A high-speed ring-shaped material handling device
By designing a high-speed ring-shaped material handling device, the stability and positioning problems of traditional feeding mechanisms during high-speed continuous operation are solved, achieving high-speed stable operation and precise positioning, avoiding bag displacement and damage, and improving production efficiency and product quality.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511357331.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-09-23
AI Technical Summary
Traditional feeding mechanisms suffer from poor stability and inaccurate positioning during high-speed continuous operation, which can easily lead to bag displacement, jamming, and damage, affecting production efficiency and product quality.
The device employs a high-speed ring-shaped material handling unit, which includes a mounting plate, a ring-shaped rotating mechanism, a vacuum generating component, a guide plate, and a suction cup transfer component. The ring-shaped rotating mechanism drives the suction cup transfer component to circulate between the material handling stations. Combined with the precise control of the guide plate and the vacuum generating component, the adsorption and release actions are achieved.
It achieves high-speed and stable operation, accurate positioning, and controllable impact, avoiding bag displacement and damage, and improving production efficiency and product quality.
Smart Images

Figure CN120841198B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical production equipment technology, and in particular to a ring-shaped high-speed material handling device. Background Technology
[0002] In the medical product manufacturing sector, the production of bagged injectable solutions places high demands on the operational efficiency and stability of automated equipment. Currently, automated production lines for this type of product typically need to achieve continuous, high-speed feeding operations to ensure that the overall production cycle meets the needs of large-scale manufacturing. However, in practical applications, traditional feeding mechanisms often struggle to simultaneously guarantee operational stability and reliability under high-speed operating conditions.
[0003] Specifically, existing feeding mechanisms mostly employ mechanical push rods or simple conveyor structures to separate and transport bagged injection solutions. While these structures can maintain a certain level of stability at low speeds, they are prone to problems such as excessive vibration, strong impact, and insufficient positioning accuracy during high-frequency continuous operation. This can lead to bag displacement, jamming, or even breakage, affecting production efficiency and potentially jeopardizing product quality. Furthermore, frequent starts and stops, along with high-speed movements, exacerbate wear and tear on the mechanism, reducing the equipment's lifespan and maintenance cycle.
[0004] Therefore, under the current technological conditions, how to design a feeding mechanism that can adapt to high-speed continuous feeding conditions while maintaining stable operation, accurate positioning, and controllable impact has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In response to the problems raised in the background art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a high-speed ring-shaped material handling device, which solves the problems of poor stability and inaccurate positioning caused by mechanical limits in traditional material handling devices during high-speed continuous operation.
[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0007] A high-speed annular material handling device includes a mounting plate, an annular rotating mechanism, a vacuum generating assembly, a guide plate, and several suction cup transfer assemblies.
[0008] The mounting plate is arranged vertically, and a material picking station is provided at the rear end of the lower part of the mounting plate. A material discharging station is provided at the front end of the lower part of the mounting plate. The material picking station is arranged in correspondence with the feeding conveying mechanism, and the material discharging station is arranged in correspondence with the discharging conveying mechanism.
[0009] The annular rotating mechanism includes a driving component and an annular rotating assembly. The annular rotating assembly is disposed on one side of the mounting plate. A plurality of suction cup transfer assemblies are spaced apart on the annular rotating assembly. The driving component is used to drive the annular rotating assembly to rotate and to move the suction cup transfer assemblies from the material picking station to the material discharging station.
[0010] The vacuum generating assembly is mounted on the mounting plate, and the vacuum generating assembly is connected to a plurality of the suction cup transfer assemblies respectively;
[0011] The guide plate is installed on the lower part of the mounting plate. The rear end of the guide plate is provided with a rear protrusion and the front end of the guide plate is provided with a front protrusion. The rear protrusion is corresponding to the material picking station and the front protrusion is corresponding to the material discharging station.
[0012] When the suction cup transfer assembly passes the material picking station, the rear protrusion drives the suction cup transfer assembly to approach the feeding conveying mechanism, and the vacuum generating assembly controls the suction cup transfer assembly to pick up the material; when the suction cup transfer assembly passes the material discharging station, the front protrusion drives the suction cup transfer assembly to approach the discharging conveying mechanism, and the vacuum generating assembly controls the suction cup transfer assembly to release the material.
[0013] Preferably, the annular rotating assembly includes a chain and a plurality of sprockets;
[0014] The sprockets are rotatably mounted on the mounting plate via a rotating shaft, and the chain is sleeved on the outside of several sprockets, with the chain meshing with several sprockets respectively.
[0015] The drive unit is mounted on the other side of the mounting plate, and the drive unit is used to drive one of the rotating shafts to rotate.
[0016] Preferably, the vacuum generating assembly includes a vacuum generator, a first gas manifold, a pneumatic slip ring, and several solenoid valves;
[0017] The first gas manifold includes a main port and several suction ports. The main port is connected to the vacuum generator, and each of the suction ports is equipped with a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve is used to control the opening and closing of the suction ports.
[0018] The pneumatic slip ring is disposed inside the annular rotating assembly. The pneumatic slip ring includes a fixed part and a rotating part. The fixed part is mounted on the mounting plate, and the rotating part is rotatably disposed on the fixed part. The fixed part is provided with a plurality of first air pipe connectors, and the rotating part is provided with a plurality of second air pipe connectors. The plurality of first air pipe connectors and the plurality of second air pipe connectors are connected in a one-to-one correspondence.
[0019] Several first air tube connectors are connected to several suction ports one by one via flexible tubes, and several second air tube connectors are connected to several suction cup transfer assemblies one by one via flexible tubes.
