Tire clamp and tire clamping device

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of tire clamps and tire clamping device.The tire clamp includes mounting plate, driving mechanism, primary fixed mechanism and secondary fixed mechanism;Mounting plate is provided with rotatable connecting portion;Primary fixed mechanism is connected with the connecting portion, and the primary fixed mechanism includes screw rod, threaded sleeve, multiple telescopic structures and multiple arms, and the screw rod is connected with connecting portion;The threaded sleeve is threadedly connected with screw rod;Multiple telescopic structures are annularly arranged around screw rod.The present application uses screw rod to drive threaded sleeve to move up and down, and then drives arm to move inward and outward through scissors fork structure, even if clamp is not in the middle of tire, also can be contacted to tire by the action of arm opening, and from tire inside tension, can avoid the deformation of clamp tire.And arm is also synchronized when being retracted, can avoid hooking to tire, to reduce the abnormal situation of tire conveying, improve conveying efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fixture and tooling technology, and in particular to a tire clamp and tire gripping device. Background Technology

[0002] With the increase in automobile sales, the production of tires, a wear part of automobiles, is also increasing. Due to the special shape and elasticity of tires, traditional double-jaw or triple-jaw clamps rely on the inward contraction of the jaws to clamp the tire. This can easily deform the tire when clamping it, and can also easily snag the tire when lowering it, leading to abnormal tire transport and affecting transport efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a tire clamp and tire gripping device to address the problem that traditional clamps are prone to malfunctions when gripping tires, which affects the conveying efficiency.

[0004] A tire clamp, comprising:

[0005] The mounting plate has a rotatable connecting part.

[0006] A primary fixing mechanism, connected to the connecting part, includes a lead screw, a threaded sleeve, multiple telescopic structures, and multiple tension arms. The lead screw is connected to the connecting part; the threaded sleeve is threadedly fitted onto the lead screw; multiple telescopic structures are arranged in a ring around the lead screw, and the multiple telescopic structures are used to synchronously extend or shorten radially along the lead screw by rotating the lead screw in both directions; the tension arms are located at the ends of the telescopic structures away from the lead screw, and the distance between the multiple tension arms and the lead screw is the same; and

[0007] A secondary fixing mechanism, located at the end of the boom, is used to hook the inner cavity of the tire. The secondary fixing structure includes:

[0008] A guide block is fixedly connected to the end of the tension arm away from the mounting plate; the side of the guide block closest to the mounting plate is provided with an arc surface for guiding.

[0009] The lever is rotatably connected to the end of the boom furthest from the mounting plate.

[0010] A rocker arm is fixedly connected to one end of a lever; the rocker arm is used to rotate the lever when squeezed.

[0011] A push rod, one end of which is rotatably connected to the telescopic structure, and the other end of which corresponds to the arc surface; the push rod is used to press the rocker along the guide of the arc surface as the telescopic structure shortens;

[0012] An elastic element is used to cause the lever to rotate to an initial position when the telescopic structure is extended; the initial position is a horizontal position.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the connecting part includes a transmission rod, and the mounting plate has a mounting hole, wherein the transmission rod is rotatably connected to the mounting hole via a bearing.

[0014] As a preferred example, the tire clamp further includes a drive mechanism, which is mounted on the mounting plate and is used to drive the connecting part to rotate.

[0015] As a preferred example, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a belt. The motor is connected to the mounting plate, and the belt is sleeved on the output shaft and transmission rod of the motor, so that the motor drives the transmission rod to rotate via the belt.

[0016] As a preferred example, at least three telescopic structures are provided, all evenly distributed around the lead screw; the telescopic structure includes two connecting rods that are hinged to each other in a fork shape; one end of one of the connecting rods is hinged to the mounting plate, and the other end is hinged to the tension arm and can slide; one end of the other connecting rod is hinged to the threaded sleeve, and the other end is hinged to the tension arm.

[0017] As a preferred example, the two connecting rods are of the same length, and the hinge point of the two connecting rods is located in the middle of the connecting rods; the direction of the tension arm is always perpendicular to the direction of the mounting plate.

[0018] As a preferred example, the threaded sleeve includes a nut, a cylinder, and a lower support plate; the nut is coaxially connected to the upper end of the cylinder and is threadedly connected to the lead screw; the lower support plate is connected to the lower end of the cylinder and is hinged to one of the connecting rods; the length of the cylinder is greater than the length of the lead screw.

[0019] As a preferred example, when the telescopic structure extends, the end of the lever rotates away from the lead screw; when the telescopic structure shortens, the end of the lever rotates towards the lead screw.

[0020] As a preferred example, the end of the lever is connected to a rubber-coated roller.

