An engine cylinder head valve stem automatic feeding system

CN116638283BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-04DONGFENG HONDA AUTOMOBILE CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310648711.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-06-02
Publication Date
2026-09-04
Estimated Expiration
2043-06-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0002]现有技术中,在发动机缸盖分装线上,由于缸盖气门杆多样性及缸盖气门杆包装式样的差异,通常缸盖气门杆供料采用“单根插入托盘”模式,即由人工将物料(物料包括带有多个孔的第一气门杆放置板,第一气门杆放置板的孔上插接有缸盖气门杆)从包装盒中逐根取出后,按照机型要求逐根插入到料库(如CN202864397U所示)中,该技术方案不仅人工劳动强度增大,而且换线生产率较低,不具备柔性化生产(只适配缸盖气门杆间距一样的机型)

Benefits of technology

[0024]1、本发明不仅具有结构简单、便于制造装配的优点,而且其可以方便快捷地实现缸盖气门自动供料,本发明通过整体移动物料(物料包括带有多个孔的第一气门杆放置板,第一气门杆放置板的孔上插接有缸盖气门杆)从而减少人工或机械填料的频次,实现了物料的整体自动化入库,同时,其可以有效地提高缸盖气门杆的换线效率,降低人工劳动强度,实现柔性化气门装配、具有良好的兼容性,从而提高了本发明的自动化程度。

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Abstract

The application discloses an engine cylinder cover valve rod automatic feeding system, which comprises a feeding station, a storage station, a material taking station and an assembly mechanical claw; a loading table and a bearing device are arranged at the feeding station; a storage frame is arranged at the storage station, and a second conveying roller is arranged on the storage frame; a bearing device is arranged at the feeding station, a second valve rod placing plate and a linear module are arranged beside the bearing device, arrayed cylinder cover valve rod loading holes are arranged on the second valve rod placing plate, and the total number of the valve rod loading holes is less than that of the holes on the first valve rod placing plate; a material taking device is arranged between the second valve rod placing plate and the bearing device. The application has the advantages of simple structure and convenient manufacturing and assembly, and can conveniently and quickly realize automatic feeding of the cylinder cover valve, effectively improve the line changing efficiency of the cylinder cover valve rod, reduce the labor intensity, realize flexible valve assembly, and has good compatibility.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cylinder head valve stem technology, and more particularly to an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, on engine cylinder head assembly lines, due to the diversity of cylinder head valve stems and the differences in their packaging styles, cylinder head valve stems are typically supplied using a "single-stem insertion tray" method. This involves manually removing the materials (including a first valve stem placement plate with multiple holes, into which cylinder head valve stems are inserted) one by one from the packaging box and inserting them into the material storage bin (as shown in CN202864397U) according to the engine model requirements. This technical solution not only increases manual labor intensity but also results in low line changeover productivity and lacks flexible production (it only adapts to models with uniform cylinder head valve stem spacing). If the robotic arm shown in CN202668033U were used to directly grip multiple cylinder head valve stems at once from the first valve stem placement plate, different robotic arms would need to be designed for different material sizes (as the cylinder head valve stem spacing varies for different materials), undoubtedly increasing costs. Furthermore, with the gradual improvement of industrial automation, the accelerating production pace, and the continuous rise in labor costs... The existing material feeding mode is no longer suitable for the current production line requirements. The engine cylinder head sub-assembly line urgently needs an automatic cylinder head valve stem feeding system to improve the line change efficiency of cylinder head valve stems, reduce manual labor intensity, achieve flexible valve assembly, have good compatibility, and enable a single type of assembly robot to handle the transfer of materials of various sizes. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head, which not only has the advantages of simple structure and easy manufacturing and assembly, but also can realize automatic valve feeding of cylinder head in a convenient and quick manner, effectively improve the valve stem changing efficiency, reduce manual labor intensity, realize flexible valve assembly, and has good compatibility.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0005] This invention discloses an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads, comprising a loading station, a storage station, a picking station, and an assembly mechanical claw arranged sequentially along a first axial direction;

[0006] The loading station is provided with a platform for carrying materials and a bearing device for driving the platform along a first axial direction and / or a third axial direction. The material includes a first valve stem placement plate with multiple holes, and a cylinder head valve stem is inserted into the holes of the first valve stem placement plate.

