Suction mechanism for transport device

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a suction mechanism that enables suction of a workpiece packed by a packing material using various vinyl materials or the like, and that is capable of preventing generation of wrinkles caused by entry of the packing material into a leading-end inner diameter portion during suction of said workpiece. As a solution, a suction mechanism (1) according to the present invention is for a transport device (100) that transports a workpiece (W) by suction of the same, the suction mechanism (1) comprising a suction part (10) that comes into contact with and suctions the workpiece (W). The suction part (10) has a sucking port (12) that is formed in an open state at the leading end, a space portion (14) that is contiguous with the sucking port (12), and a cylindrical portion (16) that is contiguous with the space portion (14) at the rear end. The suction mechanism further comprises: a filter (20) that is arranged in the space portion (14) so as to cover the entire surface of the sucking port (12); and a filter adjustment mechanism that variably adjusts the distance of the filter (20) from the sucking port (12).

Description

Adsorption mechanism of a mobile device

[0001] The present invention relates to an adsorption mechanism, and more particularly to an adsorption mechanism of a mobile device that adsorbs and moves a workpiece.

[0002] Conventionally, mobile devices equipped with mechanisms such as robotic arms to move workpieces for conveyance and assembly in production lines and the like have been put into practical use. At the tip of such a mechanism as a robotic arm, an adsorption mechanism that adsorbs a workpiece by decompression is often used.

[0003] For example, when adsorbing a workpiece wrapped with a packaging material using various vinyl materials or the like, there is a problem that wrinkles or the like occur due to the packaging material entering the space in the tip inner diameter of the adsorption mechanism that becomes a vacuum state. Since the product value is impaired by the occurrence of such wrinkles, a solution is desired.

[0004] As a countermeasure to the above problems, it is conceivable to lower the degree of vacuum. However, when the degree of vacuum is lowered, there may be a problem that the adsorption force is insufficient and the workpiece cannot be sufficiently adsorbed and conveyed.

[0005] As another countermeasure, it is conceivable to attach a spacer or the like to the tip inner diameter of the adsorption mechanism to eliminate the space on the inner diameter side, thereby suppressing the amount of the packaging material that enters and reducing wrinkles and the like. However, when using a spacer or the like, there may be a problem that when other configured workpieces become the adsorption target, changes and adjustments cannot be easily made, and it takes time to respond.

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 48-18412

[0007] According to the conventional adsorption mechanism exemplified in Patent Document 1 (see Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 48-18412) for the above problems, the structure of the vacuum space is adjusted by moving the pressing plate at the tip inner diameter with a screw, and the workpiece is adsorbed while remaining smooth to suppress the occurrence of wrinkles. However, since the workpiece repeatedly contacts the screw, there may be a problem that the screw loosens and the position of the pressing plate changes.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to realize a suction mechanism that enables the suction of a workpiece packaged with packaging materials made of various vinyl materials, and that prevents the occurrence of wrinkles caused by the packaging material entering the inner diameter of the tip when the workpiece is suctioned.

[0009] The present invention solves the above problem by the following means.

[0010] The disclosed suction mechanism is a suction mechanism for a moving device that suctions and moves a workpiece, comprising a suction portion that contacts and suctions the workpiece, wherein the suction portion has a suction port formed at its tip, a space communicating with the suction port, and a cylindrical portion communicating with the space at its rear end, and further comprises a filter disposed in the space so as to cover the entire surface of the suction port, and a filter adjustment mechanism for variably adjusting the distance of the filter from the suction port.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the filter is provided with a support portion for supporting the filter, the support portion being cylindrical with a through-hole in the axial direction and having a first male thread formed on its outer circumference, the cylindrical portion having a first female thread formed on its inner circumference, and the filter adjustment mechanism being configured such that the support portion is inserted into and screwed into the cylindrical portion, and the distance is variably adjusted by rotating the support portion relative to the cylindrical portion.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the filter adjustment mechanism includes a nut that is screwed onto the support portion protruding from the cylindrical portion to restrict rotation.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the configuration further includes a mounting portion to which the piping of the mobile device is attached, which is detachably fixed to the suction portion.

[0014] Furthermore, the cylindrical portion has a second male thread formed on its outer circumference at the rear end, the mounting portion has a second female thread formed on its inner circumference at the front end, and a pipe connection portion for connecting the piping is provided at the rear end, and it is preferable that the mounting portion is provided in multiple types with different configurations of the pipe connection portion depending on the configuration of the front end of the piping, and that it can be selectively attached.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable that the support portion is provided with an engagement portion at its rear end for engaging a rotating tool.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the filter has a mesh-like structure or a configuration with multiple through-holes made of a metal or resin material, and is joined to the support portion.

