Graphite pipeline assembling auxiliary device and assembling method thereof

Abstract

According to the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device and the assembly method thereof, an auxiliary device is additionally arranged on an existing clamping and grabbing structure of a mechanical arm, special precise graphite components can be grabbed through the device which is low in cost and easy and convenient to operate, the smoothness of the inner surfaces and the outer surfaces of the graphite components cannot be damaged, and the assembly efficiency is improved. And the connection failure caused by the lubrication characteristic is avoided. On the premise that a common mechanical arm clamp is not transformed, the graphite pipeline component subjected to precision machining can be grabbed; the device does not cause any damage to the graphite surface through direct mechanical contact; the device can ingeniously avoid some unfavorable physical characteristics of the graphite material and form firm connection with the graphite member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device and an assembly method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Automated production lines using robotic arms are usually used in automobile manufacturing, electronic assembly, food processing, pharmaceuticals, etc., to perform tasks such as welding, spraying, assembly, handling, palletizing, and packaging. The robotic arms on the production line usually use clamps, suction cups, and other methods to obtain components and perform tasks. These two methods have no problems with ordinary materials and situations where the surface finish of the materials is not high, but there are some problems with some special-purpose graphite materials:

[0003] 1. Clamping can easily cause surface damage. Graphite itself is a lubricant, and direct clamping often requires a large vertical force to ensure that the graphite component does not slide sideways, and a large vertical force will scratch the graphite surface;

[0004] 2. Adsorption can easily cause connection failure. When adsorbing graphite components through suction cups, in addition to the gaps in the graphite material itself that may cause air leakage, the graphite may also slide sideways with the suction cup, resulting in adsorption failure.

[0005] Graphite, as a special material, is currently widely used in many scientific devices. In the automated assembly line, it is necessary to ensure the precision and accuracy of its assembly, while also avoiding surface damage. Therefore, it is necessary to find a new way of grabbing and moving. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device and an assembly method thereof.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device, comprising:

[0008] The gripping head, the control valve, the inflation chamber, the positioning ball and the inflation valve are connected in sequence through the structural rod, wherein the gripping head is clamped by the clamp of the mechanical arm.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device, the gripping head is located at the top of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device, the control valve is located below the gripping head and is used to control the deflation of the inflation chamber.

[0011] Further, in the above graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, the inflation chamber is located below the control valve. After the inflation chamber expands, it supports the graphite pipe from the inside of the graphite pipe, preventing sliding between the outer wall of the inflation chamber and the inner wall of the graphite pipe with static friction.

[0012] Further, in the above graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, the positioning ball is located below the inflation chamber and serves as a reflective beacon for laser positioning measurement.

[0013] Further, in the above graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, the inflation valve is located below the positioning ball and is used to inflate the inflation chamber.

[0014] Further, in the above graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, the structural rod is a hollow tubular material.

[0015] Further, in the above graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, a pulling mechanism is also provided beside the fixture of the robotic arm. The pulling mechanism is connected to the control valve and is used to lift the control valve.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method for assembling a graphite pipe, using the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device described in any one of the above. The method includes:

[0017] Clean the surface of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device to avoid the accumulation of dust and graphite debris, which may cause sliding; at the same time, check the airtightness of the inflation of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device to ensure that there is no possibility of air leakage;

[0018] Insert the inflation valve, positioning ball, and inflation chamber of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device into the lower graphite pipe until the inflation chamber of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device fully overlaps with the inner wall of the graphite pipe. Among them, the gripper and control valve of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device are located outside the graphite pipe;

[0019] After the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device is in place, inflate the inflation chamber through the inflation valve until the outer wall of the inflation chamber is in full contact with the inner wall of the graphite pipe; when the gas pressure in the inflation chamber is converted into radial pressure and the calculated maximum static friction is greater than the self-weight of the graphite pipe and there is some margin left, the inflation of the inflation chamber is completed;

[0020] Clamp the gripper with the fixture of the robotic arm and slowly lift the graphite pipe to avoid bumping until the graphite pipe hangs naturally, and then move the graphite pipe to the position to be assembled; at the same time, use the positioning ball as a signal feedback device for the laser measurement device to guide the running track of the robotic arm;

[0021] After being assembled and positioned, the pulling mechanism of the robotic arm lifts the control valve, releasing the gas in the inflatable cavity. The graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device disengages from the graphite pipe, and the inflatable cavity, positioning ball, and inflatable valve are withdrawn from above the graphite pipe.

