An automatic assembly machine

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of non-standard automation equipment, and provides an automatic assembly machine, which solves the problems of low efficiency, high risk of missing parts and inaccurate positioning in the prior art. The device comprises a machine table, a transfer mechanism, a main body feeding mechanism, a spring feeding mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a steel ball feeding mechanism, a cover feeding mechanism and a riveting mechanism. The transfer mechanism drives the adapter table to move between two positions. After the steel ball and the cover are preassembled on the adapter table, the riveting mechanism synchronously grabs and transfers the accessories to the support station. Each mechanism cooperates to realize full-process automation. The application realizes automatic assembly of parts, accurate positioning and coherent process, reduces the labor intensity, avoids missing parts, improves the assembly quality and meets the demand of large-scale production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of non-standard automated equipment technology, specifically relating to an automatic assembly machine. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of mechanical parts processing, composite parts, including the main body, spring, steel ball and top cover, are widely used. In the assembly process of such parts, the riveting process is the key link to ensure the stability of the assembly.

[0003] Currently, most existing technologies for the automated assembly of workpieces involving this type of riveting process rely on manual operation. Operators must manually complete tasks such as loading the main body, assembling the springs, placing the steel balls, and covering the top cover before manually transferring the workpiece to the riveting equipment for riveting and fixing. This not only involves cumbersome procedures and high labor intensity, resulting in low overall assembly efficiency, but also exposes operators to problems such as inattention and operational errors, leading to the risk of missing springs, steel balls, or top covers, which in turn affects the assembly quality of parts, increases subsequent rework costs, and fails to meet the demands of large-scale, high-precision production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic assembly machine in view of the current state of the prior art.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: an automatic assembly machine is proposed, comprising: a machine base, on which a support platform is provided, and multiple support stations are provided at intervals along the material conveying direction on the support platform; A transfer mechanism, mounted on the machine platform, is used to transfer materials between adjacent support stations; The main body feeding mechanism is set on the machine platform, and its output end corresponds to the upstream support station, which is used to transport the main body into the support station; A spring feeding mechanism is disposed on the machine platform and located downstream of the main body feeding mechanism, and is used to assemble springs into the main body within the support station; A transfer mechanism, disposed on the machine platform, includes a transfer platform, the transfer platform being used to reciprocate between a first position and a second position; A steel ball feeding mechanism is installed on the machine platform and is used to transport steel balls to the transfer platform located at the first position; The top cover feeding mechanism is set on the machine platform and is used to cover the steel ball on the transfer platform with a top cover having a through hole; A riveting mechanism is provided on the machine platform and above the support platform. The riveting mechanism includes multiple riveting parts arranged along the material conveying direction, and the upstream riveting part is provided with an adsorption element. The transfer mechanism is used to move the transfer platform carrying the top cover and the steel ball from the first position to the second position below the adsorption member, so that the adsorption member can simultaneously grab the top cover and the steel ball and transfer them to the support station.

[0006] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the transfer table is provided with a first positioning groove and a second positioning groove that are interconnected and coaxially arranged. The inner diameter of the first positioning groove is larger than the diameter of the steel ball; The second positioning groove is located directly above the first positioning groove. The cross-sectional dimension of the second positioning groove is larger than that of the first positioning groove and matches the outer circumferential dimension of the top cover.

[0007] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the transfer mechanism further includes: a first linear drive member connected to the riveting mechanism, the output end of the first linear drive member being connected to the transfer table and used to drive the transfer table to linearly reciprocate between the first position and the second position; wherein... The first position is located at the intersection of the moving trajectories of the output ends of the steel ball feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism, and the second position is located within the vertical projection range of the adsorption component.

[0008] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, both the main body feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism include a vibratory feeder and a linear vibration track, with the feed end of the linear vibration track connected to the discharge end of the vibratory feeder. The upper cover feeding mechanism further includes a two-axis conveying platform located between the steel ball feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism. The moving end of the two-axis conveying platform is fixed with a connecting seat. The steel ball feeding mechanism includes a steel ball guide installed on the connecting seat, and the upper cover feeding mechanism further includes an upper cover gripper installed on the connecting seat. The dual-axis conveying platform is used to drive the connecting seat to reciprocate between the waiting position and the first position, so that the discharge end of the steel ball guide tube and the upper cover clamp are sequentially aligned with the transfer table in the first position.

[0009] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the riveting component includes: A support frame is mounted on the machine base; The pressing drive component is vertically mounted on the support frame; A connecting block is movably mounted on the support frame via a guide rail, and the connecting block is connected to the output end of the pressing drive component; A riveting head, which is connected to the connecting block; wherein... The adsorption element is a negative pressure tube disposed on the upstream rivet head; The negative pressure tube is used to pass through the through hole of the upper cover on the transfer platform and adsorb the steel ball when the transfer platform is in the second position; and after the transfer platform moves out of the second position, the negative pressure tube moves downward with the connecting block to transfer the adsorbed steel ball and the upper cover synchronously to the main body in the support station.

[0010] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the riveting mechanism further includes: The second linear drive unit is vertically mounted on the support frame and located below the support station; The ejector rod is connected to the output end of the second linear drive unit, which drives the ejector rod to reciprocate within the support station to eject the riveted material.

[0011] In the aforementioned automated assembly machine, each of the support stations includes a third positioning groove for supporting the main body; wherein, The multiple support stations located directly below the riveting component are also provided with riveting surfaces that communicate with the third positioning groove; along the material conveying direction, the angle between the riveting surfaces corresponding to the multiple support stations and the horizontal plane decreases sequentially, so as to progressively rivet the upper cover on the main body through the riveting component.

