Reinforcement bar transport assistance device and reinforcement bar transport assistance method

Abstract

To facilitate reinforcing bar transport work in bending work of a reinforcing bar.SOLUTION: A reinforcing bar transport assisting device 10 assists transport of a processed reinforcing bar 60 to be processed by a reinforcing bar bending machine 40. The reinforcing bar bending machine 40 has: a placement surface 41 on which the processed reinforcing bar is placed during bending work; and a stand-by surface 43 in which the processed reinforcing bar before the bending work stands by. The reinforcing bar transport assisting device 10 further includes: a transport assisting member 11 on which the processed reinforcing bar 60 may be placed; and a drive part 15 which drives the transport assisting member 11. The transport assisting member 11 may be positioned at a first position 1p located between the placement surface 41 and a floor surface B which is a surface on which the reinforcing bar bending machine 40 is installed and a second position 2p located between the stand-by surface 43 and the placement surface 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a reinforcing bar conveying assistance device and a reinforcing bar conveying assistance method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, reinforcing bars have been bent into a predetermined shape. In this bending process, a reinforcing bar bending device (reinforcing bar bending machine) that bends a reinforcing bar by the cooperation of a fulcrum member, a bending roller (effort point member) that rotates around this fulcrum member, and a reaction force receiving portion (reinforcing bar receiving member) that receives on the side opposite to the bending direction during the bending process of the reinforcing bar is used.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, a device for performing three-dimensional processing of a reinforcing bar by a bending roller and a fulcrum member has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the bending process of a reinforcing bar as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for the reinforcing bar bending device, conveyance of the reinforcing bar such as a supply operation of the reinforcing bar and a take-out operation of the reinforcing bar after bending is required. Although a certain degree of mechanization has been achieved, the current situation is that many parts still rely on manual labor.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a solution means for facilitating the conveyance operation of a reinforcing bar in the bending process of a reinforcing bar.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The above problems can be achieved by the following means. That is, the technology of the present disclosure is as follows. [1] A rebar transport assist device that assists in the transport of rebars processed by a rebar bending machine, The aforementioned rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be processed is placed during bending, Located vertically above the aforementioned mounting surface, It has a waiting surface on which the reinforcing bar to be processed before bending is waiting, A transport assist member on which the workpiece reinforcing bar can be placed, The system includes a drive unit for driving the transport assist member, The rebar transport assist device is such that the transport assist member can be positioned at a first position which is between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, and at a second position which is between the standby surface and the aforementioned mounting surface.

[0008] [2] The rebar conveying assist device described in [1], The conveying assist member includes one that is positioned between a plurality of bending units of the rebar bending machine, and is part of a rebar conveying assist device.

[0009] [3] The rebar conveying assist device described in [1], The standby surface is provided with a shaft member that extends in the direction in which the workpiece reinforcing bar is extended while in standby position, and that supports the transport assist member, The drive unit is a rebar transport assist device that drives the shaft member.

[0010] [4] The rebar conveying assist device described in [3], The aforementioned conveying support member is configured to be detachably attached to the shaft member, and is a rebar conveying support device.

[0011] [5] The rebar conveying assist device described in [3], The shaft member rotates in the first direction, thereby moving the transport assist member from the second position to the first position. A rebar transport assist device, wherein the transport assist member is supported so as to be immovable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in the first direction, and is supported so as to be movable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0012] [6] The rebar conveying assist device described in [1], A rebar conveying assist device wherein the holding tip of the conveying assist member is inclined to the opposite side from the first position when in the second position.

[0013] [7] The rebar conveying assist device described in [1], The rebar transport assist device further allows the transport assist member to be positioned at a third position vertically above the standby surface.

[0014] [8] A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars processed by a reinforcing bar bending machine, The aforementioned rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be processed is placed during bending, Located vertically above the aforementioned mounting surface, It has a waiting surface on which the reinforcing bar to be processed before bending is waiting, A step of positioning the transport assist member at a first position between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars, comprising the step of moving the transport assisting member from the first position to a second position between the aforementioned placement surface and the aforementioned waiting surface after bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine, thereby separating the bent reinforcing bar from the aforementioned placement surface by the transport assisting member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the reinforcing bar conveying assistance device of 〔1〕, since the conveying assistance member can be positioned at the first position, the conveying assistance member can move and retract to the installation surface side from the placement surface, so that interference between the processed reinforcing bar and the conveying assistance member can be prevented during the bending process of the reinforcing bar bending machine. Also, since the conveying assistance member can be positioned at the second position, for example, the processed reinforcing bar after bending can be moved to a position higher than the placement surface during processing, thus improving the workability of taking out the processed reinforcing bar after processing.

