Parts Alignment Device

Abstract

To provide a component alignment device capable of suppressing a decrease in productivity.SOLUTION: A component alignment device 1 according to one aspect of the present invention is for aligning components 30 to be attached to a plurality of vehicle window glasses, the components each including a post part 31 and a seat surface part 32, and comprises an alignment tray 10 and a displacement imparting part 20. The alignment tray 10 is provided with a groove 12 extending in a predetermined direction on its surface 11. The displacement imparting part 20 imparts a predetermined displacement to the alignment tray 10. Then each of the components 30 moves on the surface 11 of the alignment tray 10 by the displacement imparting part 20 imparting displacement to the alignment tray 10, the post part 31 of the moved component part 30 enters the groove 12 of the alignment tray 10, each of the components 30 is aligned on the surface 11 of the alignment tray 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a component alignment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Glass panes with resin frames are used in glass windows of vehicles and the like. The glass panes with resin frames are provided with clips for fixing the glass panes with resin frames to the vehicle. For example, such glass panes with resin frames can be manufactured by integrally molding a glass pane, a resin frame, and clip components. When manufacturing glass panes with resin frames, clip components (hereinafter simply referred to as components) are supplied to a production line using a component supply device. Patent Document 1 discloses technology relating to a component supply device equipped with a rotary vibrator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6243560 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventionally, components such as clips have been supplied to manufacturing lines using a component supply device equipped with a rotary vibrator. However, because such component supply devices are constantly vibrating, the vibrations can loosen guide plates and cause components to become clogged. When components become clogged, the component supply device must be stopped, which stops the manufacturing line and reduces productivity.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a component alignment device that is less likely to cause component clogging and can suppress a decrease in productivity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A component alignment device according to one aspect of the present invention is a component alignment device for aligning components to be attached to a plurality of vehicle window panes, each of which has a support portion and a seat portion, and comprises an alignment tray having a groove portion on its surface extending in a predetermined direction, and a displacement applying portion that applies a predetermined displacement to the alignment tray, wherein the displacement applying portion applies a displacement to the alignment tray, causing each of the components to move across the surface of the alignment tray, and the support portion of each of the moved components enters the groove portion of the alignment tray, and each of the components is aligned on the surface of the alignment tray.

[0007] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, the groove portion may be arranged to extend in a first direction parallel to the surface of the alignment tray, and the displacement imparting portion may impart a displacement to the alignment tray so that the plurality of components move back and forth across the surface of the alignment tray in the first direction.

[0008] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, the groove portion may be provided between one end of the alignment tray in the first direction and the center of the surface of the alignment tray, and the displacement imparting portion may impart a displacement to the alignment tray so that the multiple components move back and forth between an area on the surface of the alignment tray where the groove portion is provided and an area where the groove portion is not provided.

[0009] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, the groove portion may be arranged to extend in a second direction parallel to the surface of the alignment tray, and the displacement imparting portion may impart a displacement to the alignment tray so that the plurality of components move back and forth across the surface of the alignment tray in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction.

[0010] In the above-described component alignment device, the displacement applying unit may set the alignment tray to a first state in which it is tilted so that the multiple components gather at one end of the alignment tray in the third direction, a second state in which it is horizontal, a third state in which it is tilted so that the multiple components move to the other end of the alignment tray in the third direction, and a fourth state in which it is tilted further from the third state so that the multiple components gather at the other end of the alignment tray.

[0011] In the component alignment device described above, the width of the groove in the short side direction may be such that, after the support portion of the component has entered the groove, the support portion of the component will not come out of the groove even when the fourth state is reached, and the depth of the groove may be such that the support portion of the component will not come out of the groove even when the fourth state is reached.

[0012] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, the inclination angle in the fourth state may be an inclination angle at which components having a portion of their seating surface inserted in the groove come out of the groove and gather at the other end of the alignment tray.

[0013] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, the alignment tray may be inclined at a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal plane, the groove portion may be provided so as to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined alignment tray, and the displacement imparting portion may vibrate the alignment tray so as to move the plurality of components from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined alignment tray.

[0014] In the component aligning device described above, the displacement applying unit may vibrate the aligning tray in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves extend.

