Intelligent assembly manipulator and assembly method for fuel tank baffle

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of assembly technology, specifically to an intelligent assembly robot and assembly method for a fuel tank baffle plate. The robot includes a robotic arm and a support plate connected to the back of the support plate. The support plate has multiple through rods on its front side. A fixing unit, mounted on the through rods, is used to insert into and fix the baffle plate's anti-surge holes. The fixing unit includes a radially extendable inclined slide plate and a rubber sleeve fitted onto the through rods. A top plate connected to the rubber sleeve is mounted outside the inclined slide plate. A flexible unit includes a telescopic gasket connected between the inclined slide plate and the top plate, and a fine-tuning component for changing the air pressure inside the telescopic gasket. A sensing feedback component includes a pressure sensor for detecting the contact force between the top plate and the inner wall of the anti-surge hole, and a displacement sensor mounted on the top plate for detecting the deformation state of the telescopic gasket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of assembly technology, specifically to an intelligent assembly robot and assembly method for a fuel tank baffle. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of a vehicle's powertrain, the internal structure of the fuel tank directly impacts the vehicle's safety, stability, and fuel efficiency. The baffle (also known as a wave deflector or baffle plate), a key component within the fuel tank, primarily performs the following functions: suppressing severe fuel sloshing during vehicle operation and reducing the impact of fuel level fluctuations on the vehicle's center of gravity; preventing fuel impact damage to the tank walls; optimizing the fuel flow path to ensure the stability of the fuel supply system; and acting as a buffer in collisions to reduce the risk of fuel leakage. With the automotive industry's pursuit of lightweight design, high safety, and high fuel efficiency, modern fuel tank structures are becoming increasingly complex, especially with the widespread application of wave-shaped curved baffles. These baffles not only possess a streamlined appearance but also achieve optimal hydrodynamic performance through precise wave-shaped design.

[0003] For example, patent document CN110303315B discloses a robotic arm for assembling thermal insulation buckles, including a robotic arm base, a hydraulic cylinder base, a rotary hydraulic cylinder, a work adjustment cylinder, a robotic arm connecting shaft, a servo motor, a robotic arm connecting seat, a transmission shaft, a clamping cylinder, and a clamping groove. The hydraulic cylinder base is installed on one side of the robotic arm base. A hydraulic lifting rod is provided between the robotic arm base and the hydraulic cylinder base. Four hydraulic limit rods are installed between the robotic arm base and the hydraulic cylinder base on the outside of the hydraulic lifting rod. A rotary hydraulic cylinder is installed on top of the hydraulic cylinder base. The robotic arm connecting shaft is rotatably connected to the top of the rotary hydraulic cylinder. The connection between the robotic arm connecting shaft and the rotary hydraulic cylinder is fixed by a fixed flange. This patent document has a compact structure, is easy to use, saves time and effort, and is suitable for lifting, transferring, and assembling various plate-shaped materials. It is practical in function.

[0004] The aforementioned existing technologies are compact, easy to use, time-saving, and labor-saving, suitable for lifting, transferring, and assembling various plate-shaped materials, and practical in function. However, when actually applied to the assembly of fuel tank baffles, the baffles are mostly thin-walled plastic parts, often designed in a wavy shape to enhance structural rigidity. Rigid clamping can easily lead to deformation of the plate, surface scratches, or snap-fit ​​breakage, affecting assembly accuracy and service life. Due to the irregular geometric characteristics of the wavy curved surface, traditional clamps are difficult to achieve self-alignment, especially when installing the baffle into the narrow space inside the fuel tank, where it is very easy to interfere with or collide with the inner wall of the fuel tank or internal pipelines. Therefore, this application proposes an intelligent assembly robot and assembly method for fuel tank baffles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent assembly robot and assembly method for a fuel tank baffle plate, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle, comprising a robotic arm, and further comprising:

[0007] A support plate, the back of which is connected to the robotic arm, and the front of the support plate is provided with multiple through rods;

[0008] A fixing unit is provided on the through rod for inserting into the anti-surge hole of the wave-shaped curved anti-surge plate and fixing it. The fixing unit includes a radially telescopic inclined sliding plate and a rubber sleeve sleeved on the through rod. A top piece connected to the rubber sleeve is provided outside the inclined sliding plate.

[0009] The flexible unit includes a telescopic pad connected between the inclined slide plate and the top plate, and a fine-tuning component for changing the air pressure inside the telescopic pad.

[0010] The sensing feedback device includes a pressure sensor for detecting the contact force between the top plate and the inner wall of the anti-surge hole, and a displacement sensor disposed on the top plate for detecting the deformation state of the telescopic pad.