[0020] Preferably, the suction cup transfer assembly includes a transmission connection seat, a suction cup mounting bracket, and a suction cup assembly;
[0021] The transmission connecting seat is connected to the chain, the suction cup mounting bracket is mounted on the transmission connecting seat and is perpendicular to the mounting plate, the suction cup assembly is mounted on the suction cup mounting bracket, and the suction cup assembly is distributed on the outside of the mounting plate in the orthographic projection of the mounting plate.
[0022] Preferably, the annular rotating mechanism further includes an annular guide rail, which is arranged around the outside of the annular rotating assembly;
[0023] The suction cup transfer assembly also includes at least two sets of guide rollers, which are rotatably mounted on the transmission connection seat, and the two sets of guide rollers are respectively rolled on the inner and outer sides of the annular guide rail.
[0024] Preferably, the suction cup transfer assembly further includes a cam bearing housing, a guide shaft, a spring, and a cam;
[0025] One end of the cam bearing housing is connected to the suction cup assembly, and the other end of the cam bearing housing penetrates vertically through the suction cup mounting frame. The cam is rotatably mounted on the other end of the cam bearing housing.
[0026] One end of the guide shaft is connected to the suction cup assembly, and the other end of the guide shaft passes vertically through the suction cup mounting bracket. The spring is sleeved on the outside of the guide shaft, with one end of the spring abutting against the suction cup mounting bracket and the other end of the spring abutting against the other end of the guide shaft.
[0027] The cam is slidably connected to the rear convex portion and the front convex portion.
[0028] Preferably, an upper recess is provided between the rear convex portion and the front convex portion.
[0029] Preferably, the suction cup assembly includes a suction cup manifold, a suction port, and a plurality of suction cups;
[0030] The suction port is installed on the suction cup manifold, the suction cup is installed on the suction cup manifold via a safety valve, the suction port is connected to the second air pipe connector via the hose, and the suction port is connected to several suction cups via the internal air passage of the suction cup manifold.
[0031] The suction cups are distributed on the outer side of the mounting plate, with their orthogonal projections onto the mounting plate.
[0032] Preferably, the mounting plate is equipped with a material picking photoelectric switch and a material discharging photoelectric switch, wherein the material picking photoelectric switch is located at the position corresponding to the material picking station, and the material discharging photoelectric switch is located at the position corresponding to the material discharging station;
[0033] The suction cup transfer assembly is equipped with a sensing plate. When the sensing plate senses the material picking photoelectric switch, the vacuum generating assembly controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly to pick up the material. When the sensing plate senses the material discharging photoelectric switch, the vacuum generating assembly controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly to release the material.
[0034] Preferably, the annular rotating mechanism further includes several adjusting components, which are installed on the other side of the mounting plate. Each adjusting component includes a rotating shaft seat, a fixing block, a tensioning bolt, and a tensioning block.
[0035] The mounting plate is provided with a strip-shaped adjustment groove. The rotating shaft seat is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft and is located in the strip-shaped adjustment groove. The fixing block is fixedly installed on the mounting plate. The tensioning bolt is threadedly connected to the fixing block. One end of the tensioning bolt is connected to the tensioning block. The tensioning block abuts against the outside of the rotating shaft seat. The length extension direction of the tensioning bolt is consistent with the opening direction of the strip-shaped adjustment groove.
[0036] Compared with the prior art, one of the above technical solutions has the following beneficial effects:
[0037] The suction cup transfer assembly is driven by a ring-shaped rotating mechanism to circulate between the pick-up and drop-off stations. Combined with the rear and front protrusions of the guide plate at the pick-up and drop-off stations, the suction cup transfer assembly is guided by the guide plate to get closer to the target position when picking up and dropping materials. With the help of the vacuum generator, the adsorption and release actions are precisely controlled, achieving high-speed and stable operation. It has the advantages of stable operation, accurate positioning, controllable impact, and adaptability to high-speed continuous operation. Attached Figure Description
[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the annular high-speed material handling device of the present invention;
[0039] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The left view;
[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation disk of the present invention. Figure 1 ;
[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation disk of the present invention. Figure 2 ;
[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation disk of the present invention. Figure 3 ;
[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the annular rotating mechanism and the suction cup transfer assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0044] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a suction cup transfer component according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] The components include: material handling station 01, material discharging station 02, mounting plate 1, ring rotating mechanism 2, drive component 21, ring rotating assembly 22, chain 221, sprocket 222, ring guide rail 23, adjusting assembly 24, rotating shaft seat 241, fixing block 242, tension bolt 243, tension block 244, vacuum generating assembly 3, vacuum generator 31, first gas manifold 32, suction port 321, pneumatic slip ring 33, first air pipe connector 331, and second air pipe connector 332. Solenoid valve 34, suction cup transfer assembly 4, transmission connection seat 41, suction cup mounting bracket 42, suction cup assembly 43, suction cup manifold 431, suction port 432, suction cup 433, cam bearing seat 441, guide shaft 442, spring 443, cam 444, guide roller 45, sensing plate 50, material picking photoelectric switch 51, material discharging photoelectric switch 52, guide plate 6, rear protrusion 61, front protrusion 62, upper concave part 63, feeding conveying mechanism 91 and discharging conveying mechanism 92. Detailed Implementation
[0046] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
[0047] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.
[0048] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.
[0049] It should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0050] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 7 The technical solution of the present invention will be further illustrated through specific embodiments.
[0051] A high-speed annular material handling device includes a mounting plate 1, an annular rotating mechanism 2, a vacuum generating assembly 3, a guide plate 6, and several suction cup transfer assemblies 4.
