Compressor foot pad sorting conveyor

Abstract

The application provides a compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device, which comprises a feeding mechanism, a conveying mechanism which is connected with the feeding mechanism and is used for receiving the compressor foot pad of the feeding mechanism and conveying the compressor foot pad to an assembly process position, a detection mechanism which is arranged towards the conveying mechanism and is used for detecting the placement position of the compressor foot pad on the conveying mechanism, and a rejection mechanism which is arranged towards the conveying mechanism and is used for rejecting the compressor foot pad on the conveying mechanism from the conveying mechanism. The application solves the problems of the existing compressor foot pad feeding mode, such as disordered placement, random grabbing by a robot leading to misplacement and low assembly efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioner assembly technology, and more specifically to a compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development and advancement of air conditioner assembly technology, the assembly of its components has become automated. In the air conditioner assembly process, compressor foot pad assembly is a crucial step. Currently, during compressor assembly, the compressor foot pads are stacked in a material crate and transported to the assembly station via the assembly line for robot pickup. The uneven placement of the foot pads in the crate can easily lead to improper installation by the robot, affecting subsequent processes and reducing the assembly efficiency and yield rate of the compressor. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing compressor foot pad conveying method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device to solve the problems of messy placement, random robot grabbing leading to improper installation and low assembly efficiency in the existing compressor foot pad feeding methods.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device, comprising:

[0005] Feeding mechanism;

[0006] A conveying mechanism, which interfaces with the feeding mechanism, is used to receive the compressor feet from the feeding mechanism and convey them to the assembly process position.

[0007] The detection mechanism is positioned facing the conveying mechanism and is used to detect the placement position of the compressor foot pads located on the conveying mechanism;

[0008] A rejection mechanism, disposed toward the conveying mechanism, is used to reject the compressor foot pads located on the conveying mechanism from the conveying mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism includes:

[0010] The hopper is used to hold the compressor feet.

[0011] A rotary feeder is installed in the hopper and connected to the hopper so as to be able to rotate around a horizontal axis;

[0012] A funnel is located at the rotation center of the rotating feeder, and the outlet of the funnel is connected to the feed end of the conveying mechanism.

[0013] The rotary feeder has at least one gripping part, which is eccentrically located around the rotation center of the rotary feeder.

[0014] The gripping part has a first working position located below the funnel and a second working position located above the funnel. When the gripping part is in the first working position, the gripping part grips the compressor foot pad from the hopper. When the gripping part is in the second working position, the compressor foot pad located on the gripping part falls into the funnel.

[0015] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism also includes a rotary drive component installed on the hopper;

[0016] The rotary loading component also includes a wheel, the center of which is mounted on the power output end of the rotary drive component;

[0017] The gripping part is a plate structure with an arc-shaped cross-section, and one of the straight edges of the gripping part is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel part;

[0018] Along the axial direction of the wheel, the size of the gripping part is larger than the size of the wheel.

[0019] Furthermore, the compressor foot pad has a large-diameter section and a small-diameter section, wherein the diameter of the large-diameter section is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter section;

[0020] The gripping part has several hollowed-out positions on its arc surface. The size of the hollowed-out positions is larger than the diameter of the small diameter section and smaller than the diameter of the large diameter section.

[0021] Furthermore, the diameter of the outlet of the funnel is adapted to the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor foot pad.

[0022] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism is a conveyor belt.

[0023] Furthermore, the detection mechanism is an infrared rangefinder or a visual inspection device.

[0024] Furthermore, the hopper extends along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism;

[0025] The rejection mechanism is located above the hopper, causing the rejected compressor foot pads to fall into the hopper;

[0026] The bottom surface of the hopper is an inclined surface that rises sequentially along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism.

[0027] Furthermore, the discharge end of the conveying mechanism is provided with a baffle.

[0028] Furthermore, it also includes a controller, and both the detection mechanism and the rejection mechanism are electrically connected to the controller. The controller controls the action of the rejection mechanism according to the detection signal of the detection mechanism.

