Full-automatic main terminal separating and bottom shell warehousing device for disassembling electric energy meter

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of waste electric energy meter recycling and disassembling, in particular to a full-automatic main terminal separating and bottom shell warehousing device for electric energy meter disassembling, which comprises a feeding assembly line, a grabbing and separating station, a transverse moving module clamping jaw mechanism, a terminal discharging assembly line, a bottom shell shunting channel and a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control system, the grabbing and separating station is provided with a bottom shell positioning tool and a two-way opening mechanism, the transverse moving module clamping jaw mechanism comprises a servo drive transverse moving module and a pneumatic clamping jaw assembly, and integrated continuous operation of feeding positioning, shell opening, terminal grabbing and separating, material split-flow conveying and automatic warehousing of the bottom shell with the main terminal can be achieved. The defects that in the prior art, the automation degree is low, the separation stability is poor, material classification is not standard, and the whole line linkage performance is poor are overcome, labor dependence is greatly reduced, the disassembling efficiency and the recycling yield are improved, the automatic disassembling line can be connected to an existing automatic disassembling production line to achieve beat linkage, and the continuous operation requirement of a large-scale standardized disassembling production line is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of waste electricity meter recycling and dismantling technology, specifically a fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell loading device for electricity meter dismantling. Background Technology

[0002] With the shortening replacement cycle of smart meters, centralized recycling and automated dismantling of used electricity meters have become the mainstream trend in the industry. Among them, the main terminals, as key conductive components inside the meter, have high recycling value, while the bottom shell, as a plastic casing, also needs to be collected separately and disposed of centrally.

[0003] Currently, dismantling equipment in the industry is developing towards continuous, automated, less manual, and high recycling rates. The separation of main terminals and the storage of the bottom shell are the key final steps in the automated dismantling process of waste electricity meters. The degree of automation of these steps directly affects the operating efficiency, material recycling rate, and labor costs of the entire dismantling production line.

[0004] In the current waste meter dismantling industry, the separation of main terminals and the processing of the bottom shell generally rely on manual operation or semi-automated single-machine operation. The purely manual operation requires workers to manually pick up parts next to the assembly line, using simple tools such as screwdrivers and pry bars to pry out and sort the main terminals inside the bottom shell one by one, and then place the main terminals and the bottom shell into different collection containers. There is no dedicated automated mechanism, nor professional devices for positioning, clamping, opening, and grabbing. The semi-automated auxiliary method only uses a simple cylinder opening mechanism or a single-axis module for assistance, which can only achieve preliminary opening of the bottom shell. Manual assistance is still required for alignment and positioning, and then simple grippers grab the terminals. This type of device lacks dedicated bottom shell positioning fixtures, linkage lateral movement grabbing mechanism, independent terminal and bottom shell diversion and conveying and warehousing mechanism, and cannot achieve cycle linkage with the previous assembly line. Most of the existing industry equipment has a single separation function and does not have the integrated continuous operation capability of "positioning-opening-grabbing-diversion-warehousing". Manual transfer and connection are still required between processes.

[0005] The aforementioned existing technical solutions have many shortcomings that make them unsuitable for the operation of large-scale, standardized dismantling production lines. They suffer from low automation and high reliance on manual labor, requiring manual intervention in processes such as main terminal separation, bottom shell sorting, and material warehousing. This results in high labor intensity and costs, making continuous automated operation of the entire line impossible. Furthermore, they exhibit low separation efficiency and mismatched cycle times. Manual or simple semi-automated equipment operates slowly, and the cycle time cannot match the automated processes such as solder melting and slag removal, easily causing process blockages and limiting overall line capacity. Finally, they suffer from poor separation stability, easily causing material damage or residue, as the force and position of manual or simple mechanisms are uncontrollable. The current situation is prone to problems such as deformation and breakage of the main terminals, or terminal residue and damage to the bottom shell, which reduces the recycling yield. The material diversion and warehousing are not standardized, and there is a lack of dedicated diversion and warehousing mechanisms. The main terminals and bottom shells are easily mixed, requiring secondary sorting, which increases process costs and makes it impossible to achieve functions such as automatic warehousing and full warehouse reminders. The overall line linkage is poor, and it is impossible to achieve signal linkage and cycle synchronization with the front-end production line. It is difficult to integrate into the whole automated dismantling production line, resulting in low integration. Therefore, in view of the above situation, there is an urgent need to develop a fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell warehousing device for electricity meter dismantling to overcome the shortcomings in current practical applications. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell loading device for dismantling electricity meters includes a feeding assembly line, a gripping and separation station, a transverse module clamping mechanism, a terminal discharge assembly line, a bottom shell diversion channel, and a PLC control system. The gripping and separating station is located on the conveying path of the feeding assembly line. The gripping and separating station is equipped with a bottom shell positioning fixture for positioning the bottom shell of the power meter with main terminals, and a bidirectional opening mechanism for opening the bottom shell to expose its internal main terminals. The transverse module gripper mechanism is mounted above the feeding line and the terminal discharge line, and is used to grab the main terminal from the bottom shell after it is positioned and opened, and transfer it to the terminal discharge line. The bottom shell diversion channel is connected to the end of the feeding conveyor line and is used to receive and transport the bottom shell after the main terminal separation is completed. The PLC control system is electrically connected to the feeding production line, the gripping and separating station, the transverse module gripper mechanism, the terminal discharge production line, and the bottom shell diversion channel, respectively. It is used to control each mechanism to operate in a coordinated manner according to a preset time sequence, so as to realize continuous automated operation of feeding and positioning of the bottom shell with main terminals, shell opening, terminal gripping and separating, material diversion and conveying, and automatic warehousing.

