Tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of automation, and discloses a tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment. The charging tray picking mechanism comprises a support and a clamping jaw assembly, the clamping jaw assembly comprises a driving part, two clamping plates and two clamping parts, the driving part is installed on the support, the driving part is in driving connection with one ends of the two clamping plates, and the driving part is used for driving the two clamping plates to get close to each other or get away from each other; the two clamping pieces are rotationally connected to the opposite sides of the two clamping plates correspondingly, abutting parts are arranged on the opposite sides of the two clamping pieces correspondingly, and the abutting parts of the two clamping pieces can clamp the two sides of the material disc. Clamping of the material disc is achieved through one driving piece, the number of power sources is reduced, the overall size is reduced, control is easy, universality is high, operation is reliable, and when the material disc is clamped, the material disc can rotate to conduct material receiving or discharging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automation technology, and in particular to a tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated production and processing, precise product positioning and reliable clamping are key to ensuring production quality and efficiency. Traditional positioning and clamping methods often employ a scheme where power sources are placed on both sides of the product to effectively fix it in place. By having two motion mechanisms operate simultaneously, the two power sources press against the product from both sides, thus achieving the purpose of positioning and clamping.

[0003] However, this traditional approach has many drawbacks. Structurally, placing the power source and motion mechanism on both sides complicates the overall structure, increases the number of parts, and raises assembly difficulty and maintenance costs. In terms of control, the two power sources need to work together, placing extremely high demands on the precision and response speed of the control system, significantly increasing control complexity. Moreover, this layout occupies a large amount of space, which is a significant limitation in space-constrained automated production scenarios. Furthermore, the increased number of power sources directly leads to generally higher costs, hindering companies from controlling production costs and improving market competitiveness.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a material tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment to solve the above-mentioned problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above, the purpose of this application is to provide a material tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment, which realizes the clamping of the material tray through a driving component, reduces the number of power sources, reduces the overall volume, is simple to control, has high versatility, and is reliable in operation. Moreover, when clamping the material tray, the material tray can rotate to pick up or release materials.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] On the one hand, a tray picking mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0008] Support;

[0009] The gripper assembly includes a drive member, two clamping plates, and two clamping members. The drive member is mounted on the support and is driven to one end of the two clamping plates. The drive member is used to drive the two clamping plates to move closer or further apart. The two clamping members are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the two clamping plates. Each opposite side of the two clamping members is provided with a clamping part, which can clamp both sides of the material tray.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the clamping part is frustum-shaped, the outer diameter of the frustum gradually decreases along the direction close to the material tray, the material tray is provided with a central hole that mates with the clamping part, and the sidewall of the frustum-shaped part can abut against the edge of the central hole.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution of a material tray picking mechanism, the clamping part includes multiple stepped sections, the outer diameter of the multiple stepped sections gradually decreases along the direction close to the material tray, the material tray is provided with a central hole that mates with the stepped sections, at least one of the stepped sections has an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the central hole, and at least one of the stepped sections has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the central hole.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, it further includes a drive assembly, which includes a drive component and a drive wheel. The drive component is connected to the support, and the drive wheel is in rolling connection with the outer peripheral surface of the material tray. The drive component is driven to the drive wheel, and the drive component is configured to drive the material tray to rotate by driving the drive wheel to rotate.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the drive assembly further includes a swing arm and an elastic element. One end of the swing arm is hinged to the support, and the drive wheel is rotatably connected to the other end of the swing arm. When the swing arm swings, the drive wheel can move closer to or away from the material tray.

[0014] One end of the elastic element is connected to the support, and the other end is connected to the swing arm. The elastic force of the elastic element enables the drive wheel to roll and connect to the material tray.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the driving component further includes a limiting block, which is connected to the support and is located on the side of the swing arm near the material tray and can stop the limiting block.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the elastic element is a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the limiting block and the other end is connected to the swing arm, and the tension spring applies a tension force to the swing arm.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the driving component includes a drive motor, a drive wheel, a driven wheel, and a timing belt. The drive motor is connected to the support and has a drive shaft. The drive wheel is connected to the drive shaft. The swing arm has a driven shaft, which is rotatably connected to the swing arm. Both the drive wheel and the driven wheel are connected to the driven shaft. The timing belt is wound around the drive wheel and the driven wheel respectively.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, the driving component is a gripper cylinder, which is driven and connected to two sliders. The gripper cylinder is used to drive the two sliders to move closer or further apart, and the two clamping plates are respectively connected to the two sliders.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, it also includes a positioning camera, which is connected to the support.