[0007] The storage station is provided with a storage frame, and the storage frame is provided with a plurality of second conveying rollers arranged at equal intervals along the third axis. Each second conveying roller can simultaneously carry at least two of the carriers.

[0008] The loading station is equipped with a support device for docking the platform conveyed from the storage station. Next to the support device are a second valve stem placement plate for supporting the cylinder head valve stem and a linear module for driving the second valve stem placement plate to move along a first axial direction. The second valve stem placement plate is provided with an array of cylinder head valve stem mounting holes, the total number of valve stem mounting holes being less than the total number of holes on the first valve stem placement plate. The cylinder head valve stem mounting holes correspond one-to-one with the cylinder head valve stem acquisition parts on the assembly manipulator. The holes on the first valve stem placement plate do not correspond to the cylinder head valve stem acquisition parts on the assembly manipulator (i.e., the cylinder head valve stem cannot be directly gripped by the assembly manipulator).

[0009] A material handling device is provided between the second valve stem placement plate and the support device for transferring the cylinder head valve stem located on the first valve stem placement plate to the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole on the second valve stem placement plate.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the platform includes a tray, the tray being provided with a support component and a positioning component;

[0011] The load-bearing component includes at least two support blocks, each of which extends along a third axis.

[0012] The positioning assembly includes a fixed positioning block and three movable positioning blocks that can rotate relative to a third axis. The fixed positioning block is provided with a first groove feature for positioning the first valve stem placement plate. The first groove feature includes a first reference plane perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis. The movable positioning block is provided with two second groove features arranged diagonally for positioning the first valve stem placement plate. Each second groove feature includes a first reference plane perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end of the movable positioning block is provided with spline teeth arranged coaxially therewith, the spline teeth are inserted into the locking seat installed on the tray, the locking seat is provided with a hook for cooperating with the spline teeth to realize circumferential locking of the movable positioning block, the hook is elastically reset and connected to the locking seat, and the central axis of the hook is perpendicular to the third axis.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tray is provided with at least two positioning pin holes, the central axis of the positioning pin holes is arranged along a third axis, guide wheels are provided around the tray, the rotation central axis of the guide wheels is arranged along the third axis, and a plurality of support rods for supporting the first valve stem placement plate are provided in the middle of the tray, each of the support rods is arranged along the third axis.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a backstop mechanism is provided between the loading station and the storage station, and between the unloading station and the storage station. The backstop mechanism includes a baffle assembly mounted on the storage frame and a drive assembly mounted on the bearing device for driving the baffle assembly to rotate around a first axis.

[0016] The baffle assembly includes a check seat connected to the storage frame, a check block connected to the check seat via a hinge, and a pin for limiting the rotation angle of the check block. The hinge and the pin are both arranged to extend along a first axis, and the check block is arranged perpendicular to the first axis.

[0017] The drive assembly includes a cylinder fixedly connected to the bearing device and extending along a first axial direction, and the piston rod end of the cylinder is provided with a mechanical unlocking plate for driving the check block to rotate around the hinge axis.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical unlocking plate includes a first plate portion perpendicular to a first axis, a second plate portion inclined to a horizontal plane, and a third plate portion perpendicular to a third axis, wherein the third plate portion is located below the mechanical unlocking plate.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a support plate is fixedly connected to the linear module, a second valve stem placement plate is fixedly connected to the support plate, at least one cylinder extending along a third axis is provided on each side of the support plate, and a valve lifting plate arranged parallel to the horizontal plane is connected to the piston rod end of the cylinder, and the valve lifting plate and the valve stem mounting hole in the cylinder head are arranged in a corresponding position.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carrying device includes a lifting unit that can move along a third axis, and the lifting unit is provided with a first conveying roller that can convey materials along a first axis.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material handling device includes a robotic arm, a variable pitch electric cylinder, a suction cup connected to the moving end of the robotic arm for adsorbing the cylinder head valve stem, and a vision system for controlling the robotic arm to pick up the cylinder head valve stem.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cylinder extending along a second axial direction is provided in the middle of each layer of the storage frame, and a stop member is connected to the piston rod end of the cylinder, the stop member being located above the second conveying roller corresponding to that layer.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0024] 1. This invention not only has the advantages of simple structure and easy manufacturing and assembly, but also can realize automatic feeding of cylinder head valves in a convenient and quick manner. This invention reduces the frequency of manual or mechanical filling by moving the material as a whole (the material includes a first valve rod placement plate with multiple holes, and cylinder head valve rods are inserted into the holes of the first valve rod placement plate), thereby realizing the overall automated storage of materials. At the same time, it can effectively improve the line changing efficiency of cylinder head valve rods, reduce the intensity of manual labor, realize flexible valve assembly, and have good compatibility, thereby improving the degree of automation of this invention.

