A trailer hitch assembly

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of trailer hook assembly equipment, belong to trailer hook production equipment technical field, comprising: rotatable carousel, carousel is provided with multiple positioning clamps, each positioning clamp is arranged around the rotation axis of carousel, positioning clamp is configured to carry and position workpiece;And sequentially arranged around the carousel artificial assembly operating mechanism, multiple steel ball assembly mechanism, single steel ball assembly mechanism and oil injection mechanism;The beneficial effects of the present application are: supporting setting with artificial assembly operation, multiple steel ball assembly, single steel ball assembly and oil injection mechanism;Workpiece is sequentially passed through each station by carousel, realizes the assembly of trailer hook locking assembly in assembly line, converts the complex manual process of originally fragmentation into efficient semi-automatic linkage operation, greatly improves production efficiency, meets the demand of modernization scale production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of trailer hook production equipment, and relates to a trailer hook assembly equipment. Background Technology

[0002] A tow hook is a safety connector installed on the rear bumper of a vehicle for towing RVs, yachts, folding suitcases, or bicycle racks. To maintain the aesthetics of the rear of the vehicle when not towing and to avoid the safety hazards of reversing, detachable tow hooks are widely used in the current automotive parts market.

[0003] For example, a Chinese utility model patent with application number 2022229086000, entitled "A Car Tow Hook with Locking Function," includes a tow hook body, a control handle integrating a lock cylinder, and a locking mechanism installed at the end of the tow hook body. The locking mechanism operates as follows: locking steel balls are assembled around the end of the tow hook body. When the unlocked handle is rotated, the internal gear shaft meshes with a rack and pinion, driving the movable head with a conical ejector pin to move. The ejector pin presses against or releases the steel balls through an inclined surface, causing them to protrude radially outward along the end slot and lock into the rear base of the car, or retract inward to achieve quick disassembly of the tow hook.

[0004] In actual use, the locking mechanism, as the sole bearing point of the vehicle's traction force, must not only withstand enormous alternating tensile and shear stresses, but also maintain a locked state to prevent loosening under long-term bumpy, vibrating and other harsh road conditions. Therefore, the assembly gaps of each component, the locking state of the steel ball, and the amount of grease added to reduce wear during assembly directly determine the service life and driving safety of the trailer hook.

[0005] However, under current technological conditions, this complex locking mechanism involving multiple coupled parts still primarily relies on manual assembly on a fixed frame. Operators must manually insert and assemble various components such as springs, pins, locking balls, and lock cylinders sequentially. Because the industry currently lacks specialized equipment for the integrated assembly of trailer hitch locking mechanisms, the entire process is fragmented into purely manual, repetitive mechanical labor. This results in inconsistent material flow and process connections, and the frequent manual clamping, positioning, and alignment of small parts consumes a significant amount of time, leading to a lengthy assembly cycle and low overall production efficiency, making it difficult to meet the demands of efficient, large-scale mass production in modern automotive parts manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the aforementioned problems in the prior art by proposing a trailer hitch assembly device.

[0007] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solution: a trailer hitch assembly device, comprising: A rotatable turntable is provided with a plurality of positioning fixtures, each of which is arranged around the rotation axis of the turntable and is configured to support and position a workpiece. The system includes a manual assembly mechanism, a multi-ball assembly mechanism, a single-ball assembly mechanism, and an oil injection mechanism arranged sequentially around the turntable. The multi-ball assembly mechanism is configured to insert multiple balls into the workpiece at different angles. The single-ball assembly mechanism is configured to assemble a single ball into the workpiece. The oil injection mechanism is configured to inject grease into the workpiece. The turntable is configured to drive the positioning fixture sequentially through the manual assembly station corresponding to the manual assembly operation mechanism, the multi-ball assembly station corresponding to the multi-ball assembly mechanism, the single-ball assembly station corresponding to the single-ball assembly mechanism, and the oiling station corresponding to the oiling mechanism.

[0008] Preferably, the positioning fixture includes a fixture base and a flip positioning frame. The fixture base is provided with a detachable support block. The flip positioning frame is rotatably mounted on the fixture base and has a clamping part. The flip positioning frame is configured to drive the clamping part to flip toward or away from the support block to clamp or release the workpiece.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning clamp further includes a push-pull quick clamp with a snap ring mounting pin, the push-pull quick clamp being configured to drive the snap ring mounting pin to move toward or away from the clamp seat when actuated.

