Automatic lock catch production line and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of non-standard automation, in particular to an automatic lock catch production line and method.The automatic lock catch production line comprises an injection molding main machine, a transfer robot, an assembling platform, a positioning grabbing mechanism, a conveying mechanism, a steel sheet assembling mechanism, a hot riveting mechanism, a detecting and coding mechanism and a discharging mechanism; the transfer robot is used for grabbing and placing injection-molded lock catches on the positioning grabbing mechanism on the injection molding main machine, the positioning grabbing mechanism is used for grabbing and placing the injection-molded lock catches on the assembling platform, and the conveying mechanism is used for driving the lock catches to sequentially pass through the steel sheet assembling mechanism, the hot riveting mechanism, the detecting and coding mechanism and the discharging mechanism; the steel sheet assembling mechanism is used for assembling steel sheets on the cavities of the lock catches, and the hot riveting mechanism is used for riveting the lock catches so that the steel sheets can be packaged in the cavities of the lock catches. Through systematic integration and innovation, an efficient, reliable and intelligent lock catch automatic production line is constructed, and the cost is effectively reduced while the productivity and the quality are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of non-standard automation technology, and in particular to an automated production line and method for locking mechanisms. Background Technology

[0002] In the current manufacturing of locking hardware and plastic parts, there are widespread problems such as fragmented processes, low automation, and high reliance on manual labor. Traditional production models typically employ independent single-machine operations, with injection molding, steel sheet assembly, heat riveting, inspection, and packaging processes operating in isolation. This necessitates manual material transfer and loading / unloading between different machines, resulting in high labor intensity, low efficiency, and susceptibility to human error leading to product misalignment, poor assembly, or cosmetic damage. Particularly in assembly and packaging, the precision of manual steel sheet placement is difficult to guarantee, heat riveting quality is inconsistent, and the packaging process relies on manual labor, resulting in poor sealing consistency and severely impacting overall product quality and shipping efficiency. While some existing automated units can perform mechanical operations on certain processes, the lack of effective connection and system integration between these units makes it difficult to form continuous and stable assembly line operations, failing to meet the modern manufacturing requirements of high cycle time, high consistency, and traceability. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated locking production line that can integrate the entire process of injection molding, assembly, inspection, and packaging, possessing high automation, flexibility, and reliable operation to improve overall production efficiency and product quality control. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention, through systematic integration and innovation, constructs an efficient, reliable, and intelligent automated production line for latches. While improving production capacity and quality, it effectively reduces overall costs, providing an advanced solution for the intelligent manufacturing of hardware and plastic products.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is: an automated production line for locks, including an injection molding machine, a transfer robot, an assembly platform, a positioning and gripping mechanism, a transmission mechanism, a steel sheet assembly mechanism, a hot riveting mechanism, an inspection and coding mechanism, and a unloading mechanism. The transfer robot is used to grip and place the injection-molded locks on the positioning and gripping mechanism from the injection molding machine. The positioning and gripping mechanism is used to grip and place the injection-molded locks on the assembly platform. The transmission mechanism is used to drive the locks through the steel sheet assembly mechanism, the hot riveting mechanism, the inspection and coding mechanism, and the unloading mechanism in sequence. The steel sheet assembly mechanism is used to assemble steel sheets on the cavities of the locks. The hot riveting mechanism is used to rivet the locks to encapsulate the steel sheets in the cavities of the locks. The inspection and coding mechanism is used to label and inspect the coding part of the locks. The unloading mechanism is used to grip and unload the inspected locks.

[0005] A further improvement to the above solution is that the unloading mechanism includes an unloading robot, an unloading conveyor line, a sealing mechanism, and a packaging mechanism. The sealing mechanism is used to seal cardboard into cartons and convey them to the unloading conveyor line. The unloading robot is used to grab and place the locks onto the cartons. The packaging mechanism is used to seal and pack the cartons with the locks attached. The packaging mechanism includes a packaging conveyor assembly, a packaging sealing assembly, and an outer packaging assembly. The packaging conveyor assembly is connected to the unloading conveyor line, the packaging sealing assembly is connected to the packaging conveyor assembly, and the outer packaging assembly is connected to the packaging sealing assembly. The packaging sealing assembly is used to fold and apply tape to the straight surfaces, and the outer packaging assembly is used to seal the outer perimeter of the cartons with tape.

[0006] A further improvement to the above solution is that the injection molding machine includes an injection molding device and a demolding and material handling component. The injection molding device is used to injection mold the lock, and the demolding and material handling component is used to grasp and demold the injection-molded lock and transfer it to a transfer robot. The transfer robot is used to grasp and transfer the demolded lock to a positioning and grasping mechanism.

[0007] A further improvement to the above solution is that the positioning and gripping mechanism includes a positioning and gripping robot and a feeding platform. A positioning detection camera is installed on the feeding platform to detect the latches on the platform. The transfer robot grips and places the latches on the feeding platform. After detection by the positioning detection camera, the positioning and gripping robot grips the latches and places them on the assembly platform for the transmission mechanism to grip and transport. The transmission mechanism includes a linear transmission module, a transmission connecting bracket, and multiple material picking modules. The linear transmission module is located on one side of the feeding platform, the transmission connecting bracket is located on the linear transmission module, and the multiple material picking modules are arranged in a linear array on the transmission connecting bracket. Each material picking module includes a material picking lifting cylinder and a material picking base plate. The material picking base plate is located on the material picking lifting cylinder, and the material picking base plate grips and transports the flat surface of the latches through vacuum adsorption.

[0008] A further improvement to the above scheme is that multiple sets of steel sheet assembly mechanisms are arranged in parallel to simultaneously supply and assemble steel sheets for multiple latches. The steel sheet assembly mechanism includes a steel sheet feeding tray, a steel sheet feeding track, a steel sheet positioning module, and a steel sheet picking and assembly module. The steel sheet feeding tray is used for vibratory feeding of steel sheets, the steel sheet feeding track is used for feeding steel sheets, the steel sheet positioning module is used to connect to the feeding track and position the steel sheets, and the steel sheet picking and assembly module is used to grab the steel sheets and transfer them toward the assembly platform, and place the steel sheets into the cavities of the latches. A steel sheet assembly camera is also provided to detect whether the assembled steel sheets are inserted into the cavities.

[0009] A further improvement to the above solution is that the hot riveting mechanism includes a hot riveting frame, a hot riveting device, and a hot riveting mold. The hot riveting device is mounted on the hot riveting frame, and the hot riveting mold is mounted on the drive end of the hot riveting device. A hot riveting controller is mounted on one side of the hot riveting device to control the hot riveting pressure and hot riveting temperature. The hot riveting mold is equipped with multiple hot riveting heads for hot riveting and sealing the cavity on the buckle to encapsulate the steel sheet inside the cavity.

[0010] A further improvement to the above solution is that the detection and coding mechanism includes a front-end detection camera, a laser coding device, and a back-end detection camera. The front-end detection camera is used to photograph and detect the buckle after hot riveting, the laser coding device is used to laser code the label part of the buckle, and the back-end detection camera is used to detect the coded label.

[0011] A further improvement to the above scheme is that the feeding conveyor line is arranged laterally at the end of the feeding mechanism, the sealing mechanism is provided with a sealing conveyor assembly, and the packaging conveyor assembly and the sealing conveyor assembly are arranged side by side on one side of the feeding conveyor line.

[0012] A further improvement to the above solution is that the sealing mechanism includes a sealing frame, a cardboard placement assembly, a cardboard picking assembly, a cardboard forming assembly, a cardboard sealing assembly, and a sealing pressing assembly. One end of the sealing frame is connected to the sealing conveyor assembly. The cardboard placement assembly is located on one side of the sealing frame for placing cardboard. The cardboard picking assembly picks up the cardboard and places it onto the cardboard forming assembly. The cardboard forming assembly folds the cardboard to form a carton and then applies tape to the carton facing the cardboard sealing assembly for sealing. During the tape application process, the sealing pressing assembly presses and fixes the carton.

