Multi-station automatic machining device for precision hardware

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-station automatic machining device for precision hardware, and relates to the technical field of precision hardware machining. The device comprises a vibration disc, a sorting unit, a conveying belt, a clamping jaw unit and a clamp unit. The vibrating disc is used for conveying bulk ring groove rivets; the sorting unit is connected with the vibration disc and is used for sorting the ring groove rivets in the direction through cooperation of a rotary disc, a check block and an air tap, so that all the ring groove rivets are output in the unified direction that rivet caps face outwards; and the conveying belt is a right-angle conveying belt and is used for receiving the sorted ring groove rivets. The sorting unit comprises a sorting frame and a rotating disc, the sorting frame is provided with a plurality of cavity openings, the rotating disc is rotationally connected to the inner side of the sorting frame, and the rotating disc is provided with a conveying channel so that the ring groove rivets can be output from the different cavity openings. And the clamping jaw unit transfers the rivets to the clamp unit for thread machining. Automatic direction unification and efficient clamping of the ring groove rivets are achieved, and the production efficiency and the product percent of pass are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to precision hardware processing technology, and more particularly to a multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated machining of precision hardware parts, the production of fasteners such as grooved rivets typically involves multiple processes, such as integral molding, groove machining, and thread turning. To improve production efficiency and consistency, multi-station automated machining equipment has become the mainstream choice in the industry. In this process, the rivet head and shank are first integrally machined or stamped, then the groove is machined, and finally the thread is machined on the surface of the rivet shank.

[0003] However, after the annular groove machining is completed, the loose rivets are usually collected in a hopper and enter the subsequent thread machining unit. However, the rivets collected in the hopper and conveyed by the vibratory feeder have random orientations for their head and shank ends, lacking directional consistency. The subsequent thread turning process has extremely high requirements for workpiece clamping and positioning, ensuring that all rivets are precisely clamped onto the fixture in a uniform orientation.

[0004] In existing technologies, a vibratory feeder combined with a simple track is used for initial sorting. However, for workpieces like grooved rivets, which have significant differences in structure at both ends and unique center of gravity distribution, traditional vibratory feeders often struggle to achieve precise directional uniformity. Inevitably, rivets with incorrect orientation may enter the conveyor line, resulting in their presence at the automatic clamping station, affecting thread processing quality, and even generating scrap.

[0005] Based on the above, there is a need for further improvement of the existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In summary, this invention proposes a multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts, which efficiently and reliably completes the orientation identification and unification of bulk rivets before thread processing, ensuring that they are transported and clamped in a consistent direction.

[0007] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts, characterized in that it comprises: Vibratory feeder, used for conveying bulk ring groove rivets; The sorting unit, connected to the vibratory feeder, is used to sort the direction of the grooved rivets so that all grooved rivets are output in the same direction. A conveyor belt, connected to the sorting unit, is used to receive and transport the sorted ring groove rivets; The gripper unit is used to transfer the grooved rivets on the conveyor belt to the clamping unit; The fixture unit is used to clamp the grooved rivets for machining. in, The sorting unit includes a sorting frame, a drive motor, a connecting plate, and a turntable. The sorting frame has multiple cavities. The turntable is rotatably connected to the inside of the sorting frame and has a conveying channel. The drive motor drives the turntable to rotate through the connecting plate so as to output the annular groove rivets from different cavities.

[0008] In this invention, the conveyor belt is a right-angle conveyor belt, comprising a first conveyor bar and a second conveyor bar that are perpendicular to each other, and the first conveyor bar and the second conveyor bar are continuously connected.

[0009] In this invention, the sorting rack has multiple cavities including a first cavity, a second cavity, and a third cavity. The first cavity is connected to the vibratory feeder, the second cavity is opposite to the first conveyor bar and is used to feed the annular groove rivet into the first conveyor bar, and the third cavity is opposite to the second conveyor bar and is used to feed the annular groove rivet into the second conveyor bar.

[0010] In this invention, the turntable is composed of two symmetrical semicircular frames, and the two semicircular frames form the conveying channel.

[0011] In this invention, at least one semi-circular frame is provided with a drive cylinder at its end, and a stop block is installed on the output shaft of the drive cylinder. The stop block is used to prevent the ring groove rivet from entering the conveying channel.

