Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for assembling a front panel, a plurality of side panels, a back panel, and a roof panel in a complete body assembly line for various vehicles. The complete body assembling apparatus realizes a new type of a coupling apparatus by which hangers for vehicle models are held in a post buck in a complete body line for a vehicle and the post buck is flexibly movable depending on the changes in various vehicle models. This in turn, allows various vehicle models to be produced in a single process by flexibly coping with various vehicle models and enhancing the efficiency of an entire complete body assembling process.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0121518 filed Dec. 1, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (a) Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for assembling a front panel, side panels, a back panel, and a roof panel in a complete body assembly line. 
     (b) Background Art 
     In general, a large number of vehicle parts are assembled through assembling and welding processes in mass-production lines in the course of manufacturing vehicles. In particular, a vehicle body is manufactured by assembling body panels produced through press processes, and floors, doors, trunk lids, hoods, and fenders are mounted to the body to be assembled. 
     Nowadays, vehicle manufactures employ a system for various vehicle models that enables flexible adaptation to changes in the bodies for the various vehicle models. Such a system is adapted to feed body panels and parts to assembly processes corresponding to a corresponding vehicle model to achieve automation of the processes. 
     Meanwhile, there is a process called a “main buck” in many processes of a body assembly line, and various panels, such as side panels, floor panels, front panels, and back panels, which are produced in sub-processes, are welded in the main buck process to form the shape of a vehicle. 
     For example, side panels and roof panels for various vehicle models are sequentially fed to a main buck process through top bogies or hangers according to the order of the vehicles, and lower floor panels are supplied to the main buck process through bogies or shuttles according to the order of the vehicles. Then, a jig, such as a rotary jig which can be rotated to three sides, serves to clamp and couple the panels supplied to the main buck process. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in a complete body line for vehicles (e.g., commercial vehicles, such as truck cabs), a front panel  100   a , two side panels  100   b , a back panel  100   c , and a roof panel  100   d  are assembled to produce three different models of vehicles through a three-surfaced buck. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , for example, after panel parts  100  are loaded, a rotating body  110  rotates and moves forward, and after a gate  120  moves forward, a robot performs welding in working regions. After the welding is completed, the gates  120  move backward to take a waiting posture to load the following model vehicle. 
     However, the equipment for producing three different models of vehicles with three different side bucks in a conventional complete body line for commercial vehicles has the following disadvantages. First, the equipment is not sufficient to produce various vehicle models. Second, due to the complexity of a jig, it is difficult to perform this type of welding via a robot. Third, the system shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is very large and thus requires a large space to operate. Fourth, due to the presence of many disorder-causing factors, a line operation rate is much lower than most automotive manufactures would like. Fifth, a very large rotating body is formed as an integrated body and thus its structure is very complex. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present invention provides a complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models that utilizes a coupling apparatus by which hangers for vehicle models are held in a post buck in a complete body line for a vehicle and the post buck is flexibly movable depending on the changes in various vehicle models. Thus, this allows various vehicle models to be produced in a single process by flexibly adapting to the various vehicle models and enhancing the efficiency of an entire complete body assembling process. 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models which includes hangers, (e.g., four), where panels are coupled, which are assembled at four different sides, and a post buck which has a base where the hangers are assembled, and different posts, (e.g., four) installed on the base in a rectangular arrangement and having clamping units for fixing the hangers. In this embodiment, two of the four different posts are movable in a forward and backward direction. The hangers are assembled together at four different sides using the different posts to couple the panels on the hangers. Furthermore, the hangers for setting up the panels are loaded to or unloaded from the post buck by robots. 
     Illustratively, the positions of the two back posts adjacent to each other may vary along the forward and backward direction via the driving force of, e.g., a servo motor, and of the driving force of, e.g., a ball screw while the two back posts are being slidably guided in a linear motion (LM) guide on the base. 
     Advantageously, the hangers for various vehicle models using robots and a post buck flexibly movable according to the vehicle models are combined to assemble a complete body. This allows various vehicle models to be produced in a single process by actively coping with changes in vehicle models. Second, the equipment in the present invention is simple due to its hanger exchange manner, thus preventing generation of errors and enhancing line operating rate. Third, since the number of parts can be remarkably reduced and the size of the facility can be reduced, the entire structure of the facility can be simplified and the space occupying rate can be remarkably lowered. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a general complete body of a commercial vehicle; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating equipment configured to produce three vehicle models with a three-sided buck in a conventional complete body line for a commercial vehicle; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a back post converting unit in the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a coupling state of a hanger and a post buck in the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 6A to 6D  are schematic views illustrating coupling states of a complete body using the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings such that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily practice the present invention. 
     Note that it is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a back post converting unit in the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models is a coupling apparatus for hangers which utilize a robot to secure the flexibility of a vehicle manufacturing line, and includes a base  11  and four different posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  disposed on top of the base  11  in an upright position. 
