Tail end pickup device based on transfer robot and robot transfer system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robot tail end clamps, and particularly discloses a tail end picking device based on a transfer robot and a robot transfer system. The tail end picking device comprises a mounting disc; the bracket is connected with the mounting disc; the buffer mechanism is connected to the bracket; the anti-falling mechanism is mounted below the buffer mechanism; the electromagnetic chuck is mounted in the middle of the anti-falling mechanism; the anti-falling mechanism comprises at least one rotatable clamping arm driven by an air cylinder, and the rotating path of the clamping arm passes through the position below the adsorption face of the electromagnetic chuck. The robot handling system comprises an industrial robot and a tail end pickup device. Therefore, the problems that an existing steel plate picking device is low in automation degree, has the falling hidden danger and is poor in adaptability to a modern automatic construction structure are solved, the steel plate picking device can be seamlessly integrated with a transfer robot, picking is reliable, the active falling prevention function is achieved, and manual operation and safety risks can be reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of robot end gripper, in particular to an end picking device based on a carrying robot and a robot carrying system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the construction of steel structure buildings, bridge engineering, heavy equipment manufacturing and other industries, steel plates are commonly used as basic materials. Due to the characteristics of large area, thick thickness and heavy weight of the steel plates used in steel structures, the carrying and picking operations have always been an important part of the construction process. At present, for the picking and shifting of steel plates, large lifting equipment is mainly relied on to cooperate with manual hooking or the use of special magnetic lifting devices.

[0003] Common steel plate picking devices mostly use electric permanent magnets as adsorption actuators. Electric permanent magnets generate strong magnetic force to adsorb steel plates when powered on, and the magnetic force weakens after power off, so that the steel plates can be picked up and released. To some extent, such devices reduce the load of manual carrying, but still have obvious limitations and safety hazards.

[0004] The existing devices often need close manual positioning, hooking or magnetic switch control by the operator, especially when placing the steel plate, manual assistance is needed for positioning, and the entire process relies heavily on the experience and physical strength of the operator. The reliability of electric permanent magnet adsorption is affected by factors such as steel plate surface cleanliness, flatness and power stability. During the carrying process, if there is vibration, impact or instantaneous power failure, there is a risk of accidental falling of the steel plate due to magnetic adsorption alone, which poses a serious safety threat to the equipment and personnel below. With the increasing application of industrial robots, automated carrying AGVs and other intelligent equipment in construction sites, traditional lifting devices or simple magnetic devices are difficult to be stably integrated into the end effector of the robot, and cannot realize fully automated and high-precision picking and placing operations, which limits the further improvement of construction efficiency and the reduction of labor costs.

[0005] Therefore, based on the problems of low automation, falling risk and poor adaptability to modern automated construction structures of the current steel plate picking device, the structure of the steel plate picking device needs to be improved, so that the steel plate picking device can be seamlessly integrated with the carrying robot, picking is reliable, has an active anti-falling function, and can reduce manual operation and safety risks. SUMMARY

[0006] The purpose of the present application is to provide an end picking device based on a carrying robot to solve the problems of low automation, falling risk and poor adaptability to modern automated construction structures of the current steel plate picking device, so that the steel plate picking device can be seamlessly integrated with the carrying robot, picking is reliable, has an active anti-falling function, and can reduce manual operation and safety risks.

[0007] The application realizes the technical scheme as follows:

[0008] A terminal picking device based on a carrying robot, comprising:

[0009] A mounting disc;

[0010] A support connected to the mounting disc;

[0011] A buffering mechanism connected to the support;

[0012] An anti-falling mechanism installed below the buffering mechanism; and

[0013] An electromagnetic chuck installed in the middle of the anti-falling mechanism;

[0014] The anti-falling mechanism comprises at least one rotatable clamping arm driven by a cylinder, and the rotation path of the clamping arm passes below the adsorption surface of the electromagnetic chuck.

[0015] In a possible design, the buffering mechanism comprises a connecting plate, a bottom plate, a slide rod, a sleeve, a spring and a limiting sheet; the connecting plate is connected to the support and the bottom plate; the sleeve is fixedly installed on the bottom plate; the upper end of the slide rod is connected to the anti-falling mechanism, and the lower end thereof passes through the spring and the sleeve in sequence and is in sliding fit with the sleeve; the spring is sleeved on the slide rod, and the two ends thereof are elastically abutted against the anti-falling mechanism and the bottom plate or the sleeve, respectively; and the limiting sheet is connected to the upper end of the sleeve and is used for limiting the sliding stroke of the slide rod.

