Multi-chamber vacuum casting bearing vehicle movement system and casting equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of multi-chamber vacuum casting, in particular to a multi-chamber vacuum casting bearing vehicle movement system and casting equipment. The system comprises a rail unit, a first bearing vehicle, a second bearing vehicle and a jacking unit. The first bearing vehicle moves along the track unit; the first bearing vehicle is provided with a first jacking hole and a first avoiding opening which vertically penetrate through the first bearing vehicle. The second bearing vehicle moves along the track unit; the second bearing vehicle is provided with a second jacking hole and a second receding opening which vertically penetrate through the second bearing vehicle. The jacking unit is located in the transition area; the jacking unit is arranged in a lifting mode in the vertical direction. The first jacking hole and the second jacking hole are used for avoiding the lifting process of the jacking unit; the first avoiding opening is used for avoiding the jacking unit when the first bearing vehicle moves; the second avoiding opening is used for avoiding the jacking unit when the second bearing vehicle moves; therefore, the scheduling problem of the shell assembly and the auxiliary transfer mechanism in the large-scale multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of multi-chamber vacuum casting technology, and more specifically, to a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system and casting equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of multi-chamber vacuum casting technology, the furnace structure of a multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment mainly consists of a charging chamber, a melting chamber, a heat preservation and heating chamber, a transition chamber, a mold-feeding chamber, and a slow cooling chamber. These functional chambers are arranged sequentially according to the metal casting process, working together to complete the entire casting operation of the mold assembly. Specifically, the charging chamber is used to feed the metal rods to be melted into the melting chamber. The melting chamber heats and melts the metal rods, transforming the solid rods into molten metal that meets casting requirements, and guides the molten metal to the mold assembly in the heat preservation and heating chamber. The mold-feeding chamber is the loading station for the mold assembly, equipped with a transfer trolley to carry the mold assembly placed on a pallet and transfer it between stations. The transition chamber is equipped with a lifting rod structure to lift the mold assembly from the transfer trolley to the heat preservation and heating chamber, and then lowers the mold assembly back onto the transfer trolley after casting. The slow cooling chamber receives the cast mold assembly transported by the transfer trolley, completing the slow cooling process of the mold assembly, ultimately completing the entire casting process of the mold assembly.

[0003] However, multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment encompasses multiple process steps, and the shell components rely on auxiliary transfer mechanisms such as transfer trolleys and lifting mechanisms for scheduling. The equipment is large and complex, which poses challenges to the scheduling of shell components and auxiliary transfer mechanisms within the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the scheduling problem of shell components and auxiliary transfer mechanisms in large multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment, this invention provides a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system and casting equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system comprising:

[0006] The track unit is laid horizontally; the laying path of the track unit passes through the molding zone, the transition zone and the slow cooling zone in sequence.

[0007] A first carrier vehicle moves along the track unit; the first carrier vehicle has a vertically penetrating first lifting hole and a first clearance opening; the first clearance opening is connected to the first lifting hole; the first clearance opening extends through one end of the first carrier vehicle along a first horizontal direction; the first horizontal direction is the direction from the molding area to the transition area; the first carrier vehicle moves between the molding area and the transition area.

[0008] The second carrier moves along the track unit; the second carrier has a vertically penetrating second lifting hole and a second clearance opening; the second clearance opening is connected to the second lifting hole; the second clearance opening extends through one end of the second carrier in a second horizontal direction; the second horizontal direction is the direction from the slow cooling zone to the transition zone; the second carrier moves between the slow cooling zone and the transition zone.

[0009] A lifting unit is located in the transition zone; the lifting unit is vertically raised and lowered; the first lifting hole and the second lifting hole are used to avoid the lifting process of the lifting unit; the first clearance opening is used to avoid the lifting unit when the first carrier vehicle moves; the second clearance opening is used to avoid the lifting unit when the second carrier vehicle moves.

[0010] Optionally, the upper surface of the first carrier vehicle is flush with the lower surface of the second carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically.

[0011] Optionally, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system further includes a third carrier; the third carrier is located between the first carrier and the second carrier; the third carrier has a vertically penetrating third lifting hole and a third clearance opening; the third clearance opening is connected to the third lifting hole;

[0012] In the first state, the third clearance extends through the third carrier along the first horizontal direction, and the upper surface of the third carrier is flush with the lower surface of the second carrier so that the two can be stacked vertically.

[0013] Optionally, the third carrier includes a movable seat and a rotating platform; the rotating platform is rotatably connected to the movable seat; the movable seat moves along the track unit; the moving trajectory of the movable seat is offset from the lifting unit; the rotating platform rotates around the axis of the third lifting hole; the third lifting hole and the third clearance opening are provided on the rotating platform; the upper surface of the rotating platform is the upper surface of the third carrier.

[0014] In the second state, the third carrying vehicle extends through the rotating platform along the second horizontal direction.

[0015] Optionally, the lower surface of the rotating platform is flush with the upper surface of the first carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically.

[0016] Optionally, the transition zone can accommodate at most one first carrier vehicle and one additional vehicle at the same time; the additional vehicle is the largest of the second carrier vehicle and the third carrier vehicle.

