System and method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece

Abstract

A system and method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece (300) to an apparatus (500), the system comprising a robot, a device (200) adapted to be coupled to the robot via a coupling member (201) for manipulating the workpiece and a portion of the apparatus, and a shaping plate (106) adapted to receive at least a portion of the workpiece moved by the device to shape the workpiece to a predetermined shape, wherein the device comprises a first gripper (202) adapted to be manipulated by the robot to grasp the workpiece that has been shaped to the predetermined shape to allow the workpiece to be coupled to the apparatus. In this way, the flexible annular workpiece can be assembled more quickly and accurately. Furthermore, the device also enables the flexible annular workpiece to be assembled on an automated assembly line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for assembling flexible ring-shaped workpieces into devices. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible ring-shaped components are commonly used in equipment for purposes such as transmission and sealing. Common flexible ring-shaped components include belts, such as V-belts, annular belts, timing belts (also known as toothed belts), and O-rings. Belts, commonly used in vehicle engines, industrial robots, and household appliances, are designed to transmit power from the driving part to the driven part. O-rings provide a seal between two components.

[0003] For some relatively "rigid" O-rings, due to their small diameter-to-width ratio, they are generally less prone to deformation or relatively controllable deformation compared to relatively "flexible" belts due to their large diameter-to-width ratio. Several methods have been proposed for supplying and even assembling relatively "rigid" O-rings. These methods at least partially utilize the "rigid" nature of relatively "rigid" O-rings and therefore may not be suitable for relatively "flexible" belt components.

[0004] In reality, due to its ring shape and its flexibility and elasticity, a relatively "flexible" belt tends to entangle with other belts when in a hopper. As a result, it becomes difficult for the robot to position and grasp the flexible belt, let alone assemble it into the intended location on the equipment. Therefore, for some relatively flexible ring-shaped workpieces, such as belts, they are usually manually fed and assembled into the appropriate position on the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a system for assembling a flexible ring-shaped workpiece into an apparatus.

[0006] In a first aspect, a system is provided for assembling a flexible annular workpiece to an apparatus. The system includes a robot; means adapted to be coupled to the robot via a coupling member for manipulating the workpiece or a portion of the apparatus; and a forming plate adapted to receive at least a portion of the workpiece, the at least a portion of the workpiece being moved by the means to shape the workpiece into a predetermined shape, wherein the means includes a first gripper adapted to be operated by the robot to grip the workpiece already shaped into the predetermined shape, allowing the workpiece to be coupled to the apparatus.

[0007] Using the apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure, flexible annular workpieces, such as belts, can be automatically assembled by a robot into various devices, regardless of whether the device has a more compact structure or whether its transmission and drive parts are oriented differently. This allows for faster and more precise assembly of flexible annular workpieces. Furthermore, the apparatus enables the assembly of flexible annular workpieces in automated assembly lines. Additionally, the ability to shape the workpiece into a pre-defined form plate before assembly facilitates the process. The forming and gripping of the workpiece can be accomplished using the same apparatus operated by the robot, thereby reducing the time required for frequent tooling and improving efficiency.

[0008] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a guide member adapted to guide a second portion of the workpiece to a transmission portion of the apparatus when the first portion is coupled to a drive portion of the apparatus. Without changing the tool head, that is, with an apparatus already used for forming and gripping workpieces, workpiece mounting onto the apparatus can be achieved, further improving assembly efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first gripper includes a pair of gripping members and a drive member adapted to drive the pair of gripping members to move toward each other to grip the workpiece. This further improves the reliability of the device.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first gripper further includes an intermediate member for a workpiece disposed between the intermediate member and the pair of gripping members, the intermediate member being sized to prevent excessive deformation of the workpiece when gripped. This arrangement ensures that the workpiece can be assembled onto the device in a more compact configuration.

[0011] In some embodiments, the intermediate member includes a plurality of toothed portions arranged on a side adjacent to the workpiece to conform to the shape of a portion of the workpiece to be contacted. On the one hand, this arrangement ensures that the workpiece can be firmly gripped by the first gripper. On the other hand, this arrangement prevents damage to the workpiece.

[0012] In some embodiments, the device further includes a pusher block arranged in the same orientation as the pair of gripping members and at least adapted to push the workpiece into the forming plate to shape the workpiece into a predetermined shape. The pusher block facilitates the formation of the predetermined shape of the workpiece.

[0013] In some embodiments, the forming plate includes two edges separated by a predetermined distance equal to or greater than the diameter of a portion of the device. In this way, the workpiece can be formed into a predetermined shape in a sample manner.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pusher is adapted to push the workpiece into the forming plate in a direction parallel to the edge. This arrangement can simplify the operation of the robot forming the workpiece.

[0015] In some embodiments, the system further includes a first guide groove formed on a base plate on which a forming plate is disposed, and the first guide groove is adapted to partially arrange push blocks therein during the process of pushing a workpiece into the forming plate. This arrangement can facilitate the forming of workpieces with small line diameters or widths.

[0016] In some embodiments, the system further includes a second guide groove formed on the base plate to traverse the first guide groove at a predetermined position and adapted to partially arrange the first gripper therein during gripping of the workpiece. This arrangement can facilitate gripping workpieces with small wire diameters or widths.

[0017] In some embodiments, the system further includes a pair of auxiliary blocks arranged on the side of the forming plate adjacent to the workpiece, such that a pusher pushes the workpiece between the pair of auxiliary blocks and ultimately into the forming plate. This arrangement further facilitates the forming of the workpiece.

[0018] In some embodiments, the system further includes a conical forming block adapted to concentrically arrange the workpiece thereon, the forming block including at least a pair of gripping grooves adapted to partially arrange the first gripper therein during gripping of the workpiece. This arrangement can facilitate the forming of workpieces with relatively small diameters and make them easier to deform, such as O-rings.

[0019] In some embodiments, the system further includes a plurality of positioning blocks arranged to correspond to positions of the drive portion, the transmission portion, and the tensioning portion to which the workpiece is to be mounted. This arrangement facilitates the assembly of the workpiece onto a transmission system having the drive portion, the transmission portion, and the tensioning portion.

[0020] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of locating blocks is wedge-shaped. This arrangement further facilitates the forming of the workpiece.

[0021] In some embodiments, the device further includes an elastic mechanism arranged to support the push block and adapted to be compressed when the first gripper is ready to grip the workpiece, such that the free end of the push block is in a plane with the pair of gripping members. With this arrangement, the workpiece can be securely gripped by the first gripper while the push block remains stationary.

[0022] In some embodiments, the pusher includes a flange formed on its free end, and the guide member includes a chamfer formed on the flange. On the one hand, the flange prevents the gripped workpiece from accidentally slipping out. On the other hand, the guide member integrated with the pusher further simplifies the structure of the device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the device further includes a tensioning assembly adapted to push the drive portion of the device away from the transmission portion to tension the workpiece when the workpiece is coupled to the drive portion and the transmission portion. In this way, the workpiece can be properly tensioned.