[0020] As a preferred technical solution for a material tray picking mechanism, it also includes a laser sensor, which illuminates the material strip in the material tray and is configured to identify the remaining amount of the material strip in the material tray.

[0021] On the other hand, a conveying device is provided, including a moving module and a tray picking mechanism as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the tray picking mechanism is connected to the moving module.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0023] This application provides a tray picking mechanism and conveying equipment. When the tray picking mechanism needs to pick up a tray, a drive unit drives two clamping plates to move away from each other, forming an opening at the end of the two clamping plates away from the drive unit. The tray enters between the two clamping plates through the opening. The drive unit then drives the two clamping plates to move closer together, so that the clamping parts of the two holding members clamp the two sides of the tray, thus achieving tray picking. Furthermore, since the two holding members are rotatably connected to the two clamping plates respectively, the tray and the two holding members can rotate relative to the clamping plates, facilitating tray feeding or receiving. This application achieves tray clamping with a single drive unit, reducing the number of power sources, reducing the overall size, simplifying control, increasing versatility, and ensuring reliable operation. Moreover, when clamping the tray, the tray can rotate for feeding or receiving. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the material tray picking mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper assembly and laser sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the driving component provided in the embodiments of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the structure of the driving component provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] The markings in the image are as follows:

[0030] 10. Material tray;

[0031] 1. Support; 11. Connecting plate;

[0032] 2. Gripper assembly; 21. Drive component; 211. Slider; 22. Clamping plate; 23. Holding component; 231. Anchoring part;

[0033] 3. Drive assembly; 31. Drive component; 311. Drive motor; 312. Drive wheel; 313. Driven wheel; 314. Synchronous belt; 315. Drive shaft; 316. Driven shaft; 32. Swing arm; 33. Drive wheel; 331. Slot; 34. Elastic element; 35. Limit block;

[0034] 4. Positioning camera; 5. Laser sensor; 6. Connecting piece. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the application and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present application, not the entire structure.

[0036] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0038] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0039] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a tray picking mechanism, which includes a support 1 and a gripper assembly 2. The gripper assembly 2 includes a drive member 21, two clamping plates 22 and two clamping members 23. The drive member 21 is mounted on the support 1 and is driven to one end of the two clamping plates 22. The drive member 21 is used to drive the two clamping plates 22 to move closer or further away from each other. The two clamping members 23 are rotatably connected to the opposite side of the two clamping plates 22 respectively. Each of the opposite sides of the two clamping members 23 is provided with a pressing part 231. The pressing parts 231 of the two clamping members 23 can clamp the two sides of the tray 10.

[0040] When the tray picking mechanism needs to pick up the tray 10, the drive member 21 drives the two clamping plates 22 to move away from each other, forming an opening at the end of the two clamping plates 22 away from the drive member 21. The tray 10 enters between the two clamping plates 22 through the opening, and the drive member 21 drives the two clamping plates 22 to move closer to each other, so that the abutting parts 231 of the two clamping members 23 clamp the two sides of the tray 10, realizing the picking up of the tray 10. Furthermore, since the two clamping members 23 are rotatably connected to the two clamping plates 22 respectively, the tray 10 and the two clamping members 23 can rotate relative to the clamping plates 22, which facilitates the feeding or receiving of the tray 10. In this embodiment, the tray 10 is clamped by a single drive member 21, which reduces the number of power sources, reduces the overall size, simplifies control, increases versatility, and ensures reliable operation. Moreover, when clamping the tray 10, the tray 10 can rotate to feed or receive materials.