[0021] A tire clamping device is provided for automated tire transport. The tire clamping device includes a moving mechanism and a tire clamp as described above. The moving mechanism is used to automatically move the tire clamp to the tire clamping position and the tire unloading position.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0023] 1. This invention uses a lead screw to drive a threaded sleeve to move up and down, which in turn drives the tension arm to move inward and outward through a scissor fork structure. Even if the clamp is not in the exact center of the tire, the opening action of the tension arm allows it to simultaneously contact the tire and tighten it from the inside, preventing the tire from being deformed. Furthermore, the retraction of the tension arm is simultaneous, preventing it from snagging on the tire, thereby reducing abnormalities in tire transport and improving transport efficiency.

[0024] 2. In this invention, when the extension arm is retracted, the lower lever can be retracted by the push rod, thereby reducing the overall size of the clamp when retracted, making it easier to insert into small tires. When the extension arm is extended, the lever can be in a horizontal position, thus providing more stable support for the tire. Furthermore, during the extremely short stroke at the end of the lead screw's travel, the lever can be quickly switched between a horizontal and vertical position, thereby increasing the effective travel of the extension arm.

[0025] 3. The handle of this invention is equipped with a rubber-coated bearing at its end, which allows for smoother insertion into the tire and reduces tire scratching when lifting the tire, thus protecting the product. Simultaneously, within the arm's travel range, it can grip tires of a certain size range, ensuring the clamp's versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tire clamp structure in the embodiment;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tire clamp removal mounting plate and drive mechanism in the embodiment;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the threaded sleeve and the lead screw in the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between the boom and the connecting rod in the embodiment;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the lever is retracted in the embodiment;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the lever is unfolded in the embodiment;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the tire clamp and the tire when the grippers are open.

[0033] In the diagram: 1. Motor; 2. Belt; 3. Mounting plate; 4. Lead screw; 5. Nut; 6. Connecting part; 7. Threaded sleeve; 8. Handle; 9. Push rod; 10. Guide block; 11. Tensioner; 12. Connecting rod; 13. Rubber-coated roller; 14. Lower support plate; 15. Rocker; 16. Elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "installed on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or it may be in a component that is centered on it. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or it may also be in a component that is centered on it. When a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly fixed to the other component or it may also be in a component that is centered on it.

[0036] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", 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.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 1 This embodiment provides a tire clamp, which includes a mounting plate 3, a drive mechanism, a primary fixing mechanism, and a secondary fixing mechanism. The mounting plate 3 serves as the fixed base of the clamp. A rotatable connecting part 6 is provided on the mounting plate 3. One end of the connecting part 6 is connected to the drive mechanism, and the other end is connected to the primary fixing mechanism, thereby transmitting power to the primary fixing mechanism. In this embodiment, the connecting part 6 includes a transmission rod. A mounting hole is provided on the mounting plate 3. The transmission rod passes through the mounting hole via bearings and other components, and rotates within the mounting hole. The drive mechanism can be in the form of a motor 1 and a belt 2. Specifically, the motor 1 and its matching reducer are fixed on the mounting plate 3. A belt 2 pulley is sleeved on one end of the transmission rod. One end of the belt 2 is wound around the belt 2 pulley, and the other end is wound around the output shaft of the motor 1. Thus, starting the motor 1 drives the connecting part 6 to rotate.

