A column-type material feeding and labeling robot

Abstract

This application discloses a column-type feeding and labeling robot, including a linear guide rail base, a rotary column module, a lifting cantilever assembly, a sheet vacuum gripping unit, and a labeling execution unit. The linear guide rail base is arranged along the sheet feeding direction, and a movable bearing slide that slides back and forth along the track is mounted on the guide rail base. The rotary column module is located on the movable bearing slide and moves linearly synchronously with the movable bearing slide, and can rotate around the vertical axis. The rotary column module is equipped with a vertical lifting slide, and the lifting cantilever assembly is installed on the vertical lifting slide. The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with the sheet vacuum gripping unit and the labeling execution unit. The labeling execution unit can slide back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly, integrating feeding, labeling, and dispensing functions. A single robot can complete feeding and labeling for two sheet processing machines, significantly shortening the longitudinal layout span of the production line and significantly reducing the overall floor space of the equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of sheet metal processing equipment, and in particular relates to a column-type feeding and labeling robot. Background Technology

[0002] In the customized board processing flow, the boards must first be labeled with order barcodes before being sent to a CNC cutting machine for cutting. In the traditional one-to-one single-line production mode, a single labeling machine is matched with only one cutting machine. The labeling operation speed is significantly faster than the cutting speed, resulting in long-term idleness of the labeling equipment, low equipment utilization, and limited overall capacity. To address this, the industry has successively launched a one-to-two labeling and cutting line solution, enabling a single labeling unit to supply materials to two cutting machines, effectively matching the process cycle and improving capacity.

[0003] There are currently two main types of 1-to-2 labeling and cutting production lines. The first is a roller-diverting 1-to-2 labeling and cutting line, where the entire line consists of an automatic labeling machine, roller conveyor, diverting rollers, two independent cutting platforms, and a matching unloading mechanism. The feeding material is sent to the main roller conveyor, passing through the automatic labeling machine station to complete the labeling. The labeled material continues to be conveyed forward to the diverting roller's material distribution station. The diverting roller automatically diverts material according to the production schedule and material size signals through lifting, turning, and stopping limit actions. The second type is a robotic arm-transfer 1-to-2 labeling and cutting production line, which includes an automatic labeling machine, an independent four-axis robotic arm, an independent material buffer waiting position, two independent cutting units, and a matching unloading mechanism. The sheet material first enters the pre-conveying channel and passes through an automatic labeling machine to complete the labeling process. The labeled sheet material is then conveyed to the robotic arm picking area. The transfer robotic arm picks up the labeled sheet material and directly transfers it to the pre-conveying line of the first cutting unit; or to the pre-conveying line of the second cutting unit. Although the above two existing one-to-two schemes achieve one-to-two parallel cutting production, they have the following drawbacks: a large number of equipment, a huge amount of workshop space occupied, low space utilization, and a large longitudinal span of the production line. Most small and medium-sized sheet metal processing plants have limited factory space, making it difficult to lay out traditional split one-to-two production lines. Therefore, it is evident that the existing technology needs further improvement and enhancement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a column-type feeding and labeling robot to at least solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art, or at least provide a beneficial alternative.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A column-type material feeding and labeling robot includes a linear guide rail base, a rotary column module, a lifting cantilever assembly, a sheet material vacuum gripping unit, and a labeling execution unit; The linear guide rail base is arranged along the feeding direction of the sheet material. A movable bearing slide is mounted on the guide rail base and slides back and forth along the track. The rotary column module is located on the movable bearing slide and moves linearly synchronously with the movable bearing slide and can rotate around the vertical axis. The rotary column module is equipped with a vertical lifting slide, and the lifting cantilever assembly is installed on the vertical lifting slide. The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a sheet material vacuum gripping unit and a labeling execution unit. The labeling execution unit can slide back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly.

[0006] In at least one embodiment, the lifting cantilever assembly is connected to a portal frame, and the vertical main beams symmetrically arranged on the portal frame are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the lifting cantilever assembly; the transverse load-bearing beam of the portal frame is configured with a pair of parallel linear sliding pairs, and each set of linear sliding pairs is equipped with a sliding support frame capable of reciprocating relative to the linear sliding pairs; the transverse load-bearing beam is equipped with a pair of opposing linear drive modules, and the power output end of each linear drive module is connected to the two sets of sliding support frames respectively; each sliding support frame is equipped with the plate vacuum gripping unit, and the spacing of the two sets of plate vacuum gripping units is adjusted through the linear drive modules.

[0007] In at least one embodiment, the sliding support includes a lateral extension section and a vertical extension section, which are orthogonally connected; the free end of the vertical extension section is connected to a lateral support arm arranged along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly, the lateral support arm is equipped with a vertical drive module, and the power output end of the vertical drive module is connected to the plate vacuum gripping unit.

