Automatic unpacking and feeding device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of mechanical feeding, and particularly discloses an automatic unpacking and feeding device, which comprises a material tank, a mechanical arm and a gripper. An opening structure is arranged at the top of the material tank, a feeding bin is arranged at the top of the material tank and connected to the opening structure, the mechanical arm is arranged at one side of the material tank, and the gripper is fixedly arranged at the end of the mechanical arm. The gripper comprises a combined bottom plate, a pushing piece, a push plate, a pull plate, a plug rod, a plug pin and a hydraulic rod. The combined bottom plate is connected to the end of the mechanical arm, the pull plate is symmetrically arranged on the bottom surface of the combined bottom plate, the two ends of the plug rod are inserted into the pull plate, the plug pin is arranged on the plug rod along the plug rod axis, one end of the hydraulic rod is hinged to the combined bottom plate, and the other end of the hydraulic rod is hinged to the plug rod. The pushing piece penetrates through the combined bottom plate and is arranged at the bottom of the pushing piece, and the push plate is arranged at the bottom of the pushing piece. The unpacking and feeding of ton bags are automatically realized, the risk of workers contacting harmful materials is eliminated from the source, and the operation efficiency and the material recovery rate are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of mechanical feeding, and specifically to an automated unpacking and feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] In many industrial production processes, such as mineral processing, chemical engineering, and water treatment, large quantities of powdered or granular materials such as activated carbon, sodium fluorosilicate, and lime powder are required. For ease of storage and transportation, these materials are typically packaged in large flexible modular containers (MLCs), often referred to in the industry as "ton bags." Currently, the unpacking and feeding of these MLCs still largely relies on manual labor. A typical process involves workers manually cutting open the bottom or side of the MLC with tools, allowing the material to fall into a storage tank or reaction vessel below under gravity. This traditional manual operation mode has significant technical drawbacks: First, it is inefficient and labor-intensive. Manually unpacking is a highly repetitive and labor-intensive process, requiring continuous operation and monitoring by workers, as well as handling material bridging and arching issues that hinder material flow. This severely wastes human resources and restricts the overall automation level and flow rate of the production line. Second, it poses serious occupational health and safety risks. When handling materials that are irritating, corrosive, or highly polluting, a large amount of dust is inevitably generated during manual bag opening and feeding. This not only pollutes the workshop environment, but more importantly, if workers inhale harmful dust for a long time, it is very likely to cause irreversible damage to their respiratory system, skin, etc., leading to serious occupational diseases such as pneumoconiosis, posing a direct threat to the workers' health.

[0003] Therefore, how to provide a device that can replace manual labor and automate the entire process of unpacking and feeding ton bags, thereby isolating harmful materials from human contact and improving operational efficiency and stability, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the aforementioned technical problems in the prior art, this invention provides an automated unpacking and feeding device. By setting up a robotic arm to control the gripper to move above the bag, and using a hydraulic rod to control the rotation of the insert rod, the insert rod is rotated to insert pins into both sides of the ton bag, thereby lifting and moving the ton bag above the material tank, completing the opening of the material bag and automatically feeding the material. This eliminates the need for manual bag opening by workers, protecting their health during work.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of the present invention provide an automated unpacking and feeding device, including a material tank, a robotic arm, and a gripper; the material tank has an opening structure at its top, and a feeding bin is disposed at the top of the material tank and connected to the opening structure; the robotic arm is disposed on one side of the material tank; the gripper is fixedly disposed at the end of the robotic arm, and the gripper includes a combined base plate, a pushing member, a push plate, a pull plate, an insert rod, pins, and a hydraulic rod; wherein, the combined base plate is connected to the end of the robotic arm, and the pull plates are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom surface of the combined base plate; both ends of the insert rod are inserted into the pull plate, and the pins are arranged along the axis of the insert rod on the insert rod; one end of the hydraulic rod is hinged to the bottom of the combined base plate, and the other end is hinged to the insert rod; the pushing member is disposed through the combined base plate, and the push plate is disposed at the bottom of the pushing member.

[0006] Preferably, the pusher and the push plate are disposed between the two sets of the insert rods.

[0007] Preferably, a mounting base plate is provided between the combined base plate and the robotic arm. The mounting base plate is hinged to the combined base plate. Connecting screw holes are evenly distributed at the top center of the mounting base plate. The mounting base plate is connected to the robotic arm by bolts provided in the connecting screw holes.

