Automatic screwdriver quick change system and quick change method thereof

Abstract

An automatic screwdriver quick change system and a quick change method thereof, the automatic screwdriver quick change system comprising a human-machine interface, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a mechanical arm, an electric lock device, an upper mold provided on the electric lock device, and a lower mold corresponding to a type of screwdriver and removably provided on the upper mold. The human-machine interface is used to set and store formula data of a specific product, the formula data comprising at least one lock hole parameter corresponding to the locking information of a hole position on the product. The PLC reads the formula data from the human-machine interface and controls the mechanical arm and the electric lock device to perform locking operations on the hole positions on the product one by one according to the lock hole parameter. Among them, the mechanical arm automatically replaces and uses the corresponding lower mold based on the lower mold code in the lock hole parameter to cooperate with the electric lock device to perform locking operations on the corresponding hole positions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a screwdriver system, and more particularly to an automatic screwdriver quick-change system and the automatic screwdriver quick-change method used therein. Background Technology

[0002] Many products must be assembled by fastening screws. Generally, fastening operations on traditional production lines are performed manually by operators. However, due to the slow speed, poor accuracy, and low torque output of manual operations, they have now been largely replaced by automated robotic arms.

[0003] The aforementioned automated system using robotic arms for automated fastening operations can indeed reduce manpower and achieve rapid and stable results. However, with the recent emphasis on low-volume, high-variety production lines, the need for frequent manual changes of screwdrivers on the robotic arms to meet product demands still limits processing speed.

[0004] In view of this, how to automatically replace the required screwdrivers during the fastening process, avoiding system downtime and manual replacement, and thus improving production speed, has become a topic of in-depth research for professionals in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide an automatic screwdriver quick-change system and method, which can automatically change the corresponding screwdriver according to the type of each hole on the product during the automated fastening operation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the automatic screwdriver quick-change system of the present invention includes:

[0007] A robotic arm;

[0008] An electric lock device is mounted on the robotic arm and has an upper mold and a lower mold removably mounted on one side of the upper mold, wherein the lower mold corresponds to one of a plurality of screwdriver types;

[0009] A programmable logic controller (PLC) is electrically connected to the robotic arm and the electric lock device, controlling the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform a locking operation on a product; and

[0010] A human-machine interface is electrically connected to the PLC and stores a formula data of the product. The formula data includes at least one locking hole parameter, which corresponds to a hole position on the product and records a coordinate of the hole position, a feeder code, and a lower mold code. The coordinate corresponds to an actual position of the hole position, the feeder code corresponds to a setting position of a feeder that provides a material for locking the hole position, and the lower mold code corresponds to a replacement position of the lower mold for locking the hole position.

[0011] The PLC reads the product's formula data from the human-machine interface and controls the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform the locking operation on the hole on the product based on the lock hole parameters.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the automatic screwdriver quick-change method of the present invention is applied to the quick-change system described above, and includes the following steps:

[0013] a) Set and store a formula data for a product through the human-machine interface, wherein the formula data includes at least one locking hole parameter, the locking hole parameter corresponds to a hole position on the product and records a coordinate of the hole position, a feeder code and a lower mold code, wherein the coordinate corresponds to an actual position of the hole position, the feeder code corresponds to a setting position of a feeder that provides a material for locking the hole position, and the lower mold code corresponds to a replacement position of the lower mold for locking the hole position;

[0014] b) The PLC reads at least one of the keyhole parameters from the product's formula data from the human-machine interface;

[0015] c) The PLC controls the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform a locking operation on the hole on the product based on the keyhole parameters;

[0016] d) When the lower mold code in the lock hole parameters obtained by the PLC does not match the lower mold currently used by the robotic arm, the PLC controls the robotic arm to move to the corresponding replacement position based on the lower mold code to replace the lower mold; and

[0017] e) After step d), the robotic arm and the electric lock device perform the locking operation on the hole position based on the lock hole parameters and the replaced lower mold.

[0018] Compared to related technologies, the present invention uses a quick-change system to automatically change the corresponding lower mold (i.e., screwdriver) based on the locking hole parameters of each hole on the product. This can avoid system downtime during automated fastening operations and does not require human intervention, thus effectively improving the overall production speed and quality of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1This is a specific embodiment of the block diagram of the quick-change system of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a specific embodiment of the quick-change system of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a specific embodiment of the flowchart of the quick-change method of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4A This is a first specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the keyhole parameters of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4B This is a second specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the keyhole parameters of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the setting interface of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a specific embodiment of the flowchart for the setting procedure of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a specific embodiment of the flowchart for the locking operation of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8A This is a specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the setting program data flow of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8B This is a specific embodiment of the data flow diagram for the locking and fastening operation of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a first specific embodiment of the cross-sectional view of the quick-change system of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 10 This is a second specific embodiment of the cross-sectional view of the quick-change system of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 11 This is a specific embodiment of the bottom view of the upper mold of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 12 This is a specific embodiment of the top view of the lower mold of the present invention.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0034] 1…Human-computer interface

