Method for operating a rotary transfer module with upper and lower arms

Abstract

The application provides a method for using an upper and lower single-arm rotary conveying module, which comprises a conveying mechanism, work stations and mechanical hand conveying modules. The conveying mechanism is used for conveying workpieces. The work stations are at least two groups, and each group of work stations is provided with a group of mechanical hand conveying modules. Each mechanical hand conveying module is arranged between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding work station. Each mechanical hand conveying module comprises an upper material taking and placing mechanism and a lower material taking and placing mechanism. The upper material taking and placing mechanism is located above the lower material taking and placing mechanism. The upper material taking and placing mechanism comprises an upper base and an upper arm assembly. The upper arm assembly is connected to the upper base and can rotate along the upper base according to a first preset track, so as to take or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding work station. The lower material taking and placing mechanism comprises a lower base and a lower arm assembly. The lower arm assembly is connected to the lower base and can rotate along the lower base according to a second preset track, so as to take or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding work station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical equipment technology, and in particular to a method for using an upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module. Background Technology

[0002] Robotic arms, as high-tech automated production equipment, can be applied to various manufacturing processes. During production and inspection, the flow of workpieces between different processes can be facilitated by robotic arms. A robotic arm generally consists of a torso, an arm, and a hand. The torso can be placed on a frame or directly on the ground. The arm is connected to the torso and needs to move within a certain range to allow the hand to pick up and place materials. In some cases, to shorten the robotic arm's picking stroke, a pitch-changing mechanism is used to move the workpiece closer to the robotic arm, thereby shortening the robotic arm's length and enabling smooth picking and placing.

[0003] As society develops, we will continue to pursue higher efficiency. In existing technologies, to improve efficiency, multiple workstations are set up simultaneously for the same process, allowing multiple workpieces to be processed or inspected at the same time. If multiple workstations are arranged side-by-side, the length of the machine tool will be greatly increased. Furthermore, to allow simultaneous material feeding for processing or inspection, a variable-pitch mechanism is needed to change the position of the workpiece so that the robot arm can pick up and place materials; or the length of the robot arm at a distant location can be increased to facilitate material handling. Alternatively, multiple workstations can be arranged in a double-row structure, which can shorten the length of the machine tool. This equipment can feed materials from both sides, but the long stroke of the two rows of feed / discharge shuttles makes the feed / discharge arms a bottleneck for output. To avoid the long stroke, a huge variable-pitch structure needs to be designed, which will also become a bottleneck. Whether it's a single-row or double-row machine tool structure, the long arm structure of the robot arm and the variable-pitch structure for workpiece movement make the machine tool structure more complex, and the overall layout occupies a large amount of space with low space utilization.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a method for using a single-arm rotary conveyor module that can change pitch while conveying workpieces and has a simple and compact structure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for using a single-arm rotating conveyor module that can change pitch while conveying workpieces and has a simple and compact structure.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for using an upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module, comprising:

[0007] Conveying mechanism for transporting workpieces;

[0008] At least two workstations for processing or inspection are located on one side of the conveying mechanism or distributed on both sides of the conveying mechanism;

[0009] At least two sets of robotic arm conveying modules for picking up and placing materials are provided. Each workstation is equipped with one robotic arm conveying module. Each robotic arm conveying module is located between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation. Each robotic arm conveying module includes an upper picking and placing mechanism and a lower picking and placing mechanism. The upper picking and placing mechanism is located above the lower picking and placing mechanism. The upper picking and placing mechanism includes an upper base and an upper arm assembly. The upper arm assembly is connected to the upper base and can rotate along the upper base according to a first preset trajectory so as to pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation. The lower picking and placing mechanism includes a lower base and a lower arm assembly. The lower arm assembly is connected to the lower base and can rotate along the lower base according to a second preset trajectory so as to pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation.