[0011] The pneumatic control system includes an air pump that provides an air source and a drive mechanism adapted thereto, the drive mechanism using the air pressure delivered by the air pump to drive the top plate to move.

[0012] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes a piston rod slidably connected inside the through rod, the support plate has cavities communicating with the inside of multiple through rods, the output end of the air pump extends into the cavity inside the support plate, the piston end of the piston rod is provided with a tension spring for driving itself to reset, and the outer surface of the piston rod is provided with a wedge-shaped transmission mechanism for converting its linear motion into radial expansion of the inclined slide plate.

[0013] Preferably, the wedge-shaped transmission mechanism includes multiple collars fixedly connected to the outer surface of the piston rod, and the outer surface of the collars is provided with multiple top beads that can abut against the inclined surface of the inclined slide plate.

[0014] Preferably, the pressure sensor is disposed inside the top bead.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes an air injection cylinder disposed inside the rod, one end of the piston rod is fixedly connected to a piston extending into the air injection cylinder, the piston is used to compress the gas inside the air injection cylinder, and one end of the air injection cylinder is connected to the inclined slide plate through an air delivery hose to deliver gas into the telescopic pad.

[0016] Preferably, the fine-tuning component includes an air storage circuit opened in the inclined slide plate, the air storage circuit being connected to the air delivery hose, and injection holes being opened in both the inclined slide plate and the telescopic pad, the injection holes being connected to the air storage circuit, and a first valve being provided in the air storage circuit.

[0017] Preferably, an external discharge hole is provided on one side of the gas storage circuit, and a second valve is fixedly connected to one end of the external discharge hole.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes a horizontal arm and a connector. The connector is connected to the output end of the robotic arm. The connector is connected to the horizontal arm through a horizontal adjustment device. The horizontal adjustment device is used to adjust the lateral position of the horizontal arm. A driving component is provided inside the horizontal arm. The output end of the driving component is provided with a retraction adjustment handle. Vertical swing cylinders are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the retraction adjustment handle. The output end of the vertical swing cylinders is connected to the support plate through a connecting block.

[0019] Preferably, a torque sensor is provided inside the connecting block.

[0020] The present invention also provides an intelligent assembly method for a fuel tank baffle, comprising the following steps:

[0021] S1. The drive rod is inserted into the anti-surge hole. The rubber sleeve expands in multiple stages and abuts against the hole wall through the fixing unit. At the same time, the contact force is monitored in real time by the pressure sensor.

[0022] S2. Drive the top plate using the drive mechanism, and maintain the expansion potential energy of the rubber sleeve by gas sealing after it is in place.

[0023] S3. Based on the feedback signal from the pressure sensor, when it is determined that the resistance force is overloaded, the fine-tuning component is triggered to perform a small amount of venting until the resistance force drops back to the safe range, thus completing the damage prevention assembly.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] 1. By inserting the through rod into the anti-surge hole and fixing it using internal expansion, the clamping or adsorption of the anti-surge plate's external wavy surface is completely avoided. This fundamentally eliminates the risk of workpiece deformation, scratches, or stress concentration caused by external clamping. A rubber sleeve is used as the final contact medium, driven by an inclined sliding plate and a top plate mechanism, ensuring that the expansion force is evenly applied to the hole wall. This flexible contact, compared to rigid expansion pins, significantly reduces the pressure on the inner wall of the thin-walled anti-surge hole, preventing cracks, burrs, or permanent deformation. A multi-degree-of-freedom attitude adjustment system composed of a horizontal adjuster, a drive component, and dual vertical swing cylinders actively compensates for the wavy surface error of the anti-surge plate. In particular, the differential control of the two vertical swing cylinders enables micro-rolling of the support plate, ensuring that all through rod axes are aligned with the corresponding anti-surge hole axes, greatly improving insertion success rate and assembly accuracy. A pressure sensor integrated into the wedge-shaped transmission mechanism indirectly but effectively monitors the radial expansion force at each gripping point in real time. By incorporating a torque sensor at the connecting block, the system can detect abnormal stresses during assembly, such as collision interference, and trigger emergency responses such as force reduction and attitude adjustment, providing basic safety redundancy. Pneumatic drive combined with a tension spring achieves rapid retraction and reset. Notably, the inclined sliding plate is designed with a shape memory alloy material, utilizing its superelasticity or thermo-induced phase change properties to assist or even actively drive the mechanism's retraction after pressure relief, reducing energy consumption and wear during mechanical reset and improving long-term reliability.

