Automatic ink jet equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of workpiece ink jetting, in particular to automatic ink jetting equipment which comprises a feeding mechanism, a workpiece jig, a jig moving mechanism, an ink jetting mechanism and a discharging mechanism. The feeding mechanism is used for feeding a workpiece to a workpiece jig at a first target position, the jig moving mechanism is used for moving the workpiece jig to an ink jetting station, the ink jetting mechanism is used for jetting ink to the workpiece, and the jig moving mechanism is further used for moving the workpiece jig to the first target position after ink jetting is completed. And the discharging mechanism is used for discharging the ink-jet workpiece at the first target position to a second target position. According to the automatic ink jet equipment, the full-automatic process of automatic feeding, conveying, fixing, ink jet and discharging of workpieces can be completed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of workpiece inkjet technology, and particularly relates to an automatic inkjet equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] ‌The current workpiece inkjet link still generally relies on manual operation of this traditional technology mode. This process needs to be completed by experienced professionals, which not only has high requirements for the proficiency of the operator, the control of the spraying angle and the control of the amount, but also has many core defects that are difficult to avoid. In the process of manual spraying, the operator needs to directly contact the ink and volatile gas. Traditional shading ink often contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as toluene and xylene, and some may also contain heavy metal components such as lead and mercury. These substances will volatilize into the air during spraying, and long-term inhalation may cause dizziness, nausea, respiratory inflammation, and even damage to the central nervous system and liver function. At the same time, the fine aerosol particles generated during spraying can directly reach the alveoli, and long-term accumulation can easily induce occupational diseases. Direct contact with ink also poses a health risk to workers and poses a constant threat to their health. The limitations of manual operation result in low production efficiency, and the physiological fatigue and emotional fluctuations of the operator will further reduce the spraying rhythm, making it difficult to adapt to large-scale production needs. In addition, manual spraying cannot accurately control the amount of ink, and a large amount of ink is wasted due to over-spraying, dripping, etc., which increases the cost of raw materials and increases the pressure of subsequent environmental protection treatment, and the overall production economy is poor. The quality of manual spraying is highly dependent on individual skills and experience, and even skilled workers cannot guarantee that the path, distance and speed of each spraying are completely consistent. This directly leads to problems such as uneven coating thickness, ink accumulation at the edges, and missed spraying, especially for fine structures such as fingerprint holes on mobile phone cases, it is more difficult for manual operation to balance the uniform spraying effect of the hole edge and the curved surface. The product pass rate fluctuates greatly, the quality consistency is poor, and it cannot meet the strict requirements of consumer electronic products on precision processes. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the above problems of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide an automatic inkjet equipment.

[0004] To solve the above technical problems, one technical scheme adopted by the present application is to provide an automatic inkjet equipment, which comprises a feeding mechanism, a workpiece jig, a jig moving mechanism, an inkjet mechanism and a discharging mechanism. The feeding mechanism is used to feed the workpiece to the workpiece jig at a first target position. The jig moving mechanism is used to move the workpiece jig to an inkjet station. The inkjet mechanism is used to spray ink on the workpiece. The jig moving mechanism is also used to move the workpiece jig to the first target position after the inkjet is completed. The discharging mechanism is used to discharge the inked workpiece at the first target position to a second target position.

[0005] Further, the workpiece fixture comprises a first fixture and a second fixture; the fixture moving mechanism comprises a first linear moving module and a layering stagger mechanism, the first fixture is directly arranged on the first linear moving module, the second fixture is arranged on the first linear moving module through the layering stagger mechanism, and the layering stagger mechanism is used to change the height of the second fixture when the first fixture and the second fixture are staggered, so that the second fixture is staggered with the first fixture.

[0006] Further, the first linear moving module comprises a first transmission belt, a first driving mechanism used to drive the first transmission belt to move back and forth, a first guide rail group and a second guide rail group; the first fixture is fixed on the upper transmission belt of the first transmission belt, and the first fixture is in sliding connection with the first guide rail group; the layering stagger mechanism is fixed on the lower transmission belt of the first transmission belt, and the layering stagger mechanism is in sliding connection with the second guide rail group, and the second fixture is arranged on the upper end of the layering stagger mechanism; when the second fixture is staggered with the first fixture, the layering stagger mechanism lowers the second fixture so that the second fixture is below the first fixture, and after the second fixture is staggered with the first fixture, the layering stagger mechanism raises the second fixture upward so that the height of the second fixture is adapted to the height of the first fixture.

[0007] Further, the layering stagger mechanism comprises a driving plate arranged below the second fixture and distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture, a base plate fixedly connected with the lower transmission belt and in sliding connection with the first guide rail group, a first sliding column sliding in the vertical direction and arranged on the base plate, and a first transmission column; The driving plate has a driving channel distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture, the driving channel has a first horizontal section distributed along the moving direction and having a first height, a second horizontal section having a second horizontal height, and an inclined section transitionally connecting between the first horizontal section and the second horizontal section; the lower end of the first transmission column is provided with a wheel shaft extending into the driving channel, and the wheel shaft can move in the driving channel along the moving direction; When the wheel shaft is located in the first horizontal section, the height of the second fixture is adapted to the height of the first fixture, when the wheel shaft moves in the second horizontal section, the second fixture is staggered with the first fixture in up and down direction and completes the staggering with the first fixture within the length range of the second horizontal section; when the wheel shaft moves in the inclined section, the second fixture is driven to be obliquely raised and lowered; The wheel shaft is configured as a roller which is in rolling cooperation with the driving channel.

