Conveyance member and component supply device

Abstract

This conveyance member comprises: a resin member having formed therein a conveyance passage inside of which a predetermined component is conveyed; and a long plate member arranged in the conveyance passage along the lengthwise direction of the conveyance passage. The long plate member deforms in accordance with the shape of the conveyance passage so that the component moves through the conveyance member while sliding on the surface of the long plate member.

Description

Conveying member and parts supply device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a conveying member and a component supplying device.

[0002] The bolt supply device described in Patent Document 1 includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of nuts and a hose that transports the bolts. One end of the hose is connected to the storage unit, and the other end is connected to a fastening device that supplies the nuts. The hose is positioned so that it curves upward in a parabolic shape between the storage unit and the fastening device. The bolts in the storage unit are pressure-fed through the hose by an injection device and supplied to the fastening device.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-178725

[0004] The hose of such a parts supply device is made of a resin material that is flexible and relatively lightweight, so that the reservoir and fastening device can be installed relatively freely by deforming the hose.

[0005] However, if the parts are metal parts with protrusions or sharp edges, such as nuts, the inner surface of the hose may be damaged by the parts moving through the hose. In particular, if the hose is curved, the parts are more likely to come into contact with the inner surface of the hose at the curved part, and conveying multiple parts continuously will accelerate deterioration of the curved part of the hose. Furthermore, when a relatively long hose is used, the parts rub against the inner surface of the hose, causing frictional resistance that slows the part conveyance speed, which may ultimately cause clogging inside the hose.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a component transport member that can suppress internal damage caused by transporting components.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a long plate member is provided inside the conveying member.

[0008] Specifically, a first aspect of the present invention is a conveying member including a resin member having a conveying passage formed therein through which predetermined parts are conveyed, and a long plate member arranged along the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage, the long plate member deforming in accordance with the shape of the conveying passage so that the parts move along the conveying passage while sliding on the surface of the long plate member.

[0009] In the first aspect, the sliding of the components along the elongated plate member prevents the components from coming into direct contact with the surface of the conveying passage, which is made of a resin material, thereby preventing damage to the surface of the conveying passage by the components.

[0010] In the second aspect, in the first aspect, the resin member is made of a flexible material, and the long plate member is made of a material that is harder than the material that makes up the resin member and that is elastically deformable.

[0011] The elongated plate member needs to be deformed to match the shape of the conveying member. However, if the elongated plate member is not elastically deformable, it cannot be flexibly deformed to match the shape of the conveying member. However, in the second aspect, the elongated plate member is made of an elastically deformable material, so it can be prevented from retaining its shape even when it is bent. Therefore, even if the shape of the conveying member is changed, the shape of the elongated plate member can be changed to match the change. In addition, because the elongated plate member is made of a material harder than the resin member that makes up the conveying path, frictional resistance when parts slide on the elongated plate member can be reduced, and a decrease in the part conveying speed can be prevented.

[0012] In a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the part has a protrusion protruding from a surface of the part, and the elongated plate member is arranged in the conveying passage so that the protrusion comes into contact with the surface of the elongated plate member when the part is conveyed through the conveying passage.

[0013] In the third aspect, particularly when the component has a protrusion, the protrusion may come into contact with the surface of the conveying path, causing damage to the surface of the conveying path.

[0014] In a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, a fixing structure for fixing the elongated plate member is provided in the conveying passage.

[0015] In the fourth aspect, the long plate member can be fixed to the conveying passage. For example, by fixing the long plate member to the passage surface of the conveying passage, the long plate member can be prevented from floating above the passage surface. This can prevent components from clogging the conveying passage.

[0016] A fifth aspect is the fourth aspect, wherein the fixing structure is a recessed groove formed so that at least one end of the long plate member can be inserted when viewed in cross section along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage.

[0017] In the fifth aspect, the long plate member can be easily fixed to the conveying passage by simply inserting the long plate member into the groove. In addition, since it is only necessary to form the groove inside the conveying passage, the fixing structure can be easily formed.