[0010] When the upper arm assembly picks up or places materials at the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism, the lower arm assembly is located at the corresponding workstation and drives the workpiece for processing or inspection. After picking up materials, the upper arm assembly rotates along the first preset trajectory to approach the lower arm assembly, and the lower arm assembly rotates synchronously along the second preset trajectory so that the upper arm assembly can enter the workstation and process or inspect the workpiece on the upper arm assembly. The lower arm assembly places the processed or inspected workpiece at the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism. The conveying mechanism conveys the workpiece to the next process and transports the workpiece to be processed to the pick-up / placement position. The lower arm assembly picks up materials at the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism, and the cycle continues.

[0011] After adopting the above technical solution, the method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveying module of the present invention can convey workpieces through the rotation of the robotic arm conveying module. For ease of transport, workpieces are generally placed in a concentrated manner on the conveying mechanism, with small gaps between products. During the conveying process using the robotic arm conveying module, the gap between workpieces can be directly changed from a small gap on the conveying mechanism to a larger gap on the workstation, without the need for other gap-changing structures. The structure is simple and compact, and facilitates workpiece processing at each workstation. Each workstation is equipped with a set of robotic arm conveying modules, and each set of robotic arm conveying modules includes an upper picking and unloading mechanism and a lower picking and unloading mechanism. The upper picking and unloading mechanism moves within a first preset trajectory and can pick up or unload materials between the conveying mechanism and the workstation. The lower picking and unloading mechanism moves within a second preset trajectory and can pick up or unload materials between the conveying mechanism and the workstation. Once the movement trajectories of the upper picking and unloading mechanism and the lower picking and unloading mechanism are set, they will not change arbitrarily, ensuring that multiple sets of robotic arm conveying modules do not interfere with each other when working simultaneously. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module of the present invention has a reasonable layout, compact structure, and high efficiency.

[0012] Preferably, the upper arm assembly includes an upper rotating arm and an upper middle arm. The upper rotating arm is connected to the upper base and can rotate at multiple angles along the upper base. The upper middle arm is connected to the upper rotating arm. The rotation of the upper rotating arm drives the upper middle arm to rotate. The lower arm assembly includes a lower rotating arm and a lower middle arm. The lower rotating arm is connected to the lower base and can rotate at multiple angles along the lower base. The lower middle arm is connected to the lower rotating arm. The rotation of the lower rotating arm drives the lower middle arm to rotate.

[0013] Preferably, an upper material handling assembly is connected to the upper middle arm, the upper material handling assembly including an adsorption element or a gripper element; a lower material handling assembly is connected to the lower middle arm, the lower material handling assembly including an adsorption element or a gripper element.

[0014] Preferably, the upper middle arm is provided with a first protrusion at one end connected to the upper rotating arm, the first protrusion protruding towards the direction of the lower picking and unloading mechanism, and the lower middle arm is provided with a second protrusion at one end connected to the lower rotating arm, the second protrusion protruding towards the direction of the upper picking and unloading mechanism, so that the upper middle arm and the lower middle arm are at the same height, so as to pick up or unload workpieces at the same position.

[0015] Preferably, the upper base includes an upper turntable, in which a first drive assembly for driving the upper arm assembly to rotate is disposed; the lower base includes a lower turntable, in which a second drive assembly for driving the lower arm assembly to rotate is disposed.

[0016] Preferably, the first drive assembly includes a first rotating shaft, one end of the upper rotating arm is sleeved on the first rotating shaft and can rotate under the drive of the first rotating shaft; the second drive assembly includes a second rotating shaft, one end of the lower rotating arm is sleeved on the second rotating shaft and can rotate under the drive of the second rotating shaft.

[0017] Preferably, the upper base includes an upper mounting plate and an upper sliding plate, the upper sliding plate being slidably mounted on the upper mounting plate; the lower base includes a lower mounting plate and a lower sliding plate, the lower sliding plate being slidably mounted on the lower mounting plate; an upper turntable is mounted on the upper sliding plate, and the position of the upper arm assembly relative to the conveying mechanism and the workstation is adjusted by sliding the upper sliding plate; a lower turntable is mounted on the lower sliding plate, and the position of the lower arm assembly relative to the conveying mechanism and the workstation is adjusted by sliding the lower sliding plate.

