JPS61122065A - Conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention provides stop-start control i'nL at any point on a travel route.
The present invention relates to a transport device using a self-propelled transport vehicle, particularly to a transport device that can be used as a product processing and assembly line in a factory.

(Prior art and its problems) In the case of a manual line, a conveyance device that can be used in a product processing and assembly line in a factory transports workpieces placed at a fixed pitch along a fixed path for reasons of safety and workability. Conventional conveying devices of this type, which must be capable of low-speed conveyance on top of the Since it has a return route that cannot be used as a transport route, the route utilization efficiency is low.Also, if a horizontal U-turn route can be incorporated, both the round trip route can be used as a transport route. Since the workpiece support must be installed at a constant pin device over the entire path, including the path portion that is not used as the processing and assembly work path, the entire device becomes expensive. In addition, if there is an automatic processing and assembly station in the processing assembly line and the workpiece needs to be stopped at this part, in order to secure the working time here, it is necessary to perform high-speed intermittent operation in this part. There is. Conventional methods have made it impossible to perform continuous operation and high-speed intermittent operation.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its feature is that stop/start control can be performed at any point on the travel route. Connectors are provided at both front and rear ends of the self-propelled transport vehicle so that it can be connected to and detached from other similar self-propelled transport vehicles,
A disconnection point for disconnecting the self-propelled conveyance vehicles from each other by the coupling device is set at an appropriate location on the travel route, and a plurality of vehicles connected by the coupling device are set on the upper side of this disconnection point. The point is that a continuous moving work route is set in which the mobile carrier moves continuously, and an intermittent moving route is set on the lower side, in which each uncoupled self-propelled carrier moves intermittently.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings.

In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a self-propelled carrier, 2a,
2b is a pair of left and right guide rails, 3 is both guide rails 2
A rack gear installed between a and 2b, and 4 are rail units for power supply and control signal transfer. Reference numeral 5 denotes a guide rail part cover having an arch shape in longitudinal section, and is arranged to cover the pair of left and right guide rails 2a, 2b, the left and right guide rails 3, and the rail unit 4 for supplying and receiving control signals. , 2b via a support member 7. The support member 7 also supports the rack gear 3 and the rail unit 4 for power supply and control signal exchange.

The self-propelled carrier 1 has brackets 8 attached to the four corners that enter the space inside the cover 5 from between the lower end of the guide rail section cover 5 and the guide rails 2a, 2b. rail 2a,
A supporting horizontal shaft wheel 9 and a lifting prevention horizontal shaft wheel 10 which sandwich 2b from above and below are pivotally supported.

Further, on the front and rear brackets 8 on one side, there are vertical shaft wheels 11 for steady rest that sandwich the guide rail 2a on one side from both left and right sides.
is provided. Reference numeral 12 denotes a driving means support bracket similar to the bracket 8, which is attached to an intermediate position on one side of the self-propelled carrier 1, and supports the motor 13, the speed reducer 14, and the current collector 15. Reducer 1
A pinion gear 16 that meshes with the rack gear 3 is attached to the vertical output shaft 4. The motor 13 is driven by power and control signals supplied from the power supply and control signal exchange rail unit 4 via the current collector 15.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a fixed connector protruding from one end of the self-propelled carrier 1 in the running direction, and reference numeral 18 denotes a movable connector protruding from the other end of the self-propelled carrier 1 in the running direction. The fixed connector 17 is provided with a sawtooth retaining claw 17a that projects upward, and the movable connector 18 is movable upward against gravity around the support shaft Tab. It is provided with sawtooth-shaped retaining pawls 18a that are oriented backwards and forwards and directed downward, and is provided with a cam driven roller 151c that projects laterally at its tip. 19°20
is a contact tool for maintaining the distance between the self-propelled transport vehicles, which is provided so as to sandwich the fixed connector 17 and the movable connector 18 from both left and right sides.

The self-propelled conveyance platform j[1 configured as described above is moved forward or backward along the guide rails 2a and 2b by operating the motor 13 and driving the pinion gear 16 in the forward or reverse direction. It is also possible to automatically stop the vehicle when it reaches a preset position, or to automatically start it based on a start command. Of course, it is also possible to set the traveling speed in advance and automatically switch between a low speed and a high speed.

In this way, the self-propelled transport vehicle 1 traveling on the travel route approaches within a certain distance another self-propelled transport vehicle 1 that is traveling at a slower speed than the self-propelled transport vehicle 1 or is stopped. Then, regardless of whether the distance maintaining contact tools 19 are moving forward or backward, they approach each other as shown in FIG.
．． 20 comes into contact with the fixed connector 17, the movable connector 1
8 rides on the serrated retaining claw 17a of the fixed connector 17.
The serrated retaining claw +8a of the movable connector 18 automatically engages with the movable connector 18. At this time, by decelerating or stopping the traveling speed of the self-propelled carrier 1 on the side connected from the rear side to match the traveling speed of the self-propelled carrier 1 on the connected side, the front and rear self-propelled carriers 1 can run together at low speed or can be stopped in a connected state. The running sub-door of the self-propelled transport vehicle 1 connected from the rear side is, for example, connected to both connectors 17.
By using a detector that detects the connection state of .degree. 18 in combination, automation can be performed based on the detection signal of the detector.

