Automatic positioning device and method for transportation box

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic positioning device and method for a transportation box, and relates to the technical field of transportation box conveying and positioning. Comprising a conversion box body, a transfer motor is arranged on the side wall of the conversion box body, the output end of the transfer motor is connected with a positioning motor base, the positioning motor base is located in a cavity, a positioning motor is arranged on the positioning motor base, and the output end of the positioning motor penetrates through the positioning motor base to be rotationally connected with an electromagnet; the electromagnet is used for fixing the transportation box from the transmission pipe based on magnetic force; the positioning motor is used for driving the electromagnet and the transportation box to rotate relative to the positioning motor base so as to adjust the posture of the transportation box; the transfer motor is used for driving the positioning motor base to rotate relative to the receiving pipe, and the conveying box on the positioning motor base and the receiving pipe are concentric in position. Pose adjustment and movement direction adjustment of the transportation box are achieved through the two driving devices in the conversion box body, so that the transportation box can be in the ideal pose when reaching the receiving position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of transport box transmission and positioning, and in particular to an automatic positioning device and method for a transport box. Background Art

[0002] Pneumatic transmission is a logistics technology widely used in the field of material transmission. Traditional pneumatic transmission generally only needs to transport samples or materials from the starting point to the end point, and there is no requirement for its movement posture, and in most cases, workers are required to load and unload materials. For the transportation of toxic, radioactive and other materials that are harmful to the human body, direct contact with personnel should be avoided, and they should be placed in transport boxes for transportation. In order to control costs, pneumatic transmission pipelines generally use standard caliber round tubes, so the transport boxes are generally cylindrical, which causes the transport boxes to rotate freely during the transmission process. This is very unfavorable for situations where there are requirements for the posture of the transport box when it arrives at the receiving point.

[0003] For materials that are toxic, radioactive, or harmful to the human body, even if they are not in the ideal position when they arrive at the receiving point, human intervention is impossible and the position can only be adjusted by robots. This will undoubtedly consume additional adjustment time and robot control costs, which is not conducive to industrial production. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic positioning device and method for a transport box, which respectively realizes the position adjustment and movement direction adjustment of the transport box through two sets of driving devices in the conversion box body, so that the transport box can be in an ideal position when it arrives at the receiving point, and at the same time effectively reduces the impact force when the transport box finally reaches the contact point, thereby improving the safety of the overall device and solving the problems in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides an automatic positioning device for a transport box.

[0007] An automatic positioning device for a transport box, comprising a conversion box body, a transmission tube and a receiving tube, wherein a chamber is arranged in the conversion box body, the transmission tube and the receiving tube are both connected to the chamber, and a support seat and a sampling port are arranged at the end of the receiving tube; a transport motor is arranged on the side wall of the conversion box body, the output end of the transport motor is connected to a positioning motor seat, the positioning motor seat is located inside the chamber, a positioning motor is arranged on the positioning motor seat, and the output end of the positioning motor passes through the positioning motor seat and is rotatably connected to an electromagnet; wherein:

[0008] The electromagnet is used to fix the transport box from the transport tube based on magnetic force;

[0009] The positioning motor is used to drive the electromagnet and the transport box to rotate relative to the positioning motor seat to adjust the position of the transport box;

[0010] The transfer motor is used to drive the positioning motor seat to rotate relative to the receiving tube, so that the transport box on the positioning motor seat is concentric with the receiving tube.

[0011] As an optional technical solution, the transmission tube and the receiving tube are arranged on adjacent side walls of the conversion box body, and the shape of the chamber is columnar.

[0012] As an optional technical solution, the two ends of the positioning motor seat are connected to the side walls of the conversion box body through the first bearing and the second bearing respectively, the output end of the transfer motor is connected to the positioning motor seat through the first coupling, and the outer diameter of the first coupling is adapted to the inner ring of the first bearing.

