Technology area

The invention involves construction of an automatic handling device designed for handling items from one place to another, especially for stowing and changing of workpieces at numerically controlled machines and centres, in stores, on assembly lines, in paint shops, etc.

Existing state of technology

At present, there are many specific automatic systems for item handling; their construction and design are especially based on the place they may be utilised in and type of products that are carried. In most cases they include systems with industrial robots or linear drive-based exchange mechanisms in a horizontal or vertical plane. The disadvantage of using the industrial robots is their high purchase price, difficult programming, relatively low carrying capacity and considerable cover area demands when protective fencing of the workplace needs to be provided or the robot placed in a special booth to ensure safety. And the disadvantage of using the linear drive-based exchange mechanisms is their demanding and complicated deformation compensation when the arm is extended and under higher load. Stiffness increase then leads to higher acquisition costs, more robust constructions and therefore higher cover area demands. The common disadvantage of all known systems includes their fixation directly to the machine or floor before or on the side of the machine, which limits the access of the operating staff and basically prevents utilisation of that space by other facilities. Magazines of these handling devices usually include tables, racks, drawers, bands, palettes or tracks from which workpieces are taken or removed by various types of turning or linearly sliding manipulators that are firmly anchored to the floor or common foundation. Designs specified in CZ 271786, CZ 278074, CZ 258611 , CZ 1992-3889 A1 , EP 1481758, EP 1388391 , EP 1775072, EP 1293307, US 2002025757 A1, DE 19641534 or EP 620078 documents can be mentioned as examples of the devices described above.

The task of the submitted invention is to present a new mobile automatic handling device of a relatively simple modular construction that would enable multipurpose utilisation for item handling at various machines, production lines and in stores with front and side feeding. Enabling a trouble-free access to the machine's working space, achieving manipulator's mobility in three axes while ensuring high stiffness and carrying capacity of the construction and meeting the relatively small cover area demand is another challenge of the submitted solution.

Principle of the invention

The goal specified above is fulfilled by an invention involving an automatic handling device designed for handling items from one place to another, especially for stowing and changing of workpieces and including a magazine, manipulator and control unit that is connected to both the control block of the operated device and functional units of the magazine and manipulator. The principle of the invention includes the fact that the device consists of a supporting base fitted with cladding with a magazine and manipulator being fixed to the base surface and connected with the control unit placed outside the cladding; the magazine consists of a rotation- embedded supporting pole on which there is one or more storage areas situated horizontally above each other; the manipulator consists of a height unit, rotation unit and swinging unit that are mutually coupled; there is an adapter fitted with technical means for clamping and transfer of items connected to the end part of the swinging unit.

The advantage option includes a base that is fitted with travel means, fixing position elements and handle, with the supporting pole being provided with the first drive, connected with the control unit and cladding being fitted with an entrance door, at least one stowing window and eventually an inspection hole.

Finally, it is useful when the manipulator consists of a height unit comprising a pole line connected to the base with a height-adjustable sliding unit outside or inside it; this unit is fitted with the second drive and there is a rotation unit fixed by rotating at its open end; the rotation unit is fitted with the third drive and comprises a horizontally situated arm with the swinging unit in form of a parallelogram being fixed to its open end; the swinging unit is fitted with the fourth drive where there is an adapter mounted to the end part of the swinging unit. All drives are connected to the control unit.

The submitted invention brings a new and higher effect seen in its mobility, characterised by its simple design and universal usability for handling various items, e.g. at machines with both front and side stowing of workpieces. As far as the conception is concerned, the device enables programming that is the same or as much similar as at CNC machine; the manipulator system enables to use more programmable zero points and access to both more levels of the magazine 's storage areas and inner spaces of individual storage areas. The end adapter of the parallelogram can be adjusted for connection of technological components with various connection methods, whether mechanical, electromagnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic.

Description of pictures on the attached drawings

A specific example of the invention design is schematically shown on the attached drawings where pic. 1 is an overall axonometric view of the automatic handling device and pic. 2 is an axonometric view of the device from pic. 1 with the cladding being removed and schematically shown connection of the control unit. Invention design examples

The automatic handling device consists of a supporting base 1 with a magazine 2 and manipulator 3 being fixed in its opposite outer parts. The base 1 is formed in a rectangle-shaped advantage and in its bottom part it is fitted with travel means 11, e.g. in form of wheels or rollers. The base 1 is further fitted with position fixation elements 12, with an advantage in form of height-adjustable pillars placed at travel means 12 and control handle 13 fixed to one of the lateral faces of the base 1. The base 1 is fitted with cladding 14 with an entrance door 141, at least one stowing window 142 to enable connecting the cladding's inner space 14 with a not shown working space of the machine. On the side adjacent to the control handle 13, there is an inspection hole 143 to enable the operating staff to orientate themselves when fitting the machine in the working position.

The magazine 2 consists of a rotation-embedded supporting pole 21 with one or more storage areas 22 situated horizontally above each other being fixed on that pole. The rotation of the storage areas is provided by the first drive 23 that is connected with the control unit 4 comprised of e.g. a computer with an interactive display.

The manipulator 3 consists of a height unit 31 comprising a pole line 311 connected to the base 1 using a fixing board 312. In the manipulator's inner cavity there is a height-adjustable sliding unit 313 fitted with the second drive 314 enabling its continuous height adjusting and connection with the control unit 4 that is further connected with the control block 5 of a machine that is not shown. At the open end, e.g. a shaft, of the sliding unit there is a rotation-fixed rotation unit 32 fitted with the third drive 321 , connected with the control unit 4. The rotation unit 32 consists of a horizontally situated arm 322 with a parallelogram-formed swinging unit 33 being fixed to its open end. The movement of the swinging unit 33 is provided by the fourth drive 331 , embedded inside the arm 322 and connected with the control unit 4. An adapter 34 fitted with common, not shown, technical means ensuring clamping and transfer of items from one place to another is fixed to the end part of the swinging unit 33. Whether it concerns mechanical, pneumatic, electromagnetic or hydraulic means is not important for the solution principle.

If workpieces are required to be stowed in the machine, they are magazined up in the preset order to the storage areas 22 of the magazine 2 and the entire handling device is put to the machine's working space and the working position of the handling device is secured by fixation elements 12. Subsequently, the control unit 4 is connected with the control block 5; entry to the inner space of the cladding 14 is blocked and the operating staff initiate the working process. With its adapter 34, the manipulator 3 automatically takes workpieces from the storage areas 22 of the magazine 2 in the preset order and handles them, e.g. puts them to the machines's working space and stores them back after machining. All the activity of the handling device is fully automated with no intervention by the operating staff being necessary during the programmed production cycle.

Industrial utility

The automatic handling device has been designed for handling items from one place to another in various branches of industry, e.g. to provide exchange of workpieces at processing machines and centres for storing and removing of products from storage areas of magazines or racks, when putting items from pallets to assembly lines, etc.