Flexible conveying device for valves, flexible production line and conveying method

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible conveying device, a flexible production line and a conveying method of a valve, and belongs to the technical field of valve production. The device comprises a valve exchange structure and an annular return line. The annular return line comprises serial return lines and parallel return lines. The serial return lines are arranged in series from front to back, and a plurality of production devices are arranged in sequence on one side of the serial return lines in the backward conveying direction. No production device is arranged on one side of some serial return lines. The annular return line is an annular conveying structure, and a plurality of conveying cups are arranged on the annular return line. A plurality of positioning structures are arranged in front of and behind the annular return line on one side of the annular return line in the backward conveying direction. The positioning structures can be used as feeding stations or discharging stations. If one or more production devices of the same process are arranged in front of and behind the serial return lines, no parallel return line is arranged on one side of the serial return lines, and a discharging station and a feeding station are arranged in front of and behind the production devices. If a plurality of production devices of the same process are arranged in front of and behind the serial return lines, one parallel return line is arranged in front of and behind the serial return lines on one side of the serial return lines in the backward conveying direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of valve manufacturing technology, and specifically relates to a flexible valve conveying device, flexible production line and conveying method, which can be flexibly adjusted according to production needs. Background Technology

[0002] A valve is an important automotive component and a crucial part of the car engine. Its function is specifically to supply air into the engine and expel combustion gases. A valve consists of a valve stem and a valve head.

[0003] From raw material to finished product, valves undergo multiple processing and inspection steps. These steps may vary depending on the valve type or customer requirements. For example, valves may not require ultrasonic testing, or they may be processed using unconventional special techniques (such as heat treatment or special coatings). Furthermore, production volume may need to be increased or decreased based on order demands. Increasing production volume requires adding equipment to slower processing steps (as different steps have different bottlenecks). Currently, once a production line is designed, adjustments are difficult. It may require disassembling, reassembling, and reinstalling the entire line, demanding high design skills from technicians, necessitating equipment adjustments, resulting in significant workload and high costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible valve conveying device, a flexible production line, and a conveying method. This allows for adjustments to production processes and the addition or removal of production equipment without disassembling the production line, facilitating production line design by technicians. The technical solution is as follows:

[0005] This invention provides a flexible valve delivery device, including multiple valve exchange structures 3 and multiple annular return lines 1. The annular return lines 1 include serial return lines and parallel return lines. Multiple serial return lines are arranged sequentially from front to back, and on their rearward delivery side, multiple production devices are sequentially arranged according to the valve 5 production process. Some serial return lines may not have production devices installed alongside them. The annular return line 1 is an annular delivery structure, on which multiple delivery cups 2 capable of supporting the valve 5 are provided. On its rearward delivery side, multiple positioning structures 4 are arranged side-by-side. The number and position of the valve structure 4 are adjustable. It can block the conveying cup 2 from being conveyed backward. A valve exchange structure 3 is provided at each valve, which can serve as either a feeding or discharging station. Feeding and discharging stations are respectively located at the front and rear ends of the annular return line 1, and a valve exchange structure 3 is provided between adjacent serial return lines. If one or more production devices with the same process are arranged side-by-side next to the serial return line, no parallel return line is provided next to it, and a discharging station and a feeding station are arranged side-by-side at the production device. In this case, the valve 5 is controlled by the serial return line. The line outputs to the production equipment, and after processing, returns to the current serial return line. At the production equipment, the discharge station only outputs empty conveyor cups 2. If multiple production equipment with the same process are arranged side by side next to the serial return line, a parallel return line is arranged side by side on the side that conveys backward, and a discharge station is provided at the production equipment. The parallel return line has a feeding station at the production equipment, which extends backward relative to the serial return line and outputs valve 5 to the next serial return line through the discharge station at the rear end. At this time, valve 5 is output from the serial return line to the production equipment. After processing, the material is output to a parallel return line, and then output to the next serial return line. The discharge station on the serial return line outputs empty conveyor cups 2 or conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 as needed. The feed station on the parallel return line only blocks empty conveyor cups 2. The conveyor cups 2 move in a ring on the annular return line 1 by friction. The valve exchange structure 3 is used to transfer valves 5 between the annular return line 1 and the production equipment or between the annular return lines 1. It can take out and put in valves 5 in the conveyor cups 2 and move along a predetermined trajectory.

[0006] In this embodiment of the invention, the parallel return line is located between the corresponding serial return line and the production equipment; the annular return line 1 is a racetrack-type conveying structure and includes an inner ring and an outer ring moving synchronously, the gap between the inner ring and the outer ring forming an annular track for the conveying cup 2 to move; the conveying cup 2 includes a vertically arranged valve support sleeve 21 and a friction disk 20 coaxially arranged in the middle, the valve support sleeve 21 is located in the annular track, the two sides of the friction disk 20 are respectively suspended on the inner ring and the outer ring, the valve 5 is inserted into the valve support sleeve 21 and its valve plate is suspended on the top of the valve support sleeve 21; the fixed Positioning structure 4 includes a rearward rotatable fork 45, a valve sensor 17 for detecting valve 5, a position sensor for detecting delivery cup 2, and a drive mechanism for driving the fork 45 to rotate rearward. The position sensor is used to detect whether there is delivery cup 2 at the positioning structure 4. The valve sensor 17 is located adjacent to and above the valve support sleeve 21 to detect whether there is valve 5 in the current delivery cup 2 at the positioning structure 4. The fork 45 can block the friction disc 20 from moving rearward. When the fork 45 rotates rearward, only the current delivery cup 2 moves rearward. The valve exchange structure 3 is provided with a valve suction head 32 that can move vertically and horizontally.

[0007] In this embodiment of the invention, the delivery cups 2 are spaced apart on the annular return line 1, with some delivery cups 2 closely adjacent to each other. Multiple delivery cups 2 are closely adjacent to each other at the curved section of the annular return line 1 and at the positioning structure 4. The valve support sleeve 21 is a stepped tube structure with a larger upper section and a smaller lower section, consisting of a large tube section and a small tube section from top to bottom, and is made of plastic. The friction disc 20 is fixed on the stepped surface of the valve support sleeve 21 and is made of metal. The inner diameter of the valve support sleeve 21 is larger than the diameter of the valve stem, and the inner diameter of the large tube section is smaller than the diameter of the valve disc.

