The present invention relates to an apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts for supplying clinch bolts, headed screws, rivets, pins, and other various fastening parts having a head at one end of a shaft part, to an automatic assembling machine, for example, automatic crimping machine of clinch bolt, or automatic screwing machine of headed screw.
In a conventional apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of this type for aligning fastening parts in a longitudinal direction so that the shaft part is positioned in a vertical direction, and supplying coaxially at a lower position of a pressing punch or bit (extruding bar) of an automatic assembling machine, the overall height of the apparatus is increased, and in particular where the shaft part is too long, it may be difficult to assemble into the automatic assembling machine.
To solve such problems, an apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts is disclosed in Patent Publication No. 3300688 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,109 B1) (patent document 1), in which fastening parts are aligned in a lateral direction so that the shaft part may be positioned in a horizontal direction and supplied continuously, and near a pressing punch of an automatic assembling machine, the fastening parts are gripped by a gripping claw provided in an inverting member, and inverted in a longitudinal direction so that the shaft part may be positioned in a vertical direction, and are moved laterally in a horizontal direction and supplied coaxially at a lower position of the pressing punch.
The apparatus for aligned supply disclosed in patent literature 1 can be lowered in the overall height of the apparatus, but requires two actions for inverting and transferring, and moving horizontally (moving laterally) the gripping claw of the fastening parts, and is hence limited in the supply capacity. Especially in the case of fastening parts longer in the shaft pat, there is a risk of contacting with the pressing punch when inverting and transferring the fastening parts by the gripping claw, and it was necessary to modify the layout of the gripping claw or change the entire apparatus configuration.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for aligning fastening parts in a lateral direction so that the shaft part may be positioned in the horizontal direction, and supplying continuously, similar to the apparatus disclosed in patent literature 1, and it is hence an object thereof to present an apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts more compact in the entire configuration of the apparatus, capable of enhancing the supply capacity, and capable of handling fastening parts of a long shaft part without modifying the essential parts of the apparatus.
To solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by the following technical features.
The invention as set forth in claim 1 relates to an apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts for supplying fastening parts having a head part at one end of a shaft part, such as bolts, rivets, and pins, to an automatic assembling machine, including a pressing punch (extruding bar) moving up and down, a supply passage for supplying the fastening parts in a position of lateral direction with the shaft part leading end ahead and the head part behind, continuously from a lateral direction to a lower position of the pressing punch, and a rotary holding claw body disposed at a lower position of the pressing punch, for gripping the fastening parts supplied in a position of a lateral direction by way of the supply passage, passing through an intersection of an axial line of the pressing punch and an axial line of the supply passage, rotating and displacing by a specific angle about a lateral axial line orthogonal to the both axial lines, and positioning and holding the fastening parts coaxially with the pressing punch at a lower position of the pressing punch, in which the rotary holding claw body has a pair of mutually opposing disk-shaped gripping claws, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are forced to press each other by push springs, and the fastening parts are gripped by the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and when the pressing punch descends to press the head part of the fastening parts, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are pushed and expanded by resisting the push springs, and the fastening parts are extruded from the space between the both disk-shaped gripping claws.
The invention as set forth in claim 2 relates to the apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of claim 1, in which a punch holder for mounting the pressing punch is provided with a guide post capable of moving up and down by a specific distance, with respect to the punch holder, being disposed in parallel to the pressing punch, a slide guide fixed on the guide post, and forced downward together with the guide post by spring means interposed with the punch holder, is provided with a through-hole moving up and down in which the pressing punch penetrates, and the supply passage, and the rotary holding claw body is assembled at an intersecting position of the through-hole and the supply passage, so as to be rotatable at a specific angle about the lateral axial line.
