Floating ball structure, welding equipment of floating ball structure and welding method of floating ball structure

Abstract

The invention provides a floating ball structure, welding equipment of the floating ball structure and a welding method of the floating ball structure, and belongs to the technical field of floating ball structures. The floating ball structure comprises at least two hemispheroids which are oppositely arranged and each provided with an opening end; the outer edge parts are arranged on the periphery of the open end of the hemisphere, and the outer edge parts are arranged in the circumferential direction of the hemisphere and extend outwards in the radial direction of the open end to form an annular welding face used for welding; in the assembled state, the outer edge parts of the hemispheres which are oppositely arranged are attached to each other and fixed. The floating ball structure has the effects of reducing poor welding process and prolonging the service life of the floating ball structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of float structure technology, and more specifically, to a float structure, a float structure welding equipment, and a float structure welding method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing float structures are widely used in various liquid level control, pressure regulation, and safety protection devices, such as steam traps in steam equipment, liquid level controllers in storage tanks, and detection and actuators in intelligent steam systems. The float typically rises and falls with changes in the liquid level through its own buoyancy, and drives valves or switches via levers, linkages, or sensing components to achieve automatic control of medium flow, start / stop status, or alarm signals. Therefore, the strength of its housing, sealing reliability, and service life directly affect the stable operation of the entire system.

[0003] In the forming process of the float, a common practice is to use thin sheet metal stretching or spinning to create two hemispheres. The open ends of the two hemispheres are then joined circumferentially, and a circumferential weld is formed at the joint using methods such as argon arc welding, tungsten inert gas welding, or laser welding to obtain a sealed hollow spherical structure. To ensure weld quality, the open ends of the hemispheres need to be precision-machined to meet high requirements for roundness, end face perpendicularity, and gap dimensions. Furthermore, strict control of process parameters such as welding current, welding speed, and heat input is required during welding, often relying on skilled welders or specialized tools.

[0004] However, existing float structures typically involve directly butt-joining the end faces of two hemispheres and performing circumferential welding. This welding method places high demands on the dimensional accuracy of the hemispheres, assembly clearance, and control of welding parameters. The weld pool is narrow, the welding operation window is small, and the welding is difficult, making it prone to welding defects such as insufficient penetration, undercut, and porosity. At the same time, the welding heat is concentrated on the thin-walled butt joint area, which can easily cause a decrease in the local strength of the hemispheres, leading to deformation or even cracking during welding and subsequent use, thus affecting the sphere's sealing and pressure-bearing capacity. In addition, to ensure welding quality, multiple welding passes and repeated rework are often required, resulting in low welding efficiency, poor process consistency, and difficulties in ensuring stable mass production and long-term service life of the float device.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to reduce welding defects in float structures, improve the service life of float structures, and provide a float structure, a float structure welding equipment, and a float structure welding method.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a float structure is provided, the float structure comprising:

[0008] At least two hemispheres, the two hemispheres being arranged opposite each other, and each having an open end;

[0009] Multiple outer edges are provided at the periphery of the opening end of the hemisphere, wherein the outer edges are arranged circumferentially along the hemisphere and extend radially outward along the opening end to form an annular welding surface for welding.

[0010] In the assembled state, the outer edges of the oppositely positioned hemispheres are attached to each other and fixed in place.

[0011] In this embodiment, by setting multiple outer edges arranged circumferentially along the hemisphere and extending radially outward along the open end, the two hemispheres can be reliably positioned through the outer edges during assembly, and an annular welding surface is formed at the outer edges. This not only increases the welding area and facilitates the formation of a stable molten pool, thereby reducing the welding difficulty and sensitivity to the machining accuracy of the open end, but also improves the weld cross-sectional strength and sealing reliability, reduces the risk of welding deformation and cracking, thereby improving the stability of the welding process and helping to extend the service life of the float structure.

[0012] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, a plurality of the outer edges are distributed at circumferential intervals along the opening end;

[0013] And / or,

[0014] The plurality of said outer edges are connected to each other along the axial direction of said opening end.

[0015] In this embodiment, by distributing multiple outer edges circumferentially at intervals along the opening end, the impact of continuous welds on the overall stiffness and forming accuracy of the hemisphere is reduced while ensuring welding positioning accuracy. This helps to release welding stress and reduce the risk of welding deformation. By connecting multiple outer edges axially along the opening end, the outer edges form a continuous reinforced structure, further increasing the usable welding area and improving the structural strength and rigidity of the welding area. This helps to ensure weld quality and the stability and reliability of the float during long-term use.

[0016] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the length of the outer edge portion is between 2 mm and 10 mm along the radial direction of the opening end.

[0017] In this embodiment, by limiting the length of the outer edge extending radially along the opening end to between 2mm and 10mm, the outer edge has sufficient welding width to facilitate the formation of a stable and continuous weld and improve welding strength and sealing reliability. On the other hand, it avoids the outer edge being too short, which would result in insufficient welding space, or too long, which would lead to material waste, abrupt changes in structural dimensions, and increased risk of welding deformation. Thus, a good balance is achieved between the operability of the welding process and the overall stability of the float structure.

[0018] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a welding apparatus for a float structure is provided, characterized in that the welding apparatus comprises:

[0019] The work frame has processing positions;

[0020] The first transmission mechanism is mounted on the working frame and is used to drive the hemisphere to move along the first direction;

[0021] A transfer mechanism is used to transfer the hemisphere on the first transmission mechanism to the processing position;

[0022] The second transmission mechanism is located on one side of the working frame and is used to drive the outer edge to move along the second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0023] A pushing mechanism, connected to the second transmission mechanism, is used to push the outer edge to the processing position;

[0024] A spot welding mechanism is provided on the side of the processing position for spot welding the hemisphere and the outer edge located at the processing position;

[0025] A flipping mechanism, located on one side of the work frame, is used to drive the hemisphere and the outer edge, which have completed the initial welding, to flip together so that the unwelded side of the hemisphere and the outer edge is exposed.

