A pin insertion mechanism and pin insertion method

Abstract

This invention provides a pin insertion mechanism and method, including a pin-separating and feeding device, a vision-guided pin insertion device, a pin-aligning device, and an intelligent control system. The pin-separating and feeding device arranges and delivers pins to the pin-separating assembly via a vibratory feeder and a linear vibrating table, achieving one-to-one separation. The feeding assembly uses a rotary cylinder, a sliding cylinder, and a clamping cylinder to transfer the pins to the feed tube. The vision-guided pin insertion device uses an industrial camera and a ring light source to acquire the position information of the pin holes on the insertion plate. Based on this, the intelligent control system plans the optimal insertion path and controls the horizontal and vertical drive devices to adjust the position of the pin insertion assembly for precise insertion. The pin-aligning device ensures that the pins are fully pressed into the insertion plate. This invention achieves a high degree of automation and intelligence in the pin insertion process, significantly improving pin insertion accuracy, efficiency, and system stability. In particular, it employs an innovative design for pin isolation, ensuring that only one pin is separated at a time, avoiding the problem of multiple pins clogging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automatic pin insertion machine technology, and in particular to a pin insertion mechanism and pin insertion method. Background Technology

[0002] Pin insertion is a fundamental and crucial process that plays a vital role in product performance and production efficiency. However, traditional pin insertion methods have many problems and are difficult to meet the needs of modern industrial production.

[0003] In the early days, pin insertion was mainly done manually. Operators had to focus on arranging, separating, and feeding the pins for long periods of time, resulting in extremely high labor intensity. Moreover, manual operation was greatly affected by subjective factors, leading to inconsistent pin insertion accuracy, frequent misalignment, and incomplete insertion, resulting in significant fluctuations in product quality. At the same time, manual pin insertion was inefficient and difficult to keep up with the fast-paced demands of large-scale production.

[0004] With the initial exploration of industrial automation, some simple mechanical devices have emerged. However, these devices have crude structural designs and limited functions. In the pin sorting and conveying stages, accuracy is poor, and pins are prone to becoming disordered, accumulating, and clogging. In particular, the pin separation process often relies on simple structures such as cylinders, which cannot effectively isolate pins during high-speed operation, frequently causing multiple pins to simultaneously enter subsequent processes. Furthermore, the subsequent pin insertion process lacks effective visual guidance and path planning functions, making precise pin insertion into the sockets difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a pin insertion mechanism and a pin insertion method to solve the problems of low pin insertion efficiency and inability to effectively isolate pins one by one in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A pin insertion mechanism includes a pin feeding device, a visually guided pin insertion device, a pin alignment device, and an intelligent control system.

[0008] The needle feeding device includes a vibratory plate for arranging needles in an orderly manner in the same direction, a linear vibratory table for receiving the needles arranged on the vibratory plate and conveying the needles along a set linear track, a needle separating assembly located at the end of the linear vibratory table and separating the needles conveyed by the linear vibratory table one by one, a sensor for detecting whether the needles on the needle separating assembly have reached a preset position, and a needle feeding assembly for transferring the needles on the needle separating assembly to the feed tube.

[0009] The vision-guided pin device includes a horizontal drive device, a vertical drive device and a vision detection device disposed on the horizontal drive device, and a pin assembly disposed on the vertical drive device.

[0010] The pin alignment device includes a base plate, a transfer device disposed on the base plate for supporting the insert plate to which pins are to be inserted, a pin pressing device for pressing the pins downward and causing the pins to be fully pressed into the insert plate, and a guide component for providing guiding support to the pin pressing device when pressing the pins.

[0011] The intelligent control system is electrically connected to the needle feeding device, the visually guided needle insertion device, and the needle alignment device, and controls the coordinated operation of each device.

[0012] To achieve the above technical solution, the vibratory feeder utilizes its own vibration characteristics to continuously move the pins within the feeder. Through a specific track and structure, the pins are arranged in an orderly manner in the same direction and transported to a linear vibratory table. The linear vibratory table receives the pins from the vibratory feeder and, through vibration, propels them forward along a set linear track until they reach the pin separator assembly. The pin separator assembly, located at the end of the linear vibratory table, separates the incoming pins one by one, ensuring that only one pin enters the subsequent process at a time. Sensors are used to detect in real time whether the pins on the pin separator assembly have reached a preset position. When a pin reaches this position, the sensor transmits a signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system then uses a pin feeding assembly to transfer the pins from the pin separator assembly to the feed tube, preparing for subsequent pin insertion operations. The vision inspection device captures the position information of the pin holes on the insertion plate and performs image processing and analysis through the intelligent control system to determine the center coordinates and shape characteristics of each pin hole. At the same time, the intelligent control system calculates the optimal insertion path based on the position information of the pin holes and controls the horizontal drive device and the vertical drive device to adjust the position of the pin assembly. After the pin is initially inserted, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to move the insertion plate from the pin insertion station to the pin pressing station. Then the pin pressing device presses the pin completely into the insertion plate to ensure that the pin is firmly fixed.

[0013] To achieve the above technical solution, the collaborative operation of the vision inspection device and the intelligent control system enables precise calculation of the shape and center coordinates of the insertion hole, and plans the optimal pin path. The horizontal and vertical drive devices can accurately insert the pins into the insertion hole according to the planned path, greatly improving pin accuracy and reducing pin misalignment or incomplete insertion. The pin-separating feeding device realizes automatic sorting, conveying, and separating of the pins, quickly and accurately delivering them to the feed tube, providing a continuous pin supply for the pin insertion operation, reducing manual intervention, and improving work efficiency.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the needle-separating assembly includes a needle guide plate and a needle-separating plate disposed on both sides of the needle guide plate and embedded in the needle guide plate;

[0015] The middle part of the needle separator plate is set on the needle guide plate by a rotating pin. A needle separator block extends from the end of the needle separator plate away from the needle guide plate. A spring is provided between the other end of the needle separator plate and the needle guide plate.

[0016] The two needle-separating blocks can abut against each other under the pushing action of the spring and isolate the needles on the guide plate.

[0017] To achieve the above technical solution, under the pushing action of the spring, the needle-separating blocks on the two needle-separating plates abut against each other. When the needle reaches the position of the needle-separating block, the needle is temporarily stopped from advancing due to the obstruction of the needle-separating block. The needle feeding assembly applies pressure to the needle-separating block, forcing the needle-separating block to move outward against the elastic force of the spring, opening the channel. After the needle passes through the gap between the needle-separating blocks, due to the action of the spring, the needle-separating block quickly returns to the closed state, preventing the next needle from passing through, thus achieving separation one by one. This avoids problems such as needle confusion and blockage that may be caused by multiple needles entering the subsequent process at the same time, and improves the accuracy and stability of the needle insertion process.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the needle feeding assembly includes a rotary cylinder, a slide cylinder disposed on the rotary cylinder, and a clamping cylinder disposed on the slide cylinder;

[0019] The rotary cylinder is equipped with an air blower on its turntable that can be aligned with the material discharge pipe.

