Automatic box blank feeding gripper and whole-bundle box blank gripping method

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic box blank feeding gripper and a whole-bundle box blank grabbing method.The automatic box blank feeding gripper comprises a gripper body, a suction cup assembly, a push-pull mechanism and a hook belt cutter assembly, the suction cup assembly is arranged on the lower end face of the gripper body, a sliding block assembly is arranged on the gripper body in a sliding mode, and the hook belt cutter assembly is arranged on the sliding block assembly; the sliding block assembly is connected with the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism is arranged on the gripper body and used for driving the sliding block assembly to move back and forth. Automatic grabbing and feeding of a whole bundle of box blanks can be achieved, the labor intensity is reduced, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of packaging machinery, and in particular to an automatic box blank loading gripper and a method for gripping a whole bundle of box blanks. Background Art

[0002] In general-purpose industries, multi-jointed robots equipped with various grippers are often used to grab or pick up materials for boxing, packaging, or loading into designated locations, replacing manual labor. Due to the wide variety of materials used in general-purpose industries, and their varying physical dimensions, material handling requires tailored grippers to suit the specific materials. Currently, most cases of case packers and other main equipment are fed or added by workers manually, or by simple conveyor systems that deliver bundles of carton blanks to the machine. Manual loading and refilling are then performed with human assistance. The loading process involves transferring bundles (typically 20 per bundle) from a transfer pallet to the case packer's blank rack, cutting and removing two strapping straps, and operating the associated components. After loading, continuous production begins. This purely manual or semi-manual method, requiring workers to frequently bend or squat, is not only inefficient but also increases labor intensity. Over time, this increases the risk of occupational illness and affects worker health. This method is no longer able to meet workers' growing demands for work quality. This has necessitated the development of a gripper that can be installed on articulated robots, offering a rational structure, high efficiency, and a wide range of adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic box blank loading gripper and a method for grabbing a whole bundle of box blanks, so as to realize automatic grabbing and loading of a whole bundle of box blanks, reduce labor intensity and improve production efficiency.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in the present invention is: A gripper for automatically loading box blanks includes a gripper body, a suction cup assembly, a push-pull mechanism and a hook and strip cutter assembly. The suction cup assembly is arranged on the lower end surface of the gripper body, the slider assembly is slidably arranged on the gripper body, the hook and strip cutter assembly is arranged on the slider assembly, the slider assembly is connected to the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism is arranged on the gripper body for driving the slider assembly to move back and forth.

[0005] Preferably, the number of the hook cutter assemblies and the number of the slider assemblies are both two groups, the two slider assemblies are symmetrically arranged on the gripper body, and the two groups of hook cutter assemblies are respectively arranged on the two slider assemblies opposite to each other; The slider assembly includes a slider. A guide rod is arranged longitudinally on the gripper body. The slider is set on the guide rod. The slider is connected to the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism drives the slider to move back and forth along the guide rod.

[0006] Preferably, the slider assembly and the hook cutter assembly are arranged on the center line of the gripper body; The suction cup assembly includes a plurality of vacuum suction cups arranged on the gripper body. The plurality of vacuum suction cups are divided into two groups and are respectively arranged on both sides of the center line where the slider assembly and the hook cutter assembly are located on the gripper body.

[0007] Preferably, the push-pull mechanism includes a push-out cylinder, which is arranged on the gripper body, and the movable end of the push-out cylinder is connected to the slider assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the hook cutter assembly includes a cutter pressure plate cylinder, a pressure plate, a hook plate and a cutter. The hook plate is horizontally arranged on the slider assembly along the longitudinal direction, and the cutter pressure plate cylinder is vertically arranged on the slider assembly. The pressure plate is connected to the movable end of the cutter pressure plate cylinder and is arranged directly above the hook plate. The cutter is arranged on one side of the pressure plate, and the cutter is staggered with the hook plate below.

