Drive structure for a switching table
By using a camshaft structure with a single drive shaft and a composite guide rail, combined with a damping buffer mechanism, the smooth and precise movement of the worktable is achieved, solving the problems of complexity and easy interference of traditional drive structures, and improving the reliability and lifespan of the equipment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 综欣工业装备(潍坊)有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
Traditional exchange worktables require multiple independent lifting and rotating drive devices, resulting in complex structures, large space occupation, complex control systems, and a tendency to cause motion interference.
The system employs a single drive shaft in conjunction with a camshaft featuring a composite guide rail to achieve the lifting, rotating, and lowering of the worktable. Combined with a damping buffer mechanism, it ensures smooth operation and precise positioning.
The simplified structure reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs, avoids motion interference, and improves the reliability and service life of the equipment.
Smart Images
Figure CN122274901A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of workbench structure technology, and more particularly to a drive structure for an exchange workbench. Background Technology
[0002] In automated processing, assembly, or testing equipment, it is often necessary to drive actuators such as worktables to complete a complex sequence of "lifting-rotating-lowering" motions to achieve functions such as workstation switching, material transfer, or posture changes. Traditional solutions typically employ the following methods to accomplish these actions: Separate lifting and rotating drive devices are used, such as cylinders or hydraulic cylinders for lifting and servo motors or rotary cylinders for rotation. This approach involves numerous actuators, a complex control system, large space requirements, and high manufacturing and maintenance costs. Furthermore, the switching between the two motion devices requires strict timing control; any problems with the control signals or mechanical connections can easily lead to motion interference, affecting the reliability of the system. Summary of the Invention
[0003] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, a drive structure for an exchange worktable is provided. This structure is compact, reliable, and has built-in buffer protection, enabling smooth and precise lifting, rotation, and lowering / resetting of the worktable and other actuators.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a drive structure for an exchange workbench, comprising a base, wherein a drive cavity is provided inside the base, a drive shaft is rotatably mounted inside the drive cavity, and a plurality of needle rollers arranged in a circumferential array are fixedly connected to the drive shaft. A camshaft capable of sliding up and down and rotating circumferentially is assembled inside the drive cavity. A camshaft guide rail is provided on the camshaft to cooperate with the needle rollers. The camshaft guide rail includes a lifting section, a rotating section, and a lowering section connected sequentially from end to end. The lifting section is helical along the camshaft axis, and the rotating section includes a plurality of segmented helical sections along a convex... The wheel axle extends in a circumferential array, and the spiral direction of several segmented spirals is parallel to that of the lifting section. The descending section is vertically arranged along the camshaft axis. The bottom of the drive shaft passes through the drive cavity and is fixedly connected to the output end of the drive device. The bottom of the camshaft passes through the drive cavity and extends into the damping buffer cavity. A buffer spring is fixedly connected to the bottom of the damping buffer cavity, and a chuck is fixedly connected to the top of the buffer spring. The chuck is rotatably connected to the connecting plate at the bottom of the camshaft. A camshaft limiting assembly is also provided in the damping buffer cavity. The top of the camshaft passes through the base and is fixedly connected to a worktable.
[0005] As a further improvement of the present invention, an oil inlet hole and an oil outlet hole are provided on the arc-shaped sidewall of the driving cavity, and the oil inlet hole and the oil outlet hole are arranged opposite each other at 180°.
[0006] As a further improvement of the present invention, a one-way grease injection valve is installed at both the oil inlet and the oil outlet.
[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the angle of circumferential deflection of the lifting section from the starting end to the ending end around the camshaft is 180°, and the angle of circumferential deflection of the rotating section from the starting end to the ending end around the camshaft is 180°.
[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the limiting component includes limiting blocks disposed on both sides of the connecting plate, the limiting blocks matching the limiting grooves opened on the limiting plates on both sides of the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity, and an inner limiting ring cooperating with the connecting plate is disposed below the limiting plates on the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity.
[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, a slot is provided at the bottom of the connecting plate, and the chuck is rotatably fitted in the slot by a needle roller bearing.
