A cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a cylinder cover bolt mounting and pre-tightening device and method, and relates to the technical field of engine assembly, which comprises a feeding mechanism, grabbing mechanisms and tightening mechanisms arranged oppositely on both sides of the feeding mechanism, and a tray mechanism; the feeding mechanism is used for conveying bolts to a grabbing position; the grabbing mechanisms are used for grabbing the bolts in the grabbing position and mounting the bolts to cylinder covers; the tray mechanism moves along a roller line and is used for transporting the cylinder covers in the grabbing mechanisms to the tightening mechanisms; the tightening mechanisms are used for tightening the bolts mounted to the cylinder covers; after the accurate mounting and positioning of the bolts on the cylinder covers, the tightening work is directly performed, the error between the mounting and the tightening is avoided, the connection between the mounting and the tightening is accurately realized, the process of tightening the bolts from bulk bolts to the accurate bolt holes in the cylinder covers is realized, a plurality of bolts can be accurately assembled at one time, and the batch production of the bolt mounting and tightening of the cylinder covers is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of engine assembly technology, specifically relating to a cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device and method. Background Technology

[0002] The cylinder head of an engine is one of the most complex parts in a diesel engine, with the highest mechanical and thermal loads. It integrates the fuel supply system, valve train, combustion system, water passages, and intake and exhaust passages. The cylinder head is connected to the cylinder block by bolts.

[0003] However, current technologies mostly employ manual labor or tightening machines to tighten cylinder head bolts on already bolted cylinder heads. Manual methods are inefficient, prone to bolt misalignment, and result in inconsistent torque applied to each bolt. During engine cylinder head assembly, inaccurate bolt positioning and uneven torque can lead to air and water leaks. Tightening machines can only tighten bolts already installed on the cylinder head; they cannot install bolts directly. Even with additional bolt mounting devices, effective connection between bolt installation and tightening is impossible. The process of precisely positioning and installing loose bolts into the cylinder head before tightening them is not feasible, hindering the mass production of cylinder head bolt installation and tightening by installing and tightening multiple bolts simultaneously. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device and method to solve the above-mentioned technical problems of the inability to accurately position and install bolts in a bulk state into the cylinder head, and then tighten the bolts on the cylinder head, and the inability to install and tighten multiple bolts at once to achieve mass production of cylinder head bolt installation and tightening.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0006] A cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device includes a feeding mechanism, a gripping mechanism and a tightening mechanism arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the feeding mechanism, and a pallet mechanism; the feeding mechanism is used to transport bolts to the gripping position; the gripping mechanism is used to grip the bolts in the gripping position and install them onto the cylinder head; the pallet mechanism moves along a roller conveyor line to transport the cylinder head from the gripping mechanism to the tightening mechanism; the tightening mechanism is used to tighten the bolts installed on the cylinder head.

[0007] The gripping mechanism includes a connecting seat, a robotic arm connected to the connecting seat, and a gripping disc connected to the robotic arm; the gripping disc has multiple grippers, which respectively grip bolts and insert them into the corresponding bolt holes of the cylinder head under the drive of the robotic arm.

[0008] The gripper has a first disc and a second disc arranged in parallel; the first disc and the second disc are rotatably connected to the robotic arm via a connector; both the first disc and the second disc have grippers; the first disc and the second disc rotate alternately to assemble bolts in multiple mounting areas of the cylinder head via the grippers.

[0009] The tightening mechanism includes a fixed base, a robotic arm connected to the fixed base, and a tightening assembly connected to the robotic arm; the tightening assembly has multiple tightening shafts; the multiple tightening shafts tighten the bolts in multiple tightening areas of the cylinder head respectively.

[0010] The tightening assembly has a fixed plate, which is connected to the robot arm; the fixed plate is connected to a plurality of tightening shafts arranged in a circular pattern.

[0011] The gripper plate is also equipped with a visual guidance device, which is used to guide the multiple grippers on the gripper plate to align with the corresponding bolt holes.

[0012] The feeding mechanism includes a frame, which is connected to a feeding device, a sorting device, and a positioning device. The feeding device is used to transport bolts to the sorting device, which arranges the bolts in a straight line according to a preset posture and transports them to the positioning device. The positioning device has a movable disk that moves relative to the sorting device. The movable disk has multiple gripping positions, which sequentially install the bolts arranged in a straight line under the action of the movable disk.

[0013] This application also relates to a method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts, using the aforementioned cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device, the steps of which are as follows:

[0014] S1: Place multiple bolts into the feeding device, and transport them to the sorting device via the feeding device;

[0015] S2: The sorting device transports multiple bolts sequentially to the positioning device in a straight line according to a preset posture;

[0016] S3: The moving disk of the positioning device moves relative to the sorting device to drop the bolt in the sorting device into the gripping position;

[0017] S4: The visual guidance device of the gripping mechanism identifies the position of the bolt holes and controls the gripper to install the bolts in each installation area in sequence;

[0018] S5: The pallet mechanism moves along the roller conveyor line and transports the cylinder head with bolted installation to the tightening mechanism.

[0019] S6: The bolts in the tightening area are tightened in a preset sequence by the tightening shaft of the tightening mechanism.

[0020] In step S2, the sorting device divides the bolts in the feeding device into multiple groups. Each group of bolts is lifted and transported upwards in sequence. After being lifted and transported, the bolts fall from the transport port in sequence with the bolt shank facing the direction of the bolt and are arranged in a straight line.

[0021] In step S3, when the sensor of the positioning device detects that a bolt is approaching, the moving disk moves one gripping position relative to the sorting device so that the bolt in the sorting device falls into the gripping position.

