Bolt feeder

Abstract

To supply bolts to fastened portions, such as fastening holes, of a component to be assembled quickly and continuously.SOLUTION: A bolt support device includes: a guide plate 1 horizontally disposed above a fastened member W; a guide part 3 formed at the guide plate 1 and having a narrow width such that a flange 2c of a bolt 2 into which a screw shaft part 2a is inserted hooks thereon; a drop hole 4 having an opening diameter larger than that of the flange 2c; a rotary plate 5 disposed at the upper surface side of the guide plate; a pocket part 5a provided at the rotary plate 5; a chuck mechanism 7 provided below the drop hole 4 and configured to engage with the flange 2c of the bolt 2 dropped from the drop hole 4 by closing and disengage the flange 2c to drop the bolt 2 toward an attachment hole H by opening; and a link mechanism 10 which is operated by the rotary plate 5 to open the chuck mechanism 7 after the pocket part 5a moves the bolt 2 to the drop hole 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously supplying bolts to a target location, and more particularly to an apparatus for dropping and supplying bolts provided with a flange-like portion on the head side.

Background Art

[0002] It is well known that various mechanical devices are composed of a plurality of parts, and bolts are used for fastening these parts. Since fastening with bolts involves operations of supplying and screwing (tightening) the bolts, it is first necessary to efficiently supply the bolts. Patent Document 1 describes an apparatus configured to efficiently supply bolts. The apparatus includes a so-called star-shaped rotary magazine having a plurality of cut portions opened on the outer peripheral side and formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and a nut runner having a driving bit. Bolts are held in a suspended state in each cut portion, and by rotating the magazine, these bolts are sequentially moved to the extraction position. At the extraction position, the nut runner holds the bolts, extracts them from the magazine, and supplies them to a predetermined location for tightening.

[0003] It has been widely known in the past to use a magazine for holding bolts with their postures aligned. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a magazine provided with a plurality of types of heads in order to accommodate a plurality of types of bolts. The rotary magazine described in Patent Document 1 above is used with bolts set in each cut portion, and when all the bolts are taken out and the magazine becomes empty, the magazine is replaced. An apparatus configured to replace the magazine in the same manner is described in Patent Document 3. In addition, Patent Document 4 describes an apparatus configured to perform vacuum suction in order to hold bolts or screws by a bit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022 - 80282 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010 - 142888 Patent Document 3 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5 - 57537 Patent Document 4 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 63 - 216637 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] If the magazine disclosed in the above Patent Document 1 etc. is used, a plurality of bolts to be continuously supplied can be supplied to the delivery location for the nut runner or bit with their postures aligned. However, in a conventionally known device, bolts are taken out from the magazine by a nut runner, bit, etc. and moved to the fastening location. That is, the magazine in the conventional device only holds the bolts with their postures aligned and moves the bolts to the delivery position for the nut runner or bit, and the supply of bolts to the fastening location is separately performed by the nut runner or bit. Therefore, conventionally, it takes time to supply bolts, and it is particularly difficult to convey them at high speed without changing the posture of the bolts, and there is room for improvement in terms of improving the efficiency of bolt fastening.