[0012] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the riveting mechanism further includes a dust-collecting component, which comprises: A third linear drive component is disposed on the riveting mechanism; An air guide block is connected to the output end of the third linear drive unit. The air guide block is provided with an air inlet end and an air outlet end. The air inlet end is used to connect to a high-pressure air source. An air source connector is provided on the support station and communicates with the interior of the support station. The air source connector is used to connect an external air extraction device.

[0013] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the steel ball feeding mechanism further includes: A hopper used to hold steel balls; The fourth linear drive unit is vertically installed below the hopper; The upper end of the feed tube extends into the hopper and is driven by the fourth linear drive to reciprocate vertically. The feeding block is provided with a receiving hole for receiving a single steel ball. The feeding block reciprocates between the lower end of the guide pipe and the inlet of the transfer pipe. The discharge port of the transfer pipe is connected to the steel ball guide pipe through a flexible hose.

[0014] In the aforementioned automatic assembly machine, the machine further includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor; The first sensor is disposed on the upstream support station, and the sensing end of the first sensor extends into the interior of the support station. The first sensor is used to detect whether the main body is present on the support station. The second sensor is disposed on the hopper, and the sensing end of the second sensor extends into the hopper. The second sensor is used to detect whether there is the steel ball in the hopper. The third sensor is disposed on the feed tube, and the sensing end of the third sensor extends into the feed tube. The third sensor is used to detect whether there is a steel ball in the feed tube.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] (1) Through the coordinated operation of the machine tool, transfer mechanism, main body feeding mechanism, spring feeding mechanism, transfer mechanism, steel ball feeding mechanism, top cover feeding mechanism and riveting mechanism, the entire process of composite parts including main body, spring, steel ball and top cover is automated from main body feeding, spring assembly, steel ball and top cover pre-assembly to riveting and fixing. No manual operation is required for each process, greatly simplifying the operation process and reducing the intensity of manual labor. At the same time, it avoids problems such as missing springs, steel balls or top covers caused by human operation errors, improves the assembly quality of parts, reduces rework costs, and meets the needs of large-scale and high-precision production.

[0017] (2) Through the structural design of the first positioning groove and the second positioning groove on the transfer platform, the first positioning groove accurately positions the steel ball and the second positioning groove accurately positions the top cover, and the two are coaxially connected to ensure that the steel ball and the top cover are aligned during pre-assembly, avoiding the misalignment of the pre-assembly leading to subsequent docking errors with the main body, improving the pre-assembly accuracy of the steel ball and the top cover, and laying the foundation for subsequent adsorption transfer and assembly with the main body.

[0018] (3) The first linear drive unit is connected to the riveting mechanism and drives the transfer table to switch linearly and reciprocally. It precisely controls the movement of the transfer table between the first position of the steel ball and the upper cover and the second position below the adsorption component, ensuring that the transfer table switches accurately and stably, realizing the precise docking of the steel ball and the upper cover with the adsorption component after pre-assembly, avoiding adsorption and transfer failure due to the positioning deviation of the transfer table, and improving the continuity and stability of the entire assembly process. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 It is a 3D view of the workpiece.

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A sectional view.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the structure of the concealed machine section of an automatic assembly machine according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional view of the connection of the riveting mechanism, support platform, transfer mechanism and steel ball feeding mechanism.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Floor plan.

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view at point A in the middle.

[0025] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point B.

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point C.

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point D.

[0028] Figure 10 It is a 3D view of the steel ball feeding mechanism, the top cover feeding mechanism, and the transfer mechanism connected to the machine platform.

[0029] Figure 11 This is a 3D diagram of part of the steel ball feeding mechanism.

[0030] In the diagram, 10 is the workpiece; 11 is the main body; 12 is the spring; 13 is the steel ball; 14 is the top cover; 100 is the machine base; 110 is the support platform; 120 is the support station; 121 is the third positioning groove; 122 is the riveting surface; 130 is the first sensor; 200 is the transfer mechanism; 300 is the main body feeding mechanism; 400 is the spring feeding mechanism; 500 is the transfer mechanism; 510 is the transfer platform; 511 is the first positioning groove; 512 is the second positioning groove; 520 is the first linear drive; 600 is the steel ball feeding mechanism; 610 is the steel ball guide tube; 620 is the hopper; 630 is the fourth linear drive; and 640 is the guide. Pipe; 650, Feeding block; 660, Second sensor; 670, Third sensor; 680, Transfer pipe; 700, Top cover feeding mechanism; 710, Vibratory feeder; 720, Linear vibration track; 730, Two-axis conveying platform; 740, Connecting seat; 750, Top cover gripper; 800, Riveting mechanism; 810, Riveting component; 811, Support frame; 812, Pressing drive component; 813, Connecting block; 814, Riveting head; 820, Adsorption component; 830, Second linear drive component; 840, Top material rod; 850, Dust suction component; 851, Third linear drive component; 852, Air guide block; 853, Air source connector. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0032] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 11 As shown, the present invention discloses an automatic assembly machine specifically designed for the automated assembly of composite components comprising a main body 11, a spring 12, steel balls 13, and a top cover 14. It addresses the problems of low efficiency, high risk of missing parts, and poor process coordination inherent in existing technologies. The machine automates the entire process from feeding the main body 11, assembling the spring 12, assembling the steel balls 13 and top cover 14, to riveting and fixing. Its specific structure includes a machine base 100, a transfer mechanism 200, a main body feeding mechanism 300, a spring feeding mechanism 400, a transfer mechanism 500, a steel ball feeding mechanism 600, a top cover feeding mechanism 700, and a riveting mechanism 800. It also includes a first sensor 130, a second sensor 660, and a third sensor 670. These components work together to form a complete automated assembly production line. The structure, function, and working principle of each component are described in detail below.