[0022] In step S4, the bolt holes of the cylinder head are divided into multiple installation areas along the width direction of the cylinder head, and the first and second discs rotate once to install the bolts in one installation area of ​​the cylinder head.

[0023] In step S6, the bolts of the cylinder head are divided into multiple tightening areas along the length of the cylinder head, and the tightening shaft alternately tightens the bolts in the tightening areas at both ends along the length of the cylinder head.

[0024] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects achieved by this application are as follows:

[0025] 1. A cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device, comprising a feeding mechanism, a gripping mechanism, a tightening mechanism, and a pallet mechanism; wherein, the feeding mechanism is used to convey bolts to the gripping position; the gripping mechanism and the tightening mechanism are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the feeding mechanism; the gripping mechanism is used to grip the bolts in the gripping position and install them onto the cylinder head; the pallet mechanism moves along a roller conveyor line to transport the cylinder head from the gripping mechanism to the tightening mechanism; the tightening mechanism is used to tighten the bolts installed on the cylinder head;

[0026] The feeding mechanism arranges bolts sequentially from a bulk state into a specific order, then installs them one by one into the gripping position. The gripping mechanism precisely places each bolt into the corresponding bolt hole on the cylinder head, achieving precise bolt positioning. The pallet mechanism then transports the cylinder head with the bolts in place to the tightening mechanism for tightening. The entire process is continuous, ensuring precise installation and positioning of bolts in the cylinder head bolt holes before direct tightening. This avoids errors between installation and tightening, achieving a precise connection between installation and tightening. It realizes the process of moving from bulk bolts to precise bolt holes on the cylinder head for tightening, allowing for the precise assembly of multiple bolts at once, and enabling mass production of cylinder head bolt installation and tightening.

[0027] 2. In a preferred embodiment, the gripping mechanism includes a connecting seat, a robotic arm connected to the connecting seat, and a gripping disc connected to the robotic arm. The gripping disc has multiple grippers, which respectively grip the bolts and insert them into the corresponding bolt holes of the cylinder head under the drive of the robotic arm. In the feeding mechanism, after the bolts are arranged in a specific order, the grippers directly grip and assemble the selected bolts into the corresponding bolt holes of the cylinder head. Multiple grippers grip a corresponding number of bolts and assemble them into bolt holes in different areas of the cylinder head. Therefore, by gripping the corresponding bolts and matching them with the bolt holes in the corresponding areas, the grippers do not interfere with each other during bolt installation, enabling synchronous installation and improving the efficiency of cylinder head bolt assembly.

[0028] 3. In a preferred embodiment, the gripper disc has a first disc and a second disc arranged in parallel; the first disc and the second disc are rotatably connected to the robotic arm via a connector; both the first disc and the second disc have grippers. The first disc and the second disc rotate alternately once to complete the installation of bolts in one installation area; when the cylinder head is divided into multiple installation areas, the first disc and the second disc need to be rotated multiple times to complete the installation of bolt holes in each installation area in sequence.

[0029] 4. In a preferred embodiment, the tightening mechanism includes a fixed base, a robotic arm connected to the fixed base, and a tightening assembly connected to the robotic arm; the tightening assembly has multiple tightening shafts; the multiple tightening shafts respectively tighten the bolts in multiple tightening areas of the cylinder head. Different numbers of tightening shafts can be used in each tightening area to reasonably divide the cylinder head into multiple tightening areas. The corresponding tightening shaft is activated based on the number of bolts required in each tightening area to tighten the bolts in that area. For example, by reasonably dividing the tightening areas, the tightening areas at both ends of the cylinder head can be tightened alternately to ensure uniform force on both ends of the cylinder head and prevent deformation of the cylinder head.

[0030] 5. In a preferred embodiment, the gripper plate is further equipped with a visual guidance device. This device guides the multiple grippers on the gripper plate to align the bolts with their corresponding bolt holes after gripping them, ensuring the bolts are properly installed. The visual guidance device prevents inaccurate positioning of the bolts by the gripping mechanism, thus avoiding bolt gripping errors. Simultaneously, the visual guidance device positions the bolt holes on the cylinder head, enabling the gripping mechanism to more accurately install the corresponding bolts into the bolt holes, preventing installation errors. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism under one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tightening mechanism in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet mechanism in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the tightening mechanism under one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution structure of the bolt installation area of ​​the cylinder head in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application.

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the tightening area of ​​the cylinder head bolts in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application.

[0041] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second conveyor belt in one embodiment of the cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device of this application;

[0042] In the picture,

[0043] 1. Feeding mechanism, 11. Frame, 12. Discharging device, 121. Box, 122. Conveyor belt, 13. Sorting device, 131. First conveyor belt, 132. Second conveyor belt, 1321. First vibrating section, 1322. Second vibrating section, 1323. Guide inclined area, 14. Positioning device, 141. Positioning seat, 142. Linear module, 143. Moving disk;

[0044] 2. Gripping mechanism, 21. Connecting seat, 22. Robotic arm, 23. Gripping disc, 231. First disc, 232. Second disc;

[0045] 3 Tightening mechanism, 31 Fixed base, 32 Robotic arm, 33 Tightening assembly, 331 Fixed plate;

[0046] 4 pallet mechanism, 41 pallets, 42 conveyor belts;

