Automated assembly system and method

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic assembly system and method, including a product feeding device, a spring feeding device, a spring clamping device, and a locking assembly device. The product feeding device includes a return mechanism, a product positioning mechanism for positioning the product, and a product gripping mechanism for transferring the product to the product positioning mechanism. The spring feeding device includes a spring conveying mechanism, a spring positioning mechanism for positioning the spring, and a spring gripping mechanism for transferring the spring from the spring positioning mechanism to the product. The spring clamping device clamps the spring onto the product. The locking assembly device includes a locking feeding mechanism and a locking mechanism for transferring the locking component from the locking feeding mechanism to the product and the spring and locking them. Compared with the prior art, this invention can automatically feed the product and the spring sequentially, and then automatically provide and lock the locking component through the locking assembly device, resulting in high assembly efficiency and high pass rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of assembly technology for irregularly shaped products, and in particular to an automated assembly system and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the product assembly process of enterprises, such as VR products, it is usually necessary to assemble springs onto the product using locking components (such as bolts, locking plates, etc.). Based on this, although some automated assembly equipment has appeared on the market, due to the varying shapes of products and springs, most of which are irregular, the current automated assembly equipment lacks universality. For irregularly shaped springs and products, automated assembly equipment still relies on manual placement of the springs onto the product, followed by the use of tools to install and lock the springs and product. During this process, manual contact with the product and springs can easily cause damage to the product and / or springs, resulting in a high product breakage rate. Furthermore, manual processing usually relies on visual judgment of the spring position. For the assembly of some precision components, visual positioning can easily lead to large positional deviations of the springs, resulting in low pass rates and low production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic assembly system and method to solve the problems of low assembly efficiency, high vulnerability rate and low pass rate of irregular products and springs in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, one technical solution of the present invention provides an automated assembly system, comprising:

[0005] The product feeding device includes a return mechanism for conveying products, a product positioning mechanism for positioning products, and a product gripping mechanism for transferring products from the return mechanism to the product positioning mechanism.

[0006] The spring feeding device includes a spring conveying mechanism for conveying springs, a spring positioning mechanism for positioning springs, and a spring gripping mechanism for transferring springs from the spring positioning mechanism to the product.

[0007] A spring clip clamping device is used to clamp a spring clip onto a product; and

[0008] The locking assembly device includes a locking feeding mechanism for providing locking components and a locking locking mechanism for transferring the locking components from the locking feeding mechanism to the product and spring and locking them.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, another technical solution of the present invention provides an automatic assembly method, comprising the following steps:

[0010] The control return mechanism conveys the product to be processed to the bottom of the product gripping mechanism, and controls the product gripping mechanism to transfer the product to the product positioning mechanism for positioning;

[0011] The spring conveying mechanism is controlled to sequentially convey springs and the spring positioning mechanism is controlled to pick up the springs for pre-positioning. Then, the spring gripping mechanism is controlled to transfer the springs positioned at the spring positioning mechanism to the product at the product positioning mechanism.

[0012] The spring clip clamping device controls the spring clip to remove it from the spring clip gripping mechanism and clamp it onto the product;

[0013] The control locking mechanism supplies locking components sequentially and in a preset direction, and controls the locking mechanism to pick up the locking components and move them to the product positioning mechanism to lock the spring clips onto the product.

[0014] This invention, by setting up a product feeding device, a spring feeding device, and a lock assembly device that automatically convey and grasp the products, springs, and locks to be assembled, can sequentially grasp and transfer the products, springs, and locks to designated positions according to a set frequency, thereby realizing an automated device for the products, springs, and locks. The entire process requires no manual operation, which can improve the assembly efficiency of springs and reduce the product's fragility rate. At the same time, during the transfer of products and springs, a positioning platform that conforms to the shape of the products and springs is set up to position the products and springs before assembly, so that the springs can be accurately assembled onto the products, effectively improving the assembly quality of springs and achieving a high pass rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the spring sheet used for assembling this invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic assembly system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Another structural diagram.

[0018] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Top view.

[0019] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the product feeding device.

[0020] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Top view.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the vehicle stop assembly and the vehicle positioning assembly.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the product positioning mechanism.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning platform and the spring clip clamping device.

[0024] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly.

[0025] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the spring conveying mechanism and the spring positioning mechanism.

[0026] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Top view.

[0027] Figure 13 for Figure 11 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0028] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the spring positioning stage.

[0029] Figure 15 for Figure 11 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0030] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the spring-loaded material gripping mechanism.

[0031] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the spring-loaded spout assembly.

[0032] Figure 18 for Figure 17 Enlarged view of point C in the middle.

[0033] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the locking component feeding device.

[0034] Figure 20 This is a structural diagram of the locking component.

[0035] Figure 21 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the suction head.

[0036] Figure 22 This is a flowchart of an automatic assembly method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] The diagrams in the instruction manual are labeled as follows:

[0038] Machine base 100; spring 1, main body 11, locking hole 11a, positioning hole 11b, horizontal connecting part 12, arc-shaped connecting part 13, U-shaped end 14; product feeding device 2, return mechanism 21, product loading station 21a, product waiting station 21b, first conveying assembly 211, gap 211a, conveying seat 2111, conveyor belt 2112, support seat 2113, carrier stop assembly 212, stop roller 2121, roller drive cylinder 2122, carrier positioning assembly 213, positioning pin 2131, pin drive cylinder 2132, first detection module 214, second detection module 215, second conveying assembly 216, NG material recycling assembly 217, product positioning mechanism 22 The system includes: a positioning platform 221, a positioning space 221a, a product platform 2211, a floating support plate 2212, a shaped positioning block 2213, a first multi-axis drive assembly 222, a lifting cylinder 223, a product gripping mechanism 23, a gripper assembly 231, a product gripper 2311, a gripper drive cylinder 2312, a gripper cylinder mounting base 2313, a first clamping block 2314, a second clamping block 2315, and a second multi-axis drive assembly 232; a spring feeding device 3, a spring conveying mechanism 31, a spring loading station 31a, a material strip support platform 311, a feeding tray 312, a material strip support plate 313, a clearance groove 313a, a spring positioning mechanism 32, a spring positioning table 321, a spring positioning groove 321a, and a spring platform 32. 11. Platform drive cylinder 3212, spring piece picker 322, demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221, picker magnet 3222, demagnetizing plate 3223, demagnetizing stop bar 3224, spring piece picker drive assembly 323, first spring piece picker cylinder 3231, second spring piece picker cylinder 3232, spring piece picker guide rail 3233, spring piece picker slide 3234, mounting plate 3235, buffer structure 324, buffer guide rail 3241, buffer plate 3242, buffer seat 3243, buffer guide rod 3244, buffer spring 3245, spring piece gripping mechanism 33, spring piece support assembly 331, spring piece support 3311, support drive cylinder 3312, support cylinder mounting base 3313, first support rod 3314. Second support rod 3315, positioning protrusion 3316, third multi-axis drive assembly 332; spring clip clamping device 4, pressure rod mounting bracket 41, pressure rod drive rod 42, spring clip pressure rod 43, pressure rod drive cylinder 44, return spring 45; lock assembly device 5, lock feeding mechanism 51, lock loading station 51a, lock locking mechanism 52, locking assembly 521, suction head 5211, inner cavity 5211a, stepped groove 5211b, rotating shaft 5212, lock composite drive motor 5213, negative pressure module 5214, fourth multi-axis drive assembly 522, X-axis drive module 5221, Y-axis drive module 5222, Z-axis drive module 5223; carrier 6; material strip 7, spring clip groove 7a, material strip film 71. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation method:

[0040] Example 1

[0041] Please refer to Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spring 1 assembled in the automatic assembly system of the present invention. The spring 1 assembled in this embodiment has an irregular shape. The spring 1 includes a main body 11, horizontal connecting portions 12 integrally formed at both ends of the main body 11, an arc-shaped connecting portion 13 integrally formed at the end of the horizontal connecting portion 12 and bent downwards, and a U-shaped end portion 14 integrally formed at the end of the arc-shaped connecting portion 13. The end of the horizontal connecting portion 12 is away from the main body 11, the end of the arc-shaped connecting portion 13 is away from the horizontal connecting portion 12, and the opening of the U-shaped end portion 14 faces upwards. At least one locking hole 11a is provided on the main body 11 to cooperate with a locking component and lock onto the product. The main body 11 is provided with at least one positioning hole 11b, which is used to position the relative position of the spring piece 1 and the automatic assembly system when the automatic assembly system grasps the spring piece 1. Simultaneously, the contact position between the positioning hole 11b and the automatic assembly system is an interference fit, which helps the automatic assembly system to stably grasp the spring piece 1. In this embodiment, the number of positioning holes 11b is preferably set to two, so that the automatic assembly system can accurately position the spring piece 1 during the grasping process, thereby improving the qualification rate of the spring piece 1 assembly. It is understood that the above-described structure of the spring piece 1 is only an example of the structure of the spring piece 1 assembled by the automatic assembly system in this embodiment. In specific implementations, the structure of the spring piece 1 is not limited to the above structure and can also be other irregular or conventional structures, etc.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The automatic assembly system of the present invention includes a product feeding device 2, a spring feeding device 3, a spring pressing device 4, and a locking assembly device 5. Specifically, the product feeding device 2, the spring feeding device 3, the spring pressing device 4, and the locking assembly device 5 are all integrated on a machine base 100 and controlled by a controller (not shown). The controller has a corresponding control program pre-set according to the assembly frequency and sequence to control the product feeding device 2 and the spring feeding device 3 to provide the product and the spring 1 in sequence and to convey the product and the spring 1 to the designated position in sequence. Then, the spring pressing device 4 is controlled to press the spring 1 and position it on the product. Finally, the locking assembly device 5 is controlled to provide and convey the locking device and fix the spring 1 on the product, thus completing the assembly of the spring 1 and the product.

[0043] The product feeding device 2 includes a return mechanism 21 for conveying products, a product positioning mechanism 22 for positioning products, and a product gripping mechanism 23 for transferring products from the return mechanism 21 to the product positioning mechanism 22; the spring feeding device 3 includes a spring conveying mechanism 31 for conveying springs 1, a spring positioning mechanism 32 for positioning springs 1, and a spring gripping mechanism 33 for transferring springs 1 from the spring positioning mechanism 32 to the product; the spring pressing device 4 is used to press the springs 1 onto the product; the locking assembly device 5 includes a locking feeding mechanism 51 for providing locking components and a locking locking mechanism 52 for transferring the locking components from the locking feeding mechanism 51 to the product and the springs 1 and locking them. During assembly, the product positioning mechanism 22 serves as both a product positioning structure and an area for assembling the product and the spring 1. The spring clamping device 4 is located at the product positioning mechanism 22, which can remove the spring 1 from the spring gripping mechanism 33 and clamp it onto the product. Specifically, when the product is transferred from the return mechanism 21 to the product positioning mechanism 22 via the product gripping mechanism 23, the product positioning mechanism 22 positions the product. Then, the spring gripping mechanism 33 grabs the spring 1 and transfers it to the product located at the product positioning mechanism 22. At this time, the spring clamping device 4 clamps the spring 1 onto the product. The spring gripping mechanism 33 returns to its original position and releases the spring 1 under the action of the spring clamping device 4. Finally, the locking mechanism 52 grabs the locking element provided by the locking element supply mechanism 51 and moves it to the spring 1 located on the product, aligning it with the locking hole 11a on the spring 1, and assembling the spring 1 onto the product, thus completing the automatic assembly of the spring 1 and the product.

[0044] In this embodiment, to improve processing efficiency, two sets of locking assembly devices 5 and product positioning mechanisms 22 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the machine tool 100. The two sets of locking assembly devices 5 and product positioning mechanisms 22 share a set of return mechanism 21, product gripping mechanism 23 and spring feeding device 3. The left and right sets of locking assembly devices 5 and product positioning mechanisms 22 can assemble products and springs 1 at the same time, thereby reducing the waiting time of return mechanism 21, product gripping mechanism 23 and spring feeding device 3 and improving assembly efficiency.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6To facilitate product movement and protect the product from damage, the product can be placed in a carrier 6. During the transport process, the return mechanism 21 moves the carrier 6 containing the product to a designated position, thereby transferring the product on the return mechanism 21. During the transfer, none of the components of the return mechanism 21 directly contact the product to prevent damage during transport. Specifically, the product feeding mechanism can provide one product to a set of product positioning mechanisms 22 and locking assembly devices 5 at a time. Therefore, one product is placed in one carrier 6. Preferably, the placement space corresponding to the product in the carrier 6 can be a placement groove that conforms to the shape of the product to place products of a specific shape (irregular structure products or conventional structure products), or it can be a conventional rectangular groove or circular groove, etc. At the same time, the product can be fixed by setting a multi-point positioning structure in the rectangular groove or circular groove to prevent the product from shaking.

[0046] In this embodiment, the return mechanism 21 has a product loading station 21a and multiple product waiting stations 21b formed sequentially behind the product loading station 21a along the product conveying direction (X-axis direction in this embodiment). The carrier 6, carrying products, is sequentially conveyed from the product waiting station 21b forward along the X-axis direction to the product loading station 21a, where the product grabbing mechanism 23 grabs the products. When the product grabbing mechanism 23 grabs the products from the carrier 6 on the product loading station 21a, the return mechanism 21 stops operating, pausing the forward conveying of the carrier 6 and the products. After the products are assembled with the spring 1, the product grabbing mechanism 23 grabs the assembled products back into the carrier 6. The return mechanism 21 then restarts operating and conveys the assembled products forward one station, so that the carrier 6 on the product waiting station 21b adjacent to the product loading station 21a can be moved to the product loading station 21a for the next product loading.

[0047] The return mechanism 21 includes a first conveying component 211, a carrier stop component 212 and a carrier positioning component 213 disposed on the first conveying component 211, a first detection module 214 for detecting the position of the carrier 6 and the product, and a second detection module 215 for detecting the product assembly status. The product loading station 21a and the product waiting station 21b are sequentially formed on the first conveying component 211 along the product conveying direction; the carrier stop component 212 is set one-to-one with the product loading station 21a and the multiple product waiting stations 21b, so as to stop the carrier 6 when it moves to the product loading station 21a or the product waiting station 21b, so that the product gripping mechanism 23 can grip or place the product; the carrier positioning component 213 is set to correspond to the product loading station 21a, so as to finely adjust and position the position of the carrier 6 at the product loading station 21a after the carrier 6 moves to the product loading station 21a and is stopped by the carrier stop component 212, so that the product gripping mechanism 23 can accurately grip or place the product.