[0018] A sixth aspect is a component supplying device that includes the transport member according to any one of the first to sixth aspects and supplies the component to a predetermined target position.

[0019] In a seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the conveying member is arranged to extend in the vertical direction, and the outflow end of the conveying member is arranged so that the parts are supplied to the predetermined destination position.

[0020] In the seventh aspect, the parts can be transported through the transport member by gravity, which eliminates the need for an air pressure feeding device.

[0021] As described above, when parts pass through the resin conveying passage, the parts slide on the surface of the long plate member provided on the inner surface of the conveying passage, thereby reducing contact between the parts and the inner surface of the conveying passage. This reduces damage to the inner surface of the conveying passage caused by the parts passing through, thereby reducing the frequency of replacement and repair of the conveying members and reducing maintenance costs for the conveying members.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a resistance welding machine and a nut supplying device according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a lower electrode unit. FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional perspective view of a nut. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration and operation of a feeder. (a) is a diagram showing a state in which nuts are supplied to the feeder. (b) is a diagram showing a state in which the supply rod is extended. (c) is a diagram showing a state in which the piston rod is extended. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cross section along the longitudinal direction of a conveying hose. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows VI-VI in FIG. 5, showing a nut passing through the conveying hose. FIG. 7 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a nut passing through a conveying hose according to a modified example. FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1, showing the configuration of a nut supplying device according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 6, showing a nut passing through a conveying hose according to another embodiment.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are essentially preferred examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses. Furthermore, each configuration of the embodiments, modifications, other examples, etc. described below can be combined or partially substituted within the scope of the present invention.

[0024] (1) Nut Resistance Welding Machine As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a nut supply device (10) of this embodiment is applied to a resistance welding machine (1). The nut supply device (10) is an example of a component supply device (10) of the present disclosure. The resistance welding machine (1) welds a workpiece (W) and a nut (N) together using electrodes. The workpiece (W) is, for example, a metal plate-shaped member. The nut (N) is an example of a component of the present disclosure. The resistance welding machine (1) includes an upper electrode unit (20), a lower electrode unit (30), a nut supply device (10), and a controller (C).

[0025] (1-1) Upper Electrode Unit The upper electrode unit (20) includes a first holder (21) and an upper electrode (22). The first holder (21) is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The first holder (21) is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. The first holder (21) holds the upper electrode (22). The upper electrode (22) is disposed at the lower end of the first holder (21). The upper electrode (22) moves in the vertical direction together with the first holder (21).

[0026] (1-2) Lower Electrode Unit As shown in Fig. 2, the lower electrode unit (30) includes a second holder (31), a lower electrode (32), and a guide pin (33). The second holder (31) is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The lower electrode (32) is disposed at the upper end of the second holder (31).

[0027] The lower electrode (32) is provided so as to cover the upper end of the second holder (31). The upper end of the lower electrode (32) forms a mounting surface on which the workpiece (W) is placed. An opening through which a guide pin (33) is inserted is formed in the center of the lower electrode (32).

[0028] The guide pin (33) moves vertically within the second holder (31). The guide pin (33) is a member for positioning the nut (N). Specifically, a hole (H) is formed in the workpiece (W) that penetrates the workpiece (W) in the thickness direction, and the workpiece (W) is placed on the lower electrode (32) so that the guide pin (33) is inserted into the hole (H). The upper end of the guide pin (33) protrudes from the workpiece (W) placed on the lower electrode (32), and the nut (N) is placed on the workpiece (W) so that the threaded hole (51) of the nut (N) fits into the upper end of the guide pin. In this way, the guide pin (33) positions the nut (N) when it is placed on the workpiece (W).

