A disc unstacker disc layering and collating stacking and collecting device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of material handling technology and discloses a tray-breaking and stacking equipment for empty trays, comprising: a base, a robotic arm, a tray, and a control box disposed inside the base. A mounting plate is disposed above the control box, and a control panel is mounted at one corner of the mounting plate. Multiple outer frames are disposed on the upper inner side of the base, with a reserved installation space in the middle of each outer frame. A frame conveyor belt can be installed through the installation space, and support legs are provided at the bottom of the frame conveyor belt. This invention replaces the traditional downward-pressing pusher with a side-push separation structure. Through the cooperation of a first telescopic rod, a locking tab, a first limiting rod, and a guide seat, and further through the cooperation of an X-axis guide rail, a fixed drive seat, and a sliding strip, the locking tab pushes the medicine bottle laterally from the lower part of the bottle, avoiding the problem of the downward-pressing structure squeezing the bottle top. This fundamentally reduces the occurrence of bottle tipping, breakage, and leakage, lowering the safety risks in pharmaceutical production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material handling technology, specifically to a device for sorting, stacking, and collecting empty trays in layers using a tray disassembly machine. Background Technology

[0002] In automated production workshops for pharmaceuticals, food, and daily chemicals, finished bottled medicines and other goods are mostly stacked on empty plastic pallets. During the transportation process, mechanical actions separate the fully loaded bottled medicines from the empty pallets. A robotic arm or depalletizing equipment then removes the empty pallets and stacks them in a designated location before finally transferring them to the warehouse. The common method for separating empty pallets and medicines on the market is a pressure-push structure. This structure presses down on the top of the medicine bottle and pushes the bottom of the pallet to push the medicine bottle out. While this structure can achieve separation, it still has certain limitations.

[0003] For example, in actual production, the pressing process can easily squeeze the medicine bottles, causing them to collide, tip over, or even break and leak, which can greatly affect the safety of drug production. It can also lead to cross-contamination, confusion, and error risks. At the same time, the pressing structure is complex, has low reliability, and is difficult to maintain. It is difficult to achieve automatic feeding and tray collection, completely replace manual labor, and cannot meet the continuous production requirements of clean production lines. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a tray disassembly machine for layering, sorting, stacking, and collecting empty trays. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a tray splitting machine for layering, stacking, and collecting empty trays. It utilizes a side-push separation structure to automatically separate medicine bottles from empty trays in full trays, and uses a foldable U-shaped bottle baffle to achieve integrated actions of tray opening, closing, and empty tray movement, thus completing the layering, stacking, and collecting of empty trays.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: Firstly, a tray unpacking and empty tray layering and stacking collection device includes: a base, a robotic arm, a tray, and a control box disposed inside the base. An mounting plate is disposed above the control box, and a control panel is mounted at one corner of the mounting plate. Multiple outer frames are disposed above the inner side of the base, with a reserved installation space in the middle of each outer frame. A frame conveyor belt can be installed through the installation space. Support legs are disposed at the bottom of the frame conveyor belt. A lifting drive column is disposed on the outer side of the frame conveyor belt. A lifting block is disposed on one side of the lifting drive column, and a strip block is fixedly installed on the outer side of the lifting block. A column drive motor box is disposed above one end of the strip block. A transition arc plate is disposed on the side of the frame conveyor belt away from the support legs. A tray station is disposed on one side of the transition arc plate. A stacking station is disposed to the right of the tray station. A conveying station is disposed in front of the tray station. The device is characterized by further comprising: The conveying and positioning unit is located above the conveying station and the pallet station, and is used to push the full pallet from the conveying station to the pallet station in two intermittent steps. The conveying and positioning unit includes a driving and positioning component and a pushing component. The driving and positioning component is located above the mounting plate of the control box and above the conveying station. The pushing component is located above the driving and positioning component. The pallet sorting section is located outside the conveyor belt of the frame and is used to separate the medicine bottles in the full pallet from the empty pallet and push the empty pallet to the stacking station; The pallet distribution section includes a hook body and a distribution component, both of which are located below the column drive motor box and can be extended and retracted into the column drive motor box. The coordination unit, located on the outside of the pallet, is used to cooperate with the pallet distribution unit to complete the transitional transport of medicine bottles and the limiting transport of empty pallets; The cooperating part includes a receiving transition component and a folding swing component. The receiving transition component is located between the pallet station and the frame conveyor belt, and the folding swing component is located on the outside of the pallet.

[0006] Furthermore, the driving positioning element includes: The Y-axis guide rail is located on the top of the mounting plate above the control box; The support frame is symmetrically and slidingly positioned above the Y-axis guide rail; There are two third drive electric cylinders, which are located inside the support frame.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive positioning component also includes: The electrical controller is located on the top of the mounting plate above the control box, between the pallet station and the stacking station; The lifting rods are symmetrically arranged above the electric controller, and have slots at their ends; A baffle, located in a slot at the top of the lifting rod, is used to rise and block the positioning when the tray is pushed into place.

