JP7510361B2 - Mounting Device - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an attachment device for obtaining a structure in which a second member is fixed to a first member with a packing sandwiched between them.

Industrial product manufacturing processes may include a process for fixing one component to another with a packing sandwiched between them. When fixing the components, a fastening structure using, for example, bolts and nuts is used. When fixing relatively large components, fastening structures are provided in multiple locations to surround both components to be fixed, and the two components are fixed to each other by tightening screws in each fastening structure.

When fastening components using such fastening structures, there can be a problem of the screws loosening at the locations on either side of the fastening structure that has been tightened due to elastic interaction. Therefore, in order to properly fasten components, it is ideal to tighten the fastening structures at multiple locations simultaneously with a uniform torque. Conventionally, when workers performed such fastening work, they typically performed work on each fastening structure, such as provisional tightening with a torque wrench, final tightening, and additional tightening, in a method known as diagonal tightening, in which the screws of the fastening structures in diagonal positions are tightened in sequence.

As an example of a device for fixing using such a fastening structure, the following Patent Document 1 describes an automatic screw member tightening device that can tighten multiple screw members simultaneously.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-58149

When the second member is fixed to the first member using multiple fastening structures as described above, there is a problem in that it takes time to properly fix the second member. In other words, if a worker tightens the screws using a torque wrench, the work takes time.

To address this issue, for example, in Patent Document 1, it is possible to tighten multiple screws at the same time. However, with this type of structure, it is not certain whether the screws of each fastening structure can be tightened to achieve the correct fixed state. In other words, for example, if there is a defect in the threaded portion, the packing between the two components at that portion may not be sufficiently deformed, which may reduce the airtightness. Conversely, the packing may be deformed excessively, leading to damage to the packing.

This invention was made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a mounting device that can easily and properly fasten a second member to a first member.

According to one aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object, the mounting device is used to fix a second member, which is adjacent to a first member across a packing, to the first member by two or more fastening structures provided at locations separated from each other, and each fastening structure is configured to bring the second member closer to the first member by tightening a screw, and includes a first displacement amount acquisition unit that acquires the amount of displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the vicinity of a first fastening structure among the two or more fastening structures before and after tightening of the screw of the first fastening structure, a second displacement amount acquisition unit that acquires the amount of displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the vicinity of a second fastening structure among the two or more fastening structures before and after tightening of the screw of the second fastening structure, and a control unit that compares the amount of displacement acquired by the first displacement amount acquisition unit with a predetermined displacement threshold value and compares the amount of displacement acquired by the second displacement amount acquisition unit with the displacement threshold value, and executes a predetermined operation based on each comparison result.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an attachment device that can easily and properly fix a second member to a first member.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the mounting device; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fastening module of the mounting device; FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating fastening using the mounting device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device of the attachment device; A flowchart showing an example of the operation of the attachment device. A flowchart showing an example of a fastening operation of the mounting device. A flowchart showing an example of a tightening operation in each fastening portion of the mounting device.

Embodiments of the mounting device and the like will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that components with the same reference numerals in the embodiments perform similar operations, and therefore may not be described again.

In the following explanation, the shape and positional relationship of each part may be explained by indicating a certain direction, but the direction is merely indicated for the convenience of explanation and does not limit the orientation or posture of each device, etc., according to the present invention when used.

The terms used below are generally defined as follows. The meanings of these terms should not always be interpreted as shown here, but for example, when they are explained individually below, they should be interpreted taking into account that explanation.

An identifier for a certain item is a character or code that uniquely identifies that item. An identifier can be, for example, an ID, but any type of information can be used as long as it can identify the corresponding item. In other words, an identifier can be the name of the thing it represents, or a combination of codes that uniquely identify the thing.

The concept of outputting information includes displaying on a display, projecting using a projector, printing on a printer, outputting sound, sending to an external device, storing on a recording medium, and passing the processing results to other processing devices or other programs. More specifically, it includes, for example, making it possible to display information on a web page, sending emails or messages, and outputting information for printing.

The concept of accepting information includes the acceptance of information entered from input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, the reception of information transmitted from other devices via wired or wireless communication lines, and the acceptance of information read from recording media such as optical disks, magnetic disks, and semiconductor memories.

(Embodiment)

In this embodiment, the mounting device is used to fix a second member, which is adjacent to the first member with a packing sandwiched therebetween, to the first member by means of two or more fastening structures provided at locations spaced apart from each other. It does not matter what type of member the first member and the second member are. The mounting device is configured to measure the amount of displacement before and after fastening in the vicinity of two or more fastening structures, respectively, and to determine whether or not fastening is complete. In this embodiment, the mounting device is configured to determine whether fastening is complete or to stop fastening, etc., depending on the torque of the motor that tightens the screws of the fastening structures. The mounting device 1 configured in this manner will be described below.

Figure 1 is a front view showing the schematic configuration of a mounting device 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the mounting device 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the fastening module 4 of the mounting device 1. Figure 4 is a diagram explaining fastening using the mounting device 1. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device 7 of the mounting device 1.

In this embodiment, the mounting device 1 is used, for example, during the manufacture of a pole transformer. A pole transformer is constructed, for example, by housing windings and the like inside a casing 900 that has an overall cylindrical shape. The mounting device 1 can be installed and used, for example, downstream of a transformer product inspection line. The mounting device 1 is used to automatically seal the casing 900 after the inspection process for each product is completed.

