Component feed device and unit comprising such a device

摘要

The invention provides a component feed device (2) enabling metered delivery of components to a workstation, the device comprising a conveyor belt (6) having an upper strand (7) and a lower strand (8), drive means (9, 10, 13, 14, 16) for driving the conveyor belt (6) in a loop, and holder means configured to contain the components on the upper strand (7) of the conveyor belt (6). The upper strand (7) is configured to form a container, in particular a bowl-shaped container, having an upstream face (11a), a bottom (11b), and a downstream face (11c), said upstream and downstream faces being configured to encourage components to move down under gravity into the bottom. The conveyor belt (6) has an outside face (6a) and an inside face (6b), the outside face having component retaining means (19) configured to retain the components resting on said outside face (6a) at least when they are situated on the downstream face (11c).

主权项

1. A component feed device serving to meter the delivery of components, in particular to a workstation, the device comprising:
an enclosure; a conveyor belt incorporated in the enclosure;
the conveyor belt being mounted in a loop and having an upper strand on which the components rest while being transported and a lower strand for returning empty; a drive device for driving the conveyor belt in a loop; a holder device configured to contain the components on the upper strand of the conveyor belt, said holder device being constituted by two vertical plates of the enclosure located beside the sides of the conveyor belt,
the upper strand of the conveyor belt being configured to form a bowl-shaped container having an upstream face, a bottom, and a downstream face, said upstream and downstream faces being configured to encourage components to move down under gravity to the bottom of the container, the conveyor belt having an outside face and an inside face, the outside face having a component retaining device configured to retain the components resting on said outside face at least when they are situated on the downstream face; a downstream drum being arranged to return the conveyor belt at an downstream end; an upstream drum being arranged to return the conveyor belt at an upstream end,
the upstream and downstream drums being spaced apart from each other in a configuration that enables the upper strand of the conveyor belt to be kept slack,wherein an upstream support plate and a downstream support plate are arranged at an angle of inclination under the upper strand of the conveyor belt, respectively in regions of the upstream and downstream faces, said upstream and downstream support plates forming a V-shape between each other by bearing against the inside face of said upper strand of the conveyor belt; and an adjustment device being configured to modify the angle of inclination of the upstream and downstream support plates.