Supply device configured to supply workpiece to take-out device and transport device equipped with supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507987-B2
Application number	US-201816034358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

A supply device includes a replenishment device configured to replenish bolts to a surface of a table, and a supply control device configured to control the replenishment device. A determination region for determining the number of bolts is predetermined in a region where the table is disposed. When the number of bolts detected in the determination region is less than a determination value, the supply control device selects a divided region having the lowest bolt number density from among a plurality of divided regions. The supply control device controls the replenishing device so as to replenish bolts to a region of the table corresponding to the selected divided region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A supply device for supplying a workpiece to a take-out device taking out the workpiece, the supply device comprising:
a placement member on which the workpiece placed;
a drive motor rotating the placement member;
a detection device detecting the workpiece placed on the placement member;
a replenishment device replenishing the workpiece to a surface of the placement member; and
a supply control device controlling the replenishment device; wherein
the replenishment device is formed so as to be able to replenish the workpiece to a plurality of positions in a region where the placement member is disposed,
a determination region for determining number of the workpieces is predetermined in the region where the placement member is disposed,
a plurality of divided regions are predetermined in the determination region, and
the supply control device includes a workpiece detection unit detecting number of the workpieces in the entire determination region based on information on the workpiece detected by the detection device, and a region selection unit selecting, when the number of the workpieces detected by the workpiece detection unit is less than a predetermined determination value, a divided region having a lowest number density of workpieces from among the plurality of divided regions, and controls the replenishment device so as to replenish the workpiece in a region of the placement member corresponding to the divided region selected by the region selection unit.

2. The supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the replenishment device includes a discharge part having a plurality of discharge ports aligned in a row in a direction perpendicular to a rotation direction of the placement member, and replenishes the workpiece from a discharge port corresponding to the divided region selected by the region selection unit.

3. A transport device comprising:
the supply device according to claim 1 ;
a take-out device taking out the workpiece placed on the placement member; and
a take-out control device controlling the take-out device; wherein
the detection device is configured to detect a position and orientation of the workpiece,
a detection region for detecting the position and orientation of the workpiece by the detection device and a gripping region in which a workpiece is gripped by the take-out device are predetermined in a region where the placement member is disposed,
the gripping region is disposed downstream from the detection region in a direction in which the placement member rotates, and is disposed upstream from the determination region, and
the take-out control device calculates the position and orientation of the workpiece in the gripping region based on the position and orientation of the workpiece in the detection region, and controls the take-out device so as to grip the workpiece based on the position and orientation of the workpiece in the gripping region.

4. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein the determination region is set to the same size as the gripping region.

5. The transport device according to claim 3 , further comprising an export device exporting the workpiece taken out by the take-out device, wherein
the take-out control device controls the take-out device so as to change a state of the workpiece taken out from the placement member to a predetermined direction and orientation and transport the workpiece to the export device.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Oowatari Hiroshi

Classifications

• B65G47/1457 Primary

  Rotating movement in the plane of the rotating part · CPC title

• G05B2219/37555

  Camera detects orientation, position workpiece, points of workpiece · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title