Workpiece feeding apparatus

• US 7,137,769 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• 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: Mukumoto, Takaji, Matsunaga, Naoya, Kanbayashi, Satoshi, Nakano, Junichi, Komatsu, Tetsuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENHUT, CHARLES N
• Application Number:
  US10/484,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 198/346.2, 198/465.4, 198/466.1, 198/678.1, 198/681, 198686-6871, 198/348, 414/222.01, 104/96, 104/98, 104/99, 104/112, 104/173.1
• US Class Current: 414/222.01
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/02 Articles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/901 provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only

Abstract

A plurality of working blocks (A, B) are connected by rails (18). A branched transporting mechanism (100) is disposed at the intersections of the rails (18). A transportation vehicle (300) of non-self-propelled type moves on the rails (18) by the driving power of a wire (20). A placement table (450) is positioned in the vicinity of the working blocks (A, B). The placement table (450) moves up and down with a workpiece placed thereon between the transportation vehicle (300) and the working blocks (A, B). Transfer of work is effected by moving the placement table (450) up and down, and adjusting the height of the placement table (450) to the height of the transportation vehicle (300) or to the height of the working blocks (A, B). Further, the transportation vehicle (300) has a wire gripping mechanism (350) for gripping the wire (20), and workpiece placement plates (326a, 326b) for placing the workpiece thereon.

Claims

1. A workpiece feeding apparatus having a feeding apparatus for feeding a workpiece on a plurality of rails held in an elevated position, said feeding apparatus comprising:

a branched transporting mechanism disposed between said rails which are arranged in a crisscross pattern;

transporting means for moving along said rails; and

a non-self-propelled transportation vehicle for transporting the workpiece by engaging and disengaging said transporting means;

wherein said branched transporting mechanism receives said transportation vehicle transported by said transporting means and a first one of the rails and delivers said transportation vehicle to a second one of the rails, said branched transporting mechanism having a rotating mechanism for rotating said transportation vehicle when said transportation vehicle is delivered from said first rail to said second rail, said branched transporting mechanism having a first drive source for driving said transporting means and a second drive source for rotating said rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a third drive source for receiving and delivering said transportation vehicle,

wherein said transporting means comprises a wire trained around pulleys, further comprising tension adjusting means selectively disposed near said branched transporting mechanism for adjusting the tension of said wire when necessary, and wherein said rotating mechanism has a mechanism for holding said transportation vehicle, a drive roller driven by said third drive source, and driven rollers, said drive roller and said driven rollers contacting said transportation vehicle to receive and deliver the transportation vehicle.

2. A workpiece feeding apparatus having a feeding apparatus for feeding a workpiece on a plurality of rails held in an elevated position, said feeding apparatus comprising:

a branched transporting mechanism disposed between said rails which are arranged in a crisscross pattern;

transporting means for moving along said rails; and

a non-self-propelled transportation vehicle for transporting the workpiece by engaging and disengaging said transporting means;

wherein said branched transporting mechanism receives said transportation vehicle transported by said transporting means and a first one of the rails and delivers said transportation vehicle to a second one of the rails, said branched transporting mechanism having a rotating mechanism for rotating said transportation vehicle when said transportation vehicle is delivered from said first rail to said second rail, said branched transporting mechanism having a first drive source for driving said transporting means and a second drive source for rotating said rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a third drive source for receiving and delivering said transportation vehicle,

wherein said transporting means comprises a wire trained around pulleys, further comprising tension adjusting means selectively disposed near said branched transporting mechanism for adjusting the tension of said wire when necessary, and wherein said transportation vehicle has a wire gripping and releasing mechanism, said branched transporting mechanism having wire grip release plates for abutting against said wire gripping and releasing mechanism to release said wire from said wire gripping and releasing mechanism.

3. A workpiece feeding apparatus having a feeding apparatus for feeding a workpiece on a plurality of rails held in an elevated position, said feeding apparatus comprising:

a branched transporting mechanism disposed between said rails which are arranged in a crisscross pattern;

transporting means for moving along said rails; and

a non-self-propelled transportation vehicle for transporting the workpiece by engaging and disengaging said transporting means;

wherein said branched transporting mechanism receives said transportation vehicle transported by said transporting means and a first one of the rails and delivers said transportation vehicle to a second one of the rails, said branched transporting mechanism having a rotating mechanism for rotating said transportation vehicle when said transportation vehicle is delivered from said first rail to said second rail, said branched transporting mechanism having a first drive source for driving said transporting means and a second drive source for rotating said rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a third drive source for receiving and delivering said transportation vehicle, and

a wire gripping device for bringing said non-self-propelled transportation vehicle into engagement with said moving wire to feed the transportation vehicle to a desired position and releasing said transportation vehicle from the wire at said desired position,

said wire gripping device having first clamp means and second clamp means mounted on said transportation vehicle;

wherein said first clamp means has a pair of first eccentric cams, first urging means for moving said first eccentric cams to bring cam surfaces thereof closely to each other when said wire rotates in said normal direction, and a pair of first gears for rotating said first eccentric cams in synchronism with each other; and

said second clamp means has a pair of second eccentric cams, second urging means for moving said second eccentric cams to bring cam surfaces thereof closely to each other when said wire rotates in said reverse direction, and a pair of second gears for rotating said second eccentric cams in synchronism with each other;

wherein said first clamp means clamps said wire when said wire rotates in a normal direction and said second clamp means unclamps said wire when said wire rotates in said normal direction, and said first clamp means unclamps said wire when said wire rotates in a reverse direction and said second clamp means clamps said wire when said wire rotates in said reverse direction.

4. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a pair of first cam spreading means for forcibly spreading said first eccentric cams away from each other, and a pair of second cam spreading means for forcibly spreading said second eccentric cams away from each other.

5. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first clamp means comprises:

a pair of first grip members for gripping said wire over a predetermined range;

a pair of first rotational members for displacing said first grip members toward or away from said wire while keeping said first grip members substantially parallel to said wire; and

first urging means for urging said first rotational members in a predetermined direction to bring said first grip members closely to each other at all times,

wherein said second clamp means comprises;

a pair of second grip members for gripping said wire over a predetermined range;

a pair of second rotational members for displacing said second grip members toward or away from said wire while keeping said second grip members substantially parallel to said wire; and

second urging means for urging said second rotational members in a predetermined direction to bring said second grip members closely to each other at all times.

6. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first clamp means has a first parallel crank mechanism for keeping said first grip members substantially parallel to said wire, and said second clamp means has a second parallel crank mechanism for keeping said second grip members substantially parallel to said wire.

7. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first clamp means has a pair of first gears for rotating said first rotational members in synchronism with each other, and said second clamp means has a pair of second gears for rotating said second rotational members in synchronism with each other.

8. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first clamp means has a pair of first wire grip release means for forcibly releasing said wire from said first grip members, and said second clamp means has a pair of second wire grip release means for forcibly releasing said wire from said second grip members.

9. A workpiece feeding apparatus having a feeding apparatus for feeding a workpiece on a plurality of rails held in an elevated position, said feeding apparatus comprising:

a branched transporting mechanism disposed between said rails which are arranged in a crisscross pattern;

transporting means for moving along said rails; and

a non-self-propelled transportation vehicle for transporting the workpiece by engaging and disengaging said transporting means;

wherein said branched transporting mechanism receives said transportation vehicle transported by said transporting means and a first one of the rails and delivers said transportation vehicle to a second one of the rails, said branched transporting mechanism having a rotating mechanism for rotating said transportation vehicle when said transportation vehicle is delivered from said first rail to said second rail, said branched transporting mechanism having a first drive source for driving said transporting means and a second drive source for rotating said rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a third drive source for receiving and delivering said transportation vehicle;

a workpiece transfer apparatus for transporting workpieces having different shapes between working blocks, said workpiece transfer apparatus comprising;

a plurality of positioning plates having space areas complementary to the profiles of said workpieces, respectively; and

a drop prevention plate for preventing said workpieces from dropping off;

said positioning plates being stacked such that an upper positioning plate has a large space areas and a lower positioning plate has a small space areas, said drop prevention plate being disposed beneath the lowest positioning plate.

10. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said positioning plates include a first positioning plate having a first space area and a second positioning plate disposed beneath said first positioning plate and having a second space area, wherein if said second positioning plate has a third space area extending out of said first space area of said first positioning plate, then said first space area of said first positioning plate is enlarged to cover said third space area.

11. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said space area of each said positioning plate comprises a space area covering the profile of the workpieces in a reference posture and the profile of the workpieces in a posture which is turned a predetermined angle from said reference posture.

12. A workpiece feeding apparatus having a feeding apparatus for feeding a workpiece on a plurality of rails held in an elevated position, said feeding apparatus comprising:

a branched transporting mechanism disposed between said rails which are arranged in a crisscross pattern;

transporting means for moving along said rails; and

a non-self-propelled transportation vehicle for transporting the workpiece by engaging and disengaging said transporting means;

wherein said branched transporting mechanism receives said transportation vehicle transported by said transporting means and a first one of the rails and delivering said transportation vehicle to a second one of the rails, said branched transporting mechanism having a rotating mechanism for rotating said transportation delivers said transportation vehicle is delivered from said first rail to said second rail, said branched transporting mechanism having a first drive source for driving said transporting means and a second drive source for rotating said rotating mechanism, said rotating mechanism having a third drive source for receiving and delivering said transportation vehicle; and

a workpiece transfer apparatus for transferring a workpiece fed by said transportation vehicle to at least a working position and a transporting position, said workpiece transfer apparatus having a workpiece placement table vertically movable by a drive mechanism, said workpiece placement table having a first workpiece placement surface and a second workpiece placement surface which are vertically spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, said drive mechanism being capable of vertically moving said workpiece placement table and of positioning either one of said first workpiece placement surface and said second workpiece placement surface in a fixed position to place or release a workpiece on said transportation vehicle, said second workpiece placement surface having a passage for said transportation vehicle to pass therethrough.

13. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said workpiece transfer apparatus has a fixing device for positioning and fixing the transportation vehicle with the workpiece placed thereon.

14. A workpiece feeding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first and second workpiece placement surfaces are disposed in lower and upper positions, respectively, and said second workpiece placement surface disposed in the upper position has a gap into which said transportation vehicle enters horizontally.