[0015] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, recesses may be provided on both sides of the groove along the direction in which the groove extends, and the width of the recesses across the groove in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the groove extends may be wider than the maximum width of the seating surface of the component.

[0016] In the above-mentioned component alignment device, a guide member for guiding the plurality of components into the groove portion may be provided on the upstream side of the alignment tray, and the guide member may have a tapered shape whose width narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment tray.

[0017] In the above-described component aligning device, the component may be a clip component that is attached to a resin-framed glass plate.

[0018] In the above-described component aligning device, the resin-framed glass plate may be a fixed window that is attached to a window opening of a vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The present invention provides a component alignment device that is less likely to cause component clogging and can suppress a decrease in productivity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a top view for explaining an example of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view for explaining an example of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3A] 4 is a side view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3B] 4 is a side view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4C] FIG. 2 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining another example of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining another example of the component aligning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining an example of a component aligning device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8A] 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8B] 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8C] 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8D] 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a top view for explaining an example of a component aligning device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a side view for explaining an example of a component aligning device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11C] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11D] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining the operation of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a top view for explaining another example of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a top view for explaining another example of the component aligning device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a resin-framed glass plate. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are a top view and a side view, respectively, for explaining an example of a component alignment device according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment includes an alignment tray 10 and a displacement applying unit 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment is a device for aligning a plurality of components 30 arranged on the surface of the alignment tray 10.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of grooves 12 are provided on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. Specifically, the grooves 12 are provided so as to extend in the x-axis direction on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. In addition, in the configuration example shown in Fig. 1, the plurality of grooves 12 are provided so as to be aligned in the y-axis direction. In addition, in the configuration example shown in Fig. 1, the grooves 12 are provided between one end of the sorting tray 10 (the end on the negative side in the x-axis direction) and the center of the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10.

[0023] The multiple components 30 are components to be attached to vehicle window glass, for example, clip components to be attached to a resin-framed glass plate. FIGS. 15 and 16 are a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing an example of a resin-framed glass plate. The resin-framed glass plate 100 comprises a glass plate 101 and a resin frame (molding) 102 formed by injection molding around the periphery of the glass plate. The resin-framed glass plate 100 is used as a fixed window to be attached to a window opening of a vehicle. Clip components (retainers) 103 are embedded in the resin frame of the resin-framed glass plate 100 to fix the resin-framed glass plate for a vehicle window until an adhesive for attaching the resin-framed glass plate to the window opening of the vehicle hardens. The clip components 103 are provided so as to protrude from a main surface of the resin-framed glass plate 100 (see FIG. 16 ). The example shown in FIG. 15 shows an example in which the clip components 103 are provided at three locations around the periphery of the resin-framed glass plate 100. The clip part 103 corresponds to the part 30 .

[0024] Each of the multiple components 30 has a support portion 31 and a seat portion 32. In the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment, the support portion 31 of each component 30 fits into the groove portion 12 of the alignment tray 10 (see FIG. 14 ), thereby aligning each component 30 on the surface of the alignment tray 10. At this time, the diameter of the seat portion 32 of each component 30 is made longer than the width (length in the y-axis direction) of the groove portion 12 so that each component 30 does not fall into the groove portion 12.

[0025] In this embodiment, the components 30 aligned by the component alignment device 1 may be components other than clip components. In other words, any component 30 that includes a support portion 31 and a seat portion 32 can be aligned using the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0026] 2, a wall portion 13 is provided around the periphery of the sorting tray 10. This makes it possible to prevent the plurality of components 30 from falling off the sorting tray 10 when they move on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10.

[0027] The displacement applying unit 20 is configured to apply a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, the displacement applying unit 20 includes a base 21 and a support unit 22. The support unit 22 supports the sorting tray 10 and applies a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray 10.

[0028] In this embodiment, the displacement applying unit 20 applies a displacement to the sorting tray 10 so that the multiple components 30 move back and forth in the x-axis direction on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, the displacement applying unit 20 displaces the sorting tray 10 so that the sorting tray 10 is tilted toward the negative side of the x-axis direction. In this case, the multiple components 30 placed on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 move toward the negative side of the x-axis direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the displacement applying unit 20 displaces the sorting tray 10 so that the sorting tray 10 is tilted toward the positive side of the x-axis direction. In this case, the multiple components 30 placed on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 move toward the positive side of the x-axis direction. In this embodiment, by repeating this operation, the multiple components 30 move back and forth in the x-axis direction on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. Specifically, the multiple components 30 move back and forth between an area on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 where the grooves 12 are provided and an area on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 where the grooves 12 are not provided.

