A pressure unit for nose

Abstract

A pressure nose for a pressure unit belongs to the field of automated hole-making in aircraft assembly. The pressure nose includes a main body with a through hole at its center and an arc-shaped edge connecting to its edge. The pressure nose is part of the pressure foot unit in the end effector of a riveting machine, primarily used to cooperate with the pressure foot unit to achieve the clamping operation of rivets. When the riveting machine is working, the through hole in the center of the pressure nose directly contacts and fixes the rivet. The riveting die applies downward pressure to the rivet, fixing it to the workpiece. The arc-shaped edge and the main body are fixed in the pressure foot extension plate for stability. With the pressure nose clamped, the rivet receives sufficient pressure to remain stable and not shift. The pressure nose is fixed in the mounting hole of the pressure foot extension plate, which includes a central plate and a connecting arm extending from the central plate. The central plate has a mounting hole at its center. The pressure foot extension plate can reduce localized damage to the pressure nose caused by pressure concentration and improve the stability of both the pressure nose and the pressure foot extension plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated hole-making in aircraft assembly, and particularly to a pressure nose for a pressure unit. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid advancement of automation and digital technologies, automated drilling technology has been widely applied in the assembly manufacturing field, especially in industries such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing. Automated drilling technology includes flexible rail drilling, robotic drilling, and machine tool drilling, among which the design of the end effector is crucial for automated drilling equipment. The end effector integrates multiple motion units, such as pressure foot units, drilling units, photogrammetric units, hole diameter detection units, and rivet feeding units. The pressure foot unit is installed at the front end of the end effector and can press the product surface to eliminate pre-connection gaps while performing other actions, thereby ensuring high precision in the drilling and measurement processes. The pressure nose is the component in the pressure foot unit that directly presses the product surface, and its structure directly affects the stability and accuracy of drilling and subsequent riveting. Existing public technology CN106424521B is a normal adaptive pressure foot mechanism, which can achieve adaptive micro-adjustment when the pressure foot head is in contact with the component surface through flexible installation of the pressure foot head and the pressure foot base, thereby achieving complete contact with the component surface. However, there is still room for research in terms of structural optimization. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pressure nose for a pressure unit and a pressure foot extension plate for a pressure unit. The pressure nose is mounted on the pressure foot extension plate and is used for the pressure foot unit of the end effector of the riveting head main unit to press and fix the rivet during the riveting process of aircraft workpieces.

[0004] A pressure nose for a pressure unit includes a pressure nose body with a through hole at its center and an arc-shaped edge connecting to the edge of the body. The pressure nose is part of the pressure foot unit in the end effector of a riveting machine, primarily used to cooperate with the pressure foot unit to perform the rivet clamping operation. When the riveting machine is operating, the through hole at the center of the pressure nose directly contacts and secures the rivet. The riveting die applies downward pressure to the rivet, fixing it to the workpiece. The arc-shaped edge and the body are fixed in the pressure foot extension plate for stability. With the pressure nose clamped, the rivet receives sufficient pressure to remain stable and prevent displacement.

[0005] The curved edge is equipped with a magnet and a locating pin. The magnet on the curved edge provides additional holding force for quickly and securely attaching the nose to the presser foot extension plate. The magnet facilitates the installation and removal of the nose; through magnetic attraction, operators can quickly remove or install the nose on the presser foot extension plate. The locating pin secures the nose in its position on the presser foot extension plate, preventing it from rubbing against or colliding with the mounting holes during installation and removal, thus avoiding wear.

[0006] The main body and the curved edge share a notch. This notch is used to allow an external camera to observe the footage, and can also be used by workers to monitor the riveting process.

[0007] The notch consists of an arc-shaped edge notch and a main body notch. Viewed from the side, the arc-shaped edge notch is a regular rectangle, while the main body notch is a semicircle. In actual production of nose pressers, manufacturing notches with common regular shapes is technically simple and efficient. The shape of the notch, viewed from the side, perfectly matches the shape of the upper riveting die head, allowing for complete observation of the upper riveting die's movement during operation, thus determining whether the riveting process is proceeding normally.

[0008] Magnets are evenly distributed along the curved edge. The magnets are used to attach the pressure nose to the pressure foot extension plate. The even distribution of magnets along the curved edge ensures uniform magnetic attraction, preventing the pressure nose from tilting or falling off the pressure foot extension plate due to uneven force during operation.

