Automatic feeding equipment for logistics boxes

Abstract

An automatic feeding device for logistics boxes includes a frame equipped with a stop and a lifting frame, with a pair of guide rails below the stop; a pair of gripper assemblies hinged to both sides of the lifting frame; a first elastic element elastically connecting the lifting frame and a single gripper assembly; and a pair of bracket assemblies hinged to the other two sides of the lifting frame. When the lifting frame is at the bottom, the two bracket assemblies interact with the guide rails, swinging in opposite directions and positioned on either side of the logistics box, with the gripper assemblies gripping the logistics box against the elastic force of the first elastic element. When the lifting frame is at the top, the guide rails are released, and the bracket assemblies swing towards each other, with the lower part of the bracket assemblies positioned below the logistics box, guiding the logistics box to slide onto the feeding end of the conveyor line. The gripper assemblies interact with the stop, overcoming the elastic force of the first elastic element and rotating in opposite directions to release the logistics box onto the two bracket assemblies. Automatic feeding of logistics boxes is achieved using a single power drive, reducing the energy requirements and manufacturing and maintenance costs of the feeding equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of conveying equipment technology, and in particular to an automatic feeding device suitable for logistics boxes. Background Technology

[0002] In the existing technology, when automatically handling and loading logistics boxes containing parts, a combination of multiple moving mechanisms is usually used to achieve the gripping and automatic handling of the logistics boxes. The automatic handling process includes actions such as lifting, lateral movement, and gripping of the grippers, thereby improving production efficiency and the degree of automation of the production line. In order to improve the overall economy of the handling equipment, a combination of multiple drive methods is often used, such as the combination of servo motors and cylinders.

[0003] However, the above-mentioned handling equipment uses multiple power drive mechanisms, and each mechanism needs to be equipped with detection and electrical control components, resulting in high overall manufacturing and maintenance costs. At the same time, pneumatic drives often have high requirements for compressed air sources.

[0004] When the energy supply conditions at the production line site are limited (e.g., there is no compressed air source, or the stability of compressed air cannot meet the requirements of pneumatic drive), and there are high requirements for controlling the overall cost and subsequent maintenance cost of the production line, multiple or various types of power-driven handling equipment cannot meet the requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In response to the shortcomings of the existing production technology, the applicant provides an automatic feeding device suitable for logistics boxes, which uses a single power drive to achieve automatic feeding of logistics boxes, reducing the energy requirements of the feeding device and reducing the overall manufacturing and maintenance costs of the equipment.

[0006] The technical solutions adopted in the present invention are as follows:

[0007] An automatic feeding device for logistics boxes includes a frame and a lifting frame slidably mounted on the frame. A stop is provided on the upper part of the frame. The device also includes:

[0008] A linear drive mechanism is used to drive the lifting frame to move vertically.

[0009] A pair of guide rails are fixedly installed below the stop member, and the length direction of the guide rails is consistent with the vertical direction;

[0010] A pair of gripper assemblies are arranged opposite each other and hinged to each other on both sides of the lifting frame;

[0011] The first elastic element is used to elastically connect the lifting frame and the single gripper assembly, maintaining the tendency of the two gripper assemblies to rotate in opposite directions;

[0012] A pair of bracket assemblies are arranged opposite each other and respectively hinged to the other two sides of the lifting frame;

[0013] When the lifting frame is located below, the two bracket assemblies interact with the guide rail, swing in opposite directions, and are located on both sides of the logistics box. The gripper assembly interacts with the logistics box to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element and grip the logistics box.

[0014] When the lifting frame is in the upper position, the guide rail is released and the bracket assembly swings in opposite directions. The lower part of the bracket assembly is located below the logistics box, which is used to guide the logistics box to slide onto the feeding end of the conveyor line. The gripper assembly and the stop member act to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member and rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box onto the two bracket assemblies.

[0015] As a further improvement to the above technical solution:

[0016] The logistics box is provided with a handle groove, which corresponds to the gripper assembly. When the gripper assembly grips the logistics box, the lower ends of the two gripper assemblies are located in the handle groove.

[0017] A single gripper assembly includes a hook, the middle of which is hinged to the lifting frame. A first elastic element connects the hook and the lifting frame to maintain the tendency of the two hooks to rotate towards each other.

[0018] The lower end of the hook corresponds to the handle groove and is used to hook the handle groove. The upper end of the hook is provided with a first driving member corresponding to the stop member, which is used to contact the stop member to drive the two hooks to rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box.