[0013] A further improvement to the above solution is that the cardboard placement assembly includes a cardboard placement platform, a placement adjustment frame, and a cardboard feeding module. Two sets of placement adjustment frames are provided, and the two sets of placement adjustment frames are located on the same side of the sealing machine frame. The cardboard placement platform is located between the two sets of placement adjustment frames and is inclined. The placement adjustment frame is used to adjust the height of the cardboard placement platform. The cardboard feeding module is located on the cardboard placement platform and is equipped with a pusher plate for pushing the cardboard toward the cardboard picking assembly.

[0014] A further improvement to the above solution is that the cardboard picking assembly includes a picking drive module, a picking bracket, and a picking suction cup. The picking drive module is mounted on the carton sealing machine frame. The picking bracket is connected to the picking drive module and is used to drive the picking bracket to move. The picking suction cup is mounted on the picking bracket and is used to pick up and transfer the cardboard to the cardboard forming assembly.

[0015] A further improvement to the above solution is that the cardboard forming assembly includes a bending forming module and a forming ejection module. The bending forming module is used for bending and forming the cardboard, and the forming ejection module is used for pushing the formed straight line towards the cardboard sealing assembly. The cardboard sealing assembly is used for applying adhesive tape to the cardboard and sealing the box, and then conveying the sealed box to the sealing conveyor assembly.

[0016] A further improvement to the above solution is that the packaging sealing assembly includes a packaging conveying platform, a packaging folding module, and a packaging sealing module. The packaging conveying platform is used to connect the outer packaging assembly and the packaging conveying assembly. The packaging folding module is located above the packaging conveying platform and is equipped with guide rods for folding the carton seal. The packaging sealing module is used to seal the folded carton with tape.

[0017] A further improvement to the above solution is that the peripheral packaging assembly includes a peripheral packaging line, a packaging adjustment module, and a peripheral sealing module. The peripheral packaging line is connected to the packaging conveyor platform. The packaging adjustment module is located on one side of the peripheral packaging line, and the peripheral sealing module is mounted on the packaging adjustment module. The peripheral sealing module includes an XY adjustment base, an R-axis adjustment seat, and a Z-axis adjustment frame. The R-axis adjustment seat is mounted on the XY adjustment base, the Z-axis adjustment frame is mounted on the R-axis adjustment seat, and the peripheral sealing module is mounted on the Z-axis adjustment frame. The peripheral sealing module is used to seal the cartons on the peripheral packaging line with tape.

[0018] A latch assembly method, implemented based on an automated latch production line, includes the following steps: Step S1: The injection-molded buckles are precisely placed into the designated fixtures on the assembly platform using the positioning and gripping mechanism, ensuring that the cavity openings of each buckle face upwards and are uniform in posture; simultaneously, the steel sheets are vibrated, sorted, and oriented by the steel sheet feeding tray and the steel sheet feeding track of the steel sheet assembly mechanism, the steel sheet positioning module precisely positions the steel sheets, and then the steel sheet picking and assembly module picks up the steel sheets and moves them above the buckles; Step S2: The steel sheet picking and assembly module smoothly places the steel sheet into the cavity of the lock. Then, the steel sheet assembly camera is immediately started to take pictures of the assembly result. The image processing algorithm is used to verify whether the steel sheet has completely fallen to the bottom of the cavity and whether there is any tilting or floating. The verification result is sent to the control system. If the verification fails, the lock at the workstation is marked as abnormal and is removed in the subsequent process. Step S3: For qualified semi-finished products, the conveying mechanism transports them to the hot riveting station. This step includes closed-loop control of the hot riveting process: First, the hot riveting controller preheats and sets the parameters of the hot riveting equipment and hot riveting mold according to preset parameters, including hot riveting temperature T_set, hot riveting pressure P_set, and holding time t_hold. Then, the hot riveting equipment drives the hot riveting mold carrying multiple hot riveting heads downward, so that the hot riveting heads accurately contact the plastic at the edge of the locking cavity. Under the precisely controlled hot riveting temperature, the hot riveting heads heat the plastic at the edge to melt it. At the same time, under the set hot riveting pressure, the molten plastic undergoes plastic deformation and wraps inward, covering the edge of the steel sheet. Finally, after the set holding time, the molten plastic cools and solidifies initially, and the hot riveting mold is lifted, completing the operation of permanently sealing the steel sheet in the locking cavity. Step S4: The hot-riveted buckles are sent to the inspection station, where the front-end inspection camera takes pictures of the hot riveting forming quality from all angles to check whether the riveting points are uniform and full, and whether there are any defects such as missing material, burning or deformation. For buckles that pass the inspection, a laser marking machine is used to mark the preset label area with a unique identifier. The marking quality is then immediately verified by the back-end inspection camera. Step S5: Finally, based on the test results of each step, the control system instructs the unloading robot to sort and unload the buckles that have completed all assembly processes; products that have been verified as qualified by all inspection stations are placed on the qualified product conveyor line and enter the packaging process; while products marked as abnormal or unqualified are sorted to a special defective product recycling area to achieve closed-loop quality management.

[0019] A further improvement to the above scheme is that step S3 is further refined as follows: Temperature precision control sub-step: The hot riveting controller monitors the working temperature of the hot riveting head in real time through a temperature sensor embedded in the hot riveting head, and compares it with the set temperature T_set. It uses a PID algorithm to dynamically adjust the power output of the heater to ensure that the temperature fluctuation during the hot riveting process is stable within ±2℃, so as to ensure the consistency of the plastic melting effect and avoid poor sealing due to too low temperature or plastic degradation and carbonization due to too high temperature. Pressure and displacement monitoring sub-step: The hot riveting equipment adopts a servo pressure system. During the pressing process of the hot riveting head, the actual pressure value and displacement are monitored in real time. When the pressure reaches the preset contact pressure P_contact, the system determines that the hot riveting head has contacted the latch. Then, it switches to pressure control mode, slowly increases the pressure to the target hot riveting pressure P_set, and starts the pressure holding timer. At the same time, the pressing stroke of the hot riveting head is monitored by a displacement sensor. The stroke data indirectly reflects the amount of plastic melt deformation, serving as an auxiliary criterion for process stability. Multi-stage pressure holding and cooling sub-steps: The pressure holding process is divided into two stages: The first stage is high-temperature pressure holding, after reaching P_set, the pressure and temperature are maintained at a constant value for a duration of t1, to ensure that the plastic is fully melted and flowed, completely wrapping the edge of the steel sheet; The second stage is pressure holding and cooling, while maintaining the pressure P_set, heating is stopped and air cooling or natural cooling is performed for a duration of t2, so that the plastic at the riveting point is solidified and shaped under pressure to prevent springback or deformation and ensure the mechanical strength of the encapsulation; The pressure holding time t_hold = t1 + t2.