[0009] Preferably, a protective plate is provided on one side of the cutter, and the protective plate is connected to the slider assembly.

[0010] Preferably, a strap detection photoeye is provided on the slider assembly for detecting whether there is a strapping strap on the hook plate; a visual camera is provided on the gripper body or a visual camera is provided on an independent bracket above the working area.

[0011] Preferably, the outer ring of the gripper body is provided with a collision safety frame, the collision safety frame is connected to the gripper body through a strong magnet, and a collision switch is connected between the gripper body and the collision safety frame.

[0012] Preferably, the gripper body includes a body frame and a gripper flange for connecting to the robot body, the body frame includes two gripper longitudinal beams and a gripper cross beam, the two ends of the gripper cross beam are respectively connected to the middle parts of the two gripper longitudinal beams, the gripper flange is arranged on the gripper cross beam, and a guide rod connecting plate is connected between the two ends of the two gripper longitudinal beams; The slider assembly includes a slider, a guide rod is provided on the main body frame, the slider is set on the guide rod and can move back and forth along the guide rod, the guide rod is arranged longitudinally between the two gripper longitudinal beams, and the two ends of the guide rod are respectively connected to the guide rod connecting plates at both ends.

[0013] A method for grasping box blanks using the automatic box blank grasper as described above, wherein a strap detection photoeye is provided on the slider assembly for detecting whether a strap is present on the strapping plate, and a visual camera is provided on the grasper body or on an independent bracket above the working area; The method for grabbing a whole bundle of box blanks comprises the following steps: The robot body drives the automatic blank loading gripper to move to the storage area for the whole bundle of blanks; The visual camera identifies the specific position and placement direction of the entire bundle of box blanks, determines the box blank specifications, and determines the position of the strapping tape to facilitate accurate positioning, grasping, and storage of the entire bundle of box blanks; The suction cup assembly sucks and grabs a whole bundle of box blanks, and the push-pull mechanism drives the hook and cutter assembly to move through the slider assembly to hook the strapping on the whole bundle of box blanks, and the light eye determines whether the strapping is hooked; After the grabbed bundle of box blanks is moved and placed at the designated location, the strapping tape is cut by the strapping cutter assembly, and the cut strapping tape is clamped and moved to the strapping tape recovery area.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: The present invention grabs and transfers a whole bundle of box blanks to the box blank storage of the box opener through a suction cup assembly, and hooks and cuts the strapping of the whole bundle of box blanks through a hook and strap cutter assembly, thereby realizing automatic grabbing and loading of the whole bundle of box blanks, reducing labor intensity and improving production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the automatic box blank loading gripper in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A-direction view.

[0017] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the slider assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the automatic blank loading gripper grabbing the blank in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the figure: 1-box blank; 2-binding belt; 3-gripper body; 4-first vacuum interface; 5-second vacuum interface; 1-1- Collision switch; 1-2- Switch bracket; 1-3- Gripper flange; 1-4- Gripper longitudinal beam; 1-5- Extension bracket; 1-6- Ejection cylinder; 1-7- Ejection cylinder tailstock; 1-8- Transition vacuum tube structure; 1-9- Safety frame bracket; 1-10- Strong magnet; 1-11- Collision safety frame; 1-12- Vacuum intake pipe connector; 1-13- Vacuum air pipe; 2-1- Vacuum suction cup; 2-2- Guide rod pressure plate; 2-3- Gripper beam; 2-4- Air blowing joint; 2-5- Guide rod connecting plate; 2-6- Guide rod; 3-1-Cutter pressure plate cylinder; 3-2-Slider; 3-3-Pressing plate; 3-4-Hook plate; 3-5-Cutter; 3-6-Protective plate; 3-7-Detection bracket; 3-8-Cable tie detection photocell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0021] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like are used to indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integral connections. They may refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections. They may refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary, and they may refer to internal communication between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Example 1 A gripper for automatically loading box blanks includes a gripper body, a suction cup assembly, a push-pull mechanism and a hook and strip cutter assembly. The suction cup assembly is arranged on the lower end surface of the gripper body, the slider assembly is slidably arranged on the gripper body, the hook and strip cutter assembly is arranged on the slider assembly, the slider assembly is connected to the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism is arranged on the gripper body for driving the slider assembly to move back and forth.

