A lifting and uncovering integrated container transfer device

Abstract

This invention discloses an integrated lifting and opening container transfer device, belonging to the field of transportation technology. It includes a mobile platform with a lifting frame for carrying the container; a drive unit mounted on the platform for controlling the lifting of the lifting frame; a rotating shaft with its upper end connected to the lid of the container; and a transmission box fixedly mounted on the upper end of the mobile platform. The rotating shaft is connected to the output end of the transmission box, and a starting component is connected to the input end of the transmission box. The starting component generates input torque and transmits power to the rotating shaft through the transmission box. This integrated lifting and opening container transfer device can link the opening and closing of the lid with the lifting of the container using the same drive component, forming a continuous and automated operation sequence. This fundamentally avoids sequential interference, simplifies the equipment structure, and improves transfer efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of transportation technology, and in particular relates to a container transfer device with integrated lifting and opening mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In the nuclear industry, hot chambers are enclosed spaces used to handle highly hazardous materials such as radioactive materials or nuclear waste. To minimize the risk of radiation exposure from direct human handling, material transfer typically relies on automated equipment. Among these, container transport vehicles are key equipment for the safe transfer of sealed containers between different workstations and hot chambers.

[0003] Existing container transport vehicles mainly consist of a vehicle body and a running gear located at the bottom of the vehicle body. A track adapted to this running gear is fixed inside the heated compartment. The basic workflow is as follows: the operator places the sealed container containing the material onto the carrier surface of the transport vehicle using a robotic arm or other remote control tool, and then controls the transport vehicle to travel along the track to transfer the container to the target workstation.

[0004] However, the existing transfer process has a significant automation bottleneck: the opening and closing of container lids. During transfer, container lids must be tightly closed to ensure a tight seal; but when the container arrives at the target workstation (such as the unloading station), the lid needs to be opened for subsequent operations (such as hoisting and unloading). Currently, this critical opening and closing action often still relies on a remotely operated robotic arm or a separate drive mechanism for the lid. The former is inefficient and requires high operational precision; the latter increases system complexity and potential for failure. More importantly, the opening and closing of the lid is controlled separately from the lifting and hoisting of the container. This separation leads to the risk of sequential interference: a collision accident can easily occur where the container is lifted before it is opened. In the high-risk and extremely difficult-to-maintain environment of a hot chamber, such a risk absolutely must be avoided. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide an integrated lifting and opening container transfer device that can link the opening and closing of the lid with the lifting of the container through the same set of drive components, forming a coherent and automated operation sequence, fundamentally avoiding sequential interference, simplifying the equipment structure and improving transfer efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A lifting and opening integrated container transfer device includes a mobile platform, wherein the mobile platform is equipped with: A lifting frame, used to carry containers; A drive unit, which is mounted on a mobile platform, is used to control the lifting and lowering of the lifting frame; A rotating shaft, the upper end of which is connected to the lid of the carrying container; A transmission box is fixedly mounted on the upper part of the mobile platform. The rotating shaft is connected to the output end of the transmission box. A starting component is connected to the input end of the transmission box. The starting component can generate input torque and transmit power to the rotating shaft through the transmission box. The activation component can be triggered electrically via the drive unit or physically via the lifting frame, so that the rotating shaft can be driven and rotated before the container is raised, thereby removing the lid from the container.

[0007] Preferably, the upper end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to a connecting frame, and the other end of the connecting frame is detachably connected to the center of the cover.

[0008] Preferably, the drive unit includes a drive motor and multiple threaded rods, the threaded rods being threadedly connected to the lifting frame, the multiple threaded rods being connected to each other via a transmission shaft, and one of the transmission shafts being connected to the output end of the drive motor.

[0009] Preferably, a support frame is fixedly connected to the mobile platform, and the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the support frame.

[0010] Preferably, the starting component includes a rotating sleeve, which is rotatably connected to the inside of the transmission box. A pressing shaft is inserted inside the rotating sleeve, and a spiral groove is provided inside the rotating sleeve. A protrusion is provided on the pressing shaft, and the protrusion is slidably connected to the spiral groove. The transmission box has an opening, and the pressing shaft is vertically slidably disposed in the opening, so that when the pressing shaft moves in the vertical direction, it will drive the rotating sleeve to rotate. The rotating sleeve is connected to the rotating shaft via a transmission assembly located inside the transmission box. The upper end of the pressing shaft passes through the transmission box and is fixedly connected to a pressing block. A fixing ring is provided below the pressing block, and the fixing ring is fixedly connected to the upper end of the transmission box.

