A positioning device and positioning method for locomotive roof welding

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of locomotive welding technology, specifically disclosing a positioning device and method for welding locomotive roofs. The positioning device for locomotive roof welding includes: a traveling trolley, a main lifting mechanism, a linkage clamping mechanism, and an arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism; the main lifting mechanism includes a main lifting drive and a lifting seat, with the output end of the main lifting drive connected to the lifting seat; the linkage clamping mechanism includes a horizontal drive and two linkage clamping members spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, the linkage clamping members being used to clamp roof connecting rods; the arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism includes an arc-shaped rod lifting drive and an arc-shaped rod clamping member, the arc-shaped rod clamping member being used to clamp the arc-shaped rod of the roof. The positioning method for locomotive roof welding is accomplished using the above-mentioned positioning device. The positioning device and method for locomotive roof welding can solve the problems of poor flexibility, poor positioning accuracy, and simple clamping fixture structure existing in the positioning mode of existing locomotive roof welding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of locomotive welding technology, and in particular to a positioning device and positioning method for welding locomotive roof covers. Background Technology

[0002] The roof of a locomotive is a key load-bearing and sealing component, typically constructed by welding together multiple roof connecting rods and curved roof rods. Laser welding, with its advantages of high energy density, minimal welding deformation, aesthetically pleasing weld formation, and excellent joint mechanical properties, has become the mainstream process for locomotive roof welding.

[0003] Currently, the industry commonly uses a positioning mode of manual assistance combined with simple clamping fixtures for laser welding between the top cover connecting rod and the top cover arc rod. This has the following disadvantages: 1) Poor flexibility: Traditional clamping fixtures are bulky and difficult to adapt to the narrow working space inside the vehicle body. Different welding stations need to be manually moved, which easily leads to problems such as improper installation of clamping fixtures and insufficient clamping space; 2) Poor positioning accuracy: Traditional clamping fixtures are mostly simple clamps without self-adjusting functions. The placement and calibration of the clamps are all done manually, which is a rough positioning method, resulting in an increase in weld defect rate and rework costs; 3) Simple clamping fixture structure: Traditional clamps do not have a separate design to take into account the structural differences between the top cover connecting rod and the arc rod. The single clamping structure is prone to unstable workpiece clamping and local deformation, which cannot guarantee the clamping stability and positioning accuracy of the workpiece. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first objective of this invention is to provide a positioning device for welding locomotive roofs, which can solve the problems of poor flexibility, poor positioning accuracy, and simple clamping fixture structure in existing positioning modes for welding locomotive roofs.

[0005] The second objective of this invention is to provide a positioning method for welding locomotive roof covers, which can solve the problems of poor flexibility, poor positioning accuracy, and simple clamping fixture structure in existing positioning modes for welding locomotive roof covers.

[0006] Based on the first objective mentioned above, the present invention provides a positioning device for welding locomotive roof covers, comprising: A traveling trolley, the traveling trolley including a traveling body and wheels disposed at the bottom of the traveling body; The main lifting mechanism includes a main lifting drive and a lifting seat. The main lifting drive is placed on the vehicle body, and the output end of the main lifting drive is connected to the lifting seat to drive the lifting seat to move up and down in the vertical direction. The linkage clamping mechanism includes a horizontal drive member and two linkage clamping members spaced apart along a first horizontal direction. The horizontal drive member is mounted on the lifting seat and is used to drive the two linkage clamping members to move closer or further apart from each other along the first horizontal direction. The linkage clamping members are used to clamp the top cover linkage. An arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism includes two arc-shaped rod lifting drive components and two arc-shaped rod clamping components. The arc-shaped rod lifting drive components are mounted on the lifting base. The two arc-shaped rod lifting drive components are spaced apart along a second horizontal direction. The output end of each arc-shaped rod lifting drive component is correspondingly connected to one arc-shaped rod clamping component for driving the arc-shaped rod clamping component to move up and down in the vertical direction. The arc-shaped rod clamping components are used to clamp the arc-shaped rod of the top cover. The first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0007] As an optional solution to the aforementioned positioning device for welding locomotive roofs, the connecting rod clamping member includes: A connecting rod clamping base is provided with a connecting rod clamping groove through the second horizontal direction, and the top cover connecting rod can be located in the connecting rod clamping groove; A connecting rod clamp is located within the connecting rod clamping groove; A first clamping drive is disposed on the connecting rod clamping base, and the driving end of the first clamping drive is connected to the connecting rod clamping plate for pushing the connecting rod clamping plate along the first horizontal direction.