[0008] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the feeding production line is equipped with a positioning photoelectric sensor and a blocking cylinder, both of which are electrically connected to the PLC control system; The detection end of the positioning photoelectric sensor faces the conveying surface of the feeding line and is used to detect whether the bottom shell with the main terminal flows into the gripping and separating station. The blocking cylinder is located downstream of the positioning photoelectric sensor and is used to stop and position the bottom shell when it is in place.

[0009] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the bottom shell positioning fixture includes two sets of clamping cylinders symmetrically arranged on both sides of the feeding assembly line conveying surface, the two sets of clamping cylinders moving in opposite directions and perpendicular to the conveying direction of the feeding assembly line; The clamping cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system, and its action sequence is interlocked with the blocking cylinder. It is used to center and clamp the bottom shell after the bottom shell is stopped and positioned.

[0010] As a further aspect of the present invention: the bidirectional expansion mechanism includes two sets of symmetrically arranged dual-axis cylinders, and the ends of the dual-axis cylinders are provided with expansion forks adapted to the bottom shell expansion position; The dual-axis cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system, and its action sequence is interlocked with the bottom shell positioning fixture. It is used to act synchronously after the bottom shell is clamped and positioned, so as to evenly open the corresponding position of the bottom shell and make the main terminal inside the bottom shell in a gripping state.

[0011] As a further aspect of the present invention: the lateral movement module gripper mechanism includes a servo-driven lateral movement module; The servo-driven transverse module is mounted on a gantry support frame above the feeding line and the terminal discharge line, and its effective stroke covers the conveying area from the gripping and separating station to the terminal discharge line. The servo-driven transverse module is electrically connected to the PLC control system and is used to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly to reciprocate.

[0012] As a further aspect of the present invention: the transverse module gripper mechanism further includes a pneumatic gripper assembly; The pneumatic gripper assembly is mounted on the moving end of the servo-driven transverse module via a lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder is used to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly to perform lifting and lowering movements in a direction perpendicular to the feeding conveyor surface. The pneumatic gripper assembly has a contour-following gripping structure at its gripping end that is adapted to the shape of the main terminal. Its air circuit is equipped with a pressure sensor, which is electrically connected to the PLC control system to detect the gripping pressure in real time and provide a feedback signal.

[0013] As a further aspect of the present invention: the feed end of the terminal discharge line is located below the end of the stroke of the servo-driven transverse module, and is used to receive the main terminal removed from the pneumatic gripper assembly; The terminal discharge production line is equipped with a counting sensor, and its conveying end is equipped with a guide hopper; the counting sensor is a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor, model E3ZG-D61, with a detection distance of 0-50mm, an output type of NPN normally open, and a response time of ≤1ms, which can accurately detect products.

[0014] The counting sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and is used to count and statistically analyze the separated main terminals.

[0015] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the bottom shell diversion channel adopts an inclined chute structure, with its inlet connected to the side of the conveying end of the feeding assembly line and its outlet aligned with the bottom shell collection container. The feeding line is equipped with a guide baffle at the end of the conveyor. The guide baffle is used to guide the bottom shell, which has completed the separation of the main terminals, to change the conveying direction and enter the bottom shell diversion channel.

[0016] As a further aspect of the present invention: the PLC control system is used to receive feedback signals from each detection element and control the linkage operation of the entire process of feeding, positioning, spreading, grabbing, transferring, unloading and diverting according to a preset timing sequence to achieve automated closed-loop control; The PLC control system is equipped with safety interlock logic, which is used to stop subsequent actions and trigger a fault alarm when the mechanism malfunctions, signals are missing, or actions time out.