[0011] Preferably, when the starting component is triggered electrically by the driving unit, an electromagnet is installed inside the fixing ring, and a permanent magnet is embedded inside the pressing block. When the electromagnet is energized, it attracts the pressing block to move downward and drives the pressing block to move downward. It also includes a controller, wherein both the electromagnet and the drive unit are electrically connected to the controller, so that the electromagnet is energized before the drive unit is started; and the electromagnet is de-energized after the drive unit is reset.

[0012] Preferably, when the starting component is triggered by physical pressing via the lifting frame, a drive gear is connected to the outside of the rotating sleeve via a one-way bearing, and the drive gear is connected to the transmission component for transmission. When the lifting frame acts downward on the pressing block and drives the rotating sleeve to rotate through the pressing shaft, the drive gear will transmit power to the rotating shaft and drive the cover to rotate to one side; when the lifting frame moves upward, the rotating shaft remains stationary, keeping the cover in its current state.

[0013] Preferably, the transmission ratio of the transmission assembly is set such that when the pressing shaft moves downward and the pressing block acts on the fixed ring, the rotating shaft rotates 80 degrees around its axis.

[0014] Preferably, it also includes a reset spring, the two ends of which are fixedly connected to the pressing block and the transmission box, respectively.

[0015] Preferably, the transmission component is a gear set.

[0016] In summary, the technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows: This integrated lifting and opening container transfer device achieves fully automatic sequential control of "opening the lid → lifting → lowering → closing the lid" through a single drive assembly. This not only simplifies the equipment structure and eliminates the need for a separate drive source for the lid, but more importantly, it enforces the sequence of actions through mechanical or electrical logic, completely eliminating the risk of interference caused by human error or program malfunction, and achieving a high degree of automation and safety in the container transfer process. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the container and the lid in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the transmission box in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the rotating sleeve in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the lid being open in this invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the one-way bearing and the rotating sleeve in this invention; Figure 8 Diagram of the lid being open in this invention Figure 2 .

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Mobile platform; 2. Lifting frame; 31. Container; 32. Lid; 4. Transmission box; 5. Starting assembly; 11. Frame; 21. Drive unit; 321. Rotating shaft; 322. Sealing ring; 511. Rotating sleeve; 512. Pressing shaft; 513. One-way bearing; 521. Fixing ring; 522. Pressing block; 53. Return spring; 54. Transmission assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0019] 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.

[0020] The inventors of this invention discovered that in traditional hot-chamber container transfer processes, opening and closing the container lid and lifting / hoisting the container are two independent and separate operational steps. Whether relying on remotely operated robotic arms or configuring a separate drive mechanism for the lid, both suffer from low automation, system complexity, and a serious risk of sequential interference. The core flaw of this process lies in the lack of essential, mandatory linkage between the lid opening / closing system and the container lifting / hoisting system in terms of control logic and mechanical structure, failing to fundamentally guarantee that the "opening" action must be completed before the "lifting" action.

[0021] Based on this discovery, the present invention proposes a novel core concept: designing an integrated linkage mechanism that couples the opening and closing action of the lid with the lifting and lowering action of the container through the same trigger and transmission system, so that "opening the lid" becomes a necessary pre-step before "lifting" is executed, thereby completely eliminating the possibility of sequential interference at the mechanical or electrical logic level.

[0022] like Figures 1-8 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the integrated lifting and opening container transfer device includes a mobile platform 1. The bottom of the mobile platform 1 is provided with drive wheels, which cooperate with the track laid in the hot chamber to drive the movement of the mobile platform 1. The mobile platform 1 is provided with a lifting frame 2, which is used to carry the container 31. The container 31 is cylindrical in shape, placed upright, and has a lid 32 at the top, which can be used to close the top opening of the container 31 during transportation.

[0023] The drive unit 21 is installed on the mobile platform 1 and is used to control the lifting of the lifting frame 2. The drive unit 21 is electrically controlled and can drive the lifting frame 2 to rise or fall, so as to adjust the position and height of the container 31, thereby facilitating the loading or hoisting of the container 31.

[0024] A rotating shaft 321 is provided, with its upper end connected to the lid 32 of the container 31. A connecting bracket is fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 321, and the other end of the connecting bracket is detachably connected to the center of the lid 32. It should be noted that the length of the connecting bracket is greater than the radius of the lid 32. When the rotating shaft 321 rotates, it drives the lid 32 to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 321 via the connecting bracket, thereby moving the lid 32 away from directly above the container 31. The rotating shaft 321 and the connecting bracket can be fixedly connected by welding, while the connecting bracket and the lid 32 can be detachably connected by clips, bolts, or other means to accommodate lids 32 of different sizes.

