Feeding assembly facilitating material grabbing and using method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of feeding equipment, in particular to a feeding assembly facilitating material grabbing and a using method of the feeding assembly facilitating material grabbing. The limiting assembly comprises two supporting units which are oppositely distributed; the lifting assembly comprises a lifting unit arranged on the supporting unit; the lifting unit is connected with a driving unit; the driving unit can drive the lifting unit to operate on the supporting unit; through cooperative use of the supporting unit, the lifting unit and the driving unit, the position of the material frame loaded with the to-be-grabbed materials can be changed subsequently according to needs, so that the materials on the material frame are located at the most appropriate grabbing height of the robot; and operation interference between a traditional robot and the material rack when the traditional robot grabs the materials on the middle and lower layers of the material rack is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of feeding equipment, in particular to a feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing and a use method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The body in white is the basic framework of the automobile structure, and its welding process directly determines the strength, dimensional accuracy and production efficiency of the entire vehicle.

[0003] Traditional welding workshops adopt a modular layout that combines sub-assembly lines (such as front body lines and side panels lines) with main welding lines, and use robots to complete the welding and assembly of each sub-assembly.

[0004] Among them, the top cover assembly, as a key component of the upper body, needs to be transported to the main line through a precision positioning rack for robot grasping. Its positioning accuracy directly affects the assembly quality of the top cover and side panels, front windshield and other components.

[0005] Among the current mainstream processes, resistance spot welding still occupies a dominant position (accounting for about 70%). It achieves high-precision welding through robots equipped with servo-electric welding clamps, and the completion time of a single welding point can be controlled within 0.3 seconds.

[0006] However, with the application of lightweight materials (such as high-strength steel and aluminum alloy) and the demand for co-production of multiple models, the welding workshop's requirements for flexibility and intelligence have increased significantly.

[0007] For example, companies such as GAC Trumpchi have achieved technological breakthroughs in new processes such as low-power laser welding and double-J-shaped brazing, significantly improving weld quality and appearance refinement.

[0008] In the top cover assembly conveying process, the traditional precision positioning rack has two core problems:

[0009] 1. Conflict between spatial interference and robot accessibility

[0010] Precision positioning racks usually need to store 6-8 layers of workpieces to meet the production line rhythm requirements, and the height generally exceeds 2.5 meters.

[0011] When the robot grabs the bottom workpiece, its sixth-axis flange is likely to collide with the parts or material rack, causing a shutdown failure; if the solution of shortening the material rack height is adopted, frequent material replenishment is required, reducing the line's operating rate.

[0012] Unplanned downtime caused by such interventions accounts for approximately 12% of the total downtime of the welding section.

[0013] 2. Forklift switching efficiency and safety hazards;

[0014] Traditional rack switching relies on forklift handling, and a single switch takes about 8-10 minutes, seriously affecting the production line rhythm (especially for high-beat production lines with JPH ≥ 60).

[0015] In addition, forklift operations have the following risks:

[0016] Positioning accuracy depends on operator experience, and the repeatability error is often greater than ±10mm, requiring additional adjustment time;

[0017] Collision accidents are prone to occur in areas where people and vehicles mix. According to statistics, 30% of safety accidents in welding workshops are related to forklift operations.

[0018] The existing patent CN218433309U - A feeding system between processes of a welding production line discloses a method for feeding between processes of a welding production line; however, it cannot effectively solve the problem of interference with adjacent components when the robot grabs the bottom workpiece in the material rack.

[0019] Therefore, in order to improve or solve at least one of the above technical problems, it is necessary to optimize the design of the feeding system of the existing welding production line. Summary of the Invention

[0020] The object of the present invention is to provide a feeding assembly that can reduce or avoid the problem of interference between a robot and adjacent components when the robot grasps a bottom workpiece in a material rack.

[0021] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0022] A feeding assembly that facilitates material grabbing, including a limiting assembly and a lifting assembly;

[0023] The limiting assembly includes two relatively distributed supporting units;

[0024] The lifting assembly includes a lifting unit arranged on a supporting unit; the lifting unit is connected to a driving unit;

[0025] The driving unit can drive the lifting unit to operate on the supporting unit.

[0026] The support unit includes a column frame;

[0027] The lifting unit includes a lifting platform;

[0028] The driving unit includes a driving structure, and the driving structure can drive the lifting platform to move on the column frame.

