Automatic replacement equipment and automatic replacement method

Abstract

The invention provides automatic replacement equipment and an automatic replacement method. The automatic replacement equipment can comprise a supporting device, a temporary storage device and a replacement device, and the supporting device is provided with a connecting frame capable of ascending and descending; the temporary storage device is connected with the connecting frame and is provided with a plurality of temporary storage bins; the replacing device is connected with the connecting frame and provided with a taking and placing part opposite to the temporary storage bin in height position, and the taking and placing part can move in the horizontal plane relative to the connecting frame so that the taking and placing part can at least move between the temporary storage bin and a target position at the same height as the temporary storage bin. And the taking and placing part can take or release the target object at any one of the temporary storage bin and the target position. The automatic replacement equipment can perform replacement operation according to the automatic replacement method so as to replace workers, so that the fatigue situation is avoided, the operation speed is ensured, and the probability of falling due to the fact that the automatic replacement equipment is not firmly grabbed is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of automated production, and in particular to an automatic replacement device and an automatic replacement method. Background Art

[0002] In the production workshop, the glue bottle is turned upside down so that the glue inside can flow to the position where bonding is required, and after the glue in the glue bottle is used up, the glue bottle needs to be replaced.

[0003] In the related art, the replacement operation requires manual operation by the staff. As the operation time increases, the staff will reduce the operation speed due to fatigue, and may even fail to hold the glue bottle firmly and drop it on the ground.

[0004] Therefore, it is urgent to provide an automatic replacement device and an automatic replacement method. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides an automatic replacement device and an automatic replacement method, and a technical problem to be solved is: to realize automatic replacement of a target object (such as a glue bottle) through the automatic replacement device and the corresponding automatic replacement method, so as to reduce the probability of low operating speed due to fatigue of the staff and the target object falling to the ground due to failure to grasp the target object firmly.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an automatic replacement device, which may include: a supporting device, a temporary storage device and a replacement device, the supporting device is provided with a connecting frame that can be raised and lowered; the temporary storage device is connected to the connecting frame and is provided with a plurality of temporary storage bins; the replacement device is connected to the connecting frame and is provided with a pick-up and put-down portion that is opposite to the height position of the temporary storage bins, and the pick-up and put-down portion can move in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting frame, so that the pick-up and put-down portion can at least move between the temporary storage bin and a target position at the same height as the temporary storage bin, and the pick-up and put-down portion can pick up or release the target object at any position between the temporary storage bin and the target position.

[0007] In some embodiments, the temporary storage device further includes: a rotating mechanism, the rotation center of the rotating mechanism extends in the vertical direction, and a plurality of temporary storage bins are arranged on the peripheral side of the rotating mechanism extending in the vertical direction.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rotating mechanism includes: a rotating member, a first limiting structure and a second limiting structure; the rotating member is rotatably connected to the connecting frame so that it can rotate under the action of a first rotational force and cause a first rotating column extending in a vertical direction on the rotating member to rotate; the first limiting structure is sleeved on the first rotating column, and a circle of its outer circumferential surface is recessed with a plurality of first limiting spaces each having a first opening; the second limiting structure is sleeved on the first rotating column, and a circle of its outer circumferential surface is recessed with a plurality of second limiting spaces each having a second opening, and the plurality of second limiting spaces are correspondingly located below the plurality of first limiting spaces, so as to form a plurality of temporary storage bins in a one-to-one corresponding manner, and the first opening and the second opening of the temporary storage bins form the entrance and exit of the target object.

[0009] In some embodiments, the width of the orthographic projection of the first limiting space onto the first opening is greater than the width of the first opening, and the portion of the first limiting structure corresponding to the first opening is elastic; and / or, the width of the orthographic projection of the second limiting space onto the second opening is greater than the width of the second opening, and the portion of the second limiting structure corresponding to the second opening is elastic.

[0010] In some embodiments, the temporary storage device further includes: a sensor, wherein a sensing area of ​​the sensor is opposite to the inlet and outlet to sense whether there is a target object in the temporary storage bin.

[0011] In some embodiments, the replacement device also includes: a second rotating column, a supporting plate and a driving mechanism; the second rotating column extends in a vertical direction, and the second rotating column is rotatably connected to the connecting frame so that it can rotate relative to the connecting frame under the action of a second rotational force; the supporting plate is connected to the second rotating column and is in a horizontal plane; the driving mechanism is arranged on the upper surface of the supporting plate, the driving mechanism is connected to the pick-and-place portion, and can at least provide the pick-and-place portion with a first driving force parallel to the horizontal plane where the supporting plate is located and in a direction close to or away from the second rotating column.