[0016] In a possible design, the buffering mechanism further comprises a sensor in communication connection with a controller; the sensor is installed on the connecting plate and is used for detecting the displacement information of the anti-falling mechanism; and the controller correspondingly controls the electromagnetic chuck and the cylinder to perform corresponding actions according to the received displacement information.

[0017] In addition, the buffering mechanism further comprises a blocking sheet connected to the anti-falling mechanism and capable of moving together with the anti-falling mechanism, and the movement path of the blocking sheet passes through the sensing area of the sensor; and the sensor is used for acquiring the displacement information of the anti-falling mechanism by sensing the position of the blocking sheet.

[0018] In a possible design, the anti-falling mechanism comprises a fixed arm, the clamping arm is hinged to the end of the fixed arm through a pin shaft, the cylinder body of the cylinder is rotatably connected to the fixed arm, and the piston rod of the cylinder is rotatably connected to the clamping arm.

[0019] In a possible design, the number of clamping arms is two, and the clamping arms are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the electromagnetic chuck.

[0020] In a possible design, the fixed arms are provided with at least two hinge holes in the vertical direction, and the clamping arms are selectively hinged to any of the hinge holes through a pin.

[0021] In a possible design, the anti-falling mechanism further comprises a connecting shaft, which is arranged horizontally between the two fixed arms, and the electromagnetic chuck is fixed below the connecting shaft through a connecting block.

[0022] In a possible design, the bracket is formed as a square steel structure.

[0023] In a possible design, the mounting disc is provided with a mounting hole for connecting with an end flange of an industrial robot.

[0024] A robot handling system comprises an industrial robot and an end picking device, which is mounted on the end of the industrial robot through a mounting disc.

[0025] The present disclosure has the following beneficial effects over the prior art:

[0026] With the above technical solution, the device integrates the electromagnetic adsorption and the mechanical anti-falling double protection structure, in which the electromagnetic chuck provides the main adsorption force, and the clamping arms driven by the air cylinder provide independent mechanical locking. Even if the magnetic force is weakened or disappears due to severe vibration, impact or accidental power failure during the handling process, the mechanical clamping arms can still effectively hold the steel plate and prevent it from falling, completely responding to the safety hazard problem pointed out in the background technology.

[0027] By connecting the mounting disc with the end of the robot, the entire picking, handling and placing process can be automatically completed by the robot program, without the need for manual close-range hooking and auxiliary positioning, thereby reducing the labor cost and operation risk. At the same time, the existence of the buffer mechanism enables the device to have certain self-adaptive ability, tolerating the uneven surface of the steel plate and the slight error of the robot positioning, thereby ensuring the reliability and success rate of the automated process.

[0028] The buffer mechanism not only ensures the soft contact during picking, but also plays a role in shock absorption during handling, effectively isolating the effect of the dynamic impact of the load on the robot body and the structure of the device itself (especially the hinge point of the electromagnetic chuck and the air cylinder), thereby improving the service life of the entire device. The close integration of the anti-falling mechanism and the electromagnetic chuck in space and function (the clamping arm path passes below the chuck), ensures the coordination and effectiveness of the actions of the two. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the exemplary embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some of the embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope, and for those skilled in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained without creative labor. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the end picking device based on the carrying robot in an embodiment provided by the present application;

[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the end picking device based on the carrying robot when picking steel plates;

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the buffer mechanism in the end picking device based on the carrying robot provided by the present application;

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the clamping mechanism in the end picking device based on the carrying robot provided by the present application.

[0034] The marks in the drawings and the corresponding names of the parts are as follows: 1 - mounting disc, 11 - mounting hole, 2 - bracket, 3 - buffer mechanism, 31 - connecting plate, 32 - bottom plate, 33 - slide rod, 34 - sleeve, 35 - sensor, 36 - baffle, 4 - anti-falling mechanism, 41 - air cylinder, 42 - clamping arm, 43 - fixed arm, 5 - electromagnetic chuck, 6 - steel plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the description of these embodiments is used to help understand the present application, but does not constitute a limitation of the present application. The specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are only used to describe the exemplary embodiments of the present application. However, the present application can be embodied in many alternative forms, and should not be understood as limited in the embodiments described herein.