[0029] The lifting platform is connected to the column frame through a guide rail structure;

[0030] The guide rail structure includes at least one guide rail mechanism;

[0031] The guide rail mechanism includes a guide rail bar arranged on the column frame; the lifting platform is connected to the guide rail bar through a guide rail slider;

[0032] The driving structure includes a driving screw rod, which is connected to the lifting platform through a driving slider; the driving screw rod is connected to a driving mechanism.

[0033] The lifting platform is provided with a guide unit, which includes a plurality of guide components. The guide components include a guide bracket provided on the lifting platform, and the guide bracket is provided with a guide wheel.

[0034] The lifting platform is provided with a positioning unit, which includes a positioning block arranged on the lifting platform, and a positioning protrusion is provided on the positioning block; the outer side surface of the positioning protrusion away from the lifting platform is an arc surface.

[0035] The feeding assembly also includes a detection unit; the detection unit includes at least one detection structure; the detection structure includes a position detection mechanism; the position detection mechanism includes a first detection mechanism and a second detection mechanism arranged on the column frame for limiting the operating height of the lifting platform; the first detection mechanism is used to limit the downward height of the lifting platform; the second detection mechanism is used to limit the upward height of the lifting platform.

[0036] The detection unit further includes an identification unit, which includes a speed identification unit and a material identification unit; the speed identification unit includes an identification component arranged on the column frame; the material identification unit includes a material detection sensor for detecting whether there is material on the material rack.

[0037] The feeding assembly further comprises a lateral limiting unit, which comprises a rear limiting frame. The rear limiting frame is provided with a blocking mechanism, which comprises a limiting block arranged on the rear limiting frame.

[0038] The feeding assembly also includes a feeding guide structure, which includes two guide plates distributed at intervals; the guide plates include a straight plate and an inclined plate; the straight plates of the two guide plates are distributed in parallel at intervals, and the inclined plates of the two guide plates are distributed in an eight-shaped shape.

[0039] A method for using the feeding assembly that facilitates material grabbing, the method comprising the following steps:

[0040] Step 1: Operation preparation; inspection of the feeding assembly before use and verification of the material to be grabbed;

[0041] Step 2: Push the material rack loaded with the material to be grabbed to the feeding assembly;

[0042] Step 3: Robot grabs; the robot grabs the top layer of materials in a preset order; the driving unit controls the position of the lifting unit to gradually raise the position of the top layer of materials in the material rack;

[0043] Step 4: When all materials on a material rack are grabbed, the feeding assembly drives the material rack to move down, and then the empty material rack is manually pulled out; the next fully loaded material rack is replaced; and then the cycle returns to step 3.

[0044] The advantages of the present invention are:

[0045] The invention discloses a feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing and a use method thereof.

[0046] Through the coordinated use of the support unit, the lifting unit and the drive unit, the present invention can subsequently change the position of the material rack loaded with the material to be grasped as needed, so that the material on the material rack is at the most suitable height for the robot to grasp, thereby avoiding the operation interference of the traditional robot with the material rack when grasping the lower layer of the material rack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] The following is a brief description of the contents and symbols in the drawings of the present invention:

[0048] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the present invention from a first viewing angle.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the second viewing angle of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the single-side support unit in the present invention.

[0051] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of area A in the middle.

[0052] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the lifting platform of the present invention from the first perspective.

[0053] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the lifting platform of the present invention from the first perspective.

[0054] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the material lifting rack of the present invention.

[0055] The marks in the above figure are:

[0056] 1-1. Feeding assembly, 1. Support unit, 2. Lifting unit, 3. Lateral limit unit, 4. Detection unit, 5. Guide component, 6. Guide rail mechanism, 7. Guide rail plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The specific implementation of the present invention will be further explained in detail below by describing the best embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] A feeding assembly 1-1 for convenient material grabbing includes a limit assembly and a lifting assembly; the limit assembly includes two relatively distributed support units 1; the lifting assembly includes a lifting unit 2 arranged on the support unit 1; the lifting unit 2 is connected to a driving unit; the driving unit can drive the lifting unit 2 to operate on the support unit 1; the present invention uses the support unit 1, the lifting unit 2 and the driving unit in coordination, and can subsequently change the position of the material rack 9 loaded with the material to be grabbed as needed, so that the material on the material rack 9 is at the most suitable height for the robot to grab, thereby avoiding interference with the operation of the material rack 9 when the traditional robot grabs the lower layer of the material rack 9.

