Ultra-long steel bar detection method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an ultra-long steel bar detection method. The method comprises the steps that a steel bundle moves along a preset moving track; in the moving process of the steel bundle, a distance sensor is used for detecting whether a swing triggering assembly arranged on the side of the moving track has a triggering action or not; if yes, it is judged that the super-long steel bars exist in the steel bundle, and the super-long steel bars are the steel bars exceeding the end of the steel bundle in size and meeting the preset size requirement. According to the technical scheme, when the shifting rod in the swing triggering assembly swings, the measured value of the distance sensor suddenly changes, so that the existence of the super-long steel bar can be determined, and the problems that the welding robot is damaged due to the super-long steel bar and the like are solved; the problem that in the prior art, a sensor is prone to being damaged when the super-long steel bar is directly detected is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of steel manufacturing, and in particular to a method for detecting an overlong steel bar. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of automation technology, welding robots are often used to automatically weld the outer labels of steel bundles (composed of multiple bars) after the production of bars in steel rolling mills. After the steel bundles are collected and packaged, they are transported to the welding station along a predetermined track, and then the welding robot moves to the steel bundle stack and extends its robotic arm to perform the welding operation.

[0003] However, during the collection and packaging process of steel bundles, abnormal conditions such as overlong steel bars may occur. The overlong steel bars extend too long at the end of the steel bundle, causing the subsequent welding robot to collide with the overlong steel bars in the steel bundle during the forward process, causing damage to the welding robot and the end effector equipment carried by the robotic arm; at the same time, the overlong steel bars do not meet the size requirements, leading to quality problems of the products leaving the factory. Therefore, it is necessary to detect whether there are overlong steel bars in the steel bundle before welding.

[0004] In the prior art, a detection device such as a proximity switch placed at the end of a steel bundle is usually used to detect overlong steel bars. When overlong steel bars are detected in the steel bundle, the detection device feeds back a signal to the control system, which then stops the welding robot from running to prevent it from being damaged.

[0005] In the process of implementing the present invention, the inventors found that there are at least the following problems in the prior art:

[0006] The existing detection devices all directly detect the overlong steel bars, so they need to be set near the end of the steel bundle. At this time, the detection devices are often directly hit by the overlong steel bars and damaged, thus affecting the normal production. Therefore, how to ensure that the detection device of overlong steel bars can be used for a long time is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the invention

[0007] The embodiment of the present invention provides an over-long steel bar detection method, which is used to prevent an over-long steel bar detection device from being damaged by collision during use, thereby ensuring normal production.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for detecting over-long steel bars, comprising: moving a steel bundle along a predetermined running track; during the movement of the steel bundle, detecting by a distance sensor whether a trigger action occurs in a swing trigger assembly arranged on the side of the running track; if so, determining that over-long steel bars exist in the steel bundle, and over-long steel bars refer to steel bars whose size exceeds the end of the steel bundle and reaches a preset size requirement; if not, determining that over-long steel bars do not exist in the steel bundle.

[0009] Furthermore, the swing trigger assembly includes a fixed bracket, a lever hinged to the fixed bracket through a first hinge axis, the first hinge axis is perpendicular to the running track direction of the steel bundle, and the bottom end of the lever is also connected to a counterweight block; when the counterweight block is at its lowest position, the horizontal straight beam emitted by the distance sensor shines on the side of the counterweight block; the triggering action of the swing trigger assembly means that when there are extra-long steel bars in the steel bundle, the lever swings due to being pushed by the extra-long steel bars; the counterweight block then rotates under the drive of the lever, so that the bottom end of the counterweight block is higher than the straight beam, and the distance sensor cannot receive the straight beam reflected back from the counterweight block, so that the measurement value of the distance sensor changes;

[0010] Furthermore, when the lever is not pushed by the extra-long steel bars, the first hinge axis is lower than the bottom end of the steel bundle, and the top end of the lever is higher than the top end of the steel bundle, so that the extra-long steel bars at any height position in the steel bundle can push the lever.

[0011] Furthermore, the distance between the top end of the lever and the first hinge shaft is made greater than the distance between the bottom end of the lever and the first hinge shaft, so as to reduce the height of the counterweight from the ground.

[0012] Furthermore, the counterweight block is connected to the shifting rod via a second hinge shaft, so that the counterweight block is in a vertical state to maintain stability.

