Automatic stacking equipment for finished products

Abstract

The invention discloses automatic stacking equipment for finished products, relates to the technical field of stacking equipment, and aims to solve the problem that the same stacking robot cannot be suitable for different kinds of work. The carton sealing machine comprises a carton sealing machine, a stacking robot, a plurality of working heads arranged at the working end of the stacking robot and a fence used for isolating the working area of the stacking robot, and each working head can be installed at the working end of the stacking robot through a quick insertion module with a controllable locking mechanism. According to the robot palletizer, the quick insertion module is arranged, and the gas circuit connecting mechanism and the circuit connecting mechanism are arranged on the quick insertion module, so that the robot palletizer can automatically replace working heads with different sucker layouts or other functions to work through program setting, and the manual adjustment process can be omitted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of palletizing equipment, and specifically to an automatic finished product palletizing equipment. Background Art

[0002] Existing box palletizing work mostly uses low-end robots, which do not have an intelligent control system and an adaptive grasping function. The layout of the suction cups is fixed and cannot adapt to the palletizing work of boxes of different specifications. Existing solutions include: 1. Manual adjustment of the layout, but there are problems of cumbersome operation, deviating from the purpose of saving labor; 2. Using an automatic track to adjust the layout, but there are problems of high failure rate and frequent maintenance; 3. Using a matrix suction cup layout, but the number of suction cups used is large, and because the suction cups are vulnerable parts, there is a problem of high maintenance cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the problem that the same palletizing robot cannot be applicable to different jobs, the present invention proposes an automatic finished product palletizing equipment, including a case sealer, a palletizing robot, a working head arranged at the working end of the palletizing robot, and a fence for isolating the working area of the palletizing robot. A plurality of the working heads are provided, and each working head can be installed at the working end of the palletizing robot through a quick-insert module with a controllable locking mechanism; A positioning mechanism capable of pushing the box to be palletized to the edge of the shipping end is installed at the shipping end of the case sealer, and a barcode scanner is installed at the shipping end of the case sealer.

[0004] A further setting of the present invention is that the working head includes but is not limited to a suction cup type working head or a gripper type working head.

[0005] A further setting of the present invention is that the quick-insert module includes a quick-insert female head, a controllable locking mechanism, and a hollow-structured quick-insert male head. The quick-insert male head is installed on the quick-insert female head through the controllable locking mechanism. The quick-insert female head is installed on the palletizing robot through a connecting flange. The quick-insert female head is provided with an air nozzle that can be inserted into the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head. The air nozzle can be hermetically connected to the air inlet of the suction cup type working head. The air nozzle is connected to a vacuum pump on the palletizing robot through a conduit. The quick-insert male head is installed on the working head through a connecting flange, and the air inlet of the suction cup type working head can extend into the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head.

[0006] A further setting of the present invention is that the controllable locking mechanism includes a hook made of a magnetically adsorbable material, an electromagnet, and a convex platform that can be caught by the hook to limit leaving the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head. A plurality of grooves are provided on the inner wall of the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head. The hook is rotatably installed in the groove. The convex platform and the electromagnet are installed around the outer wall of the air nozzle, and the convex platform is arranged below the electromagnet.

[0007] A further setting of the present invention is that: the quick-insert module is provided with a contact-type energized terminal, the terminal includes a male head installed on the quick-insert sub-head and a female head installed on the quick-insert female head, and the male head and the female head of the terminal are respectively electrically connected to the control circuit of the working head and the control circuit of the palletizing robot.

[0008] A further setting of the present invention is that: it further includes a working head storage rack for placing the working head, and a limiting device for restricting the placement position of the working head is arranged on the working head storage rack.

[0009] A further setting of the present invention is that: it further includes a pallet rack for placing pallets, and the pallet rack points to the rotation axis of the palletizing robot.

[0010] A further setting of the present invention is that: the pallet rack includes a base and a limiting mechanism installed above the base for restricting the position of the pallet, the limiting mechanism is in an L-shaped structure, and the limiting mechanism is symmetrically arranged on the same side above the base.

[0011] A further setting of the present invention is that: an inclined surface capable of guiding the centering of the pallet is arranged on the inner wall of the limiting mechanism, and the inclined surface is arranged at one end of the limiting mechanism far from the L-shaped structure.

[0012] A further setting of the present invention is that: a cavity is opened above the base, and a plurality of guide rollers are installed in the cavity, and the plurality of guide rollers are distributed obliquely downward, and the position of the guide roller at the highest point is lower than the upper surface of the base.

