Snap spring assembling equipment of steering knuckle ball pin assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of automobile steering knuckles, in particular to clamp spring assembling equipment of a steering knuckle ball pin assembly. The clamp spring assembling equipment comprises a rack, a main frame mechanism arranged on the rack and a servo mechanism fixed to the upper portion of the main frame mechanism. The main shaft mechanism is connected with the servo mechanism and can be driven by the servo mechanism to move up and down along the main frame mechanism; the tool mechanism is fixed on the rack and used for positioning a workpiece and a clamp spring, and a pressure head module of the tool mechanism is connected with the main shaft mechanism so as to move up and down along with the main shaft mechanism; the industrial personal computer is arranged on the rack and is used for displaying a press-fitting curve and result judgment; the code scanning gun is used for scanning a two-dimensional code of the workpiece; and the starting switch is arranged on the rack and is used for starting a press-fitting program of the servo mechanism. According to the clamp spring assembling equipment, production tracing of installation of a clamp spring of a steering knuckle ball pin assembly can be achieved, the risk that the clamp spring is neglected to be installed is avoided in a pressure-displacement monitoring mode, and workers are liberated from frequent hand operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bicycle steering knuckle technology, specifically to a snap ring assembly device for a steering knuckle ball pin assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Common components in steering knuckle assembly production include bushings, steel sleeves, and ball joints. Some ball joints on steering knuckle assemblies also require circlips to be installed on their shafts. The traditional method for circlip assembly is to manually use circlip pliers to enlarge the circlip and then fit it into the groove of the ball joint. However, in mass production, this method can cause severe discomfort to workers due to frequent hand movements with the circlip pliers. From a quality control perspective, there is also the risk of missing circlips that cannot be traced. Currently, the factory does not have equipment suitable for installing circlips on steering knuckle assemblies. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a snap ring assembly equipment for steering knuckle ball pin assembly, which can replace the traditional snap ring pliers for manual installation of snap rings by pressing snap rings with a servo electric cylinder, greatly freeing the operator's hands, and also realizing production traceability and anti-missing installation functions for snap ring assembly.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0005] A snap ring assembly device for a steering knuckle ball pin assembly includes a frame, a main frame mechanism mounted on the frame, a servo mechanism fixed above the main frame mechanism, a spindle mechanism connected to the servo mechanism and configured to move up and down along the main frame mechanism as driven by the servo mechanism, a tooling mechanism fixed on the frame for positioning the workpiece and the snap ring, the pressure head module of the tooling mechanism being connected to the spindle mechanism to move up and down with it, an industrial control computer mounted on the frame for displaying the pressing curve and result judgment, a barcode scanner for scanning the QR code on the workpiece, and a start switch mounted on the frame for starting the pressing program of the servo mechanism.

[0006] In some embodiments, the servo mechanism includes an electric cylinder and a connecting shaft disposed on the lower side of the electric cylinder.

[0007] In some embodiments, the main frame mechanism includes a main frame, a guide rail fixed on the main frame, and a sliding sleeve that is installed in cooperation with the guide rail and can move up and down along it, with the main shaft mechanism fixed on the sliding sleeve.

[0008] In some embodiments, the spindle mechanism includes an L-shaped bracket, a force sensor fixed to the lower side of the L-shaped bracket, and a pressure head interface sleeve. The L-shaped bracket is fixed to the sliding sleeve of the main frame mechanism, and the pressure head interface sleeve is connected to the pressure head module of the tooling mechanism through a pin.

[0009] In some embodiments, the tooling mechanism includes: a tooling body fixed on a frame for carrying and positioning a workpiece; a floating module movably connected to the tooling body for positioning a retaining ring and having a floating pressure plate that can fit against the upper surface of the workpiece; a gripper module disposed on the floating module; and a pressure head module whose upper side is connected to the spindle mechanism, whose lower side is configured to move up and down relative to the floating module, and which can release and clamp the floating module by opening and closing the gripper module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the floating module includes a connecting plate, a guide post fixed on the connecting plate, and a compression spring disposed inside the guide post. The guide post is used to accommodate a snap ring and a ball pin that can be inserted into the workpiece.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gripper module includes a slider slidably disposed on a floating module, grippers disposed on the slider, and rollers disposed on the slider and capable of contacting the side of the gripper guide plate of the pressure head module. The opening and closing of the grippers is controlled by the contact position between the rollers and the gripper guide plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressure head module includes a pressure head, a pressure column connected to the pressure head, and a preload spring disposed between the pressure head and the connecting plate of the floating module. The pressure column is configured to extend into the inner hole of the guide column and compress the spring. The lower end of the pressure head is used to press down the retaining ring. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0014] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the snap ring assembled by the snap ring assembly equipment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 This is the state of the steering knuckle ball joint assembly after the retaining ring has been installed.