[0012] In this invention, the grooved rivet includes a rivet head and a rivet shank. The rivet shank is provided with a groove. The distance between the stops is less than the outer diameter of the rivet head and greater than the outer diameter of the rivet shank, so that the stops prevent the rivet head from passing through the conveying channel.

[0013] In this invention, the sorting rack is provided with a first through groove, the connecting plate is provided with a second through groove, and air nozzles are provided on the outside of both the first and second through grooves for blowing the ring groove rivets to slide.

[0014] In this invention, the gripper unit includes a bracket, a transverse drive plate, a sliding block, a servo motor, a ball screw, and a gripper assembly. The transverse drive plate and the sliding block are used to control the transverse movement of the gripper assembly, and the servo motor and the ball screw are used to control the longitudinal movement of the gripper assembly.

[0015] In this invention, the gripper assembly includes multiple gripper arms, and the ends of the gripper arms are provided with electromagnetic suction heads for adsorbing ring groove rivets.

[0016] In this invention, a hinged connecting rod assembly is provided between the plurality of gripper arms for adjusting the spacing between the gripper arms.

[0017] In this invention, multiple vibratory feeders, sorting units, and conveyor belts are configured to form a multi-station channel for parallel processing.

[0018] The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Through a unique sorting system consisting of a vibratory feeder, sorting unit and conveyor belt, the orientation of the rivet head and shank can be automatically identified and corrected, and all rivets are output in a uniform direction with the rivet head facing outward, providing a reliable clamping condition for subsequent thread processing.

[0019] The sorting unit sets different sorting paths for rivets in two different states: the rivet head is close to the cavity and the rivet head is far away from the cavity. It also uses air nozzles to blow and assist in conveying the rivets, ensuring that rivets in all states can be effectively sorted and output. The sorting process is smooth and effectively avoids problems such as jamming and missed sorting, thus ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the production line.

[0020] 2. The collection, orientation sorting, directional conveying and automatic clamping of scattered workpieces are integrated into a continuous automated process, replacing the traditional method of relying on manual identification and orientation adjustment. This significantly reduces manual intervention and greatly improves the process connection efficiency from ring groove machining to thread turning.

[0021] Because all rivets are aligned before clamping, consistent workpiece positioning within the fixture unit is ensured. This allows the gripper unit to accurately and stably move the rivets to the thread-cutting station, fundamentally avoiding clamping deviations, thread defects, or workpiece scrap caused by incorrect orientation, significantly improving product machining accuracy and yield.

[0022] 3. Multiple vibratory feeders, sorting units, and conveyor belts can be configured to form parallel processing channels, which can be easily expanded according to the production cycle. Meanwhile, the gripper unit is driven by a servo motor and ball screw, and is equipped with adjustable-pitch gripper arms and electromagnetic suction heads, possessing high-precision positioning capabilities and flexible gripping range, capable of adapting to the processing of precision hardware parts of different specifications. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ring groove rivet of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sorting unit of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the sorting unit of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the sorting unit of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the sorting unit of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the sorting unit of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper unit of the present invention.

[0024] The reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows: 10-Groove rivet, 101-Rivet head, 102-Rivet rod, 103-Groove, 200-Chemical processing device, 21-Vibrating plate, 22-Sorting unit, 221-Sorting frame, 221A-Ring frame, 221B-First cavity opening, 221C-Second cavity opening, 221D-Third cavity opening, 221E-First through groove, 222-Drive motor, 223-Connecting plate, 223A-Second through groove, 224-Turntable, 224A-Semicircle Frame, 224B-Conveying channel, 224C-Chamfered corner, 224D-Drive cylinder, 224E-Stop block, 23-Conveyor belt, 231-First conveyor bar, 232-Second conveyor bar, 24-Gripper unit, 241-Bracket, 242-Transverse drive plate, 243-Sliding block, 244-Servo motor, 245-Ball screw, 246-Hinged linkage assembly, 247-Gripper arm, 248-Electromagnetic chuck, 25-Clamping unit. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the grooved rivet 10 consists of a rivet head 101 and a rivet shank 102, with a groove 103 provided at any position on the rivet shank 102. The rivet shank 102 has threads on its surface and is used in fields requiring extremely high connection strength, reliability, and safety.