[0019] The lower end of the hook is provided with a transition part. During the process of grabbing the logistics box, the transition part slides with the logistics box to drive the two hooks to rotate in opposite directions.

[0020] The transition section is an inclined surface or roller that slides with the logistics box.

[0021] It also includes a first hinge, the middle part of the hook is hinged to the lifting frame through the first hinge, and the first elastic element is a torsion spring installed on the first hinge pin.

[0022] The guide rail includes a vertical section;

[0023] The single bracket assembly includes a connecting plate, the upper end of which is hinged to the lifting frame, and the lower end of which is provided with a slide rail for guiding the logistics box to slide onto the feeding end of the conveyor line.

[0024] It also includes a second driving component, which includes a limiting rod and a connecting rod that are connected to each other and have an obtuse axial angle. The connecting rod is located below the limiting rod and is fixedly connected to one horizontal end of the connecting plate. The length of the limiting rod is greater than the distance between the vertical part and the swing axis of the connecting plate. The end of the limiting rod is slidably engaged with the vertical part.

[0025] The guide rail also includes a guide portion located at the upper end of the vertical portion. The guide portion is an inclined surface, and the two guide portions are in an inverted V-shape. A roller is provided at the upper end of the limiting rod, and the roller slides in cooperation with the vertical portion and the guide portion.

[0026] It also includes a second elastic element and a second hinge. The second elastic element is a torsion spring mounted on the pin of the second hinge. The connecting plate is hinged to the lifting frame through the second hinge. The second elastic element is used to maintain the tendency of the two connecting plates to swing relative to each other.

[0027] It also includes a first material detection sensor, used to obtain the position of the logistics box to be loaded, and then control the vertical position of the lifting frame.

[0028] The conveying direction of the feeding end of the conveyor line is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the logistics box, and a receiving platform is provided on the feeding end of the conveyor line.

[0029] The receiving platform includes a support frame fixedly installed relative to the frame, and a swing frame. The swing frame is provided with a rotating shaft, which is rotatably connected to the support frame. The axis of the rotating shaft is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The upper surface of the support frame corresponds to the bracket assembly and is used to support the logistics box that slides from the bracket assembly to the upper end of the conveyor line.

[0030] It also includes a spring, one end of which is connected to the support frame via the spring, causing the swing frame to swing toward the side opposite to the conveying direction; after the logistics box slides onto the swing frame, the support frame swings toward the conveying direction under the gravity of the logistics box, and the logistics box slides onto the feeding end of the conveyor line.

[0031] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0032] This invention features a compact and reasonable structure, and is easy to operate. It involves hinged installation of a pair of bracket assemblies and a pair of gripper assemblies on a lifting frame. The gripper assemblies are connected to the lifting frame via a first elastic element. A linear drive mechanism drives the lifting frame to rise and fall. During the descent of the lifting frame, the gripper assemblies automatically grasp the logistics box, while the bracket assemblies automatically swing along the guide rail. When the bracket assemblies form a guide channel below the logistics box, the gripper assemblies automatically release the logistics box through the action of a stop on the upper part of the lifting frame, allowing the logistics box to slide along the guide channel onto the feeding end of the conveyor line. This single-power drive achieves automatic feeding of the logistics box, reducing the energy requirements of the feeding equipment and lowering the overall manufacturing and maintenance costs of the equipment.

[0033] Furthermore, the present invention also has the following advantages:

[0034] (1) By using spring hinges to hinge the claws of the lifting frame and the gripper assembly while elastically connecting them, the connection and limiting structure of the lifting frame and the gripper assembly is simplified; by using spring hinges to hinge the connecting plate of the lifting frame and the bracket assembly while elastically connecting them, the connection and limiting structure of the lifting frame and the bracket assembly is simplified, and the internal space utilization of the bracket assembly is increased.

[0035] (2) By setting a guide part at the upper end of the guide rail and setting a roller at the end of the second drive member of the bracket assembly, the roller slides in cooperation with the vertical part and the guide part, so as to achieve smooth sliding during the upward process of the bracket assembly and smooth change of posture during the swinging process.

[0036] (4) By setting a first material detection sensor on the lifting frame that moves synchronously with the gripper assembly, the lifting frame descends according to the height position of the first logistics box detected by the first material detection sensor during the descent of the lifting frame, thereby enabling the sequential grabbing of multiple stacked logistics boxes and achieving automatic destacking of logistics boxes in a simple and low-cost manner.

