An automatic testing machine for straightening irons

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curlers, comprising a frame and a turntable rotatably mounted on the end face of the frame. Multiple placement stations are evenly arranged on the turntable, including a loading / unloading station, a power testing station, a high-voltage testing station, and a tail-end testing station arranged sequentially along the circumference of the turntable. The high-voltage testing station includes a clamping mechanism and a feeding mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a first lifting module disposed on the end face of the frame and a first conductive contact fixedly mounted on the moving end of the first lifting module. The feeding mechanism includes a second lifting module, a first translation module connected to the moving end of the second lifting module, and a second conductive contact fixedly mounted on the moving end of the first translation module. The tail-end testing mechanism includes a mounting bracket, a pre-pressing assembly, a floating clamping assembly, an active clamping assembly, and a current detection module. This invention aims to solve the problems of low testing efficiency, poor compatibility, and inaccuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of small household appliance production and testing equipment technology, and in particular to an automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curling irons. Background Technology

[0002] Hair straighteners and curling irons, as personal care small appliances, must undergo rigorous testing of multiple core indicators before leaving the factory, including power performance, high-voltage insulation performance, and power cord contact reliability. Failure to do so poses serious safety hazards. Currently, the industry commonly employs a distributed or single-station serial testing model, where different tests are performed sequentially on different equipment or stations, requiring products to be repeatedly moved and re-clamped between multiple devices. This testing method has the following significant drawbacks: First, testing efficiency is low. Because power testing, high-voltage testing, and tail-end testing are performed sequentially, the total testing cycle for a single product is the sum of the times for each process, which cannot match the pace of high-speed production lines, making the testing stage a bottleneck in production capacity. Furthermore, operators need to perform loading, unloading, and clamping operations before and after each process, further extending auxiliary time. Second, equipment compatibility is poor. Hair straighteners and curling irons have significantly different shapes and structures—straighteners have openable, flat heating plates, while curling irons have fixed cylindrical heating rods. Existing high-voltage testing equipment typically uses rigid electrodes, making it difficult to simultaneously accommodate two different heating element shapes. Often, specialized tooling fixtures need to be replaced, resulting in long changeover times and high costs, failing to meet the needs of multi-variety mixed-line production. Finally, the testing process poses safety hazards. High-voltage insulation testing and power testing rely heavily on manual operation. Operators must directly contact energized products and high-voltage electrodes, posing a high risk of electric shock. Moreover, test data relies on manual recording, making quality traceability difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide an automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curlers, aiming to solve the problems of low testing efficiency, poor compatibility, and inaccuracy.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes an automatic testing machine for straighteners and curlers, comprising a frame and a turntable rotatably mounted on the end face of the frame. The turntable is evenly provided with multiple placement stations, and the turntable has a rotating conductive connection device for supplying power to the products at each placement station. The loading and unloading station, power testing station, high voltage testing station, and tail testing station are arranged sequentially along the circumference of the turntable. The high-voltage testing station includes a clamping mechanism and a feeding mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a first lifting module disposed on the end face of the frame and a first conductive contact fixedly installed on the moving end of the first lifting module. The feeding mechanism includes a second lifting module, a first translation module connected to the moving end of the second lifting module, and a second conductive contact fixedly installed on the moving end of the first translation module. The tail rotation test station is equipped with a tail rotation testing mechanism, which includes a mounting bracket, a pre-pressing component mounted on the mounting bracket for pressing the open hair straightener closed, a floating clamping component mounted on the mounting bracket for clamping the main body end of the product and lifting it upwards, an active clamping component mounted on the frame for clamping the tail end of the product and driving the product to rotate, and a current detection module for monitoring changes in the current of the product's power supply circuit.

[0005] In one possible implementation, both the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact include an insulating substrate and a flexible conductive layer attached to the surface of the insulating substrate.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the flexible conductive layer is attached to both the upper and lower surfaces of the insulating substrate of the second conductive contact.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the floating clamping assembly includes a third lifting module fixedly connected to the mounting bracket and arranged vertically downward, and a floating gripper fixedly installed on the moving end of the third lifting module.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the active clamping assembly includes a rotary drive motor, an air guide slip ring connected to the rotary drive motor, and a pneumatic gripper mounted on the output end of the air guide slip ring.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the active clamping assembly further includes a fourth lifting module fixedly disposed on the end face of the frame and vertically upward, wherein the moving end of the fourth lifting module is connected to the rotary drive motor.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the pre-pressing assembly includes a fifth lifting module fixedly connected to the mounting bracket and arranged vertically downward, and a pressure block installed on the moving end of the fifth lifting module for pressing and closing the two heating plates of the straightener in an open state.