[0012] In some embodiments, the picking and placing portion includes: a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm, and a picking and placing space is provided between the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm; the driving mechanism includes: a first driving structure and a second driving structure, and the first driving structure includes: a driving portion, the driving portion is connected to the first clamping arm, and can provide a second driving force to the first clamping arm to move closer to or away from the second clamping arm, and the second driving structure is connected to the first driving structure, and can provide a first driving force to the first driving structure.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first driving structure also includes: a fixed connecting member, which is U-shaped and has a first connecting plate and a second connecting plate opposite to each other; the driving part and the first clamping arm are respectively located on the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the first connecting plate, the driving part passes through the first connecting plate and is connected to the first clamping arm, and the second clamping arm is arranged on the inner surface side of the second connecting plate; the second driving structure includes: a first slide rail, a second slide rail and a screw rod, the first slide rail and the second slide rail are arranged in parallel and extend in the direction of the first driving force, the first slide rail and the second slide rail are slidably connected to the fixed connecting member, and the screw rod is rotatably connected to the fixed connecting member.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides an automatic replacement method, which is applied to the automatic replacement device of any embodiment of the first aspect, and the automatic replacement method includes:

[0015] The pick-and-place unit is moved to a target position by lifting and lowering the connecting frame and / or translating the pick-and-place unit in a horizontal plane;

[0016] The pick-and-place unit picks up a first target object at a target position, and the first target object is empty;

[0017] releasing the first target object to a position other than the target position by translating the pick-and-place unit in a horizontal plane;

[0018] By translating the pick-and-place unit in a horizontal plane, the pick-and-place unit is moved to a temporary storage bin at a first position;

[0019] The pick-and-place unit takes the second target object in the temporary storage bin at the first position, and the second target object has contents;

[0020] The pick-and-place part is moved to a target position by translation of the pick-and-place part in a horizontal plane, and the second target object is released at the target position.

[0021] In some embodiments, the picking and placing portion is moved to the target position by translating the picking and placing portion in a horizontal plane, and before releasing the second target object at the target position, it also includes: rotating the temporary storage bin at the second position to the first position by rotating the rotating mechanism, and the temporary storage bin at the second position has the second target object.

[0022] Through the above technical scheme, the automatic replacement device and automatic replacement method provided by the present invention, the automatic replacement device can perform replacement operations according to the automatic replacement method, so as to replace the staff, thereby avoiding fatigue, ensuring the operation speed, and reducing the chance of falling due to failure to grasp firmly.

[0023] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention and implement it according to the contents of the specification, the following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present disclosure or the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic replacement device (with a target object) provided by the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a supporting device for an automatic replacement device provided by the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a temporary storage device (with a target object) of the automatic replacement device provided by the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a replacement device for the automatic replacement equipment provided by the present invention.

[0029] Description of reference numerals:

[0030] 1. Support device; 11. Connecting frame; 12. Support column; 121. Track; 122. Lead screw; 123. First motor; 2. Temporary storage device; 21. Temporary storage bin; 22. Rotating mechanism; 221. Rotating member; 2211. First rotating column; 2212. Driven gear; 2213. Main gear; 2214. Second motor; 222. First limiting structure; 2221. First opening; 2222. First limiting space; 223. Second limiting structure; 2231. Second opening; 2232. Second limiting space; 224, fixed disk; 3, replacement device; 31, pick-and-place part; 311, first clamping arm; 312, second clamping arm; 32, second rotating column; 33, supporting plate; 34, driving mechanism; 341, first driving structure; 3411, driving part; 3412, fixed connecting piece; 3413, first connecting plate; 3414, second connecting plate; 342, second driving structure; 3421, first slide rail; 3422, second slide rail; 3423, screw rod; 3424, third motor; 4, target object. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following is a further detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to exemplarily illustrate the principles of the present disclosure, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

[0032] The present disclosure provides these embodiments to make the present disclosure thorough and complete, and to fully express the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of the parts and steps, the composition of the materials, the numerical expressions and the numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as being merely exemplary, and not as limiting.

[0033] It should be noted that, in the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "multiple" is greater than or equal to two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0034] In addition, the words "first", "second" and similar words used in the present disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different parts. "Vertical" does not mean vertical in the strict sense, but is within the tolerance range. "Parallel" does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but is within the tolerance range. "Include" or "comprising" and similar words mean that the elements before the word include the elements listed after the word, and do not exclude the possibility of including other elements.

[0035] It should also be noted that in the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances. When a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, there may or may not be an intermediate device between the specific device and the first device or the second device.

[0036] All terms used in the present disclosure have the same meanings as those understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries, for example, should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or extremely formal sense, unless explicitly defined as such herein.