[0006] This invention has been made by paying attention to the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bolt supply device that can quickly and continuously supply bolts to a fastening location (supply location) such as a fastening hole of a component to be assembled. Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a bolt supply device for supplying a bolt having a large-diameter portion with an outer diameter larger than that of the screw shaft portion to a mounting hole of a fastening member, above the fastening member. The bolt supply device includes a guide plate horizontally disposed above the fastening member, and a guide portion formed by penetrating the guide plate in the thickness direction so as to have an arc shape centered on a predetermined center position of the guide plate with a width narrower than that of the large-diameter portion so that the large-diameter portion of the bolt inserted with the screw shaft portion is caught. A drop hole having an opening diameter larger than that of the large-diameter portion is formed at one end of the guide portion, and a pocket portion that is disposed on the upper surface side of the guide plate and engages with each bolt caught by the guide portion is provided. A rotating plate that rotates so that the pocket portion moves from the other end side of the guide portion to the one end side where the drop hole is provided, a chuck mechanism that is provided below the drop hole and engages the large-diameter portion of the bolt dropped from the drop hole by closing, and disengages the engagement of the large-diameter portion by opening and drops the bolt toward the mounting hole, and a link mechanism that is operated by the rotating plate after the pocket portion moves the bolt to the drop hole and opens the chuck mechanism.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] In the present invention, by inserting the screw shaft portion into the guide portion, the bolt is held in a state of being suspended from the guide portion with the large-diameter portion hooked. For each bolt, the pocket portion of the rotating plate engages, and as the rotating plate rotates, each bolt is moved by the guide portion toward the drop hole. Since the opening diameter of the drop hole is larger than the large-diameter portion, the bolt that has moved to the drop hole drops from the drop hole to the chuck mechanism. Since the chuck mechanism is closed, the dropped bolt is held in a suspended state by the chuck mechanism. Immediately thereafter, the link mechanism is operated by the rotating plate and the chuck mechanism opens, and the bolt drops toward the mounting hole. Therefore, the guide plate provided with the guide portion corresponds to a cartridge or magazine that holds a plurality of bolts with their postures aligned, and the bolt is directly supplied from the guide plate to the mounting hole. Therefore, members and operations such as removing and moving the bolt from the guide plate corresponding to the cartridge or magazine become unnecessary, and a large number of bolts can be quickly and continuously supplied to the mounting hole, which is the supply location.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples of the case where the present invention is implemented, and do not limit the present invention.

[0011] The main part of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, reference numeral "1" denotes a guide plate which has a guide portion 3 for arranging and holding a plurality of bolts 2. The guide plate 1 is a horizontally arranged plate-like member, and the guide portion 3 is a so-called long hole-shaped portion which penetrates the guide plate 1 in its thickness direction and is formed in an arc shape. The bolt 2 has a washer-like flange 2c corresponding to the large-diameter portion in the embodiment of the present invention and a head 2b at the upper end of the screw shaft portion 2a. The guide portion 3 has a width narrower than the outer diameter of the flange 2c of the bolt 2. Therefore, the bolt 2 is held in a state where the flange 2c of the bolt 2 with the screw shaft portion 2a inserted into the guide portion 3 is hooked on the opening edge of the guide portion 3 and suspended. That is, the flange 2c corresponds to the large-diameter portion in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] The guide portion 3 is formed in an arc shape over a range of about 300 degrees or slightly wider in terms of the rotation angle centered on the center position of the guide plate 1, and a drop hole 4 is formed at one end thereof (the end portion turned clockwise when viewing the guide plate 1 from above). The drop hole 4 is a portion for disengaging the bolt 2 from the engagement with the guide plate 1 and dropping it from the guide plate 1, and is a through hole having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the flange 2c and connected to the guide portion 3.

[0013] A rotating plate 5 is provided for moving the bolt 2 held by the guide portion 3 to the dropping hole 4. The rotating plate 5 engages with the flange 2c or the head 2b of the bolt 2 to push and move the bolt 2 within the guide portion 3 toward the dropping hole 4. It has a plurality (six in FIG. 1) of pocket portions 5a as the portions engaging with the bolt 2. The pocket portion 5a is a U-shaped recess opened on the outer peripheral side of the rotating plate 5. When the rotating plate 5 rotates around the central position of the guide plate 1, the pocket portion 5a is configured to move along the guide portion 3 on its upper surface side. In other words, the rotating plate 5 has six protruding portions 5b that protrude outward in the radial direction at regular intervals in the circumferential direction, and the portions between these protruding portions 5b are the pocket portions 5a. Therefore, the rotating plate 5 has a shape that can be called a star wheel. A motor 6 is provided for rotating the rotating plate 5 clockwise when viewed from above the guide plate 1.

