Automated punch riveting apparatus for copper-based silver-coated contacts

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic punching riveting device for copper-based silver-coated contacts and relates to the technical field of riveting machines. The device has the advantages that the riveting speed can be controlled during riveting, and the cracks of the silver layer caused by the instantaneous great impact force are reduced. The technical scheme is as follows: a contact block feeding mechanism is arranged outside the lower die, which is used for feeding the contact blocks into the riveting holes of the copper conductive base on the contact groove one by one and supporting the contact blocks by the lower riveting die, and then the upper die and the lower die are closed; after the upper die and the lower die are closed, the upper riveting die is located directly above the contact blocks and is close to the contact blocks; the lower riveting die is gradually and slowly moved upwards to rivet the contact blocks and the copper conductive base; and after the die is opened, the lower riveting die is moved upwards together with the upper riveting die at the same speed for a distance before stopping, so that the pressure maintaining purpose is achieved after riveting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of riveting machine technology, specifically to an automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts. Background Technology

[0002] In electrical products such as electrical switches, relays, contactors, and connectors, electrical contacts are the core components for controlling circuit on / off states. Their performance directly affects key indicators such as the overall electrical life, contact reliability, and temperature rise of the device. Traditionally, to achieve excellent conductivity, low and stable contact resistance, and good corrosion resistance, these electrical contacts are often made of pure silver. However, pure silver is expensive, and its relatively soft texture makes it prone to wear, deformation, and even welding under long-term mechanical impact and arc erosion, thus limiting its service life.

[0003] To reduce material costs while ensuring electrical contact performance, the industry has gradually adopted composite conductor structures to replace pure silver conductors in recent years. One typical composite structure is a layered composite material called "copper-based silver-coated contact," which involves coating the upper and lower surfaces of a copper substrate with silver layers through a rolling composite process. This structure utilizes the excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength provided by the copper substrate, while using the surface silver layer to ensure low contact resistance and resistance to environmental corrosion. While maintaining electrical performance similar to pure silver, it can reduce silver usage by 60% to 80%, significantly lowering material costs. These composite materials are typically punched into contact blocks of specific shapes and then fixed to the copper conductive substrate by riveting.

[0004] The structure of contact blocks riveted onto a copper conductive substrate is as follows: Figure 10 As shown. However, traditional riveting equipment mostly uses impact-type pressure application, which results in a large impact force during riveting. For composite contacts with a "copper substrate + silver layer", the thickness of the surface silver layer is limited. Under the action of large impact stress, the silver layer is prone to cracking, generating micro-cracks, which leads to increased contact resistance, reduced corrosion resistance, and even electrical failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical shortcomings, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automated stamping and riveting device for copper-based silver-plated contacts, which has the advantage of controlling the riveting speed during riveting and reducing cracks in the silver layer caused by sudden large impact forces.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: This invention provides an automated stamping and riveting device for copper-based silver-plated contacts, comprising an upper die that can move up and down driven by the stamping equipment and a lower die disposed on the base platform of the stamping equipment. The upper die is characterized by having, sequentially along the material feed direction, the following components: Punching die head, used to punch riveting holes on workpieces and / or holes in copper conductive substrates; Partially shaped die head, and stamping head and / or bending punch head that match the shape of the copper conductive substrate; Blanking punch is used to punch the workpiece to remove it and form a single copper conductive substrate; Upper riveting die head; The lower mold is provided with a contact groove corresponding to the upper riveting die head, and the lower riveting die head that cooperates with the upper riveting die head is distributed in the contact groove through a hydraulic cylinder that can be raised and lowered. It also includes a contact block feeding mechanism located outside the lower mold. The feeding mechanism is configured to: before mold closing, deliver the contact blocks one by one into the riveting holes of the copper conductive substrate on the contact groove, and support the contact blocks with the lower riveting die head; after mold closing, the upper riveting die head is located directly above the contact blocks and close to the contact blocks, and the lower riveting die head is configured to be driven by the hydraulic cylinder to move upward at a controllable speed to rivet the contact blocks and the copper conductive substrate together. After mold opening, the lower riveting die head is configured to move upward a distance D at the same speed as the upper riveting die head and stop at a preset pressure holding position A, thereby achieving pressure holding after riveting. It also includes a blanking and inspection mechanism located outside the lower mold, which is used to blank the copper conductive substrate with the contact block riveted near position A, and to perform visual inspection of the contact block after riveting during the blanking process.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the riveting power source is changed from the traditional upper die impact to the active and controllable rise of the lower riveting die head, which completely changes the way the riveting force is applied. Since the rising speed of the lower riveting die head can be controlled by the hydraulic cylinder, the riveting force is applied gradually rather than bursting instantly. For composite contacts with a silver layer on a copper substrate, this slow and gradual pressure application method allows the silver layer material sufficient time to undergo uniform plastic deformation, reducing defects such as silver layer microcracks, local peeling or interface separation caused by stress wave transmission and instantaneous overload under traditional impact riveting, thereby ensuring the low contact resistance and long-term electrical reliability of the contacts. A unique pressure holding mechanism is set after mold opening: the lower riveting die head and the upper riveting die head move upward synchronously at the same speed for a distance D, and stop only after reaching position A. The pressure holding function ensures that the riveting part of the contact block and the copper conductive substrate has reached a stable plastic fit after riveting, reducing the riveting loosening or gap caused by elastic recovery at the moment of mold opening in traditional equipment, and significantly improving the consistency of riveting strength and long-term connection reliability. The impact force of punching, blanking and other processes is borne by the main drive of the stamping equipment, while the riveting force is provided by an independent lower riveting die drive system. The two do not interfere with each other, reducing the vibration impact of riveting on processes such as punching and bending. The contact block has entered the riveting hole before bearing the riveting force, which facilitates the riveting process later. The material unloading and inspection mechanism is set outside the lower mold and unloads the material when the lower riveting die head rises to near position A, while simultaneously completing visual inspection.