[0059] Specifically, the feeding assembly 1-1 disclosed in the present invention is mainly used to load the material rack 9, so as to facilitate the longitudinal elevation of the material rack 9 and avoid operational interference between the material rack 9 and the mechanical arm of the grasping robot.

[0060] In the present invention, the feeding assembly 1 - 1 includes a limiting assembly and a lifting assembly; the limiting assembly plays a good role in supporting the lower end, and the setting of the lifting assembly facilitates the arrangement and placement of the material rack 9.

[0061] The material rack 9 designed in the present invention is an existing material rack 9 structure, which is mainly used for placing and arranging materials to be grasped.

[0062] In the present invention, the limiting assembly includes two relatively distributed support units 1; the lifting assembly includes a lifting unit 2 arranged on the support unit 1; the lifting unit 2 is connected to a driving unit; the driving unit can drive the lifting unit 2 to run on the support unit 1; the two support units 1 can realize the installation arrangement of the lifting unit 2, and the setting of the lifting unit 2 is mainly used to provide longitudinal support to the material rack 9, and the driving unit mainly drives the lifting unit 2 to run on the support unit 1 along the longitudinal height direction.

[0063] In the present invention, a "highly adaptive adjustment" mechanism is adopted to change the Z-axis position of the material rack 9 in real time, so that the target material is always in the optimal grasping plane of the robot's accessible workspace (usually the upper three-layer working area), avoiding the risk of collision between the robotic arm and the main structure of the material rack 9.

[0064] In the present invention, each support unit 1 is provided with a lifting unit 2, each lifting unit 2 is connected to a driving unit, and the lifting units 2 on the two support units 1 are symmetrically distributed at intervals.

[0065] In the present invention, the support unit 1 includes a column frame 11; the lifting unit 2 includes a lifting platform 21; the driving unit includes a driving structure 63, and the driving structure 63 can drive the lifting platform 21 to move on the column frame 11; the two column frames 11 are distributed in parallel at intervals and serve as two longitudinal support members, and a lifting platform 21 is provided on the column frame 11. The lifting platform 21 is a horizontal plate structure as a whole, mainly for the convenience of longitudinal support of the material rack 9; the lifting platform 21 is connected to the column frame 11 in various ways, and can be connected through the guide rail mechanism 6 below, or can be connected by other connection methods.

[0066] In the present invention, the column frame 11 is generally made of rectangular tubes assembled and welded.

[0067] In addition, in the present invention, a column base plate 12 is provided at the lower end of the column frame 11. The column frame 11 can be directly arranged on the column base plate 12. The column frame 11 and the column base plate 12 can also be connected by bolts or screws.

[0068] At the same time, in order to better ensure the accuracy of the installation position of the column frame 11 on the column base plate 12, in the present invention, a limit block 13 is provided on the column base plate 12, and the limit block 13 presses against the side of the column frame 11 to prevent the column frame 11 from slipping on the column base plate 12.

[0069] In the present invention, the lifting platform 21 is mainly a steel support plate structure, which is used to directly support the entire stack of material racks 9.

[0070] In the present invention, the driving structure 63 mainly includes a servo motor and a driving screw 64 (the motor is fixed to the top of the column frame 11, and the two ends of the driving screw 64 are respectively connected to the side of the column frame 11 through a bearing mechanism; and the driving screw 64 is connected to the lifting platform 21 through a driving slider; in actual use, the servo motor is required to drive the driving screw 64 to rotate; the driving screw 64 is required to drive the driving slider to move along the axial direction of the driving screw 64; and then drive the lifting platform 21 to move along the height of the column frame 11.

