Double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for snap springs for rotors

Abstract

The invention discloses a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a snap spring for a rotor. The device comprises a feeding part, a clamping and overturning mechanism, a visual detection part, a double-station correction mechanism, a double-station truss manipulator and a rotor iron core positioning tool. Wherein after the visual detection part identifies the opening direction of the snap spring, two sets of independent rotating units in the double-station correction mechanism carry out rotating correction on the snap spring; meanwhile, the distance adjusting mechanism automatically adjusts the distance between the clamp springs to adapt to the slot distances of rotors of different models. And the double-station truss manipulator realizes quick transfer and installation of the snap spring through the feeding claw and the installation claw which are synchronously executed. According to the automatic clamp spring assembling machine, whole-course automation of clamp spring assembling is achieved, through combination of visual positioning, rotary correction and flexible pitch-variable design, the production efficiency, precision and equipment flexibility are remarkably improved, and the automatic clamp spring assembling machine can quickly meet the production requirements of multiple varieties.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of motor automated assembly, and in particular to a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring. Background Art

[0002] In the modern automotive industry, cooling fan motors are critical components that ensure the engine operates within the optimal temperature range, making their performance and reliability crucial. The permanent magnet rotor assembly of such motors, for example, as disclosed in Chinese Patent CN104321951A, "A Motor Rotor and Corresponding Assembly Method," utilizes multiple U-shaped springs (circlips) as key retaining elements. These U-shaped springs, through their unique structure (e.g., parallel surfaces and wavy segments), are installed in slots in the rotor core with an elastic interference fit. Their core function is to stably and reliably press and secure the permanent magnets to their corresponding seats, thereby resisting the significant centrifugal forces experienced by the motor under high-speed operation and vibration conditions.

[0003] Currently, the following technical difficulties are common in the industry regarding the assembly of the retaining spring of this rotor assembly: 1. Most of these retaining springs are typically asymmetrical in structure, with strict directional requirements (forward or reverse). If they are installed incorrectly, they cannot be installed or will malfunction after installation. To address this issue, current automated feeding devices, such as vibrating plates, can only screen retaining springs in a flat position, but cannot distinguish between forward and reverse directions. Final position adjustment still relies primarily on manual installation, requiring each spring to be removed, its orientation determined, and pressed into the rotor core slot using specialized tools. This method is not only labor-intensive and extremely inefficient, failing to meet the large-scale, high-speed production demands of the automotive industry, but also poses a more serious problem: the consistency and reliability of manual assembly are difficult to ensure, and problems such as reverse installation and missing installation are prone to occur, directly affecting the holding force of the permanent magnets and posing a serious risk to the performance, noise, and long-term operating life of the final motor product.

[0004] 2. In industries like automotive parts, where product iterations are rapid and models are numerous, the installation spacing of retaining springs varies for different rotor models. Traditional positioning devices are mostly fixed structures. Once the product model changes and the installation spacing of parts needs to be adjusted, the equipment must be mechanically modified and recalibrated, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and cannot meet the needs of flexible production.

[0005] Therefore, developing an automatic feeding device for rotor retaining springs that can both accurately orient and flexibly change pitch is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs, so as to solve the technical problems of low reliability of manual assembly due to the strict directionality of retaining springs, and poor flexibility of positioning devices due to diverse product models and changes in installation spacing.

[0007] The present application provides a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs, comprising: a feeding component for conveying retaining springs in a lying position; a discharging port of the feeding component is provided with a clamping and flipping mechanism for receiving retaining springs and flipping them from a lying position to a vertical position, the clamping and flipping mechanism flips the retaining springs and moves them to the detection area of ​​the visual detection component to identify the angle feature of the U-shaped closed mouth of the retaining spring in the vertical position, so as to obtain the opening direction information thereof and upload it to the control system; a double-station correction mechanism, the double-station correction mechanism comprises two sets of independent rotary units and one set of distance adjustment mechanism, the two sets of independent rotary units The rotation unit is used to rotate and correct the opening direction of the retaining spring according to the opening direction information obtained by the visual inspection component, and the distance adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the distance between the two retaining springs; the double-station truss robot is equipped with a loading claw and a mounting claw with adjustable spacing. The loading claw is used to transfer the retaining spring processed by the clamping and flipping mechanism to the double-station correction mechanism, and the mounting claw is used to grab the retaining spring with corrected direction and adjusted spacing from the double-station correction mechanism and transfer it to the rotor core positioning tooling, and install it into the slot of the rotor core; the rotor core positioning tooling rotates the rotor core to a preset angle through a rotating device.

[0008] Furthermore, to provide a stable and synchronized supply of materials for the subsequent dual-station system, the feeding components include a vibrating plate and a linear vibrating feeder. The linear vibrating feeder is equipped with two parallel spring conveyor lines. The vibrating plate and the spring conveyor lines are connected in series, ensuring that the springs advance in their U-shaped closed position and arrive synchronously at the waiting station of the gripping and flipping mechanism. The automated coordination of the vibrating plate and the linear vibrating feeder replaces the manual process of individually removing materials, achieving automated, orderly arrangement of springs and synchronized dual-channel conveying, providing reliable material support for the efficient and coordinated operation of the entire device.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to reliably convert incoming materials with different postures into a unified standard posture that is convenient for visual inspection, the clamping and flipping mechanism includes a clamping device, a flipping drive device, and a slide cylinder. The clamping device uses the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring as the clamping point, and flips it into a vertical posture with the U-shaped closed end facing upward and the U-shaped opening facing downward through the flipping drive device. The slide cylinder is located at the bottom of the clamping device and the flipping drive device, and is used to move the retaining spring to the inspection area of ​​the visual inspection component.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to realize a simple, reliable and low-cost angle rotation control method, each rotating unit includes a rotating chuck device, a bearing seat, a sleeve gear, a slider rack, a rack guide seat, a movable support plate, a driving cylinder and a limit cylinder. The rotating chuck device is mounted on the movable support plate through the bearing seat, the sleeve gear is mounted on the bottom of the rotating chuck device, the slider rack and the sleeve gear are slidably mounted on the rack guide seat on the movable support plate to achieve meshing, and the driving cylinder is mounted on one side of the movable support plate to drive the linear motion of the slider rack to convert into the rotational motion of the rotating chuck device. Furthermore, in order to achieve a simple, reliable and low-cost angle rotation control method, a limit cylinder is installed on the other side of the movable support plate corresponding to the driving cylinder, which is used to limit the displacement of the slider rack. The rotation angle of the rotating chuck device is controlled by the combined action of the driving cylinder and the limit cylinder, wherein the extended state of the limit cylinder corresponds to its 90° rotation angle, and its retracted state corresponds to its 270° rotation angle.