[0013] Furthermore, the method for detecting overlong steel bars also includes: providing an openable protective shell outside the distance sensor to protect the distance sensor; and opening a light opening on the protective shell for the straight light beam to pass through.

[0014] Furthermore, the method for detecting overlong steel bars also includes: providing a protective ring protruding outward on the protective shell, and making the protective ring communicate with the light opening to protect the distance sensor.

[0015] Furthermore, the method for detecting over-long steel bars also includes: after connecting a purge joint provided on the protective shell to a compressed air pipeline, purging the inside of the protective shell through the purge joint.

[0016] Furthermore, the method for detecting over-long steel bars also includes: adjusting the irradiation position of the linear light beam by adjusting an adjustable base provided under the protective shell.

[0017] The above technical solution has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] In this technical solution, unlike the prior art, a detection device is no longer used to directly detect the overlong steel bars. Instead, a swing trigger assembly is set between the distance sensor and the steel bundle, and the overlong steel bar is used to toggle the lever in the swing trigger assembly. When the lever swings, the position of the counterweight that blocks the linear beam emitted by the distance sensor changes, so that the linear beam cannot be irradiated on the counterweight, thereby causing the measured value of the distance sensor to suddenly change, thereby indirectly judging the presence of the overlong steel bar. In this solution, the distance sensor can be kept away from the steel bundle, thereby effectively avoiding the damage caused by the collision of the detection device by the overlong steel bar in the prior art, and can be used reliably for a long time, ensuring the continuous and normal operation of production.

[0019] In addition, this technical solution also has the following characteristics:

[0020] In the prior art, due to the large vibration, dust and oil pollution in the on-site environment, the accuracy of the detection device is greatly reduced, and misjudgment is prone to occur; in the present application, a protective shell is also configured for the distance sensor, and a gas purge connector is set up, so that compressed air can be introduced to purge the detection device, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the detection results. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 is a flow chart of an overlong steel bar detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an overlong steel bar detection device used in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sensor assembly used in the super-long steel bar detection device;

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention when dealing with a normal steel bundle;

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention when dealing with a steel bundle containing extra-long steel bars;

[0027] Figure 6 is a work site layout diagram when the over-long steel bar detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention is used;

[0028] Figure numbers: 10. swing trigger assembly; 11. lever; 12. first hinge axis; 13. counterweight; 14. fixed bracket; 15. bracket base; 16. second hinge axis; 20. sensor assembly; 21. distance sensor; 22. lower shell; 23. cable connector; 24. purge connector; 25. upper shell; 26. protective ring; 27. adjustable base; 30. linear beam; 40. steel bundle; 41. extra-long steel bars; 50. welding robot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for detecting an overlong steel bar, comprising:

[0031] S101, moving the steel bundle along a predetermined running track;

[0032] S102, during the movement of the steel bundle, detecting by a distance sensor whether a swing trigger assembly arranged on the side of the running track has a trigger action;

[0033] S103, if yes, determining that there are extra-long steel bars in the steel bundle, wherein the extra-long steel bars refer to steel bars whose size exceeds the end of the steel bundle to reach a preset size requirement;

[0034] S104: If not, determine that there is no overlong steel bar in the steel bundle.

[0035] Furthermore, when there are extra-long steel bars in the steel bundle, the lever in the swing trigger assembly swings due to being pushed by the extra-long steel bars; the counterweight block then rotates driven by the lever, so that the bottom end of the counterweight block is higher than the straight light beam emitted by the distance sensor. Since the distance sensor cannot receive the straight light beam reflected back from the counterweight block, the measurement value of the distance sensor changes.

[0036] Furthermore, when the lever is not pushed by the extra-long steel bars, the first hinge shaft is lower than the bottom end of the steel bundle, and the top end of the lever is higher than the top end of the steel bundle, so that the extra-long steel bars at any height position in the steel bundle can push the lever.

[0037] Furthermore, the distance between the top end of the lever and the first hinge axis is made greater than the distance between the bottom end of the lever and the first hinge axis, so as to reduce the height of the counterweight from the ground.

[0038] Furthermore, the counterweight is connected to the lever via a second hinge shaft, so that the counterweight always remains vertical regardless of whether the lever is rotated, so that in a normal state the inner side can fit with the side of the fixed bracket to maintain stability.

[0039] Furthermore, the method for detecting overlong steel bars also includes: providing an openable protective shell on the outside of the distance sensor to protect the distance sensor; and providing a light opening on the protective shell for a straight light beam to pass through.