[0071] In order to avoid the driving slider following the driving screw rod 64 to rotate in the present invention, the lifting platform 21 is required to be connected to the column frame 11 through a guide rail structure in the present invention; the guide rail structure includes at least one guide rail mechanism 6; the guide rail mechanism 6 includes a guide rail bar 61 arranged on the column frame 11; the lifting platform 21 is connected to the guide rail bar 61 through a guide rail slider 62; the driving structure 63 includes a driving screw rod 64, and the driving screw rod 64 is connected to the lifting platform 21 through the driving slider; the driving screw rod 64 is connected to the driving mechanism; the guide rail bar 61 is fixed on the column frame 11, and the guide rail slider 62 is connected to the lifting platform 21, and the lifting platform 21 is connected to the column frame 11 through the guide rail slider 62. Based on the setting of the guide rail mechanism 6, the linearity of the operation of the lifting platform 21 can be guaranteed. At the same time, the setting of the guide rail mechanism 6 can also avoid the driving slider following the driving screw rod 64 to rotate.

[0072] In actual arrangement, the guide rail structure includes two guide rail mechanisms 6, and the two guide rail mechanisms 6 are distributed in parallel at intervals; through the coordinated use of the two guide rail mechanisms 6, a better limiting and guiding effect is achieved.

[0073] Furthermore, a guide unit is provided on the lifting platform 21 in the present invention. The guide unit disclosed in the present invention mainly cooperates with the horizontal bars on the side of the material rack 9 to ensure the accuracy of the arrangement position of the material rack 9 between the two support units 1.

[0074] Specifically, in the present invention, the guide unit includes a plurality of guide components 5, and the guide component 5 includes a guide bracket 51 arranged on the lifting platform 21, and a guide wheel 52 is provided on the guide bracket 51; the guide bracket 51 plays a good longitudinal supporting role, and the guide wheel 52 is a rolling unit, and the side of the guide wheel 52 is pressed against the horizontal bar of the material rack 9, playing a good lateral limiting role.

[0075] This facilitates the mutual limit calibration between the guide unit and the material rack 9 when the subsequent material rack 9 is pushed in, thereby avoiding lateral deviation of the material rack 9 on the feeding assembly 1-1.

[0076] In the present invention, the guide unit includes a plurality of guide components 5 , and generally a plurality of guide components 5 are provided. The plurality of guide components 5 are arranged along the length direction of the lifting platform 21 .

[0077] At the same time, each guide component 5 in each guide unit is arranged on the side of the lifting platform 21 close to the column frame 11.

[0078] In the present invention, a positioning unit 22 is provided on the lifting platform 21. The positioning unit 22 plays a good supporting and calibrating role, and is convenient for limiting the lower end of the material rack 9.

[0079] In the present invention, the positioning unit 22 includes a positioning block 221 arranged on the lifting platform 21, and a positioning protrusion 222 is provided on the positioning block 221; the outer side surface of the positioning protrusion 222 away from the lifting platform 21 is an arc surface; in the present invention, the positioning block 221 is connected to the lifting platform 21 by screws or bolts, and the positioning block 221 is provided with a positioning protrusion 222, and the positioning protrusion 222 is a spherical protrusion. A limiting groove 91 is provided on the support foot of the material rack 9. When used subsequently, the material rack 9 is equivalent to being seated on the positioning unit 22, thereby playing a good supporting and limiting role; the setting of the spherical protrusion facilitates the installation of the material rack 9 on the positioning unit 22.

[0080] In the present invention, because the positioning unit needs to be inserted into the limiting groove, in order to avoid interference at the starting position, the present invention requires that the positioning unit does not contact the material frame when the lifting platform is at the lowermost position.

[0081] In the present invention, a positioning unit 22 is provided at each end of the lifting platform 21, and a total of four positioning units 22 are distributed on the two lifting platforms 21. Each positioning unit 22 limits a corner of the material rack 9; based on the cooperation of the four positioning units 22, the accuracy of the placement position of the material rack 9 on the feeding assembly 1-1 can be guaranteed.

[0082] Furthermore, in the present invention, the feeding assembly 1-1 also includes a detection unit 4; the detection unit 4 includes at least one detection structure; the detection structure includes a position detection mechanism; the position detection mechanism includes a first detection mechanism 42 and a second detection mechanism 41 arranged on the column frame 11 for limiting the operating height of the lifting platform 21; the first detection mechanism 42 is used to limit the downward height of the lifting platform 21; the second detection mechanism 41 is used to limit the upward height of the lifting platform 21; the present invention can limit the longitudinal position of the material rack 9 through the setting of the detection unit 4.