[0026] 2. By setting up an independent fine-tuning air path consisting of an air injection cylinder, an air storage circuit, and a telescopic pad, the system achieves independent and rapid adjustment capability for the support stiffness of each gripping point. When the pressure sensor detects an overload at a certain point, it can immediately control the second valve at that point to perform a slight pressure relief, achieving precise force reduction and avoiding workpiece damage caused by the lag in the response of traditional systems. Utilizing the closed air chamber formed after the first valve is closed, the telescopic pad becomes a gas spring. This structure provides stable and adjustable secondary support for the inclined slide of the main gripping mechanism. Even if the pressure in the main drive air path fluctuates, the gripping force can remain constant through the closed air chamber, significantly improving the stability and anti-interference capability of the gripping state. As a flexible and compressible element, the telescopic pad can absorb the dimensional tolerances of the anti-surge holes, slight workpiece deformation, and asynchronous errors between multiple gripping points. By fine-tuning the air pressure in the telescopic pads at each point, the actual contact force at each gripping point can be balanced, preventing excessive local stress and achieving force self-balancing in "group gripping." In addition to the pressure sensor, a displacement sensor is added to directly monitor the deformation of the telescopic pad. Cross-validation of force and deformation signals enables the system to not only control force but also sense the support state, such as whether it has fully expanded into place, improving the accuracy and reliability of state judgment and providing a data foundation for more complex control strategies, such as material identification based on displacement and force curves. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the wave-shaped curved wave deflector and the robotic arm in this invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross arm structure in this invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support plate in this invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the driving component in this invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the through rod structure in this invention;

[0033] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the air injection cylinder in this invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the piston rod in this invention;

[0036] Figure 10 For the present invention Figure 9 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B.

[0037] In the diagram: 100, robotic arm; 101, wave-shaped curved baffle plate; 102, baffle hole; 200, support plate; 201, through rod; 202, rubber sleeve; 203, top plate; 204, displacement sensor; 205, telescopic pad; 206, inclined slide plate; 207, piston rod; 208, collar; 209, pressure sensor; 210, top ball; 211, tension spring; 212, air pump; 300, air cylinder; 301, piston; 302, air supply hose; 303, air storage circuit; 304, first valve; 305, external discharge port; 306, second valve; 307, injection port; 400, horizontal arm; 401, connector; 402, horizontal adjustment mechanism; 403, drive component; 404, retraction adjustment handle; 405, vertical swing cylinder; 406, connecting block; 407, torque sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 10 The present invention provides a technical solution: an intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle, comprising a robotic arm 100, a wave-shaped curved baffle 101, and baffle holes 102 formed therein.

[0040] It also includes a support plate 200, the back of which is connected to the robotic arm 100. The front of the support plate 200 is provided with multiple through rods 201 according to the distribution pattern of the anti-wave holes 102 on the target wave-shaped curved anti-wave plate 101. These through rods 201 serve as direct intervention components for gripping, and their diameter is slightly smaller than the nominal diameter of the anti-wave holes 102 to ensure smooth insertion.

[0041] A fixing unit, which is set on the through rod 201, is used to insert into the anti-surge hole 102 of the wave-shaped curved anti-surge plate 101 and fix it. The fixing unit includes a radially telescopic inclined slide plate 206 and a rubber sleeve 202 sleeved on the through rod 201. A top piece 203 connected to the rubber sleeve 202 is provided outside the inclined slide plate 206. By setting the fixing unit on the through rod 201, it can expand and abut against the inner wall of the anti-surge hole 102 to form support. At the same time, its free telescopic characteristic can adapt to anti-surge holes of different diameters, ensuring clamping stability and assembly accuracy.

[0042] The pneumatic control system includes an air pump 212 that provides an air source and a drive mechanism adapted to it. The drive mechanism uses the air pressure delivered by the air pump 212 to drive the top plate 203 to move. By setting the drive mechanism, the top plate 203 can be effectively driven to move along a preset trajectory to form an expansion by the air pressure provided by the air pump 212. By setting the displacement of the top plate 203, the clamping force of the anti-wave plate can be precisely controlled to avoid surface deformation due to rigid overload.

[0043] The drive mechanism includes a piston rod 207 slidably connected inside the through rod 201. The support plate 200 has cavities communicating with the inside of multiple through rods 201. The output end of the air pump 212 extends into the cavity inside the support plate 200. The piston end of the piston rod 207 is provided with a tension spring 211 for driving itself to reset. The outer surface of the piston rod 207 is provided with a wedge-shaped transmission mechanism for converting its linear motion into the radial expansion of the inclined slide plate 206. By setting the wedge-shaped transmission mechanism, the linear displacement driven by air pressure can be accurately converted into the radial extension and contraction of the inclined slide plate 206, thereby realizing stepless adjustment and dynamic response of the clamping force.

