Production line

• US 7,555,823 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Arai, Shigehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cadugan; Erica E
• Application Number:
  US11/177,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 29/33.P, 295/63, 29/33.S, 29/33.D, 29/33.T, 295/60, 295/64, 198/345.3, 198/346.1, 409/172, 409/159, 483/15
• US Class Current: 29/563
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/0054 Means for adjusting the position of a machine tool with respect to its supporting surface B23Q1/262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 37/005 Modular base frames
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 37/007 Modular machining stations designed to be linked to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 39/04 the sub-assemblies being arranged to operate simultaneously at different stations, e.g. with an annular work-table moved in steps associations of machines connected only by work-transferring means B23Q41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 41/02 Features relating to transfer of work between machines arrangements for handling work for machine tools coordinated in production lines B23Q7/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/50 Convertible metal working machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5124 with means to feed work intermittently from one tool station to another
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/165 Plural machine tools, e.g., flexible manufacturing

Abstract

A production line comprises production devices arranged in a line for machining a workpiece by conveyance of the workpiece successively to the production devices. Each of the production devices has a machine for machining the workpiece, an individual base for supporting the machine, a mounting unit that removably integrally mounts the machine on a surface of the individual base, and a positioning/moving unit that positions the machine on the surface of the individual base and that facilitates sliding movement of the machine along the surface of the individual base to permit the machine to be slidingly drawn of f of the surface of the individual base when the machine is not mounted on the surface of the individual base by the mounting unit. The line unit also comprises a maintenance stand onto which the machine slidingly drawn off of the surface of the individual base is placed for transportation away from the production line and/or for undergoing a maintenance operation.

Claims

1. A production line comprising:

a base;

a plurality of machines that machine a workpiece and are arranged in a line on a machine placing surface of the base;

an inter-machine workpiece conveying device that delivers the work-piece between a workpiece delivery position of one of the machines and a workpiece receiving position of another one of the machines;

positioning/fixing means for positioning and fixing each of the machines in the line onto the machine placing surface of the base, the positioning/fixing means of each of the machines comprising components having a common structure and common dimensions, the components of each of the positioning/fixing means comprising a stopper provided with respect to the movement direction of the respective machine for positioning the respective machine in a longitudinal direction thereof, a plurality of first screw holes provided in the machine placing surface of the base, a plurality of second screw holes provided in the respective machine for alignment with the respective first screw holes when the respective machine is arranged on the machine placing surface of the base, and a plurality of screw bolts for engagement with the respective first and second screw holes to removably fix the respective machine on the machine placing surface of the base; and

moving means for facilitating sliding movement of each of the machines along the machine placing surface of the base, the moving means each comprising a movement guide extending along a movement direction of the respective machine and a ball that engages with the respective movement guide to position the respective machine in a lateral direction thereof.

2. A production line according to claim 1;

wherein the machines have a common base frame width.

3. A production line according to claim 1;

wherein the machines are equally spaced apart from one another.

4. A production line according to claim 1;

wherein the moving means of each of the machines comprises components having a common structure and common dimensions.

5. A production line comprising:

a base;

a plurality of machines that machine a workpiece and are arranged in a line on a machine placing surface of the base;

an inter-machine workpiece conveying device that delivers the workpiece between a workpiece delivery position of one of the machines and a workpiece receiving position of another one of the machines;

positioning/fixing means for positioning and fixing each of the machines in the line onto the machine placing surface of the base; and

moving means for facilitating sliding movement of each of the machines along the machine placing surface of the base, the moving means comprising a v-groove rail extending along a movement direction of the respective machine, a ball that engages with the V-groove rail, and a hydropneumatic device for urging the ball toward the V-groove rail to lift the respective machine from the machine placing surface of the base.

6. A production line according to claim 5;

wherein the V-groove rail is provided on the base and the ball and the hydropneumatic device are provided on a base frame of the respective machine.