[0035] 11…Settings Interface

[0036] 10…Human-Machine Memory

[0037] 2…Programmable Logic Controller

[0038] 20… Controller Memory

[0039] 201…Full Data Storage Area

[0040] 202…Single-point data storage area

[0041] 3…robotic arm

[0042] 4…Electric lock device

[0043] 41…lock

[0044] 411… Screw thread

[0045] 412… Electric screwdriver

[0046] 5…upper mold

[0047] 50…opening

[0048] 51…Pressure cylinder

[0049] 511… steel balls

[0050] 52… airflow channel

[0051] 53…Source of air pressure

[0052] 6…lower mold

[0053] 61… Sleeve

[0054] 611…groove

[0055] 62…Central Column

[0056] 621…Connector

[0057] 622…screwdriver

[0058] 623…Vessel

[0059] 71…Work Platform

[0060] 72… products

[0061] 721…hole position

[0062] 73…Feeder

[0063] 74…Change position

[0064] 8, 8'... Lockhole parameters

[0065] 80…Formula Data

[0066] 81…Work Area Code

[0067] 82…hole position

[0068] 83… Lower mold code

[0069] 84…Feeder code

[0070] 85…Descending speed

[0071] 86… Hole position coordinates

[0072] 87…CCD image capture height

[0073] 88… Electric lock device posture

[0074] 89…CCD posture

[0075] S10~S26…Quick Change Procedure

[0076] S30~S42…Setting Steps

[0077] S50~S58… Locking Procedure Detailed Implementation

[0078] The following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention discloses an automatic screwdriver quick-change system (hereinafter referred to as the quick-change system), which can be applied to a production line to perform automated fastening operations on various products. During the automated fastening operation, the quick-change system can also automatically change the corresponding screwdriver according to the type of each hole on the product, thereby using the corresponding material (e.g., screw). In this way, the quick-change system does not require any downtime on the production line and eliminates the need for manual screwdriver changing, effectively improving the overall production speed and quality of the production line.

[0079] Please refer to the first one. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in Figure 1 This is a specific embodiment of the block diagram of the quick-change system of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a specific embodiment of the quick-change system of the present invention.

[0080] like Figure 1 As shown, the quick-change system of the present invention mainly includes a human-machine interface 1, a programmable logic controller (PLC) 2, a robotic arm 3, and an electric lock device 4. The human-machine interface 1 is operated by users on the production line to set various information about the products to be produced. The PLC 2 is electrically connected to the human-machine interface 1 and is used to control the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 according to the user's settings to realize the main functions of automatic fastening and automatic screwdriver replacement.

[0081] In one embodiment, the quick-change system further includes a robotic arm controller and an electric lock controller (not shown in the figure). The PLC2 is connected to the robotic arm 3 via the robotic arm controller and to the electric lock device 4 via the electric lock controller. In this embodiment, when performing automatic locking operations, the PLC2 issues control commands to the robotic arm controller and the electric lock controller to control the robotic arm 3 via the robotic arm controller and to control the electric lock device 4 via the electric lock controller.

[0082] like Figure 2 As shown, the robotic arm 3 is mounted on the work platform 71 on the production line, and the electric locking device 4 is mounted on the robotic arm 3. In one embodiment, the electric locking device 4 is installed on one side of the robotic arm 3. In this invention, the quick-change system controls the movement of the robotic arm 3 via PLC2 to move the electric locking device 4 on the robotic arm 3 to the required locking position, and then controls the electric locking device 4 to operate via PLC2 to perform locking operations on the holes 721 at the locking positions on the product 72.

[0083] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the electric lock device 4 has an upper mold 5 and a lower mold 6 removably disposed on one side of the upper mold 5. The lower mold 6 corresponds to one of a plurality of screwdriver types, and the quick-change system of the present invention performs a locking operation on one or more holes 721 on the product 72 using a screwdriver on the lower mold 6 (described in detail later).

[0084] In this embodiment, one side of the upper mold 5 is fixedly mounted on the lock head end of the electric lock device 4, and the other side is detachably connected to the lower mold 6. That is, the upper mold 5 serves as a connector between the electric lock device 4 and the lower mold 6. Through the setting of the upper mold 5, the quick-change system of the present invention can achieve the purpose of automatically changing the screwdriver for the electric lock device 4.

[0085] like Figure 2 As shown, in addition to the robotic arm 3 and the product 72 to be fastened, the work platform 71 can also be equipped with multiple feeders 73, each used to hold materials of different types and sizes. In one embodiment, the multiple feeders 73 hold screws of different sizes, such as 5.3mm and 6.7mm. In another embodiment, the multiple feeders 73 hold different types of screws, such as M3 Phillips head screws, M4 Phillips head screws, and slotted screws, but are not limited to these.

[0086] In this embodiment, one side of the lower mold 6 is connected to the upper mold 5 via a removable mechanism (described in detail later), and the other side is provided with a chamfered shape corresponding to the screw head. During the fastening operation, the PLC2 controls the robotic arm 3 to move to the corresponding feeder 73 based on the information of the hole position 721 on the product 72, and the lower mold 6 on the electric locking device 4 uses an air nozzle to pick up the screw stored in the feeder 73 and place it onto the screw head. Thus, when the PLC2 further controls the robotic arm 3 to move to the corresponding hole position 721, the electric locking device 4 can use the screw picked up by the lower mold 6 to perform the fastening operation on the hole position 721.

[0087] like Figure 2 As shown, the work platform 71 further defines one or more interchangeable positions 74, each interchangeable position 74 holding a different lower mold 6, wherein each lower mold 6 corresponds to a different type of screwdriver (e.g., M3 Phillips, M4 Phillips, flathead, etc.). As mentioned earlier, during the fastening operation, the PLC2 controls the robotic arm 3 to move according to the information of the hole positions 721 on the product 72 to pick up the material required for the hole positions 721. However, the screwdriver type on each lower mold 6 is fixed, that is, one lower mold 6 can only be used to fasten one corresponding material.

[0088] Therefore, when PLC2 determines that a different material than the previous hole 721 needs to be retrieved based on information about a hole 721 (i.e., the target hole), it first controls the robotic arm 3 to move to one of the replacement positions 74, so that the electric locking device 4 can perform the replacement operation of the lower mold 6. The screwdriver on the replaced lower mold 6 can be matched with the material required for the target hole. After the lower mold 6 is replaced, PLC2 controls the robotic arm 3 to move to the corresponding feeder 73 to obtain the corresponding material, and then performs the locking operation on the target hole.

[0089] like Figure 1 As shown, the human-machine interface 1 of the present invention has a human-machine memory 10 for storing the formula data of the product 72 to be fastened.