[0017] As a further aspect of the present invention: the PLC control system is equipped with a human-machine interface touch screen, which is communicatively connected to the PLC control system and is used for setting equipment operating parameters, displaying operating status, querying fault information, and viewing counting data; The PLC control system is connected to an audible and visual alarm, which is used to trigger an alert signal when the amount of collected materials reaches a preset threshold.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This device requires no manual operation from feeding, positioning, opening, separation and transfer to the distribution into the silo, which can effectively reduce the number of staff required and reduce labor costs and labor intensity. This device uses a servo-driven transverse module and a pneumatic mechanism for linkage control, which has fast action response and short cycle time. It can be seamlessly connected with the previous solder melting and slag removal processes, solve process bottleneck problems, and improve the capacity of the entire dismantling production line. This device uses a dedicated bottom shell positioning fixture in conjunction with a bidirectional support mechanism that allows for adjustable stroke and force, which can prevent bottom shell cracking, main terminal deformation or residue, and significantly improve the recycling yield of main terminals and bottom shell. This device uses an independent terminal discharge line and a bottom shell diversion channel, combined with a lateral diversion guide structure, to allow the main terminals and the bottom shell to enter the dedicated collection ton bag through independent channels, eliminating mixing and spillage, saving the subsequent manual sorting process, and improving the standardization of recycling management. This device serves as the 7th standard process in the automated dismantling production line for waste electricity meters. It can be directly connected to the existing automated dismantling production line and achieves cycle linkage and signal interlocking through the PLC control system, thereby improving the automation and intelligence level of the entire production line. This device adopts a modular mechanism design, with clear operating logic, few points of failure, and is easy to debug and maintain, making it suitable for long-term continuous production. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the gripping and separating station in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper mechanism of the transverse module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1-feeding production line, 2-grabbing and separating station, 3-transverse module gripper mechanism, 4-terminal discharge production line, 5-bottom shell diversion channel, 6-bottom shell positioning fixture, 7-bidirectional opening mechanism, 8-servo-driven transverse module, 9-pneumatic gripper assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0025] Please see Figures 1-3The present invention provides a fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell warehousing device for dismantling electricity meters. It is applied to the automated dismantling production line of waste electricity meters and serves as the seventh process equipment in the dismantling production line. It is directly connected to the output line of the previous tin melting and slag removal process and is used to complete the automatic separation of the main terminals of the bottom shell of the electricity meter with main terminals, the automatic diversion of the terminals and the bottom shell, and the automatic warehousing and collection operations.

[0026] The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell loading device for dismantling electricity meters adopts an integrated continuous operation structure of assembly line feeding—positioning and clamping—bottom shell opening—terminal gripping and separation—diversion and conveying—automatic loading, including feeding assembly line 1, gripping and separation station 2, transverse module gripper mechanism 3, terminal discharge assembly line 4, bottom shell diversion channel 5, and PLC control system; The gripping and separating station 2 is located on the conveying path of the feeding line 1. The transverse module gripper mechanism 3 is mounted above the feeding line 1 and the terminal discharge line 4. The bottom shell diversion channel 5 is connected to the side of the conveying end of the feeding line 1. The PLC control system is electrically connected to the electrical actuators and detection elements in the feeding line 1, the gripping and separating station 2, the transverse module gripper mechanism 3, the terminal discharge line 4, and the bottom shell diversion channel 5 to achieve full-process time-series linkage control. The PLC control system uses Huichuan 5U series PLC, which has 14 digital inputs and 10 digital outputs, supports Ethernet communication, and can be expanded with analog modules to receive signals from pressure sensors and photoelectric sensors to control the actions of each cylinder and servo motor. The PLC operates at a frequency of 100MHz and has a program scan cycle of ≤1ms to ensure precise linkage of the actions of each mechanism.

[0027] All pneumatic actuators in this device are connected to an external compressed air source through the main air supply pipe. Each pneumatic actuator's control air circuit is equipped with a solenoid directional valve, and all solenoid directional valves are electrically connected to the PLC control system. The PLC control system controls the on / off state and timing of the air circuits.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, the feeding line 1 adopts a synchronous belt conveyor line, which is directly connected to the previous tin melting and slag removal process. The line is equipped with a positioning photoelectric sensor and a blocking cylinder. The positioning photoelectric sensor is a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor, model E3ZG-D61, with a detection distance of 0-50mm, an NPN normally open output type, and a response time of ≤1ms. It can accurately detect whether the bottom shell is in position and avoid false triggering. The blocking cylinder is a small thin cylinder, model TCM12-20, with a cylinder diameter of 12mm, a stroke of 00mm, and a working air pressure of 0.4-0.6MPa. The piston rod end is equipped with a polyurethane buffer pad to prevent the bottom shell from being damaged when stopping. The cylinder is equipped with a magnetic switch, which can feed back the extension and retraction position signal to the PLC control system. The positioning photoelectric sensor is fixedly installed on the feed side frame of the gripping and separating station 2, with the detection end perpendicular to the conveying surface of the feeding line 1; the blocking cylinder is fixedly installed on the downstream side frame of the positioning photoelectric sensor, with the cylinder piston rod extending perpendicular to the conveying direction of the feeding line 1; both the positioning photoelectric sensor and the blocking cylinder are electrically connected to the PLC control system. When the bottom shell with the main terminal flows into the preset station position, the positioning photoelectric sensor detects that the bottom shell has reached the position and sends a signal to the PLC control system. The PLC control system controls the blocking cylinder to extend and complete the bottom shell stop positioning, while triggering the subsequent separation process; the feeding line 1 is equipped with a variable frequency speed control motor, which is electrically connected to the PLC control system. The conveying speed can be adjusted through the PLC control system to match the operation rhythm of the entire dismantling production line.