7. A production line comprising:

a base;

a plurality of machines that machine a workpiece and are arranged in a line on a machine placing surface of the base;

an inter-machine workpiece conveying device that delivers the workpiece between a workpiece deliver, position of one of the machines and a workpiece receiving position of another one of the machines;

positioning/fixing means for positioning and fixing each of the machines in the line onto the machine placing surface of the base;

moving means for facilitating sliding movement of each of the machines along the machine placing surface of the base to permit the respective machine to be slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base; and

a maintenance stand onto which the respective machine slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base by the moving means is placed, the maintenance stand having a rigidity and vibration-proof property that are equivalent to those of the base, wherein the maintenance stand includes;

a machine placing surface for directly placing thereon the respective machine, which is slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base, by arranging the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand in contact with the machine placing surface of the base;

height adjusting means for adjusting a leveling and height of the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand;

positioning means for positioning the respective machine on the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand; and

fixing means for fixing the positioned respective machine on the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand.

8. A production line according to claim 7;

wherein the positioning means of the maintenance stand comprises a fence surrounding the respective machine and provided along three peripheral sides of the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand excluding a machine receiving side thereof.

9. A production line according to claim 7;

further comprisifl9 a plurality of control devices each connected to the respective machines through a detachable cable for controlling activation of the respective machine;

wherein when the respective machine is slidingly drawn oft of the machine placing surface of the base and placed on the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand, the respective machine and the corresponding control device are connected to each other via an extension cable.

10. A production line according to claim 7;

further comprising a plurality of fluid supply devices each connected to the respective machines through detachable piping for supplying a fluid to the respective machine;

wherein when the respective machine is slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base and placed on the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand, the respective machine and the corresponding fluid supply device are connected to each other via a flexible extension tube.

11. A production line according to claim 7;

wherein the maintenance stand comprises a caster-equipped cart.

12. A production line according to claim 11;

wherein the caster-equipped cart comprises a control device accommodating portion that accommodates a control device for controlling activation of the respective machine.

13. A production line according to claim 11;

wherein the caster-equipped cart comprises a fluid supply device accommodating portion that accommodates a fluid supply device for supplying a fluid to the respective machine.

14. A production line according to claim 7;

wherein the base comprises a plurality of split bases; and

further comprising connecting means for detachably connecting the plurality of split bases to each other and to the maintenance stand.

15. A production line comprising:

a base;

a plurality of machines that machine a workpiece and are arranged in a line on a machine placing surface of the base;

an inter-machine workpiece conveying a device that delivers the workpiece between a. workpiece delivery position of one of the machines and a workpiece receiving position of another one of the machines;

positioning/fixing means for positioning and fixing each of the machines in the line onto the machine placing surface of the base. the positioning/fixing means including fixing means comprising first screw-coupling means for fastening the base and the respective machine to each others;

moving means for facilitating sliding movement of each of the machines along the machine placing surface of the base to permit the respective machine to be slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base;

a maintenance stand onto which each of the machines slidingly drawn off of the machine placing surface of the base by the moving means is placed, the maintenance stand having the same height as the base; and

second screw-coupling means provided between the maintenance stand and the respective machine for screw-coupling the respective machine to the maintenance stand.

16. A production line according to claim 15;

wherein the base comprises a plurality of split bases; and

further comprising connecting means for detachably connecting the plurality of split bases to each other and to the maintenance stand.

17. A production line according to claim 15;

wherein the maintenance stand comprises a caster-equipped cart.

18. A production line comprising:

a plurality of production devices arranged in a line for machining a workpiece by conveyance of the workpiece successively to the production devices, each of the production devices having a machine for machining the workpiece, an individual base for supporting the machine, a mounting unit that removably integrally mounts the machine on a surface of the individual base, and a positioning moving unit hat positions the machine on the surface of the individual base and that facilitates sliding movement of the machine along the surface of the individual base to permit the machine to be slidingly drawn off of the surface of the individual base when the machine is not mounted on the surface of the individual base by the mounting unit; and

a maintenance stand onto which the machine slidinglv drawn off of the surface of the individual base is placed for transportation away from the production line and/or for undergoing a maintenance operation;

wherein the positioning/moving unit comprises at least one grooved rail formed on the surface of the individual base, a ball that engages the grooved rail, a hydropneumatic device that urges the ball into engagement with the grooved rail to position the machine on the individual base in a lateral direction of the machine and to permit the machine to be slidingly drawn off of the surface of the individual base in a longitudinal direction of the machine, and a stopper mounted on a base frame of the individual base for positioning the machine in the longitudinal direction of the machine.