[0008] Furthermore, the pusher component includes: The rotating shaft is rotatably disposed between two support frames and located on the upper part of the inner wall of the support frames, with bearings provided between its two sides; The first actuating lever is located on the outside of the rotating shaft; The second lever is located on the outside of the rotating shaft; A stabilizing rod is fixedly installed on the outside of the second actuating rod; A toggle piece, fixedly mounted on the top of the stabilizing bar, is used to contact and push the outside of the tray when the second toggle bar falls; An auxiliary shaft is installed between two support frames to provide auxiliary support for the first actuating rod. The first and second levers are configured to alternately lift and lower under the drive of the third drive electric cylinder, so that when the support frame reciprocates along the Y-axis guide rail, the first lever pushes the pallet a certain distance first, and the second lever continues to push the pallet to the pallet station, thus achieving two intermittent pushes.

[0009] Furthermore, the hook component includes: The second limiting rod is installed inside the column drive motor box and is used for guidance and support; The second drive electric cylinder is located inside the column drive motor box; The second telescopic rod is located inside the second drive electric cylinder and can penetrate the column drive motor box; A receiving plate is installed at the bottom end of the second telescopic rod; The hook rods are set on both sides of the receiving plate and located below the receiving plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the material separating component includes: The cylinder piston cylinder is located inside the column drive motor box; The first drive electric cylinder is located on one side of the cylinder piston cylinder; The first telescopic rod is located below the cylinder piston cylinder; The push plate, located at the bottom of the first telescopic rod, is a long, straight push plate with a length that matches the width of the array of medicine bottles in the tray. The pushing surface contacts the lower middle part of the medicine bottle body. Multiple guide seats are located inside the column drive motor box; The first limiting rod, which runs through the interior of the guide seat, is used to ensure the balanced lifting and lowering of the card lever on both sides; The sensor, located on one side of the top of the cylinder piston cylinder, is used to detect the extension position of the first telescopic rod. When the card plate descends to the preset pushing height, it triggers a signal, and the control system stops descending and starts the lateral pushing action accordingly.

[0011] Furthermore, the material separating component also includes: A fixed drive base is installed below the lifting drive column; The slide bar is located on the outside of the fixed drive seat; The X-axis guide rail is located below the fixed drive seat and can cooperate with the slide bar. One end of the X-axis guide rail is equipped with a drive motor and a lead screw mechanism to drive the fixed drive seat to reciprocate along the X-axis guide rail.

[0012] Furthermore, the receiving transition component includes: The transition arc plate is located between the pallet station and the frame conveyor belt; The side of the transition arc plate that contacts the pallet station is arc-shaped, used to receive the medicine bottles pushed out of the pallet and smoothly transition them to the frame conveyor belt, preventing bottles from tipping over due to height differences. The blocking strip is set on the outside of the pallet station, and the inner side has a recessed area, which is used to fit and position the full pallet that is pushed into place. Output conveyor belts are installed on both sides of the stacking station; The input conveyor belt is set on both sides of the conveying station, and the conveying direction is opposite to that of the output conveyor belt; Pallet restraint strips are installed on both sides of the output conveyor belt to restrict the outer edge of empty pallets and prevent them from shifting during transport.

[0013] Furthermore, the folding swing member includes: The tray has a three-sided enclosed structure with a hollow area on one side, and is located above the input conveyor belt; Pins are located on both sides of the tray; The U-shaped bottle baffle is rotatably mounted on the outside of the pin. There is a gap between the U-shaped bottle barrier and the hollowed-out area on one side of the tray, which is used to allow the hook to be inserted to lift or move the U-shaped bottle barrier. The U-shaped bottle stop is configured to prevent the medicine bottles from tipping over when closed, and to tilt upwards and inwards towards the inside of the tray when folded to fully expose the opening for the medicine bottles to be pushed out. When the U-shaped bottle barrier is closed, its outer side can fit against the pushing side of the card plate, so that the card plate can push the U-shaped bottle barrier to move the empty tray to the stacking station.

[0014] The above-described solution of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. By adopting a side-push separation structure to replace the traditional downward-pressing pusher, through the cooperation of the first telescopic rod, the locking piece, the first limiting rod, and the guide seat, and further through the cooperation of the X-axis guide rail, the fixed drive seat, and the slide bar, the locking piece pushes laterally from the lower part of the medicine bottle, avoiding the problem of the downward-pressing structure squeezing the top of the bottle, reducing the occurrence of bottle tipping, bottle breakage, and leakage from the root, and reducing the safety risks of drug production.