[0025] 2. The present invention adopts the following design concept: At the loading station, a platform for carrying materials and a supporting device for driving the platform along a first axial direction and / or a third axial direction are provided. The material includes a first valve stem placement plate with multiple holes, and cylinder head valve stems are inserted into the holes of the first valve stem placement plate. At the storage station, a storage frame is provided, and multiple second conveying rollers are arranged at equal intervals along the third axial direction on the storage frame. Each second conveying roller can simultaneously carry at least two platforms. At the loading station, a supporting device for docking with the platforms conveyed from the storage station is provided. Next to the supporting device, a second valve stem placement plate for carrying cylinder head valve stems and a linear module for driving the second valve stem placement plate to move along the first axial direction are provided. The second valve stem placement plate is provided with an array of... The cylinder head valve stem mounting holes have a total number less than the total number of holes on the first valve stem mounting plate. A material handling device is provided between the second valve stem mounting plate and the carrier device to transfer the cylinder head valve stems located on the first valve stem mounting plate to the cylinder head valve stem mounting holes on the second valve stem mounting plate. This design not only enables fully automated material conveying but also facilitates the changing of cylinder head valve stem lines, making it easier for downstream robotic grippers to pick up the cylinder head valve stems located on the second valve stem mounting plate. It is particularly important to note that the valve stem mounting holes on the second valve stem mounting plate must correspond to the position and number of cylinder head valve stem picking parts on the downstream robotic gripper, while the valve stem mounting holes on the first valve stem mounting plate do not correspond to the position and number of cylinder head valve stem picking parts on the downstream robotic gripper.

[0026] 3. This invention provides a newly designed platform with the following features: the platform includes a tray, which is provided with a bearing component and a positioning component; the bearing component includes at least two support blocks, each extending along a third axis; the positioning component includes a fixed positioning block and three movable positioning blocks rotatable relative to the third axis. The fixed positioning block is provided with a first groove feature for positioning a first valve stem placement plate, the first groove feature including a first reference plane perpendicular to a second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis; the movable positioning blocks are provided with two diagonally arranged second groove features for positioning the first valve stem placement plate, each second groove feature including a first reference plane perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis. The structural design of this platform allows it to be matched for the mounting and positioning of 2XM first valve stem placement plates (one at a time) and 10T first valve stem placement plates (one at a time), thereby improving the versatility of this invention. It allows for the reasonable selection of the combination of the bearing component and the positioning component according to the size of the first valve stem placement plate to achieve material bearing and positioning, ensuring good compatibility of this invention.

[0027] 4. The present invention also adds the following structural design: the end of the movable positioning block is provided with a spline tooth arranged coaxially therewith, the spline tooth is inserted into the locking seat installed on the tray, the locking seat is provided with a hook for cooperating with the spline tooth to realize circumferential locking of the movable positioning block, the hook is elastically reset and connected to the locking seat, and the central axis of the hook is perpendicular to the third axis; this structural design is more conducive to the rapid switching of the movable positioning block, making it compatible with various models of first valve stem placement plates.

[0028] 5. The pallet of the present invention is provided with at least two positioning pin holes, the central axis of the positioning pin holes is arranged along the third axis, the pallet is provided with guide wheels around its perimeter, the rotation central axis of the guide wheels is arranged along the third axis, and the pallet is provided with a plurality of support rods for supporting the first valve stem placement plate in the middle, each support rod being arranged along the third axis; this mechanism design can effectively improve the service life of the pallet while ensuring that the supported material will not collapse in the middle.

[0029] 6. The present invention adds a backstop mechanism between the loading station and the storage station, and between the unloading station and the storage station. The existence of the backstop mechanism ensures the safety of materials during line change and prevents them from falling when entering or leaving the warehouse.

