Robot automatic oil brushing flexible tool for metal sheets and using method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of oil brushing tools, and discloses a robot automatic oil brushing flexible tool for metal sheets, which is characterized by comprising a multi-shaft mechanical arm and a flexible tool connected to the multi-shaft mechanical arm, the flexible tool comprises a tubular connecting piece, a base and lint, the flannelette is connected to one end of the tubular connecting piece and covers a pipe opening of the tubular connecting piece, the other end of the tubular connecting piece is detachably connected to the base in an inserted mode, a containing space is formed between the base and the flannelette, and the containing space is filled with an air bag. The expansion force of the air bag enables the lint to be supported under the action of the tubular connecting piece, proper tension is formed, and then the lint is suitable for working surfaces of different shapes and different curved surfaces. For a complex vehicle body surface, the air bag provides enough flexibility and adaptability, a flexible tool can be helped to accurately cover each detail area, and the phenomenon of missed coating or uneven spraying is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of oiling tools, and particularly to a robot automatic oiling flexible tool for metal sheets and a usage method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Body oiling generally refers to coating a thin oil film on the body during the automobile manufacturing process, mainly for protecting the surface of the body before welding;

[0003] At present, many automobile production lines still rely on multi-axis robotic arms to assemble flannel for oiling; although this method can achieve automated painting to a certain extent, due to the complex geometric shape of the body itself, with different curved surfaces, angles, and deep concave parts on the surface, traditional robotic arm oiling systems often cannot cover all positions of the body, resulting in missed oiling or uneven coating during the oiling process. Although the robotic arm can oil through a preset path, its coverage and coating thickness are limited by factors such as equipment accuracy and control algorithms, making it difficult to ensure uniform coating in every corner;

[0004] On the other hand, the method of relying on manual oiling is still used in some traditional production lines. Although manual painting can flexibly handle body surfaces of different shapes, due to differences in the skill levels and experience of operators, manual oiling often results in uneven, missed, or over-painted situations. These painting defects directly affect the subsequent welding process of the body, may lead to quality problems at the welding parts, and even affect the appearance and performance of the final product.

[0005] Therefore, the existing oiling technologies have certain deficiencies in terms of coating quality, production efficiency, and employee health. There is an urgent need to improve the painting quality through innovative technical means, reduce human interference in production, and improve the automation level and safety of the body oiling process. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a robot automatic oiling flexible tool for metal sheets and a usage method thereof to solve the problems that although the existing robotic arm can oil through a preset path, its coverage and coating thickness are limited by factors such as equipment accuracy and control algorithms, making it difficult to ensure uniform coating in every corner, while manual oiling will result in uneven, missed, or over-painted problems. The specific technical solutions are as follows:

[0007] A flexible tool for automatic oiling of metal sheets by robots, comprising a multi-axis robotic arm and a flexible tool connected to the multi-axis robotic arm, the flexible tool comprising a tubular connector, a base and flannel, the flannel being connected to one end of the tubular connector and covering its tube opening, the other end of the tubular connector being detachably plugged into the base, a accommodating space being provided between the base and the flannel, the accommodating space being filled with an airbag, the airbag being connected to the base, a buckle portion being provided on the base, an opening being provided on the tubular connector for accommodating the buckle portion, the inflated airbag stretching out the flannel, the inflated airbag applying a force to the tubular connector away from the base so that the buckle portion is tightly buckled with the opening.

[0008] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, the buckle portion includes an elastic connecting piece, and a protrusion is integrally formed at the end of the elastic connecting piece for matching with the opening.

[0009] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, a first Velcro is provided on the elastic connecting piece, and a second Velcro is provided on the surface of the tubular connecting piece, and the first Velcro is fitted with the second Velcro.

[0010] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, the airbag is provided with an air intake pipe, and the base is provided with an opening for installing the air intake pipe.

[0011] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, it also includes an oil injection mechanism, which includes an oil injection box and an oil storage tank. The oil injection box is provided with an oil injection nozzle, and a pipeline is connected between the oil injection nozzle and the oil storage tank.

[0012] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, the fuel injection box is provided with a groove for accommodating the flexible tool, and the fuel injection nozzle is arranged on the inner wall of the groove.

[0013] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, the inner wall side surface and the inner wall bottom surface of the groove are both connected with a conduit, the end of the conduit is radially expanded to form a funnel shape, and each of the conduits is equipped with the fuel injection nozzle.

[0014] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, it also includes an air charging and discharging device, and the air charging and discharging device is connected to the air intake pipe.

