Intelligent multi-station glass mold pressing equipment based on step-by-step differential pressure degassing and operation method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of precise optical element manufacturing, and particularly discloses step-by-step differential pressure degassing intelligent multi-station glass mold pressing equipment and an operation method. The equipment is integrated with a multi-station cooperative control system, comprises a precise temperature control module, a multi-station pressure executing mechanism, a shielding gas circulation sealing cavity and a six-axis linkage mechanical arm system, and is characterized in that a two-stage pressure difference time sequence degassing process is adopted, in the first stage of mold pressing, low pressure is applied to enable a mold to be preliminarily filled with a prefabricated part, then the pressure is reduced, and interface gas is discharged; in the second stage of mold pressing, the pressure is synchronously increased in combination with the temperature gradient, gaps are fully filled through a viscoelastic rheological mechanism, and the glass forming morphology reproduces the mold surface shape; a mechanical arm collaborative operation system and an online defect detection module are innovatively introduced, full-process automatic closed-loop control of material taking, positioning, mold pressing and detection is achieved, and the production takt time and the process stability are remarkably improved. According to the scheme, the problem of filling defects caused by gas residues in a traditional process is effectively solved, and the method is suitable for batch production of high-curvature and complex micro-nano structure optical elements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of optical glass production equipment, and particularly relates to a stepped differential pressure degassing intelligent multi-station glass molding press and an operation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] A glass molding press is an important mechanical equipment for glass forming, mainly used for manufacturing various optical glasses and other glass products. Glass molding is a processing technology based on the principle of hot forming. This method has a simple process flow, convenient operation, low cost, and can be mass-produced; Currently, the molding technology is widely used in the fields of precision electronic components, optical devices, and composite material preparation. Traditional molding equipment generally has technical bottlenecks such as low efficiency, discontinuous process connection, large energy consumption, and incomplete mold filling. This invention adopts two molding stations to complete the two-stage differential pressure sequential degassing process, and performs multi-step molding on the preform respectively. First, pre-fill the material with a lower pressure, discharge the gas and reduce the porosity to make the preform achieve preliminary curing. Then, combined with temperature gradient control, apply high pressure to compensate for shrinkage to ensure that the material completely fills the microstructure. Moreover, the waste heat of the first molding station can further preheat the latter preform. The stepped molding technology not only improves the forming effect of glass products, but also reduces energy consumption and saves costs. In addition, the bottom-up feeding and discharging method is adopted, and the sealing performance is well improved, which can ensure the sealing requirements of the forming chamber and keep the preform in a protective gas environment during the high-temperature processing. At the same time, five-station continuous processing is adopted to improve the efficiency of molding. In addition, the existing equipment mostly adopts the manual feeding method, which is not only inefficient, but also easily causes product deformation or pollution due to human operation errors. This invention cleverly introduces a robotic arm system for precise picking and placing of materials, enabling the processing flow of the glass molding device to be closed-loop controlled and further improving the degree of intelligent control, which is suitable for mass production of high-curvature optical components.

[0003] This invention adopts a two-stage differential pressure sequential degassing process and robotic arm automatic picking and placing of materials to solve the problem of filling defects caused by gas residue in the gap during the molding process of complex optical glass components in traditional molding, and improves the processing efficiency and reduces energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the above problems, the invention provides a stepped differential pressure degassing intelligent multi-station glass molding press and an operation method thereof, which solve the technical problems of complex optical glass filling defects, high energy consumption, and low picking and placing efficiency in traditional molding.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the invention is realized as follows: The present invention provides a step-by-step differential pressure degassing intelligent multi-station glass molding device and an operation method, including a control box 1, a robotic arm system 2, a material placement table 3, a feeding assembly 4, a multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5, a discharging assembly 6, and a frame 7; The control box 1 is located on the right side of the feeding assembly 4 and is fixed on the support plate of the frame 7 through a fixing bracket. The control box 1 is the core control unit of the molding process, mainly used for precisely regulating the heating temperature, pressure parameters, molding time, and mold movement trajectory, and taking real-time feedback to ensure that the glass material is efficiently formed into high-precision optical components under high temperature and high pressure, while ensuring the stable operation of the equipment, improving product consistency, and process repeatability.

[0006] The robotic arm system 2 is fixedly installed on the left side of the material placement table 3. According to the preset program, the preform is precisely placed or taken out to the specified position and then reset to complete the feeding and material taking processes.

[0007] The feeding assembly 4 is used to feed the assembly of the preform and the mold into the forming chamber 56. The feeding assembly 4 adopts a cooperation mode of a module and a lifting mechanism 42 to complete the feeding of the preform, and then the pushing module 44 pushes the preform into the forming chamber 56 to start processing; after the material enters the feeding chamber 45, the protective cover is opened, and at the same time, the forming chamber, the feeding chamber, and the discharging chamber are filled with protective gas, so that the forming chamber 56, the feeding chamber 45, and the discharging chamber are in a protective gas environment to prevent the preform from oxidizing in the high-temperature environment. Finally, the pushing module 44 pushes the preform into the forming chamber 56. After the feeding is completed, the protective cover is closed again to ensure the protective gas environment in the closed space.

