Wheel maintenance production line

Abstract

This application discloses a wheel repair production line, which includes: a disassembly zone for disassembling wheel assemblies, wherein the disassembled parts include at least a tire, an inner half-hub, and an outer half-hub; a cleaning zone adjacent to the disassembly zone for cleaning at least some of the parts; an inspection zone adjacent to the cleaning zone for inspecting at least some of the parts; and an assembly zone adjacent to the inspection zone for assembling the inspected parts and / or new parts to form a new wheel assembly; the disassembly zone, cleaning zone, inspection zone, and assembly zone are connected by conveyor belts. This production line can reduce labor intensity, improve work efficiency, and prevent damage from slipping parts and injuries to personnel during wheel repair.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wheel repair technology, and in particular to a wheel repair production line. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of aircraft component maintenance, disassembly, cleaning, inspection, repair, assembly, and testing / release are the six common process steps. As the only part of the aircraft in contact with the ground, the wheels bear the entire weight of the aircraft, making them the most frequently handled and typical component in maintenance. Throughout the maintenance process, these heavy objects, weighing over 60 kilograms, need to be constantly moved, resulting in high labor intensity for workers, low work efficiency, and frequent occurrences of parts slipping and being damaged, as well as injuries to personnel during handling.

[0003] Therefore, how to reduce labor intensity, improve work efficiency, and avoid damage to parts and injuries to personnel during wheel maintenance is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a production line suitable for aircraft wheel maintenance, which can reduce labor intensity, improve work efficiency, and avoid damage to parts from slippage and injuries to personnel during wheel maintenance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A wheel repair production line, comprising:

[0007] The disassembly area is used to disassemble the wheel assembly. The disassembled parts include at least the tire, inner half of the wheel hub, and outer half of the wheel hub.

[0008] A cleaning zone, adjacent to the disassembly zone, is used to clean at least some of the components;

[0009] An inspection area, adjacent to the cleaning area, is used to inspect at least some of the components;

[0010] An assembly area, adjacent to the inspection area, is used to assemble the inspected components and / or new parts to form a new wheel assembly;

[0011] The decomposition area, the cleaning area, the inspection area, and the assembly area are connected by conveyor belts.

[0012] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the conveyor belt is provided with a first tray that can move along the conveying direction of the conveyor belt for placing the parts.

[0013] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the disassembly area is provided with:

[0014] An automatic tire-stripping machine is used to separate the tire and rim in the wheel assembly;

[0015] And / or a second pallet that can move on the ground for placing the components.

[0016] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the cleaning area is provided with:

[0017] A cleaning tank capable of immersing and cleaning at least some of the components;

[0018] The first assisting arm is capable of lifting at least a portion of the components, and the reach of the first assisting arm covers the washing tank and the conveyor belt.

[0019] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the first assistive arm includes:

[0020] The horizontal guide rail is fixedly connected to the bracket or the top of the factory at a preset height position;

[0021] The slide is adapted to the horizontal guide rail and can move horizontally along the extension direction of the horizontal guide rail;

[0022] The first robotic arm has one end connected to the slide and can rotate horizontally about a vertical axis; the other end is provided with a first hook clamp capable of lifting at least some of the components.

[0023] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the inspection area includes:

[0024] The inspection and sorting area allows staff or intelligent devices to visually inspect and sort the components.

[0025] And / or, a magnetic particle inspection area, for providing a device capable of performing magnetic particle inspection on at least a portion of the components;

[0026] And / or, an eddy current detection zone, for providing a device capable of performing eddy current detection on at least a portion of the components;

[0027] And / or, a fluorescence penetrant detection area, for providing means for performing fluorescence penetrant detection on at least a portion of the components.

[0028] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the disassembly zone, the cleaning zone, the magnetic particle inspection zone, the fluorescent penetrant testing zone, the assembly zone, and the eddy current testing zone are arranged around the inspection diversion zone.

[0029] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the eddy current detection area is equipped with:

[0030] Multiple eddy current testing stations arranged sequentially along the circumference;

[0031] The second assisting arm is capable of performing any action or combination of actions such as clamping, lifting, flipping, and horizontal movement on either the inner half-hub or the outer half-hub. The arm span of the second assisting arm covers the multiple eddy current detection stations and the conveyor belt.

[0032] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the cleaning area, the magnetic particle inspection area, and the fluorescent penetrant testing area are located in separate work rooms.

[0033] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the conveyor belt includes:

[0034] The first conveyor belt has the decomposition zone and the cleaning zone adjacent to it and located on the same side of it; the eddy current detection zone and the inspection diversion zone are both adjacent to the first conveyor belt and located on the other side of it, opposite to the decomposition zone.

[0035] The second conveyor belt is connected to the first conveyor belt; the magnetic particle inspection area and the cleaning area are located on both sides of the first conveyor belt and connected by the second conveyor belt.

