Automatic carton sealing device and carton sealing and stacking method

Abstract

The application provides an automatic carton sealing device and a carton sealing and stacking method. The automatic carton sealing device comprises a carton sealing device and a carrying module. The carton sealing device comprises a first carton sealing module and a second carton sealing module. The first carton sealing module and the second carton sealing module are horizontally arranged opposite to each other in a first direction and can move relative to each other along the first direction. The first carton sealing module is used for folding and sealing a first open end of a carton. The second carton sealing module is used for folding and sealing a second open end of the carton. The carrying module comprises a mechanical arm and a mechanical hand. The mechanical hand is installed on the mechanical arm. The mechanical arm can drive the mechanical hand to move. The mechanical hand is used for grabbing the carton and folding and sealing the first open end and the second open end under the cooperation of the first carton sealing module and the second carton sealing module. The automatic carton sealing device can improve the efficiency of carton sealing and stacking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated packaging, and in particular to an automatic box sealing device and a box sealing and palletizing method. Background Technology

[0002] Some mattress products need to be rolled into strips after production, and then sealed into cartons. The sealed and packaged products are stacked at the stacking station, awaiting subsequent shipment. In some related technologies, the cartons pass through each station sequentially along the conveyor line, where the unfolding of the cartons, product packing, and sealing are completed in sequence. Afterward, the conveyor line sends the cartons containing the products to the palletizing equipment, which then handles and stacks the cartons.

[0003] Some related technologies use multi-axis flexible robots in conjunction with conveyor lines to complete the carton sealing process, and finally use robots to grab cartons for stacking, thus integrating the carton sealing and stacking processes. However, current automatic carton sealing equipment still has some problems.

[0004] For example, existing robotic arms have multiple sets of grippers to perform actions such as unfolding cartons, packing products, and stacking cartons. When cartons are transferred between the conveyor line and the robotic arm, and when they are transferred between different grippers, the cartons need to be repositioned, which makes the structure of the robotic arm complex and reduces the efficiency of sealing and stacking. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes an automatic carton sealing device and a carton sealing and palletizing method. The automatic carton sealing device can integrate the carton sealing and palletizing processes into one unit, and can reduce the number of carton positioning operations, thereby improving the efficiency of carton sealing and palletizing.

[0006] The automatic carton sealing device provided in this application includes a sealing apparatus and a conveying module. The sealing apparatus includes a first sealing module and a second sealing module. The first sealing module and the second sealing module are arranged horizontally opposite each other in a first direction and are capable of moving relative to each other in the first direction. The first sealing module is used to fold and seal the first open end of the carton, and the second sealing module is used to fold and seal the second open end of the carton. The conveying module includes a robotic arm and a robotic hand. The robotic hand is mounted on the robotic arm and can drive the robotic hand to move. The robotic hand is used to grasp the carton and, with the cooperation of the first sealing module and the second sealing module, fold and seal the first open end and the second open end.

[0007] The automatic carton sealing equipment provided in this application has at least the following technical effects: On the one hand, the conveying module can move cartons to cooperate with the sealing device to complete the sealing process. After sealing, the conveying module can further move the cartons for palletizing, thereby enabling the automatic carton sealing equipment to integrate the carton sealing process and the palletizing process, improving the overall integrity and automation level of the product packaging process. On the other hand, in the process from sealing to palletizing, the conveying module always maintains the state of gripping the carton, that is, always maintains the positioning of the carton, thus reducing the number of times the carton is positioned during the packaging process, which helps to improve the efficiency of sealing and palletizing.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing device includes a support module located between the first sealing module and the second sealing module, and the support module is used to support the bottom plate of the carton.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this application, the robotic arm includes a first adsorption member for adsorbing the top plate of the carton; the robotic arm includes clamping assemblies, a plurality of clamping assemblies being arranged opposite each other in the width direction of the carton, the clamping assemblies clamping the two side plates of the carton to unfold the carton.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, a plurality of clamping assemblies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the carton, and the clamping assemblies are able to move closer or further apart from each other along the length direction to accommodate cartons of different lengths, and the clamping assemblies are also able to move closer or further apart from each other along the width direction to accommodate cartons of different widths.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the robotic arm includes a first folding assembly and a second folding assembly. The first folding assembly and the second folding assembly are respectively arranged on both sides of the first suction member along the length direction of the carton. The first folding assembly includes a first folding member, and the second folding assembly includes a second folding member. The first folding member and the second folding member are respectively used to fold the top cover plates of the first opening end and the second opening end.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the first folding assembly further includes a second adsorption member, and the second folding assembly further includes a third adsorption member. The second adsorption member and the third adsorption member are respectively used to adsorb the corresponding upper cover plate to position the upper cover plate before folding.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the first sealing module includes a third folding assembly, the third folding assembly including a first guide and a second guide, the first guide being used to fold the side cover plate of the first opening end, and the second guide being used to fold the lower cover plate of the first opening end.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, the first guide includes a first closing portion and a first retaining portion connected to each other. The first closing portion is provided with an inclined surface for guiding the two side cover plates to fold towards the middle. The first retaining portion extends along a second direction. The carton first approaches the first closing portion to initially fold the side cover plates. The carton then moves along the second direction toward the first retaining portion to completely fold the side cover plates. The second guide includes a second closing portion that gradually rises along the second direction. During the movement of the carton along the second direction, the second closing portion folds the lower cover plate.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, the first sealing module further includes a first horizontal sealing component, which is used to seal the first open end after folding along the second direction. The first horizontal sealing component is disposed at the higher end of the second guide member, and the carton is moved along the second direction by the robot arm to complete the horizontal sealing of the first open end.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, the first sealing module further includes a first vertical sealing component, which is disposed on one side of the first horizontal sealing component. The carton is driven by a robotic arm to move vertically to complete the vertical sealing of the first opening end.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the second sealing module includes a fourth folding assembly, which includes a third folding member, a fourth folding member, and a fifth folding member. The third folding member and the fourth folding member are used to fold the side cover plate of the second opening end, and the fifth folding member is used to fold the bottom cover plate of the second opening end.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, the second sealing module further includes a second horizontal sealing component and a second vertical sealing component. The second horizontal sealing component is used to seal the second open end after folding along the second direction, and the second vertical sealing component is used to seal the second open end after horizontal sealing along a third direction.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the first vertical sealing assembly and the second vertical sealing assembly each include two sealing mechanisms, and the two sealing mechanisms are capable of moving relative to each other along the second direction to vertically seal carton gaps of different widths.

