Conveying mechanism and laser processing device

Abstract

The application discloses a carrying mechanism and a laser processing device, which comprises a displacement module, a clamping device arranged at the output end of the displacement module and driven by the displacement module to complete the material taking and placing action, and a suction device arranged at the output end of the displacement module and driven by the displacement module to complete the material moving and carrying action. The clamping device and the suction device are arranged on the same displacement module, and when the material taking and placing are needed, the displacement module drives the clamping device and the suction device to move, wherein the clamping device completes the material taking and placing action, and the suction device does not work. When the material moving and carrying are needed, the displacement module drives the clamping device and the suction device to move, wherein the suction device sucks the material sheet and carries it to the corresponding work station, and the clamping device does not work. Since the application only arranges one displacement module, the occupied space is smaller, and the cost is lower because one displacement module is saved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a handling mechanism and a laser processing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Wafer laser processing is a key step in the semiconductor manufacturing process, used to cut individual chips from a wafer, providing a basis for subsequent packaging and testing.

[0003] Laser processing equipment generally includes a hopper mechanism, a transport mechanism, a cleaning and coating mechanism, a processing component, and a unloading component. The hopper mechanism stores the workpieces to be processed; the transport mechanism retrieves the workpieces from the hopper and transfers them to the cleaning and coating mechanism, where cleaning and adhesive application are completed. The hopper and transport mechanisms also transfer the workpieces between the cleaning and coating mechanism and the processing component; the unloading component completes the unloading process after processing.

[0004] However, due to the multi-layered structure of the hopper mechanism, the transport mechanism cannot retrieve material by adsorption. Therefore, existing transport mechanisms typically include two material-retrieving components: a clamping component and an adsorption component. The clamping component removes the material sheet from the hopper mechanism, which then adsorbs it and transports it to the cleaning and coating mechanism. (Cleaning mechanism, hopper mechanism)

[0005] In the prior art, both the gripping device and the adsorption device are equipped with independent displacement modules, which enable the gripping device and the adsorption device to move independently; however, this also makes the handling mechanism not only occupy a large space but also have a high cost.

[0006] Therefore, how to reduce costs and space usage is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a handling mechanism to reduce costs and space occupation;

[0008] The present invention also provides a laser processing apparatus having the above-described conveying mechanism.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0010] A handling mechanism, comprising:

[0011] Displacement module;

[0012] A clamping device is located at the output end of the displacement module, and is driven by the displacement module to complete the material picking and placing actions;

[0013] An adsorption device is installed at the output end of the displacement module to be driven by the displacement module and complete the material handling action.

[0014] The conveying mechanism is configured such that: the displacement module drives the clamping device to move to the picking position, the clamping device clamps the material piece at the picking position, the displacement module drives the clamping device to drag the material piece to the transfer position and releases the material piece, the adsorption device adsorbs the material piece at the transfer position, and the displacement module transports the material piece to the target position.

[0015] Optionally, in the above-mentioned conveying mechanism, the displacement module includes a first direction displacement module and a second direction displacement module. The second direction displacement module is disposed at the output end of the first direction displacement module and is used to drive the second direction displacement module to reciprocate along the first direction.

[0016] Both the gripping device and the adsorption device are located at the output end of the second direction displacement module, and are used to drive the gripping device and the adsorption device to reciprocate along the second direction. The material picking position, the transfer position and the target position are all arranged along the first direction, or the material picking position and the transfer position are arranged along the first direction, and the target position is located on one side of the transfer position along the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular.

[0017] Optionally, in the above-described conveying mechanism, the clamping device includes:

[0018] A clamping mounting bracket is connected to the output end of the displacement module;

[0019] A flipping drive device is provided on the clamping mounting frame;

[0020] The clamping assembly is driven to the output end of the flipping drive device to switch between a working position and an avoidance position. The side of the clamping mounting frame closest to the clamping station is the clamping target side. When the clamping assembly is in the working position, it is located on the clamping target side so that it can clamp the material at the material picking position and transport it to the transfer position. When the clamping assembly is in the avoidance position, it avoids the clamping target side so that the adsorption device can adsorb the material at the transfer position.

[0021] Optionally, in the above-described conveying mechanism, the gripping assembly includes:

[0022] A gripper assembly, comprising a first gripper and a second gripper that move relative to each other;

[0023] A gripper drive is disposed on one of the first gripper and the second gripper, and the gripper is connected to the output end of the flipping drive device. The output end of the gripper drive is connected to the other of the first gripper and the second gripper, and is used to drive the first gripper and the second gripper to move relative to each other to complete the gripping and releasing action.

