Automatic workpiece sorting device

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic workpiece sorting device, and relates to the technical field of remote controller production, the automatic workpiece sorting device comprises a conveying mechanism, an arraying mechanism and a stacking mechanism; the conveying mechanism is used for conveying workpieces; the arraying mechanism is arranged on the workpiece flowing path and used for enabling the workpieces passing through the arraying mechanism to be in a preset posture. The stacking mechanism is arranged on the workpiece flowing path and located on the downstream of the arraying mechanism, the stacking mechanism comprises a jacking assembly and a stacking channel, the jacking assembly is used for jacking the workpieces upwards from the bottom of the stacking channel, and the stacking channel comprises a one-way maintaining assembly used for supporting the jacked workpieces. The arraying mechanism and the stacking mechanism are sequentially arranged on the workpiece flowing path, the arraying mechanism is used for unifying the posture of the workpieces, and the stacking mechanism comprising the jacking assembly and the one-way maintaining assembly is used for achieving bottom jacking type stacking of the workpieces. The technical problems that the appearance is easily scratched due to falling and stacking of products, the labor intensity of manual sorting and stacking is high, and the efficiency is low are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of remote control manufacturing technology, and more particularly to an automatic workpiece sorting device. Background Technology

[0002] In the injection molding industry, for example, in the production of exterior parts such as remote control covers, after the product is demolded from the injection molding machine, it usually falls directly into a collection box (glue box) below the machine. This traditional collection method has the following significant problems: Products fall naturally from a height into the collection box, stacking haphazardly. As the number of products in the collection box increases, subsequent falling products collide with existing ones, and the stacked products experience relative friction due to gravity compression and vibration during handling. For injection-molded parts like remote control covers, which have high requirements for appearance, such collisions and compression can easily cause scratches, white spots, and other appearance defects on the product surface, thus increasing the defect rate.

[0003] Because the products in the collection boxes are disorganized, subsequent processes require manual handling to move the full collection boxes to the workbench, where workers then inspect each product, distinguishing between front and back, adjusting their position, and neatly stacking them in order. This method is not only labor-intensive but also highly dependent on manual labor, resulting in high labor costs. Furthermore, the speed of manual sorting and stacking often cannot keep up with the high-efficiency production rhythm of the injection molding machine, easily becoming a bottleneck in the entire production process and reducing overall production efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing automatic sorting technology for injection molded parts in order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic workpiece sorting device. This automatic workpiece sorting device sets up an aligning mechanism and a palletizing mechanism in sequence along the workpiece flow path. The aligning mechanism unifies the posture of the workpieces, and the palletizing mechanism, which includes a lifting component and a one-way holding component, realizes bottom-lifting stacking of the workpieces. This overcomes the technical problems of easy scratches on the appearance of products when they fall and are stacked, as well as the high labor intensity and low efficiency of manual sorting and palletizing in the prior art.

[0006] An automatic workpiece sorting device includes: Conveying mechanism, used to transport workpieces; An alignment mechanism is located on the workpiece flow path and is used to make the workpieces passing through the alignment mechanism assume a preset posture. A palletizing mechanism is located on the workpiece flow path and downstream of the aligning mechanism. The palletizing mechanism includes a lifting component and a stacking channel. The lifting component is used to push the workpiece upward from the bottom of the stacking channel. The stacking channel includes a one-way holding component for supporting the pushed-in workpiece.

[0007] Furthermore, the alignment mechanism includes: The detection unit is used to detect whether the workpiece has entered the working area of ​​the alignment mechanism and to send a signal. The correction component is used to perform actions based on the trigger signal from the detection unit to actively adjust the posture of the workpiece passing through the alignment mechanism.

[0008] Existing guiding technologies or basic methods typically rely solely on static physical baffles (such as flared guides) for passive correction. However, for flat and lightweight injection-molded parts like remote control baffles, if their initial posture deviation is large, the impact of passive baffles alone can easily cause the workpiece to jam or flip at the entrance. This solution introduces a detection unit to sense the workpiece's positioning in real time and trigger the correction components to perform active actions. This sensing and response active correction mechanism can forcibly intervene and correct the workpiece's posture, effectively solving the problems of jamming and inadequate posture adjustment that easily occur in passive guidance of lightweight, irregularly shaped parts. This significantly improves the sorting device's adaptability to different incoming material postures and the system's operational reliability.

[0009] Furthermore, the correction component includes: A gantry frame is installed above the path through which the workpieces flow; A guide assembly is disposed on the workpiece flow path. The guide assembly forms a pair of diversion channels extending along the workpiece flow direction. The guide assembly includes a pair of correction sidewalls, which are disposed on opposite sides of the two diversion channels and parallel to the workpiece flow path direction. A clamping assembly is mounted on the gantry and located between the two diversion channels. The clamping assembly is used to drive the workpiece against the correction sidewall.