[0044] Furthermore, the wedge-shaped transmission mechanism includes multiple collars 208 fixedly connected to the outer surface of the piston rod 207. The outer surface of each collar 208 is provided with multiple top beads 210 that can abut against the inclined surface of the inclined slide plate 206. By precisely fitting the top beads 210 against the inclined surface of the inclined slide plate 206, millimeter-level radial displacement can be achieved under fine-tuning of air pressure, ensuring uniform force and controllable deformation of the baffle plate during assembly. The top beads 210 then abut against the inclined surface inside the inclined slide plate 206. Due to the constraint of the inclined surface, the axial movement of the top beads 210 is forcibly converted into a radial outward thrust on the inclined slide plate 206, thereby driving the inclined slide plate 206 to open.

[0045] More preferably, the inclined slide plate 206 is made of shape memory alloy material, which has self-recovering deformation characteristics within a specific temperature range. It can automatically shrink and reset after assembly, greatly reducing disassembly resistance. Combined with the closed-loop feedback regulation of the air pressure of the air pump 212, dual dynamic coupling control of clamping force and temperature is achieved.

[0046] Furthermore, it also includes a horizontal arm 400 and a connector 401. The connector 401 is connected to the output end of the robotic arm 100 and is used for fixed connection with the end flange of the robotic arm 100. The connector 401 is connected to the horizontal arm 400 through a swing adjuster 402. The swing adjuster 402 is used to adjust the lateral position of the horizontal arm 400. The swing adjuster 402 can be a joint with a rotary drive, such as a motor, used to drive the horizontal arm 400 to swing left and right around a vertical or horizontal axis, thereby coarsely adjusting the lateral horizontal angle of the support plate 200. A drive component 403 is provided inside the horizontal arm 400. The output end of the drive component 403 is provided with a retraction adjustment handle 404. Vertical swing cylinders 405 are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the retraction adjustment handle 404. The output end of the vertical swing cylinder 405 is connected to the support plate 200 through a connecting block 406. A torque sensor 407 is installed inside the connecting block 406. The horizontal swing adjuster 402 can adjust the left and right swing posture of the horizontal arm 400, while the cooperation of the retraction adjustment handle 404 and the vertical swing cylinder 405 can adjust the up and down pitch posture of the support plate 200. After grasping the wave-shaped curved anti-surge plate 101, the pitch posture is adjusted to match the anti-surge hole axis. The torque sensor 407 monitors the stress distribution in real time during the clamping process. According to the adjustment of the posture of the support plate 200 and the linkage of the horizontal swing adjuster 402 and the retraction adjustment handle 404, multi-degree-of-freedom adaptive calibration is achieved. When the torque sensor 407 detects a sudden stress change, the system immediately triggers the safety redundancy mechanism, synchronously reduces the air pressure output of the air pump 212 to the preset threshold, and starts the vertical swing cylinder 405 for fine adjustment compensation, and simultaneously activates the temperature-controlled phase change response of the inclined slide plate 206 shape memory alloy.

[0047] The piston rods of the two vertical swing cylinders 405 are hinged to different positions on the back of the support plate 200 via connecting blocks 406. By independently controlling the extension and retraction of the two vertical swing cylinders 405, differentiated strokes can be generated, thereby forcing the support plate 200 to undergo a slight rolling motion around its plane axis. This function is crucial for compensating for the curvature deviation of the wavy curved anti-surge plate 101 in the width direction, ensuring that the plane of the support plate 200 is parallel to the local curved surface of the workpiece, and guaranteeing that the axes of all through rods 201 are aligned with the axes of the corresponding anti-surge holes 102.

[0048] Positioning and Insertion: Under the guidance of the vision system, the robotic arm 100 moves the support plate 200 above the anti-surge plate 101. Based on the pre-known surface data or real-time visual feedback, the support plate 200 is matched with the workpiece surface by the coordinated adjustment of the horizontal adjustment device 402, the drive component 403 and the two vertical swing cylinders 405. Then, the through rod 201 is driven to insert into the anti-surge hole 102.

[0049] Pneumatic expansion gripping: Air pump 212 is activated, supplying air to the cavity of support plate 200. High-pressure gas pushes all piston rods 207 forward synchronously. Piston rods 207 push the inclined slide plate 206 radially to expand via top ball 210, which in turn causes the rubber sleeve 202 to expand via top plate 203, tightly fitting against the inner wall of anti-surge hole 102 to achieve gripping. Pressure sensor 209 monitors the gripping force in real time.

