Work support apparatus
A parts shelf ( 2 ) has a configuration in which a storage box holding member for holding a plurality of parts storage boxes and a sensor holding member for holding photoelectric sensors are provided separately from each other. As the photoelectric sensor, an area sensor ( 100 ) capable of sensing coordinates of a position in which light is shielded in a predetermined two-dimensional area close to the front of the storage box holding member is employed. In an information processor ( 1 ), information of parts corresponding to a plurality of parts storage boxes of the storage box holding member and sizes and positions of the storage boxes is pre-stored. On the basis of the pre-stored information and the light-shielded position coordinates sensed by the area sensor, the storage box storing apart, the hand of the operator has reached is sensed.
1. A work support apparatus comprising:
a parts shelf in which a plurality of parts storage boxes with a parts ejection port facing forward are housed; and
an information processor,
for properly notifying an operator of position of a parts storage box in which a necessary part is stored via a monitor or an indicator disposed for each of the parts storage boxes, and verifying execution of pickup of a part from the notified parts storage box by detecting a hand of the operator reaching a storage box by a photoelectric sensor,
wherein the parts shelf has a configuration in which a storage box holding member for holding a plurality of parts storage boxes and a sensor holding member for holding a photoelectric sensor are provided separately from each other,
the photoelectric sensor is an area sensor capable of detecting the coordinates of a position in which light is shielded in a predetermined two-dimensional region close to the front side of the storage box holding member,
information of parts corresponding to a plurality of parts storage boxes of the storage box holding member and sizes and positions of the storage boxes is pre-stored in the information processor, and
on the basis of the information and the coordinates of the light-shielded position sensed by the area sensor, a storage box including parts, to which a hand of the operator reached is sensed.
2. The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein two or more kinds of storage box holding members in which two or more kinds of parts storage boxes of different sizes or shapes are housed in different layouts are prepared.
3. The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein information of a plurality of storage box holding members is stored in the information processor.
4. The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the area sensor is fixed in a predetermined position in the sensor holding member and
the storage box holding member is provided with a position varying mechanism for changing a portion in the storage box holding member, which faces an area to be sensed by the area sensor in a state where the storage box holding member is assembled to the sensor holding member.
5. The work support apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a lifter for varying height of a storage box holding member is employed as the position varying mechanism.
6. The work support apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein in a work process, the information processor notifies the operator of a timing of changing the position of the storage box holding member via a monitor or an indicator.
7. The work support apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the storage box holding member has a plurality of indicators disposed in correspondence with the storage boxes to selectively instruct a parts box to the operator, and
the information processor notifies the operator of a portion in the storage box holding member to face an area to be sensed by the area sensor by simultaneously turning on predetermined indicators on the timing of changing the position of the storage box holding member.
8. The work support apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a plurality of RFID tags are provided in a line in the height direction for the storage holding member,
the sensor holding member has an RFID tag reader, and
the information processor determines whether the position of the storage box holding member is properly changed or not on the basis of ID tag information read by the ID tag reader.