[0052] The mounting plate 1 is arranged vertically. The lower rear end of the mounting plate 1 is provided with a material picking station 01, and the lower front end of the mounting plate 1 is provided with a material discharging station 02. The material picking station 01 is correspondingly arranged with the feeding conveying mechanism 91, and the material discharging station 02 is correspondingly arranged with the discharging conveying mechanism 92.
[0053] The annular rotating mechanism 2 includes a driving member 21 and an annular rotating assembly 22. The annular rotating assembly 22 is disposed on one side of the mounting plate 1. A plurality of suction cup transfer assemblies 4 are spaced apart and installed on the annular rotating assembly 22. The driving member 21 is used to drive the annular rotating assembly 22 to rotate and drive the suction cup transfer assemblies 4 to move from the material picking station 01 to the material discharging station 02.
[0054] The vacuum generating component 3 is installed on the mounting plate 1, and the vacuum generating component 3 is connected to a plurality of suction cup transfer components 4 respectively;
[0055] The guide plate 6 is installed on the lower part of the mounting plate 1. The rear end of the guide plate 6 is provided with a rear protrusion 61 and the front end of the guide plate 6 is provided with a front protrusion 62. The rear protrusion 61 is correspondingly set to the material picking station 01 and the front protrusion 62 is correspondingly set to the material discharging station 02.
[0056] When the suction cup transfer component 4 passes the material picking station 01, the rear protrusion 61 drives the suction cup transfer component 4 to approach the feeding conveying mechanism 91, and the vacuum generating component 3 controls the suction cup transfer component 4 to pick up the material; when the suction cup transfer component 4 passes the material discharging station 02, the front protrusion 62 drives the suction cup transfer component 4 to approach the discharging conveying mechanism 92, and the vacuum generating component 3 controls the suction cup transfer component 4 to release the material.
[0057] Mounting plate 1 is the basic support structure for carrying various functional modules, and its vertical setting optimizes the spatial layout of the equipment. Mounting plate 1 is set vertically, and the material picking station 01 and the material discharging station 02 correspond to the external feeding conveyor mechanism 91 and discharging conveyor mechanism 92, respectively. It can be quickly integrated without major modifications to the existing production line, has strong adaptability, and meets the layout requirements for large-scale production of bagged injection solutions.
[0058] The circular rotating mechanism 2 is a transmission mechanism used to realize a closed-loop motion path. The circular rotating component 22 drives the suction cup transfer component 4 to make continuous circular motion, avoiding the impact caused by frequent start and stop. At the same time, several suction cup transfer components 4 are arranged at intervals along the circular trajectory, which can realize continuous circulation under the stable drive of the drive component 21, meeting the high cycle time requirements of the automated production line. In addition, since the material picking station 01 and the material discharging station 02 are both located at the bottom of the mounting plate 1, the bag body is guaranteed to be without displacement or collision during the transfer process through smooth movement during the "material picking-transfer-discharging" process, thus completely solving the core technical contradiction of "difficulty in balancing high speed and smoothness".
[0059] Guide plates 6 are provided with corresponding rear protrusions 61 and front protrusions 62 at the material picking station 01 and the material discharging station 02, respectively. When the suction cup transfer assembly 4 picks up material at the material picking station 01, guided by the outline of the rear protrusion 61, the suction cup transfer assembly 4 moves closer to the discharge end of the feeding conveying mechanism 91, applying downward pressure to the bag to be picked up, facilitating material suction. Similarly, when the suction cup transfer assembly 4 passes through the material discharging station 02, guided by the outline of the front protrusion 62, the suction cup transfer assembly 4 moves closer to the feeding end of the discharging conveying mechanism 92, bringing the suction cup transfer assembly 4 with the bag closer to the conveying mechanism. When the suction cup transfer assembly 4 releases the material, the bag can stably land on the discharging conveying mechanism 92.
[0060] Through the coordinated control of vacuum generating component 3 and suction cup transfer component 4, a closed-loop operation of "adsorption and picking up - precise transfer - stable discharge" is achieved: negative pressure adsorption during picking up ensures that the bag fits tightly against the suction cup, preventing it from falling off during the transfer process; during discharge, precise release is achieved by stopping the negative pressure or introducing positive pressure, preventing damage to the bag caused by excessive mechanical force, effectively reducing product quality risks and improving the production qualification rate.
[0061] Specifically, considering the structural connection relationships and functional coordination logic of the various components of the device, its specific operation process can be divided into three consecutive stages: "material picking - transfer - material discharging". The detailed principle is as follows:
[0062] 1. Initial state and workstation positioning
[0063] During installation, the mounting plate 1 is fixed vertically, with its lower rear end picking station 01 aligned with the discharge end of the feeding conveying mechanism 91, and its lower front end discharging station 02 aligned with the feeding end of the discharge conveying mechanism 92. The annular rotating component 22 is mounted on the mounting plate 1, and several suction cup transfer components 4 are evenly spaced around the annular rotating component 22. The vacuum generating component 3 is connected to each suction cup transfer component 4 through a gas pipeline to form a negative / positive pressure control path.
[0064] 2. Material receiving stage: negative pressure adsorption for precise material receiving.
[0065] The device's operating cycle is matched with the feeding cycle of the feeding conveying mechanism 91. When the feeding conveying mechanism 91 delivers the bagged injection liquid to the position corresponding to the picking station 01, one of the suction cup transfer components 4 moves to the picking station 01. At this time, the vacuum generating component 3 introduces negative pressure into the suction cup transfer component 4, causing the suction cup adsorption end to generate adsorption force, tightly adhering to the surface of the bagged injection liquid, completing the picking action, and preventing the bag from shifting during subsequent transfer.