[0029] By directly connecting with the preceding process, the disassembly process is seamlessly integrated. With the addition of a positioning and stop mechanism, subsequent processes can be precisely triggered. Furthermore, the adjustable conveyor speed ensures perfect matching with the overall production line cycle time, preventing process blockages and solving the problem of mismatched cycle times between preceding and following processes that restricts overall production capacity in existing technologies.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gripping and separating station 2 is provided with a bottom shell positioning fixture 6 and a bidirectional spreading mechanism 7, which are used to complete the precise positioning of the bottom shell and the shell spreading operation, providing a stable working basis for the separation of the main terminal.

[0031] The bottom shell positioning fixture 6 adopts a pneumatic clamping structure, including two sets of clamping cylinders symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveying surface of the feeding line 1. The cylinder bodies of the clamping cylinders are fixedly installed on the frame of the feeding line 1. The piston rods of the two sets of clamping cylinders extend in opposite directions and are perpendicular to the conveying direction of the feeding line 1. Flexible limit blocks are fixedly installed at the ends of the piston rods of the clamping cylinders on both sides. The clamping size is adapted to the outer dimensions of the bottom shell of the single-phase energy meter. The air source circuit of the clamping cylinder is equipped with a pressure regulating valve to adjust the clamping force and avoid damaging the bottom shell. It can center and clamp the bottom shell during the separation of the main terminals to ensure that the bottom shell does not shift or shake during the separation process. The clamping cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system, and its action sequence is interlocked with the blocking cylinder.

[0032] The clamping cylinder is a double-acting cylinder, model TCM12-30, with a cylinder diameter of 12mm, a stroke of 30mm, and a working air pressure of 0.4-0.8MPa. The flexible limit block connected to the end of the cylinder rod is made of nitrile rubber with a thickness of 5mm and an anti-slip textured surface. The clamping range is compatible with the bottom shell of a State Grid single-phase electricity meter. The clamping force can be adjusted by a pressure regulating valve, with an adjustment range of 0.4-0.6MPa, to avoid damaging the bottom shell while ensuring secure positioning.

[0033] By using a dedicated pneumatic clamping structure in conjunction with a flexible limiting block, the bottom shell can be precisely centered and positioned, avoiding terminal gripping deviations and shell damage caused by shell displacement during separation. This significantly improves the stability and yield of the separation operation and solves the problems of lack of dedicated positioning fixtures and poor positioning accuracy in existing technologies.

[0034] The bidirectional opening mechanism 7 consists of a dual-axis cylinder and an opening fork. The dual-axis cylinder is a dual-axis double-acting type cylinder, model HLQ16X30SB, with a cylinder diameter of 16mm, a stroke of 30mm, a working air pressure of 0.4-0.6MPa, and a stroke accuracy of ±0.1mm. The opening fork is made of 45# steel, which has been quenched to a hardness of HRC40-45. The opening size of the hook-shaped structure at the end of the fork is 8mm, and the thickness is 3mm, which is precisely matched with the buckle gap of the bottom shell. The opening force can be adjusted by a precision pressure regulating valve with an adjustment range of 0.4-0.6MPa, and the opening speed can be adjusted by a one-way throttle valve with an adjustment range of 50-100mm / s to ensure smooth opening action and avoid cracking of the bottom shell. The cylinder body of the dual-axis cylinder is fixedly installed on the frame on both sides of the bottom shell positioning fixture 6. The axis of the dual-axis cylinder is parallel to the conveying direction of the feeding line 1. The opening fork is fixedly connected to the piston rod end of the dual-axis cylinder. The end of the opening fork is provided with a hook-shaped structure that matches the opening position of the bottom shell. The hook-shaped structure can be inserted into the snap-fit ​​gap of the bottom shell to complete the opening action. The air source circuit of the dual-axis cylinder is equipped with a precision pressure regulating valve and a one-way throttle valve, which are used to adjust the opening force and opening speed respectively to ensure that the opening action is stable and controllable. The opening stroke and output force of the dual-axis cylinder are preset according to the bottom shell structure, which can drive the opening forks on both sides to move synchronously, evenly opening the corresponding position of the bottom shell, so that the main terminals inside the bottom shell are fully exposed and in a graspable state, avoiding excessive opening that could cause the shell to crack. The dual-axis cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system, and its action sequence is interlocked with the bottom shell positioning fixture 6. The opening action is only performed after the bottom shell is positioned and clamped.

