Automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection platform

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of appearance quality inspection platform of automobile crankshaft, including rack, transport panel and bottom plate being set on rack, lifting mechanism being set on bottom plate, the transport panel is located above bottom plate, the lifting mechanism includes mounting plate, lifting arm being set on mounting plate, and first linear drive mechanism for driving mounting plate vertical movement relative to bottom plate, the lifting arm is used to lift workpiece placed on transport panel, the lifting arm includes fixedly set on mounting plate arm and setting on the positioning structure of arm free end.The automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection platform provided by the application has high degree of automation, the automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection platform can be connected with the conveying device on the quality inspection line, and manual feeding and discharging handling work is no longer needed by quality inspectors, which greatly reduces the labor intensity of quality inspectors and improves inspection efficiency.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of patent application number "202010461134.9", filed on "May 27, 2020", entitled "A Manual Quality Inspection Station". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of automotive crankshaft quality inspection equipment, and in particular to an automotive crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench. Background Technology

[0003] With the improvement of people's living standards and the convenience of transportation, the market demand for automobiles is increasing day by day. In order to better increase production capacity and save labor, automobile manufacturers are gradually transforming automobile production lines towards intelligent production.

[0004] The crankshaft is a crucial component of a car engine. Newly manufactured crankshafts cannot be directly installed in vehicles because they haven't undergone quality inspection. Therefore, manual visual inspection of the finished crankshafts is necessary to ensure their quality. To improve the efficiency and automation of finished product quality inspection, a highly automated quality inspection line is urgently needed. This line would allow finished crankshafts to be loaded onto pallets and transported to a visual inspection station. After passing inspection, the crankshafts would continue downstream, awaiting transport to the loading area by a trolley. However, the existing visual inspection station has low automation. Operators must manually move each workpiece onto the station, and after inspection, they must again move the workpiece to the downstream conveyor. Clearly, the existing visual inspection station is time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in high worker workload, and it is difficult to integrate with the conveyor equipment in the quality inspection line. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automotive crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench, which aims to improve the automation level of the automotive crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench and reduce the labor intensity of workers.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] An automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench includes a frame, a transport panel and a base plate mounted on the frame, and a lifting mechanism mounted on the base plate. The transport panel is located above the base plate. The lifting mechanism includes a mounting plate, a lifting arm mounted on the mounting plate, and a first linear drive mechanism for driving the mounting plate to move vertically relative to the base plate. The lifting arm is used to lift a workpiece placed on the transport panel. The lifting arm includes a support arm fixedly mounted on the mounting plate and a positioning structure mounted on the free end of the support arm. The positioning structure is used to receive the workpiece and allow the workpiece to rotate about its own axis.

[0008] The positioning structure includes two positioning wheels fixedly mounted on the side of the support arm, forming a V-shaped receiving station between the two positioning wheels.

[0009] The positioning wheel includes a receiving part and a stopping part arranged concentrically. The stopping part has an installation groove and a stopping friction ring is provided in the installation groove. The positioning wheel is fixedly connected to the support arm by bolts and the stopping friction ring is pressed against the support arm.

[0010] The mounting plate is equipped with a position adjustment device for driving the lifting arm to move laterally. The position adjustment device includes a guide rail, a slider, and a second linear drive mechanism. The guide rail extends along the length of the workpiece axis, and the bottom of the support arm is slidably connected to the guide rail through the slider. The second linear drive mechanism is used to drive the support arm and the slider to move.

[0011] The bottom of the mounting plate is provided with a guide rod, and a sliding sleeve adapted to the guide rod is fixedly installed on the base plate. The guide rod passes through the sliding sleeve from top to bottom.

[0012] The upper surface of the transport panel is provided with multiple universal ball bearings and a pallet positioning mechanism. The pallet positioning mechanism includes a housing with an inner cavity, a spring vertically arranged in the inner cavity of the housing, and positioning ball bearings pressing against the top of the spring. The bottom of the housing is provided with a screw for adjusting the height of the spring.

[0013] The upper surface of the transport panel is also provided with guide strips for guiding the pallet transport direction.

[0014] The mounting plate is equipped with a sensor for detecting whether the workpiece has been turned into its correct position after quality inspection, and the transport panel has a first clearance opening for the detection light of the sensor to pass through.

[0015] The frame is equipped with lifting and lowering control buttons that require two-hand operation.

