the sliding member 31, and is configured not to come into contact with the stud bolt B suspended and supported by the hanging member 32.

[0014] In addition, a main cylinder 34 and a sub-cylinder 35 are fixed to the side wall 24 as an example of a moving means for reciprocating the sliding member 31 and the sliding lid 33 in the lateral direction. The main cylinder 34 has a piston rod 341 connected to the sliding lid 33, and the sliding lid 33 and the sliding member 31 to which it is fixed are moved reciprocally in the lateral direction by the extension and contraction of the piston rod 341. The stroke of the main cylinder 34 is set to a dimension such that, when extended, the sliding recess 311 of the sliding member 31 communicates with the lower discharge hole 213 as shown in FIG. 4(a), and, when contracted, the sliding recess 311 communicates with the air supply hole 212 as shown in FIG. 4(b). The sub-cylinder 35 is also fixed to the side wall 24 like the main cylinder 34, and has a piston rod 351 extending toward the sliding member 31. The sub cylinder 35 is set to a larger diameter than the main cylinder 34, and its tip is configured to be able to abut against the sliding member 31. The stroke of the sub cylinder 35 is set to a dimension such that the sliding recess 311 of the sliding member 31 communicates with the supply port 211 of the frame 20 when it is extended. Therefore, when the sub cylinder 35 extends the piston rod 351 while the main cylinder 34 contracts the piston rod 341, the sliding member 31 is pressed by the sub cylinder 35 having a larger cylinder diameter as shown in FIG. 3, and the sliding recess 311 stops at a position where it communicates with the supply port 211 located at the rear. In this way, the sliding recess 311 of the sliding member 31 is connected to any one of the supply port 211, the air supply hole 212, or the downward discharge hole 213 by the extension and contraction drive of the main cylinder 34 and the sub cylinder 35.

[0015] Furthermore, a cutter 36 is fixed to the open end of the sliding lid 33. The cutter 36 is configured to be able to move back and forth horizontally together with the sliding lid 33, and is provided so that it can come into contact with the head B2 of the stud bolt B on the chute rail L and can be inserted between the leading stud bolt B and the next stud bolt B. The cutter 36 is sized to come out from above the chute rail L when the main cylinder 34 is extended as shown in Fig. 6(a), and comes out from above the chute rail L when the main cylinder 34 is extended. Furthermore, a bolt passing groove 361 is cut out on the underside of the cutter 36 at the intersection with the chute rail L when the main cylinder 34 is contracted as shown in Fig. 6(b). The bolt passing groove 361 allows the head B2 of the stud bolt B to pass through. In other words, the edge cut-off portion 36 is configured to close the end portion of the chute rail L when the hanging member 32 and the chute rail L are continuous as shown in FIG. 5, and to open the end portion when the main cylinder 34 is extended or contracted as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b).

[0016] The direction determination unit 40 is fixed to the front surface of the frame 20 as shown in FIG. 1, and includes a lifting cylinder 41, which is an example of a pressing means. The lifting cylinder 41 has a drive unit that always protrudes upward, and a lifting plate 42 that moves up and down together with the drive unit is fixed to the upper end of the drive unit. The lifting plate 42 is a plate member that extends from above the lifting cylinder 41 toward above the opening groove 251 of the cover member 25, and an abutment part 43 is attached to a position above the opening groove 251 as shown in FIG. 2. The abutment part 43 is a substantially cylindrical member that extends downward, and is configured to have a thickness that allows it to be inserted into the notched recess 332 of the sliding cover 33. With this configuration, when the lifting cylinder 41 is driven to contract, the abutment part 43 descends until it abuts against the stud bolt B supported by the hanging member 32.