[0024] Optionally, in the above-described conveying mechanism, when the gripping component is in the working position, the second gripper is located above the first gripper;

[0025] The gripper drive is fixed to the second gripper, and the gripping mounting bracket has a hidden space. When the gripping assembly is in the avoidance position, the gripper drive is located in the hidden space of the gripping mounting bracket.

[0026] Optionally, in the above-described handling mechanism, the clamping mounting frame includes two mounting frames arranged in parallel, with the hidden space formed between the two mounting frames.

[0027] Optionally, in the above-described conveying mechanism, the clamping device further includes:

[0028] A clamping mounting base is provided, and the clamping mounting frame is connected to the output end of the displacement module via the clamping mounting base.

[0029] A sliding component is slidably fitted to the clamping mounting base, the clamping mounting bracket is fixed on the sliding component, and the sliding direction of the sliding component is the same as the moving direction of the clamping component when clamping and releasing the material sheet;

[0030] An elastic component is disposed between the sliding component and the clamping mounting base.

[0031] Optionally, in the above-described conveying mechanism, the elastic component includes:

[0032] A guide shaft is fixed on the clamping mounting base, and the sliding assembly has a guide hole that slides with the guide shaft;

[0033] A compression elastic element is sleeved on the guide shaft, with one end of the compression elastic element abutting against the clamping mounting seat and the other end abutting against the sliding assembly.

[0034] Optionally, the above-mentioned handling mechanism further includes:

[0035] A position sensor assembly for detecting the position of the sliding assembly;

[0036] The controller stops the displacement module when the sliding component moves to the calibrated position in the direction of the clamping mounting base.

[0037] The conveying mechanism provided by this invention integrates a gripping device and an adsorption device onto the same displacement module, driving both devices to move simultaneously via this single module. When material needs to be picked up or released, the displacement module moves both the gripping and adsorption devices, with the gripping device handling the picking and releasing while the adsorption device remains inactive. When material needs to be transferred, the displacement module moves both the gripping and adsorption devices, with the adsorption device adsorbing the material and transporting it to the corresponding workstation while the gripping device remains inactive. This invention uses only one displacement module to move both the gripping and adsorption devices simultaneously. Depending on the process, one device operates while the other remains inactive. Because this invention uses only one displacement module, it occupies less space, and by eliminating the need for a separate displacement module, it reduces costs.

[0038] A laser processing apparatus includes a hopper mechanism, a cleaning mechanism, a cleaning and coating mechanism, a transport mechanism, and a processing mechanism, wherein the transport mechanism is a transport mechanism as described in any of the preceding embodiments, and the transport mechanism is configured to include at least a first transport action and a second transport action.

[0039] The first handling action includes: the displacement module drives the clamping device to move to the material picking position, the clamping device clamps the material piece in the material bin mechanism, the displacement module drives the clamping device and drags the material piece to the transfer position, then releases the material piece, the adsorption device adsorbs the material piece, and the displacement module transfers the material piece to the cleaning and coating mechanism at the target position.

[0040] The second handling action includes: the displacement module driving the adsorption device to adsorb the material pieces processed by the processing mechanism in the cleaning mechanism and placing them on the transfer position; the clamping device clamping the material pieces on the transfer position and pushing them to the hopper mechanism through the displacement module.

[0041] The laser processing apparatus provided by the present invention has the above-mentioned handling mechanism, and therefore possesses all the technical effects of the above-mentioned handling mechanism, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the transport mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the gripping device of the conveying mechanism disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention in the working position;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping device of the conveying mechanism disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention in the avoidance position;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the clamping device of the conveying mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention in the working position;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the clamping device of the conveying mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention in the avoidance position;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping device before compression, as disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the compressed structure of the clamping device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] The meanings of the various reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0051] 100 - Gripping device;

[0052] 110-Gripping device; 111-Gripper assembly; 1111-First gripper; 1112-Second gripper; 112-Gripper drive; 113-Tilting drive device; 114-Tilting fixing frame; 115-Gripping mounting frame; 1151-Hidden space; 116-Gripping mounting base; 117-Position sensor assembly; 1171-Sensing sheet; 1172-Photoelectric sensor; 118-Sliding assembly; 119-Elastic assembly;

[0053] 120 - Adsorption device; 121 - Adsorption support; 122 - Suction cup;

[0054] 200 - Second direction displacement module;

[0055] 300 - First direction displacement module. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The core of this invention is to provide a handling mechanism to reduce costs and space occupation;

[0057] The present invention also discloses a laser processing apparatus having the above-mentioned handling mechanism.

[0058] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below do not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims. Additionally, the complete contents of the structures represented in the embodiments below are not limited to those necessary for the solution of the invention as described in the claims. It should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0059] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the conveying mechanism disclosed in this embodiment of the invention includes a displacement module and a gripping device 100, wherein the gripping device 100 includes a clamping device 110 and an adsorption device 120 depending on the way the material is gripped.

