An automated conveyor line

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic conveying line and relates to the technical field of automatic equipment, which comprises a frame, a plurality of working boxes arranged on the frame, sliding rails installed on the frame and penetrating through the working boxes, a plurality of sliding blocks uniformly arranged on the sliding rails, a same driving mechanism drivingly connected with the sliding blocks, the driving mechanism driving the sliding blocks to slide along the sliding rails, support rods rotatably installed on the sliding blocks, products to be conveyed fixedly installed on the top of the support rods, rollers fixedly installed at the bottom of the support rods and friction belts selectively installed on the frame and abutting against the rollers in one or more working boxes. The automatic conveying line has the advantages that the same driving mechanism is used to drive the plurality of sliding blocks, so that the investment in the driving device is reduced; the rollers and the friction belts are arranged, so that no additional power is needed when the products to be conveyed are rotated in the conveying process; one conveying line can realize the completion of multiple processes, no additional manpower is needed for connection, and the automation degree of the conveying line is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automation equipment technology, and in particular to an automated conveyor line. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, the automation level of conveyor lines is becoming increasingly higher, which not only liberates manpower but also improves production efficiency. However, modern conveyor lines can do more than just transport; they also need to complete production processes during transport. For example, after cleaning, cosmetics or wine bottles need to be coated with surface patterns and then dried. The entire process requires multiple actions on the bottle, such as rotation, locking, or translation, depending on the specific steps. Current technology requires designing multiple conveyor lines to perform these different operations. Setting up multiple conveyor lines not only involves significant equipment investment but also makes the connection between lines very inconvenient, requiring manual labor or robotic arms for transfer, greatly increasing labor intensity and reducing the level of automation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated conveyor line. By setting rollers and friction belts on the conveyor line, selective rotation can be performed during product conveying, allowing the product to perform multiple actions on the same conveyor line, greatly reducing equipment investment and improving the degree of automation.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0005] An automated conveyor line includes a frame with several work boxes mounted on it. A slide rail is mounted on the frame, passing through each work box. Multiple sliders are evenly arranged on the slide rail, and these sliders are kinetically connected to the same drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the sliders to slide along the slide rail. A support rod is rotatably mounted on each slider. The top of the support rod is fixedly mounted with the product to be conveyed, and a roller is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the support rod. Friction belts that abut against the rollers are selectively installed on the frame within one or more of the work boxes.

[0006] The slider and the roller are provided with an elastic pin. The roller is provided with a pin hole that cooperates with the elastic pin. The friction between the roller and the friction belt pushes the elastic pin out of the pin hole. The discharge end and the feed end of the friction belt are provided with flexible belts. The friction between the flexible belt and the roller cannot push the elastic pin out of the pin hole.

[0007] The roller is a gear, and the friction belt is a rack that meshes with the gear.

[0008] The flexible belt includes a flexible belt body, on which a plurality of flexible protrusions are provided. The flexible protrusions have a certain amount of deformation and abut against the roller.

[0009] The slider is fixedly mounted with a mounting plate, the mounting plate is provided with mounting holes, the support rod is rotatably mounted in the mounting holes, and the roller is located at the bottom of the mounting plate.

[0010] The elastic pin is slidably mounted on the mounting plate. A stop block is provided on the upper part of the elastic pin, and a positioning block is provided on the bottom of the elastic pin. A return spring is sleeved on the elastic pin and is clamped between the stop block and the positioning block. The positioning block slides out of the pin hole under the action of force.

[0011] The positioning block has an arc-shaped head at its bottom, and the pin hole is an arc-shaped groove that mates with the arc-shaped head.

[0012] The bottom of the arc-shaped head is provided with ball bearings.

[0013] The positioning block is a wedge-shaped head, the pin hole is a wedge-shaped groove that mates with the wedge-shaped head, and a ball bearing is provided at the bottom of the wedge-shaped head.

[0014] The drive mechanism includes a motor, a drive wheel is fixed on the output shaft of the motor, a driven wheel is fixed on the frame, a transmission belt is provided between the drive wheel and the driven wheel, and the slider is fixed on the belt.

[0015] After adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] This invention discloses an automated conveyor line, comprising a frame with several work boxes mounted on it. A slide rail is installed on the frame, passing through each work box. Multiple sliders are evenly arranged on the slide rail, and these sliders are driven by the same drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the sliders to slide along the slide rail. A support rod is rotatably mounted on each slider. The top of the support rod is fixedly mounted with the product to be conveyed, and a roller is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the support rod. Friction belts that abut against the rollers are selectively installed on the frame within one or more work boxes. By using multiple sliders, each mounting a product to be conveyed, and driven by the same drive mechanism, the investment in the drive unit is reduced, and the synchronous operation of all products to be conveyed is ensured. By using rollers and friction belts, rotation of the product to be conveyed can be achieved through the friction belts when rotation is required during conveying, eliminating the need for additional power input. This allows multiple processes to be completed on a single conveyor line without additional manual intervention, significantly reducing labor intensity and improving the automation level of the conveyor line.