[0029] Next, the operation of the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 4C. First, as shown in Figure 4A, a plurality of components 30 are set on the surface 11 of the alignment tray 10. For example, the plurality of components 30 are set on the side of the surface 11 of the alignment tray 10 where the grooves 12 are not provided.

[0030] Next, the displacement applying unit 20 displaces the sorting tray 10 so that the sorting tray 10 tilts toward the negative x-axis direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4B, the multiple components 30 set on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 move toward the negative x-axis direction. If the bearing surface 32 of the component 30 is heavy, as shown in FIG. 4B, the bearing surface 32 of the component 30 is located downstream and the support 31 is located upstream, and the support 31 becomes parallel to the groove 12. Therefore, when the multiple components 30 pass through the groove 12, some of the multiple components 30 enter the groove 12. Meanwhile, the components that do not enter the groove 12 gather at one end of the sorting tray 10 (the end on the negative x-axis direction).

[0031] Thereafter, the displacement applying unit 20 displaces the sorting tray 10 so that the sorting tray 10 is tilted toward the positive side in the x-axis direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4C , the multiple components 30 move along the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 toward the positive side in the x-axis direction. Then, when the multiple components 30 pass through the groove 12, some of the multiple components 30 enter the groove 12. Meanwhile, the components that do not enter the groove 12 gather at the other end of the sorting tray 10 (the end on the positive side in the x-axis direction).

[0032] By repeating this operation, the multiple components 30 move back and forth on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10, and the support parts 31 of each component 30 enter the groove parts 12 of the sorting tray, and are aligned on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10.

[0033] Each of the components 30 aligned on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 is picked up, for example, by a robot arm (not shown), and then placed in a predetermined position in the mold. Then, after all or a predetermined number of the aligned components 30 have been moved by the robot arm, the multiple components 30 are set again on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. At this time, some of the aligned components 30 may remain. Then, the operations of FIGS. 4A to 4C are repeated to align each of the components 30 on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10. By repeating the above operations, each of the components 30 can be supplied to the manufacturing process.

[0034] In this embodiment, it is not necessary to place all of the components 30 set on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 into the grooves 12; only some of the set components 30 may be placed in the grooves 12. For example, the number of times that the components 30 are moved back and forth may be determined in advance, and after the predetermined number of reciprocations, only the components that are in the grooves 12 may be picked up by the robot arm. At this time, any remaining components that do not fall into the grooves 12 will be moved back and forth again during the next operation. If any components remain, the number of components to be set on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10 the next time may be determined taking into account the number of remaining components.

[0035] With the component alignment device 1 according to the present embodiment described above, there is no need to constantly vibrate the component alignment device 1 when aligning multiple components 30. This prevents problems such as components of the component alignment device 1 becoming loose due to vibration and components becoming jammed. This makes it possible to provide a component alignment device that can prevent a decrease in productivity.

[0036] Furthermore, in the component alignment device 1 according to this embodiment, the alignment tray 10 may be configured to be detachable. In such a configuration, the alignment tray 10 can be changed depending on the type of component 30. In other words, the size (width) of the grooves 12 of the alignment tray 10 is determined depending on the diameter of the support members 31 of the component 30. In this embodiment, the alignment tray 10 can be changed depending on the type of component 30 to be aligned, which eliminates the need to purchase an expensive component alignment device for each component to be aligned, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, if the diameters of the support members 31 of the components 30 are approximately the same, the alignment tray 10 can be shared by multiple types of components.

[0037] 1 are merely an example, and in this embodiment, the shape, arrangement, number, etc. of the grooves 12 may be other configurations. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, grooves 12_1 may be provided on the entire surface 11 of the sorting tray 10_1. With such a configuration, many components can be arranged in the grooves 12_1 at one time.

