Drum brake dustproof ring laser welding device

Abstract

The invention discloses a drum brake dustproof ring laser welding device which comprises a rack, a dustproof ring stock bin is arranged on the rack, a grabbing and feeding assembly used for grabbing dustproof rings is arranged on one side of the dustproof ring stock bin, a feeding and leveling roller way used for conveying the dustproof rings is arranged below the grabbing and feeding assembly, and the dustproof ring stock bin is arranged on the rack. A bottom plate capable of being rotationally positioned is arranged at the tail end of the feeding leveling roller way, a welding groove used for containing a dustproof ring is formed in the bottom plate, a laser welding assembly matched with the welding groove is arranged on one side of the welding groove, and the laser welding assembly is used for welding the dustproof ring and a brake bottom plate. By means of the collaborative design of grabbing, leveling, positioning and welding, the technical problems that existing equipment is low in manual feeding efficiency, single in welding posture and unstable in welding seam quality are solved, the production continuity and the welding precision are greatly improved, and the device is suitable for batch production of brake bottom plates under the manual or robot feeding and discharging scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser processing equipment for vehicle braking components, and in particular to a laser welding device for dust seals on drum brakes. Background Technology

[0002] In the drum brake manufacturing process, the connection strength and sealing performance between the dust seal and the brake base plate are crucial to ensuring the service life of the brake and driving safety. Currently, the mainstream technology in the industry is gas shielded welding for welding these two components, and the entire process relies on manual labor for feeding, positioning, and operating the welding torch.

[0003] This traditional process has several intractable problems: First, manual feeding and positioning accuracy are poor, and the dust ring is prone to shifting or tilting, leading to weld position deviations. This not only affects the appearance but may also cause component deformation due to uneven welding stress. Second, gas shielded welding itself has a large heat-affected zone, which easily produces defects such as spatter and porosity during the welding process, resulting in poor weld consistency. This requires additional grinding and flaw detection processes, extending the production cycle. Third, manual operation is labor-intensive, and welding efficiency is significantly affected by the operator's skills, physical strength, and sense of responsibility, making it difficult to control quality stability during mass production. Fourth, for brake base plates of different specifications, the welding torch position and welding parameters need to be manually adjusted, resulting in long changeover times, poor adaptability, and inability to meet diverse production needs.

[0004] As the industrial vehicle manufacturing industry continues to demand higher precision and production efficiency for parts, the traditional manual operation mode of gas shielded welding is gradually becoming unsuitable for industry development. There is an urgent need for an integrated mechanism that combines automatic feeding, precise positioning, and efficient welding to solve the pain points of the existing process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes to improve feeding and positioning accuracy.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes includes: a frame, on which a dustproof ring hopper is mounted; a gripping and feeding assembly for gripping dustproof rings is mounted on one side of the dustproof ring hopper; a feeding and leveling roller conveyor for transporting dustproof rings is mounted below the gripping and feeding assembly; a rotatable and positionable base plate is mounted at the end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor; a welding groove for placing dustproof rings is mounted on the base plate; and a laser welding assembly that mates with the welding groove is mounted on one side of the welding groove, wherein the laser welding assembly welds the dustproof rings to the brake base plate.

[0007] The gripping and feeding assembly includes: a horizontal moving mechanism mounted on the frame, a robot arm mounted on the lower surface of the horizontal moving mechanism, and a vacuum suction cup for gripping the dust ring mounted at the end of the robot arm. After the robot arm grips the dust ring from the hopper, it is vertically lifted and horizontally moved to the feed end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor, and the dust ring is placed between the two rollers.

[0008] The horizontal moving mechanism is equipped with multiple robotic arms, each with an empty suction cup at its end. The diameter of the empty suction cup is 40mm, the negative pressure value of the vacuum generator is set to -0.06MPa, and the suction surface of the empty suction cup is provided with an elastic buffer layer.

[0009] The feeding and leveling roller conveyor includes a vertically parallel active roller and a driven roller. The active roller is driven by a stepper motor. The active roller and the driven roller have an adjustable gap, and the gap value is adapted to the thickness of the dustproof ring.

[0010] A servo positioner is mounted on the frame, and the base plate is mounted on the servo positioner. The servo positioner includes a rotary servo motor, a rotary worktable is mounted on the working end of the rotary servo motor, and a base plate clamping device for clamping the brake base plate is mounted at the center of the rotary worktable.

[0011] The servo positioner's clamping station is equipped with workpiece positioning pins for initial positioning when a manual or robotic system places the brake base plate.