[0011] This invention integrates material feeding, power testing, high-voltage insulation testing, and tail contact stability testing into a single four-station intermittent rotary table, enabling parallel operation of each station. This reduces the testing cycle time for a single product to the time required for a single station, solving the problem of low efficiency and production line bottleneck associated with traditional single-station serial testing. Simultaneously, the high-voltage testing station employs a dual-module, split structure, combining a first clamping module with only vertical lifting freedom with a second feeding module possessing both horizontal and vertical lifting freedom. This is coupled with a second conductive contact with a double-sided flexible conductive layer. The same set of actions ensures full contact and conductivity between the straightener's opening and closing plates and the curling iron's fixing rod, allowing the device to be compatible with two products without changing any tooling or fixtures. This solves the problems of poor compatibility and high replacement costs of existing equipment. In addition, the tail test station presses the straightener closed by the pre-pressing component, and then the floating clamping component and the active clamping component simultaneously clamp both ends of the product and lift it off the carrier. With the power cord fixed, the servo rotation mechanism drives the product body to rotate continuously, and the current detection module monitors the circuit continuity in real time, completely replicating the user's real-world usage scenario. Attached Figure Description

[0012] 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 the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the end face of the frame according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a tail-measuring mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Explanation of icon numbers: 1. Frame; 2. Turntable; 21. Placement station; 22. Rotary conductive connection device; 23. Loading and unloading station; 24. Power testing station; 25. High voltage testing station; 26. Tail-end testing station; 3. Pressing mechanism; 31. First lifting module; 32. First conductive contact; 4. Feeding mechanism; 41. Second lifting module; 42. First translation module; 43. Second conductive contact; 5. Tail-mounting mechanism; 51. Mounting bracket; 52. Pre-compression assembly; 521. Fifth lifting module; 522. Pressure block; 53. Floating clamping assembly; 531. Third lifting module; 532. Floating gripper; 54. Active clamping assembly; 541. Rotary drive motor; 542. Air guide slip ring; 543. Pneumatic gripper; 544. Fourth lifting module; 6. Insulating substrate; 61. Flexible conductive layer.

[0015] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0017] To address the problems in the background technology, the present invention proposes an automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curlers, comprising a frame 1 and a turntable 2 rotatably mounted on the end face of the frame 1. The turntable 2 is evenly provided with a plurality of placement stations 21. The turntable 2 has a rotating conductive connection device 22 for supplying power to the products at each placement station 21. The loading and unloading station 23, the power testing station 24, the high voltage testing station 25, and the tail testing station 26 are arranged sequentially along the circumference of the turntable 2. The high-voltage testing station includes a clamping mechanism 3 and a feeding mechanism 4. The clamping mechanism 3 includes a first lifting module 31 disposed on the end face of the frame 1 and a first conductive contact 32 fixedly installed on the moving end of the first lifting module 31. The feeding mechanism 4 includes a second lifting module 41, a first translation module 42 connected to the moving end of the second lifting module 41, and a second conductive contact 43 fixedly installed on the moving end of the first translation module 42. The spin-off testing station 26 is equipped with a spin-off testing mechanism 5. The spin-off testing mechanism 5 includes a mounting bracket 51, a pre-pressing component 52 mounted on the mounting bracket 51 for pressing the open hair straightener closed, a floating clamping component 53 mounted on the mounting bracket 51 for clamping the main body end of the product and lifting it upwards, an active clamping component 54 mounted on the frame 1 for clamping the tail end of the product and driving the product to rotate, and a current detection module for monitoring changes in the current of the product's power supply circuit.