[0008] Preferably, a connecting rod is hinged to one end of the bottom surface of the mounting base plate, the connecting rod is hinged to the top of the combined base plate, and connecting upright plates are symmetrically provided at the other end of the bottom surface of the mounting base plate. A horizontal axis is provided between the connecting upright plates, and the horizontal axis is hinged to the top of the combined base plate.

[0009] Preferably, the line connecting the connecting rod and the horizontal shaft is arranged parallel to the axis of the insertion rod.

[0010] Preferably, the two sets of hydraulic rods are arranged symmetrically at the center and are respectively located on both sides of the pusher.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the material tank is provided with a support.

[0012] The present invention has at least the following technical effects through the technical solution provided by the present invention: This invention constructs an unmanned closed-loop operation of "grabbing-lifting-transfer-opening-unloading" by combining a robotic arm, a gripper, and a feeding bin. Throughout the process, workers do not need to approach the material tank or directly contact the ton bags; they can remotely complete the unpacking task, fundamentally avoiding the risk of workers inhaling harmful material dust and achieving essential protection for worker health, while simultaneously reducing dust pollution to the environment. The core of the gripper lies in its combination design of the insert rod and the pin. Unlike traditional clamping or piercing methods, the two ends of the insert rod of this invention are "rotated" into the pull plate as a rotating axis, and can rotate as a whole under the drive of the hydraulic rod. This "rotational insertion" gripping action is smooth and the force point is even, which can firmly grasp heavy-duty ton bags while avoiding... This design avoids large-area tearing of the bag, ensuring its structural integrity during transport and preventing accidental material leakage. Once the ton bag is opened above the feeding hopper, a pusher drives a push plate to reciprocate and pat the top of the bag. This action simulates manual shaking and patting, effectively dislodging residual material from the bag wall into the material tank, significantly reducing material residue and waste. The automated unpacking and feeding device of this invention uses a robotic arm to control the gripper to move above the bag, and a hydraulic rod to control the rotation of the insertion rod. This rotation inserts the top of the ton bag into both sides, lifting and moving the bag above the material tank, completing the unpacking and automatic feeding of the material ton bag. This eliminates the need for manual bag opening by workers, protecting their health. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate embodiments of the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the embodiments of the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automated unpacking and feeding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper of the automated unpacking and feeding device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the gripper from the bottom view in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Icons: 1. Material tank, 2. Robotic arm, 3. Gripper, 4. Combination base plate, 5. Push plate, 6. Pull plate, 7. Insert rod, 8. Insert nail, 9. Hydraulic rod, 10. Mounting base plate, 11. Connecting screw hole, 12. Connecting rod, 13. Connecting vertical plate, 14. Horizontal shaft, 15. Feeding bin, 16. Support. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0016] In this invention, the terms "system" and "network" are used interchangeably. "Multiple" refers to two or more; therefore, in this invention, "multiple" can also be understood as "at least two." "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / ", unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Furthermore, it should be understood that in the description of this invention, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or order.

[0017] Please see Figure 1 This invention provides an automated unpacking and feeding device, including a material tank 1, a robotic arm 2, and a gripper 3. The material tank 1 has an opening structure at its top, and a feeding bin 16 is disposed at the top of the material tank 1 and connected to the opening structure. The robotic arm 2 is disposed on one side of the material tank 1. The gripper 3 is fixedly disposed at the end of the robotic arm 2, and the gripper 3 includes a combined base plate 4, a pushing member 5, a push plate 6, a pull plate 7, an insert rod 8, a pin 9, and a hydraulic rod 10. The combined base plate 4 is connected to the end of the robotic arm 2, and the pull plate 7 is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom surface of the combined base plate 4. Both ends of the insert rod 8 are inserted into the pull plate 7, and the pins 9 are arranged along the axis of the insert rod 8. One end of the hydraulic rod 10 is hinged to the bottom of the combined base plate 4, and the other end is hinged to the insert rod 8. The pushing member 5 is disposed through the combined base plate 4, and the push plate 6 is disposed at the bottom of the pushing member 5.

