A disassembling device for ultrasonic water meter plastic seal

Abstract

This invention discloses a disassembly device for ultrasonic water meter plastic seals, comprising: a disassembly platform, including a base shell and a bottom mold disposed on top of the base shell, wherein the upper surface of the bottom mold has a positioning recess adapted to the contour of the back of the water meter for quickly clamping and positioning the water meter; a cap anchoring and pulling unit, consisting of a left clamping and pulling structure and a right clamping and pulling structure with identical structures, the left clamping and pulling structure and the right clamping and pulling structure are arranged mirror images on the left and right sides of the bottom mold, for anchoring and pulling out the cap in the plastic seal hole of the clamped water meter; a water meter pressing unit, disposed on the base shell and located behind the bottom mold, for pressing the water meter during disassembly; and a control system, including a control unit and an operating unit electrically connected to the control unit for realizing human-machine interaction, wherein the control unit is electrically connected to the cap anchoring and pulling unit and the water meter pressing unit respectively. The beneficial effect of this invention is that it can achieve efficient, non-destructive, and safe disassembly of ultrasonic water meter plastic seals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water meter dismantling technology, and in particular to a device for dismantling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter. Background Technology

[0002] Plastic seals (also known as plastic covers or caps) are special protective components widely used in metering instruments such as water meters and gas meters. Their core function is to physically lock the regulating components of the metering instrument, preventing unauthorized personnel from tampering with metering parameters, thereby ensuring the impartiality and accuracy of metering data. They are a crucial component of metering instrument compliance management and a vital structural identifier ensuring fair meter readings. The quality of disassembly of this component is a critical technological aspect ensuring the product is not scrapped and can be reused. In the entire lifecycle management of metering instruments, the disassembly process of plastic seals directly affects the product's reuse value and maintenance costs. The industry has set clear technical requirements for plastic seal disassembly processes: disassembly must be efficient while achieving a non-destructive disassembly of the water meter body, ensuring that the disassembled water meter can be reused after subsequent testing.

[0003] However, the current plastic seal and water meter positioning hole generally adopt an interference fit encapsulation structure. While this structure improves protection reliability, it also brings great challenges to disassembly operations. For a long time, the industry has mainly relied on manual labor for plastic seal disassembly. However, due to the tight fit between the plastic seal and the hole, there are three major drawbacks that are difficult to overcome: 1. High risk of product damage: During manual disassembly, operators need to use simple tools such as screwdrivers and pliers to pry the plastic seal. The direction and force applied are difficult to control precisely, easily causing irreversible damage such as cracking of the water meter casing and deformation of the positioning hole, leading to the direct scrapping of the water meter and significantly increasing maintenance and recycling costs. 2. Significant operational safety hazards: During plastic seal disassembly, tools are prone to slipping and loss of control, easily cutting the operator's hands, posing a serious safety hazard and failing to meet the safety operation standards of modern manufacturing. 3. Unstable disassembly efficiency and quality: The efficiency and quality of manual disassembly are highly dependent on the operator's experience and skill. Different operators have significantly different disassembly efficiencies, and it is difficult to guarantee that every disassembly will meet the requirement of no visible damage, resulting in inconsistent and unreliable product reuse.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, existing technologies attempt to assist manual disassembly by customizing simple tooling, such as designing specialized pry bars and positioning clamps. While this reduces labor intensity to some extent, it does not fundamentally solve the core pain points of manual disassembly: the tooling still requires manual force application, making it impossible to precisely control the disassembly force and direction, and the risks of product damage and operational safety hazards remain; the improvement in disassembly efficiency is limited, and quality stability is still not effectively guaranteed.

[0005] Therefore, developing an automated device capable of efficiently, non-destructively, and safely disassembling the plastic seals of ultrasonic water meters has become a pressing technical challenge in the field of metering instrument repair and recycling. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a device for dismantling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter, which enables efficient, non-destructive, and safe dismantling of the plastic seal.

[0007] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted in this application is:

[0008] The present invention provides a device for dismantling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter, comprising:

[0009] The disassembly platform includes a bottom shell and a water meter positioning seat set on the top of the bottom shell. The upper surface of the water meter positioning seat is provided with a positioning recess that matches the contour of the back of the water meter for quick snapping and positioning of the water meter.

[0010] The cap anchoring unit includes a cap anchoring structure and a height adjustment structure. The cap anchoring structure is used to anchor the cap inside the plastic sealing hole of the water meter and completes the cap removal operation with the cooperation of the height adjustment structure. The height adjustment structure is located inside the bottom shell, and its actuation output part is connected to the cap anchoring unit to adjust the working end of the cap anchoring structure to be at the same working height as the cap.

