Automated assembly station for automotive filter cartridges and method of assembly

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of automotive accessory assembly technology, specifically disclosing an automated assembly workstation for automotive filters and its assembly method. It includes a conveying device, a positioning device, and a robotic arm assembly. The positioning device includes a lateral movement assembly arranged along a first horizontal direction and a tilting assembly for clamping the air conditioning unit. The lateral movement assembly is equipped with a rotary drive device and a rotary support seat driven by the rotary drive device, thereby realizing the longitudinal movement and rotation of the air conditioning unit in the horizontal plane. The tilting drive device is fixedly installed on the rotary support seat, thereby driving the air conditioning unit to adjust its pitch angle. The automatic posture adjustment function of the air conditioning unit before insertion not only significantly improves the efficiency of a single work cycle but also provides flexibility to adapt to mixed-line production of multiple vehicle models and specifications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive accessory assembly technology, specifically relating to an automated automotive filter assembly workstation and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of the automotive air conditioning system, the air filter inside the cabin air conditioning unit is a crucial element for ensuring air quality inside the vehicle. Accurately and efficiently assembling the filter into the cabin air conditioning unit is a vital process on the automotive assembly line. Traditional assembly methods rely heavily on manual operation, where workers manually pick up and place the filter and press it into the designated slots in the cabin air conditioning unit. This method is not only labor-intensive and slow, making it difficult to meet the high-speed requirements of modern production lines, but it is also prone to quality problems due to human error, such as improper filter assembly, damaged seals, or missing or incorrect installations, directly affecting the final performance and reliability of the product.

[0003] To improve automation levels, some existing technologies employ robots for assisted assembly. However, these solutions often have limited functionality and poor adaptability. Specifically, they suffer from the following technical problems: First, most automated workstations can only handle single-specification filter elements and air conditioning units, lacking flexibility and unable to meet the flexible production needs of multiple vehicle models on the same production line in the automotive industry. Second, for situations where filter elements need to be installed at two different locations on the air conditioning unit (especially installation ports with different posture requirements), existing solutions typically require two robots or a single robot to perform multiple back-and-forth gripping operations, resulting in high equipment costs or excessively long production cycles. Furthermore, the positioning accuracy of the filter elements on the conveyor line and their posture compensation capabilities relative to the air conditioning unit installation port are insufficient, often requiring the use of high-precision specialized fixtures, which reduces the robustness and reliability of the system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems of poor flexibility, low efficiency, and high cost in existing automated assembly solutions for dual-filter elements, this invention proposes an automated assembly workstation for automotive filters and its assembly method. The invention provides the following technical solution:

[0005] An automated assembly workstation for automotive filters includes:

[0006] A conveying device used to transport filter elements;

[0007] Positioning device, used to place and adjust the position of the air conditioning unit;

[0008] A robotic arm assembly for gripping a filter element from the conveying device and inserting the filter element into the air conditioning unit on the positioning device;

[0009] The positioning device includes a lateral moving component arranged along a first horizontal direction and a flipping component for clamping the air conditioning unit.

[0010] The lateral movement assembly includes a first lateral movement base, a first lateral movement drive device disposed on the first lateral movement base, and a rotating base driven by the first lateral movement drive device to slide along a first horizontal direction. The rotating base is provided with a rotating drive device and a rotating support seat driven by the rotating drive device.

[0011] The flipping assembly includes a flipping drive device and a flipping positioning frame that is driven by the flipping drive device to flip, and the flipping drive device is fixedly installed on the rotating support base.

[0012] Preferably, the robotic arm assembly includes a six-axis robot and a clamping assembly mounted on the end effector of the six-axis robot.

[0013] Preferably, the clamping assembly includes:

[0014] The second transverse base is fixedly installed at the end effector of the six-axis robot;

[0015] The second transverse drive device is disposed on the second transverse base;

[0016] The first gripper and the second gripper, wherein the first gripper and / or the second gripper are driven by the second transverse drive device, are slidably connected to the second transverse base in a manner that allows them to move closer to or further away from each other.

[0017] Preferably, the first gripper and the second gripper are respectively provided with a first positioning groove and a second positioning groove on opposite sides, and both the first positioning groove and the second positioning groove are trapezoidal grooves.

[0018] Preferably, the conveying device includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged in parallel, and the end effector of the six-axis robot is equipped with two clamping assemblies.

[0019] Preferably, a visual inspection device for identifying filter cartridge specifications and orientation is mounted above the conveying device via a mounting bracket.

