Abstract:
Disclosed is a supply unit for feeding or making available components, e.g., punching nuts or similar joining elements. Said supply unit comprises a bin that forms a storage space and is used for stocking a random number of components, and a unit for removing the components from the storage space and redirecting the components in an oriented manner, among other things.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a supply unit for delivering or making available components, for example stamped nuts or similar connectors, for example, at a processing station and/or a processing tool, for example a stamping head, and to a sorting unit for sorting of components, for example stamped nuts or similar connectors on their outside contour with respect to their orientation. 
         [0002]    Supply units, especially those for supplying so-called stamping heads with stamped nuts or similar connectors which are mounted with the respective stamping head by joining and pressing in components of sheet metal, for example in sheet metal motor vehicle parts, are known in different versions. In this connection, among others making available components in the stowage space of a receiver is known, for example of a bunker open on the top, as an unordered set or stock from which the components are then removed, for example using a removal element in the form of a step conveyor or by forming the bunker as a vibrating head, and after sorting in a given orientation are delivered to a further application. 
         [0003]    It is an object of the invention is to devise a supply unit which with a simplified construction compared to conventional supply units has improved conveying performance. A sorting unit which is suited for use in the supply unit, but which can also be used in general for sorting of components with an outside contour which is suited as the sorting criterion, is also disclosed. 
         [0004]    For the purposes of the invention, “conveying performance” is the number of components which is made available per unit of time for further use, for example for a processing tool. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In the supply unit, the components travel via the inlet provided in the lower region of the stowage space into a removal unit or into at least one channel of this removal unit. The inlet and its cross section are matched to the contour and/or outside dimensions of the components such that only those components which at the inlet in an unordered set can purely randomly have a single orientation which is defined by the inlet or which have a first or second of two possible orientations there can travel via the inlet into at least one channel of the removal unit. 
         [0006]    To enable entry of the components via the inlet into the removal unit, there are means which cause the components present in the stowage space of the bunker to move at least in the vicinity of the inlet. This can be done in the most different ways, for example by a corresponding movement of the removal unit itself, especially also relative to the bunker or the component receiver, and/or by movement of the component receiver or of the bunker, especially also relative to the removal unit, and/or by mechanical means which move the components in the stowage space, such as for example gripping or stirring arms, and/or by pneumatic movement of the components, for example by a compressed air jet emerging from at least one nozzle, etc. Combinations of one or more of the aforementioned measures are also conceivable. 
         [0007]    In one preferred embodiment the removal unit or its inlet is made such that pre-sorting of the components by the removal unit takes place such that the components held by the removal unit have only given orientations each and that subsequently further sorting of the components takes place with reference to their orientation, such that the components made available for further processing ultimately have the same orientation. This further sorting with subsequent turning and/or alignment of the components takes place for example purely mechanically, pneumatically, electrically, opto-electrically etc. 
         [0008]    In one preferred embodiment of the invention, further sorting or re-sorting takes place exclusively purely mechanically in at least one sorting channel in that the components as a result of their outside contour and their orientation are moved or conveyed by a corresponding cross sectional execution of the branching sorting channel to the outlet of the sorting unit which is assigned to their actual orientation. 
         [0009]    In another possible embodiment of the supply unit as claimed in the invention, the inlet of the removal unit is made such that one hundred percent sorting of the components takes place there, i.e. the components removed from the removal unit each have a single, desired orientation. This is achieved for example in that at least one opening of the inlet is made as a mask which is matched to the outside contour of the components. 