[0008] In at least one embodiment, the vertical drive module drives the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal to move back and forth in the vertical direction to switch between the first working position and the second working position; when in the first working position, the adsorption bottom surface of the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal sinks to the lower area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly, and the surface of the sheet metal to be processed is adhered and the negative pressure adsorption is completed; when in the second working position, the adsorption bottom surface of the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal is raised to the upper area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly, causing the adsorbed sheet metal to deform and peel off the stacked sheet metal.

[0009] In at least one embodiment, a plate positioning and correction module arranged in opposite directions is provided on the lower side of the lifting cantilever assembly. The plate positioning and correction module includes two sets of pushing actuators that move in opposite directions. The pushing actuators have an initial avoidance station and a correction positioning station. At the initial avoidance station, the distance between the pushing ends of the two sets of pushing actuators is greater than the outer dimensions of the plate to be processed. At the correction positioning station, the distance between the pushing ends of the two sets of pushing actuators is adapted to the outer dimensions of the plate.

[0010] In at least one embodiment, a linear guide rail and a meshing gear rack are mounted on the top side of the lifting cantilever assembly. The linear guide rail is slidably equipped with a sliding base. The sliding base is equipped with a labeling execution unit and a meshing drive motor. The output gear of the meshing drive motor meshes with the meshing gear rack to drive the labeling execution unit to move back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly. The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a label feeding device. The labeling execution unit moves to the label feeding device to complete the label picking operation.

[0011] In at least one embodiment, the lifting cantilever assembly is provided with a vertical pressing roller assembly on its side, and the rollers of the vertical pressing roller assembly press against the surface of the plate; the rotating column module moves synchronously along the linear guide rail base with the moving bearing slide, driving the vertical pressing roller assembly to move synchronously.

[0012] In at least one embodiment, the lifting cantilever assembly is provided with at least two sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies on its side, and a panel cleaning brush is assembled between two adjacent sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies; when the vertical pressing roller assemblies press against the surface of the panel and move synchronously with the whole machine, the cleaning brush moves synchronously with the rollers to perform surface dust removal and cleaning operations on the area of ​​the panel to be labeled.

[0013] In at least one embodiment, the rotary column module includes a vertical column component, a rotary drive assembly, and a support base; the support base is located on the top surface of the movable support slide, and the rotary drive assembly is assembled inside the support base; two sets of position sensing triggers are symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the support base, and the position sensing triggers are used to collect the workstation position feedback signal of the plate transfer and placement platform, and to control the combined action of column rotation and linear translation based on the sensing feedback signal.

[0014] In at least one embodiment, the rotary column module is symmetrically provided with two sets of opposing lifting cantilever assemblies, which synchronously complete the rotary adjustment action with the rotary column module.

[0015] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solution provided in this application include at least the following: 1. The column-type feeding and labeling robot of this application integrates feeding, labeling and dispensing functions. A single robot can complete feeding and labeling for two sheet metal processing machines, which greatly shortens the longitudinal layout span of the production line and significantly reduces the overall floor space of the equipment.

[0016] 2. The column-type material feeding and labeling robot of this application adopts a double-layer vertical lifting structure with a large-range coarse lifting of the lifting cantilever assembly and a small-range independent extension of the vertical drive module. The vertical module drives the board to quickly reciprocate between high and low work positions, causing the board to bend slightly and open the board gaps, eliminating the negative pressure between the boards and causing the boards to fall off and the lower stacked boards to fall off, effectively solving the defect of grabbing multiple boards at a time.

[0017] 3. The column-type feeding and labeling robot of this application is equipped with four sets of opposing cylinder push actuators under the lifting cantilever rectangular frame. Before the board is picked up by layering and adsorption, the four sides are centered and corrected in advance to eliminate the slight skew of the board. After correction, the board is symmetrically stressed relative to the suction cup, and the layering shaking effect is stable. When the board is transferred and placed to the pre-cutting conveyor, the board is aligned with the reference, and there is no need to add a push correction mechanism to the conveyor line.

[0018] 4. The column-type feeding and labeling robot of this application has a centrally hollowed-out rectangular frame for the lifting arm. The hollowed-out area can accommodate the label feeding component. The toothed sliding mechanism on the top side of the arm drives the labeling execution unit to move back and forth along the arm, which can complete labeling at multiple points on the board.

[0019] 5. The column-type feeding and labeling robot of this application is equipped with a vertical pressing roller assembly on the side of the lifting arm. The roller presses against the plate to form auxiliary support for the cantilever, which counteracts the height settlement caused by the lifting structure of the column screw, ensuring the label pressing accuracy. The adjacent vertical pressing rollers are linked and equipped with cleaning brushes. When the rollers move synchronously with the whole machine, the brushes simultaneously clean the labeling area of ​​the plate, remove dust from the plate, and avoid label defects such as bubbles, peeling, and weak adhesion caused by impurities, thus stabilizing the quality of the labeled products.

