Automatic plug-in mounting equipment and plug-in mounting method for copper pipes and nuts

Abstract

The invention provides automatic copper pipe and nut inserting equipment and an inserting method, relates to the technical field of automatic equipment, and solves the technical problem that an automatic pipe inserting robot is insufficient in operation accuracy. The automatic inserting equipment for the copper pipe and the nut comprises a workbench, a copper pipe transferring mechanism, a copper nut transferring mechanism, an abnormal material taking mechanism, a scaling powder dipping and coating mechanism and a detection mechanism. The copper pipe and copper nut inserting device can complete automatic inserting of a copper pipe and a copper nut, the inserting precision is improved through cooperation of the air cylinders, the inserting process is more convenient, meanwhile, the device has the advantages of being good in structural stability and convenient to debug, limitation of a traditional structure is avoided, the application range is wider, and the practicability is high. The structure is simple, the operation efficiency is high, the cost is reduced, and meanwhile the effect increasing purpose is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automated equipment, and in particular to automated insertion equipment and an insertion method for copper tubes and nuts. Background Art

[0002] With the development of industrial automation and the popularization of automation, it has gradually developed towards unmanned factories. In the copper tube welding process of air conditioner production, the copper tube and copper nut are currently connected manually, which is not only labor-intensive, but also time-consuming and labor-intensive, with inconsistent connection positions, uneven quality, and easy to cause deformation or damage to the copper tube.

[0003] In order to replace the manual insertion of tubes and copper nuts and reduce labor intensity, the prior art uses two robots to complete the feeding of copper tubes and nuts through teaching points.

[0004] The applicant has found that the prior art has at least the following technical problems: the robot operation in the prior art is not accurate enough, and has great limitations, a narrow scope of application, a complex structure, and high cost. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts, so as to solve the technical problem of insufficient operation accuracy of automatic tube insertion robots in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] The present invention provides an automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts, comprising a workbench, a copper tube transfer mechanism, a copper nut transfer mechanism, an abnormal material removal mechanism, a flux coating mechanism and a detection mechanism; wherein:

[0008] The workbench is provided with an insertion station, a first loading station and a second loading station;

[0009] The copper tube transfer mechanism is movably arranged on the workbench and can reciprocate between the first loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper tube from the first loading position to the insertion position for insertion;

[0010] The copper nut transfer mechanism is movably arranged on the workbench and can reciprocate between the second loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper nut from the second loading position to the insertion position for insertion with the copper tube;

[0011] The detection mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located on the travel route of the copper tube transfer mechanism to perform appearance detection on the transported copper tube;

[0012] The abnormal material taking mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located beside the detection mechanism, and is used to take out the defective copper tubes transported by the copper tube transplanting mechanism;

[0013] The soldering flux coating mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located on the travel route of the copper nut transfer mechanism so as to coat the soldering flux at the copper nut insertion hole.

[0014] The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts provided by the present invention can complete the automatic insertion of copper tubes and copper nuts, and through the cooperation between the cylinders, the insertion accuracy is improved, the insertion process is more convenient, and it also has the characteristics of good structural stability and convenient debugging, which solves the problems of frequent operation, high labor intensity and low automation in manual mode, solves the problems of low automation and low operating efficiency, and solves the problem that the accuracy requirements of the original automatic robot cannot meet the needs, avoids the limitations of the traditional structure, has a wider scope of application, a simple structure, high operating efficiency, reduces costs and achieves the purpose of increasing efficiency.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the copper tube transfer mechanism includes a first frame, a first drive assembly, a copper tube clamping cylinder, a first positioning member, a second positioning member and a sensor; wherein:

[0016] The copper tube clamping cylinder is installed on the first frame through the first driving assembly; driven by the first driving assembly, the copper tube clamping cylinder can perform left and right lifting movements;

[0017] The first positioning member is movably mounted above the copper tube clamping cylinder to perform first point positioning on the copper tube;

[0018] The second positioning member is arranged at the top and the bottom of the copper tube clamping cylinder to perform a second three-point positioning on the copper tube;

[0019] The sensor is mounted on the first driving assembly to detect whether the copper pipe is in place.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first driving assembly includes a first X-axis module and a first Y-axis module; wherein:

[0021] The first X-axis module is fixed on the first frame;

[0022] The first Y-axis module is fixed on the first X-axis module.

