JP2022072563A - Gripping device and visual inspection method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a gripping device and an appearance inspection method, which improve inspection efficiency for appearance inspection of an object to be gripped and reduce cycle time and facility manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: In a gripping device and an appearance inspection method, the gripping device includes: a first support section; a first motor which is provided in the first support section; a first gear unit which is connected to the first motor; a first finger which is connected to the first gear unit and is oscillatably provided with respect to the first support section so as to grip an object to gripped; a second support section which is provided to face the first support section; a second motor which is provided in the second support section; a second gear unit which is connected to the second motor; and a second finger which is connected to the second gear unit and is oscillatably provided with respect to the second support section so as to grip an object to be gripped. A first step for gripping the object to be gripped by the first finger and the second finger is performed, the posture of the first finger with respect to the first support section is changed, and the posture of the second finger with respect to the second support section is changed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a gripping device and a visual inspection method.

Patent Document 1 discloses a gripping device including a swing mechanism that swings a pair of gripping claws for gripping a component around a swing axis to change the direction of the tip of the gripping claws.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-56052

However, when the appearance inspection of the crown surface of the piston of the internal combustion engine is performed by using the gripping device as described above, the step of gripping and taking out the piston from the product box, the step of placing the piston on the temporary stand, and the gripping. Four steps are required, one is to change the posture of the device and grip the piston again, and the other is to move the gripping device to the visual inspection position while gripping the piston and perform the visual inspection of the crown surface. There was a risk of inefficiency and increased cycle time and equipment manufacturing costs.
One of an object of the present invention is to provide a gripping device and a visual inspection method capable of improving inspection efficiency for visual inspection of a gripped object and reducing cycle time and equipment manufacturing cost.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first support portion, a first motor provided on the first support portion, a first gear unit connected to the first motor, and a first gear unit. A first finger for gripping an object to be gripped, which is connected to a gear unit and is provided so as to be swingable with respect to the first support portion, and a second support portion provided so as to face the first support portion. , A second motor provided in the second support portion, a second gear unit connected to the second motor, and a second gear unit connected to the second support portion so as to be swingable with respect to the second support portion. Using a gripping device provided with a second finger for gripping the object to be gripped, the first step of gripping the object to be gripped by the first finger and the second finger, and the postures of the first finger and the first support portion are changed. The second step is provided with a second step of inspecting the appearance of the gripped object while maintaining the gripping of the gripped object from the first step by changing the postures of the second finger and the second support portion.

Therefore, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inspection efficiency for the visual inspection of the object to be gripped can be improved, and the cycle time and the equipment manufacturing cost can be reduced.

It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of the gripping apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the appearance inspection method using the gripping apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a time chart which shows the operation example of the appearance inspection method using the gripping apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. (A) is a diagram showing an operation example of the method for inspecting the appearance of the crown surface of the piston using the gripping device of the second embodiment, and (b) is the appearance of the side surface of the piston using the gripping device of the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the operation example of the inspection method, (c) is the figure which shows the operation example of the appearance inspection method of the back surface of the piston using the gripping device of Embodiment 2.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the gripping device of the first embodiment.
For the sake of explanation, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are set.
The right direction in the drawing of the rotation axis P is the x-axis positive direction, the left direction in the drawing orthogonal to the rotation axis P is the y-axis positive direction, and the upper direction in the drawing orthogonal to the rotation axis P is the z-axis positive direction.

