A silo, pipe material feeding device and feeding method

Abstract

A hopper, a pipe feeding device, and a feeding method are disclosed, belonging to the field of laser cutting technology. The hopper includes several hopper components, each including a first frame. The first frame has a receiving cavity for placing pipes, and a material belt for lifting the pipes is provided inside the receiving cavity. A blocking mechanism and a kicking mechanism are provided on both sides of the first frame. Both the blocking and kicking mechanisms slide vertically along the side walls of the first frame. The blocking mechanism is used to block and limit the pipes lifted by the material belt. The kicking mechanism includes a laterally moving kicking unit. The kicking unit rises to a height higher than the maximum outer diameter of the pipe, and pushes the pipes towards the receiving cavity to break up the stacking. The vertically sliding blocking and kicking mechanisms allow the blocking mechanism to block and limit the lifting of the pipes, while the high-positioned kicking unit can laterally push together clustered pipes, breaking up the stacked state and ensuring a smooth and continuous pipe conveying process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser cutting technology, and in particular to a hopper, a pipe feeding device, and a feeding method. Background Technology

[0002] Laser tube cutting machines are characterized by high precision, fast cutting speed, no limitation on cutting patterns, smooth cuts, and low processing costs. They have gradually replaced traditional tube cutting equipment. In the automatic processing and feeding process, feeding and separating tubes of different types and specifications is an important part of the entire feeding system.

[0003] The hopper of existing laser tube cutting machines usually uses a material belt for feeding. Specifically, one end of the material belt is fixed and the other end is connected to the winding power structure. The winding action of the material belt lifts the tube and pushes it toward the laser tube cutting machine. In conjunction with the tube conveying structure, automatic feeding of the tube is achieved.

[0004] The existing hopper structure of laser tube cutting machines is prone to causing tubes to be squeezed and misaligned and stacked when the tubes are pushed by the material belt. This disrupts the orderly feeding rhythm of the tubes, reduces the continuity of tube cutting and production efficiency, and the tube conveying structure itself does not have the function of feeding single tubes. The stacking of tubes will also directly affect the feeding and positioning accuracy of the tubes at the tube conveying structure. It is necessary to equip the machine with vision inspection system, resulting in high overall operating costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, such as the hopper structure of the laser tube cutting machine where tubes are easily squeezed and misaligned, causing them to stack and clump together, disrupting the orderly feeding rhythm of the tubes, and directly affecting the positioning accuracy of subsequent tube feeding, this invention provides a hopper, a tube feeding device, and a feeding method.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: This invention provides a hopper, comprising a plurality of hopper assemblies spaced apart along the length of a laser tube cutting machine. Each hopper assembly includes a first frame with a receiving cavity for placing tubes. A material belt for lifting the tubes is provided within the receiving cavity. A blocking mechanism and a kicking mechanism are provided on both sides of the first frame. Both the blocking mechanism and the kicking mechanism slide vertically along the side wall of the first frame. The blocking mechanism is used to block and limit the tubes lifted by the material belt. The kicking mechanism includes a laterally moving kicking unit. The kicking unit rises to a height higher than the maximum outer diameter of the tube. The kicking unit pushes the tubes toward the receiving cavity to cancel the stacking. The entire pipe is lifted and transported by a conveyor belt. In conjunction with a vertically sliding baffle and kicking mechanism, the baffle mechanism blocks and limits the lifting of the pipe, preventing it from moving forward in a disorderly manner. The kicking unit, which is arranged at a high position, can push the clustered pipes laterally, breaking up the stack and straightening the arrangement of the pipes. This ensures that the pipes are transported outward in an orderly manner, making the feeding process orderly and ensuring a smooth and continuous pipe transport process. The overall structure can complete the pipe straightening and sorting without the need for additional visual recognition components, reducing the investment in external supporting equipment.

[0007] Preferably, one end of the material strip is fixedly connected to the first frame, and the other end of the material strip is connected to the drum on the first frame. The drums of all bin components are connected to the same first drive component through the first transmission shaft. The drums of multiple bins are driven by coaxial linkage, and the lifting action of the entire material strip is kept synchronous. The lifting speed of the pipes in each bin is consistent, and there will be no situation where the local feeding speed is different.

[0008] Preferably, the material blocking mechanism includes a vertically arranged first telescopic drive unit, with a material blocking unit connected to the top of the first telescopic drive unit and a fixed connection between the bottom of the first telescopic drive unit and the first frame. The material blocking unit has several rollers rotatably arranged on the side near the receiving cavity. The rollers are arranged at vertical intervals. The telescopic drive structure can freely control the lifting and lowering of the material blocking unit and switch the material blocking working state as needed. The arrangement of the rollers allows the pipe to fit together and form rolling contact when the material blocking mechanism descends and resets, reducing the frictional resistance generated during the descent of the material blocking mechanism and reducing the occurrence of scratches on the surface of the pipe.

[0009] Preferably, the kicking mechanism includes a connecting plate slidably connected to the first frame. A vertically arranged rack is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate, and the rack meshes with a second drive assembly on the first frame. A second telescopic drive unit is fixedly mounted on the top of the connecting plate. The second telescopic drive unit is arranged horizontally, and a kicking unit is fixedly mounted on the telescopic end of the second telescopic drive unit. The side of the blocking unit near the receiving cavity is the blocking edge, and the side of the kicking unit near the receiving cavity is the kicking edge. The blocking edge is located on the side of the kicking edge near the receiving cavity. The rack and pinion meshing transmission can drive the connecting plate to complete vertical lifting and lowering, realizing flexible adjustment of the height position of the kicking unit. The horizontal telescopic structure drives the kicking unit to complete the pushing action, first relying on the blocking edge to limit the pipe, and then using the kicking edge to push the loose material backward.

