A loading and unloading arm for processing white strip pig

Abstract

This invention discloses a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, relating to the field of loading and unloading equipment technology. The loading and unloading arm employs a weight-triggered self-locking structure in its end effector. After the pork carcass is placed on the fork support arm, its own weight drives the lifting column downwards, pushing the limit column out to achieve double-sided clamping and positioning. This design is energy-efficient and structurally simple. The clamping force adaptively adjusts according to the weight of the pork carcass, effectively preventing shaking, detachment, and collision damage during transportation and lifting. Unloading only requires operating a manual pressure relief valve for quick unlocking, allowing the pork carcass to automatically detach, significantly improving loading and unloading efficiency and safety. Through the linkage between the roller brush assembly and the end effector, a third spring ensures the printing roller adaptively conforms to the pork carcass surface, guaranteeing clear and uniform stamping. This structure enables simultaneous loading, unloading, and quarantine stamping, eliminating the need for a separate stamping station, secondary handling, and manual stamping, significantly shortening the processing cycle and increasing production line speed and capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of loading and unloading equipment technology, specifically a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses. Background Technology

[0002] In the pig slaughtering and processing industry, the loading, unloading, transportation, and quarantine stamping of dressed pigs are crucial steps in the production process. Currently, the industry commonly uses traditional hoisting tools, simple hooks, or manual handling to complete loading and unloading operations.

[0003] Referring to the patent application CN212075626U, a loading arm for handling pork carcasses is described. After using the forks, the forks are guided back into the storage slot and the storage rod is rotated into the storage opening, thus completing the storage of the forks. This facilitates flexible storage of the forks and avoids the exposed sharp parts of the forks when not in use, improving personnel safety. The operator drives a motor to rotate a lead screw and moves the forks upward along the storage slot, thereby allowing the fork heads to exit the storage slot. When storage is needed, the motor is driven again to rotate the lead screw in the opposite direction, completely retracting the fork heads into the storage slot. This facilitates quick storage and retrieval of the forks and fork heads, improving the convenience of storing and using the forks and fork heads. The above-mentioned prior art pig loading and unloading arms have the following defects in actual use: 1) Traditional pork carcass loading and unloading devices mostly use simple hook or bracket structures, relying on manual assistance for fixation, which cannot achieve automatic and reliable positioning. During the transfer process, pork carcasses are prone to shaking, shifting, or even falling off, causing collisions and damage to the carcasses, affecting the quality of the finished product; while some devices use pneumatic or electric clamping structures, which require external air and power sources, resulting in high energy consumption, complex structures, messy pipelines, and high failure rates. 2) Existing production lines generally separate loading and unloading and quarantine stamping into two independent processes. After the white carcasses are loaded and unloaded, they need to be transferred to a special station for stamping, which increases the circulation time and operation links, extends the overall processing cycle, and reduces the production line cycle time.

[0004] Therefore, the present invention proposes a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses. It solves the problems of traditional pork carcass loading and unloading devices, which are mostly simple hooks or brackets that rely on manual fixing, have unreliable positioning, and are prone to shaking, falling off, or collision damage during transportation, affecting the quality of the finished product. Some pneumatic and electric clamping devices require external air and power sources, resulting in high energy consumption, complex structure, messy pipelines, and high failure rate. At the same time, loading and unloading and quarantine stamping are separate processes that require secondary transportation, resulting in cumbersome processes, long cycles, and low efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, comprising a base assembly fixed to the ground by anchor bolts and a column assembly fixedly mounted on its top, wherein the column assembly integrates a hydraulic system and an electronic control system to cooperate in completing the loading and unloading operations of pork carcasses, and further comprising: The slewing machine body is rotatably mounted on the top of the column assembly via a heavy-duty slewing bearing, and can rotate 360 ​​degrees horizontally along the top of the column assembly to adapt to various loading and unloading positions. A multi-joint robotic arm includes a first loading and unloading arm rotatably disposed within a rotary body, and a second loading and unloading arm rotatably disposed on the top of the first loading and unloading arm. Hydraulic cylinders and micro motors are respectively configured at the connection positions between the rotary body and the first loading and unloading arm and between the first loading and unloading arm and the second loading and unloading arm to drive the multi-joint robotic arm to complete a composite action of pitching, swaying, angle adjustment and length extension. The end effector is located at the bottom of the second loading and unloading arm and rotates in a circle using the power input from the servo motor. It is used to stably hang or rigidly lift multiple white-skinned pigs at the same time, and uses the weight of the white-skinned pigs themselves to limit the position of the white-skinned pigs after they are hung, preventing the white-skinned pigs from accidentally shaking and falling off during loading and unloading. It automatically unlocks when unloading to facilitate quick unloading. The roller brush assembly is located on one side of the end effector and is used to move synchronously with the end effector to continuously roll and press the quarantine stamp on the outer surface of the white-skinned pigs suspended on the end effector, so as to realize the synchronous operation of loading and unloading and quarantine stamping.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes an electric control box, which is fixedly installed on the side wall of the column assembly, and is used to realize centralized control of the start and stop of the loading and unloading arm, the switching of the action mode and the adjustment of parameters. The end effector includes a turntable rotatably mounted at the bottom of the second loading arm. The top of the turntable has multiple mounting slots evenly distributed, and each mounting slot is equipped with a fork support assembly for performing the action of hanging or rigidly lifting the pork carcass.