[0034] The machine base 100 serves as the installation foundation for the entire automatic assembly machine. It has a rectangular platform structure with multiple support feet evenly distributed at the bottom. The support feet are made of high-strength steel and are also equipped with anti-slip pads at the bottom, which can effectively increase the friction with the ground and prevent the device from shaking or shifting during operation, thus ensuring the stability of the device.

[0035] The upper part of the machine base 100 is a flat mounting platform. The platform is precision polished and rust-proofed, with a smooth and burr-free surface. It can provide a stable and flat mounting benchmark for each functional mechanism, supporting all functional components such as the transfer mechanism 200, the main body feeding mechanism 300, and the spring feeding mechanism 400, ensuring that each mechanism can maintain a precise relative position during operation, thereby guaranteeing assembly accuracy.

[0036] The machine tool 100 is equipped with a support platform 110. The support platform 110 is a long strip-shaped block structure, made of wear-resistant cast iron material, and its surface is precision machined to ensure the stability when bearing the workpiece 10.

[0037] Multiple support stations 120 are spaced apart along the material conveying direction on the support platform 110. The number of support stations 120 can be reasonably set according to the assembly cycle and production efficiency requirements. Each support station 120 has a material drop hole at the bottom that is compatible with the top material rod 840. The fit clearance between the material drop hole and the top material rod 840 is 0.02mm-0.05mm. The support stations 120 are used to support the main body 11 to be assembled, providing a stable positioning foundation for subsequent assembly processes, and realizing continuous and rhythmic automatic assembly of the workpiece 10.

[0038] The transfer mechanism 200 is mounted on the machine base 100. Its core function is to transfer materials between adjacent support stations 120. It can accurately transfer the workpiece 10 that has completed the previous process to the support station 120 of the next process without manual intervention, effectively shortening the interval time between processes and improving overall production efficiency. When the ejector rod 840 pushes the finished product to its highest point, the grippers of the transfer mechanism 200 simultaneously close to grab the finished product, completing the workpiece removal action from the system.

[0039] In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 200 adopts a three-axis servo transfer robotic arm structure, specifically including a servo drive module, a three-axis displacement frame, a rotary joint, and an elastic gripper assembly. The three-axis displacement frame is bolted to the pre-reserved mounting position on the machine table 100, achieving precise three-dimensional displacement in X, Y, and Z directions. The rotary joint has a built-in servo motor, enabling fine-tuning of the workpiece's horizontal angle to adapt to the alignment accuracy requirements of each workstation. The elastic gripper assembly uses a symmetrical double-jaw structure with anti-slip, wear-resistant silicone pads embedded in the jaws, allowing for adaptive gripping of workpieces of different sizes without collisions or offsets during the gripping process. Simultaneously, the entire transfer mechanism is driven by a closed-loop servo motor, enabling precise start-stop and positioning calibration. The repeatability accuracy reaches ±0.01mm, allowing for stable workpiece transfer between adjacent and cross-workstation locations. This effectively avoids problems such as workpiece offset, dropping, or damage from collisions during transfer, replacing manual labor in the entire material transfer process and adapting to continuous batch production cycles. In other embodiments, the transfer mechanism 200 may also be a belt conveyor or a chain conveyor. Any structure that can achieve precise material transfer between adjacent support stations 120 is within the scope of protection of this solution.

[0040] The main feeding mechanism 300 is set on the machine base 100, and its output end corresponds to the upstream support station 120. Its main function is to realize the automatic feeding of the main body 11 to be assembled, reduce manual intervention, reduce the intensity of manual labor, and provide a sufficient supply of workpieces 10 for the entire assembly process.

[0041] The main feeding mechanism 300 includes a vibratory feeder 710 and a linear vibration track 720. The vibratory feeder 710 has a disc-shaped spiral feeding structure and is set in a separate area of ​​the machine base 100. It maintains a certain distance from the transfer mechanism 200, spring feeding mechanism 400, transfer mechanism 500, steel ball feeding mechanism 600, top cover feeding mechanism 700, and riveting mechanism 800 to prevent the vibration generated by the vibratory feeder 710 during operation from being transmitted to the other mechanisms and affecting the assembly accuracy.

[0042] The vibratory feeder 710 has a spiral upward track inside. The vibration motor at the bottom generates high-frequency vibration, which can automatically sort and orient the randomly piled main body 11 through vibration, so that the orientation of all the main body 11 is consistent. Then, it is gradually raised through the spiral track and output to the straight vibration track 720.

[0043] The feed end of the linear vibrating track 720 is connected to the discharge end of the vibrating plate 710. It is a long, straight groove channel structure made of stainless steel with a smooth surface, which can reduce the friction of the main body 11 during the conveying process and prevent the surface of the main body 11 from being scratched. The width of the linear vibrating track 720 is adapted to the size of the main body 11 to ensure that the main body 11 will not deviate or get stuck during the conveying process, and can be smoothly conveyed to the uppermost support station 120 to complete the automatic feeding operation of the main body 11.

[0044] The spring feeding mechanism 400 is set on the machine base 100 and located downstream of the main feeding mechanism 300. It is used to assemble the spring 12 into the main body 11 in the support station 120 and is the core mechanism for achieving precise assembly of the spring 12 and the main body 11.

