Multi-nut tightening device and system

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-nut tightening device and system. The device comprises a nut tightening mechanism used for executing nut tightening operation and a nut containing mechanism used for containing a plurality of nuts at the same time. An execution end used for being connected with a nut is arranged at the end of the nut tightening mechanism, a temporary storage bin used for containing the nut is arranged in the nut containing mechanism, and a nut recognizing area matched with the execution end is arranged on the temporary storage bin. The nut containing mechanism further comprises a conveying assembly used for conveying the nuts to the cap recognizing area and a limiting assembly used for limiting the number of the nuts entering the cap recognizing area. According to the nut tightening device, by arranging the nut containing mechanism capable of containing the multiple nuts at the same time, the multiple nuts can be tightened by executing the step of taking the nuts once in the nut tightening operation process of the nut tightening device, and therefore the efficiency of nut tightening operation is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of nut processing equipment technology, and in particular to a multi-nut tightening device and system. Background Technology

[0002] In high-volume industrial assembly scenarios such as automotive, rail transportation, and machinery manufacturing, it is often necessary to continuously tighten multiple nuts. Traditional nut installation methods are mostly single-point operations. After each nut is tightened, operators or machinery typically need to manually or through a feeding mechanism to load and position the next nut, and then repeat the tightening action. This mode not only has a significant bottleneck in efficiency, but the repeated positioning and feeding process is also highly susceptible to the accumulation of errors, jamming, or incorrect materials, thus affecting the overall assembly accuracy and cycle time.

[0003] Although some existing technologies attempt to improve efficiency by introducing automatic nut feeding structures, they usually still adopt a "feed and tighten simultaneously" mode, that is, tightening one nut at a time after feeding it, without achieving true multi-nut buffering and continuous tightening. For multi-station, dense nut assembly tasks under complex working conditions, existing devices lack efficient and coordinated tightening and buffering mechanisms, and cannot meet the assembly requirements of high cycle time and low error rate in industrial settings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of low nut tightening efficiency in the prior art and to provide a multi-nut tightening device and system. The multi-nut tightening device is provided with a nut holding mechanism that can simultaneously hold multiple nuts, so that multiple nuts can be tightened in one step during the nut tightening operation, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of the nut tightening operation.

[0005] The present invention provides a multi-nut tightening device, including a nut tightening mechanism for performing nut tightening operations and a nut accommodating mechanism for simultaneously accommodating multiple nuts;

[0006] The end of the nut tightening mechanism is provided with an actuating end for connecting with the nut, and the nut receiving mechanism is provided with a temporary storage bin for receiving the nut, and the temporary storage bin is provided with a cap-recognizing area that matches the actuating end.

[0007] The nut receiving mechanism further includes a transmission component for transmitting nuts to the nut recognition area and a limiting component for limiting the number of nuts entering the nut recognition area.

[0008] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the cap recognition area consists of two movable blocks, and the cap recognition area can be opened to both sides by the actuating end.

[0009] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the nut tightening mechanism has a telescopic component connected to the actuating end. The telescopic component drives the actuating end to extend forward to open the active area. After the actuating end is connected to the nut, it continues to extend forward to drive the nut through the active area to perform the nut tightening operation.

[0010] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the temporary storage bin has multiple nut positions arranged in sequence, and the multiple nut positions are separated by the limiting component.

[0011] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the nut receiving mechanism is provided with multiple stacked temporary storage bins.

[0012] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the temporary storage bin also includes a detection component for detecting the number and position of nuts.

[0013] In one alternative technical solution, the nut receiving mechanism further includes a stop component for preventing the nut from entering the nut area, and the position of the nut is limited between the stop component and the limiting component.

[0014] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the stop assembly includes thin cylinders disposed on both sides of the temporary storage hopper and two grippers connected to the thin cylinders.

[0015] In one of the alternative technical solutions, the actuating end includes a retaining pin for embedding into the central hole of the nut and a magnet disposed on the outer periphery of the retaining pin.

[0016] The present invention provides a multi-nut tightening system, including a robot clamp, a nut tightening device as described above connected to the robot clamp, and a nut feeding device for feeding nuts to the nut tightening device.

