Linking device, conveying system and linking method

Abstract

The application discloses a connecting device, a conveying system and a connecting method. The connecting device comprises connecting rails and transfer mechanisms, the connecting rails are connected in series with conveying lines; each transfer mechanism is slidingly connected to the connecting rails; each transfer mechanism comprises a connecting base slidingly connected with the connecting rails and a connecting rail rotatingly connected to the connecting base, the connecting rail is used for supporting a carrier; when the connecting device is in a first connecting mode, each transfer mechanism moves in the same direction, so that the carrier can move along with the connecting rail until the connecting rail is connected with a next conveying line in the moving direction; when the connecting device is in a second connecting mode, the connecting rails of adjacent conveying lines rotate and are connected, so that the carrier can move to a connecting rail corresponding to a next conveying line and return along with the rotation of the connecting rail until the connecting rail is connected with the next conveying line. The connecting device has a shorter line breaking time and a higher conveying efficiency.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of transportation equipment, in particular to a transfer device, a conveying system and a transfer method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The logistics conveying line is widely used in express sorting, warehouse conveying, production and manufacturing and other fields. In the related art, the conveying of workpieces is realized by magnetic suspension technology. The workpieces are placed on the movers of the magnetic suspension conveying line, and are moved to the unloading position with the movers. The magnetic suspension conveying line has the characteristics of fast conveying speed, low maintenance cost, high flexibility and the like, and is favored by more and more customers.

[0003] In the actual application of a plurality of parallel magnetic suspension conveying lines, it is often necessary to transfer the workpieces on one conveying line to another conveying line. In the prior art, the transfer of the workpieces is generally realized by a transfer device. Specifically, when the workpieces on the first conveying line need to be moved to the second conveying line, the transfer device on the first conveying line carries the movers and the workpieces carried by the movers, and is disconnected from the first conveying line (at this time, the first conveying line is disconnected), and then is moved to the second conveying line to be connected with the second conveying line. When the mover carrying the workpieces is moved to the second conveying line, the transfer device is returned to the first conveying line to connect the first conveying line. In this process, the first conveying line faces a long time of disconnection. The first conveying line can only resume normal conveying after the transfer device transfers the workpieces to the second conveying line and returns to the first conveying line, which greatly affects the conveying efficiency of the first conveying line. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application provides a transfer device which can shorten the disconnection time of the conveying line by moving in the same direction to make up for the position or by moving in opposite directions to dock, thereby improving the conveying efficiency of the conveying line.

[0005] The present application also provides a conveying system having the above-mentioned transfer device.

[0006] The present application also provides a transfer method.

[0007] The transfer device according to the first aspect of the present application comprises:

[0008] A connection guide rail connected in series with the conveying lines;

[0009] A plurality of transfer mechanisms, each of which is slidingly connected to the connection guide rail;

[0010] Each of the transfer mechanisms comprises a transfer base slidingly connected to the connection guide rail and a transfer guide rail rotatingly connected to the transfer base, and the transfer guide rail is used to support the carrier;

[0011] The connection device comprises a first connection mode and a second connection mode.

[0012] When the connection device is in the first connection mode, the transfer mechanisms move in the same direction to enable the carrier to move along with the connection guide rail until the connection guide rail is docked with the next conveying line in the moving direction;

[0013] When the connection device is in the second connection mode, the connection guide rails of adjacent conveying lines are rotated and docked to enable the carrier to move to the connection guide rail corresponding to the next conveying line and return to the original position along with the rotation of the connection guide rail until the connection guide rail is docked with the next conveying line.

[0014] The connection device according to the embodiments of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0015] The connection device has two connection modes, and no matter the first connection mode or the second connection mode, the connection device can shorten the disconnection time of the conveying line, reduce the congestion probability of the conveying line, and improve the conveying efficiency of the conveying line. In addition, based on the rotatable connection between the connection guide rail and the connection base, the connection device can select different connection modes according to the specific application scenario and can be applied to the conveying system in which the conveying line and the connection guide rail intersect at an acute angle or an obtuse angle.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present application, the conveying line comprises a first conveying line and a second conveying line arranged side by side, the carrier is conveyed from the first conveying line to the second conveying line, the moving direction of the carrier on the first conveying line and the second conveying line is opposite, and the connection guide rail is located at the same end of the first conveying line and the second conveying line.

