An automatic wheel disc positioning and riveting device
By using the linkage structure of the elastic positioning cup and the pressure ring, the problems of positioning accuracy and material feeding stability of the wheel riveting equipment are solved, realizing an automated and efficient riveting process, improving the riveting quality and the operational reliability of the equipment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 浙江汤溪工具制造有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2026-06-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-14
Smart Images
Figure CN122378024A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a riveting device, specifically an automatic positioning and riveting device for wheel pieces. Background Technology
[0002] Wheel-like parts are typically thin, round, toothed, or perforated discs. Their central parts often need to be riveted to rivet shafts, rivet studs, connecting sleeves, springs, or other mating components to form a wheel assembly capable of transmission, positioning, limiting, or rotation. Due to the thinness of the wheel itself, the outer edge is prone to warping deformation, and the alignment accuracy of the center hole or riveting hole directly affects the subsequent riveting quality. Therefore, during the wheel riveting process, it is usually necessary to accurately position the wheel before performing center riveting and forming.
[0003] Existing wheel riveting equipment typically uses a feeding mechanism to deliver the wheel into the riveting station, then uses positioning fixtures, clamping components, or limiting components to fix the wheel, followed by a riveting mechanism to rivet the center of the wheel. While this method can achieve a certain degree of automation in riveting, positioning, clamping, support, and unloading usually rely on different mechanisms, resulting in a complex equipment structure, numerous operation cycles, and high precision required between multiple mechanisms. If there are errors in the position of the fixtures or clamping components, it can easily cause wheel eccentricity, misaligned riveting, or wheel deformation due to pressure.
[0004] Meanwhile, for wheel pieces with grooves, notches, positioning edges, or other non-circular contours on their outer edges, relying solely on center hole positioning or ordinary flat support makes it difficult to achieve stable radial correction and circumferential positioning of the wheel piece before riveting. Especially during center riveting, the center of the wheel piece is subjected to vertical riveting pressure. If the outer edge of the wheel piece lacks synchronous support, it is prone to problems such as localized upturning, edge deformation, or decreased flatness after riveting, affecting the rotational stability and assembly consistency of the wheel piece assembly.
[0005] Furthermore, existing equipment typically requires an independent ejector mechanism, a feed mechanism, or a gripper unloading mechanism to remove the riveted wheel assembly from the fixture after riveting. For thin-plate wheels, the riveted assembly may sometimes experience slight jamming due to the outer edge being against the fixture, the center being riveted, or localized pressure. Directly gripping or pushing can easily cause scratches, deformation, or unstable unloading of the wheel's outer edge. Therefore, the technical problem that automatic wheel riveting equipment needs to solve is how to enable the wheel to be automatically centered before riveting, receive outer edge support to prevent warping during riveting, and achieve slight loosening after riveting for unloading, without significantly increasing the complexity of the mechanism. Summary of the Invention
[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an automatic wheel positioning and riveting device, which effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies.
[0007] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: an automatic positioning and riveting device for wheel pieces, comprising a frame, a feeding mechanism, a discharging mechanism, an upper riveting head, a lower riveting seat, an elastic positioning cup, a pressure ring, and a linkage drive mechanism. The frame is provided with a riveting station. The upper riveting head is positioned above the riveting station, and the lower riveting seat is positioned below the riveting station and corresponds vertically to the upper riveting head. The feeding mechanism is located on the infeed side of the riveting station and is used to feed the wheel piece to be riveted to the riveting station. The discharging mechanism is located on the discharge side of the riveting station and is used to output the riveted wheel piece assembly. The device is characterized by: The elastic positioning cup is disposed between the upper rivet head and the lower rivet seat. The elastic positioning cup includes a cup seat and a plurality of elastic cup petals spaced apart along the circumference of the cup seat. The lower ends of the plurality of elastic cup petals are connected to the cup seat, and the upper ends of the plurality of elastic cup petals extend toward the upper rivet head and together form a cup-supporting opening. The upper end of each elastic cup petal is provided with a supporting edge extending toward the inner side of the cup-supporting opening. The plurality of supporting edges together form an annular supporting area for supporting the outer edge of the wheel piece. The pressure ring is located above the cup opening and coaxially arranged with the elastic positioning cup. The lower inner side of the pressure ring is provided with an inclined pressing surface, and the upper outer side of the elastic cup petal is provided with a pressure-receiving guide surface corresponding to the inclined pressing surface. The linkage drive mechanism is connected between the upper rivet head and the pressure ring so that the pressure ring can move downward before the upper rivet head and press against the pressure-receiving guide surface through the inclined pressing surface, so that the multiple elastic cup petals switch from an outwardly open supporting state to an inwardly closed positioning state. When the multiple elastic cup petals are closed inward, the outer edge of the wheel piece is radially corrected by the supporting edge and the wheel piece is positioned between the upper riveting head and the lower riveting seat. When the elastic cup petals are in the closed and positioned state, the upper riveting head rivets the center of the wheel piece. The multiple supporting edges continuously support the outer edge of the wheel piece during the riveting process to suppress warping of the wheel piece when it is riveted at the center. The multiple elastic cups elastically reset after the pressure ring moves up and releases, and exert a loosening effect on the outer edge of the riveted wheel piece assembly through the supporting edges.