[0018] Preferably, a first waiting position is set on the first preset trajectory, and the upper arm assembly rotates to the first waiting position and stops for a first preset time to determine that the lower arm assembly has left the work station; a second waiting position is set on the second preset trajectory, and the lower arm assembly rotates to the second waiting position and stops for a first preset time to determine that the upper arm assembly has left the work station.

[0019] Preferably, the material handling positions, workstations, and robotic arm conveying modules on the conveying mechanism are located on the same straight line so that the rotational strokes of each upper material handling mechanism and each lower material handling mechanism are consistent.

[0020] Preferably, the upper base is fixed upside down above the frame, and the lower base is located below the upper base and fixed to the support surface; the upper base and the lower base have a symmetrical structure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the application layout of the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram from another angle.

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the synchronous feeding structure of the upper and middle arm components.

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the synchronous material receiving structure of the upper and middle arm components.

[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the upper arm assembly and the lower arm assembly synchronously reverse their positions counterclockwise.

[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the synchronous feeding structure of the lower and middle arm components.

[0028] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the synchronous material receiving structure of the lower and middle arm components.

[0029] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the upper arm assembly and the lower arm assembly synchronously change position clockwise.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the application layout of the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module provided in another embodiment.

[0031] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram showing the rotation and convergence of the upper and lower material handling mechanisms.

[0032] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 Structural diagram of the upper and middle material handling mechanism.

[0033] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 Structural diagram of the bottom and middle feeding mechanism.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 100. Layout and application of the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module;

[0036] 10. Conveying mechanism; 11. Material pick-up and drop-off position;

[0037] 20. Workstation; 21. Machining station; 22. Machining mechanism;

[0038] 30. Robotic arm conveying module; 31. Upper loading and unloading mechanism; 301. Upper base; 302. Upper arm assembly; 311. Upper mounting plate; 312. Upper sliding plate; 313. First sliding assembly; 314. Upper turntable; 315. First drive assembly; 3151. First rotating shaft; 316. Upper rotating arm; 317. Upper middle arm; 3171. First protrusion; 318. Upper loading assembly; 32. Lower loading and unloading mechanism; 303. Lower base; 304. Lower arm assembly; 321. Lower mounting plate; 322. Lower sliding plate; 323. Second sliding assembly; 324. Lower turntable; 325. Second drive assembly; 3251. Second rotating shaft; 326. Lower rotating arm; 327. Lower middle arm; 3271. Second protrusion; 328. Lower loading assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To illustrate the technical content and structural features of the present invention in detail, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0040] Please see Figures 1 to 9This invention provides an application layout 100 for a single-arm rotary conveyor module. The single-arm rotary conveyor module application layout 100 can be applied to any suitable occasion where workpieces need to be transferred from one device to another for processing or inspection. In this embodiment, the single-arm rotary conveyor module application layout 100 includes a conveying mechanism 10, workstations 20, and robotic arm conveying modules 30. The conveying mechanism 10 is used for conveying workpieces. The workstations 20 are used for processing or inspecting workpieces, and the number of workstations 20 is at least two. At least two workstations 20 can be located on the same side of the conveying mechanism 10, or at least two workstations 20 can be distributed on both sides of the conveying mechanism 10. The number of robotic arm conveying modules 30 is at least two sets, with each workstation 20 corresponding to one set of robotic arm conveying modules 30. Each set of robotic arm conveying modules 30 is located between the conveying mechanism 10 and the corresponding workstation 20, enabling convenient material handling between the conveying mechanism 10 and the corresponding workstation 20. Specifically, each robotic arm conveying module 30 includes an upper picking and unloading mechanism 31 and a lower picking and unloading mechanism 32, with the upper picking and unloading mechanism 31 located above the lower picking and unloading mechanism 32. The upper picking and unloading mechanism 31 includes an upper base 301 and an upper arm assembly 302. The upper arm assembly 302 is connected to the upper base 301 and can rotate back and forth along the upper base 301 according to a first preset trajectory, so as to pick up or unload materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the corresponding workstation 20. The lower picking and unloading mechanism 32 includes a lower base 303 and a lower arm assembly 304. The lower arm assembly 304 is connected to the lower base 303 and can rotate back and forth along the lower base 303 according to a second preset trajectory, so as to pick up or unload materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the corresponding workstation 20.