[0017] The above technical solution has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The multi-nut tightening device provided by this invention, through a structure combining a nut tightening mechanism and a nut holding mechanism, allows multiple nuts to be uniformly housed within the nut holding mechanism, facilitating continuous tightening operations. The end of the nut tightening mechanism is equipped with an actuating end that mates with the nut. Combined with the temporary storage bin, nut recognition area, transmission components, and limiting components in the nut holding mechanism, it achieves fully automated control of the entire process from nut storage to tightening. This structure not only reduces the frequency of manual intervention and improves the efficiency of nut assembly, but also adapts to different nut specifications and working conditions, overcoming the technical problem of existing technologies that require nut removal and tightening one nut at a time. It improves production efficiency while ensuring the stability and consistency of the tightening operation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The disclosure of this invention will become more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a multi-nut tightening device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a nut receiving mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a front view of a multi-nut tightening device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the execution terminal provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a side view of a nut receiving mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a top view of a nut receiving mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a structure of multiple temporary storage bins stacked according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-nut tightening system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure reference numerals:

[0029] 1. Nut tightening mechanism; 11. Actuating end; 111. Locking pin; 112. Magnet; 12. Telescopic assembly; 13. Nut tightening shaft;

[0030] 2. Nut receiving mechanism; 21. Temporary storage bin; 211. Nut position; 22. Nut recognition area; 221. Movable block; 23. Transmission assembly; 231. Air blowing pipe; 24. Limiting assembly; 241. Inclined baffle; 242. Reset component; 25. Stop assembly; 251. Thin cylinder; 252. Gripper; 26. Detection assembly;

[0031] 3. Robotic grippers;

[0032] 4. Nut distribution device. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical components are indicated by the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, while the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0034] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the term "fixed" and similar terms should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] like Figure 1-7 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-nut tightening device, including a nut tightening mechanism 1 for performing nut tightening operations and a nut accommodating mechanism 2 for simultaneously accommodating multiple nuts.

[0036] The end of the nut tightening mechanism 1 is provided with an execution end 11 for connecting with the nut, and the nut receiving mechanism 2 is provided with a temporary storage bin 21 for receiving the nut. The temporary storage bin 21 is provided with a cap recognition area 22 that matches the execution end 11.

[0037] The nut receiving mechanism 2 also includes a transfer component 23 for transferring nuts to the nut recognition area 22 and a limiting component 24 for limiting the number of nuts entering the nut recognition area 22.

[0038] This invention is applied to an assembly station where multiple nuts need to be continuously tightened, and mainly includes a nut tightening mechanism 1 and a nut holding mechanism 2. The nut tightening mechanism 1 is used to complete the tightening action, and the nut holding mechanism 2 is used to buffer multiple nuts and cooperate with the nut tightening mechanism 1 to complete the nut picking and tightening operation one by one. The nut holding mechanism 2 includes a temporary storage bin 21 with multiple nut positions for temporarily accommodating multiple nuts.

[0039] Among them, such as Figure 1-3 As shown, the nut tightening mechanism 1 includes at least a nut tightening shaft 13 or a servo tightening shaft. The nut tightening shaft 13 is the main component of the nut tightening mechanism 1 that performs nut tightening, and is used to achieve a high-precision and high-quality nut tightening process. The nut tightening shaft 13 is equipped with a parameter monitoring component required for tightening the nut. By determining the torque, angle, time, and torque rate, abnormal tightening of the nut can be reliably detected, thereby preventing the production of defective products.

[0040] The end of the nut tightening mechanism 1 is provided with an actuating end 11. The structure of the actuating end 11 is adapted to the structure of the nut. The structure of the actuating end 11 is at least able to grip, clamp or attract the nut, thereby ensuring that the nut tightening shaft 13 can accurately deliver torque to the nut. The actuating end 11 can also be detachably connected, so that the actuating end 11 can be flexibly replaced according to the type of nut, thereby completing the complex nut tightening process through a single nut tightening mechanism 1.