[0011] Furthermore, in order to ensure stable positioning of the retaining spring during rotation, the rotating chuck device includes a chuck portion and a rotating shaft portion, the chuck portion is equipped with a spring, a positioning movable block, a positioning guide block, and a chuck cover, the positioning movable block clamps the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring through the spring, the positioning guide block guides and positions the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring through its V-shaped boss, and the rotating shaft portion realizes angular rotation of the retaining spring by connecting with the bearing seat and the sleeve gear.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to realize a stable, reliable and easy-to-control automatic pitch-changing structure, the present application also proposes that the pitch-adjusting mechanism includes a support platform, on which two slide rails are provided, each slide rail is equipped with two slides, and each set of rotating units is installed on the slide rails through corresponding slides. A pitch-adjusting cylinder is provided between the two sets of rotating units, which is used to move the two sets of rotating units to adjust according to the preset spacing parameters of each pair of slots in the rotor core.

[0013] Furthermore, in order to achieve low-cost cylinders that can meet the different spacing parameters required by a variety of different product models, the present application also proposes that the adjustable distance cylinder is fixedly connected to the rotating unit through a piston connecting bracket and a cylinder body connecting bracket respectively, and adjustable limit assemblies are provided on both sides of the piston connecting bracket and the cylinder body connecting bracket, and are fixedly connected to the support platform for adjusting and limiting the preset active stroke of the adjustable distance cylinder.

[0014] Furthermore, in order to optimize the timing and spatial layout of the entire automated process to maximize production efficiency, the present application also proposes that the grabbing and placing actions of the loading claws and the installing claws of the double-station truss robot are performed synchronously, and the clamping and flipping mechanism, the double-station correction mechanism and the rotor core positioning tooling are arranged in sequence along the moving path of the double-station truss robot in space. Before the installing claws grab each pair of retaining rings from the double-station correction mechanism, the spacing of the installing claws is pre-adjusted according to the spacing adjusted by the double-station correction mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, in order to cooperate with the pitch adjustment mechanism and provide a complete flexible solution for different product models, the present application also proposes that the rotor core positioning tooling also includes a positioning tray. By replacing each positioning tray to adapt to the installation of different models of rotor cores, the rotating device can be installed and connected with each positioning tray.

[0016] The technical effects of this application are: 1. This application forms a complete closed-loop control process through the coordinated work of a clamping and flipping mechanism, a visual inspection component, and a rotation unit. The clamping and flipping mechanism ensures that all retaining springs enter the inspection process in a uniform vertical posture, providing a stable prerequisite for visual recognition; the visual inspection component replaces the human eye to accurately identify the direction of the retaining springs; and the rotation unit performs precise rotation correction based on the recognition results. This series of automated operations fundamentally eliminates the problems of reverse direction installation, missing installation, etc. that may occur in manual assembly, ensuring the stability of the permanent magnet holding force and the performance of the final motor product.

[0017] 2. This application provides the equipment with flexible pitch-changing capabilities through the combination of a pitch-adjusting mechanism and mounting claws with adjustable spacing. When producing rotors of different models, the control system simply adjusts the positioning parameters of the pitch-adjusting mechanism to change the spacing between the two retaining springs on the double-station correction mechanism. Simultaneously, the spacing of the mounting claws is pre-adjusted accordingly. This entire process eliminates the need for time-consuming mechanical structural modification and recalibration, significantly shortening changeover time and improving equipment utilization and responsiveness to market changes.

[0018] 3. This application achieves automated, dual-channel, synchronous feeding of retaining springs through a feeding component. The synchronized grabbing and placement actions of the loading and installation claws of the dual-station truss manipulator enable parallel loading and unloading processes, significantly reducing cycle time. The automatic rotary indexing of the rotor core positioning fixture enables continuous, uninterrupted installation. These design features collectively create a highly efficient automated production line, transforming a previously labor-intensive, inefficient manual process into a high-speed, automated, and unmanned process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall axial side of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of rotational posture conversion of a circlip of a double-station rotational variable pitch feeding device for a rotor circlip provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor core installation principle of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the axial side of a feeding component of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the axial side of a clamping and flipping mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the axial side of a double-station correction mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 This is a side view of a double-station correction mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a double-station correction mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view in the direction B of a double-station correction mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a rotary chuck device in a double-station correction mechanism of a double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the axial side of a rotor core positioning tooling of a double-station rotary variable pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining spring provided in an embodiment of the present application; In the picture: 10. Feeding components; 11. Vibrating plate; 12. Direct vibration feeder; 121. Circlip conveyor line; 20. Clamping and turning mechanism; 21. Clamping device; 22. Turning drive device; 23. Slide cylinder; 30. Visual inspection components; 40. Double-station correction mechanism; 41. Rotation unit; 411, rotary chuck device; 4111, chuck portion; 4112, shaft portion; 4113, spring; 4114, positioning movable block; 4115, positioning guide block; 4116, chuck cover; 412, bearing seat; 413, shaft sleeve gear; 414, slider rack; 415, rack guide seat; 416, movable support plate; 417, driving cylinder; 418, limiting cylinder; 42, distance adjusting mechanism; 421, support table; 422, slide rail; 423, slide table; 424, distance adjusting cylinder; 425, piston connecting bracket; 426, cylinder connecting bracket; 427, adjustable limiting assembly; 50, double-station truss manipulator; 51, feeding claw; 52, mounting claw; 60, rotor core positioning tool; 61, rotor core; 62, rotating device; 63, positioning tray. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiments of the technical scheme of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical scheme of the present application, and therefore only serve as examples, and cannot limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0021] The present application provides an embodiment of a double-station rotary distance adjusting feeding device for a retainer spring for a rotor. Referring to the accompanying Figure 1 The overall structure includes a feeding component 10, a clamping and overturning mechanism 20, a visual detection component 30, a double-station correction mechanism 40, a double-station truss manipulator 50, and a rotor core positioning tool 60. These components are arranged in sequence along the movement path of the double-station truss manipulator 50 in physical space to achieve the most efficient material flow.