[0022] Further, in the above method for assembling the graphite pipe, the calculation formula for the maximum static friction force is as follows:

[0023] F = πR 2 Lρμ

[0024] Where F is the maximum static friction force, R is the inner radius of the graphite pipe, L is the contact length between the inflatable cavity and the inner wall of the graphite pipe, ρ is the inflation pressure inside the device, and μ is the static friction coefficient between the material of the inflatable cavity and the graphite.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the current methods of using robotic arms to obtain components and perform tasks for grasping precision graphite components all have fatal flaws. The present invention aims to add an auxiliary device to the existing clamping and grasping structure of the robotic arm, which can achieve the grasping of special precision graphite components with a relatively low cost and a simple operation, without damaging the surface finish of the inner and outer surfaces of the graphite components, and without causing connection failure due to its lubricating characteristics. The present invention can grasp precision machined graphite pipe components without modifying the common robotic arm fixture; the device will not cause any damage to the graphite surface through direct mechanical contact; the device can cleverly avoid some adverse physical properties of the graphite material and form a firm connection with the graphite component. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0027] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] As Figure 1 shown, the present invention provides a graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, including: a gripper 1, a control valve 2, an inflatable cavity 3, a positioning ball 4, and an inflatable valve 5 that are sequentially connected by a structural rod 6, wherein the fixture of the robotic arm clamps the gripper 1.

[0029] Here, the device of the present invention is divided into five parts: a gripper 1, a control valve 2, an inflatable cavity 3, a positioning ball 4, and an inflatable valve 5, and each component is sequentially connected by a structural rod 6.

[0030] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the gripper 1 is located at the top of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, and is a mechanical structure that provides a firm gripping part for the gripper of the common robotic arm when gripping, to avoid the gripper of the robotic arm directly contacting the graphite pipe body.

[0031] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the control valve 2 is located below the gripper 1 and is used to control the rapid deflation of the inflation chamber 3.

[0032] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the inflation chamber 3 is located below the control valve 3. After the inflation chamber 3 expands, it supports the graphite pipe from the inside of the graphite pipe, and uses static friction to prevent sliding between the outer wall of the inflation chamber 3 and the inner wall of the graphite pipe.

[0033] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the positioning ball 4 is located below the inflation chamber 3 and serves as a reflective beacon for laser positioning measurement.

[0034] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the inflation valve 5 is located below the positioning ball 4 and is used to inflate the inflation chamber 3.

[0035] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, the structural rod 6 is a micro-hollow tubular material, which is used to connect all the components of the above-mentioned gripper 1, control valve 2, inflation chamber 3, positioning ball 4 and inflation valve 5 in series, and to open holes at designated positions to convey gas to the inflation valve 5.

[0036] In the embodiment of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of the present invention, a pulling mechanism is further provided beside the gripper of the robotic arm. The pulling mechanism is connected to the control valve 2 and is used to lift the control valve 2. The pulling mechanism can be, for example, a wire connecting the robotic arm and the control valve 2 respectively.

[0037] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a graphite pipe assembly auxiliary method, which uses the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device of any one of the above embodiments. The method includes:

[0038] Step S1, cleaning the device and checking: In order to enable the device to be in close contact with the graphite pipe, it is necessary to clean the surface of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device to avoid the accumulation of dust and graphite debris, which may cause sliding; at the same time, it is also necessary to check the airtightness of the inflation of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device to ensure that there is no possibility of air leakage;

[0039] Step S2, inserting the inflation valve 5, positioning ball 4 and inflation chamber 3 of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device into the lower graphite pipe until the inflation chamber 3 of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device fully overlaps with the inner wall of the graphite pipe. Among them, the gripper 1 and control valve 2 of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device are located outside the graphite pipe;

[0040] Here, the graphite pipe is installed vertically. When installing the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device, the limit for inserting the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device into the graphite pipe is the inflation valve 5, the positioning ball 4, and the inflation chamber 3 below the control valve.

[0041] Step S3: After the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device is in place, inflate the inflation chamber 3 through the inflation valve 5 until the outer wall of the inflation chamber 3 is in full contact with the inner wall of the graphite pipe. When the gas pressure in the inflation chamber 3 is converted into radial pressure and the calculated maximum static friction force is greater than the self-weight of the graphite pipe with some margin reserved, the inflation of the inflation chamber 3 is completed.

[0042] Preferably, the calculation formula for the maximum static friction force is as follows:

[0043] F = πR 2 Lρμ

[0044] Wherein, F is the maximum static friction force, R is the inner radius of the graphite pipe, L is the contact length between the inflation chamber and the inner wall of the graphite pipe, ρ is the inflation pressure in the device, and μ is the static friction coefficient between the material of the inflation chamber and the graphite.

