Clip mounting device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-04
Smart Images
Figure 0007899747000001 
Figure 0007899747000002 
Figure 0007899747000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a clip mounting device. More specifically, it relates to a clip mounting device that can accurately and with light work attach a required number of clips to components.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, resin clips may be used when attaching automotive interior trim linings such as door trims to the body. To attach the automotive interior trim lining to the body, clips are first attached to appropriate positions on the automotive interior trim lining in advance, and then these clips are locked to the body side. In the clip mounting device described in Patent Document 1, attaching clips to appropriate positions on the door trim in advance is performed as follows. First, clips are held in a holding cylinder of an attachment that is moved by a robot arm on a clip feeder. Next, the attachment in this state is moved onto the door trim by the robot arm. Then, the clip is horizontally moved by the robot arm, and the clip is attached to the clip seat of the door trim. Also, there has been a case where a manual attachment method is adopted in which an operator manually attaches clips one by one to appropriate positions on the automotive interior trim lining.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In the clip mounting device described in the above Patent Document 1, expensive equipment such as a robot is required. Also, in the manual attachment method, there is a problem that the operator's hand is burdened and there is a possibility of attachment omission.
[0005] In view of these problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a clip attachment device that does not require expensive equipment and can attach the required number of clips to parts accurately with minimal effort. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] The first invention of the present invention is a clip attachment device for attaching a clip for attaching a first member to a second member to a predetermined position on the first member, wherein the clip has a first fitting portion that fits to the first member, a second fitting portion that fits to the second member, and a flange portion disposed between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion, and the device comprises a feeder capable of supplying the required number of clips for the first member one by one from the front of the row from a supply end, with the clips arranged in a horizontal row with the second fitting portion facing upward, a set cylinder portion that extends vertically and can supply compressed air from the lower end side for holding the clips supplied from the supply end of the feeder in a stacked state, one by one dropped in order, and a flexible hose portion whose one end is connectable to the upper end side of the set cylinder portion and whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flange portion, and a substantially cylindrical hose portion connected to the other end side of the hose portion, the one end of the hose portion being connected to the upper end side of the set cylinder portion and compressed air being supplied from the lower end side. The device has a hand operating section that holds the clips supplied through the hose section and can be attached by fitting the first fitting section of the first member into the fitting section of the first member one by one, starting from the upper clips, wherein the hand operating section has a cylindrical gripping section on the hose section side and a holding section positioned on the end of the gripping section opposite to the hose section, the gripping section can hold the clips stacked on the inside with the second fitting section facing the end, and the holding section has a notched disc section having a notch that allows the second fitting section to pass radially outward while the flange section of the clips sent out from the gripping section by compressed air is locked and its movement stopped, and a connecting section that connects the notched disc section and the end of the gripping section and connects the notched disc section and the gripping section so that when the second fitting section of the clips is passed radially outward from the notch, the flange section and the first fitting section can pass radially outward.
[0007] According to the first invention, the first fitting portion of the clip can be attached to the fitted portion of the first member by gripping and operating the hand operating section, thus eliminating the need for expensive equipment such as robots. Furthermore, since the feeder supplies only the required number of clips for the first member to the set cylinder section and sends them to the hand operating section through the hose section, the occurrence of fitted portions where clips are accidentally forgotten can be suppressed. Moreover, since the clips can be attached to the first member by operating the hand operating section, the burden on the operator's hand can be reduced compared to directly pressing the clip by hand to fit the first fitting portion into the fitted portion. Specifically, compressed air is supplied to the gripping section, and one of the leading clips, which are stacked and held inside the gripping section, is held by its flange portion engaging with the notched disc section. In this state, the first fitting portion of the held clip is fitted into the fitted portion of the first member by pressing the hand operating section radially outward, and the clip can be attached to the first member by moving the hand operating section in the opposite direction to the pressing direction. By performing this process for each clip held inside the gripping portion, the required number of clips can be attached to the first member without error.