[0015] As one of the improvements of the above technical solution, the oil injection mechanism also includes a bracket, the oil storage tank is arranged on the bracket, and the bottom surface of the bracket is rotatably connected to a plurality of rollers.

[0016] A method of use comprises the following steps:

[0017] S1, inserting the tubular connector into the base;

[0018] S2. Snap the snap portion on the base into the opening of the tubular connector.

[0019] S3. Start the inflation and deflation device to inflate the airbag. After the air pressure inside the airbag reaches the predetermined pressure, the airbag will apply a force away from the base to the tubular connector to tightly snap the snap portion with the opening. At the same time, the airbag props up the flannelette.

[0020] S4. Drive the multi-axis robotic arm to send the flannelette to the oil spraying mechanism for oil spraying.

[0021] Advantages of the present invention: By providing an airbag, the expansion force of the airbag will cause the flannelette to be propped up under the action of the tubular connector, forming an appropriate tension, thereby adapting to working surfaces of different shapes and different curved surfaces. For complex body surfaces, the airbag provides sufficient flexibility and adaptability, and can help the flexible tool accurately cover each detailed area, avoiding the phenomena of missed painting or uneven spraying.

[0022] After being inflated, the airbag can provide a uniform and adjustable expansion force to ensure that the snap portion between the tubular connector and the base can be tightly snapped. This stable connection ensures the firm structure of the entire flexible tool, preventing problems such as loosening and falling off during the working process, and ensuring the stability and reliability of the tool.

[0023] Since the airbag is arranged between the tubular connector and the base, the tubular connector and the base can also protect the airbag.

[0024] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be partially given in the following description, partially become obvious from the following description, or be understood through the practice of the present invention. Of course, implementing any product or method of the present application does not necessarily require achieving all the above-mentioned advantages at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] 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 following drawings 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 these drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the flexible tool of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3It is another structural schematic diagram of the flexible tool of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 It is yet another structural schematic diagram of the flexible tool of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the buckle part of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the air charging and discharging device of the present invention.

[0032] In the figure: 1. Multi-axis robotic arm; 2. Flexible tool; 3. Flannelette; 4. Oil spraying mechanism; 21. Tubular connector; 22. Base; 23. Airbag; 24. Air charging and discharging device; 211. Opening; 221. Buckle part; 222. First magic tape; 212. Second magic tape; 41. Oil spraying box; 42. Oil storage tank; 411. Groove; 412. Oil spraying nozzle; 413. Conduit; 421. Bracket; 422. Roller. Specific embodiments

[0033] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. 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 protection scope of the present invention.

[0034] Based on the fact that although the existing robotic arm can apply oil through a preset path, its coverage and coating thickness are limited by factors such as equipment accuracy and control algorithms, and it is difficult to ensure uniform coating in every corner. Moreover, manual oil application will have problems such as unevenness, missed coating, or overcoating. Please refer to Figure 1-6 , the present invention provides an embodiment to solve the above problems. Specifically, it includes a multi-axis robotic arm 1 and a flexible tool 2 connected to the multi-axis robotic arm 1. The flexible tool 2 includes a tubular connector 21, a base 22, and a flannelette 3. The flannelette 3 is connected to one end of the tubular connector 21 and covers its pipe orifice. The other end of the tubular connector 21 is detachably inserted into the base 22. There is an accommodation space between the base 22 and the flannelette 3, and the accommodation space is filled with an airbag 23. The airbag 23 is connected to the base 22. It can be understood that due to the complex geometric shape of the vehicle body itself, with different curved surfaces, angles, and deep concave parts on the surface, the traditional robotic arm oil application system often cannot cover all positions of the vehicle body, resulting in missed coating or uneven coating during the oil application process. Therefore, the design of the above variable hardness airbag 23 not only plays a supporting and flexible role but can also be designed into a structure with adjustable hardness. According to the surface characteristics of different vehicle body parts, the pressure of the airbag 23 is adjusted to optimize the coating thickness and uniformity;

[0035] For example, for the concave part, the airbag 23 can be adjusted to be softer to increase the contact area with the surface; for the flat or convex part, the airbag 23 can be slightly pressurized to ensure an appropriate coating thickness.

