Rectangular backflow conveyor
By combining a carrier conveying mechanism and a line-changing transfer mechanism in a rectangular return conveyor, along with a fixture positioning mechanism, high-precision, low-wear, high-speed material conveying is achieved, solving the problems of low positioning accuracy and severe wear in existing rectangular fixture return lines.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511490447.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing rectangular fixture return lines suffer from problems such as low positioning accuracy, poor space utilization, low conveying efficiency, and severe fixture wear, and are particularly incompatible with high-speed operation.
The rectangular structure is formed by two carrier conveying mechanisms and two line-changing transfer mechanisms. Combined with the fixture positioning mechanism, multiple transfer fixtures are positioned in a secondary manner through a synchronous belt and cam follower. High-precision positioning is achieved by using the contour teeth of the synchronous belt in conjunction with the toothed positioning groove. The line-changing sliding assembly is driven by a rodless cylinder for smooth and high-speed transmission.
It enables simultaneous transfer of multiple transfer fixtures, improves positioning accuracy, reduces fixture wear rate, and enhances material conveying efficiency, making it suitable for high-speed operation.
Smart Images
Figure CN121020182A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of material conveying technology, and in particular to a rectangular return conveyor. Background Technology
[0002] In the field of automated assembly and material handling, rectangular jig return lines are widely used in multi-station continuous production.
[0003] Currently, there are two common types of rectangular jig return lines: one is a spliced rectangular return line composed of multiple belt conveyors or double-speed chain conveyors, which uses a limit cylinder to stop the jig at the workstation and a lifting mechanism to complete the positioning. It suffers from problems such as low positioning accuracy, poor space utilization, and low conveying efficiency. The other type is a cylinder-push-back rectangular return line, which uses a cylinder to push the jig to slide in a customized track to form a return flow. Although it has a simplified structure, it suffers from problems such as severe jig wear (sliding friction causes deformation of the positioning groove) and incompatibility with high-speed operation. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rectangular return conveyor that can simultaneously transport multiple transfer fixtures, enabling smooth and high-speed material transfer between workstations in automated equipment with high material conveying efficiency; at the same time, it can perform secondary positioning of the transfer fixtures, greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the transfer fixtures, and the wear rate of the transfer fixtures is low.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the following technical solution is adopted: A rectangular return conveyor includes two parallel carrier conveying mechanisms, two line-changing transfer mechanisms arranged perpendicular to the length of the carrier conveying mechanisms, a fixture positioning mechanism arranged on one side of each carrier conveying mechanism along its length, and multiple transfer fixtures for circulating back on the two carrier conveying mechanisms and the two line-changing transfer mechanisms; each end of the two carrier conveying mechanisms is connected to a line-changing transfer mechanism, and the two carrier conveying mechanisms and the two line-changing transfer mechanisms are arranged in a rectangular structure; the carrier conveying mechanisms are used to sequentially convey multiple transfer fixtures along their length; after the carrier conveying mechanism conveys the transfer fixtures to their positions, the fixture positioning mechanism is used to perform secondary positioning of the transfer fixtures on the carrier conveying mechanism; the line-changing transfer mechanism is used to transfer the transfer fixtures between the two carrier conveying mechanisms.
[0006] Preferably, the fixture positioning mechanism includes a connecting shaft arranged along the length of the carrier conveying mechanism, a plurality of positioning blocks spaced apart on the connecting shaft, a cam follower located on the top of each positioning block, and a swing positioning drive for driving the connecting shaft to swing the plurality of positioning blocks; a positioning seat is provided on each of the bottom two sides of the transfer fixture, and a movable positioning groove is provided in the middle bottom of the positioning seat for the cam follower to be movably embedded.
[0007] Preferably, the carrier conveying mechanism includes a timing belt assembly and a conveying drive for driving the timing belt assembly; the timing belt assembly includes a timing belt; the inner and outer surfaces of the timing belt are provided with a plurality of contour teeth, and the contour teeth are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveying mechanism; the bottom ends of the positioning seat are provided with a plurality of toothed positioning grooves that mesh with the contour teeth.