[0041] To ensure orderly nut transport, the nut receiving mechanism 2 is further equipped with a transport component 23, which sequentially conveys the nuts to the nut recognition area 22. The transport component 23 may include a chute, a raceway, or a belt transport unit, and the specific form can be selected according to the application scenario. To prevent multiple nuts from entering the nut recognition area 22 simultaneously, the temporary storage bin 21 is also equipped with a limit component 24, which is used to isolate each nut position and control the nut movement rhythm.

[0042] Preferably, such as Figure 2 As shown, the transport assembly includes air blowing pipes 231. Each temporary storage bin 21 has air blowing pipes 231 installed on both sides. The air blowing pipes 231 are connected to an air supply device, and each air blowing pipe 231 can be independently controlled. When the nut needs to move forward, gas is blown through the air blowing pipe 231 to impact the nut, causing it to move forward. The air flow rate of the air blowing pipe 231 can be adjusted according to the nut's model and material to ensure that the gas blown by the air blowing pipe 231 can push the nut into the next temporary storage bin 21 or the nut identification area 22.

[0043] After the actuator 11 picks up the nut from the nut recognition area 22, it can remove the nut from the nut receiving mechanism 2, move the nut outward, align it, and then tighten it. Preferably, to simplify the overall process, a selectively openable through hole can be provided in the nut recognition area 22. When the actuator 11 picks up the nut, the through hole opens, allowing the actuator 11 to pass smoothly through the nut recognition area 22 after picking up the nut. During the nut installation process, the nut receiving mechanism 2 does not obstruct the operation of the nut tightening mechanism 1, and the nut tightening mechanism 1 can drive the nut receiving mechanism 2 to move together.

[0044] After the tightening process of one nut is completed, the execution end 11 of the nut tightening mechanism 1 retracts, and then the through hole of the nut recognition mechanism closes again. The transmission component 23 transmits the next nut located in the temporary storage bin 21 to the nut recognition area 22, and then repeats the above steps. This achieves a high-efficiency tightening process for multiple nuts while the temporary storage bin 21 only performs one nut feeding operation.

[0045] In summary, the multi-nut tightening device provided in this embodiment of the invention, by setting a structure combining a nut tightening mechanism 1 and a nut receiving mechanism 2, allows multiple nuts to be uniformly housed in the nut receiving mechanism 2, facilitating continuous tightening operations by the nut tightening mechanism 1. The end of the nut tightening mechanism 1 is provided with an actuating end 11 that can cooperate with the nut. Combined with the temporary storage bin 21, the nut recognition area 22, the transmission component 23, and the limiting component 24 in the nut receiving mechanism 2, the entire process from nut storage to tightening is automated.

[0046] Furthermore, the structural improvements of this invention not only reduce the frequency of manual intervention and improve the automation and efficiency of nut assembly, but also adapt to nuts of different specifications and working conditions, overcoming the technical problem that existing technologies can only remove nuts one by one. This not only improves production efficiency but also ensures the stability and consistency of tightening operations.

[0047] In one embodiment, the cap recognition area 22 consists of two movable blocks 221, and the cap recognition area 22 can be opened to both sides by the actuating end 11.

[0048] In this embodiment, the upper end of the movable block 221 can be hinged to the fixed part of the nut tightening mechanism 1. When the movable block 221 is closed, it can securely accommodate a nut. The movable block 221 can rotate around the hinged part to both sides under the push of the actuator 11, so that a passage can be formed between the two movable blocks 221. The actuator 11, the telescopic component 12 and the nut can all pass through the passage, so that the actuator 11 can take the nut from the cap area 22 and push it to the installation position.

[0049] In one embodiment, the nut tightening mechanism 1 has a telescopic component 12 connected to the actuating end 11. The telescopic component 12 drives the actuating end 11 to extend forward to open the active area. After the actuating end 11 is connected to the nut, it continues to extend forward to drive the nut through the active area to perform the nut tightening operation.

[0050] In this embodiment, the telescopic component 12 is preferably an electric cylinder or a servo propulsion mechanism. The telescopic component 12 is used to drive the nut tightening shaft 13 and the actuator 11 to perform axial telescopic movement, thereby driving the nut connected to the actuator 11 to the tightening position. When the nut tightening shaft 13 rotates, it drives the telescopic component 12 and the actuator 11 to rotate synchronously, transmitting torque to the nut, so that the nut can be accurately tightened onto the bolt.