[0015] 2. Through fully automated operation, from full tray feeding, automatic tray opening, material pushing and separation, material output to tray closing and empty tray layer stacking and collection, no manual intervention is required, reducing the risk of cross-contamination and confusion caused by human contact. The U-shaped bottle baffle adopts a foldable design, which prevents bottles from tipping over under normal conditions, lifts up to make way when the tray is opened, and serves as a force point for pushing the tray after it is closed. One structure realizes multiple functions, reducing the complexity of the structure. The overall structure is simple and reliable, with a low failure rate and easy maintenance. With two intermittent pushing mechanisms, the full tray is transported smoothly, further reducing the risk of bottle tipping. The whole set of equipment can achieve continuous and uninterrupted production, completely replacing manual operation, and can meet the continuous production requirements of clean production lines in pharmaceuticals, food and other industries. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the combination of frame conveyor belt, pallet station, and conveying station is provided for embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the combination of the first telescopic rod, the latching piece, the first limiting rod, the second limiting rod, the receiving plate, and the hook rod is provided for the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first drive electric cylinder, a cylinder piston cylinder, a sensor, and a first telescopic rod provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the Y-axis guide rail, support frame, and second actuating lever provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the stacking station, tray, and input conveyor belt combination provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structural deformation of the first actuating lever, the second actuating lever, and the stacked workstation combination provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is provided by the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 6 Enlarged schematic diagram of a local structure at point A; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electric controller, lifting rod, and baffle provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is provided by the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 Enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point B.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Control box; 3. Control panel; 4. Outer frame; 5. Robotic arm; 6. Support leg; 7. Frame conveyor belt; 8. Lifting drive column; 9. Lifting block; 10. Strip block; 101. Pallet; 11. Column drive motor box; 12. First drive electric cylinder; 13. Cylinder piston cylinder; 14. First telescopic rod; 15. Card lever; 16. Guide seat; 17. First limiting rod; 18. Sensor; 19. Second drive electric cylinder; 20. Second telescopic rod; 21. Receiving plate; 22. Hook rod; 23. Second limiting rod; 24. Fixed drive. 25. Moving base; 26. Sliding bar; 27. X-axis guide rail; 28. Pallet station; 29. ​​Transition arc plate; 20. Stacking station; 31. Conveying station; 32. Y-axis guide rail; 33. Support frame; 34. Rotating shaft; 35. First actuating lever; 36. Second actuating lever; 37. Stabilizing rod; 38. Actuating piece; 39. Overlapping auxiliary shaft; 40. Third drive electric cylinder; 41. Blocking bar; 42. Pallet limiting bar; 43. Output conveyor belt; 44. Input conveyor belt; 45. U-shaped bottle stop; 46. Pin; 47. Electric controller; 48. Lifting rod; 49. Baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0020] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, a tray unpacking machine for layering, stacking, and collecting empty trays includes: a base 1, a robotic arm 5, a tray 101, and a control box 2 located inside the base 1. A mounting plate is installed above the control box 2, and a control panel 3 is installed at one corner of the mounting plate. Multiple outer frames 4 are installed on the upper inner side of the base 1, with a reserved installation space in the middle of each frame 4. A frame conveyor belt 7 can be installed through this space. Support legs 6 are located at the bottom of the frame conveyor belt 7. A lifting drive column 8 is located on the outer side of the frame conveyor belt 7. A lifting block 9 is located on one side of the lifting drive column 8. A strip block 10 is fixedly installed on the outer side of the lifting block 9. A column drive motor box 11 is located above one end of the strip block 10. A transition arc plate 271 is located on the side of the frame conveyor belt 7 away from the support legs 6. A tray station 27 is located on one side of the transition arc plate 271. A stacking station 28 is located to the right of the tray station 27. A conveying station 29 is located in front of the tray station 27. The machine also includes: The conveying and positioning unit is located above the conveying station 29 and the pallet station 27. The conveying and positioning unit includes a drive positioning component and a pusher component. The drive positioning component is located above the mounting plate of the control box 2 and above the conveying station 29. The pusher component is located above the drive positioning component. The pallet distribution section is located on the outside of the frame conveyor belt 7; The pallet distribution section includes a hook and a distribution component. Both the hook and the distribution component are located below the column drive motor box 11 and can be extended and retracted into the column drive motor box 11. The coordination and cooperation part is located on the outside of the pallet 101; The coordination unit includes a receiving transition component and a folding swing component. The receiving transition component is located between the pallet station 27 and the frame conveyor belt 7, and the folding swing component is located on the outside of the pallet 101.

[0021] Specifically, the pallet 101 is placed on the shelf of the trolley by default. The robotic arm 5 is used to remove the pallet 101 from the shelf and place it stably on the conveying station 29. The conveying station 29 is used to assist in the conveying of the pallet 101. The control box 2 is equipped with a control system, and the commands for the equipment to perform actions can be completed through the buttons on the control panel 3. The frame conveyor belt 7 is used to convey the medicine bottles separated from the pallet 101. The empty pallet 101 is conveyed to the stacking station 28. The lifting drive column 8 has a sliding groove on its side, and the lifting block 9 can be inserted into the sliding groove on the side of the lifting drive column 8. The lifting drive column 8 and the lifting block 9 slide together.

[0022] In practical application, the full pallet 101 is first placed on both sides of the conveying station 29 by the robot arm 5. The full pallet 101 is then driven to the corner position where the pallet station 27 and the conveying station 29 intersect by the control panel 3. Then, the full pallet 101 is pushed to the pallet station 27 by the movement of the Y-axis guide rail 30, the support frame 31, and the first actuating rod 33. At this time, the full medicine bottle and the empty pallet 101 are separated by the pallet distribution part set above, and the medicine bottle material is conveyed to the direction of the frame conveyor belt 7. The empty pallet 101 is moved to the stacking station 28. Finally, the stacking station 28 is removed by the robot arm 5, and the stacking is completed.