[0009] The nose clip contains a cavity with an included angle α at its bottom between 140° and 150°. During the riveting process, the space inside the cavity ensures the top of the upper riveting die can be fully inserted, securing the rivet to the through hole. While the upper riveting die may vibrate during riveting, the ample space inside the cavity prevents this vibration from damaging the magnets and locating pins on the curved edge. The included angle α effectively distributes the clamping force on the through hole to the main body surface and the curved edge, preventing stress concentration that could damage the main body.

[0010] The presser foot extension plate includes a central plate and a connecting arm extending from the central plate. The central plate has a mounting hole in its center, into which the pressure unit is fixed using a pressure nose. The mounting hole in the central plate is used to embed and fix the pressure nose onto the presser foot extension plate. The connecting arm provides movement support for the pressure nose and is connected to a drive cylinder. The drive cylinder pushes the presser foot extension plate to move in a preset direction, thereby extending or retracting the pressure nose. The presser foot extension plate has a robust structure, ensuring the pressure nose remains stable under pressure, preventing excessive displacement and deformation during riveting. Simultaneously, its cross-shaped connecting arm design effectively distributes the pressure on the pressure nose to the connecting arm, reducing pressure concentration and localized damage to the pressure nose. This improves the stability and service life of the pressure nose and the overall presser foot extension plate, enhancing the overall load-bearing capacity of the pressure nose.

[0011] The connecting arm features threaded holes and floating joint holes. The threaded holes connect to a drive cylinder, whose floating joint extends into the floating joint hole to drive the presser foot extension plate to move in a preset direction. This, in conjunction with the upper riveting die, rivets are riveted to the workpiece surface. The design of the threaded holes and floating joint holes enhances the linkage between the drive cylinder and the presser foot extension plate, resulting in more precise and smooth extension and retraction of the presser nose. This structure provides sufficient flexibility to adapt to different operating environments, ensuring continuous and stable control of the presser nose's precise position during riveting.

[0012] The presser foot extension plate has a camera channel around the notch, which guides the camera to align with the notch. As the upper riveting die rivets the rivet into the workpiece, the external camera aligns with the camera channel, allowing the camera's light to directly enter the notch through the channel, thus monitoring the entire process. This camera channel design improves the accuracy and efficiency of monitoring, ensuring operators can promptly check if the riveting meets expected standards and avoiding any potential operational errors. Real-time monitoring effectively enhances the stability of the riveting process, allowing for timely adjustments to riveting force and position, and guaranteeing the precision and quality of the final product.

[0013] The advantages of this invention are as follows: The nose design allows it to stably clamp the rivet, ensuring that the rivet's position on the machined part remains fixed and does not shift. Through the arc-shaped edge of the magnet and the locating pin, the nose can quickly and securely connect to the presser foot extension plate. Simultaneously, the uniform distribution of the magnets avoids uneven force distribution during operation, ensuring the stability of the nose. The notch design allows operators to monitor the riveting process in real time via a camera, further ensuring the accuracy and stability of the riveting process. The presser foot extension plate provides a robust support structure, and the cross-shaped connecting arm effectively disperses pressure, reducing localized damage caused by pressure concentration and improving the load-bearing capacity of the nose and the entire platform. The threaded holes and floating joint holes in the connecting arm design enhance the linkage between the drive cylinder and the presser foot extension plate, making the nose's extension and retraction operation more precise and smooth. This ensures that the rivet's position and pressure can be continuously and stably controlled during riveting. The design of the nose and presser foot extension plate provides efficient mechanical support, precise motion control, and excellent monitoring capabilities, ensuring high stability and high precision in the riveting process of aircraft parts, greatly improving the quality and efficiency of the riveting operation. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in 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 merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure unit nose provided by the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 The present invention provides a side view and a schematic diagram of the notch shape for a pressure unit.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of a pressure unit nose provided by the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a pressure unit nose installed in the pressure unit foot extension plate provided by the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Pressure nose, 2-Pressure foot extension plate, 11-Main body, 12-Through hole, 13-Arc-shaped edge, 14-Magnet, 15-Positioning pin, 16-Notch, 16a-Main body notch, 16b-Arc-shaped edge notch, 17-Cavity, 21-Mounting hole, 22-Camera channel, 23-Connecting arm, 24-Threaded hole, 25-Floating joint hole, 26-Center plate, 3-Camera. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives and advantages of the invention clearer, the invention will be specifically described below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the following text is merely used to describe one or more specific embodiments of the invention and does not strictly limit the scope of protection specifically claimed by the invention.