[0008] Further, the first horizontal section is configured as two sections, the two sections of the first horizontal section are respectively close to the first destination position and the ink jetting station, and the second horizontal section is located between the two sections of the first horizontal section. The inclined section is configured as two sections, and the two sections of the inclined section are respectively connected between the two ends of the second horizontal section and the corresponding first horizontal section.

[0009] Further, the first jig, the second jig, the layering and misalignment mechanism, the first guide rail group and the second guide rail group are located on one side of the first conveying belt in the transverse direction; The first guide rail group includes two first guide rails arranged at intervals along the width direction of the first conveying belt, one of the first guide rails is located on the upper side or the other side of the first conveying belt in the transverse direction, and the other first guide rail is located on one side of the first conveying belt in the transverse direction. The first guide rail and the second guide rail have a first spacing therebetween; The second guide rail group is located below the first guide rail group and is adapted to the height of the lower conveying belt. The second guide rail group includes two second guide rails arranged at intervals along the width direction of the first conveying belt, the two second guide rails are located between the two first guide rails, and the second spacing between the two second guide rails is smaller than the first spacing; The driving plate is arranged between the two second guide rails.

[0010] Further, the workpiece jig includes a jig table configured as a double-fixing jig table capable of simultaneously fixing two workpieces, which includes a first fixing area and a second fixing area arranged side by side, and the first fixing area and the second fixing area are provided with positioning assemblies for positioning corresponding workpieces, respectively. The first fixing area and the second fixing area are each provided with a first window, and the first window is provided with a detection sensor for detecting whether a workpiece is loaded.

[0011] Further, the feeding mechanism includes a first workpiece conveying unit and a first transfer arm, the output end of the first workpiece conveying unit is close to the first destination position, and the first transfer arm is used to transfer the workpiece at the output end position to the workpiece jig at the first destination position. The discharging mechanism includes a second workpiece conveying unit and a second transfer arm, the input end of the second workpiece conveying unit is close to the first destination position, and the second transfer arm is used to transfer the ink jetted workpiece at the first destination position to the input end of the second workpiece conveying unit.

[0012] Further, the feeding mechanism further comprises a first tray conveying mechanism, a first feeding bin arranged at the input end of the first tray conveying mechanism, a recycling bin arranged at the output end of the first tray conveying mechanism, and a feeding arm; the first feeding bin is used for stacking the first trays and is also used for sequentially discharging the stacked first trays to the input end of the first tray conveying mechanism; the first tray conveying mechanism is used for conveying the first trays to the feeding arm and is also used for conveying the first trays to the recycling bin after the workpieces in the first trays are picked up; and the feeding arm is used for picking up the workpieces in the first trays and transferring the workpieces to the input end of the first workpiece conveying unit.

[0013] Further, the discharging mechanism further comprises a second tray conveying mechanism, a second feeding bin arranged at the input end of the second tray conveying mechanism, a discharging bin arranged at the output end of the first tray conveying mechanism, and a discharging arm; the second feeding bin is used for stacking the empty second trays and is also used for sequentially discharging the stacked second trays to the input end of the second tray conveying mechanism; the second tray conveying mechanism is used for conveying the second trays to the discharging arm and is also used for conveying the second trays to the discharging bin after the second trays are filled with the workpieces; the discharging bin is used for sequentially stacking the second trays filled with the ink-jet workpieces; and the discharging arm is used for picking up the ink-jet workpieces at the output end of the second workpiece conveying unit and transferring the ink-jet workpieces to the second trays on the second tray conveying mechanism.

[0014] The automatic ink-jet equipment has the following beneficial effects: (1) the workpiece feeding, conveying, clamping, ink-jet, and discharging processes are realized in a fully automatic manner without human intervention, labor cost is saved, work efficiency is improved, ink-jet precision and yield are improved; (2) the jig moving mechanism is configured to alternately move the first jig and the second jig; when the workpieces of the first jig are ink-jetted, the workpieces of the second jig can be clamped and fixed at the first target position; when the workpieces of the first jig are moved back to the first target position, the workpieces of the second jig are simultaneously moved to the ink-jet position; the workpiece ink-jet efficiency is greatly improved through such alternation and reciprocation; (3) the layering and misalignment mechanism adopts a driving plate without a power source; the first horizontal section, the second horizontal section, and the inclined section at different heights are arranged; and the layering and misalignment mechanism is connected with the jig moving mechanism (connected with the lower conveying belt); the second jig is misaligned with the first jig in the vertical direction while moving in the conveying direction; the configuration of the power source component is saved; the structure is simplified; the cost is reduced; and the control logic is reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present application, form a part of the present application, and are used to explain the present application and do not constitute improper limitations on the present application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is an assembly diagram of the first tray conveying mechanism, the first feeding bin, and the recovery bin of the feeding mechanism in an embodiment of the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention. The first tray of the feeding bin and the recovery bin is hidden in the diagram.

[0017] Figure 3 This is an assembly diagram of the first workpiece transfer unit, the first transfer arm, the fixture moving mechanism, the inkjet mechanism, the second workpiece transfer unit, and the second transfer arm in one embodiment of the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fixture moving mechanism in one embodiment of the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Sectional view of AA.

[0020] Figure 6 This is an assembly diagram of the inkjet mechanism and fixture moving mechanism mounted on the worktable in one embodiment of the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified schematic diagram of part A in the middle.