[0008] The multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5 is used for multi-station transmission and processing of the assembly of the preform and the mold; the multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5 includes a preheating station 51, a molding station 52, an annealing station 53, a cooling station 54, a material transfer mechanism 55, and a forming chamber 56. Each station processes the preform in sequence. The forming chamber 56 is filled with protective gas synchronously with the feeding chamber 45 to prevent the preform from oxidizing at high temperature during the processing.

[0009] The preheating station 51 is used to gradually heat the preform to near the softening point, and then transfer it to the molding station 52 through the material transfer mechanism 55 for further preheating. This gradient heating can prevent the preform from cracking caused by thermal stress, thereby improving the forming effect of the product and reducing energy consumption at the same time.

[0010] The molding station 52 is used to perform molding on the preform when it reaches the softening point. The annealing station 53 is used to keep the pressure on the preform and slowly cool it down, aiming to maintain the formed effect and reduce the internal stress. A pressure sensing element is provided below the water-cooling blocks of the molding station 52 and the annealing station 53. During the molding process, when the connecting shaft enters and exits the forming chamber 56, due to the frictional resistance between the sealing ring and the connecting shaft, it may be difficult for the actual pressure of the upper heat-insulating plate on the glass preform and the mold assembly to accurately reach the preset value. Therefore, a pressure sensing element is set to monitor the pressure change in real time and feedback the data to the control box 1, so as to timely carry out motion regulation to ensure the pressure accuracy. In addition, considering the large working pressure of the molding station 52 and the annealing station 53, stress concentration is likely to occur inside the glass preform, which may lead to defects such as cracks. Therefore, the pressure must be continuously monitored to strictly prevent the pressure value from exceeding or falling below the process requirement range, so as to ensure the forming quality and process stability of the product.

[0011] The cooling station 54 has a simple structure. The upper cooling block is connected through the connecting shaft 543 and the fixed block, and moves downward following the driving member 541, which is used for rapid cooling of the preform. The upper and lower cooling plates are both provided with circulating water channels.

[0012] The transfer mechanism 55 is used for the transfer task of the preform in the forming chamber 56. The transfer mechanism 55 uses the connecting rod mechanism 552 to drive the fork 554 for material transfer. The motor 551 provides power to drive the connecting rod mechanism to move. After the preform is processed at the previous station, it is transferred to the next station for further processing by the transfer mechanism 55.

[0013] The discharging assembly 6 is used to remove the preform from the forming chamber 56 after processing. The discharging assembly 6 has similarity with the feeding assembly 4 in structural design. The main difference is that a mechanical claw 644 is installed on the connecting rod 643 of the discharging module. When the preform is processed in the forming chamber 56, the discharging module moves along a predetermined distance to the target position, and accurately grabs the preform through the mechanical claw 644 and transfers it to the discharging tray 43.

[0014] The frame 7 is used to support the upper pressure forming execution unit and the feeding and discharging mechanism. The feeding and discharging module is fixed to the cross beam of the frame 7. The middle position of the frame 7 is used to install various electrical appliances, which are connected to the control box 1 to form a control network.

[0015] Preferably, as an implementable solution: the feeding component 4 includes a feeding module 41, a lifting mechanism 42, a pushing mechanism 44, a feeding chamber 45, and a protective cover mechanism; the feeding module 41 is fixed to the crossbeam of the frame 7 and is used to send the lifting mechanism 42 below the feeding chamber 45; the top platform of the lifting mechanism 42 is connected to the tray 43 for carrying and transporting materials. A pressure sensing element is installed on the tray 43. After the tray 43 is placed at the preset position, the control box 1 senses the signal, and the feeding module 41 and the lifting mechanism start to move to send the prefabricated part to the feeding chamber 45; the pushing mechanism 44 is powered by a pushing module. The push rod is connected through a fixing block on the module slide table, and a V-shaped push block is installed at the end of the push rod; a groove is opened at the lower edge of the opening of the bottom plate of the feeding chamber 45, and the lower edge of the tray 43 is closely docked with the groove. Moreover, the tray 43 is designed in a conical shape, which not only enables the lifting mechanism 42 to successfully complete the feeding process, but also enables the feeding chamber 45 to achieve a sealing effect. The boss of the bottom plate is also provided with a groove, in which a sealing strip is embedded. After the feeding is completed, the protective cover is driven by a small electric cylinder to descend and be embedded in the groove. An air vent 47 is provided on the upper side plate of the feeding chamber 45, and a protective gas is introduced into the feeding chamber 45 simultaneously when the equipment is started.