[0008] Preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a vibratory feeder for placing a number of contact blocks, which is set outside the base platform of the stamping equipment. The discharge port of the vibratory feeder is connected to a transmission track. A straight vibrator is provided at the bottom of the transmission track. The straight vibrator causes the contact blocks on the transmission track to move away from the vibratory feeder and then move out of the discharge port of the transmission track. The transmission track is made of plastic grooves made of Teflon material. The discharge port of the transmission track is equipped with a pushing mechanism, which is used to place the contact blocks at the discharge port of the transmission track one by one into the riveting holes of the copper conductive substrate above the contact groove, and the lower end of the contact block is supported by the lower riveting die.

[0009] Preferably, the pushing mechanism includes a pushing electric cylinder mounted on the base platform of the stamping equipment. A pushing plate is connected to the piston rod of the pushing electric cylinder. The pushing plate has a slot for a contact block to enter from the material outlet of the transmission track. The height of the pushing plate is higher than the height of the copper conductive substrate at the riveting station, so that when the slot carries the contact block to above the riveting hole of the copper conductive substrate, the contact block falls down along the slot into the riveting hole.

[0010] Preferably, after the lower riveting die head moves upward to position A, the unloading detection mechanism includes an unloading plate that moves in the direction of the lower riveting die head and a power component that drives the unloading plate to move. The unloading plate moves to below the copper conductive substrate on the lower riveting die head. During the movement of the unloading plate, the unloading plate first passes below the contact block, and the lower riveting die head moves downward. The copper conductive substrate is retained on the unloading plate, and the power component drives the unloading plate to move out of the lower die, thus completing the unloading. The material unloading inspection mechanism also includes a vision inspection system located on the base platform of the stamping equipment. The vision inspection system includes industrial cameras set on the upper and lower sides of the material unloading plate's moving path for acquiring images of the riveted contact blocks. The base platform of the stamping equipment is provided with support rods that support the two industrial cameras.

[0011] Preferably, the copper conductive substrate is Z-shaped, and the feeding plate includes two symmetrically distributed Z-shaped receiving plates. The ends of the two receiving plates away from the copper conductive substrate are respectively connected to guide rods, and the power component drives the guide rods to move. A swing plate is hinged to one end near the copper conductive substrate. The swing plate is hinged to the lower end of one of the support plates, and the support plate is provided with an elastic element that allows the swing plate to span between the two support plates. A limiting plate is provided below the other support plate to restrict the position of the swing plate.

[0012] Preferably, the outer wall of the upper riveting die head is fitted with a telescopic cylinder. When the die is closed, the lower end of the telescopic cylinder is close to the upper part of the copper conductive substrate to be riveted. When the lower riveting die head moves upward and drives the copper conductive substrate to move upward, the telescopic cylinder is squeezed upward until the upper and lower riveting dies together generate riveting force on the contact block to rivet it. Then the die is opened. At position A, the upper riveting die head continues to move upward with the upper die. At this time, the telescopic cylinder is still pressing on the upper end face of the copper conductive substrate, so that the position of the copper conductive substrate is stable during the downward movement of the lower riveting die head, which makes it easy for the blanking plate to receive the copper conductive substrate.

[0013] Preferably, the guide rod and the receiving plate are distributed at an angle of 5°-10° to the horizontal direction, and the base platform of the stamping equipment is provided with a support platform for the inclined support power component, the inclination making the height of the support platform lower than the height of the receiving plate.

[0014] Preferably, the support platform is provided with a material unloading component that pushes the copper conductive substrate on the receiving plate away from the receiving plate. The material unloading component includes a slidingly connected material unloading plate and a driving component provided on the support platform for driving the material unloading plate to move.

[0015] Preferably, the base platform of the stamping equipment is provided with two inclined guide plates on one side, which are used to convey copper conductive substrates that have problems in visual inspection and copper conductive substrates that have no problems. The industrial camera transmits the collected signals to the drive unit, which then changes the position of the unloading plate, thereby pushing the inspected copper conductive substrate onto the two guide plates respectively.

[0016] Preferably, both the lower mold and the upper mold are provided with clearance openings for the material feeding and detection mechanism to feed the material, and the feeding mechanism and the moving path of the material feeding plate are located on opposite sides of the lower mold.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. By changing the riveting power source from the traditional upper die impact to the active and controllable rise of the lower riveting die, the riveting force application method has been completely changed. Since the rising speed of the lower riveting die can be controlled by the hydraulic cylinder, the riveting force is applied gradually rather than bursting instantly. For composite contacts with a silver layer on a copper substrate, this slow and gradual pressure application method allows the silver layer material sufficient time to undergo uniform plastic deformation, reducing defects such as microcracks, local peeling or interface separation of the silver layer caused by stress wave transmission and instantaneous overload under traditional impact riveting, thereby ensuring the low contact resistance and long-term electrical reliability of the contacts. 2. A unique pressure holding mechanism is set after mold opening: the lower riveting die head and the upper riveting die head move upward synchronously at the same speed for a distance D, and stop only after reaching position A. The pressure holding function ensures that the riveting part of the contact block and the copper conductive substrate has reached a stable plastic fit after riveting, which reduces the riveting loosening or gap caused by elastic recovery at the moment of mold opening in traditional equipment, and significantly improves the consistency of riveting strength and long-term connection reliability. 3. The impact force of punching, blanking and other processes is borne by the main drive of the stamping equipment, while the riveting force is provided by an independent lower riveting die drive system. The two do not interfere with each other, reducing the vibration impact of riveting on processes such as punching and bending. 4. The contact block has entered the riveting hole before bearing the riveting force, which facilitates the riveting later. The material feeding and inspection mechanism is set outside the lower mold and the material is fed when the lower riveting die head rises to near position A, while visual inspection is completed at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram of section A in the middle; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram of section B in the middle; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the copper conductive substrate and the receiving plate in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the receiving plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the lower riveting die head according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the lower mold according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the upper mold according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram illustrating a vertical plate according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a copper conductive substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: In the diagram: 1. Upper mold; 11. Lower mold; 111. Clearance opening; 12. Blanking punch; 13. Upper riveting die; 131. Contact groove; 132. Hydraulic cylinder; 133. Lower riveting die; 134. Riveting hole; 14. Vibratory feeder; 141. Contact block; 142. Transmission track; 143. Straight vibrator; 15. Base platform; 151. Fixed platform; 152. Pushing electric cylinder; 153. Pushing plate; 154. Pushing track; 155. Slot; 156. Transition plate; 157. Vertical plate; 1571. Adjusting plate; 1572. Rotating rod one; 1573. Mounting plate; 1574. Rotating rod 2; 1575, Locking nut; 1576, Fastening nut; 158, Ring light source; 16, Receiving plate; 161, Guide rod; 162, Connecting rod; 163, Electric cylinder one; 164, Support platform; 165, Moving track; 166, Swing plate; 167, Limiting plate; 168, Extension block; 1681, Vertical plate one; 1682, Vertical plate two; 1683, Elastic rope; 169, Arc shape; 17, Industrial camera; 18, Fixing plate; 181, Extrusion cylinder; 182, Connecting plate; 183, Compression spring; 19, Unloading plate; 191, Electric cylinder two; 192, Guide plate; 2, Copper conductive substrate. Detailed Implementation

