Freestanding flexible track

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible track capable of being fixed in the air in the field of automatic hole making equipment, and comprises a track main body and vacuum suction cups arranged below the track main body, wherein the vacuum suction cups and the track main body are connected through connecting frames, the connecting frames are respectively provided with front connecting ends and rear connecting ends at front and rear ends along the extension direction of the track, and the rear connecting ends and the front connecting ends on the connecting frames of two adjacent vacuum suction cups can be matched and docked and can be fixed together through connecting pieces. At the starting point and the ending point of the track, the flexible track can be extended to outside the workpiece, the connecting frames in the air can be fixed, the connecting frames form rigid connection, and the hole making equipment can be moved to the suspended section to make holes in the blind hole making area. In addition, for the case that the middle part of the workpiece has a groove or a notch, the connecting frames above the groove or the notch can be rigidly connected, so that the stability and the hole making precision of the hole making equipment are not affected when the hole making equipment is moved above the groove or the notch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated hole-making equipment, and in particular to the design of a flexible track that can be suspended and fixed. Background Technology

[0002] In the assembly of large, irregularly shaped products such as aircraft and ships, industrial robots are often used for automated operations such as drilling and welding. The specific method involves laying one or more flexible tracks on the machine's surface, then placing the industrial robot on these tracks, allowing it to move along them and complete the corresponding drilling or welding operations.

[0003] The current flexible track mainly consists of three parts: the track body, vacuum suction cups, and a vacuum source. The track body is mainly composed of a flat and long spring steel track, with several vacuum suction cups connected to the vacuum source below the track. During operation, the suction cups can adhere to the workpiece, and the track body will bend accordingly with the shape of the workpiece.

[0004] The automatic drilling equipment has several sets of V-shaped rollers at its bottom. These rollers clamp onto both sides of a flexible track, allowing them to roll and move the equipment along the track. The V-shaped rollers are typically located on the outermost side of the equipment, while the drilling spindle is usually positioned at the center. There is usually a distance of several hundred millimeters between the drilling spindle and the outermost side of the equipment; this area is often referred to as the drilling blind zone. Existing tracks must be attached to the workpiece using suction cups. A suspended track, lacking rigidity, would affect the drilling quality and render the equipment unusable. The V-shaped rollers also require the track to function properly. This results in the drilling spindle being unable to reach the drilling blind zones at both ends of the track. Furthermore, if part of the track is suspended (due to grooves or gaps in the workpiece below), temporary filling methods must be used as needed; otherwise, there are safety risks and risks of substandard drilling quality when the equipment passes through or drills holes nearby. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of existing flexible tracks in drilling equipment, such as drilling in blind spots and suspended parts, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a flexible track that can be suspended and fixed while maintaining rigidity in a partially suspended state.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0007] A suspendable and fixed flexible track includes a track body and vacuum suction cups positioned below the track body. The vacuum suction cups are connected to the track body via a connecting frame. The connecting frame has a front connecting end and a rear connecting end at its front and rear ends along the track's extension direction, respectively. The rear connecting ends of the connecting frames on two adjacent vacuum suction cups can be matched and docked with the front connecting ends and fixed together by connectors. When laying the flexible track, for vacuum suction cups in contact with the workpiece in the middle, connectors can be omitted, allowing the track body to bend with the workpiece surface. At the start and end points of the track, where there are blind spots for drilling, the flexible track can be extended beyond the workpiece, and then the suspended connecting frames can be connected together with connectors to form a rigid connection. This increases the rigidity of the suspended track body, allowing the drilling equipment to move onto this suspended section to perform drilling operations in the blind spots. Furthermore, for workpieces with grooves or notches in the middle, only the connecting frame above the groove or notch can be rigidly connected, ensuring that the drilling equipment's stability and drilling accuracy are not affected when moving above the groove or notch.

[0008] Regarding the specific structure of the front and rear connecting ends, the present invention preferably uses connecting lugs for both the front and rear connecting ends. These lugs have through holes. When the track body is in a straight state, the rear connecting ends on the connecting frames of two adjacent vacuum suction cups fit snugly against the sides of the front connecting ends, and the through holes on the connecting lugs are aligned. Using connecting lugs as the connecting ends results in a simple structure, convenient manufacturing and processing, and easy assurance of precision. Since the flexible track is usually assembled in a straight state, to better achieve the installation and positioning of each component, the through holes on the connecting lugs can be aligned when the track body is completely straight. This ensures that the suspended section of the track body is in a straight state, facilitating the movement of the drilling equipment and ensuring its stability.

