Work suction unit and work transfer device

Abstract

To provide a workpiece suction unit which does not need supply of air for suctioning of a workpiece, and to provide a workpiece transport device which uses the workpiece suction unit to transport the workpiece.SOLUTION: A workpiece suction unit includes a housing 2 in which one or multiple suction pads 3 for suctioning a workpiece B are arranged and an air passage 4 communicating with all of pad internal spaces are formed. The air passage 4 is formed with an air hole 6 communicating with a space located outside the pad internal spaces. The workpiece suction unit further includes an air passage opening / closing mechanism 8 having a cap member 7 which is disposed so as to open or close the air hole 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a work adsorption unit capable of adsorbing and detaching a work such as a filling container without using adsorption air, and a work transfer device that transfers a work using the work adsorption unit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a work transfer device has been used that includes a work adsorption unit for adsorbing a work to an adsorption pad, transfers the work to a desired position while holding the work by the work adsorption unit, and performs delivery and sorting (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] For example, the work transfer device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a rotating body having a plurality of holding means for holding a container as a work, and a label attaching mechanism disposed at two stations of the rotating body, and is a device configured to transfer the container so as to attach a label. A first delivery mechanism is provided at an adjacent position of the rotating body, and a supply conveyor and a robot for transporting the container are further provided at an adjacent position thereof. The robot is configured to adsorb and hold the container in a lying state transported by the supply conveyor, stand it up in an upright state, and deliver it to the holding means of the first delivery mechanism in a delivery area.

[0004] As a robot used in a work transfer device, a known six-axis robot is used. The hand can be rotated in the horizontal and vertical directions. At the tip of the hand, a support frame constituting a work adsorption unit and an adsorption pad provided on the support frame are provided. An air hose connected to a suction pump is connected to the adsorption pad, and the work is adsorbed and held by supplying negative pressure to the adsorption pad. On the other hand, many industrial robots having a configuration in which the holding state of the work is released by stopping the supply of negative pressure to the adsorption pad are used.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, a work suction unit configured to suck a work using a negative pressure supplied to a suction pad via an air hose requires handling of the air hose.

[0007] The work suction unit shown in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has four suction pads provided on a hand with their suction surfaces arranged on the same plane. While the hand of the robot follows the body of the container in a lying state conveyed by the supply conveyor, the hand with the suction pads facing downward is rotated horizontally according to the orientation of the container so that the heads of the containers are in the same direction, and the work is adsorbed and held with the orientations aligned. In particular, when following or rotating the hand horizontally in this way, the hand also needs to extend or wind the air hoses connected to the respective suction pads, and the handling thereof has been complicated.

[0008] In addition, the work transfer device for transferring the adsorbed work is not necessarily limited to a robot having a hand as described above, and the transfer range of the work is not limited to the rotation range of the body of the robot as described above, and the horizontal and vertical movement ranges of the hand. For example, as shown in Patent Document 2, a work suction unit having a work suction portion composed of suction pads is provided movably up and down below a traveling base moving on a traveling rail, and compressed air is supplied to an ejector to create a vacuum to suck the work onto the suction pads, and in that state, a work transfer device for transferring the work suction unit along the traveling rail over a linear distance where it is difficult to transfer using the hand of the robot has also been proposed.

[0009] Even under driving conditions such as a long conveying distance or a complex conveying path, it is highly desirable if air supply via an air hose is not required and silent and stable workpiece adsorption and conveyance can be performed.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a workpiece adsorption unit that does not require air supply for workpiece adsorption and a workpiece conveyance device that conveys a workpiece using the workpiece adsorption unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] To achieve the above-described object, the workpiece adsorption unit of the present invention It is provided with a housing in which a common air passage communicating with the entire pad internal space of a plurality of suction pads for sucking a workpiece is partitioned and formed. In the air passage, there are air holes communicating with the space outside the pad internal space of all the adsorption pads is formed. Furthermore, the air holes Inside the housing, from outside the air passage are provided with an air passage opening / closing mechanism having a cap member that can be freely opened and closed is. The air passage opening / closing mechanism is configured such that one end is a swing fixing portion provided inside the housing outside the air passage, the other end is an operation portion extending outside the housing, and it includes a single swing plate provided with the cap member at a position corresponding to the air hole, and a pressing elastic member that always presses and positions the swing plate so that the cap member closes the air hole. It is characterized by this.