[0024] Furthermore, the number of hook cutter assemblies and the number of slider assemblies are both two groups, the two slider assemblies are symmetrically arranged on the gripper body, and the two groups of hook cutter assemblies are respectively symmetrically arranged on the two slider assemblies; The slider assembly includes a slider 3-2, and a guide rod 2-6 is arranged longitudinally on the gripper body. The slider is set on the guide rod. The slider is connected to the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism drives the slider to move back and forth along the guide rod.

[0025] Furthermore, the slider assembly and the hook and strap cutter assembly are arranged on the center line of the gripper body; The suction cup assembly includes a plurality of vacuum suction cups arranged on the gripper body. The plurality of vacuum suction cups are divided into two groups and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the center line of the slider assembly and the hook cutter assembly on the gripper body.

[0026] Furthermore, the push-pull mechanism includes a push-out cylinder, which is arranged on the gripper body, and the movable end of the push-out cylinder is connected to the slider of the slider assembly; the push-out cylinder can drive the slider to move back and forth along the guide rod.

[0027] Example 2 The hook tape cutter assembly is further limited on the basis of Example 1, and the performance of Example 2 after the limitation is even better.

[0028] The hook strap cutter assembly includes a cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1, a pressure plate 3-3, a hook strap plate 3-4 and a cutter 3-5. The hook strap plate 3-4 is horizontally arranged on the slider assembly along the longitudinal direction. The cutter pressure plate cylinder is vertically downwardly arranged on the slider of the slider assembly. The pressure plate is connected to the movable end of the cutter pressure plate cylinder and is arranged directly above the hook strap plate. The cutter is arranged on one side of the pressure plate and is fixedly connected to the pressure plate. The cutter is staggered with the hook strap plate below. When the cutter pressure plate cylinder extends, it drives the cutter and the pressure plate to move toward the hook strap plate, and the pressure plate presses the strapping tape on the hook strap plate. At the same time, the cutter moves downward to cut the strapping tape from one side of the hook strap plate. When the cutter pressure plate cylinder retracts, it drives the cutter and the pressure plate to move above the hook strap plate, and the pressure plate is out of contact with the hook strap plate.

[0029] Furthermore, a protective plate 3-6 is provided on one side of the cutter, and the protective plate is connected to the slider assembly.

[0030] Furthermore, a strap detection photoeye 3-8 is provided on the slider assembly for detecting whether there is a strapping strap on the strap hook plate (that is, whether the strapping strap is hooked successfully by the strap hook plate).

[0031] Furthermore, the cable tie detection light eye is set on the slider assembly through the detection bracket 3-7, and the cable tie detection light eye 3-8 is set above the hook plate; a visual camera is provided on the gripper body or a visual camera is provided on an independent bracket above the working area.

[0032] Furthermore, the slider 3-2 is directly mounted on a pair of guide rods 2-6. The tail ends of a pair of push-out cylinders 1-6 are respectively mounted on the push-out cylinder tailstocks 1-7, equipped with nuts for locking and limiting. The heads are mounted on the slider 3-2 via built-in pins. The bottoms of the sliders are bolted to hook plates 3-4. When the push-out cylinders 1-6 are extended, the hook plates 3-4 can respectively complete the hooking of the strapping. During the strapping process, the strapping detection photocell 3-8, which is bolted to the detection bracket 3-7, will detect the strapping and feedback a success signal to the control system. If no signal is received, it means that the strapping has failed, and the system completes the transfer and rejection of the entire bundle of box blanks. A protective plate 3-6 bolted to the side of the slider 3-2 provides safety protection when the cutter 3-5 is extended. The cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1 is fixed to the slider 3-2 with bolts, and the pressure plate 3-3 is fixed to the bottom with bolts. The cutter 3-5 is also fixed to the side of the pressure plate 3-3 with bolts. When the cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1 is extended, the cutter 3-5 cuts the strapping that has been hooked on the hook plate 3-4 and clamps one end of the strapping. Driven by the robot, the strapping can be pulled out and placed in the designated recycling station.

