PURPOSE: To position a robot at its home position, unscramble trays for containing necessary parts, and taking-out and placing the parts by providing a tray supply device which moves to an unscramble position for taking-out and placing the trays, which contain a plurality of parts in their containers with collars for being supported, by the robot.
CONSTITUTION: A tray 1 placed at the top position is taken up from the placing section 18 and is moved to the unscrambled position on a lifting base 22. For this reason, an arm 38 is moved in the direction shown by an arrow H to a stand-by position P5 and then stops. In the next step, a supporting piece 41 is lowered in the direction shown by an arrow E so that the tray 1 may ride on an unscrambling roller. Then, a positioning body Y is moved in the direction shown by both arrows M to unscramble the tray 1 in the direction Y. Then, a positioning body S is moved in the direction shown by both arrows L to unscramble the tray 1. Since by this constitution the tray 1 is placed at the specified position in the X, Y, and Z directions where it can be taken out and placed by a robot, tray taking out and placing operation is repeated by the robot.
TAKAHASHI NOBUYUKI
SHINADA MASATO
NOJIMA HIDEAKI
