Linear conveyor device

Abstract

To provide a linear transportation device that can prevent problems caused by excess lubricant by wiping and spreading the supplied lubricant so that the proper amount of lubricant remains on a rail.SOLUTION: V-grooves 16a are formed in a guide rail 10 along its extension direction. A maintenance shuttle 12 is caused to travel along the guide rail 10 by a linear motor drive, and arranged rotatably with: first guide rollers 28 which fit respectively into V-grooves 16a by being attracted to the guide rail 10 by magnetic force; and wiping and spreading rollers 31 which are made tightly contact the V-groove 16a. The maintenance shuttle 12 is provided with an oil impregnation body which supplies lubricant to a surface of the first guide roller 28 is provided on. Travelling the maintenance shuttle 12 along the guide rail 10 transfers the lubricant of the oil impregnation body onto the V-groove 16a via the first guide roller 28, and the lubricant is wiped and spread evenly over the entire running range by the wiping and spreading roller 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a linear conveying device that conveys articles by a shuttle that travels along a rail by linear motor drive.

Background Art

[0002] As an article conveying device, for reasons such as the freedom of the conveying operation and the compatibility of the types and sizes of articles to be conveyed, a linear motor-driven linear conveying device is configured such that a shuttle capable of supporting articles travels along a rail by linear motor drive has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The linear conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a guide roller provided rotatably on a shuttle provided with permanent magnets fits into a V-groove provided in a rail provided with electromagnetic coils and is supported so as to be capable of traveling by the attracting action of magnetic force, and the shuttle moves along the rail by controlling the energization of the electromagnetic coils.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the linear transfer device, the guide roller provided on the shuttle runs while being pressed against the V-groove of the rail. Then, in order to promote the smooth rotation of the guide roller and suppress the wear of the contact surface between the roller surface and the rail in contact with the roller, maintenance work for periodically supplying oil is preferably carried out so that the shuttle can run with lubricating oil applied to the contact surface between the roller and the rail. When the amount of lubricating oil supplied is too large or as time passes due to the operation of the device, the supplied lubricating oil may scatter due to the rotation of the roller, drip down to the outside of the groove portion of the rail, stain the surrounding components, adhere to the shuttle body to cause oil stains, or stain the articles supported and conveyed by the shuttle. There is a risk of such problems occurring.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a linear transfer device equipped with a linear shuttle capable of wiping and extending the lubricating oil without wiping off the excess oil in a state where an appropriate amount of oil remains on the circumferential surface of the roller in contact with the groove of the rail to form an oil film and the applied state is maintained, without the surrounding structures, the components of the shuttle, and other various components being soiled by the lubricating oil overflowing from the rail groove, or the smooth running of the shuttle being hindered by the remaining lubricating oil.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The linear transfer device of the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is a linear transfer device comprising a guide rail (10) having a groove (16a) formed extending in a travel path and a guide roller (28) that is pressed against the groove (16a) and guides a linear shuttle that travels by linear motor drive control, the linear shuttle is provided with a maintenance shuttle (12) having a wiping and extending roller (31) supported at a position different from that of the guide roller (28) so as to rotate in contact with a groove portion (16a, 16b) that is a predetermined range of the groove (16a) and the rail surface (16b) facing both sides of the groove (16a), The wiping roller (31) is characterized in that at least its peripheral surface is made of an elastic body capable of spreading the lubricating oil supplied to the groove portions (16a, 16b) during the running of the maintenance shuttle (12). According to the invention according to claim 1, the lubricating oil supplied to the guide rail can be spread by the wiping roller so that the oil remains in an appropriate applied state on the guide rail, and the wear of the guide rail and the guide roller of the linear shuttle can be effectively suppressed without hindering the smooth running of the linear shuttle. In addition, since the excess lubricating oil leaking from the groove can also be spread by the wiping roller, it is possible to prevent in advance the occurrence of problems such as soiling of the surrounding units and the articles being conveyed supported by the linear shuttle by the lubricating oil dripping or splashing from the guide rail.

[0007] In the invention according to claim 2, the peripheral surface of the wiping roller (31) includes a protruding portion (31a) having a shape along the groove (16a) in the groove portion (16a, 16b), and step portions (31b) that connect to both sides of the protruding portion (31a) and contact the rail surface (16b) on both sides of the groove (16a) in the groove portion (16a, 16b). According to the invention according to claim 2, it is possible to evenly spread the lubricating oil supplied to the surface of the guide rail, including the lubricating oil leaking from the groove of the guide rail.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 3, the guide rail (10) is provided with two rows of grooves (16a), and the maintenance shuttle (12) is provided with two guide rollers (28) positioned obliquely apart from one another and the other of the two rows of grooves (16a, 16a) during running, and a wiping roller (31) is provided in an arrangement opposite to the oblique arrangement. According to the invention according to claim 3, the linear shuttle can run stably along the guide rail, and the wiping roller can be brought into close contact with the rail surface of the groove portion with uniform pressure to evenly spread the lubricating oil without unevenness.