[0008] Preferably, the synchronous belt assembly further includes a synchronous belt drive pulley driven by the conveying drive component, a synchronous belt tensioning pulley located on the lower sides of the synchronous belt drive pulley, and a plurality of synchronous belt driven pulleys located at both ends of the synchronous belt; the synchronous belt is arranged from the top of the synchronous belt drive pulley to the bottom of the synchronous belt tensioning pulley; the wrap angle between the synchronous belts on the opposite sides of the synchronous belt drive pulley is greater than 270°.
[0009] Preferably, the synchronous belt assembly is further provided with a first slide rail on one side along its length; the transfer fixture is provided with a first slider at its middle bottom that slides in cooperation with the first slide rail.
[0010] Preferably, the line-changing and transfer mechanism includes a line-changing sliding assembly arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism, a docking slide rail disposed on the top of the line-changing sliding assembly, and a line-changing and transfer driving component for driving the docking slide rail to move through the line-changing sliding assembly; the docking slide rail is arranged along the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism; the docking slide rail can be connected to the first slide rails of the two carrier conveying mechanisms respectively, and can slide in cooperation with the first slider.
[0011] Preferably, the line-changing transfer mechanism further includes a guide limiting plate disposed on one side of the line-changing sliding assembly; the top of the guide limiting plate is provided with a guide limiting groove along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveying mechanism; each end of the transfer fixture is provided with a guide block, and the guide block can move along the guide limiting groove.
[0012] Preferably, each end of one side of the line-changing sliding assembly is provided with a buffer and a first position sensor; the buffer is used to buffer the movement of the transfer fixture on the line-changing sliding assembly; the first position sensor is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture on the line-changing sliding assembly.
[0013] Preferably, a second positioning sensor is provided on the top of each synchronous belt mechanism at its front end in the conveying direction; the second positioning sensor is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture via the corresponding guide block.
[0014] By adopting the above solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention provides a rectangular return conveyor with a simple overall structure that saves installation space. On one hand, by setting up two carrier conveying mechanisms and two line-changing transfer mechanisms to form a conveying circulation return line, multiple transfer fixtures can be simultaneously conveyed, enabling smooth and high-speed material transfer between workstations in automated equipment, resulting in high material conveying efficiency. On the other hand, by setting up the cooperation between the carrier conveying mechanism and the fixture positioning mechanism, secondary positioning of the transfer fixtures is achieved, greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the transfer fixtures and reducing their wear rate. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the fixture positioning mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the vehicle transport mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous belt drive pulley, synchronous belt tensioner, and synchronous belt of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the line-changing and transfer mechanism of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the transfer fixture, positioning seat, and first slider of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the frame of the present invention; The following are explanations of the labels in the attached diagram: 1—Carrier conveying mechanism, 2—Line changing and transfer mechanism, 3—Jig positioning mechanism, 4—Transfer jig, 5—Positioning seat, 6—First slider 7—Guide block, 8—Buffer 9—First position sensor, 10—Second position sensor 101—Frame structure, 11—Synchronous belt component 12—Conveyor drive component, 13—First slide rail, 21—Line changing sliding assembly, 22—Matching slide rail, 23—Line changeover and transfer drive component; 24—Guide and limit plate. 31—Connecting shaft, 32—Positioning block 33—Cam follower, 34—Oscillating positioning drive, 51—Modular positioning groove, 52—Toothed positioning groove, 111—Synchronous belt, 112—Synchronous belt drive pulley 113—Synchronous belt tensioner; 114—Synchronous belt driven pulley. Detailed Implementation
[0016] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, and not all of the structures.
[0017] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0018] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.
[0019] Reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the present invention provides a rectangular return conveyor, comprising two parallel carrier conveying mechanisms 1, two line-changing transfer mechanisms 2 arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanisms 1, a fixture positioning mechanism 3 arranged on one side of each carrier conveying mechanism 1 along its length direction, and a plurality of transfer fixtures 4 for circulating back on the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1 and the two line-changing transfer mechanisms 2; each end of the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1 is connected to a line-changing transfer mechanism 2, and the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1 and the two line-changing transfer mechanisms 2 are arranged in a rectangular structure; the carrier conveying mechanisms 1 are used to convey the plurality of transfer fixtures 4 sequentially along their length direction; after the carrier conveying mechanism 1 conveys the transfer fixtures 4 into place, the fixture positioning mechanism 3 is used to perform secondary positioning of the transfer fixtures 4 on the carrier conveying mechanism 1; the line-changing transfer mechanism 2 is used to transfer the transfer fixtures 4 between the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1.