[0045] In this embodiment, the spring feeding mechanism 400 adopts an integrated structure of vibration sorting and precise separation and pushing, specifically including a spring-specific vibratory feeder 710, a linear vibration track 720, a spring separation component, a pneumatic pushing component, and an alignment detection sensor. The spring-specific vibratory feeder 710 is equipped with an anti-entanglement sorting track adapted to the spring structure, which can automatically separate and orient the randomly stacked springs 12, eliminating the problem of springs getting tangled and stuck. The linear vibration track 720 receives the material from the vibratory feeder and uniformly transports the sorted springs to the assembly waiting position. The spring separation component uses a micro-cylinder driven material distribution baffle structure, releasing only one spring at a time, achieving precise feeding of a single spring and avoiding the stacking of multiple springs. The pneumatic pushing component is arranged laterally to the side of the waiting position, and the pushing head adopts a flexible anti-slip structure, which can accurately push a single spring vertically into the preset installation slot of the main body 11. The matching alignment detection sensor detects the spring feeding status and assembly position in real time, and can identify abnormal working conditions such as missing parts, misalignment, and jamming, and promptly provide a shutdown alarm. The entire mechanism can realize fully automated operation of spring disassembly, feeding, alignment, and assembly, with high assembly accuracy and strong stability, completely avoiding the misalignment and omission problems of manual assembly. In other embodiments, the spring feeding mechanism 400 can also adopt other known structures, which will not be described in detail here.

[0046] The transfer mechanism 500 is set on the machine base 100 to realize the pre-assembly and synchronous transfer of steel ball 13 and upper cover 14, and solve the problem of synchronous transfer of steel ball 13 and upper cover 14 and precise docking with the main body 11. The transfer table 510 is a cubic block structure with stepped hole structure, which is suspended on the horizontal slide rail between the main body feeding mechanism and the riveting mechanism. It mainly includes the transfer table 510 and the first linear drive component 520.

[0047] The transfer platform 510 is provided with a first positioning groove 511 and a second positioning groove 512 that are interconnected and coaxially arranged. The first positioning groove 511 forms a ball-receiving cavity, and the second positioning groove 512 forms a cover platform, forming a stepped fit between the two. The inner diameter of the first positioning groove 511 is larger than the diameter of the steel ball 13, ensuring that the steel ball 13 can be smoothly placed into the first positioning groove 511 and accurately positioned, avoiding the steel ball 13 from shifting on the transfer platform 510. The second positioning groove 512 is located directly above the first positioning groove 511. The cross-sectional dimension of the second positioning groove 512 is larger than that of the first positioning groove 511 and matches the outer peripheral dimension of the upper cover 14, enabling the upper cover 14 to be accurately positioned so that the upper cover 14 can accurately cover the steel ball 13, and the through hole of the upper cover 14 is aligned with the center position of the steel ball 13, preparing for subsequent adsorption and transfer.

[0048] By setting coaxial first and second positioning grooves with increasing diameters, the steel ball falls into the bottom center using the principle of gravity self-centering. At the same time, the stepped surface restricts the radial displacement of the top cover, thus achieving the physical axis of the top cover through hole and the center of the steel ball coincide, eliminating the risk of grasping failure caused by eccentricity during subsequent negative pressure suction.

[0049] The first linear drive component 520 is connected to the riveting mechanism 800, preferably a cylinder or an electric slide. Its output end is fixedly connected to the adapter 510 using a high-precision pin positioning + bolt locking method to complete rigid fastening assembly, preventing problems such as loosening, offset, and movement during the operation of the adapter, and ensuring the positioning accuracy of reciprocating movement. Its output end is connected to the adapter 510 and is used to drive the adapter 510 to linearly reciprocate between the first position and the second position. The movement accuracy can reach 0.01mm, ensuring the accurate positioning of the adapter 510.

[0050] The first position is located at the intersection of the output end movement trajectories of the steel ball feeding mechanism 600 and the upper cover feeding mechanism 700, which facilitates the steel ball feeding mechanism 600 to convey steel balls 13 to the transfer table 510 and the upper cover feeding mechanism 700 to cover the upper cover 14 to the transfer table 510; the second position is located within the vertical projection range of the adsorption component 820 of the riveting mechanism 800, which facilitates the adsorption component 820 to simultaneously grab the upper cover 14 and steel balls 13 on the transfer table 510.

[0051] The steel ball feeding mechanism 600 is installed on the machine base 100 and is used to transport the steel ball 13 to the transfer table 510 in the first position to realize the automatic feeding and precise positioning of the steel ball 13.

[0052] The steel ball feeding mechanism 600 includes a hopper 620, a fourth linear drive component 630, a guide pipe 640, a feeding block 650, and a transfer pipe 680. The hopper 620 is preferably a columnar or hollow cubic structure for holding steel balls 13. The bottom of the hopper 620 is provided with a discharge port to facilitate the output of steel balls 13.

[0053] The fourth linear drive unit 630 is vertically arranged below the hopper 620, preferably a cylinder or an electric cylinder, and is used to drive the guide tube 640 to reciprocate vertically.

[0054] The upper end of the guide pipe 640 is provided with a tapered flare to increase the probability of material collection. The upper end of the guide pipe 640 extends into the inside of the hopper 620. The guide pipe 640 is driven by the fourth linear drive unit 630 to make a vertical reciprocating interlacing motion.

[0055] The stacking of multiple steel balls 13 in the hopper 620 can easily form a stable arch bridge effect or bridging phenomenon. When the steel balls 13 are stuck due to stacking and cannot flow into the guide pipe 640 on their own, the fourth linear drive 630 drives the guide pipe 640 to reciprocate, disturbing and pushing the steel balls 13 in the hopper 620, so that the steel balls 13 can smoothly enter the guide pipe 640, avoiding the phenomenon that no steel balls 13 enter the guide pipe 640.