[0029] (2) Nut Supply Device The nut supply device (10) supplies nuts (N) to a predetermined target position, i.e., a welding position of a workpiece (W). Specifically, the nut supply device (10) supplies nuts onto a guide pin (33) protruding from a workpiece (W) arranged on a lower electrode unit (30). The nut supply device (10) is an example of a part supply device (10) of the present disclosure.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the nut (N) is a square weld nut. The nut (N) has a screw hole (51) threaded into the center of a square prism-shaped main body (50). The nut (N) has protrusions (52) for welding. The protrusions (52) are formed so as to protrude diagonally outward from each of the four corner vertices of the bottom surface of the main body (50). The protrusions (52) are so-called projections. The outer edge (54) of the top surface (53) of the nut (N) is formed with sharp corners.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the nut supply device (10) includes a feeder (11), a conveying hose (12), a supply chute (13), a pressure-feeding device (14), and a feeder (40).

[0032] The sender (11) is connected to one end of the conveying hose (12). The sender (11) stores nuts (N) and aligns a plurality of nuts (N) so that the nuts (N) are supplied one by one to the conveying hose (12). The sender (11) is provided with a pressure-feeding device (14) that pressure-feeds the nuts (N) supplied to the conveying hose (12) to the supply header (43). The pressure-feeding device (14) sends air at a predetermined pressure from one end of the conveying hose (12). The nuts (N) are conveyed to the outlet end, which is the other end of the conveying hose (12), by the pressure (air pressure) of the air blown out from the pressure-feeding device (14).

[0033] The conveying hose (12) has a resin member (65) formed with a hollow interior. The resin member (65) has a conveying passage (60) formed therein through which the nut (N) is conveyed. The resin member (65) is made of a flexible material. That is, the conveying hose (12) is deformable. The nut (N) is conveyed from the inlet end, which is one end of the conveying hose (12), toward the outlet end. The outlet end of the conveying hose (12) is positioned so that the nut (N) is supplied to the welding position. The length of the conveying hose (12) is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 2 m to 10 m. The conveying hose (12) is an example of a conveying member (12) of the present disclosure. Details of the conveying hose (12) will be described later.

[0034] The supply chute (13) supplies the nut (N) to the feeder (40) with the screw hole (51) facing in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the nut (N). One end of the supply chute (13) is connected to the other end of the conveying hose (12). The other end of the supply chute (13) extends downward and is disposed above a supply header (43) described below. In other words, the nut (N) passing through the supply chute (13) is supplied to the supply header (43) from above downward.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the feeder (40) includes a rod holder (41), a supply rod (42), a supply header (43), and a piston rod (44).

[0036] The rod holder (41) is a cylindrical member that houses the supply rod (42) therein. The rod holder (41) extends obliquely upward from near the lower end of the supply chute (13). In other words, one end of the rod holder (41) is disposed near the lower end of the supply chute (13), and the other end of the rod holder (41) extends obliquely upward from the one end of the rod holder (41). The rod holder (41) is fixed by a fixing member (not shown).

[0037] The supply rod (42) is a pipe-shaped member that moves within the rod holder (41). Specifically, the supply rod (42) moves within the rod holder (41) by the operation of an air cylinder (not shown) connected to the other end of the rod holder (41). As a result, the tip of the supply rod (42) moves forward and backward from one end of the rod holder (41). The direction of movement of the supply rod (42) is the same as the cylindrical axis direction of the rod holder (41). That is, the supply rod (42) moves forward diagonally downward and backward diagonally upward. A tip pin (46) that holds a nut (N) is provided at the tip of the supply rod (42). An air outlet (55) from which air is blown out is provided in the tip pin (46) (see the enlarged view surrounded by the dashed line in Figure 4(c)).

[0038] The supply header (43) is a member that holds the nuts (N) supplied from the supply chute (13). The supply header (43) is formed in a box shape that is open at the top. The supply header (43) has an openable and closable lid portion (45). The lid portion (45) forms the front wall of the supply header (43).

[0039] The piston rod (44) is a rod-shaped member that moves within the supply rod (42). The piston rod (44) is provided at the tip of the supply rod (42). By operating the air cylinder, the tip of the piston rod (44) moves forward and backward within the supply header (43) from the tip of the supply rod (42).