[0023] As a further improvement of the present invention, the number of the copper tube clamping cylinders is two, which are arranged one above and one below; and the sensor is arranged between the two copper tube clamping cylinders.

[0024] As a further improvement of the present invention, the detection mechanism includes a mounting frame, an adjustable slide, a camera, and a light source; wherein:

[0025] The mounting frame is fixed to the workbench;

[0026] The light source and the camera are arranged one above the other and are movably connected to the mounting frame via the adjustable slide.

[0027] As a further improvement of the present invention, the abnormal material taking mechanism includes a second frame, a rotary cylinder, a telescopic positioning cylinder, a material taking clamping cylinder, and a third positioning member; wherein:

[0028] The rotary cylinder is mounted on the top of the second frame;

[0029] The telescopic positioning cylinder is installed on the rotary cylinder;

[0030] The material taking and clamping cylinder is installed on the telescopic positioning cylinder;

[0031] The third positioning member is installed on the top of the material taking and clamping cylinder.

[0032] As a further improvement of the present invention, the copper nut transfer mechanism includes a second drive assembly, a nut clamping cylinder, a tube guide cylinder, a copper tube clamping cylinder, and a tube positioning cylinder, wherein:

[0033] The second driving assembly is mounted on the workbench;

[0034] The intubation positioning cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and can move in three coordinates under the drive of the second driving assembly;

[0035] The copper tube clamping cylinder is installed on the insert tube positioning cylinder;

[0036] The intubation guide cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and is located below the copper tube clamping cylinder;

[0037] The nut clamping cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and is located below the tube guide cylinder; when inserted, the guide hole of the tube guide cylinder, the clamping center of the nut clamping cylinder, and the clamping center of the copper tube clamping cylinder coincide with each other.

[0038] As a further improvement of the present invention, the second driving assembly includes a second X-axis module, a second Y-axis module, a Z-axis module, and a first guide rail; wherein:

[0039] There are two first guide rails, which are arranged in parallel and at intervals;

[0040] The second X-axis module is arranged between the two first guide rails;

[0041] There are two second Y-axis modules, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart on a second mounting plate, and the second mounting plate is connected to the second X-axis module and the first guide rail;

[0042] There are two Z-axis modules, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and are respectively connected to the two second Y-axis modules.

[0043] As a further improvement of the present invention, the soldering flux coating mechanism comprises a coating cylinder, a substrate, a buffer plate, a coating cotton column, and a feeding mechanism; wherein:

[0044] The coating cylinder is suspended on the top of the workbench;

[0045] The substrate is connected to the coating cylinder;

[0046] The buffer plate is arranged parallel to the base plate and is movably connected to the base plate via a guide structure;

[0047] The dip-coated cotton column is arranged at the bottom of the buffer plate;

[0048] The feeding mechanism is connected to the dip-coating cotton column to continuously supply soldering flux.

[0049] The present invention provides a method for inserting a pipe, which is completed by using the automatic insertion equipment for the copper pipe and the nut, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0050] The first robot delivers the copper tube to the copper tube transfer mechanism at the first loading position;

[0051] The copper tube transfer mechanism transfers the copper tube to the testing station where the testing mechanism is located;

[0052] After passing the test, the transfer mechanism continues to operate to transfer the copper tube to the insertion station;

[0053] The second robot takes a photo to pick up the material, adjusts its posture after picking up the material, and places the copper nut on the copper nut transfer mechanism at the second loading position;

[0054] The copper nut transfer mechanism moves to the bottom of the flux coating mechanism to complete the flux coating;

[0055] After the coating is completed, the copper nut transfer mechanism continues to move and stays at the insertion station;

[0056] The copper tube transfer mechanism and the copper nut transfer mechanism cooperate to complete the insertion of the copper tube and the copper nut. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0058] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut of the present invention (I);

[0059] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut of the present invention (II);

[0060] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Middle I is a partial enlarged view;

[0061] Figure 4 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention, in which the flux coating mechanism is removed;

[0062] Figure 5 It is a partial enlarged view of II in the figure;

[0063] Figure 6 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention, in which the flux coating mechanism is removed;

[0064] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Middle III partial enlarged view;

[0065] Figure 8 It is a top view of the automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0066] Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of a copper tube transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0067] Fig.10 It is a front view of the copper tube transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0068] Fig.11 It is a side view of the copper tube transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut of the present invention;

