Automatic loading device for special-shaped clasp

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic feeding device for special-shaped clamping springs, which comprises a base, a sorting mechanism, a material receiving mechanism, a feeding mechanism and a feeding manipulator. The sorting mechanism comprises a material column, two half-profiled material columns arranged at the lower part of the material column, a shaping cylinder used for driving the two half-profiled material columns to expand to shape the clamping spring, a material separating wedge block and a material separating cylinder used for driving the material separating wedge block to move to separate the clamping spring from the material column. The material receiving mechanism comprises a material receiving claw and a material receiving cylinder. The top surface of the material receiving claw is provided with a clamping spring placing groove. The feeding mechanism comprises a feeding platform provided with a clamping spring retaining groove and a material claw through hole. The automatic feeding device for special-shaped clamping springs can realize automatic feeding of the special-shaped clamping springs. The clamping spring material column prolongs the feeding period of the material. The shaping and material separating mechanism can accurately separate the clamping spring. Compared with the existing manual assembly mode, the automatic feeding device breaks the limitation of the special-shaped clamping spring assembly process and provides a new assembly idea for assembly of the same type of clamping springs in the future.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings. Background Technology

[0002] Special-shaped snap rings are one of the important components of shaft assembly in reducers. They are commonly used to limit the bearings on the shaft inside the reducer. The quality of their assembly directly affects the overall performance of the gearbox in the electric drive assembly.

[0003] Figure 8 A structural and manufacturing process diagram of a non-standard circlip of a certain size is shown, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the cross-section of the irregularly shaped retainer is circular. The irregularly shaped retainer is not perfectly circular, and its overall shape is heart-shaped. It has a locking slot and can expand and deform. This shape brings difficulties to automatic feeding.

[0004] Currently, most irregularly shaped retaining rings in electric drive assemblies are assembled using semi-automatic press-fitting or manual assembly by operators. This increases the machine's cycle time, labor costs, and the labor intensity of manual assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped retaining rings, so as to solve the problem of automatic feeding of retaining rings in fully automatic irregularly shaped retaining ring pressing equipment.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides an automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped retaining rings, comprising a base, a sorting mechanism, a receiving mechanism, a feeding mechanism, and a feeding robot. The sorting mechanism includes a vertically arranged column, two half-shaped column sections located at the lower part of the column, a shaping cylinder for driving the two half-shaped column sections to expand and shape the retaining ring, a separating wedge, and a separating cylinder for driving the separating wedge to move so that the retaining ring disengages from the column. The receiving mechanism includes a receiving claw and a receiving cylinder. The top surface of the receiving claw has a retaining ring placement groove. The receiving cylinder is used to drive the receiving claw to move up and down. The receiving claw has a groove for placing the retaining ring. The material receiving position is where the lower ends of the two half-shaped material columns connect. The feeding mechanism includes a feeding platform with a retaining groove for retaining a snap ring and a claw through hole. The claw through hole allows the receiving claw to pass through the feeding platform from bottom to top and reach the receiving position. The retaining groove is used to retain the snap ring carried by the receiving claw during its descent and retraction. The feeding mechanism also includes a feeding cylinder and a guide rail slider assembly for moving the feeding platform to the robotic arm gripping position. The loading robotic arm is used to grab the snap ring from the feeding platform at the robotic arm gripping position and move it to the loading position.

[0007] This invention enables automatic feeding of special snap rings through the aforementioned mechanism. The snap ring feed column extends the material feeding cycle, and the shaping and distributing mechanism enables accurate distributing of snap rings. Compared with the existing manual assembly method, it breaks the limitations of the assembly process of irregular snap rings and provides a new, simple, and effective fully automatic assembly approach for the assembly of similar snap rings in the future.

[0008] In addition to the objectives, features, and advantages described above, the present invention has other objectives, features, and advantages. The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the figures. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings of the present invention after removing the protective cover;

[0012] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of part A;

[0013] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of part B;

[0014] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 The front view;

[0015] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of section C, showing the structure at the right end of the base;

[0016] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 AA section view;

[0017] Figure 8 This is a structural process diagram of an irregularly shaped retaining ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] This invention achieves automated feeding of irregularly shaped snap rings through a streamlined process including snap ring detection, shaping and sorting, material distribution, transfer, and gripping. This reduces the labor intensity of existing assembly line workers and improves assembly efficiency. Combined with subsequent pressing, the installation of these irregularly shaped snap rings becomes fully automated.

[0020] Combined with reference Figures 1 to 6 The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings of the present invention can be divided into the following components according to their functions: base, sorting mechanism, receiving mechanism, feeding mechanism, and feeding robot.