[0036] The inspection diversion area, the magnetic particle inspection area, the fluorescent penetrant detection area, and the assembly area are connected by the third conveyor belt.

[0037] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt are unpowered conveyor belts.

[0038] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the third conveyor belt is connected to the first power unit and can continuously transport the components.

[0039] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the inspection diversion area is provided with a diversion conveyor belt, which is a non-powered conveyor belt and is connected to the first conveyor belt and the third conveyor belt.

[0040] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the assembly area and the first conveyor belt are connected by a fourth conveyor belt, which is a non-powered conveyor belt and passes through the eddy current detection area.

[0041] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, a fifth conveyor belt is provided between the inspection diversion area and the third conveyor belt, and the fifth conveyor belt is connected to the second power unit for transmission; the second power unit can be manually controlled to start and stop, or it can be automatically started or automatically accelerated when the parts are placed on the fifth conveyor belt.

[0042] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, a lifting platform is provided between the fluorescence penetrant detection device in the fluorescence penetrant detection area and the third conveyor belt.

[0043] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the third conveyor belt is a ring conveyor mechanism that can circulate and transport materials.

[0044] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the annular inner area of ​​the third conveyor belt is provided with multiple testing devices and / or multiple storage racks.

[0045] Optionally, in the above-mentioned wheel repair production line, the assembly area is provided with a third assisting arm for lifting any one of the tire, the inner half-hub, and the outer half-hub. The reach of the third assisting arm covers the assembly area and the conveyor belt.

[0046] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the third assist arm includes:

[0047] The first connecting seat is used for fixed connection with the bracket or the top of the factory building at a preset height position;

[0048] The first robotic arm has one end connected to the first connecting seat and can rotate horizontally around a vertical axis; the other end is provided with a first hook clamp capable of lifting either the inner half-hub or the outer half-hub.

[0049] Optionally, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the first robotic arm includes at least two beam units connected in sequence, wherein:

[0050] At least one of the beam units is horizontally rotatable relative to the other beam units connected to it;

[0051] And / or, at least one of the beam units is horizontally movable relative to the other beam units connected to it.

[0052] Optionally, the aforementioned wheel repair production line may also include:

[0053] The sandblasting and paint stripping area is located near the conveyor belt and in a separate work area;

[0054] And / or, a test release area, adjacent to the assembly area, for testing and storing the reassembled wheel assemblies.

[0055] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the wheel repair production line provided in this application not only sets up multiple work areas that can meet different functions according to the wheel repair process, but also transfers parts between each work area by conveyor belt, solving the problem of lifting and storing parts during the transfer process. This not only reduces the labor intensity of workers and improves work efficiency, but also avoids the occurrence of parts slipping and being damaged, and personnel being injured while lifting. Attached Figure Description

[0056] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application 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 this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic plan view of the layout structure of a wheel repair production line provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0058] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first assistive arm provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0059] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a third assistive arm provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0060] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second assistive arm provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0061] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping and flipping parts of a second assistive arm provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0062] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of multiple working states of a second assistive arm provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0063] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a special hook provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0064] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic tire removal machine provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0065] This application provides a production line suitable for aircraft wheel repair, which can reduce labor intensity, improve work efficiency, and prevent parts from slipping and being damaged, as well as personnel from being injured while handling the wheels.

[0066] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0067] Please see Figure 1 The wheel repair production line provided in this application mainly includes a disassembly area 100, a cleaning area 200, an inspection area 300, and an assembly area 500. The disassembly area 100 is used to disassemble the wheel assembly, and the disassembled parts include at least tires, inner half-hub, outer half-hub, bearings, brake components, heat shields, bolts and other fasteners, as well as other wheel accessories. The cleaning area 200 is adjacent to the disassembly area 100 and is used to clean at least some of the parts. The inspection area 300 is adjacent to the cleaning area 200. Adjacent to each other, the inspection area 300 is used to inspect at least some parts; the assembly area 500 is adjacent to the inspection area 300 and is used to assemble the inspected parts and / or new parts to form a new wheel assembly; the disassembly area 100, cleaning area 200, inspection area 300 and assembly area 500 are connected to each other by conveyor belts so that the disassembled parts can be conveyed by the conveyor belts to any position in the cleaning area 200, inspection area 300 and assembly area 500 for inspection, maintenance and reassembly.

[0068] As can be seen, the wheel repair production line provided in this application embodiment not only sets up multiple work areas that can meet different functions according to the wheel repair process, but also sets up conveyor belts between each work area according to the flow direction of parts. The conveyor belt can solve the problem of lifting and storing parts during the flow process. It can not only reduce the labor intensity of workers and improve work efficiency, but also avoid the occurrence of parts slipping and being damaged, and personnel being injured while lifting.

