Intelligent tightening device for narrow space

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of aero-engine assembly, and particularly relates to a smart tightening device for a narrow space. The smart tightening device comprises a protection cylinder, a gear box, a feeding power system, a lifting power system, a front-rear power system, an indexing power system, a tightening power system and a cap fitting power system. The indexing power system drives the protection cylinder to rotate, and the lifting power system drives the protection cylinder to lift. The front-rear power system, the tightening power system and the cap fitting power system are arranged on the protection cylinder. The gear box is arranged on the feeding power system and connected with the front-rear power system. The front-rear power system drives the gear box to move horizontally. When the gear box is retracted, the feeding power system feeds, the cap fitting power system is connected with the gear box, and cap fitting is completed. When the gear box is extended, the tightening power system is connected with the gear box, and tightening is completed. The present application can realize automatic feeding, cap fitting, tightening and unloading of nuts, and greatly improves the efficiency and precision of the tightening process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aero-engine assembly technology, and in particular to an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces. Background Technology

[0002] As precision fluid machinery operating under high temperature and pressure, aero-engines require extremely high assembly accuracy. They primarily utilize evenly distributed circumferential bolts to connect the rotor system's discs and shafts, as well as other disc-like components. Therefore, the tightening quality and precision of these bolt connections directly impact the assembly accuracy of the aero-engine rotor system, thereby affecting its dynamic characteristics. Currently, China is in a phase of rapid iterative upgrades to its aero-engines. How to efficiently improve the tightening quality and precision of bolt connections within the narrow and unseen space of the aero-engine's internal cavity is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.

[0003] Currently, there is limited research on automated identification, loading, and tightening devices for nuts in the confined spaces of aero engines. The traditional tightening method involves manually installing the nut onto a custom-made, slender L-shaped rod, then inserting the L-shaped rod into the hard-to-observe interior of the aero engine. This process relies entirely on the operator's experience to complete the loading, capping, and tightening of the nut. The main drawbacks of this method are: (1) High operational difficulty and potential risks: When manually operating the L-shaped rod in the confined interior of the aero engine, the obstructed view can easily lead to dangerous situations such as scraping the engine interior or the nut falling off; (2) Complex process and low efficiency: The aero engine has a large number of bolts to be tightened, and the operator needs to repeat the loading, positioning, capping, and tightening operations each time, which consumes a lot of manpower and resources and affects the project progress; (3) Tightening quality and accuracy are difficult to guarantee: The operation depends on the operator's proficiency and whether the position to be tightened is convenient to complete the operation, making it difficult to guarantee that all nuts reach the specified torque, resulting in tightening accuracy problems.

[0004] Existing tightening mechanisms for confined spaces in aero-engines, such as the "Aero-engine Linkage Mechanism Nut-Finding and Tightening Device and Method" disclosed in Chinese Patent CN 110561097 A, employ CNC operation to automatically locate the position of the nut to be tightened. Simultaneously, the use of linkage mechanisms and universal joint transmissions improves the structural rigidity and motion stability, enabling tightening operations in the deep cavity and narrow opening of aero-engines. Compared to previous research, this simplifies the operation process to a certain extent, reduces the intensity and complexity of manual labor, and improves the degree of automation, tightening accuracy, and assembly efficiency of aero-engines. However, the device still has the following problems that can be further improved: the device is too large and cumbersome during operation, making it inconvenient to operate; the bottom tooling has an excessively large coverage area when the linkage mechanism is deployed in the working state, and the internal cavity of the aero engine is complex, posing a risk of collision; the device cannot achieve automated feeding, and each feeding requires pulling out the device, resetting it after feeding, and repositioning it, which increases the complexity of operation; the nut has no protective device during the capping process, posing a risk of the nut falling into the internal cavity; the positioning is achieved by accurately locating the positioning module and the linkage, which takes a lot of time, and the mechanical transmission causes errors that result in inaccurate positioning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces, which can realize the integrated operation of automatic feeding, capping, tightening and unloading of nuts, and greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of the tightening process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] This invention provides an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces, comprising a protective cylinder, a gearbox, a feeding power system, a lifting power system, a front and rear power system, an indexing power system, a tightening power system, and a capping power system. The indexing power system, lifting power system, and protective cylinder are connected sequentially. The indexing power system drives the protective cylinder to rotate, and the lifting power system drives the protective cylinder to rise and fall. The front and rear power systems, tightening power system, and capping power system are all mounted on the protective cylinder. The gearbox is slidably mounted on the lower part of the protective cylinder and connected to the front and rear power systems, which drive the gearbox to move horizontally. The feeding power system is located at the lower end of the protective cylinder and is used to feed material into the gearbox. When the gearbox is in the retracted state, the feeding power system feeds material, and the capping power system engages with the gearbox to complete the capping operation. When the gearbox is in the extended state, the tightening power system engages with the gearbox to complete the tightening operation.