[0050] Handling and Assembly: The robotic arm carries the gripped wave deflector to its designated position inside the fuel tank. Torque sensor 407 monitors the entire process to prevent collisions.

[0051] Release and Reset: After assembly, the air pump 212 depressurizes. The piston rod 207 resets under the action of the tension spring 211, and the pressure of the top ball 210 on the inclined slide plate 206 is released. At this time, if the inclined slide plate 206 is made of shape memory alloy, its hyperelasticity or phase change characteristics will assist it in quickly contracting and resetting, causing the top plate 203 and the rubber sleeve 202 to retract, and the workpiece is smoothly released. The robotic arm retracts, completing one assembly cycle.

[0052] In summary, by inserting the through rod 201 into the anti-surge hole 102 and fixing it using internal expansion, the clamping or adsorption of the external wavy surface of the anti-surge plate 101 is completely avoided, fundamentally eliminating the risk of workpiece deformation, scratches, or stress concentration caused by external clamping. Using a rubber sleeve 202 as the final contact medium, and driven by the inclined slide plate-206 and top plate 203 mechanism, the expansion force is evenly applied to the hole wall. Compared to rigid expansion pins, this flexible contact significantly reduces the pressure on the inner wall of the thin-walled anti-surge hole 102, preventing cracks, burrs, or permanent deformation. The multi-degree-of-freedom attitude adjustment system, composed of the horizontal adjuster 402, the drive component 403, and the double vertical swing cylinder 405, can actively compensate for the wavy surface error of the anti-surge plate 101. In particular, the differential control of the two vertical swing cylinders 405 enables the support plate 200 to roll slightly, ensuring that the axes of all through rods 201 are aligned with the corresponding anti-surge holes 102, greatly improving the insertion success rate and assembly accuracy. The wedge-shaped transmission mechanism integrates a pressure sensor 209, which can indirectly but effectively monitor the radial expansion force at each gripping point in real time. Combined with the torque sensor 407 at the connecting block 406, the system can sense abnormal stresses during assembly, such as collision interference, and trigger emergency responses such as force reduction and posture adjustment, providing basic safety redundancy. Pneumatic drive, in conjunction with the tension spring 211, achieves rapid retraction and reset. Specifically, the inclined slide plate 206 is designed as a shape memory alloy, utilizing its superelastic or thermo-induced phase change characteristics to assist or even actively drive the mechanism to retract after pressure relief, reducing energy consumption and wear during mechanical reset and improving long-term reliability.

[0053] Example 2: Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 10The present invention also provides a technical solution, which differs from the technical solution of Embodiment 1 as follows: an intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle.

[0054] It also includes a flexible unit, which includes a telescopic pad 205 connected between the inclined slide plate 206 and the top plate 203, and a fine-tuning component for changing the air pressure inside the telescopic pad 205. By setting the telescopic pad 205 to expand freely, the distance between the inclined slide plate 206 and the top plate 203 is changed, thereby achieving torque control of the contact with the inner wall of the anti-surge hole 102. The flexible unit keeps the clamping force applied by the top plate 203 to the inner wall of the anti-surge hole 102 within a safe range through millisecond-level dynamic adjustment of the air pressure inside the telescopic pad 205. The adjustment component can effectively change the air pressure inside the telescopic pad 205.

[0055] It also includes sensing feedback components, including a pressure sensor 209 for detecting the contact force between the top plate 203 and the inner wall of the anti-surge hole 102, the pressure sensor 209 being disposed inside the top bead 210, and a displacement sensor 204 disposed on the top plate 203 for detecting the deformation state of the telescopic gasket 205, which is added to the top plate 203 or directly embedded in the telescopic gasket 205, for high-precision detection of the thickness change, i.e., the expansion height, of the telescopic gasket 205 during the inflation and deflation process. This signal directly reflects the stiffness state of the telescopic gasket 205, and the displacement sensor 204 can accurately capture the millisecond-level deformation response of the telescopic gasket 205. A high-precision pressure sensor 209 is also provided. Since the contact force between the top ball 210 and the inclined slide plate 206 directly reflects the radial thrust of the inclined slide plate 206, and this thrust is ultimately converted into the pressing force of the rubber sleeve 202 on the hole wall, through calibration, the signal detected by the pressure sensor 209 can indirectly and in real time reflect the resistance of each gripping point to the inner wall of the anti-surge hole 102.