[0010] A pipe feeding device includes a hopper and several conveying arms. Each hopper assembly has a corresponding conveying arm on one side. One end of the conveying arm is close to the receiving cavity, and the other end of the conveying arm is close to a laser pipe cutting machine. The conveying arm includes a second frame and an arm body. A conveying chain and a drive chain are rotatably mounted on the second frame. Several support blocks are fixed on the conveying chain, and the conveying chain supports and moves the pipe through the support blocks. The arm body is movably mounted on one side of the second frame. The drive chain is located below the conveying chain. The bottom of the arm body is fixedly connected to the drive chain, and the upper surface of the arm body is lower than the support blocks. A top-feeding mechanism is provided on the side of the second frame away from the arm body. The top-feeding mechanism is located at the bottom of the second frame, and a clamping mechanism is provided at the bottom of the arm body. The conveyor chain, together with the support blocks, forms a stable pipe support and conveying structure, which can smoothly move the pipe forward. The arm is set independently and its height is lower than that of the support blocks, so the pipe will not interfere with the arm during the transfer process. The unloading end integrates the top material mechanism and the clamping mechanism, which can complete the lifting, shifting, clamping and positioning of the pipe, and complete the sorting and positioning of a single pipe. From a structural point of view, it meets the requirements for orderly feeding of a single pipe and improves the pipe docking and feeding status.

[0011] Preferably, the top material mechanism includes a vertically arranged third telescopic drive unit, and a top material plate is fixedly provided at the top of the third telescopic drive unit. The top material plate has a Z-shaped structure and is used to push the pipe on the conveyor chain into the clamping mechanism. The vertical telescopic structure drives the top material plate to complete the lifting action. The Z-shaped plate structure can stably support the pipe, change the placement height of the pipe, and smoothly push the pipe to the clamping position.

[0012] Preferably, a positioning plate and a material arrival detection switch are fixedly provided on the upper surface of the unloading end of the arm. The positioning plate is located on the side of the clamping mechanism near the bin assembly, and the material arrival detection switch is close to the positioning plate. The top plate includes an inclined section, and the highest end of the inclined section is closer to the bin assembly than the positioning plate. The positioning plate can limit the end face of the forward-moving pipe and limit the pipe's parking position. The material arrival detection switch senses the pipe's arrival status in real time and transmits a trigger signal for subsequent top-loading and clamping actions.

[0013] Preferably, the clamping mechanism includes a fourth telescopic drive unit that is horizontally fixed on one side of the arm. The telescopic end of the fourth telescopic drive unit is fixedly provided with a first clamping plate, which is located outside the positioning plate. A second clamping plate is rotatably provided at the unloading end of the arm. The second clamping plate is positioned opposite to the positioning plate and is connected to a tilting cylinder, so that the second clamping plate is in a vertical or horizontal state. The two clamping plates form an encircling clamping structure. The horizontal drive completes the clamping and fixing. After the pipe is clamped, the placement posture is stable. The tilting cylinder controls the second clamping plate to switch between vertical clamping and horizontal avoidance states. After feeding is completed, the material can be quickly released, and the action switching is flexible.

[0014] Preferably, at least one conveying arm is provided with several material detection mechanisms along its length. The material detection mechanism includes a bracket fixedly mounted on the side wall of the second frame. The bracket is rotatably connected to an L-shaped pressure plate. One end of the pressure plate is fixedly connected to a counterweight shaft. A sensing plate is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the pressure plate. A sensor switch is fixedly mounted on the bracket. When the pressure plate is pressed and flipped by the pipe, the sensing plate triggers the sensor switch. The pressure plate is pressed down by the weight of the pipe itself to complete the state triggering. The counterweight shaft is used to realize the automatic reset of the no-material state. The structure does not require additional power drive and can realize automatic start and stop of material feeding.

[0015] A feeding method, comprising: When there is a pipe on the conveyor arm, the conveyor chain brings the pipe to the front end and positions it by the positioning plate. After the material detection switch detects that there is material, the top plate lifts the pipe and rolls it forward. The top plate descends and places the pipe between the positioning plate and the second clamping plate. The first clamping plate moves forward to clamp the pipe. The arm moves the clamped pipe toward the laser pipe cutting machine. The receiving device inside the bed receives the material. The first clamping plate resets, the second clamping plate flips to a horizontal position to release the pipe, the arm retracts, and the loading is completed. When there are no pipes on the conveyor arm, the hopper is loaded with material. The blocking mechanism and the kicking mechanism rise, and the conveyor belt lifts the pipes onto the conveyor chain. The blocking mechanism blocks and positions the pipes, and the kicking unit moves laterally to push the stacked pipes backward. After the material detection mechanism detects the presence of material, the conveyor belt puts the pipes back, and the blocking mechanism and the kicking mechanism descend to reset, repeating the above loading action.

[0016] When the material is full, the front-end pipe feeding operation is completed first. When the material is insufficient, the material bin is automatically started to sort and replenish the material. The pipe sorting and single-piece feeding are completed through mechanical sorting and mechanical sorting clamping. The overall feeding process is smooth and continuous, reducing the problem of pipe conveying jams, improving the overall continuous operation capability of the laser pipe cutting machine, and reducing the production standby time.