[0017] When the carrier is located on the connection guide rail, the connection guide rail rotates relative to the connection base to make the moving posture of the carrier on the first conveying line and the second conveying line the same.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present application, the connection device comprises a first drive, a second drive, and a third drive, the first drive is used to drive the connection base to slide relative to the connection guide rail, the second drive is used to drive the connection guide rail to rotate relative to the connection base, and the third drive is used to drive the carrier to move relative to the connection guide rail.

[0019] The first driving member is a linear motor, the second driving member is a DD motor, the third driving member comprises a magnetic driving sub and a magnetic driving sub, the magnetic driving sub is arranged on the connection rail, and the magnetic driving sub is arranged on the carrier.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the connection device is in the second connection mode, when two adjacent connection rails of the conveying lines are rotated, any one of the transfer mechanisms moves close to the other transfer mechanism to realize docking, or the two transfer mechanisms move towards each other to realize docking.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present application, each conveying line is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the connection rail extends in the horizontal direction to connect the conveying lines in series; or each conveying line is arranged in a vertical direction, and the connection rail extends in the vertical direction to connect the conveying lines in series.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present application, the transfer mechanism further comprises an adjusting member connected with the connection base and the connection rail respectively to adjust the distance between the connection rail and the connection base.

[0023] According to the second aspect of the present application, the conveying system comprises:

[0024] A plurality of conveying lines;

[0025] The connection device according to any one of the above embodiments is used for connection of the carrier on each conveying line.

[0026] According to the third aspect of the present application, the connection method comprises the following steps:

[0027] Obtaining the current position information of the carrier to be connected;

[0028] Obtaining the target position information of the carrier;

[0029] Based on the current position information and the target position information, the connection mode of the connection device is planned to realize the connection of the carrier between the conveying lines.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present application, the step of planning the connection mode of the connection device based on the current position information and the target position information to realize the connection of the carrier between the conveying lines comprises the following steps:

[0031] Combining the layout information of each conveying line, the conveying path of the carrier is planned;

[0032] According to the layout information of the conveying line on the conveying path, a moving distance and / or a rotation angle of the transfer device is planned.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the present application, the step of planning the moving distance and / or the rotation angle of the transfer device according to the layout information of the conveying line on the conveying path comprises the following steps:

[0034] According to the moving posture information at the target position, the rotation angle of the transfer device is planned.

[0035] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given, partially in the following description, partially become obvious from the following description, or be understood by practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments, in which:

[0037] Figure 1 is a top view schematic diagram of a transfer device in the prior art;

[0038] Figure 2 is a top view schematic diagram of another embodiment of a transfer device in the prior art;

[0039] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a transfer device in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a transfer process in a first transfer mode of an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a transfer process in a second transfer mode of an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 6 is another schematic diagram of a transfer process in the second transfer mode of an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a process of adjusting a moving posture of a bearing member of a transfer device in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 8 is another schematic diagram of a transfer process in the second transfer mode of an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 9 is a flow schematic diagram of a transfer method in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 10 is a further flow schematic diagram of a transfer method in an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] REFERENCE NUMERALS:

[0048] Connecting rail 100; induction slot 110;

[0049] Transfer mechanism 200; first transfer mechanism 201; second transfer mechanism 202; docking base 210; docking rail 220; carrier 230; induction flap 240;

[0050] First conveying line 310; second conveying line 320. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Embodiments of the present application are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the drawings. The embodiments described below by reference to the drawings are exemplary and are for the purpose of explaining the present application only, and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0052] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation description, such as the orientation or position relationship indicated by up, down, front, back, left, right, etc. is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the device or element indicated must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0053] In the description of the present application, if the meaning of several is more than one, the meaning of multiple is more than two, greater than, less than, more than, etc. are understood as not including the number, above, below, etc. are understood as including the number. If it is described as first, second, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features or the order of indicated technical features.