[0009] Regarding the specific structure of the connector, this application provides two solutions:

[0010] One type is a pin that can precisely match the through hole. The pin has a simple structure, but its stability is lacking and it is easy to loosen and fall off. The independent parts are also inconvenient to store.

[0011] Another type is a locking plug, which includes a fixed sleeve and a plug. The plug is slidably and rotatably inserted into the fixed sleeve. The fixed sleeve has a groove at its top, and the plug has a cap at its top. The lower end of the cap has a protrusion that can be inserted into the groove. A spring is provided between the middle of the plug and the fixed sleeve. The lower end of the fixed sleeve is fixed to the side of the front or rear connecting end near the outside of the track body. When the protrusion is in the groove, the lower end of the plug can extend out of the lower end of the fixed sleeve under the action of the spring and be inserted into the through hole of the front or rear connecting end. When the protrusion moves out of the groove, the plug retracts into the fixed sleeve. The locking plunger works as follows: when the connecting frame needs to be secured, the protrusion is aligned with the slot and inserted. The lower end of the plunger, under the action of a spring, inserts into the through holes of the front and rear connecting ends, thus locking and securing the component. When the connecting frame is not needed, the plunger cap can be pulled outwards, moving the protrusion outside the slot. Then, the plunger cap is rotated at a certain angle, preventing the protrusion from inserting into the slot. The lower end of the plunger retracts into the fixing sleeve, remaining stable under the action of the spring. This ensures that the connecting component does not detach from the entire flexible track, facilitating operation and management, and improving the efficiency of installation and adjustment.

[0012] To facilitate positioning and fixing of the connecting parts, the lower end of the fixing sleeve extends into the through hole on the front or rear connecting end near the outer side of the track body for fixing, and its end does not extend beyond the other side of the connecting lug plate.

[0013] The installation method of the fixed sleeve and the connecting lug can be welding or interference fit, etc. Preferably, the through hole on the front or rear connecting end near the outer side of the track body is a threaded hole, and the lower end of the fixed sleeve is provided with an external thread that is threadedly connected to the threaded hole. A lock nut is provided on the external thread. The lock nut ensures the reliability of the connection between the fixed sleeve and the connecting lug, and also allows for easy disassembly and replacement if the plunger wears.

[0014] During long-term use, wear will inevitably occur to varying degrees between the plunger and the connecting lug. While the connecting parts are easy to replace, replacing the connecting frame is more troublesome. Therefore, to reduce costs, a locking bushing is installed in the through hole on the front or rear connecting end near the inner side of the track body. The locking bushing has a bushing hole that precisely matches the lower end of the plunger. If the locking bushing wears out, it can be replaced directly without disassembling the connecting frame, which helps save costs, improves replacement efficiency, and ensures equipment accuracy.

[0015] When the connecting frame is not fixed, the post cap overcomes the spring force through the support of the protrusion and the top of the fixed sleeve. Therefore, in order to balance the force, there are at least two slots and protrusions, which are arranged symmetrically along the axis of the fixed sleeve and the plug, respectively.

[0016] Furthermore, the connecting frame has two front connecting ends and two rear connecting ends at its front and rear ends, respectively, and each is symmetrically arranged along the axis of the track body. Connectors are provided between the two front connecting ends and two rear connecting ends of adjacent connecting frames. Using two connecting ends for fixed connection improves the reliability of the connection between adjacent connecting frames, increases the rigidity of the track body, and prevents the track body from twisting.

[0017] The stability of the connection between the track body, the connecting frame, and the vacuum suction cup is a prerequisite for ensuring that the track body can be suspended in the air. Therefore, multiple fixing holes are provided around the connecting frame, and a hollow structure is provided in the middle for the installation of the vacuum generator and pneumatic pipes. Multiple support columns are provided on the vacuum suction cup. The support columns pass through the fixing holes and are connected to the track body, thus fixing the connecting frame between the vacuum suction cup and the track body.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By setting a front connecting end and a rear connecting end on the connecting frame, and fixing them with connectors, the flexibility requirements of ordinary flexible tracks are met, while the rigidity of the track body is increased by fixing the connecting frame. This allows it to extend beyond the workpiece or cross grooves and notches on the workpiece, achieving a suspended arrangement. This satisfies the drilling operation of the drilling equipment in the blind zone and ensures that the stability and drilling accuracy of the drilling equipment are not affected when it moves above the groove or notch. Furthermore, using locking plungers as connectors inserted into the through holes of adjacent connecting frames to fix the connecting frames ensures that the connectors do not detach from the entire flexible track, facilitating operation and management and improving installation and adjustment efficiency. Simultaneously, the entire flexible track has a high degree of integration, requires little space, adds little weight, and has a low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the working process of the locking plunger of the present invention;

