Workpiece transfer equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a workpiece transfer device, relating to the field of mechanical equipment technology, specifically including a load-bearing component, a fork mechanism, and a pick-and-place mechanism. The pick-and-place component can pick up and fix the workpiece, allowing it to move along with the component. When a workpiece needs to be transferred, the drive fork mechanism provided by this invention can be moved to a position relative to the workpiece to form an external platform. Subsequently, the drive component can drive the pick-and-place component, which moves along the load-bearing platform and forks to pick up and place the workpiece. No manual handling is required, and the load-bearing platform can support and store the workpiece. It is suitable for transferring and temporarily storing workpieces of different sizes, adaptable to various processing equipment, avoids squeezing and collision accidents, and has high handling efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical equipment technology, and more specifically, to a workpiece transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] In modern manufacturing, especially in the field of precision machining of large molds, heavy mechanical components and complex non-standard parts, there is a wide reliance on high-precision equipment such as CNC machining centers, CNC boring machines, deep hole drilling machines and EDM machine tools.

[0003] The workpieces handled by these devices are generally large, complex in structure, and incredibly heavy, typically ranging from hundreds of kilograms to tens of tons. Because the weight of these workpieces far exceeds the load capacity of conventional industrial robots (usually less than 1 ton), traditional articulated robots or collaborative robot arms used for material handling become completely ineffective in such scenarios, unable to perform the task of picking up the workpiece from the preparation area and precisely placing it onto the machine tool table.

[0004] Currently, most operations combine manual labor with overhead cranes. Workers need to secure the workpieces to be processed onto the overhead crane, which then lifts them onto the machine tool's worktable. However, during workpiece handling, crushing and collision accidents are prone to occur, and the handling efficiency is low. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a workpiece transfer device to alleviate the technical problems of easy squeezing and collision accidents and low handling efficiency in the prior art when manual operation is combined with bridge cranes.

[0006] The present invention provides a workpiece transfer device, comprising: a load-bearing component, a fork mechanism, and a pick-and-place mechanism.

[0007] The support assembly has a support platform for supporting the workpiece.

[0008] A fork mechanism, including forks embedded in the support platform, the forks being movable toward one side of the support platform and extending outward from the support platform.

[0009] The picking and delivering mechanism includes a picking and delivering component and a driving component. The picking and delivering component is disposed on the support platform for picking up the workpiece. The driving component is drivenly connected to the picking and delivering component to drive the picking and delivering component to move along the support platform and / or the fork mechanism.

[0010] The direction of movement of the forks is the same as the direction of conveying the workpiece.

[0011] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a drive motor and a transmission component.

[0012] The support platform is provided with a fixed guide, and the fixed guide and the fork are arranged in a vertical direction.

[0013] The drive motor is mounted on the support platform and connected to the pick-and-place component.

[0014] The transmission component is located on one side of the pick-and-place assembly and is connected to the drive motor. The transmission component has a transmission part, which is adapted to the forks and the fixed guide.

[0015] The drive motor drives the transmission component to move along the fixed guide or the fork.

[0016] Furthermore, the fixed guide member has a first driving part on the contact surface with the transmission member.

[0017] A second drive unit is provided on the side of the fork near the transmission unit.

[0018] The transmission part is engaged with the first driving part and the second driving part to move along the first driving part and / or the second driving part;

[0019] The length of the first driving part is less than the length of the second driving part.

[0020] Furthermore, both the first drive unit and the second drive unit are rack and pinion structures.

[0021] The rack structures on the first drive unit and the second drive unit are opposite each other, and the moving distance of the fork is an integer multiple of the distance between two teeth on the rack structure.

[0022] Furthermore, there are at least two transmission components.

[0023] Multiple transmission components are respectively disposed on both sides of the pick-and-place assembly and connected to the two forks and the fixed guide.

[0024] Furthermore, the fork mechanism includes a drive component and a transmission assembly.

[0025] The drive unit is located on one side of the support platform.