[0022] The diagrams in the instruction manual are labeled as follows: Control box 10; workbench 10a; second window 10b; gantry frame 10c; The system comprises: a feeding mechanism 100; a first pallet 101; a first pallet transfer mechanism 110; a second conveyor belt 111; a first feeding bin 120; a supporting unit 121; a supporting component 121a; a distributing unit 122; a first power mechanism 122a; a distributing component 122b; a recycling bin 130; a top-loading unit 131; a supporting unit 132; a feeding arm 140; a second linear movement module 141; a first pickup unit 142; a first vertical drive unit 142a; a first adsorption unit 142b; a first workpiece transfer unit 150; a third conveyor belt 151; a first transfer channel 151a; a second transfer channel 151b; a first transfer arm 160; a third linear movement module 161; a second pickup unit 162; a third power mechanism 162a; and a second adsorption unit 162b. Workpiece fixture 200; First fixture 20a; Second fixture 20b; Fixture table 210; First fixing area 21a; Second fixing area 21b; Second suction nozzle 220; First window 230; Detection sensor 240; Positioning block 250; Fixture moving mechanism 300; first linear moving module 310; first conveyor belt 311; first guide rail group 312; first guide rail 312a; second guide rail group 313; second guide rail 313a; layered misalignment mechanism 320; drive plate 321; first horizontal section 321a; second horizontal section 321b; inclined section 321c; base plate 322; first sliding column 323; first transmission column 324; wheel axle 324a; Inkjet mechanism 400; fourth linear motion module 410; fifth linear motion module 420; second vertical drive unit 430; The unloading mechanism 500; the second workpiece transfer unit 510; the second transfer arm 520; the second pallet transfer mechanism 530; the second loading bin 540; the unloading bin 550; and the unloading arm 560. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] The following disclosure provides various embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the invention. Specific examples of components and arrangements will be described below to simplify the invention. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. For example, in the following description, forming a first component above or on a second component may include embodiments where the first and second components are in direct contact, or embodiments where other components may be formed between the first and second components such that the first and second components are not in direct contact. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or characters may be repeated in various instances of the invention. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations.

[0025] Furthermore, spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "above," and "above" may be used herein to readily describe the relationship between one element or component and another element (or component) or component (or component) as shown in the figure. In addition to the orientations shown in the figure, spatial relation terms will encompass various different orientations of the device in use or operation. The device may be positioned in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and will be interpreted accordingly through the spatial relation descriptors used herein.

[0026] Furthermore, the technical parts described in this invention and the appended claims are primarily the improved technical parts of this invention, and do not limit the object protected by this invention to only having these technical parts. Other known essential components (structures and / or methods) and / or non-essential components of the object protected, besides the technical parts described in this invention and the appended claims, are not included in this invention and the appended claims because they do not fall within the scope of improvements of this invention; however, this does not mean that the object protected by this invention does not possess these known components.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 For example, the automatic inkjet equipment includes a loading mechanism 100, a workpiece fixture 200, a fixture moving mechanism 300, an inkjet mechanism 400, and a unloading mechanism 500. The loading mechanism 100 is used to load a workpiece to be inkjet-printed (e.g., an electronic device housing) to the workpiece fixture 200 at a first target position. The fixture moving mechanism 300 is used to move the workpiece fixture 200 to the inkjet station. The inkjet mechanism 400 is used to inkjet-print the workpiece. The fixture moving mechanism 300 is also used to move the workpiece fixture 200 back to the first target position after inkjet printing is completed. The unloading mechanism 500 is used to unload the inkjet-printed workpiece from the first target position to a second target position (e.g., the unloading bin described below).

[0028] Exemplarily, the automatic inkjet device in this embodiment includes a control housing 10, the top surface of which serves as the worktable 10a of the device. The worktable 10a is covered by a shielding shell (not shown). Various electrical components and control elements, such as control modules, are housed within the control housing 10. A mounting frame, such as a portal frame 10c and / or an L-shaped frame, is mounted on the worktable 10a. The aforementioned feeding mechanism 100, workpiece fixture 200, fixture moving mechanism 300, inkjet mechanism 400, and unloading mechanism 500 are disposed (directly or indirectly) on the worktable 10a.

[0029] According to this embodiment, the loading mechanism 100 and the unloading mechanism 500 are spaced apart from each other and arranged opposite each other, for example, in parallel. A fixture moving mechanism 300 and an inkjet mechanism 400 are installed in the area between them. In this area, the position between the output end of the loading mechanism 100 and the input end of the unloading mechanism 500 forms the first destination position. The loading mechanism 100 is used to transport the inkjet-printed workpiece to this first destination position, and the unloading mechanism 500 is used to unload the inkjet-printed workpiece at the first destination position, so as to transport it to the corresponding destination position according to the needs of different embodiments.

[0030] For example, the loading mechanism 100 and the unloading mechanism 500 are spaced apart along a first direction. The fixture moving mechanism 300 and the inkjet mechanism 400 are distributed along a second direction in the area between the loading mechanism 100 and the unloading mechanism 500. The end of the fixture moving mechanism 300 away from the inkjet mechanism 400 is located at the first target position, and the end closer to the inkjet mechanism 400 is located at the inkjet station (below the inkjet mechanism 400). The inkjet mechanism 400 can be mounted on a mounting frame, such as a gantry frame 10c, thereby being located above the fixture moving mechanism 300, for performing inkjet printing operations on the workpiece located at the inkjet station according to a predetermined trajectory.

[0031] According to this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 100 is configured as a stacked pallet feeding mechanism, and is therefore configured with a first pallet transfer mechanism 110 disposed on the workbench 10a, a first feeding bin 120 for stacking the first pallet 101, a recycling bin 130, a feeding arm 140, a first workpiece transfer unit 150 and a first transfer arm 160.