[0036] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an end picking device based on a carrying robot is provided. Wherein, Figures 1 to 4 a specific embodiment thereof is shown.

[0037] Referring to Figures 1 to 4As shown, the end picking device based on the carrying robot comprises a mounting disc 1, a support 2 connected to the mounting disc 1, a buffer mechanism 3 connected to the support 2, an anti-falling mechanism 4 installed below the buffer mechanism 3, and an electromagnetic chuck 5 installed in the middle of the anti-falling mechanism 4. The anti-falling mechanism 4 comprises at least one rotatable clamping arm 42 driven by a pneumatic cylinder 41, and the rotation path of the clamping arm 42 passes below the adsorption surface of the electromagnetic chuck 5.

[0038] The whole working process starts from the industrial robot holding the device through the mounting disc 1 and moving above the target steel plate 6. First, the robot driving device is lowered, so that the electromagnetic chuck 5 contacts the surface of the steel plate 6 and is powered on to generate strong magnetic force to adsorb the steel plate 6, completing the initial picking. Then, the pneumatic cylinder 41 of the anti-falling mechanism 4 drives the clamping arm 42 to rotate, and since the rotation path of the clamping arm 42 passes below the adsorption surface of the electromagnetic chuck 5, the end of the clamping arm 42 will be tightened inward from the position below the side or edge of the steel plate 6, forming a mechanical constraint to the steel plate 6 and constituting the second insurance to prevent falling. In this process, if the surface of the steel plate 6 is not flat or there is a slight deviation in positioning, the buffer mechanism 3 can absorb the impact and error through its elastic deformation, ensuring that the electromagnetic chuck 5 and the clamping arm 42 can both achieve good contact with the steel plate 6, avoiding rigid collision. Then, the robot can safely carry the steel plate 6. When it is necessary to release the steel plate 6, the pneumatic cylinder 41 drives the clamping arm 42 to reverse rotation and loosen, and then the electromagnetic chuck 5 is powered off, so that the steel plate 6 is placed smoothly.

[0039] Through the above technical solution, the device integrates the electromagnetic adsorption and mechanical anti-falling double protection structure, in which the electromagnetic chuck 5 provides the main adsorption force, and the clamping arm 42 driven by the pneumatic cylinder 41 provides independent mechanical locking. Even if the magnetic force is weakened or disappears due to severe vibration, impact or accidental power failure during carrying, the mechanical clamping arm 42 can still effectively hold the steel plate 6 to prevent it from falling, completely responding to the safety hidden trouble problem pointed out in the background technology.

[0040] Through the connection of the mounting disc 1 and the end of the robot, the whole picking, carrying and placing process can be automatically completed by the robot program, without the need for manual close-range hooking and auxiliary positioning, reducing labor cost and operation risk. At the same time, the existence of the buffer mechanism 3 makes the device have certain self-adaptive ability, which can tolerate the uneven surface of the steel plate 6 and the slight error of the robot positioning, ensuring the reliability and success rate of the automation process.

[0041] The buffer mechanism 3 not only ensures the soft contact during picking, but also plays a role in shock absorption during the carrying process, effectively isolating the dynamic impact of the load on the robot body and the structure of the device itself (especially the hinge joint of the electromagnetic chuck 5 and the air cylinder 41), thereby improving the service life of the entire device. The anti-falling mechanism 4 and the electromagnetic chuck 5 are closely integrated in space and function (the clamping arm path passes under the chuck), ensuring the coordination and effectiveness of their actions.

[0042] It should be noted that the orientation words used, such as "inner" and "outer", refer to the "inner" and "outer" relative to the outline of the parts, and the direction towards the parts is "inner", and vice versa. In addition, it should be noted that the terms used, such as "first" and "second", are used to distinguish one element from another, and do not have sequential and important nature. Furthermore, in the following description, the same reference signs in different drawings represent the same elements. It should be noted that for the "and / or" appearing in the text, A and / or B, it is intended to represent the three schemes of only A, only B, and both A and B. And for the "and" appearing in the text, A / and B, it is intended to represent the two schemes of only A and both A and B.