[0038] 6, the grooves 12_2a, 12_2b, and 12_2c may be arranged alternately on the surface 11 of the sorting tray 10_2. That is, when the grooves 12_2a, 12_2b, and 12_2c are arranged in the x-axis direction, the grooves 12_2a and 12_2b may be arranged alternately in the y-axis direction, and the grooves 12_2b and 12_2c may be arranged alternately. In this configuration, when the component 30 moves in the x-axis direction, it can pass through one of the grooves 12_2a, 12_2b, and 12_2c, thereby increasing the probability that the component 30 will enter the grooves 12_2a, 12_2b, and 12_2c.

[0039] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 7 is a top view illustrating an example of a component alignment device 2 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, in the component alignment device 2 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of grooves 42_1, 42_2 are provided on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40. Specifically, each of the grooves 42_1, 42_2 is provided so as to extend in the y-axis direction on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40. The grooves 42_1, 42_2 are also collectively referred to as grooves 42.

[0040] The multiple components 30 are, for example, clip components that are attached to a glass plate with a resin frame. Each of the multiple components 30 includes a support portion 31 and a seat portion 32. In the component alignment device 2 according to this embodiment, the support portion 31 of each component 30 enters a groove portion 42 of the alignment tray 40 (see FIG. 14 ), and the components 30 are aligned on the surface of the alignment tray 40. At this time, the diameter of the seat portion 32 of each component 30 is set to be longer than the width (length in the x-axis direction) of the groove portion 42 so that the components 30 do not fall into the groove portion 42.

[0041] In addition, a wall portion 43 is provided around the periphery of the sorting tray 40. This makes it possible to prevent the plurality of components 30 from falling off the sorting tray 40 when they move on the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40.

[0042] Furthermore, in the component alignment device 2 according to this embodiment, the displacement applying unit 20 (not shown in FIG. 7) also applies a predetermined displacement to the alignment tray 40. In this embodiment, the displacement applying unit 20 applies a displacement to the alignment tray 40 so that the multiple components 30 move back and forth across the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40 in the x-axis direction. In other words, in this embodiment, the displacement applying unit 20 applies a displacement to the alignment tray 40 so that the multiple components 30 move back and forth across the surface of the alignment tray 40 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves 42 extend.

[0043] 8A to 8D are cross-sectional views illustrating the operation of the component alignment device 2 according to this embodiment. After multiple components 30 are set on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40, as shown in FIG. 8A, the alignment tray 40 is tilted toward the negative x-axis direction so that the multiple components 30 gather at one end of the alignment tray 40 (the end on the negative x-axis direction). Because the seating surfaces 32 of the components 30 are heavier than the support parts 31, the components 30 gather so that the seating surfaces 32 face the wall part 43 and the tips of the support parts 31 face the groove part 42. The tilt angle of the alignment tray 40 at this time varies depending on the components, but is, for example, 40 to 70 degrees.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the sorting tray 40 is set to a horizontal position. As a result, the tips of the support members 31 of the components 30 come into contact with the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8C, the sorting tray 40 is tilted toward the positive side of the x-axis direction, and the multiple components 30 are moved toward the positive side of the x-axis direction of the sorting tray 40. As a result, the support members 31 of some of the components 30 enter (fall into) the grooves 42_1. Note that in this embodiment, in the step of FIG. 8B, the tips of the support members 31 of the components 30 are brought into contact with the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40 in advance. Therefore, by slightly tilting the sorting tray 40 and moving the multiple components 30 in the step of FIG. 8C, the support members 31 of the components 30 can easily enter the grooves 42_1. The tilt angle of the sorting tray 40 at this time varies depending on the components, but is, for example, 10 to 30 degrees.

[0045] Then, as shown in FIG. 8D, the sorting tray 40 is further tilted toward the positive side of the x-axis, so that the multiple components 30 gather at the other end of the sorting tray 40 (the end on the positive side of the x-axis). For example, as shown in FIG. 8C, a part of the seating surface 32 of a component 30 may enter the groove 42_2, causing the component to become caught in the groove 42_2. By further tilting the sorting tray 40 toward the positive side of the x-axis, as shown in FIG. 8D, the component 30 caught in the groove 42_2 can be removed from the groove 42_2. For example, the tilt angle of the sorting tray 40 at this time is set to an angle such that the components 30 with a part of their seating surface 32 in the groove 42_2 can be removed from the groove 42_2 and gather at the other end of the sorting tray 40. Specifically, the tilt angle of the sorting tray 40 varies depending on the component, but is, for example, 40 to 70 degrees.