[0017] In processes requiring positioning, such as inkjet printing or coding, the product being conveyed does not need to rotate, but a certain level of precision must be maintained. By setting up elastic pins, the rollers can be positioned, thus preventing the product from rotating due to inertia. The friction belt can push the elastic pins out of the pin holes, so it will not affect the rotation of the product being conveyed in other processes. By setting up flexible belts, if the elastic pins are not in the pin holes after the previous process is completed, a flexible belt is set at the end of the friction belt to prevent affecting subsequent operations. The flexible belt drives the rollers to continue rotating. When the elastic pins are inserted into the pin holes, the flexible belt cannot push the elastic pins out of the pin holes. The flexible belt deforms, thus avoiding the rollers.

[0018] By using rollers as gears and friction belts as racks, the combination of gears and racks can reduce the forced friction between the rollers and friction belts, thereby improving the service life of the equipment. At the same time, it will not cause the friction belt to fail due to long-term wear, and the rotation of the rollers will ensure rotational accuracy.

[0019] By installing a mounting plate, the rollers and friction belt are positioned below the mounting plate, thereby protecting the rollers and friction belt.

[0020] By incorporating ball bearings, when the elastic pin rotates against the roller surface instead of being inserted into the pin hole, sliding friction is changed to rolling friction, thereby reducing friction and preventing long-term wear and tear on the elastic pin and roller surface.

[0021] By setting a wedge-shaped head, the rotation direction of the roller is restricted, thus preventing the roller from reversing.

[0022] This invention provides an automated conveyor line structure that solves the technical problems of existing conveyor lines having limited functionality, inability to perform multiple processes simultaneously, and low automation. By setting multiple sliders, each mounting a product to be conveyed, and driving them through the same drive mechanism, this invention reduces the investment in drive devices and ensures synchronized operation of all products. Furthermore, by incorporating rollers and friction belts, the products can rotate during conveying without additional power input. Thus, a single conveyor line can complete multiple processes without additional manual intervention, significantly reducing labor intensity and improving the automation level of the conveyor line. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automated conveyor line according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the image;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Side view of the middle workbox;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of part B in the image;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the friction band structure;

[0028] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of part C;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning block in Embodiment 1;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning block in Embodiment 3.

[0031] In the diagram, 1. Frame, 11. Slide rail, 110. Slider, 111. Sliding wheel, 2. Working box, 3. Drive mechanism, 31. Motor, 32. Driving wheel, 33. Driven wheel, 34. Belt, 40. Mounting plate, 41. Support rod, 42. Roller, 421. Pin hole, 43. Friction belt, 44. Flexible belt, 441. Flexible belt body, 442. Flexible protrusion, 5. Elastic pin, 51. Stop block, 52. Positioning block, 521. Ball bearing, 53. Return spring. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The orientations mentioned in this specification are based on the orientation of the automated conveyor line of the present invention during normal operation, and do not limit the orientation during storage and transportation. They only represent relative positional relationships and do not represent absolute positional relationships.

[0034] Example 1:

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, an automated conveyor line includes a frame 1 with several work boxes 2 mounted on it. The work boxes 2 are used to complete various process stages, such as painting, drying, or coding. The number of work boxes 2 can be designed as one or more as needed; this embodiment does not limit this. A slide rail 11 is mounted on the frame 1, passing through the work boxes 2. Multiple sliders 110 are evenly arranged on the slide rail 11, and these sliders 110 are connected to the same drive mechanism 3. The drive mechanism 3 drives the sliders 110 to slide along the slide rail 11. In this embodiment, the slide rail 11 forms an elliptical annular slide rail channel, which can drive the sliders 110 to perform circular reciprocating motion, sequentially passing through each work box 2 to complete different process requirements. The annular slide rail channel is provided with an inlet and an outlet for loading and unloading the products to be conveyed. Loading and unloading of the products can be done manually or by a robotic arm; this embodiment does not limit this. Taking the conveying of wine bottles as an example, the surface of the wine bottle needs to be fully sprayed, and then the side wall of the wine bottle is marked. During the spraying process, the wine bottle needs to be kept rotating while moving forward to complete the full spraying. During the marking process, the wine bottle needs to be kept stationary.