[0021] 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. Example 1

[0022] An automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts, such as Figure 1-8 The device includes an upper die 1 that can move up and down driven by the stamping equipment and a lower die 11 set on the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment. The upper die 1 is provided with a punching die head, a partial shape die head, a blanking punch 12, and an upper riveting die head 13 in sequence along the material feeding direction. The lower die 11 is provided with a punching die head that cooperates with the punching die head, a partial shape die head that cooperates with the partial shape die head, a blanking groove that cooperates with the blanking punch 12, and a contact groove 131 corresponding to the upper riveting die head 13 in sequence along the material feeding direction. The contact groove 131 is provided with a lower riveting die head 133 that cooperates with the upper riveting die head 13, which can be raised and lowered by a hydraulic cylinder 132. The blanking groove is for the blanking punch 12 to insert into, and is used to punch the workpiece to make the workpiece blank, forming a single copper conductive substrate 2; the punching die and the punching die are used to punch the riveting holes 134 on the workpiece and / or the holes on the copper conductive substrate 2; the partial shape die is a punching head and / or bending punch that matches the shape of the copper conductive substrate 2. At this time, the punching die and the partial shape die can be designed according to the shape of the copper conductive substrate 2, which are all existing technologies. The blanking punch 12 is also an existing punching head for punching the strip. The upper riveting die 13 is directly fixed to the lower end face of the upper die 1. It also includes a contact block 141 feeding mechanism located outside the lower mold 11. The feeding mechanism is configured to: before mold closing, deliver the contact blocks 141 one by one into the riveting holes 134 of the copper conductive substrate 2 on the contact groove 131, and support the contact blocks 141 with the lower riveting die head 133; after mold closing, the upper riveting die head 13 is located directly above the contact blocks 141 and distributed close to the contact blocks 141. The lower riveting die head 133 is configured to be driven by the hydraulic cylinder 132 to move upward at a controllable speed to rivet the contact blocks 141 and the copper conductive substrate 2 together. After mold opening, the lower riveting die head 133 is configured to move upward a distance D at the same speed as the upper riveting die head 13 and stop at a preset pressure holding position A, thereby realizing pressure holding after riveting. It also includes a blanking inspection mechanism located outside the lower mold 11, which is used to blank the copper conductive substrate 2 with the contact block 141 riveted to it near position A, and to complete the visual inspection of the contact block 141 after riveting during the blanking process.

[0023] like Figure 1-6 By changing the riveting power source from the traditional upper die impact to the active and controllable rise of the lower riveting die 133, the riveting force application method has been completely changed. Since the rising speed of the lower riveting die 133 can be controlled by the hydraulic cylinder 132, the riveting force is applied gradually rather than bursting instantly. For composite contacts with a silver layer on a copper substrate, this slow and gradual pressure application method allows the silver layer material sufficient time to undergo uniform plastic deformation, reducing defects such as silver layer microcracks, local peeling or interface separation caused by stress wave transmission and instantaneous overload under traditional impact riveting, thereby ensuring the low contact resistance and long-term electrical reliability of the contacts. A unique pressure-holding mechanism is set after mold opening: the lower riveting die 133 and the upper riveting die 13 move upward synchronously at the same speed for a distance D, and stop only after reaching position A. The pressure-holding function ensures that the riveting part of the contact block 141 and the copper conductive substrate 2 has reached a stable plastic fit after riveting, reducing the riveting loosening or gap caused by elastic recovery at the moment of mold opening in traditional equipment, and significantly improving the consistency of riveting strength and long-term connection reliability. The impact force of punching, blanking and other processes is borne by the main drive of the stamping equipment, while the riveting force is provided by the independent lower riveting die 133 drive system. The two do not interfere with each other, reducing the vibration impact of riveting impact on punching, bending and other processes. The contact block 141 has entered the riveting hole 134 before bearing the riveting force, which is convenient for subsequent riveting. The blanking detection mechanism is set outside the lower mold 11 and blanks the material when the lower riveting die 133 rises to near position A, and visual inspection is completed at the same time.

[0024] like Figure 1-6 The feeding mechanism includes a vibratory feeder 14 located outside the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment for placing several contact blocks 141. The discharge port of the vibratory feeder 14 is connected to a transmission track 142. A straight vibrator 143 is provided at the bottom of the transmission track 142. The straight vibrator 143 is fixed on the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment and has a gap with the lower die 11. The straight vibrator 143 can be a 140-type straight vibratory feeder, which provides smooth material feeding and effectively reduces the collision and friction between the contact blocks 141. The straight vibrator 143 causes the contact blocks 141 on the transmission track 142 to move away from the vibratory feeder 14 and then move out of the discharge port of the transmission track 142. The transmission track 142 is made of Teflon plastic groove, which has a smooth surface and low hardness, and can minimize the scratching of the silver contact surface.

