Working system and work method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11351639-B2
Application number	US-201817040584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A working system includes a first work station and a second work station. The first work station includes a first conveying unit, a second conveying unit, a first positioning unit, and a first work unit that carries out a predetermined work for a workpiece positioned on the first conveying unit. The second work station includes a third conveying unit, a fourth conveying unit, a second positioning unit, and a second work unit that carries out a predetermined work for the workpiece positioned on the fourth conveying unit. The third conveying unit is connected to a downstream portion of the first conveying unit, and the fourth conveying unit is connected to a downstream portion of the second conveying unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A working system comprising:
a first conveying lane conveying a first workpiece and a second workpiece,
a second conveying lane conveying the second workpiece,
a first work station that carries out a predetermined work for the first workpiece conveyed on the first conveying lane;
a second work station disposed in series downstream of the first work station to carry out the predetermined work for the second workpiece conveyed on the second conveying lane, and
a branch unit disposed on an upstream side of the first work station,
wherein the first work station includes
a first conveying unit that conveys the first workpiece,
a second conveying unit juxtaposed with the first conveying unit to convey the second workpiece,
a first positioning unit that positions the first workpiece conveyed by the first conveying unit at a predetermined position inside the first work station, and
a first work unit that carries out the predetermined work for the first workpiece positioned on the first conveying unit by the first positioning unit,

the second work station includes
a third conveying unit that conveys the first workpiece,
a fourth conveying unit juxtaposed with the third conveying unit to convey the second workpiece,
a second positioning unit that positions the second workpiece conveyed by the fourth conveying unit at a predetermined position inside the second work station, and
a second work unit that carries out the predetermined work for the second workpiece positioned on the fourth conveying unit by the second positioning unit,

each of the first work station and the second work station includes
a partition member that partitions a work space for carrying out the predetermined work and an external space outside the work space, and
a frame body on which the partition member is mounted,

an upper end of the frame body includes a pair of beams extending in an X-and a pair of beams extending in a Y-direction,
each of the first work unit and the second work unit includes
a pair of X-axis sliders moving in the X-direction along X-axis rails provided in the pair of beams extending in the X-direction,
a Y-axis guide provided across the pair of X-axis sliders,
a Y-axis slider moving in the Y-direction along the Y-axis guide,
a Z-axis guide provided integrally with the Y-axis slider,
a Z-axis slider moving in a Z-direction along the Z-axis guide, and
a work tool held at a lower end of the Z-axis slider,

the third conveying unit is connected to a downstream portion of the first conveying unit,
the first conveying lane includes the first conveying unit and the third conveying unit,
the fourth conveying unit is connected to a downstream portion of the second conveying unit,
the second conveying lane includes the second conveying unit and the fourth conveying unit,
the branch unit connects an upstream portion of the first conveying unit and an upstream portion of the second conveying unit,
the branch unit includes a first turntable,
the first turntable includes a fifth conveying unit,
the first conveying lane further includes the fifth conveying unit, and
the first turntable supports the fifth conveying unit to be rotatable to connect a downstream portion of the fifth conveying unit to the upstream portion of the first conveying unit or to the second conveying lane.

2. The working system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first work station further includes
a first movement unit that moves the first work unit, and
a first control instrument that controls the first movement unit and the first work unit,

the second work station further includes
a second movement unit that moves the second work unit, and
a second control instrument that controls the second movement unit and the second work unit.

3. The working system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first movement unit includes a first guide which is included in the X-axis rails of the first work unit and provided above the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit, and a first slider which is included in the pair of X-axis sliders of the first work unit and movable along the first guide,
the first work unit is provided on the first slider,
the second movement unit includes a second guide which is included in the X-axis rails of the second work unit and provided above the third conveying unit and the fourth conveying unit, and a second slider which is included in the pair of X-axis sliders of the second work unit and movable along the second guide, and
the second work unit is provided on the second slider.

4. The working system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first work unit includes
a first reverser that reverses the first workpiece conveyed by the first conveying unit, and
a first work tool that carries out the predetermined work for the first workpiece, and

the second work unit includes
a second reverser that reverses the second workpiece conveyed by the fourth conveying unit, and
a second work tool that carries out the predetermined work for the second workpiece.

5. The working system according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the first work station and the second work station includes
an opening-closing member provided in the partition member to open and close a first opening formed in the partition member, and
an instrument attachment member provided in the partition member, and to which a first control instrument that controls a first movement unit that moves the first work unit and the first work unit, or a second control instrument that controls a second movement unit that moves the second work unit and the second work unit is attached, and

the partition member has a plurality of common mounting parts on which the opening-closing member or the instrument attachment member is selectively mounted.

6. The working system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the frame body of the first work station includes
a first positioning unit support part that supports the first positioning unit, and
a first work unit support part that supports the first work unit,

the frame body of the second work station includes
a second positioning unit support part that supports the second positioning unit and
a second work unit support part that supports the second work unit, and

each of the frame body of the first work station and the frame body of the second work station includes a partition member mounting part on which the partition member is mounted.

7. The working system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the frame body includes a base, a pillar supported by the base, and a beam supported by the pillar,
the positioning unit support part is provided on the base or the pillar, and
the work unit support part is provided on the beam.

8. The working system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the frame body includes a base, a pillar supported by the base, and a beam supported by the pillar,
the positioning unit support part is provided on the base or the pillar, and
the work unit support part is provided on the base.

9. The working system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the work unit support part of at least one of the first work station and the second work station further includes a plane movement mechanism that moves the first work unit or the second work unit on a plane.

10. The working system according to claim 5 ,
wherein at least one of the first work station and the second work station includes
a control device that performs higher-level control on all instruments included in the one of first work station and the second work station, and

the frame body of the one of the first work station and the second work station includes a control device support par

Assignees

• Hirata Spinning

Inventors

• Tachibana Katsuyoshi

Classifications

• B23P21/006

  the conveying means comprising a rotating table · CPC title

• B23P21/004 Primary

  the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed · CPC title

• B23P19/008

  the parts being continuously transported through the machine during assembling or disassembling · CPC title

• B65G37/02

  Flow-sheets for conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops · CPC title

• B23P19/04 Primary

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title