Automatic feeding and discharging system and method for foil roll type winding drum

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic feeding and discharging system and method for foil roll type winding drums, relates to the technical field of foil roll machining equipment, and aims to solve the problems that existing operation is high in manual dependency degree, low in efficiency, poor in narrow channel adaptability and the like. The system comprises a winding drum placing mechanism, a shaft taking and placing mechanism, a paper tube discharging mechanism and a pair of AGV transfer trolleys, and all the mechanisms cooperate to complete winding drum transfer, air expansion shaft insertion and extraction and paper tube supply. The AGV transfer trolley adopts a three-wheel walking mechanism, and is matched with laser navigation and two-dimensional code positioning to realize flexible driving and accurate positioning in a narrow channel; the shaft taking and placing mechanism achieves automatic insertion and extraction of the inflatable shaft, and the paper tube discharging mechanism completes accurate supply of new paper tubes. According to the method, full-process automation is achieved through double-vehicle synchronous operation, handover processing and circular reset. The device reduces the labor intensity of workers, improves the working efficiency and the product percent of pass, can be widely applied to production lines of various foil coil products such as metal foil, plastic foil and thin film, and has remarkable practical value and popularization significance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of foil roll processing technology, and in particular to an automated loading and unloading system and method for foil rolls. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of foil rolls (such as copper foil rolls and aluminum foil rolls), the winding process is one of the core steps, typically using an air shaft. After winding, the air shaft on the roll needs to be removed and the roll sent to the warehouse. Then, a new paper roll with a newly inserted air shaft is installed on the winding equipment. The loading and unloading of the rolls directly affects production efficiency and product quality.

[0003] Currently, the industry generally uses manual labor combined with simple equipment to complete loading and unloading operations, which has many pain points: First, foil rolls are heavy, and manual handling is labor-intensive, which can easily lead to fatigue of personnel during long-term operation; Second, traditional transfer equipment mostly adopts a four-wheel structure, which has poor steering flexibility and cannot adapt to the narrow aisle layout of the workshop, thus limiting the utilization rate of workshop space; Third, there is a lack of automated coordination between various processes, and manual coordination of the operation rhythm of transfer vehicles, winding equipment and storage warehouses is required, resulting in long operation cycles and low efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, developing a foil roll loading and unloading system with a high degree of automation, strong adaptability to narrow channels, and precise and stable operation has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an automated loading and unloading system and method for foil rolls, enabling fully automated operation, improving operational efficiency and quality, and reducing safety risks.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls includes a roll placement mechanism, a pick-and-place shaft mechanism, a paper roll unloading mechanism, and a pair of AGV transfer vehicles. A drum placement mechanism includes a pair of support seats, a placement platform is installed between the pair of support seats, a drum placement rack for carrying a drum is placed on the placement platform, and the drum is wound by an air shaft; The take-up and put-down shaft mechanism is used to remove the air shaft from the roll and insert it into a new paper roll; The paper tube feeding mechanism includes a feeding pneumatic gripper that can move longitudinally and vertically, and a pair of limiting pneumatic grippers for placing and limiting the paper tube; A pair of AGV transfer vehicles includes a vehicle body, a gantry frame fixedly installed on the front side of the vehicle body, a pair of liftable support arms installed on the gantry frame, and V-shaped grooves at the ends of the support arms for lifting rolls or paper rolls. The bottom of the vehicle body adopts a three-wheel walking mechanism suitable for narrow passages, and a navigation mechanism is installed on the top of the vehicle body. The three-wheeled walking mechanism includes a core drive wheel and a pair of auxiliary drive wheels, both of which can be driven and rotated independently.

[0007] Preferably, a hydraulic cylinder is fixedly installed on the front side of the vehicle body, and a mounting bracket is fixedly installed on the telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder. Both sides of the mounting bracket are rotatably connected to pulleys. A pair of lifting belts are also fixedly connected to the front side of the vehicle body. After the lifting belts pass over the pulleys, their ends are fixedly connected to a lifting frame. A pair of support arms are fixedly installed on the front side of the lifting frame.