[0032] The first pallet conveying mechanism 110 can be distributed along a second direction (transmitting the first pallet 101 along the second direction), that is, the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 can be located parallel to one side of the fixture moving mechanism 300. The first loading bin 120 is disposed at the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110, and the recycling bin 130 is disposed at the output end of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110. The first loading bin 120 is used to sequentially discharge stacked first pallets 101 to the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110, so that the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 sequentially conveys each first pallet 101 to the recycling bin 130, and passes through the loading arm 140 during the conveying process, so that the loading arm 140 picks up the inkjet workpieces to be printed from the first pallet 101 and transfers them to the input end of the first workpiece conveying unit 150. After the inkjet workpieces to be printed in the first pallet 101 are picked up, the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 continues to convey empty first pallets 101 to the output end, so that the first pallets 101 are sequentially stacked into the recycling bin 130.

[0033] The loading arm 140 is used to transfer the picked-up workpieces to the input end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150, and the first workpiece transfer unit 150 transports the workpieces to the output end. The first transfer arm 160 is used to transfer the workpieces at the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 to the workpiece fixture 200 at the first destination position. With this design, the automatic loading and pallet recycling process of a large number of batches of workpieces can be completed automatically. The operator only needs to put the stack of first pallets 101 containing workpieces into the first loading bin 120 during loading, and take the stack of empty first pallets 101 out of the recycling bin 130.

[0034] Please see Figure 2 In this embodiment, the first feeding bin 120 is located directly above the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110. The upper end of the first feeding bin 120 forms an upper opening for loading stacked first pallets 101, and the lower end forms a lower opening for the bottom layer of first pallets 101 to fall freely to the input end. A supporting unit 121 for supporting the stacked first pallets 101 is provided at the lower opening, and a distributing unit 122 for distributing materials is provided above the supporting unit 121. The distributing unit 122 can extend between the bottommost and second-to-bottom first pallets 101 to prevent the second-to-bottom first pallet 101 from falling. When the distributing unit 122 extends below the second-to-bottom first pallet 101, the supporting unit 121 releases support for the bottommost first pallet 101, exposing the lower opening, allowing the bottommost first pallet 101 to fall freely to the input end.

[0035] The first pallet conveying mechanism 110 can be configured to include two parallel second conveyor belts 111. This structure can be achieved using known techniques, and the present invention does not impose specific limitations. The first loading bin 120 is mounted above the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110. The dispensing unit 122 can be configured to include a first power mechanism 122a (such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric push rod, etc.) disposed on both sides of the first pallet conveying mechanism 110, and a dispensing component 122b disposed at the output end of the first power mechanism 122a. The dispensing component 122b can be driven by the first power mechanism 122a to retract outward from below the second-bottom first pallet 101 to allow it to fall, and can also be driven by the first power mechanism 122a to extend inward into below the second-bottom first pallet 101 to be located below the second-bottom first pallet 101. The supporting unit 121 can be disposed below the input end and below the second conveyor belt 111. The supporting unit 121 includes a second power mechanism (not shown) and a supporting member 121a connected to the output end (upper end) of the second power mechanism. The supporting member 121a can extend upwards (above the second conveyor belt 111 and below the dispensing member 122b) to support the first tray 101 under the drive of the second power mechanism, and can retract downwards below the second conveyor belt 111 under the drive of the second power mechanism, thereby causing the bottommost first tray 101 to fall to the input end. Those skilled in the art will understand that the structures of the dispensing unit 122 and the supporting unit 121 described above are merely exemplary, and the dispensing unit 122 and the supporting unit 121 can employ any existing known technology capable of sequential dispensing and unloading.

[0036] The structure and principle of the recycling bin 130 are similar to those of the first feeding bin 120. The difference is that the unit in the recycling bin 130 with the same or similar height and structure as the distributing unit 122 is called the material support unit 132, and the unit in the recycling bin 130 with the same or similar position and structure as the supporting unit 121 is called the top material unit 131. The top material unit 131 is located below the second conveyor belt 111 and is used to lift the first tray 101 (empty first tray 101) at the output end upward. When the first tray 101 is lifted by the top material unit 131 onto the material support unit 132, the material support unit 132 extends under the first tray 101, thereby supporting the first tray 101.

[0037] The loading arm 140 spans the first pallet conveying mechanism 110. The picking end of the loading arm 140 is located directly above the first pallet conveying mechanism 110, and the releasing end (for placing the workpiece) of the loading arm 140 is located directly above the input end of the first workpiece conveying unit 150. When the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 conveys the first pallet 101 from the input end to the output end, it passes directly below the picking end of the loading arm 140 and pauses conveying there. After the loading arm 140 has completely transferred all the workpieces in the first pallet 101, the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 continues conveying forward to transport the empty first pallet 101 to the output end. The control mechanism for pausing conveying here can employ some known control mechanisms, and this invention does not impose specific limitations. For example, a detection mechanism can be set here to detect the first pallet 101, and when the first pallet 101 is detected to have arrived at this location, the first pallet conveying mechanism 110 can be controlled to pause conveying. The judgment mechanism for determining that all the workpieces in the first pallet 101 have been transferred can also employ a known judgment mechanism, and this invention does not impose specific limitations. For example, an image detection and judgment mechanism can be used to determine whether all the workpieces in the first tray 101 have been transferred.

