A printing inkjet device for use on an industrial robot

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of inkjet printing technology, specifically to a printing inkjet device used on an industrial robot. The device includes a robot body and an ink printhead mounted on the robot body. A mounting cylinder is provided on the robot body. The bottom of the mounting cylinder has a plurality of circumferentially arranged docking holes around its center. These docking holes are staggered and divided into cleaning groups and inkjet groups. Cleaning tubes are provided on the docking holes of the cleaning groups, and inkjet tubes are provided on the docking holes of the inkjet groups. Both the cleaning tubes and inkjet tubes have a second connecting tube at their ends that are in contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder. A plurality of limiting components are evenly arranged on the mounting cylinder. An adjusting cylinder is mounted on the mounting cylinder via the limiting components. An elastic telescopic member is provided inside the adjusting cylinder, and the mounting cylinder is positioned inside the adjusting cylinder via the elastic telescopic member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inkjet device technology, and more specifically, to a printing inkjet device used on industrial robots. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demands for automation and precision in the manufacturing industry, industrial robots are being used more and more widely on production lines. They are particularly important in scenarios requiring high precision and repetitive tasks, such as electronic component manufacturing and automotive parts production. Among these, inkjet printing technology, as a non-contact marking method, has been widely adopted in the industrial field due to its high efficiency, flexibility, and environmental friendliness.

[0003] However, inkjet printers currently used in industrial robots often experience nozzle clogging after a period of continuous use. To ensure unobstructed nozzle operation for the next use, necessary maintenance is required after each use. Unfortunately, most existing maintenance methods involve disassembling the nozzle and injecting cleaning fluid using a syringe, which is not only cumbersome but also inefficient.

[0004] Based on this, the present invention discloses a printing inkjet device for use on industrial robots. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem mentioned in the background art that the nozzles of industrial robot inkjet devices require cumbersome and inefficient disassembly and needle cleaning after use to prevent clogging, this invention provides a printing inkjet device for use on industrial robots. The device includes an ink printhead mounted on the robot body. An mounting cylinder is mounted on the robot body. The bottom of the mounting cylinder has several circumferentially oriented docking holes arranged in a staggered pattern, divided into a cleaning group and an inkjet group. A cleaning tube is mounted on the docking hole of the cleaning group, and an inkjet tube is mounted on the docking hole of the inkjet group. Both the cleaning tube and the inkjet tube are connected to a second connecting tube at their ends that are in contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder.

[0006] In this technical solution, in order to prevent cumbersome disassembly, the inkjet tube corresponding to the docking hole of the inkjet unit can be aligned with the cleaning tube corresponding to the docking hole of the cleaning unit after being rotated by a certain angle.

[0007] As a further improvement to this technical solution, a number of limiting components are evenly arranged on the mounting cylinder, and an adjusting cylinder is set on the mounting cylinder through the limiting components. An elastic telescopic component is set inside the adjusting cylinder, and the mounting cylinder is set inside the adjusting cylinder through the elastic telescopic component.

[0008] As a further improvement to this technical solution, the limiting component includes an arc-shaped slide groove on the outer wall of the mounting cylinder. A first longitudinal slide groove and a second longitudinal slide groove are respectively provided on both sides of the arc-shaped slide groove on the mounting cylinder. A first slider is slidably connected in the first longitudinal slide groove. The first slider is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the adjusting cylinder. Furthermore, the fan-shaped angle corresponding to the arc-shaped slide groove is adapted to the angle required for the first connecting pipe to rotate from the inkjet group to the cleaning group.

[0009] As a further improvement to this technical solution, the adjusting cylinder is provided with several first connecting pipes corresponding to the number of docking holes in the inkjet assembly. A connecting pipe is provided at the bottom of the first connecting pipe, and the first connecting pipe is connected to the ink printhead through the connecting pipe. An elastic sealing ring is provided on the first connecting pipe, and the inner diameter of the docking hole is adapted to the inner diameter of the elastic sealing ring. A sealing component is provided on the first connecting pipe above the elastic sealing ring, and a limiting ring is fixed on the first connecting pipe at the bottom of the elastic sealing ring. When the top of the elastic sealing ring is in contact with the bottom of the second connecting pipe, the limiting ring is in contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder.