[0023] like Figure 2 , Figure 5 The driving positioning component includes: Y-axis guide rail 30 is set on the top of the mounting plate above the control box 2; The support frame 31 is symmetrically and slidingly arranged above the Y-axis guide rail 30; The third drive electric cylinder 38 has two cylinders, which are located inside the support frame 31; The electrical controller 45 is located on the top of the mounting plate above the control box 2, and is situated between the pallet station 27 and the stacking station 28. The lifting rod 46 is symmetrically arranged above the electric controller 45, and a slot is provided at the end; The baffle 47 is set in the slot at the top of the lifting rod 46; The pusher components include: The rotating shaft 32 is rotatably disposed between two support frames 31 and located on the upper part of the inner wall of the support frame 31, and bearings are provided between its two sides; The first actuating lever 33 is located on the outside of the rotating shaft 32; The second actuating lever 34 is located on the outside of the rotating shaft 32; The stabilizing rod 35 is fixedly installed on the outside of the second actuating rod 34; The actuating piece 36 is fixedly installed at the top of the stabilizing rod 35; An auxiliary shaft 37 is lapped and positioned between two support frames 31.

[0024] Specifically, a sliding block is fixedly installed on the outside of the support frame 31. The sliding block is adapted to the slots opened on both sides of the Y-axis guide rail 30, so that the support frame 31 can slide along the Y-axis guide rail 30. One end of the Y-axis guide rail 30 is equipped with a drive motor, which drives the support frame 31 to move back and forth along the Y-axis guide rail 30 through a synchronous pulley and a synchronous belt. The driving method is existing technology and will not be described in detail. Among the two third drive electric cylinders 38, one side is located below the second actuating rod 34 and the other side is located below the first actuating rod 33. The first actuating rod 33 and the second actuating rod 34 are sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft 32. The overlapping auxiliary shaft 37 is used to provide auxiliary support for the first actuating rod 33. The electric controller 45 is used to receive the control system electrical signal inside the control box 2 and feed it back to the lifting rod 46 for timely lifting and lowering.

[0025] In practical application, firstly, the full pallet 101 is placed above the input conveyor belt 42 by the robot arm 5. After transmission, the full pallet 101 moves to the end of the input conveyor belt 42, where it is on the same conveyor line as the pallet station 27. The control panel 3 operates the control system's action commands, sliding the support frame 31 along the Y-axis guide rail 30 towards the pallet station 27. Before sliding, the third drive electric cylinder 38 below the first actuating lever 33 is not working, and both the first actuating lever 33 and the second actuating lever 34 are initially in a lowered state. The third drive electric cylinder 38 below the second actuating lever 34 works, causing the second actuating lever 34 to tilt upwards. The inner side of the first actuating lever 33 is locked onto the outer side of the full pallet 101. As the support frame 31 slides along the Y-axis guide rail 30, it pushes the full pallet 101 to its limit position. At the same time, the control system moves the baffle 47 from bottom to top via the lifting rod 46, placing it between the pallet station 27 and the stacking station 28, providing simple protection and positioning. Before the full pallet 101 has fully entered the pallet station 27, the support frame 31 returns to its initial position along the inner side of the Y-axis guide rail 30. At this time, the first actuating lever 33 tilts up, and the second actuating lever 34 falls down. After the actuating lever 34 falls, the actuating plate 36 and the stabilizing rod 35 fall down simultaneously, sliding again towards the pallet station 27. The actuating plate 36 first contacts the outer side of the full pallet 101 until it has completely slid to the position of the pallet station 27. Through two intermittent pushes, the impact of a single long distance is reduced. The vibration caused by direct pushing reduces the vibration between medicine bottles, thus achieving a smooth, stable, and safe conveying effect and ensuring the safety of production transmission. It should be noted that the telescopic rod of the third drive electric cylinder 38 pushes upward to the tail of the corresponding first actuating rod 33 or second actuating rod 34, causing the first actuating rod 33 or second actuating rod 34 to swing around the rotating shaft 32, causing the head to tilt up. When the third drive electric cylinder 38 retracts, the first actuating rod 33 or second actuating rod 34 falls back to the lowered state by gravity.

[0026] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the hook component includes: The second limiting rod 23 is installed inside the column drive motor box 11; The second drive electric cylinder 19 is located inside the column drive motor box 11; The second telescopic rod 20 is located inside the second drive electric cylinder 19 and can pass through the column drive motor box 11; The receiving plate 21 is installed at the bottom end of the second telescopic rod 20; Hook rods 22 are set on both sides of the receiving plate 21 and located below the receiving plate 21.

[0027] The sub-components include: The cylinder piston cylinder 13 is located inside the column drive motor box 11; The first drive electric cylinder 12 is located on one side of the cylinder piston cylinder 13; The first telescopic rod 14 is located below the cylinder piston cylinder 13; The push plate 15 is located at the bottom end of the first telescopic rod 14. It is a long strip-shaped straight push plate with a length that matches the width of the array of medicine bottles in the tray 101. The pushing surface contacts the lower middle part of the medicine bottle body.

[0028] Guide seats 16, having multiple types, are disposed inside the column drive motor box 11; The first limiting rod 17 is installed through the interior of the guide seat 16; Sensor 18 is located on one side of the top of the cylinder piston cylinder 13 and is used to detect the extension position of the first telescopic rod 14. When the card plate 15 descends to the preset pushing height, it triggers a signal, and the control system stops descending and starts the lateral pushing action accordingly. The extension length is determined by sensing the position of the magnetic ring at the upper end of the first telescopic rod 14. Sensor 18 is a Hall sensor, which determines the extension position by detecting the change in the magnetic field of the magnetic ring at the upper end of the first telescopic rod 14 and sends the detection signal to the control system inside the control box 2. The fixed drive base 24 is located below the lifting drive column 8; Slide bar 25 is disposed on the outside of fixed drive seat 24; The X-axis guide rail 26 is located below the fixed drive seat 24 and can cooperate with the slide bar 25.