[0026] The transmission assembly is located at the bottom of the support platform. The transmission assembly includes a transmission main shaft and multiple transmission shafts. One end of the transmission main shaft is connected to the drive component, and the other end is connected to two transmission shafts. Both transmission shafts are connected to the forks and are spaced apart along the movement direction of the forks.

[0027] Furthermore, an installation groove is formed on the support platform.

[0028] The mounting groove is provided with a limiting guide.

[0029] The forks are disposed in the mounting groove, and a first limiting member is provided on one side of the forks. The first limiting member is disposed in the limiting guide and can slide along the limiting guide.

[0030] Furthermore, the workpiece transfer device also includes a second limiting member.

[0031] The second limiting member has multiple components and is respectively disposed at both ends of the bearing platform along the conveying direction.

[0032] The second limiting member has a retractable limiting end, which is used to abut against the pick-and-place component.

[0033] Furthermore, the workpiece transfer device also includes a third limiting member.

[0034] The third limiting member is located at the end of the fork, and the third limiting member has a retractable anti-detachment component, which is used to abut against the pick-and-place mechanism.

[0035] When the forks extend beyond the support platform, the anti-detachment component extends to prevent the pick-and-place mechanism from falling off the forks.

[0036] Furthermore, the pick-up and delivery assembly includes a moving frame and a pickup component.

[0037] The mobile device is mounted on the support platform.

[0038] There are multiple pickup components, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the moving frame along the conveying direction.

[0039] Beneficial effects:

[0040] The workpiece transfer device provided by this invention can place the workpiece on a support platform, and the pick-and-place component can pick up and fix the workpiece, allowing the workpiece to move together with the pick-and-place component. When the workpiece needs to be transferred, the fork mechanism provided by this invention can be driven to move to a position relative to the workpiece to form an external platform. Then, the pick-and-place component can be driven by the drive component, and the pick-and-place component moves along the support platform and the fork to pick up and place the workpiece. No personnel handling is required, and the support platform can carry and store the workpiece. It is suitable for the transfer and temporary storage of workpieces of different sizes, is compatible with various processing equipment, avoids squeezing and collision accidents, and has high handling efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a top-view axial view structural schematic diagram of the workpiece transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a rear axial view of the workpiece transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the transmission relationship between the drive component and the fork in the workpiece transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pick-and-place mechanism in the workpiece transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] icon:

[0048] 100-Bearing component; 110-First drive unit; 120-Second limiting member; 200-Fork mechanism; 210-Fork; 211-Second drive unit; 212-Third limiting member; 220-Drive component; 231-Transmission spindle; 232-Transmission shaft; 300-Pick-and-feed mechanism; 310-Pick-and-feed component; 320-Drive component; 330-Limiting wheel; 322-Transmission component; 323-Transmission unit; 400-Workpiece. Detailed Implementation

[0049] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0050] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0051] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0052] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. They can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. They can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0055] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0056] Combination Figures 1 to 5 The workpiece 400 transfer device provided in this embodiment includes a load-bearing component 100, a fork mechanism 200, and a pick-and-place mechanism 300.

[0057] The supporting assembly 100 has a support platform for supporting the workpiece 400. The fork mechanism 200 includes forks 210 embedded in the support platform, which are movable toward one side of the support platform and extend outward from it. The picking and delivering mechanism 300 includes a picking and delivering assembly 310 and a drive assembly 320. The picking and delivering assembly 310 is disposed on the support platform for picking up the workpiece 400, and the drive assembly 320 is drively connected to the picking and delivering assembly 310 to drive the picking and delivering assembly 310 to move along the support platform or the fork mechanism 200.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving direction of the fork 210 is the conveying direction of the workpiece 400.

[0059] Specifically, in use, the driving fork mechanism 200 provided by the present invention is moved to a position relative to the workpiece 400, and the driving fork mechanism 200 is driven so that the forks 210 extend outward and contact the workpiece 400. Then, the picking and delivering component 310 can be driven by the driving component 320 so that the picking and delivering component 310 moves from the support platform to the end of the forks 210 to contact the workpiece 400 and pick up the workpiece 400. The picking and delivering component 310 is then driven by the driving component 320 again to transfer the workpiece 400 to the support platform.