[0010] In dual-channel conveyors, relying solely on passive diversion, although the workpieces are separated, their lateral position and angle on the conveyor belt remain random (potentially deviating to the left, right, or skewed). Traditional correction methods often require separate clamps on both sides for each channel, resulting in complex structures and large space requirements. This solution employs a unique layout with central drive and outer limit. The guide assembly is positioned on a fixed correction sidewall on the outer side, while the clamping assembly is installed between the two channels, performing abutment actions on both sides. When the central clamping assembly moves outward, it pushes the workpiece with lateral displacement until the workpiece's side edge is completely flush with the parallel correction sidewall. This forcibly eliminates the workpiece's skew angle, ensuring the workpiece's posture is absolutely upright. By pushing the workpieces from both channels towards the outermost correction sidewall, the lateral distance between the workpieces is precisely locked to the distance between the two correction sidewalls.

[0011] Furthermore, the detection unit is an optical fiber sensor; The fiber optic sensor is mounted on the gantry, and the detection end of the fiber optic sensor is aligned with one of the split channels.

[0012] Compared to traditional mechanical limit switches or bulky photoelectric switches, mechanical switches can hinder the movement of small, lightweight workpieces due to their contact force, while large sensors are difficult to install in compact gantry structures or lack precise detection points. This solution uses a fiber optic sensor with its detection end aligned with the workpiece's entry path. Leveraging the fiber optic sensor's fast response, small detection spot, and strong anti-interference capabilities, it enables non-contact, precise capture of fast-moving, thin remote control baffles. This avoids mechanical interference with workpiece movement, ensures the timing accuracy of correction actions, and improves the overall machine's response speed.

[0013] Furthermore, the unidirectional holding component includes: An eccentric base is movably disposed at the bottom of the stacking channel; When the workpiece passes from bottom to top, the eccentric base moves under the action of the workpiece to avoid it. After the workpiece passes through, the eccentric base automatically falls back to its original position under the action of gravity to support the workpiece.

[0014] This solution utilizes an eccentric base with an offset center of gravity design, relying entirely on the mechanical structure's own gravitational torque to achieve resetting. This purely mechanical structural design eliminates complex electronic control, ensuring unidirectional passage while significantly improving the mechanism's durability and stability, achieving maintenance-free operation, and effectively reducing equipment manufacturing costs.

[0015] Furthermore, the stacking channel is enclosed by several vertically arranged cylindrical rods, which define a stacking space for accommodating workpieces.

[0016] Traditional collection boxes or silos are typically enclosed by sheet metal. During the lifting or storage of workpieces, their edges experience significant surface contact friction with the inner wall of the sheet metal, easily causing scratches or wear on the sides of the parts. This solution uses cylindrical rods to construct the stacking space, changing the contact between the workpiece and the inner wall of the channel from surface contact to line contact or even point contact. This significantly reduces the contact area and frictional resistance between the workpiece and the silo wall, making the lifting action smoother and, more importantly, minimizing potential damage to the product's surface during stacking, thus meeting the high-quality protection requirements of injection-molded parts.

[0017] Furthermore, the lifting assembly includes: A double-acting cylinder is located at the bottom of the stacking channel; A pusher plate is connected to the output end of the double-acting cylinder. The pusher plate is located directly below the stacking channel, and the projected area of ​​the pusher plate is smaller than the projected area of ​​the workpiece.

[0018] Single-acting cylinders retract slowly and uncontrollably, making them unsuitable for high-cycle production. Furthermore, if the push plate area is equal to or larger than the workpiece, its retraction will obstruct the reset of the eccentric base. In this solution, a double-acting cylinder provides active extension and retraction force, and the push plate's projected area is smaller than the workpiece. The double-acting cylinder ensures a high frequency of lifting and repositioning actions, meeting the high-efficiency cycle requirements of automated production. The push plate's area design not only ensures effective workpiece support but also provides reset space for the eccentric base, allowing it to smoothly eject and engage the workpiece edge after retraction, thus ensuring the physical realization of the stacking logic.

[0019] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes: The guide rail is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, so that the workpiece is transported from top to bottom; An air blowing assembly is located above the guide rail, with the air outlet of the air blowing assembly facing the conveying direction of the workpiece.

[0020] Remote control baffles are typically lightweight, and when sliding down a slide rail by gravity alone, they are prone to jamming in the middle of the rail due to electrostatic adsorption, burrs, or uneven friction. This claim addresses this issue by adding active airflow assistance from an air blowing component to the gravity-driven sliding mechanism. The airflow provides additional kinetic energy to the lightweight workpiece, effectively overcoming electrostatic and frictional resistance, ensuring the workpiece can slide quickly and continuously to the stacking mechanism at the end. This solves the technical problem of unreliable gravity conveying of small injection molded parts and guarantees the continuity of the production process.

[0021] Furthermore, a full-capacity detection sensor is provided at the top of the stacking channel; The full-position detection sensor is used to detect whether the workpieces in the stacking channel have been stacked to a preset height.