[0030] 7. The anti-reverse mechanism of the present invention includes a baffle assembly mounted on a storage frame and a drive assembly mounted on a supporting device for driving the baffle assembly to rotate around a first axis. The baffle assembly includes a check seat connected to the storage frame, a check block connected to the check seat via a hinge shaft, and a pin for limiting the rotation angle of the check block. The hinge shaft and the pin are both arranged extending along the first axis, and the check block is arranged perpendicular to the first axis. The drive assembly includes a cylinder fixedly connected to the supporting device and arranged extending along the first axis. The piston rod end of the cylinder is provided with a mechanical unlocking plate for driving the check block to rotate around the hinge shaft. The mechanical unlocking plate includes a first plate portion perpendicular to the first axis, a second plate portion inclined to the horizontal plane, and a third plate portion perpendicular to the third axis. The third plate portion is located below the mechanical unlocking plate. This technical solution is not only simple in structure but also easy to assemble and manufacture. It can effectively ensure the safety of materials during line changes and prevent them from falling during warehousing or retrieval.

[0031] 8. The linear module of the present invention is fixedly connected to a support plate, on which a second valve stem placement plate is fixedly connected. The placement plate is divided into two rows, and the valve stem placement spacing in each row is determined by the valve spacing difference of the production model (e.g., two models are produced on-site, with cylinder head valve stem spacing of 80mm / 88mm respectively). At least one cylinder extending along a third axis is provided on each side of the support plate. The piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a valve lifting plate arranged parallel to the horizontal plane. The valve lifting plate and the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole are positioned correspondingly. This structural design is more conducive to the change of cylinder head valve stems and facilitates the subsequent downstream robotic gripper (refer to CN202668033U patent) to pick up the cylinder head valve stems located on the second valve stem placement plate. The lifting plate lifts the valve, allowing the downstream robotic arm to avoid interference during gripping. As shown in CN202668033U.

[0032] 9. The carrying device of the present invention includes a lifting unit that can move along a third axis. The lifting unit is provided with a first conveying roller that can convey materials along a first axis. This structural design can realize the height adjustment of the pallet with materials and realize the automatic switching of materials between different work stations by the conveying roller, effectively improving the compatibility of the present invention.

[0033] 10. The material handling device of the present invention includes a robotic arm, a suction cup connected to the moving end of the robotic arm for adsorbing cylinder head valve stems, an electric cylinder with automatic pitch adjustment, and a vision system for controlling the robotic arm to pick up cylinder head valve stems. The electric cylinder automatically adjusts the pitch to make the valve stems consistent with the spacing of the placement table according to the machine model requirements. The vision system positions and photographs to obtain the coordinate positions of all valve stems on the partition. Based on the coordinates provided by the vision, the robot uses vacuum adsorption to achieve a 100% success rate in grasping the valves. The device also effectively prevents errors by visually identifying differences in the outer contour of the valve stems.

[0034] 11. Each layer of the storage frame of the present invention is provided with a cylinder extending along a second axial direction at its center. The piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a stop, which is located above the second conveying roller corresponding to that layer. This structural design can prevent interference when a pallet carrying material is conveyed on the second conveying roller, thereby improving the safety of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the accompanying drawings:

[0036] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a front view of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a side view of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a top view of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a material-carrying platform for an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a top view of a platform with material in an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a material schematic diagram of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a front view of a platform with material in an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a side view of a platform with material in an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0045] Figure 10 This is a top view of a platform with material in an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0046] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a material-carrying platform for an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0047] Figure 12 This is a top view of a platform with material in an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention.

[0048] Figure 13 This is a material schematic diagram of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0049] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a moving positioning block and locking seat for an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0050] Figure 15 This is a front view of the moving positioning block and locking seat of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0051] Figure 16 This is a top view of the moving positioning block and locking seat of the automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention;

[0052] Figure 17 This is a side view of the moving positioning block and locking seat of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0053] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the moving positioning block and locking seat of the automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention.

[0054] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of a moving positioning block and locking seat for an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads according to the present invention;

[0055] Figure 20 This is a top view of the moving positioning block and locking seat of the automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention;

[0056] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the second conveying roller and anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention;

[0057] Figure 22 This is a side view of the second conveying roller and anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention;

[0058] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of a baffle assembly of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0059] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of a baffle assembly of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0060] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of a baffle assembly of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0061] Figure 26This is a schematic diagram of the anti-reverse mechanism (anti-reverse state) of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention.

[0062] Figure 27 This is a front view of the anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0063] Figure 28 This is a side view of the anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0064] Figure 29 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-reverse mechanism (non-anti-reverse state) of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention.