[0024] In some embodiments, the tensioning assembly includes a load sensor adapted to sense tension force on the workpiece when the workpiece is tensioned by the tensioning assembly. This arrangement ensures that the workpiece is tensioned with a predetermined tension force.

[0025] In some embodiments, the device further includes a fixing component adapted to secure the drive portion of the device in place using fasteners in response to a tension force on the workpiece equaling a predetermined value. This further enhances the automation level of the device.

[0026] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a motor gripper adapted to grip the drive portion to allow the drive portion to be moved by the robot, such that the drive portion can be coupled to a first portion of the workpiece; and a second gripper adapted to grip the workpiece when the first portion is already coupled to the drive portion of the apparatus. This arrangement ensures that the workpiece can be assembled onto an apparatus where the drive portion and the transmission portion are oriented in opposite directions. The applicability of the apparatus is further improved.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first and second grippers share the same drive component. This arrangement further simplifies the structure of the device.

[0028] In some embodiments, the system further includes a guide adapted for movement by the robot via the device to a drive section of the equipment. The guide can facilitate the assembly of workpieces onto equipment with a compact structure.

[0029] In some embodiments, the guide includes a connecting portion to which an operating component can be coupled. This allows the guide to be easily operated by the operating components of the device, further enriching the device's functionality and facilitating workpiece assembly.

[0030] In some embodiments, the guide further includes an alignment portion adapted to be coupled to a drive portion to facilitate alignment of the guide on the drive portion. On one hand, the alignment portion can facilitate alignment of the guide on the drive portion. On the other hand, the alignment portion can hold the guide in position when a radially applied external force is applied to the guide.

[0031] In some embodiments, the alignment portion includes an alignment post adapted to be inserted into a central hole in the drive portion; and an alignment ring formed around the alignment post to be received in an annular groove in the drive portion. This arrangement utilizes existing structures on the drive portion to achieve guide alignment.

[0032] In a second aspect, a method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece onto a device is provided. The method includes: moving the workpiece by means of a device coupled to a robot, such that a portion of the workpiece is arranged in a forming plate to be formed into a predetermined shape; gripping the workpiece, which has been formed into the predetermined shape, by a first gripper of the means; and using the means to attach the gripped workpiece to the device.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method further includes moving the gripped workpiece such that a first portion of the workpiece is coupled to a drive portion of the device; and guiding a second portion of the workpiece to a transmission portion of the device.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method further includes, after guiding the second portion of the workpiece to the transmission portion: moving the drive portion of the device away from the transmission portion to tension the workpiece; obtaining a value of the tension force on the workpiece; and fixing the drive portion of the device in place in response to the value of the tension force reaching a predetermined value.

[0035] In some embodiments, the method further includes, before gripping the workpiece which has been shaped into the predetermined shape: gripping the drive portion of the device; and moving the gripped drive portion such that a first portion of the workpiece is coupled to the drive portion of the device.

[0036] It should be understood that the summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals generally denote the same parts.

[0038] Figure 1 A perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0039] Figure 2 A perspective view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0040] Figure 3 A perspective view of a workpiece arranged in a forming plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0041] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method for assembling a flexible ring-shaped workpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0042] Figure 5 A perspective view of a first device that can be assembled from means according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 6 A perspective view of an apparatus for pushing a workpiece into a forming plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0044] Figure 7 A perspective view of a molded plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 8 A perspective view of an apparatus for gripping a workpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0046] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A perspective view and a top view of a shaped block according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0047] Figures 11-13 A perspective view of an apparatus for a key stage in the process of assembling a workpiece into a first device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0048] Figure 14 A perspective view of a second device that can be assembled from means according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0049] Figures 15-18 A perspective view of an apparatus for a key stage in the process of assembling a workpiece into a second device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0050] Figure 19 and Figure 20 A cross-sectional view of a guide according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0051] Figures 21-23 A perspective view of an apparatus for a key stage in the process of assembling a workpiece into a second device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0052] Figure 24 A perspective view is shown of a third device that can be assembled from apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0053] Figures 25-33 A perspective view showing an apparatus for a key stage in the process of assembling a workpiece into a third device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0054] Figure 34A plurality of positioning blocks according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0055] Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals are used to denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0056] This disclosure will now be discussed with reference to several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement this disclosure, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the subject matter.

[0057] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations should be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The terms "one embodiment" and "embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" should be understood as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the definitions of terms are consistent throughout the specification.

[0058] Flexible ring-shaped workpieces, such as belts or O-rings, are fundamental components used in automobiles, robots, and household appliances for power transmission and sealing. Flexible ring-shaped workpieces of many sizes are used in industry. Typically, a flexible ring-shaped workpiece with a certain degree of elasticity has a linear diameter (called width), an inner diameter (called diameter), and an axial height. Generally, the ratio of diameter to width (called the diameter-width ratio) can reflect the deformability of the flexible ring-shaped workpiece to some extent. Specifically, the smaller the ratio, the more difficult the deformation; the larger the ratio, the easier the deformation.

[0059] When the diameter-to-width ratio of a flexible ring-shaped workpiece exceeds a certain threshold, it is prone to deformation and entanglement with other workpieces. Therefore, it is practically impossible to separate and feed a tangled mass of flexible ring-shaped workpieces using conventional feeding devices and methods. Consequently, in many cases, flexible ring-shaped workpieces require manual separation or feeding. As for the assembly process of flexible ring-shaped workpieces, it is impossible to fully automate it even by robots, as it requires connecting workpieces such as belts to the drive and transmission parts of power equipment. Manual operation is inefficient and labor-intensive, significantly reducing the overall assembly efficiency of equipment using flexible ring-shaped workpieces. Furthermore, the manual assembly process of flexible ring-shaped workpieces is prone to errors and various assembly problems.

[0060] To improve efficiency and accuracy, embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus 200, a system, and a method for automatically assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300 into a device 500. The term "automatically" means that the entire process for assembling the flexible annular workpiece 300 requires no human intervention and can be performed by a robot. Reference will now be made to... Figures 1-28 Some example embodiments are described. Belts such as timing belts, which are widely used in the art, will be primarily used as examples of flexible annular workpieces 300 (hereinafter also referred to as workpiece 300) to describe the concepts of this disclosure. It should be understood that this is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable flexible annular workpieces 300, such as O-rings, etc., can also be automatically assembled into the device 500 using the apparatus 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure without manual intervention, which will not be repeated below.

[0061] Furthermore, the device 500, including the drive section 501 and the transmission section 502 (e.g., a power unit or a robot joint), will primarily serve as an example of the concepts described below in this disclosure. The drive section 501 typically includes a motor and a drive pulley coaxially arranged on the motor's spindle. The transmission section 502 typically includes a gearbox and a driven pulley arranged on the input side of the gearbox. A flexible annular workpiece 300, such as a belt, is arranged between the driving pulley and the driven pulley. As described above, in conventional solutions, the belt is manually assembled between the drive section 501 and the transmission section 502.