[0056] It also includes an air cylinder 300 installed inside the through rod 201. One end of the piston rod 207 is fixedly connected to a piston 301 extending into the air cylinder 300. The piston 301 is used to compress the gas inside the air cylinder 300. One end of the air cylinder 300 is connected to the inclined slide plate 206 through the air delivery hose 302 to deliver air to the telescopic pad 205. Thus, at the initial stage of piston movement of the piston rod 207, the gas inside the air cylinder 300 is triggered to fill the telescopic pad 205 through the air delivery hose 302, realizing the pre-compression response of the telescopic pad 205. The air cylinder 300 and the air delivery hose 302 form a gas pressure buffer circuit.

[0057] Furthermore, the fine-tuning component includes an air storage circuit 303 located within the inclined slide plate 206, which is connected to the air delivery hose 302. Both the inclined slide plate 206 and the telescopic gasket 205 have interconnected injection holes 307, which are connected to the air storage circuit 303. A first valve 304 is installed within the air storage circuit 303. The fine-tuning component controls the amount of gas in the air storage circuit 303 to change the amount of gas stored in the telescopic gasket 205, thereby precisely controlling the expansion degree and response speed of the telescopic gasket 205. The first valve 304 allows for precise pressure locking of the telescopic gasket 205 using gas sealing, preventing pressure drift caused by temperature fluctuations or mechanical vibrations, and achieving millisecond-level pressure relief response. The first valve 304 is an electrically controlled magnetic valve.

[0058] The gas storage circuit 303 has an external discharge hole 305 on one side, and a second valve 306 is fixedly connected to one end of the external discharge hole 305. The cooperation between the external discharge hole 305 and the second valve 306 can release the gas in the gas storage circuit 303 and reduce the volume of the telescopic gasket 205. The second valve 306 is a micro-orifice pressure relief device driven by piezoelectric ceramic, with a response time of less than 15 milliseconds, ensuring instantaneous pressure relief when the clamping force changes suddenly. The second valve 306 works in conjunction with the first valve 304.

[0059] Synchronous pre-pressurization and expansion: When the air pump 212 pushes the piston rod 207 to move for gripping, the piston rod 207 simultaneously drives the piston 301 to move within the air injection cylinder 300. The piston 301 forces the gas in the air injection cylinder 300 into the air storage circuit 303 through the air delivery hose 302. At this time, the first valve 304 is open, and the gas quickly fills the cavity of the telescopic gasket 205 through the injection hole 307, causing it to reach a preset initial expansion state for pre-pressurization. This action occurs almost synchronously with the mechanical expansion of the inclined slide plate 206, giving the rubber sleeve 202 a certain degree of support rigidity in the initial contact with the hole wall.

[0060] Pneumatic self-locking and holding: When the piston rod 207 reaches its position and the main gripping action is completed, the control system issues a command to close the first valve 304. At this time, the gas inside the air storage circuit 303 and the telescopic gasket 205 is sealed within, forming a closed airbag system. This sealed gas acts like a "gas spring," providing stable and considerable support for the top plate 203. Even if the pressure of the main air pump 212 fluctuates slightly, the gripping force can be maintained through this closed air chamber; this is the "pneumatic self-locking" function. The displacement sensor 204 monitors the expansion height in real time during this state.

[0061] Intelligent overload protection and force balancing: This is the core intelligent function of this embodiment. During the gripping or handling process, due to workpiece deformation, hole tolerance, or external interference, the actual gripping force at one or more anti-surge holes 102 may deviate from the ideal value.

[0062] Overload detection: When a pressure sensor 209 detects that the torque value at its location exceeds the preset safety limit, it indicates that the pressure of the rubber sleeve 202 on the hole wall at that point is too high, which may damage the workpiece.

[0063] Active pressure relief regulation: The control system immediately sends a pulse signal to the second valve 306 corresponding to that point, causing it to open rapidly for a very short time. A small amount of high-pressure gas in the gas storage circuit 303 is quickly discharged through the external vent 305.

[0064] Force value decreases: As the gas in the sealed chamber decreases, the air pressure drops, and the expansion height of the telescopic gasket 205 decreases slightly, as verified by the displacement sensor 204. This causes the pressure of the top plate 203 and the rubber sleeve 202 on the hole wall to decrease accordingly. The reading of the pressure sensor 209 begins to drop.

[0065] Closed-loop stabilization: When the reading of pressure sensor 209 returns to the safe range, the second valve 306 is closed. This ensures that the gripping force at each gripping point is always maintained within a range that is both safe and prevents damage to the workpiece while reliably preventing loosening. The extremely fast response speed of the second valve 306 ensures timely adjustment.