[0008] As a preferred technical solution, the supporting edge is formed by bending and extending the upper end of the elastic cup petal toward the inner side of the supporting cup opening. The supporting edge and the upper end of the elastic cup petal form a hook-shaped structure in the longitudinal section. The supporting edge includes a bent root connected to the upper end of the elastic cup petal and an inner protruding tongue extending from the bent root toward the center of the supporting cup opening. The inner protruding tongue is located below the outer edge of the wheel piece and is used to support the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece.
[0009] As a preferred technical solution, the upper side of the supporting edge forms a lifting supporting surface, which is used to support the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece. The lifting supporting surface includes a low supporting section near the free end of the inner extension tongue, a high lifting section near the root of the bend, and a transition guide section connecting the low supporting section and the high lifting section. This allows the supporting edge to generate an upward wedge lifting and loosening effect on the outer edge of the wheel piece through the transition guide section or the high lifting section when it returns to its original state from an inward closing state to an outward opening state along with the elastic cup.
[0010] As a preferred technical solution, the transition guide section is an inclined surface, an arc-shaped surface, or a combination of an inclined surface and an arc-shaped surface. When the elastic cup petal returns to its original state from the inward-opening state, the supporting edge slides relative to the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece, so that the outer edge of the wheel piece transitions from the low-position supporting section to the high-position lifting section through the transition guide section, so that the riveted wheel piece assembly moves slightly upward relative to the supporting cup opening.
[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the inclined pressing surface is an inner conical surface, an inclined ring surface, or an arc transition pressing surface disposed on the inner side of the lower part of the pressing ring, and the pressure-receiving guide surface is an inclined surface, an arc-shaped surface, or a bent guide surface disposed on the upper outer side of the elastic cup petal. When the pressing ring moves downward, the inclined pressing surface slides and presses against the pressure-receiving guide surface to convert the downward displacement of the pressing ring into an elastic closing displacement of the elastic cup petal toward the center of the supporting cup opening.
[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the inclined pressing surface is continuously arranged along the circumference of the pressing ring, or is arranged in multiple pressing segments at intervals along the circumference of the pressing ring; the multiple pressure-bearing guide surfaces are respectively arranged on the upper outer side of the corresponding elastic cup petals, so that when the pressing ring moves down, it can press against multiple elastic cup petals at the same time, so that the multiple elastic cup petals can synchronously close inward.
[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the supporting edge also has an inner limiting edge for approaching or abutting the outer peripheral edge of the wheel piece. When the elastic cup flap closes inward, the inner limiting edges of the multiple supporting edges limit the outer edge of the wheel piece from multiple circumferential positions, so that the wheel piece is corrected towards the center direction of the supporting cup opening.
[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the linkage drive mechanism includes a linkage assembly, a sliding assembly, or an elastic delay assembly connected between the upper riveting head and the pressure ring. The linkage drive mechanism is configured to allow the pressure ring to first descend to press against the elastic cup, and after the elastic cup completes its closing and positioning, allow the upper riveting head to continue descending for riveting. The linkage drive mechanism is also configured to, during the return stroke after riveting is completed, allow the upper riveting head to first leave the center of the wheel piece, and then allow the pressure ring to leave the elastic cup, so that the multiple elastic cups spring back to their original position after the pressure ring is released.
[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the lower riveting seat includes a riveting support portion located at the center of the cup support opening. The riveting support portion is coaxially arranged with the upper riveting head. The riveting support portion is used to support the lower side of the wheel piece when the upper riveting head rivets the center of the wheel piece or to cooperate with the upper riveting head to form a riveting structure.
[0016] As a preferred technical solution, the cup holder is installed on the support seat, and the support seat is intermittently movable or indexed and rotated on the frame. The support seat is used to drive the elastic positioning cup to move between the feeding position, the riveting position and the unloading position, so that the wheel piece can sequentially complete the functions of support, closing positioning, center riveting, anti-warping support, reset and loosening and unloading.
