Handling device and assembly system for thyristor valves

By designing gripper assemblies and robotic arm systems for thyristor valves, the problem of low efficiency in manual handling and assembly was solved, achieving automated handling and stable assembly, and improving production efficiency and quality.

CN119589333BActive Publication Date: 2026-11-06SHANGHAI SHARETEK TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411711894.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-11-27
Publication Date
2026-11-06
Estimated Expiration
2044-11-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The handling and assembly of thyristor valves mainly rely on manual operation, resulting in heavy product components, difficult handling, unstable quality, and low efficiency of manual operation.

Method used

Design a handling device including a drive unit and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly consists of two pairs of slidingly arranged grippers, each with an arc surface and a flat gripping surface. The device is driven by a motor to achieve stable gripping and handling of various components of a thyristor valve, and can be combined with a robotic arm or robot for automated assembly.

Benefits of technology

It enables stable clamping and handling of thyristor valve components, improves assembly efficiency and quality, simplifies grinding, cleaning and oiling processes, ensures neat stacking of components, and enhances production quality.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention provides a handling device and assembly system for thyristor valves. The handling device includes a drive component and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly includes two pairs of slidably arranged grippers. The gripping surface of the first pair of grippers is an arc surface that matches the circular component in the thyristor valve, and the gripping surface of the second pair of grippers is a plane. Both the first and second pairs of grippers are connected to the drive component and are opened and clamped under the drive of the drive component. This invention achieves the gripping and handling of various components in the thyristor valve by using a gripper assembly with different gripping surfaces. The first pair of grippers with arc surfaces is used for gripping and handling circular thyristors, and the second pair of grippers with plane surfaces is used for gripping and handling square heat sinks or end plates, improving adaptability and enabling stable stacking of various components during the assembly of the thyristor valve, thereby improving production efficiency and quality.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of industrial automation for thyristor valves, and in particular to a clamping mechanism and assembly system for thyristor valves. Background Technology

[0002] The core technology of DC power transmission lies in the converter station equipment. The converter station enables the conversion of DC and AC energy in DC power transmission projects. In addition to the equipment found in AC substations, it also has unique equipment including: converter valves, control and protection systems, converter transformers, AC filters and reactive power compensation equipment, DC filters, smoothing reactors, and DC field equipment. The converter valve is the core equipment in the converter station, its main function being AC-DC conversion. From the initial mercury arc valves to today's electrically and optically controlled thyristor valves, the unit capacity of converter valves has been continuously increasing. Thyristor valves, as high-power power electronic rectifiers or inverters in power systems, are also core components of DC power transmission projects.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, the thyristor valve mainly comprises an upper end plate 101, a lower end plate 105, and an intermediate frame composed of multiple insulating tie rods 104 connecting the two end plates, bridging the two end plates. It contains power devices such as a heat sink 102, a thyristor 103, and an IGBT. Currently, the production of thyristor valves mainly relies on manual handling of the components. This results in heavy components that are difficult to move; during handling, some components need to be polished, cleaned, and oiled, which is inconvenient for manual operation and leads to inconsistent quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a handling device and assembly system for thyristor valves, so as to realize automated handling and assembly, improve assembly efficiency and assembly quality, and facilitate the neat stacking of heat sinks, thyristors and IGBTs.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a conveying device for a thyristor valve. The conveying device includes a driving component and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly includes two pairs of slidably arranged grippers. The gripping surface of the first pair of grippers is an arc surface that matches the circular part in the thyristor valve. The gripping surface of the second pair of grippers is a plane. Both the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are connected to the driving component and are opened and clamped under the drive of the driving component.

[0006] Preferably, the gripper assembly further includes a third pair of grippers connected to the drive member, wherein the gripping surface of the third pair of grippers is a plane.

[0007] Preferably, the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are arranged back to back, and the third pair of grippers is located below the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers.

[0008] Preferably, the gripper assembly includes two parallel guide rails, and the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are slidably connected to the two guide rails respectively.

[0009] Preferably, the driving component is a motor, the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are respectively connected to the sliders on the guide rail, the motor is connected to the sliders through a transmission mechanism, and causes the sliders on the same guide rail to move in opposite directions.

[0010] Preferably, the drive unit and gripper assembly are placed on a support frame, which has a connector for connection to the drive unit.

[0011] Preferably, the driving device is a robotic arm or robot, and the support frame is rotatably connected to the driving device, rotating or moving under the drive of the driving device.

[0012] Preferably, the clamping surface is provided with wear-resistant parts.

[0013] The present invention also provides an assembly system for a thyristor valve, comprising a storage area for storing various components of the thyristor valve and an assembly area for assembling the thyristor valve, and a transport area located on one side of the storage area and the assembly area, wherein the transport area is provided with a transport device for the thyristor valve as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0014] Preferably, both the storage area and the assembly area are equipped with supporting table frames.