[0025] A transmission box 4 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the mobile platform 1. A rotating shaft 321 is connected to the output end of the transmission box 4. A starting component 5 is connected to the input end of the transmission box 4. The starting component 5 generates input torque and transmits the power to the rotating shaft 321 through the transmission box 4. A support frame 11 is fixedly connected to the mobile platform 1, and the rotating shaft 321 is rotatably mounted on the support frame 11. The function of the transmission box 4 is to transmit the power generated by the starting component 5 to drive the rotating shaft 321 to rotate a specific angle, thereby opening and closing the cover 32.

[0026] It is important to note that the activation component 5 can be triggered electrically by the drive unit 21 or physically by the lifting frame 2. This ensures that the rotating shaft 321 can be driven and rotated before the container 31 rises, thus removing the lid 32 from the container 31. The core of this embodiment is the unique design of the activation component, which implements the linkage triggering mechanism. Electrically driven linkage: When the drive unit 21 controlling the lifting frame 2 receives a rising command, it first sends an electrical signal to trigger the activation component 5, causing the lid 32 to open before the container rises. Mechanical linkage: During the rising process, the lifting frame 2 itself directly triggers the activation component 5 through physical contact (such as pressing). Both methods ensure that the opening action is triggered before the lifting action begins.

[0027] After the starting component 5 is triggered, an input torque is generated, which is transmitted to the rotating shaft 321 through the transmission box 4. The upper end of the rotating shaft 321 is connected to the cover 32, and its rotational motion is directly converted into the opening action of the cover 32 (such as flipping or removing it). This transmission system ensures that the trigger signal can be reliably converted into a specific opening operation. The advantage is that the logic of the entire process is mandatory; only when the starting component 5 is triggered and the cover 32 is removed by the rotating shaft 321 can the lifting frame 2 rise smoothly under the action of the drive unit 21. This design ensures at the mechanical or electrical logic level that "opening the cover" is a necessary prerequisite for "rising," completely eliminating the possibility of "lifting with the cover on" due to control program errors or human error.

[0028] In summary, this invention tightly couples the lifting system and the lid-opening system through the initiation component 5, achieving rigid linkage between the two in terms of timing. This not only simplifies the equipment structure and eliminates the need for a separate drive source for the lid, but more importantly, it provides an inherently safe, efficient, and reliable automated solution for container transfer in high-risk environments such as hot chambers.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 21 includes a drive motor and multiple threaded rods, which are threadedly connected to the lifting frame 2. Specifically, threaded sleeves are fixedly connected to each of the four corners of the lifting frame 2, and the threaded rods are threadedly connected to the threaded sleeves. Since multiple threaded rods are threadedly connected to the lifting frame 2, they form mutual limiting. Therefore, when the threaded rods 1 rotate, they will drive the lifting frame 2 to rise and fall. In order to ensure that the strokes of the multiple threaded rods remain synchronized, the multiple threaded rods are connected to each other through a transmission shaft, and one of the transmission shafts is connected to the output end of the drive motor. The motor is a servo motor, which can control the number of rotations of the threaded rods to achieve precise adjustment of the height of the lifting frame 2.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the starting component 5 includes a rotating sleeve 511, which is rotatably connected to the inside of the transmission box 4. A pressing shaft 512 is inserted inside the rotating sleeve 511, and a spiral groove is provided inside the rotating sleeve 511. A protrusion is provided on the pressing shaft 512, and the protrusion is slidably connected to the spiral groove. It should be noted that the spiral groove is designed with a large pitch structure, so that the rotating sleeve 511 can generate a sufficiently significant rotation when the pressing shaft 512 moves, and the mechanism can avoid self-locking. This facilitates the forced conversion of the linear motion of the pressing shaft 512 into rotational motion.

[0031] To restrict the pressing shaft 512 to move only in the vertical direction, the transmission box 4 has an opening. The pressing shaft 512 is vertically slidably disposed within the opening, so that when the pressing shaft 512 moves in the vertical direction, it will drive the rotating sleeve 511 to rotate. On the one hand, the opening and the cross-section of the pressing shaft 512 can be set to be non-circular to prevent the pressing shaft 512 from rotating; on the other hand, a mutually engaging limiting groove or the like can also be provided between the opening and the pressing shaft 512 to prevent the pressing shaft 512 from rotating.