[0017] The direction determination unit 40 also includes, as a determination means for determining the direction of the stud bolt B, a shape determination section for determining the shape of the end of the stud bolt B on the side that comes into contact with the abutment portion 43, and a height measurement section for measuring the height at which the abutment portion 43 stops. The shape determination section is composed of a slit 431 formed at the lower end of the abutment portion 43, an abutment rod 46 disposed in the slit 431, and a proximity sensor 47 for detecting the movement of the abutment rod 46. The slit 431 of the shape determination section is configured so that only the cylindrical portion of the stud bolt B can enter, and the groove width is set to be wider than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the stud bolt B and narrower than the outer diameter of the male thread. The abutment rod 46 is contained in the abutment portion 43 so as to be vertically movable, and is constantly biased downward by an elastic member. The abutment rod 46 is disposed so that its lower end is located in the slit 431, while its upper end surface is at the same height as the upper surface of the abutment portion 43. Therefore, when the cylindrical portion of the stud B enters the slit 431, the contact rod 46 is pressed against the cylindrical portion and protrudes upward. The proximity sensor 47 is attached to the upper surface of the contact portion 43 and is configured to detect the upper end of the contact rod 46 that is pushed up by contact with the stud B. Therefore, depending on whether the proximity sensor 47 detects the contact rod 46, it can be determined whether the head portion B2 or the leg portion B1 of the stud B contacts the contact portion 43. With these configurations, the direction determination means can determine whether the contact portion 43 contacts the head portion B2 or the leg portion B1 of the stud B, that is, whether the stud B has been transported in the forward direction with the head portion B2 facing upward or in the reverse direction with the leg portion B1 facing upward. Meanwhile, the height measurement unit is composed of dogs 441, 443 fixed to the lift plate 42 and optical sensors 451, 452 capable of detecting these dogs 441, 443. These dogs 441, 443 have long holes 442, 444 extending in the vertical direction formed therein, and the first dog 441 is sized so as to block the light of the first optical sensor 451 only at a predetermined height where the abutment portion 43 abuts against the head B2, and the second dog 443 is set so as to block the light of the second optical sensor 452 only at a predetermined height where the abutment portion 43 abuts against the leg B1.Therefore, depending on which of the light from the optical sensors 451, 452 is blocked, it is possible to measure the height from the upper surface of the hanging member 32 to the contact part 43, that is, the length dimension of the side that contacts the contact part 43. This makes it possible to determine whether the contact part 43 contacts the head part B2 or the leg part B1.

[0018] The part supply device 10 and external devices such as a screw driver and air supply means are connected to a control unit (not shown) that controls the drive of these devices. This control unit controls the drive of the main cylinder 34 and the sub cylinder 35 based on the result of the determination by the direction determination means of the direction determination unit 40, and is configured to extend the main cylinder 34 when the stud bolt B is in the forward direction, and to contract the main cylinder 34 and the sub cylinder 35 when the stud bolt B is in the reverse direction.

[0019] Next, the operation of the component supplying device 10 configured as above will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, in the component supply device 10, the main cylinder 34 is contracted and the sub cylinder 35 is extended to connect the hanging groove of the hanging member 32 to the shoot rail L and receive the leading stud bolt B located at the terminal end of the shoot rail L.

[0020] When the stud B is transferred to the hanging member 32, the control unit outputs a lowering signal to the lift cylinder 41. This causes the lift plate 42 and the contact portion 43 fixed thereto to lower. The lowered contact portion 43 enters the notched recess 332 and stops when it comes into contact with the stud B. When the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the stud B and stops, the direction determination means determines the direction of the stud B. At this time, if the stud B is in the forward direction, the contact portion 43 comes into contact with the head B2 of the stud B as shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 8(a), and stops at a height where the first dog 441 blocks the light of the first optical sensor 451. The light of the second optical sensor 452 passes through the elongated hole 444 of the second dog 443. Therefore, when the lift cylinder 41 stops, only the light of the first optical sensor 451 is blocked, and the height measurement unit outputs a determination result that the stud B is in the forward direction to the control unit. Also, the abutment unit 43 has the cylindrical portion of the head B2 inserted into the slit 431, and the upper end surface of the cylindrical portion abuts against the lower end surface of the abutment rod 46 waiting in the slit 431, pushing it upward. As a result, the upper end of the abutment rod 46 protrudes above the abutment unit 43 and is detected by the proximity sensor 47. When the proximity sensor 47 detects the abutment rod 46 in this manner, the shape discrimination unit outputs a determination result that the stud B is in the forward direction to the control unit.