[0020] The fixture positioning mechanism 3 includes a connecting shaft 31 arranged along the length of the carrier conveying mechanism 1, multiple positioning blocks 32 spaced apart on the connecting shaft 31, a cam follower 33 located on the top of each positioning block 32, and a swing positioning drive 34 for driving the connecting shaft 31 to swing the multiple positioning blocks 32. The transfer fixture 4 has a positioning seat 5 on each of its two bottom sides, and a movable positioning groove 51 is provided in the middle bottom of the positioning seat 5 for the cam follower 33 to be movably inserted. Multiple transfer fixtures 4 are spaced apart, and the spacing between them can be set according to customer requirements by synchronously adjusting the spacing of the multiple positioning blocks 32 on the connecting shaft 31. According to the actual work position requirements, the carrier conveying mechanism 1 drives the multiple transfer fixtures 4 to the required position, and then the cam follower 33 on the fixture positioning mechanism 3 is movably inserted into the movable positioning groove 51 of the positioning seat 5 to achieve secondary positioning of the transfer fixture 4, so that the positioning accuracy of the transfer fixture 4 can reach ±0.05mm.
[0021] Furthermore, the rectangular return conveyor provided by this invention also includes a frame body 101. The frame body 101, as the main frame structure, has an overall rectangular construction and includes two longitudinal beams and multiple transverse beams spaced apart between the two longitudinal beams. The frame body 101 is constructed using open-form materials, and both the longitudinal and transverse beams are made of aluminum profiles, making it suitable for long-distance production line construction.
[0022] Further, please continue to refer to Figure 2 The swing positioning drive component 34 is a swing positioning drive cylinder. The tail end of the swing positioning drive cylinder is mounted on the crossbeam of the frame 101 via a mounting base, and the tail end of the swing positioning drive cylinder is hinged to the mounting base. The output shaft of the swing positioning drive cylinder is connected to the connecting shaft 31 via a connecting block. By pushing the connecting block, the swing positioning drive cylinder causes the connecting shaft 31 to drive the positioning block 32 and the cam follower 33 to swing, thereby enabling the cam follower 33 to engage and disengage with the positioning seat 5 (movable positioning groove 51). In addition, each end of the connecting shaft 31 is mounted and fixed to the inner side wall of the longitudinal beam of the frame 101 via a bearing seat.
[0023] The carrier conveying mechanism 1 includes a synchronous belt assembly 11 and a conveying drive component 12 for driving the synchronous belt assembly 11; specifically, the conveying drive component 12 is a drive motor. The synchronous belt assembly 11 includes a synchronous belt 111; the inner and outer surfaces of the synchronous belt 111 are provided with a plurality of contoured teeth (not shown in the figure), and the contoured teeth are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveying mechanism 1; both ends of the bottom of the positioning seat 5 are provided with a plurality of toothed positioning grooves 52 that mesh with the contoured teeth. By designing toothed positioning grooves 52 at the bottom of the positioning seat 5, which cooperate with the contoured teeth on the outer surface of the synchronous belt 111, the contoured teeth can be completely engaged in the toothed positioning grooves 52.
[0024] The synchronous belt assembly 11 also includes a synchronous belt drive pulley 112 driven by the conveying drive component 12, a synchronous belt tension pulley 113 located on the lower sides of the synchronous belt drive pulley 112, and a plurality of synchronous belt driven pulleys 114 located at both ends of the synchronous belt 111; the synchronous belt 111 extends from the top of the synchronous belt drive pulley 112 to the bottom of the synchronous belt tension pulley 113; please continue to refer to Figure 3-4 By setting a timing belt tensioner 113, and ensuring that its installation height is lower than that of the timing belt drive pulley 112, the wrap angle E between the timing belt drive pulley 112 and the timing belts on both sides is increased, and this wrap angle E is greater than 270°, reducing the risk of timing belt 111 skipping teeth. The timing belt achieves unidirectional circular motion by wrapping around the timing belt drive pulley 112, the timing belt tensioner 113, and the timing belt driven pulley 114.
