Quick tightening and twisting station for hoisting robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a hoisting robot quick-tightening and constant-twisting station which comprises a conveyor, a six-axis mechanical arm, a servo tightening shaft, a screw locking quick-changing head and a matching frame, the six-axis mechanical arm is hoisted above the conveyor, the servo tightening shaft is hung on the six-axis mechanical arm, the screw locking quick-changing head is installed on the servo tightening shaft, and the screw locking quick-changing head is installed on the matching frame. A screw locking quick-change head is arranged on the conveyor, a hanging lug part is integrally formed on the screw locking quick-change head, a matching frame is arranged beside the conveyor, a plurality of profiling seats are arranged on the matching frame, and clamping grooves matched with the hanging lug part in shape are formed in the profiling seats. By means of the mode, according to the quick-tightening constant-torque station of the hoisting robot, constant-torque tightening operation of bolts is implemented through the six-axis mechanical arm, the matching frame is arranged, and seamless remodeling is achieved through cooperation of the hanging lug part and the pressing plate; through the two screw locking positioning visual cameras, the six-axis mechanical arm synchronously completes scanning positioning of the second screw in the screw locking process, seamless connection between the screws is efficiently achieved, and the production efficiency is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of battery pack assembly equipment, and particularly to a quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot. Background Art

[0002] Battery packs are heavy and large in volume. In the process of manual tightening operation, problems such as uneven torque level and non-coplanar bolts often occur due to the influence of the operation process level. Improper bolt installation operation may lead to torque attenuation of local bolts. During the assembly process, the tightening of bolts needs to ensure that the torque of each bolt reaches the specified value. However, due to the large number of bolts and irregular distribution, it is easy for manual operation to fail to fully achieve sequential tightening and uniform force application due to oversights and other reasons. If the sequence is improper or the force application is uneven, some bolts may be over-tightened or over-loosened, affecting the stability and safety of the overall structure. On the same production line, different types of bolts are often processed. Manual tool change may cause mismatching problems and result in bolt damage. Therefore, the existing technology can no longer meet the needs of high-speed automated production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot. The bolt torque-setting and tightening operation is implemented by a six-axis manipulator. A matching frame is set up, and seamless tool change is achieved by the cooperation of the hanging ear part and the pressing plate. Two screw-locking positioning vision cameras are used to enable the six-axis manipulator to synchronously complete the scanning and positioning of the second screw during the screw-locking process, efficiently realizing the seamless connection between screws and significantly improving the production efficiency.