[0040] (3) Controller The controller (C) shown in Fig. 1 includes a microprocessor, an electric circuit, and an electronic circuit. The microprocessor includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, a communication interface, analog input / output, and a contact input / output interface. The memory stores various programs executed by the CPU and data used by the programs.

[0041] The controller (C) controls various devices of the resistance welding machine (1) and the nut supply device (10). For example, the controller (C) controls the elevation and lowering of the upper electrode (22) and the guide pin (33), the energization of the upper electrode (22) and the lower electrode (32), the extension and retraction of the supply rod (42) and the piston rod (44), the operation of the feeder (11) and the pressure feed device (14), etc. The controller (C) may control various devices based on a predetermined input signal based on an operator's operation.

[0042] (4) Operation of the Nut Supply Device (10) and the Resistance Welding Machine Next, an example of the operation of the nut supply device (10) and the resistance welding machine (1) will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the nuts (N) in the feeder (11) are fed one by one to one end of the conveying hose (12) and then pressure-fed to the other end of the conveying hose (12). The nuts (N) are held in the supply header (43) via the supply chute (13) connected to the other end of the conveying hose (12). The supply header (43) holds one nut (N). In the supply header (43), the nut (N) is temporarily fastened with the center of the threaded hole (51) aligned with the axial center of the supply rod (42). However, because the cover (45) is closed, the nut (N) does not fall out of the supply header (43) (see FIG. 4(a)).

[0043] Air is filled into the rod holder (41) through a first air port (49) provided on the side of the rod holder (41). Air is supplied from the side of the rod holder (41) through a second air port (47) provided on the supply rod (42) and is guided to the tip pin (46) of the supply rod (42). The tip pin (46) fits into the threaded hole (51) of the nut (N) and holds the nut (N) by air blown out from the air outlet (55) of the tip pin (46). The piston rod (44) moves forward while the tip pin (46) holds the nut (N). At this time, the nut (N) held by the tip pin (46) pushes away the lid portion (45), opening the lid portion (45) (see FIG. 4(b)).

[0044] After that, the piston rod (44) continues to advance, and the nut (N) moves to the welding position. The nut (N) is then positioned at the welding position starting from the tip pin (46) (see Figure 4 (c)). At this time, the upper end of the guide pin (33) is inserted into the threaded hole (51) of the nut (N), preventing the nut (N) from shifting from the welding position. Then, the piston rod (44) retracts in preparation for holding the next nut (N).

[0045] The upper electrode (22) descends toward the nut (N) placed on the workpiece (W), and the upper electrode (22) and the lower electrode (32) sandwich the nut (N) and the workpiece (W). When electricity is applied between the upper electrode (22) and the lower electrode (32), the protrusion (52) of the nut (N) melts due to high temperature, and the nut (N) and the workpiece (W) are welded together. At this time, the guide pin (33) may or may not descend.

[0046] (5) Issues related to conveying hoses Conveying hoses are made of flexible resin due to their ease of deformation and handling. Welding nuts and bolts are made of metal, which is harder than resin. When such metal parts are conveyed through the conveying hose, the corners and protrusions on the upper surface (53) of the nuts (N) of the parts may rub against the inner surface of the conveying hose, causing damage or deterioration to the inner surface of the conveying hose.

[0047] Furthermore, from the perspective of worker operability and the layout of the equipment, the resistance welding machine and the feeder may be installed several meters or more apart, requiring a relatively long conveying hose. As the conveying hose becomes longer, the distance traveled by the metal parts within the conveying hose also increases, lengthening the time it takes for the metal parts to be conveyed through the conveying hose. Therefore, when the metal parts come into contact with the inner surface of the conveying hose, the resulting frictional resistance reduces the conveying speed of the metal parts and lengthens the conveying time. Furthermore, if the air pressure of the pressure-feeding device is insufficient, the metal parts may become stuck in the conveying hose, causing clogging. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the air pressure of the pressure-feeding device, but this increases the output of the pressure-feeding device, increasing the operating load and power consumption.