[0090] Specifically, a production line can be used to produce multiple products 72 of different brands, specifications, sizes, and types. Each product 72 corresponds to a single formula data entry, and the formula data includes at least one keyhole parameter, where the keyhole parameter corresponds to a hole position 721 on the product 72, and at least records the coordinates, feeder code, and lower mold code of this hole position 721. If a product 72 has multiple hole positions 721, the formula data includes multiple keyhole parameters corresponding to the multiple hole positions 721, but is not limited to this.

[0091] For example, if a product 72 has ten holes 721 that require locking operations, the formula data will contain ten locking hole parameters, each corresponding to one of the holes 721. Specifically, the coordinates recorded in the locking hole parameters correspond to the actual position of the hole 721; the feeder code recorded in the locking hole parameters corresponds to the setting position of the feeder 73 on the work platform 71 that provides the material for locking the hole 721; and the lower die code recorded in the locking hole parameters corresponds to the replacement position 74 of the lower die 6 required for locking the hole 721.

[0092] However, the above are only some specific embodiments of the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

[0093] Given the PLC2's memory (e.g.) Figure 1 The controller memory 20 shown has a small capacity, and the formula data for each product 72 can be pre-stored in the human-machine interface 1's human-machine memory 10. The quick-change system of this invention is mainly controlled by the PLC2 to control the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4. Therefore, during the locking operation, the PLC2 reads the corresponding formula data from the human-machine memory 10 based on the product 72 to be processed, and then controls the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 to perform the locking operation on the holes 721 on the product 72 based on at least one locking hole parameter in the formula data. This achieves automated locking. If the product 72 has multiple holes 721, the PLC2 can control the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 to perform the locking operation on each hole 721 on the product 72 one by one based on the multiple locking hole parameters in the formula data.

[0094] When performing the locking operation, the robotic arm 3 mainly obtains the locking parameters of one hole position 721 from the PLC2 at a time, and after completing the locking operation of this hole position 721, it obtains the locking parameters of the next hole position 721 (when there are more than one locking parameter), and so on.

[0095] After obtaining the lock hole parameters for a hole position 721, the robotic arm 3 can first determine whether the lower mold code recorded in the lock hole parameters matches the lower mold 6 currently configured in the electric lock device 4. If they do not match, it means that the electric lock device 4 needs to replace the lower mold 6. At this time, the robotic arm 3 first moves to the corresponding replacement position 74 on the work platform 71 based on the lower mold code recorded in the lock hole parameters to perform the replacement action of the lower mold 6, and then performs the locking operation on the hole position 721 according to the replaced lower mold 6.

[0096] Please continue reading Figure 3 The following is a specific embodiment of the flowchart of the quick-change method of the present invention. Figure 3 The present invention discloses an automatic screwdriver quick-change method (hereinafter referred to as the quick-change method in the specification), which is applied to, for example... Figure 1 , Figure 2 The quick-change system shown enables automated fastening and automatic screwdriver replacement.

[0097] like Figure 3 As shown, firstly, the user operates the human-machine interface 1 to set and store the formula data of product 72 (step S10). As mentioned above, the formula data includes at least one locking hole parameter, which corresponds to a hole position 721 on product 72, and at least records the coordinates of hole position 721, feeder code, and lower mold code. In the following embodiment, the description will be based on an example where the formula data includes multiple locking hole parameters, product 72 has multiple holes 721, and each locking hole parameter corresponds to one of the holes 721, but this is not a limitation.

[0098] During the locking operation, PLC2 reads the multiple lock hole parameters corresponding to the formula data of the product 72 to be processed from the HMI 1's HMI memory 10 (step S12). It is worth noting that the HMI 1's HMI memory 10 can store multiple formula data, each corresponding to a different product 72. In step S12, the user can select the product 72 to be processed through the HMI 1. Based on this selection, PLC2 reads the corresponding formula data from the HMI memory 10.

[0099] More specifically, due to the access limitations of the controller memory 20, the PLC2 reads only one keyhole parameter from the human-machine interface memory 10 at a time and determines whether all the formula data of product 72 has been read (step S14). Before all the formula data has been read, the PLC2 repeats step S12 to read the multiple keyhole parameters in the formula data one by one. After all the formula data has been read, the PLC2 can control the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 to perform the locking operation on each hole 721 on product 72 one by one according to the keyhole parameters in the read formula data (step S16).

[0100] Specifically, PLC2 can only control the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 to process one hole 721 on the product 72 at a time. Therefore, in step S16, PLC2 controls the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 based on a single locking parameter to perform a locking operation on one hole 721 on the product 72. Furthermore, PLC2 repeats step S16 until all holes 721 on the product 72 have been locked (i.e., until all locking parameters in the formula data have been used by the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4).

[0101] After step S16, the robotic arm 3 compares the currently obtained lock hole parameters with the lower mold 6 currently used by the electric lock device 4 to determine whether the lower mold code in the lock hole parameters matches the currently used lower mold 6 (step S18). If the comparison does not match, it means that the currently used lower mold 6 is incompatible with the hole position 721 to be processed. At this time, the robotic arm 3 moves to the corresponding replacement position 74 based on the lower mold code (step S20) to replace the lower mold 6 on the electric lock device 4 (step S22).

[0102] It is worth mentioning that in this embodiment, each lower mold code corresponds to a replacement position 74 on the work platform 71. In step S20, the robotic arm 3 first moves to the corresponding replacement position 74 according to the lower mold code of the currently used lower mold 6 to remove the lower mold 6 currently set on the upper mold 5, and then moves to another replacement position 74 according to the lower mold code recorded in the lock hole parameters, and installs the lower mold 6 placed at the other replacement position 74 onto the upper mold 5, thereby completing the automatic replacement action. However, the above is only one specific embodiment of the present invention, and is not limited thereto.