[0012] The laser welding assembly includes: a servo-adjustable slide mounted on a frame, a laser welding gun mounted on the servo-adjustable slide, and the laser welding gun being connected to a laser generator via an optical fiber.

[0013] The laser welding assembly also includes a distance sensor, which is installed next to the laser welding gun and has a signal output terminal connected to a control system for detecting the distance between the laser welding gun and the workpiece and providing feedback for adjustment.

[0014] The control system includes a PLC controller and a touch screen. The PLC controller is used to set welding parameters and servo adjustment parameters, and the touch screen is used to display the equipment operating status and fault alarm information.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. Precise and stable feeding: By using a robotic arm with suction cups to grip and leveling rollers, the manual feeding is replaced, achieving posture correction and directional conveying of the dust ring. This solves the problems of dust ring offset and warping in traditional manual feeding, improving positioning accuracy by more than 30%.

[0016] 2. Superior welding quality: Laser welding replaces gas shielded welding, reducing the heat-affected zone by more than 60%, effectively reducing defects such as spatter and porosity, significantly improving weld strength and sealing performance, while eliminating the need for subsequent grinding processes and shortening the production cycle.

[0017] 3. High adaptability: The two-dimensional servo slide of the laser welding component can be flexibly adapted to brake base plates of different sizes without changing tooling, and the changeover time is shortened to less than 5 minutes.

[0018] 4. Suitable for manual scenarios: The positioning pins simplify manual loading and unloading operations, and the visual interface of the control system reduces the difficulty of operation, balancing the convenience of manual operation with the efficiency of automated welding. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the laser welding mechanism for the dust seal of this drum brake. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a dustproof ring laser welding mechanism for drum brakes, consisting of a dustproof ring gripping and feeding assembly. Figure 3 This is the feeding and leveling roller conveyor of the laser welding mechanism for the dust seal of the drum brake; Figure 4 This is a servo positioner for the laser welding mechanism of the dust seal of the drum brake; Figure 5 This is a laser welding assembly for the dust seal of a drum brake. In the diagram, 1—frame, 2—dustproof ring gripping and feeding assembly, 2-1—robotic arm, 2-2—suction cup, 3—feeding and leveling roller conveyor, 4—servo positioner, 4-1—rotary worktable, 4-2—base plate clamping device, 4-3—rotary servo motor, 4-4—workpiece positioning pin, 5—laser welding assembly, 5-1—servo adjusting slide, 5-2—laser welding gun. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0023] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes, comprising: a frame 1, on which a dustproof ring hopper 2-3 is provided; a gripping and feeding assembly 2 for gripping dustproof rings is provided on one side of the dustproof ring hopper 2-3; a feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3 for transporting dustproof rings is provided below the gripping and feeding assembly 2; a rotatable and positioning base plate is provided at the end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3; a welding groove for placing dustproof rings is provided on the base plate; a laser welding assembly 5 that cooperates with the welding groove is provided on one side of the welding groove; and the laser welding assembly 5 welds the dustproof rings to the brake base plate.

[0024] It should be noted that the frame 1 is welded from square steel and steel plates, with an anti-static coating sprayed on the surface and shock-absorbing pads installed at the bottom to ensure the stability of the equipment during operation. The frame 1 is equipped with a dustproof ring gripping and feeding assembly 2, a feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3, a servo positioner 4, and a laser welding assembly 5 arranged in accordance with the process. The electrical cabinet of the control system is installed on one side of the frame, and the touch screen is embedded in the electrical cabinet panel.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the dust ring hopper 2-3 is located on one side above the frame, and L-shaped positioning ensures that the dust rings are neatly stacked on the hopper. The robotic arm 2-1 consists of a cylinder, a track, and an end effector. The end effector is connected to a four-position vacuum suction cup 2-2 via a flange. The suction cup diameter is 40mm, and the negative pressure value of the vacuum generator is set to -0.06MPa to ensure firm adhesion. The transfer path of the robotic arm 2-1 is pre-programmed. After grabbing the dust ring from the hopper 2-3, it is vertically lifted and horizontally moved to the feed end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3, where the dust ring is placed between the two rollers. The gripping and feeding assembly 2 includes: a horizontal moving mechanism 2-4 mounted on the frame 1, a robot arm 2-1 mounted on the lower surface of the horizontal moving mechanism 2-4, and a vacuum suction cup 2-2 for gripping the dust ring mounted at the end of the robot arm 2-1. After the robot arm 2-1 grips the dust ring from the hopper 2-3, it is vertically lifted and horizontally moved to the feed end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3, and the dust ring is placed between the two rollers.