[0018] Combined with reference Figures 1 to 3As shown, in this embodiment, the testing machine includes a frame 1 fixedly installed on the ground, with the upper surface of the frame 1 serving as the mounting base. A disc-shaped turntable 2 is rotatably mounted at the center of the upper surface of the frame 1. The turntable 2 is preferably driven by a DD motor (direct drive motor), or alternatively by a cam divider. When a DD motor is used, it includes dynamic brushes electrically connected to sockets on the turntable, and a stationary copper block connected to the power supply, ensuring stable power supply and control signal transmission for the turntable 2 during rotation. The DD motor can directly drive the turntable 2 to achieve precise intermittent indexing rotation, rotating 90 degrees at a time, offering advantages such as high positioning accuracy and fast response. Four placement stations 21 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the turntable 2, with two V-shaped block carriers fixed at each station 21 for stable support of the handle portion of the hair straightener or curling iron. A conductive slip ring (or a brush-copper block structure integrated with a DD motor) is installed at the center of the turntable 2. This conductive slip ring serves as a rotating conductive connection device 22, providing stable power to the products at each placement station 21 during the continuous rotation of the turntable 2, while simultaneously transmitting control signals. Along the rotation direction of the turntable 2, there are sequentially arranged loading / unloading stations 23, power testing stations 24, high-voltage testing stations 25, and tail-end testing stations 26, each performing different testing tasks. The power testing station 24 requires no additional mechanical actuators; it only connects to the product power supply via a conductive slip ring and its electrically connected socket. A power tester connected within the frame first tests the standby power, and then a trigger cylinder presses the product switch to test the power-on power. The testing process is independent of the product's shape, naturally compatible with both hair straighteners and curling irons. At the loading / unloading station 23, the operator places the product and plugs in the power cord, simultaneously initiating a fully automatic cycle via the operation display screen. The four stations operate in parallel, with each 90-degree rotation of the turntable 2 completing one process change.

[0019] The high-voltage testing station 25 includes a clamping mechanism 3 and a feeding mechanism 4 that work together, and is equipped with a withstand voltage tester to apply high voltage and detect leakage current. The clamping mechanism 3 includes a first lifting cylinder vertically fixed to the end face of the frame 1. An insulating mounting plate is mounted downwards on the piston rod end of the first lifting cylinder. A layer of flexible conductive cotton is adhered to the lower surface of the insulating mounting plate, forming a first conductive contact 32, which is electrically connected to the high-voltage output terminal of the withstand voltage tester. The feeding mechanism 4 includes a second lifting cylinder, a horizontal translation cylinder, and a second conductive contact 43. The second lifting cylinder is also vertically fixed to the end face of the frame 1. A horizontal mounting plate is connected to the end of its piston rod. The horizontal translation cylinder is fixed to this horizontal mounting plate. A double-sided insulating plate is mounted on the piston rod end of the horizontal translation cylinder. Flexible conductive cotton is adhered to both the upper and lower surfaces of the double-sided insulating plate, forming the second conductive contact 43, which is electrically connected to the grounding terminal of the withstand voltage tester. During operation, the second lifting cylinder activates first, raising the horizontal translation cylinder and the second conductive contact 43 to a position matching the height of the product's heating element. Then, the horizontal translation cylinder extends forward, placing the double-sided insulating plate between the two open heating plates of the hair straightener or below the heating rod of the curling iron. Next, the first lifting cylinder moves downward, pressing the flexible conductive cotton on the lower surface of the first conductive contact 32 against the upper heating surface of the product. Simultaneously, the second lifting cylinder makes minor adjustments, ensuring that the flexible conductive cotton on the upper surface of the double-sided insulating plate adheres tightly to the product's heating surface from below, forming a stable and reliable double-sided contact. For the hair straightener, both the upper and lower heating plates are clamped simultaneously; for the curling iron, the round heating element is pressed against the upper surface of the double-sided insulating plate. This structure utilizes the compressibility of the flexible conductive cotton to perfectly adapt to heating surfaces of different shapes, ensuring sufficient contact and uniform pressure in the high-voltage test circuit.