[0010] To ensure the airtight connection between the first and second connecting pipes when the rotating inkjet unit is connected to the cleaning unit;

[0011] As a further improvement to this technical solution, first grooves are symmetrically provided on both sides of the first connecting pipe, and the sealing assembly includes a second slider that is slidably disposed in the first groove. The second slider is fixedly connected to the deformation sealing ring, and the deformation sealing ring is sleeved on the first connecting pipe.

[0012] As a further improvement to this technical solution, a locking interface is provided at the bottom of the second connecting pipe. The outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring is adapted to the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe. The inner diameter of the locking interface is smaller than the outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring, and the inner diameter of the locking interface is larger than the outer diameter of the first connecting pipe. Moreover, the deformation sealing ring has a frustum-shaped structure and a concave structure inside. Secondly, the height of the first longitudinal groove and the second longitudinal groove is greater than the height from the top of the limiting ring to the top of the first connecting pipe.

[0013] In this technical solution, in order to further increase the sealing performance automatically by relying on the pressure inside the second connecting pipe, the bottom of the first groove is located above the inner wall of the bottom of the second connecting pipe, and the top of the concave structure of the deformation sealing ring can fit with the top of the elastic sealing ring after deformation.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0015] 1. This inkjet printing device for industrial robots features a convenient cleaning switching mechanism. By rotating the adjusting cylinder (component), the switching between the inkjet assembly docking hole and the cleaning assembly docking hole becomes possible without disassembling the entire printhead assembly. Specifically, when switching from inkjet mode to cleaning mode, the user simply pulls down the adjusting cylinder and rotates it to the corresponding position, simplifying the traditionally cumbersome disassembly and syringe cleaning methods, improving work efficiency, and reducing downtime. Furthermore, the elimination of frequent disassembly and assembly also reduces the risk of damage to the equipment.

[0016] This inkjet printing device for industrial robots features an optimized sealing structure. An elastic sealing ring and a deformation sealing ring are installed on the first connecting pipe (component). These components work together to ensure a tight connection between the inkjet tube (component), the cleaning tube (component), and the second connecting pipe (component), effectively preventing ink leakage or external contaminants from entering the system, thus guaranteeing print quality and equipment lifespan. Especially under high-pressure environments, the dual sealing mechanism enhances the system's stability and reliability.

[0017] In this inkjet printing device used on industrial robots, automatic positioning is achieved. The positioning components include an arc-shaped slide, a first longitudinal slide, and a second longitudinal slide, which enables rapid switching and stable connection of the ink printhead between inkjet and cleaning. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting cylinder of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a top view of the mounting cylinder of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the mounting cylinder of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the regulating cylinder of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the adjusting cylinder of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the inkjet tube structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of the structure at point A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 9 for Figure 7Enlarged view of the structure at point B;

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the deformation sealing ring of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic telescopic component of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Enlarged view of the structure at point C.

[0030] The meanings of the labels in the diagram are as follows:

[0031] 1. Robot body; 2. Mounting cylinder; 3. Adjusting cylinder; 4. Ink nozzle; 5. Cleaning tube; 6. Inkjet tube; 7. Limiting component; 8. Connecting tube; 9. Limiting ring; 10. Docking hole; 11. Elastic telescopic component; 12. Elastic sealing ring; 13. First connecting tube; 14. Second connecting tube; 15. Sealing component; 16. First slide groove; 17. Snap-fit ​​interface;

[0032] 71. Arc-shaped slide groove; 72. First longitudinal slide groove; 73. Second longitudinal slide groove; 74. First slider;

[0033] 151. Deformation sealing ring; 152. Second slider. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] Existing industrial robot inkjet nozzles require cumbersome and inefficient disassembly and syringe cleaning after use to prevent clogging.

[0036] Therefore, the present invention provides a printing inkjet device for use on industrial robots, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 1-4 As shown, it includes a robot body 1 and an ink nozzle 4 mounted on the robot body 1. The robot body 1 is provided with a mounting cylinder 2. The bottom of the mounting cylinder 2 is provided with a plurality of docking holes 10 circumferentially around the center. The plurality of docking holes 10 are arranged in an alternating manner and are divided into a cleaning group and an inkjet group. A cleaning tube 5 is provided on the docking hole 10 of the cleaning group, and an inkjet tube 6 is provided on the docking hole 10 of the inkjet group. The ends of the cleaning tube 5 and the inkjet tube 6 that are attached to the bottom of the mounting cylinder 2 are all connected to a second connecting tube 14.

