Pipe belt conveying mechanism of collaborative robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a pipe conveying belt mechanism of a collaborative robot, and relates to the technical field of filling machines, the pipe conveying belt mechanism comprises a mounting frame, a conveying belt, a roller, an angle adjusting mechanism and a pipe withdrawing mechanism, the roller is arranged at one end of the mounting frame, and the angle adjusting mechanism is arranged at the other end of the mounting frame; the conveying belt is arranged on the roller and the angle adjusting mechanism in a sleeving mode, and the pipe withdrawing mechanism is arranged on one side of the mounting frame. Through the arrangement of the angle adjusting mechanism, the conveying angle can be accurately adjusted according to production requirements, so that the pipe conveying belt can adapt to the position and process requirements of different machining devices, the production flexibility is improved, the workload of manually adjusting the conveying angle is reduced, and meanwhile it is ensured that pipe fittings can be accurately conveyed to target positions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of filling machine technology, and more particularly to a tube feeding mechanism for a collaborative robot. Background Technology

[0002] In automated production processes, especially in the product packaging stage, the conveying of tubing such as aluminum tubes is crucial.

[0003] In the production process, the robot moves the aluminum tube above the pipe feeding mechanism using a gripper, then the gripper releases the tube, causing it to fall directly onto the feeding mechanism. This crude and simplistic method easily damages the aluminum tube, affecting product quality. Secondly, existing pipe feeding mechanisms can only achieve straight-line transport of pipes, lacking the ability to flexibly adjust the transport angle. In production, due to the diversity of production layouts and process requirements, pipes often need to be transported to specific positions at different angles. However, traditional mechanisms cannot meet this need, leading to the requirement for manual intervention to readjust the pipe transport direction in some complex production processes. This not only reduces production efficiency but also increases labor costs and the probability of errors. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tube delivery mechanism for a collaborative robot to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A tube feeding mechanism for a collaborative robot includes a mounting frame, a conveyor belt, a roller, an angle adjustment mechanism, and a tube retraction mechanism. The roller is provided at one end of the mounting frame, and the angle adjustment mechanism is provided at the other end of the mounting frame. The conveyor belt is sleeved on the roller and the angle adjustment mechanism, and the tube retraction mechanism is provided on one side of the mounting frame.

[0006] Preferably, the tube retraction mechanism includes a tube retraction fork, and a slot is provided on one side of the mounting bracket, with the tube retraction fork disposed in the slot.

[0007] As a further preferred embodiment, the tube retraction mechanism further includes a mounting plate and a cylinder. The mounting plate is disposed on one side of the mounting frame, and the cylinder is disposed at the upper end of the mounting plate. The output end of the cylinder is connected to the tube retraction fork.

[0008] As a further preferred embodiment, the device also includes an air pump, an air bag, an air pipe connector, an air inlet pipe, and a hose. The upper end of the retraction fork is provided with several retraction grooves, and each of the retraction grooves has an installation groove on its inner walls on both sides. The air bag is disposed in the installation groove. The air pump is disposed at the upper end of the mounting plate. A chamber is disposed inside the retraction fork. The air bag is connected to the chamber through the air inlet pipe. The air pipe connector is disposed on one side of the retraction fork. One end of the air pipe connector is connected to the interior of the chamber, and the other end of the air pipe connector is connected to the air pump through the hose.

[0009] As a further preferred embodiment, a contact sensor is also included, with one contact sensor respectively provided on the lower inner wall of each of the tube retraction grooves.

[0010] As a further preferred embodiment, the assembly also includes a first motor, a fixed plate, a first pulley, a second pulley, and a belt. The fixed plate is provided on the side wall of one end of the mounting bracket. The first pulley and the second pulley are rotatably provided on one side of the fixed plate. The belt is sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley. The first motor is provided at the other end of the fixed plate. The output end of the first motor is connected to the first pulley, and the second pulley is connected to one end of the roller.

[0011] As a further preferred embodiment, the angle adjustment mechanism includes a rotating plate, a fixed shaft, and a sleeve. Two rotating plates are provided on both sides of the other end of the mounting frame. The fixed shaft is located between the two rotating plates and is fixedly connected to the two rotating plates. The sleeve is rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft. There is an movable gap between the two ends of the sleeve and the two rotating plates. The conveyor belt is sleeved on the outside of the roller and the sleeve.