[0065] Figure 30 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-reverse mechanism (non-anti-reverse state) of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention.

[0066] Figure 31 This is a top view of the anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0067] Figure 32 This is a side view of the anti-reverse mechanism of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0068] Figure 33 This is a front view of the second valve stem placement plate + linear module of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0069] Figure 34 This is a side view of the second valve stem placement plate + linear module of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0070] Figure 35 This is a top view of the second valve stem placement plate + linear module of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0071] Figure 36 This is a front view of the frame of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0072] Figure 37 This is a side view of the frame of an automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to the present invention;

[0073] Figure 38 This is a schematic diagram of the suction cup of the material handling device of the automatic feeding system for engine cylinder head valve stems according to the present invention;

[0074] In the diagram: 1-Lifting unit; 2-Material; 3-First conveyor roller; 4-Platform; 5-Storage frame; 6-Second conveyor roller; 7-Second valve stem placement plate; 8-Anti-reverse mechanism; 9-Material handling device; 10-Linear module; 11-Support plate; 12-Valve lifting plate; 13-Vision system; 21-First valve stem placement plate; 22-Cylinder head valve stem; 71-Cylinder head valve stem mounting hole; 41-Pattern; 42-Fixed positioning block; 43-Moving positioning block ; 44-Locking seat; 45-Hook; 46-Guide wheel; 47-Support rod; 48-Support block; 49-Positioning pin hole; 431-Spline tooth; 81-Baffle assembly; 82-Drive assembly; 811-Check seat; 812-Hinge shaft; 813-Cylinder; 814-Mechanical unlocking plate; 815-Check block; 816-Pin; 8141-First plate; 8142-Second plate; 8143-Third plate; 91-Mechanical arm; 92-Suction cup. Detailed Implementation

[0075] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0076] like Figure 1-4 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, an automatic cylinder head valve stem feeding system is disclosed. This system is located upstream of the mechanical claw disclosed in CN202668033U. Its purpose is to ensure that materials of various sizes (which can be understood as the spacing between two adjacent cylinder head valve stems 22 on the first valve stem placement plate 21 being inconsistent, or the spacing between two adjacent cylinder head valve stems 22 on the first valve stem placement plate 21 being consistent, but not corresponding to the spacing of the mechanical claw disclosed in CN202668033U) can be transferred using the same robotic arm. The system includes a loading station, a storage station, a picking station, and an assembly mechanical claw arranged sequentially along the first axis. The premise is that the position of the cylinder head valve stem picking part on the assembly mechanical claw does not correspond to the position of the cylinder head valve stem 22 on the material 2, resulting in the inability to pick it up.

[0077] The loading station is provided with a platform 4 for carrying material 2 and a bearing device for driving the platform 4 along the first axis and / or the third axis. The material 2 includes a first valve stem placement plate 21 with multiple holes, and a cylinder head valve stem 22 is inserted into the holes of the first valve stem placement plate 21.

[0078] A storage frame 5 is provided at the storage station. Multiple second conveying rollers 6 are arranged at equal intervals along the third axis on the storage frame 5. Each second conveying roller 6 can simultaneously carry at least two carriers 4.

[0079] The loading station is equipped with a support device for docking the platform 4 transported from the storage station. Next to the support device are a second valve stem placement plate 7 for supporting the cylinder head valve stem 22 and a linear module 10 for driving the second valve stem placement plate 7 to move along the first axial direction. The second valve stem placement plate 7 is provided with an array of cylinder head valve stem mounting holes 71. The total number of cylinder head valve stem mounting holes 71 is less than the total number of holes on the first valve stem placement plate 21. The cylinder head valve stem mounting holes 71 correspond one-to-one with the cylinder head valve stem picking parts on the assembly manipulator. The cylinder head valve stem mounting holes 71 are adapted to the suction cup or gripper position on the manipulator disclosed in CN202668033U for picking up the cylinder head valve stem 22, because the manipulator disclosed in CN202668033U cannot directly pick up the material 2 in one go (the size does not match).

[0080] A material handling device 9 is provided between the second valve stem placement plate 7 and the support device for transferring the cylinder head valve stem 22 located on the first valve stem placement plate 21 to the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole 71 on the second valve stem placement plate 7.