[0103] If the comparison is found to be compatible in step S18, it means that the lower mold 6 currently in use is compatible with the hole position 721 to be processed, so no replacement is required.

[0104] After step S18 or step S22, the replacement system can perform a locking operation on the hole position 721 based on the lock hole parameters and the replaced lower mold 6 using the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 (step S24). In one embodiment, the locking operation includes moving to the setting position of the corresponding feeder 73 based on the feeder code recorded in the lock hole parameters to obtain the corresponding material, moving to the corresponding hole position 721 based on the coordinates recorded in the lock hole parameters, and locking the obtained material onto the hole position 721 according to the replaced lower mold 6.

[0105] After step S24, PLC2 determines whether all the multiple holes 721 on product 72 have been locked (step S26). If the multiple holes 721 on product 72 have not been locked, PLC2 executes steps S16 to S24 again to control the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 to lock the next hole 721 based on the next hole parameters, until all holes 721 on product 72 have been locked.

[0106] Please refer to the following for further details. Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 4A ,in Figure 4A This is a first specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the keyhole parameters of the present invention. Figure 4A One embodiment of the keyhole parameter 8 of the present invention is disclosed. Figure 4AIn the embodiments, each keyhole parameter 8 may include data such as working area code 81, hole position code 82, lower mold code 83, feeder code 84, descent speed 85, and hole position coordinates 86, but is not limited thereto.

[0107] Specifically, a work platform 71 may simultaneously contain multiple platforms (e.g., platform A, platform B, platform C, etc.), each platform holding one or more products 72 to be processed. The work area code 81 records which platform the product 72 to be processed (hereinafter referred to as the target product) is placed on, while the hole position code 82 records the number of the hole position 721 to be processed (hereinafter referred to as the target hole position) relative to the target product (e.g., sequential numbering such as 001, 002, 003, etc.). Through the work area code 81 and the hole position code 82, the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 can clearly know the target of the current locking operation.

[0108] The lower die code 83 corresponds to the placement position of the lower die 6 required for the target hole on the work platform 71 (i.e., such as...). Figure 2 As shown in the replacement position 74), the feeder code 84 corresponds to the setting position of the feeder 73 on the work platform 71, which provides the material needed for the target hole. It is worth noting that the replacement position 74 of the lower die 6 and the setting position of the feeder 73 on the work platform 71 are fixed, therefore, the lower die code 83 and feeder code 84 can be used to directly represent their respective positions. In other embodiments, the lower die code 83 and feeder code 84 can also be represented by actual coordinate positions, without limitation.

[0109] The descent speed 85 corresponds to the feed speed of the electric lock device 4 when performing the locking operation on the target hole. That is, the descent speed 85 corresponds to the speed at which the robotic arm 3 moves downward in coordination with the operation of the electric lock device 4 when performing the locking operation on the target hole.

[0110] The hole position coordinates 86 correspond to the actual position of the target hole (e.g., relative to the target product itself, or relative to the working platform 71). Based on the working area code 81, hole position code 82, lower mold code 83, feeder code 84, descent speed 85, and hole position coordinates 86, PLC2 can effectively control the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 to perform automated fastening operations on each hole 721 on the target product, while also achieving automatic screwdriver replacement.

[0111] It is worth mentioning that the hole position coordinates 86 record a predicted coordinate value based on the analog quantity of product 72. However, the actual position of each hole 721 on product 72 may differ from the predicted value recorded by the hole position coordinates 86 due to factors such as machining tolerances, platform tolerances, or tolerances caused by manual placement of product 72. To solve the above problem, some production lines are also equipped with an image vision auxiliary device (such as a charge-coupled device (CCD), not shown in the figure) electrically connected to PLC2 to confirm and correct the position of the robotic arm 3 and / or the electric lock device 4 as well as the actual position of the hole 721.

[0112] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 4B ,in Figure 4B This is a second specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the keyhole parameters of the present invention. Figure 4B Another specific embodiment of the keyhole parameter 8' of this disclosure is disclosed. Figure 4B In one embodiment, the CCD is further provided on the production line, and the key hole parameters 8' of each hole 721 on the product 72 further include CCD image capture height 87, electric lock device posture 88, and CCD posture 89.

[0113] Specifically, the CCD imaging height 87 records the height that the CCD should possess when performing a locking operation on a hole 721 (hereinafter referred to as the target hole). The electric lock device posture 88 records the posture that the electric lock device 4 should adopt when performing a locking operation on the target hole. The CCD posture 89 records the posture that the CCD should adopt when performing a locking operation on the target hole.

[0114] By controlling the CCD image acquisition height 87, the electric lock device posture 88, and the CCD posture 89, the quick-change system can simultaneously control the CCD to acquire images of the target hole position while controlling the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 to perform the locking operation. This avoids the robotic arm 3 or the electric lock device 4 from colliding with the CCD or obstructing the CCD's view during movement. Furthermore, when the CCD acquires an image of the target hole position and, after analysis, determines that the actual position of the target hole position differs from the hole position coordinates 86 recorded in the lock hole parameters, it can generate a set of offset values ​​to record this difference. The PLC2 can then use these offset values ​​to correct the position of the robotic arm 3, thereby improving the processing accuracy of the quick-change system through the CCD.

[0115] Please refer to the following for further details. Figures 1 to 5 ,in Figure 5 This is a specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the setting interface of the present invention.

[0116] like Figure 5As shown, before performing the fastening operation on product 72 through the quick-change system, users on the production line can first operate the human-machine interface 1 to establish the formula data for product 72. Figure 5 The settings interface 11 on the human-machine interface 1 is disclosed. Through the settings interface 11, the user can customize the lock hole parameters 8 of each hole 721 on the product 72.