[0008] The second invention of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first invention described above, a tapered portion is formed in the inner diameter portion of the notched disc portion, which decreases in diameter from the gripping portion side toward the opposite side of the gripping portion.
[0009] According to the second invention, when clips stacked and held inside the gripping portion are pressed towards the holding portion by the supply of compressed air, even if the direction in which the central axis of the leading clip extends is offset from the direction in which the central axis of the hand operating portion extends, the tip of the first fitting portion comes into contact with the tapered portion and moves so that the central axes of both coincide, thereby correcting the tilt of the clip. This makes it easier to attach the clips to the first member by operating the hand operating portion.
[0010] The third invention of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first invention or the second invention, chamfered surfaces are formed on both sides of the notch on the surface of the notched disc opposite to the gripping portion, such that the axial thickness decreases as it moves radially outward from the notch.
[0011] According to the third invention, when clips stacked and held inside the gripping part are pressed towards the holding part by the supply of compressed air, if the direction in which the central axis of the leading clip extends is tilted radially outward from the direction in which the central axis of the hand operating part extends, it becomes easier to align the directions in which the central axes of both extend by hand. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a clip attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the clip. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the interior trim material corresponding to the first component. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the handle operating section of the clip mounting device. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the clips stacked and held inside the handle operating section. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the notched disc portion of the handle operating section. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of the notched disc portion of the handle operating section. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line of sight of arrow VIII-VIII in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in Figure 7. [Figure 10] This figure shows the upper end of the set cylinder section. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates the process of attaching clips to interior trim materials. [Figure 12] This diagram illustrates the process of attaching clips to interior trim materials. [Figure 13]This is a diagram for explaining the process of attaching a clip to an interior trim material.
Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention
[0013] Based on FIGS. 1 to 13, a clip attachment device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The clip attachment device 1 is a device for attaching the clip 2 shown in FIG. 2 to a predetermined position of the interior trim material 3 shown in FIG. 3. In each figure, the vertical direction is indicated by an arrow.
[0014] Prior to the description of the clip attachment device 1, the clip 2 and the interior trim material 3 to which the clip 2 is attached will be described.
[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the clip 2 is a resin part, and has a first fitting portion 21 attached to the interior trim material 3, a second fitting portion 22 attached to an automobile body (not shown), and a flange portion 23 disposed between the first fitting portion 21 and the second fitting portion 22. The first fitting portion 21 is formed by connecting an upper disk-shaped upper flange portion 21a and a lower disk-shaped lower flange portion 21c with a cylindrical shaft portion 21b so that the central axis 2A coincides. The second fitting portion 22 has a bud-shaped form and is connected to the first fitting portion 21 via the flange portion 23. The flange portion 23 has a shape of the opening side of an umbrella that opens upward, and its outer diameter is made larger than the outer diameter of the upper flange portion 21a. The first fitting portion 21, the flange portion 23, and the second fitting portion 22 are connected with the central axis 2A coinciding. When the second fitting portion 22 is inserted into a hole (not shown) provided in the automobile body, the flange portion 23 abuts against the outer peripheral edge portion of the hole. Here, the interior trim material 3 and the automobile body respectively correspond to the "first member" and the "second member" in the claims.
[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the interior lining material 3 is a resin member and is attached to the vehicle body by nine clips 2. The clip 2 is attached to each clip attachment portion 31 formed to project outward from the outer peripheral edge portion of the interior lining material 3. Specifically, as represented by one clip attachment portion 31 in FIG. 3, the clip attachment portion 31 is formed with an attachment hole 31a for fitting the shaft portion 21b of the clip 2 and a guide groove 31b for guiding the shaft portion 21b to the attachment hole 31a. The thickness of the clip attachment portion 31 is set to be slightly smaller than the vertical dimension between the upper flange portion 21a and the lower flange portion 21c of the clip 2, that is, the vertical dimension of the shaft portion 21b. The width dimension of the guide groove 31b is set to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft portion 21b of the clip 2. Further, the attachment hole 31a is set to a size in which the shaft portion 21b of the clip 2 is loosely fitted. Therefore, when the clip 2 is attached to the clip attachment portion 31, the shaft portion 21b is compressed and deformed in the radial direction when passing through the guide groove 31b and the deformation is released when reaching the attachment hole 31a. Accordingly, when attaching the clip 2 to the clip attachment portion 31, a pressing force sufficient to compress and deform the shaft portion 21b is required. Here, the clip attachment portion 31 corresponds to the "fitted portion" in the claims.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the clip attaching device 1 includes a parts feeder 4, a supply rail portion 5, a set cylinder portion 6, a hose portion 7, a hand operation portion 8, a compressed air supply source 9, and a control device 10.
