System and method for quantitatively and automatically distributing screws and gaskets according to process requirements

Abstract

The invention discloses a system for quantitatively and automatically distributing screws and gaskets according to process requirements. The system comprises a plurality of sets of tray groups; the on-line caching station is a starting station and is used for placing and conveying an empty tray group; the tray disassembling station is used for sequentially disassembling the empty tray group into single trays; the automatic distribution station is used for distributing gaskets and screws to the trays according to the read two-dimensional code information on the trays; the tray stacking station is used for sequentially stacking the distributed single trays into a tray group; the offline temporary storage station is used for conveying the tray group completing the distribution task; and the main controller is electrically connected with the stations and is used for inputting distribution task information and controlling execution of distribution tasks. The tray is adopted to distribute the screws and the gaskets, the screws and the gaskets can be quantitatively and automatically distributed to the matrix sequence round holes of the tray according to process requirements, and the distribution efficiency and accuracy are greatly improved. The invention further discloses a method for quantitatively and automatically distributing the screws and the gaskets according to the process requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of component distribution in the assembly of complex electromechanical equipment, and particularly to a system and method for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements. Background Technology

[0002] Screws and washers are standard hardware components commonly used in mechanical connections, primarily for mechanical connection and fastening. Different screw models and specifications can be selected according to different assembly requirements, while washers are mainly used in conjunction with screws to prevent loosening. For a given screw model, different specifications can be selected using the parameters diameter 'd' and length 'h'; similarly, for a given washer model, different specifications can be selected using the parameter diameter 'd'. For ease of assembly and economy, screws and washers conforming to national or international standards should be selected whenever possible, while meeting design requirements, and the models and specifications should be as concentrated as possible.

[0003] Complex electromechanical equipment refers to mechatronic equipment assembled from numerous mechanical and electrical components. Its assembly is a highly complex process that must be strictly followed according to design drawings and assembly instructions to ensure the accurate placement and connection of each component. The assembly process for complex electromechanical equipment generally requires modular decomposition, dividing it into different independent modules according to function. Sub-modules are assembled first, followed by final assembly. Furthermore, the assembly sequence should follow the principle of "from inside to outside, from static to dynamic," installing the basic frame first, and then gradually installing other sub-functional modules.

[0004] Commercial satellites are typical complex electromechanical devices, and their assembly process can be broken down into multiple steps, such as platform cable laying, payload cable laying, automated platform installation, automated payload installation, manual platform installation, manual payload installation, and platform-payload assembly. Assembly for different steps is completed at different workstations. Screws and washers are the most important fasteners in commercial satellite assembly. Each step requires different specifications and quantities of screws and washers, and these quantities need to be pre-quantified and delivered before assembly. Current delivery methods generally involve manual counting, where personnel manually count the quantity of screws and washers according to the requirements of each step, packing them into a bag for delivery. This method has the following disadvantages: ① Manual counting is prone to errors and is inefficient; some screws have only minor differences in appearance, making errors easy to occur; ② The counted screws and washers are generally delivered in a single bag, which is insufficient to meet the requirements of subsequent automated assembly. Satellite assembly places extremely high demands on the distribution of screws and washers. The quantity supplied must correspond one-to-one with the quantity required for each process, and mismatches, over-suppliing, or under-suppliing are not permitted. Furthermore, the screws used on satellites are made of titanium alloy, which is very expensive; this is another reason why screws and washers must be supplied in precise quantities as needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a system for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements. The system uses a tray to distribute screws and washers, and can automatically distribute screws and washers in quantitative quantities to the matrix sequence of circular holes on the tray according to process requirements, which greatly improves the distribution efficiency and accuracy. At the same time, it also lays the foundation for the subsequent automated assembly of screws and washers.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, using the above-described system for the automatic quantitative dispensing of screws and washers.

[0007] One technical solution to achieve the above objective is: a system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, comprising: Several pallet sets, each set consisting of a number of pallets stacked equal to the number of assembly processes, each pallet being used to load the washers and screws required for one process; each pallet has a QR code corresponding to the process information printed on its upper surface; each pallet has a set of matrix sequence holes on its upper surface for loading the washers and screws to be delivered. The online buffer station is the starting station, which includes pallet conveyor chain one, used to place and transport empty pallet groups; The unpacking station, located after the online buffer station, includes a second pallet conveyor chain, a hook mechanism, an unpacking clamping mechanism, and an unpacking lifting mechanism, used to sequentially separate empty pallet groups into individual pallets. An automated delivery station, located after the unpacking station, includes a pallet conveyor chain three, a barcode reader, at least one automatic washer feeder, at least one automatic screw feeder, a gantry robotic arm, and washer and screw picking mechanisms installed at the end of the gantry robotic arm, for dispensing washers and screws to the pallet based on the QR code information read on the pallet. The pallet stacking station, located after the automated delivery station, includes a pallet conveyor chain, a pallet clamping mechanism, and a pallet lifting mechanism, used to stack individual pallets that have completed delivery into pallet groups in sequence. The offline buffer station is located after the palletizing station and is the end station. It includes the fifth pallet conveyor chain, which is used to transport the pallet group that has completed the delivery task. The main controller is electrically connected to each of the above workstations and is used to input delivery task information and control the execution of delivery tasks.

[0008] The above-mentioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein the number of tray sets is equal to the number of products assembled daily.

[0009] The aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes a set of pallets containing the same number of pallets as the number of processes required to assemble a set of products.

[0010] The above-mentioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein the matrix sequence of circular holes in a tray corresponds one-to-one with the washers and screws required for one process.