[0008] As an alternative to the positioning device for welding locomotive roofs, the horizontal drive component includes a dual-axis motor and two lead screws. Each of the two output shafts of the dual-axis motor is connected to one of the lead screws, and each lead screw is threadedly connected to a connecting rod clamping base.

[0009] As an optional solution for the positioning device used for welding locomotive roofs, the arc-shaped rod clamping member includes: An arc-shaped rod clamping base is provided with an arc-shaped rod clamping groove through the first horizontal direction, and the top cover arc-shaped rod can be placed in the arc-shaped rod clamping groove; An arc-shaped rod clamping plate is located within the arc-shaped rod clamping groove; A second clamping drive is disposed on the arc-shaped rod clamping base. The drive end of the second clamping drive is connected to the arc-shaped rod clamping plate and is used to push the arc-shaped rod clamping plate along the second horizontal direction.

[0010] As an optional solution for the positioning device used for welding the locomotive roof, a first guide member is provided between the lifting seat and the traveling vehicle body to realize the vertical guidance of the lifting seat in the vertical direction.

[0011] As an optional solution for the positioning device used for welding the locomotive roof, a second guide is provided between the lifting seat and the connecting rod clamping member to guide the movement of the connecting rod clamping member along the first horizontal direction.

[0012] As an optional solution for the positioning device used for welding the locomotive roof, the positioning device further includes a first measuring element, which is disposed at the bottom of the connecting rod clamping member and is used to detect the distance between the connecting rod clamping member and the ground.

[0013] As an alternative to the positioning device for welding the locomotive roof, the positioning device further includes a second measuring element, which is located at the bottom of the arc-shaped rod clamping member and is used to detect the distance between the arc-shaped rod clamping member and the ground.

[0014] As an optional solution for the positioning device used for welding the locomotive roof, the traveling trolley also includes a self-locking component, which includes a linear drive component and a push plate located at the output end of the linear drive component. The linear drive component is located inside the traveling trolley body, and the push plate can extend from the bottom end of the traveling trolley body to abut against the ground.