[0016] The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench also includes a fall prevention device, which includes a locking frame fixedly installed at the bottom of the base plate, a horizontally opened insertion hole on the locking frame, and a safety pin that can be inserted into the insertion hole. The safety pin is used to prevent the guide rod from descending.

[0017] Beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention provides an automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench. Compared to existing automotive crankshaft appearance inspection benches, the pallet carrying the workpiece can be transported to the inspection station on the panel via a sliding mechanism. Then, a first linear drive mechanism drives the mounting plate and lifting arms to rise, allowing the positioning structures on the two lifting arms to support the front and rear ends of the automotive crankshaft respectively. The mounting plate and lifting arms then continue to rise, detaching the automotive crankshaft from the pallet, at which point the crankshaft is directly above the pallet. The quality inspector can rotate the automotive crankshaft at any angle to inspect various parts of the finished product and determine if any quality defects exist. After inspection, the first linear drive mechanism drives the mounting plate and lifting arms to descend and reset, allowing the automotive crankshaft to be placed back on the pallet. The quality inspector then uses a sliding mechanism to push the pallet and automotive crankshaft to the next station. Therefore, the automotive crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench provided by the present invention has a high degree of automation. The automotive crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench can be connected to the conveying device on the quality inspection line, eliminating the need for quality inspectors to manually load and unload materials, greatly reducing the labor intensity of quality inspectors and improving inspection efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A perspective view of the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A 3D view of region L in the middle.

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A 3D view of region M in the middle.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the workpiece and the positioning structure in the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment, showing the workpiece in the position to be lifted.

[0024] Figure 6 The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment provides a three-dimensional view of the workpiece after it has been lifted. Figure 1 .

[0025] Figure 7 The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment provides a three-dimensional view of the workpiece after it has been lifted. Figure 2 .

[0026] Figure 8 The front view of the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment, after the workpiece has been lifted.

[0027] Figure 9An exploded view of the tray positioning mechanism in the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided in this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0028] This invention provides an automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention.

[0029] Please see Figures 1-9 This invention provides an automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench, including a frame 1, a transport panel 11 and a base plate 12 mounted on the frame 1, and a lifting mechanism 2 mounted on the base plate 12. The transport panel 11 is located above the base plate 12. The lifting mechanism 2 includes a mounting plate 21, a lifting arm 22 mounted on the mounting plate 21, and a first linear drive mechanism 23 for driving the mounting plate 21 to move vertically relative to the base plate 12. The first linear drive mechanism 23 can be a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric push rod, etc. The lifting arm 22 is used to lift the workpiece placed on the transport panel 11. The lifting arm 22 includes a support arm 22.1 fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 21 and a positioning structure 3 mounted on the free end of the support arm 22.1. The positioning structure 3 is used to receive the workpiece A1, and the workpiece can rotate around its own axis.

[0030] The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided by this invention, as part of a quality inspection line, is mainly used for appearance inspection of automotive crankshaft A1. Since the automotive crankshaft A1 is relatively heavy, to facilitate its transportation, it is pre-placed on a dedicated pallet A2 by a robotic arm and then transported to various workstations on the quality inspection line via a conveyor. If the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench provided by this invention is used to perform appearance inspection on other shaft-type workpieces A1, it does not change the essence of the technical solution of this invention and falls within the protection scope of this invention. To provide better support for the automotive crankshaft A1, two lifting arms 22 are provided, respectively supporting both ends of the automotive crankshaft A1, ensuring better stability during lifting. To avoid interference between the transport panel 11 and the lifting arms 22, the transport panel 11 is provided with a second clearance opening 15 for the lifting arms 22 to pass through. Figure 1 As shown.