[0008] In this embodiment of the invention, the annular return line 1 includes a frame 10, four conveyor belts 12 arranged side-by-side on the frame 10, two arc-shaped guide structures at the front and rear ends of the frame 10, and a middle limiting plate 13 on the frame 10 and located above the friction disc 20. The annular track includes two straight segments arranged side-by-side and curved segments at its front and rear ends; the curved segments are located between the corresponding ends of the two straight segments and cooperate with the straight segments; the conveyor belts 12 form straight segments, and the arc-shaped guide structures form curved segments with arc-shaped channels that cooperate with the conveyor belts 12; the two conveyor belts 12 on the same side are driven synchronously and their movement is synchronized with that of the two conveyor belts 12 on the other side. The directions of movement are opposite; the positioning structure 4 is located on the straight section; the intermediate limiting plate 13 is located between two arc-shaped guide structures, between two rows of conveyor cups 2 on the annular return line 1, with its left and right sides respectively located on the adjacent inner sides of the valve support sleeve 21 on the corresponding side, and it is located directly above the two conveyor belts 12 in the middle, with its front and rear ends being arc-shaped to cooperate with the curved section, and a conveyor cup replacement port 15 for inserting the conveyor cup 2 is provided on its left or right side and not located at the positioning structure 4; the two sides of the friction disc 20 are suspended on the two conveyor belts 12 on the same side or suspended on the arc-shaped guide structure; at the arc-shaped guide structure, multiple conveyor cups 2 are close together for conveying.

[0009] Furthermore, the annular return line 1 in this embodiment of the invention also includes three support beams 111 arranged side by side, four driven wheels 11 arranged side by side at the ends of the frame 10, a tensioning and power structure 6 in the middle of the frame 10, and a collection tray 113 on the frame 10 and located below the valve 5. The collection tray 113 can receive liquid dripping from the valve 5. The support beams 111 are arranged in the front-rear direction and are mounted on the frame 10 via support rods 110. The intermediate limiting plate 13 is located on one of the support beams 111 in the middle. The positioning structure 4 is located on the support beams 111 on the side. The two conveyor belts 12 on both sides are located on the upper side of the two support beams 111 on both sides. Two conveyor belts 12 are arranged side-by-side on the upper side of a support beam 111 in the middle; the arc-shaped guide structure includes an inner arc block 112 and an outer arc block 16 on its outer side. Both the inner arc block 112 and the outer arc block 16 are mounted on the frame 10 via support rods 110, and their upper sides are flush with the upper sides of the conveyor belts 12. The inner side of the outer arc block 16 has an arc notch; the outer side of the inner arc block 112 is an arc shape that matches the arc notch, and it is located in the arc notch. The gap between it and the outer arc block 16 forms a curved segment; four driven wheels 11 are arranged in an isosceles trapezoidal shape, with the two driven wheels 11 at both ends forming the base and the two driven wheels 11 in the middle forming the top edge; the inner arc block 112 is located in the middle The outer sides of the two driven wheels 11 are flush with the outer sides of the two conveyor belts 12 in the middle, respectively; the outer arc block 16 is located between the two driven wheels 11 at both ends; the two ends of the arc notch are located on the inner sides of the two conveyor belts 12 at both ends, respectively; the tensioning and power structure 6 includes a rotating frame 60, a tie rod 64, two driving wheels 63, two drive motors 62 and two transition wheels 61. The two transition wheels 61 are arranged side by side in the middle of the frame 10 and are located below the support beam 111. The two driving wheels 63 are arranged side by side on the rotating frame 60 and are located below the two transition wheels 61. The two drive motors 62 drive the two driving wheels respectively. 63 Reverse rotation; the front or rear end of the rotating frame 60 is rotatably mounted on the frame 10, and the other end of the frame 10 is hinged to the frame 10 with an adjustable length pull rod 64; the front ends of the four conveyor belts 12 are respectively wrapped around the four driven wheels 11 at the front end of the frame 10, and the rear ends are respectively wrapped around the four driven wheels 11 at the rear end of the frame 10, and the middle part is wrapped around the tensioning and power structure 6; each of the four conveyor belts 12 passes over the upper side of a transition wheel 61, goes down and then passes over the lower side of two driving wheels 63 in pairs, and then goes up and passes over the upper side of another transition wheel 61; the two conveyor belts 12 on the left pass over the driving wheel 63 on the left, and the two conveyor belts 12 on the right pass over the driving wheel 63 on the right.

[0010] The driving mechanism in this embodiment of the invention includes a mounting plate 40, a rotating shaft seat 43, a rotating shaft 44 that passes through the rotating shaft seat 43 in a vertical direction, a cylinder 41 arranged in a front-back direction, and a hinge block 42 hinged to the telescopic rod of the cylinder 41. The positioning structure 4 also includes an upper limit plate 46 on the upper side of the shift fork 45 and a side limit plate 14 arranged in the front-rear direction; the mounting plate 40 and the rotating shaft seat 43 are arranged side by side and are both located on the outside of the side support beam 111; the cylinder body of the cylinder 41 is hinged to the mounting plate 40; the other end of the hinge block 42 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 44; the shift fork 45 is horizontally arranged and includes a stop bar arranged in the left-right direction and a fan-shaped stop block on the front side of its outer end; the stop bar is flush with the friction disc 20 and is located adjacent to the conveyor belt 12 above it; its outer end is fixed to the upper end of the rotating shaft 44; its inner end faces the friction disc 20 and its front side is provided with a V-shaped groove that cooperates with the friction disc 20; the front side of the fan-shaped stop block The cylinder 41 is arc-shaped and located adjacent to the outer side of the friction disc 20; the extension of the cylinder 41 can drive the stop lever to rotate backward; when the stop lever rotates backward, the current delivery cup 2 on the front side of the stop lever outputs backward, and the fan-shaped stop block rotates inward to the rear side of the previous delivery cup 2 to block the previous delivery cup 2 from outputting backward; the upper limit plate 46 is located adjacent to the upper side of the friction disc 20, located on the outer side of the valve support sleeve 21, its inner side extends inward relative to the fan-shaped stop block, and its front side is arc-shaped to cooperate with the front side of the fan-shaped stop block; the side limit plate 14 is fixed on the side support beam 111, located adjacent to the upper side of the friction disc 20, located adjacent to the outer side of the valve support sleeve 21, and located adjacent to the front of the shift fork 45.

