Equipment for carrying SPS material trolley

Abstract

The invention discloses a device for carrying an SPS material trolley, and relates to the technical field of SPS material carrying trolleys, the device comprises an upper line guide mechanism, a lower line guide mechanism, a track foundation, a walking trolley and a carrying clamp, the upper line guide mechanism and the lower line guide mechanism are arranged at the two ends of an upper line path and a lower line path of the SPS material trolley respectively; the track foundation is laid along an up-down line path, the walking trolley is connected to the track foundation in a sliding mode, and the carrying clamp is installed at the execution end of the walking trolley. According to the equipment for carrying the SPS material trolley, the on-line guide mechanism guides the advancing direction of the material trolley through a guide strip and is matched with precise position detection of a detection support, stable positioning of a positioning air cylinder and cooperative action of a separation mechanism and a lifting rod assembly, ordered separation and reliable positioning of the SPS material trolley in the on-line stage are achieved, deviation or collision of the material trolley is avoided, and the production efficiency is improved. Accurate clamping of a follow-up carrying clamp is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of SPS material transport trolleys, in particular to a device for transporting SPS material trolleys. Background Art

[0002] SPS material carts are a key tool for achieving lean production in large-scale production sectors such as the automotive industry. They are primarily used to group and load parts required for specific vehicle models according to production orders, then precisely deliver them to the corresponding workstations on the production line. This reduces material backlogs at workstations, shortens worker material retrieval time, and improves production pace and assembly efficiency. In automobile assembly shops, an SPS material cart typically corresponds to a specific assembly step for a specific vehicle model, carrying dozens to hundreds of parts, weighing from tens to hundreds of kilograms depending on the model. The equipment used to transport SPS material carts is a crucial link between the parts warehouse and production stations, and its performance directly impacts the smooth operation of the SPS distribution system.

[0003] As the automotive manufacturing industry transforms towards intelligence and flexibility, production lines have placed higher demands on the handling of SPS material carts: on the one hand, under the mixed-line production mode of multiple models, the delivery frequency of SPS material carts has increased significantly.

[0004] In existing automobile assembly plants, loading and unloading SPS material carts is a crucial step in SPS operations. However, current SPS material cart loading and unloading systems mostly rely on manual handling or semi-automated equipment, resulting in low efficiency and uncontrollable processes. Therefore, a fully automated SPS material cart loading and unloading system is urgently needed to improve production efficiency and product quality. Therefore, we have developed a device for handling SPS material carts to address these issues. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for transporting SPS material carts to solve the problem raised in the above background technology that SPS material carts on the market currently rely mostly on manual handling or semi-automatic equipment for loading and unloading, resulting in low efficiency and uncontrollable process.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a device for transporting an SPS material trolley, comprising an upper-line guide mechanism, a lower-line guide mechanism, a track foundation, a walking trolley and a transport fixture, wherein the upper-line guide mechanism and the lower-line guide mechanism are respectively arranged at the two ends of the upper and lower line paths of the SPS material trolley, the track foundation is laid along the upper and lower line paths, the walking trolley is slidably connected to the track foundation, the transport fixture is installed at the execution end of the walking trolley, and the upper-line guide mechanism, the lower-line guide mechanism, the walking trolley and the transport fixture are electrically connected to the electrical control system.

[0007] Preferably, the online guide mechanism includes a guide bar, a detection bracket, a positioning cylinder and a separation mechanism, and the guide bar is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the AGV trolley traction path, the detection bracket is fixed on one side of the guide bar, the positioning cylinder is installed under the detection bracket, and the separation mechanism is arranged at the end of the guide bar.

[0008] With the above structural design, the AGV trolley pulls the front and rear material trolleys in along the guide bar. After the detection bracket detects that they are in place, the positioning cylinder extends to position them, and the separation mechanism is activated to separate the two trolleys for easy separate transportation.

[0009] Preferably, the downline guide mechanism includes a merging mechanism, an unlocking mechanism, a detection bracket and a positioning cylinder, and the merging mechanism is arranged on the parking path of the rear material cart, and a front material cart is arranged on the front side of the rear material cart. The unlocking mechanism is installed next to the traveling path of the merging mechanism, and the detection bracket and positioning cylinder have the same structure as the detection bracket and positioning cylinder of the upline guide mechanism.

[0010] With the above structural design, the handling fixture sends the empty material cart to the offline area. After the detection bracket detects that it is in place, the positioning cylinder extends to position it, the merging mechanism pushes the rear material cart to merge with the front material cart, and the unlocking mechanism triggers the traction rod to unlock, connecting the two carts.