[0046] Thereafter, the sorting tray 40 is set to a horizontal position (see FIG. 8B), and then the sorting tray 40 is tilted toward the negative x-axis direction, and the multiple components 30 are moved to the negative x-axis direction of the sorting tray 40 (a state symmetrical to FIG. 8C). Thereafter, the sorting tray 40 is further tilted toward the negative x-axis direction, and the multiple components 30 are gathered at one end of the sorting tray 40 (the end on the negative x-axis direction) (FIG. 8A).

[0047] By repeating the above operation, the multiple components 30 move back and forth across the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40, and the support portions 31 of each component 30 enter the grooves 42_1 and 42_2 of the sorting tray, aligning them on the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40. In this embodiment, the probability that multiple components 30 will enter the grooves 42 of the sorting tray 40 is increased by optimizing parameters such as the tilt angle, rotation speed, and stop time of the sorting tray 40 for each component. In other words, because components differ in weight, shape, center of gravity, etc., optimizing these parameters increases the probability that the components will enter the grooves 42. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance that the multiple components 30 move across the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40 is short, so the time it takes for the multiple components 30 to move back and forth across the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40 can be shortened. Therefore, many components 30 can be placed in the grooves 42 in a short period of time.

[0048] Each of the components 30 aligned on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40 is picked up, for example, by a robot arm (not shown), and then placed in a predetermined position in the mold. Then, after all or a predetermined number of the aligned components 30 have been moved by the robot arm, the multiple components 30 are set again on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40. At this time, some of the aligned components 30 may remain. Then, the above-mentioned operation is repeated to align each of the components 30 on the surface 41 of the alignment tray 40. By repeating the above operation, each of the components 30 can be supplied to the manufacturing process.

[0049] In this embodiment, the width of groove 42 in the short direction (x-axis direction) is preferably set to a width that prevents support portion 31 of component 30 from slipping out of groove 42 even in the state shown in Fig. 8D after support portion 31 of component 30 has entered groove 42. The depth of groove 42 in the z-axis direction (plate thickness of alignment tray 40) is preferably set to a depth that prevents support portion 31 of component 30 from slipping out of groove 42 even in the state shown in Fig. 8D after support portion 31 of component 30 has entered groove 42.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a configuration having two grooves 42_1 and 42_2 has been shown, but the number of grooves 42 provided on the surface 41 of the sorting tray 40 may be one, or may be three or more.

[0051] In the component alignment device 2 according to the present embodiment described above, there is no need to constantly vibrate the component alignment device 2 when aligning multiple components 30. This prevents the components of the component alignment device 2 from becoming loose due to vibration, resulting in problems such as component clogging. This makes it possible to provide a component alignment device that can prevent a decrease in productivity.

[0052] Note that the component alignment device 2 according to this embodiment may also be configured with a detachable alignment tray 40. In this configuration, the alignment tray 40 can be changed depending on the type of component 30. That is, the size (width) of the grooves 42 of the alignment tray 40 is determined depending on the diameter of the support posts 31 of the component 30. In this embodiment, the alignment tray 40 can be changed depending on the type of component 30 to be aligned, which eliminates the need to purchase an expensive component alignment device for each component to be aligned, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, if the diameters of the support posts 31 of the components 30 are approximately the same, the alignment tray 40 can be shared by multiple types of components.

[0053] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. 9 and 10 are a top view and a side view, respectively, for explaining an example of a component alignment device according to embodiment 3. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, component alignment device 3 according to this embodiment includes alignment tray 50 and displacement applying unit 60.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 10, the sorting tray 50 is provided so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle (for example, 3 to 15 degrees) with respect to the horizontal plane (xy plane). Also, as shown in Fig. 9, a plurality of grooves 52_1, 52_2 are provided on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50. Specifically, each of the grooves 52_1, 52_2 is provided so as to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined sorting tray 50 (so as to extend in the x-axis direction). The grooves 52_1, 52_2 are also collectively referred to as grooves 52.