[0016] According to the reinforcing bar conveying assistance device of 〔2〕, since the conveying assistance member is arranged between a plurality of bending units, for example, even when processing such as bending the reinforcing bar portion protruding outside the two bending units inward using two bending units, the conveying assistance member arranged between the two bending units can move the processed reinforcing bar to the second position. As a result, it becomes easier to take out the processed reinforcing bar after bending. Also, since the conveying assistance members can be provided on both sides of the bending unit, when supplying and taking out the processed reinforcing bar, the conveying assistance members can contact the processed reinforcing bar at at least two locations, enabling stable conveyance of the processed reinforcing bar.

[0017] According to the reinforcing bar conveying assistance device of 〔3〕, for the processed reinforcing bar placed on the standby surface, regardless of its length, it can be conveyed and moved by the conveying assistance member, and has high versatility. Also, since the conveying assistance member can be driven by the shaft member, a plurality of conveying assistance members can be controlled by one driving unit.

[0018] According to the reinforcing bar conveying assistance device of 〔4〕, since the conveying assistance member is configured to be detachable from the shaft member, it can be easily replaced and is easy to maintain.

[0019] According to the rebar conveying assist device of [5], for example, when removing the conveying assist member from the shaft member, it is only necessary to move the conveying assist member in the second direction, which is very simple. Furthermore, when the conveying assist member rotates in the first direction, even if an unforeseen event occurs, such as an object being in the way of its movement trajectory and part of the conveying assist member hitting the object, the shaft member does not spin freely and transmit rotational force to the conveying assist member, so the conveying assist member is not damaged and no load is placed on the drive system. On the other hand, when the conveying assist member is subjected to a load in the first direction, the conveying assist member is immovable relative to the shaft member, so the conveying assist member can hold the rebar to be processed, and the conveying of the rebar to be processed can be reliably assisted.

[0020] According to the rebar conveying assist device of [6], when the rebar to be processed is placed on the conveying assist member and the conveying assist member is in the second position, the inclination of the holding tip can prevent the rebar to be processed from rolling off the holding tip. This enhances the safety of the bending process.

[0021] According to the rebar transport assist device of [7], the rebar to be processed before processing, which is placed on the standby surface, can be lifted above the standby surface and easily removed from the standby surface.

[0022] According to the rebar transport assistance method of [8], bending is performed with the transport assistance member positioned in the first position, so bending can be carried out in the conventional manner. Furthermore, after bending, the transport assistance member moves from the first position to the second position, lifting the workpiece rebar from the mounting surface, making it easier to remove the processed workpiece rebar. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of a rebar processing facility equipped with a rebar conveying assist device, which is one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the rebar processing equipment as seen from the right side. [Figure 3]This is an enlarged side view showing the transport assist member in its engaged state with the shaft member. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged side view showing the engagement between the hook portion of a transport assist member and the shaft member, where (a) is an enlarged side view showing the hook portion being attached to the shaft member, and (b) is an enlarged side view showing the state in which the hook portion is attached to the shaft member. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view of the transport support component. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a shaft member showing a modified example of the shaft member. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the method for bending reinforcing bars. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Hereinafter, one embodiment representing one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following explanation, the directions of front / back, left / right, and up / down refer to the direction as viewed from the front of the rebar processing equipment 100 by a worker. Specifically, facing the rebar processing equipment 100, the front is the near side, the back is the far side, the right is the right, the left is the left, the bottom (floor surface B where the rebar processing equipment 100 is installed) is the bottom, and the top is the top. The front / back, left / right, and up / down directions are indicated by arrows in the drawings. The up / down direction coincides with the vertical direction.

