Conveying equipment capable of replacing defective objects on multi-shaft carrying type jig

Abstract

The invention provides a conveying device capable of replacing defective objects on a multi-axis carrying type jig, which is used for constructing a moving track of a main working path and an auxiliary path of the jig, the main working path is used for carrying good objects in batches, and the auxiliary path is used for removing the defective objects in the good objects. The auxiliary path is not overlapped with the main working path, and when a defective object is removed, at least one non-defective object is actively replaced to the jig in the main working path, so that the transmission efficiency of the jig in the process of replacing the defective object is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transfer device for producing a plurality of objects, and particularly to a transfer device capable of replacing defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig. Background Art

[0002] Generally, a product production line is usually formed by connecting a plurality of work area stations in series. Among them, a multi-axis handler (robot) is commonly used to perform the handling of objects between the plurality of work area stations. A jig for picking up objects is mounted on the multi-axis handler, and the more advanced jig can pick up and release a plurality of the objects at one time, and the multi-axis handler performs multi-dimensional point-to-point movement to transport the plurality of objects to the plurality of work area stations.

[0003] However, the prior art often encounters the problem that the more work area stations the multi-axis handler moves to, the more man-hours are consumed. In addition, when a defective object is found among the plurality of objects picked up by the jig, there is also a problem of consuming man-hours for removing the defective object and replacing it with a non-defective object, which even affects the working efficiency of producing the objects. Therefore, it is urgent to improve. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problems described in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device for replacing defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig, which aims to reduce the man-hours required for the jig to replace defective objects among a plurality of clamped objects during the process of point-to-point handling of a batch of objects by the multi-axis handling jig. That is, during the replacement process in which the jig can remove defective products and replace them with non-defective products, the main working path of the jig is simplified to improve production capacity.

[0005] To this end, the present invention provides a transmission device for replacing defective articles on a multi-axis handling jig, comprising: a detection area station for detecting at least one defective article among a plurality of articles; a feeding stage disposed on one side of the detection area station to form a starting point of a main working path of the jig, the feeding stage providing a batch of the plurality of articles detected by the detection area station to be placed; a material placing stage disposed at an end point of the main working path, providing a plurality of articles batch-transported by the jig to be placed; a defective article rejection area station provided at a discharge point of an auxiliary path extending outward from the starting point and adjacent to and located between the feeding stage and a multi-axis handler mounting the jig, the defective article rejection area station providing the jig to release at least one of the defective articles, thereby generating an article vacancy; a non-defective article replenishment area station provided at an intermediate point between the starting point and the end point of the main working path and adjacent to and located between the material placing stage and the defective article rejection area station; wherein: the jig is used to pick up a batch of the plurality of articles from the feeding stage at one time and move along the starting point of the main working path through the intermediate point, and then move to the end point to place the plurality of articles on the material placing stage; when the jig moves to the intermediate point, the non-defective article replenishment area station includes at least one non-defective article lifter for axially lifting at least one non-defective article along a lifting article axis to the article vacancy of the jig; the discharge point is not located on the main working path, the intermediate point is not located on the auxiliary path, when the jig moves to the intermediate point, it does not move along the lifting article axis, and the jig does not carry the plurality of articles to rotate.

[0006] In a further implementation:

[0007] The non-defective article replenishment area station is composed of at least one non-defective article lifter.

[0008] There is a material spacing between the plurality of articles in the batch on the jig, the number of the non-defective article lifters is multiple, and there is the article spacing between the multiple non-defective article lifters.

[0009] Each of the multiple non-defective article lifters includes a driving element that outputs a reciprocating driving force along the lifting article axis.

[0010] The multiple material spacings are arranged in series along a straight line, and the lifting article axis is perpendicular to the straight line.

[0011] The multiple material spacings are arranged in series along a straight line, the jig is configured with multiple jaws having the ability to open and close and batch-grip the articles, and the material spacings on the jig are formed between adjacent jaws along the straight line.

[0012] On the fixture, there are also provided a plurality of thrusters and a plurality of guiding elements for drivingly connecting the plurality of clamping claws. The material spacing is established by the thrusters driving the guiding elements to drive the clamping claws to move.

[0013] The guiding elements include at least one slide rail arranged along the linear direction, a plurality of sliders slidably disposed on the slide rail and integrally disposed on the plurality of clamping claws to be moved, and a pull rod dependently and drivenly connected between the plurality of sliders.