[0027] Furthermore, the nail head 101 and the nail shank 102 are integrally machined or integrally stamped; then the annular groove 103 is machined or stamped into the nail shank 102, and then the threads on the surface of the nail shank 102 are further processed.

[0028] In this embodiment, the nail head 101 and the nail shank 102 are first integrally formed, then an annular groove 103 is machined on the nail shank 102, and finally threads are machined on the surface of the nail shank 102.

[0029] Before thread machining, the bulk rivets with the machined annular groove 103 need to be oriented and clamped. The rivets are collected by a hopper, and then automatically sorted and distinguished by a feeding mechanism such as a vibratory feeder to ensure that the rivet head end and the rivet shank end are aligned. Finally, they are accurately conveyed and clamped onto the thread-cutting fixture.

[0030] Reference Figures 2 to 10 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-station automated processing device 200 for precision hardware parts is proposed, comprising a vibratory feeder 21, a sorting unit 22, and a conveyor belt 23. Bulk rivets with machined annular grooves 103 are placed on the vibratory feeder 21, which then transports them one by one to the sorting unit 22 for sorting and arrangement before feeding them onto the conveyor belt 23.

[0031] Among them, refer to again Figure 3 As shown, the conveyor belt 23 is a right-angle conveyor belt, which consists of a first conveyor bar 231 and a second conveyor bar 232 connected to each other. The first conveyor bar 231 and the second conveyor bar 232 are perpendicular to each other, and the conveyor belt 23 transports the annular groove rivets along the F1 direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the inner side of the conveyor belt 23 has continuously conductive slots, and the annular groove rivets can be fed onto the conveyor belt 23 by one or more cavities of the sorting unit 22, that is, the annular groove rivets are along... Figure 3 The direction indicated by the middle arrow is where the material is fed into conveyor belt 23.

[0033] In this embodiment, the sorting unit 22 includes a sorting frame 221, a drive motor 222, a connecting plate 223, and a turntable 224. The sorting frame 221 is fixedly installed on one side of the vibrating plate 21. The sorting frame 221 includes a ring-shaped frame 221A and a first cavity 221B, a second cavity 221C, and a third cavity 221D located outside the ring-shaped frame 221A.

[0034] The first cavity 221B and the second cavity 221C are on the same horizontal line, and the first cavity 221B and the third cavity 221D are perpendicular to each other. The second cavity 221C is opposite to the first conveyor bar 231, and the annular groove rivet output from the second cavity 221C is fed onto the first conveyor bar 231; the third cavity 221D is opposite to the second conveyor bar 232, and the annular groove rivet output from the third cavity 221D is fed onto the second conveyor bar 232.

[0035] The connecting plate 223 and the turntable 224 are both located inside the ring frame 221A. The connecting plate 223 is fixedly connected to the upper and lower sides of the turntable 224 respectively, and the connecting plate 223 located on the lower side is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 222, so that the drive motor 222 can drive the turntable 224 to rotate inside the ring frame 221A via the connecting plate 223.

[0036] Furthermore, the turntable 224 is composed of two mutually symmetrical semicircular frames 224A, wherein the horizontal members of the two semicircular frames 224A form a conveying channel 224B.

[0037] At least one semicircular frame 224A has a drive cylinder 224D at its end. A stop block 224E is mounted on the output shaft of the drive cylinder 224D. The stop block 224E is used to prevent the ring groove rivet from entering the conveying channel 224B.

[0038] In this embodiment, the nail heads fed into the sorting unit 22 by the vibratory plate 21 have inconsistent orientations. How can the sorting unit 22 feed the nail heads with consistent orientations onto the conveyor belt 23 to facilitate the subsequent clamping of the ring groove rivets onto the thread-cutting fixture?

[0039] Specifically, refer again Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the first cavity 221B is connected to the vibratory plate 21. The ring groove rivets output by the vibratory plate 21 are divided into two cases: the rivet head end is close to the first cavity 221B or the rivet head end is far away from the first cavity 221B.