[0117] Through the setting interface 11, the user can set the locking parameter 8 of one hole position 721 at a time, and multiple locking parameters 8 can constitute a complete formula data, where each locking parameter 8 corresponds to a hole position 721 on the product 72. Specifically, the user can set the product name when setting the locking parameter 8. In this way, when storing multiple locking parameters 8, the human-machine interface 1 can store multiple locking parameters 8 in the same memory area by using the same product name (that is, group the multiple locking parameters 8 into the same group) to form a formula data corresponding to the same product 72.

[0118] At Figure 5 In one embodiment, the user can set the hole coordinates (including planar coordinates X, Y, Z, rotational coordinates RX, RY, and RZ), working area, lower mold code, feeder code, descent speed, CCD imaging height, electric lock device attitude number, and CCD attitude number of each hole 721 on the product 72 through the setting interface 11. In one embodiment, the user can directly input the above information through a keyboard or touchpad. In another embodiment, the setting interface 11 can provide a drop-down menu for the user to select the parameters to be set from preset information through a keyboard, mouse, or touchpad, but this is not limited to this.

[0119] As described above, the human-machine interface 1 of the present invention has a human-machine memory 10, and the formula data of each product 72 is mainly stored in the human-machine memory 10. In one embodiment, the human-machine memory 10 can record the key hole parameters of approximately 1,200 holes 721. Taking each product 72 as having 60 holes 721 as an example, the human-machine memory 10 can store at least 20 sets of formula data. In other words, the human-machine memory 10 can simultaneously store the formula data of ten products 72.

[0120] However, due to the hardware access limitations of the human-machine interface 10 itself, the human-machine interface 1 generally needs to import data into the human-machine interface 10 from an external source. Therefore, during the process of establishing recipe data (i.e., Figure 3As shown in step S10), the human-machine interface 1 first writes each keyhole parameter 8 input by the user through the setting interface 11 into the controller memory 20 of the PLC2 for temporary storage. Then, the human-machine interface 1 reads the multiple keyhole parameters 8 temporarily stored in the PLC2 back into the human-machine memory 10, and stores the multiple keyhole parameters 8 corresponding to the same product 72 as a single formula data according to the product name or serial number recorded in each keyhole parameter 8.

[0121] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8A ,in Figure 6 This is a specific embodiment of the flowchart of the setting procedure of the present invention. Figure 8A This is a specific embodiment of the schematic diagram of the setting program data flow of the present invention.

[0122] like Figure 8A As shown, in this invention, the controller memory 20 of the PLC2 may include a full data storage area 201 and a single-point data storage area 202. In one embodiment, the user accesses the data via... Figure 5 The setting interface 11 shown is used to set the multiple keyhole parameters 8 of a product 72, and the human-machine interface 1 stores the multiple keyhole parameters 8 into the human-machine memory 10 of the human-machine interface 1 through the full data storage area 201 and the single-point data storage area 202 of the controller memory 20 of PLC2, and forms the recipe data.

[0123] In one embodiment, the full data storage area 201 may be, for example, the data storage area numbered D1000 to D3999 in the controller memory 20, used to store all externally written data. The single-point data storage area 202 may be, for example, the data storage area numbered D950 to D999 in the controller memory 20, used to store a single piece of data. However, the above is merely one specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit it.

[0124] Specifically, before performing the automated locking operation, the human-machine interface 1 accepts the user's setting operation through the setting interface 11 to set the locking hole parameters 8 of the multiple holes 721 on a product 72 (step S30). In one embodiment, the user sets one locking hole parameter 8 at a time through the setting interface 11, and the human-machine interface 1 writes the user-set locking hole parameters 8 sequentially into the full data storage area 201 of the controller memory 20 of the PLC2 (step S32).

[0125] During the setup process, the HMI 1 or PLC 2 continuously checks whether all holes 721 of a product 72 have been set (step S34), that is, whether there are any unset holes 721. Before all holes 721 of the product 72 have been set (i.e., some holes 721 do not yet have corresponding locking parameters 8), the HMI 1 executes steps S30 and S32 again to accept the user's setting of the locking parameters 8 for the next hole 721, and the HMI 1 writes the locking parameters 8 into the full data storage area 201 of the PLC 2's controller memory 20.

[0126] The quick-change system of this invention uses a PLC2 to control the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4. Therefore, the formula data of product 72 should be recorded in the controller memory 20 of the PLC2. However, considering the capacity limitation of the PLC2's memory, it is usually insufficient to store the formula data of multiple products 72 simultaneously. Therefore, the quick-change system of this invention stores the formula data of multiple products 72 in the human-machine interface 1's human-machine memory 10. When the quick-change system needs to process a target product, the PLC2 reads the formula data corresponding to the target product from the human-machine memory 10 back to the controller memory 20.

[0127] In step S32, PLC2 temporarily stores the multiple keyhole parameters 8 of product 72 only in controller memory 20. After step S34, PLC2 must write the temporarily stored multiple keyhole parameters 8 back to human-machine interface 1's human-machine memory 10, and form the formula data of product 72 in human-machine memory 10.

[0128] Specifically, after step S34, PLC2 writes the multiple keyhole parameters 8 from the full data storage area 201 into the single-point data storage area 202 one by one (step S36). As mentioned above, the single-point data storage area 202 can only store one keyhole parameter 8 at a time. After step S36, PLC2 writes the single keyhole parameter 8 from the single-point data storage area 202 into the human-machine memory 10 of the human-machine interface 1 (step S38).

[0129] After step S38, the HMI 1 and / or PLC 2 determine whether the multiple keyhole parameters 8 in the controller memory 20 have been written completely (step S40). Before all keyhole parameters 8 in the full data storage area 201 are written to the HMI memory 10, PLC 2 and HMI 1 repeat steps S36 and S38 to write all keyhole parameters 8 in the full data storage area 201 to the HMI memory 10. After all keyhole parameters 8 in the full data storage area 201 are written to the HMI memory 10, HMI 1 can construct the formula data of product 72 based on all keyhole parameters 8 (step S42).