[0017] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the advantages of the present invention are: 1. The entire pipe is lifted and conveyed by a conveyor belt. It is equipped with a vertically sliding baffle and kick mechanism. The baffle mechanism blocks and limits the lifting of the pipe, preventing it from moving forward in a disorderly manner. The kick unit arranged at a high position can push the clustered pipes laterally, breaking up the stacked state and straightening the arrangement of the pipes. This ensures that the pipes are transported outward in an orderly manner, making the feeding process orderly and ensuring a smooth and continuous pipe conveying process. The overall structure can complete the pipe straightening and sorting without the need for additional visual recognition components, reducing the investment in external supporting equipment.

[0018] 2. The unloading end of the arm integrates a top material mechanism and a clamping mechanism, which can complete the lifting, shifting, clamping and positioning of the pipe, and complete the sorting and positioning of a single pipe. From a structural perspective, it meets the requirements for orderly feeding of a single pipe and improves the pipe docking feeding status. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying 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.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a silo according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the container assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the container assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a front view structural diagram of a hopper assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the pipe feeding device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a side view of the pipe feeding device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the conveying arm according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the conveying arm according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the material detection mechanism according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; The components represented by the various reference numerals in the diagram are: 1. Bin assembly; 101. First frame; 1011. Receiving cavity; 102. Material belt; 103. Material blocking mechanism; 1031. First telescopic drive unit; 1032. Material blocking unit; 1033. Roller; 1034. First sensor; 104. Kicking mechanism; 1041. Kicking unit; 1042. Connecting plate; 1043. Second telescopic drive unit; 1044. Second sensor; 1045. Rack; 105. Drum; 2. First drive assembly; 201. First motor; 202. First reducer; 203. Sprocket; 204. Driving synchronous pulley; 205. Synchronous belt; 206. Driven synchronous pulley; 207. Lead screw; 208. Slide rail; 209. Slider; 210. Third sensor; 3. First transmission shaft; 4. Second transmission shaft; 5. Second drive assembly; 501. Second motor; 502. Second reducer; 503. Gear; 6. Conveyor arm; 601. Second frame; 602. Arm body; 6021. Positioning plate; 603. Top material mechanism; 6031. Third telescopic drive unit; 6032. Top material plate; 60321. Vertical section; 60322. Inclined section; 6033. Fourth sensor; 604. Clamping mechanism; 6041. Fourth telescopic drive unit; 6042. First clamping plate; 6043. Second clamping plate; 6044. Tilting cylinder; 6045. Fifth sensor; 605. Third drive assembly; 606. Fourth drive assembly; 607. Conveyor chain; 608. Drive chain; 609. Support block; 6010. Material arrival detection switch; 7. Third drive shaft; 8. Fourth drive shaft; 9. Material detection mechanism; 901. Support; 902. Pressure plate; 903. Counterweight shaft; 904. Induction plate; 905. Induction switch; 10. Material stop plate. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this patent, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this patent.

[0022] Example 1 In a typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1-4As shown, a hopper is proposed, which is located on one side of a laser tube cutting machine for storing and feeding tubes. The hopper includes: a hopper body assembly 1, a first drive assembly 2, and a first transmission shaft 3. Several hopper body assemblies 1 are provided, and these assemblies 1 are spaced apart along the length of the laser tube cutting machine. Each hopper body assembly 1 includes a first frame 101, a material belt 102, a material blocking mechanism 103, a material kicking mechanism 104, and a drum 105. The first frame 101 has a receiving cavity 1011 for placing tubes. The receiving cavity 1011 contains the material belt 102. One end of the material belt 102 is fixedly connected to the first frame 101, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drum 105. The drum 105 is rotatably mounted on the first frame 101. The drive assembly 2 is connected to all the drums 105 via the first drive shaft 3, thereby driving all the material strips 102 to be wound or released synchronously via the first drive assembly 2; the blocking mechanism 103 and the kicking mechanism 104 are distributed on both sides of the first frame 101, and both the blocking mechanism 103 and the kicking mechanism 104 are vertically slidable along the side wall of the first frame 101. The blocking mechanism 103 is used to block and limit the tube lifted by the material strip 102. The kicking mechanism 104 includes a kicking unit 1041 that can move laterally. In the working state, the height of the kicking unit 1041 when it rises to the position is 10mm higher than the maximum outer diameter of the tube. The kicking unit 1041 is used to push the tube backward (i.e. towards the receiving cavity 1011) to cancel the stacking of the tubes.