[0039] One of the design features of this invention is the fixing mechanism. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown in the figure Figure 2 (The mounting plate 3 and drive mechanism are not shown). The primary fixing mechanism includes a lead screw 4, a threaded sleeve 7, multiple telescopic structures, and multiple tension arms 11. The lead screw 4 is coaxially fixedly connected to the end of the connecting part 6 away from the pulley 2. That is, the rotation of the connecting part 6 can drive the lead screw 4 to rotate. The threaded sleeve 7 is threadedly engaged with the lead screw 4. Because the threaded sleeve 7 is restricted by multiple telescopic structures, it cannot rotate on its own. Therefore, as the lead screw 4 rotates, the threaded sleeve 7 can move up and down along the lead screw 4. Further, as... Figure 3 As shown, the threaded sleeve 7 includes a nut 5, a cylindrical body, and a lower support plate 14. The nut 5 is coaxially connected to the upper end of the cylindrical body and is threadedly connected to the lead screw 4. The lower support plate 14 is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical body and is hinged to one of the connecting rods 12. The length of the cylindrical body is greater than the length of the lead screw 4 to reduce the exposure of the lead screw 4 during use. Multiple telescopic structures are arranged in a ring around the lead screw 4. These multiple telescopic structures can be driven to extend or shorten synchronously along the radial direction of the lead screw 4 by the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 4. Specifically, in this embodiment, four telescopic structures are provided, arranged in a cross shape around the lead screw 4. Each telescopic structure includes two connecting rods 12 that are hinged to each other in a fork shape. One end of one connecting rod 12 is hinged to the mounting plate 3, and the other end is hinged to the tension arm 11 and can slide. There are various ways to achieve the hinged and sliding action. In this embodiment, a sliding groove along the length direction is provided on the tension arm 11. The end of the connecting rod 12 is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft, which can slide in a groove to achieve the above function. One end of the other connecting rod 12 is hinged to the threaded sleeve 7, and the other end is hinged to the extension arm 11. The up-and-down movement of the threaded sleeve 7 drives one end of one connecting rod 12 to move up and down, thereby enabling the two connecting rods 12 to achieve a scissor-like cross motion, thus realizing the extension and shortening of the telescopic structure (i.e., the change in linear length between the left end of one connecting rod 12 and the right end of the other connecting rod 12). It is worth mentioning that the two connecting rods 12 used above are of the same length, and the hinge point of the two connecting rods 12 is located in the middle of the connecting rods 12. The purpose of this design is to ensure that the direction of the extension arm 11 is always perpendicular to the direction of the mounting plate 3, because the outer wall of the extension arm 11 is the surface in contact with the tire. Specifically, as... Figure 4 As shown, the tension arm 11 can be configured as a long strip structure with a U-shaped cross-section. The end of the connecting rod 12 extends to the side wall of the tension arm 11 and is hinged thereto. The aforementioned groove is formed on the opposite side wall of the tension arm 11. The four tension arms 11 are arranged parallel and equidistantly around the lead screw 4 to ensure that when clamping the tire, all four tension arms 11 can simultaneously contact the inner wall of the tire, increasing friction and stability.

[0040] The secondary fixing mechanism is another design feature of this invention, and it works in conjunction with the primary fixing mechanism. Please refer to... Figure 5 and Figure 6 ( Figure 5 and Figure 6 (All views are partially sectional at the end of the extension arm 11). In this embodiment, a secondary fixing mechanism is located at the lower end of the extension arm 11 to hook onto the inner cavity or inner wall of the tire. This secondary fixing mechanism includes a guide block 10, a lever 8, a rocker arm 15, a push rod 9, and an elastic element 16. The guide block 10 is fixedly connected to the end of the extension arm 11 away from the mounting plate 3 (i.e., the lower end of the extension arm 11 in this embodiment). The upper end of the guide block 10 is configured as an arc surface for guidance. The lever 8 is a component for direct contact with the tire. In this embodiment, two levers 8 are provided and are rotatably connected to the lower end of the extension arm 11 or the guide block 10. The two levers 8 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the extension arm 11, and all four extension arms 11 are provided with levers 8 to enhance the support and fixing effect on the tire. Furthermore, the end of the lever 8 furthest from the lead screw 4 is rotatably connected to a rubber-coated roller 13, allowing the lever 8 to smoothly extend into the tire while reducing tire scratches when lifting the tire, protecting the tire surface from damage. The rocker arm 15 is fixed to the end of the lever 8 furthest from the rubber-coated roller 13. Two corresponding levers 8 can be fixedly connected to the same rocker arm 15. Pressing the rocker arm 15 causes the lever 8 to rotate around its hinge axis, changing the angle of the lever 8. The push rod 9 can be set within the U-shaped groove of the tension arm 11, and the upper end of the push rod 9 is rotatably connected to the pivot on the aforementioned connecting rod 12. The lower end of the push rod 9 corresponds to the arc surface on the guide block 10. Guided by the arc surface, the lower end of the push rod 9 ultimately presses against the rocker arm 15. The elastic element 16 can be a torsion spring or a spring. The specific structure is not limited, as long as the lever 8 can return to its initial position after rotation. In this embodiment, the initial position is a horizontal position, that is, the position where the lever 8 supports the tire. Opposite to the initial position, when the telescopic structure is shortened to its limit, the lever 8 moves to the retracted position. This retracted position is the position where the distance between the outer side of the lever 8 and the lead screw 4 is less than the distance between the outer side of the extension arm 11 and the lead screw 4.

[0041] The working principle of this invention is as follows: When the gripper retracts: Motor 1 rotates, driving the lead screw 4 to rotate via belt 2. This, in turn, causes the threaded sleeve 7 to move downwards through the threaded action. This increases the longitudinal distance between the ends of the two connecting rods 12 and decreases the lateral distance, thereby pulling the tension arm 11 inwards. Simultaneously with the tension arm 11 retracting inwards, push rod 9 moves downwards with the ends of the connecting rods 12 and, guided by the arc surface on the guide block 10, presses against the rocker arm 15, pushing the lever 8 upwards (i.e., the end of the lever 8 equipped with the rubber-coated roller 13 rotates from a horizontal position to a vertical position), further reducing the overall size of the clamp and facilitating its entry into the tire. The above gripper retraction action is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0042] Gripper opening: Motor 1 rotates in the reverse direction, and lead screw 4 drives threaded sleeve 7 to move upward. This causes the longitudinal distance between the ends of the two connecting rods 12 to increase, while the lateral distance between the ends increases, thereby pushing the tension arm 11 outward. Even if the tire clamp is not initially moved to the center of the tire, it can be positioned relatively centrally by the push of the tension arm 11. As the tension arm 11 unfolds, push rod 9 moves upward with the ends of connecting rods 12, and lever 8 opens to its initial position under the action of elastic element 16 for more stable tire gripping. The above gripper opening action is as follows: Figure 7 As shown.