[0012] Also, It is provided with a housing in which a plurality of independent air passages communicating with the pad internal spaces of a plurality of suction pads for sucking a workpiece are partitioned and formed, and each suction pad is arranged in communication with one of the air passages. In each of the air passages, Suctions connected to each air passage there are air holes communicating with the space outside the pad internal space of the adsorption pads are each formed. Furthermore, the respective air holes Inside the housing, respectively from outside the air passage are provided with an air passage opening / closing mechanism having a plurality of cap members that can be freely opened and closed is. The air passage opening / closing mechanism is configured such that one end is a swing fixing portion provided inside the housing outside the air passage, the other end is an operation portion extending outside the housing, and it includes a single swing plate provided with each cap member at a position corresponding to each air hole, and a pressing elastic member that always presses and positions the swing plate so that each cap member closes the corresponding each air hole. It is characterized by this.

[0013] And The air passage is formed within the thickness of the wall surface member that constitutes the surface of the housing where the suction pads are arranged, and a check valve is provided in the air passage. is characterized by this.

[0014] According to the work suction unit of the present invention, in a state where the air holes of the air passage are blocked by the cap members of the swing plate, by pressing the work against the suction pad provided on the housing, the suction pad is crushed, and a sealed space is created by the space inside the pad and the air passage, and a differential pressure is created by utilizing the force with which the suction pad tries to return to its original state. The work is sucked by that differential pressure. When releasing the suction of the work, the operation unit is operated so as to resist the pressing by the pressing elastic member, and the swing plate is positioned so that the cap member opens the air hole, thereby opening the sealed space and releasing the work.

[0015] In particular, as described above, a plurality of independent air passages communicating with any one of the pad inner spaces are formed in the housing, air holes communicating with the space outside the pad inner space are respectively formed in each air passage, and a plurality of cap members that can be opened and closed for each of the air holes are provided on the swing plate. In the work suction unit configured in this way, even if the suction of the work is released in any one of the suction pads communicating with different air passages (as if it has been released), as long as the sealed space is maintained for the other suction pads, the work will be held. Therefore, the suction and holding of the work can be more reliably performed.

[0016] Further, the work transfer device of the present invention is a work transfer device in which a work transfer path from a work receiving position to a work discharging position is allocated in a path for circulating and running the above-described work suction unit, and at the work discharging position, an adsorption release mechanism is provided for operating the swing plate so as to engage with the operation unit of the traveling work suction unit and resist the pressing of the pressing elastic member.

[0017] According to the work transfer device of the present invention, at the work receiving position, the work pressed against and adsorbed by the suction pad by a robot, human hand, etc. is transferred along a predetermined work transfer path while remaining adsorbed, and reaches the work discharging position. At the work discharging position, the adsorption release mechanism engages with the operation portion of the work suction unit and operates the swing plate so as to resist the pressing of the pressing elastic member, thereby releasing the adsorption of the work and discharging it to the subsequent process.

[0018] For example, like the container processing device disclosed in Patent Document 2 described above, at the work receiving position, the work suction unit arrives with the suction pad in a horizontal state, and then the posture is changed to a state where the work suction unit positions the suction pad in a vertical state on the traveling path to reach the work discharging position. A work transfer device can be assumed.

[0019] Further, a work transfer device may be used in which the work suction unit arrives at the work receiving position with the suction pad in a vertical state, and the work is configured to be pressed against the suction pad from the horizontal direction.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] Thus, according to the work suction unit of the present invention, it is not necessary to supply air through an air hose, and the adsorption and detachment of the work can be performed by a simple operation. According to the work transfer device of the present invention using this work suction unit, the work can be stably adsorbed and transferred regardless of the length of the transfer distance, the simplicity or complexity of the path, etc.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] First, an embodiment of the work suction unit 1 according to the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0023] The work suction unit 1 of the present embodiment is for adsorbing and holding a container B filled with dishwashing detergent or the like as a work, and has a configuration on the premise of being mounted on a work transfer device 100 described later.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1(A) to 1(C), the work suction unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a housing 2 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. On one side surface of the housing 2, two suction pads 3 for adsorbing the container B are arranged at a distance that allows the body portion of the container B to be adsorbed in the axial direction of the container B to be adsorbed (hereinafter, the surface of the housing on which the suction pad 3 is arranged will be described as the front). In the present embodiment, the suction pad 3 uses a multi-stage bellows pad with a diameter of 30 mm in consideration of the thickness and weight of the body portion of the container B. However, the type and size of the suction pad 3 to be used are not limited to this, and the number and arrangement position thereof can also be changed according to the work.