[0048] The first conveying assembly 211 includes a conveying base 2111, two conveyor belts 2112 arranged parallel to the conveying base 2111 along the product conveying direction, and a support base 2113 fixed on the conveying base 2111 and corresponding to the outer side of the two conveyor belts 2112. The carrier 6 is carried on the conveyor belts 2112 and is conveyed forward with the conveyor belts 2112. In this embodiment, the two conveyor belts 2112 are spaced apart, that is, a gap 211a is formed between the two conveyor belts 2112. The carrier stop assembly 212 and the carrier positioning assembly 213 are both installed on the conveying base 2111 and corresponding to the gap 211a between the two conveyor belts 2112. The carrier stop assembly 212 and the carrier positioning assembly 213 can move up and down along the Z-axis within the gap 211a to stop and position the carrier 6 when it moves to the corresponding position. In this embodiment, the power for the conveyor belt 2112 comes from a motor, tensioning pulley, etc., and these structures can all be implemented using existing technologies, which will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment. It is understood that in other embodiments, the first conveying component 211 may also be a conveying vehicle or conveying robot capable of moving along the conveying direction and carrying the carrier 6, etc.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 7 The carrier stop assembly 212 includes a stop roller 2121 that can contact the front end face of the carrier 6 to stop the carrier 6, and a roller drive cylinder 2122 that drives the stop roller 2121 to move along the Z-axis direction to approach or move away from the carrier 6. In this embodiment, the roller drive cylinder 2122 can be a linear cylinder, and the stop roller 2121 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the roller drive cylinder 2122 by a mounting structure. When the first detection module 214 at the corresponding position detects that the carrier 6 has moved the product into place, the output shaft of the roller drive cylinder 2122 of the carrier stop assembly 212 corresponding to the first detection module 214 extends upward along the Z-axis direction to drive the stop roller 2121 to move upward synchronously and contact the front end face of the carrier 6, restricting the carrier 6 from continuing to move forward, thereby stopping the carrier 6. When it is necessary to continue conveying, the output shaft of the roller drive cylinder 2122 retracts, driving the stop roller 2121 to move downward synchronously to reset, contacting the obstruction to the carrier 6, so that the carrier 6 can continue to move forward with the conveyor belt 2112. The purpose of setting the stop roller 2121 in this embodiment is to reduce the friction during the process of the stop roller 2121 moving upward and abutting or moving downward against the front end face of the carrier 6, so as to reduce the vibration of the entire device and reduce the wear of the stop roller 2121 on the carrier 6.

[0050] The vehicle positioning assembly 213 includes a positioning pin 2131 capable of contacting the bottom surface of the vehicle 6 to achieve positioning of the vehicle 6, and a pin driving cylinder 2132 capable of driving the positioning pin 2131 to move along the Z-axis direction to approach or move away from the bottom surface of the vehicle 6. In this embodiment, the pin driving cylinder 2132 can be a linear cylinder, and the positioning pin 2131 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the pin driving cylinder 2132 through a mounting structure. The number of positioning pins 2131 is preferably two, and the two positioning pins 2131 can be arranged along the length direction, width direction, diagonal direction or any other direction of the vehicle 6. The two positioning pins 2131 correspond to two positioning points to synchronously position the vehicle 6 in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the vehicle 6. When the second detection module 215 detects that the carrier 6 has moved to the product loading station 21a carrying the product, the output shaft of the pin drive cylinder 2132 extends upward along the Z-axis to drive the positioning pin 2131 to move upward and insert into the corresponding position of the carrier 6 to position the carrier 6. Preferably, the end of the pin near the carrier 6 has a cone-shaped structure, and the carrier 6 has a pin positioning groove that matches the cone-shaped structure at the position corresponding to the positioning pin 2131. When the positioning pin 2131 moves upward, the cone-shaped structure at its end can enter the pin positioning groove. Since the two shapes match, when the outer wall of the cone-shaped structure contacts the groove wall of the pin positioning groove, the position of the carrier 6 can be finely adjusted.

[0051] The first detection module 214 and the second detection module 215 are both installed at corresponding positions on the support base 2113. The first detection module 214 is configured one-to-one with the carrier stop assembly 212. The first detection module 214 can detect whether the carrier 6 on the conveyor belt 2112 has moved into position, so that after the carrier 6 moves into position, the controller can drive the roller drive cylinder 2122 at the corresponding position to drive the stop roller 2121 to stop the carrier 6. The second detection module 215 is set at the product loading station 21a, corresponding to the carrier positioning assembly 213. The second detection module 215 can detect whether the product in the carrier 6 on the product loading station 21a has been processed.

[0052] Preferably, the second detection module 215 is positioned above the first detection module 214. The second detection module 215 and the first detection module 214, positioned at the product loading station 21a, jointly determine the product assembly status. Specifically, when the carrier 6 moves to the product loading station 21a with the product loaded on it, after the first detection module 214 and the second detection module 215 simultaneously detect the signal that the carrier 6 and the product have moved into place, the carrier stop component 212 and the carrier positioning component 213 sequentially or synchronously drive the stop roller 2121 to stop the carrier 6 and drive the positioning pin 2. 131 positions the carrier 6. Subsequently, the product gripping mechanism 23 grips the product in the carrier 6 and moves it to the product positioning mechanism 22 for the assembly of the spring 1 and the locking component. At this time, the second detection module 215 detects a product removal signal. After the assembly is completed, the product gripping mechanism 23 grips the product again and puts it back into the carrier 6. At this time, the second detection module 215 detects a product return signal. Based on the removal and return signals, it can be determined whether the product assembly is complete, so that the first conveying component 211 can continue to move forward one station after completing the assembly of one product, so as to continuously assemble subsequent products.

[0053] In this embodiment, both the first detection module 214 and the second detection module 215 employ infrared sensors, including a laser emitter mounted on one side of the support base 2113 and a laser receiver mounted on the other side of the support base 2113 and positioned opposite to the laser emitter, so as to determine the movement and loading status of the carrier 6 and the product by the signal switching between the laser emitter and the laser receiver.

[0054] As a preferred embodiment, the return mechanism 21 may further include a second conveying component 216 arranged in parallel with the first conveying component 211. The structure of the second conveying component 216 is the same as that of the first conveying component 211, and the conveying direction of the second conveying component 216 is opposite to that of the first conveying component 211. After the first conveying component 211 conveys the carrier 6 loaded with the assembled product forward to the designated position, the worker can remove the product from the carrier 6 and then the empty carrier 6 can be conveyed back through the second conveying component 216 to form a carrier 6 return line, and the empty carrier 6 can be recycled for subsequent use.

[0055] In addition, the return mechanism 21 also includes an NG material recovery component 217 disposed on the first conveying component 211 or the second conveying component 216, for recovering and storing products that are not qualified or abnormally processed.

[0056] Please refer to Figure 8The product positioning mechanism 22 includes a positioning platform 221 for carrying and positioning the product, a first multi-axis drive assembly 222 for driving the positioning platform 221 to level, and a lifting cylinder 223 disposed on the positioning platform 221 and capable of lifting the product upwards. The lifting cylinder 223 is a linear cylinder, capable of lifting the assembled product upwards out of the positioning platform 221, so that the product gripping mechanism 23 can grip the product and transfer it back to the carrier 6 at the conveyor belt 2112. A positioning space 221a that conforms to the shape of the product is formed on the positioning platform 221. After the product gripping mechanism 23 grips the product, it places the product in the positioning space 221a to fix and position the product. The first multi-axis drive assembly 222 can adjust the position of the positioning space 221a on the positioning platform 221 at multiple angles to keep the positioning space 221a horizontal and ensure the accuracy of the assembly of the spring piece 1. In this embodiment, the first multi-axis drive component 222 may be a five-axis rotary platform, which can adjust the positioning platform 221 on the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, A-axis (rotation axis 5212 rotating around the X-axis) and B-axis (swing axis swinging around the Y-axis) so that the position of the positioning platform 221 remains horizontal.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 9 The positioning platform 221 includes a product platform 2211, a floating support plate 2212 disposed on the product platform 2211 and fixedly connected to the output shaft of the lifting cylinder 223, and a plurality of irregularly shaped positioning blocks 2213 disposed on the product platform 2211 and surrounding the floating support plate 2212. The inner walls of the plurality of irregularly shaped positioning blocks 2213 enclose a positioning space 221a that conforms to the outer peripheral surface of the product. When the product gripping mechanism 23 grips and places the product in the positioning space 221a, the product is supported on the floating support plate 2212. The floating support plate 2212 can move up and down along the Z-axis under the drive of the lifting cylinder 223 to move upward away from the positioning space 221a. In this embodiment, a lifting channel is formed on the product platform 2211 at the position corresponding to the floating support plate 2212, extending vertically through the product platform 2211. The lifting cylinder 223 is fixedly placed at the bottom of the product platform 2211, and the output axis of the lifting cylinder 223 passes through the lifting channel and is fixedly connected to the floating support plate 2212. After the locking assembly device 5 assembles the product and the spring 1, the output axis of the lifting cylinder 223 extends upward out of the lifting channel to push the floating support plate 2212 upward out of the positioning space 221a, thereby simultaneously pushing the product supported on the floating support plate 2212 out of the positioning space 221a, so that the product gripping mechanism 23 can grab the assembled product.