[0026] In this embodiment, the first transmission mechanism drives the tooling clamped with the hemisphere to move along the first direction to the docking position of the transfer mechanism. With the cooperation of the first transmission mechanism, the transfer mechanism smoothly transfers the hemisphere from the first transmission mechanism to the processing position of the work frame and completes the positioning. At the same time or afterward, the second transmission mechanism drives the tooling carrying the outer edge to move along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. When the outer edge moves to the position corresponding to the processing position, the pushing mechanism operates with the cooperation of the second transmission mechanism to push the outer edge to the processing position, so that the welding surface of the outer edge docks with the opening end of the corresponding hemisphere and forms a predetermined assembly posture. The spot welding mechanism is located on the side of the processing position. After the hemisphere and the outer edge are docked and stably positioned, the spot welding mechanism performs circumferential segmented spot welding or continuous spot welding on the contact area between the two to form a preliminary welded floating ball structure semi-finished product. After spot welding is completed, the flipping mechanism drives the hemisphere and the outer edge to flip relative to the working frame by a predetermined angle as a whole, so that the unwelded side that was originally on the lower or inner side is exposed to the reachable area of ​​the spot welding mechanism. Thereafter, by repeating the above spot welding action, the weld seam on the other side of the hemisphere and the outer edge can be repaired or continuously welded, thereby realizing reliable welding of both sides of the outer edge and the opening end of the hemisphere and the formation of the arc transition weld seam.

[0027] Through the above-described motion process arrangement, the welding equipment disclosed herein can sequentially realize the transport and transfer of the hemisphere, the directional transport and pushing of the outer edge, the accurate alignment of the two, and the step-by-step welding of the weld seams on both sides on the same working frame. On the one hand, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, which facilitates the decoupling arrangement of the hemisphere feed path and the outer edge feed path, reduces mechanism interference, and improves the spatial freedom of clamping and alignment, thereby ensuring the coaxiality and positional accuracy of the welding area between the hemisphere and the outer edge, which is conducive to obtaining a smooth and continuous arc transition weld seam. On the other hand, by integrating the spot welding mechanism and the flipping mechanism near the processing position, the welding operation of the hemisphere and different sides of the outer edge can be completed while keeping the workpiece reference unchanged, reducing the steps of repeated disassembly and realignment, reducing the intensity of manual intervention and assembly errors, improving welding efficiency and yield, and at the same time helping to reduce the impact of welding thermal deformation on the overall dimensional accuracy and sealing performance of the float.

[0028] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the first transmission mechanism includes:

[0029] The first transmission screw is rotatably connected to the working frame;

[0030] The first transmission plate has one end threadedly connected to the first transmission screw and the other end slidably connected to the working frame. The hemisphere has a protrusion, and the first transmission plate has a placement hole that mates with the protrusion for positioning the hemisphere.

[0031] A first drive motor is connected to the first drive screw and is used to drive the first drive screw to rotate.

[0032] In this embodiment, the movement process of the first transmission mechanism can be as follows: When the first transmission motor is working, it drives the first transmission screw to rotate around its axis. One end of the first transmission plate engages with the first transmission screw through a thread, and moves linearly back and forth along the first direction as the first transmission screw rotates. The other end of the first transmission plate is slidably connected to the work frame, thereby guiding and limiting the movement trajectory of the first transmission plate. In actual use, the protrusion of the hemisphere is aligned with the placement hole on the first transmission plate and inserted into the placement hole, so that the hemisphere is limited and positioned by the engagement of the protrusion with the placement hole. Subsequently, driven by the first transmission motor, the first transmission plate, together with the hemisphere positioned on it, moves along the first direction, conveying the hemisphere sequentially from the loading position to the position docking with the transfer mechanism, so that the transfer mechanism can further transfer the hemisphere to the processing position.

[0033] With the aforementioned first transmission mechanism, on the one hand, the threaded transmission of the first transmission screw and the first transmission plate, combined with the sliding guide of the first transmission plate on the working frame, enables the hemisphere to have controllable linear displacement and high positioning accuracy during the conveying process in the first direction. This facilitates stable docking with the subsequent transfer mechanism and reduces alignment deviations caused by conveying errors. On the other hand, by setting a protrusion on the hemisphere and cooperating with the placement hole on the first transmission plate, it not only prevents the hemisphere from rolling, slipping, or deflecting during the conveying process, but also features a simple structure, quick clamping, and easy adaptation to standardized hemisphere workpieces. This improves the feeding and conveying cycle time, thereby enhancing the overall automation level and welding production efficiency, while also helping to ensure the welding quality and consistency of the float structure.

[0034] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the welding equipment further includes a clamping mechanism;

[0035] The clamping mechanism includes:

[0036] A clamping bracket is provided at the processing position;

[0037] A clamping assembly, disposed on the clamping bracket, is used to clamp the hemisphere;

[0038] A lifting component is disposed on the clamping bracket and connected to the clamping component, used to drive the clamping component to move up and down, so as to place the hemisphere on the clamping component;

[0039] A rotating assembly, connected to the clamping assembly, is used to drive the clamping assembly to rotate, so that the hemisphere and its outer edge rotate circumferentially during the welding process.

[0040] In this embodiment, the movement process of the clamping mechanism can be as follows: when the first transmission mechanism and the transfer mechanism transport the hemisphere to the area above or adjacent to the processing position, the lifting component first drives the clamping component to move downward from its initial position, placing the clamping component in a ready-to-receive position; after the hemisphere is guided above the clamping component by the transfer mechanism, the lifting component drives the clamping component to rise, causing the hemisphere to fall and be supported on the support surface of the clamping component. Subsequently, the clamping component moves, and multiple clamping units move towards each other in a predetermined direction, circumferentially clamping the outer periphery of the hemisphere and completing precise positioning. In the subsequent welding process, the lifting component can make slight adjustments to the clamping component and the hemisphere it holds according to the pushing height of the outer edge and the welding posture of the spot welding mechanism, in order to match the docking of the outer edge with the opening end of the hemisphere and the adjustment of the weld point position; after the spot welding or welding process is completed, the lifting component lowers the clamping component together with the welded hemisphere to a predetermined handover height, so that the flipping mechanism or downstream station can flip, transfer or remove the workpiece.