[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, a buffer pad is provided on the top of the damping buffer cavity, and the top of the buffer pad is fixed to a rotary table. The rotary table is fixedly connected to the upper wall of the damping buffer cavity, so that the connecting plate can rotate smoothly when it comes into contact with the buffer pad on the top of the damping buffer cavity.
[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the base is further provided with a drive device receiving cavity, and the bottom of the drive shaft passes through the drive device receiving cavity and is connected to a drive device.
[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the driving device includes a drive motor and a reducer, wherein the output end of the drive motor is connected to the input end of the reducer, and the output end of the reducer is fixedly connected to the drive shaft.
[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, a buffer pad is fixedly connected to the top of the inner limiting ring.
[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. This application achieves the sequential lifting, rotation, and lowering / resetting of the worktable using only a single drive shaft and a camshaft with a composite guide rail. This eliminates the need for separate lifting and rotation drive devices, significantly reducing the number of actuators, simplifying the overall structure, lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs, and reducing the equipment's footprint. The continuous connection of the lifting, rotation, and lowering sections of the camshaft guide rail, precisely engaging with the needle rollers on the drive shaft, mechanically ensures a strict timing sequence for the lifting, rotation, and lowering actions, avoiding the risk of motion interference caused by electrical control timing errors.
[0015] 2. By incorporating a damping buffer mechanism at the bottom of the camshaft, including a buffer spring, chuck, and multi-stage buffer pads, the camshaft can absorb motion impacts step by step during its descent and reset, avoiding rigid collisions, significantly reducing operating noise and component wear, and extending the equipment's service life. Simultaneously, the spring force during the ascent process also assists the movement, making the operation smoother. After the camshaft descends to its initial position, the limiting block on the connecting plate engages with the limiting groove within the damping buffer cavity, reliably locking the camshaft and worktable in the circumferential direction. This effectively prevents unintended rotation of the worktable caused by external interference or vibration, ensuring positioning accuracy and operational safety. This locking function is linked to the lifting action and automatically releases when the camshaft rises, without affecting normal rotation. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the drive structure of the exchange workbench of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged diagram of point A in the diagram; Figure 3 This is the first schematic diagram of the camshaft guide rail; Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the camshaft guide rail.
[0017] In the diagram: 1-base, 2-oil inlet, 3-drive chamber, 4-drive shaft, 5-needle roller, 6-camshaft, 7-camshaft guide rail, 701-lifting section, 702-rotating section, 703-lowering section, 8-oil outlet, 9-one-way grease injection valve, 10-drive device receiving chamber, 11-reducer, 12-drive motor, 13-damping buffer chamber, 131-limiting plate, 14-connecting plate, 141-limiting block, 15-slot, 16-needle roller bearing, 17-chuck, 18-buffer spring, 19-inner limiting ring, 20-buffer pad, 21-rotating disc. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. The directional terms used in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front, or back, are only for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the invention. Furthermore, in all embodiments, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.
[0019] Please see Figures 1 to 4This invention provides a drive structure for an exchange workbench, including a base 1. A drive cavity 3, cylindrical in shape, is disposed inside the base 1. An oil inlet 2 is formed at the center of one end of the arc-shaped sidewall of the drive cavity 3, and an oil outlet 8 is formed on the other side. The oil inlet 2 and the oil outlet 8 are arranged 180° opposite each other. Both the oil inlet 2 and the oil outlet 8 extend out of the base 1 and are equipped with a one-way grease injection valve 9. The one-way grease injection valve 9 ensures that lubricating oil can enter the drive cavity 3 from the oil inlet 2 and then exit from the oil outlet 8.
[0020] The top and bottom of the drive cavity 3 are connected to the drive shaft hole and the camshaft hole. The drive shaft 4 is rotatably fitted inside the drive shaft hole. The drive shaft 4 can only rotate in the circumferential direction inside the drive shaft hole. Several needle rollers 5 are fixedly installed on the part of the drive shaft 4 located inside the drive cavity 3. The needle rollers 5 are arranged in an array around the circumference of the drive shaft 4.