[0055] The multiple components 30 are, for example, clip components that are attached to a glass plate with a resin frame. Each of the multiple components 30 includes a support portion 31 and a seat portion 32. In the component alignment device 3 according to this embodiment, the support portion 31 of each component 30 also fits into a groove portion 52 of the alignment tray 50 (see FIG. 14 ), thereby aligning each component 30 on the surface of the alignment tray 50. At this time, the diameter of the seat portion 32 of each component 30 is set to be longer than the width (length in the y-axis direction) of the groove portion 52 so that each component 30 does not fall into the groove portion 52.

[0056] In addition, a wall portion 53 is provided around the periphery of the sorting tray 50. This prevents multiple components 30 from falling off the sorting tray 50 when they move on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50. Note that in this embodiment, the components 30 that do not enter the groove portion 52 may be configured to fall from the end of the sorting tray 50 on the positive side in the x-axis direction, in which case no wall portion is provided at the end of the sorting tray 50 on the positive side in the x-axis direction.

[0057] The displacement applying unit 60 is configured to apply a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray 50. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 10, the displacement applying unit 60 includes a base 61 and a support unit 62. The support unit 62 supports the sorting tray 50 and applies a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray 50.

[0058] In this embodiment, the displacement applying unit 60 applies a displacement to the alignment tray 50 so that the multiple components 30 move in the x-axis direction on the surface 11 of the alignment tray 50. Specifically, the displacement applying unit 60 vibrates the alignment tray 50 so that the multiple components 30 move from the upstream side to the downstream side of the tilted alignment tray 50 (i.e., from the negative side to the positive side in the x-axis direction). The multiple components 30 move from the upstream side to the downstream side on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50, and at this time, some of the multiple components 30 enter the grooves 52 of the alignment tray and are aligned on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50.

[0059] In this embodiment, the sorting tray 50 may be vibrated in a direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves 52 extend. In this way, vibrating the sorting tray 50 in a direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves 52 extend makes it easier for the support portions 31 of the components 30 to enter the grooves 52. Also, once the components 30 have entered the grooves 52, they can be prevented from slipping out of the grooves 52. Note that in this embodiment, the vibration direction of the sorting tray 50 is not limited to the y-axis direction, and any vibration may be used as long as the multiple components 30 move on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50.

[0060] 11A to 11D are top views for explaining the operation of the component alignment device 3 according to this embodiment. First, as shown in Fig. 11A, a plurality of components 30 are set on a surface 51 on the upstream side (the negative side in the x-axis direction) of the alignment tray 50.

[0061] Thereafter, when the displacement applying unit 60 vibrates the sorting tray 50, each of the components 30 starts to move toward the downstream side of the sorting tray 50, as shown in Fig. 11B. At this time, a component 30_1, which is one of the multiple components 30, enters the groove portion 52. On the other hand, a component 30_2, which does not enter the groove portion 52, moves downstream on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50.

[0062] 11C, component 30_1 that has entered groove 52 continues to move downstream of the sorting tray 50 while remaining in groove 52. Meanwhile, component 30_2 that has not entered groove 52 continues to move downstream on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50.

[0063] 11D, components 30_1 that have entered grooves 52 are aligned and gathered on the downstream side (positive side in the x-axis direction) of grooves 52. Components 30_2 that have not entered grooves 52 are gathered on the downstream side of sorting tray 50.

[0064] The part 30_2 that did not enter the groove portion 52 may be placed again on the surface 51 on the upstream side (negative side in the x-axis direction) of the alignment tray 50 and moved from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment tray 50 to enter the groove portion 52.

[0065] By repeating this operation, a plurality of components 30 are aligned on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50 .

[0066] Each of the components 30_1 aligned on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50 is picked up, for example, by a robot arm (not shown), and then placed in a predetermined position in the mold. Then, after all or a predetermined number of the aligned components 30_1 have been moved by the robot arm, the multiple components 30 are set again on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50. At this time, some of the aligned components 30_1 may remain. The operations of FIGS. 11A to 11D are repeated to align each of the components 30 on the surface 51 of the alignment tray 50. By repeating the above operations, each of the components 30 can be supplied to the manufacturing process.