[0018] In this embodiment of the invention, the core components of the automated unpacking and feeding device include a material tank 1, a robotic arm 2, and a gripper 3 as the end effector. The material tank 1 serves as the base and material receiving container for the entire device, with a support 17 at its bottom for stable support. The top of the material tank 1 has an opening structure, and a feeding bin 16 is fixedly connected to this opening. The feeding bin 16 is the workstation for opening and unloading bags, and it integrates a commercially available bag-opening mechanism. A multi-degree-of-freedom industrial robotic arm 2 is positioned on one side of the material tank 1, and its range of motion completely covers the ton bag stacking area and the area above the feeding bin 16. The robotic arm 2 controls the ton bags to move onto the feeding bin 16, and the bag-opening structure contacts the ton bag, completing the opening process. The material inside the ton bag falls into the material tank 1.

[0019] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the gripper 3 is a core innovative component, which is fixed to the flange end of the robotic arm 2 by bolts. Its specific components include a combined base plate 4, a pusher 5, a push plate 6, a pull plate 7, a rod 8, pins 9, and a hydraulic rod 10. The combined base plate 4 serves as the support platform for the entire gripper 3, with two pull plates 7 extending symmetrically downwards from both sides of its bottom surface. The rod 8 is a long strip-shaped component, with both ends rotatably inserted into and supported in the holes of the two pull plates 7 via bearings or bushings, forming a "rotational insertion" movable connection. Here, "rotational insertion" is a description of the action, meaning that the shaft end of the rod 8 can both complete the insertion action and rotate within the hole. On the rod body of each rod 8, multiple sharp pins 9 are arranged and fixedly installed at intervals along its axial direction, with the pins 9 pointing perpendicular to the axis of the rod 8. Hydraulic rod 10 serves as the power source for rotating the insertion rod 8. One end is hinged to the lower surface of the combined base plate 4, and the other end is hinged to the rod body of the insertion rod 8, forming a crank-rocker mechanism. When hydraulic rod 10 extends or retracts, it drives the insertion rod 8 to rotate around its axis. The two sets of hydraulic rods 10 responsible for driving are arranged symmetrically in space, located on both sides of the pusher 5. The core of the gripper 3 lies in the combined design of its insertion rod 8 and pins 9. Unlike traditional clamping or piercing methods, the two ends of the insertion rod 8 of this invention are "rotated and inserted" into the pull plate 7 as a rotation axis, and can rotate as a whole under the drive of hydraulic rod 10. In the initial state, the pins 9 are vertically downward, and the gripper 3 can descend unimpeded to both sides of the ton bag; then the insertion rod 8 rotates, causing the row of pins 9 above it to rotate from the side and below, piercing and hooking the ton bag. This "rotational insertion" gripping action is smooth and the force is evenly distributed. It can firmly grip heavy-duty ton bags while avoiding large-area tearing of the bag body, ensuring the structural integrity of the bag body during transportation and preventing accidental leakage of materials.

[0020] Furthermore, an auxiliary unloading mechanism is installed in the space between the two sets of insert rods 8. The device creatively incorporates a striking mechanism consisting of a pusher 5 and a pusher plate 6 between the two sets of insert rods 8. Specifically, the pusher 5 is a cylinder, with its cylinder body vertically fixed to the center below the combined base plate 4. Its piston rod extends downwards and is fixed to a pusher plate 6 at its end. The area of ​​the pusher plate 6 is sufficient to cover most of the top area of ​​the ton bag. When the ton bag is opened above the feeding hopper 16, the pusher 5 drives the pusher plate 6 to reciprocate and strike the top of the ton bag. This action simulates the manual shaking and striking of the bag, effectively dislodging residual material adhering to the bag wall into the material tank 1, greatly reducing material residue and waste. Simultaneously, it proactively solves the common "bridging" problem of powder materials, ensuring smooth and efficient material discharge.

[0021] Specifically, the robotic arm 2 controls the gripper 3 to move above the stacked ton bags. At this time, the pins 9 are in a vertical downward position. Then, the robotic arm 2 controls the gripper 3 to descend, and the pins 9 descend to both sides of the ton bag. When the push plate 6 contacts the top of the ton bag, the two sets of hydraulic rods 10 control the rods 8 to rotate, so that the pins 9 on both sides rotate toward the ton bag. The pins 9 are inserted into the ton bag, completing the fixed gripping of the gripper 3 and the ton bag. Then, the robotic arm 2 controls the gripper 3 and the ton bag to move above the feeding bin 16. The ton bag contacts the feeding bin 16, and the bag opening structure in the feeding bin 16 opens the ton bag. The material in the ton bag falls into the feeding bin 16 and finally into the material tank 1. Then, the pusher 5 controls the push plate 6 to move back and forth. The back and forth movement of the push plate 6 forms a downward tapping motion on the ton bag, assisting the material in the ton bag to fall and completing the unpacking and feeding of the ton bag.