[0004] To solve the above technical problem, a technical solution adopted by the present invention is: providing a quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot, including a conveyor, a six-axis manipulator, a servo tightening shaft, a screw-locking quick-change head, and a matching frame. The six-axis manipulator is suspended above the conveyor. The servo tightening shaft is mounted on the six-axis manipulator. The screw-locking quick-change head is installed on the servo tightening shaft. The hanging ear part is integrally formed on the screw-locking quick-change head. A matching frame is arranged beside the conveyor. A number of profiling seats are arranged on the matching frame. The profiling seats are provided with slots matching the shape of the hanging ear part. A pressing plate covering the slots is arranged above the profiling seats. The pressing plate is cooperated with the profiling seats to be pressed tightly by externally connecting a lifting cylinder.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a primary sleeve is coaxially installed at the front part of the servo tightening shaft, a bearing is coaxially nested in the primary sleeve, an extension handle for transmission connection to the servo tightening shaft is connected in the bearing, a secondary sleeve is coaxially locked at the front end of the primary sleeve, the extension handle extends into the secondary sleeve and is coaxially sleeved with a buffer spring, a three-step stepped shaft is coaxially connected in the secondary sleeve, the three-step stepped shaft has a primary shaft body, a secondary shaft body and a tertiary shaft body with decreasing diameters successively, a deep hole is opened at the end of the primary shaft body and is coaxially connected to the extension handle, the end face of the primary shaft body abuts the buffer spring, a bushing abutting the secondary shaft body is passed through the tertiary shaft body, the tertiary shaft body coaxially extends from the secondary sleeve via the bushing, an integrally formed hexagonal quick-change pin is extended to the tertiary shaft body, a locking screw quick-change head is coaxially installed on the hexagonal quick-change pin.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the ear hook portion is a flat sheet including but not limited to a hexagonal or circular shape, and the card slot matches the shape of the flat sheet.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a gate with a diameter smaller than the lateral dimension of the hanging ear portion is opened on one side of the contoured seat, and the stroke of the lifting cylinder is greater than the thickness of the hanging ear portion.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hole is opened in the side wall of the secondary bushing and an optical fiber sensor is hung externally, the hole is opened at the position where the outer circumference of the primary shaft is located in the secondary bushing when the buffer spring is in the longest state, the aperture of the opening is equal to the length of the primary shaft, and the optical fiber sensor faces the outer circumference of the primary shaft facing the opening.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor is a roller conveyor and dynamically carries a material pallet. The roller conveyor is provided with a stop cylinder linked to a six-axis manipulator, and a baffle matching the material pallet is installed on the stop cylinder.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hoisting frame is installed directly above the conveyor, and the six-axis manipulators are symmetrically suspended in pairs on the hoisting frames at both sides of the conveyor, and the hoisting frame is provided with a product positioning vision camera matching the material pallet, and the six-axis manipulator is provided with two screw locking positioning vision cameras, and the screw locking positioning vision cameras are distributed at 90 degrees with the screw locking quick change head as the center of the circle.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: A quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot provided by the present invention performs bolt torque-setting and tightening operations through a six-axis manipulator. A matching frame is set up, and seamless model change is achieved by the cooperation of the hanging ear part and the pressing plate. Two screw-locking positioning vision cameras enable the six-axis manipulator to synchronously complete the scanning and positioning of the second screw during the screw-locking process, efficiently realizing seamless connection between screws and significantly improving production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings, where: Figure 1 is the overall structure diagram of a preferred embodiment of a quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot of the present invention; Figure 2 is the structure diagram of the six-axis manipulator; Figure 3 is the structure diagram of the matching frame; Figure 4 is the structure diagram of the servo tightening shaft; Figure 5 is the structure diagram of the servo tightening shaft; Figure 6 is the structure diagram of the baffle; Figure 7 is the structure diagram of the screw-locking positioning vision camera. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0014] As Figure 1-7 shown, the embodiments of the present invention include: A quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot, comprising a conveyor 1, a six-axis manipulator 2, a servo tightening shaft 3, a screw-locking quick-change head 4, and a profiling frame 5. The six-axis manipulator 2 is suspended above the conveyor 1. The servo tightening shaft 3 is mounted on the six-axis manipulator 2. The screw-locking quick-change head 4 is installed on the servo tightening shaft 3. An ear hanger 6 is integrally formed on the screw-locking quick-change head 4. A profiling frame 5 is arranged beside the conveyor 1. A number of profiling seats 8 are provided on the profiling frame 5. A clamping groove 9 matching the shape of the ear hanger 6 is formed in the profiling seat 8. A pressing plate 10 covering the clamping groove 9 is arranged above the profiling seat 8. The pressing plate 10 is cooperated with the profiling seat 8 to be pressed tightly by externally connecting a lifting cylinder 11.

[0015] Wherein, a first-stage sleeve 12 is coaxially installed at the front part of the servo tightening shaft 3. A bearing 13 is coaxially nested in the first-stage sleeve 12. An extension handle 14 drivingly connected to the servo tightening shaft 3 is connected inside the bearing 13. A second-stage sleeve 15 is coaxially locked at the front end of the first-stage sleeve 12. The extension handle 14 extends into the second-stage sleeve 15 and coaxially sleeved with a buffer spring 16. A three-stage stepped shaft 17 is coaxially inserted into the second-stage sleeve 15. The three-stage stepped shaft 17 has a first-stage shaft body 18, a second-stage shaft body 19, and a third-stage shaft body 20 with diameters decreasing in sequence. A deep hole 21 is formed at the end of the first-stage shaft body 18 and coaxially connected to the extension handle 14. The end face of the first-stage shaft body 18 abuts against the buffer spring 16. A bushing 22 abutting against the second-stage shaft body 19 is inserted on the third-stage shaft body 20. The third-stage shaft body 20 coaxially passes through the second-stage sleeve 15 through the bushing 22. A hexagon quick-change pin 23 is integrally formed on the extended third-stage shaft body 20. The screw-locking quick-change head 4 is coaxially installed on the hexagon quick-change pin 23.

[0016] Further, the structure of the ear hanger 6 is a flat thin sheet including but not limited to a hexagon or a circle, and the clamping groove 9 matches the shape of the flat thin sheet.