[0017] Optionally, the upper surface of the rotating platform is flush with the lower surface of the first carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically; the vertically projected area of ​​the transition zone can cover at most one of the first carrier vehicle, the second carrier vehicle, and the third carrier vehicle with the largest vertically projected size.

[0018] Optionally, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system further includes a rotary drive unit; the rotary drive unit includes a gear ring, a clutch transmission unit, and a rotary drive unit; the gear ring is fixedly connected to the rotating vehicle plate; the gear ring is concentrically arranged with the third lifting hole; the central angle formed by the extension trajectory of the gear ring is greater than 180° and less than 360°; there is a clearance space between the two ends of the gear ring; the clearance space is used for the third carrier to avoid the lifting unit when moving; the gear ring and the rotary drive unit are connected by the clutch transmission unit to achieve transmission or separation;

[0019] In the first state, the direction in which the center of the toothed ring points to the clearance space is the first horizontal direction.

[0020] Optionally, the third carrier vehicle further includes an arc-shaped guide rail and multiple guide blocks; the guide rail is fixedly connected to the movable seat; the guide rail is concentrically arranged with the toothed ring; the central angle formed by the extended trajectory of the guide rail is greater than 90° and less than 180°; the guide blocks are fixedly connected to the rotating platform; during the rotation of the rotating platform, at least one of the guide blocks is located in the guide rail; the trajectory of the guide rail and the guide blocks moving with the movable seat is offset from that of the lifting unit.

[0021] Optionally, the track unit includes a first track and a second track; the first track and the second track are parallel; both the first carrier and the second carrier move along the first track; the third carrier moves along the second track; the first carrier has a first width along a direction perpendicular to the first track; the second carrier has a second width along a direction perpendicular to the first track; the third carrier has a third width along a direction perpendicular to the second track; the third width is smaller than the first width; the third width is smaller than the second width.

[0022] Optionally, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system further includes a mobile drive unit; the mobile drive unit includes a first motor, a first transmission unit, a second motor, a second transmission unit, a transition transmission unit, a first clutch unit, and a second clutch unit; the first transmission unit is located in the mold entry area to drive the first carrier to move; the second transmission unit is located in the slow cooling area to drive the second carrier to move; the transition transmission unit is located in the transition area; the first motor is connected to the first transmission unit; the second motor is connected to the second transmission unit; the transition transmission unit is connected to or disconnected from the first transmission unit via the first clutch unit; the transition transmission unit is connected to or disconnected from the second transmission unit via the second clutch unit; the transition transmission unit drives the first carrier or the second carrier to move.

[0023] Secondly, this application provides a multi-chamber vacuum casting apparatus, the multi-chamber vacuum casting apparatus comprising:

[0024] The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system as described in any one of the first aspects;

[0025] A molding chamber, wherein the molding area is located within the molding chamber;

[0026] The transition chamber, wherein the transition zone is located within the transition chamber;

[0027] Slow cooling chamber, wherein the slow cooling zone is located within the slow cooling chamber;

[0028] A melting chamber, located above the transition chamber;

[0029] A vacuum system for evacuating the molding chamber, the transition chamber, the slow cooling chamber, and the melting chamber.

[0030] Optionally, the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment further includes a feeding chamber; the feeding chamber is located above the melting chamber.

[0031] Optionally, the drive sources of the first carrier vehicle and the second carrier vehicle are both located outside the molding chamber, the transition chamber, and the slow cooling chamber.

[0032] To solve the scheduling problem of shell components and auxiliary transfer mechanisms in large multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0033] By employing a first carrier car that can move along a track unit between the mold-feeding zone and the transition zone, a second carrier car that can move along a track unit between the slow cooling zone and the transition zone, and a lifting unit located in the transition zone and vertically raised and lowered, and by having a first vertically penetrating lifting hole and a first clearance opening on the first carrier car, and a second vertically penetrating lifting hole and a second clearance opening on the second carrier car, the lifting unit's raising and lowering process can be avoided by the first and second lifting holes. When the lifting unit is in the raised state, the first and second carrier cars, moving along the track unit, can respectively pass through the first and second clearance openings to avoid the lifting unit, thus completing the transfer and process handover of the mold shell assembly in each zone. This splits the entire transfer of the mold shell assembly into two independent strokes, shortening the overall operating path of the mold shell assembly melting and casting, and simultaneously enabling parallel operation of processes in the mold-feeding zone and the slow cooling zone, improving production flow efficiency. Ultimately, this solves the scheduling problem of the first and second carrier cars and the mold shell assembly in large multi-chamber vacuum melting and casting equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 A top view of a multi-chamber vacuum casting apparatus is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A top view of the motion system of the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A simplified schematic diagram of a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to one embodiment is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A simplified schematic diagram of a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to another embodiment is shown;

[0038] Figure 5 An axonometric view of the third carrier in the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system is shown;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the moving seat and guide rail of the third carrier in the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system is shown;

[0040] Figure 7 A bottom view of the third carrier in the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system is shown.