[0015] As described above, the clamping mechanism and assembly system for thyristor valves of the present invention have the following advantages: Two pairs of grippers with different clamping surfaces can be used to clamp and transport various components of the thyristor valve; the arc-shaped surface can be used to clamp circular thyristors, and the flat surface can be used to clamp end plates or heat sinks, etc., ensuring stable clamping; different grippers can be driven to clamp different components by a driving component, saving the volume and structure of the clamping mechanism and eliminating the need for multiple driving components; grinding, cleaning, and oiling processes can be completed during transport, and the stacking of various components of the thyristor valve is stable and consistent, improving production quality. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 The diagram shown is of a thyristor valve.

[0017] Figure 2 The diagram shown is an embodiment of the gripping mechanism in this invention.

[0018] Figure 3 The diagram shown is an embodiment of the gripper assembly in this invention.

[0019] Figure 4 The diagram shown illustrates an embodiment of the driving component in this invention.

[0020] Figure 5 The diagram shown is an embodiment of the assembly system used for the thyristor valve in this invention.

[0021] Component designation explanation

[0022] 100 thyristor valve

[0023] 200 clamping mechanism

[0024] 300 storage areas

[0025] 400 Assembly Area

[0026] 500 robotic arms

[0027] 101 upper plate

[0028] 102 Radiator

[0029] 103 thyristor

[0030] 104 Insulating Tie Rod

[0031] 105 lower end plate

[0032] 201 flange

[0033] 202 support frame

[0034] 203 drive unit

[0035] 204 Second Pair of Grippers

[0036] 241 plane

[0037] 205 guide rail

[0038] 206 Third pair of grippers

[0039] 207 First Pair of Grippers

[0040] 208 support plate

[0041] 271 curved surface

[0042] 231 control unit

[0043] 232 motor

[0044] 233 Transmission Mechanism Detailed Implementation

[0045] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0046] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings of this specification are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention. Furthermore, the terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0047] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a conveying device for a thyristor valve. The conveying device includes a clamping mechanism 200, which specifically includes a driving member 203 and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly includes two pairs of slidably arranged grippers. The clamping surface of the first pair of grippers 207 is perpendicular to the circular part of the thyristor valve. Figure 1 The first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 have a curved surface 271 matching the thyristor 103, and a flat surface 241 for the second pair of grippers 204. Both the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 are connected to the drive member 203 and are opened and clamped under the drive of the drive member 203. In this embodiment, grippers with different clamping surfaces are used to clamp and transport the components in the thyristor valve. The first pair of grippers 207 with a curved surface is used to clamp and transport the circular thyristor, and the second pair of grippers 204 with a flat surface is used to clamp and transport the square heat sink or end plate, which improves adaptability and enables stable stacking of the components during the assembly of the thyristor valve, thereby improving production efficiency and quality.

[0048] As one embodiment, the aforementioned gripper assembly further includes a third pair of grippers 206 connected to the drive member 203, wherein the gripping surface of the third pair of grippers 206 is planar. This embodiment employs three pairs of grippers, two of which have planar gripping surfaces, allowing for the use of different grippers to grasp the heat sink and end plate, thereby expanding the gripping adaptability. Furthermore, the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 are arranged back-to-back, and the third pair of grippers 206 is located below the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204. That is, the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 are located on the same gripping plane but are set in opposite directions, while the third pair of grippers 206 is located on a different gripping plane. The first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 are installed above the support plate 208, and the third pair of grippers 206 is installed below the support plate 208. This arrangement is more suitable for gripping the two end plates in the thyristor valve. In addition, before gripping one end plate, each pull rod can be fixed on the end plate. That is, interference should be avoided during the gripping and handling process. Therefore, in this embodiment, the third gripper 206 is set independently, which makes it easier to grip and handle in a small space.

[0049] As an example, see Figure 3 As shown, the gripper assembly includes two parallel guide rails 205, with the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 slidably mounted on one of the guide rails 205. The driving component 203 is a motor 232 with a control unit 231, see... Figure 4 As shown, the first pair of grippers 207 and the second pair of grippers 204 are respectively connected to sliders on the guide rail 205. The motor 232 is connected to the sliders through the transmission mechanism 233, causing the sliders on the same guide rail to move in opposite directions. By using the motor 232 to drive the sliders to move linearly on the guide rail 205, the stable opening and clamping of each pair of grippers is achieved, improving the safety and reliability of the handling.