[0020] 6. The column-type material feeding and labeling robot of this application can achieve rotation and positioning of the rotating column module by using motor gear ring transmission, and the base is symmetrically arranged with position sensing triggers; the sensors provide real-time feedback of workstation signals, and synchronously control the column rotation and the linear translation of the whole machine in a compound action, without having to wait for the rotation or translation to be in place step by step, shortening the time spent on workstation switching and improving the efficiency of cyclic operation.

[0021] 7. The column-type feeding and labeling robot of this application can complete the entire labeling process in the air without lowering the board to the front conveyor, which is suitable for small single-position or cantilever extension direction labeling of small boards. This eliminates the need for lowering and secondary lifting of the board and improves the processing speed.

[0022] 8. The column-type material feeding and labeling robot of this application has two sets of opposing lifting cantilever assemblies symmetrically arranged on the rotating column. It can synchronously follow the rotation and adjustment of the column, is compatible with various workshop conditions, and is suitable for various specifications of boards and various workshop layouts. The equipment has strong versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the column-type feeding and labeling robot layout of this application is shown; Figure 2 A schematic three-dimensional structural diagram of a column-type material feeding and labeling robot according to this application is shown; Figure 3 It is illustrated Figure 2 A schematic enlarged structural diagram of part A; Figure 4 A schematic three-dimensional structural diagram of a portal frame combined with a sliding support frame according to this application is shown. Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the double lifting cantilever assembly of the column-type material feeding and labeling robot of this application is shown; Label Explanation: 1. Linear guide rail base; 10. Moving load-bearing slide; 2. Rotary column module; 20. Vertical lifting slide; 21. Position sensor trigger; 3. Lifting cantilever assembly; 30. Portal load-bearing frame; 300. Vertical main beam; 301. Horizontal load-bearing beam; 31. Sliding load-bearing frame; 310. Horizontal extension section; 311. Vertical extension section; 312. Horizontal support arm; 32. Linear drive module; 33. Vertical drive module; 34. Pushing actuator; 35. Linear guide rail; 36. Meshing toothed rack; 37. Sliding base; 38. Meshing drive motor; 39. Vertical pressing roller assembly; 390. Cleaning brush body; 4. Sheet vacuum gripping unit; 5. Labeling execution unit; 6. Label feeding device; 7. Stacking platform; 8. Front conveyor station. Detailed Implementation

[0024] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0025] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] The specific solution adopted is as follows: like Figure 1-5 As shown, this solution proposes a column-type integrated material feeding and labeling robot to solve the pain points of traditional one-to-two labeling and cutting production lines, which have large longitudinal span, large footprint, and low space utilization. The overall equipment is mainly composed of five core components: linear guide rail base 1, rotary column module 2, lifting cantilever assembly 3, sheet vacuum gripping unit 4, and labeling execution unit.

[0027] The linear guide base 1 can be arranged in the middle area between two cutting machines, and the guide rail is laid along the feeding direction of the board, which greatly reduces the longitudinal extension length of the entire production line; the raw material boards are uniformly stacked in the single-side area of ​​the feeding direction, eliminating the need for long-line roller conveyor diversion or external robotic buffer platform.

[0028] The guide rail base is equipped with a movable bearing slide 10 that can slide back and forth along the track. The rotary column module 2 is fixed on the slide, which can move linearly along the feeding direction with the slide as a whole, and can also rotate 360° around its own vertical axis. The rotary column module 2 is equipped with a vertical lifting slide 20 on the outside. The lifting cantilever assembly 3 is assembled on the lifting slide, which can realize the up and down height adjustment simultaneously.

[0029] The lifting arm integrates two functional components: a sheet material vacuum gripping unit 4 and a labeling execution unit 5. The labeling execution unit can also slide and adjust its working position along the extension direction of the lifting arm assembly 3, i.e., the length direction of the arm.

[0030] Relying on the coordinated and compound actions of multiple components of the entire mechanism, it realizes the integrated and continuous operation of board picking, labeling, and material distribution.

[0031] Specifically, during the board picking stage, the lifting cantilever assembly 3 descends along with the vertical lifting slide 20, causing the board vacuum gripping unit 4 to adhere to the stack of boards to be processed placed on the feeding side. The board vacuum gripping unit 4 activates vacuum adsorption to stably grip a single board. After gripping, the vertical lifting slide 20 drives the lifting cantilever assembly 3 to lift the board away from the material stack to avoid scratches and collisions. Subsequently, the moving bearing slide 10 carries the rotating column module 2 to slide linearly along the linear guide base 1. At the same time, the rotating column module 2 rotates around its own vertical axis to adjust its direction. The two work together to transfer the gripped board to the transfer station above the front conveyor line of any CNC equipment on the left or right, such as the cutting machine.

