A conveying system for assembly of components of a construction machine

Abstract

This invention discloses a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, comprising: a self-propelled trolley assembly positioned above the work area and moving horizontally; a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering a lifting device, the lifting mechanism being connected below the self-propelled trolley assembly and driven by the self-propelled trolley assembly for horizontal movement; a lifting device for automatically gripping and placing the component to be assembled, the lifting device being connected below the lifting mechanism and driven by the lifting mechanism for vertical lifting; and a vertical guide column assembly positioned on the ground of the work area to assist the lifting device in falling. Through the coordinated operation of the self-propelled trolley assembly, the lifting mechanism, and the lifting device, automated and unmanned assembly of components to be assembled is achieved, saving manpower and time; eliminating paint damage to the components caused by manual lifting, reducing the difficulty and frequency of paint touch-ups; and applicable to the assembly of various components such as turntables and underframes of engineering machinery like excavators.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of engineering machinery technology, and more specifically, relates to a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components; particularly a conveying system for the component assembly process of medium and large tracked hydraulic excavators. Background Technology

[0002] In the construction machinery industry, the turntable, connected to the underframe via a slewing bearing, forms the main structure of the excavator. Currently, turntable assembly lines in the industry are still primarily semi-mechanized operations dominated by manual labor. Operators use a lifting device to attach the turntable to the overhead crane, completing the lifting, transporting, and lowering of the turntable, and finally removing the lifting device. This process requires dedicated personnel.

[0003] Using existing technical solutions, the operation process requires frequent manual operation of the crane, resulting in low work efficiency; frequent manual use of hooks to attach to the turntable lifting points causes the hooks to crush the paint, and the damage is located at the corners, making it difficult to repair the paint coating. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the above-mentioned shortcomings by providing a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, which can realize the automatic and unmanned assembly of components and significantly reduce the problem of paint patching caused by hoisting.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: This invention discloses a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, comprising: A group of self-propelled vehicles that are set above the work area and move horizontally; A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the spreader is connected to the lower part of the self-propelled trolley assembly and is driven by the self-propelled trolley assembly to move horizontally. A lifting device for automatically gripping and placing parts to be assembled, the lifting device being connected below a lifting mechanism and driven by the lifting mechanism to move vertically up and down; Vertical guide column assemblies installed on the ground in the work area to assist in the descent of lifting equipment.

[0006] Furthermore, the conveying system also includes a truss structure that forms the system's load-bearing frame, with a running guide rail for the self-propelled trolley group located at the top of the truss structure.

[0007] Furthermore, the self-propelled trolley group includes at least two sets of main vehicles and auxiliary vehicles, both of which are connected to the lifting mechanism via a suspension device; the main vehicle is equipped with a first drive mechanism, and the auxiliary vehicle is driven by the main vehicle to move.

[0008] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes a pulley system and a lifting belt; One end of the lifting belt is fitted into the pulley device, and the other end passes around the belt steering pulley and the belt guide pulley and is fixed to the belt fixing pulley. The belt fixing pulley is connected to the lifting device. The pulley assembly rotates under the drive of the second drive motor, and a lifting control encoder for measuring operating parameters to control the lifting stroke is provided on the side of the pulley assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism also includes a lifting frame, on which the pulley device, belt steering pulley, belt guide pulley and belt fixing pulley are all installed; the lifting frame is provided with a hanger, which is connected to the suspension device of the self-propelled trolley group.

[0010] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism of the present invention adopts a four-belt lifting mechanism, wherein the lifting belt, belt steering wheel, belt guide wheel, and belt fixing wheel are all provided in four sets.

[0011] Furthermore, a scissor balance structure is connected above the lifting device to stabilize its lifting process; The scissor lift balancing mechanism includes two sets of parallel scissor beams, with the two ends of the two sets of scissor beams connected by a long shaft; each scissor beam includes several intersecting scissor beams, with the centers of the intersecting scissor beams hinged by a fixed pin. One end of the scissor lift balancing mechanism is fixedly connected to the frame of the lifting mechanism and the lifting device via fixed seats; the other end of the scissor lift balancing mechanism is slidably connected to the sliding shaft via linear bearing assemblies, and the sliding shaft at both ends is fixedly connected to the frame of the lifting mechanism and the lifting device respectively.