[0040] Furthermore, the method for detecting super-long steel bars also includes: providing a protective ring protruding outward on the protective shell, and making the protective ring communicate with the light opening to protect the distance sensor.

[0041] Furthermore, the method for detecting over-long steel bars also includes: after connecting a purge joint provided on the protective shell to a compressed air pipeline, purging the interior of the protective shell through the purge joint.

[0042] Furthermore, the method for detecting super-long steel bars also includes: adjusting the orientation of the distance sensor through an adjustable base provided under the protective shell, thereby adjusting the irradiation position of the linear light beam.

[0043] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in this technical solution, a detection device is no longer used to directly detect overlong steel bars, nor is a conventional proximity switch or other equipment used as a detection device. Instead, a distance sensor for measuring distance is used as the main detection device, and a swing trigger assembly is set between the distance sensor and the steel bundle. The distance sensor is used to determine whether the lever on the swing trigger assembly swings. If swinging occurs, it means that there are overlong steel bars in the steel bundle that can touch the lever. If no swinging occurs, it means that there are no overlong steel bars in the steel bundle. In this way, it is indirectly determined whether the steel bundle contains overlong steel bars. In this way, the distance sensor can be kept away from the steel bundle, thereby effectively avoiding damage caused by collision of the detection device by the overlong steel bars in the prior art, while also avoiding the adverse effects of the harsh on-site environment on the detection accuracy, ensuring the continuous and normal operation of production.

[0044] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the following Figure 2The device shown is used to detect over-long steel bars: it includes a swing trigger assembly 10 and a sensor assembly 20 for accommodating a distance sensor 21, and both the swing trigger assembly 10 and the sensor assembly 20 are arranged on the side of the running track of the steel bundle 40; the swing trigger assembly 10 includes a lever 11, and the sensor assembly 20 includes a distance sensor 21; the lever 11 is connected to a fixed bracket 14 through a first hinge shaft 12, and the fixed bracket 14 is vertically set on an L-shaped bracket base 15, and a counterweight 13 is connected to the bottom end of the lever 11; when the swing trigger assembly 10 does not have a trigger action (that is, it is not moved by the over-long steel bar 41), the straight light beam 30 emitted by the distance sensor 21 is blocked by the counterweight 13; when the lever 11 is touched by the over-long steel bar 41 in the steel bundle 40 and swings, the bottom end of the counterweight 13 is higher than the straight light beam 30.

[0045] The device layout is shown as follows Figure 6 As shown, the predetermined running track of the steel bundle 40 to be welded with the sign is from the back to the front (indicated by the arrow in the figure), and the placement position of the steel bundle 40 is the dotted line position in the figure (i.e., the sign welding is performed here). When the steel bundle 40 is moved to the dotted line position, the welding robot 50 moves from the front to the back to the side of the steel bundle 40 to perform the sign welding operation. Therefore, if there is an extra-long steel bar 41 at the end of the steel bundle 40 after it is in place, the welding robot 50 may be hit by the extra-long steel bar 41 during the movement and be damaged. To this end, the swing trigger assembly 10 is arranged on the side of the predetermined running trajectory of the steel bundle 40, and the distance between the side of the lever 11 facing the steel bundle 40 and the end of the steel bundle 40 facing the lever 11 is L1 (the specific value of L1 can be determined according to the specific process requirements, but considering the length tolerance of the normal steel bars themselves, the minimum value of L1 should be greater than 1cm to prevent accidental collision). At the same time, a sensor assembly 20 is arranged on the side farther away from the steel bundle 40, and the innermost side of the sensor assembly 20 (the side facing the steel bundle 40) is at a distance of L2 from the side of the counterweight 13 (usually the effective detection range of the distance sensor is 0.2m~10m. For this reason, in this application, the distance range of L2 is preferably ≤10m).

[0046] The working process of the super-long steel bar detection device is as follows:

[0047] When the steel bundle 40 moving forward and backward on the predetermined track is normal (excluding the extra-long steel bar 41), when it passes through the swing trigger assembly 10 during the movement, as shown in FIG. Figure 4As shown, the steel bundle 40 will not touch the lever 11, so the lever 11 will not swing, and the counterweight 13 will not be lifted. The straight light beam 30 emitted by the sensor assembly 20 irradiates on the side of the counterweight 13 and returns, enabling the sensor assembly 20 to measure the distance value between the counterweight 13 and the distance sensor 21. When the swing trigger assembly 10 is not triggered, the measured distance value remains fixed. Therefore, the control system (such as a PLC, etc., not shown in the figure) confirms that the steel bundle 40 does not contain extra-long steel bars 41.