[0066] In summary, by setting up an independent fine-tuning air path consisting of an air injection cylinder 300, an air storage circuit 303, and a telescopic pad 205, the system achieves independent and rapid adjustment capability for the support stiffness of each gripping point. When the pressure sensor 209 detects an overload at a certain point, it can immediately control the second valve 306 at that point to perform a slight pressure relief, achieving precise force reduction and avoiding workpiece damage caused by the lag in the response of traditional systems. Utilizing the closed air chamber formed after the first valve 304 is closed, the telescopic pad 205 becomes a gas spring. This structure provides stable and adjustable secondary support for the inclined slide of the main gripping mechanism. Even if the pressure in the main drive air path fluctuates, the gripping force can remain constant through the closed air chamber, significantly improving the stability and anti-interference capability of the gripping state. As a flexible and compressible element, the telescopic pad 205 can absorb the dimensional tolerances of the anti-surge hole 102, slight workpiece deformation, and asynchronous errors between multiple gripping points. By fine-tuning the air pressure within the telescopic pads 205 at each point, the actual contact force at each gripping point can be balanced, preventing excessive local stress and achieving force self-balancing in "group gripping." In addition to the pressure sensor 209, a displacement sensor 204 is added to directly monitor the deformation of the telescopic pads 205. Cross-validation of force and deformation signals enables the system not only to control force but also to sense the support status, such as whether it has fully expanded into place, improving the accuracy and reliability of status judgment and providing a data foundation for more complex control strategies, such as material identification based on displacement and force curves.

[0067] Example 3: Please refer to Figure 1 -Figure 10 The present invention also provides a technical solution, which differs from the technical solution of Embodiment 1 as follows: an intelligent assembly method for a fuel tank baffle, comprising the following steps:

[0068] S1. Initial Positioning and Attitude Leveling: The robotic arm 100 drives the end effector to approach the wave deflector 101. Based on the workpiece's CAD model or 3D visual scanning data, the control system calculates the ideal attitude required for the support plate 200. Subsequently, the drive tilt adjuster 402 adjusts the lateral angle, the drive component 403 adjusts the pitch angle of the retraction adjustment handle 404, and differentially controls the extension and retraction of the two vertical tilt cylinders 405 to compensate for the roll deviation caused by the workpiece's wavy surface, so that the support plate 200 adaptively fits the workpiece surface, ensuring that all through rods 201 are basically aligned with the wave deflector holes 102.

[0069] S2. Insertion and Main Grip: The robotic arm performs a precise insertion action, causing all through rods 201 to enter the corresponding anti-surge holes 102. The air pump 212 is activated, supplying air to the cavity of the support plate 200, pushing all piston rods 207 forward synchronously. The piston rods 207 drive the inclined slide plate 206 to expand radially via the top ball 210, thereby expanding the rubber sleeve 202 and completing the main gripping and fixing of the workpiece. During this process, the pressure sensors 209 at various points begin to operate, monitoring the main gripping force.

[0070] S3. Fine-tuning of the air path activation and self-locking: As the piston rod 207 moves, its linked piston 301 pressurizes the gas in the air injection cylinder 300 into the air storage circuit 303 and the telescopic pad 205 at each gripping point, achieving pre-pressurization as described in Embodiment 2. Once the main gripping action is in place, the first valve 304 at each point is immediately closed, sealing the gas within the telescopic pad 205 to form a stable secondary pneumatic support. The displacement sensor 204 records the expansion height at this time as a reference.

[0071] S4. Full-process force monitoring and adaptive adjustment: During the subsequent handling and assembly process, the system continuously reads the data from each pressure sensor 209 and torque sensor 407.

[0072] If a pressure sensor 209 displays a force value exceeding the safety threshold, it is determined that the point is overloaded, and the second valve 306 at that point is immediately triggered to perform a momentary, minute pressure relief until the force value returns to normal. The displacement sensor 204 simultaneously verifies minute changes in the expansion height.

[0073] If the torque sensor 407 detects that the support plate 200 is subjected to an abnormal lateral force or torque that indicates a possible collision, the control system can comprehensively adjust the path of the robotic arm, the joints of the posture adjustment system, and even slightly reduce the total pressure of the air pump 212 to avoid or buffer the collision and prevent damage to the workpiece or equipment.