The casing 900 includes, for example, a case body (an example of a first member) 901 that opens upward (has an opening at the upper end) and a lid (an example of a second member) 902 that is placed on the upper part of the case body 901 so as to close the opening of the case body 901. As shown in FIG. 4, a packing 903 having, for example, a ring shape is placed between the case body 901 and the lid 902 to maintain the airtightness inside the casing 900. That is, in the casing 900 of the pole transformer, the lid 902 is located adjacent to the case body 901 with the packing 903 sandwiched between them. In other words, in the vertical direction (vertical direction on the paper surface of FIG. 1), the upper end of the opening of the case body 901 faces the lower surface of the packing 903, and the upper surface of the packing 903 faces the lower surface of the lid 902. In the direction from bottom to top, the upper end of the opening of the case body 901, the packing 903, and the lid 902 are arranged in this order. The packing 903 may be, for example, what is called a gasket.

The case body 901 and the lid 902 are fixed to each other by two or more fastening structures 950 provided at locations spaced apart from each other. The mounting device 1 is used to fix the lid 902 to the case body 901 by such fastening structures 950. In this embodiment, four fastening structures 950 are attached to the casing 900 of the pole transformer. In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish between the four fastening structures 950, they may be referred to as a first fastening structure 951, a second fastening structure 952, a third fastening structure (not shown), and a fourth fastening structure (not shown). Note that some fastening structures are omitted from the drawings.

In this embodiment, the multiple fastening structures 950 are arranged at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction so as to surround the casing 900. In other words, the four fastening structures 950 are arranged at approximately 90 degree intervals in the circumferential direction.

4, each fastening structure 950 has a screw 956 that is screwed into a female threaded portion (not shown) that is arranged to engage with a case metal fitting 905 formed on the outer periphery of the case body 901, and a metal fitting 958 that is arranged to press the upper surface of the lid 902 against the case body 901 with the screw 956. The screw 956 is, for example, an eye bolt. The metal fitting 958 is a member that is arranged so that one end serves as a fulcrum that engages with the case metal fitting 905, the upper surface faces the seat surface of the screw 956, and the tip portion located on the center side of the casing 900 is positioned on the peripheral portion of the lid 902. The screw 956 is screwed into the case metal fitting 905, so that the tip portion of the metal fitting 905 comes into contact with the lid 902 and pushes the lid 902 downward. In other words, the fastening structure 950 is configured so that the lid 902 can be brought closer to the case body 901 by tightening the screw 956.

The structure of the fastening structure 950 is not limited to this. For example, the fastening structure may be a combination of bolts, nuts, etc. (hereinafter, simply referred to as bolts, etc.) that are appropriately combined to obtain a structure in which the case body 901 and the lid 902 are fixed to each other. For example, the fastening structure may be a bolt that is screwed into the case body 901 and is arranged so that a part of the seat surface of the head part abuts a part of the lid 902. In addition, it may be configured by combining such a bolt with a member such as a metal fitting that engages with at least one member so that the case body 901 and the lid 902 are brought closer to each other by being biased by the bolt. As the bolt, for example, various types such as an eye bolt, a hexagonal bolt, a hexagonal socket bolt, a stud bolt, and various nuts that engage with these can be used. That is, in this embodiment, tightening the screw 956 may be configured to rotate the bolt to tighten it into the female thread, or to rotate the nut to tighten it into the male thread. It is sufficient that the screw 956 is configured to be tightened by the relative rotation of the member on which the male thread is formed and the member on which the female thread is formed.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mounting device 1 includes, for example, a main frame 2, a positioning unit 3, a fastening module 4, a vertical displacement mechanism 6, a control device 7 (shown as a block diagram), a conveyor 9, and the like. The mounting device 1 is configured to automatically fasten the lid 902 to the casing 900 of a pole-mounted transformer transported on the conveyor 9. The casing 900 is transported with the lid 902 placed on the case 901 with a gasket 903 sandwiched between them. The mounting device 1 may also be configured to place a fastening structure 950 on the casing 900 being transported.

The main frame 2 has a gate-shaped structure that straddles the conveyor 9. The main frame 2 supports the positioning unit 3, fastening module 4, vertical displacement mechanism 6, etc.

The positioning unit 3 is configured to position the casing 900 of the pole transformer transported on the conveyor 9 so that its center position is at a predetermined position in the horizontal direction relative to the main body frame 2. The positioning unit 3 has, for example, multiple contacts that contact the outer peripheral surface of the casing 900, and performs positioning by abutting the multiple contacts against the outer peripheral surface of the casing 900. In addition, when the tightening process is completed, the positioning unit 3 moves the casing 900 to a position suitable for transportation on the conveyor 9.

The fastening module 4 has a module frame 5 and a first fastening portion 401, a second fastening portion 402, a third fastening portion 403, and a fourth fastening portion 404 supported by the module frame 5. The first fastening portion 401, the second fastening portion 402, the third fastening portion 403, and the fourth fastening portion 404 are arranged in a circumferential direction at intervals of approximately 90 degrees around a predetermined position so as to correspond to the four fastening structures 950 in a plan view. The fastening module 4 is configured to perform a fastening operation for each fastening structure 950 as described below. The fastening module 4 fastens the lid 902 with a tool 431 while managing the tightening torque and the compression amount of the packing 903.