[0029] Specifically, the second drive electric cylinder 19 cooperates with the second telescopic rod 20 to push the second telescopic rod 20 downward; the first limiting rod 17 and the second limiting rod 23 respectively slide with the corresponding guide seat 16 to ensure the balance of the card plate 15 and the receiving plate 21 during the lifting process. The first limiting rod 17 and the second limiting rod 23 are respectively used to guide and support the card plate 15 and the receiving plate 21 to ensure the balance on both sides; the hook rod 22 is adapted to the spacing between the hollow area of ​​the tray 101 and the U-shaped bottle stop 43; the X-axis guide rail 26 has a guide groove adapted to the slide bar 25 on its outer side; the fixed drive seat 24 provides stable support for the lifting drive column 8; In practical application, after the full pallet 101 moves to the pallet station 27, the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 used to stabilize the full medicine bottle and the empty pallet 101 needs to be released first. In the initial state, the column drive motor box 11 is located at the leftmost position of the full pallet 101. The second drive electric cylinder 19 drives the second telescopic rod 20 to extend downwards, and the receiving plate 21 and hook rod 22 move together. The hook rod 22 extends downwards to the leftmost position below the U-shaped bottle barrier 43. After reaching the appropriate position between the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 and the empty pallet 101, then with the whole... While the body slides horizontally to the right, it moves upward along the lifting drive column 8. The hook 22 hooks the lower edge of the U-shaped bottle stop 43 and lifts it upward, turning the U-shaped bottle stop 43 around the pin 44 upward to a vertical state. At this time, the hook 22 continues to push the U-shaped bottle stop 43 upward past the vertical balance point. Then, under the action of gravity, the U-shaped bottle stop 43 falls to the inside and above the tray, so that the open area on the front side of the tray 101 is completely exposed, thereby releasing the U-shaped bottle stop 43 to facilitate the separation of the full medicine bottle and the empty tray 101 in the next step. After the U-shaped bottle stop 43 is released, during the separation of the medicine bottle and the empty tray 101, the second telescopic rod 20 retracts upward to reset. After the hook rod 22 resets upward, the fixed drive seat 24 and the lifting drive column 8 continue to slide a distance along the X-axis guide rail 26. The locking piece 15 moves to align with the rightmost edge of the full tray 101. At this time, the first drive electric cylinder 12 pushes out the first telescopic rod 14 through the cylinder piston cylinder 13. After the first telescopic rod 14 extends, it squeezes the locking piece 15 downward to move it downward. The locking piece 15 extends downward into the medicine bottle inside the tray 101. The push surface of the bottle array abuts against the side of the last row of bottles. As the fixed drive seat 24 and the lifting drive column 8 move to the left in the opposite direction, the full bottles are pushed from the open area of ​​the tray 101 to the frame conveyor belt 7. After the push is completed, the card plate 15 returns to its original position and rises. The lifting drive column 8 moves to the right to align with the rightmost side of the empty tray 101. Then the second telescopic rod 20 extends the hook 22 downward and moves to the left. During the movement, the hook 22 pulls the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 back to the closed state so that the empty tray 101 can be neatly processed. When the card lever 15 moves to the position of the U-shaped bottle stop 43 outside the open area of ​​the empty tray 101, the first telescopic rod 14 pushes the card lever 15 downward, and the whole unit moves to the right. The card lever 15 drives the empty tray 101 to the stacking station 28 through the U-shaped bottle stop 43 to complete the separation of the medicine bottle and the empty tray 101. Finally, the robot arm 5 picks up the tray 101 and transports it away, placing it in the empty tray stacking and collection station. This enables the equipment to have functions such as full tray feeding, automatic tray opening, material pushing, material output, tray closing, and layered collection. The automated function of stacking empty and tray sorting reduces the complexity of the structure compared to the traditional pressing type, lowers the failure rate, improves reliability, facilitates maintenance and upkeep, and helps ensure the service life of the equipment and safe production. It should be noted that the output conveyor belts 41 located on both sides of the stacking station 28 have multiple perforated non-smooth textures to facilitate conveying. The lifting drive column 8 and the X-axis guide rail 26 are equipped with servo motors and lead screw mechanisms to drive the lifting block 9 to move up and down. This is existing technology and will not be described in detail.

[0030] like Figure 2 , Figures 6 to 10 As shown, the receiving transition component includes: The transition arc plate 271 is located between the pallet station 27 and the frame conveyor belt 7; The side of the transition arc plate 271 that contacts the pallet station 27 is arc-shaped; Barrier strip 39 is installed on the outside of pallet station 27; Pallet limiting strips 40 are provided on both sides of the output conveyor belt 41 to limit the outer side of the empty pallet 101 and prevent it from shifting during transport. Output conveyor belt 41 is set on both sides of stacking station 28; Input conveyor belt 42 is set on both sides of conveying station 29; The folding swing component includes: The tray 101 has a three-sided enclosed structure, with one side being a hollow area, and is located above the input conveyor belt 42; Pin 44 is located on both sides of tray 101; U-shaped bottle baffle 43 is rotatably set on the outside of pin 44; There is a gap between the U-shaped bottle baffle 43 and the hollow area of ​​the tray 101; When the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 is closed, its outer side can fit against the pushing side of the card plate 15, so that the card plate 15 can push the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 to move the empty tray 101 to the stacking station 28.