[0012] Furthermore, the lifting device includes a lifting device frame, a linear guide rail assembly arranged along the lifting device frame, and at least one pair of lifting leg supports that move along the linear guide rail assembly under the drive of a third drive mechanism; the movement of the lifting leg supports is used to clamp or release the component to be assembled.

[0013] Furthermore, the lifting device also includes: A leg displacement encoder used to detect and control the movement position of the leg support; A leg side detection switch for detecting the distance between the leg support and the side of the part to be assembled, and a workpiece positioning detection switch for detecting whether the part to be assembled is in place.

[0014] Furthermore, the vertical guide column assembly includes a vertical guide column, the upper end of which is provided with a guide groove, the guide groove cooperating with the guide column below the lifting device to provide vertical guidance; a lower limit device is installed on the vertical guide column, which is used to trigger deceleration when the lifting device descends to a preset height.

[0015] Furthermore, a guide brace structure for auxiliary support is provided between the vertical guide column and the ground.

[0016] Furthermore, the vertical guide column assembly is arranged in both the upper and lower parts areas, with 4 sets of vertical guide column assemblies configured in each area.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The conveying system described in this invention achieves automated and unmanned assembly of components by cooperating with self-propelled trolleys, lifting mechanisms, and lifting devices, saving workers and time; it also eliminates paint damage to components caused by manual lifting, reducing the difficulty and frequency of paint touch-ups. The conveying system described in this invention uses a PLC-controlled encoder, supplemented by a side detection switch and a workpiece positioning switch, to ensure the safety and stability of the process of the lifting device gripping the parts to be assembled. The conveying system described in this invention is applicable to the online assembly of various components of excavators, such as turntables and underframes. Taking the turntable as an example, it can save one operator and save 3 minutes of hoisting time per turntable. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-propelled vehicle assembly described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor balance mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting device described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical guide column assembly described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the conveying system described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Self-propelled trolley assembly; 101. Main vehicle; 1011. First drive motor; 102. Auxiliary vehicle; 103. Suspension device; 2. Turntable; 3. Lifting mechanism; 301. Second drive motor; 302. Coupling; 303. Pulley assembly; 304. Belt steering pulley; 305. Lifting control encoder; 306. Lifting frame; 307. Lifting belt; 308. Belt guide pulley; 309. Belt fixed pulley; 310. Hanger; 4. Scissor lift balancing mechanism; 401. Scissor beam; 402. Fixed seat; 403. Sliding shaft; 404. 1. Linear bearing assembly; 405. Long shaft; 406. Fixed pin; 407. Sliding shaft seat; 5. Lifting device; 501. Third drive motor; 502. Transmission screw shaft; 503. Linear guide rail assembly; 504. Lifting device frame; 505. Lifting leg bracket; 506. Lifting leg displacement encoder; 507. Lifting leg side detection switch; 508. Workpiece arrival detection switch; 6. Vertical guide column assembly; 601. Vertical guide column; 602. Guide brace structure; 603. Lower limit device; 604. Guide groove; 7. Truss structure; 71. Running guide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples.

[0021] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth for the purpose of illustrating various disclosed embodiments in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known apparatuses, structures, and techniques associated with this application may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0022] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of "in an embodiment" or "an embodiment" in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in any manner in one or more embodiments.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] Example 1 This embodiment provides a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a self-propelled trolley assembly 1 positioned above the work area and moving horizontally; a lifting mechanism 3 for raising and lowering the lifting device 5, the lifting mechanism 3 being connected below the self-propelled trolley assembly 1 and driven by the self-propelled trolley assembly 1 to move horizontally; a lifting device 5 for automatically gripping and placing the parts to be assembled, the lifting device being connected below the lifting mechanism 3 and driven by the lifting mechanism 3 to move vertically; a scissor lift balancing structure 4 for stabilizing the lifting of the lifting device 5, the scissor lift balancing structure 4 being connected between the lifting mechanism 3 and the lifting device 5; a vertical guide column assembly 6 positioned on the ground of the work area for assisting the lifting device 5 in falling; and a truss structure 7 for bearing the load and for subsequent maintenance, the top of the truss structure 7 being equipped with a running guide rail 71 for the self-propelled trolley assembly 1.