[0011] The aforementioned system for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes a pallet conveyor chain at each workstation driven by an independent servo motor to realize the transfer of pallets or pallet groups within each workstation.

[0012] The above-mentioned system for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes an upper buffer station, a tray removal station, an automatic delivery station, a tray stacking station, and an lower buffer station arranged in a "┌┐" shape. The upper buffer station and the lower buffer station are located on opposite sides, and the tray removal station, the automatic delivery station, and the tray stacking station are sequentially arranged between the upper buffer station and the lower buffer station.

[0013] The aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein, in the disassembly station: The pallet lifting mechanism is installed below the second pallet conveyor chain and is used to lift the pallet group upward. It includes a lifting cylinder, a lifting frame, and a guide rod. The output end of the lifting cylinder is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame. The lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to move up and down along the guide rod. The hook mechanism includes two hook assemblies, which are respectively located on the outer sides of the two wall panels of the dismantling station. Each hook assembly includes a hook cylinder, a rotating shaft, a connecting rod, two supports, and two hooks. The two supports are respectively fixed to the outer sides of the corresponding wall panels. The rotating shaft is located between the two supports, and both ends of the rotating shaft are rotatably connected to the two supports. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the output end of the hook cylinder, and the other end is fixed to the rotating shaft. One end of each of the two hooks is fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft. Hook through holes for hook insertion and removal are respectively provided on the two wall panels of the dismantling station. The hook cylinder drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the connecting rod, causing the two hooks to swing inward to a holding state or swing outward to a disengaging state. The tray disassembly clamping mechanism includes two tray disassembly clamping cylinders, which are respectively located on the outer sides of the two wall panels of the tray disassembly station, and each tray disassembly clamping cylinder is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel, for clamping the two sides of the second to last layer of the tray in the tray assembly. The dismantling lifting mechanism, hook mechanism, and dismantling clamping mechanism work together to dismantle the empty pallet group and sequentially remove the bottom pallet and place it on the second pallet conveyor chain of the station.

[0014] In the aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, the disassembly station is configured to perform the following actions: Pallet conveyor chain two transports the pallet assembly to the unpacking position; The lifting cylinder lifts upwards, and the lifting frame moves the tray assembly upwards. The hook cylinder drives the hook to swing inward to hold it in place; As the lifting cylinder descends, the hook supports the pallet assembly, completing the storage of the pallet assembly. The lifting cylinder one lifts upward again, so that the lifting frame one supports the bottom tray; The disassembly clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the penultimate tray; The hook cylinder drives the hook to swing outward and disengage; As the lifting cylinder descends, the bottom tray falls onto the second tray conveyor chain along with the lifting frame. The second pallet conveyor chain will transport the bottom pallet out. The lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to rise again and support the second-to-last pallet. The pallet clamping cylinder releases, the hook is in the supporting state again, and the lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to descend so that the pallet assembly falls onto the hook, completing the dismantling of one pallet.

[0015] The above-mentioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein the automatic dispensing station includes: The number of automatic washer feeders is equal to the number of washer specifications required for assembling the product, and the number of automatic screw feeders is equal to the number of screw specifications required for assembling the product. The automatic washer feeder and the automatic screw feeder are installed on both sides of the pallet conveyor chain three; The barcode reader is located at the entrance of the third pallet conveyor chain and is used to read the QR code information on the pallet. The gantry robotic arm is positioned above the third pallet conveyor chain; The washer pickup mechanism uses a vacuum nozzle, and the lifting and lowering of the vacuum nozzle is controlled by a drop adjustment cylinder; The screw picking mechanism uses a servo gripper, and the opening size of the servo gripper is controlled and adjusted by the main controller. The end of the gantry robotic arm is equipped with a rotary motor, which is used to interchange the positions of the vacuum nozzle and the servo gripper. The gantry robotic arm is equipped with a vision camera on its side for positioning before picking up or placing.

[0016] The aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein the automatic dispensing station is configured to perform the following actions: The barcode reader reads the QR code on the surface of the pallet and transmits it to the main controller, which then retrieves the corresponding process delivery task. The pallet conveyor chain three transports the pallet from the entrance position to the delivery position; The drop adjustment cylinder drives the vacuum nozzle to descend, so that the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle is lower than the bottom plane of the servo gripper; the gantry robotic arm moves to the outlet of the automatic washer feeder, and after the vision camera positions it, the vacuum nozzle picks up the washer; the gantry robotic arm moves above the tray, and after the vision camera positions it, the vacuum nozzle places the washer in the corresponding circular hole position on the tray; the above actions are repeated until all the washers are delivered; Then, the drop adjustment cylinder drives the vacuum nozzle to rise, so that the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle is higher than the bottom plane of the servo gripper; the main controller adjusts the opening diameter of the servo gripper, the gantry robot arm moves to the outlet of the automatic screw feeder, the servo gripper picks up the screw and places it in the corresponding round hole position on the tray, and repeats the above actions until all screws are delivered. The pallet conveyor chain three transports the completed pallets to the exit location.

[0017] In the aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, wherein the encoder station contains: The code disk lifting mechanism is installed below the pallet conveyor chain four and is used to lift the pallet group upward. It includes a lifting cylinder two, a lifting frame two and a guide rod two. The output end of the lifting cylinder two is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame two. The lifting cylinder two drives the lifting frame two to move up and down along the guide rod two. The code disk clamping mechanism includes two code disk clamping cylinders, which are respectively located on the outer side of the two side wall panels of the code disk station, and each code disk clamping cylinder is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel, for clamping the two sides of the bottom tray of the tray assembly. The palletizing station is configured as follows: Pallet conveyor chain four transports the completed pallet to the palletizing station. At this time, the new pallet is located below the pallet group and above the lifting frame two. The palletizing clamping cylinder releases, allowing the original pallet group to fall above the new pallet. Then, the lifting cylinder two drives the lifting frame two to push upward, causing the entire pallet group to rise. The palletizing clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the new pallet. The lifting cylinder two descends to complete the palletizing of one pallet.