Each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404 is provided on the module frame 5 so that it can be displaced in the radial direction around a predetermined position. The module frame 5 is configured so that the circumferential position of each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404 can be changed around the predetermined position. In other words, each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404 is configured so that it can rotate with respect to the main frame 2 while maintaining the mutual positional relationship in the circumferential direction. This makes it possible to accommodate whatever posture the pole transformer casing 900 is transported in on the conveyor 9.

The vertical displacement mechanism 6 is composed of, for example, a motor, a ball screw, etc. The vertical displacement mechanism 6 can change the vertical position of the fastening module 4 relative to the main body frame 2. This makes it possible to use a single mounting device 1 in common for the casings 900 of multiple types of pole transformers that have different vertical sizes.

The conveyor 9 supports the casing 900 of the pole-mounted transformer, for example, with multiple rollers. The conveyor 9 is configured to be able to transport the casing 900 in a predetermined direction by rotating the multiple rollers. Note that the conveyor 9 may be of another type, such as one configured to be able to transport the casing 900 placed on a belt.

Details of the control device 7 will be described later. The control device 7 controls the operation of various parts of the mounting device 1, such as the fastening module 4, the positioning unit 3, the vertical displacement mechanism 6, and the conveyor 9, and executes a predetermined fastening operation. The control device 7 has, for example, an operation unit (not shown) that is operated by an operator, and receives operations by the operator and executes an operation corresponding to the operation.

The configuration of the mounting device 1 is not limited to this. It is sufficient to have at least a fastening module 4 having multiple fastening parts 401, 402, ... and a control device 7 that controls the operation of the fastening module 4, and it is not necessary to have a conveyor 9 or a positioning part 3.

Next, the configuration of each fastening section 401, 402, 403, 404 of the fastening module 4 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the first fastening section 401 includes a first motor 411, a tool 431, and a first position sensor 451. The configurations of the other fastening sections 402, 403, 404 are similar to that of the first fastening section 401. For example, the second fastening section 402 includes a second motor 412, a tool 432, and a second position sensor 452. Similarly, the third fastening section 403 and the fourth fastening section 404 include a motor, a tool, and a position sensor. The following description of the first motor 411, the tool 431, and the first position sensor 451 also includes the description of the other fastening sections 402, 403, 404.

The first motor 411 rotates the tool 431. In this embodiment, the first motor 411 is a servo motor or other motor capable of torque feedback control.

The tool 431 engages with the screw 956 of the first fastening structure 950. The tool 431 is, for example, a nut runner having a socket or the like that engages with the head portion of the screw 956, but is not limited to this. In other words, the tool 431 may be anything that has a structure that can engage with the screw 956 of the fastening structure 950 and rotate the screw 956.

The first position sensor 451 is, for example, a displacement sensor capable of outputting the amount of displacement by measuring the distance to an object using laser light L. The first position sensor 451 is disposed near the tool 431. In this embodiment, the first position sensor 451 is capable of measuring the position of a first measurement point on the top surface of the lid 902 in the vicinity of the first fastening structure 950 and outputting the amount of displacement in the up-down direction.

The first position sensor 451 is held so that its vertical position relative to the module frame 5 does not change when the screw 956 is tightened. In other words, the first position sensor 451 is held so that it does not displace relative to the case body 901 when the screw 956 is tightened. This allows the first position sensor 451 to accurately output the amount of displacement of the first measurement point relative to the case body 901 in the vertical direction when the screw 956 is tightened. This amount of displacement can be said to be the same as the amount of change in dimension D shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the amount of displacement is the amount of change in the thickness (vertical dimension) of the packing 903 before and after tightening the screw 956. The first position sensor 451 may be held so that it does not displace relative to the lid 902. In this case, it is sufficient that the amount of displacement of the first measurement point relative to the case body 901 in the vertical direction can be output by measuring the position of the measurement point of the case body 901. In addition, the first position sensor 451 is not limited to a laser displacement sensor. For example, it may be a non-contact position sensor of another type, or a contact-type displacement sensor. As a contact-type displacement sensor, for example, a dial gauge or the like that can output the amount of displacement of a spindle or the like having a contact that contacts the lid 902 can be used.

Note that the vicinity of one fastening structure 950 may mean, for example, a portion fastened by that fastening structure 950. This is not limited to this, and a position closer to that fastening structure 950 than another fastening structure 950 may be understood to be the vicinity of that fastening structure 950.

As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 7 includes a storage unit 71, a reception unit 72, a notification unit 73, and a control unit 8. The control unit 8 includes a motor control unit 81, a torque measurement unit 82, and a displacement amount acquisition unit 83.

The storage unit 71 is preferably a non-volatile recording medium, but can also be a volatile recording medium. The storage unit 71 stores setting values and the like used for controlling the control device 7. For example, for each model of the target column transformer, information for positioning the fastening module 4 at an appropriate position relative to the fastening structure 950 is stored. In this embodiment, for example, a displacement threshold value for comparison with the displacement amount acquired by the displacement amount acquisition unit 83, a torque threshold value for comparison with the measurement value acquired by the torque measurement unit 82, and the like are stored. These threshold values may be set, for example, for each transformer model. For example, each threshold value may be stored in association with an identifier that identifies the model.