[0016] Figure 3 This is an isometric view of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a left view of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a half-sectional view of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 7This is a half-sectional view of the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 8 This is an isometric view of the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view along the clamping guide rod of the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view along the axial direction of the pressure head guide rod of the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a front view of the tooling mechanism of the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0026] 1. Foot, 2. Stand, 3. Profile frame, 4. Servo mechanism, 401. Electric cylinder, 402. Connecting shaft, 5. Main frame mechanism, 501. Main frame, 502. Limit block, 503. Guide rail, 504. Sliding sleeve, 505. Cross frame, 6. Spindle mechanism, 601. Nut, 602. Screw sleeve, 603. Fixing plate, 604. L-shaped bracket, 605. Force sensor, 606. Pin, 607. Press head interface sleeve; 7. Tooling mechanism; 71. Tooling body; 7101. Base plate; 7102. Vertical plate; 7103. Support column; 7104. Horizontal plate; 7105. Positioning seat; 7106. Stop block; 7107. Handle; 72. Floating module; 7201. Floating pressure plate; 7202. Connecting plate; 7203. Clamping guide rail; 7204. Clamping limit plate; 7205. Clamping... 7206. Guide rod, 7207. Guide post, 7208. Floating guide sleeve, 7209. Compression spring, 72000. Limit nut, 7210. Limit bolt, 73. Gripper module, 7301. Slider, 7302. Clamping spring, 7303. Transition block, 7304. Gripper, 7305. Rotating shaft, 7306. Roller, 74. Pressure head module, 7401. Pressure head, 7402. Pressure head connector 7403. Connecting plate, 7404. Clamping sleeve, 7405. Pressure head guide rod, 7406. Grip guide plate, 7407. Preload spring, 7408. Limiting ring, 7409. Pressure column, 74000. Preload guide rod, 7410. Pressing spring, 7411. Support block, 8. Snap ring, 9. Industrial computer, 10. Workpiece, 11. Barcode scanner, 12. Charging bracket, 13. Start switch, 14. Tooling positioning plate. Detailed Implementation

[0027] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The following is for reference. Figures 1 to 11 The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention is described in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0030] A snap ring assembly device for a steering knuckle ball pin assembly comprises a base 1, a stand 2, a profile frame 3, a servo mechanism 4, a main frame mechanism 5, a spindle mechanism 6, a tooling mechanism 7, a snap ring 8, an industrial computer 9, a workpiece 10, a barcode scanner 11, a charging bracket 12, a start switch 13, and a tooling positioning plate 14. The main body of the equipment consists of a base 1, a profile frame 3, a main frame mechanism 5, and a tooling positioning plate 14, all fixed on the platform 2. A servo mechanism 4 is fixed above the main frame mechanism 5. A spindle mechanism 6 is connected to the servo mechanism 4 and moves up and down along the main frame mechanism 5 as driven by the servo mechanism 4. A tooling mechanism 7 is fixedly installed on the platform 2. The workpiece 10 and the retaining ring 8 are positioned on the tooling mechanism 7. The pressure head 7401 of the tooling mechanism 7 is connected to the spindle mechanism 6 and moves up and down as driven by the servo mechanism 4. A charging bracket 12 is fixed on the platform 2 for fixing and charging the barcode scanner 11. A start switch 13 is fixed on the platform 2 for starting the pressing program of the servo mechanism 4. An industrial control computer 9 is fixed on the profile frame 3 for displaying the pressing curve of the retaining ring 8 and judging the results, realizing online quality management of the factory.