[0025] The rebar processing equipment 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a frame 20 for supporting each piece of equipment, multiple mounting sections for placing the rebars to be processed 60 (hereinafter simply referred to as "rebars"), a rebar bending machine 40 for bending the rebars 60, a rebar transport assist device 10 having a transport assist member 11 for moving the rebars 60, and a drive unit 15 (motor that rotates the shaft) for driving the transport assist member 11. The mounting sections for the rebars 60 referred to here include a standby surface 43 on which the rebars 61 (60) before processing are placed, a mounting surface 41 on which the rebars 60 are placed when bending is performed, a removal surface 42 for removing the bent rebars 62 (60), a product mounting surface (not shown) for stocking the processed rebars 62, etc.

[0026] The rebar bending machine 40 includes, for example, a bending unit 40u positioned at the middle of the vertical direction of the frame 20, a bending support member 40a positioned on the rebar 60 placed on the mounting surface 41 and defining the center of bending of the rebar 60, a bending arm 40b that rotates around the bending support member 40a to apply bending force to the rebar 60, a front wall portion 40d positioned in front of the mounting surface 41 and holding the front end of the bending support member 40a, and a standby surface 43 positioned on the upper end side of the frame 20 to hold the rebar 60 before bending.

[0027] At the rear and upper ends of the frame 20, there is a rebar holding section 43a for placing the reinforcing bars 61 before processing, and a transport section 44, which is made up of a chain or the like, for transporting the reinforcing bars 61 to the rebar holding section 43a. The front end 43t of the rebar holding section 43a is shaped to protrude upward, and the reinforcing bars 61 transported from the transport section 44 come into contact with this front end 43t and are placed on the rebar holding section 43a. The upper surface of the rebar holding section 43a constitutes the waiting surface 43.

[0028] The bending unit 40u is installed on a frame table 20a that extends horizontally on the frame 20, allowing it to move appropriately in the left-right direction. For example, when processing both ends of a reinforcing bar 60 simultaneously, two bending units 40u are used to perform simultaneous bending. In this case, as shown in Figure 1, for example, three transport assist members 11 are placed between a pair of bending units 40u arranged at a predetermined interval, and these three transport assist members 11 move the reinforcing bar 60 up and down. Preferably, the transport assist members 11 are also provided on the left and right outer sides of the pair of bending units 40u. By using these left and right outer transport assist members 11 as needed, it is possible to improve work efficiency when processing reinforcing bars 60 that are much longer than the distance between the two bending units 40u. In the example in Figure 1, multiple transport assist members 11 are placed between a pair of bending units 40u, but it is sufficient to have at least one transport assist member 11 between them.

[0029] In the bending unit 40u, the bending support member 40a is positioned to move back and forth within the casing 40e by a cylinder member 40c connected to the rear side of the bending support member 40a. Therefore, when not performing bending, the bending support member 40a is configured to be retracted to the inside (rear side) of the casing 40e. The bending arm 40b is connected to a rotational drive member (not shown) and rotates around the bending support member 40a. The rotation of the bending arm 40b causes the reinforcing bar 60 placed on the mounting surface 41 to be bent along the outer circumferential surface of the bending support member 40a.

[0030] The rebar transport assist device 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical shaft member 16 extending in the left-right direction (the direction in which the rebar 60 extends) of the frame 20 near the upper end of the frame 20, arm-shaped transport assist members 11 attached at predetermined intervals to the outer surface of the shaft member 16, a drive unit 15 that rotates the shaft member 16, and a processor that controls the drive unit 15. The processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 can be replaced by the processor of the rebar bending machine 40 (the processor that controls the bending unit 40u). The transport assist member 11 moves the holding tip 14 on the arm end up and down as the shaft member 16 rotates, thereby moving the rebar 60 placed on this holding tip 14.

[0031] The drive unit 15 that rotates the shaft member 16 includes, for example, a motor 15a and a chain 15b stretched over a drive shaft 15c of the motor 15a and a sprocket provided on the shaft member 16. The drive unit 15 controls the rotation direction of the motor 15a to rotate the shaft member 16 (and the transport assist member 11 locked thereto) in a predetermined direction. The drive unit 15 only needs to be provided at any one location along the longitudinal direction of the shaft of the shaft member 16. However, if the shaft member 16 is long, multiple drive units may be provided at predetermined intervals to enable synchronous drive.