[0010] Preferably, the manual assembly operation mechanism includes a first gantry and at least one sliding pressure head, at least a portion of the first gantry spans the manual assembly operation station of the turntable, the sliding pressure head is slidably mounted on the first gantry, and the sliding pressure head can be moved to directly above the manual operation station of the turntable.

[0011] Preferably, there are two sliding pressure heads, one manual and one automatic. The manual pressure head is equipped with an operating handle to output clamping force by manually pressing down, and the automatic pressure head is equipped with a pressing drive to output clamping force through the pressing drive.

[0012] Preferably, the multi-ball assembly mechanism includes: a first receiving and positioning seat, the first receiving and positioning seat having a first position and a second position; The first hopper has a first conveying pipe at its lower end, which is connected to the first position of the first receiving positioning seat. The first hopper is equipped with a first vibration element. A first pusher drive element has a movable first push rod, and the first position and the second position are both located on the movement path of the first push rod; A first assembly drive element has a liftable first push rod, and the second position is located on the movement path of the first push rod; A rotatable first discharge pipe is configured to be movable to the position directly above the multi-ball assembly station of the turntable. The second position and the inlet of the first discharge pipe are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the first push rod. The outlet of the first discharge pipe is located on the side wall of the first discharge pipe. A first rotation angle control element is coupled to the first discharge pipe, and the angular position of the first discharge pipe is controlled by the angular position of the first rotation angle control element.

[0013] Preferably, the multi-ball assembly mechanism further includes a plurality of first ball detection elements, each of which is arranged in a ring around the lower end of the first discharge pipe.

[0014] Preferably, the single steel ball assembly mechanism includes: a second receiving and positioning seat, the second receiving and positioning seat having a third position and a fourth position; The second hopper has a second conveying pipe at its lower end, which is connected to the third position of the second receiving positioning seat. The second hopper is equipped with a second vibration element. The second pusher drive element has a movable second push rod, and the third position and the fourth position are both located on the movement path of the second push rod; A second assembly drive element has a liftable second push rod, and the fourth position is located on the movement path of the second push rod; The second discharge pipe is configured to move directly above the single ball assembly station of the turntable. The fourth position and the inlet of the second discharge pipe are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the second push rod. The outlet of the second discharge pipe is located on the side wall of the second discharge pipe.

[0015] Preferably, the single ball assembly mechanism further includes a second gantry, a first sliding seat, a second sliding seat, a sliding drive element, and a pre-press drive element. The second receiving positioning seat, the second pushing drive element, the second assembly drive element, and the second discharge pipe are all installed on the first sliding seat. The pre-press drive element is installed on the second sliding seat. At least a portion of the second gantry spans the single ball assembly station of the turntable. The first sliding seat and the second sliding seat are both slidably connected to the second gantry, and the first sliding seat and the second sliding seat are fixedly connected. The sliding drive element is connected to the first sliding seat or the second sliding seat to drive the first sliding seat and the second sliding seat to slide.

[0016] Preferably, the oil injection mechanism includes an oil injection lifting drive element, an oil injection lifting seat, and an oil injection metering valve. The oil injection lifting seat is connected to the oil injection lifting drive element, and the oil injection metering valve is fixed to the oil injection lifting seat. The oil injection metering valve is located directly above the oil injection position of the turntable, and the oil injection lifting drive element is configured to drive the oil injection metering valve to rise and fall through the oil injection lifting seat.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. It is equipped with manual assembly, multi-ball assembly, single-ball assembly and oil injection mechanisms; the turntable drives the workpiece through each station in sequence to realize the assembly line assembly of the trailer hook locking component, transforming the originally fragmented and complex manual process into a highly efficient semi-automatic linkage operation, which greatly improves production efficiency and meets the needs of modern large-scale mass production.

[0018] 2. The fixture base, flip positioning frame and detachable support block in the positioning fixture work together to not only clamp and position the workpiece, but also adapt to workpieces of different specifications, reducing the risk of workpiece displacement during assembly.