[0018] The parts feeder 4 is a device that supplies a large number of clips 2 housed therein one by one to the supply rail portion 5 with their second fitting portions 22 facing upward. It constantly operates to continuously send out the clips 2 to the supply rail portion 5. Here, the parts feeder 4 and the supply rail portion 5 correspond to the "feeder" in the claims.
[0019] The supply rail section 5 has a roughly C-shape with an upward opening in cross-section, and includes a bottom section 51 extending in the longitudinal direction, a pair of side sections 52 extending upward from both ends of the bottom section 51, and a pair of top sections 53 extending inward from the upper ends of the side sections 52. A slit 54 is formed between the pair of top sections 53, extending longitudinally parallel to the bottom section 51. The distance between the pair of side sections 52 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the lower flange section 21c of the clip 2, the distance between the top section 53 and the bottom section 51 is set to be slightly larger than the distance from the lower surface of the upper flange section 21a to the lower surface of the lower flange section 21c of the clip 2, and the width of the slit 54 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft section 21b of the clip 2. As a result, the clip 2 is held so as to be able to slide longitudinally with respect to the supply rail 5, with its shaft portion 21b passing through the slit 54 and the lower surface of its upper flange portion 21a in contact with the upper surfaces of the pair of upper surfaces 53. A stopper plate 55 is provided in the longitudinal center of the supply rail 5, which is in contact with the upper surfaces of the pair of upper surfaces 53 and is movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The stopper plate 55 is positioned to extend upward perpendicularly to the upper surfaces 53 and can be switched between a closed state, in contact with the upper surfaces 53, and an open state, retracted from the upper surfaces 53, by an air cylinder 56 controlled by the control device 10. When the stopper plate 55 is in the closed state, the feeding of the clip 2 is stopped. When the stopper plate 55 is in the open state, the feeding of the clip 2 is permitted. The supply rail section 5 is connected to the parts feeder 4, thereby transmitting vibrations from the parts feeder 4. This ensures that clips 2 located on the supply rail section 5 on the set cylinder section 6 side (opposite the parts feeder 4) are also sent towards the set cylinder section 6 from the stopper plate 55. An infrared sensor 57 is positioned between the stopper plate 55 and the air cylinder 56. After the stopper plate 55 is opened, the infrared sensor 57 counts the number of clips 2 flowing along the supply rail section 5 towards the set cylinder section 6 and sends a signal to the control device 10. When a predetermined number (9 in this case) has flowed, the control device 10 activates the air cylinder 56 to close the stopper plate 55. As a result, 9 clips 2 are sent to the set cylinder section 6.
[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 10, the set cylinder 6 is cylindrical in shape, and its inner diameter is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the flange portion 23 of the clip 2. A semicircular notch 61 is provided on the side of the supply rail portion 5 at the upper end, and the supply end portion 58 of the supply rail portion 5 abuts against its upper surface. The vertical dimension of the notch 61 is set to be approximately the same as the vertical dimension of the side portion 52 of the supply rail portion 5, and a semicircular vertical wall portion 62 is formed on the side of the notch 61 opposite the supply rail portion 5. The clips 2 sent out from the supply end portion 58 of the supply rail portion 5 abut against the vertical wall portion 62 one by one and are dropped into the set cylinder 6 and stacked. The vertical dimension of the set cylinder 6 is set to be slightly larger than the dimension when nine clips 2 are stacked in the direction of the central axis 2A. A pipe 91 from the compressed air supply source 9 is connected to the lower end of the set cylinder 6 via an on / off valve 92.