[0032] Alternatively, the shaft member 16 may be configured as a discontinuous unit, with each section having a drive unit 15. In this case, the shaft member 16 can be driven as a single shaft member by synchronously driving the drive units 15, or different rebar bending processes can be performed in parallel as separate pieces of equipment.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the transfer assist member 11 moves upward as the shaft member 16 rotates (clockwise when viewed from the right side), causing the curved part at the end of the arm, the holding tip 14, to move upward. This upward movement of the holding tip 14 causes the take-out receiving portion 14b of the holding tip 14 to move to a third position 3p (see Figure 2), which is vertically above the waiting surface 43 where the reinforcing bar 61 before bending is waiting. Preferably, the third position 3p is above the upper end of the front end portion 43t. When the take-out receiving portion 14b moves upward from the second position 2p or the first position 1p and exceeds the waiting surface 43, the reinforcing bar 61 before bending is placed on the take-out receiving portion 14b. From this state, the take-out receiving portion 14b moves further upward to reach the third position 3p. When the take-out receiving portion 14b is in the third position 3p, as shown in Figure 2, the upper end surface of the take-out receiving portion 14b is slightly inclined toward the front. Therefore, the reinforcing bar 61, which is placed on the take-out receiving portion 14b before bending, moves toward the front along the inclination of this upper end surface and is held by the holding tip portion 14.

[0034] The upper end surface of the removal receiving portion 14b of the holding tip portion 14 is slightly inclined downward toward the front when the holding tip portion 14 is in the third position 3p, and the upper end surface of the holding receiving portion 14a of the holding tip portion 14 is curved so as to be recessed downward. Therefore, when the holding tip portion 14 of the transport assist member 11 is in the third position 3p, the reinforcing bar 61 is moved into the recess of the holding receiving portion 14a by gravity.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the transport assist member 11, which holds the reinforcing bar 61 in the recess of the holding support portion 14a, moves to a first position 1p below the mounting surface 41 of the reinforcing bar 60 during bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine 40. During the movement of the transport assist member 11 from the state where the holding tip portion 14 is in the third position 3p to the state where the holding tip portion 14 is in the first position 1p, the reinforcing bar 61 held in the recess of the holding support portion 14a is placed on the mounting surface 41 and becomes ready for bending. In this case, the first position 1p is shown as being slightly below the mounting surface 41, but its range is between the mounting surface 41 and the floor surface B (the installation surface of the reinforcing bar bending machine 40). In other words, depending on its length, the transport assist member 11 may be configured so that the holding tip portion 14 reaches the floor surface B, and the range of the first position 1p can be the range from the mounting surface 41 to the floor surface B.

[0036] Furthermore, the holding tip 14 can be positioned and stopped at another position, a second position 2p. This second position 2p is the position of the aforementioned removal surface 42 from which the bent reinforcing bars 62 (60) are removed, and is set within the height range between the standby surface 43 and the mounting surface 41. The second position 2p is at a higher position above the mounting surface 41 (preferably higher than the height of the front wall portion 40d). When the holding tip 14 is in the second position 2p, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the removal position of the processed reinforcing bars 62 is raised, thus reducing the burden required to remove the reinforcing bars 62.

[0037] With the rebar bending machine 40 and the rebar transport assist device 10 configured as described above, a method for assisting rebar transport that raises the position of the processed rebar 62 can be implemented. This rebar transport assist method includes, for example, the steps of: positioning the transport assist member 11 at a first position 1p between the mounting surface 41 and the floor surface B; and, after bending by the rebar bending machine 40, moving the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to a second position 2p between the mounting surface 41 and the waiting surface 43, thereby separating the bent rebar 62 from the mounting surface 41 using the transport assist member 11. By moving the bent rebar 62 to a position higher than the mounting surface 41, it is possible to remove the rebar 62 more easily compared to when a worker manually lifts the rebar 62 while it is placed on the mounting surface 41.

[0038] Here, the transport assist member 11 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 3 to 5. As shown in Figure 5, the transport assist member 11 comprises an arm-shaped main body 12, a curved hook portion 13 provided at one end of the main body 12 (the base end on the right side in the figure) that engages with the shaft member 16, and a holding tip portion 14 attached to the tip end 12t (left side in the figure) of the main body 12 that is curved to hold the reinforcing bar 60.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, when the hook portion 13 is attached to the shaft member 16, the main body portion 12 is mounted so that it extends diagonally downward forward, generating a rotational force due to the weight of the transport assist member 11 (force in the direction indicated by arrow F). Due to this rotational force due to its own weight, the transport assist member 11 is locked in place by the hook tip portion 17, which is the tip of the hook portion 13, catching on the non-circular protrusion 19 that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16.