[0036] During the long-term use of the flannelette 3, due to its direct contact with the vehicle body surface and the task of applying oil, wear, pollution, or oil stain accumulation will inevitably occur. Especially when the amount of oil applied is large or the frequency of oil application is high, the working efficiency and coating effect of the flannelette 3 will gradually decline. To ensure the uniformity of the coating and the coating quality of the oil liquid, the flannelette 3 must be replaced regularly; however, the replacement process faces certain difficulties. In the existing robot painting system, the flannelette 3 is usually fixed on the corresponding connecting seat. Since the connection method between the flannelette 3 and the corresponding connecting seat often uses special snap or screw structures, the connecting parts need to be completely disassembled during replacement, and the operation process is cumbersome and time-consuming.

[0037] Therefore, the present invention also provides some embodiments. Specifically, a snap portion 221 is provided on the base 22, and an opening 211 is provided on the tubular connecting member 21 for accommodating the snap portion 221. The inflated airbag 23 applies a force to the tubular connecting member 21 away from the base 22 so that the snap portion 221 is tightly engaged with the opening 211. Preferably, the snap portion 221 includes a snap portion 221, and a protrusion is integrally formed at the end of the snap portion 221 for cooperating with the opening 211. Since the snap portion 221 is sheet-shaped, it has a certain elasticity. Its material can be metal or plastic. The snap portion 221 is L-shaped. By inflating the airbag 23, the force applied by the airbag 23 to the base 22 can prevent the connection between the tubular connecting member 21 and the base 22 from loosening due to pressure fluctuations or mechanical vibrations during use. The pressure of the airbag 23 can be adjusted according to actual needs to ensure that the locking force of the snap portion 221 is appropriate, which can not only maintain a stable connection but also avoid damage to the snap caused by excessive pressure.

[0038] In some embodiments, to further enhance the stability and convenience of the connection, a first Velcro 222 is provided on the buckle part 221, and a second Velcro 212 is provided on the surface of the tubular connector 21. The first Velcro 222 and the second Velcro 212 are attached to each other. The buckle part 221 and the tubular connector 21 form an additional locking mechanism through the cooperation of the Velcro, further strengthening the firmness of the connection and improving the flexibility of disassembly and installation. When the buckle part 221 is connected to the tubular connector 21, the first Velcro 222 and the second Velcro 212 are closely attached through self-adhesion, providing additional fixing force. This Velcro design effectively avoids loosening caused by vibration or external force, ensuring the stability and consistency of the tool during use. Secondly, the Velcro design greatly simplifies the operation of replacing the flannel 3. The operator only needs to perform a simple docking action to attach the first Velcro 222 on the buckle part 221 to the second Velcro 212 on the surface of the tubular connector 21 to achieve a stable connection. Similarly, when replacing the flannel 3, the operator only needs to quickly tear off the Velcro to easily disassemble and replace the flannel 3 without additional tools or complex operations. This design is particularly suitable for production environments that require frequent replacement of the flannel 3 and can significantly improve the maintenance efficiency.

[0039] In some embodiments, it further includes an air charging and discharging device 24. The airbag 23 is provided with an air inlet pipe, and the base 22 is provided with an opening for installing the air inlet pipe. The air charging and discharging device 24 is connected to the air inlet pipe. The air charging and discharging device 24 is responsible for adjusting the air pressure in the airbag 23, thereby controlling the expansion and contraction of the airbag 23. The inflation of the airbag 23 can help maintain a tight connection between the base 22 and the tubular connector 21, while deflation can reduce the expansion amount of the airbag 23 and at the same time provide the necessary flexible support force for the flannel 3. This air pressure adjustment method enables the flexible tool 2 to flexibly adjust the pressure according to the requirements of different parts of the vehicle body to ensure the uniformity and efficiency during the coating process.

[0040] Regarding the cooperation between the air inlet pipe and the opening of the base 22: The air inlet pipe is connected to the air charging and discharging device 24 through the opening on the base 22. This design enables the air inlet pipe to conveniently guide the air flow into the airbag 23, ensuring the stability of the airbag 23 during inflation. The opening of the base 22 can be precisely designed according to the size of the air inlet pipe to ensure smooth air flow and avoid situations such as poor air flow or unstable connection due to improper opening size. In addition, the opening can be designed with a better sealing structure to prevent gas leakage and ensure the efficiency and energy conservation of the air charging and discharging system.