         [0010]    In the sorting unit as claimed in the invention, the sorting of the components takes place with respect to their orientation, i.e. at different outputs of the sorting unit components of one orientation are made available, the criterion for this sorting being the outside contour of the components. The components in one or more allowable orientations are supplied to the sorting channel, for example in a first or second of two allowable orientations. The first channel section of the sorting channel which forms the inlet of the sorting unit is then made such that its cross section is matched to components in all allowable orientations. On at least one branching region the sorting channel branches into at least two other channel sections, of which each is matched with respect to its cross section to the outside contour of the components such that only components reach each of the other channel sections which have the orientation assigned to the pertinent channel section which is then in turn at least one of the allowable orientations so that on at least one branching point the components of different orientations are each routed into further different channel sections. In one version of the invention these further branched channel sections form the outlets of the sorting unit. But fundamentally it is also possible that in at least one branched channel section which follows the first branching region another branching region with other branched channel sections follows so that sorting is then carried out in a step form with single-step or multi-step pre-sorting and end sorting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention is detailed below on embodiments using the figures in which for better understanding the three spatial axes X, Y and Z which are oriented at a right angle to one another are shown. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows in positions a and b a component or connector in the form of a so-called stamped nut in two different views; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows in a simplified representation a supply means for delivering stamped nuts to a tool which is not shown and which processes these nuts (for example a stamping head); 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows in a simplified representation a partial section through a removal unit for removing the stamped nuts from a stock of stamped nuts; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show sections through the sorting unit of the supply means of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows in a representation similar to  FIG. 2  another possible embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows in a schematic and a side view a supply means for delivering stamped nuts to a tool which is not shown and which processes these nuts (for example stamping head); 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows in a simplified partial representation a section in the region of the charging bunker and the step conveyor of the supply unit of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows a cross section according to line I-I of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0020]      FIGS. 10-12  show the sorting means of the supply unit in an individual representation and in different sections. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    In the figures there are so-called stamped nuts  1  which can be mounted in workpieces  2  of sheet metal by joining and pressing. Each stamped nut  1  consists conventionally of a circular cylindrical nut body  3  with a threaded hole  4 . On one face the nut body  3  is provided with an essentially circularly cylindrical projection  5  which is located coaxially with the axis of the stamped nut and which is used for anchoring in the workpiece. 
         [0022]    To supply the stamped nuts  1  to tools which are not shown, but which are known to one skilled in the art, for example stamping heads, the supply unit labelled in general  10  in  FIGS. 1-6  is used; it has a bunker  11  open on the top for holding a stock of stamped nuts in the form of a unordered set, on a machine frame which is not shown. 
         [0023]    On the bunker  11  there is a removal element or a removal unit  12  with which those stamped nuts  1  are removed from the stock in the bunker  11  which are located at the inlet  13  or the opening  13 . 1  of the removal device  12  there and which have a first or second orientation of two possible orientations randomly there. The removal unit  12  is connected to a sorting unit  14  via which these stamped nuts  1  which already have the desired first orientation travel directly into a magazine  15 , while those stamped nuts  1  which have the second of the two possible orientations are supplied to this magazine turned in a turning means  16 . Via the outlet channel  17  the stamped nuts  1  are then relayed to the different machining tools (stamping heads), for example by conveying air or blast air, via supply hoses, and maintaining the first orientation. 
         [0024]    The removal unit  12  which extends with its inlet formed by the slotted opening  13 . 1  from underneath into the stowage space or interior of the bunker and into the unordered set of stamped nuts  1  there forms a shaft  19  which is rectangular in cross section, which is part of the inlet and widens somewhat toward the edge of the opening  13 . 1 , specifically on the edge region  20 . 1  of the wall of the shaft  19 . The cross section of the shaft  19  perpendicular to the two walls  20  which are located in the XY plane is the same or slightly larger than the axial length of the stamped nuts  1  so that each stamped nut  1  which travels via the inlet  13  into the shaft  19  can have only a first or a second of two possible orientations, i.e. for example in the representation chosen for  FIG. 3  it is adjacent either with its respective projection  5  to the left wall there or the right wall  20  there, in any case however is located with its axis in the Z-axis. 
         [0025]    The shaft  19  discharges via shaft sections  19 . 1  and  19 . 2  which taper in the manner of a funnel into a channel  21  which extends down in the vertical direction (Y-axis). These channels  21  which are formed like the shaft  19  in the housing of the removal unit in the X axis have a width equal to the diameter or somewhat larger than the diameter of the stamped nuts  1  or the nut body  3  so that in the channels  21  the stamped nuts  1  are arranged vertically in a row in succession, but furthermore in the first or second orientation. 
         [0026]    A drive which is not shown in the illustrated embodiment can move the removal unit  12  up and down in the vertical direction, i.e. in the direction of the Y-axis so that in this way movement of the stock of stamped nuts takes place at least also in the vicinity of the inlet  13  to the shaft  19  and in this way the stamped nuts  1  travel continuously into the shaft  19  and from there into the channels  21 . 
         [0027]    Via the channels  21  the stamped nuts  1  are supplied to one sorting channel  22  of the sorting unit  14  at a time, and via a connection  23  between the removal unit  12  and the sorting unit  14 , which (connection  23 ) enables vertical motion of the removal unit  12  (double arrow A) up and down when the sorting unit  14  is located fixed on the device frame. 