[0060] Among them, displacement modules are commonly used in the industry. Modules with corresponding degrees of freedom in displacement direction can be selected according to displacement requirements. In this embodiment, a module capable of displacement within a plane is taken as an example. Since it needs to perform displacement within a plane, it needs to have the ability to displace in two perpendicular directions, such as the X and Z directions.

[0061] Based on this, the displacement module may include a first-direction displacement module 300 and a second-direction displacement module 200. The second-direction displacement module 200 is disposed at the output end of the first-direction displacement module 300 and is used to drive the second-direction displacement module along the first direction (within the first direction). Figure 1 Taking the illustrated scheme as an example, the first direction is the X-direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system. The gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 are both located at the output end of the second direction displacement module 200, used to drive the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 along the second direction (where X is the X-direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system). Figure 1 Taking the illustrated scheme as an example, the second direction (the Z direction in the three-dimensional coordinate system) reciprocates, and the first and second directions are perpendicular.

[0062] It should be noted that the conveying mechanism is used to transfer the sheet material between different positions. These transfer positions should be arranged along the displacement direction of the first direction displacement module 300 (i.e., the first direction), so that the first direction displacement module 300 can move the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 to any position. The second direction displacement module 200 can lift the adsorption device 120, so that after the adsorption device 120 adsorbs the sheet material, it can rise a certain distance along the second direction and then move along the first direction, so that the adsorption of the sheet material can be completed at the corresponding workstation. For example, for the sheet material in the cleaning and coating mechanism and the cleaning mechanism, the adsorption device 120 needs to descend along the second direction before it can adsorb the sheet material in the cleaning and coating mechanism and the cleaning mechanism; after adsorbing the sheet material, the adsorption device 120 needs to rise along the second direction before it can be removed from the cleaning and coating mechanism and the cleaning mechanism, and then it can be transported to other workstations along the first direction.

[0063] The gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 are disposed at the output end of the displacement module. When the displacement module has a first-direction displacement module 300 and a second-direction displacement module 200, the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 are disposed at the output end of the second-direction displacement module 200. It should be noted that when the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 need to complete displacement in space, a third-direction displacement module is also required to achieve displacement in the Y direction. Since the displacement module is a commonly used moving device in industry, it will not be described in detail here.

[0064] The gripping device 110 is driven by the displacement module to complete the material handling actions. Taking the application of the conveying mechanism in laser processing equipment as an example, both the sheet to be processed and the processed sheet are stored in the hopper mechanism. The hopper mechanism has a multi-layer structure, and the gripping device 110 needs to clamp and pull out the unprocessed sheet in the hopper mechanism to complete the material handling work, that is, pull the unprocessed sheet out of the hopper mechanism. After the sheet has been processed, the gripping device 110 also needs to clamp it and push it into the hopper mechanism to complete the material handling action.

[0065] Driven by the displacement module, the adsorption device 120 completes the material handling action. After the material is picked up by the gripping device 110, it is no longer constrained by the hopper mechanism and can therefore be adsorbed by the adsorption device 120. After the material is adsorbed by the adsorption device 120, it is transferred to the corresponding workstation for processing. After processing at some workstations, the material is adsorbed by the adsorption device 120 and transferred to other locations.

[0066] The conveying mechanism is configured such that: a displacement module moves the gripping device 110 to the picking position, where a sheet to be processed is stored; the gripping device 110 grips the sheet at the picking position; the displacement module then moves the gripping device 110 to the transfer position and releases the sheet. The gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 exchange sheets at the transfer position. After the gripping device 110 releases the sheet, the adsorption device 120 adsorbs the sheet at the transfer position and, via the displacement module, transports the sheet to the target position.

[0067] As described above, the first direction displacement module 300 is used to drive the second direction displacement module to reciprocate along the first direction, and the second direction displacement module 200 is used to drive the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 to reciprocate along the second direction. In one embodiment, the material picking position, the transfer position and the target position are arranged along the first direction; in another embodiment, the material picking position and the transfer position are arranged along the first direction, and the target position is located on one side of the transfer position along the second direction.