[0031] The servo mechanism 4 includes an electric cylinder 401 and a connecting shaft 402. The connecting shaft 402 is fixed to the lower side of the electric cylinder 401 and is used to drive other components.

[0032] The main frame mechanism 5 includes a main frame 501, a limiting block 502, a guide rail 503, a sliding sleeve 504, and a cross frame 505. The limiting block 502, the guide rail 503, and the cross frame 505 are fixed on the main frame 501. The sliding sleeve 504 is installed in conjunction with the guide rail 503 and can move up and down along the guide rail 503. The cross frame 505 is used to fix and install the servo mechanism 4.

[0033] The spindle mechanism 6 includes a nut 601, a threaded sleeve 602, a fixed plate 603, an L-shaped bracket 604, a force sensor 605, a pin 606, and a pressure head interface sleeve 607. The nut 601 is threadedly connected to the connecting shaft 402 of the servo mechanism 4. The upper side of the threaded sleeve 602 is threadedly connected to the connecting shaft 402 of the servo mechanism 4. The lower side of the threaded sleeve 602 is constrained between the upper side of the L-shaped bracket 604 and the fixed plate 603. The fixed plate 603 is fixed to the upper side of the L-shaped bracket 604. The force sensor 605 and the pressure head interface sleeve 607 are fixed to the lower side of the L-shaped bracket 604. One end of the L-shaped bracket 604 is fixed to the sliding sleeve 504 of the main frame mechanism 5. In this way, the spindle mechanism 6 can move up and down along the main frame mechanism 5 with the drive of the servo mechanism 4.

[0034] The tooling mechanism 7 includes four parts: tooling body 71, floating module 72, gripper module 73, and pressure head module 74. The tooling body 71 is composed of a base plate 7101, a vertical plate 7102, a support column 7103, a horizontal plate 7104, a positioning seat 7105, a stop block 7106, and a handle 7107, which are fixedly connected. The tooling body 71 is fixed on the tooling positioning plate 14 to ensure that the positioning seat 7105 of the tooling body 71 is coaxial with the pressure head interface sleeve 607 of the spindle mechanism 6.

[0035] The floating module 72 consists of a floating pressure plate 7201, a connecting plate 7202, a clamping guide rail 7203, a clamping limit plate 7204, a clamping guide rod 7205, a guide post 7206, a floating guide sleeve 7207, a compression spring 7208, a limit nut 7209, and a limit bolt 7210. The floating pressure plate 7201, the clamping guide rail 7203, the clamping limit plate 7204 with the clamping guide rod 7205 fixed thereon, the floating guide sleeve 7207, and the limit bolt 7210 are all fixed to the connecting plate 7202 to form a whole that moves up and down along the pressure head guide rod 7404. The compression spring 7208 is placed inside the lower side of the guide post 7206 and is restricted inside the guide post 7206 by the limit nut 7209. When the compression spring 7208 contacts the pressure post 7408 of the pressure head module 74 and is subjected to pressure, it will press the guide post 7206 against the workpiece and clamp it.

[0036] The gripper module 73 consists of a slider 7301, a clamping spring 7302, a transition block 7303, grippers 7304, a rotating shaft 7305, and rollers 7306. The transition block 7303, to which the grippers 7304 are fixed, is fixedly connected to the slider 7301. The rollers 7306 are mounted on the slider 7301 via the rotating shaft 7305. The slider 7301 is fitted onto the clamping guide rail 7203 of the floating module 72 and can move left and right. The clamping spring 7302 is fitted onto the floating module 72. One end of the clamping guide rod 7205 of the moving module 72 rests against the clamping limiting plate 7204 of the floating module 72, while the other end is confined within the hole of the transition block 7303 of the gripper module 73. The clamping spring 7302 has a certain preload, so that the roller 7306 on one side of the gripper module 73 contacts the side of the gripper guide plate 7405 of the pressure head module 74, and the clamping spring 7302 on the other side contacts the clamping limiting plate 7204 of the floating module 72. The width of the gripper guide plate 7405 is different in the vertical direction. When the pressure head module 74 moves up and down relative to the gripper module 73, the gripper 7304 can open and close within a certain range. When the gripper 7304 is closed, it can clamp the guide post 7206 of the floating module 72. When the gripper 7304 is open, it does not interfere with the pressure head 7401.