[0040] Before the ring groove rivet is fed into the first cavity 221B by the vibratory plate 21, the output shaft of the drive cylinder 224D extends, controlling the distance between the two stops 224E to be between the outer diameter of the rivet rod 102 and the outer diameter of the rivet head 101, that is, the rivet rod 102 can pass through the two stops 224E, while the rivet head 101 cannot pass through the two stops 224E.

[0041] For a detailed description of the nail head end near the first cavity opening 221B, refer to... Figure 6 As shown, the grooved rivet is fed into the first cavity 221B by the vibratory feeder 21, and is blocked by two stops 224E from entering the conveying channel 224B. That is, the grooved rivet is retained in the first cavity 221B. At this time, the drive motor 222 drives the turntable 224 to rotate 90° counterclockwise. Figure 6 (In the direction of the middle arrow), after a certain interval, rotate clockwise to return to the original position.

[0042] After returning to its original position, the output shaft of the drive cylinder 224D retracts, and the stop block 224E no longer obstructs the annular groove rivet remaining in the first cavity 221B from entering the conveying channel 224B. The annular groove rivet slides from the first cavity 221B to the conveying channel 224B, and is then fed into the first conveyor bar 231 through the second cavity 221C. Finally, the rivet head end of the annular groove rivet faces the outside of the first conveyor bar 231.

[0043] Furthermore, since the first cavity 221B and the second cavity 221C are on the same horizontal line, how to control the annular groove rivet to slide from the first cavity 221B to the second cavity 221C is a key consideration. Specifically, the first cavity 221B, the second cavity 221C, and the third cavity 221D are all provided with a first through groove 221E, and the connecting plate 223 located above the turntable 224 is provided with a second through groove 223A.

[0044] Both the first through groove 221E and the second through groove 223A are provided with air nozzles on their exteriors. When the annular groove rivet is located in the first cavity 221B, the second cavity 221C, or the third cavity 221D, it is slid by the air nozzle outside the first through groove 221E; when the annular groove rivet is located in the conveying channel 224B, it is slid by the air nozzle outside the second through groove 223A.

[0045] Furthermore, the situation where the nail head end is far from the first cavity opening 221B is described in detail, referring to... Figure 7 As shown.

[0046] The grooved rivet is fed into the first cavity 221B by the vibratory feeder 21. Two blocks 224E prevent the rivet head end from entering the conveying channel 224B, but the rivet shank end is not blocked by the blocks 224E. At this time, the rivet shank end is located in the conveying channel 224B.

[0047] When the drive motor 222 drives the turntable 224 to rotate 90° counterclockwise, the turntable 224 also drives the annular groove rivet located in the conveying channel 224B to rotate 90°, so that it comes to the position of the third cavity 221D. Then, the first through groove 221E on the third cavity 221D cooperates with the external air nozzle to blow it onto the second conveying bar 232. The rivet head end of the annular groove rivet faces the outside of the second conveying bar 232.

[0048] Finally, the rivets fed into the first conveyor bar 231 and the second conveyor bar 232 have their rivet heads facing outwards, thus completing the sorting of the rivet head direction.

[0049] Preferably, refer again Figure 5 As shown, the end of the semicircular frame 224A is provided with an arc-shaped chamfer 224C. When the nail head end is blocked by the stop block 224E near the first cavity 221B, part of the nail head end will be located inside the conveying channel 224B. When the turntable 224 rotates, the arc-shaped chamfer 224C pushes it into the first cavity 221B to avoid jamming resistance when the turntable rotates.

[0050] Furthermore, after the semi-circular frame 224A rotates 90°, its arc-shaped surface seals the first cavity 221B, preventing material from getting stuck during rotation.

[0051] In this embodiment, refer again Figures 9 to 10 As shown, the vibratory feeder 21, sorting unit 22, and conveyor belt 23 can be one or more. Ensure the nail head end and nail shank end are aligned, and accurately convey and clamp them onto the thread-cutting fixture unit 25 via the gripper unit 24.

[0052] Furthermore, the gripper unit 24 includes a bracket 241, on which a transverse drive plate 242 is fixedly connected. A sliding block 243 is mounted on the transverse drive plate 242, and a servo motor 244 is mounted on the sliding block 243. A ball screw 245 is mounted on the output shaft of the servo motor 244, and a gripper assembly is provided on the ball screw 245. The transverse drive plate 242 and the sliding block 243 thereon control the transverse movement of the gripper assembly, while the servo motor 244 and the ball screw 245 thereon control the longitudinal movement of the gripper assembly.