[0051] The telescopic component 12 and the nut tightening shaft 13 can work together. During the tightening process of the nut, the telescopic component 12 gradually extends to ensure that the nut is tightened in place.

[0052] In one embodiment, the temporary storage bin 21 has multiple nut positions arranged in sequence, and the multiple nut positions are separated by a limiting component 24.

[0053] In this embodiment, as Figure 5 As shown, the limiting mechanism includes an inclined baffle 241 embedded in the lower plate of the temporary storage bin 21. The inclined baffle 241 is hinged to the temporary storage bin 21. The inclined baffle 241 includes a vertical surface and an inclined surface, with the inclined surface facing the direction in which the nut enters. During the process of the nut entering the nut storage position, the nut passes through the inclined surface of the inclined baffle 241, and the inclined baffle 241 is subjected to downward pressure and moves downward, allowing the nut to pass smoothly. A reset member 242 is provided between the inclined baffle 241 and the temporary storage bin 21. After the nut enters the nut storage position, the inclined baffle 241 moves upward again through the reset member 242. At this time, the vertical surface abuts against the nut, limiting the nut's position and ensuring that only one nut in the correct storage position is stored in each nut storage position.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the nut receiving mechanism 2 has multiple stacked temporary storage bins 21. Further, as... Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the temporary storage bin 21 also includes a detection component for detecting the number and position of nuts.

[0055] In this embodiment, a structure with multiple nut storage positions can be combined to allow each temporary storage bin 21 to store multiple nuts. Furthermore, a multi-layered structure of temporary storage bins 21 can be implemented to achieve the effect of storing a large number of nuts at once, thereby further improving the efficiency of nut tightening. The temporary storage bins 21 can adopt a multi-layered stacked structure, that is, multiple bin units are arranged vertically. The temporary storage bins 21 can be fed sequentially or in parallel, and the coordination between different levels is achieved through a layered discharge mechanism.

[0056] To ensure accurate and real-time feeding, the temporary storage bin 21 is equipped with detection components, such as photoelectric sensors, pressure sensors, or visual recognition units, to monitor the number and position of nuts in real time, providing feedback information to the control system and enabling automatic replenishment and error warning functions. In a structure where multiple nut recognition areas 22 overlap, except for the first layer's nut recognition area 22 which stores nuts, the nut recognition areas 22 in other layers are empty. This ensures that the actuator 11 can simultaneously pass through all nut recognition areas 22 to reach the nut tightening position after grabbing a nut. A sequential grabbing step from top to bottom can be set, with each independently controlled transmission component 23 ensuring that the nuts in the current layer's temporary storage bin 21 advance only one nut position at a time, while nuts in other layers' temporary storage bins 21 remain stationary.

[0057] In one embodiment, the nut receiving mechanism 2 further includes a stop component 25 for preventing the nut from entering the nut receiving area 22, and the position of the nut is limited between the stop component 25 and the limiting component 24.

[0058] Furthermore, the stop assembly 25 includes a thin cylinder 251 disposed on both sides of the temporary storage bin 21 and two grippers 252 connected to the thin cylinder 251.

[0059] In this embodiment, the stop assembly 25 is used to limit the timing of the nut entering the cap-recognition area 22. The stop assembly 25 may include thin cylinders 251 disposed on both sides of the temporary storage hopper 21 and grippers 252 connected to the cylinders. The opening and closing action of the grippers 252 achieves precise control of the nut's position. The stop assembly 25 cooperates with the limiting assembly 24 to simultaneously abut against the two opposite sides of the nut, thereby effectively limiting the nut's trajectory and position during the discharge process.

[0060] In one embodiment, the actuating end 11 includes a locking pin for engaging with the central hole of the nut and a magnet disposed on the outer periphery of the locking pin.