[0033] Furthermore, a collision safety frame 1-11 is provided on the outer ring of the gripper body, and the collision safety frame is connected to the gripper body through a strong magnet 1-10. A collision switch 1-1 is connected between the gripper body and the collision safety frame; the collision safety frame 1-11 and the collision switch 1-1 connected thereto serve as safety components.

[0034] Furthermore, the gripper body includes a body frame and a gripper flange for connecting to the robot body. The body frame includes two gripper longitudinal beams 1-4 and a gripper crossbeam 2-3. The two ends of the gripper crossbeam are respectively connected to the middle of the two gripper longitudinal beams 1-4. The gripper flange is arranged on the gripper crossbeam. A guide rod connecting plate 2-5 is connected between the two ends of the two gripper longitudinal beams. The slider assembly includes a slider, a guide rod is provided on the main body frame, the slider is set on the guide rod and can move back and forth along the guide rod, the guide rod is arranged longitudinally between the two gripper longitudinal beams, and the two ends of the guide rod are respectively connected to the guide rod connecting plates at both ends.

[0035] Furthermore, there are two guide rods, and the middle parts of the two guide rods are connected with a guide rod pressure plate 2-2, which is connected to the gripper crossbeam.

[0036] Furthermore, some vacuum suction cups are directly connected to the main body frame, and other vacuum suction cups are connected to the main body frame through extension brackets. The extension brackets can avoid other components, so that the vacuum suction cups can be distributed everywhere as much as possible, and the force distribution during grasping is more even.

[0037] The automatic box blank loading gripper also includes a control system, which is connected to the push-pull mechanism, the hook and strap cutter assembly, the suction cup assembly, the cable tie detection light eye and the visual camera, and is also connected to the robot body.

[0038] A box blank gripping method using the automatic box blank gripper as described above, wherein a strap detection light eye (3-8) is provided on a slider assembly for detecting whether a strapping strap is on a hook plate, a visual camera is provided on the gripper body or a visual camera is provided on an independent bracket above a working area, and the visual camera is used to collect images and identify and judge the box blanks in the images.

[0039] The method for grabbing a whole bundle of box blanks comprises the following steps: Step 1: The robot body drives the automatic blank loading gripper to move to the storage area for the whole bundle of blanks; Step 2: A visual camera identifies the specific location and placement direction of the bundle of box blanks, determines the size of the box blanks, and determines the position of the strapping tape to facilitate accurate positioning, grasping, and storage of the bundle of box blanks. Box blanks that do not meet the requirements can also be rejected. Step 3: A whole bundle of box blanks is sucked and grasped by the suction cup assembly. The push-pull mechanism drives the hook and cutter assembly to move through the slider assembly to hook the strapping strap on the whole bundle of box blanks. The light eye is used to determine whether the strapping strap is hooked. Step 4: After the grabbed bundle of box blanks is moved and placed at a designated position on the carton opener, the strapping tape is cut by the strap cutter assembly, and the cut strapping tape is clamped and moved to the strapping tape recovery area.

[0040] The specific process of using a visual camera to identify the specific position of a whole bundle of box blanks and the direction in which the box blanks are placed, determine the specifications of the box blanks, and determine the position of the strapping tape is as follows: the visual camera collects the storage image of the whole bundle of box blanks, and determines the specific storage position of the whole bundle of box blanks through image recognition. The gripper can accurately locate the gripping position, and identify the specific direction or shape of the box blank storage according to the pattern at the specific position on the box blank in the image, thereby determining the forward and reverse direction of the box blank placement, and determining the specifications of the box blank through the text printed on the box blank in the image, and identifying the position of the strapping tape in the image, and automatically determining whether the position is qualified, and finally determining the result through features including but not limited to the above.