[0060] In this embodiment, the workpiece 400 is placed on the support platform, and the pick-and-place component 310 can pick up and fix the workpiece 400 so that the workpiece 400 moves together with the pick-and-place component 310. The pick-and-place component 310 can move along the support platform or the fork 210.

[0061] After the forks 210 extend beyond the support platform, the pick-and-place assembly 310 can move along the forks 210 or the support platform. When the forks 210 are not extended beyond the support platform, the pick-and-place assembly 310 can move along the support platform and cooperate with the forks 210, that is, move along the support platform and the forks 210.

[0062] When workpiece 400 needs to be transferred, the fork mechanism 200 can be driven to move to a position relative to workpiece 400 to form an external platform. Then, the drive assembly 320 drives the pick-and-place assembly 310, which moves along the support platform or cooperates with the forks 210 and moves along the forks 210 to pick up and place workpiece 400. The entire movement process does not require personnel handling, and the support platform can carry and store workpiece 400. It is suitable for the transfer and temporary storage of workpieces 400 of different sizes, adaptable to various processing equipment, avoids squeezing and collision accidents, and has high handling efficiency.

[0063] As an alternative implementation, the pick-and-place assembly 310 can also be configured to move only along the fork 210. In this configuration, the pick-and-place assembly 310 needs to move along the fork 210 when the fork 210 moves. After the fork 210 extends out of the support platform, the pick-and-place assembly 310 can move along the fork 210 from the end of the fork 210 near the support platform to the end of the fork 210 away from the support platform, thereby realizing the pick-and-place action of the workpiece 400.

[0064] In this embodiment, the drive assembly 320 includes a drive motor and a transmission component 322. A fixed guide is provided on the support platform, and the fixed guide and the fork 210 are arranged vertically. The drive motor is located on the support platform and connected to the pick-and-place assembly 310. The transmission component 322 is located on one side of the pick-and-place assembly 310 and is connected to the drive motor for transmission. The transmission component 322 has a transmission part 323, which is adapted to the fork 210 and the fixed guide.

[0065] The drive motor drives the transmission component 322 to move along the fixed guide or fork 210.

[0066] In this embodiment, the drive motor cooperates with the transmission component 322, and the arrangement of the fixed guide and the fork 210 in the vertical direction enables the pick-and-place component 310 to move smoothly and accurately between the platform and the fork 210.

[0067] The transmission component 322 has a transmission part 323 adapted to the fork 210 and the fixed guide. With this structure, the drive motor can drive the pick-and-place assembly 310 to move along the fixed guide or the fork 210, regardless of whether the fork 210 is extended or retracted, thus ensuring the stability and repeatability of the workpiece 400 pick-and-place process.

[0068] When the forks 210 are not extended, the transmission unit 323 cooperates with the forks 210 and the fixed guide to drive the transmission component 322, allowing it to move along the forks 210 and the fixed guide under the drive of the drive motor. After the forks 210 extend beyond the support platform, and the transmission component 322 is on the support platform, the transmission component 322 can move along the fixed guide until it reaches the position where it engages with the forks 210. Subsequently, it can move along the forks 210 through the engagement structure with the forks 210. In this embodiment, the cooperation between the transmission unit 323, the forks 210, and the fixed guide improves the structural rigidity and transmission efficiency of the equipment, and also enhances the overall operational reliability and adaptability.

[0069] Specifically, in this embodiment, the fixed guide part is a groove formed on the support platform, and the transmission member 322 extends into the groove and moves along the setting direction of the groove.

[0070] In this embodiment, a first drive portion 110 is provided on the contact surface of the fixed guide member and the transmission member 322. A second drive portion 211 is provided on the side of the fork 210 near the transmission portion 323. The transmission portion 323 is in contact with the first drive portion 110 and the second drive portion 211 to move along the first drive portion 110 or the second drive portion 211.