[0041] In this embodiment, two clamping plates 22 are vertically arranged, with the top ends of the two clamping plates 22 connected to the driving member 21, and the bottom ends of the two clamping plates 22 forming openings. When the tray picking mechanism clamps the tray 10, the tray picking mechanism can move from top to bottom so that the tray 10 enters between the two clamping plates 22 through the openings.

[0042] In this embodiment, the driving component 21 is a gripper cylinder. The gripper cylinder is driven to connect to two sliders 211. The gripper cylinder is used to drive the two sliders 211 to move closer or further away from each other. The two clamping plates 22 are respectively connected to the two sliders 211. When the gripper cylinder drives the two sliders 211 to move closer or further away from each other, the sliders 211 drive the two clamping plates 22 to move closer or further away from each other. The gripper cylinder controls the opening and clamping of the two clamping plates 22.

[0043] In this embodiment, the clamping plate 22 is provided with a first mounting hole, and the end of the clamping member 23 away from the abutment part 231 is rotatably connected to the first mounting hole through a bearing, thereby realizing the rotatable connection of the clamping member 23 to the clamping plate 22.

[0044] In one embodiment, the clamping part 231 is frustum-shaped, with its outer diameter gradually decreasing towards the material tray 10. The material tray 10 has a central hole that mates with the clamping part 231, and the frustum-shaped sidewalls abut against the edge of the central hole. On one hand, after the material tray 10 enters between the two clamping plates 22 through the opening, the clamping part 231 is aligned with the central hole, and the driving member 21 drives the two clamping plates 22 to move closer together. The two clamping parts 231 extend into the central holes on both sides of the material tray 10, and the frustum-shaped sidewalls abut against the edge of the central hole, thus clamping and fixing the material tray 10. On the other hand, because the outer diameter of the frustum-shaped part gradually decreases towards the material tray 10, the different diameters of the frustum-shaped sidewalls can adapt to different sizes of central holes, thereby enabling the identification of various types of material trays 10 and improving versatility.

[0045] In other embodiments, the clamping part 231 includes multiple stepped segments, the outer diameter of which gradually decreases along the direction approaching the tray 10. The tray 10 is provided with a central hole that mates with the stepped segments. The outer diameter of at least one stepped segment is larger than the inner diameter of the central hole, and the outer diameter of at least one stepped segment is smaller than the inner diameter of the central hole. During clamping, the stepped segment smaller than the inner diameter of the central hole extends into the central hole until the stepped surface larger than the inner diameter of the central hole abuts against the end face of the central hole, thereby fixing the tray 10 and improving the stability of picking up the tray 10. Furthermore, since the outer diameter of the multiple stepped segments gradually decreases along the direction approaching the tray 10, the different stepped surfaces of the multiple stepped segments can adapt to central holes of different sizes, thereby enabling the identification of various types of trays 10 and improving versatility.

[0046] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the tray picking mechanism further includes a drive assembly 3, which includes a drive component 31 and a drive wheel 33. The drive component 31 is connected to the support 1, and the drive wheel 33 is rolledly connected to the outer peripheral surface of the tray 10. The drive component 31 is driven and connected to the drive wheel 33, and is configured to drive the tray 10 to rotate by driving the drive wheel 33. When the tray 10 is clamped, the drive wheel 33 is rolledly connected to the tray 10. When the drive component 31 drives the drive wheel 33 to rotate, the drive wheel 33 can drive the tray 10 to rotate, realizing the automatic receiving and discharging of the tray 10. In this embodiment, the drive wheel 33 is provided with a slot 331 that cooperates with the tray 10.

[0047] Preferably, the drive assembly 3 further includes a swing arm 32 and an elastic element 34. One end of the swing arm 32 is hinged to the support 1, and the drive wheel 33 is rotatably connected to the other end of the swing arm 32. When the swing arm 32 swings, the drive wheel 33 can move closer to or further away from the tray 10. One end of the elastic element 34 is connected to the support 1, and the other end is connected to the swing arm 32. The elastic force of the elastic element 34 can cause the drive wheel 33 to roll and connect to the tray 10. During the clamping of the tray 10, the tray 10 contacts the drive wheel 33, and the drive wheel 33 rolls and connects to the tray 10. On the one hand, the swing arm 32 can swing, so that the drive assembly 3 can be applied to trays 10 of different sizes, improving versatility. On the other hand, the elastic element 34 can keep the drive wheel 33 and the tray 10 in a rolling connection state, improving operational reliability.