[0020] A further improvement to the above scheme is that step S3 also includes a parameter adaptive optimization method based on historical data: The system records the actual values ​​of key process parameters in each hot riveting cycle, including peak temperature, stable pressure, actual holding time and final displacement, and performs correlation analysis with the hot riveting quality results fed back by the detection camera at the back end of the station. When defective products appear continuously, the control system starts a self-learning algorithm and fine-tunes the relevant parameter settings. If "insufficient riveting pressure" occurs continuously, the system automatically increases the target hot riveting pressure P_set by an increment ΔP, or appropriately extends the first stage holding time t1. Conversely, if "over-riveting and burning" occurs, the set temperature T_set is appropriately reduced or the holding time is shortened.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention are: Compared to existing lock production methods, this invention adopts an integrated layout of "injection molding-transfer-assembly-packaging-inspection-packaging." Through the coordinated operation of transfer robots, positioning and gripping mechanisms, and transmission mechanisms, seamless connection and continuous flow of locks between different workstations are achieved. Steps requiring multiple manual interventions in traditional production, such as loading / unloading, assembly positioning, and steel sheet packaging, are replaced by automated equipment, significantly shortening the production cycle of individual products and increasing overall capacity. In the packaging stage, the linkage between the sealing and packaging mechanisms enables seamless operation of empty carton forming, automatic lock packing, and sealing reinforcement, further reducing waiting time between processes and ensuring high-speed operation of the production line. The steel sheet assembly and hot riveting mechanisms, through precise mechanical structures and control programs, ensure accurate positioning of the steel sheets within the lock cavity and uniform riveting pressure, effectively avoiding misalignment, loosening, or damage problems that may occur during manual assembly. The inspection and coding mechanism performs quality inspection and label coding on the locks in the final stage, not only eliminating unqualified products in real time but also assigning each lock a unique identification, providing data support for subsequent logistics tracking and quality management. In the packaging process, the sealing assembly uses guide rods to standardize the folding of the carton seal, and in conjunction with the multi-axis adjustable peripheral sealing module, ensures precise tape positioning and firm adhesion, significantly improving the stability of packaging quality. Fully automated operation greatly reduces reliance on skilled operators, lowering labor costs and product losses due to human fatigue or operational errors. Cartons are formed on-site from cardboard and supplied on demand, avoiding the storage and waste of pre-made cartons; the amount of sealing tape used is precisely controlled by automated equipment, reducing material waste. The compact layout and optimized transmission paths further conserve space resources. The production line possesses strong modularity and parametric adjustment capabilities. When product specifications change, the new requirements can be quickly adapted by adjusting the robot path, replacing positioning fixtures, or modifying the XY-RZ axis parameters of the sealing module, without large-scale equipment modifications. This flexible design enables the production line to efficiently handle multi-variety, small-batch customized orders, enhancing the company's responsiveness to market fluctuations. This invention, through systematic integration and innovation, constructs an efficient, reliable, and intelligent automated production line for latches. While improving production capacity and quality, it effectively reduces overall costs, providing an advanced solution for the intelligent manufacturing of hardware and plastic products.

[0022] The latch assembly method is based on an automated latch production line. A positioning and gripping mechanism ensures uniform latch posture, and the directional conveying of the steel sheet feed track and the precise positioning of the steel sheet positioning module achieve precise alignment between the steel sheet and the latch cavity. A steel sheet assembly camera immediately verifies the image after assembly, identifying assembly defects such as tilting or floating in real time, preventing defective products from entering subsequent processes. The hot riveting process employs a closed-loop control of temperature, pressure, and time to ensure uniform plastic melting and consistent sealing effect during riveting, effectively avoiding problems such as weak sealing or overheating damage caused by parameter fluctuations in traditional manual operations. The hot riveting stage standardizes the process by preset temperature (T_set), pressure (P_set), and holding time (t_hold) parameters, ensuring completely consistent sealing conditions for each latch and greatly reducing quality fluctuations caused by human intervention. The inspection and coding process utilizes a front-end camera to comprehensively inspect the riveting quality, while a back-end camera verifies the laser coding content and assigns a unique identifier to each qualified product. This establishes a complete quality archive from production to packaging, providing data support for product traceability and quality analysis. The multi-station parallel operation and continuous flow design of the transmission mechanism achieve seamless integration between assembly, hot riveting, inspection, and coding processes, significantly shortening the production cycle of a single product. Through a real-time sorting mechanism, qualified products directly enter the packaging process, while defective products are automatically rejected and sent to the recycling area, reducing manual sorting time and error rates, while avoiding ineffective processing of defective products, saving energy and material consumption. The online inspection system based on image processing algorithms can dynamically adapt to minute dimensional differences or posture changes in the fasteners, improving inspection robustness. The control system adjusts equipment actions in real time based on feedback data from each stage, such as marking and sorting abnormal workpieces, achieving closed-loop control and autonomous decision-making in the production process, providing a technological foundation for flexible production and rapid changeover. The fully automated process replaces traditional manual assembly, riveting, and inspection steps, reducing reliance on skilled workers and avoiding quality fluctuations caused by fatigue and operational errors. Hazardous processes such as high-temperature riveting and laser marking are automatically completed by the equipment, significantly improving production safety and operational standardization. This invention, through the deep integration of standardized process parameters, multi-level quality inspection, and intelligent sorting mechanisms, constructs a high-precision, high-reliability automated assembly path for latches. While improving product qualification rates and production efficiency, it provides reliable technical support for achieving intelligent manufacturing and lean management. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated production line for the latches of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the automated production line for the central locking mechanism from another perspective; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top view of the automated production line for the central locking mechanism; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged diagram of point A in the diagram; Figure 5 for Figure 3 Enlarged diagram of point B in the diagram; Figure 6 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism of the automated production line for the central locking mechanism; Figure 7 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the steel sheet assembly mechanism of the central locking automated production line; Figure 8 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the hot riveting mechanism in the automated production line of the central locking system; Figure 9 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the unloading mechanism of the automated production line for the central locking mechanism; Figure 10 for Figure 1 A top view of the unloading mechanism of the automated production line for the central locking system; Figure 11 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the sealing mechanism of the feeding and unloading mechanism; Figure 12 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the sealing mechanism of the feeding and unloading mechanism from another perspective; Figure 13 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the packaging mechanism of the feeding and unloading mechanism; Figure 14 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the packaging mechanism of the feeding and unloading mechanism.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Injection molding machine; 11. Demolding and material handling assembly; 12. Transfer robot; 2. Assembly platform; 3. Positioning and gripping mechanism; 4. Positioning and gripping robot; 41. Unloading platform; 42. Positioning detection camera; 43. Transmission mechanism; 5. Linear transmission module; 51. Transmission connection bracket; 52. Material handling module; 53. Material handling lifting cylinder; 531. Material handling base plate; 532. Steel sheet assembly mechanism; 6. Steel sheet feeding tray; 61. Steel sheet feeding track; 62. Steel sheet positioning module; 63. Steel sheet material handling and assembly module; 64. Steel sheet assembly camera; 65. Hot riveting mechanism; 7. Hot riveting frame; 71. Hot riveting equipment; 72. Hot riveting mold; 73. Hot riveting controller; 74. Hot riveting head; 75. Detection and marking mechanism; 8. Front-end detection camera; 81. Laser marking device; 82. Rear-end detection camera; 83. Unloading mechanism; 9. Unloading robot; 91. Unloading transmission line; 92. Sealing mechanism; 93. 931. Carton sealing conveyor assembly; 932. Carton sealing frame; 933. Cardboard placement assembly; 9331. Cardboard placement table; 9332. Placement adjustment frame; 9333. Cardboard feeding module; 934. Cardboard picking assembly; 9341. Picking drive module; 9342. Picking bracket; 9343. Picking suction cup; 935. Cardboard forming assembly; 9351. Bending forming module; 9352. Forming ejection module; 936. Cardboard sealing assembly; 937. Carton sealing pressing assembly; 94. Packaging mechanism; 941. Packaging conveyor assembly; 942. Packaging sealing assembly; 9421. Packaging conveyor platform; 9422. Packaging folding module; 9423. Packaging sealing module; 9433. Outer packaging assembly; 9431. Outer packaging line; 9432. Packaging adjustment module; 9433. Outer sealing module; 9434. XY adjustment base; 9435. R-axis adjustment seat; 9436. Z-axis adjustment frame. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0026] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Figures 1-14As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, an automated production line for latches is disclosed, comprising an injection molding machine 1, a transfer robot 2, an assembly platform 3, a positioning and gripping mechanism 4, a transmission mechanism 5, a steel sheet assembly mechanism 6, a hot riveting mechanism 7, an inspection and coding mechanism 8, and a unloading mechanism 9. The transfer robot 2 is used to grip and place the injection-molded latches on the positioning and gripping mechanism 4 on the injection molding machine 1. The positioning and gripping mechanism 4 is used to grip and place the injection-molded latches on the assembly platform 3. The transmission mechanism 5 is used to drive the latches to pass sequentially through the steel sheet assembly mechanism 6, the hot riveting mechanism 7, the inspection and coding mechanism 8, and the unloading mechanism 9. The steel sheet assembly mechanism 6 is used to assemble steel sheets on the cavities of the latches. The hot riveting mechanism 7 is used to rivet the latches to encapsulate the steel sheets in the cavities of the latches. The inspection and coding mechanism 8 is used to label and inspect the coding portion of the latches. The unloading mechanism 9 is used to grip and unload the inspected latches. The unloading mechanism 9 includes an unloading robot 91, an unloading conveyor line 92, a sealing mechanism 93, and a packaging mechanism 94. The sealing mechanism 93 is used to seal cardboard into cartons and convey them to the unloading conveyor line 92. The unloading robot 91 is used to grab and place the locks onto the cartons. The packaging mechanism 94 is used to seal and pack the cartons with the locks attached. The packaging mechanism 94 includes a packaging conveyor assembly 941, a packaging sealing assembly 942, and an outer packaging assembly 943. The packaging conveyor assembly 941 is connected to the unloading conveyor line 92. The packaging sealing assembly 942 is connected to the packaging conveyor assembly 941. The outer packaging assembly 943 is connected to the packaging sealing assembly 942. The packaging sealing assembly 942 is used to fold and apply tape to straight surfaces. The outer packaging assembly 943 is used to seal the outer perimeter of the cartons with tape.