[0043] In another embodiment, a tire gripping device is also provided, which includes a moving mechanism and a tire gripper as described above. The moving mechanism can be a motion system such as a robotic arm or a three-axis moving slide. The tire gripper is mounted at the end of the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism drives the tire gripper to automatically move to the tire gripping position and the tire unloading position along a preset path to achieve automated tire transportation.

[0044] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0045] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tire clamp, characterized in that, include: Mounting plate (3), on which a rotatable connecting part (6) is provided; A primary fixing mechanism is connected to the connecting part (6). The primary fixing mechanism includes a lead screw (4), a threaded sleeve (7), multiple telescopic structures, and multiple tension arms (11). The lead screw (4) is connected to the connecting part (6). The threaded sleeve (7) is threadedly sleeved to the lead screw (4). The multiple telescopic structures are arranged in a ring around the lead screw (4), and the multiple telescopic structures are used to drive the multiple telescopic structures to extend or shorten synchronously along the radial direction of the lead screw (4) by the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw (4). The tension arms (11) are arranged at the end of the telescopic structure away from the lead screw (4), and the distance between the multiple tension arms (11) and the lead screw (4) is the same. as well as A secondary fixing mechanism, located at the end of the boom (11), is used to hook the inner cavity of the tire. The secondary fixing structure includes: A guide block (10) is fixedly connected to the end of the tension arm (11) away from the mounting plate (3); the side of the guide block (10) near the mounting plate (3) is provided with an arc surface for guiding. The lever (8) is rotatably connected to the end of the tension arm (11) away from the mounting plate (3); A rocker arm (15) is fixedly connected to one end of a lever (8); the rocker arm (15) is used to drive the lever (8) to rotate when squeezed. A push rod (9) has one end rotatably connected to the telescopic structure and the other end corresponding to the arc surface; the push rod (9) is used to press the rocker plate (15) along the guide of the arc surface as the telescopic structure shortens; An elastic element (16) is used to cause the lever (8) to rotate to an initial position when the telescopic structure is extended; the initial position is a horizontal position.

2. The tire clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting part (6) includes a transmission rod, and the mounting plate (3) has a mounting hole. The transmission rod is rotatably connected to the mounting hole through a bearing.

3. The tire clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tire clamp also includes a drive mechanism, which is mounted on the mounting plate (3) and is used to drive the connecting part (6) to rotate.

4. The tire clamp according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a motor (1) and a belt (2). The motor (1) is connected to the mounting plate (3). The belt (2) is sleeved on the output shaft and transmission rod of the motor (1) and is used for the motor (1) to drive the transmission rod to rotate through the belt (2).

5. The tire clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least three telescopic structures are provided, all evenly distributed around the lead screw (4); the telescopic structure includes two connecting rods (12) that are hinged to each other in a fork shape; one end of one of the connecting rods (12) is hinged to the mounting plate (3), and the other end is hinged to the tension arm (11) and can slide; one end of the other connecting rod (12) is hinged to the threaded sleeve (7), and the other end is hinged to the tension arm (11).

6. The tire clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that, The two connecting rods (12) are of the same length, and the hinge point of the two connecting rods (12) is located in the middle of the connecting rods (12); the direction of the tension arm (11) is always perpendicular to the direction of the mounting plate (3).

7. The tire clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that, The threaded sleeve (7) includes a nut (5), a cylinder and a lower support plate (14); the nut (5) is coaxially connected to the upper end of the cylinder and is threadedly connected to the lead screw (4); the lower support plate (14) is connected to the lower end of the cylinder and is hinged to one of the connecting rods (12); the length of the cylinder is greater than the length of the lead screw (4).

8. The tire clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the telescopic structure extends, the end of the lever (8) rotates away from the lead screw (4); when the telescopic structure shortens, the end of the lever (8) rotates towards the lead screw (4).

9. The tire clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the lever (8) is connected to a rubber-coated roller (13).

10. A tire clamping device for automating tire transport, characterized in that, The tire clamping device includes a moving mechanism and a tire clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the moving mechanism is used to automatically move the tire clamp to the tire clamping position and the material release position.

Images