[0022] During fully automated operation, without full-level detection, the device may continue lifting even when the hopper is full, leading to workpiece overflow, crushing damage, or damage to the lifting mechanism. This solution adds a full-level detection sensor to monitor the stacking height. This achieves intelligent monitoring and protection of the equipment. When the stacking quantity reaches the upper limit, it automatically alarms or stops, preventing product damage and equipment failure caused by over-stacking, and promptly prompting manual removal, achieving optimal human-machine collaboration.

[0023] Furthermore, the stacking channel is inclined from bottom to top toward the side away from the conveying mechanism.

[0024] Vertically arranged stacking channels have a high center of gravity when workpieces are stacked high, and workpieces are prone to tipping towards the inlet, interfering with feeding. Furthermore, manually removing entire stacks vertically is laborious and prone to scattering. This solution designs the channel to slope backward. Utilizing the component of gravity, the stacked workpieces naturally rest against the rear wall (cylindrical rod) of the channel, improving stacking stability and preventing workpieces from collapsing and obstructing the feed inlet. Simultaneously, it allows operators to easily and stably remove entire stacks of workpieces in one go using clamps, improving the efficiency and convenience of packaging operations.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention provides an automated workpiece sorting device. This device, through the establishment of a conveying mechanism, an aligning mechanism, and a palletizing mechanism, constructs an automated production line from workpiece transfer and posture adjustment to final stacking. Compared to existing technologies that rely on manual handling of plastic frames and manual stacking, this eliminates the heavy manual repetitive picking and stacking actions, significantly reducing personnel on the production line and lowering operating costs for enterprises. By setting up an aligning mechanism along the workpiece flow path, passing workpieces can enter the downstream in a preset posture. Compared to existing technologies where workpieces fall randomly and have varying postures, making subsequent automated processing impossible, this ensures that workpieces enter the palletizing mechanism with a uniform direction and posture, avoiding jamming or stacking failures due to incorrect posture, and guaranteeing the continuity and stability of the device's operation. This solution employs a lifting component combined with a stacking channel and a one-way holding component to achieve bottom feeding and upward stacking logic. The lifting component pushes new workpieces upward from the bottom of the stacking channel, and the one-way holding component supports the pushed-in workpieces. The stacking process is controlled, with new workpieces supporting existing stacks, maintaining relatively static surface contact between the workpieces to avoid drop impacts and slippage friction. This method greatly reduces defects such as scratches and white spots on the surface of workpieces (especially injection-molded exterior parts), significantly improving product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the palletizing mechanism and the guide rail provided in this embodiment. Figure 2 This is a side view of the palletizing mechanism and guide rail provided in this embodiment. Figure 3 This is a partial perspective view of the palletizing mechanism provided in this embodiment; Figure 4 This is a top view of the alignment mechanism provided in this embodiment, installed on the conveyor belt.

[0027] Figure label: 110. Guide rail; 120. Conveyor belt; 200. Alignment mechanism; 210. Detection unit; 220. Correction component; 221. Gantry frame; 222. Correction sidewall; 223. Clamping assembly; 300. Palletizing mechanism; 310. Lifting assembly; 311. Eccentric base; 320. Stacking channel; 400. Workpiece. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0029] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device, which includes: Conveying mechanism, used to transport workpieces; The alignment mechanism 200 is located on the workpiece flow path and is used to make the workpieces passing through the alignment mechanism 200 assume a preset posture. The palletizing mechanism 300 is located on the workpiece flow path and downstream of the aligning mechanism 200. The palletizing mechanism 300 includes a lifting component 310 and a stacking channel 320. The lifting component 310 is used to push the workpiece upward from the bottom of the stacking channel 320. The stacking channel 320 includes a one-way holding component for supporting the pushed-in workpiece.

[0030] The automatic workpiece sorting device mainly consists of three parts: a conveying mechanism, an aligning mechanism 200, and a palletizing mechanism 300. These three mechanisms are arranged sequentially along the preset flow path of the workpieces. The conveying mechanism primarily drives or guides the workpieces to move downstream along the preset path, ensuring continuous flow. The aligning mechanism 200 is located in the middle or at the entrance of the conveying path. This mechanism addresses the issue of random posture when injection molded parts fall. Regardless of the angle or direction the workpiece enters, after being processed by the aligning mechanism 200, it will be forcibly adjusted to a uniform, preset posture suitable for subsequent palletizing, thereby eliminating the risk of jamming caused by incorrect posture.

[0031] Downstream of the aligning mechanism 200 is the palletizing mechanism 300. The palletizing mechanism 300 employs a unique "bottom feeding, upward stacking" logic, mainly comprising a lifting assembly 310 and a stacking channel 320. The stacking channel 320 is a space for accommodating workpieces, with a one-way holding assembly at its bottom. The lifting assembly 310 is installed below the stacking channel 320, with its working end facing the bottom entrance of the channel.