[0071] The length of the first drive unit 110 is less than the length of the second drive unit 211.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first drive unit 110 and the second drive unit 211 are arranged in a vertical direction, and the first transmission unit 323 can move with the fork 210 so that the first drive unit 110 moves in a horizontal direction relative to the second drive unit 211.

[0073] Furthermore, since the length of the first drive unit 110 is less than the length of the second drive unit 211, the first drive unit 110 and the second drive unit 211 are misaligned when the forks 210 are not extended beyond the support platform. When the forks 210 are not extended beyond the support platform and the pick-and-place assembly 310 is located at the end of the support platform, the transmission unit 323 of the transmission member 322 only engages with the end of the longer second drive unit 211 through meshing or contact, thereby completely disengaging from the first drive unit 110 and effectively preventing the pick-and-place assembly 310 from being accidentally displaced during horizontal movement of the forks 210.

[0074] Specifically, in this embodiment, both the first drive unit 110 and the second drive unit 211 are rack structures. The rack structures on the first drive unit 110 and the second drive unit 211 are opposite each other, and the moving distance of the fork 210 is an integer multiple of the distance between the two teeth on the rack structure.

[0075] In this embodiment, the transmission component 322 is specifically a gear, and the transmission part 323 is the external tooth of the gear. Both the first drive part 110 and the second drive part 211 adopt a rack structure, and the two racks are arranged opposite each other to align them. With this structure, when the forks 210 are not extended from the support platform, the transmission component 322 can simultaneously mesh with the two racks.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the travel distance of the gear fork 210 is controlled to be an integer multiple of the distance between the two teeth on the rack. This structure ensures that after the fork 210 extends out of the support platform or retracts to the support platform, the rack on the movable fork 210 can maintain a precise alignment with the rack on the fixed guide, thereby enabling the gear of the transmission unit 323 to smoothly and without impact achieve meshing and switching.

[0077] This structure avoids jamming, wear, or transmission failure caused by tooth misalignment during the movement of the pick-and-place component 310 through the transmission component 322, significantly improving the reliability, stability, and positioning accuracy of the pick-and-place of the workpiece 400.

[0078] There are at least two transmission components 322. Multiple transmission components 322 are respectively located on both sides of the pick-and-place assembly 310 and connected to the two forks 210 and the fixed guide.

[0079] Specifically, in this embodiment, there are two transmission components 322, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pick-up and delivery component 310.

[0080] In this structure, the transmission of driving force and motion support of the pick-and-place assembly 310 are more balanced and stable. The two transmission components 322 are respectively connected to the forks 210 on both sides and the fixed guide members, jointly bearing the load of the pick-and-place assembly 310 and the workpiece 400, thereby avoiding problems such as uneven load, jamming, or unstable movement that may be caused by unilateral transmission. This further enhances the rigidity and operational reliability of the pick-and-place assembly 310, ensuring that heavy and large workpieces 400 remain stable during movement, and improving the positioning accuracy and operational safety of the workpiece 400 during movement.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each transmission component 322 is provided with limiting wheels 330 on both the front and rear sides along the conveying direction of the workpiece 400. A first limiting groove is provided on the side wall of the mounting groove away from the rack, extending in the same direction as the conveying direction of the workpiece 400. A second limiting groove is provided on the side wall of the fork 210 opposite to the limiting groove. The openings of the first and second limiting grooves are horizontally aligned and opposite each other. The two end flanges of the limiting wheel 330 are respectively located within the first and second limiting grooves. When the pick-and-place assembly 310 moves along the support platform or fork 210 via the transmission component 322, the limiting wheel 330 can rotate within the first and second limiting grooves. The first and second limiting grooves can clamp the limiting wheel 330 on both sides, ensuring that the pick-and-place assembly 310 remains stable in the horizontal direction and preventing longitudinal movement due to gear meshing issues during movement.