[0068] Taking a first direction as horizontal and a second direction as vertical as an example, in one embodiment, the picking position, transfer position, and target position can be arranged on the same straight line in the horizontal direction. This arrangement requires the first direction displacement module 300 to have a large stroke. In another embodiment, the picking position and transfer position are arranged on the same straight line in the horizontal direction, while the target position is arranged vertically above or below the transfer position. It should be noted that "above or below" here does not only refer to directly above or below, but also includes diagonally above and diagonally below. With this setting, neither the first direction displacement module 300 nor the second direction displacement module 200 needs to have a large stroke. The first direction displacement module 300 only needs to ensure that the material can move between the picking position and the transfer position, and the second direction displacement module 200 only needs to ensure that the material can move between the transfer position and the target position. In addition, if the target position is located diagonally above or below the transfer position, when the sheet moves between the transfer position and the target position, in addition to the action of the second direction displacement module 200, the action of the first direction displacement module 300 is also required.

[0069] Taking the application of a handling mechanism in laser processing equipment as an example, the working process of the handling mechanism is as follows:

[0070] 1) The displacement module moves the clamping device 110 to the position of the hopper mechanism (i.e., the material picking position). The clamping device 110 clamps the unprocessed material piece in the hopper mechanism. The displacement module drives the clamping device 110 to move away from the hopper mechanism and to the positioning position (i.e., the transfer position).

[0071] 2) The displacement module moves the adsorption device 120 above the material sheet, adsorbs the material sheet, and moves it to the cleaning and coating mechanism (i.e., the target position). The material sheet completes the cleaning and coating work in the cleaning and coating mechanism. After completion, the material sheet is transported to the laser processing station (i.e., the station where the processing mechanism is located) by other feeding mechanisms of the laser processing equipment for processing. After the laser processing is completed, the processed material sheet is moved to the cleaning mechanism for cleaning by other unloading mechanisms of the laser processing equipment.

[0072] 3) The displacement module moves the adsorption device 120 to above the material sheet, adsorbs the material sheet, and transfers the cleaned material sheet to the positioning position;

[0073] 4) The displacement module moves the clamping device 110 to the positioning position, the clamping device 110 clamps the material piece at the positioning position, the displacement module drives the clamping device 110 to move closer to the hopper mechanism, and pushes the processed material piece into the hopper mechanism.

[0074] The conveying mechanism provided by this invention integrates a gripping device 110 and an adsorption device 120 onto the same displacement module, driving both devices simultaneously. When material needs to be picked up or released, the displacement module moves both the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120, with the gripping device 110 handling the picking and releasing actions while the adsorption device 120 remains inactive. When material needs to be transferred, the displacement module moves both the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120, with the adsorption device 120 adsorbing the material and transporting it to the corresponding workstation, while the gripping device 110 remains inactive. This invention uses only one displacement module to move both the gripping device 110 and the adsorption device 120 simultaneously. Depending on the process, one of the gripping device 110 or the adsorption device 120 operates while the other remains inactive. Because this invention uses only one displacement module, it occupies less space, and by eliminating one displacement module, it reduces costs.

[0075] Typically, the gripping device 110 extends beyond the adsorption device 120. Therefore, when the adsorption device 120 needs to adsorb and grip the material sheet, the gripping device 110 will move synchronously with the adsorption device 120. Since the gripping device 110 extends beyond the adsorption device 120, it is prone to interference and collision with other components during movement. Based on this, this embodiment discloses a gripping device 110 capable of flipping and folding, so as to control the gripping device 110 to switch between a working position and an avoidance position according to the corresponding working conditions.

[0076] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in a specific embodiment of the present invention, the clamping device 110 includes a clamping mounting frame 115, a flipping drive device 113, and a clamping assembly. The clamping mounting frame 115 is connected to the output end of the displacement module, enabling the connection between the clamping device 110 and the displacement module.

[0077] The flipping drive device 113 is disposed on the clamping mounting bracket 115. The clamping mounting bracket 115 is used to provide a mounting base for the flipping drive device 113. The flipping drive device 113 can be fixed to the clamping mounting bracket 115 by fasteners, or it can be fixed to the clamping mounting bracket 115 by other fixing methods. This embodiment does not limit the method.

[0078] The clamping assembly is a functional component of the clamping device 110, used to clamp and release the sheet material. After clamping the sheet material, it can move the sheet material along with the clamping device 110; after releasing the sheet material, it can place the sheet material in the corresponding position.

[0079] The gripping assembly is driven by the output end of the flipping drive device 113, thereby switching the gripping assembly between a working position and a clearance position. The flipping drive device 113 can output rotational power, and by outputting rotation and different rotation directions, it can drive the gripping assembly to switch between the working position and the clearance position. Specifically, the gripping assembly can be driven by the output end of the flipping drive device 113 via the flipping fixing frame 114. Figure 4 Taking the illustrated scheme as an example, the flipping fixing frame 114 can be a right-angle rod structure. One side of the right-angle rod structure is fixedly connected to the output end of the flipping drive device 113, and the other side of the right-angle rod structure is fixedly connected to the clamping assembly. Thus, when the output end of the flipping drive device 113 rotates, the rotation of the flipping fixing frame 114 can drive the clamping assembly to rotate.

