JPH04183540A - Assembling equipment using movable body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the feeding of various parts easily and correctly in the state of the walk distance of a worker being almost eliminated, by loading on a movable body at a transfer part the part case stored with the part corresponding to the shape of the body to be assembled with its being set with its being transferred by a conveyor for transfer. CONSTITUTION:A conveyor 32 for transfer of the part case 12 stored with the part for assembly is arranged along a host work route 2, and the input part 31 of the part case 12 is formed on the start end thereof. In this part case 12, the part and fixture corresponding to the shape of a car body 8 are stored with their being set, by setting to the flow of the car body 8 on a host work route 2. And an order changing device 37 which performs the off-take and input of the part case 12 for the transfer conveyor 32 and which is capable of storing the part case 12, is provided at the opposite side to the host work route 2. Consequently, the movable body made by loading the corresponding body to be assembled and part case can be moved in an assembly line, and the feeding of various kinds of parts can thus be executed easily and correctly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to assembly equipment using movable bodies, which is used, for example, to assemble the bodies of automobiles.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a vehicle body assembly facility using a bogie, which is an example of a movable body, there has been provided a structure as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-209458. In this conventional type, the carrier can run freely on an endless carrier track,
In addition, working sections are provided at multiple locations along the endless path. The car body was then placed on the carrier, and various parts were assembled on the car body while the carrier was run on an endless path, and then the car body was unloaded from the carrier. Various parts are taken out from parts shelves placed on the sides of the endless path.
and used for assembly.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the above-mentioned conventional method, an operator has to go back and forth between the parts shelf and the carrier many times in order to transport the parts, which requires a great deal of effort. Furthermore, there are various types of vehicle bodies to be transported by carriers, and the order of the vehicles may be disrupted, making it easy for incorrect parts to be assembled. Furthermore, replenishment of various parts must be carried out along almost the entire length of the circulation path, which is both time consuming and troublesome. Furthermore, for example, when an endless path is formed in a meandering shape, the pitch between the parallel path portions becomes wide due to the presence of component shelves, making it difficult to organize the entire equipment compactly and intensively.

The object of the present invention is to be able to easily and accurately supply various parts with almost no walking distance for workers, and to quickly deal with the disorder of the order of various types of assemblies. Moreover, the present invention provides assembly equipment using movable bodies that allows the entire equipment to be compactly assembled.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the assembly equipment using a movable body according to the first invention is provided with a movable body that supports and conveys the objects to be assembled, and which moves along an assembly line along which this movable body moves. hand,
A conveyor for transporting component cases containing assembly parts is provided, a transfer section for transferring the component cases to the movable body is formed near the end of the transport conveyor, and a transfer section for transferring the component cases to the movable body is further provided near the transfer section and connected to the assembly line. On the opposite side of the transport conveyor, there is provided a ranking changing device that can take out and insert parts cases into and out of the transport conveyor, and can also be stored therein.

The assembly equipment using movable bodies according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a circulation path having a large number of movable bodies, an upper work route section, a lower return route section, and a lifting route section between the beginning and the end of both route sections. An assembly line is configured as a movable assembly line, and a conveyor for transporting parts cases containing assembly parts is arranged along this assembly line, and the parts cases are movable near the end of this transport conveyor. A transfer section is formed, and a rearrangement change device is provided near the transfer section and on the opposite side of the assembly line for taking out and loading component cases into the conveyor and capable of storing the parts cases. At the beginning and end of the upper work path section, there are provided transfer devices for the objects to be assembled.

According to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention described above, in accordance with the flow of the to-be-assembled items on the assembly line, the parts case in which parts corresponding to the type of the to-be-assembled items are stored in sets is conveyed on the conveyor. By transporting and loading the component cases onto the movable body in the transfer section, the movable body loaded with the corresponding parts to be assembled and the component cases can be moved on the assembly line. Therefore, after getting on the movable body, the operator can assemble the parts set in the parts case at the desired location on the object to be assembled. During such work, when the order of the objects to be assembled is disrupted, the order changing device is operated accordingly. In other words, the extra parts cases caused by the disordered order are taken out from the transport conveyor and stored, and
Parts cases that are missing due to a disordered order are put into the transport conveyor from the storage section.

Further, according to the configuration of the second invention described above, the movable body is moved on the circulation path with the parallel portion in the vertical direction, and
By transferring objects to be assembled using a transfer device between movable bodies located at the ends of adjacent upper work path sections, it is possible to arrange a plurality of assembly lines with the upper work path sections closely parallel to each other. , the desired assembly can be carried out while conveying the objects to be assembled in a meandering manner.

Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

1 is a circulation route, which includes an upper work route section 2 and a lower return route section 3.
, and has a first elevating path portion 4 and a second elevating path portion 5 at the beginning and end of both path portions 2 and 3, and is an example of a movable body that can freely run on this circulation path 1. A truck 6 is provided.

That is, the trolley 6 has a large number of wheels 7 at its lower part, and a support part 9 for a vehicle body 8, which is an example of an object to be assembled, and a case mounting part 1O are provided at its upper part. The support part 9 is provided at the center, the case mounting parts 10 are provided at multiple locations around the periphery, and the remaining part becomes a working part 11 into which an operator can freely ride. Then, the component case 12 is loaded onto the case mounting portion IO. An upper rail 21 is laid on the floor surface 20, and by placing the wheels 7 on the upper rail 2I, the cart 6 can move freely on the upper working route section 2. Further, a lower rail 23 is laid in a tunnel portion 22 formed under the floor, and by placing wheels 7 on this lower rail 23, the cart 6 can freely run on the lower return path portion 3. A lifting platform 25 is provided on the first lifting path section 4 at one end of the lifting path sections 4 and 5 via a lifting device 24 consisting of, for example, a pantograph mechanism. .23 is provided with a relay rail 26 which can be freely connected and separated. Similarly, a lifting device 27, a lifting platform 28, and a relay rail 29 are provided in the second lifting path section 5 on the other end side.

A conveyor 32 for transporting parts cases 12 containing assembly parts is disposed along the upper working path section 2. The transport conveyor 32 is formed of, for example, a belt conveyor, and an input section 31 for the component case 12 is formed at its starting end. This parts case 12 includes an upper work path section 2.
According to the flow of the vehicle body 8, parts and fixtures corresponding to the type of the vehicle body 8 are stored in sets.

A transfer section 33 is formed between the terminal end of the conveyor 32 and the start end of the upper working path section 2, and this transfer section 33
, the parts case 12 has reached the end of the conveyor 32.
A transfer robot 34 is provided to transfer the case to the case mounting section 10 of the trolley 8. Further, a collection unit 35 for empty component cases 12 and a collection robot 3G are provided opposite to the second elevating path section 5.

A rearrangement change device is located near the transfer section 33 and on the opposite side of the upper work path section 2, for taking out and loading the component cases 12 into and out of the transport conveyor 32, and capable of storing the component cases 12. 37 are provided. This order changing device 37 includes, for example, a conveyor part 38 parallel to the transport conveyor 32, and a plurality of receivers and transfer tools 39 for receiving and passing the component cases 12 between the transport conveyor 32 and the conveyor part 38. Consisted of.

One assembly line 40 is formed by the circulation path 1, the transport conveyor 32, etc., and the assembly equipment 50 is configured by arranging a plurality of such assembly lines 40 in parallel. At this time, the running directions in the upper working route section 2 are set to be opposite directions between adjacent assembly lines 40.

Furthermore, the six groups of trolleys are moved in a backward or towed manner by various drive devices using motors, lines, rollers, etc.

In each assembly line 40, a first transfer device 41 is provided above one end of the upper work path section 2. This first transfer device 41 includes, for example, an elevating body 43 guided by a machine frame 42, a traveling body 44 provided on the side of this elevating body 43 so as to be able to freely run in the inter-line direction, and a clamp provided on this traveling body 44. It consists of a type hanger device 45 and the like. Similarly, a second transfer device 46 is provided above the other end of the upper work path portion 2, and this second transfer device 4B also includes the machine frame 42,
It is composed of an elevating body 43, a running body 44, a hanger device 45, and the like.

According to the first embodiment, the parts brought in by a truck or the like are sorted, for example, on the second floor, corresponding to each assembly line 40, and after being stored in the parts cases 12, they are taken to the elevator. The feed section 31 of the corresponding transport conveyor 32 is sent down by equipment etc.
will be put into the At that time, the input is the preset car body 8
This is done according to the type and specifications of each vehicle body 8 based on the assembly order. Parts case 12 inserted in this way
are sequentially conveyed by a transport conveyor 32, and those that reach the end are stacked onto the cart 6 by a transfer robot 34. Here, on the circulation path 1 side, the relay rail 2B of the elevated lifting platform 25 in the first lifting path section 4
An empty trolley 6 is located above, and a relay rail 2
6 is connected to the upper rail 21.