[0020] Furthermore, at the tail-end testing station 26, there is a tail-end testing mechanism 5, used to simulate the contact reliability of the power cord tail-end under real-world user scenarios. This mechanism is equipped with a tail-end tester, the core of which is a high-precision current detection module used to monitor the current continuity of the power supply circuit during rotation. The specific structure includes a vertical mounting bracket 51 fixed to the frame 1. A pre-compression cylinder is installed in the middle of the bracket. The piston rod of the pre-compression cylinder points vertically downwards and has a pressure block at the end, used to pre-compress and close the two heating plates of the straightener in its open state. For the curling iron, the cylinder runs idle without interference. Vertical guide rails are provided on the left and right sides of the bracket. A left lifting plate is slidably mounted on the left guide rail, and a right lifting plate is slidably mounted on the right guide rail. The left and right lifting plates are driven by the same dual-axis synchronous lifting cylinder, enabling synchronous lifting. A left pneumatic gripper 543 is rotatably mounted on the left lifting plate via a bearing. This gripper can rotate freely, forming a floating clamping assembly 53 for clamping the main body end (handle side) of the product. A servo motor and an air guide slip ring 542 are fixedly mounted on the right lifting plate. The output shaft of the air guide slip ring 542 is connected to a right pneumatic gripper 543, which is coaxially opposite to the left pneumatic gripper 543, forming an active clamping assembly 54 for clamping the tail end (heating element side) of the product. In addition, a high-precision current detection module is connected in series in the product's power supply circuit; this module is the measurement unit of the tail-turning tester. During testing, the pre-compression cylinder first compresses the straightener, then the synchronous lifting cylinder descends, and the left and right pneumatic grippers 543 clamp the two ends of the product respectively. Subsequently, the synchronous lifting cylinder rises, lifting the entire product off the turntable 2 carrier. At this time, the power cord remains plugged into the socket in the cable box and remains stationary. The servo motor drives the air guide slip ring 542, which in turn drives the right pneumatic gripper 543 and the product to rotate continuously at low speed for several revolutions, while the left pneumatic gripper 543 rotates freely. During rotation, the tail-end tester monitors the circuit continuity in real time through a current detection module. If a momentary power outage or a large fluctuation in current occurs, it indicates poor contact at the tail-end connector. This test method completely replicates the real-world condition of a user holding the product while it rotates and the power cord remains fixed, effectively detecting hidden defects.

[0021] To achieve fully automated identification and differentiated testing, this invention includes an electronic control system comprising a programmable logic controller (PLC), a human-machine interface touchscreen, and a product type detection unit. The product type detection unit, located at loading / unloading station 23, can be a photoelectric sensor or proximity switch mounted on one side of a V-block carrier. It detects the shape characteristics of the product's heating element: the heating element of a hair straightener consists of two flat, openable plate-like structures, while the heating element of a curling iron is a fixed cylindrical rod. When the product is placed in position, the sensor automatically acquires the shape contour data and sends a signal to the PLC. The PLC automatically identifies whether the current product is a hair straightener or a curling iron based on a preset judgment algorithm, and selects the corresponding test parameters and action procedures for subsequent stations accordingly. Operators can also manually select the product type via the touchscreen to accommodate special models or products that the sensor cannot clearly identify.

[0022] The electronic control system executes differentiated control steps at different testing stations based on the product type identification results. At power testing station 24, since power testing is independent of product shape, the control system only needs to test standby power and power-on power sequentially according to a fixed procedure, without distinguishing product type. At high-voltage testing station 25, the control system automatically adjusts the final stop position of the second lifting cylinder and the downward stroke of the first lifting cylinder based on the identified product type. For a hair straightener, the control system controls the second lifting cylinder to position the double-sided insulating plate at the midpoint between the upper and lower heating plates of the straightener, and the first lifting cylinder, when pressing down, ensures that the upper and lower conductive cotton contacts the two heating plates respectively. For a curling iron, the control system controls the second lifting cylinder to position the upper surface of the double-sided insulating plate at the lower edge of the curling iron's round heating element, and the first lifting cylinder, when pressing down, only the upper conductive cotton contacts the round rod. The two sets of actions are automatically switched by the same hardware, requiring no manual adjustment. At the tail-end testing station 26, the control system determines whether to activate the pre-compression cylinder based on the product type. If the device is identified as a hair straightener, the pre-compression cylinder extends before the floating clamping component 53 and the active clamping component 54 descend, pressing the open heating plate of the hair straightener closed, and then the clamping components operate. If the device is identified as a curling iron, the pre-compression cylinder operation is skipped, and clamping and lifting rotation are performed directly. Throughout the testing process, the electronic control system collects sensor signals from each station in real time, power values ​​measured by the power tester, leakage current values ​​measured by the withstand voltage tester, and current fluctuation values ​​measured by the tail-end tester, and displays them dynamically on the touch screen. All test data is automatically stored in the local database and uploaded to the factory management system for quality traceability.