[0032] In this embodiment, the specific operating logic of the device is as follows: After the workpiece is transported by the conveyor mechanism and adjusted in posture by the alignment mechanism 200, it arrives at the bottom of the stacking mechanism 300. At this time, the lifting component 310 is activated, generating an upward thrust to push the workpiece at the bottom into the stacking channel 320. During the lifting process, the one-way holding component allows the workpiece to pass from bottom to top (i.e., "one-way" passage). When the workpiece moves upward under the push of the lifting component 310, the one-way holding component will give way, allowing the workpiece to pass through; and when the workpiece has completely passed the height of the component, the one-way holding component will immediately reset or lock, forming bottom support for the workpiece. At this time, the lifting component 310 retracts, and the workpiece falls steadily onto the one-way holding component, completing the first layer of stacking. When the next workpiece arrives, the lifting component 310 is activated again, pushing the new workpiece upward. The new workpiece will rise along with the previous workpiece, passing through the one-way holding component again and being supported. This cycle repeats, and the workpieces are neatly arranged from bottom to top in the stacking channel 320. This method not only achieves automated palletizing, but more importantly, it ensures that the workpieces remain in relatively static surface contact, avoiding the impact and friction that occurs when they fall from above, thus effectively protecting the workpiece surface.

[0033] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned mechanisms can be implemented in the following ways: The conveying mechanism can be not only a guide rail that slides down by gravity, but also an electric conveyor belt, roller conveyor, chain conveyor line or robotic gripping and conveying device; In addition to using an active drive, the alignment mechanism 200 can also use a passive horn-mouth guide plate, vibratory feeder material handling track, or V-shaped alignment groove in scenarios where high precision is not required. The lifting component 310 in the palletizing mechanism 300 can be driven by a cylinder, hydraulically, a motor with a lead screw slide, or a cam linkage mechanism. The specific form of the one-way retaining component can be an eccentric base 311 (pawl) that uses gravity to reset, or a telescopic pin with spring reset, an elastic snap plate, an electromagnetically controlled blocking pin, or a one-way friction material structure.

[0034] Example 2 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device. This embodiment is a further elaboration based on embodiment 1. In actual production, especially in the case of dual-channel or multi-channel parallel conveying, the position of the workpiece (such as the remote control baffle) on the conveyor belt 120 often has lateral deviation (left or right) and angular skew.

[0035] Furthermore, the alignment mechanism 200 of the automatic workpiece sorting device in this embodiment includes: The detection unit 210 is used to detect whether the workpiece has entered the working area of ​​the alignment mechanism 200 and to send a signal. The correction component 220 is used to perform actions according to the trigger signal of the detection unit 210 to actively adjust the posture of the workpiece passing through the alignment mechanism 200.

[0036] The correction component 220 includes: Gantry 221 is installed above the workpiece flow path; A guide assembly is disposed on the workpiece flow path. The guide assembly forms a pair of diversion channels extending along the workpiece flow direction. The guide assembly includes a pair of correction sidewalls 222, which are disposed on one side away from each other in the two diversion channels and are parallel to the workpiece flow path direction. The clamping assembly 223 is mounted on the gantry 221 and located between the two diversion channels. The clamping assembly 223 is used to drive the workpiece to abut against the correction sidewall 222.

[0037] The detection unit 210 is an optical fiber sensor; The fiber optic sensor is mounted on the gantry 221, and the detection end of the fiber optic sensor is aligned with one of the split channels.

[0038] In this embodiment, the alignment mechanism 200 mainly consists of two parts: a detection unit 210 and a correction component 220. The two work together to achieve active intervention on the workpiece posture.

[0039] In this embodiment, the detection unit 210 preferably employs a fiber optic sensor. This fiber optic sensor is mounted on a gantry 221 spanning the workpiece flow path, with its detection end precisely aligned with the flow channel where the workpiece enters the column area. The fiber optic sensor is chosen because it has extremely high response speed and a tiny detection spot, enabling it to sensitively capture the leading edge arrival signal of thin injection molded parts (such as baffles), and it has strong anti-interference capabilities, making it suitable for use in complex industrial environments.

[0040] In this embodiment, the correction component 220 includes a gantry 221 spanning the conveyor line, serving as a mounting base for each component. Below the gantry 221, a guide component and a clamping component 223 are provided.

[0041] The guiding component serves to establish a reference for the workpiece. It forms a pair of diversion channels extending along the workpiece flow direction, dividing the conveying path into left and right paths. On the mutually distant sides of the two diversion channels (i.e., the leftmost and rightmost sides), correction sidewalls 222 are respectively provided. These two correction sidewalls 222 are parallel to the workpiece flow direction and are set as straight plates or guide rails, forming the absolute physical reference surface for workpiece posture adjustment.

[0042] The clamping assembly 223 is mounted on the gantry 221 and positioned between the two branch channels (i.e., the central area of ​​the conveyor line). The clamping assembly 223 is connected to a drive source (such as a cylinder) and is configured to extend simultaneously or independently to both sides (i.e., to the left and to the right).