[0037] (5) When the conveying direction of the conveyor line is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the logistics box, a receiving platform with a swing function is set on the conveyor line to receive the logistics box from the bracket assembly. When the logistics box falls onto the receiving platform, it automatically slides in the conveying direction by gravity, realizing the powerless transfer of the logistics box. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention (main body).

[0040] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0041] Figure 4 Another perspective (main body) of the structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly of the present invention (another embodiment).

[0044] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the present invention when grasping a logistics box. Figure 1 .

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the present invention when grasping a logistics box. Figure 2 .

[0046] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the present invention when lifting the logistics box. Figure 1 .

[0047] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the present invention when lifting the logistics box. Figure 2 .

[0048] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the present invention when transferring logistics boxes.

[0049] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention (Embodiment 3).

[0050] in:

[0051] 1. Frame; 10. Lifting frame; 11. Guide shaft;

[0052] 2. Guide rail; 21. Guide section; 22. Vertical section;

[0053] 3. Linear drive mechanism; 31. Motor; 32. Lead screw; 33. Lead screw nut;

[0054] 4. Bracket assembly; 41. Slide rail; 441. Limiting rod; 442. Connecting rod; 42. Connecting plate; 43. Second hinge; 44. Second driving component; 45. Second elastic component;

[0055] 50. First elastic element; 5. Gripper assembly; 51. Transition section; 52. Hook; 53. First hinge; 54. First drive element;

[0056] 6. Stop components;

[0057] 7. Logistics box; 71. Handle groove; 72. First material detection sensor; 73. Second material detection sensor; 74. Third material detection sensor;

[0058] 8. Feeding end of the conveyor line; 81. Receiving platform; 811. Support frame; 812. Swing frame; 813. Rotating shaft; 814. Spring; 9. Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] This application provides an automatic feeding device suitable for logistics boxes, addressing the problem in existing technologies where energy supply at the production line site is limited, and where there are high requirements for controlling the overall cost and subsequent maintenance costs of the production line. Multiple or various power-driven handling devices cannot meet these requirements. The device employs a single power drive, converting vertical movement into the actions of multiple functional components to achieve material lifting, gripping, and material transfer during the feeding and handling process. The above technical solution will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples.

[0061] Example 1:

[0062] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the automatic feeding device for logistics boxes in this embodiment includes a frame 1 and a lifting frame 10 slidably mounted on the frame 1. A stop 6 is provided on the upper part of the frame 1. It also includes a linear drive mechanism 3, a pair of guide rails 2, a first elastic element 50 and a pair of bracket assemblies 4.

[0063] Linear drive mechanism 3 is used to drive the lifting frame 10 to move in the vertical direction;

[0064] A pair of guide rails 2 are fixedly installed below the stop 6, and the length direction of the guide rails 2 is consistent with the vertical direction;

[0065] A pair of gripper assemblies 5 are arranged opposite each other and respectively hinged to both sides of the lifting frame 10;

[0066] The first elastic element 50 is used to elastically connect the lifting frame 10 and the single gripper assembly 5, maintaining the tendency of the two gripper assemblies 5 to rotate towards each other;

[0067] A pair of bracket assemblies 4 are arranged opposite each other and respectively hinged to the other two sides of the lifting frame 10;

[0068] When the lifting frame 10 is located below, the two bracket assemblies 4 act with the guide rail 2, swing in opposite directions and are located on both sides of the logistics box 7. The gripper assembly 5 acts with the logistics box 7 to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element 50 and grip the logistics box 7.

[0069] When the lifting frame 10 is in the upper position, the function of the guide rail 2 is released. After the bracket assembly 4 swings in opposite directions, the lower part of the bracket assembly 4 is located below the logistics box 7, which is used to guide the logistics box 7 to slide onto the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line. The gripper assembly 5 and the stop member 6 work together to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member 50 and rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box 7 onto the two bracket assemblies 4.

[0070] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the frame 1 is located on one side of the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line; the stop 6 is the upper frame of the frame 1, and the space between the guide rail 2 and the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line is used to place the logistics box 7 to be loaded. The logistics box 7 can be supported by the frame 9 (e.g., Figure 1 As shown, the logistics box 7 can be manually moved to the shelf 9, or it can be automatically transferred to the shelf 9. Of course, the shelf 9 can be part of the conveying tool structure.