[0020] The clamping cylinder includes a cylinder body, a slide rail vertically arranged on the cylinder body, and two grippers slidably arranged on the slide rail;

[0021] The gripper includes a sliding part that slides in the slide rail, a clamping part for clamping the pin, and a connecting part that connects the sliding part and the clamping part;

[0022] When the two grippers abut against each other, a V-shaped gap is formed between the two gripping parts on both sides, and the needle block is embedded in the V-shaped gap and is adapted to the shape of the V-shaped gap.

[0023] To achieve the above technical solution, after the sensor sends a signal that the needle has reached the preset position, the rotary cylinder first rotates the slide cylinder and clamping cylinder together to the direction of the needle. After rotating to the correct position, the slide cylinder starts and smoothly advances towards the needle. Simultaneously, the clamping cylinder also begins to move, using its grippers to firmly grasp the needle. After successfully grasping the needle, the slide cylinder quickly retracts along the preset return path, while the rotary cylinder readjusts its angle according to the position of the feed tube. After the slide cylinder brings the needle to the accurate position above the feed tube, the clamping cylinder releases its grip, and the needle falls into the feed tube under gravity, completing one complete needle feeding process. Furthermore, the air blower starts working simultaneously with the clamping cylinder grasping the needle, saving time that would otherwise be spent aligning and preparing the air blower, making the entire needle feeding process more compact and efficient. With the assistance of air blowing, the needle can reach the next needle feeding station from the feed tube more quickly, reducing the dwell time of the needle during the transfer process and greatly increasing the number of needles fed per unit time. The V-shaped gap and the matching design of the pin spacer block enable the gripper to accurately position and hold the pin, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the pin during the clamping process and reducing the possibility of the pin falling or being not firmly clamped.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the two grippers separate from each other, the two spacer plates close together, and the upper gripping part is embedded above the two spacer plates, and the lower gripping part is embedded below the two spacer plates.

[0025] When the two jaws close together, the two clamping parts simultaneously push against the two needle-separating blocks on both sides, causing the two needle-separating blocks to move away from each other, thereby releasing the insert pin.

[0026] To achieve the above technical solution, when the two grippers separate, the needle separator plate returns to its natural closed state under the elastic force of the spring. When the grippers begin to close, the upper gripping part is precisely embedded above the two needle separator blocks, and the lower gripping part is embedded below the two needle separator blocks. The gripping parts are in close contact with the needle separator blocks, simultaneously pushing against the needle separator blocks on both sides. After being subjected to force, the needle separator blocks overcome the elastic force of the spring and rotate around the rotating pin, causing the two needle separator blocks to move away from each other. The needles that were originally isolated and fixed are no longer obstructed and smoothly enter the gripping range of the grippers, where they are accurately grasped. The opening and closing action of the grippers is closely linked to the closing and separating action of the needle separator plate. Through the ingenious design of the mechanical structure, automated coordinated operation is achieved.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pin assembly includes a pin ejector device, a pin spacer device located below the pin ejector device, and a pin feed guide block disposed between the pin ejector device and the pin spacer device.

[0028] The needle feeding guide block has a needle feeding hole that runs vertically through it and at least one needle feeding hole that connects to the needle feeding hole and is used to receive the needle inserted in the feed tube.

[0029] The ejector pin device includes an inserting cylinder and an inserting rod disposed on the output shaft of the inserting cylinder and capable of passing through the guide pin hole.

[0030] To achieve the above technical solution, after the needle feeding assembly transfers the needle to the feeding tube, the needle enters the needle feeding hole of the needle feeding guide block under the action of air blowing. The needle feeding hole and the guide hole are connected, and the needle enters the guide hole along the needle feeding hole, realizing the reception and initial positioning of the needle. The needle separator is located below the needle feeding guide block. When the needle has not reached the designated position or when the needle is not needed, the needle separator is in a closed state to prevent the needle from falling accidentally. When the needle reaches the guide hole and the visual guide needle insertion device determines the needle position, the needle separator opens to provide a channel for the insertion of the needle. Subsequently, the output shaft of the needle insertion cylinder drives the needle insertion rod to move downward. The needle insertion rod passes through the guide hole and pushes the needle located in the guide hole downward, so that the needle passes through the channel opened by the needle separator and is inserted into the needle hole of the insertion plate.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the needle-separating device includes a needle-separating cylinder, two needle-blocking blocks disposed on the needle-separating cylinder and capable of closing or separating from each other, and a semi-circular needle-separating tube disposed on the needle-blocking blocks; the semi-circular needle-separating tube includes a large-diameter portion, a small-diameter portion, a needle-separating portion that gradually transitions from the large-diameter portion to the small-diameter portion, and an inlet portion with a diameter larger than the large-diameter portion and gradually converging towards the large-diameter portion.

[0032] To achieve the above technical solution, when the insert pin falls from the guide hole of the needle feeding guide block, it first enters the inlet section of the semi-circular needle separator tube. The inlet section has a large diameter and gradually tapers towards the larger diameter, and this flared design provides excellent guidance. When the insert pin is not needed, the needle separator cylinder drives the two needle blocking blocks to close together, at which point the two semi-circular needle separator tubes combine to form a complete needle separator channel. The insert pin falls into the needle separator section, which, due to its gradual transition from the larger diameter to the smaller diameter, provides excellent positioning and support. Simultaneously, the closed state of the needle blocking blocks prevents the insert pin from falling further, temporarily storing it within the semi-circular needle separator tube. Once the insertion time is determined, the intelligent control system issues a command to activate the needle separator cylinder, driving the two needle blocking blocks to separate. Then, under the pushing action of the ejector device, the pin smoothly falls along the smaller diameter of the semi-circular needle separator tube and is inserted into the needle hole of the insert plate. The complete needle-separating channel formed when the two needle-blocking blocks close together can stably store the needle, preventing the needle from shaking or falling off while waiting to be inserted, thus ensuring the stability of the needle insertion process.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal driving device includes a linear motor, a slide block slidably disposed on the linear motor, and a mounting plate disposed on the slide block;

[0034] The vertical drive device includes a pneumatic slide table mounted on the mounting plate and a vertical plate mounted on the pneumatic slide table. The vertical plate is provided with the ejector pin device, the needle feeding guide block and the needle separating device from top to bottom.

[0035] The visual inspection device includes a connecting frame mounted on the mounting plate, an industrial camera mounted on the connecting frame, and a ring light source mounted on the connecting frame and located below the industrial camera.