[0020] According to some embodiments of this application, the robotic arm includes a horizontally extending cantilever beam and a vertically extending vertical beam. The cantilever beam is mounted on the vertical beam and is capable of vertical lifting and lowering. The vertical beam is capable of horizontal rotation. The robotic hand is mounted on the cantilever beam and is capable of horizontal rotation and movement along the extension direction of the cantilever beam.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing device includes a packing module, which corresponds to the second open end of the carton and is used to pack materials into the carton. The packing module includes a material trough, a pusher plate, and a guard plate. The material trough is used to support the materials to be packed. The pusher plate is located above the material trough and can move along the first direction to push the materials into the carton. The guard plate can move along the first direction close to the second open end of the carton to isolate the materials from the cover plate of the carton and prevent the materials from colliding with the cover plate when pushed into the carton.

[0022] According to the carton sealing and palletizing method provided in this application, using the automatic carton sealing equipment provided in this application, the carton sealing and palletizing method includes: a robotic arm picking up and unfolding a carton from a material picking station; the robotic arm carrying the carton through a sealing device, where a first sealing module folds and seals the first open end of the carton; a packing module pushing material into the carton from a second open end, where a second sealing module folds and seals the second open end of the carton; and the robotic arm carrying the carton to a palletizing station and stacking the carton; wherein, the material picking station is used to place the folded carton, and the palletizing station is used to stack the sealed carton.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this application, during the process of receiving materials and sealing the carton, the support module supports the bottom plate of the carton.

[0024] The box sealing and palletizing method provided in this application uses the automatic box sealing equipment provided in this application. Therefore, the box sealing and palletizing method has the beneficial effects provided by the automatic box sealing equipment, which will not be described in detail here. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of the automatic box sealing equipment according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of a robotic arm embodiment;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of a robotic arm embodiment;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of an automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of an embodiment of the third folding component;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of the first horizontal sealing component;

[0032] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of region A in the middle;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of the automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of the fourth folding component;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a partial structural diagram of the automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of the fourth folding component;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a partial structural diagram of an automatic box sealing device according to an embodiment of this application, showing the structure of the second vertical sealing component.

[0036] Figure label:

[0037] 1000 material handling platform

[0038] The package includes: a sealing device 2000, a first sealing module 2100, a third folding assembly 2110, a first guide 2111, a first closing portion 21111, a first holding portion 21112, a second guide 2112, a second closing portion 21121, a second holding portion 21122, a first horizontal sealing assembly 2120, a first vertical sealing assembly 2130, a second sealing module 2200, a fourth folding assembly 2210, a third folding member 2211, a fourth folding member 2212, a fifth folding member 2213, a sixth actuator 2214, a seventh actuator 2215, an eighth actuator 2216, a second horizontal sealing assembly 2220, a second vertical sealing assembly 2230, and a support module 2300.

[0039] Palletizing station 3000

[0040] The components include: a handling module 4000, a robotic arm 4100, a cantilever beam 4110, a vertical beam 4120, a robotic hand 4200, a first suction component 4210, a clamping assembly 4220, a clamping plate 4221, a first actuator 4222, a second actuator 4230, a third actuator 4240, a first folding assembly 4250, a first folding member 4251, a fourth actuator 4252, a second suction component 4253, a second folding assembly 4260, a second folding member 4261, a fifth actuator 4262, and a third suction component 4263.

[0041] Packing module 5000, material hopper 5100, push plate 5200, guard plate 5300.

[0042] Cardboard box 9000, top panel 9120, side panel 9130, top cover 9210, side cover 9220, bottom cover 9230. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0045] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0046] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0047] In the logistics and transportation of goods, cardboard box packaging is a relatively mature solution, and cardboard boxes are easy to recycle, thus gaining widespread use. However, in some related technologies, after the cardboard boxes are sealed, manual stacking is often still required. The entire process is not integrated with automated equipment, resulting in a low overall integrity of the product packaging solution and a need to enhance the level of automation.