[0069] Fig.12 It is a structural schematic diagram of a detection mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0070] Fig.13 It is a front view of the detection mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut of the present invention;

[0071] Fig.14 It is a side view of the detection mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut of the present invention;

[0072] Fig.15 It is a front view of an abnormal material taking mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0073] Fig.16 It is a side view of an abnormal material taking mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0074] Fig.17 It is a top view of an abnormal material taking mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0075] Fig.18 It is a front view of the copper nut transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0076] Fig.19 It is a side view of the copper nut transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0077] Fig. 20 It is a top view of the copper nut transfer mechanism in the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention;

[0078] Fig.21 It is a flow chart of the insertion method of the present invention.

[0079] In the figure, 1, workbench; 11, suspension; 2, copper tube transfer mechanism; 21, first frame; 22, first X-axis module; 23, first Y-axis module; 24, copper tube clamping cylinder; 25, first positioning piece; 26, second positioning piece; 27, sensor fixing frame; 3, copper nut transfer mechanism; 31, second X-axis module; 32, second Y-axis module; 33, Z-axis module; 34, nut clamping cylinder; 35, intubation guide cylinder; 36, copper tube clamping cylinder; 3 7. Insertion positioning cylinder; 38. First guide rail; 39. Guide member; 4. Abnormal material taking mechanism; 41. Second frame; 42. Rotary cylinder; 43. Telescopic positioning cylinder; 44. Material taking clamping cylinder; 45. Third positioning member; 5. Flux coating mechanism; 51. Coating cylinder; 52. Base plate; 53. Buffer plate; 54. Guide structure; 55. Coating cotton column; 6. Detection mechanism; 61. Mounting frame; 62. Adjustable slide; 63. Camera; 64. Light source. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] To make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other implementation methods obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0081] The present invention provides an automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts, which realizes unmanned operation of copper tube and nut insertion and achieves gain by reducing manpower; specifically, the automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts comprises a workbench 1, a copper tube transfer mechanism 2, a copper nut transfer mechanism 3, an abnormal material taking mechanism 4, a flux coating mechanism 5 and a detection mechanism 6; wherein:

[0082] The workbench 1 is provided with an insertion station, a first loading station and a second loading station;

[0083] The copper tube transfer mechanism 2 is movably arranged on the left side of the workbench 1, and can reciprocate between the first loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper tube from the first loading position to the insertion position for insertion;

[0084] The copper nut transfer mechanism 3 is movably arranged on the right side of the workbench 1, and can reciprocate between the second loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper nut from the second loading position to the insertion position for insertion with the copper tube;

[0085] The inspection mechanism 6 is arranged on the workbench 1 and is located on the travel route of the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 to perform appearance inspection on the transported copper tube;

[0086] The abnormal material taking mechanism 4 is arranged on the workbench 1 and is located beside the detection mechanism 6, and is used to take out the defective copper tubes transported in the copper tube transplanting mechanism;

[0087] The soldering flux coating mechanism 5 is arranged on the workbench 1 and is located on the travel path of the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 so as to coat the soldering flux at the copper nut insertion hole.

[0088] Furthermore, an L-shaped suspension 11 is provided on the top of the workbench 1; one side of the suspension 11 is fixed to the top wall of the rear side of the workbench 1, and the other side of the suspension 11 is parallel to the surface of the workbench 1 and shielded above the workbench 1;

[0089] The soldering flux coating mechanism 5 is suspended on the other side of the suspension frame 11 , and thus suspended above the workbench 1 .

[0090] The automated insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention also includes a first robot and a second robot. The first robot is located on the left side of the workbench 1 and is used to transport the copper tube to the copper tube transfer mechanism 2; the second robot is a six-axis robot with a visual component, located on the right side of the workbench 1, and can transport the copper nuts to the copper nut transfer mechanism 3; the six-axis robot is responsible for clamping the copper nuts from the copper nut transport line and placing them on the copper nut transplanting mechanism; it should be noted that the first robot and the second robot are prior art products, and the present invention does not improve the robots, so no further details will be given.