[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The present invention sets up an elastic positioning cup at the riveting station, and the elastic positioning cup includes a cup seat and multiple elastic cup petals spaced apart along the circumference of the cup seat. The supporting edges at the upper ends of the multiple elastic cup petals jointly form an annular supporting area for supporting the outer edge of the wheel piece. This allows the outer edge of the wheel piece to be supported by the supporting edges after it enters the riveting station, thereby avoiding the wheel piece from falling directly into the rigid tooling or undergoing significant displacement before riveting. This provides a stable initial supporting foundation for subsequent automatic positioning and riveting.
[0018] This invention provides an inclined pressing surface on the inner side of the lower part of the pressure ring and a pressure-receiving guide surface corresponding to the inclined pressing surface on the upper outer side of the elastic cup petals. This allows the downward vertical movement of the pressure ring to be transformed into a closing movement of the elastic cup petals towards the center of the cup opening through the inclined surface cooperation. Therefore, the downward movement of the pressure ring before riveting is not only used for tightening or cooperating with riveting, but also simultaneously drives multiple elastic cup petals to close inward. This allows multiple elastic cup petals to radially correct and limit the outer edge of the wheel piece from different circumferential positions, achieving automatic centering and positioning of the wheel piece at the riveting station. This reduces reliance on independent positioning fixtures, secondary correction by robotic arms, or visual correction mechanisms.
[0019] In this invention, multiple elastic cups converge inwards synchronously under the action of the pressure ring, and the supporting edge moves towards the outer edge of the wheel piece along with the elastic cups, providing support and restraint to the outer edge of the wheel piece from multiple circumferential positions. This structure allows the wheel piece to be stably held between the upper riveting head and the lower riveting seat before riveting at the center, reducing the deviation of the wheel piece's center hole, riveting hole, or outer edge positioning position relative to the riveting center, thereby improving the consistency of the riveting position and the coaxiality of the riveted product.
[0020] In this invention, when the upper riveting head rivets the center of the wheel piece, the elastic cup petals do not retract but remain in a closed-end positioning state, and multiple supporting edges continuously support the outer edge of the wheel piece. Thus, when the center of the wheel piece is subjected to riveting pressure, its outer edge receives circumferential distributed support. The central riveting pressure and the outer edge support force work together to effectively suppress upward warping, local deformation, or edge collapse of the thin-sheet wheel piece during riveting, improving the flatness and structural stability of the riveted wheel piece.
[0021] The supporting edge of this invention is formed by bending and extending the upper end of the elastic cup petal towards the inner side of the supporting cup opening, and forming a hook-shaped structure with the elastic cup petal in the longitudinal section. A lifting supporting surface is formed on the upper side of the supporting edge. By making the lifting supporting surface have a low supporting section, a transition guide section, and a high lifting section, when the pressure ring moves upward and is released, and the elastic cup petal returns to its original state from the inward-opening state, the supporting edge can slide relative to the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece. This allows the outer edge of the wheel piece to transition from the low supporting section to the high lifting section along the lifting supporting surface, thereby producing a slight wedge lifting and loosening effect on the riveted wheel piece assembly. This loosening effect does not require an additional independent ejector mechanism to create a loosening gap between the wheel piece assembly and the supporting cup opening, facilitating the subsequent unloading mechanism to smoothly remove or output the wheel piece assembly.
[0022] This invention integrates the functions of wheel support, end-positioning, anti-warping during riveting, and repositioning / loosening into an elastic positioning cup, its elastic cup petals, and the supporting edge, allowing the same structure to perform different functions at different stages of operation. In the outward-opening state, the supporting edge supports the outer edge of the wheel; when the pressure ring is pressed down, the elastic cup petals close inward and position the outer edge of the wheel through the supporting edge; during riveting, the supporting edge continuously supports the outer edge of the wheel to prevent warping; after the pressure ring is released, the elastic cup petals reset and loosen the wheel assembly through the supporting edge. This linked structure reduces the structural complexity caused by the dispersed placement of the support seat, positioning clamp, clamping component, anti-warping support component, and top material component in traditional equipment, thus improving the continuity of equipment operation, riveting efficiency, and product consistency.