[0009] In the invention according to claim 4, the maintenance shuttle (12) is characterized in that the wiping roller (31) is arranged at an interval where it can be in close contact with one and the other of the two rows of grooves (16a, 16a) coaxially with each of the guide rollers (28). According to the invention according to claim 4, the lubricating oil can be evenly wiped and spread without unevenness in the two rows of grooves by the wiping roller.

[0010] In the invention according to claim 5, the peripheral surface of the wiping roller (31) is composed of a polyurethane sponge porous body having a hardness that allows the wiping roller (31) in contact with the groove (16a) to rotate and an oil-impregnating property that can absorb and wipe the excess lubricating oil adhering to the guide rail (10). According to the invention according to claim 5, the lubricating oil can be evenly wiped and spread without unevenness in the grooves throughout the traveling range of the maintenance shuttle without significant deformation of the wiping roller.

[0011] In the invention according to claim 6, the guide rail (10) is formed in a loop shape from linear portions (13, 13) parallel to each other and return portions (14, 14) connecting the two linear portions (13, 13). It is characterized by including a feeding rail (19) that forms an entry path for the linear shuttle toward the linear portion (13) and a retracting rail (20) that forms an exit path for the linear shuttle from the linear portion (13). According to the invention according to claim 6, a linear shuttle configured to perform a conveying process along a loop-shaped guide rail can be fed in or taken out from the entry path or the exit path when necessary, so that the wiping operation of the excess lubricating oil on the guide rail can be automatically performed. And when maintenance is required, even during the conveying operation by the linear shuttle, the maintenance shuttle can be smoothly fed onto the guide rail, so there is no need to stop the conveying process of the conveying device and let the operator manually wipe the oil on the rail for maintenance work, and the work efficiency associated with the conveying process is improved, etc., and it has excellent maintainability.

[0012] In the invention according to claim 7, the maintenance shuttle (12) is caused to enter from the feeding rail (19) into the straight portion (13) of the guide rail (10) by a maintenance start signal, and the maintenance shuttle (12) is caused to exit from the straight portion (13) of the guide rail (10) to the retracting rail (20) by a maintenance end signal, and the operation of the maintenance shuttle (12) is controlled. According to the invention according to claim 7, the operation of the maintenance shuttle when entering the guide rail and when exiting the guide rail can be performed at appropriate timings of the entry timing from the feeding rail and the exit timing to the retracting rail in relation to the position of the linear shuttle during travel.

[0013] In the invention according to claim 8, a maintenance time is set, and at the set maintenance time, the linear shuttle is controlled to operate so that the maintenance shuttle (12) enters from the feeding rail (19) into the guide rail (10), travels for a predetermined time, and then the maintenance shuttle (12) exits from the guide rail (10) to the retracting rail (20). According to the invention according to claim 8, when the preset maintenance work time arrives, the operation of the linear shuttle can be controlled so that during or while pausing the conveyance operation of the linear shuttle, the maintenance shuttle automatically enters the guide rail and performs maintenance of the guide rail. Therefore, it is not necessary for an operator to perform maintenance work.

[0014] In the invention according to claim 9, the linear shuttle is provided with a plurality of work shuttles (11) having a support portion for an article so as to be capable of performing various article processing operations, and a maintenance shuttle (12) having the wiping roller (31). During the running of the work shuttle (11), the maintenance shuttle (12) is made to enter the guide rail (10) and run so as to replace any one of the work shuttles (11) during the work break with the maintenance shuttle (12), and after running for a predetermined maintenance time, the maintenance shuttle (12) is made to exit the guide rail (10), and the replacement operation control between the work shuttle (11) and the maintenance shuttle (12) is performed so that the work shuttle (11) enters instead of the maintenance shuttle (12). According to the invention according to claim 9, during the running of the work shuttle, the maintenance shuttle automatically enters the guide rail to perform maintenance work, and when the maintenance work is completed, the maintenance shuttle automatically exits the guide rail, so there is no need to separately provide time for maintenance.

Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, the operation of leaving an appropriate amount of lubricating oil on the guide rail, wiping it and extending it so that the entire rail is lubricated evenly can be performed on behalf of the operator.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Next, a preferred embodiment of the linear conveyor device according to the present invention will be given and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the linear transfer device includes a guide rail 10 extending along the transfer path of the article, and a work shuttle 11 (composed of a linear shuttle) and a maintenance shuttle 12 that can travel along the guide rail 10 by linear motor drive to perform the transfer process of the article. The guide rail 10 is formed in a loop shape that circulates from the straight portions 13, 13 parallel to each other and the two arc-shaped return portions 14, 14 connecting the two straight portions 13, 13. A plurality of work shuttles 11 are supported on the guide rail 10 so as to be able to travel, and various support members (support portions) (not shown) for performing transfer processes (various processing operations) on each work shuttle 11 are arranged. The article is transferred along the guide rail 10 by being supported by a combination of different support members arranged on a plurality of work shuttles 11, or by individual support members arranged on each work shuttle 11. Further, the guide rail 10 is composed of a linear guide 15 in which a coil 10a is installed over the entire length of the transfer track, a grooved rail 16 arranged close to the upper and lower sides of the linear guide 15, and a flat rail 17. In the grooved rail 16, two rows of V-grooves (grooves) 16a formed at predetermined intervals in the width direction intersecting the circumferential direction of the guide rail 10 extend in the circumferential direction (the travel path of the linear shuttle) on the circumferential side surface, and the flat rail 17 has a circumferential side surface formed by a flat plane. By the magnetic force of the permanent magnets provided on the shuttle bodies 18 of the work shuttle 11 and the maintenance shuttle 12, the shuttle bodies 18 are attracted to the surface of the linear guide 15, and the first guide roller 28 and the wiping roller 31 described later fit into and adhere to the V-grooves 16a of the grooved rail 16, and the second guide roller 30 is in contact with the surface of the flat rail 17. In this state, the energization of the coil 10a is controlled, and the operation of the linear shuttle composed of the work shuttle 11 and the maintenance shuttle 12 is controlled by linear motor drive so that it travels along the guide rail 10.Note that the linear guide 15 is configured such that a magnetic force acts to attract the permanent magnet of the shuttle body 18 to a ferromagnetic material such as metal made of iron that attracts a magnet or to the iron core of the coil 10a, and even when the coil 10a is not energized, the linear shuttle is configured to be held against the guide rail 10 by the magnetic force.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in one return portion 14 of the guide rail 10, a feed rail 19 that is parallel to the outside of the linear portion 13 and extends as a linear track is disposed at a predetermined interval from the connection portion corresponding to the connection portion that transitions from the return portion 14 to one linear portion 13. At a position corresponding to the connection portion that transitions from the return portion 14 to the other linear portion 13 and separated by a predetermined interval, a retraction rail 20 that is parallel to the outside of the linear portion 13 and extends as a linear track is arranged. Similar to the guide rail 10, the feed rail 19 and the retraction rail 20 include linear guides 21 and 22 that house coils 19a and 20a, and grooved rails 23 and 24 provided on the upper portions of the linear guides 21 and 22 with two rows of V-grooves 23a and 24a formed at predetermined intervals on the opposing surfaces with the linear portion 13, and flat rails 25 and 26 provided on the lower portions with the opposing surfaces with the linear portion 13 formed as flat planes. Further, the maintenance shuttle 12 is configured such that one side of the shuttle body 18 can be attracted by magnetic force to the guide rail 10 and travel in a state of facing the guide rail 10, and the other side of the shuttle body 18 can be attracted to the rails 19 and 20 and travel in a state of facing the feed rail 19 and the retraction rail 20. The separation distance from the guide rail 10 is set. By controlling the energization of the coils 10a, 19a, and 20a of the guide rail 10, the feed rail 19, and the retraction rail 20, the maintenance shuttle 12 on the feed rail 19 can be made to enter the linear portion 13 of the guide rail 10, or the maintenance shuttle 12 on the linear portion 13 can be made to exit to the retraction rail 20. That is, the feed rail 19 forms an entry path for the maintenance shuttle 12 toward the linear portion 13, and the retraction rail 20 forms an exit path for the maintenance shuttle 12 from the linear portion 13. Note that the track lengths of the feed rail 19 and the retraction rail 20 are set to lengths that can accommodate a plurality of maintenance shuttles 12 in standby.