[0015] Based on the second objective mentioned above, the present invention provides a positioning method for welding locomotive roof covers, wherein the positioning method is performed using any of the positioning devices described above, and the positioning method includes the following steps: S1: The traveling trolley moves inside the locomotive body until it reaches the preset welding station for the locomotive roof. S2: Place the two top cover connecting rods to be welded on the two connecting rod clamps respectively and clamp them; adjust the distance between the two connecting rod clamps with the horizontal drive component so that the distance between the two top cover connecting rods reaches the preset distance. S3: The main lifting drive adjusts the height of the lifting seat until the top cover connecting rod is raised to the preset height; S4: Place the two top cover arc rods to be welded on the two arc rod clamping parts respectively and clamp them; adjust the height of the corresponding arc rod clamping part of each arc rod lifting drive until each top cover arc rod reaches the preset height; S5: Positioning complete.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The mobile trolley can move into the vehicle body by itself using its wheels to transport the clamping fixtures it carries to the designated location. It has the advantages of being lightweight and compact, and can adapt to the working scenarios in the narrow space inside the vehicle body. It also eliminates the need for manual handling and moving, solving the problems of improper installation of clamping fixtures and difficulty in adapting to the working scenarios in the narrow space inside the vehicle body in the existing technology. It has high flexibility. After the traveling trolley reaches the target position, the position of the connecting rod clamping component can be adjusted first by the main lifting mechanism and the horizontal drive component, and then the height of the arc rod clamping component can be adjusted by the arc rod lifting drive component. The position adjustments of the top cover connecting rod and the top cover arc rod are independent of each other and do not interfere with each other. This helps to ensure that after the top cover arc rod and the top cover connecting rod are adjusted to the welding position, the mating gap between them can meet the welding process requirements. That is, the positioning device has the functions of self-adjustment and self-calibration, which can achieve fine positioning and reduce the occurrence of welding defects and rework costs. Since the top cover connecting rod and the top cover arc rod are independently clamped by the connecting rod clamping component and the arc rod clamping component respectively, that is, the clamping fixture is split, the parts to be welded can be clamped and fixed in a differentiated manner. The corresponding clamping fixture can be designed specifically according to the structural characteristics of the workpiece to be clamped, avoiding the situation where the workpiece is deformed or not clamped properly due to a single clamping structure, thus ensuring the clamping stability and positioning accuracy of the final workpiece. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning device for welding the locomotive roof in the vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the positioning device for welding the locomotive roof in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the positioning device for welding the locomotive roof in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the positioning device used for welding the roof of a locomotive in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a positioning method for welding the roof of a locomotive, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] In the picture: 100. Top cover connecting rod; 200. Top cover arc rod; 11. Walking trolley; 12. Walking body; 13. Wheels; 14. Self-locking component; 15. Linear drive component; 16. Push plate; 17. Anti-slip pad; 21. Main lifting mechanism; 22. Main lifting drive unit; Linkage clamping mechanism; 31. Horizontal drive component; 311. Dual-axis motor; 312. Lead screw; 32. Linkage clamping component; 321. Linkage clamping base; 3211. Linkage clamping groove; 322. Linkage clamping plate; 323. First clamping drive component; 324. Fourth guide component; Arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism; 41. Arc-shaped rod lifting drive component; 42. Arc-shaped rod clamping component; 421. Arc-shaped rod clamping base; 4211. Arc-shaped rod clamping groove; 422. Arc-shaped rod clamping plate; 423. Second clamping drive component; 424. Fifth guide component; 43. Third guide component; 6. First guide component; 7. Second guide component; 8. First distance measuring component; 9. Second distance measuring component. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0020] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0021] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this embodiment provides a positioning device for welding locomotive roofs. The positioning device includes: a traveling trolley 1, a main lifting mechanism 2, a linkage clamping mechanism 3, and an arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism 4. The traveling trolley 1 includes a traveling body 11 and wheels 12 located at the bottom of the traveling body 11. The main lifting mechanism 2 includes a main lifting drive 21 and a lifting seat 22. The main lifting drive 21 is placed on the traveling body 11, and its output end is connected to the lifting seat 22 to drive the lifting seat 22 to rise and fall vertically (i.e., along the Z direction in the attached figure). The linkage clamping mechanism 3 includes a horizontal drive 31 and two linkage clamping members 32 spaced apart along a first horizontal direction (i.e., along the X direction in the attached figure). 1. Located on the lifting base 22, it is used to drive two connecting rod clamping members 32 to move closer or further apart from each other along the first horizontal direction; the connecting rod clamping members 32 are used to clamp the top cover connecting rod 100; the arc rod clamping mechanism 4 includes two arc rod lifting drive members 41 and two arc rod clamping members 42. The arc rod lifting drive members 41 are located on the lifting base 22. The two arc rod lifting drive members 41 are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction (i.e., the Y direction in the attached figure). The output end of each arc rod lifting drive member 41 is connected to an arc rod clamping member 42, which is used to drive the arc rod clamping member 41 to move up and down in the vertical direction; the arc rod clamping member 42 is used to clamp the top cover arc rod 200; the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0027] Before welding the locomotive roof, the traveling trolley 1 first moves autonomously into the locomotive body using its wheels 12 to transport the clamping fixture it carries into position. This lightweight design allows it to operate in the confined spaces inside the locomotive without requiring manual handling, solving the problems of improper fixture installation and difficulty in adapting to confined spaces in existing technologies, thus offering high flexibility. Secondly, once the traveling trolley 1 reaches the target position, the position of the connecting rod clamping component 32 is adjusted using the main lifting mechanism 2 and the horizontal drive component 31. Then, the height of the arc-shaped rod clamping component 42 is adjusted using the arc-shaped rod lifting drive component 41. The position adjustments of the roof connecting rod 100 and the roof arc-shaped rod 200 are independent of each other. The absence of interference helps ensure that the mating gap between the top cover arc rod 200 and the top cover connecting rod 100 meets the welding process requirements after they are adjusted to the welding position. This means that the positioning device has self-adjustment and self-calibration functions, enabling precise positioning and reducing welding defects and rework costs. Finally, since the top cover connecting rod 100 and the top cover arc rod 200 are independently clamped by the connecting rod clamping member 32 and the arc rod clamping member 42 respectively, the clamping fixture is split. The parts to be welded can be clamped and fixed in a differentiated manner. The corresponding clamping fixture can be designed specifically according to the structural characteristics of the workpiece to be clamped, avoiding workpiece deformation or incomplete clamping caused by a single clamping structure, thus ensuring the final workpiece clamping stability and positioning accuracy.