The reception unit 72 is configured to receive operations from an operator or the like, and to transmit signals, information, etc. corresponding to the received operations to the control unit 8. The reception unit 72 may also be configured to receive and receive information, etc. transmitted from other devices connected to the control device 7 (including those connected via a network, etc.). The reception unit 72 may be realized, for example, by a device driver for an input means such as an operation panel, a numeric keypad, or a keyboard, or control software for a menu screen, etc.

The notification unit 73 executes a predetermined notification operation. The notification unit 73 may be a light such as a warning light, a display capable of outputting images and text information, or a speaker capable of outputting sound. The predetermined notification operation may include various forms of output operation such as transmitting information, outputting sound, and outputting light or video. The notification operation may be, for example, turning on a warning light in a predetermined manner or outputting sound in a predetermined manner from a speaker. Such a notification operation allows the worker to become aware that a notification operation has been performed.

In this embodiment, the notification unit 73 is configured to execute a notification operation when the measurement value acquired by the torque measurement unit 82 reaches a predetermined threshold. Note that the determination as to whether the measurement value has reached the predetermined threshold is performed, for example, by the control unit 8, but may also be performed by the notification unit 73.

The control unit 8 may be configured with hardware (dedicated circuitry) such as a programmable logic controller. The control unit 8 may be realized with an MPU, memory, etc., and its processing procedures may be realized with software. In this case, the software may be recorded on a recording medium such as a ROM.

The control unit 8 is configured to be able to execute predetermined processing using each unit, such as the motor control unit 81, the torque measurement unit 82, and the displacement amount acquisition unit 83.

The motor control unit 81 controls the operation of the motors of each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, and 404. The motor control unit 81 is configured to control the operation of each motor, for example, by sending a signal to the drive circuit of each motor or by controlling the power supplied to the drive circuit of each motor. The motor control unit 81 can rotate the motor or stop the motor. The motor control unit 81 may also be capable of controlling the torque of the motor.

In this embodiment, the motor control unit 81 controls each motor. That is, the motor control unit 81 includes a first motor control unit 811 that controls the operation of the first motor 411 of the first fastening unit 401, and a second motor control unit 812 that controls the operation of the second motor 412 of the second fastening unit 402. Although not shown in the figure, the motor control unit 81 also includes a portion that controls the operation of the motors of the third fastening unit 403 and the fourth fastening unit 404.

The torque measurement unit 82 acquires the torque of the motor of each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404 or the measurement value of the physical quantity corresponding thereto (referred to as the measurement value of torque, etc.). The measurement value of torque, etc. can be said to be a value corresponding to the magnitude of the torque of the motor. In other words, the measurement value of torque, etc. can be, for example, the value of a physical quantity such as the current or voltage flowing through the motor that can be measured by the motor's drive circuit, etc., but is not limited to this. Torque may also be referred to as load. A measurement value representing the motor's torque may be acquired by a torque gauge attached to the rotating shaft of the motor, etc. Also, the torque measurement unit 82 may be configured to calculate the measurement value of torque, etc. based on the value of a physical quantity that can be measured by the motor's drive circuit, etc., and acquire the calculated measurement value.

In this embodiment, the torque measurement unit 82 can acquire measurement values such as torque for each motor. That is, the torque measurement unit 82 includes a first torque measurement unit 821 that acquires measurement values such as torque of the first motor 411, and a second torque measurement unit 822 that acquires measurement values such as torque of the second motor 412. Although not shown in the figure, the torque measurement unit 82 also includes a portion that acquires measurement values such as torque of the motors of the third fastening unit 403 and the fourth fastening unit 404.

The displacement amount acquisition unit 83 acquires the amount of displacement measured by the position sensors 451, 452, ... of each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404. Note that the amount of displacement is acquired from the position sensor 451, etc., which can directly output the amount of displacement as described above, but is not limited to this. For example, the amount of displacement may be acquired by acquiring information corresponding to the position of the measurement point before and after fastening the screw 956 and performing a calculation using the acquired information. The amount of displacement may also be acquired according to the number of rotations of the screw 956. For example, the amount of displacement may be obtained by multiplying the number of rotations of the screw 956 by the pitch.

In this embodiment, the displacement amount acquisition unit 83 is configured to acquire the displacement amount of a measurement point located near the fastening structure 950 fastened by each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, and 404. That is, it is possible to acquire the corresponding displacement amount for each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, and 404. In other words, the displacement amount acquisition unit 83 has a first displacement amount acquisition unit 831 that acquires the displacement amount corresponding to the first fastening portion 401, and a second displacement amount acquisition unit 832 that acquires the displacement amount corresponding to the second fastening portion 402. In addition, although not shown in the figure, the displacement amount acquisition unit 83 also has a portion that acquires the displacement amount corresponding to the third fastening portion 403 and the fourth fastening portion 404.

The first displacement amount acquisition unit 831 acquires from the first position sensor 451 the amount of displacement of the lid 902 relative to the case body 901 before and after tightening the screw 956 of the first fastening structure 951 at a measurement location (first measurement location) near the first fastening structure 951. The first measurement location is, for example, a location to be measured by the first position sensor 451, and specifically, for example, may be near a portion where the lid 902 is held down by the metal fitting 958 of the first fastening structure 951.

