Palette conveyance mechanism and assembling line using it

• US 7,090,068 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/111,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20020162727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 198/465.1, 198/465.2, 198/465.3, 198/580, 198/589
• US Class Current: 198/465.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/02 by means of drums or rotating tables or discs
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/055 some of the rollers being driven
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1426 with work holders not rigidly fixed to the transport devices B23Q7/005, B23Q7/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/06 comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32

Abstract

It is the pallet conveying mechanism to move a pallet P arrived at an end point 17b of a friction conveyer FC2 to a starting point 7a of a friction conveyer FC1 in just as it is the direction without turning. The pallet conveying mechanism is comprised of rollers 34 having a flange portion 34a to contact with the pallet P by arranging along a main frame 31 provided so as to connect the friction conveyer FC 1 and FC 2 with each other and a drive mechanism 35 for driving rollers 34.

Claims

1. A pallet conveying mechanism in a vehicle assembly line comprising a first conveying line and a second conveying line for placing parts on a plurality of pallets in a conveying direction and for conveying the parts, the plurality of pallets have a symmetrical form with respect to a front and a rear side of each of the pallets, a first axis comprises a pallet moving direction, the pallet conveying mechanism carries a vacant pallet along a direction perpendicular to the first axis from one of a plurality of drop lifters which transfers from one of the plurality of pallets parts provided at an end point of the first conveying line, and loading the parts on one of the plurality of pallets to one of the plurality of drop lifters for transferring the parts provided at an opposing starting point of the second conveying line to one of the plurality of pallets and loading the parts on the plurality of pallets, said pallet conveying mechanism comprising;

a plurality of rollers arranged so as to move said vacant pallet perpendicularly to the first axis,

a driving means for rotating said rollers, and

a guide means provided on a peripheral portion of the rollers for preventing said vacant pallet from veering while said vacant pallet is being conveyed.

2. An assembling line comprising;

a first conveying line,

a second conveying line,

a pallet conveying mechanism as set forth in claim 1 connecting the end point of said first conveying line and the starting point of said second conveying line, and

a traverse line connecting the end point of said second conveying line and the starting point of said first conveying line,

wherein, parts are attached to a vehicle body loaded onto said pallet while said pallet is circulated through the assembling line.

3. An assembling line as set forth in claim 2, wherein said traverse line has a turning table at both ends of the traverse line to turn said pallet 90°

around and said traverse line moves said pallet in a direction substantially parallel to said first axis.

4. An assembling line as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second conveying lines are friction conveyors.

5. An assembling line as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a lift to hoist and bring down said pallet for delivering between the friction conveyors.

6. An assembling line as set forth in claim 2, wherein said pallet is conveyed along said first conveying line, and from the end point of said first conveying line to the starting point of said second conveying line, and along said second conveying line, without rotating.

7. The pallet conveying mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle pallet conveying mechanism, wherein the pallet conveys a vehicle.

8. The assembling line as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a vehicle assembling line, wherein the vehicle assembling line assembles a vehicle by attaching parts to the vehicle while the vehicle is transferred by the pallet along the pallet conveying mechanism.

9. The pallet conveying mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a stopping portion causing friction on a surface between the pallet and the stopping portion by rotating at a lower rotating speed than the driver means to stop the pallet.

10. The assembling line according to claim 2, wherein a front and a rear direction of the pallet is changed when the pallet is conveyed from the end point of the first conveying line to the starting point of the second conveying line.

11. A pallet conveying mechanism in a vehicle assembly line comprising:

a first conveying line;

a second conveying line;

a plurality of drop lifters;

a plurality of pallets having symmetrical front and rear sides, wherein the plurality of pallets are conveyed along the first and second conveying lines;

a plurality of rollers;

a driving means for rotating said rollers; and

a guide means provided on a peripheral portion of the rollers,

wherein a first axis comprises a pallet conveying direction,

wherein a vacant pallet is conveyed in a transverse direction which is a direction perpendicular to the first axis,

wherein one of the plurality of drop lifters transfers parts from one of the plurality of pallets provided at an end point of the first conveying line to a starting point of the second conveying line,

wherein the plurality of rollers are arranged to move said vacant pallet perpendicularly to the first axis, and

wherein the guide means prevents said vacant pallet from veering while said vacant pallet is being conveyed in the transverse direction.