[0048] Currently, some technologies can stack cartons onto designated pallets after sealing, integrating the sealing and palletizing processes into one, which helps connect upstream and downstream processes and improves packaging speed and automation. However, in these technologies, the robotic arm needs to grasp and release cartons multiple times and reposition them repeatedly, resulting in insufficient packaging speed and automation.

[0049] It is understood that a carton includes circumferentially closed side panels and cover plates for closing openings at both ends. In the packaging process of this application (including the sealing process and subsequent stacking process), the opening of the carton is substantially horizontal. Therefore, for ease of description, the two ends of the carton opening are referred to as the first opening end and the second opening end, the side panels are divided into the bottom panel, the top panel, and the side panels, and the cover plates are divided into the upper cover plate, the side cover plate, and the lower cover plate.

[0050] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The automatic box sealing device provided according to the embodiments of this application includes a box sealing device 2000 and a transport module 4000. The box sealing device 2000 includes a first box sealing module 2100 and a second box sealing module 2200. The first box sealing module 2100 and the second box sealing module 2200 are arranged horizontally opposite each other in a first direction. The first box sealing module 2100 is used to fold and seal the first open end of the box 9000, and the second box sealing module 2200 is used to fold and seal the second open end of the box 9000. The transport module 4000 includes a robotic arm 4100 and a robotic hand 4200. The robotic hand 4200 is mounted on the robotic arm 4100, and the robotic arm 4100 can drive the robotic hand 4200 to move.

[0051] The robotic arm 4200 is used to grasp the carton 9000 and, in cooperation with the first sealing module 2100 and the second sealing module 2200, fold and seal the first and second open ends.

[0052] When the automatic carton sealing equipment is running, the robot arm 4200 first grabs the carton 9000, and then works with the sealing device 2000 to complete the packing of materials and sealing of the carton 9000. After sealing is completed, the robot arm 4200 can continue to transport the carton 9000 for stacking.

[0053] On the one hand, the automatic carton sealing equipment can integrate the sealing and palletizing processes of carton 9000, improving the overall quality and automation level of the product packaging process. On the other hand, in the process from sealing to palletizing, the handling module 4000 always maintains the state of gripping carton 9000, that is, it always maintains the positioning of carton 9000. Therefore, it can reduce the number of operations such as gripping, releasing or positioning carton 9000 during the packaging process, which helps to improve the efficiency of sealing and palletizing.

[0054] Optionally, the automatic carton sealing equipment can also be divided into a material picking station, a carton sealing station, and a palletizing station. The carton sealing device 2000 is placed at the carton sealing station, and the robotic arm 4200 moves the cartons 9000 in the order of material picking station, carton sealing station, and palletizing station to complete the carton sealing and palletizing process. The material picking station can be equipped with a material picking platform 1000 for placing folded cartons 9000, and the palletizing station can be equipped with a palletizing platform 3000 for placing sealed cartons 9000. Alternatively, the material picking station and the palletizing station can be connected to other upstream and downstream equipment through transportation devices such as AGV carts.

[0055] Additionally, it should be noted that during folding and sealing, the length direction of the cardboard box 9000 grasped by the robotic arm 4200 basically corresponds to the first direction (i.e., Figure 2 The width direction of the 9000 carton basically corresponds to the second direction (i.e., the X direction). Figure 2 The Y-direction of the carton corresponds roughly to the third direction (i.e., the height direction of the carton). Figure 2 (in the Z direction).

[0056] In other processes, such as acquiring, transporting, and stacking cartons 9000, the orientation of cartons 9000 may have other corresponding relationships with the first, second, and third directions of the automatic sealing equipment due to the influence of the positional relationship between workstations.

[0057] In addition, Figure 1 and Figure 2 In addition to the arrangement of the material picking station, sealing station, and palletizing station shown, other arrangements of the material picking station, sealing station, and palletizing station may be adopted in other embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0058] In order to accommodate different sizes of cartons 9000, in some implementations, the first sealing module 2100 and the second sealing module 2200 can move relative to each other in a first direction.

[0059] Optionally, in some embodiments, the robot arm 4200 does not contact the bottom plate of the carton 9000 when it picks up the carton 9000. That is, the robot arm 4200 picks up (e.g., sucks up, grips, etc.) the carton 9000 through one or more of the top plate 9120 and side plate 9130 of the carton 9000. In this way, the robot arm will not be pressed down by the bottom plate during subsequent stacking, and there will be no situation where it is difficult to pull out.

[0060] Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the robotic arm 4200 includes a first suction member 4210 for suctioning the top plate 9120 of the carton 9000. Further, the robotic arm 4200 includes clamping assemblies 4220, a plurality of clamping assemblies 4220 arranged opposite each other in the width direction of the carton 9000, the clamping assemblies 4220 clamping two side plates 9130 of the carton 9000 to unfold the carton 9000.

[0061] Specifically, the carton 9000 is usually stored and provided in a folded manner. When needed, the carton 9000 is opened into a three-dimensional state. First, the first suction member 4210 initially positions the carton 9000. Then, the clamping assembly 4220 opens the carton 9000 and further clamps it stably, thereby ensuring that the shape of the carton 9000 remains stable in subsequent processes and improving the reliability of the packaging process.

