Welding positioning device for air suspension hoop

Abstract

The invention discloses a welding positioning device for an air suspension hoop. The welding positioning device comprises a fixed bottom plate, a sliding mechanism, a first inner mold, a second inner mold, a first inclined pressing mechanism, a second inclined pressing mechanism and a centering mechanism, wherein the first inclined pressing mechanism and the second inclined pressing mechanism are symmetrically arranged; the first inner mold and the second inner mold are fixedly arranged on the fixed bottom plate and the sliding back plate respectively, a gap is reserved between the first inner mold and the second inner mold, and semi-arch-shaped supporting blocks of the first inner mold and the second inner mold are used for supporting hoops. The centering insertion piece can be inserted into the gap for centering, the first inclined pressing mechanism firstly presses the first end of the hoop to be attached to the centering insertion piece, after the centering insertion piece is withdrawn, the second inclined pressing mechanism fixes the second end of the hoop, and the sliding mechanism drives the second inner mold to drive the second end of the hoop to be in accurate butt joint with the first end. According to the welding positioning device for the air suspension hoop, strict alignment of the two free ends of the hoop in the up-down direction and the front-back direction is achieved, the welding yield is greatly increased, and the welding positioning device is suitable for the large-batch low-cost production requirement.

Description

A welding positioning device for air suspension clamps Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive air suspension component processing technology, specifically to a welding positioning device for air suspension clamps. Background Technology

[0002] As one of the core components of an automotive air suspension system, the clamp is usually made of metal and is mostly circular in structure. During the assembly and operation of the air suspension, it plays an important role in fixing the suspension components, limiting the key components, and assisting in the precise assembly of various components, directly affecting the assembly accuracy and operational stability of the air suspension system.

[0003] In the early stages of the automotive industry's development, air suspension technology, due to its high technical barriers and manufacturing costs, was exclusively a feature of high-end gasoline-powered vehicles. During this period, the overall market demand for air suspension clamps was relatively small. Furthermore, because high-end vehicles were less sensitive to component costs, the processing methods for clamps did not face stringent requirements for cost reduction and efficiency improvement. At that time, clamps were mainly manufactured using CNC machining. While this process ensured the clamps' machining accuracy, it had significant drawbacks: firstly, CNC machining falls under the category of precision machining, which is time-consuming and has extremely low throughput per unit time, making it difficult to improve production efficiency; secondly, the equipment investment, tool wear, and labor costs required for precision machining are all high, resulting in a persistently high unit cost for clamps manufactured using CNC machining.

[0004] In recent years, with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the automotive market has continuously increased its demands for vehicle comfort, handling, and fuel efficiency. Air suspension systems, as a key component for improving overall vehicle performance, are gradually becoming more widespread from high-end to mid-to-low-end vehicles, leading to an explosive growth in demand for air suspension clamps. At the same time, the mid-to-low-end vehicle market is far more cost-sensitive to component costs than the high-end market, making cost reduction and efficiency improvement the core driving force for the development of clamp processing technology. Against this backdrop, traditional CNC machining processes, due to their inherent defects of low production efficiency and high manufacturing costs, are completely unable to meet the market's demand for large-scale, low-cost clamp production. Developing new, efficient, and low-cost clamp processing technologies has become an urgent need within the industry.

[0005] To address the shortcomings of CNC machining, the industry has developed two mainstream hoop manufacturing processes: The first is the pressing method, which applies pressure from multiple directions on the outside of the steel coil using a press to shape it into a near-circular structure. The joints of the near-circular steel coil are then welded to form the hoop's basic shape. However, due to uneven stress distribution during pressing, the roundness of the formed near-circular structure deviates significantly, failing to meet assembly requirements directly. Therefore, a secondary rounding process using a forming mold is necessary. However, the pressing method has a fatal flaw: the rounding process easily leads to metal fatigue and joint misalignment, resulting in an extremely low product yield of only about 60%. The large number of defective products further increases production costs, making industrial-scale mass production difficult. The second method is the rolling method, which uses a customized rolling machine to continuously roll and shape the steel coil, directly forming a highly rounded annular structure. The joints of the annular structure are then welded to obtain the hoop. Compared to the pressing method, the rolling method has significant advantages: the rolling process of the rolling machine is stable, which can ensure that the clamp has a high degree of roundness, eliminating the need for subsequent rounding treatment and simplifying the production process; at the same time, the rolling machine has extremely high processing efficiency, with a clamp production speed of 1 second / clamp, which can meet the needs of mass production. Therefore, the rolling method has gradually replaced the pressing method and CNC machining process, becoming the mainstream technology for clamp processing.