[0071] The linear drive mechanism 3 is mounted on the frame 1, and is preferably electrically driven, such as by a servo motor or servo cylinder. The movable end of the linear drive mechanism 3 is connected to the lifting frame 10. Specifically, as shown... Figure 4 As shown, a set of guide shafts 11 are installed on the frame 1, and the lifting frame 10 is slidably connected to the guide shafts 11. The linear drive mechanism 3 includes a motor 31 and a lead screw 32 that is connected to the motor 31 for transmission. A lead screw nut 33 is installed on the lead screw 32, and the lead screw nut 33 is fixedly connected to the lifting frame 10.

[0072] like Figure 2 As shown, two guide rails 2 are spaced apart and fixedly installed on the frame 1, and the two guide rails 2 correspond one-to-one with the two bracket assemblies 4.

[0073] The logistics box 7, which is waiting to be loaded, can be one piece.

[0074] The working process of the automatic feeding equipment for logistics boxes in this embodiment is as follows:

[0075] 1. The lifting frame 10 descends to grab the logistics box 7 located on the frame 9. During this process, the two bracket assemblies 4 swing in opposite directions to avoid the logistics box 7 below the lifting frame 10. When the gripper assembly 5 grabs the logistics box 7, the bracket assemblies 4 are located on both sides of the logistics box 7, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the process of grabbing logistics box 7 is as follows: Figure 8 As shown.

[0076] II. During the upward movement of the lifting frame 10, the upper end of the bracket assembly 4 interacts with the guide rail 2, causing the two bracket assemblies 4 to gradually swing towards each other until they surround both sides of the logistics box 7, forming a guide channel that guides the logistics box 7 to slide onto the material end 8 of the conveyor line. Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown.

[0077] 3. When the lifting frame 10 is in its highest position, the gripper assembly 5 and the stop member 6 act to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member 50 and rotate in opposite directions, releasing the logistics box 7 onto the two bracket assemblies 4, as follows: Figure 11 As shown.

[0078] In the above process, only the height position of the lifting frame 10 needs to be controlled and monitored, and the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the control system are also low.

[0079] By hingedly installing a pair of bracket assemblies 4 and a pair of gripper assemblies 5 on the lifting frame 10, the gripper assemblies 5 are connected to the lifting frame 10 through a first elastic element 50. A linear drive mechanism 3 drives the lifting frame 10 to rise and fall. During the descent of the lifting frame 10, the gripper assemblies 5 automatically grip the logistics box 7 through their interaction with the logistics box 7. The bracket assemblies 4 automatically swing through their interaction with the guide rail 2. When the bracket assemblies 4 form a guide channel below the logistics box 7, the gripper assemblies 5 automatically release the logistics box 7 through their interaction with the stop 6 above the lifting frame 10. This allows the logistics box 7 to slide along the guide channel onto the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line. The automatic feeding of the logistics box 7 is achieved by a single power drive, reducing the energy requirements of the feeding equipment and lowering the overall manufacturing and maintenance costs of the equipment.

[0080] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 , Figure 8 As shown, the logistics box 7 is provided with a handle groove 71, which corresponds to the gripper assembly 5. When the gripper assembly 5 grips the logistics box 7, the lower ends of the two gripper assemblies 5 are located in the handle groove 71.

[0081] Specifically, the logistics box 7 can be a standard turnover frame or a customized frame-type transfer fixture, as long as it maintains a rectangular shape and has handle grooves 71 on both sides. The handle grooves 71 are rectangular grooves with a certain depth, and a pair of gripper components 5 and a pair of bracket components 4 correspond to two sets of opposite sides of the logistics box 7. Figure 1 , Figure 8 As shown, when the gripper assembly 5 grips the logistics box 7, under the action of the first elastic element 50, the gripper assembly 5 maintains the tendency to rotate in opposite directions. The two gripper assemblies 5 contact the upper edge of the logistics box 7 and rotate in opposite directions to open. After the lower end of the gripper assembly 5 is located outside the handle groove 71, it rotates in opposite directions under the elastic force of the first elastic element 50, so that the lower end of the gripper assembly 5 is located inside the handle groove 71 and hooks the side wall of the handle groove 71.

[0082] Furthermore, the individual gripper assembly 5 includes a hook 52, the middle of which is hinged to the lifting frame 10. A first elastic element 50 connects the hook 52 and the lifting frame 10 to maintain the tendency of the two hooks 52 to rotate towards each other.