[0023] This invention utilizes a linkage drive mechanism to cause the pressure ring to descend before the upper riveting head, and allows the upper riveting head to continue descending for riveting after the elastic cup petal has completed its closing and positioning. This ensures a sequential coordination between the positioning and riveting actions. During the return stroke after riveting, the upper riveting head first leaves the center of the wheel piece, and then the pressure ring releases the elastic cup petal, allowing it to reset and loosen. This sequence of actions prevents the wheel piece from being riveted before it is properly positioned, and also prevents the wheel piece from being continuously restricted by the pressure ring after riveting, thus improving the reliability of the equipment. Attached Figure Description
[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 For the sake of overall simplification of this invention Figure 1 ; Figure 3 For the sake of overall simplification of this invention Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the pressure ring and elastic cup flap of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the present invention when the pressure ring is not pressed down; Figure 6 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the pressure ring after it is pressed down in this invention; Figure 7 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the present invention after the pressure ring has left the device. Detailed Implementation
[0026] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.
[0027] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features for a similar purpose, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.
[0028] like Figures 1-7As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic positioning and riveting device for wheel pieces. This device is used for automatically supporting, positioning, center riveting, anti-warping support, and loosening the wheel piece 10 to be riveted. The wheel piece 10 can be a circular plate, a toothed plate, a thin plate with a central hole, or a plate-shaped part with notches, grooves, or positioning edges on the outer edge. During riveting, the wheel piece 10 needs to form a fixed connection with the riveting shaft, rivet post, connecting sleeve, or other mating parts at the center. Since the wheel piece 10 is relatively thin, the outer edge is prone to warping or displacement when subjected to riveting pressure at the center. Therefore, this embodiment uses the cooperation of the elastic positioning cup 6 and the pressure ring 7 to automatically position the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 before riveting, continuously support the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 during riveting, and slightly loosen the wheel piece assembly after riveting.
[0029] The automatic positioning and riveting equipment for wheel pieces includes a frame 1, a feeding mechanism 2, a feeding mechanism 3, an upper riveting head 4, a lower riveting seat 5, an elastic positioning cup 6, a pressure ring 7, a linkage drive mechanism 8, and a support base 9. The frame 1 serves as the base for the entire machine and has a riveting station on it. The riveting station receives the wheel piece 10 and performs positioning and riveting on it. The upper riveting head 4 is positioned above the riveting station and can move vertically up and down to rivet the center of the wheel piece 10. The lower riveting seat 5 is positioned below the riveting station and corresponds vertically to the upper riveting head 4. The lower riveting seat 5 provides support from below the wheel piece 10 when the upper riveting head 4 presses down. The feeding mechanism 2 is located on the feeding side of the riveting station. The feeding mechanism 2 can be a conveyor track, a pusher, a vibrating feeding structure, or a transfer robot structure. Its function is to convey the wheel piece 10 to be riveted to the upper part of the elastic positioning cup 6 or to the cup opening. The unloading mechanism 3 is located on the discharge side of the riveting station. The unloading mechanism 3 is used to receive the wheel assembly that has been riveted and released from the elastic positioning cup 6, so that the wheel assembly can be output from the riveting station.
[0030] The elastic positioning cup 6 is positioned between the upper riveting head 4 and the lower riveting seat 5, and is mounted on the support seat 9. The support seat 9 is intermittently movable or indexed on the frame 1. The support seat 9 can drive the elastic positioning cup 6 to move between the loading position, the riveting position, and the unloading position, so that the wheel piece 10 sequentially completes the functions of support, end positioning, center riveting, anti-warping support, reset and loosening, and unloading. In one embodiment, the support seat 9 can be a turntable support seat or a linear sliding support seat. When the support seat 9 is a turntable structure, multiple elastic positioning cups 6 can be spaced apart along the circumference of the support seat 9. After each indexing rotation of the support seat 9, one of the elastic positioning cups 6 enters the riveting position. When the support seat 9 is a linear sliding structure, the elastic positioning cup 6 can sequentially pass through the loading position, the riveting position, and the unloading position along the linear conveying direction.
[0031] The elastic positioning cup 6 includes a cup base 61 and multiple elastic cup petals 62 spaced circumferentially along the cup base 61. The cup base 61 is fixedly or detachably connected to the support base 9, and provides an installation base for the multiple elastic cup petals 62. The lower ends of the multiple elastic cup petals 62 are connected to the cup base 61, and the upper ends of the multiple elastic cup petals 62 extend toward the upper rivet head 4, together forming an open cup-supporting opening at the top. The multiple elastic cup petals 62 can be integrally formed with the cup base 61, or they can be installed on the cup base 61 by insertion, screwing, pressing, or snap-fit. The elastic cup petals 62 themselves have a certain elastic deformation capacity. The position where their lower ends connect with the cup base 61 constitutes an elastic deformation fulcrum. The upper ends of the elastic cup petals 62 can retract inward toward the center of the cup-supporting opening under the action of external force, and can spring back to their original position after the external force is released.