[0040] As described above, the shaft member 16 supporting the transport assist member 11 rotates in a first counterclockwise direction 1d in Figure 3, thereby moving the transport assist member 11 from a high vertical position to a low vertical position. On the other hand, the shaft member 16 rotates in a second clockwise direction 2d, thereby moving the transport assist member 11 from a low vertical position to a high vertical position, as described above. However, when the transport assist member 11 is subjected to a load in the second direction 2d, that is, when it is subjected to a force directed upward from below in Figure 3 (a force in the direction indicated by arrow F'), the transport assist member 11 will spin freely, with its hook portion 13 sliding on the outer circumferential surface 16s relative to the shaft member 16. This state of the transport assist member 11 spinning freely does not normally occur, but it can happen when the transport assist member 11 is being lowered and is struck by some object from below.

[0041] Furthermore, the protrusion 19 is composed of a key member of the protrusion fixed to a groove 18, which is a keyway formed along the axial direction of the shaft member 16, and is provided over its entire length in the axial direction. Therefore, the transport assist member 11 can be locked to the shaft member 16 at any position in the axial direction of the shaft member 16. In other words, the transport assist member 11 can be attached to any position in the longitudinal direction of the shaft member 16, and its position can be arbitrarily changed along the longitudinal direction of the shaft member 16.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(a), the distance D1 between the hook portion 17f and the main body portion 12 facing the hook portion 17f is set to be larger than the maximum diameter D2 of the shaft member 16. With this configuration, when attaching the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16, for example, as shown in Figure 4(a), the opening side of the hook portion 13 is brought to face the protrusion 19, and the protrusion 19 is inserted into the hook portion 13. Then, the transport assist member 11 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 4. As a result, as shown in Figure 4(b), the hook portion 17f catches on the protrusion 19, and the transport assist member 11 is locked to the shaft member 16. If the transport assist member 11 is rotated further counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 4(b), it will be in the state shown in Figure 4(c), and the transport assist member 11 will be fixed to the shaft member 16. On the other hand, to remove the hook portion 13 from the shaft member 16, in the reverse of the installation operation, as shown in Figure 4(c), the transport assist member 11 is rotated clockwise at a certain rotation angle, and then the hook portion 13 is moved away from the shaft member 16.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11 is composed of two members, a holding receiving portion 14a and a removal receiving portion 14b, and is detachably attached to the main body portion 12. The holding receiving portion 14a and the removal receiving portion 14b are attached to the main body portion 12 by fastening members 70, sandwiching the tip side 12t of the main body portion 12. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of the holding receiving portion 14a, opposite to the main body portion 12, is curved upward. The hook portion 13 of the main body portion 12 is curved downward, in the opposite direction to the curvature of the holding receiving portion 14a. In other words, the transport assist member 11 as a whole can be described as having a roughly S-shaped form.

[0044] The take-out receiving portion 14b is fastened to the fastening member 70 via an elongated hole 14d that has clearance, for example, in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions relative to the shaft diameter of the fastening member 70. As a result, the retaining tip portion 14 is provided so as to be movable relative to the main body portion 12 by changing the position of the fastening member 70. That is, the take-out receiving portion 14b can move in its longitudinal direction (X direction in Figure 3) relative to the main body portion 12. This makes it possible to adjust the position of the retaining tip portion 14 relative to the standby surface 43. Preferably, the take-out receiving portion 14b can move slightly due to play in the width direction of the main body portion 12 (Y direction in Figure 3), and also in the rotational direction (Z direction in Figure 3) with the fastening member 70 as the pivot point. This allows for fine adjustment when installing the take-out receiving portion 14b.