[0006] Although the rolling ring method has solved the problems of production efficiency and roundness accuracy in traditional processes, there are still technical bottlenecks to be addressed in the welding process of the clamps. Because the clamps require high assembly precision, the welding quality at the joints directly affects the structural strength and assembly accuracy of the clamps. This necessitates that the two free ends of the clamp after rolling ring forming must be strictly aligned in both vertical and horizontal directions during welding; otherwise, defects such as welding misalignment and uneven welds can easily occur, leading to the scrapping of the clamps. Currently, existing welding equipment on the market struggles to precisely control the alignment accuracy of the two free ends when welding clamps formed by the rolling ring method, resulting in a low welding yield. This not only affects the overall production efficiency of the clamps but also increases production costs due to the production of defective products, limiting the full realization of the advantages of the rolling ring method.

[0007] In summary, the low yield rate of the current mainstream rolling ring method in the clamp welding process has become a key technical bottleneck restricting the mass production and low-cost production of air suspension clamps. Therefore, developing relevant technologies that can solve the above-mentioned welding accuracy problem is of great significance for improving clamp production yield, reducing production costs, and meeting market demands. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention addresses the shortcomings of traditional welding devices by proposing a novel welding positioning device for air suspension clamps. This device enables precise docking of the two free ends of the air suspension clamp, thereby improving the yield of subsequent welding.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: The present invention provides a welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp, comprising: a vertically arranged fixed base plate; a sliding mechanism including a first driver and a sliding back plate fixed to the fixed base plate, the sliding back plate being slidably disposed on a first side of the fixed base plate; a first inner mold and a second inner mold, respectively fixed to the fixed base plate and the sliding back plate, with a gap between them; both the first inner mold and the second inner mold include a bottom module and a semi-arched support block, and the surfaces of the pair of bottom modules are flush with each other; the semi-arched support block is fixed to the surface of the bottom module for supporting the air suspension clamp to be welded; a first oblique pressing mechanism and a second oblique pressing mechanism, respectively symmetrically disposed above the first inner mold and the second inner mold, each including a second driver and a pressing member driven by the second driver, the pressing member being used to cooperate with the first inner mold / second inner mold to fix the two free ends of the air suspension clamp; and a fixed... A centering mechanism, located on the second side of the fixed base plate, includes a third driver and a centering insert driven by the third driver. The fixed base plate has a clearance hole corresponding to the position of the centering insert. The centering insert is configured to pass through the clearance hole and insert into the center of the gap between the first inner mold and the second inner mold to position the two free ends of the air suspension clamp. The first oblique pressing mechanism is configured to move obliquely downwards to press the first end of the air suspension clamp against the first inner mold, ensuring its end face is fully fitted against the centering insert. The second oblique pressing mechanism is configured to move obliquely downwards after the centering insert exits the gap, pressing the second end of the air suspension clamp against the second inner mold. The first driver is configured to drive a sliding backplate to move towards the first inner mold, thereby causing the second end of the air suspension clamp to move towards the first inner mold and its end face to contact the end face of the first end of the air suspension clamp.

[0010] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the semi-circular support block has a first arcuate surface that matches the inner circle of the air suspension clamp, and a pair of semi-circular support blocks are arranged opposite to each other.

[0011] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the clamping member includes an inverted L-shaped clamping plate and a wedge-shaped stop; the lower end face of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate has a second arc-shaped surface that matches the outer circle of the air suspension clamp; the wedge-shaped stop is fixed to one side of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate, and its lower end protrudes from the second arc-shaped surface of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate.

[0012] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first oblique pressing mechanism and the second oblique pressing mechanism further include a first floating joint and a guide member. The guide member is respectively disposed on the fixed base plate and the sliding back plate, and includes a guide groove. The first floating joint passes through the guide groove, and its two ends are respectively fixedly connected to the second driver and the pressing member.