[0037] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0038] In the production workshop, the glue bottle is turned upside down so that the glue inside can flow to the position where bonding is required, and after the glue in the glue bottle is used up, the glue bottle needs to be replaced.

[0039] In the related art, the replacement operation requires manual operation by the staff. As the operation time increases, the staff will reduce the operation speed due to fatigue, and may even fail to hold the glue bottle firmly and drop it on the ground.

[0040] In view of the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides an automatic replacement device and an automatic replacement method. The automatic replacement device can perform replacement operations according to the automatic replacement method to replace the staff, thereby avoiding fatigue, ensuring operation speed, and reducing the chance of falling due to failure to grasp firmly.

[0041] First aspect

[0042] The present disclosure provides an automatic replacement device, see Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the automatic replacement device may include: a supporting device 1, a temporary storage device 2 and a replacement device 3, the supporting device 1 is provided with a connecting frame 11 which can be raised and lowered; the temporary storage device 2 is connected to the connecting frame 11, and is provided with a plurality of temporary storage bins 21; the replacement device 3 is connected to the connecting frame 11, and is provided with a pick-up and drop-down portion 31 which is opposite to the height position of the temporary storage bin 21, and the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can move in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting frame 11, so that the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can at least move between the temporary storage bin 21 and a target position at the same height as the temporary storage bin 21, and the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can pick up or release the target object 4 at any position between the temporary storage bin 21 and the target position.

[0043] The support device 1 is at least used to form the support part of the automatic replacement device, so as to at least support other structures of the automatic replacement device, such as: support for the temporary storage device 2, the replacement device 3, etc. The support device 1 may include: a connecting frame 11 and a support column 12, the support column 12 may be provided with a track 121 extending in the vertical direction, the connecting frame 11 may be slidably connected to the track 121, and can realize the lifting operation under the condition of a driving force upward or downward in the vertical direction; here, the driving force for lifting the connecting frame 11 may include a screw 122 (such as a ball screw) rotatably connected to the connecting frame 11 and a first motor 123 driving the screw 122 to rotate, and when the first motor 123 drives the screw 122 to rotate, the connecting frame 11 rises or falls along the track 121; of course, the driving force for lifting the connecting frame 11 may also be other settings. The side of the support column 12 facing away from the connecting frame 11 is a plane, so that it can be attached to a wall or other equipment and fixed to the wall or other equipment, and the attachment method can reduce the probability of shaking after fixing.

[0044] The temporary storage device 2 is connected to the connecting frame 11 so as to be able to rise with the rise of the connecting frame 11 and to be able to fall with the fall of the connecting frame 11, and a temporary storage bin 21 is provided on the temporary storage device 2 so as to be able to adjust the height of the temporary storage bin 21 with the change of the height of the connecting frame 11. The temporary storage bin 21 is at least used to temporarily store the target object 4 having contents therein, and the contents may be liquid, gaseous, solid, etc. For example, the contents are liquid glue, and the target object 4 is a glue bottle sealed by a cover, and the cover can open the glue bottle so that the glue in the glue bottle can be poured out or glue can be injected into the glue bottle.

[0045] The replacement device 3 is connected to the connecting frame 11 so as to be able to rise with the rise of the connecting frame 11 and to be able to fall with the fall of the connecting frame 11. The replacement device 3 is provided with a pick-up and placement portion 31 so as to be able to adjust the height of the pick-up and placement portion 31 as the height of the connecting frame 11 changes. The replacement device 3 is at least used to pick up a first target object (such as an empty glue bottle, etc.) at a target position and release it after moving it to a position away from the target position, and can also move a second target object (such as a glue bottle filled with glue, etc.) in the temporary storage bin 21 at the same height as the target position to the target position, so as to replace the first target object at the target position with the second target object.

[0046] In one example, an automatic replacement device is used to replace an empty glue bottle at a target position with a glue bottle filled with glue. The automatic replacement device may include: a support device 1, a temporary storage device 2, and a replacement device 3. The support device 1 is provided with a connection frame 11 that can be raised and lowered; the temporary storage device 2 is connected to the connection frame 11, and is provided with a plurality of temporary storage bins 21, and the temporary storage bins 21 are used to temporarily store glue bottles with glue inside; the replacement device 3 is connected to the connection frame 11, and is provided with a pick-up and drop-down portion 31 that is opposite to the height position of the temporary storage bin 21, and the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can move in a horizontal plane relative to the connection frame 11, so that the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can at least move between the temporary storage bin 21 and a target position at the same height as the temporary storage bin 21, and the pick-up and drop-down portion 31 can take or release the target object 4 at any position between the temporary storage bin 21 and the target position. A method of using the automatic replacement device is:

[0047] S101: moving the pick-and-place unit 31 to a target position by lifting and lowering the connecting frame 11 and / or translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in a plane;

[0048] S102: the pick-and-place unit 31 picks up a first target object at a target position (such as on a production line), and the first target object is empty (such as the glue in a glue bottle is used up during the production process);

[0049] S103: releasing the first target object to a non-target position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in a horizontal plane. The non-target position may be a position close to the target position, a position between the target position and the temporary storage bin 21, a position close to the temporary storage bin 21, or a position of the temporary storage bin 21;

[0050] S104: moving the pick-and-place unit 31 to the temporary storage bin 21 at the first position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in the horizontal plane;

[0051] S105: the pick-and-place unit 31 picks up the second target object (such as a glue bottle containing glue) in the temporary storage bin 21 at the first position, and the second target object contains content (such as glue);

[0052] S106: The pick-and-place unit 31 is moved to a target position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in a horizontal plane, and the second target object is released at the target position.

[0053] In this embodiment, the automatic replacement device may include: a supporting device 1, a temporary storage device 2 and a replacement device 3. The connecting frame 11 on the supporting device 1 can be raised and lowered, and is connected to the temporary storage device 2 and the replacement device 3, so that the temporary storage device 2 and the replacement device 3 can be raised and lowered to the height of the target position of the first target object (such as an empty glue bottle) to be replaced under the lifting and lowering of the connecting frame 11, and the picking and placing part 31 provided on the replacement device 3 can be horizontally translated relative to the connecting frame 11, so that it can be further accurately translated to the target position, and then the first target object at the target position is removed and released outside the target position by the translation of the picking and placing part 31, and then the second target object (such as a glue bottle filled with glue) in the temporary storage bin 21 at the same height as the target position is continued to be removed by the translation of the picking and placing part 31, and the second target object is released at the target position by the translation of the picking and placing part 31, so as to realize the replacement of the empty glue bottle at the target position by the automatic replacement device. In addition, the temporary storage bin 21 and the pick-and-place unit 31 are relative in height position, so that the temporary storage bin 21 and the pick-and-place unit 31 can be simultaneously raised and lowered to the same height as the target position by raising and lowering the connecting frame 11. This not only enables the temporary storage bin 21, the pick-and-place unit 31 and the target position to be quickly aligned in height, but also avoids the situation where the pick-and-place unit 31 needs to readjust the height in the process of moving the target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21 to the target position, thereby reducing the replacement efficiency.

[0054] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the temporary storage device 2 may further include: a rotating mechanism 22, the rotation center of the rotating mechanism 22 extends in the vertical direction, and a plurality of temporary storage bins 21 are arranged around the rotating mechanism 22 extending in the vertical direction.

[0055] That is, after the pick-and-place unit 31 takes the target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21 at the first position, the temporary storage bin 21 at the second position can be rotated to the first position by the rotation of the rotating mechanism 22, so that the pick-and-place unit 31 can always take the target objects 4 in all the temporary storage bins 21 from the same position. In this way, the translation path of the pick-and-place unit 31 to take the target objects 4 from multiple temporary storage bins 21 is consistent, so that the complexity of the structure controlling the translation of the pick-and-place unit 31 can be reduced, and the same path can be repeated multiple times to reduce errors.

[0056] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the rotating mechanism 22 includes: a rotating member 221, a first limiting structure 222 and a second limiting structure 223; the rotating member 221 is rotatably connected to the connecting frame 11 so as to be able to rotate under the action of the first rotational force and cause the first rotating column 2211 extending in the vertical direction on the rotating member 221 to rotate; the first limiting structure 222 is sleeved on the first rotating column 2211, and a circle of its outer circumferential surface is recessed with a plurality of first limiting spaces 2222 respectively having first openings 2221; the second limiting structure 223 is sleeved on the first rotating column 2211, and a circle of its outer circumferential surface is recessed with a plurality of second limiting spaces 2232 respectively having second openings 2231, and the plurality of second limiting spaces 2232 are correspondingly located below the plurality of first limiting spaces 2222, so as to form a plurality of temporary storage bins 21 in a one-to-one corresponding manner, and the first opening 2221 and the second opening 2231 of the temporary storage bin 21 form the entrance and exit of the target object 4.