[0008] The feeding power system includes a bottom nut storage tray top cover, a bottom nut storage tray, a bottom nut storage tray protective cover, a bottom motor, an electric push rod, a push rod connector, and a bottom nut push rod. The bottom nut storage tray is rotatably mounted on top of the bottom nut storage tray protective cover, and the bottom nut storage tray top cover is located on top of the bottom nut storage tray. The bottom motor and electric push rod are located on the bottom nut storage tray protective cover. The output end of the bottom motor is connected to the bottom nut storage tray to drive the bottom nut storage tray to rotate. The output end of the electric push rod is connected to the bottom nut push rod through the push rod connector. The bottom nut push rod is used to push out the nuts in the bottom nut storage tray for feeding.

[0009] The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces also includes a vision control system; the vision control system includes a laser and a borescope, wherein the laser is located at the bottom of the gearbox and the borescope is located on the feeding power system, and the position to be tightened is automatically identified by the laser and the borescope.

[0010] The gearbox has a power input interface at the top of one end and a tightening sleeve at the bottom of the other end. The bottom of the gearbox has a needle cylinder, the output end of which is connected to an anti-drop baffle. The anti-drop baffle is driven to extend and retract by the needle cylinder. The anti-drop baffle is used to limit the nut picked up by the tightening sleeve and prevent the nut from falling off during operation.

[0011] The tightening power system includes a tightening gun, a power source lifting connector, a cylinder, a power source lifting base plate, a tightening power input shaft, and a tightening power input shaft bearing seat. The power source lifting base plate is connected to the protective cylinder, and the tightening power input shaft bearing seat is slidably connected to the power source lifting base plate in the vertical direction. The cylinder is mounted on the power source lifting base plate, and its output end is connected to the power source lifting connector. The tightening gun is mounted on the power source lifting connector. The tightening power input shaft is rotatably mounted on the tightening power input shaft bearing seat, and its upper end is connected to the tightening gun. The lower end of the tightening power input shaft can be connected to the gearbox power input interface of the gearbox in the extended state to provide power for the tightening operation of the tightening sleeve.

[0012] The capping power system includes a capping drive motor and a capping power input shaft. The capping drive motor is mounted on the power source lifting connector, and the capping power input shaft is vertically mounted inside the protective cylinder. Its upper end is connected to the output end of the capping drive motor, and its lower end can connect to the gearbox power input interface of the gearbox in the retracted state to provide power for the capping operation of the tightening sleeve.

[0013] The front and rear power system includes front and rear drive motors, front and rear power input shafts, drive gears and racks, wherein the rack is disposed on the side of the gearbox, the front and rear power input shafts are vertically disposed inside the protective cylinder and are rotatable; the front and rear drive motors are disposed on the top of the protective cylinder, and the output end is connected to the upper end of the front and rear power input shafts through a belt transmission mechanism, the lower end of the front and rear power input shafts is connected to the drive gears, and the drive gears mesh with the racks.

[0014] The lifting power system includes an upper turntable base plate, a middle turntable base plate, and a bottom turntable base plate arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The upper turntable base plate and the bottom turntable base plate are connected by multiple lead screws arranged circumferentially, and the lead screws are rotatable. Each lead screw is connected to the middle turntable base plate through a lead screw nut. The upper turntable base plate is equipped with multiple lifting motors that are respectively connected to each lead screw. The multiple lifting motors synchronously drive the middle turntable base plate to lift and lower. The protective cylinder is connected to the bottom of the middle turntable base plate.