[0014] The feeding platform has a plurality of object accommodating grooves for placing the plurality of objects in the batch, and the material placing platform has a plurality of object placing grooves for placing the plurality of objects in the batch. The material spacing is maintained between the plurality of object accommodating grooves and between the plurality of object placing grooves respectively.

[0015] The material spacing between the plurality of object placing grooves is established by the plurality of movable clamping claws on the fixture.

[0016] The material spacing maintained by the plurality of object accommodating grooves and the plurality of object placing grooves respectively is different.

[0017] The fixture is mounted on a multi-axis transporter to perform the movement along the main working path.

[0018] The inspection area station is provided with at least one inspection element for detecting a good product determination feature of each object; the transmission device further includes a control unit electrically connected to at least the inspection element, the multi-axis transporter and the good product replenishment area station. The control unit stores a good product standard feature of each object, and the control unit compares the consistency between the good product standard feature and the good product determination feature.

[0019] When the good product standard feature and the good product determination feature are consistent, the main working path of the fixture bypasses the defective product rejection area station.

[0020] According to the above embodiments, the present invention is based on the technical features that the unloading point is not located in the main working path, the midway point is not located in the auxiliary path, the fixture does not move axially along the lifted object, and the fixture does not carry the plurality of objects to rotate. As a result, the present invention simplifies the main working path, which helps to reduce the time consumption during the process of the fixture carrying a batch of items along the main working path and during the process of replenishing good product objects, that is, it eliminates the increase in the path distance of the main working path due to the need to reject defective product objects and replenish good product objects; in other words, the present invention can improve the transmission efficiency of the fixture during the process of replacing defective product objects.

[0021] Therefore, please further refer to the accompanying drawings and describe in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention as follows. Description of the Drawings

[0022] Figure 1 is a top - view configuration schematic diagram of the transmission device of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is Figure 1 an explanatory diagram of the moving path of the jig shown.

[0024] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a three - dimensional schematic diagram of the good - product replacement area station shown, illustrating that the good - product replacement area station is composed of a plurality of good - product lifters assembled together.

[0025] Figure 4 is Figure 1 a three - dimensional schematic diagram of the jig shown.

[0026] Figure 5 is Figure 1 a top - view explanatory diagram showing that the feeding carrier table and the material - placing carrier table have material spacings respectively.

[0027] Figure 6 is Figure 4 front - view sectional view

[0028] Figure 7 is Figure 6 the action schematic diagram of.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals: 10 - object; 11 - good - product object; 12 - defective - product object; 20 - inspection area station; 21 - chamber; 22 - inspection element; 23 - feeding conveyor line; 30 - feeding carrier table; 31 - object accommodation groove; 40 - material - placing carrier table; 41 - object placement groove; 50 - defective - product rejection area station; 51 - defective - product discharge conveyor belt; 60 - good - product replacement area station; 61 - good - product lifter; 611 - driving element; 612 - good - product embedding groove; 62 - base; 70 - jig; 71 - multi - axis handler; 72 - adapter seat; 73 - pusher; 74 - guiding element; 741 - slide rail; 742 - slider; 743 - pull rod; 76 - clamping claw; 77 - seat plate; 80 - control unit; H1 - first material spacing; H2 - second material spacing; P0 - starting point; P1 - mid - point; P2 - end point; P3 - discharging point; S1 - main working path; S2 - auxiliary path. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0030] First, please refer to Figure 1 , which discloses a transmission device for replacing defective - product objects on a replaceable multi - axis handling jig provided by the present invention, including at least a detection area station 20, a feeding carrier table 30, a material - placing carrier table 40, a defective - product rejection area station 50, a good - product replacement area station 60 and the multi - axis handling jig 70 configured with each other. Please further refer to Figure 2, it is disclosed that a main working path S1 for a jig 70 to move is generally L-shaped, and the main working path S1 sequentially includes a starting point P0, an intermediate point P1, and an ending point P2. Figure 2 It is also disclosed that an auxiliary path S2 extends outward from the starting point P0 of the main working path S1, and there is a discharging point P3 on the auxiliary path S2. Figure 2 It can also be known that the discharging point P3 is excluded from being located in the main working path S1, the intermediate point P1 is excluded from being located in the auxiliary path S2, and when the jig 70 moves to the intermediate point P1, it is excluded from moving along the axial direction of the lifted object (i.e., Figure 1 the Z-axis direction shown) to simplify the main working path S1. In addition, during the process of the jig 70 carrying multiple objects 10 and moving, the present invention particularly excludes the jig 70 from driving multiple objects 10 to rotate to simplify the mechanism loaded by the jig 70.