[0022] In this embodiment of the invention, to enable the gripper 3 to flexibly adjust its posture, a mounting base plate 11 and an auxiliary connecting rod are added between the combined base plate 4 and the robotic arm 2. The mounting base plate 11 has a connecting screw hole 12 at its top center for fastening to the flange of the robotic arm 2. Its bottom surface has a relatively complex structure: a retractable connecting rod 13 (such as an electric cylinder) is hinged to the front end of the bottom surface, and the lower end of the connecting rod 13 is hinged to the top surface of the combined base plate 4; on both sides of the rear end of the bottom surface, symmetrically arranged downward-facing connecting plates 14 are provided, and a horizontal shaft 15 rotates through these two connecting plates 14 to form a hinge structure. The middle part of the horizontal shaft 15 is fixed to the rear end of the top surface of the combined base plate 4. This design ensures that the line connecting the connecting rod 13 and the horizontal shaft 15 remains parallel to the axis of the lower insertion rod 8. It should be noted that the extension and retraction adjustment of the connecting rod 13 controls the rotation of the combined base plate 4 relative to the mounting base plate 11, and adjusts the angle of the combined base plate 4, the insert rod 8, the insert pin 9 and the hydraulic rod 10 to ensure that when the ton bag moves above the feeding bin 16, the ton bag and the feeding bin 16 are in a horizontal parallel state, ensuring that the material can fall smoothly into the material tank 1; that is, when the connecting rod 13 extends and retracts, it will push the combined base plate 4 together with all the components below it to pitch and swing around the axis of the horizontal axis 15, thereby achieving the leveling of the ton bag's posture. By using the hinged linkage mechanism consisting of the mounting base plate 11, connecting rod 13, and horizontal shaft 15, the combined base plate 4 can swing at a controllable angle relative to the robotic arm 2. When the insertion rod 8 grabs the ton bag, the center of gravity of the ton bag may shift, or the plane of the feeding bin 16 opening may not be parallel to the bottom surface of the ton bag. At this time, by adjusting the extension and retraction of the connecting rod 13, the posture of the combined base plate 4 and the grabbed ton bag can be precisely leveled to ensure that it makes stable and horizontal contact with the feeding bin 16, thus ensuring the stability of the bag opening process and the centering and falling of the material, and improving the operational reliability of the entire system.

[0023] After the device is started, the operation process will run automatically according to the following steps: The first step is the gripping preparation. In the initial state, the hydraulic rod 10 retracts, causing the insertion rod 8 to rotate, so that all the insertion pins 9 on it are in a vertically downward or slightly outward position. The robotic arm 2 moves the gripper 3 directly above the stacked ton bags according to the preset program.

[0024] The second step involves descent and positioning. The robotic arm 2 controls the gripper 3 to descend vertically, allowing the two rows of vertically downward-pointing pins 9 to smoothly descend to both sides of the ton bag without interfering with it during descent. The robotic arm 2 stops descending when the bottom surface of the push plate 6 contacts the top of the ton bag.

[0025] The third step involves rotating the hook. The system controls two sets of hydraulic rods 10 to extend synchronously, driving the two insertion rods 8 to rotate inwards simultaneously. At this time, the insertion rods 8 drive the row of pins 9 on them to move in an arc, piercing into the bag body from the lower side and firmly hooking the ton bag. Thus, the gripper 3 completes a multi-point, three-dimensional, and secure connection with the heavy-duty ton bag, and the gripping action is finished.

[0026] The fourth step is posture leveling and transfer. The robotic arm 2 lifts and transfers the ton bag to the top of the feeding bin 16. During this process, if the ton bag becomes skewed due to uneven material distribution, the control system will drive the connecting rod 13 to finely adjust its extension and retraction, causing the combined base plate 4 to rotate around the horizontal axis 15, actively and precisely leveling the bottom of the ton bag with the opening plane of the feeding bin 16, preparing for stable feeding.

[0027] The fifth step is bag opening and unloading. The robotic arm 2 controls the leveled ton bag to continue descending, so that its bottom is smoothly pressed into the feeding hopper 16. The bag opening mechanism inside the feeding hopper 16 cuts open the bottom of the bag, and the material begins to pour out under the action of gravity, falling into the material tank 1 below.