[0041] By installing a clamping bracket, clamping components, and lifting components at the processing station, the clamping mechanism disclosed herein can achieve automatic receiving, stable support, and reliable clamping of the hemisphere without changing the processing station datum. On one hand, the hemisphere is transferred to the clamping components by the transfer mechanism, and the lifting components complete the receiving and height adjustment, reducing manual handling and repeated alignment processes, lowering clamping errors, and helping to ensure the coaxiality and positional accuracy of the open end of the hemisphere and the welding area of ​​the outer edge. On the other hand, the clamping components circumferentially clamp the hemisphere, suppressing workpiece swaying and displacement during the outer edge pushing and spot welding process. Combined with the height fine-tuning of the lifting components, this helps to obtain a uniformly shaped and smoothly transitioned weld, improving welding stability and consistency. Simultaneously, this clamping mechanism completes the receiving and handover of workpieces through lifting, facilitating linkage with the transfer and flipping mechanisms, improving the overall automation level and cycle efficiency, reducing labor intensity, and improving the yield, size, and sealing reliability of the finished float.

[0042] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the second transmission mechanism includes:

[0043] A transmission frame is disposed on one side of the working frame;

[0044] Multiple transmission rollers are rotatably mounted on the transmission frame, and the axial direction of each transmission roller is the same as the first direction;

[0045] A transmission belt is fitted onto multiple transmission rollers and is used to move synchronously with each of the transmission rollers as they rotate.

[0046] A transmission assembly is connected to the plurality of transmission rollers respectively for transmitting rotational force among the plurality of transmission rollers;

[0047] The second drive motor is connected to any of the drive rollers and is used to drive the drive rollers to rotate, thereby driving the drive belt to move.

[0048] In this embodiment, during the movement, after the second drive motor starts, it drives one of the drive rollers connected to it to rotate. The rotational force is transmitted to the remaining drive rollers in sequence through the transmission assembly, so that the multiple drive rollers can rotate synchronously. The transmission belt sleeved on the multiple drive rollers moves in a circular motion along the second direction under the drive of each drive roller. The outer edge placed on the transmission belt is transported together with the transmission belt. When it moves to the vicinity of the processing position, it is further pushed to the processing position in cooperation with the pushing mechanism so as to fit and align with the hemispherical opening end from the first transmission mechanism.

[0049] By setting up the second transmission mechanism, multiple axially aligned transmission rollers and their transmission belts form a continuous conveying link. Under the synergistic action of the transmission components and the second transmission motor, stable and synchronous conveying of the outer edge is achieved, enabling the outer edge to be automatically delivered to the processing position in a consistent rhythm and with a stable posture. This not only reduces the workload and error risk of manual handling and alignment, but also improves the automation level and production efficiency of the outer edge feeding and alignment process. Furthermore, the multi-roller support and torque distribution help improve the load-bearing capacity and operational reliability during the conveying process, thereby providing a guarantee for the subsequent welding quality and mass production of the entire machine.

[0050] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the actuating mechanism includes:

[0051] A push frame is connected to the transmission frame, and the push frame and the transmission frame together enclose a push space for accommodating and pushing the outer edge;

[0052] An adjustment component is provided on the push frame;

[0053] A push plate and a drive assembly, wherein the push plate and the drive assembly are connected to the push frame via the adjustment assembly, and the adjustment assembly is configured to drive the push plate and the drive assembly to adjust their positions along the third direction;

[0054] The drive assembly is connected to the push plate and is configured to drive the push plate to move in the second direction to push the outer edge to the processing position.

[0055] In this embodiment, during the movement, after the outer edge is transported to the pushing space by the second transmission mechanism, the pushing space, which is jointly enclosed by the transmission frame and the pushing frame, limits and guides the outer edge. The adjustment component is installed on the pushing frame and is used to drive the push plate and the drive component connected to it to adjust along the third direction, so that the height of the push plate matches the actual size and height of the outer edge. After the height adjustment is completed, the drive component is started and drives the push plate to reciprocate along the second direction. The push plate pushes the outer edge out of the pushing space and accurately delivers it to the processing position so as to fit and align with the hemispherical opening end delivered by the first transmission mechanism.

[0056] By setting up the aforementioned pushing mechanism, on the one hand, the pushing space enclosed by the pushing frame and the transmission frame constrains and guides the outer edge, ensuring the stability of the outer edge's posture during the pushing process and avoiding skewing or jamming; on the other hand, the position of the pushing plate and the driving component in the third direction is adjustable by the adjustment component, so that the working height of the pushing plate can be adapted to outer edges of different specifications or different placement heights. With the driving component driving the pushing plate in the second direction, the outer edge can be accurately and reliably pushed to the processing position. This not only improves the alignment accuracy between the outer edge and the hemisphere and the consistency of the pushing action, reducing manual intervention and assembly errors, but also helps to improve the automation level and production efficiency of the overall welding process.

[0057] In some embodiments of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the flipping mechanism includes:

[0058] A flip-up bracket is located on one side of the working frame.

[0059] Flip-up board;

[0060] An adsorption assembly is disposed on the side of the flip plate facing the processing position and is configured to adsorb and fix the hemisphere and the outer edge when the flip plate approaches a predetermined position.