[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 10, the hose section 7 includes a connecting pipe section 71 that moves up and down in a manner that allows it to engage with and disengage from the upper end of the set cylinder section 6, and a flexible hose 72 with one end connected to the upper end of the connecting pipe section 71 and the other end connected to the lower end of the hand operation section 8. The connecting pipe section 71 is cylindrical in shape and has the same outer and inner diameter surfaces as the set cylinder section 6. The lower end of the connecting pipe section 71 is notched in a semi-circular shape corresponding to the upper end of the set cylinder section 6, so that when the lower end of the connecting pipe section 71 is brought into coaxial contact with the upper end of the set cylinder section 6, the connecting pipe section 71 and the set cylinder section 6 are continuous in both outer and inner diameter surfaces. A bracket 73 is attached to the connecting pipe section 71, and a signal from the control device 10 activates an air cylinder 74 to move the connecting pipe section 71 up and down via the bracket 73. The vertical movement of the connecting pipe section 71 occurs between a connected state in which the lower end of the connecting pipe section 71 is coaxially in contact with the upper end of the set cylinder section 6, and a separated state in which the lower end of the connecting pipe section 71 is separated from the upper end of the set cylinder section 6 by enough distance to allow the clip 2 to move upward in the direction of the central axis 6A until the central axis 2A of the clip 2 aligns with the central axis 6A of the set cylinder section 6 from the supply rail section 5. The hose 72 has an inner diameter that is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the set cylinder section 6 and is designed to be supplied to the hand operating section 8 through the clip 2 that is fed out from the connecting pipe section 71.
[0022] As shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, the hand operating section 8 has a cylindrical gripping section 81 and a holding section 82 that holds a single clip 2 disposed on the upper end side of the gripping section 81 so that it can be attached to a clip mounting section 31 of the interior lining material 3. The gripping section 81 is cylindrical with its central axis 81A having an inner diameter that is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the set cylinder section 6, and as shown in Figure 5, it is possible to house multiple clips 2 inside with the central axis 2A and the central axis 81A approximately aligned. The lower end side of the gripping section 81 is connected to the upper end side of the hose 72. The gripping section 81 is provided with a hook section 81a, and by hooking the hook section 81a onto a hook-hanging section 81b that is directly or indirectly fixed to the floor, the hand operating section 8 is held so that its central axis 81A faces vertically. The control device 10 can determine, via electrical signals, whether the hand operating unit 8 is held by the hook attachment 81b or released from the hook attachment 81b.
[0023] As shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, the holding portion 82 has a notched disc portion 83 and a connecting portion 84 that connects the notched disc portion 83 to the gripping portion 81 while the notched disc portion 83 is separated from the upper end of the gripping portion 81.
[0024] As shown in Figures 4 to 9, the notched disc portion 83 is roughly shaped like a perforated disc with a portion of it cut radially, where the diameter of the outer diameter surface portion 83b is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the gripping portion 81, the diameter of the inner diameter surface portion 83a is slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the second fitting portion 22 in the clip 2, and the thickness is about half the dimension of the second fitting portion 22 in the direction of the central axis 2A. As shown in Figure 7, the notched disc portion 83 is positioned relative to the gripping portion 81 with its central axis aligned with the central axis 81A. In this state, when viewed from the direction in which the central axis 81A extends, the notched portion 83c is formed by a U-shape cut in the direction in which the central axis 81A extends, formed by a semicircular portion of the inner diameter surface portion 83a and a pair of straight portions drawn perpendicularly at both ends to the diameter of the semicircular portion. The lower surface portion 83e of the notched disc portion 83 is a tapered surface portion that decreases in diameter towards the upper surface portion 83d. When viewed from the direction in which the central axis 81A extends, upper chamfered surface portions 83f are formed on both sides of the upper surface portion 83d in the direction in which the central axis of the U-shape of the notch 83c extends, so as they move toward the opening side of the U-shape. Also, when viewed from the direction in which the central axis 81A extends, lower chamfered surface portions 83g are formed on both sides of the lower surface portion 83e in the direction in which the central axis of the U-shape of the notch 83c extends, so as they move toward the opening side of the U-shape. Here, the inner diameter surface portion 83a and the lower surface portion 83e correspond to the "inner diameter portion" in the claims. Also, the lower surface portion 83e and the upper chamfered surface portion 83f correspond to the "tapered portion" and "chamfered surface portion" in the claims, respectively.