[0023] Specifically, the receiving cavity 1011 has an open top structure and includes a vertical section, a horizontal section, and an inclined section. The vertical section and the inclined section are distributed on opposite sides of the horizontal section. The inclined section is close to the material blocking mechanism 103 and the material kicking mechanism 104. One end of the material belt 102 is fixedly connected to the upper part of the vertical section. The upper part of the vertical section is higher than the inclined section, so that the pipe can be moved along the inclined section to the material blocking mechanism 103 by the lifting of the material belt 102. The material blocking mechanism 103 is located at the horizontal position of the first frame 101.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown, the material blocking mechanism 103 includes a first telescopic drive unit 1031, a material blocking unit 1032, a roller 1033, and a first sensor 1034. The first telescopic drive unit 1031 is a cylinder structure, vertically arranged, with its top end connected to the material blocking unit 1032 and its bottom end fixedly connected to the first frame 101, driving the material blocking unit 1032 to move vertically reciprocally. The material blocking unit 1032 is slidably connected to the first frame 101 via a guide rail slider assembly, which guides and limits the vertical movement of the material blocking unit 1032 to prevent skewing. The side of the material blocking unit 1032 closest to the receiving cavity 1011 is a material blocking edge, which is vertically arranged. The material blocking unit 1032 is provided with several rollers 1033 rotatably on the side near the receiving cavity 1011. The rollers 1033 are arranged vertically at intervals and are placed horizontally. Specifically, the axis of the rollers 1033 is parallel to the axis of the pipe to reduce the friction between the material blocking unit 1032 and the pipe when the material blocking unit 1032 moves downward to reset, and to prevent the material blocking unit 1032 from scratching the surface of the pipe when resetting. Two first sensors 1034 are provided, and both first sensors 1034 are set on the first telescopic drive unit 1031 for online detection of the extension length of the first telescopic drive unit 1031 to monitor the position of the material blocking unit 1032. In this embodiment, the extension length of the first telescopic drive unit 1031 is 240-250mm.

[0025] It is understandable that the top of the first telescopic drive unit 1031 and the stop unit 1032 can be fixedly connected or hinged. The specific connection can be determined according to the actual design requirements, and no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0026] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the kicking mechanism 104 includes a kicking unit 1041, a connecting plate 1042, a second telescopic drive unit 1043, a second sensor 1044, and a rack 1045. The kicking unit 1041 is mounted on top of the connecting plate 1042. The connecting plate 1042 is slidably connected to the first frame 101 via a vertically arranged guide rail slider assembly to guide the movement of the connecting plate 1042. The rack 1045 is fixedly mounted on the connecting plate 1042 and is vertically arranged. The rack 1045 meshes with the second drive assembly 5, thereby controlling the vertical reciprocating movement of the kicking unit 1041 under the drive of the second drive assembly 5. The second telescopic drive unit 1043 is horizontally fixedly mounted on the connecting plate 1042. At the top, the kicking unit 1041 is fixedly installed at the telescopic end of the second telescopic drive unit 1043. The second telescopic drive unit 1043 is a cylinder structure, and the telescopic end of the second telescopic drive unit 1043 faces the receiving cavity 1011 to control the kicking unit 1041 to move laterally back and forth. The kicking unit 1041 pushes the stacked upper tubes backward to cancel the stacking of the tubes. Two second sensors 1044 are provided and are installed on the second telescopic drive unit 1043 to detect the position of the kicking unit 1041. The first frame 101 is also provided with hard limit and soft limit to limit the vertical movement of the connecting plate 1042 to restrict the kicking unit 1041 from moving to the correct position.

[0027] The kicking unit 1041 has a right-angled triangular cross-section, and the side of the kicking unit 1041 closest to the receiving cavity 1011 is the kicking edge, which is vertically set. The blocking edge of the blocking unit 1032 is located on the side of the kicking edge of the kicking unit 1041 closest to the receiving cavity 1011. That is, the blocking edge is closer to the receiving cavity 1011 than the kicking edge, so that the blocking edge contacts the pipe first to achieve pipe positioning. Subsequently, the vertical and horizontal movement of the kicking unit 1041 is used to kick the pipe. The height of the kicking unit 1041 when it rises to the position is 10mm higher than the maximum outer diameter of the pipe, so that the multi-layer pipe can be pushed backward. The kicking unit 1041 pushes the pipe backward (i.e. towards the receiving cavity 1011) to cancel the stacking of the pipe.

[0028] The first drive assembly 2 includes a first motor 201, a first reducer 202, a sprocket 203, a driving synchronous pulley 204, a synchronous belt 205, a driven synchronous pulley 206, a lead screw 207, a slide rail 208, a slider 209, and a third sensor 210. The sprocket 203 and the driving synchronous pulley 204 are both fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft of the drum 105. The first motor 201 engages with the sprocket 203 via the first reducer 202 and a chain, thereby driving the drum 105. All the rotating shafts of the drums 105 are connected via a first transmission shaft 3, so that all the drums 105 can rotate synchronously driven by one first motor 201. The slide rail 208 is fixedly mounted on the first frame 101. The slider 209 is slidably connected to the slide rail 208. The lead screw 207 is horizontally fixed above the slide rail 208, and the slider 209 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 207. The lead screw 207 is parallel to the slide rail 208. The driven synchronous pulley 206 is fixedly mounted on the lead screw 207. The driven synchronous pulley 206 is connected to the driving synchronous pulley 204 through the synchronous belt 205, so that the slider 209 moves while the drum 105 rotates. Two third sensors 210 are provided and fixedly mounted on one side of the slide rail 208 to detect the position of the slider 209 and thus determine the state of the material belt 102.

[0029] The second drive assembly 5 includes a second motor 501, a second reducer 502, and a gear 503. The second motor 501 and the second reducer 502 are fixedly mounted on a first frame 101. The output end of the second motor 501 is connected to the input end of the second reducer 502. The output end of the second reducer 502 is connected to the gear 503 through a second transmission shaft 4. The second reducer 502 meshes with the rack 1045 of the kicking mechanism 104 through the gear 503, thereby driving the vertical movement of the kicking unit 1041. One side of each rack 1045 is correspondingly meshed with a gear 503, and all gears 503 are connected to each other through the second transmission shaft 4, so that a set of second drive assemblies 5 can drive all gears 503 to rotate, thereby controlling all kicking mechanisms 104 to move vertically synchronously.