[0061] A rotating assembly, disposed between the flipping bracket and the flipping plate and throttle-connected to the flipping plate, is configured to drive the flipping plate to rotate after the adsorption assembly adsorbs the hemisphere and the outer edge, so as to expose the unwelded side of the hemisphere and the outer edge.

[0062] In this embodiment, during the movement, the flipping plate is connected to the flipping bracket through the rotating assembly. When the outer edge is moved to the vicinity of the flipping mechanism, the adsorption assembly adsorbs the outer edge. When the adsorption is complete, the outer edge contacts the hemisphere, and the welding mechanism welds the hemisphere and the outer edge. After the welding is completed, the rotating assembly drives the flipping plate to rotate, thereby exposing the unwelded side of the hemisphere and the outer edge, thus improving the welding efficiency and quality of the hemisphere and the outer edge.

[0063] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a welding method for a float structure is provided, characterized in that the welding method is used to weld the float structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and is implemented using the welding equipment for the float structure according to any one of claims 4 to 9, the welding method comprising:

[0064] The hemisphere is placed on the first transmission mechanism, which drives the hemisphere to move to the vicinity of the processing position;

[0065] The transfer mechanism drives the hemisphere to move to the processing position;

[0066] The outer edge is placed on the second transmission mechanism, and the pushing mechanism drives the hemisphere to the processing position;

[0067] The spot welding mechanism welds the hemisphere and the outer edge.

[0068] The flipping mechanism flips the hemisphere and the outer edge after the initial welding, and the spot welding mechanism re-welds the hemisphere and the outer edge.

[0069] Beneficial effects:

[0070] 1. By employing a first transmission mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a second transmission mechanism, and lifting and clamping components in the clamping mechanism to sequentially transport, receive, and position the hemisphere and its outer edge in the welding process, the entire process of transporting the hemisphere from the loading position to the processing position, the side feeding of the outer edge to the processing position, and the feeding, alignment, and bonding of the two parts at the processing position is fully automated. This reduces manual handling, manual alignment, and repeated clamping operations, minimizes the impact of human factors on welding posture and welding position accuracy, improves assembly cycle time and production efficiency, and provides a stable and reliable assembly benchmark for subsequent spot welding and flip welding.

[0071] 2. By using a spot welding mechanism to perform step-by-step welding on the hemisphere and outer edge at the processing position, and cooperating with a flipping mechanism to flip the hemisphere and outer edge after the initial welding, the unwelded side is fully exposed, and then the spot welding mechanism completes the welding again. This allows for multi-sided welding while maintaining the assembly relationship between the two, ensuring uniform distribution of weld points and weld continuity, thereby improving welding strength and sealing reliability of the float structure.

[0072] 3. By sequentially connecting the actions of conveying, lifting, pushing, spot welding and flipping on the same welding equipment through the above welding methods, a standardized and consistent process flow is formed. This not only helps to reduce positional deviation and welding stress concentration during the welding process, improve the weld formation quality and batch consistency, but also facilitates the mass production and standardization of the float structure, thereby improving the overall process stability and product life.

[0073] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0074] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0075] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the float structure in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the welding equipment for the float structure in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first transmission mechanism in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0078] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of a welding device for a float structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 .

[0079] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of part A.

[0080] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of a welding device for a float structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 .

[0081] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Enlarged view of part B.

[0082] Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of a welding device for a float structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 .

[0083] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Enlarged view of part C.

[0084] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0085] 1. Hemisphere; 11. Protrusion; 2. Outer edge; 3. Working frame; 31. Processing position; 4. First transmission mechanism; 41. First transmission screw; 42. First transmission plate; 421. Placement hole; 43. First transmission motor; 5. Transfer mechanism; 6. Second transmission mechanism; 61. Transmission frame; 62. Transmission roller; 63. Transmission belt; 64. Transmission assembly; 65. Second transmission motor; 7. Pushing mechanism; 71. Pushing frame; 72. Adjustment assembly; 73. Pushing plate; 74. Drive assembly; 8. Tilting mechanism; 81. Tilting bracket; 82. Tilting plate; 83. Adsorption assembly; 84. Rotation assembly; 85. Pressing plate; 9. Spot welding mechanism; 10. Clamping mechanism; 101. Clamping bracket; 102. Clamping assembly; 1021. Clamping plate; 1022. Clamping cylinder; 103. Lifting assembly; 1031. Lifting cylinder; 104. Rotation assembly; 1041. Rotation motor. Detailed Implementation

[0086] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore detailed descriptions of them will be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0087] See Figures 1 to 9 In a first aspect, this application provides a float structure comprising at least two hemispheres 1 and a plurality of outer edges 2; wherein the two hemispheres 1 are disposed opposite to each other and each has an open end; the outer edges 2 are disposed at the periphery of the open end of the hemispheres 1, wherein the outer edges 2 are disposed circumferentially along the hemispheres 1 and extend radially outward along the open end to form an annular welding surface for welding; in the assembled state, the outer edges 2 of the oppositely disposed hemispheres 1 are attached to each other and fixed.

[0088] In this embodiment, by providing multiple circumferentially arranged and radially outwardly extending outer edges 2 around the opening ends of two opposing hemispheres 1, the outer edges 2 form an annular welding surface. This is equivalent to adding a dedicated structural area for connection at the original spherical shell opening. On the one hand, this significantly increases the effective welding width and welding area between the hemispheres 1, which is beneficial to improving the strength and rigidity of the weld and enhancing the overall reliability of the float under pressure and impact conditions. On the other hand, the annular welding surfaces, when fitted together, form a relatively flat and regular mating interface, which facilitates the positioning of welding fixtures and the formation of welds. This helps reduce the difficulty of assembly alignment and welding deformation, resulting in a more rounded spherical profile and better sealing performance after the two hemispheres 1 are assembled, thereby improving the service life and safety of the float structure.