[0021] The sorting mechanism includes a material column 1, a counterweight 2, a shaping cylinder 3, a material status detection sensor 4, a protective cover 5, a dispensing cylinder 6, and also includes two half-shaped material columns 19 and a pair of dispensing wedges 20.

[0022] The receiving mechanism includes multiple receiving claws 7 and a receiving cylinder 13.

[0023] The feeding mechanism includes a feeding cylinder 8, a feeding platform 14, a snap ring retaining groove 22, a material claw through hole 23, and a guide rail slider mechanism 25.

[0024] The loading robot includes a gripper cylinder 10, a gripper vertical cylinder 11, a gripper horizontal cylinder 12, a cable chain 15, a material presence / absence detection sensor 16, and a loading gripper 18.

[0025] The base 9 serves as the mounting base for the entire mechanism, comprising a T-shaped base body 9 and a base adjustment block 17. A loading robot is mounted on the left end of the top surface of the T-shaped base body, and a sorting mechanism and a receiving mechanism are mounted on the right end. The feeding mechanism is arranged along the length of the top surface of the T-shaped base body. The base adjustment block 17 is used for adjusting the mounting position of the base.

[0026] The feed column 1 serves as a buffer for the retaining spring, and its lower part consists of two halves of a contoured feed column 19. A counterweight 2 is fitted onto the feed column 1, applying pressure to the contoured retaining spring. Three guide plates 27 are arranged around the outer periphery of the feed column 1, forming a accommodating gap between the guide plates 27 and the feed column 1. The feed column 1 has a retaining spring opening positioning part 28, which is convex in shape to prevent the contoured retaining spring from rotating on the feed column.

[0027] The shaping cylinder 3 is used to drive the two halves of the contouring column 19 to expand and shape the snap rings, ensuring they are neatly arranged. The connecting parts of the two halves of the contouring column 19, which are connected to the shaping cylinder, are staggered vertically along the column's axial direction and aligned with the snap ring opening positioning part 28. The material status detection sensor 4 is used to detect snap ring shortages or lack of material.

[0028] The protective cover 5 provides safety protection.

[0029] The material distribution cylinder 6 drives a pair of material distribution wedges 20 to move in the center, causing the lowest irregular-shaped clamp on the two halves of the contoured material column 19 to detach from the two halves of the contoured material column 19.

[0030] Multiple receiving claws 7 are located directly below the material column. They are driven by the receiving cylinder 13 to move up and down, and their receiving position and retraction position are detected by the limit position detection sensor 29. The multiple receiving claws 7 are arranged in a ring and have a retaining spring placement groove 21 at the top. The multiple receiving claws 7 can be raised to the receiving position under the drive of the receiving cylinder. At this time, an irregularly shaped retaining spring that has fallen off from the two halves of the contoured material column 19 enters the retaining spring placement groove 21.

[0031] The feeding platform 14 is connected to the slider of the guide rail slider mechanism 25 via an inverted L-shaped bracket, and can move directly below the material column. The feeding platform 14 has a snap ring retaining groove 22, a material claw through hole 23, and a snap ring opening axial positioning part 26. The material claw through hole 23 is used to allow multiple receiving claws 7 to pass vertically through the feeding platform 14 from bottom to top and reach the receiving position. The snap ring retaining groove 22 is used to intercept the irregular snap rings carried by the receiving claws during the descent and retraction process.

[0032] The receiving cylinder 13 serves as the power source for the up-and-down movement of multiple receiving claws 7. After receiving the irregularly shaped circlip, the multiple receiving claws 7 move downward, and the irregularly shaped circlip carried by them is automatically intercepted in the circlip retaining groove 22.

[0033] The feeding cylinder 8 serves as the power source for transferring the retaining ring. It moves the feeding platform 8 directly below the loading gripper 18.

[0034] The gripper cylinder 10 drives multiple feeding grippers 18 to move centripetally, gripping irregularly shaped circlips from the receiving platform. The gripper vertical cylinder 11 drives the gripper cylinder 10, thereby controlling the gripper 10 to move up and down.

[0035] Multiple feeding claws 18 can descend through the feeding claw through hole 23 of the feeding platform, and the inner wall of the multiple feeding claws 18 forms an annular groove 24. Subsequently, when the multiple feeding claws 18 clamp, they can hold the irregularly shaped snap ring 30 in the annular groove 24.

[0036] The horizontal gripper cylinder 12 drives the vertical gripper cylinder 11, which in turn controls the horizontal movement of the gripper cylinder 10 to the loading position. A corresponding automatic snap ring pressing mechanism is provided at the loading position, thus achieving automatic loading and pressing of the snap rings.

[0037] Material presence detection sensor 16 is used to detect whether the feeding gripper has picked up the retaining ring.