[0030] Example 2 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 5-6 As shown, a pipe feeding device is proposed, including: a hopper and several conveying arms 6. The number of conveying arms 6 is the same as the number of hopper components 1 and corresponds one-to-one. Each hopper component 1 has a corresponding conveying arm 6 on one side. One end of the conveying arm 6 is close to the inclined section of the receiving cavity 1011, and the other end of the conveying arm 6 is close to the laser pipe cutting machine. The upper surface of the conveying arm 6 is slightly higher than the inclined section of the receiving cavity 1011 so that the material belt 102 can lift the pipe onto the conveying arm 6 for conveying. All the conveying arms 6 are connected by a third drive shaft 7 to achieve synchronous operation of all the conveying arms 6 and ensure that the movement of a single pipe will not be skewed.

[0031] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the conveying arm 6 includes a second frame 601, an arm body 602, a top-feeding mechanism 603, a clamping mechanism 604, a third drive assembly 605, a fourth drive assembly 606, a conveying chain 607, and a drive chain 608. The second frame 601 is fixedly mounted on the ground, and the conveying chain 607 is rotatably mounted on the second frame 601. The conveying chain 607 is connected to the third drive assembly 605. Several support blocks 609 are fixedly mounted on the conveying chain 607. The support blocks 609 have a V-shaped structure. The conveying chain 607 supports the pipe material through the support blocks 609 and drives the pipe material to move. One end of the conveying chain 607 meshes with a tension sprocket, and the other end meshes with a drive sprocket. All drive sprockets on the conveying arm 6 are connected by a third transmission shaft 7. The arm 602 is movably mounted on one side of the second frame 601, and is positioned along the conveying direction of the pipe. The drive chain 608 is rotatably mounted on the second frame 601 and located below the conveying chain 607. The bottom of the arm 602 is fixedly connected to the drive chain 608 via a connecting plate. One end of the drive chain 608 meshes with the tension sprocket, and the other end is connected to the drive sprocket. All drive sprockets are connected via a fourth transmission shaft 8. One of the drive sprockets is also connected to the fourth drive assembly 606, thereby achieving synchronous drive of all drive chains 608, which in turn drives all arms 602 to move laterally back and forth. The upper surface of the arm 602 is lower than the support block 609.

[0032] The top-feeding mechanism 603 is installed on the side of the second frame 601 away from the arm 602, and the top-feeding mechanism 603 is located at the end of the second frame 601 away from the bin assembly 1 (i.e., the unloading end of the second frame 601). The top-feeding mechanism 603 moves vertically to lift the tube. The clamping mechanism 604 is installed at the end of the arm 602 close to the laser tube cutter (i.e., the unloading end of the arm 602). The clamping mechanism 604 is used to clamp and limit the tube to restrict the position of the tube on the arm 602. Then, the arm 602 can drive the tube to move to the loading position of the laser tube cutter to ensure the loading and positioning accuracy of the tube.

[0033] The top material mechanism 603 includes a third telescopic drive unit 6031, a top material plate 6032, and a fourth sensor 6033. The third telescopic drive unit 6031 is a cylinder structure and is vertically fixed on the second frame 601. The top material plate 6032 is fixedly installed at the top of the third telescopic drive unit 6031 and can move vertically under the drive of the third telescopic drive unit 6031 to push the pipe on the conveyor chain 607 into the clamping mechanism 604. Two fourth sensors 6033 are provided and fixedly installed on the third telescopic drive unit 6031 to detect the position of the top material plate 6032.

[0034] The top plate 6032 has a Z-shaped structure. Specifically, the top plate 6032 includes a vertical section 60321 and an inclined section 60322. Each end of the inclined section 60322 has a vertical section 60321. The inclined section 60322 is inclined downward toward the clamping mechanism 604, that is, the end of the inclined section 60322 closest to the clamping mechanism 604 is the lowest, so as to facilitate the guidance of the pipe.

[0035] For positioning the pipe, a positioning plate 6021 is fixedly provided on the upper surface of the unloading end of the boom 602. The positioning plate 6021 is vertically arranged and located on the side of the clamping mechanism 604 near the bin assembly 1. The positioning plate 6021 is used for priority positioning of the pipe on the conveyor chain 607. A material arrival detection switch 6010 is also fixedly installed on the boom 602. The material arrival detection switch 6010 is close to the positioning plate 6021. The positioning plate 6021 positions the pipe, and the material arrival detection switch 6010 is used to detect whether there is material, thereby facilitating the control of the top material mechanism 603, the clamping mechanism 604, and the boom 602.

[0036] In this embodiment, the highest end of the inclined section 60322 on the top plate 6032 is closer to the hopper assembly 1 than the positioning plate 6021. In this embodiment, the highest end of the inclined section 60322 exceeds the side of the positioning plate 6021 by half the diameter of the pipe, so as to facilitate the lifting and guiding of the positioned pipe.