[0021] A camshaft 6 is fitted into the camshaft bore, allowing it to slide up and down and rotate within the bore. A camshaft guide rail 7 is provided on the portion of the camshaft 6 located within the drive cavity 3. The camshaft guide rail 7 engages with needle rollers 5 on the drive shaft 4. The camshaft guide rail 7 is divided into three interconnected sections. The first section is a lifting section 701, which is helical along the axial direction of the camshaft 6, with its starting and ending ends deflected 180° around the camshaft 6. The second section of the camshaft guide rail 7 is a rotating section 702, which is segmented helical along the circumference of the camshaft 6. Several segments of the rotating section 702 are parallel to the helical direction of the lifting section 701, with their starting and ending ends deflected 180° around the camshaft 6. The third section of the camshaft guide rail 7 is the descending section 703. The descending section 703 is vertically arranged along the axial direction of the camshaft 6. Its top is connected to the starting end of the lifting section 701, and its bottom is connected to the ending end of the rotating section 702.
[0022] As a further explanation of this embodiment, in the initial state, the needle roller 5 on the drive shaft 4 is located at the starting end of the lifting section 701 on the camshaft 6. When the drive shaft 4 rotates, the needle roller 5 rotates accordingly. The top of the needle roller 5 abuts against the lower part of the upper wall of the guide rail of the lifting section 701, giving it an upward force, thereby causing the camshaft 6 to rise. When the needle roller 5 moves to the ending end of the lifting section 701, the drive shaft 4 continues to rotate, and the needle roller 5 rotates into the rotating section 702. The needle roller 5 rotates and passes through each segmented spiral of the rotating section 702 in sequence, squeezing the side wall of the segmented spiral and giving it a force along the circumference of the drive shaft 4, thereby causing the drive shaft 4 to rotate. At the same time, the top of the needle roller 5 contacts the upper wall of the segmented spiral, ensuring that the needle roller 5 will not slip off. Since the starting end and the ending end of the rotating section 702 are set at 180° along the circumference of the camshaft 6, the camshaft 6 will rotate 180°. When the needle roller 5 reaches the end of the rotating section 702, the drive shaft 4 stops rotating, the needle roller 5 enters the descending section 703, and then the camshaft 6 descends vertically without the support of the needle roller 5, and the needle roller 5 returns to the starting point of the lifting section 701.
[0023] A damping buffer cavity 13 is provided on one side of the camshaft 6 below the drive cavity 3 inside the base 1. The bottom of the camshaft 6 passes through the damping buffer cavity 13, and an inner limiting ring 19 is provided on the upper part of the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity 13. A buffer spring 18 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the damping buffer cavity 13. The buffer spring 18 is arranged vertically, and a cylindrical chuck 17 is fixedly connected to the top of the buffer spring 18. The lowest position of the chuck 17 is located above the inner limiting ring 19. A connecting plate 14 is provided at the bottom of the camshaft 6. The connecting plate 14 is cylindrical and its diameter is larger than that of the inner limiting ring 19. The connecting plate 14 is located above the inner limiting ring 19. A groove 15 is opened at the bottom of the connecting plate 14, and the groove 15 and the chuck 17 are rotatably connected by a needle roller bearing 16.
[0024] Limiting blocks 141 are provided at 180° on both sides of the connecting plate 14. Limiting plates 131 corresponding to the limiting blocks 141 are provided on both sides of the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity 13. The limiting plates 131 are located above the inner limiting ring 19. Limiting grooves matching the limiting blocks 141 are provided on the limiting plates 131.
[0025] Both the top of the damping buffer cavity 13 and the top of the inner limiting ring 19 are provided with buffer pads 20 to buffer and reduce the impact force of the chuck 17 during contact. A rotary disk 21 is provided above the buffer pad 20 at the top of the damping buffer cavity 13. The rotary disk 21 is fixedly connected to the upper wall of the damping buffer cavity 13, and the buffer pad 20 located above it is fixedly connected to the rotary disk 21. This ensures that the chuck 17 can still rotate normally when it contacts the buffer pad 20 on the upper wall of the damping buffer cavity 13, and the buffer pad 20 at the top of the inner limiting ring 19 is directly fixedly connected to it.