[0041] For example, the robotic arm conveying module 30 can be used for the inspection of semiconductor products. Preferably, there are two inspection stations 20 on each side of the conveying mechanism 10, and each station 20 is equipped with a set of robotic arm conveying modules 30 for picking up or placing materials. That is, there are four stations 20 and four robotic arm conveying modules 30, and the overall structure is symmetrical with respect to the conveying mechanism 10. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the robotic arm conveying module 30 located between the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20 can utilize geometric positional relationships to simultaneously change the distance during the conveying process, after which the product orientation changes by 180 degrees.

[0042] When the upper arm assembly 302 picks up or places materials at the pick-up / placement position 11 of the conveying mechanism 10, the lower arm assembly 304 is located on the corresponding workstation 20 and drives the workpiece for processing or inspection. Taking four workstations 20 as an example, the four sets of upper arm assemblies 302 operate simultaneously, and the four sets of lower arm assemblies 304 operate simultaneously without interference. After picking up materials, when the upper arm assembly 302 rotates along the first preset trajectory to approach the lower arm assembly 304, the lower arm assembly 304 rotates synchronously along the second preset trajectory to allow the upper arm assembly 302 to enter the workstation 20 and process or inspect the workpiece on the upper arm assembly 302. The lower arm assembly 304 places the processed or inspected workpiece on the pick-up / placement position 11 of the conveying mechanism 10. The pick-up / placement position 11 corresponding to each set of robot conveying modules 30 is different. The conveying mechanism 10 conveys the processed or inspected workpiece to the next process for subsequent processing. The subsequent process can also be set up with the same or similar application layout according to actual needs. Simultaneously, the workpiece to be processed is conveyed to the pick-and-place position 11. The lower arm assembly 304 picks up the workpiece from the pick-and-place position 11 of the conveying mechanism 10, and then the lower arm assembly 304 returns to the processing position 21 of the workstation 20 according to the second preset trajectory, so that the processing mechanism 22 can process or inspect it. When the lower arm assembly 304 rotates close to the upper arm assembly 302, the upper arm assembly 302 rotates synchronously along the first preset trajectory, and the upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 work alternately to improve processing and inspection efficiency. It can be understood that the first preset trajectory is a semi-circular arc rotation trajectory, which has the length of the upper arm assembly 302 as the radius, from the processing position 21 on the workstation 20 to the pick-and-place position 11 of the conveying mechanism 10. This semi-circular arc rotation trajectory is located on one side of the robot arm conveying module 30. The second preset trajectory is also a semi-circular arc rotation trajectory, with the length of the lower arm assembly 304 as its radius, running from the processing position 21 on the workstation 20 to the material handling position 11 of the conveying mechanism 10, and located on the other side of the robot arm conveying module 30. The movement trajectories of the upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 are fixed, which can avoid accidents such as collisions during the operation, thereby better realizing the simultaneous operation of multiple upper arm assemblies 302 and multiple lower arm assemblies 304, greatly improving the work efficiency.

[0043] After adopting the above technical solution, the layout 100 of the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveying module of the present invention can convey workpieces through the rotation of the robotic arm conveying module 30. For ease of conveying, workpieces are generally placed in a concentrated manner on the conveying mechanism 10, with small gaps between products. During the conveying process by the robotic arm conveying module 30, the gap between workpieces can be directly changed from a small gap on the conveying mechanism 10 to a larger gap on the workstation 20, without the need for other gap-changing structures. The structure is simple and compact, and it facilitates processing or inspection of workpieces at each workstation 20. Each workstation 20 is equipped with a set of robotic arm conveying modules 30, and each set of robotic arm conveying modules 30 includes an upper picking and placing mechanism 31 and a lower picking and placing mechanism 32. The upper picking and placing mechanism 31 moves within a first preset trajectory and can pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20. The lower picking and placing mechanism 32 moves within a second preset trajectory and can pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20. Once the movement trajectories of the upper and lower loading / unloading mechanisms 31 and 32 are set, they will not change arbitrarily, ensuring that multiple robotic arm conveying modules 30 will not interfere with each other when working simultaneously. The layout 100 of the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveying module of the present invention is reasonable, compact, and highly efficient.