[0058] Please return to the reference. Figure 5The product gripping mechanism 23 includes a gripper assembly 231 and a second multi-axis drive assembly 232 that drives the gripper assembly 231 to reciprocate between the return mechanism 21 and the product positioning mechanism 22. After gripping a product at the product loading station 21a on the return mechanism 21, the gripper assembly 231 moves to above the positioning platform 221 under the drive of the second multi-axis drive assembly 232 and places the product in the positioning space 221a. After the product is assembled, it is gripped again and placed back into the carrier 6. In this embodiment, the second multi-axis drive assembly 232 is implemented using a four-axis robot, which, through the coordinated rotation of its joints, enables the gripper assembly 231 to move in various directions, including the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and rotation around the Z-axis, thereby realizing the transfer of the product between the return mechanism 21 and the product positioning mechanism 22. Understandably, in some other embodiments, the second multi-axis drive assembly 232 may also employ other robot or robotic arm structures (such as a six-axis robot) to achieve the transfer of products between the return mechanism 21 and the product positioning mechanism 22, or it may employ the cooperation between a moving guide rail and a cylinder to achieve the transfer, etc.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 10 The gripper assembly 231 includes a product gripper 2311 for holding the product, a gripper drive cylinder 2312 for driving the product gripper 2311 to move along the Z-axis, and a gripper cylinder mounting base 2313 for mounting the gripper drive cylinder 2312 and the product gripper 2311 on a second multi-axis drive assembly 232. In this embodiment, the gripper cylinder mounting base 2313 is fixedly mounted on the end of the four-axis robot. The gripper drive cylinder 2312 is a linear cylinder or a slide cylinder. The product gripper 2311 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft or slide of the gripper drive cylinder 2312 and can move up and down along the Z-axis under the drive of the gripper drive cylinder 2312 to approach or move away from the product, thereby gripping the product.

[0060] Preferably, a set of gripper drive cylinders 2312 and product grippers 2311 are respectively provided on both sides of the gripper cylinder mounting base 2313, so that the gripper assembly 231 can grip two products at a time and place them on the product positioning mechanisms 22 on both sides of the machine base 100 for product and spring sheet 1 assembly.

[0061] The product gripper 2311 includes a first gripper 2314 and a second gripper 2315 arranged opposite each other with an adjustable spacing, and a gripping pressure regulating valve (not shown) connected to the first gripper 2314 and / or the second gripper 2315. The gripping pressure regulating valve is used to adjust the gripping force between the first gripper 2314 and the second gripper 2315 so that the product gripper 2311 can fine-tune the gripping force while stably gripping the product to avoid damage to the product. In this embodiment, the gripping distance between the first gripper 2314 and the second gripper 2315 can be pre-adjusted according to the size of the product. The gripping distance is preferably slightly larger than the size of the product so that when the product gripper 2311 grasps the product, the product can be placed exactly between the two grippers. Then, the gripping pressure regulating valve is used to fine-tune the gripping force between the first gripper 2314 and the second gripper 2315 to clamp the product. Understandably, in some other embodiments, the first clamping block 2314 and the second clamping block 2315 may also be configured to be driven by a motor or cylinder and to adjust the clamping distance during the clamping process.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 11 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 The spring pieces 1 are evenly loaded in the material belt 7 at intervals. The material belt 7 is evenly provided with a number of spring piece grooves 7a that are similar in shape to the spring pieces 1 along the length direction. The spring pieces 1 are placed in the spring piece grooves 7a one by one. Preferably, the spring piece grooves 7a will not fall off after the spring pieces 1 are placed without external force. The material belt 7 is covered with a material belt film 71 to protect the spring pieces 1.

[0063] The spring conveying mechanism 31 has a spring loading station 31a that supports the material strip 7. The spring loading station 31a is used to support the spring 1. The spring conveying mechanism 31 is used to convey the material strip 7 forward to the spring loading station 31a according to a preset spacing and time interval. In this embodiment, the time interval is limited to allow the spring positioning mechanism 32 to completely remove one of the springs on the spring loading station 31a (mainly the spring 1 located at the front). After the spring positioning mechanism 32 removes the spring 1, the spring conveying mechanism 31 moves forward by a preset spacing (the preset spacing is the distance between two spring slots 7a), so that the next spring slot 7a is moved to the position of the previous spring slot 7a, so that the spring 1 can be removed by the spring positioning mechanism 32.

[0064] The spring sheet conveying mechanism 31 includes a material belt support platform 311, a feeding tray 312 formed at the inlet end of the material belt support platform 311 along the conveying direction of the material belt 7, and a spring sheet feeding drive assembly (not shown) that drives the feeding tray 312 to convey the spring sheets 1 along the conveying direction of the spring sheets 1 at preset intervals and time intervals. The spring sheet feeding station 31a is formed at the end of the material belt support platform 311 corresponding to the end away from the feeding tray 312. A material belt 7 support plate 313 is respectively provided on the material belt support platform 311 at the positions on both sides of the spring sheet feeding station 31a. A clearance groove 313a is sandwiched between the two material belt 7 support plates 313. Due to the irregular structure of the spring sheet 1, the U-shaped ends 14 at both ends will extend downward beyond the lower surface of the material belt 7. The clearance groove 313a can make way for the bent part that extends beyond the lower surface of the material belt 7, so as to avoid the spring sheet 1 from contacting or bumping with the material belt support platform 311 and being damaged. The strip 7 is wound inside the feeding tray 312, and the free end of the strip 7 passes through and is supported on the strip support platform 311. The spring sheet feeding drive assembly can be a stepper motor to convey the strip 7 forward according to a preset time interval and spacing. When feeding the spring sheet 1, the feeding tray 312 conveys the strip 7 forward according to the spacing between the two spring sheet slots 7a. After the first spring sheet 1 is taken away by the spring sheet positioning mechanism 32 (i.e., a preset time interval), it is fed forward another preset spacing, realizing the feeding of spring sheet 1 one by one.