[0031] At work, see Figure 4 and Figure 5The quality inspector slides the pallet A2, carrying the finished automobile crankshaft A1, from the conveying device to the pre-set quality inspection station 10 on the transport panel 11. Then, the first linear drive mechanism 23 drives the mounting plate 21 and the lifting arm 22 to rise, so that the positioning structures 3 on the two lifting arms 22 respectively support the front and rear shafts of the automobile crankshaft A1. Then, the mounting plate 21 and the lifting arm 22 continue to rise, so that the automobile crankshaft A1 is detached from the support of the pallet A2. At this time, the automobile crankshaft A1 is directly above the pallet A2. The quality inspector can rotate the automobile crankshaft A1 at any angle so that the quality inspector can check various parts of the finished automobile crankshaft A1 and judge whether there are any quality defects. The finished automobile crankshaft A1 without quality defects is considered a qualified product. The first linear drive mechanism 23 drives the mounting plate 21 and the lifting arm 22 to descend and reset, so that the automobile crankshaft A1 is placed back on the pallet A2. Then, the quality inspector pushes the pallet A2 and the automobile crankshaft A1 together to the downstream conveying device. The finished automobile crankshaft A1 with quality inspection defects is considered a defective product. The first linear drive mechanism 23 drives the mounting plate 21 and the lifting arm 22 to descend and reset, so that the automobile crankshaft A1 is placed back on the tray A2. Then, the quality inspector slides the tray A2 and the automobile crankshaft A1 to the defective product placement rack. Compared with the existing automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench, the automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench provided by this invention has a high degree of automation. The automobile crankshaft appearance quality inspection bench can be connected to the conveyor device on the quality inspection line, eliminating the need for quality inspectors to manually load and unload materials, greatly reducing the labor intensity of quality inspectors and improving inspection efficiency.

[0032] Specifically, please refer to Figure 3 The positioning structure 3 includes two positioning wheels 31 fixedly mounted on the side of the support arm 22.1, forming a V-shaped receiving station 32 between the two positioning wheels 31. During quality inspection, the end shaft of the automobile crankshaft A1 will be inserted into the V-shaped receiving station 32. By rotating the automobile crankshaft A1, the appearance quality of the workpiece A1 can be inspected from all angles, facilitating the smooth progress of the quality inspection work. Compared with the existing semi-enclosed positioning mechanism (i.e., a positioning block with a U-shaped groove, with the end shaft inserted into the U-shaped groove), it has the following advantages: 1. The two positioning wheels 31 make line contact with the end shaft, which is smaller than the surface contact of the U-shaped groove with the end shaft. The quality inspector can rotate the automobile crankshaft A1 with less force; 2. When the wheel surface of the positioning wheel 31 has a guiding function, if the workpiece A1 is not directly facing the V-shaped receiving station 32, the wheel surface of the positioning wheel 31 guides the end shaft of the automobile crankshaft A1 to slide into the middle of the V-shaped receiving station 32, which greatly improves the compatibility between the positioning structure 3 and the workpiece A1.

[0033] Further, please refer to Figure 3The positioning wheel 31 includes a receiving part 31.1 and a stop part 31.2 arranged concentrically. The end shaft of the automobile crankshaft A1 presses against the receiving part 31.1, and the stop part 31.2 does not contact the end shaft of the automobile crankshaft A1. The stop part 31.2 is provided with a mounting groove, and a stop friction ring 31.3 is provided in the mounting groove. The positioning wheel 31 is fixedly connected to the support arm 22.1 by bolts 31.4 and the stop friction ring 31.3 is pressed against the side of the support arm 22.1 to ensure that the positioning wheel 31 will not rotate with the rotation of the automobile crankshaft A1 when the automobile crankshaft A1 rotates.

[0034] To enable the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench to be compatible with the inspection of two types of automotive crankshafts A1, which differ mainly in shaft length (e.g., 2.0L engine crankshaft and 2.5L engine crankshaft), a position adjustment device 4 for driving the lifting arm 22 to move laterally is provided on the mounting plate 21. In this embodiment, the position adjustment device 4 is only provided for the lifting arm 22 used to lift the rear shaft of the automotive crankshaft A1, while the lifting arm 22 used to lift the front shaft of the automotive crankshaft A1 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 21 and cannot move laterally relative to the mounting plate 21. Thus, the distance between the two lifting arms 22 is adjusted according to the shaft length of the automotive crankshaft A1 to be inspected, ensuring that the lifting arm 22 can lift the automotive crankshaft A1.

[0035] Specifically, see Figure 2 As shown, the position adjustment device 4 includes a guide rail 41, a slider 42, and a second linear drive mechanism 43. The guide rail 41 extends along the length of the workpiece A1 axis. The bottom of the support arm 22.1 is slidably connected to the guide rail 41 via the slider 42. The second linear drive mechanism can be a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric push rod, etc. The second linear drive mechanism drives the support arm 22.1 and the slider 42 to move, thereby causing the two lifting arms 22 to move closer or further apart. An automotive crankshaft A1 type inspection device is installed upstream of the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench. This automotive crankshaft A1 type inspection device feeds back the inspection results to the control module on the inspection line, and then the control module controls the output end of the second linear drive mechanism to extend or reset.