[0044] Please see Figure 11 and Figure 12 In some optional embodiments, the upper arm assembly 302 includes an upper rotating arm 316 and an upper middle arm 317. The upper rotating arm 316 is connected to the upper base 301 and can rotate at multiple angles along the upper base 301 to pick up or release materials according to actual application needs. The upper middle arm 317 is connected to the upper rotating arm 316, and the rotation of the upper rotating arm 316 drives the upper middle arm 317 to rotate. Specifically, an upper material picking assembly 318 is connected to the end of the upper middle arm 317 away from the upper rotating arm 316. The upper material picking assembly 318 includes a suction element or a gripper. Depending on the actual material picking requirements, the upper material picking assembly 318 can be a suction cup or other suction element, or a gripper or other clamping element. On the other hand, the structure of the lower arm assembly 304 is largely the same as that of the upper arm assembly 302. The lower arm assembly 304 includes a lower rotating arm 326 and a lower middle arm 327. The lower rotating arm 326 is connected to the lower base 303 and can rotate at multiple angles along the lower base 303. The lower middle arm 327 is connected to the lower rotating arm 326, and the rotation of the lower rotating arm 326 drives the lower middle arm 327 to rotate. A lower material handling assembly 328 is connected to the end of the lower middle arm 327 away from the lower rotating arm 326. The lower material handling assembly 328 includes a suction element or a gripper. The lower material handling assembly 328 can also be configured as a suction cup or other suction element, or as a gripper, depending on the actual material handling requirements.

[0045] Please see Figure 11 and Figure 12In some optional embodiments, the upper middle arm 317, connected to the upper rotating arm 316, has a first protrusion 3171 extending towards the lower loading / unloading mechanism 32. The lower middle arm 327, connected to the lower rotating arm 326, has a second protrusion 3271 extending towards the upper loading / unloading mechanism 31. That is, the first protrusion 3171 protrudes downward, and the second protrusion 3271 protrudes upward. By providing the first protrusion 3171 and the second protrusion 3271, the upper middle arm 317 and the lower middle arm 327 are positioned at the same height, so as to pick up or unload workpieces at the same position. It is understandable that there is a certain interval between the upper material handling mechanism 31 and the lower material handling mechanism 32, but the material handling and dispensing positions are fixed. In order for the upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 to be able to handle material handling and dispensing at the corresponding positions, the upper middle arm 317 and the lower middle arm 327 are positioned at the same height through the first protrusion 3171 and the second protrusion 3271, and the upper material handling assembly 318 and the lower material handling assembly 318 are also positioned at the same height.

[0046] Please see Figure 11 and Figure 12 In some optional embodiments, the upper base 301 includes an upper turntable 314, within which a first drive assembly 315 for driving the upper arm assembly 302 to rotate is disposed. Conversely, the lower base 303 includes a lower turntable 324, within which a second drive assembly 325 for driving the lower arm assembly 304 to rotate is disposed. Specifically, the first drive assembly 315 includes a first rotating shaft 3151, one end of the upper rotating arm 316 is sleeved on the first rotating shaft 3151 and can rotate under the drive of the first rotating shaft 3151. It is understood that the upper rotating arm 316 is mounted at the output end of the first rotating shaft 3151, and the motor within the first drive assembly 315 actuates to drive the first rotating shaft 3151 to rotate, thereby driving the upper rotating arm 316 and its upper middle arm 317 and upper material handling assembly 318 to rotate. The second drive assembly 325 includes a second rotating shaft 3251. One end of the lower rotating arm 326 is sleeved on the second rotating shaft 3251 and can rotate under the drive of the second rotating shaft 3251. The motor in the second drive assembly 325 drives the second rotating shaft 3251 to rotate, thereby driving the lower rotating arm 326 and its upper middle arm 327 and lower picking assembly 328 to rotate. In this embodiment, the upper arm assembly 302 rotates through the first drive assembly 315, and the lower arm assembly 304 rotates through the second drive assembly 325. The upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 are driven by different drive structures and do not interfere with each other. The robotic arm conveying module 30 of the present invention adopts a single-action independent single-arm structure, which reduces the conversion time and the translation or pitch change time, greatly reduces the operation time, and improves efficiency.