A component case 12 is loaded onto a predetermined case mounting portion 10 of this cart 6 by the aforementioned transfer robot 34.

The trolley 6 loaded with the component cases 12 in this manner travels, and moves from the relay rail 26 to the upper rail 21 to travel on the upper work route section 2.

Then, the vehicle body 8 is loaded onto the trolley 6 that has stopped at the starting end of the upper work route section 2. That is, the traveling body 44 of the first transfer device 41 is stopped above the truck 6, and the vehicle body 8
The hanger device 45 supporting the vehicle body 8 is lowered together with the elevating body 43, and the vehicle body 8 is stacked on the support portion 9. Note that the initial loading may be carried out using a self-propelled trolley or the like that has a fork function. Then, the assembly work for the vehicle body 8 is performed while the trolley 6 is traveling on the upper work path portion 2 with the hanger device 45 raised and retracted together with the elevating body 43. This assembly work can be performed by a worker on the cart θ taking out the parts and fixtures (bolts, etc.) in the parts case 12, and the worker only needs to walk on the work section 11. The vehicle body 8 that has completed the assembly work in one upper work route section 11 in this way is moved to the second transfer device 4 at the end.
It is lifted by 6.

As a result, the empty cart 6 is transferred to the relay rail 29 that has been raised together with the lifting platform 28 in the second lifting path section 5, and then the empty parts case 1 is moved by the collecting robot 36
2 is transferred to the collection section 35. The empty parts case I2 in the collection section 35 is transported by elevator equipment, etc.
Collected on the floor. The cart 6 from which the empty component cases 12 have been collected enters the tunnel section 22 via the second elevating path section 5 by lowering the elevating table 28. When the lifting platform 28 reaches its lower limit, the relay rail 29 connects to the lower rail 23,
Therefore, the trolley 6 can travel on the lower return path portion 3 in the opposite direction to the upper side. Then, the trolley 6 is transferred onto the lifting table 25 of the first lifting path section 4, returns to the initial position by raising the lifting table 25, and is supplied with a new parts case 12 by the transfer robot 34.

In this way, in accordance with the flow of the car bodies 8 on the assembly line 40, the parts case I2, which is a set containing parts corresponding to the type of the car body 8, is transported by the transport conveyor 32, and is moved by rolling. By loading the parts case I2 onto the trolley 6 at the loading section 33, the corresponding car body 8 and parts case 1
2 can be moved on the assembly line 40. Therefore, after getting on the trolley 6, the operator can assemble the parts set in the parts case I2 at the desired location on the vehicle body 8. During such work, when the order of the vehicle bodies 8 is disrupted, the order change device 37 is activated in response. That is, the extra parts cases 12 generated due to the disordered order are taken out from the transport conveyor 32 onto the conveyor section 38 by the transfer tool 3S, and are stored on the conveyor section 38. When another car body 8 enters the set flow of car bodies 8 due to the order disorder and a missing parts case 12 occurs on the transport conveyor side, the parts case 12 on the conveyor section 38 equal to the missing parts case 12 is The component case 12 is placed into a predetermined location on the conveyor 32 by a transfer tool 33.

In the assembly line 40 adjacent to the assembly line 4o described above, the flow is in the opposite direction. In other words, from the terminal end of the upper working path section 2 to the lifting platform 25 of the first lifting path section 4
The recovery robot 3 moves onto the empty trolley θ.
6, the empty parts case 12 is collected, and a new parts case 12 is loaded by the transfer robot 34. After descending together with the lifting platform 25, the trolley 6 travels along the lower return path section 3 and transfers onto the lifting platform 28 of the second lifting path section 5. Next, with the lifting platform 28 raised and the cart 6 facing the upper work path section 2, the vehicle body 8 lifted by the second transfer device 46 is lowered and stacked on the support section 9 as described above. and hanger device 45
The trolley 6 is moved to the upper work route section 2 while the
Assembling work on the vehicle body 8 is performed while the vehicle is traveling on the vehicle. Thereafter, the vehicle body 8 is lifted by the first transfer device 11m41 from the top of the cart 6 which has reached the terminal end of the upper working path section 2. As a result, the empty cart 6 rides onto the lifting platform 25 of the first lifting route section 4, and thus returns to its initial state.