[0091] The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts provided by the present invention can complete the automatic insertion of copper tubes and copper nuts, and through the cooperation between the cylinders, the insertion accuracy is improved, the insertion process is more convenient, and it also has the characteristics of good structural stability and convenient debugging, which solves the problems of frequent operation, high labor intensity and low automation in manual mode, solves the problems of low automation and low operating efficiency, and solves the problem that the accuracy requirements of the original automatic robot cannot meet the needs, avoids the limitations of the traditional structure, has a wider scope of application, a simple structure, high operating efficiency, reduces costs and achieves the purpose of increasing efficiency.

[0092] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 includes a first frame 21, a first drive assembly, a copper tube clamping cylinder 24, a first positioning member 25, a second positioning member 26 and a sensor; wherein:

[0093] The copper tube clamping cylinder 24 is installed on the first frame 21 through the first driving assembly; driven by the first driving assembly, the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 can move up and down left and right;

[0094] The first positioning member 25 is movably mounted above the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 to perform first point positioning on the copper tube;

[0095] The second positioning member 26 is arranged at the top and the bottom of the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 to perform a second three-point positioning on the copper tube;

[0096] The sensor is installed on the first driving assembly to detect whether the copper pipe is in place.

[0097] Furthermore, the first driving assembly includes a first X-axis module 22 and a first Y-axis module 23; wherein:

[0098] The first X-axis module 22 is fixed on the first frame 21;

[0099] The first Y-axis module 23 is fixed on the first X-axis module 22 .

[0100] In this embodiment, in order to improve work efficiency and complete the plugging action of two copper tubes at one time, there are two copper tube clamping cylinders 24, one above and one below; the sensor is arranged between the two copper tube clamping cylinders 24 through the sensor fixing frame 27.

[0101] Of course, in order to further improve the efficiency, three or more copper tube clamping cylinders 24 can be provided to achieve the plugging action of three or more copper tubes. Considering the volume, floor space and complexity, the present invention takes the simultaneous plugging of two copper tubes as an example for specific description. However, the technical solution of simultaneously plugging two copper tubes shown in this embodiment is not limited to this. The plugging of one copper tube, or the plugging of three copper tubes or more than three copper tubes as needed are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0102] The following is a specific description taking the simultaneous insertion of two copper tubes as an example.

[0103] In this embodiment, the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 includes a first frame 21, which is vertically mounted on the top surface of the workbench 1 to raise the height of the copper tube transfer structure and carry the first X-axis module 22; in order to reduce weight and reduce costs, the first frame 21 is a frame structure; the first X-axis module 22 is fixed to the left and right positions in the middle of the first frame 21; the first X-axis module 22 is used for transferring the copper tube between the left and right stations; there are two first Y-axis modules 23, which are arranged side by side and are both connected to the first X-axis module 22, and can perform horizontal reciprocating motion under the drive of the first X-axis module 22; the first Y-axis module 23 is used for copper tube insertion, and the first Y-axis module 23 is mounted on the first X-axis module 22; the two first Y-axis modules 23 correspond to two copper tube insertion positions respectively, and the distance between the two insertion positions is the same as the distance between the second Y-axis module 32 in the copper nut transfer mechanism 3;

[0104] There are four copper tube clamping cylinders 24, which are divided into two groups. Two copper tube clamping cylinders 24 in each group are connected to one of the first Y-axis modules 23 one above and one below, and can perform lifting and lowering movements simultaneously under the drive of the first Y-axis module 23; the first positioning member 25 includes a positioning cylinder, a positioning U plate, and a first positioning groove; wherein, a first positioning member 25 is installed on the top of each copper tube clamping cylinder 24; that is, the positioning cylinder is vertically connected to the top of the copper tube clamping cylinder 24, and the telescopic rod of the positioning cylinder faces upward. It should be noted here that the positioning cylinder can be directly installed on the copper tube clamping cylinder 24, or it can be installed on a plate-like structure. For the convenience of installation, in this embodiment, the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 and the positioning cylinder are both installed on a plate-like structure, and the plate-like structure is fixed on the first Y-axis module 23; the telescopic rod of the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 faces horizontally outward; the positioning U plate is a U-shaped structure, which is formed by bending a flat plate twice; the first positioning groove is a triangular notch, which is relatively arranged on the two free ends of the positioning U plate, from The copper tube is supported and positioned at two points; in this embodiment, the first positioning member 25 and the second positioning member 26 are arranged at a 90-degree angle, and the reason for this arrangement is that the copper tube is a 90-degree curved tube structure, and the copper tube needs to be positioned and limited in two directions respectively; if the copper tube is a straight tube structure, the first positioning member 25 may not be provided; the second positioning member 26 includes a positioning plate and a second positioning groove; there are two second positioning members 26, which are respectively located at the top surface of the top copper tube clamping cylinder 24 and the bottom copper tube At the bottom surface of the clamping cylinder 24; thereby forming copper tube discharge limit stops on both sides of the copper tube clamping cylinder 24; the positioning plate can be fixed on the copper tube clamping cylinder 24, or it can be fixed on the plate-like structure, and the second positioning groove is a triangular notch formed by the inward depression at the end of the positioning plate; and the center position of the arc groove bottom of the second positioning groove coincides with the center of the angle position of the copper tube clamping cylinder 24, thereby ensuring that the copper tube positioned by the second positioning groove coincides with the clamping center of the copper tube clamping cylinder 36, which is convenient for accurately positioning the copper tube position.

