Mechanism for tidying, centering and overturning materials

Abstract

The invention relates to a material neatening, centering and overturning mechanism which comprises a left neatening and centering module and a right neatening and centering module which are symmetrically distributed, and a plurality of supporting modules are arranged between the two neatening and centering modules in the left-right direction. The clamping jaw assembly comprises a clamping jaw base and clamping jaws located at the two ends of the clamping jaw base, the clamping jaw base is detachably installed on a clamping jaw installation base on the outer side, and clamping jaw clamping grooves distributed in the left-right direction are formed in the inner sides of the clamping jaws. The two ends of a long product are arranged and centered, then the hollow rotating platform is driven by the servo motors to turn over in place, meanwhile, the two air cylinders are almost controlled to act at the same time, the two servo motors are controlled to act at the same time, and therefore the two ends are centered, ascended and turned over at the same time, the design is greatly simplified, and the production efficiency is improved. The space occupied by the mechanism is effectively reduced, and the centering and overturning efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated equipment processing technology, and in particular to a material straightening, centering and flipping mechanism, specifically a mechanism for simultaneously straightening, centering and flipping both ends of a long material. Background Technology

[0002] In automated equipment, for long product flipping mechanisms, if a gripper or a suction nozzle is used to simply hold the product and then flip it, the overall mechanism will be bulky and lack strength. Increasing strength will require more equipment space, which will squeeze the space of other mechanisms, making the overall equipment too large and uncoordinated, thus increasing equipment costs and affecting customer perception.

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings, the designer actively researched and innovated in order to create a material straightening and centering flipping mechanism, which would have greater industrial application value. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a mechanism for material alignment, centering, and flipping.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] The material alignment and turning mechanism includes two symmetrically distributed alignment modules on the left and right, and several support modules are arranged between the two alignment modules along the left and right direction.

[0007] The alignment module includes a horizontal cylinder, a lifting cylinder, a servo motor, a hollow rotary platform, and a gripper assembly. The horizontal cylinder is mounted on the lower horizontal cylinder mounting base, and the lifting cylinder is mounted on the lifting cylinder mounting base outside the horizontal cylinder. The horizontal cylinder drives the upper horizontal cylinder push plate and moves the lifting cylinder mounting base in the left and right directions. The lifting cylinder drives the hollow rotary platform mounting base and moves the upper hollow rotary platform in the vertical direction. A servo motor is mounted on the outside of the hollow rotary platform, and a gripper mounting base is mounted on the inside of the hollow rotary platform. A gripper assembly is detachably mounted on the inside of the gripper mounting base.

[0008] The gripper assembly includes a gripper base and grippers located at both ends of the gripper base. The gripper base is detachably mounted on the outer gripper mounting base, and gripper slots distributed along the left-right direction are provided on the inner side of the grippers.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, at least one stiffening plate is installed between the horizontal cylinder push plate and the lifting cylinder mounting seat.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, an induction plate is installed on a hollow rotating platform, and a sensor adapted to the induction plate is installed on a mounting base of the hollow rotating platform.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, a gripper mounting groove is provided on the inner side of the gripper mounting base, and a gripper mounting block is provided on the outer side of the gripper base. The gripper mounting block is engaged with the gripper mounting groove and then locked by a pin.

[0012] As a further improvement of the invention, at least one of the grippers is slidably mounted on the gripper base.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, a base groove is provided on the inner side of the gripper base, and the gripper slider on the outer side of at least one of the grippers can move freely in the base groove and can be locked by bolts.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the support module includes a portal frame with support blocks on both the front and rear sides of the top of the support frame.

[0015] By means of the above-described solution, the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0016] This invention employs a method of straightening and centering from both ends of a long product, followed by flipping the hollow rotating platform into position using a servo motor. Simultaneously, it controls two cylinders to move almost at the same time, and two servo motors to move at the same time, thereby achieving simultaneous centering, lifting, and flipping of both ends. This mechanism greatly simplifies the design, effectively reduces the space occupied by the mechanism, and improves the efficiency of centering and flipping.