[0019] 3. The first discharge tube can change the outlet angle under the action of the first rotation angle control element, which can correspond to the mounting holes at different circumferential positions on the workpiece, realize multi-angle steel ball assembly, and avoid the problem that a single discharge direction cannot take into account multiple hole positions.

[0020] 4. The first and second shaking elements cause the steel balls to fall in an orderly manner, which, together with the quantity distribution seat, push rod and top rod, can achieve single or quantitative separation, reducing material jamming, material accumulation and multiple incorrect feeding.

[0021] 5. The oil injection metering valve, in conjunction with the oil injection lifting drive element, enables precise and quantitative oil injection at fixed points, ensuring consistent oil injection and improving the lubrication effect of the workpiece in subsequent use. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the trailer hook assembly equipment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the manual assembly operation mechanism of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning fixture of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the positioning fixture of the present invention from another perspective.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of the multi-ball assembly mechanism of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-ball assembly mechanism of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the multi-ball assembly mechanism of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the single steel ball assembly mechanism of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a partial sectional view of the single steel ball assembly mechanism of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the oil injection mechanism of the present invention.

[0032] In the diagram, 100 is a turntable; 200 is a positioning clamp; 210 is a clamp seat; 211 is a support block; 220 is a flip positioning frame; 221 is a clamping part; 230 is a push-pull quick clamp; 231 is a snap ring assembly pin; 300 is a manual assembly operating mechanism; 310 is a first gantry frame; 320 is a manual pressure head; 330 is an automatic pressure head; 400 is a multi-ball assembly mechanism; 410 is a first receiving positioning seat; 420 is a first hopper; 421 is a first conveying pipe; 422 is a first vibration element; 430 is a first assembly drive element; 431 is a first push rod; 440 is a first discharge pipe; 450 is a first rotation angle control element; and 460 is a first ball detector. Components; 470, First pusher drive component; 471, First push rod; 500, Single steel ball assembly mechanism; 510, Second receiving positioning seat; 520, Second hopper; 521, Second conveying pipe; 522, Second vibration component; 530, Second pusher drive component; 531, Second push rod; 540, Second assembly drive component; 541, Second push rod; 550, Second discharge pipe; 560, Second gantry frame; 561, First sliding seat; 562, Second sliding seat; 563, Sliding drive component; 570, Pre-pressure drive component; 600, Oil injection mechanism; 610, Oil injection lifting drive component; 620, Oil injection lifting seat; 630, Oil injection metering valve. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0034] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, a trailer hitch assembly device includes a rotatable turntable 100 with multiple positioning clamps 200 arranged around the rotation axis of the turntable 100. The positioning clamps 200 are used to support and position the workpiece. The device also includes a manual assembly operation mechanism 300, a multi-ball assembly mechanism 400, a single-ball assembly mechanism 500, and an oil injection mechanism 600 arranged sequentially around the turntable 100. The multi-ball assembly mechanism 400 is used to insert multiple balls into the workpiece at different angles, the single-ball assembly mechanism 500 is used to assemble a single ball into the workpiece, and the oil injection mechanism 600 is used to inject grease into the workpiece. The turntable 100, under the drive, sequentially drives the positioning fixture 200 through the manual assembly operation station of the corresponding manual assembly operation mechanism 300, the multi-ball assembly station of the corresponding multi-ball assembly mechanism 400, the single-ball assembly station of the corresponding single-ball assembly mechanism 500, and the oiling station of the corresponding oiling mechanism 600, so that the workpiece completes the clamping, assembly, inspection and oiling processes according to the preset process sequence.