[0089] In some embodiments of this disclosure, multiple outer edges 2 are circumferentially spaced along the open end. This circumferential spacing, rather than forming a continuous annular thickened structure, allows for several advantages. First, it reduces the material usage and welding length of the outer edges 2, lowering the overall weight and processing cost, while maintaining welding strength and positioning accuracy between the hemispheres 1. Second, the spaced arrangement leaves unthickened shell areas between the outer edges 2, facilitating the release of localized thermal stress during welding and cooling, and reducing the impact of welding deformation on the overall roundness and sealing performance of the sphere. Furthermore, the circumferentially spaced outer edges 2 provide operational space for welding torch insertion, tooling clamping, and probe placement, facilitating multi-position segmented welding and weld inspection, further improving the weldability and finished product consistency of the float structure.

[0090] In some embodiments of this disclosure, multiple outer edges 2 are interconnected along the axial direction of the open end. This interconnection creates a continuous, integrated reinforcing structure along the axial direction, significantly improving the overall stiffness and structural stability of the open end periphery compared to discrete, independent outer edges 2. This also helps maintain the relative positional relationship between the two hemispheres 1 during welding, reducing the risk of deformation such as twisting and warping caused by localized heating. Furthermore, the axially integrated outer edges 2, when fitted with the outer edge 2 of the other hemisphere 1, provide a more continuous and flat welding transition area, resulting in a more coherent and stable weld arrangement. This facilitates obtaining weld joints with uniform weld morphology and a gentler stress distribution, thereby improving the fatigue life and sealing reliability of the float structure under internal pressure loads and reciprocating impact conditions.

[0091] As an example, a plurality of outer edges 2 are distributed circumferentially at intervals along the opening end; and / or, a plurality of outer edges 2 are interconnected along the axial direction of the opening end.

[0092] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the length of the outer edge 2 is between 2 mm and 10 mm along the radial direction of the opening end.

[0093] For example, the length of the outer edge 2 along the radial direction of the opening end can be selected in the range of 2mm to 10mm. For example, for a small float structure, the length of the outer edge 2 can be set to about 2mm to 4mm to meet the basic welding requirements; for a medium-sized float structure, a length of about 4mm to 7mm can be selected to achieve a better balance between welding strength and structural rigidity; for a large float structure, the length of the outer edge 2 can be set to about 7mm to 10mm to provide sufficient welding area and load-bearing capacity.

[0094] This application sets the length of the outer edge 2 within the range of 2mm to 10mm, mainly based on the balance between the self-weight of the float structure and the welding strength: on the one hand, if the length of the outer edge 2 is too small, the welding area will be insufficient, the weld bearing capacity will be limited, and it will not be conducive to improving the strength and sealing reliability of the connection between the two hemispheres 1; on the other hand, if the length of the outer edge 2 is too large, it will increase the amount of material used and the self-weight of the float, and the welding path will be longer and the heat input will be increased, which will easily cause welding deformation and stress concentration. By limiting it within the above range, while ensuring welding strength and rigidity, weight reduction, cost reduction and welding processability can be taken into account, thereby obtaining a more ideal comprehensive performance.

[0095] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the specific length of the outer edge 2 along the radial direction of the opening end is not limited to 2mm to 10mm. When the application scenario, media conditions or float size grade change, the length of the outer edge 2 can be appropriately enlarged or reduced according to actual needs. As long as the selected size can meet the requirements of structural strength, welding quality and overall float performance, it should be considered to fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0096] This application also provides a welding device for a float structure. The welding device includes a working frame 3, a first transmission mechanism 4, a transfer mechanism 5, a second transmission mechanism 6, a pushing mechanism 7, a flipping mechanism 8, and a clamping mechanism 10; wherein, the working frame 3 has a processing position 31; the first transmission mechanism 4 is disposed on the working frame 3 and is used to drive the hemisphere 1 to move along a first direction; the transfer mechanism 5 is used to transfer the hemisphere 1 on the first transmission mechanism 4 to the processing position 31; the second transmission mechanism 6 is disposed on one side of the working frame 3 and is used to drive the outer edge 2 to move along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other; the pushing mechanism 7 is connected to the second transmission mechanism 6 and is used to push the outer edge 2 to Processing position 31; spot welding mechanism 9 is located on the side of processing position 31 and is used to spot weld the hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2 located at processing position 31; flipping mechanism 8 is located on one side of work frame 3 and is used to drive the hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2, which have completed the initial welding, to flip as a whole so that the unwelded side of the hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2 is exposed; clamping mechanism 10 is located at processing position 31 and is used to receive the hemisphere 1 delivered by transfer mechanism 5 and clamp, lift and rotate it so that the hemisphere 1 can obtain stable support during the welding process and can rotate around its own axis to cooperate with spot welding mechanism 9 to achieve circumferential segmented welding and precise adjustment of weld position.

[0097] It should be noted that, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the spot welding mechanism 9 can employ a conventional robotic arm spot welding device, such as an industrial robotic arm mounted on the work frame 3 or foundation, and a spot welding head disposed at the end of the robotic arm. The robotic arm drives the welding head to position, clamp, and spot weld relative to the hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2 at the processing position 31. The structure and control method of this type of robotic arm driving the welding head to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom movement and complete spot welding are all mature technologies known to those skilled in the art and are conventionally selected components. This application will not elaborate on its specific structure and control details.

[0098] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first transmission mechanism 4 includes a first transmission screw 41, a first transmission plate 42, and a first transmission plate 42; wherein, the first transmission screw 41 is rotatably connected to the working frame 3; one end of the first transmission plate 42 is threadedly connected to the first transmission screw 41, and the other end is slidably connected to the working frame 3; a protrusion 11 is provided on the hemisphere 1; a placement hole 421 that mates with the protrusion 11 is provided on the first transmission plate 42 for positioning and placing the hemisphere 1; the first transmission motor 43 is drivenly connected to the first transmission screw 41 for driving the first transmission screw 41 to rotate.