[0025] like Figure 1-6 The discharge port of the conveying track 142 is provided with a pushing mechanism, which is used to place the contact blocks 141 at the discharge port of the conveying track one by one into the riveting holes 134 of the copper conductive substrate 2 above the contact groove 131. When the contact block 141 is located in the riveting hole 134, the lower end of the contact block 141 is supported by the lower riveting die head 133.

[0026] like Figure 1-6The pushing mechanism includes a fixed platform 151 mounted on the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment. A pushing electric cylinder 152 is fixed on the fixed platform 151. A pushing plate 153 is connected to the piston rod of the pushing electric cylinder 152. A pushing track 154, perpendicular to the length direction of the transmission track 142, is provided at the discharge port of the transmission track 142. The pushing track 154 allows the pushing plate 153 to slide horizontally back and forth, and one end of the pushing track 154 extends to one side of the lower die 11. A slot 155 is provided on the pushing plate 153 for a contact block 141 at the discharge port of the transmission track 142 to enter. The height position is higher than the height position of the copper conductive substrate 2 at the riveting station, so that when the slot 155 carries the contact block 141 to the riveting hole 134 of the copper conductive substrate 2, the contact block 141 falls down along the slot 155 into the riveting hole 134. At this time, a transition plate 156 made of Teflon material is provided on the surface of the upper end of the lower mold 11 between the push plate 153 from the push track 154 to the copper conductive substrate 2 at the riveting station. The transition plate 156 prevents the contact block 141 in the slot 155 from falling down. The lower end of the upper mold 1 is provided with a groove to avoid the transition plate 156 when the mold is closed.

[0027] like Figure 1-6 The copper conductive substrate 2 is Z-shaped. The riveting hole 134 is located on a horizontal surface at a higher height when the copper conductive substrate 2 is inside the lower mold 11. After the lower riveting die head 133 moves upward to position A, the unloading detection mechanism includes an unloading plate that moves in the direction of the lower riveting die head 133 and a power component that drives the unloading plate to move. The unloading plate moves to below the copper conductive substrate 2 on the lower riveting die head 133. During the movement of the unloading plate, the unloading plate first passes below the contact block 141, and the lower riveting die head 133 moves downward. The copper conductive substrate 2 is retained on the unloading plate. The power component drives the unloading plate to move out of the lower mold 11, completing the unloading. The unloading plate includes two symmetrically distributed Z-shaped receiving plates 16. When the receiving plate 16 receives the copper conductive substrate 2, the Z-shape of the receiving plate 16 corresponds to the copper conductive substrate 2. The conductive substrate 2 is arranged in a Z-shape. Before the receiving plate 16 receives the copper conductive substrate 2, the ends of the two receiving plates 16 away from the copper conductive substrate 2 are respectively connected to guide rods 161. The upper ends of the two guide rods 161 are connected by an inverted U-shaped connecting rod 162. The power component is an electric cylinder 163, which is used to drive the connecting rod 162 to move, and then drive the guide rod 161 to move. The base platform 15 of the stamping equipment is provided with a support platform 164. The upper surface of the support platform 164 is provided with a U-shaped moving track 165. The U-shaped opening of the moving track 165 is distributed towards the receiving plate 16, and the two guide rods 161 are slidably connected to the opposite inner walls of the moving track 165. The upper end of the connecting rod 162 on the guide rod 161 extends out of the upper end of the moving track 165. At this time, the electric cylinder 163 is fixed on the upper surface of the moving track 165.

[0028] like Figure 1-6 and Figure 10 The two Z-shaped receiving plates 16 facilitate support of the higher horizontal plane of the copper conductive substrate 2. For support of the lower horizontal plane, the following structure is used: when the receiving plate 16 is not supporting the copper conductive substrate 2, a swing plate 166 is hinged to one end near the copper conductive substrate 2. One end of the swing plate 166 is hinged to the lower end of one of the receiving plates 16, and this receiving plate 16 has an elastic element that allows the swing plate 166 to span between the two receiving plates 16. A limiting element is provided below the other receiving plate 16. The limiting plate 167 for the position of the swing plate 166 is specifically as follows: one end of the swing plate 166, which is hinged to the support plate 16, is provided with an extension block 168 extending out of one side of the support plate 16. The upper end of the extension block 168 is provided with a first vertical plate 1681. The support plate 16, which has an elastic element, is provided with a second vertical plate 1682 opposite to the first vertical plate 1681. The elastic element includes an elastic rope 1683 disposed between the first vertical plate 1681 and the second vertical plate 1682. One end of the support plate 16, which is hinged to the swing plate 166, is provided with an arc shape 169 to facilitate the elasticity when the swing plate 166 rotates. Rope 1683 deforms on the outer wall of arc 169. When one end of swing plate 166 abuts against limiting plate 167, elastic rope 1683 is stretched, causing swing plate 166 to be positioned between the two receiving plates 16. When receiving plate 16 moves towards the lower riveting die 133, the lower riveting die 133 presses against swing plate 166, causing swing plate 166 to rotate around the hinge point with receiving plate 16. At this time, elastic rope 1683 is stretched, and one end of swing plate 166 moves away from limiting plate 167, facilitating the lower riveting die 133 to move past swing plate 166, thereby... Two receiving plates 16 are located below the copper conductive substrate 2 above the lower riveting die head 133. After the lower riveting die head 133 moves past the swing plate 166, the elastic rope 1683 causes the swing plate 166 to rotate in the opposite direction, so that one end of the swing plate 166 abuts against the limiting plate 167, thereby completing the reset of the swing plate 166. At this time, the swing plate 166 is designed to support the lower horizontal surface of the Z-shaped copper conductive substrate 2, and it can support the copper conductive substrate 2 regardless of how wide the contact edge between the Z-shaped copper conductive substrate 2 and the swing plate 166 is.