[0041] In step 3, the box blanks that do not meet the requirements include but are not limited to: wrong front and back directions, wrong patterns, wrong varieties, and wrong strapping positions.

[0042] Working principle of the present invention: like Figure 4As shown, the automatic box blank loading gripper is installed on the articulated robot through the gripper flange 1-3, and the vacuum source is connected to the first vacuum interface and the second vacuum interface respectively through the vacuum air pipe, and 10 groups of suction cups are used to realize the suction of the whole bundle of box blanks; the compressed air through the solenoid valve is respectively connected to the pushing cylinder 1-6 and the cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1 through the air pipe, and the pushing cylinder 1-6 is pushed out during the stroke to realize the hooking of the strapping, and the cutter pressure plate cylinder is extended to realize the cutting of the strapping and the clamping of one end of the strapping after cutting, and the successful hooking detection and judgment is realized in the process of hooking the strapping; when the automatic box blank loading gripper works with the visual camera, it can accurately realize the precise positioning of the gripper's gripping position, the judgment of the forward and reverse direction of the box blank placement, the judgment of the box blank specifications, the judgment of the strapping position, and the box blanks that do not meet the requirements can be rejected, ensuring the stability of the gripper's gripping and the effectiveness of automatic box blank loading.

[0043] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, an automatic box blank loading gripper of the present invention includes but is not limited to a pair of collision switches 1-1, a pair of switch brackets 1-2, a gripper flange 1-3, a pair of gripper longitudinal beams 1-4, four extension brackets 1-5, a pair of ejection cylinders 1-6, a pair of ejection cylinder tail seats 1-7, four transition vacuum tube structures 1-8, four safety frame brackets 1-9, four strong magnets 1-10, a collision safety frame 1-11, a pair of vacuum air inlet pipe joints 1-12, a vacuum air pipe 1-13, ten vacuum suction cups 2-1, a guide rod pressure plate 2-2, a gripper crossbeam 2-3, an air blowing joint 2-4, a pair of guide rod connecting plates 2-5, a pair of guide rods 2-6, a pair of cutter pressure plate cylinders 3-1, a pair of sliders 3-2, a pair of pressure plates 3-3, a pair of hook plates 3-4, a pair of cutters 3-5, a pair of protective plates 3-6, a pair of detection brackets 3-7 and a pair of tie detection light eyes 3-8.

[0044] The main body comprises a gripper flange 1-3, a pair of gripper longitudinal beams 1-4, a guide rod pressure plate 2-2, a gripper crossbeam 2-3, a pair of guide rod connecting plates 2-5, and a pair of guide rods 2-6. The gripper flange 1-3 is bolted directly to the gripper crossbeam 2-3, connecting the gripper to the robot. The pair of guide rods 2-6 are bolted to the pair of guide rod connecting plates 2-5 at both ends, with the guide rod pressure plate 2-2 pressing them against the gripper crossbeam 2-3 in the middle and then bolted together. The ends of the pair of guide rod connecting plates 2-5 are bolted to the ends of the pair of gripper longitudinal beams 1-4, forming a stable gripper main body assembly.

[0045] The suction cup assembly includes four vacuum suction cups 2-1 at both ends, which are directly installed on four extension brackets 1-5 by locking nuts. The four extension brackets 1-5 are respectively fixed to the outer sides of the two gripper longitudinal beams 1-4 by bolts to expand the position of the vacuum suction cup; six vacuum suction cups 2-1 in the middle position, each group of three, are respectively installed on the lower sides of the two gripper longitudinal beams 1-4, and the outer suction cups are connected through a vacuum air pipe 1-13. The external vacuum source is connected to a pair of gripper longitudinal beams 1-4 with a hollow structure through a pair of vacuum air inlet pipe joints 1-12 to ensure the vacuum conduction of all vacuum suction cups of the gripper, so as to realize the grabbing of bundled box blanks.