[0054] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise explicitly limited, the words such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and the person skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above words in the present application in combination with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0055] In the description of the present application, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in combination with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the exemplary description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0056] Figure 1 The diagram shows a top-view illustration of the connection process between two conveyor lines in the prior art. The carriers 230 on adjacent conveyor lines move in the same direction. The first conveyor line 310 is the main conveyor line, and the second conveyor line 320 is a branch line of the first conveyor line 310. The two conveyor lines lead to different target positions. For example, taking this conveyor system as an example in the field of workpiece processing, the first conveyor line 310 connects the upstream and downstream processes. Under normal circumstances, after the carrier 230 is processed in the upstream process, it is normally conveyed from left to right to the downstream process position by the first conveyor line 310. At this time, the connection device is docked in the first conveyor line 310. If a defective product is found in the upstream process, it needs to be transferred from the first conveyor line 310 to the second conveyor line 320 and discharged from the conveyor system via the second conveyor line 320 to avoid it flowing into the downstream process and causing adverse effects. After the carrier 230 carries the defective product to the connecting device, the connecting device moves the carrier 230 from the position docked with the first conveyor line 310 to the position docked with the second conveyor line 320, so that the carrier 230 can be moved from the connecting device to the second conveyor line 320, and the defective product is discharged from the normal processing conveying system by the second conveyor line 320.

[0057] Understandably, during the connection process (moving from the position docked with the first conveyor line 310 to the position docked with the second conveyor line 320) and the return process (moving from the position docked with the second conveyor line 320 to the position docked with the first conveyor line 310), the first conveyor line 310 is disconnected. For the first conveyor line 310 with a large conveying capacity, this seriously affects the normal flow of qualified products during the process of conveying defective products to the second conveyor line 320, causing congestion of the carrier component 230 on the first conveyor line 310, thereby affecting the overall conveying efficiency and processing efficiency.

[0058] Therefore, the embodiments of the first aspect of this application propose a connection device, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the connecting device includes a connecting guide rail 100 and multiple transfer mechanisms 200. The connecting guide rail 100 is used to connect various conveyor lines in series. The transfer mechanism 200 is slidably connected to the connecting guide rail 100 and can move along the length of the connecting guide rail 100, thereby enabling it to connect with different conveyor lines. It should be noted that the transfer mechanism 200 includes a connecting base 210 and a connecting guide rail 220. The connecting base 210 is slidably connected to the connecting guide rail 100, and the connecting guide rail 220 is rotatably connected to the connecting base 210. The connecting guide rail 220 is used to support the carrier 230, and the connecting guide rail 220 can connect with the conveyor rail on the conveyor line, so that the carrier 230 can move from the conveyor rail on the conveyor line to the connecting guide rail 220, or from the connecting guide rail 220 to the conveyor rail.

[0059] Based on the above structure, the connection device has at least a first connection mode and a second connection mode for the user to select. When the connection device is in the first connection mode, each transfer mechanism 200 moves in the same direction so that the carrier 230 can move with the connection guide rail 220 until the connection guide rail 220 is connected with the next conveying line in the moving direction, so that the carrier 230 can be moved to the next conveying line.

[0060] Specifically, taking the embodiment shown in Figure 4 for example, the number of transfer mechanisms 200 is consistent with the number of conveying lines, and in the initial state, one transfer mechanism 200 of the connection device is connected with the first conveying line 310 (for the convenience of subsequent description, this transfer mechanism 200 is named as the first transfer mechanism 201), and the other transfer mechanism 200 is idle (for the convenience of subsequent description, this transfer mechanism 200 is named as the second transfer mechanism 202), when the carrier 230 on the first conveying line 310 needs to be transferred to the second conveying line 320, after the carrier 230 moves to the first transfer mechanism 201, the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 move synchronously towards the direction of the second conveying line 320, so that the first transfer mechanism 201 is connected with the second conveying line 320, and the second transfer mechanism 202 is connected with the first conveying line 310. Further, when the first transfer mechanism 201 conveys the carrier 230 to the second conveying line 320, the first conveying line 310 can also keep the state of being connected by means of the second transfer mechanism 202, without causing congestion of other carriers 230 on the first conveying line 310.

[0061] It can be understood that in other embodiments (not shown in the figure), the number of transfer mechanisms 200 can also be more than the number of conveying lines, for example, referring to the embodiment of Figure 4 , the connection device includes three transfer mechanisms 200, i.e., the first transfer mechanism 201, the second transfer mechanism 202 and the third transfer mechanism 200, along the direction from the first conveying line 310 to the second conveying line 320, the second transfer mechanism 202 is idle, the first transfer mechanism 201 is connected with the first conveying line 310, and the third transfer mechanism 200 is connected with the second conveying line 320, when the three transfer mechanisms 200 move in the same direction, the second transfer mechanism 202 is connected with the first conveying line 310, the first transfer mechanism 201 is connected with the second conveying line 320, and the third transfer mechanism 200 is idle. In this embodiment, when there is no carrier 230 on the first conveying line 310 that needs to be transferred to the second conveying line 320, the second conveying line 320 can also keep the state of being connected, so as to convey the carrier 230 on the second conveying line 320.