[0029] like Figure 1-6The unloading inspection mechanism also includes a vision inspection system located on the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment. The vision inspection system includes industrial cameras 17 set on the upper and lower sides of the unloading plate's moving path and an image processing unit. The industrial cameras 17, such as CCD cameras, are used to acquire images of the riveted contact blocks 141. The base platform 15 of the stamping equipment is provided with support rods that support the two industrial cameras 17. At this time, the industrial cameras 17 are specifically located on the upper and lower sides of the moving track 165, facing the space in the middle of the moving track 165. This facilitates the movement of the two receiving plates 16 carrying the riveted copper conductive substrate 2 away from the lower mold 11. As they pass between the upper and lower industrial cameras 17, there is a gap between the two receiving plates 16, which does not block the riveted contact blocks 141. Therefore, it is convenient for the upper and lower industrial cameras 17 to acquire images of the upper and lower sides of the contact blocks 141 respectively, thereby detecting the surface quality of the contact blocks 141.

[0030] like Figure 1-6 A telescopic cylinder is fitted on the outer wall of the upper riveting die 13. When the die is closed, the lower end of the telescopic cylinder is close to the upper part of the copper conductive substrate 2 to be riveted. The lower riveting die 133 moves upward, and when it moves the copper conductive substrate 2 upward, it squeezes the telescopic cylinder upward until the upper riveting die 13 and the lower riveting die 133 together generate riveting force on the contact block 141 to rivet it. Then the die is opened. The specific structure of the telescopic cylinder is as follows: a ring-shaped fixed plate 18 is fixed on the outer wall of the upper riveting die 13. An extrusion cylinder 181 is movably fitted on the outer wall of the upper riveting die 13. A connecting plate 182 corresponding to the fixed plate 18 is coaxially provided on the upper outer wall of the extrusion cylinder 181. The connecting plate 182 is located below the fixed plate 18. The connecting plate 182 and the fixed plate 18 are connected by a compression spring 183. When the die is not closed or closed, the compression spring 183 is in its natural state and makes the extrusion cylinder... The lower end of the extrusion cylinder 181 is located below the lower end face of the upper riveting die 13. After the die is closed, the lower end of the extrusion cylinder 181 approaches the upper part of the copper conductive substrate 2 to be riveted. The lower riveting die 133 moves upward, driving the extrusion cylinder 181 upward until the upper riveting die 13 rivets the upper end face of the contact block 141. At this time, the upper riveting die 13 and the lower riveting die 133 together rivet the contact block 141. The upper riveting die 13... Both the lower riveting die 133 and the lower riveting die 133 have riveting holes on the side where they are riveted to the contact block 141. The contact block 141 deforms in the riveting hole. This is the prior art. When the feeding mechanism puts a single contact block 141 into the riveting hole 134, the lower end of the contact block 141 falls into the riveting hole on the upper end face of the lower riveting die 133, and the upper end of the contact block 141 is located in the riveting hole 134. The contact block 141 is constrained by both the upper and lower holes at the same time.

[0031] like Figure 1-6At position A, the upper riveting die 13 continues to move upward with the upper die 1, while the lower riveting die 133 stops moving upward. When the receiving plate 16 moves to below the copper conductive substrate 2 on the lower riveting die 133, the lower riveting die 133 moves downward. During this process, the lower end of the extrusion cylinder 181 in the telescopic cylinder is pressed against the upper end face of the copper conductive substrate 2. As the upper riveting die 13 moves upward, the pressure of the extrusion cylinder 181 on the copper conductive substrate 2 gradually decreases, making the position of the copper conductive substrate 2 stable during the downward movement of the lower riveting die 133. This facilitates the receiving plate to receive the copper conductive substrate 2. The extrusion force generated by the extrusion cylinder 181 on the copper conductive substrate 2 is very small, only stabilizing the position of the copper conductive substrate 2 and not affecting the pressure holding process. Example 2

[0032] Based on Example 1, such as Figure 1-6 The guide rod 161 and the receiving plate 16 are distributed at an angle of 5°-10° to the horizontal. At this time, the upper surface of the support platform 164 is also tilted at 5°-10°. The moving track 165 is installed on the upper surface of the support platform 164. At this time, the moving track 165 is also tilted accordingly, so that the guide rod 161 and the receiving plate 16 installed on the moving track 165 are also tilted together. The height of the guide rod 161 and the receiving plate 16 is higher than the height of the support platform 164. The purpose of this design is that when the two receiving plates 16 are inserted into both sides of the lower riveting die 133, they are also inclined. When the lower riveting die 133 descends from position A, the two receiving plates 16 are located below the copper conductive substrate 2 of the lower riveting die 133. The extrusion cylinder 181 extrudes the upper end face of the copper conductive substrate 2. As the lower riveting die 133 descends between the two receiving plates 16, the copper conductive substrate 2 on the lower riveting die 133 remains on the two receiving plates 16. At this time, since the two receiving plates 16 are inclined within a certain angle, the copper conductive substrate 2 will also be inclined. This reduces the separation of the copper conductive substrate 2 from the receiving plates 16 due to inertia when the copper conductive substrate 2 moves away from the lower die 11 along with the receiving plates 16. Example 3

[0033] Based on Example 1 or Example 2, such as Figure 1-6The support platform 164 is equipped with an unloading component that pushes the copper conductive substrate 2 on the receiving plate 16 away from the receiving plate 16. The unloading component includes an unloading plate 19 slidably connected to the inner wall of the moving track 165 and a driving component on the support platform 164 for moving the unloading plate 19. At this time, the driving component is an electric cylinder 191. The electric cylinder 191 is fixed to the upper end face of the support platform 164 and located between the inner walls of the moving track 165. The track through which the unloading plate 19 is slidably connected to the moving track 165 is lower than the track through which the guide rod 161 is slidably connected to the moving track 165. The track is connected to facilitate the sliding of the guide rod 161 and the unloading plate 19 within the moving track 165, allowing the guide rod 161 to move the receiving plate 16 to the position of the unloading plate 19. At this time, the unloading plate 19 passes through the connecting rod 162, then through the two guide rods 161, and then through the two receiving plates 16 until it reaches one side of the swing plate 166. During this process, the copper conductive substrate 2 located on the two receiving plates 16 has been pushed out of the two receiving plates 16, which facilitates unloading. At this time, the movement range of the unloading plate 19 is located outside the outer wall of the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 1.