[0035] The bidirectional synchronous opening structure driven by dual-axis cylinders can precisely control the opening stroke and force, ensuring that the main terminal is fully exposed for easy gripping, while effectively preventing shell cracking, terminal deformation or residue, greatly improving the recycling yield of the main terminal and bottom shell, and solving the problems of uncontrollable opening force and position and easy material damage in the existing technology.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transverse module gripper mechanism 3 includes a servo-driven transverse module 8 and a pneumatic gripper assembly 9, which are used to complete the precise gripping, transfer and unloading of the main terminal.

[0037] The servo-driven transverse module 8 uses a ball screw linear module, model CTH8-L20-400-BC-H40-C4-J, with an effective stroke of 400mm, a lead of 20mm, a repeatability of ±0.02mm, a maximum load of 10kg, and is equipped with a servo motor with a power of 400W and a rated speed of 3000r / min. It has a position closed-loop control function, which can accurately control the movement position and speed.

[0038] The servo-driven transverse module 8 is fixedly mounted on a gantry-type support frame above the gripping and separating station 2 and the terminal discharge line 4 of the feeding line 1. The servo-driven transverse module 8 adopts a ball screw linear module, including a servo motor, a transmission screw, a linear guide rail, and a sliding platform. The output shaft of the servo motor is coaxially connected to the transmission screw. The sliding platform slides with the linear guide rail and is connected to the transmission screw. The servo motor is electrically connected to the PLC control system, which controls the movement position, running speed, and stroke of the sliding platform. The effective stroke of the servo-driven transverse module 8 covers the conveying area from the gripping and separating station 2 to the terminal discharge line 4. The pneumatic gripper assembly 9 is fixedly mounted below the sliding platform of the servo-driven transverse module 8 via a lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder is a three-axis cylinder, model TCMJ20x90-20S, with a cylinder diameter of 20mm, a stroke of 90mm, and a working air pressure of 0.4-0.6MPa. It features a magnetic switch to provide feedback on the lifting position. A floating joint connects the cylinder piston rod to the pneumatic gripper assembly to compensate for installation errors and prevent gripper misalignment. The pneumatic gripper assembly 9 uses a parallel opening and closing type pneumatic gripper, model HFT20X40S, with a gripping stroke of 40mm, a working air pressure of 0.4-0.6MPa, and the gripper material is aluminum alloy with an anodized surface. The device undergoes chemical treatment, and the dimensions of the contoured groove match the main terminals of the single-phase energy meter (length 25mm, width 8mm, depth 5mm). A 2mm thick wear-resistant silicone pad is bonded inside the groove to prevent slipping and scratching of the main terminals. The pressure sensor is a miniature pressure transmitter, model PT124G-111, with a measurement range of 0-1MPa, an accuracy of ±0.5%FS, a power supply voltage of DC12-24V, and an output signal of 4-20mA. It can detect the clamping pressure in real time. When the pressure reaches 0.3-0.5MPa, it feeds back a signal to the PLC to confirm that the main terminal is clamped in place, avoiding the terminal falling due to excessively loose clamping or deforming due to excessively tight clamping.

[0039] The cylinder body of the lifting cylinder is fixed to the bottom surface of the sliding platform, and the piston rod extends perpendicular to the conveying surface of the feeding line 1. The pneumatic gripper assembly 9 is fixedly installed on the end of the piston rod of the lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder realizes the up and down stroke adjustment of the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 in the clamping direction. The pneumatic gripper assembly 9 adopts a parallel opening and closing type pneumatic gripper. The inner side of the gripper is provided with a contoured groove that matches the shape of the main terminal. The anti-slip and wear-resistant treatment is to glue a wear-resistant rubber pad in the contoured groove or to do a knurled anti-slip treatment. The pneumatic gripper assembly 9 is equipped with a pressure sensor in its air circuit. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and can detect the gripping pressure in real time. After confirming that the main terminal is gripped in place, it sends a signal to the PLC control system to execute the subsequent lateral movement to prevent the main terminal from falling. The servo-driven lateral movement module 8, the lifting cylinder, and the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 are all electrically connected to the PLC control system. The PLC control system can control the servo-driven lateral movement module 8 to drive the lifting cylinder and the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 to complete the entire process of downward movement, clamping, upward movement, lateral movement, and release according to the arrival signal, so as to realize the gripping, transfer, and unloading of the main terminal. Moreover, the action sequence of the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 is interlocked with the bidirectional opening mechanism 7, and the gripping action is only performed after the bottom shell opening action is completed.

[0040] The servo-driven transverse structure, combined with a dedicated pneumatic gripper assembly, offers fast response and high positioning accuracy, enabling precise gripping and rapid transfer of the main terminals. Simultaneously, the timing interlocking effectively prevents interference between mechanisms, improving operational efficiency and safety. The short single-cycle operation can perfectly match the cycle time of the preceding solder melting and slag removal processes, solving the bottleneck problems of low separation efficiency and mismatched process cycles in existing technologies.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the terminal discharge production line 4 adopts a belt conveyor line, the conveying direction of which is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the feeding production line 1. The feeding end is located below the end of the stroke of the servo-driven transverse module 8, and is used to receive the main terminals dropped by the pneumatic gripper assembly 9. A guide hopper is fixedly installed at the end of the line, and the discharge port of the guide hopper is aligned with the inlet of the terminal-specific tonnage bag, which can smoothly convey the main terminals to the end of the line, so that the main terminals fall directly into the special terminal collection tonnage bag for collection. The terminal discharge production line 4 is equipped with a counting sensor, which is a through-beam photoelectric sensor, fixedly installed above the feeding end of the terminal discharge production line 4, with the detection end facing the conveying surface vertically, so as to accurately count each main terminal that falls. The counting sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system, which can count the number of separated main terminals in real time and upload the counting data to the PLC control system.