[0080] Specifically, the flipping drive device 113 can be a flipping cylinder or a motor. Any drive device that can output rotation can complete the flipping action of the gripping component. This embodiment does not limit the specific form of the flipping drive device 113.

[0081] The side of the clamping mounting frame 115 closest to the clamping station (e.g., the hopper mechanism and the positioning position) is the clamping target side. When the clamping component is in the working position, the clamping component is located on the clamping target side (i.e., on the side of the clamping mounting frame 115 closest to the clamping station) so that it can clamp the material at the picking position and transport it to the transfer position. When the clamping component is in the avoidance position, the clamping component avoids the clamping target side (i.e., swings to other positions) so that the adsorption device 120 can adsorb the material at the transfer position.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will understand that the working position of the gripping component should be such that it can grip and release the material sheet, that is, its gripping end is positioned to extend towards the material sheet. The clearance position of the gripping component should be such that it extends beyond the smaller portion of the adsorption device 120, and does not interfere with other components during the operation of the adsorption device 120. This position can be arbitrary and can be selected according to the actual application scenario. In this embodiment, using... Figure 5 Taking the illustrated scheme as an example, the gripping component is flipped upward from its working position to a position above the gripping mounting bracket 115, which is set as a clearance position. Since the working part of the adsorption device 120 is located on the lower side, setting the clearance position above the gripping mounting bracket 115 not only reduces the length of the gripping component extending beyond the adsorption device 120, but also raises the gripping component to prevent it from colliding with the material to be adsorbed.

[0083] Furthermore, the gripping assembly may include a gripper assembly 111 and a gripper drive 112. The gripper assembly 111 includes a first gripper 1111 and a second gripper 1112 that move relative to each other, enabling gripping and releasing functions. For example, when the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112 move closer together, they can grip the material sheet; when they move further apart, they can release the material sheet.

[0084] The gripper drive 112 is disposed on one of the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112, and is connected to the output end of the flipping drive device 113. The output end of the gripper drive 112 is connected to the other of the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112, and is used to drive the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112 to move relative to each other to complete the gripping and releasing action.

[0085] In this embodiment, the gripper drive 112 and the flipping fixing frame 114 are fixed to the same component of the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112, and the other component of the first gripper 1111 and the second gripper 1112 is connected to the output end of the gripper drive 112. For example, the gripper drive 112 and the flipping fixing frame 114 are fixed to the second gripper 1112, and the first gripper 1111 is fixed to the output end of the gripper drive 112, so that the second gripper 1112 is a fixed gripper, and the first gripper 1111 is a movable gripper. Using the power of the gripper drive 112, the first gripper 1111 is driven to reciprocate towards and away from the second gripper 1112, thereby completing the gripping and releasing action.

[0086] Specifically, the gripper drive 112 can be a lifting cylinder. Any drive device that can output linear movement can complete the gripping action of the gripping component. This embodiment does not limit the specific form of the gripper drive 112.

[0087] To minimize the external space occupied by the gripping assembly when it is flipped to the avoidance position, in this embodiment, when the gripping assembly is in the working position, the second gripper 1112 is located above the first gripper 1111. The gripper drive 112 is fixed to the second gripper 1112, and the gripping mounting bracket 115 has a hidden space 1151. When the gripping assembly is in the avoidance position, the gripper drive 112 is located within the hidden space 1151 of the gripping mounting bracket 115. In this embodiment, the hidden space 1151 on the gripping mounting bracket 115 is used to accommodate and hide the gripper drive 112 protruding from the second gripper 1112, thereby reducing the exposed volume of the gripping assembly and allowing it to occupy less external space when in the avoidance position.

[0088] Furthermore, the clamping mounting bracket 115 includes two parallel mounting brackets, forming a hidden space 1151 between the two mounting brackets. The second gripper 1112 is located above the first gripper 1111, and the gripper drive 112 is fixed to the second gripper 1112. The cylinder portion of the gripper drive 112 is located above the second gripper 1112, and the output end of the gripper drive 112 passes through the second gripper 1112 and connects to the first gripper 1111. That is, most of the gripper drive 112 is located outside the second gripper 1112, which may easily cause interference with other components when the clamping assembly is flipped to the avoidance position.

[0089] In this embodiment, the clamping mounting frame 115 is designed as two parallel mounting frames, with a hidden space 1151 formed between the two mounting frames. This allows the portion of the gripper drive 112 exposed outside the second gripper 1112 to be embedded in the hidden space 1151 between the two mounting frames when the clamping assembly is flipped to the avoidance position. This ensures that when the clamping assembly is flipped above the clamping mounting frame 115, the exposed portion of the gripper drive 112 can share some space with the clamping mounting frame 115, thereby reducing the space occupied by the clamping assembly.