[0062] When the transfer device is in the second transfer mode, the transfer rails 220 of the adjacent conveying lines are rotated and docked to enable the carriers 230 to move onto the transfer rails 220 of the next conveying line and return with the rotation of the transfer rails 220 until the transfer rails 220 are docked with the next conveying line, and then the carriers 230 move onto the next conveying line.

[0063] Specifically, taking the embodiment shown in Figure 5 the number of transfer mechanisms 200 on the transfer device is consistent with the number of conveying lines, in the initial state, one transfer mechanism 200 of the transfer device is docked with the first conveying line 310 (for the convenience of subsequent description, this transfer mechanism 200 is named as the first transfer mechanism 201), and the other transfer mechanism 200 is docked with the second conveying line 320 (for the convenience of subsequent description, this transfer mechanism 200 is named as the second transfer mechanism 202), when the carriers 230 on the first conveying line 310 need to be transferred to the second conveying line 320, after the carriers 230 move onto the first transfer mechanism 201, the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 rotate, it can be understood that the rotating actions of the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 can occur simultaneously or sequentially.

[0064] When the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 rotate to the conveying directions of the transfer rails 220 of the two mechanisms coincide, the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 move towards each other to dock the two mechanisms, so that the carriers 230 can move from the transfer rail 220 of the first transfer mechanism 201 to the transfer rail 220 of the second transfer mechanism 202, and then the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 move away from each other until they return to the positions corresponding to the conveying lines, and then the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 return and rotate to connect the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320. It can be understood that compared with the prior art in which a single transfer mechanism 200 transfers the carriers 230 between two conveying lines, the speed of the transfer in the present application is greatly improved by using two transfer mechanisms 200 that can be docked.

[0065] For example, when both transfer mechanisms 200 move towards each other and the distance of the movement towards each other is equal, the movement stroke of each transfer mechanism 200 of the transfer device is shortened by half, and the transfer efficiency is doubled. In other embodiments, for example, Figure 8As shown, considering that the conveying amount on the first conveying line 310 is greater than the conveying amount of the second conveying line 320, thereby, after the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 are rotated to coincide with the conveying directions of the connection rails 220, the first transfer mechanism 201 that is in butt joint with the first conveying line 310 remains stationary, and the second transfer mechanism 202 is close to the first transfer mechanism 201, thereby reducing the moving stroke of the first transfer mechanism 201 and reducing the line breakage time of the first conveying line 310.

[0066] It should be explained that, in the process of rotating the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 to coincide with the conveying directions of the connection rails 220 of the two, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the connection rails 220 of the first transfer mechanism 201 and the connection rails 220 of the second transfer mechanism 202 can rotate in the same direction or in the opposite direction, which is specifically adapted according to the conveying directions of the connection rails 220 and the conveying lines.

[0067] As shown in Figure 3 It should be explained that the connection device in the figure includes two transfer mechanisms 200, and in other specific embodiments, the number of transfer mechanisms 200 can be specifically adjusted according to the number of conveying lines. As can be understood, in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 to Figure 8 As shown, the conveying lines are parallel and arranged in parallel, and the connection rails 100 extend perpendicular to the conveying lines, and in other embodiments, since the connection rails 220 of the connection device of the present application can rotate relative to the connection base 210, the conveying lines can also be arranged at a certain angle, and the connection rails 100 can be arranged at an arbitrary angle.

[0068] Based on the above, the connection device of the present application has two connection modes, whether it is the first connection mode that shortens the line breakage time of the conveying line through the compensation position, or the second connection mode that shortens the connection stroke of the transfer mechanism 200, which can shorten the line breakage time of the conveying line, reduce the congestion probability of the conveying line, and improve the conveying efficiency of the conveying line. And, based on the rotatable connection between the connection rails 220 and the connection base 210, the connection device can adapt to different connection modes according to specific application scenarios, and can be applied to conveying systems in which the conveying lines and the connection rails 100 intersect at an acute angle or an obtuse angle.