[0013] The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows: by setting the quick-insert module and arranging the air circuit connection mechanism and the circuit connection mechanism on the quick-insert module, it is possible to make the palletizing robot automatically replace the working heads with different suction cup layouts or other functions through program settings, eliminating the need for manual adjustment. Each group of working heads only performs the palletizing work for specific batch specifications of items, extending the suction cup replacement cycle. When the working head is damaged, only replacement and mailing back to the factory for maintenance are required, which will not affect the construction period. There is no need to set up a maintenance position, reducing labor costs. Through the setting of the pallet rack and the working head storage rack, the pallet and the working head can be placed at fixed positions, without the need for an intelligent control system with units such as an identification camera to plan complex paths. Only the working head needs to be automatically replaced according to the PLC program setting, reducing the equipment cost, and the equipment cost is in a stepped manner, with a low upfront investment cost. Enterprises only need to purchase working heads as needed in the initial stage. In the later stage, if they need to expand functions and upgrade the equipment, they only need to purchase more working heads for function superposition without the need for equipment replacement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 Shows the overall structural schematic diagram of the present solution.

[0015] Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the connection structure between the palletizing robot and the working head is shown.

[0016] Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the upward view structure of the quick-insert female head is shown.

[0017] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the structure of the gripper-type working head is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the downward view structure of the quick-insert male head is shown.

[0019] Figure 6 The schematic diagram of the structure of the pallet rack is shown.

[0020] Figure 7 The schematic diagram of the downward view structure of the pallet rack is shown.

[0021] Figure 8 The schematic diagram of the structure of the working head storage rack is shown.

[0022] Reference numerals: 1, carton sealer; 2, palletizing robot; 3, fence; 4, pallet rack; 5, working head; 6, working head storage rack; 7, quick-insert male head; 8, quick-insert female head; 9, positioning mechanism; 10, barcode scanner; 11, electromagnet; 12, boss; 13, male head; 14, female head; 15, guide roller. Specific embodiments

[0023] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principle of the present invention and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] The present invention provides a finished product automatic palletizing device. Compared with the traditional palletizing robot that works by the front suction cup head and the side gripper avoiding each other, this solution adopts a universal interface to achieve modular design. At the same time, a barcode scanner 10 and a positioning mechanism 9 are provided at the shipping end of the carton sealer 1. The positioning mechanism 9 is composed of a telescopic cylinder and a push rod. When the goods are transported to the shipping end of the carton sealer 1, the telescopic cylinder pushes the goods to the edge through the push rod, so that the palletizing robot 2 grabs the goods at the same position each time. The barcode scanner 10 scans the barcode on the goods before the palletizing robot 2 grabs the goods.

[0025] The working head 5 for each function can be installed at the working end of the palletizing robot through a quick-insert module. The quick-insert module includes a quick-insert female head 8 and a quick-insert male head 7. The quick-insert female head 8 is installed on the palletizing robot through a connecting flange, and the quick-insert male head 7 is installed on the working head 5 through a connecting flange. The quick-insert female head 8 is connected to the quick-insert male head 7 through a controllable locking mechanism. The quick-insert male head 7 is set as a hollow structure, and the lower part of the quick-insert female head 8 is set as a columnar structure that can be inserted into the hollow structure. An electromagnet 11 and a boss 12 are respectively arranged on the upper and lower sides of the outer wall of the columnar structure. A groove is opened inside the hollow structure, and a hook that can rotate and extend out of the groove is installed in the groove. After the boss 12 extends downward into the hollow structure, the electromagnet attracts the hook made of a magnetically adsorbable material to rotate and extend out of the groove. At this time, the boss 12 is caught by the hook, and the columnar structure cannot withdraw the boss 12 from the hollow structure, thus completing the connection between the quick-insert female head 8 and the quick-insert male head 7. When separation is required, the power supply of the electromagnet 11 is disconnected, and the hook retracts back into the groove under the action of its own gravity. An elastic element can also be set in the groove to accelerate the speed of the hook retracting into the groove.

[0026] Select the corresponding working head 5 according to the working content of the palletizing robot. All the working heads 5 are placed on the working head storage rack 6. The limiting device set on the working head storage rack 6 includes but is not limited to the brackets arranged around the working head 5. The working head 5 is placed on the brackets, and the horizontal position of the working head 5 is restricted by the brackets arranged around it. The working head 5 includes but is not limited to a suction cup type working head or a gripper type working head. The suction cup type working head is generally used for palletizing boxes, and the gripper type working head is generally used for palletizing bagged goods or lifting pallets.

[0027] The columnar structure below the quick-insert female head 8 can adopt a nozzle, and the nozzle is connected to the vacuum pump of the palletizing robot. When using a suction cup type working head, the air inlet of the suction cup type working head can be set in the hollow structure. After the quick-insert module is docked, the nozzle is hermetically connected to the air inlet, which can realize the automatic replacement of the working head of the palletizing robot without manual connection of the air circuit.

[0028] A contact-type energizable terminal is installed on the quick-insert module. The male head 13 and the female head 14 of the terminal are respectively installed on the quick-insert male head 7 and the quick-insert female head 8, and the male head 13 and the female head 14 of the terminal are respectively electrically connected to the control circuits of the working head 5 and the palletizing robot.

[0029] By setting the working head storage rack 6 and setting a limiting mechanism for restricting the position of the working head 5 on the working head storage rack 6, the storage position of the working head 5 can be fixed. Through a simple PLC program, the palletizing robot can complete the process of replacing the working head 5 without complex path planning through an identification camera and an intelligent control system for docking, maximizing the elimination of manual intervention.