[0062] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view of a device 200 according to different embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, the device 200 generally includes a coupling member 201, a gripper (referred to as a first gripper 202 for ease of discussion), and a guiding member 203. The coupling member 201 is a component arranged on the device 200 that can be coupled to a robot. In this way, the robot can operate (e.g., move) the device 200. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coupling member 201 may include a coupling flange capable of being coupled to the robot's end effector. The coupling flange may have a suitable shape and size to match the end effector, allowing the device 200 to be easily coupled to the robot by means of the coupling member 201.

[0063] The first gripper 202 can grip the workpiece 300 that has already been formed into a predetermined shape. The predetermined shape of the workpiece 300 can be formed by means of the forming plate 106, such as... Figure 3As shown. As part of a system for assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300 to device 500, a forming plate 106 is capable of receiving a portion of workpiece 300 to shape it into a predetermined shape. In some embodiments, the forming plate 106 may be arranged on a base plate 107. The base plate 107 may be part of a worktable in which workpiece 300 will be pre-shaped and subsequently gripped. In some alternative embodiments, the base plate 107 may also be a plate fixed to the forming plate 106 and placed on a worktable. The forming plate 106 has a suitable shape comprising at least two edges separated by a predetermined distance. This predetermined distance may be substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the portion of device 500 to which workpiece 300 is to be assembled. Workpiece 300 may be pushed into the forming plate 106 in a direction substantially parallel to the edges by a suitable portion of device 200.

[0064] As the workpiece 300 moves between the two edges, the two edges will force the portion of the workpiece 300 between the two edges to deform, eventually causing the entire workpiece 300 to deform, such as... Figure 3 As shown. Then, the deformed workpiece 300 will be gripped by the first gripper 202, which will be discussed further below.

[0065] It should be understood that the above embodiments in which the forming plate 106 includes two edges are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable structures and / or arrangements are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the forming plate 106 may also be U-shaped or V-shaped.

[0066] After workpiece 300 is gripped by the first gripper 202, the robot moves the first gripper 202 and the gripped workpiece 300 together to the assembly equipment 500. With further robot operation, a portion of workpiece 300 (referred to as first portion 301 for ease of discussion) can be coupled to the drive portion 501 of the equipment 500. After first portion 301 has been coupled to the drive portion 501 of the equipment 500, the guide component 203 can then guide a second portion 302 of workpiece 300 to the transmission portion 502 of the equipment 500.

[0067] Using the apparatus 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a flexible annular workpiece 300, such as a belt, can be assembled into the equipment 500 without human intervention. This allows for faster and more precise assembly of the flexible annular workpiece 300. Furthermore, the apparatus 200 enables the flexible annular workpiece 300 to be assembled in an automated assembly line.

[0068] According to other aspects of this disclosure, a system is provided for assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300 onto a device 500. In addition to the apparatus 200 described above, the system also includes the robot and forming plate 106 described above. In some embodiments, the system may be part of an automated assembly line.

[0069] According to other aspects of this disclosure, a method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300 into a device 500 is provided. Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300 onto a device 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This method can be implemented as program code stored in memory, which can be executed by a robot controller or the system described above, or any other suitable controller or processor.

[0070] The apparatus 200, system, and method according to embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to assembling a flexible annular workpiece 300, such as a belt, into a device 500 with a different arrangement. Hereinafter, they will be described in conjunction with... Figures 5-28 The assembly process from workpiece 300 to different equipment 500 is described to further describe the device 200, the system, and more details and possible variations of the system.

[0071] The following will combine Figures 5-11 Describe the process of assembling workpiece 300 into first device 5001. Figure 5 A perspective view of the first device 5001 is shown. (As shown) Figure 5 As shown, the first device 5001 includes a drive portion 501, a transmission portion 502, and a belt (also referred to as workpiece 300) disposed between the drive portion 501 and the transmission portion 502. The drive portion 501 includes a retaining flange for securing the drive portion 501 to a frame of the first device 5001.

[0072] When assembling the flexible ring-shaped workpiece 300, such as Figure 4 As shown, in block 410, the controller first moves the workpiece 300 such that a portion of the workpiece 300 is arranged in the forming plate 106 to be formed into a predetermined shape. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the device 200 may include a pusher block 204 to achieve this purpose. The pusher block 204 may have a profile that generally conforms to a portion of the first device 5001, to which a portion of a workpiece coupled will be assembled, such as the driven pulley of the transmission portion 502. For example, the pusher block 204 may be generally cylindrical or cylindrical.

[0073] If the workpiece 300, such as an O-ring, has a small wire diameter or a small width, it may be difficult to push the workpiece 300 arranged on the base plate 107. This is because, on the one hand, the lower surface of the pusher 204 should not contact the base plate 107 on which the workpiece 200 is placed to prevent friction from adversely affecting the pushing action. On the other hand, the lower surface of the pusher 204 should not extend beyond the upper surface of the workpiece 300. Therefore, a small wire diameter makes it difficult to position the pusher 204 in the vertical direction, which leads to difficulty in pushing.

[0074] In some embodiments, to facilitate the pushing of a workpiece 300 having a small wire diameter or narrow width, the base plate 107 may be formed with a first guide groove 1071, such as... Figure 7 As shown. During the process of pushing the workpiece 200, the pusher 204 can be partially arranged in the first guide groove 1071, the width of which is greater than the diameter or width of the pusher 204, such as... Figure 7 As shown. In this way, workpieces 300 with small wire diameters or narrow widths can be easily pushed into the forming plate 106.

[0075] After the pusher 204 has pushed the workpiece 300 into place in the forming plate 106, the workpiece 300 is gripped by the first gripper 202 in the frame 420, as shown. Figure 8 As shown. In some embodiments, the first gripper 202 may include a pair of gripping members 2021 and a driving member 2022, the driving member 2022 driving the pair of gripping members 2021 to move toward each other to grip the workpiece 300.

[0076] Similar to the pushing process described above, during the gripping of workpiece 300, if the workpiece 300, such as an O-ring, has a small wire diameter or narrow width, it may be difficult to grip it. To facilitate gripping of workpieces 300 with small wire diameters or narrow widths, in some embodiments, the base plate 107 may be formed with a second guide groove 1072, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the second guide groove 1072 traverses the first guide groove 1071 at a predetermined position, where the first gripper 202 can be partially arranged in the second guide groove 1072 during operation of the first gripper to grip the workpiece 200. This allows the workpiece 300 to be easily gripped. In some embodiments, the first guide groove 1071 may be perpendicular to the second guide groove 1072.

[0077] In addition to the workpiece 300 being pre-formed by being pushed into the forming plate 106, in some embodiments, workpieces 300 with relatively small diameters and easier to deform (e.g., O-rings) can also be pre-formed by the forming block 1063. Figure 9 A perspective view of a forming block 1063 on which a workpiece 300 is arranged is shown, and Figure 10A top view of the forming block 1063 is shown.