[0018] The above-mentioned system for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes an upper buffer station and an lower buffer station, which are used to connect with AGV carts or manual labor to realize the feeding and retrieval of pallet groups.

[0019] The aforementioned system for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes a stop device installed at each station's pallet conveyor chain where stopping is required. This device automatically stops conveying when a pallet or pallet group touches another pallet and lowers to allow it to continue conveying when needed.

[0020] This invention also provides a method for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements. The automatic dispensing of screws and washers using the above-mentioned system includes the following steps: S1: Empty pallet sets are placed on pallet conveyor chain one of the online buffer station by manual labor or AGV carts. Pallet conveyor chain one transports the empty pallet sets to the handover position between the online buffer station and the unpacking station. S2: The unpacking station separates the pallet group into individual pallets in sequence, and transports the pallets to the entrance of the automated delivery station via the second pallet conveyor chain; S3: The barcode reader at the automated delivery station reads the QR code on the pallet, retrieves the delivery task for the corresponding process, and the gantry robotic arm drives the washer picking mechanism and the screw picking mechanism to pick up the washers and screws from the automatic washer feeder and the automatic screw feeder respectively, and accurately place them into the matrix sequence of round holes on the upper surface of the pallet. S4: Pallets that have completed delivery are transported to the pallet stacking station by pallet conveyor chain three, where pallets are stacked into pallet groups in sequence. S5: The pallet group that has completed the engraving is transported along pallet conveyor chain four to pallet conveyor chain five at the offline buffer station, where it is picked up manually or by AGV.

[0021] The above-mentioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes the following specific steps in step S2: The pallet assembly is placed at the unpacking station: Pallet conveyor chain two transports the pallet assembly to the unpacking position, the unpacking lifting mechanism lifts it upwards, the hook mechanism holds it in place, and the unpacking lifting mechanism lowers it so that the pallet assembly falls onto the hook. Dismantling pallets one by one: The pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lifts upward to support the bottom pallet, the pallet dismantling clamping cylinder clamps the second-to-last pallet, the hook mechanism is disengaged, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lowers to allow the bottom pallet to fall onto the second pallet conveyor chain and be conveyed to the entrance of the automatic delivery station, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism rises again to support the second-to-last pallet, the pallet dismantling clamping cylinder releases, the hook mechanism is in a supporting state, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lowers to allow the pallet group to fall onto the hook.

[0022] The aforementioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, specifically includes step S3 as follows: The barcode reader reads the QR code on the surface of the pallet and transmits it to the main controller, which then retrieves the process delivery task. The vacuum nozzle descends, the gantry robotic arm moves to the automatic washer feeder, picks up the washer after visual positioning, the gantry robotic arm moves to the top of the tray, places the washer in the corresponding round hole on the tray after visual positioning, and repeats to complete the delivery of all washers. The vacuum nozzle rises, the main controller adjusts the opening diameter of the servo gripper, the gantry robotic arm moves to the automatic screw feeder, picks up the screw after visual positioning, the gantry robotic arm moves above the tray, places the screw in the corresponding round hole of the tray after visual positioning, and repeats to complete the delivery of all screws. After delivery is completed, the pallet is transported to the exit location by pallet conveyor chain two.

[0023] The above-mentioned system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes the following specific steps in step S4: Pallet conveyor chain four transports the completed pallets to the pallet stacking station, where the new pallet is located below the pallet group and above the pallet stacking lifting mechanism. The pallet clamping cylinder is released, and the original pallet assembly falls on top of the new pallet; The pallet lifting mechanism pushes upward, causing the entire pallet assembly to rise; The encoder clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the new pallet; The encoder lifting mechanism descends and resets, completing the encoder operation for one tray.

[0024] The technical solution of the system and method for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, as described in this invention, has the following technical advantages: (1) It can automatically deliver screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, which can avoid errors caused by manual counting methods and improve delivery efficiency and accuracy; (2) Using a pallet method to deliver screws and washers facilitates the subsequent automated assembly of screws and washers. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, according to the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tray structure; Figure 3 for Figure 2 CC-direction sectional view; Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the disassembly station; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the disassembly station; Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of an automated delivery station; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the washer pickup mechanism and the screw pickup mechanism; Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the encoder station; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the encoder station; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the stopping mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, its specific embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Please see Figures 1 to 10According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements includes several sets of pallet assemblies 1, pallet conveyor chain assemblies, an upper buffer station 3, a pallet unpacking station 4, an automatic dispensing station 5, a pallet stacking station 6, an lower buffer station 7, and a main controller 8. The upper buffer station 3, pallet unpacking station 4, automatic dispensing station 5, pallet stacking station 6, and lower buffer station 7 are the five main stations for completing the automatic dispensing, arranged in a "┌┐" shape. The upper buffer station 3 and lower buffer station 7 are located on opposite sides, and the pallet unpacking station 4, automatic dispensing station 5, and pallet stacking station 6 are sequentially arranged between the upper buffer station 3 and the lower buffer station 7.

[0027] The pallet set 1 is the carrier for implementing the present invention and is used to load the washers and screws to be delivered. There are several sets of pallet sets 1, the number of which is equal to the number of products assembled daily. Each set of pallet sets 1 contains several pallets 10, the number of which is equal to the number of assembly processes. That is, one pallet 10 can load the washers and screws to be delivered for one process.