[0035] It should be noted that in existing technologies, the assembly process of trailer hooks involves both manual judgment and coordination, as well as processes suitable for mechanical repetition. Furthermore, the angular differences in the circumferential angles of the steel ball assembly positions make it difficult for a single assembly mechanism to simultaneously meet the alignment requirements of different hole positions, easily leading to cumbersome process switching, insufficient positioning accuracy, and difficulty in ensuring assembly consistency. To solve these problems, this equipment arranges the manual assembly operation mechanism 300, the multi-steel ball assembly mechanism 400, the single-steel ball assembly mechanism 500, and the oiling mechanism 600 in a process sequence on the circumferential axis of the turntable 100 in a trailer hook assembly device. The turntable 100 drives the workpiece to move station by station, allowing different processes to be completed at their most suitable positions, thus forming a continuous, stable, and easily controllable semi-automatic assembly process.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the positioning fixture 200 includes a fixture base 210 and a flip positioning frame 220. The fixture base 210 is provided with a detachable support block 211. The flip positioning frame 220 is rotatably mounted on the fixture base 210. The flip positioning frame 220 has a pressing part 221. The flip positioning frame 220 can drive the pressing part 221 to flip in a direction closer to or away from the support block 211 to press or release the workpiece.

[0037] After the workpiece is placed on the support block 211, the flip positioning frame 220 flips to the clamping position, and the clamping part 221 presses down on the workpiece, keeping it in a stable position during assembly. Because the support block 211 has a detachable structure, workpieces of different specifications can be adapted to different clamping positions by replacing the support block 211. Combined with the clamping action of the flip positioning frame 220, this ensures reliable positioning of the workpiece under different heights and shapes. With this setup, the workpiece is less likely to shift during subsequent steel ball assembly, pre-pressing, and oiling processes, thus providing a foundation for accurate connection between various workstations.

[0038] Based on the above embodiments, the positioning fixture 200 further includes a push-pull quick clamp 230, which has a snap ring assembly pin 231. When activated, the push-pull quick clamp 230 can drive the snap ring assembly pin 231 to move towards or away from the fixture seat 210. This structure is used to cooperate with the snap ring assembly action. When the snap ring needs to be installed, the snap ring assembly pin 231 pushes the snap ring axially into the corresponding position on the workpiece, and further fixes the workpiece after the snap ring is installed. Since the movement direction of the snap ring assembly pin 231 is consistent with the workpiece assembly direction, the pushing path is direct, which can reduce the process of manually adjusting the angle, making the snap ring assembly process easier to control, and improving the stability of the workpiece on the fixture after installation.

[0039] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, based on the above embodiment, the manual assembly operation mechanism 300 includes a first gantry 310 and at least one sliding pressure head. At least a portion of the first gantry 310 spans the manual assembly operation station of the turntable 100. The sliding pressure head is slidably mounted on the first gantry 310 and can be moved to directly above the manual operation station of the turntable 100.

[0040] The manual assembly mechanism 300 provides overhead clamping or auxiliary pressing capability for the workpiece during the manual assembly stage. After the first gantry 310 is positioned above the workstation, the sliding pressure head can be adjusted along the first gantry 310 to align the pressure head with the manual assembly area. In this way, when performing initial workpiece assembly, component pre-pressing, or local auxiliary clamping, the manual operator can directly complete the operation at the corresponding workstation without the need for additional workpiece handling or frequent adjustments to the working posture, thus enabling a smooth connection between the manual process and the rotary table 100 indexing process.

[0041] Furthermore, there are two sliding pressure heads: a manual pressure head 320 and an automatic pressure head 330. The manual pressure head 320 is equipped with an operating handle for manually applying clamping force, while the automatic pressure head 330 is equipped with a pressing drive to apply clamping force. The manual pressure head 320 is used for clamping steps requiring manual judgment and coordination, allowing the operator to flexibly control the pressure and timing based on the workpiece condition. The automatic pressure head 330 is used for clamping tasks with high repetition and stable operation rhythm, with the pressing drive providing consistent clamping stroke and force. The manual assembly operating mechanism 300 retains the flexibility of manual processes while possessing the stability of automatic clamping, adapting to different clamping requirements during trailer hook assembly.