[0011] A water meter clamping unit, disposed on the bottom shell and located behind the water meter positioning seat, is used to clamp the water meter during disassembly; and

[0012] The control system includes a control unit and an operation unit electrically connected to the control unit for realizing human-machine interaction. The control unit is electrically connected to the cap anchoring unit and the water meter clamping unit, respectively, and is used to control the coordinated action of each unit to complete the cap removal operation.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the adhesive cap anchoring structure includes at least two sets of clamping structures mirror-arranged on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat, each set of clamping structures comprising:

[0014] The support frame is vertically slidably mounted on the bottom shell and is used to support other components for mounting the rubber cover anchor structure;

[0015] A horizontal drive component, horizontally mounted on the top bearing surface of the support frame, has its power output end connected to the anchor-pulling actuator for driving the anchor-pulling actuator to perform linear reciprocating motion along the left-right direction of the equipment; and

[0016] The anchoring actuator has a spike-like structure at its end facing the water meter positioning seat, which is used to pierce the rubber caps that are aligned on the same side under the drive of the horizontal drive member to form an piercing anchoring fit.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the anchor pulling actuator includes:

[0018] A clamping mounting base includes a connecting plate and an anchor plate disposed opposite each other. The connecting plate is fixedly mounted to the power output end of the horizontal drive component, and the anchor plate is connected to the connecting plate via a connector.

[0019] The spike-like structure has one end fixedly connected to the connecting plate and the other end passing through a pre-set through hole on the anchor plate to form an insertion tip for piercing and anchoring the rubber cap.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the spike-like structure includes a columnar base and an inserting tip integrally formed with the columnar base.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the connector is a connecting bolt, comprising an integrally formed bolt head, a smooth rod section, a small diameter section, and a threaded section. The smooth rod section has no threaded structure on its surface and is used to connect with the connecting plate. The small diameter section is connected between the smooth rod section and the threaded section, and its diameter is smaller than that of the smooth rod section and the threaded section. The threaded section is inserted into the anchor plate and threadedly connected to it.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the diameter of the smooth rod segment is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole of the connecting plate, which allows the connecting plate to slide freely on the smooth rod segment. The exposure degree of the piercing tip of the spike-like structure can be indirectly adjusted by adjusting the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate.

[0023] Alternatively, the connector can be an elastic connector (such as a spring) or a connecting bolt fitted with a spring, used to adjust the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate, and can drive the connecting plate and the anchor plate to return to the maximum distance state. On the one hand, it can cooperate with the height adjustment component to complete the removal and disengagement of the rubber cap, and on the other hand, it can protect the spike-like structure. The clamping mounting base has an initial working position and an anchoring working position: in the initial working position, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate is the largest, and the piercing tip is at least partially housed in the receiving space between the connecting plate and the anchor plate; in the anchoring working position, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate is the smallest, and the piercing tip extends completely to the outside of the anchor plate near the water meter positioning seat, used to pierce and anchor the rubber cap. This application changes the extension length of the piercing tip by adjusting the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate of the clamping mounting base, thereby realizing the insertion and separation of the rubber cap and the spike-like structure. Before the anchor plate contacts the water meter, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate remains relatively constant, and the connector is not compressed. At this time, the protruding length of the piercing tip is insufficient to anchor the rubber cap. When the horizontal drive unit drives the anchor plate to continue moving and contacts the rubber cap on the same side, the anchor plate is forced to stop moving. The distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate gradually decreases, and the piercing tip is gradually exposed and pierces into the aligned rubber cap. After the clamping mounting seat is switched to the anchoring working position, the horizontal drive unit stops moving, and the height adjustment component is activated. Since the piercing tip is inserted into the rubber cap at this time, during the upward movement of the entire rubber cap anchoring structure, the piercing tip drives the rubber cap to move upward, thereby pulling out the rubber cap inserted into the sealing hole. During the upward movement, as the clamping mounting seat resets, the piercing tip retracts, and the rubber cap automatically falls off. The entire process is smooth and unobstructed, and can be completed without manual intervention, realizing the automated removal of the rubber cap and providing a reliable foundation for subsequent automated disassembly.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the surface of the anchor plate facing the bottom membrane is provided with a pressure sensor, which can detect and provide feedback on the pressure on the surface of the anchor plate in a timely manner.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the insertion tip can be a conical needle, a square needle, or other needle types. A conical needle is more preferred. Conical needles are suitable for softer, thinner plastic seals, causing less damage and facilitating subsequent recycling. Square needles are suitable for harder, thicker plastic seals. The square cross-section of a square needle provides strong piercing power, effectively penetrating hard plastic seals. Furthermore, the square structure creates a large contact area with the plastic seal, resulting in more stable anchoring and reducing the likelihood of slippage during removal. The insertion tip is made of steel.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the height adjustment structure includes a vertical drive component, which is installed inside the bottom shell. Its power connection end is connected to the support frame through a transmission component, and is used to drive the support frame to move vertically up and down.