The second displacement amount acquisition unit 832 acquires from the second position sensor 452 the amount of displacement of the lid 902 relative to the case body 901 before and after tightening the screw 956 of the second fastening structure 952 at a measurement point (second measurement point) near the second fastening structure 952. The second measurement point is, for example, a measurement target point of the second position sensor 452, and specifically, for example, can be the vicinity of a portion where the lid 902 is held down by the metal fitting 958 of the second fastening structure 952.

The control unit 8 controls the tightening of the screws 956 of each fastening structure 950 using the measured values such as torque and the displacement amount corresponding to each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404 acquired in this manner. By fastening at multiple locations based on the displacement amount, the lid 902 can be attached to the case body 901 uniformly and appropriately. In addition, in this embodiment, by fastening at multiple locations using measured values such as torque, it is possible to obtain the effect of more effectively attaching the lid 902 to the case body 901 uniformly and appropriately.

The control unit 8 performs the above control based on the result of comparing the measured value of torque, etc. with a predetermined torque threshold. The control unit 8 also performs the above control based on the result of comparing the amount of displacement with a predetermined displacement threshold. Specifically, for example, when each measured value or amount of displacement reaches a threshold, the control unit 8 is configured to perform a corresponding predetermined control operation. When each measured value or amount of displacement does not reach a threshold, the control unit 8 may be configured to perform a corresponding predetermined control operation.

In this embodiment, a proper torque threshold corresponding to a proper tightening torque and an abnormal torque threshold corresponding to an abnormal tightening torque are used as the torque threshold. The proper torque threshold is preferably set to a value smaller than the maximum torque allowable for the screw 956 used in the fastening structure 950, and may be set to, for example, the minimum value of the range of proper tightening torque values that can be said to be in a proper tightening state, but may be a value larger than this. The abnormal torque threshold is preferably set to a value larger than the proper torque threshold, and is preferably set to, for example, the maximum value of the range of proper tightening torque values. Each torque threshold may differ depending on the motor or the fastening structure used, and in this case, it is sufficient that it is set for each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, and 404. For example, the first torque threshold may be used as the proper torque threshold for the first fastening portion 401, and the second torque threshold may be used as the proper torque threshold for the second fastening portion 402. In addition, a third torque threshold value larger than the first torque threshold value may be used as the abnormal torque threshold value for the first fastening portion 401, and a fourth torque threshold value larger than the second torque threshold value may be used as the abnormal torque threshold value for the second fastening portion 402. The torque threshold value may be a value that specifies a range.

In this embodiment, the displacement threshold value can be said to be a value corresponding to the amount of deflection, i.e., the amount of compression, in the vertical direction of the packing 903 when it is sufficiently fastened by each fastening structure 950. Here, the amount of deflection of the packing 903 is, for example, the amount obtained by subtracting the vertical dimension when the screw 956 is fastened from the vertical dimension in the natural state where almost no force is applied to the packing 903. A different displacement threshold value may be used for each of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404.

In this embodiment, the control unit 8 is configured to execute a predetermined operation based on the result of comparing the amount of displacement acquired by the displacement amount acquisition unit 83 with a predetermined displacement threshold. In other words, the control unit 8 is configured to execute a predetermined operation based on the result of determining whether or not a condition related to the amount of displacement is satisfied. That is, the control unit 8 at least compares the amount of displacement acquired by the first displacement amount acquisition unit 831 with a predetermined displacement threshold, and compares the amount of displacement acquired by the second displacement amount acquisition unit 832 with the displacement threshold, and executes a predetermined operation based on each comparison result. Here, executing a predetermined operation based on the comparison result may be rephrased as determining that the tightening is completed because the amount of displacement has reached the displacement threshold, and performing control to end the tightening, i.e., control to stop the motor. However, the predetermined operation is not limited to such control. For example, a notification of the comparison result may be given to the operator. Note that the completion of tightening here means that tightening by one motor has been completed, i.e., the corresponding fastening structure 950 has once reached a predetermined tightening state, and does not necessarily mean that fixing the lid 902 to the case body 901 has been completed. The displacement threshold may be a value that specifies a range, and if the displacement amount exceeds the upper limit of the displacement threshold, it may be determined that the displacement amount has not reached the displacement threshold.

In this embodiment, for example, when the tool 431 is rotated by the first motor 411 to tighten the screw 956 of the first fastening structure 951, the control unit 8 completes the tightening by the first motor 411 when at least the displacement amount acquired by the first displacement amount acquisition unit 831 reaches the displacement threshold. Also, for example, when the tool 432 is rotated by the second motor 412 to tighten the screw 956 of the second fastening structure 952, the control unit 8 completes the tightening by the second motor 412 when at least the displacement amount acquired by the second displacement amount acquisition unit 832 reaches the displacement threshold. The same applies to the tightening of other fastening structures 950. Note that the completion of tightening of each fastening structure 950 is performed using not only the conditions related to the displacement amount using such a displacement threshold, but also the conditions related to the measured values of torque, etc. using the following appropriate torque threshold, but may be performed based only on the conditions related to the displacement amount. Note that satisfying the conditions related to the displacement amount may be expressed as satisfying the displacement criterion, and satisfying the conditions related to the measured values of torque, etc. using the appropriate torque threshold may be expressed as satisfying the torque criterion.