[0028] The pallet conveyor chain consists of five segments: Pallet conveyor chain 1 (23) at the upper buffer station 3, Pallet conveyor chain 2 (24) at the unpacking station 4, Pallet conveyor chain 3 (25) at the automatic delivery station 5, Pallet conveyor chain 4 (26) at the pallet stacking station 6, and Pallet conveyor chain 5 (27) at the lower buffer station 7. Each segment of the pallet conveyor chain is driven by an independent servo motor to transport pallets or pallet groups within the station.

[0029] The main controller 8 is the core of the quantitative automatic delivery method, serving to input initial information about the delivery task and control its execution. The main controller 8 is electrically connected to each of the aforementioned workstations, used to input delivery task information and control the execution of the delivery task.

[0030] A method for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, using the above-mentioned system to complete the automatic dispensing of screws and washers, includes the following steps: S1, the online cache station 3 is the starting station. Empty pallet group 1 can be placed on the pallet conveyor chain 23 of this station by manual labor or AGV. The pallet conveyor chain 23 will then transport the empty pallet group 1 to the handover position with the unpacking station 4. S2, the pallet conveyor chain 24 of the unpacking station 4 transports the pallet group 1 to the unpacking position. The unpacking lifting mechanism, hook mechanism and unpacking clamping mechanism of the unpacking station cooperate with each other to unpack the pallet group 1. The bottom pallet 10 is then taken out and placed on the pallet conveyor chain 24. The pallet conveyor chain 24 then transports the pallet to the entrance of the automatic delivery station 5. S3, the automatic delivery station 5 is the main station for performing delivery tasks. First, the pallet conveyor chain 3 25 transports the pallet 10 from the entrance position of the station to the delivery position. Then, the delivery execution mechanism of the station completes the delivery task. Finally, the pallet conveyor chain 3 25 transports the pallet 10 from the delivery position to the exit position. S4, the pallet conveyor chain 26 of pallet stacking station 6 transports pallet 10 to the pallet stacking position. The pallet stacking station 6 automatically stacks pallet 10 into a stack in sequence, forming a new set of pallet group 1. The pallet conveyor chain 26 transports pallet group 1 to the handover position with the offline buffer area station 7. S5, station 7 in the offline buffer area is the final station. The pallet conveyor chain 5 27 at this station transports pallet group 1 to the offline buffer area, and then a person or AGV car removes the completed pallet group 1 from pallet conveyor chain 5 27. This completes the automatic delivery task of the entire pallet group 1.

[0031] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The tray 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure with side lengths A and B on its upper and lower surfaces, and a height of H. A QR code 101 is printed on the upper surface of the tray 10; the QR code information corresponds one-to-one with the process information, meaning one tray corresponds to one process. A matrix sequence of circular holes 102 is pre-machined on the upper surface of the tray 10 for loading and distributing washers 12 and screws 11. The matrix sequence of circular holes 102 consists of multiple rows of circular holes of varying diameters. The number of arrays is equal to the number of screws 11 of each specification, and the number of holes in each row is equal to the number of screws 11 of a single specification. The circular holes in the matrix sequence are evenly distributed. It is assumed that the distance between adjacent holes on the A and B sides of the tray is 'a'. The size of 'a' must ensure that the vacuum nozzle 26 or servo gripper 27 of the automatic delivery station 5 can smoothly place the washers or screws into the positions of the circular holes in the matrix sequence. The diameter D of the round hole is generally 1mm larger than the screw diameter d to facilitate easy insertion of the screw. For example, if the screw diameter d is 4mm, the round hole diameter D is 5mm. The tray height H must be greater than the longest screw length. The lower surface of the tray 10 is recessed to a certain depth so that the trays 10 containing washers and screws can be stacked as a group (the screw head is exactly in the recessed position). In actual use, each row of arrayed round holes can be completely filled, and unused round holes can be obscured. If the number of screws of a certain specification is greater than the number of round holes in one row, multiple rows of arrayed round holes can be used to load screws of that specification. Through the above definitions, the matrix sequence of round holes of a tray can be matched one-to-one with the washers and screws required in one process.

[0032] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5The unpacking station 4 is located after the upper buffer station and includes a pallet conveyor chain 24, a hook mechanism, an unpacking clamping mechanism, and an unpacking lifting mechanism. It is used to sequentially unpack empty pallet groups into individual pallets. The unpacking lifting mechanism is installed below the pallet conveyor chain 24 and is used to lift the pallet group upwards. It includes a lifting cylinder 48, a lifting frame 47, and a guide rod 49. The output end of the lifting cylinder 48 is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame 47, and the lifting cylinder 48 drives the lifting frame 47 to move up and down along the guide rod 49. The hook mechanism includes two hook assemblies, which are located on the outer sides of the two side wall panels of the unpacking station 4. Each hook assembly includes a hook cylinder 41, a rotating shaft 42, a connecting rod 44, two supports 43, and two hooks 45. The two supports 42 are fixed to the outer side of the corresponding wall panels respectively. The shaft 42 is located between the two supports 43, and the two ends of the shaft 42 are rotatably connected to the two supports 43 respectively. One end of the connecting rod 44 is connected to the output end of the hook cylinder 41, and the other end is fixed to the shaft 43. One end of the two hooks 45 is fixed to the two ends of the shaft 43 respectively. The two side wall panels of the disassembly station are respectively provided with hook through holes 410 for the hooks to enter and exit. The hook cylinder 41 drives the shaft 42 to rotate through the connecting rod 44, thereby driving the two hooks 45 to swing inward to support or swing outward to disengage.

