Work supply device

Abstract

To provide a workpiece supply device that saves a space and enables inclined conveyance with a relatively large gradient.SOLUTION: A workpiece supply device 1 conveys a plurality of randomly overlapping workpieces from a lower altitude side of a slope 11 to a higher altitude side thereof, feeds them onto an alignment path 21, eliminates the overlapping of the workpieces and sends them to the next process. The workpiece supply device includes an inclined conveyance part 10 and an alignment part 20. The inclined conveyance part 10 has the slope 11, a first feeder 12, a plate spring device and a turning circuit 14 and allows the workpieces to climb the slope 11. The alignment part 20 has an alignment path 21, a second feeder 22 and a support part, and conveys workpieces fed from the turning circuit 14 to the alignment path 21. If the fed workpieces overlap with each other, the upper workpieces of the overlapping multiple workpieces are dropped from the alignment path 21 using gravity due to a difference in slope height, and are returned to a feeding part 112 and only the workpieces that do not drop are conveyed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a workpiece supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, parts feeders capable of transporting workpieces from a low place to a high place within a space with a difference in elevation are known. For example, a parts supplying device with a lifter mechanism described in Patent Document 1 uses a lifter mechanism to transport parts from a storage area at a low place to a transport path at a high place. In addition, in the transport device described in Patent Document 2, multiple workpieces in a container move upward along the inner wall of the container on a spiral inner rail provided on the inner wall of the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-47076 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-93763 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a lifter-type work supply device such as that in Patent Document 1, a lifter mechanism is used to transport work from a low place to a high place, so it is necessary to either rotate the link mechanism using an external power source or raise and lower the cylinder mechanism using compressed air. This poses issues such as discontinuous and inefficient work transport and a tendency for work quality to deteriorate due to poor engagement where the work gets caught in the gap of the lifter mechanism.

[0005] On the other hand, the bowl-type work supply device as in Patent Document 2 requires a large installation space. However, if the inclination gradient is increased in an attempt to reduce the installation space while maintaining the height difference, the work will then have difficulty climbing the steep incline, making inclined transport impossible.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a space-saving work supply device that is capable of inclined transport at a relatively large gradient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a work supply device (1) that transports a plurality of randomly overlapping workpieces from the lower side to the higher side of a sloped path (11), places them on an alignment path (21), eliminates the overlapping of the workpieces, and sends them to the next process, and is equipped with an inclined transport section (10) and an alignment section (20).

[0008] The inclined conveying section has a slope, a first feeder (12), a leaf spring device (13), and a switching circuit (14), and causes the work to climb the slope.

[0009] The ramp includes a slope in the work travel direction and has a loading section (112) at a lower position. The first feeder generates elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane. The leaf spring device is inclined relative to the upper surface of the first feeder and connects the upper surface of the first feeder to the lower surface of the ramp with multiple leaf springs at different heights from the upper surface, transmitting the elliptical vibrations generated by the first feeder to the ramp, which includes a slope. The turning circuit is located at the end of the ramp and turns the work that has climbed up the slope and loads it onto the alignment path.

[0010] The alignment section has an alignment path, a second feeder, and a support section, and transports workpieces that have been input from the turning circuit to the alignment path. If the input works are overlapping, the upper workpiece of the overlapping works is dropped from the alignment path using gravity due to the difference in slope height and returned to the input section, and only the workpieces that did not fall are transported.

[0011] The alignment path does not include any slope in the workpiece travel direction and tilts the workpiece in a direction intersecting the workpiece travel direction. The second feeder generates elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane. The support unit supports the second feeder by connecting the upper surface of the second feeder to the lower surface of the alignment path with multiple supports and transmits the elliptical vibrations generated by the second feeder to the alignment path.

[0012] With the above-mentioned configuration, the work supply device of the present invention combines multiple vibrating feeders to form a unique climbing and sorting mechanism instead of a discontinuous conveying type lifter mechanism, and by adopting a continuous conveying type, it is possible to achieve efficient work transport from low to high places with a simpler configuration.

[0013] In this way, the present invention enables inclined conveyance at a relatively large gradient by amplifying vibration. This allows for a shorter slope to ensure the same height difference, reducing the installation space. Furthermore, by converting from discontinuous conveyance to continuous conveyance, workpiece conveyance efficiency is improved. Furthermore, there is no longer the problem of workpieces being caught when using a lifter mechanism, and external power and compressed air are no longer required. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a workpiece supplying device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the workpiece supply device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a workpiece supplying device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of an electromagnetic parts feeder (comparative example). [Figure 5] 6A and 6B are front views of an inclined transport section of a workpiece supplying device according to an embodiment (sectional views taken along line VV in FIGS. 3 and 6A and 6B). [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the workpiece supply device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A workpiece supplying device according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numerals will be used in parentheses ("...") when first used.