[0015] The indexing power system includes an indexing drive motor, a small cylindrical gear, and a bottom cylindrical gear. The bottom cylindrical gear is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the bottom turntable base plate. The indexing drive motor is mounted on the bottom turntable base plate, and its output end is connected to the small cylindrical gear. The small cylindrical gear meshes with the bottom cylindrical gear. The indexing drive motor drives the small cylindrical gear to rotate, and at the same time drives the bottom turntable base plate to rotate.

[0016] The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces also includes a clamping fixture for clamping the engine; the clamping fixture includes a clamping support, a universal clamping guide column, a hydraulic cylinder, an upper clamping component, and a transition adapter plate, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is mounted on the clamping support and its output end passes through the transition adapter plate and is connected to the upper clamping component, and the transition adapter plate is connected to the clamping support through multiple universal clamping guide columns, which are used to guide the lifting and lowering of the transition adapter plate.

[0017] The present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. This invention provides an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces, which can realize the automated feeding, capping, tightening, and unloading of nuts with one click, improving the convenience of operation. To avoid the risk of nuts falling off due to improper operation during the automated feeding, capping, tightening, and unloading process, a nut anti-drop device is designed, which can effectively improve the safety of operation.

[0019] 2. This invention uses visual recognition to automatically identify the position of the nut to be tightened, and the tightening sleeve of the gearbox quickly aligns and installs the nut, achieving high-precision control; it realizes the integrated operation of automated feeding, capping, tightening and unloading in a narrow space, reducing the range of influence of the device and effectively avoiding collisions between the device and the engine.

[0020] 3. This invention allows for flexible program adjustments, allowing for adjustments to the tightening method based on process requirements and actual conditions. Based on real-world assembly conditions of aero-engines, this invention designs a hydraulic loading module to simulate the tightening operation of an aero-engine under pressure. This invention is equipped with a torque sensor to collect tightening torque data in real time, employs PID dynamic torque adjustment, and can be readjusted and calibrated according to the required tightening torque under different tightening conditions to achieve the target tightening torque value.

[0021] 4. This invention features a fully enclosed structure with internal lubricating grease and an integrated gear head housing design, thereby reducing the number of components and improving transmission accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working state of an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting power system in this invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the indexing power system in this invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the front and rear power systems in this invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is the second schematic diagram of the front and rear power systems in this invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the tightening power system in this invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the hat-wearing power system in this invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is an isometric view of the gearbox in this invention;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding power system in this invention;

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the vision control system in this invention;

[0033] Figure 12 The diagrams show two working states of the gearbox in this invention: (a) gearbox retracted state, (b) gearbox extended state;

[0034] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping fixture in this invention.