[0028] The sixth step is assisted emptying. To ensure complete material recovery, during the material's descent, the pusher 5 (cylinder) starts working, driving the pusher plate 6 to perform high-frequency, reciprocating up-and-down tapping on the top of the ton bag. The impact and vibration generated by this action can effectively shake off residual powder adsorbed on the bag wall and break up any arched bridges that the material may have formed, ensuring that the ton bag is completely emptied and achieving efficient and clean unloading.

[0029] Step 7: Reset. After feeding is complete, the cylinder stops, the entire device moves the empty bag to the designated recycling area, and releases the insert rod 8 to release the empty bag. Afterwards, all moving parts reset to their initial state, ready to enter the next unpacking and feeding cycle.

[0030] The automated unpacking and feeding device of this invention uses a robotic arm to control a gripper to move above the bag, and a hydraulic rod to control the rotation of an insert rod. The rotating insert rod inserts the top of the insert rod into both sides of the bag, lifting the bag above the material container and completing the bag opening and automatic feeding. This eliminates the need for manual bag opening by workers, protecting their health. Through the design of the material container, gripper, robotic arm, and various connecting structures, the seamless integration and cooperation between these technical features ensures the entire system can efficiently and safely complete the unpacking and feeding tasks. Each specific technical feature plays a crucial role, from improving overall flexibility and stability to enhancing the equipment's precision and adaptability, ensuring the continuous stability and reliability of the automated unpacking and feeding process. This design not only simplifies the workflow and improves labor efficiency but also significantly reduces the need for human intervention, meeting the high precision and efficiency requirements of modern industrial production. It effectively solves the problems of existing manual unpacking and feeding methods, greatly improving the efficiency and safety of material handling.

[0031] The optional embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the embodiments of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the embodiments of the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0033] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. This program is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a microcontroller, chip, or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0034] Furthermore, various different implementations of the present invention can be combined arbitrarily, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated unpacking and feeding device, characterized in that, It includes a material tank (1), a robotic arm (2), and a gripper (3); The material tank (1) has an opening structure at the top, and the feeding bin (16) is located at the top of the material tank (1) and connected to the opening structure; The robotic arm (2) is located on one side of the material tank (1); The gripper (3) is fixedly installed at the end of the robotic arm (2). The gripper (3) includes a combined base plate (4), a pusher (5), a push plate (6), a pull plate (7), a plug rod (8), a pin (9), and a hydraulic rod (10). The combined base plate (4) is connected to the end of the robotic arm (2), and the pull plate (7) is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bottom surface of the combined base plate (4); The two ends of the insert rod (8) are inserted into the pull plate (7), and the pins (9) are arranged on the insert rod (8) along the axis of the insert rod (8); One end of the hydraulic rod (10) is hinged to the bottom of the combined base plate (4), and the other end is hinged to the insert rod (8); The pusher (5) is disposed through the combined base plate (4), and the push plate (6) is disposed at the bottom of the pusher (5).

2. The automated bale breaking and feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The pusher (5) and push plate (6) are disposed between the two sets of the inserts (8).

3. The automated bale breaking and feeding apparatus of claim 1, wherein, An installation base plate (11) is provided between the combined base plate (4) and the robotic arm (2). The installation base plate (11) is hinged to the combined base plate (4). Connecting screw holes (12) are evenly distributed at the top center of the installation base plate (11). The installation base plate (11) is connected to the robotic arm (2) by bolts provided on the connecting screw holes (12).

4. The automated de-baling feeding apparatus of claim 3, wherein, One end of the bottom surface of the mounting base plate (11) is hinged to a connecting rod (13), which is hinged to the top of the combined base plate (4). The other end of the bottom surface of the mounting base plate (11) is symmetrically provided with connecting upright plates (14), and a horizontal shaft (15) is provided between the connecting upright plates (14), which is hinged to the top of the combined base plate (4).

5. The automated bale-unpacking and material-feeding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The line connecting the connecting rod (13) and the horizontal axis (15) is set parallel to the axis of the insert rod (8).

6. The automated unpacking and feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two sets of hydraulic rods (10) are arranged symmetrically at the center and are respectively located on both sides of the pusher (5).

7. The automated unpacking and feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the material tank (1) is provided with a support (17).

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