[0029] By applying the technical solution of this invention, the feeding mechanism sequentially feeds the compressor foot pads into the conveying mechanism. During the conveying process, the detection mechanism can detect the placement position of the compressor foot pads. The control system of the device receives the detection signal from the detection mechanism and determines whether the placement position of the compressor foot pads meets the preset requirements. If not, it drives the rejection mechanism to remove the compressor foot pads that do not meet the placement requirements from the conveying mechanism, thereby realizing the automatic sorting of compressor foot pads. This ensures that the compressor foot pads conveyed to the assembly process are correctly placed, and that the robot can accurately grasp the compressor foot pads, effectively preventing abnormalities such as mis-installation, omission, and incomplete assembly. As a result, the compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device provided in this application has the characteristics of high automation, high assembly efficiency, and high product qualification rate. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotary feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a top view of the combination of the silo and the funnel in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] in:

[0035] 1-Feeding mechanism; 2-Conveying mechanism; 3-Detection mechanism; 4-Rejection mechanism; 5-Blocking component; 6-Compressor foot pad; 11-Hopper; 12-Rotary feeding component; 13-Function funnel; 14-Feed inlet; 121-Gripping part; 122-Wheel part; 1211-Hollowed-out part; 1212-Filter window; 1213-Gear structure. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0037] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0038] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0039] To address the problems of messy placement, random robot grabbing leading to improper installation, and low assembly efficiency in existing compressor foot pad feeding methods, this invention proposes a compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device of this embodiment includes a feeding mechanism 1, a conveying mechanism 2, a detection mechanism 3, a rejection mechanism 4, and a controller. The conveying mechanism 2 is connected to the feeding mechanism 1 to receive the compressor foot pads 6 from the feeding mechanism 1 and convey them to the assembly process position. The detection mechanism 3 is positioned towards the conveying mechanism 2 to detect the placement position of the compressor foot pads 6 on the conveying mechanism 2. The rejection mechanism 4 is also positioned towards the conveying mechanism 2 to selectively reject the compressor foot pads 6 on the conveying mechanism 2. Both the detection mechanism 3 and the rejection mechanism 4 are electrically connected to the controller, and the controller controls the action of the rejection mechanism 4 according to the detection signal from the detection mechanism 3.

[0041] Using the technical solution of this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 1 sequentially feeds the compressor foot pads 6 into the conveying mechanism 2. When the conveying mechanism 2 conveys the compressor foot pads 6, the detection mechanism 3 can detect the placement position of the compressor foot pads 6. The controller receives the detection signal from the detection mechanism 3 and determines whether the placement position of the compressor foot pads 6 meets the preset requirements. If it does not meet the requirements, the controller drives the rejection mechanism 4 to remove the compressor foot pads 6 whose placement position does not meet the requirements from the conveying mechanism 2, thereby realizing the automatic sorting of the compressor foot pads 6, ensuring the correct placement of the compressor foot pads 6 conveyed to the assembly process position, ensuring that the robot can accurately grasp the compressor foot pads 6, and effectively preventing the occurrence of abnormalities such as mis-installation, omission, and incomplete assembly.

[0042] As can be seen, the compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device of this application can remove the incorrectly placed compressor foot pads 6 from the production line, so that the placement of the compressor foot pads 6 at the assembly process position is consistent. In this way, the robot can accurately grasp the compressor foot pads 6, improving the product qualification rate. At the same time, the assembly line sorting and assembly has a high degree of automation, reduces the intensity of manual labor, and improves production efficiency.