[0083] The lower end of the hook 52 corresponds to the handle groove 71 and is used to hook the handle groove 71. The upper end of the hook 52 is provided with a first driving member 54 corresponding to the stop member 6, which is used to contact the stop member 6 to drive the two hooks 52 to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member 50 and rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box 7.

[0084] A transition section 51 is provided at the lower end of the hook 52. During the process of grabbing the logistics box 7, the transition section 51 slides with the logistics box 7 to drive the two hooks 52 to rotate in opposite directions.

[0085] In this embodiment, the transition portion 51 is an inclined surface that slides with the logistics box 7, such as... Figure 5 As shown. Specifically, the inclined surface slides into the upper edge of the logistics box 7, which is used to make the two hooks 52 rotate in opposite directions.

[0086] In another embodiment, the transition portion 51 is a roller that slides with the logistics box 7, such as... Figure 6 As shown. Specifically, a fixed shaft is provided below the hooking part of the hook 52, and rollers are rotatably installed at both ends of the fixed shaft. The rollers slide in cooperation with the upper edge and side of the logistics box 7, so as to make the two hooks 52 rotate in opposite directions and slide downward.

[0087] In this embodiment, the first elastic element 50 can be a spring in a stretched state. A first limiting structure (not shown in the figure) can be designed on the lifting frame 10 or the hook 52 to limit the swing amplitude of the hook 52. When the two hooks 52 are in the grasping state, the rotation position of the hooks 52 is limited by the first limiting structure to ensure the minimum distance between the two hooks 52. The minimum distance is used to ensure that the transition part 51 can slide relative to the upper edge of the logistics box 7 and hook the handle groove 71.

[0088] To simplify the structure while keeping the function of gripper component 5 unchanged, in another embodiment, such as Figure 5 -like Figure 8 As shown, it also includes a first hinge 53, the middle part of the hook 52 is hinged to the lifting frame 10 through the first hinge 53, and the first elastic element 50 is a torsion spring installed on the pin of the first hinge 53. Specifically, the combination of the first hinge 53 and the first elastic element 50 is a spring-type hinge, which is a commercially available product; the first hinge 53 is located on the outside of the hook 52, and the upper end face of the middle part of the hook 52 abuts against the lower surface of the lifting frame 10 as a first limiting structure, simplifying the connection structure between the gripper assembly 5 and the lifting frame 10.

[0089] In the above embodiments, by using a spring-type hinge to hinge and elastically connect the lifting frame 10 and the claw 52 of the gripper assembly 5, the connection and limiting structure between the lifting frame 10 and the gripper assembly 5 is simplified.

[0090] In this embodiment, as Figure 3As shown, the structure of the guide rail 2 includes a vertical part 22;

[0091] The single bracket assembly 4 includes a connecting plate 42, the upper end of which is hinged to the lifting frame 10, and the lower end of the connecting plate 42 is provided with a slide rail 41, which is used to guide the logistics box 7 to slide onto the conveyor line feeding end 8.

[0092] It also includes a second driving member 44, which includes a limiting rod 441 and a connecting rod 442 that are connected to each other and have an obtuse axial angle. The connecting rod 442 is located below the limiting rod 441 and is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting plate 42 in the horizontal direction. The length of the limiting rod 441 is greater than the distance between the vertical part 22 and the swing axis of the connecting plate 42. The end of the limiting rod 441 is slidably engaged with the vertical part 22.

[0093] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 The connecting plate 42 and the slide 41 shown have an L-shaped cross-section, forming a non-closed loop guide channel on both sides and the bottom of both sides of the logistics box 7. The upper surface of the slide 41 is a guide surface, which is inclined towards the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line. The slide 41 can be a flow bar; the guide rail 2 is made of profile angle steel.

[0094] In another embodiment, to facilitate smooth sliding of the limiting rod 441 on the guide rail 2, such as Figure 3 , Figure 9 As shown, the guide rail 2 also includes a guide section 21 located at the upper end of the vertical section 22. The guide section 21 is an inclined surface, and the two guide sections 21 are inverted V-shape. A roller is provided at the upper end of the limiting rod 441, and the roller slides in cooperation with the vertical section 22 and the guide section 21.

[0095] Specifically, the angle between the guide part 21 and the horizontal direction is equal to the axial angle between the limiting rod 441 and the connecting rod 442.