[0066] 3. Transfer stage: Circular drive, smooth conveying
[0067] After the material is picked up, the drive unit 21 continues to drive the ring rotating component 22 to rotate, which drives the suction cup transfer component 4 with the bagged injection liquid adsorbed to move smoothly along the ring track. Since the ring motion has no start-stop impact and the suction cup adsorption force is stable, the bag body always maintains a fixed posture during the transfer process, and there will be no vibration, collision or fall off, ensuring the smoothness of the conveying.
[0068] 4. Discharge stage: Depressurize and unload material stably.
[0069] When the suction cup transfer component 4 rotates with the annular rotating component 22 to the discharge station 02, the vacuum generating component 3 stops providing negative pressure to the suction cup transfer component 4; at this time, the bagged injection liquid smoothly leaves the suction cup under the action of gravity and falls into the conveying path of the discharge conveying mechanism 92, completing the discharge action.
[0070] Throughout the process, the drive component 21 continuously drives the annular rotating component 22 to rotate, causing each suction cup transfer component 4 to complete the cycle of "picking up material - transferring material - releasing material - transition" in sequence, thus achieving continuous high-speed operation.
[0071] Compared to existing technologies, traditional mechanical push rods use linear reciprocating motion, which leads to accumulated end-positioning deviations during high-speed operation. This invention eliminates abrupt changes in motion direction through a circular cyclic path, reducing acceleration impact. Traditional gripper mechanisms rely on rigid contact positioning, which can easily cause bag deformation. This invention uses vacuum adsorption to achieve pressure-free gripping, and improves gripping stability through a suction cup array distribution.
[0072] Furthermore, the annular rotating assembly 22 includes a chain 221 and a plurality of sprockets 222;
[0073] The sprocket 222 is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 1 via a rotating shaft, and the chain 221 is sleeved on the outside of several sprockets 222, and the chain 221 meshes with several sprockets 222 respectively;
[0074] The drive component 21 is mounted on the other side of the mounting plate 1, and the drive component 21 is used to drive one of the rotating shafts to rotate.
[0075] Chain 221 refers to a ring-shaped transmission component composed of multiple chain links; sprocket 222 refers to a transmission wheel with teeth that match those of chain 221, and multiple sprockets 222 form a closed-loop transmission path. Specifically, chain 221 and sprockets 222 form a closed-loop meshing transmission system. When the drive component 21 drives the shaft to rotate one of the sprockets 222, chain 221 circulates along a fixed trajectory under the constraint of multiple sprockets 222. Sprockets 222 are rigidly mounted on mounting plate 1 via the shaft, forming a stable transmission support point and eliminating the risk of elastic deformation present in traditional belt drives. The meshing transmission method of chain 221 avoids backlash errors of gear drives, ensuring the synchronous movement accuracy of the suction cup transfer assembly on the ring path.
[0076] Furthermore, the vacuum generating assembly 3 includes a vacuum generator 31, a first gas manifold 32, a pneumatic slip ring 33, and a plurality of solenoid valves 34;
[0077] The first gas manifold 32 includes a main port and several suction ports 321. The main port is connected to the vacuum generator 31. Each of the suction ports 321 is provided with a solenoid valve 34. The solenoid valve 34 is used to control the opening and closing of the suction ports 321.
[0078] The pneumatic slip ring 33 is disposed inside the annular rotating assembly 22. The pneumatic slip ring 33 includes a fixed part and a rotating part. The fixed part is installed on the mounting plate 1, and the rotating part is rotatably disposed on the fixed part. The fixed part is provided with a plurality of first air pipe connectors 331, and the rotating part is provided with a plurality of second air pipe connectors 332. The plurality of first air pipe connectors 331 and the plurality of second air pipe connectors 332 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence.
[0079] Several first air tube connectors 331 are connected to several suction ports 321 one by one via flexible tubes, and several second air tube connectors 332 are connected to several suction cup transfer assemblies 4 one by one via flexible tubes.
[0080] Vacuum generator 31 generates negative pressure using compressed air to provide a stable vacuum suction force for suction cup transfer assembly 4. First gas manifold 32 is a distribution device integrating multiple independent gas channels, supplying gas centrally through a main port and independently controlling the opening and closing of each gas channel through suction port 321. Pneumatic slip ring 33 is a standard component and can be purchased externally. Pneumatic slip ring 33 employs a precise concentric shaft nesting structure, with pre-fabricated independent, one-to-one corresponding permanent gas channels inside. These channels establish a connection between the fixed part (corresponding to the first air pipe connector 331) and the rotating part (corresponding to the second air pipe connector 332). When the rotating part rotates relative to the fixed part, a high-performance rotary sealing structure (such as a mechanical seal or Glyd ring) inside the pneumatic slip ring 33 dynamically seals the moving interface, ensuring that all pre-fabricated gas channels remain connected with extremely low leakage. Therefore, stable, one-to-one connection between several first air pipe connectors and several second air pipe connectors is achieved during rotation, without mutual interference. The solenoid valve 34 is a switching element that controls the opening and closing of the air passage. By independently controlling the opening and closing of each suction port 321, it precisely adjusts the adsorption and release actions of the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly 4.