[0069] As shown in Figure 2 It is a connection process schematic diagram of the prior art connection device, which is shown from the perspective of top view. In Figure 2In the embodiment, the two conveying lines are arranged side by side, and the conveying directions of the two conveying lines are opposite, that is, the moving directions of the carrier 230 on the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320 are opposite, the connecting device is arranged at one end of the conveying line, when the carrier 230 on the first conveying line 310 is conveyed to the right to the connecting device, the connecting device supports the carrier 230 to translate until it is connected with the second conveying line 320, so as to convey the carrier 230 to the second conveying line 320. It should be noted that the carrier 230 is marked with a triangle, and the triangle is located at the front end of the carrier 230. It should be explained that the triangle is to facilitate the reader to more clearly see the change of the moving posture of the carrier 230, and should not be considered as a limitation of the scheme of the present application.

[0070] In the prior art as shown in Figure 2 When the carrier 230 moves on the first conveying line 310, the direction from the rear end to the front end of the carrier 230 is the same as the conveying direction of the first conveying line 310, when the carrier 230 moves on the second conveying line 320, the direction from the rear end to the front end of the carrier 230 is opposite to the conveying direction of the second conveying line 320, the moving posture of the carrier 230 changes, because the moving posture of the workpiece is consistent with the carrier 230, therefore, the moving postures of the workpiece on the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320 are different. On the one hand, the wind resistance, friction and the like change during the movement of the workpiece, on the other hand, the clamping point of the workpiece changes when it is discharged, and needs to be adjusted again.

[0071] Therefore, in order to solve the problem of different moving postures in the prior art, the posture of the carrier 230 is adjusted during the connection process in the embodiment, so that when the connecting guide rail 220 is connected with the conveying guide rail of the second conveying line 320, the direction from the rear end to the front end of the carrier 230 is the same as the conveying direction of the second conveying line 320 when it moves. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7 When the carrier 230 is located on the connecting guide rail 220, the connecting guide rail 220 rotates relative to the connecting base 210, so that the moving postures of the carrier 230 on the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320 are the same.

[0072] It should be explained that in Figure 7Only one transfer mechanism 200 is shown, and it can be understood that in the first connection mode, only the transfer mechanism 200 carrying the carrier 230 needs to be rotated by 180 degrees, and the remaining transfer mechanisms 200 do not need to be rotated synchronously. In the second connection mode, the rotation directions of the first transfer mechanism 201 and the second transfer mechanism 202 are adjusted, so that the first transfer mechanism 201 carrying the carrier 230 is rotated by 90 degrees and then connected with the second transfer mechanism 202, and the second transfer mechanism 202 carrying the carrier 230 continues to rotate by 90 degrees in the same direction and then connects with the second conveying line 320. In the connection process, the adjustment of the workpiece moving posture is completed.

[0073] In some embodiments, the connection device includes a first driving member, a second driving member, and a third driving member. The first driving member is used to drive the connection base 210 to slide relative to the connecting guide rail 100. The second driving member is used to drive the connection guide rail 220 to rotate relative to the connection base 210. The third driving member is used to drive the carrier 230 to move relative to the connection guide rail 220. The first driving member, the second driving member, and the third driving member can be linear motors, air cylinders, lead screws, magnetic drive structures, etc. Preferably, the first driving member is a linear motor, the second driving member is a DD motor, and the third driving member is a magnetic drive structure, which includes a magnetic drive stator arranged on the connection guide rail 220 and a magnetic drive rotor arranged on the carrier 230.

[0074] It can be understood that the overall structure of the linear motor is relatively flat, so that the entire connection device is more compact and occupies less space. In addition, since the first driving member needs to drive the connection base 210, the connection guide rail 220, the carrier 230, and the workpiece to move relative to the connecting guide rail 100, the load is large. Therefore, selecting a linear motor is beneficial to the stable and accurate movement of the above-mentioned components, and is also beneficial to ensuring the connection accuracy of the connection guide rail 220. In addition, the second driving member adopts a DD motor, which has the advantages of large torque, large load, and flat structure, and is suitable for the application scenario of the embodiments of the application. The third driving member adopts a magnetic drive structure. The magnetic field of the magnetic drive stator on the connection guide rail 220 changes and interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic drive rotor on the carrier 230, thereby driving the carrier 230 to move, so as to realize the high-speed, high-precision, and high-flexibility operation of the carrier 230.

