Novel quick-change suction cup mechanism

Abstract

The utility model provides a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism which comprises a quick-change copper sleeve and a suction cup mechanism body. The quick-change copper sleeve comprises a ventilation inner cylinder and a mounting outer cylinder, the top of the mounting outer cylinder is provided with a mounting part connected with the industrial robot, the middle lower part of the mounting outer cylinder is provided with an inner concave section, and the inner concave section is tightly sleeved with a first sealing ring; the top of the inner ventilation cylinder is fixedly connected with the inner top wall of the outer mounting cylinder, and the bottom is connected with the bottom of the outer mounting cylinder, so that the bottom opening of the inner ventilation cylinder forms a sucker inlet; an air inlet formed in the middle of the ventilation inner cylinder is connected with an air source plug; the sucker mechanism comprises a connecting cylinder located at the top and a sucker located at the bottom, the front end of the connecting cylinder is of a conical structure, and a ring groove embedded with a plurality of steel balls is formed in the waist; the connecting cylinder can be inserted into the ventilation inner cylinder from the suction cup inlet and is attached to the inner wall of the ventilation inner cylinder in a sealed mode under the tightening effect of the first sealing ring. By the adoption of the novel quick-change suction cup mechanism, disassembly and assembly of the suction cup mechanism can be completed based on simple plugging and wiping, and the replacement efficiency of the suction cup mechanism is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of industrial robots, in particular to a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism. Background Art

[0002] As artificial intelligence technology gradually matures and its application becomes more popular, industrial robots have begun to enter the manufacturing industry, replacing manual labor in automated production lines. Vacuum suction cups are an important pneumatic device used by industrial robots to grab workpieces. Most of them are connected to suction cups through vacuum generators and other devices that create a vacuum state. The equipment uses air or compressed air to create a vacuum state in the suction cup, thereby generating suction to pick up workpieces, products, packages, etc.

[0003] Usually, when the production line switches between workpieces or products of different specifications, it is necessary to replace the suction cups of the corresponding specifications. Moreover, since the suction cups themselves are mostly made of rubber and are easily worn, they must be replaced frequently to avoid the phenomenon of parts falling off during the production process, causing damage to the workpiece or smashing the production equipment. The traditional connection method between industrial robots and suction cup mechanisms is not conducive to the rapid replacement of suction cups, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming, affecting the efficiency of robot maintenance and repair, and thus affecting the overall production efficiency.

[0004] In this regard, there are solutions in the prior art, which are usually to add a quick-change device to the industrial robot to facilitate the replacement of the suction cup, mainly by setting quick-change structures such as male-female (female-child) joints or electromagnetic joints, wherein the male-female joints are mainly detachably connected to the suction cup mechanism by threaded connection, which makes little change to the overall structure of the industrial robot and is the main quick-change method that is currently used more frequently. Although it solves the problem of labor and time to a certain extent, it still has the problem of low replacement efficiency; the electromagnetic joint mainly sets an electromagnet adsorption structure, and uses the electromagnet to turn on and off the power to achieve rapid disassembly and assembly of the suction cup mechanism. This method can significantly improve the replacement efficiency of the suction cup mechanism, but it is less used due to factors such as the need to wire at the forearm end of the robot, large changes to the overall structure of the industrial robot, and high cost.

[0005] Therefore, it is also necessary to develop a new type of suction cup quick-change technology that requires little change to the overall structure of the industrial robot, can significantly improve the efficiency of suction cup mechanism replacement, and has a wide range of applications. Utility Model Content

