A loading device for main bearing cap bolts
By using a support frame and a rotatable locking block design, combined with a cylinder to drive the bonding plate, the problems of long installation time and poor stability of the main bearing cap bolts are solved, enabling fast and stable installation of the bolts and improving production efficiency and equipment operation stability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGXI YUCHAI MASCH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-08
AI Technical Summary
The existing main bearing cap bolt installation equipment has an excessively long installation time and poor stability. The robotic arm needs to perform multiple cycles of operation, and insufficient positioning accuracy leads to bolt stripping, breakage, or deformation of the main bearing cap. The equipment wears out frequently, affecting production efficiency and stability.
A support frame is used as the load-bearing body for seven sets of bolts. Rotatable blocks and cylinders drive the bonding plate to reciprocate, enabling the simultaneous installation of seven sets of bolts. A limiting structure prevents displacement, and connecting rods and rotating auxiliary parts improve installation efficiency and stability.
It enables rapid positioning and stable installation of bolts, reduces repetitive operations of the robotic arm, improves production efficiency and equipment stability, and reduces equipment wear and maintenance frequency.
Smart Images

Figure CN120133945B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of engine processing technology, and in particular to a loading device for main bearing cap bolts. Background Technology
[0002] When installing a bearing cap on an engine block, the bearing cap must first be placed on the engine block, and then bolts must be used for reinforcement. The bolt installation must strictly follow specifications to ensure sealing and structural strength. The steps include: cleaning the contact surfaces and bolts, pre-applying lubricant to reduce friction, initially assembling the bolts in a symmetrical order, gradually tightening them to the standard torque in 2-3 steps, and finally checking the torque.
[0003] However, during the implementation of the above technical solution, at least the following technical problems were discovered:
[0004] Excessive installation time and poor stability: Existing main bearing cap bolt installation equipment relies on robotic arm operation. The existing robotic arm can only grab and install 2 bolts at a time, while the main bearing cap generally has 7 sets of bolts. The robotic arm needs to cycle through 7 times to complete the installation, which is cumbersome, greatly prolongs the installation time, hinders the operation of the production line, and highlights the adverse impact of the limitation of the number of operations per robotic arm on production efficiency.
[0005] During installation, precise positioning of the main bearing cap bolts and bolt holes is required, but current technology cannot guarantee accurate positioning every time. Any deviation will generate uneven stress when tightening the bolts, leading to bolt stripping, breakage, or deformation and cracking of the main bearing cap, damaging equipment components, increasing costs, and even halting the production line, demonstrating the serious consequences of insufficient positioning accuracy. Secondly, under long-term repetitive operation, the mechanical structure of the equipment is prone to wear and accumulated deviations. Wear on bearings and gears in the robotic arm joints, and deformation of the transmission chain and lead screw, result in decreased positioning accuracy. To maintain normal equipment operation, frequent calibration and maintenance are required, which is cumbersome, consumes manpower and resources, prolongs downtime, and disrupts production continuity, reflecting the interference of mechanical wear and accumulated deviations on stable equipment operation. Therefore, we propose a loading device for the main bearing cap bolts. Summary of the Invention
[0006] (a) Technical problems to be solved
[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a loading device for main bearing cap bolts, solving the technical problems of excessively long installation time and poor stability in existing main bearing cap bolt loading equipment.
[0008] (II) Technical Solution
[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
[0010] A loading device for main bearing cap bolts, the loading device comprising:
[0011] A support frame;
[0012] A central rod is mounted on a support frame and has a rotatable locking block on it;
[0013] Two parallel bonding plates are located on opposite sides of the locking frame, and the embedding grooves on the bonding plates correspond to the locking blocks on the central rod.
[0014] When the card block is attached to the bonding plate, the bonding plate is located at the opening of the embedding groove, which restricts the range of motion of the bearing cover bolt in the embedding groove.
[0015] Preferably, the card block is driven to rotate by a drive mechanism on the support frame. The drive mechanism includes a movable rod slidably connected to the outside of the central rod, and a limiting pin on the movable rod is inserted into a strip groove on the surface of the card block.
[0016] When the movable rod moves, the locking block rotates under the traction of the limiting pin, and the limiting pin slides in the strip groove.
[0017] Preferably, the end of the movable rod is connected to a toothed plate, and the toothed plate corresponds to the motor on the support frame. The motor meshes with the toothed plate through a gear on it. When the gear rotates, it can drive the movable rod to move along its length.