[0043] In one embodiment provided by the present disclosure, the buffer mechanism 3 includes a connecting plate 31, a bottom plate 32, a sleeve 34, a sliding rod 33, a spring, and a limiting piece; the connecting plate 31 is connected with the support 2 and the bottom plate 32; the sleeve 34 is fixedly installed on the bottom plate 32; the upper end of the sliding rod 33 is connected with the anti-falling mechanism 4, and the lower end thereof passes through the spring and the sleeve 34 in sequence and is in sliding fit with the sleeve 34; the spring is sleeved on the sliding rod 33, and the two ends thereof are elastically abutted against the anti-falling mechanism 4 and the bottom plate 32 or the sleeve 34, respectively; and the limiting piece is connected with the upper end of the sleeve 34 and is used for limiting the sliding stroke of the sliding rod 33.

[0044] When the end picking device performs the picking operation, the anti-falling mechanism 4 and the electromagnetic chuck 5 are in contact with the steel plate 6. If there is a contact force or impact, the force will make the anti-falling mechanism 4 have a tendency to move upward. This movement is transmitted through the upper end of the sliding rod 33, forcing the sliding rod 33 to overcome the pre-tightening force or elastic force of the spring and slide downward along the inner wall of the sleeve 34. In this process, the spring is compressed, and its elastic potential energy increases, thereby absorbing and storing the impact energy. The limiting piece is installed on the upper end of the sleeve 34 and cooperates with the corresponding structure (such as a shaft shoulder) on the sliding rod 33 to prevent the sliding rod 33 from sliding excessively upward and falling out of the sleeve 34, thereby limiting the maximum buffer stroke. When the impact force disappears or the device needs to be detached, the spring releases the stored potential energy, pushes the anti-falling mechanism 4 to reset, and the sliding rod 33 slides reversely along the sleeve 34 to restore to the initial position, ready for the next operation.

[0045] The sliding pair formed by the slide rod 33 and the sleeve 34 allows the anti-drop mechanism 4 to move along a preset axial direction (usually vertical) during the buffering process, effectively preventing lateral swaying, uneven loading, or jamming. This precise guidance ensures a clear line of action for the buffering force, guarantees the stability of the adsorption plane of the electromagnetic chuck 5, and provides a reliable basis for displacement detection of the sensor 35 (if installed). The limiting piece constitutes a mechanical hard limit, and its cooperation with the slide rod 33 can absolutely limit the upper limit of the buffering stroke. This not only prevents the spring from being over-compressed or even failing under abnormally large impacts, but also avoids the risk of structural instability caused by the slide rod 33 accidentally and completely dislodging from the sleeve 34, adding a crucial passive safety barrier to the entire device.

[0046] Sleeve 34 is fixed to base plate 32, forming a stable mounting frame together with connecting plate 31 and bracket 2, giving the buffer mechanism 3 itself high rigidity. Simultaneously, sleeve 34 acts as a guide, protecting slide rod 33 and concentrating sliding friction on the inner wall of the replaceable sleeve 34, preventing wear on the holes of base plate 32, improving the mechanism's environmental tolerance and service life. Maintenance only requires replacing sleeve 34, making it simple and economical. The spring is precisely constrained between anti-drop mechanism 4 and base plate 32 (or the upper end face of sleeve 34), and its buffering characteristics (stiffness and stroke) can be precisely matched through design. This mechanism effectively attenuates the impact and vibration caused by load swaying and start-stop inertia, flexibly filtering out these dynamic loads rather than rigidly transmitting them to the robot wrist, thereby protecting the transmission system and precision of the industrial robot body and reducing equipment failure rate.

[0047] Furthermore, the buffer mechanism 3 also includes a sensor 35 communicatively connected to the controller. The sensor 35 is mounted on the connecting plate 31 and is used to detect the displacement information of the anti-detachment mechanism 4. Based on the received displacement information, the controller correspondingly controls the electromagnetic chuck 5 and the cylinder 41 to perform corresponding actions. The sensor 35 (configured as a linear displacement sensor 35, proximity switch, or optical encoder) monitors in real time the displacement (i.e., the sliding distance of the slide bar 33) and / or displacement speed of the anti-detachment mechanism 4 relative to the connecting plate 31 / base plate 32. This displacement information reflects the contact state and the magnitude of the interaction force between the device and the steel plate 6, and is continuously converted into an electrical signal and sent to the controller (such as a robot PLC or a dedicated motion controller). The controller receives and processes the real-time data from the sensor 35, compares it with preset safety thresholds and logical conditions, and makes intelligent judgments.