[0017] Further, a gate 80 with a diameter smaller than the transverse dimension of the ear hanger 6 is formed on one side of the profiling seat 8, and the stroke of the lifting cylinder 11 is greater than the thickness of the ear hanger 6.

[0018] Further, the side wall of the second bushing 22 is provided with an opening and an optical fiber sensor 30 is externally hung. The opening is formed at the position of the second bushing 22 where the outer peripheral surface of the first-stage shaft body 18 is located when the buffer spring 16 is in the longest state. The aperture of the opening is equal to the length of the first-stage shaft body 18, and the optical fiber sensor 30 faces the outer peripheral surface of the first-stage shaft body 18 facing the opening.

[0019] Further, the conveyor 1 is a roller conveyor 1 and dynamically carries a material tray. A stop cylinder interlocking with the six-axis manipulator 2 is arranged on the roller conveyor 1. A baffle 50 matching the material tray is installed on the stop cylinder.

[0020] Further, a hoisting rack is erected directly above the conveyor 1. The six-axis manipulator 2 is symmetrically suspended in pairs on the hoisting racks at both sides of the conveyor 1. A product positioning vision camera matching the material tray is arranged on the hoisting rack. Two screw-locking positioning vision cameras 100 are arranged on the six-axis manipulator 2, and the screw-locking positioning vision cameras are distributed at an interval of 90 degrees with the screw-locking quick-change head 4 as the center.

[0021] The equipment of the present application is applied to the bolt tightening process section of the battery pack production line. The battery pack pre-installed with unfastened bolts will flow into this equipment from the upstream through the pallet. After the battery pack enters the conveyor 1 and reaches the working area of the six-axis manipulator 2, it is intercepted by the stop cylinder. First, the product positioning vision camera positions the battery pack on the pallet, and then the six-axis manipulator 2 carries the servo tightening shaft 3 along the planned path to the edge of the battery pack to tighten the screws.

[0022] The battery pack is usually designed with four columns of bolts arranged in a rectangle, but the screws are misaligned and avoided at some special positions. In order to enable the machine head to quickly and efficiently find the screw positions, two screw-locking positioning vision cameras are arranged beside the tightening shaft. The first camera searches for the first screw, and then the servo tightening shaft 3 starts the screw-locking action. During the tightening process of the first screw, the six-axis manipulator 2 rotates around the first screw by up to 360° to let the second camera search for the adjacent second screw. The two cameras are distributed at an interval of 90 degrees, which can maximize the field of view of the cameras. Thus, continuous screw positioning can be achieved.

[0023] Products of different batches have different changeover requirements. This equipment can quickly realize the switching of the screw-locking quick-change head 4 without stopping the machine. The six-axis manipulator 2 will go to the configuration rack 5 to remove the illegal quick-change head and then install the legal quick-change head. Quick-change heads of different models are hung and stored on the profiling seat 8 one by one, and the hanging ear part 6 and the card slot 9 are matched to achieve hoisting.

[0024] When disassembling the quick-change head, the six-axis manipulator 2 moves the quick-change head from the gate 80 horizontally into the vacant profiling seat 8, and then vertically drops the quick-change head so that the hanging ear part 6 falls into the card slot 9. Then the lifting cylinder 11 drives the pressing plate 10 to press down, and the pressing plate 10 presses the hanging ear part 6. Then the six-axis manipulator 2 vertically lifts to pull out the hexagonal quick-change pin 23 from the screw-locking quick-change head 4.

[0025] When assembling the quick-change head, the six-axis manipulator 2 inserts the hexagonal quick-change pin 23 into the target quick-change head until it is in place. Then the lifting cylinder 11 raises the pressing plate 10. Then the six-axis manipulator 2 vertically lifts until the hanging ear part 6 disengages from the card slot 9. Then the six-axis manipulator 2 moves the quick-change head out of the gate 80 horizontally.

[0026] The six-axis manipulator 2 needs to perform multiple vertical dropping actions not only during the process of screwing but also during the process of changing the type of the quick-change head. When the six-axis manipulator 2 presses down, the screwing quick-change head 4 is pushed back, causing the buffer spring 16 to compress, thereby reducing the impact damage effect.

[0027] Under specified conditions, the fiber optic sensor 30 will also perform a reset detection feedback on the position of the first-level shaft body 18 to ensure the reliable operation of the operation process.