[0047] 5. Handle, 6. Cylinder head, 7. Cylinder bore, 8. Bolt hole, 9. Tightening shaft, 10. Vision guide device, 15. Lifting plate, 16. First mounting area, 17. Second mounting area, 18. Third mounting area, 19. Fourth mounting area, 20. First tightening area, 24. Second tightening area, 25. Third tightening area, 26. Fourth tightening area, 27. Fifth tightening area, 28. Sixth tightening area. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this application, a detailed explanation is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0050] Furthermore, it should be understood in the description of this application that the terms "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0051] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the "above" or "below" of the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "implementation," "example," "a particular embodiment," "example," or "specific example," etc., indicate that the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0053] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, this application relates to a cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device, including a feeding mechanism 1, a gripping mechanism 2 and a tightening mechanism 3 arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the feeding mechanism 1, and a pallet mechanism 4; the feeding mechanism 1 is used to transport bolts to the gripping position of the gripping mechanism 2; the gripping mechanism 2 is used to grip the bolts in the gripping position and install them onto the cylinder head 6; the pallet mechanism 4 moves along a roller conveyor line to transport the cylinder head 6 from the gripping mechanism 2 to the tightening mechanism 3; the tightening mechanism 3 is used to tighten the bolts installed on the cylinder head 6.

[0054] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and 2 As shown, bulk bolts are directly poured into the feeding mechanism 1. The feeding mechanism 1 transports multiple bolts in a certain posture and in a specific order to the gripping position at the end of the feeding mechanism 1. The gripping position can move linearly. When the gripping position detects that a bolt is approaching, the gripping position will move to the front end or the rear end to squeeze the bolt into the gripping position. In this way, a bolt is fixedly installed in each gripping position. Then the bolts in the gripping position are fixed by the positioning device 14 described below in the feeding mechanism 1. The gripping mechanism 2 will grip a fixed number of bolts into the positioning device 14 and put them onto the cylinder head 6. The bolts are then installed onto the cylinder head 6 in sequence, aligned with the bolt holes 8 on the cylinder head 6. After the bolt holes 8 on the cylinder head 6 are assembled, the tightening mechanism 3 tightens the bolts on the cylinder head 6 in sequence. When installing bolts on the cylinder head 6, each bolt is not installed individually. Instead, the cylinder head 6 is first divided into multiple installation areas. Then, according to the required number and position of bolts in each installation area, the grippers 5 described below are controlled at different positions and numbers to grip the corresponding bolts, and then the installation of bolts in each safety area is completed. Similarly, when tightening bolts, all bolts on the cylinder head 6 need to be divided into multiple tightening areas. Then, according to the required number and position of bolts to be tightened in each tightening area, the different tightening shafts 9 described below of the tightening mechanism 3 are controlled to tighten the bolts in the bolt holes of the tightening area.

[0055] As a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the gripping mechanism 2 includes a connecting seat 21, a robotic arm 22 connected to the connecting seat 21, and a gripping disc 23 connected to the robotic arm 22; the gripping disc 23 has a plurality of grippers 5, which grip the bolts respectively and insert them into the corresponding bolt holes 8 of the cylinder head 6 under the drive of the robotic arm 22.

[0056] The connecting seat 21 can be fixed to the ground and does not need to be moved, or it can be moved to facilitate repositioning. For ease of description, in this embodiment, the connecting seat 21 is set to be fixed to the ground for easy positioning. The robotic arm 22 is connected above the connecting seat 21, and the robotic arm 22 and the connecting seat 21 are connected by a universal bearing, so that the connecting arm can rotate relative to the connecting seat 21 in the horizontal and vertical planes, and can adjust the angle and height of the gripper 23, ultimately achieving directional gripping of the bolt.

[0057] The gripper 23 has a flat part, on which multiple grippers 5 are connected. Driven by the robotic arm 22, the gripper 23 is moved, thereby adjusting the position of the grippers 5. Furthermore, the gripper 23 is rotatably connected to the robotic arm 22, so as to more flexibly adjust the position and angle of the rotating grippers 5 to grip bolts in different placement positions in the positioning device 14 and accurately place bolts in bolt holes 8 in different installation areas.

[0058] like Figure 6 The gripper 23 has a first disc 231 and a second disc 232 arranged in parallel; the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 are rotatably connected to the robotic arm 22 by a connector; both the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 have grippers 5; the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 rotate alternately to assemble the bolts of multiple mounting areas of the cylinder head 6 through the grippers 5.

[0059] The shape and structure of the first tray 231 and the second tray 232 are not limited by this embodiment. As a preferred embodiment under this embodiment:

[0060] The first plate 231 and the second plate 232 are set as two parallel, elongated plate-like structures. The first plate 231 and the second plate 232 are separated by a preset distance and connected to the two ends of the connector and rotatably connected to the robotic arm 22 through the connector. Four grippers 5 are connected to the first plate 231 and three grippers 5 are connected to the second plate 232. The four grippers 5 on the first plate 231 are the first group of grippers 5, and the three grippers 5 on the second plate 232 are the second group of grippers 5.

[0061] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, six cylinder holes 7 are arranged laterally in the middle of the cylinder head 6, and 13 bolt holes 8 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cylinder holes 7, for a total of 26 bolt holes 8 in the cylinder head 6. Figure 8 As shown, located Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, the first row at the top of the cylinder bore 7 has 6 bolt holes 8 distributed along the length of the cylinder head 6; the second row has 7 bolt holes 8 distributed along the length of the cylinder head 6; the third row has 7 bolt holes 8 distributed along the length of the cylinder head 6; and the fourth row has 6 bolt holes 8 distributed along the length of the cylinder head 6. When the bolts are being installed on the cylinder head 6, the cylinder head 6 is divided into four installation areas along its width. The first disc 231 and the second disc 232 rotate once to complete the installation of one installation area. All bolts on the cylinder head 6 are installed in the order from the first installation area 16 to the fourth installation area 19.