[0053] The gripper assembly consists of multiple gripper arms 247, and each of the multiple gripper arms 247 is provided with an electromagnetic suction head 248, which is used to transfer the ring groove rivets on the conveyor belt 23 to the clamping unit 25.

[0054] Furthermore, a hinged linkage group 246 is provided between the plurality of gripper arms 247, and the spacing between the plurality of gripper arms 247 is adjusted by the hinged linkage group 246.

[0055] In this embodiment, the clamping unit 25 receives the ring groove rivets fed by the gripper unit and performs thread turning. Because the ring groove rivets are aligned, the clamping is stable, improving the quality and efficiency of thread turning.

[0056] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts, characterized in that, include: Vibratory feeder (21) is used to convey bulk ring groove rivets; The sorting unit (22) is connected to the vibratory plate (21) and is used to sort the direction of the ring groove rivets so that all the ring groove rivets are output in the same direction. The conveyor belt (23) is connected to the sorting unit (22) and is used to receive and transport the sorted annular groove rivets; The gripper unit (24) is used to transfer the ring groove rivets on the conveyor belt (23) to the clamp unit (25). The clamping unit (25) is used to clamp the ring groove rivet for processing; in, The sorting unit (22) includes a sorting frame (221), a drive motor (222), a connecting plate (223), and a turntable (224). The sorting frame (221) has multiple cavities. The turntable (224) is rotatably connected to the inside of the sorting frame (221). The turntable (224) has a conveying channel (224B). The drive motor (222) drives the turntable (224) to rotate through the connecting plate (223) so as to output the ring groove rivets from different cavities.

2. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor belt (23) is a right-angle conveyor belt, including a first conveyor bar (231) and a second conveyor bar (232) that are perpendicular to each other, and the first conveyor bar (231) and the second conveyor bar (232) are continuously connected.

3. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sorting rack (221) has multiple cavities including a first cavity (221B), a second cavity (221C), and a third cavity (221D). The first cavity (221B) is connected to the vibratory plate (21), the second cavity (221C) is opposite to the first conveyor bar (231) and is used to feed the annular groove rivet into the first conveyor bar (231), and the third cavity (221D) is opposite to the second conveyor bar (232) and is used to feed the annular groove rivet into the second conveyor bar (232).

4. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turntable (224) consists of two symmetrical semicircular frames (224A), and the two semicircular frames (224A) form the conveying channel (224B).

5. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one semicircular frame (224A) is provided with a drive cylinder (224D) at its end, and a stop (224E) is mounted on the output shaft of the drive cylinder (224D) to prevent the annular groove rivet from entering the conveying channel (224B).

6. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 5, characterized in that, The grooved rivet (10) includes a rivet head (101) and a rivet shank (102). The rivet shank (102) is provided with a groove (103). The distance between the stops (224E) is smaller than the outer diameter of the rivet head (101) and larger than the outer diameter of the rivet shank (102), so that the stops (224E) prevent the rivet head (101) from passing through the conveying channel (224B).

7. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sorting rack (221) is provided with a first through groove (221E), and the connecting plate (223) is provided with a second through groove (223A). Both the first through groove (221E) and the second through groove (223A) are provided with air nozzles for blowing the ring groove rivets to slide.

8. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gripper unit (24) includes a bracket (241), a transverse drive plate (242), a sliding block (243), a servo motor (244), a ball screw (245), and a gripper assembly. The transverse drive plate (242) and the sliding block (243) are used to control the transverse movement of the gripper assembly, and the servo motor (244) and the ball screw (245) are used to control the longitudinal movement of the gripper assembly.

9. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 8, characterized in that, The gripper assembly includes multiple gripper arms (247), and each gripper arm (247) is provided with an electromagnetic suction head (248) at its end for adsorbing the ring groove rivet.

10. The multi-station automated processing device for precision hardware parts according to claim 9, characterized in that, A hinged linkage assembly (246) is provided between the plurality of gripper arms (247) for adjusting the spacing between the gripper arms (247).

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