[0065] Of course, the spring sheet conveying mechanism 31 may also include a receiving tray and a receiving tray for recovering empty material strip 7 and material strip film 71, so as to recover the empty material strip 7 and material strip film 71 and ensure the cleanliness of the processing environment. It is understood that the receiving tray and the receiving tray are also provided with corresponding driving structures. Their setting position and connection method can be implemented by existing technology, which will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0066] The spring piece positioning mechanism 32 includes a spring piece positioning platform 321, a spring piece picker 322 for transferring the spring piece 1 from the spring piece loading station 31a to the spring piece positioning platform 321, and a spring piece picking drive assembly 323 disposed beside the material strip support platform 311 for driving the spring piece picker 322 back and forth between the spring piece positioning platform 321 and the spring piece loading station 31a. The spring piece positioning platform 321 is provided with a spring piece positioning groove 321a that conforms to the shape of the spring piece 1 for positioning the spring piece 1 before assembly.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 14The spring piece positioning stage 321 includes a spring piece carrier 3211 and a carrier drive cylinder 3212 that drives the spring piece carrier 3211 to move along the Z-axis to below the spring piece picker 322. The spring piece positioning groove 321a is formed on the spring piece carrier 3211 and corresponds to the position below the spring piece picker 322, so that the spring piece picker 322 can place the spring piece 1 picked up from the spring piece loading station 31a into the spring piece positioning groove 321a. In this embodiment, the platform driving cylinder 3212 is implemented using a sliding cylinder. Two spring sheet platforms 3211 are arranged side by side on the sliding platform of the platform driving cylinder 3212. When the output shaft of the platform driving cylinder 3212 extends or retracts, it can drive its sliding platform to move horizontally along the X-axis, thereby controlling one of the two spring sheet platforms 3211 to move to the front of the spring sheet loading station 31a, so that the spring sheet picker 322 can place the picked-up spring sheet 1 onto the spring sheet platform 3211. The purpose of setting two spring sheet platforms 3211 in this embodiment is that when the spring sheet support assembly 331 moves to the spring sheet platform 3211, it can grab two spring sheets 1 at once, thereby reducing the number of reciprocating movements of the spring sheet support assembly 331 and improving processing efficiency.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 15 The spring piece picker 322 includes a demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 positioned at a corresponding position on the output shaft of the spring piece picker drive assembly 323, a picker magnet 3222 fixed on the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221, a demagnetizing plate 3223 positioned at a corresponding position on the spring piece picker drive assembly 323, and a demagnetizing stop bar 3224 positioned opposite to the bottom of the demagnetizing plate 3223. In this embodiment, the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 can be a linear cylinder, and the picker magnet 3222 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221. The picker magnet 3222 is a permanent magnet, which can stably attract the spring piece 1 without being energized. A through hole is formed vertically along the Z-axis on the demagnetizing plate 3223. The end of the picking magnet 3222 (the end away from the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221) is movably inserted into the through hole of the demagnetizing plate 3223 along the Z-axis and sandwiched between the two demagnetizing baffles 3224. When the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 extends, the picking magnet 3222 can simultaneously extend downward beyond the bottom of the demagnetizing baffle 3224 to attract the spring piece 1. When the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 retracts, the picking magnet 3222 simultaneously retracts into the demagnetizing baffle 3224 or the demagnetizing plate 3223 to release the spring piece 1.

[0069] In this embodiment, during the process of picking up the spring piece 1, the spring piece picking drive assembly 323 drives the spring piece picking hand 322 to move above the spring piece loading station 31a. The output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 extends, pushing the picking magnet 3222 downward to extend the demagnetizing stop 3224 and approach the spring piece 1, so as to pick up the spring piece 1 from the spring piece slot 7a. During the process of placing the spring piece 1, the spring piece picking drive assembly 323 drives the spring piece picking hand 322 to move to the upper part of the spring piece positioning table 321. The spring piece 1 is aligned with the spring piece positioning groove 321a and the demagnetizing stop 3224 abuts against the table surface of the spring piece positioning platform 321. The output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder 3221 retracts, causing the picking magnet 3222 to retract synchronously. As the picking magnet 3222 moves upward, it causes the spring piece 1 to move upward synchronously and contact the bottom of the demagnetizing stop 3224. The picking magnet 3222 continues to retract and move upward. At this time, due to the obstruction of the demagnetizing stop 3224, the spring piece 1 cannot continue to move upward and falls off the picking magnet 3222 into the spring piece positioning groove 321a.

[0070] Please return to the reference. Figure 11 and Figure 12The spring sheet picking drive assembly 323 includes a first spring sheet picking cylinder 3231 disposed beside the material belt support platform 311 and a second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 disposed on the output shaft of the first spring sheet picking cylinder 3231. The spring sheet picking hand 322 is disposed at the corresponding position on the output shaft of the second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232. In this embodiment, the first spring sheet picking cylinder 3231 is implemented by a linear cylinder. The first spring sheet picking cylinder 3231 is mounted on the machine base 100 through a mounting frame. The output shaft of the first spring sheet picking cylinder 3231 extends and retracts along the line connecting the spring sheet loading station 31a and the spring sheet carrier 3211 located in front of it (in this embodiment, it extends and retracts along the Y-axis direction) to drive the second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 and the picking manipulator to move together in this direction, thereby driving the picking manipulator to reciprocate between the spring sheet loading station 31a and the spring sheet carrier 3211. The first mounting frame is provided with a spring picking guide rail 3233 that is parallel to the extension and retraction direction of the output shaft of the first spring picking cylinder 3231, and a spring picking slide 3234 that is slidably disposed on the spring picking guide rail 3233. The spring picking slide 3234 is fixed to the end of the output shaft of the first spring picking cylinder 3231, and the second spring picking cylinder 3232 is assembled on the spring picking slide 3234. The second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 is implemented by a sliding cylinder. The spring sheet picking hand 322 is mounted on the sliding table of the second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 via a mounting plate 3235. The output shaft of the second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 extends and retracts in the vertical direction. When the output shaft of the second spring sheet picking cylinder 3232 extends and retracts in the Z-axis direction, it can drive the spring sheet picking hand 322 to slide synchronously, thereby synchronously driving the spring sheet picking hand 322 to move along the Z-axis to approach or move away from the spring sheet loading station 31a or the spring sheet positioning table 321.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 15As a preferred embodiment, the spring positioning mechanism 32 further includes a buffer structure 324 disposed on the mounting plate 3235, which acts as a buffer to reduce the vibration of the machine 100 when the second spring picking cylinder 3232 drives the spring picking hand 322 to move down to approach the material belt support table 311 (spring loading station 31a) or the spring positioning table 321. Specifically, the buffer structure 324 includes a buffer guide rail 3241 arranged vertically on the mounting plate 3235, a buffer plate 3242 slidably arranged on the buffer guide rail 3241, a buffer seat 3243 fixed on the mounting plate 3235, a buffer guide rod 3244 connecting the buffer plate 3242 and the buffer seat 3243, and a buffer spring 3245 sleeved on the buffer guide rod 3244 and located between the buffer plate 3242 and the buffer seat 3243. One end of the buffer guide rod 3244 is fixed on the buffer plate 3242, and the other end is movably inserted into the buffer seat 3243. The spring picker 322 is installed on the buffer plate 3242. When the second spring picking cylinder 3232 drives the spring picking hand 322 downward, when the bottom of the demagnetizing stop 3224 contacts the material belt support table 311 or the spring positioning table 321, under the reaction force of the material belt support table 311 and the spring positioning table 321, the buffer plate 3242 slides upward along the buffer guide rail 3241 and compresses the buffer spring 3245, thereby buffering the contact between the demagnetizing stop 3224 and the material belt support table 311 or the spring positioning table 321, reducing the vibration of the machine 100.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 16 The spring-load gripping mechanism 33 includes a spring-load support assembly 331 and a third multi-axis drive assembly 332 that drives the spring-load support assembly 331 to reciprocate between the spring-load positioning table 321 and the product positioning mechanism 22. After gripping the spring-load 1 in the spring-load positioning groove 321a on the spring-load positioning table 321, the spring-load gripping mechanism 33 moves under the drive of the third multi-axis drive assembly 332 to the product located on the positioning platform 221, and places the spring-load 1 on the product, which is then pressed against the product by the spring-load 1 pressing mechanism. In this embodiment, the third multi-axis drive assembly 332 is implemented using a six-axis robot, which, through the rotational coordination of its joints, enables the spring-load support assembly 331 to move in the corresponding direction, thereby realizing the transfer of the spring-load 1 between the spring-load positioning table 321 and the product positioning mechanism 22. Understandably, in some other embodiments, the third multi-axis drive assembly 332 may also use other robot or robotic arm structures (such as a four-axis robot) to realize the transfer of the spring piece 1 between the spring piece positioning stage 321 and the product positioning mechanism 22, or the transfer of the spring piece 1 may be realized by the cooperation between the moving guide rail and the cylinder, etc.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 17 and Figure 18The spring-loaded mouthpiece assembly 331 includes a spring-loaded mouthpiece 3311, a mouthpiece drive cylinder 3312 that drives the spring-loaded mouthpiece 3311 to move along the Z-axis, and a mouthpiece cylinder mounting seat 3313 that mounts the mouthpiece drive cylinder 3312 and the spring-loaded mouthpiece 3311 onto a third multi-axis drive assembly 332. In this embodiment, the mouthpiece cylinder mounting seat 3313 is fixedly mounted on the end of a six-axis robot. The mouthpiece drive cylinder 3312 is a linear cylinder or a slide cylinder. The spring-loaded mouthpiece 3311 is fixedly mounted on the output shaft or slide of the mouthpiece drive cylinder 3312 and can move up and down along the Z-axis under the drive of the mouthpiece drive cylinder 3312 to approach or move away from the springpiece 1, thereby grasping the springpiece 1.