[0038] The cable chain 15 is used to protect the cables and air hoses. Generally, the cable chain 15 only protects the cables. In this invention, the air hose is a flexible tube, which is also protected by the cable chain 15, thus overcoming the problem of messy and easily interfered air hose wiring.

[0039] The following describes the sorting and feeding process of irregularly shaped snap rings according to the present invention.

[0040] The shaping cylinder drives the two halves of the shaping column to open them up and shape the snap rings below the column to prevent them from hooking together. Then the distributing cylinder separates the bottommost irregular snap ring and makes it fall into the snap ring placement slot of multiple receiving claws, thus completing the individual feeding of the snap ring.

[0041] This invention primarily focuses on combining the characteristics of irregularly shaped retaining rings with the assembly process. First, logistics personnel load a certain quantity of retaining rings onto the retaining ring feeder. The mechanism automatically detects the retaining ring status and begins operation. The specific loading process is as follows:

[0042] S1. The shaping cylinder opens and shapes the irregularly shaped retaining rings, making them neatly arranged.

[0043] S2. The receiving cylinder rises, followed by the distributing cylinder, causing the bottommost retaining spring of the material column to fall off and separate from the upper retaining spring;

[0044] S3. The shaping cylinder returns to its original position, the lowest snap ring enters the snap ring retaining groove of the receiving claw, the receiving cylinder descends, and the snap ring is retained on the feeding platform.

[0045] S4. The feeding cylinder is activated, sending the feeding platform out of the receiving position;

[0046] S5. The gripper cylinder operates, and under the action of the gripper cylinder, the horizontal gripper cylinder, and the vertical gripper cylinder, the snap ring is sent to the snap ring mounting position.

[0047] The above actions are repeated cyclically to achieve the function of automatic sorting and feeding of this type of irregularly shaped snap ring.

[0048] This invention enables automatic feeding of special snap rings through the aforementioned mechanism. The snap ring feed column extends the material feeding cycle, and the shaping and distributing mechanism enables accurate distributing of snap rings. Compared with the existing manual assembly method, it breaks the limitations of the assembly process of irregular snap rings and provides a new, simple, and effective fully automatic assembly approach for the assembly of similar snap rings in the future.

[0049] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. An automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings, characterized in that, Includes a base, sorting mechanism, receiving mechanism, feeding mechanism, and loading robot. The sorting mechanism includes a vertically arranged column, two half-shaped columns located at the bottom of the column, a shaping cylinder for driving the two half-shaped columns to expand and shape the retaining spring, a separating wedge, and a separating cylinder for driving the separating wedge to move so that the retaining spring disengages from the column. The receiving mechanism includes a receiving claw and a receiving cylinder. The top surface of the receiving claw has a retaining spring placement groove. The receiving cylinder is used to drive the receiving claw to move up and down. The receiving claw has a receiving position that connects with the lower end of the two half of the contoured material column. The feeding mechanism includes a feeding platform with a retaining groove for a snap ring and a through hole for a receiving claw. The through hole allows the receiving claw to pass through the feeding platform from bottom to top and reach the receiving position. The retaining groove is used to retain the retaining circlip carried by the receiving claw during the descent and retraction process. The feeding mechanism also includes a feeding cylinder and a guide rail slider assembly for transferring the feeding platform to the gripping position of the robot arm. The loading robot arm is used to grab the retaining circlip from the feeding platform at the gripping position of the robot arm and transfer it to the loading position.

2. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The loading robot includes multiple loading grippers, a gripper cylinder for driving the multiple loading grippers to move centripetally to grasp circlips, a gripper vertical cylinder, a guide rail slider mechanism, and a gripper horizontal cylinder. The multiple loading grippers can pass through the gripper holes of the feeding platform to grasp irregularly shaped circlips.

3. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base includes a T-shaped base body and a base adjustment block.

4. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the material column is provided with several guide plates, which extend along the height direction of the material column, and there is a spring-loaded gap between them.

5. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, A counterweight is fitted onto the material column to apply heavy pressure to the retaining spring on the material column.

6. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a protective cover, which is installed on the material distribution and receiving positions at the bottom of the sorting mechanism.

7. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the material column and the feeding platform have a snap ring opening positioning part.

8. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting parts of the two halves of the molding column that connect to the shaping cylinder are staggered vertically along the axial direction of the column.

9. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sorting mechanism is equipped with a material status detection sensor for detecting material shortages or lack of material on the irregularly shaped retaining springs on the material column.

10. The automatic feeding device for irregularly shaped snap rings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding robot arm is equipped with a material presence detection sensor to detect whether the feeding gripper has picked up the retaining spring.

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