[0020] Preferably, the flip positioning frame is equipped with a limiting post and a positioning post for inserting the air conditioning unit, and the air conditioning unit abuts against the limiting post.

[0021] A method for assembling automotive filter elements, based on an automated automotive filter element assembly workstation, includes the following steps:

[0022] S1. Loading materials:

[0023] Place the filter element on the conveying device and clamp the air conditioning unit onto the tilting positioning frame;

[0024] S2, Pose Adjustment and Recognition:

[0025] The conveying device transports the filter element to the gripping station; simultaneously, the transverse and tilting components adjust the position of the air conditioning unit to the first assembly state; and the visual inspection device identifies the specifications and posture information of the filter element.

[0026] S3, Grabbing and First Assembly:

[0027] The robotic arm assembly moves to the gripping station, and the two clamping assemblies grip the corresponding filter element respectively. After gripping the filter element, according to the information of the vision inspection device and the preset assembly path, the first filter element is inserted into the first installation station of the air conditioning unit in the first assembly state.

[0028] S4, Second pose adjustment:

[0029] After the first filter element is placed by the robotic arm assembly and the arm of the six-axis robot is moved away, the position of the air conditioning unit is adjusted to the second assembly state by the lateral movement assembly and the flipping assembly.

[0030] S5. Second assembly: Insert the second filter element into the second installation station of the air conditioning unit, which is in the second assembly state.

[0031] Preferably, step S2 further includes a data verification step: the control system pre-stores the standard filter specifications and assembly positioning parameters corresponding to different air conditioning unit models; after the visual inspection device identifies the filter specifications, it feeds the data back to the control system, which compares it with the standard parameters of the current assembly task. If they match, the assembly continues; if they do not match, an alarm is issued or the unqualified filter is removed.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. By adopting a parallel dual conveyor line design, the workstation can process filter elements of the same or different specifications at the same time. Combined with the six-axis robot's ability to grab two filter elements at once and the automatic adjustment function of the air conditioning unit's posture, this solution not only significantly improves the efficiency of a single work cycle, but also has the flexibility to adapt to mixed production of multiple vehicle models and multiple specifications of products.

[0034] 2. The integrated vision inspection system identifies the filter element specifications and spatial posture, providing precise grasping and positioning data for the six-axis robot; at the same time, the precision lateral movement drive device built into the clamping component can fine-tune and compensate for the insertion process. The combination of the two effectively addresses minor deviations in incoming materials and positioning, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the assembly action.

[0035] 3. A single six-axis robot is used in conjunction with a positioning device with multiple degrees of freedom to complete the assembly of the dual filter elements. This achieves complex functions with a more streamlined hardware configuration, avoiding the use of two robots or more complex special machines. This effectively controls the initial investment and long-term maintenance costs of the equipment while achieving the goal of automation.

[0036] 4. The alignment mechanism and lifting stop mechanism at the end of the conveying device ensure that the filter element has a consistent and accurate initial position before being gripped; the rigid positioning method of "positioning column and limiting column" on the positioning device ensures that the air conditioning unit is firmly clamped during dynamic adjustment. These optimized designs of the basic structure provide a solid guarantee for the stable and repetitive operation of the entire workflow;

[0037] 5. With its comprehensive advantages such as precise positioning, intelligent compensation, and stable clamping, this workstation can effectively avoid quality problems such as improper filter element assembly, damaged sealing strips, missing or incorrect assembly that may occur with traditional manual operation or simple automation, ultimately ensuring that the assembly quality of every product leaving the factory meets high standards. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the invention from an overhead view;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a partial three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0043] In the attached drawings: 1. Conveying device; 11. First conveyor; 12. Second conveyor; 13. Third conveyor; 14. Fourth conveyor; 15. Side baffle; 2. Positioning device; 21. Lateral movement assembly; 211. First lateral movement base; 212. First lateral movement drive device; 213. Rotating base; 214. Rotating drive device; 215. Rotating support seat; 22. Tilting assembly; 221. Tilting drive device; 222. Tilting positioning frame; 2221. Limiting post; 2222. Positioning post; 3. Robotic arm assembly; 31. Six-axis robot; 32. Clamping assembly; 321. Second transverse base; 322. Second transverse drive device; 323. First gripper; 3231. First positioning slot; 324. Second gripper; 3241. Second positioning slot; 325. Connecting plate; 326. Double-headed connecting frame; 4. Vision inspection device; 41. Gantry mounting frame; 42. Industrial camera; 5. Precision positioning mechanism; 51. Side push cylinder; 52. Push plate; 6. Lifting stop; 7. Gripping station. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as "up", "down", "left", "right", etc., are only for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustration and not for limiting the invention.