[0016] Preferably, as an implementable solution: the multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5 includes a preheating station 51, a molding station 52, an annealing station 53, a cooling station 54, a material transfer mechanism 55, and a forming chamber 56; the preheating, molding, annealing, and cooling stations 54 are arranged in a straight line sequence from right to left. Each station is connected to the control box 1 through a signal transmission line, constructing a complete automatic control system, so as to realize the precision processing and treatment of glass prefabricated parts; Preferably, as an implementable solution: the preheating station 51 includes a motor 511, an electric cylinder 512, a buckle 513, a slider 514, a connecting shaft 515, a guide rail 516, a urethane rubber 517, an upper heating mechanism 518, and a lower heating mechanism 519; The upper heating mechanism 518 includes a water pipe 518A, an upper water cooling block 518B, an upper heat insulation plate 518C, an upper heating plate 518D, a heating rod 518E, and an upper heat equalizing plate 518F; The lower heating mechanism 519 includes a lower heat equalizing plate 519A, a lower heating plate 519B, a heating rod 519C, a lower heat insulation plate 519D, a lower water cooling block 519E, a cushion block 519F, and a bottom plate 519G; The driving, supporting and guiding components of the preheating station 51 are vertically fixed at the rightmost top of the forming chamber 56. Double guide rails are used to provide guidance for vertical die pressing. Rubber blocks are placed around the connecting shaft above the supporting bottom plate to provide certain buffering and protection when the upper driving component presses down. The connecting shaft is connected to the upper cooling block through a flange plate to drive the upper heating mechanism 518 to move vertically downward. The distance between the upper and lower heat plates is 120 mm, and various products of different sizes can be processed within the allowable size range. The lower heating mechanism 519 is fixed at the bottom plate of the forming chamber 56. The lower heat plate is parallel to the lower edge of the feeding port of the forming chamber 56 to facilitate the feeding of the preform. Both the upper and lower cooling plates have circulating water paths to prevent other components from being damaged due to high temperature.

[0017] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The die pressing station 52 includes a driving component 521, a supporting component 522, a guiding component 523, an upper heating mechanism 524, and a lower heating mechanism 525. The driving, supporting and guiding components of the die pressing station 52 and the upper heating mechanism 524 are designed the same as those of the preheating station 51, but the dimensions are different. The difference lies in the lower heating mechanism. A pressure sensing element is provided below the lower cooling plate of the lower heating mechanism and is embedded in the bottom plate groove. Water cooling is also provided around the pressure sensing element in the bottom plate to protect the pressure sensing element from being damaged or failing due to high temperature. During the die pressing process, when the connecting shaft enters and exits the forming chamber 56, due to the frictional resistance between the sealing ring and the connecting shaft, it may be difficult for the upper heating mechanism to accurately reach the preset pressure value for the preform. Therefore, a pressure sensing element is provided to monitor the pressure change in real time and feedback the data to the control box 1 for timely motion regulation to ensure pressure accuracy. In addition, considering that the working pressure of the die pressing station 52 is relatively high, stress concentration is likely to occur inside the glass preform, which may lead to defects such as cracks. Therefore, the pressure must be continuously monitored to strictly prevent the pressure value from exceeding or falling below the process requirement range, so as to ensure the forming quality and process stability of the product.

[0018] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The annealing station 53 adopts the same structural design as the die pressing station 52. After the preform is pressed and formed, in order to avoid stress concentration caused by rapid cooling, stress relief treatment needs to be carried out through the annealing process. The pressure sensing element can monitor and adjust the process parameters of the annealing station 53 in real time to ensure that the preform meets the requirements of predetermined dimensional accuracy and surface quality during the processing.

[0019] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The cooling station 54 includes a driving component 541, a supporting component 542, a connecting shaft 543, an upper water cooling block 544, a lower water cooling block 545, a cushion block 546, and a bottom plate 547. There is a circulating water path inside the upper and lower water-cooling blocks. After the annealing process of the prefabricated part is completed, the transfer mechanism 55 moves the prefabricated part to the space between the upper and lower water-cooling blocks at the cooling station 54. The control box 1 transmits a signal to the driving component 541, and the driving component 541 starts to move. The upper water-cooling block 544 descends to contact the surface of the upper mold to quickly cool and form the mold and the prefabricated part.

[0020] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The transfer mechanism 55 includes a motor 551, a connecting rod mechanism 552, a fixing plate 553, and a fork 554; the transfer mechanism 55 is horizontally placed directly behind each station, and the fork 554 is located in the gap between the two stations to prevent unnecessary rubbing and affect the processing of the prefabricated part. The distance between the fork 554 and the lower soaking plate is 5 mm. The motor 551 is fixed to the bottom plate of the forming chamber 56 through a fixing block, and the connecting rod mechanism 552 is supported by two columns. Each component works together to complete the transfer process of the prefabricated part.