[0028] The coordinated operation of the two manipulators can double the efficiency of screwing. After the screws are tightened, the stopper stops the dropping and releases it. At the same time, the servo tightening shaft 3 has torque feedback, and the torque data is uploaded and recorded. The servo tightening shaft 3 can also be replaced by a servo tightening gun.

[0029] In summary, the present invention provides a quick-tightening and torque-setting station for a hoisting robot. The bolt torque-setting and tightening operation is implemented by the six-axis manipulator 2. The matching frame 5 is set up, and the seamless type change is realized by using the cooperation between the hanging ear part 6 and the pressing plate 10. The six-axis manipulator 2 synchronously completes the scanning and positioning of the second screw during the screwing process through two screw-locking positioning vision cameras, efficiently realizes the seamless connection between the screws, and significantly improves the production efficiency.

[0030] The above are only the embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention accordingly. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the content of the specification of the present invention, or directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, shall be similarly included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lifting robot fast tightening and torque fixing station, characterized in that: It includes a conveyor, a six-axis manipulator, a servo tightening shaft, a screw locking quick-change head, and a matching frame. The six-axis manipulator is suspended above the conveyor, the six-axis manipulator is mounted with a servo tightening shaft, the servo tightening shaft is equipped with a screw locking quick-change head, the screw locking quick-change head is integrally formed with a hanging ear, a matching frame is arranged next to the conveyor, the matching frame is provided with a plurality of profiling seats, the profiling seat is provided with a card slot matching the shape of the hanging ear, a pressure plate covering the card slot is arranged above the profiling seat, and the pressure plate cooperates with the profiling seat to press by an external lifting cylinder.

2. The lifting robot quick tightening and torque fixing station according to claim 1, characterized in that: A primary sleeve is coaxially installed at the front part of the servo tightening shaft, a bearing is coaxially nested in the primary sleeve, an extension handle for transmission connection to the servo tightening shaft is connected in the bearing, a secondary sleeve is coaxially locked at the front end of the primary sleeve, the extension handle extends into the secondary sleeve and is coaxially sleeved with a buffer spring, a three-step stepped shaft is coaxially penetrated in the secondary sleeve, the three-step stepped shaft comprises a primary shaft body, a secondary shaft body and a tertiary shaft body with decreasing diameters successively, a deep hole is opened at the end of the primary shaft body and the extension handle is coaxially connected, the end face of the primary shaft body abuts the buffer spring, a bushing abutting the secondary shaft body is penetrated on the tertiary shaft body, the tertiary shaft body coaxially extends from the secondary sleeve via the bushing, an integrally formed hexagonal quick-change pin is extended to the tertiary shaft body, a locking screw quick-change head is coaxially installed on the hexagonal quick-change pin.

3. The quick-tightening and torque-fixing station for a hoisting robot according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The structure of the ear hook portion is a flat sheet including but not limited to a hexagonal or circular shape, and the card slot matches the shape of the flat sheet.

4. The quick-tightening and torque-fixing station for a hoisting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A gate with a diameter smaller than the transverse dimension of the hanging ear portion is provided on one side of the profiling seat, and a stroke of the lifting cylinder is greater than the thickness of the hanging ear portion.

5. The quick-tightening and torque-fixing station for a hoisting robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side wall of the secondary bushing is opened and an optical fiber sensor is hung externally. The opening is opened at the position where the outer circumference of the primary shaft is located in the secondary bushing when the buffer spring is in the longest state. The aperture of the opening is equal to the length of the primary shaft, and the optical fiber sensor faces the outer circumference of the primary shaft facing the opening.

6. The quick-tightening and torque-fixing station for a hoisting robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveyor is a roller conveyor and dynamically carries a material pallet. The roller conveyor is provided with a stop cylinder linked to a six-axis manipulator, and a baffle matching the material pallet is installed on the stop cylinder.

7. The quick-tightening and torque-fixing station for a hoisting robot according to claim 6, characterized in that: A hoisting frame is set up directly above the conveyor, and the six-axis manipulators are suspended symmetrically in pairs on the hoisting frames at both sides of the conveyor. The hoisting frame is provided with a product positioning vision camera matching the material pallet, and the six-axis manipulator is provided with two screw locking positioning vision cameras, and the screw locking positioning vision cameras are distributed at 90 degrees with the screw locking quick change head as the center.

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