[0041] Reference numerals: Track unit 10; First track 11; Second track 12; First carrier 20; First lifting hole 21; First clearance opening 22; Second carrier 30; Second lifting hole 31; Second clearance opening 32; Third carrier 40; Third lifting hole 41; Third clearance opening 42; Moving seat 43; Rotating plate 44; Guide rail 45; Gear ring 46; Lifting unit 50; Forming area 60; Transition area 70; Slow cooling area 80; Moving drive unit 90; First transmission part 91; Transition transmission part 92; Second transmission part 93; First clutch part 94; Second clutch part 95. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The present disclosure will now be discussed with reference to several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and thus implement the present disclosure, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the disclosure.

[0043] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are to be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" is to be interpreted as "at least partially based on". The terms "one embodiment" and "an embodiment" are to be interpreted as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" is to be interpreted as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "vertical", "horizontal", "lateral", "longitudinal", etc., indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation or being constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Furthermore, some of the above terms may be used to indicate other meanings besides orientations or positional relationships; for example, the term "upper" may in some cases indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. In addition, the terms "installed", "set up", "equipped with", "connected", and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, elements, or components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are mainly used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components (the specific types and structures may be the same or different), and are not used to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0044] Example 1:

[0045] In this embodiment, a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system is provided, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system includes a track unit 10, a first carrier 20, a second carrier 30, and a lifting unit 50.

[0046] The track unit 10 is laid horizontally to provide a stable and continuous horizontal guiding path for the first carrier vehicle 20 and the second carrier vehicle 30, ensuring the smoothness of the shell assembly transfer process. The track unit 10 is laid through the molding zone 60, the transition zone 70 and the slow cooling zone 80 in sequence.

[0047] The first carrier 20 moves along the track unit 10, between the molding area 60 and the transition area 70. The first carrier 20 is used for transporting the shell assembly, realizing the transfer of the shell assembly between the molding area 60 and the transition area 70. The first carrier 20 has a vertically penetrating first lifting hole 21 and a first clearance opening 22. The first lifting hole 21 provides sufficient clearance space for the vertical lifting and lowering action of the lifting unit 50, allowing the lifting unit 50 to smoothly pass through the first lifting hole 21 during the lifting and lowering process, completing the lifting operation of the shell assembly on the first carrier 20. The first clearance opening 22 connects with the first lifting hole 21. The first clearance opening 22 extends along the first horizontal direction and penetrates one end of the first carrier vehicle 20. The first clearance opening 22 can provide clearance space for the horizontal movement of the first carrier vehicle 20 when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state, so that the first carrier vehicle 20 can smoothly retreat from the transition zone 70 to the molding zone 60, avoiding structural interference between the lifting unit 50 and the first carrier vehicle 20, and ensuring that the first carrier vehicle 20 retreats from the transition zone 70 to the molding zone 60 while the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state. The first horizontal direction is the direction from the molding zone 60 to the transition zone 70.

[0048] The second carrier 30 moves along the track unit 10, between the slow cooling zone 80 and the transition zone 70. The second carrier 30 is used for transporting the shell assembly, realizing the transfer of the shell assembly between the transition zone 70 and the slow cooling zone 80. The second carrier 30 has a vertically penetrating second lifting hole 31 and a second clearance opening 32, providing sufficient clearance space for the vertical lifting and lowering action of the lifting unit 50, allowing the lifting unit 50 to smoothly pass through the second lifting hole 31 during lifting and lowering, completing the receiving and lowering operation of the shell assembly after casting. The second clearance opening 32 connects with the second lifting hole 31 and extends along a second horizontal direction, penetrating one end of the second carrier 30. The second clearance opening 32 provides clearance space for the horizontal movement of the second carrier vehicle 30 when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state. This allows the lifting unit 50 to smoothly pass through the second clearance opening 32 and the second lifting hole 31 during the movement of the second carrier vehicle 30, avoiding structural interference between the lifting unit 50 and the second carrier vehicle 30, and ensuring the normal entry and exit of the second carrier vehicle 30 while the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state. The second horizontal direction is from the slow cooling zone 80 to the transition zone 70.

[0049] The lifting unit 50 is located in the transition zone 70. The lifting unit 50 is vertically adjustable and can lift and lower the shell assembly within the transition zone 70. After lifting the shell assembly, it needs to be cast; therefore, the lifting unit 50 provides stable support for the casting process. The first lifting hole 21 and the second lifting hole 31 are used to avoid obstructing the lifting process of the lifting unit 50, thus allowing the lifting unit 50 to smoothly complete the lifting and receiving actions of the shell assembly on the first carrier 20 or the second carrier 30, avoiding structural interference between the lifting unit 50 and the first carrier 20 or the second carrier 30. The first clearance opening 22 is used to allow the first carrier vehicle 20 to move and avoid the lifting unit 50. The second clearance opening 32 is used to allow the second carrier vehicle 30 to move and avoid the lifting unit 50. This allows the first carrier vehicle 20 and the second carrier vehicle 30 to alternately enter and exit the transition zone 70 while the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state. This completes the process of transferring the shell assembly from the molding zone 60 to the transition zone 70, lifting it with the lifting unit 50 to complete the pouring, and then transferring it to the second carrier vehicle 30 and then to the slow cooling zone 80. This achieves continuous flow of the shell assembly process and improves the continuity and efficiency of the operation.

