Sony Corporation

Naruhiko Abe

Tsuyoshi Inoue

Akira Kimura

Tadashi Watanabe

Hideo Kawabe

Shoichi Hayashi

Hideo Nagasaki

To provide a compact parts feeding apparatus capable of reducing the parts stock in the line, and facilitate the exchange between different kinds of devices, a first transfer unit 200A of a transferring and positioning arrangement 200C of a parts feeding apparatus 200, transfers a tray T carrying parts PB upward in a first direction Z1 from a conveyor arrangement 14. A positioning unit 200D positions the tray T carrying the parts PB in a determined position within the assembly range of an assembling body 10 of the first transfer unit 200A. A second transfer unit 200B descends in a second direction Z2 opposite to the first direction, to transfer the positioned tray T to the first transfer unit 200a or to discharge the tray T after it has been emptied of parts onto the conveyor arrangement 14.

Parts feeding apparatus and parts feeding process

To provide a compact parts feeding apparatus capable of reducing the parts stock in the line, and facilitate between different kinds of devices, a first transfer unit 200A of a transferring and positioning arrangement 200C of a parts feeding apparatus 200, transfers a tray T carrying parts PB upward in a first direction Z1 from conveyor arrangement 14. A positioning unit 200D the tray T carrying the parts PB in a determined position within the assembling range of a assembling body 10 from the first transfer unit 200A. A second transfer unit 200B descends in a second direction Z2 opposite to the first direction, to transfer the positioned tray T to the first transfer unit 200a or to discharge the tray T after it has been emptied of parts onto the conveyor arrangement 14.

A work holding device is intended for use in combination with a processing machine, such as an assembling apparatus, an industrial robot or a machine tool. The work holding device comprises a base plate (8), a slide base (9) supported for vertical movement on the base plate (8), a swivel head (10) supported for turning on the slide base (9), and a rotary table (11) supported on the swivel head for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of turning of the swivel head. The slide base (9), the swivel head (10) and the rotary table (11) are controlled properly to set a work (12) held on the rotary table (11) in an optional position relative to the associated processing machine. The work holding device and the processing machine are controlled for synchronous operation by a single controller according to a control program.

Work holding device

Disclosed is an assembling and machining apparatus which allows flexibly for changes in the machining/assembling setup following a modification in the production line configuration, thereby reducing the down time that occurs between such changes. Workpieces and/or part feeding pallets circulate along a loop-like transfer path composed of a first and a second transfer path and of two return units. A transfer unit takes the necessary workpiece or pallet from the circulation on the transfer path into a working area of one assembling/machining unit for work. With the current work completed, the workpiece or pallet is returned to the transfer path for subsequent work. The process is suitably performed by each assembling/machining unit. The workpiece or pallet on which all work is completed is detected by detecting means, either for transfer to the transfer path of the next adjacent assembling and machining apparatus or for ejection out of the current apparatus.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Naruhiko Abe