[0057] In other words, each temporary storage bin 21 may include two parts separated from each other, the upper part is a first limiting structure 222 connected to the first rotating column 2211, and the first limiting structure 222 is provided with a first limiting space 2222 having a first opening 2221, and the lower part is a second limiting structure 223 connected to the first rotating column 2211, and the second limiting structure 223 is provided with a second limiting space 2232 having a second opening 2231. At the same time, the first limiting space 2222 and the second limiting space 2232 in the upper and lower positions are opposite to each other. A temporary storage bin 21 is formed, and the corresponding first opening 2221 and second opening 2231 relatively form an entrance and exit for entering and exiting the temporary storage bin 21. In this way, the target object 4 can enter and exit the temporary storage bin 21 through the first opening 2221 and the second opening 2231, and under the rotation of the first rotating column 2211, the entrance and exit positions of multiple temporary storage bins 21 can be changed to rotate the temporary storage bins 21 at the second position, the third position, the fourth position... etc. to the first position in sequence, and the temporary storage bins 21 at the first position, the second position, the third position, the fourth position... etc. are arranged in a circle.

[0058] The rotating member 221 may also include: a driven gear 2212, the driven gear 2212 is meshed with the main gear 2213, and a first rotating column 2211 is vertically connected to a side surface of the driven gear 2212, so that after the main gear 2213 rotates under the action of the driving force provided by the second motor 2214, etc., the driven gear 2212 rotates to rotate the first rotating column 2211; or, the rotating member 221 may also be a motor shaft connected to the first rotating column 2211, and after the motor shaft rotates, the first rotating column 2211 rotates.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the first limiting space 2222 of the first limiting structure 222 and the second limiting space 2232 of the second limiting structure 223 cooperate to define a plurality of temporary storage bins 21, and the first limiting structure 222 and the second limiting structure 223 correspond to different heights of the target object 4, so that the contours of the first limiting space 2222 and the second limiting space 2232 can be respectively set according to the actual contour of the target object 4; moreover, the first limiting structure 222 and the first rotating column 2211 can be detachably connected, and the second limiting structure 223 and the first rotating column 2211 can also be detachably connected, so that when one of the contours of the target object 4 corresponding to the first limiting space 2222 and the contour corresponding to the second limiting space 2232 changes, the corresponding limiting structure can be disassembled and the limiting structure corresponding to the actual contour of the target object 4 can be reassembled. Compared with the complete replacement of the temporary storage device 2, the replacement cost of the temporary storage device 2 when the contour of the target object 4 changes can be reduced.

[0060] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the rotating mechanism 22 may also include: a fixed disk 224, the upper surface of the fixed disk 224 is connected to the lower surface of the connecting frame 11, the lower surface of the fixed disk 224 has a guide shaft (not shown in the figure) extending downward, the driven gear 2212 is recessed downward into the first rotating column 2211 to form a guide space (not shown in the figure), the guide shaft is located in the guide space and abuts against the inner wall of the guide space, so that the rotating member 221 can rotate around the guide shaft smoothly and with a small chance of deviation during rotation.

[0061] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the width of the orthographic projection of the first limiting space 2222 to the first opening 2221 is greater than the width of the first opening 2221, and the portion of the first limiting structure 222 corresponding to the first opening 2221 is elastic; and / or, the width of the orthographic projection of the second limiting space 2232 to the second opening 2231 is greater than the width of the second opening 2231, and the portion of the second limiting structure 223 corresponding to the second opening 2231 is elastic.

[0062] The width of the orthographic projection of the first limiting space 2222 to the first opening 2221 is greater than the width of the first opening 2221, and the portion of the first limiting structure 222 corresponding to the first opening 2221 is elastic. In this way, in the process of placing the target object 4 into the temporary storage bin 21, the opening size of the first opening 2221 increases under the action of elasticity, so that the target object 4 enters the temporary storage bin 21, and after entering, the first opening 2221 returns to its original state, thereby reducing the probability of the target object 4 located in the temporary storage bin 21 escaping from the first opening 2221.

[0063] The width of the orthographic projection of the second limiting space 2232 to the second opening 2231 is greater than the width of the second opening 2231, and the portion of the second limiting structure 223 corresponding to the second opening 2231 is elastic. In this way, in the process of placing the target object 4 into the temporary storage bin 21, the opening size of the second opening 2231 increases under the action of elasticity, so that the target object 4 enters the temporary storage bin 21, and after entering, the second opening 2231 returns to its original state, thereby reducing the probability of the target object 4 located in the temporary storage bin 21 escaping from the second opening 2231.