(Overall configuration of gripping device)
The gripping device 1 includes a parallel chuck 2 on the positive side of the z-axis, a first support portion 3a movably supported by the parallel chuck 2 in the x-axis direction, and a first motor 6a provided on the first support portion 3a. The inspected portion, which is connected to the first gear unit 5a and is connected to the first gear unit 5a connected to the first motor 6a, and is provided swingably around the rotation axis P with respect to the first support portion 3a. The first finger 4a for gripping the side surface portion W2 of the piston (object to be gripped) W having the crown surface W1, the side surface portion W2, and the pin hole W3, and the parallel chuck 2 are movably supported in the x-axis direction. , A second support portion 3b provided facing the first support portion 3a, a second motor 6b provided on the second support portion 3b, and a second gear unit 5b connected to the second motor 6b. It is provided with a second finger 4b for gripping the side surface portion W2 of the piston W, which is connected to the second gear unit 5b and is provided so as to be swingable around the rotation axis P with respect to the second support portion 3b.
As a result, the gripping device 1 swings while gripping the side surface portion W2 of the piston W to change the postures of the first support portion 3a and the first finger 4a, and the second support portion 3b and the second finger 4b. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the piston W, the inspection efficiency for the visual inspection of the crown surface W1 of the piston W is improved, and the cycle time and the equipment manufacturing cost can be reduced.
Further, the first motor 6a is provided on the x-axis negative direction side of the first support portion 3a, that is, on the side of the second support portion 3b of the first support portion 3a, and the first gear unit 5a is the first support portion. The x-axis positive direction side of the portion 3a, that is, the side of the first support portion 3a opposite to the second support portion 3b, and the second motor 6b is on the x-axis positive direction side of the second support portion 3b. That is, the second gear unit 5b is provided on the side of the first support portion 3a of the second support portion 3b, and the second gear unit 5b is on the x-axis negative direction side of the second support portion 3b, that is, the first of the second support portions 3b. It is provided on the side opposite to the support portion 3a.
The first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b are deceleration mechanisms.
As a result, the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b are arranged in a wide space outside the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, respectively, so that the first gear unit 5a and the second gear are arranged. Maintenance work of the unit 5b is also facilitated, and the reduction ratios of the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b, which are reduction mechanisms, can be set large, and even a heavy object to be gripped can be gripped and postured. It can be changed.
Further, the first finger 4a is provided on the x-axis positive direction side with respect to the first support portion 3a, that is, on the side of the first gear unit 5a, and the second finger 4b is provided with respect to the second support portion 3b. , X Negative direction side, that is, provided on the side of the second gear unit 5b.
The first finger 4a includes two rollers 4a1 that directly grip the piston 4, and the second finger 4b includes two rollers 4b1 that directly grip the piston 4.
As a result, the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are arranged in a wide space outside the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, respectively, so that the maintenance of the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b can be maintained. Work is also easy.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the appearance inspection method using the gripping device of the first embodiment.

(Flow of visual inspection method)
In step S1, at the initial position of the gripping device 1, the parallel chuck 2 widens the distance between the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b.
In step S2, the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are swung so that the angle between the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a and the angle between the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b is 90 °. Change posture.
In step 3, the gripping device 1 is moved from the initial position to the position above the piston W.
In step S4, the parallel chuck 2 is lowered to a position where the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b wrap horizontally with the piston W.
In step S5, the parallel chuck 2 narrows the distance between the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, and the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b grip the side surface portion W2 of the piston W.
Steps S1 to S5 are the first steps of gripping the piston W.

In step S6, the gripping device 1 is started to move to the visual inspection position while gripping the piston W, and the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are moved to each other. The torque generated by the first motor 6a and the second motor 6b is applied to the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b via the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b so as to line up on the same vertical plane in the z-axis direction. The first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are swung.
Next, the posture of the entire gripping device 1 is changed so that the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, and the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are aligned on the same horizontal plane in the y-axis direction.
This step S6 is a step of moving to the visual inspection position and changing the posture.

In step S7, after the gripping device 1 reaches the visual inspection position, the visual inspection of the crown surface W1 of the piston W is performed.
This step S7 is a second step of inspecting the appearance of the crown surface W1 of the piston W.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing an operation example of the visual inspection method using the gripping device of the first embodiment.

(Operation of visual inspection method)
The visual inspection method includes a first step, a movement to the visual inspection position & a posture change step, and a second step.
Hereinafter, operation examples will be described in order.

First, at time t1, which is the first step, the angle between the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a and the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b of the gripping device 1 is 90 °, and the first finger 4a At a position where the second finger 4b wraps horizontally with the piston W, the parallel chuck 2 narrows the distance between the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, and the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b reduce the distance between the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b. , Grasp the side surface portion W2 of the piston W.
At time t2, which is the step of moving to the visual inspection position and changing the posture, the gripping device 1 is started to move to the visual inspection position while the piston W is being gripped, and the first finger 4a, the first support portion 3a, and the first support portion 3a are started. The first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are swung in the direction of arrow a so that the two fingers 4b and the second support portion 3b are aligned on the same vertical plane in the z-axis direction, and then in the direction of arrow b. In addition, the posture of the entire gripping device 1 is changed.
Specifically, the posture change of the gripping device 1 is such that the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, and the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are arranged on the same vertical plane in the z-axis direction. The torque generated by the first motor 6a and the second motor 6b is transmitted to the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b via the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b, and the piston W is held and held. The 1st finger 4a and the 2nd finger 4b are swung in the direction of the arrow a.
Next, the posture of the entire gripping device 1 is arranged in the direction of arrow b so that the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, and the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are aligned on the same horizontal plane in the y-axis direction. To change.
At the time t3, which is the second step of performing the visual inspection of the crown surface W1 of the piston W, the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are y at the visual inspection position. After the gripping devices 1 arranged in the same horizontal plane in the axial direction arrive, the appearance inspection of the crown surface W1 of the piston W by the camera 7 is started.