[0025] Inside the thickness of the wall member constituting the front of the housing 2 where the suction pad 3 is arranged, an air passage 4 communicating with the pad inner space formed by the bellows of the two suction pads 3 is formed, and a check valve 5 connected to the air passage 4 is arranged in the space portion inside the housing 2.

[0026] In addition, an air hole 6 that communicates with a space outside the pad internal space of the suction pad 3, specifically, a space inside the housing 2, is formed in the air passage 4. In the present embodiment, the air hole 6 is formed at an end of the air passage 4 on the side where the bottom of the container B to be sucked is located.

[0027] Moreover, the work suction unit 1 of the present embodiment includes an air passage opening / closing mechanism 8 having a cap member 7 that is disposed so as to be openable and closable with respect to the air hole 6.

[0028] In the present embodiment, the air passage opening / closing mechanism 8 has one surface of a plate-shaped plate member facing the air passage 4, and one end side in the longitudinal direction is swingably supported by a swing support shaft 9 that protrudes inward of the housing 2 from a pair of side surfaces connected to the long side of the front surface of the housing 2, serving as a swing fixing portion 10, and the other end side is extended outward of the housing 2 from an opening 11 formed on an end surface that is the side where the bottom of the container B to be sucked is located and is connected to the short side of the front surface of the housing 2, serving as an operation portion 12, and includes a swing plate 13.

[0029] In the present embodiment shown in each figure, the tip of the other end side serving as the operation portion 12 is bent substantially at a right angle toward the back side outside the housing 2, and a roller is pivotally supported at the tip of the other end side.

[0030] Further, a cap member 7 made of a resin material such as nitrile or silicon is disposed at a position corresponding to the air hole 6 of the swing plate 13 inside the housing 2.

[0031] Furthermore, the air passage opening / closing mechanism 8 includes a coil spring 15 as a pressing elastic member that is disposed between a wall surface member constituting the back surface of the housing 2 and the swing plate 13, and always presses and positions the swing plate 13 in the front direction so that the cap member 7 closes the air hole 6. That is, the swing plate 13 is configured to swing with the swing support shaft 9 while contracting the coil spring 15 by an operation of pushing the operation portion 12 in the back direction, so that the cap member 7 is separated from the air hole 6 and the air hole 6 is opened.

[0032] Next, the operation of the work suction unit 1 of the present embodiment will be described. With the air holes 6 of the air passage 4 blocked by the cap member 7 of the swing plate 13, the body portion of the container B is pressed against the suction pad 3 provided on the housing 2.

[0033] The suction pad 3 made of a multi-stage bellows is blocked by the body portion of the container B and crushed, and the pad internal space of the suction pad 3 and the air passage 4 communicating therewith are made into a sealed space. At this time, a differential pressure is created by utilizing the force with which the suction pad 3 tries to return to its original state, and the container B is adsorbed to the suction pad 3.

[0034] From the experiments of the applicant, it has been found that a negative pressure of 15 kPa or more is required to adsorb and hold the filling container B (weight 20.8 g to 61.2 g) using negative pressure. Furthermore, if the pressure and volume of the suction pad 3 before and after adsorption are obtained, the crushing allowance of the suction pad 3 can also be obtained based on Boyle's law.

[0035] When releasing the adsorption of the container B, the operation portion 12 of the swing plate 13 is operated so as to resist the pressing by the coil spring 15, and the swing plate 13 is positioned so that the cap member 7 opens the air hole 6, thereby opening the sealed space.

[0036] Note that, as in the present embodiment, by providing the check valve 5 in the air passage 4, it is possible to suppress the noise generated when releasing the adsorption.