[0032] During the labeling operation, the labeling execution unit slides back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. At the same time, the entire set of rotating column module 2 and lifting cantilever assembly 3 can change position back and forth along the linear guide base 1 by relying on the movable bearing slide 10. The two sets of strokes cooperate with each other to adapt to multiple barcode pasting points on different specifications of boards and complete the order barcode labeling process. After the labeling is completed, the lifting cantilever assembly 3 is raised, the rotating column module 2 is rotated back, and the movable bearing slide 10 moves back along the linear guide base 1. The entire mechanism returns to the board stacking and picking position, and repeats the entire process of board grabbing, transfer, labeling, and material distribution. It can autonomously and alternately distribute boards to two board processing equipment.

[0033] The complete column-mounted feeding and labeling robot integrates all feeding, labeling, and dispensing functions, eliminating the need for a large number of external conveying components required in traditional one-to-two production lines, such as long-distance roller conveyors, diversion rollers, and independent plate buffer waiting positions. The linear guide rail base 1 is directly arranged in the middle area between the two cutting machines, and the raw material plates are uniformly stacked on one side of the feeding direction, which greatly shortens the longitudinal layout span of the production line and significantly reduces the overall footprint of the equipment, making it suitable for small and medium-sized plate processing plants with limited factory space. A single robot can simultaneously complete feeding and labeling for two plate processing machines. The integrated structure greatly reduces the number of separate conveying devices, which not only reduces the overall equipment purchase investment but also simplifies the subsequent inspection, maintenance, and repair of parts.

[0034] See Figure 3 The lifting cantilever assembly 3 is fixedly connected to the portal frame 30. The portal frame 30 has a portal frame structure, including two symmetrically arranged vertical main beams 300 on the left and right and a transverse load-bearing beam 301 connecting the top of the two vertical main beams 300. The two symmetrically arranged vertical main beams 300 of the portal frame 30 are respectively connected to the two opposite sides of the lifting cantilever assembly 3, so as to realize the synchronous lifting of the portal frame 30 and the lifting cantilever assembly 3.

[0035] Two sets of linear sliding pairs are arranged in parallel on the transverse load-bearing beam 301 at the top of the portal frame 30. The linear sliding pairs can be general linear guide components such as linear guide pairs, guide rail and slider structures. Each set of linear sliding pairs is equipped with a sliding support frame 31, which can reciprocate linearly along the guide direction of the corresponding linear sliding pair.

[0036] A pair of opposing linear drive modules 32 are also installed on the transverse bearing beam 301. The linear drive modules 32 can be linear power components such as cylinders or electric push rods. The two sets of linear drive modules 32 are arranged facing each other along the axis of the transverse bearing beam 301. The power output end of each set of linear drive modules 32 is rigidly connected to a set of sliding bearing frames 31. The linear drive modules 32 can output linear thrust, which drives their respective matching sliding bearing frames 31 to move synchronously along the linear sliding pair to retract towards each other or separate away from each other.

[0037] Each set of sliding support frame 31 is fixedly equipped with a set of sheet metal vacuum gripping unit 4 at its lower end. The whole machine is equipped with two sets of independent sheet metal vacuum gripping units 4. The two sets of sheet metal vacuum gripping units 4 move synchronously with the corresponding sliding support frame 31 and are driven synchronously by two sets of linear drive modules 32 arranged in opposite directions. The center distance between the two sets of sheet metal vacuum gripping units 4 can be flexibly adjusted.

[0038] In actual operation, for customized boards of different widths and lengths, the system can control the synchronous movement of two sets of linear drive modules 32 according to the board size parameters, and adjust the lateral span of the two sets of board vacuum gripping units 4: when processing narrow boards, the two sets of linear drive modules 32 drive the sliding support frame 31 to move closer together, reducing the distance between the two sets of board vacuum gripping units 4, so that the adsorption point fits the effective bearing area of ​​the board; when processing wide boards, the two sets of linear drive modules 32 drive the sliding support frame 31 to pull away from each other, increasing the distance between the two sets of board vacuum gripping units 4, so that the two vacuum gripping units are respectively supported on the left and right sides of the board near the edge.

[0039] The dual support points evenly distribute the weight of the board, improving the force balance during gripping and significantly reducing swaying during board transportation. It can maintain a stable clamping state for both large and small boards.