[0026] Example 2 This embodiment provides a conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, specifically for the automated conveying of the turntable 2 of an excavator. Based on Embodiment 1, the technical solution is further refined to provide better technical results.

[0027] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the self-propelled trolley group 1 includes a main trolley 101, an auxiliary trolley 102, and a suspension device 103. The main trolley 101 is equipped with a first drive mechanism, namely a first drive motor 1011. The first drive motor 1011 provides driving force to the main trolley 101 through gear meshing. Both the main trolley 101 and the auxiliary trolley 102 are connected to the lifting mechanism 3 through the suspension device 103, so that the main trolley 101 moves in coordination with the auxiliary trolley 102 to achieve reciprocating operation on the running guide rail 71.

[0028] In this embodiment, the self-propelled trolley group 1 has two main vehicles 101 and two auxiliary vehicles 102, each connected to a hanging device 103. A total of four hanging devices 103 are connected to the lifting mechanism 3, thereby driving the lifting mechanism 3 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0029] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 3 is a four-belt lifting mechanism, including a drive motor 301, a coupling 302, a pulley device 303, a belt steering wheel 304, a lifting control encoder 305, a lifting frame 306, a lifting belt 307, a belt guide wheel 308, a belt fixing wheel 309, and a hanger 310.

[0030] The second drive motor 301 and coupling 302 form a second drive mechanism connected to the pulley device 303, thereby driving the transmission shaft on the pulley device 303 to rotate. One end of the lifting belt 307 is fitted into the pulley device 303, and the other end passes over the belt guide pulley 304 and the belt guide pulley 308 and is fixed to the belt fixing pulley 309. The belt fixing pulley 309 is connected to the lifting frame 504 of the lifting device 5. The belt guide pulley 308 is connected to the fixing surface of the lifting frame 306 of the lifting mechanism 3 to ensure that the lifting belt 307 does not deviate or slip off on the belt guide pulley 304 during the lifting process.

[0031] The lifting frame 306 serves as a support base. The pulley device 303, belt steering wheel 304, belt guide wheel 308, belt fixing wheel 309, and hanger 310 are all installed on the lifting frame and connected to the hanging device 103 of the self-propelled trolley group 1 through the hanger 310.

[0032] The lifting control encoder 305 is located on the side of the pulley device 303. It obtains parameters such as the shaft's rotation angle, speed, and stroke by measuring pulse signals, thereby controlling the lifting stroke.

[0033] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the scissor balance mechanism 4 includes a scissor beam 401, a fixed seat 402, a sliding shaft 403, a linear bearing assembly 404, a long shaft 405, a fixed pin 406, and a sliding shaft seat 407.

[0034] The shear beams 401 intersect in pairs to form two sets of parallel shear beam rows. The centers of the intersecting shear beams 401 are hinged by a fixed pin 406, and the two ends of the two sets of shear beam rows are connected by a long shaft 405.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, the upper left side of the scissor lift balancing mechanism 4 is connected to the fixed surface of the lifting frame 306 of the lifting mechanism 3 via a fixed seat 402, and the lower left side is connected to the fixed surface of the lifting frame 504 of the lifting device 5 via a fixed seat 402. The upper and lower right ends of the scissor lift balancing mechanism 4 are connected to linear bearing assemblies 404. A sliding shaft 403 passes through the linear bearing assembly 404 and connects to a sliding shaft seat 407. The sliding shaft seat 407 on the upper right side is connected and fixed to the fixed surface at the lower end of the lifting frame 306, and the sliding shaft seat 407 on the lower right side is connected and fixed to the fixed surface of the lifting frame 504. When the lifting device 5 rises / falls, it drives the scissor lift balancing mechanism 4 to rise / fall accordingly. The linear bearing assembly 404 moves on the sliding shaft 403, and the scissor lift balancing mechanism 4 then enters a pressing / releasing state.