Next, the action and effect will be described.
The gripping device and the visual inspection method of the first embodiment have the effects listed below.

(1) While the gripping device 1 grips the piston W, the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are swung to swing the first support portion 3a and the first finger 4a, and the second support portion 3b and the second finger. I tried to change the posture with 4b.
Therefore, it is not necessary to change the piston W, the inspection efficiency for the visual inspection of the crown surface W1 of the piston W is improved, and the cycle time and the equipment manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(2) The first motor 6a is provided on the x-axis negative direction side of the first support portion 3a, that is, on the side of the first support portion 3a on the side of the second support portion 3b, and the first gear unit 5a is the first. The support portion 3a is provided on the x-axis positive direction side, that is, on the side of the first support portion 3a opposite to the second support portion 3b, and the second motor 6b is on the x-axis positive direction side of the second support portion 3b. That is, the second gear unit 5b is provided on the side of the first support portion 3a of the second support portion 3b, and the second gear unit 5b is on the x-axis negative direction side of the second support portion 3b, that is, the second of the second support portions 3b. 1 It is provided on the opposite side of the support portion 3a.
Therefore, since the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b are arranged in a wide space outside the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, respectively, the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5a are arranged. Maintenance work of 5b is also easy, the reduction ratio of the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b, which are reduction mechanisms, can be set large, and even a heavy object to be gripped can be gripped and changed in posture. Is possible.

(3) The first finger 4a is provided on the x-axis positive direction side with respect to the first support portion 3a, that is, on the side of the first gear unit 5a, and the second finger 4b is provided with respect to the second support portion 3b. Therefore, it is provided on the x-negative direction side, that is, on the side of the second gear unit 5b.
Therefore, since the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are arranged in a wide space outside the first support portion 3a and the second support portion 3b, respectively, the maintenance work of the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b is performed. Will also be easy.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an operation example of the method for inspecting the appearance of the crown surface of the piston using the gripping device of the second embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing an operation example of the piston using the gripping device of the second embodiment. It is a figure which shows the operation example of the appearance inspection method of the side surface, and FIG. 4C is the figure which shows the operation example of the appearance inspection method of the back surface of the piston using the gripping device of Embodiment 2.

A gripping device 1 is attached to the tip of the articulated robot R.
Further, the center position of the piston W and the J6 axis (rotational axis of the gripping device) Q, which is the most advanced axis of the articulated robot R, are matched with each other.
Further, the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b grip the portion of the pin hole W3 of the piston W.
Since the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4A shows an operation example of the visual inspection method of the crown surface W1 of the piston W by the camera 7.
FIG. 4B shows that the position of the camera 7 is not moved by rotating the J6 axis Q, which is the most advanced axis of the articulated robot R, by 90 ° to the right in the drawing from the position of FIG. 4A. An operation example of the appearance inspection method of the side surface W2 of the piston W by the camera 7 is shown.
Further, by rotating the entire gripping device 1 around the J6 axis Q, the appearance inspection of the entire side surface W2 of the curved piston W by the camera 7 can be performed.
FIG. 4 (c) shows that the position of the camera 7 is not moved by further rotating the J6 axis Q, which is the most advanced axis of the articulated robot R, by 90 ° to the right in the drawing from the position of FIG. 4 (b). , An operation example of the appearance inspection method of the back surface W4 of the piston W by the camera 7 is shown.

Next, the action and effect will be described.
In the gripping device and the visual inspection method of the second embodiment, in addition to the action and effect of the first embodiment, the actions and effects listed below are exhibited.

