Material transfer apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of material transfer equipment, belong to material transfer technical field.The equipment includes support table, along tooling, transfer tooling, blister tray, and be used to drive mechanical hand movement longitudinal and transverse movement component, and is provided with two groups of transfer mechanical hand: first transfer mechanical hand is used to transfer material from along tooling to transfer tooling, and unified material direction using rotating mechanism, through needle type cylinder adjustment material spacing and initial quantity;Second transfer mechanical hand is used to suck material from transfer tooling and place in blister tray, which is matched by independently controlled suction nozzle action, the demand of different quantity of single row of blister tray, realize the asymmetric filling of material in single tray.The application effectively solves the inconsistency problem between along tooling and blister tray in direction, spacing and arrangement quantity, can flexibly realize whole tray material to form 50 or 100 integer counting unit, significantly improves the automation level and production flexibility of material packaging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of material transfer technology, and specifically relates to a material transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] In modern automated production lines in industries such as electronics, semiconductors, and precision components, materials are typically placed on accompanying tooling and circulate between different processes on the production line. After the production process is completed, qualified materials need to be transferred to dedicated blister packs for packaging before delivery to customers.

[0003] However, as a carrier in the production process, the layout of materials on the accompanying tooling (including the number of rows, columns, material spacing, and material orientation) is mainly designed based on production processes and logistics efficiency. The blister pack, as the final packaging, needs to meet specific customer requirements, such as maximizing the quantity of materials on the pack to convenient integers like 50 or 100. This often results in the quantity of materials in different rows and columns on the blister pack not being entirely the same (e.g., some rows have 7 materials, some have 8). Furthermore, inconsistent orientation of materials may occur during the flow of materials.

[0004] Therefore, the multiple mismatches between the accompanying tooling and the blister packs in terms of material quantity, spacing, and direction have become the main obstacles to achieving automated transfer. Conventional overall gripping and placement solutions cannot accommodate the varying quantities of blister packs per row; relying on manual operation results in extremely low efficiency and a high risk of secondary contamination or material damage. Therefore, designing a transfer device that can flexibly adjust the quantity and spacing while maintaining a uniform direction, and that can precisely adapt to the complex layout requirements of blister packs, is a bottleneck problem that urgently needs to be solved in the current material handling technology field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a material transfer device, which aims to solve the problems pointed out in the background art above.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: This application provides a material transfer device, including: Supporting the countertop; The longitudinal moving component, the first lateral moving component, the second lateral moving component, and the third lateral moving component are disposed on the support platform. Two sets of vertical moving components are arranged on the longitudinal moving component, and a first transfer robot and a second transfer robot are respectively arranged on the two sets of vertical moving components; The first lateral movement component, the second lateral movement component, and the third lateral movement component are respectively used to drive the accompanying tooling, the transfer tooling, and the blister tray to move laterally. The first transfer robot is used to transfer materials from the accompanying tooling to the intermediate tooling, and to adjust the material direction and quantity to match the intermediate tooling; The second transfer robot is used to transfer materials from the transfer fixture to the blister tray, and adjust the quantity of materials to match the quantity requirements of different rows of the blister tray.

[0007] Furthermore, the first transfer robot includes: A first mounting bracket is set on a set of vertically moving components, and a swing hydraulic cylinder is mounted thereon; The second mounting bracket is driven to rotate by the swing hydraulic cylinder. Several first suction nozzle brackets are provided below it. Each first suction nozzle bracket is provided with a first vacuum nozzle at its lower part, which is used to adjust the direction of a row of materials. A third mounting bracket, mounted on the first mounting frame via a sliding component, is provided with a plurality of first needle-type cylinders. Each first needle-type cylinder has a corresponding first vacuum nozzle at its lower part, which is used to independently drive the lifting and lowering of the first vacuum nozzle to achieve selective grasping or placement of materials.

[0008] Furthermore, the sliding assembly includes a telescopic cylinder fixedly mounted on the first mounting frame and a mounting plate slidably mounted on the first mounting frame. The telescopic cylinder and the mounting plate are connected by a transmission plate, and the third mounting frame is fixedly mounted on the lower part of the mounting plate.