[0014] A chuck mechanism 7 is provided directly below the dropping hole 4 on the lower surface side of the guide plate 1. The chuck mechanism 7 is for once receiving the bolt 2 dropped from the dropping hole 4 and then dropping the bolt 2 almost straight (vertically). That is, the bolt 2 that has moved to the dropping hole 4 starts to drop due to the shift of its center of gravity position from the guide portion 3 toward the dropping hole 4 side. At that time, since a part of the flange 2c (the part on the rear side in the rotation direction of the rotating plate 5) is caught by the guide portion 3, the bolt 2 drops while being tilted. As it is, there are inconveniences such as the bolt 2 cannot be supplied to a predetermined target location, or the posture needs to be corrected when tightening. Therefore, the chuck mechanism 7 is provided and configured to drop and supply the bolt 2 to the target location without tilting.

[0015] An example of the chuck mechanism 7 is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The chuck mechanism 7 includes a holder 8 attached to the lower surface of the above-described guide plate 1, a pair of opening and closing claws 9a and 9b attached to the lower end of the holder 8, and a link mechanism 10 that opens and closes the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b. The holder 8 is a member that can be referred to as a bracket or a retainer, and is disposed directly below the above-described drop hole 4 in the guide plate 1. And a through hole 8a having a central axis substantially coincident with the drop hole 4 is formed. The through hole 8a is for guiding the bolt 2 to the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b, and is a hole having a circular cross section with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the flange 2c of the bolt 2 and shorter than the length of the bolt 2. The through hole 8a has a cutout portion extending over the entire length in the axial direction at a location facing the guide portion 3 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in order to introduce the bolt 2 that has moved along the guide portion 3 from the outside in the radial direction to the inside.

[0016] The opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are provided on the lower end opening side of the above-described through hole 8a so as to face each other across the central axis of the through hole 8a and approach and separate from the central axis. Each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b has a certain thickness in the vertical direction, and tapered receiving surfaces 9c and 9d are formed on their respective opposing surfaces. As shown in FIG. 4, these receiving surfaces 9c and 9d are surfaces that form a partially cut-open tapered hole integrally with each other. The inner diameter is large on the upper side, and the inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the flange 2c of the bolt 2. On the other hand, the inner diameter on the lower side is small, and the inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the threaded shaft portion 2a of the bolt 2 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 2c. Each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b is so-called pinned to the lower end portion of the above-described holder 8 so as to rotate about a horizontal axis parallel to each other. By rotating about the horizontal axis, they approach and separate from each other. FIGS. 2 and 4 show a state in which the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are closed and approaching each other, and a tapered hole is formed by the respective receiving surfaces 9c and 9d. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are open, and the respective receiving surfaces 9c and 9d are separated from each other, and the shortest distance therebetween is equal to or greater than the diameter of the flange 2c of the bolt 2. That is, when the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are closed, the flange 2c is caught by the receiving surfaces 9c and 9d, and the bolt 2 is held by the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b in a suspended state. When the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are open, since the respective receiving surfaces 9c and 9d are separated by a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of the flange 2c, the bolt 2 loses the support of the flange 2c and falls vertically.

[0017] The link mechanism 10 is a mechanism for causing the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b to perform the opening and closing operation as described above. The opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are operated by the rotary plate 5 so as to open and close in conjunction with the rotary plate 5 described above. Specifically, one end portions of links 10a and 10b are connected to the end portions of each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b in the horizontal axis direction by pins so as to be rotatable. The other end portions of those links 10a and 10b are connected to a lifting block 10c capable of vertical movement by pins so as to be rotatable. The lifting block 10c is engaged with a guide groove 8b formed in the holder 8 in the vertical direction so as to be vertically movable. Therefore, the holder 8, each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b, each of the links 10a and 10b, and the lifting block 10c constitute a slide lever chain. When the lifting block 10c rises, each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b approaches each other and closes. On the contrary, when the lifting block 10c descends, each of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b separates from each other and opens.