[0081] Specifically, the vacuum generator 31 provides negative pressure airflow to the first gas manifold 32 through the main port, and each suction port 321 controls the airflow path through an independent solenoid valve 34. When the suction cup transfer assembly 4 moves to the material handling station 01, the solenoid valve 34 corresponding to the suction cup transfer assembly 4 opens, and the negative pressure airflow is sequentially transmitted to the suction cup transfer assembly 4 through the first air pipe connector 331, the second air pipe connector 332 of the pneumatic slip ring, and the hose, completing the adsorption action; when the suction cup transfer assembly 4 reaches the material discharging station 02, the solenoid valve 34 closes, the airflow path is disconnected, and the material is released. During the rotation of the annular rotating assembly 22, each second air pipe connector 332 rotates with the suction cup transfer assembly 4. Since the fixed part and the rotating part of the pneumatic slip ring 33 are connected through an internal airflow path, the rotation of the rotating part (second air pipe connector 332) does not affect the adsorption and release function of the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly 4; at the same time, the rotating part can also prevent the hose from getting tangled due to the rotational movement.
[0082] To further explain, the pneumatic slip ring 33, as a standard part, is not hollow inside. Instead, independent, parallel air passages are precisely machined inside both the fixed and rotating parts. The number and arrangement of these passages are fixed and correspond one-to-one at the factory. At the contact interface between the fixed and rotating parts, an annular groove (called an air distribution groove) is provided for each passage. The air passage opening of the fixed part (hereinafter referred to as the "stationary opening") faces this annular groove, and the air passage opening of the rotating part (hereinafter referred to as the "rotating opening") also faces the same annular groove. Rotary sealing rings are installed on both sides of the annular groove. This sealing ring seals the annular groove into an independent, isolated annular air chamber. Thus, regardless of how the rotating part rotates, since both the stationary opening and the rotating opening always lead to this shared, annular air chamber, airflow can freely pass through this perpetual "common room," achieving continuous connectivity even under 360° infinite rotation. Therefore, the rotation of the second air connector 332 (rotating part) only changes its own angular position, but its internal air passage and its connection with the fixed part remain physically constant. Thus, the vacuum source supplied to the suction cup transfer assembly 4 is continuous and stable, and the adsorption and release functions are naturally unaffected.
[0083] To further explain, without the pneumatic slip ring 33, the hoses would need to be directly connected from the fixed air source to the rotating suction cup transfer assembly 4. The hoses themselves would have to constantly twist to adapt to the rotation, which would quickly lead to damage. Therefore, with the pneumatic slip ring 33, all hoses from the external air source are fixedly connected to the fixed part of the pneumatic slip ring (equivalent to several first air pipe connectors 331 being connected to several suction ports 321 one-to-one via hoses), and these hoses no longer need to move. All hoses leading to the suction cup transfer assembly 4 are fixedly connected to the rotating part of the pneumatic slip ring (equivalent to several second air pipe connectors 332 being connected to several suction cup transfer assemblies 4 one-to-one via hoses).
[0084] Furthermore, the suction cup transfer assembly 4 includes a transmission connection seat 41, a suction cup mounting bracket 42, and a suction cup assembly 43;
[0085] The transmission connecting seat 41 is connected to the chain 221. The suction cup mounting bracket 42 is mounted on the transmission connecting seat 41 and is perpendicular to the mounting plate 1. The suction cup assembly 43 is mounted on the suction cup mounting bracket 42, and the suction cup assembly 43 is distributed on the outside of the mounting plate 1 in the orthographic projection of the mounting plate 1.
[0086] The transmission connection seat 41 refers to the load-bearing base that forms a rigid connection with the chain 221. Specifically, it can be connected by a chain buckle plate structure at its bottom that matches the chain 221. The transmission connection seat 41 ensures the synchronicity of power transmission by eliminating gaps in flexible connections. The suction cup assembly 43 is mounted on the suction cup mounting bracket 42, which is always perpendicular to the surface of the mounting plate. The suction cup assembly 43 is distributed on the outer side of the mounting plate 1 in its orthographic projection, so that the suction cup working area and the motion plane of the ring rotating mechanism 2 are spatially misaligned. This layout avoids motion interference between the suction cup and the rotating mechanism.
[0087] Specifically, the transmission connecting seat 41 is rigidly fixed to the chain 221 through the chain buckle plate, so that the movement trajectory of the suction cup transfer assembly 4 is completely synchronized with the circular path of the chain 221. The suction cup assembly 43 extends to the outside of the projected area of the mounting plate 1 through the suction cup mounting bracket 42, so that the suction cup working plane is spatially separated from the rotation plane of the circular rotating mechanism 2, thereby maintaining the stability of the vacuum pipeline connection during high-speed cyclic motion and eliminating the risk of mechanical collision.
[0088] Furthermore, the annular rotating mechanism 2 also includes an annular guide rail 23, which is arranged around the outside of the annular rotating assembly 22;
[0089] The suction cup transfer assembly 4 also includes at least two sets of guide rollers 45, which are rotatably mounted on the transmission connecting seat 41. The two sets of guide rollers 45 are respectively rolled on the inner and outer sides of the annular guide rail 23.
[0090] The annular guide rail 23 is a rigid track structure circumferentially arranged around the annular rotating assembly 22, and its annular closed path provides a motion trajectory reference for the suction cup transfer assembly 4. The guide roller 45 is a cylindrical roller with rolling bearings, and its outer edge forms a rolling friction pair with the contact surface of the annular guide rail 23.
[0091] Specifically, when the transmission connecting seat 41 moves along the annular rotating assembly 22 under the drive of the driving component, the guide rollers 45 mounted on it maintain rolling contact with the inner and outer walls of the annular guide rail 23. The inner guide roller 45 restricts the radial displacement of the suction cup transfer assembly 4 to the outward, and the outer guide roller 45 restricts the radial displacement to the inward, forming a bidirectional constraint. During the movement, the two sets of guide rollers 45 continuously contact the annular guide rail 23, and the lateral displacement caused by centrifugal force and inertial force is offset by rolling friction. The reaction force generated by the symmetrical arrangement of the inner and outer guide rollers 45 forms a torque balance, preventing the transmission connecting seat 41 from twisting during high-speed turning.