[0020] Since the basic structures of the work shuttle 11 and the maintenance shuttle 12 are the same, the common parts will be described with reference to the maintenance shuttle 12.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, a holder 27 extending upward from one end of the shuttle body 18 is disposed on the maintenance shuttle 12. Various support members for a conveying device (not shown) are disposed on the holder 27. Further, the holder 27 has a post 36 and attachment portions 36a, 36a that extend left and right from the post 36 while being spaced apart in the vertical direction. The first guide rollers 28 are arranged at a predetermined distance apart left and right across the post 36 and are pivotally supported on the respective attachment portions 36a so as to be freely rotatable at the same interval as the separation interval of the V-grooves 16a. The first guide rollers 28 are rotatably supported on a support shaft 37 disposed on each attachment portion 36a via bearings. Each of the first guide rollers 28 fits into the respective V-grooves 16a, 23a, 24a in the guide rail 10, the feed rail 19, and the retraction rail 20 to guide the travel of the maintenance shuttle 12. The first guide rollers 28 are formed of an engineering plastic material, and their outer peripheries protrude in a mountain shape. One and the other of the two first guide rollers 28, 28 are supported on the holder 27 such that they are positioned obliquely with respect to the extending direction of the respective rails 10, 19, 20 so as to be respectively fitted into one and the other of the two rows of V-grooves 16a, 16a / 23a, 23a / 24a, 24a. Further, a sub-holder 29 protruding downward from the other end of the shuttle body 18 has attachment portions 29a, 29a that extend left and right from the sub-holder 29 while being spaced apart in the vertical direction. Two second guide rollers 30 that are freely rotatably supported are disposed on the attachment portions 29a, 29a so as to be obliquely spaced apart with the same axial distance as the first guide rollers 28, 28 with respect to the extending direction of the respective rails 10, 19, 20. The second guide rollers 30 are rollers having a flat outer peripheral surface, and are configured such that the outer peripheral surface of the second guide rollers 30 abuts and rotates on a flat surface that is one side surface of the flat rails 17, 25, 26 provided on the guide rail 10, the feed rail 19, and the retraction rail 20.Then, the maintenance shuttle 12 is attracted to the guide rail 10, the feeding rail 19 or the retracting rail 20 by magnetic force, so that the first guide roller 28 fits into the V-grooves 16a, 23a, 24a of the grooved rails 16, 23, 24, and the outer peripheral surface of the second guide roller 30 abuts against the surfaces of the flat rails 17, 25, 26. A gap is provided between the opposing surfaces of the linear guides 15, 21, 22 provided on the guide rails 10, 19, 20 and the shuttle body 18, so that the maintenance shuttle 12 is configured to freely travel along each of the rails 10, 19, 20.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the holder 27, a wiping roller 31 that is coaxial with the corresponding first guide roller 28 is rotatably supported via bearings on the support shaft 37 of each attachment portion 36a. The wiping roller 31 is arranged at a constant axial interval from the first guide roller 28 by a spacer 34. The two wiping rollers 31, 31 pivotally supported by the holder 27 are arranged to be diagonally positioned opposite (reverse) to the two first guide rollers 28, 28 with respect to the extending direction of the rails 10, 19, 20. The wiping roller 31 is formed in substantially the same shape as the first guide roller 28, and includes a protruding portion 31a whose outer circumference (circumferential surface) protrudes in a mountain shape along the V-groove 16a so as to fit into the V-groove 16a of the guide rail 10, and small-diameter stepped portions 31b, 31b connected to both axial ends of the protruding portion 31a. The stepped portions 31b, 31b are configured such that the outer peripheral surfaces of the stepped portions 31b, 31b abut against the narrow-width surface portions (rail surfaces) 16b of the flat rails formed on both upper and lower sides sandwiching the V-groove 16a on the formation surface of the V-groove 16a. The wiping roller 31 is formed with a slightly larger size such that the size difference from the first guide roller 28 is within 1 mm, for example, 0.5 mm. Thereby, in a state of being attracted and pressed against the guide rail 10 by magnetic force, the protruding portion 31a is elastically deformed to be in close contact with the V-groove 16a without a gap, and the stepped portions 31b, 31b are in contact with the rail surfaces of the narrow-width surface portions 16b, 16b on both upper and lower sides sandwiching the V-groove 16a, and are configured to be able to wipe and extend the lubricating oil adhering to the rail surfaces of the narrow-width surface portions 16b, 16b formed continuously above and below the V-groove and within the V-groove 16a. The wiping rollers 31, 31 are supported coaxially with the first guide rollers 28, 28 and vertically spaced apart corresponding to the separation interval of the two rows of V-grooves 16a, 16a with respect to the holder 27, so that each wiping roller 31 is disposed to be separately fitted into each of the two rows of V-grooves 16a, 16a. In this embodiment, the V-groove 16a provided in the guide rail 10 and the narrow-width surface portion 16b in a predetermined range formed on the surface of the guide rail 10 following both sides of the V-groove become the groove portions of the region where the wiping roller 31 is to be in close contact and wipe the oil.Note that the predetermined range in the width direction (the direction intersecting the extending direction of the guide rail 10) where the stepped portion 31b is in close contact with the narrow-width surface portion 16b does not necessarily have to be the entire width direction. Depending on conditions such as the interval between the plurality of V-grooves 16a and the width of the rail surface formation outside the V-grooves 16a, it is sufficient if it is within a range where at least the oil leaking from the V-grooves 16a can be wiped and spread.