[0069] In some embodiments, a first tray movable along the conveyor direction of the aforementioned wheel repair production line is provided on the conveyor belt. This first tray is used to place parts disassembled from the wheel assembly. For example, in some embodiments, at least 20 first trays made of plastic are configured. The diameter of each first tray can be any value within the range of 60 cm to 80 cm, for example, 70 cm. The thickness of each first tray can be any value within the range of 0.6 cm to 2 cm, for example, 1 cm. Moreover, the color of each first tray can be set to yellow. However, this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the first trays can be set to other shapes, sizes, or colors, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0070] In practice, the specific inspection items and workstation divisions within inspection area 300 can be designed according to actual needs. For example, please refer to... Figure 1 In some embodiments, the inspection area 300 includes any one or more combinations of areas with different inspection items, such as an inspection diversion area 31, a magnetic particle inspection area 34, an eddy current detection area 32, and a fluorescent penetrant detection area 33. Specifically: the inspection diversion area 31 allows workers or intelligent devices to visually inspect and divert parts; the magnetic particle inspection area 34 is equipped with a device capable of performing magnetic particle inspection on at least some parts; the eddy current detection area 32 is equipped with a device capable of performing eddy current detection on at least some parts; and the fluorescent penetrant detection area 33 is equipped with a device capable of performing fluorescent penetrant detection on at least some parts. Furthermore, to reduce the feeding distance, the disassembly area 100, cleaning area 200, magnetic particle inspection area 34, fluorescent penetrant detection area 33, assembly area 500, and eddy current detection area 32 are arranged around the inspection diversion area 31.

[0071] In practice, the type and distribution of the conveyor belt can be designed according to actual needs. For example, please refer to... Figure 1 In some embodiments, the conveyor belts include a first conveyor belt 10, a second conveyor belt 20, a third conveyor belt 30, and a fourth conveyor belt 40. Wherein:

[0072] The first conveyor belt 10 is mainly used to connect the decomposition zone 100 and the cleaning zone 200. The decomposition zone 100 and the cleaning zone 200 are both adjacent to the first conveyor belt 10 and located on the same side of the first conveyor belt 10. The eddy current detection zone 32 and the inspection diversion zone 31 are both adjacent to the first conveyor belt 10 and located on the other side of the first conveyor belt 10, opposite to the decomposition zone 100.

[0073] The second conveyor belt 20 is mainly used to connect the magnetic particle inspection area 34 and the cleaning area 200, and is connected to the first conveyor belt 10; the magnetic particle inspection area 34 and the cleaning area 200 are located on both sides of the first conveyor belt 10 and are connected through the second conveyor belt 20.

[0074] The third conveyor belt 30 is located in the inspection area 300 and is used to connect multiple areas in the inspection area 300 that have different inspection items (e.g., inspection diversion area 31, magnetic particle inspection area 34, fluorescent penetrant detection area 33, and other inspection item areas). The assembly area 500 is also located near the third conveyor belt 30 so that the inspection area 300 and the assembly area 500 are connected by the third conveyor belt 30, which facilitates the movement of inspected parts to the assembly group 500 via the third conveyor belt 30 to wait for assembly.

[0075] The fourth conveyor belt 40 passes through the eddy current detection zone 32, with one end connected to the first conveyor belt 10 of the disassembly zone 100 and the other end located in the assembly zone 500. Thus, the disassembly zone 100, the eddy current detection zone 32, and the assembly zone 500 are connected by the fourth conveyor belt 40. Not only can the parts that have undergone eddy current inspection be transferred to the assembly zone 500 via the fourth conveyor belt 40, but the parts that do not need to be inspected and are disassembled from the wheel assembly can also be directly sent to the assembly zone 500 via the fourth conveyor belt 40.

[0076] In some embodiments, the first conveyor belt 10, the second conveyor belt 20, and the fourth conveyor belt 40 are all unpowered conveyor belts, specifically unpowered roller conveyor belts. Workers can place parts onto the first tray on the conveyor belt and manually pull the first tray to move them to the inspection diversion area 31 or assembly area 500 within the cleaning area 200 or inspection area 300.

[0077] In some embodiments, the inspection diversion area 31 is equipped with a diversion conveyor belt 50, which is connected to the first conveyor belt 10 and the third conveyor belt 30. The diversion conveyor belt 50 can be a non-powered conveyor belt; moreover, the diversion conveyor belt 50 and the third conveyor belt 30 are connected by a fifth conveyor belt 60, which is a powered conveyor belt connected to a second power unit. This second power unit can be manually controlled by the operator according to the delivery requirements, or it can automatically control its start / stop or conveying speed based on whether components are placed on the fifth conveyor belt 60. For example, it can automatically start when components are placed on the fifth conveyor belt 60 and automatically stop after the components are moved to the downstream inspection area; or it can automatically increase the conveying speed when components are placed on the fifth conveyor belt 60 and automatically decelerate and standby after the components are moved to the downstream inspection area.