[0042] The independent terminal discharge production line enables directional conveying and automated collection of main terminals. Combined with counting sensors, it enables accurate statistics of recycled materials, eliminating the need for manual sorting and counting, reducing labor costs, improving the standardization of recycling management, and solving the problems of chaotic material classification and the need for secondary sorting in existing technologies.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom shell diversion channel 5 adopts an inclined chute structure. The chute is welded from Q235 steel plate with a thickness of 3mm. The inner wall is powder-coated (plastic layer thickness 0.8-1mm), with a smooth surface and a friction coefficient ≤0.15. The chute is 800mm long, with an inlet size of 150×100mm and an outlet size of 120×80mm. The inclination angle is 30° to ensure that the bottom shell can slide smoothly without jamming or collision. The docking gap between the chute inlet and the end of the feeding conveyor is ≤5mm to avoid the bottom shell from getting stuck. The chute's inlet is connected to the side of the conveying end of the feeding line 1, and is located downstream of the gripping and separating station 2. The outlet is aligned with the inlet of the special tonnage bag for the bottom shell. The inner wall of the chute is smooth and wear-resistant. The conveying end of the feeding line 1 is equipped with a lateral diversion guide structure, which includes a guide baffle inclinedly fixed to the frame of the feeding line 1. The guide baffle is made of stainless steel, 2mm thick, 80mm high, and has an inclination angle of 20°. It is bolted to the feeding line frame and its inclination can be finely adjusted according to the bottom shell dimensions. The baffle is angled and has rounded corners to avoid scratching the bottom shell. The feed end of the guide baffle is flush with the side of the feed line 1, and the discharge end is tilted towards the feed inlet of the bottom shell diversion channel 5. This can guide the bottom shell to change its conveying direction and smoothly enter the bottom shell diversion channel 5 as it is conveyed forward with the feed line 1. After the main terminals are separated, the bottom shell continues to move forward with the feed line 1. Guided by the lateral diversion guide structure, it enters the bottom shell diversion channel 5 and finally falls into the special bottom shell collection bag, realizing the complete diversion and collection of the bottom shell and the main terminals.

[0044] The independent channel structure with lateral diversion enables complete diversion and classified collection of the main terminal and the bottom shell, eliminating material mixing and scattering. This eliminates the need for subsequent manual secondary sorting, further reducing process costs and improving the automation level of the entire recycling process. It also solves the problems of non-standard material diversion and easy mixing in existing technologies.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the PLC control system serves as the control core of the entire machine. It is electrically connected to the photoelectric sensor, blocking cylinder, and variable frequency speed control motor of the feeding line 1; the clamping cylinder of the bottom shell positioning fixture 6 and the dual-axis cylinder of the bidirectional spreading mechanism 7 of the gripping and separating station 2; the servo motor, lifting cylinder, pneumatic gripper assembly 9, and pressure sensor of the servo drive transverse module 8 of the transverse module gripper mechanism 3; and the counting sensor of the terminal discharge line 4. It can receive the position signals of each detection element, the magnetic switch signal of the cylinder, the module origin and position signals, and the clamping pressure signal. It controls the linkage operation of the entire process of feeding, positioning, spreading, gripping, transverse movement, unloading, and diversion according to the preset timing sequence, so as to realize automated closed-loop control. Meanwhile, the PLC control system is equipped with a human-machine interface touch screen. The touch screen is an industrial touch screen, model MT6071IP, with a screen size of 7 inches, a resolution of 800×480, and RS485 communication method. It supports touch operation and the settable parameters include: feeding speed (100-500mm / s), clamping force (0.3-0.6MPa), opening force (0.4-0.6MPa), servo lateral speed (100-500mm / s), and full-bin counting threshold (100-1000 pieces). It can display the real-time operating status of each mechanism (running / stopping / fault), current counting data, fault codes and fault descriptions, and supports exporting counting data (via USB flash drive). The human-machine interface touchscreen communicates with the PLC control system, enabling settings for equipment operating parameters, real-time operating status display, fault information query, and viewing and exporting of counting data. It supports cycle time adjustment, fault alarms, counting statistics, and full-load reminders. A counting threshold can be preset via the touchscreen; when the number of items collected at the main terminal or bottom shell reaches the preset threshold, the PLC control system triggers an audible and visual alarm to issue a full-load reminder signal. The PLC control system is equipped with safety interlock logic; if any mechanism malfunctions, a position signal is missing, or an action times out, all subsequent actions are immediately stopped and a fault alarm is triggered to prevent mechanism interference and equipment damage. The PLC control system can interact with the control system of the preceding process via an industrial bus to achieve cycle time linkage and signal interlocking across the entire production line.