[0043] The operation process of this embodiment is as follows: When the conveyor mechanism carries the workpiece into the diversion channel, the fiber optic sensor detects the workpiece's arrival and sends a trigger signal. Upon receiving the signal, the control system immediately instructs the clamping assembly 223 located in the middle to actuate. The clamping assembly 223 extends to both sides, contacts the workpiece from the inside, and pushes the workpiece outward. Under the action of the thrust, the workpiece undergoes lateral displacement and rotation until the outer edge of the workpiece is completely pressed against and abuts against the fixed correction sidewall 222. Then, the clamping assembly 223 retracts, releasing the adjusted workpiece.

[0044] Regardless of the initial angle of the workpiece upon entry, as long as its side is forcibly adhered to the parallel correcting sidewalls 222, its posture will be forcibly corrected to be upright, eliminating skew. Since the positions of the correcting sidewalls 222 on both sides are fixed, by pushing the two workpieces to their outermost positions, the lateral spacing between the two rows of workpieces is precisely locked to the distance between the two correcting sidewalls 222. This ensures that the workpiece can be perfectly aligned with the inlet of the two downstream guide rails 110, completely solving the jamming problem caused by deviation in the entry position. By concentrating the drive components in the middle and utilizing the gap between the two flow channels, the overall structure becomes more compact.

[0045] In addition to the implementation methods mentioned above, this embodiment can also be implemented in the following ways: In addition to using fiber optic sensors, the detection unit 210 can also use photoelectric switches, ultrasonic sensors, vision camera systems, or mechanical touch switches depending on the workpiece material and environmental requirements. The driving form of the correction component 220 is not limited to the cylinder clamping on the gantry 221, but can be replaced by a side push rod mechanism, a rotary paddle mechanism, an electromagnetic pusher, or a posture adjustment device that uses high-speed airflow. Furthermore, the correction sidewall 222 of the guide component can be designed as a position-adjustable structure to adapt to workpieces of different widths, or a V-shaped constriction groove can be used in conjunction with vibration drive to achieve a combination of passive and active posture correction.

[0046] Example 3 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device. This embodiment further elaborates on the above embodiment, ensuring that the workpiece can pass smoothly through the support point and be quickly and reliably supported after passing through the bottom lifting stacking process.

[0047] Furthermore, the unidirectional holding component in this embodiment includes: An eccentric base 311 is movably disposed at the bottom of the stacking channel 320; When the workpiece passes from bottom to top, the eccentric base 311 moves under the action of the workpiece to avoid it. After the workpiece passes, the eccentric base 311 automatically returns to its original position under gravity to support the workpiece. The lifting assembly 310 includes: A double-acting cylinder is located at the bottom of the stacking channel 320; A pusher plate is connected to the output end of the double-acting cylinder. The pusher plate is located directly below the stacking channel 320, and the projected area of ​​the pusher plate is smaller than the projected area of ​​the workpiece.

[0048] For the unidirectional holding assembly, this embodiment specifically adopts an eccentric base support 311. This eccentric base support 311 is movably mounted on both sides of the bottom of the stacking channel 320. Its core design utilizes the principle of physical center of gravity offset; that is, the eccentric base support 311 is configured to have a gravitational eccentric torque that causes the supporting end to return to its original position. In its natural state (without external force), under the influence of gravity, the supporting end of the eccentric base support 311 always maintains a state extending towards the center of the channel, forming a support surface for the workpiece. This purely mechanical design eliminates the need for springs or electric actuators, avoiding the risk of spring fatigue failure or electrical malfunction.

[0049] For the lifting assembly 310, this embodiment specifically adopts a structure of a double-acting cylinder in conjunction with a pusher plate. The double-acting cylinder is installed at the bottom of the stacking channel 320, and it can provide active extension thrust and retraction pull, ensuring the strength of the lifting action and the speed of return. The pusher plate connected to the output end of the double-acting cylinder has strictly limited physical dimensions, that is, the projected area of ​​the pusher plate is smaller than the projected area of ​​the workpiece. This ensures that when the pusher plate lifts the workpiece, the edge of the workpiece can be exposed with sufficient part to touch the eccentric base 311; at the same time, when the pusher plate retracts, the pusher plate can smoothly pass through the encirclement of the eccentric base 311 without interference.

[0050] The operation process of the automatic workpiece sorting device in this embodiment is as follows: When the workpiece is delivered by the conveyor and rests on the push plate, the double-acting cylinder drives the push plate to move upward. The edge of the workpiece contacts the bottom surface of the eccentric base 311. As the double-acting cylinder continues to extend, the workpiece exerts an upward force, forcing the eccentric base 311 to overcome its own gravitational eccentric torque and rotate outward to avoid the workpiece, thus allowing the workpiece to pass from bottom to top.

[0051] Once the workpiece is lifted to a height exceeding that of the eccentric base 311, the eccentric base 311 is no longer compressed by the workpiece. At this point, under the influence of gravity, the eccentric base 311 automatically returns to its original position, and its supporting end re-enters the channel.

[0052] Subsequently, the double-acting cylinder drives the pusher plate to retract rapidly. The workpiece then falls slightly, and its bottom edge rests steadily on the reset eccentric base 311, completing the stacking.