[0026] Preferably, the horizontal moving mechanism 2-4 is equipped with a plurality of robotic arms 2-1, each robotic arm 2-1 having an empty suction cup 2-2 at its end. The diameter of the empty suction cup 2-2 is 40mm, the negative pressure value of the vacuum generator is set to -0.04 to -0.06MPa, and the suction surface of the empty suction cup 2-2 is provided with an elastic buffer layer.

[0027] like Figure 3As shown, the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3 includes a vertically parallel driving roller 3-1 and a driven roller 3-2. The driving roller is driven by a stepper motor 3-3. An adjustable gap is provided between the driving and driven rollers, and the gap value is adapted to the thickness of the dustproof ring. Both the driving and driven rollers of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3 are made of chrome-plated stainless steel with a smooth and wear-resistant surface. The driving roller has a diameter of 80mm and a length of 500mm, and is driven by a 1.2kW stepper motor. The conveying speed can be adjusted within the range of 0.2-2m / min. The driven roller is connected by a spring bracket, and the adjustment bolt can be adjusted from 0-3mm to accommodate dustproof rings of different thicknesses. A photoelectric sensor is installed at the end of the roller conveyor to detect whether the dustproof ring has been conveyed to the correct position, and sends a signal to the control system upon successful delivery.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, to precisely control the rotational speed and positioning of the brake base plate, a servo positioner 4 is mounted on the frame 1. The brake base plate is mounted on the servo positioner 4. The servo positioner 4 includes a rotary servo motor 4-3, and a rotary worktable 4-1 is mounted on the working end of the rotary servo motor 4-3. A base plate clamping device 4-2 for clamping the brake base plate is mounted at the center of the rotary worktable 4-1. The clamping station of the servo positioner 4 is equipped with a workpiece positioning pin 4-4 for initial positioning when the brake base plate is placed manually or by a robot.

[0029] Preferably, the rotary table 4-1 of the servo positioner 4 has a diameter of 500mm, and its surface is hardened to a hardness of HRC40-45, making it wear-resistant and not easily deformed. The base plate clamping device 4-2 has a stroke of 100-400mm, and is driven by a cylinder to move the pressure plate. The inner side of the pressure plate is covered with a wear-resistant rubber layer to prevent damage to the base plate surface. The rotary servo motor 4-3 has a power of 1.5kW and is connected to the worktable through a planetary gearbox with a reduction ratio of 1:50 to ensure smooth rotation. The rotary table 4-1 is equipped with a quick-change workpiece positioning pin 4-4 to meet the needs of rapid positioning of the brake base plate.

[0030] like Figure 5As shown, the laser welding assembly 5 includes: a servo adjustment slide 5-1 mounted on the frame 1, on which a laser welding torch 5-2 is mounted, and the laser welding torch 5-2 is connected to a laser generator via an optical fiber. The laser welding assembly 5 also includes a distance sensor installed beside the laser welding torch 5-2, with its signal output connected to a control system for detecting the distance between the laser welding torch 5-2 and the workpiece and providing feedback for adjustment. The laser welding assembly 5 uses a 1500W fiber laser generator with a laser wavelength of 1064nm and a focusing lens focal length of 150mm. The servo adjustment slide 5-1 has an X-axis travel of 500mm, a Y-axis travel of 400mm, and a positioning accuracy of ±0.01mm. The laser displacement sensor has a detection range of 0-50mm, an accuracy of ±0.02mm, and provides real-time feedback on the position information of the laser welding torch 5-2.

[0031] In addition, this invention also includes an overall control system, which includes a PLC controller and a touch screen. The PLC controller is used to set welding parameters and servo adjustment parameters, and the touch screen is used to display the equipment operating status and fault alarm information. The driving and driven rollers of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3 within the preset welding groove are both made of chrome-plated stainless steel with a smooth and wear-resistant surface. The driving roller has a diameter of 80mm and a length of 500mm, driven by a 1.2kW stepper motor, and its conveying speed can be adjusted within the range of 0.2-2m / min. The driven roller is connected by a spring bracket, and the adjustment bolt can be adjusted from 0-3mm to accommodate dustproof rings of different thicknesses. A photoelectric sensor is installed at the end of the roller conveyor to detect whether the dustproof ring has been conveyed to the correct position, and sends a signal to the control system upon successful delivery.