[0027] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the water meter positioning base is provided with guide ramps on both the left and right sides. After the rubber cap is pulled out and detached by the anchoring actuator, it can smoothly slide along the guide ramps to the left and right sides of the bottom of the water meter positioning base, effectively preventing the rubber cap from accumulating on the movement path of the anchoring actuator. This design fundamentally prevents the rubber cap from accidentally getting stuck between the clamping mounting base and the water meter, thereby avoiding interference with the normal movement of the anchoring actuator and ensuring the stability and continuity of the entire equipment operation.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the bottom shell is provided with a collection trough or collection pool in the area on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat to facilitate the collection of the rubber cover.

[0029] Alternatively, the bottom shell may be provided with drop holes on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat, allowing the glue caps to pass through. The bottom of the drop holes may be detachably provided with a box for collecting glue caps, which can receive glue caps that slide down from the guide slope, prevent glue caps from accumulating, ensure continuous production, and provide a basis for subsequent industrial operation.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the water meter clamping unit includes:

[0031] The mounting bracket is installed on the bottom shell and located behind the water meter positioning seat;

[0032] A downward pressure drive component, vertically mounted on the mounting bracket, has its power output end connected to the pressure head assembly for driving the pressure head assembly to move vertically up and down; and

[0033] The pressure head assembly is installed at the power output end of the downward pressure drive component and is used to press the water meter during the disassembly process.

[0034] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the mounting bracket is mounted on the bottom shell behind the water meter positioning seat in a fixed or adjustable manner.

[0035] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the bottom surface of the pressure head assembly is an arc-shaped pressing surface adapted to the front contour of the water meter.

[0036] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the arc-shaped pressing surface of the pressure head assembly is equipped with a pressure sensor, which can detect and provide feedback on the pressure on the arc-shaped pressing surface in a timely manner.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the lower part of the anchor plate is provided with a fitting surface that can adapt to the side profile of the water meter.

[0038] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the inner wall of the positioning recess is provided with a flexible buffer pad layer.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the flexible buffer pad layer can be made of conventional elastic materials (such as silicone or rubber) to avoid damage caused by hard contact between the water meter and the water meter positioning seat.

[0040] More preferably, the surface of the flexible buffer pad can be provided with anti-slip texture, so that the structure can have good elasticity, effectively reduce the impact force when the water meter is placed, and avoid scratches or deformation of the water meter shell due to collision, and can also increase the friction with the water meter shell through the anti-slip texture, improve positioning accuracy, and prevent the water meter from shifting during disassembly.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the control unit may be a PLC controller, which is electrically connected to the cap anchoring unit and the water meter clamping unit respectively, and controls the actions of each unit to ensure that the cap removal operation is completed in a coordinated manner.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the control unit can be a control button or a human-computer interaction touch screen.

[0043] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the control unit is a dual-button design, and the disassembly device can only be started when both buttons are pressed simultaneously.

[0044] Alternatively, the control unit may be designed with a touch screen display, which has human-machine interaction operation function. Operators can use the control unit to set disassembly parameters, start / stop the operation, and view the operation status and fault information.

[0045] This invention also provides a method for disassembling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter, comprising the following steps:

[0046] Step 1: Place the water meter to be disassembled in the positioning recess of the water meter positioning seat with the front facing up and the back facing down, so that the back of the water meter is completely in contact with the inner wall of the positioning recess, and the rubber caps on both sides of the water meter are precisely aligned with the two sets of clamping structures symmetrically distributed on the left and right.

[0047] Step 2: The rubber cap clamping unit operates, and the pressure head assembly moves downward until its arc-shaped pressing surface is tightly pressed against the front of the water meter. The water meter is stably fixed by the preset clamping force to prevent the water meter from shaking during disassembly.

[0048] Step 3: The clamping and pulling structures move synchronously in opposite directions in a straight line. The clamping and mounting base changes from the initial working state to the anchoring working state. At this time, the spiked structure fully penetrates and anchors the rubber cover on the same side. Then, the vertical drive component is activated, driving the corresponding rubber cover anchoring structure to move upward and pull the rubber cover out from the side of the water meter. During the upward movement of the rubber cover anchoring structure, the clamping and mounting base changes from the anchoring working state to the initial working state, so that the rubber cover and the spiked structure separate naturally, completing the disassembly of the ultrasonic water meter plastic seal.

[0049] Step 4: Reset the rubber cover anchoring unit and rubber cover clamping unit, and the operator can then remove the disassembled water meter.

[0050] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are:

[0051] 1. Significantly improved positioning accuracy and stability: This application achieves precise fixing of the water meter through a triple positioning structure design of "lower positioning + upper clamping + left and right clamping", ensuring that the water meter has no displacement or shaking during disassembly, and the positioning accuracy is high, far exceeding the positioning accuracy of manual disassembly; at the same time, the vertical pressure can be precisely adjusted according to the material and thickness of the water meter, and the uniform pressure standard effectively avoids damage to the water meter shell caused by uneven force during manual operation, thus improving positioning stability.