[0036] To achieve the above technical solution, the horizontal drive device is mainly responsible for moving the pin assembly horizontally to accurately align the pins with the holes on the insertion plate; the vertical drive device is used to move the pin assembly vertically; and the vision inspection device is used to acquire the position information of the holes on the insertion plate, providing a basis for pin path planning. An industrial camera is mounted on the mounting plate via a connecting bracket, and a ring light source is positioned below the industrial camera to provide uniform illumination. During the pin insertion process, the industrial camera captures images of the pin holes on the insertion plate, acquiring image information and transmitting this image data to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system processes and analyzes the image data, calculates the shape and center coordinates of the pin holes, and then plans the pin path based on this information, controlling the actions of the horizontal and vertical drive devices to ensure the pins are accurately inserted into the holes.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transfer device includes two transfer motors arranged in parallel, a transfer platform arranged on the transfer motors, and a plurality of positioning plates arranged on the transfer platforms for placing the insert plates that need to be inserted.

[0038] The positioning plate is provided with a plate limiting structure for constraining and limiting the insertion plate. The plate limiting structure includes a limiting groove formed on the positioning plate and adapted to the insertion plate, a positioning pin set in the limiting groove and used for inserting the insertion plate, and several through holes.

[0039] The transfer platform has a slot located at the lower end of the insertion hole;

[0040] The needle pressing device includes a fixed plate, a booster cylinder disposed on the fixed plate, a needle pressing plate disposed on the output shaft of the booster cylinder, a needle pressing block disposed at the lower end of the needle pressing plate, and a pressing block disposed on the base plate and opposite to the needle pressing block.

[0041] The guiding assembly includes a plurality of guide posts disposed between the fixed plate and the base plate, and a guide sleeve disposed on the pressure needle plate for the guide posts to pass through.

[0042] To achieve the above technical solution, the main function of the transfer device is to transfer the insert plate requiring pin insertion between different workstations. Multiple positioning plates are installed on the transfer table to hold the insert plate. The insert plate is placed in the limiting groove of the positioning plate; the shape of the limiting groove matches the insert plate, providing initial constraint. Simultaneously, positioning pins pass through the insert plate to further position it, ensuring accurate positioning during the transfer process. After pin insertion is completed, the transfer device transfers the insert plate to the pin pressing station. Simultaneously, the booster cylinder is activated, and its output shaft pushes the pin pressing plate downwards. The pin pressing block at the lower end of the pin pressing plate moves downwards accordingly. The insert plate is placed above the pressing block, and the pin pressing block presses down on the insert pin, ensuring the pin is fully pressed into the insert plate. During the downward movement of the pin pressing plate, the guide sleeve slides along the guide post, providing guidance for the movement of the pin pressing plate, preventing it from shifting during movement, and ensuring that the pin pressing block accurately presses down on the insert pin, allowing the pin to be pressed vertically and stably into the insert plate.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, the linear track, the spacer assembly, the clamping cylinder, the dropping tube and the insertion pin assembly on the linear vibration table are each provided with multiple sets.

[0044] To achieve the above technical solution, the arrangement of linear tracks, needle separators, clamping cylinders, feeding tubes, and needle insertion components on multiple linear vibration tables enables the needle insertion mechanism to process multiple needles simultaneously. This significantly shortens the total needle insertion time and increases the number of needles inserted per unit time, thereby significantly improving production efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0045] In another embodiment of the present invention, a pin insertion method is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0046] S1, place the insert plate on the positioning plate of the transfer table, and the transfer table is in the loading position;

[0047] S2, the vibratory feeder arranges the pins in an orderly manner and conveys them to the linear vibrating table. The linear vibrating table conveys the pins to the pin separator assembly. The pin separator assembly separates the pins one by one. After the sensor detects that the pin has reached the preset position, it transmits the signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system controls the pin feeding assembly to transfer the pins to the discharge tube.

[0048] S3, the air blow pipe blows the pins in the feeding pipe into the pin feeding hole of the pin feeding guide block. The vision-guided pin insertion device obtains the position information of the pin hole on the insertion plate through the industrial camera. The intelligent control system plans the pin insertion path according to the position information.

[0049] S4, the intelligent control system controls the horizontal drive device and the vertical drive device to adjust the position of the pin assembly according to the pin path, and inserts the pin into the plate to a certain depth through the pin assembly.

[0050] S5, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to move the transfer table from the pin insertion station to the pin pressing station, and starts the booster cylinder to push the pin pressing plate downward, so that the pin pressing block presses the pin completely into the insertion plate;

[0051] S6. After the pin insertion is completed, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to return the transfer table to the loading station and remove the inserted plate.

[0052] To achieve the above technical solution, in the preparation stage S1: First, the insert plate is placed on the positioning plate of the transfer table, at which point the transfer table is in the loading position. The insert plate limiting structure on the positioning plate, including the limiting groove adapted to the insert plate and the positioning pin through which the insert plate passes, can accurately fix the position of the insert plate and ensure the accuracy of subsequent pin insertion operations. Pin conveying and separation S2: The vibratory feeder is started. With its special vibration structure and track design, it arranges the messy pins in an orderly manner in the same direction and conveys them to the linear vibratory table. The linear vibratory table drives the pins along the set linear track through continuous vibration until they reach the spacer assembly. In the spacer assembly, the spacer plates are abutted against each other by the spacer blocks under the action of springs, isolating the pins one by one. The sensor monitors the position of the pins on the spacer assembly in real time. Once the pin reaches the preset position, it immediately transmits the signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system then commands the needle feeding assembly to act. The rotary cylinder, slide cylinder, and clamping cylinder within the assembly work in concert. The rotary cylinder first rotates the clamping cylinder to a suitable angle, the slide cylinder adjusts the clamping cylinder closer to the spacer assembly, and the clamping cylinder precisely grasps the needle using specially designed grippers (when the grippers close, the gripping part pushes against the spacer block to release the needle; when they separate, they tightly adhere to the spacer block to fix the needle) and transfers it to the drop tube. Visual guidance and path planning (S3): After the needle enters the drop tube, an air blower blows air into the needle feeding hole of the needle feeding guide block. Simultaneously, the visual guidance needle insertion device functions. An industrial camera, under uniform illumination provided by a ring light source, captures a clear image of the needle hole on the insertion plate and transmits the image data to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system performs a series of preprocessing operations on the image, including grayscale conversion, filtering, threshold segmentation, and morphological processing, accurately extracting the needle hole contour. Combined with the current position of the needle, it plans a vertical insertion path to ensure the needle approaches the needle hole with the optimal trajectory. Pin Insertion S4: Based on the planned pin insertion path, the intelligent control system drives the horizontal and vertical drive devices to precisely adjust the position of the pin insertion assembly. The pin ejector (pin cylinder pushes the pin rod), the pin separator (pin cylinder controls the opening and closing of the pin blocking block to guide and block the pin with a semi-circular pin separator tube), and the pin feed guide block in the pin insertion assembly work together to insert the pin into the insertion plate to a certain depth. Pin Pressing Operation S5: After the pin is inserted to a certain depth, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to work. The transfer motor drives the transfer table from the pin insertion station to the pin pressing station. At this time, the pin pressing device starts, and the pressure cylinder pushes the pin pressing plate downwards. The pin pressing block at the lower end of the pin pressing plate cooperates with the pressing block on the base plate to apply sufficient pressure to the pin, pressing the pin completely into the insertion plate. Final Stage S6: After pin pressing is completed, the intelligent control system again controls the transfer device to return the transfer table to the loading station so that the inserted insertion plate can be removed, completing one complete pin insertion process. The above steps can then be repeated for continuous production.