[0022] The feeding component 10 is used to provide stable and orderly retainer springs for the entire system. In this embodiment, it transports the retainer springs in a lying posture, which is the most stable posture and can effectively prevent the retainer springs from falling over due to instability in the standing position during high-speed transportation.

[0023] The clamping and overturning mechanism 20 is arranged at the discharge port of the feeding component 10, and its function is to pretreat the incoming materials to provide standardized detection objects for subsequent visual detection. It first receives the lying posture retainer springs transported by the feeding component 10, then through a overturning action, it changes the retainer springs into a unified vertical posture, and translates to below the detection area of the visual detection component 30.

[0024] The visual detection component 30 is used to replace the human eye to accurately identify the opening direction of the retainer spring. Referring to the accompanying Figure 2 It captures the retainer spring in a vertical posture through an industrial camera, and through an image processing algorithm, it identifies the significant feature of the corner at the closed U-shaped opening of the retainer spring, thereby obtaining its unique direction information, and uploads this information to the central control system (such as PLC), where each spring has only two opening postures: "up" or "down", and each group of retainer springs has four random combinations of transmitted information, as shown in the accompanying Figure 2 As shown, the four situations are as follows: A: U-shaped closure with corner openings "up" and "down" B: U-shaped closure with the corner opening "up" and "up" C: U-shaped closure with corner openings "bottom" and "top" D: U-shaped closure with the corner opening "down" and "down" The dual-station correction mechanism 40 is the core of achieving direction correction and flexible adaptation. The mechanism includes two sets of independent rotation units 41 and a set of distance adjustment mechanism 42. Among them: Each rotating unit 41 is responsible for correcting the direction of a clip. Figure 2 It rotates the retaining spring 90° or 270° according to the direction information sent by the visual detection component 30, ensuring that the two retaining springs eventually reach the target state of "open relative to each other".

[0025] The function of the distance adjustment mechanism 42 is to adjust the distance between the two sets of rotating units 41. Figure 3 The distance parameter is automatically set by the control system according to the rotor model currently produced, so that the spacing of the retaining springs is completely matched with the spacing of the slots on the rotor core 61.

[0026] The dual-station truss manipulator 50 is a "high-speed transporter" connecting the various workstations. It is equipped with two functional claws: a loading claw 51 and a mounting claw 52 with adjustable spacing. The two claws perform the grabbing and placing actions synchronously, greatly shortening the operation cycle time. Among them: The loading claw 51 is responsible for transferring the clip processed by the clamping and flipping mechanism 20 to the double-station correction mechanism 40 .

[0027] The mounting claw 52 is responsible for grabbing the circlip that has completed direction correction and spacing adjustment from the double-station correction mechanism 40 and installing it into the rotor core 61 on the rotor core positioning fixture 60 .

[0028] The rotor core positioning fixture 60 is the final station of the installation operation. It automatically rotates the rotor core 61 to a preset angle after each pair of retaining springs are installed, using a rotating device 62 (such as a precision indexing plate). Figure 3 , so that the next pair of slots can be moved accurately to the position to be installed.

[0029] The feeding component 10 realizes automatic conveying of the retaining springs, avoiding the tedious operation of manually taking out the retaining springs one by one. The clamping and flipping mechanism 20 automatically adjusts the posture of the retaining spring, eliminating the step of manually flipping the retaining spring. The visual detection component 30 automatically identifies the opening direction of the retaining spring, replacing manual visual judgment and improving the accuracy of direction identification. The two sets of independent rotation units 41 of the double-station correction mechanism 40 can synchronously correct the angles of the two retaining springs to ensure that the openings of each pair of retaining springs are relative, solving the problem that manual adjustment is difficult to ensure accuracy. The distance adjustment mechanism 42 can automatically adjust the distance between the retaining springs according to the requirements of different rotor models, avoiding the trouble of changing tooling. The double-station truss manipulator 50 realizes the automatic transportation and installation of retaining springs, replacing manual operation. The rotating device 62 of the rotor core positioning tooling 60 automatically rotates the rotor core 61 to prepare for the installation of the next pair of retaining springs.

[0030] This automated design significantly improves the efficiency and precision of circlip assembly, resolving issues inherent in manual operations, such as low efficiency, insufficient precision, and proneness to errors. Furthermore, the solution's flexible design enables the equipment to adapt to the production needs of different rotor models, enhancing the flexibility of the production line.

[0031] Reference Figure 3 In a preferred embodiment, in order to achieve efficient parallel processing of two workstations, the feeding component 10 includes a vibration plate 11 and a straight vibration feeder 12. Two parallel spring conveying lines 121 are set on the straight vibration feeder 12. The vibration plate 11 and the spring conveying lines 121 are connected in series to ensure that the spring moves forward in a U-shaped closed direction and reaches the to-be-handed workstation of the clamping and flipping mechanism 20 synchronously.