[0033] When the hook cylinder 41 moves downward, it drives the rotating shaft 42 to rotate through the connecting rod 44, thereby causing the hook 45 to swing inward. At this time, the hook 45 is in the holding state. When the hook cylinder 41 moves upward, the hook 45 swings outward. At this time, the hook 45 is in the disengaged state.

[0034] The tray disassembly clamping mechanism includes two tray disassembly clamping cylinders 46. The two tray disassembly clamping cylinders 46 are respectively located on the outer side of the two side wall panels of the tray disassembly station 4, and each tray disassembly clamping cylinder 46 is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel. The wall panel is provided with through holes for the extension and retraction of the clamping end of the clamping cylinder 46. The two tray disassembly clamping cylinders 46 are used to clamp the two sides of the second to last layer of the tray 10 in the tray assembly.

[0035] The process at disassembly station 4 consists of two steps: (a) The entire pallet assembly 1 is stored in the unpacking station 4. This step is accomplished by the cooperation of the hook cylinder 41, the lifting cylinder 48, and the pallet conveyor chain 24: ① The pallet conveyor chain 24 transports the pallet assembly 1 to the unpacking position; ② The lifting cylinder 48 pushes upward, causing the pallet assembly 1 to rise; ③ The hook cylinder 41 moves downward, so that the hook 45 is in the supporting state; ④ The lifting cylinder 48 descends, and the hook 45 just supports the pallet assembly 1. In this way, the entire pallet assembly 1 is stored in the unpacking station 4. (b) Dismantling station 4 dismantles pallets one by one from pallet group 1. This step is completed by the cooperation of hook cylinder 41, dismantling clamping cylinder 46, lifting cylinder 48, and pallet conveyor chain 24: ① Lifting cylinder 48 pushes upward, so that lifting frame 47 supports the bottom pallet 10; ② Dismantling clamping cylinder 46 clamps the two sides of the second to last pallet 10; ③ Hook cylinder 41 moves upward, so that hook 45 swings outward and is in the disengaged state; ④ Lifting cylinder 48 descends, so that the bottom pallet 10 is disengaged. Pallet 10 also moves downwards until it falls onto pallet conveyor chain 24; ⑤ Pallet conveyor chain 24 transports the bottom pallet 10 out of the lifting frame 47 position; ⑥ The lifting frame 47 rises again and supports the second-to-last pallet 10, the disassembly clamping cylinder 46 releases the second-to-last pallet 10, and the hook cylinder 41 moves downwards to hold the hook 45 in place; ⑦ The lifting frame 47 descends again, and pallet group 1 also moves downwards until the hook 45 holds the bottom pallet 10. This completes the disassembly process of one pallet 10. Repeating step (b) completes the disassembly of the entire pallet group 1.

[0036] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The automatic delivery station 5 is located after the unpacking station 4 and includes a pallet conveyor chain 25, a barcode reader 50, at least one automatic washer feeder 51, at least one automatic screw feeder 52, a gantry robotic arm 53, and a washer picking mechanism 54 and a screw picking mechanism 55 installed at the end of the gantry robotic arm 53, which are used to deliver washers and screws to the pallet according to the QR code information read on the pallet.

[0037] The barcode reader 50 is installed at the entrance of pallet conveyor chain 3 25 to read the QR code information on the pallet.

[0038] The number of automatic washer feeders 51 is equal to the number of washer specifications, and the number of automatic screw feeders 52 is equal to the number of screw specifications. In this case, the shipped washers come in four specifications (3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm), requiring four automatic washer feeders 51. The screws also come in these four diameters, but due to different lengths, there are a total of 24 different screw specifications, requiring 24 automatic screw feeders 52. These automatic feeders 51 and 52 are installed on both sides of the pallet conveyor chain 25. Automatic washer feeders 51 and 52 are commonly used automated equipment. Their function is to arrange bulk washers or screws in an orderly manner and transport them to a fixed outlet position. Their working principle is as follows: Before operation, a manual fills the storage hopper of the automatic feeder with washers or screws of a specific size. The automatic feeder uses an internal vibrating plate or roller mechanism to move the washers or screws along a track to achieve directional arrangement until they are transported to the outlet position. After the automatic picking mechanism removes the washers or screws from the outlet position, the automatic feeder immediately transports the washers or screws that are following behind to the outlet position. Currently, many automated equipment suppliers on the market offer automatic feeders with stable performance and low prices. When selecting an automatic feeder, attention should be paid to the hopper capacity to ensure that a single loading can meet the needs of automatic feeding for a day.

[0039] A gantry robotic arm 53 is positioned above the pallet conveyor chain three. The gantry robotic arm 53 is a positional movement device based on a Cartesian coordinate system, with at least three motion axes: X, Y, and Z. Each axis is driven by an independent servo motor via a ball screw or rack and pinion mechanism. The servo motors are controlled by the main controller 8, thus achieving precise control of the gantry robotic arm 53's position. A washer pickup mechanism 54 and a screw pickup mechanism 55 are both installed at the end of the gantry robotic arm 53, enabling automatic pickup and placement of washers and screws.