[0061] In this embodiment, by setting a structure with a locking pin and a magnet, it is possible to ensure that the actuator 11 firmly grips the nut, reducing the possibility of the nut falling off. The actuator 11 is first driven forward by the telescopic component 12 to push open the movable blocks 221 on both sides of the nut recognition area 22 and make a precise connection with the nut in the nut recognition area 22. Then, the locking pin is inserted into the through hole of the nut, and the nut is attracted by the magnet on the outer periphery, ensuring that the nut is firmly connected to the actuator 11. Subsequently, the actuator 11 continues to move forward, completely pushing the two movable blocks 221 to the sides. The actuator 11 continues to move forward, pushing the nut through the nut recognition area 22 and delivering it to the target station to complete the tightening action. After tightening is completed, the actuator 11 retracts and prepares to connect the next nut. The movable blocks 221 automatically reset to form a closed nut recognition area 22, and the nut receiving mechanism 2 completes the operation of sending the next nut from the temporary storage bin 21 into the nut recognition area 22, realizing continuous nut tightening.

[0062] like Figure 8 As shown, the present invention provides a multi-nut tightening system, including a robot clamp 3, a nut tightening device as described above connected to the robot clamp 3, and a nut feeding device 4 for feeding nuts to the nut tightening device.

[0063] In practical applications, the nut tightening device in the above embodiments is preferably integrated on the robot clamp 3 to form a multi-nut tightening system. The robot clamp 3 can drive the nut tightening device to move and rotate freely, thereby ensuring that the nut can be moved to bolts in various orientations and positions.

[0064] The nut distribution device 4 may include a spiral vibrating feeder, a roller sorting mechanism or an air-blowing distribution structure, and can be connected to the temporary storage bin 21 through a pipe or chute to realize rapid nut replenishment and ensure that the nuts enter the temporary storage bin 21 one by one.

[0065] The multi-nut tightening device provided in this embodiment integrates nut buffering, positioning, material handling, and tightening into a single structure. This design adapts to the needs of multi-station, high-speed, and frequent tightening assembly lines, significantly improving tightening efficiency and automation levels. Furthermore, the device's modules are compact, functionally expandable, and suitable for various nut specifications, demonstrating excellent versatility and industrial adaptability.

[0066] As needed, the above technical solutions can be combined to achieve the best technical effect.

[0067] The above are merely the principles and preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several other modifications can be made based on the principles of the present invention, and these modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-nut tightening device, characterized in that, It includes a nut tightening mechanism (1) for performing nut tightening operations and a nut receiving mechanism (2) for simultaneously receiving multiple nuts; The end of the nut tightening mechanism (1) is provided with an execution end (11) for connecting with the nut, and the nut receiving mechanism (2) is provided with a temporary storage bin (21) for receiving the nut. The temporary storage bin (21) is provided with a cap-recognition area (22) that matches the execution end (11). The nut receiving mechanism (2) further includes a transmission component (23) for transmitting nuts to the nut recognition area (22) and a limiting component (24) for limiting the number of nuts entering the nut recognition area (22).

2. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cap recognition area (22) is composed of two movable blocks (221), and the cap recognition area (22) can be opened to both sides by the actuation end (11).

3. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The nut tightening mechanism (1) has a telescopic component (12) connected to the actuator (11). The telescopic component (12) drives the actuator (11) to extend forward to open the active area. After the actuator (11) is connected to the nut, it continues to extend forward to drive the nut through the active area to perform the nut tightening operation.

4. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temporary storage bin (21) has multiple nut positions (211) arranged in sequence, and the multiple nut positions (211) are separated by the limiting component (24).

5. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The nut receiving mechanism (2) is provided with multiple stacked temporary storage bins (21).

6. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The temporary storage bin (21) also includes a detection component (26) for detecting the number and position of nuts.

7. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nut receiving mechanism (2) further includes a stop assembly (25) for preventing the nut from entering the nut area (22), and the position of the nut is limited between the stop assembly (25) and the limiting assembly (24).

8. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The stop assembly (25) includes a thin cylinder (251) disposed on both sides of the temporary storage bin (21) and two grippers (252) connected to the thin cylinder (251).

9. The multi-nut tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The actuator (11) includes a locking pin (111) for embedding into the center hole of the nut and a magnet (112) disposed on the outer periphery of the locking pin (111).

10. A multi-nut tightening system, characterized in that, It includes a robot gripper (3), a nut tightening device as described in any one of claims 1-9 connected to the robot gripper (3), and a nut feeding device (4) for feeding nuts to the nut tightening device.

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