[0040] Furthermore, the sliding support is formed by orthogonally connecting the transverse extension section 310 and the vertical extension section 311 to form an integral L-shaped bracket. The bottom of the transverse extension section 310 is equipped with a slide rail, and the crossbeam is equipped with a slider. The transverse extension section 310 is connected to the linear drive module 32 and can move to adjust the spacing between the two sets of vacuum gripping units 4 for the plate. The vertical extension section 311 extends downward, and its end is fixedly installed with a transverse support arm 312 arranged along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly 3.

[0041] A vertical drive module 33 is mounted on the horizontal support arm 312. The power output end of the vertical drive module 33 is directly connected to the plate vacuum gripping unit 4. The vertical drive module 33 can be a cylinder. The overall vertical lifting of the equipment relies on the vertical lifting slide 20 of the rotary column module 2 to drive the lifting cantilever assembly 3 to move in a unified manner. The vertical drive module 33 can independently drive the plate vacuum gripping unit 4 to make small up and down extension movements. During operation, the vertical lifting slide 20 first drives the lifting cantilever assembly 3 to move to the target height. Then, the vertical drive module 33 on the horizontal support arm 312 extends downwards alone, driving the plate vacuum gripping unit 4 to slowly approach the plate surface to complete the negative pressure adsorption. The two work together to effectively supplement and extend the total vertical lifting stroke of the entire mechanism.

[0042] During operation, it was found that when boards are stacked tightly together, the air gaps are squeezed out, creating a negative pressure adhesive force in the interlayer that holds the boards together. Under normal conditions, the weight of a single board can offset the weak adhesive force between them, and only a single board is lifted when gripping. However, when the suction force is much greater than the weight of a single board, the suction force can not only lift the upper board but also overcome the total weight of multiple stacked boards, lifting up the boards stuck together below. This defect is more pronounced with thin or small boards: thin or small boards have a very low base weight, resulting in a very low downward separation force. Even a moderate vacuum suction force can easily exceed the weight of the board itself. Combined with the negative pressure adhesive effect of the interlayer, even slight adhesion can cause two or more boards to be lifted at once, making subsequent processes impossible.

[0043] To address the issue of adsorbing multiple boards at once, the vertical drive module 33 can drive the board vacuum gripping unit 4 to reciprocate vertically, enabling switching between the first and second working positions. When the mechanism reaches the first working position, the vertical drive module 33 extends downwards, lowering the adsorption bottom surface of the board vacuum gripping unit 4 to the lower area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly 3. The adsorption bottom surface completely adheres to the surface of the board to be processed above the stack, and negative pressure is activated to complete the adsorption and fixation of the board. At this time, it is very easy for the upper and lower boards to stick together, resulting in the simultaneous adsorption of two or more boards.

[0044] After vacuum adsorption is completed, the vertical drive module 33 retracts upward, lifting the vacuum gripping unit 4 and the adsorbed plate together to the second working position. The adsorption bottom surface of the vacuum gripping unit 4 is raised to the upper area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly 3. The middle of the plate is limited and supported by the lifting cantilever assembly 3, and the two ends of the plate form a slight upward bending deformation. To prevent excessive bending of the plate and damage to the plate surface, this deformation is kept to a small amplitude and will not be maintained in the raised state for a long time. The vertical drive module 33 is controlled to drive the vacuum gripping unit 4 to quickly move up and down between the first and second working positions several times. During the repeated small lifting and shaking process, the plate continues to produce a small bending, and the tiny gap between the upper plate and the lower bonded plate is continuously opened. Outside air continuously flows into the plate interlayer, completely breaking the adhesion between the plates. The lower bonded plate automatically falls off and returns to the stack by its own weight. Finally, only a single plate remains on the vacuum gripping unit 4 for stable gripping, effectively solving the problem of adsorbing multiple plates at one time during operation.

[0045] When the lower layer of bonded board is peeled off by the reciprocating lifting and shaking of the vertical drive module 33, the detached board falls back into the stack, which can easily cause problems such as board offset, corner misalignment, and uneven stacking. The skewed working condition will directly change the bonding state between the board and the suction cup of the board vacuum gripping unit 4.

[0046] Specifically, when the board is positioned and gripped, its weight and tension are perfectly balanced on both sides with the central adsorption area as the center of symmetry. When the equipment rapidly lifts and lowers to create a slight bending deformation and layering, the downward bending of both ends of the board is consistent, the board seams open synchronously and evenly, and the lower layer of bonded board falls off smoothly. The board will not slip on the suction cup surface during the shaking process.

[0047] When the sheet is slightly tilted during gripping, the outward extension lengths of the sheet relative to the adsorption center are inconsistent, resulting in a difference in the self-weight load at both ends and unequal downward pulling forces. During the repeated lifting and lowering of the vertical drive module 33 and the continuous slight bending and shaking of the sheet, the forces at both ends are unbalanced, the bending amplitudes on both sides of the middle of the sheet are inconsistent, and the gaps between the sheet layers open significantly on one side and very little on the other, preventing air from entering the gaps evenly and greatly reducing the delamination effect.