[0012] As a further preferred embodiment, the device also includes a second motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear. The second motor is disposed on one side of the other end of the mounting bracket, the driving gear is disposed at the output end of the second motor, and the driven gear is disposed on one side of the rotating plate. The driving gear meshes with the driven gear.

[0013] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: (1) In this invention, by setting the angle adjustment mechanism, the conveying angle can be precisely adjusted according to production needs, so that the conveying belt can adapt to the position and process requirements of different processing equipment, improve the flexibility of production, reduce the workload of manually adjusting the conveying angle, and at the same time ensure that the pipe fittings can be accurately conveyed to the target position.

[0014] (2) In this invention, the tube ejection mechanism uses an airbag to clamp the tube and eject it, which effectively protects the aluminum tube from damage during the ejection process. The setting of the contact sensor makes the tube ejection operation more accurate. The tube is ejected only when the tube is placed in place, avoiding misoperation. This improves the reliability of the tube ejection mechanism and reduces the tube damage rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tube delivery mechanism of the collaborative robot in this invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0016] In the diagram: 1. Mounting frame; 2. Conveyor belt; 3. Angle adjustment mechanism; 31. Rotating plate; 32. Fixed shaft; 33. Sleeve; 34. Second motor; 35. Drive gear; 36. Driven gear; 4. Tube retraction mechanism; 41. Tube retraction fork; 42. Mounting plate; 43. Cylinder; 44. Air pump; 45. Airbag; 46. Air pipe connector; 47. Tube retraction groove; 48. Mounting groove; 49. Contact sensor; 5. Groove opening; 6. Position detection sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0019] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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 can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0020] Please see Figures 1 to 3 The diagram illustrates a preferred embodiment of a tube delivery mechanism for a collaborative robot. The mechanism includes a mounting frame 1, a conveyor belt 2, rollers, an angle adjustment mechanism 3, and a tube retraction mechanism 4. One end of the mounting frame 1 has a roller, and the other end has the angle adjustment mechanism 3. The conveyor belt 2 is fitted over the rollers and the angle adjustment mechanism 3. The tube retraction mechanism 4 is located on one side of the mounting frame 1. In this embodiment, the mounting frame 1 is used to mount the rollers, the angle adjustment mechanism 3, and the tube retraction mechanism 4. The conveyor belt 2 is used to transport the aluminum tube. A position detection sensor 6 is located on the inner wall of the mounting frame 1, directly opposite the tube retraction mechanism 4, to detect the position of the aluminum tube. The angle adjustment mechanism 3 adjusts the angle of the conveyor belt 2 to change the transport angle of the aluminum tube to adapt to different working conditions. The tube retraction mechanism 4 removes the aluminum tube held by the gripper on the robot and then pushes the aluminum tube onto the conveyor belt 2, thus achieving the transport of the aluminum tube.

[0021] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the tube retraction mechanism 4 includes a tube retraction fork 41, and a slot 5 is provided on one side of the mounting bracket 1, with the tube retraction fork 41 disposed within the slot 5. See also Figure 1 As shown, the slot 5 serves as a clearance mechanism to facilitate the transverse movement of the tube retraction fork 41 along the conveyor belt 2. A gap exists between the lower surface of the tube retraction fork 41 and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 2 to allow for its normal movement.