[0078] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in some embodiments, the forming block 1063 may have a conical shape, and its dimensions are determined to allow the workpiece 300 to be concentrically arranged thereon. For example, the workpiece 300 may fall onto the forming block 1063 by gravity. The conical surface of the forming block 1063 can shape the workpiece 300 arranged thereon into a ring shape, which facilitates subsequent gripping and assembly. Furthermore, to facilitate the shaping of the workpiece 300 on the forming block 1063, after the workpiece 300 is placed onto the forming block 1063, the robot may operate the device 200 to compress the workpiece 300, such that the workpiece 300 can be substantially horizontal and ring-shaped.

[0079] To facilitate gripping of the workpiece 300 arranged on the forming block 103, in some embodiments, the forming block 1063 may include at least a pair of gripping grooves 1064, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown. The pair of gripping grooves 1064 can be arranged radially opposite each other. Each gripping groove 1064 extends axially from the tapered surface to the lower surface of the forming block 1063. The gripping groove 1064 extends a certain distance radially from the outermost edge of the forming block 1063, such that when viewed from a top view, a portion of the workpiece 300 disposed thereon passes through the gripping groove 1064 in the circumferential direction. Thus, during the gripping of the workpiece 300 disposed on the forming block 1063, the first gripper 202 can be partially disposed in the gripping groove 1064, thereby facilitating the gripping of the workpiece 300.

[0080] In some embodiments, the driving member 2022 may be a pneumatic component that drives the pair of gripping members 2021 via a pneumatic source. The driving part 2022 may further drive the pair of gripping members 2021 away from each other, such that the distance between the gripping members 2021 is greater than the distance between the two parts of the workpiece 300 to be gripped. Therefore, after the pusher block 204 has pushed the workpiece 300 in the forming plate 106 into place, the gripping members 2021 may rotate to a position where the two parts of the workpiece 300 to be gripped are located between the gripping members 2021, while keeping the pusher block 204 stationary.

[0081] In other words, in some embodiments, the gripping member 2021 can rotate relative to the driving member 2022, which makes the layout of the device 200 more rational. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the orientation of the gripping member 2021 can also be fixed relative to the driving member 2022, which can further reduce the cost of the device 200. This arrangement requires that the distance between the gripping members 2021 is large enough so that the workpiece 300 is always located between the gripping members 2021 during the movement of the pusher 204 pushing the workpiece 300 into the forming plate 106.

[0082] When gripping workpiece 300, gripping member 2021 drives two parts of workpiece 300 to move toward each other until the two parts contact each other. As gripping member 2021 moves further toward each other, workpiece 300 can be firmly gripped by gripping member 2021, wherein the second part 302 of workpiece 300 is connected to push block 204, as shown... Figure 8 As shown.

[0083] In some embodiments, push block 204 may further include a flange formed on its free end to prevent workpiece 300 from accidentally detaching from the free end of push block 204 due to gravity. "Free end" herein refers to the very end of a component. For example, the free end of push block 204 means the end of push block 204 away from its supporting end. Figure 8 As shown, when gripped by the gripping member 2021, the workpiece 300 can be blocked by the flange. This improves the reliability of the device 200. Furthermore, from... Figure 8 As can be seen, when the workpiece 300 is gripped by the gripping member 2021, the first part 301 is the part that is arranged on the side opposite to the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 relative to the device, which can facilitate the subsequent connection process of the workpiece to the first device 5001.

[0084] In frame 430, the gripped workpiece 300 is then moved such that the first portion 301 of the workpiece 300 is connected to the drive portion 501 of the first device 5001, as shown. Figure 11 As shown. The reason for connecting the workpiece 300 to the drive portion 501 is primarily that, generally speaking, the drive portion 501 can move toward the transmission portion 502 before being fixed. Through this movement, the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 can be brought as close as possible to the transmission portion 502, which facilitates the connection of the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 to the transmission portion 502 of the first device 5001.

[0085] After the first part 301 of the workpiece 300 has been connected to the drive part 501 of the first device 5001, as Figure 11As shown, the device 200 can then be driven away from the drive portion 501 to drive the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 toward the transmission portion 502. When the device 200 moves until the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 is sufficiently close to the transmission portion 502, as... Figure 12 As shown, in box 440, the second part 302 is then guided to the transmission part 502 of the first device 5001.

[0086] like Figure 12 As shown, in some embodiments, the guide member 203 is part of a flange. For example, in some embodiments, the guide member 203 may include a chamfer formed on the flange. When the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 is sufficiently close to the transmission portion 502, as... Figure 12 As shown, the device 200 can be tilted at a certain angle, causing the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 to separate from the flange, such as... Figure 12 The enlarged view is shown. Then, the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 is connected to the transmission part 502 of the first device 5001 under the action of the elastic force of the workpiece 300.

[0087] In some embodiments, in order to tension the workpiece 300 before the drive portion 501 is secured to the frame of the first device 5001, the drive portion 501 of the first device 5001 can be pushed away from the transmission portion 502 by a suitable portion of the device 200. In some embodiments, for more precise control of the tension force on the workpiece 300, the device 200 may also include a tensioning assembly 206. Figure 13 As shown, after the first part 301 and the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 are respectively connected to the drive part 501 and the transmission part 502, the drive part 501 of the first device 5001 moves away from the transmission part 502 via the tensioning assembly 206 to tension the workpiece 300, as... Figure 13 As shown.

[0088] In some embodiments, the tensioning assembly 206 may include a load sensor 2061 to sense the tension force on the workpiece 300 during tensioning by the tensioning assembly 206. Thus, the controller can obtain the value of the tension force sensed by the load sensor 2061 and compare that value with a predetermined value. In response to the tension force sensed by the load sensor 2061 reaching the predetermined value, the drive portion 501 can then be secured in place, for example, with a fastener, while the tensioning assembly 206 continues to push the drive portion 501.

[0089] In some embodiments, to achieve the purpose of securing the drive portion 501 to the frame, the device 200 may further include a fixing component. In response to a predetermined tension force on the workpiece 300, the fixing component may, for example, secure the drive portion 501 of the device 500 in place with fasteners. Thus, the entire process of assembling the flexible annular workpiece 300 into the device 500 can be automated by a robot or automated robotic system, improving the assembly efficiency and accuracy of the workpiece 300.

[0090] It should be understood that the above embodiment in which the drive portion 501 of the workpiece 300 is fixed by a fixing component is merely illustrative and does not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any suitable structure or arrangement is also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the drive portion 501 may also be fixed to the frame by another end effector of the robot.