[0052] 2. Non-destructive and efficient disassembly process: This application innovatively designs a cap anchoring unit, which can not only accurately insert into the preset position of the cap (i.e., the plastic seal) to reliably anchor the plastic seal, but also, during insertion, it only acts on the plastic seal body, without causing scratches or deformation to the water meter casing. The disassembly process is fully automated, and the entire disassembly process is fast, improving efficiency compared to manual disassembly; moreover, the water meter casing is undamaged after disassembly, and the secondary assembly qualification rate is high, completely solving the problems of easy damage to the water meter and low efficiency of manual disassembly.

[0053] 3. Significantly Improved Operational Safety and Environmental Friendliness: This application utilizes a fully automated disassembly process, completely eliminating the risk of direct contact with sharp tools during manual operation and effectively preventing safety accidents such as cuts and injuries. Simultaneously, the automatic recycling of disassembled caps eliminates the need for manual cleaning, ensuring a clean production environment and preventing the accumulation of waste from impacting continuous production. Furthermore, the equipment employs a dual-button trigger system; the disassembly mechanism only activates when both buttons are pressed simultaneously, further enhancing operational safety.

[0054] 4. Reduce labor intensity and improve production consistency: The fully automated dismantling process of this application frees operators from heavy physical labor, requiring them only to place and remove the water meter, thus reducing labor intensity. At the same time, the standardized dismantling process of the equipment ensures the consistency of each dismantling action, avoiding the problem of unstable dismantling quality caused by differences in experience and physical strength in manual operation, and significantly improving production consistency and reliability.

[0055] Attached image description

[0056] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall disassembly equipment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a front view of the disassembly device of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 3 This is a side view of the disassembly device of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 4 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the anchor pulling actuator of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 5 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the anchor pulling actuator of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 6 This is a front view of the anchor pulling actuator of the present invention.

[0062] Figure 7 This is a top view of the anchor pulling actuator of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 8 This is a partial component exploded view of the anchor pulling actuator of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the connector of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembly equipment of the present invention equipped with a water meter.

[0066] Figure 11 This is an internal schematic diagram of the disassembly device of the present invention with the side plate removed and a water meter installed.

[0067] Figure 12 This is an internal schematic diagram of the disassembly device of the present invention after the front panel has been removed and a water meter has been installed.

[0068] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic water meter. One of the plastic sealing holes is fitted with a rubber cap, while the rubber cap has been removed from the other plastic sealing hole.

[0069] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0070] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the rubber cap structure.

[0071] In the attached diagram, 1-disassembly platform; 11-bottom shell; 12-water meter positioning seat; 121-positioning recess;

[0072] 2-Oil cap anchoring unit; 21-Oil cap anchoring structure; 211-Bearing frame; 212-Horizontal drive component; 213-Anchoring actuator; 2131-Clamping mounting base; 2132-Spike-like structure; 2133-Connecting plate; 2134-Anchor plate; 2135-Connector; 22-Height adjustment assembly; 221-Vertical drive component; 222-Transmission component;

[0073] 3-Water meter clamping unit; 31-Mounting bracket; 32-Pressing drive component; 33-Pressure head assembly;

[0074] 4-Control system; 41-Operating unit;

[0075] 5-Water meter; 51-Plastic cover; 511-Guide groove; 52-Plastic sealing hole; 521-Guide protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0076] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application.

[0077] It should be noted that the process equipment or apparatus not specifically mentioned in the following embodiments are all conventional equipment or apparatus in the art.

[0078] Furthermore, it should be understood that the existence of other method steps before or after the combined steps, or the insertion of other method steps between these explicitly mentioned steps, does not preclude the existence of other method steps before or after the combined steps, or the insertion of other method steps between these explicitly mentioned steps, unless otherwise stated. It should also be understood that the combined connection relationship between one or more devices / apparatus mentioned in this application does not preclude the existence of other devices / apparatus before or after the combined devices / apparatus, or the insertion of other devices / apparatus between these explicitly mentioned devices / apparatus, unless otherwise stated. Moreover, unless otherwise stated, the numbering of each method step is merely a convenient tool for identifying each method step, and not for limiting the order of the method steps or limiting the scope of implementation of this application. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of implementation of this application.

[0079] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0080] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "axial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0081] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0082] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0083] The present application will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0084] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the present invention provides a device for dismantling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter, comprising:

[0085] The disassembly platform 1 includes a bottom shell 11 and a water meter positioning seat 12 disposed on the top of the bottom shell 11. The upper surface of the water meter positioning seat 12 is provided with a positioning recess 121 that matches the back contour of the water meter 5, for quickly snapping and positioning the water meter 5.