[0022] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the tube ejection mechanism 4 also includes a mounting plate 42 and a cylinder 43. The mounting plate 42 is disposed on one side of the mounting frame 1, and the cylinder 43 is disposed on the upper end of the mounting plate 42. The output end of the cylinder 43 is connected to the tube ejection fork 41. The tube ejection mechanism 4 also includes an air pump 44, an air bag 45, an air pipe connector 46, an air inlet pipe, and a hose. The upper end of the tube ejection fork 41 is provided with several tube ejection grooves 47. Each tube ejection groove 47 has a mounting groove 48 on both sides of its inner wall. An air bag 45 is disposed in the mounting groove 48. The upper end of the mounting plate 42 is provided with an air pump 44. A chamber is provided inside the tube ejection fork 41. The air bag 45 is connected to the chamber through the air inlet pipe. An air pipe connector 46 is disposed on one side of the tube ejection fork 41. One end of the air pipe connector 46 is connected to the interior of the chamber, and the other end of the air pipe connector 46 is connected to the air pump 44 through a hose. Furthermore, each tube ejection slot 47 has a contact sensor 49 installed on its lower inner wall to detect whether the aluminum tube is properly positioned. When tube ejection is required, the cylinder 43 pushes the ejection fork 41 to extend, removing the aluminum tube from the gripper at the robot's end. Simultaneously, the air pump 44 inflates the airbag 45, which inflates and clamps the tube to prevent it from shaking or falling during ejection. In this embodiment, the tube ejection mechanism 4 solves the problems of easily damaging the tube and the conveying mechanism in traditional tube ejection methods. By clamping the tube with the airbag 45, flexible tube ejection is achieved, effectively protecting the tube from damage. The contact sensor 49 makes the tube ejection operation more precise; the ejection operation only occurs when the tube is placed in the ejection slot 47 and the contact sensor 49 is triggered, avoiding misoperation. At the same time, the precise control of the cylinder 43 ensures the accurate and reliable movement of the ejection fork 41, improving the stability and reliability of the tube ejection mechanism 4. Once the tube retraction is complete, cylinder 43 drives the tube retraction fork 41 to retract into slot 5, awaiting the next tube retraction operation.

[0023] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the system also includes a first motor, a fixed plate, a first pulley, a second pulley, and a belt. A fixed plate is mounted on the side wall of one end of the mounting frame 1. The first pulley and the second pulley are rotatably mounted on one side of the fixed plate. The belt is fitted onto the first pulley and the second pulley. The first motor is mounted on the other end of the fixed plate. The output end of the first motor is connected to the first pulley, and the second pulley is connected to one end of the roller. The first motor drives the first pulley to rotate, which in turn drives the second pulley to rotate via the belt. The second pulley then drives the roller to rotate, thereby driving the conveyor belt 2 to rotate, facilitating the transport of the aluminum tube.

[0024] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the angle adjustment mechanism 3 includes a rotating plate 31, a fixed shaft 32, and a sleeve 33. Two rotating plates 31 are arranged on both sides of the other end of the mounting frame 1. The fixed shaft 32 is arranged between the two rotating plates 31 and fixedly connected to them. The sleeve 33 is rotatably arranged on the fixed shaft 32. There is a movable gap between the two ends of the sleeve 33 and the two rotating plates 31. The conveyor belt 2 is sleeved on the outside of the roller and the sleeve 33. The angle adjustment mechanism 3 also includes a second motor 34, a driving gear 35, and a driven gear 36. The second motor 34 is arranged on one side of the other end of the mounting frame 1. The driving gear 35 is arranged at the output end of the second motor 34. The driven gear 36 is arranged on one side of the rotating plate 31. The driving gear 35 and the driven gear 36 mesh with each other. The second motor 34 drives the drive gear 35 to rotate, which meshes with the driven gear 36 on one side of the rotating plate 31, thereby causing the rotating plate 31 to rotate around the fixed shaft 32, thus adjusting the conveying angle of the sleeve 33 and the conveyor belt 2. This structure solves the problem of fixed conveying angle in traditional tube feeding mechanisms, allowing the tube feeding belt to flexibly adjust its conveying angle according to production needs. This allows for precise adjustment of the conveying angle of aluminum tubes and other fittings based on the location and process requirements of subsequent processing equipment, eliminating the need for manual intervention and improving production efficiency and automation. Especially in pharmaceutical ointment packaging production lines, the conveying angle of the tube feeding belt can be quickly adjusted according to the location of filling or labeling equipment, ensuring accurate delivery of aluminum tubes to the target position, reducing conveying errors caused by improper conveying angles, and improving production accuracy and continuity.

[0025] This embodiment also includes a controller, which is used to connect with the air pump 44, the cylinder 43, the first motor, the second motor 34, the position detection sensor 6, and the contact sensor 49 to realize the automation of the equipment.