[0046] The safety components include a pair of collision switches 1-1 which are fixed to the collision safety frame 1-11 and one of the gripper longitudinal beams 1-4 by bolts through a pair of switch brackets 1-2, four strong magnets 1-10 are locked to the collision safety frame 1-11 by bolts, and four safety frame brackets 1-9 are fixed to a pair of gripper longitudinal beams 1-4 by bolts. The strong magnets 1-10 are adsorbed on the safety frame brackets 1-9 to realize the connection between the collision safety frame 1-11 and the gripper. When the robot drives the gripper to run and encounters an obstacle, the collision safety frame 1-11 will be displaced from the gripper body, and at this time the collision switch 1-1 will send an alarm signal to the control system.

[0047] The slider assembly is a pair, comprising a pair of cutter and pressure plate cylinders 3-1, a pair of sliders 3-2, a pair of pressure plates 3-3, a pair of hook plates 3-4, a pair of cutters 3-5, a pair of protective plates 3-6, a pair of detection brackets 3-7, and a pair of tie detection photocells 3-8. The sliders 3-2 are directly mounted on a pair of guide rods 2-6. The tail ends of a pair of push-out cylinders 1-6 are respectively mounted on the push-out cylinder tailstocks 1-7, equipped with nut locking limiters. The heads are mounted on the sliders 3-2 via self-contained pins. The bottoms of the sliders are bolted to hook plates 3-4. When the push-out cylinders 1-6 are extended, the hook plates 3-4 can respectively complete the hooking of the strapping. During the strapping process, the strapping detection photocell 3-8, which is bolted to the detection bracket 3-7, will detect the strapping and feedback a success signal to the control system. If no signal is received, it means that the strapping has failed, and the system completes the transfer and rejection of the entire bundle of box blanks. A protective plate 3-6 bolted to the side of the slider 3-2 provides safety protection when the cutter 3-5 is extended. A cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1 is bolted to the slider 3-2, and a pressure plate 3-3 is bolted to the bottom. The cutter 3-5 is also bolted to the side of the pressure plate 3-3. When the cutter pressure plate cylinder 3-1 extends, the cutter 3-5 cuts the strapping strap hooked on the strap hook 3-4 and clamps one end of the strapping strap. Driven by the robot, the strapping strap can be extracted and placed in the designated recycling station.

[0048] To sum up, 1. The hand body is lightweight, the interface is universal and unified, and it can be installed on various articulated robots by matching different flange interfaces; 2. It has multiple functions and high efficiency. The gripper is equipped with a visual camera, which can quickly realize all functions such as grasping and positioning, strapping detection, specification identification, double strapping cutting and recycling, and rejection of unqualified box blanks at one time; 3. The basic model of the gripper contains 10 sets of suction cups and has a suction cup position expansion function, which can effectively prevent abnormal situations such as falling off during the grasping of box blanks, and has higher stability and reliability; 4. The gripper can complete a variety of commonly used box blank specifications that are larger than the body size without size adjustment. It can be used directly, with the advantages of wide adaptability and no adjustment required; 5. The gripper has an automatic safety anti-collision frame. After being installed on a safety-certified collaborative articulated robot, it has a collision alarm function, can be open for work, and is highly safe; 6. The gripper can realize all functions such as grasping, placing, rejecting, and strapping recovery of whole bundles of box blanks of various sizes.

[0049] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0050] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or changes based on the above description, and all such improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic box blank loading gripper, characterized by: It includes a gripper body, a suction cup assembly, a push-pull mechanism and a hook and tape cutter assembly. The suction cup assembly is arranged on the lower end surface of the gripper body, the slider assembly is slidably arranged on the gripper body, the hook and tape cutter assembly is arranged on the slider assembly, the slider assembly is connected to the push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism is arranged on the gripper body to drive the slider assembly to move back and forth.