[0046] The PLC control system enables fully automated closed-loop control of the entire process, from feeding, positioning, opening, separation and transfer to distribution into the warehouse, all without manual operation. This significantly reduces reliance on manual labor, reduces staffing, and lowers labor costs and intensity. It can also be directly integrated into existing automated dismantling production lines to achieve coordinated operation of the entire line, improving the automation and intelligence level of the entire production line. The modular control logic has clear actions, fewer points of failure, and is easy to debug and maintain, making it suitable for long-term continuous production.

[0047] In one specific embodiment, the complete operation process of the fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom casing insertion device for dismantling the electricity meter is as follows: First, preset the equipment parameters: through the human-machine interface touch screen of the PLC control system, set the conveying speed of the feeding line 1 to 300mm / s, the working air pressure of the dual-axis cylinder of the bidirectional expansion mechanism 7 to 0.6MPa, the expansion stroke to 4mm, the running speed of the servo-driven transverse module 8 to 300mm / s, adjust the clamping force of the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 to meet the main terminal clamping requirements, and set the full-load counting threshold of the main terminal and the bottom shell.

[0048] The complete job cycle steps are as follows: (1) The bottom shell with main terminals that has completed the previous solder melting and slag removal process flows into the gripping and separation station 2 along the feeding line 1. After the photoelectric sensor detects that the bottom shell is in place, it sends a trigger signal to the PLC control system. The PLC control system controls the blocking cylinder to extend and stop the bottom shell in position, thus stopping the conveying. (2) The PLC control system controls the two clamping cylinders on both sides of the bottom shell positioning fixture 6 to move synchronously, driving the flexible limit block to center and clamp the bottom shell, completing the bottom shell positioning, and ensuring that the shell posture is centered and without shaking. (3) The PLC control system controls the two-sided double-axis cylinders of the bidirectional opening mechanism 7 to push out synchronously, driving the opening fork to smoothly open the corresponding position of the bottom shell, so that the main terminal inside the bottom shell is fully exposed and in a graspable state. (4) The PLC control system controls the servo drive transverse module 8 to move quickly to the top of the gripping and separating station 2, controls the lifting cylinder to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 to move down to the preset gripping position, the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 closes and accurately grips the main terminal, the pressure sensor detects that the gripping pressure is up to standard and sends a position signal to the PLC control system, the PLC control system controls the lifting cylinder to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 to move up to reset, and then controls the servo drive transverse module 8 to move laterally to the top of the terminal discharge production line 4; (5) The PLC control system controls the pneumatic gripper assembly 9 to release, and the main terminal falls smoothly into the terminal discharge production line 4. It runs with the terminal discharge production line 4 to the end of the line and falls into the terminal special tonnage bag through the guide hopper to complete the collection. The counting sensor counts the falling main terminals and uploads the data to the PLC control system. (6) The PLC control system controls the bidirectional expansion mechanism 7 to reset the dual-axis cylinder, the bottom shell positioning fixture 6 to release the clamping cylinder, the blocking cylinder to retract, and the bottom shell to continue to move forward under the drive of the feeding line 1. Guided by the guide baffle of the lateral diversion guide structure, the conveying direction is changed and it enters the bottom shell diversion channel 5, and finally falls into the bottom shell special ton bag along the chute to complete the collection. (7) The PLC control system controls the servo drive to return the transverse module 8 to the origin, and all actuators such as the lifting cylinder and pneumatic gripper assembly 9 are reset, waiting for the next bottom shell to arrive, and enter the next round of operation cycle; when the number of main terminals or bottom shells collected by the PLC control system reaches the preset full capacity threshold, the sound and light alarm is triggered to issue a full capacity reminder and notify the operator to replace the collection tonnage bag.

[0049] The device provided in this specific embodiment realizes fully automated operation from feeding, positioning, opening, separation and transfer to distribution into the silo, without the need for manual intervention. It has high separation efficiency, stable and reliable operation, and can effectively ensure the yield of recycled materials. At the same time, it has strong adaptability to the whole line and can be directly connected to the existing automated dismantling production line to achieve linkage operation. It perfectly solves the defects of the existing technology, such as low degree of automation, high dependence on manual labor, low separation efficiency, poor stability, non-standard material classification and inability to link with the whole line automation.