[0056] The feeding block 650 is provided with a receiving hole for receiving a single steel ball 13. The inner diameter of the receiving hole is adapted to the diameter of the steel ball 13. The feeding block 650 moves back and forth between the lower end of the guide tube 640 and the feed port of the transfer tube 680. After the guide tube 640 feeds the steel ball 13 into the receiving hole, the feeding block 650 moves to the feed port of the transfer tube 680 and feeds the steel ball 13 into the transfer tube 680.

[0057] Preferably, the movement of the feeding block 650 can be achieved by setting a component such as a cylinder at the output end of the fourth linear drive 630.

[0058] The transfer pipe 680 is fixed to the output end of the fourth linear drive 630 by a bracket and is located below the end of the moving trajectory of the feeding block 650. The discharge port of the transfer pipe 680 is connected to the steel ball guide tube 610 through a hose. The discharge end of the steel ball guide tube 610 can be accurately aligned with the first positioning groove 511 of the transfer table 510 in the first position, so as to accurately feed the steel ball 13 into the first positioning groove 511 and complete the automatic feeding of the steel ball 13.

[0059] The upper cover feeding mechanism 700 is set on the machine base 100 and is used to cover the upper cover 14 with through holes on the steel ball 13 on the transfer table 510 to realize the pre-assembly of the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13.

[0060] The top cover feeding mechanism 700 also includes a vibratory feeder 710 and a linear vibration track 720. The feed end of the linear vibration track 720 is connected to the discharge end of the vibratory feeder 710. The vibratory feeder 710 is used to automatically sort and orient the messy top covers 14 to ensure that the through holes of the top covers 14 face the same direction. The linear vibration track 720 stably transports the sorted top covers 14 to the designated position.

[0061] In addition, the top cover feeding mechanism 700 also includes a two-axis conveying platform 730 located between the steel ball feeding mechanism 600 and the top cover feeding mechanism 700. The two-axis conveying platform 730 adopts a floor-mounted fixed support structure. Its bottom support is locked and fixed to the table surface of the machine base 100 by expansion bolts. The top of the support is fixed with two-axis linear slide rails by bolt modules to form a stable installation benchmark, which can accurately define the installation position of the two-axis conveying platform 730 in the overall machine coordinate system, ensuring that there is no shaking or displacement during the operation of the platform, and that the positioning accuracy is stable and reliable. The moving end of the two-axis conveying platform 730 is fixed with a connecting seat 740. The steel ball guide tube 610 of the steel ball feeding mechanism 600 is installed on the connecting seat 740. The top cover feeding mechanism 700 also includes a top cover gripper 750 installed on the connecting seat 740.

[0062] The two-axis conveying platform 730 can achieve precise horizontal and vertical movement, driving the connecting seat 740 to reciprocate between the waiting position and the first position, so that the discharge end of the steel ball guide tube 610 and the upper cover clamp 750 are sequentially aligned with the transfer table 510 in the first position: When the connecting seat 740 moves to the waiting position, the steel ball guide tube 610 first sends the steel ball 13 into the first positioning groove 511 of the transfer table 510. Then, the two-axis conveying platform 730 drives the connecting seat 740 to move to the first position, so that the upper cover gripper 750 grabs the upper cover 14 and covers it above the steel ball 13, embedding it into the second positioning groove 512, completing the pre-assembly of the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13.

[0063] The riveting mechanism 800 is set on the machine base 100 and located above the support platform 110. It is the core mechanism for riveting and fixing the upper cover 14 and the main body 11. The multiple riveting parts 810 are arranged linearly at equal intervals along the material conveying direction. Their spacing is exactly equal to the center distance of the adjacent support station 120 to achieve synchronous operation of multiple stations. It includes multiple riveting parts 810 arranged along the material conveying direction. The upstream riveting part 810 is equipped with an adsorption part 820. The adsorption part 820 is used to synchronously grab the pre-assembled upper cover 14 and steel ball 13 on the transfer table 510 and transfer them to the main body 11 in the support station 120 to achieve precise docking of the upper cover 14, steel ball 13 and main body 11.

[0064] Each riveting component 810 includes a support frame 811, a pressing drive component 812, a connecting block 813, and a riveting head 814.

[0065] The support frame 811 is mounted on the machine base 100 and is a vertical profile frame structure made of spliced ​​aluminum alloy profiles. The structure is lightweight and stable, providing a stable installation foundation for components such as the pressing drive component 812 and the connecting block 813. In a preferred embodiment, multiple support frames 811 of multiple riveting components 810 are connected as a whole.

[0066] The pressing drive component 812 is vertically mounted on the support frame 811. It is preferably a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder, which can provide a stable driving force to drive the connecting block 813 to move up and down.

[0067] The connecting block 813 is movably mounted on the support frame 811 via a guide rail. The guide rail is vertically arranged to ensure smooth and precise movement of the connecting block 813. The connecting block 813 is connected to the output end of the pressing drive component 812 and can move up and down synchronously with the movement of the pressing drive component 812. The connection between the connecting block 813 and the riveting head 814 is not limited to a threaded connection; it can also be a quick-change snap-fit ​​connection or an interference fit connection to facilitate the replacement of the riveting head according to different body specifications.

[0068] The riveting head 814 is connected to the connecting block 813 and is made of hard alloy material. The head is provided with a shape that matches the through hole of the upper cover 14, and is used to rivet and fix the upper cover 14 on the main body 11.

[0069] The adsorption component 820 is a negative pressure tube installed on the upstream rivet head 814. The negative pressure tube is connected to an external negative pressure device and can generate a stable negative pressure suction force. The adsorption component 820 (negative pressure tube) uses air negative pressure to attract non-magnetic steel balls, and can be replaced by an electromagnetic suction head or a permanent magnet induction mechanism when attracting ferromagnetic steel balls.