[0022] The components in the diagram are labeled as follows: 1-track body, 2-vacuum suction cup, 3-connecting frame, 4-connector, 5-vacuum generator, 21-support column, 31-front connecting end, 32-rear connecting end, 33-through hole, 34-locking bushing, 35-fixing hole, 41-fixing sleeve, 42-plug, 43-slot, 44-cap, 45-protrusion, 46-spring, 47-locking nut. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the suspendable and fixed flexible track of the present invention includes a track body 1 and vacuum suction cups 2 disposed below the track body 1. The vacuum suction cups 2 are connected to the track body 1 via a connecting frame 3. The connecting frame 3 has a front connecting end 31 and a rear connecting end 32 at its front and rear ends along the track extension direction, respectively. The rear connecting end 32 on the connecting frame 3 of two adjacent vacuum suction cups 2 can be matched and docked with the front connecting end 31 and can be fixed together by a connector 4. When laying the flexible track, the track body 1 will bend with the curvature of the workpiece surface. To adapt to this bending, the spacing of the vacuum suction cups below will change accordingly. Therefore, when the connector 4 is not installed, the front connecting end 31 and the rear connecting end 32 are movably connected, similar to ordinary flexible tracks, which can ensure the flexibility of the track body 1.

[0025] For areas with blind spots in the drilling process at the start and end points of the track, the flexible track can be extended beyond the workpiece. Then, the suspended connecting frames 3 can be connected together using connectors 4 to form a rigid connection. Depending on the actual situation, several connecting frames 3 near the workpiece end can also be fixed to balance the torque, thereby increasing the rigidity of the suspended track body 1. The drilling equipment can then move onto this suspended section and remain stable, enabling drilling operations in the blind spots. Furthermore, for workpieces with grooves or notches in the middle, only the connecting frames 3 above the grooves or notches can be rigidly connected to ensure that the drilling equipment's stability and drilling accuracy are not affected when it moves above the grooves or notches.

[0026] Regarding the specific structure of the front and rear connecting ends, the present invention preferably specifies that both the front connecting end 31 and the rear connecting end 32 are connecting lugs, each with a through hole 33. When the track body 1 is in a straight state, the rear connecting end 32 on the connecting frame 3 of two adjacent vacuum suction cups 2 fits against the side of the front connecting end 31, and the through holes 33 on the connecting lugs are aligned. Using connecting lugs as connecting ends results in a simple structure, convenient manufacturing and processing, and easy assurance of precision. The two adjacent connecting lugs, with their sides fitting together, can have the front connecting end 31 located on the outside of the track body 1 and the rear connecting end 32 located on the inside of the track body 1, or they can be arranged in the opposite manner. Since the flexible track is usually assembled in a straight state, to better achieve the installation and positioning of each component, the through holes on the connecting lugs can be aligned when the track body 1 is in a completely straight state, thereby keeping the suspended section of the track body 1 in a straight state, facilitating the movement of the drilling equipment and ensuring its stability. In addition, the relative positions of the through holes 33 on the two connecting ear plates should have sufficient precision to avoid the connector 4 being unable to be inserted or the adjacent connecting frame 3 becoming loose after connection.

[0027] Regarding the specific structure of the connector, this application provides two solutions:

[0028] One option is that the connector 4 is a pin that can precisely match the through hole 33. Although the pin has a simple structure, it lacks stability and is prone to loosening and falling off. Also, the separate part is inconvenient to store.