[0083] In the present invention, the first detection mechanism 42 is used to limit the downward height of the lifting platform 21; the second detection mechanism 41 is used to limit the upward height of the lifting platform 21; in the present invention, the first detection mechanism 42 is mainly a downward travel switch arranged on the column frame 11; the second detection mechanism 41 mainly includes an upward travel switch arranged on the column frame 11.

[0084] In the present invention, the detection unit 4 further includes an identification unit. The identification unit has one function of identifying the speed of the material rack 9 and another function of identifying the material to be grabbed on the material rack 9 .

[0085] In the present invention, the identification unit includes a speed identification unit 82 and a material identification unit 81; the speed identification unit 82 includes an identification component arranged on the column frame 11; the material identification unit 81 includes a material detection sensor for detecting whether there is material on the material rack 9; in the present invention, the identification component can be a position sensor or a laser sensor; in conjunction with the control module, the upward or downward speed of the material rack 9 can be controlled.

[0086] The material detection sensor generally uses a laser sensor, which is mainly used to identify whether there is material on the material rack 9 and the position of the upper material; to avoid the problem that the upper material is not in the designed position and that empty material on the material rack 9 cannot be identified in time.

[0087] Based on the above, it can be known that the detection unit 4 disclosed in the present invention has hierarchical protection.

[0088] The present invention divides the detection unit 4 into a mechanical limiting layer (first detection mechanism 42 / second detection mechanism 41) and an intelligent identification layer (speed identification unit 82+material identification unit 81), forming double protection.

[0089] Mechanical limit layer: Prevent the lifting platform 21 from overtravel through a hard travel switch (such as a photoelectric switch, a mechanical bumper).

[0090] Intelligent recognition layer: Use dynamic sensors (such as laser displacement sensors, visual recognition) to adjust speed or trigger alarms in real time to solve the problems of "material offset" and "empty material".

[0091] In the present invention, the speed identification unit can be set in various forms. A sensor or a mechanical travel switch can be used. A single device or multiple devices can be used in combination, and the selection is made according to actual requirements.

[0092] Speed ​​identification unit 82:

[0093] Laser rangefinder (longitudinal speed) + encoder (motor speed) + IMU (inertial measurement unit, vibration detection) fuses data through the Kalman filter algorithm to improve speed control accuracy.

[0094] When it is detected that the speed of the material rack 9 exceeds the threshold (such as 0.5m / s 2 ), the control module triggers reverse braking to prevent material dumping.

[0095] Material Identification Unit 81:

[0096] Layered scanning: multiple laser sensors are arranged at different heights on the column frame 11 to identify the relative position of each layer of material on the material rack 9 (such as detecting whether the upper layer of material is tilted).

[0097] Empty material identification: Distinguish between materials and empty racks through reflectivity differences (e.g., material reflectivity >80%, empty rack <20%), solving the misjudgment problem of traditional sensors.

[0098] If it is detected that the reflectivity of a layer is lower than the threshold and lasts for 3 seconds, the control module marks the layer as "empty" and skips the grabbing instruction.

[0099] Control module coordination mechanism, closed-loop control logic:

[0100] Furthermore, the feeding assembly 1-1 described in the present invention also includes a lateral limiting unit 3. The lateral limiting unit 3 of the present invention is mainly at one end of the two support units 1; from the perspective of the entry and exit direction of the material rack 9, the lateral limiting unit 3 is located behind the material rack 9. The guide unit on the support unit 1 of the present invention can realize the limitation of the position on both sides of the material rack 9, and when the material rack 9 is pushed in, there is a lack of limiting points at the rear, which easily leads to the problem of over-pushing; and in order to solve the above problems, the present invention designs a lateral limiting unit 3, and the lateral limiting unit 3 can limit the position of the rear of the material rack 9; through the cooperation of the two guide units and the lateral limiting unit 3, the pushing position of the material rack 9 can be well limited, which is convenient for the positioning unit 22 to be inserted into the material rack 9 when the lifting platform 21 is lifted later.

[0101] Specifically, in the present invention, the lateral limiting unit 3 includes a rear limiting frame 31, and the rear limiting frame 31 is provided with a blocking mechanism, and the blocking mechanism includes a limiting block 32 arranged on the rear limiting frame 31; the rear limiting frame 31 plays a good longitudinal supporting role, and the limiting block 32 acts as a blocking block, which is convenient for limiting the rear position of the material rack 9 and preventing the material rack 9 from being pushed in too much.