[0050] Furthermore, the upper surface of the first carrier 20 is flush with the lower surface of the second carrier 30 so that they can be stacked vertically. Through the auxiliary support of the first carrier 20 for the second carrier 30, the overall structural strength and load-bearing capacity of the second carrier 30 are significantly improved. This compensates for the structural strength shortcomings of the second carrier 30 caused by the opening of the second lifting hole 31 and the second clearance opening 32. It also solves the problem that when the lifting unit 50 lowers the shell components on the second carrier 30, the insufficient structural strength of the second carrier 30 prevents it from rising and falling slowly. This allows the lifting unit 50 to quickly complete the lifting action, shortening the operation cycle and ultimately improving the overall casting efficiency and production efficiency.

[0051] Furthermore, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system also includes a third carrier 40, located between the first carrier 20 and the second carrier 30. The third carrier 40 provides a structural foundation for auxiliary support of the second carrier 30. The third carrier 40 has a vertically penetrating third lifting hole 41 and a third clearance opening 42. The third lifting hole 41 provides clearance space for the vertical lifting of the lifting unit 50, preventing structural interference between the lifting unit 50 and the third carrier 40 during lifting. The third clearance opening 42 connects to the third lifting hole 41, providing clearance space for the lifting unit 50 during the horizontal movement of the third carrier 40, ensuring normal movement of the third carrier 40 when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state.

[0052] In the first state, the third bearing carriage 40 has a third clearance opening 42 extending through it along the first horizontal direction. This ensures that when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state, it can smoothly pass through the third clearance opening 42 and the third lifting hole 41 during horizontal movement, completely avoiding structural interference. The upper surface of the third bearing carriage 40 is flush with the lower surface of the second bearing carriage 30, allowing them to be stacked vertically. This stacking structure significantly improves the overall structural strength and load-bearing capacity of the second bearing carriage 30, compensating for the structural strength shortcomings caused by the second lifting hole 31 and the second clearance opening 32. It also solves the problem that the lifting unit 50 can only descend slowly due to insufficient structural strength of the second bearing carriage 30 during descent, allowing it to descend rapidly after the casting of the mold shell components, shortening the single-process operation cycle, and thus improving overall casting efficiency and production efficiency.

[0053] With the third carrier 40, the first carrier 20 does not need to stay at the lifting unit 50 to provide support for the second carrier 30. After the lifting unit 50 lifts the shell assembly, the first carrier 20 can return to the mold chamber to load the next shell assembly. During the casting process of the shell assembly on the lifting unit 50, the second carrier 30 moves to the bottom of the lifting unit 50. The axes of the lifting unit 50, the second lifting hole 31, and the third lifting hole 41 are aligned, so that the third carrier 40 provides stable support for the second carrier 30.

[0054] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, the third carrier 40 includes a movable seat 43 and a rotating platform 44, which can realize the horizontal movement and rotational adjustment of the third carrier 40, respectively. The rotating platform 44 is rotatably connected to the movable seat 43, providing stable support and rotational reference for the circumferential rotation of the rotating platform 44. The movable seat 43 moves along the track unit 10, which can drive the rotating platform 44 to move in the first horizontal direction or the second horizontal direction for position adjustment. The movement trajectory of the movable seat 43 is offset from that of the lifting unit 50 to avoid structural interference between the movable seat 43 and the lifting unit 50 during horizontal movement. The rotating platform 44 rotates around the axis of the third lifting hole 41, driving the third clearance opening 42 to rotate synchronously, realizing flexible switching of the extension direction of the third clearance opening 42 to adapt to the movement and clearance requirements in different directions. The third lifting hole 41 and the third clearance opening 42 are set on the rotating platform 44, which can make the clearance structure and the rotation movement completely synchronized, ensuring the stability and consistency of the clearance function. The upper surface of the rotating platform 44 is the upper surface of the third carrier 40, which ensures that after the rotating platform 44 completes the directional adjustment, it can still achieve complete and stable contact with the lower surface of the second carrier 30, ensuring the support reliability of the third carrier 40 and the second carrier 30 when stacked vertically, and effectively improving the overall structural strength of the second carrier 30.

[0055] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, in the second state, the third carrier 40 has a third clearance opening 42 extending along the second horizontal direction through the rotating platform 44. When the third carrier 40 is in the transition zone 70, utilizing the characteristics of the third lifting hole 41 and the third clearance opening 42 along the second horizontal direction, the third carrier 40 is moved along the first horizontal direction, and then the first carrier 20 is moved into the transition zone 70, thus clearing the way for the first carrier 20 to enter, allowing the shell assembly to move smoothly from the molding zone 60 to the transition zone 70. Simultaneously, when the second carrier 30 is loaded with the shell assembly during the slow cooling process, the third carrier 40 rotates to the second state, thereby replacing the second carrier 30 as the loading structure for the shell assembly. It should be noted that when the third carrier 40 moves along the first horizontal direction, it can move into the slow cooling chamber, and the accommodating area of ​​the transition zone 70 can be increased, allowing the transition zone 70 to simultaneously accommodate both the first carrier 20 and the third carrier 40.