         [0028]    According to the number of channels  21 , there are a total of three sorting channels  22  in the sorting unit or in the housing  24  of this unit. Each sorting channel  22  has three channel sections  22 . 1 - 22 . 3 , specifically the channel section  22 . 1  which is connected to the connection  23  or to the preceding channel  21 , and the two branching channel sections  22 . 2  and  22 . 3 , of which the channel section  22 . 2  discharges directly into the magazine  15  via a continuous channel  25 , i.e. one which does not turn, i.e. via the channels  25  those stamped nuts  1  are routed directly to the magazine  15  which have the orientation necessary for further processing. i.e. in the representation chosen for  FIG. 2  are oriented with their nut axis perpendicular to the XY-plane and have their projection on the side which is visible in  FIG. 2 . Each channel section  22 . 3  discharges via a helical turning channel  26  into the magazine  15 , i.e. those stamped nuts  1  which have a second of the two possible orientations in the channel section  22 . 3  travel turned via the channel section  22 . 3  and the turning channel  26 , i.e. then likewise in the correct first orientation into the magazine  15 . 
         [0029]    The channel  22  has altogether, i.e. on its collective channel sections  22 . 1 - 22 . 3  and also on a branching area  22 . 4  on which the two channel sections  22 . 2  and  22 . 3  run apart or branch, in each case the same rectangular cross section which is slightly larger than the axial height and the diameter of the cylindrical stamped nut body  3  without the projection  5 . On the channel section  22 . 1  as far as the branching region  22 . 4  the rectangular cross section of the channel  22  on the two larger cross section sides has one groove-shaped widening  27  and  28  which forms the space for movement for the projections  5  of the stamped nuts  1 , regardless of the orientation of the respective stamped nuts  1  and of the respective projection  5 . 
         [0030]    The groove-shaped widening  27  continues beyond the branching region  22 . 4  within the channel section  22 . 2  so that the channel  22  there according to  FIG. 5  has a rectangular cross section with only one widening, specifically the widening  27  on one cross sectional side, i.e. for the representation chosen for  FIG. 5  on the upper larger cross sectional side. In this way only those stamped nuts  1  which are oriented such that the projections are held in the widening  27  are routed into the channel section  22 . 2 . Analogously the widening  28  continues via the branching region  22 . 4  into the channel section  22 . 3  so that the rectangular cross section of this channel section also has only one widening, specifically the widening  28 , but on the other larger cross sectional side, i.e. in the representation shown for  FIG. 5  on the lower cross sectional side. Only those stamped nuts  1  which are oriented accordingly with reference to their projection  5 , i.e. their projections are held in the widening  28  of the channel  22 , are routed on their projection into the channel section  22 . 3  and are conveyed onward there with their projection sliding in the widening  28 , i.e. supplied to the turning channel  26 . 
         [0031]    The stamped nuts  1  are thus sorted with the sorting unit  14  alone by the shape of the sorting channels  22  and without using active or driven sorting elements, etc. The stamped nuts are conveyed in the sorting unit  14  by gravity in the illustrated embodiment. But other versions are also possible, especially also those in which the conveyance of the stamped nuts  1  in the sorting unit  14  takes place for example by blast air. 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  shows as another possible embodiment a supply unit  10   a  which differs from the supply unit  10  among others in that the inlet  29  of the removal unit  12   a  there is formed by a plurality of openings  29 . 1  with a cross section chosen such that only those stamped nuts  1  which have the required first orientation in the region of one of the openings  29 , i.e. not only with their nut axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawings of  FIG. 6 , i.e. are oriented perpendicular to the XY plane, but their projections  5  are also located on the front side which is visible in  FIG. 6 , travel into the removal unit  12   a  or its shaft  30 , while the stamped nuts  1  which do not have this orientation cannot travel into the shaft  30  and out of it into the vertical channel  31  either. The cross sections of the shaft  30  and of the channel  31  are chosen such that the stamped nuts  1  necessarily retain their orientation so that the stamped nuts  1  can be delivered directly into the magazine  15  or another unit via the channel  31  without the necessity of a sorting unit. 
         [0033]    To avoid blockage of the openings  29 . 1  by incorrectly oriented stamped nuts  1  which have been retained in these openings, in this version there is a clearing and loosening element which periodically clears the openings  29 , which loosens the stock of stamped nuts via masks or openings  29  and which is made for example rake-like, as is indicated in  FIG. 6  with broken lines at  32 . 
         [0034]    In  FIGS. 7-12  there is in turn a so-called stamped nut  1  which can be mounted in workpieces  2  of sheet metal by joining and pressing. The stamped nut  1  consists in the conventional manner of a circularly cylindrical nut body  3  with a threaded hole  4 . On one end side the nut body  3  is provided with an essentially circularly cylindrical projection  5  which is coaxial with the axis of the stamped nut and which is used for anchoring in the workpiece  2 . 