[0032] In this embodiment, the rotating sleeve 511 is connected to the rotating shaft 321 via a transmission assembly 54 disposed within the transmission box 4. This transmission assembly 54 can be one or more of meshing transmission, friction transmission, hydraulic transmission, or linkage transmission. In this embodiment, the transmission assembly 54 is a gear set. The main purpose is to transmit the power from the pressing shaft 512 to the rotating shaft 321, and to achieve a specific transmission ratio so that the rotating shaft 321 can rotate to a specific position.

[0033] As a further optimization, the upper end of the pressing shaft 512 passes through the transmission box 4 and is fixedly connected to a pressing block 522. External force indirectly drives the pressing shaft 512 to move by acting on the pressing block 522, thus improving stability. A fixing ring 521 is provided below the pressing block 522 and is fixedly connected to the upper end of the transmission box 4. The function of the fixing ring 521 is to limit the downward movement limit of the pressing block 522, thereby limiting the range of motion of the pressing shaft 512, further ensuring that the number of rotations of the rotating sleeve 511 is within a controllable range, and improving the system accuracy.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the starting component 5 is triggered electrically by the driving unit 21, an electromagnet is installed inside the fixing ring 521, and a permanent magnet is embedded inside the pressing block 522. When the electromagnet is energized, it attracts the pressing block 522 to move downward, thus driving the pressing block 522 to move downward. It should be noted that the electromagnet changes its magnetic pole direction by controlling the direction of the current flowing through it, while the magnetic pole direction of the permanent magnet remains unchanged. Therefore, when the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet is different, the pressing block 522 can be moved up or down under the action of the permanent magnet, thereby meeting different needs.

[0035] The system also includes a controller. Both the electromagnet and the drive unit 21 are electrically connected to the controller, energizing the electromagnet before the drive unit 21 is activated to facilitate the rotation and opening of the lid 32. This allows the pressing block 522 to move downwards before the container 31 rises, driving the rotating shaft 321 to rotate via the pressing shaft 512, rotating sleeve 511, and transmission assembly 54, thus opening the lid 32. After the drive unit 21 is reset, the electromagnet is de-energized. It should be noted that after the electromagnet is de-energized, the lid 32 can be reset manually, by placing a reset element between the pressing block 522 and the fixing ring 521, or by applying a reverse current to the electromagnet.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the starting component 5 is triggered by physical pressing via the lifting frame 2, a drive gear 514 is connected to the outside of the rotating sleeve 511 via a one-way bearing 513, and the drive gear 514 is connected to the transmission component 54 for transmission. It should be noted that the one-way bearing 513 is used so that when the pressing shaft 512 moves downward to drive the rotating sleeve 511 to rotate, it will drive the rotating shaft 321 to rotate via the drive gear 514. Furthermore, when the pressing shaft 512 moves upward to drive the rotating sleeve 511 to rotate in the opposite direction, the rotating shaft 321 will not rotate.

[0037] At the same time, it should be noted that in the initial state, there is a gap between the lifting frame 2 and the pressing block 522. The lifting frame 2 must move down a certain distance before it can act on the pressing block 522.

[0038] When the lifting frame 2 acts downward on the pressing block 522 and drives the rotating sleeve 511 to rotate via the pressing shaft 512, the drive gear 514 transmits power to the rotating shaft 321 and drives the lid 32 to rotate to one side. When the lifting frame 2 moves upward, the rotating shaft 321 remains stationary, keeping the lid 32 in its current state. Therefore, the complete operation process of this embodiment is as follows: First, the lifting frame 2 is moved downward to separate the lid 32 from the container 31. As the lifting frame 2 continues to move downward, it acts on the pressing block 522, thereby driving the pressing block 522 and the pressing shaft 512 to move downward. This causes the pressing shaft 512 to act on the rotating sleeve 511, causing the rotating sleeve 511 to rotate. The rotating sleeve 511 then drives the rotating shaft 321 to rotate via the one-way bearing 513 and the drive gear 514, ultimately rotating the lid 32 to another location, preventing the lid 32 from appearing in the upward trajectory of the container 31 and causing interference between the two. After container 31 is lifted and the material is removed, container 31 is placed back on lifting frame 2, causing lifting frame 2 to descend and act on pressing shaft 512 again, causing lid 32 to rotate forward continuously, returning to the position corresponding to container 31. Finally, lifting frame 2 moves upward until lid 32 is placed back on container 31. It should be noted that the rotation angle of rotating shaft 321 each time corresponds to the number of times container 31 is raised and lowered. For example, if lid 32 rotates 120 degrees each time, when lid 32 is first opened, it rotates to the 120-degree position. When lid 32 needs to be closed, lifting frame 2 needs to descend once, causing lid 32 to rotate to the 240-degree position, and then descend once more, causing lid 32 to rotate 360 ​​degrees, returning to the initial position.