[0013] As an optional technical solution, a bearing mounting seat is provided in the positioning motor seat, a third bearing is provided on the bearing mounting seat, the output end of the positioning motor is connected to the electromagnet mounting seat through a second coupling, the outer diameter of the second coupling is adapted to the inner ring of the third bearing, the electromagnet is provided on the electromagnet mounting seat, and the electromagnet is concentrically arranged with the output shaft of the positioning motor.

[0014] As an optional technical solution, a stress ring is further provided on the outer diameter of the third coupling, and the stress ring is in contact with the end face of the bearing mounting seat.

[0015] As an optional technical solution, the transport box includes an upper surface, a lower surface and a box body arranged between the upper surface and the lower surface, the box body is provided with a sample storage groove and a guide groove, and the guide groove is arranged opposite to the sample storage groove; a first positioning groove is arranged on the upper surface, and a second positioning groove is arranged on the lower surface;

[0016] The positioning motor seat is provided with a laser sensor, which is used to emit a laser beam parallel to the axial direction of the electromagnet and to detect whether the guide slot is rotated into place through the laser beam.

[0017] As an optional technical solution, a first positioning bead is provided on the lower end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat, and the first positioning bead is adapted to the position of the first positioning groove; a second positioning bead is provided on the upper end surface of the support seat, and the second positioning bead is adapted to the position of the second positioning groove.

[0018] As an optional technical solution, a guide shaft is provided in the receiving tube, and the guide shaft is adapted to the guide groove on the transport box; the support seat is provided at the end of the receiving tube, and an air supply port is provided in the center of the support seat, and the air supply port is connected to the receiving tube; the sampling port is provided on the side wall of the receiving tube.

[0019] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for automatically positioning a transport box.

[0020] A method for automatically positioning a transport box comprises the following steps:

[0021] After the transport box reaches the end of the transfer tube, the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force;

[0022] The laser sensor emits a laser beam to detect whether the transport box is in place. If not, the positioning motor drives the transport box to rotate until the laser detector detects that the transport box is in place.

[0023] After the transport box is adjusted to the correct position, the transfer motor drives the positioning motor seat and the transport box thereon to rotate relative to the receiving tube as a whole until the transport box is concentric with the receiving tube.

[0024] At this time, the electromagnet loses its magnetic force, and the transport box falls along the receiving tube to the support seat at the end due to gravity, and the robot takes out the transport box through the sampling port.

[0025] As optional technical solutions, it also includes:

[0026] When the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force, the transport box is positioned through the first positioning groove on the upper surface of the transport box and the first positioning bead on the lower end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat;

[0027] When the transport box falls along the receiving tube due to gravity, the guide grooves on the transport box body and the guide shafts provided at the receiving tube cooperate with each other to achieve positioning of the transport box during the falling process;

[0028] When the transport box falls to the support seat at the end of the receiving tube, the transport box is positioned by the second positioning groove on the lower surface of the transport box and the second positioning beads on the upper end surface of the support seat.

[0029] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. The present invention provides an automatic positioning device and method for a transport box, which can well cope with the situation where there are requirements for the posture of the transport box when it arrives at the receiving place. By setting a conversion box body, a transmission tube and a receiving tube, two sets of driving devices are used in the conversion box body to respectively realize the posture adjustment and movement direction adjustment of the transport box, so that the transport box can be in an ideal posture when it arrives at the receiving place, and at the same time effectively reduce the impact force when the transport box finally reaches the contact point, thereby improving the safety of the overall device; finally, the transport box can be successfully taken out by relying on the simple control and action execution of the robot, thereby reducing the production cost.

[0031] 2. In the two sets of driving devices provided in the present invention, one motor cooperates with the laser sensor to control the rotation of the transport box, so that the transport box can adjust its own posture to facilitate the removal of the robot when it reaches the final receiving place; the other motor controls the movement direction of the transport box to make the position of the transport box concentric with the receiving tube, so that the transport box can maintain the adjusted posture and move along the guide shaft to the receiving place. The overall mechanical structure is easy to implement, the movement process is stable, and the degree of automation is improved.