[0092] Furthermore, the suction cup transfer assembly 4 also includes a cam bearing seat 441, a guide shaft 442, a spring 443, and a cam 444;
[0093] One end of the cam bearing seat 441 is connected to the suction cup assembly 43, the other end of the cam bearing seat 441 passes vertically through the suction cup mounting bracket 42, and the cam 444 is rotatably disposed at the other end of the cam bearing seat 441.
[0094] One end of the guide shaft 442 is connected to the suction cup assembly 43, and the other end of the guide shaft 442 passes vertically through the suction cup mounting bracket 42. The spring 443 is sleeved on the outside of the guide shaft 442, one end of the spring 443 abuts against the suction cup mounting bracket 42, and the other end of the spring 443 abuts against the other end of the guide shaft 442.
[0095] The cam 444 is slidably connected to the rear convex portion 61 and the front convex portion 62.
[0096] Furthermore, an upper recess 63 is provided between the rear protrusion 61 and the front protrusion 62.
[0097] The cam bearing housing 441 refers to the support structure connecting the suction cup assembly 43 and the cam 444. The guide shaft 442 refers to the rigid rod that guides the linear movement of the suction cup assembly 43, and works with the spring 443 to form an elastic buffer and reset mechanism.
[0098] The guide plate 6 refers to a trajectory plate with a specific curved surface profile, which can be realized by CNC machining of aluminum alloy plate. The rear protrusion 61 and the front protrusion 62 form a height difference to control the lifting and lowering of the suction cup transfer assembly 4.
[0099] Specifically, when the suction cup transfer assembly 4 moves along the circular path to the material picking station 01, the cam 444 slides along the rear protrusion 61 of the guide plate, forcing the suction cup assembly 43 to press down to the material picking height to complete the suction action. During the transfer process, the cam 444 enters the upper concave area 63, and the spring 443 releases the pre-pressure to keep the suction cup assembly 43 in an elevated state to avoid interference. When it reaches the material discharging station 02, the cam 444 contacts the front protrusion 62 and is pressed down again, making the suction cup assembly 43 closer to the conveying surface of the discharge conveying mechanism 92 to achieve a stable material release effect. The mechanical linkage between the cam 444 and the guide plate 6 ensures that the motion trajectory is precisely matched with the process cycle.
[0100] Furthermore, the suction cup assembly 43 includes a suction cup manifold 431, a suction port 432, and a plurality of suction cups 433;
[0101] The suction port 432 is installed on the suction cup manifold 431, the suction cup 433 is installed on the suction cup manifold 431 through a safety valve, the suction port 432 is connected to the second air pipe connector 332 through the hose, and the suction port 432 is connected to several suction cups 433 through the internal air passage of the suction cup manifold 431.
[0102] The suction cup 433 is distributed on the outer side of the mounting plate 1 in the orthographic projection of the mounting plate 1.
[0103] The suction cup manifold 431 is a plate-like structure with internal air channels, which distributes a single air source to multiple adsorption points. The suction port 432 is a standardized port for connecting to the external air path, used to establish the air path connection between the suction cup manifold 431 and the pneumatic slip ring 33. The projection distribution of the suction cups 433 on the outer side of the mounting plate 1 refers to the arrangement of multiple suction cups 433 along the outer periphery of the mounting plate 1, so that the suction cup assembly 43 is in the optimal position for material gripping during circular motion.
[0104] Specifically, the suction cup manifold 431 distributes the negative pressure input from the suction port 432 evenly to multiple suction cups 433 through its internal air channels, forming a distributed adsorption structure. When the vacuum generator 31 is started, the negative pressure airflow sequentially passes through the first gas manifold 32, the pneumatic slip ring 33, the hose, and the suction port 432 into the suction cup manifold 431, and acts synchronously on all suction cups 433 through the internal air channels.
[0105] To further explain, the safety valve monitors the air pressure in real time during the suction cup adsorption process. When an abnormally high pressure is detected, it immediately cuts off the air path of the corresponding suction cup to prevent the bagged injection solution from being damaged due to overload adsorption.
[0106] Furthermore, the mounting plate 1 is equipped with a material picking photoelectric switch 51 and a material discharging photoelectric switch 52. The material picking photoelectric switch 51 is located at the position corresponding to the material picking station 01, and the material discharging photoelectric switch 52 is located at the position corresponding to the material discharging station 02.
[0107] The suction cup transfer assembly 4 is equipped with a sensing plate 50. When the sensing plate 50 senses the material picking photoelectric switch 51, the vacuum generating assembly 3 controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly 4 to pick up the material. When the sensing plate 50 senses the material discharging photoelectric switch 52, the vacuum generating assembly 3 controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly 4 to release the material.
[0108] The pick-up photoelectric switch 51 and the release photoelectric switch 52 are photoelectric sensors used to detect when the suction cup transfer assembly 4 arrives at the pick-up station 01 and the release station 02. Their installation positions are aligned with the spatial coordinates of the pick-up station 01 and the release station 02. When the sensing plate 50 enters its detection area, it outputs an electrical signal to trigger the corresponding adsorption and release actions.