[0008] Preferably, guide wheels are installed on both sides of the lifting frame, and vertical guide rails adapted to the guide wheels are provided on both sides of the gantry frame.

[0009] Preferably, a mounting beam is fixedly installed at the bottom of the vehicle body, and a pair of guide shafts are elastically mounted on the mounting beam via shock-absorbing springs. A wheel frame is fixedly connected to the bottom of the guide shafts, and the core drive wheel is installed at the bottom of the wheel frame. The core drive wheel is driven to rotate by a walking drive assembly.

[0010] Preferably, a steering motor is mounted on the wheel frame, a small gear is fixed to the output end of the steering motor, a large gear that meshes with the small gear is rotatably connected to the bottom of the wheel frame, and the core drive wheel is mounted on the bottom of the large gear.

[0011] Preferably, a pair of traveling arms are fixedly installed on the front bottom side of the vehicle body. The bottom end of the traveling arms is provided with a mounting groove. A steering gear and a drive unit are installed in the mounting groove. The auxiliary drive wheel is installed in the mounting groove and is steered and driven by the steering gear and the drive unit.

[0012] Preferably, omnidirectional wheels are also installed at the bottom of the vehicle body on both sides of the core drive wheel.

[0013] Preferably, the navigation mechanism includes a roof rack fixedly installed on the top of the vehicle body, a navigator mounted on the top of the roof rack, and an identification sensor for scanning ground location QR codes mounted on the bottom of the vehicle body.

[0014] Preferably, a red light is also installed at the top end of the top frame to illuminate a red line on the ground to mark the safe range of the AGV transfer vehicle.

[0015] This invention also provides an automated loading and unloading method for foil rolls, comprising the following steps: S1. Initially, the two AGV transfer vehicles are in the left standby position and the right standby position respectively, and the limit pneumatic grippers hold paper tubes with inserted air shafts. S2. Two AGV transfer vehicles work simultaneously. The left AGV transfer vehicle travels along the route to the winding position and lifts the wound roll along with the roll placement frame via the lifting frame and the support arm. The right AGV transfer vehicle travels along the route to the front of the paper roll unloading mechanism. The support arm is raised and lowered to the limit pneumatic gripper position via the lifting frame. After the paper roll is lifted by the V-groove at the front end, the right AGV transfer vehicle travels to the left standby position. The left AGV transfer vehicle transports the lifted roll placement frame and the roll to the front of the roll placement mechanism. S3. The right AGV transfer vehicle at the left standby position travels to the winding position and places the paper tube and air shaft in the winding position. The left AGV transfer vehicle places the lifted roll placement rack and roll on the placement table and then retreats and waits. After the shaft picking and placing mechanism completes the process of removing the air shaft, it lifts the roll after removing the shaft and the roll placement rack and transports it to the warehouse. At the same time, the paper tube unloading mechanism and the shaft picking and placing mechanism complete the process of inserting the shaft into the next paper tube. S4. The AGV transfer vehicle on the right, after placing the paper tube, returns to the left standby position, and the AGV transfer vehicle on the left side of the warehouse returns to the right standby position, completing one cycle and improving the level of automation.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. Full-process automation: Enables unmanned operation of the entire process from winding, transferring, removing and inserting shafts to storage, reducing the intensity of manual labor and avoiding human error.

[0017] 2. Strong adaptability to narrow passages: The three-wheeled walking mechanism, combined with the independent drive / steering design, has a small minimum turning radius and can move flexibly in narrow passages of ≤1.5m, improving the utilization rate of workshop space.

[0018] 3. Precise and stable transfer: Laser navigation and QR code positioning achieve high-precision positioning, shock-absorbing springs buffer vibration, and V-shaped flexible support arms prevent slippage, effectively protecting foil rolls and paper tubes and improving product qualification rate.