[0032] Each elastic cup petal 62 has a supporting edge 63 at its upper end, which extends toward the inner side of the cup opening. Multiple supporting edges 63 are distributed circumferentially around the cup opening and together form an annular supporting area for supporting the outer edge of the wheel piece 10. When the wheel piece 10 is fed into the riveting station by the feeding mechanism 2, the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 rests on the multiple supporting edges 63. The multiple supporting edges 63 support the wheel piece 10 from multiple circumferential positions on the outer edge of the wheel piece 10, so that the wheel piece 10 can be stably located inside the cup opening without falling directly into the cup seat 61 or having a large offset relative to the riveting center.
[0033] The supporting edge 63 is formed by bending and extending the upper end of the elastic cup 62 toward the inner side of the cup opening. The supporting edge 63 and the upper end of the elastic cup 62 form a hook-shaped structure in the longitudinal section. The supporting edge 63 includes a bent root connected to the upper end of the elastic cup 62 and an inwardly extending tongue extending from the bent root toward the center of the cup opening. The inwardly extending tongue is located below the outer edge of the wheel 10 and is used to support the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel 10. Since the supporting edge 63 is a structure formed by bending the upper end of the elastic cup 62 inward, when the elastic cup 62 retracts or expands to reset, the supporting edge 63 can move synchronously with the elastic cup 62, thereby playing the roles of support, limiting, anti-tilting, and loosening under different working conditions.
[0034] A lifting support surface is formed on the upper side of the supporting edge 63, which supports the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel 10. The lifting support surface includes a low-position support section near the free end of the inward-extending tongue, a high-position lifting section near the root of the bend, and a transition guide section connecting the low-position support section and the high-position lifting section. The low-position support section supports the outer edge of the wheel 10 when the wheel 10 is initially placed or when the elastic cup 62 is in the retracted state. The high-position lifting section has a higher support position than the low-position support section. The transition guide section forms a smooth transition between the low-position support section and the high-position lifting section. The transition guide section can be an inclined surface, an arc surface, or a combination of inclined and arc surfaces, so that the outer edge of the wheel 10 can gradually rise along the transition guide section when the supporting edge 63 slides relative to it, without causing sudden impact or scratches.
[0035] The pressure ring 7 is located above the cup opening and is coaxially arranged with the elastic positioning cup 6. The pressure ring 7 has an overall annular structure, with its central area allowing the upper rivet head 4 to pass through or to correspond vertically with the center of the wheel piece 10. The pressure ring 7 can move up and down relative to the elastic positioning cup 6, and the downward movement of the pressure ring 7 occurs before the riveting movement of the upper rivet head 4. The lower inner side of the pressure ring 7 is provided with an inclined pressing surface 71, which can be an inner conical surface, an inclined annular surface, or an arc transition pressing surface. The upper outer side of the elastic cup piece 62 is provided with a pressure-receiving guide surface 64 corresponding to the inclined pressing surface 71, which can be an inclined surface, an arc surface, or a bent guide surface. The inclined pressing surface 71 is arranged opposite to the pressure-receiving guide surface 64, so that when the pressure ring 7 moves downward, the inclined pressing surface 71 can slide and press along the pressure-receiving guide surface 64, thereby converting the vertical downward displacement of the pressure ring 7 into the radial inward displacement of the elastic cup petal 62 toward the center of the cup opening.
[0036] The oblique pressing surface 71 can be continuously arranged along the circumference of the pressing ring 7. In this case, the pressing ring 7 can form a continuous annular pressing on multiple elastic cup petals 62 when it moves downward. The oblique pressing surface 71 can also be arranged into multiple pressing segments at intervals along the circumference of the pressing ring 7. The multiple pressing segments cooperate with the pressure-receiving guide surface 64 on the upper outer side of the corresponding elastic cup petal 62. The multiple pressure-receiving guide surfaces 64 are respectively arranged on the upper outer side of the corresponding elastic cup petal 62, so that the pressing ring 7 can press against multiple elastic cup petals 62 simultaneously when it moves downward, thereby causing multiple elastic cup petals 62 to synchronously close inward. Since multiple elastic cup petals 62 synchronously close inward, the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 can be corrected from multiple circumferential positions, thereby causing the wheel piece 10 to move towards the center of the cup opening, realizing the radial centering positioning of the wheel piece 10.