[0109] To further explain, when the suction cup transfer assembly 4 moves to the material handling station 01 with the annular rotating mechanism 2, the sensing plate 50 enters the detection area of the material handling photoelectric switch 51. The photoelectric switch outputs a signal to the vacuum generating assembly 3, controlling the solenoid valve corresponding to the suction cup transfer assembly 4 to open the suction port, causing the suction cup 433 to generate negative pressure to adsorb the material. When the suction cup transfer assembly 4 carries the material to the material discharging station 02, the sensing plate 50 triggers the material discharging photoelectric switch 52, the vacuum generating assembly 3 closes the suction port and releases positive pressure, causing the suction cup 433 to release from the adsorption state and complete the material discharging. During this process, the triggering timing of the photoelectric signal strictly corresponds to the station position to avoid action delays caused by mechanical transmission errors or vibrations. The material handling photoelectric switch 51 and the material discharging photoelectric switch 52 are set independently, and the adsorption opening and closing of each suction cup transfer assembly 4 is controlled by a different solenoid valve, so that the triggering logic of the adsorption and release actions do not interfere with each other, ensuring that each action is executed only at the preset position.
[0110] Furthermore, the annular rotating mechanism 2 also includes several adjusting components 24, which are installed on the other side of the mounting plate 1. Each adjusting component 24 includes a rotating shaft seat 241, a fixing block 242, a tensioning bolt 243, and a tensioning block 244.
[0111] The mounting plate 1 is provided with a strip-shaped adjustment groove 11. The rotating shaft seat 241 is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft and is located in the strip-shaped adjustment groove 11. The fixing block 242 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 1. The tensioning bolt 243 is threadedly connected to the fixing block 242. One end of the tensioning bolt 243 is connected to the tensioning block 244. The tensioning block 244 abuts against the outside of the rotating shaft seat 241. The length extension direction of the tensioning bolt 243 is consistent with the opening direction of the strip-shaped adjustment groove 11.
[0112] The strip-shaped adjustment groove 11 is a straight through groove opened along the surface of the mounting plate 1. Its length direction is consistent with the tension adjustment direction of the chain 221, providing linear displacement space for the shaft seat 241. The shaft seat 241 is sleeved on the outside of the shaft of the sprocket 222, and the lateral adjustment of the shaft position is realized by the limiting of the strip-shaped adjustment groove 11.
[0113] Specifically, when the chain 221 becomes loose due to long-term operation, the tension bolt 243 is rotated to move axially along the threaded hole of the fixing block 242, pushing the tension block 244 to apply a lateral thrust to the rotating shaft seat 241. The rotating shaft seat 241, guided and constrained by the strip-shaped adjustment groove 11, drives the sprocket to translate along a predetermined trajectory, thereby changing the meshing distance between the sprocket 222 and the chain 221. During this process, the tension of the chain 221 is precisely controlled by the displacement of the sprocket's shaft. The threaded transmission structure provides a self-locking characteristic for the adjustment operation, preventing tension failure due to vibration during operation. The opening direction of the strip-shaped adjustment groove 11 is parallel to the axis of the tension bolt 243, ensuring that the movement trajectory of the rotating shaft seat 241 is completely consistent with the tensioning direction of the chain 221, preventing lateral offset from causing the mechanism to jam.
[0114] In some specific embodiments, the width of the strip-shaped adjustment groove can be set to be 0.5 to 1 mm larger than the outer dimensions of the shaft seat, ensuring both adjustment freedom and avoiding excessive wobbling. The contact surface between the tensioning block and the shaft seat can be machined into a spherical structure to compensate for angular deviations caused by installation errors. The axis of the threaded hole of the fixing block coincides with the center line of the strip-shaped adjustment groove to ensure the straightness of the tension force transmission path.
[0115] The technical principles of the present invention have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. These descriptions are merely for explaining the principles of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the invention in any way. Based on this explanation, those skilled in the art can readily conceive of other specific embodiments of the invention without inventive effort, and these embodiments will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device, characterized by: It includes installation disc (1), annular rotating mechanism (2), vacuum generating assembly (3), guide plate (6) and several suction disc transfer assemblies (4); The installation disc (1) is arranged along the vertical direction, the rear end of the lower part of the installation disc (1) is provided with a material taking station (01), and the front end of the lower part of the installation disc (1) is provided with a material placing station (02), the material taking station (01) is arranged correspondingly with the feeding conveying mechanism (91), and the material placing station (02) is arranged correspondingly with the discharging conveying mechanism (92); The annular rotating mechanism (2) includes a driving member (21) and an annular rotating assembly (22), the annular rotating assembly (22) is arranged on one side of the installation disc (1), and several suction disc transfer assemblies (4) are installed at intervals on the annular rotating assembly (22), the driving member (21) is used for driving the annular rotating assembly (22) to rotate and driving the suction disc transfer assemblies (4) to move from the material taking station (01) to the material placing station (02); the annular rotating assembly (22) includes a chain (221) and several sprockets (222); The vacuum generating assembly (3) is installed on the installation disc (1), and the vacuum generating assembly (3) is connected with the several suction disc transfer assemblies (4) respectively; the vacuum generating assembly (3) includes a vacuum generator (31), a first gas busbar (32), a pneumatic slip ring (33) and several electromagnetic valves (34); the first gas busbar (32) includes a total port and several suction ports (321), the total port is connected with the vacuum generator (31), and the several suction ports (321) are respectively provided with the electromagnetic valves (34), the electromagnetic valves (34) are used for controlling the opening and closing of the suction ports (321); the pneumatic slip ring (33) is arranged in the annular interior of the annular rotating assembly (22), the pneumatic slip ring (33) includes a fixed part and a rotating part, the fixed part is installed on the installation disc (1), the rotating part is rotatably arranged on the fixed part, the fixed part is provided with several first