[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, the lower side of the lifting cantilever assembly 3 is equipped with a plate positioning and correction module arranged in opposite directions. The lowering cantilever assembly is a rectangular frame main structure. Based on its regular rectangular frame layout, two sets of opposing matching pushing actuators 34 are arranged in the lower area corresponding to the four sides of the plate. The pushing actuators can be cylinder driven structures, that is, a total of four cylinder driven structures. The cylinder output end is fixedly equipped with a push block as the contact abutment end.

[0049] Each set of pushing actuators has two working positions: an initial avoidance position and a correction positioning position. When the pushing actuator is in the initial avoidance position, the net distance between the left and right sets of pushing blocks is greater than the maximum outer width of the material to be processed. After descending to the design position, the two sets of pushing actuators move synchronously towards each other to switch to the correction positioning position. The pushing blocks on both sides simultaneously abut against the side of the material, and the slightly skewed material is centered and corrected by the balanced pushing force on both sides, so that the material is symmetrically aligned with the entire gripping mechanism. Then, the vacuum adsorption of the material is initiated.

[0050] This structure can complete the board alignment before the board picking and layering shaking process, solving various defects caused by slight board skew. After alignment, the board is symmetrical about the center of the board vacuum gripping unit 4. When the vertical drive module 33 reciprocates and shakes the board for layering, the weight and bending force of the board at both ends are uniform, and the gap between the boards opens synchronously and evenly on both sides, resulting in a stable layering and unloading effect. At the same time, the board remains in a regular and centered state throughout the entire transfer and labeling stage. When it is lowered to the front conveyor line of the CNC cutting equipment, the board reference is aligned, eliminating the need for additional online alignment, simplifying the supporting components of the production line, and shortening the processing cycle of the entire labeling and cutting line.

[0051] The lifting cantilever assembly 3 described above has a rectangular frame structure with a hollowed-out, suspended center. This hollow area can accommodate label feeding components and also provides lateral movement space for the labeling execution unit. A linear guide rail 35 and a meshing gear rack 36 are fixedly mounted on the top side of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. A sliding base 37 is slidably mounted on the linear guide rail 35, and the labeling execution unit and a meshing drive motor 38 are simultaneously mounted on the sliding base. The gears at the output end of the meshing drive motor 38 mesh with the meshing gear rack 36, driving the sliding base to slide along the linear guide rail 35, thereby driving the labeling execution unit to reciprocate linearly along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. A label feeding device 6 is installed inside the frame of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. When the labeling execution unit moves with the sliding base to the corresponding position of the label feeding device 6, it completes label pickup, preparing for the subsequent labeling process.

[0052] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the labeling execution unit has two levels of travel: it can slide along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly 3 itself, and it can also move as a whole along the linear guide base 1 with the entire set of rotating column module 2 and moving bearing slide 10, so as to reach multiple labeling points on the surface of the board to complete the multi-label pasting operation. When the labeling execution unit is working, the board is placed on the front conveyor station 8 of the board processing equipment, and the board vacuum gripping unit 4 closes the negative pressure adsorption and rises.

[0053] The rotary column module 2 adopts a vertical lifting structure with a lead screw and a drive motor. During operation, the lifting cantilever assembly 3 is close to the surface of the plate and will stay at the same height for a long time to perform the labeling process. If the lead screw is subjected to the weight of the cantilever for a long time and a slight settlement occurs, the actual height of the lifting cantilever assembly 3 will be reduced. At this time, the preset downward stroke of the labeling execution unit remains unchanged. During the labeling operation, it will press down the board excessively, causing damage to the board or the labeling execution unit. To avoid the above risks, this embodiment installs a vertical pressing roller assembly 39 on the side of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. It includes a vertical drive unit such as a telescopic cylinder. The cylinder extension end is connected to the fixing rod of the roller. The roller of the vertical pressing roller assembly 39 always presses against the upper surface of the board during the labeling process to form dynamic auxiliary support. During the synchronous movement of the rotary column module 2 along the linear guide base 1 with the moving bearing slide 10, the vertical pressing roller assembly 39 moves synchronously with the whole machine, forming a vertical support limit for the lifting cantilever assembly 3 throughout the process, stabilizing and locking the working height of the lifting cantilever assembly 3, and improving the safety of equipment operation and the processing yield.

[0054] Furthermore, the use of cylinders as the driving structure for the push actuator, linear drive module 32, or vertical drive module 33 of the plate positioning and correction module in this application is only a preferred embodiment. In actual applications, it is not limited to cylinder drive and can be replaced by other driving components that can achieve linear reciprocating telescopic motion, such as motor screw module, synchronous belt slide, electric push rod, etc., all of which can achieve the same driving displacement effect.