[0025] The connecting portion 84 is a member that connects the notched disc portion 83 to the gripping portion 81 while the notched disc portion 83 is separated from the upper end of the gripping portion 81. The dimension by which the outer circumference of the lower surface portion 83e is separated from the upper end of the gripping portion 81 is slightly larger than the dimension in the direction of the central axis 2A from the upper end of the flange portion 23 to the lower end of the lower flange portion 21c of the clip 2. This is to allow the clip 2, which is held in a state where the flange portion 23 abuts against the lower surface portion 83e of the notched disc portion 83 and the second fitting portion 22 protrudes above the upper surface portion 83d, to be separated radially from the opening of the notched portion 83c in the direction of the central axis 81A. Therefore, the shape of the connecting portion 84 is not limited as long as it does not obstruct the movement of the clip 2. In the hand operating portion 8 of this embodiment, a part of the side wall of a cylinder whose inner diameter is the diameter of the outer diameter surface portion 83b of the notched disc portion 83 is reinforced with a block-shaped columnar member.
[0026] The procedure for attaching clips 2 to each clip attachment portion 31 of the interior trim material 3 using the clip attachment device 1 will be described. In the initial state shown in Figure 1, the stopper plate 55 is in the closed position, stopping the movement of the clips 2 being fed from the supply rail portion 5 toward the set cylinder portion 6. Nine clips 2 are stacked and housed inside the set cylinder portion 6, each with its second fitting portion 22 facing upwards. Compressed air from the compressed air supply source 9 is not supplied into the set cylinder portion 6 because the on / off valve 92 is closed. The connecting pipe portion 71 of the hose portion 7 is raised and separated. No clips 2 are housed inside the gripping portion 81 of the hand operation portion 8, and the hook portion 81a is hooked onto the hook attachment portion 81b.
[0027] From this state, when the gripping part 81 of the hand operation unit 8 is grasped and lifted, and the hook part 81a is released from the hook attachment part 81b, a signal is sent from the hook attachment part 81b to the control device 10 indicating that the hook part 81a has been released from the hook attachment part 81b. The control device 10 then sends a signal to the air cylinder 74 to activate it, causing the connecting pipe part 71 to be lowered via the bracket 73 and connected. The control device 10 then sends a signal to the on / off valve 92 to open it, and compressed air is supplied from the compressed air supply source 9 to the set cylinder part 6 from below. As a result, all nine clips 2 inside the set cylinder part 6 are pressed by the compressed air and sent through the hose part 7 into the gripping part 81 of the hand operation unit 8. At that time, the leading clip 2 is positioned with its second fitting portion 22 inside the inner diameter surface portion 83a of the notched disc portion 83, with its tip protruding upward from the upper surface portion 83d, and its upward movement is stopped when the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion 23 abuts against the lower surface portion 83e. In this state, compressed air is applied from below, so the nine clips 2 are pressed upward and held in a stacked state within the gripping portion 81. At this time, the lower surface portion 83e of the notched disc portion 83 is a tapered surface that decreases in diameter as it goes upward, so even if the central axis 2A of the clip 2 moves upward with a slight inclination relative to the central axis 81A, the tip of the second fitting portion 22 abuts against the lower surface portion 83e as it rises, so the central axis 2A is automatically corrected to coincide with the central axis 81A.