[0048] (6) Transfer Hose In contrast to this, the transfer hose (12) of this embodiment includes a long plate member (70) arranged in the transfer passage (60) along the longitudinal direction of the transfer passage (60). The long plate member (70) deforms in accordance with the shape of the transfer passage (60) so that the nut (N) moves through the transfer passage (60) while sliding on the surface of the long plate member (70).

[0049] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the conveying hose (12) of this embodiment is curved in an arc between the feeder (11) and the supply chute (13). The conveying hose (12) is a quadrangular tube formed so that the cross-sectional shape of the passage is approximately rectangular. In other words, the conveying passage (60) is composed of four inner surfaces. The nut (N) is conveyed through the conveying passage (60) with its screw hole (51) oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0050] The long plate member (70) is made of a material that is harder than the material constituting the resin member and that is elastically deformable. Specifically, the long plate member (70) of this embodiment is made of a metal material that is elastically deformable. The long plate member (70) is formed in a thin plate shape. The long plate member (70) is provided in the transfer passage (60) from one end to the other end of the transfer hose (12). The long plate member (70) is positioned such that the protrusions (52) come into contact with the surface of the long plate member (70) when the nut (N) is transferred through the transfer passage (60).

[0051] Specifically, in a cross section of the transfer hose (12) taken along the passage direction shown in Fig. 6, the protrusion (52) faces the second inner surface (60b) of the transfer passage (60), which is located outside the first inner surface (60a) of the transfer passage (60). Therefore, the long plate member (70) is located on the second inner surface (60b) of the transfer passage (60).

[0052] The nut (N) being pumped through the transfer hose (12) is more likely to come into contact with the second inner surface (60b) than with the first inner surface (60a) due to centrifugal force when passing through the curved portion of the transfer passage (60). If the long plate member (70) were not provided, the nut (N) would rub against the second inner surface (60b).

[0053] In particular, since the protrusion (52) of the nut (N) faces the second inner surface (60b), there is a risk that the second inner surface (60b) may be gouged out by the protrusion (52). However, in this embodiment, the second inner surface (60b) is provided with a metal long plate member (70), so that the second inner surface (60b) is protected from the protrusion (52).

[0054] In particular, since the long plate member (70) is made of metal, even if the nut (N), which is also a metal member, comes into contact with it, the wear caused by this is reduced. In addition, since the long plate member (70) is elastically deformable, even if the shape of the conveying hose (12) is changed (for example, from U-shape to S-shape), the long plate member (70) also changes in accordance with the shape of the conveying hose (12).

[0055] (7) Comparative Experiment Next, the time required for the nut (N) to be transported through the transport hose (12) and the operating load on the pumping device (14) were compared for the transport hose (12) provided with the long plate member (70) and the transport hose (12) not provided with the long plate member (70). Here, the time required for transport is the time required for the nut (N) to move from one end of the transport hose (12) to the other end.

[0056] Table 1 shows the nuts, conveying hose (12), long plate member (70), and speed controller (not shown) used in this comparative experiment. The long plate member (70) was installed on the inner surface of the conveying hose (12) facing the protrusion (52) of the nut (N) being conveyed. The conveying hose (12) was positioned so that one end connected to the feeder (11) was lower than the other end connected to the feeder (40). In addition, a curved portion was formed in the conveying hose (12) so that the lowest height position of the conveying hose (12) was lower than the feeder (11). Table 2 shows the results of this comparative experiment.

[0057]

[0058]

[0059] Comparing conditions 1 and 4, in which the average transport time of nuts is roughly the same, the speed controller scale is smaller for the transport hose with the long plate than for the transport hose without the long plate. The smaller the scale on the speed controller, the lower the output of the pumping device (14). In other words, even for the same average transport time, the transport hose (12) equipped with the long plate member (70) can save more power from the pumping device (14). In this comparative study, 40 L of air supply was saved per minute. This means that the transport hose (12) equipped with the long plate member (70) consumes less power than the transport hose without the long plate member (70).