[0055] Furthermore, at least two sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies 39 are arranged on the side of the lifting cantilever assembly 3. A panel cleaning brush 390 is installed between two adjacent sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies 39, such as a roller brush that rotates with the rollers or a panel brush connected to the roller fixing rod. The vertical pressing roller assemblies 39 always press against the upper surface of the panel. During the process of the rotating column module 2 moving synchronously with the moving bearing slide 10 along the linear guide base 1 and the rollers supporting and limiting the movement, the panel cleaning brush 390 can move synchronously with the rollers and simultaneously sweep the area of ​​the panel to be labeled. The surface of the panel is prone to accumulating sawdust and dust impurities. If the label is directly applied, labeling defects such as poor adhesion, lifting, bubbles, and label detachment will occur. By relying on the cleaning brush 390 that moves in conjunction with the panel, the dust is cleaned in advance, and the panel surface of the labeling area is cleaned in advance, ensuring that the label adheres tightly to the panel and effectively improving the labeling quality.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of this application, two sets of position sensing triggers 21 are symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the support base. Sensing reference components for triggering are also provided on the pre-conveying and placement platforms for the two CNC sheet metal processing pens. After the equipment picks up the sheet metal, lifts it from the stack, completes correction and layer peeling, the entire machine synchronously starts the rotation of the rotary drive assembly and the translation of the moving support slide 10 along the linear guide base 1, achieving synchronous linkage of rotation and translation.

[0057] When the position sensor trigger 21 moves to the corresponding sensing reference position on the transfer placement table and generates a trigger signal, the vertical column component rotates to the target orientation, aligns the board with the front conveyor station, and then stops rotating. After the board is placed down, the labeling operation begins. After the labeling process for a single board is completed, the entire machine moves in the reverse direction along the linear guide base 1 until the position sensor trigger 21 triggers the corresponding side sensing reference again. The control system then synchronously starts the combined motion of column rotation and machine translation, switches to pick up the board, and then repeats the above steps to place the material onto the second idle machine. During the operation of the robot in this application, the column rotation motion and the linear translation of the entire machine can be synchronized and coordinated, eliminating the need to first translate to the position and then wait for rotation, or to first complete the rotation and then translate. This significantly shortens the waiting time for station switching and effectively improves the efficiency of the entire equipment's loading, labeling, and material distribution cycle.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of this application, two sets of opposing lifting cantilever assemblies 3 are symmetrically mounted on the rotary column module 2. The two sets of lifting cantilever assemblies 3 can synchronously follow the rotary column module 2 to complete the rotation and adjustment action. The double cantilever layout can adapt to various different production conditions and flexibly match the site layout and processing rhythm. For example, in the case of a single stacking platform 7 paired with two cutting machines, with only one material stack, the equipment arranged along the linear guide base 1 can rotate 180° via the rotary column module 2, and use two sets of lifting cantilever assemblies 3 to pick up two pieces of material sequentially. After picking up the material, it directly rotates back to align with the front conveyor station 8 of the two cutting machines, simultaneously completing the material placement and labeling operations. When the processing speeds of the two cutting machines are the same, the two sets of lifting cantilever assemblies 3 can continuously and synchronously pick up, distribute, and load materials, operating stably in a cycle. If there is a difference in the processing speeds of the two machines, after the equipment picks up the two plates and returns, it only places the material onto the front conveyor station that has been processed and is in an empty state. The cantilever on the side corresponding to the unfinished station remains stationary until the other machine finishes processing before completing the material placement. The entire machine has a short reciprocating horizontal travel distance, reducing unnecessary back-and-forth movements and significantly improving overall operating efficiency.

[0059] Of course, a parallel arrangement of two material piles is also possible, where two material piles are arranged vertically in parallel with two cutting machines, one for each. The double cantilever arms can descend synchronously, picking up two sheets at once and distributing them to the two material piles on either side. During the return trip, the sheets are distributed to the two cutting machines as needed. If one cutting machine has a slow processing speed, one sheet can be simultaneously fed to each machine initially. After picking up both sheets and returning, the sheets are prioritized to the empty, completed conveyor station. If the prioritized feeding side runs out of material first, the rotating column module 2 rotates. The remaining boards are placed at this workstation to adapt to the differentiated processing rhythm.

[0060] Furthermore, for smaller boards, if there is only one labeling point or all labeling points are arranged along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly 3, there is no need to close the vacuum suction and lower the board to the front conveyor of the cutting machine. After the lifting cantilever assembly 3 picks up the board, the extension distance of the labeling execution unit is adjusted. The labeling execution unit slides along the cantilever and the whole machine moves slightly along the linear guide base 1, completing all labeling processes directly in the air. This eliminates the unnecessary actions of lowering and lifting the board again, further reducing the processing time of a single board.