[0086] The cap anchoring unit 2 includes a cap anchoring structure 21 and a height adjustment structure 22. The cap anchoring structure 21 is used to anchor and pull out the cap 51 in the plastic sealing hole 52 of the water meter. The height adjustment structure 22 is located inside the bottom shell 11, and its action output part is connected to two sets of clamping structures to adjust the height of the clamping structures.

[0087] A water meter clamping unit 3, disposed on the bottom shell 11 and located behind the water meter positioning seat 12, is used to clamp the water meter 5 during disassembly; and

[0088] The control system 4 includes a control unit and an operation unit electrically connected to the control unit for realizing human-machine interaction. The control unit is electrically connected to the rubber cap anchoring unit 2 and the water meter pressing unit 3, respectively, and is used to control the coordinated action of each unit to complete the removal of the rubber cap 51.

[0089] like Figure 1 As shown, the bottom shell 11 is a rectangular box structure, which is formed by a bottom plate, a top plate, a front plate, a rear plate and two side plates. The corresponding connecting edges of the top plate and the two side plates are respectively provided with mutually compatible buckle components. Without the aid of tools, the top plate and the side plate can be unlocked by simply pressing the buckle unlocking point on the top of the side plate with a finger, so as to realize the quick separation of the top plate and the side plate and facilitate the inspection and maintenance of the internal components of the bottom shell.

[0090] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 10 , Figure 12 As shown, the rubber cap anchoring structure 21 includes two sets of clamping structures mirror-arranged on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat 12. Each set of clamping structures includes:

[0091] The support frame 211 is vertically slidably mounted on the bottom shell 11 and is used to support other components for mounting the rubber cover anchor structure 21;

[0092] A horizontal drive component 212 is horizontally mounted on the top bearing surface of the support frame 211. Its power output end is connected to the anchor-pulling actuator 213, which drives the anchor-pulling actuator 213 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the left-right direction of the equipment.

[0093] The anchoring actuator 213 has a spike-like structure 2132 at its end facing the water meter positioning seat 12, which is used to form an inserting anchoring engagement with the rubber cap 51 that is aligned left and right on the same side during the anchoring process.

[0094] like Figures 4-8 As shown, the anchor pulling actuator 213 includes:

[0095] The clamping mounting base 2131 includes a connecting plate 2133 and an anchor plate 2134 disposed opposite to each other. The connecting plate 2133 is fixedly installed on the power output end of the horizontal drive member 212. The anchor plate 2134 is connected to the connecting plate 2133 via a connector 2135. The distance between the connecting plate 2133 and the anchor plate 2134 is adjusted via the connector 2135.

[0096] The spike-like structure 2132 has one end fixedly connected to the connecting plate 2133, and the other end passes through a preset through hole on the anchor plate 2134 to form an insertion tip for inserting into and anchoring the rubber cap 51.

[0097] like Figure 9 As shown, the connector 2135 is a connecting bolt, including an integrally formed bolt head, a smooth rod section, a small diameter section, and a threaded section. The smooth rod section has no threaded structure on its surface and is used to connect with the connecting plate. The small diameter section is connected between the smooth rod section and the threaded section, and its diameter is smaller than that of the smooth rod section and the threaded section. The threaded section is inserted into the anchor plate and threadedly connected to it.

[0098] like Figure 9 As shown, the diameter of the smooth rod section is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole of the connecting plate, which allows the connecting plate to slide freely on the smooth rod section. The exposure degree of the piercing tip of the spike structure can be indirectly adjusted by adjusting the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present invention, the connector 2135 is an elastic connector (such as a spring) or a connecting bolt fitted with a spring, used to adjust the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate, and can drive the connecting plate and the anchor plate to reset to the maximum distance state. On the one hand, it can cooperate with the height adjustment component to complete the removal and disengagement of the rubber cap, and on the other hand, it can protect the spike-like structure. The clamping mounting base has an initial working position and an anchoring working position: in the initial working position, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate is the largest, and the piercing tip is at least partially housed in the receiving space between the connecting plate and the anchor plate; in the anchoring working position, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate is the smallest, and the piercing tip extends completely to the outside of the anchor plate near the water meter positioning seat, used to pierce and anchor the rubber cap. This application changes the extension length of the piercing tip by adjusting the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate of the clamping mounting base, thereby realizing the insertion and separation of the rubber cap and the spike-like structure. Before the anchor plate contacts the water meter, the distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate remains relatively constant, and the connector is not compressed. At this time, the protruding length of the piercing tip is insufficient to anchor the rubber cap. When the horizontal drive unit drives the anchor plate to continue moving and contacts the rubber cap on the same side, the anchor plate is forced to stop moving. The distance between the connecting plate and the anchor plate gradually decreases, and the piercing tip is gradually exposed and pierces into the aligned rubber cap. After the clamping mounting seat is switched to the anchoring working position, the horizontal drive unit stops moving, and the height adjustment component is activated. Since the piercing tip is inserted into the rubber cap at this time, during the upward movement of the entire rubber cap anchoring structure, the piercing tip drives the rubber cap to move upward, thereby pulling out the rubber cap inserted into the sealing hole. During the upward movement, as the clamping mounting seat resets, the piercing tip retracts, and the rubber cap automatically falls off. The entire process is smooth and unobstructed, and can be completed without manual intervention, realizing the automated removal of the rubber cap and providing a reliable foundation for subsequent automated disassembly.