[0050] It should be noted that, in this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "sliding," "rotating," "fixed," and "equipped" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to welded connections, bolted connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters, characterized in that, It includes a feeding assembly line (1), a gripping and separating station (2), a transverse module gripper mechanism (3), a terminal discharge assembly line (4), a bottom shell diversion channel (5), and a PLC control system; The gripping and separating station (2) is located on the conveying path of the feeding line (1). The gripping and separating station (2) is equipped with a bottom shell positioning fixture (6) for positioning the bottom shell of the power meter with main terminals, and a bidirectional opening mechanism (7) for opening the bottom shell to expose its internal main terminals. The transverse module gripper mechanism (3) is mounted above the feeding line (1) and the terminal discharge line (4) and is used to grab the main terminal from the bottom shell after positioning and opening and transfer it to the terminal discharge line (4). The bottom shell diversion channel (5) is connected to the end of the feeding line (1) and is used to receive and transport the bottom shell after the main terminal separation is completed. The PLC control system is electrically connected to the feeding line (1), the gripping and separating station (2), the transverse module gripper mechanism (3), the terminal discharge line (4), and the bottom shell diversion channel (5), respectively, and is used to control each mechanism to operate in a preset sequence to realize continuous automated operation of feeding and positioning, shell opening, terminal gripping and separating, material diversion and conveying, and automatic warehousing of the bottom shell with main terminals.

2. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding line (1) is equipped with a positioning photoelectric sensor and a blocking cylinder, both of which are electrically connected to the PLC control system. The detection end of the positioning photoelectric sensor faces the conveying surface of the feeding line (1) and is used to detect whether the bottom shell with the main terminal flows into the gripping and separating station (2). The blocking cylinder is located downstream of the positioning photoelectric sensor and is used to stop and position the bottom shell when it is in place.

3. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom shell positioning fixture (6) includes two sets of clamping cylinders symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveying surface of the feeding line (1). The two sets of clamping cylinders move in opposite directions and are perpendicular to the conveying direction of the feeding line (1). The clamping cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system, and its action sequence is interlocked with the blocking cylinder. It is used to center and clamp the bottom shell after the bottom shell is stopped and positioned.

4. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bidirectional expansion mechanism (7) includes two sets of symmetrically arranged dual-axis cylinders, and the ends of the dual-axis cylinders are provided with expansion forks adapted to the bottom shell expansion position. The dual-axis cylinder is electrically connected to the PLC control system. Its action sequence is interlocked with the bottom shell positioning fixture (6) to act synchronously after the bottom shell is clamped and positioned, so that the corresponding position of the bottom shell is evenly opened and the main terminal inside the bottom shell is in a gripping state.

5. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transverse module gripper mechanism (3) includes a servo-driven transverse module (8); The servo-driven transverse module (8) is mounted on the feed line (1) and the terminal discharge line (4) above the gantry support frame, and its effective stroke covers the conveying area from the gripping and separating station (2) to the terminal discharge line (4). The servo-driven transverse module (8) is electrically connected to the PLC control system and is used to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly (9) to reciprocate.

6. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transverse module gripper mechanism (3) also includes a pneumatic gripper assembly (9); The pneumatic gripper assembly (9) is mounted on the moving end of the servo-driven transverse module (8) via a lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder is used to drive the pneumatic gripper assembly (9) to perform lifting and lowering actions in a direction perpendicular to the conveying surface of the feed line (1). The pneumatic gripper assembly (9) has a contoured gripping structure at its gripping end that is adapted to the shape of the main terminal. Its air path is equipped with a pressure sensor, which is electrically connected to the PLC control system and is used to detect the gripping pressure in real time and provide feedback signals.

7. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 6, characterized in that, The feed end of the terminal discharge line (4) is located below the end of the stroke of the servo-driven transverse module (8) and is used to receive the main terminals removed from the pneumatic gripper assembly (9). The terminal discharge production line (4) is equipped with a counting sensor and a guide hopper at its conveying end; The counting sensor is electrically connected to the PLC control system and is used to count and statistically analyze the separated main terminals.

8. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom shell diversion channel (5) adopts an inclined chute structure, with its inlet connected to the side of the conveying end of the feeding line (1) and its outlet aligned with the bottom shell collection container. The feeding line (1) is equipped with a guide baffle at the end of the conveying process. The guide baffle is used to guide the bottom shell that has completed the separation of the main terminals to change the conveying direction and enter the bottom shell diversion channel (5).

9. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PLC control system is used to receive feedback signals from each detection element and control the coordinated operation of the entire process of feeding, positioning, opening, grabbing, transferring, unloading and diverting according to the preset timing sequence, so as to realize automated closed-loop control. The PLC control system is equipped with safety interlock logic, which is used to stop subsequent actions and trigger a fault alarm when the mechanism malfunctions, signals are missing, or actions time out.

10. The fully automatic main terminal separation and bottom shell insertion device for dismantling electricity meters according to claim 9, characterized in that, The PLC control system is equipped with a human-machine interface touch screen, which is communicatively connected to the PLC control system and is used for setting equipment operating parameters, displaying operating status, querying fault information, and viewing counting data. The PLC control system is connected to an audible and visual alarm, which is used to trigger an alert signal when the amount of collected materials reaches a preset threshold.

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