[0062] The clamping assembly 4220 can move relative to the carton 9000 by moving or rotating, thereby contacting and pushing the side panel 9130 of the carton 9000 to flip open. Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 4220 may include a clamping plate 4221 and a first driver 4222, which can drive the clamping plate 4221 to rotate, thereby opening the carton 9000.

[0063] Specific reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In one embodiment, the first actuator 4222 can be a telescopic electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder. The hinge portion of the first actuator 4222 and the clamping plate 4221 is offset from the axis of rotation of the clamping plate 4221, thereby enabling the clamping plate 4221 to rotate.

[0064] In some embodiments, a plurality of clamping assemblies 4220 are arranged at intervals along the length of the carton 9000. The clamping assemblies 4220 can move closer to or further away from each other along the length to accommodate cartons 9000 of different lengths. The clamping assemblies 4220 can also move closer to or further away from each other along the width to accommodate cartons 9000 of different widths.

[0065] For example, the robot 4200 also includes a second driver 4230 and a third driver 4240. The second driver 4230 is connected to the clamping assembly 4220 through a first gear and rack mechanism, thereby driving the clamping assembly 4220 to move in the width direction. The third driver 4240 is connected to the clamping assembly 4220 through the second gear and rack mechanism, thereby driving the clamping assembly 4220 to move in the length direction.

[0066] In addition, the first adsorption element 4210 can also be connected to the second driver 4230 and the third driver 4240, thereby moving in the width and length directions, changing the adsorption position, improving the adsorption effect, and adapting to different sizes of cartons 9000.

[0067] Other feasible design schemes for the robotic arm 4200 to acquire the carton 9000 and other design schemes for the clamping assembly 4220 can be found in the relevant existing technologies, and will not be elaborated here.

[0068] However, it should be noted that if the base plate is not supported, after the carton 9000 is filled with materials (such as products that need to be shipped), especially after the carton 9000 is filled with heavy products (such as rolled soft mattresses), the weight of the products can easily cause the base plate to deform under stress, reducing the packaging yield.

[0069] Therefore, in some embodiments, the sealing device 2000 further includes a support module 2300, located between the first sealing module 2100 and the second sealing module 2200, which supports the bottom plate of the carton 9000. By having the support module 2300 bear the weight of the product, the load on the robot arm 4200 and the carton 9000 can be reduced, which helps to improve the packaging yield.

[0070] Optionally, in some embodiments, the support module 2300 contacts and supports the carton 9000 before the product is loaded into it, thereby improving reliability. Additionally, in some embodiments, the support module 2300 can move vertically upwards and downwards to better adapt to the dimensions of the carton 9000 and follow its movement. The support module 2300 may also include rolling elements (such as ball bearings or rollers) that contact the carton 9000, thereby reducing frictional resistance and making the movement of the carton 9000 smoother.

[0071] The transport module 4000, the first sealing module 2100, and the second sealing module 2200 work together to fold and seal the lid of the carton 9000. Taking the first open end as an example, the folding action can be performed by the transport module 4000 and / or the first sealing module 2100. The sealing action involves feeding the tape roll, so it is preferred to be performed by the first sealing module 2100 to avoid increasing the weight and inertia of the transport module 4000. The same applies to the second open end.

[0072] Optionally, the folding of the upper cover 9210 can be handled by the handling module 4000, and the folding of the side cover 9220 and the lower cover 9230 can be handled by the first sealing module 2100 and the second sealing module 2200.

[0073] For example, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the robotic arm 4200 includes a first folding assembly 4250 and a second folding assembly 4260. The first folding assembly 4250 and the second folding assembly 4260 are respectively arranged on both sides of the first suction member 4210 along the length of the carton 9000. The first folding assembly 4250 includes a first folding member 4251, and the second folding assembly 4260 includes a second folding member 4261. The first folding member 4251 and the second folding member 4261 are respectively used to fold the upper cover plate 9210 of the first opening end and the second opening end.

[0074] Specifically Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the embodiment, the first folding member 4251 and the second folding member 4261 fold the upper cover plate 9210 by moving. The first folding assembly 4250 also includes a fourth driver 4252, which is an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, etc. The fourth driver 4252 drives the first folding member 4251 to move in the height direction, thereby pushing the upper cover plate 9210 to flip and fold. Similarly, the second folding assembly 4260 drives the second folding member 4261 by a fifth driver 4262.

[0075] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first folding assembly 4250 further includes a second suction member 4253, and the second folding assembly 4260 further includes a third suction member 4263. The second suction member 4253 and the third suction member 4263 are respectively used to suction the corresponding upper cover plate 9210 to position the upper cover plate 9210 before folding. The second suction member 4253 and the third suction member 4263 can prevent the upper cover plate 9210 from folding prematurely due to its own weight or other factors, thereby preventing the upper cover plate 9210 from interfering with the folding of the side cover plate 9220 and / or the packaging of the product.

[0076] Of course, in other embodiments, the first folding member 4251 and the second folding member 4261 can also fold the top cover 9210 by swinging or other means, which will not be described in detail here. When using the swinging folding method, the adsorption function can be equivalently integrated into the first folding member 4251 and the second folding member 4261 by opening air holes, thus eliminating the need to set up separate second adsorption member 4253 and third adsorption member 4263.