[0006] In order to better solve the above-mentioned problem, the utility model provides a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism, which can complete the disassembly and assembly of the suction cup mechanism based on a simple plug-in operation, and the suction cup mechanism replacement efficiency is relatively high.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, an embodiment of the utility model provides a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism, including a quick-change copper sleeve and a suction cup mechanism; the quick-change copper sleeve includes a ventilation inner cylinder and an installation outer cylinder, and a mounting piece is arranged on the top of the installation outer cylinder for connecting the mechanical arm of the industrial robot; the middle and lower part of the installation outer cylinder has an inner concave section, and a first sealing ring is tightly sleeved on the inner concave section; the ventilation inner cylinder is located in the installation outer cylinder, the top is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the installation outer cylinder, and the bottom extends to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder and is connected to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder outwardly, so that the bottom opening of the ventilation inner cylinder forms a suction cup inlet; an air inlet is arranged in the middle of the ventilation inner cylinder, and the air inlet is connected to the air source plug arranged on the outside of the installation outer cylinder; the suction cup mechanism includes a connecting cylinder located at the top and a suction cup located at the bottom, the front end of the connecting cylinder is a conical structure, and the waist is provided with an annular groove with multiple steel balls embedded therein; the connecting cylinder can be inserted into the ventilation inner cylinder from the suction cup inlet, and is sealed and fitted with the inner wall of the ventilation inner cylinder under the tight action of the first sealing ring.

[0008] Optionally, the first sealing ring is made of elastic material.

[0009] Optionally, the outer diameter of the connecting cylinder is equal to the inner diameter of the ventilation inner cylinder.

[0010] Optionally, the top of the ventilation inner cylinder is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the mounting outer cylinder through a fixing piece, and a second sealing ring is provided on the tight sleeve at the connection.

[0011] Optionally, an operating disk is provided in the middle of the suction cup mechanism, located at the bottom end of the connecting tube.

[0012] Optionally, the connecting tube is connected to the suction cup via a telescopic tube, and a spring member is disposed outside the telescopic tube.

[0013] The novel quick-change suction cup mechanism of the utility model embodiment is provided with a quick-change copper sleeve including a ventilation inner cylinder and a mounting outer cylinder. It is connected to the industrial robot through the mounting outer cylinder, and is connected to the air source mechanism through the ventilation inner cylinder. A connecting cylinder that can be inserted into the ventilation inner cylinder is also provided on the suction cup mechanism. A ball bearing is used to facilitate the insertion and removal of the connecting cylinder, and a sealing ring is used for tight sealing. The suction cup can be inserted and removed conveniently and quickly, and the sealing effect is guaranteed.

[0014] The novel quick suction cup mechanism adopts a plug-in method to carry out the disassembly and assembly of the suction cup, and the suction cup mechanism can be replaced through simple operation, which can significantly improve the replacement efficiency of the suction cup mechanism; moreover, the novel quick-change suction cup mechanism can be directly applied to the existing production line, or the existing production line can be modified by simply adjusting the connection method between the suction cup and the industrial robot, with little change to the overall structure of the industrial robot and low modification cost; and the novel quick-change suction cup mechanism also has the advantages of simple structure, reliable performance, simple operation, and low cost. The size of the quick-change copper sleeve and the type of suction cup can also be adjusted according to the actual application scenario. It is suitable for a variety of industries that require the use of suction cups, such as electronic products, metal workpieces, and logistics packages, and has a wide range of applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0017] Figure 2 A structural perspective view of a novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0018] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the suction cup mechanism of an embodiment of the utility model.

[0019] Reference numerals:

[0020] 1. Install the outer cylinder; 2. Ventilation inner cylinder; 3. Air inlet; 4. Air source plug; 5. First sealing ring; 6. Second sealing ring; 7. Main connecting bolt; 8. Suction cup; 9. Connecting cylinder; 10. Steel ball; 11. Operating panel; 12. Spring part; 13. Limit sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the utility model more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the utility model are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the utility model. However, the utility model can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the utility model. Therefore, the utility model is not limited to the basic implementation disclosed below.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the technical field of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0023] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the novel quick-change suction cup mechanism of the embodiment of the utility model includes a quick-change copper sleeve and a suction cup mechanism. The suction cup structure is connected to the end of the mechanical arm of the industrial robot through the quick-change copper sleeve, and can be quickly disassembled, assembled and replaced based on the quick-change copper sleeve. Among them, the quick-change copper sleeve includes a ventilation inner cylinder 2 and an installation outer cylinder 1, and a mounting piece is arranged on the top of the installation outer cylinder 1 for connecting an industrial robot; the middle and lower part of the installation outer cylinder 1 has an inner concave section, and a first sealing ring 5 is tightly sleeved on the inner concave section; the ventilation inner cylinder 2 is located in the installation outer cylinder 1, the top is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the installation outer cylinder, the bottom extends to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder 1 and is connected to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder 1 outwardly, so that the bottom opening of the ventilation inner cylinder 2 forms a suction cup inlet; an air inlet 3 is arranged in the middle of the ventilation inner cylinder 2, and the air inlet 3 is connected to the air source plug 4 arranged on the outside of the installation outer cylinder; the suction cup mechanism includes a connecting cylinder 9 located at the top and a suction cup 8 located at the bottom, the front end of the connecting cylinder 9 is a conical structure, and the waist is provided with an annular groove with multiple steel balls 10 embedded in it; the connecting cylinder 9 can be inserted into the ventilation inner cylinder 2 from the suction cup inlet, and is sealed and fitted with the inner wall of the ventilation inner cylinder 2 under the tight action of the first sealing ring 5.

[0024] In the novel quick-change suction cup mechanism of the embodiment of the utility model, the size of the connecting tube 9 matches the size of the ventilation inner tube 2, so that the connecting tube 9 can just be inserted into the ventilation inner tube 2. Specifically, the outer diameter of the connecting tube 9 can be set to be equal to the inner diameter of the ventilation inner tube 2. The first sealing ring 5 is made of a flexible material with a certain elasticity. The middle and lower parts of the ventilation inner tube 2 and the concave section of the installation outer tube 1 can be designed with thin walls. By utilizing the elastic properties of the first sealing ring 5 and the ductility (softness) of the copper material, the connecting tube 9 can be conveniently inserted into the installation inner tube to install the suction cup mechanism, and the first sealing ring 5 is used for tight sealing. The steel ball 10 embedded on the connecting tube 9 partially protrudes from the surface of the connecting tube 9, which can convert the sliding friction during the insertion and removal of the connecting tube 9 into rolling friction, reducing the resistance during the installation and removal process. When installing the suction cup mechanism, the connecting tube 9 can be inserted until the steel ball 10 is located above the first sealing ring 5, so that the first sealing ring 5 can play a tight sealing role.

[0025] In an optional embodiment, the mounting member at the top of the mounting outer cylinder 1 may include a main connecting bolt 7 and an auxiliary positioning pin, and other commonly used connectors in the field (bolt through holes and positioning pin holes are provided on the top wall of the mounting outer cylinder 1), which can achieve a stable connection with the industrial robot. The top of the ventilation inner cylinder 2 is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the mounting outer cylinder 1 through a fixing member, and a second sealing ring 6 is provided at the connection. Here, the top of the ventilation inner cylinder 2 is designed to be closed, and the fixing member includes a sealing disk that matches the top opening of the ventilation inner cylinder. The second sealing ring 6 can seal the connection between the sealing disk and the top opening, and the sealing disk is provided with a bolt member connected to the top wall of the mounting outer cylinder 1; this design can be easily replaced when the ventilation inner cylinder is damaged. Of course, in other embodiments, the top of the ventilation inner cylinder 2 can also be designed to be sealed, and the top of the ventilation inner cylinder can be connected to the top wall of the mounting outer cylinder only by using a bolt member. Moreover, in practical applications, the fixing member can be used in conjunction with the mounting member on the top of the mounting outer cylinder. Specifically, the main connecting bolt 7 of the mounting member is also used as a bolt member of the fixing member. The main connecting bolt 7 is used to connect the above-mentioned mounting plate (or the top of the ventilation inner cylinder) to the top wall of the mounting outer cylinder 1 and then to the industrial robot.