[0038] The loading arm 140 includes a second linear motion module 141 (e.g., a linear slide) and a first pickup section 142 disposed at the output end of the second linear motion module 141. A first end of the second linear motion module 141 extends above the first pallet transfer mechanism 110 to form the pickup end, and a second end of the second linear motion module 141 extends above the input end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 to form the release end. For example, the first pallet 101 is configured as a double-row pallet arranged side-by-side, meaning that two rows of workpieces can be placed on the first pallet 101, and the two rows of workpieces are arranged side-by-side along the length direction of the loading arm 140. Therefore, the first pickup section 142 is adaptively configured as two, and both the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and the second workpiece transfer unit are adaptively configured as parallel dual-path transfers. One of the first picking units 142 is used to transfer one row of workpieces located in the first tray 101 to one path of the first workpiece transfer unit 150, and the other first picking unit 142 is used to transfer another row of workpieces located in the first tray 101 to another path of the first workpiece transfer unit 150.

[0039] The first pickup unit 142 includes a first vertical drive unit 142a connected to the output end of the second linear motion module 141 and a first adsorption unit 142b disposed at the output end of the first vertical drive unit 142a. The first adsorption unit 142b can be configured as a vacuum adsorption unit, which has a plurality of first suction nozzles whose distribution corresponds to the shape or contour of the product. Depending on the requirements of different embodiments and the placement direction of the workpiece, the first pickup unit 142 can be configured to rotate horizontally to a corresponding angle (e.g., 90 degrees) after picking up the workpiece to meet the transmission requirements of the first workpiece transmission unit 150.

[0040] Please see Figure 3The first workpiece transfer unit 150 can be disposed on the lateral side of the fixture moving mechanism 300, for example, the first workpiece transfer unit 150 can be disposed parallel to the fixture moving mechanism 300 and the first tray transfer mechanism 110. The input end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 faces the inkjet mechanism 400 (the same direction as the recycling bin 130), and the output end faces away from the inkjet mechanism 400 (the same direction as the first loading bin 120), that is, the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 is close to the first destination position. The first workpiece transfer unit 150 can adopt a belt conveyor structure, which has a third conveyor belt 151. For example, a dual-path structure arranged side by side is erected above the first workpiece transfer unit 150, which includes a first conveyor channel 151a and a second conveyor channel 151b spaced apart along the width direction of the first workpiece conveyor belt. The first conveyor channel and the second conveyor channel 151b can transport workpieces side by side, so that the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 has two workpieces side by side. The dual-path structure is configured as a frame structure independent of the third conveyor belt 151. Multiple dividing strips are spaced along the direction of the third conveyor belt 151 to separate two transmission channels, dividing the third conveyor belt 151 into two transmission areas (i.e., the first transmission channel 151a and the second transmission channel 151b) along its width. Thus, it is not necessary to design two third conveyor belts 151 to achieve synchronous transmission of side-by-side workpieces.

[0041] In this embodiment, since the distribution directions of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and the second workpiece transfer unit are both consistent with the distribution direction of the fixture moving mechanism 300 (both distributed along the second direction), the first transfer arm 160 is disposed outside the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and can move back and forth between the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and the fixture moving mechanism 300 (moving back and forth along the first direction) to pick up the workpiece from the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and move it to the workpiece fixture 200 at the first destination position to place the workpiece.

[0042] The first transfer arm 160 includes a third linear movement module 161 and a second pickup unit 162 connected to its output end. The third linear movement module 161 is perpendicular to the transmission direction of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and is disposed outside the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150. The second pickup unit 162 includes a third power mechanism 162a and a second adsorption unit 162b connected to its output end. The second adsorption unit 162b can simultaneously adsorb two workpieces arranged side by side at the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150. The third power mechanism 162a can be configured to include only a vertical drive mechanism, which can drive the second adsorption unit 162b to move vertically. The third power mechanism 162a can also be configured to include a horizontal drive mechanism and a vertical drive mechanism. The horizontal drive mechanism can cause the vertical drive mechanism to move toward or away from the first workpiece transfer unit 150, and the vertical drive mechanism is used to drive the second pickup unit 162 to move vertically.

[0043] According to this embodiment, in order to improve processing cycle time and efficiency, the fixture moving mechanism 300 can realize the alternating movement of two workpiece fixtures 200 (hereinafter referred to as the first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b). For example, when the first fixture 20a is moved to the inkjet station, the second fixture 20b can be located at any position on the fixture moving mechanism 300 other than the inkjet station, such as the first destination position.

[0044] To enable the alternating movement of the first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b, the fixture moving mechanism 300 includes a first linear moving module 310 and a layered misalignment mechanism 320. The first fixture 20a is directly mounted on the first linear moving module 310, and the second fixture 20b is mounted on the first linear moving module 310 via the layered misalignment mechanism 320. The layered misalignment mechanism 320 is used to change the height of the second fixture 20b when the first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b intersect, so that it is misaligned with the first fixture 20a.

[0045] Please see Figure 4According to this embodiment, the first linear motion module 310 includes a first conveyor belt 311, a first drive mechanism (not shown) for driving the first conveyor belt 311 to reciprocate, a first guide rail group 312, and a second guide rail group 313. The first fixture 20a is fixed to the upper conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt 311, and the first fixture 20a is slidably connected to the first guide rail group 312. The layered misalignment mechanism 320 is fixed to the lower conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt 311, and the layered misalignment mechanism 320 is slidably connected to the second guide rail group 313. The second fixture 20b is disposed at the upper end of the layered misalignment mechanism 320. When the second fixture 20b intersects with the first fixture 20a, the layered misalignment mechanism 320 lowers the second fixture 20b so that the second fixture 20b is below the first fixture 20a. After the second fixture 20b intersects with the first fixture 20a, the layered misalignment mechanism 320 raises the second fixture 20b so that its height matches that of the first fixture 20a.