[0045] The holding of the transport assist member 11 by the shaft member 16 is not limited to the configuration of the convex ridge 19 described above, but can also be done in a configuration such as that shown in Figure 6. In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the configuration of the hook portion 13 is the same as that shown in Figure 5, but the configuration of the shaft member 16 is such that only a groove 18 is formed on the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16. That is, the hook portion 17f of the hook portion 13 engages with the groove 18. In this configuration, when attaching the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16, there is no need to choose the orientation of the hook portion 13 relative to the shaft member 16, and attachment and removal can be performed, making the attachment and detachment operation of the transport assist member 11 easier than in the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0046] The operation and control of the conveying support member 11 in the bending process will be explained below with reference to the flowchart in Figure 7. In the initial state of the rebar conveying support device 10, for example, the conveying support member 11 is in the first position 1p. After the operator turns on the power to the rebar bending machine 40 and the rebar conveying assist device 10, the operator turns on the foot switch 30 with their foot (step S1). The processor of the rebar conveying assist device 10, which detects this operation, controls the drive unit 15 to move the conveying assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the third position 3p. As a result of this movement, multiple rebars 61 are placed on the holding tip 14 of the conveying assist member 11. When the processor of the rebar conveying assist device 10 detects that the conveying assist member 11 has reached the third position 3p, for example by a sensor not shown, it outputs a movement OK signal to the rebar bending machine 40, which allows the bending unit 40u to move left or right (step S2). When the rebar bending machine 40 receives this movement OK signal, it controls the bending unit 40u to move left or right. In this state, the operator performs tasks such as moving the bending unit 40u to a position according to the desired processing content.

[0047] Next, the worker turns on the foot switch 30 (step S3). Upon receiving this turn-on operation, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 stops outputting the OK signal and controls the drive unit 15 to lower the transport assist member 11 from the third position 3p to the first position 1p.

[0048] When the processor of the rebar conveying assistance device 10 detects, for example, by a sensor (not shown) that the conveying assistance member 11 has reached the third position 3p, it determines that the rebar 61 has been placed on the mounting surface 41 and outputs a bending OK signal indicating that bending is possible (step S4).

[0049] Subsequently, the processor of the rebar conveying assist device 10 enters a state of waiting for the bending process by the bending unit 40u to be completed (step S7). That is, the conveying assist member 11 is retracted to a position below the mounting surface 41 and stops in a state of waiting for the bending process to be completed.

[0050] When the rebar bending machine 40 receives a bending OK signal from the rebar conveying assist device 10, it starts bending the rebar using the bending unit 40u in step S5.

[0051] The rebar bending machine 40 completes the bending process in step S6 after the bending unit 40u has started bending and performed a predetermined operation. In step S6, the rebar bending machine 40 retracts the bending support member 40a to the rear and the bending arm 40b (to a position below the mounting surface 41) to prepare for the start of the next bending process, and then outputs a bending completion signal.

[0052] When the operator detects the signal indicating the completion of the bending process, they turn on the foot switch 30 (step S8). Upon receiving this turn-on operation, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 controls the drive unit 15 to raise the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the second position 2p. In step S8, when the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 detects that the transport assist member 11 has reached the second position 2p using a sensor (not shown), it stops driving the transport assist member 11. The stopping position of the transport assist member 11 at this time is preferably a position where the bent rebar 62 has completely protruded from the bending unit 40u, for example, a position higher than the front wall 40d, and is also set to a height that makes it easy to remove the processed rebar 62 by hand.

[0053] After step S8, the worker takes out the reinforcing bar 62 and places it in the designated position, then turns on the foot switch 30 (step S9). Upon receiving this turn-on operation, the processor of the reinforcing bar transport assist device 10 moves the transport assist member 11 from the second position 2p to the third position 3p. This completes one cycle of the bending process. When the bending process is to be repeated, the same steps are repeated, returning from step S9 to step S2.

[0054] The processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 drives the transport assist member 11 by detecting the ON operation of the foot switch 30, but is not limited to this. For example, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may drive the transport assist member 11 by detecting the operation of a switch for manual operation provided on the rebar bending machine 40. Alternatively, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may drive the transport assist member 11 automatically without receiving operation from the operator each time. For example, when an operation to start bending is made to the rebar bending machine 40, the processor of the rebar transport assist device 10 may move the transport assist member 11 from the second position 2p to the third position 3p, and when it detects that the rebar 61 is held by the holding tip 14 in that state, it may move the transport assist member 11 from the third position 3p to the first position 1p, and when it detects that the bending process is completed in that state, it may repeatedly execute the control to move the transport assist member 11 from the first position 1p to the second position 2p.