[0011] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the side limiting plate 14 is an L-shaped plate, with its vertical arm vertically arranged and fixed on the side support beam 111, and its horizontal arm vertically arranged on the inner side of the upper end of the vertical arm and located adjacent to and above the friction disc 20; the position sensor includes a first position sensor 18 and a second position sensor 19. The first position sensor 18 is arranged on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate 14, located at the front conveying cup 2, and is used to detect whether there is a valve 5 at the positioning structure 4; the second position sensor 19 is located in front of the first position sensor 18, arranged on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate 14 or the frame 10, and there are multiple conveying cups 2 between it and the first position sensor 18, and it is used to detect whether the number of valves 5 closely adjacent to each other in front of the positioning structure 4 exceeds a predetermined number.

[0012] More specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the length of the annular return line 1 is 4-10m, the diameter of the friction disc 20 is 40-100mm, the inner diameter of the top of the valve support sleeve 21 is greater than 15mm, each annular return line 1 is provided with 30-80 conveying cups 2, and each serial return line is provided with 1-4 production devices.

[0013] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention also provide a flexible production line for valves, including multiple production equipment and the aforementioned flexible valve conveying device. The production equipment includes equipment for processing or inspecting valves 5. The multiple production equipment are arranged along the flexible valve conveying device according to the production process, and no production equipment may be arranged next to the serial return line.

[0014] In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention also provide a conveying method, the method comprising:

[0015] The conveyor cup 2 moves in a ring on the annular return line 1. The valve 5 is suspended on the conveyor cup 2. The valve exchange structure 3 realizes the transfer of the valve 5 between the annular return line 1 and the production equipment or between the annular return lines 1. The position sensor is used to detect whether there is a conveyor cup 2 at the positioning structure 4. The valve sensor 17 is used to detect whether there is a valve 5 in the conveyor cup 2 at the positioning structure 4.

[0016] If one or more production devices performing the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, then no parallel return line should be installed next to it; in this case,

[0017] At the discharge station at the rear of the serial return line, all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 will be blocked, and only empty conveyor cups 2 will be allowed to be output backward. At each production equipment, valves 5 are taken out from the serial return line and sent to the production equipment by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. After processing, valves 5 are sent back to the serial return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. The discharge station will detect that all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 are blocked, and only empty conveyor cups 2 will be allowed to be output backward.

[0018] If multiple production machines performing the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, then a parallel return line should be installed next to it; in this case,

[0019] The discharge station at the end of the serial return line is not working; the discharge station at the end of the parallel return line will block all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 and only allow empty conveyor cups 2 to be output backward; at each production equipment, valves 5 are taken out from the serial return line and sent to the production equipment by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. After processing, valves 5 are sent to the parallel return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. The last discharge station on the serial return line blocks all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5, and other discharge stations partially block conveyor cups 2 with valves 5.

[0020] If the production equipment next to the serial return line is not working or there is no production equipment, then there is no parallel return line or the parallel return line is not working; only the feeding and discharging stations at both ends of the serial return line are working.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: The embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible valve conveying device, a flexible production line, and a conveying method, which can realize the adjustment of production processes and the addition or removal of production equipment without disassembling the production line, which is beneficial for technicians to design the production line. In this patent, the valve movement is driven by the conveying cup, which can adapt to valves of various specifications and facilitates the control of the valve passing through or not passing through the positioning structure according to production needs. In this patent, different conveying units are composed of one or two annular return lines, which can realize the serial and parallel conveying of valves. For multiple production equipment in the same process, parallel conveying can be adopted and the production equipment can be easily added or removed. In this patent, for the adjustment of production or inspection processes, the corresponding equipment can be added next to the conveying unit (while adjusting the positioning structure and adding the valve exchange structure) or the corresponding positioning structure can be made not to work, without the need to set up a dedicated conveyor belt. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of the flexible valve delivery device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the flexible valve delivery device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the annular reflux line structure;

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the conveyor cup.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure at the end of the annular return line;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the annular return line at the tensioning and power structure.

[0029] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Side view;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of the shift fork and the drive mechanism;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the valve exchange structure.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Circular reflux line; 2. Delivery cup; 3. Valve exchange structure; 4. Positioning structure; 5. Valve; 6. Tensioning and power structure.

[0033] 10 Frame, 11 Driven wheel, 12 Conveyor belt, 13 Intermediate limit plate, 14 Side limit plate, 15 Conveyor cup replacement port, 16 Outer arc block, 17 Valve sensor, 18 First position sensor, 19 Second position sensor, 110 Support rod, 111 Support beam, 112 Inner arc block, 113 Collection tray;

[0034] 20 Friction disc, 21 Valve support sleeve;

[0035] 30 Lateral translation structure, 31 Vertical translation structure, 32 Valve suction head;

[0036] 40 Mounting plate, 41 Cylinder, 42 Hinge block, 43 Rotary bearing seat, 44 Rotary bearing, 45 Shift fork, 46 Upper limit plate;

[0037] 60 Rotating frame, 61 Transition wheel, 62 Drive motor, 63 Drive wheel, 64 Tie rod. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] See Figure 1-10 Example 1 provides a flexible valve delivery device, including multiple valve exchange structures 3 and multiple annular return lines 1. The annular return lines 1 include serial return lines and parallel return lines. A single serial return line or a serial return line and a parallel return line constitute a delivery unit. Multiple serial return lines are arranged sequentially from front to back, and multiple production devices (located on the same side (left or right) of the serial return lines) are sequentially arranged along the valve 5 production process on the side of the rearward delivery line. Production devices may not be arranged next to some serial return lines.

[0041] The annular return line 1 is an annular conveying structure with multiple conveying cups 2 that support valves 5. On the side that conveys backward (left or right, the other side conveys forward), multiple (at least three, with the front one serving as the feeding station and the rear one as the discharging station) positioning structures 4 are arranged side-by-side. The number of positioning structures 4 can be adjusted to accommodate the addition or removal of processes or equipment. Their positions can be adjusted to accommodate the addition or removal of processes or equipment. They can block the conveying cups 2 from being conveyed backward. A valve exchange structure 3 is provided at this location (the discharging and feeding stations of the two annular return lines 1 that require direct valve 5 transfer share one valve exchange structure 3). It can serve as either a feeding station or a discharging station (i.e., it can be used as both, depending on the needs).