[0013] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a pad is further provided on the fixed base plate; the bottom module of the first inner mold and the guide of the first oblique pressing mechanism are both fixed on the pad.

[0014] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the angle between the pressing direction of the first oblique pressing mechanism and the second oblique pressing mechanism and the vertical direction is 20° to 45°.

[0015] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the centering mechanism further includes a second floating joint, a connecting block, and a insert base; the two ends of the second floating joint are fixedly connected to the third driver and the connecting block, the insert base is fixed to the connecting block, and a slot is provided at its front end, and the centering insert is inserted and fixed in the slot.

[0016] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, dovetail grooves are provided on the bottom module of the first inner mold and the end face of the pad facing the centering insert, and a protruding ridge matching the dovetail groove is provided on the side face corresponding to the insert base.

[0017] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the front end of the centering insert has a wedge-shaped guide surface.

[0018] In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the pad and the sliding back plate are further provided with signal sensors for detecting whether air suspension clamps are placed on the first inner mold and the second inner mold.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. High positioning accuracy: The centering mechanism accurately positions the center position of the two free ends of the clamp, and with the arc surface and wedge-shaped stop of the inclined pressing mechanism, the clamp is accurately limited in both the up and down and front and back directions, which completely solves the problems of welding misalignment and uneven weld.

[0020] 2. Significantly improved welding yield: Relying on the high-precision positioning structure, it effectively avoids product scrap due to docking deviation, greatly improves the welding yield of clamps, and reduces the production costs caused by unqualified products.

[0021] 3. Suitable for mass production: The equipment has a high degree of automation, and the positioning and docking process is efficient and smooth. It matches the high production efficiency of the rolling ring method, meets the market demand for mass production and low cost of clamps, and gives full play to the advantages of the rolling ring method.

[0022] 4. Stable and durable structure: The combination of floating joints, guides, and dovetail grooves with protruding ribs counteracts lateral forces, ensures accurate power transmission, reduces wear on the drive mechanism, and extends the service life of the device; the centering insert is designed to be detachable, which facilitates subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0023] 5. High versatility: The arc-shaped surfaces of the semi-arch support block and clamping parts can be adapted to the inner and outer circles of different specifications of clamps, and can meet the welding positioning requirements of various types of clamps without major modifications, thereby improving equipment utilization. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the air suspension clamp; Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the welding positioning device for the air suspension clamp; Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the sliding mechanism; Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the first inner mold; Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the first oblique pressing mechanism; Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the pressing component; Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the centering mechanism; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the pressing component pressing and fixing the air suspension clamp onto the first inner mold; Figure 9 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in Figure 8; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the centering insert inserted into the gap between the first inner mold and the second inner mold; Figure 11 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point B in Figure 10; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the force application angle of the first oblique pressing mechanism; 100, air suspension clamp; 110, free end; 200, machine base; 210, fixed base plate; 211, clearance hole; 212, linear guide rail; 220, pad; 2 21. Dovetail groove; 300. Sliding mechanism; 310. Sliding back plate; 320. First actuator; 330. Second floating joint; 340. Signal sensor; 410. First inner mold; 411. Bottom module; 412. Semi-arched support block; 413. First arc-shaped surface; 420. Second inner mold; 500. First oblique pressing mechanism; 510. Second actuator; 520. Pressing element; 521. Inverted L-shape 522. Pressing plate; 523. Second arc-shaped surface; 524. Wedge-shaped stop; 535. Guide; 536. Guide groove; 547. First floating joint; 600. Second oblique pressing mechanism; 700. Centering mechanism; 710. Third driver; 720. Third floating joint; 730. Connecting block; 740. Insert base; 741. Protrusion; 742. Slot; 750. Centering insert; 751. Wedge-shaped guide surface. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the accompanying drawings, components with the same structure are indicated by the same numerical designation, and components with similar structures or functions are indicated by similar numerical designations. The directional terms used in this invention, such as upper, lower, front, rear, left, right, inner, outer, upper surface, lower surface, side, top surface, bottom, front end, rear end, and end, are merely directions in the accompanying drawings and are used only to explain and illustrate this invention, not to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0027] In the accompanying drawings, components with identical structures are indicated by the same numerical designation. When some components are described as being "on" another component, the component may be directly placed on the other component; alternatively, an intermediate component may exist, on which the component is placed, and the intermediate component is placed on the other component. When a component is described as being "mounted to" or "connected to" another component, both can be understood as being directly "mounted" or "connected," or as one component being indirectly "mounted to" or "connected to" another component via an intermediate component.