[0062] The purpose of setting up the first tray 231 and the second tray 232 is to fully utilize the two sets of grippers 5 to install bolts into the bolt holes 8 on the cylinder head 6. This increases the number of bolts that can be gripped and allows for batch installation, avoiding the increased error rate caused by assembling too many bolts at once. In this embodiment, the optimal choice is to grip a maximum of 7 bolts at a time, but a smaller number of bolts can also be gripped as needed until the assembly of 26 bolts is completed.

[0063] The structure of the gripper 5 is not limited to the structure of this embodiment; a three-jaw chuck or a jaw structure with adjustable spacing can be used.

[0064] As a preferred implementation method, such as Figure 5 As shown, the pallet mechanism 4 includes a pallet 41, a conveyor belt 42, and a roller conveyor. The conveyor belt 42 moves along the roller conveyor, and the pallet 41 is connected above the conveyor belt 42. The cylinder head 6 is placed on the pallet 41. The gripper 5 grabs the bolts and assembles them into the corresponding bolt holes 8 of the cylinder head 6 located on the pallet 41. Under the movement of the pallet 41, the cylinder head 6 with bolts is transported to the lower part of the tightening mechanism 3. The tightening mechanism 3 tightens the bolts of the cylinder head 6 in the pallet 41.

[0065] As a preferred implementation method, such as Figure 4 As shown, the tightening mechanism 3 includes a fixed base 31, a robotic arm 32 connected to the fixed base 31, and a tightening assembly 33 connected to the robotic arm 32; the tightening assembly 33 has multiple tightening shafts 9; the multiple tightening shafts 9 tighten the bolts in multiple tightening areas of the cylinder head 6 respectively.

[0066] In this embodiment, the fixed base 31 is designed to be fixed to the ground for easy positioning. The robotic arm 32 is connected to the top of the fixed base 31 via a universal bearing, allowing the robotic arm 32 to rotate horizontally and vertically relative to the fixed base 31 to adjust the angle and height of the tightening assembly 33 for directional gripping of the bolts. The tightening assembly 33 has a fixed disk 331 connected to the robotic arm 32. Multiple tightening shafts 9 arranged in a ring are vertically connected to the side of the fixed disk 331 facing the tray 41. Driven by the robotic arm 32, the fixed disk 331 moves, thereby adjusting the position of the tightening shafts 9. After adjusting the position of the tightening shafts 9, rotating the tightening shafts 9 aligns and tightens the bolts in different tightening areas on the cylinder head 6 of the tray mechanism 4.

[0067] As a preferred embodiment of this implementation, the end of the tightening shaft 9 has a cross-shaped protrusion. By aligning the protrusion with the bolt head, the protrusion and the bolt head are connected by insertion. Under the rotation of the tightening shaft 9, the bolt is tightened and fastened to the cylinder head 6.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the gripper plate 23 is also provided with a visual guidance device 10, which is used to guide the plurality of grippers 5 on the gripper plate 23 to align with the corresponding bolt holes 8.

[0069] The visual guidance device 10 includes a visual controller, a central controller, a 2D vision camera, a power adapter, and a camera light source. The camera light source provides power to the device through the power adapter. The 2D vision camera takes pictures and uploads them to the visual controller. The visual controller calculates the position of the bolt hole 8 and positions the bolt hole 8. Then, it sends the instruction to the central controller, which controls the gripper 5 of the gripping mechanism 2 to place the gripped bolt into the corresponding positioned bolt hole 8.

[0070] Because the cylinder head 6 is quite large, a single photograph is insufficient for accurate positioning. Therefore, in addition to taking an overall photograph, two partial photographs were taken and then integrated to calculate the position information of the bolt holes 8. In this study, the threaded holes at opposite corners of the cylinder head 6 were photographed to obtain the coordinates of the first and second circular holes. A line segment was fitted using the coordinates of the first and second circular holes, and the coordinates of the midpoint and offset angle of this line segment were calculated. This information was then incorporated into the overall position information to determine the position and overall distribution of each bolt hole 8. The position of each bolt hole 8 can be precisely calculated using a vision controller, and the corresponding gripping mechanism 2 can be precisely gripped by the central controller.

[0071] As a preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figure 2As shown, the feeding mechanism 1 includes a frame 11, which is connected to a feeding device 12, a sorting device 13, and a positioning device 14. The feeding device 12 is used to transport bolts to the sorting device 13, and the sorting device 13 is used to transport the bolts to the positioning device 14 in a straight line according to a preset posture. The positioning device 14 has a moving disk 143 that moves relative to the sorting device 13. The moving disk 143 has multiple gripping positions, and the gripping positions, under the movement of the moving disk 143, enable the bolts output by the sorting device 13 in a straight line to be sequentially loaded.

[0072] like Figure 1 As shown, a feeding device 12, a sorting device 13, and a positioning device 14 are sequentially connected to the frame 11 along the direction of bolt movement. The feeding device 12 includes a housing 121 and a conveyor belt 122. The conveyor belt 122 is connected to the first end of the frame 11. The housing 121 is located above the conveyor belt 122 and surrounds the periphery of the conveyor belt 122 to prevent the bolts from coming out of the housing 121 and exiting the outside of the conveyor belt 122. The top of the housing 121 is provided with an opening for inserting bulk bolts through the opening.