[0031] Figure 1 It is also disclosed that a control unit 80 is at least electrically connected to the detection element 22, a multi-axis transporter 71 mounting the jig 70, and the good product replenishment area station 60 ( Figure 1 and the electrical connection structure is shown by a dotted line). The control unit 30 may be composed of elements with logical program control capabilities such as PLC and MCU, so that the control unit 80 can build in a good product standard feature of each object 10 and receive a good product determination feature detected by the detection element 22. The good product determination standard feature may be a predetermined specification size of the surrounding contour of the object. Accordingly, the control unit 80 has the ability to compare the consistency between the good product standard feature and the good product determination feature, drive the jig 70 to pick up, carry, and release the article 10, and drive the good product replenishment area station 60 to replenish the good product object 11 to the jig 70.

[0032] The detection area station 20 includes a chamber 21 for the plurality of objects 10 to pass through in batches and at least one detection element 22 arranged in the chamber 21. The detection area station 20 can be constructed at one end of the feeding conveyor 23, so that the chamber 21 is located on a feeding conveyor 23. The feeding conveyor 23 can carry the plurality of objects 10 in batches through the chamber 22 by means of the feeding carrier 30 and then reach one side of the feeding conveyor 23, and further make the feeding carrier 30 located on one side of the detection area station 20 and become the starting point P0 in the main working path S1 of the jig 70. Among them, at least one good product object 11 and at least one defective product object 12 included in the plurality of objects 10 are detected by the detection element 22 of the detection area station 20. The detection element 22 can be made of a photosensitive coupling element (CCD) or other light sensing elements such as laser or infrared, so that the detection element 22 can be arranged around the inner wall of the chamber 22.

[0033] The feed carrier 30 is evenly spaced with a plurality of object receiving slots 31 for accommodating a plurality of objects 10 in batches, so that the feed carrier 30 can provide an equal number of objects 10 for placement by means of the plurality of object receiving slots 31, so as to carry a plurality of objects 10 in batches through the chamber 21, including defective objects 12 that may exist and have been detected by the detection element 22 and the remaining good objects 11.

[0034] The material placement platform 40 is disposed at the end point P2 of the main working path S1 of the fixture 70 , and a plurality of object placement slots 41 are evenly spaced on the material placement platform 40 for placing a plurality of objects 10 transported in batches by the fixture 70 .

[0035] The defective product rejection area station 50 can be composed of a defective product discharge conveyor belt 51, so that it can be configured at the unloading point P3 of the auxiliary path S2 extending outward from the starting point P0; further, the unloading point P3 can be located adjacent to the feed platform 30 and a multi-axis transporter 71 on which the fixture 70 is mounted.

[0036] The good product replenishment area station 60 can be composed of one or more good product lifters 61, so that it can be configured at the midway point P1 between the starting point P0 and the end point P2 of the main working path S1, and is located adjacent to the material placement platform 40 and the defective product rejection area station 50.

[0037] Please merge Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 Disclosure Figure 1 The good product replenishment area station 60 shown in the figure can be equipped with a plurality of good product lifters 61 on a base 62; each of the good product lifters 61 includes a driving element 611 that can move along an axial direction of a lifting object (such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 The Z-axis direction (shown in FIG. 1 ) outputs a reciprocating driving force, and each of the good product lifters 61 may also include a good product embedding groove 612 that is transmission-connected to the driving element 611, and the good product embedding groove 612 is used to pre-place the good product object 11. The lifting object axis (Z-axis direction) is perpendicular to the straight line axis (Y-axis direction); the driving element 611 may be made of a push-type pneumatic cylinder, so that the good product embedding groove 612 is locked on the cylinder rod of the pneumatic cylinder.

[0038] According to this configuration, the jig 70 can pick up multiple objects 10 in batches at one time from the feed carrier 30 at the starting point P0, then transport the multiple objects 10 from the starting point P0 along the main working path S1 through the midway point P1, and then move to the end point P2 to place the multiple objects 10 on the placement carrier 40.