[0028] As described in the background section, the air suspension clamp is one of the core components of an automotive air suspension system. It is typically made of metal and is usually circular in shape, as shown in Figure 1. Currently, the rolling ring method has solved the problems of production efficiency and roundness accuracy in traditional processes, but there are still technical bottlenecks to be addressed in the welding process of the air suspension clamp 100. Because the air suspension clamp 100 requires high assembly precision, the welding quality at its joints directly affects the structural strength and assembly accuracy of the clamp. This necessitates that the two free ends 110 of the rolled-ring air suspension clamp 100 be strictly aligned in both the vertical and front-back directions during welding; otherwise, defects such as welding misalignment and uneven welds may occur, leading to the scrapping of the clamp product. Currently, existing welding equipment on the market struggles to precisely control the alignment accuracy of the two free ends 110 when welding the rolled-ring air suspension clamp 100, resulting in a low welding yield. This not only affects the overall production efficiency of the clamp but also increases production costs due to the generation of defective products, limiting the full realization of the advantages of the rolling ring method.

[0029] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a novel welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp 100. This welding positioning device enables the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 to be precisely joined together, ensuring strict alignment in both vertical and horizontal directions, thus avoiding defects such as welding misalignment and uneven welds, and significantly improving the yield of subsequent welding.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 2. The present invention provides a welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp 100, including a machine base 200 and a fixed base plate 210, a sliding mechanism 300, a first inner mold 410 and a second inner mold 420, a first inclined pressing mechanism 500 and a second inclined pressing mechanism 600, and a centering mechanism 700 mounted on the machine base 200.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 2 and 10. The fixed base plate 210 is vertically fixed on the machine base 200. The sliding mechanism 300, the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, the first inclined pressing mechanism 500 and the second inclined pressing mechanism 600 are all located on the front side of the fixed base plate 210, while the centering mechanism 700 is located on the rear side of the fixed base plate 210.

[0032] Referring to Figure 3, in this embodiment, the sliding mechanism 300 is located at the left end of the front side of the fixed base plate 210. The sliding mechanism 300 includes a first driver 320 and a sliding back plate 310, wherein the first driver 320 is mounted on the fixed base plate 210, and the sliding back plate 310 is horizontally slidably disposed on the fixed base plate 210 via a pair of linear guide rails 212. The first driver 320 is preferably connected to the sliding back plate 310 via a third floating joint 720, thereby driving the sliding back plate 310 to slide horizontally on the fixed base plate 210. The first driver 320 can be a commonly used driving device such as a cylinder or an electric cylinder. Considering that the first driving device has high requirements for positional accuracy, an electric cylinder is preferred.

[0033] Referring to Figures 8 and 10, in some embodiments, a pad 220 is fixedly disposed at the right end of the front side of the fixed base plate 210, and the pad 220 has the same height as the sliding back plate 310. Here, "height" refers to the distance between the surface of the pad 220, the surface of the sliding back plate 310, and the reference surface, with the front side of the fixed base plate 210 as a reference. There is a gap between the pad 220 and the sliding base plate, and under the action of the first actuator 320, the sliding back plate 310 can approach or move away from the pad 220.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 4 and 8. The first inner mold 410 is fixed on the pad 220, and the second inner mold 420 is fixed on the sliding base plate. The first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420 have the same structure and are symmetrically arranged. Similarly, there is a gap between the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, and under the action of the first driver 320, the second inner mold 420 can approach or move away from the first inner mold 410. The structure of the first inner mold 410 will be described in detail below using it as an example.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 4. The first inner mold 410 consists of a bottom module 411 and a semi-circular support block 412. The bottom module 411 can be a square block, which is fixedly installed on the pad 220 by fasteners. The semi-circular support block 412 is fixed to the surface of the bottom module 411 by fasteners, and it has a first arc-shaped surface 413 that matches the inner circle of the air suspension clamp 100.