[0035] In the diagram: 1. Protective cover, 2. Lifting device upper plate, 3. Lifting ring, 4. Protective cylinder, 5. Gearbox, 6. Loading power system, 7. Clamping support, 8. Clamping fixture, 9. Universal clamping guide column, 10. Hydraulic cylinder, 11. Upper clamping component, 12. Temporary storage vehicle base plate, 13. Temporary storage vehicle engine base, 14. Engine simulation component, 15. Position of nut to be tightened, 16. Bearing seat, 17. Bearing seat connector, 18. Cable chain, 19. Lifting motor, 20. Lifting motor connecting frame, 21. Upper turntable base plate, 22. Middle turntable base plate, 23. Bottom turntable base plate, 24. Coupling, 25. Lead screw, 26. Lead nut, 27. Synchronous pulley, 28. Front and rear power input shafts, 29. Gearbox power input interface, 30. Bottom 31. Small cylindrical gear; 32. Tightening gun; 33. Power source lifting connector; 34. Cylinder; 35. Power source lifting base plate; 36. Tightening power input shaft; 37. Tightening power input shaft bearing seat; 38. Capped power input shaft; 39. Bottom nut storage tray top cover; 40. Hole detector support; 41. Bottom nut storage tray; 42. Bottom nut storage tray protective cover; 43. Bottom motor; 44. Electric push rod; 45. Push rod connector; 46. Bottom nut push rod; 47. Laser; 48. Rack; 49. Needle cylinder; 50. Tightening sleeve; 51. Anti-falling baffle; 52. Hole detector; 53. Transition adapter plate; 54. Indexing drive motor; 55. Capped drive motor; 56. Front and rear drive motors. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 12As shown, this invention provides an intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces, including a protective cylinder 4, a gearbox 5, a feeding power system 6, a lifting power system, a front and rear power system, an indexing power system, a tightening power system, and a capping power system. The indexing power system, lifting power system, and protective cylinder 4 are connected sequentially. The indexing power system drives the protective cylinder 4 to rotate, and the lifting power system drives the protective cylinder 4 to rise and fall. The front and rear power systems, tightening power system, and capping power system are all mounted on the protective cylinder 4. The gearbox 5 is slidably mounted on the lower part of the protective cylinder 4 and connected to the front and rear power systems, which drive the gearbox 5 to move horizontally. The feeding power system 6 is located at the lower end of the protective cylinder 4 and is used to feed material into the gearbox 5. When the gearbox 5 is in the retracted state, the feeding power system 6 feeds material, and the capping power system engages with the gearbox 5 to complete the capping operation. When the gearbox 5 is in the extended state, the tightening power system engages with the gearbox 5 to complete the tightening operation.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the lifting power system includes an upper turntable base plate 21, a middle turntable base plate 22, and a bottom turntable base plate 23 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The upper turntable base plate 21 and the bottom turntable base plate 23 are connected by a plurality of lead screws 25 arranged circumferentially, and the lead screws 25 are rotatable. Each lead screw 25 is connected to the middle turntable base plate 22 through a lead screw nut 23. The upper turntable base plate 21 is provided with a plurality of lifting motors 19 respectively connected to each lead screw 25. The lifting motors 19 are connected to the lead screws 25 through couplings 24. The plurality of lifting motors 19 synchronously drive the plurality of lead screws 25 to rotate, thereby driving the middle turntable base plate 22 to lift and lower. The protective cylinder 4 is connected to the bottom of the middle turntable base plate 22 and lifts and lowers together with the middle turntable base plate 22.

[0039] like Figure 4 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the indexing power system includes an indexing drive motor 54, a small cylindrical gear 31, and a bottom cylindrical gear 30. The bottom cylindrical gear 30 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the bottom turntable base plate 23. The indexing drive motor 54 is disposed on the bottom turntable base plate 23, and its output end is connected to the small cylindrical gear 31. The small cylindrical gear 31 meshes with the bottom cylindrical gear 30. The indexing drive motor 54 drives the small cylindrical gear 31 to rotate, and the small cylindrical gear 31 rolls along the bottom cylindrical gear 30 at the same time, thereby driving the bottom turntable base plate 23 to rotate, realizing indexing rotation.

[0040] like Figure 5-6 , Figure 11As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the front and rear power system includes a front and rear drive motor 56, a front and rear power input shaft 28, a drive gear, and a rack 48. The rack 48 is disposed on the side of the gearbox 5, and the front and rear power input shaft 28 is vertically disposed inside the protective cylinder 4 and is rotatable. The front and rear drive motor 56 is disposed on the top of the protective cylinder 4, and its output end is connected to the upper end of the front and rear power input shaft 28 via a belt drive mechanism. The lower end of the front and rear power input shaft 28 is connected to the drive gear, which meshes with the rack 48. The front and rear power input shaft 28 passes through the entire protective cylinder 4. The front and rear drive motor 56 drives the front and rear power input shaft 28 to rotate via the belt drive mechanism, thereby providing a power source for the gearbox 5. Specifically, the belt drive mechanism includes two synchronous pulleys 27 and a synchronous belt. The two synchronous pulleys 27 are respectively disposed on the upper end of the front and rear power input shaft 28 and the output end of the front and rear drive motor 56, and the two synchronous pulleys 27 are connected via a synchronous belt drive. During operation, the front and rear drive motor 56 drives the front and rear power input shaft 28 to rotate, realizing the front and rear movement of the gearbox 5.