[0040] Please see Figure 7The washer pickup mechanism 54 uses a vacuum nozzle 56 to pick up washers. A suitable size is selected so that the vacuum nozzle 56 can pick up all four sizes of washers. The picking and placing actions of the vacuum nozzle 56 are controlled by the main controller 8 via a drop adjustment cylinder 58. The screw pickup mechanism 55 uses a servo gripper 57 to grasp the screw head. When gripping screws of different diameters, the opening size of the servo gripper 57 needs to be adjusted. The opening size adjustment and the picking and placing actions are both controlled by the main controller 8. A vision camera 59 is mounted on the side of the gantry robotic arm 53. Before picking up or placing washers or screws, precise position control is achieved through visual positioning. The washer pickup mechanism 54 is equipped with a drop adjustment cylinder 58, which controls the up and down movement of the vacuum nozzle 56, thereby creating a certain height difference between the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle 56 and the bottom plane of the servo gripper 57 to avoid mutual interference. When the vacuum nozzle 56 picks up a washer, the cylinder 58 lowers the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle 56 so that it is lower than the bottom plane of the servo gripper 57; when the servo gripper 57 picks up a screw, the cylinder 58 raises the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle 56 so that it is higher than the bottom plane of the servo gripper 57. The gantry robotic arm 53 is also equipped with a rotary motor 60, which can realize the left and right position interchange of the vacuum nozzle 56 and the servo gripper 57. In this way, the washer picking mechanism 54 and the screw picking mechanism 55 can pick up the washers and screws of the automatic feeders on the left and right sides of the pallet conveyor chain 25.

[0041] The working process of the automatic delivery station 5 is as follows: ① At the entrance of the automatic delivery station 5, the barcode reader 50 reads the QR code on the upper surface of the pallet 10 and transmits it to the main controller 8. The main controller 8 retrieves the delivery task and starts executing the delivery program; ② The pallet conveyor chain 25 transports the pallet 10 from the entrance to the delivery position; ③ The delivery of all washers on the pallet 10 is completed: The drop adjustment cylinder 58 lowers the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle 56 to the bottom plane of the servo gripper 57, and the gantry robot arm 53 moves to the exit position of the automatic washer feeder 51. After being positioned by the vision camera 59, the vacuum nozzle 56 is aligned and picks up the washer at the exit position. 53. Move to above tray 10, and after positioning by vision camera 59, accurately place the washer into the corresponding round hole position. This completes the picking and placing of one washer. Repeat this process to deliver all washers on tray 10. ④ Deliver all screws using the same method as the washer delivery, except that: the drop adjustment cylinder 58 is raised so that the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle 56 is higher than the bottom plane of the servo gripper 57; when picking up screws of different diameters, the opening diameter of the servo gripper 57 needs to be adjusted by the main controller 8. ⑤ After completing the delivery of all washers and screws on tray 10, the tray conveyor chain 25 transports the delivered tray 10 from the delivery position to the exit position. This completes the delivery task of one tray 10.

[0042] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9The palletizing station 6 is located after the automatic delivery station 5. Similar to the unpacking station 4, but simpler, the palletizing station 6 includes a pallet conveyor chain 26, a pallet clamping mechanism, and a pallet lifting mechanism. It is used to stack individual pallets that have completed delivery into pallet groups. The pallet lifting mechanism is installed below the pallet conveyor chain 26 and is used to lift the pallet groups upwards. It includes a lifting cylinder 62, a lifting frame 63, and a guide rod 64. The output end of the lifting cylinder 62 is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame 63, and the lifting cylinder 62 drives the lifting frame 63 to move up and down along the guide rod 64. The code plate clamping mechanism includes two code plate clamping cylinders 61. The two code plate clamping cylinders 61 are respectively located on the outer side of the two side wall panels of the code plate station 6, and each code plate clamping cylinder 61 is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel. The corresponding wall panel is provided with through holes for the extension and retraction of the clamping end of the code plate clamping cylinder 61. The two code plate clamping cylinders 61 are used to clamp the two sides of the bottom tray of the tray assembly.

[0043] The working process of palletizing station 6 is as follows: ① Pallet conveyor chain 4 26 transports the newly delivered pallet 10 to palletizing station 6. At this time, pallet 10 is located below pallet group 1 and above lifting frame 2 63; ② Palletizing clamping cylinder 61 releases, and the original pallet group 1 falls directly above pallet 10; ③ Lifting cylinder 2 62 drives lifting frame 2 63 to lift, and the entire pallet group 1 (including the bottom pallet 10) is also lifted; ④ Palletizing clamping cylinder 61 clamps, clamping both sides of the newly arrived pallet 10; ⑤ Lifting cylinder 2 62 descends, and lifting frame 2 63 returns to below pallet conveyor chain 4 26. This completes the palletizing process of one pallet 10. When pallet conveyor chain 4 26 transports the last pallet 10 to pallet stacking station 6, lifting cylinder 2 62 stops lifting, and pallet clamping cylinder 61 releases directly. The original pallet group 1 then falls directly onto the last pallet 10, and pallet conveyor chain 4 26 transports pallet group 1 to the handover position with the offline buffer area 7. This completes the entire pallet stacking process for pallet group 1.

[0044] Please see Figure 10 The pallet conveyor chain 2 is equipped with a stop device 20 at each of the five workstations where it needs to stop. When the pallet / pallet group touches the stop device 20, the conveying will automatically stop. When the conveying needs to continue, the stop device 20 will automatically move downward to allow the pallet / pallet group to continue conveying.

[0045] In summary, the system and method for automatically distributing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements of the present invention uses a pallet to distribute screws and washers. It can automatically distribute screws and washers to the matrix sequence of circular holes on the pallet in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, which greatly improves the distribution efficiency and accuracy. At the same time, it will also lay the foundation for the subsequent automated assembly of screws and washers.