[0029] A preferred embodiment is that the connector 4 is a locking plunger, which includes a fixed sleeve 41 and a plunger 42. The plunger 42 is slidably and rotatably inserted into the fixed sleeve 41. The fixed sleeve 41 has a groove 43 at its top, and the plunger 42 has a cap 44 at its top. The lower end of the cap 44 has a protrusion 45 that can be inserted into the groove 43. A spring 46 is provided between the middle of the plunger 42 and the fixed sleeve 41. The lower end of the fixed sleeve 41 is fixed to the side of the front connecting end 31 or the rear connecting end 32 near the outside of the track body 1. When the protrusion 45 is in the groove 43, the lower end of the plunger 42 can extend out of the lower end of the fixed sleeve 41 under the action of the spring 46 and be inserted into the through hole 33 of the front connecting end 31 and the rear connecting end 32. When the protrusion 45 moves out of the groove 43, the plunger 42 retracts into the fixed sleeve 41. Because the front connecting end 31 and the rear connecting end 32 have two overlapping methods, the locking plug is set on the side of the front connecting end 31 or the rear connecting end 32 located outside the track body 1 for ease of operation.

[0030] The process of using the locking plunger is as follows: Figure 3 As shown: When the connecting frame 3 needs to be fixed, the protrusion 45 is aligned with the slot 43 and inserted. The lower end of the plug 42 is inserted into the through hole 33 of the front connecting end 31 and the rear connecting end 32 under the action of the spring 46, which plays a locking and fixing role. When the connecting frame 3 does not need to be fixed, the post cap 44 can be pulled outward to move the protrusion 45 out of the slot 43. Then, the post cap 44 is rotated at a certain angle so that the protrusion 45 cannot be inserted into the slot 43. The lower end of the plug 42 retracts into the fixing sleeve 41 and remains stable under the action of the spring 46. This ensures that the connecting part 4 does not detach from the entire flexible track, which facilitates operation and management and improves the efficiency of installation and adjustment.

[0031] To facilitate positioning and fixing of the connecting piece 4, the lower end of the fixing sleeve 41 extends into the through hole 33 on the front connecting end 31 or the rear connecting end 32 near the outer side of the track body 1 for fixing, and its end does not extend beyond the other side of the connecting lug plate. The fixing sleeve 41 extending into the through hole 33 ensures the coaxiality of the plug 42 and the through hole 33, facilitating smooth insertion into the through hole 33 of another connecting lug plate.

[0032] The installation method of the fixed sleeve 41 and the connecting ear plate can be welding or interference fit, etc. In this application, it is preferred that the through hole 33 on the front connecting end 31 or the rear connecting end 32 near the outer side of the track body 1 is set as a threaded hole, and the lower end of the fixed sleeve 41 is provided with an external thread, which is threaded to the threaded hole. Then, the fixed sleeve 41 is locked and fixed to the connecting ear plate by the locking nut 47 on the external thread. This installation method can ensure the reliability of the connection, and at the same time, it can be easily disassembled and replaced if the plunger 42 is worn.

[0033] During long-term use, varying degrees of wear will inevitably occur between the plunger 42 and the connecting lug. While the connecting part 4 is easy to replace, replacing the connecting frame 3 is more troublesome. Therefore, to reduce costs, a locking bushing 34 is provided in the through hole 33 on the front connecting end 31 or the rear connecting end 32 near the inner side of the track body 1. The locking bushing 34 has a bushing hole that precisely matches the lower end of the plunger 42. The locking bushing 34 can be installed in the through hole 33 by means of threaded connection or interference fit. The locking bushing 34 can be made of a more wear-resistant material to improve its service life. If the locking bushing 34 wears, it can be directly replaced without disassembling the connecting frame, which helps save costs, improves replacement efficiency, and ensures equipment accuracy.

[0034] When the connecting frame is not fixed, the post cap overcomes the spring force through the support of the protrusion and the top of the fixing sleeve. Therefore, in order to balance the force, there are at least two slots 43 and protrusions 45, which are arranged symmetrically along the axes of the fixing sleeve 41 and the plug 42, respectively. Multiple force points can distribute the force evenly and reduce the deformation and wear of the protrusions.

[0035] To further enhance the reliability of the connection between two adjacent connecting frames 3, two front connecting ends 31 and two rear connecting ends 32 are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the connecting frame 3, and are symmetrically arranged along the axis of the track body 1. A connector 4 is provided between each of the two front connecting ends 31 and the two rear connecting ends 32 of two adjacent connecting frames 3. Setting two connecting ends for fixed connection can improve the reliability of the connection between adjacent connecting frames, increase the rigidity of the track body, and avoid the track body from twisting or other situations.