[0021] Example 1:

[0022] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 4 As shown, a pressure nose for a pressure unit, made of stainless steel, includes a pressure nose 1. The pressure nose 1 includes a body 11 with a through hole 12 at its center and an arc-shaped edge 13 connected to its edge. The pressure nose 1 is part of the pressure foot unit in the end effector of an up riveting machine, mainly used to cooperate with the pressure foot unit to achieve the clamping operation of the rivet. When the up riveting machine is working, the through hole 12 at the center of the pressure nose 1 directly contacts and fixes the rivet. The up riveting die applies downward pressure to the rivet, fixing it to the workpiece. The arc-shaped edge 13 and the body 11 are fixed in the pressure foot extension plate 2 for stability. When the pressure nose 1 is clamped, the rivet receives sufficient pressure to remain stable and not shift. The pressure nose 1 is a commonly used riveting fixing component in the entire end effector of the up riveting machine. During the riveting process, it is often subjected to the impact force of the up riveting die. The good toughness of stainless steel makes it less prone to breakage during operation and can absorb a certain amount of impact energy.

[0023] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 4 As shown, a magnet 14 and a positioning pin 15 are provided on the arc-shaped edge 13. The magnet 14 on the arc-shaped edge 13 can provide additional fixing force to quickly and securely connect the nose 1 to the presser foot extension plate 2. The magnet 14 facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the nose 1. Through magnetic adsorption, the operator can quickly remove or install the nose 1 on the presser foot extension plate 2. The positioning pin 15 is used to fix the position of the nose 1 on the presser foot extension plate 2 to keep it stable. It also ensures that the nose 1 will not rub or collide violently with the mounting hole 21 during disassembly and assembly, causing wear to the nose 1. The number of magnets 14 is more than three to provide sufficient magnetic attraction force, so that the nose 1 can be better adsorbed on the presser foot extension plate 2.

[0024] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 2As shown, the main body 11 and the curved edge 13 share a notch 16. Notch 16 provides a gap for the external camera 3 to observe the process, allowing workers to monitor the riveting operation. Notch 16 consists of a curved edge notch 16b and a main body notch 16a. Viewed from the side, the curved edge notch 16b is a regular rectangle, while the main body notch 16a is a semicircle. In actual production of the pressure nose 1, manufacturing notches 16 with common regular shapes is relatively simple and efficient. The shape of notch 16, viewed from the side, perfectly matches the shape of the upper riveting die head, allowing for complete observation of the upper riveting die's movement during operation, thus determining whether the riveting process is proceeding normally.

[0025] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 4 As shown, magnets 14 are evenly distributed on the arc-shaped edge 13. Magnets 14 are used to attract the nose 1 onto the presser foot extension plate 2. Since magnets 14 are evenly distributed on the arc-shaped edge 13, the magnetic attraction force of the arc-shaped edge 13 is uniform, which avoids the nose 1 from tilting or falling off the presser foot extension plate 2 due to uneven force during operation.

[0026] See attached document Figure 1 Appendix Figure 3 As shown, the nose clip 1 has a cavity 17 inside, and the included angle α at the bottom of the cavity 17 is between 140° and 150°. During the riveting process of the upper riveting die, the space inside the cavity 17 ensures that the top of the upper riveting die can be completely inserted, and the rivet will be fixed on the through hole 12. During the riveting process, the upper riveting die may vibrate. The large space inside the cavity 17 ensures that the vibration of the upper riveting die will not damage the magnet 14 and the positioning pin 15 on the arc edge 13. The setting of the included angle α can effectively distribute the clamping force on the through hole 12 during operation to the surface of the main body 11 and the arc edge 13, preventing stress concentration that could damage the main body 11.

[0027] Example 2:

[0028] See attached document Figure 4 As shown, a pressure unit foot extension plate is made of stainless steel. The good toughness of stainless steel makes it less prone to breakage during operation and allows it to absorb a certain amount of impact energy. The pressure unit extension plate 2 includes a central plate 26 and a connecting arm 23 extending from the central plate 26. The central plate 26 has a mounting hole 21 at its center, and the pressure unit is fixed in the mounting hole 21 using a pressure nose 1. The mounting hole 21 of the central plate 26 is used to mount and embed the pressure nose 1 onto the pressure unit extension plate 2, and the mounting hole 21 has corresponding magnetic adsorption points for the pressure nose 1.