[0026] As a further explanation of this embodiment, in the initial state, the connecting plate 14 at the bottom of the camshaft 6 is in contact with the buffer pad 20 at the top of the inner limiting ring 19, and the limiting block 141 is matched in the limiting groove. When the needle roller 5 moves along the lifting section 701 and drives the camshaft 6 to rise, the limiting block 141 disengages from the limiting groove. When the needle roller 5 reaches the end of the lifting section 701, the bottom of the connecting plate 14 contacts the buffer pad 20 at the top of the damping buffer cavity 13. When the needle roller 5 moves along the rotating section 702, the camshaft 6 rotates, and the connecting plate 14 rotates 180° at the top of the damping buffer cavity 13. When the needle roller 5 moves along the descending section 703, the camshaft 6 descends, and the connecting plate 14 falls back to the initial state.
[0027] A drive device receiving cavity 10 is provided on one side of the drive shaft 4 below the drive cavity 3 inside the base 1. The bottom of the drive shaft 4 passes through the drive device receiving cavity 10, and a drive device is fixedly connected inside the drive device receiving cavity 10. The drive shaft 4 is fixedly connected to the output end of the drive device. The drive device includes a drive motor 12 and a reducer 11. The output end of the drive motor 12 is fixedly connected to the input end of the reducer 11, and the output end of the reducer 11 is fixedly connected to the drive shaft 4.
[0028] The top of the camshaft 6 protrudes from the base 1 and is fixedly connected to the worktable.
[0029] The working principle and usage process of this embodiment are as follows: Lubricating oil is injected into the drive chamber 3 through the one-way grease valve 9 on the oil inlet 2. After flowing through the drive chamber 3, the lubricating oil is discharged from the one-way grease valve 9 on the oil outlet 8, ensuring that the moving parts in the chamber are fully lubricated.
[0030] When the worktable position needs to be changed, the drive unit drives the drive shaft 4 to rotate, and the needle roller 5 moves circumferentially with the drive shaft 4. The top of the needle roller 5 abuts against the lower part of the upper wall of the lifting section 701 guide rail, generating an upward axial thrust on the camshaft 6, and the camshaft 6 begins to rise. When the camshaft 6 rises, the connecting plate 14 leaves the buffer pad 20 at the top of the inner limit ring 19, the limit block 141 disengages from the limit groove, and the camshaft 6 has rotational freedom. When the needle roller 5 moves along the lifting section 701 to the end, the camshaft 6 rises to the highest position, the bottom of the connecting plate 14 contacts the buffer pad 20 at the top of the damping buffer cavity 13, the rising stroke ends, and the worktable is raised to the highest position.
[0031] The drive shaft 4 continues to rotate, and the needle roller 5 enters the rotating section 702 of the camshaft 6. The needle roller 5 presses against the sidewalls of each segmented spiral of the rotating section 702, applying a circumferential driving force to the camshaft 6, causing it to rotate. During this process, the top of the needle roller 5 remains in contact with the upper wall of the segmented spiral. Because the rotating section 702 rotates 180° circumferentially around the camshaft 6 from its starting end to its ending end, the camshaft 6 rotates 180° accordingly, simultaneously driving the top worktable to rotate 180°. The connecting plate 14 rotates together with the camshaft 6 at the top of the damping buffer chamber 13, and the rotary table 21 ensures smooth rotation.