[0019] 4. High operating efficiency: Dual AGV transfer vehicles operate simultaneously, alternating between roll transfer and paper roll replenishment. Combined with the rapid insertion and removal actions of the pick-and-place shaft mechanism, the operation cycle is significantly shortened.

[0020] 5. Excellent safety and versatility: Red light safety warning and position sensor limit protection reduce safety risks; the V-groove size of the roll placement rack and support arm is adjustable to meet the loading and unloading needs of various foil roll specifications. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front-view stereoscopic diagram of the AGV transport vehicle proposed in this invention; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the AGV transport vehicle proposed in this invention, taken from below. Figure 4 This is a front view schematic diagram of the core drive wheel proposed in this invention; Figure 5 This is a side view of the core drive wheel proposed in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the roll placement mechanism and paper roll feeding mechanism proposed in this invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Roll placement mechanism, 2. Pick-and-place shaft mechanism, 3. Paper roll unloading mechanism, 4. Outer cover, 5. AGV transfer vehicle, 6. Unloading pneumatic gripper, 7. Limiting pneumatic gripper, 8. Paper roll, 9. Roll, 10. Air shaft, 11. Support base, 12. Placement platform, 13. Roll placement rack, 14. Body, 15. Gantry, 16. Top rack, 17. Navigation system, 18. Red light, 19. Vertical guide rail, 20. Guide wheel, 21. Lifting frame, 22. Lifting belt, 23. Pulley, 24. Mounting frame, 25. Hydraulic cylinder, 26. Support arm, 27. V-groove, 28. Traveling arm, 29. Steering gear, 30. Travel drive assembly, 31. Large gear, 32. Universal wheel, 33. Core drive wheel, 34. Driver, 35. Auxiliary drive wheel, 36. Mounting slot, 37. Identification sensor, 38. Mounting beam, 39. Shock absorber spring, 40. Wheel frame, 41. Small gear, 42. Steering motor. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] Reference Figure 1-6 An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls includes a roll placement mechanism 1, a pick-and-place shaft mechanism 2, a paper roll unloading mechanism 3, and a pair of AGV transfer vehicles 5. These mechanisms work together to complete the transfer of rolls 9, the insertion and removal of air shafts 10, and the replenishment of paper rolls 8. The specific structure is as follows: The roll placement mechanism 1 includes a pair of symmetrically arranged support seats 11, the bottom of which is fixed to the ground to ensure the stability of the overall structure. A placement platform 12 is fixedly installed between the pair of support seats 11. The placement platform 12 is made of high-strength alloy material and has an anti-slip pad on its surface to prevent the roll placement rack 13 from sliding. The roll placement rack 13 is placed on the placement platform 12. The roll placement rack 13 has a frame structure and has a positioning groove inside that matches the outer diameter of the roll 9, so that the axis of the roll 9 is kept coaxial with the air expansion shaft 10 when it is placed, which facilitates the subsequent shaft removal operation. The roll 9 is wound and fixed by the air expansion shaft 10. After the air expansion shaft 10 is inflated, it fits tightly against the inner wall of the roll 9 to ensure stability during winding and transportation.

[0025] The pick-and-place mechanism 2 is used to remove the air shaft 10 from the finished roll 9 and insert it into the new paper roll 8. It includes a lateral movement component and an axial insertion / removal component. The lateral movement component is driven by a linear guide rail and a servo motor, which can drive the insertion / removal component to move precisely to the axial position of the roll 9 or paper roll 8. The axial insertion / removal component uses a cylinder-driven flexible gripper with a rubber pad on the inner side of the gripper to avoid damaging the surface of the air shaft 10. The insertion / removal of the air shaft 10 is completed by the extension and retraction of the cylinder. The component is equipped with a position sensor to provide real-time feedback on the position of the action, ensuring accurate insertion / removal.