[0048] When the steel bundle 40 moving back and forth on a predetermined track contains extra-long steel bars 41, when it passes through the swing trigger assembly 10 during the movement, as Figure 5 shown, the extra-long steel bar 41 will touch the lever 11, causing the lever 11 to swing in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. At this time, the counterweight 13 is lifted due to the swing of the lever 11, making the counterweight 13 higher than the straight light beam 30. Therefore, the straight light beam 30 can no longer irradiate on the counterweight 13. At this time, the measurement result of the sensor assembly 20 is no longer the distance between the counterweight 13 and the distance sensor 21 (it may also be impossible to obtain a measurement value because the return light cannot be received). Therefore, the measurement value mutates or cannot be measured. After receiving the signal fed back by the sensor assembly 20, the control system confirms that the steel bundle 40 contains extra-long steel bars 41, and the control system issues an instruction to stop the operation of the welding robot.

[0049] During the design process, no matter where the extra-long steel bar 41 is located in the steel bundle 40, it should contact the lever 11 during the movement. Therefore, the upper part of the lever 11 (the part above the first hinge axis 12 in the normal state) needs to have sufficient length to cover the size of the steel bundle 40. For this purpose, appropriate size limitations should be carried out: 1) The position of the first hinge axis 12 should be lower than the bottom end position of the steel bundle 40; 2) When the counterweight 13 is at the lowest position (that is, when the device is in the normal state without being triggered by the extra-long steel bar 41), the top of the lever 11 should be higher than the top position of the steel bundle 40. In actual application, the detailed design of the swing trigger assembly 10 can be carried out according to the outer diameter size of the steel bundle 40.

[0050] At the same time, the corresponding size design of the counterweight 13 should be carried out to ensure that when the lever 11 is touched by the extra-long steel bar 41 at any position in the steel bundle 40 and swings, the bottom end of the counterweight 13 can be higher than the straight light beam 30, that is, when the swing angle of the lever 11 is the smallest (that is, when the extra-long steel bar 41 is at the top of the steel bundle 40), the height increase of the counterweight 13 can also make the counterweight 13 out of the irradiation of the straight light beam 30.

[0051] In addition, in order to ensure the correct rotation direction of the lever 11, the axis of the first hinge shaft 12 should be perpendicular to the running track direction of the steel bundle 40. At the same time, the straight light beam 30 is parallel to the axis direction of the first hinge shaft 12, so that the straight light beam 30 should be emitted horizontally.

[0052] During the design, when a certain steel bar exceeds the top of the steel bundle 40 but the excess size is small, the extra-long part of the steel bar will not pose a threat to the welding robot 50 and does not need to be processed, that is, it is not classified as "extra-long steel bar". Therefore, the distance between the steel bundle 40 and the lever 11 can be determined according to the actual needs of the site, and the aforementioned requirement of L1>1cm can be met.

[0053] At the same time, the distance between the top end of the lever 11 and the first hinge shaft 12 should be greater than the distance between the bottom end of the lever 11 and the first hinge shaft 12, that is, the end of the lever 11 used to contact the extra-long steel bar 41 is long, and the end used to suspend the counterweight 13 is short. At this time, since one end of the lever 11 connected to the counterweight 13 is normally located at the bottom and the other end is tilted, the structure of the swing trigger assembly 10 can be ensured as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the height distance from the first hinge shaft 12 to the bracket base 15 is relatively short, thereby minimizing the overall size of the swing trigger assembly 10.

[0054] In addition, the counterweight 13 can be fixedly connected to the lever 11, but the preferred method is to connect the counterweight 13 to the lever 11 through the second hinge shaft 16. At this time, it can be ensured that regardless of whether the lever 11 is rotated, the counterweight 13 always remains in a vertical position, so that its inner side can fit with the side of the fixed bracket 14 in a normal state to maintain stability.

[0055] To further improve protection and avoid accidental damage, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sensor assembly 20 also includes a protective shell arranged outside the distance sensor 21, and the protective shell includes an upper shell 25 and a lower shell 22, which are hinged to each other by hinges. When replacement or maintenance is required, the upper shell 25 can be lifted upwards; a light opening for the straight light beam 30 to pass through is also provided on the side wall of the protective shell. In addition, a cable connector 23 is also provided on the protective shell to realize the connection between the internal cable and the external cable, and realize the electrical connection between the distance sensor 21 and the external control system.