[0045] Step S4: Clamp the gripper 1 with the fixture of the robotic arm, slowly lift the graphite pipe to avoid bumping until the graphite pipe hangs naturally, and then move the graphite pipe to the position to be assembled. At the same time, use the positioning ball 4 as a signal feedback device for the laser measurement equipment to guide the running track of the robotic arm.

[0046] Step S5: After assembly and in place, the pulling mechanism of the robotic arm lifts the control valve 2, then releases the gas in the inflation chamber 3, the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device disengages from the graphite pipe, and the inflation chamber 3, the positioning ball 4, and the inflation valve 5 are withdrawn from above the graphite pipe to complete the assembly process of the graphite pipe.

[0047] Here, the graphite pipes are stacked vertically. Therefore, after one section is installed in place, the air chamber 3, the positioning ball 4, and the inflation valve 5 are withdrawn from above, and then the next section of the pipe can be stacked.

[0048] In summary, the current methods of the robotic arm obtaining components and performing tasks for grasping precision graphite components all have fatal defects. The present invention aims to add an auxiliary device to the existing clamping and grasping structure of the robotic arm, which can achieve the grasping of special precision graphite components at a relatively low cost and with a simple operation, without damaging the surface finish of the inner and outer surfaces of the graphite components, and without causing connection failure due to its lubricating characteristics. The present invention can grasp precision machined graphite pipe components without modifying the common robotic arm fixture; the device will not cause any damage to the graphite surface by direct mechanical contact; the device can skillfully avoid some adverse physical properties of the graphite material and form a firm connection with the graphite component.

[0049] In the present specification, the various embodiments are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. For the same or similar parts among the various embodiments, reference can be made to each other.

[0050] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalent technologies, the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device, characterized in that: include: The gripping head, the control valve, the inflation chamber, the positioning ball and the inflation valve are connected in sequence through the structural rod, wherein the gripping head is clamped by the clamp of the mechanical arm.

2. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping head is located at the top end of the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device.

3. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control valve is located below the gripping head and is used to control the deflation of the inflation cavity.

4. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air-filled cavity is located below the control valve. After the air-filled cavity expands, it supports the graphite pipe from the inside of the graphite pipe, and prevents sliding between the outer wall of the air-filled cavity and the inner wall of the graphite pipe by static friction.

5. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning ball is located below the air-filled cavity and serves as a reflective beacon for laser positioning measurement.

6. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inflation valve is located at the lower part of the positioning ball and is used to inflate the inflation cavity.

7. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The structural rod is a hollow tubular material.

8. The graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pulling mechanism is also provided beside the clamp of the mechanical arm, and the pulling mechanism is connected to the control valve and is used for pulling the control valve.

9. A method for assembling a graphite pipe, characterized in that: Using the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the method comprises: Clean the surface of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device to avoid accumulation of dust and graphite debris that may cause sliding; at the same time, check the inflation tightness of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device to ensure that there is no possibility of leakage; Insert the inflation valve, positioning ball and inflation cavity of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device into the graphite pipeline below until the inflation cavity of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device fully overlaps with the inner wall of the graphite pipeline, wherein the gripping head and control valve of the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device are located outside the graphite pipeline; After the graphite pipe assembly auxiliary device is in place, the inflation chamber is inflated through the inflation valve until the outer wall of the inflation chamber is in full contact with the inner wall of the graphite pipe; when the gas pressure in the inflation chamber is converted into radial pressure, the inflation of the inflation chamber is completed when the calculated maximum static friction force is greater than the self-weight of the graphite pipe and some margin is reserved; The gripper is clamped by the fixture of the robot arm, and the graphite pipe is slowly lifted to avoid collision until the graphite pipe sags naturally, and then the graphite pipe is moved to the position to be assembled; at the same time, the positioning ball is used as a signal feedback device of the laser measuring equipment to guide the running trajectory of the robot arm; After the assembly is in place, the pulling mechanism of the robot arm pulls up the control valve to release the gas in the inflation chamber, the graphite pipeline assembly auxiliary device is separated from the graphite pipeline, and the inflation chamber, the positioning ball and the inflation valve are pulled out from the top of the graphite pipeline.

10. The method for assembling a graphite pipe according to claim 10, characterized in that: The calculation formula of the maximum static friction force is as follows: F=πR 2 Lrm Among them, F is the maximum static friction force, R is the inner radius of the graphite pipe, L is the contact length between the gas-filled cavity and the inner wall of the graphite pipe, ρ is the gas pressure in the device, and μ is the static friction coefficient between the gas-filled cavity material and graphite.

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