[0056] Furthermore, the lower surface of the rotating plate 44 is flush with the upper surface of the first carrier 20 so that the two can be stacked vertically. When the shell assembly on the second carrier 30 is being slowly cooled, the rotation of the rotating plate 44 can switch the extension direction of the third clearance opening 42, allowing the third carrier 40 to be reused as a structure to support the shell assembly, i.e., the third carrier 40 is in the second state. It should be understood that when the first carrier 20 transports the shell assembly to the transition zone 70, the lifting unit 50 lifts the shell assembly for the casting process. At this time, the first carrier 20 stops, causing the third carrier 40 to move above the first carrier 20, with the axes of the first carrier 20 and the third carrier 40 coinciding, so that the first carrier 20 acts as a supporting structure to reinforce the third carrier 40. After the shell assembly is poured, the lifting unit 50 lowers the shell assembly onto the third carrier 40. The third carrier 40 then moves to the slow cooling zone 80, while the first carrier 20 returns to the mold-feeding zone 60 to load the shell assembly after the third carrier 40 leaves the transition zone 70. The third carrier 40 not only serves as a support structure but can also be reused as a structure for transporting the shell assembly.

[0057] By providing auxiliary support to the third carrier 40 through the first carrier 20, the overall structural rigidity and load-bearing capacity of the third carrier 40 are significantly improved. This compensates for the structural strength shortcomings caused by the third lifting hole 41 and the third clearance opening 42 in the third carrier 40. It also solves the problem that the third carrier 40 could only slowly rise and fall due to insufficient structural strength when the lifting unit 50 lowers the shell components on the third carrier 40, allowing the lifting unit 50 to complete the lifting action quickly and shorten the operation cycle. Combined with the rotation adjustment function of the rotating plate 44, the third carrier 40 can flexibly adapt to the stacking requirements of the second carrier 30, and the third carrier 40 can be reused as a transport structure for the shell components. This ensures that the lifting unit 50 can work quickly in the shell component lowering process, further reducing the process connection time and ultimately improving the overall casting efficiency and production efficiency.

[0058] Furthermore, the transition zone 70 can accommodate a maximum of one first carrier vehicle 20 and one auxiliary vehicle simultaneously, precisely controlling the number of operating vehicles within the transition zone 70 and preventing structural collisions and motion interference caused by the simultaneous entry of the first carrier vehicle 20, second carrier vehicle 30, and third carrier vehicle 40 into the transition zone 70. The auxiliary vehicle is the largest of the second carrier vehicle 30 and the third carrier vehicle 40. This satisfies the work space requirements for the first carrier vehicle 20 and the auxiliary vehicle to complete the handover of shell components and vertical stacking reinforcement within the transition zone 70, avoiding the problems of increased overall footprint and excessive vehicle travel distance caused by excessive redundancy in the transition zone 70, thus optimizing the overall layout.

[0059] Furthermore, the upper surface of the rotating platform 44 is flush with the lower surface of the first carrier vehicle 20 so that the two can be stacked vertically. This eliminates the need for the third carrier vehicle 40 to avoid the first carrier vehicle 20 moving into the transition zone 70, allowing the third carrier vehicle 40 and the first carrier vehicle 20 to be stacked directly vertically. The vertically projected area of ​​the transition zone 70 can accommodate and cover any one of the three carrier vehicles—the first carrier vehicle 20, the second carrier vehicle 30, and the third carrier vehicle 40—with the largest vertically projected size. Strict control over the number of vehicles operating within the transition zone 70 prevents structural collisions and motion interference caused by multiple vehicles entering the transition zone 70 simultaneously. Simultaneously, this spatial limitation significantly reduces the design size of the transition zone 70, shortens the travel distance of each carrier vehicle between the molding zone 60, the transition zone 70, and the slow cooling zone 80, reduces the travel time between vehicle processes, and reduces the overall footprint of the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment.

[0060] Furthermore, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system also includes a rotary drive unit. The rotary drive unit provides power input for the circumferential rotation of the rotating platform 44, enabling precise adjustment of the angle of the rotating platform 44 and ensuring flexible switching of the extension direction of the third clearance opening 42. The rotary drive unit includes a gear ring 46, a clutch transmission unit, and a rotary drive unit. The gear ring 46 is fixedly connected to the rotating platform 44, ensuring stable transmission of rotational power to the rotating platform 44. The gear ring 46 is concentrically positioned with the third lifting hole 41, ensuring that the transmission center of the gear ring 46 completely coincides with the rotation center of the rotating platform 44, preventing eccentric wobbling during transmission and improving the positional accuracy and stability of the rotating platform 44. The central angle formed by the extended trajectory of the toothed ring 46 is greater than 180° and less than 360°. This not only satisfies the requirement of at least 180° rotation of the rotating platform 44, enabling complete switching of the third clearance opening 42 between the first and second horizontal directions, but also naturally forms a clearance space between the two ends of the toothed ring 46. This clearance space is used to avoid the lifting unit 50 when the third carrier vehicle 40 moves, providing sufficient space for the lifting unit 50 to pass through smoothly. This completely avoids structural interference between the toothed ring 46 and the lifting unit 50, ensuring that the third carrier vehicle 40 can smoothly enter and exit the transition zone 70 even when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state. The toothed ring 46 and the rotary drive unit are connected by a clutch transmission unit for transmission or disengagement. Since the casting space is a vacuum environment, the clutch transmission unit is located outside the casting space, thereby reducing casting costs.