[0009] Furthermore, the second transfer robot includes: A fourth mounting bracket is mounted on another set of vertical moving components, and a main drive cylinder and a second needle cylinder are mounted thereon; The second suction nozzle bracket, which is slidably disposed on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket, is driven to lift and lower as a whole by the main drive cylinder. Several second vacuum nozzles are fixed at the lower part of the second suction nozzle bracket. A third suction nozzle bracket is slidably mounted on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket. A second vacuum nozzle is provided at the lower part of the third suction nozzle bracket. The second needle-type cylinder is used to drive the second vacuum nozzle to rise and fall independently in order to match the change in the number of materials in a single row on the blister tray.

[0010] Furthermore, the number of transfer stations on the transfer fixture is set based on the maximum value of the number of materials per row on the blister pack.

[0011] Furthermore, the first nozzle bracket is respectively mounted on the second mounting bracket and the third mounting bracket via a slider rail assembly, and the upper part of the second mounting bracket is provided with a limiting bolt for fixing the first nozzle bracket.

[0012] Furthermore, the second and third nozzle supports are mounted on the fourth mounting bracket via a slider rail assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, a blister tray hopper is provided on one side of the third lateral moving component.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects: 1. The material transfer equipment of this invention effectively adjusts the differences in the number of rows, columns, material spacing, and material direction between the accompanying tooling and the blister tray by introducing a transfer fixture. It can flexibly set the material arrangement according to the specific requirements of different customers for the blister tray specifications, and has extremely strong production versatility.

[0015] 2. The material transfer equipment of this invention employs a differential design with one row fixed and one row rotating via a first transfer robot. Using the fixed row as the directional reference, only the other row is rotated for angle compensation, ensuring that all materials entering the transfer process are oriented in the same direction. Compared to a full-row rotation scheme, this design simplifies the mechanical transmission system while maintaining functionality, reducing equipment failure rate and maintenance costs.

[0016] 3. The material transfer equipment described in this invention addresses the need for varying quantities of blister packs to reach a total quantity of 50 or 100. The equipment utilizes the independent suction nozzle control of the second transfer robot to achieve differentiated quantity loading within a single pack.

[0017] 4. The material transfer equipment described in this invention uses a transfer mechanism as a connecting link between the accompanying tooling and the blister tray, realizing a smooth transition of materials from continuous flow to intermittent packaging; in conjunction with the blister tray hopper and multi-axis moving components, it realizes fully automated operation from material picking, correction, distance adjustment to tray loading, significantly improving the production efficiency of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall top view of a material transfer device according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first transfer robot arm structure of a material transfer device according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second transfer robot arm in a material transfer device according to the present invention.

[0019] In the picture: 1. Supporting table; 2. Accompanying fixture; 3. Transfer fixture; 4. Blister tray; 5. Vertical moving assembly; 6. First transfer robot arm; 601. First mounting frame; 602. Swinging hydraulic cylinder; 603. Second mounting frame; 604. First suction nozzle bracket; 605. First vacuum suction nozzle; 606. Limit bolt; 607. Mounting plate; 608. Telescopic cylinder; 609. Transmission plate; 610. Third mounting frame; 611. First needle cylinder; 7. Second transfer robot arm; 701. Fourth mounting bracket; 702. Main drive cylinder; 703. Second suction nozzle bracket; 704. Second needle-type cylinder; 705. Third suction nozzle bracket; 706. Second vacuum nozzle; 8. First lateral movement component; 9. Second lateral movement component; 10. Third lateral movement component; 11. Blister tray hopper. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present application and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this application provides a material transfer device, including: Supporting platform 1; The longitudinal moving component 5, the first lateral moving component 8, the second lateral moving component 9, and the third lateral moving component 10 are disposed on the support platform 1. Two sets of vertical moving components are set on the longitudinal moving component 5, and a first transfer robot 6 and a second transfer robot 7 are respectively set on the two sets of vertical moving components; The first lateral movement component 8, the second lateral movement component 9, and the third lateral movement component 10 are respectively used to drive the accompanying tool 2, the transfer tool 3, and the blister tray 4 to move laterally. The first transfer robot 6 is used to transfer materials from the accompanying tooling 2 to the transfer tooling 3, and to adjust the material direction and quantity to match the transfer tooling 3; The second transfer robot 7 is used to transfer materials from the transfer fixture 3 to the blister tray 4, and adjust the quantity of materials to match the quantity requirements of different rows of the blister tray 4.