[0055] In the control described above, the transport assist member 11 is set to be unable to operate while the bending unit 40u is operating. In other words, the transport assist member 11 and the bending unit 40u are configured not to interfere with each other during operation. Furthermore, although the bending unit 40u is installed to be able to slide left and right on the support table 20a as described above, the bending unit 40u is set to be able to slide only when, for example, the transport assist member 11 is in a position that does not interfere with the bending unit 40u.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment of the rebar transport assist device 10, the transport assist member 11 can be positioned at the first position 1p, allowing it to move and retract to the floor surface B side from the mounting surface 41, thus assisting in the transport of rebars without interfering with the bending process of the rebar bending machine 40. Furthermore, by positioning the bent rebars 60 at a second position 2p, which is higher than the mounting surface 41 during processing, the processed rebars 60 can be easily removed, improving the efficiency of removal.

[0057] Furthermore, by positioning the transport support member 11 between multiple bending units 40u of the rebar bending machine 40, the rebar 60 can be held on both the left and right sides of the bending units 40u, enabling stable holding of the rebar 60 during supply and removal. It can also hold long rebars 60 that are supplied across multiple bending units 40u. Moreover, even if, for example, two bending units 40u are used and the portion protruding outwards from the bending units 40u is bent inwards, the transport support member 11 positioned between the bending units 40u can hold the rebar 60.

[0058] In this embodiment, the shaft member 16 that drives the transport assist member 11 is provided along the direction in which the reinforcing bars 60 waiting on the standby surface 43 extend, so that the transport assist member 11 can be driven regardless of the length of the reinforcing bars 60 placed on the standby surface 43. Furthermore, since the transport assist member 11 can be driven by the shaft member 16, multiple transport assist members 11 can be controlled by a single drive unit 15. Furthermore, since the transport assist member 11 is configured to be detachable from the shaft member 16, it is easy to accommodate the length of the reinforcing bar 60. In addition, the transport assist member 11 can be easily replaced, resulting in good maintainability.

[0059] In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is supported so as to be movable relative to the shaft member 16 when subjected to a load in the second direction 2d, which is opposite to the first direction 1d. This makes it very easy, for example, to remove the transport assist member 11 from the shaft member 16, as it only requires moving the transport assist member 11 in the second direction 2d. Furthermore, even if an object is present in the path of the transport assist member 11 as it rotates in the first direction 1d and a part of the transport assist member 11 comes into contact with that object, the shaft member 16 does not rotate freely relative to the transport assist member 11 and transmit rotational force, preventing damage to the transport assist member 11 or load on the drive system. In this way, the shaft member 16 rotates freely relative to the transport assist member 11, preventing load on the drive unit 15 in unforeseen circumstances and ensuring extremely high safety.

[0060] In this embodiment, the holding tip 14 of the transport assist member 11 is inclined upwards, opposite to the side of the first position 1p, when it is in the second position 2p, making it a suitable configuration for holding the reinforcing bar 60.

[0061] In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 can be positioned at a third position 3p that is vertically above the waiting surface 43. This allows the unprocessed reinforcing bars 60 placed on the waiting surface 43 to be lifted above the waiting surface 43 and removed from the waiting surface 43, enabling efficient work.

[0062] In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is driven by the drive unit 15 and can be positioned at multiple locations of different heights. Therefore, it is possible to move the reinforcing bar 60 from the waiting surface 43 before processing to the mounting surface 41 where processing is performed, and further move the reinforcing bar 60 to other removal positions. In addition, since the transport assist member 11, which is supported by a rotatable shaft member 16 extending in the direction in which the reinforcing bar 60 extends, is detachably supported on the shaft member 16, the adaptability of the transport assist member 11 to the length of the reinforcing bar 60 can be improved. As a result, the convenience of processing and removing the reinforcing bar 60 after processing can be improved. Furthermore, it is possible to easily accommodate the diversification of processed products.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the transport assist member 11 is mounted on the shaft member 16, the hook portion 13 at one end of the main body portion 12 is locked to the shaft member 16, causing the main body portion 12 to protrude radially from the shaft member 16. As a result, the rotational moment due to the weight of the transport assist member 11 causes the hook tip portion 17 to come into contact with the protrusion 19. This contact force of the hook tip portion 17 allows the transport assist member 11 to be easily locked onto the shaft member 16.