[0032] 3. The laser sensor is used to emit a laser beam parallel to the axis of the electromagnet, and detect whether the guide slot is rotated into place through the laser beam. When the guide slot is not rotated into place, the laser beam hits the transport box body. When the guide slot is rotated into place, the laser beam is irradiated into the guide slot, thereby distinguishing whether the transport box is rotated into place.

[0033] 4. The present invention can improve the positioning accuracy of the transport box and achieve a high-precision positioning effect by cooperating between the first positioning bead and the first positioning groove, and cooperating between the second positioning bead and the second positioning groove.

[0034] 5. Avoid the risk of material damage caused by impact. When transporting toxic or radioactive items, it is necessary to ensure that the transmission is safe and reliable and the items are intact. However, the speed is often very high during pneumatic transmission, and the impact force is large when arriving at the receiving end, which can easily damage the transported items. The present invention installs an automatic positioning device above the receiving end. When the transport box reaches the positioning device, it is adsorbed and fixed by the magnetic force of the electromagnet and stops high-speed movement. After the posture adjustment is completed, it falls to the receiving end by gravity. Without air pressure push, the speed will be greatly reduced, and the impact force will be reduced, thereby avoiding damage to the items in the transport box.

[0035] 6. The positioning device has a simple structure, is stable and reliable, and is easy to install. The positioning device of the present invention has a simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and a motor shaft protection mechanism, which enables the device to operate stably for a long time. The device is a box cover type as a whole, which is easy to install and maintain, and is installed above the receiving place without occupying the receiving place space, making the receiving place structure simpler. For areas with strong radiation, the receiving tube can be extended so that the positioning device can be installed in a non-radiation area to prevent sensors, motors, etc. from being affected by radiation.

[0036] 7. The present invention reduces the risk to personnel. The automatic positioning of the transport box is achieved through the cooperation of electromagnets, sensors, motors, etc., and the staff does not need to get close to the toxic or radioactive items being transported.

[0037] Of course, any product implementing the present invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying creative work.

[0039] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the external structure of a positioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the internal front view and cross-sectional structure of a positioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified schematic diagram of the middle part of the structure.

[0042] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional structure of a positioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a transport box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a transport box according to an embodiment of the present invention from another angle.

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the transport box transfer process according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0046] In the accompanying drawings, the components represented by the reference numerals are listed as follows:

[0047] 1 first shell, 2 receiving tube, 3 second shell, 4 transmission tube, 5 positioning motor, 6 transport box, 7 guide shaft, 8 conversion box body, 9 guide shaft positioning hole, 10 support seat, 11 laser sensor, 12 bearing mounting seat, 13 third bearing, 14 force ring, 15 electromagnet mounting seat, 16 electromagnet, 17 first positioning bead, 18 second positioning bead, 19 air supply port, 20 sampling port, 21 second coupling, 22 positioning motor seat, 23 second bearing, 24 second retaining spring, 25 first retaining spring, 26 first bearing, 27 transport motor, 28 first coupling, 29 chamber, 30 upper surface, 31 lower surface, 32 box body, 33 sample storage groove, 34 guide groove, 35 first positioning groove, 36 second positioning groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] Embodiment 1:

[0050] As described in the aforementioned background technology, in order to solve the problem that the cylindrical transport box 6 rotates in an undirected manner during the movement in the pneumatic transmission tube 4, resulting in the transport box 6 being unable to be in an ideal position when arriving at the receiving end, this embodiment proposes a solution and provides an automatic positioning device for the transport box 6. By setting a conversion box body 8, a transmission tube 4 and a receiving tube 2, two sets of driving devices are used in the conversion box body 8 to respectively adjust the position and movement direction of the transport box 6, so that the transport box 6 can be in an ideal position when arriving at the receiving end, and at the same time, the impact force when the transport box 6 finally reaches the contact point is effectively reduced, thereby improving the safety of the overall device; finally, the transport box 6 can be successfully taken out by relying on the simple control and action execution of the manipulator, thereby reducing production costs, avoiding manual intervention, and eliminating the need to worry about the risk of injury to personnel caused by toxic and harmful substances; automation is achieved, the risk of accidents is reduced, and safety is improved. It is also easy to install and can withstand the impact of heavy transport boxes 6.

