Method and system for the assembly of works and method for the assembly of automotive vehicles

• US 6,145,180 A
• Filed: 06/14/1994
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ikemizu, Naoyuki, Yamamoto, Seikichi, Ohsugi, Masakatsu, Kogai, Masamiti, Kihara, Nobuo, Fujioka, Yoshikazu, Osumi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorski, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US08/261,252
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 901/41, 29/429, 29/430, 29/431, 29/784, 29/791, 29/794, 29/795, 29/799, 29/822, 29/823, 29/824
• US Class Current: 29/429
• 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: B62D 65/04 Joining preassembled modular units composed of sub-units performing diverse functions, e.g. engine and bonnet B62D65/06 - B62D65/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49829 Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49831 Advancing station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53539 including work conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53543 including transporting track
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53548 and work carrying vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle assembly line has a first line for a first mobile conveyor and a second line for a second mobile conveyor and the first line is connected to the second line with two hanger conveyor lines. Two working robots are disposed to the first mobile conveyor, one being positioned within a cabin of an upper body section and the other being positioned in front of the upper body section. The second mobile conveyor has a mechanism for altering a posture of the upper body section and a height position thereof. To the upper body section are mounted various small parts such as grommets with the first working robot during the course of running the first mobile conveyor in the first line. The second line has plural stations for mounting larger parts such as bumpers to the upper body section which is loaded on the second mobile conveyor and whose posture and position are aligned with the working robots disposed in the plural stations before entering the stations. The upper body section is conveyed again to the first line in which the upper vehicle body section is mounted with various parts and the various parts are fastened with bolts tightly, followed by mounting seats, etc. Then, lower parts such as an engine and suspension are mounted to the assembled vehicle body section.

Claims

1. A method for the assembly of a work in a vehicle body assembly line having at least one of a conveyor and a carriage loaded on a guide rail disposed along the vehicle body assembly line, comprising:

mounting the work so as to be supported by a work-supporting means and then aligned by a work-aligning means on said at least one conveyor and carriage;

loading said at least one conveyor and carriage with a plurality of parts;

loading said at least one conveyor and carriage with a plurality of tools;

assembling a part to the work with a part-assembly robot disposed on said at least one conveyor and carriage during a period of time during which the said at least one conveyor and carriage moves and the work is mounted to the said at least one conveyor and carriage wherein the part is clamped with the part-assembly robot from a pallet disposed on at least one of a conveyor and carriage;

changing the tools of the part-assembly robot in accordance with the parts to be mounted to the work; and

releasing the work from said at least one conveyor and carriage after the assembly of the part with the work by the part-assembly robot.

2. A method for the assembly of a work as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing said at least one conveyor and carriage with a control unit for controlling the part-assembly robot; and

storing operating data in the control unit for operating the part-assembly robot and controlling the part-assembly robot on the basis of the operating data stored therein.

3. A method for the assembly of a work as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

simultaneously mounting the parts to a plurality of works; and

entering the operating data in accordance with the plurality of works into the control unit prior to the start of running said at least one conveyor and carriage.

4. A method for the assembly of a vehicle body section of an automotive vehicle in a vehicle body assembly line having at least one of a conveyor and a carriage loaded on a guide rail disposed along the vehicle body assembly line, comprising:

separating the vehicle body section by removing a floor section and a door therefrom prior to mounting said vehicle body section on said at least one conveyor and carriage;

mounting the vehicle body section so as to be supported by a vehicle body section-supporting means and then aligned by a vehicle body section-aligning means on said at least one conveyor and carriage;

locating a working robot within a cabin section of the vehicle body section;

assembling a part to the vehicle body section with the part-assembly robot disposed on said at least one conveyor and carriage during a period of time during which the said at least one conveyor and carriage moves and the vehicle body section is mounted to the said at least one conveyor and carriage, wherein the part is clamped with the part-assembly robot from a pallet disposed on at least one of a conveyor and carriage; and

releasing the vehicle body section from said at least one conveyor and carriage after the assembly of the part with the vehicle body section by the part-assembly robot.

5. A method for the assembly of a vehicle body section as claimed in claim 4, wherein said step of assembling includes assembling parts comprising small parts including a grommet, a wire-harness, a fastener and a clip.

6. A method for the assembly of a vehicle body section of an automotive vehicle in a vehicle body assembly line having at least one of a conveyor and a carriage loaded on a guide rail disposed along the vehicle body assembly line, comprising:

separating the vehicle body section by removing an engine hood and a shroud panel therefrom prior to mounting said vehicle body section on said at least one conveyor and carriage;

mounting the vehicle body section so as to be supported by a vehicle body section-supporting means and then aligned by a vehicle body section-aligning means on said at least one conveyor and carriage;

disposing a working robot in a position in front of or directed toward an engine room section of the vehicle body section;

assembling a part to the vehicle body section with a part-assembly robot disposed on said at least one conveyor and carriage during a period of time during which the said at least one conveyor and carriage moves and the vehicle body section is mounted to the said at least one conveyor and carriage, wherein the part is clamped with the part-assembly robot from a pallet disposed on at least one of a conveyor and carriage; and

releasing the vehicle body section from said at least one conveyor and carriage after the assembly of the part with the vehicle body section by the part-assembly robot.

7. A method for the assembly of a vehicle body section as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of assembling includes assembling parts comprising small parts including a grommet, a wire-harness, a fastener and a clip.