[0021] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The transfer mechanism 55 uses the connecting rod mechanism 552 to drive the fork 554 to move to realize the transfer process of the prefabricated part in the forming chamber 56; Preferably, as an implementable solution: Grooves are opened around the opening positions of the connecting shafts on the upper plate of the forming chamber 56 for placing sealing strips. The support bottom plates of each station are fastened to the upper plate of the forming chamber 56 to achieve a sealing effect. Moreover, several air vents are opened on the upper plate of the forming chamber 56. When the equipment is started, protective gas is introduced into the forming chamber 56 to prevent the prefabricated part from being oxidized at high temperature during the processing. The forming chamber 56 uses a mica plate sandwich layer, which can achieve a good heat insulation effect. And the outer plates are provided with circulating water paths, which can make the outside of the equipment reach a safe temperature, avoid damage to other auxiliary components or reduce their service life. The upper side plates of the forming chamber 56 are also provided with air vents, and protective gas is introduced into the forming chamber 56 when the equipment is started to press and form the prefabricated part in a high-temperature environment.

[0022] Preferably, as an implementable solution: The structure of the discharging component 6 is similar to that of the feeding component 4, except for the use of the mechanical claw 644. After the prefabricated part is cooled and formed, the left module drives the mechanical claw 644 to clamp the assembly of the prefabricated part and the mold and move it to the middle position of the tray 43. The use of the mechanical claw 644 can facilitate the prefabricated part to accurately reach the preset position and facilitate discharging. If the fork 554 is directly used to transfer the prefabricated part out of the forming chamber 56, it is very difficult to transfer it to the preset position. After placing it in the middle position of the tray 43, the protective cover descends into the groove on the bottom plate, and then the lifting mechanism descends and follows the module to move out of the discharging chamber to complete the discharging. The robotic arm system 2 grabs the processed prefabricated part and places it on the workbench.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By performing continuous multiple pressings on the preform through a two-stage differential pressure sequential degassing process, the gas enclosed and compressed between the mold and the preform is discharged. First, the preliminary deformation filling of the preform is achieved, and then combined with temperature gradient control, high pressure is applied to compensate for shrinkage, and multiple continuous die pressings are carried out to make it fully fill the mold, obtaining a glass lens with high precision, overcoming the problem that traditional die-pressed preforms cannot fully replicate the glass morphology, and improving the processing quality and forming effect of the glass lens. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 It is the operation flowchart of the intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment with step-by-step differential pressure degassing provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 It is the structural schematic diagram of the intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment with step-by-step differential pressure degassing provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 It is the structural schematic diagram of the robotic arm system provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 It is the structural schematic diagram of the feeding assembly provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 It is the structural schematic diagram of the multi-station pressure execution mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 It is the structural schematic diagram of the preheating station provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 It is the structural schematic diagram of the molding station provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 It is the structural schematic diagram of the cooling station provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 It is the structural schematic diagram of the material transfer mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 It is the structural schematic diagram of the material taking mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present invention; Detailed Embodiments

[0026] In order to make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the following will make a detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings of the specification.

[0027] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0029] See Figure 2 , the present invention provides an intelligent multi-station glass molding device and operation method based on step-by-step differential pressure degassing, including a control box 1, a robotic arm system 2, a material placement table 3, a feeding assembly 4, a multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5, a discharging assembly 6, and a frame 7. The control box 1 is connected to each structure for precisely regulating the heating temperature, pressure parameters, forming time, and mold movement trajectory, and for real-time monitoring and feedback to achieve automated processing of products.

[0030] See Figure 4 , the feeding assembly 4 includes a feeding module 41, a lifting mechanism 42, a tray 43, a pushing mechanism 44, a feeding chamber 45, a protective cover mechanism 46, and a ventilation port 47; The feeding assembly 4 performs a feeding operation, including the following specific steps: Press the start switch, the device starts, the robotic arm system 2 starts to operate, grabs the preform and places it on the feeding tray 43. The pressure sensing element above the tray 43 senses the material and transmits the signal to the control box 1, which feeds back to the movement of the feeding module 41. When the lifting mechanism 42 moves to directly below the feeding port at the bottom of the feeding chamber 45, the lifting mechanism 42 starts to move, sending the preform into the chamber. The protective cover remains closed until the material enters a predetermined position in the chamber. After entering the chamber, the protective cover lifts. At the same time, protective gas is introduced into the feeding chamber 45 and the forming chamber 56. Subsequently, the pushing mechanism 44 pushes the preform into the designated position at the preheating station 51 in the forming chamber 56 to complete the feeding process, and then the feeding assembly 4 resets.