[0036] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting device 5 includes a lifting device frame 504, a linear guide rail group 503 arranged along the lifting device frame 504, and a pair of lifting leg supports 505 that move along the linear guide rail group 503 under the drive of the third driving mechanism; the movement of the lifting leg supports 505 is used to clamp or release the turntable 2.

[0037] In this embodiment, the third driving mechanism includes a third driving motor 501 and a transmission screw shaft 502; the third driving motor 501 drives the transmission screw shaft 502 to rotate, one end of the linear guide rail assembly 503 is fixed to the lifting frame 504, and the other end is fixed to the lifting leg bracket 505, the transmission screw shaft 502 drives the lifting leg bracket 505 to move through the linear guide rail assembly 503, thereby enabling the lifting leg bracket 505 to clamp / open.

[0038] In this embodiment, the side of the lifting frame 504 is also provided with a leg displacement encoder 506, which obtains parameters such as the rotation angle, speed, and stroke of the transmission screw shaft 502 by measuring pulse signals, and then controls the moving position of the leg support 505 according to the size of different turntables 2.

[0039] Considering the possibility of excessive deviation in the incoming workpiece, the side of the lifting leg bracket 505 described in this embodiment is equipped with a lifting leg side detection switch 507. When the lifting leg side detection switch 507 detects that the distance from the side of the turntable 2 has reached a safety set value, the lifting leg bracket 505 will stop clamping to avoid damage to the equipment. The side of the lifting leg bracket 505 is also equipped with a workpiece arrival detection switch 508. When the workpiece arrival detection switch 508 detects that the turntable 2 has been placed in place, the system receives a workpiece arrival signal, and the lifting device 5 carries the turntable 2 to rise automatically. After rising to the position, it moves to the lower part area station with the self-propelled trolley group 1. The movement of the lifting device 5 at the lower part area station is the opposite.

[0040] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the vertical guide column assembly 6 includes a vertical guide column 601. The upper end of the vertical guide column 601 is provided with a guide groove 604. The guide groove 604 cooperates with the guide column below the lifting device 5 to provide vertical guidance. A lower limit device 603 is installed on the vertical guide column 601. The lower limit device 603 is provided with a two-stage mechanical touch switch. When the lifting device 5 falls into the guide groove 604 of the vertical guide column 601, the two-stage mechanical touch switch on the lower limit device 603 decelerates the descent. A guide brace structure 602 for auxiliary support is also provided between the vertical guide column 601 and the ground.

[0041] In this embodiment, the vertical guide column assembly 6 is arranged in both the upper part area and the lower part area, and each area is equipped with 4 sets of vertical guide column assemblies 6.

[0042] The workflow of the conveying system described in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the AGV trolley delivers the workpiece to the loading area. After being lifted into position, it sends a receiving signal. The conveying system drives the lifting device 5 to descend steadily via the lifting mechanism 3 and the scissor balance mechanism 4. After descending into position, the lifting device 5 adjusts the clamping width of the lifting leg bracket 505 based on the workpiece information and via the lifting leg displacement encoder 506. After clamping the workpiece, the lifting leg side detection switch 507 and the workpiece position detection switch 508 determine whether the workpiece is clamped in place. If the determination is qualified, the conveying system drives the lifting device 5 and the workpiece to rise steadily via the lifting mechanism 3 and the scissor balance mechanism 4. After reaching the highest point, it moves to the unloading area via the self-propelled trolley group 1 to wait. When the friction line trolley is detected to be in place and there is no workpiece, the conveying system drives the lifting device 5 and the workpiece to fall steadily via the lifting mechanism 3 and the scissor balance mechanism 4. After placing the workpiece on the friction line trolley, the lifting device 5 is released. Then, the conveying system drives the lifting device 5 to rise steadily via the lifting mechanism 3 and the scissor balance mechanism 4. After reaching the highest point, it moves to the loading area via the self-propelled trolley group 1 to wait for the next cycle.

[0043] In some other embodiments, the self-propelled vehicle group 1 can also be implemented via a truss mechanism.