[0048] Preferably, the drive assembly 3 further includes a limiting block 35, which is connected to the support 1 and located on the side of the swing arm 32 near the material tray 10, and can stop the limiting block 35. When the material tray 10 is not clamped, the elastic element 34 drives the swing arm 32 to abut against the limiting block 35. At this time, the swing arm 32 is in a pre-tensioned state, preventing the swing arm 32 from wobbling and improving the stability of the swing arm 32. During the process of the material tray 10 entering between the two clamping plates 22, the material tray 10 can push against the drive wheel 33 on the swing arm 32, thereby driving the swing arm 32 to overcome the tension of the elastic element 34 and move away from the limiting block 35. Specifically, the elastic element 34 is a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the limiting block 35, and the other end is connected to the swing arm 32. The tension spring applies tension to the swing arm 32. The limiting block 35 is provided with a first fixing post, and the swing arm 32 is provided with a second fixing post. One end of the tension spring is sleeved on the first fixing post, and the other end is sleeved on the second fixing post.

[0049] Furthermore, the driving component 31 includes a drive motor 311, a driving wheel 312, a driven wheel 313, and a timing belt 314. The drive motor 311 is connected to the support 1 and has a drive shaft 315. The driving wheel 312 is connected to the drive shaft 315. The swing arm 32 has a driven shaft 316, which is rotatably connected to the swing arm 32. Both the driving wheel 33 and the driven wheel 313 are connected to the driven shaft 316. The timing belt 314 is wound around the driving wheel 312 and the driven wheel 313, respectively. When the drive motor 311 drives the drive shaft 315 to rotate, the drive shaft 315 drives the driving wheel 312 to rotate. The driving wheel 312 drives the driven wheel 313 to rotate via the timing belt 314. The driven wheel 313 drives the driving wheel 33 to rotate via the driven shaft 316, thus realizing the driving component 31 driving the driving wheel 33 to rotate. In this embodiment, the drive motor 311 is a stepper motor.

[0050] Preferably, the end of the swing arm 32 away from the drive wheel 33 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 315. During the swinging process of the swing arm 32, the swing arm 32 rotates around the drive shaft 315. At the same time, the swing arm 32 drives the drive wheel 33, the driven shaft 316, and the driven wheel 313 to swing together, so that the distance between the driven shaft 316 and the drive shaft 315 remains constant, thereby ensuring that the synchronous belt 314 is in a taut state, and the drive wheel 312 can drive the driven wheel 313 to rotate through the synchronous belt 314.

[0051] In this embodiment, the support 1 is provided with a connecting plate 11, and the drive shaft 315 passes through and is rotatably connected to the connecting plate 11. The swing arm 32 and the drive wheel 312 are located on both sides of the connecting plate 11, and the swing arm 32 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 315 through a bearing. The limiting block 35 is connected to the side of the connecting plate 11 near the swing arm 32 to stop the swing arm 32.

[0052] In one embodiment, the tray picking mechanism further includes a positioning camera 4, which is connected to the support 1. The positioning camera 4 is used to locate the position where the tray 10 needs to be picked up and to identify the QR code at the hopper.

[0053] In one embodiment, the tray pickup mechanism further includes a laser sensor 5, which illuminates the strip within the tray 10. The laser sensor 5 is configured to identify the remaining amount of strip within the tray 10. By identifying the distance between itself and the strip, the laser sensor 5 determines the thickness of the strip within the tray 10. When the laser sensor 5 identifies that there is no strip within the tray 10, the next action is performed.

[0054] In one embodiment, the laser sensor 5 is connected to a slider 211, and when the material tray 10 is clamped, the laser sensor 5 is located above the material tray 10. When the gripper cylinder drives the two sliders 211 to approach each other and clamp the material tray 10, the laser sensor 5 moves to directly above the material tray 10, and the laser sensor 5 monitors the remaining material amount. In this embodiment, the laser sensor 5 is connected to the slider 211 via a connecting piece 6.