[0032] The vibrating plate 11 features a spiral structure and is equipped with a trough and shaping mechanism. The trough separates the retaining springs individually, while the shaping mechanism adjusts their orientation, ensuring they are delivered in a U-shaped, closed position facing forward. A smooth transition between the vibrating plate 11 outlet and the linear feeder 12 inlet prevents the retaining springs from becoming stuck or changing their orientation during transport.

[0033] The direct vibrating feeder 12 utilizes an electromagnetic drive with an adjustable vibration frequency to accommodate circlips of varying sizes and weights. Two parallel circlip conveyor lines 121 utilize a concave groove structure, with a width slightly larger than the thickness of the circlips, ensuring they maintain a stable position during conveyance. The surfaces of the conveyor lines are polished to reduce friction and improve conveying efficiency.

[0034] A photoelectric sensor is provided at the end of the straight vibration feeder 12 to detect whether the clip has arrived at the transfer station. When the clip has arrived, the control system sends a signal to trigger the action of the clamping and turning mechanism 20.

[0035] Through the above-mentioned preferred embodiment, the present application realizes the automated feeding and directional conveying of the retaining spring. The combined use of the vibrating plate 11 and the direct vibration feeder 12 ensures that the retaining spring is delivered to the clamping and flipping mechanism 20 in a uniform posture and rhythm, laying the foundation for subsequent automated operation. The design of two parallel retaining spring conveying lines 121 improves feeding efficiency and meets the needs of high-beat production. In addition, this feeding method is suitable for retaining springs of different sizes and shapes, enhancing the adaptability and flexibility of the equipment.

[0036] Reference Figure 4 In a preferred embodiment, during the process of transferring the retaining spring from the feeding component 10 to the visual inspection area, there is a problem of insufficient clamping stability resulting in inaccurate posture flipping, which in turn affects the accuracy of the subsequent visual inspection component 30 and the reliability of the opening direction identification.

[0037] The present application further proposes a clamping and flipping mechanism 20 comprising a clamping device 21, a flipping drive device 22, and a slide cylinder 23. The clamping device 21 uses the U-shaped opening of the clip as a clamping point and flips it into a vertical posture with the U-shaped closed end facing upward and the U-shaped opening facing downward through the flipping drive device 22, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the spring is detected in a posture, and the slide cylinder 23 is located at the bottom of the clamping device 21 and the flip drive device 22, and is used to move the spring to the detection area of ​​the visual detection component 30.

[0038] The clamping device 21 uses a U-shaped opening to ensure the spring retainer does not shift or fall off during the flipping process. The flipping drive 22 uses a mechanical rack-and-pinion transmission to convert the spring retainer from a horizontally lying position to a vertically standing position. The slide cylinder 23 translates along a linear track to precisely position the spring retainer from the clamping station to the inspection station. The clamping device 21 and flipping drive 22 are rigidly connected to form an integrated structure. The translational and flipping actions of the slide cylinder 23 are synchronized and coordinated through timing control.

[0039] Specifically, the clamping device 21 waits for a pair of retaining springs at the discharge port of the feeding component 10. The clamping device 21 itself has two retaining spring perforation positions, and a spring-link mechanism is used to clamp the retaining spring perforation positions. When in the waiting position, a cylinder is used to assist (not shown in the figure) to apply a spring offset force to the spring link, so that each pair of retaining springs passes through the clamping shaft opening of the clamping device 21. At this time, the feeding outlet stops feeding, and the U-shaped closed end of the retaining spring in the clamping shaft of the clamping device 21 contacts the front limit block (not shown in the figure) and stops moving forward. At this time, the auxiliary cylinder contracts, and the retaining spring is clamped on both sides of the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring by the spring-link mechanism of the clamping device 21 itself. The flip drive device 22 drives the clamping device 21 to rotate around the axis so that the closed end of the retaining spring faces upward. The slide cylinder 23 then pushes the entire flip mechanism along the linear slide rail 422 to move directly below the visual inspection area, ensuring that the retaining spring is in the center of the field of view of the inspection camera. The rotation angle of the flip drive device 22 is controlled by the gear rack mechanism of the cylinder, and the stroke of the slide cylinder 23 is closed-loop fed back by the position sensor. This process eliminates the posture deviation caused by manual operation and provides a standardized positioning reference for the subsequent visual inspection component 30.

[0040] Through the above-described technical solution, the present application achieves the automated conversion of the spring clip from a horizontal conveying position to a vertical inspection position. This avoids directional errors and positioning deviations that may occur during manual operation, improving the accuracy and reliability of the subsequent visual inspection component 30. Furthermore, this solution replaces the manual flipping and positioning process with mechanized operations, significantly improving production efficiency and reducing labor intensity. Furthermore, the use of the slide cylinder 23 makes the movement of the spring clip smoother and more precise, creating excellent conditions for the subsequent visual inspection component 30.

[0041] Reference Figure 6 — Figure 9 In a preferred embodiment, the double-station correction mechanism 40 corrects the angle of the retaining spring through the rotation unit 41. However, in actual applications, there are challenges in accurately controlling the rotation angle, especially when it is necessary to quickly switch between 90° and 270° rotation. The traditional structure is difficult to ensure the stability and repeatability of the rotation angle, resulting in correction errors in the opening direction of the retaining spring.