[0074] Preferably, a set of spring sheet support nozzles 3311 and support nozzle drive cylinders 3312 are respectively provided on both sides of the support nozzle cylinder mounting base 3313, so that the spring sheet support nozzle assembly 331 can grab two spring sheets 1 at a time and place them on the product positioning mechanisms 22 on both sides of the machine base 100 for product and spring sheet 1 assembly.

[0075] The spring support 3311 includes a first support rod 3314 and a second support rod 3315 with adjustable spacing. The ends of both the first support rod 3314 and the second support rod 3315 have positioning protrusions 3316 that are interference-fitted with the corresponding positions of the spring piece 1. The spacing between the first support rod 3314 and the second support rod 3315 matches the spacing between the two positioning holes 11b formed on the spring piece 1. The positioning protrusions 3316 are interference-fitted with the positioning holes 11b and can penetrate into the positioning holes 11b to hold the spring piece 1 in place, thereby removing the spring piece 1 from the spring piece positioning platform 321. In this embodiment, the distance between the first support rod 3314 and the second support rod 3315 can be pre-adjusted according to the distance between the two positioning holes 11b on the spring piece 1. This ensures that when the first support rod 3314 and the second support rod 3315 pick up the spring piece 1 from the spring piece positioning table 321, the positioning protrusion 3316 can be precisely inserted into the positioning hole 11b on the spring piece 1. Then, through the interference fit between the positioning protrusion 3316 and the positioning hole 11b, the spring piece 1 is supported on the first support rod 3314 and the second support rod 3315, so as to facilitate the transfer of the spring piece 1 to the product positioning mechanism 22. In this embodiment, the support nozzle physically grasps the spring piece 1, and after the grasped spring piece 1 is transferred to the position, the spring piece 1 is removed from the support nozzle by the spring piece pressing device 4. There is no need to set up an additional drive structure for driving air suction or magnetic suction, which simplifies the overall structure of the spring piece support nozzle 3311 and simplifies the control program to a certain extent, which is beneficial to improving the control efficiency of the controller.

[0076] Please return to the reference. Figure 9The spring clip clamping device 4 includes a pressure rod mounting bracket 41 fixed to one side of the product platform 2211, a pressure rod drive rod 42 slidably passing through the pressure rod mounting bracket 41 in the vertical direction, a spring clip pressure rod 43 slidably disposed on the pressure rod drive rod 42 and rotatably connected to the pressure rod mounting bracket 41, a pressure rod drive cylinder 44 that drives the pressure rod drive rod 42 downward, and a return spring 45 that drives the downward-moving pressure rod drive rod 42 upward and automatically resets it. The output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder 44 slidably passes through the end of the pressure rod drive rod 42 away from the spring clip pressure rod 43. One end of the return spring 45 is fixedly disposed on the pressure rod drive rod 42 corresponding to the end away from the pressure rod drive cylinder 44, and the other end of the return spring 45 is fixedly disposed at the corresponding position on the pressure rod mounting bracket 41.

[0077] The spring-loaded pressure rod 43 is slidably disposed on the pressure rod drive rod 42 at the end away from the pressure rod drive cylinder 44. The sliding direction of the spring-loaded pressure rod 43 on the pressure rod drive rod 42 is perpendicular to the moving direction of the pressure rod drive rod 42 (in this embodiment, the pressure rod drive rod 42 moves along the Z-axis on the pressure rod mounting bracket 41, and the spring-loaded pressure rod 43 slides along the Y-axis on the pressure rod drive rod 42), that is, the sliding direction of the spring-loaded pressure rod 43 is towards or away from the product platform 2211. When the return spring 45 is in its natural state, the spring plate pressure rod 43 is in the state of pressing the spring plate 1. During operation, the output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder 44 retracts, pulling the pressure rod drive rod 42 downward along the Z-axis and squeezing the return spring 45 to obtain a rebound force. The spring plate pressure rod 43 slides on the pressure rod drive rod 42, causing the pressure rod drive rod 42 to drive the corresponding end of the spring plate pressure rod 43 to press down. Since the spring plate pressure rod 43 is rotatably mounted on the pressure rod mounting bracket 41, at this time, one end of the spring plate pressure rod 43 is pressed down, causing the spring plate pressure rod 43 to rotate and drive its other end to tilt upward, so as to clear the positioning space of the product. The space 221a allows the product feeding device 2 and the spring feeding device 3 to place the product and the spring 1 in sequence. When the spring 1 is placed in place, the spring support assembly 331 maintains its current position, the output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder 44 quickly extends and resets, and the pressure rod drive rod 42 moves upward along the Z-axis under the action of the return force of the reset spring 45, driving the spring pressure rod 43 to rotate in the opposite direction to press it against the spring 1. The spring gripping mechanism 33 resets. Since the spring pressure rod 43 presses the spring 1 tightly, the spring 1 is removed from the spring support 3311 when the spring gripping mechanism 33 resets.

[0078] In this embodiment, the spring return force of the reset spring 45 drives the spring bar 43 to press the spring 1, which can play a certain buffering role during the pressing process. This avoids damage to the spring 1 and the product when the spring bar is pressed down by directly using the pressure bar to drive the cylinder 44 to push the pressure bar drive rod 42 to drive the spring bar 43 to press down the spring 1 due to the lack of floating space.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 19The locking component feeding mechanism 51 has a locking component loading station 51a. The locking component feeding mechanism 51 sequentially and in a preset direction feeds locking components one by one to the locking component loading station 51a. In this embodiment, the locking components are mainly bolts. The locking component feeding mechanism 51 preferably uses an existing automatic bolt feeder to supply bolts one by one upwards according to a set program. When the locking component feeding mechanism 51 supplies bolts, the head of the bolt (taking a cross bolt or a slotted bolt as an example, i.e., the end with a "+" or "-" shape) faces upwards, so that the locking component locking mechanism 52 can pick up the bolts one by one and move them to the product and spring 1 position on the product positioning mechanism 22 to lock the product and spring 1.