[0064] In one example, the first limiting structure 222 may be as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 3 The mesh structure shown in the figure is sleeved on the first rotating column 2211, and the mesh corresponding to the outer peripheral part of the first limiting structure 222 is disconnected to form a first opening 2221, so as to form a plurality of first limiting spaces 2222 with first openings 2221, and the mesh structure is formed by cross-arrangement of spring pieces, so that the first opening 2221 has elasticity to expand and can be reset; the second opening 2231 is located below the first opening 2221 and has no elasticity. The target object 4 is as shown in FIG. Figure 1 and Figure 3 The narrow-necked bottle shown in the figure has its opening facing downwards. When the narrow-necked bottle is placed in the temporary storage bin 21, the bottleneck of the narrow-necked bottle can be extended into the second limiting space 2232 to preliminarily and securely limit the narrow-necked bottle through the inelasticity of the second opening 2231, and then the body of the narrow-necked bottle can be pushed into the first limiting space 2222. During the pushing process, the first opening 2221 expands, and after the pushing is completed, the first opening 2221 returns to its original state.

[0065] Furthermore, in order to make the process of the narrow-mouthed bottle entering the first limited space 2222 smoother, the first opening 2221 has a first extension portion and a second extension portion opposite to each other extending in a direction away from the first limited space 2222, and the distance between the first extension portion and the second extension portion tends to gradually shrink from one end away from the first opening 2221 to one end of the first opening 2221, so that the target object 4 can move faster into the first opening 2221 by sticking to the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

[0066] In some embodiments, the temporary storage device 2 may further include: a sensor (not shown in the figure), the sensing area of ​​the sensor is opposite to the inlet and outlet, so as to sense whether there is a target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21. In this way, when it is detected that there is no target object 4, the target object 4 can be replenished in time to ensure the continuity of the replacement work.

[0067] The sensor can be a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. For example, the sensor is a laser sensor that can emit and receive the emitted laser. If there is no target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21, the laser sensor emits and receives the laser, so that the propagation distance of the laser can be obtained as the first distance according to the time used for emission and reception and the propagation speed of the laser; if there is a target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21, the laser sensor emits and receives the laser, so that the propagation distance of the laser can be obtained as the second distance according to the time used for emission and reception and the propagation speed of the laser; in this way, it can be confirmed whether there is a target object 4 in the temporary storage bin 21 according to whether the actual distance is the first distance or the second distance.

[0068] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the replacement device 3 may also include: a second rotating column 32, a supporting plate 33 and a driving mechanism 34; the second rotating column 32 extends in the vertical direction, and the second rotating column 32 is rotatably connected to the connecting frame 11 so as to be able to rotate relative to the connecting frame 11 under the action of a second rotational force; the supporting plate 33 is connected to the second rotating column 32 and is in a horizontal plane; the driving mechanism 34 is arranged on the upper surface of the supporting plate 33, and the driving mechanism 34 is connected to the pick-and-place portion 31, and can at least provide the pick-and-place portion 31 with a first driving force parallel to the horizontal plane where the supporting plate 33 is located and in a direction close to or away from the second rotating column 32.

[0069] The rotation of the second rotating column 32 can direct the picking and placing part 31 to different angles, and the first driving force provided by the driving mechanism 34 is parallel to the horizontal plane where the supporting plate 33 is located and in the direction close to or away from the second rotating column 32, so that the picking and placing part 31 can further move in the direction away from or close to the second rotating column 32 after the direction is adjusted, and then quickly translate to the target position.

[0070] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the pick-and-place portion 31 may include: a first clamping arm 311 and a second clamping arm 312, with a pick-and-place space between the first clamping arm 311 and the second clamping arm 312; the driving mechanism 34 includes: a first driving structure 341 and a second driving structure 342, the first driving structure 341 includes: a driving portion 3411, the driving portion 3411 is connected to the first clamping arm 311, and can provide the first clamping arm 311 with a second driving force to move closer to or away from the second clamping arm 312, and the second driving structure 342 is connected to the first driving structure 341, and can provide the first driving force to the first driving structure 341. In this way, the first driving structure 341 of the driving mechanism 34 can make the first clamping arm 311 and the second clamping arm 312 clamp the target object 4 or release the target object 4, and the second driving structure 342 can drive the first driving structure 341 to move the target object 4 located in the pick-and-place space to the target position or the temporary storage bin 21.

[0071] The first clamping arm 311 and the second clamping arm 312 may be respectively Figure 1 and Figure 4 The semicircular arc shape shown in the figure, and the pick-and-place space formed by the cooperation of the first clamping arm 311 and the second clamping arm 312 is circular, so as to clamp the target object 4 with the outline of a pipe, a rod, a bottle, etc.

[0072] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the first driving structure 341 may also include: a fixed connecting member 3412, the fixed connecting member 3412 is U-shaped so as to have a first connecting plate 3413 and a second connecting plate 3414 opposite to each other; the driving part 3411 and the first clamping arm 311 are respectively located on the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the first connecting plate 3413, the driving part 3411 passes through the first connecting plate 3413 and is connected to the first clamping arm 311, and the second clamping arm 312 is arranged on the inner surface side of the second connecting plate 3414; the second driving structure 342 includes: a first slide rail 3421, a second slide rail 3422 and a screw rod 3423, the first slide rail 3421 and the second slide rail 3422 are arranged in parallel and both extend in the direction of the first driving force, the first slide rail 3421 and the second slide rail 3422 are slidably connected to the fixed connecting member 3412, and the screw rod 3423 is rotationally connected to the fixed connecting member 3412.