The invention as set forth in claim 3 relates to the apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of claim 2, in which the pair of mutually opposing disk-shaped gripping claws of the rotary holding claw body are provided with shaft part gripping grooves of an arc-shaped section for engaging and gripping the shaft parts of the fastening parts on the mutually opposite sides, taper grooves expanding outward continuously to the end parts of the shaft part gripping grooves, and head part stopped step parts formed at the end parts of the taper grooves for stopping the head parts, and are further provided with stopper piece receiving concave parts extending parallel to the shaft part gripping grooves, and opened to the peripheral side surface and mutually contacting surfaces, and flange parts extending along the outer peripheral edges of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and further accommodating holes of the push springs are provided in the center of the outer side of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and the both disk-shaped gripping claws are provided with through-holes for working fluid penetrating and extending parallel to the lateral axial line, and on the other hand, mounting holes of the both disk-shaped gripping claws provided in the slide guide are orthogonal to the through-hole in which the pressing punch penetrates, with the lateral axial line provided in the center of rotation, and the mounting holes are composed of central circular holes sliding and bonding with the peripheral surface of the both mutually opposite disk-shaped gripping claws, and opening circular holes of a larger diameter than the central circular holes sliding and bonding with the outer circumference of the both flange parts, being disposed consecutively to both sides of the central circular hole, and when the both disk-shaped gripping claws are assembled in the mounting holes in the mutually opposite positions, the peripheral surfaces of the both disk-shaped gripping claws are rotatably supported on the central circular holes about the lateral axial line, the both flange parts are bonded to the opening circular holes slidably, and are stopped in step parts formed at the border of the central circular holes and the opening circular holes, and the both disk-shaped gripping claws are prevented from moving in the inward direction, but are allowed to move in the outward direction, and the both disk-shaped gripping claws are forced to push and contact with each other by the push springs inserted in the spring accommodating holes provided on the outside of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and moreover stopper pieces are fitted movably and freely along the both stopper piece receiving concave parts, while working fluid contained in the both through-holes is driven and coupled to drive devices installed in the slide guide, so that the both disk-shaped gripping claws are rotated and displaced by a specific angle about the lateral axial line by the working shaft.
The invention as set forth in claim 4 relates to the apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of claim 3, in which cut-off parts are provided in an angle range corresponding to rotation of the specific angle in the both flange parts of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and when stopping pins inserted into the slide guide from a lateral direction are engaged with the cut-off parts, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are rotated and displaced correctly by the specific angle.
The invention as set forth in claim 5 relates to the apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of claim 4, in which stopper pins inserted in the slide guide and protruding into the both opening circular holes of the mounting holes are engaged tightly with the outer side of the both flange parts of the both disk-shaped gripping claws to prevent the both disk-shaped gripping claws from moving to an outward direction, and when the stopper pins are opposite to the cut-off parts of the both flange parts, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are allowed to move to an outward direction.
The invention as set forth in claim 6 relates to the apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of any one of claims 3 to 5, in which the leading end part of the slide guide is provided with a notch passage in which the pressing punch is inserted from the extending portion of the supply passage and penetrates and opens through the through-hole moving up and down, and extends to an lower end opening, and when the shaft part of the fastening parts gripped by the both disk-shaped gripping claws is long, and protrudes from the shaft part gripping grooves, the protruding shaft part passes through the notch passage along with rotation and displacement of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and is movable up to the lower end opening of the through-hole.
According to the present invention, in a position of a lateral direction with the shaft part leading end forward, and the head part behind, the fastening parts supplied through the supply passage are rotated and displaced, and at a lower position of the pressing punch, the rotary holding claw body for positioning and holding coaxially with the pressing punch is disposed closely to the lower position of the pressing punch, and is rotated and displaced by a specific angle about the axial line, and the essential parts of the apparatus for displacing and supplying the fastening parts from a position in a lateral direction to a position in a longitudinal direction can be composed in a very compact design. At the lower position of the pressing punch, the fastening parts can be positioned and held promptly and accurately, so that the supply capacity may be enhanced.
According to claim 2 of the invention, the slide guide assembled in the punch holder for mounting the pressing punch movably up and down by way of the guide post is provided with the rotary holding claw body and the supply passage, and the entire apparatus can be designed in a compact structure while suppressing the overall height of the entire apparatus.
According to claim 3 of the invention, the head part of the fastening parts gripped and held by the both disk-shaped gripping claws of the rotary holding claw body is pressed by the pressing punch, and the both disk-shaped gripping claws are pushed and opened, and in this state when pushing and sending out the fastening parts from the space between the both disk-shaped gripping claws, the stopper piece fitted freely and movably along the both stopper receiving concave parts blocks the front end opening of the supply passage, and the shaft part of the fastening parts to be supplied next will not invade into the expanded space between the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and the fastening parts can be supplied sequentially by separate each one securely.
According to claim 4 of the invention, when the stopping pins are engaged with the cut-off parts provided in the both flange parts of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, the both disk-shaped gripping claws can be accurately rotated and displaced by a specific angle.