[0060] Furthermore, when comparing conditions 1 and 2, which show the same speed controller scale, the average transfer time was shorter for the transfer hose (12) with the long plate member than for the transfer hose without the long plate member. In this comparison, if the transfer time for the transfer hose without the long plate member (70) was set at 100%, the transfer time for the transfer hose (12) with the long plate member (70) was 84%. In other words, providing the transfer hose (12) with the long plate member (70) can shorten the transfer time of the nuts (N). In other words, with respect to the number of nuts (N) that can be transferred within the same period, more nuts (N) can be transferred using the transfer hose (12) with the long plate member (70) than using the transfer hose without the long plate member (70).

[0061] (8) Effects of the Embodiment (8-1) Effect 1 The conveying hose (12) of the present embodiment includes a resin member (65) in which a conveying passage (60) for conveying the nut (N) is formed, and a long plate member (70) arranged in the conveying passage (60) along the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage (60). The long plate member (70) changes shape depending on the shape of the conveying passage (60) so that the nut (N) moves through the conveying passage (60) while sliding on the surface of the long plate member (70).

[0062] The provision of the elongated plate member (70) prevents the nut (N) from coming into direct contact with the surface of the resin conveying passage (60), thereby preventing damage or deterioration to the interior of the conveying passage (60) due to the conveying of the nut (N). In particular, since the elongated plate member (70) changes shape depending on the shape of the conveying passage (60), for example, by providing the elongated plate member (70) from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage (60), damage or deterioration to the entire conveying passage (60) can be prevented.

[0063] Furthermore, when the nuts (N) are pumped through the conveying passage (60) using compressed air (air pressure), it is necessary to increase the pressure of the compressed air to account for the resistance caused by friction between the nuts (N) and the inner surface of the conveying passage (60). However, in this embodiment, the nuts (N) slide on the long plate member (70), thereby reducing such friction. This reduces the increase in the pressure of the compressed air, thereby reducing the amount of time the compressed air is used. As a result, the operating load of the pumping device (14) and, ultimately, power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, reducing the friction between the nuts (N) and the long plate member (70) increases the conveying speed of the nuts (N), thereby shortening the conveying time of the nuts (N), reducing the amount of air used, and improving the production cycle time.

[0064] (8-2) Effect 2 In the transfer hose (12) of this embodiment, the resin member (65) is made of a flexible material, and the long plate member (70) is made of a metal material that is elastically deformable. By using the long plate member (70) made of a metal with a relatively high hardness, it is possible to reliably prevent the frictional resistance generated between the nut (N) and the resin member (65). This reliably prevents the operating load and power consumption of the pumping device (14) from increasing.

[0065] Furthermore, if the long plate member (70) is not made of a material that is elastically deformable, the shape of the long plate member (70) will be fixed to a shape that follows the curved conveying hose (12). In this case, when the shape of the conveying hose (12) is deformed, for example, in response to a change in the position of the supply header (43), if the long plate member (70) is made of ordinary material (soft material), it will not be able to follow the deformed shape, and the long plate member (70) and the conveying hose (12) will separate, and the long plate member (70) will float from the inner surface of the conveying passage (60). This could cause the nut (N) to become clogged inside the conveying passage (60) during transport.

[0066] In contrast, the elongated plate member (70) of this embodiment is elastically deformable, and therefore the shape of the elongated plate member (70) is not fixed. Therefore, even if the shape of the conveying hose (12) is deformed, the shape of the elongated plate member (70) can flexibly change in response to the deformation. In other words, the elongated plate member (70) does not retain its shape before deformation (for example, it is less likely to develop creases). This prevents the elongated plate member (70) from floating from the inner surface of the conveying passage (60) and allows the conveying hose (12) to reproduce the shape of the conveying passage (60). Therefore, the nut (N) can be prevented from becoming clogged in the conveying passage (60) during conveyance.