[0082] Furthermore, the two limiting wheels 330 are spaced apart and move synchronously within the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove. This structure enables guidance of the movement direction, allowing the pick-and-place component 310 to move strictly in accordance with the extension direction of the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove.

[0083] In this embodiment, the fork mechanism 200 includes a drive member 220 and a transmission assembly. The drive member 220 is located on one side of the support platform. The transmission assembly is located at the bottom of the support platform and includes a drive spindle 231 and multiple drive shafts 232. One end of the drive spindle 231 is connected to the drive member 220, and the other end is connected to two drive shafts 232. Both drive shafts 232 are connected to the forks 210 and are spaced apart along the moving direction of the forks 210.

[0084] Specifically, in this embodiment, the drive unit 220 is disposed on one side of the support platform, and the transmission assembly is disposed at the bottom of the support platform. The power of the drive unit 220 is simultaneously transmitted through the transmission main shaft 231 to multiple transmission shafts 232 that are spaced apart along the moving direction of the forks 210, thereby realizing centralized and synchronous driving of multiple forks 210.

[0085] In this structure, the drive is achieved through a single drive unit 220, which ensures the absolute synchronicity and consistency of the actions of multiple forks 210 during the extension and retraction process, eliminating jamming, off-center loading, wear, or workpiece positioning errors caused by asynchronous motion.

[0086] In this embodiment, there are two drive shafts 232, which are respectively arranged at both ends of the support platform along the moving direction of the forks 210, thus constructing a stable and efficient symmetrical drive layout. In this structure, the drive shaft 231 is driven by the drive component 220 to simultaneously drive the drive shafts 232 at both ends. This not only achieves synchronous and precise control of the movement of multiple sets of forks 210 (such as both left and right sides), but more importantly, it enables the forks 210 to extend and retract independently and synchronously on both sides of the support platform. Therefore, the workpiece 400 transfer device provided in this embodiment can efficiently and flexibly complete the operation of picking up materials from both sides of the support platform and transferring them to the corresponding processing equipment, realizing bidirectional automated loading and unloading functions on a single equipment platform.

[0087] Compared to traditional single-sided operating equipment, this structure greatly improves space utilization and production efficiency, enabling one device to serve two workstations or two machine tools simultaneously. Meanwhile, the dual-end support drive significantly enhances the torsional rigidity and motion stability of the fork mechanism 200 under long stroke and heavy load conditions, effectively avoiding structural deformation, jamming, or loss of positioning accuracy that may be caused by cantilever or unilateral force.

[0088] It should be noted that in this embodiment, each fork 210 has a rack at its bottom along its moving direction, and a drive gear adapted to the rack is fixedly installed on the corresponding drive shaft 232. Through the meshing transmission between the gear and the rack, the rotational motion of the drive shaft 232 is converted into precise and stable linear reciprocating motion of the forks 210.

[0089] The gear and rack transmission method can provide high torque and high rigidity direct drive, effectively avoiding elastic slippage or slippage during the transmission process. In addition, the meshing transmission of gears and racks has high positioning accuracy and small backlash, thereby ensuring the repeatability of positioning accuracy of multiple forks 210 each time they extend and retract.

[0090] In this embodiment, a mounting groove is formed on the support platform. A limiting guide portion is provided on the groove wall of the mounting groove. The fork 210 is disposed in the mounting groove, and a first limiting member is provided on one side of the fork 210. The first limiting member is disposed in the limiting guide portion and can slide along the limiting guide portion.

[0091] Specifically, in this embodiment, a mounting groove is provided on the support platform for accommodating the limiting guide and the fork 210. The fork 210 is assembled in the mounting groove, and the limiting end of the first limiting member on one side of the fork 210 can extend outward. When the fork 210 moves, the limiting end extends outward to insert into the limiting guide and slide along the limiting guide, thereby providing radial constraint and guiding support for the extension and retraction of the fork 210.

[0092] In this embodiment, the guide mounting part is the mounting groove, and the second drive part 211 is disposed on the inner wall of one side of the mounting groove. When the fork 210 is retracted into the mounting groove, the rack on the fork 210 and the second drive part 211 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction in the mounting groove.

