Method and apparatus of assembling vehicular body

Abstract

A method of assembling a vehicular body includes the following operations: positioning a floor main and making a relative positioning between the floor main and a body side's lower section, by using a three-dimension general locator device standing on a floor, and positioning each of a right body side, a left body side and a roof rail and making the relative positioning between the body side's upper section and the roof rail, by using a front body side upper section locator jig and a rear body side upper section locator jig which are disposed on a ceiling and independent of each other in a forward-and-rearward direction of the vehicular body, and each of which is replaceable in accordance with a type of vehicle.

1 . An apparatus of assembling a vehicular body, for carrying out a pre-tack welding operation by positioning each of a floor main, a right body side, a left body side and a roof rail which constitute a body main component of a vehicle while by making a relative positioning between the floor main, the right body side, the left body side and the roof rail, the apparatus comprising: 
 a three-dimension general locator device standing on a floor, for positioning the floor main and making the relative positioning between the floor main and the body side's lower section, and    a front body side upper section locator jig and a rear body side upper section locator jig which are disposed on a ceiling and independent of each other in a forward-rearward direction of the vehicular body, and each of which is replaceable in accordance with a type of the vehicle, the front body side upper section locator jig and the rear body side upper section locator jig positioning each of the right body side, the left body side and the roof rail and making the relative positioning between the body side's upper section and the roof rail.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the front body side upper section locator jig and the rear body side upper section locator jig are for a single type vehicle or a plural types of vehicles,    each of the front body side upper section locator jig and the rear body side upper section locator jig for the type of the vehicle is stored in a storage area in a vicinity of an actual operating position, and    a jig replacing device is provided for replacing one of the respective front body side upper section locator jig and rear body side upper section locator jig between the operating position and the storage area, in accordance with the type of the vehicle to be assembled.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein 
 each of the front body side upper section locator jig and the rear body side upper section locator jig defines a standby position and a soon-to-be replaced position between the operating position and the storage area,    the jig replacing device includes: 
 a primary jig replacing device for replacing one of the respective front body side upper section locator jig and rear body side upper section locator jig, between the storage area and the standby position,  
 a secondary jig replacing device for replacing one of the respective front body side upper section locator jig and rear body side upper section locator jig, between the standby position and the soon-to-be replaced position, and  
 a final jig replacing device for replacing one of the respective front body side upper section locator jig and rear body side upper section locator jig, between the soon-to-be replaced position and the operating position.  
   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein 
 the standby position is substantially level with the soon-to-be replaced position, and    the operating position is disposed below the soon-to-be replaced position.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein 
 the secondary jig replacing device of each of the front body side upper section locator jig and the rear body side upper section locator jig includes a conveyer for conveying one of the respective front body side upper section locator jig and rear body side upper section locator jig, and    the conveyer makes a round trip between the standby position and the soon-to-be replaced position.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein 
 the soon-to-be replaced position has a right side and a left side each of which defines the standby position,    the conveyer has two jig carrying areas each of which carries the body side upper section locator jig individually,    when one of the two jig carrying areas is in the soon-to-be replaced position, the other of the two jig carrying areas is in the standby position which is disposed on one of the right side and the left side of the soon-to-be replaced position, and    the conveyer thereby moves alternately relative to the standby position on the right side of the soon-to-be replaced position and the standby position on the left side of the soon-to-be replaced position.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein 
 the final replacing device is a lifter gripping the body side upper section locator jig and replacing the body side upper section locator jig between the soon-to-be replaced position and the operating position.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein 
 each of the jig carrying areas of the conveyer is provided with a jig catcher for positioning and supporting the body side upper section locator jig,    when the conveyer carrying the body side upper section locator jig moves from the standby position to the soon-to-be replaced position, substantially simultaneously the body side upper section locator jig mechanically engages with a jig gripping device disposed on the lifter's side,    with the body side upper section locator jig released from the jig catcher, the body side upper section locator jig is shifted from the conveyer to the jig gripping device, and    the jig gripping device of the lifter thereafter moves downward such that the body side upper section locator jig is positioned in the operating position.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein 
 when the body side upper section locator jig is positioned in the operating position, the body side upper section locator jig keeps the mechanical engagement with the jig gripping device disposed on the lifter's side,    the body side upper section locator jig and the jig gripping device are positioned relative to each other, by referring to a reference member disposed in the operating position, and    the mechanical engagement has a floatability which is set in advance for allowing an error in positioning the body side upper section locator jig and the jig gripping device relative to each other.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein 
 the jig catcher is fitted with a jig support member which supports the body side upper section locator jig and is displaceable between a jig positioning area and an escape area, and    the soon-to-be replaced position is provided with a lock mechanism releasing the jig support member, and locking the jig support member to the escape area.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein 
 the jig gripping device of the lifter is fitted with a coupler opposing the body side upper section locator jig and supplying a hydraulic energy and an electric power to the body side upper section locator jig,    the body side upper section locator jig carried by the jig gripping device is fitted with a coupler opposing the jig gripping device and supplying the hydraulic energy and the electric power,    the coupler on the jig gripping device is movable, and is floatably supported by a movable portion of a coupler attaching-removing mechanism, and    the coupler attaching-removing mechanism fitted to the jig gripping device attaches the coupler of the jig gripping device to the coupler of the body side upper section locator jig, and removes the coupler of the jig gripping device from the coupler of the body side upper section locator jig.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein 
 a pair of linear motion bearings are disposed substantially in parallel with each other, each of the linear motion bearings including a rail and a slider which is slidably guided by the rail,    the conveyer is movably born and guided by the pair of the linear motion bearings,    the conveyer has a first end which is swingably connected to the slider of one of the linear motion bearings by way of a hinge pin which is substantially in parallel with the rail, and    the conveyer has a second end which is connected to the slider of the other of the linear motion bearings in such a manner as to form a floatability.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein 
 the floatability of the conveyer is formed in such a manner that the second end of the conveyer is so connected to the slider of the other of the linear motion bearings as to move upward and downward and that the second end of the conveyer is inclinable on a surface which is substantially orthogonal to a direction of the conveyer's travel.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein 
 the second end of the conveyer is connected to the slider of the other of the linear motion bearings by way of a floating mechanism,    the floating mechanism elastically supports the second end of the conveyer in such a manner that the second end of the conveyer is movable upward and downward relative to the slider of the other of the linear motion bearings, and    the floating mechanism includes a spherical bearing for bearing the second end of the conveyer to be inclined on the surface which is substantially orthogonal to the direction of the conveyer's travel.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of assembling the vehicular body as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pre-tack welding operation is carried out on a rear parcel shelf and the like.