[0078] In some embodiments, the third conveyor belt 30 includes an annular conveying mechanism that is connected to the first power unit and can circulate and transport parts. Specifically, the first power unit can be a motor, and the third conveyor belt 30 can be a roller conveyor belt driven by the motor. Parts to be inspected, inspected parts, and scrapped parts can all be placed on the third conveyor belt 30 and marked with different labels to facilitate identification by personnel or intelligent devices in the corresponding areas for appropriate inspection / assembly / cleaning operations. Thus, this application uses an automatically circulating third conveyor belt 30 to connect the assembly area 500, the fluorescence penetrant detection area 33, and multiple other inspection areas. The annular inner area of ​​the third conveyor belt 30 can be equipped with multiple testing devices 302 and / or multiple storage racks 301; a lifting platform 70 (e.g., a liftable bullseye ball bearing plate) is provided between the fluorescence penetrant detection device in the fluorescence penetrant detection area 33 and the third conveyor belt 30 to divert parts requiring penetrant testing to the penetrant inspection line in the fluorescence penetrant detection area 33. After inspection, the parts return from the end of the penetrant inspection line to the third conveyor belt 30 for retrieval.

[0079] In practical implementation, the aforementioned conveyor belts are suitable for transporting and inspecting wheel hubs of aircraft models such as the 737, 757-200, 767-300, and 747-400. A reasonable layout combined with the functional areas of the workshop can help improve workshop production efficiency. The conveyor belts can utilize a combination of powered and unpowered roller conveyors. The effective platform height can be set at 70 cm (i.e., roller surface height), the effective working width of the rollers at 80 cm, the roller spacing at no more than 10 cm, the intermediate layer height at no less than 50 cm, and the load capacity at no less than 100 kg / m. The roller conveyor platform is approximately 43 meters long, and the automatic conveyor platform is approximately 52 meters long. Bullseye ball bearings are used at corners, and necessary connecting belts are provided at each upper and lower component opening. Furthermore, the conveyor belt frame can be made of stainless steel or carbon steel with anti-corrosion paint; the rollers can be made of galvanized, nickel-plated, or chrome-plated materials; surface treatment requirements include rust removal, primer application, and topcoat application, in accordance with general mechanical manufacturing standards. The speed of the power conveyor belt can be adjusted from 5 to 15 meters per minute, and it is equipped with multi-station start / stop buttons and working status indicator lights.

[0080] In specific implementation, the safety measures for the conveyor belt in the wheel repair production line provided in this application embodiment include: a) protruding protective structures are provided on both sides of the working plane of the conveyor belt to ensure that parts will not slip off the sides of the conveyor belt during the conveying process; b) each conveying port must be equipped with an anti-fall device; c) the power transmission is equipped with a yellow indicator light or a start alarm.

[0081] In practice, the cleaning agents, penetrants, and magnetic suspensions used in the cleaning area 200, fluorescent penetrant testing area 33, and magnetic particle testing area 34 are highly volatile chemicals with strong odors and pose hazards such as noise and strong magnetic fields. Therefore, this application plans these areas into separate rooms equipped with ventilation and forced exhaust systems to prevent environmental pollution from chemical odors. Although the cleaning area 200, magnetic particle testing area 34, and fluorescent penetrant testing area 33 are located in separate workrooms, they are connected by manual or automatic conveyor belts to facilitate the entry and exit of parts, thus effectively addressing the issues of environmental pollution and efficiency.

[0082] In some embodiments, at workstations where parts must be moved, a lifting arm matched to the work scenario is used to assist workers in moving, hoisting, and flipping parts. For example, please refer to... Figure 1 In some embodiments, the cleaning area 200 is equipped with a first assist arm 202, the eddy current detection area 32 in the inspection area 300 is equipped with a second assist arm 321, and the assembly area 500 is equipped with a third assist arm 502. Thus, in the aforementioned wheel repair production line, the combination of conveyor belts and assist arms can effectively solve the problems of lifting heavy objects and transferring parts, enabling single-person operation throughout the entire process. This better addresses the challenges of high labor intensity for workers and the need for multiple people to collaborate. In specific implementation, the load-bearing capacity, coverage area, operating mode, clamping force and size, and hook type of each assist arm are all related to the weight, size, and lifting points of a specific wheel hub model. Furthermore, the arm span needs to be long enough to cover the workstation and conveyor belt as much as possible, ensuring convenient transfer of parts between the workstation, conveyor belt, and pallet, avoiding manual lifting.