[0028] In practice, the traveling trolley 1 can be equipped with a positioning system to quickly calibrate the position of the welding station to be reached, thereby improving the overall work efficiency. As the mobile carrier of the clamping mechanism, the traveling trolley 1 can quickly switch between different welding stations with the help of the positioning system.

[0029] Optionally, the main lifting drive component 21 is an electric actuator. The electric actuator provides stable power output, controllable extension and retraction stroke, and smooth adjustment. In some other embodiments, the main lifting drive component 21 can also be a cylinder, linear motor, etc.

[0030] Further, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 A first guide member 5 is provided between the lifting seat 22 and the traveling body 11 to achieve vertical guidance of the lifting seat 22 in the vertical direction. Optionally, the first guide member 5 includes a first guide hole formed on the lifting seat 22 and a first guide rod provided on the upper surface of the traveling body 11. The upper end of the first guide rod moves vertically through the first guide hole. Under the guidance of the first guide member 5, the lifting seat 22 and its clamping mechanism can rise and fall smoothly in the vertical direction, avoiding imbalance. Optionally, two first guide members 5 are provided, and the two first guide members 5 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the main lifting drive member 21 to improve the stability of the guidance.

[0031] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The connecting rod clamping member 32 includes a connecting rod clamping base 321, a connecting rod clamping plate 322, and a first clamping drive member 323. The connecting rod clamping base 321 has a connecting rod clamping groove 3211 extending through it along the second horizontal direction, and the top cover connecting rod 100 can be located in the connecting rod clamping groove 3211. The connecting rod clamping plate 322 is located in the connecting rod clamping groove 3211. The first clamping drive member 323 is disposed on the connecting rod clamping base 321, and the driving end of the first clamping drive member 323 is connected to the connecting rod clamping plate 322 for pushing the connecting rod clamping plate 322 along the first horizontal direction. The connecting rod clamping plate 322 then pushes the top cover connecting rod 100 located in the connecting rod clamping groove 3211 to abut against the side groove wall of the connecting rod clamping groove 3211 for clamping. Here, the connecting rod clamping base 321 provides support for the top cover connecting rod 100, increasing the contact area with the workpiece. When the connecting rod clamping plate 322 clamps the rod, it effectively prevents excessive force on the top cover connecting rod 100, which could lead to deformation or indentation. The first clamping drive unit 323 drives the connecting rod clamping plate 322 to complete the clamping operation, providing a stable clamping force. This adapts to the clamping requirements of top cover connecting rods 100 with different wall thicknesses. Furthermore, because the connecting rod clamping plate 322 has a certain cross-sectional area, it also prevents excessive clamping force from damaging the workpiece surface.

[0032] Specifically, the horizontal drive component 31 includes a dual-axis motor 311 and two lead screws 312. Each of the two output shafts of the dual-axis motor 311 is connected to a lead screw 312, and each lead screw 312 is threadedly connected to a connecting rod clamping base 321. The threads of the two lead screws 312 are in opposite directions, so when the dual-axis motor 311 drives the lead screws 312 to rotate, the two connecting rod clamping bases 321 will move closer to or further away from each other. The aforementioned horizontal drive component 31 enables equal adjustment of the distance between the two top cover connecting rods 100, eliminating the need for individual adjustment on one side. This significantly shortens the distance calibration time, ensures symmetrical spacing and balanced force on the two top cover connecting rods 100, and avoids positional shifts caused by unilateral adjustment.

[0033] Furthermore, still referencing Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5A second guide member 6 is provided between the lifting base 22 and the connecting rod clamping member 32 to guide the movement of the connecting rod clamping member 32 along the first horizontal direction. Specifically, the second guide member 6 includes a second guide hole on the connecting rod clamping base 321 and a second guide rod on the lifting base 22. The second guide rod extends along the first horizontal direction and passes through the second guide holes of the two connecting rod clamping bases 321, ensuring precise guidance when the connecting rod clamping base 321 moves under the drive of the horizontal drive member 31. Specifically, the second guide hole is located at the bottom of the connecting rod clamping base 321. Further, a linear bearing seat is provided within the second guide hole, and the second guide rod is sleeved within the linear bearing seat. The linear bearing seat and the second guide rod cooperate to form a high-precision guide pair, resulting in low sliding resistance, smooth operation, and effectively avoiding jamming and skew problems during adjustment. Optionally, two second guide members 6 are provided and are symmetrically distributed relative to the horizontal drive member 31.