[0080] The locking mechanism 52 includes a locking component 521 and a fourth multi-axis drive component 522 that drives the locking component 521 to reciprocate between the locking component loading station 51a and the product positioning mechanism 22 along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively. In this embodiment, the fourth multi-axis drive component 522 includes a Y-axis drive module 5222 mounted on the machine base 100, an X-axis drive module 5221 slidably mounted on the Y-axis drive module 5222 along the Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis drive module 5223 slidably mounted on the X-axis drive module 5221 along the X-axis direction. The locking component 521 is slidably mounted on the Z-axis drive module 5223 along the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the X-axis drive module 5221, Y-axis drive module 5222, and Z-axis drive module 5223 can all be implemented using existing technologies such as slides, slide rails, and motors; these will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment.

[0081] Please refer to Figure 20 and Figure 21 The locking assembly 521 includes a suction head 5211, a rotating shaft 5212 passing through the suction head 5211, a locking composite drive motor 5213 that drives the rotating shaft 5212 to move up and down along the Z-axis and rotate around the Z-axis, and a negative pressure module 5214 communicating with the suction head 5211. Under the action of the negative pressure module 5214, the suction head 5211 picks up the bolt at the locking loading station 51a, and under the drive of the fourth multi-axis drive assembly 522, moves the bolt to the product positioning mechanism 22, and then the locking composite drive motor 5213 screws the screw onto the spring 1 and the product to assemble the spring 1.

[0082] The suction head 5211 has an inner cavity 5211a, and the negative pressure module 5214 communicates with the inner cavity 5211a. The end of the suction head 5211 forms a stepped groove 5211b that communicates with the inner cavity 5211a and is adapted to the locking element. The rotating shaft 5212 can descend along the Z-axis and contact the locking element housed in the stepped groove 5211b. Specifically, taking a bolt as an example, the stepped groove 5211b on the suction head 5211 is adapted to the size of the bolt head, and the end of the rotating shaft 5212 engages with the bolt head, extending into and being positioned within a cross groove or slot on the bolt head. During operation, the locking mechanism 51 controls the bolts to emerge sequentially from the locking loading station 51a. After one bolt is removed, another is fed to the locking loading station 51a. When the locking mechanism 52 picks up the bolt, the locking component 521 moves above the locking loading station 51a with the cooperation of the X-axis drive module 5221 and the Y-axis drive module 5222. Then, the Z-axis drive module 5223 controls the locking component 521 to move downward, so that the head of the bolt is accommodated in the stepped groove 5211b at the end of the suction head 5211. Finally, the negative pressure module 5214 is activated to make the suction head 5211... The inner cavity 5211a is subjected to negative pressure to attract the bolt. Then, the locking assembly 521, with the cooperation of the X-axis drive module 5221, Y-axis drive module 5222 and Z-axis drive module 5223, moves from the locking part loading station 51a to the product positioning mechanism 22 and places the bolt in the designated position. The locking part composite drive motor 5213 drives the rotating shaft 5212 to move along the Z-axis to the bolt and fix it relative to the head of the bolt. Then, the locking part composite drive motor 5213 drives the rotating shaft 5212 to rotate around the Z-axis to tighten the bolt on the product to fix the spring 1, thus completing the assembly of the spring 1.

[0083] The automatic assembly system of this embodiment automatically assembles the product, spring 1, and lock by sequentially moving the product, spring 1, and lock to the designated position using a product feeding device 2, a spring feeding device 3, and a lock assembly device 5. The entire process requires no manual operation, which improves the assembly efficiency of the spring 1 and reduces the product's fragility. At the same time, during the transfer of the product and spring 1, a positioning platform that conforms to the shape of the product and spring 1 is used to position the product and spring 1 before assembly, so that the spring 1 can be accurately assembled onto the product, effectively improving the assembly quality of the spring 1 and achieving a high pass rate.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] like Figure 22 The diagram shown is a flowchart of the automatic assembly method in this embodiment. The automatic assembly method in this embodiment is implemented based on the automatic assembly system of Embodiment 1. Specifically, the automatic assembly method in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0086] S1: Move the product to the designated location and position the product.

[0087] Specifically, firstly, the return mechanism 21 is controlled to transport the carrier 6 containing the product. During the transport process, the first detection module 214 detects the position of the product and the carrier 6 in real time. When the carrier 6 and the product move below the product gripping mechanism 23, and when the carrier 6 and the product move to the product loading station 21a and / or the product waiting station 21b, the carrier stop component 212 is controlled to stop the carrier 6 and the product on the product loading station 21a and / or the product waiting station 21b, and the carrier positioning component 213 is controlled to position the carrier 6 and the product at the product loading station 21a. Then, the product gripping mechanism 23 is controlled to grip the product in the carrier 6 at the product loading station 21a and transfer it to the product positioning mechanism 22. At the same time, the second detection module 215 detects a product removal signal and waits. Finally, the product positioning mechanism 22 adjusts and positions the real-time position of the product according to the position of the product placed by the product gripping mechanism 23. In this embodiment, the specific process of transferring and positioning the product in step S1 can be found in the relevant description of the product feeding device 2 in embodiment 1, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0088] S2: Provide spring 1, position spring 1 and transfer it to the product.

[0089] Specifically, firstly, the spring conveying mechanism 31 is controlled to sequentially convey springs 1. Then, the spring picking drive assembly 323 is controlled to drive the spring picking hand 322 to move above the spring 1 at the spring conveying mechanism 31. The output shaft of the demagnetizing cylinder is controlled to extend up and down, pushing the picking magnet 3222 downwards to approach the spring 1 and pick up the spring 1. Then, the spring picking drive assembly 323 drives the spring picking hand 322 to move above the spring positioning table 321. The output shaft of the demagnetizing cylinder is controlled to retract upwards, and the spring 1 is released under the action of the demagnetizing stop bar, allowing the spring 1 to fall into the spring positioning groove 321a. Finally, the spring gripping mechanism 33 is controlled to transfer the spring 1, which is positioned at the spring positioning mechanism 32, to the product at the product positioning mechanism 22. In this embodiment, the specific process of providing the spring 1 and transferring it to the product after positioning in step S2 can be found in the relevant description of the spring feeding device 3 in embodiment 1, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0090] S3: Press the spring 1 firmly onto the product.

[0091] Specifically, after the spring clip gripping mechanism 33 moves the spring clip 1 into position, the output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder 44 of the spring clip pressing device 4 retracts, pulling down the pressure rod drive rod 42 and squeezing the return spring 45. The spring clip pressing rod 43 slides on the pressure rod drive rod 42, causing the pressure rod drive rod 42 to drive the corresponding end of the spring clip pressing rod 43 to press down, while the other end tilts up. After the spring clip 1 is placed on the product, the output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder 44 quickly extends and resets. The pressure rod drive rod 42 moves upward under the action of the return force of the return spring 45, causing the spring clip pressing rod 43 to rotate in the opposite direction to press against the spring clip 1. In this embodiment, the specific process of pressing the spring clip 1 in step S3 can be found in the relevant description of the spring clip pressing device 4 in embodiment 1, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0092] S4: Provide a locking mechanism to lock the spring 1 onto the product.

[0093] Specifically, firstly, the locking component feeding mechanism 51 sequentially provides locking components one by one according to a preset direction. Then, the suction head 5211 of the locking component locking mechanism 52 picks up the locking component and, through the cooperation of the X-axis drive module 5221, Y-axis drive module 5222, and Z-axis drive module 5223, drives the suction head 5211 to move the locking component onto the product positioned by the product positioning mechanism 22, thus locking the spring piece 1 onto the product. In this embodiment, the specific process of providing the locking component and locking the spring piece 1 and the product in step S4 can be found in the relevant description of the locking component assembly device 5 in embodiment 1, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0094] The automatic assembly method of this embodiment first provides a product to be assembled, then provides a spring piece 1 to be assembled on the product, and fixes the spring piece 1 to the product by automatically conveying and transferring locking components. The whole process does not require manual operation, which helps to save labor and improve assembly efficiency. In addition, by positioning the product and the spring piece 1 before assembly, the assembly position of the spring piece 1 can be ensured to be accurate, thereby improving the product qualification rate and yield.