[0023] In one possible implementation, both the first conductive contact 32 and the second conductive contact 43 include an insulating substrate 6 and a flexible conductive layer 61 attached to the surface of the insulating substrate 6.

[0024] Combined with reference Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the first conductive contact 32 and the second conductive contact 43 each independently include an insulating substrate 6 and a flexible conductive layer 61 attached to the surface of the insulating substrate 6. The insulating substrate 6 is made of a rigid insulating material with high insulation strength and good mechanical strength, such as an epoxy resin board. The planar shape of the insulating substrate 6 is designed to be rectangular or circular according to the outline of the product's heating element, but its size should at least ensure that it can completely cover the contact area of ​​the straightener heating plate or the curling iron heating rod. The flexible conductive layer 61 is made of a flexible conductive material with good conductivity, high resilience, and a certain compressibility, such as conductive silicone cotton or conductive sponge. The flexible conductive layer 61 is uniformly and smoothly attached to the predetermined surface of the insulating substrate 6 by conductive adhesive or hot pressing process. After attachment, it should be ensured that there are no bubbles or wrinkles between the flexible conductive layer 61 and the insulating substrate 6, and that there is good conductive continuity between the two (when the flexible conductive layer 61 needs to be connected to a high-voltage circuit).

[0025] In actual testing, when the first lifting module 31 drives the first conductive contact 32 downwards, the flexible conductive layer 61 on its lower surface first contacts the upper heating plate of the hair straightener or the upper edge of the curling iron's round bar. As the clamping force increases, the flexible conductive layer 61 is gradually compressed, and the conductive particles or conductive fibers inside it form more conductive pathways. At the same time, the elastic deformation of the flexible conductive layer 61 allows it to completely wrap around the microscopic uneven surface of the heating element, achieving full contact with zero gaps. Similarly, the flexible conductive layer 61 on the second conductive contact 43 (especially the double-sided flexible conductive layer 61) adheres to the product's heating element from below or side under the drive of the feeding mechanism 4, forming a flexible contact that is vertically or horizontally opposed.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the flexible conductive layer 61 is attached to both the upper and lower surfaces of the insulating substrate 6 of the second conductive contact 43.

[0027] Specifically, in order to solve the problem of needing to frequently replace test electrodes during high-voltage testing of hair straighteners and curling irons due to the difference in the shape of the heating element (the hair straightener has an openable double plate, while the curling iron has a single round rod), the insulating substrate 6 of the second conductive contact 43 has a flexible conductive layer 61 attached to both its upper and lower surfaces, forming a test connector that is conductive on both sides. In practical operation, when the feeding mechanism 4 drives the double-sided conductive second conductive contact 43 to extend horizontally into the test area: if the test object is a hair straightener, the upper and lower parts of the insulating substrate 6 correspond to the upper and lower heating plates of the hair straightener, respectively. Then, the pressing mechanism 3 applies pressure from above, causing the upper and lower heating plates of the hair straightener to simultaneously clamp the double-sided conductive contact. The upper flexible conductive layer 61 contacts the upper heating plate, and the lower flexible conductive layer 61 contacts the lower heating plate, forming a complete high-voltage test circuit. If the test object is a curling iron, the curling iron is in a closed state, and its heating rod is located above the double-sided conductive contact. At this time, the pressing mechanism 3 presses the curling iron rod onto the upper flexible conductive layer 61, while the lower flexible conductive layer 61 is suspended or in contact with the lower insulating support, with only the upper surface participating in conductivity. Therefore, this double-sided structure can seamlessly adapt to two products without replacing any parts.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the floating clamping assembly 53 includes a third lifting module 531 fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 51 and arranged vertically downward, and a floating gripper 532 fixedly installed on the moving end of the third lifting module 531.

[0029] Combined with reference Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the floating clamping assembly 53 includes a third lifting module 531 fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 51 and vertically downward, and a floating gripper 532 fixedly installed on the moving end of the third lifting module 531. The third lifting module 531 can be a double-rod guide cylinder, an electric push rod, or a lead screw slide module. Its main body is rigidly fixed to the left or right crossbeam of the mounting bracket 51 by screws or welded brackets, and its axis of motion is perpendicular to the horizontal plane to ensure the straightness and positioning accuracy of the lifting action. The third lifting module 531 has a built-in stroke limit and buffer device, and its stroke length is set according to the height difference between the product clamping position on the turntable 2 and the height required to lift and detach from the carrier. To accurately control the clamping height, a position sensor, such as a magnetic switch or photoelectric sensor, is connected to the drive end of the third lifting module 531 to provide feedback on the stop position of the moving end.