[0130] It is worth mentioning that, compared to the controller memory 20, the human-machine interface 10 generally has a longer memory range. In the aforementioned step S38, the PLC2 mainly writes the keyhole parameters 8 from the single-point data storage area 202 into the human-machine interface 10 sequentially. In one embodiment, each keyhole parameter 8 may have a corresponding product name or a corresponding serial number. Since the number of holes 721 possessed by the target product is known, the human-machine interface 1 can group the multiple keyhole parameters 8 by using the product name and serial number recorded in each keyhole parameter 8, so as to establish corresponding formula data for each product 72.

[0131] For example, when PLC2 starts writing the first keyhole parameter (with serial number 01) of the first product into the HMI 10, HMI 1 can find out by querying the product name that the first product has 20 keyhole positions 721 (i.e., twenty keyhole parameters 8 need to be written). Therefore, HMI 1 will receive the twenty keyhole parameters with serial numbers 01 to 20 from PLC2 in sequence, and write these twenty keyhole parameters into the same memory segment to form the formula data of the same product 72.

[0132] The above is only one specific embodiment of the present invention, but it is not limited thereto.

[0133] As described above, the quick-change system of the present invention stores the formula data of all products 72 in the human-machine interface 1's human-machine memory 10, and when a locking operation is to be performed on the target product, the formula data corresponding to the target product is read from the human-machine memory 10 back into the PLC2's controller memory 20. It is worth mentioning that, similar to writing data into the human-machine memory 10, when the PLC2 needs to read formula data from the human-machine memory 10, it mainly obtains one lock hole parameter 8 from the formula data at a time through the single-point data storage area 202.

[0134] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8B ,in Figure 7 This is a specific embodiment of the flowchart of the locking operation of the present invention. Figure 8B This is a specific embodiment of the data flow diagram for the locking and fastening operation of the present invention.

[0135] like Figure 8B As shown, after the aforementioned setup procedure is completed, the human-machine interface 10 can store multiple formula data 80s, each formula data 80 corresponding to a different product 72. When a user wants to perform an automated fastening operation on a target product using the quick-change system of the present invention, the human-machine interface 1 can accept the user's selection operation to select the target product from multiple products 72 (step S50). Specifically, the human-machine interface 1 can provide, for example, Figure 5 The setup interface 11 shown provides a drop-down selection, allowing the user to choose one of several known products 72 from which the setup process has been completed.

[0136] It is worth mentioning that in the aforementioned setup procedure, the human-machine interface 1 can mainly group the multiple keyhole parameters 8 written by the PLC2 according to different products 72, and record multiple keyhole parameters 8 corresponding to the same product 72 in the same memory segment to form a formula data 80. In step S50, the human-machine interface 1 can read the corresponding memory segment from the human-machine memory 10 based on the target product selected by the user to obtain the formula data 80 corresponding to the target product.

[0137] After step S50, the human-machine interface 1 writes at least one keyhole parameter 8 or one of multiple keyhole parameters 8 from the formula data 80 corresponding to the target product into the single-point data storage area 202 of the controller memory 20 of the PLC2 (step S52). Then, the PLC2 writes the keyhole parameter 8 from the single-point data storage area 202 into the full data storage area 201 (step S54). For ease of explanation, the following example uses formula data 80 recording multiple keyhole parameters 8, but is not limited to this.

[0138] In one embodiment, the single-point data storage area 202 may be, for example, the data storage area numbered D950 to D999 in the controller memory 20, while the full data storage area 201 may be, for example, the data storage area numbered D4000 to D6999 in the controller memory 20. However, the above is merely one specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit it.

[0139] As mentioned above, the single-point data storage area 202 can only store a single keyhole parameter 8 at a time. In step S52, the human-machine interface 1 mainly writes one keyhole parameter 8 from the recipe data 80 into the single-point data storage area 202 of the controller memory 20. In step S54, the PLC2 writes the single keyhole parameter stored in the single-point data storage area 202 into the full data storage area 201.

[0140] After step S54, the human-machine interface 1 and / or PLC2 determine whether the formula data 80 corresponding to the target product has been read completely (step S56), and before the formula data 80 is read completely, steps S52 and S54 are repeated to write all the multiple keyhole parameters 8 contained in the formula data 80 into the full data storage area 201 of the controller memory 20 of PLC2.

[0141] Once all the keyhole parameters 8 of the formula data 80 have been written into the full data storage area 201, the PLC2 completes the program of reading the formula data 80 corresponding to the target product from the human-machine interface 1. Therefore, the PLC2 can sequentially control the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 based on each keyhole data 8, so that the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 can perform locking operations on the multiple holes 721 on the target product one by one (step S58).

[0142] In the quick-change method of the present invention, the user calls the corresponding formula data 80 from the human-machine interface 1 based on the target product to be fastened, and reads the formula data 80 back to the PLC2. The PLC2 processes only one set of formula data 80 at a time. Further, after reading back a set of formula data 80, the PLC2 issues control commands to the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 at a frequency of one locking hole parameter 8 at a time, so that the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 sequentially perform fastening operations on each hole 721 on the target product. Specifically, since the robotic arm 3 and the electric locking device 4 can only perform fastening operations on one hole 721 at a time, the PLC2 only needs to use and deliver one locking hole parameter 8 at a time.

[0143] More specifically, in step S58, PLC2 mainly processes the currently obtained keyhole parameters 8 through its internal program to convert them into programs or control commands that the robotic arm 3 and / or the electric lock device 4 can understand, thereby enabling the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 to perform the locking operation on the keyhole 721. In another embodiment, PLC2 mainly converts the keyhole parameters 8 into programs or control commands that the robotic arm controller and the electric lock controller (not shown) can understand, and then controls the robotic arm 3 and the electric lock device 4 through the robotic arm controller and the electric lock controller, but this is not limited to this.