[0067] In this embodiment, it is not necessary to place all of the components 30 set on the surface 51 of the sorting tray 50 into the grooves 52, and only some of the set components 30 may be placed in the grooves 52. For example, in FIG. 11D , the number of times that components 30_2 that have gathered on the downstream side of the sorting tray 50 without entering the grooves 52 are to be set again on the upstream side of the sorting tray 50 may be determined in advance. Then, after the components have been re-set a predetermined number of times, only the components that remain in the grooves 52 may be picked up by the robot arm.

[0068] In the component alignment device 3 according to the present embodiment described above, it is sufficient to vibrate the alignment tray 50 when aligning a plurality of components 30; there is no need to vibrate the alignment tray 50 all the time. This prevents the components of the component alignment device 3 from becoming loose due to vibration, resulting in problems such as component clogging. This makes it possible to provide a component alignment device that can prevent a decrease in productivity.

[0069] Furthermore, in the component alignment device 3 according to this embodiment, the alignment tray 50 may also be configured to be detachable. In such a configuration, the alignment tray 50 can be changed depending on the type of component 30. In other words, the size (width) of the grooves 52 of the alignment tray 50 is determined depending on the diameter of the support members 31 of the component 30. In this embodiment, the alignment tray 50 can be changed depending on the type of component 30 to be aligned, which eliminates the need to purchase an expensive component alignment device for each component to be aligned, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, if the diameters of the support members 31 of the components 30 are approximately the same, the alignment tray 50 can be shared by multiple types of components.

[0070] Furthermore, the shape, arrangement, number, etc. of the grooves 52 of the sorting tray 50 shown in FIG. 9 are merely an example, and in this embodiment, the shape, arrangement, number, etc. of the grooves 52 may be other configurations.

[0071] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, guide members 55_1 and 55_2 for guiding the components 30 to the grooves 52_1 and 52_2 may be provided upstream of the sorting tray 50_1. For example, the guide members 55_1 and 55_2 may have a tapered shape that narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side of the sorting tray 50_1. As shown in FIG. 12, the guide member 55_1 is provided to guide the components 30 present inside the guide member 55_1 to the groove 52_1. The guide member 55_2 is provided to guide the components 30 present inside the guide member 55_2 to the groove 52_2. By providing the guide members 55_1 and 55_2 in this manner, the components 30 can be easily guided to the grooves 52_1 and 52_2. Note that FIG. 12 illustrates a case in which the guide members 55_1 and 55_2 are each provided upright in the vertical direction (z-axis direction) relative to the sorting tray 50_1. However, the configuration shown in FIG. 12 is merely an example, and the guide members 55_1 and 55_2 may be erected in an oblique direction so as to open outward relative to the grooves 52_1 and 52_2, respectively.

[0072] In this embodiment, as in the arrangement tray 50_2 shown in FIG. 13, recesses 56_1 and 56_2 may be provided on both sides of the grooves 52_1 and 52_2 along the direction in which the grooves 52_1 and 52_2 extend. In other words, the recesses 56_1 and 56_2 may be provided so as to surround the peripheries of the respective grooves 52_1 and 52_2. In this case, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 14, the width a of the recess 56 spanning the groove 52 is set to be wider than the maximum width b of the seating surface portion 32 of the component 30. When the recess 56 is provided in this manner, the tip of the support portion 31 of the component 30 can be easily guided into the groove 52. Furthermore, the component 30 inserted in the groove 52 can be prevented from slipping out of the groove 52.

[0073] In this embodiment, the configuration shown in Fig. 12 may be combined with the configuration shown in Fig. 13. That is, as shown in Fig. 12, guide members 55_1 and 55_2 may be provided on the upstream side of the sorting tray 50_1, and recesses 56_1 and 56_2 (see Fig. 13) may be provided around the grooves 52_1 and 52_2. In this case, recesses may be provided on the inner side (tapered portion) of each of the guide members 55_1 and 55_2.