[0043] In practical implementation, the feeding mechanism 1 can be a vibratory feeder, a cylinder pushing structure, etc., as long as it can send the compressor foot pads 6 to the conveying mechanism 2 in sequence. The conveying mechanism 2 can be a conveyor belt, a conveyor chain, etc., as long as it can convey the compressor foot pads 6. The detection mechanism 3 can be an infrared rangefinder, a vision detection device, etc., as long as it can detect the placement position of the compressor foot pads 6 on the conveying mechanism 2. The rejection mechanism 4 can be a cylinder pushing structure, a cylinder swing structure, a blowing structure, etc., as long as it can push the compressor foot pads 6 away from the conveying mechanism 2. The controller can be a microcontroller, a computer, etc., and can be equipped with a touch screen, a display, etc., to realize the automatic analysis, recording, and storage of data.

[0044] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 1 includes a hopper 11, a rotary feeding component 12, a funnel 13, and a rotary drive component. The hopper 11 is used to hold the compressor foot pads 6, and has a feed inlet 14 on its side for replenishing the compressor foot pads 6. The rotary feeding component 12 is disposed in the hopper 11 and connected to the hopper 11 to rotate around a horizontal axis. The funnel 13 is located at the rotation center of the rotary feeding component 12, and the outlet of the funnel 13 is connected to the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2. The rotary feeding component 1... 2 has at least one gripping part 121, which is eccentrically located to the rotation center of the rotating feeder 12; the gripping part 121 has a first working position located below the funnel 13 and a second working position located above the funnel 13. When the gripping part 121 is in the first working position, the gripping part 121 grips the compressor foot pad 6 from the hopper 11. When the gripping part 121 is in the second working position, the compressor foot pad 6 located on the gripping part 121 falls into the funnel 13.

[0045] More specifically, the rotary feeder 12 can be driven by a rotary drive (not shown in the figure) set in the hopper 11. The rotary drive can be a motor, a rotary cylinder, etc. The rotary feeder 12 has three gripping parts 121 and one wheel part 122. The center of the wheel part 12 is installed at the power output end of the rotary drive. The gripping part 121 is a plate structure with an arc-shaped cross-section. One of the straight edges is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel part 122, and the other straight edge extends outward. The three gripping parts 121 are evenly distributed to form an impeller-like structure. In order to prevent the wheel part 122 from blocking the compressor foot pad 6 in the gripping part 121 from falling, the size of the gripping part 121 is larger than the size of the wheel part 12 along the axial direction of the wheel part 122, that is, the axial direction of the rotary feeder 12.

[0046] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the compressor foot pad 6 has a stepped shaft structure, with a large-diameter section and a small-diameter section. The diameter of the large-diameter section is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter section. Its correct placement in the conveying mechanism 2 is with the small-diameter section on top and the large-diameter section on the bottom. To ensure that the compressor foot pad 6 in the gripping part 121 falls smoothly into the funnel 13 and then slides down to the conveying mechanism 2, the funnel opening at the top of the funnel 13 is a long strip extending axially along the wheel part 122, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the height is near the center of the wheel 122. The discharge port at the bottom of the funnel 13 is located above the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is circular in shape and its diameter is matched with the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor foot pad 6. The distance between the discharge port and the conveying surface of the conveying mechanism 2 is matched with the height of the compressor foot pad 6.

[0047] Thus, when the gripping part 121 moves to the first working position, that is, when it moves to the bottom of the hopper 11, its arc-shaped plate structure can scoop in several compressor foot pads 6. When the gripping part 121 moves to the second working position, that is, when it moves to the upper part of the hopper 11, the compressor foot pads 6 fall from the gripping part 121 to the funnel 13, and then fall into the conveying mechanism 2 in sequence through the discharge port. As the conveying mechanism 2 moves, they are placed at intervals on the conveying mechanism 2.

[0048] See Figure 2 In order to control the number and position of the compressor feet 6 on the gripping part 121, a number of hollowed-out positions 1211 are provided on the arc surface of the gripping part 121. The shape of the hollowed-out positions 1211 is not limited. The opening size is larger than the diameter of the small diameter section of the compressor feet 6 and smaller than the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor feet 6. In this way, the compressor feet 6 are hung on the gripping part 121 with the small diameter section facing down. When the gripping part 121 rotates to the top of the funnel 13, the compressor feet 6 fall into the funnel 13 with the small diameter section facing up. When they slide down from the funnel 13 to the conveying mechanism 2, most of the compressor feet 6 can be placed in the correct position with the small diameter section on top and the large diameter section on the bottom.