[0048] When the anti-detachment mechanism 4 detects a continuous, stable, slight upward displacement (corresponding to spring compression), the controller can determine that the electromagnetic chuck 5 and clamping arm have made solid contact with and compacted the steel plate 6. If a sudden, violent displacement impact (displacement speed or acceleration exceeding limits) is detected, the controller can determine that an abnormal rigid collision has occurred. During handling, if the anti-detachment mechanism 4 is detected to exhibit abnormal downward displacement or continuous vibration (exceeding the normal buffer range), it may indicate that the steel plate 6 is at risk of loosening.

[0049] In this way, the controller only issues a command to energize the electromagnetic chuck 5 after confirming successful pickup verification (contact in place), ensuring that the suction action is performed at the optimal time and avoiding forced suction due to dry suction or poor contact. Similarly, after confirming contact, the controller then commands the cylinder 41 to tighten the clamping arm 42. If an abnormal collision is detected during pickup or handling, the controller can immediately command the cylinder 41 to maintain or enter a safe state (such as locking), or even command the robot to pause urgently. When placing the steel plate 6, the controller can programmably implement a specific safety sequence, for example, first controlling the cylinder 41 to release the clamping arm, and then disconnecting the power to the electromagnetic chuck 5 after the sensor 35 confirms that the clamping arm has returned to the safe position to prevent interference.

[0050] In this disclosure, the controller is configured as a PLC logic controller.

[0051] Furthermore, the controller is integrated into the terminal.

[0052] Of course, in other embodiments, the controller may also be configured as a central processing unit (CPU) and located in a location other than the terminal. Furthermore, the controller may also be configured as a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0053] In this disclosure, the controller is communicatively connected to various sensors via cables. In other embodiments, the controller may also be connected to the sensors via wireless communication modules such as Wi-Fi or ZigBee modules. Those skilled in the art can flexibly configure the controller based on the concept of this disclosure.

[0054] In the embodiments provided by the present invention, the buffer mechanism 3 further includes a baffle 36, which is connected to the anti-detachment mechanism 4 and can move with it. Its movement path passes through the sensing area of ​​the sensor 35. The sensor 35 is used to obtain the displacement information of the anti-detachment mechanism 4 by sensing the position of the baffle 36.

[0055] During the operation of the end-effector, the anti-drop mechanism 4 will experience vertical displacement due to contact with the steel plate 6, load impact, or resetting action. This displacement synchronously drives the baffle 36 fixed to it to move. When the baffle 36 enters or passes through the sensing area (such as the photoelectric beam area or electromagnetic induction area) of the sensor 35 fixedly mounted on the connecting plate 31, it will change the sensing state of the sensor 35. The sensor 35 then converts this state change into an electrical signal and sends it to the controller in real time. By continuously receiving and parsing this signal, the controller can accurately obtain the displacement, direction of movement, and speed information of the anti-drop mechanism 4. Based on this real-time data, the controller can intelligently determine key operating conditions such as "the device and the workpiece have been compacted," "the buffer stroke has exceeded the limit," or "an abnormal collision has occurred," and accordingly issue corresponding control commands to the electromagnetic chuck 5, the cylinder 41, or the robot body, thereby achieving full closed-loop precise control.

[0056] The sensor 35 and the baffle 36 employ a non-contact detection method, completely avoiding the signal failure or false triggering problems caused by mechanical wear, oil adhesion, or metal debris jamming in traditional contact limit switches. This structure can directly and without hysteresis convert the mechanical displacement of the anti-detachment mechanism 4 into a digital or analog signal that the controller can recognize, enabling the system to move beyond simple sequential control and make intelligent decisions based on the actual physical state. For example, the controller only instructs the electromagnetic chuck 5 to be energized and adsorbed after the sensor 35 confirms that the anti-detachment mechanism 4 has produced a stable micro-displacement (indicating contact and compaction), effectively preventing empty suction; or it immediately triggers an emergency stop when a sudden displacement change is detected (indicating a collision), establishing an active safety protection mechanism.

[0057] In one embodiment provided in this disclosure, the anti-detachment mechanism 4 includes a fixed arm 43, a clamping arm 42 hinged to the end of the fixed arm 43 by a pin, a cylinder body of a cylinder 41 rotatably connected to the fixed arm 43, and a piston rod of the cylinder 41 rotatably connected to the clamping arm 42.