[0046] Those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any variations or modifications to the above embodiments that are within the spirit and essence of the present invention will fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, characterized in that, include: Several pallet sets, each set consisting of a number of pallets stacked equal to the number of assembly processes, each pallet being used to load the washers and screws required for one process; each pallet has a QR code corresponding to the process information printed on its upper surface; each pallet has a set of matrix sequence holes on its upper surface for loading the washers and screws to be delivered. The online buffer station is the starting station, which includes pallet conveyor chain one, used to place and transport empty pallet groups; The unpacking station, located after the online buffer station, includes a second pallet conveyor chain, a hook mechanism, an unpacking clamping mechanism, and an unpacking lifting mechanism, used to sequentially separate empty pallet groups into individual pallets. An automated delivery station, located after the unpacking station, includes a pallet conveyor chain three, a barcode reader, at least one automatic washer feeder, at least one automatic screw feeder, a gantry robotic arm, and washer and screw picking mechanisms installed at the end of the gantry robotic arm, for dispensing washers and screws to the pallet based on the QR code information read on the pallet. The pallet stacking station, located after the automated delivery station, includes a pallet conveyor chain, a pallet clamping mechanism, and a pallet lifting mechanism, used to stack individual pallets that have completed delivery into pallet groups in sequence. The offline buffer station is located after the palletizing station and is the end station. It includes the fifth pallet conveyor chain, which is used to transport the pallet group that has completed the delivery task. The main controller is electrically connected to each of the above workstations and is used to input delivery task information and control the execution of delivery tasks.

2. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of tray sets is equal to the number of products assembled daily.

3. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of pallets in a pallet set is equal to the number of steps involved in assembling a product.

4. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The matrix sequence of round holes on a pallet corresponds one-to-one with the washers and screws required for each process.

5. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each workstation's pallet conveyor chain is driven by an independent servo motor to enable the transfer of pallets or pallet groups within each workstation.

6. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The online cache station, unpacking station, automatic delivery station, palletizing station, and offline cache station are arranged in a "┌┐" shape. The online cache station and offline cache station are located on opposite sides, and the unpacking station, automatic delivery station, and palletizing station are arranged sequentially between the online cache station and the offline cache station.

7. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the disassembly station: The pallet lifting mechanism is installed below the second pallet conveyor chain and is used to lift the pallet group upward. It includes a lifting cylinder, a lifting frame, and a guide rod. The output end of the lifting cylinder is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame. The lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to move up and down along the guide rod. The hook mechanism includes two hook assemblies, which are respectively located on the outer sides of the two wall panels of the dismantling station. Each hook assembly includes a hook cylinder, a rotating shaft, a connecting rod, two supports, and two hooks. The two supports are respectively fixed to the outer sides of the corresponding wall panels. The rotating shaft is located between the two supports, and both ends of the rotating shaft are rotatably connected to the two supports. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the output end of the hook cylinder, and the other end is fixed to the rotating shaft. One end of each of the two hooks is fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft. Hook through holes for hook insertion and removal are respectively provided on the two wall panels of the dismantling station. The hook cylinder drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the connecting rod, causing the two hooks to swing inward to a holding state or swing outward to a disengaging state. The tray disassembly clamping mechanism includes two tray disassembly clamping cylinders, which are respectively located on the outer sides of the two wall panels of the tray disassembly station, and each tray disassembly clamping cylinder is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel, for clamping the two sides of the second to last layer of the tray in the tray assembly. The dismantling lifting mechanism, hook mechanism, and dismantling clamping mechanism work together to dismantle the empty pallet group and sequentially remove the bottom pallet and place it on the second pallet conveyor chain of the station.

8. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The unpacking station is configured to perform the following actions: Pallet conveyor chain two transports the pallet assembly to the unpacking position; The lifting cylinder lifts upwards, and the lifting frame moves the tray assembly upwards. The hook cylinder drives the hook to swing inward to hold it in place; As the lifting cylinder descends, the hook supports the pallet assembly, completing the storage of the pallet assembly. The lifting cylinder one lifts upward again, so that the lifting frame one supports the bottom tray; The disassembly clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the penultimate tray; The hook cylinder drives the hook to swing outward and disengage; As the lifting cylinder descends, the bottom tray falls onto the second tray conveyor chain along with the lifting frame. The second pallet conveyor chain will transport the bottom pallet out. The lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to rise again and support the second-to-last pallet. The pallet clamping cylinder releases, the hook is in the supporting state again, and the lifting cylinder drives the lifting frame to descend so that the pallet assembly falls onto the hook, completing the dismantling of one pallet.

9. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the automated delivery station: The number of automatic washer feeders is equal to the number of washer specifications required for assembling the product, and the number of automatic screw feeders is equal to the number of screw specifications required for assembling the product. The automatic washer feeder and the automatic screw feeder are installed on both sides of the pallet conveyor chain three; The barcode reader is located at the entrance of the third pallet conveyor chain and is used to read the QR code information on the pallet. The gantry robotic arm is positioned above the third pallet conveyor chain; The washer pickup mechanism uses a vacuum nozzle, and the lifting and lowering of the vacuum nozzle is controlled by a drop adjustment cylinder; The screw picking mechanism uses a servo gripper, and the opening size of the servo gripper is controlled and adjusted by the main controller. The end of the gantry robotic arm is equipped with a rotary motor, which is used to interchange the positions of the vacuum nozzle and the servo gripper. The gantry robotic arm is equipped with a vision camera on its side for positioning before picking up or placing.

10. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The automated delivery station is configured to perform the following actions: The barcode reader reads the QR code on the surface of the pallet and transmits it to the main controller, which then retrieves the corresponding process delivery task. The pallet conveyor chain three transports the pallet from the entrance position to the delivery position; The drop adjustment cylinder drives the vacuum nozzle to descend, so that the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle is lower than the bottom plane of the servo gripper; the gantry robotic arm moves to the outlet of the automatic washer feeder, and after the vision camera positions it, the vacuum nozzle picks up the washer; the gantry robotic arm moves above the tray, and after the vision camera positions it, the vacuum nozzle places the washer in the corresponding circular hole position on the tray; the above actions are repeated until all the washers are delivered; Then, the drop adjustment cylinder drives the vacuum nozzle to rise, so that the bottom plane of the vacuum nozzle is higher than the bottom plane of the servo gripper; the main controller adjusts the opening diameter of the servo gripper, the gantry robot arm moves to the outlet of the automatic screw feeder, the servo gripper picks up the screw and places it in the corresponding round hole position on the tray, and repeats the above actions until all screws are delivered. The pallet conveyor chain three transports the completed pallets to the exit location.

11. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the encoder station: The code disk lifting mechanism is installed below the pallet conveyor chain four and is used to lift the pallet group upward. It includes a lifting cylinder two, a lifting frame two and a guide rod two. The output end of the lifting cylinder two is connected to the bottom end of the lifting frame two. The lifting cylinder two drives the lifting frame two to move up and down along the guide rod two. The code disk clamping mechanism includes two code disk clamping cylinders, which are respectively located on the outer side of the two side wall panels of the code disk station, and each code disk clamping cylinder is installed perpendicular to the corresponding wall panel, for clamping the two sides of the bottom tray of the tray assembly. The palletizing station is configured as follows: Pallet conveyor chain four transports the completed pallet to the palletizing station. At this time, the new pallet is located below the pallet group and above the lifting frame two. The palletizing clamping cylinder releases, allowing the original pallet group to fall above the new pallet. Then, the lifting cylinder two drives the lifting frame two to push upward, causing the entire pallet group to rise. The palletizing clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the new pallet. The lifting cylinder two descends to complete the palletizing of one pallet.

12. The system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The online and offline buffer stations are used to connect with AGV vehicles or manual labor to realize the automatic feeding and retrieval of pallet groups.

13. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each workstation's pallet conveyor chain is equipped with a stop device at the required stopping point, which automatically stops the conveyor when a pallet or pallet group touches it, and lowers to release it when it needs to continue conveying.

14. A method for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements, comprising using a system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Empty pallet sets are placed on pallet conveyor chain one of the online buffer station by manual labor or AGV carts. Pallet conveyor chain one transports the empty pallet sets to the handover position between the online buffer station and the unpacking station. S2: The unpacking station separates the pallet group into individual pallets in sequence, and transports the pallets to the entrance of the automated delivery station via the second pallet conveyor chain; S3: The barcode reader at the automated delivery station reads the QR code on the pallet, retrieves the delivery task for the corresponding process, and the gantry robotic arm drives the washer picking mechanism and the screw picking mechanism to pick up the washers and screws from the automatic washer feeder and the automatic screw feeder respectively, and accurately place them into the matrix sequence of round holes on the upper surface of the pallet. S4: Pallets that have completed delivery are transported to the pallet stacking station by pallet conveyor chain three, where pallets are stacked into pallet groups in sequence. S5: The pallet group that has completed the engraving is transported along pallet conveyor chain four to pallet conveyor chain five at the offline buffer station, where it is picked up manually or by AGV.

15. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The specific steps for disassembling the disk in step S2 include: The pallet assembly is placed at the unpacking station: Pallet conveyor chain two transports the pallet assembly to the unpacking position, the unpacking lifting mechanism lifts it upwards, the hook mechanism holds it in place, and the unpacking lifting mechanism lowers it so that the pallet assembly falls onto the hook. Dismantling pallets one by one: The pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lifts upward to support the bottom pallet, the pallet dismantling clamping cylinder clamps the second-to-last pallet, the hook mechanism is disengaged, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lowers to allow the bottom pallet to fall onto the second pallet conveyor chain and be conveyed to the entrance of the automatic delivery station, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism rises again to support the second-to-last pallet, the pallet dismantling clamping cylinder releases, the hook mechanism is in a supporting state, the pallet dismantling lifting mechanism lowers to allow the pallet group to fall onto the hook.

16. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 14, characterized in that, Step S3 specifically includes: The barcode reader reads the QR code on the surface of the pallet and transmits it to the main controller, which then retrieves the process delivery task. The vacuum nozzle descends, the gantry robotic arm moves to the automatic washer feeder, picks up the washer after visual positioning, the gantry robotic arm moves to the top of the tray, places the washer in the corresponding round hole on the tray after visual positioning, and repeats to complete the delivery of all washers. The vacuum nozzle rises, the main controller adjusts the opening diameter of the servo gripper, the gantry robotic arm moves to the automatic screw feeder, picks up the screw after visual positioning, the gantry robotic arm moves above the tray, places the screw in the corresponding round hole of the tray after visual positioning, and repeats to complete the delivery of all screws. After delivery is completed, the pallet is transported to the exit location by pallet conveyor chain two.

17. A system for automatically dispensing screws and washers in quantitative quantities according to process requirements as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The specific steps of the encoder in step S4 include: Pallet conveyor chain four transports the completed pallets to the pallet stacking station, where the new pallet is located below the pallet group and above the pallet stacking lifting mechanism. The pallet clamping cylinder is released, and the original pallet assembly falls on top of the new pallet; The pallet lifting mechanism pushes upward, causing the entire pallet assembly to rise; The encoder clamping cylinder clamps both sides of the new pallet; The encoder lifting mechanism descends and resets, completing the encoder operation for one tray.

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