[0047] Please see Figure 11 and Figure 12 In some optional embodiments, the upper base 301 includes an upper mounting plate 311 and an upper sliding plate 312, the upper sliding plate 312 being slidably mounted on the upper mounting plate 311 via a first sliding assembly 313. The lower base 303 includes a lower mounting plate 321 and a lower sliding plate 322, the lower sliding plate 322 being slidably mounted on the lower mounting plate 321 via a second sliding assembly 323. Specifically, the upper turntable 314 is mounted on the upper sliding plate 312, and the position of the upper arm assembly 302 relative to the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20 is adjusted by sliding the upper sliding plate 312. The lower turntable 324 is mounted on the lower sliding plate 322, and the position of the lower arm assembly 304 relative to the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20 is adjusted by sliding the lower sliding plate 322. Understandably, due to the different sizes of workpieces, the material handling positions will vary. During the initial equipment debugging, the positions of the upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 relative to the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20 can be adjusted according to actual needs to better handle material handling. The layout 100 of the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module of this invention can accommodate workpieces of various sizes. After debugging, the upper sliding plate 312 is locked onto the upper mounting plate 311. The lower sliding plate 322 is locked onto the lower mounting plate 321.

[0048] Please see Figures 1 to 8 In some optional embodiments, a first waiting position is provided on the first preset trajectory, located on one side of and close to the workstation 20. When the upper arm assembly 302 rotates to the first waiting position, it pauses for a first preset time to determine that the lower arm assembly 304 has moved away from the workstation 20. While the upper arm assembly 302 is in the first waiting position, the lower arm assembly 304 can simultaneously move away from the workstation 20 and remain at the second waiting position for a second preset time, thereby placing the inspected or processed workpiece onto the conveyor mechanism 10. On the other hand, a second waiting position is provided on the second preset trajectory, located on the other side of and close to the workstation 20. The lower arm assembly 304 rotates to the second waiting position and pauses for a first preset time to determine that the upper arm assembly 302 has moved away from the workstation 20. Simultaneously, when the upper arm assembly 302 moves away from the workstation 20, it remains at the first waiting position for a second preset time, and then places the inspected or processed workpiece onto the conveyor mechanism 10. The inclusion of a first waiting position and a second waiting position makes the rotation of the upper arm assembly 302 and the lower arm assembly 304 safer and more reliable, better preventing collisions during material handling or unloading. The first preset time can be longer than the second preset time, or the first preset time can be the same as the second preset time, as long as the first preset time and the second preset time allow each upper arm assembly 302 and each lower arm assembly 304 to operate reasonably without collisions.

[0049] Please see Figure 3Multiple upper arm assemblies 302 are fed synchronously. The dotted line in the figure can be a structural diagram of the upper arm assembly 302 when it is in the first waiting position. When the upper arm assembly 302 leaves the workstation 20, it moves away from the first waiting position in the direction of the arrow and carries the inspected or processed workpiece to be placed on the conveying mechanism 10.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, multiple upper arm assemblies 302 receive materials synchronously. The dotted line in the figure can be a schematic diagram of the upper arm assembly 302 receiving materials on the conveying mechanism 10. The upper arm assembly 302 picks up the workpiece on the conveying mechanism 10 and rotates in the direction of the arrow to the first waiting position on one side of the workstation 20, waiting for the lower arm assembly 304 to rotate away from the workstation 20.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, multiple upper arm assemblies 302 and multiple lower arm assemblies 304 synchronously rotate counterclockwise. The upper arm assembly 302 rotates from the first waiting position to the workstation 20, so that the workpiece on the upper arm assembly 302 can be inspected or processed at the workstation 20. The lower arm assembly 304, carrying the inspected or processed workpiece, rotates from the workstation 20 to the second waiting position, ready to be rotated and placed into the conveyor mechanism 10.