[0105] When in use, when clamping the copper tube, the positioning cylinder rises, and the top positioning U plate is connected to the positioning cylinder. At this time, the top positioning U plate is at the upper limit position, which is used to limit the feeding height of the copper tube. The copper tube is clamped by the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 after determining the accurate feeding position according to the second positioning grooves of the two second positioning members 26 and the top first positioning groove. The copper tube is clamped, and the copper tube is clamped. At this time, the copper tube is clamped, and then the first X-axis module 22 is moved to the corresponding insertion station. The first X-axis module 22 is installed on the first frame 21, and the two first Y-axis modules 23 are installed on the first X-axis module 22 through the mounting plate. Each first Y-axis module 23 is installed with a positioning cylinder (cylinder mounting plate installation); the second positioning member 26 is used to clamp the copper tube placement position.

[0106] The copper tube transplanting mechanism is responsible for receiving the copper tube from the previous workstation and transplanting the copper tube, and at the same time cooperates with the copper nut transplanting mechanism to complete the nut insertion operation of the copper tube.

[0107] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the detection mechanism 6 includes a mounting frame 61, an adjustable slide 62, a camera 63, and a light source 64; wherein:

[0108] The mounting frame 61 is an L-shaped structure, and the bottom is fixed on the workbench 1;

[0109] The light source 64 and the camera 63 are arranged one above the other and are movably connected to the mounting frame 61 via an adjustable slide 62 .

[0110] Specifically, the camera 63 is an industrial camera 63, which is connected to a slider in the adjustable slide 62;

[0111] The light source 64 is a camera 63 light source 64, connected to another slider in the adjustable slide 62;

[0112] The two sliders are respectively connected to the slide rails located at the top of the mounting frame 61. The camera 63 and the light source 64 can be raised and lowered through the adjustable slide 62, so as to detect whether there is any deformation or distortion of the circular appearance at the bottom of the copper tube. If there is deformation, it will be treated as an abnormal part.

[0113] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the abnormal material taking mechanism 4 includes a second frame 41, a rotary cylinder 42, a telescopic positioning cylinder 43, a material taking clamping cylinder 44, and a third positioning member 45; wherein:

[0114] The second frame 41 is a frame structure, which is vertically arranged on the top of the workbench 1 to increase the height of the abnormal material removal mechanism 4;

[0115] The rotary cylinder 42 is installed on the top of the second frame 41 and can rotate circumferentially to take the copper tube at the material taking point, and then rotate to the material throwing point to discard the copper tube;

[0116] The telescopic positioning cylinder 43 is installed on the rotary cylinder 42; it should be noted that, in this embodiment, there are two telescopic positioning cylinders 43, and the two telescopic positioning cylinders 43 are fixed to the top of the rotary cylinder 42 through a cylinder connecting plate;

[0117] There are two material-grabbing clamping cylinders 44, which are respectively installed on the top of the two telescopic positioning cylinders 43, and can move forward or backward to carry out material-grabbing under the drive of the telescopic positioning cylinders 43; specifically, the material-grabbing clamping cylinders 44 are connected to the telescopic positioning cylinders 43 through a material-grabbing connecting plate;

[0118] The third positioning member 45 is installed on the top of the material taking and clamping cylinder 44. It should be noted that the structure of the third positioning member 45 is similar to that of the second positioning member 26, both of which are plate-shaped structures, and a third positioning groove is opened at the end of the plate; and the center of the bottom of the third positioning groove coincides with the clamping center of the material taking and clamping cylinder 44.