[0100] In some embodiments of the present invention, a pressure sensor is provided on the surface of the anchor plate 2134 facing the bottom membrane, and the signal output terminal of the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the control unit to detect and provide feedback on the pressure on the surface of the anchor plate in a timely manner.

[0101] like Figure 8 As shown, the spike-like structure 2132 includes a columnar base and an inserting tip integrally formed with the columnar base; the clamping mounting base 2131 has an initial working position and an anchoring working position: in the initial working position, the distance between the connecting plate 2133 and the anchor plate 2134 is the largest, and the inserting tip is at least partially housed in the receiving space between the connecting plate 2133 and the anchor plate 2134; in the anchoring working position, the distance between the connecting plate 2133 and the anchor plate 2134 is the smallest, and the inserting tip extends completely to the outside of the anchor plate 2134 near the water meter positioning seat 12, for inserting into and anchoring the rubber cover 51.

[0102] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the support frame 211 is a vertically arranged rectangular frame, with its lower part inserted into a preset mounting position on the top plate of the bottom shell 11. The vertical drive component is located inside the bottom shell and is connected to the two sets of support frames 211 via a transmission component. The transmission component 222 is a long strip-shaped connecting plate, and the vertical drive component is a traditional power component such as a linear cylinder or linear motor. The transmission component 222 is driven to rise and fall by its own telescopic movement, thereby driving the support frames arranged on both sides of the water meter positioning seat to rise and fall synchronously in the vertical direction, so as to adjust the working height of the rubber cover anchoring structure as a whole.

[0103] like Figure 1 As shown, the water meter positioning base 12 has guide ramps on both the left and right sides. When the rubber cap is pulled out and detached by the anchoring actuator, it can smoothly slide along the guide ramps to the bottom left and right sides of the water meter positioning base, effectively preventing the rubber cap from accumulating on the movement path of the anchoring actuator. This design fundamentally prevents the rubber cap from accidentally getting stuck between the clamping mounting base and the water meter, thereby avoiding interference with the normal movement of the anchoring actuator and ensuring the stability and continuity of the entire equipment operation.

[0104] In some embodiments of this application, the bottom shell 11 is provided with a collection trough or collection pool in the area on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat 12 to facilitate the collection of the rubber cover.

[0105] In some embodiments of this application, the bottom shell is provided with a drop channel for the rubber cap to pass through in the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat. The bottom of the drop channel is detachably provided with a box for collecting the rubber cap, which can receive the rubber cap that slides down from the guide slope, prevent the rubber cap from accumulating, ensure continuous production, and provide a basis for subsequent industrial operation.

[0106] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the height adjustment structure 22 includes a vertical drive component 221, which is installed inside the bottom shell 11. Its power connection end is connected to the support frame 211 through the transmission component 222, and is used to drive the support frame 211 to move vertically up and down.

[0107] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 10 , Figure 12 As shown, the water meter clamping unit 3 includes:

[0108] Mounting bracket 31 is fixedly installed on the bottom shell 11 and located behind the water meter positioning seat 12;

[0109] The downward pressure drive component 32 is vertically mounted on the mounting bracket 31, and its power output end is connected to the pressure head assembly 33 for driving the pressure head assembly 33 to move vertically up and down; and

[0110] The pressure head assembly 33 is installed at the power output end of the downward pressure drive 32 and is used to press the water meter 5 during the disassembly process.

[0111] In some embodiments of this application, the bottom surface of the pressure head assembly 33 is an arc-shaped pressing surface adapted to the front contour of the water meter 5.

[0112] In some embodiments of this application, the lower part of the anchor plate 2134 is provided with a fitting surface that can adapt to the side profile of the water meter 5.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, the arc-shaped pressing surface of the pressure head assembly is provided with a pressure sensor, and the signal output terminal of the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the control unit to detect and provide feedback on the pressure on the arc-shaped pressing surface in a timely manner.

[0114] like Figure 4 As shown, the lower part of the anchor plate is provided with a fitting surface that can adapt to the side profile of the water meter.

[0115] In some embodiments of this application, the inner wall of the positioning recess is provided with a flexible buffer pad layer.