[0046] It should be understood that the structure of the first linear motion module 310 and the layered misalignment mechanism 320 is not limited to the structure described above. Any structure that allows the first fixture 20a and / or the second fixture 20b to be misaligned in the height direction when the first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b move relative to each other is applicable. For example, the first linear motion module 310 may be configured to include a first slide and a second slide parallel to the lower side of the first slide. The first fixture 20a may be directly mounted on the first slide, and the second fixture 20b may be mounted on the second slide via the layered misalignment mechanism 320. When the first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b are misaligned, the layered misalignment mechanism 320 may raise the second fixture 20b to make it higher than the first fixture 20a. After the misalignment, the layered misalignment mechanism 320 may reset so that the height of the second fixture 20b matches the height of the first fixture 20a.

[0047] In this embodiment, the first fixture 20a, the second fixture 20b, the layered misalignment mechanism 320, the first guide rail group 312, and the second guide rail group 313 are all located on one side of the first conveyor belt 311. To save space and make the layout more compact, a second window 10b with a shape adapted to the fixture transfer mechanism is provided on the workbench 10a. The first conveyor belt 311, the first guide rail group 312, and the first fixture 20a are all located at the second window 10b, and the second fixture 20b, the layered misalignment mechanism 320, and the second guide rail group 313 are all located below the second window 10b (inside the control box).

[0048] The first guide rail group 312 includes two first guide rails 312a (located on both sides of the second window 10b) spaced apart on the worktable 10a along the width direction of the first conveyor belt 311. One first guide rail 312a is located above the first conveyor belt 311 or on the other side laterally, and the other first guide rail 312a is located on one side laterally of the first conveyor belt 311. There is a first gap between the two first guide rails 312a. The second guide rail group 313 is located below the first guide rail group 312 and is adapted to the height of the lower conveyor belt. The second guide rail group 313 includes two second guide rails 313a spaced apart along the width direction of the first conveyor belt 311. The two second guide rails 313a are located between the two first guide rails 312a. There is a second gap between the two second guide rails 313a. The second gap is smaller than the first gap and smaller than the width of the second window 10b.

[0049] The layered misalignment mechanism 320 includes a drive plate 321 located below the second fixture 20b and distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture 200, a base plate 322 fixedly connected to the lower conveyor belt and slidably connected to the first guide rail group 312, a first sliding column 323 slidably passing through the base plate 322 in the vertical direction, and a first transmission column 324.

[0050] Please see Figure 5 The drive plate 321 is disposed between the two second guide rails 313a. The drive plate 321 is a non-powered drive plate 321, which has drive channels distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture 200. The drive channels have a first horizontal section 321a with a first height, a second horizontal section 321b with a second horizontal height, and an inclined section 321c that transitions between the first horizontal section 321a and the second horizontal section 321b. The two ends of the inclined section 321c smoothly transition with the corresponding first horizontal section 321a and second horizontal section 321b.

[0051] The lower end of the first transmission column 324 is provided with a wheel axle 324a extending into the drive channel. The wheel axle 324a is movable within the drive channel along the moving direction. The wheel axle 324a is preferably configured as a roller, which rolls in cooperation with the drive channel. When the wheel axle 324a is located in the first horizontal section 321a, the second fixture 20b is height-matched with the first fixture 20a. When the wheel axle 324a moves in the second horizontal section 321b, the second fixture 20b is vertically misaligned with the first fixture 20a and completes the interleaving with the first fixture 20a within the length of the second horizontal section 321b. When the wheel axle 324a moves in the inclined section 321c, it drives the second fixture 20b to move obliquely up and down.

[0052] According to this embodiment, when the first fixture 20a is located at the spraying station, the second fixture 20b is located at the first target position; when the first fixture 20a is located at the first target position, the second fixture 20b is located at the spraying station. The first fixture 20a and the second fixture 20b are staggered in the middle section of the fixture moving mechanism 300. To achieve this, the first horizontal section 321a is configured as two sections, with the two sections of the first horizontal section 321a respectively close to the first target position and the inkjet station. The second horizontal section 321b is located between the two sections of the first horizontal section 321a. The inclined section 321c is configured as two sections, with the two sections of the inclined section 321c respectively connected between the two ends of the second horizontal section 321b and the corresponding first horizontal section 321a.

[0053] Please see Figure 6 The inkjet mechanism 400 is mounted above the worktable 10a via the gantry frame 10c, and the inkjet station is located below the inkjet mechanism 400. The inkjet mechanism 400 can move along a predetermined trajectory using motion execution components such as a three-axis module and a robotic arm. According to this embodiment, the gantry frame 10c is distributed along a direction perpendicular to the fixture moving machine (first direction). A fourth linear motion module 410 distributed along the first direction, a fifth linear motion module 420 (distributed along a second direction) mounted on the fourth linear motion module 410, and a second vertical drive unit 430 located at the output end of the fifth linear motion module 420 are all mounted on the gantry frame 10c. The inkjet mechanism 400 is located at the output end of the second vertical drive unit 430. The hardware structure of the inkjet mechanism 400 can utilize existing known technologies, and this document does not impose any limitations.

[0054] Please see Figure 7 The workpiece fixture 200 includes a fixture platform 210, which is configured as a double-fixed fixture platform 210 capable of simultaneously fixing two workpieces. It includes a first fixing area 21a and a second fixing area 21b arranged side-by-side. The first fixing area 21a and the second fixing area 21b are provided with positioning components for positioning corresponding workpieces. The bearing surfaces of the first fixing area 21a and the second fixing area 21b are provided with a plurality of second suction nozzles 220, which are used for vacuum adsorption of the workpieces. The first fixing area 21a and the second fixing area 21b also have a first window 230, within which a detection device, such as a detection sensor 240, is provided for detecting whether a workpiece is loaded into the corresponding fixing area. When the detection sensor 240 detects a workpiece, it sends a corresponding detection signal to a control module, which then controls the second suction nozzles 220 to adsorb the workpiece.