2. The automatic blank loading gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of hook cutter assemblies and the number of slider assemblies are both two groups, the two slider assemblies are symmetrically arranged on the gripper body, and the two groups of hook cutter assemblies are respectively arranged on the two slider assemblies opposite to each other; The slider assembly comprises a slider (3-2), a guide rod (2-6) is arranged longitudinally on the gripper body, the slider is arranged on the guide rod, the slider is connected to a push-pull mechanism, and the push-pull mechanism drives the slider to move back and forth along the guide rod.

3. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 2, characterized in that: The slider assembly and the hook and strap cutter assembly are arranged on the center line of the gripper body; The suction cup assembly includes a plurality of vacuum suction cups arranged on the gripper body. The plurality of vacuum suction cups are divided into two groups and are respectively arranged on both sides of the center line where the slider assembly and the hook cutter assembly are located on the gripper body.

4. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The push-pull mechanism comprises a push-out cylinder which is arranged on the gripper body, and a movable end of the push-out cylinder is connected to the slider assembly.

5. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The hook strip cutter assembly comprises a cutter pressure plate cylinder (3-1), a pressure plate (3-3), a hook strip plate (3-4) and a cutter (3-5). The hook strip plate (3-4) is arranged horizontally on the slider assembly in the longitudinal direction. The cutter pressure plate cylinder is arranged vertically on the slider assembly. The pressure plate is connected to the movable end of the cutter pressure plate cylinder and is arranged directly above the hook strip plate. The cutter is arranged on one side of the pressure plate and is staggered with the hook strip plate below.

6. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 5, characterized in that: A protective plate (3-6) is provided on one side of the cutter, and the protective plate is connected to the slider assembly.

7. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 5, characterized in that: A strap detection light eye (3-8) is provided on the slider assembly for detecting whether a strap is on the hook plate; a visual camera is provided on the gripper body or a visual camera is provided above the working area.

8. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer ring of the gripper body is provided with a collision safety frame (1-11), the collision safety frame is connected to the gripper body via a strong magnet (1-10), and a collision switch (1-1) is connected between the gripper body and the collision safety frame.

9. The automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripper body comprises a body frame and a gripper flange for connecting to the robot body, the body frame comprises two gripper longitudinal beams (1-4) and a gripper crossbeam (2-3), the two ends of the gripper crossbeam are respectively connected to the middle parts of the two gripper longitudinal beams (1-4), the gripper flange is arranged on the gripper crossbeam, and a guide rod connecting plate (2-5) is connected between the two ends of the two gripper longitudinal beams; The slider assembly includes a slider, a guide rod is provided on the main body frame, the slider is set on the guide rod and can move back and forth along the guide rod, the guide rod is arranged longitudinally between the two gripper longitudinal beams, and the two ends of the guide rod are respectively connected to the guide rod connecting plates at both ends.

10. A method for grabbing a bundle of box blanks using the automatic box blank loading gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slider assembly is provided with a strap detection light eye (3-8) for detecting whether there is a strap on the hook plate, and a visual camera is provided on the gripper body or above the working area; The method for grabbing a whole bundle of box blanks comprises the following steps: The robot body drives the automatic blank loading gripper to move to the storage area for the whole bundle of blanks; The visual camera identifies the specific position and placement direction of the entire bundle of box blanks, determines the box blank specifications, and determines the position of the strapping tape to facilitate accurate positioning, grasping, and storage of the entire bundle of box blanks; The suction cup assembly sucks and grabs a whole bundle of box blanks, and the push-pull mechanism drives the hook and cutter assembly to move through the slider assembly to hook the strapping on the whole bundle of box blanks, and the light eye determines whether the strapping is hooked; After the grabbed bundle of box blanks is moved and placed at the designated location, the strapping tape is cut by the strap cutter assembly, and the cut strapping tape is clamped and moved to the strapping tape recovery area.

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