[0070] When the adapter 510 is in the second position, the negative pressure tube passes through the through hole of the upper cover 14 on the adapter 510 and adsorbs the steel ball 13. When the negative pressure tube (820) picks up the steel ball (13) at high speed, the steel ball moves upward and fits tightly against the lower edge of the through hole of the upper cover (14). At this time, the high-speed airflow forms a local low-pressure area between the steel ball and the upper cover. The pressure difference and the wall adhesion effect generated by the outer wall of the negative pressure tube on the upper cover work together to stably adsorb and fix the upper cover (14) on the lower end face of the rivet head (814), realizing the synchronous fixation of the steel ball and the upper cover without mechanical clamping. After the transfer table 510 moves out of the second position, the negative pressure pipe moves downward with the connecting block 813 to transfer the adsorbed steel ball 13 and the upper cover 14 to the main body 11 in the support station 120 at the same time, so that the steel ball 13 is embedded in the preset position of the main body 11 and the upper cover 14 covers the main body 11, completing the precise docking of the upper cover 14, steel ball 13 and main body 11, and preparing for the subsequent riveting process.

[0071] The riveting mechanism 800 also includes a second linear drive 830 and a top rod 840. The second linear drive 830 is vertically mounted on the support frame 811 and located below the support station 120. It is preferably a cylinder and can provide stable driving force.

[0072] The ejector rod 840 is connected to the output end of the second linear drive 830. The upper end of the ejector rod 840 is adapted to the interior of the support station 120. The second linear drive 830 is used to drive the ejector rod 840 to reciprocate within the support station 120 to eject the riveted material. After the workpiece 10 completes the riveting process, the second linear drive 830 drives the ejector rod 840 to move upward, ejecting the finished workpiece 10 from the support station 120, so that the transfer mechanism 200 can transfer the finished product to the next process or storage area, realizing the automatic discharge of the finished product.

[0073] Each support station 120 includes a third positioning groove 121 for supporting the main body 11. The shape of the third positioning groove 121 is adapted to the shape of the main body 11, which can achieve precise positioning of the main body 11, avoid the main body 11 from shaking or shifting during assembly, and ensure the assembly accuracy of each process.

[0074] Among them, the multiple support stations 120 located directly below the riveting component 810 are also provided with riveting surfaces 122 that communicate with the third positioning groove 121; along the material conveying direction, the angle between the riveting surfaces 122 on the multiple support stations 120 and the horizontal plane decreases sequentially, so as to gradually rivet the upper cover 14 on the main body 11 through the riveting component 810, prevent stress concentration from causing the upper cover to burst, avoid excessive riveting pressure in a single operation from causing the upper cover 14 to deform or be damaged, ensure the riveting quality, and make the upper cover 14 and the main body 11 firmly and stably connected.

[0075] The riveting mechanism 800 also includes a dust collection component 850, used to clean up debris generated during the riveting process, preventing debris residue from affecting assembly accuracy and product quality. The dust collection component 850 includes a third linear drive component 851, an air guide block 852, and an air source connector 853. The air guide block 852 is rigidly connected to the third linear drive component 851, which is mounted on the riveting mechanism 800 and is preferably a cylinder, capable of driving the air guide block 852 to move back and forth.

[0076] The air guide block 852 is located on the side of the riveting head 814, with its nozzle pointing towards the riveting surface 122. The air guide block 852 is connected to the output end of the third linear drive 851. The air guide block 852 has an air inlet end and an air outlet end. The air inlet end is used to connect to a high-pressure air source. The high-pressure air source can introduce high-pressure gas into the air guide block 852 and blow it towards the riveting part through the air outlet end, blowing up the debris generated by riveting.

[0077] Air source connector 853 is installed on the side wall of support station 120 to form a transversely penetrating dust removal flow field. Air source connector 853 is connected to the inside of support station 120. Air source connector 853 is used to connect to an external air extraction device. The external air extraction device generates negative pressure to suck in and collect the blown debris, thereby achieving automatic cleaning of debris and maintaining a clean assembly environment.

[0078] This automatic assembly machine also includes a first sensor 130, a second sensor 660, and a third sensor 670, which are used to realize real-time monitoring of the assembly process, detect abnormalities in a timely manner and provide feedback, avoid problems such as missing parts or missing materials, and improve the product qualification rate.

[0079] The first sensor 130 is installed on the upstream support station 120, and the sensing end of the first sensor 130 extends into the interior of the support station 120. The first sensor 130 is used to detect whether there is a main body 11 on the support station 120. When it is detected that there is no main body 11 on the support station 120, a signal is sent and the main body feeding mechanism 300 is controlled to replenish the material in time to avoid empty station operation and ensure the continuity of the assembly process.

[0080] The second sensor 660 is installed on the hopper 620, and the sensing end of the second sensor 660 extends into the hopper 620. The second sensor 660 is used to detect whether there are steel balls 13 in the hopper 620. When it is detected that there are insufficient or no steel balls 13 in the hopper 620, an alarm signal is issued to remind the staff to replenish the steel balls 13 in time to avoid interruption of the assembly process due to lack of materials.

[0081] The third sensor 670 is installed on the feed tube 640, and the sensing end of the third sensor 670 extends into the feed tube 640. The third sensor 670 is used to detect whether there is a steel ball 13 in the feed tube 640, so as to avoid the problem of missing steel ball 13 due to the failure to remove steel ball 13, and further improve the assembly quality.