[0037] The clamping mechanism 604 includes a fourth telescopic drive unit 6041, a first clamping plate 6042, a second clamping plate 6043, a tilting cylinder 6044, and a fifth sensor 6045. The fourth telescopic drive unit 6041 is horizontally fixed on one side of the arm body 602 and extends and retracts towards the laser tube cutting machine. The first clamping plate 6042 is fixedly installed at the telescopic end of the fourth telescopic drive unit 6041 and is located outside the positioning plate 6021. When the arm body 602 is in the retracted position, the first clamping plate 6042 and the positioning plate 6021 are in the same vertical plane. The second clamping plate 6043 is rotatably installed at the end face of the unloading end of the arm body 602. Opposite to the positioning plate 6021, the top plate 6032 can push the pipe between the positioning plate 6021 and the second clamping plate 6043. Then, the pipe is clamped and limited by the cooperation of the first clamping plate 6042 and the second clamping plate 6043. The pipe is then moved to the laser pipe cutting machine by the arm body 602. The second clamping plate 6043 is connected to the tilting cylinder 6044, which is fixedly mounted on the arm body 602. It can drive the second clamping plate 6043 to rotate around the axis, so that the second clamping plate 6043 is in a vertical or horizontal state, which facilitates the clamping and release of the pipe. Two fifth sensors 6045 are provided and fixedly mounted at the unloading end of the arm body 602 to detect the state of the second clamping plate 6043.

[0038] In this embodiment, at least one conveying arm 6 is provided with several material detection mechanisms 9 along its length, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the material detection mechanism 9 includes a bracket 901, a pressure plate 902, a counterweight shaft 903, a sensing plate 904, and a sensor switch 905. The bracket 901 is fixedly mounted on the side wall of the second frame 601. The pressure plate 902 is L-shaped and rotatably connected to the bracket 901. The end of the vertical section of the pressure plate 902 away from the horizontal section is fixedly connected to the counterweight shaft 903. In the free state, the counterweight shaft 903 drives the vertical section to a horizontal state. At this time, the horizontal section is higher than the conveyor chain 607. When there is a pipe, the pipe presses down on the horizontal section, causing the pressure plate 902 to flip over against gravity. The sensing plate 904 is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the pressure plate 902, and the sensor switch 905 is fixedly mounted on the bracket 901. When the pressure plate 902 flips, the sensing plate 904 triggers the sensor switch 905 to determine whether there is material on the conveyor chain 607.

[0039] It should be noted that when the pressure plate 902 is pressed by the pipe, the final position of the counterweight shaft 903 moving upward is lower than that of the pipe.

[0040] A baffle plate 10 is also provided on one side of the hopper to position one end of all the pipes. The conveying arm 6 with the material detection mechanism 9 is close to the baffle plate 10.

[0041] Example 3 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, a feeding method is proposed, which employs the above-mentioned pipe feeding device, and the method includes: The material detection mechanism 9 detects whether there is material on the conveyor arm 6. When there is a pipe, the conveyor chain 607 rotates to bring the pipe to the front end (i.e., the unloading end of the conveyor arm 6). Then, the positioning plate 6021 is used for blocking and positioning. After the material detection switch detects that there is material, the top plate 6032 lifts the pipe and rolls it forward. The top plate 6032 descends and places the pipe between the positioning plate 6021 and the second clamping plate 6043. The first clamping plate 6042 moves towards the second clamping plate 6043 to clamp the pipe. Then, the arm body 602 drives the clamped pipe to move towards the laser pipe cutting machine and inserts the clamped pipe into the equipment. The receiving device inside the bed receives the material. The first clamping plate 6042 resets, and the second clamping plate 6043 flips to a horizontal state to release the pipe. The arm body 602 retracts, and the loading is completed.

[0042] When there are no pipes on the conveyor arm 6, the hopper is loaded with material. The blocking mechanism 103 and the kicking mechanism 104 are raised. Then, the conveyor belt 102 lifts the pipes onto the conveyor chain 607 on the conveyor arm 6. The blocking unit 1032 blocks and positions the pipes. The kicking unit 1041 moves laterally to push the stacked pipes backward, canceling the stacking of pipes. After a single layer of pipes is on the conveyor arm 6, the material detection mechanism 9 detects the presence of material. The conveyor belt 102 puts the pipes back, the blocking mechanism 103 and the kicking mechanism 104 descend, and the conveyor chain 607 on the conveyor arm 6 rotates to bring the pipes to the front end of the conveyor arm 6. Then, the positioning plate 6021 blocks and positions the pipes.

[0043] Specifically, the pipe is hoisted into the silo and placed horizontally in the receiving cavity 1011 of several silo components 1, so that the pipe is placed on the material belt 102. The pipe size requirement is closed-type pipes such as round pipes, square pipes and rectangular pipes with a diameter of less than φ200mm. After the pipe is hoisted into the silo, the head of the pipe needs to be aligned with the baffle plate 10 on one side. After the pipe is placed, the machine is started and the material is fed. The conveyor arm 6 will move back and forth according to the size of the selected pipe. Its power is driven by the third drive component 605 to drive the conveyor chain 607. The distance traveled is determined by the size of the selected pipe. It is mainly based on the position of the positioning plate 6021 on the conveyor arm 6 and the side distance of the top material mechanism 603 exceeding half the diameter of the pipe. The movement of the arm 602 is achieved by the fourth drive component 606 driving the drive chain 608 to rotate.

[0044] After the system is powered on and the required specifications and models of the material are set, the system will detect whether there is material on the conveyor chain 607 through the material detection mechanism 9. If the material detection mechanism 9 detects that there is material on the conveyor chain 607, the conveyor chain 607 will rotate forward toward the feeding side of the laser tube cutting machine. The chain drives the tube to the feeding side in the forward direction. Otherwise, it will rotate in the reverse direction. The conveyor chain 607 is generally not allowed to rotate in the reverse direction. The forward rotation of the conveyor chain 607 drives the tube on the chain to move forward. When the tube moves forward to above the material arrival detection switch 6010, the material arrival detection switch 6010 senses the tube.