[0074] The present invention has been described above in accordance with the above-mentioned embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment, and naturally includes various modifications, alterations, and combinations that a person skilled in the art can make within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1, 2, 3 Parts alignment device 10, 40, 50 alignment tray 11, 41, 51 surface 12, 42_1, 42_2, 52_1, 52_2 Groove 13, 43, 53 Wall section 20, 60 Displacement applying part 21, 61 Base 22, 62 Support part 30, 30_1, 30_2 parts 31 Pillar section 32 Seat part 55_1, 55_2 Guide members 56_1, 56_2 recess 100 Glass plate with resin frame 101 Glass Plate 102 Frame 103 Clip parts

Claims

1. A component alignment device for aligning components to be attached to a plurality of vehicle window glasses, each of which has a support portion and a seat portion, comprising: an alignment tray having a groove on its surface extending in a predetermined direction; a displacement applying unit that applies a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray, The groove portion is provided to extend in a first direction parallel to the surface of the alignment tray, the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray so that the plurality of components reciprocate on a surface of the sorting tray in the first direction; the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray, causing each of the components to move on the surface of the sorting tray, and the support portions of each of the moved components enter the grooves of the sorting tray, so that each of the components is aligned on the surface of the sorting tray. Parts alignment device.

2. the groove is provided between one end of the sorting tray in the first direction and a center of a surface of the sorting tray, the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray so that the plurality of components reciprocate between an area on the surface of the sorting tray where the grooves are provided and an area where the grooves are not provided.

2. The component alignment device according to claim 1.

3. A component alignment device for aligning components to be attached to a plurality of vehicle window glasses, each of which has a support portion and a seat portion, comprising: an alignment tray having a groove on its surface extending in a predetermined direction; a displacement applying unit that applies a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray, the groove portion is provided to extend in a second direction parallel to the surface of the alignment tray, the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray so that the plurality of components reciprocate on a surface of the sorting tray in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction; The displacement applying unit is placing the sorting tray in a first state inclined so that the plurality of components gather at one end side of the sorting tray in the third direction; a second state in which the alignment tray is horizontal; a third state in which the sorting tray is tilted so that the plurality of components move to the other end side of the sorting tray in the third direction; a fourth state in which the arrangement tray is further tilted from the third state so that the plurality of components are gathered on the other end side of the arrangement tray; the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray, causing each of the components to move on the surface of the sorting tray, and the support portions of each of the moved components enter the grooves of the sorting tray, so that each of the components is aligned on the surface of the sorting tray. Parts alignment device.

4. 4. The component alignment device according to claim 3, wherein the width in the lateral direction of the groove is such that the support portion of the component does not come out of the groove even when the fourth state is reached after the support portion of the component has entered the groove, and the depth of the groove is such that the support portion of the component does not come out of the groove even when the fourth state is reached.

5. 5. The component alignment device according to claim 3, wherein the inclination angle in the fourth state is an inclination angle at which components having a portion of their seating surface in the groove come out of the groove and gather at the other end of the alignment tray.

6. A component alignment device for aligning components to be attached to a plurality of vehicle window glasses, each of which has a support portion and a seat portion, comprising: an alignment tray having a groove on its surface extending in a predetermined direction; a displacement applying unit that applies a predetermined displacement to the sorting tray, The alignment tray is provided at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane, the groove portion is provided so as to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined alignment tray, the displacement applying unit vibrates the sorting tray so that the plurality of components move from the upstream side to the downstream side of the inclined sorting tray, the displacement applying unit applies a displacement to the sorting tray, causing each of the components to move on the surface of the sorting tray, and the support portions of each of the moved components enter the grooves of the sorting tray, so that each of the components is aligned on the surface of the sorting tray. Parts alignment device.

7. The component aligning device according to claim 6 , wherein the displacement applying unit vibrates the alignment tray in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves extend.

8. Recesses are provided on both sides of the groove along the extending direction of the groove, a width of the recess straddling the groove in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the groove is wider than a maximum width of a seat portion of the component; 8. The component aligning device according to claim 6 or 7.

9. a guide member for guiding the plurality of components to the groove portion is provided on the upstream side of the alignment tray, The guide member has a tapered shape whose width narrows from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment tray. The component aligning device according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

10. 10. The component aligning device according to claim 1, wherein the component is a clip component that is attached to a resin-framed glass plate.

11. The component aligning device according to claim 10, wherein the resin-framed glass plate is a fixed window that is attached to a window opening of a vehicle.

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