[0032] When the needle roller 5 reaches the end of the rotating section 702, the drive shaft 4 stops rotating. The camshaft 6 loses the axial support of the needle roller 5 and, under the influence of gravity, descends vertically along the descending section 703. As the camshaft 6 descends, the needle roller 5 slides from the top to the bottom along the descending section 703, returning to the starting end of the lifting section 701; the connecting plate 14 then falls back down, and the limiting block 141 re-engages into the limiting groove, circumferentially locking the camshaft 6; the connecting plate 14 finally rests on the buffer pad 20 at the top of the inner limiting ring 19, and the impact of the descent is absorbed by the buffer pad 20 and the buffer spring 18. The worktable completes the switching and returns to its initial height. Thus, a complete work cycle ends. If the worktable needs to be switched, the drive shaft 4 rotates again, and the above process is repeated.
[0033] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of the present invention's concept are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principles of the present invention should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A drive structure for an exchange workbench, characterized in that, The system includes a base (1), inside which is a drive cavity (3). A drive shaft (4) is rotatably mounted inside the drive cavity (3). Several needle rollers (5) arranged in a circumferential array are fixedly connected to the drive shaft (4). A camshaft (6) that can slide up and down and rotate circumferentially is assembled inside the drive cavity (3). A camshaft guide (7) that cooperates with the needle rollers (5) is provided on the camshaft (6). The camshaft guide (7) includes a lifting section (701), a rotating section (702), and a lowering section (703) that are connected end to end. The lifting section (701) is spirally oriented along the axial direction of the camshaft (6). The rotating section (702) includes several segmented spirals that extend in a circumferential array along the camshaft (6). The spiral direction of the rotation is parallel to the spiral direction of the lifting section (701). The descending section (703) is vertically arranged along the axial direction of the camshaft (6). The bottom of the drive shaft (4) passes through the drive cavity (3) and is fixedly connected to the output end of the drive device. The bottom of the camshaft (6) passes through the drive cavity (3) and extends into the damping buffer cavity (13). The bottom of the damping buffer cavity (13) is fixedly connected to a buffer spring (18). The top of the buffer spring (18) is fixedly connected to a chuck (17). The chuck (17) is rotatably connected to the connecting plate (14) at the bottom of the camshaft (6). The damping buffer cavity (13) is also provided with a camshaft (6) limiting component. The top of the camshaft (6) passes through the base (1) and is fixedly connected to a worktable.
2. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive cavity (3) has an oil inlet (2) and an oil outlet (8) on its arc-shaped sidewall, and the oil inlet (2) and the oil outlet (8) are arranged opposite each other at 180°.
3. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 2, characterized in that, One-way grease injection valves (9) are installed at both the oil inlet (2) and the oil outlet (8).
4. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting section (701) deflects 180° around the camshaft (6) from its starting end to its ending end. The rotating section (702) deflects 180° around the camshaft (6) from its starting end to its ending end.
5. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting component includes limiting blocks (141) disposed on both sides of the connecting plate (14). The limiting blocks (141) match the limiting grooves opened on the limiting plates (131) on both sides of the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity (13). An inner limiting ring (19) that cooperates with the connecting plate (14) is disposed below the limiting plates (131) on the inner wall of the damping buffer cavity (13).
6. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the connecting plate (14) is provided with a slot (15), and the chuck (17) is rotatably fitted in the slot (15) through a needle roller bearing (16).
7. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the damping buffer cavity (13) is provided with a buffer pad (20), and the top of the buffer pad (20) is fixed to the rotary table (21). The rotary table (21) is fixedly connected to the upper wall of the damping buffer cavity (13), so that the connecting plate (14) can rotate smoothly when it comes into contact with the buffer pad (20) at the top of the damping buffer cavity (13).
8. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (1) is also provided with a drive device receiving cavity (10), and the bottom of the drive shaft (4) passes through the drive device receiving cavity (10) and is connected to a drive device.
9. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 8, characterized in that, The driving device includes a drive motor (12) and a reducer (11). The output end of the drive motor (12) is connected to the input end of the reducer (11), and the output end of the reducer (11) is fixedly connected to the drive shaft (4).
10. The driving structure of the exchange workbench according to claim 5, characterized in that, A buffer pad (20) is fixedly connected to the top of the inner limiting ring (19).