[0061] In the first state, the center of the toothed ring 46 of the third carrier vehicle 40 points towards the clearance space in the first horizontal direction. This orientation ensures that in the first state, the clearance space and the extension direction of the third clearance opening 42 are perfectly matched, forming a continuous and unobstructed clearance channel. This further enhances the clearance effect on the lifting unit 50 and ensures that the third carrier vehicle 40 can complete its full-stroke movement while the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state.

[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, the third carrier 40 also includes an arc-shaped guide rail 45 and multiple guide blocks. The guide rail 45 is fixedly connected to the movable seat 43, and the guide rail 45 and the toothed ring 46 are concentrically arranged to ensure that the position of the guide rail 45 is completely synchronized with the movable seat 43, avoiding deviation of the guide reference and ensuring the consistency and reliability of the guide action. The central angle formed by the extended trajectory of the guide rail 45 is greater than 90° and less than 180°, ensuring that the rotating platform 44 always has sufficient guide stroke during rotation, meeting the full-process guide requirements of the 180° direction switching of the third clearance port 42, preventing the guide rail 45 from forming a closed-loop structure, reserving sufficient clearance space for the lifting unit 50, and avoiding structural interference between the guide rail 45 and the lifting unit 50. The guide blocks are fixedly connected to the rotating platform 44. During the rotation of the rotating platform 44, at least one guide block is located in the guide rail 45, realizing continuous guide constraint for the entire rotation stroke of the rotating platform 44, completely avoiding the occurrence of unguided empty strokes during rotation, and preventing the rotating platform 44 from shifting position or shaking. The guide rail 45 and guide block are misaligned with the lifting unit 50 as the moving seat 43 moves. This avoids structural collisions and interference between the guide rail 45 and guide block and the lifting unit 50 during the horizontal movement of the moving seat 43, ensuring the smooth movement of the moving seat 43 throughout its entire stroke. It also ensures that the third carrier vehicle 40 can smoothly enter and exit the transition zone 70 when the lifting unit 50 is in the raised state.

[0063] Furthermore, the track unit 10 includes a first track 11 and a second track 12. The first track 11 and the second track 12 are parallel. The first carrier 20 and the second carrier 30 both move along the first track 11, while the third carrier 40 moves along the second track 12. This rationally divides the movement paths of the first carrier 20, the second carrier 30, and the third carrier 40, fundamentally avoiding path interference and structural collisions during transport. By moving the third carrier 40 along the independent second track 12, it can flexibly adjust its position and move to the transition zone 70 to complete the vertical stacking operation with the first carrier 20 or the second carrier 30, providing strong support for the corresponding first carrier 20 or second carrier 30.

[0064] The first carrier 20 has a first width along the direction perpendicular to the first track 11, the second carrier 30 has a second width along the same direction, and the third carrier 40 has a third width along the same direction perpendicular to the second track 12. The third width is smaller than the first width, and the third width is smaller than the second width. This arrangement places the second track 12 between the first tracks 11, thus preventing interference between the third carrier 40 and the first and second carriers 30 on the first track 11, ensuring that all three can move smoothly on their respective tracks simultaneously without interference. Furthermore, the smaller third width allows the third carrier 40 to be vertically stacked with either the first or second carrier. Moreover, using only the second track 12 for the third carrier 40 reduces the processing difficulty of the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment, avoiding the need for multiple tracks for multiple carriers, which would increase processing complexity.

[0065] Furthermore, the multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system also includes a mobile drive unit 90. By adding the mobile drive unit 90, power can be provided for the horizontal movement of the first carrier 20, the second carrier 30, and the third carrier 40. The mobile drive unit 90 includes a first motor, a first transmission unit 91, a second motor, a second transmission unit 93, a transition transmission unit 92, a first clutch unit 94, and a second clutch unit 95. The first transmission unit 91, located in the molding zone 60, drives the first carrier 20, ensuring precise and controllable movement of the first carrier 20 between the molding zone 60 and the transition zone 70. The second transmission unit 93, located in the slow cooling zone 80, drives the second carrier 30, ensuring precise and controllable movement of the second carrier 30 between the slow cooling zone 80 and the transition zone 70. The transition transmission unit 92 is located in the transition zone 70 and can provide dedicated driving power for the first carrier 20 or the second carrier 30 entering the transition zone 70. This allows for independent power supply to the forming zone 60 and the slow cooling zone 80, ensuring that the driving operations in the two zones do not interfere with each other. The first carrier 20 and the second carrier 30 can independently complete transfer operations, improving the parallelism of the process flow. The first motor is connected to the first transmission unit 91, and the second motor is connected to the second transmission unit 93. The transition transmission unit 92 is connected to or disconnected from the first transmission unit 91 via the first clutch unit 94. The transition transmission unit 92 is connected to or disconnected from the second transmission unit 93 via the second clutch unit 95. The transition transmission unit 92 drives the first carrier 20 or the second carrier 30 to move. This clutch-type power switching structure reduces the number of power components and lowers the production and maintenance costs of the equipment. Simultaneously, it can realize the continuous power transmission of the forming zone 60, the transition zone 70, and the slow cooling zone 80, ensuring that the driving power of the first carrier vehicle 20 and the second carrier vehicle 30 can be seamlessly connected when moving across the zone, avoiding the problems of power interruption and start-stop jerking, and improving the stability of the transfer process.