[0144] Please continue reading Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 ,in Figure 9 This is a first specific embodiment of the cross-sectional view of the quick-change system of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a second specific embodiment of the cross-sectional view of the quick-change system of the present invention. Figure 11 This is a specific embodiment of the bottom view of the upper mold of the present invention. Figure 12 This is a specific embodiment of the top view of the lower mold of the present invention.

[0145] like Figures 9 to 12As shown, the electric lock device 4 has a lock head 41 on one side, with threads 411 on the outer side of the lock head 41, and an electric screwdriver 412 inside the lock head 41. Specifically, the electric lock device 4 can be equipped with a screwdriver of a corresponding size and type via the electric screwdriver 412 on the lock head 41, so as to perform the fastening operation by using the screwdriver. The replacement system of the present invention achieves the purpose of automatically changing the screwdriver by setting an upper mold 5 on the lock head 41 that can be detachably connected to the lower mold 6, thereby enabling the PLC 2 and the robotic arm 3 to achieve the purpose of automatic screwdriver replacement.

[0146] The upper mold 5 has a first end and a second end away from the first end. The upper mold 5 is fixedly mounted on the thread 411 of the lock head 41 of the electric lock device 4 via the first end, so as to be assembled with the electric lock device 4. The upper mold 5 is provided with an opening 50 at the second end. When the upper mold 5 is connected to the electric lock device 4 via the first end, the position of the opening 50 corresponds to the position of the electric screwdriver 412.

[0147] An clamping cylinder 51 is provided on both sides of the opening 50 of the upper mold 5, and an airflow channel 52 is provided on both sides of the upper mold 5. Each clamping cylinder 51 is connected to an air pressure source 53 through the airflow channel 52. At least one movable steel ball 511 is provided on one side of the clamping cylinder 51. By controlling the air supply and cut-off of the air pressure source 53, the clamping cylinder 51 can control the release and clamping of the steel ball 511, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the clamping cylinder 51.

[0148] The lower mold 6 has a first end and a second end away from the first end. Sleeves 61 are respectively provided on both sides of the first end of the lower mold 6, and grooves 611 are provided on the inner walls of the sleeves 61. The number, shape, and position of the sleeves 61 correspond to the number, shape, and position of the clamping cylinders 51 on the second end of the upper mold 5. When the lower mold 6 is connected to the second end of the upper mold 5 through the first end, the clamping cylinders 51 are housed within the sleeves 61.

[0149] When the air pressure source 53 of the upper mold 5 is supplied with air, the steel ball 511 on the clamping cylinder 51 is in a released state, at which time the clamping cylinder 51 can extend into the sleeve 61. When the air pressure source 53 of the upper mold 5 is cut off, the steel ball 511 on the clamping cylinder 51 is in a clamped state, at which time the steel ball 511 is locked in the groove 611 in the sleeve 61, so that the lower mold 6 and the upper mold 5 can be tightly engaged. In other words, the engagement and disengagement of the clamping cylinder 51 and the sleeve 61 can be achieved by controlling the air pressure source 53. Thus, the quick-change system of the present invention can achieve the purpose of automatically changing the screwdriver (i.e., automatically changing the lower mold 6).

[0150] Specifically, the lower mold 6 also has a central post 62, which is located at the center of the lower mold 6 and has a connecting end 621 extending through the first end and a screwdriver 622 extending through the second end. The connecting end 621 has a shape corresponding to the electric screwdriver 412 on the electric lock device 4. When the lower mold 6 is connected to the upper mold 5, the connecting end 621 of the central post 62 can pass through the opening 50 of the upper mold 5 and be inserted into the electric screwdriver 412 of the electric lock device 4. When the electric lock device 4 is controlled by the PLC2 to rotate the electric screwdriver 412, the electric screwdriver 412 can drive the central post 62 to rotate through the connecting end 621, thereby achieving the screw fastening operation through the screwdriver 622 of the central post 62.

[0151] As described above, the quick-change system of the present invention may have a plurality of lower molds 6, each lower mold 6 corresponding to a screwdriver 622 of a different size or type. Depending on the screw corresponding to the target hole on the target product, the quick-change system can dynamically change the lower mold 6, thereby using the corresponding size and type of screwdriver 622 and screw to perform the fastening operation on the target hole.

[0152] More specifically, the screwdriver 622 of the lower mold 6 of the present invention is provided with an air nozzle 623. With the air nozzle 623, when the lower mold 6 contacts a screw of the corresponding size and type, the screw can be attracted to the screwdriver 622 by vacuum suction, thereby fixing the screw to the target hole on the target product.

[0153] As described above, the quick-change system of the present invention can automatically change and use the corresponding lower mold 6 (i.e., screwdriver 622) and screws according to the locking parameters 8 of each hole position when performing automated fastening operations on product 72. In this way, not only is it unnecessary to stop the machine to change the screwdriver 622, but it also does not require human intervention, thereby effectively improving the overall production speed and quality of the production line.

[0154] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the claims of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent variations made using the content of the present invention are similarly included within the scope of the present invention and are hereby declared.