[0026] The paper tube unloading mechanism 3 includes a feeding pneumatic gripper 6 and a pair of limiting pneumatic grippers 7. The feeding pneumatic gripper 6 is mounted on a two-dimensional moving platform (driven by cylinders in conjunction with longitudinal and vertical guide rails), which can achieve flexible longitudinal and vertical movement and is used to grab new paper tubes 8 from the paper tube 8 storage rack. The limiting pneumatic grippers 7 are symmetrically arranged and are opened and closed by cylinders to radially limit the new paper tubes 8, prevent the paper tubes 8 from deviating, and provide precise positioning for the insertion of the air shaft 10.

[0027] The pick-and-place shaft mechanism 2 and the paper tube feeding mechanism 3 are equipped with an outer cover 4 to increase operational safety.

[0028] A pair of AGV transfer vehicles 5 are used to transfer the rolls 9 and paper rolls 8. Their structural design is adapted to narrow aisle operations and precise transfer requirements. Body 14: Made of lightweight alloy material, balancing structural strength and mobility, with a three-wheeled walking mechanism at the bottom to adapt to narrow passage environments; Gantry 15: Fixedly installed on the front side of the vehicle body 14, providing a stable installation base for the lifting structure; Lifting structure: A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 25 is fixedly installed on the front side of the vehicle body 14. The telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder 25 is connected to the mounting bracket 24. The mounting bracket 24 is rotatably connected to pulleys 23 on both sides. A pair of high-strength polyurethane lifting belts 22 are also fixed on the front side of the vehicle body 14. The lifting belts 22 pass around the pulleys 23 and their ends are connected to the lifting frame 21. The support arm 26 is fixed to the front side of the lifting frame 21. Guide wheels 20 are installed on both sides of the lifting frame 21. The gantry frame 15 is provided with matching vertical guide rails 19 on both sides to limit the lateral displacement of the lifting frame 21 and ensure the smooth lifting of the support arm 26. The end of the support arm 26 is provided with a V-groove 27, and a rubber pad is provided in the groove to enhance the fit with the roll 9 and paper roll 8 and prevent slippage. The three-wheeled walking mechanism includes a core drive wheel 33 and a pair of auxiliary drive wheels 35, both made of polyurethane-coated wheels, which are wear-resistant and have strong grip. The core drive wheel 33 is connected to the vehicle body 14 via a mounting beam 38, a shock-absorbing spring 39, and a guide shaft. The shock-absorbing spring 39 is a cylindrical helical spring, which can buffer vibrations caused by uneven ground and protect the foil roll. The core drive wheel 33 is driven to rotate by the walking drive assembly 30 (servo motor + planetary reducer). A steering motor 42 is installed on the wheel frame 40, which meshes with the large gear 31 through the pinion 41 to achieve 360-degree steering of the core drive wheel 33. The pair of auxiliary drive wheels 35 are installed at the end of the walking arm 28 on the front side of the bottom of the vehicle body 14, and are steered and driven through the steering gear 29 (worm gear structure) and the driver 34 (stepper motor). Universal wheels 32 are also installed on both sides of the core drive wheel 33 at the bottom of the vehicle body 14 to enhance driving stability. Navigation mechanism 17: A laser navigation device 17 is installed on the top frame 16 on the top of the vehicle body 14, which can plan the driving route in real time and avoid obstacles; a QR code recognition sensor 37 is installed at the bottom of the vehicle body 14, which can achieve positioning with an accuracy of ±1mm by scanning the preset QR code on the ground; a high-brightness LED red light 18 is installed at the rear end of the top frame 16, which can illuminate a red line 5-10cm wide to mark the safe working area; The loading and unloading process based on the above system includes the following steps: S1. Initial state: The two AGV transfer vehicles 5 are parked at the left standby position (near the warehouse) and the right standby position (near the paper tube unloading mechanism 3) respectively; the limit pneumatic gripper 7 of the paper tube unloading mechanism 3 is closed, holding the new paper tube 8 that has been inserted into the air shaft 10 (inflated state); the placement platform 12 of the roll placement mechanism 1 is empty. S2. Dual-vehicle synchronous operation: The left AGV transfer vehicle 5 plans its route through the laser navigator 17 and locates itself through the QR code sensor. It travels to the winding position of the winding equipment, and the hydraulic cylinder 25 drives the support arm 26 to rise. It lifts the roll placement frame 13 and the wound roll 9 through the V-groove 27, and then travels to the roll placement mechanism 1. At the same time, the right AGV transfer vehicle 5 travels to the front of the paper roll unloading mechanism 3. The support arm 26 rises to the height corresponding to the paper roll 8 at the limit pneumatic gripper 7. The limit pneumatic gripper 7 opens, and the support arm 26 supports the paper roll 8 and then descends, traveling to the left standby position to wait. S3. Handover and Processing: The right-side AGV transfer vehicle 5 travels to the winding position and precisely places the paper tube 8 and air shaft 10 at the winding equipment station. The air shaft 10 is fixed in place with the winding equipment chuck. The left-side AGV transfer vehicle 5 places the roll placement rack 13 and the roll 9 smoothly on the placement table 12 and retreats to a safe position to wait. The shaft picking and placing mechanism 2 is activated. The lateral moving component drives the insertion and removal component to move to the axis position of the roll 9. The gripper clamps the air shaft 10. After the air shaft 10 is deflated, it is pulled out and moved to the paper tube unloading mechanism 3. At the same time, the unloading pneumatic gripper 6 grabs the new paper tube 8 and places it at the limit pneumatic gripper 7. The shaft picking and placing mechanism 2 inserts the air shaft 10 into the new paper tube 8 and inflates it to fix it. The left-side AGV transfer vehicle 5 travels to the roll placement mechanism 1 again, lifts the unloaded roll 9 and roll placement rack 13, and transports them to the warehouse for storage. S4. Cycle Reset: After the right-side AGV transfer vehicle 5 completes the placement of the paper tube 8, it returns to the left standby position. After the left-side AGV transfer vehicle 5 completes the warehouse storage, it returns to the right standby position, completing one cycle and waiting for the next work instruction.