[0032] The working process of this invention is as follows: The operator starts the equipment via the touch screen and manually places the brake base plate on the rotating worktable 4-1 of the servo positioner 4, aligning it with the positioning pin 4-4 to complete the initial positioning. The control system instructs the base plate clamping device 4-2 to start, and the servo drives the pressure plate to move and clamp the base plate. The robotic arm 2-1, in conjunction with the vacuum suction cup 2-2, grabs the dust ring from the hopper 2-3 and transfers it to the feeding and leveling roller conveyor 3. The stepper motor drives the active roller to rotate, and the two rollers squeeze and level the dust ring and transport it to the clamping station. The dust ring falls into the preset welding groove of the base plate. The laser displacement sensor detects the distance between the welding torch 5-2 and the workpiece, and the control system drives the servo adjusting slide 5-1 to adjust the position of the welding torch so that the laser beam is aligned with the seam. The laser generator starts, and at the same time, the rotating servo motor 4-3 drives the worktable 4-1 to rotate, and the welding torch 5-2 performs intermittent welding. After welding is completed, the laser generator is turned off, the clamping device 4-2 is released, the operator removes the finished product, and the equipment automatically enters the next cycle.

[0033] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above specific examples are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, any improvements or modifications that those skilled in the art may make to certain parts of the present invention still embody the principles of the present invention and achieve the objectives of the present invention, and all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes, characterized in that, include: A frame (1) is provided with a dust ring hopper (2-3). A gripping and feeding assembly (2) for gripping the dust ring is provided on one side of the dust ring hopper (2-3). A feeding and leveling roller conveyor (3) for transporting the dust ring is provided below the gripping and feeding assembly (2). A rotatable positioning base plate is provided at the end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor (3). A welding groove for placing the dust ring is provided on the base plate. A laser welding assembly (5) that cooperates with the welding groove is provided on one side of the welding groove. The laser welding assembly (5) welds the dust ring to the brake base plate.

2. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripping and feeding assembly (2) includes: a horizontal moving mechanism (2-4) mounted on the frame (1), a robot (2-1) mounted on the lower surface of the horizontal moving mechanism (2-4), and a vacuum suction cup (2-2) for gripping the dust ring mounted at the end of the robot (2-1). After the robot (2-1) grips the dust ring from the hopper (2-3), it is vertically lifted and horizontally moved to the feed end of the feeding and leveling roller conveyor (3) and the dust ring is placed between the two rollers.

3. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The horizontal moving mechanism (2-4) is equipped with multiple robotic arms (2-1), and each robotic arm (2-1) is equipped with an empty suction cup (2-2) at its end. The diameter of the vacuum suction cup (2-2) is 40 mm, and the negative pressure value of the vacuum generator is set to 0.04 to 0.06 MPa. The suction surface of the empty suction cup (2-2) is provided with an elastic buffer layer.

4. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding and leveling roller conveyor (3) includes a vertically parallel active roller and a driven roller. The active roller is driven by a stepper motor. The active roller and the driven roller have an adjustable gap, and the gap value is adapted to the thickness of the dustproof ring.

5. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A servo positioner (4) is mounted on the frame (1), and the base plate is mounted on the servo positioner (4). The servo positioner (4) includes a rotary servo motor (4-3), a rotary worktable (4-1) is mounted on the working end of the rotary servo motor (4-3), and a base plate clamping device (4-2) for clamping the brake base plate is mounted at the center of the rotary worktable (4-1).

6. The laser welding device for dust seals of drum brakes according to claim 5, characterized in that, The servo positioner (4) is equipped with a workpiece positioning pin (4-4) at the clamping station, which is used for the initial positioning when the brake base plate is placed manually or by a robot.

7. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser welding assembly (5) includes: a servo adjustment slide (5-1) mounted on a frame (1), a laser welding gun (5-2) mounted on the servo adjustment slide (5-1), and the laser welding gun being connected to a laser generator via an optical fiber.

8. The laser welding device for dustproof rings of drum brakes according to claim 7, characterized in that, The laser welding assembly (5) also includes a distance sensor, which is installed next to the laser welding gun (5-2). The signal output terminal is connected to a control system for detecting the distance between the laser welding gun (5-2) and the workpiece and providing feedback for adjustment.

9. The laser welding device for dust seals of drum brakes according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control system includes a PLC controller and a touch screen. The PLC controller is used to set welding parameters and servo adjustment parameters, and the touch screen is used to display the equipment operating status and fault alarm information.

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