[0055] This embodiment also provides a conveying device, including a moving module and the aforementioned tray picking mechanism, wherein the tray picking mechanism is connected to the moving module. The moving module can be a robotic arm or a multi-axis moving module.

[0056] This embodiment also provides the working steps of the conveying equipment. The tray picking mechanism is installed on the drive end of the moving module. The moving module drives the tray picking mechanism to move to the trolley to pick up the tray 10 that needs to be received. The tray 10 is clamped by the opening and closing of the gripper cylinder. The positioning camera 4 is used to locate the position of the tray 10 to be picked up and to identify the QR code at the hopper. After picking up the material at the trolley, the drive component 31 drives the drive wheel 33 to rotate, thereby driving the tray 10 to rotate. During this process, the slot 331 of the drive wheel 33 will hold the tray 10. The drive motor 311 transmits torque to the drive wheel 33 installed on the driven shaft 316 through the drive wheel 312, the synchronous belt 314 and the driven wheel 313, thereby driving the tray 10 to rotate.

[0057] Note that the above are merely preferred embodiments and the technical principles employed in this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, although this application has been described in detail through the above embodiments, this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of this application, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tray picking mechanism, characterized in that, include: Support; The gripper assembly includes a drive member, two clamping plates, and two clamping members. The drive member is mounted on the support and is driven to one end of the two clamping plates. The drive member is used to drive the two clamping plates to move closer or further apart. The two clamping members are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the two clamping plates. Each opposite side of the two clamping members is provided with a clamping part, which can clamp both sides of the material tray.

2. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping part is shaped like a frustum, and the outer diameter of the frustum gradually decreases along the direction close to the material tray. The material tray is provided with a central hole that mates with the clamping part, and the sidewall of the frustum can abut against the edge of the central hole.

3. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping part includes multiple stepped sections, the outer diameter of which gradually decreases along the direction close to the material tray. The material tray is provided with a central hole that mates with the stepped sections. The outer diameter of at least one stepped section is greater than the inner diameter of the central hole, and the outer diameter of at least one stepped section is smaller than the inner diameter of the central hole.

4. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive assembly, which includes a drive component and a drive wheel. The drive component is connected to the support, and the drive wheel is in rolling connection with the outer peripheral surface of the tray. The drive component is driven to the drive wheel, and the drive component is configured to drive the tray to rotate by driving the drive wheel to rotate.

5. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive assembly also includes a swing arm and an elastic element. One end of the swing arm is hinged to the support, and the drive wheel is rotatably connected to the other end of the swing arm. When the swing arm swings, the drive wheel can move closer to or further away from the tray. One end of the elastic element is connected to the support, and the other end is connected to the swing arm. The elastic force of the elastic element enables the drive wheel to roll and connect to the material tray.

6. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The drive assembly also includes a limiting block connected to the support. The limiting block is located on the side of the swing arm near the material tray and can stop the limiting block.

7. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The elastic element is a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the limiting block and the other end of which is connected to the swing arm. The tension spring applies a tension force to the swing arm.

8. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The driving component includes a drive motor, a drive wheel, a driven wheel, and a timing belt. The drive motor is connected to the support and has a drive shaft. The drive wheel is connected to the drive shaft. The swing arm has a driven shaft, which is rotatably connected to the swing arm. Both the drive wheel and the driven wheel are connected to the driven shaft. The timing belt is wound around the drive wheel and the driven wheel, respectively.

9. The tray picking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving component is a gripper cylinder, which is driven to connect to two sliders. The gripper cylinder is used to drive the two sliders to move closer or further apart from each other. The two clamping plates are respectively connected to the two sliders.

10. The tray picking mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It also includes a positioning camera, which is connected to the support.

11. The tray picking mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It also includes a laser sensor that illuminates the strip within the tray and is configured to identify the remaining amount of the strip within the tray.

12. A conveying device, characterized in that, It includes a mobile module and a tray picking mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-11, wherein the tray picking mechanism is connected to the mobile module.

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