[0051] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention is an automatic positioning device for a transport box. Figure 1 : is an external schematic diagram of the automatic positioning device, which as a whole includes a conversion box body 8, a transmission tube 4 and a receiving tube 2. A chamber 29 is provided in the conversion box body 8, and the transmission tube 4 and the receiving tube 2 are both connected to the chamber 29. A support seat 10 and a sampling port 20 are provided at the end of the receiving tube 2. When the transport box 6 is transported, the transmission tube 4 of this embodiment is connected to the end of the pneumatic transmission tube 4. The transport box 6 will be transported from the pneumatic transmission tube 4 to the transmission tube 4 of this embodiment, and then arrive at the cavity of the conversion box body 8, and adjust the posture and movement direction. Finally, it will fall along the receiving tube 2 to the receiving place, that is, the sampling port 20, and be grasped by the manipulator.

[0052] More specifically, the conversion box body 8 is mainly composed of a first shell 1 and a second shell 3. The first shell 1 and the second shell 3 of the conversion box body 8 are assembled into one piece by screws, and a stopper is provided on the joint surface of the two shells, so that the two shells can be joined more accurately and have better sealing performance. Figure 4As shown; in addition, the transmission tube 4 and the receiving tube 2 are both installed on the outer shell of the positioning device conversion box body 8, and the installation positions are provided with stoppers to ensure the concentricity of the assembly process of the pipe and the mounting holes reserved on the outer shell, so that the accuracy of the transport box 6 during the positioning process can be guaranteed.

[0053] The receiving tube 2 is provided with a sampling port 20 and an air supply port 19 . The robot can directly take out the sample in the transport box 6 from the sampling port 20 . Therefore, the sample in the transport box 6 must face the sampling port 20 . This is why there are requirements for the position of the transport box 6 .

[0054] An air supply port 19 is provided at the bottom of the receiving tube 2, which is a reserved air supply interface for sending the transport box 6 back to the starting end. When the robot takes the sample, the transport box 6 can be transferred back to the starting point, so as to realize the reuse of the transport box 6 and reduce costs.

[0055] The transmission tube 4 and the receiving tube 2 are arranged on different side walls of the conversion box body 8. In this embodiment, the transmission tube 4 and the receiving tube 2 are located on adjacent side walls of the conversion box body 8, so that when adjusting the movement direction of the transport box 6, it is only necessary to control the output shaft of the transfer motor 27 to rotate 90°. The shape of the chamber 29 is set to be cylindrical in order to facilitate the adjustment of the movement direction of the transport box 6 and not cause interference during the adjustment process.

[0056] When the transport box 6 arrives in the chamber 29 of the conversion box body 8, the position of the transport box 6 needs to be adjusted first, and then the moving direction of the transport box 6 after the position adjustment is completed is adjusted. This is mainly controlled by two motors, one motor controls the deflection of the transport box 6 so that the transport box 6 can adjust its own posture, and the other motor controls the moving direction of the transport box 6 so that the transport box 6 can maintain the adjusted posture and move along the guide shaft 7 to the receiving place.

[0057] A transfer motor 27 is provided on the side wall of the conversion box body 8, and the output end of the transfer motor 27 is connected to a positioning motor seat 22, and the positioning motor seat 22 is located inside the chamber 29. A positioning motor 5 is provided on the positioning motor seat 22, and the output end of the positioning motor 5 passes through the positioning motor seat 22 and is rotatably connected to an electromagnet 16; wherein:

[0058] The electromagnet 16 is used to fix the transport box 6 from the transport tube 4 based on magnetic force;

[0059] The positioning motor 5 is used to drive the electromagnet 16 and the transport box 6 to rotate relative to the positioning motor seat 22 to adjust the position of the transport box 6;

[0060] The transfer motor 27 is used to drive the positioning motor seat 22 to rotate relative to the receiving tube 2 so that the transport box 6 on the positioning motor seat 22 and the receiving tube 2 are concentric.