[0030] Furthermore, the floating gripper 532 is fixedly mounted on the moving end of the third lifting module 531, i.e., the bottom of its piston rod or slide. The floating gripper 532 is coaxially opposite to the active gripper in the active gripping assembly 54, and is used to grip the handle end or heating element end of the product. The gripping head of the floating gripper 532 has the ability to rotate freely. For this purpose, the floating gripper 532 preferably adopts a pneumatic parallel gripper, and a rolling bearing or sliding bearing is embedded between its gripper seat and the mounting plate, so that the entire gripper housing can rotate freely relative to the mounting plate about the product axis; or, the two fingers of the gripper can be designed as independently rotatable roller structures. Regardless of the specific form, after the floating gripper 532 clamps the product, the gripper body or gripping fingers can rotate with the product without generating additional torsional resistance. In addition, the gripping surface of the floating gripper 532 can be covered with rubber or other soft pads to increase friction and protect the product surface.

[0031] In actual testing, after the product reaches the tail test station 26 with the turntable 2, the third lifting module 531 first drives the floating gripper 532 to move vertically downwards to the height of the product body, and then the floating gripper 532 closes to clamp the product. At the same time, the active clamping component 54 also clamps the product from the other end. Afterwards, the third lifting module 531 reverses its movement, lifting the product upwards to completely detach it from the V-block carrier on the turntable 2. During the subsequent rotation of the product by the active clamping component 54, the floating gripper 532 passively rotates with the product, and its internal bearing structure eliminates rotational resistance, serving only as support and centering. This design allows the power cord to remain stationary during rotation testing, while the product body realistically simulates the user's hand-held rotation.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the active clamping assembly 54 includes a rotary drive motor 541, an air guide slip ring 542 that is driven by the rotary drive motor 541, and a pneumatic gripper 543 installed at the output end of the air guide slip ring 542.

[0033] Combined with reference Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the active clamping component 54 is used to clamp the tail end of the product and drive the product to rotate as a whole during the tail-turn test, so as to simulate the real working condition of a user holding the product and rotating it, thereby detecting the contact reliability of the power cord tail connector. Specifically, the active clamping component 54 includes a rotary drive motor 541, a pneumatic slip ring 542 that is drivenly connected to the output end of the rotary drive motor 541, and a pneumatic gripper 543 installed at the output end of the pneumatic slip ring 542.

[0034] The rotary drive motor 541 is preferably a servo motor, as it has precise speed and position control capabilities and can set different speeds, rotation angles, and rotation counts as needed. The servo motor rotates at low speed to simulate the operating frequency during normal use. The motor body is fixed to the right side of the lifting connecting plate in the tail test station 26 via a motor mounting plate, and its output shaft is rigidly connected to the input shaft of the air guide slip ring 542 via a coupling.

[0035] The air guide slip ring 542 is a reduction-type air guide slip ring, which integrates a planetary gear reduction mechanism. This mechanism converts the high-speed, low-torque output of the servo motor into a low-speed, high-torque output, ensuring smooth start-up, uniform rotation, and vibration-free operation when clamping products of varying weights and inertia. It also increases output torque to overcome the slight resistance of the internal wiring harness. Furthermore, the air guide slip ring 542 has the function of stably transmitting compressed air during rotation, providing a continuous air supply for the subsequent pneumatic gripper 543, ensuring that the gripper maintains clamping force during continuous rotation. The housing of the air guide slip ring 542 is also fixed to the lifting connecting plate, and its output end is an output shaft with a keyway or flange structure.

[0036] Furthermore, the pneumatic gripper 543 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the air guide slip ring 542, specifically through a transition connecting plate that rigidly connects the gripper housing to the output flange of the air guide slip ring 542. The pneumatic gripper 543 is either a parallel opening / closing type or a lever-type pneumatic gripper. The inner sides of its two gripper fingers are lined with soft pads such as rubber to increase friction and protect the product casing from scratches. The air supply to the pneumatic gripper 543 is controlled by a solenoid valve and is equipped with a pressure regulating valve to adapt to the clamping force requirements of different products, preventing product deformation due to excessive clamping force or slippage during rotation due to insufficient clamping force.