[0011] Preferably, the track foundation includes two parallel steel rails, a groove-type guide rail is provided on the top of the steel rail, a sliding block is embedded in the guide rail, the sliding block is fixed to the bottom of the traveling trolley, and limit blocks are provided at both ends of the steel rail.

[0012] With the above structural design, two parallel steel rails provide tracks for the trolley, and the grooved guide rails cooperate with the sliding blocks to limit the moving direction, ensuring that the trolley slides stably along the path, and the limit blocks at both ends prevent overtravel.

[0013] Preferably, the traveling trolley includes a horizontal drive assembly and a vertical lifting assembly, and the horizontal drive assembly includes a servo motor, a gear and a rack, the rack is fixed to the side of the track base, the servo motor output shaft is connected to the gear, the gear is meshed with the rack, the vertical lifting assembly includes a lifting cylinder and a guide rod, the lifting cylinder piston rod is connected to the transport fixture, and the guide rod is slidably fitted with the transport fixture.

[0014] With the above structural design, in the horizontal drive assembly, the servo motor drives the gear to engage with the rack on the side of the track foundation, driving the walking trolley to move horizontally; in the vertical lifting assembly, the lifting cylinder drives the handling fixture to rise and fall, and the guide rod ensures smooth lifting.

[0015] Preferably, the handling fixture includes a clamping cylinder and clamping claws, and the clamping cylinder is a double-axis cylinder, the piston rods at both ends of which are respectively connected to the two clamping claws, an arc-shaped clamping surface is provided on the inner side of the clamping claw, and an anti-slip pad is provided on the surface of the arc-shaped surface.

[0016] With the above structural design, the double-axis piston rod of the clamping cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the clamping jaws to open and close, the arc-shaped clamping surface fits the side of the material cart, and the anti-slip pad enhances the friction, thereby achieving stable clamping and transportation of the front or rear material cart.

[0017] Preferably, the separation mechanism includes a separation cylinder and a shift fork, and the separation cylinder body is hinged to the guide bar, the piston rod is connected to the middle of the shift fork, and a hook is provided at one end of the shift fork.

[0018] With the above structural design, the separation cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the shift fork to rotate, and the shift fork hook hooks the traction structure of the rear material cart, separating it from the front material cart, forming a distance that is convenient for separate transportation.

[0019] Preferably, the merging mechanism includes a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate, and the pushing cylinder is fixed on the ground foundation, the piston rod is connected to the pushing plate, and a buffer layer is provided on the surface of the pushing plate.

[0020] With the above structural design, the push cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the push plate to move, and the push plate pushes the rear material car closer to the front material car. The buffer layer reduces the impact of collision and realizes the merging of the two cars.

[0021] Preferably, the unlocking mechanism includes an unlocking bracket and a roller, and the unlocking bracket is fixed on the ground, and the roller is installed on the top of the unlocking bracket through a rotating shaft, and the height of the roller corresponds to the unlocking protrusion of the trolley traction rod.

[0022] With the above structural design, when the material carts are merged and moved, the unlocking protrusion of the traction rod contacts the roller on the unlocking bracket, and the rotation of the roller triggers the unlocking of the traction rod, so that the front material cart and the rear material cart can be firmly connected.

[0023] Preferably, the upper line guide mechanism also includes a lifting rod assembly, and the lifting rod assembly is arranged next to the separation mechanism, including a lifting rod cylinder and a paddle, the lifting rod cylinder piston rod is connected to the paddle, and a U-shaped groove is provided at the end of the paddle.

[0024] With the above structural design, the lifting rod cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the paddle to rise and fall. The U-shaped groove at the end of the paddle is wrapped around the rear material cart traction rod and lifted to avoid interference with other components, ensuring smooth separation and transportation.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: the equipment for transporting SPS material trolleys:

[0026] 1. Design scheme implemented by the guide mechanism: The on-line guide mechanism guides the direction of travel of the material cart through the guide bar. Cooperating with the detection bracket to accurately detect the position, the positioning cylinder to firmly position the material cart, and the coordinated action of the separation mechanism and the lifting rod assembly, the SPS material cart can be orderly separated and reliably positioned during the on-line stage, avoiding the deviation or collision of the material cart and ensuring that the subsequent handling fixture can accurately grasp the material cart. The off-line guide mechanism realizes the stable merging and unlocking of the empty material cart through the merging mechanism, unlocking mechanism and other components, ensuring the smooth connection of the material cart when it comes off the line and improving the stability of the on-line and off-line processes.