[0056] The protective shell may also be connected to a protective ring 26 protruding outward, the protective ring 26 being a hollow cylindrical structure, and the protective ring 26 is connected to the light opening. The protective ring 26 can extend the distance between the light emitting end (lens) of the distance sensor 21 and the outside of the protective shell, reducing the probability of external dust, impurities, etc. contaminating the light emitting end of the distance sensor 21.

[0057] At the same time, due to the large vibration, dust and oil in the on-site environment, even if measures such as a protective shell and a protective ring 26 are taken, it is still impossible to completely avoid the distance sensor 21 from being contaminated. For this reason, the extra-long steel bar detection device also includes a purge connector 24 for connecting a compressed air pipeline. The purge connector 24 is connected to the inside of the protective shell. Compressed air can be introduced through the purge connector 24 to purge the inside of the protective shell to avoid the accumulation of dust, oil, etc., thereby ensuring detection accuracy.

[0058] The overlong steel bar detection device also includes an adjustable base 27, which is hinged by an upper base and a lower base, and the upper base is connected to the lower shell 22. By adjusting the posture of the adjustable base 27, the height and orientation of the sensor assembly 20 can be changed, thereby adjusting the linear beam 30, so that the linear beam 30 can accurately align with the side of the counterweight 13 in a normal state, and the counterweight 13 can completely break away from the linear beam 30 when the lever 11 is moved. In addition, the adjustable base 27 can also adopt mature products available on the market, such as a movable hinge, etc. Among them, it is more preferred to adopt a universal movable hinge, which can achieve multi-directional adjustment.

[0059] In the above detailed description, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment to simplify the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of the claimed subject matter require more features than are clearly stated in each claim. On the contrary, as reflected in the appended claims, the invention is in a state of having less than all the features of the disclosed individual embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are hereby expressly incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0060] The disclosed embodiments are described above to enable any person skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications of these embodiments are obvious to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may also be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments given herein, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and novel features disclosed in this application.

[0061] The specific implementation methods described above further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present invention in detail. It should be understood that the above description is only a specific implementation method of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for detecting overlong steel bars, characterized in that: include: Make the steel bundle move along a predetermined running track; During the movement of the steel bundle, a distance sensor is used to detect whether a trigger action occurs on a swing trigger assembly arranged on the side of the running track; If so, it is determined that there are extra-long steel bars in the steel bundle, and the extra-long steel bars refer to steel bars whose size exceeds the end of the steel bundle and reaches the preset size requirement.

2. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 1, characterized in that: When there are extra-long steel bars in the steel bundle, the lever in the swing trigger assembly swings due to being pushed by the extra-long steel bars; The counterweight block is then driven to rotate by the lever, so that the bottom end of the counterweight block is higher than the linear light beam emitted by the distance sensor. Since the distance sensor cannot receive the linear light beam reflected back from the counterweight block, the measurement value of the distance sensor changes.

3. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: When the lever is not pushed by the extra-long steel bars, the first hinge shaft is lower than the bottom end of the steel bundle, and the top end of the lever is higher than the top end of the steel bundle, so that the extra-long steel bars at any height position in the steel bundle can push the lever; the swing trigger assembly also includes a fixed bracket, and the first hinge shaft is used to realize the connection between the lever and the fixed bracket.

4. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: The distance between the top end of the lever and the first hinge shaft is made greater than the distance between the bottom end of the lever and the first hinge shaft, so as to reduce the height of the counterweight from the ground.

5. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 2, characterized in that: The counterweight block is connected to the shifting rod via a second hinge shaft, so that the counterweight block is in a vertical state and thus remains stable.

6. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: An openable protective shell is arranged outside the distance sensor to protect the distance sensor; A light opening for the linear light beam to pass through is provided on the protective shell.

7. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A protective ring protruding outward is arranged on the protective shell, and the protective ring is connected with the light opening to protect the distance sensor.

8. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 7, characterized in that: Also includes: After the purge joint provided on the protective shell is connected to the compressed air pipeline, the interior of the protective shell is purged through the purge joint.

9. The method for detecting an overlong steel bar according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: The irradiation position of the linear light beam is adjusted by adjusting the adjustable base arranged under the protective shell.

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