     Clamping units  12  for fixing hangers  10  (as shown below in  FIG. 5 ) are attached to the sides of the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d , and pins (not shown) having a certain shape are mounted to the hangers  10  such that the hangers  10  are coupled to the clamping units  12  using the pins. Upon being clamped, the coupled hangers  10  are integrated with the four different posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d . That is, the hangers  10  are incorporated into the four posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  to form a firm body, maintaining a constant strength. 
     To achieve this, the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models includes four hangers  10  for setting panel parts such as a front panel, a plurality of side panels, a back panel, and a roof panel, and a post buck  14  configured to help combine four surfaces of the four hangers  10  while supporting the four hangers  10 . 
     The hangers  10  are in the form of frame structures having shapes suitable to the characteristics of the shapes of the panel parts, and pins (not shown) are mounted to opposite sides of each hanger  10 . The hangers  10  are coupled and fixed to the sides of the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  of the post buck  14  using the pins. 
     Here, the clamping units  12  for coupling the hangers  10  to the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  and the pins may be a common panel fixing clamping means. In this case, several hangers  10  may be provided for various vehicle models and can be exchanged to be used for the corresponding vehicle model, and may be handled via a robot to be loaded or unloaded on the side of the post buck  14 . 
     The post buck  14  is configured to be a reference portion when the hangers  10  are assembled for a four-sided combination, and serves to clamp and grip opposite ends of the hanger  10 , accordingly. 
     To achieve this, a base  11  is provided in the form of a rectangular plate structure and posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  are installed at corners of the base  11  respectively, such that the four different posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  installed in this way form a rectangular arrangement structure. For example, two front posts  13   a  and  13   b  and two back posts  13   c  and  13   d  forms a rectangular arrangement structure and are installed on the base  11 . 
     In particular, with respect to the post buck  14 , the locations of the posts may vary so as to flexibly correspond to the change in vehicle models. To achieve this, front posts  13   a  and  13   b  are fixed to two corners of the base  11 , and back posts  13   c  and  13   d  may be moved forward and backward at the remaining two corners. 
     For example, linear motion (LM) guides  15 , disposed side by side to provide movability forward and backward, are provided near the two corners of the base  11 , that is, near the two corners where the back posts  13   c  and  13   d  are situated, and ball screws  17  are situated side by side on the inner side of the LM guides  15  and a servo motor  16  is disposed at one end of each LM guide  15  to provide a driving force. 
     Ends of the ball screws  17  are connected to shafts  16   a  of the servo motors  16  and opposite ends thereof are supported by brackets  18  having bearings (not shown). Lower ends of the back posts  13   c  and  13   d  are slidably guided by the LM guides  15  while at the same time supported by the LM guides  15 , and are coupled to the ball screws  17  such that the ball screws  17  can be moved forward and backward via, e.g., electrical power. 
     Accordingly, if the servo motor  16  is driven, the back posts  13   c  and  13   d  are moved forward and backward via the ball screws  17 , and then the back post  13   c  and  13   d  are moved forward and backward to positively to adjust for changes in vehicle models in the manufacturing line. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a coupling state of a hanger and a post buck in the complete body assembling apparatus for various vehicle models according to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the base  11  and the post buck  14  including the four different posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  are installed in the body assembly line, and the four hangers  10  to which the panel parts  100  such as side panel and a back panel are moved toward the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  of the post buck  14  by the corresponding robots  130  and are clamped by the clamping units  12  in the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  while supported by the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d , forming four surfaces. 
     As the four hangers  10  are coupled to form four surfaces, the panel parts  100  in the hangers  10  are temporarily coupled, and the panels  100  are coupled to form a complete body while the robots  130  perform welding. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the positions of the posts  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  are determined depending on the model of the vehicle before the panel parts  100  are loaded. That is, the two back posts  13   c  and  13   d  are moved forward and/or rearward to be positioned for that particular vehicle model&#39;s corresponding panels and dimensions. As shown in  FIG. 6B , the hanger  10 , where the back panel  100   c  is set by the robot  130 , is loaded to be fixed between the opposite back posts  13   c  and  13   d . As shown in  FIG. 6C , the hanger  10 , where the front panel  100   a  is set by the robot  130  is loaded to be fixed between the opposite front posts  13   a  and  13   b . As shown in  FIG. 6D , if the back panel  100   c  and the front panel  100   a  are completely fixed, the hangers  10 , where the side panels  100   b  are set, are sequentially loaded by the robots  130  to be fixed between the opposite front post  13   a  and back post  13   c  and between the front post  13   b  and the back post  13   d.    
     In this way, after the back panel  100   c , the front panel  100   a , and the two side panels  100   b  are coupled and arranged and the roof panel (not shown) is temporarily coupled by a crane unit (not shown), the coupling portions of the panels are welded by separate welding robots  130  to finish one complete body for a vehicle. 
     Advantageously, since hangers for various vehicles are held in a post buck in a complete body line for various vehicles and posts are flexibly moved according to models of vehicles, multiple models of vehicles can be changed and various vehicle models can be produced in a single process. 
     The invention has been described in detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. Further, many modifications may be made to specific situations and materials without departing from the essence of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment but includes all embodiments within the scope of the attached claims.