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, the upper arm assembly 302 is located on the workstation 20. The lower arm assembly 304 carries the workpiece from the second waiting position to the conveying mechanism 10, and places the inspected or processed workpiece in the appropriate position on the conveying mechanism 10.

[0053] like Figure 7 As shown, after the multiple lower arm assemblies 304 are unloaded, the conveying mechanism 10 will convey the workpiece downwards and send in the workpiece to be processed or inspected. The multiple lower arm assemblies 304 will simultaneously pick up the workpiece to be processed or inspected and rotate to the second waiting position. After the upper arm assembly 302 has completed the inspection or processing, it will leave the workstation 20.

[0054] like Figure 8 As shown, multiple sets of lower arm assemblies 304 and multiple sets of upper arm assemblies 302 synchronously change positions clockwise. The lower arm assembly 304 rotates from the second waiting position to the workstation 20 so that the workpiece on the lower arm assembly 304 can be inspected or processed at the workstation 20. The upper arm assembly 302, carrying the inspected or processed workpiece, rotates from the workstation 20 to the first waiting position, ready to be rotated and placed into the conveyor mechanism 10.

[0055] Please see Figures 1 to 8In some optional embodiments, the pick-and-place positions 11, workstations 20, and robotic arm conveying modules 30 on the conveying mechanism 10 are located on the same straight line, so that the rotational strokes of each upper pick-and-place mechanism 31 and each lower pick-and-place mechanism 32 are consistent. Taking four workstations 20 as an example, the consistent rotational strokes of each upper pick-and-place mechanism 31 and each lower pick-and-place mechanism 32 can maximize the simultaneous pick-up and placement of four workpieces, greatly improving efficiency. Multiple sets of upper arm assemblies 302 rotate synchronously to simultaneously pick up, wait for, or place materials. Multiple sets of lower arm assemblies 304 rotate synchronously to simultaneously pick up, wait for, or place materials. The layout is reasonable and highly efficient.

[0056] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some optional embodiments, the upper base 301 is fixed upside down above the frame. The lower base 303 is located below the upper base 301 and fixed to a support surface, which can be a support surface on the frame or the ground, etc. The upper base 301 and the lower base 303 can be symmetrically arranged.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 12 As shown, the layout 100 of the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveying module of the present invention enables variable-distance conveying of workpieces through the rotation of the robotic arm conveying module 30. The robotic arm conveying module 30 has a simple and compact structure, resulting in a compact and reasonable overall layout. Each workstation 20 for inspection or processing is equipped with a set of robotic arm conveying modules 30 for picking up or placing materials. Each set of robotic arm conveying modules 30 includes an upper picking / placing mechanism 31 and a lower picking / placing mechanism 32. The upper picking / placing mechanism 31 moves within a first preset trajectory and can pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20. The lower picking / placing mechanism 32 moves within a second preset trajectory and can pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism 10 and the workstation 20. The movement trajectories of the upper picking / placing mechanism 31 and the lower picking / placing mechanism 32 are set and will not change arbitrarily, ensuring that multiple sets of robotic arm conveying modules 30 will not interfere with each other when working simultaneously. The robotic arm conveying module 30 is suitable for picking up and placing workpieces of various sizes, and has a wide range of applications. The layout of the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module of the present invention is reasonable, compact, and highly efficient.