[0064] In this embodiment, the hook portion 13 has a hook tip 17 that curves toward the main body portion 12 when viewed from the side, allowing it to be easily attached by hooking the hook portion 17f onto a protrusion 19 or groove 18 provided on the outer circumferential surface 16s of the shaft member 16. The aforementioned protrusion 19 and groove 18 constitute locking portions provided on the shaft member 16, respectively.

[0065] In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is configured such that the distance D1 between the hook portion 17f and the main body portion 12 facing the hook portion 17f is larger than the maximum diameter D2 of the shaft member 16, making it easy to attach and detach the hook portion 13 to the shaft member 16.

[0066] In this embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is provided with a retaining tip 14 that curves upward on the front end side of the main body 12 (opposite the hook portion 13). This retaining tip 14 prevents the reinforcing bar 60 from falling forward, thereby enhancing safety.

[0067] In this embodiment, the retaining tip 14 is detachably attached to the main body 12, allowing retaining tip 14 of different shapes to be attached. Furthermore, even if the retaining tip 14 wears out due to long-term use, only the retaining tip 14 can be removed and replaced, making maintenance easy.

[0068] In this embodiment, the holding tip portion 14 is provided to be movable relative to the main body portion 12, so that the orientation can be changed when holding reinforcing bars 60 of different orientations or thicknesses. Furthermore, the height position and orientation of the tip portion can be finely adjusted when transferring the reinforcing bar 60 from the waiting surface 43 or when placing the reinforcing bar 60 on the mounting surface 41.

[0069] Although one aspect of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the transport assist member 11 is configured to move to a first position 1p, a second position 2p, and a third position 3p by the rotation of the shaft member 16, but it is not limited thereto, and for example, the shaft member 16 may be configured to slide vertically. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the transport assist member 11 is composed of three members: a main body 12, a holding receiving part 14a, and a removal receiving part 14b, but some or all of these may be integrally configured. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1d 1st direction 2d second direction 1p 1st position 2p 2nd position 3some 3rd position 10. Rebar conveying assistance device 11. Transport support member 12 Main body 13 Hook section 14 Holding tip 15 Drive unit 16 Shaft member 16s outer surface 17 Hook tip 17f Hook part 18 Groove 19 Convex Strip 20 mounting units 30 Footswitches 40 Rebar bending machine 40u bending unit 41 Mounting surface 42 Removal surface 43 Waiting surface 60 Workpiece reinforcing bar 100 Rebar Processing Equipment B Floor surface (installation surface)

Claims

1. A rebar transport assist device that assists in the transport of rebars processed by a rebar bending machine, The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending. A transport assist member on which the workpiece reinforcing bar can be placed, The system includes a drive unit for driving the transport assist member, The rebar transport assist device is such that the transport assist member can be positioned at a first position which is between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, and at a second position which is between the standby surface and the aforementioned mounting surface.

2. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1, The conveying assist member includes one that is positioned between a plurality of bending units of the rebar bending machine, and is part of a rebar conveying assist device.

3. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1, The standby surface is provided with a shaft member that extends in the direction in which the workpiece reinforcing bar is extended while in standby position, and that supports the transport assist member, The drive unit is a rebar transport assist device that drives the shaft member.

4. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 3, The aforementioned conveying support member is configured to be detachably attached to the shaft member, and is a rebar conveying support device.

5. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 3, The shaft member rotates in the first direction, thereby moving the transport assist member from the second position to the first position. A rebar conveying assist device, wherein the conveying assist member is supported so as to be immovable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in the first direction, and is supported so as to be movable with respect to the shaft member when subjected to a load in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

6. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1, A rebar conveying assisting device wherein the holding tip of the conveying assisting member is inclined to the opposite side from the first position when in the second position.

7. A rebar conveying assist device according to claim 1, The rebar transport assist device further allows the transport assist member to be positioned at a third position vertically above the standby surface.

8. A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars processed by a reinforcing bar bending machine, The rebar bending machine has a mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent is placed during bending, and a waiting surface located vertically above the mounting surface on which the rebar to be bent waits before bending. A step of positioning the transport assist member at a first position between the aforementioned mounting surface and the mounting surface of the rebar bending machine, A method for assisting the transport of reinforcing bars, comprising the step of moving the transport assisting member from the first position to a second position between the aforementioned placement surface and the aforementioned waiting surface after bending by the reinforcing bar bending machine, thereby separating the bent reinforcing bar from the aforementioned placement surface by the transport assisting member.

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