[0042] like Figure 1 , Figures 5 to 7As shown, based on the above embodiment, the multi-ball assembly mechanism 400 includes a first receiving and positioning seat 410, a first hopper 420, a first pushing drive element 470, a first assembly drive element 430, a rotatable first discharge pipe 440, and a first rotation angle control element 450. The first receiving and positioning seat 410 has a first position and a second position. The lower end of the first hopper 420 is provided with a first conveying pipe 421, which communicates with the first position of the first receiving and positioning seat 410. The first hopper 420 is provided with a first shaking element 422, which is used to make the steel balls in the first hopper 420 fall downward in an orderly manner and enter the first position. The first pushing drive element 470 has a movable first push rod 471. The first position and the second position are both located on the movement path of the first push rod 471. The first pushing drive element 470 is used to push the steel ball in the first position to the second position. The first assembly drive element 430 has a liftable first push rod 431, and a second position located on the movement path of the first push rod 431. The first assembly drive element 430 is used to further push the steel ball located at the second position to the inlet of the first discharge pipe 440. The first discharge pipe 440 can move to be directly above the multi-ball assembly station of the turntable 100. The second position and the inlet of the first discharge pipe 440 are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the first push rod 431, and the outlet of the first discharge pipe 440 is located on the side wall of the first discharge pipe 440. The first rotation angle control element 450 is motion-coupled with the first discharge pipe 440, and the angular position of the first discharge pipe 440 is controlled by the angular position of the first rotation angle control element 450.

[0043] In this embodiment, the multi-ball assembly mechanism 400 is used to assemble a first set of locking mechanisms composed of multiple steel balls. The steel balls in the first receiving and positioning seat 410 enter the first position of the first receiving and positioning seat 410 under the action of the first vibration element 422. Then, the first pushing drive element 470 drives the first push rod 471 to push the steel balls to the second position. Subsequently, the first assembly drive element 430 drives the first push rod 431 to feed the steel balls into the inlet of the first discharge pipe 440. The outlet of the first discharge pipe 440 is not parallel to the rotation axis of the first discharge pipe 440, so the steel balls complete a direction change inside the first discharge pipe 440 and are then discharged from the side wall outlet, facilitating correspondence with the circumferential holes of the first set of locking mechanisms on the workpiece. The first rotation angle control element 450 drives the first discharge pipe 440 to rotate, matching the outlet angle of the first discharge pipe 440 with the circumferential positions of different mounting holes on the workpiece. With this setup, the first discharge pipe 440 does not need to change its overall layout; it can be assembled one by one into multiple steel ball holes at different angles simply by adjusting the angle.

[0044] Furthermore, the multi-ball assembly mechanism 400 also includes multiple first ball detection elements 460, which are arranged in a ring around the lower end of the first discharge pipe 440. This structure is used to confirm the status of each ball's installation position. After the balls are assembled, each first ball detection element 460 can perform detection at different angle positions to determine whether the corresponding mounting hole has been fully assembled, thereby reducing subsequent problems caused by missed or incomplete assembly and providing reliable assembly result judgments for subsequent processes.

[0045] like Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the single steel ball assembly mechanism 500 includes a second receiving and positioning seat 510, a second hopper 520, a second pushing drive element 530, a second assembly drive element 540, and a second discharge pipe 550. The second receiving and positioning seat 510 has a third position and a fourth position. The lower end of the second hopper 520 is provided with a second conveying pipe 521, which communicates with the third position of the second receiving and positioning seat 510. The second hopper 520 is provided with a second shaking element 522, which is used to stably guide the steel ball into the third position. The second pushing drive element 530 has a movable second push rod 531. The third and fourth positions are both located on the movement path of the second push rod 531. The second pushing drive element 530 is used to push the steel ball from the third position to the fourth position. The second assembly drive element 540 has a liftable second push rod 541, and a fourth position is located on the movement path of the second push rod 541. The second assembly drive element 540 is used to push the steel ball from the fourth position to the second discharge pipe 550. The second discharge pipe 550 can move to be directly above the single steel ball assembly station of the turntable 100. The fourth position and the inlet of the second discharge pipe 550 are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the second push rod 541, and the outlet of the second discharge pipe 550 is located on the side wall of the second discharge pipe 550.

[0046] The single-ball assembly mechanism 500 is used to assemble the second set of locking mechanisms consisting of a single ball. The working principle of this single-ball assembly mechanism 500 is similar to that of the multi-ball assembly mechanism 400, but it is more suitable for ball assembly scenarios with fixed angles and single holes. Since the assembly angle of a single ball is fixed, there is no need to adjust the outlet direction by rotation; therefore, the second discharge pipe 550 does not need to be equipped with a rotation angle control element. The second discharge pipe 550 still adopts a structure where the outlet is not parallel to the rotation axis, allowing the ball to deflect during delivery and enter the corresponding position of the workpiece from the side wall outlet.