[0036] In actual design, see Figure 7 As shown, in order to avoid interference between the rear axle head A11 of the automobile crankshaft A1 and the support arm 22.1, a U-shaped clearance groove 22.2 is provided on the top of the support arm 22.1.

[0037] Preferably, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8The mounting plate 21 has a guide rod 44 at its bottom, and a sliding sleeve 45 adapted to the guide rod 44 is fixedly installed on the base plate 12. The guide rod 44 passes through the sliding sleeve 45 from top to bottom. Through the guiding action of the sliding sleeve 45 and the guide rod 44, the vertical movement direction of the mounting plate 21 can be ensured to be correct, and the piston rod of the first linear drive mechanism 23 can be prevented from being subjected to shear force, thus preventing the piston rod from deforming due to shear force.

[0038] Preferably, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 The upper surface of the transport panel 11 is provided with a plurality of universal balls 13. The bottom surface of the pallet A2 presses against the universal balls 13, resulting in low friction. The quality inspector can easily pull the pallet A2 carrying the finished automobile crankshaft A1 to the quality inspection station 10. After the quality inspection is completed, the pallet A2 is pushed flat to the next conveyor or the non-conforming product placement rack.

[0039] In this embodiment, see Figure 9 As shown, the upper surface of the transport panel 11 is also provided with a plurality of pallet A2 positioning mechanisms 5. The pallet A2 positioning mechanism 5 includes a housing 51 with an inner cavity 55, a spring 52 (preferably a disc spring 52) vertically arranged in the inner cavity 51 of the housing, and a positioning ball 53 pressing against the top of the spring 52; the bottom of the housing 51 is provided with a screw for adjusting the setting height of the spring 52. Multiple positioning balls 53 surround the quality inspection station 10. The positioning balls 53 protrude from the upper surface of the housing 51 and restrict the movement of the edge of the tray A2. The quality inspector needs to overcome the elastic force of the spring 52 on the positioning balls 53 to push the tray A2 onto the quality inspection station 10. Similarly, the quality inspector needs to overcome the elastic force of the spring 52 on the positioning balls 53 to push the tray A2 out of the quality inspection station 10. It can be seen that the positioning balls 53 can play a good positioning role for the tray A2. The height of the positioning balls 53 protruding from the upper surface of the housing 51 can be adjusted by rotating the screw.

[0040] Preferably, see Figure 1 As shown, the upper surface of the transport panel 11 is also provided with guide strips 14 for guiding the transport direction of pallet A2. Guided by the guide strips 14, the pallet A2 slides without shifting, accurately moving to the quality inspection station or other stations. In actual transport, the pallet A2 carrying the automobile crankshaft enters the quality inspection station 10 from the left side of the transport panel 11. If the automobile crankshaft is a qualified product, the quality inspector pushes the pallet forward to the next station; if the automobile crankshaft is a defective product, the pallet is pulled to the right to the defective product placement area.

[0041] Preferably, see Figure 5As shown, the frame is equipped with a lifting control button 61 and a lowering control button 62 that require two-hand operation. Both the lifting control button 61 and the lowering control button 62 are electrically connected to the control module on the quality inspection line. When lifting workpiece A1 needs to be initiated, both hands must simultaneously press the corresponding lifting control button 61 to activate the movement, preventing operator hand injuries. Similarly, when lowering workpiece A1 needs to be initiated, both hands must simultaneously press the corresponding lowering control button 62 to activate the movement.

[0042] Preferably, see Figure 2 As shown, the mounting plate 21 is equipped with a sensor 7 for detecting whether workpiece A1 has been properly aligned after quality inspection. The sensor 7 is preferably a proximity switch. The detection light emitted by the sensor 7 points vertically upwards; since the detection light cannot be directly observed, it is represented by a dashed line. This detection light is used to sense the connecting shaft A3 on the crank. See... Figure 5 As shown, if sensor 7 can detect the connecting shaft, workpiece A1 is placed correctly after quality inspection; if sensor 7 cannot detect the connecting shaft, workpiece A1 is not placed correctly. This setting ensures that after the automobile crankshaft A1 undergoes the flipping detection, it accurately falls back to the position of tray A2, allowing the automobile crankshaft A1 to be effectively positioned and supported by tray A2 again. To accommodate two different models of automobile crankshaft A1, two sensors 7 are correspondingly provided.