[0042] The annular return line 1 has a feeding station and a discharging station at its front and rear ends, respectively (which are easy to adjust; for example, when the production equipment next to the annular return line 1 is not working, the annular return line 1 is equivalent to a straight conveyor belt). A valve exchange structure 3 is provided between two adjacent serial return lines.

[0043] If one or more production devices with the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, then no parallel return lines are set up next to it, and a discharge station (outputting to the production device) and a feed station (receiving valves output from the production device) are arranged side-by-side at the production device. In this case, valve 5 is output from the serial return line to the production device, and after processing, it returns to the current serial return line. At the production device, the discharge station only outputs empty conveyor cups 2 to ensure that all valves 5 are processed on the corresponding production device, and the feed station blocks the empty conveyor cups 2.

[0044] If multiple production devices with the same process are arranged side-by-side next to the serial return line, a parallel return line is arranged on the rearward conveying side, with a discharge station (output to the production device) at the production device. The parallel return line has a feed station (receiving the valves output from the production device) at the production device, extending rearward relative to the serial return line and outputting valve 5 to the next serial return line via the discharge station at the rear end. At this time, valve 5 is output from the serial return line to the production device, processed, and then output to the parallel return line, and then from the parallel return line to the next serial return line. The discharge station on the serial return line outputs empty conveyor cup 2 or conveyor cup 2 with valve 5 as needed (ensuring that the production device behind has valve 5 for processing). The feed station (at the production device) on the parallel return line only blocks empty conveyor cup 2 to ensure that valve 5 can be inserted.

[0045] In this patent, if a parallel return line is set next to the serial return line, only one production device of the same process will be set next to the conveying unit formed by them. If no parallel return line is set next to the serial return line, only one production device of the same process will be set next to it.

[0046] See Figure 1 A1 is the first conveying unit, A2 and B1 form the second conveying unit, A3 and B2 form the third conveying unit, and A4 is the fourth conveying unit. A1, A2, B1, A3, B2, and A4 are all circular return lines 1. A1, A2, A3, and A4 are serial return lines arranged sequentially from front to back. B1 and B2 are parallel return lines. Production equipment 1 and 2 next to A1 are production equipment for two different processes, production equipment 3 and 4 next to A2 are production equipment for two processes of the same operation, and production equipment 5-6 next to A3 are production equipment for three processes of the same operation.

[0047] The conveyor cup 2 moves in a ring shape on the annular return line 1 by friction. The valve exchange structure 3 is used to transfer the valve 5 between the annular return line 1 and the production equipment or between the annular return lines 1. It can take out and put in the conveyor cup 2 and move along a predetermined trajectory.

[0048] In this embodiment of the invention, the parallel return line is located between the corresponding serial return line and the production equipment to reduce the travel distance of the valve exchange structure 3 and simplify the valve exchange structure 3. The annular return line 1 is a racetrack-type conveying structure and includes an inner ring and an outer ring that move synchronously. Both the inner and outer rings are racetrack-type and parallel. The gap between the inner and outer rings forms an annular track (racetrack-type) for the movement of the conveying cup 2. The conveying cup 2 includes a vertically arranged valve support sleeve 21 and a friction disc 20 coaxially arranged in the middle. The valve support sleeve 21 is located in the annular track, and the two sides of the friction disc 20 are suspended on the inner and outer rings respectively, driving the movement of the conveying cup 2 through the inner and outer rings. The valve 5 is inserted into the valve support sleeve 21, and its valve plate is suspended on the top of the valve support sleeve 21.

[0049] The positioning structure 4 includes a rearward rotatable fork 45, a valve sensor 17 for detecting valve 5, a position sensor (one or more, preferably two) for detecting the delivery cup 2, and a drive mechanism for driving the fork 45 to rotate rearward. The position sensor detects whether the delivery cup 2 is present at the positioning structure 4. The valve sensor 17, located adjacent to and above the valve support sleeve 21, detects whether valve 5 is present in the current delivery cup 2 at the positioning structure 4. The fork 45 prevents the friction disc 20 from moving rearward. When the fork 45 rotates rearward, only the current delivery cup 2 moves rearward. The valve exchange structure 3 is equipped with a valve suction head 32 that can move vertically and horizontally.

[0050] Specifically, see Figure 10 In this embodiment, the valve exchange structure 3 includes a lateral translation structure 30 capable of moving forward and backward or left and right, a vertical translation structure 31 on the lateral translation structure 30 capable of vertical movement, and a valve suction head 32 at the bottom of the vertical translation structure 31. The valve suction head 32 can move to directly above the current delivery cup 2 and can adsorb the top of the valve disc. Of course, the valve exchange structure 3 can also adopt other structures, such as a multi-axis manipulator equipped with a valve suction head 32.

[0051] Among them, see Figure 2-3In this embodiment of the invention, the conveying cups 2 are spaced apart on the annular return line 1, with some conveying cups 2 closely adjacent to each other. Multiple conveying cups 2 are closely adjacent to each other at the curved section of the annular return line 1 and at the positioning structure 4. The valve support sleeve 21 has a stepped tube structure, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, consisting of a large tube section and a small tube section, both made of plastic. The large tube section is larger than the small tube section. The friction disc 20 is fixed to the stepped surface of the valve support sleeve 21; it is a disc, made of metal. Specifically, the friction disc 20 is an aluminum alloy disc, possessing good wear resistance and a suitable weight to ensure transport on the conveyor belt 12. The inner diameter of the valve support sleeve 21 is larger than the diameter of the valve stem, and the inner diameter of the large tube section is smaller than the diameter of the valve disc.