[0082] The workflow of this automatic assembly machine is as follows: First, the main body feeding mechanism 300 automatically sorts and transports the main body 11 of the workpiece 10 to the uppermost support station 120 via the vibratory feeder 710 and the linear vibration track 720. After the first sensor 130 detects that the main body 11 has arrived, the transfer mechanism 200 moves the main body 11 to the corresponding support station 120 of the spring feeding mechanism 400. The spring feeding mechanism 400 automatically assembles the spring 12 into the main body 11, completing the spring 12 assembly process. Subsequently, the transfer mechanism 200 moves the main body 11 equipped with the spring 12 to the uppermost support station 120 of the riveting mechanism 800, awaiting the subsequent assembly operations of the top cover 14 and the steel ball 13.

[0083] Simultaneously, upon startup, the dual-axis conveying platform 730 first drives the cover gripper 750 to grab the cover at the waiting position; then, the first linear drive 520 drives the transfer platform 510 to switch to the first position; at this time, the steel ball guide tube 610 releases a single steel ball into the first positioning groove 511, and then the cover gripper 750 embeds the cover into the second positioning groove 512. Key action: The negative pressure pipe 820 descends with the riveting head through the cover through hole, forming a local negative pressure environment that attracts the steel ball upwards to fit against the inner surface of the cover. The steel ball feeding mechanism 600 accurately delivers the single steel ball 13 to the first positioning groove 511 of the transfer platform 510 in the first position through the hopper 620, guide pipe 640, feeding block 650 and transfer pipe; the second sensor 660 detects the amount of steel ball 13 stored in the hopper 620 in real time, and the third sensor 660 detects whether the steel ball 13 in the guide pipe 640 has been fed into place. Subsequently, the dual-axis conveying platform 730 drives the connecting seat 740 to move, and the upper cover gripper 750 grabs the upper cover 14, closing the upper cover 14 above the steel ball 13 and embedding it into the second positioning groove 512 of the transfer table 510, completing the synchronous material handling of the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13. The first linear drive 520 drives the transfer table 510 to move from the first position to the second position, so that the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13 are directly below the adsorption member 820.

[0084] Finally, the transfer platform 510 retracts laterally, freeing up space below. The riveting head then presses the assembled upper cover and steel ball down onto the main body 11 of the support station 120. A negative pressure pipe generates negative pressure, passing through the through-hole of the upper cover 14 to attract the steel ball 13, simultaneously fixing the upper cover 14 below the riveting head 814. The first linear drive 520 drives the transfer platform 510 back to its first position. The action of the negative pressure pipe passing through the upper cover 14 and attracting the steel ball 13 is driven by the pressing drive 812. After the negative pressure pipe attracts the steel ball 13, the pressing drive 812 first drives the connecting block 813 upward, causing the steel ball 13 to detach from the upper cover 14 on the transfer platform 510. After the transfer platform 510 returns to its first position, the pressing drive 812 then drives the connecting block 813 downward, simultaneously moving the upper cover 14 and steel ball 13 above the main body 11 of the support station 120, achieving precise alignment and assembly. Subsequently, multiple riveting components 810 sequentially perform riveting operations on the upper cover 14 on the main body 11 along the material conveying direction; during the riveting process, the dust collection component 850 simultaneously collects and cleans the debris generated during the riveting operation. After the riveting is completed, the second linear drive component 830 drives the top material rod 840 to push out the finished workpiece 10, and the grippers of the transfer mechanism 200 close simultaneously when the top material rod rises to its highest point, grabbing the finished product, and then the transfer mechanism 200 transfers the finished product to the designated unloading area, thus completing the whole machine assembly process.

[0085] In this solution, the transfer mechanism 200 can be selected from belt conveyors, chain conveyors, or robotic arms, depending on the actual production conditions. Any structure capable of precise material transfer between adjacent support stations 120 is within the scope of this solution. The pressing drive 812, the first linear drive 520, the second linear drive 830, the third linear drive 851, and the fourth linear drive 630 can all be selected as cylinders, electric cylinders, linear motors, or lead screw mechanisms as needed. Cylinders offer advantages such as fast response and simple structure, while electric cylinders offer advantages such as high positioning accuracy and stable driving force output, allowing for flexible adaptation to different production scenarios.

[0086] The adsorption element 820 adopts a negative pressure tube structure, which is simple in structure and reliable in adsorption, and can realize the synchronous gripping and transfer of the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13. It can also be replaced by other adsorption structures such as vacuum suction cups, as long as they can meet the functional requirements of synchronous adsorption of the upper cover 14 and the steel ball 13 and achieve precise transfer. All sensors are proximity sensors, which have high detection accuracy and fast response speed, and can monitor the material conditions of each workstation in real time and promptly feed back abnormal equipment signals.

[0087] This solution achieves fully automated assembly of composite components including the main body 11, spring 12, steel ball 13, and top cover 14 by rationally configuring the machine 100, transfer mechanism 200, main body feeding mechanism 300, spring feeding mechanism 400, transfer mechanism 500, steel ball feeding mechanism 600, top cover feeding mechanism 700, riveting mechanism 800, and sensors. It completely solves the drawbacks of existing technologies, such as low efficiency of manual operation, high risk of missing parts, and poor process connection.

[0088] The device has a reasonable overall structural design, with each mechanism working together precisely. The transfer mechanism 500 enables the pre-assembly and synchronous transfer of steel balls 13 and the top cover 14, solving the problem of synchronous transfer of steel balls 13 and the top cover 14 and precise docking with the main body 11. The progressive riveting of multiple riveting parts 810 ensures the quality of riveting. Real-time monitoring by sensors avoids problems such as missing parts and materials, significantly improving assembly efficiency and product quality, reducing manual labor intensity, and enhancing the level of production automation. It is suitable for large-scale mass production and has high practicality and promotion value.