gas pipe joints (331), the rotating part is provided with several second gas pipe joints (332), and the several first gas pipe joints (331) and the several second gas pipe joints (332) are in one-to-one correspondence and in communication; the several first gas pipe joints (331) are respectively in one-to-one correspondence and in communication with the several suction ports (321) through hoses, and the several second gas pipe joints (332) are respectively in one-to-one correspondence and connected with the several suction disc transfer assemblies (4) through hoses; The guide plate (6) is installed on the lower part of the installation disc (1), the rear end of the guide plate (6) is provided with a rear convex part (61), and the front end of the guide plate (6) is provided with a front convex part (62), the rear convex part (61) is arranged correspondingly with the material taking station (01), and the front convex part (62) is arranged correspondingly with the material placing station (02). When the suction disc transfer assembly (4) passes through the material taking station (01), the rear protrusion (61) drives the suction disc transfer assembly (4) to be close to the feeding conveying mechanism (91), and the vacuum generating assembly (3) controls the suction disc transfer assembly (4) to adsorb the material; when the suction disc transfer assembly (4) passes through the material releasing station (02), the front protrusion (62) drives the suction disc transfer assembly (4) to be close to the discharging conveying mechanism (92), and the vacuum generating assembly (3) controls the suction disc transfer assembly (4) to release the material; The annular rotating mechanism (2) further comprises a plurality of adjusting assemblies (24), the adjusting assemblies (24) are installed on the other side of the mounting disc (1), the adjusting assembly (24) comprises a rotating shaft seat (241), a fixed block (242), a tensioning bolt (243) and a tensioning block (244); the mounting disc (1) is provided with a strip-shaped adjusting groove (11), the rotating shaft seat (241) is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft seat (241) is arranged in the strip-shaped adjusting groove (11), the fixed block (242) is fixedly arranged on the mounting disc (1), the tensioning bolt (243) is in threaded connection with the fixed block (242), one end of the tensioning bolt (243) is connected with the tensioning block (244), the tensioning block (244) abuts against the outside of the rotating shaft seat (241), and the length extension direction of the tensioning bolt (243) is consistent with the opening direction of the strip-shaped adjusting groove (11).
2. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain wheel (222) is rotatably installed on the mounting disc (1) through the rotating shaft, the chain (221) is sleeved on the outside of a plurality of chain wheels (222), and the chain (221) is meshed with a plurality of chain wheels (222) respectively. The driving piece (21) is installed on the other side of the mounting disc (1), and the driving piece (21) is used for driving one of the rotating shafts to rotate.
3. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The suction disc transfer assembly (4) comprises a transmission connecting seat (41), a suction disc mounting frame (42) and a suction disc assembly (43); The transmission connecting seat (41) is connected with the chain (221), the suction disc mounting frame (42) is installed on the transmission connecting seat (41), the suction disc mounting frame (42) is perpendicular to the mounting disc (1), the suction disc assembly (43) is installed on the suction disc mounting frame (42), and the suction disc assembly (43) is distributed on the outside of the mounting disc (1) in the orthographic projection of the mounting disc (1).
4. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The annular rotating mechanism (2) further comprises an annular guide rail (23), and the annular guide rail (23) is annularly arranged on the outside of the annular rotating assembly (22). The suction disc transfer assembly (4) further comprises at least two groups of guide rollers (45), the guide rollers (45) are rotatably installed on the transmission connecting seat (41), and two groups of the guide rollers (45) are rotatably arranged on the inner and outer sides of the annular guide rail (23) respectively.
5. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The suction disc transfer assembly (4) further comprises a cam bearing seat (441), a guide shaft (442), a spring (443) and a cam (444). One end of the cam bearing seat (441) is connected with the suction cup assembly (43), and the other end of the cam bearing seat (441) vertically penetrates the suction cup mounting frame (42), and the cam (444) is rotationally arranged at the other end of the cam bearing seat (441); One end of the guide shaft (442) is connected with the suction cup assembly (43), and the other end of the guide shaft (442) vertically penetrates the suction cup mounting frame (42), and the spring (443) is sleeved outside the guide shaft (442), one end of the spring (443) abuts against the suction cup mounting frame (42), and the other end of the spring (443) abuts against the other end of the guide shaft (442); The cam (444) is in sliding connection with the rear convex part (61) and the front convex part (62).
6. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 5, characterized in that: An upper concave part (63) is arranged between the rear convex part (61) and the front convex part (62).
7. A ring-shaped high-speed pick-and-place device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The suction cup assembly (43) comprises a suction cup busbar (431), a suction interface (432) and a plurality of suction cups (433); The suction interface (432) is mounted on the suction cup busbar (431), the suction cup (433) is mounted on the suction cup busbar (431) through a safety valve, the suction interface (432) is connected with the second air pipe joint (332) through the hose, and the suction interface (432) is in communication with the plurality of suction cups (433) through the internal air channel of the suction cup busbar (431); The suction cup (433) is distributed on the outside of the mounting disc (1) in the orthographic projection of the mounting disc (1).
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The mounting disc (1) is provided with a material taking photoelectric switch (51) and a material releasing photoelectric switch (52), the material taking photoelectric switch (51) is arranged at a position corresponding to the material taking station (01), and the material releasing photoelectric switch (52) is arranged at a position corresponding to the material releasing station (02); The suction cup transfer assembly (4) is provided with an induction sheet (50), when the induction sheet (50) is inducted by the material taking photoelectric switch (51), the vacuum generating assembly (3) controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly (4) to adsorb the material; when the induction sheet (50) is inducted by the material releasing photoelectric switch (52), the vacuum generating assembly (3) controls the corresponding suction cup transfer assembly (4) to release the material.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Multi-station rotary adsorption discharging mechanism
CN212967660U
Rotary material taking device
CN219507109U