[0091] In the above text, combined with Figures 5 to 13 This paper describes how an apparatus 200 and system according to embodiments of the present disclosure assemble a flexible annular workpiece 300 onto a first device 5001 using the method described above. As mentioned above, the apparatus 200 and system according to embodiments of the present disclosure have a wide range of applications. With the apparatus 200 and system, not only can the workpiece 300 be assembled onto devices such as… Figure 5 The first device 5001 shown can also assemble workpiece 300 into, for example... Figure 14 The second device 5002 shown is, for example, a robot joint. It can be seen that, compared to the first device 5001, the second device 5002 has a more compact size, and the drive part 501 can move a smaller distance. In this case, in order to more reliably assemble the workpiece 300 into the second device 5002, some improvements can be made to the device 200 and the system, which will be discussed below. Figures 14 to 26 Further discussion.

[0092] Specifically, in some embodiments, the system may further include a pair of auxiliary blocks 1061 arranged on the side of the forming plate 106 adjacent to the workpiece 300, such as... Figure 15 As shown. The distance between a pair of auxiliary blocks 1061 is set to further limit the deformation of the workpiece 300 to facilitate subsequent gripping.

[0093] In order to shape the workpiece 300 into a predetermined shape, the pusher 204 pushes the workpiece 300 between a pair of auxiliary blocks 1061 and finally into the forming plate 106, as shown. Figure 15 As shown. From Figure 15 It can also be seen that the structure of the first gripper 202 is modified to prevent excessive deformation of the workpiece 300 during gripping, which facilitates the assembly of the workpiece 300 into the second device 5002, which has a compact structure. For example, as Figure 15As shown, in some embodiments, the first gripper 202 may also include an intermediate member for the workpiece 300, for example, when gripping the workpiece 300, the workpiece 300 is arranged between each of the intermediate member and the gripping member 2021.

[0094] In some embodiments, the workpiece 300 is a timing belt, meaning that its inner surface, which will connect with the intermediate member, has a toothed shape. To facilitate the connection between the intermediate member 2023 and the workpiece 300, the side of the intermediate member 2023 that contacts the workpiece 300 may have a toothed portion to match the toothed shape of the workpiece 300. In this way, the toothed shape of the workpiece 300 can be prevented from being damaged during the gripping of the workpiece 300 by the first gripper 202, thereby further improving the reliability of the device 200 and the system. Furthermore, the connection between the toothed shape of the workpiece 300 and the toothed portion of the intermediate member 2023 can withstand a certain tension force, allowing the workpiece 300 and the first gripper 202 to remain relatively stationary in subsequent processes.

[0095] Furthermore, in order to distribute the gripping force applied by the first gripper 202 more evenly on the workpiece 300, the dimension of each of the gripping members 2021 in the workpiece extension direction is increased. In this case, to prevent the first grippers 202, which are located in the same orientation, from interfering with the workpiece 300 during the process of the workpiece 300 being pushed by the pusher 204, such as... Figure 15 As shown, the free ends of the push block 204 and the first gripper 202 can be at different height levels during this process. Specifically, the free end of the first gripper 202 is at a higher height level than the push block 204. For example, during the process of the workpiece 300 being pushed by the push block 204, the first gripper 202 is generally positioned above the workpiece 300, which effectively avoids interference with the workpiece 300.

[0096] Additionally, considering that the first gripper 202 needs to be positioned at the same height level as the workpiece 300 when gripping the workpiece 300, the pusher 204 can be configured to have an adjustable height level. For example, in some embodiments, the device 200 may also include an elastic mechanism 205 arranged to support the pusher 204. Before the first gripper 202 grips the workpiece 300, for example, when the workpiece 300 is pushed into the forming plate 106 by the pusher 204, as described above, the elastic mechanism 205 is in its original undeformed state, which results in the pusher 204 and the free ends of the first gripper 202 being at different height levels.

[0097] When the first gripper 202 is ready to grip the workpiece 300, such as Figure 16As shown, the device 200 can be pushed toward the plane where the workpiece 300 is located. In this way, the elastic mechanism 205 is compressed so that the push block 204 and the free end of the first gripper 202 are at substantially the same level. Therefore, the first gripper 202 can grip the workpiece 300, which is arranged between the intermediate member 2023 and each of the pair of gripping members 2021.

[0098] To enable adjustment of the height of the push block 204, in some embodiments, the elastic mechanism 205 may include a sleeve 2051, a support rod 2052, and a spring (not shown), such as Figure 16 As shown. A sleeve 2051 is fixed to a portion of the device 200, and the sleeve can move further when the push block 204 contacts the plane where the workpiece 300 is arranged. A spring is disposed in the sleeve 2051. One end of the support rod 2052 is formed as a stop element to limit the movement of the support rod 2052 and the push block 204. The other end of the support rod 2052 passes coaxially through the sleeve 2051 and the spring is fixed to the push block 204. A pushing element is disposed on the support rod 2052 and is capable of moving with the support rod 2052. When the gripping member 2021 needs to engage with the workpiece 300 to grip the workpiece, the device 200 is pushed toward the plane where the workpiece 300 is located. During this process, the support rod 2052 will move upward relative to the sleeve 2051. Therefore, the pushing element will compress the spring. Thus, the gripping member 2021 can be released from the workpiece. Figure 15 The state shown moves to Figure 16 The state shown.

[0099] After the workpiece 300 is gripped by the gripping member 2021, the device 200 moves away from the plane where the workpiece 300 is located. At this time, under the action of the spring's elasticity and gravity, the pusher 204 returns to the position shown in the image. Figure 15 The enlarged view shows the state. It can be seen that, on the one hand, the elastic mechanism 205 effectively avoids possible interference between the first gripper 202 and the workpiece 300. On the other hand, in controlling the pusher 204 to push the workpiece 300, control precision and difficulty can be reduced, thereby improving efficiency. It should be understood that the above embodiments of the elastic mechanism 205, including the sleeve 2051, the support rod 2052, and the spring, are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any suitable structure or arrangement is also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the elastic mechanism 205 may also include a stretchable member.

[0100] Before the first gripper 202 grips the workpiece 300, the gap between the intermediate member 2023 and each of the gripping members 2021 is not too large due to the presence of the intermediate member 2023. To ensure that the workpiece 300 can be gripped between each of the intermediate member 2023 and the gripping member 2021, the device 200 can move along the... Figure 17 The arrow indicates the direction of movement. During this process, the pusher 204 slides within the workpiece 300 until the first gripper 202 moves to a position between the auxiliary block 1061 and the forming plate 106. Figure 17 The direction shown is opposite to the direction in which the pusher 204 pushes the workpiece 300 into the forming plate 106. Through the aforementioned movement of the pusher 204 and the arrangement of the auxiliary block 1061 and the forming plate 106, it is ensured that the portion of the workpiece 300 to be gripped has the following characteristics: Figure 16 and Figure 17 The predetermined shape is shown. In this way, when the first gripper 202 moves downward toward the workpiece 300, it can be ensured that a portion of the workpiece 300 to be gripped is located between each of the intermediate member 2023 and the gripping member 2021.