[0031] Specifically, the transition arc plate 271 has an arc shape on one side near the pallet station 27 and the frame conveyor belt 7, so that if there is a slight difference in height during the conveying process, the conveyor belt can be smoothly conveyed and is less likely to tip over; the inner side of the blocking strip 39 has a recessed area to fit the full pallet 101 entering the pallet station 27; the pallet limiting strip 40 helps to restrict the outer side of the empty pallet 101 to prevent it from shifting during transportation; the output conveyor belt 41 and the input conveyor belt 42 have opposite conveying directions and are not in the same direction; the U-shaped bottle stop 43 is connected to the pallet 101 by a pin 44; the height of the U-shaped bottle stop 43 is less than the height of the hollow area of ​​the pallet 101 to ensure that there is a certain gap between the U-shaped bottle stop 43 and the pallet 101, so that the hook 22 can be inserted. The hollow area in the middle of the pallet 101 is aligned with the conveying station 29, so that the robot arm 5 can place the pallet and pull it down for the next conveying; the conveying station 29 is used to assist in lifting the full pallet 101 and improve its stability. In practical application, when the full pallet 101 is initially placed, the robot arm 5 evenly places the full pallet 101 on both sides of the two input conveyor belts 42, and then moves it to the pallet station 27. At this time, the medicine bottle material is conveyed towards the frame conveyor belt 7, and the transition arc plate 271 receives it. The inner arc angle facilitates a smooth transition during conveying. On the other side, the empty pallet 101 is conveyed towards the stacking station 28. With the cooperation of the frame conveyor belt 7, the pallet limiting strip 40, and the output conveyor belt 41, the equipment is organized and collected in an orderly manner, avoiding the risk of confusion and errors, completely replacing manual labor, and improving the degree of automation. Working principle: During the standby state, when the equipment is first turned on but not yet in operation, all parts are in their initial positions. The support frame 31 is against the side of the conveyor station 29, the first actuation lever 33 is raised and does not block the way, the second actuation lever 34 is lowered, the column drive motor box 11 is against the side of the frame conveyor belt 7, the card plate 15 and the hook rod 22 are retracted and do not extend downwards; the baffle 47 is also hidden under the station and does not block the path of the pallet 101. As the robotic arm 5 places the full pallet 101 onto the conveyor belt 42, it pulls out a neatly stacked medicine bottles from a small cart next to it. Holding the two sides of the pallet 101, it gently places it onto the conveyor belt 42. The middle of the pallet 101 is empty, and it fits perfectly into the gap in the middle of the conveyor station 29. Once the robotic arm 5 has placed it securely, it pulls it out without knocking over the medicine bottles. The conveyor belt 42 then rotates, sending the pallet 101 towards the pallet station 27. It stops at the end of the conveyor belt 27, where it is perfectly aligned with the pallet station 27. During the initial movement of the first actuating lever 33, the control system receives a signal and begins to operate. It first drives the two third drive electric cylinders 38. The third drive electric cylinder 38 under the first actuating lever 33 retracts, causing the first actuating lever 33 to drop down. The third drive electric cylinder 38 under the second actuating lever 34 pushes upward, lifting the tail of the lever and raising the head. Then, the support frame 31 slides along the Y-axis guide rail towards the pallet station 27. The inner side of the first actuating lever 33 is just locked on the outer side of the pallet 101, pushing the pallet 101 forward a short distance until it reaches its limit and stops. At this point, the pallet 101 has only moved halfway in. Simultaneously, the electric controller 45 receives a signal and pushes the lifting lever 46 upward. The baffle 47 rises from below the station and blocks the pallet station 27 and the stacking station 28 to prevent the pallet 101 from overshooting. During the process of pushing the second lever 34 into place, after the first push, the support frame 31 retracts. When it retracts, the third drive electric cylinder 38 under the first lever 33 pushes upward to lift the first lever 33, so as not to scrape the tray 101 when it retracts. The third drive electric cylinder 38 under the second lever 34 retracts, the lever hangs down, and the actuating plate 36 also falls down. The support frame 31 retracts to the starting point and pushes forward again. At this time, the actuating plate 36 on the second lever 34 touches the outside of the tray 101 first, pushing the tray 101 to continue to move inward until it is fully in the tray station 27. The outer edge of the tray 101 just fits into the groove of the blocking strip 39 and stops. The push is done in two parts, not all at once, so the tray 101 wobbles less and the medicine bottle is not easy to tip over. As the hook rod 22 lifts the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 to open the tray, the tray 101 comes to a stop at the workstation. It's time to open the U-shaped bottle barrier 43. The second drive electric cylinder 19 pushes the second telescopic rod 20 downwards, and the receiving plate 21, along with the two hook rods 22, moves downwards, slipping through the gap between the bottle barrier and the tray 101, and hooking onto the lower left edge of the U-shaped bottle barrier 43. Then, the fixed drive seat 24 slides to the right along the X-axis guide rail 26, while the lifting block 9 moves along... As the lifting drive column 8 moves upward, it moves to the right and lifts upward at the same time. The hook 22 hooks the lower edge of the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 and lifts it upward. The bottle barrier flips upward around the pins 44 on both sides. When it flips to the vertical position, it is pushed upward a little bit. After passing the balance point, the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 tilts to the inside of the tray 101 and leans against the tray 101. The opening in front of the tray 101 is fully exposed. The hook 22 then retracts and rises up. The opening of the tray can then be executed. During the process of separating the medicine bottles by pushing the card plate 15, after the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 opens, the column drive motor box 11 continues to move to the right a little so that the card plate 15 is aligned with the rightmost row of medicine bottles on the tray 101. Then the first drive electric cylinder 12 pushes the first telescopic rod 14 down, and the card plate 15 follows and descends. The sensor 18 senses the appropriate height and stops when it is just high enough to push the medicine bottles to the middle and lower part, without pressing on the top of the bottles. Then the fixed drive seat 24 moves to the left and in the opposite direction along the guide rail, and the card plate 15 pushes the entire row of medicine bottles to the left, pushing them out from the opening in front of the tray 101 and onto the frame conveyor belt 7. When the medicine bottles pass through the transition arc plate 271, there is an arc transition, and the height difference is not large, so the bottles will not tip over. The frame conveyor belt 7 then sends the medicine bottles to the next process. The first limiting rod 17 slides along the guide seat 16 to ensure that the card plate 15 rises and falls horizontally on both sides and does not tilt. During the process of closing the tray by pushing the U-shaped bottle stop 43 back with the hook rod 22, the medicine bottles are pushed out. The card plate 15 first rises up to reset, and then the column drive motor box 11 moves to the right and stops at the rightmost position of the empty tray 101. The second telescopic rod 20 extends down again, and the hook rod 22 descends again. Then the whole thing moves to the left. When it moves, the hook rod 22 touches the U-shaped bottle stop 43 that has fallen inside and pushes it towards the opening. The U-shaped bottle stop 43 flips back around the pin 44. After flipping past the vertical position, it continues to hang down and returns to the original closed state, blocking the opening of the tray 101 again. The second limiting rod 23 slides along the guide seat 16 to ensure that the hook rod 22 rises and falls horizontally on both sides without wobbling. As the card lever 15 pushes the empty pallet 101 to the stacking position, the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 closes, and the card lever 15 moves to the opposite side of the bottle barrier. The first telescopic rod 14 extends downward, and the card lever 15 descends, its side just touching the outside of the U-shaped bottle barrier 43. Then, the whole thing moves to the right, and the card lever 15 pushes the U-shaped bottle barrier 43. The U-shaped bottle barrier 43, along with the entire empty pallet 101, moves to the right, from the pallet station 27 to the stacking station 28. Pushing the U-shaped bottle barrier 43 does not require additional parts to push the pallet 101, which is relatively convenient. During the process of empty pallet 101 being output and stacked, in preparation for the next round, the empty pallet 101 arrives at the stacking station 28. The output conveyor belts 41 on both sides then rotate, sending the pallet 101 outward. The pallet restraint strips 40 on both sides hold the sides of the pallet 101 to prevent it from deviating. The robot arm 5 then forks away the entire stack of empty pallets 101 and places them in the collection position. After completing this round, all parts return to their initial positions, waiting for the next full pallet 101 to be delivered. This cycle repeats continuously, enabling continuous automated operation.