Claims

1. An automatic screwdriver quick-change system, comprising: A robotic arm; An electric lock device is mounted on the robotic arm and has an upper mold and a lower mold removably mounted on one side of the upper mold, wherein the lower mold corresponds to one of a plurality of screwdriver types; A programmable logic controller (PLC) is electrically connected to the robotic arm and the electric lock device, controlling the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform a locking operation on a product; and A human-machine interface is electrically connected to the PLC and stores a formula data of the product. The formula data includes at least one locking hole parameter, which corresponds to a hole position on the product and records a coordinate of the hole position, a feeder code, and a lower mold code. The coordinate corresponds to an actual position of the hole position, the feeder code corresponds to a setting position of a feeder that provides a material for locking the hole position, and the lower mold code corresponds to a replacement position of the lower mold used to lock the hole position. The PLC reads the product's formula data from the human-machine interface and controls the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform the locking operation on the hole on the product based on the keyhole parameters. The human-machine interface (HMI) includes a human-machine memory, and the PLC includes a controller memory. The HMI stores one or more sets of formula data, each set of formula data corresponding to a specific product. The controller memory has a full data storage area and a single-point data storage area. The HMI sets and stores the formula data through the full data storage area and the single-point data storage area. The automatic screwdriver quick-change system executes a setup procedure to set and store the recipe data, wherein the setup procedure includes the following steps: a) The human-machine interface receives a setting operation to set the lock hole parameters of at least one of the holes of the product; b) The human-machine interface writes at least one of the keyhole parameters into the full data storage area of ​​the controller memory; c) The PLC writes at least one of the keyhole parameters or one of the plurality of keyhole parameters from the full data storage area into the single-point data storage area; d) The PLC writes the keyhole parameter from the single-point data storage area into the human-machine memory; e) Before at least one of the keyhole parameters is fully written into the human-machine interface memory, repeat steps c) and d); and f) After at least one of the keyhole parameters is written into the human-machine interface, the human-machine interface generates the recipe data based on at least one of the keyhole parameters in the human-machine interface.

2. The automatic screwdriver quick-change system as described in claim 1, wherein, When the lower mold code in the lock hole parameters obtained by the PLC does not match the lower mold currently used by the robotic arm, the PLC controls the robotic arm to move to the corresponding replacement position based on the lower mold code to replace the lower mold, and then performs the locking operation on the hole position.

3. The automatic screwdriver quick-change system as described in claim 1, wherein the locking hole parameter of the hole position further includes a hole position code, a descent speed and a working area code, the hole position code records a hole position number of the hole position relative to the product, the descent speed corresponds to a feed speed of the electric lock device when performing the locking operation, and the working area code is recorded to a platform used to place the product.

4. The automatic screwdriver quick-change system as described in claim 1, further comprising a charge-coupled device (CCD) electrically connected to the PLC, and the lock hole parameters of the hole position further comprising a CCD imaging height, an electric lock device posture, and a CCD posture, wherein the CCD imaging height records a height of the CCD when performing the locking operation, the electric lock device posture records a posture of the electric lock device when performing the locking operation, and the CCD posture records a posture of the CCD when performing the locking operation.

5. The automatic screwdriver quick-change system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automatic screwdriver quick-change system performs the following steps when performing the fastening operation: g) The human-machine interface writes at least one of the keyhole parameters or one of them from the recipe data into the single-point data storage area; h) The PLC writes the keyhole parameter from the single-point data storage area into the full data storage area; i) Before all the keyhole parameters in the formula data are written into the controller memory, repeat steps g) and h); and j) After all the keyhole parameters in the formula data are written into the controller memory, the PLC controls the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform the locking operation on each of the holes on the product based on all the keyhole parameters.

6. An automatic screwdriver quick-change method, applied to a quick-change system having a robotic arm, an electric locking device, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a human-machine interface, wherein the electric locking device has an upper mold and a lower mold removably disposed on one side of the upper mold, the lower mold corresponding to one of a plurality of screwdriver types, the quick-change method comprising: a) Set and store a formula data for a product through the human-machine interface, wherein the formula data includes at least one locking hole parameter, the locking hole parameter corresponds to a hole position on the product and records a coordinate of the hole position, a feeder code and a lower mold code, wherein the coordinate corresponds to an actual position of the hole position, the feeder code corresponds to a setting position of a feeder that provides a material for locking the hole position, and the lower mold code corresponds to a replacement position of the lower mold for locking the hole position; b) The PLC reads at least one of the keyhole parameters from the product's formula data from the human-machine interface; c) The PLC controls the robotic arm and the electric lock device to perform a locking operation on the hole on the product based on the keyhole parameters; d) When the lower mold code in the lock hole parameters obtained by the PLC does not match the lower mold currently used by the robotic arm, the PLC controls the robotic arm to move to the corresponding replacement position based on the lower mold code to replace the lower mold; and e) After step d), the robotic arm and the electric lock device perform the locking operation on the hole position based on the lock hole parameters and the replaced lower mold. The human-machine interface includes a human-machine memory. Step a) stores the formula data in the human-machine memory, wherein the human-machine memory stores one or more formula data, each formula data corresponding to a specific product. The PLC includes a controller memory, which has a full data storage area and a single-point data storage area. Step a) sets and stores the formula data through the full data storage area and the single-point data storage area. Step a) includes: a01) The human-machine interface accepts a setting operation to set the lock hole parameters of at least one of the holes of the product; a02) The human-machine interface writes at least one of the keyhole parameters into the full data storage area of ​​the controller memory; a03) The PLC writes at least one of the keyhole parameters or one of them from the full data storage area into the single-point data storage area; a04) The PLC writes the keyhole parameter from the single-point data storage area into the human-machine memory; a05) Before at least one of the keyhole parameters is completely written into the human-machine memory, repeat steps a03) and a04); and (a06) After at least one of the keyhole parameters is written into the human-machine interface, the human-machine interface generates the recipe data based on at least one of the keyhole parameters in the human-machine interface.

7. The automatic screwdriver quick-change method as described in claim 6, wherein step b) comprises: b01) Select one of the multiple products on the human-machine interface; b02) The human-machine interface writes at least one of the keyhole parameters or one of the plurality of keyhole parameters from the formula data of the selected product into the single-point data storage area; b03) The PLC writes the keyhole parameter from the single-point data storage area into the full data storage area; and b04) Before all the keyhole parameters in the formula data are written into the controller memory, repeat steps b02) and b03).

Images