[0061] Therefore, after the transport box 6 is fixed by the electromagnet 16, the positioning motor 5 is operated to drive the transport box 6 to rotate, thereby changing the orientation of the transport box 6 when it finally arrives at the receiving location, so as to facilitate the robot to perform a simple grasping action. After the transport box 6 rotates to the ideal position, the movement direction of the transport box 6 is adjusted so that it can be in a concentric position with the receiving tube 2, so that the transport box 6 finally falls along the receiving tube 2 due to gravity.

[0062] During the posture adjustment stage of the above process, the transport box 6 is attracted and fixed by the electromagnet 16, and the high-speed movement caused by the pneumatic propulsion has been stopped. After the posture adjustment is completed, it falls to the receiving place by gravity without air pressure propulsion, so that the impact force of the transport box 6 when it arrives at the receiving place can be controlled, the speed will be greatly reduced, and the impact force will be reduced, thereby avoiding damage to the items in the transport box 6.

[0063] Next, the two sets of driving devices for adjusting the posture and the movement direction of the transport box 6 in this embodiment will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 is an internal cross-sectional view of the positioning device, Figure 3 The enlarged part is the transfer mechanism of the positioning device. The transfer mechanism is the main component for realizing the positioning of the transportation device, which mainly includes a transfer motor 27, a positioning motor 5, a positioning motor seat 22, a laser sensor 11, a bearing mounting seat 12, a third bearing 13, a force ring 14, a second coupling 21, an electromagnet mounting seat 15, an electromagnet 16, a positioning bead, a first bearing 26, a first retaining spring 25, a first coupling 28, a second bearing 23, a second retaining spring 24 and the like.

[0065] The two ends of the positioning motor seat 22 are connected to the side wall of the conversion box body 8 through the first bearing 26 and the second bearing 23 respectively, so as to ensure that the positioning motor seat 22 can rotate. The first bearing 26 is installed on the bearing mounting hole reserved in the second shell 3, and the bearing 26 is blocked by the first retaining spring 25 to prevent the bearing from falling out; similarly, the second bearing 23 is installed on the bearing mounting hole reserved in the first shell 1, and is blocked by the second retaining spring 24; the output end of the transfer motor 27 is connected to the positioning motor seat 22 through the first coupling 28, and the outer diameter of the first coupling 28 is adapted to the inner ring of the first bearing 26, so as to realize the driving of the positioning motor seat 22 by the transfer motor 27 to rotate;

[0066] A bearing mounting seat 12 is arranged in the positioning motor seat 22, and a third bearing 13 is arranged on the bearing mounting seat 12. The output end of the positioning motor 5 is connected to the electromagnet mounting seat 15 through the second coupling 21. The outer diameter of the second coupling 21 is adapted to the inner ring of the third bearing 13. The electromagnet 16 is arranged on the electromagnet mounting seat 15, and the electromagnet 16 is arranged concentrically with the output shaft of the positioning motor 5, so as to realize the driving of the electromagnet mounting seat 15 to rotate by the positioning motor 5, and then realize the driving of the transport box 6 to rotate.

[0067] Among them, Figure 4 As shown, the transfer motor 27 is installed on the first housing 1, and the motor shaft of the transfer motor 27 is connected to the positioning motor seat 22 by the first coupling 28. The operating motor can drive the positioning motor seat 22 to rotate; the first bearing 26 and the second bearing 23 serve as installation limits for the positioning motor seat 22, which can make the positioning motor seat 22 rotate with the bearings, while protecting the motor shaft of the transfer motor 27 from radial impact force to avoid damage to the motor.

[0068] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the positioning motor 5 is installed on the positioning motor seat 22, the positioning motor seat 22 and the electromagnet mounting seat 15 are connected by the second coupling 21, the outer diameter of the second coupling 21 cooperates with the third bearing 13, the third bearing 13 is installed on the bearing mounting seat 12, the bearing mounting seat 12 is installed on the positioning motor seat 22, and the positioning motor 5 can drive the electromagnet mounting seat 15 to rotate.