[0073] The sorting device 13 includes a first conveyor belt 131 and a second conveyor belt 132. One side of the first conveyor belt 131 extends below the transmission belt 122, and the top of the first conveyor belt 131 is inclined at the second end of the transmission belt 122 facing the frame 11. The first conveyor belt 131 is used to transport bolts that fall from the transmission belt 122. The second conveyor belt 132 is located on the side of the first conveyor belt 131 near the second end of the frame 11, and is located below the top of the first conveyor belt 131, used to support bolts that fall from the first conveyor belt 131. Lifting plates 15 are spaced apart on the first conveyor belt 131, vertically connected to the conveyor belt, and protrude a certain height towards the outside of the conveyor belt to form a bearing surface for supporting bolts that fall from the transmission belt 122. The purpose of the bearing surface is to facilitate the support of bolts falling from the transmission belt 122 and to transport the bolts upward under the transmission action of the first conveyor belt 131. Multiple bolts fall into each lifting plate 15. These bolts are then conveyed by the conveyor belt and fall into the second conveyor belt 132. At this point, the bolts are positioned with the bolt heads facing upwards and the bolt shanks facing downwards. Specifically, this upward-facing bolt head and downward-facing bolt position is achieved because: Figure 10As shown, the second conveyor belt 132 includes a first vibrating section 1321 and a second vibrating section 1322. The first vibrating section 1321 and the second vibrating section 1322 are separate. The first vibrating section 1321 is inclined downward along the transport direction, and the front end of the first vibrating section 1321, perpendicular to the transport direction, is inclined downward to form a guide slope area 1323 with the frame 11. Therefore, the bolts on the first conveyor belt 131 fall along the slope of the first vibrating section 1321 into the guide slope area 1323 at the front end of the first vibrating section 1321. At this time, the bolts are transported with the larger end facing the transport direction or the larger end facing away from the transport direction on the slope of the first vibrating section 1321. Both the first vibrating section 1321 and the second vibrating section 1322 have vibrating surfaces that can vibrate and transport the bolts. When the bolts fall from the first vibrating section 1321 into the second vibrating section 1322, because the second vibrating section 1322 is inclined downward along the transport direction and the front end of the second vibrating section 1322 is inclined downward, it is located in the guide slope area 1323 at the front end of the first vibrating section 1321. The second vibration section 1322 has an opening groove along the transport direction. When the bolt is transported from the first vibration section 1321 to the second vibration section 1322, it falls into the opening groove on the inclined surface of the second vibration section 1322. Under the vibration of the second vibration section 1322, as the bolt slides down the inclined surface of the second vibration section 1322, the bolt head is inserted into the upper part of the opening groove with the bolt shank entering the interior of the opening groove, thereby achieving the bolt in a head-up and shank-down posture. It continues to be transported to the positioning device 14 under the vibration transport action of the second vibration section 1322. That is, the bolt continues to be transported to the positioning device 14 under the action of the second conveyor belt 132. A linear vibrator is provided at the bottom of the second conveyor belt 132, and a groove is provided at the top of the second conveyor belt 132. During the transport process of the bolt from the second conveyor belt 132, the bolt is moved into the groove under the vibration action of the linear vibrator and moves linearly along the second conveyor belt 132 until it reaches the gripping position of the positioning device 14 described below.

[0074] It is worth noting that the "front end" referred to here is the end perpendicular to the direction of transport and closest to the user's operation. Figure 1 The directions shown in the figure refer to Figure 1 The position on the right side is the front end of the second conveyor belt 132.

[0075] The positioning device 14 includes a positioning seat 141, a linear module 142, and a moving disk 143. The positioning seat 141 is fixedly connected to the outer side of the second end of the frame 11 and is disposed opposite to the second end of the frame 11. The moving disk 143 is connected to the positioning seat 141 through the linear module 142. The moving disk 143 has gripping positions evenly spaced along its length. Each gripping position has an arc-shaped positioning hole. The positioning hole is adapted to the bolt rod, and the bolt rod is positioned in the positioning hole. The size of the positioning hole is smaller than the diameter of the bolt head because the bolt head needs to be engaged above the positioning hole. The moving disk 143 is perpendicular to the length direction of the frame 11 and corresponds to the groove of the second conveyor belt 132, which facilitates the movement of the bolt hole 8 in the groove to the corresponding gripping position.

[0076] A sensing sensor is also installed on the positioning device 14. The sensing sensor is used to detect the bolts on the second conveyor belt 132. When the sensing sensor detects that a bolt is approaching, the moving disk 143 moves one gripping position relative to the second conveyor belt 132 along its length, so that the positioning hole of the gripping position is aligned with the groove. At this time, the bolt on the second conveyor belt 132 continues to be conveyed towards the positioning hole under the conveying action of the second conveyor belt 132, so that the bolt is pushed into the positioning hole. The bolt will fall downward under its own weight, and the bolt shank moves downward. Since the size of the positioning hole is smaller than the size of the bolt head, the bolt head is engaged with the upper part of the positioning hole during the bolt's fall, thereby realizing the bolt is installed in the gripping position of the moving disk 143.

[0077] The positioning device 14 also includes a mounting assembly for fixing the bolts in the gripping position, achieving the final stacking work before the bolts are assembled. The mounting assembly includes a drive device, multiple telescopic devices, and multiple fixing blocks; the multiple fixing blocks correspond to the positioning holes and are positioned above the telescopic devices; the top of each fixing block has a mounting groove that matches the size of the bolt shank for mounting the bolt shank; the fixing blocks are fixedly connected to the telescopic devices and move up and down through the telescopic devices; the telescopic devices are connected to the drive device and move along the width direction of the second end of the frame 11 or along the length direction of the second end of the frame 11 through the drive device. During operation, driven by the drive device, the fixed block is moved to a position directly below the gripping position and opposite the bottom of the bolt. Then, the fixed block is lifted upward by the upward movement of the telescopic device, and the fixed block lifts the bolt out of the positioning hole. At this time, the bottom of the bolt rod falls into the mounting groove. After the telescopic device continues to lift upward a certain distance, the drive device is activated to move the fixed block in the opposite direction, so that the bolt rod is completely disengaged from the positioning hole. Then, the telescopic device is controlled to make the fixed block descend. At this time, the bolt is fixedly installed in the fixed block, waiting for the gripping mechanism 2 to grip it.