[0096] In the above embodiments, by providing a guide portion 21 at the upper end of the guide rail 2 and a roller at the end of the second drive member 44 of the bracket assembly 4, the roller slides in cooperation with the vertical portion 22 and the guide portion 21, thereby achieving smooth sliding during the upward process of the bracket assembly 4 and smooth changes in posture during the swinging process.

[0097] In this embodiment, after the bracket assembly 4 disengages from the guide rail 2, it can maintain its natural downward position due to gravity, thereby ensuring that both slides 41 are located below the grasped logistics box 7. However, a special design is required for the center of gravity of the bracket assembly 4 to ensure that the two bracket assemblies 4 are in their relative positions after disengaging from the guide rail 2. Figure 10 As shown.

[0098] In another embodiment, in order to ensure that the two slides 41 can maintain a stable distance after the second drive member 44 is disengaged from the guide rail 2, a second limiting structure (not shown in the figure) can be designed on the lifting frame 10 or the connecting plate 42 to limit the relative swing amplitude of the bracket assembly 4, so that the minimum distance between the slides 41 of the two bracket assemblies 4 is adapted to the bottom width of the logistics box 7, and a second elastic member 45 is used to connect the lifting frame 10 and the connecting plate 42 to maintain the relative swing tendency of the two connecting plates 42.

[0099] In other embodiments, in order to further simplify the structure of the bracket assembly 4 based on the functions of the bracket assembly 4 described above, and to increase the utilization rate of the internal space of the bracket assembly 4, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it also includes a second elastic element 45 and a second hinge 43. The second elastic element 45 is a torsion spring mounted on the pin of the second hinge 43. The connecting plate 42 is hinged to the lifting frame 10 via the second hinge 43. The second elastic element 45 is used to maintain the tendency of the two connecting plates 42 to swing relative to each other. Specifically, the second hinge 43 is mounted on the outside of the connecting plate 42, and the end face of the connecting plate 42 abuts against the lower surface of the lifting frame 10 as a second limiting structure. The combination of the second hinge 43 and the second elastic element 45 is a spring-type hinge, which is a commercially available product.

[0100] In the above embodiments, by using a spring-type hinge to hinge the connecting plate 42 of the lifting frame 10 and the bracket assembly 4 while elastically connecting them, the connection and limiting structure of the lifting frame 10 and the bracket assembly 4 is simplified, and the internal space utilization of the bracket assembly 4 is increased.

[0101] Example 2:

[0102] When the logistics boxes 7 to be loaded consist of multiple logistics boxes 7 stacked one on top of the other, they constitute a stack. Figure 1 As shown, the feeding equipment needs to control the position of the lifting frame 10 when it descends to grab the logistics box 7, and thus control the position of the gripper assembly 5.

[0103] Based on Embodiment 1, the automatic feeding device for logistics boxes in this embodiment also includes a first material detection sensor 72, which is used to obtain the position of the logistics box 7 to be fed, and then control the vertical position of the lifting frame 10 when grabbing the logistics box 7.

[0104] Specifically, the first material detection sensor 72 is a photoelectric sensor, which is fixedly installed on the lifting frame 10 and is used to detect the material box 7 located between the bracket assembly 4 from the side.

[0105] The process of the automatic feeding device for logistics boxes in this embodiment grabbing the material box 7 is as follows:

[0106] Step 1: Stack multiple logistics boxes 7 of the same size on shelf 9;

[0107] The second step is that the linear drive mechanism 3 drives the lifting frame 10 to descend, and the bracket assembly 4 swings in opposite directions. When the first material detection sensor 72 detects that there is a logistics box 7 between the two bracket assemblies 4, it is the first logistics box 7 at the top to be loaded. The lifting frame 10 continues to descend a certain distance so that the gripper assembly 5 contacts the first logistics box 7 and grabs the first logistics box 7.

[0108] Step 3: The linear drive mechanism 3 drives the lifting frame 10 to rise. When it rises to the upper end of the guide rail 2, the bracket assembly 4 swings in opposite directions so that the slide 41 is located below the logistics box 7. The lifting frame 10 continues to rise until the gripper assembly 5 and the stop 6 act together. The gripper assembly 5 rotates in opposite directions to release the logistics box 7 onto the two bracket assemblies 4. The logistics box 7 slides from the slide 41 to the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line.