[0116] In some embodiments of this application, the flexible buffer layer can be made of conventional elastic materials (such as silicone or rubber) to avoid damage caused by hard contact between the water meter and the water meter positioning seat.

[0117] In some embodiments of this application, the surface of the flexible buffer pad layer can be provided with anti-slip texture, so that the structure can have both good elasticity, effectively reduce the impact force when the water meter is placed, and prevent the water meter shell from being scratched or deformed due to collision, and increase the friction with the water meter shell through the anti-slip texture, improve positioning accuracy, and prevent the water meter from being displaced during disassembly.

[0118] like Figure 1 , Figure 12 As shown, the control unit 41 is a double-button assembly, located at the front of the bottom housing 11. The double-button assembly is installed in the front operating area of ​​the bottom housing 11 and is used to send a press-fit start command to the control unit via synchronous triggering. The disassembly mechanism can only be activated when both buttons are pressed simultaneously. The synchronous triggering mechanism of the double-button assembly can transmit accurate start commands to the control unit 42, avoiding misjudgment of commands due to signal interference, false triggering, etc. (Note: Figure 12 (The connecting wires between the control unit and the operation unit, and between various power components are omitted).

[0119] The power components in this application are all linear cylinders, linear motors and other drive components, both of which can effectively drive the functional unit to move in a preset direction, thereby completing the disassembly of the rubber cover.

[0120] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, the ultrasonic water meter 5 has a guide protrusion 521 in the plastic sealing hole 52, and the outer wall of the rubber cover 51 has a guide groove 511 that matches the guide protrusion 521, which is used to guide the rubber cover 51 to be smoothly inserted into the plastic sealing hole 52.

[0121] The present invention discloses a method for disassembling the plastic seal of an ultrasonic water meter, comprising the following steps:

[0122] Step 1: Place the water meter 5 to be disassembled in the positioning recess 121 of the water meter positioning seat 12 with the front facing up and the back facing down, so that the back of the water meter 5 is completely in contact with the inner wall of the positioning recess 121, and the rubber caps 51 on both sides of the water meter 5 are precisely aligned with the clamping structures on the left and right sides respectively.

[0123] Step 2: The rubber cap 51 pressing unit is activated, and the pressing head assembly 33 moves downward until its arc-shaped pressing surface is tightly pressed against the front of the water meter 5. The water meter 5 is stably fixed by the preset pressing force to prevent the water meter 5 from shaking during disassembly.

[0124] Step 3: The clamping and pulling structures move synchronously in opposite directions in a straight line. The clamping mounting base 2131 changes from the initial working state to the anchoring working state. At this time, the spike-like structure 2132 is fully inserted into and anchored to the rubber cover 51 on the same side. Then, the vertical drive component is activated, driving the corresponding rubber cover anchoring structure 21 to move upward and pull the rubber cover 51 out from the side of the water meter 5. During the upward movement of the rubber cover anchoring structure 21, the clamping mounting base 2131 changes from the anchoring working state to the initial working state, so that the rubber cover 51 and the spike-like structure 2132 separate naturally, completing the disassembly of the plastic seal of the ultrasonic water meter 5.

[0125] Step 4: Reset the rubber cover anchoring unit 2 and the water meter clamping unit 3, and the operator can then remove the disassembled water meter 5.

[0126] In summary, the ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly equipment developed in this application achieves precise and stable fixing of the water meter through a triple positioning structure. The pressure can be adjusted according to the material thickness to avoid damage to the outer casing caused by uneven manual force. The innovative cap anchoring unit precisely acts on the plastic seal body, achieving fully automated and efficient operation while disassembling without damage. Its efficiency far exceeds that of manual labor, and the secondary assembly qualification rate is greatly improved. The fully automated process, combined with a double-button triggering mechanism, completely eliminates the safety hazards of manual operation, and the automatic recycling of the cap ensures a clean production environment. The equipment liberates operators from heavy physical labor, and standardized operations ensure production consistency and reliability, providing solid support for large-scale enterprise production.

[0127] The above embodiments are for illustrating the implementation schemes disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting this application. Furthermore, various modifications listed herein, as well as variations in methods and compositions of the invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. Although this application has been specifically described in conjunction with various specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that this application should not be limited to these specific embodiments. In fact, various modifications as described above that are obvious to those skilled in the art to obtain the invention should be included within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus, characterized in that, include: The disassembly platform (1) includes a bottom shell (11) and a water meter positioning seat (12) set on the top of the bottom shell (11). The upper surface of the water meter positioning seat (12) is provided with a positioning recess (1211) that matches the back contour of the water meter (5) for quick snapping and positioning of the water meter (5). The cap anchoring unit (2) includes a cap anchoring structure (21) and a height adjustment structure (22). The cap anchoring structure (21) is used to anchor the cap (51) inside the plastic sealing hole of the water meter and complete the cap (51) removal operation under the cooperation of the height adjustment structure (22). The height adjustment structure (22) is located inside the bottom shell (11), and its action output part is connected to the cap anchoring structure (21) to adjust the working end of the cap anchoring structure (21) to be at the same working height as the cap (51). A water meter clamping unit (3) is disposed on the bottom shell (11) and located behind the water meter positioning seat (12), and is used to clamp the water meter (5) during disassembly; and The control system (4) includes a control unit and an operation unit (41) electrically connected to the control unit for realizing human-machine interaction. The control unit is electrically connected to the cap anchoring unit (2) and the water meter pressing unit (3) respectively, and is used to control the coordinated action of each unit to complete the cap (51) removal operation.

2. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The adhesive cap anchoring structure (21) includes two sets of clamping structures mirror-arranged on the left and right sides of the water meter positioning seat (12), each set of clamping structures including: The support frame (211) is vertically slidably mounted on the bottom shell (11) and is used to support and install the remaining functional components of the rubber cover anchor structure (21); A horizontal drive unit (212) is horizontally mounted on the top bearing surface of the support frame (211), and its power output end is connected to the anchor pulling actuator (213) for driving the anchor pulling actuator (213) to perform linear reciprocating motion in the left-right direction of the equipment; and The anchoring actuator (213) has a spike-like structure (2132) at its end facing the water meter positioning seat (12), which is used to pierce the rubber cap (51) aligned on the same side under the drive of the horizontal drive member (212) to form a piercing anchoring fit, so as to remove the rubber cap (51) by the vertical movement of the support frame (211).

3. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The anchor pulling actuator (213) includes: The clamping mounting base (2131) includes a connecting plate (2133) and an anchor plate (2134) disposed opposite to each other. The connecting plate (2133) is fixedly installed at the power output end of the horizontal drive member (212), and the anchor plate (2134) is connected to the connecting plate (2133) through a connector (2135). The spike-like structure (2132) is fixedly connected at one end to the connecting plate (2133) and at the other end passes through a pre-set through hole on the anchor plate (2134) to form an insertion tip for inserting into and anchoring the rubber cap (51).

4. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The spike-like structure (2132) includes a columnar base and an inserting tip integrally formed with the columnar base.

5. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The height adjustment structure (22) includes a vertical drive component (221), which is installed inside the bottom shell (11). Its power connection end is connected to the support frame (211) through the transmission component (222) to drive the support frame (211) to rise and fall vertically.

6. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The water meter clamping unit (3) includes: Mounting bracket (31) is mounted on the bottom shell (11) and located behind the water meter positioning seat (12); A downward pressure drive (32) is vertically mounted on the mounting bracket (31), and its power output end is connected to the pressure head assembly (33) for driving the pressure head assembly (33) to move vertically up and down; and The pressure head assembly (33) is installed at the power output end of the pressure drive (32) and is used to press the water meter (5) during the disassembly process.

7. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The bottom surface of the pressure head assembly (33) is an arc-shaped pressing surface adapted to the front contour of the water meter (5).

8. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The lower part of the anchor plate (2134) is provided with a fitting surface that can be adapted to the side profile of the water meter (5).

9. The ultrasonic water meter plastic seal disassembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the positioning recess (121) is provided with a flexible buffer pad layer.

10. A disassembly method of a disassembly apparatus for ultrasonic water meter plastic seals according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Place the water meter (5) to be disassembled in the positioning recess (121) of the water meter positioning seat (12) with the front facing up and the back facing down, so that the back of the water meter (5) is completely in contact with the inner wall of the positioning recess (121), and the rubber caps (51) on both sides of the water meter (5) are aligned with the two sets of clamping structures symmetrically distributed on the left and right. Step 2: The cap pressing unit is activated, and the pressing head assembly (33) moves downward until its arc-shaped pressing surface is tightly pressed against the front of the water meter (5). The water meter (5) is fixed in place by the preset pressing force to prevent the water meter (5) from shaking during disassembly. Step 3: The clamping and pulling structures move synchronously in opposite directions in a straight line. The clamping mounting base (2131) changes from the initial working state to the anchoring working state. At this time, the spike-like structure (2132) is fully inserted into and anchored to the rubber cover (51) on the same side. Then, the vertical drive component is activated, driving the corresponding rubber cover anchoring component (21) to move upward and pull the rubber cover (51) out from the side of the water meter (5). During the upward movement of the rubber cover anchoring component (21), the clamping mounting base (2131) changes from the anchoring working state to the initial working state, so that the rubber cover (51) and the spike-like structure (2132) naturally separate, completing the disassembly of the plastic seal of the ultrasonic water meter (5). Step 4: Reset the rubber cover anchoring unit (2) and the water meter clamping unit (3), and the operator can then take out the disassembled water meter (5).

Images