[0053] The push plate returns to its initial position, awaiting the arrival of the next workpiece.

[0054] In addition to the implementation methods mentioned above, this embodiment can also be implemented in the following ways: In addition to using the eccentric base 311 that uses gravity for reset, the one-way retaining assembly can also use a telescopic locking tongue with spring reset, a flexible metal or plastic card, a one-way barb structure, or a blocking pin that controls telescopic movement via an electromagnet; the lifting assembly 310 can use a double-acting cylinder to drive the push plate, or it can use a motor with a lead screw slide, a cam linkage mechanism, a scissor lift, or a linear motor as the power source; the shape of the push plate is not limited to a flat plate, and can be designed as a contour bracket or a multi-point support rod according to the shape of the bottom of the workpiece.

[0055] Example 4 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device, which is a further elaboration based on the above embodiments.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stacking channel 320 is formed by several vertically arranged cylindrical rods, which define a stacking space for accommodating workpieces.

[0057] A full-capacity detection sensor is provided at the top of the stacking channel 320; The full-position detection sensor is used to detect whether the workpieces in the stacking channel 320 have been stacked to a preset height.

[0058] The stacking channel 320 is inclined from bottom to top toward the side away from the conveying mechanism.

[0059] To maximize the protection of the workpiece surface, this embodiment abandons the traditional enclosed hopper structure made of sheet metal, and instead uses several vertically arranged cylindrical rods to enclose and form a stacking channel 320. These cylindrical rods define the stacking space for accommodating the workpieces.

[0060] Traditional surface-contact barriers are prone to generating large-area friction during workpiece lifting, leading to scratches or white spots on the workpiece edges. However, the cylindrical rod (e.g., a smooth stainless steel bar) used in this embodiment changes the contact between the workpiece edge and the inner wall of the channel from "surface contact" to "line contact" or even just "point contact." This change in contact method significantly reduces frictional resistance, eliminating the potential for appearance defects from a structural perspective.

[0061] To automate the monitoring of the stacking process, this embodiment includes a full-position detection sensor at the top of the stacking channel 320. The detection end of the full-position detection sensor is aligned with the highest point of the workpiece stack.

[0062] The full-capacity detection sensor is used to detect in real time whether the workpieces in the stacking channel 320 have been stacked to the preset height. When the number of workpieces accumulates to the set value, the sensor triggers a signal, and the control system can issue an audible and visual alarm to prompt the operator to remove the material, or directly suspend the upstream conveying mechanism and lifting assembly 310 to prevent damage to equipment components due to workpiece overflow or forced lifting.

[0063] To improve stacking stability and ease of manual material handling, the stacking channel 320 in this embodiment is not absolutely perpendicular to the horizontal plane, but is inclined from bottom to top towards the side away from the conveying mechanism (for example, inclined backward by 5 to 15 degrees).

[0064] This tilted design utilizes the component of gravity, causing each layer of workpieces lifted into the channel to naturally lean backward, aligning closely with the rear cylindrical rod. This not only prevents the workpieces from tilting forward and obstructing the bottom feed inlet, but also, when operators retrieve the workpieces, the tilted stack is more ergonomically positioned, facilitating the stable clamping of the entire stack at once and avoiding the problem of workpieces scattering during vertical retrieval.

[0065] In addition to the implementation methods mentioned above, this embodiment can also be implemented in the following ways: In addition to cylindrical rods, the structure of the enclosed passage can also use sheet metal parts with raised ribs on the inner wall, guide strips with low-friction coatings such as Teflon, or a grid frame made of engineering plastics to reduce the contact area and prevent scratches. In addition to using photoelectric sensors at the top, full-position detection can also be achieved by setting up a weighing sensor at the bottom of the passage to judge by weight, or by using the control system to count the number of lifting operations for logical judgment, or by using mechanical limit switches. The tilt angle of the passage can be designed to be steplessly adjustable by adjusting knobs to meet the stability requirements of different stacking heights.

[0066] Example 5 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device. This embodiment further elaborates on the above embodiments. Considering the characteristics of injection-molded parts such as remote control baffles—light weight and unstable surface friction coefficients—relying solely on gravity sliding often fails to ensure that the workpiece reaches the downstream station smoothly and accurately each time, easily leading to stagnation (jamming) midway. To solve this problem, this embodiment provides an active anti-jamming conveying solution combining gravity conveying and pneumatic assistance.

[0067] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism in this embodiment includes: The guide rail 110 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane, so that the workpiece is transported from top to bottom; An air blowing assembly is located above the guide rail 110, with the air outlet of the air blowing assembly facing the conveying direction of the workpiece.

[0068] The conveying mechanism connects the aligning mechanism 200 and the palletizing mechanism 300, and specifically consists of two parts: a guide rail 110 and an air blowing assembly. The guide rail 110 is configured to be inclined relative to the horizontal plane. For example, it can be set at an inclination angle of approximately 30 to 45 degrees. This inclined design utilizes physical gravity to provide the basic downward force for the workpiece, allowing it to slide naturally down the rail.