[0058] The above-disclosed examples are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for using a single-arm rotating conveyor module, characterized in that, include: Conveying mechanism for transporting workpieces; At least two workstations for processing or inspecting workpieces are located on one side of the conveying mechanism or distributed on both sides of the conveying mechanism; At least two sets of robotic arm conveying modules for picking up and placing materials are provided. Each workstation is correspondingly provided with one robotic arm conveying module. Each robotic arm conveying module is disposed between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation. Each robotic arm conveying module includes an upper picking and placing mechanism and a lower picking and placing mechanism. The upper picking and placing mechanism is located above the lower picking and placing mechanism. The upper picking and placing mechanism includes an upper base and an upper arm assembly. The upper arm assembly is connected to the upper base and can rotate along the upper base according to a first preset trajectory so as to pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation. The lower picking and placing mechanism includes a lower base and a lower arm assembly. The lower arm assembly is connected to the lower base and can rotate along the lower base according to a second preset trajectory so as to pick up or place materials between the conveying mechanism and the corresponding workstation. When the upper arm assembly picks up or places materials at the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism, the lower arm assembly is located on the corresponding workstation and drives the workpiece for processing or inspection. After picking up materials, when the upper arm assembly rotates along the first preset trajectory to approach the lower arm assembly, the lower arm assembly rotates synchronously along the second preset trajectory to allow the upper arm assembly to enter the workstation and process or inspect the workpiece on the upper arm assembly. The lower arm assembly places the processed or inspected workpiece on the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism. The conveying mechanism conveys the workpiece to the next process and transports the workpiece to be processed to the pick-up / placement position. The lower arm assembly picks up materials at the pick-up / placement position of the conveying mechanism, and the cycle repeats. A first waiting position is set on the first preset trajectory. The upper arm assembly rotates to the first waiting position and stops for a first preset time to determine that the lower arm assembly has moved away from the workstation. A second waiting position is set on the second preset trajectory. The lower arm assembly rotates to the second waiting position and stops for a first preset time to determine that the upper arm assembly has moved away from the workstation.

2. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper arm assembly includes an upper rotating arm and an upper middle arm. The upper rotating arm is connected to the upper base and can rotate at multiple angles along the upper base. The upper middle arm is connected to the upper rotating arm. The rotation of the upper rotating arm drives the upper middle arm to rotate. The lower arm assembly includes a lower rotating arm and a lower middle arm. The lower rotating arm is connected to the lower base and can rotate at multiple angles along the lower base. The lower middle arm is connected to the lower rotating arm. The rotation of the lower rotating arm drives the lower middle arm to rotate.

3. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 2, characterized in that, An upper material handling assembly is connected to the upper middle arm, the upper material handling assembly including an adsorption element or a gripper element; a lower material handling assembly is connected to the lower middle arm, the lower material handling assembly including an adsorption element or a gripper element.

4. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotating conveyor module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper middle arm is connected to one end of the upper rotating arm and has a first protrusion extending toward the lower picking and unloading mechanism. The lower middle arm is connected to one end of the lower rotating arm and has a second protrusion extending toward the upper picking and unloading mechanism, so that the upper middle arm and the lower middle arm are at the same height, so as to pick up or unload workpieces at the same position.

5. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper base includes an upper turntable, and a first drive assembly for driving the upper arm assembly to rotate is disposed within the upper turntable; the lower base includes a lower turntable, and a second drive assembly for driving the lower arm assembly to rotate is disposed within the lower turntable.

6. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first driving component includes a first rotating shaft, and one end of the upper rotating arm is sleeved on the first rotating shaft and can rotate under the drive of the first rotating shaft; the second driving component includes a second rotating shaft, and one end of the lower rotating arm is sleeved on the second rotating shaft and can rotate under the drive of the second rotating shaft.

7. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper base includes an upper mounting plate and an upper sliding plate, the upper sliding plate being slidably mounted on the upper mounting plate; the lower base includes a lower mounting plate and a lower sliding plate, the lower sliding plate being slidably mounted on the lower mounting plate; the upper turntable is mounted on the upper sliding plate, and the position of the upper arm assembly relative to the conveying mechanism and the workstation is adjusted by sliding the upper sliding plate; the lower turntable is mounted on the lower sliding plate, and the position of the lower arm assembly relative to the conveying mechanism and the workstation is adjusted by sliding the lower sliding plate.

8. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material pick-up and drop-off positions, the workstations, and the robotic arm conveying module on the conveying mechanism are located on the same straight line, so that the rotational strokes of each of the upper material pick-up and drop-off mechanisms and each of the lower material pick-up and drop-off mechanisms are consistent.

9. The method of using the upper and lower single-arm rotary conveyor module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper base is fixed upside down above the frame, and the lower base is located below the upper base and fixed to the support surface; the upper base and the lower base have a symmetrical structure.

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