[0052] Among them, see Figure 1-6 The annular return line 1 in this embodiment of the invention includes a frame 10, four conveyor belts 12 (specifically narrow conveyor belts) arranged side-by-side on the frame 10, two arc-shaped guide structures at the front and rear ends of the frame 10, and a middle limiting plate 13 on the frame 10 adjacent to and above the friction disc 20. The frame 10 is arranged in the front-to-back direction. The annular track includes two straight segments arranged side-by-side and two curved segments at its front and rear ends. The curved segments are located between the corresponding ends of the two straight segments and cooperate with the straight segments. The conveyor belts 12 form straight segments, and the arc-shaped guide structures form curved segments with arc-shaped channels that cooperate with the two conveyor belts 12 on the same side. The two conveyor belts 12 on the same side (left or right) are driven synchronously and their movement direction is opposite to that of the two conveyor belts 12 on the other side (right or left), and the conveying speeds of the four conveyor belts 12 are approximately the same. The positioning structure 4 is provided on the straight segments to prevent the conveying cup 2 from being squeezed upwards on the curved segments. The intermediate limiting plate 13 is located between two arc-shaped guide structures, between two rows of conveyor cups 2 (arranged side-by-side on two straight sections) on the annular return line 1. Its left and right sides are located on the adjacent inner sides of the valve support sleeves 21 on the corresponding sides. It is directly above the two conveyor belts 12 in the middle, and its front and rear ends are arc-shaped to match the curved sections. A conveyor cup replacement port 15 (specifically an arc-shaped notch) is provided on its left or right side, not located at the positioning structure 4, to prevent the conveyor cups 2 from being squeezed upwards (multiple conveyor cups 2 on the curved sections and positioning structure 4 are close together, posing a risk of being squeezed upwards, the same applies below). The friction disc 20 is suspended on the two conveyor belts 12 on the same side or on the arc-shaped guide structure. At the arc-shaped guide structure, multiple conveyor cups 2 are close together for conveying (conveying is done by squeezing, and the number needs to be controlled).

[0053] Further, see Figure 1-8The annular return line 1 in this embodiment of the invention also includes three support beams 111 arranged side by side, four driven wheels 11 arranged side by side at the end of the frame 10, a tensioning and power structure 6 in the middle of the frame 10, and a collection tray 113 on the frame 10 and located below the valve 5. The collection tray 113 can receive liquid dripping from the valve 5 (which may be done in water or oil during valve processing), and the collection tray 113 is specifically a rectangular tray arranged in the front-back direction. The support beams 111 are arranged in the front-back direction and are mounted on the frame 10 by support rods 110 (vertically arranged), which can be made of aluminum profiles to facilitate the adjustment of the positioning structure 4. A central limiting plate 13 is mounted on a central support beam 111, and a positioning structure 4 is mounted on a side support beam 111 (specifically, the side that conveys backwards). Two conveyor belts 12 on either side are located above the two support beams 111 on either side, and two conveyor belts 12 in the middle are arranged side-by-side above the central support beam 111. The arc-shaped guide structure includes an inner arc block 112 and an outer arc block 16. Both the inner arc block 112 and the outer arc block 16 are mounted on the frame 10 via support rods 110, and their upper sides are flush with the upper sides of the conveyor belts 12. The inner side of the outer arc block 16 has an arc-shaped notch. The outer side of the inner arc block 112 is an arc shape that matches the arc-shaped notch, and it is located within the arc-shaped notch. The gap between it and the outer arc block 16 forms a curved segment.

[0054] Four driven wheels 11 are arranged in an isosceles trapezoidal shape, with the two driven wheels 11 at both ends forming the base and the two driven wheels 11 in the middle forming the top. The inner arc block 112 is located on the adjacent outer sides of the two middle driven wheels 11, with its left and right sides flush with the outer sides of the two middle conveyor belts 12. The outer arc block 16 is located between the two driven wheels 11 at both ends. The two ends of the arc notch are located on the adjacent inner sides of the two conveyor belts 12 at both ends.

[0055] The tensioning and power structure 6 provides power to the conveyor belt 12 and tensions it. The tensioning and power structure 6 includes a rotating frame 60, a tie rod 64, two drive wheels 63, two drive motors 62, and two transition wheels 61. The two transition wheels 61 are arranged side-by-side in the middle of the frame 10, below the support beam 111, and are positioned horizontally. They have four annular grooves on their upper sides that mate with the conveyor belt 12. The two drive wheels 63 are arranged side-by-side on the rotating frame 60, both located below the two transition wheels 61. The drive wheels 63 are also positioned horizontally, with two annular grooves on their upper sides that mate with the conveyor belt 12. The two drive motors 62 drive the two drive wheels 63 to rotate in opposite directions. The rotating frame 60 is positioned horizontally, with its front or rear end rotating (via a horizontal axis) on the frame 10. An adjustable tie rod 64 is hinged to the frame 10 at its other end. By adjusting the length of the pull rod 64, the tilt angle of the rotating frame 60 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the tension of the drive wheel 63 on the conveyor belt 12.

[0056] The front ends of the four conveyor belts 12 are respectively wound around the four driven pulleys 11 at the front end of the frame 10, and their rear ends are respectively wound around the four driven pulleys 11 at the rear end of the frame 10. The middle part of the lower conveyor belt is wound around the tensioning and power structure 6. The lower conveyor belts of the four conveyor belts 12 all pass over the upper side of a transition pulley 61, go down and then pass over the lower side of the two driving pulleys 63 in pairs, and then go up and pass over the upper side of another transition pulley 61. The two conveyor belts 12 on the left pass over the driving pulley 63 on the left, and the two conveyor belts 12 on the right pass over the driving pulley 63 on the right.

[0057] Among them, see Figure 4 and 9 The driving mechanism in this embodiment of the invention includes a mounting plate 40, a rotating shaft seat 43, a rotating shaft 44 (rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft seat 43) extending vertically through the rotating shaft seat 43, a cylinder 41 arranged in the front-rear direction, and a hinge block 42 hinged to the telescopic rod of the cylinder 41. Preferably, the positioning structure 4 also includes an upper limit plate 46 on the upper side of the shift fork 45 and a side limit plate 14 arranged in the front-rear direction. Both the upper limit plate 46 and the side limit plate 14 are used to prevent the conveying cup 2 from being squeezed upward. The mounting plate 40 and the rotating shaft seat 43 are arranged side by side and are both located on the outside of the side support beam 111. The cylinder body of the cylinder 41 is hinged to the mounting plate 40, and the other end of the hinge block 42 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 44. The shift fork 45 is arranged horizontally and includes a stop bar arranged in the left-right direction and a fan-shaped stop block on the front side of its outer end. The stop lever is flush with the friction disc 20 and located adjacent to and above the conveyor belt 12. Its outer end is fixed to the upper end of the rotating shaft 44, and its inner end faces the friction disc 20. A V-shaped groove is provided on its front side to mate with the friction disc 20. The front side of the fan-shaped stop block is arc-shaped and located adjacent to the outer side of the friction disc 20. The extension of the cylinder 41 drives the stop lever to rotate backward. When the stop lever rotates backward, the current conveying cup 2 on the front side of the stop lever outputs backward, and the fan-shaped stop block rotates inward to the rear side of the previous conveying cup 2 to block the previous conveying cup 2 from outputting backward. The upper limit plate 46 is located adjacent to and above the friction disc 20, located outside the valve support sleeve 21. Its inner side extends inward relative to the fan-shaped stop block, and its front side is arc-shaped to mate with the front side of the fan-shaped stop block. The side limiting plate 14 is fixed to the side support beam 111, located adjacent to and above the friction disc 20, adjacent to and outside the valve support sleeve 21, and adjacent to and in front of the shift fork 45. Specifically, the side limiting plate 14 is an L-shaped plate, with its vertical arm vertically arranged and fixed to the side support beam 111, and its horizontal arm vertically arranged inside the upper end of the vertical arm and located adjacent to and above the friction disc 20.