[0069] Gravity alone is often insufficient when dealing with lightweight workpieces or situations where the slide rail surface is dusty or generates static electricity. Therefore, in this embodiment, an air blowing assembly (such as an air nozzle or air knife) is specially added above the guide slide rail 110. The installation position of this air blowing assembly is carefully arranged to ensure that its air outlet is strictly facing the conveying direction of the workpiece (i.e., towards the downstream stacking mechanism 300).

[0070] After the workpiece is aligned and its posture adjusted by the alignment mechanism 200, it enters the inlet of the guide rail 110. At this point, the workpiece begins to accelerate downwards under its own gravity. Simultaneously, the air blowing component is activated (it can be continuous air blowing or intermittent air blowing in conjunction with sensor signals), ejecting a high-speed airflow from the air outlet. This airflow acts directly on the surface or back of the workpiece, applying an additional thrust along the conveying direction.

[0071] In addition to the implementation methods mentioned above, this embodiment can also be implemented in the following ways: The guide rail 110 can be replaced by an electric conveyor belt 120, a powered roller conveyor, a chain conveyor, or a linear vibrating feeder; the air blowing component, as an anti-jamming auxiliary means, can be replaced by a vibrating motor installed at the bottom of the rail (using high-frequency vibration to eliminate static friction), an electrostatic eliminator (removing electrostatic adsorption), or a micro-textured structure can be processed on the surface of the rail and coated with an oleophobic and hydrophobic coating; if the workpiece is heavy, the tilt setting can be eliminated, and the workpiece can be directly sent into the palletizing station by horizontal transmission combined with a mechanical pusher.

[0072] Example 6 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic workpiece sorting device, which is a further elaboration based on the above embodiments. This device is specifically designed for dual-channel parallel production scenarios and can simultaneously process two workpieces (e.g., injection-molded remote control baffles). Through a segmented conveying design, the device organically links the sorting and palletizing processes, achieving a fully automated process from haphazard material loading to neat double-row palletizing.

[0073] The device mainly includes a conveying mechanism, an aligning mechanism 200, and a palletizing mechanism 300 arranged sequentially along the workpiece flow direction. To adapt to the conveying requirements of different processes, the conveying mechanism in this embodiment is designed as two interconnected sections: the first section is a conveyor belt 120, which is used to receive workpieces and cooperate with the aligning mechanism 200 to complete posture adjustment; the second section is a guide rail 110, which is used to quickly and accurately guide the workpieces with adjusted posture into the downstream palletizing mechanism 300.

[0074] The workpiece first falls onto the first section of the conveyor belt 120. This conveyor belt 120 is arranged horizontally or slightly inclined, moving the workpiece downstream. A set of alignment mechanism 200 is installed above the conveyor belt 120, specifically designed to solve the problem of the workpiece's unstable position and skewed posture on the belt.

[0075] To address the need for parallel dual-path conveying, the alignment mechanism 200 adopts a "center-driven, outer-positioning" layout. Specifically, a gantry 221 is installed above the conveyor belt 120. Below the gantry 221, guide components form two parallel flow channels, left and right. On the sides of the two flow channels that are far apart (i.e., the left side of the left channel and the right side of the right channel), correction sidewalls 222 parallel to the conveying direction are fixedly installed. These two correction sidewalls 222 constitute the absolute physical reference for adjusting the workpiece posture.

[0076] A detection unit 210 is also installed on the gantry 221. In this embodiment, the detection unit 210 uses single-point triggering logic (e.g., a fiber optic sensor), and its detection end is aligned with the flow path of the workpiece. When the detection unit 210 senses that the workpiece has entered the working area, it will send a signal to trigger a correction action.

[0077] A clamping assembly 223 is installed in the middle of the two flow channels (between the two workpieces). This clamping assembly 223 is connected to a drive source and is configured to extend simultaneously to the left and right. Upon receiving a trigger signal from the detection unit 210, the middle clamping assembly 223 actuates, pushing the two workpieces outwards from the inside. Under the thrust, the workpieces undergo lateral displacement and rotation until their outer edges are firmly against the fixed correction sidewalls 222. This action achieves two objectives simultaneously: first, it forcibly corrects the workpiece's skewed posture using the parallel correction sidewalls 222; second, it precisely locks the lateral distance between the two workpieces to the distance between the two outer sidewalls, thereby ensuring that the workpieces are accurately aligned with the downstream slide rail inlet.

[0078] After the workpieces have had their posture and spacing adjusted by the alignment mechanism 200, they leave the conveyor belt 120 and smoothly transition to the guide rail 110. The guide rail 110 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane and includes two sets of parallel grooves. After entering the rail, the workpieces accelerate downwards using their own gravity.