[0034] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4The arc-shaped rod clamping member 42 includes an arc-shaped rod clamping base 421, an arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422, and a second clamping drive member 423. The arc-shaped rod clamping base 421 has an arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 extending through it along a first horizontal direction, and the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 can be located in the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211. The arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 is located in the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211. The second clamping drive member 423 is disposed on the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421, and the driving end of the second clamping drive member 423 is connected to the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 for pushing the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 along the second horizontal direction. The arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 then pushes the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 located in the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 to abut against the side wall of the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 for clamping. Here, the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421 supports the arc-shaped rod 200 of the top cover, increasing the contact area with the workpiece. When the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 is pressed, it effectively prevents excessive force on the arc-shaped rod 200 of the top cover from causing deformation or indentation of the top cover connecting rod 100. The second clamping drive component 423 drives the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 for clamping operations, providing a stable clamping force. This adapts to the clamping requirements of arc-shaped rods 200 of the top cover with different wall thicknesses. Because the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 has a certain cross-sectional area, it also prevents excessive clamping force from damaging the workpiece surface. In practical implementation, the shape and structure of the bottom of the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 can match the special arc-shaped structure of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 to ensure sufficient contact area, improve the support force for the top cover arc-shaped rod 200, and make up for the defect of traditional fixtures that cannot adapt to the special arc-shaped structure of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200; that is, the bottom of the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 can adopt an arc design corresponding to the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 to increase the support area, improve the fit, and prevent the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 from swaying and failing to effectively clamp and complete precise positioning. In addition, the corresponding side wall of the arc-shaped rod clamping groove 4211 and the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 can also be adapted to the arc shape of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 in order to make more comprehensive fit with the workpiece during clamping and ensure a stable and uniform distribution of clamping force, which will not be elaborated here.

[0035] Further, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4The arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism 4 also includes a third guide member 43. The third guide member 43 includes a third guide rod disposed on the lifting seat 22 and a third guide hole disposed on the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421. The third guide rod passes through the third guide hole in a vertical direction. Similar to the guiding structure of the first guide member 5, the third guide member 43 is provided to achieve vertical guidance for the arc-shaped rod clamping member 42 to move vertically, ensuring that the arc-shaped rod clamping member 42 does not deviate in the vertical direction. Further, the third guide hole is disposed on the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421. Optionally, two third guide members 43 are provided and are symmetrically distributed with respect to the arc-shaped rod lifting drive member 41 to improve the uniformity of the lifting process of the arc-shaped rod clamping member 42. Since the arc-shaped rod lifting drive 41 in this embodiment can independently drive the arc-shaped rod clamping member 42 to lift and lower without linkage with the connecting rod clamping mechanism 3 or relying on the main lifting drive 21, when adjusting the docking process between the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 and the top cover connecting rod 100, the cooperation between the arc-shaped rod lifting drive 41 and the third guide member 43 can ensure that the docking gap between the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 and the top cover connecting rods 100 on both sides remains consistent, and the entire positioning process is completed quickly and efficiently.

[0036] Continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 A fourth guide member 324 is provided between the connecting rod clamping plate 322 and the connecting rod clamping base 321 to guide the movement of the connecting rod clamping plate 322 along the first horizontal direction. The fourth guide member 324 includes a fourth guide hole on the connecting rod clamping base 321 and a fourth guide rod on the connecting rod clamping plate 322. The fourth guide rod passes through the fourth guide hole along the first horizontal direction to ensure that the connecting rod clamping plate 322 moves along the first horizontal direction, preventing the connecting rod clamping plate 322 from shifting or tilting during clamping, ensuring that the connecting rod clamping plate 322 fits better with the top cover connecting rod 100, better clamping the top cover connecting rod 100, and ensuring uniform clamping force. There are two fourth guide members 324, which are symmetrically distributed relative to the first clamping drive member 323, effectively preventing the clamping action from deviating.

[0037] Furthermore, a fifth guide member 424 is provided between the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 and the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421 to guide the movement of the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 along the second horizontal direction. The fifth guide member 424 includes a fifth guide hole on the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421 and a fifth guide rod on the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422. The fifth guide rod passes through the fifth guide hole along the second horizontal direction to ensure that the arc-shaped rod clamping plate 422 moves along the second horizontal direction, better clamping the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 and ensuring sufficient clamping force. There are two fifth guide members 424, which are symmetrically distributed relative to the second clamping drive member 423 to effectively prevent the clamping action from deviating.