[0037] During work, through Figure 2 and Figure 4 It can be seen that the inkjet tube 6 corresponding to the docking hole 10 of the inkjet unit can be aligned with the cleaning tube 5 corresponding to the docking hole 10 of the cleaning unit after being rotated by a certain angle. This prepares for the subsequent conversion connector to be directly cleaned. The cleaning tube 5 is connected to the corresponding cleaning equipment, and the inkjet tube 6 is connected to the corresponding inkjet equipment.

[0038] Specifically, refer to Figures 4-6 As shown, a number of limiting components 7 are evenly arranged on the mounting cylinder 2, and an adjusting cylinder 3 is set on the mounting cylinder 2 through the limiting components 7. An elastic telescopic member 11 is set inside the adjusting cylinder 3, and the mounting cylinder 2 is set inside the adjusting cylinder 3 through the elastic telescopic member 11.

[0039] The limiting component 7 includes an arc-shaped slide groove 71 on the outer wall of the mounting cylinder 2. A first longitudinal slide groove 72 and a second longitudinal slide groove 73 are respectively provided on both sides of the arc-shaped slide groove 71 on the mounting cylinder 2. A first slider 74 is slidably connected in the first longitudinal slide groove 72. The first slider 74 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the adjusting cylinder 3.

[0040] Initially, the first slider 74 is located at the top of the first longitudinal groove 72. After inkjet printing is finished, when the ink nozzle 4 needs to be cleaned, the adjusting cylinder 3 is pulled down. Since the adjusting cylinder 3 and the mounting cylinder 2 are elastically supported by the elastic telescopic member 11, the elastic telescopic member 11 will always tend to make the adjusting cylinder 3 slide upward. However, due to the existence of the arc-shaped groove 71, the first longitudinal groove 72 and the second longitudinal groove 73, the adjusting cylinder 3 is limited. Therefore, when it is necessary to rotate the adjusting cylinder 3, the adjusting cylinder 3 is first slid down along the first longitudinal groove 72. Then, it rotates along the arc-shaped slide 71. When the first slider 74 slides to the bottom of the arc-shaped slide 71, the ink nozzle 4 will disengage from the second connecting pipe 14 of the inkjet assembly. Then, when it rotates to the position of the second longitudinal slide 73, the ink nozzle 4 will be located directly below the second connecting pipe 14 of the cleaning assembly. Then, under the elastic force of the elastic telescopic member 11, the adjusting cylinder 3 rises until the first slider 74 is located at the top of the second longitudinal slide 73. At this time, the ink nozzle 4 will be connected to the second connecting pipe 14 of the cleaning assembly, and then cleaning can be performed directly.

[0041] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6As shown, the regulating cylinder 3 is provided with a number of first connecting pipes 13 corresponding to the number of docking holes 10 in the inkjet assembly. A connecting pipe 8 is provided at the bottom of the first connecting pipe 13, and the first connecting pipe 13 is connected to the ink nozzle 4 through the connecting pipe 8. An elastic sealing ring 12 is provided on the first connecting pipe 13, and the inner diameter of the docking hole 10 is adapted to the inner diameter of the elastic sealing ring 12. A sealing component 15 is provided on the first connecting pipe 13 above the elastic sealing ring 12. A limiting ring 9 is fixed on the first connecting pipe 13 at the bottom of the elastic sealing ring 12. When the top of the elastic sealing ring 12 is in contact with the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14, the limiting ring 9 is in contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder 2.

[0042] During operation, as the adjusting cylinder 3 moves downward along the first longitudinal slide groove 72, the elastic sealing ring 12 disengages from the docking hole 10, and the limiting ring 9 also disengages from its contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder 2. Then, when rotating from the inkjet assembly to below the cleaning assembly, it should be noted that the fan-shaped angle corresponding to the arc-shaped slide groove 71 matches the angle required for the first connecting pipe 13 to rotate from the inkjet assembly to the cleaning assembly. In other words, after rotation, the elastic sealing ring 12 is directly below the docking hole 10 corresponding to the cleaning assembly. Then, under the action of the elastic telescopic member 11, the adjusting cylinder 3 moves vertically upward along the second longitudinal slide groove 73, thereby driving the elastic sealing ring 12 to rise. The elastic sealing ring 12 is inserted into the docking hole 10 until, after a period of compression, the elastic sealing ring 12 is tightly attached to the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14. At this time, the limiting ring 9 is also attached to the bottom of the mounting cylinder 2.