[0022] In one specific embodiment, the accompanying fixture 2 serves as a carrier circulating on the production line, and its material arrangement differs from that of the blister pack 4 in both spacing and direction. Specifically, the material on each set of accompanying fixtures 2 is divided into two rows, with the two rows facing opposite directions. The first transfer robot 6 descends and picks up all two rows of material from the accompanying fixture 2 in one go. One row of the robot has a rotating mechanism, which rotates it at a specific angle to align the direction of that row of material with the other row without the rotating mechanism, ensuring that the material maintains a consistent orientation on the transfer fixture 3.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, the first transfer robot 6 includes: A first mounting bracket 601 is provided on a set of vertically moving components, and a swing hydraulic cylinder 602 is provided thereon; The second mounting bracket 603 is driven to rotate by the swing hydraulic cylinder 602. Several first suction nozzle brackets 604 are provided below it. Each first suction nozzle bracket 604 is provided with a first vacuum nozzle 605 at its lower part, which is used to adjust the direction of a row of materials. A third mounting bracket 610 is mounted on the first mounting bracket 601 via a sliding component. A plurality of first needle-type cylinders 611 are mounted on the third mounting bracket 610. A first vacuum nozzle 605 is correspondingly mounted on the lower part of each first needle-type cylinder 611. The first vacuum nozzle 605 is used to independently drive the lifting and lowering of the first vacuum nozzle 605 to achieve selective grasping or placement of materials.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown, the sliding assembly includes a telescopic cylinder 608 fixedly mounted on the first mounting frame 601 and a mounting plate 607 slidably mounted on the first mounting frame 601. The telescopic cylinder 608 and the mounting plate 607 are connected by a transmission plate 609. The third mounting frame 610 is fixedly mounted on the lower part of the mounting plate 607. The material arrangement spacing on the accompanying tooling 2 is often inconsistent with the spacing requirements of the transfer tooling 3 or the blister tray 4. By driving the mounting plate 607 to slide along the first mounting frame 601 through the telescopic cylinder 608, the third mounting frame 610 and the suction nozzle assembly below it can be moved horizontally, thereby automatically adjusting the relative spacing between the two rows of materials during the gripping or placement process to achieve precise alignment.

[0025] like Figure 3 As shown, the second transfer robot 7 includes: A fourth mounting bracket 701 is mounted on another set of vertical moving components, and a main drive cylinder 702 and a second needle cylinder 704 are mounted thereon; The second suction nozzle bracket 703, which is slidably disposed on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket 701, is driven to lift and lower as a whole by the main drive cylinder 702. Several second vacuum nozzles 706 are fixed at the lower part of the second suction nozzle bracket 703. A third suction nozzle bracket 705 is slidably disposed on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket 701. A second vacuum suction nozzle 706 is disposed at the lower part of the third suction nozzle bracket 705. The second needle cylinder 704 is used to drive the second vacuum suction nozzle 706 to rise and fall independently in order to match the change in the number of materials in a single row on the blister tray 4.

[0026] In one specific implementation, the number of transfer stations on the transfer fixture 3 is set based on the maximum number of materials per row in the blister pack 4. The number of rows, columns, and the number of materials per row in the blister pack 4 are usually set according to customer requirements, and in order to make it a round number like 50 or 100, the number of materials in different rows on the same blister pack may be different. In one specific example, some rows have 7 materials, and some rows have 8. Setting the number of transfer stations to the maximum number per row, such as 8, ensures that no matter how much material is needed in any row of the blister pack 4, the transfer fixture can provide enough stations for temporary storage and arrangement.

[0027] like Figure 2 As shown, the first suction nozzle bracket 604 is mounted on the second mounting bracket 603 and the third mounting bracket 610 respectively via a slider rail assembly. The upper part of the second mounting bracket 603 is provided with a limiting bolt 606 for fixing the first suction nozzle bracket 604. When the production line needs to switch to materials of different specifications, the height of the first vacuum nozzle 605 may need to be adjusted. Hardware adaptation can be completed simply by loosening the limiting bolt 606, sliding the bracket to the new position, and then re-locking it. This design greatly shortens downtime for line changes and improves the overall production line uptime.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, the second nozzle bracket 703 and the third nozzle bracket 705 are mounted on the fourth mounting bracket 701 via a slider rail assembly.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, a blister tray hopper 11 is provided on one side of the third lateral moving component 10.

[0030] In one specific embodiment, the device integrates a control system for unified scheduling of the linkage of each axis component. The control system drives the anisotropic moving components to control the first transfer robot 6 and the second transfer robot 7 to perform reciprocating transfer between the accompanying fixture 2, the transfer fixture 3, and the blister tray 4. The device is connected to an external vacuum source, such as a vacuum generator or vacuum pump, and is connected to the first vacuum nozzle 605 and the second vacuum nozzle 706 via a solenoid valve assembly. The control system controls the opening and closing of the solenoid valves to achieve precise material suction and instantaneous release. Furthermore, based on real-time counting requirements, the control system independently drives the first needle cylinder 611 and the second needle cylinder 704 to adjust the number of nozzles involved in the operation, thereby achieving dynamic matching of the material quantity.