In this manner, parts supplied from the -blade side can be assembled while moving the vehicle body 8 in a meandering manner in the work equipment in which the upper work path section 2 is arranged closely in parallel.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 4.

The difference from the first embodiment is a ranking change device 37. In other words, the order changing device 37 has an inner conveyor section 52 disposed close to the transport conveyor 32, an outer conveyor section 53 disposed in parallel at a distant position, and between the start and end ends of these conveyor sections 52 and 53. The relay conveyor section 54 connects to the relay conveyor section 54.
55 to form a circular path 5Ili. Transfer tools 57 and 58 are provided between the start and end ends of the inner conveyor section 52 and the transport conveyor 32, respectively.

According to this second embodiment, the excess parts case 12 on the transport conveyor 32 is taken out to the end of the inner conveyor section 52 by a transfer tool 57. When there is a request for the missing parts case 12 from the conveyor 32 side,
Each conveyor section 52, 53, 54, 55 is driven to move the component case 12 along the annular path 5B, and after stopping the corresponding component case 12 at the starting end of the inner conveyor section 52, the receiver is transferred to the conveyor by the transfer tool 58. Put it in 32.

In the above embodiment, the carriage 6 is shown as the movable body, but this may be a combination of a pallet and a conveyor, or a self-propelled carriage supported and guided by rails (train type).

Further, in the embodiment described above, the upper working route section 2 is arranged in parallel and the vehicle body 8 is moved in a meandering manner, but this may be a format in which only one upper working route section 2 is provided.

Effects of the Invention According to the first aspect of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the parts case, which is made up of sets containing parts corresponding to the type of the to-be-assembled objects, is conveyed in accordance with the flow of the to-be-assembled objects on the assembly line. By transporting the parts cases and loading them onto the movable body at the transfer section, the movable body loaded with the corresponding parts to be assembled and the parts cases can be moved on the assembly line. can be easily and accurately supplied. After getting on the movable body, the worker can assemble the parts set in the parts case at the desired location on the object to be assembled, and thus all work can be done on the trolley. This allows you to shorten walking distance and reduce labor.

During such work, when the order of the objects to be assembled is disrupted, the order changing device is operated accordingly. In other words, surplus parts cases caused by a disordered order can be taken out from the conveyor and stored, and missing parts cases caused by a disordered order can be put into the conveyor from the storage section.

As a result, even if various types of objects to be assembled are moved out of order, it can be quickly dealt with.

Further, according to the configuration of the second invention, the movable body is moved on the circulation path with the parallel portion in the vertical direction, and the movable body is moved between the movable bodies located at the ends of the adjacent upper work path portions by the transfer device. By moving the objects, it is possible to arrange the assembly line with the upper work paths closely parallel to each other, and the desired assembly can be carried out while conveying the objects in a meandering manner, allowing the equipment to be easily assembled. The whole can be summarized compactly and intensively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of the main part, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the same, and FIG. 3 is an overall view. A schematic plan view, FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of the main part showing the second embodiment. 1. Circulation path section, 2. Upper working path section, 3. Lower return path section, 4. First lifting path section, 5. Second lifting path section, 6. Cart (movable body), 8. Vehicle body (object to be assembled), 9. Support section, 10. Case mounting section, 12..
Parts case, 25. 28... Lifting platform, 32... Conveyor for transport, 33... Transfer section, 37... Order changing device, 40
11. Assembly line, 41.. 1st transfer device, 46.
-Second transfer device, 50...assembly equipment.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A movable body is provided to support and convey objects to be assembled, and along an assembly line along which this movable body moves, a conveyor for conveying parts cases storing parts for assembly is provided. A transfer section for transferring the component case to the movable body is formed near the end of the transfer conveyor, and a transfer section for transferring the component case to the movable body is formed near the transfer section and on the opposite side of the assembly line. Assembly equipment using a movable body, characterized in that it is equipped with a ranking change device capable of performing the above operations and storage. 2. An assembly line is configured in which a large number of movable bodies are movable on a circulation route having an upper work route section and a lower return route section, and an ascending and descending route section between the start and end of both route sections. A conveyor for transporting parts cases containing assembly parts is arranged along the assembly line, and a transfer section for transferring the parts cases to a movable body is formed near the end of this transport conveyor. and on the opposite side of the assembly line, there is provided a ranking change device that can take out and put component cases into and out of the conveyor and can be stored, and a device that covers the beginning and end of the upper work path section, respectively. Assembly equipment using movable bodies, characterized by being equipped with an assembly transfer device.