[0049] In addition, a filter window 1212 is provided on the arc surface of the gripping part 121 near the wheel part 122, which allows the compressor foot pad 6 that is not stuck by the cutout 1211 to fall back into the hopper 11. At the same time, in order to facilitate the scooping in of the compressor foot pad 6, the other straight edge of the gripping part 121 away from the wheel part 122 is provided with a toothed structure 1213.

[0050] It should be noted that "several" in this application refers to two or more items, including two.

[0051] Back Figure 1In this embodiment, the hopper 11 extends along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 2, such that a section of the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2 is located above the hopper 11, and the rejection mechanism 4 is located above the hopper 11. Simultaneously, the bottom surface of the hopper 11 is configured as an inclined surface that rises sequentially along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 2. Thus, when an incorrectly positioned compressor foot pad 6 is rejected by the rejection mechanism 4, it will fall back into the hopper 11 and roll to the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2, so that it can be repositioned onto the conveying mechanism 2 via the rotating feeder 12 and the funnel 13.

[0052] In addition, after screening, the correctly placed compressor foot pads 6 are sent to the assembly process position where the robot is located, that is, the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2. In order to prevent the compressor foot pads 6 from falling off the conveying mechanism 2 due to the robot not being able to grab them in time, a baffle 5 can be set at the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2. In this way, the correctly placed compressor foot pads 6 can be arranged in the assembly process position for the robot to grab in sequence.

[0053] In use, the compressor rubber feet 6 are lubricated and poured into the hopper 11. Driven by the rotating loading component 12, the compressor feet 6 are carried into the funnel 13. Since the diameter of the outlet of the funnel 13 matches the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor feet 6, the compressor feet 6 flow out of the outlet of the funnel 13 one by one and are placed on the conveying mechanism 2. When the compressor feet 6 pass through the detection mechanism 3, the correctness of their placement is measured. Specifically, when an infrared rangefinder is used, the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor feet 6 is measured. If an infrared rangefinder is installed on one side of the conveying mechanism 2, the shortest distance between the rangefinder and the large diameter section can be measured to calculate the diameter of the large diameter section. If infrared rangefinders are installed on both sides of the conveying mechanism 2, the diameter of the large diameter section can be calculated. The distance meter can directly measure the diameter of the large-diameter section. The controller compares the measured diameter with the preset diameter. If the measured diameter matches the preset diameter, it is determined that the compressor foot pad 6 is correctly positioned, the rejection mechanism 4 does not operate, and the compressor foot pad 6 is released normally and flows into the assembly process position for the robot to grasp. If the measured diameter is smaller than the preset diameter, it is determined that the compressor foot pad 6 is incorrectly positioned. The controller sends a signal to the rejection mechanism 4, which operates to push the incorrectly positioned compressor foot pad 6 out of the conveyor mechanism 2 and into the hopper 11. At the same time, the controller records and saves the detection data and displays the real-time dynamic changes of the data intuitively through a display or touch screen, effectively preventing the occurrence of missed detections.

[0054] When the inspection agency 3 uses a visual inspection device, such as a visual camera, the visual camera takes a picture when the compressor foot pad 6 passes by. The controller has built-in image processing software. After receiving the picture taken by the visual camera, the captured picture is compared with the picture of the correct placement position stored in advance. According to the set error rate, it is determined whether the compressor foot pad 6 is placed correctly.

[0055] It should be noted that the rejection mechanism 4 can be set next to the detection mechanism 3 or at a distance downstream of the detection mechanism 3. The controller can directly or indirectly control the start and stop of the conveying mechanism 2 and the rotary feeder 12. When the controller determines that the compressor foot pad 6 is not placed correctly, it can stop the conveying mechanism 2 to facilitate rejection by the rejection mechanism 4. Alternatively, it can not stop the conveying mechanism 2, but calculate the time for the compressor foot pad 6 to reach the rejection mechanism 4 based on the speed of the conveying mechanism 2, and then issue an action command to the rejection mechanism 4.