[0027] 2. Design of the loading and unloading equipment: The track foundation provides a stable moving path for the trolley. The horizontal drive assembly of the trolley cooperates with the vertical lifting assembly to achieve precise horizontal transfer and vertical lifting of the material trolley. The handling fixture drives the clamping jaws through a dual-axis cylinder, and utilizes a curved clamping surface and anti-slip pads to achieve a stable clamping of the material trolley. The entire equipment has a compact structure design and various components work together, replacing manual or semi-automated handling methods. It realizes fully automated operation of the SPS material trolley loading and unloading, and improves handling efficiency.

[0028] 3. Electrical control of the entire system: The electrical control system coordinates the actions of the on-line guide mechanism, off-line guide mechanism, walking trolley and handling fixture. Through the sensor group, it provides real-time feedback on information such as the material trolley position and clamping status, achieving precise triggering and coordination of actions in each link, ensuring the controllability and consistency of the SPS material trolley on-line and off-line processes, reducing manual intervention and operational error rates, and providing reliable automation guarantees for material distribution in large-scale production. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the track infrastructure structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the position structure of the front and rear feed carts of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the handling fixture of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the walking trolley of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning cylinder structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the unlocking mechanism structure of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the thread guide mechanism of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8It is a structural schematic diagram of the downline guide mechanism of the present invention.

[0037] In the figure: 1. Up-line guide mechanism; 2. Down-line guide mechanism; 3. Track foundation; 4. Traveling trolley; 5. Handling fixture; 6. AGV trolley; 7. Front material trolley; 8. Rear material trolley; 9. Guide bar; 10. Detection bracket; 11. Positioning cylinder; 12. Separation mechanism; 13. Merging mechanism; 14. Unlocking mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] See also Figures 1-8The present invention provides a technical solution: a device for transporting SPS material trolleys, including an online guide mechanism 1, a downline guide mechanism 2, a track foundation 3, a walking trolley 4, a transport fixture 5, an AGV trolley 6, a front material trolley 7, a rear material trolley 8, a guide bar 9, a detection bracket 10, a positioning cylinder 11, a separation mechanism 12, a merging mechanism 13 and an unlocking mechanism 14. The online guide mechanism 1 and the downline guide mechanism 2 are respectively arranged at the two ends of the up and down line paths of the SPS material trolley. The online guide mechanism 1 includes a guide bar 9, a detection bracket 10, a positioning cylinder 11 and a separation mechanism 12, and the guide bar 9 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the traction path of the AGV trolley 6. The detection bracket 10 is fixed to one side of the guide bar 9, the positioning cylinder 11 is installed under the detection bracket 10, and the separation mechanism 12 is provided at the end of the guide bar 9. The AGV trolley 6 pulls the front material car 7 and the rear material car 8 along the guide bar 9. After the detection bracket 10 detects that it is in place, the positioning cylinder 11 extends out to position, and the separation mechanism 12 separates the two cars for easy separate transportation. The offline guide mechanism 2 includes a merging mechanism 13, an unlocking mechanism 14, a detection bracket 10 and a positioning cylinder 11, and the merging mechanism 13 is provided on the parking path of the rear material car 8. The front material car 7 is provided on the front side of the rear material car 8. The unlocking mechanism 14 is installed next to the traveling path of the merging mechanism 13. The detection bracket 10 and the positioning cylinder 11 are provided on the parking path of the rear material car 8. 1 is consistent with the structure of the detection bracket 10 and the positioning cylinder 11 of the upper line guide mechanism 1. The handling fixture 5 sends the empty material car to the lower line area. After the detection bracket 10 detects that it is in place, the positioning cylinder 11 extends to position, and the merging mechanism 13 pushes the rear material car 8 to merge with the front material car 7. The unlocking mechanism 14 triggers the traction rod to unlock, so that the two cars are connected. The track foundation 3 is laid along the upper and lower line paths. The walking trolley 4 is slidably connected to the track foundation 3. The track foundation 3 includes two parallel steel rails. A groove-type guide rail is provided on the top of the steel rail. A sliding block is embedded in the guide rail. The sliding block is fixed to the bottom of the walking trolley 4. Limit blocks are provided at both ends of the steel rail. The two parallel steel rails provide tracks for the walking trolley 4. The groove-type guide rail Cooperate with the sliding block to limit the moving direction to ensure that the walking trolley 4 slides stably along the path, and the limit blocks at both ends prevent overtravel. The handling fixture 5 is installed at the execution end of the walking trolley 4. The walking trolley 4 includes a horizontal drive component and a vertical lifting component, and the horizontal drive component includes a servo motor, a gear and a rack. The rack is fixed to the side of the track base 3. The servo motor output shaft is connected to the gear, and the gear is meshed with the rack. The vertical lifting component includes a lifting cylinder and a guide rod. The lifting cylinder piston rod is connected to the handling fixture 5, and the guide rod is slidably matched with the handling fixture 5. In the horizontal drive component, the servo motor drives the gear to mesh with the rack on the side of the track base 3 to drive the walking trolley 4 to move horizontally;In the vertical lifting assembly, a lifting cylinder drives the handling fixture 5 up and down, and guide rods ensure smooth lifting. The upper and lower line guide mechanisms 1 and 2, the traveling trolley 4, and the handling fixture 5 are electrically connected to the electrical control system. The handling fixture 5 includes a clamping cylinder and a clamping jaw. The clamping cylinder is a dual-axis cylinder, with piston rods at both ends connected to the two clamping jaws. The inner sides of the clamping jaws are provided with arc-shaped clamping surfaces with anti-slip pads on the surface. The clamping cylinder's dual-axis piston rods extend and retract to drive the clamping jaws to open and close. The arc-shaped clamping surfaces are in contact with the side of the material cart, and the anti-slip pads enhance friction, achieving stable clamping and handling of the front material cart 7 or the rear material cart 8.