[0058] When the device performs a pickup task, cylinder 41 receives an action command. The linear motion of the piston rod extending or retracting is converted into a rotational motion that drives the clamping arm 42 to rotate around the pin connecting it to the fixed arm 43 through its hinge point. When the piston rod extends, it pushes the clamping arm 42 to swing inward and downward, causing its end to move to below or to the side of the edge of the steel plate 6 attracted by the electromagnetic chuck 5, thus achieving mechanical clamping or lifting. When the piston rod retracts, it pulls the clamping arm 42 to swing outward and upward, thereby releasing the mechanical constraint on the steel plate 6. Throughout the process, the fixed arm 43 serves as a stable mounting base and force fulcrum, the cylinder 41 serves as the power source, and the clamping arm 42 serves as the actuating element. The three form a stable and reliable power transmission chain through the hinge point.

[0059] The linear thrust provided by cylinder 41 acts on a certain lever arm position of clamping arm 42, and finally generates a larger clamping torque at the end of clamping arm 42 (i.e. the contact point with steel plate 6). Thus, a sufficiently large end clamping force can be achieved by using cylinder 41 with relatively small thrust, thereby meeting functional requirements while facilitating the miniaturization and weight reduction of the device.

[0060] Since the clamping arm 42, cylinder 41, and fixed arm 43 are all rotatably connected, the entire actuator has a certain degree of freedom of movement in the non-locked state. When the end of the clamping arm 42 contacts the edge of the steel plate 6, if the contact surface is not perfectly flat or there is an angular deviation, the hinge structure allows the clamping arm 42 to undergo a slight adaptive angle adjustment under the thrust of the cylinder 41, so that the clamping surface fits the steel plate 6 better and improves the reliability of the anti-drop effect.

[0061] In one possible embodiment, there are two clamping arms 42, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the electromagnetic chuck 5.

[0062] During handling, especially when moved in space by an industrial robot, steel plate 6 is subjected to inertial forces from multiple directions. The symmetrically arranged double gripping arms can simultaneously apply constraint forces from both sides of steel plate 6, forming a force couple or a stable gripping area with three or more points, effectively resisting potential lateral sliding, torsion, or overturning tendencies of steel plate 6. Combined with the vertical attraction force provided by the electro-permanent magnets, this constitutes a more complete constraint system in three-dimensional space, reducing the risk of steel plate 6 slipping off one side due to dynamic loads.

[0063] In addition, the symmetrical arrangement allows the clamping force and the reaction force of the steel plate 6 load on the device to be evenly transmitted to the support 2 and the end of the robot through the fixed arms 43 on both sides and the buffer mechanism 3, avoiding the twisting of structural components, additional bending moment or local overload that may be caused by unilateral force, thereby reducing the stress concentration of the device itself.

[0064] In one possible embodiment, the fixed arm 43 is provided with at least two hinge holes along the vertical direction, and the clamping arm 42 is selectively hinged to either hinge hole by a pin.

[0065] When the steel plate 6 is large, the clamping arm 42 needs to be installed at the end of the fixed arm 43 to provide sufficient clamping span; while when the steel plate 6 is small, it needs to be installed at the proximal end hole to ensure that the clamping arm can effectively restrain the edge of the steel plate 6. The multiple hinge holes allow for changing the hinge point, thereby adjusting the mechanical method of the working radius of the clamping arm 42. The adjustable hinge hole position ensures that regardless of the size of the steel plate 6, the operator can quickly adjust the rotation center of the clamping arm 42 to the optimal position, so that the clamping arm can accurately act on the effective edge or below the steel plate 6 after tightening, forming a stable mechanical constraint.

[0066] The device employs a pin-type fixing method, and the adjustment operation itself can be completed with only simple tools (such as disassembling and reinstalling the pin), allowing for quick switching without the need for a complicated calibration process. At the same time, the entire adjustment mechanism is composed of purely mechanical parts (fixed arm 43 with holes, pin), making it robust, durable, and highly resistant to contamination, making it very suitable for steel structure construction or workshop environments where oil stains and dust may be present.

[0067] Furthermore, the anti-drop mechanism 4 also includes a connecting shaft, which is horizontally positioned between the two fixed arms 43. The electromagnetic chuck 5 is fixed to the lower part of the connecting shaft via a connecting block. The connecting shaft acts as a horizontal rigid beam, connecting the left and right fixed arms 43 at the top to form an integral frame, enhancing the structural rigidity and torsional resistance of the anti-drop mechanism 4 itself. The electromagnetic chuck 5 is suspended and installed at the center position below this shaft via the connecting block, allowing the suction force to be transmitted through the shortest path—that is, through the connecting shaft—to the fixed arms 43 on both sides, and then finally to the robot body via the buffer mechanism 3. This makes the entire end effector structure more compact and the force distribution clearer, ensuring the entire handling process is safe and reliable.