In addition, in order to release the connection between the front and rear self-propelled carriers 1 that are connected as described above and travel together at a low speed, a cam 21 or 22 adapted to the traveling direction is moved as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. By moving the cam driven roller 18C in the movable coupler 18 between the front and rear self-propelled carriers 1 so as to protrude from the side of the traveling route of the self-propelled carrier 1, the cam driven roller 18a is moved to the cam 21. Or, the movable connector 18 rides on 22 and moves upward around the support shaft 18b, detaching from the fixed connector 17. Therefore, the self-propelled carrier 1 on the traveling direction side can be switched to high-speed traveling and can be independently driven for commercial transportation. 0; The i-recorded cam 21 or 22 may be moved backward to the side of the traveling route of the self-propelled conveyance vehicle 1 on the separated rear side, which is traveling at low speed, before colliding with the self-propelled conveyance vehicle 1.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the layout of a transport device using the self-propelled transport vehicle 1, in which 23 is a forward route, 24 is a return route, and 25 is a traverser 226 to 28, which are connected to the cam 21 or 28. and a drive means for moving the cam forward and backward, and 29.30 is a truck clamping device for clamping the stopped self-propelled carrier 1 at a predetermined position.

According to the above-mentioned transport device, the self-propelled transport vehicle 1 that has been separated from the following self-propelled transport vehicle 1 that is traveling at low speed by the uncoupling means 26 to 28 is switched to high-speed travel and the vehicle clamping means 29, 30 is switched to high-speed travel. Either run at high speed to a certain position and then stop, or similarly switch to high speed travel and move Traverser 2.
5, the traverser 25 allows the vehicle to move laterally from the outbound route 23 to the outbound route 24, and then enters the outbound route 24 at high speed again.
When the self-propelled carrier 1 reaches the position of the trolley clamping means 29.30, it is automatically stopped and the clamping means 29.30 is stopped.
It is possible to fix the parts at a predetermined position and have an automatic machine installed, for example, on the side of the route, perform work such as setting parts on the workpiece on the self-propelled transport vehicle 1.

The self-propelled transport vehicle 1 started from the trolley clamping means 29 and 30 and the self-propelled transport vehicle 1 that entered the outgoing route 24 by the traverser 25 at high speed are transferred to the uncoupling means 29.
Connector +7 on the upper side of 6-28. +8 automatically connects the self-propelled carrier 1 located at the end of the row 1A to IC of the self-propelled carriers 1 that are running at low speed on the tRB connected in a row by the connector +7.18 as explained earlier. At the same time, it is switched to low-speed running and incorporated into the self-propelled conveyance vehicle train 18 to IC. On each of the self-propelled conveyance vehicles 1 of the self-propelled conveyance vehicle train 1A to IC that travel at low speed, various assembly operations are performed on the supported workpieces.

That is, the upper side of each uncoupling point provided with the uncoupling means 26 to 28 is utilized as a low-speed continuous moving work route along which a plurality of self-propelled carriers 1 connected by the connecting devices +718 move continuously at low speed. . The downstream side of each disconnection point is utilized as a high-speed intermittent movement path on which each disconnected self-propelled carrier 1 moves intermittently at high speed.

In the above embodiment, a type of coupling device was used in which the coupling action is automatically performed when the bogies approach each other. Furthermore, a drive means for switching the coupler between a connected state and a disconnected state is provided on the truck side, and a signal for activating this drive means is given to the truck from the outside to switch the coupler. It is also possible to configure the connection and uncoupling operations to be performed remotely and automatically.

(Operations and Effects of the Invention) According to the conveyance device of the present invention that can be implemented as described above, the self-propelled conveyance vehicle is operated only in a manually operated work route set in the circulation route of the self-propelled conveyance vehicle. The workpieces on each trolley are connected in a daisy chain by means of a connecting means, and the workpieces on each trolley are lined up at regular intervals and can be continuously transported at a low speed suitable for the work. can be separated from each other and run intermittently at high speed. Therefore, although it is possible to carry out the specified work while conveying the workpiece at a low speed in the work route section, similar to conventional slat conveyors, it is also possible to carry out the work by stopping the self-propelled conveyance vehicle at an appropriate point in the middle of the route. a work station (in the embodiment, the trolley clamping means 29
．． 30), or by minimizing the number of self-propelled transport vehicles that occupy the route portions that are not used as the work route portions, thereby reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the self-propelled transport vehicle during the route, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional side view with the same part cut away, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the connected state of the coupling devices, and Fig. 4 is the entire transport device. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the layout of a self-propelled carrier; 2a;
, 2b... Guide rail, 3... Rack gear, 4...
・Rail unit/nod for power supply and control signal transfer, 5...
・Guide rail part cover, 9...Horizontal axis wheel for support, 10...Horizontal axis wheel for lifting prevention, 11
... Vertical axis wheel for steady rest, 13... Motor, 14... Reducer, 15... Current collector, 16... Pinion gear, 17... Fixed coupling, 17a, Tea・
...Sawtooth retaining claw, 18...Movable connector, +8b...
・Support shaft, 18c...Cam driven roller, 21.2'2
...Cam, 25...Traverser-126-28...
- Uncoupling means, 29.30... trolley clamping means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A self-propelled transport vehicle that can be stopped and started at any point along the travel route is provided with coupling devices at both front and rear ends that can be connected to and detached from other similar self-propelled transport vehicles, and the above-mentioned connections are installed at appropriate locations on the travel route. A disconnection point is set at which the self-propelled conveyance vehicles are disconnected from each other by the coupling tool, and a continuous movement work path is provided on the upper side of this disconnection point in which a plurality of self-propelled conveyance vehicles connected by the coupling device move continuously. and an intermittent movement path on the lower side of which each uncoupled self-propelled carriage moves intermittently.