[0037] A linkage drive mechanism 8 is connected between the upper riveting head 4 and the pressure ring 7. The linkage drive mechanism 8 may include a linkage assembly, a sliding assembly, or an elastic delay assembly. The linkage drive mechanism 8 is configured to cause the pressure ring 7 to descend before the upper riveting head 4, so that the pressure ring 7 contacts the elastic cup 62 first and drives the elastic cup 62 to complete the closing positioning, and then allows the upper riveting head 4 to continue descending to rivet the center of the wheel piece 10. In one embodiment, the linkage drive mechanism 8 can make the pressure ring 7 and the upper riveting head 4 driven by the same power source, and form a sequential action relationship through an elastic element, a limiting shoulder, a sliding sleeve, or a delayed sliding structure; in another embodiment, the pressure ring 7 and the upper riveting head 4 can also be driven by independent drive elements, but the action sequence of the pressure ring 7 descending first and the upper riveting head 4 descending later is achieved by a control program or mechanical limit.
[0038] During operation, the feeding mechanism 2 first delivers the wheel piece 10 to be riveted to the support cup opening of the elastic positioning cup 6. The outer edge of the wheel piece 10 is supported by multiple supporting edges 63. At this time, the multiple elastic cup petals 62 are in an outward supporting state, and the supporting edges 63 provide initial support to the wheel piece 10 from the lower outer edge, keeping the wheel piece 10 within the support cup opening. Subsequently, the linkage drive mechanism 8 drives the pressure ring 7 to move downward first. The inclined pressing surface 71 on the lower inner side of the pressure ring 7 contacts the pressure-receiving guide surface 64 on the upper outer side of the elastic cup petal 62 and slides along the pressure-receiving guide surface 64. Due to the inclined guiding relationship between the inclined pressing surface 71 and the pressure-receiving guide surface 64, the downward movement of the pressure ring 7 is converted into the inward retraction movement of the elastic cup petals 62, and the multiple elastic cup petals 62 switch from the outward supporting state to the inward retraction positioning state.
[0039] As the multiple elastic cup petals 62 contract inward, the supporting edge 63 moves towards the center of the cup opening along with the elastic cup petals 62. The supporting edge 63 can approach or abut against the outer peripheral edge of the wheel piece 10 through its inner limiting edge, limiting the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 from multiple circumferential positions, thus correcting the wheel piece 10 towards the center of the cup opening. If the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 has a toothed groove, notch, or positioning edge, the multiple supporting edges 63 can also provide auxiliary limiting through the local contour of the outer edge of the wheel piece 10, so that the wheel piece 10 is radially centered while achieving a certain degree of circumferential correction. In the above manner, the wheel piece 10 is positioned between the upper riveting head 4 and the lower riveting seat 5 by the multiple elastic cup petals 62 and the supporting edge 63 before the upper riveting head 4 is formally riveted.
[0040] The lower riveting seat 5 includes a riveting support portion 11 located at the center of the cup opening, which is coaxially arranged with the upper riveting head 4. The riveting support portion 11 can be a riveting platform, a riveting post, a die forming portion, or a support portion with a forming groove. It is used to support the lower side of the wheel piece 10 when the upper riveting head 4 rivets the center of the wheel piece 10, or to cooperate with the upper riveting head 4 to form a riveting structure. After the wheel piece 10 is positioned by the elastic cup petal 62, the upper riveting head 4 continues to move downward and acts on the center of the wheel piece 10, so that the wheel piece 10 and the riveting shaft, riveting post, or connecting part are riveted and formed in cooperation with the riveting support portion 11.
[0041] During the riveting process, multiple elastic cup petals 62 remain in a closed-end positioning state, and multiple supporting edges 63 continuously support the outer edge of the wheel piece 10. Since the center of the wheel piece 10 is subjected to downward riveting pressure from the upper riveting head 4, if the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 lacks support, it is prone to warping or localized deformation. In this embodiment, the supporting edges 63 are located below the outer edge of the wheel piece 10, and multiple supporting edges 63 are distributed circumferentially along the outer edge of the wheel piece 10. This forms a ring-shaped or near-ring-shaped distributed support for the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 during the center riveting process, thereby suppressing warping, edge deformation, or decreased flatness after riveting of the wheel piece 10 during center riveting.
[0042] After riveting is completed, the linkage drive mechanism 8 causes the upper riveting head 4 to first move away from the center of the wheel piece 10, and then causes the pressure ring 7 to move upward and away from the elastic cup petals 62. After the pressure ring 7 moves upward, the oblique pressing surface 71 no longer presses against the pressure-bearing guide surface 64, and the multiple elastic cup petals 62 rebound and reset from the inward-opening state to the outward-opening state due to their own elasticity. During the reset process of the elastic cup petals 62, the supporting edge 63 moves outward with the elastic cup petals 62. Since the wheel piece 10 has completed the center riveting, the wheel piece assembly will not completely follow the supporting edge 63 outward relative to the supporting cup opening, so a relative slippage will occur between the supporting edge 63 and the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece 10.