[0028] This embodiment adopts an integrated layout of "injection molding-transfer-assembly-packaging-inspection-packaging". Through the coordinated operation of transfer robot 2, positioning and gripping mechanism 4, and transmission mechanism 5, seamless connection and continuous flow of the buckles between different workstations are achieved. The loading and unloading, assembly and positioning, and steel sheet packaging processes that require multiple manual interventions in traditional production are all replaced by automated equipment, significantly shortening the production cycle of a single product and increasing overall capacity. In the packaging process, the linkage between sealing mechanism 93 and packaging mechanism 94 enables seamless operation of instant empty carton forming, automatic buckle packing, and sealing reinforcement, further reducing waiting time between processes and ensuring high-speed operation of the production line. Steel sheet assembly mechanism 6 and hot riveting mechanism 7, through precise mechanical structures and control programs, ensure accurate positioning of the steel sheet within the buckle cavity and uniform riveting pressure, effectively avoiding misalignment, loosening, or damage problems that may occur during manual assembly. The inspection and coding mechanism 8 performs quality inspection and label coding on the locks in the final stage. This not only removes unqualified products in real time but also assigns a unique identification to each lock, providing data support for subsequent logistics tracking and quality management. In the packaging stage, the packaging sealing component 942 uses guide rods to standardize the folding of the carton seal, and in conjunction with the multi-axis adjustable peripheral sealing module, ensures precise tape positioning and firm adhesion, significantly improving the stability of packaging quality. Fully automated operation greatly reduces reliance on skilled operators, lowering labor costs and product losses due to human fatigue or operational errors. Cartons are formed on-site from cardboard and supplied on demand, avoiding the storage and waste of pre-made cartons; the amount of sealing tape used is precisely controlled by automated equipment, reducing material waste. The compact layout and optimized transmission path further save space resources. The production line has strong modularity and parametric adjustment capabilities. When product specifications change, the new requirements can be quickly adapted by adjusting the robot path, replacing the positioning fixture, or modifying the XY-RZ axis parameters of the sealing module, without large-scale equipment modifications. This flexible design enables the production line to efficiently handle diverse, small-batch customized orders, enhancing the company's responsiveness to market fluctuations. This embodiment, through systematic integration and innovation, constructs a highly efficient, reliable, and intelligent automated production line for latches, effectively reducing overall costs while improving capacity and quality, providing an advanced solution for the intelligent manufacturing of hardware and plastic products.

[0029] The injection molding machine 1 includes an injection molding equipment 11 and a demolding and material handling component 12. The injection molding equipment 11 is used to injection mold the lock, and the demolding and material handling component 12 is used to grasp and demold the injection-molded lock and transfer it to the transfer robot 2. The transfer robot 2 is used to grasp and transfer the demolded lock to the positioning and grasping mechanism 4. Specifically, the positioning and grasping mechanism 4 includes a positioning and grasping robot 41 and a feeding platform 42. The feeding platform 42 is equipped with a positioning detection camera 43 for detecting the lock on the feeding platform 42. The transfer robot 2 grasps and places the lock on the feeding platform 42. After being detected by the positioning detection camera 43, the positioning and grasping robot 41 grasps the lock and then places it on the assembly platform 3 for the transmission mechanism 5 to grasp and transmit. The transmission mechanism 5 includes a linear transmission module 51 and a transmission... The system includes a connecting bracket 52 and multiple material handling modules 53. A linear transmission module 51 is positioned on one side of the feeding platform 42, and the connecting bracket 52 is mounted on the linear transmission module 51. The multiple material handling modules 53 are arranged in a linear array on the connecting bracket 52. Each material handling module 53 includes a material handling lifting cylinder 531 and a material handling base plate 532. The material handling base plate 532 is mounted on the material handling lifting cylinder 531 and uses vacuum adsorption to grasp and transport the flat surface of the latch. In this embodiment, by integrating the injection molding machine 1, the transfer robot 2, the positioning and gripping mechanism 4, and the transmission mechanism 5, a highly coordinated automated latch production line is constructed, improving production continuity and positioning accuracy. After injection molding, the material is automatically picked up by the demolding and material handling component 12 and transferred to the unloading platform 42 by the transfer robot 2. The position and posture of the buckle are visually verified by the positioning detection camera 43, and then the positioning and gripping robot 41 performs secondary positioning and gripping to ensure that the buckle has a uniform posture and accurate position before entering the assembly platform 3. The transmission mechanism 5 uses a linear module to drive multiple sets of material handling modules 53 to work in parallel. It uses vacuum adsorption to smoothly grip the flat surface of the buckle, avoiding surface damage or displacement that may be caused by mechanical clamping. It realizes the fully automated connection of the entire process from injection molding demolding to assembly loading, which not only greatly reduces manual intervention and workpiece turnaround time, but also effectively ensures the positional consistency and stability of the buckle during the transmission process through multi-level positioning and visual feedback mechanisms.

[0030] See Figure 7As shown, multiple sets of steel sheet assembly mechanisms 6 are arranged in parallel to simultaneously feed and assemble steel sheets for multiple latches. Each steel sheet assembly mechanism 6 includes a steel sheet feeding tray 61, a steel sheet feeding track 62, a steel sheet positioning module 63, and a steel sheet picking and assembly module 64. The steel sheet feeding tray 61 is used for vibratory feeding of steel sheets, the steel sheet feeding track 62 is used for feeding steel sheets, the steel sheet positioning module 63 is used to connect to the feeding track and position the steel sheets, and the steel sheet picking and assembly module 64 is used to grab the steel sheets and transfer them towards the assembly platform 3, placing the steel sheets into the cavities of the latches. A steel sheet assembly camera 65 is also provided to detect whether the assembled steel sheets are properly inserted into the cavities. In this embodiment, by setting multiple sets of parallel steel sheet assembly mechanisms 6, a parallel and efficient steel sheet feeding and assembly system is constructed, significantly improving the production efficiency and assembly accuracy of the latch assembly process. Steel sheets are automatically sorted by a vibrating feeder and directionally conveyed to the positioning module via a feeding track for posture correction and precise positioning. The assembly module then precisely picks up the steel sheets and transfers them to the assembly platform 3, where they are stably installed into the pre-reserved cavities of the locking buckles. The multi-station parallel operation mode supports the simultaneous assembly of steel sheets for multiple locking buckles, significantly shortening the production cycle time per piece and effectively increasing the overall production capacity. Furthermore, the system integrates a steel sheet assembly camera 65 for real-time visual inspection of assembled parts, ensuring accurate embedding of steel sheets into cavities without omissions or misalignments, achieving online monitoring and immediate feedback of assembly quality. This design not only guarantees high-precision matching between the steel sheets and locking buckles, enhancing product structural consistency, but also reduces manual re-inspection costs through automated testing, providing a crucial guarantee for high-speed, high-reliability continuous production.