[0069] The electromagnet 16 is installed on the electromagnet mounting seat 15 and is concentric with the motor shaft of the positioning motor 5; the force ring 14 is installed on the outer diameter of the second coupling 21 and fits the end face of the bearing mounting seat 12. When the transport box 6 hits the electromagnet 16, the force ring 14 transmits the force to the bearing mounting seat 12, and then to the positioning motor seat 22, and finally to the first shell 1 and the second shell 3 of the positioning device. This protects the motor shaft of the positioning motor 5 from axial impact force and avoids damage to the motor.

[0070] The first positioning bead 17 is installed at the center of the end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat 15 to provide a more accurate positioning for the transport box 6 .

[0071] The specific structure of the transport box 6 is as follows Figure 5 and Figure 6The transport box 6 comprises an upper surface 30, a lower surface 31 and a box body 32 disposed between the upper surface 30 and the lower surface 31. The box body 32 is provided with a sample storage slot 33 and a guide slot 34, and the guide slot 34 is disposed opposite to the sample storage slot 33; a first positioning slot 35 is disposed on the upper surface 30, and a second positioning slot 36 is disposed on the lower surface 31; the first positioning bead 17 disposed on the lower end surface of the aforementioned electromagnet mounting seat 15 is adapted to the position of the first positioning slot 35; the second positioning bead 18 disposed on the upper end surface of the aforementioned support seat 10 is adapted to the position of the second positioning slot 36.

[0072] Among them, further:

[0073] The first positioning groove 35 is a central positioning groove, which is arranged at the central position of the upper surface 30 of the box body 32; the second positioning grooves 36 are three circumferentially evenly distributed positioning grooves, which are evenly arranged along the lower surface 31 of the box body 32. A sample storage groove 33 is opened in the middle, and a guide groove 34 is opened directly behind the sample storage groove 33. The first positioning bead 17 cooperates with the central positioning groove (first positioning groove 35) of the transport box 6 to complete precise positioning, and the second positioning bead 18 cooperates with the circumferentially evenly distributed positioning grooves (second positioning grooves 36) of the transport box 6 to complete precise positioning.

[0074] In addition, the laser sensor 11 installed on the positioning motor seat 22 is an important component for feedback of the posture of the transport box 6, and the feedback signal is used to control the rotation of the positioning motor 5. The laser sensor 11 is used to emit a laser beam parallel to the axial direction of the electromagnet 16, and is used to detect whether the guide slot 34 is rotated into place through the laser beam. When the guide slot 34 is not rotated into place, the laser beam hits the box body 32 of the transport box 6. When the guide slot 34 is rotated into place, the laser beam is irradiated into the guide slot 34, thereby distinguishing whether the transport box 6 is rotated into place.

[0075] In order to realize the positioning of the transport box 6 during the falling process in the receiving tube 2, the receiving tube 2 is equipped with a guide shaft 7, a guide shaft positioning hole 9, a transport box 6 support seat 10 and three second positioning beads 18 evenly distributed around the circumference. Figure 2 As shown, one end of the guide shaft 7 has a 90° bent section, which just fits into the guide shaft 7 fixing grooves reserved on the first shell 1 and the second shell 3 to keep the guide shaft 7 stable.

[0076] Furthermore, a guide shaft positioning hole 9 is provided at the end of the receiving tube 2, and the guide shaft positioning hole 9 is used to accommodate the end of the guide shaft 7. When the receiving tube 2 is installed with the positioning device housing, the guide shaft positioning hole 9 in the receiving tube 2 will be sleeved on the guide shaft 7, so that the lower end of the guide shaft 7 is restricted, thereby completely fixing the guide shaft 7. In this way, when the transport box 6 falls from above to the transport box 6 support seat 10, the guide groove 34 of the transport box 6 will fall along the guide shaft 7, and the guide shaft 7 will not swing or deviate.

