Automatic assembling apparatus

• US 5,513,428 A
• Filed: 08/04/1994
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Niimi, Atsushi, Yamauchi, Keiji, Inamori, Tadakazu, Chiba, Hidemi, Shiramizu, Kosuke, Uruno, Kiyokazu, Ito, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US08/256,863
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 29/705, 29/712, 29/714, 29/711, 29/783, 29/784, 29/786, 29/787, 29/793, 29/794, 29/795, 29/799, 29/802, 29/823, 29/824
• US Class Current: 29/712
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/008 the assembling machines or tools moving synchronously with the units while these are being assembled
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/10 the sub-units or components being engines, clutches or transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53365 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53378 including converging conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53383 and means to fasten work parts together
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53409 including converging conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53417 Means to fasten work parts together

Abstract

An automatic assembling apparatus automatically assembles such parts as an engine and a suspension to each work such as a car body conveyed by a conveyor. The system includes a parts truck and a screwing truck. The parts truck can be moved parallel to the conveying path of the conveyor and includes a coupling mechanism for coupling it to the conveyor and an approach truck for approaching the work while carrying the parts. The system further includes a screwing truck which can be moved parallel to the conveying path of the conveyor and includes a coupling mechanism for coupling it to the conveyor and a screwing mechanism for effecting screwing by approaching the work. The parts truck and the screwing truck are coupled to the conveyor and are moved in synchronism with the work. The parts are positioned as the approach truck approaches, and the screwing is effected as the screwing mechanism approaches. The parts are assembled without stop of the work.

Claims

1. An automatic assembling apparatus for positioning parts with respect to a work being conveyed continuously and screwing the positioned parts to the work, comprising:

a work conveyor for conveying the work continuously without stop;

a parts truck including an approach truck for approaching the work while carrying the parts thereon and a coupling mechanism to be coupled to the work conveyor, the parts truck being capable of being moved by the work conveyor in parallel to at least part of the conveying path of the work conveyor; and

a screwing truck including a screwing mechanism for approaching a screwing position of a part positioned at a mounting position of the work by the approach of!the approach truck and a coupling mechanism to be coupled to the work conveyor, the screwing truck being capable of being moved by the Work conveyor in parallel to the path of movement of the parts truck;

each of the parts being positioned with respect to the work conveyed continuously without stop as the approach truck is driven to approach the work while the parts truck is moved with the work, each of the positioned parts being screwed by the screwing mechanism driven to approach the work while the screwing truck is moved with the work.

2. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a parts truck conveyor for returning the parts truck from an end position in the path of the work conveyor to a start position in the path of the work conveyor, thus permitting repeated use of the parts truck.

3. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screwing truck includes a self-running mechanism for running the screwing truck from an end position in the path of the work conveyor to a start position in the path of the work conveyor, thus permitting repeated use of the screwing truck.

4. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the work and the approach truck in a predetermined positional relation, the positioning mechanism being provided between the work and the approach truck.

5. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the approach truck and the screwing truck in a predetermined positional relation, the positioning mechanism being provided between the approach truck and the screwing truck.

6. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a back-up zone is provided downstream from the screwing truck.

7. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parts are mounted on the approach truck via a pallet and are positioned by the pallet such that the parts are held in the same positional relation as that of the mounting positions of the parts with respect to the work.

8. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the work and the pallet in a predetermined positional relation, the positioning mechanism being provided between the work and the pallet.

9. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a positioning mechanism for positioning the pallet and the screwing mechanism in a predetermined positional relation, the positioning mechanism being provided between the pallet and the screwing mechanism.

10. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a socket having one end adapted to be coupled to a screw head and the other end adapted to be coupled to the screwing mechanism is provided for relative movement to the pallet.

11. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the socket is capable of being mounted on and dismounted from an edge of the pallet and capable of being moved without interference with the pallet with changes in the position of the screwing mechanism.

12. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a lock mechanism is provided between the pallet and the socket such that it is unlocked when the screwing mechanism approaches the work and is locked when the screwing mechanism is separated from the work.

13. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a lock mechanism is provided between the screwing mechanism and the socket.

14. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pallet is capable of being removed from the approach truck.

15. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the pallet can be disassembled into a plurality of divisions and also made into a single integral structure;

the parts truck includes a pallet drive mechanism for moving the pallet and pallet securing mechanisms provided at a plurality of positions to secure the pallet to the approach truck; and

the divisions of the pallet are successively secured to the approach truck so that the pallet is disassembled into a plurality of divisions, parts being provided on the disassembled pallet such that they are held in a positional relation of mounting with respect to the work.

16. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the pallet is mounted on and dismounted from the parts truck in its single integral structure state.

17. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the parts are set on the pallet in the single integral structure state thereof.

18. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work is a car body, and the parts include an engine.

19. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work is a car body, and the parts include a suspension mechanism.

20. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work is a car body with a steering mechanism mounted thereon, and the parts include a wheel.

21. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

guide truck including a parts guide drive mechanism for causing a parts guide to approach the work and a coupling mechanism for coupling the guide truck to the conveyor, the guide truck being capable of being driven by the conveyor in parallel to the path of movement of the parts truck, an end portion of a part approaching the work being guided by the parts guide as the approach truck approaches the work.

22. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position inspection truck provided downstream a position of start of the path of the parts truck and including a position inspection unit for checking the position of a part on the approach truck and a coupling mechanism for coupling the position inspection truck to the conveyor, the position inspection truck being capable of being moved by the conveyor in parallel to the path of movement of said part truck, the parts on the approach truck being thus capable of being position checked prior to the approaching operation of the approach truck.

23. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the position inspection unit checks the position of the upper end of a shock absorber.

24. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the position inspection unit checks the position of the upper end of a shift lever.

25. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work is a car body with a hub wheel assembled thereon, and further comprising:

a hub wheel position adjusting truck provided upstream the parts truck and including an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the hub wheel to a predetermined position and a coupling mechanism for coupling the hub wheel position adjusting truck to the conveyor, the hub wheel position adjusting truck being capable of being moved with the conveyor, the hub wheel being adjusted to a predetermined position before the approach truck approaches the work.

26. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

a phase adjusting truck provided downstream the hub wheel position adjusting truck and including a phase adjusting mechanism adjusting the hub wheel to a predetermined phase and a coupling mechanism for coupling the hub wheel adjusting truck to the conveyor, the hub wheel being adjusted to a predetermined phase before the approach truck approaches the work.

27. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the parts include a wheel.