[0038] refer to Figure 5 The positioning device also includes a first ranging element 7, which is located at the bottom of the connecting rod clamping element 32 and is used to detect the distance between the connecting rod clamping element 32 and the ground. Specifically, the first ranging element 7 is located on the bottom surface of the connecting rod clamping base 321. The first ranging element 7 detects the distance between the connecting rod clamping element 32 and the ground, that is, it can monitor the height of the connecting rod clamping base 321 in real time and can feed back the height data to the control system of the entire traveling trolley 1, thereby automatically adjusting the height of the lifting seat 22 and the overall clamping mechanism on it, improving the autonomous adjustment and autonomous calibration function of the positioning device; with the cooperation of the first ranging element 7, the top cover connecting rod 100 can be made to reach the preset height first. Furthermore, the bottom of each connecting rod clamping element 32 is provided with a first ranging element 7, that is, double-sided monitoring is performed, which can avoid data deviation caused by single-sided data input, ensure that the horizontal height of the two top cover connecting rods 100 is consistent, and reduce welding errors.

[0039] Still referencing Figure 5 The positioning device also includes a second ranging element 8, which is located at the bottom of the arc-shaped rod clamping element 42 and is used to detect the distance between the arc-shaped rod clamping element 42 and the ground. Similar to the first ranging element 7, the second ranging element 8 detects the distance between the arc-shaped rod clamping element 42 and the ground, thus enabling real-time monitoring of the height of the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421 and providing feedback to the control system of the traveling trolley 1. This allows for precise adjustment of the height of the arc-shaped rod clamping element 42, ultimately ensuring that the height of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 reaches the preset height. Since the height of the top cover connecting rod 100 has already been calibrated by the first ranging element 7, the second ranging element 8 can quickly calibrate the height of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 and the top cover connecting rod 100 when they are aligned, ensuring that their mating ends are properly aligned. Specifically, the second ranging element 8 is located on the bottom surface of the arc-shaped rod clamping base 421. Furthermore, a second ranging element 8 is provided at the bottom of each arc-shaped rod clamp 42 to cooperate with the use of the independent arc-shaped rod clamps 42.

[0040] In this embodiment, both the first ranging element 7 and the second ranging element 8 are infrared rangefinders. Infrared ranging is a non-contact detection method, which does not directly contact the workpiece, thus avoiding damage. It offers fast response speed and high accuracy, facilitating intelligent control of positioning accuracy. The use of ranging elements also enables real-time monitoring and closed-loop adjustment of the workpiece height, eliminating the need for crude calibration using manual visual observation, improving positioning accuracy, and meeting the stringent tolerance requirements of laser welding for workpiece joint gaps. In specific implementation, if the distance data collected by the first ranging element 7 and the second ranging element 8 deviates from the reference value by more than a certain amount, the relevant control system can issue an audible and visual warning and pause subsequent actions for manual calibration and correction to ensure final accuracy. For example, if the height value measured by the first ranging element 7 exceeds the reference value by more than 0.5 mm, an audible and visual warning can be issued for manual calibration and correction.

[0041] refer to Figure 3 The traveling trolley 1 also includes a self-locking component 13, which comprises a linear drive component 131 and a push plate 132 located at the output end of the linear drive component 131. The linear drive component 131 is located inside the traveling trolley body 11, and the push plate 132 can extend from the bottom end of the traveling trolley body 11 to abut against the ground. The contact between the push plate 132 and the ground serves to fix and lock the traveling trolley 1. In specific implementation, the size of the push plate 132 can be reasonably selected to ensure sufficient contact area with the ground, disperse the clamping force, avoid excessive local pressure that could damage the internal structure of the trolley body, and ensure the locking stability of the traveling trolley 1. Optionally, the linear drive component 131 can be an electric push rod, a linear motor, a cylinder, or other linear drive component. In this embodiment, an electric push rod is used. Electric drive provides fast response and convenient locking and unlocking, eliminating the need for manual locking and improving the automation and intelligence of the entire positioning process. Furthermore, the push rod's extension stroke is controllable, allowing adjustment of the extension stroke based on the height of the traveling trolley 11 relative to the ground to obtain appropriate clamping force. Optionally, an anti-slip pad 133 is adhered to the lower surface of the push plate 132. Further, the anti-slip pad 133 may have anti-slip textures. All of these features are designed to increase the coefficient of friction between the traveling trolley 1 and the ground, ensuring rigid fixation of the traveling trolley 1 during welding, preventing slippage or loosening after locking, and preventing displacement of the positioning device due to vibration of the welding equipment, thus ensuring normal welding operation.