[0099] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the clamping mechanism 10 includes a clamping bracket 101, a clamping assembly 102, a lifting assembly 103, and a rotating assembly 104; wherein, the clamping bracket 101 is disposed at the processing position 31; the clamping assembly 102 is disposed on the clamping bracket 101 and is used to clamp the hemisphere 1; the lifting assembly 103 is disposed on the clamping bracket 101 and connected to the clamping assembly 102, and is used to drive the clamping assembly 102 to move up and down, so as to place the hemisphere 1 on the clamping assembly 102; the rotating assembly 104 is connected to the clamping assembly 102 and is used to drive the clamping assembly 102 to rotate, so that the hemisphere 1 and its outer edge 2 rotate circumferentially during the welding process.

[0100] As an example, the clamping assembly 102 includes clamping plates 1021 and clamping cylinders 1022 arranged opposite to each other. The clamping plates 1021 are slidably connected to the clamping bracket 101 via guide sliders or the like. The piston rods of the clamping cylinders 1022 are hinged to the corresponding clamping plates 1021. The extension and retraction direction of the cylinders is consistent with the sliding direction of the clamping plates 1021, thereby limiting the movement trajectory of the clamping plates 1021. The sides of the two clamping plates 1021 that are close to each other are machined into arc-shaped clamping surfaces that match the outer surface contour of the hemisphere 1. During operation, the clamping cylinders 1022 extend and drive the clamping plates 1021 to move towards each other along the guide direction, clamping and fixing the outer periphery of the hemisphere 1 in the clamping space. When the clamping cylinders 1022 retract, the clamping plates 1021 move away from each other, releasing the hemisphere 1, which facilitates the clamping and unloading of the workpiece.

[0101] In this embodiment, the rotating assembly 104 includes a rotating motor 1041, which is fixedly mounted on the fixed section of the working frame 3 or the clamping bracket 101. Its output shaft is connected to the movable section on the clamping bracket 101, enabling the movable section to rotate relative to the working frame 3 around a predetermined rotation axis. The clamping bracket 101 is divided into a fixed section and a movable section. The movable section is used to support the aforementioned clamping assembly 102. Two clamping plates 1021 are slidably mounted on the movable section via guide sliders or the like. Their sliding direction is consistent with the extension and retraction direction of the clamping cylinder 1022, so that while clamping the hemisphere 1, the entire assembly rotates around the rotation axis together with the movable section. During operation, the hemisphere 1 is placed by the lifting assembly 103 and clamped by the clamping plate 1021. The operator or control system drives the rotating motor 1041 to run. The rotating motor 1041 drives the movable section and the clamped hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2 to rotate circumferentially relative to the working frame 3. The spot welding mechanism 9 is fixedly set at a predetermined position on one side of the processing position 31 and remains stationary during the welding process. Only by controlling the rotation angle and speed of the rotating motor 1041, the hemisphere 1 and outer edge 2 are rotated sequentially in front of the spot welding head, thereby completing the welding of each circumferential weld point or weld segment in sequence.

[0102] The advantages of arranging the rotating assembly 104 described above are as follows: By rotating the clamping mechanism 10 together with the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2, the spot welding mechanism 9 is fixed to one side, eliminating the need for frequent movement of the welding gun or adjustment of the welding posture. This simplifies the structure and control of the spot welding mechanism 9, reduces positioning errors and inertial effects caused by the movement of the welding head, and improves the consistency of the weld position and the quality of the weld formation. Furthermore, precise control of the rotation angle of the rotating motor 1041 enables circumferential segmented welding or continuous welding of the weld, resulting in a clear welding trajectory with good repeatability, which is beneficial for automated welding and standardization of process parameters. Simultaneously, the overall rotation of the movable section facilitates adjustment of the posture of the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 relative to the spot welding head as needed, improving the equipment's adaptability to floats of different sizes and different weld layouts.

[0103] In this embodiment, the lifting assembly 103 includes a lifting cylinder 1031. The cylinder body (base) of the lifting cylinder 1031 is fixedly mounted on the clamping bracket 101. The output end of the piston rod is rigidly connected to the mounting seat of the rotating motor 1041, so that the rotating motor 1041, together with the moving section it drives and the clamping assembly 102, form an integrated lifting functional unit. During operation, after the transfer mechanism 5 delivers the hemisphere 1 to the vicinity of the processing station 31, the lifting cylinder 1031 first drives the rotary motor 1041 and the clamping assembly 102 to move down to a position basically consistent with the discharge height of the transfer mechanism 5. After the clamping plate 1021 clamps the hemisphere 1, the lifting cylinder 1031 moves upward to lift the clamped hemisphere 1 to the preset welding height with the spot welding mechanism 9, so as to achieve precise docking and spot welding with the outer edge 2. When the flipping mechanism 8 or subsequent transfer station needs to receive the material, the lifting cylinder 1031 can control the functional unit to descend to the predetermined handover height, and complete the workpiece handover in conjunction with the transfer or flipping action.

[0104] The beneficial effects of arranging the lifting assembly 103 as described above are as follows: By setting the lifting cylinder 1031 on the clamping bracket 101 and connecting it as a whole with the rotating motor 1041, clamping, rotation, and lifting form an integrated motion unit, which can finely adjust the relative height between the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 in the vertical direction. On the one hand, it can compensate for the manufacturing and assembly errors between the discharge height of the transfer mechanism 5, the pushing height of the outer edge 2, and the welding height of the spot welding mechanism 9, ensuring that the welding surface of the open end of the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 is accurately aligned before welding, and ensuring that the welding gap and clamping force are within a reasonable range, thereby improving the weld formation quality and welding strength. On the other hand, through the coordinated cooperation of the lifting cylinder 1031 with the spot welding mechanism 9 and the transfer mechanism 5, smooth switching can be achieved between the clamping, welding, and transfer steps, reducing manual height adjustment, shim alignment, and other operations, reducing clamping errors and debugging time, which is conducive to improving the welding cycle time, automation level, and consistency and pass rate of the float product of the whole machine.