[0023] The wiping roller 31 is formed of a material made of a polyurethane sponge porous body (elastic body) having appropriate hardness and oil impregnation property, which can absorb and wipe the excess lubricating oil (surplus lubricating oil) attached to the guide rail 10 over the entire running range of the maintenance shuttle 12 while rotating in close contact with the V-grooves 16a. In this embodiment, by adopting the wiping roller 31 formed of a polyurethane sponge manufactured by Toyo Polymer Co., Ltd. with a hardness of 81 in a hardness test using an Asker F-type hardness meter (Type D durometer), the wiping roller 31 can obtain the action of wiping and spreading the lubricating oil on the rail surface (inside the V-grooves 16a and the surface of the narrow-width surface portion 16) and the action of absorbing the excess lubricating oil. It was confirmed that the wiping roller 31 moderately impregnated with lubricating oil can evenly wipe and spread the lubricating oil over the entire running range of the maintenance shuttle 12 without unevenness. That is, the wiping roller 31 is formed of a sponge, felt, or other material of a predetermined size that can absorb and wipe the excess lubricating oil attached to the guide rail 10 without wiping off the supplied lubricating oil, and when pressed against the rail, it closely adheres to the rail surface without gaps with appropriate deformation. It is desirable to use the wiping roller 31. Note that as long as at least the peripheral surface of the wiping roller 31 is composed of the elastic body of the above material, it may be a structure in which the outer periphery of a main body made of an engineering plastic material is coated with an elastic body of a predetermined thickness.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, in the work shuttle 11, oil impregnation bodies 32 impregnated with lubricating oil dripping from an oil supply port 27a provided in the holder 27 through an oil supply passage 27b are provided corresponding to the respective first guide rollers 28, and the surface of the first guide roller 28 is configured to contact each oil impregnation body 32 made of felt, so that the lubricating oil of the oil impregnation body 32 is configured to be transferred to the V-groove 16a via the first guide roller 28. Further, in the present embodiment, the oil supply to the oil supply port 27a is periodically performed by an operator. Note that the maintenance shuttle 12 may be provided with an oil impregnation body 32 from the viewpoint of parts sharing. Further, during rail maintenance, it is recommended to run the maintenance shuttle 12 in a non-oil supply state where oil has not penetrated into the oil impregnation body 32.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 6, the control unit 33 of the linear transfer device is connected to the coil 10a of the guide rail 10, the coil 19a of the feeding rail 19, and the coil 20a of the retracting rail 20 so that energization of the coils 10a, 19a, and 20a can be controlled. Further, the control unit 33 is connected to an operation start signal input means 35 comprising an operation panel such as a touch panel capable of inputting and setting various data such as the number of revolutions and time of the maintenance shuttle 12 during maintenance work. In the linear transfer device, the entry of the maintenance shuttle 12 waiting on the feeding rail 19 into the guide rail 10 and the exit of the maintenance shuttle 12 from the guide rail 10 to the retracting rail 20 are based on device operation information such as the operation time of the transfer device and the travel distance of the work shuttle 11, and the maintenance date. The maintenance timing is set by, for example, calendar setting by the operation start signal input means 35. Then, when a maintenance start signal is input at a predetermined maintenance timing according to the set maintenance schedule, the control unit 33 sends the maintenance shuttle 12 into the guide rail 10 to operate, and when a maintenance end signal is input after the maintenance shuttle 12 has revolved around the guide rail 10 for the set time or number of revolutions, the control unit 33 controls the operation of the maintenance shuttle 12 to automatically exit the guide rail 10. In this embodiment, such rail maintenance operation control is automatically performed. Further, in this embodiment, the rail maintenance operation control is performed during the conveyance processing work by the linear transfer device (while the work shuttle 11 is running), and the replacement operation control between the work shuttle 11 and the maintenance shuttle 12 is performed so as to replace the stopped work shuttle 11 with the maintenance shuttle 12.