[0058] See Figure 3 and 4In this embodiment, the position sensors include a first position sensor 18 and a second position sensor 19. The first position sensor 18 is located on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate 14, at the position of the previous conveying cup 2 (it is inconvenient to install next to the current conveying cup 2, so the current conveying cup 2 can also be determined by detecting the previous conveying cup 2). It is used to detect whether there is a conveying cup 2 at the positioning structure 4. The second position sensor 19 is located in front of the first position sensor 18, on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate 14 or on the frame 10. There are multiple (e.g., 3-6) conveying cups 2 between it and the first position sensor 18. It is used to detect whether the number of valves 5 closely packed together in front of the positioning structure 4 exceeds a predetermined number (if the number exceeds a certain amount, the friction increases, the backward thrust of the conveying cups 2 is greater, and the fork 45 may not be able to block the conveying cups 2). For some positioning structures 4, if the second position sensor 19 detects a conveying cup 2, the fork 45 needs to rotate backward to release a conveying cup 2 backward.

[0059] For the positioning structure 4 at the front end of the annular return line 1, the side limiting plate 14 can be set to a shorter length, and the second position sensor 19 is set on the frame 10 and can be set on the straight section on the other side. For the positioning structure 4 at other positions of the annular return line 1, the side limiting plate 14 needs to be set to a longer length (e.g., greater than the diameter of five friction discs 20), and the second position sensor 19 is set on the side limiting plate 14.

[0060] More specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the length of the annular return line 1 is 4-10m, the diameter of the friction disc 20 is 40-100mm, the inner diameter of the top of the valve support sleeve 21 is greater than 15mm, each annular return line 1 is provided with 30-80 conveying cups 2, and each serial return line is provided with 1-4 production devices.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] Example 2 provides a flexible production line for valves, including multiple production devices and the flexible valve conveying device disclosed in Example 1. The production devices include equipment for processing or inspecting valves 5. The multiple production devices are arranged along the flexible valve conveying device according to the production process. One or more production devices performing the same process can be arranged side-by-side next to the conveying unit (the number of production devices performing the same process is one), or multiple production devices performing the same process can be arranged side-by-side. No production devices may be arranged next to the serial return line.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] Example 3 provides a delivery method using the flexible valve delivery device disclosed in Example 1. The method includes:

[0065] The conveyor cup 2 moves in a ring on the annular return line 1. The valve 5 is suspended on the conveyor cup 2. The valve exchange structure 3 realizes the transfer of the valve 5 between the annular return line 1 and the production equipment, or between the annular return lines 1. The position sensor is used to detect whether there is a conveyor cup 2 at the positioning structure 4, and the valve sensor 17 is used to detect whether there is a valve 5 in the conveyor cup 2 at the positioning structure 4.

[0066] If one or more production devices with the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, no parallel return line is set up next to it. In this case, the discharge station at the rear of the serial return line will block the conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 and only allow empty conveyor cups 2 to be output backward (to the next serial return line). At each production device, valves 5 are taken from the serial return line and sent to the production device by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. After processing, valves 5 are sent back to the serial return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. The discharge station at the production device will detect that the conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 are blocked and only allow empty conveyor cups 2 to be output backward, while the feeding station will block the empty conveyor cups 2.

[0067] If multiple production devices with the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, a parallel return line is set up next to it. In this case, the discharge station at the rear of the serial return line is not operational (the feed station at the front of the parallel return line is not operational or serves as a feed station for valve 5 exchange with the production device). The discharge station at the rear of the parallel return line blocks all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 and only allows empty conveyor cups 2 to be output backward (to the next serial return line). At each production device, valves 5 are taken from the serial return line and sent to the production device by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. After processing, valves 5 are sent to the parallel return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure 3. At the production device, the last discharge station on the serial return line blocks all conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 to ensure that all valves 5 are sent to the production device. Other discharge stations partially block conveyor cups 2 with valves 5 to ensure that each operating production device has valves 5 for processing. At the production equipment, the feed station of the parallel return line blocks the empty conveyor cup 2.

[0068] If the production equipment next to the serial return line is not working or there is no production equipment, then there is no parallel return line or the parallel return line is not working, and only the feeding station and the discharging station at both ends of the serial return line are working (other positioning structures 4 do not block the conveyor cup 2).