[0026] Optionally, the suction cup mechanism also includes an operating disc 11, which is located in the middle of the suction cup mechanism and fixedly connected to the bottom end of the connecting tube 9. When disassembling the suction cup mechanism, the user can apply force downward or upward based on the operating disc 11, and the operating disc 11 drives the connecting tube 9 to move upward or downward, which is convenient for the user to pull out and insert the connecting tube 9 from the quick-change copper sleeve. In addition, the connecting tube 9 is connected to the suction cup 8 through a telescopic tube, and a spring member 12 is provided on the outside of the telescopic tube. During the production operation, the design of the spring member 12 can ensure flexible contact between the suction cup 8 and the workpiece or product, and can avoid damage to the product.

[0027] It should be noted that the quick-change suction cup mechanism of the present embodiment provides a quick-change suction cup based on plug-in and pull-out action, which can be applied to suction cups of various types and sizes. Specifically, the models and sizes of the inner cylinder and outer cylinder in the quick-change copper sleeve, the connecting cylinder and the suction cup in the suction cup mechanism, etc. can be adjusted according to the actual working conditions to realize the actual installation and application of the quick-change suction cup mechanism. In addition, in the quick-change suction cup mechanism, components such as the air source plug and the sealing ring can adopt devices with corresponding functions in the prior art, and the specifications and models can be selected according to the actual working conditions. For example, the air source plug 4 uses an adjustable quick-start plug, which can be conveniently connected to the air inlet 3, conveniently connected to the air pipe of the vacuum generator, and can also perform airflow adjustment and switch operations. In addition, other equipment or components can also be set in the new quick-change suction cup mechanism to realize the actual installation application or other functions of the new quick-change suction cup mechanism. For example, the suction cup mechanism also includes a limiting sleeve 13 (the limiting sleeve 13 shown in the figure is also provided with a stepped pin hole for orientation), which is arranged at the bottom of the connecting tube 9. When installing the suction cup 8, the limiting sleeve 13 can be used to abut against the bottom of the copper sleeve to limit the position of the connecting tube 9 inserted into the copper sleeve.

[0028] It should be pointed out that, according to the needs of implementation, the various components described in the embodiments of the present utility model can be split into more components, or two or more components or parts of components can be combined into new components to achieve the purpose of the embodiments of the present utility model.

[0029] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the utility model, and the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the utility model, which all belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model patent shall be based on the attached claims.

Claims

1. A new quick-change suction cup mechanism, characterized in that: Including quick-change copper sleeve and suction cup mechanism; The quick-change copper sleeve comprises a ventilation inner cylinder and an installation outer cylinder, the top of the installation outer cylinder is provided with a mounting piece for connecting the mechanical arm of the industrial robot; the middle and lower part of the installation outer cylinder has an inner concave section, and the inner concave section is tightly sleeved with a first sealing ring; the ventilation inner cylinder is located in the installation outer cylinder, the top is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the installation outer cylinder, the bottom extends to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder and is connected to the bottom of the installation outer cylinder outwardly, so that the bottom opening of the ventilation inner cylinder forms a suction cup inlet; the middle part of the ventilation inner cylinder is provided with an air inlet, and the air inlet is connected to the air source plug provided on the outside of the installation outer cylinder; The suction cup mechanism comprises a connecting tube at the top and a suction cup at the bottom, the front end of the connecting tube is a conical structure, and the waist is provided with a ring groove with multiple steel balls embedded therein; The connecting tube can be inserted into the ventilation inner tube from the suction cup inlet, and is sealed and fitted with the inner wall of the ventilation inner tube under the tightening action of the first sealing ring.

2. A novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first sealing ring is made of elastic material.

3. A novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the connecting cylinder is equal to the inner diameter of the ventilation inner cylinder.

4. A novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the ventilation inner cylinder is fixedly connected to the inner top wall of the mounting outer cylinder through a fixing piece, and a second sealing ring is provided on the tight hoop at the connection.

5. A novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: An operating disc is arranged in the middle of the suction cup mechanism and is located at the bottom end of the connecting tube.

6. A novel quick-change suction cup mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The connecting tube is connected to the suction cup via a telescopic tube, and a spring member is arranged outside the telescopic tube.

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