[0018] Although not particularly shown, a spring is disposed below the lifting block 10c so as to act to push up the lifting block 10c. Further, the lifting block 10c is integrally provided with a push portion 10d that extends upward and protrudes to the upper surface side of the guide plate 1. The position where the push portion 10d protrudes is a position adjacent to the front side in the rotation direction of the rotary plate 5 rather than the above-described drop hole 4 in the guide plate 1, and further is a position where a protrusion 5b that partitions the pocket portion 5a passes.

[0019] The upper end portion of the push portion 10d is an inclined surface 10e facing the rear side in the rotation direction of the rotary plate 5 (protrusion 5b). On the other hand, the lower surface of the protrusion 5b is an inclined surface 5c facing the inclined surface 10e in the push portion 10d, that is, an inclined surface 5c facing the front side in the rotation direction of the protrusion 5b. When the rotary plate 5 (protrusion 5b) rotates with these inclined surfaces 10e and 5c in surface contact, the push portion 10d is pushed down against the elastic force of a spring (not shown) by the downward component force generated by those inclined surfaces 10e and 5c.

[0020] Next, the continuous supply operation of the bolt 2 by the bolt supply device having the above-described configuration will be described. With any one of the pocket portions 5a aligned with the starting end portion of the guide portion 3 (the end portion on the rear side in the rotational direction of the rotary plate 5 or the protruding portion 5b), the bolt 2 is dropped with the threaded shaft portion 2a facing downward toward the starting end portion. Since the outer diameter of the flange 2c of the bolt 2 is larger than the opening width of the guide portion 3, the bolt 2 is suspended from the guide plate 1 with the flange 2c caught by the guide portion 3. As the rotary plate 5 rotates, the bolt 2 is pushed by the pocket portion 5a and moves inside the guide portion 3. Each time a subsequent pocket portion 5a aligns with the starting end portion of the guide portion 3, the bolt 2 is sequentially dropped, and a plurality of bolts 2 are arranged in the guide portion 3 at regular intervals.

[0021] When the bolt 2 that has been pushed by the pocket portion 5a and has moved through the guide portion 3 reaches one end portion of the guide portion 3 (the end portion in the rotational direction of the rotary plate 5), a drop hole 4 having a diameter larger than that of the flange 2c is formed in that portion, so the support of the flange 2c of the bolt 2 is released and the bolt 2 drops.

[0022] At that time, among the protruding portions 5b that partition the pocket portion 5a in which the bolt 2 is located, the protruding portion 5b on the front side in the rotational direction is displaced forward from the position of the push portion 10d described above, and the push portion 10d protrudes upward. That is, the lifting block 10c in the link mechanism 10 is pushed upward, and as a result, the opening and closing claws 9a, 9b approach each other and close.

[0023] The bolt 2 drops toward the closed opening and closing claws 9a, 9b. When the bolt 2 drops into the drop hole 4, a part of the flange 2c (a part on the rear side in the rotational direction of the rotary plate 5) may be caught by the guide portion 3, and thus the bolt 2 may drop while being inclined. However, since the holes formed by the receiving surfaces 9c, 9d of the opening and closing claws 9a, 9b located below are tapered holes, the inclination of the bolt 2 is corrected to be substantially in the vertical direction by the tapered holes.

[0024] And since the minimum diameter of the tapered holes formed by the receiving surfaces 9c and 9d of the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b is smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 2c, the bolt 2 is held in a suspended state with its flange 2c hooked on the receiving surfaces 9c and 9d. In that case, by making the lower opening diameter of the tapered hole slightly larger than the outer diameter of the threaded shaft portion 2a, it becomes easy to correct the orientation of the bolt 2 to be approximately vertical.