[0068] Specifically, the rigidity of the connecting shaft and its fixed position within the frame establish a stable installation platform for the electromagnetic chuck 5, unaffected by the movement of the clamping arms. Regardless of the opening and closing motion of the clamping arms 42 on both sides, the adsorption plane of the electromagnetic chuck 5 remains in a fixed spatial position defined by the connecting shaft, ensuring consistency in the contact posture and distance between the electromagnetic chuck 5 and the surface of the steel plate 6. This makes it easier for the center of gravity of the steel plate 6 to align with the clamping center when it is adsorbed, creating favorable conditions for subsequent safe handling and precise placement.

[0069] In one embodiment, the support 2 is formed as a square steel structure. The square steel profile has a closed cross-sectional shape and uniform material distribution, thus it has a high moment of inertia, which can provide strong bending and torsional resistance in a relatively lightweight structure. This ensures that the entire device will not undergo excessive deformation or vibration when lifting heavy steel plates 6, ensuring the relative stability of the adsorption plane between the electromagnetic chuck 5 and the steel plate 6, and also maintaining the positioning accuracy of the anti-drop clamp arm, thereby ensuring the safe and reliable implementation of the picking and handling process.

[0070] Furthermore, the flat surface of the square steel facilitates secure and precise fixing to the upper mounting plate 1 and the lower connecting plate 31 via welding, bolting, or other methods. Its regular geometry provides clear machining and positioning references, simplifying the assembly process and ensuring the relative positional accuracy between components. In addition, square steel, as a widely available standard industrial profile, has low procurement costs and mature processing technology, which helps control the overall manufacturing cost of the device and ensure consistent product quality.

[0071] In practical applications, the cables of the electromagnetic chuck 5, the air pipes of the cylinder 41, and the cables of the sensor 35 (if applicable) need to be routed from the robot's wrist to the end effector. The regular shape and internal space of the square steel (if it is a hollow square steel) provide a channel and protective structure for the laying and fixing of these pipelines. Regularly arranging and fixing the pipelines along the square steel frame effectively prevents them from snagging or abrading with the external environment during operation, thus improving the safety of the working process.

[0072] Besides the preferred square steel structure described above, those skilled in the art will understand that the specific structural form of the support 2 is not limited to this, and can be adapted to different load-bearing requirements, lightweight requirements, or special process conditions. For example, in one embodiment, the support 2 uses a round or rectangular tube frame structure, which is constructed by welding or splicing standard steel pipes to form the frame support 2. This structure can achieve better lightweighting while ensuring sufficient rigidity, and round tubes have certain advantages in terms of bending isotropic resistance.

[0073] In another embodiment, I-beams or channel steel structures can also be selected. For applications requiring heavy loads or larger spans, I-beams, channel steels, and other profiles with a higher strength-to-weight ratio can be used as the main load-bearing beams to meet the strength and stiffness requirements under extreme working conditions.

[0074] In another embodiment, a box-shaped or truss structure welded from steel plates 6 can be selected. This structure, by welding multiple steel plates 6 into a closed box beam or an open truss form, can be designed to create a support structure 2 with extremely high rigidity and flexible customizable shape, suitable for occasions with special requirements for structural characteristics.

[0075] In addition, alloy profiles or carbon fiber composite structures can be used. In applications where weight is extremely sensitive (such as high-speed robots), using high-strength aluminum alloy profiles or carbon fiber composites to manufacture the support frame 2 can significantly reduce the weight of the end effector while providing the necessary rigidity, thereby improving the robot's dynamic performance and energy efficiency.

[0076] In one possible embodiment, the mounting plate 1 is provided with mounting holes 11 for connecting to the end effector flange of the industrial robot. High-strength bolts are used to fasten the connection through these mounting holes 11, establishing a highly rigid connection interface with no relative displacement between the robot and the picking device. This connection method can accurately transmit the robot's motion and torque, ensuring that the positioning accuracy and attitude of the end effector are fully controlled, which is the foundation for subsequent precise picking, reliable handling, and accurate placement.