[0026] Next, the operation of the linear transfer device according to the embodiment will be described. As the lubricating oil contained in the oil-impregnated body 32 is applied to the surface of the first guide roller 28, the work shuttle 11 travels along the guide rail 10, and the lubricating oil spread in the V-groove 16a of the grooved rail 16 is continuously applied by a plurality of work shuttles 11 repeatedly running. As a result, an excessive amount of lubricating oil is applied to the V-groove 16a and the surface of the guide rail 10 around it. In such a case, before the over-supplied lubricating oil splashes and stains the surroundings, the following rail maintenance control is carried out. The control unit 33, according to a maintenance start signal input at a predetermined maintenance timing according to a maintenance schedule, controls the energization of the coils 10a and 20a of the guide rail 10 and the retraction rail 20 at the timing when one of the plurality of work shuttles 11 that are running and have paused the processing operation reaches the installation position of the retraction rail 20, and retracts one or several of the work shuttles 11 into the retraction rail 20. Further, the control unit 33 controls the energization of the coils 19a and 10a of the feeding rail 19 and the guide rail 10, and instead of the retracted work shuttle 11, advances the maintenance shuttle 12 adsorbed and waiting on the feeding rail 19 into the gaps between the work shuttles 11 running on the guide rail 10 from the feeding rail 19 in the same number as the number of retracted work shuttles 11. The advancing operation of the maintenance shuttle 12 is to control the energization of the coil 19a of the feeding rail 19 to move the maintenance shuttle 12 until the shuttle body 18 faces the straight portion 13 of the guide rail 10, and then control the energization of the coils 19a and 10a of the feeding rail 19 and the guide rail 10 to attract and adsorb the maintenance shuttle 12 to the straight portion 13. As a result, the maintenance shuttle 12 that has shifted to the straight portion 13 is positioned between the work shuttles 11 that are running during the conveyance process by the linear conveyance device, adsorbed to the guide rail 10, and circulates around the loop of the guide rail 10 a predetermined number of times.When the maintenance shuttle 12 runs on the guide rail 10, the wiping roller 31 that rotates while fitting into the V-groove 16a of the grooved rail 16 has its protrusion 31a fitting into and closely adhering to the V-groove 16a, and the stepped portions 31b, 31b rotate while closely adhering to the narrow-width surface portion 16b between the two rows of V-grooves 16a and the rail surface of the narrow-width surface portion 16b located outside both V-grooves 16a. Thereby, the excess lubricating oil in the V-groove 16a and other rail surfaces is absorbed by the wiping roller 31 and wiped so that the entire guide rail is uniformly and moderately lubricated. That is, it is possible to effectively prevent wear between the first guide roller 28 and the guide rail 10 due to the continuous running of the work shuttle 11 during the conveyance operation.

[0027] After the maintenance shuttle 12 has orbited the guide rail 10 for a preset number of times, the control unit 33 controls the energization of the coils 10a, 20a of the guide rail 10 and the retraction rail 20 to withdraw the maintenance shuttle 12 from the guide rail 10 to the retraction rail 20. The withdrawal operation of the maintenance shuttle 12 is performed by controlling the energization of the coils 20a, 10a of the retraction rail 20 and the guide rail 10 at the timing when the shuttle body 18 of the maintenance shuttle 12 has moved to a position facing the retraction rail 20, and the magnetic force is switched to the retraction rail 20 and attracted. The maintenance shuttle 12 that has moved to the retraction rail 20 is sent out downstream of the retraction rail 20. Further, the control unit 33 controls the energization of the coils 19a, 10a of the feed rail 19 and the guide rail 10 so that the work shuttle 11 transferred from the retraction rail 20 to the feed rail 19 enters the guide rail 10 at a predetermined timing and returns to the normal conveyance operation. Incidentally, during the wiping maintenance of the lubricating oil, the same number of replacements are made between the work shuttle 11 and the maintenance shuttle 12, and it is desirable from the viewpoint of production efficiency to perform the maintenance operation during the conveyance operation of the linear conveyance device. However, the number of replacements of the two shuttles 11, 12 does not have to be the same depending on the conveyance operation conditions and other conditions, and it is not limited to performing the maintenance operation during the conveyance operation.