[0056] As can be seen from the above description, the compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device of this application can realize the automatic sorting of compressor foot pads, ensure the correct placement of compressor foot pads when conveyed to the assembly process position, ensure that the robot can accurately grasp the compressor foot pads, and effectively prevent abnormalities such as mis-installation, omission, and incomplete assembly.

[0057] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "front," "back," "up," "down," "left," "right," "horizontal," "vertical," "horizontal," and "top," "bottom," etc., are generally based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0058] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0059] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0060] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device, characterized in that, include: Feeding mechanism (1); The conveying mechanism (2) is connected to the feeding mechanism (1) and is used to receive the compressor foot pads (6) of the feeding mechanism (1) and convey them to the assembly process position; The detection mechanism (3) is arranged facing the conveying mechanism (2) and is used to detect the placement position of the compressor foot pad (6) located on the conveying mechanism (2); A rejection mechanism (4) is provided facing the conveying mechanism (2) for rejecting the compressor foot pad (6) located on the conveying mechanism (2) from the conveying mechanism (2); The feeding mechanism (1) includes: The hopper (11) is used to place the compressor foot pads (6); A rotary loading component (12) is disposed in the hopper (11) and connected to the hopper (11) to be able to rotate around a horizontal axis; A funnel (13) is set at the rotation center of the rotary feeder (12), and the outlet of the funnel (13) is connected to the feed end of the conveying mechanism (2). The rotary feeder (12) has at least one gripping part (121), which is eccentrically disposed around the rotation center of the rotary feeder (12); The gripping part (121) has a first working position located below the funnel (13) and a second working position located above the funnel (13). When the gripping part (121) is in the first working position, the gripping part (121) grips the compressor foot pad (6) from the hopper (11). When the gripping part (121) is in the second working position, the compressor foot pad (6) located on the gripping part (121) falls into the funnel (13). The feeding mechanism (1) also includes a rotary drive component installed on the hopper (11); The rotary loading component (12) also includes a wheel (122), the center of which is mounted on the power output end of the rotary drive component; The gripping part (121) is a plate structure with an arc-shaped cross-section, and one of the gripping parts (121) has a straight edge connected to the outer peripheral surface of the wheel part (122). The compressor foot pad (6) has a large diameter section and a small diameter section, wherein the diameter of the large diameter section is larger than the diameter of the small diameter section; The gripping part (121) has a plurality of hollowed-out positions (1211) on its arc surface. The size of the hollowed-out positions (1211) is larger than the diameter of the small diameter section and smaller than the diameter of the large diameter section. The gripping part (121) has a filter window (1212) on the arc surface near the wheel part (122) so that the compressor foot pad (6) that is not stuck by the cutout (1211) can fall back into the hopper (11). The gripping part (121) has a straight edge away from the wheel part (122) that is provided with a toothed structure (1213).

2. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the wheel (122), the size of the gripping part (121) is larger than the size of the wheel (12).

3. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the outlet of the funnel (13) is adapted to the diameter of the large diameter section of the compressor foot pad (6).

4. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism (2) is a conveyor belt.

5. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection mechanism (3) is an infrared rangefinder or a visual inspection device.

6. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hopper (11) extends along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism (2); The rejection mechanism (4) is located above the hopper (11), causing the rejected compressor foot pads (6) to fall into the hopper (11). The bottom surface of the hopper (11) is an inclined surface that rises sequentially along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism (2).

7. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge end of the conveying mechanism (2) is provided with a baffle (5).

8. The compressor foot pad sorting and conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a controller, and the detection mechanism (3) and the rejection mechanism (4) are both electrically connected to the controller. The controller controls the action of the rejection mechanism (4) according to the detection signal of the detection mechanism (3).

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