[0042] The present application further proposes that the rotating unit 41 includes a rotating chuck device 411, a bearing seat 412, a sleeve gear 413, a slider rack 414, a rack guide seat 415, a movable support plate 416, a driving cylinder 417, and a limiting cylinder 418. The rotating chuck device 411 is mounted on the movable support plate 416 through the bearing seat 412, the sleeve gear 413 is mounted at the bottom of the rotating chuck device 411, and the slider rack 414 and the sleeve gear 413 are slidably mounted through the rack guide seat 415 to achieve engagement. The driving cylinder 417 is mounted on one side of the movable support plate 416 to drive the linear motion of the slider rack 414 to be converted into the rotational motion of the rotating chuck device 411. The limiting cylinder 418 is mounted on the other side of the movable support plate 416 corresponding to the driving cylinder 417 to limit the displacement of the slider rack 414. The combined action of the driving cylinder 417 and the limiting cylinder 418 controls the rotation angle of the rotary chuck device 411 . The extended state of the limiting cylinder 418 corresponds to a rotation angle of 90°, and the retracted state corresponds to a rotation angle of 270°.

[0043] The rotating chuck device 411 converts linear motion into rotational motion through the meshing of the sleeve gear 413 and the slider rack 414. The drive cylinder 417 provides power to push the slider rack 414 to move. The limit cylinder 418 limits the end point of the travel of the slider rack 414 by extending or retracting it, thereby determining the rotation angle. For example, when the limit cylinder 418 is extended, the travel of the slider rack 414 is shortened and the rotation angle is limited to 90°; when the limit cylinder 418 is retracted, the travel of the slider rack 414 is extended and the rotation angle is extended to 270°. The rack guide seat 415 ensures that the slider rack 414 moves along a straight trajectory, avoiding rotation errors caused by deflection. The movable support plate 416 provides rigid support for the rotating chuck device 411 and the drive components, reducing vibration interference.

[0044] Specifically, after the driving cylinder 417 is started, it pushes the slider rack 414 to move linearly along the rack guide seat 415, and drives the rotating chuck device 411 to rotate around the axis through the sleeve gear 413. The limit cylinder 418 adjusts its own state according to the preset angle requirement: if a 90° rotation is required, the limit cylinder 418 remains extended, blocking the slider rack 414 from continuing to move, so that the rotation stops at the target angle; if a 270° rotation is required, the limit cylinder 418 retracts, allowing the slider rack 414 to move a longer stroke until it reaches the corresponding angle and stops. Through the combination of mechanical limiting and pneumatic control, the rotation angle error is controlled within ±1°, ensuring that the opening directions of each pair of retaining springs are accurately relative. At the same time, this structure can achieve rapid switching between two angles only by switching the cylinder state, adapting to the production requirements of different models of rotors 61.

[0045] By the above technical solution, the present application realizes the accurate orientation and angle correction of the clasp. The rotary chuck device 411 can realize the 90° or 270° rotation of the clasp according to the result of the visual detection component 30 through the cooperation of the driving cylinder 417 and the limiting cylinder 418, and ensure that the clasp is installed on the rotor core 61 in the correct direction. This design avoids the direction judgment error and installation failure that easily occurs in manual operation, and improves the accuracy and consistency of the clasp installation. At the same time, this scheme adopts modular design, and each component can be replaced and maintained independently, which is convenient for daily maintenance and troubleshooting of the equipment. In addition, by adjusting the stroke of the driving cylinder 417 and the limiting cylinder 418, the rotation requirement of different specifications of the clasp can be flexibly adapted, and the adaptability and universality of the equipment are enhanced.

[0046] With reference to Figure 10 In a preferred embodiment, in the above-mentioned scheme of the present application, the rotary chuck device 411 needs to rotate the clasp at a specific angle to correct the opening direction, but during the rotation process, the clasp may be posture deviated due to unstable clamping or positioning deviation, which affects the accuracy and reliability of subsequent installation.

[0047] The present application further proposes that the rotary chuck device 411 comprises a chuck part 4111 and a rotating shaft part 4112, the chuck part 4111 is installed with a spring 4113, a positioning movable block 4114, a positioning guide block 4115, and a chuck cover 4116, the positioning movable block 4114 realizes the U-shaped opening clamping of the clasp through the spring 4113, the positioning guide block 4115 realizes the guiding and positioning of the U-shaped opening of the clasp through the V-shaped boss thereof, and the rotating shaft part 4112 realizes the angle rotation of the clasp through the connection with the bearing seat 412 and the shaft sleeve gear 413.

[0048] Among them, the positioning movable block 4114 of the chuck part 4111 self-adaptively adjusts the clamping force through the elastic force of the spring 4113, so as to ensure that the U-shaped opening of the clasp does not deform or slip during clamping; the V-shaped boss of the positioning guide block 4115 is embedded in the inner side of the U-shaped opening of the clasp, and the guiding effect of the V-shaped structure is used to automatically center and position the clasp during clamping; the rotating shaft part 4112 converts the linear motion into rotary motion through the meshing of the shaft sleeve gear 413 and the sliding block rack 414, and drives the synchronous rotation of the chuck part 4111 and the clasp; the chuck cover 4116 covers the outer side of the chuck part 4111, limits the movement range of the positioning movable block 4114 and the positioning guide block 4115, and prevents the clasp from escaping from the clamping area during the rotation process.

[0049] Specifically, when the retaining spring is transferred to the rotating chuck device 411, the V-shaped boss of the positioning guide block 4115 first contacts the inner wall of the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring, guiding it into the clamping position. Under the action of the spring 4113, the positioning movable block 4114 applies a clamping force to the retaining spring, stably clamping both sides of its U-shaped opening. The shaft portion 4112, driven by the shaft sleeve gear 413, drives the chuck portion 4111 to rotate. At this time, the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring remains fixed due to the constraint of the V-shaped boss of the positioning guide block 4115, preventing it from shifting during rotation. The chuck cover 4116 further limits the axial displacement of the retaining spring, ensuring that it remains in the predetermined position during the rotation correction process. As a result, the opening direction of the retaining spring is precisely controlled during the correction process, meeting the positioning accuracy requirements of subsequent installation.