[0066] During the drive source setup, since the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment operates in a vacuum environment, the mobile drive unit 90 is positioned outside the vacuum chamber, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing products using the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment. It is also possible to position the mobile drive unit 90 inside the vacuum chamber, but this would increase the cost of manufacturing products using the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment. Preferably, the mobile drive unit 90 is positioned outside the vacuum chamber.

[0067] Example 2:

[0068] In this embodiment, a multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment is provided, which includes a multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system, a mold entry chamber, a transition chamber, a slow cooling chamber, a melting chamber, and a vacuum system.

[0069] The mold-feeding area 60 is located in the mold-feeding chamber, allowing the mold shell assembly to be fed into a separate, enclosed chamber. It can also be used in conjunction with a vacuum system to achieve independent vacuum environment control within the mold-feeding chamber, ensuring the cleanliness of the environment before the mold shell assembly enters the casting process and preventing impurities from contaminating the mold shell assembly and affecting the quality of the final cast product.

[0070] The transition zone 70 is located in the transition chamber and provides a dedicated working space for the lifting and pouring processes of the shell assembly, so as to achieve a smooth transition between the molding process and the slow cooling process.

[0071] The slow cooling zone 80 is located in the slow cooling chamber, which allows the mold shell assembly to complete the slow cooling operation in an independent, sealed chamber after casting. It provides a dedicated working space for the cooling and shaping of the mold shell assembly, and avoids the impact of temperature fluctuations during the slow cooling process on other processes.

[0072] The melting chamber is located above the transition chamber, allowing the molten metal, after melting, to be poured directly downwards by gravity into the mold assembly, which is lifted 50mm by the jacking unit within the transition chamber. This simultaneously avoids problems such as temperature loss, oxidation, and splashing that can occur during the transfer of molten metal, ensuring the stability of the pouring process and the purity of the molten metal, thus improving the quality of the finished casting.

[0073] The vacuum system is used to evacuate the mold-feeding chamber, transition chamber, slow cooling chamber, and melting chamber. It provides a stable vacuum environment for each process, preventing oxidation of the molten metal during melting and pouring. It also prevents the mold shell components from becoming contaminated with moisture, dust, and other impurities during the transfer between processes, fundamentally reducing defects such as porosity, inclusions, and oxidation within the castings, and significantly improving the metallurgical quality and performance stability of the finished product. Furthermore, the vacuum system allows for independent vacuum control of each chamber, adapting to the process requirements of different steps and ensuring that the vacuum environments of each step do not interfere with each other. Combined with the carrier vehicle's motion system, it enables continuous vacuum casting operations across multiple processes, significantly improving overall casting efficiency and production efficiency while ensuring product quality.

[0074] After the mold shell assembly is placed onto the first carrier 20, a vacuum is evacuated from the mold entry chamber, and then the mold shell assembly is moved into the transition chamber. When the mold shell assembly is placed onto the first carrier 20, the transition chamber is under vacuum, while the mold entry chamber is not. When the cooled mold shell assembly is removed from the slow cooling chamber, the transition chamber is still under vacuum, while the slow cooling chamber is not. After the mold shell assembly is removed, the slow cooling chamber must be evacuated again.

[0075] Furthermore, the multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment also includes a feeding chamber, located above the melting chamber, to enable the pre-storage and controlled delivery of raw materials. Through its vertical structural design, the metal raw materials to be melted can fall directly into the melting chamber by gravity. During the material addition process, the feeding chamber can be evacuated before being connected to the melting chamber, completely preventing external air, moisture, dust, and other impurities from entering the melting chamber during the feeding process. This prevents oxidation reactions between the raw materials and the molten metal, ensuring the purity of the molten metal, reducing internal defects such as oxidation and inclusions in the castings, and improving the metallurgical quality and performance stability of the finished castings.

[0076] Furthermore, the drive sources of the first carrier vehicle 20 and the second carrier vehicle 30 are both located outside the mold-entry chamber, the transition chamber, and the slow cooling chamber, which completely isolates the drive source from the internal working environment of each vacuum chamber. This prevents contaminants such as lubricating oil volatilization, dust, and material venting generated during the operation of the drive source from entering the vacuum chamber, thus preventing contamination of the mold shell components and molten metal, reducing defects such as inclusions and porosity inside the casting, and ensuring the metallurgical quality and yield of the cast products.

