Vehicle assembling-and-feeding system

• US 4,738,022 A
• Filed: 10/06/1986
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Shunji, Watanabe, Tuyoshi, Okamizu, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, Howard N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rawlins, Andrew E.
• Application Number:
  US06/915,659
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 29/33 P, 29/429, 29/430, 29/469, 29/709, 29/791, 29/793, 29/794, 29/799, 29/822, 29/823, 29/824, 29/711, 29/712, 198/394, 198/395, 198/345, 198/414, 198/858, 198/859
• US Class Current: 29/712
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5196 Multiple station with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53048 Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53413 and primary central conveyor

Abstract

A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system comprises an engine/suspension feeding line which travels through an engine assembly line and a first suspension assembly line for assembling one of front and rear suspensions to feed the engine and said one suspension, a suspension feeding line which travels through a second suspension assembly line for assembling the other suspension to feed the suspension, a body feeding line for feeding a vehicle body in indexed feed fashion, a slippage detecting station which is provided midway along the body feeding means to detect slippage in the position of the vehicle body fed by the body feeding means in indexed feed fashion, a mounting station disposed downstream of the slippage detecting station, and a mingling feed line which alternately feeds to the mounting station the material fed by the engine/suspension feeding means and the material fed by the suspension feeding means. An automatic mounting device is provided at the mounting station. The automatic mounting device has a pair of mounting tables which are three-dimensionally movable, one being adapted to receive the engine and said one suspension and the other being adapted to receive said other suspension. The automatic mounting device is controlled to compensate for the slippage of the position of the vehicle body detected at the slippage detecting station.

Claims

1. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system comprising:

an engine/suspension feeding means for conveying engines and suspensions, which travels through an engine assembly line and a first suspension assembly line, for assembling one of front and rear suspensions so as to feed the engine and said one supension,

a suspension feeding means which travels through a second suspension assembly line for assembling the other one of said front and rear suspensions so as to feed said other suspension,

a body feeding means for feeding a vehicle body in indexed feed fashion,

a slippage detecting station for detecting slippage of a vehicle body relative to a predetermined target vehicle body position, the vehicle body being fed by the body feeding means in indexed feed fashion,

a mounting station disposed downstream of the slippage detecting station,

a mingling feed means which alternately feeds to the mounting station material fed by the engine/suspension feeding means and material fed by the suspension feeding means,

an automatic mounting means which is provided at the mounting station and which has a pair of mounting tables which are movable in at least two dimensions,

one of said pair mounting tables being adapted to receive the engine and said one suspension, and the other one of said pair of mounting tables being adapted to receive said other suspension, and

a compensating means for controlling the automatic mounting means to compensate for the slippage of the position of the vehicle body, relative to said predetermined target vehicle body position, detected at the slippage detecting station.

2. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 2 in which each of the mounting tables is movable up and down, in the vehicle body feeding direction and in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle body feeding direction.

3. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 2 in which said slippage detecting station is provided with a visual sensor for detecting slippage in the position of the vehicle body.

4. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 2 in which said vehicle body is transferred from a continuous feed means to said body feeding means for feeding a vehicle body in indexed feed fashion.

5. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 2 in which each of said mounting tables is rotatable about a vertical axis.

6. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 2 in which said mingling feed means branches out into the engine/suspension feeding means and suspension feeding means downstream of the mounting station.

7. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system as defined in claim 6 in which said engine/suspension feeding means travels through a perimeter mounting station between the engine assembly line and the first suspension assembly line.

8. A vehicle assembling-and-feeding system comprising:

an engine/suspension feeding means for conveying engines and suspensions, which travels through (a) an engine assembly line and (b) a first suspension assembly line, for assembling one of front and rear suspensions so as to feed the engine and said one suspension,

a suspension feeding means which travels through a second suspension assembly line for assembling the other one of said front and rear suspensions so as to feed said other suspension,

a body feeding means for feeding a vehicle body in indexed feed fashion,

a slippage detecting station which is provided midway in the position of the vehicle body relative to a predetermined target vehicle body position, the vehicle body being fed by the body feeding means in indexed feed fashion,

a mounting station disposed downstream of the slippage detecting station,

a mingling feed means which alternately feeds to the mounting station material fed by the engine/suspension feeding means and material fed by the suspension feeding means,

an automatic mounting means which is provided at the mounting station and which has a mounting table which is movable in at least two dimensions,

said mounting table being adapted to receive the engine or suspension, and

a compensating means for controlling the automatic mounting means to compensate for the slippage of the position of the vehicle body, relative to said predetermined target vehicle body position, detected at the slippage detecting station.

9. A vehichle assembling-and-feeding system comprising:

an engine/suspension feeding means for conveying engines and suspensions, which travels through (a) an engine assembly line and (b) a first suspension assembly line, for assembling one of front and rear suspensions so as to feed the engine and said one suspension,

a suspension feeding means which travels through a second suspension assembly line for assembling the other one of said front and rear suspensions so as to feed said other suspension,

a body feeding means for feeding a vehicle body in indexed feed fashion,

a slippage detecting station for detecting slippage of a vehicle body relative to a predetermined target vehicle body position, the vehicle body being fed by the body feeding means in indexed feed fashion,

a mounting station disposed downstream of the slippage detecting station, whereby said slippage is detected prior to arrival of the vehicle body at said mounting station,

a mingling feed means which alternately feeds to the mounting station material fed by the engine/suspension feeding means and material fed by the suspension feeding means,

an automatic mounting means which is provided at the mounting station and which has a mounting table which is movable in at least two dimensions,

said mounting table being adapted to receive the engine or suspension, and

a compensating means for controlling the automatic mounting means to compensate for the slippage of the position of the vehicle body, relative to said predetermined target vehicle body position, detected at the slippage detecting station.