         [0035]    To supply the stamped nuts  1  to a processing tool which is not shown, for example to a stamping head which is not shown but which is known to one skilled in the art, the supply unit labelled  110  in general in the Figures is used which has a bunker  112  which is open on the top for holding a stock of stamped nuts  1  as an unordered set on a frame  111 . 
         [0036]    The bunker  112  is made with a step conveyor  113 ; its essential component is a sword-shaped conveyor element  115  (double arrow A) which can be moved up and down along a sloped wall  112 . 1  by a drive  114 , which in each down stroke dips into the stock of stamped nuts  1  present in the bunker  112  with an upper, strip-like driver surface  115 . 1  and for each up stroke entrains a random number of stamped nuts  1  out of this stock. The strip-like driver surface  115 . 1  extends along the bunker wall  112 . 1  in the horizontal or almost horizontal direction and for the illustrated embodiment is slightly tilted transversely to its lengthwise extension relative to the horizontal. By the corresponding execution of the driver surface  115 . 1  provision is made for only those stamped nuts  1  being moved when the conveyor element  115  moves up which already have one of only two possible orientations, i.e. with one of its two end surfaces lie adjacent to the inner surface of the bunker wall  112 . 1 , therefore either with the projection  5  or with the face side without the projection which faces away from the projection  5  lie against the inner surface of the bunker wall  112 . 1  and thus with their nut axis are oriented perpendicular to the bunker wall  112 . 1 , while all differently oriented stamped nuts  1  fall back into the stock. 
         [0037]    The stamped nuts  1  entrained on the driver surface  115 . 1  are finally delivered from underneath into a feed channel  116  which is formed on the top edge of the bunker wall  112 . 1 , and which when the conveyor element  115  is in the up stroke position is closed by it. On one side of the feed channel  116  there is a nozzle  117  via which in the lengthwise direction of the feed channel blast air can be delivered in a controlled manner into the channel  116  so that via this blast air the stamped nuts  1  conveyed from the conveyor element  115  in the feed channel  116  are conveyed in the conveyor direction radially to their nut axis into one channel  118  of a sorting means  119 . Subsequently, with the blast air turned off the conveyor element  115  is again moved down, for repeated dipping into the stock of stamped nuts and for subsequent entrainment of other stamped nuts up into the feed channel  116 . 
         [0038]    The sorting means  119  is made such that only those stamped nuts  1  which have a given identical orientation with reference to their projection  5  travel via the sorting means  119  into the vertical channel of a delivery rail  120  in which then the individual stamped nuts  1  are arranged oriented in a row in secession and with their projection  5  each in the same direction perpendicular to the lengthwise extension of the delivery rail. The bottom end of the delivery rail  120  is then connected to separation means  121  via which the stamped nuts  1  each travel to a hose coupling  122  while maintaining the given orientation. 
         [0039]    From the hose coupling the stamped nuts  1  using conveyor air or blast air via a flexible supply hose  123  are supplied to the processing tool, for example (stamping head) individually in secession or as a group of several stamped nuts, by corresponding execution of the channel in the supply hose  123  the stamped nuts  1  also being located there with their nut axis perpendicular to the conveyor direction and retaining the given orientation. These stamped nuts which do not have the required orientation when entering the sorting means  119  travel via the sorting means  119  back into the bunker  112 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 10-12  show one possible version for the sorting means. As the figures show, the sorting means  119  consists essentially of a branching channel  118  which is formed in the housing  124 . It has a channel section  118 . 1  which is connected to the feed channel  116  and which forms the inlet of the sorting means  119  and the two branching channel sections  118 . 2  and  118 . 3 , of which the channel section  118 . 2  discharges into the vertical channel of the delivery rail  120  and the channel section  118 . 3  is used to return the incorrectly oriented stamped nuts  1  to the bunker  112 . 
         [0041]    The channel  118  has altogether, i.e. on its collective channel sections  118 . 1 - 118 . 3  and also on a branching area  118 . 4 , in each case the same rectangular cross section which is slightly larger than the height and the diameter of the cylindrical stamped nut body  3  without the projection  5 . On the channel section  118 . 1  as far as to the branching region  118 . 4  the rectangular cross section of the channel  118  on the two larger cross section sides has one groove-shaped widening  125  and  126  which forms the space for movement for the projections  5  of the stamped nuts  1 , regardless of the orientation of the respective stamped nut  1  and of the respective projection  5 . 