[0081] It should be noted that the first axis of the present invention is the X-axis, the second axis is the Y-axis, and the third axis is the Z-axis. The first axis, the second axis, and the third axis constitute a Cartesian coordinate system, with the first axis being the X-axis, the second axis being the Y-axis, and the third axis being the Z-axis.

[0082] Preferably, the present invention can set up multiple conveyor lines extending along the X-axis and spaced apart along the Y-axis. Each conveyor line includes a loading station, a storage station and a picking station. Each conveyor line can be equipped with a picking device 9 or two adjacent conveyor lines can share a picking device 9.

[0083] Preferably, such as Figure 5-20 As shown, the platform 4 includes a tray 41, which is provided with a load-bearing component and a positioning component;

[0084] The supporting component includes at least two support blocks 48, each support block 48 extending along a third axis, and support grooves can be provided on the support blocks 48 to lift the material 2;

[0085] The positioning assembly positions the first valve stem placement plate 21 of material 2 at its four corners. The positioning assembly includes a fixed positioning block 42 and three movable positioning blocks 43 rotatable relative to a third axis. The fixed positioning block 42 has a first groove feature for positioning the first valve stem placement plate 21, which includes a first reference plane perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis. The movable positioning blocks 43 have two diagonally arranged second groove features for positioning the first valve stem placement plate 21, each second groove feature including a first reference plane perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference plane perpendicular to the first axis. Rotation of the movable positioning blocks 43 can switch the second groove features to adapt to two types of material 2, such as... Figure 5-10 The structural layout allows for the loading of only one 2XM valve stem tray-type material at a time, such as... Figure 11-13 The structural design allows for the simultaneous loading of two 10T valve stem tray-type materials 2. Those skilled in the art can refer to the attached drawings to reasonably design the dimensional characteristics of the moving positioning block 43.

[0086] Preferably, such as Figure 18 As shown, the end of the movable positioning block 43 is provided with a spline tooth 431 arranged coaxially with it. The spline tooth 431 is inserted into the locking seat 44 installed on the tray 41. The locking seat 44 is provided with a hook 45 for cooperating with the spline tooth 431 to realize circumferential locking of the movable positioning block 43. The hook 45 is elastically reset and connected to the locking seat 44. The central axis of the hook 45 is perpendicular to the third axis.

[0087] Preferably, the tray 41 is provided with at least two positioning pin holes 49, the central axis of the positioning pin holes 49 is arranged along the third axis, the tray 41 is provided with guide wheels 46 around its perimeter, the rotation center axis of the guide wheels 46 is arranged along the third axis, and the tray 41 is provided with a plurality of support rods 47 for supporting the first valve stem placement plate 21 in the middle, each support rod 47 is arranged along the third axis.

[0088] Preferably, such as Figure 21-32 As shown, a backstop mechanism 8 is provided between the loading station and the storage station, and between the unloading station and the storage station. The backstop mechanism 8 includes a baffle assembly 81 installed on the storage frame 5 and a drive assembly 82 installed on the bearing device for driving the baffle assembly 81 to rotate around the first axis.

[0089] The baffle assembly 81 includes a check seat 811 connected to the storage frame 5, a check block 815 connected to the check seat 811 via a hinge 812, and a pin 816 for limiting the rotation angle of the check block 815. The hinge 812 and the pin 816 are both arranged to extend along the first axis, and the check block 815 is arranged perpendicular to the first axis.

[0090] The drive assembly 82 includes a cylinder 813 fixedly connected to the support device and arranged to extend along the first axial direction. The piston rod end of the cylinder 813 is provided with a mechanical unlocking plate 814 for driving the check block 815 to rotate around the hinge axis 812.

[0091] Preferably, the mechanical unlocking plate 814 includes a first plate portion 8141 perpendicular to the first axis, a second plate portion 8142 inclined to the horizontal plane, and a third plate portion 8143 perpendicular to the third axis, with the third plate portion 8143 located below the mechanical unlocking plate 814.

[0092] Preferably, such as Figure 33-35 As shown, a support plate 11 is fixedly connected to the linear module 10, and a second valve stem placement plate 7 is fixedly connected to the support plate 11. At least one cylinder extending along the third axis is provided on each side of the support plate 11. The piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a valve lifting plate 12 arranged parallel to the horizontal plane. The valve lifting plate 12 and the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole 71 are arranged in corresponding positions.