[0102] Furthermore, the feeding assembly 1-1 described in the present invention also includes a feeding guide structure. The present invention plays a good guiding and restraining role through the setting of the feeding guide structure, ensuring that the material rack 9 enters the set position of the feeding assembly 1-1; the feeding guide structure described in the present invention includes two guide plates 7 distributed at intervals; the two guide plates 7 are symmetrically distributed at intervals, which can play a good lateral limiting role on the roller below the material rack 9, ensuring the accuracy of the material rack 9 being pushed into the position of the feeding assembly 1-1.

[0103] In the present invention, the guide plate 7 includes a straight plate 71 and an inclined plate 72; the straight plates 71 in the two guide plates 7 are distributed in parallel at intervals, and the inclined plates 72 in the two guide plates 7 are distributed in an eight-shaped shape; the two inclined plates 72 form a trumpet-mouth structure, which is convenient for the material rack 9 to enter the feeding guide structure, and the straight plate 71 is distributed parallel to the lifting platform 21, which is convenient for position limitation of the pushing direction of the material rack 9, and convenient for subsequent cooperation with the lateral limit unit 3 to realize the position limitation of the material rack 9 in the feeding assembly 1-1.

[0104] During actual installation and arrangement, a mounting transverse plate is provided at the lower edge of the guide rail plate 7 , and the guide rail plate 7 is connected to the ground through the mounting transverse plate.

[0105] In addition, in order to ensure the limitation of the material running position, the feeding guide structure is required to extend into the area between the two guide units; such a setting ensures the continuity of the lateral limitation of the pushing position of the material rack 9. The position is initially limited by the feeding guide structure; subsequently, the position is limited by the two guide units, thereby ensuring that the side of the material rack 9 is in a limited state throughout the entire pushing process.

[0106] In addition, in order to avoid interference between the guide plate 7 and the roller below the material rack 9, the height of the guide plate 7 is required to be 3-5 mm lower than the center axis of the roller.

[0107] Furthermore, in the present invention, some extrusion mechanisms can be set on the column frame 11, and the extrusion mechanism includes an extrusion cylinder arranged on the column frame 11. The piston end of the extrusion cylinder is provided with an extrusion plate. During actual use, the extrusion cylinder pushes the extrusion plate to run, so that the extrusion plate squeezes the material rack 9 placed in the feeding assembly 1-1, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the placement of the material rack 9 in the feeding assembly 1-1.

[0108] A method for using the feeding assembly 1-1 for convenient material grabbing, the method comprising the following steps:

[0109] Step 1: Operation preparation; inspection of feeding assembly 1-1 before use and verification of materials to be grabbed;

[0110] Step 2: Push the material rack 9 loaded with the material to be grabbed to the feeding assembly 1-1;

[0111] Step 3: Robot grabbing; the robot grabs the top layer of materials in a preset order; the position of the lifting unit 2 is controlled by the driving unit to gradually raise the position of the top layer of materials in the material rack 9;

[0112] Step 4: After all materials on a material rack 9 are grabbed, the feeding assembly 1-1 drives the material rack 9 to move downward, and then the empty material rack 9 is manually pulled out; the next fully loaded material rack 9 is replaced; and then the cycle returns to step 3.

[0113] Based on the above usage method and the feeding assembly 1-1, the robot can be used to grasp the material.

[0114] When implementing:

[0115] Homework preparation:

[0116] 1.1 Equipment self-test;

[0117] Visually check that the surfaces of the two support units 1 and the lifting unit 2 are free of deformation and debris;

[0118] Confirm that the indicator light of the drive unit (servo motor, screw, sensor) is green "READY";

[0119] 1.2 Material Verification:

[0120] Select the corresponding vehicle model / material model, and check that the material rack 9 number is consistent with the system formula; confirm that the material rack 9 is fully loaded and the top layer is not tilted or out of tolerance.

[0121] 2 Push in the material rack 9;

[0122] 2.1 Manually push the fully loaded material rack 9 along the ground feeding guide structure into the feeding assembly 1-1 until the in-position photoelectric switch on the lateral limit unit 3 is triggered;

[0123] 3. Robot grasping stage;

[0124] 3.1 First time raising the material;

[0125] The PLC calculates the initial lifting height ΔH1 based on the robot TCP height H0, so that the center of the top material coincides with the center of the robot gripper (error ≤ ±1mm);

[0126] The drive unit lifts the material at a constant speed of 0.3m / s; the laser displacement sensor performs real-time closed-loop correction.