[0037] Also, FIG. 3 shows a work suction unit 1 having another configuration of the present invention. This work suction unit 1 is formed with two independent air passages 4, 4 communicating with the pad internal spaces of any of the suction pads 3, 3 in the housing 2, and air holes 6, 6 communicating with the spaces outside the pad internal spaces are respectively formed in the air passages 4, 4. The swing plate 13 is provided with two cap members 7, 7 that can respectively open and close the air holes 6, 6, which is different from the configuration of the work suction unit 1 of the previous embodiment.

[0038] According to the work suction unit 1 configured as described above, even if the container B is not adsorbed by any one of the suction pads 3 communicating with the different air passages 4, 4, if the sealed space is maintained by the other suction pad 3, the container B will be in a held state. Therefore, the container B can be more reliably adsorbed and held. And when opening the sealed space, that is, when releasing the adsorption of the container B, it is still quite simple that the operation part 12 of the swing plate 13 is operated against the pressing by the coil spring 15, and the swing plate 13 is positioned so that the cap member 7 opens the air hole 6.

[0039] Next, the work transfer device 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The work transfer device 100 of the present embodiment is a work transfer device 100 in which a container transfer path from the receiving position (not shown) of the container B to the unloading position P of the container B is assigned in the path for circulating and running the work suction unit 1 of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above. At the receiving position of the container B, a robot (not shown) for holding the container B supplied in a lying state on a supply conveyor (not shown) is arranged. At the unloading position P of the container B, an unloading conveyor 101 for transferring the container B to the subsequent work area in an upright state is provided.

[0040] That is, the work transfer device 100 is a posture switching device that changes the posture of the container B from a lying state to an upright state while holding and transferring the container B. In the present embodiment, a linear transfer device with a known configuration is adopted.

[0041] This work transfer device includes a guide rail (not shown) forming an endless circulation path, a plurality of movers 102 moved along this guide rail, a work suction unit 1 attached to each mover 102 via a stay 103, and a linear motor (not shown) for moving the mover 102 along the guide rail.

[0042] The guide rail is formed in a track shape and includes an upper straight portion (not shown) that is horizontally arranged in parallel with the supply conveyor, a lower straight portion 104 that is arranged obliquely downward and in parallel with the carry-out conveyor 101, a conveying curved portion (not shown) that connects one end of the upper straight portion and the lower straight portion 104 and changes the posture of the container B from a lying state to an upright state when guiding the container B from the receiving position to the carry-out position P, and a return curved portion (not shown) that connects the other end of the lower straight portion 104 and the upper straight portion.

[0043] The work suction unit 1 is fixed to the moving element 102 via the stay 103 on the upper straight portion so that the axial direction of the container B is orthogonal to the conveying direction and the operation unit 12 is close to the supply conveyor.

[0044] The linear motor includes a permanent magnet (not shown) fixed to each moving element 102 and a large number of electromagnetic coils (not shown) arranged at equal pitches along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail. By controlling the supply and stop of current to each electromagnetic coil by a control unit (not shown), the movement and stop of each moving element 102 can be individually controlled.

[0045] And in the present embodiment, at the work carry-out position P provided on the lower straight portion 104, a roller 14 provided on the operation unit 12 of the traveling work suction unit 1 engages, and an adsorption release mechanism including a cam 105 that swings the swing plate 13 while resisting the pressing force of a coil spring 15 provided in the housing 2 is provided.

[0046] Subsequently, the operation of the work transfer device 100 of the present embodiment will be described. In the work transfer device 100 of the present embodiment, at the receiving position of the container B provided on the upper straight portion of the guide rail, the container B gripped by the robot is pressed against the suction pad 3 of the work suction unit 1 connected to the stopped moving element 102 from above, the suction pad 3 is crushed to generate a differential pressure, and the container B is adsorbed.

[0047] The mover 102 that supports the work suction unit 1 with the container B adsorbed to the suction pad 3 is caused to travel by the control of the control unit toward the unloading position P of the container B in the lower straight portion 104. At this time, the container B is conveyed while being adsorbed even when the mover 102 passes through the conveying curved portion, and reaches the unloading position P of the container B.

[0048] When the mover 102 reaches the unloading position P, the roller 14 engages with the cam 105, so that the swing plate 13 swings against the pressing force of the coil spring 15 disposed inside the housing 2, the cap member 7 is separated from the air hole 6, and the sealed space composed of the suction pad 3 and the air passage 4 is opened, thereby releasing the adsorption of the container B.

