Parts feeding apparatus and parts feeding process

A parts feeding apparatus for feeding parts for a work, on a tray to an assembling body for assembling the parts, comprising:

• conveyor means for conveying said parts carrying tray to and from said assembling body, and
• transferring and positioning means for transferring and positioning a plurality of said trays, which are conveyed by said conveyor means to said assembling body,
• wherein said transferring and positioning means includes:
• a first transfer unit for transferring said parts carrying tray upward in a first direction from said conveyor means;
• a positioning unit for positioning said parts carrying tray from said first transfer unit in a determined position within an assembling range of said assembling body;
• and
• a second transfer unit for transferring said parts carrying tray positioned in said determined position, downward in a second direction reversed from said first direction, to said first transfer unit or for discharging said tray emptied of said parts to said conveyor means;
• wherein said conveyor means includes:
• an introducing conveyor arranged for feeding said first transfer unit with said parts carrying tray;
• and a discharging conveyor for discharging said tray emptied of said parts from said second transfer unit;
• and
• wherein said first transfer unit of said transferring and positioning means includes:
• a lifter for taking said parts carrying tray from said introducing conveyor;
• a separator for releasably holding said parts carrying tray separately of said lifter;
• a tray setter for setting said parts carrying tray in a predetermined position;
• and
• an elevator hanger for transferring said parts carrying tray from said separator to said tray setter.

A part feeding apparatus for feeding parts which are disposed on a plurality of trays, to an assembly robot, comprising:

• conveyor means for continuously conveying said plurality of trays along a conveyor line in a first direction toward the assembly robot when the trays contain parts, and in a second direction away from the assembly robot when the trays are empty;
• and
• a transferring and positioning arrangement for transferring and positioning each of the plurality of said trays, which are conveyed by said conveyor means, to the assembly robot, and locating each tray in a position wherein the parts disposed thereon can be taken by the assembly robot, said transferring and positioning arrangement including:
• first transfer means for sequentially transferring the trays upward from said conveyor means;
• positioning means for positioning each of the trays which has been transferred by said first transfer unit, in a predetermined position within reach of the assembly robot;
• and
• second transfer means for selectively transferring each tray, after it has been positioned in said predetermined position, downward from the predetermined position to said first transfer means when the tray still contains parts and to said conveyor means when the tray is empty.