[0021] On the other hand, if the stud bolt B is in the reverse direction, the abutment portion 43 abuts against the leg B1 as shown in FIG. 7B and FIG. 8B, and the second dog 443 stops at a height where the second optical sensor 452 blocks the light. When the lift cylinder 41 stops, if the light of the second optical sensor 452 is blocked, the height measurement unit outputs to the control unit a determination result that the stud bolt B is in the reverse direction. Note that since the leg B1 is longer than the head B2 and does not have a cylindrical portion, the abutment portion 43 that abuts against the leg B1 stops at a height above the height where the abutment against the head B2 is made. Therefore, the first dog 441 does not reach the first optical sensor 451 and does not block the light of the first optical sensor 451. Furthermore, since the leg B1 cannot enter the slit 431, the contact rod 46 waiting in the slit 431 is not pushed upward, and the contact rod 46 is not detected by the proximity sensor 47. Thus, when the lift cylinder 41 is stopped, the proximity sensor 47 does not detect the contact rod 46, so the shape discrimination unit also outputs a determination result that the stud bolt B is in the reverse direction to the control unit, similar to the height measurement unit. Since the direction determination is performed by pressing the contact part 43 against the stud bolt B from above, the component supplying device 10 of the present invention can determine the direction without any problems even if the flange part B3 has a shape other than a cylindrical shape, such as a hexagonal column shape. Furthermore, by using the shape discrimination unit to determine the direction, it is possible to determine the direction from the presence or absence of a cylindrical part even for a stud bolt B with a small dimensional difference between the leg B1 and the head B2.

[0022] In addition, when the above-mentioned direction determination is made, if the results of the height measurement unit and the shape determination unit are different, the control unit determines that a foreign object other than the stud bolt B has been mixed in and stops the component supply device 10. In this way, by using two types of units, the shape determination unit and the height measurement unit, it is possible to not only determine the direction, but also to remove any foreign object having a length or shape different from the specified part when it is mixed in. In addition, when the hanging member 32 does not suspend and support the stud bolt B, the lift plate 42 and the abutment part 43 are lowered to the lower limit of the lift cylinder 41 as shown in (c) of FIG. 7 and (c) of FIG. When the lift cylinder 41 reaches the lower limit in this way, the control unit transmits a bolt supply signal to the external storage unit and moves the sliding member 31 in either lateral direction to open the end of the chute rail L. Thereafter, the supplied stud bolt B is received and the direction determination is performed again.

[0023] When the direction determination means outputs the determination result as described above, the control unit outputs a lift signal to the lift cylinder 41 to lift the lift plate 42 and the abutment part 43 to the initial height. When the lift cylinder 41 reaches the initial height and is pulled out of the notch recess 332, the control unit outputs a drive signal to the main cylinder 34 and the sub cylinder 35 based on the determination result. At this time, if the stud bolt B is in the forward direction, the control unit outputs an extension signal to the main cylinder 34 to move the sliding member 31 to the opening side as shown in FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 6(a). At this time, as the sliding member 31 moves to the opening side, the hanging member 32 moves so as to be drawn forward along the engagement groove 231. Therefore, the hanging member 32 releases the engagement with the stud bolt B that it had been supporting by suspending it, and the stud bolt B falls downward. On the other hand, if the stud B is in the reverse direction, a contraction signal is output to the main cylinder 34 and the sub cylinder 35 to move the sliding member 31 toward the side wall 24, as shown in Figures 4(b) and 6(b). At this time, as the sliding member 31 moves toward the side wall 24, the hanging member 32 moves so as to be pulled forward along the engagement groove 231. As a result, the hanging member 32 releases the engagement with the stud B that it had been supporting by suspending it, and drops the stud B downward. Since the component supplying device 10 thus has two discharge holes, one for the forward direction and one for the reverse direction, does not need to rotate the stud B as in the component supplying device described in the prior patent, it can be installed in a relatively narrow space and can be manufactured relatively inexpensively without requiring a rotary drive source.