[0043] Among them, such as Figures 7-12 As shown, the first connecting pipe 13 has symmetrical first grooves 16 on both sides. The sealing assembly 15 includes a second slider 152 that is slidably disposed in the first groove 16. The second slider 152 is fixedly connected to the deformation sealing ring 151, and the deformation sealing ring 151 is sleeved on the first connecting pipe 13.

[0044] It is worth mentioning that the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14 is provided with a locking interface 17, the outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring 151 is adapted to the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe 14, the inner diameter of the locking interface 17 is smaller than the outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring 151, and the inner diameter of the locking interface 17 is larger than the outer diameter of the first connecting pipe 13. Moreover, the deformation sealing ring 151 has a frustum-shaped structure and a concave structure inside. Secondly, the height of the first longitudinal groove 72 and the second longitudinal groove 73 is greater than the height from the top of the limiting ring 9 to the top of the first connecting pipe 13.

[0045] In addition, the bottom of the first groove 16 is located above the inner wall of the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14, and the top of the concave structure of the deformation sealing ring 151 can fit against the top of the elastic sealing ring 12 after deformation.

[0046] During operation, as described above, after inkjet printing ends, the adjusting cylinder 3 moves downward, causing the connecting pipe 8 and the first connecting pipe 13 to move downward. During the downward movement of the first connecting pipe 13, the deformation sealing ring 151 is pulled out. Since the deformation sealing ring 151 is deformable, it will be pulled and flipped when passing through the smaller snap-fit ​​interface 17, changing the original truncated cone shape of the deformation sealing ring 151 into an inverted truncated cone shape. At the same time, the deformation sealing ring 151 slides upward through the second slider 152 into the first slide groove 16 to the top of the first slide groove 16. Under the limiting action of the top of the first slide groove 16, the deformation sealing ring 151 slides upward to the top of the first slide groove 16. The deformation sealing ring 151 is flipped into an inverted frustum shape and pulled out. Following the above, when the first connecting pipe 13 is directly below the docking hole 10 of the cleaning assembly, the first connecting pipe 13 causes the deformation sealing ring 151 to rise. When the deformation sealing ring 151 contacts the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14, the locking interface 17 further compresses the deformation sealing ring 151 into a frustum shape. Simultaneously, the deformation sealing ring 151 enters the interior of the second connecting pipe 14. Under pressure within the second connecting pipe 14, this frustum shape impacts the deformation sealing ring 151, causing it to adhere tightly to the second connecting pipe. The bottom of the second connecting pipe 14 is sealed to the card interface 17. After the deformation sealing ring 151 passes through the card interface 17, it slides to the bottom of the first slide groove 16 via the second slider 152. At this time, the elastic sealing ring 12 is also tightly fitted to the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14. When the control of the adjusting cylinder 3 is released, the deformation sealing ring 151 will descend a small distance under the action of the elastic telescopic member 11 until the bottom of the deformation sealing ring 151 is fitted to the bottom of the second connecting pipe 14. When there is pressure in the second connecting pipe 14, that is, during the cleaning or inkjet stage, Under external pressure, the deformation sealing ring 151 deforms again, causing the bottom of the concave structure of the deformation sealing ring 151 to fit against the elastic sealing ring 12. This, in turn, forms a seal between the top of the elastic sealing ring 12 and the bottom of the deformation sealing ring 151 at the snap-fit ​​interface 17, ensuring a tight connection between the second connecting pipe 14 and the first connecting pipe 13 during subsequent cleaning or inkjet printing. Similarly, after cleaning, pull down the adjusting cylinder 3 and rotate it in the opposite direction until it returns to below the docking hole 10 of the inkjet assembly. Then release the cylinder to return to the initial state, facilitating the next inkjet printing operation.

[0047] It should be added that the regulating cylinder 3 can be disassembled periodically for cleaning and maintenance to prevent cleaning fluid or ink from remaining in the regulating cylinder 3 after multiple switching due to the tiny gap between the second connecting pipe 14 and the first connecting pipe 13.

[0048] In summary, through the coordinated action of the spinning switching mechanism of the adjusting cylinder 3, the dynamic sealing group of the deformation sealing ring 151 / elastic sealing ring 12, and the hard contact positioning system of the limiting ring 9, the inkjet and cleaning modes can be switched quickly without disassembly. This effectively solves the problem that the nozzles of existing industrial robot inkjet devices need to be maintained by cumbersome and inefficient disassembly and syringe cleaning after use to prevent clogging.