[0090] When the gripping device 110 picks up a piece of material in the hopper mechanism, it needs to be moved towards the hopper mechanism by the displacement module. After moving into position, it stops and then controls the gripping component to grip the piece of material. If the movement distance of the gripping device 110 exceeds the limit due to the accuracy of the displacement module, the gripping device 110 will make a hard impact with the piece of material, causing the piece of material to break.

[0091] Therefore, the gripping device 110 disclosed in this embodiment has a buffer function to improve the safety of gripping the material sheet. For example... Figure 6and Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the clamping device 110 may further include a clamping mounting base 116, a sliding component 118, and an elastic component 119.

[0092] The clamping mounting bracket 115 is connected to the output end of the displacement module via the clamping mounting base 116. The sliding component 118 is slidably engaged with the clamping mounting base 116, and the clamping mounting bracket 115 is fixed to the sliding component 118. Specifically, the clamping mounting bracket 115 and the sliding component 118 can be fixed with fasteners, so that the clamping mounting bracket 115 and the clamping component mounted on the clamping mounting bracket 115 can slide relative to the clamping mounting base 116 along with the sliding component 118.

[0093] The sliding direction of the sliding component 118 is the same as the moving direction of the clamping component when clamping and releasing the material sheet. In other words, the sliding direction of the sliding component 118 is the same as the displacement direction output by the first direction displacement module 300.

[0094] The elastic component 119 is disposed between the sliding component 118 and the clamping mounting base 116. When the clamping device 110 grabs a piece of material in the hopper mechanism, if the movement distance of the clamping device 110 exceeds the limit due to the accuracy of the displacement module, the clamping device 110 will exert a pushing force on the piece of material. The reaction force of this pushing force will cause the sliding component 118 to drive the clamping device 110 to move away from the hopper mechanism. During the movement of the sliding component 118, the elastic component 119 is compressed to avoid the clamping device 110 from making a hard collision with the piece of material. When the clamping device 110 is working normally, the compressed elastic component 119 can be reset, pushing the clamping component to the corresponding position.

[0095] The elastic component 119 may include a guide shaft and a compression elastic element. The guide shaft is fixed to the clamping mounting base 116, and its extension direction should be the same as the sliding direction of the sliding component 118. The sliding component 118 has a guide hole that slides with the guide shaft, with one end of the guide shaft extending into the guide hole and capable of sliding with it. It should be noted that a slide rail that slides with the sliding component 118 can also be provided on the clamping mounting base 116 to increase the stability of the sliding component 118. For example, slide rails parallel to the guide shaft can be provided on both sides of the guide shaft, and a groove that mates with the slide rail can be provided on the sliding component 118.

[0096] A compression elastic element is sleeved on the guide shaft, with one end of the compression elastic element abutting against the clamping mounting base 116 and the other end abutting against the sliding assembly 118. The compression elastic element can be a compression spring, and the spring constant can be selected according to requirements so that the clamping assembly can be pushed out of the working position and compressed when subjected to the reaction force of the material, causing the sliding assembly 118 to move backward.

[0097] To further improve safety, in this embodiment, the conveying mechanism may also include a position sensor assembly 117 and a controller. The position sensor assembly 117 detects the position of the sliding assembly 118. When the sliding assembly 118 moves towards the clamping mounting base 116 to the calibrated position, the controller stops the displacement module. This prevents the displacement module from failing to stop even after the compression of the elastic component 119 has been fully released. The position sensor assembly 117 detects the position of the sliding assembly 118, and the controller stops the displacement module, thus completely preventing the material from being crushed.

[0098] The position sensor assembly 117 can be a photoelectric position sensor assembly, including a photoelectric sensor 1172 and a sensing plate 1171. The sensing plate 1171 can be fixed to the sliding assembly 118 to follow the reciprocating movement of the sliding assembly 118, and the photoelectric sensor 1172 can be fixed on the clamping mounting base 116. When the sensing plate 1171 moves to the position of the photoelectric sensor 1172, it can block the signal of the photoelectric sensor 1172, thereby sensing the position of the sliding assembly 118. In this embodiment, the position of the photoelectric sensor 1172 can be selected according to the safe compression amount of the elastic component 119, so that when the sliding assembly 118 moves to the point where the sensing plate 1171 and the photoelectric sensor 1172 coincide, the sliding assembly 118 compresses the elastic component 119 to the safe compression amount. Further compression will cause the material to be crushed due to the significant increase in elastic force. Therefore, the displacement module can be stopped by the controller before the material is crushed.