[0127] 3.2 Sequential crawling;

[0128] The robot grabs each item one by one according to the preset path of "first up, then down, first far, then near";

[0129] After each grasping is completed, the PLC receives the "grasping completed" signal from the robot and automatically compensates for the drop Δh (single workpiece thickness) to keep the next workpiece at the optimal grasping height;

[0130] If the remaining material = 1, the system will decelerate 200mm in advance to prevent the last piece from impacting.

[0131] 4 Empty rack switching

[0132] 4.1 When the laser sensor detects that the top layer height is less than or equal to the empty rack critical value of 50mm, it is judged as "empty material";

[0133] 4.2 The lifting unit 2 is rapidly lowered to the lower limit at a speed of 0.5 m / s (the first detection mechanism 42 is triggered);

[0134] 4.3 Manually pull out the empty material rack 9 along the feeding guide structure;

[0135] 4.4 Push in the next fully loaded material rack 9 → the system automatically cycles to step 3.1 without manual reset. Specific embodiment:

[0137] The feeding assembly 1-1 disclosed in the present invention is essentially equivalent to a transfer machine, which is mainly used for the precise positioning of the material rack 9 of the top cover assembly of the welding line. The top cover assembly material rack 9 can be directly pushed into the feeding assembly 1-1 manually, and the feeding assembly 1-1 automatically tightens the positioning of the top cover assembly material rack 9 and lifts the material rack to a height suitable for robot grasping. The entire lifting process is steplessly adjustable and is suitable for material racks of various heights.

[0138] The feeding assembly 1-1 disclosed in the present invention mainly includes a support unit 1, a lifting unit 2 and a driving unit; the support unit 1 serves as the load-bearing member of the overall structure, and its main function is to provide an installation position for the lifting unit 2 and the driving unit.

[0139] The driving unit is mainly used to control the movement of the lifting unit 2 to achieve the upward movement of the material rack 9 placed on the lifting unit 2.

[0140] The present invention comprises two spaced-apart column frames 11 , one end of the two column frames 11 is provided with a rear limit frame 31 ; the other end is provided with two symmetrically distributed guide rail plates 7 .

[0141] The driving unit includes: a servo motor + a driving screw 64, with a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.05mm and an adjustable lifting speed of 0.1-1.5m / s; the servo motor is connected to the lifting platform 21 through the driving screw 64 and the driving slider.

[0142] The detection unit 4 of the present invention adopts laser sensor + mechanical limit composite positioning to detect the relative position of the material rack and the robot TCP point in real time and dynamically adjust the lifting height.

[0143] 2. The workflow is divided into three stages:

[0144] Manual pushing stage: The operator pushes the fully loaded material rack 9 into the feeding assembly 1-1 along the guide plate 7, triggering the photoelectric sensor to start the positioning process;

[0145] The extrusion mechanism can be set up, automatic clamping stage: four sets of pneumatic clamps clamp the material rack 9 from the X / Y / Z three directions, and the clamping force is controlled at 2000±50N by the pressure sensor;

[0146] Servo lifting stage: According to the preset process parameters (such as the robot operating radius and the workpiece grabbing order), the material rack 9 is lifted to the optimal pickup height (error ≤±1mm).

[0147] Stepless height adjustment; Based on the robot inverse kinematics model, the mapping relationship between the material rack 9 height (H) and the robot joint angle is established: the optimal H value is calculated in real time through PLC to avoid singular points and ensure the shortest TCP point path.

[0148] Multi-source signal fusion positioning;

[0149] The triple positioning system adopts laser ranging (accuracy ±0.1mm) + encoder feedback (resolution 1μm) + visual correction (5-megapixel camera), which improves positioning accuracy by 40% compared with traditional mechanical limit methods.

[0150] Co-optimization with existing processes;

[0151] In conjunction with the resistance spot welding process, the feeding assembly 1-1 can preset the pickup height for different vehicle models. Combined with the pressure adaptive function of the medium frequency welding clamp (pressure adjustment range 2-6kN), mixed-line production of roof beams for multiple platforms can be achieved.