[0039] The quantity referred to in the present invention means a batch of plural objects 10. The objects can be battery cells with positive and negative electrode characteristics for assembling into an electric group module or accessories required for assembling other physical objects. At least one defective object 12 and at least one non-defective object 11 may be included in the plural objects 10; or the plural objects 10 may all be referred to as plural non-defective objects 11.

[0040] When there is a defective object 12 among the plural objects 10 batch-transported by the jig 70, the jig 70 must first transport the plural objects 10 along the auxiliary path S2 from the starting point P0 to the unloading point P3 to remove or release at least one of the defective objects 12, and cause the jig 10 to generate at least one object vacancy (not shown in the figure). Subsequently, it moves along the auxiliary path S2 in sequence to the midpoint P1 on the main working path S1, so that at least one of the non-defective lifters 61 in the non-defective replenishment area station 60 can replenish at least one non-defective object 11 along the lifter object axis (Z-axis) to at least one non-defective object 11 of the jig 70 to the object vacancy, so that the jig 70 can transport a sufficient amount of non-defective objects 11. Subsequently, it moves along the main working path S1 to the material placement stage 40 to place all the objects 10 in the batch on the jig 10, and regards all the objects 10 placed on the material placement stage 40 as the non-defective objects 11.

[0041] However, when there is no defective object 12 among the plural objects 10 batch-transported by the jig 70, the jig 70 only needs to transport the plural objects 10 along the main working path S1 and does not need to transport the plural objects 10 along the auxiliary path S2 to the unloading point P3 to remove the defective objects 12.

[0042] Please further refer to Figures 4 to 7 , the description is as follows;

[0043] Figure 4 Disclose Figure 1 A plurality of clamping claws 76 arranged in series along a straight line (Y-axis direction) are installed on the jig 70 shown. The clamping claws 76 can be made of a cylinder-type clamping jaw with the ability to open and close, and a material spacing is maintained between the plurality of clamping claws 76; the jig 70 performs the work of batch-grabbing, transporting, and placing (or releasing) the plurality of objects 10 at one time from the feeding stage 30 by means of the clamping claws 76, so that the plurality of objects 10 in the batch maintain the material spacing on the jig 70.

[0044] Figure 5It is disclosed that a first material spacing H1 is maintained between the plurality of object receiving slots 31 on the feeding platform 30, and a second material spacing H2 is maintained between the plurality of object placing slots 41 on the placing platform 40. According to the requirements of the object production line, the first material spacing H1 and the second material spacing H2 may be the same or different; when the first material spacing H1 and the second material spacing H2 are the same, the plurality of the claws 76 on the fixture 70 do not need to have the function of adjusting the spacing; when the first material spacing H1 and the second material spacing H2 are different, the present invention specifically provides the plurality of the claws 76 on the fixture 70 with the function of adjusting the relative spacing.

[0045] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, the fixture 70 can be equipped with a plurality of the claws 76 using a seat plate 77, and the seat plate 77 is equipped with a connection seat 72, a plurality of pushers 73 and a plurality of guide elements 74; the connection seat 72 is used to enable the seat plate 77 to be attached to the multi-axis carrier 71; the plurality of pushers 73 are respectively connected to the claws 76 through the guide elements 74 to extend and contract along the straight line (Y axis) to adjust the relative spacing (such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown), the material spacing can be established by the pusher 73 driving the guide element 74 and then driving the plurality of claws 76 to move.

[0046] Among them, the guiding element 74 may include at least one slide rail 741 arranged along the straight line (Y-axis direction), a slide seat 742 integrally configured on the claw 76 that needs to be stretched and retracted, and a pull rod 743 that is dependently connected between the claws 76 according to the stretching and retraction distance, so that each slide seat 742 can slide on the slide rail 741 to be driven by the propeller 73, and some adjacent slide seats 742 can be driven by each other through the pull rod 743 when they are appropriately stretched and retracted, thereby adjusting to the required relative spacing between each claw 76.

[0047] Figure 6 The state of the fixture 70 when the plurality of claws 76 have not yet been opened is disclosed, showing that the claws 76 are relatively Figure 4 The first material distance H1 between the plurality of object receiving grooves 31 is shown. Figure 7 Further, the state of the plurality of claws 76 on the fixture 70 being separated from each other is disclosed, showing that the claws 76 are relatively spaced apart from each other. Figure 4The second material spacing H2 between the multiple object accommodating slots 31 shown. Accordingly, during the process of the jig 70 batch transporting multiple objects 10, it has the ability to adapt to the object slot spacing at the material taking end and the material placing end. It must be stated that when the number of the above-mentioned good product lifters 61 is multiple, the multiple good product lifters 61 maintain the above-mentioned first material spacing H1 or the second object spacing H2 from each other, so as to facilitate each good product lifter 61 to accurately replenish the good product object 11 to the object vacancy of the clamping claw 76 on the jig 70 from which the defective product object 12 has been removed.