[0053] As described above, the pin insertion mechanism and method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: The present invention adopts an innovative pin-separating component design, including a guide plate, pin-separating plates embedded on both sides of the guide plate, and a spring mechanism. The middle part of the pin-separating plate is fixed to the guide plate by a rotating pin, and the end extends out as a pin-separating block. The two pin-separating blocks can abut against each other under the pushing action of the spring, ensuring that only one pin can pass through at a time. When the pin reaches the position of the pin-separating block, the clamping cylinder pushes the pin-separating block to move outward against the spring force, opening the channel. After the pin passes through, the pin-separating block quickly returns to the closed state, preventing the next pin from entering prematurely. By optimizing the design of the pin-separating block, its opening and closing process is made smoother and more fluid, reducing jamming or blockage. In addition, the close cooperation between the pin-separating component and the pin feeding component (such as the V-shaped gap of the gripper and the adaptation design of the pin-separating block) further improves the stability and reliability of pin transmission. The visual guidance pin insertion device (including an industrial camera and a ring light source) captures the position information of the pin holes on the insertion plate, and the intelligent control system performs image processing and analysis to determine the center coordinates and shape characteristics of each insertion hole. Based on this information, the optimal insertion path is calculated to ensure that the pins are inserted vertically into the sockets with extremely high precision. The entire pin insertion process is highly automated, from automatic sorting, feeding, and separation of pins to final insertion, reducing manual intervention and improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the structure of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the needle feeding device.

[0056] Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the linear vibration table and the spacer assembly.

[0057] Figure 4 This is a partial exploded view of the spacer assembly.

[0058] Figure 5 The diagram shows the structure of the needle feeding assembly.

[0059] Figure 6 The diagram shows the structure of the spacer assembly and the clamping cylinder.

[0060] Figure 7 The diagram shows the structure of the clamping cylinder.

[0061] Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the gripper.

[0062] Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of the sensor.

[0063] Figure 10The diagram shows the structure of the visually guided pin device.

[0064] Figure 11 This is another schematic diagram of a visually guided pin device.

[0065] Figure 12 The diagram shows the structure of the pin assembly.

[0066] Figure 13 The image shown is a cross-sectional view of the needle feed guide block.

[0067] Figure 14 The diagram shows the structure of a semi-circular septum needle tube.

[0068] Figure 15 The diagram shows the structure of a visual inspection device.

[0069] Figure 16 The diagram shows the structure of the needle alignment device.

[0070] Figure 17 This is another structural schematic diagram of a needle alignment device.

[0071] Figure 18 The diagram shows an exploded view of the transfer stage and positioning plate.

[0072] Component designation explanation

[0073] 1. Needle-separating and needle-feeding device; 2. Vision-guided needle insertion device; 3. Needle alignment device; 4. Needle insertion; 5. Vibratory feeder; 6. Linear vibratory table; 7. Linear track; 8. Needle-separating assembly; 9. Sensor; 10. Feed tube; 11. Base plate; 81. Guide plate; 82. Needle-separating plate; 83. Rotating pin; 821. Needle blocking block; 84. Spring; 12. Rotary cylinder; 13. Slide cylinder; 14. Clamping cylinder; 15. Air blow pipe; 141. Cylinder body; 142. Slide rail; 143. Gripper; 1431. Sliding part; 1432. Clamping part; 1433. Connecting part; 16. V-shaped gap; 17. Needle-feeding guide block; 171. Guide hole; 172. Needle-feeding hole; 18. Needle insertion cylinder; 19. Needle insertion rod; 20. Needle separator cylinder; 21. Needle blocking block; 22. Semi-circular needle separator tube; 221. Large diameter section; 222. Small diameter section; 223. Needle separator section; 224. Inlet section; 23. Linear motor; 24. Slide; 25. Mounting plate; 26. Pneumatic slide table; 27. Vertical plate; 28. Connecting frame; 29. ​​Industrial camera; 30. Ring light source; 31. Transfer motor; 32. Transfer stage; 33. Positioning plate; 331. Limiting groove; 332. Positioning pin; 333. Insertion hole; 321. Slot; 34. Fixing plate; 35. Pressure cylinder; 36. Needle pressing plate; 37. Needle pressing block; 38. Pressing block; 39. Guide post; 40. Guide sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0074] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0075] Please see Figures 1 to 18 This invention provides a pin insertion mechanism, comprising: a pin-separating and feeding device 1, a vision-guided pin insertion device 2, a pin-aligning device 3, and an intelligent control system; the pin-separating and feeding device 1 includes a vibratory plate 5 for arranging pins 4 in an orderly manner in the same direction, a linear vibratory table 6 for receiving the pins 4 arranged on the vibratory plate 5 and conveying the pins 4 along a set linear track 7, a pin-separating assembly 8 disposed at the end of the linear vibratory table 6 for separating the pins 4 conveyed by the linear vibratory table 6 one by one, a sensor 9 for detecting whether the pins 4 on the pin-separating assembly 8 have reached a preset position, and a feeding device 10 for transferring the pins 4 on the pin-separating assembly 8 to a feeding tube 10. The device includes a needle assembly; the visually guided needle insertion device 2 includes a horizontal driving device, a vertical driving device and a visual detection device mounted on the horizontal driving device, and a needle insertion assembly mounted on the vertical driving device; the needle pressing and alignment device 3 includes a base plate, a transfer device mounted on the base plate for supporting the insertion plate for inserting needles 4, a needle pressing device for pressing the needles 4 downwards and making the needles 4 fully pressed into the insertion plate, and a guide assembly for providing guidance support to the needle pressing device during needle pressing; the intelligent control system is electrically connected to the needle feeding device 1, the visually guided needle insertion device 2 and the needle pressing and alignment device 3, and controls the coordinated operation of each device.