(1) A gripping device 1 is attached to the tip of the articulated robot R so that the J6 axis Q, which is the most advanced axis of the articulated robot R, is rotationally changed while the gripping device 1 grips the piston W.
Therefore, since the gripping device 1 can perform an appearance inspection of the crown surface W1, the side surface W2, and the back surface W4 of the piston W without changing the piston W, the inspection efficiency is further improved, and the cycle time and the equipment manufacturing cost are reduced. It is possible to further reduce the cost.

(2) At the time of visual inspection of the side surface W2 of the piston W, the gripping device 1 is rotated around the J6 axis Q.
Therefore, it is possible to carry out an appearance inspection by the camera 7 on the entire side surface W2 of the piston W which is a curved surface.

[Other Examples]
Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the specific configuration of each invention is not limited to the embodiments, and even if there is a design change or the like within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the invention. Included in the invention.
For example, in the first embodiment, since the camera 7 for visual inspection is above the gripping device 1, the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are z-axis. The torque generated by the first motor 6a and the second motor 6b is transmitted to the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b via the first gear unit 5a and the second gear unit 5b so as to line up on the same vertical plane in the direction. Then, the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b are swung while holding the piston W, and then the first finger 4a and the first support portion 3a, the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are formed by y. The posture of the entire gripping device 1 is changed so as to be aligned on the same vertical plane in the axial direction, but when the camera 7 is arranged on the same vertical plane as the gripping device 1, the first finger 4a and the first finger 4a are arranged. The torque generated by the first motor 6a and the second motor 6b is calculated by the first gear unit 5a so that the support portion 3a, the second finger 4b and the second support portion 3b are aligned on the same vertical plane in the z-axis direction. It may be transmitted to the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b via the second gear unit 5b, and the first finger 4a and the second finger 4b may be simply swung while holding the piston W.

1 Grip device 3a 1st support 3b 2nd support 4a 1st finger 4b 2nd finger 5a 1st gear unit 5b 2nd gear unit 6a 1st motor 6b 2nd motor Q This is the most advanced axis of the articulated robot R. J6 axis (rotation axis of gripping device)
W piston (object to be gripped)
W1 Crown surface W2 Side surface W3 Pin hole W4 Back surface

Claims (7)

A gripping device that grips an object to be gripped.
With the first support
The first motor provided in the first support portion and
The first gear unit connected to the first motor and
A first finger for gripping the object to be gripped, which is connected to the first gear unit and is provided so as to be swingable with respect to the first support portion.
A second support portion provided so as to face the first support portion,
The second motor provided in the second support portion and
The second gear unit connected to the second motor and
A second finger for gripping the object to be gripped, which is connected to the second gear unit and is provided so as to be swingable with respect to the second support portion.
To prepare
A gripping device characterized by that. The gripping device according to claim 1.
The first motor is provided on the side of the second support portion of the first support portion.
The first gear unit is provided on the side of the first support portion opposite to the second support portion.
The second motor is provided on the side of the first support portion of the second support portion.
The second gear unit is provided on the side of the second support portion opposite to the first support portion.
A gripping device characterized by that. The gripping device according to claim 1.
The first finger is provided on the side of the first gear unit with respect to the first support portion.
The second finger is provided on the side of the second gear unit with respect to the second support portion.
A gripping device characterized by that. The gripping device according to claim 1.
The object to be grasped is a piston of an internal combustion engine.
A gripping device characterized by that. The visual inspection method using the gripping device according to claim 1.
The first step of gripping the object to be grasped by the first finger and the second finger, and
By changing the posture of the first finger with respect to the first support portion and changing the posture of the second finger with respect to the second support portion, the gripping of the gripped object is maintained from the first step. Then, in the second step of inspecting the appearance of the object to be grasped,
To prepare
A visual inspection method characterized by that. The visual inspection method according to claim 5.
After the first step, while moving the object to be gripped to the visual inspection position, the posture of the first finger with respect to the first support portion is changed, and the posture of the second finger with respect to the second support portion. To move to the second step,
A visual inspection method characterized by that. The visual inspection method according to claim 5.
The object to be gripped is a piston of an internal combustion engine.
The first finger and the second finger grip the pin hole of the piston so that the center of the piston and the rotation axis of the gripping device coincide with each other, and the appearance of the piston is inspected.
A visual inspection method characterized by that.

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