[0017] The gripper spacing of this invention is adjustable, the support module is adapted to long materials, and the gripper can be quickly replaced to adapt to long materials of different specifications.

[0018] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the following are preferred embodiments of the present invention described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the centering module;

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the gripper mounting base and gripper assembly;

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure.

[0024] The meanings of the labels in the figures are as follows.

[0025] Alignment module 1, support module 2, product 3, horizontal cylinder mounting base 4, horizontal cylinder 5, horizontal cylinder push plate 6, stiffener 7, lifting cylinder mounting base 8, lifting cylinder 9, hollow rotating platform mounting base 10, servo motor 11, hollow rotating platform 12, gripper mounting base 13, gripper assembly 14, sensing plate 15, sensor 16, gripper base 17, gripper 18, pin 19, gripper slot 20, gripper mounting groove 21, gripper mounting block 22. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] First embodiment of the present invention:

[0029] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a material alignment and flipping mechanism of this embodiment includes two symmetrically distributed alignment modules 1 on the left and right, and a plurality of support modules 2 are arranged between the two alignment modules 1 along the left and right direction.

[0030] The alignment module 1 includes a horizontal cylinder 5, a lifting cylinder 9, a servo motor 11, a hollow rotary platform 12, and a gripper assembly 14. The horizontal cylinder 5 is mounted on the lower horizontal cylinder mounting base 4, and the lifting cylinder 9 is mounted on the outer lifting cylinder mounting base 8 of the horizontal cylinder 5. The horizontal cylinder 5 drives the upper horizontal cylinder push plate 6 and moves the lifting cylinder mounting base 8 in the left-right direction. At least one stiffener 7 is installed between the horizontal cylinder push plate 6 and the lifting cylinder mounting base 8. The lifting cylinder 9 drives the hollow rotary platform mounting base 10 and moves the upper hollow rotary platform 12 in the vertical direction. The servo motor 11 is mounted on the outer side of the hollow rotary platform 12, and a sensing plate 15 is mounted on the hollow rotary platform 12. A sensor 16 adapted to the sensing plate 15 is mounted on the hollow rotary platform mounting base 10. A gripper mounting base 13 is mounted on the inner side of the hollow rotary platform 12, and the gripper assembly 14 is detachably mounted on the inner side of the gripper mounting base 13.

[0031] The gripper assembly 14 includes a gripper base 17 and grippers 18 located at both ends of the gripper base 17. The gripper base 17 is detachably mounted on the outer gripper mounting seat 13. Gripper slots 20 distributed in the left-right direction are provided on the inner side of the grippers 18.

[0032] A gripper mounting groove 21 is provided on the inner side of the gripper mounting base 13, and a gripper mounting block 22 is provided on the outer side of the gripper base 17. The gripper mounting block 22 is engaged with the gripper mounting groove 21 and then locked by the pin 19.

[0033] At least one of the grippers 18 is slidably mounted on the gripper base 17.

[0034] A base groove is provided on the inner side of the gripper base 17, and the gripper slider on the outer side of at least one of the grippers 18 can move freely in the base groove and can be locked by bolts.

[0035] Support module 2 includes a portal frame with support blocks on the front and rear sides of the top of the support frame.

[0036] The alignment module 1 is located at both ends of the product 3, and the support module 2 is located at the bottom of the product to provide support.

[0037] When the alignment and flipping mechanism at both ends works, the product 3 is first placed on the three support modules 2. Then, the alignment and flipping modules 1 at both ends are activated. The alignment and flipping modules 1 are activated as follows: the horizontal cylinders 5 at both ends retract simultaneously, driving the grippers 18 to align and center the product 3. Then, the lifting cylinders 9 at both ends rise simultaneously to the flipping height. Then, the servo motor 11 connects to the hollow rotating platform 12 to drive the grippers 18 to flip 180 degrees simultaneously. Then, the lifting cylinders 9 at both ends descend simultaneously, and the horizontal cylinders 5 at both ends extend simultaneously, placing the product back on the support module 2, thereby achieving the centering and flipping of long materials by 180 degrees.