[0152] When the material rack 9 is manually pushed into the feeding assembly 1-1, the guide unit ensures the horizontal (X-direction) positioning of the material rack 9, and the lateral limit unit 3 can ensure the longitudinal (Y-direction) positioning of the material rack 9; based on the cooperation between the two, the accuracy of the layout of the material rack 9 in the feeding assembly 1-1 is guaranteed.

[0153] Driven by the servo motor and the driving screw, the lifting platform 21 and the material rack 9 rise to the set height. The entire process is closed-loop controlled, and the Z-direction repeat positioning accuracy can reach ±1mm.

[0154] At the same time, the stop position can be set according to demand, which is more compatible with a variety of material racks 9 and has a high degree of flexibility.

[0155] Through the laser sensor, the status of parts on the material rack 9 can be monitored in real time. If the number of parts on the material rack 9 is 0, the feeding assembly 1-1 drives the material rack 9 to automatically descend, and then the material rack 9 can be manually pulled out for switching. The entire operation process is convenient and fast.

[0156] Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned methods. As long as various non-substantial improvements are made using the method concept and technical solution of the present invention, they are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A feeding assembly that facilitates material grabbing, characterized in that: Including limit assembly and lifting assembly; The limiting assembly includes two relatively distributed supporting units; The lifting assembly includes a lifting unit arranged on a supporting unit; the lifting unit is connected to a driving unit; The driving unit can drive the lifting unit to operate on the supporting unit.

2. A feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support unit includes a column frame; The lifting unit includes a lifting platform; The driving unit includes a driving structure, and the driving structure can drive the lifting platform to move on the column frame.

3. A feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting platform is connected to the column frame through a guide rail structure; The guide rail structure includes at least one guide rail mechanism; The guide rail mechanism includes a guide rail bar arranged on the column frame; the lifting platform is connected to the guide rail bar through a guide rail slider; The driving structure includes a driving screw rod, which is connected to the lifting platform through a driving slider; the driving screw rod is connected to a driving mechanism.

4. The feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting platform is provided with a guide unit, which includes a plurality of guide components. The guide components include a guide bracket provided on the lifting platform, and the guide bracket is provided with a guide wheel.

5. The feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting platform is provided with a positioning unit, which includes a positioning block arranged on the lifting platform, and a positioning protrusion is provided on the positioning block; the outer side surface of the positioning protrusion away from the lifting platform is an arc surface.

6. The feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding assembly also includes a detection unit; the detection unit includes at least one detection structure; the detection structure includes a position detection mechanism; the position detection mechanism includes a first detection mechanism and a second detection mechanism arranged on the column frame for limiting the operating height of the lifting platform; the first detection mechanism is used to limit the downward height of the lifting platform; the second detection mechanism is used to limit the upward height of the lifting platform.

7. A feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 6, characterized in that: The detection unit further includes an identification unit, which includes a speed identification unit and a material identification unit; the speed identification unit includes an identification component arranged on the column frame; the material identification unit includes a material detection sensor for detecting whether there is material on the material rack.

8. The feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding assembly further comprises a lateral limiting unit, which comprises a rear limiting frame. The rear limiting frame is provided with a blocking mechanism, which comprises a limiting block arranged on the rear limiting frame.

9. The feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding assembly also includes a feeding guide structure, which includes two guide plates distributed at intervals; the guide plates include a straight plate and an inclined plate; the straight plates of the two guide plates are distributed in parallel at intervals, and the inclined plates of the two guide plates are distributed in an eight-shaped shape.

10. A method for using the feeding assembly for convenient material grabbing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method of use comprises the following steps: Step 1: Operation preparation; inspection of the feeding assembly before use and verification of the material to be grabbed; Step 2: Push the material rack loaded with the material to be grabbed to the feeding assembly; Step 3: Robot grabs; the robot grabs the top layer of materials in a preset order; the driving unit controls the position of the lifting unit to gradually raise the position of the top layer of materials in the material rack; Step 4: When all materials on a material rack are grabbed, the feeding assembly drives the material rack to move down, and then the empty material rack is manually pulled out; the next fully loaded material rack is replaced; and then the cycle returns to step 3.

Images