[0077] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 5The first sealing module 2100 includes a third folding assembly 2110, which includes a first guide 2111 and a second guide 2112. The first guide 2111 is used to fold the side cover 9220 at the first opening end, and the second guide 2112 is used to fold the lower cover 9230 at the first opening end. The first guide 2111 guides the side cover 9220, and the second guide 2112 guides the lower cover 9230. By using the first guide 2111 and the second guide 2112, folding can be achieved during the movement of the carton 9000, thereby reducing the number of actuators.

[0078] Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the first guide 2111 includes a first closing portion 21111 and a first retaining portion 21112 connected to each other. The first closing portion 21111 is provided with an inclined surface for guiding the two side cover plates 9220 to fold inward. The first retaining portion 21112 extends along a second direction. The carton 9000 first approaches the first closing portion 21111 (that is, the conveying module 4000 drives the carton 9000 to move along the first direction) to initially fold the side cover plates 9220. The carton 9000 then moves along the second direction toward the first retaining portion 21112 to completely fold the side cover plates 9220.

[0079] In some embodiments, the second guide 2112 includes a second closing portion 21121 that gradually rises along a second direction. During the movement of the carton 9000 along the second direction, the second closing portion 21121 folds the lower cover plate 9230. Similarly, the second guide 2112 also includes a second retaining portion 21122 that extends along the second direction and keeps the folded lower cover plate 9230 in a folded state for subsequent sealing.

[0080] It should be noted that the folding of the side cover 9220 and the lower cover 9230 has a specific order. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the side cover 9220 is folded first, followed by the upper cover 9210 and the lower cover 9230. Therefore, when viewed along the movement path of the carton 9000 (in the second direction in this embodiment), the starting position of the second closing portion 21121 is located downstream of the starting position of the first closing portion 21111, and the ending position of the second closing portion 21121 is also located downstream of the ending position of the first closing portion 21111, so as to avoid the lower cover 9230 interfering with the side cover 9220.

[0081] Of course, in other possible embodiments, the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230 can be folded first, and then the side cover plate 9220 can be folded. The relative positional relationship between the first guide member 2111 and the second guide member 2112 and the subsequent sealing sequence can be adjusted adaptively, which will not be elaborated here.

[0082] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 6 The first sealing module 2100 also includes a first horizontal sealing component 2120, which is used to seal the first open end after folding along the second direction.

[0083] For example, in some embodiments, the first horizontal sealing assembly 2120 is located at the higher end of the second guide 2112, and the carton 9000 is moved along the second direction by the robot arm 4200 to complete the horizontal sealing of the first opening end.

[0084] Understandably, the second guide member 2112 guides the lower cover 9230 to fold by gradually rising. The "higher end" refers to the relatively higher end of the second guide member 2112 in the extension direction (the second direction in this embodiment), that is, the end of the second guide member 2112 corresponding to the outlet of the third folding assembly 2110. In this way, when the carton 9000 moves along the moving route (the second direction in this embodiment), the first horizontal sealing assembly 2120 can naturally dock with the third folding assembly 2110 to horizontally seal the first opening end, avoiding the problem of the folded cover accidentally opening. At the same time, it can also avoid setting a driver to drive the first horizontal sealing assembly 2120 to move along the horizontal sealing direction (the second direction in this embodiment), simplifying the structure of the automatic carton sealing equipment.

[0085] In addition, during the horizontal sealing process, the first horizontal sealing component 2120 simultaneously presses down on the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230, and applies tape to the seam between the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230, thereby also positioning the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230, making it easier for the first guide component 2111 and the second guide component 2112 to detach from the carton 9000.

[0086] In some embodiments, the first sealing module 2100 further includes a first vertical sealing component 2130, which is used to seal the first opening end after horizontal sealing along a third direction.

[0087] On the one hand, combining horizontal and vertical sealing can make the seal more secure and improve the quality of product packaging; on the other hand, performing horizontal sealing first and then vertical sealing can match the operation of folding the side cover 9220 first, and then folding the top cover 9210 and the bottom cover 9230 in the embodiment, making the sealing sequence more reasonable.

[0088] Specifically, the first vertical sealing assembly 2130 can be disposed on one side of the first horizontal sealing assembly 2120, and the carton 9000 is driven by the robot arm 4200 to move vertically (that is, in the third direction) to complete the vertical sealing of the first open end. The first vertical sealing assembly 2130 may include two sealing mechanisms to vertically seal the two side edges of the carton 9000 respectively. In some embodiments, the two sealing mechanisms can move relative to each other in a second direction to vertically seal the carton gaps of different widths.

[0089] Optionally, in some embodiments, the first vertical sealing component 2130 can be located at the outlet of the first horizontal sealing component 2120, but this would result in the third folding component 2110, the first horizontal sealing component 2120, and the first vertical sealing component 2130 being arranged sequentially in the second direction, thus occupying a large space for the automatic box sealing device.