[0076] The vibratory feeder 5 utilizes its own vibration characteristics to continuously move the pins 4 within the feeder. Through a specific track and structure, the pins 4 are arranged in an orderly manner in the same direction and conveyed to the linear vibratory table 6. The linear vibratory table 6 receives the pins 4 from the vibratory feeder 5 and, through vibration, conveys the pins 4 forward along the set linear track 7 until they reach the pin separator assembly 8. The pin separator assembly 8 is located at the end of the linear vibratory table 6 and separates the conveyed pins 4 one by one to ensure that only one pin 4 enters the subsequent process at a time. The sensor 9 is used to detect in real time whether the pins 4 on the pin separator assembly 8 have reached the preset position. When the pin 4 reaches this position, the sensor 9 transmits a signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system then uses the pin feeding assembly to transfer the pins 4 on the pin separator assembly 8 to the drop tube 10, preparing for subsequent pin insertion operations. The vision inspection device captures the position information of the pin holes on the insertion plate and performs image processing and analysis through the intelligent control system to determine the center coordinates and shape characteristics of each pin hole 333. At the same time, the intelligent control system calculates the optimal insertion path based on the position information of the pin holes and controls the horizontal drive device and the vertical drive device to adjust the position of the pin assembly. After the pin 4 completes the initial insertion, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to move the insertion plate from the pin 4 station to the pin pressing station. Then the pin pressing device presses the pin 4 completely into the insertion plate to ensure that the pin 4 is firmly fixed.

[0077] Through the coordinated operation of the vision inspection device and the intelligent control system, the shape and center coordinates of the socket 333 can be accurately calculated, and the optimal path for the pin 4 can be planned. The horizontal and vertical drive devices can accurately insert the pin 4 into the socket 333 according to the planned path, greatly improving the accuracy of the pin 4 and reducing the occurrence of pin 4 offset or incomplete insertion. The pin-separating feeding device 1 realizes the automatic sorting, conveying and separating of the pins 4, and can quickly and accurately convey the pins 4 to the drop tube 10, providing a continuous supply of pins 4 for the operation, reducing manual intervention and improving work efficiency.

[0078] The needle-separating assembly 8 includes a needle guide plate 81 and a needle-separating plate 82 disposed on both sides of the needle guide plate 81 and embedded in the needle guide plate 81. The middle part of the needle-separating plate 82 is disposed on the needle guide plate 81 by a rotating pin 83. A needle-separating block extends from one end of the needle-separating plate 82 away from the needle guide plate 81. A spring 84 is provided between the other end of the needle-separating plate 82 and the needle guide plate 81. The two needle-separating blocks can abut against each other under the pushing action of the spring 84 and isolate the needles 4 on the needle guide plate 81.

[0079] Under the pushing action of spring 84, the needle-separating blocks on the two needle-separating plates 82 abut against each other. When the needle 4 reaches the position of the needle-separating block, the needle 4 is temporarily stopped from moving forward due to the obstruction of the needle-separating block. The needle feeding assembly will apply pressure to the needle-separating block, forcing the needle-separating block to move outward against the elastic force of spring 84, opening the channel. After the needle 4 passes through the gap between the needle-separating blocks, due to the action of spring 84, the needle-separating block quickly returns to the closed state, preventing the next needle 4 from passing through, realizing separation one by one, avoiding problems such as needle 4 confusion and blockage that may be caused by multiple needles 4 entering the subsequent process at the same time, and improving the accuracy and stability of the needle insertion process.

[0080] The needle feeding assembly includes a rotary cylinder 12, a slide cylinder 13 mounted on the rotary cylinder 12, and a clamping cylinder 14 mounted on the slide cylinder 13. The rotary cylinder 12 has an air blowing pipe 15 on its turntable that can align with the material drop tube 10. The clamping cylinder 14 includes a cylinder body 141, a slide rail 142 mounted vertically on the cylinder body 141, and two grippers 143 slidably mounted on the slide rail 142. Each gripper 143 includes a sliding part 1431 that slides in the slide rail 142, a clamping part 1432 for clamping the needle 4, and a connecting part 1433 that connects the sliding part 1431 and the clamping part 1432. When the two grippers 143 abut against each other, a V-shaped gap 16 is formed between the two clamping parts 1432 on both sides. The needle spacer block is embedded in the V-shaped gap 16 and is adapted to the shape of the V-shaped gap 16.

[0081] When sensor 9 sends a signal that pin 4 has reached the preset position, rotary cylinder 12 first rotates the slide cylinder 13 and clamping cylinder 14 to the direction of pin 4. After rotating to the correct position, slide cylinder 13 starts and smoothly advances towards pin 4. Simultaneously, clamping cylinder 14 also starts to move, using grippers 143 to firmly grasp pin 4. After successfully grasping pin 4, slide cylinder 13 quickly retracts along the preset return path, while rotary cylinder 12 readjusts its angle according to the position of drop tube 10. After slide cylinder 13 brings pin 4 to the accurate position above drop tube 10, clamping cylinder 14 releases its grip, and pin 4 falls into drop tube 10 under gravity, completing one complete pin feeding process. Furthermore, the air blower 15 starts working simultaneously with clamping cylinder 14 grasping pin 4, saving time that would otherwise be spent aligning and preparing the air blower 15, making the entire pin feeding process more compact and efficient. With the assistance of air blowing, the insert pin 4 can reach the next insert pin 4 station from the feed tube 10 more quickly, reducing the dwell time of the insert pin 4 during the transfer process and greatly increasing the number of pins fed per unit time. The matching design of the V-shaped gap 16 and the pin spacer block enables the gripper 143 to accurately position and hold the insert pin 4, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the insert pin 4 during the gripping process and reducing the possibility of the insert pin 4 falling or being not firmly held.

[0082] When the two grippers 143 separate, the two needle-separating plates 82 close together, with the upper gripping part 1432 embedded above the two needle-separating blocks and the lower gripping part 1432 embedded below the two needle-separating blocks; when the two grippers 143 close together, the two gripping parts 1432 simultaneously push against the needle-separating blocks on both sides and cause the two needle-separating blocks to move away from each other, thereby releasing the insertion pin 4.

[0083] When the two grippers 143 separate, the needle separator plate 82 returns to its natural closed state under the elastic force of the spring 84. When the grippers 143 begin to close, the upper gripping part 1432 is precisely embedded above the two needle separator blocks, and the lower gripping part 1432 is embedded below the two needle separator blocks. The gripping part 1432 is in close contact with the needle separator blocks, and at the same time pushes against the needle separator blocks on both sides. After being subjected to force, the needle separator blocks overcome the elastic force of the spring 84 and rotate around the rotating pin 83, causing the two needle separator blocks to move away from each other. The needles 4, which were originally isolated and fixed, are no longer obstructed and smoothly enter the gripping range of the grippers 143 and are accurately grasped. The opening and closing action of the grippers 143 is closely linked with the closing and separating action of the needle separator plate 82. Through the ingenious design of the mechanical structure, automated coordinated operation is achieved.