[0109] Repeat steps two and three until all the logistics boxes 7 on shelf 9 have been transferred to the material end 8 of the conveyor line.

[0110] Furthermore, in order to confirm whether all the logistics boxes 7 on the shelf 9 have been grabbed, a second material detection sensor 73 is provided on the frame 1 to detect whether there are still logistics boxes 7 on the shelf 9. The second material detection sensor 73 corresponds to the side of the bottom logistics box 7 on the shelf 9.

[0111] By setting a first material detection sensor 72 on the lifting frame 10 that moves synchronously with the gripper assembly 5, the lifting frame 10 can be controlled to descend according to the height position of the first logistics box 7 detected by the first material detection sensor 72 during the descent of the lifting frame 10, thereby enabling the sequential gripping of multiple stacked logistics boxes 7 and achieving automatic destacking of the logistics boxes 7 in a simple and low-cost manner.

[0112] Because the handle slot 71 has a large space, the automatic feeding equipment in this embodiment does not have high requirements for the placement accuracy and orientation of the logistics boxes 7. Figure 1 As shown, the logistics box 7 can be tilted at a certain angle.

[0113] Example 3:

[0114] The conveying direction of the conveyor line connected to the automatic feeding equipment can be consistent with the sliding direction of the logistics box 7, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the logistics box 7 can slide directly from the slide rail 41 to the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line, as long as the position of the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line can avoid the upward-moving logistics box 7 and can realize the transition of the logistics box 7 to the conveyor line.

[0115] Based on the above embodiments, such as Figure 12 As shown, in this embodiment, the conveying direction of the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the logistics box 7, and a receiving platform 81 is provided on the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line.

[0116] The receiving platform 81 includes a support frame 811 fixedly installed relative to the frame 1, and a swing frame 812. A rotating shaft 813 is provided on the swing frame 812. The rotating shaft 813 is rotatably connected to the support frame 811. The axis of the rotating shaft 813 is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The upper surface of the support frame 811 corresponds to the bracket assembly 4 and is used to support the logistics box 7 that slides from the bracket assembly 4 to the upper part of the conveyor line 8.

[0117] It also includes a spring 814. One end of the swing frame 812 is connected to the support frame 811 through the spring 814, so that the swing frame 812 swings in the opposite direction to the conveying direction. After the logistics box 7 slides onto the swing frame 812, the support frame 811 swings in the conveying direction under the gravity of the logistics box 7, and the logistics box 7 slides onto the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line.

[0118] Specifically, the support frame 811 is connected to the frame of the conveyor line; the upper surface of the swing frame 812 is provided with multiple bullseye bearings to facilitate the sliding of the logistics box 7; the rotating shaft 813 is located in the middle of the swing frame 812, biased towards the spring 814. When the logistics box 7 slides onto the swing frame 812, it swings after overcoming the tension of the spring 814 under the action of gravity.

[0119] When the conveying direction of the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the logistics box 7, a receiving platform 81 with a swing function is set on the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line to receive the logistics box 7 from the bracket assembly 4. When the logistics box 7 falls onto the receiving platform 81, it automatically slides in the conveying direction by gravity, realizing the powerless transfer of the logistics box 7.

[0120] like Figure 12 As shown, it also includes a third material detection sensor 74, used to detect whether there is a logistics box 7 on the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line, or whether the logistics box 7 is successfully transported from the feeding end 8 of the conveyor line to the downstream.

[0121] The above description is an explanation of the present invention and not a limitation thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims. Within the scope of protection of the present invention, any form of modification may be made.