[0034] like Figure 1-6 The base platform 15 of the stamping equipment has two inclined guide plates 192 on one side, which are used to transport copper conductive substrates 2 that have problems with visual inspection and copper conductive substrates 2 that have no problems. The industrial camera 17 transmits the collected signals to the driving component, namely the electric cylinder 191, so that the electric cylinder 191 can change the position of the unloading plate 19 on the moving track 165, and then push the inspected copper conductive substrates 2 onto the two guide plates 192 for sorting and collection. The guide plates 192 can be made of stainless steel with a mirror polished surface, an inclination angle of 5° to 15°, and a Teflon layer is pasted on the surface, so that the riveted contact blocks 141 can slowly slide down the guide plates 192 by gravity without violent rolling or collision, thus ensuring that the silver layer surface is scratch-free.

[0035] like Figure 1-7 Both the lower mold 11 and the upper mold 1 have clearance openings 111 for the material unloading and inspection mechanism to unload. The feeding mechanism and the unloading plate movement path are located on opposite sides of the lower mold 11. This spatially separates the feeding of the contact block 141 from the removal of the riveted copper conductive substrate 2, avoiding motion interference. This layout allows the feeding and unloading actions to be performed in parallel, shortening the overall machine cycle time. At the same time, it provides an independent installation space for the vision inspection system, facilitating the arrangement of the upper and lower dual industrial cameras 17 and ensuring inspection stability.

[0036] Action process: Step 1: The contact blocks 141 are sorted by the vibratory feeder 14 and transported to the discharge port by the straight vibrator 143 via the Teflon transmission track 142. The pusher cylinder 152 drives the pusher plate 153 so that its slot 155 receives a contact block 141 and moves the contact block 141 horizontally above the riveting station. When the slot 155 is aligned with the riveting hole 134 on the copper conductive substrate 2, the contact block 141 falls into the riveting hole 134 by its own weight, and its lower end is supported by the lower riveting die head 133. Subsequently, the molds are closed, and the upper mold 1 drives the punching die head downward to cooperate with the punching die of the lower mold 11 to punch out the riveting hole 134 and other required holes on the strip. At the same time, the partial shape die head cooperates with the partial shape die to punch or bend the strip, so that the partial shape of the copper conductive substrate 2 is initially formed. Meanwhile, the blanking punch 12 is inserted into the blanking groove to punch and separate the formed copper conductive substrate 2 from the strip, forming a single copper conductive substrate 2. The contact block 141 is already located in the riveting hole 134 of the single copper conductive substrate 2, and the extrusion cylinder 181 is distributed close to the upper end face of the single copper conductive substrate 2. Step 2: Subsequently, the hydraulic cylinder 132 drives the lower riveting die 133 to move upward at a controllable slow speed, lifting the contact block 141 and the copper conductive substrate 2 upward. During this process, the extrusion cylinder 181 on the outer wall of the upper riveting die 13 first contacts and compresses the copper conductive substrate 2 to ensure the stability of the copper conductive substrate 2. The lower riveting die 133 continues to rise slowly until it and the upper riveting die 13 jointly apply riveting force to the contact block 141, completing the progressive riveting and avoiding cracks in the silver layer due to impact. Step 3: After riveting is completed, the upper mold 1 begins to open and move upward. At this time, the lower riveting die 133 and the upper riveting die 13 move upward synchronously at the same speed for a distance D. After reaching position A, they stop to achieve pressure holding, so that the riveting part is plastically bonded and stable. During this stage, the extrusion cylinder 181 still briefly presses the upper end face of the copper conductive substrate 2 to prevent it from shifting. Step 4: The lower riveting die 133 remains at position A. The power component drives the blanking plate (composed of two Z-shaped receiving plates 16 and a swing plate 166) to move horizontally below the copper conductive substrate 2. The lower riveting die 133 descends, and the copper conductive substrate 2 is retained on the blanking plate. The blanking plate carries the copper conductive substrate 2 and moves out of the mold. When it passes the industrial cameras 17 on the upper and lower sides, the cameras capture images of the contact block 141 after riveting for visual inspection. The blanking plate continues to move to the unloading station. Step 5: Based on the visual inspection results, the drive unit controls the unloading plate 19 to push the copper conductive substrate 2 away from the receiving plate 16, so that it falls into the corresponding inclined guide plate 192, realizing the automatic sorting and collection of good and bad products; at this point, a complete stamping, riveting and inspection cycle is completed, and the equipment enters the next workpiece processing cycle, with the strip moving intermittently along the feed direction under the drive of the stamping equipment.

[0037] At this time, the total time for the lower riveting die 133 to complete a complete riveting action (including progressive riveting and follow-up holding pressure) is controlled between 1.5 seconds and 3.0 seconds. During the progressive riveting stage, the rising speed of the lower riveting die 133 is controlled between 5 mm / s and 20 mm / s to ensure that the strain rate of the silver layer material of the contact block 141 is lower than the critical value during plastic deformation, thus avoiding the generation of microcracks. The follow-up holding pressure speed of the lower riveting die 133 is matched with the retraction speed of the upper die, so it is no longer progressive riveting.