[0119] During use, when the visual inspection mechanism 6 detects that the copper tube is abnormal, the telescopic positioning cylinder 43 extends to the clamping position, the third positioning groove of the third positioning member 45 (limiting sheet metal part) limits the copper tube, the material taking and clamping cylinder 44 clamps the copper tube, the copper tube clamping cylinder 24 on the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 is released, and the telescopic positioning cylinder 43 retracts. At this time, the abnormal copper tube is taken out, and then the rotary cylinder 42 rotates 90 degrees to the throwing position for throwing, and the action is completed.

[0120] The abnormal material taking mechanism 4 is responsible for picking up and placing the workpiece (copper tube) detected with abnormality.

[0121] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 includes a second drive assembly, a nut clamping cylinder 34, a cannula guide cylinder 35, a copper tube clamping cylinder 36, and a cannula positioning cylinder 37, wherein:

[0122] The second driving assembly is mounted on the workbench 1;

[0123] The intubation positioning cylinder 37 is installed on the second driving assembly and can move in three coordinates under the drive of the second driving assembly;

[0124] The copper tube clamping cylinder 36 is installed on the insert tube positioning cylinder 37;

[0125] The intubation guide cylinder 35 is installed on the second drive assembly and is located below the copper tube clamping cylinder 36;

[0126] The nut clamping cylinder 34 is installed on the second driving assembly and is located below the insertion tube guide cylinder 35; when inserted, the guide hole of the insertion tube guide cylinder 35, the clamping center of the nut clamping cylinder 34, and the clamping center of the copper tube clamping cylinder 36 coincide.

[0127] Furthermore, the second driving assembly includes a second X-axis module 31, a second Y-axis module 32, a Z-axis module 33, and a first guide rail 38; wherein:

[0128] There are two first guide rails 38, which are arranged in parallel and at intervals;

[0129] The second X-axis module 31 is disposed between the two first guide rails 38;

[0130] There are two second Y-axis modules 32, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart on the second mounting plate, and the second mounting plate is connected to the second X-axis module 31 and the first guide rail 38;

[0131] There are two Z-axis modules 33 , which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and are respectively connected to the two second Y-axis modules 32 .

[0132] Specifically, the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 of the present invention is composed of a second X-axis module 31, two second Y-axis modules 32, two Z-axis modules 33 and a number of cylinders. The second X-axis module 31 is fixed on the top surface of the workbench 1; two second Y-axis modules 32 are connected to the second X-axis module 31 through a mounting plate to share the load pressure; two linear first guide rails 38 are also installed at both ends of the first X-axis module 22 to assist the partial movement of the second Y-axis module 32; the spacing between the two second Y-axis modules 32 is the same as the spacing between the two first Y-axis modules 23 in the copper tube transfer mechanism 2; the Z-axis module 33 is connected to the second Y-axis module 32 through a connecting plate; each cylinder is installed on a cylinder mounting seat, and the cylinder mounting seat is connected to the Z-axis module 33 through a cylinder connecting plate. Specifically, each cylinder includes: 1. A nut clamping cylinder 34. The second robot takes the nut and moves it to the center of the nut clamping cylinder 34 to clamp it, which is responsible for the clamping of the nut. 2. Copper tube clamping cylinder 36, used to clamp and fix the copper tube during the insertion action, connected to the insertion tube positioning cylinder 37. 3. Insertion tube positioning cylinder 37, when completing the insertion action, in order to position and clamp the copper tube, the copper tube positioning cylinder will push out the copper tube clamping cylinder 36 and send it to the clamping position to position and clamp the copper tube; 4. Insertion tube guide cylinder 35, the end of which is connected to the guide piece 39, the cylinder opens and closes, and guides and corrects the insertion of the copper tube to ensure the insertion accuracy. It should be noted that the guide piece 39 is composed of two semicircular guide cylinders, which are assembled together to form a circular guide cylinder to guide the copper tube.

[0133] The copper nut transplanting mechanism is responsible for receiving the copper nuts from the 6-axis robot loading unit and cooperating with the copper tube transplanting mechanism to complete the nut insertion operation of the copper tube.