In this embodiment, the control unit 8 is configured to execute a predetermined operation based on the result of comparing the measured value of torque, etc. acquired by the torque measurement unit 82 with a predetermined torque threshold value. In other words, the control unit 8 is configured to execute a predetermined operation based on the result of judging whether or not a condition related to the measured value of torque, etc. is satisfied. Here, executing a predetermined operation based on the comparison result includes determining that tightening is complete because the measured value has reached the appropriate torque threshold value, and executing control to end tightening, i.e., control to stop the motor. It also includes having the notification unit 73 execute a predetermined notification operation when the measured value has reached the abnormal torque threshold value. However, the predetermined operation is not limited to such control.

In this embodiment, when the first motor 411 rotates the tool 431 to tighten the screw 956 of the first fastening structure 951, the control unit 8 completes the tightening by the first motor 411 when at least the measurement value acquired by the first torque measurement unit 821 reaches a predetermined first torque threshold. That is, when the first fastening structure 951 is being tightened, the control unit 8 completes the tightening of the screw 956 of the first fastening structure 951 when both the above-mentioned conditions regarding the displacement amount and the conditions regarding the measurement value are satisfied. In addition, when the second motor 412 rotates the tool 432 to tighten the screw 956 of the second fastening structure 952, the control unit 8 completes the tightening by the second motor 412 when at least the measurement value acquired by the second torque measurement unit 822 reaches a predetermined second torque threshold. That is, when the control unit 8 is tightening the screw 956 of the second fastening structure 952, if both the conditions related to the amount of displacement and the conditions related to the measurement value as described above are satisfied, the control unit 8 completes tightening the screw 956 of the second fastening structure 952. The same applies when tightening the other fastening structures 950.

The displacement threshold and the torque threshold may vary depending on the type and structure of the motor, the presence or absence of a reducer, the reduction ratio, the specifications of the fastening structure 950, the material and dimensions of the packing 903, the use and purpose of the device to be manufactured, etc. The thresholds may be set appropriately so as to obtain a proper tightening state and to detect an abnormality when it occurs. As an example, each threshold may be set as follows. For example, the displacement threshold may be set in the range of 1.2 mm to 2.2 mm, and may be set to a value within this range. The proper torque threshold may be set to a value such that the tightening torque is 40 N·m, for example. The abnormal torque threshold may be set to a value such that the tightening torque is 80 N·m, for example. For example, the torque threshold indicating the proper torque range may be set to a range of 40 N·m to 80 N·m, and when the measured value exceeds the upper limit of the range indicated by the torque threshold, it may be determined that the abnormal torque threshold has been reached.

In this embodiment, the control unit 8 may perform the next predetermined process after the tightening is completed when the condition related to the amount of displacement is satisfied or when both the condition related to the amount of displacement and the condition related to the measurement value are satisfied. For example, in order to prevent the screw 956 from getting stuck and to obtain an appropriate tightening torque, the screw may be loosened once and then tightened again. Such a loosening operation may also be performed when only the condition related to the measurement value is satisfied.

The following describes an example of the control operation of the control unit 8 and the flow of operations performed by the attachment device 1.

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the attachment device 1.

(Step S1) The control unit 8 causes the conveyor 9 to carry the casing 900 to a predetermined position. The positioning unit 3 also positions the casing 900 at a predetermined position for fastening.

(Step S2) The control unit 8 positions the fastening module 4 at a predetermined position corresponding to the casing 900 using the vertical displacement mechanism 6 or the like. In this case, positioning may be performed so that the positions of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, 404 coincide with the positions at which the fastening structure 950 of the casing 900 is attached, accompanied by detection operations using various sensors or the like provided in the fastening module 4. Also, based on the measurement results of the position of the case body 901, a positioning operation of the lid 902 may be performed using the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, 404, etc. of the fastening module 4.

(Step S3) The control unit 8 sets the tools 431, etc. of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, 404 so that the screw 956 can be tightened for the fastening structure 950 arranged in the casing 900. Then, the tool 431 is slightly rotated so that the screw 956 engages with the female thread, etc.

(Step S4) The control unit 8 tightens each fastening structure 950 using the fastening units 401, 402, 403, and 404. This tightening operation will be described later. When tightening is completed, proceed to step S5.

(Step S5) The control unit 8 displaces the fastening module 4 upward from a predetermined position for fastening, using the vertical displacement mechanism 6 or the like, so as not to interfere with the casing 900. Note that a mark indicating that fastening has been completed may be applied to a part of the screw 956, for example, using a marking unit (not shown) or the like provided on each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, 404, etc. Also, such a mark may be applied continuously to the screw 956 and the lid 956 or metal fitting 905, etc., so that it is possible to check whether any loosening has occurred.

(Step S6) The control unit 8 uses the positioning unit 3 to position the casing 900 at a transport position on the conveyor 9. Then, the control unit 8 uses the conveyor 9 to transport the casing 900 downstream. When the transport of the casing 900 is complete, the processing for that one casing 900 is completed. Note that the transport of the one casing 900 and the transport operation of step S1 for the next casing 900 to be processed may be performed simultaneously.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the tightening operation of the mounting device 1.

(Step S11) The control unit 8 resets the displacement amount of the displacement sensor for each fastening portion 401, 402, 403, and 404. In other words, it sets it so that the displacement amount is based on the position of the current measurement point.