[0017] Furthermore, the suction portion is preferably fitted with an annular elastic pad at its tip that contacts the workpiece, and the elastic pad is preferably formed using a gel, a solid resin material, or a rubber material.

[0018] According to the present invention, in particular, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of wrinkles caused by the packaging material entering the inner diameter of the tip when adsorbing a workpiece that has been packaged with packaging material made of various vinyl materials.

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile device equipped with an adsorption mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of an adsorption mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an exploded view (front cross-sectional view) of the adsorption mechanism shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is an exploded view (perspective view) of the adsorption mechanism shown in Figure 2. Figures 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of the adsorption mechanism shown in Figure 2.

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a mobile device 100 equipped with a suction mechanism 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the suction mechanism 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an exploded view (front cross-sectional view) of the suction mechanism 1. Figure 4 is an exploded view (perspective view) of the suction mechanism 1 (detailed illustration of screw threads is omitted). In all figures used to explain the embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for members having the same function, and repeated explanations may be omitted. In the following description, "axial direction" is defined as the direction parallel to the center line C.

[0021] The suction mechanism 1 according to the present invention is equipped on a moving device 100 that uses reduced pressure to suction and move a workpiece W for assembly and transport in, for example, an industrial product production line. Examples of the moving device 100 include assembly and transport robots such as SCARA robots and extraction machines.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the mobile device 100 according to this embodiment includes a mobile mechanism 2, which is composed of, for example, a robot arm. A suction mechanism 1 is disposed at the tip of this mobile mechanism 2. Here, the suction mechanism 1 is connected to an external vacuum source (external pressure reduction source) 3 via a pipe 4, and a flow path switching valve 5 is provided in the middle of the pipe 4. This flow path switching valve 5 switches between a position in which the suction mechanism 1 is under vacuum (pressure reduction) and a position in which the suction mechanism 1 is opened to the atmosphere. As a result, the inside of the suction part 10 constituting the suction mechanism 1 (space 14) is made into a vacuum, i.e., a pressure-reduced state, which causes the workpiece W to be adsorbed. The degree of vacuum (degree of pressure reduction) at that time is set appropriately according to the type of workpiece W. As an example, a vacuum pump (pressure reduction pump) is used as the external vacuum source (external pressure reduction source) 3, but it is not limited to this, and other vacuum generating devices (pressure reduction devices) may be used. As a modified example, a further flow path may be provided to introduce breaking air into the space 14 to release the adsorption (not shown).

[0023] The adsorption mechanism 1 according to this embodiment can be applied to the adsorption of various workpieces W, but is particularly suitable for workpieces W packaged with packaging materials made of various vinyl materials, etc. As mentioned above, the workpieces W had the problem of wrinkles etc. occurring when the packaging material entered the vacuum region of the inner diameter of the tip of the adsorption mechanism 1. The weight of the workpieces W is mainly assumed to be in the range of several tens of grams to several kilograms, but is not limited to this.

[0024] Next, the adsorption mechanism 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the adsorption mechanism 1 includes an adsorption part 10 that contacts and adsorbs the workpiece W. The adsorption part 10 includes a suction port 12 formed at the radial center position on the axial front end, a space 14 formed adjacent to the axial rear end so as to communicate with the suction port 12, and a cylindrical part 16 formed adjacent to the axial rear end so as to communicate with the space 14. That is, the suction port 12, the space 14, and the inner cylinder of the cylindrical part 16 communicate to form a reduced-pressure air passage. As an example, the adsorption part 10 is made of a resin material or a metal material (for example, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel alloy, brass, etc.).

[0025] Furthermore, an annular elastic pad 18 that contacts the workpiece W is attached to the tip 10a of the suction part 10. That is, the tip opening of the elastic pad 18 constitutes the suction port 12, and the inner diameter portion constitutes part of the space 14 (tip side region). As an example, the elastic pad 18 is formed using a gel made of resin. This allows for suitable adsorption of workpiece W with a step on its surface, or workpiece W in which a step appears on its surface due to suction. However, the material used to form the elastic pad 18 is not limited to the above, and solid resin materials, rubber materials, elastomers, etc., may also be used.