         [0042]    The groove-shaped widening  125  extends beyond the connecting region  118 . 4  within the channel section  118 . 2  so that the channel  118  there has a rectangular cross section with only one widening, specifically the widening  125  on one larger cross sectional side, and thus only those stamped nuts  1  which are oriented accordingly with reference to their projection  5 , i.e. their projections are held in the widening  125 , are routed into the channel section  118 . 2  on their projection  5  and are further conveyed there with their projection in the widening  125  by sliding. 
         [0043]    The widening  126  continues via the connecting region  18 . 4  into the channel section  118 . 3  so that the rectangular cross section of this channel section also has only one widening, specifically the widening  126  on the other larger cross sectional side, and thus only those stamped nuts  1  which are oriented accordingly with reference to their projection  5 , i.e. their projections are held in the widening  126 , are routed on their projection  5  into the channel section  118 . 3  and are conveyed onward there with their projection sliding in the widening  28 , i.e. conveyed back into the bunker  112 . 
         [0044]    The stamped nuts  1  are thus sorted for the sorting means  119  solely by the shape of the channel  118  and without using active or driven sorting elements, etc. The stamped nuts  1  are conveyed in the sorting means  119  by blast air and also supported by gravity. But other versions are also possible, especially also those in which the conveyance of the stamped nuts  1  in the sorting means takes place solely by gravity. 
         [0045]    The invention was described above using embodiments. It goes without saying that numerous changes and modifications are possible without in this way departing from the inventive idea underlying the invention. 
         [0046]    Thus, in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-6  it was assumed above that the respective removal unit  12  and  12   a  is moved in the vertical direction. Of course also movement of the respective removal unit  12  or  12   a  in the other axial direction or in addition in at least one other axial direction is possible. Furthermore it is possible to move the respective bunker  11  or  11   a  with the stock of stamped nuts  1  contained in this bunker relative to the removal element  12  or  12   a  or its inlet  13  or  29  in at least one axial direction. 
         [0047]    Furthermore it is also possible by the corresponding measures, for example by a mechanical means and/or by blast or compressed air to move or keep the stamped nuts  1  in the bunker  11  and  11   a  in motion in order to always obtain a sufficient amount of randomly correctly oriented stamped nuts  1  at the pertinent inlet  13  and  20 , which then travel via the inlet  13  or via the openings  29  into the removal means  12  and  12   a.    
         [0048]    Furthermore it also possible to make the sorting means  119  differently than described above or such that the incorrectly oriented stamped nuts  1  are not returned to the bunker  112 , but are turned by a turning means which then follows the channel section  118 . 3  so that they then have the given orientation and are supplied together with the already originally correctly oriented stamped nuts to further processing. 
       REFERENCE NUMBER LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           1  stamped nut 
           2  sheet metal workpiece. 
           3  stamped nut body 
           4  threaded hole 
           5  projection 
           10 ,  10   a  supply unit 
           11 ,  11   a  bunker 
           12 ,  12   a  removal element or removal unit 
           13  inlet 
           13 . 1  opening 
           14  sorting unit 
           15  magazine 
           16  turning unit 
           17  outlet channel 
           18  supply hose 
           19  shaft 
           19 . 1 ,  19 . 2  shaft section which tapers in a funnel shape 
           20  wall 
           20 . 1  bevelled region of the inside surface of the wall  20   
           21  channel 
           22  sorting channel 
           22 . 1 ,  22 . 2 ,  22 . 3  channel section 
           22 . 4  branching region 
           23  channel 
           24  housing 
           25  channel 
           26  turning channel 
           27 ,  28  widening 
           29  inlet 
           29 . 1  opening or mask 
           30  shaft 
           31  channel 
           32  means for loosening and removing stamped nuts 
           110  supply unit 
           111  frame 
           112  bunker 
           112 . 1  bunker wall 
           113  step conveyor 
           114  drive 
           115  sword-like conveyor element of the step conveyor 
           115 . 1  strip-like conveyor or driver surface of the conveyor element  15   
           116  receiving or charging channel 
           117  nozzle for blast or conveyor air 
           118  channel of the sorting means 
           118 . 1 ,  118 . 2 ,  118 . 3  channel section 
           118 . 4  branching region 
           119  sorting means 
           120  delivery rail 
           121  separation 
           122  hose coupling 
           123  supply hose 
           124  housing 
           125 ,  126  groove-like widening of the channel of the sorting means 
         Double arrow A motion stroke of the conveyor element  15