[0041] like Figure 9 , Figure 11 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, a gearbox power input interface 29 is provided at the top of one end of the gearbox 5, and a tightening sleeve 50 is provided at the bottom of the other end; a needle cylinder 49 is provided at the bottom of the gearbox 5, and the needle cylinder 49 outputs power in the direction of approaching or moving away from the tightening sleeve 50. An anti-drop baffle 51 is connected to the output end of the needle cylinder 49, and the anti-drop baffle 51 is driven to extend and retract by the needle cylinder 49. The anti-drop baffle 51 is used to limit the nut picked up by the tightening sleeve 50 to prevent the nut from falling off during operation.

[0042] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the tightening power system includes a tightening gun 32, a power source lifting connector 33, a cylinder 34, a power source lifting base plate 35, a tightening power input shaft 36, and a tightening power input shaft bearing seat 37. The power source lifting base plate 35 is connected to the protective cylinder 4, and the tightening power input shaft bearing seat 37 is slidably connected to the power source lifting base plate 35 in the vertical direction. The cylinder 34 is disposed on the power source lifting base plate 35, and its output end is connected to the power source lifting connector 33. The tightening gun 32 is disposed on the power source lifting connector 33. The tightening power input shaft 36 is rotatably mounted on the tightening power input shaft bearing seat 37, and its upper end is connected to the tightening gun 32. The lower end of the tightening power input shaft 36 can be connected to the gearbox power input interface 29 of the gearbox 5 in the extended state to provide power for the tightening operation of the tightening sleeve 50.

[0043] During operation, the lifting and lowering of the power source connector 33 is achieved by controlling the movement of the cylinder 34. During the tightening operation, the other end of the tightening power input shaft 36 is connected to the gearbox power input interface 29, transmitting the output torque to the tightening sleeve 50 of the gearbox 5 to complete the tightening operation.

[0044] like Figure 8 As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, the capping power system includes a capping drive motor 55 and a capping power input shaft 38. The capping drive motor 55 is mounted on the power source lifting connector 33, and the capping power input shaft 38 is vertically mounted inside the protective cylinder 4, with its upper end connected to the output end of the capping drive motor 55. The lower end of the capping power input shaft 38 can be connected to the gearbox power input interface 29 of the gearbox 5 in the retracted state to provide power for the capping operation of tightening the sleeve 50.

[0045] Specifically, the tightening power input shaft 36 and the capped power input shaft 38 are respectively connected to two bearing seats 16 via linear bearings, and the two bearing seats 16 are connected to the protective cylinder 4 via bearing seat connector 17.

[0046] like Figure 10 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the feeding power system 6 includes a bottom nut storage tray top cover 39, a bottom nut storage tray 41, a bottom nut storage tray protective cover 42, a bottom motor 43, an electric push rod 44, a push rod connector 45, and a bottom nut push rod 46. The bottom nut storage tray 41 is rotatably mounted on the top of the bottom nut storage tray protective cover 42, and the bottom nut storage tray top cover 39 is disposed on the top of the bottom nut storage tray 41. The bottom motor 43 and the electric push rod 44 are disposed on the bottom nut storage tray protective cover 42. The output end of the bottom motor 43 is connected to the bottom nut storage tray 41 and is used to drive the bottom nut storage tray 41 to rotate. The output end of the electric push rod 44 is connected to the bottom nut push rod 46 through the push rod connector 45. The bottom nut push rod 46 is used to push out the nuts in the bottom nut storage tray 41 for feeding. During the capping and loading operation, the gearbox 5 remains in the retracted state, and the other end of the capping power input shaft 38 is connected to the power input interface sleeve 29, transmitting power to the tightening sleeve 50 of the gearbox 5 to drive the gearbox 5 to work and complete the loading operation.