[0093] Preferably, such as Figures 36-37 As shown, the carrying device includes a lifting unit 1 that can move along a third axis, and a first conveying roller 3 that can convey material 2 along a first axis is provided on the lifting unit 1.

[0094] Preferably, such as Figure 1 , 38 As shown, the material handling device 9 includes a robot arm 91, a suction cup 92 connected to the moving end of the robot arm 91 for adsorbing the cylinder head valve stem 22, and a vision system 13 for controlling the robot arm 91 to pick up the cylinder head valve stem 22 (the vision system 13 can be referred to CN202869451U).

[0095] Preferably, each layer of the storage frame 5 is provided with a cylinder extending along the second axis in the middle, and the piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a stop, which is located above the second conveying roller 6 corresponding to that layer.

[0096] The workflow of material 2 in this invention is as follows:

[0097] S1, the material 2 is manually or mechanically loaded onto the platform 4 located at the loading station, and the lifting unit 1 works to align the height of the first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 on a certain layer of the storage frame 5.

[0098] S2, the anti-reverse mechanism 8 of the feeding station works to drive the corresponding anti-reverse block 815 to rotate a certain angle. The first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 are at the same height along the Z-axis, and there is no anti-reverse block 815 between the first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 along the X-axis. The first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 at the same height work synchronously to realize the material 2 being transported from the feeding station to the storage station.

[0099] S3, the first conveyor roller 3 of the loading station works to push the platform 4 to move along the X-axis to the second conveyor roller 6, repeating S1-S2 to realize the storage of multiple materials 2 in the storage station. During storage, it is necessary to ensure that at least one layer of the second conveyor roller 6 is empty.

[0100] S4, the lifting unit 1 works, causing the first conveyor roller 3 installed on it to rise to a certain level, and the second conveyor roller 6 to ensure that the two are aligned in height;

[0101] S5, the anti-reverse mechanism 8 of the unloading station works and drives the corresponding anti-reverse block 815 to rotate a certain angle. The first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 are at the same height along the Z-axis, and there is no anti-reverse block 815 between the first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 along the X-axis. The first conveying roller 3 and the second conveying roller 6 at the same height work synchronously to realize the material 2 being transported from the storage station to the picking station.

[0102] S6, the lifting unit 1 operates, lowering the material 2 on its first conveying roller 3 to the height of the second valve stem placement plate 7. The material handling device 9, based on the cooperation of the robotic arm 91 and the vision system 13, transfers the cylinder head valve stem 22 on the first valve stem placement plate 21 to the second valve stem placement plate 7 in batches.

[0103] S7, after the second valve stem placement plate 7 is filled, it is moved to the corresponding position of the assembly mechanical claw (see CN202668033U for its structure) by the linear module 10. The cylinder top extension on 11 drives the valve lifting plate 12 to move upward, ensuring that all cylinder head valve stems 22 located on the second valve stem placement plate 7 are dislodged from the second valve stem placement plate 7 at a certain height, so that the assembly mechanical claw can grab all cylinder head valve stems 22 at once.

[0104] S8, after all cylinder head valve stems 22 on material 2 have been picked up by the assembly robot claw, the unloaded first valve stem placement plate 21 and the platform 4 are returned to the loading station through S4, S5, S3, S1, and S2. The unloaded first valve stem placement plate 21 can then be removed manually or by a robot.

[0105] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder heads, comprising a loading station, a storage station, a retrieving station, and an assembly mechanical gripper arranged sequentially along a first axial direction; characterized in that, The loading station is provided with a platform (4) for carrying the material (2) and a bearing device for driving the platform (4) along the first axial direction and / or the third axial direction. The material (2) includes a first valve stem placement plate (21) with multiple holes, and a cylinder head valve stem (22) is inserted into the holes of the first valve stem placement plate (21). A storage frame (5) is provided at the storage station. Multiple second conveying rollers (6) are arranged at equal intervals along the third axis on the storage frame (5). Each second conveying roller (6) can simultaneously carry at least two of the carriers (4). The loading station is provided with a bearing device for docking the platform (4) transported from the storage station. Next to the bearing device is a second valve stem placement plate (7) for supporting the cylinder head valve stem (22) and a linear module (10) for driving the second valve stem placement plate (7) to move along the first axial direction. The second valve stem placement plate (7) is provided with an array of cylinder head valve stem mounting holes (71). The total number of cylinder head valve stem mounting holes (71) is less than the total number of holes on the first valve stem placement plate (21). The cylinder head valve stem mounting holes (71) correspond one-to-one with the cylinder head valve stem acquisition parts on the assembly machine claw. A material handling device (9) is provided between the second valve stem placement plate (7) and the support device for transferring the cylinder head valve stem (22) located on the first valve stem placement plate (21) to the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole (71) on the second valve stem placement plate (7); the platform (4) includes a tray (41), which is provided with a support component and a positioning component; The load-bearing component includes at least two support blocks (48), each support block (48) extending along a third axis; The positioning assembly includes a fixed positioning block (42) and three movable positioning blocks (43) that can rotate relative to a third axis. The fixed positioning block (42) is provided with a first groove feature for positioning the first valve stem placement plate (21). The first groove feature includes a first reference surface perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference surface perpendicular to the first axis. The movable positioning block (43) is provided with two second groove features arranged diagonally for positioning the first valve stem placement plate (21). Each second groove feature includes a first reference surface perpendicular to the second axis and a second reference surface perpendicular to the first axis.

2. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the movable positioning block (43) is provided with a spline tooth (431) arranged coaxially with it. The spline tooth (431) is inserted into the locking seat (44) installed on the tray (41). The locking seat (44) is provided with a hook (45) for cooperating with the spline tooth (431) to circumferentially lock the movable positioning block (43). The hook (45) is elastically reset and connected to the locking seat (44). The central axis of the hook (45) is perpendicular to the third axis.

3. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tray (41) is provided with at least two positioning pin holes (49), the central axis of the positioning pin holes (49) extends along the third axis, the tray (41) is provided with guide wheels (46) around its perimeter, the rotation center axis of the guide wheels (46) extends along the third axis, and the tray (41) is provided with a plurality of support rods (47) for supporting the first valve stem placement plate (21) in the middle, each of the support rods (47) extending along the third axis.

4. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a material unloading station, and a backstop mechanism (8) is provided between the material loading station and the material storage station, and between the material unloading station and the material storage station. The backstop mechanism (8) includes a baffle assembly (81) installed on the material storage frame (5) and a drive assembly (82) installed on the bearing device for driving the baffle assembly (81) to rotate around a first axis. The baffle assembly (81) includes a check seat (811) connected to the storage frame (5), a check block (815) connected to the check seat (811) via a hinge (812), and a pin (816) for limiting the rotation angle of the check block (815). The hinge (812) and the pin (816) are both arranged to extend along a first axis, and the check block (815) is arranged perpendicular to the first axis. The drive assembly (82) includes a cylinder (813) fixedly connected to the bearing device and arranged to extend along a first axial direction. The piston rod end of the cylinder (813) is provided with a mechanical unlocking plate (814) for driving the check block (815) to rotate around the hinge axis (812).

5. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mechanical unlocking plate (814) includes a first plate portion (8141) perpendicular to the first axis, a second plate portion (8142) inclined to the horizontal plane, and a third plate portion (8143) perpendicular to the third axis, the third plate portion (8143) being located below the mechanical unlocking plate (814).

6. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear module (10) is fixedly connected to the support plate (11), and the support plate (11) is fixedly connected to the second valve stem placement plate (7). At least one cylinder is provided on each side of the support plate (11) extending along the third axis. The piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a valve lifting plate (12) arranged parallel to the horizontal plane. The valve lifting plate (12) and the cylinder head valve stem mounting hole (71) are arranged in corresponding positions.

7. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrying device includes a lifting unit (1) that can move along a third axis, and the lifting unit (1) is provided with a first conveying roller (3) that can convey material (2) along a first axis.

8. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material handling device (9) includes a robotic arm (91), a suction cup (92) connected to the moving end of the robotic arm (91) for adsorbing the cylinder head valve stem (22), and a vision system (13) for controlling the robotic arm (91) to pick up the cylinder head valve stem (22).

9. The automatic valve stem feeding system for engine cylinder head according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each layer of the storage frame (5) is provided with a cylinder extending along the second axis in the middle. The piston rod end of the cylinder is connected to a stop, which is located above the second conveying roller (6) corresponding to that layer.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Automatic assembly manipulator for valve lifter

    CN202668033U

  • valve stem visual inspection device

    CN202869451U

  • Automatic feeding device and method

    CN113071919A

  • Feeding storeroom of cylinder cover valve rod

    CN202864397U