[0093] It should be noted that in this embodiment, a third driving part adapted to the second driving part 211 is provided on the groove wall of the mounting groove opposite to the second driving part 211. The third driving part is also a rack. The second driving part 211 and the third driving part form a closed driving and guiding structure on both sides of the transmission member 322 to achieve stable driving of the transmission member 322.

[0094] In this embodiment, the limiting guide is a groove extending in the same direction as the movement direction of the fork 210, and the limiting end of the first limiting member is a limiting rod. The limiting rod is inserted into the groove and moves along the groove with the fork 210.

[0095] In this structure, the limiting rod and the sliding groove cooperate to prevent the fork 210 from warping, twisting, or jamming during movement, ensuring the smoothness of the linear movement of the fork 210 and the repeatability of its positioning accuracy. Simultaneously, the cooperation between the limiting guide and the first limiting component also constitutes a mechanical anti-drop mechanism for the fork 210, preventing it from detaching from the mounting groove and enhancing the overall safety and operational reliability of the workpiece 400 transfer equipment.

[0096] In this embodiment, the workpiece 400 transfer device further includes a second limiting member 120. Multiple second limiting members 120 are provided at both ends of the support platform along the conveying direction. Each second limiting member 120 has a retractable limiting end for contacting the pick-and-place assembly 310.

[0097] Specifically, in this embodiment, by setting multiple retractable second limiting members 120 at both ends of the carrier platform along the conveying direction, a reliable safety limiting guarantee is provided for the movement of the pick-up and delivery component 310.

[0098] When the pick-and-place component 310 picks up the workpiece 400 and carries it to the support platform for storage, the second limiting member 120, which is away from the initial position of the workpiece 400, is in an extended state so as to abut against the pick-and-place component 310 when it reaches this position. The second limiting member 120, which is close to the initial position of the workpiece 400, is in a retracted state to avoid interfering with the pick-and-place component 310 and the workpiece 400 moving back to the support platform.

[0099] Correspondingly, when the pick-and-place assembly 310 needs to move the workpiece 400 off the support platform to transport the workpiece 400, the forks 210 extend outward to switch the second limiting member 120 located on the moving path of the pick-and-place assembly 310 to the retracted state, so as to avoid interfering with the movement of the pick-and-place assembly 310 and causing the workpiece 400 to be unable to be transported smoothly.

[0100] Specifically, the second limiting member 120 in this embodiment includes a first moving part and a second moving part arranged in a vertical direction. The bottom of the first moving part is provided with an elastic member so that the first moving part is in an extended state under normal conditions, thereby blocking and limiting the pick-up and delivery component 310 and preventing the pick-up and delivery component 310 from overstepping its bounds due to inertia or control error.

[0101] The side wall of the first moving part is provided with a sloped structure. One end of the second moving part abuts against the sloped structure of the first moving part. When there is no external force interfering with either the first or the second moving part, the first moving part is in an extended state, and the end of the second moving part away from the first moving part is in an extended state and located on the moving path of the fork 210. In this structure, during the extension of the fork 210, the fork 210 squeezes the end of the second moving part away from the first moving part, causing the second moving part to move towards the first moving part. The second moving part pushes the sloped structure of the first moving part to make the first moving part move downward and compress the elastic element, thereby switching the first moving part from an extended state to a retracted state, thus preventing the pick-and-place assembly 310 from being blocked by the first moving part when moving along the support platform and the fork 210.

[0102] After workpiece 400 is conveyed or picked up, the pick-and-place assembly 310 moves to the bearing platform and the forks 210 resets. After the forks 210 are fully retracted, the first and second moving parts in the second limiting members 120 at both ends of the bearing platform are in a state of no external force interference. The second moving part loses the external force applied by the forks 210, and the elastic member undergoes restorative deformation to push the first moving part upward and cause the first moving part to push the second moving part to move. That is, the first moving part is in an extended state, thereby limiting the pick-and-place assembly 310. At the same time, the second moving part switches to an extended state to prevent the pick-and-place assembly 310 from falling off the bearing platform.