[0031] See Figure 5 , the multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5 includes a preheating station 51, a molding station 52, an annealing station 53, a cooling station 54, a material transfer mechanism 55, and a forming chamber 56; The multi-station pressure execution mechanism 5 performs a molding operation, including the following specific steps: After the preform enters the forming chamber 56, the heat treatment process is implemented in stages according to a preset program, and the preform is gradually heated up, that is, it is heated to a certain temperature at the preheating station 51 and then further preheated to the softening point at the first molding station 52. The preheating process can effectively reduce the internal thermal stress gradient of the material. Immediately afterwards, it is subjected to step-by-step molding according to the feedback of the pressure sensing element and the preset pressure of the control box 1. After the molding process is completed, it is moved to the annealing station 53 by the material transfer mechanism 55 to maintain pressure and cool down to reduce the internal stress of the preform. Finally, the preform is rapidly cooled by the cooling station 54 to shape the preform; in this process, the pressure sensing element and the thermocouple are used to timely adjust the heating temperature and pressure parameters to ensure the forming effect of the preform in the forming chamber 56. The forming chamber 56 is sandwiched with mica plates, which can achieve a good heat insulation effect, and the outer plates are all provided with circulating water channels, which can make the outside of the equipment reach a safe temperature, avoiding damage to other auxiliary components or reducing their service life. The upper side plate of the forming chamber 56 is also provided with a ventilation port, and a protective gas is introduced into the forming chamber 56 when the equipment is started, so that the preform is pressed and formed in a high-temperature environment.

[0032] See Figure 6 , the preheating station 51 includes a motor 511, an electric cylinder 512, a buckle 513, a slider 514, a connecting shaft 515, a guide rail 516, a urethane rubber 517, an upper heating mechanism 518, and a lower heating mechanism 519; The upper heating mechanism 518 includes a water pipe 518A, an upper water cooling block 518B, an upper heat insulation plate 518C, an upper heating plate 518D, a heating rod 518E, and an upper heat equalizing plate 518F; The lower heating mechanism 519 includes a lower heat equalizing plate 519A, a lower heating plate 519B, a heating rod 519C, a lower heat insulation plate 519D, a lower water cooling block 519E, a spacer block 519F, and a bottom plate 519G; The preheating station 51 performs the preheating operation, including the following specific steps: After the preform reaches the designated position of the preheating station 51, according to the pressure parameters preset by the control box 1, the motor 511 starts to act, driving the upper heating mechanism 518 to press down on the preform, and heating the preform through the heating rod. Heat equalizing plates are installed on the sides of the upper and lower heating plates close to the material to prevent deformation of the heating plates due to repeated use and inability to uniformly heat the preform. Thermocouples are installed on the upper and lower heating plates for real-time monitoring of the heating temperature. The upper and lower water cooling blocks are always supplied with circulating cold water to prevent damage to other auxiliary mechanisms or reduction of their service life caused by heat transfer. Embodiment

[0033] A molding mechanism for step-by-step differential pressure degassing, see Figure 7, the molding station 52 includes a driving member 521, a supporting member 522, a guiding member 523, an upper heating mechanism 524, and a lower heating mechanism 525; The molding station 52 performs a molding operation, including the following specific steps: After the preform is heated to a certain temperature at the preheating station 51, the transfer mechanism 55 moves the assembly of the preform and the mold to a specified position at the molding station 52. The driving assembly 521 drives the upper heating mechanism 524 to move, further preheating the preform to reach the softening temperature of the preform. Subsequently, the preform is subjected to step-by-step molding according to the preset pressure parameters. After the preform is pressed at the first molding station 52 for a period of time, the motor drives the upper heating mechanism to rise to the original position, releasing the pressure on the preform, thereby releasing the gas enclosed and compressed between the mold and the preform. The transfer mechanism 55 transfers the preform to the second molding station 52 for further pressing and forming. Through the viscoelastic rheological compensation mechanism, the shrinkage gap is eliminated, and the glass morphology reproduces the mold surface shape. At the same time, the temperature of the first molding station 52 does not drop rapidly, and the waste heat of the first molding station 52 is used to preheat the subsequent preforms again. This method not only improves the processing efficiency, but also reduces the energy consumption and saves costs. Importantly, compared with the processing method of traditional single-station glass molding equipment, the preform can be better filled, the processing quality of the lens is improved, and the stress concentration inside the material is effectively avoided. Embodiment

[0034] A molding mechanism for step-by-step differential pressure degassing, see Figure 7 , after the transfer mechanism 55 transfers the preform to the first molding station, the driving assembly 521 starts to act, driving the upper heating mechanism 524 to move downward, contacting the upper mold, and starting to press the preform. After pressing for a period of time, the driving assembly 521 drives the upper heating mechanism 524 to lift upward a small distance, reducing the pressure on the preform and releasing the gas enclosed and compressed between the mold and the preform. The driving assembly 521 then moves downward to press the preform, making the preform obtain preliminary curing. After preliminary curing, the first molding station starts to reset, and the transfer mechanism transfers the preform to the second molding station again. According to the temperature gradient control, high-pressure compression compensation is implemented. After pressing for a period of time, the mold and the preform are separated again. After releasing the possibly compressed gas, the preform is pressed and formed again to make it completely fill the mold.