[0025] The synchronous belt assembly 11 is also provided with a first slide rail 13 on one side along its length; the transfer fixture 4 is provided with a first slider 6 at its middle bottom that slides in cooperation with the first slide rail 13.
[0026] The line-changing and transfer mechanism 2 includes a line-changing sliding assembly 21 arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism 1, a docking slide rail 22 disposed on the top of the line-changing sliding assembly 21, and a line-changing and transfer driving component 23 for driving the docking slide rail 22 to move through the line-changing sliding assembly 21. The docking slide rail 22 is arranged along the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism 1. The docking slide rail 22 can be connected to the first slide rail 13 of the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1 respectively, and can slide in cooperation with the first slider 6. Specifically, the line-changing sliding assembly 21 includes a second slide rail and a second slider that slide in cooperation, and the docking slide rail 22 is installed on the top of the second slider.
[0027] By setting a first slider 6 at the bottom of the transfer fixture 4, when the transfer fixture 4 is conveyed on the carrier conveying mechanism 1, the first slider 6 slides in cooperation with the first slide rail 13, so that the transfer fixture 4 can move along the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism 1; when the transfer fixture 4 slides into the docking slide rail 22 following the first slider 6, under the action of the line changing transfer drive 23 and the line changing sliding assembly 21, the transfer fixture 4 can realize the transfer between the two carrier conveying mechanisms 1.
[0028] Specifically, the line-changing transfer drive 23 is a rodless cylinder. As a transfer power element, the line-changing transfer drive 23 connects to the first slide rail 13 via the docking slide rail 22, allowing the transfer fixture 4 located on one carrier conveyor 1 to be transferred to another carrier conveyor 1. Simultaneously, since the contour teeth are arranged perpendicular to the length of the carrier conveyor 1, and a positioning seat 5 is provided on each side of the bottom of the transfer fixture 4, before the transfer fixture 4 is transferred, the toothed positioning groove 52 of one positioning seat 5 engages with the contour teeth of the synchronous belt 111 on one carrier conveyor 1; after the transfer fixture 4 is transferred, the toothed positioning groove 52 of the other positioning seat 5 engages with the contour teeth of the synchronous belt 111 on the other carrier conveyor 1.
[0029] The line-changing and transfer mechanism 2 also includes a guide limiting plate 24 disposed on one side of the line-changing sliding assembly 21; the top of the guide limiting plate 24 is provided with a guide limiting groove along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveyor 1; each end of the transfer fixture 4 is provided with a guide block 7, and the guide block 7 can move along the guide limiting groove. The top of each synchronous belt mechanism 11 is provided with a second positioning sensor 10 at its front end in the conveying direction; the second positioning sensor 10 is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture 4 via the corresponding guide block 7. On the carrier conveyor 1, the guide block 7 serves as the overload protection element for the transfer fixture 4 and the sensing element during pre-reversal, and by cooperating with the second positioning sensor 10, it achieves precise positioning control of the transfer fixture 4 on the carrier conveyor 1.
[0030] Specifically, the guide block 7 is made of sheet metal. The bottom of the guide block 7 extends downward and protrudes from the bottom of the transfer fixture 4, allowing the protruding part of the guide block 7 to move within the guide limiting groove. One guide block 7 is used in conjunction with the guide limiting plate 24 on a line-changing transfer mechanism 2 and the second positioning sensor 10 on a carrier conveying mechanism 1, while the other guide block 7 is used in conjunction with the guide limiting plate 24 on another line-changing transfer mechanism 2 and the second positioning sensor 10 on another carrier conveying mechanism 1.
[0031] The transfer fixture 4 includes a carrier plate, a first slider 6 and a positioning seat 5 installed at the bottom of the carrier plate, and a guide block 7 installed at the end of the carrier plate. The carrier plate serves as the mounting carrier for the product fixture, and multiple mounting slots of various specifications can be designed on the top of the carrier plate.