Claims

1. An automatic feeding device suitable for logistics boxes, characterized in that: The machine includes a frame (1) and a lifting frame (10) slidably mounted on the frame (1). A stop (6) is provided on the upper part of the frame (1). The machine also includes: A linear drive mechanism (3) is used to drive the lifting frame (10) to move in the vertical direction; A pair of guide rails (2) are fixedly installed below the stop (6), and the length direction of the guide rails (2) is consistent with the vertical direction; A pair of gripper assemblies (5) are arranged opposite each other and respectively hinged to both sides of the lifting frame (10); The first elastic element (50) is used to elastically connect the lifting frame (10) and the single gripper assembly (5) to maintain the tendency of the two gripper assemblies (5) to rotate in opposite directions; A pair of bracket assemblies (4) are arranged opposite each other and respectively hinged to the other two sides of the lifting frame (10); When the lifting frame (10) is located below, the two bracket assemblies (4) and the guide rail (2) work together, swing back and forth and are located on both sides of the logistics box (7). The gripper assembly (5) works with the logistics box (7) to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic element (50) and grip the logistics box (7). When the lifting frame (10) is in the upper position, the function of the guide rail (2) is released and the bracket assembly (4) swings in opposite directions. The lower part of the bracket assembly (4) is located below the logistics box (7) to guide the logistics box (7) to slide onto the feeding end (8) of the conveyor line. The gripper assembly (5) and the stop member (6) work together to overcome the elastic force of the first elastic member (50) and rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box (7) onto the two bracket assemblies (4). The structure of the guide rail (2) includes a vertical part (22); Each of the bracket assemblies (4) includes a connecting plate (42), the upper end of which is hinged to the lifting frame (10), and the lower end of which is provided with a slide rail (41) for guiding the logistics box (7) to slide to the feeding end (8) of the conveyor line. It also includes a second driving member (44), which includes a limiting rod (441) and a connecting rod (442) that are connected to each other and have an obtuse axial angle. The connecting rod (442) is located below the limiting rod (441) and is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting plate (42) in the horizontal direction. The length of the limiting rod (441) is greater than the distance between the vertical part (22) and the swing axis of the connecting plate (42). The end of the limiting rod (441) is slidably engaged with the vertical part (22). The guide rail (2) also includes a guide section (21) located at the upper end of the vertical section (22). The guide section (21) is an inclined surface. The two guide sections (21) are in the shape of an inverted V. The upper end of the limiting rod (441) is provided with a roller. The roller is in sliding cooperation with the vertical section (22) and the guide section (21).

2. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The logistics box (7) is provided with a handle groove (71), which corresponds to the gripper assembly (5). When the gripper assembly (5) grips the logistics box (7), the lower ends of the two gripper assemblies (5) are located in the handle groove (71).

3. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A single gripper assembly (5) includes a claw (52) with its middle portion hinged to the lifting frame (10). A first elastic element (50) connects the claw (52) and the lifting frame (10) to maintain the tendency of the two claws (52) to rotate toward each other. The lower end of the hook (52) corresponds to the handle groove (71) and is used to hook the handle groove (71). The upper end of the hook (52) is provided with a first driving member (54) corresponding to the stop member (6) and is used to contact the stop member (6) to drive the two hooks (52) to rotate in opposite directions to release the logistics box (7). The lower end of the claw (52) is provided with a transition part (51). During the process of grabbing the logistics box (7), the transition part (51) slides with the logistics box (7) to drive the two claws (52) to rotate in opposite directions.

4. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The transition section (51) is an inclined surface or roller that slides with the logistics box (7).

5. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a first hinge (53), the middle part of the hook (52) is hinged to the lifting frame (10) through the first hinge (53), and the first elastic element (50) is a torsion spring installed on the pin of the first hinge (53).

6. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a second elastic element (45) and a second hinge (43), the second elastic element (45) being a torsion spring mounted on the pin of the second hinge (43), the connecting plate (42) being hinged to the lifting frame (10) via the second hinge (43), and the second elastic element (45) being used to maintain the tendency of the two connecting plates (42) to swing relative to each other.

7. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a first material detection sensor (72) for obtaining the position of the logistics box (7) to be loaded, and then controlling the vertical position of the lifting frame (10).

8. The automatic feeding device for logistics boxes as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying direction of the feeding end (8) of the conveyor line is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the logistics box (7), and a receiving platform (81) is provided on the feeding end (8) of the conveyor line. The receiving platform (81) includes a support frame (811) fixedly installed relative to the frame (1), and also includes a swing frame (812). The swing frame (812) is provided with a rotating shaft (813), which is rotatably connected to the support frame (811). The axis of the rotating shaft (813) is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The upper surface of the support frame (811) corresponds to the bracket assembly (4) and is used to carry the logistics box (7) that slides from the bracket assembly (4) to the upper part of the conveyor line (8). It also includes a spring (814), one end of the swing frame (812) is connected to the support frame (811) through the spring (814), so that the swing frame (812) swings in the opposite direction to the conveying direction; after the logistics box (7) slides onto the swing frame (812), the support frame (811) swings in the conveying direction under the gravity of the logistics box (7), and the logistics box (7) slides onto the feeding end (8) of the conveyor line.

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