[0042] like Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment also provides a positioning method for welding locomotive roofs. This positioning method is accomplished using the aforementioned positioning device and includes the following steps: S1: The traveling trolley 1 moves inside the locomotive body until it reaches the preset welding station for the locomotive roof: S2: Place the two top cover connecting rods 100 to be welded on the two connecting rod clamping parts 32 respectively and clamp them; adjust the distance between the two connecting rod clamping parts 32 with the horizontal drive part 31 so that the distance between the two top cover connecting rods 100 reaches the preset distance. S3: The main lifting drive component 21 adjusts the height of the lifting seat 22 until the top cover connecting rod 100 is raised to the preset height; S4: Place the two top cover arc rods 200 to be welded on the two arc rod clamping parts 42 respectively and clamp them; adjust the height of the corresponding arc rod clamping part 42 of each arc rod lifting drive part 41 until each top cover arc rod 200 reaches the preset height; S5: Positioning complete.

[0043] In specific implementation, in step S1, the traveling trolley 1 can continuously calibrate its lateral and longitudinal positions during travel using its built-in travel positioning system to ensure that the final positioning device is consistent with the preset welding position of the locomotive roof. Furthermore, after the traveling trolley 1 reaches the preset position, it can activate the self-locking component 13 to rigidly lock the traveling trolley 1, preventing the traveling trolley 1 from moving during the welding process, causing workpiece displacement and welding failure.

[0044] Step S2 is the clamping and spacing calibration process of the top cover connecting rod 100. When clamping, the spacing between the two top cover connecting rods 100 after clamping may not meet the welding process requirements of the locomotive top cover. Therefore, the spacing between the two top cover connecting rods 100 needs to be adjusted, that is, the spacing between the two connecting rod clamping parts 32 is adjusted. This step is completed by the horizontal drive part 31, which has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0045] In specific implementation step S3, the main lifting drive component 21 is first activated, which drives the lifting seat 22 and its connecting rod clamping mechanism 3 and arc rod clamping mechanism 4 to rise as a whole, driving the top cover connecting rod 100 clamped by the connecting rod clamping component 32 to reach the preset height. This preset height is the welding height required for the top cover connecting rod 100. At this time, the first distance measuring component 7 can be activated simultaneously to detect the distance between the connecting rod clamping component 32 and the ground in real time, and feed the distance measuring data back to the control system of the traveling trolley 1. The control system then adjusts the driving stroke of the main lifting drive component 21 in a closed loop, and finally eliminates the height deviation to reach the target height.

[0046] In step S4, while the arc-shaped rod lifting drive 41 independently adjusts the height of the arc-shaped rod clamp 42, the second measuring element 8 can be activated to detect the height position of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 in real time until it reaches the preset height, ensuring that the mating end faces of the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 and the top cover connecting rod 100 are completely fitted. That is, after the top cover connecting rod 100 and the top cover arc-shaped rod 200 are adjusted according to steps S1-S4, the final mating gap between the two will be controlled within the allowable welding tolerance range, thus completing the positioning work.

[0047] The positioning method for locomotive roof welding provided in this embodiment uses the aforementioned positioning device, which can quickly, efficiently and accurately achieve the positioning operation of locomotive roof parts. Compared with traditional positioning methods, the positioning efficiency is improved by more than 50%, and the positioning accuracy can be controlled within 0.5mm, effectively improving the qualification rate of roof welding products and reducing manual labor intensity. Among them, the arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism 4 and the connecting rod clamping mechanism 3 can be adapted to multiple workpiece models for changeover production, and have strong practicality and versatility. Other parts do not need to be made separately, reducing the tooling manufacturing cost and debugging cost of enterprises.

[0048] After positioning, the first measuring element 7 and the second measuring element 8 recheck the height of the corresponding workpiece, ensure that each clamping mechanism is secure, the traveling trolley 1 is firmly locked, and the gap of the butt weld meets the standard, then lock the running status of all driving components and wait for the welding equipment to perform the welding operation. After the welding operation is completed, the clamping action of the connecting rod clamping element 32 and the arc rod clamping element 42 can be released, the main lifting driving element 21 and the arc rod lifting driving element 41 can be controlled to return to the initial driving position, and then the push plate 132 of the self-locking element 13 can be retracted to release the locking state of the traveling trolley 1. Finally, the traveling trolley 1 leaves the welding station, completing the welding process. The entire process can be fully automated without manual disassembly and movement. Subsequently, the traveling trolley 1 can travel to the next welding station to continue to complete the next welding according to the process, or it can be withdrawn from the welding station to perform the change operation of the relevant clamping elements.