[0069] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible valve delivery device, characterized in that, It includes multiple valve exchange structures (3) and multiple annular return lines (1). The annular return lines (1) include serial return lines and parallel return lines. Multiple serial return lines are arranged sequentially from front to back, and multiple production equipment is arranged sequentially on the side of the backward conveying according to the production process of valve (5). Some serial return lines may not be equipped with production equipment. The annular return line (1) is an annular conveying structure, on which multiple conveying cups (2) that can support valve (5) are provided. Multiple positioning structures (4) are arranged side by side on the side of the backward conveying. The number of positioning structures (4) can be adjusted, and their positions can be adjusted. They can block the conveying cups (2) from being conveyed backward. Valve exchange structures (3) are provided at their positions, which can be used as feeding stations or discharging stations. The annular reflux line (1) is provided with a feeding station and a discharging station at its front and rear ends, respectively, and a valve exchange structure (3) is provided between two adjacent serial reflux lines. If one or more production equipment with the same process is arranged side by side next to the serial return line, then no parallel return line is set next to it and a discharge station and a feed station are arranged side by side at the production equipment; at this time, the valve (5) is output to the production equipment by the serial return line, and after processing, it returns to the current serial return line; at the production equipment, the discharge station only outputs an empty conveyor cup (2) to the rear. If multiple production equipment with the same process are arranged side by side next to the serial return line, a parallel return line is arranged side by side on the side that conveys backward and a discharge station is set at the production equipment; the parallel return line has a feeding station at the production equipment, which extends backward relative to the serial return line and outputs the valve (5) to the next serial return line through the discharge station at the rear end; at this time, the valve (5) is output to the production equipment by the serial return line, and after processing, it is output to the parallel return line, and then output to the next serial return line by the parallel return line; the discharge station on the serial return line outputs an empty conveying cup (2) or a conveying cup (2) with a valve (5) as needed, and the feeding station on the parallel return line only blocks the empty conveying cup (2). The conveying cup (2) moves in a ring on the annular return line (1) by friction. The valve exchange structure (3) is used to transfer the valve (5) between the annular return line (1) and the production equipment or between the annular return line (1) and the valve (5) can be taken out and put in the conveying cup (2) and move along a predetermined trajectory. The parallel return line is located between the corresponding serial return line and the production equipment; The annular return line (1) is a racetrack-type conveying structure and includes an inner ring and an outer ring that move synchronously. The gap between the inner ring and the outer ring forms an annular track for the conveying cup (2) to move. The delivery cup (2) includes a vertically arranged valve support sleeve (21) and a friction disc (20) coaxially arranged in the middle. The valve support sleeve (21) is located in a ring track. The two sides of the friction disc (20) are suspended on the inner ring line and the outer ring line respectively. The valve (5) is inserted in the valve support sleeve (21) and its valve plate is suspended on the top of the valve support sleeve (21). The positioning structure (4) includes a fork (45) that can rotate backward, a valve sensor (17) for detecting valve (5), a position sensor for detecting delivery cup (2), and a drive mechanism for driving the fork (45) to rotate backward. The position sensor is used to detect whether there is delivery cup (2) at the positioning structure (4). The valve sensor (17) is located adjacent to and above the valve support sleeve (21) to detect whether there is valve (5) in the current delivery cup (2) at the positioning structure (4). The fork (45) can block the friction disc (20) from moving backward. When the fork (45) rotates backward, only the current delivery cup (2) moves backward. The valve exchange structure (3) is provided with a valve suction head (32) that can move vertically and horizontally.

2. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying cups (2) are spaced apart on the annular return line (1), with some conveying cups (2) close together, and multiple conveying cups (2) close together at the curved section of the annular return line (1) and the positioning structure (4); The valve support sleeve (21) has a stepped tube structure with a larger upper section and a smaller lower section, which are plastic tubes arranged from top to bottom. The friction disc (20) is fixed on the stepped surface of the valve support sleeve (21) and is a metal disc. The inner diameter of the valve support sleeve (21) is larger than the diameter of the valve stem, and the inner diameter of the larger section is smaller than the diameter of the valve disc.

3. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular return line (1) includes a frame (10), four conveyor belts (12) arranged side by side on the frame (10), two arc-shaped guide structures at the front and rear ends of the frame (10), and a middle limiting plate (13) on the frame (10) and located above the friction disc (20). The annular track includes two straight segments arranged side by side and curved segments at the front and rear ends. The curved segments are located between the corresponding ends of the two straight segments and cooperate with the straight segments. The conveyor belts (12) form straight segments, and the arc-shaped guide structures form curved segments with arc-shaped channels that cooperate with the conveyor belts (12). The two conveyor belts (12) on the same side are driven synchronously and their movement direction is opposite to that of the two conveyor belts (12) on the other side. The positioning structure (4) is located on the straight section; the intermediate limiting plate (13) is located between the two arc-shaped guide structures, between the two rows of conveyor cups (2) on the annular return line (1), and its left and right sides are respectively located on the adjacent inner sides of the valve support sleeve (21) on the corresponding side. It is located directly above the two conveyor belts (12) in the middle, and its front and rear ends are arc-shaped to match the curved section. On its left or right side, and not located at the positioning structure (4), there is a conveyor cup replacement port (15) that can hold the conveyor cup (2); the two sides of the friction disc (20) are suspended on the two conveyor belts (12) on the same side or on the arc-shaped guide structure; at the arc-shaped guide structure, multiple conveyor cups (2) are close together for conveying.

4. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The annular return line (1) also includes three support beams (111) arranged side by side on the left and right, four driven wheels (11) arranged side by side at the end of the frame (10), a tensioning and power structure (6) in the middle of the frame (10) and a collection tray (113) on the frame (10) and located below the valve (5). The collection tray (113) can receive liquid dripping from the valve (5). The support beams (111) are arranged in the front and back direction and are set on the frame (10) through support rods (110). The intermediate limiting plate (13) is set on one of the support beams (111) in the middle. The positioning structure (4) is set on the support beams (111) on the side. The two conveyor belts (12) on both sides are respectively located on the upper side of the two support beams (111) on both sides. The two conveyor belts (12) in the middle are arranged side by side on the upper side of one of the support beams (111) in the middle. The arc-shaped guide structure includes an inner arc block (112) and an outer arc block (16) on its outer side. The inner arc block (112) and the outer arc block (16) are both mounted on the frame (10) by a support rod (110) and their upper sides are flush with the upper side of the conveyor belt (12). The inner side of the outer arc block (16) is provided with an arc notch. The outer side of the inner arc block (112) is an arc shape that matches the arc notch. It is located in the arc notch, and the gap between it and the outer arc block (16) forms a curved segment. The four driven wheels (11) are arranged in an isosceles trapezoidal shape, with the two driven wheels (11) at both ends forming the base and the two driven wheels (11) in the middle forming the top. The inner arc block (112) is located on the adjacent outer side of the two driven wheels (11) in the middle, and its left and right sides are respectively flush with the outer sides of the two conveyor belts (12) in the middle. The outer arc block (16) is located between the two driven wheels (11) at both ends. The two ends of the arc notch are respectively located on the adjacent inner side of the two conveyor belts (12) at both ends. The tensioning and power structure (6) includes a rotating frame (60), a tie rod (64), two drive wheels (63), two drive motors (62), and two transition wheels (61). The two transition wheels (61) are arranged side by side in the middle of the frame (10) and are located below the support beam (111). The two drive wheels (63) are arranged side by side on the rotating frame (60) and are located below the two transition wheels (61). The two drive motors (62) drive the two drive wheels (63) to rotate in opposite directions. The front end or rear end of the rotating frame (60) is rotatably mounted on the frame (10), and the other end of the rotating frame (60) is hinged to the frame (10) with an adjustable tie rod (64). The front ends of the four conveyor belts (12) are respectively wrapped around the four driven wheels (11) at the front end of the frame (10), and their rear ends are respectively wrapped around the four driven wheels (11) at the rear end of the frame (10). The middle part is wrapped around the tensioning and power structure (6). The four conveyor belts (12) all pass over the upper side of a transition wheel (61), go down and then pass over the lower side of the two driving wheels (63) in pairs, and then go up and pass over the upper side of another transition wheel (61). The two conveyor belts (12) on the left pass over the driving wheel (63) on the left, and the two conveyor belts (12) on the right pass over the driving wheel (63) on the right.

5. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a mounting plate (40), a rotating shaft seat (43), a rotating shaft (44) that passes through the rotating shaft seat (43) in the vertical direction, a cylinder (41) arranged in the front-back direction, and a hinge block (42) hinged to the telescopic rod of the cylinder (41). The positioning structure (4) also includes an upper limit plate (46) on the upper side of the fork (45) and a side limit plate (14) arranged in the front and rear directions; The mounting plate (40) and the rotating shaft seat (43) are arranged side by side and are both located on the outside of the side support beam (111). The cylinder body of the cylinder (41) is hinged to the mounting plate (40), and the other end of the hinge block (42) is fixedly connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft (44). The shift fork (45) is horizontally arranged and includes a stop bar arranged in the left and right direction and a fan-shaped stop block on the front side of its outer end; the stop bar is flush with the friction disc (20) and is located adjacent to the conveyor belt (12) above it. Its outer end is fixed to the upper end of the rotating shaft (44), its inner end is facing the friction disc (20), and its front side is provided with a V-shaped groove that cooperates with the friction disc (20); the front side of the fan-shaped stop block is arc-shaped and is located adjacent to the outer side of the friction disc (20); the extension of the cylinder (41) can drive the stop bar to rotate backward; when the stop bar rotates backward, the current conveying cup (2) on the front side of the stop bar outputs backward, and the fan-shaped stop block rotates inward to the rear side of the previous conveying cup (2) to block the previous conveying cup (2) from outputting backward; The upper limit plate (46) is located adjacent to and above the friction disc (20), and is located on the outside of the valve support sleeve (21). Its inner side extends inward relative to the fan-shaped block, and its front side is an arc shape that matches the front side of the fan-shaped block. The side limiting plate (14) is fixed on the side support beam (111), which is located adjacent to the upper side of the friction disc (20), adjacent to the outer side of the valve support sleeve (21), and adjacent to the front of the shift fork (45).

6. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The side limiting plate (14) is an L-shaped plate, with its vertical arm set vertically and fixed on the side support beam (111), and its horizontal arm set vertically on the inner side of the upper end of the vertical arm and located above the friction disc (20). The position sensor includes a first position sensor (18) and a second position sensor (19). The first position sensor (18) is located on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate (14) at the front of the conveying cup (2) and is used to detect whether there is a valve (5) at the positioning structure (4). The second position sensor (19) is located in front of the first position sensor (18) and is located on the vertical arm of the side limiting plate (14) or the frame (10). There are multiple conveying cups (2) between it and the first position sensor (18) and it is used to detect whether the number of valves (5) closely connected in front of the positioning structure (4) exceeds a predetermined number.

7. The flexible valve delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the annular return line (1) is 4-10m, the diameter of the friction disc (20) is 40-100mm, the inner diameter of the top of the valve support sleeve (21) is greater than 15mm, each annular return line (1) is provided with 30-80 conveying cups (2), and each serial return line is provided with 1-4 production equipment.

8. A flexible production line for valves, comprising multiple production devices, said production devices including equipment for processing or inspecting valves (5); characterized in that, It also includes a flexible valve delivery device as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein multiple production equipment are arranged along the flexible valve delivery device according to the production process, and no production equipment may be arranged next to the serial return line.

9. A method for conveying valves using the flexible valve conveying device as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method comprising: The conveying cup (2) moves in a ring on the annular return line (1), the valve (5) is suspended on the conveying cup (2), and the valve exchange structure (3) realizes the transfer of the valve (5) between the annular return line (1) and the production equipment or between the annular return lines (1); The position sensor is used to detect whether there is a delivery cup (2) at the positioning structure (4), and the valve sensor (17) is used to detect whether there is a valve (5) in the delivery cup (2) at the positioning structure (4); If one or more production devices performing the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, then no parallel return line should be installed next to it; in this case, The discharge station at the rear end of the serial return line will block all conveyor cups (2) with valves (5) and only allow empty conveyor cups (2) to be output backwards; at each production equipment, the valve (5) is taken out from the serial return line and sent to the production equipment by the corresponding valve exchange structure (3). After processing, the valve (5) is sent back to the serial return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure (3). The discharge station will detect that the conveyor cups (2) with valves (5) are blocked and only allow empty conveyor cups (2) to be output backwards; If multiple production machines performing the same process are arranged side-by-side next to a serial return line, then a parallel return line should be installed next to it; in this case, The discharge station at the end of the serial return line is not working; the discharge station at the end of the parallel return line will block all conveyor cups (2) with valves (5) and only allow empty conveyor cups (2) to be output to the rear; at each production equipment, the valve (5) is taken out from the serial return line and sent to the production equipment by the corresponding valve exchange structure (3). After processing, the valve (5) is sent to the parallel return line by the corresponding valve exchange structure (3). The last discharge station on the serial return line blocks all conveyor cups (2) with valves (5), and other discharge stations partially block conveyor cups (2) with valves (5). If the production equipment next to the serial return line is not working or there is no production equipment, then there is no parallel return line or the parallel return line is not working, and only the feeding station and the discharging station at both ends of the serial return line are working.

Images