[0018] Preferably, the bearing cap bolt is composed of three parts: an upper part is a bolt cap, a middle part is a middle screw, and a lower part is a lower screw. The middle screw and the lower screw are both cylindrical, and the outer diameter of the lower screw is larger than that of the middle screw. The inner diameter and length of the embedded groove are the same as the outer diameter and length of the middle screw.
[0019] Preferably, each end of the card block is connected to a stop block, and the ends of the card block and the positions corresponding to the stop blocks are rounded. When the card block rotates, the rounded parts on its outside do not contact the bonding plate.
[0020] Preferably, a central rotating shaft is inserted inside the bonding plate, and the end of the central rotating shaft is connected to a flipping mechanism, which allows the side with the embedded groove to flip upward during the movement of the bonding plate.
[0021] Preferably, the flipping mechanism includes a connecting rod connected to the end of the central rotating shaft, and the connecting rod is Z-shaped and corresponds to the rotating auxiliary component on the support frame;
[0022] The rotating auxiliary component includes two parallel side plates, one of which has a strip-shaped flat groove on its outer side; the other side plate has a "Z"-shaped turning groove on its outer side.
[0023] The two ends of the connecting rod move along the flat groove and the turning groove, respectively.
[0024] Preferably, when one end of the connecting rod slides horizontally along the flat groove, the other end rotates about the central axis under the guidance of the steering groove; and when one end of the connecting rod moves to the end of the flat groove, the side of the bonding plate with the embedded groove faces upward.
[0025] Preferably, the bonding plate is connected to a cylinder on the support frame, and can move closer to or away from the center rod under the drive of the cylinder.
[0026] Preferably, the bonding plate has a notch on the side facing the cylinder, and the central rotating shaft passes through the notch. The end of the cylinder corresponds to the position of the notch on the bonding plate and is hinged to the central rotating shaft in the notch.
[0027] (III) Beneficial Effects
[0028] 1. Because a support frame is used as the carrier for the seven sets of bolts, all seven sets can be installed on the main bearing cover at the same time, reducing repetitive operations of the robotic arm. The robotic arm only needs to position one bolt and can install the remaining bolts according to the position of each bolt hole on the main bearing cover. Therefore, it effectively solves the technical problems of excessive installation time and poor stability of existing main bearing cover bolt loading equipment, thereby achieving rapid bolt positioning and speeding up the working efficiency of the robotic arm, thus improving the stability of bolt installation.
[0029] 2. Because a rotatable locking block is used as the bolt limiting structure, seven bolts can be locked at the same time to prevent the bolts from shaking or shifting during installation, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of bolt installation.
[0030] 3. By using a cylinder to drive the bonding plate to reciprocate, the main bearing cover bolts are pushed to the direction of the main bearing cover. At the same time, the interaction between the outer connecting rod and the rotating auxiliary component when the bonding plate moves causes the bonding plate to flip upward, making it easier to install the main bearing cover bolts onto the bonding plate, reducing the difficulty of feeding materials, and thus further improving the efficiency of main bearing cover bolt installation, so as to avoid deviation or detachment of the main bearing cover bolts during installation. Attached Figure Description
[0031] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0032] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the overall structure in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the locking frame in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of the locking frame in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] Figure 5 This is one of the schematic diagrams showing the flipping state of the bonding plate in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] Figure 6 This is the second schematic diagram of the flipping state of the bonding plate in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] Figure 7 This is the third schematic diagram of the flipping state of the bonding plate in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] Figure 8 This is a top view of the card block in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the working state of the rotating auxiliary component in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] Legend:
[0042] 1. Support frame;
[0043] 2. Locking frame; 21. Center rod; 22. Connecting seat; 23. Locking block; 231. Rotating plate; 232. Center cylinder; 233. Strip groove; 24. Movable rod; 25. Gear plate; 26. Limit pin; 27. Motor; 28. Gear;
[0044] 3. Limiting assembly; 31. Adhesive plate; 32. Central pivot; 33. Cylinder; 34. Connecting rod; 35. End cap;
[0045] 4. Rotation auxiliary parts; 41. Side plate; 42. Flat groove; 43. Turning groove. Detailed Implementation
[0046] This application provides a loading device for main bearing cap bolts. This device effectively solves the technical problems of excessively long installation time and poor stability in existing main bearing cap bolt loading equipment. By using a support frame as the carrier for seven sets of bolts, all seven sets can be installed onto the main bearing cap simultaneously, reducing repetitive operations by the robotic arm. The robotic arm only needs to position one bolt and can install the remaining bolts according to the positions of the bolt holes on the main bearing cap, thus achieving rapid bolt positioning and increasing the working efficiency of the robotic arm, thereby improving the stability of bolt installation. Secondly, by using a cylinder to drive the bonding plate in reciprocating motion, the main bearing cap bolts are pushed towards the main bearing cap. Simultaneously, the interaction between the outer connecting rod and the rotating auxiliary component during the movement of the bonding plate causes the bonding plate to flip upwards, facilitating the installation of the main bearing cap bolts onto the bonding plate and reducing the difficulty of loading. This further improves the efficiency of main bearing cap bolt installation and prevents deviations or detachment during installation.