[0028] Figure 11 shows the first clip 2 (shown by the solid line) in a state where the nine clips 2 are housed in the gripping portion 81 while being pressed upward. At this time, the clip 2 may tilt so that its central axis 2A is tilted radially outward in the notch portion 83c. In such cases, the top chamfered surface portion 83f is convenient for manually correcting the tilt of the clip 2 so that its central axis 2A aligns with the central axis 81A. In this state, the hand operation portion 8 is operated by hand to push the shaft portion 21b of the first clip 2 into the guide groove 31b of the clip mounting portion 31, as shown in Figure 12. As a result, the shaft portion 21b is slightly compressed and deformed, passing through the guide groove 31b and being positioned in the mounting hole 31a. At this time, the clip mounting portion 31 is sandwiched between the upper flange portion 21a and the lower flange portion 21c. Next, as shown in Figure 13, when the hand operating unit 8 is moved from the clip mounting unit 31 in the direction extending from the guide groove 31b, the first clip 2 is attached to the clip mounting unit 31. At this time, the second clip 2 is pushed up by the pressure of compressed air in the place where the first clip 2 was held, resulting in the state shown in Figure 11. In this way, the nine clips 2 are attached one by one to the clip mounting unit 31.
[0029] Once all nine clips 2 are attached and the gripping section 81 is empty, the hook section 81a of the hand operation section 8 is hooked onto the hook attachment section 81b. The hook attachment section 81b then sends a signal to the control device 10 indicating that the hook section 81a has been attached to the hook attachment section 81b. The control device 10 then sends a signal to the air cylinder 74 to activate it, causing the connecting pipe section 71 to rise via the bracket 73 and separate. The control device 10 then sends a signal to the on / off valve 92 to close it, stopping the supply of compressed air from the compressed air supply source 9 to the set cylinder section 6. Furthermore, the control device 10 sends a signal to the air cylinder 56 to activate it, opening the stopper plate 55. As a result, the parts feeder 4 and the supply rail section 5 feed out the clips 2 towards the set cylinder section 6, counting the quantity with the infrared sensor 57, and dropping them one by one into the set cylinder section 6. When the infrared sensor 57 receives a count signal of 9, the control device 10 sends a signal to the air cylinder 56 to activate it and close the stopper plate 55. This returns the system to its initial state, and by repeating the above steps, nine clips 2 are attached to each interior trim material 3.
[0030] As described above, this embodiment provides the following advantages. The clip attachment device 1 does not require expensive equipment such as robots, as the operator can attach the first fitting portion 21 of the clip 2 to the clip attachment portion 31 of the interior trim material 3 by gripping and operating the hand operation unit 8. Furthermore, the parts feeder 4 and supply rail unit 5 supply the required number of clips 2 for the interior trim material 3 to the set cylinder unit 6 and send them to the hand operation unit 8 through the hose unit 7, thus suppressing the occurrence of clip attachment portions 31 where clips 2 have been mistakenly forgotten to be attached. Moreover, since the clip 2 can be attached to the interior trim material 3 by operating the hand operation unit 8, the burden on the operator's hand is reduced compared to the operator directly pressing the clip 2 by hand to fit the first fitting portion 21 to the clip attachment portion 31.
[0031] Furthermore, compressed air is supplied from the compressed air supply source 9 to the gripping portion 81, and one of the tip ends of the clips 2, which are stacked and held inside the gripping portion 81, is fitted into the clip mounting portion 31 by pressing the first fitting portion 21 against the clip mounting portion 31 of the interior trim material 3 with the hand operating portion 8 facing radially outward, while the flange portion 23 is engaged and held on the lower side of the notched disc portion 83 (the side of the gripping portion 81). From this state, the clip 2 can be attached to the interior trim material 3 by moving the hand operating portion 8 in the direction in which the guide groove 31b extends. By doing this for each of the clips 2 held inside the gripping portion 81, the required number of clips 2 can be attached to the interior trim material 3.