[0037] In actual testing, after the product reaches the tail test station 26 and completes the pre-compression and lifting actions, the control system issues a command, and the solenoid valve actuates to close the pneumatic gripper 543, clamping the tail end of the product (i.e., the heating element end). Subsequently, the servo motor starts according to preset parameters, driving the pneumatic gripper 543 and the entire product to rotate continuously at a constant speed for a specified number of revolutions via the air guide slip ring 542, for example, rotating clockwise several times and then counterclockwise several times. During the rotation, the current detection module connected in series in the product's power supply circuit collects the current signal in real time. If there is poor contact at the tail connector, the slight vibration caused by rotation or cable twisting will cause a momentary power outage or a large fluctuation in current, and the control system will determine that it is a defective product.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the active clamping assembly 54 further includes a fourth lifting module 544 fixedly disposed on the end face of the frame 1 and vertically upward, the moving end of the fourth lifting module 544 being connected to the rotary drive motor 541.

[0039] Combined with reference Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, in order to further improve the adaptability of the active clamping component 54 to products of different heights and to achieve independent lifting and positioning of the active clamping claw before clamping the product, the active clamping component 54 also includes a fourth lifting module 544 fixedly disposed on the end face of the frame 1 and vertically upward. The moving end of the fourth lifting module 544 is connected to the rotary drive motor 541, thereby driving the rotary drive part of the entire active clamping component 54 to move in the vertical direction.

[0040] Specifically, the fourth lifting module 544 can be a precision linear guide slide table paired with a servo electric cylinder, a ball screw module, or a double-guide rod lifting cylinder. Its base is rigidly fixed to the upper end face of the frame 1 by bolts, located on the right side of the tail test station 26. The movement direction of the fourth lifting module 544 is strictly perpendicular to the end face of the frame 1, i.e., vertically upward. "Vertically upward" here means that its driving direction is from bottom to top, with the moving end initially in a low position and extending upward during operation. The moving end of the fourth lifting module 544 is machined with a mounting surface and positioning pin holes for fixing and connecting the mounting plate of the rotary drive motor 541 and its air guide slip ring 542. To ensure stability and repeatability during lifting, the fourth lifting module 544 has a built-in high-precision linear guide pair and is equipped with a magnetic switch or photoelectric sensor to provide feedback on the position of the moving end. The stroke length of the fourth lifting module 544 is set according to the height position of the product tail end and the height change required to lift it off the turntable 2 carrier after clamping. Buffer pads are provided at both ends of the stroke to absorb impact.

[0041] The mounting plate of the rotary drive motor 541 (such as a servo motor) and its air guide slip ring 542 is directly fixed to the moving end of the fourth lifting module 544, and rises and falls together with the moving end. The pneumatic gripper 543 is installed at the output end of the air guide slip ring 542 via a connector. In this way, the entire active clamping power head, consisting of the rotary drive motor 541, the air guide slip ring 542, and the pneumatic gripper 543, can move up and down as a whole under the drive of the fourth lifting module 544. This independent lifting design works in conjunction with the third lifting module 531 in the floating clamping assembly 53: at the start of the test, the fourth lifting module 544 and the third lifting module 531 can move synchronously, moving the active gripper and the floating gripper 532 to the corresponding clamping heights at the tail end and body end of the product, respectively. After clamping, both are lifted upwards synchronously, allowing the product to be horizontally removed from the carrier. Since the fourth lifting module 544 is set vertically upwards, the stroke of its moving end from low displacement to high position precisely realizes the lifting action of the product, avoiding the risk of product tilting caused by lifting from only one side.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the pre-pressing assembly 52 includes a fifth lifting module fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 51 and arranged vertically downward, and a pressure block installed on the moving end of the fifth lifting module for pressing and closing the two heating plates of the straightener in the open state.

[0043] Combined with reference Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, to address the issue that the upper and lower heating plates of the hair straightener are in a naturally open state before the spin test and cannot be stably clamped simultaneously by the clamping claws at both ends, the pre-pressing assembly 52 includes a fifth lifting module and a pressure block. The fifth lifting module is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 51 and is vertically downward, with a pressure block installed at its moving end. This pre-pressing assembly 52 is specifically used to press and close the two heating plates of the hair straightener in the open state, thereby creating conditions for subsequent clamping, lifting, and rotation tests.