[0077] Furthermore, the design based on mounting hole 11 allows the end effector to be quickly installed onto or removed from compatible industrial robots, much like a standard tool. This facilitates equipment deployment, maintenance, and scheduling among multiple robots. On the production line, when it is necessary to switch between different end effectors based on the task (such as from a pickup device to a welding head), this interface based on mounting hole 11 can be used with a quick-change device (although this embodiment uses a connection, interface standardization is a prerequisite for quick change) to achieve rapid replacement, thereby improving the flexible production capability and equipment utilization rate of the entire robot work unit.

[0078] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a robotic handling system is provided.

[0079] The robot handling system includes an industrial robot and an end-effector, which is mounted on the end of the industrial robot via its mounting plate 1.

[0080] By replacing manual labor with industrial robots for dangerous and heavy-duty operations such as movement and positioning, operators can stay away from under heavy objects and along the transport path, eliminating the potential risk of personal injury. The robot's highly repeatable and precise movements also eliminate the instability and fatigue associated with manual operation, making the entire transport process standardized and controllable, meeting the safety and standardization requirements of modern intelligent manufacturing. Secondly, this robotic transport system amplifies the technological advantages of both the end effector and the robot body through deep collaboration, achieving a synergistic effect where 1+1>2. Combined, the robot can freely drive the end effector to any desired location (such as deep within a stack of materials, on a machine tool table), and execute complex picking, obstacle avoidance, and placement paths. Simultaneously, the end effector's buffer mechanism 3 and anti-drop mechanism 4 effectively isolate the robot body from the dynamic impact of the load, and its sensor 35 (if equipped) provides the robot control system with key status information such as contact confirmation and collision warnings, making the robot's movements more intelligent, smooth, and safe, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of the entire transport operation.

[0081] The above specific embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. 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.

[0082] Finally, it should be noted that this invention is not limited to the optional embodiments described above, and anyone can derive other various forms of products under the guidance of this invention. The specific embodiments described above should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention, which should be determined by the claims, and the specification can be used to interpret the claims.

Claims

1. An end-effector pickup device based on a transport robot, characterized in that, include: Installation disk; The bracket connects to the mounting plate; A buffer mechanism is connected to the support frame; An anti-fall-off mechanism is installed below the buffer mechanism; as well as, An electromagnetic chuck is installed in the middle of the anti-drop mechanism; The anti-drop mechanism includes at least one rotatable clamping arm driven by a cylinder, the rotation path of which passes below the adsorption surface of the electromagnetic chuck.

2. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer mechanism includes a connecting plate, a base plate, a sliding rod, a sleeve, a spring, and a limiting plate; the connecting plate is connected to the bracket and the base plate; the sleeve is fixedly installed on the base plate; the upper end of the sliding rod is connected to the anti-drop mechanism, and its lower end passes through the spring and the sleeve in sequence, forming a sliding fit with the sleeve; the spring is sleeved on the sliding rod, and its two ends elastically abut against the anti-drop mechanism and the base plate or the sleeve respectively; the limiting plate is connected to the upper end of the sleeve and is used to limit the sliding stroke of the sliding rod.

3. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The buffer mechanism also includes a sensor that is communicatively connected to the controller; the sensor is mounted on the connecting plate and is used to detect the displacement information of the anti-detachment mechanism; the controller controls the electromagnetic chuck and the cylinder to perform corresponding actions according to the received displacement information. The buffer mechanism further includes a baffle plate connected to the anti-detachment mechanism and capable of moving with it, the movement path of which passes through the sensing area of ​​the sensor; the sensor is used to obtain the displacement information of the anti-detachment mechanism by sensing the position of the baffle plate.

4. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anti-fall-off mechanism includes a fixed arm, a clamping arm hinged to the end of the fixed arm by a pin, a cylinder body rotatably connected to the fixed arm, and a piston rod rotatably connected to the clamping arm.

5. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping arms are two in number and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the electromagnetic chuck.

6. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixed arm has at least two hinge holes along the vertical direction, and the clamping arm is hinged to either of the hinge holes by means of a pin.

7. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The anti-fall-off mechanism also includes a connecting shaft, which is horizontally positioned between the two fixed arms, and the electromagnetic chuck is fixed below the connecting shaft by a connecting block.

8. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support structure is formed of square steel.

9. The end-effector pickup device based on a handling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting plate is provided with mounting holes for connecting to the end flange of an industrial robot.

10. A robotic handling system, characterized in that, The invention includes an industrial robot and an end-effector based on a handling robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the end-effector is mounted to the end of the industrial robot via its mounting plate.

Images