[0049] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A printing inkjet device for use on an industrial robot, comprising a robot body (1) on which an ink printhead (4) is disposed, characterized in that: The robot body (1) is provided with an installation cylinder (2). The bottom of the installation cylinder (2) is provided with a plurality of docking holes (10) around the center. The plurality of docking holes (10) are arranged in an alternating manner and are divided into a cleaning group and an inkjet group. A cleaning tube (5) is provided on the docking hole (10) of the cleaning group, and an inkjet tube (6) is provided on the docking hole (10) of the inkjet group. The cleaning tube (5) and the inkjet tube (6) are connected to a second connecting tube (14) at the end that is in contact with the bottom of the installation cylinder (2). The mounting cylinder (2) is uniformly provided with a plurality of limiting components (7), and the mounting cylinder (2) is provided with an adjusting cylinder (3) through the limiting components (7). The adjusting cylinder (3) is provided with an elastic telescopic component (11), and the mounting cylinder (2) is provided in the adjusting cylinder (3) through the elastic telescopic component (11). The adjusting cylinder (3) is provided with a plurality of first connecting pipes (13) corresponding to the number of docking holes (10) in the inkjet assembly. The first connecting pipes (13) are provided with elastic sealing rings (12). In the initial state, the first connecting pipe (13) is connected to the second connecting pipe (14) of the inkjet assembly through a sealing assembly (15); In the cleaning state, the regulating cylinder (3) rotates several first connecting pipes (13) through the limiting component (7) to connect with the second connecting pipe (14) of the cleaning group; The limiting component (7) includes an arc-shaped slide groove (71) opened on the outer wall of the mounting cylinder (2). The mounting cylinder (2) has a first longitudinal slide groove (72) and a second longitudinal slide groove (73) respectively opened on both sides of the arc-shaped slide groove (71). A first slider (74) is slidably connected in the first longitudinal slide groove (72). The first slider (74) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the adjusting cylinder (3).

2. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: A limiting ring (9) is fixedly provided on the first connecting pipe (13) at the bottom of the elastic sealing ring (12). When the top of the elastic sealing ring (12) is in contact with the bottom of the second connecting pipe (14), the limiting ring (9) is in contact with the bottom of the mounting cylinder (2). The first connecting pipe (13) is provided with a connecting pipe (8) at the bottom, and the first connecting pipe (13) is connected to the ink nozzle (4) through the connecting pipe (8).

3. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the mating hole (10) is adapted to the inner diameter of the elastic sealing ring (12).

4. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 3, characterized in that: A sealing assembly (15) is provided on the first connecting pipe (13) above the elastic sealing ring (12); the first connecting pipe (13) has symmetrical first grooves (16) on both sides, and the sealing assembly (15) includes a second slider (152) slidably disposed in the first groove (16), the second slider (152) is fixedly connected to the deformation sealing ring (151), and the deformation sealing ring (151) is sleeved on the first connecting pipe (13); When the first connecting pipe (13) is connected to the second connecting pipe (14), the elastic sealing ring (12) presses against the bottom of the second connecting pipe (14) through the elastic telescopic member (11), and the sealing component (15) fits against the inner wall of the bottom of the second connecting pipe (14).

5. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second connecting pipe (14) has a card interface (17) at the bottom. The outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring (151) is adapted to the inner diameter of the second connecting pipe (14). The inner diameter of the card interface (17) is smaller than the outer diameter of the deformation sealing ring (151), and the inner diameter of the card interface (17) is larger than the outer diameter of the first connecting pipe (13).

6. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 5, characterized in that: The deformation sealing ring (151) has a frustum-shaped structure and the interior of the deformation sealing ring (151) is concave.

7. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heights of the first longitudinal groove (72) and the second longitudinal groove (73) are greater than the height from the top of the limiting ring (9) to the top of the first connecting pipe (13).

8. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fan-shaped angle corresponding to the arc-shaped groove (71) is adapted to the angle required for the first connecting pipe (13) to rotate from the inkjet group to the cleaning group.

9. The inkjet printing device for use on industrial robots according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the first groove (16) is located above the inner wall of the bottom of the second connecting pipe (14), and the top of the concave structure of the deformation sealing ring (151) can fit against the top of the elastic sealing ring (12) after deformation.

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