[0061] For any parts not mentioned in this invention, existing technologies can be used or referenced.

[0062] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A column-type material feeding and labeling robot, characterized in that, Includes linear guide rail base, rotary column module, lifting cantilever assembly, sheet metal vacuum gripping unit and labeling execution unit; The linear guide rail base is arranged along the feeding direction of the sheet material. A movable bearing slide is mounted on the guide rail base and slides back and forth along the guide rail base. The rotary column module is located on the movable bearing slide and moves linearly synchronously with the movable bearing slide and can rotate around the vertical axis. The rotary column module is equipped with a vertical lifting slide, and the lifting cantilever assembly is installed on the vertical lifting slide. The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a sheet material vacuum gripping unit and a labeling execution unit. The labeling execution unit can slide back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly.

2. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting cantilever assembly is connected to the portal frame, and the vertical main beams of the portal frame are symmetrically arranged and connected to the two opposite sides of the lifting cantilever assembly. The transverse load-bearing beam of the portal frame is equipped with a pair of parallel linear sliding pairs, and each pair of linear sliding pairs is equipped with a sliding support frame that can move back and forth relative to the linear sliding pairs. The transverse load-bearing beam is equipped with a pair of opposing linear drive modules, and the power output end of each linear drive module is connected to the two sliding support frames. Each sliding support frame is equipped with the plate vacuum gripping unit, and the spacing between the two sets of plate vacuum gripping units is adjusted through the linear drive modules.

3. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sliding bearing seat includes a transverse extension section parallel to the transverse bearing beam and a vertical extension section parallel to the vertical main beam, and the transverse extension section and the vertical extension section are orthogonally connected; the free end of the vertical extension section is connected to a transverse support arm arranged along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly, the transverse support arm is equipped with a vertical drive module, and the power output end of the vertical drive module is connected to the plate vacuum gripping unit.

4. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vertical drive module drives the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal to move back and forth in the vertical direction, realizing the switching between the first working position and the second working position. When in the first working position, the adsorption bottom surface of the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal sinks to the lower area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly, and the surface of the sheet metal to be processed is adhered and the negative pressure adsorption is completed. When in the second working position, the adsorption bottom surface of the vacuum gripping unit of the sheet metal is raised to the upper area of ​​the lifting cantilever assembly, causing the adsorbed sheet metal to deform and peel off the stacked sheet metal.

5. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower side of the lifting cantilever assembly is provided with a plate positioning and correction module arranged in opposite directions. The plate positioning and correction module includes two sets of pushing actuators that move in opposite directions. The pushing actuators have an initial avoidance station and a correction positioning station. At the initial avoidance station, the distance between the pushing ends of the two sets of pushing actuators is greater than the outer dimensions of the plate to be processed. At the correction positioning station, the distance between the pushing ends of the two sets of pushing actuators is adapted to the outer dimensions of the plate.

6. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top side of the lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a linear guide rail and a meshing gear rack. The linear guide rail is slidably mounted on a sliding base. The sliding base is equipped with a labeling execution unit and a meshing drive motor. The output gear of the meshing drive motor meshes with the meshing gear rack to drive the labeling execution unit to move back and forth along the extension direction of the lifting cantilever assembly. The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a label feeding device. The labeling execution unit moves to the label feeding device to complete the label picking operation.

7. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with a vertical pressing roller assembly on its side, and the rollers of the vertical pressing roller assembly press against the surface of the plate. The rotating column module moves synchronously along the linear guide rail base with the moving bearing slide, driving the vertical pressing roller assembly to move synchronously.

8. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting cantilever assembly is equipped with at least two sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies on its side, and a panel cleaning brush is assembled between two adjacent sets of vertical pressing roller assemblies. When the vertical pressing roller assemblies press against the surface of the panel and move synchronously with the whole machine, the cleaning brush moves synchronously with the rollers to perform surface dust removal and cleaning operations on the area of ​​the panel to be labeled.

9. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating column module includes a vertical column component, a rotating drive assembly, and a supporting base. The supporting base is located on the top surface of the movable bearing slide, and the rotating drive assembly is assembled inside the supporting base. Two sets of position sensor triggers are symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the supporting base. The position sensor triggers are used to collect the workstation position feedback signal of the plate transfer and placement platform, and to control the combined action of column rotation and linear translation based on the sensor feedback signal.

10. The column-type feeding and labeling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary column module is symmetrically equipped with two sets of opposing lifting cantilever assemblies, which synchronously complete the rotary adjustment action with the rotary column module.

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