[0078] This application also relates to a method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts, using the aforementioned cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device, the steps of which are as follows:

[0079] S1: Place multiple bolts into the feeding device 12, and transport them to the sorting device 13 via the feeding device 12;

[0080] S2: The sorting device 13 transports multiple bolts sequentially to the positioning device 14 in a straight line according to a preset posture;

[0081] S3: The moving disk 143 of the positioning device 14 moves relative to the sorting device 13 to drop the bolt in the sorting device 13 into the gripping position;

[0082] S4: The position of the bolt hole 8 is identified by the visual guidance device of the gripping mechanism 2 and the gripper 5 is controlled to install the bolts in each installation area in sequence;

[0083] S5: The pallet mechanism 4 moves along the roller conveyor line and transports the cylinder cover 6 of the gripping mechanism 2 to the tightening mechanism 3.

[0084] S6: The bolts in the tightening area are tightened in a preset sequence by the tightening shaft 9 of the tightening mechanism 3.

[0085] In step S1, the bulk bolts are placed into the box 121 through the opening of the feeding device 12. The conveyor belt 122 inside the box 121 transports the bulk bolts to the end of the conveyor belt 122 in sequence. After falling from the conveyor belt 122, they fall into the first conveyor belt 131 of the sorting device 13 in sequence.

[0086] In step S2, the first conveyor belt 131 tilts upward to transport the bolts. The bolts are lifted sequentially on the spaced lifting plates 15. The first conveyor belt 131 transports multiple loose bolts in stages. The multiple bolts on the lifting plates 15 are marked as a group. The first conveyor belt 131 divides the loose bolts into multiple groups for transport. Each group of bolts is lifted and transported sequentially. After being lifted and transported, the bolts fall sequentially from the transport port into the second conveyor belt 132 with the bolt shank facing down. At this time, the bolts have been adjusted to have the bolt head facing up and the bolt shank facing down. The bolts in the second conveyor belt 132 move along the groove of the second conveyor belt 132 under the vibration of the linear vibrator of the second conveyor belt 132. Multiple bolts are arranged in a straight line in the groove and transported to the moving plate 143 of the positioning device 14.

[0087] In step S3, the positioning device 14 also has a sensing sensor. When the sensing sensor detects a bolt approaching, it causes the moving disk 143 to move one gripping position relative to the sorting device 13, so that the bolt in the sorting device 13 falls into the gripping position. The moving disk 143 has multiple gripping positions along its length, each gripping position having a positioning hole that matches the bolt. This positioning hole is used to snap the bolt head into the positioning hole, thus fixing it in the positioning device 14. When the moving disk 143 moves one gripping position relative to the sorting device 13, the vacant gripping position is directly opposite the groove of the second conveyor belt 132. Under the transmission action of the second conveyor belt 132, the bolt continues to be pushed forward into the positioning hole. The bolt shank first enters the groove, and under its own weight, the bolt shank falls downwards. Because the bolt head is larger than the size of the positioning hole, it is snapped into place above the positioning hole. The moving disk 143 moves one gripping position at a time, thus sequentially installing multiple bolts on the second conveyor belt 132 into the corresponding positioning holes.

[0088] The fixing block in the positioning assembly moves towards the positioning hole under the drive of the drive device until it is below the corresponding positioning hole. The telescopic device then lifts the fixing block to the position of the bolt shank. This upward movement of the telescopic device lifts the bolt shank, causing it to fall into the mounting groove of the fixing block. The drive device then returns the bolt shank completely out of the positioning hole. Finally, the telescopic device lowers the fixing block back to its initial position, positioning the bolt in the fixing block, ready for gripping by the gripping mechanism 2. Because the spacing and position between the fixing blocks are fixed, and the position and spacing of the bolts within the fixing blocks are also fixed, precise bolt positioning is ensured. The gripping mechanism 2 grips multiple bolts from the same position, further improving gripping accuracy and achieving seamless positioning and bolt gripping, thus increasing the speed of the assembly line operation.

[0089] In step S4, the bolt holes 8 of the cylinder head 6 are divided into multiple installation areas along the width direction of the cylinder head 6. The first disc 231 and the second disc 232 rotate once to install the bolts in one installation area of ​​the cylinder head 6.

[0090] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, the cylinder head 6 is divided into four installation areas along its width, and each installation area is a long strip-shaped structure along its length. Figure 8As shown, along the width of the cylinder head 6, a first mounting area 16, a second mounting area 17, a third mounting area 18, and a fourth mounting area 19 are respectively provided. The first mounting area 16 is symmetrical to the second mounting area 17 and is located in the middle, with the first mounting area 16 above the second mounting area 17. The third mounting area 18 is symmetrical to the fourth mounting area 19, with the third mounting area 18 above the first mounting area 16 and the fourth mounting area 19 below the second mounting area 17. Each of the first and second mounting areas 16 has 7 bolt holes 8, and each of the third and fourth mounting areas 19 has 6 bolt holes 8.