[0026] In this embodiment, a contact sensor 49 is installed in the tube retraction groove 47 to detect in real time whether the aluminum tube is placed in the groove 47. The contact sensor 49 feeds back the detection signal to the controller, which controls the operation of components such as the cylinder 43 and the air pump 44 according to the signal. When the contact sensor 49 detects that the tube is in place, the controller controls the air pump 44 to inflate the air bag 45 to clamp the tube, and then controls the cylinder 43 to push the tube retraction fork 41 to retract the tube. At the same time, the operating parameters of the entire tube feeding mechanism, such as the speed and angle adjustment of the conveyor belt 2, can be centrally managed and adjusted through the controller. This improves the automation level and operational accuracy of the tube feeding mechanism, detects the position of the tube in real time, makes the tube retraction operation more accurate and reliable, and avoids tube retraction failure or damage caused by inaccurate tube position.

[0027] In operation, when the position detection sensor 6 detects the aluminum tube, the robot lowers the tube, allowing it to enter the tube-removal groove 47. When the contact sensor 49 detects the tube, the controller activates the air pump 44, which inflates the air chamber into the air bladder 45, clamping the tube. Then, the cylinder 43 pushes the tube-removal fork 41 towards the conveyor belt 2, disengaging the aluminum tube from the robot's gripper and placing it on the conveyor belt 2. The cylinder 43 then drives the tube-removal fork 41 in the opposite direction, while the air pump 44 draws in air, causing the air bladder 45 to contract and release the tube. The tube then leaves the tube-removal groove 47 and is placed on the conveyor belt 2. The first motor then activates, driving the conveyor belt 2 to move the tube. When the conveying angle of the conveyor belt 2 needs adjustment, the controller controls the second motor 34 to rotate the rotating plate 31, adjusting the tilt angle at the end of the conveyor belt 2 and changing the conveying direction of the aluminum tube.

[0028] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the implementation and protection scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should realize that any equivalent substitutions and obvious changes made based on the description and illustrations of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tube delivery mechanism for a collaborative robot, characterized in that, The device includes a mounting frame, a conveyor belt, a roller, an angle adjustment mechanism, and a tube retraction mechanism. The roller is mounted on one end of the mounting frame, and the angle adjustment mechanism is mounted on the other end of the mounting frame. The conveyor belt is fitted onto the roller and the angle adjustment mechanism, and the tube retraction mechanism is mounted on one side of the mounting frame.

2. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tube retraction mechanism includes a tube retraction fork, and a slot is provided on one side of the mounting bracket, with the tube retraction fork disposed in the slot.

3. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The tube retraction mechanism also includes a mounting plate and a cylinder. The mounting plate is disposed on one side of the mounting frame, and the cylinder is disposed on the upper end of the mounting plate. The output end of the cylinder is connected to the tube retraction fork.

4. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes an air pump, an airbag, an air pipe connector, an air inlet pipe, and a hose. The upper end of the retraction fork has several retraction grooves. Each retraction groove has an installation groove on both sides of its inner wall. The airbag is installed in the installation groove. The air pump is installed at the upper end of the mounting plate. The retraction fork has a chamber inside. The airbag is connected to the chamber through the air inlet pipe. The air pipe connector is installed on one side of the retraction fork. One end of the air pipe connector is connected to the inside of the chamber, and the other end of the air pipe connector is connected to the air pump through the hose.

5. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a contact sensor, with one contact sensor respectively provided on the lower inner wall of each of the tube retraction grooves.

6. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first motor, a fixing plate, a first pulley, a second pulley, and a belt. The fixing plate is provided on the side wall of one end of the mounting frame. The first pulley and the second pulley are rotatably provided on one side of the fixing plate. The belt is sleeved on the first pulley and the second pulley. The first motor is provided at the other end of the fixing plate. The output end of the first motor is connected to the first pulley, and the second pulley is connected to one end of the roller.

7. The tube feeding mechanism of the collaborative robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The angle adjustment mechanism includes a rotating plate, a fixed shaft, and a sleeve. Two rotating plates are provided on both sides of the other end of the mounting frame. The fixed shaft is located between the two rotating plates and is fixedly connected to the two rotating plates. The sleeve is rotatably provided on the fixed shaft. There is an movable gap between the two ends of the sleeve and the two rotating plates. The conveyor belt is sleeved on the outside of the roller and the sleeve.

8. The tube delivery mechanism for the collaborative robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a second motor, a drive gear, and a driven gear. The second motor is provided on one side of the other end of the mounting bracket, the drive gear is provided at the output end of the second motor, and the driven gear is provided on one side of the rotating plate. The drive gear meshes with the driven gear.

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