[0032] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A device for sorting, stacking, and collecting empty trays from a tray dismantling machine, comprising: The system comprises a base, a robotic arm, a pallet, and a control box housed inside the base. A mounting plate is positioned above the control box, and a control panel is installed at one corner of the mounting plate. Multiple outer frames are positioned above the inner side of the base, with a reserved installation space in the middle of each frame. A frame conveyor belt can be installed through this installation space. Support legs are located at the bottom of the frame conveyor belt. A lifting drive column is positioned on the outer side of the frame conveyor belt, with a lifting block on one side of the lifting drive column. A strip block is fixedly installed on the outer side of the lifting block, and a column drive motor box is positioned above one end of the strip block. A transition arc plate is positioned on the side of the frame conveyor belt away from the support legs, and a pallet station is positioned on one side of the transition arc plate. A stacking station is positioned to the right of the pallet station, and a conveying station is positioned in front of the pallet station. The system is characterized by further comprising: The conveying and positioning unit is located above the conveying station and the pallet station, and is used to push the full pallet from the conveying station to the pallet station in two intermittent steps. The conveying and positioning unit includes a driving and positioning component and a pushing component. The driving and positioning component is located above the mounting plate of the control box and above the conveying station. The pushing component is located above the driving and positioning component. The pallet sorting section is located outside the conveyor belt of the frame and is used to separate the medicine bottles in the full pallet from the empty pallet and push the empty pallet to the stacking station; The pallet distribution section includes a hook body and a distribution component, both of which are located below the column drive motor box and can be extended and retracted into the column drive motor box. The coordination unit, located on the outside of the pallet, is used to cooperate with the pallet distribution unit to complete the transitional transport of medicine bottles and the limiting transport of empty pallets; The cooperating part includes a receiving transition component and a folding swing component. The receiving transition component is located between the pallet station and the frame conveyor belt, and the folding swing component is located on the outside of the pallet.

2. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive positioning component includes: The Y-axis guide rail is located on the top of the mounting plate above the control box; The support frame is symmetrically and slidingly positioned above the Y-axis guide rail; There are two third drive electric cylinders, which are located inside the support frame.

3. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drive positioning component further includes: The electrical controller is located on the top of the mounting plate above the control box, between the pallet station and the stacking station; The lifting rods are symmetrically arranged above the electric controller, and have slots at their ends; A baffle, located in a slot at the top of the lifting rod, is used to rise and block the positioning when the tray is pushed into place.

4. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pusher component includes: The rotating shaft is rotatably disposed between two support frames and located on the upper part of the inner wall of the support frames, with bearings provided between its two sides; The first actuating lever is located on the outside of the rotating shaft; The second lever is located on the outside of the rotating shaft; A stabilizing rod is fixedly installed on the outside of the second actuating rod; A toggle piece, fixedly mounted on the top of the stabilizing bar, is used to contact and push the outside of the tray when the second toggle bar falls; An auxiliary shaft is installed between two support frames to provide auxiliary support for the first actuating rod. The first and second levers are configured to alternately lift and lower under the drive of the third drive electric cylinder, so that when the support frame reciprocates along the Y-axis guide rail, the first lever pushes the pallet a certain distance first, and the second lever continues to push the pallet to the pallet station, thus achieving two intermittent pushes.

5. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hook component includes: The second limiting rod is installed inside the column drive motor box and is used for guidance and support; The second drive electric cylinder is located inside the column drive motor box; The second telescopic rod is located inside the second drive electric cylinder and can penetrate the column drive motor box; A receiving plate is installed at the bottom end of the second telescopic rod; Hooks are installed on both sides of the receiving plate and located below the receiving plate. The hooks are configured to extend downward and insert into the gap between the U-shaped bottle stop and the tray opening. Under the combined drive of the horizontal movement of the column drive motor box and the vertical movement of the lifting block, the hooks hook the lower edge of the U-shaped bottle stop and lift it upward to open the tray opening. The hooks are also configured to move to the left with the column drive motor box after the second telescopic rod extends downward to return the U-shaped bottle stop to the closed state.

6. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material distribution component includes: The cylinder piston cylinder is located inside the column drive motor box; The first drive electric cylinder is located on one side of the cylinder piston cylinder; The first telescopic rod is located below the cylinder piston cylinder and can extend from the lower end of the column drive motor box; The push plate, located at the bottom of the first telescopic rod, is a long, straight push plate with a length that matches the width of the array of medicine bottles in the tray. The pushing surface contacts the lower middle part of the medicine bottle body. Multiple guide seats are located inside the column drive motor box; The first limiting rod, which runs through the interior of the guide seat, is used to ensure the balanced lifting and lowering of the card lever on both sides; The sensor, located on one side of the top of the cylinder piston cylinder, is used to detect the extension position of the first telescopic rod. When the card plate descends to the preset pushing height, it triggers a signal, and the control system stops descending and starts the lateral pushing action accordingly.

7. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material distribution component also includes: A fixed drive base is installed below the lifting drive column; The slide bar is located on the outside of the fixed drive seat; The X-axis guide rail is located below the fixed drive seat and can cooperate with the slide bar. One end of the X-axis guide rail is equipped with a drive motor and a lead screw mechanism to drive the fixed drive seat to reciprocate along the X-axis guide rail.

8. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The receiving and transition component includes: The transition arc plate is located between the pallet station and the frame conveyor belt; The side of the transition arc plate that contacts the pallet station is arc-shaped, used to receive the medicine bottles pushed out of the pallet and smoothly transition them to the frame conveyor belt, preventing bottles from tipping over due to height differences. The blocking strip is set on the outside of the pallet station, and the inner side has a recessed area, which is used to fit and position the full pallet that is pushed into place. Output conveyor belts are installed on both sides of the stacking station; The input conveyor belt is set on both sides of the conveying station, and the conveying direction is opposite to that of the output conveyor belt; Pallet restraint strips are installed on both sides of the output conveyor belt to restrict the outer edge of empty pallets and prevent them from shifting during transport.

9. The empty tray layering, stacking, and collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding swing component includes: The tray has a three-sided enclosed structure with a hollow area on one side, and is located above the input conveyor belt; Pins are located on both sides of the tray; The U-shaped bottle baffle is rotatably mounted on the outside of the pin. There is a gap between the U-shaped bottle barrier and the hollowed-out area on one side of the tray, which is used to allow the hook to be inserted to lift or move the U-shaped bottle barrier. The U-shaped bottle stop is configured to prevent the medicine bottles from tipping over when closed, and to tilt upwards and inwards towards the inside of the tray when folded to fully expose the opening for the medicine bottles to be pushed out. When the U-shaped bottle barrier is closed, its outer side can fit against the pushing side of the card plate, so that the card plate can push the U-shaped bottle barrier to move the empty tray to the stacking station.

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