[0047] like Figure 9 , Figure 11As shown, the intelligent tightening device for confined spaces provided by this invention also includes a vision control system. The vision control system includes a laser 47 and a borescope 52. The laser 47 is located at the bottom of the gearbox 5, and the borescope 52 is located on the top cover 39 of the bottom nut storage tray of the feeding power system 6. The laser 47 and the borescope 52 automatically identify the position to be tightened. Specifically, the borescope 52 is mounted on the top cover 39 of the bottom nut storage tray via a borescope support 40, providing intuitive and real-time feedback on the position to be tightened inside the engine, thus achieving automated identification of the position to be tightened.

[0048] like Figure 2 , Figure 13 As shown, the intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces provided by the present invention also includes a clamping fixture 8 for clamping the engine; the clamping fixture 8 includes a clamping support 7, a universal clamping guide column 9, a hydraulic cylinder 10, an upper clamping component 11, and a transition adapter plate 53, wherein the hydraulic cylinder 10 is disposed on the clamping support 7, and its output end passes through the transition adapter plate 53 and is connected to the upper clamping component 11. The transition adapter plate 53 is connected to the clamping support 7 through multiple universal clamping guide columns 9, which are used to guide the lifting and lowering of the transition adapter plate 53. During operation, the temporary storage vehicle base plate 12 is placed on the clamping support 7, the temporary storage vehicle engine base 13 is disposed on the temporary storage vehicle base plate 12, and the engine simulation component 14 is mounted on the temporary storage vehicle engine base 13. The pressure generated by the hydraulic cylinder 10 is applied to the transition adapter plate 53 through the upper clamping component 11 and transmitted to the engine simulation component 14 to simulate the actual loading condition.

[0049] In an embodiment of the present invention, a protective cover 1 is provided on the outside of the entire device, and a lifting device upper plate 2 and a lifting ring 3 are provided on the top of the protective cover 1.

[0050] The present invention provides an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces, the working process of which includes the following steps:

[0051] S1: First, prepare the device, reset all electrical components to zero, and restore the mechanical components to their initial positions. At this time, the gearbox 5 is in the retracted state. Fill the nuts to be tightened into the bottom nut storage tray 41 in sequence.

[0052] S2: After completing the preparation work, lift the designed device using lifting ring 3 and install the device onto the aircraft engine transition flange;

[0053] S3: The vision control system automatically identifies the position to be tightened, and the device rotates to the direction of the position to be tightened;

[0054] S4: The hydraulic cylinder 10 in the clamping fixture 8 clamps the transition adapter plate 53, transmitting pressure to the aero engine;

[0055] S5: The bottom nut push rod 46 pushes the nut out of the bottom nut storage tray 41. Driven by the capped power input shaft 38, the nut enters the tightening sleeve 50 of the gearbox 5. At the same time, the needle cylinder 49 pushes out the anti-drop baffle 51. The anti-drop baffle 51 locks the nut to prevent it from falling off during operation.

[0056] S6: The gearbox 5 is extended by controlling the gear and rack 48 of the front and rear power system. The tightening power input shaft 36 is inserted into the gearbox power input interface 29. The tightening gun 32 controls the output torque of the tightening power input shaft 36. The gears inside the gearbox 5 cooperate with each other to transmit torque to the tightening sleeve 50. At the same time, the lifting power system drives the gearbox 5 to rise so that the tightening nut position is in contact with the tightening sleeve 50, thus completing the tightening operation of the nut.

[0057] S7: After the first nut is loaded, capped, and tightened, the indexing power system is controlled according to the given program, and the device moves to the next nut position to be tightened 15.

[0058] S8: Repeat steps S5-S7 above according to the number of nuts to be tightened, and complete the tightening operation within the target range;

[0059] S9: If a loosening operation is required, the gearbox 5 should be extended to control the tightening power input shaft 36 to loosen the already tightened nut. Then, the gearbox 5 should be retracted and effectively protected by the anti-drop baffle 51. The nut in the tightening sleeve 50 should be retracted to the bottom nut storage tray 41 by the bottom nut push rod 46. Repeat the operation until the nut is completely retracted.

[0060] S10: Finally, by retracting the gearbox 5 through the front and rear power systems, the electrical and mechanical components are restored to their initial positions, the device is separated from the engine, and the device is lifted out.

[0061] Specifically, the calibration of the hydraulic loading system, vision control system, output torque, and compressed air system needs to be completed before step S1.