[0025] Immediately after the protrusion 5b on the rear side (the rear side in the rotation direction) that partitions the pocket portion 5a where the bolt 2 has fallen further rotates and passes through the drop hole 4, the lower inclined surface 5c contacts the inclined surface 10e at the upper end of the push portion 10d. In this state, when the rotating plate 5 (protrusion 5b) further rotates, the push portion 10d is pushed down. As the lifting block 10c integrated with the push portion 10d descends, the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b are separated from each other and opened by the action of the link mechanism 10 described above. As a result, the bolt 2 that had its flange 2c hooked on the receiving surfaces 9c and 9d loses its support and falls. In that case, the opening and closing claws 9a and 9b open simultaneously on both the left and right sides with respect to the center of the bolt 2 to release the support of the flange 2c, so the bolt 2 falls while maintaining a vertically oriented posture, that is, without tilting.

[0026] By positioning the mounting hole H of an appropriate fastening member W to be assembled directly below the chuck mechanism 7 described above, the bolt 2 that has fallen from the chuck mechanism 7 is supplied to the fastening member W with the tip of its threaded shaft portion 2a inserted into the mounting hole H. After thus supplying one bolt 2 to an appropriate fastening member W, the rotating plate 5 moves the subsequent bolt 2 to the drop hole 4, and the series of operations described above are repeated, enabling a plurality of bolts 2 to be continuously supplied to an appropriate fastening member W.

[0027] Therefore, according to the above bolt feeding device which is an embodiment of the present invention, the guide plate 1 that holds a plurality of bolts 2 with their postures aligned performs the function of a conventional magazine, and the bolts 2 can be fed from the guide plate 1 into the mounting hole H of an appropriate fastening member W while maintaining their postures. Therefore, processes such as taking out bolts from the magazine and transporting them to the supply location, which were necessary in the past, can be omitted, so that the bolts 2 can be fed efficiently. Further, even if the bolts 2 are fed by dropping, since the bolts 2 are not tilted, it is possible to avoid failing to supply them to the mounting hole or the like or hindering continuous supply, and the working efficiency can be improved.

[0028] In addition, when six bolts 2 are taken as one unit, six bolts 2 can be continuously supplied by one bolt feeding device shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. When the number of bolts 2 in one unit is larger, the guide portion 3 can be lengthened and the number of pocket portions 5a can be increased, or a plurality of bolt feeding devices can be provided one above the other, and the bolts 2 for one unit can be arranged side by side in the guide portions 3 of these bolt feeding devices.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0029] 1 Guide plate 2 Bolt 2a Threaded shaft portion 2b Head 2c Flange 3 Guide portion 4 Drop hole 5 Rotating plate 5a Pocket portion 5b Protrusion 5c Inclined surface 6 Motor 7 Chuck mechanism 8 Holder 8a Through hole 8b Guide groove 9a, 9b Opening and closing claws 9c, 9d Receiving surface 10 Link mechanism 10a, 10b Links 10c Lifting block 10d Push part 10e Inclined surface H Mounting hole W Fastening member

Claims

【Claim 1】 A bolt supply device that supplies a bolt having a large-diameter portion with a larger outer diameter than the screw shaft portion to a mounting hole of a fastening member, the bolt being provided above the screw shaft portion, a guide plate horizontally disposed above the fastening member, a guide portion formed to penetrate the guide plate in the thickness direction so as to have an arc shape centered on a predetermined center position of the guide plate with a width narrower than the large-diameter portion so that the large-diameter portion of the bolt inserted with the screw shaft portion is caught, a drop hole formed at one end of the guide portion and having an opening diameter larger than the large-diameter portion, a rotating plate disposed on the upper surface side of the guide plate and having a pocket portion that engages with each of the bolts caught by the guide portion, the pocket portion rotating so as to move from the other end side of the guide portion to the one end side where the drop hole is provided, a chuck mechanism provided below the drop hole, which, when closed, engages the large-diameter portion of the bolt dropped from the drop hole, and when opened, releases the engagement of the large-diameter portion and drops the bolt toward the mounting hole, and a link mechanism that operates the chuck mechanism to open it after the pocket portion moves the bolt to the drop hole by the rotating plate characterized by comprising a bolt supply device.

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