[0030] By setting up the pallet rack 4 and arranging a limiting mechanism on the pallet rack 4, the storage position of the pallet can be fixed, and the palletizing robot can complete the operations of grasping and placing the pallet through a simple PLC program, without the need for manual placement of the pallet after the forklift removes the stack, thus maximizing the elimination of manual intervention.

[0031] Each time, a fixed number of pallets are placed by the forklift. After placing the pallets, the parameters for grasping the pallets are reset. The height position of each pallet grasped is offset downward by one unit from the previous grasping position until all the pallets are grasped. Through the guiding mechanism arranged on the base, the pallet can be automatically moved to a fixed position. When the forklift puts down the pallet and moves backward, the edge of the pallet abuts against the inner wall of the cavity and separates from the forklift. The pallet falls onto the inclined guide roller 15 and moves towards the limiting mechanism. The pallet is guided to be centered through the inclined plane on the limiting mechanism, and then continues to move until it reaches the limiting mechanism. Finally, the position where the pallet stays is fixed.

[0032] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, various improvements can be made to it and components therein can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way. The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the text, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, the terms indicating directions or positional relationships such as "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In addition, it should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "installation", "connection", "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0035] The term "comprising" or any other similar term is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, article, or apparatus / device that comprises a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to these processes, articles, or apparatus / devices.

[0036] So far, the technical solution of the present invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that the protection scope of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principle of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated palletizing device for finished products, comprising a case sealer (1), a palletizing robot (2), a working head (5) arranged at the working end of the palletizing robot (2), and a fence (3) for isolating the working area of the palletizing robot (2), characterized in that: A plurality of the working heads (5) are provided, and each of the working heads (5) can be installed at the working end of the palletizing robot (2) through a quick-insert module with a controllable locking mechanism; A positioning mechanism capable of pushing the box to be palletized to the edge of the shipping end is installed at the shipping end of the carton sealer (1), and a barcode scanner is installed at the shipping end of the carton sealer (1).

2. The finished product automatic palletizing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The working head (5) includes, but is not limited to, a suction cup type working head or a gripper type working head.

3. The finished product automatic palletizing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The quick-insert module includes a quick-insert female head (8), a controllable locking mechanism, and a hollow quick-insert male head (7). The quick-insert male head (7) is installed on the quick-insert female head (8) through the controllable locking mechanism. The quick-insert female head (8) is installed on the palletizing robot (2) through a connecting flange. The quick-insert female head (8) is provided with a nozzle that can be inserted into the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head (7). The nozzle can be hermetically connected to the air inlet of the suction cup type working head. The nozzle is connected to a vacuum pump on the palletizing robot through a conduit. The quick-insert male head (7) is installed on the working head (5) through a connecting flange, and the air inlet of the suction cup type working head can extend into the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head (7).

4. An automatic palletizing device for finished products according to claim 3, characterized in that: The controllable locking mechanism includes a hook made of magnetically adsorbable material, an electromagnet (11), and a boss (12) that can be caught by the hook to restrict it from leaving the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head (7). A plurality of grooves are provided on the inner wall of the hollow structure of the quick-insert male head (7). The hook is rotatably installed in the groove. The boss (12) and the electromagnet (11) are installed around the outer wall of the nozzle, and the boss (12) is arranged below the electromagnet (11).

5. The finished product automatic palletizing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The quick-insert module is provided with contact-type energizable terminal blocks. The terminal blocks include a male head (13) installed on the quick-insert male head (7) and a female head (14) installed on the quick-insert female head (8). The male head (13) and the female head (14) of the terminal block are electrically connected to the control circuit of the working head (5) and the control circuit of the palletizing robot (2) respectively.

6. An automatic palletizing device for finished products according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It further includes a working head storage rack (6) for placing the working heads (5), and a limiting device for restricting the placement position of the working heads (5) is provided on the working head storage rack (6).

7. An automatic palletizing device for finished products according to claim 1, characterized in that: It further includes a pallet rack (4) for placing pallets, and the pallet rack (4) points to the rotation axis of the palletizing robot (2).

8. An automatic palletizing device for finished products according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pallet rack (4) includes a base and a limiting mechanism installed above the base for restricting the position of the pallet. The limiting mechanism is in an L-shaped structure, and the limiting mechanism is symmetrically arranged on the same side above the base.

9. An automatic palletizing device for finished products according to claim 8, characterized in that: An inclined surface capable of guiding the pallet to be centered is provided on the inner wall of the limiting mechanism, and the inclined surface is arranged at one end of the limiting mechanism away from the L-shaped structure.

10. The automatic palletizing equipment for finished products according to claim 9, characterized in that: A cavity is formed above the base, and a plurality of guide rollers (15) are installed in the cavity. The plurality of guide rollers (15) are distributed obliquely downward, and the position of the guide roller (15) at the highest point is lower than the upper surface of the base.

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