[0029] The automated loading and unloading system of this invention solves many pain points of traditional operations through the precise coordination of various mechanisms. It can be widely applied to production lines of various foil roll products such as metal foil, plastic foil, and film, and has significant practical value and promotional significance.

[0030] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is 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. An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls, characterized in that, It includes a roll placement mechanism (1), a pick-and-place shaft mechanism (2), a paper roll unloading mechanism (3), and a pair of AGV transfer vehicles (5); The drum placement mechanism (1) includes a pair of support seats (11), and a placement platform (12) is installed between the pair of support seats (11). A drum placement rack (13) for carrying a drum (9) is placed on the placement platform (12), and the drum (9) is wound by an air shaft (10). The take-up and put-down shaft mechanism (2) is used to take out the air expansion shaft (10) on the roll (9) and insert it into a new paper roll (8); The paper tube feeding mechanism (3) includes a feeding pneumatic gripper (6) that can move longitudinally and vertically, and also includes a pair of limiting pneumatic grippers (7) for placing and limiting the paper tube (8). A pair of AGV transfer vehicles (5) include a body (14), a gantry (15) is fixedly installed on the front side of the body (14), a pair of liftable support arms (26) are installed on the gantry (15), and the end of the support arms (26) is provided with a V-shaped groove (27) for lifting the roll (9) or paper roll (8). The bottom of the body (14) adopts a three-wheel walking mechanism, which is suitable for narrow passages, and a navigation mechanism (17) is installed on the top of the body (14). The three-wheeled walking mechanism includes a core drive wheel (33) and a pair of auxiliary drive wheels (35), both of which can be driven and rotated independently.