[0074] S5. Release and Reset: After the assembly task is completed, the main air circuit of the air pump 212 is depressurized, the piston rod 207 is reset under the action of the tension spring 211, and the main expansion mechanism contracts. At the same time, the first valve 304 and the second valve 306 can be opened to completely release the residual air pressure in the telescopic gasket 205 and assist in contraction. The inclined slide plate 206 made of shape memory alloy also plays a role in assisting contraction at this time. Finally, the rubber sleeve 202 completely detaches from the hole wall, the robotic arm moves out smoothly, and the assembly is completed.

[0075] 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, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0076] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A smart assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle, comprising a robotic arm (100), characterized in that, Also includes: A support plate (200) is connected to the back of the robotic arm (100), and a plurality of through rods (201) are provided on the front of the support plate (200). A fixing unit is provided on the through rod (201) for insertion into the anti-surge hole (102) of the wave-shaped curved anti-surge plate (101) and for fixing. The fixing unit includes a radially telescopic inclined slide plate (206) and a rubber sleeve (202) sleeved on the through rod (201). A top piece (203) connected to the rubber sleeve (202) is provided outside the inclined slide plate (206). The flexible unit includes a telescopic pad (205) connected between the inclined slide plate (206) and the top plate (203), and a fine-tuning component for changing the air pressure inside the telescopic pad (205); The sensing feedback device includes a pressure sensor (209) for detecting the contact force between the top plate (203) and the inner wall of the anti-surge hole (102), and a displacement sensor (204) disposed on the top plate (203) for detecting the deformation state of the telescopic pad (205). The pneumatic control system includes an air pump (212) that provides an air source and a drive mechanism adapted thereto, the drive mechanism using the air pressure delivered by the air pump (212) to drive the top plate (203) to move.

2. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism includes a piston rod (207) slidably connected inside the through rod (201), the support plate (200) has a cavity communicating with the inside of the multiple through rods (201), the output end of the air pump (212) extends into the cavity inside the support plate (200), the piston end of the piston rod (207) is provided with a tension spring (211) for driving itself to reset, and the outer surface of the piston rod (207) is provided with a wedge-shaped transmission mechanism for converting its linear motion into the radial expansion of the inclined slide plate (206).

3. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wedge-shaped transmission mechanism includes a plurality of collars (208) fixedly connected to the outer surface of the piston rod (207), and the outer surface of the collars (208) is provided with a plurality of top beads (210) that can abut against the inclined surface of the inclined slide plate (206).

4. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure sensor (209) is located inside the top bead (210).

5. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an air cylinder (300) disposed in the through rod (201), one end of the piston rod (207) is fixedly connected to a piston (301) extending into the air cylinder (300), the piston (301) is used to compress the gas in the air cylinder (300), and one end of the air cylinder (300) is connected to the inclined slide plate (206) through the air delivery hose (302) to deliver gas into the telescopic pad (205).

6. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fine-tuning component includes an air storage circuit (303) opened in the inclined slide plate (206), the air storage circuit (303) is connected to the air delivery hose (302), the inclined slide plate (206) and the telescopic pad (205) are both provided with interconnected injection holes (307), the injection holes (307) are connected to the air storage circuit (303), and the air storage circuit (303) is provided with a first valve (304).

7. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 6, characterized in that: An external discharge hole (305) is provided on one side of the gas storage circuit (303), and a second valve (306) is fixedly connected to one end of the external discharge hole (305).

8. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a horizontal arm (400) and a connector (401). The connector (401) is connected to the output end of the robotic arm (100). The connector (401) is connected to the horizontal arm (400) through a horizontal adjustment device (402). The horizontal adjustment device (402) is used to adjust the lateral position of the horizontal arm (400). A drive unit (403) is provided inside the horizontal arm (400). The output end of the drive unit (403) is provided with a retraction adjustment handle (404). Vertical swing cylinders (405) are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the retraction adjustment handle (404). The output end of the vertical swing cylinder (405) is connected to the support plate (200) through a connecting block (406).

9. The intelligent assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle plate according to claim 8, characterized in that: A torque sensor (407) is installed inside the connecting block (406).

10. A smart assembly method for a fuel tank baffle, comprising a smart assembly robot for a fuel tank baffle according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. The drive rod (201) is inserted into the anti-surge hole (102). The rubber sleeve (202) expands in multiple stages and abuts against the hole wall through the fixing unit. At the same time, the contact force is monitored in real time by the pressure sensor (209). S2. Drive the top plate (203) to move using the drive mechanism, and maintain the expansion potential energy of the rubber sleeve (202) by gas sealing after it is in place; S3. Based on the feedback signal of the pressure sensor (209), when it is determined that the resistance force is overloaded, the fine-tuning component is triggered to run a small amount of venting until the resistance force drops back to the safe range, thus completing the anti-damage assembly.

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