[0047] Example 1
[0048] The technical solution in this application embodiment effectively solves the technical problems of excessively long installation time and poor stability in existing main bearing cap bolt loading equipment. The overall idea is as follows:
[0049] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a loading device for main bearing cap bolts. This loading device mainly consists of three parts: a support frame 1, a bonding plate 31, and a locking frame 2. The bearing cap bolt is composed of three parts: an upper bolt head, a middle threaded rod, and a lower threaded rod. Both the middle and lower threaded rods are cylindrical, with the outer diameter of the lower threaded rod being larger than that of the middle threaded rod. The inner diameter and length of the embedding groove are consistent with the outer diameter and length of the middle threaded rod. The specific structure is as follows:
[0050] Support frame 1 adopts a rectangular frame structure, such as Figure 1 As shown, it facilitates production and assembly, and can also be used with the main bearing cover.
[0051] The mating plate 31 (part of the limiting assembly 3) is designed with two parallel mating plates 31 to mate with the seven sets of bolts. Each mating plate 31 has an embedding groove (to indicate the bolt's installation position and to secure the bolt). The inner diameter and length of the embedding groove are consistent with the outer diameter and length of the central screw. Figure 9 As shown in (c), during installation, the embedded groove can fit against the middle thread of the bolt. After installation, the bolt head and the lower thread of the bolt can be located on both sides of the bonding plate 31, thereby strengthening the connection between the bolt and the bonding plate 31.
[0052] The locking frame 2 mainly consists of a central rod 21 (between the two bonding plates 31) mounted on the support frame 1 and a rotatable locking block 23 located on the central rod 21. When the locking block 23 rotates, it can limit the movement of the bolts (embedded in grooves) located on the bonding plates 31. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, this ensures that the bolts will not fall off or shift during installation, thus guaranteeing the correspondence between the bolts and the bolt holes on the main bearing cap. A connecting seat 22 is connected to the end of the center rod 21, which connects to the support frame 1, as shown. Figure 1 As shown. The locking block 23 includes a rotating plate 231, and a cylindrical central cylinder 232 is connected to the center of the rotating plate 231, so that the rotating plate 231 can still rotate when it is bolted to the central cylinder 232.
[0053] To enable the locking block 23 on the locking frame 2 to rotate, a drive mechanism is installed on the support frame 1, which drives the locking block 23 to rotate. The drive mechanism specifically includes one (or two) movable rods 24 connected to the outside of the central rod 21, with the two connected by a slide rail. The limiting pin 26 on the movable rod 24 is inserted into the strip groove 233 on the surface of the locking block 23, such as... Figure 4 As shown. This allows the limit pin 26 to rotate the locking block 23 by pulling it as the movable rod 24 moves, as... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown.
[0054] like Figure 6 As shown, when the locking block 23 is attached to the outer side of the bonding plate 31 (i.e., the two are perpendicular to each other), the stop at the end of the locking block 23 is attached to the bonding plate 31, and the locking block 23 is located at the opening of the embedding groove, thereby restricting the range of motion of the bearing cap bolt in the embedding groove. This prevents the bolt located in the embedding groove from falling out, thus maintaining the stability of the bolt during installation and preventing it from falling out. To avoid "interference" between the locking block 23 and the center rod 21, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the end of the central rod 21, corresponding to the stop block, is rounded. This ensures that the rounded portion of the stop block 23 does not contact the central rod 21 when the stop block 23 rotates, thus resolving the interference problem.