(Step S12) The control unit 8 performs the tightening operation at each of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404. The tightening operation is performed in parallel at each of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404. Details of the tightening operation will be described later. When tightening is completed at all of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404, proceed to step S13.

(Step S13) The control unit 8 performs a return operation for each of all fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404. The return operation is, for example, an operation of rotating the tool 431 or the like in a direction to loosen the screw 956 by a predetermined amount. This return operation is an operation performed to release the engagement between the head of the screw 956 and the tool 431 or the like, and is not an operation to actually loosen the screw 956.

(Step S14) The control unit 8 again performs the tightening operation on each of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404. When tightening is completed on all of the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404, the process proceeds to step S15.

(Step S15) The control unit 8 performs the tightening completion operation. That is, it records the measurement values (torque values) of the torque and the like obtained as a result of the tightening operation by each fastening unit 401, 402, 403, 404, and the amount of displacement. The recorded information is accumulated, for example, in the storage unit 71. This makes it possible to check the tightening status at a later time.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the tightening operation at each fastening portion of the attachment device 1.

(Step S31) The control unit 8 executes tightening of the incomplete fastening parts among the fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404 that have not been tightened. In other words, the control unit 8 tightens the screw 956 for the incomplete fastening parts. Note that each time a tightening operation is started, each fastening part 401, 402, 403, and 404 starts from a state where it is an incomplete fastening part.

(Step S32) The control unit 8 judges whether the measurement values such as torque measured by the torque measurement unit 82 for each fastening unit 401, 402, 403, 404 have reached the abnormal torque threshold. If it is judged that the measurement value has reached the abnormal torque threshold, the process proceeds to step S38, and if not, the process proceeds to step S33.

(Step S33) The control unit 8 determines whether or not there is an incomplete fastening portion that satisfies the displacement criterion. In other words, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the displacement amount has reached the displacement threshold in any fastening portion where the screw 956 is being tightened. If it is determined that there is an incomplete fastening portion that satisfies the displacement criterion, the process proceeds to step S34, and if not, the process returns to step S31.

(Step S34) The control unit 8 judges whether or not any of the incomplete fastening parts that are judged to have satisfied the displacement criterion satisfy the torque criterion. In other words, the control unit 8 judges whether or not any of the fastening parts in which the screw 956 is being tightened and the displacement amount has reached the displacement threshold satisfy the torque criterion. If it is judged that the torque criterion is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S35, and if not, the process returns to step S31.

(Step S35) The control unit 8 stops the operation of the motor for the fastening portion that is determined to satisfy the torque standard in step S34, and completes the fastening. As a result, the fastening portion is no longer an incomplete fastening portion in the current fastening operation from step S31 onwards.

(Step S36) The control unit 8 judges whether or not tightening has been completed for all fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404. In other words, the control unit 8 judges whether or not there are any incomplete fastening parts. If it is judged that tightening has been completed for all fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404, the process returns to the upper level, and if not, the process returns to step S31.

(Step S38) If there is a fastening part whose measurement value has reached the abnormal torque threshold, the control unit 8 stops the operation of all fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404.

(Step S39) The control unit 8 performs a notification operation using the notification unit 73. After that, the series of operations that are performed automatically ends. This allows the worker who recognizes that the notification operation has been performed by the notification unit 73 to check the situation as appropriate or perform recovery work so that the tightening can be performed again.

In each of the above flowcharts, the order of each process may be changed, and processes may be added or omitted, as long as it is possible to easily and properly secure the lid 902 to the case body 901.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the screws 956 of the multiple fastening structures 950 can be fastened at the same time using the multiple fastening parts 401, 402, 403, and 404, so that the effect of elastic interaction can be eliminated and the lid 902 can be easily fixed. Since the control of the fastening of the screws 956 is performed based on the amount of displacement near the fastening structure 950, the appropriate amount of deformation of the packing 903 can be reliably obtained and the occurrence of insufficient or excessive fastening can be prevented. For example, when the amount of displacement reaches between 1.2 mm and 2.2 mm (an example of a displacement threshold), it can be determined that the fastening is completed. In this embodiment, the displacement amount of the lid 902 near each fastening structure 950 can be reliably measured using a position sensor. Since the control unit 8 controls the operation of the corresponding motor based on the amount of displacement near each fastening structure 950, the lid 902 can be automatically and appropriately fixed to the case body 901.

In this embodiment, the operation of the motor is controlled using conditions related to the amount of displacement of the lid 902 as well as conditions related to measured values such as torque. Therefore, if there is an abnormality in the fastening structure 950 or each member, tightening can be prevented from being completed, and a proper tightening state can be obtained more reliably. Furthermore, if there is an abnormality in the fastening structure 950 or each member, the notification unit 73 can notify the operator based on the comparison result between the measured values of the motor torque and the abnormal torque threshold value. Therefore, the operator can notice the occurrence of an abnormality at an early stage and can quickly confirm the cause of the abnormality and perform recovery work such as replacing parts.

(others)

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible, which are also included within the scope of the present invention.

The configurations of the above-described embodiments are not limited to those described above, and each component of the above-described embodiments may be replaced or combined with components of other embodiments as appropriate. In addition, some components or functions of the above-described embodiments may be omitted.