[0050] The rotating chuck device 411 comprises a chuck portion 4111 and a rotating shaft portion 4112. The chuck portion 4111 is equipped with a spring 4113, a positioning block 4114, a positioning guide block 4115, and a chuck cover 4116. The positioning block 4114 clamps the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring via the spring 4113. The positioning guide block 4115 guides and positions the U-shaped opening of the retaining spring via its V-shaped boss. The rotating shaft portion 4112, connected to the bearing seat 412 and the sleeve gear 413, enables angular rotation of the retaining spring.

[0051] Reference Figure 6 — Figure 9 In a preferred embodiment, the spacing adjustment mechanism 42 needs to adapt to the requirements of adjusting the spacing of the retaining springs of different types of rotor cores 61. The traditional fixed structure cannot be adjusted quickly and requires mechanical modification, resulting in low production efficiency and lack of flexibility.

[0052] The present application further proposes that the distance adjustment mechanism 42 includes a support platform 421, two slide rails 422 are provided on the support platform 421, each slide rail 422 is equipped with two slides 423, each set of rotating units 41 is installed on the slide rail 422 through the corresponding slide 423, and a distance adjustment cylinder 424 is provided between the two sets of rotating units 41, which is used to move the two sets of rotating units 41 according to the preset spacing parameters of each pair of slots in the rotor core 61.

[0053] Among them, the support platform 421 serves as the basic installation platform, and the two slide rails 422 are arranged in parallel to provide linear guidance; the slide 423 cooperates with the slide rail 422 to realize the translational movement of the rotation unit 41; the distance adjustment cylinder 424 is respectively fixed to the two sets of rotation units 41 through the piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder body connecting bracket 426, and the two sets of rotation units 41 are driven to move toward or in opposite directions along the slide rail 422 through the cylinder extension and contraction; the adjustable limit assembly 427 is fixed on the support platform 421, and the movable stroke of the distance adjustment cylinder 424 is controlled by adjusting the position of the limit block, thereby limiting the minimum and maximum distances between the two sets of rotation units 41.

[0054] Specifically, the piston rod of the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is connected to one side of the rotating unit 41 through the piston connecting bracket 425, and the cylinder body is connected to the other side of the rotating unit 41 through the cylinder connecting bracket 426. When the distance adjusting cylinder 424 operates, the extension and contraction of the piston rod drives the two rotating units 41 to move synchronously along the slide rail 422, and the cooperation between the slide rail 422 and the slide table 423 ensures smooth movement and accurate positioning. The adjustable limiting assembly 427 limits the stroke of the cylinder by the contact position between the limiting block and the cylinder bracket, thereby controlling the adjustment range of the distance between the two sets of rotating units 41. For example, when a rotor core 61 with a smaller slot distance needs to be adapted, the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is contracted to the minimum stroke position set by the adjustable limiting assembly 427, so that the distance between the two sets of rotating units 41 is reduced to the target value; conversely, when the cylinder is extended to the maximum stroke position, the distance between the rotating units 41 is expanded to another target value. Therefore, by adjusting the installation position of the limiting assembly, the installation distance parameters of the snap spring for different models of rotor cores 61 can be quickly adapted without the need for mechanical modification of the equipment.

[0055] Through the above technical solution, the present application realizes the flexible adjustment function of the double-station rotating distance adjustment feeding device for the snap spring of the rotor. Thus, the slot distance requirements of different models of rotor cores 61 can be quickly adapted without the need for replacing parts or performing complex mechanical modification. This design greatly improves the flexibility and adaptability of the production line, reduces downtime and adjustment costs caused by product model changes. At the same time, through accurate distance adjustment, the accurate positioning and installation of the snap spring are ensured, and the assembly quality and efficiency are improved. In addition, this design also has the characteristics of simple structure and easy operation, which is beneficial to the daily maintenance and maintenance of the equipment.

[0056] Continuing to refer to Figure 6 Figure 9 In the above scheme, in a more preferred embodiment, the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is fixedly connected to the rotating unit 41 through the piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder connecting bracket 426, respectively, but in actual application, the preset active stroke of the distance adjusting cylinder 424 lacks effective adjustment means, resulting in the need for repeated debugging during the adjustment of the installation distance of the snap spring for different models of rotor cores 61, which affects the production efficiency and flexible adaptation ability.

[0057] The present application further proposes that the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is fixedly connected to the rotating unit 41 through the piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder connecting bracket 426, respectively, and the adjustable limiting assembly 427 is arranged on both sides of the piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder connecting bracket 426 and is fixedly connected to the support table 421, for adjusting and limiting the preset active stroke of the distance adjusting cylinder 424.

[0058] ​The piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder connecting bracket 426 are respectively fixedly connected with the piston end and the cylinder end of the distance adjusting cylinder 424, so as to ensure the stability of force transmission when the cylinder acts. The adjustable limiting assembly 427 includes a limiting block, a guide rod and a fastener. The limiting block slides along the length direction of the support table 421 through the guide rod and is fixed at a preset position through the fastener. The support table 421 is provided with a scale ruler, and the position of the limiting block is positioned according to the numerical value of the scale ruler. For example, the limiting block is made of aluminum alloy, the surface of the guide rod is plated with hard chromium to reduce the friction coefficient, and the fastener is a butterfly nut for facilitating manual operation.