[0055] The movable rod 24 can be driven manually or mechanically. This application uses mechanical control as an example. A toothed plate 25 is connected to the end of the movable rod 24, and this toothed plate 25 corresponds to the motor 27 on the support frame 1. Thus, the gear 28 on the output shaft of the motor 27 can mesh with the toothed plate 25. Afterwards, simply energizing the motor 27 will cause the gear 28 to rotate. Because the gear 28 meshes with the toothed plate 25, when the gear 28 rotates, it can drive the movable rod 24 to move along its length. Figures 6 to 7As shown. This allows for control of the rotation of the card block 23, thus reducing the difficulty of controlling the card block 23. This method is only one feasible solution; other solutions can also be used, and it is not limited to this one.
[0056] During use, it was found that although the locking block 23 could lock and unlock the bolt, after the bolt was installed, the bolt could not be removed from the bonding plate 31 because the bonding plate 31 could not move. To address this, multiple cylinders 33 were installed on the support frame 1 and connected to the bonding plate 31. In this way, the bonding plate 31 could move closer to or away from the center rod 21 under the action of the cylinders 33.
[0057] In the specific implementation process, the worker places the bearing cap bolts into the embedded grooves on the bonding plate 31. After placement, the control motor 27 drives the gear 28 to rotate. Since the gear 28 meshes with the gear plate 25, and the gear plate 25 is connected to the movable rod 24, the rotation of the gear 28 can drive the movable rod 24 to move. Furthermore, since the limiting pin 26 on the movable rod 24 is inserted into the strip groove 233 on the surface of the locking block 23, ... Figure 4 As shown. Therefore, when the movable rod 24 moves, the limiting pin 26 can be used to rotate the locking block 23 until the locking block 23 is in contact with the outer side of the bonding plate 31, as shown. Figure 6 As shown. At this time, the locking block 23 is located at the opening of the embedding groove, thereby restricting the range of motion of the bearing cap bolt in the embedding groove. This prevents the bolt in the embedding groove from falling out, thus maintaining the stability of the bolt during installation and preventing it from falling out. This completes the bolt locking. Similarly, after the bolt is installed in place, the bolt can be loosened by rotating the locking block 23 in the opposite direction; then, the cylinder 33 is controlled to drive the bonding plate 31 to retract, thereby releasing the device from fixing the bolt.
[0058] Example 2
[0059] Based on Example 1, this application provides a feasible technical solution to reduce the installation difficulty of bearing cap bolts. The overall concept is as follows:
[0060] Because the bearing cap bolts need to be pre-installed in the recessed groove of the bonding plate 31, and the recessed groove faces the center rod 21 (the space between the center rod 21 and the bonding plate 31 is limited), the user needs to reach inside the bonding plate 31 during installation. Furthermore, since the bonding plate 31 has an inward-facing recessed groove, it is not possible to visually observe the installation of the bearing cap bolts, leading to frequent problems such as bolt detachment and misalignment during installation.
[0061] To solve the above problems, we utilize the movement of the bonding plate 31 driven by the cylinder 33 to adjust the position of the bonding plate 31. The specific structure of the rotation auxiliary component 4 is as follows:
[0062] A central pivot 32 is inserted into the middle of the bonding plate 31, and each end of the central pivot 32 is connected to a Z-shaped connecting rod 34, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the two ends of the connecting rod 34 correspond to the two side plates 41 on the support frame 1. One of the side plates 41 has a strip-shaped flat groove 42 on its outside; the other side plate 41 has a "Z"-shaped turning groove 43 on its outside.
[0063] The movement of the connecting rod 34 is divided into two stages: first, the sliding stage, in which the connecting rod 34 moves smoothly and the bonding plate 31 does not rotate; second, the flipping stage, in which the connecting rod 34 drives the bonding plate 31 to flip.
[0064] Sliding segment (e.g.) Figure 9 (a) to Figure 9 As shown in (b), while one end of the connecting rod 34 slides horizontally along the flat groove 42, the other end moves under the guidance of the steering groove 43, as shown in (b). Figure 9 As shown in (b), the bonding plate 31 is still facing the center rod 21 at this time. In order to prevent the connecting rod 34 from separating from the steering groove 43, an end cap 35 is installed at the end of the connecting rod 34 to restrict the separation of the connecting rod 34 from the steering groove 43.