[0045] Example 1

[0046] like Figure 1-5 As shown, an automated assembly workstation for automotive filters includes:

[0047] Conveying device 1 is used to orderly convey filter elements to the designated gripping station 7;

[0048] Positioning device 2 is used to precisely fix the air conditioning unit and adjust its spatial position to the optimal assembly angle;

[0049] The robotic arm assembly 3 is used to pick up the filter element from the conveying device 1 and insert the filter element into the air conditioning unit on the positioning device 2 with a precise posture.

[0050] The positioning device 2 includes a lateral moving component 21 arranged along a first horizontal direction and a flipping component 22 for clamping the air conditioning unit;

[0051] The lateral movement assembly 21 includes a first lateral movement base 211, a first lateral movement drive device 212 disposed on the first lateral movement base 211, and a rotating base 213 driven by the first lateral movement drive device 212 to slide along a first horizontal direction. The rotating base 213 is provided with a rotating drive device 214 and a rotating support seat 215 driven by the rotating drive device 214, thereby realizing the longitudinal movement and rotation of the air conditioning unit in the horizontal plane.

[0052] The flipping assembly 22 includes a flipping drive device 221 and a flipping positioning frame 222 driven by the flipping drive device 221 to flip. The flipping drive device 221 is fixedly installed on the rotating support base 215, thereby driving the air conditioning unit to adjust the pitch angle.

[0053] Specifically, the robotic arm assembly 3 includes a six-axis robot 31 and a clamping assembly 32 mounted on the end effector of the six-axis robot 31. Specifically, an IRB4600 robot is used, and the six-axis robot 31 provides flexible movement capabilities in three-dimensional space.

[0054] Specifically, the clamping assembly 32 includes:

[0055] The second transverse base 321 is fixedly installed on the end effector of the six-axis robot 31 via a connecting plate 325;

[0056] The second transverse drive device 322 is disposed on the second transverse base 321, and is a compact electric slide or cylinder;

[0057] The first gripper 323 and the second gripper 324 are driven by the second transverse drive device 322 and the second gripper 324 is driven independently by the third transverse drive device. Thus, the first gripper 323 and the second gripper 324 are driven to move closer or further away from each other, thereby achieving the clamping and loosening of the filter element.

[0058] Specifically, the first gripper 323 and the second gripper 324 are respectively provided with a first positioning groove 3231 and a second positioning groove 3241 on opposite sides. The first positioning groove 3231 and the second positioning groove 3241 are both V-shaped or trapezoidal grooves, which can better accommodate the edge of the filter element, provide stable clamping with multi-point contact, and have a certain self-centering effect when clamping, effectively preventing the filter element from slipping or rotating during rapid movement.

[0059] Specifically, the conveying device 1 includes a first conveyor 11 and a second conveyor 12 arranged in parallel, which can be controlled independently and are used to convey two filter elements to be assembled in parallel. The end effector of the six-axis robot 31 is equipped with two clamping components 32 through a dedicated double-head connecting frame 326, enabling the six-axis robot 31 to grasp two filter elements in one action, greatly improving work efficiency.

[0060] Furthermore, the conveying device 1 is provided with a threadedly adjustable side baffle 15 on the conveying direction side to restrict the lateral movement of the filter element.

[0061] Furthermore, the conveying device 1 also includes a third conveyor 13 and a fourth conveyor 14 arranged in parallel. The third conveyor 13 and the fourth conveyor 14 are disposed between the first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 12 and are respectively connected to the first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 12.

[0062] Specifically, a vision inspection device 4 for identifying filter element specifications and spatial orientation is mounted on top of the conveying device 1 via a gantry-type mounting bracket 41. This vision inspection system includes a high-resolution industrial camera 42 and a matching light source, capable of accurately identifying the filter element's model, contour center, and rotation angle. Furthermore, at the end of the conveying device 1, namely the robotic gripping station 7, a precision positioning mechanism 5 is provided. This mechanism includes a side-push cylinder 51 located on the outer side, with a push plate 52 made of polyurethane connected to the front end of the cylinder piston rod. This plate is used to laterally push the filter elements on the conveying line so that their center line coincides with the gripping reference line. The precision positioning mechanism 5 can also transfer the filter elements to the third conveyor 13 and the fourth conveyor 14. At the same time, a baffle that can be lifted and lowered by a cylinder is provided below the conveying surface to block subsequent filter elements, ensuring that there is only one filter element to be gripped at the gripping station 7 at any given time. The gripping station 7 is specifically a support plate, located between the first conveyor 11 and the third conveyor 13, and between the second conveyor 12 and the fourth conveyor 14. A longitudinal push cylinder is provided on the outer side of the gripping station 7, and the output end of the longitudinal push cylinder is connected to a longitudinal push component to facilitate transfer to the third conveyor 13 and the fourth conveyor 14.