[0024] As described above, the sliding recess 311 is connected to the downward discharge hole 213 or the air supply hole 212 at almost the same time when the stud B falls from the hanging member 32. Therefore, the stud B passes through the sliding recess 311 and falls to the downward discharge hole 213 or the air supply hole 212. When the sliding recess 311 reaches the downward discharge hole 213 or the air supply hole 212, the control unit operates the air supply means. As a result, compressed air is supplied into the downward discharge hole 213 and the air supply hole 212 through the air supply hole 22, and the stud B is air-pressurized and fed to the outside by this compressed air. At this time, the stud B in the forward direction is air-pressurized and fed through the bolt pressure-feed hose 214 continuing below the downward discharge hole 213, and the stud B in the reverse direction is air-pressurized and fed through the sliding recess 311 and the notched recess 332 continuing to the air supply hole 212, and the bolt pressure-feed hose 253 continuing above these. In other words, both the forward and reverse stud bolts B are pneumatically fed with their legs B1 facing forward. The stud bolts B fed through the bolt feed hoses 214, 253 in this manner join with the same supply hose at the junction 26 as shown in Figure 3 and are then supplied to the screw tightening machine. By having the two discharge holes join at the junction 26 in this manner, not only the forward stud bolts B but also the reverse stud bolts B can be supplied to the screw tightening machine, improving the supply speed.

[0025] When the direction of the stud bolts B is determined, the edge cutting portion 36 closes the rear of the leading stud bolt B located at the end of the chute rail L. Therefore, the next stud bolt B does not reach the end of the chute rail L immediately after the leading stud bolt B is delivered to the hanging member 32. This prevents the next stud bolt B from abutting against the abutment portion 43, or the next stud bolt B from getting caught between the end of the chute rail L and the sliding member 31 or the hanging member 32 when the sliding member 31 etc. moves laterally after the direction is determined. In addition, the edge cutting portion 36 is configured to open the end of the chute rail L when the main cylinder 34 expands or contracts as described above, so that after the direction of the stud bolt B is determined, the sliding member 31 etc. moves laterally to open the end of the chute rail L. Therefore, the next stud bolt B can reach the terminal end of the chute rail L while the leading stud bolt B is being compressed air fed, and the next stud bolt B can be supplied from the terminal end of the chute rail L to the hanging member 32 at the same time as the sliding member 31 returns to its original position. This prevents a decrease in the supply speed. Furthermore, because the edge cutting portion 36 is structured to work in conjunction with the sliding member 31, there is no need to prepare a separate drive source, and the device can be manufactured relatively cheaply and easily.

[0026] The component supplying device 10 according to the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the direction in which the head B2 is located on the upper side is defined as the positive direction, but the direction in which the leg B1 is located on the upper side may be defined as the positive direction. The slit 431 is an example of an engagement portion that can engage with either the leg B1 or the head B2 of the stud bolt B, and is preferably changed appropriately according to the stud bolt B. As a result, even if the stud bolt B has the same length dimensions of the shaft B1 and the head B2, the direction can be determined depending on whether the engagement portion engages with the end. The proximity sensor 47 of the shape determination unit may be a contact sensor or other movement detection sensor as long as it can detect the movement of the contact rod 46. Similarly, the height measurement unit is not limited to the dogs 441, 443 and the optical sensors 451, 452, and may be other height measurement sensors as long as it can measure the height of the contact part 43. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 10 … Parts supply device 20 … Frame 26 … Junction 30 … Support unit 32 ... Suspension member 34 35 … Transportation 40 ... Direction Judgment Unit 41 ... Linear drive source 42 ... Lifting plate 43 … Contact part

Claims

1. A component supplying device comprising: a support unit which separates randomly aligned rod-shaped parts one by one and supports them; a direction determination unit which determines a direction of the rod-shaped parts supported by said support unit; and a moving means which moves the rod-shaped parts toward a predetermined discharge hole based on a result of determination by said direction determination unit, The direction determination unit includes a contact portion disposed on an axis of the rod-shaped part supported by the support unit; a pressing means for pressing the contact portion against the rod-shaped part; The rod-shaped part has a base portion, a head portion, and a flange portion disposed therebetween, the support unit includes a suspending member that comes into contact with the flange portion of the rod-shaped part and suspends and supports the rod-shaped part; A parts supply device comprising:

2. The part supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the abutment portion is disposed above a rod-shaped part suspended and supported by a suspension member, and the direction determination unit includes a height measuring portion that measures a height at which the abutment portion, which descends in response to the drive of the pressing means, abuts against the rod-shaped part.

Images