[0037] The pressure head module 74 consists of a pressure head 7401, a pressure head connecting plate 7402, a sleeve 7403, a pressure head guide rod 7404, a gripper guide plate 7405, a preload spring 7406, a limiting ring 7407, a pressure column 7408, a preload guide rod 7409, a pressure spring 7410, and a support block 7411. The pressure spring 7410 is placed between the upper part of the pressure column 7408 and the pressure head 7401. The pressure column 7408 is restricted within the pressure head 7401 by the limiting ring 7407 and can move up and down within a certain range as the pressure spring 7410 deforms under pressure. The pressure head 7401, sleeve 7403, pressure head guide rod 7404, gripper guide plate 7405, and preload guide rod 7409 are fixed on the pressure head connecting plate 7402 to form a whole. The upper pressure head 7401 is connected to the pressure head of the main shaft mechanism 6. The interface sleeve 607 is connected by a pin 606. The lower pressure head guide rod 7404 moves up and down along the tooling body 71. The preload spring 7406 is sleeved on the preload guide rod 7409 and is located between the pressure head connecting plate 7402 of the pressure head module 74 and the connecting plate 7202 of the floating module 72. The support block 7411 is fixed to the lower end of the gripper guide plate 7405 to support the floating module 72, so that the preload spring 7406 is in a certain compressed state, ensuring that the floating module 72 is in contact with the support block 7411 when there is no external force. When the pressure head 7401 contacts the retaining ring 8 and is subjected to force, its upper side will contact the force sensor 605 of the spindle mechanism 6. The pressure sensor 605 will transmit the actual pressure to the equipment control system for pressure monitoring. The industrial control computer 9 determines whether the retaining ring 8 is installed correctly according to the monitoring program.

[0038] In actual use, the worker uses a barcode scanner 11 to scan the QR code on the workpiece 10 and positions it on the positioning seat 7105 of the main fixture body. The stop block 7106 restricts the circumferential rotation of the workpiece 10 on the positioning seat 7105. Then, the retaining ring 8 is positioned on the guide post 7206 of the floating module 72. The worker presses the start switch 13 to start the equipment. The servo mechanism 4 drives the pressure head module 74 to move downward through the spindle mechanism 6. Under the preload of the preload spring 7406, the floating module 72 and the gripper module 73 descend together with the pressure head module 74. When the floating pressure plate 7201 of the floating module 72 is in contact with the upper end face of the workpiece 10, the guide post 7206 is simultaneously fitted onto the ball pin of the workpiece 10. The floating module 72 and the gripper module 73 no longer move with the pressure head module 74. As the head module 74 descends, the contact width between the roller 7306 of the gripper module 73 and the gripper guide plate 7405 increases, and the gripper 7304 opens accordingly. The head module 74 continues to move downward, and the pressure column 7408 begins to extend into the inner hole of the guide column 7206, compressing the compression spring 7208 inside the guide column 7206, so that the guide column 7206 and the workpiece 10 are pressed and fixed against each other. At the same time, the lower end of the head 7401 begins to contact and press down on the retaining spring 8 on the upper side of the guide column 7206. As the retaining spring 8 moves downward, it expands continuously with the change in diameter of the guide column 7206, and the force pressing the retaining spring 8 is also transmitted to the force sensor 605. When it is pressed down to the lower side of the guide column 7206, the retaining spring 8 is pressed into the groove of the ball pin. As the pressure head module 74 moves slightly downward, the lower end of the vertical rib of the gripper guide plate 7405 makes hard contact with the limit bolt 7210 on the floating module 72. The pressure will rise sharply to the protection force set by the program, and the servo mechanism 4 will stop moving downward and begin to return. Since the preload spring 7406 is in a compressed state, when the pressure head module 74 moves upward, the floating module 72 still remains in contact with the workpiece 10 under the force of the preload spring 74. The pressure head 7401 gradually moves upward and disengages from the guide post 7206. The roller 7306 of the gripper module 73 and the gripper guide plate 74... As the contact width of the guide plate 7405 decreases, the gripper 7304 also contracts. When the support block 7411 of the pressure head module 74 moves up to contact the lower part of the connecting plate 7202 of the floating module 72, the gripper 7304 clamps the guide post 7206. The floating module 72 moves up with the pressure head module 74 until it returns to the initial position, completing the pressing cycle of the snap ring on the workpiece 10. The industrial control computer 9 records the pressure-displacement curve of the snap ring 8 in real time, associates it with the QR code of the workpiece 10, and stores it in the equipment to avoid quality problems such as missing snap rings.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0040] The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly disclosed in this invention can automatically press-fit snap rings onto the ball pins of the steering knuckle, realizing the correlation and traceability between snap ring installation and workpiece, reducing the labor intensity of workers using manual snap ring pliers, and eliminating the risk of missing snap rings by coordinating with the factory's MES system and through pressure-displacement monitoring; at the same time, it can also serve as a standard prototype, and by changing the main tooling body, snap ring installation can be achieved for different steering knuckles.