[0036] Overall, since the heights of the pad 220 and the sliding back plate 310 are the same, and the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420 are the same in size and structure, the surface heights of the bottom modules 411 of the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420 are also the same. A pair of semi-arched support blocks 412 form an arch shape, which can be used to support the air suspension clamp 100 to be welded.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 2. The first oblique pressing mechanism 500 and the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 are symmetrically arranged above the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, respectively. The first oblique pressing mechanism 500 is mounted on the fixed base plate 210, and the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 is mounted on the sliding back plate 310. The first oblique pressing mechanism 500 and the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 have the same structure. The structure of the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 will be described in detail below.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 5. The first oblique clamping mechanism 500 includes a second driver 510 and a clamping member 520 driven by the second driver. The clamping member 520 is used to cooperate with the first inner mold 410 to fix the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100. The second driving mechanism can be a commonly used driving device such as a cylinder or an electric cylinder. Considering that the second driving device has high requirements for positional accuracy, an electric cylinder is preferred.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 6. The clamping component 520 includes an inverted L-shaped clamping plate 521 and a wedge-shaped stop 523. The lower end face of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate 521 has a second arc-shaped surface 522 that matches the outer circle of the air suspension clamp 100. The wedge-shaped stop 523 is fixed to the front side of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate 521, and its lower end protrudes from the second arc-shaped surface 522 of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate 521. The second arc-shaped surface 522 on the inverted L-shaped clamping plate 521 has the same width as the first arc-shaped surface 413 on the semi-arched support block 412. Under the action of the second actuator 510, they can cooperate with each other to clamp the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100. The inclined surface at the lower end of the wedge-shaped stop 523 can abut against the air suspension clamp 100, so that its rear end face can better fit against the surface of the bottom module 411, thereby improving the accuracy of the air suspension clamp 100 in the front-rear direction.

[0040] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 and the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 further include a first floating joint 540 and a guide member 530. The guide member 530 of the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 is fixed to the pad 220, and the guide member 530 of the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 is fixed to the sliding back plate 310. The guide member 530 includes a guide groove 531, in which the first floating joint 540 passes, with its two ends respectively fixed to the second driver 510 and the pressing member 520. By providing the first floating joint 540 and the guide member 530, the second driver 510 can be protected, and the accuracy of the pressing direction can be improved, ensuring stable power transmission.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 12. In some embodiments, the angle α between the pressing direction of the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 and the second oblique pressing mechanism 600 and the vertical direction is preferably 20°~45°, for example, it can be 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, etc., preferably 25°~35°, more preferably 30°. When the air suspension clamp 100 is placed on a pair of semi-circular support blocks 412, due to the characteristics of the material itself, its two free ends 110 do not fit well against the surface of the semi-circular support blocks 412, but are in a raised state. Taking the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 as an example, from a mechanical point of view, the force Fn applied by the pressing block to the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 can be decomposed into a horizontal component force Fx and a vertical component force Fy, where Fx=Fn·sinα, Fy=Fn·cosα. If the included angle α is too large, for example, >45°, the horizontal component force Fx will be too large while the vertical component force Fy will be too small. Since the air suspension clamp 100 is in a raised state, the imbalance of the component forces Fx and Fy will, on the one hand, result in poor clamping effect of the clamping block on the air suspension clamp 100. On the other hand, the excessively large horizontal component force Fx will cause the end face of the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 to exert too much force on the centering insert 750, making it difficult for the centering insert 750 to retract and easily causing damage to the centering insert 750. In addition, the imbalance of the component forces Fx and Fy will also cause the inner circle of the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 to not be tightly attached to the semi-arched support block 412, which will lead to the end faces of the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 not being aligned in the vertical direction, affecting the welding yield. Similarly, if the included angle α is too small, for example, <20°, the horizontal component force Fx will be too small while the vertical component force Fy will be too large. The imbalance between the component forces Fx and Fy will also result in poor clamping effect of the clamping block on the air suspension clamp 100. In addition, if the component force Fx is too small and the component force Fy is too large, the end face of the free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 will not fit well with the centering insert 750, which will also make it impossible to align the end faces of the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 in the future, affecting the welding yield.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 10. The centering mechanism 700 is located on the rear side of the fixed base plate 210. It includes a third driver 710 and a centering insert 750 driven by the third driver 710. The third driver 710 is fixedly installed on the rear side of the fixed base plate 210. It can be a commonly used driving device such as a cylinder or an electric cylinder, preferably a cylinder.