[0101] Furthermore, in this compact configuration of the second device 5002, the movable distance of the drive portion 501 of the second device 5002 is smaller compared to that of the first device 5001. Therefore, in order to ensure that the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 can be guided to the drive portion 502 of the second device 5002, in some embodiments, the system may also include a guide 401, such as... Figure 18 As shown. The guide 401 has a generally conical shape and can be coaxially arranged on the drive section 502 to provide guidance for the workpiece 300. When not in use, the guide 401 can be arranged in a position accessible to the robot from the device 200. When needed, the guide 401 can be placed on the drive section 502 at the appropriate time, for example before the first gripper 202 grips the workpiece 300.

[0102] The guide 401 can be coupled to a suitable portion of the device 200 so that it can be moved by a robot. For example, in some embodiments, at least to facilitate the coupling of the guide 401, the device 200 may also include an actuation component 103. The actuation component 103 can be coupled to the guide 401 to allow the guide 401 to be moved by a robot. Furthermore, the guide 401 may include a portion, such as a coupling portion 1041, which may be a hole or a cylindrical portion, to which the actuation component 103 can be coupled.

[0103] In some embodiments, the operating component 103 may include gripping elements capable of moving toward or away from each other. When the gripping elements move so that they come closer together, they can be inserted into holes in the guide 401. When the gripping elements move slightly away from each other, the operating component 103 then engages with the guide 401, so that the guide 401 can be moved by the robot to the drive portion 502 of the second device 5002, such as... Figure 18 As shown. In addition to being coupled to guide 401, operating component 103 can also be used to clamp and move workpiece 300 at the correct time. Furthermore, in addition to being coupled to guide 401 in the manner described above, operating component 103 can also be coupled to guide 401 in any other suitable manner, for example by clamping coupling portion 1041 into a cylindrical shape.

[0104] It should be understood that the above embodiments of the operating component 103 including the gripping element are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any suitable structure or arrangement is also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the device 200 may also be coupled to the guide 401 by means of magnetic attraction or the like.

[0105] In some embodiments, to facilitate alignment of the guide 401 on the transmission portion 502, the guide 401 may further include an alignment rod 1042 and an alignment ring 1043 formed around the alignment rod 1042. The alignment rod 1042 and the alignment ring 1043 are formed as an alignment portion of the guide 401. A guide surface of the guide 401 is disposed between the connecting portion 1041 and the alignment portion, such as... Figure 19 As shown.

[0106] When the guide 401 is placed on the transmission part 502, the alignment rod 1042 can be inserted into the center hole of the transmission part 502, and the alignment ring can be received in the annular groove of the transmission part 502, such as Figure 20 As shown. In this way, the guide 401 can be vertically aligned on the transmission part 502. Furthermore, when the alignment part is connected to the transmission part 502, the guide 401 can maintain its position when an external force in the radial direction is applied to the guide 401, for example, during the sliding of the workpiece 300 along the guide surface.

[0107] In some embodiments, when the guide 401 is placed on the transmission portion 502, the larger diameter end of the guide 401 contacts the transmission portion 502. The diameter of the larger diameter end of the guide 401 may be slightly larger than the diameter of the transmission portion 502 to allow a portion of the workpiece 300 to slide along the guide surface of the guide 401 onto the transmission portion 502. Furthermore, the corner between the guide surface and the larger diameter end of the guide 401 may be chamfered or rounded to prevent damage to the workpiece 300.

[0108] After the guide 401 is positioned and the workpiece 300 is gripped by the first gripper 202, the gripped workpiece 300 is moved so that the first portion 301 of the workpiece 300 can be connected to the drive portion 501 of the second device 5002, such as... Figure 21 As shown. After the first portion 301 of the workpiece 300 has been connected to the drive portion 501 of the second device 5002, the device 200 is then driven away from the drive portion 501, while the workpiece 300 is gripped to drive the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 toward the transmission portion 502. When the device 200 moves such that the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 has passed the centerline of the guide 401, the workpiece 300 can then be released by the first gripper 202, allowing the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 to fall onto the guide 401, as shown. Figure 22 As shown in the image.

[0109] After that, as Figure 23 As shown, the robot can push the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 using a suitable portion of the device 200. In this way, the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 can then be pushed to slide along the guide surface of the guide 401 and eventually engage with the transmission portion 502. In some embodiments, a suitable portion of the device 200 for pushing the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 may be a first gripper 202, such as its intermediate member 2023. In some alternative embodiments, a suitable portion for pushing the second portion 302 of the workpiece 300 may also be a dedicated portion of the device 200 or any other suitable portion.

[0110] After the first part 301 and the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 have been connected to the drive part 501 and the transmission part 502 of the second device 5002, the guide 401 can be removed from the transmission part 502, as follows: Figure 24 and Figure 25 As shown. Subsequently, similar to the first device 5001, in some embodiments, in order to tension the workpiece 300 before the drive portion 501 is fixed to the frame of the second device 5002, the drive portion 501 of the second device 5002 can be pushed away from the transmission portion 502 by a suitable portion of the device 200. As... Figure 26 As shown, after the guide 401 is removed from the transmission part 502, the drive part 501 of the second device 5002 moves away from the transmission part 502 via the tensioning assembly 206 to tension the workpiece 300.

[0111] During this process, the load sensor 2061 can sense the tension force in real time. In response to the tension force detected by the load sensor 2061 reaching a predetermined value, the drive part 501 can then be fixed in place, for example by a fixing component or any suitable component, while the tensioning assembly 206 continues to push the drive part 501.

[0112] It can be seen that even if some devices 500 (e.g., robot joints) have a relatively small movable distance of the drive portion 501, the apparatus 200 and system according to embodiments of the present disclosure can reliably assemble the workpiece 300 to the second device 5002, which improves the applicability and reliability of the apparatus 500 and system.

[0113] In the above text, combined with Figures 5 to 26 The present disclosure describes how the apparatus 200 and system according to embodiments of the present disclosure assemble a flexible annular workpiece 300 onto first and second devices 5001, 5002 using the method described above. The first device 5001 and the second device 5002, as described above, share a common feature: their drive portion 501 and transmission portion 502 are oriented in the same direction. In other words, their driving pulley and driven pulley are both in the same direction, i.e., arranged on the same side of the motor and gearbox, respectively. With the apparatus 200 and system, not only can the workpiece 300 be assembled onto the first and second devices 5001, 5002, but the drive portion 501 and transmission portion 502 are also positioned as described above. Figure 5 and Figure 14 The workpiece 300 is oriented in the same way as shown, and the drive portion 501 and the transmission portion 502 are oriented in opposite ways, as shown. Figure 27 As shown. It can be seen that compared with the first device 5001, as Figure 27 The drive portion 501 of the third device 5003 shown has an orientation opposite to that of the transmission portion 502. (Refer to the following...) Figures 28 to 33 Describe how to assemble workpiece 300 onto the third device 5003.