[0090] Therefore, optionally, in some embodiments, reference is made to Figure 2 The first vertical sealing component 2130 is arranged below the third folding component 2110, and the conveying module 4000 carries the carton 9000 downward to perform vertical sealing, thereby making the automatic carton sealing equipment more compact.

[0091] Since the third folding component 2110 and the first horizontal sealing component 2120 are aligned in the first direction, in order to avoid the third folding component 2110, in some embodiments, the first horizontal sealing component 2120 and the first vertical sealing component 2130 are staggered in the first direction. The first sealing module 2100 can switch the first horizontal sealing component 2120 and the first vertical sealing component 2130 to pair with the carton 9000 through movement in the first direction.

[0092] Specifically, refer to Figure 7 In the first direction (X direction), the first vertical sealing component 2130 is closer to the carton 9000. After the horizontal sealing is completed, the first sealing module 2100 moves away by a certain distance, so that the third folding component 2110 and the first horizontal sealing component 2120 avoid the carton 9000, making it convenient for the transport module 4000 to move the carton 9000 downward for vertical sealing.

[0093] The first horizontal sealing assembly 2120 and the first vertical sealing assembly 2130 can be sealed using existing sealing machines, which will not be described in detail here.

[0094] In addition, as the transport module 4000 moves downward, some or all of the support modules 2300 corresponding to the first vertical sealing component 2130 move with the transport module 4000, thereby maintaining the supporting state.

[0095] It should be noted that in the embodiment where the side cover plate 9220 is folded first, followed by the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230, the vertical sealing can be performed first, followed by the horizontal sealing; in the embodiment where the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230 are folded first, followed by the side cover plate 9220, the vertical sealing can be performed first, followed by the horizontal sealing, or vice versa.

[0096] For example, in some embodiments, the material handling platform 1000 is located below the sealing device 2000. After the robot arm 4200 picks up the carton 9000, it rises along a third direction. During the rising process, the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230 are folded first, and then the side cover plate 9220 is folded. Then the first vertical sealing component 2130 performs a vertical seal. After rising to the highest point, the carton 9000 moves horizontally along a second direction, and the first horizontal sealing component 2120 performs two horizontal seals.

[0097] In other words, the layout and order of the vertical and horizontal seals can be flexibly adjusted based on the concept of this application, and will not be elaborated here.

[0098] In some implementations, refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9 The second sealing module includes a fourth folding assembly 2210, which includes a third folding member 2211, a fourth folding member 2212 and a fifth folding member 2213. The third folding member 2211 and the fourth folding member 2212 are used to fold the side cover plate 9220 of the second opening end, and the fifth folding member is used to fold the lower cover plate 9230 of the second opening end.

[0099] Optionally, the third folding member 2211, the fourth folding member 2212, and the fifth folding member 2213 can be folded by moving or swinging. For example, in... Figure 8 and Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, a third folding member 2211 is driven to move in a second direction by a sixth actuator 2214 (e.g., a cylinder, electric cylinder, etc.) to fold one of the side covers 9220; a fourth folding member 2212 is driven to rotate by a seventh actuator 2215 to fold the other side cover 9220; and a fifth folding member 2213 is driven to move in a third direction by an eighth actuator 2216 to fold the lower cover 9230.

[0100] Other implementations of the third folding member 2211, the fourth folding member 2212, and the fifth folding member 2213 can be found in the relevant existing technologies, and will not be elaborated here.

[0101] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10The second sealing module 2200 also includes a second horizontal sealing component 2220 and a second vertical sealing component 2230. The second horizontal sealing component 2220 is used to seal the second open end after folding along the second direction, and the second vertical sealing component 2230 is used to seal the second open end after horizontal sealing along the third direction.

[0102] In some embodiments, in a first direction, the second horizontal sealing component 2220 and the second vertical sealing component 2230 are offset, and the second carton sealing module 2200 can switch the second horizontal sealing component 2220 and the second vertical sealing component 2230 to pair with the carton through movement in the first direction.

[0103] The staggered arrangement of the second horizontal sealing component 2220 and the second vertical sealing component 2230 can produce a similar effect to the staggered arrangement of the first horizontal sealing component 2120 and the first vertical sealing component 2130. The second horizontal sealing component 2220 and the second vertical sealing component 2230 can be sealed using existing sealing machines. The layout and sequence of the second horizontal sealing component 2220 and the second vertical sealing component 2230 can be referenced from the design of the first sealing module 2100, and will not be elaborated here.

[0104] The second vertical sealing assembly 2230 may also include two sealing mechanisms, and in some embodiments, the two sealing mechanisms of the second vertical sealing assembly 2230 are capable of moving relative to each other in a second direction to vertically seal carton gaps of different widths.

[0105] In some embodiments, materials are fed into the carton 9000 from the second opening end. The automatic carton sealing equipment also includes a carton packing module 5000, which corresponds to the second opening end of the carton 9000 and is used to pack materials into the carton 9000.

[0106] Optionally, refer to Figure 1 In some embodiments, the packing module 5000 includes a trough 5100, a pusher plate 5200, and a guard plate 5300. The trough 5100 is used to support the material to be packed. The pusher plate 5200 is located above the trough 5100 and can move in a first direction to push the material into the carton 9000. The guard plate 5300 can move in the first direction close to the second opening end of the carton 9000 to isolate the material from the cover plate of the carton 9000 and prevent the material from colliding with the cover plate when it is pushed into the carton 9000.