[0049] Note that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A positioning device for welding locomotive roof covers, characterized in that, The positioning device includes: A traveling trolley, the traveling trolley including a traveling body and wheels disposed at the bottom of the traveling body; The main lifting mechanism includes a main lifting drive and a lifting seat. The main lifting drive is placed on the vehicle body, and the output end of the main lifting drive is connected to the lifting seat to drive the lifting seat to move up and down in the vertical direction. The linkage clamping mechanism includes a horizontal drive member and two linkage clamping members spaced apart along a first horizontal direction. The horizontal drive member is mounted on the lifting seat and is used to drive the two linkage clamping members to move closer or further apart from each other along the first horizontal direction. The linkage clamping members are used to clamp the top cover linkage. An arc-shaped rod clamping mechanism includes two arc-shaped rod lifting drive components and two arc-shaped rod clamping components. The arc-shaped rod lifting drive components are mounted on the lifting base. The two arc-shaped rod lifting drive components are spaced apart along a second horizontal direction. The output end of each arc-shaped rod lifting drive component is correspondingly connected to one arc-shaped rod clamping component for driving the arc-shaped rod clamping component to move up and down in the vertical direction. The arc-shaped rod clamping components are used to clamp the arc-shaped rod of the top cover. The first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are perpendicular to each other.

2. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 1, characterized in that, The link clamping component includes: A connecting rod clamping base is provided with a connecting rod clamping groove through the second horizontal direction, and the top cover connecting rod can be located in the connecting rod clamping groove; A connecting rod clamp is located within the connecting rod clamping groove; A first clamping drive is disposed on the connecting rod clamping base, and the driving end of the first clamping drive is connected to the connecting rod clamping plate for pushing the connecting rod clamping plate along the first horizontal direction.

3. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 2, characterized in that, The horizontal drive component includes a dual-axis motor and two lead screws. Each of the two output shafts of the dual-axis motor is connected to one of the lead screws, and each lead screw is threadedly connected to a connecting rod clamping base.

4. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 1, characterized in that, The arc-shaped rod clamping component includes: An arc-shaped rod clamping base is provided with an arc-shaped rod clamping groove through the first horizontal direction, and the top cover arc-shaped rod can be placed in the arc-shaped rod clamping groove; An arc-shaped rod clamping plate is located within the arc-shaped rod clamping groove; A second clamping drive is disposed on the arc-shaped rod clamping base. The drive end of the second clamping drive is connected to the arc-shaped rod clamping plate and is used to push the arc-shaped rod clamping plate along the second horizontal direction.

5. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first guide member is provided between the lifting seat and the traveling vehicle body to achieve vertical guidance of the lifting seat in the vertical direction.

6. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second guide is provided between the lifting seat and the connecting rod clamping member to guide the movement of the connecting rod clamping member along the first horizontal direction.

7. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 3, characterized in that, The positioning device further includes a first ranging element, which is located at the bottom of the connecting rod clamp and is used to detect the distance between the connecting rod clamp and the ground.

8. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 4, characterized in that, The positioning device further includes a second ranging element, which is located at the bottom of the arc-shaped rod clamp and is used to detect the distance between the arc-shaped rod clamp and the ground.

9. The positioning device for welding locomotive roofs according to claim 1, characterized in that, The traveling trolley also includes a self-locking component, which includes a linear drive component and a push plate located at the output end of the linear drive component. The linear drive component is located inside the traveling trolley body, and the push plate can extend from the bottom end of the traveling trolley body to abut against the ground.

10. A positioning method for welding locomotive roof covers, characterized in that, The positioning method is performed using the positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the positioning method includes the following steps: S1: The traveling trolley moves inside the locomotive body until it reaches the preset welding station for the locomotive roof. S2: Place the two top cover connecting rods to be welded on the two connecting rod clamps respectively and clamp them; adjust the distance between the two connecting rod clamps with the horizontal drive component so that the distance between the two top cover connecting rods reaches the preset distance. S3: The main lifting drive adjusts the height of the lifting seat until the top cover connecting rod is raised to the preset height; S4: Place the two top cover arc rods to be welded on the two arc rod clamping parts respectively and clamp them; adjust the height of the corresponding arc rod clamping part of each arc rod lifting drive until each top cover arc rod reaches the preset height; S5: Positioning complete.

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