2. The automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 1, characterized in that, A hydraulic cylinder (25) is fixedly installed on the front side of the vehicle body (14). A mounting bracket (24) is fixedly installed on the telescopic end of the hydraulic cylinder (25). Both sides of the mounting bracket (24) are rotatably connected to pulleys (23). A pair of lifting belts (22) are also fixedly connected to the front side of the vehicle body (14). After the lifting belts (22) pass around the pulleys (23), their ends are fixedly connected to a lifting frame (21). A pair of support arms (26) are fixedly installed on the front side of the lifting frame (21).

3. The automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 2, characterized in that, Guide wheels (20) are installed on both sides of the lifting frame (21), and vertical guide rails (19) adapted to the guide wheels (20) are provided on both sides of the gantry frame (15).

4. The automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 1, characterized in that, A mounting beam (38) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the vehicle body (14). A pair of guide shafts are elastically installed on the mounting beam (38) by means of a shock-absorbing spring (39). A wheel frame (40) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the guide shaft. The core drive wheel (33) is installed at the bottom of the wheel frame (40). The core drive wheel (33) is driven to rotate by the walking drive assembly (30).

5. An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 4, characterized in that, A steering motor (42) is mounted on the wheel frame (40). A small gear (41) is fixed at the output end of the steering motor (42). A large gear (31) that meshes with the small gear (41) is rotatably connected to the bottom of the wheel frame (40). The core drive wheel (33) is mounted at the bottom of the large gear (31).

6. The automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pair of walking arms (28) are fixedly installed on the bottom front side of the vehicle body (14). The bottom end of the walking arm (28) is provided with a mounting groove (36). A steering gear (29) and a driver (34) are installed in the mounting groove (36). The auxiliary drive wheel (35) is installed in the mounting groove (36) and is steered and driven by the steering gear (29) and the driver (34).

7. An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the vehicle body (14) is also equipped with casters (32) on both sides of the core drive wheel (33).

8. An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 1, characterized in that, The navigation mechanism (17) includes a top frame (16) fixedly installed on the top of the vehicle body (14), a navigator (17) is installed on the top of the top frame (16), and an identification sensor (37) for scanning ground location QR codes is installed on the bottom of the vehicle body (14).

9. An automated loading and unloading system for foil rolls according to claim 8, characterized in that, A red light (18) is also installed at the top end of the top frame (16) to illuminate a red line on the ground to mark the safe range of the AGV transfer vehicle (5).

10. A loading / unloading method based on the loading / unloading system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Initially, the two AGV transfer vehicles (5) are in the left standby position and the right standby position respectively, and the limit pneumatic gripper (7) holds a paper tube (8) with an inserted air shaft (10). S2. Two AGV transfer vehicles (5) work simultaneously. The left AGV transfer vehicle (5) travels along the route to the winding position and lifts the wound roll (9) through the lifting frame (21) and the support arm (26) together with the roll placement frame (13). The right AGV transfer vehicle (5) travels along the route to the front of the paper roll unloading mechanism (3). The support arm (26) is lifted up to the position of the limit pneumatic gripper (7) through the lifting frame (21). After the paper roll (8) is lifted through the V-groove (27) at the front end, the right AGV transfer vehicle (5) travels to the left standby position. The left AGV transfer vehicle (5) transports the lifted roll placement frame (13) and the roll (9) to the front of the roll placement mechanism (1). S3. The right AGV transfer vehicle (5) at the left standby position travels to the winding position and places the paper tube (8) and air shaft (10) in the winding position. The left AGV transfer vehicle (5) places the lifted roll placement rack (13) and roll (9) on the placement table (12) and then retreats and waits for the shaft picking and placing mechanism (2) to complete the shaft pulling process of the air shaft (10). The removed roll (9) and roll placement rack (13) are lifted and transported to the warehouse. At the same time, the shaft insertion process of the next paper tube (8) is completed through the paper tube unloading mechanism (3) and the shaft picking and placing mechanism (2). S4. The right-side AGV transfer vehicle (5) with the paper tube (8) placed returns to the left standby position, and the left-side AGV transfer vehicle (5) of the warehouse returns to the right standby position, completing one cycle and improving the level of automation.

Images