[0026] Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism 1 is equipped with a filter 20 to prevent foreign matter from entering. The filter 20 is disposed within the space 14 so as to cover the entire surface of the suction port 12. As an example, the filter 20 is made of a mesh-like material (such as wire mesh) made of a metal material (for example, stainless steel alloy) or a material with multiple through holes drilled in its surface (such as perforated metal). It may also be made of a resin material.

[0027] In this embodiment, a characteristic feature is that the adsorption mechanism 1 includes a filter adjustment mechanism that variably adjusts the distance of the filter 20 from the suction port 12, that is, its position within the space 14.

[0028] The filter adjustment mechanism, as an example, has the following configuration. First, it includes a support portion 30 that supports the filter 20 from the rear end side (i.e., the side not facing the workpiece W). The support portion 30 is cylindrical in shape and penetrates axially, with a first male thread 30a formed on its outer circumference. Next, the cylindrical portion 16 of the suction portion 10 has a first female thread 16b formed on its inner circumference that corresponds to (and can be screwed into) the first male thread 30a of the support portion 30. Thus, the filter adjustment mechanism is configured such that the support portion 30 is inserted into and screwed into the cylindrical portion 16, and the distance of the filter 20 from the suction port 12 (position within the space 14) can be adjusted by rotating the support portion 30 relative to the cylindrical portion 16.

[0029] With the above configuration, the filter 20 can be positioned at the optimal location within the space 14 depending on the type of workpiece W. This prevents wrinkles from forming due to packaging material entering the inner diameter of the tip 10a when adsorbing the workpiece W (in other words, packaging material entering the space 14 from the suction port 12 more than necessary). Furthermore, compared to conventional adsorption mechanisms that use spacers, for example, the position of the filter 20 can be easily and accurately fine-tuned.

[0030] An example of operation will be explained using Figures 5A and 5B. For example, when the support part 30 is rotated in a direction that tightens it relative to the suction part 10 (cylindrical part 16), the filter 20 moves in a direction that enters the space part 14 from the suction port 12, that is, the distance from the suction port 12 to the filter 20 increases (the state shown in Figure 5A). On the other hand, when the support part 30 is rotated in a direction that loosens it relative to the suction part 10 (cylindrical part 16), the filter 20 moves in a direction that advances from the space part 14 to the suction port 12, that is, the distance from the suction port 12 to the filter 20 decreases (the state shown in Figure 5B).

[0031] Furthermore, a characteristic feature of this embodiment is that the filter adjustment mechanism includes a nut 34 that is screwed onto a support portion 30 protruding rearward from the cylindrical portion 16 (i.e., from the rear end 10b of the adsorption portion 10) and tightened against the end face of the cylindrical portion 16 (rear end 10b) to restrict the rotation of the support portion 30. This prevents the position of the filter 20 from changing unintentionally while the device is in operation.

[0032] In addition to the above configuration, the support portion 30 is provided with an engagement portion 32 at its rear end (the side not facing the filter 20) for engaging a rotating tool. For example, the rotating tool is a hex wrench and the engagement portion 32 is a hexagonal socket, but it is not limited to this and may be other tools or engagement portions with shapes corresponding to those tools. This allows the support portion 30 to be rotated by the rotating tool, making it easy to adjust the position of the filter 20. Furthermore, the nut 34 can be securely tightened while holding the support portion 30 in place so as not to rotate.

[0033] Furthermore, the filter 20 is fixed to a ring portion 40 made of a metal material, and this ring portion 40 is joined to the support portion 30 via spokes 43. As an example of the configuration of the ring portion 40, it has an annular first ring 41 and a second ring 42, and the filter 20 is fixed by being sandwiched between the first ring 41 and the second ring 42. As a result, the filter 20 does not deform (does not distort) while the device is in operation (i.e., when the space portion 14 is under reduced pressure), and the surface of the filter 20 (the surface facing the workpiece W) remains a smooth surface and can adsorb the workpiece W. As an example, the ring portion 40 is formed using the same metal material as the constituent material of the filter 20 (for example, stainless steel alloy, etc.), but is not limited to this. Also, the method of fixing the filter 20 to the first ring 41 and the second ring 42 is welding, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, a configuration without using the ring portion 40 is also possible.

[0034] Next, the suction mechanism 1 according to this embodiment includes an attachment portion 50 to which the piping 4 of the moving device 100 is attached, having a configuration that allows it to be detachably fixed to the rear end 10b (i.e., to the cylindrical portion 16) of the suction portion 10. This makes it possible to change the attachment portion 50 to have a corresponding (connectable) shape for piping 4 with a wide variety of connection portion configurations, thereby enabling the attachment of piping 4 with various connection portion configurations to the suction portion 10.