[0031] See Figure 8As shown, the hot riveting mechanism 7 includes a hot riveting frame 71, a hot riveting device 72, and a hot riveting mold 73. The hot riveting device 72 is mounted on the hot riveting frame 71, and the hot riveting mold 73 is mounted on the drive end of the hot riveting device 72. A hot riveting controller 74 is mounted on one side of the hot riveting device 72 to control the hot riveting pressure and temperature. The hot riveting mold 73 is equipped with multiple hot riveting heads 75 for hot riveting and sealing the cavities on the buckle, thereby encapsulating the steel sheet within the cavity. In this embodiment, the hot riveting mechanism 7, by integrating the hot riveting frame 71, the hot riveting device 72, the hot riveting mold 73, and the hot riveting controller 74, constructs a highly efficient, stable, and controllable hot riveting and sealing system, significantly improving the reliability and consistency of the final assembly stage of the buckle. The hot riveting mold 73 mounted on the drive end of the hot riveting device 72 is equipped with multiple hot riveting heads 75, which can simultaneously perform hot riveting operations on the buckle cavity, achieving a secure seal of the steel sheet and greatly improving the efficiency of a single operation. The hot riveting controller 74 precisely regulates the hot riveting pressure and temperature, ensuring stable parameters during the hot riveting process. This avoids weak sealing due to insufficient pressure or temperature, and also prevents component burn-out or deformation caused by over-riveting. This mechanism mechanizes and automates the hot riveting process, effectively replacing traditional manual operation. It not only improves the uniformity of sealing strength but also ensures the long-term reliability of the product, providing crucial end-sealing assurance for automated latch production lines and contributing to a comprehensive improvement in overall production quality and efficiency.

[0032] The inspection and coding mechanism 8 includes a front-end inspection camera 81, a laser coding device 82, and a back-end inspection camera 83. The front-end inspection camera 81 is used to photograph and inspect the hot-riveted buckles, the laser coding device 82 is used to laser-code the label of the buckles, and the back-end inspection camera 83 is used to inspect the coded label. In this embodiment, a complete quality traceability and process assurance terminal is constructed through a three-stage closed-loop control of "front inspection-coding-back inspection". The front-end inspection camera 81 first performs a final product appearance or integrity inspection on the hot-riveted and sealed buckles to ensure that only qualified products flow into the coding stage, effectively intercepting defective products and ensuring the quality baseline of the products leaving the factory. Subsequently, the laser coding device 82 performs non-contact, permanent marking and coding on the label of qualified buckles. The process is accurate and efficient, with no risk of physical stress damage, giving each product a unique identity and realizing refined production traceability management. Finally, the backend inspection camera 83 performs secondary code reading and quality verification on the coded content to ensure the clarity, positional accuracy, and content correctness of the markings, eliminating defects such as omissions, errors, or blurriness. This organization seamlessly integrates quality inspection, information coding, and result verification, which not only comprehensively improves the pass rate and traceability of finished products but also achieves automated collection of production data, providing a solid data foundation for intelligent manufacturing and quality management.

[0033] See Figures 9-14As shown, the feeding conveyor line 92 is horizontally arranged at the end of the feeding mechanism 9. The sealing mechanism 93 is provided with a sealing conveyor assembly 931. The packaging conveyor assembly 941 and the sealing conveyor assembly 931 are arranged side by side on one side of the feeding conveyor line 92. Specifically, the sealing mechanism 93 includes a sealing frame 932, a cardboard placement assembly 933, a cardboard picking assembly 934, a cardboard forming assembly 935, a cardboard sealing assembly 936, and a sealing pressing assembly 937. One end of the sealing frame 932 is connected to the sealing conveyor assembly 931. The cardboard placement assembly 933 is arranged on one side of the sealing frame 932 for placing cardboard. The cardboard picking assembly 934 is used to pick up the cardboard and place it onto the cardboard forming assembly 935. After the cardboard is folded into a carton by the cardboard forming assembly 935, it is sealed with tape towards the cardboard sealing assembly 936. During the tape application process, the sealing pressing assembly 937 presses and fixes the cardboard. In this embodiment, the sealing mechanism 93 and the unloading conveyor line 92 work together to form a highly efficient and intelligent packaging sealing unit at the end of the automated production line for carton locks, realizing full automation from finished product unloading to packaging and delivery. The sealing mechanism 93, through the modular integration of cardboard placement, picking, forming, sealing, and pressing components, achieves automatic cardboard picking, precise folding, rapid tape sealing, and stable pressing of the carton. This design, closely connected with the parallel packaging conveyor component 941 and the unloading conveyor line 92, ensures that the finished carton locks are continuously and smoothly fed into the packaging stage after all processing and inspection are completed, greatly improving logistics efficiency and avoiding material mixing or damage that may be caused by manual intervention. The sealing and pressing component 937 provides stable pressure during the tape application process, ensuring the carton seal is firm and neat, improving the quality of the product's outer packaging and transportation safety. This design significantly reduces the labor intensity and labor costs in the final packaging stage, ensuring consistent production rhythm and is a key link in achieving unmanned production and efficient delivery of carton locks.

[0034] The cardboard placement assembly 933 includes a cardboard placement platform 9331, a placement adjustment frame 9332, and a cardboard feeding module 9333. Two sets of placement adjustment frames 9332 are provided, positioned on the same side of the sealing machine frame 932. The cardboard placement platform 9331 is positioned between the two sets of placement adjustment frames 9332 and is inclined. The placement adjustment frame 9332 is used to adjust the height of the cardboard placement platform 9331. The cardboard feeding module 9333 is mounted on the cardboard placement platform 9331 and includes a pusher plate for pushing the cardboard towards the cardboard picking assembly 934. The cardboard picking assembly 934 includes a picking drive module 9341, a picking bracket 9342, and a picking suction cup 9343. The picking drive module 9341 is mounted on the sealing frame 932. The picking bracket 9342 is connected to the picking drive module 9341 and is used to drive the picking bracket 9342 to move. The picking suction cup 9343 is mounted on the picking bracket 9342 and is used to pick up and transfer the cardboard to the cardboard forming assembly 935. Specifically, the cardboard forming assembly 935 includes a bending forming module 9351 and a forming ejection module 9352. The bending forming module 9351 is used for bending and forming the cardboard, and the forming ejection module 9352 is used to push the formed straight line towards the cardboard sealing assembly 936. The cardboard sealing assembly 936 is used to apply adhesive tape to the cardboard for sealing and to transport the sealed carton to the sealing conveyor assembly 931. In this embodiment, the cardboard placement, picking, forming, and sealing components work in concert to create a highly flexible and efficient automated packaging unit at the end of the aforementioned automated locking production line. The cardboard placement component 933, with its tilted placement platform and adjustable height placement bracket 9332, can accommodate stacks of cardboard of different specifications and is precisely pushed by the feeding module, ensuring the continuity and stability of cardboard supply. The cardboard picking component 934 utilizes a picking suction cup 9343 for non-contact gripping, with gentle movements and precise positioning, effectively preventing deformation or damage to the cardboard during transfer. The cardboard forming component 935, through the precise coordination of the bending and ejection modules, quickly and neatly folds the flat cardboard into a carton to be packaged, ensuring the quality and consistency of the finished carton. The orderly connection between the components achieves full-process automation from cardboard supply to empty carton forming, significantly improving the operational efficiency of the packaging process, perfectly matching the packaging rhythm with the front-end production rhythm, and effectively reducing labor costs and packaging error rates.

[0035] The packaging sealing assembly 942 includes a packaging conveyor platform 9421, a packaging folding module 9422, and a packaging sealing module 9423. The packaging conveyor platform 9421 connects the outer packaging assembly 943 and the packaging conveyor assembly 941. The packaging folding module 9422 is located above the packaging conveyor platform 9421 and is equipped with guide rods for folding the carton seal. The packaging sealing module 9423 seals the folded carton with tape. In this embodiment, the precise cooperation of the packaging conveyor platform 9421, the packaging folding module 9422, and the packaging sealing module 9423 ensures a smooth, efficient, and reliable packaging process. The packaging conveyor platform 9421, acting as a connecting hub, smoothly transports the pre-locked, formed carton from the upstream station to the sealing station, ensuring the continuity of material flow. The packaging folding module 9422, located above the platform, uses guide rods to automatically and precisely fold the carton flaps into place mechanically, replacing traditional manual folding. This not only offers extremely high efficiency but also ensures uniform and consistent folding angles, laying a solid foundation for subsequent sealing. Next, the packaging sealing module 9423 automatically applies tape to the folded box opening for sealing.