[0040] The separation mechanism 12 includes a separation cylinder and a fork, and the separation cylinder body is hinged to the guide bar 9, the piston rod is connected to the middle part of the fork, and a hook is provided at one end of the fork. The separation cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the fork to rotate, and the fork hook hooks the traction structure of the rear material cart 8 to separate it from the front material cart 7, forming a distance that is convenient for separate transportation.

[0041] The merging mechanism 13 includes a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate, and the pushing cylinder is fixed to the ground foundation, the piston rod is connected to the pushing plate, and a buffer layer is provided on the surface of the pushing plate. The pushing cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the pushing plate to move, and the pushing plate pushes the rear material car 8 toward the front material car 7. The buffer layer reduces the collision impact and realizes the merging of the two cars.

[0042] The unlocking mechanism 14 includes an unlocking bracket and a roller, and the unlocking bracket is fixed to the ground. The roller is installed on the top of the unlocking bracket through a rotating shaft. The height of the roller corresponds to the unlocking protrusion of the traction rod of the material cart. When the material carts are merged and moved, the unlocking protrusion of the traction rod contacts the roller on the unlocking bracket, and the rotation of the roller triggers the traction rod to unlock, so that the front material cart 7 and the rear material cart 8 can be firmly connected.

[0043] The upper line guide mechanism 1 also includes a lifting rod assembly, and the lifting rod assembly is arranged next to the separation mechanism 12, including a lifting rod cylinder and a paddle. The piston rod of the lifting rod cylinder is connected to the paddle, and a U-shaped groove is provided at the end of the paddle. The lifting rod cylinder is extended and retracted to drive the paddle to rise and fall. The U-shaped groove at the end of the paddle covers the traction rod of the rear material cart 8 and lifts it to avoid interference with other components, thereby ensuring smooth separation and transportation.

[0044] Working principle: when using the device for carrying SPS material trolley, the AGV trolley 6 drags the front trolley 7 and the rear trolley 8 along the guide strip 9 of the upper line guide mechanism 1 into the upper line area, after the detection support 10 detects that the trolley is in place, the positioning cylinder 11 extends to position the two trolleys, the separation mechanism 12 acts-the separation cylinder drives the yoke to rotate, the hook part hooks the rear trolley 8 traction structure, separates the front trolley 7 from the rear trolley 8, and at the same time, the lifting rod assembly of the upper line guide mechanism 1-lifting rod cylinder drives the lifting piece to rise and lift the rear trolley 8 traction rod to avoid interference; after the electrical control system receives the in-place signal, the walking trolley 4 moves to the top of the trolley along the groove-shaped guide rail of the track foundation 3, the vertical lifting assembly of the walking trolley 4-lifting cylinder drives the carrying clamp 5 to descend, so that the carrying clamp 5 is lowered to the material taking height, the clamping cylinder drives the clamping jaw to close, and the trolley is clamped stably through the arc clamping surface and the anti-skid pad; then the horizontal drive assembly of the walking trolley 4-servo motor drives the gear and the rack to engage, drives it to move along the track foundation 3 to the top of the line body, the vertical lifting assembly lowers to place the trolley on the line body slide, and the clamping jaw opens to complete the upper line.