[0035] As a specific example of the configuration, first, the cylindrical portion 16 of the suction portion 10 to which the mounting portion 50 is fixed has a second male thread 16a formed on the outer circumference of the rear end 10b side. Next, the mounting portion 50 is a cylindrical shape with different diameters that penetrates in the axial direction, and a second female thread 50b corresponding to (screwable) the second male thread 16a of the cylindrical portion 16 is formed on the inner circumference of the tip 50c side, and a pipe connection portion 51 for connecting the pipe 4 is provided on the rear end 50d side. In addition, a sealing member 52 (for example, a rubber O-ring or a resin ring) is provided.

[0036] As an example, a female thread (not shown) is formed at the tip of the pipe 4, and a third male thread 50a corresponding to the female thread (which can be screwed) is formed on the outer circumference of the rear end 50d side of the pipe connection part 51. However, the configuration for connecting the pipe 4 and the pipe connection part 51 is not limited to this. For example, the pipe 4 may be provided with a male thread at its tip, and the pipe connection part 51 may be provided with a female thread corresponding to the male thread (which can be screwed) on the inner circumference of the rear end 50d side for connection. Alternatively, the pipe connection part 51 may be provided with the structure of a pipe joint for connection (neither of which is shown).

[0037] In this embodiment, the mounting portion 50 is provided in multiple types, each with a different configuration of the pipe connection portion 51 depending on the configuration of the tip of the pipe 4, and is configured to be installed selectively (i.e., the mounting portion 50 having a connectable configuration is selected). As mentioned above, the connection structure between the mounting portion 50 and the pipe 4 is not limited to a screw-type connection structure, but may also be a structure that uses a joint or the like (not shown).

[0038] With the above configuration, by preparing multiple types of mounting parts 50 according to the configuration of the end (connection part) of the expected pipe 4, it becomes possible to attach various pipes 4 and adsorb the workpiece W using only one (one type) of suction part 10, that is, without changing the configuration other than the mounting part 50.

[0039] As described above, the adsorption mechanism according to the present invention can prevent the occurrence of wrinkles caused by the packaging material entering the inner diameter of the tip when adsorbing a workpiece that has been packaged with packaging materials made of various vinyl materials or the like.

[0040] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the present invention. The above-described suction mechanism can be suitably applied to workpieces packaged with packaging materials made of various vinyl materials, but is not limited thereto, and can be applied to the suction of various workpieces.

Claims

1. A suction mechanism for a moving device that suctions and moves a workpiece, comprising a suction portion that contacts and suctions the workpiece, wherein the suction portion has a suction port formed at its tip, a space communicating with the suction port, and a cylindrical portion communicating with the space at its rear end, and further comprising a filter disposed in the space so as to cover the entire surface of the suction port, and a filter adjustment mechanism for variably adjusting the distance of the filter from the suction port.

2. The adsorption mechanism according to claim 1, comprising a support portion for supporting the filter, wherein the support portion is cylindrical with a through-hole in the axial direction and has a first male thread formed on its outer circumference, the cylindrical portion has a first female thread formed on its inner circumference, and the filter adjustment mechanism comprises a configuration in which the support portion is inserted into and screwed into the cylindrical portion, and the distance is variably adjusted by rotating the support portion relative to the cylindrical portion.

3. The adsorption mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the filter adjustment mechanism includes a nut that is screwed onto the support portion protruding from the cylindrical portion to restrict rotation.

4. The suction mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mounting portion to which the piping of the mobile device is attached, wherein the suction portion is detachably fixed to the suction portion.

5. The suction mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that the cylindrical portion has a second male thread formed on the outer circumference of the rear end, the mounting portion has a second female thread formed on the inner circumference of the front end, and a pipe connection portion for connecting the piping is provided on the rear end, and the mounting portion is provided in multiple types with different configurations of the pipe connection portion depending on the configuration of the front end of the piping, and can be selectively attached.

6. The suction mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the support portion is provided with an engagement portion at its rear end for engaging a rotating tool.

7. The adsorption mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the filter has a mesh-like or multiple through-hole configuration made of a metal or resin material and is joined to the support portion.

8. The suction mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the suction portion has an annular elastic pad attached to its tip that contacts the workpiece, and the elastic pad is formed using a gel, a solid resin material, or a rubber material.

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