[0047] The steel balls in the second hopper 520 continuously fall under the action of the second vibration element 522. The second conveying pipe 521 guides the steel balls to the third position of the second receiving and positioning seat 510. When there are steel balls to be assembled in the third position of the second receiving and positioning seat 510, the second pushing drive element 530 drives the second push rod 531 to move along a predetermined path, pushing the steel ball in the third position to the fourth position. When the steel ball reaches the fourth position, the second assembly drive element 540 drives the second push rod 541 to descend, pushing the steel ball in the fourth position to the second discharge pipe 550. After the second assembly drive element 540 feeds the steel ball from the fourth position into the second discharge pipe 550, the steel ball continues to move along the inside of the second discharge pipe 550, and finally exits from the outlet of the second discharge pipe 550 and enters the single steel ball assembly position of the workpiece.

[0048] The key to this process is that after the steel ball enters the second receiving and positioning seat 510 from the second hopper 520, it is first separated into individual balls by the second pushing drive element 530, then pushed into the second discharge pipe 550 by the second assembly drive element 540, and finally fed into the workpiece through the second discharge pipe 550 at a fixed outlet position. Since the entire process revolves around a single steel ball, the second receiving and positioning seat 510 can prevent multiple steel balls from entering the assembly path simultaneously, and the lateral outlet of the second discharge pipe 550 can ensure that the steel ball accurately falls into the corresponding hole within a limited space. Therefore, this single steel ball assembly mechanism 500 can achieve directional, quantitative, and fixed-point steel ball assembly, and provide a stable foundation for the pre-pressing and further assembly of subsequent workpieces.

[0049] Furthermore, the single ball assembly mechanism 500 also includes a second gantry 560, a first sliding seat 561, a second sliding seat 562, a sliding drive element 563, and a pre-press drive element 570. The second receiving positioning seat 510, the second pushing drive element 530, the second assembly drive element 540, and the second discharge pipe 550 are all installed on the first sliding seat 561, and the pre-press drive element 570 is installed on the second sliding seat 562. At least a portion of the second gantry 560 spans the single ball assembly station of the turntable 100. The first sliding seat 561 and the second sliding seat 562 are both slidably connected to the second gantry 560, and the first sliding seat 561 and the second sliding seat 562 are fixedly connected. The sliding drive element 563 is connected to the first sliding seat 561 or the second sliding seat 562 to drive the first sliding seat 561 and the second sliding seat 562 to slide.

[0050] Because there is a height difference between the first locking mechanism (multiple steel balls) and the second locking mechanism (single steel ball) along the workpiece axis, and the radial space of the assembly entrance at the end of the workpiece is limited, when a single steel ball is introduced into the end of the workpiece, its downward path will be physically blocked by the already assembled first locking mechanism (multiple steel balls), preventing the single steel ball from falling directly and smoothly into the mounting hole at the bottom. Therefore, it is necessary to pre-press the single steel ball using the pre-pressing drive element 570 to allow it to enter the mounting hole of the second locking mechanism below. When installing a single steel ball, the sliding drive element 563 first drives the first sliding seat 561 and the second sliding seat 562 to move together along the second gantry 560, aligning the second discharge pipe 550 with the single steel ball assembly station. Subsequently, the second receiving positioning seat 510, in conjunction with the second pushing drive element 530 and the second assembly drive element 540, completes the distribution and feeding of the steel ball, which is then guided into the corresponding position of the workpiece by the second discharge pipe 550.

[0051] After the steel balls are installed, the sliding drive element 563 drives the first sliding seat 561 and the second sliding seat 562 to continue moving along the second gantry 560, so that the pre-press drive element 570 is aligned with the upper workpiece in the single steel ball assembly station and pre-presses the installed steel balls. Through the above structure, the second discharge pipe 550 and the pre-press drive element 570 can be switched to the same station in sequence, avoiding multiple components occupying the same position at the same time, reducing interference during the position switching process, and ensuring that the steel ball assembly and pre-pressing actions are smoothly connected according to the process sequence.