[0044] In some other embodiments, the third drive mechanism may also be a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder or electro-hydraulic actuator with a synchronizing valve to control the opening and closing of the leg support 505.

[0045] In some other embodiments, the side detection switch and the workpiece positioning switch may also be installed in other locations to achieve the same function.

[0046] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and principles of the described embodiments, and these modifications and variations should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components, characterized in that, include: A group of self-propelled vehicles (1) that are set above the work area and move horizontally. A lifting mechanism (3) for raising and lowering the lifting device (5) is connected to the lower part of the self-propelled trolley group (1) and is driven by the self-propelled trolley group (1) to move horizontally; A lifting device (5) for automatically gripping and placing parts to be assembled is connected below the lifting mechanism (3) and is driven by the lifting mechanism (3) to move vertically. A vertical guide column assembly (6) installed on the ground of the work area to assist the lifting device (5) in falling.

2. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a truss structure (7) that forms the system's load-bearing frame, with a running guide rail (71) for the self-propelled trolley group (1) on the top of the truss structure (7).

3. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-propelled vehicle group (1) includes at least two main vehicles (101) and auxiliary vehicles (102). Both the main vehicles (101) and auxiliary vehicles (102) are connected to the lifting mechanism (3) through a suspension device (103). The main vehicle (101) is equipped with a first drive mechanism, and the auxiliary vehicle (102) is driven by the main vehicle (101) to move.

4. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism (3) includes a pulley device (303) and a lifting belt (307). One end of the lifting belt (307) is fitted into the pulley device (303), and the other end passes over the belt steering pulley (304) and the belt guide pulley (308) and is fixed to the belt fixing pulley (309). The belt fixing pulley (309) is connected to the lifting device (5). The pulley device (303) rotates under the drive of the second drive mechanism. The pulley device (303) is provided with a lifting control encoder (305) on its side for measuring operating parameters to control the lifting stroke.

5. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism (3) also includes a lifting frame (306), and the pulley device (303), belt steering wheel (304), belt guide wheel (308) and belt fixing wheel (309) are all installed on the lifting frame (306); the lifting frame (306) is provided with a hanger (310), which is connected to the hanging device (103) of the self-propelled trolley group (1) through the hanger (310).

6. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device (5) is connected above a scissor balance structure (4) for stabilizing its lifting process. The scissor lift balancing mechanism (4) includes two sets of parallel scissor beams, with the two ends of the two sets of scissor beams connected by a long shaft (405); the scissor beams include several intersecting scissor beams (401), and the centers of the intersecting scissor beams (401) are hinged by a fixed pin (406). One end of the scissor balance mechanism (4) is fixedly connected to the frame of the lifting mechanism (3) and the lifting device (5) respectively through fixed seats (402); the other end of the scissor balance mechanism (4) is slidably connected to the sliding shaft (403) through the linear bearing assembly (404), and the sliding shaft (403) at both ends is fixedly connected to the frame of the lifting mechanism (3) and the lifting device (5) respectively.

7. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device (5) includes a lifting device frame (504), a linear guide rail assembly (503) arranged along the lifting device frame (504), and at least one pair of lifting leg supports (505) that move along the linear guide rail assembly (503) under the drive of a third driving mechanism; the movement of the lifting leg supports (505) is used to clamp or release the component to be assembled.

8. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lifting device (5) also includes: A leg displacement encoder (506) for detecting and controlling the moving position of the leg support (505); A leg side detection switch (507) for detecting the distance between the leg support (505) and the side of the part to be assembled, and a workpiece positioning detection switch (508) for detecting whether the part to be assembled is in place.

9. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical guide column assembly (6) includes a vertical guide column (601), the upper end of which is provided with a guide groove (604). The guide groove (604) cooperates with the guide column below the lifting device (5) to provide vertical guidance. A lower limit device (603) is installed on the vertical guide column (601) to trigger deceleration when the lifting device (5) descends to a preset height.

10. The conveying system for assembling engineering machinery components according to claim 9, characterized in that, The vertical guide column (601) is also provided with a guide bracing structure (602) for auxiliary support between itself and the ground.

Images