[0077] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific examples of implementing this disclosure, and in practical applications, various changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system includes: The track unit is laid horizontally; the laying path of the track unit passes through the molding zone, the transition zone and the slow cooling zone in sequence. A first carrier vehicle moves along the track unit; the first carrier vehicle has a vertically penetrating first lifting hole and a first clearance opening; the first clearance opening is connected to the first lifting hole; the first clearance opening extends through one end of the first carrier vehicle along a first horizontal direction; the first horizontal direction is the direction from the molding area to the transition area; the first carrier vehicle moves between the molding area and the transition area. The second carrier moves along the track unit; the second carrier has a vertically penetrating second lifting hole and a second clearance opening; the second clearance opening is connected to the second lifting hole; the second clearance opening extends through one end of the second carrier in a second horizontal direction; the second horizontal direction is the direction from the slow cooling zone to the transition zone; the second carrier moves between the slow cooling zone and the transition zone. A lifting unit is located in the transition zone; the lifting unit is vertically raised and lowered; the first lifting hole and the second lifting hole are used to avoid the lifting process of the lifting unit; the first clearance opening is used to avoid the lifting unit when the first carrier vehicle moves; the second clearance opening is used to avoid the lifting unit when the second carrier vehicle moves.

2. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the first carrier vehicle is flush with the lower surface of the second carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically.

3. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system also includes a third carrier; the third carrier is located between the first carrier and the second carrier; the third carrier has a vertically penetrating third lifting hole and a third clearance opening; The third clearance opening is connected to the third lifting hole; In the first state, the third clearance extends through the third carrier along the first horizontal direction, and the upper surface of the third carrier is flush with the lower surface of the second carrier so that the two can be stacked vertically.

4. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The third carrier includes a movable seat and a rotating platform; the rotating platform is rotatably connected to the movable seat; the movable seat moves along the track unit; the moving trajectory of the movable seat is offset from the lifting unit; the rotating platform rotates around the axis of the third lifting hole; the third lifting hole and the third clearance opening are provided on the rotating platform; the upper surface of the rotating platform is the upper surface of the third carrier. In the second state, the third carrying vehicle extends through the rotating platform along the second horizontal direction.

5. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower surface of the rotating platform is flush with the upper surface of the first carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically.

6. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transition zone can accommodate at most one first carrier vehicle and one additional vehicle at the same time; the additional vehicle is the largest of the second carrier vehicle and the third carrier vehicle.

7. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper surface of the rotating platform is flush with the lower surface of the first carrier vehicle so that the two can be stacked vertically; the vertically projected area of ​​the transition zone can cover at most one of the first carrier vehicle, the second carrier vehicle, and the third carrier vehicle with the largest vertically projected size.

8. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system further includes a rotary drive unit; the rotary drive unit includes a gear ring, a clutch transmission unit, and a rotary drive unit; the gear ring is fixedly connected to the rotating vehicle plate; the gear ring is concentrically arranged with the third lifting hole; the central angle formed by the extension trajectory of the gear ring is greater than 180° and less than 360°; there is a clearance space between the two ends of the gear ring; the clearance space is used for the third carrier to avoid the lifting unit when moving; the gear ring and the rotary drive unit are connected by the clutch transmission unit to achieve transmission or separation; In the first state, the direction in which the center of the toothed ring points to the clearance space is the first horizontal direction.

9. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The third carrier also includes an arc-shaped guide rail and multiple guide blocks; the guide rail is fixedly connected to the movable seat; the guide rail is concentrically arranged with the toothed ring; the central angle formed by the extension trajectory of the guide rail is greater than 90° and less than 180°; the guide blocks are fixedly connected to the rotating platform; during the rotation of the rotating platform, at least one of the guide blocks is located in the guide rail; the trajectory of the guide rail and the guide blocks moving with the movable seat is offset from that of the lifting unit.

10. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The track unit includes a first track and a second track; the first track and the second track are parallel; both the first carrier and the second carrier move along the first track; the third carrier moves along the second track; the first carrier has a first width along a direction perpendicular to the first track; the second carrier has a second width along a direction perpendicular to the first track; the third carrier has a third width along a direction perpendicular to the second track; the third width is smaller than the first width; the third width is smaller than the second width.

11. The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system further includes a mobile drive unit; the mobile drive unit includes a first motor, a first transmission unit, a second motor, a second transmission unit, a transition transmission unit, a first clutch unit, and a second clutch unit; the first transmission unit is located in the mold entry area to drive the first carrier to move; the second transmission unit is located in the slow cooling area to drive the second carrier to move; the transition transmission unit is located in the transition area; the first motor is connected to the first transmission unit; the second motor is connected to the second transmission unit; the transition transmission unit is connected to or disconnected from the first transmission unit via the first clutch unit; the transition transmission unit is connected to or disconnected from the second transmission unit via the second clutch unit; the transition transmission unit drives the first carrier or the second carrier to move.

12. A multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment includes: The multi-chamber vacuum casting carrier motion system as described in any one of claims 1-11; A molding chamber, wherein the molding area is located within the molding chamber; The transition chamber, wherein the transition zone is located within the transition chamber; Slow cooling chamber, wherein the slow cooling zone is located within the slow cooling chamber; A melting chamber, located above the transition chamber; A vacuum system for evacuating the molding chamber, the transition chamber, the slow cooling chamber, and the melting chamber.

13. A multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment also includes a feeding chamber; the feeding chamber is located above the melting chamber.

14. A multi-chamber vacuum casting equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The drive sources of the first carrier vehicle and the second carrier vehicle are both located outside the molding chamber, the transition chamber and the slow cooling chamber.

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