[0099] Those skilled in the art will understand that the accuracy of the displacement module can usually be guaranteed when it is transferred between different workstations. The above solution will only be triggered when the displacement module malfunctions or when there is a significant problem with the accuracy of the displacement module.

[0100] In addition, two photoelectric sensors 1172 can be provided. One (e.g., a first photoelectric sensor) is used to mark the position of the sliding component 118 before the elastic component 119 is compressed; the other (e.g., a second photoelectric sensor) is used to mark the position of the sliding component 118 when the elastic component 119 is compressed to a safe compression amount. The reason for adding a photoelectric sensor 1172 to mark the position of the sliding component 118 before the elastic component 119 is compressed is that as the elastic component 119 is repeatedly compressed, its reset amount will decrease, causing the clamping component to be a distance from the corresponding position when the displacement module stops at the corresponding workstation, resulting in normal operation. In this embodiment, by adding a photoelectric sensor 1172 to mark the position of the sliding component 118 before the elastic component 119 is compressed, when the elastic component 119 is not compressed, the sensing sheet 1171 cannot block the photoelectric sensor 1172, thus triggering an alarm to remind the operator to inspect or replace the elastic component 119.

[0101] In this embodiment, the adsorption device 120 may include an adsorption support 121 and suction cups 122 fixed on the adsorption support 121. The number of suction cups 122 can be selected by those skilled in the art according to their needs, as long as it can stably adsorb the material sheet.

[0102] This invention also discloses a laser processing apparatus, including a hopper mechanism, a cleaning mechanism, a cleaning and coating mechanism, a transport mechanism, and a processing mechanism. The transport mechanism is the same as that disclosed in the above embodiments. Because it has the aforementioned transport mechanism, it possesses all the technical effects of the aforementioned transport mechanism, and will not be described in detail here.

[0103] The handling mechanism includes at least a first handling action and a second handling action;

[0104] The first handling action includes: the displacement module drives the clamping device 110 to move to the material picking position, the clamping device 110 clamps the material sheet in the material bin mechanism, the displacement module drives the clamping device 110 and drags the material sheet to the transfer position, then releases the material sheet, the adsorption device 120 adsorbs the material sheet, and the displacement module transfers the material sheet to the cleaning and coating mechanism at the target position.

[0105] The second handling action includes: the displacement module drives the adsorption device 120 to adsorb the processed material pieces in the cleaning mechanism and place them on the transfer position; the clamping device 110 clamps the material pieces on the transfer position and pushes them to the hopper mechanism through the displacement module.

[0106] The specific working process of the handling mechanism is as follows:

[0107] 1) The displacement module moves the clamping device 110 to the position of the hopper mechanism. The clamping device 110 clamps the unprocessed material piece in the hopper mechanism. When clamping the material piece, if the photoelectric sensor 1172 is triggered by the sensing plate 1171, the displacement module stops running. After clamping the material piece, the displacement module drives the clamping device 110 to move away from the hopper mechanism and to the positioning position. The clamping device 110 then releases the material piece.

[0108] 2) The gripping assembly is flipped to the avoidance position by the flipping drive device 113;

[0109] 3) The displacement module moves the adsorption device 120 above the material sheet, adsorbs the material sheet, and moves it to the cleaning and coating mechanism. The material sheet is cleaned and coated with adhesive in the cleaning and coating mechanism. After completion, the material sheet is transported to the laser processing station through other feeding mechanisms of the laser processing equipment. It is processed by the processing mechanism. After laser processing is completed, the processed material sheet is moved to the cleaning mechanism for cleaning through other unloading mechanisms of the laser processing equipment.

[0110] 4) The displacement module moves the adsorption device 120 to above the material sheet, adsorbs the material sheet, and transfers the cleaned material sheet to the positioning position (the positioning position can be equipped with a corresponding straightening mechanism to center and position the material sheet).

[0111] 5) The gripping assembly is flipped to the working position by the flipping drive device 113;

[0112] 6) The displacement module moves the clamping device 110 to the positioning position, the clamping device 110 clamps the material piece at the positioning position, the displacement module drives the clamping device 110 to move closer to the hopper mechanism, and pushes the processed material piece into the hopper mechanism. Similarly, when pushing the material piece, if the pushing distance is too large, causing the photoelectric sensor 1172 to be triggered by the sensing plate 1171, the displacement module will still be controlled to stop running.