[0083] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the cleaning area 200 is provided with a cleaning tank 201 and a first assisting arm 202. The cleaning tank 201 is used for immersion cleaning of components such as the inner and outer wheel hubs. The first assisting arm 202 can be a pneumatically driven assisting arm using a universal hook for lifting components such as the inner and outer wheel hubs. For example, it can lift any of the inner and outer wheel hubs and other wheel accessories into or out of the cleaning tank 201. Therefore, the reach of the first assisting arm 202 covers both the cleaning tank 201 and the conveyor belt. In specific implementations, the wheel hubs that have undergone solvent immersion or ultrasonic cleaning in the cleaning tank 201 are finally lifted out to the supplementary cleaning area for final cleaning. Then, the first assisting arm 202 lifts the wheel hubs and accessories onto the conveyor belt for transfer to the inspection area 300.

[0084] Please see Figure 2In some embodiments, the first assisting arm 202 is a ceiling-mounted track-type hook clamp, mainly including a horizontal guide rail 224, a slide 225, and a first robotic arm 222. Specifically: the horizontal guide rail 224 is fixedly connected to a bracket or the top of a factory building at a preset height; the slide 225 is adapted to the horizontal guide rail 224 and can move horizontally along the extension direction of the horizontal guide rail 224; one end of the first robotic arm 222 is connected to the slide 225 and can rotate horizontally around a vertical axis, while the other end is provided with a first hook clamp 223 capable of lifting at least some components.

[0085] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the eddy current detection area 32 is provided with multiple eddy current detection platforms 322 arranged sequentially along the circumference. Each of the three eddy current detection platforms 322 is a manually operated rotating platform for eddy current detection, with a load-bearing capacity of not less than 100 kg and anti-collision protection, allowing the eddy current meter to be placed freely. Furthermore, to address the need for frequent lifting and flipping during eddy current inspection, the eddy current detection area 32 is also equipped with a dedicated second assist arm 321. This second assist arm 321 can perform any or a combination of actions, including clamping, lifting, flipping, and horizontal movement, on either the inner or outer half of the wheel hub. The reach of the second assist arm 321 covers multiple eddy current detection platforms 322 and the conveyor belt. For example, the three eddy current detection platforms 322, the first conveyor belt 10, and the diversion conveyor belt 50 of the inspection diversion area 31 are arranged around the second assist arm 321.

[0086] In some embodiments, the assembly area 500 is equipped with a third assist arm 502, which can be used to lift any of the tires, inner half-hubs, and outer half-hubs. The reach of the third assist arm 502 covers the assembly area 500 and the conveyor belt. Specifically, the assembly area is divided into a small parts assembly area and a final assembly area. The small parts assembly area is mainly completed on a manual conveyor belt or pallet, while the final assembly is completed on the assembly machine 501. To solve the problem of lifting wheel hubs, the assembly machine 501 is combined with the third assist arm 502. Within a radius of 3 meters, wheel hubs can be easily lifted from the conveyor belt or pallet and the connecting bolts can be accurately aligned. Regardless of the size of the wheel hub, a single person can complete the assembly work. Moreover, the third assist arm 502 located in the assembly area 500 uses a special hook (see details). Figure 7 It can meet the requirements for horizontal hoisting of all main wheel hubs and accurately align the bolt holes.

[0087] Please see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the third assist arm 502 is Figure 3The ceiling-mounted hook clamp shown mainly includes a first connecting seat 221 and a first robotic arm 222, wherein: the first connecting seat 221 is used to be fixedly connected to a bracket or the top of a factory building at a preset height position; one end of the first robotic arm 222 is connected to the first connecting seat 221 and can rotate horizontally around a vertical axis, and the other end is provided with a first hook clamp 223 capable of lifting either the inner half-hub or the outer half-hub.

[0088] The first robotic arm 222 in both the first assist arm 202 and the third assist arm 502 includes at least two crossbeam units 2220 connected in sequence. At least one crossbeam unit 2220 is horizontally rotatable relative to the other crossbeam units 2220 connected to it, and its rotation angle can be any value within a range of 330°. (See [link to details] for further information.) Figure 2 and Figure 3 ; and / or, at least one beam unit 2220 is horizontally movable relative to other beam units 2220 connected thereto, i.e., the first robotic arm 222 is a telescopic rod structure.

[0089] In some embodiments, the second assist arm 321 in the eddy current detection region 32 can specifically be... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The rigid-arm gripper and flipping fixture shown can directly lift the wheel hub for flipping or moving, ensuring it doesn't fall. Specifically, the second assist arm 321 mainly includes a clamping part 101 for clamping the wheel hub, a flipping part 102 for controlling the wheel hub's flipping, a second mechanical arm 103 for controlling the wheel hub's lifting or horizontal movement, and a second connecting seat 104. The second connecting seat 104, the second mechanical arm 103, the flipping part 102, and the clamping part 101 are connected sequentially. Figure 6 As shown, the second robotic arm 103 can control the clamping part 101 to move up and down and horizontally with the wheel hub, and the flipping part 102 can control the clamping part 101 to flip up and down with the wheel hub, without the need for manual lifting.