[0114] To assemble workpiece 300 onto third device 5003, the drive portion 501 of third device 5003 can be gripped first. For this purpose, in some embodiments, device 200 may further include a motor gripper 207 and a second gripper 208, such as... Figure 28 As shown. The motor gripper 207 is adapted to grip the drive portion 501 to allow the drive portion 501 to be moved by the robot. After being gripped by the motor gripper 207, the drive portion 501 can then be moved by the robot to a position on the workpiece 300 where it has been formed into a predetermined shape by the forming plate 106, such as... Figure 29 As shown.

[0115] like Figure 30As shown, after the gripped drive portion 501 is coupled to the first portion 301 of the workpiece 300, the second gripper 208 grips the workpiece 300. Similar to the first gripper 202, in some embodiments, the second gripper 208 may include a pair of gripping members and a drive member for driving the pair of gripping members 2021 to move toward each other to grip the workpiece 300. In some embodiments, the first and second grippers 202, 208 may share the same drive member 2022. That is, the gripping members of the first and second grippers 202, 208 are both driven by the drive member 2022, which simplifies the structure of the device 200. In some alternative embodiments, the gripping members of the first and second grippers 202, 208 may also be driven by different drive members.

[0116] from Figure 30 It can also be seen that the free end of the gripping member of the second gripper 208 and the free end of the drive portion 501 of the third device 5003 are substantially in the same plane (referred to as the first plane). The free end of the drive portion 501 refers to the end of the drive pulley of the drive portion 501 away from the motor. This arrangement facilitates gripping of the workpiece 300 when the drive portion 501 is coupled to the first portion 301 of the workpiece 300. Similarly, the free end of the gripping member 2021 of the first gripper 202 is also substantially in the same plane (referred to as the second plane) as the free end of the pusher 204 to facilitate gripping of the workpiece 300 after the pusher 204 has pushed the workpiece 300 into the forming plate 106.

[0117] Furthermore, to prevent potential interference, the first and second planes can be at a non-zero angle. Thus, when workpiece 300 is gripped by the second gripper 208, the first gripper 202 and pusher 204 move away from workpiece 300 to avoid potential interference. Similarly, when workpiece 300 is gripped by the first gripper 202, the second gripper 202 and motor gripper 207 move away from workpiece 300. This further improves the reliability of the device 200.

[0118] When the first gripper 202 and the second gripper 208 share the same driving member, the driving member 2022 further drives the pair of gripping members of the second gripper 208 away from each other, such that the distance between the gripping members of the second gripper 208 is greater than the distance between the two parts of the workpiece 300 to be gripped. Therefore, after the driving part 501 is connected to the first part 301 of the workpiece 300, the gripping members of the second gripper 208 can rotate to a position between the two parts of the workpiece 300 to be gripped and the gripping member 2021, while maintaining the driving part 501 connected to the first part 301 of the workpiece 300, as shown. Figure 30 As shown.

[0119] When the workpiece 300 is gripped, the gripping member of the second gripper 208 drives two parts of the workpiece 300 to move toward each other until the two parts contact each other. With further movement of the gripping member 2021, the workpiece 300 can be firmly gripped by the second gripper 208, wherein the first part 301 of the workpiece 300 is connected to the driving part 501 of the third device 5003, as... Figure 30 As shown.

[0120] Then, the gripped workpiece 300 is moved so that the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 is connected to the transmission part 502 of the third device 5003, as follows. Figure 31 As shown. After the second part 302 of the workpiece 300 has been connected to the transmission part 502 of the third device 5003, the moving device 200 then drives the first part 301 of the workpiece 300, while the driving part 501 moves away from the transmission part 502. When the device 200 moves to a position where a tension force is applied to the workpiece 300, as... Figure 32 As shown, the drive section 501 can then be released by the motor gripper 207.

[0121] Subsequently, in some embodiments, in order to tension the workpiece 300 before the drive portion 501 is fixed to the frame of the third device 5003, the drive portion 501 of the third device 5003 may be further pushed away from the transmission portion 502, for example by the tensioning assembly 206, such as... Figure 33 As shown. In this way, the load sensor 2061 of the tensioning assembly 206 can sense the tension force in real time. In response to the tension force detected by the load sensor 2061 reaching a predetermined value, the drive part 501 can then be fixed in place, for example by a fixing member, while the tensioning assembly 206 continues to push the drive part 501.

[0122] The above embodiments describe a case where a workpiece 300 is mounted on a transmission system having a drive portion and a transmission portion. In some embodiments, in addition to the drive portion and the transmission portion, the transmission system may also include a tensioning portion. The drive portion, the transmission portion, and the tensioning portion are typically arranged in a triangular configuration.

[0123] To facilitate the assembly of workpiece 300 onto a transmission system with a tensioning portion, in some embodiments, the system may further include a plurality of positioning blocks 1065, such as Figure 34 As shown. Figure 34 Three positioning blocks 1065 are shown, corresponding to the positions of the drive portion, transmission portion, and tensioning portion of the workpiece 300 to be installed, respectively. In some embodiments, the distance between any two positioning blocks 1065 is slightly greater than the distance between any two corresponding pairs of the drive portion, transmission portion, and tensioning portion.

[0124] Multiple positioning blocks 1065 can be used to pre-shape the workpiece 300 before it is mounted on the transmission system. For example, as... Figure 34 As shown, during operation, the robot can control the pusher 204 to sequentially connect different parts of the workpiece 300 to three positioning blocks 1065, so that the workpiece 300 is pre-formed into the shape to be assembled. Then, the robot can assemble the pre-formed workpiece 300 into the transmission system using a predetermined tool (such as a first gripper).

[0125] In some embodiments, the positioning blocks 1065 may be wedge-shaped. Specifically, the thickness of the positioning blocks gradually decreases from their distal ends, which are far apart from each other, to their proximal ends, which are close together. The minimum thickness of the positioning blocks 1065 at the proximal end may be zero, allowing the pusher 204 to push a portion of the workpiece 300 from the proximal end onto the top surface of the positioning blocks 1065 and ultimately engage with the distal end of the positioning blocks 1065. The maximum thickness of the positioning blocks 1065 at the distal end may be equal to or greater than the width of the workpiece 300 to ensure engagement of the workpiece 300 with the distal end of the positioning blocks 1065. Using the positioning blocks 1065, the workpiece 300 can be easily assembled onto a transmission system with a tensioning portion.

[0126] Furthermore, to prevent the workpiece from detaching from the first of the three locating blocks 1065 connected to it, the inclination angles of the locating blocks 1065 can be different. For example, the inclination angle of the locating blocks can gradually decrease according to the connection sequence with the workpiece 300. In other words, the maximum height of the locating blocks decreases sequentially according to the connection sequence.

[0127] also, Figure 34 Three positioning blocks 1065 for forming workpiece 300 are shown. It should be understood that this is merely illustrative and does not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. The number and arrangement of the positioning blocks 1065 may also be varied depending on the transmission system on which the workpiece is coupled.