[0041] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only used to facilitate the description of this invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A snap ring assembly device for a steering knuckle ball pin assembly, characterized in that, Includes a frame (2), a main frame mechanism (5) mounted on the frame (2), a servo mechanism (4) fixed above the main frame mechanism (5); a spindle mechanism (6) connected to the servo mechanism (4) and configured to move up and down along the main frame mechanism (5) with the drive of the servo mechanism (4); a tooling mechanism (7) fixed on the frame (2) for positioning the workpiece (10) and the snap ring (8), wherein the pressure head module (74) of the tooling mechanism (7) is connected to the spindle mechanism (6) to move up and down with it; an industrial control computer (9) mounted on the frame (2) for displaying the pressing curve and result judgment; a barcode scanner (11) for scanning the QR code of the workpiece (10); and a start switch (13) mounted on the frame (2) for starting the pressing program of the servo mechanism (4).

2. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The servo mechanism (4) includes an electric cylinder (401) and a connecting shaft (402) disposed on the lower side of the electric cylinder (401).

3. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main frame mechanism (5) includes a main frame (501), a guide rail (503) fixed on the main frame (501), and a sliding sleeve (504) that is installed in cooperation with the guide rail (503) and can move up and down along it. The main shaft mechanism (6) is fixed on the sliding sleeve (504).

4. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main spindle mechanism (6) includes an L-shaped bracket (604), a force sensor (605) fixed on the lower side of the L-shaped bracket (604), and a pressure head interface sleeve (607). The L-shaped bracket (604) is fixed on the sliding sleeve (504) of the main frame mechanism (5), and the pressure head interface sleeve (607) is connected to the pressure head module (74) of the tooling mechanism (7) through a pin (606).

5. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tooling mechanism (7) includes: a tooling body (71) fixed on the frame (2) for carrying and positioning the workpiece (10); a floating module (72) movably connected to the tooling body (71) for positioning the snap ring (8) and having a floating pressure plate (7201) that can fit against the upper surface of the workpiece (10); a gripper module (73) disposed on the floating module (72); and a pressure head module (74) whose upper side is connected to the spindle mechanism (6), and whose lower side is configured to move up and down relative to the floating module (72), and can release and clamp the floating module (72) by opening and closing the gripper module (73).

6. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The floating module (72) includes a connecting plate (7202), a guide post (7206) fixed on the connecting plate (7202), and a compression spring (7208) disposed inside the guide post (7206). The guide post (7206) is used to fit the snap ring (8) and can fit the ball pin of the workpiece (10).

7. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gripper module (73) includes a slider (7301) slidably disposed on the floating module (72), a gripper (7304) disposed on the slider (7301), and a roller (7306) disposed on the slider (7301) and capable of contacting the side of the gripper guide plate (7405) of the pressure head module (74). The opening and closing of the gripper (7304) is controlled by the contact position between the roller (7306) and the gripper guide plate (7405).

8. The snap ring assembly equipment for the steering knuckle ball pin assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pressure head module (74) includes a pressure head (7401), a pressure column (7408) connected to the pressure head (7401), and a preload spring (7406) disposed between the pressure head (7401) and the connecting plate (7202) of the floating module (72). The pressure column (7408) is configured to extend into the inner hole of the guide column (7206) and compress the compression spring (7208). The lower end of the pressure head (7401) is used to press down the retaining ring (8).

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