[0073] The driving part 3411 can be a cylinder A, and the piston rod B of the cylinder is connected to the first clamping arm 311 through the first connecting plate 3413. During the movement of the piston rod B, the first clamping arm 311 can be driven to approach or move away from the second clamping arm 312 to clamp or release the target object 4 in the picking and placing space between the first clamping arm 311 and the second clamping arm 312.

[0074] The U-shaped fixed connecting member 3412 provides support to the first driving structure 341 and the picking and placing part 31, and integrates the first driving structure 341 at the same time. When the screw rod 3423 (such as a ball screw) of the second driving structure 342 rotates, the fixed connecting member 3412 slides in the second horizontal direction along the first slide rail 3421 and the second slide rail 3422, thereby achieving the purpose of the picking and placing part 31 approaching or moving away from the second rotating column 32.

[0075] The screw rod 3423 can rotate under the rotation force provided by the third motor 3424.

[0076] Second aspect

[0077] The present disclosure further provides an automatic replacement method, which is applied to the automatic replacement device of any embodiment of the first aspect. The replacement method may include:

[0078] S101: moving the pick-and-place unit 31 to a target position by lifting and lowering the connecting frame 11 and / or translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in a plane;

[0079] S102: The pick-and-place unit 31 picks up the first target object 4 at the target position, and the first target object 4 is empty;

[0080] S103: releasing the first target object 4 to a position other than the target position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in a horizontal plane;

[0081] S104: moving the pick-and-place unit 31 to the temporary storage bin 21 at the first position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in the horizontal plane;

[0082] S105: The pick-and-place unit 31 takes the second target object 4 of the temporary storage bin 21 at the first position, and the second target object 4 has contents;

[0083] S106 : The pick-up and place unit 31 is moved to the target position by translating the pick-up and place unit 31 in the horizontal plane, and the second target object 4 is released at the target position.

[0084] In some embodiments, S106: before the pick-and-place unit 31 is moved to the target position by translating the pick-and-place unit 31 in the horizontal plane and releasing the second target object 4 at the target position, the method further includes:

[0085] S107 : The temporary storage bin 21 at the second position is rotated to the first position by the rotation of the rotating mechanism 22 , and the temporary storage bin 21 at the second position has the second target object 4 .

[0086] It should be noted that the automatic replacement device in the automatic replacement method provided by the present disclosure is similar to the description of the automatic replacement device embodiment described above, and has similar beneficial effects as the automatic replacement device embodiment described above. For technical details not disclosed in the automatic replacement method embodiment of the present disclosure, please refer to the description of the automatic replacement device embodiment of the present disclosure for understanding, and no further description will be given here.

[0087] So far, various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. In order to avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art are not described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solution disclosed here.

[0088] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified or some technical features may be replaced by equivalents without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In particular, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict.

Claims

1. An automatic replacement device, characterized in that: include: A supporting device (1) is provided with a connecting frame (11) capable of being raised and lowered; A temporary storage device (2), connected to the connecting frame (11) and provided with a plurality of temporary storage bins (21); A replacement device (3) is connected to the connecting frame (11) and is provided with a pick-up and placement portion (31) which is located at a height relative to the temporary storage bin (21), and the pick-up and placement portion (31) is movable in a horizontal plane relative to the connecting frame (11), so that the pick-up and placement portion (31) is at least able to move between the temporary storage bin (21) and a target position at the same height as the temporary storage bin (21), and the pick-up and placement portion (31) is able to pick up or release the target object (4) at any position between the temporary storage bin (21) and the target position.

2. The automatic replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temporary storage device (2) further comprises: a rotating mechanism (22), the rotation center of the rotating mechanism (22) extending in the vertical direction, and the plurality of temporary storage bins (21) are arranged on the peripheral side of the rotating mechanism (22) extending in the vertical direction.