[0063] Specifically, the flip positioning frame 222 is equipped with multiple limiting posts 2221 and positioning posts 2222 for inserting into the positioning holes at the bottom of the air conditioning unit. During installation, the air conditioning unit is initially positioned by the positioning posts 2222, and its side is adjusted to fit tightly against the limiting posts 2221. Finally, it is firmly locked onto the flip positioning frame 222 by a quick clamp or cylinder clamping mechanism to ensure no shaking during flipping and movement.

[0064] A method for assembling automotive filter elements, based on an automated automotive filter element assembly workstation, includes the following steps:

[0065] S1. Loading materials:

[0066] The operator places the two filter elements on the feed ends of the first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 12 respectively; moves the empty air conditioning unit to the flipping positioning frame 222 of the positioning device 2, aligns its positioning hole with the positioning post 2222, adjusts its position so that its side is close to the limiting post 2221, and then starts the clamping device to fix it.

[0067] S2. Filter placement, air conditioning unit adjustment and data verification:

[0068] The first conveyor 11 and the second conveyor 12 start, transporting the filter elements to their respective gripping stations 7. When the filter element triggers the positioning sensor, the conveyor stops, and the precision positioning mechanism 5 activates: the cylinders on both sides drive the push plate 52 to push the filter element into alignment; simultaneously, the lifting stop 6 rises to prevent subsequent filter elements from entering. At the same time, the positioning device 2 starts working, adjusting the air conditioning unit to a first assembly state suitable for installing the first filter element (e.g., making the first mounting port face the robot arm assembly 3) according to the instructions of the control system through the longitudinal movement and horizontal rotation of the transverse component 21 and the pitch movement of the flipping component 22. In parallel, the vision inspection device 4 takes pictures of the positioned filter element, identifies its specifications and model, and compares them with the current product formula preset in the system for quality verification; if the model is incorrect or the size is out of tolerance, an alarm is triggered and manual intervention or the rejection mechanism is activated; if the verification passes, the vision system simultaneously calculates the precise X, Y, Z coordinates and rotation angle θ of the filter element and sends this pose data to the robot controller.

[0069] S3, Grabbing and First Assembly:

[0070] The robot controller, integrating the pose information provided by vision, plans the optimal grasping path. The six-axis robot 31 moves the dual clamping assemblies 32 above the grasping station 7, where each clamping assembly 32 clamps its corresponding filter element. Subsequently, the six-axis robot 31 moves to the first installation station of the air conditioning unit, where one clamping assembly 32 precisely inserts the first filter element into place according to a preset program. During this process, the second lateral drive device 322 integrated into the clamping assembly 32 provides a small-stroke auxiliary propulsion force to ensure the filter element is fully installed.

[0071] S4. Secondary positional adjustment of the air conditioning unit:

[0072] As the first filter element is installed and the six-axis robot 31 begins to move away, the positioning device 2 receives instructions and adjusts the air conditioning unit from the first assembly state to the second assembly state (for example, flipping or rotating the air conditioning unit so that the second mounting port faces the robotic arm assembly 3). This adjustment process overlaps with the removal action of the six-axis robot 31 in time, saving waiting time.

[0073] S5, Second Assembly:

[0074] The six-axis robot 31 does not need to return to the conveyor line to pick up the filter element because the second filter element is already held by another clamping assembly 32. The six-axis robot 31 moves directly to the air conditioning unit, which is already in the second assembly state, and uses another clamping assembly 32 to insert the second filter element into the second installation station.

[0075] S6. Completion and Reset:

[0076] After the second filter element is installed, the six-axis robot 31 returns to the safe standby position with the empty clamping assembly 32. The positioning device 2 drives the air conditioning unit to reset to an angle suitable for unloading. The operator releases the clamps and removes the air conditioning unit with the assembled filter element from the assembly line, completing one assembly cycle.