[0084] The pin assembly includes a pin ejector, a pin spacer located below the pin ejector, and a pin feeding guide block 17 disposed between the pin ejector and the pin spacer. The pin feeding guide block 17 has a pin guide hole 171 that runs vertically through it and at least one pin feeding hole 172 that connects to the pin guide hole 171 and is used to receive the pins 4 in the feed tube 10. The pin ejector includes a pin 4 cylinder and a pin 4 rod disposed on the output shaft of the pin 4 cylinder and capable of passing through the pin guide hole 171.

[0085] After the needle feeding assembly transfers the needle 4 to the feed tube 10, the needle 4 enters the needle feeding hole 172 of the needle feeding guide block 17 under the action of air blowing. The needle feeding hole 172 is connected to the guide hole 171. The needle 4 enters the guide hole 171 through the needle feeding hole 172, realizing the reception and initial positioning of the needle 4. The needle separator is located below the needle feeding guide block 17. When the needle 4 has not reached the designated position or when the needle 4 is not needed, the needle separator is in a closed state to prevent the needle 4 from falling accidentally. When the needle 4 reaches the guide hole 171 and the visual guide needle insertion device 2 determines the position of the needle 4, the needle separator opens to provide a channel for the insertion of the needle 4. Then, the output shaft of the needle 4 cylinder drives the needle 4 rod to move downward. The needle 4 rod passes through the guide hole 171, pushing the needle 4 located in the guide hole 171 downward, so that the needle 4 passes through the channel opened by the needle separator and is inserted into the needle hole of the insertion plate.

[0086] The needle-separating device includes a needle-separating cylinder 20, two needle-blocking blocks 21821 disposed on the needle-separating cylinder 20 and capable of closing or separating from each other, and a semi-circular needle-separating tube 22 disposed on the needle-blocking blocks 21821; the semi-circular needle-separating tube 22 includes a large-diameter portion 221, a small-diameter portion 222, a needle-separating portion 223 that gradually transitions from the large-diameter portion 221 to the small-diameter portion 222, and an inlet portion 224 with a diameter larger than the large-diameter portion 221 and gradually converging towards the large-diameter portion 221.

[0087] When the needle 4 falls from the needle guide hole 171 of the needle feeding guide block 17, it first enters the inlet section 224 of the semi-circular needle separator tube 22. The inlet section 224 has a large diameter and gradually narrows towards the large diameter section 221. This flared design provides good guidance. When the needle 4 is not needed, the needle separator cylinder 20 drives the two needle blocking blocks 21821 to close together. At this time, the two semi-circular needle separator tubes 22 combine to form a complete needle separator channel. The needle 4 falls into the needle separator section 223. Since the needle separator section 223 gradually transitions from the large diameter section 221 to the small diameter section 222, it can provide good positioning and support for the needle 4. At the same time, the closed state of the needle blocking blocks 21821 prevents the needle 4 from falling further and temporarily stores the needle 4 in the semi-circular needle separator tube 22. When it is determined that the needle 4 is ready, the intelligent control system issues a command to activate the needle separator cylinder 20, driving the two needle blocking blocks 21821 to separate. Under the pushing action of the ejector pin device, the pin 4 falls smoothly down along the small diameter 222 of the semi-circular needle-separating tube 22 and is inserted into the needle hole of the insert plate. The complete needle-separating channel formed when the two needle-blocking blocks 21821 close together can stably store the insert pin 4, preventing the insert pin 4 from shaking or falling off during the waiting process, thus ensuring the stability of the insert pin 4 process.

[0088] The horizontal driving device includes a linear motor 23, a slide block 24 slidably mounted on the linear motor 23, and a mounting plate 25 mounted on the slide block 24; the vertical driving device includes a pneumatic slide table 26 mounted on the mounting plate 25, and a vertical plate 27 mounted on the pneumatic slide table 26, wherein the vertical plate 27 is provided with the ejector pin device, the needle feeding guide block 17 and the needle separating device from top to bottom; the visual inspection device includes a connecting frame 28 mounted on the mounting plate 25, an industrial camera 29 mounted on the connecting frame 28, and a ring light source 30 mounted on the connecting frame 28 and located below the industrial camera 29.

[0089] The horizontal drive unit is mainly responsible for moving the pin assembly horizontally to accurately align the pin 4 with the socket 333 on the insertion plate; the vertical drive unit is used to move the pin assembly vertically; the vision inspection unit is used to acquire the position information of the socket 333 on the insertion plate, providing a basis for the path planning of the pin 4. The industrial camera 29 is mounted on the mounting plate 25 via the connecting bracket 28, and the ring light source 30 is positioned below the industrial camera 29 to provide uniform illumination. During the pin insertion process, the industrial camera 29 captures images of the pinholes on the insertion plate, acquiring image information of the pinholes and transmitting this image data to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system processes and analyzes the image data, calculates the shape, center coordinates, and other information of the pinholes, and then plans the path of the pin 4 based on this information, controlling the actions of the horizontal and vertical drive units to ensure that the pin 4 can be accurately inserted into the socket 333.

[0090] The transfer device includes two parallel transfer motors 31, a transfer platform 32 mounted on the transfer motors 31, and multiple positioning plates 33 mounted on the transfer platforms 32 for placing the insert plates requiring the insertion pins 4. The positioning plates 33 are provided with an insert plate limiting structure for constraining and limiting the insertion plates. The insert plate limiting structure includes a limiting groove 331 formed on the positioning plate 33 and adapted to the insert plate, a positioning pin 332 disposed in the limiting groove 331 for inserting the insert plate, and multiple through insertion holes 333. The transfer platform 3... The 2 has a slot 321 located at the lower end of the insertion hole 333; the pressure needle device includes a fixed plate 34, a pressure cylinder 35 disposed on the fixed plate 34, a pressure needle plate 36 disposed on the output shaft of the pressure cylinder 35, a pressure needle block 37 disposed at the lower end of the pressure needle plate 36, and a pressing block 38 disposed on the base plate and opposite to the pressure needle block 37; the guide assembly includes a plurality of guide posts 39 disposed between the fixed plate 34 and the base plate, and a guide sleeve 40 disposed on the pressure needle plate 36 for the guide posts 39 to pass through.