[0089] Of course, the automatic assembly machine in this solution also includes a detection mechanism for checking the assembly accuracy of the finished workpieces 10, and a sorting mechanism for distinguishing between qualified and unqualified products. The aforementioned detection mechanism adopts visual inspection technology, and both the detection mechanism and the sorting mechanism are existing technologies, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0090] It should be noted that in this invention, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. The terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0091] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0092] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic assembly machine, characterized in that, include: The machine is equipped with a support platform, and multiple support stations are spaced apart on the support platform along the material conveying direction. A transfer mechanism, mounted on the machine platform, is used to transfer materials between adjacent support stations; The main body feeding mechanism is set on the machine platform, and its output end corresponds to the upstream support station, which is used to transport the main body into the support station; A spring feeding mechanism is disposed on the machine platform and located downstream of the main body feeding mechanism, and is used to assemble springs into the main body within the support station; A transfer mechanism, disposed on the machine platform, includes a transfer platform, the transfer platform being used to reciprocate between a first position and a second position; A steel ball feeding mechanism is installed on the machine platform and is used to transport steel balls to the transfer platform located at the first position; The top cover feeding mechanism is set on the machine platform and is used to cover the steel ball on the transfer platform with a top cover having a through hole; A riveting mechanism is provided on the machine platform and above the support platform. The riveting mechanism includes multiple riveting parts arranged along the material conveying direction, and the upstream riveting part is provided with an adsorption element. The transfer mechanism is used to move the transfer platform carrying the top cover and the steel ball from the first position to the second position below the adsorption member, so that the adsorption member can simultaneously grab the top cover and the steel ball and transfer them to the support station.

2. The automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter is provided with a first positioning slot and a second positioning slot that are interconnected and coaxially arranged. The inner diameter of the first positioning groove is larger than the diameter of the steel ball; The second positioning groove is located directly above the first positioning groove. The cross-sectional dimension of the second positioning groove is larger than that of the first positioning groove and matches the outer circumferential dimension of the top cover.

3. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer mechanism further includes: a first linear drive unit connected to the riveting mechanism, the output end of the first linear drive unit being connected to the transfer platform and used to drive the transfer platform to linearly reciprocate between the first position and the second position; wherein... The first position is located at the intersection of the moving trajectories of the output ends of the steel ball feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism, and the second position is located within the vertical projection range of the adsorption component.

4. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the main feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism include a vibrating plate and a linear vibrating track, with the feed end of the linear vibrating track connected to the discharge end of the vibrating plate. The upper cover feeding mechanism further includes a two-axis conveying platform located between the steel ball feeding mechanism and the upper cover feeding mechanism. The moving end of the two-axis conveying platform is fixed with a connecting seat. The steel ball feeding mechanism includes a steel ball guide installed on the connecting seat, and the upper cover feeding mechanism further includes an upper cover gripper installed on the connecting seat. The dual-axis conveying platform is used to drive the connecting seat to reciprocate between the waiting position and the first position, so that the discharge end of the steel ball guide tube and the upper cover clamp are sequentially aligned with the transfer table in the first position.

5. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The riveting component includes: A support frame is mounted on the machine base; The pressing drive component is vertically mounted on the support frame; A connecting block is movably mounted on the support frame via a guide rail, and the connecting block is connected to the output end of the pressing drive component; A riveting head, which is connected to the connecting block; wherein... The adsorption element is a negative pressure tube disposed on the upstream rivet head; The negative pressure tube is used to pass through the through hole of the upper cover on the transfer platform and adsorb the steel ball when the transfer platform is in the second position; and after the transfer platform moves out of the second position, the negative pressure tube moves downward with the connecting block to transfer the adsorbed steel ball and the upper cover synchronously to the main body in the support station.

6. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The riveting mechanism further includes: The second linear drive unit is vertically mounted on the support frame and located below the support station; The ejector rod is connected to the output end of the second linear drive unit, which drives the ejector rod to reciprocate within the support station to eject the riveted material.

7. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned support stations includes a third positioning groove for supporting the main body; wherein, The multiple support stations located directly below the riveting component are also provided with riveting surfaces that communicate with the third positioning groove; along the material conveying direction, the angle between the riveting surfaces corresponding to the multiple support stations and the horizontal plane decreases sequentially, so as to progressively rivet the upper cover on the main body through the riveting component.

8. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The riveting mechanism further includes a dust-collecting component, which includes: A third linear drive component is disposed on the riveting mechanism; An air guide block is connected to the output end of the third linear drive unit. The air guide block is provided with an air inlet end and an air outlet end. The air inlet end is used to connect to a high-pressure air source. An air source connector is provided on the support station and communicates with the interior of the support station. The air source connector is used to connect an external air extraction device.

9. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The steel ball feeding mechanism also includes: A hopper used to hold steel balls; The fourth linear drive unit is vertically installed below the hopper; The upper end of the feed tube extends into the hopper and is driven by the fourth linear drive to reciprocate vertically. The feeding block is provided with a receiving hole for receiving a single steel ball. The feeding block reciprocates between the lower end of the guide pipe and the inlet of the transfer pipe. The discharge port of the transfer pipe is connected to the steel ball guide pipe through a flexible hose.

10. An automatic assembly machine as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The system also includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor; The first sensor is disposed on the upstream support station, and the sensing end of the first sensor extends into the interior of the support station. The first sensor is used to detect whether the main body is present on the support station. The second sensor is disposed on the hopper, and the sensing end of the second sensor extends into the hopper. The second sensor is used to detect whether there is the steel ball in the hopper. The third sensor is disposed on the feed tube, and the sensing end of the third sensor extends into the feed tube. The third sensor is used to detect whether there is a steel ball in the feed tube.

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