[0045] When two sets of material arrival detection switches 6010 detect the presence of pipes, the material arrival detection switches 6010 send signals to the PLC host, and then perform logic judgment to prove that the pipes have arrived. Then the PLC host controls the conveyor chain 607 to stop running.

[0046] After the pipe is in place, the PLC host sends a signal to control the solenoid valve to extend the third telescopic drive unit 6031. The third telescopic drive unit 6031 is equipped with a fourth sensor 6033 to detect the position of the third telescopic drive unit 6031.

[0047] After the fourth sensor 6033 detects that the third telescopic drive unit 6031 has risen to the correct position, the PLC host performs the judgment logic, and the PLC controls the fourth drive component 606 to rotate, driving the arm 602 to move in the negative direction until the pipe can fall completely and correctly between the positioning plate 6021 and the second clamping plate 6043.

[0048] When the arm 602 moves to the correct dropping position, the fourth drive assembly 606 stops rotating, the conveying arm stops moving, and the PLC host controls the solenoid valve to retract and lower the third telescopic drive unit 6031. During the descent, because the height of the arm 602 is higher than the height of the third telescopic drive unit 6031, the pipe will fall between the positioning plate 6021 and the second clamping plate 6043. Then the third telescopic drive unit 6031 continues to descend to the fully retracted state.

[0049] After the third telescopic drive unit 6031 descends to its position, the pipe is now completely positioned between the positioning plate 6021 and the second clamping plate 6043. The fourth telescopic drive unit 6041 extends and pushes the pipe onto the second clamping plate 6043 through the first clamping plate 6042. After clamping is completed, the arm 602 moves forward.

[0050] The arm 602 moves forward a distance sufficient for the pipe on it to reach the horizontal center of the laser pipe cutter's chuck. Once the arm 602 reaches the designated position, it stops. The PLC host and the laser pipe cutter exchange data, informing the laser pipe cutter that the arm 602 has delivered the pipe to the correct loading position. The structure on the laser pipe cutter host then catches the pipe, and the pipe is transferred. After the laser pipe cutter has correctly transferred the pipe, it exchanges data with the PLC host to inform the PLC host that the laser pipe cutter has correctly transferred the pipe.

[0051] After the pipe handover is completed, the PLC host controls the fourth telescopic drive unit 6041 to retract, and then rotates the second clamping plate 6043 to a horizontal position to release the material. After the second clamping plate 6043 rotates to a horizontal position, the PLC host controls the arm 602 to move backward to reset, and the hopper is loaded with material.

[0052] When the rear hopper starts feeding, the baffle mechanism 103 rises. After the baffle mechanism 103 on the hopper is in place, the PLC host controls the kicking mechanism 104 on the hopper to rise. The rising height of the kicking mechanism 104 is determined by the pipe size set at startup. The rising height of the kicking mechanism 104 is 10mm higher than the maximum outer diameter of the pipe. After the kicking mechanism 104 is in place, the first drive component 2 rotates in the forward direction, tightening the belt 102. The belt 102 then drives the pipe to move upward. At the same time, the third sensor 210 detects the positive and negative limits of the belt 102, that is, the belt 102 is released to its longest length and wound to its shortest length.

[0053] When the material belt 102 on the hopper is wound, it rotates in the forward direction. When the material belt 102 is released, it rotates in the reverse direction. The material belt 102 is tightened and drives the pipe to move upward. After the material belt 102 drives the pipe onto the conveyor arm 6, the material detection mechanism 9 on the conveyor arm 6 detects whether the material is being loaded correctly. When both material detection mechanisms 9 detect the material, the material belt is loosened and the pipe automatically falls. The material belt 102 stops after falling to the correct position, and the second telescopic drive unit 1043 extends to kick the material.

[0054] After the material kicking is completed, the second telescopic drive unit 1043 retracts, and then the material kicking mechanism 104 descends and resets as a whole. After the material kicking mechanism 104 descends to the correct position, the material blocking mechanism 103 descends and resets. After the material blocking mechanism 103 resets, the conveyor chain 607 starts to rotate in the forward direction, repeating all the process actions of the previous situation where there is material on the conveyor chain 607.

[0055] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A hopper, comprising: A plurality of chamber components (1) are spaced apart along the length of a laser tube cutting machine, characterized in that the chamber component (1) includes a first frame (101), the first frame (101) is provided with a receiving cavity (1011) for placing tubes, and a material belt (102) for lifting tubes is provided in the receiving cavity (1011). The first frame (101) is provided with a material blocking mechanism (103) and a material kicking mechanism (104) on both sides. Both the material blocking mechanism (103) and the material kicking mechanism (104) slide vertically along the side wall of the first frame (101). The material blocking mechanism (103) is used to block and limit the pipe lifted by the material strip (102). The material kicking mechanism (104) includes a laterally moving material kicking unit (1041). The height of the material kicking unit (1041) when it rises to the highest position is higher than the maximum outer diameter of the pipe. The material kicking unit (1041) pushes the pipe toward the receiving cavity (1011) to cancel the stacking.

2. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the material belt (102) is fixedly connected to the first frame (101), and the other end of the material belt (102) is connected to the drum (105) on the first frame (101). The drums (105) of all the bin components (1) are connected to the same first drive component (2) through the first drive shaft (3).

3. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material blocking mechanism (103) includes a vertically arranged first telescopic drive unit (1031), the top of the first telescopic drive unit (1031) is connected to a material blocking unit (1032), the bottom of the first telescopic drive unit (1031) is fixedly connected to the first frame (101), and the material blocking unit (1032) is provided with a number of rollers (1033) on the side near the receiving cavity (1011), and the rollers (1033) are arranged vertically at intervals.

4. The silo according to claim 3, characterized in that, The kicking mechanism (104) includes a connecting plate (1042) that is slidably connected to the first frame (101). A vertically arranged rack (1045) is fixed on the connecting plate (1042). The rack (1045) meshes with the second drive assembly (5) on the first frame (101). A second telescopic drive unit (1043) is fixed on the top of the connecting plate (1042). The second telescopic drive unit (1043) is arranged horizontally. The telescopic end of the second telescopic drive unit (1043) is fixed with a kicking unit (1041). The side of the blocking unit (1032) near the receiving cavity (1011) is the blocking side. The side of the kicking unit (1041) near the receiving cavity (1011) is the kicking side. The blocking side is located on the side of the kicking side near the receiving cavity (1011).

5. A pipe feeding device, characterized in that, include: The hopper and several conveying arms (6) as described in any one of claims 1-4, each hopper assembly (1) has a corresponding conveying arm (6) on one side, one end of the conveying arm (6) is close to the receiving cavity (1011), and the other end of the conveying arm (6) is close to the laser tube cutting machine. The conveying arm (6) includes a second frame (601) and an arm body (602). A conveying chain (607) and a drive chain (608) are rotatably mounted on the second frame (601). Several support blocks (609) are fixedly mounted on the conveying chain (607). The conveying chain (607) passes through the support blocks (609). 609) Supporting the moving pipe; the arm (602) is movably set on one side of the second frame (601), the drive chain (608) is located below the conveyor chain (607), the bottom of the arm (602) is fixedly connected to the drive chain (608), and the upper surface of the arm (602) is lower than the support block (609). The second frame (601) is provided with a top material mechanism (603) on the side away from the arm (602). The top material mechanism (603) is located at the bottom of the second frame (601), and a clamping mechanism (604) is provided at the bottom of the arm (602).

6. The pipe feeding device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The top material mechanism (603) includes a vertically arranged third telescopic drive unit (6031), and a top material plate (6032) is fixedly provided at the top of the third telescopic drive unit (6031). The top material plate (6032) has a Z-shaped structure and is used to push the pipe on the conveyor chain (607) into the clamping mechanism (604).

7. The pipe feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, A positioning plate (6021) and a material arrival detection switch (6010) are fixedly provided on the upper surface of the unloading end of the arm body (602). The positioning plate (6021) is located on the side of the clamping mechanism (604) close to the bin assembly (1). The material arrival detection switch (6010) is close to the positioning plate (6021). The top plate (6032) includes an inclined section (60322). The highest end of the inclined section (60322) is closer to the bin assembly (1) than the positioning plate (6021).

8. The pipe feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism (604) includes a fourth telescopic drive unit (6041) that is horizontally fixed on one side of the arm (602). The telescopic end of the fourth telescopic drive unit (6041) is fixedly provided with a first clamping plate (6042). The first clamping plate (6042) is located outside the positioning plate (6021). The unloading end of the arm (602) is rotatably provided with a second clamping plate (6043). The second clamping plate (6043) is opposite to the positioning plate (6021). The second clamping plate (6043) is connected to the tilting cylinder (6044) so ​​that the second clamping plate (6043) is in a vertical or horizontal state.

9. The pipe feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one conveying arm (6) is provided with several material detection mechanisms (9) along its length. The material detection mechanism (9) includes a bracket (901) fixedly installed on the side wall of the second frame (601). The bracket (901) is rotatably connected to an L-shaped pressure plate (902). One end of the pressure plate (902) is fixedly connected to a counterweight shaft (903). A sensing plate (904) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the pressure plate (902). A sensor switch (905) is fixedly installed on the bracket (901). When the pressure plate (902) is pressed and flipped by the pipe, the sensing plate (904) triggers the sensor switch (905).

10. A feeding method, employing the pipe feeding device as described in any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, include: When there is a pipe on the conveying arm (6), the conveying chain (607) brings the pipe to the front end and positions it by the positioning plate (6021). After the material detection switch (6010) detects that there is material, the top plate (6032) lifts the pipe and rolls it forward. The top plate (6032) descends and places the pipe between the positioning plate (6021) and the second clamping plate (6043). The first clamping plate (6042) moves forward to clamp the pipe. The arm (602) drives the clamped pipe to move toward the laser pipe cutting machine. The receiving device inside the bed receives the material. The first clamping plate (6042) resets, and the second clamping plate (6043) flips to a horizontal state to release the pipe. The arm (602) retracts, and the loading is completed. When there are no pipes on the conveyor arm (6), the hopper is loaded with material. The blocking mechanism (103) and the kicking mechanism (104) are raised, and the conveyor belt (102) lifts the pipes onto the conveyor chain (607). The blocking mechanism (103) blocks and positions the pipes. The kicking unit (1041) moves laterally to push the stacked pipes backward. After the material detection mechanism (9) detects that there is material, the conveyor belt (102) puts the pipes back. The blocking mechanism (103) and the kicking mechanism (104) descend and reset, repeating the above loading action.

Images