[0043] When the supporting edge 63 returns to its original position from an inward-opening state to an outward-opening state along with the elastic cup 62, the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 can gradually transition from the low-position supporting section of the supporting edge 63 to the high-position lifting section via the transition guide section. Since the transition guide section is an inclined surface, an arc-shaped surface, or a combination of inclined and arc-shaped surfaces, the supporting edge 63 will generate an upward wedge lifting force during its sliding relative to the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece 10, thereby producing a slight lifting loosening effect on the outer edge of the wheel piece 10. This lifting loosening effect causes the riveted wheel piece assembly to slightly move upward or loosen relative to the supporting cup opening, avoiding the wheel piece assembly from being difficult to unload due to the outer edge sticking to the supporting cup opening or local jamming after center riveting. Subsequently, the unloading mechanism 3 receives or removes the wheel piece assembly, completing one automatic positioning and riveting cycle of the wheel piece 10.
[0044] In this embodiment, the elastic cup 62 performs different functions in different states. In the outward support state, the support edge 63 at the upper end of the elastic cup 62 supports the outer edge of the wheel piece 10; when the pressure ring 7 is pressed down, the elastic cup 62 closes inward through the cooperation of the pressure guide surface 64 and the inclined pressure surface 71, and performs radial correction on the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 through the support edge 63; during the riveting process of the upper riveting head 4, the support edge 63 continuously supports the outer edge of the wheel piece 10 to prevent the wheel piece 10 from warping; after the pressure ring 7 moves up and releases, the elastic cup 62 resets outward, and produces a wedge lifting and loosening effect on the wheel piece assembly through the lifting support surface of the support edge 63. Thus, the same elastic positioning cup 6 can continuously complete multiple functions such as support, positioning, anti-warping, and loosening unloading, reducing the need for independent positioning fixtures, clamping parts, anti-warping supports, and unloading mechanisms, making the equipment structure more compact, the action connection smoother, and the riveting consistency and quality of the wheel piece 10 higher.
[0045] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions conceived without inventive effort should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.
Claims
1. An automatic positioning and riveting device for wheel pieces, comprising a frame (1), a feeding mechanism (2), a discharging mechanism (3), an upper riveting head (4), a lower riveting seat (5), an elastic positioning cup (6), a pressure ring (7), and a linkage drive mechanism (8), wherein the frame (1) is provided with a riveting station, the upper riveting head (4) is disposed above the riveting station, the lower riveting seat (5) is disposed below the riveting station and corresponds vertically to the upper riveting head (4), the feeding mechanism (2) is located on the feeding side of the riveting station and is used to feed the wheel piece (10) to be riveted to the riveting station, and the discharging mechanism (3) is located on the discharging side of the riveting station and is used to output the riveted wheel piece assembly, characterized in that: The elastic positioning cup (6) is disposed between the upper rivet head (4) and the lower rivet seat (5). The elastic positioning cup (6) includes a cup seat (61) and a plurality of elastic cup petals (62) spaced apart circumferentially along the cup seat (61). The lower ends of the plurality of elastic cup petals (62) are connected to the cup seat (61). The upper ends of the plurality of elastic cup petals (62) extend toward the upper rivet head (4) and together form a cup opening. The upper end of each elastic cup petal (62) is provided with a supporting edge (63) extending toward the inner side of the cup opening. The plurality of supporting edges (63) together form an annular supporting area for supporting the outer edge of the wheel piece (10). The pressure ring (7) is located above the cup opening and is coaxially arranged with the elastic positioning cup (6). The lower inner side of the pressure ring (7) is provided with an inclined pressing surface (71). The upper outer side of the elastic cup petal (62) is provided with a pressure-receiving guide surface (64) corresponding to the inclined pressing surface (71). The linkage drive mechanism (8) is connected between the upper rivet head (4) and the pressure ring (7) so that the pressure ring (7) can move downward before the upper rivet head (4) and press against the pressure-receiving guide surface (64) through the inclined pressing surface (71), so that the multiple elastic cup petals (62) can switch from the outward supporting state to the inward closing positioning state. When the multiple elastic cup petals (62) are closed inward, the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) is radially corrected by the supporting edge (63) and the wheel piece (10) is positioned between the upper riveting head (4) and the lower riveting seat (5). The upper riveting head (4) rivets the center of the wheel piece (10) while the elastic cup petals (62) are in the closed positioning state. The multiple supporting edges (63) continuously support the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) during the riveting process to suppress warping of the wheel piece (10) when it is riveted in the center. The multiple elastic cups (62) elastically reset after the pressure ring (7) moves up and releases, and exert a loosening effect on the outer edge of the riveted wheel piece assembly through the supporting edges (63).
2. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting edge (63) is formed by bending and extending the upper end of the elastic cup petal (62) toward the inner side of the supporting cup opening. The supporting edge (63) and the upper end of the elastic cup petal (62) form a hook-shaped structure in the longitudinal section. The supporting edge (63) includes a bent root connected to the upper end of the elastic cup petal (62) and an inner protruding tongue extending from the bent root toward the center of the supporting cup opening. The inner protruding tongue is located below the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) and is used to support the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece (10).
3. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper side of the supporting edge (63) forms a lifting supporting surface, which is used to support the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece (10). The lifting supporting surface includes a low supporting section near the free end of the inner extension tongue, a high lifting section near the root of the bend, and a transition guide section connecting the low supporting section and the high lifting section. When the supporting edge (63) returns to the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) from the inward closing state to the outward opening state with the elastic cup petal (62), it can generate an upward wedge lifting and loosening effect on the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) through the transition guide section or the high lifting section.
4. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transition guide section is an inclined surface, an arc surface, or a combination of an inclined surface and an arc surface. When the elastic cup petal (62) is reset from the inward-opening state to the outward-opening state, the supporting edge (63) slides relative to the lower surface of the outer edge of the wheel piece (10), so that the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) transitions from the low-position supporting section to the high-position lifting section through the transition guide section, so that the riveted wheel piece assembly moves slightly upward relative to the supporting cup opening.
5. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inclined pressing surface (71) is an inner conical surface, inclined ring surface or arc transition pressing surface provided on the inner side of the lower part of the pressing ring (7). The pressure-receiving guide surface (64) is an inclined surface, arc surface or bending guide surface provided on the upper part of the outer side of the elastic cup petal (62). When the pressing ring (7) moves down, the inclined pressing surface (71) slides and presses along the pressure-receiving guide surface (64) to convert the downward displacement of the pressing ring (7) into the elastic closing displacement of the elastic cup petal (62) towards the center of the supporting cup opening.
6. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inclined pressing surface (71) is continuously arranged along the circumference of the pressing ring (7), or is arranged in multiple pressing segments at intervals along the circumference of the pressing ring (7); the multiple pressure-bearing guide surfaces (64) are respectively arranged on the upper outer side of the corresponding elastic cup petals (62), so that when the pressing ring (7) moves down, it can press against the multiple elastic cup petals (62) at the same time, so that the multiple elastic cup petals (62) can close inward synchronously.
7. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The supporting edge (63) also has an inner limiting edge for approaching or abutting the outer peripheral edge of the wheel piece (10). When the elastic cup petal (62) closes inward, the inner limiting edges of the multiple supporting edges (63) limit the outer edge of the wheel piece (10) from multiple circumferential positions, so that the wheel piece (10) is corrected towards the center direction of the supporting cup opening.
8. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linkage drive mechanism (8) includes a linkage assembly, a sliding assembly, or an elastic delay assembly connected between the upper riveting head (4) and the pressure ring (7). The linkage drive mechanism (8) is configured to allow the pressure ring (7) to first descend to press against the elastic cup (62), and after the elastic cup (62) completes its closing positioning, allow the upper riveting head (4) to continue descending for riveting. The linkage drive mechanism (8) is also configured to allow the upper riveting head (4) to first leave the center of the wheel piece (10) during the return stroke after riveting is completed, and then allow the pressure ring (7) to leave the elastic cup (62), so that the multiple elastic cups (62) spring back to their original positions after the pressure ring (7) is released.
9. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower riveting seat (5) includes a riveting part (11) located at the center of the cup opening. The riveting part (11) is coaxially arranged with the upper riveting head (4). The riveting part (11) is used to support the lower side of the wheel piece (10) or cooperate with the upper riveting head (4) to form a riveting structure when the upper riveting head (4) rivets the center of the wheel piece (10).
10. The automatic wheel positioning and riveting equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cup holder (61) is mounted on the support seat (9). The support seat (9) is intermittently movable or indexed and rotated on the frame (1). The support seat (9) is used to drive the elastic positioning cup (6) to move between the loading position, the riveting position and the unloading position, so that the wheel piece (10) can sequentially complete the support, the closing position, the center riveting, the anti-warping support, the reset and loosening and the unloading.