[0091] For ease of description, Figure 8The following describes the installation process: First, install the bolts in the first installation area 16. After all the grippers 5 on the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 have gripped the bolts, align the four bolts on the first set of grippers 5 on the first disc 231 with the first four bolt holes 8 starting from the left side of the first installation area 16 and install the bolts. Then, rotate and exchange the positions of the first disc 231 and the second disc 232, aligning the three bolts on the second set of grippers 5 on the second disc 232 with the remaining three bolt holes 8 in the first installation area 16 and install the bolts. This completes the first installation. Install the bolts in bolt holes 8 throughout the entire installation area; then install the bolts in the second installation area 17. Rotate the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 back to their original positions to grip the bolts. Align the four bolts on the first set of grippers 5 on the first disc 231 with the first four bolt holes 8 on the left side of the second installation area 17 and place the bolts. Then rotate the positions of the first disc 231 and the second disc 232, aligning the three bolts on the second set of grippers 5 on the second disc 232 with the remaining three bolt holes 8 in the second installation area 17 and install the bolts. This completes the installation of the second safety zone. Install the bolts in bolt holes 8 of the first installation area; then install the bolts in the bolt holes of the third installation area 18. After rotating the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 back to their original positions to grab the bolts, grab the bolts with three of the first set of grippers 5 on the first disc 231 and align them with the first three bolt holes 8 on the left side of the third installation area 18 to place the bolts. Then rotate the positions of the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 and align the three bolts of the second set of grippers 5 on the second disc 232 with the remaining three bolt holes 8 of the third installation area 18 to install the bolts. This completes the installation. Install the bolts in bolt holes 8 of the third safety zone; then install the bolts in the bolt holes of the fourth installation zone. After rotating the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 back to their original positions to grab the bolts, grab three of the first set of grippers 5 on the first disc 231 and align them with the first three bolt holes 8 on the left side of the fourth installation zone 19 to install the bolts. Then rotate the positions of the first disc 231 and the second disc 232 and align the three bolts of the second set of grippers 5 on the second disc 232 with the remaining three bolt holes 8 of the fourth installation zone 19 to install the bolts. This completes the installation of the bolts in the bolt holes 8 of the fourth safety zone.

[0092] In step S5, the pallet 41 is transported to the tightening mechanism 3 by the conveyor belt 42 of the pallet mechanism 4. The pallet 41 carries the cylinder head 6 with bolts installed, and the pallet 41 is equipped with pins to position and tighten the cylinder head. The cylinder head 6 moves horizontally into the tightening mechanism 3 as the pallet 41 moves. During this process, the cylinder head 6 is not subjected to external forces from the installation bolts to the tightening bolts, so the bolts on the cylinder head 6 will not be deviated due to external forces, ensuring the accuracy of bolt tightening and avoiding errors between tightening and installation bolts.

[0093] In step S6, the bolts of the cylinder head 6 are divided into multiple tightening areas along the length of the cylinder head 6, and the tightening shaft 9 alternately tightens the bolts in the tightening areas at both ends along the length of the cylinder head 6.

[0094] Specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown in the diagram, based on the distribution of the tightening areas of the cylinder head 6, the specific number of tightening areas is not limited by this embodiment. In this embodiment, the cylinder head 6 can be divided into 6 tightening areas. For clarity, these are referred to as... Figure 9 The orientation shown is as follows: Along the length of the cylinder head 6, there are a first tightening area 20, a second tightening area 24, a third tightening area 25, a fourth tightening area 26, a fifth tightening area 27, and a sixth tightening area 28; wherein, the first tightening area 20 occupies the third bolt hole 8 in the first row, the third and fourth bolt holes 8 in the second row, the third and fourth bolt holes 8 in the third row, and the third bolt hole 8 in the fourth row; the second tightening area 24 occupies the second bolt hole 8 in the first row, the second bolt hole 8 in the second row, the second bolt hole 8 in the third row, and the second bolt hole 8 in the fourth row; the third tightening area 25 occupies... The fourth bolt hole 8 in the first row, the fifth bolt hole 8 in the second row, the fifth bolt hole 8 in the third row, and the fourth bolt hole 8 in the fourth row; the fourth tightening area 26 occupies the first bolt hole 8 in the first row, the first bolt hole 8 in the second row, the first bolt hole 8 in the third row, and the first bolt hole 8 in the fourth row; the fifth tightening area 27 occupies the fifth bolt hole 8 in the first row, the sixth bolt hole 8 in the second row, the sixth bolt hole 8 in the third row, and the sixth bolt hole 8 in the fourth row; the sixth tightening area 28 occupies the sixth bolt hole 8 in the first row, the seventh bolt hole 8 in the second row, the seventh bolt hole 8 in the third row, and the sixth bolt hole 8 in the fourth row.

[0095] In this embodiment, six tightening shafts 9 can be used, but the number of tightening shafts 9 used is not limited by this embodiment. In this embodiment, the bolts in the first tightening area 20 to the sixth tightening area 28 can be tightened sequentially using the six tightening shafts 9. When tightening the bolts in the first tightening area 20, all six tightening shafts 9 need to be aligned with the bolt holes 8 in the corresponding first tightening area 29. Then, when tightening the bolts in the second tightening area 24, the three tightening shafts 9 closest to the left end of the cylinder head 6 are activated to align with the three bolts in the second tightening area 24 for tightening, while the remaining three tightening shafts 9 are not activated. When tightening the bolts in the third tightening area 25, the three tightening shafts 9 closest to the right end of the cylinder head 6 are activated and aligned with the three bolt holes in the third tightening area 25 for tightening, while the remaining three tightening shafts 9 are not activated. When tightening the bolts in the fourth tightening area 26, activate the three tightening shafts 9 closest to the left end of the cylinder head 6, align them with the bolts in the three bolt holes of the second tightening area 24, and tighten the bolts. The remaining three tightening shafts 9 are not activated. When tightening the bolts in the fifth tightening area 27, activate the three tightening shafts 9 closest to the right end of the cylinder head 6, align them with the three bolts in the fifth tightening area 27, and tighten them. The remaining three tightening shafts 9 are not activated. When tightening the bolts in the sixth tightening area 28, activate the three tightening shafts 9 closest to the right end of the cylinder head 6, align them with the three bolts in the sixth tightening area 28, and tighten them. The remaining three tightening shafts 9 are not activated. This completes the tightening operation of all 26 bolt holes 8 in the cylinder head 6.