[0105] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the second transmission mechanism 6 includes a transmission frame 61, a plurality of transmission rollers 62, a transmission belt 63, a transmission assembly 64, and a second transmission motor 65. The transmission frame 61 is disposed on one side of the working frame 3. The plurality of transmission rollers 62 are rotatably mounted on the transmission frame 61, and the axial direction of each transmission roller 62 is the same as the first direction. The transmission belt 63 is sleeved on the plurality of transmission rollers 62 and is used to move synchronously with each transmission roller 62 as they rotate. The transmission assembly 64 is respectively connected to the plurality of transmission rollers 62 for transmitting rotational force among the plurality of transmission rollers 62. The second transmission motor 65 is connected to any one of the transmission rollers 62 for driving the transmission roller 62 to rotate, thereby driving the transmission belt 63 to move.

[0106] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the transmission component 64 can be a conventional mechanical transmission structure in the art. For example, the transmission roller 62 and the second transmission motor 65, as well as adjacent transmission rollers 62, can transmit rotational force through sprockets or chains. Alternatively, it can employ gear meshing transmission, synchronous pulley-synchronous belt transmission, or other forms to establish a reliable rotational linkage relationship among multiple transmission rollers 62. This disclosure does not limit the specific structural form of the transmission component 64. As long as it can effectively transmit the output torque of the second transmission motor 65 among multiple transmission rollers 62 and drive the transmission belt 63 to move stably in the second direction, it can be considered to fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0107] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the pushing mechanism 7 includes a pushing frame 71, an adjusting component 72, a pushing plate 73, and a driving component 74; wherein, the pushing frame 71 is connected to the transmission frame 61, and the pushing frame 71 and the transmission frame 61 together enclose a pushing space for accommodating and pushing the outer edge 2; the adjusting component 72 is disposed on the pushing frame 71; the pushing plate 73 and the driving component 74 are connected to the pushing frame 71 via the adjusting component 72, and the adjusting component 72 is configured to drive the pushing plate 73 and the driving component 74 to adjust their positions in a third direction; the driving component 74 is drively connected to the pushing plate 73, and the driving component 74 is configured to drive the pushing plate 73 to move in a second direction to push the outer edge 2 to the processing position 31.

[0108] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the movement of the pushing mechanism 7 can be as follows: the outer edge 2 is conveyed along the second direction by the transmission belt 63 of the second transmission mechanism 6. When it runs into the pushing space enclosed by the pushing frame 71 and the transmission frame 61, the outer edge 2 is confined within the pushing space. According to the specifications of the outer edge 2 or the position requirements of the processing position 31, the adjusting component 72 first drives the pushing plate 73 and its driving component 74 to adjust their positions along the third direction, so that the pushing plate 73 is in a ready position opposite to the side of the outer edge 2 to be pushed and matches its height and lateral position. Subsequently, the driving component 74 actuates, driving the pushing plate 73 to reciprocate along the second direction toward the processing position 31. During the forward stroke of the pushing plate 73, its end contacts the side wall of the outer edge 2 located in the pushing space and applies a pushing force to the outer edge 2, pushing the outer edge 2 away from the transmission belt 63 and accurately delivering it into the processing position 31, where it docks with the open end of the hemisphere 1 on the processing position 31. After the push is completed, the drive component 74 drives the pusher plate 73 to reverse and return to the initial position to wait for the push of the next outer edge 2.

[0109] In a specific implementation, the drive component 74 can be a drive cylinder. For example, a linear drive cylinder is installed on the push frame 71, and the cylinder output end is fixedly connected to the push plate 73. The extension and retraction direction of the cylinder is set to the second direction, so that when the cylinder extends, the push plate 73 moves towards the processing position 31, and when the cylinder retracts, the push plate 73 retracts. Of course, the drive component 74 can also be other linear drive elements such as electric push rods and lead screw motor assemblies. This disclosure does not limit this. As long as the push plate 73 can be reliably reciprocated along the second direction to realize the function of pushing the outer edge 2 laterally to the processing position 31 by the transmission belt 63, it can be regarded as falling within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0110] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the flipping mechanism 8 includes a flipping bracket 81, a flipping plate 82, an adsorption assembly 83, and a rotating assembly 84; the flipping bracket 81 is disposed on one side of the work frame 3; the flipping plate 82 is connected to the flipping bracket 81 via the rotating assembly 84; the adsorption assembly 83 is disposed on the side of the flipping plate 82 facing the processing position 31, and is configured to adsorb and fix the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 when the flipping plate 82 approaches a predetermined position; the rotating assembly 84 is disposed between the flipping bracket 81 and the flipping plate 82, and is drively connected to the flipping plate 82, and is configured to drive the flipping plate 82 to rotate after the adsorption assembly 83 adsorbs the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2, so that the unwelded side of the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 is exposed.

[0111] In this embodiment, the flipping mechanism 8 may further include a clamping plate 85. The clamping plate 85 is slidably connected to the flipping bracket 81 and has a pre-reserved gap with the adsorption component 83. When the outer edge 2 enters the processing position 31 with the cooperation of the second transmission mechanism 6 and the pushing mechanism 7, the outer edge 2 is inserted into the aforementioned gap and abuts against the clamping plate 85. The clamping plate 85 applies a clamping force to the outer edge 2 under its own weight or the driving force of the elastic element, so that the outer edge 2 is reliably limited and fixed at the processing position 31. At this time, the hemisphere 1 rises under the drive of the lifting component 103 and comes into contact with the welding surface of the outer edge 2. The welding mechanism performs welding operations on the contact area between the two. By providing a clamping plate 85 on one side of the flipping mechanism 8, the relative displacement of the outer edge 2 and the hemisphere 1 caused by heat or force during the welding process can be effectively suppressed, ensuring the alignment relationship between the two and the stability of the weld position, thereby improving the welding forming quality and the connection strength and consistency of the float structure.