[0059] Specifically, when the distance between the two rotating units 41 needs to be adjusted, the operator loosens the fastener, moves the limiting block along the guide rod to the target position corresponding to the scale ruler, and then locks it. At this time, the piston stroke of the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is limited in the interval between the limiting blocks. By adjusting the relative positions of the limiting assemblies on both sides, the extension and retraction amount of the distance adjusting cylinder 424 is accurately controlled, so as to drive the rotating unit 41 to move to the target distance along the slide rail 422. During this process, the rigid connection of the piston connecting bracket 425 and the cylinder connecting bracket 426 avoids the deflection of the cylinder when it acts, and the mechanical limiting function of the adjustable limiting assembly 427 ensures that the repeat accuracy of the distance adjustment reaches ±0.5 mm. In this way, the quick adaptation of the slot distance of different models of rotor cores 61 is realized, without the need to replace mechanical parts or perform complex calibration.

[0060] Through the above technical solution, the present application realizes the accurate and adjustable control of the active stroke of the distance adjusting cylinder 424. According to the snap spring installation distance requirements of different models of rotors 61, the limiting position can be quickly adjusted without the need to replace parts or re-calibrate, thereby improving the adaptability and production efficiency of the device. At the same time, the setting of the limiting mechanism avoids excessive extension and retraction of the distance adjusting cylinder 424, thereby protecting the cylinder and related components and prolonging the service life of the equipment. In addition, the application of the buffer structure reduces mechanical impact, reduces equipment noise and vibration, and improves the working environment.

[0061] Reference Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment, the double-station truss manipulator 50 has the problem of asynchronous action when grabbing and placing the snap spring, which causes the beats of the feeding and installation links to be unable to match, thereby affecting the overall production efficiency. In addition, the distance adjustment of the installation claw 52 and the distance adjusting action of the double-station correction mechanism 40 have timing conflicts, which causes the snap spring to be grabbed after waiting for the distance adjustment to be completed, further reducing the production beat and being difficult to adapt to the flexible production demand of multiple models of rotors 61.

[0062] The present application further proposes that the grabbing and placing actions of the loading claw 51 and the installing claw 52 of the double-station truss manipulator 50 are performed synchronously, and the clamping and flipping mechanism 20, the double-station correction mechanism 40 and the rotor core positioning tool 60 are arranged in sequence in space along the moving path of the double-station truss manipulator. Before the installing claw 52 grabs each pair of retaining rings from the double-station correction mechanism, the spacing of the installing claw 52 is pre-adjusted according to the spacing adjusted by the double-station correction mechanism 40.

[0063] The loading claw 51 and mounting claw 52 operate synchronously via independent pneumatic control modules. They are positioned at either end of the manipulator's beam, forming a dual-station, parallel operation structure. The manipulator's movement path is linear, with the gripping and flipping mechanism 20, dual-station correction mechanism 40, and rotor core positioning fixture 60 arranged in sequential order along the beam's direction of travel, creating a continuous material flow. The mounting claw 52's spacing adjustment mechanism is implemented by a servo motor-driven ball screw (not shown). Its guide rail system maintains parallelism with the slide rail 422 of the spacing adjustment mechanism 42. The initial spacing parameters of the mounting claw 52 are synchronized via an encoder and the displacement sensor of the spacing adjustment mechanism 42.

[0064] Specifically, after the double-station correction mechanism 40 completes the rotation correction and spacing adjustment of the retaining spring, the spacing adjustment mechanism 42 transmits the real-time spacing parameters to the manipulator control system. The servo motor of the mounting claw 52 drives the ball screw according to the received spacing parameters, so that the two mounting claws 52 move to the target position along the guide rail. This action is completed synchronously during the process of the loading claw 51 placing the next pair of retaining springs on the correction mechanism. The manipulator beam passes through the clamping and flipping station, the correction station and the installation station in sequence on the moving path, reducing the idle travel time through linear motion. When the mounting claw 52 grabs the corrected retaining spring, its spacing is completely matched with the spacing of the corrected retaining spring, eliminating secondary positioning errors. At the same time, when the loading claw 51 places the retaining spring to be corrected on the correction mechanism, the mounting claw 52 completes the grabbing and transportation of the corrected retaining spring, realizing the beat superposition of the double-station operation, and doubling the number of retaining springs installed per unit time.

[0065] Reference Figure 10In a preferred embodiment, the solution of the present application is specifically implemented as follows: the rotor core positioning tool 60 includes a detachable positioning tray 63, the bottom of which is machined with a positioning hole coaxial with the output shaft of the rotating device 62, and two sets of symmetrically distributed positioning pins are embedded in the positioning hole, and the positioning pins form a clearance fit with the pin holes on the flange of the rotating device 62. The edge of the positioning tray 63 is provided with an annularly distributed mounting groove, and the mounting groove is fixed to the connecting flange of the rotating device 62 by quick-release bolts, and the head of the quick-release bolt has a handwheel structure with anti-slip texture. When it is necessary to adapt to a different model of rotor core 61, the quick-release bolts on the original positioning tray 63 are loosened and removed vertically to separate the positioning tray 63 and the rotating device 62. Then, a positioning tray 63 of the corresponding model is selected, and the positioning pins of the new positioning tray 63 are inserted into the pin holes of the flange of the rotating device 62, and the fastening is completed by the quick-release bolts in the mounting groove. A contoured groove matching the outer contour of the rotor core 61 is arranged on the bearing surface of the positioning tray 63 , and an adjustable elastic limit block is provided on the side wall of the groove to adapt to the positioning requirements of rotor cores 61 of different diameters.

[0066] Through the above technical solution, the present application realizes the rapid adaptation of the rotor core positioning tooling 60 to different models of products. The standardized interface design of the positioning tray 63 and the rotating device 62 eliminates the need to disassemble or calibrate the rotating drive mechanism during the replacement process. The precise docking of the tooling is completed directly through the mechanical positioning features, effectively solving the problems of long downtime and complex adjustment procedures caused by product changes in traditional equipment, and significantly improving the flexibility of the production line.

[0067] Finally, it should be noted that unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0068] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0069] Reference to "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are they necessarily all referring to a particular embodiment logically separated from the other embodiments of the application. It is explicitly contemplated that embodiments described herein can be combined with each other in their individual and / or corresponding aspects.