3. The automatic replacement device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism (22) comprises: a rotating member (221), a first limiting structure (222) and a second limiting structure (223); The rotating member (221) is rotatably connected to the connecting frame (11) so as to be able to rotate under the action of a first rotational force and to cause a first rotating column (2211) extending in a vertical direction on the rotating member (221) to rotate; The first limiting structure (222) is sleeved on the first rotating column (2211), and a circle of the outer circumferential surface of the first limiting structure (222) is recessed with a plurality of first limiting spaces (2222) each having a first opening (2221); The second limiting structure (223) is sleeved on the first rotating column (2211), and a circle of the outer circumferential surface thereof is recessed with a plurality of second limiting spaces (2232) each having a second opening (2231). The plurality of second limiting spaces (2232) are correspondingly located below the plurality of first limiting spaces (2222), so as to form a plurality of temporary storage bins (21) in a one-to-one correspondence. The first opening (2221) and the second opening (2231) of the temporary storage bin (21) form an inlet and outlet for the target object (4).

4. The automatic replacement device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The width of the orthographic projection of the first limiting space (2222) onto the first opening (2221) is greater than the width of the first opening (2221), and a portion of the first limiting structure (222) corresponding to the first opening (2221) is elastic; and / or, The width of the orthographic projection of the second limiting space (2232) onto the second opening (2231) is greater than the width of the second opening (2231), and a portion of the second limiting structure (223) corresponding to the second opening (2231) is elastic.

5. The automatic replacement device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The temporary storage device (2) further comprises: a sensor, wherein a sensing area of ​​the sensor is opposite to the inlet and outlet, so as to sense whether a target object (4) exists in the temporary storage bin (21).

6. The automatic replacement device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The replacement device (3) further comprises: a second rotating column (32), a carrying plate (33) and a driving mechanism (34); The second rotating column (32) extends in a vertical direction, and the second rotating column (32) is rotatably connected to the connecting frame (11) so as to be able to rotate relative to the connecting frame (11) under the action of a second rotating force; The carrying plate (33) is connected to the second rotating column (32) and is located in a horizontal plane; The driving mechanism (34) is arranged on the upper surface of the supporting plate (33), the driving mechanism (34) is connected to the picking and placing portion (31), and is capable of providing the picking and placing portion (31) with at least a first driving force in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane where the supporting plate (33) is located and in a direction close to or away from the second rotating column (32).

7. The automatic replacement device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pick-and-place portion (31) comprises: a first clamping arm (311) and a second clamping arm (312); a pick-and-place space is provided between the first clamping arm (311) and the second clamping arm (312); The driving mechanism (34) comprises: a first driving structure (341) and a second driving structure (342); the first driving structure (341) comprises: a driving part (3411); the driving part (3411) is connected to the first clamping arm (311) and is capable of providing a second driving force to the first clamping arm (311) to move closer to or away from the second clamping arm (312); the second driving structure (342) is connected to the first driving structure (341) and is capable of providing the first driving force to the first driving structure (341).

8. The automatic replacement device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first driving structure (341) further comprises: a fixed connecting member (3412), wherein the fixed connecting member (3412) is U-shaped and has a first connecting plate (3413) and a second connecting plate (3414) that are opposite to each other; The driving portion (3411) and the first clamping arm (311) are respectively located on the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the first connecting plate (3413); the driving portion (3411) passes through the first connecting plate (3413) and is connected to the first clamping arm (311); and the second clamping arm (312) is arranged on the inner surface side of the second connecting plate (3414); The second driving structure (342) includes: a first slide rail (3421), a second slide rail (3422) and a screw rod (3423); the first slide rail (3421) and the second slide rail (3422) are arranged in parallel and extend along the direction of the first driving force; the first slide rail (3421) and the second slide rail (3422) are slidingly connected to the fixed connecting member (3412); and the screw rod (3423) is rotationally connected to the fixed connecting member (3412).

9. An automatic replacement method, applied to the automatic replacement device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The automatic replacement method comprises: The pick-up and placement portion (31) is moved to a target position by lifting and lowering the connecting frame (11) and / or translating the pick-up and placement portion (31) in a horizontal plane; The pick-and-place unit (31) picks up a first target object at the target position, and the first target object is empty; By translating the pick-and-place portion (31) in a horizontal plane, the first target object is released to a position other than the target position; By translating the pick-up and placement portion (31) in a horizontal plane, the pick-up and placement portion (31) is moved to a temporary storage bin (21) at a first position; The pick-and-place unit (31) picks up a second target object in the temporary storage bin (21) at the first position, wherein the second target object contains content; The pick-and-place part (31) is moved to the target position by translation of the pick-and-place part (31) in a horizontal plane, and the second target object is released at the target position.

10. The automatic replacement method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The method further comprises: moving the pick-and-place portion (31) to the target position by translating the pick-and-place portion (31) in a horizontal plane, and before releasing the second target object at the target position: The temporary storage bin (21) at the second position is rotated to the first position by the rotation of the rotating mechanism (22), wherein the temporary storage bin (21) at the second position has a second target object.

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