[0077] There is a certain gap between the guide shaft 7 and the guide groove 34 on the transport box 6, so three second positioning beads 18 are installed on the support seat 10 of the transport box 6. When the second positioning beads 18 contact the lower end surface of the transport box 6, they will cooperate with the three second positioning grooves 36 thereon to position, so that the sample storage groove 33 of the transport box 6 can be guaranteed to be facing the sampling port 20 on the receiving tube 2, thereby realizing accurate positioning of the transport box 6 when it arrives at the receiving location.

[0078] The following will be combined with the attached Figure 7 Description of the specific process of automatic positioning of the transport box 6:

[0079] like Figure 7 As shown in (a), when the transport box 6 hits the electromagnet 16 from the transmission tube 4, the electromagnet 16 absorbs it, and at the same time, the first positioning bead 17 cooperates with the central positioning groove (first positioning groove 35) on the end surface of the transport box 6, so that the transport box 6 is concentric with the annular electromagnet 16;

[0080] At this time, the light beam of the laser sensor 11 will irradiate the transport box 6, and the positioning motor 5 will start to rotate. The length of the laser beam is about 50 mm, that is, the detection distance of the laser sensor 11 is 50 mm. When no object is detected within 50 mm, a signal indicating that the transport box 6 has been positioned and the posture has been aligned is issued. If an object is detected, the positioning motor 5 is controlled to continue to rotate until the guide groove 34 on the transport box 6 is almost facing the laser beam. At this time, the laser light speed will be in the guide groove 34 and no object can be detected, indicating that the transport box 6 has been positioned, and a signal indicating that the posture of the transport box 6 has been aligned is issued.

[0081] This signal will control the transfer motor 27 to rotate 90°. Figure 7 As shown in (b), the transport box 6 is turned toward the receiving tube 2, so that the transport box 6 and the receiving tube 2 are concentric, and after they are in place and stopped, the guide groove 34 of the transport box 6 is just matched with the guide shaft 7;

[0082] Then the electromagnet 16 is powered off and demagnetized, and the transport box 6 moves downward along the guide shaft 7 under the action of gravity. When the transport box 6 stops on the transport box 6 support seat 10, the second positioning bead 18 and the second positioning groove 36 at the bottom of the transport box 6 are used to achieve precise positioning, so that the sample storage groove 33 on the transport box 6 is opposite to the sampling port 20 on the receiving tube 2. At this point, the positioning of the transport box 6 is completed.

[0083] Embodiment 2:

[0084] This embodiment provides a method for automatically positioning a transport box.

[0085] A method for automatically positioning a transport box comprises the following steps:

[0086] After the transport box reaches the end of the transfer tube, the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force;

[0087] The laser sensor emits a laser beam to detect whether the transport box is in place. If not, the positioning motor drives the transport box to rotate until the laser detector detects that the transport box is in place.

[0088] After the transport box is adjusted to the correct position, the transfer motor drives the positioning motor seat and the transport box thereon to rotate relative to the receiving tube as a whole until the transport box is concentric with the receiving tube.

[0089] At this time, the electromagnet loses its magnetic force, and the transport box falls along the receiving tube to the support seat at the end due to gravity, and the robot takes out the transport box through the sampling port.

[0090] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0091] When the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force, the transport box is positioned through the first positioning groove on the upper surface of the transport box and the first positioning bead on the lower end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat;

[0092] When the transport box falls along the receiving tube due to gravity, the guide grooves on the transport box body and the guide shafts provided at the receiving tube cooperate with each other to achieve positioning of the transport box during the falling process;

[0093] When the transport box falls to the support seat at the end of the receiving tube, the transport box is positioned by the second positioning groove on the lower surface of the transport box and the second positioning beads on the upper end surface of the support seat.