[0067] Furthermore, since the long plate member (70) is a metal member having a certain degree of rigidity, it also functions as a support member for supporting the conveying hose (12). This makes it possible to, for example, reduce slack in the conveying hose and prevent the conveying hose (12) from coming into contact with structures disposed between the resistance welding machine (1) and the conveying machine (11). Furthermore, even if the conveying hose (12) comes into contact with a structure, the long plate member (70) makes the conveying member (12) less likely to deform.

[0068] (8-3) Effect 3: The nut (N) of this embodiment has a protrusion (52) protruding from the surface of the nut (N). The long plate member (70) is disposed in the conveying passage (60) so that the protrusion (52) comes into contact with the surface of the long plate member (70) when the nut (N) is conveyed through the conveying passage (60). The protrusion (52) may damage the resin conveying passage (60), but the provision of the long plate member (70) can protect the inner surface of the conveying passage (60) from damage. This suppresses deterioration of the conveying hose (12), reduces the frequency of replacement of the conveying hose (12), and reduces the time and cost required for maintenance of the conveying hose (12).

[0069] (9) Modification As shown in FIG. 7 , a transport passage (60) of a modification is provided with a fixing structure ( ) for fixing the elongated plate member (70). Specifically, the fixing structure ( ) is a groove (80) formed so that both ends of the elongated plate member (70) are inserted in a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transport passage. The grooves (80) are formed on opposing surfaces of the transport passage (60). For example, the grooves (80) are formed along the second inner surface (60b).

[0070] The depth d of the groove (80) can be set arbitrarily. The depth d may be any depth that prevents the elongated plate member (70) from coming out of the groove (80) even when the conveying hose (12) is deformed. The length of the elongated plate member (70) in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is the width of the inner surface of the conveying passage + 2d. For example, when the elongated plate member (70) contacts the second inner surface (60b), the length of the elongated plate member (70) in the width direction is the width of the second inner surface (60b) + 2d.

[0071] (10) Other Embodiments The above embodiment may be configured as follows.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8 , the conveying hose (12) of the component supply device (10) may be arranged to extend vertically. In this case, the predetermined destination position, i.e., the welding position of the workpiece (W), is connected to the downstream end of the conveying hose (12). A reservoir for storing the components (N) is connected to the upstream end of the conveying hose (12). In this component supply device (10), the components (N) are not pumped through the conveying hose (12) but are transported from the reservoir to the welding position by natural falling. Even in this component supply device (10), providing a long plate member (70) on the inner surface of the conveying passage (60) reduces frictional resistance when the components (N) are transported through the conveying hose (12), achieving the same effect as if they were pumped. Furthermore, the inner surface of the conveying passage (60) can be protected.

[0073] The long plate member (70) may be provided not only on the second inner surface (60b) of the conveying hose (12) (the conveying passage (60)) that comes into contact with the protrusion (52), but also on the first inner surface (60a), or on any other inner surface. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , when the curved portion of the conveying hose (12) has a lower curved portion that curves downward and an upper curved portion that curves upward, the long plate member (70) may be provided on both the first inner surface (60a) and the second inner surface (60b). This prevents the protrusion (52) of the nut (N) from damaging the second inner surface (60b) at the lower curved portion due to centrifugal force when the nut (N) passes through the curved portion of the conveying passage (60). Furthermore, the friction between the outer edge (54) of the upper surface (53) of the nut (N) and the first inner surface (60a) at the upper curved portion is reduced, thereby improving the conveying speed of the nut (N) and suppressing an increase in the passage time.

[0074] The long plate member (70) may be provided only in a part of the transfer passage (60). For example, the long plate member (70) may be provided in a curved portion where the nut (N) is most likely to come into contact.

[0075] The cross section of the flow path of the conveying hose (12) is not limited to a square, and may be, for example, a circle, a cross, or a hook shape. In this case, the long plate member (70) is formed to fit the shape of the inner surface of each cross section of the flow path. The long plate member (70) may be provided on the entire inner surface of the conveying hose (12) or on a part of the inner surface.