[0052] like Figure 1 , Figure 10 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the oil injection mechanism 600 includes an oil injection lifting drive element 610, an oil injection lifting seat 620, and an oil injection metering valve 630. The oil injection lifting seat 620 is connected to the oil injection lifting drive element 610, and the oil injection metering valve 630 is fixed to the oil injection lifting seat 620. The oil injection metering valve 630 is located directly above the oil injection position of the turntable 100. The oil injection lifting drive element 610 is used to drive the oil injection metering valve 630 to rise and fall through the oil injection lifting seat 620.

[0053] This structure is used to move the oil injection metering valve 630 to a height corresponding to the oil injection position of the workpiece after it has been moved to the oil injection station, and then perform the oil injection action. Since the oil injection metering valve 630 is fixed on the oil injection lifting seat 620, the lifting action can directly drive the oil injection end into or out of the working position, thereby avoiding interference with the turntable 100 or the workpiece. The oil injection metering valve 630 is used to control the amount of grease injected into the workpiece, ensuring a consistent output during the oil injection process and facilitating matching with preceding assembly processes.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 10As shown, the working process of this equipment is as follows: The workpiece is first placed manually into the positioning fixture 200 on the turntable 100. Initial positioning is achieved with the help of the fixture seat 210, the flip positioning frame 220, and the support block 211. The necessary fixation is achieved by the push-pull quick clamp 230 according to the workpiece structure. Then, the sliding pressure head completes the pressing or auxiliary pressing operation required for manual assembly under the first gantry frame 310. The manual pressure head 320 and the automatic pressure head 330 are suitable for processes with different levels of manual cooperation. Next, the workpiece is transferred to the multi-ball assembly station. The first hopper 420 feeds material to the first receiving positioning seat 410 under the action of the first vibration element 422. The first pushing drive element 470 and the first assembly drive element 430 sequentially complete the distribution and feeding of steel balls. The first rotation angle control element 450 drives the first discharge pipe 440 to adjust the outlet angle, so that multiple steel balls are respectively installed into the mounting holes at different circumferential positions. The first steel ball detection element 460 verifies the assembly result. Then the workpiece is transferred to the single steel ball assembly station. The second receiving positioning seat 510, the second pushing drive element 530 and the second assembly drive element 540 cooperate with the second discharge pipe 550 to complete the assembly of a single steel ball. The pre-pressure drive element 570 pre-pressures the steel ball to improve the assembly stability. After that, the workpiece is transferred to the oil injection station. The oil injection lifting drive element 610 drives the oil injection lifting seat 620 and the oil injection metering valve 630 to lift and lower, and quantitatively inject oil into the workpiece. Finally, the workpiece returns to the manual assembly operation station to complete the remaining manual assembly process and complete the unloading.

[0055] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0056] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," "a," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0057] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection" and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited.

[0058] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A trailer hitch assembly device, characterized in that, include: A rotatable turntable (100) is provided with a plurality of positioning fixtures (200), each of the positioning fixtures (200) being arranged around the rotation axis of the turntable (100), and the positioning fixtures (200) being configured to carry and position workpieces; The turntable (100) is surrounded by a manual assembly mechanism (300), a multi-ball assembly mechanism (400), a single-ball assembly mechanism (500), and an oiling mechanism (600). The multi-ball assembly mechanism (400) is configured to insert multiple balls into the workpiece at different angles. The single-ball assembly mechanism (500) is configured to assemble a single ball into the workpiece. The oiling mechanism (600) is configured to inject grease into the workpiece. The turntable (100) is configured to drive the positioning fixture (200) to pass sequentially through the manual assembly operation station corresponding to the manual assembly operation mechanism (300), the multi-ball assembly station corresponding to the multi-ball assembly mechanism (400), the single-ball assembly station corresponding to the single-ball assembly mechanism (500), and the oiling station corresponding to the oiling mechanism (600).

2. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning fixture (200) includes a fixture base (210) and a flip positioning frame (220). The fixture base (210) is provided with a detachable support block (211). The flip positioning frame (220) is rotatably mounted on the fixture base (210). The flip positioning frame (220) has a clamping part (221). The flip positioning frame (220) is configured to drive the clamping part (221) to flip toward or away from the support block (211) to clamp or release the workpiece.

3. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning clamp (200) further includes a push-pull quick clamp (230) having a snap ring assembly pin (231) configured to drive the snap ring assembly pin (231) to move toward or away from the clamp seat (210) when actuated.

4. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The manual assembly operation mechanism (300) includes a first gantry (310) and at least one sliding pressure head. At least a portion of the first gantry (310) spans the manual assembly operation station of the turntable (100). The sliding pressure head is slidably mounted on the first gantry (310) and can be moved to directly above the manual operation station of the turntable (100).

5. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The number of sliding pressure heads is two, namely a manual pressure head (320) and an automatic pressure head (330). The manual pressure head (320) is equipped with an operating handle to output clamping force by manually pressing down, and the automatic pressure head (330) is equipped with a pressing drive to output clamping force through the pressing drive.

6. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-ball assembly mechanism (400) includes: The first receiving positioning seat (410) has a first position and a second position; The first hopper (420) is provided with a first conveying pipe (421) at its lower end. The first conveying pipe (421) is connected to the first position of the first receiving positioning seat (410). The first hopper (420) is provided with a first shaking element (422). A first pusher drive element (470) has a movable first push rod (471), and the first position and the second position are both located on the movement path of the first push rod (471). A first assembly drive element (430) has a liftable first push rod (431), and the second position is located on the movement path of the first push rod (431). A rotatable first discharge pipe (440) is configured to be movable to be directly above the multi-ball assembly station of the turntable (100). The second position and the inlet of the first discharge pipe (440) are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the first push rod (431). The outlet of the first discharge pipe (440) is located on the side wall of the first discharge pipe (440). The first rotation angle control element (450) is motion-coupled with the first discharge pipe (440), and the angular position of the first discharge pipe (440) is controlled by the angular position of the first rotation angle control element (450).

7. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The multi-ball assembly mechanism (400) also includes a plurality of first ball detection elements (460), each of which is arranged in a ring around the lower end of the first discharge pipe (440).

8. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The single steel ball assembly mechanism (500) includes: The second receiving positioning seat (510) has a third position and a fourth position; The second hopper (520) is provided with a second conveying pipe (521) at its lower end. The second conveying pipe (521) is connected to the third position of the second receiving positioning seat (510). The second hopper (520) is provided with a second shaking element (522). The second pusher drive element (530) has a movable second push rod (531), and the third position and the fourth position are both located on the movement path of the second push rod (531). A second assembly drive element (540) has a liftable second push rod (541), and the fourth position is located on the movement path of the second push rod (541). The second discharge pipe (550) is configured to move directly above the single ball assembly station of the turntable (100). The fourth position and the inlet of the second discharge pipe (550) are arranged sequentially along the ejection direction of the second push rod (541). The outlet of the second discharge pipe (550) is located on the side wall of the second discharge pipe (550).

9. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The single steel ball assembly mechanism (500) further includes a second gantry (560), a first sliding seat (561), a second sliding seat (562), a sliding drive element (563), and a pre-press drive element (570). The second receiving positioning seat (510), the second pushing drive element (530), the second assembly drive element (540), and the second discharge pipe (550) are all installed on the first sliding seat (561), and the pre-press drive element (570) is installed on the second sliding seat (562). At least a portion of the second gantry (560) spans the single ball assembly station of the turntable (100). The first sliding seat (561) and the second sliding seat (562) are both slidably connected to the second gantry (560), and the first sliding seat (561) and the second sliding seat (562) are fixedly connected. The sliding drive element (563) is connected to the first sliding seat (561) or the second sliding seat (562) to drive the first sliding seat (561) and the second sliding seat (562) to slide.

10. The trailer hitch assembly equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The oil injection mechanism (600) includes an oil injection lifting drive element (610), an oil injection lifting seat (620), and an oil injection metering valve (630). The oil injection lifting seat (620) is connected to the oil injection lifting drive element (610), and the oil injection metering valve (630) is fixed to the oil injection lifting seat (620). The oil injection metering valve (630) is located directly above the oil injection position of the turntable (100). The oil injection lifting drive element (610) is configured to drive the oil injection metering valve (630) to rise and fall through the oil injection lifting seat (620).

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