[0028] In the linear transfer device of the embodiment, since the maintenance shuttle 12 is provided with the wiping roller 31 that adheres to the rail surfaces of the V-groove 16a and the upper and lower narrow surface portions 16b, 16b sandwiching the V-groove 16a, by circulating the maintenance shuttle 12 along the guide rail 10, the lubricating oil transferred from the first guide roller 28 to the V-groove 16a can be evenly wiped and extended so that an appropriate amount of oil is applied to the roller running track of the guide rail 10 without being wiped off. That is, the excess lubricating oil in the V-groove 16a and leaking from the V-groove 16a is absorbed and wiped by the wiping roller 31, preventing the articles supported and conveyed by the periphery of the guide rail 10 or the work shuttle 11 from being soiled, and preventing the smooth running of the work shuttle 11 from being hindered by the remaining and deteriorated lubricating oil. At the same time, the wear of the guide rail 10 and the first guide roller 28 can be effectively suppressed. Further, the maintenance shuttle 12 is provided with two first guide rollers 28, 28 spaced apart in the width direction corresponding to the V-grooves 16a provided in two rows above and below the guide rail 10, and the wiping roller 31 is provided coaxially with each first guide roller 28. Therefore, the maintenance shuttle 12 can run stably along the guide rail 10, the wiping roller 31 can be brought into close contact with the rail surfaces of each V-groove 16a and the upper and lower narrow surface portions 16b, 16b of the V-groove 16a with uniform pressure, and the lubricating oil can be evenly wiped and extended without unevenness in the two rows of V-grooves 16a. Further, the wiping roller 31 is formed of a material having a hardness capable of maintaining rotation in close contact with the V-groove 16a and an oil-impregnating property capable of wiping and extending the lubricating oil attached to the guide rail 10 over the entire running range of the maintenance shuttle 12. Therefore, the wiping roller 31 can evenly wipe and extend the lubricating oil without significant deformation over the entire running range of the maintenance shuttle 12 to the rail surfaces of the V-groove 16a and the upper and lower narrow surface portions 16b, 16b of the V-groove 16a.

[0029] In the linear transfer device of the embodiment, during the transfer process, the maintenance shuttle 12 is automatically made to enter the guide rail 10 at a preset maintenance time, and after orbiting a plurality of times, it is automatically made to exit the guide rail 10. By doing so, it is not necessary to separately provide time for maintenance, the production efficiency is greatly improved, and it is possible to cope with manual operations and cleaning omissions by workers. That is, it is possible to prevent a situation where maintenance is not performed for a long period of time, and the guide rail 10 can be automatically maintained in a proper state in a timely manner. In addition, since it is not necessary for workers to perform maintenance work, labor saving can be achieved.

[0030] In the linear transfer device of the embodiment, an entry rail 19 for entering the maintenance shuttle 12 and a retraction rail 20 for retracting it are provided for the straight portions 13, 13 of the guide rail 10 formed in a loop shape. Therefore, even during the transfer operation by the work shuttle 11, the maintenance shuttle 12 can be smoothly fed into the guide rail 10. In addition, the operations of the maintenance shuttle 12 when entering the guide rail 10 and when exiting the guide rail 10 can be performed at appropriate timings according to the relationship with the position of the work shuttle 11 during travel, that is, the entry timing from the entry rail 19 and the exit timing to the retraction rail 20.

[0031] (Modification example) The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment. For example, it can be modified as follows. Also, not limited to the following modification examples, various embodiments can be adopted for the configuration described in the embodiment within the scope of the gist of the present invention. (1) The guide rail 10 is not limited to a loop shape that orbits in the horizontal direction, and an embodiment in which the shuttles 11, 12 move linearly and orbit in the vertical direction may be used. (2) The maintenance shuttle 12 may be configured to be automatically sent from the retraction rail 20 to the feeding rail 19 through a connection path without an operator's intervention, so that the placement of the maintenance shuttle 12 on the feeding rail 19 and the recovery from the retraction rail 20 can be achieved. (3) In addition to the configuration in which the wiping roller 31 is provided coaxially with the first guide roller 28 and arranged at intervals corresponding to the two V-grooves 16a, 16a, a form in which the wiping roller 31 is arranged on another coaxial support shaft may be adopted. Further, the wiping roller 31 may be configured to be disposed on a support shaft eccentric to the first guide roller 28. (4) The first guide roller 28 and the wiping roller 31 may be integrally formed, and only the wiping roller 31 may be coated with a coating material made of a polyurethane sponge porous body (elastic body). (5) In the embodiment, the work shuttle 11 has been described as an oil supply mode in which the lubricating oil supplied from the oil supply port 27a is applied to the surface of the first guide roller 28. However, the operator may supply oil to the V-groove 16a of the guide rail 10, or the oil may be automatically supplied by an automatic oil dripping means provided at a predetermined position of the guide rail 10. (6) In the embodiment, it has been described that the first guide roller 28 having a mountain shape that can be in close contact with the groove shape is fitted into the two V-grooves 16a. However, it is possible to adopt the maintenance shuttle 12 and the work shuttle 11 corresponding to other groove shapes and different numbers of groove rows. (7) Also in the second guide roller 30, a configuration using the maintenance shuttle 12 and the work shuttle 11 adopting other embodiments different from the examples can be adopted. (8) In the embodiment, the maintenance operation is automatically performed according to a preset maintenance time. However, the maintenance operation is started by a maintenance start signal input to the control unit 33 by an operator's switch operation of an operation start signal input means such as a shuttle maintenance switch displayed on the touch panel, a separately provided push button switch, or other various switching switches. The linear shuttle is controlled to automatically end the maintenance operation by a maintenance end signal based on the shuttle travel for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times of the maintenance shuttle 12. Further, if necessary, a maintenance mode may be provided, and when operating in the maintenance mode switched and set by the touch panel (operation start signal input means 35), a configuration may be adopted in which the maintenance shuttle 12 enters the guide rail 10. (9) In the embodiment, during the conveyance operation of articles by the linear conveyance device, maintenance is simultaneously performed by the maintenance shuttle 12. However, a configuration may be adopted in which the maintenance shuttle 12 enters the guide rail 10 to perform maintenance after interrupting the conveyance operation of articles by the linear conveyance device. In the embodiment, the maintenance operation is performed by the maintenance shuttle 12 that does not include a support member for supporting articles. However, by using the maintenance shuttle 12 provided with a support member as the work shuttle 11, the parts can be made common.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0032] 10 Guide rail, 11 Work shuttle, 12 Maintenance shuttle 13 Straight section, 14 Return section, 16a V-groove (groove, groove section) 16b Narrow-width surface portion (rail surfaces on both sides of the groove, groove section), 19 Feed rail, 20 Retraction rail 28 First guide roller (guide roller), 31 Wiping roller, 31a Protrusion 31b Step portion