[0107] For example, during the carton sealing process, the first open end is first folded and horizontally sealed. Then, the packing module 5000 feeds in the material, followed by the second open end being folded and horizontally sealed. Finally, the first and second open ends are vertically sealed. During the material feeding process, the packing module 5000 first drives the protective plate 5300 to approach and insert into the second open end of the carton 9000 to isolate and limit the cover plate. Then, it drives the pusher plate 5200 to push in the material. Finally, the protective plate 5300 is pulled out, and the packing module 5000 leaves the carton 9000 to avoid interfering with the subsequent sealing process.

[0108] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments, the robotic arm 4100 includes a horizontally extending cantilever beam 4110 and a vertically extending vertical beam 4120. The cantilever beam 4110 is mounted on the vertical beam 4120 and is capable of vertical lifting and lowering. The vertical beam 4120 is capable of horizontal rotation. A robotic arm 4200 is mounted on the cantilever beam 4110 and is capable of horizontal rotation and movement along the extension direction of the cantilever beam 4110.

[0109] The use of cantilever beam 4110 and vertical beam 4120 simplifies the structure of robotic arm 4100 and effectively reduces the cost of robotic arm 4100 (compared to using a multi-axis flexible robot as robotic arm 4100).

[0110] For example, refer to Figure 2 The handling module 4000 has a base, and the vertical beam 4120 is connected to the base through a slewing bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor. Chain drive mechanisms are provided on both sides of the vertical beam 4120 along the vertical direction to pull the cantilever beam 4110 up and down. The robot arm 4200 is installed through a slide rail, and a belt drive mechanism is provided on the cantilever beam 4110 to drive the robot arm 4200 to move along the extension direction of the cantilever beam 4110.

[0111] This application also provides a box sealing and palletizing method, which can be executed by the automatic box sealing equipment provided in this application.

[0112] Exemplary, in some embodiments, the carton sealing and palletizing method includes the following steps:

[0113] Step S110: Robotic arm 4200 picks up and unfolds carton 9000 from the picking station;

[0114] Step S120: The robotic arm 4200 carries the carton 9000 through the sealing device 2000, and the first sealing module 2100 folds and seals the first open end of the carton 9000.

[0115] Step S130: The packing module 5000 pushes the material into the carton 9000 from the second opening end, and the second sealing module 2200 folds and seals the second opening end of the carton 9000;

[0116] Step S140: The robotic arm 4200 carries the cardboard box 9000 to the palletizing station and stacks the cardboard box 9000.

[0117] The material handling station is used to place folded cardboard boxes 9000, and the stacking station is used to stack and seal the cardboard boxes 9000.

[0118] The box sealing and palletizing method uses automatic box sealing equipment, and therefore has at least the beneficial effects provided by automatic box sealing equipment, which will not be elaborated here.

[0119] Optionally, in some embodiments, during the process of receiving products and sealing the carton 9000, the support module 2300 supports the bottom plate of the carton 9000.

[0120] Correspondingly, in some other embodiments, the box sealing and palletizing method may include the following steps:

[0121] Step S210: The robotic arm 4200 picks up the carton 9000 and moves it to the sealing device 2000, while simultaneously opening the carton 9000;

[0122] Step S220: The robotic arm 4200 and the first sealing module 2100 move toward each other in the first direction to initially fold the side cover plate 9220 at the first opening end;

[0123] Step S230: The first sealing module 2100 is stationary, and the robot arm 4200 moves along the second direction. During the movement, the side cover plate 9220 is first completely folded, then the upper cover plate 9210 and the lower cover plate 9230 are folded, and finally the box is sealed horizontally.

[0124] Step S240: The robot arm 4200 moves to the product packing position, the handling module 4000 lifts up to support the carton 9000, the first sealing module 2100 moves away from the carton 9000, and the second sealing module 2100 moves closer to the carton 9000.

[0125] Step S250: The packing module 5000 pushes the product (e.g., a cushion) into the carton 9000 from the second opening end;

[0126] Step S260: The second sealing module 2100 first folds the side cover 9220, then folds the upper cover 9210 and the lower cover 9230;

[0127] Step S270: The robot arm 4200 moves in the opposite direction along the second direction to the position corresponding to the first vertical sealing component 2130 and the second vertical sealing component 2230, and the second sealing module 2100 moves away from the carton 9000;

[0128] Step S280: The robotic arm 4200 and the handling module 4000 move downwards to perform vertical sealing;

[0129] Step S290: The robotic arm 4200 moves to the palletizing station 3000 and releases the carton 9000.

[0130] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a 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 may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0131] In some alternative embodiments, the functions / operations mentioned in the block diagrams may not occur in the order shown in the operation diagrams. For example, depending on the functions / operations involved, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order. Furthermore, the embodiments presented and described in the flowcharts of this application are provided by way of example to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the technology. The disclosed methods are not limited to the operations and logic flows presented herein. Alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the order of various operations is changed and sub-operations described as part of a larger operation are executed independently.