[0035] The structures of the transfer mechanism 55, the driving assembly 521, and the upper heating mechanism 524 in this embodiment are the same as those in Embodiment 1 above. The specific structures can be referred to the above description and will not be elaborated here.

[0036] The difference between this embodiment and the above-mentioned Embodiment 1 is that the first molding station and the second molding station respectively perform molding on the preform twice, eliminating the high-pressure cavity between the mold and the preform, and the filling effect is better. The principle of this embodiment is the same as that of the above-mentioned Embodiment 1. For the specific process, refer to the above description and will not be elaborated here. Embodiment

[0037] A molding mechanism with stepwise differential pressure degassing, refer to Figure 7 , the first molding station presses and forms the preform in three stages according to the preset pressure parameters and temperature parameters, discharging the compressed gas between the preform and the mold, enabling the preform to be preliminarily cured, and then the transfer mechanism 55 transfers the preform to the second molding station to perform high-pressure compression compensation on the preform, also pressing the preform in three stages.

[0038] The structures of the transfer mechanism 55, the drive assembly 521, and the upper heating mechanism 524 in this embodiment are the same as those in the above-mentioned Embodiment 2. For the specific structure, refer to the above description and will not be elaborated here.

[0039] The difference between this embodiment and the above-mentioned Embodiment 2 is that the first molding station and the second molding station in this embodiment respectively press the preform three times, and the filling effect is better than that of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. For the specific process, refer to the description of Embodiment 1 and will not be elaborated here.

[0040] Refer to Figure 8 , the cooling station 54 includes a driving member 541, a supporting member 542, a connecting shaft 543, an upper water-cooling block 544, a lower water-cooling block 545, a spacer block 546, and a bottom plate 547; The cooling station 54 performs a cooling operation, including the following specific steps: After the annealing process of the preform is completed, the transfer mechanism 55 transfers the preform to the designated position of the cooling station 54, and contact water cooling is performed by the upper and lower water-cooling blocks with a circulating water path; It should be noted that there is a certain distance between the T-shaped nut and the upper cooling plate. During the cooling process, too much pressure does not need to be provided to the assembly. Only a light touch is required for cooling. The gap between the T-shaped nut and the upper cooling plate provides a certain distance buffer for the electric cylinder 332, preventing excessive pressure during cooling and damaging the formed product.

[0041] Refer to Figure 9 , the transfer mechanism 55 includes a motor 551, a link mechanism 552, a fixing plate 553, and a fork 554; The transfer mechanism 55 performs a transfer operation, including the following specific steps: After the assembly of the prefabricated part and the mold enters the forming chamber 56, the material transfer mechanism 55 is responsible for transferring it to the next working station after it is processed at the previous working station. The motor 551 drives the link mechanism 552 to move. The fork 554 is connected to the link mechanism 552 through the fixing plate to transfer the prefabricated part to the designated position.

[0042] See Figure 10 , the material taking mechanism 64 includes a material taking module 641, a fixing block 642, a connecting rod 643, and a mechanical claw 644; The material taking mechanism performs the material taking operation, including the following specific steps: After the prefabricated part is processed in the forming chamber 56, the material taking module 641 receives the signal from the control box 1 and starts to move, driving the mechanical claw 644 to move to the designated position. The mechanical claw 644 clamps the assembly of the prefabricated part and the mold. Subsequently, the discharging module receives the signal again and transfers it to the designated position of the tray 43. When the prefabricated part is processed in the forming chamber 56, the tray 43 has reached the designated material receiving position according to the module and the lifting mechanism. At this time, the discharging chamber is in a closed space, and a protective gas is also introduced into the discharging chamber. Subsequently, the protective cover is closed, and the lifting mechanism and the module move it out of the discharging chamber, waiting for the robotic arm system 2 to pick it up to complete the discharging process.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing, characterized in that: It includes a control box 1, a robotic arm system 2, a material placement table 3, a material feeding component 4, a multi-station pressure actuator 5, a material discharging component 6, and a frame 7. The steps are as follows: S1) Turn on the equipment and input the corresponding parameters such as pressure, temperature and molding speed on the touch screen of control box 1; S2) The robot arm system 2 picks up the preforms from the loading platform 3 and places them on the tray 43 of the lifting mechanism 42 according to the preset program. Then, the feeding module 41 moves to drive the lifting mechanism 42 to feed the preforms into the feeding chamber 45; S3) protective gas is introduced into the feeding chamber 45, the protective cover falls down, and then the pushing mechanism sends the preform into the forming chamber 56 to start the glass molding process; S4) The preheating station 51 drives the upper heating mechanism 518 to move downward to a designated position through a driving device to heat the mold and the preform together, and heats them to the softening point through the heating rod 518E, and then the material transfer mechanism 55 transfers the mold to the next station for further processing; S5) After the preform arrives at the molding station 52, the preform is pressed and molded in stages. In the first step, the first molding station applies low pressure to the preform so that the preform initially fills the mold, then reduces the pressure to discharge the interface gas, and then the material transfer mechanism 55 transfers the mold to the next station for processing; S6) After arriving at the second molding station, the action of the first molding station is repeated, and the pressure is increased synchronously in combination with the temperature gradient, and the gap is fully filled through the viscoelastic rheological mechanism, so that the glass forming morphology reproduces the mold surface shape; then the material transfer mechanism 55 transfers the mold to the next station for processing; S7) After the pressing and forming, the annealing station 53 performs a pressure-maintaining annealing treatment on the preform according to the preset program and parameters to reduce the internal stress; then the material transfer mechanism 55 transfers the mold to the next station for processing; S8) The upper and lower water cooling blocks of the cooling station 54 are connected with circulating cooling water to quickly cool the prefabricated parts for easy removal; S9) The unloading module drives the mechanical claw 644 to clamp the processed product to the unloading tray 43, the protective cover is closed, and the protective gas is introduced. Then it is moved out of the unloading chamber through the lifting mechanism 42, and the mechanical arm system 2 takes it away and places it on the material placement table 3.

2. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feed assembly 4 includes a feed module 41, a lifting mechanism 42, a tray 43, a push mechanism 44, a feed chamber 45, a protective cover mechanism 46, and a vent 47; the feed module 41 is used to send the lifting mechanism 42 to the bottom of the feed chamber 45; the top platform of the lifting mechanism 42 is connected to the tray 43 for carrying and transporting materials; the push mechanism 44 is powered by the push module, the push rod is connected through the fixed block above the module slide, and a V-shaped push block is installed at the end of the push rod; A groove is provided at the lower edge of the opening of the bottom plate of the chamber 45, and the lower edge of the tray 43 is tightly connected to the groove. The tray 43 adopts a conical design, which not only enables the lifting mechanism 42 to smoothly complete the loading process, but also enables the feeding chamber 45 to achieve a sealing effect. The boss of the bottom plate is also provided with a groove with an embedded sealing strip. When the loading is completed, the protective cover is driven by a small electric cylinder to descend and embed into the groove. A vent 47 is provided on the upper side plate of the feeding chamber 45, and protective gas is introduced into the feeding chamber 45 at the same time as the equipment is started.

3. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-station pressure actuator 5 includes a preheating station 51, a molding station 52, an annealing station 53, a cooling station 54, a material transfer mechanism 55, and a forming chamber 56; the preheating, molding, annealing and cooling stations 54 are arranged in a straight line from right to left, and each station is connected to the control box 1 through a signal transmission line, so as to construct a complete automatic control system, thereby realizing the precision processing and processing of glass preforms; the material transfer mechanism 55 uses a connecting rod mechanism to drive the fork 554 to move to realize the transportation process of the preform in the forming chamber 56; the outer plates of the forming chamber 56 are all provided with circulating water circuits, and the middle of the chamber is further insulated by a mica board, so that the outer side of the forming chamber 56 reaches a safe temperature to prevent damage to other structural components and cause unnecessary dangers. The upper side plate of the forming chamber 56 is also provided with a vent, and protective gas is introduced into the forming chamber 56 at the same time as the equipment is started.

4. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The preheating station 51 includes a motor 511, an electric cylinder 512, a buckle 513, a slider 514, a connecting shaft 515, a guide rail 516, a high-strength rubber 517, an upper heating mechanism 518, and a lower heating mechanism 519; The upper heating mechanism 518 includes a water pipe 518A, an upper water cooling block 518B, an upper heat insulation plate 518C, an upper heating plate 518D, a heating rod 518E, and an upper heat spreader 518F; The lower heating mechanism 519 includes a lower heat plate 519A, a lower heating plate 519B, a heating rod 519C, a lower heat insulation plate 519D, a lower water cooling block 519E, a cushion block 519F, and a bottom plate 519G; The driving, supporting and guiding components of the preheating station 51 are vertically fixed on the rightmost side just above the forming chamber 56, and a double guide rail mechanism is used to provide guiding effect. A high-strength rubber block is placed around the connecting shaft above the supporting bottom plate to provide a certain buffer and protection when the upper driving component is pressed down. The connecting shaft is connected to the upper cooling block through a flange plate, driving the upper heating mechanism 518 to move vertically downward. The distance between the upper and lower heat spreaders is 120mm, and various sizes of products can be processed within the allowable size range. The lower heating mechanism 519 is fixed on the bottom plate of the forming chamber 56, and the lower heat spreader is parallel to the lower edge of the feeding port of the forming chamber 56, which is convenient for feeding preforms. The upper and lower cooling plates have circulating water circuits to prevent other components from being damaged by high temperature.

5. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The molding station 52 includes a driving member 521, a supporting member 522, a guiding member 523, an upper heating mechanism 524, and a lower heating mechanism 525; The driving, supporting and guiding components and the upper heating mechanism of the molding station 52 are designed in the same way as the preheating station 51. The main difference lies in the lower heating mechanism. A pressure sensing element is provided below the lower cooling plate of the lower heating mechanism 525 and is embedded in the bottom plate groove. A water cooling pipeline is also provided around the pressure sensing element in the bottom plate to prevent the pressure sensing element from being damaged or failing due to high temperature. During the molding process, when the connecting shaft enters and exits the forming chamber 56, due to the friction resistance between the sealing ring and the connecting shaft, it may be difficult for the upper heating mechanism to accurately apply the actual pressure of the preform to the preset value. For this reason, a pressure sensing element is provided to monitor the pressure change in real time and feed the data back to the control box 1 so as to timely perform motion control and ensure pressure accuracy. In addition, considering that the working pressure of the molding station 52 is relatively high, stress concentration is prone to occur inside the glass preform, which in turn causes defects such as cracks. Therefore, the pressure must be continuously monitored to strictly prevent the pressure value from exceeding or falling below the process requirement range, thereby ensuring the molding quality and process stability of the product; The molding station 52 adopts a step-by-step molding technology. A two-stage pressure difference sequential degassing process is used for the glass preform at the first molding station and the second molding station 52, and continuous multiple molding is performed to discharge the protective gas in the gap so that the protective gas can completely fill the mold, thereby improving the forming effect of the product. At the same time, the waste heat of the first molding station 52 can be further utilized, and the temperature of the first molding station 52 will not drop rapidly. The waste heat of the first molding station 52 is used to preheat the subsequent preform again, which not only improves the processing quality and efficiency, but also reduces energy consumption and saves costs.

6. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The annealing station 53 adopts the same structural design as the molding station 52. After the preform is pressed and formed, in order to avoid internal stress concentration caused by rapid cooling, stress relief treatment is required through annealing process. The pressure sensor element can monitor and adjust the pressure parameters of the annealing station 53 in real time to ensure that the preform meets the predetermined dimensional accuracy and surface quality requirements during the processing.

7. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cooling station 54 includes a driving member 541, a supporting member 542, a connecting shaft 543, an upper water cooling block 544, a lower water cooling block 545, a cushion block 546, and a bottom plate 547; There is a circulating water circuit inside the upper and lower water-cooling blocks. After the annealing process of the preform is completed, the material transfer mechanism 55 moves the preform to between the upper and lower water-cooling blocks of the cooling station 54. The control box 1 transmits a signal to the driving component 541, and the driving component 541 starts to move. The upper water-cooling block descends until it contacts the surface of the upper mold to quickly cool and shape the mold and the preform.

8. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The material moving mechanism 55 includes a motor 551, a connecting rod mechanism 552, a fixed plate 553, and a shift fork 554; the material moving mechanism 55 is horizontally placed directly behind the processing station, and the shift fork 554 is located in the gap between the two stations to prevent unnecessary scratches that affect the processing of the preform. The shift fork 554 is 5 mm away from the lower heat sink. The motor 551 is fixed to the bottom plate of the forming chamber 56 through a fixing block, and the connecting rod mechanism 552 is supported by two columns. The components work together to complete the material moving process of the preform.

9. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper plate of the forming chamber 56 is provided with grooves around the openings of the inlet and outlet connecting shafts for placing sealing strips. The supporting bottom plates of each workstation are fastened to the upper plate of the forming chamber 56 to achieve a sealing effect. The upper plate of the forming chamber 56 is provided with a number of vents. When the equipment is started, protective gas is introduced into the forming chamber 56 to prevent high-temperature oxidation of the preform during processing. The forming chamber 56 adopts a mica board interlayer, which can have a good heat-insulating effect. The outer plate is provided with a circulating water channel, which can make the outside of the equipment reach a safe temperature to avoid damage to other auxiliary components or reduce the service life.

10. The intelligent multi-station glass molding equipment and operation method based on step-by-step pressure difference degassing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The discharge assembly 6 is similar in structure to the feed assembly 4, the difference being the use of a mechanical claw 644. After the preform is cooled and formed, the left module drives the mechanical claw 644 to clamp the assembly of the preform and the mold and move it to the middle position of the tray. The use of the mechanical claw 644 can facilitate the preform to accurately reach the preset position, which is convenient for discharge. If the fork 554 is used to directly transfer it out of the forming chamber 56, it is difficult to transfer it to the preset position. After placing it in the middle position of the tray 43, the protective cover descends into the groove of the bottom plate, and then the lifting mechanism 42 descends and follows the module to move out of the discharge chamber to complete the discharge. The robotic arm system 2 grabs the processed preform and places it on the workbench.

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