[0062] Further, step S3 specifically includes: independently developing visual recognition software to identify and align the axis of the tightening sleeve 50 and the nut. Specifically, the borehole probe 52 is routed inside the protective sleeve 4 of the lower extension arm of the tightening equipment, and is arranged under the gear head via a miniature cable chain. The borehole probe 52 is installed according to the actual tightening position, and the left and right eye fields of view always cover the tightening position, achieving full visualization.

[0063] Furthermore, step S5 specifically includes: the movement of the bottom nut push rod 46 is controlled by the electric push rod 44. Since the nuts in the bottom nut storage disk 41 are distributed in two layers, the corresponding movement displacement of the electric push rod 44 is also two types.

[0064] Furthermore, step S6 specifically includes: the tightening gun 32 has a built-in torque sensor and an angle sensor, the drive shaft servo motor is equipped with an absolute encoder, the key moving shaft is equipped with a limit photoelectric switch, and the above sensor components are wired to the industrial control computer through the unified interface of the tightening equipment.

[0065] Furthermore, step S7 specifically includes: the debugging of the tightening process can be modified and optimized according to the actual situation to improve flexibility.

[0066] This invention provides an intelligent tightening device for confined spaces, suitable for automated identification, loading, and tightening of nuts in confined spaces of a certain type of aero-engine. Existing aero-engine rotor system assembly largely relies on manual operation, and the automation level of tightening devices is low, leading to low assembly efficiency and significantly impacting assembly quality and precision, thus affecting the engine's dynamic characteristics. Based on the actual assembly conditions of aero-engines, this invention can be applied to solve the bolt tightening problem in confined space assembly of aero-engines, providing a high-efficiency, high-precision, and high-quality solution, further improving the automation level in the field of confined space assembly of aero-engines.

[0067] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, extensions, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart tightening device for confined spaces, characterized in that, The system includes a protective cylinder (4), a gearbox (5), a feeding power system (6), a lifting power system, a front and rear power system, an indexing power system, a tightening power system, and a capping power system. The indexing power system, the lifting power system, and the protective cylinder (4) are connected in sequence. The indexing power system is used to drive the protective cylinder (4) to rotate, and the lifting power system is used to drive the protective cylinder (4) to lift. The front and rear power systems, the tightening power system, and the capping power system are all located on the protective cylinder (4). The gearbox (5) is slidably installed on the lower part of the protective cylinder (4) and connected to the front and rear power systems. The front and rear power systems are used to drive the gearbox (5) to move horizontally. The feeding power system (6) is located at the lower end of the protective cylinder (4) and is used to feed the gearbox (5). When the gearbox (5) is in the retracted state, the feeding power system (6) feeds the gearbox, and the capping power system docks with the gearbox (5) to complete the capping operation. When the gearbox (5) is in the extended state, the tightening power system docks with the gearbox (5) to complete the tightening operation. The feeding power system (6) includes a bottom nut storage tray top cover (39), a bottom nut storage tray (41), a bottom nut storage tray protective cover (42), a bottom motor (43), an electric push rod (44), a push rod connector (45), and a bottom nut push rod (46). The bottom nut storage tray (41) is rotatably mounted on the top of the bottom nut storage tray protective cover (42), and the bottom nut storage tray top cover (39) is located on the top of the bottom nut storage tray (41). The bottom motor (43) and the electric push rod (44) are located on the bottom nut storage tray protective cover (42). The output end of the bottom motor (43) is connected to the bottom nut storage tray (41) to drive the bottom nut storage tray (41) to rotate. The output end of the electric push rod (44) is connected to the bottom nut push rod (46) through the push rod connector (45). The bottom nut push rod (46) is used to push out the nuts in the bottom nut storage tray (41) for feeding.

2. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a vision control system; the vision control system includes a laser (47) and a borescope (52), wherein the laser (47) is located at the bottom of the gearbox (5) and the borescope (52) is located on the feeding power system (6), and the position to be tightened is automatically identified by the laser (47) and the borescope (52).

3. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gearbox (5) has a gearbox power input interface (29) at the top of one end and a tightening sleeve (50) at the bottom of the other end; the gearbox (5) has a needle cylinder (49) at the bottom, the output end of the needle cylinder (49) is connected to the anti-drop baffle (51), the anti-drop baffle (51) is driven to extend and retract by the needle cylinder (49), the anti-drop baffle (51) is used to limit the nut picked up by the tightening sleeve (50) to prevent the nut from falling off during operation.

4. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tightening power system includes a tightening gun (32), a power source lifting connector (33), a cylinder (34), a power source lifting base plate (35), a tightening power input shaft (36), and a tightening power input shaft bearing seat (37). The power source lifting base plate (35) is connected to the protective cylinder (4), and the tightening power input shaft bearing seat (37) is slidably connected to the power source lifting base plate (35) in the vertical direction. The cylinder (34) is mounted on the power source lifting base plate (35), and its output end is connected to the power source lifting connector (33). The tightening gun (32) is mounted on the power source lifting connector (33). The tightening power input shaft (36) is rotatably mounted on the tightening power input shaft bearing seat (37), and its upper end is connected to the tightening gun (32). The lower end of the tightening power input shaft (36) can be connected to the gearbox power input interface (29) of the gearbox (5) in the extended state to provide power for the tightening operation of the tightening sleeve (50).

5. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 4, characterized in that, The capping power system includes a capping drive motor (55) and a capping power input shaft (38). The capping drive motor (55) is mounted on the power source lifting connector (33). The capping power input shaft (38) is vertically mounted inside the protective cylinder (4) and its upper end is connected to the output end of the capping drive motor (55). The lower end of the capping power input shaft (38) can be connected to the gearbox power input interface (29) of the gearbox (5) in the retracted state to provide power for the capping operation of the tightening sleeve (50).

6. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front and rear power system includes front and rear drive motors (56), front and rear power input shafts (28), drive gears and racks (48), wherein the rack (48) is disposed on the side of the gearbox (5), the front and rear power input shafts (28) are vertically disposed on the inner side of the protective cylinder (4) and can rotate; the front and rear drive motors (56) are disposed on the top of the protective cylinder (4), and the output end is connected to the upper end of the front and rear power input shafts (28) through a belt transmission mechanism, the lower end of the front and rear power input shafts (28) is connected to the drive gear, and the drive gear meshes with the rack (48).

7. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting power system includes an upper turntable base plate (21), a middle turntable base plate (22), and a bottom turntable base plate (23) arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The upper turntable base plate (21) and the bottom turntable base plate (23) are connected by a plurality of lead screws (25) arranged circumferentially, and the lead screws (25) are rotatable. Each lead screw (25) is connected to the middle turntable base plate (22) through a lead screw nut (23). The upper turntable base plate (21) is provided with a plurality of lifting motors (19) that are respectively connected to each lead screw (25). The plurality of lifting motors (19) synchronously drive the middle turntable base plate (22) to lift. The protective cylinder (4) is connected to the bottom of the middle turntable base plate (22).

8. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 7, characterized in that, The indexing power system includes an indexing drive motor (54), a small cylindrical gear (31), and a bottom cylindrical gear (30). The bottom cylindrical gear (30) is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the bottom turntable base plate (23). The indexing drive motor (54) is mounted on the bottom turntable base plate (23) and its output end is connected to the small cylindrical gear (31). The small cylindrical gear (31) meshes with the bottom cylindrical gear (30). The indexing drive motor (54) drives the small cylindrical gear (31) to rotate, and at the same time drives the bottom turntable base plate (23) to rotate.

9. The intelligent tightening device for narrow spaces according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a clamping fixture (8) for clamping the engine; the clamping fixture (8) includes a clamping support (7), a universal clamping guide column (9), a hydraulic cylinder (10), an upper clamping component (11) and a transition plate (53), wherein the hydraulic cylinder (10) is mounted on the clamping support (7) and its output end passes through the transition plate (53) and is connected to the upper clamping component (11). The transition plate (53) is connected to the clamping support (7) through multiple universal clamping guide columns (9), and the universal clamping guide columns (9) are used to guide the lifting and lowering of the transition plate (53).

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