[0075] In some embodiments, as Figure 8As shown, when the connecting device is in the second connecting mode, according to the amount of the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320, different docking schemes can be selected, so as to further improve the conveying efficiency of each conveying line. For example, if the conveying amount of the first conveying line 310 and the second conveying line 320 is similar, the two connecting rails 220 of the adjacent conveying lines are rotated, and then the two transfer mechanisms 200 move towards each other to realize docking and transition of the carrier 230. If the conveying amount of the first conveying line 310 is greater than that of the second conveying line 320, the first transfer mechanism 201 corresponding to the first conveying line 310 does not move after rotation, and the second transfer mechanism 202 corresponding to the second conveying line 320 moves close to the first transfer mechanism 201 and docks.

[0076] In some embodiments, the conveying lines are arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction, and the connecting rail 100 extends along the horizontal direction to connect the conveying lines in series. Each conveying line is arranged in the horizontal plane, which is beneficial to arranging the loading and unloading positions on both sides of each conveying line. Alternatively, the conveying lines are arranged in sequence along the vertical direction, and the connecting rail 100 extends along the vertical direction to connect the conveying lines in series, thereby facilitating reduction of the floor space occupied by the conveying system.

[0077] In some embodiments, the transfer mechanism 200 further comprises an adjusting member connected with the connecting base 210 and the connecting rail 220, respectively, to adjust the distance between the connecting rail 220 and the connecting base 210. Specifically, taking the example of the conveying lines arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction, if the heights of the conveying rails of the conveying lines are different, the distance between the connecting rail 220 and the connecting base 210 can be adjusted by the adjusting member to adjust the height of the connecting rail 220, so as to dock with conveying rails of different heights.

[0078] In some embodiments, the connecting rail 100 is provided with a first limiting part, and the connecting base 210 is provided with a second limiting part. The first limiting part and the second limiting part cooperate to limit the displacement of the connecting base 210 relative to the connecting rail 100. It can be understood that the first limiting part can be a limiting protrusion, and the second limiting part can also be a limiting protrusion, so that the first limiting part and the second limiting part abut to limit the relative movement of the connecting base 210 and the connecting rail 100. In the embodiments of the present application, the first limiting part is an induction slot 110 as shown in the drawings, and the second limiting part is an induction blocking piece 240. When the induction blocking piece 240 is inserted into the induction slot 110 with the movement of the connecting base 210, the controller issues an instruction to limit the further movement of the connecting base 210. Figure 3

[0079] ​The embodiment of the second aspect of the application provides a conveying system, which comprises a plurality of conveying lines and the transfer device mentioned in any one of the above embodiments, and the transfer device is used for transfer connection of the carrying member 230 on each conveying line. It can be understood that, since the transfer efficiency of the transfer device is high, the conveying system has a short line waiting time and high conveying efficiency.

[0080] The embodiment of the third aspect of the application provides a transfer method, which is applied to the conveying system mentioned above. As shown in the figure, Figure 9 The transfer method comprises the following steps:

[0081] S100, acquiring current position information of the carrying member 230 needing to be transferred;

[0082] It can be understood that the transfer mechanism 200 is also provided with a position sensor, which is used for sensing the position information and the rotation angle of the carrying member 230. It can be understood that, in combination with the magnetic drive sub on the carrying member 230 and the magnetic drive sub on the transfer guide rail 220, the position sensor can respond to the magnetic field signal to acquire the current position information of the carrying member 230, or the position information can be acquired through a photoelectric sensor, an infrared sensor and the like.

[0083] S200, acquiring target position information of the carrying member 230;

[0084] It can be understood that the target position information of the carrying member 230 can be acquired according to the scanning of the trace code on the workpiece, for example, after the workpiece has undergone an upstream processing procedure, the trace code on the workpiece is scanned, and it is acquired that the next procedure needs to be performed, so that the carrying member 230 is conveyed to a processing position of the next procedure through the conveying system. The target position information of the carrying member 230 can also be obtained through a preset program of the controller, or through a new instruction of the controller.

[0085] S300, planning a transfer mode of the transfer device based on the current position information and the target position information to realize transfer connection of the carrying member 230 between the conveying lines.

[0086] Specifically, as shown in the figure, Figure 10 In step S300, the following steps are further included:

[0087] S310, planning a conveying path of the carrying member 230 in combination with layout information of each conveying line;

[0088] Understandably, in addition to considering current and target location information, the layout information of each conveyor line can also be taken into account. Specifically, the layout information can include the arrangement sequence, angle, track height, and location of connecting devices of each conveyor line, thereby planning the shortest conveying path for the carrier 230. Furthermore, the current conveying volume on each conveyor line can be combined to rationally plan the conveying path of the carrier 230 to avoid congested sections.