[0038] The vision inspection system involves electrical control, which can be based on existing technology, or specifically: two industrial cameras 17 are respectively set above and below the moving path of the unloading plate, and are fixedly installed by support rods. The height and angle of the support rods are adjustable to ensure that the optical axis of the industrial camera 17 is aligned with the upper and lower surfaces of the contact block 141 to be inspected. As the receiving plate 16 carries the riveted copper conductive substrate 2 along the moving track 165 away from the lower mold 11, the workpiece passes through the shooting areas of the upper and lower industrial cameras 17 in sequence. To ensure clear imaging, the support rod is equipped with an LED ring light source 158 at the corresponding position of the camera. The light source is coaxially arranged with the industrial camera 17. The design of the ring light source 158 makes it easy for one end of the industrial camera 17 to pass through the ring light source 158.

[0039] like Figure 1 and Figure 9The specific structure of the support rod includes a vertical plate 157 mounted on the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment. An adjusting plate 1571 is rotatably connected to the middle of the vertical plate 157 via a rotating rod 1572. Mounting plates 1573 are rotatably connected to both the upper and lower ends of the adjusting plate 1571 via rotating rods 1574. An industrial camera 17 is mounted on the mounting plate 1573. One end of the rotating rod 1572 is fixedly connected to the adjusting plate 1571, and the other end is rotatably connected to the vertical plate 157 and extends out of the vertical plate 157. A locking nut 1575 is threaded onto the extending end of the rotating rod 1572. Rotating the locking nut 1575 causes one side of the locking nut 1575 to abut against the vertical plate 157, thus restricting the rotation of the adjusting plate 1571. When adjustment of the adjusting plate 157 is required... When in position 1, rotating the locking nut 1575 away from the vertical plate 157 allows the adjusting plate 1571 to be rotated, thereby adjusting the position of the industrial camera 17. One end of the rotating rod 1574 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 1573, and the other end is rotatably connected to the adjusting plate 1571, extending beyond the adjusting plate 1571. A fastening nut 1576 is threadedly connected to the end of the rotating rod 1574 that extends beyond the adjusting plate 1571. Rotating the fastening nut 1576 causes one side of the fastening nut 1576 to abut against the adjusting plate 1571, thus restricting the rotation of the mounting plate 1573. When the position of the mounting plate 1573 needs to be adjusted, rotating the fastening nut 1576 away from the adjusting plate 1571 allows the mounting plate 1573 to be rotated. At this time, the ring light source 158 is mounted on the mounting plate 1573 and located on the side of the industrial camera 17 facing the moving track 165.

[0040] The movement of the receiving plate 16 is driven by a power component. The controller of the power component is electrically connected to the image processing unit. When the receiving plate 16 carrying the riveted copper conductive substrate 2 moves to the preset photography station, the upper and lower industrial cameras 17 simultaneously acquire images of the contact blocks 141 on the riveted copper conductive substrate 2. The position of the photography station is detected by a photoelectric sensor installed on the side of the moving track 165. The photoelectric sensor signal serves as the trigger basis. After the image acquisition is completed, the industrial camera 17 transmits the image data to the image processing unit.

[0041] The image processing unit incorporates machine vision algorithm-based analysis software for real-time processing of acquired images. The processing includes: (1) Extract the outline of the riveting area between the contact block 141 and the copper conductive substrate 2, and calculate whether the riveting deformation meets the preset threshold. (2) Identify whether there are defects such as cracks, peeling, and scratches on the surface of the silver layer; (3) Detect the centering position of the contact block 141 in the riveting hole 134 and the axial offset after riveting.

[0042] The image processing unit marks each workpiece as "qualified" or "unqualified" according to the preset judgment criteria and generates a corresponding classification signal. The classification signal is output to the controller of the unloading drive (electric cylinder 2 191) through the I / O interface.

[0043] The control program of the unloading drive unit (electric cylinder 2 191) dynamically adjusts the ejection stroke of the unloading plate 19 according to the received classification signal, specifically as follows: When a workpiece is determined to be "qualified", the unloading drive drives the unloading plate 19 to extend out of the first set stroke, pushing the workpiece from the receiving plate 16 to the corresponding guide plate 192 near the lower mold 11. The guide plate 192 guides the qualified product into the qualified product collection box. When a workpiece is determined to be "non-conforming," the unloading drive pushes the unloading plate 19 out of its second predetermined stroke, pushing the workpiece onto the corresponding guide plate 192, which is away from the lower mold 11. The guide plate 192 guides the defective product into the defective product collection box. The collection boxes are all rigid boxes lined with polyurethane foam or cotton. The shallow depth of the collection boxes reduces the impact force of the riveted copper conductive substrate 2 falling into the collection box. If the requirements for the contact blocks 141 on the copper conductive substrate 2 are very high (such as in aerospace and medical electrical appliances), it is recommended to use a conveyor belt for orderly collection, in which case the conveyor belt replaces the collection box.

[0044] Two guide plates 192 are arranged side by side at an angle on one side of the base platform 15 of the stamping equipment, without interfering with each other. After unloading is completed, the unloading drive unit drives the unloading plate 19 to reset, and the receiving plate 16 continues to move to the initial position (i.e., inside the clearance opening 111 of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 11) to wait for the next unloading cycle.

[0045] The image processing unit completes single-piece image processing within 50ms, enabling the machine to complete the entire process of a workpiece from stamping and riveting to blanking inspection and classification, which is beneficial to the operation of the machine. Through the above timing coordination, the equipment achieves continuous and stable automated production while ensuring riveting quality.