[0090] In practice, the first assisting arm 202, the second assisting arm 321, and the third assisting arm 502 can be pneumatically controlled and equipped with preload adjustment and misoperation protection to avoid safety risks such as parts falling and electric shock. The load-bearing capacity, coverage area, operating mode, clamping force and size, and hook type of each assisting arm are all related to the weight, size, and lifting points of a specific model of wheel hub. Furthermore, the reach of each assisting arm needs to be large enough to cover the workstation and conveyor belt in its area as much as possible, ensuring easy transfer of parts between the testing equipment workstation, conveyor belt, and pallet, avoiding manual handling. The hooks used on the assisting arms vary depending on the work type in each area: general-purpose hooks are used in the cleaning area, while specialized hooks are used in the assembly area to ensure horizontal lifting of all main wheel hubs and accurate alignment of bolt holes. In the inspection area, clamps are used to directly lift the wheel hubs for flipping or moving, ensuring they do not fall.

[0091] In practical implementation, the aforementioned auxiliary arms are suitable for clamping, flipping, inspecting, and transporting wheel hubs of aircraft models such as the 737, 757-200, 767-300, and 747-400. They are designed to meet the requirements for 180° flipping inspection and position transfer during wheel hub cleaning, inspection, and assembly, with the standard that one person can complete 747 wheel maintenance work. Their control systems can be pneumatically or electrically driven, capable of self-balancing under no-load conditions, and equipped with clamping fixtures with a diameter of 45-55 cm. The main structure of each auxiliary arm is made of brand-new high-quality steel or stainless steel, with an arm span of no less than 3 meters, a minimum load of 100 kg, and a lifting height stroke of no less than 2 meters. The air / power supply specifications include: input air pressure no greater than 1.0 MPa / 220V / 50Hz, and an independent switch. The surface treatment of each auxiliary arm requires rust removal, primer spraying, and topcoat application according to general mechanical manufacturing standards.

[0092] In specific implementation, the safety measures for each auxiliary arm in the wheel repair production line provided in this application embodiment include: a) it must have power failure or gas failure protection and lifting speed limit; b) it must have protection against accidental release in mid-air; c) the equipment must have constant clamping force under different loads; d) the clamps must have appropriate protective devices to avoid damaging parts; e) the equipment must have working status indicator lights and be equipped with an emergency stop switch.

[0093] Furthermore, the wheel repair production line provided in this application embodiment also includes a sandblasting and paint removal area 400 and a test release area 600. The sandblasting and paint removal area 400 is located near the conveyor belt and in a separate workspace; the test release area 600 is adjacent to the assembly area 500 and is used to test and store the reassembled wheel assemblies. Specifically, wheel assemblies assembled in the assembly area 500 are rolled to the test area 601 of the test release area 600, where a pressure test is performed using an air inflator 601. The air inflator 601 automatically inflates the wheel according to a preset pressure value for each wheel model and provides a notification. The inflated wheel assemblies are placed in the observation area of ​​the test release area 600. Those that pass the pressure retest can be placed in the storage area 602 to await release for return to the customer.

[0094] In some embodiments, the disassembly area 100 of the aforementioned wheel repair production line is equipped with disassembly tools and / or an automatic tire remover capable of folding over tires, as well as a second pallet movable on the ground. The automatic tire remover separates the tires and rims from the wheel assembly, and the second pallet holds the disassembled parts, facilitating transfer of the first pallet containing the parts to a conveyor belt or other area via a hydraulic forklift or other means. In some embodiments, the bottom of the second pallet is equipped with rollers, allowing for easy manual pushing and pulling to move heavier parts such as tires or rims from the ground pallet to the target location.

[0095] In some embodiments, the automatic tire stripper is specifically designed for the latest radial tires and can separate tires of different sizes. All actuators are electro-hydraulic driven, and the entire process is operated via a handheld control box and touchscreen, ensuring no damage to the bearing outer race and other parts of the tire. The main structure of the automatic tire stripper is constructed from welded rectangular tubing. Moving parts are propelled by hydraulic cylinders, moving along guide rails. The equipment is equipped with a hydraulic system consisting of a hydraulic pump station and associated solenoid valves. Overall dimensions are approximately 2800mm × 1930mm × 2400mm (L × W × H).