[0036] The outer packaging assembly 943 includes an outer packaging line 9431, a packaging adjustment module 9432, and an outer sealing module 9433. The outer packaging line 9431 is connected to the packaging conveyor platform 9421. The packaging adjustment module 9432 is located on one side of the outer packaging line 9431, and the outer sealing module 9433 is mounted on the packaging adjustment module 9432. The outer sealing module 9433 includes an XY adjustment base 9434, an R-axis adjustment seat 9435, and a Z-axis adjustment frame 9436. The R-axis adjustment seat 9435 is mounted on the XY adjustment base 9434, the Z-axis adjustment frame 9436 is mounted on the R-axis adjustment seat 9435, and the outer sealing module 9433 is mounted on the Z-axis adjustment frame 9436. The outer sealing module 9433 is used to seal the cartons on the outer packaging line 9431 with tape. In this embodiment, its highly flexible and intelligent design plays a crucial role in strengthening and supplementing the final packaging stage of the aforementioned automated locking production line. This component works in conjunction with the core packaging sealing component 942 to form a multi-station, full-coverage packaging system. Its core technological advantage lies in its extremely high adaptability and precision: the peripheral sealing module 9433 employs a four-degree-of-freedom adjustable base integrating X, Y, and Z-axis linear movement and R-axis rotation, enabling the sealing head to be precisely positioned in three-dimensional space and its angle adjusted to accommodate cartons of different sizes and packaging requirements. Whether changing carton specifications or requiring enhanced sealing on the sides or specific locations of the carton, the packaging adjustment module 9432 can quickly and automatically complete the adjustment without requiring cumbersome manual mechanical modifications.

[0037] A latch assembly method, implemented based on an automated latch production line, includes the following steps: Step S1: The injection-molded buckles are precisely placed in the designated fixture of the assembly platform 3 by the positioning and gripping mechanism 4, ensuring that the cavity opening of each buckle faces upward and the posture is uniform; simultaneously, the steel sheet feeding tray 61 and the steel sheet feeding track 62 of the steel sheet assembly mechanism 6 are used to vibrate, sort and orient the steel sheets, the steel sheet positioning module 63 is used to accurately position the steel sheets, and then the steel sheet picking and assembly module 64 picks up the steel sheets and moves them above the buckles; Step S2: The steel sheet picking and assembly module 64 smoothly places the steel sheet into the cavity of the lock. Then, the steel sheet assembly camera 65 is immediately started to take pictures of the assembly result. The image processing algorithm is used to verify whether the steel sheet has completely fallen to the bottom of the cavity and whether there is any tilting or floating phenomenon. The verification result is sent to the control system. If the verification fails, the lock at the workstation is marked as abnormal and is removed in the subsequent process. Step S3: For qualified semi-finished products, the conveying mechanism 5 transports them to the hot riveting station. This step includes closed-loop control of the hot riveting process: First, the hot riveting controller 74 preheats and sets the parameters of the hot riveting equipment 72 and the hot riveting mold 73 according to preset parameters, including hot riveting temperature T_set, hot riveting pressure P_set, and holding time t_hold. Then, the hot riveting equipment 72 drives the hot riveting mold 73, which carries multiple hot riveting heads 75, to descend, so that the hot riveting heads 75 accurately contact the plastic at the edge of the locking cavity. Under the precisely controlled hot riveting temperature, the hot riveting heads 75 heat the plastic at the edge to melt it. At the same time, under the set hot riveting pressure, the molten plastic undergoes plastic deformation and wraps inward, covering the edge of the steel sheet. Finally, after the set holding time, the molten plastic cools and solidifies initially, and the hot riveting mold 73 is lifted, completing the operation of permanently sealing the steel sheet in the locking cavity. Step S4: The hot-riveted buckles are sent to the inspection station, where the front-end inspection camera 81 performs a comprehensive inspection of the hot riveting quality, checking whether the riveting points are uniform and full, and whether there are any defects such as missing material, burning, or deformation. For buckles that pass the inspection, the laser marking machine 82 uses laser marking on the preset label area to give them a unique identification. The back-end inspection camera 83 immediately verifies the marking quality. Step S5: Finally, based on the test results of each step, the control system instructs the unloading robot 91 to sort and unload the buckles that have completed all assembly processes; products that have been verified as qualified by all inspection stations are placed on the qualified product conveyor line and enter the packaging process; while products marked as abnormal or unqualified are sorted to a special defective product recycling area to achieve closed-loop quality management.

[0038] In this embodiment, the positioning and gripping mechanism 4 ensures uniform buckle posture. Combined with the directional conveying of the steel sheet feeding track 62 and the precise positioning of the steel sheet positioning module 63, accurate alignment of the steel sheet and the buckle cavity is achieved. The steel sheet assembly camera 65 immediately performs image verification after assembly, which can identify assembly defects such as steel sheet tilting and floating in real time, preventing defective products from flowing into subsequent processes from the source. The hot riveting process adopts closed-loop control of temperature-pressure-time to ensure uniform plastic melting and consistent sealing effect during riveting, effectively avoiding problems such as weak sealing or overheating damage caused by parameter fluctuations in traditional manual operation. The hot riveting stage achieves process standardization by preset temperature (T_set), pressure (P_set), and holding time (t_hold) parameters, making the sealing conditions of each buckle completely consistent, greatly reducing quality fluctuations caused by human intervention. In the inspection and coding stage, the front-end camera performs comprehensive inspection of the riveting quality, and the back-end camera verifies the laser coding content and assigns a unique identifier to each qualified product, establishing a full-process quality archive from production to packaging, providing data support for product traceability and quality analysis. The multi-station parallel operation and continuous flow design of the transmission mechanism 5 achieve seamless connection between assembly, hot riveting, inspection, and coding processes of the latches, significantly shortening the production cycle of a single product. Through a real-time sorting mechanism, qualified products directly enter the packaging process, while defective products are automatically rejected and sent to the recycling area, reducing manual sorting time and error rates, while avoiding ineffective processing of defective products, saving energy and material consumption. The online inspection system based on image processing algorithms can dynamically adapt to minute dimensional differences or posture changes in the latches, improving the robustness of inspection. The control system adjusts equipment actions in real time based on feedback data from each stage, such as marking and sorting abnormal workpieces, achieving closed-loop control and autonomous decision-making in the production process, providing a technical foundation for flexible production and rapid changeover. Full-process automation replaces traditional manual assembly, riveting, and inspection processes, not only reducing reliance on skilled workers but also avoiding quality fluctuations caused by fatigue, operational errors, and other factors. Hazardous processes such as high-temperature hot riveting and laser coding are automatically completed by the equipment, significantly improving production safety and operational standardization. This invention establishes a high-precision, high-reliability automated assembly path for latches by deeply integrating standardized process parameters, multi-level quality inspection, and intelligent sorting mechanisms. This not only improves product qualification rate and production efficiency but also provides reliable technical support for achieving intelligent manufacturing and lean management.