[0046] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An automated stamping and riveting device for copper-based silver-plated contacts, comprising an upper die (1) that is movable up and down by a stamping device and a lower die (11) disposed on a base platform (15) of the stamping device, characterized in that, The upper mold (1) is provided with: A punching die head is used to punch riveting holes (134) on a workpiece. Blanking punch (12) is used to punch the workpiece to blank the workpiece and form a single copper conductive substrate (2). Upper riveting die (13); The lower mold (11) is provided with a contact groove (131) corresponding to the upper riveting mold (13). The contact groove (131) is provided with a lower riveting mold (133) that cooperates with the upper riveting mold (13) and is distributed in the contact groove (131) by means of a hydraulic cylinder (132). It also includes a contact block (141) feeding mechanism located outside the lower mold (11), the feeding mechanism being configured to: before mold closing, deliver the contact blocks (141) one by one into the riveting holes (134) of the copper conductive substrate (2) on the contact groove (131), and make the contact blocks (141) supported by the lower riveting die head (133); after mold closing, the upper riveting die head (13) is located directly above the contact blocks (141) and close to The contact blocks (141) are distributed, and the lower riveting die (133) is configured to be driven by the hydraulic cylinder (132) to move upward at a controllable speed to rivet the contact blocks (141) and the copper conductive substrate (2). After the mold is opened, the lower riveting die (133) is configured to move upward a distance D at the same speed as the upper riveting die (13) and stop at the preset pressure holding position A, thereby realizing pressure holding after riveting. It also includes a material unloading and inspection mechanism, which is used to unload the copper conductive substrate (2) with the riveted contact block (141) near position A, and to perform visual inspection of the riveted contact block (141) during the unloading process.

2. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism includes a vibratory plate (14) for placing a number of contact blocks (141) outside the base platform (15) of the stamping equipment. The discharge port of the vibratory plate (14) is connected to a transmission track (142). A straight vibrator (143) is provided at the bottom of the transmission track (142). The straight vibrator (143) causes the contact blocks (141) on the transmission track (142) to move away from the vibratory plate (14) and then move out of the discharge port of the transmission track (142). The transmission track (142) is made of plastic wire groove made of Teflon material. The discharge port of the transmission track (142) is provided with a pushing mechanism, which is used to place the contact blocks (141) at the discharge port of the transmission track one by one into the riveting holes (134) of the copper conductive substrate (2) above the contact groove (131), and the lower end of the contact block (141) is supported by the lower riveting die head (133).

3. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The pushing mechanism includes a pushing electric cylinder (152) set on the base platform (15) of the stamping equipment. A pushing plate (153) is connected to the piston rod of the pushing electric cylinder (152). A slot (155) is opened on the pushing plate (153) for a contact block (141) at the discharge port of the transmission track (142) to enter. The height of the pushing plate (153) is higher than the height of the copper conductive substrate (2) at the riveting station, so that when the slot (155) carries the contact block (141) to the riveting hole (134) of the copper conductive substrate (2), the contact block (141) falls down along the slot (155) into the riveting hole (134).

4. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After the lower riveting die (133) moves upward to position A, the material feeding detection mechanism includes a material feeding plate that moves in the direction of the lower riveting die (133) and a power component that drives the material feeding plate to move. The material feeding plate moves to the lower part of the copper conductive substrate (2) on the lower riveting die (133). During the movement of the material feeding plate, the material feeding plate first passes under the contact block (141), and the lower riveting die (133) moves downward. The copper conductive substrate (2) is stuck on the material feeding plate. The power component drives the material feeding plate to move out of the lower die (11) to complete the material feeding. The unloading inspection mechanism also includes a vision inspection system located on the base platform (15) of the stamping equipment. The vision inspection system includes industrial cameras (17) set on the upper and lower sides of the unloading plate movement path for acquiring images of the riveted contact block (141). The base platform (15) of the stamping equipment is provided with support rods that support the two industrial cameras (17).

5. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The copper conductive substrate (2) is Z-shaped, and the feeding plate includes two symmetrically distributed Z-shaped receiving plates (16). The ends of the two receiving plates (16) away from the copper conductive substrate (2) are respectively connected to guide rods (161), and the power component drives the guide rods (161) to move. A swing plate (166) is hinged to one end near the copper conductive substrate (2). The swing plate (166) is hinged to the lower end of one of the support plates (16), and the support plate (16) is provided with an elastic element that allows the swing plate (166) to span between the two support plates (16). A limiting plate (167) is provided below the other support plate (16) to limit the position of the swing plate (166).

6. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The upper riveting die (13) is fitted with a telescopic cylinder on its outer wall. When the die is closed, the lower end of the telescopic cylinder is close to the copper conductive substrate (2) to be riveted. When the lower riveting die (133) moves upward and drives the copper conductive substrate (2) to move upward, the telescopic cylinder is squeezed upward until the upper riveting die (13) and the lower riveting die (133) together generate riveting force on the contact block (141) to rivet it. Then the die is opened. At position A, the upper riveting die (13) continues to move upward with the upper die (1). At this time, the telescopic cylinder is still pressed on the upper surface of the copper conductive substrate (2), so that the position of the copper conductive substrate (2) is stable during the downward movement of the lower riveting die (133), which makes it easier for the blanking plate to receive the copper conductive substrate (2).

7. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The guide rod (161) and the receiving plate (16) are distributed at an angle of 5°-10° to the horizontal direction. The base platform (15) of the stamping equipment is provided with a support platform (164) for inclined support power components. The inclination makes the height of the support platform (164) lower than the height of the receiving plate (16).

8. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The support platform (164) is provided with a material unloading component that pushes the copper conductive substrate (2) on the receiving plate (16) away from the receiving plate (16). The material unloading component includes a slidingly connected material unloading plate (19) and a driving component provided on the support platform (164) for driving the material unloading plate (19) to move.

9. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Two inclined guide plates (192) are provided on one side of the base platform (15) of the stamping equipment, which are used to transport copper conductive substrates (2) with visual inspection problems and copper conductive substrates (2) without problems. The industrial camera (17) transmits the collected signal to the drive unit, which facilitates the drive unit to change the position of the unloading plate (19) and then pushes the tested copper conductive substrate (2) onto the two guide plates (192).

10. The automated stamping and riveting equipment for copper-based silver-plated contacts as described in claim 9, characterized in that, Both the lower mold (11) and the upper mold (1) are provided with clearance openings (111) for the material feeding detection mechanism to feed the material. The feeding mechanism and the moving path of the feeding plate are located on opposite sides of the lower mold (11).

Images