[0048] The above embodiments only express the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent of the present invention. Therefore, the patent protection scope defined in the claims of the present invention shall prevail.

Claims

1. A transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig, characterized in that, it includes: a detection area station for detecting at least one defective object among a plurality of objects; a feeding stage disposed on one side of the detection area station to form a starting point of a main working path of the jig, and the feeding stage provides for placing a batch of the plurality of objects detected by the detection area station; a material placing stage disposed at an end point of the main working path, providing for placing a plurality of objects batch-transported by the jig; a defective object rejection area station provided at a discharging point of an auxiliary path extending outward from the starting point, and adjacent to and located between the feeding stage and a multi-axis handler mounting the jig, and the defective object rejection area station provides for the jig to release at least one of the defective objects, thereby generating an object vacancy; a non-defective product replenishment area station provided at an intermediate point between the starting point and the end point of the main working path, and adjacent to and located between the material placing stage and the defective object rejection area station; wherein: the jig is used to pick up a batch of the plurality of objects at one time from the feeding stage, and move along the starting point of the main working path through the intermediate point, and then move to the end point to place the plurality of objects on the material placing stage; when the jig moves to the intermediate point, the non-defective product replenishment area station includes replenishing at least one non-defective product object along a lifting object axis to at least one of the object vacancies of the jig; the discharging point is excluded from being located in the main working path, the intermediate point is excluded from being located in the auxiliary path, the jig is excluded from moving along the lifting object axis when moving to the intermediate point, and the jig is excluded from rotating while transporting the plurality of objects.

2. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: the non-defective product replenishment area station is composed of at least one non-defective product lifter.

3. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: the plurality of objects in the batch maintain a material spacing from each other on the jig, the number of the non-defective product lifters is multiple, and the plurality of non-defective product lifters maintain the object spacing from each other.

4. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: each of the plurality of non-defective product lifters includes a driving element that outputs a reciprocating driving force along the lifting object axis.

5. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: the plurality of material spacings are arranged in series along a straight line, and the lifting object axis is perpendicular to the straight line.

6. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: the plurality of material spacings are arranged in series along a straight line, the jig is configured with a plurality of jaws having the ability to open and close and batch-grip the objects, and the material spacings on the jig are formed between adjacent jaws along the straight line.

7. The transmission device for defective objects on a replaceable multi-axis handling jig as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: On the fixture, there are also provided a plurality of thrusters and a plurality of guiding elements for drivingly connecting the plurality of clamping claws. The material spacing is established by the thrusters driving the guiding elements to drive the clamping claws to move.

8. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 7, wherein: The guiding element includes at least one slide rail arranged along the linear direction, a plurality of sliders sliding on the slide rail and integrally arranged on the plurality of clamping claws to be moved, and a pull rod dependently and drivenly connected between the plurality of sliders.

9. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein: The feeding platform has a plurality of object accommodating grooves for placing the plurality of articles in the batch, and the material placing platform has a plurality of object placing grooves for placing the plurality of articles in the batch. The material spacing is maintained between the plurality of object accommodating grooves and between the plurality of object placing grooves respectively.

10. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The material spacing between the plurality of object placing grooves is established by the plurality of movable clamping claws on the fixture.

11. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 10, wherein: The material spacing maintained by the plurality of object accommodating grooves and the plurality of object placing grooves respectively is different.

12. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The fixture is mounted on a multi-axis handler to perform the movement along the main working path.

13. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 12, wherein: The inspection area station is provided with at least one inspection element for detecting a non-defective determination feature of each article; The transmission device further includes a control unit electrically connected to at least the inspection element, the multi-axis handler and the non-defective replenishment area station. A non-defective standard feature of each article is built in the control unit, and the control unit compares the consistency between the non-defective standard feature and the non-defective determination feature.

14. The transmission device for defective articles on the replaceable multi-axis handling fixture as claimed in claim 13, wherein: When the non-defective standard feature and the non-defective determination feature are consistent, the main working path of the fixture bypasses the defective article rejection area station.

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