[0128] As can be seen from the above, through the apparatus 200 and system according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and using the method according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a flexible annular workpiece 300, such as a belt, can be automatically assembled by a robot into various devices 500, regardless of whether the device 500 has a more compact structure or whether its transmission portion 502 and drive portion 501 are in different orientations. Thus, the flexible annular workpiece 300 can be assembled faster and more accurately. Furthermore, the apparatus 200 enables the flexible annular workpiece 300 to be assembled in an automated assembly line.

[0129] It should be understood that the detailed embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements should be included within the scope of this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and limits of the claims or their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for assembling a flexible ring-shaped workpiece (300) into a device, comprising: robot; A device adapted to be coupled to the robot via a coupling member (201) for operating the workpiece (300) or a portion of the equipment; A forming plate (106) adapted to receive at least a portion of the workpiece (300), the at least a portion of the workpiece being moved by the device to shape the workpiece (300) into a predetermined shape. The device includes a first gripper (202) adapted to be operated by the robot to grip the workpiece (300) already shaped into the predetermined shape, so as to allow the workpiece (300) to be coupled to the device (500). A guide member (203) adapted to guide a second portion (302) of the workpiece (300) to a transmission portion (502) of the device when the first portion (301) is coupled to the drive portion (501) of the device, and Push block (204), which is arranged in the same orientation as a pair of gripping members (2021) and is at least adapted to push the workpiece (300) into the forming plate (106) to form the workpiece (300) into the predetermined shape.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first gripper (202) comprises: The pair of gripping components (2021); as well as A drive member (2022) adapted to drive the pair of gripping members (2021) to move toward each other to grip the workpiece (300).

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first gripper (202) further comprises: An intermediate member (2023) is provided, wherein the workpiece (300) will be arranged between the intermediate member (2023) and each of the pair of gripping members (2021), the dimensions of the intermediate member (2023) being determined to prevent the workpiece (300) from being excessively deformed when gripped.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate member (2023) includes a toothed portion arranged on a side adjacent to the workpiece (300) to match the shape of a portion of the workpiece (300) to be contacted.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the forming plate (106) comprises: Two edges, the predetermined distance between the two edges being equal to or greater than the diameter of a portion of the device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the pusher (204) is adapted to push the workpiece (300) into the forming plate (106) in a direction parallel to the edge.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising: A first guide groove (1071) is formed on a base plate (107), a forming plate (106) is arranged on the base plate (107), and the first guide groove (1071) is adapted to partially arrange the pusher (204) therein during the process of pushing the workpiece (300) into the forming plate (106).

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising: A second guide groove (1072) is formed on the base plate (107) to traverse the first guide groove (1071) at a predetermined position and is adapted to partially arrange the first gripper (202) therein during the gripping of the workpiece (300).

9. The system according to claim 5, further comprising: A pair of auxiliary blocks (1061) are arranged on the side of the forming plate (106) adjacent to the workpiece (300) such that the pusher (204) pushes the workpiece (300) between the pair of auxiliary blocks (1061) and eventually into the forming plate (106).

10. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising: A conical forming block (1063) is adapted to concentrically arrange the workpiece (300) thereon, the forming block (1063) including at least one pair of gripping grooves (1064) adapted to partially arrange the first gripper (202) therein during gripping the workpiece (300).

11. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising: Multiple positioning blocks (1065) are arranged to correspond to the positions of the drive portion, the transmission portion, and the tension portion of the workpiece (300) to be mounted.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of positioning blocks (1065) is wedge-shaped.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the device (200) further comprises: An elastic mechanism (205) is arranged to support the push block (204) and is adapted to be compressed when the first gripper (202) is ready to grip the workpiece (300), such that the free end of the push block (204) is in the same plane as the pair of gripping members (2021).

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the pusher (204) includes a flange formed on the free end, and The guide member (203) includes a chamfer formed on the flange.

15. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, 5-9 and 11-14, wherein the device (200) further comprises: Tensioning assembly (206), the tensioning assembly being adapted to push the drive portion (501) of the device away from the transmission portion (502) to tension the workpiece (300) when the workpiece (300) is connected to the drive portion (501) and the transmission portion (502).

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the tensioning assembly (206) comprises: A load sensor (2061) is adapted to sense the tension force on the workpiece (300) when it is tensioned by the tensioning assembly (206).

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the device (200) further comprises: A fixing component, the fixing component being adapted to: fix the drive portion (501) of the device in place with fasteners in response to a predetermined value of tension on the workpiece (300).

18. The system according to any one of claims 1-3, 5-9, 12-14, 16 and 17, wherein the device (200) further: A motor gripper (207) adapted to grip the drive portion (501) to allow the drive portion (501) to be moved by the robot, such that the drive portion (501) is allowed to be coupled to the first portion (301) of the workpiece (300); and A second gripper (208) is adapted to grip the workpiece (300) when the first part (301) has been coupled to the drive part (501) of the device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second grippers (202, 208) share the same drive member (2022).

20. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: A guide (401) adapted to be moved by the robot via the device to the transmission part (502) of the equipment.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the guide (401) includes a coupling portion (1041) to which the operating component (103) can be coupled.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the guide (401) further includes an alignment portion adapted to be coupled to the transmission portion (502) to facilitate alignment of the guide (104) on the transmission portion (502).

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the alignment portion comprises: Alignment post (1042), the alignment post (1042) being adapted to be inserted into the center hole of the transmission part (502); as well as Alignment ring (1043), which is formed around the alignment post, is received in an annular groove of the transmission part (502).

24. A method for assembling a flexible annular workpiece (300) into a device, comprising: The workpiece (300) is moved by means of a device connected to the robot, such that a portion of the workpiece (300) is arranged in a forming plate to be formed into a predetermined shape; The workpiece (300), which has been formed into the predetermined shape, is gripped by the first gripper (202) of the device; The device is used to connect the gripped workpiece (300) to the equipment (500). With the first part (301) connected to the drive part (501) of the device, the second part (302) of the workpiece (300) is guided to the transmission part (502) of the device by the guide member (203); and The workpiece (300) is pushed into the forming plate (106) by pushers (204) arranged in the same orientation as a pair of gripping members (2021) to form the workpiece (300) into the predetermined shape.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: The gripped workpiece (300) is moved such that the first portion (301) of the workpiece (300) is coupled to the drive portion (501) of the device (500).

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising: After the second portion (302) of the workpiece (300) is guided to the transmission portion (502): The drive portion (501) of the device is moved away from the transmission portion (502) to tension the workpiece (300); and Obtain the value of the tension force on the workpiece (300); as well as In response to the tension force reaching a predetermined value, the drive part (501) of the device is fixed in place.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising: Before the workpiece (300) that has been formed into the predetermined shape is grasped: The drive portion (501) of the device (500) is gripped; as well as The gripped drive portion (501) is moved such that the first portion (301) of the workpiece (300) is coupled to the drive portion (501) of the device (500).

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