[0089] S320. Based on the layout information of the conveyor lines on the conveying path, plan the moving distance and / or rotation angle of the connecting device.

[0090] Understandably, when the control connection device is in the first connection mode, the moving distance of the connection device needs to be set according to the spacing of the conveyor line. When the control connection device is in the second connection mode, the rotation angle of the connection guide rail 220 needs to be set according to the intersection angle between the conveyor guide rail of the conveyor line and the connection guide rail 220 of the connection device.

[0091] Furthermore, step S320 also includes the following steps:

[0092] S321. Based on the movement attitude information at the target location, plan the rotation angle of the connecting device.

[0093] Understandably, reference Figure 7 As shown, if there are requirements for the movement posture of the workpiece, the carrier 230 needs to be rotated during the connection process to ensure that the movement posture of the workpiece remains consistent on different conveyor lines.

[0094] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A connecting device for connecting multiple conveyor lines, characterized in that, The connection device includes: A connecting rail is provided, which connects each of the conveyor lines in series; Multiple transfer mechanisms, each of which is slidably connected to the connecting guide rail; Each of the transfer mechanisms includes a docking base slidably connected to the connecting guide rail and a docking guide rail rotatably connected to the docking base, wherein the docking guide rail is used to support the carrier component; The connection device includes a first connection mode and a second connection mode: When the connecting device is in the first connecting mode, each of the transfer mechanisms moves in the same direction so that the carrier can move with the connecting guide rail until the connecting guide rail connects with the next conveyor line in the moving direction. When the connecting device is in the second connecting mode, the connecting guide rails of the adjacent conveyor lines rotate and connect, so that the carrier can move onto the connecting guide rail corresponding to the next conveyor line, and return to its original position as the connecting guide rail rotates, until the connecting guide rail connects with the next conveyor line. The transfer mechanism also includes an adjustment component and a position sensor. The adjustment component is connected to the docking base and the docking guide rail respectively to adjust the distance from the docking guide rail to the docking base. The position sensor is used to sense the position and rotation angle of the carrier.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor line includes a first conveyor line and a second conveyor line arranged in parallel. The carrier is conveyed from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line. The carrier moves in opposite directions on the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line. The connecting guide rail is located at the same end of the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line. When the carrier is located on the connecting guide rail, the connecting guide rail rotates relative to the connecting base so that the carrier moves in the same posture on the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line.

3. The connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting device includes a first driving member, a second driving member, and a third driving member. The first driving member is used to drive the connecting base to slide relative to the connecting guide rail. The second driving member is used to drive the connecting guide rail to rotate relative to the connecting base. The third driving member is used to drive the bearing member to move relative to the connecting guide rail. The first driving component is a linear motor, the second driving component is a DD motor, and the third driving component includes a magnetic drive unit and a magnetic drive stator. The magnetic drive stator is disposed on the connecting guide rail, and the magnetic drive unit is disposed on the carrier component.

4. The connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the connecting device is in the second connecting mode, after the two connecting guide rails of the adjacent conveyor lines rotate, either the transfer mechanism moves closer to the other transfer mechanism to achieve docking, or the two transfer mechanisms move towards each other to achieve docking.

5. The connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor lines are arranged sequentially in a horizontal direction, and the connecting guide rail extends in a horizontal direction to connect the conveyor lines in series; or, the conveyor lines are arranged sequentially in a vertical direction, and the connecting guide rail extends in a vertical direction to connect the conveyor lines in series.

6. A conveying system, characterized in that, include: Multiple conveyor lines; The connecting device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 is used for connecting the carriers on each of the conveyor lines.

7. A connection method, applied to the conveying system of claim 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Obtain the current location information of the load-bearing component that needs to be connected; Obtain the target position information of the carrier component; Based on the current location information and the target location information, the connection mode of the connection device is planned to realize the connection of the carrier between the conveyor lines.

8. The connection method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of planning the connection mode of the connection device based on the current location information and the target location information to realize the connection of the carriers between the conveyor lines includes the following steps: Based on the layout information of each of the conveyor lines, the conveying path of the carrier is planned; Based on the layout information of the conveyor line on the conveying path, the moving distance and / or rotation angle of the connecting device are planned.

9. The connection method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of planning the moving distance and / or rotation angle of the connecting device based on the layout information of the conveyor line on the conveying path includes the following steps: The rotation angle of the connecting device is planned based on the movement posture information at the target location.

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