[0036] The drive mechanism 3 includes a motor 31, which is fixed to the bottom of the frame 1. A drive wheel 32 is fixed to the output shaft of the motor 31. A driven wheel 33 is rotatably mounted on the frame 1. The drive wheel 32 and the driven wheel 33 are connected by a belt 34. In practical applications, a chain drive can also be used; this embodiment does not limit this. The drive wheel 32 and the driven wheel 33 are located at two center points of the slide rail 11, inside the annular slide rail channel. The slider 110 is fixedly mounted on the belt 34 by bolts. The rotation of the motor 31 drives the belt 34 to rotate, thereby causing the slider 110 to reciprocate in a circular motion along the slide rail 11.

[0037] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, two sliding wheels 111 are fixedly installed at the bottom of the slider 110, and the slide rail 11 is clamped between the two sliding wheels 111, thereby enabling the slider 110 to slide along the slide rail 11. At the same time, when the slide rail 11 turns, the slider 110 can also smoothly change direction. A support rod 41 is rotatably installed on the slider 110, and the product to be conveyed is fixedly installed on the top of the support rod 41. The installation method can be designed according to the type of product to be conveyed. In this embodiment, a piston is designed at the mouth of the wine bottle. The piston is inserted into the mouth of the bottle, and then the bottom of the piston is inserted into the top of the support rod 41. A positioning pin can be set in the fixing groove at the top of the piston and the support rod 41 to lock the piston. Other fixing methods can also be used in actual applications, and this embodiment does not limit them.

[0038] A mounting plate 40 is fixedly mounted on the slider 110. The mounting plate 40 has mounting holes, and a support rod 41 is rotatably mounted within these holes. A bearing is installed between the support rod 41 and the mounting hole, allowing the support rod 41 to be rotatably mounted on the mounting plate. A straightening sleeve is provided above the mounting hole to increase the mounting strength of the support rod 41. A roller 42 is fixedly mounted at the bottom end of the support rod 41, which protrudes from the mounting plate 40. The roller 42 is located at the bottom of the mounting plate 40.

[0039] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, a friction belt 43 is selectively installed on the frame 1 within one or more work boxes 2, abutting against the roller 42. The friction belt 43 generates friction with the roller 42, so that when the slider 110 drives the roller 42 forward, the friction causes the roller 42 to rotate. For example, when the work box 2 needs to be sprayed or dried, the product to be conveyed needs to rotate during its forward movement. Therefore, the friction belt 43 needs to be installed in the work box 2, so that the product to be conveyed can rotate during its forward movement without the need for a separate drive device. When the friction belt 43 is not installed, the friction of the roller 42 disappears. The friction belt 43 can be made of hard rubber or polyurethane board, as long as it can provide stable friction with the roller 42; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0040] In other processes or during the conveying process, the product to be conveyed does not need to be rotated, so the friction belt 43 is not installed on the frame 1. However, due to inertia or other resistance, the roller 42 may rotate left and right, resulting in inaccurate precision. When coding or other processes that require a certain degree of precision are required, this will cause production errors. Therefore, an elastic pin 5 is also provided between the slider 110 and the roller 42.

[0041] like Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the roller 42 is provided with a pin hole 421 that mates with the elastic pin 5. The friction force generated by the roller 42 and the friction belt 43 pushes the elastic pin 5 out of the pin hole 421. In this embodiment, the elastic pin 5 is slidably mounted on the mounting plate 40. A stop block 51 is provided on the upper part of the elastic pin 5, and a positioning block 52 is provided on the bottom of the elastic pin 5. A return spring 53 is sleeved on the elastic pin 5, and the return spring 53 is clamped between the stop block 51 and the positioning block 52. The positioning block 52 slides out of the pin hole 421 under the action of the pushing force. Under the action of the return spring 53, the positioning block 52 is inserted into the pin hole 421. When the roller 42 rotates, under the action of the pushing force of the pin hole 421, the positioning block 52 slides out of the pin hole 421, and the bottom of the positioning block 52 abuts against the upper surface of the roller 42. When the roller 42 rotates again until the pin hole 421 is aligned with the positioning block 52, the positioning block 52 re-enters the pin hole 421, thereby realizing the positioning of the roller 42.

[0042] like Figure 7 As shown, the bottom of the positioning block 52 is provided with an arc-shaped head, the pin hole 421 is an arc-shaped groove that mates with the arc-shaped head, and the bottom of the arc-shaped head is provided with a ball bearing 521.