Claims

1. A linear conveying device comprising a guide rail having a groove formed therein and extending along a traveling path, and a guide roller for guiding a linear shuttle that is pressed against the groove and travels by linear motor drive control, wherein the linear shuttle is provided with a maintenance shuttle having wiping rollers supported at positions different from those of the guide rollers so as to rotate in contact with a groove portion that is a predetermined range of the groove and the rail surface facing both sides of the groove, wherein the wiping roller is configured by an elastic body capable of wiping and spreading lubricating oil supplied to the groove portion during travel of the maintenance shuttle at least on its peripheral surface, A linear conveying device characterized by the above.

2. The linear conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the wiping roller includes a protruding portion having a shape along the groove in the groove portion, and step portions connected to both sides of the protruding portion and contacting the rail surface on both sides of the groove in the groove portion.

3. The guide rail has two rows of grooves, and the maintenance shuttle is provided with two guide rollers positioned obliquely apart from one another and the other of the two rows of grooves during travel, and wiping rollers are provided in an obliquely opposite arrangement. The linear conveying device according to claim 1.

4. The linear conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance shuttle arranges the wiping rollers coaxially with the respective guide rollers at intervals that can be in close contact with one another and the other of the two rows of grooves.

5. The linear conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface of the wiping roller is configured by a polyurethane sponge porous body having a hardness that allows the wiping roller in contact with the groove to rotate, and an oil-impregnating property capable of absorbing and wiping excess lubricating oil adhering to the guide rail.

6. The guide rail is formed in a loop shape from linear portions parallel to each other and a return portion connecting the two linear portions, The linear conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising a feeding rail forming an entry path for the linear shuttle toward the linear portion, and a retracting rail forming an exit path for the linear shuttle from the linear portion.

7. The maintenance shuttle is controlled to enter from the feeding rail into the straight portion of the guide rail by a maintenance start signal, and to exit from the straight portion of the guide rail to the retracting rail by a maintenance end signal. The linear transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The maintenance period is set, and at the set maintenance period, the maintenance shuttle is made to enter from the feeding rail into the guide rail and travel for a predetermined time, and then the maintenance shuttle is made to exit from the guide rail to the retracting rail. The linear transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that the linear shuttle is controlled to operate in this way.

9. The linear shuttle is provided with a plurality of work shuttles having a support portion for articles so as to be able to perform various article processing operations, and a maintenance shuttle having the wiping roller. During the travel of the work shuttle, any one of the work shuttles in a work pause state is replaced with the maintenance shuttle. The maintenance shuttle is made to enter and travel on the guide rail, and after traveling for a predetermined maintenance time, the maintenance shuttle is made to exit from the guide rail, and the work shuttle is made to enter in place of the maintenance shuttle. The linear transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the replacement operation control between the work shuttle and the maintenance shuttle is performed in this way.

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