[0041] Preferably, the inflation and deflation device 24 is usually connected to a pressure sensor, which can monitor the air pressure in the airbag 23 in real time and dynamically adjust it according to the surface state of the vehicle body or the painting requirements. For example, when the tool needs to paint the flat part of the vehicle body, the inflation and deflation device 24 can adjust the inflation amount of the airbag 23 to increase the contact pressure; while for the concave or curved surface area of the vehicle body, the pressure of the airbag 23 can be reduced by deflation to ensure sufficient flexibility and adaptability when the tool contacts the surface, and avoid damaging the vehicle body surface.

[0042] It further includes an oil injection mechanism 4. The oil injection mechanism 4 includes an oil injection box 41 and an oil storage tank 42. An oil injection nozzle 412 is provided on the oil injection box 41. A pipeline is connected between the oil injection nozzle 412 and the oil storage tank 42. Among them, the oil injection box 41 is connected to the oil storage tank 42 through the pipeline for the purpose of transporting the oil liquid in the oil storage tank 42 to the oil injection box 41. The oil storage tank 42 is usually a relatively large container for storing the required oil liquid. The oil injection box 41 serves as a component for transporting and spraying the oil liquid, and can evenly distribute the oil liquid onto the surface of the flannelette 3. Specifically, the oil injection box 41 is provided with a groove 411 for accommodating the flexible tool 2. The oil injection nozzle 412 is arranged on the inner wall of the groove 411. The inner wall side and the inner wall bottom surface of the groove 411 are both connected with a conduit 413. The end of the conduit 413 radially expands to form a funnel shape. Each conduit 413 is equipped with an oil injection nozzle 412. The groove 411 provides a receiving space. The multi-axis robotic arm 1 can move the flannelette 3 into this receiving space. Since the multiple oil injection nozzles 412 in the groove 411 are arranged around the flannelette 3, therefore, it can effectively prevent the oil liquid from overflowing or being unevenly coated, which helps to control the spraying range and spraying amount of the oil liquid, avoid waste of the oil liquid and improve the uniformity of painting. And the end of the conduit 413 radially expands to form a funnel shape. The design purpose of the conduit 413 is to ensure that the oil liquid can smoothly transfer from the oil injection nozzle 412 of the oil injection box 41 to the surface of the flannelette 3, and at the same time avoid the outward diffusion of the oil liquid during the spraying process. The funnel-shaped structure of the conduit 413 helps to guide the flow direction and distribution of the oil liquid, so that the oil liquid can be accurately sprayed on the flannelette 3.

[0043] In some embodiments, the oil injection mechanism 4 further includes a bracket 421. The fuel tank 42 is arranged on the bracket 421. A plurality of rollers 422 are rotatably connected to the bottom surface of the bracket 421. The design of the bracket 421 not only ensures the stable installation of the oil injection box 41 and the fuel tank 42, but also facilitates adjustment and maintenance during the working process. Installing the fuel tank 42 on the bracket 421 ensures the continuity and stability of the oil supply. Secondly, the design of the rollers 422 enables the bracket 421 to move flexibly during the working process, facilitating the adjustment of the positioning and direction of the oil injection mechanism 4. Especially during large-scale or multi-region painting, it provides great flexibility. In addition, a hydraulic pump can be assembled on the bracket 421 to pump the oil in the fuel tank 42. It can be understood that in an automatic spraying system, the oil is one of the key factors affecting the painting effect, production efficiency, and equipment stability.

[0044] Regarding the rollers 422, different painting operations require the use of different types of oils, such as base oil, lubricating oil, spraying oil, cleaning oil, etc. The type, viscosity, fluidity, and chemical composition of the oil are directly related to the uniformity, adhesion, and surface smoothness of the coating. Therefore, for different spraying requirements, replacing the oil has become a necessary measure to ensure high-quality painting and the long-term stable operation of the equipment. For example, during the car spraying process, different types of oils may be required to meet the adhesion, fluidity, and surface treatment requirements of different coatings. To ensure the flexibility and adaptability of the spraying system, the oil injection system needs to have the ability to conveniently replace the oil, or rather, the oil injection mechanism 4 should have a certain displacement ability to facilitate direct oil replacement.