[0094] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "example", "specific example", 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 representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0095] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are only used to help illustrate the present invention. The preferred embodiments do not describe all the details in detail, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementation methods described. Obviously, many modifications and changes can be made according to the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments in order to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can understand and use the present invention well. The present invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic positioning device for a transport box, characterized in that: It includes a conversion box body, a transmission tube and a receiving tube. A chamber is arranged in the conversion box body. The transmission tube and the receiving tube are both connected to the chamber. A support seat and a sampling port are arranged at the end of the receiving tube. A transport motor is arranged on the side wall of the conversion box body. The output end of the transport motor is connected to a positioning motor seat. The positioning motor seat is located inside the chamber. A positioning motor is arranged on the positioning motor seat. The output end of the positioning motor passes through the positioning motor seat and is rotatably connected to an electromagnet. Wherein: The electromagnet is used to fix the transport box from the transport tube based on magnetic force; The positioning motor is used to drive the electromagnet and the transport box to rotate relative to the positioning motor seat to adjust the position of the transport box; The transfer motor is used to drive the positioning motor seat to rotate relative to the receiving tube, so that the transport box on the positioning motor seat is concentric with the receiving tube.

2. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission tube and the receiving tube are arranged on adjacent side walls of the conversion box body, and the shape of the chamber is columnar.

3. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two ends of the positioning motor seat are connected to the side wall of the conversion box body through the first bearing and the second bearing respectively, the output end of the transfer motor is connected to the positioning motor seat through the first coupling, and the outer diameter of the first coupling is adapted to the inner ring of the first bearing.

4. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bearing mounting seat is arranged in the positioning motor seat, a third bearing is arranged on the bearing mounting seat, the output end of the positioning motor is connected to the electromagnet mounting seat through a second coupling, the outer diameter of the second coupling is matched with the inner ring of the third bearing, the electromagnet is arranged on the electromagnet mounting seat, and the electromagnet is arranged concentrically with the output shaft of the positioning motor.

5. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 4, characterized in that: A stress ring is also arranged on the outer diameter of the third coupling, and the stress ring is fitted with the end surface of the bearing mounting seat.

6. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transport box comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and a box body arranged between the upper surface and the lower surface, the box body is provided with a sample storage groove and a guide groove, the guide groove is arranged opposite to the sample storage groove; a first positioning groove is arranged on the upper surface, and a second positioning groove is arranged on the lower surface; The positioning motor seat is provided with a laser sensor, which is used to emit a laser beam parallel to the axial direction of the electromagnet and to detect whether the guide slot is rotated into place through the laser beam.

7. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lower end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat is provided with a first positioning bead, which is matched with the position of the first positioning groove; the upper end surface of the support seat is provided with a second positioning bead, which is matched with the position of the second positioning groove.

8. The automatic positioning device for a transport box according to claim 6, characterized in that: A guide shaft is arranged in the receiving tube, and the guide shaft is matched with the guide groove on the transport box; the support seat is arranged at the end of the receiving tube, and an air supply port is arranged in the center of the support seat, and the air supply port is connected with the receiving tube; the sampling port is arranged on the side wall of the receiving tube.

9. A method for automatically positioning a transport box, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: After the transport box reaches the end of the transfer tube, the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force; The laser sensor emits a laser beam to detect whether the transport box is in place. If not, the positioning motor drives the transport box to rotate until the laser detector detects that the transport box is in place. After the transport box is adjusted to the correct position, the transfer motor drives the positioning motor seat and the transport box thereon to rotate relative to the receiving tube as a whole until the transport box is concentric with the receiving tube. At this time, the electromagnet loses its magnetic force, and the transport box falls along the receiving tube to the support seat at the end due to gravity, and the robot takes out the transport box through the sampling port.

10. The automatic positioning method of the transport box according to claim 9, characterized in that: Also includes: When the electromagnet attracts and fixes the transport box based on magnetic force, the transport box is positioned through the first positioning groove on the upper surface of the transport box and the first positioning bead on the lower end surface of the electromagnet mounting seat; When the transport box falls along the receiving tube due to gravity, the guide grooves on the transport box body and the guide shafts provided at the receiving tube cooperate with each other to achieve positioning of the transport box during the falling process; When the transport box falls to the support seat at the end of the receiving tube, the transport box is positioned by the second positioning groove on the lower surface of the transport box and the second positioning beads on the upper end surface of the support seat.

Images