[0091] The main function of the transfer device is to transfer the insert plate requiring the insertion pin 4 between different workstations. Multiple positioning plates 33 are provided on the transfer table 32, which are used to place the insert plate. The insert plate is placed in the limiting groove 331 of the positioning plate 33. The shape of the limiting groove 331 is adapted to the insert plate, providing initial constraint. Simultaneously, positioning pins 332 are inserted into the insert plate to further position it, ensuring accurate positioning during the transfer process. After the insertion pin 4 is completed, the transfer device transfers the insert plate to the pin pressing station. Subsequently, the pressure cylinder 35 is activated, and its output shaft pushes the pin pressing plate 36 downwards. The pin pressing block 37 at the lower end of the pin pressing plate 36 moves downwards accordingly. The insert plate is placed above the pressing block 38, and the pin pressing block 37 presses down on the insertion pin 4. With the cooperation of the pressing block 38, the insertion pin 4 is completely pressed into the insert plate. During the downward movement of the pressure plate 36, the guide sleeve 40 slides along the guide post 39 to guide the movement of the pressure plate 36, prevent the pressure plate 36 from shifting during the movement, and ensure that the pressure block 37 can accurately press the insertion pin 4 so that the insertion pin 4 is pressed vertically and stably into the insertion plate.

[0092] The linear vibration table 6 is equipped with multiple sets of linear rails 7, needle separators 8, clamping cylinders 14, dropping tubes 10, and needle insertion assemblies.

[0093] The arrangement of linear tracks 7, needle separators 8, clamping cylinders 14, dropping pipes 10, and needle insertion components on multiple linear vibration tables 6 enables the needle insertion mechanism 4 to process multiple needles 4 simultaneously; greatly shortening the total time for needle insertion 4 and increasing the number of needles 4 per unit time, thereby significantly improving production efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0094] In another embodiment of the present invention, a pin insertion method is provided, comprising the following steps: S1, placing the insertion plate on the positioning plate 33 of the transfer table 32, and the transfer table 32 being in the loading position; S2, the vibratory feeder 5 arranges the pins 4 in an orderly manner and conveys them to the linear vibratory table 6, the linear vibratory table 6 conveys the pins 4 to the pin separator assembly 8, the pin separator assembly 8 separates the pins 4 one by one, and after the sensor 9 detects that the pins 4 have reached the preset position, it transmits the signal to the intelligent control system, and the intelligent control system controls the pin feeding assembly to transfer the pins 4 to the dropping pipe 10; S3, the air blowing pipe 15 blows the pins 4 in the dropping pipe 10 into the pin feeding hole 172 of the pin feeding guide block 17, visually guiding the process. The pin insertion device 2 acquires the position information of the pin holes on the insertion plate through the industrial camera 29, and the intelligent control system plans the path of the pin 4 according to the position information; S4, the intelligent control system controls the horizontal drive device and the vertical drive device to adjust the position of the pin insertion assembly according to the path of the pin 4, and inserts the pin 4 into the insertion plate to a certain depth through the pin insertion assembly; S5, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to move the transfer table 32 from the pin insertion station to the pin pressing station, and starts the booster cylinder 35 to push the pin pressing plate 36 downward, so that the pin pressing block 37 presses the pin 4 completely into the insertion plate; S6, after the pin pressing is completed, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to return the transfer table 32 to the loading station and remove the insertion plate with the pin 4 inserted.

[0095] Preparation Stage S1: First, the insert plate is placed on the positioning plate 33 of the transfer table 32, at which point the transfer table 32 is in the loading position. The insert plate limiting structure on the positioning plate 33, including the limiting groove 331 adapted to the insert plate and the positioning pin 332 through the insert plate, can accurately fix the position of the insert plate and ensure the accuracy of subsequent needle 4 operations. Needle 4 Conveying and Separating Stage S2: The vibratory feeder 5 is started. With its special vibration structure and track design, it arranges the messy needles 4 in an orderly manner in the same direction and conveys them to the linear vibratory table 6. The linear vibratory table 6 drives the needles 4 along the set linear track 7 through continuous vibration until they reach the needle separator assembly 8. Under the action of the spring 84, the needle separator plates 82 in the needle separator assembly 8 abut against each other, isolating the needles 4 one by one. The sensor 9 monitors the position of the needles 4 on the needle separator assembly 8 in real time. Once the needles 4 reach the preset position, it immediately transmits the signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system then commands the needle feeding assembly to act. The rotary cylinder 12, slide cylinder 13, and clamping cylinder 14 within the needle feeding assembly work in concert. The rotary cylinder 12 first rotates the clamping cylinder 14 to a suitable angle, and the slide cylinder 13 adjusts the clamping cylinder 14 closer to the spacer assembly 8. The clamping cylinder 14 precisely grasps the needle 4 using specially designed grippers 143 (when the grippers 143 close, the clamping part 1432 pushes against the spacer block to release the needle 4; when separated, it tightly adheres to the spacer block to fix the needle 4), and transfers it to the discharge tube 10. Visual guidance and path planning S3: After the needle 4 enters the discharge tube 10, the air blower 15 blows air to propel the needle 4 into the needle feeding hole 172 of the needle feeding guide block 17. Simultaneously, the visual guidance needle feeding device 2 functions, and the industrial camera 29, under uniform illumination provided by the ring light source 30, captures clear images of the needle holes on the feeding plate and transmits the image data to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system performs a series of preprocessing operations on the image, including grayscale conversion, filtering, threshold segmentation, and morphological processing, to accurately extract the pinhole contour. Combined with the current position of the pin 4, it plans a vertical insertion path to ensure that the pin 4 approaches the pinhole with the optimal trajectory. Pin 4 Insertion S4: Based on the planned path of the pin 4, the intelligent control system drives the horizontal and vertical drive devices to precisely adjust the position of the pin assembly. The pin ejector device (pin 4 cylinder pushes the pin 4 rod), the pin separator device (pin separator cylinder 20 controls the opening and closing of the pin blocking block 21821, cooperating with the semi-circular pin separator tube 22 to guide and block the pin 4), and the pin guide block 17 in the pin assembly work together to insert the pin 4 into the insertion plate to a certain depth. Pin Pressing Operation S5: After the pin 4 is inserted to a certain depth, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to work. The transfer motor 31 drives the transfer table 32 from the pin 4 station to the pin pressing station. At this time, the needle pressing device is activated, and the pressure cylinder 35 pushes the needle pressing plate 36 downward. The needle pressing block 37 at the lower end of the needle pressing plate 36 cooperates with the pressing block 38 on the base plate to apply sufficient pressure to the needle 4 and press the needle 4 completely into the plate.Final stage S6: After the pin insertion is completed, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device again to make the transfer table 32 return to the loading station so as to take out the insert plate with the inserted pin 4 and complete a complete pin insertion process. After that, the above steps can be repeated for continuous production.