[0031] The material arrangement direction on the accompanying fixture 2 deviates from the requirements of the blister tray 4. After the robot arm picks up two rows of materials, the control system drives the swing hydraulic cylinder 602 to rotate the row of materials with the rotating mechanism by a specific angle, aligning it with the reference direction of the other row without the rotating mechanism, thereby ensuring that all materials entering the transfer process are oriented in the same direction. When the robot arm releases materials above the transfer fixture 3, the lifting and lowering of the suction nozzle bracket is controlled by the first needle-type cylinder 611 to achieve selective placement.

[0032] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A material transfer device, characterized in that, include: Supporting tabletop (1); The longitudinal moving component (5), the first transverse moving component (8), the second transverse moving component (9) and the third transverse moving component (10) are disposed on the support platform (1). Two sets of vertical moving components are set on the longitudinal moving component (5), and a first transfer robot (6) and a second transfer robot (7) are respectively set on the two sets of vertical moving components. The first lateral movement component (8), the second lateral movement component (9) and the third lateral movement component (10) are respectively used to drive the accompanying tool (2), the transfer tool (3) and the blister tray (4) to move laterally; The first transfer robot (6) is used to transfer materials from the accompanying tooling (2) to the transfer tooling (3), and adjust the material direction and material quantity to match the transfer tooling (3); The second transfer robot (7) is used to transfer materials from the transfer fixture (3) to the blister tray (4) and adjust the quantity of materials to match the quantity requirements of different rows of the blister tray (4).

2. The material transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first transfer robot (6) includes: A first mounting bracket (601) is provided on a set of vertically moving components, and a swing hydraulic cylinder (602) is provided thereon. The second mounting bracket (603) is driven to rotate by the swing hydraulic cylinder (602), and several first suction nozzle brackets (604) are provided below it. Each first suction nozzle bracket (604) is provided with a first vacuum nozzle (605) at its lower part, which is used to adjust the direction of a row of materials. A third mounting bracket (610) is mounted on the first mounting bracket (601) via a sliding component. A plurality of first needle-type cylinders (611) are mounted on the third mounting bracket (610). A first vacuum nozzle (605) is correspondingly mounted on the lower part of each first needle-type cylinder (611) for independently driving the lifting and lowering of the first vacuum nozzle (605) to achieve selective grasping or placement of materials.

3. The material transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sliding assembly includes a telescopic cylinder (608) fixedly mounted on the first mounting bracket (601) and a mounting plate (607) slidably mounted on the first mounting bracket (601). The telescopic cylinder (608) and the mounting plate (607) are connected by a transmission plate (609). The third mounting bracket (610) is fixedly mounted on the lower part of the mounting plate (607).

4. The material transfer device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second transfer robot (7) includes: A fourth mounting bracket (701) is mounted on another set of vertical moving components, and a main drive cylinder (702) and a second needle cylinder (704) are mounted thereon. The second suction nozzle bracket (703) is slidably disposed on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket (701), and is driven to lift and lower as a whole by the main drive cylinder (702). Several second vacuum nozzles (706) are fixed at the lower part of the second suction nozzle bracket (703). The third suction nozzle bracket (705) is slidably disposed on the side wall of the fourth mounting bracket (701). The lower part of the third suction nozzle bracket (705) is provided with a second vacuum nozzle (706). The second needle cylinder (704) is used to drive the second vacuum nozzle (706) to rise and fall independently in order to match the change in the number of materials in a single row on the blister tray (4).

5. A material transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The number of transfer stations on the transfer fixture (3) is set based on the maximum number of materials per row on the blister pack (4).

6. A material transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first nozzle bracket (604) is mounted on the second mounting bracket (603) and the third mounting bracket (610) respectively via a slider rail assembly. The upper part of the second mounting bracket (603) is provided with a limiting bolt (606) for fixing the first nozzle bracket (604).

7. A material transfer device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second nozzle bracket (703) and the third nozzle bracket (705) are mounted on the fourth mounting bracket (701) via a slider rail assembly.

8. A material transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that, A blister tray hopper (11) is provided on one side of the third lateral moving component (10).

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