[0096] For any parts not mentioned in this application, existing technologies may be used or referenced.

[0097] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0098] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device, characterized in that, It includes a feeding mechanism (1), a gripping mechanism (2) and a tightening mechanism (3) arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the feeding mechanism (1), and a pallet mechanism (4). Bulk bolts are directly poured into the feeding mechanism; the feeding mechanism (1) is used to transport bolts to the gripping position; the feeding mechanism includes a sorting device and a positioning device; the sorting device (13) is used to arrange the bolts in a preset posture and transport them to the positioning device (14); the sorting device includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt, with a lifting plate arranged at intervals on the first conveyor belt, and the second conveyor belt includes a first vibration section and a second vibration section, which causes the bolts on the first conveyor belt (131) to fall along the slope of the first vibration section (1321) into the guide slope area (1323) at the front end of the first vibration section (1321); when the bolts are transported from the first vibration section (1321) to the second vibration section, they slide down along the slope of the second vibration section with the bolt head facing upwards and are stuck into the top of the opening slot; the positioning device (14) has a relative sorting device (13) The movable disk (143) has multiple gripping positions. The gripping positions are evenly spaced along the length of the movable disk (143). Each gripping position has an arc-shaped positioning hole. The size of the positioning hole is smaller than the diameter of the bolt head. The gripping positions install the bolts of the sorting device (13) sequentially under the movement of the movable disk (143). The positioning device also includes an installation component, which includes a drive device, multiple telescopic devices, and multiple fixing blocks. The fixing blocks move to the bottom of the positioning holes under the drive of the drive device. The upward movement of the telescopic device can lift the bolt rod of the fixing block, so that the bolt rod is lifted and falls into the installation groove of the fixing block. The bolt rod is completely disengaged from the positioning hole by the return movement of the drive device. The telescopic device drives the fixing block to descend to the initial position, and the bolt is positioned in the fixing block. The gripping mechanism (2) is used to grip the bolts and install them onto the cylinder head (6); the pallet mechanism (4) moves along the roller conveyor line to transport the cylinder head (6) after bolt installation to the tightening mechanism (3); the tightening mechanism (3) is used to tighten the bolts installed on the cylinder head (6).

2. The cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripping mechanism (2) includes a connecting seat (21), a robotic arm (22) connected to the connecting seat (21), and a gripping disc (23) connected to the robotic arm (22); the gripping disc (23) has multiple grippers (5), which grip the bolts respectively and insert them into the corresponding bolt holes (8) of the cylinder head (6) under the drive of the robotic arm (22).

3. The cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripper (23) has a first disc (231) and a second disc (232) rotatably connected to the robotic arm (22) via a connector; both the first disc (231) and the second disc (232) have the gripper (5); the first disc (231) and the second disc (232) rotate alternately to complete the assembly of bolts in multiple installation areas via the gripper (5).

4. The cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tightening mechanism (3) includes a fixed base (31), a manipulator (32) connected to the fixed base (31), and a tightening assembly (33) connected to the manipulator (32); the tightening assembly (33) has multiple tightening shafts (9); the multiple tightening shafts (9) tighten the bolts in multiple tightening areas of the cylinder head (6) respectively.

5. The cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripper (23) is also provided with a visual guidance device (10), which is used to guide the multiple grippers (5) on the gripper (23) to align with the corresponding bolt holes (8).

6. The cylinder head (6) bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (1) includes a frame (11), which is connected to a feeding device (12), a sorting device (13) and a positioning device (14); the feeding device (12) is used to feed bolts to the sorting device (13).

7. A method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts, comprising a cylinder head bolt installation and pre-tightening device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The steps are as follows: S1: Place multiple bolts into the feeding device (12) and transport them to the sorting device (13) via the feeding device (12); S2: The sorting device (13) transports multiple bolts to the positioning device (14) in sequence according to a preset posture and a straight line arrangement. S3: The moving disk (143) of the positioning device (14) moves relative to the sorting device (13) to move the bolts in the sorting device (13) to the gripping position in sequence; the mounting assembly is used to fix the bolts in the gripping position to realize the final stacking work before the bolts are assembled. S4: The visual guidance device of the gripping mechanism (2) identifies the position of the bolt hole (8) and controls the gripper (5) to complete the installation of the bolts in the installation area in a preset sequence; S5: The pallet mechanism (4) moves along the roller conveyor line and transports the cylinder head (6) with bolts installed to the tightening mechanism (3). S6: The bolts in the tightening area are tightened in a preset sequence by the tightening shaft (9) of the tightening mechanism (3).

8. The method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S3, when the sensor of the positioning device (14) detects that a bolt is approaching, the moving disk (143) moves one gripping position relative to the sorting device (13) so that the bolt in the sorting device (13) falls into the gripping position.

9. The method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S4, the bolt holes (8) of the cylinder head (6) are divided into multiple installation areas along the width direction of the cylinder head (6), and the first disc (231) and the second disc (232) rotate once to install the bolts of one installation area of ​​the cylinder head (6).

10. A method for installing and pre-tightening cylinder head bolts according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S6, the bolts of the cylinder head (6) are divided into multiple tightening areas along the length of the cylinder head (6), and the tightening shaft (9) alternately tightens the bolts in the tightening areas at both ends along the length of the cylinder head (6).

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