[0043] Please refer to Figures 8 and 10. The fixed base plate 210 has a clearance hole 211 at the position corresponding to the centering insert 750, so that the centering insert 750 can pass through the clearance hole 211 and be inserted into the center position of the gap between the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, thereby realizing the positioning of the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100.

[0044] Referring to Figure 7, in some embodiments, the centering mechanism 700 further includes a second floating connector 330, a connecting block 730, and a insert base 740; wherein the two ends of the second floating connector 330 are fixedly connected to the third driver 710 and the connecting block 730, and the insert base 740 is fixedly mounted on the connecting block 730. A slot 742 is provided at the front end of the insert base 740, and the centering insert 750 is inserted and fixed in the slot 742.

[0045] The centering insert 750 will wear out during use and needs to be replaced periodically. In this invention, the centering insert 750 is detachably installed on the insert base 740 by plugging it in, thereby facilitating replacement.

[0046] Referring to Figure 7, in some preferred embodiments, the centering insert 750 has a wedge-shaped guide surface 751 at its front end. When the feeding mechanism places the air suspension clamp 100 to be welded on the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, the wedge-shaped guide surface 751 allows the centering insert 750 to be better inserted into the gap between the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 9. In some preferred embodiments, the bottom module 411 of the first inner mold 410 and the end face of the pad 220 facing the centering insert 750 are both provided with dovetail grooves 221. The end face of the insert base 740 is provided with a protruding ridge 741 that matches the dovetail groove 221, and the protruding ridge 741 is fitted into the dovetail groove 221.

[0048] As mentioned earlier, when the air suspension clamp 100 is placed on a pair of semi-arched support blocks 412, its two free ends 110 are in a raised state. At this time, when the first oblique pressing mechanism 500 presses the free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 onto the first inner mold 410, the end face of the free end 110 is tightly attached to one side of the centering insert 750, and a lateral force is applied to the centering insert 750, which causes the piston rod of the cylinder to bend and deform. This not only prevents the cylinder from driving the centering insert 750 out, but also accelerates the wear of the cylinder and reduces its service life. In this invention, by opening a dovetail groove 221 on the end face of the bottom module 411 and the pad 220 of the first inner mold 410 facing the centering insert 750, and providing a protruding ridge 741 on the insert base 740 to fit into the dovetail groove 221, the lateral force transmitted to the cylinder piston rod is offset, ensuring that the cylinder can drive the centering insert 750 to exit and extending the life of the cylinder.

[0049] In some embodiments, the welding positioning device for the air suspension clamp 100 of the present invention further includes a camera assembly (not shown). After the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 are spliced ​​together, the camera assembly takes a picture to determine whether the seam after splicing the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 has defects; if there are no defects, the signal is transmitted to the laser welding assembly, at which time the laser welding assembly performs laser welding on the seam.

[0050] In some embodiments, a signal sensor 340 is also provided on the pad 220 and the sliding back plate 310 for detecting whether an air suspension clamp 100 is placed on the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420.

[0051] The working process of the welding positioning device for the air suspension clamp 100 of the present invention is as follows: S1. The third actuator 710 pushes the centering insert 750 forward, so that it extends into the gap between the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420; S2. The feeding mechanism places the air suspension clamp 100 to be welded on the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420, and inserts the centering insert 750 between the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100; S3. The first oblique pressing mechanism 500 presses and fixes the free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 onto the first inner mold 410, and makes the end face of the free ends 110 tightly fit against one side of the centering insert 750; then, the third actuator 710 drives the centering insert 750 to exit from the gap between the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420; S4. The second oblique clamping mechanism 600 clamps and fixes the other free end 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 onto the second inner mold 420. Then, the first driver 320 drives the sliding back plate 310 to move towards the pad 220 until the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 are joined together. S5. The camera assembly takes a picture to determine whether the seam after the two free ends 110 of the air suspension clamp 100 are joined has defects. If there are no defects, the signal is transmitted to the laser welding assembly, which then performs laser welding on the seam. S6. After welding is completed, the first oblique clamping mechanism 500 and the second clamping mechanism are released. The third driver 710 pushes the centering insert 750 forward to push the welded product off the first inner mold 410 and the second inner mold 420 and onto the unloading conveyor below. At the same time, the first driver 320 drives the sliding back plate 310 back to its original position. S7. By repeating steps S2 to S6 above, continuous positioning and welding of the air suspension clamp 100 can be achieved.