[0134] As a further improvement of the present invention, the flux coating mechanism 5 includes a coating cylinder 51, a substrate 52, a buffer plate 53, a coating cotton column 55, and a feeding mechanism; wherein:

[0135] The coating cylinder 51 is suspended on the top of the workbench 1;

[0136] The substrate 52 is connected to the coating cylinder 51;

[0137] The buffer plate 53 is arranged parallel to the base plate 52 and is movably connected via a guide structure 54;

[0138] The dip-coated cotton column 55 is arranged at the bottom of the buffer plate 53;

[0139] The feeding mechanism is connected to the dip-coating cotton column 55 to continuously supply soldering flux.

[0140] The soldering flux coating mechanism 5 is responsible for coating the soldering flux at the copper nut socket.

[0141] The overall action flow of the automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts of the present invention is as follows:

[0142] 1. After the copper tube machine produces the copper tube, the first robot transfers the copper tube to the copper tube transfer mechanism 2. The copper tube transfer mechanism 2 moves to the inspection mechanism 6 for appearance inspection. After passing the inspection, it moves to the insertion station to wait for insertion. If the inspection fails, the abnormal material removal mechanism 4 takes away the unqualified parts and waits for the next batch of parts to circulate;

[0143] 2. The second robot takes visual photos from the copper nut transport line to identify the angle of the nut, takes the material and adjusts the posture at the same time, and places it on the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 at a specified angle; then the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 moves to the position of the flux coating mechanism 5, and the flux coating mechanism 5 performs flux coating; after completion, the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 moves to the insertion station and waits for insertion;

[0144] 3. When the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 and the copper nut mechanism both arrive at the insertion station, the insertion action is performed. After completion, the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 returns to the initial position, and the copper nut mechanism sends the inserted copper tube to the next station. The process ends and resets to wait for the next cycle.

[0145] The present invention provides a pipe insertion method, which is completed by using an automatic insertion device for copper pipes and nuts, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0146] Step S1, the first robot delivers the copper tube to the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 at the first loading position;

[0147] Step S2, the copper tube transfer mechanism 2 is transferred to the detection station where the detection mechanism 6 is located;

[0148] Step S3: After the inspection is qualified, the transfer mechanism continues to operate to transfer the copper tube to the insertion station;

[0149] Step S4, the second robot takes a photo to pick up the material, adjusts its posture after picking up the material, and places the copper nut on the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 at the second loading position;

[0150] Step S5, the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 moves to the bottom of the flux coating mechanism 5 to complete the flux coating;

[0151] Step S6: After the coating is completed, the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 continues to move and stays at the insertion station;

[0152] Step S7: The copper tube transfer mechanism 2 and the copper nut transfer mechanism 3 cooperate to complete the insertion of the copper tube and the copper nut.

[0153] It should be noted that steps S1-S3 and steps S4-S6 are performed synchronously.

[0154] The present invention solves the problem of insufficient accuracy of robot operations in the old solution. The new solution adopts industrial vision to greatly increase the accuracy during the operation, making the product insertion process more convenient; at the same time, it also has the characteristics of stable structure, simple structure and easy debugging.

[0155] First of all, it should be explained here that “inward” refers to the direction toward the center of the accommodating space, and “outward” refers to the direction away from the center of the accommodating space.

[0156] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate directions or positional relationships based on the attached Figure 1 The orientation or positional relationship shown is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0157] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0158] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0159] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0160] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0161] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic insertion device for copper tubes and nuts, characterized in that: It includes a workbench, a copper tube transfer mechanism, a copper nut transfer mechanism, an abnormal material removal mechanism, a flux coating mechanism and a detection mechanism; among which: The workbench is provided with an insertion station, a first loading station and a second loading station; The copper tube transfer mechanism is movably arranged on the workbench and can reciprocate between the first loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper tube from the first loading position to the insertion position for insertion; The copper nut transfer mechanism is movably arranged on the workbench and can reciprocate between the second loading position and the insertion position, so as to transport the copper nut from the second loading position to the insertion position for insertion with the copper tube; The detection mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located on the travel route of the copper tube transfer mechanism to perform appearance detection on the transported copper tube; The abnormal material taking mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located beside the detection mechanism, and is used to take out the defective copper tubes transported by the copper tube transplanting mechanism; The soldering flux coating mechanism is arranged on the workbench and is located on the travel route of the copper nut transfer mechanism so as to coat the soldering flux at the copper nut insertion hole.

2. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The copper tube transfer mechanism comprises a first frame, a first driving assembly, a copper tube clamping cylinder, a first positioning member, a second positioning member and a sensor; wherein: The copper tube clamping cylinder is installed on the first frame through the first driving assembly; driven by the first driving assembly, the copper tube clamping cylinder can perform left and right lifting movements; The first positioning member is movably mounted above the copper tube clamping cylinder to perform first point positioning on the copper tube; The second positioning member is arranged at the top and the bottom of the copper tube clamping cylinder to perform a second three-point positioning on the copper tube; The sensor is mounted on the first driving assembly to detect whether the copper pipe is in place.

3. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The first driving assembly includes a first X-axis module and a first Y-axis module; wherein: The first X-axis module is fixed on the first frame; The first Y-axis module is fixed on the first X-axis module.

4. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are two copper tube clamping cylinders, one above and one below; the sensor is arranged between the two copper tube clamping cylinders.

5. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection mechanism includes a mounting frame, an adjustable slide, a camera, and a light source; wherein: The mounting frame is fixed to the workbench; The light source and the camera are arranged one above the other and are movably connected to the mounting frame via the adjustable slide.

6. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The abnormal material taking mechanism comprises a second frame, a rotary cylinder, a telescopic positioning cylinder, a material taking clamping cylinder, and a third positioning member; wherein: The rotary cylinder is mounted on the top of the second frame; The telescopic positioning cylinder is installed on the rotary cylinder; The material taking and clamping cylinder is installed on the telescopic positioning cylinder; The third positioning member is installed on the top of the material taking and clamping cylinder.

7. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The copper nut transfer mechanism includes a second drive assembly, a nut clamping cylinder, a tube guide cylinder, a copper tube clamping cylinder, and a tube positioning cylinder, wherein: The second driving assembly is mounted on the workbench; The intubation positioning cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and can move in three coordinates under the drive of the second driving assembly; The copper tube clamping cylinder is installed on the insert tube positioning cylinder; The intubation guide cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and is located below the copper tube clamping cylinder; The nut clamping cylinder is installed on the second driving assembly and is located below the tube guide cylinder; when inserted, the guide hole of the tube guide cylinder, the clamping center of the nut clamping cylinder, and the clamping center of the copper tube clamping cylinder coincide with each other.

8. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second driving assembly includes a second X-axis module, a second Y-axis module, a Z-axis module, and a first guide rail; wherein: There are two first guide rails, which are arranged in parallel and at intervals; The second X-axis module is arranged between the two first guide rails; There are two second Y-axis modules, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart on a second mounting plate, and the second mounting plate is connected to the second X-axis module and the first guide rail; There are two Z-axis modules, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and are respectively connected to the two second Y-axis modules.

9. The automatic insertion equipment for copper tubes and nuts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The soldering flux coating mechanism comprises a coating cylinder, a substrate, a buffer plate, a coating cotton column, and a feeding mechanism; wherein: The coating cylinder is suspended on the top of the workbench; The substrate is connected to the coating cylinder; The buffer plate is arranged parallel to the base plate and is movably connected to the base plate via a guide structure; The dip-coated cotton column is arranged at the bottom of the buffer plate; The feeding mechanism is connected to the dip-coating cotton column to continuously supply soldering flux.

10. A method for intubation, characterized in that: The method is completed by using the automatic insertion equipment of the copper tube and the nut as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the method comprises the following steps: The first robot delivers the copper tube to the copper tube transfer mechanism at the first loading position; The copper tube transfer mechanism transfers the copper tube to the testing station where the testing mechanism is located; After passing the test, the transfer mechanism continues to operate to transfer the copper tube to the insertion station; The second robot takes a photo to pick up the material, adjusts its posture after picking up the material, and places the copper nut on the copper nut transfer mechanism at the second loading position; The copper nut transfer mechanism moves to the bottom of the flux coating mechanism to complete the flux coating; After the coating is completed, the copper nut transfer mechanism continues to move and stays at the insertion station; The copper tube transfer mechanism and the copper nut transfer mechanism cooperate to complete the insertion of the copper tube and the copper nut.

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