[0103] Furthermore, when the pick-and-place component 310 picks up or transports the workpiece 400 on one side, the second limiting component 120 on the other side of the support platform is not affected by the fork 210. The first moving part and the second moving part in the second limiting component 120 are both in a state without external force interference, that is, the first moving part is in an extended state, thereby limiting the pick-and-place component 310 and preventing the pick-and-place component 310 from falling off the support platform.

[0104] In this embodiment, the second limiting member 120, which is composed of the first moving part and the second moving part, is mechanically coupled with the extension and safety protection function of the fork 210 (the state of the second limiting member 120) through a mechanical structure, thereby realizing fully automatic, highly reliable, and adaptive mechanical safety protection, which greatly improves the intrinsic safety and operational reliability of the equipment.

[0105] In this embodiment, the workpiece 400 transfer device further includes a third limiting member 212. The third limiting member 212 is disposed at the end of the fork 210, and has a retractable anti-detachment member for abutting against the pick-and-place mechanism 300. When the fork 210 extends outward from the support platform, the anti-detachment member extends to prevent the pick-and-place mechanism 300 from falling off the fork 210.

[0106] In this embodiment, by providing a third limiting member 212 with a retractable anti-detachment component at the end of the fork 210, end safety protection is provided for the fork 210 in the extended state.

[0107] When the forks 210 extend outward from the support platform to form a cantilever structure for picking up and placing materials, the anti-detachment component of the third limiting member 212 actively extends and forms a reliable contact with the picking and feeding mechanism 300 that moves to the end of the forks 210. This effectively prevents the picking and feeding mechanism 300 and the heavy workpiece 400 it carries from slipping off the suspended end of the forks 210 due to inertia or accidental reasons, thus completely avoiding possible serious equipment damage and personal safety accidents.

[0108] Specifically, in this embodiment, the end of the fork 210 is provided with a horizontally extending anti-slip member mounting groove. The retractable anti-slip member is specifically a protrusion placed in the groove, and a spring is provided between the protrusion and the bottom of the anti-slip member mounting groove. The side of the protrusion away from the bottom of the groove and facing the support platform has an inclined structure.

[0109] In this structure, when the fork 210 extends outward until the anti-slip device slot is no longer obstructed by the mounting slot, the protrusion loses its external constraint. At this time, the preload of the spring is released to push the protrusion outward, thus forming a physical limit at the suspended end of the fork 210. This process is mechanically triggered by the linear motion of the fork 210, requiring no sensors, controllers, or electrical drives, effectively preventing the pick-and-place mechanism 300 and its loaded heavy workpiece 400 from accidentally falling off the suspended end. When the fork 210 needs to retract into the mounting slot, the exposed inclined structure of the protrusion contacts the wall of the mounting slot. As the fork 210 continues to move inward, the normal force generated on the inclined surface is converted into a radial force that forces the protrusion to overcome the spring force and retract into the slot, thus allowing the protrusion to smoothly and steadily retract into the anti-slip device slot. The entire process is a mechanical "contact-retraction" process, thus clearing a path for the retraction movement of the fork 210, avoiding any interference or collision, and achieving automatic avoidance without external control.

[0110] The inclined surface and spring mechanism of the third limiting component 212 directly convert the linear motion of the fork 210 into the extension and retraction action of the anti-drop component, realizing automatic and reliable mechanical anti-drop protection at the suspended end of the fork 210, improving the intrinsic safety and automation level of the equipment, ensuring the safety and reliability of the entire feeding process, and further enhancing the adaptability of the equipment in automated and unmanned operation scenarios.

[0111] In this embodiment, the pick-and-place assembly 310 includes a movable frame and pick-up components. The movable frame is mounted on a support platform. Multiple pick-up components are disposed on both sides of the movable frame along the conveying direction.