[0077] Specifically, the "grabbing two filter elements at the same time and assembling them sequentially by the same robotic arm component 3" achieved in steps S3 and S5 above combines the action that traditionally requires two round trips of robotic arm component 3 into one, significantly reducing the robot's idle running path and shortening the overall assembly cycle time by about 30%-40%, thus greatly improving production efficiency.

[0078] Example 2

[0079] The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the air conditioning unit is transported by a six-axis robot 31, and after assembly, it is transferred via a third conveyor 13 or a fourth conveyor 14, thereby further improving the overall assembly efficiency.

Claims

1. An automotive filter cartridge automated assembly workstation characterized by, include: Conveying device (1), used for conveying filter elements; Positioning device (2) is used to place and adjust the position of the air conditioning unit; The robotic arm assembly (3) includes a six-axis robot (31) and two clamping assemblies (32) mounted on the execution end of the six-axis robot (31) for gripping the filter element from the conveying device (1) and inserting the filter element into the air conditioning unit on the positioning device (2); The clamping assembly (32) includes a second transverse base (321), a second transverse drive device (322), a first gripper (323), and a second gripper (324); The second transverse base (321) is fixedly installed on the execution end of the six-axis robot (31), the second transverse drive device (322) is disposed on the second transverse base (321), and the first gripper (323) and / or the second gripper (324) are driven by the second transverse drive device (322) and are slidably connected to the second transverse base (321) with their proximity or distance from each other. The first gripper (323) and the second gripper (324) are respectively provided with a first positioning groove (3231) and a second positioning groove (3241) on opposite sides. Both the first positioning groove (3231) and the second positioning groove (3241) are trapezoidal grooves. The positioning device (2) includes a lateral moving component (21) arranged along a first horizontal direction and a flipping component (22) for clamping the air conditioning unit. The lateral movement assembly (21) includes a first lateral movement base (211), a first lateral movement drive device (212) disposed on the first lateral movement base (211), and a rotating base (213) driven by the first lateral movement drive device (212) to slide along a first horizontal direction. The rotating base (213) is provided with a rotating drive device (214) and a rotating support seat (215) driven by the rotating drive device (214). The flipping assembly (22) includes a flipping drive device (221) and a flipping positioning frame (222) driven by the flipping drive device (221) to flip. The flipping drive device (221) is fixedly installed on the rotating support base (215). The flip positioning frame (222) is equipped with a limiting post (2221) and a positioning post (2222) for inserting the air conditioning unit, and the air conditioning unit abuts against the limiting post (2221).

2. The automotive filter cartridge automated assembly station of claim 1, wherein, The conveying device (1) includes a first conveyor (11) and a second conveyor (12) arranged in parallel.

3. The automotive filter cartridge automated assembly station of claim 1, wherein, A visual inspection device (4) for identifying filter cartridge specifications and orientation is installed above the conveying device (1) via a mounting bracket.

4. A method of assembling a filter cartridge for an automobile, characterized by Based on the automated assembly workstation for automotive filters as described in claim 3, the steps include: S1. Loading materials: Place the filter element on the conveying device (1) and mount the air conditioning unit on the flip positioning frame (222); S2, Pose Adjustment and Recognition: The conveying device (1) conveys the filter element to the gripping station (7); at the same time, the transverse component (21) and the flipping component (22) adjust the position of the air conditioning unit to the first assembly state; the specifications and posture information of the filter element are identified by the visual inspection device (4); S3, Grabbing and First Assembly: The robotic arm assembly (3) moves to the gripping station (7), and the two clamping assemblies (32) grip the corresponding filter element respectively. After gripping the filter element, according to the information of the vision inspection device (4) and the preset assembly path, the first filter element is inserted into the first installation station of the air conditioning unit in the first assembly state. S4, Second pose adjustment: After the first filter element is placed in the robotic arm assembly (3) and the arm of the six-axis robot (31) is moved away, the position of the air conditioning unit is adjusted to the second assembly state by the lateral movement assembly (21) and the flipping assembly (22). S5. Second assembly: Insert the second filter element into the second installation station of the air conditioning unit, which is in the second assembly state.

5. The automotive filter assembly method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step S2, a data verification step is also included: the standard filter specifications and assembly positioning parameters corresponding to different air conditioning unit models are pre-stored by the control system; after the visual inspection device (4) identifies the filter specifications, it feeds the data back to the control system, and the control system compares it with the standard parameters of the current assembly task. If they are consistent, the assembly continues; if they are inconsistent, an alarm is issued or the unqualified filter is removed.

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