[0044] Specifically, the fifth lifting module preferably uses a dual-axis guide cylinder or a miniature cylinder with a guide rod to ensure the linearity of the lifting motion and resistance to lateral forces. The cylinder body is fixed to the central crossbeam of the mounting bracket 51 via an L-shaped connecting plate or a direct threaded connection, with the piston rod extending vertically downwards. The pressure block is made of insulating material, is elongated or T-shaped, with a flat lower end and a width slightly larger than the width of the straightener's heating plate to provide uniform pressing force. The pressure block is flexibly connected to the piston rod end of the fifth lifting module via a floating joint, allowing for slight horizontal oscillation to adapt to any non-parallelism that may exist between the upper and lower heating plates of the straightener. In addition, a rubber or silicone cushioning pad can be attached to the bottom surface of the pressure block to prevent damage to the product surface.

[0045] In the testing process, after the product is transported to the tail test station 26, the control system first determines whether the current product is a hair straightener based on the product type identification result. If it is a hair straightener, before the clamping claws on both sides descend, the control system sends a command to the fifth lifting module to drive its piston rod to extend downward, causing the pressure block to descend vertically. The pressure block first contacts the upper heating plate of the hair straightener and overcomes the tension of its internal spring plates, pushing the upper heating plate downward until it is completely in contact with the lower heating plate. At this time, the hair straightener is in a closed posture simulating a closed working state. Subsequently, the clamping claws of the floating clamping components 53 and the active clamping components 54 on both sides descend and clamp the handle end and the heating end end of the hair straightener, respectively. After the clamping claws complete the clamping action, the fifth lifting module drives the pressure block to return to its original position and exit the hair straightener area. If the current product is a curling iron, the control system skips this pre-compression step, the fifth lifting module remains in its initial retracted state, and the entire mechanism runs idle, without affecting the normal testing of the curling iron.

[0046] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application 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. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0047] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curling irons, characterized in that, The device includes a frame and a turntable rotatably mounted on the end face of the frame. The turntable has multiple placement stations evenly arranged on it. The turntable has a rotating conductive connection device for supplying power to the products at each placement station. The loading and unloading station, power testing station, high voltage testing station and tail testing station are arranged sequentially along the circumference of the turntable. The high-voltage testing station includes a clamping mechanism and a feeding mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a first lifting module disposed on the end face of the frame and a first conductive contact fixedly installed on the moving end of the first lifting module. The feeding mechanism includes a second lifting module, a first translation module connected to the moving end of the second lifting module, and a second conductive contact fixedly installed on the moving end of the first translation module. The tail rotation test station is equipped with a tail rotation testing mechanism, which includes a mounting bracket, a pre-pressing component mounted on the mounting bracket for pressing the open hair straightener closed, a floating clamping component mounted on the mounting bracket for clamping the main body end of the product and lifting it upwards, an active clamping component mounted on the frame for clamping the tail end of the product and driving the product to rotate, and a current detection module for monitoring changes in the current of the product's power supply circuit.

2. The automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curling irons according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact include an insulating substrate and a flexible conductive layer attached to the surface of the insulating substrate.

3. The automatic testing machine for straighteners and curling irons according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible conductive layer is attached to both the upper and lower surfaces of the insulating substrate of the second conductive contact.

4. The automatic testing machine for straighteners and curling irons according to claim 2, characterized in that, The floating clamping assembly includes a third lifting module that is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket and vertically downward, and a floating gripper that is fixedly installed on the moving end of the third lifting module.

5. The automatic testing machine for hair straighteners and curling irons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The active clamping assembly includes a rotary drive motor, an air guide slip ring that is driven by the rotary drive motor, and a pneumatic gripper installed at the output end of the air guide slip ring.

6. The automatic testing machine for straighteners and curling irons according to claim 5, characterized in that, The active clamping assembly also includes a fourth lifting module that is fixedly disposed on the end face of the frame and vertically upward, and the moving end of the fourth lifting module is connected to the rotary drive motor.

7. The automatic testing machine for straighteners and curling irons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-pressing assembly includes a fifth lifting module fixedly connected to the mounting bracket and arranged vertically downward, and a pressure block installed at the moving end of the fifth lifting module, used to press and close the two heating plates of the straightener in the open state.

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