[0065] Flipped segment (e.g.) Figure 9 (a) to Figure 9 As shown in (b), the bonding plate 31 continues to move. At this time, one end of the connecting rod 34 continues to slide horizontally along the flat groove 42, while the other end rotates around the central pivot 32 under the guidance of the turning groove 43. When one end of the connecting rod 34 moves to the end of the flat groove 42, the side of the bonding plate 31 with the embedded groove faces upward.
[0066] To prevent the cylinder 33 from interfering with the rotation of the bonding plate 31, a corresponding notch is made on the side of the bonding plate 31 facing the cylinder 33. The central rotating shaft 32 inside the central rod 21 passes through the notch, and the cylinder 33 is hinged to the central rotating shaft 32 in the notch. Figure 1 As shown, when the bonding plate 31 rotates, the cylinder 33 can be flipped through the notch.
[0067] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.
Claims
1. A loading device for main bearing cap bolts, characterized in that, The loading device includes: A support frame (1); The locking frame (2) includes: a center rod (21) and a locking block (23); the center rod (21) is mounted on the support frame (1), and the locking block (23) is rotatably mounted on the center rod (21); Two parallel bonding plates (31) are located on both sides of the locking frame (2), and the embedding grooves on the bonding plates (31) correspond to the locking blocks (23) on the center rod (21); When the card block (23) is attached to the bonding plate (31), the bonding plate (31) is located at the opening of the embedding groove, which restricts the range of motion of the bearing cover bolt in the embedding groove. The card block (23) is driven to rotate by a drive mechanism on the support frame (1). The drive mechanism includes a movable rod (24) that is slidably connected to the outside of the central rod (21), and a limiting pin (26) on the movable rod (24) is inserted into a strip groove (233) on the surface of the card block (23). When the movable rod (24) moves, the locking block (23) rotates under the traction of the limiting pin (26), and the limiting pin (26) slides in the strip groove (233); Each end of the card block (23) is connected to a stop block. The end of the card block (23) and the position corresponding to the stop block are rounded. When the card block (23) rotates, the rounded part of its outer part does not contact the bonding plate (31).
2. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The end of the movable rod (24) is connected to a toothed plate (25), and the toothed plate (25) corresponds to the motor (27) on the support frame (1). The motor (27) meshes with the toothed plate (25) through a gear (28) on it. When the gear (28) rotates, it can drive the movable rod (24) to move along its length direction.
3. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bearing cap bolt is divided into three parts: the upper part is the bolt cap, the middle part is the middle screw, and the lower part is the lower screw. The middle screw and the lower screw are both cylindrical, and the outer diameter of the lower screw is larger than that of the middle screw. The inner diameter and length of the embedded groove are the same as the outer diameter and length of the middle screw.
4. A loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The bonding plate (31) has a central rotating shaft (32) inserted inside, and the end of the central rotating shaft (32) is connected to a flipping mechanism, which can flip the side with the embedded groove upward during the movement of the bonding plate (31).
5. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The flipping mechanism includes a connecting rod (34) connected to the end of the central rotating shaft (32), and the connecting rod (34) is in the shape of a "Z" and corresponds to the rotating auxiliary component (4) on the support frame (1); The rotating auxiliary component (4) includes two parallel side plates (41), one of which has a strip-shaped flat groove (42) on its outer side; the other side plate (41) has a "Z"-shaped turning groove (43) on its outer side. The two ends of the connecting rod (34) move along the flat groove (42) and the turning groove (43), respectively.
6. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 5, characterized in that: When one end of the connecting rod (34) slides horizontally along the flat groove (42), the other end rotates about the central pivot (32) under the guidance of the steering groove (43); and when one end of the connecting rod (34) moves to the end of the flat groove (42), the side of the bonding plate (31) with the embedded groove faces upward.
7. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The bonding plate (31) is connected to the cylinder (33) on the support frame (1), and can move closer to or away from the center rod (21) under the drive of the cylinder (33).
8. The loading device for main bearing cap bolts as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The bonding plate (31) has a notch on the side facing the cylinder (33), and the central rotating shaft (32) passes through the notch. The end of the cylinder (33) corresponds to the position of the notch in the bonding plate (31) and is hinged to the central rotating shaft (32) in the notch.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Main bearing cover of engine
CN104047758A
Main bearing cap unscrewing and expanding system on engine assembly line
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