[0038] The second embodiment of the present invention:

[0039] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a material alignment and flipping mechanism in this embodiment includes two alignment modules 1 (with adjustable spacing to accommodate long materials) symmetrically distributed on the left and right, and three support modules 2 evenly distributed between the two alignment modules 1 in the left and right direction.

[0040] (I) Organizing the structure of the centering module 1

[0041] The alignment module 1 includes a horizontal cylinder 5, a lifting cylinder 9, a servo motor 11, a hollow rotating platform 12, a gripper assembly 14, a sensor plate 15, a sensor 16, and a synchronization control assembly. The connections and functions of each component are as follows:

[0042] Horizontal synchronization drive components:

[0043] The horizontal cylinder 5 is a standard cylinder, which is suitable for the centering stroke at both ends of long materials. The two horizontal cylinders 5 are connected to the compressed air source through the same two-position five-way double-control solenoid valve. The input and output air pipes of the two cylinders are both made of PU high-pressure pipes to ensure that the horizontal cylinders 5 at both ends move synchronously (action time difference ≤0.1s).

[0044] Each horizontal cylinder 5 is fixed to the horizontal cylinder mounting base 4 by 4 M12 bolts. The piston rod is rigidly connected to the horizontal cylinder push plate 6 through a 45 steel flange. The lifting cylinder mounting base 8 is welded to the top of the push plate. When the horizontal cylinder 5 retracts, it drives the gripper assembly 14 to move inward, so as to realize the synchronous regularization and centering of both ends of the long material.

[0045] Structural reinforcement design:

[0046] Two triangular stiffeners 7 are welded between the horizontal cylinder push plate 6 and the lifting cylinder mounting base 8, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the lifting cylinder 9, and fully welded to enhance the connection strength, avoid structural deformation when clamping long materials (deformation ≤ 0.1mm), and ensure alignment accuracy.

[0047] Lifting and lowering synchronous drive component:

[0048] The lifting cylinder 9 is a standard cylinder. The two lifting cylinders 9 are controlled by the same two-position five-way double-control solenoid valve. The lengths of the input and output air pipes are consistent (2.0m, error ≤5mm), so as to realize the synchronous lifting action at both ends (time difference ≤0.1s).

[0049] The lifting cylinder 9 is fixed to the outside of the lifting cylinder mounting base 8 by 4 M10 bolts, and the top of the piston rod is fixed to the hollow rotating platform mounting base 10 by 4 M8 bolts. When the lifting cylinder 9 rises, it drives the gripper assembly and the material to detach from the support module. When it descends, it puts the material back into the support module.

[0050] Flip synchronization drive and positioning components:

[0051] The hollow rotary platform 12 can be a ZCT60 type, which is fixed to the mounting base 10 by four M6 bolts; the two servo motors 11 are connected to the PLC controller (S7-1200) through the same dual-axis synchronous servo driver (model DS200-2P, supporting pulse synchronization signal); the servo motors are connected to the input shaft of the hollow rotary platform 12 through a coupling (with set screw anti-loosening) to ensure that the flipping angle at both ends is synchronized, and 180-degree adjustable flipping can be achieved;

[0052] The hollow rotating platform 12 has a metal sensor 15 fixed to its side by two M4 screws. The photoelectric sensor 16 (model E3Z-LS63) is fixed on the hollow rotating platform mounting base 10 by an aluminum alloy L-shaped bracket. When the platform is rotated, the sensor rotates with it. When the platform is rotated to 180 degrees, the sensor sends a position signal to the PLC, and the servo motor stops, thus achieving precise positioning.

[0053] Gripper assembly 14 (adapted for clamping both ends of long materials):

[0054] The gripper assembly 14 includes a gripper base 17 and two grippers 18 (made of polyurethane to avoid scratching the surface of long materials);

[0055] The gripper base 17 has an integrally formed T-shaped or other structured gripper mounting block 22 on the outside. The gripper mounting seat 13 is fixed to the inside of the hollow rotating platform 12 by 4 M5 bolts. The inner side of the mounting seat has a gripper mounting groove 21 that matches the mounting block. After the mounting block is inserted into the mounting groove, it is locked by a transverse cylindrical pin 19 (45 steel). The gripper assembly can be replaced within 10 minutes.