[0039] In this embodiment, the transmission ratio of the transmission assembly 54 is set such that when the pressing shaft 512 moves downward, causing the pressing block 522 to act on the fixing ring 521, the rotating shaft 321 rotates 180 degrees around its axis. This configuration ensures that when the container 31 descends for the first time, the lid 32 first rotates to a position symmetrical to the initial position on the other side; when the container 31 descends for the second time, the lid 32 returns to the starting position. This makes operation simpler and more convenient.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, the two driving methods described above can coexist. During use, a suitable driving method can be selected according to actual needs. For example, when the lid 32 does not have a sealing ring 322 structure and can be directly removed from above the container 31, an electromagnet can be selected for driving. It should be noted that due to the presence of the one-way bearing 513, this electric driving method in this embodiment can only be achieved by energizing the electromagnet to move the pressing block 522 downwards. If the lid 32 has a sealing ring 322 structure, the pressing block 522 can be driven downwards by the lifting frame 2. The two driving methods can also be used in combination, employing a combination of electric and physical driving: opening the lid can be achieved physically, while closing the lid can be achieved electrically. This can satisfy various needs.

[0041] In the above embodiments, a return spring 53 is also included, with its two ends fixedly connected to the pressing block 522 and the transmission box 4, respectively. By setting the return spring 53, whether driven electrically or mechanically, the press block 522 can cause the return spring 53 to deform and store elastic potential energy when it drives the pressing shaft 512 to move downward. After the external force is removed, the return spring 53 releases the elastic potential energy, thereby realizing the automatic reset of the pressing block 522 and the pressing shaft 512.

[0042] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lifting and opening integrated container transfer device, characterized in that, Includes a mobile platform, wherein the mobile platform is equipped with: A lifting frame, used to carry containers; A drive unit, which is mounted on a mobile platform, is used to control the lifting and lowering of the lifting frame; A rotating shaft, the upper end of which is connected to the lid of the carrying container; A transmission box is fixedly mounted on the upper part of the mobile platform. The rotating shaft is connected to the output end of the transmission box. A starting component is connected to the input end of the transmission box. The starting component can generate input torque and transmit power to the rotating shaft through the transmission box. The starting component includes a rotating sleeve, which is rotatably connected to the inside of the transmission box. A pressing shaft is inserted inside the rotating sleeve, and a spiral groove is provided inside the rotating sleeve. A protrusion is provided on the pressing shaft, and the protrusion is slidably connected to the spiral groove. The transmission box has an opening, and the pressing shaft is vertically slidably disposed in the opening. The upper end of the pressing shaft passes through the transmission box and is fixedly connected to a pressing block. A fixing ring is provided below the pressing block, and the fixing ring is fixedly connected to the upper end of the transmission box. When the pressing shaft moves in the vertical direction, the rotating sleeve is driven to rotate through the cooperation of the protrusion and the spiral groove. The rotating sleeve is connected to the rotating shaft through a transmission component set in the transmission box. The rotating sleeve is connected to a drive gear via a one-way bearing, and the drive gear is connected to the transmission assembly. In the initial state, there is a gap between the lifting frame and the pressing block; The lifting frame is configured to first move downward to separate the lid from the container, and then continue to move downward and act on the pressing block, causing the pressing shaft to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate, and causing the drive gear to transmit power to the rotating shaft through the transmission assembly, so that the rotating shaft drives the lid to rotate to a position that avoids the upward trajectory of the container; As the lifting frame moves upward, the rotating shaft remains stationary, keeping the lid in a position that avoids the upward trajectory of the container.

2. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to a connecting frame, and the other end of the connecting frame is detachably connected to the center of the cover.

3. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a drive motor and multiple threaded rods. The threaded rods are threadedly connected to the lifting frame. The multiple threaded rods are connected to each other via a transmission shaft, and one of the transmission shafts is connected to the output end of the drive motor.

4. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support frame is fixedly connected to the mobile platform, and the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the support frame.

5. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission ratio of the transmission assembly is set such that when the pressing shaft moves downward and the pressing block acts on the fixed ring, the rotating shaft rotates 180 degrees around its axis.

6. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a reset spring, the two ends of which are fixedly connected to the pressing block and the transmission box, respectively.

7. The integrated lifting and opening container transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component is a gear set.

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