[0132] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic box sealing device, characterized in that, include: A carton sealing device, comprising a first sealing module and a second sealing module, wherein the first sealing module and the second sealing module are arranged horizontally opposite each other in a first direction and are capable of moving relative to each other in the first direction; the first sealing module is used to fold and seal the first open end of the carton, and the second sealing module is used to fold and seal the second open end of the carton. The transport module includes a robotic arm and a robotic hand. The robotic hand is mounted on the robotic arm and can drive the robotic hand to move. The robotic hand is used to grasp cartons and, in cooperation with the first sealing module and the second sealing module, fold and seal the first opening end and the second opening end. The first sealing module includes a third folding assembly, which includes a first guide and a second guide. The first guide is used to fold the side cover plate of the first opening end, and the second guide is used to fold the bottom cover plate of the first opening end. The first sealing module further includes a first horizontal sealing component, which is used to seal the first open end after folding along the second direction. The first horizontal sealing component is located at the higher end of the second guide, and the carton is moved along the second direction by the robot arm to complete the horizontal sealing of the first open end. The first sealing module also includes a first vertical sealing component, which is disposed on one side of the first horizontal sealing component and arranged below the third folding component. The carton is driven by a robotic arm to move vertically to complete the vertical sealing of the first opening end. In the first direction, the first horizontal sealing component is offset from the first vertical sealing component, with the first vertical sealing component being closer to the carton; The robotic arm includes a first adsorption element, which is used to adsorb the top plate of the carton; The robotic arm includes a first folding assembly and a second folding assembly. The first folding assembly and the second folding assembly are respectively arranged on both sides of the first suction member along the length direction of the carton. The first folding assembly includes a first folding member, and the second folding assembly includes a second folding member. The first folding member and the second folding member are respectively used to fold the top cover plates of the first opening end and the second opening end. The first folding assembly further includes a second adsorption member, and the second folding assembly further includes a third adsorption member. The second adsorption member and the third adsorption member are respectively used to adsorb the corresponding upper cover plate to position the upper cover plate before folding.

2. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing device includes a support module located between the first sealing module and the second sealing module, and the support module is used to support the bottom plate of the carton.

3. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes clamping components, a plurality of which are arranged opposite each other in the width direction of the carton, and the clamping components clamp two side panels of the carton to unfold the carton.

4. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Multiple clamping assemblies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the carton. The clamping assemblies can move closer to or further away from each other along the length direction to accommodate cartons of different lengths. The clamping assemblies can also move closer to or further away from each other along the width direction to accommodate cartons of different widths.

5. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first guide includes a first closing portion and a first retaining portion connected to each other. The first closing portion is provided with an inclined surface for guiding the two side cover plates to fold inward. The first retaining portion extends along a second direction. The carton first approaches the first closing portion to allow the side cover plates to be initially folded. The carton then moves along the second direction toward the first retaining portion to fully fold the side cover plates. The second guide includes a second closing portion, which gradually rises along the second direction. During the movement of the carton along the second direction, the second closing portion folds the lower cover plate.

6. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second sealing module includes a fourth folding assembly, which includes a third folding member, a fourth folding member, and a fifth folding member. The third folding member and the fourth folding member are used to fold the side cover plate of the second opening end, and the fifth folding member is used to fold the bottom cover plate of the second opening end.

7. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second sealing module further includes a second horizontal sealing component and a second vertical sealing component. The second horizontal sealing component is used to seal the second open end after folding along the second direction, and the second vertical sealing component is used to seal the second open end after horizontal sealing along the third direction.

8. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first vertical sealing assembly and the second vertical sealing assembly each include two sealing mechanisms, and the two sealing mechanisms are capable of moving relative to each other along the second direction to vertically seal carton gaps of different widths.

9. The automatic box sealing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes a horizontally extending cantilever beam and a vertically extending vertical beam. The cantilever beam is mounted on the vertical beam and can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction. The vertical beam can be rotated horizontally. The robotic arm is mounted on the cantilever beam and can rotate horizontally and move along the extension direction of the cantilever beam.

10. The automatic box sealing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The automatic carton sealing equipment includes a carton packing module, which corresponds to the second open end of the carton and is used to pack materials into the carton. The carton packing module includes: A material trough is used to support materials that are to be packed into boxes. A pusher plate, located above the material trough, is capable of moving along the first direction to push the material into the carton; A protective plate, which can be positioned close to the second opening end of the carton along the first direction, is used to isolate the material from the cover plate of the carton and prevent the material from colliding with the cover plate when it is pushed into the carton.

11. A method for sealing and stacking boxes, characterized in that, The carton sealing and palletizing method uses the automatic carton sealing equipment of claim 10, and the carton sealing and palletizing method includes: The robotic arm retrieves and unfolds the cardboard box from the material handling station; The robotic arm carries the carton through the sealing device, where the first sealing module folds and seals the first open end of the carton. The packing module pushes the material into the carton through the second opening end, and the second sealing module folds and seals the second opening end of the carton. The robotic arm carries the cardboard box to the palletizing station and stacks the cardboard box; The material handling station is used to place the folded cardboard boxes, and the stacking station is used to stack the sealed cardboard boxes.

12. The box sealing and palletizing method according to claim 11, characterized in that, During the process of receiving materials and sealing the carton, the support module supports the bottom plate of the carton.

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