[0096] For example, see Figure 8The automatic tire removal machine mainly includes: a basic frame 1, primarily constructed from welded or fastened rectangular tubing and channel steel; a straight load-bearing rail 2, mainly composed of channel steel, used for the movement of the left and right rotating discs during tire removal; a left and right rotating disc reduction motor assembly 3, mainly composed of a motor and reduction mechanism, providing rotational power for the left and right rotating discs; a suspended light rail 4, primarily used for communication between the button control box and the control electrical box in manual mode, which can move left and right to facilitate real-time close observation of the tire removal status by the operator; and left and right rotating discs 5, primarily used to drive the tires to rotate while simultaneously... The tires are disassembled by compression; landing gear 7 mainly serves as the moving guide rail and support structure for the hub centering and clamping mechanism; hub centering and clamping device 8 is mainly used for centering and clamping the hubs; a total of 10 sets of centering cones for the disassembly of the aircraft's nose wheel and main wheels are used, and the tooling material is high-density polyethylene; landing gear hydraulic cylinder 61 is mainly used to push the landing gear to lift and lower; hub centering and clamping device hydraulic cylinder 62 is mainly used to push the hub centering and clamping device to clamp the hubs left and right; left and right rotating disk device hydraulic cylinder 63 is mainly used to push the left and right rotating disk device to move inward to disassemble the tires. In addition, the automatic tire-stripping machine also includes: a hydraulic pump station (not shown in the figure), mainly composed of a piston pump, oil pump motor, solenoid valve block, solenoid valve, oil tank, and level switch, which mainly provides hydraulic power for the entire system; an electrical control device (not shown in the figure), mainly composed of a touch screen, PLC, handheld control box, electrical box, and other electrical accessories, which mainly performs command input, internal electrical logic control, and data acquisition and processing for the entire equipment, and outputs control signals; a displacement sensor (not shown in the figure), mainly used to provide real-time feedback on the operating position of the equipment; a pressure sensor (not shown in the figure), mainly used to provide real-time feedback on the pressure of the pump station system to prevent excessive pressure or leakage; and surface treatment of the equipment, including surface rust removal according to mechanical manufacturing, spraying primer and topcoat, with a dark blue paint color, and yellow or red topcoat for actuators and other components.

[0097] The entire electrical system of this automatic tire-removing machine adopts a PLC + touch screen control method. The system has two operating modes: fully automatic and manual, which operators can choose according to actual production conditions. In automatic mode, after setting the tire model via the touch screen and pressing the start button, the system automatically performs tire disassembly; the operator only needs to monitor the process. In manual mode, the operator can perform tire disassembly via a handheld control box. The operator gives control commands via push-button switches, the handheld control box, or the touch screen. The PLC processes the commands through internal logic operations, controlling the solenoid valves and AC contactors to drive the oil pump motor and rotary motor. Simultaneously, the analog signal acquisition module collects signal data from displacement and pressure sensors. Through internal data and logic operations, the PLC indicates and corrects the equipment's operating status. The operator can observe real-time data such as system pressure, equipment position status, fault information, and equipment operating status on the touch screen.

[0098] Furthermore, this automatic tire remover is equipped with pressure protection (overpressure and pressure leakage), sensor disconnection protection, limit protection, oil tank level protection, phase sequence protection, short circuit protection, overload protection, and related soft protections (such as allowing tire clamping and release only at the lowest position). The system is configured with running indicator lights, fault alarms, maintenance prompts, and emergency stop functions, allowing immediate shutdown of the equipment in case of an emergency. Moreover, this automatic tire remover uses a variable displacement piston pump to provide pressure energy, and the working pressure is set according to system requirements; the factory setting is 10.5 MPa. Pressure line filters and return oil line filters are designed to ensure system oil cleanliness. The control valve block adopts a stacked integrated design; the hydraulic oil tank is made of stainless steel, which is high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and suitable for operation in various environments.

[0099] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed.

[0100] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0101] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. 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 this application. Therefore, this application 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 wheel repair production line, characterized in that, include: The disassembly zone (100) is used to disassemble the wheel assembly. The disassembled parts include at least the tire, inner half-hub, and outer half-hub. A cleaning zone (200), adjacent to the disassembly zone (100), is used for cleaning at least a portion of the components; An inspection area (300), adjacent to the cleaning area (200), is used to inspect at least some of the components; An assembly area (500), adjacent to the inspection area (300), is used to assemble the inspected components and / or new parts to form a new wheel assembly; The decomposition zone (100), the cleaning zone (200), the inspection zone (300), and the assembly zone (500) are connected by a conveyor belt.

2. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor belt is provided with a first tray that can move along the conveying direction of the conveyor belt for placing the components.

3. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The decomposition zone (100) is provided with: An automatic tire-stripping machine is used to separate the tire and rim in the wheel assembly; And / or a second pallet that can move on the ground for placing the components.

4. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning zone (200) is provided with: The cleaning tank (201) is capable of immersing and cleaning at least some of the components; A first assist arm (202) is capable of lifting at least a portion of the components, the reach of which covers the cleaning tank (201) and the conveyor belt.

5. The wheel repair production line according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first assist arm (202) includes: A horizontal guide rail (224) is fixedly connected to a bracket or the top of the factory at a preset height position; The slide (225) is adapted to the horizontal guide rail (224) and can move horizontally along the extension direction of the horizontal guide rail (224); The first robotic arm (222) is connected at one end to the slide (225) and can rotate horizontally about the vertical axis; the other end is provided with a first hook clamp (223) capable of lifting at least some of the components.

6. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inspection area (300) includes: Inspection diversion area (31) allows staff or smart devices to visually inspect and divert the components; And / or, magnetic particle inspection area (34), for providing a device capable of performing magnetic particle inspection on at least a portion of the components; And / or, eddy current detection area (32), for providing means for performing eddy current detection on at least a portion of the components; And / or, a fluorescence penetrant detection area (33) for providing a means for performing fluorescence penetrant detection on at least a portion of the components.

7. The wheel repair production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The decomposition zone (100), the cleaning zone (200), the magnetic particle inspection zone (34), the fluorescent penetrant detection zone (33), the assembly zone (500), and the eddy current detection zone (32) are arranged around the inspection diversion zone (31).

8. The wheel repair production line according to claim 7, characterized in that, The eddy current detection zone (32) is provided with: Multiple eddy current testing stations (322) are arranged sequentially along the circumference; The second assist arm (321) is capable of performing any action or combination of actions such as clamping, lifting, flipping, and horizontal movement on either the inner half-hub or the outer half-hub. The arm span of the second assist arm (321) covers the plurality of eddy current detection stations (322) and the conveyor belt.

9. The wheel repair production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning area (200), the magnetic particle inspection area (34), and the fluorescent penetrant detection area (33) are each located in an independent work room.

10. The wheel repair production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The conveyor belt includes: The first conveyor belt (10), the decomposition zone (100) and the cleaning zone (200) are both adjacent to the first conveyor belt (10) and located on the same side of the first conveyor belt (10); the eddy current detection zone (32) and the inspection diversion zone (31) are both adjacent to the first conveyor belt (10) and located on the other side of the first conveyor belt (10), opposite to the decomposition zone (100); The second conveyor belt (20) is connected to the first conveyor belt (10); the magnetic particle inspection area (34) and the cleaning area (200) are located on both sides of the first conveyor belt (10) and connected through the second conveyor belt (20); The third conveyor belt (30) connects the inspection diversion area (31), the magnetic particle inspection area (34), the fluorescence penetrant detection area (33), and the assembly area (500).

11. The wheel repair production line according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first conveyor belt (10) and the second conveyor belt (20) are unpowered conveyor belts; And / or, the third conveyor belt (30) is connected to the first power unit and can continuously convey the components; And / or, the inspection diversion area (31) is provided with a diversion conveyor belt (50), the diversion conveyor belt (50) is a non-powered conveyor belt, and is connected to the first conveyor belt (10) and the third conveyor belt (30); And / or, the assembly area (500) and the first conveyor belt (10) are connected by a fourth conveyor belt (40), which is a non-powered conveyor belt and passes through the eddy current detection area (32); And / or, a fifth conveyor belt (60) is provided between the inspection diversion area (31) and the third conveyor belt (30), and the fifth conveyor belt (60) is connected to the second power device; the second power device can be manually controlled to start and stop, or it can be automatically started or automatically accelerated when the component is placed on the fifth conveyor belt (60); And / or, a lifting platform (70) is provided between the fluorescence penetration detection device in the fluorescence penetration detection area (33) and the third conveyor belt (30).

12. The wheel repair production line according to claim 10, characterized in that, The third conveyor belt (30) is a ring conveyor mechanism that can carry out cyclic transport.

13. The wheel repair production line according to claim 12, characterized in that, The annular inner area of ​​the third conveyor belt (30) is provided with multiple detection devices (302) and / or multiple storage racks (301).

14. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The assembly area (500) is provided with a third assist arm (502) for lifting any one of the tire, the inner half-hub, and the outer half-hub. The reach of the third assist arm (502) covers the assembly area (500) and the conveyor belt.

15. The wheel repair production line according to claim 14, characterized in that, The third assist arm (502) includes: The first connecting seat (221) is used to be fixedly connected to the bracket or the top of the factory building at a preset height position; The first robotic arm (222) is connected at one end to the first connecting seat (221) and can rotate horizontally around the vertical axis; the other end is provided with a first hook clamp (223) capable of lifting either the inner half-hub or the outer half-hub.

16. The wheel repair production line according to claim 5 or 15, characterized in that, The first robotic arm (222) includes at least two beam units (2220) connected in sequence, wherein: At least one of the beam units (2220) is horizontally rotatable relative to the other beam units (2220) connected to it; And / or, at least one of the beam units (2220) is horizontally movable relative to the other beam units (2220) connected to it.

17. The wheel repair production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The sandblasting and paint stripping area (400) is located near the conveyor belt and in a separate work area; And / or, a test release area (600), adjacent to the assembly area (500), is used for testing and storing the reassembled wheel assembly.

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