[0045] When unloading, the walking trolley 4 drives the carrying clamp 5 to clamp the empty front trolley 7 and the rear trolley 8 from the line body, moves to the lower line guide mechanism 2 area and releases; after the detection support 10 detects that the trolley is in place, the positioning cylinder 11 extends to position, the merging mechanism 13-push cylinder drives the push plate to move the rear trolley 8 to the front trolley 7, and in the moving process, the unlocking protrusion of the rear trolley 8 traction rod contacts with the roller of the unlocking mechanism 14 to trigger the unlocking of the traction rod, and finally the two trolleys are merged; the AGV trolley 6 drives into and drags the merged empty trolley to leave, completing a carrying cycle. The whole process is coordinated by the electrical control system to realize automatic operation, so as to complete a series of work. The contents not described in detail in the specification belong to the prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent replacements to part of the technical features, any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A device for transporting a SPS material trolley, comprising an upper line guide mechanism (1), a lower line guide mechanism (2), a track base (3), a traveling trolley (4) and a transport fixture (5), characterized in that: The upper line guide mechanism (1) and the lower line guide mechanism (2) are respectively arranged at the two ends of the upper and lower line paths of the SPS material trolley, the track base (3) is laid along the upper and lower line paths, the walking trolley (4) is slidably connected to the track base (3), the handling fixture (5) is installed at the execution end of the walking trolley (4), and the upper line guide mechanism (1), the lower line guide mechanism (2), the walking trolley (4) and the handling fixture (5) are electrically connected to the electrical control system.

2. The device for transporting SPS material trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper line guide mechanism (1) comprises a guide bar (9), a detection bracket (10), a positioning cylinder (11) and a separation mechanism (12), wherein the guide bar (9) is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the traction path of the AGV trolley (6), the detection bracket (10) is fixed to one side of the guide bar (9), the positioning cylinder (11) is installed below the detection bracket (10), and the separation mechanism (12) is arranged at the end of the guide bar (9).

3. The device for transporting SPS material trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that: The downline guide mechanism (2) includes a merging mechanism (13), an unlocking mechanism (14), a detection bracket (10) and a positioning cylinder (11), and the merging mechanism (13) is arranged on the parking path of the rear material vehicle (8), and the front material vehicle (7) is arranged on the front side of the rear material vehicle (8). The unlocking mechanism (14) is installed beside the traveling path of the merging mechanism (13), and the detection bracket (10) and the positioning cylinder (11) have the same structure as the detection bracket (10) and the positioning cylinder (11) of the upline guide mechanism (1).

4. The device for transporting SPS material trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that: The track foundation (3) comprises two parallel steel rails, a grooved guide rail is provided on the top of the steel rails, a sliding block is embedded in the guide rails, the sliding block is fixed to the bottom of the traveling trolley (4), and limit blocks are provided at both ends of the steel rails.

5. The device for transporting SPS material trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traveling trolley (4) includes a horizontal driving assembly and a vertical lifting assembly, and the horizontal driving assembly includes a servo motor, a gear and a rack, the rack is fixed to the side of the track base (3), the servo motor output shaft is connected to the gear, the gear is meshed with the rack, and the vertical lifting assembly includes a lifting cylinder and a guide rod, the lifting cylinder piston rod is connected to the transport fixture (5), and the guide rod is in sliding cooperation with the transport fixture (5).

6. The device for transporting SPS material carts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handling fixture (5) comprises a clamping cylinder and a clamping claw, and the clamping cylinder is a double-axis cylinder, the piston rods at both ends of which are respectively connected to the two clamping claws, and an arc-shaped clamping surface is provided on the inner side of the clamping claw, and an anti-slip pad is provided on the surface of the arc-shaped surface.

7. The device for transporting SPS material carts according to claim 2, characterized in that: The separation mechanism (12) includes a separation cylinder and a shift fork, wherein the separation cylinder body is hinged to the guide bar (9), the piston rod is connected to the middle of the shift fork, and a hook is provided at one end of the shift fork.

8. The device for transporting SPS material carts according to claim 3, characterized in that: The merging mechanism (13) comprises a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate, wherein the pushing cylinder is fixed on a ground foundation, the piston rod is connected to the pushing plate, and a buffer layer is provided on the surface of the pushing plate.

9. The device for transporting SPS material carts according to claim 3, characterized in that: The unlocking mechanism (14) comprises an unlocking bracket and a roller, wherein the unlocking bracket is fixed on the ground, and the roller is mounted on the top of the unlocking bracket via a rotating shaft, and the height of the roller corresponds to the unlocking protrusion of the trolley traction rod.

10. The device for transporting SPS material carts according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper line guide mechanism (1) further includes a lifting rod assembly, and the lifting rod assembly is arranged beside the separation mechanism (12), including a lifting rod cylinder and a paddle, the lifting rod cylinder piston rod is connected to the paddle, and a U-shaped groove is provided at the end of the paddle.

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