[0079] To prevent lightweight workpieces from stalling on the guide rail due to friction or static electricity, an air blowing assembly is installed above the guide rail 110. The air outlet of the air blowing assembly faces downstream, and the ejected airflow provides additional auxiliary thrust to the workpiece, ensuring that the workpiece can overcome resistance and quickly rush towards the end of the guide rail.

[0080] After the workpiece slides along the guide rail 110 to the end, it enters the palletizing mechanism 300. This embodiment is provided with two sets of parallel palletizing units, which are respectively connected to the two guide rails.

[0081] Each stacking unit's stacking channel 320 is enclosed by several vertically arranged smooth cylindrical rods. This design ensures that the workpiece edge and the inner wall of the channel only have line or point contact, minimizing frictional scratches. At the same time, the stacking channel 320 is inclined from bottom to top towards the side away from the slide rail, using the component of gravity to make the stacked workpieces naturally lean against the rear wall, preventing collapse and facilitating manual tilting and material handling.

[0082] A lifting assembly 310 is located at the bottom of the stacking channel 320. This assembly uses a double-acting cylinder to drive a pusher plate. The projected area of ​​the pusher plate is smaller than the area of ​​the workpiece. Meanwhile, one-way holding assemblies are provided on both sides of the bottom of the channel, specifically eccentric base supports 311 that utilize gravity for reset.

[0083] When the workpiece slides down and rests on the push plate, the double-acting cylinder activates, driving the push plate to lift the workpiece upwards. The edge of the workpiece touches the eccentric base 311, forcing the base to rotate outwards to allow the workpiece to pass from bottom to top. Once the workpiece exceeds the height of the base, the eccentric base 311 automatically returns to its original position instantly under the action of its own gravity and eccentric torque. Subsequently, the cylinder drives the push plate to retract, and the workpiece lands steadily on the eccentric base 311, realizing the logic of "bottom feeding and upward stacking". When the stacked quantity reaches the preset height, the full-position detection sensor at the top of the channel will trigger an alarm, prompting personnel to remove the entire stack of workpieces.

[0084] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. Any specific values ​​in all examples shown and discussed herein should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0085] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" is merely for ease of distinction, and unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0086] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic workpiece sorting device, characterized in that, include: Conveying mechanism, used to transport workpieces; An alignment mechanism (200) is provided on the workpiece flow path to make the workpieces passing through the alignment mechanism (200) assume a preset posture; A palletizing mechanism (300) is disposed on the workpiece flow path and located downstream of the aligning mechanism (200). The palletizing mechanism (300) includes a lifting assembly (310) and a stacking channel (320). The lifting assembly (310) is used to push the workpiece upward from the bottom of the stacking channel (320). The stacking channel (320) includes a one-way holding assembly for supporting the pushed-in workpiece.

2. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alignment mechanism (200) includes: The detection unit (210) is used to detect whether the workpiece has entered the working area of ​​the alignment mechanism (200) and to send a signal; The correction component (220) is used to perform an action according to the trigger signal of the detection unit (210) to actively adjust the posture of the workpiece passing through the alignment mechanism (200).

3. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The correction component (220) includes: A gantry frame (221) is installed above the path through which the workpiece flows; A guide assembly is disposed on the workpiece flow path. The guide assembly forms a pair of diversion channels extending along the workpiece flow direction. The guide assembly includes a pair of correction sidewalls (222). The correction sidewalls (222) are disposed on one side away from each other of the two diversion channels and are parallel to the workpiece flow path direction. A clamping assembly (223) is mounted on the gantry (221) and located between the two diversion channels. The clamping assembly (223) is used to drive the workpiece against the correction sidewall (222).

4. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The detection unit (210) is an optical fiber sensor; The fiber optic sensor is mounted on the gantry (221), and the detection end of the fiber optic sensor is aligned with one of the diversion channels.

5. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unidirectional holding component includes: An eccentric base (311) is movably disposed at the bottom of the stacking channel (320); When the workpiece passes from bottom to top, the eccentric base (311) moves under the action of the workpiece to avoid it; After the workpiece passes through, the eccentric base (311) automatically falls back to its original position under the action of gravity to support the workpiece.

6. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stacking channel (320) is enclosed by several vertically arranged cylindrical rods, which define the stacking space for accommodating workpieces.

7. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting assembly (310) includes: A double-acting cylinder is located at the bottom of the stacking channel (320); A pusher plate is connected to the output end of the double-acting cylinder. The pusher plate is located directly below the stacking channel (320), and the projected area of ​​the pusher plate is smaller than the projected area of ​​the workpiece.

8. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism includes: The guide rail (110) is inclined relative to the horizontal plane to transport the workpiece from top to bottom; An air blowing assembly is located above the guide rail (110), with the air outlet of the air blowing assembly facing the conveying direction of the workpiece.

9. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A full-capacity detection sensor is provided at the top of the stacking channel (320); The full-position detection sensor is used to detect whether the workpieces in the stacking channel (320) have been stacked to a preset height.

10. The automatic workpiece sorting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stacking channel (320) is inclined from bottom to top toward the side away from the conveying mechanism.

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