[0049] The container B whose adsorption has been released is placed upright on the unloading conveyor 101 and is conveyed to the subsequent process by the drive of the unloading conveyor 101. By adopting a vacuum conveyor in which the bottom of the container B can be adsorbed to the placement surface for the unloading conveyor 101, the container B can be stably conveyed while remaining upright.

[0050] With the work conveyance device 100 configured in this way, it is not necessary to supply air through an air hose, and quiet and stable adsorption conveyance of the work is performed, so it is also suitable for driving under conditions such as a long conveyance distance or a complicated conveyance path.

[0051] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without impairing the features of the present invention.

[0052] For example, the work to be adsorbed by the work suction unit 1 is not limited to the container B. Further, the work suction unit 1 is not limited to being mounted on a conveyor that conveys the work in an adsorbed state, and for example, it can be considered to be used as a part of a robot hand.

[0053] Further, the work transfer device 100 may be configured to reach a state in which the suction pad 3 of the work suction unit 1 is positioned vertically at the receiving position of the container B. In that case, the work may be pressed against the suction pad 3 from the horizontal direction.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, one work suction unit is connected and arranged to one mover 102 of the work transfer device 100, but it is also possible to connect and support a plurality of work suction units 1 to the mover 102.

[0055] Of course, the work transfer device 100 is not limited to linear transfer, and its circulation path is not limited to a track shape.

[0056] Also, the suction release mechanism 105 of the work transfer device 100 is not limited to the cam 105 that engages with the roller 14 of the operation unit 12 as described above. In short, any mechanism that can always separate the cap member 7 that closes the air hole 6 of the air passage 4 from the air hole 6 when releasing the holding of the work is sufficient.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0057] 1 Work suction unit 2 Housing 3 Suction pad 4 Air passage 5 Check valve 6 Air hole 7 Cap member 8 Air passage opening / closing mechanism 9 Swing support shaft 10 Swing fixing part 11 Opening 12 Operation unit 13 Swing plate 14 Roller 15 Pressing elastic member (coil spring) 100 Work transfer device 101 Unloading conveyor 102 Mover 103 Stay 104 Lower straight part 105 Adsorption release mechanism (cam) B Container P Discharge position

Claims

Claim 1: A housing is provided with a common air passage that communicates with the entire pad internal space of a plurality of suction pads for sucking a workpiece, and air holes are formed in the air passage to communicate with the space outside the pad internal space of all the suction pads, and further, the air passage is provided with an air passage opening / closing mechanism having a cap member that is disposed so as to be openable and closable from outside the air passage within the housing, the air passage opening / closing mechanism has one swing plate having a swing fixing portion provided inside the housing outside the air passage at one end, an operation portion extending outside the housing at the other end, and the cap member provided at a position corresponding to the air hole, and is configured to include a pressing elastic member that always presses and positions the swing plate so that the cap member closes the air hole, a workpiece suction unit characterized by this. Claim 2: A housing is provided with a plurality of independent air passages that communicate with the pad internal spaces of a plurality of suction pads for sucking a workpiece, and each suction pad is disposed in communication with any one of the air passages, and air holes are respectively formed in each of the air passages to communicate with the space outside the pad internal space of the suction pads that communicate with each air passage, and further, each of the air passages is provided with an air passage opening / closing mechanism having a plurality of cap members that are respectively disposed so as to be openable and closable from outside the air passage within the housing, the air passage opening / closing mechanism has one swing plate having a swing fixing portion provided inside the housing outside the air passage at one end, an operation portion extending outside the housing at the other end, and each of the cap members provided at a position corresponding to each air hole, and is configured to include a pressing elastic member that always presses and positions the swing plate so that each of the cap members closes the corresponding air hole, a workpiece suction unit characterized by this. Claim 3: The air passage is formed within the thickness of a wall surface member that constitutes the surface of the housing where the suction pads are disposed, and a check valve is provided in the air passage, the workpiece suction unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by this. Claim 4: A workpiece transfer device in which a workpiece transfer path from a workpiece receiving position to a workpiece unloading position is assigned within a path for circulating and running the workpiece suction unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, The work transfer device is characterized in that an adsorption release mechanism for operating the swing plate so as to resist the pressing of the pressing elastic member by engaging with the operation portion of the work suction unit traveling is disposed at the work carry-out position.

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