[0070] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, but not limit the present application; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that: it can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent replacement for part or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor circlip, characterized in that: include: A feeding component (10) for conveying the clip in a lying position; The discharge port of the feeding component (10) is provided with a gripping and flipping mechanism (20) for receiving the clip and flipping it from a lying position to a vertical position. The gripping and flipping mechanism (20) flips the clip and moves it to the detection area of ​​the visual detection component (30) to identify its opening direction information and upload it to the control system; A double-station correction mechanism (40), the double-station correction mechanism (40) comprising two sets of independent rotation units (41) and a set of distance adjustment mechanism (42), the two sets of independent rotation units (41) being used to perform rotation correction on the clip according to the opening direction information obtained by the visual detection component (30), and the distance adjustment mechanism (42) being used to adjust the distance between the two clips; A double-station truss manipulator (50), the double-station truss manipulator (50) is equipped with a feeding claw (51) and a mounting claw (52) with adjustable spacing, the feeding claw (51) is used to transfer the clamping spring after inspection by the clamping and flipping mechanism (20) to the double-station correction mechanism (40), and the mounting claw (52) is used to install the corrected clamping spring from the double-station correction mechanism (40) into a slot of the rotor core (61) on the rotor core positioning fixture (60); The rotor core positioning fixture (60) rotates the rotor core (61) by a preset angle via a rotating device (62).

2. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The feeding component (10) includes a vibration plate (11) and a straight vibration feeder (12), and two parallel spring conveying lines (121) are provided on the straight vibration feeder (12). The vibration plate (11) and the spring conveying lines (121) are connected in series to ensure that the spring advances in its U-shaped closed direction and reaches the waiting position of the clamping and flipping mechanism (20) synchronously.

3. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The clamping and flipping mechanism (20) includes a clamping device (21), a flipping drive device (22), and a slide cylinder (23). The clamping device (21) uses the U-shaped opening of the spring as a clamping point and flips it into a vertical posture with the U-shaped closed end facing upward and the U-shaped opening facing downward through the flipping drive device (22). The slide cylinder (23) is located at the bottom of the clamping device (21) and the flipping drive device (22) and is used to move the spring to the detection area of ​​the visual detection component (30).

4. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the rotating units (41) includes a rotating chuck device (411), a bearing seat (412), a shaft sleeve gear (413), a slider rack (414), a rack guide seat (415), a movable support plate (416), a driving cylinder (417), and a limiting cylinder (418). The rotating chuck device (411) is mounted on the movable support plate (416) through the bearing seat (412). The shaft sleeve gear (413) is mounted on the bottom of the rotating chuck device (411). The slider rack (414) and the shaft sleeve gear (413) are slidably mounted on the rack guide seat (415) on the movable support plate (416) to achieve meshing. The driving cylinder (417) is mounted on one side of the movable support plate (416) and is used to drive the linear motion of the slider rack (414) to convert into the rotational motion of the rotating chuck device (411).

5. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 4, characterized in that: The limiting cylinder (418) is installed on the other side of the movable support plate (416) corresponding to the driving cylinder (417), and is used to limit the displacement of the slider rack (414). The rotation angle of the rotating chuck device (411) is controlled by the combined action of the driving cylinder (417) and the limiting cylinder (418), wherein the extended state of the limiting cylinder (418) corresponds to its 90° rotation angle, and the retracted state corresponds to its 270° rotation angle.

6. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for a rotor retaining ring according to claim 4, wherein the rotary chuck device (411) comprises a chuck portion (4111) and a shaft portion (4112), the chuck portion (4111) being provided with a spring (4113), a positioning movable block (4114), a positioning guide block (4115), and a chuck cover (4116), the positioning movable block (4114) clamping the U-shaped opening of the retaining ring through the spring (4113), the positioning guide block (4115) guiding and positioning the U-shaped opening of the retaining ring through its V-shaped boss, and the shaft portion (4112) rotating the retaining ring at an angle by being connected to the bearing seat (412) and the sleeve gear (413).

7. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pitch adjustment mechanism (42) includes a support platform (421), two slide rails (422) are provided on the support platform (421), and each slide rail (422) is equipped with two slide platforms (423). Each set of the rotating units (41) is installed on the slide rails (422) via corresponding slide platforms (423). A pitch adjustment cylinder (424) is provided between the two sets of rotating units (41) for moving the two sets of rotating units (41) to adjust the spacing parameters of each pair of slots in the rotor core (61) according to preset parameters.

8. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 7, characterized in that: The distance regulating cylinder (424) is fixedly connected to the rotating unit (41) via a piston connecting bracket (425) and a cylinder connecting bracket (426), respectively. Adjustable limit assemblies (427) are provided on both sides of the piston connecting bracket (425) and the cylinder connecting bracket (426) and are fixedly connected to the support platform (421) for adjusting and limiting a preset movable stroke of the distance regulating cylinder (424).

9. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grabbing and placing actions of the loading claws (51) and the mounting claws (52) of the double-station truss manipulator (50) are performed synchronously, and the clamping and flipping mechanism (20), the double-station correction mechanism (40) and the rotor core positioning tool (60) are spatially arranged in sequence along the moving path of the double-station truss manipulator (50). Before the mounting claws (52) grab each pair of retaining springs from the double-station correction mechanism (40), the spacing of the mounting claws (52) is pre-adjusted according to the spacing adjusted by the double-station correction mechanism (40).

10. The double-station rotary variable-pitch feeding device for rotor retaining springs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotor core positioning fixture (60) further includes a positioning tray (63). By replacing each positioning tray (63) to adapt to the installation of different types of rotor cores (61), the rotating device (62) and each positioning tray (63) can be installed and connected.

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