[0052] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention are all within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp, characterized in that, include: A vertically arranged fixed base plate; a sliding mechanism including a first driver and a sliding back plate fixed to the fixed base plate, wherein the sliding back plate is slidably disposed on a first side of the fixed base plate; A first inner mold and a second inner mold are respectively fixed to the fixed base plate and the sliding back plate, with a gap between them; both the first inner mold and the second inner mold include a bottom module and a semi-arched support block, and the surfaces of the pair of bottom modules are flush with each other; the semi-arched support block is fixed to the surface of the bottom module and is used to support the air suspension clamp to be welded; a first oblique pressing mechanism and a second oblique pressing mechanism are respectively symmetrically arranged above the first inner mold and the second inner mold, each including a second driver and a pressing member driven by the driver, the pressing member being used to cooperate with the first inner mold / second inner mold to fix the two free ends of the air suspension clamp; and a centering mechanism is arranged on the second side of the fixed base plate, which includes a third driver and a centering insert driven by the driver; the fixed base plate is opened at the position corresponding to the centering insert. The air suspension clamp has a clearance hole, and the centering insert is configured to pass through the clearance hole and insert into the center of the gap between the first inner mold and the second inner mold to position the two free ends of the air suspension clamp. The first oblique pressing mechanism is configured to move obliquely downwards to press the first end of the air suspension clamp against the first inner mold, ensuring its end face is fully fitted with the centering insert. The second oblique pressing mechanism is configured to move obliquely downwards after the centering insert exits the gap, causing the pressing member to press the second end of the air suspension clamp against the second inner mold. The first driver is configured to drive the sliding backplate to move towards the first inner mold, thereby causing the second end of the air suspension clamp to move towards the first inner mold and its end face to contact the end face of the first end of the air suspension clamp.

2. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semi-circular support block has a first arcuate surface that matches the inner circle of the air suspension clamp, and a pair of semi-circular support blocks are arranged opposite each other.

3. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping component includes an inverted L-shaped clamping plate and a wedge-shaped stop; the lower end face of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate has a second arc-shaped surface that matches the outer circle of the air suspension clamp; the wedge-shaped stop is fixed to one side of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate, and its lower end protrudes from the second arc-shaped surface of the inverted L-shaped clamping plate.

4. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second inclined clamping mechanisms further include a first floating joint and a guide member. The guide member is respectively disposed on the fixed base plate and the sliding back plate, and includes a guide groove. The first floating joint passes through the guide groove, and its two ends are respectively fixedly connected to the second driver and the clamping member.

5. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed base plate is also provided with a pad; the bottom module of the first inner mold and the guide component of the first oblique pressing mechanism are both fixed on the pad.

6. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the pressing direction of the first and second oblique pressing mechanisms and the vertical direction is 20° to 35°.

7. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that, The centering mechanism further includes a second floating joint, a connecting block, and a insert base; the two ends of the second floating joint are fixed to the third driver and the connecting block, the insert base is fixed to the connecting block, and a slot is provided at its front end, and the centering insert is inserted and fixed in the slot.

8. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bottom module of the first inner mold and the end face of the pad facing the centering insert are both provided with dovetail grooves, and the end face of the insert base is provided with a protruding ridge that matches the dovetail groove.

9. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The centering insert has a wedge-shaped guide surface at its front end.

10. The welding positioning device for an air suspension clamp according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pad and sliding back plate are also equipped with signal sensors to detect whether air suspension clamps are placed on the first inner mold and the second inner mold.

Images