[0036] The connection between the track body 1, the connecting frame 3, and the vacuum suction cup 2 is as follows: the connecting frame 3 has multiple fixing holes 35 around its perimeter and a hollow structure in the center for installing the vacuum generator 5 and pneumatic pipes. The vacuum suction cup 2 has multiple support columns 21, which pass through the fixing holes 35 and connect to the track body 1, thus fixing the connecting frame 3 between the vacuum suction cup 2 and the track body 1. Using multiple support columns 21 for support and fixation ensures a stable and reliable connection between the track body 1, the connecting frame 3, and the vacuum suction cup 2, with evenly distributed force, thereby improving the rigidity of its suspended parts and meeting the stability and precision requirements of the drilling equipment.

Claims

1. A flexible track that can be suspended and fixed, comprising a track body (1) and a vacuum suction cup (2) disposed below the track body (1), characterized in that: The vacuum suction cup (2) is connected to the track body (1) through a connecting frame (3). The connecting frame (3) has a front connecting end (31) and a rear connecting end (32) at the front and rear ends along the track extension direction, respectively. The front connecting end (31) and the rear connecting end (32) are both connecting ear plates. The connecting ear plates have through holes (33). When the track body (1) is in a straight state, the rear connecting end (32) on the connecting frame (3) of the two adjacent vacuum suction cups (2) is in contact with the side of the front connecting end (31), and the through holes (33) on the connecting ear plates are aligned. The two adjacent vacuum suction cups (2) located on the suspended section can be fixed together by the connector (4) passing through the through hole (33), so that the two adjacent connecting frames (3) form a rigid connection, so that the track body of the suspended section is in a straight state.

2. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The connector (4) is a pin that can be precisely matched with the through hole (33).

3. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The connector (4) is a locking plug, which includes a fixed sleeve (41) and a plug (42). The plug (42) is slidably and rotatably inserted into the fixed sleeve (41). The fixed sleeve (41) has a slot (43) at its top, and the plug (42) has a cap (44) at its top. The lower end of the cap (44) has a protrusion (45) that can be inserted into the slot (43). A spring (46) is provided between the middle of the plug (42) and the fixed sleeve (41). The lower end of the fixed sleeve (41) is fixed on the side of the front connecting end (31) or the rear connecting end (32) near the outside of the track body (1). When the protrusion (45) is in the slot (43), the lower end of the plug (42) can extend out of the lower end of the fixed sleeve (41) under the action of the spring (46) and be inserted into the through hole (33) of the front connecting end (31) and the rear connecting end (32). When the protrusion (45) moves out of the slot (43), the plug (42) retracts into the fixed sleeve (41).

4. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The lower end of the fixing sleeve (41) extends into the through hole (33) on the front connecting end (31) or the rear connecting end (32) near the outside of the track body (1) for fixing, and its end does not exceed the other side of the connecting ear plate.

5. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The through hole (33) on the front connecting end (31) or the rear connecting end (32) near the outside of the track body (1) is a threaded hole. The lower end of the fixed sleeve (41) is provided with an external thread and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole. A lock nut (47) is provided on the external thread.

6. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 3, characterized in that: A locking bushing (34) is provided in the through hole (33) on the front connecting end (31) or the rear connecting end (32) near the inner side of the track body (1). The locking bushing (34) is provided with a bushing hole that precisely matches the lower end of the plug (42).

7. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The slots (43) and protrusions (45) are at least two in number and are arranged symmetrically along the axes of the fixed sleeve (41) and the plug (42), respectively.

8. The suspendable and fixed flexible track as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The connecting frame (3) has two front connecting ends (31) and two rear connecting ends (32) at its front and rear ends respectively, and they are symmetrically arranged along the axis of the track body (1). Connectors (4) are provided between the two front connecting ends (31) and the two rear connecting ends (32) of two adjacent connecting frames (3).

9. The flexible track that can be suspended and fixed as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The connecting frame (3) has multiple fixing holes (35) around its perimeter and a hollow structure in the middle for installing the vacuum generator (5) and pneumatic pipes. The vacuum suction cup (2) has multiple support columns (21). The support columns (21) pass through the fixing holes (35) and are connected to the track body (1), fixing the connecting frame (3) between the vacuum suction cup (2) and the track body (1).

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