[0112] This disclosure also provides a method for welding a float structure. The welding method includes:

[0113] S1: Place the hemisphere 1 on the first transmission mechanism 4, and the first transmission mechanism 4 drives the hemisphere 1 to move to the vicinity of the processing position 31.

[0114] S2: The transfer mechanism 5 drives the hemisphere 1 to move, and the hemisphere 1 moves to the processing position 31.

[0115] S3: Place the outer edge 2 on the second transmission mechanism 6, and push the mechanism 7 to drive the hemisphere 1 to the processing position 31.

[0116] S4: Spot welding mechanism 9 welds the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2.

[0117] S5: The flipping mechanism 8 flips the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 after the initial welding, and the spot welding mechanism 9 welds the hemisphere 1 and the outer edge 2 again.

[0118] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A float structure, characterized by, The floating ball structure comprises: at least two hemispheres, two of the hemispheres are oppositely arranged and each has an open end; a plurality of outer edge portions arranged at the periphery of the open end of the hemispheres, wherein the outer edge portions are arranged along the circumferential direction of the hemispheres and extend radially outward along the open end to form annular welding surfaces for welding; in the assembled state, the outer edge portions of the oppositely arranged hemispheres are in contact with each other and fixed.

2. The float ball structure of claim 1, wherein, A plurality of the outer edge portions are spaced along the circumferential direction of the open end; and / or, a plurality of the outer edge portions are arranged in connection with each other along the axial direction of the open end.

3. The float ball structure of claim 1, wherein, The length of the outer edge portion is between 2mm and 10mm along the radial direction of the open end.

4. A welding apparatus for a float ball structure, characterized by The welding device comprises: a work frame body having a processing position; a first transmission mechanism arranged on the work frame body for driving the hemispheres to move in a first direction; a transfer mechanism for transferring the hemispheres on the first transmission mechanism to the processing position; a second transmission mechanism arranged on one side of the work frame body for driving the outer edge portions to move in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other; a pushing mechanism connected with the second transmission mechanism for pushing the outer edge portions to the processing position; a spot welding mechanism arranged on the side of the processing position for spot welding the hemispheres and the outer edge portions located at the processing position; a turnover mechanism arranged on one side of the work frame body for turning over the hemispheres and the outer edge portions which have completed preliminary welding as a whole to expose the un-welded side of the hemispheres and the outer edge portions.

5. The floating ball structure welding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The first transmission mechanism comprises: a first transmission screw rotatably connected to the work frame body; a first transmission plate threadedly connected at one end to the first transmission screw and slidably connected at the other end to the work frame body, wherein the hemispheres are provided with protrusions and the first transmission plate is provided with placement holes matched with the protrusions for positioning the hemispheres; a first transmission motor drivingly connected to the first transmission screw for driving the first transmission screw to rotate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The welding device further comprises a clamping mechanism; The clamping mechanism comprises: a clamping support arranged at the processing position; a clamping assembly arranged on the clamping support for clamping the hemispheres; a lifting assembly arranged on the clamping support and connected with the clamping assembly for driving the clamping assembly to move up and down to facilitate placing the hemispheres on the clamping assembly; a rotating assembly connected with the clamping assembly for driving the clamping assembly to rotate so that the hemispheres and the outer edge portions thereof rotate circumferentially during welding.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The second transmission mechanism comprises: a transmission frame arranged on one side of the work frame body; a plurality of transmission rollers rotatably arranged on the transmission frame, and the axial direction of each of the transmission rollers is the same as the first direction; a transmission belt sleeved on the plurality of transmission rollers for synchronous movement with the rotation of the transmission rollers; a transmission assembly drivingly connected with the plurality of transmission rollers for transmitting rotation force between the plurality of transmission rollers. A second transmission motor is in transmission connection with any of the transmission rollers, and is configured to drive the transmission roller to rotate, thereby driving the transmission belt to move.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The pushing mechanism comprises: A pushing frame body is connected with the transmission frame body, and the pushing frame body and the transmission frame body jointly define a pushing space for accommodating and pushing the outer edge portion; An adjusting assembly is arranged on the pushing frame body; A pushing plate and a driving assembly are connected with the pushing frame body through the adjusting assembly, and the adjusting assembly is configured to drive the pushing plate and the driving assembly to adjust the position in the third direction; The driving assembly is in transmission connection with the pushing plate, and the driving assembly is configured to drive the pushing plate to move in the second direction, so as to push the outer edge portion to the processing position.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The turnover mechanism comprises: A turnover bracket is arranged on one side of the working frame body; A turnover plate; An adsorption assembly is arranged on one side of the turnover plate facing the processing position, and is configured to adsorb and fix the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion when the turnover plate approaches to a predetermined position; A rotating assembly is arranged between the turnover bracket and the turnover plate, and is in transmission connection with the turnover plate, and is configured to drive the turnover plate to rotate after the adsorption assembly adsorbs the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion, so that the un-welded side of the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion is exposed.

10. A method of welding a float structure, characterized by The welding method is used for welding the floating ball structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and is implemented by the welding equipment of the floating ball structure according to any one of claims 4 to 9, and the welding method comprises: Placing the hemispherical body on the first transmission mechanism, and the first transmission mechanism drives the hemispherical body to move to the vicinity of the processing position; The transfer mechanism drives the hemispherical body to move, and the hemispherical body moves to the processing position; Placing the outer edge portion on the second transmission mechanism, and the pushing mechanism drives the hemispherical body to move to the processing position; The spot welding mechanism welds the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion; The turnover mechanism turns over the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion after preliminary welding, and the spot welding mechanism welds the hemispherical body and the outer edge portion again.

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