[0056] The gripper 18 has a gripper groove 20 on the inner side along the left and right direction, and the gripper base 17 has a rectangular base groove on the inner side. The gripper slider on the outer side of the gripper 18 is fitted with the groove with a clearance and is locked by M6 hexagonal bolts. The gripper spacing is adjustable to suit materials of different widths and lengths.

[0057] (II) Support Module 2 Structure (Adapted for Long Material Support)

[0058] Support module 2 includes a portal frame, which is fixed to the frame at the bottom by 4 M12 bolts; nylon support blocks are fixed to the front and rear sides of the top of the support frame by 2 M8 bolts (to avoid scratching the material), and the distance between the two support blocks is constant to form a long material bearing surface; the upper surface of the three support modules 2 has a flatness error of ≤0.2mm to prevent the long material from tilting when placed.

[0059] This invention employs a method of straightening and centering from both ends of a long product, followed by flipping the hollow rotating platform into position using a servo motor. Simultaneously, it controls two cylinders to move almost at the same time, and two servo motors to move at the same time, thereby achieving simultaneous centering, lifting, and flipping of both ends. This mechanism greatly simplifies the design, effectively reduces the space occupied by the mechanism, and improves the efficiency of centering and flipping.

[0060] The gripper spacing of this invention is adjustable, the support module is adapted to long materials, and the gripper can be quickly replaced to adapt to long materials of different specifications.

[0061] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0062] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0063] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mechanism for material alignment, centering, and flipping, characterized in that: The system includes two symmetrically distributed alignment modules (1) on the left and right sides, with several support modules (2) arranged between the two alignment modules (1) along the left-right direction; each alignment module (1) includes a horizontal cylinder (5), a lifting cylinder (9), a servo motor (11), a hollow rotating platform (12), and a gripper assembly (14). The horizontal cylinder (5) is mounted on the lower horizontal cylinder mounting base (4), and the lifting cylinder (9) is mounted on the lifting cylinder mounting base (8) outside the horizontal cylinder (5). The horizontal cylinder (5) drives the upper horizontal cylinder push plate (6) and drives the lifting cylinder mounting seat (8) to move in the left and right directions. The lifting cylinder (9) drives the hollow rotating platform mounting seat (10) and drives the upper hollow rotating platform (12) to move in the vertical direction. A servo motor (11) is installed on the outside of the hollow rotating platform (12). A gripper mounting seat (13) is installed on the inside of the hollow rotating platform (12). A gripper assembly (14) is detachably installed on the inside of the gripper mounting seat (13). The gripper assembly (14) includes a gripper base (17) and grippers (18) located at both ends of the gripper base (17). The gripper base (17) is detachably mounted on the outer gripper mounting seat (13). Gripper slots (20) distributed in the left-right direction are provided on the inner side of the gripper (18).

2. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, At least one stiffener (7) is installed between the horizontal cylinder push plate (6) and the lifting cylinder mounting seat (8).

3. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A sensor plate (15) is installed on the hollow rotating platform (12), and a sensor (16) adapted to the sensor plate (15) is installed on the hollow rotating platform mounting base (10).

4. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A gripper mounting groove (21) is provided on the inner side of the gripper mounting base (13), and a gripper mounting block (22) is provided on the outer side of the gripper base (17). The gripper mounting block (22) is engaged with the gripper mounting groove (21) and then locked by a pin (19).

5. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the grippers (18) is slidably mounted on the gripper base (17).

6. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 5, characterized in that, A base groove is provided on the inner side of the gripper base (17), and the gripper slider on the outer side of at least one of the grippers (18) can move freely in the base groove and can be locked by bolts.

7. The material straightening, centering, and flipping mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support module (2) includes a portal frame with support blocks on both the front and rear sides of the top of the support frame.

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