[0113] As indicated in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "a," and / or "the" are not specifically singular and may include the plural. Generally, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements. An element defined by the phrase "comprising an..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, product, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0114] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0115] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0116] This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A conveying mechanism, characterized in that, include: Displacement module; A clamping device (110) is disposed at the output end of the displacement module, so as to be driven by the displacement module to complete the material picking and unpicking action; An adsorption device (120) is disposed at the output end of the displacement module so as to be driven by the displacement module to complete the material handling action; The conveying mechanism is configured such that: the displacement module drives the clamping device (110) to move to the picking position, the clamping device (110) clamps the material piece at the picking position, the displacement module drives the clamping device (110) to drag the material piece to the transfer position and release the material piece, the adsorption device (120) adsorbs the material piece at the transfer position, and the displacement module transports the material piece to the target position; The clamping device (110) includes: A clamping mounting bracket (115) is connected to the output end of the displacement module; A flipping drive device (113) is provided on the clamping mounting frame (115). The clamping assembly is connected to the output end of the flipping drive device (113) to drive the clamping assembly to switch between the working position and the avoidance position. The side of the clamping mounting bracket (115) near the clamping station is the clamping target side. When the clamping assembly is in the working position, the clamping assembly is located on the clamping target side so that it can clamp the material at the material picking position and transport it to the transfer position. When the clamping assembly is in the avoidance position, the clamping assembly avoids the clamping target side so that the adsorption device (120) can adsorb the material at the transfer position.

2. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The displacement module includes a first direction displacement module (300) and a second direction displacement module (200). The second direction displacement module (200) is disposed at the output end of the first direction displacement module (300) and is used to drive the second direction displacement module to reciprocate along the first direction. The clamping device (110) and the adsorption device (120) are both located at the output end of the second direction displacement module (200) and are used to drive the clamping device (110) and the adsorption device (120) to reciprocate along the second direction. The material picking position, the transfer position and the target position are all arranged along the first direction, or the material picking position and the transfer position are arranged along the first direction, and the target position is located on one side of the transfer position along the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular.

3. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping component includes: The gripper assembly (111) includes a first gripper (1111) and a second gripper (1112) that move relative to each other. A gripper drive (112) is disposed on one of the first gripper (1111) and the second gripper (1112), and is connected to the output end of the flipping drive device (113). The output end of the gripper drive (112) is connected to the other of the first gripper (1111) and the second gripper (1112), and is used to drive the first gripper (1111) and the second gripper (1112) to move relative to each other to complete the gripping and releasing action.

4. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, When the gripping assembly is in the working position, the second gripper (1112) is located above the first gripper (1111); The gripper drive (112) is fixed on the second gripper (1112), and the gripping mounting bracket (115) has a hidden space (1151). When the gripping assembly is in the avoidance position, the gripper drive (112) is located in the hidden space (1151) of the gripping mounting bracket (115).

5. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping mounting bracket (115) includes two mounting brackets arranged in parallel, with the hidden space (1151) formed between the two mounting brackets.

6. The conveying mechanism according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The clamping device (110) further includes: A clamping mounting base (116) is provided, and the clamping mounting frame (115) is connected to the output end of the displacement module via the clamping mounting base (116). The sliding component (118) is slidably fitted to the clamping mounting base (116), the clamping mounting bracket (115) is fixed on the sliding component (118), and the sliding direction of the sliding component (118) is the same as the moving direction of the clamping component when clamping and releasing the material piece; An elastic component (119) is disposed between the sliding component (118) and the clamping mounting base (116).

7. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The elastic component (119) includes: The guide shaft is fixed on the clamping mounting base (116), and the sliding assembly (118) has a guide hole that slides with the guide shaft; A compression elastic element is sleeved on the guide shaft, with one end of the compression elastic element abutting against the clamping mounting base (116) and the other end abutting against the sliding assembly (118).

8. The conveying mechanism as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A position sensor assembly (117) is used to detect the position of the sliding assembly (118); The controller stops the displacement module when the sliding component (118) moves toward the clamping mounting base (116) to the calibrated position.

9. A laser processing apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a hopper mechanism, a cleaning mechanism, a cleaning and coating mechanism, a transport mechanism, and a processing mechanism, wherein the transport mechanism is the transport mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-8, and the transport mechanism is configured to include at least a first transport action and a second transport action; The first handling action includes: the displacement module drives the clamping device (110) to move to the material picking position, the clamping device (110) clamps the material piece in the hopper mechanism, the displacement module drives the clamping device (110) and drags the material piece to the transfer position, and then releases the material piece, the adsorption device (120) adsorbs the material piece, and the displacement module transfers the material piece to the cleaning and coating mechanism at the target position; The second handling action includes: the displacement module driving the adsorption device (120) to adsorb the material piece processed by the processing mechanism in the cleaning mechanism and place it on the transfer position; the clamping device (110) clamps the material piece on the transfer position and pushes it to the hopper mechanism through the displacement module.

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