[0029] The connecting arm 23 provides motion support for the nose 1. The connecting arm 23 is connected to the drive cylinder, which pushes the presser foot extension plate 2 to move in a preset direction, thereby causing the nose 1 to extend or retract. The presser foot extension plate 2 has a robust structure, which ensures that the nose 1 remains stable when pressure is applied, and prevents excessive displacement and deformation of the nose 1 under pressure during riveting. At the same time, its cross-shaped connecting arm 23 design effectively distributes the pressure on the nose 1 to the connecting arm 23, reducing the local damage caused by pressure concentration to the nose 1, thereby improving the stability and service life of the nose 1 and the overall presser foot extension plate 2, and enhancing the overall load-bearing capacity of the nose 1.

[0030] See attached document Figure 4 As shown, the connecting arm 23 is provided with a threaded hole 24 and a floating joint hole 25. The threaded hole 24 is used to connect the drive cylinder. The floating joint of the drive cylinder extends into the floating joint hole 25 to drive the presser foot extension plate 2 to move in a preset direction, coordinating with the upper riveting die to rivet the rivet onto the workpiece surface. The design of the threaded hole 24 and the floating joint hole 25 improves the linkage effect between the drive cylinder and the presser foot extension plate 2, making the extension and retraction of the presser nose 1 more precise and smooth. This structure provides sufficient flexibility to adapt to different operating environments, ensuring continuous and stable control of the precise position of the presser nose 1 during the riveting process.

[0031] See attached document Figure 4 As shown, the presser foot extension plate 2 has a camera channel 22 around the notch 16. The camera channel 22 guides the camera 3 to align with the notch 16. During the process of the upper riveting die riveting the rivet into the workpiece, the external camera 3 is aligned with the camera channel 22, and the light from the camera 3 can directly enter the notch 16 through the camera channel 22, thereby monitoring the entire process. The design of the camera channel 22 improves the accuracy and efficiency of process monitoring, ensuring that operators can promptly check whether the riveting meets the expected standards and avoiding any potential operational errors. Through real-time monitoring, the stability of the riveting process can be effectively improved, allowing for timely adjustments to the riveting force and position, ensuring the accuracy and quality of the final product.

[0032] The embodiments and / or implementation methods described above are merely preferred embodiments and / or implementation methods for implementing the technology of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation methods of the technology of the present invention in any way. Any person skilled in the art may make some modifications to other equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical means disclosed in the content of the present invention, but these should still be regarded as the technology or embodiments that are substantially the same as the present invention.

[0033] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this application. The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of this application. It should be noted that due to the limitations of written expression, while there are objectively infinite specific structures, those skilled in the art can make several improvements, modifications, or changes without departing from the principles of this application, and can also combine the above technical features in an appropriate manner. These improvements, modifications, changes, or combinations, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, should all be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A pressure unit presser foot extension plate, characterized in that: The pressure unit has a pressure nose (1), which includes a main body (11). The main body (11) has a through hole (12) at its center. The edge of the main body (11) is connected to an arc-shaped edge (13). A magnet (14) and a positioning pin (15) are provided on the arc-shaped edge (13). The main body (11) and the arc-shaped edge (13) share a notch (16). The notch (16) is composed of an arc-shaped edge notch (16b) and a main body notch (16a). The notch (16) is used to leave a gap for the camera (3) to observe the riveting process. The pressure unit pressure foot extension plate includes a pressure foot extension plate (2). The pressure foot extension plate (2) includes a central plate (26) and an extension plate extending from the central plate (26). The connecting arm (23) has a mounting hole (21) in the center of the central plate (26), and the pressure nose (1) is fixed in the mounting hole (21). The connecting arm (23) is provided with a threaded hole (24) and a floating joint hole (25). The central plate (26) of the pressure foot extension plate (2) is provided with a camera channel (22). The camera channel (22) is used to guide the camera (3) to align with the notch (16). The threaded hole (24) is used to connect the drive cylinder. The floating joint of the drive cylinder extends into the floating joint hole (25) to drive the pressure foot extension plate (2) to move in a preset direction. The design of the threaded hole (24) and the floating joint hole (25) improves the linkage effect between the drive cylinder and the pressure foot extension plate (2).

2. The pressure unit foot extension plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The magnets (14) are evenly distributed on the arc-shaped edge (13).

3. The pressure unit foot extension plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of magnets (14) is at least 3.

4. The pressure unit foot extension plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nose presser (1) has a cavity (17) inside, and the bottom angle α of the cavity (17) is between 140° and 150°.

5. A pressure unit foot extension plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The presser foot extension plate (2) and the presser nose (1) are both made of stainless steel.

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