[0016] (One embodiment) 1 to 3 show a work supply device according to one embodiment. The "work supply device 1" is equipped with an "inclined conveying section 10" and an "alignment section 20," and is a device that conveys a plurality of randomly overlapping "works W" from the lower side to the higher side of a "slope path 11," places them onto an "alignment path 21," eliminates the overlapping of the works W, and sends them out to the next process. Note that this embodiment is intended for use with an annular work W made of a metal plate stamped out from a thin sheet.

[0017] The inclined conveying section 10 has a sloped path 11, a "first feeder 12," a "leaf spring device 13," and a "turning circuit 14." The sloped path 11 includes a slope in the "work travel direction D" (Fig. 3), and has an "input section 112" on the lower side and the turning circuit 14 on the higher side. The input section 112 is a work storage area into which the multiple workpieces W supplied by the work supply device 1 are first input. The turning circuit 14 is located at the end of the sloped path 11, and serves to change the direction of the workpieces W that have climbed the slope and guide them to the alignment path 21.

[0018] The first feeder 12 generates elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane, which are amplified by the leaf spring device 13 and transmitted to the slope 11, providing the work W on the slope 11 with a driving force that enables it to climb the slope. The work W that has received the driving force climbs from the feed section 112 of the slope 11 toward the turning circuit 14, changes direction at the turning circuit 14, and reaches the alignment path 21. The first feeder 12 and the leaf spring device 13 will be described below. The leaf spring device 13 includes "plurality of leaf springs 131," and the plurality of leaf springs 131 function as a structural member and an elastic member.

[0019] Leaf spring device 13, which serves as a structural member, connects the upper surface of first feeder 12 and the lower surface of slope 11. Multiple leaf springs 131 are provided at the same inclination relative to the upper surface of first feeder 12, but are at different heights from the upper surface of first feeder 12. These differences in height maintain and fix a predetermined inclination angle of slope 11.

[0020] In this embodiment, the inclination angle A1 of the slope 11 relative to the horizontal plane is in the range of 3 degrees or more and 11 degrees or less. The reason why the lower limit of the inclination angle A1 is set to 3 degrees is that the upper limit at which a workpiece can climb when using a general vibrator for inclined conveyance is thought to be approximately 3 degrees, and therefore, according to this embodiment, inclined conveyance at a gradient of at least more than 3 degrees is possible. On the other hand, the reason why the upper limit of the inclination angle A2 is set to 11 degrees is that it was experimentally confirmed that the upper limit at which a workpiece can stably climb is approximately 11 degrees, even with the configuration of this embodiment.

[0021] In this embodiment, the inclination angle A2 of each leaf spring 131 relative to the horizontal plane is in the range of 50 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less. The reason why the inclination angle A2 is set in the range of 50 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less is that it has been experimentally confirmed that good vibration amplification efficiency can be obtained within this range, and that vibration amplification efficiency decreases if the angle is smaller or larger than this range.

[0022] Meanwhile, the leaf spring device 13 as an elastic member was inspired by the structure of a known electromagnetic parts feeder. The vibration-generating mechanism of an electromagnetic parts feeder will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The "electromagnetic parts feeder P" includes a "magnet P1," a "movable core P2," and "multiple leaf spring mechanisms P3." When connected to an AC power source, the magnet P1 and the movable core P2 are magnetized when current is applied to the coil and demagnetized when current is cut off, causing the magnet P1 and the movable core P2 to repeatedly magnetize and demagnetize. This allows the magnet P1 and the movable core P2 to continuously contact and separate from each other, generating vibrations. In this way, the electromagnetic parts feeder P gradually advances the workpiece W by amplifying and transmitting minute vibrations generated by the cooperation of the magnet P1 and the movable core P2 via the leaf spring mechanism P3.

[0023] In contrast, in this embodiment, the first feeder 12 and the "second feeder 22" (described later) use so-called cam feeders that generate driving force by rotating a cam. This uses a cam mechanism rotated by a motor to generate and transmit elliptical vibrations, gradually advancing the workpiece W, and is normally used simply to move the workpiece in a straight line on a horizontal path.

[0024] See Figure 5. In this embodiment, a cam feeder for straight-line horizontal travel is used to move workpieces W up a slope 11, and is combined with a configuration (leaf spring device 13) equivalent to the leaf spring mechanism P3 of the electromagnetic parts feeder P. As described above, the leaf spring device 13 includes a plurality of leaf springs 131, each of which is configured to have a different height from the top surface of the first feeder 12 to maintain the inclination angle of the slope 11, and amplifies the elliptical vibration generated by the cam feeder (first feeder 12) and transmits it to the slope 11. The combination of this cam feeder and leaf spring mechanism makes it possible to transport workpieces from a low place to a high place on a slope.

[0025] As described above, the inclined conveying section 10 makes the workpiece W climb from a low point (feeding section 112) on the slope 11 to a high point (turning circuit 14). As described above, the workpiece W that has climbed the slope and reached the turning circuit 14 is transferred into the alignment path 21 of the alignment section 20. The workpiece W is then transported on the alignment path 21 to the next process by the action of the second feeder (Fig. 3).