The number of fastening structures used in one casing, i.e., the number of points where the screws are tightened, is not limited to four. It may be five or more, or it may be two or three. If at least two of these fastening structures (the first fastening structure and the second fastening structure) are configured so that the screws are tightened as described above, the effect of being able to easily and properly fix the lid to the case body can be obtained.

In addition, the objects to which the mounting device can be applied are not limited to pole-mounted transformers. In other words, the mounting device 1 can be used for various objects having a structure in which a first member and a second member are adjacent to each other across a packing, and the first member and the second member are fixed by two or more fastening structures provided at locations separate from each other. In other words, the configuration of the mounting device as described above can be widely used in situations in which a second member adjacent to a first member across a packing is fixed to the first member by two or more fastening structures provided at locations separate from each other. In this case, if at least two fastening structures (the first fastening structure and the second fastening structure) are configured so that the screws are tightened as described above, the effect of easily and properly fixing the second member to the first member can be obtained.

For example, the attachment device 1 may be configured to acquire the amount of displacement at a measurement point near the fastening structure, without tightening the screws of the fastening structure, and perform a predetermined operation based on the amount of displacement and the displacement standard. For example, even when an operator manually tightens the fastening structure at multiple points, the operator can know whether the displacement standard has been met for each measurement point, and thus can fix the second member to the first member more easily and properly than before.

In the above embodiment, the components constituting the control device may be constituted by dedicated hardware, or components that can be realized by software may be realized by executing a program. For example, each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory. During execution, the program execution unit may execute the program while accessing the storage unit or recording medium. The program may also be executed by being downloaded from a server or the like, or may be executed by reading a program recorded on a predetermined recording medium (e.g., an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, etc.). This program may also be used as a program constituting a program product. The computer that executes the program may be a single computer or multiple computers. In other words, centralized processing or distributed processing may be performed.

As described above, the mounting device of the present invention has the effect of easily and properly fixing the second member to the first member, and is useful as a mounting device, etc.

1 Attachment device, 8 Control unit, 73 Notification unit, 401 First fastening unit, 402 Second fastening unit, 411 First motor, 412 Second motor, 431, 432 Tool, 451 First position sensor, 452 Second position sensor, 821 First torque measurement unit, 822 Second torque measurement unit, 831 First displacement amount acquisition unit, 832 Second displacement amount acquisition unit, 900 Casing, 901 Case body (an example of a first member), 902 Lid (an example of a second member), 903 Gasket, 950 Fastening mechanism, 951 First fastening mechanism, 952 Second fastening mechanism, 956 Screw

Claims (5)

A mounting device used to fix a second member adjacent to a first member with a packing therebetween by two or more fastening structures provided at positions spaced apart from each other, comprising:
Each fastening structure is configured such that the second member can be brought closer to the first member by fastening a screw,
a first displacement amount acquisition unit that acquires a displacement amount of the second member relative to the first member before and after fastening of a screw of the first fastening structure in a vicinity of a first fastening structure among the two or more fastening structures;
a second displacement amount acquisition unit that acquires a displacement amount of the second member relative to the first member before and after fastening of a screw of the second fastening structure in a vicinity of a second fastening structure among the two or more fastening structures;
a control unit that compares the displacement amount acquired by the first displacement amount acquisition unit with a predetermined displacement threshold, and compares the displacement amount acquired by the second displacement amount acquisition unit with the displacement threshold, and executes a predetermined operation based on each comparison result. the first displacement amount acquisition unit acquires the displacement amount using a first position sensor that acquires information corresponding to a position of the second member relative to the first member in a vicinity of the first fastening structure;
The mounting device according to claim 1 , wherein the second displacement amount acquisition unit acquires the displacement amount using a second position sensor that acquires information corresponding to a position of the second member relative to the first member in the vicinity of the second fastening structure. a tool that engages with a screw of the first fastening structure and a first motor that rotates the tool;
Further comprising a tool that engages with the thread of the second fastening structure and a second motor that rotates the tool,
The control unit is
When the tool is rotated by the first motor to tighten the screw of the first fastening structure, when the displacement amount acquired by at least the first displacement amount acquisition unit reaches the displacement threshold value, the tightening by the first motor is completed;
3. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein when the second motor is used to rotate the tool to tighten the screw of the second fastening structure, the tightening by the second motor is completed when at least the displacement amount acquired by the second displacement amount acquisition unit reaches the displacement threshold value. a first torque measurement unit that acquires a measurement value of the torque of the first motor or a physical quantity corresponding thereto;
a second torque measurement unit that acquires a measurement value of the torque of the second motor or a physical quantity corresponding thereto,
The control unit is
When the tool is rotated by the first motor to tighten the screw of the first fastening structure, when a measurement value acquired by at least the first torque measurement unit reaches a predetermined first torque threshold value, the tightening by the first motor is completed;
4. The installation device according to claim 3, wherein when the second motor is used to rotate the tool to tighten the screw of the second fastening structure, the tightening by the second motor is completed when at least the measurement value acquired by the second torque measuring unit reaches a predetermined second torque threshold value. The mounting device according to claim 4, further comprising a notification unit that executes a predetermined notification operation when the measurement value acquired by the first torque measurement unit reaches a predetermined third torque threshold value that is greater than the first torque threshold value, and when the measurement value acquired by the second torque measurement unit reaches a predetermined fourth torque threshold value that is greater than the second torque threshold value.

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