[0032] Each end of one side of the line-changing sliding assembly 2 is provided with a buffer 8 and a first positioning sensor 9. The buffer 8 is used to buffer the movement of the transfer fixture 4 on the line-changing sliding assembly 21; the first positioning sensor 9 is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture 4 on the line-changing sliding assembly 21. Further, the docking slide rail 22 is mounted on the top of the second slider via a mounting block, and the buffer 8 and the first positioning sensor 9 cooperate with this mounting block to achieve buffering and sensing functions. Specifically, the buffer 8 is a hydraulic buffer. By setting the buffer 8, the movement stroke of the transfer fixture 4 can be limited when the line-changing operation is underway. And by cooperating with the first positioning sensor 9, precise positioning control of the transfer fixture 4 on the line-changing transfer mechanism 2 can be achieved.
[0033] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples to clearly illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A rectangular return conveyor, characterized in that, The system includes two parallel carrier conveying mechanisms, two line-changing and transfer mechanisms arranged perpendicular to the length of the carrier conveying mechanisms, a fixture positioning mechanism arranged on one side of each carrier conveying mechanism along its length, and multiple transfer fixtures for circulating back and forth on the two carrier conveying mechanisms and the two line-changing and transfer mechanisms. Each end of the two carrier conveying mechanisms is connected to a line-changing and transfer mechanism, and the two carrier conveying mechanisms and the two line-changing and transfer mechanisms are arranged in a rectangular configuration. The carrier conveying mechanisms are used to sequentially convey multiple transfer fixtures along their length. After the carrier conveying mechanism delivers the transfer fixtures to their designated positions, the fixture positioning mechanism performs secondary positioning on the transfer fixtures on the carrier conveying mechanism. The line-changing and transfer mechanisms are used to transfer the transfer fixtures between the two carrier conveying mechanisms.
2. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixture positioning mechanism includes a connecting shaft arranged along the length of the carrier conveying mechanism, multiple positioning blocks spaced apart on the connecting shaft, a cam follower located on the top of each positioning block, and a swing positioning drive for driving the connecting shaft to swing the multiple positioning blocks; the transfer fixture has a positioning seat on each of its bottom sides, and the bottom center of the positioning seat has a movable positioning groove for the cam follower to be movably inserted.
3. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The carrier conveying mechanism includes a synchronous belt assembly and a conveying drive for driving the synchronous belt assembly; the synchronous belt assembly includes a synchronous belt; the inner and outer surfaces of the synchronous belt are provided with a plurality of contour teeth, and the contour teeth are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveying mechanism; the bottom ends of the positioning seat are provided with a plurality of toothed positioning grooves that mesh with the contour teeth.
4. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The synchronous belt assembly also includes a synchronous belt drive pulley that is driven and connected to the conveyor drive component, a synchronous belt tension pulley located on the lower sides of the synchronous belt drive pulley, and a plurality of synchronous belt driven pulleys located at both ends of the synchronous belt; the synchronous belt is arranged from the top of the synchronous belt drive pulley to the bottom of the synchronous belt tension pulley; the wrap angle between the synchronous belts on the opposite sides of the synchronous belt drive pulley is greater than 270°.
5. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The synchronous belt assembly is also provided with a first slide rail on one side along its length; the transfer fixture is provided with a first slider at its middle bottom that slides in cooperation with the first slide rail.
6. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The line-changing and transfer mechanism includes a line-changing sliding assembly arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism, a docking slide rail disposed on the top of the line-changing sliding assembly, and a line-changing and transfer driving component for driving the docking slide rail to move through the line-changing sliding assembly; the docking slide rail is arranged along the length direction of the carrier conveying mechanism; the docking slide rail can be connected to the first slide rail of the two carrier conveying mechanisms respectively, and can slide with the first slider.
7. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The line-changing and transfer mechanism also includes a guide limiting plate located on one side of the line-changing sliding assembly; the top of the guide limiting plate is provided with a guide limiting groove along the length direction perpendicular to the carrier conveying mechanism; each end of the transfer fixture is provided with a guide block, and the guide blocks can move along the guide limiting groove.
8. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each end of one side of the line-changing sliding assembly is provided with a buffer and a first position sensor; the buffer is used to buffer the movement of the transfer fixture on the line-changing sliding assembly; the first position sensor is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture on the line-changing sliding assembly.
9. The rectangular return conveyor according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each synchronous belt mechanism has a second positioning sensor at its top front end in the conveying direction; the second positioning sensor is used to sense the position of the transfer fixture via the corresponding guide block.