[0043] To prevent the detection light from sensor 7 from being interfered with by the transport panel 11, the transport panel 11 has a first clearance opening 16 for the detection light from sensor 7 to pass through, see... Figure 1 As shown.

[0044] Preferably, see Figure 8 As shown, the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench also includes a fall arrestor 8. The fall arrestor 8 includes a locking frame 81 fixedly mounted on the bottom of the base plate 12, a transversely opened insertion hole on the locking frame 81, and a safety pin 82 that can be inserted into the insertion hole. The safety pin 82 is used to prevent the guide rod 44 from descending. To better perform maintenance operations on the components mounted on the upper surface and bottom of the mounting plate 21, the mounting plate 21 and lifting arm 22 of the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench are raised. In this state, inserting the safety pin 82 into the insertion hole can prevent components on the mounting plate 21 from suddenly falling uncontrollably during maintenance, thus avoiding injury to personnel.

[0045] Preferably, the frame is also equipped with a signal output switch 83 and a pin bracket 84. After maintenance is completed, the safety pin 82 is pulled out and inserted into the pin bracket 84. The safety pin 82 triggers the signal output switch 83, which outputs a signal so that the automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench can operate automatically.

[0046] Preferably, see Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the mounting plate 21 is provided with a clearance hole for the output end of the first linear drive mechanism 23 to pass through. A connecting seat 25 is provided on the upper surface of the mounting plate 21 corresponding to the clearance hole. The output end of the first linear drive mechanism 23 is fixedly connected to the connecting seat 25 through a flexible joint 26. This arrangement makes the structure more compact and avoids interference between the connecting seat 25 and the base plate 12 and the mounting plate 21.

[0047] Preferably, see Figure 7 As shown, a third clearance opening is provided on the base plate 12, and the output end of the first linear drive mechanism 23 passes through the third clearance opening; the first linear drive mechanism 23 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 12 by a support plate 27 and a support bar 28.

[0048] Preferably, see Figure 1 As shown, the frame 1 includes a base frame 18 and a connecting beam 19. The transport panel 11 is fixedly connected to the base plate 12 through the connecting beam 19. The base plate 12 is located on the top of the base frame 18.

[0049] To prevent the frame from slipping relative to the ground, the base frame 18 is reinforced to the ground by locking blocks 17.

[0050] It is understood that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes to the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all such changes or substitutions should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A quality inspection bench for the appearance of automotive crankshafts, characterized in that, The system includes a frame, a transport panel and a base plate mounted on the frame, and a lifting mechanism mounted on the base plate. The transport panel is located above the base plate. The lifting mechanism includes a mounting plate, a lifting arm mounted on the mounting plate, and a first linear drive mechanism for driving the mounting plate to move vertically relative to the base plate. The lifting arm is used to lift a workpiece placed on the transport panel. The lifting arm includes a support arm fixedly mounted on the mounting plate and a positioning structure mounted on the free end of the support arm. The positioning structure includes two positioning wheels fixedly mounted on the side of the support arm, forming a V-shaped receiving position between the two positioning wheels. The positioning wheels include concentrically arranged receiving parts and stop parts. The stop part has a mounting groove. A stop friction ring is provided, and the positioning wheel is fixedly connected to the support arm by bolts, pressing the stop friction ring against the support arm. The mounting plate is equipped with a sensor for detecting whether the workpiece has been turned into the correct position after quality inspection. The transport panel has a first clearance opening for the detection light of the sensor to pass through. The frame is equipped with lifting control buttons and lowering control buttons that require two-hand operation. The mounting plate is equipped with a position adjustment device for driving the lateral movement of the lifting arm. The position adjustment device includes a guide rail, a slider, and a second linear drive mechanism. The guide rail extends along the length of the workpiece axis, and the bottom of the support arm is slidably connected to the guide rail through the slider. The second linear drive mechanism is used to drive the support arm and the slider to move.

2. The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the mounting plate is provided with a guide rod, and a sliding sleeve adapted to the guide rod is fixedly installed on the base plate. The guide rod passes through the sliding sleeve from top to bottom.

3. The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the transport panel is provided with multiple universal ball bearings and a pallet positioning mechanism. The pallet positioning mechanism includes a housing with an inner cavity, a spring vertically arranged in the inner cavity of the housing, and positioning ball bearings pressing against the top of the spring. The bottom of the housing is provided with a screw for adjusting the height of the spring.

4. The automotive crankshaft appearance inspection bench according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the transport panel is also provided with guide strips for guiding the pallet transport direction.

Images