[0039] Step S3 is further refined as follows: Temperature precision control sub-step: The hot riveting controller 74 monitors the working temperature of the hot riveting head 75 in real time through the temperature sensor embedded in the hot riveting head 75, and compares it with the set temperature T_set. It uses a PID algorithm to dynamically adjust the power output of the heater to ensure that the temperature fluctuation during the hot riveting process is stable within ±2℃, so as to ensure the consistency of the plastic melting effect and avoid poor sealing due to too low temperature or plastic degradation and carbonization due to too high temperature. Pressure and displacement monitoring sub-step: The hot riveting equipment 72 adopts a servo pressure system to monitor the actual pressure value and displacement in real time during the pressing process of the hot riveting head 75. When the pressure reaches the preset contact pressure P_contact, the system determines that the hot riveting head 75 has contacted the latch, and then switches to pressure control mode, slowly increasing the pressure to the target hot riveting pressure P_set and starting the pressure holding timer. At the same time, the pressing stroke of the hot riveting head 75 is monitored by a displacement sensor. The stroke data indirectly reflects the amount of plastic melt deformation, serving as an auxiliary criterion for process stability. Multi-stage pressure holding and cooling sub-steps: The pressure holding process is divided into two stages: The first stage is high-temperature pressure holding, after reaching P_set, the pressure and temperature are maintained at a constant value for a duration of t1, to ensure that the plastic is fully melted and flowed, completely wrapping the edge of the steel sheet; The second stage is pressure holding and cooling, while maintaining the pressure P_set, heating is stopped and air cooling or natural cooling is performed for a duration of t2, so that the plastic at the riveting point is solidified and shaped under pressure to prevent springback or deformation and ensure the mechanical strength of the encapsulation; The pressure holding time t_hold = t1 + t2.

[0040] In this embodiment, by introducing three refined sub-steps—precise temperature control, pressure and displacement monitoring, and multi-stage pressure holding and cooling—into the hot riveting process, the process stability and product quality reliability of the locking steel sheet packaging process are improved. Closed-loop temperature control ensures that the operating temperature fluctuation of the hot riveting head 75 is strictly controlled within ±2℃, effectively avoiding problems such as uneven plastic melting, weak sealing, or material carbonization caused by temperature deviations. The combination of a servo pressure system and displacement monitoring achieves coordinated control of contact recognition, pressure gradual increase, and stroke feedback, ensuring positional accuracy and uniform force distribution during the riveting process. The staged pressure holding and cooling strategy promotes full plastic encapsulation of the steel sheet during the high-temperature pressure holding stage and maintains pressure to suppress rebound during the cooling and solidification stage, resulting in a full riveted structure and significantly enhanced mechanical strength. This multi-level closed-loop control mechanism not only improves packaging consistency and product yield but also provides a data foundation for process parameter optimization and traceability, further enhancing the reliability and intelligence level of automated production.

[0041] Step S3 also includes a parameter adaptive optimization method based on historical data: The system records the actual values ​​of key process parameters in each hot riveting cycle, including peak temperature, stable pressure, actual holding time and final displacement, and performs correlation analysis with the hot riveting quality results fed back by the back-end detection camera 83 at the workstation. When defective products appear continuously, the control system starts a self-learning algorithm and fine-tunes the relevant parameter settings. If "insufficient riveting pressure" occurs continuously, the system automatically increases the target hot riveting pressure P_set by an increment ΔP, or appropriately extends the first stage holding time t1. Conversely, if "over-riveting and burning" occurs, the set temperature T_set is appropriately reduced or the holding time is shortened.

[0042] In this embodiment, by introducing a parameter adaptive optimization method based on historical data, the hot riveting process acquires dynamic response and continuous optimization capabilities, significantly enhancing the intelligence and stability of the production system. By recording key parameters such as peak temperature, stable pressure, holding time, and displacement during the hot riveting process in real time, and performing correlation analysis with backend detection results, the system can accurately identify the causal relationship between process deviations and quality defects. When consecutive defective products occur, the self-learning algorithm can automatically fine-tune parameters such as pressure, temperature, or holding time. For example, it can increase pressure or extend holding time when riveting pressure is insufficient, and decrease temperature or shorten time when over-riveting and scorching occur, thereby achieving closed-loop optimization of process parameters. This effectively suppresses quality drift caused by material fluctuations, equipment aging, or environmental changes, reduces reliance on manual intervention, and improves the consistency and adaptability of the production line in long-term operation, laying a technical foundation for intelligent manufacturing and predictive maintenance.

[0043] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated production line for locking mechanisms, characterized in that: The system includes an injection molding machine, a transfer robot, an assembly platform, a positioning and gripping mechanism, a transmission mechanism, a steel sheet assembly mechanism, a hot riveting mechanism, an inspection and marking mechanism, and a unloading mechanism. The transfer robot grips the injection-molded buckles on the injection molding machine and places them onto the positioning and gripping mechanism. The positioning and gripping mechanism grips the injection-molded buckles and places them onto the assembly platform. The transmission mechanism drives the buckles sequentially through the steel sheet assembly mechanism, the hot riveting mechanism, the inspection and marking mechanism, and the unloading mechanism. The steel sheet assembly mechanism assembles steel sheets into the cavities of the buckles. The hot riveting mechanism rivets the buckles to encapsulate the steel sheets within the cavities. The inspection and marking mechanism labels and inspects the coding section of the buckles. The unloading mechanism grips and unloads the inspected buckles. The unloading mechanism includes an unloading robot, an unloading conveyor line, a sealing mechanism, and a packaging mechanism. The sealing mechanism is used to seal cardboard into cartons and convey them to the unloading conveyor line. The unloading robot is used to grab and place the locks onto the cartons. The packaging mechanism is used to seal and pack the cartons with the locks attached. The packaging mechanism includes a packaging conveyor assembly, a packaging sealing assembly, and an outer packaging assembly. The packaging conveyor assembly is connected to the unloading conveyor line, the packaging sealing assembly is connected to the packaging conveyor assembly, and the outer packaging assembly is connected to the packaging sealing assembly. The packaging sealing assembly is used to fold and apply tape to straight surfaces, and the outer packaging assembly is used to seal the outer perimeter of the cartons with tape.

2. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: The injection molding machine includes an injection molding device and a demolding and material handling assembly. The injection molding device is used to injection mold the lock, and the demolding and material handling assembly is used to grasp and demold the injection-molded lock and transfer it to a transfer robot. The transfer robot is used to grasp and transfer the demolded lock to a positioning and grasping mechanism. The positioning and gripping mechanism includes a positioning and gripping robot and a feeding platform. A positioning detection camera is installed on the feeding platform to detect the latches on the platform. The transfer robot grips and places the latches onto the feeding platform. After detection by the positioning detection camera, the positioning and gripping robot grasps the latches and places them onto the assembly platform for the transmission mechanism to grasp and transport. The transmission mechanism includes a linear transmission module, a transmission connecting bracket, and multiple material picking modules. The linear transmission module is located on one side of the feeding platform, the transmission connecting bracket is located on the linear transmission module, and the multiple material picking modules are arranged in a linear array on the transmission connecting bracket. Each material picking module includes a material picking lifting cylinder and a material picking base plate. The material picking base plate is located on the material picking lifting cylinder and uses vacuum adsorption to grasp and transport the flat surface of the latches.

3. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple sets of steel sheet assembly mechanisms are arranged in parallel to simultaneously feed and assemble steel sheets for multiple latches. Each steel sheet assembly mechanism includes a steel sheet feeding tray, a steel sheet feeding track, a steel sheet positioning module, and a steel sheet picking and assembly module. The steel sheet feeding tray is used for vibratory feeding of steel sheets, the steel sheet feeding track is used for feeding steel sheets, the steel sheet positioning module is used to connect to the feeding track and position the steel sheets, and the steel sheet picking and assembly module is used to grab the steel sheets and transfer them toward the assembly platform, and place the steel sheets into the cavities of the latches. A steel sheet assembly camera is also provided to detect whether the assembled steel sheets are inserted into the cavities.

4. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hot riveting mechanism includes a hot riveting frame, a hot riveting device, and a hot riveting mold. The hot riveting device is mounted on the hot riveting frame, and the hot riveting mold is mounted on the drive end of the hot riveting device. A hot riveting controller is mounted on one side of the hot riveting device to control the hot riveting pressure and temperature. The hot riveting mold is equipped with multiple hot riveting heads for hot riveting and sealing the cavity on the buckle to encapsulate the steel sheet inside the cavity.

5. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection and marking mechanism includes a front-end detection camera, a laser marking device, and a back-end detection camera. The front-end detection camera is used to photograph and detect the buckle after hot riveting, the laser marking device is used to laser mark the label on the buckle, and the back-end detection camera is used to detect the marked label.

6. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding conveyor line is arranged horizontally at the end of the feeding mechanism, and the sealing mechanism is equipped with a sealing conveyor assembly. The packaging conveyor assembly and the sealing conveyor assembly are arranged side by side on one side of the feeding conveyor line. The sealing mechanism includes a sealing frame, a cardboard placement assembly, a cardboard feeding assembly, a cardboard forming assembly, a cardboard sealing assembly, and a sealing pressing assembly. One end of the sealing frame is connected to the sealing conveyor assembly. The cardboard placement assembly is located on one side of the sealing frame for placing cardboard. The cardboard feeding assembly is used to pick up the cardboard and place it onto the cardboard forming assembly. The cardboard forming assembly folds the cardboard into a carton and then applies tape to the carton facing the cardboard sealing assembly. During the tape application process, the sealing pressing assembly presses and fixes the carton. The cardboard placement assembly includes a cardboard placement platform, a placement adjustment frame, and a cardboard feeding module. There are two sets of placement adjustment frames, which are located on the same side of the sealing machine frame. The cardboard placement platform is located between the two sets of placement adjustment frames and is inclined. The placement adjustment frame is used to adjust the height of the cardboard placement platform. The cardboard feeding module is located on the cardboard placement platform and is equipped with a pusher plate for pushing the cardboard toward the cardboard feeding assembly.

7. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cardboard picking assembly includes a picking drive module, a picking bracket, and a picking suction cup. The picking drive module is mounted on the carton sealing machine frame. The picking bracket is connected to the picking drive module and is used to drive the picking bracket to move. The picking suction cup is mounted on the picking bracket and is used to pick up and transfer the cardboard to the cardboard forming assembly. The cardboard forming assembly includes a bending forming module and a forming ejection module. The bending forming module is used for bending and forming the cardboard, and the forming ejection module is used for pushing the formed straight line towards the cardboard sealing assembly. The cardboard sealing assembly is used for applying adhesive tape to the cardboard and sealing the box, and then conveying the sealed box to the sealing conveyor assembly.

8. The automated production line for locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that: The packaging sealing assembly includes a packaging conveying platform, a packaging folding module, and a packaging sealing module. The packaging conveying platform is used to connect the outer packaging assembly and the packaging conveying assembly. The packaging folding module is located above the packaging conveying platform and is equipped with guide rods for folding the carton seal. The packaging sealing module is used to seal the folded carton with tape. The peripheral packaging assembly includes a peripheral packaging line, a packaging adjustment module, and a peripheral sealing module. The peripheral packaging line is connected to the packaging conveyor platform. The packaging adjustment module is located on one side of the peripheral packaging line, and the peripheral sealing module is mounted on the packaging adjustment module. The peripheral sealing module includes an XY adjustment base, an R-axis adjustment seat, and a Z-axis adjustment frame. The R-axis adjustment seat is mounted on the XY adjustment base, the Z-axis adjustment frame is mounted on the R-axis adjustment seat, and the peripheral sealing module is mounted on the Z-axis adjustment frame. The peripheral sealing module is used to seal cartons on the peripheral packaging line with adhesive tape.

9. A method for assembling a latch, characterized in that: The automated production line for locking mechanisms based on any one of claims 1 to 8 includes the following steps: Step S1: The injection-molded buckles are precisely placed into the designated fixtures on the assembly platform using the positioning and gripping mechanism, ensuring that the cavity openings of each buckle face upwards and are uniform in posture; simultaneously, the steel sheets are vibrated, sorted, and oriented by the steel sheet feeding tray and the steel sheet feeding track of the steel sheet assembly mechanism, the steel sheet positioning module precisely positions the steel sheets, and then the steel sheet picking and assembly module picks up the steel sheets and moves them above the buckles; Step S2: The steel sheet picking and assembly module smoothly places the steel sheet into the cavity of the lock. Then, the steel sheet assembly camera is immediately started to take pictures of the assembly result. The image processing algorithm is used to verify whether the steel sheet has completely fallen to the bottom of the cavity and whether there is any tilting or floating. The verification result is sent to the control system. If the verification fails, the lock at the workstation is marked as abnormal and is removed in the subsequent process. Step S3: For qualified semi-finished products, the conveying mechanism transports them to the hot riveting station. This step includes closed-loop control of the hot riveting process: First, the hot riveting controller preheats and sets the parameters of the hot riveting equipment and hot riveting mold according to preset parameters, including hot riveting temperature T_set, hot riveting pressure P_set, and holding time t_hold. Then, the hot riveting equipment drives the hot riveting mold carrying multiple hot riveting heads downward, so that the hot riveting heads accurately contact the plastic at the edge of the locking cavity. Under the precisely controlled hot riveting temperature, the hot riveting heads heat the plastic at the edge to melt it. At the same time, under the set hot riveting pressure, the molten plastic undergoes plastic deformation and wraps inward, covering the edge of the steel sheet. Finally, after the set holding time, the molten plastic cools and solidifies initially, and the hot riveting mold is lifted, completing the operation of permanently sealing the steel sheet in the locking cavity. Step S4: The hot-riveted buckles are sent to the inspection station, where the front-end inspection camera takes pictures of the hot riveting forming quality from all angles to check whether the riveting points are uniform and full, and whether there are any defects such as missing material, burning or deformation. For buckles that pass the inspection, a laser marking machine is used to mark the preset label area with a unique identifier. The marking quality is then immediately verified by the back-end inspection camera. Step S5: Finally, based on the test results of each step, the control system instructs the unloading robot to sort and unload the buckles that have completed all assembly processes; products that have been verified as qualified by all inspection stations are placed on the qualified product conveyor line and enter the packaging process; while products marked as abnormal or unqualified are sorted to a special defective product recycling area to achieve closed-loop quality management.

10. The latch assembly method according to claim 9, characterized in that: Step S3 is further refined as follows: Temperature precision control sub-step: The hot riveting controller monitors the working temperature of the hot riveting head in real time through a temperature sensor embedded in the hot riveting head, and compares it with the set temperature T_set. It uses a PID algorithm to dynamically adjust the power output of the heater to ensure that the temperature fluctuation during the hot riveting process is stable within ±2℃, so as to ensure the consistency of the plastic melting effect and avoid poor sealing due to too low temperature or plastic degradation and carbonization due to too high temperature. Pressure and displacement monitoring sub-step: The hot riveting equipment adopts a servo pressure system to monitor the actual pressure value and displacement in real time during the hot riveting head pressing process; When the pressure reaches the preset contact pressure P_contact, the system determines that the hot riveting head has contacted the latch, and then switches to pressure control mode, slowly increasing the pressure to the target hot riveting pressure P_set and starting the pressure holding timer; at the same time, the downward stroke of the hot riveting head is monitored by the displacement sensor, and the stroke data indirectly reflects the amount of plastic melting deformation, serving as an auxiliary criterion for process stability. Multi-stage pressure holding and cooling sub-steps: The pressure holding process is divided into two stages: The first stage is high-temperature pressure holding, where after reaching P_set, the pressure and temperature are maintained constant for a duration of t1 to ensure that the plastic is fully melted and flows, completely wrapping the edge of the steel sheet; The second stage is pressure holding and cooling, where heating is stopped and air cooling or natural cooling is performed while maintaining the pressure P_set for a duration of t2, allowing the plastic at the rivet points to solidify and set under pressure to prevent springback or deformation and ensure the mechanical strength of the encapsulation; The pressure holding time t_hold = t1 + t2; Step S3 also includes a parameter adaptive optimization method based on historical data: The system records the actual values ​​of key process parameters in each hot riveting cycle, including peak temperature, stable pressure, actual holding time and final displacement, and performs correlation analysis with the hot riveting quality results fed back by the detection camera at the back end of the station. When defective products appear continuously, the control system starts a self-learning algorithm and fine-tunes the relevant parameter settings. If "insufficient riveting pressure" occurs continuously, the system automatically increases the target hot riveting pressure P_set by an increment ΔP, or appropriately extends the first stage holding time t1. Conversely, if "over-riveting and burning" occurs, the set temperature T_set is appropriately reduced or the holding time is shortened.

Images