[0026] The alignment unit 20 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 3 and 6. The alignment unit 20 has an alignment path 21, a second feeder 22, and a "support unit 23," and transports workpieces W transferred from the turning circuit 14 to the alignment path 21. At this time, if the transferred multiple workpieces W are overlapping, the upper workpiece W of the overlapping "multiple workpieces Ws" is dropped from the alignment path 21 to the "return path 24" by utilizing gravity due to the "inclined height difference H" (and is further returned from the return path 24 to the input unit 112), and only the workpieces W that did not fall are transported directly to the next process.

[0027] The alignment path 21 does not include any slopes in the workpiece traveling direction D, and transports the workpieces W while remaining inclined as a whole so as to tilt the workpieces W in a direction intersecting the workpiece traveling direction. The second feeder 22, like the first feeder 12 of the inclined transport section 10, generates elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane. The support section 23 connects the upper surface of the second feeder 22 to the lower surface of the alignment path 21 with "multiple supports 231," supports the alignment path 21, and transmits the elliptical vibrations generated by the second feeder 22 to the alignment path 21. Unlike the leaf springs 131 of the inclined transport section 10, each support 231 has the same height.

[0028] The return path 24 is located directly below the alignment path 21 and is also part of the alignment section 20, so the elliptical vibration generated by the second feeder 22 is also transmitted to the return path 24. This allows the return path 24 to transport each workpiece W horizontally. The end of the return path also plays a role similar to the shunt path 14 of the inclined conveyance section 10, and sends the workpiece W that has been transported after falling back to the input section 112 of the inclined conveyance section 10 again. As a result, the workpiece W after falling also joins the group of multiple workpieces Ws being inclined conveyed from the input section 112, and is again input into the inclined conveyance course.

[0029] As described above, this embodiment enables inclined conveyance at a relatively large gradient by amplifying vibration. Therefore, the length of the slope required to maintain the same height difference can be shortened, reducing the installation space. Furthermore, discontinuous conveyance is converted to continuous conveyance, improving workpiece conveyance efficiency. Furthermore, since a lifter mechanism is no longer required, the problem of workpiece jamming that accompanies the use of a lifter is also eliminated. At the same time, external power and compressed air are no longer required, which is expected to result in energy savings.

[0030] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a cam feeder was used as the drive source. However, the drive source of the mechanism that generates the vibration before amplification is not limited to the above example, and in other embodiments, for example, an electromagnetic parts feeder or even another mechanism may be used.

[0031] In the above embodiment, a ring-shaped thin plate is assumed as the workpiece. However, the shape and type of the workpiece are not limited to the above example, and the present invention can be applied to any workpiece regardless of its shape as long as it is not prone to rolling, has a relatively low center of gravity, and has a large installation area relative to its height.

[0032] As such, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 work supply device, 10 inclined conveying section, 11 slope, 112 input section 12 first feeder, 13 leaf spring device, 14 switching circuit, 20 Alignment section, 21 Alignment path, 22 Second feeder, 23 Support section

Claims

1. A work supply device (1) that transports a plurality of randomly overlapping workpieces from a lower side to a higher side of a slope (11), places them on an alignment path (21), eliminates the overlapping of the workpieces, and sends them to the next process, an inclined conveying section (10) for causing the work to climb the slope, the inclined conveying section (10) including a slope in the direction of travel of the work and having an input section (112) on the lower side; a first feeder (12) for generating elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane; a leaf spring device (13) that is provided at an incline with respect to the upper surface of the first feeder and connects the upper surface of the first feeder to the lower surface of the inclined conveying section (10) with a plurality of leaf springs that are at different heights from the upper surface, and transmits the elliptical vibrations generated by the first feeder to the inclined conveying section (10); and a turning circuit (14) that is located at the end of the inclined conveying section (10) and turns the work that has climbed the slope and inputs it onto the alignment path. an alignment section (20) that includes the alignment path that does not include a slope in the work travel direction and that inclines the work in a direction that intersects with the work travel direction; a second feeder (22) that generates elliptical vibrations in a horizontal plane; and a support section (23) that supports the second feeder by connecting the upper surface of the second feeder and the lower surface of the alignment path with a plurality of supports and transmits the elliptical vibrations generated by the second feeder to the alignment path, and that transports the work input from the turning circuit to the alignment path, and if the input workpieces are overlapping, drops the upper workpiece of the overlapping multiple workpieces from the alignment path by utilizing gravity due to the difference in slope height and returns it to the input section, and transports only the workpieces that did not fall; A work supply device comprising:

2. 2. The workpiece supply device according to claim 1, wherein the angle of the slope of the ramp relative to the top surface of the first feeder is 11 degrees or less.

3. 3. The workpiece supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the angle of each of the inclined leaf springs relative to the upper surface of the first feeder is between 50 degrees and 70 degrees.

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