[0076] The nut (N) does not have to have the protrusion (52).

[0077] The part (N) is not limited to a nut (N) but may be a bolt or other metal part. The shape of the nut (N) may be a polygon other than a square, or may be round. The nut (N) may also be a nut with a flange, a washer, or a collar.

[0078] The parts (N) do not have to be conveyed by the pressure conveying device (14). In this case, for example, the conveyor (11) may be provided at a height higher than the supply header (43), and the parts may be conveyed through the conveying member (12) by natural fall using their own weight.

[0079] The long plate member (70) does not have to be made of metal. The long plate member (70) may be made of any material that is harder than the resin member (65) forming the transfer passage (60) and that is elastically deformable. For example, the long plate member (70) may be made of elastically deformable hard plastic.

[0080] The conveying member (12) may be hose-shaped or pipe-shaped, and may have a shape that extends in the conveying direction of the parts (N) and has an inner surface (conveying passage (60)) along which the parts (N) slide.

[0081] The transport member (12) may be any member that is used for transporting the parts (N) and is not necessarily used in the resistance welding machine (1).

[0082] The conveying hose (12) may be arranged so as to be laid along the floor surface of the factory, or may be arranged so as to stand up (extend in the vertical direction) in the vicinity of the nut supply device (10).

[0083] 9, the nuts (N) may be conveyed through the conveying hose (12) with their upper surfaces (53) facing the second inner surface (60b). Furthermore, the conveying hose (12) may contain a mixture of nuts (N) whose upper surfaces (53) face the second inner surface (60b) and nuts whose protrusions (52) face the second inner surface (60b).

[0084] In the above modification, the conveying passage (60) may have only one groove (80). That is, the groove (80) may be formed on only one of the four surfaces of the conveying passage (60). In this case, one end of the elongated plate member (70) is inserted into the groove (80) in a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage (60).

[0085] When two elongated plate members (70) are provided, a groove (80) into which one or both widthwise ends of each elongated plate member (70) may be inserted may be provided in the transfer passage (60).

[0086] The long plate member used in the comparative experiment of the above embodiment may be made of SUS301 CSP3 / 4H.

[0087] Although the embodiments and modifications have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications in form and detail are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Furthermore, the above embodiments and modifications may be combined or substituted as appropriate as long as the functionality of the subject matter of this disclosure is not impaired. The terms "first," "second," etc., described above, are used to distinguish the terms to which these terms are attached, and do not limit the number or order of the terms.

[0088] As described above, the present disclosure is useful for a conveying member and a component supplying device.

[0089] 10 Nut supply device (component supply device) 12 Conveying hose (conveying member) 52 Projection 60 Conveying passage 65 Resin member 70 Long plate member 80 Groove N Nut (component)

Claims

1. A conveying member comprising: a resin member within which a conveying passage is formed through which predetermined parts are conveyed; and a long plate member arranged in the conveying passage so as to follow the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage, the long plate member deforming in accordance with the shape of the conveying passage so that the parts move through the conveying passage while sliding on the surface of the long plate member.

2. The conveying member according to claim 1, wherein the resin member is made of a flexible material, and the long plate member is made of a material that is harder than the material constituting the resin member and that is elastically deformable.

3. A conveying member as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the part has a protrusion protruding from a surface of the part, and the elongated plate member is positioned within the conveying passage so that the protrusion comes into contact with the surface of the elongated plate member when the part is conveyed through the conveying passage.

4. The conveying member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a fixing structure for fixing the long plate member is provided in the conveying passage.

5. A conveying member as described in claim 4, wherein the fixing structure is a groove formed so that at least one end of the elongated plate member is inserted when viewed in cross section on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conveying passage.

6. A component supplying device comprising the transport member according to claim 1 or 2, for supplying the component to a predetermined target position.

7. The component supply device according to claim 6, wherein the conveying member is arranged to extend in the vertical direction, and an outlet end of the conveying member is arranged so that the component is supplied to the predetermined target position.

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