According to claim 5 of the invention, when the fastening parts are inserted into the space between the both disk-shaped gripping claws from the supply passage, since the outward move of the both disk-shaped gripping claws is arrested by the stopper pins, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are prevented from being pushed and expanded by the head part of the fastening parts, and on the other hand, when the both disk-shaped gripping claws gripping the fastening parts are rotated and displaced by a specific angle and the stopper pins are opposite to the cut-off parts provided in the flanges parts, outward move of the both disk-shaped gripping claws is allowed, and when the head part is pressed by the pressing punch, the both disk-shaped gripping claws are pushed and expanded by resisting the push springs, so that there is no problem in rotation, displacement or supply of fastening parts.
According to claim 6 of the invention, if the shaft part of the fastening parts is long, and when gripped by the both disk-shaped gripping claws, if the shaft part protrudes and projects from the shaft part gripping grooves, the protruding shaft part moves to the lower end opening of the through-hole by way of the notch passage provided at the front end part of the slide guide along with rotation and displacement of the both disk-shaped gripping claws, and even if the shaft part of the fastening parts is long, a smooth supply is realized without changing the entire apparatus configuration.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described specifically below by referring to the accompanying drawings.
The drawing shows a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for aligned supply of fastening parts of the present invention applied to an automatic crimping machine for aligning and supplying clinch bolts 11 (see
The pair of disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21 having such shape are opposite to the opposite surfaces 23, 23 as shown in
The both ends of the working shaft 33 inserted into the insertion holes 31,31 of the both disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21 assembled in the slide guide 6 in this manner are interlocked and coupled, as shown in
Moreover, as specifically shown in
The next explanation is about the working process of aligned supply of clinch bolts 11 as fastening parts by the apparatus 1 for aligned supply having the above configuration.
In
Further, as shown in
In this state, when the punch holder 3 and the pressing punch 2 descend in cooperation with the press ram not shown, the slide guide 6 is also pulled down by way of the coil spring 7, and when the lower end face 6a of the descending slide guide 6 stops by abutting against a metallic panel 51 mounted on a die 50, the metallic panel 51 is pressed by the side guide 6 by the spring pressure of the coil spring 7, and is supported on the die 50. When the pressing punch 2 further descends, and presses the head part 13 of the clinch bolts 11 gripped by the both disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21, by this pressing force, the both disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21 are pushed and expanded by resisting the both push springs 34, 34 (see
In this manner, when the clinch bolts 11 are affixed on the metallic panel 51, the punch holder 3 and the pressing punch 2 ascend in cooperation with the press ram not shown, and the air cylinders 40, 40 are operated, and the rods 41, 41 are moved backward. In cooperation with this backward move of the rods 41, 41, the working shaft 3 is pulled back by way of the links 42, 42, and the both disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21 come back to the waiting position shown in
As shown in
In the foregoing preferred embodiment, the present invention is applied to an example of affixing the clinch bolts 11 to the metallic panel 51 by means of the pressing punch 2, but instead of the driver bit of the automatic screw fastening machine, the present invention may be applied to fastening of headed screws by replacing the pressing punch 2 with a driver bit of an automatic screw fastening machine.
In the preferred embodiment, the supply passage 9 is disposed in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the axial line of the pressing punch 2, but the supply passage 9 may be also disposed in a slightly oblique lateral direction to the axial line of the pressing punch 2. In this case, the specific angle of rotation and displacement of the both disk-shaped gripping claws 21, 21 is 90 degrees or less or 90 degrees or more, corresponding to the inclination angle of the supply passage 9 to the pressing punch 2.
1 Apparatus for aligned supply
2 Pressing punch (extruding bar)
3 Punch holder
4 Guide post
6 Slide guide
7 Coil spring (spring means)
8 Through-hole
8
a Lowe end opening of through-hole 8
9 Supply passage
10 Supply hose
(A) Lateral axial line
11 Clinch bolt (fastening part)
12 Screw shaft part (shaft part)
12
a Protruding shaft part
13 Head part
14 Crimping protrusion
15 Mounting hole
16 Central circular hole
17 Opening circular hole
18 Step part
20 Rotary holding claw body
21 Disk-shaped gripping claw
22 Disk-shaped main body
23 Opposite surface
24 Shaft part gripping groove
25 Taper body
26 Head part stopping step part
27 Stopper receiving concave part
28 Flange part
29 Cut-off part
30 Spring accommodating hole
31 Insertion hole
32 Stopper piece
33 Working shaft
40 Air cylinder (drive device)
41 Rod
42 Link
43 Stopping pin
44 Stopper pin
50 Crimping die
51 Metallic panel
52 Passing hole
[Patent document 1] Patent Publication No. 3300688 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,109 B1)
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
JP2010-106144 | May 2010 | JP | national |