[0043] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, after the roller 42 rotates and completes one process, it cannot be guaranteed that the positioning block 52 will be inside the pin hole 421. Therefore, a flexible belt 44 is provided at the discharge end and the feed end of the friction belt 43. The flexible belt 44 is installed flush with the friction belt 43, so that when the roller 42 passes through the friction belt 43, it directly enters the flexible belt 44. The friction between the flexible belt 44 and the roller 42 is less than the friction between the friction belt 43 and the roller 42, and its friction cannot push the elastic pin 5 out of the pin hole 421. The flexible belt 44 includes a flexible belt body 441, on which a plurality of protruding flexible protrusions 442 are provided. The flexible protrusions 442 abut against the roller 42. After the roller 42 passes the friction belt 43, the positioning block 52 is no longer in the pin hole 421. Under the frictional force of the flexible protrusion 442, the roller 42 continues to rotate. When the positioning block 52 enters the pin hole 421, the roller 42 stops rotating. Under the thrust, the flexible protrusion 442 deforms, thus avoiding the forward movement of the roller 42 and achieving position locking. The flexible belt 44 can be made of rubber, silicone, or other materials with a certain hardness, possessing both frictional force and the ability to deform.

[0044] Example 2:

[0045] This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that the roller 42 is a gear and the friction belt 43 is a rack. Through the cooperation of the gear and the rack, the force between the roller 42 and the friction belt 43 can be made more stable and the movement more precise. Thus, by designing a certain tooth pitch, the number of rotations of the roller 42 can be controlled, which greatly improves the accuracy of the device.

[0046] Example 3:

[0047] This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, with the only difference being that, Figure 8 As shown, the positioning block 52 is a wedge-shaped head, and the pin hole 421 is a wedge-shaped groove that mates with the wedge-shaped head. By setting the wedge-shaped head, the roller 42 can be restricted to rotating in only one direction, thereby preventing the roller 42 from reversing due to inertia. In order to reduce the friction between the bottom of the positioning block 52 and the surface of the roller 42, a ball bearing is provided at the bottom of the wedge-shaped head.

[0048] An automated conveyor line structure solves the technical problems of existing conveyor lines having limited functionality, being unable to perform multiple processes simultaneously, and having a low degree of automation. This invention sets up multiple sliders, each with a product to be conveyed, all driven by the same drive mechanism, thereby reducing the investment in drive devices and ensuring that all products to be conveyed operate synchronously. By setting up rollers and friction belts, when rotation is required during conveying, the product to be conveyed can be rotated by the friction belt, thus eliminating the need for additional power input. This allows a single conveyor line to complete multiple processes without the need for additional manual intervention, greatly reducing labor intensity and improving the automation level of the conveyor line.

[0049] Of course, the above description is not intended to limit the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the examples given above. Any changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention should also fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated conveyor line, characterized in that: The device includes a frame on which several work boxes are mounted. A slide rail is installed on the frame, passing through each work box. Multiple sliders are evenly arranged on the slide rail, and these sliders are connected to the same drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the sliders to slide along the slide rail. A support rod is rotatably mounted on each slider. The top of the support rod is fixedly fitted with the product to be conveyed, and a roller is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the support rod. Friction belts that abut against the rollers are selectively installed on the frame within one or more of the work boxes. An elastic pin is also provided between the slider and the roller. The roller has a pin hole that mates with the elastic pin. The friction between the roller and the friction belt pushes the elastic pin out of the pin hole. Flexible belts are provided at the discharge and feed ends of the friction belt. The friction between the flexible belts and the rollers prevents the elastic pin from being pushed out of the pin hole.

2. The automated conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roller is a gear, and the friction belt is a rack that meshes with the gear.

3. An automated conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible belt includes a flexible belt body, on which a plurality of flexible protrusions are provided. The flexible protrusions have a certain amount of deformation and abut against the roller.

4. An automated conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: A mounting plate is fixedly mounted on the slider, and the mounting plate is provided with mounting holes. The support rod is rotatably mounted in the mounting holes, and the roller is located at the bottom of the mounting plate.

5. An automated conveyor line according to claim 4, characterized in that: The elastic pin is slidably mounted on the mounting plate. A stop block is provided on the upper part of the elastic pin, and a positioning block is provided on the bottom of the elastic pin. A return spring is sleeved on the elastic pin. The return spring is clamped between the stop block and the positioning block. The positioning block slides out of the pin hole under the action of force.

6. An automated conveyor line according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the positioning block is provided with an arc-shaped head, and the pin hole is an arc-shaped groove that mates with the arc-shaped head.

7. An automated conveyor line according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the arc-shaped head is provided with ball bearings.

8. An automated conveyor line according to claim 5, characterized in that: The positioning block is a wedge-shaped head, the pin hole is a wedge-shaped groove that mates with the wedge-shaped head, and a ball bearing is provided at the bottom of the wedge-shaped head.

9. An automated conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive mechanism includes a motor, a drive wheel is fixed on the output shaft of the motor, a driven wheel is fixed on the frame, a transmission belt is provided between the drive wheel and the driven wheel, and the slider is fixed on the belt.

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