[0050] The third pair of grippers 206 can be directly connected to the transmission mechanism 233. The transmission connection between each pair of grippers and the motor 232 is controlled according to process requirements. The gripping process can be as follows: the motor 232 first connects to the third pair of grippers 206, realizing the gripping of the end plate with pull rod (…). Figure 1 The lower end plate 105 is clamped and transported, and then connected with the second pair of grippers 204 and the third pair of grippers 207 to realize the alternating clamping of square and round parts and stacking them into the space enclosed by each pull rod. Finally, it is connected with the third pair of grippers 206 to realize the clamping of the other end plate and complete the assembly.

[0051] For ease of installation, the aforementioned drive component 203 and gripper assembly are placed on a support frame 202. The support frame 202 has a connector for connecting to the drive device. In this embodiment, the connector is preferably a flange 201, which can be directly connected to a robotic arm or robot serving as the drive device. The flange is rotatably connected to the end effector of the robotic arm or robot, and rotates or moves under its drive, thus adapting to the use of each gripper. For better gripping, wear-resistant parts are provided on each of the aforementioned gripping surfaces.

[0052] As one embodiment, it also provides an assembly system for thyristor valves, such as Figure 5 As shown, it includes a storage area 300 for storing various components of the thyristor valve and an assembly area 400 for assembling the thyristor valve. A transport area is located on one side of the storage area and the assembly area, and the transport area is equipped with a transport device for the thyristor valve 100 as described in any of the preceding claims. Both the storage area 300 and the assembly area 400 are equipped with support frames for placing various components of the thyristor valve, such as a material rack one for placing the radiator 102, and a material rack two for placing the thyristor 103 and end plate. The aforementioned driving device is a robotic arm 500, with a gripping mechanism 200 including a gripper assembly and a driving component located at the end of the robotic arm, rotating or moving under the drive of the robotic arm 500. The assembly area 400 also includes a pressure testing mechanism or other auxiliary assembly mechanisms for assembly, which will not be detailed here.

[0053] In this embodiment, the robot first rotates to align the third pair of grippers 206 with the second material rack. The motor 232 drives the third pair of grippers 206 to grip the end plate, and the robot moves to transport it to the assembly area 400. The robot then rotates to align the second pair of grippers 204 with the first material rack to grip square components such as the radiator 102 and move them to the assembly area 400. The third pair of grippers 207 aligns with the second material rack to grip and move round components such as the thyristor 103. In addition, an alignment mechanism is used when placing square and round components to ensure neat stacking. Finally, the other end plate is gripped and transported to complete the assembly.

[0054] Therefore, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0055] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A conveying device for a thyristor valve, characterized in that, The conveying device includes a driving component and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly includes two pairs of slidably arranged grippers. The gripping surface of the first pair of grippers is an arc surface that matches the circular part in the thyristor valve. The gripping surface of the second pair of grippers is a plane. Both the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are connected to the driving component and are opened and clamped under the drive of the driving component. The gripper assembly further includes a third pair of grippers connected to the drive member, wherein the gripping surface of the third pair of grippers is a plane; The first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are arranged facing away from each other, and the third pair of grippers is located below the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers; The gripper assembly includes two parallel guide rails, and the first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are slidably connected to the two guide rails respectively. The driving component is a motor. The first pair of grippers and the second pair of grippers are respectively connected to the sliders on the guide rail. The motor is connected to the sliders through a transmission mechanism, and causes the sliders on the same guide rail to move in opposite directions. The drive unit is provided with a switchable transmission connection mechanism between itself and each pair of grippers. The switchable transmission connection mechanism is configured to selectively transmit the power of the drive unit to the third pair of grippers, the second pair of grippers, or the first pair of grippers according to the assembly process sequence of the thyristor valve. First, the third pair of grippers is driven to grip and transport the end plate with the pull rod. Then, the second pair of grippers is driven alternately to grip the square heat sink and the first pair of grippers is driven to grip the round thyristor and stack them in the space enclosed by the insulating pull rod with the end plate with the pull rod. Finally, the third pair of grippers is driven to grip and install the upper end plate on the other side to complete the assembly of the thyristor valve.

2. The conveying device for a thyristor valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive unit and gripper assembly are placed on a support frame, which has a connector for connection to the drive unit.

3. The conveying device for a thyristor valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving device is a robotic arm or robot, and the support frame is rotatably connected to the driving device, rotating or moving under the drive of the driving device.

4. The conveying device for a thyristor valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping surface is provided with wear-resistant parts.

5. An assembly system for a thyristor valve, characterized in that: It includes a storage area for storing various components of a thyristor valve and an assembly area for assembling the thyristor valve, and a transport area located on one side of the storage area and the assembly area, wherein the transport area is equipped with a transport device for the thyristor valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The assembly system for a thyristor valve according to claim 5, characterized in that: Both the storage area and the assembly area are equipped with support tables.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • One-stop multifunctional assembly test line

    CN111964896A

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