[0045] A usage method includes the following steps:

[0046] S1. Insert the tubular connector 21 into the base 22. The connection between the tubular connector 21 and the base 22 ensures that the airbag 23 and the flannelette 3 can be maintained in the correct position and work stably. Ensure that the tubular connector 21 is aligned and inserted into the base 22 to prevent loosening or misalignment during subsequent operations, thus affecting the oil injection effect;

[0047] S2. Snap the buckle portion 221 on the base 22 into the opening 211 of the tubular connector 21. By setting the buckle portion 221 to cooperate with the opening 211, the connection between the tubular connector 21 and the base 22 is further strengthened;

[0048] S3. Start the air charging and discharging device 24 to inflate the airbag 23. After the air pressure inside the airbag 23 reaches the predetermined pressure, the airbag 23 will apply a force away from the base 22 to the tubular connector 21, causing the buckle portion 221 to tightly engage with the opening 211. At the same time, the airbag 23 props up the flannelette 3. After the gas enters the airbag 23, the airbag 23 gradually expands. When the air pressure inside the airbag 23 reaches the predetermined value, the expansion force inside the airbag 23 will act on the tubular connector 21, pushing it away from the base 22, thereby tightening the engagement between the buckle portion 221 and the opening 211 to ensure a firm and stable connection. In addition, the expansion of the airbag 23 will also push the flannelette 3 to generate an appropriate tension, flattening the flannelette 3 and preparing it for the oil spraying operation. The precise control of this process can ensure uniform contact pressure and tension of the tool during the oil spraying process, thus ensuring high-quality painting.

[0049] S4. Drive the multi-axis robotic arm 1 to send the flannelette 3 to the oil spraying mechanism 4 for oil spraying. Specifically, the flexibility and precision of the multi-axis robotic arm 1 ensure that the flannelette 3 can be adjusted in multiple directions to ensure that each part can be accurately docked with the oil spraying mechanism 4. The oil spraying mechanism 4 sprays the oil liquid as needed and evenly sprays the oil liquid onto the surface of the flannelette 3 through precise oil spraying control. Among them, relying on the precise control of the multi-axis robotic arm 1 and the precise design of the oil spraying mechanism 4 to ensure the efficiency and uniformity of the painting operation.

[0050] For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention, the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms. Therefore, from any point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description. Therefore, it is intended to embrace all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims within the present invention.

Claims

1. A robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheets, characterized in that, It includes a multi-axis robotic arm and a flexible tool connected to the multi-axis robotic arm, the flexible tool includes a tubular connector, a base and flannel, the flannel is connected to one end of the tubular connector and covers its tube mouth, the other end of the tubular connector is detachably plugged into the base, a accommodating space is provided between the base and the flannel, the accommodating space is filled with an airbag, the airbag is connected to the base, a buckle portion is provided on the base, an opening is provided on the tubular connector for accommodating the buckle portion, and the inflated airbag opens the flannel.

2. The robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal thin plates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buckle portion comprises an elastic connecting piece, and a protrusion is integrally formed at the end of the elastic connecting piece for matching with the opening.

3. The robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheet according to claim 2, wherein: The elastic connecting piece is provided with a first Velcro, and the surface of the tubular connecting piece is provided with a second Velcro, and the first Velcro is fitted with the second Velcro.

4. The robotic automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheets according to claim 3, wherein: The airbag is provided with an air intake pipe, and the base is provided with an opening for installing the air intake pipe.

5. The robotic automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheets according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes an oil injection mechanism, which includes an oil injection box and an oil storage tank. The oil injection box is provided with an oil injection nozzle, and a pipeline is connected between the oil injection nozzle and the oil storage tank.

6. The robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheet according to claim 5, wherein: The oil spray box is provided with a groove for accommodating the flexible tool, and the oil spray nozzle is arranged on the inner wall of the groove.

7. The robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheet according to claim 6, wherein: The inner wall side surface and the inner wall bottom surface of the groove are both connected with a conduit, the end of the conduit is radially expanded to form a funnel shape, and each conduit is equipped with the fuel injection nozzle.

8. A robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheets according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes an air charging and discharging device, which is connected to the air inlet pipe.

9. The robot automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal thin plates according to claim 5, wherein: The oil injection mechanism also includes a bracket, the oil storage tank is arranged on the bracket, and the bottom surface of the bracket is rotatably connected to a plurality of rollers.

10. A method of use, applied to the robotic automatic oil-brushing flexible tool for metal sheets as described in claim 8, characterized in that The following steps are involved: S1, inserting the tubular connector into the base; S2, buckling the buckle portion on the base into the opening of the tubular connector; S3, starting the inflation and deflation device to inflate the airbag. After the air pressure inside the airbag reaches a predetermined pressure, the airbag applies a force to the tubular connector away from the base so that the buckle portion is tightly buckled with the opening. At the same time, the airbag props up the flannel. S4, driving the multi-axis robotic arm to send the flannel to the oil spraying mechanism for oil spraying.

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