[0055] The positioning component can adopt a positioning structure that is the same as or similar to the known structure. For example, immovable positioning blocks 250 are provided at each edge position of the first fixed area 21a and the second fixed area 21b, and each positioning block 250 encloses a fixed area that is adapted to the shape of the workpiece.

[0056] Please continue reading Figure 5 and Figure 6 The spraying station is also equipped with a holding mechanism 440 for holding the workpiece. The holding mechanism 440 is configured with two sets of holding units, each holding unit for holding the upper surface of the workpiece. The holding unit includes a third vertical drive unit 441 and a holding block 442 disposed at the output end of the third vertical drive unit 441. The holding block 442 has a through third window 443 corresponding to the ink-spraying area of ​​the workpiece. The third window 443 is used to expose the ink-spraying area of ​​the workpiece so that the inkjet mechanism 400 can perform inkjet operation.

[0057] Please continue reading Figure 1 The unloading mechanism 500 has a structure similar to that of the loading mechanism 100, including a second workpiece transfer unit 510 and a second transfer arm 520. The input end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510 is close to the first destination position, and the second transfer arm 520 is used to transfer the inkjet workpiece on the workpiece fixture 200 at the first destination position to the input end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510. The second workpiece transfer unit 510 can be arranged parallel to the first workpiece transfer unit 150 and in the opposite direction, that is, the input end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510 and the output end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 face the same direction and are both located at the first destination position; the output end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510 and the input end of the first workpiece transfer unit 150 face the same direction. The second transfer arm 520 can be installed together with the first transfer arm 160 into the third linear motion module 161 (double slide). The second transfer arm 520 is used to transfer the workpiece (inkjet workpiece) on the workpiece fixture 200 located at the first destination position to the input end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510. The second workpiece transfer unit 510 transports the inkjet workpiece to the output end and stays at the output end to wait for the unloading arm to pick it up.

[0058] The unloading mechanism 500 further includes a second pallet conveying mechanism 530, a second loading bin 540 disposed at the input end of the second pallet conveying mechanism 530, an unloading bin 550 disposed at the output end of the second pallet conveying mechanism 530, and an unloading arm 560. The second loading bin 540 is used to stack empty second pallets (not shown in the figure) and to sequentially discharge the stacked second pallets to the input end of the second pallet conveying mechanism 530. The second pallet conveying mechanism 530 is used to transport the second pallets to the unloading arm 560 and, after the second pallet is filled with workpieces, to transport the second pallet to the unloading bin 550. The unloading bin 550 is used to sequentially stack second pallets filled with inkjet workpieces. The unloading arm 560 is used to pick up inkjet workpieces from the output end of the second workpiece conveying unit 510 and transfer them to the second pallet on the second pallet conveying mechanism 530.

[0059] The second loading bin 540 operates on the same or similar principle as the first loading bin 120, and is used to load the bottom second pallet to the input end of the second pallet conveying mechanism 530. The second pallet conveying mechanism 530 operates on the same or similar principle as the first pallet conveying mechanism 110, and is used to transport the second pallet at the input end to the unloading bin 550 at the output end. During transport, it passes through the unloading arm 560, which moves the inkjet-printed workpieces to an empty placement position in the second pallet. After the second pallet is full of workpieces, the second pallet conveying mechanism 530 continues to move towards the output end to transport the full second pallet to the unloading bin 550 at the output end. The unloading bin 550 operates on the same or similar principle as the recycling bin 130, and is used to stack the second pallets.

[0060] The unloading arm 560 is used to transfer the workpiece picked up at the output end of the second workpiece transfer unit 510 to the second pallet on the second pallet transfer mechanism 530. This design allows for the automatic loading and unloading of large batches of second pallets and workpieces. The operator only needs to place stacks of empty second pallets into the second loading bin 540 during loading and remove stacks of second pallets containing inkjet workpieces from the unloading bin 550.

[0061] Based on the above embodiments, the automatic inkjet equipment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (i) It realizes a fully automated process of workpiece loading, transmission, fixed clamping, inkjet printing, and unloading, without the need for manual intervention, saving labor costs, improving work efficiency, and improving inkjet printing accuracy and yield. (ii) The fixture moving mechanism is configured to alternately move the first fixture and the second fixture. When the workpiece on the first fixture is inkjet printed, the second fixture can complete the clamping and fixing of the workpiece at the first target position. When the workpiece on the first fixture is moved back to the first target position, the workpiece on the second fixture is simultaneously moved to the inkjet printing station. This alternation greatly improves the inkjet printing efficiency of the workpiece. (iii) The layered misalignment mechanism adopts a drive plate without a power source. Through the unique first horizontal section, second horizontal section, and inclined section located at different heights, and connecting the layered misalignment mechanism with the fixture moving mechanism (connected to the lower conveyor belt), it realizes that while moving in the transmission direction, the second fixture is misaligned with the first fixture in the vertical direction, eliminating the configuration of the power source component, simplifying the structure, reducing costs, and reducing control logic.

[0062] The above embodiments merely illustrate preferred implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic inkjet printer, characterized in that: It includes a loading mechanism, a workpiece fixture, a fixture moving mechanism, an inkjet mechanism, and a unloading mechanism; the loading mechanism is used to load the workpiece to the workpiece fixture at a first target position, the fixture moving mechanism is used to move the workpiece fixture to the inkjet station, the inkjet mechanism is used to inkjet the workpiece, the fixture moving mechanism is also used to move the workpiece fixture to the first target position after inkjet printing is completed, and the unloading mechanism is used to unload the inkjet workpiece at the first target position to a second target position.

2. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The workpiece fixture includes a first fixture and a second fixture; the fixture moving mechanism includes a first linear moving module and a layered misalignment mechanism. The first fixture is directly mounted on the first linear moving module, and the second fixture is mounted on the first linear moving module through the layered misalignment mechanism. The layered misalignment mechanism is used to change the height of the second fixture when the first fixture and the second fixture intersect, so that it is misaligned with the first fixture.

3. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The first linear motion module includes a first conveyor belt, a first drive mechanism for driving the first conveyor belt to reciprocate, a first guide rail group, and a second guide rail group; the first fixture is fixed to the upper conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt, and the first fixture is slidably connected to the first guide rail group; the layered misalignment mechanism is fixed to the lower conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt, and the layered misalignment mechanism is slidably connected to the second guide rail group; the second fixture is disposed at the upper end of the layered misalignment mechanism; when the second fixture and the first fixture intersect, the layered misalignment mechanism lowers the second fixture so that the second fixture is below the first fixture; when the second fixture and the first fixture intersect, the layered misalignment mechanism raises the second fixture so that its height matches that of the first fixture.

4. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The layered misalignment mechanism includes a drive plate located below the second fixture and distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture, a base plate fixedly connected to the lower conveyor belt and slidably connected to the first guide rail group, a first sliding column slidably passing through the base plate in the vertical direction, and a first transmission column. The drive plate has a drive channel distributed along the moving direction of the workpiece fixture. The drive channel has a first horizontal section distributed along the moving direction and having a first height, a second horizontal section having a second horizontal height, and an inclined section transitioning between the first horizontal section and the second horizontal section. The lower end of the first transmission column is provided with a wheel axle extending into the drive channel, and the wheel axle is capable of moving within the drive channel along the moving direction. When the axle is in the first horizontal section, the second fixture is height-matched with the first fixture. When the axle moves in the second horizontal section, the second fixture is vertically misaligned with the first fixture and completes the interleaving with the first fixture within the length of the second horizontal section. When the axle moves in the inclined section, it drives the second fixture to move obliquely up and down. The axle is configured as a roller, which rolls in conjunction with the drive track.

5. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The first horizontal section is configured as two segments, with the two segments being close to the first target position and the inkjet station, respectively. The second horizontal section is located between the two segments of the first horizontal section. The inclined section is configured as two segments, with the two inclined segments connecting the two ends of the second horizontal section to the corresponding first horizontal section.

6. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The first fixture, the second fixture, the layered misalignment mechanism, the first guide rail group, and the second guide rail group are all located on one side of the transverse side of the first conveyor belt; The first guide rail group includes two first guide rails spaced apart along the width direction of the first conveyor belt, wherein one first guide rail is located on the upper side or the other side of the first conveyor belt, and the other first guide rail is located on the lateral side of the first conveyor belt, and there is a first gap between the first guide rail and the second guide rail. The second guide rail group is located below the first guide rail group and is adapted to the height of the lower conveyor belt. The second guide rail group includes two second guide rails spaced apart along the width direction of the first conveyor belt. The two second guide rails are located between the two first guide rails and have a second gap between them. The second gap is smaller than the first gap. The drive board is disposed between the two second guide rails.

7. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The workpiece fixture includes a fixture table, which is configured as a double-fixed fixture table capable of fixing two workpieces simultaneously. It includes a first fixing area and a second fixing area arranged side by side. The first fixing area and the second fixing area are provided with positioning components for positioning the corresponding workpieces respectively. The first fixing area and the second fixing area are each provided with a first window, and a detection sensor for detecting whether the workpiece is loaded is provided in the first window.

8. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding mechanism includes a first workpiece conveying unit and a first transfer arm. The output end of the first workpiece conveying unit is close to the first target position, and the first transfer arm is used to transfer the workpiece at the output end position to the workpiece fixture at the first target position. The unloading mechanism includes a second workpiece transfer unit and a second transfer arm. The input end of the second workpiece transfer unit is close to the first target position, and the second transfer arm is used to transfer the inkjet workpiece at the first target position to the input end of the second workpiece transfer unit.

9. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The feeding mechanism further includes a first pallet conveying mechanism, a first feeding bin disposed at the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism, a recycling bin disposed at the output end of the first pallet conveying mechanism, and a feeding arm; the first feeding bin is used to stack the first pallet and also to sequentially discharge the stacked first pallets to the input end of the first pallet conveying mechanism; the first pallet conveying mechanism is used to transport the first pallet to the feeding arm and also to transport the first pallet to the recycling bin after the workpiece in the first pallet is picked up; the feeding arm is used to pick up the workpiece in the first pallet and transfer it to the input end of the first workpiece conveying unit.

10. The automatic inkjet equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The unloading mechanism further includes a second pallet conveying mechanism, a second loading bin disposed at the input end of the second pallet conveying mechanism, an unloading bin disposed at the output end of the first pallet conveying mechanism, and an unloading arm; the second loading bin is used to stack empty second pallets and to sequentially discharge the stacked second pallets to the input end of the second pallet conveying mechanism; the second pallet conveying mechanism is used to transport the second pallets to the unloading arm and to transport the second pallets to the unloading bin after they are filled with workpieces; the unloading bin is used to sequentially stack second pallets filled with inkjet workpieces; the unloading arm is used to pick up inkjet workpieces at the output end of the second workpiece conveying unit and transfer them to the second pallet on the second pallet conveying mechanism.

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