[0112] In this embodiment, a pickup is arranged on each side of the conveying direction of the mobile frame, and the pickup is specifically a magnetic structure. Under this structure, the pickup and delivery component 310 can fix and release the workpieces 400 on both sides, thereby cooperating with the bidirectional fork mechanism 200 to realize the bidirectional automated loading and unloading function of the workpiece 400 transfer equipment, and improving the overall performance and applicability of the entire workpiece 400 transfer system.

[0113] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A workpiece transfer apparatus, characterized by, The application relates to a pallet component (100) for carrying workpieces (400), comprising a fork mechanism (200) and a taking and placing mechanism (300). The fork mechanism (200) comprises forks (210) embedded in the pallet component (100), which can move towards one side of the pallet component (100) and extend out of the pallet component (100). The taking and placing mechanism (300) comprises a taking and placing component (310) arranged on the pallet component (100) for picking up the workpieces (400) and a driving component (320) in driving connection with the taking and placing component (310) for driving the taking and placing component (310) to move along the pallet component (100) and / or the fork mechanism (200). The moving direction of the forks (210) is the conveying direction of the workpieces (400). The driving component (320) comprises a driving motor and a transmission member (322). The pallet component (100) is provided with fixed guide members arranged in the vertical direction and matched with the forks (210). The driving motor is arranged on the pallet component (100) and connected with the taking and placing component (310). The transmission member (322) is arranged on one side of the taking and placing component (310) and in driving connection with the driving motor, and has a transmission part (323) matched with the forks (210) and the fixed guide members. The driving motor drives the transmission member (322) to move along the fixed guide members or the forks (210). The surface of the fixed guide members connected with the transmission member (322) is provided with a first driving part (110). The side of the forks (210) close to the transmission part (323) is provided with a second driving part (211). The transmission part (323) is in close contact with the first driving part (110) and the second driving part (211) to move along the first driving part (110) and / or the second driving part (211). The length of the first driving part (110) is smaller than that of the second driving part (211). The first driving part (110) and the second driving part (211) are both rack structures.

2. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The rack structures on the first driving part (110) and the second driving part (211) are opposite, and the moving distance of the forks (210) is an integer multiple of the distance between two teeth on the rack structures. The transmission member (322) has at least two.

3. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The transmission members (322) are arranged on both sides of the taking and placing component (310) and connected with two forks (210) and the fixed guide members. The fork mechanism (200) comprises a driving member (220) and a transmission assembly.

4. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The driving member (220) is arranged on one side of the pallet component (100). ​ The transmission assembly is arranged at the bottom of the bearing table, and comprises a transmission main shaft (231) and two transmission shafts (232). The transmission main shaft (231) is in transmission connection with the driving member (220) and is in transmission connection with the two transmission shafts (232) at two ends respectively. The two transmission shafts (232) are in transmission connection with the forks (210) and are arranged at intervals along the moving direction of the forks (210).

5. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The bearing table is provided with a mounting groove; The mounting groove is provided with a limiting guide part on the groove wall; The forks (210) are arranged in the mounting groove, and one side of the forks (210) is provided with a first limiting member. The first limiting member is arranged in the limiting guide part and can slide along the limiting guide part.

6. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The workpiece transfer device further comprises a second limiting member (120); The second limiting member (120) is provided at two ends of the bearing table along the conveying direction; The second limiting member (120) has an extendable limiting end, and the limiting end is used for abutting against the taking and delivering assembly (310).

7. The workpiece transfer apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The workpiece transfer device further comprises a third limiting member (212); The third limiting member (212) is arranged at the end of the forks, and the third limiting member (212) has an extendable anti-falling member. The anti-falling member is used for abutting against the taking and delivering mechanism (300); When the forks (210) extend out of the bearing table, the anti-falling member is extended to prevent the taking and delivering mechanism (300) from falling off the forks (210).

8. The workpiece transfer apparatus of any of claims 1-7, wherein, The taking and delivering assembly (310) comprises a moving frame and a pickup member; The moving frame is arranged on the bearing table; The pickup member is provided at two sides of the moving frame along the conveying direction.

Images