[0032] Furthermore, when the clips 2 stacked and held inside the gripping portion 81 are pressed towards the holding portion 82 by the supply of compressed air, even if the direction in which the central axis 2A of the leading clip 2 extends is misaligned with the direction in which the central axis 81A of the hand operating portion 8 extends, the tip of the first fitting portion 21 comes into contact with the lower surface portion 83e and moves, correcting the tilt of the clips 2 so that their central axes coincide. This makes it easier to attach the clips 2 to the interior lining material 3 by operating the hand operating portion 8.
[0033] In addition, the chamfered upper surface 83f of the notched disc portion 83 makes it easier to align the directions of extension of the central axes of both the clips 2 and the hand by hand when the clips 2 stacked and held inside the gripping portion 81 are pressed towards the holding portion 82 by the supply of compressed air, if the direction in which the central axis 2A of the leading clip 2 extends is tilted from the direction in which the central axis 81A of the hand operating portion 8 extends towards the notched portion 83c.
[0034] Although specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to their appearance and configuration, and various modifications, additions, and deletions are possible without altering the essence of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the clip 2 is configured to attach the interior trim material 3 to the automobile body, but it may also be used to attach the interior trim material 3 to other interior trim materials. [Explanation of symbols]
[0035] 1. Clip mounting device 2 clips 3. Interior trim material (first component) 4. Parts feeder (feeder) 5. Supply rail section (feeder) 6 sets of cylindrical parts 7. Hose section 8. Handheld control unit 9 Compressed air supply source 10 Control device 21 First fitting section 22 Second fitting section 23 Flange section 31 Clip mounting part (fitting part) 58 Supply end 71 Connecting pipe section 72 hoses 81 Gripping part 82 Holding part 83 Notched disc section 83a Inner diameter part (inner diameter part) 83c Notch 83e Bottom surface (inner diameter section, tapered section) 83f Top chamfered surface (chamfered surface) 84 Connecting part
Claims
1. A clip attachment device for attaching a clip for attaching a first member to a second member to a predetermined position on the first member, The clip has a first fitting portion that fits onto the first member, a second fitting portion that fits onto the second member, and a flange portion disposed between the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion. The device comprises: a feeder capable of supplying the clips in the required quantity for the first member, one by one from the front of the row from the supply end, with the clips arranged in a horizontal row with the second fitting portion facing upward; a set cylinder portion that extends vertically and can supply compressed air from its lower end, which holds the clips supplied from the supply end of the feeder in a stacked state, one by one; a flexible hose portion whose one end is connectable to the upper end of the set cylinder portion and whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flange portion; and a hand operating portion which is substantially cylindrical and connected to the other end of the hose portion, with one end of the hose portion connected to the upper end of the set cylinder portion, which holds the clips supplied through the hose portion when compressed air is supplied from the lower end, and can attach the clips by fitting the first fitting portion of the first member one by one from the upper clips. The hand-operated unit has a cylindrical gripping portion on the hose side and a holding portion positioned on the end of the gripping portion opposite to the hose side. The gripping portion is capable of stacking and holding the clips inward with the second fitting portion facing the tip portion, The clip mounting device comprises a notched disc portion having a notch that allows the second fitting portion to pass radially outward while the flange portion of the clip, which is sent out from the gripping portion by compressed air, is locked and its movement is stopped, and a connecting portion that connects the notched disc portion and the tip portion of the gripping portion, and connects the notched disc portion and the gripping portion so that when the second fitting portion of the clip is passed radially outward from the notch, the flange portion and the first fitting portion can pass radially outward.
2. A clip attachment device according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter portion of the notched disc portion has a tapered portion that decreases in diameter from the gripping portion side toward the opposite side of the gripping portion.
3. A clip mounting device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein chamfered surfaces are formed on both sides of the notch on the surface of the notched disc opposite to the gripping portion, such that the axial thickness decreases as it moves radially outward from the notch.