Claims

1. An automated assembly system, characterized in that, include: The product feeding device includes a return mechanism for conveying products, a product positioning mechanism for positioning products, and a product gripping mechanism for transferring products from the return mechanism to the product positioning mechanism. A spring feeding device includes a spring conveying mechanism for conveying springs and having a spring loading station, a spring positioning mechanism for positioning the springs, and a spring gripping mechanism for transferring the springs from the spring positioning mechanism to the product; the spring conveying mechanism includes a material belt support platform. A spring clip clamping device is used to clamp a spring clip onto a product; and The locking assembly device includes a locking feeding mechanism for providing locking components and a locking locking mechanism for transferring the locking components from the locking feeding mechanism to the product and spring and locking them. The spring positioning mechanism includes a spring positioning table, a spring picking hand for transferring the spring from the spring loading station to the spring positioning table, and a spring picking drive assembly located next to the material belt support table for driving the spring picking hand to move back and forth between the spring positioning table and the spring loading station. The spring sheet picker includes a demagnetizing drive cylinder positioned at a corresponding position on the output shaft of the spring sheet picker drive assembly, a picker magnet fixed on the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder, a demagnetizing plate positioned at a corresponding position on the spring sheet picker drive assembly, and a demagnetizing stop bar positioned opposite to the bottom of the demagnetizing plate. The end of the picker magnet moves vertically through the demagnetizing plate and is clamped between the two demagnetizing stop bars. When the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder extends, the picker magnet can extend downward beyond the bottom of the demagnetizing stop bar, and when the output shaft of the demagnetizing drive cylinder retracts, the picker magnet can retract upward into the demagnetizing stop bar or the demagnetizing plate. The demagnetizing stop bar can contact the material strip support table or the spring sheet positioning table. The spring-loaded material gripping mechanism includes a spring-loaded support assembly, which includes a spring-loaded support. The spring-loaded support includes a first support rod and a second support rod with adjustable spacing. The ends of the first support rod and the second support rod are each formed with a positioning protrusion that is interference-fitted with the corresponding position of the spring-loaded material.

2. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The product is placed in a carrier, and the return mechanism is used to transport the carrier containing the product. The return mechanism has a product loading station and multiple product waiting stations formed sequentially behind the product loading station along the product conveying direction. The return mechanism includes a first conveying component having a product loading station and a product waiting station formed along the product conveying direction, a carrier stop component disposed on the first conveying component corresponding one-to-one with the product loading station and the product waiting station, a carrier positioning component disposed on the first conveying component and corresponding to the product loading station, a first detection module for detecting the position of the carrier and the product, and a second detection module for detecting the product assembly status.

3. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The product positioning mechanism includes a positioning platform for carrying and positioning the product, a first multi-axis drive assembly for driving the positioning platform to level, and a lifting cylinder set on the positioning platform and capable of lifting the product upward. The positioning platform includes a product platform, a floating support plate disposed on the product platform and fixedly connected to the output shaft of the lifting cylinder, and a plurality of irregularly shaped positioning blocks disposed on the product platform and surrounding the four axes of the floating support plate. The inner walls of the plurality of irregularly shaped positioning blocks enclose a positioning space that conforms to the outer peripheral surface of the product. The product gripping mechanism grips the product and places it in the positioning space and supports it on the floating support plate.

4. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The product gripping mechanism includes a gripper assembly and a second multi-axis drive assembly that drives the gripper assembly to reciprocate between the return mechanism and the product positioning mechanism. The gripper assembly includes a product gripper for holding the product, a gripper drive cylinder for driving the product gripper to move along the Z-axis, and a gripper cylinder mounting seat for mounting the gripper drive cylinder and the product gripper on a second multi-axis drive assembly; the product gripper includes a first clamping block and a second clamping block that are arranged opposite each other and have an adjustable spacing, and a clamping pressure regulating valve connected to the first clamping block and / or the second clamping block, wherein the clamping pressure regulating valve is used to adjust the clamping force between the first clamping block and the second clamping block.

5. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring clips are evenly loaded in the material strip at intervals. The spring clip loading station is used to support the spring clips. The spring clip conveying mechanism is used to convey the material strip forward to the spring clip loading station according to a preset interval and time interval. The spring clip conveying mechanism also includes a feeding tray formed at the inlet end of the material strip support platform along the conveying direction of the material strip and a spring clip loading drive assembly that drives the feeding tray to convey the spring clips along the conveying direction of the spring clips according to a preset interval and time interval. The spring clip loading station is formed at the end of the material strip support platform corresponding to the end away from the feeding tray.

6. The automated assembly system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The spring positioning stage includes a spring platform and a platform driving cylinder that drives the spring platform to move along the Z-axis to below the spring picker. A spring positioning groove that conforms to the shape of the spring is formed on the spring platform at a position corresponding to the position below the spring picker.

7. The automated assembly system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The spring-loaded material gripping mechanism also includes a third multi-axis drive component that drives the spring-loaded support assembly to reciprocate between the spring-loaded positioning table and the product positioning mechanism. The spring-loaded spout assembly also includes a spout drive cylinder for driving the spring-loaded spout to move along the Z-axis direction, and a spout cylinder mounting seat for mounting the spout drive cylinder and the spring-loaded spout on a third multi-axis drive assembly.

8. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring clip clamping device includes a pressure rod mounting bracket fixed to one side of the product platform, a pressure rod drive rod slidably passing through the pressure rod mounting bracket in the vertical direction, a spring clip pressure rod slidably disposed on the pressure rod drive rod and rotatably connected to the pressure rod mounting bracket, a pressure rod drive cylinder for driving the pressure rod drive rod downward, and a return spring for automatically resetting the pressure rod drive rod after it has moved downward; the output shaft of the pressure rod drive cylinder slidably passes through the end of the pressure rod drive rod away from the spring clip pressure rod, one end of the return spring is fixedly disposed on the pressure rod drive rod corresponding to the end away from the pressure rod drive cylinder, and the other end of the return spring is fixedly disposed at the corresponding position on the pressure rod mounting bracket.

9. The automatic assembly system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking component feeding mechanism has a locking component loading station, and the locking component feeding mechanism sequentially and in a preset direction feeds locking components one by one to the locking component loading station. The locking mechanism includes a locking component and a fourth multi-axis drive component that drives the locking component to reciprocate between the locking component loading station and the product positioning mechanism along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions respectively. The locking component includes a suction head, a rotating shaft passing through the suction head, a locking component composite drive motor that drives the rotating shaft to move up and down along the Z-axis and rotate around the Z-axis, and a negative pressure module communicating with the suction head. The suction head has an inner cavity, and the negative pressure module communicates with the inner cavity. The end of the suction head forms a stepped groove that communicates with the inner cavity and is adapted to the locking component. The rotating shaft can descend along the Z-axis and contact the locking component housed in the stepped groove.

10. An automatic assembly method for an automatic assembly system as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The control return mechanism conveys the product to be processed to the bottom of the product gripping mechanism, and controls the product gripping mechanism to transfer the product to the product positioning mechanism for positioning; The spring conveying mechanism is controlled to sequentially convey springs and the spring positioning mechanism is controlled to pick up the springs for pre-positioning. Then, the spring gripping mechanism is controlled to transfer the springs positioned at the spring positioning mechanism to the product at the product positioning mechanism. The spring clip clamping device controls the spring clip to remove it from the spring clip gripping mechanism and clamp it onto the product; The control locking mechanism supplies locking components sequentially and in a preset direction, and controls the locking mechanism to pick up the locking components and move them to the product positioning mechanism to lock the spring clips onto the product.

Images