[0096] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. All equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this invention should still be covered by the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A pin insertion mechanism, characterized in that, include: Needle-separating needle feeding device, vision-guided needle insertion device, needle alignment device, and intelligent control system; The needle feeding device includes a vibratory plate for arranging needles in an orderly manner in the same direction, a linear vibratory table for receiving the needles arranged on the vibratory plate and conveying the needles along a set linear track, a needle separating assembly located at the end of the linear vibratory table and separating the needles conveyed by the linear vibratory table one by one, a sensor for detecting whether the needles on the needle separating assembly have reached a preset position, and a needle feeding assembly for transferring the needles on the needle separating assembly to the feed tube. The vision-guided pin device includes a horizontal drive device, a vertical drive device and a vision detection device disposed on the horizontal drive device, and a pin assembly disposed on the vertical drive device. The pin alignment device includes a base plate, a transfer device disposed on the base plate for supporting the insert plate to which pins are to be inserted, a pin pressing device for pressing the pins downward and causing the pins to be fully pressed into the insert plate, and a guide component for providing guiding support to the pin pressing device when pressing the pins. The intelligent control system is electrically connected to the needle feeding device, the visually guided needle insertion device, and the needle alignment device, and controls the coordinated operation of each device. The needle separator assembly includes a needle guide plate and a needle separator plate disposed on both sides of the needle guide plate and embedded in the needle guide plate; The middle part of the needle separator plate is set on the needle guide plate by a rotating pin. A needle separator block extends from the end of the needle separator plate away from the needle guide plate. A spring is provided between the other end of the needle separator plate and the needle guide plate. The two needle-separating blocks can abut against each other under the pushing action of the spring and isolate the needles on the guide plate; The needle feeding assembly includes a rotary cylinder, a slide cylinder mounted on the rotary cylinder, and a clamping cylinder mounted on the slide cylinder; The rotary cylinder is equipped with an air blower on its turntable that can be aligned with the material discharge pipe. The clamping cylinder includes a cylinder body, a slide rail vertically arranged on the cylinder body, and two grippers slidably arranged on the slide rail; The gripper includes a sliding part that slides in the slide rail, a clamping part for clamping the pin, and a connecting part that connects the sliding part and the clamping part; When the two grippers abut against each other, a V-shaped gap is formed between the two gripping parts on both sides, and the spacer block is embedded in the V-shaped gap and is adapted to the shape of the V-shaped gap; When the two grippers separate, the two spacer plates close together, with the upper gripping part embedded above the two spacer plates and the lower gripping part embedded below the two spacer plates. When the two jaws close together, the two clamping parts simultaneously push against the two needle-separating blocks on both sides, causing the two needle-separating blocks to move away from each other, thereby releasing the insert pin.

2. The pin insertion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle insertion assembly includes a ejector pin device, a needle separator device located below the ejector pin device, and a needle feed guide block disposed between the ejector pin device and the needle separator device. The needle feeding guide block has a needle feeding hole that runs vertically through it and at least one needle feeding hole that connects to the needle feeding hole and is used to receive the needle inserted in the feed tube. The ejector pin device includes an inserting cylinder and an inserting rod disposed on the output shaft of the inserting cylinder and capable of passing through the guide pin hole.

3. The pin insertion mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The needle-separating device includes a needle-separating cylinder, two needle-blocking blocks disposed on the needle-separating cylinder and capable of closing or separating from each other, and a semi-circular needle-separating tube disposed on the needle-blocking blocks. The semi-circular septum tube includes a large-diameter section, a small-diameter section, a septum section that gradually transitions from the large-diameter section to the small-diameter section, and an inlet section with a diameter larger than the large-diameter section that gradually tapers towards the large-diameter section.

4. The pin insertion mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The horizontal drive device includes a linear motor, a slide block slidably mounted on the linear motor, and a mounting plate mounted on the slide block; The vertical drive device includes a pneumatic slide table mounted on the mounting plate and a vertical plate mounted on the pneumatic slide table. The vertical plate is provided with the ejector pin device, the needle feeding guide block and the needle separating device from top to bottom. The visual inspection device includes a connecting frame mounted on the mounting plate, an industrial camera mounted on the connecting frame, and a ring light source mounted on the connecting frame and located below the industrial camera.

5. The pin insertion mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transfer device includes two transfer motors arranged in parallel, a transfer platform arranged on the transfer motors, and multiple positioning plates arranged on the transfer platforms for placing the insert plates that need to be inserted. The positioning plate is provided with a plate limiting structure for constraining and limiting the insertion plate. The plate limiting structure includes a limiting groove formed on the positioning plate and adapted to the insertion plate, a positioning pin set in the limiting groove and used for inserting the insertion plate, and several through holes. The transfer platform has a slot located at the lower end of the insertion hole; The needle pressing device includes a fixed plate, a booster cylinder disposed on the fixed plate, a needle pressing plate disposed on the output shaft of the booster cylinder, a needle pressing block disposed at the lower end of the needle pressing plate, and a pressing block disposed on the base plate and opposite to the needle pressing block. The guiding assembly includes a plurality of guide posts disposed between the fixed plate and the base plate, and a guide sleeve disposed on the pressure needle plate for the guide posts to pass through.

6. The pin insertion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linear vibration table is equipped with multiple sets of linear tracks, needle separators, clamping cylinders, dropping tubes, and needle insertion assemblies.

7. A method for inserting a pin, characterized in that, The application of the pin insertion mechanism as described in claim 5 includes the following steps: S1, place the insert plate on the positioning plate of the transfer table, and the transfer table is in the loading position; S2, the vibratory feeder arranges the pins in an orderly manner and conveys them to the linear vibrating table. The linear vibrating table conveys the pins to the pin separator assembly. The pin separator assembly separates the pins one by one. After the sensor detects that the pin has reached the preset position, it transmits the signal to the intelligent control system. The intelligent control system controls the pin feeding assembly to transfer the pins to the discharge tube. S3, the air blow pipe blows the pins in the feeding pipe into the pin feeding hole of the pin feeding guide block. The vision-guided pin insertion device obtains the position information of the pin hole on the insertion plate through the industrial camera. The intelligent control system plans the pin insertion path according to the position information. S4, the intelligent control system controls the horizontal drive device and the vertical drive device to adjust the position of the pin assembly according to the pin path, and inserts the pin into the plate to a certain depth; S5, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to move the transfer table from the pin insertion station to the pin pressing station, and starts the booster cylinder to push the pin pressing plate downward, so that the pin pressing block presses the pin completely into the insertion plate; S6. After the pin insertion is completed, the intelligent control system controls the transfer device to return the transfer table to the loading station and remove the inserted plate.

Images