[0008] Furthermore, the fork support assembly includes a sliding sleeve fixedly installed inside the mounting groove. A lifting column is slidably installed inside the sliding sleeve, and a fork support arm is fixedly inserted through the lifting column. A first limiting component and a second limiting component are respectively installed at both ends of the fork support arm. Inflation units are installed on both sides of the outer wall of the sliding sleeve. The two inflation units and the first or second limiting component at the corresponding position are connected by air pipes, which are used to input high-pressure air into the first or second limiting component at the corresponding position to drive the positioning operation of the white carcass pig. A pressure relief pipe is fixedly installed below the outer wall of the two inflation units. A connecting pipe is fixedly installed at the top of the two pressure relief pipes. A manual pressure relief valve for releasing the internal gas to the outside is fixedly installed inside the connecting pipe.

[0009] Furthermore, the first limiting component and the second limiting component have the same structure. The first limiting component includes a fork support tube fixedly connected to one end of the fork support arm. An air nozzle communicating with the interior of the fork support tube is fixedly provided on the outer wall near the fork support arm. The inner sides of the fork support tube are respectively provided with a first positioning unit and a second positioning unit with the same structure. A push-pull rod slides through the interior of the first positioning unit and the second positioning unit. A first piston is slidably provided at one end of the push-pull rod between the second positioning unit and the air nozzle. A first spring is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the push-pull rod between the second positioning unit and the first piston. Two drive blocks are fixedly provided on the outer wall of the push-pull rod opposite to the first positioning unit and the second positioning unit.

[0010] Furthermore, the first positioning unit includes a bearing sleeve fixedly disposed inside the forklift support tube. Limiting posts are symmetrically and slidably disposed on both sides of the inner side of the bearing sleeve. The end of the limiting post away from the push-pull rod slides through the forklift support tube and extends to the outside. A wedge block is fixedly disposed on the end of the limiting post near the push-pull rod. Wedge grooves are provided on the opposite sidewalls of the two wedge blocks. The driving blocks located in the first positioning unit and the second positioning unit are slidably disposed in the wedge grooves at corresponding positions. A wedge groove is slidably disposed on the outer wall of the limiting post between the wedge block and the inner wall of the bearing sleeve.

[0011] Furthermore, the inflation unit includes an air cylinder fixedly mounted on the side wall of the sliding sleeve. A second piston is slidably and sealed inside the air cylinder. A lifting rod is fixedly mounted on the top of the second piston. The top end of the lifting rod slides through the air cylinder and is fixedly connected to the side wall of the lifting rod. A second spring is provided between the inner cavity of the air cylinder and the second piston to assist the second piston in moving upward and resetting. The top end of the air pipe is fixedly mounted through the bottom of the air cylinder and extends into its interior. A pressure relief nozzle communicating with the interior of the air cylinder is also fixedly mounted on the side wall of the air cylinder. The pressure relief nozzle is connected to the pressure relief pipe.

[0012] Furthermore, the roller brush assembly includes an arc-shaped guide plate detachably mounted on the outer wall of the second loading and unloading arm and a movable groove formed on its side wall. A mounting seat is slidably mounted inside the movable groove. Guide rods are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower sides of the mounting seat near the movable groove. The guide rods slide through the movable groove and are fixedly mounted with limit plates. A third spring is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the guide rod and located between the movable groove and the mounting seat.

[0013] Furthermore, a movable cavity is formed on the side wall of the mounting base away from the movable groove. A printing roller is rotatably arranged in the movable cavity. A printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp is formed on the outer wall of the printing roller. A dye pool is formed on the inner wall of the movable cavity. A sponge is fixedly arranged inside the dye pool. The sponge absorbs dyeing liquid to maintain the continuous dyeing ability of the printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp. A scraper is also fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the movable cavity for scraping the dyeing liquid from the surface of the printing roller except for the printing groove area of ​​the epidemic prevention stamp. Both the sponge and the scraper abut against the outer wall of the printing roller.

[0014] Furthermore, the downward displacement of the lifting column is set to be linearly positively correlated with the output air pressure of the inflation unit, so that the positioning clamping force of the first and second limit components can be adaptively adjusted according to the weight of the pork carcass; when the weight of the pork carcass exceeds the preset threshold, the inflation unit automatically reaches the maximum air pressure and triggers pressure holding; when the weight of the pork carcass is lower than the preset threshold, the clamping force is reduced synchronously.

[0015] This invention provides a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses. Compared with the prior art, it has the following advantages: 1. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, employing a weight-triggered self-locking structure in its end effector. After the pork carcass is placed on the fork support arm, its own weight causes the lifting column to slide down, automatically generating high-pressure gas through the inflation unit. This gas pushes the limit column out to achieve double-sided clamping and positioning. No external air source is required throughout the process, making it energy-efficient and structurally simple. The clamping force adaptively adjusts to the weight of the pork carcass, effectively preventing shaking, detachment, and collision damage during transportation and lifting. Unloading only requires operating a manual pressure relief valve for quick unlocking, allowing the pork carcass to detach automatically, eliminating manual assistance and significantly improving loading and unloading efficiency and safety.

[0016] 2. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, which uses a roller brush assembly and an end effector for coordinated operation. An arc-shaped guide plate precisely matches the rotation trajectory, and a third spring ensures the printing roller adapts to the surface of the pig carcass, guaranteeing clear and even stamping. The printing roller automatically picks up food-grade dye from a sponge, and a scraper removes excess dye, preventing contamination of non-stamping areas. This structure allows for simultaneous loading, unloading, and quarantine stamping, eliminating the need for a separate stamping station, secondary handling, and manual stamping, significantly shortening the processing cycle and increasing production line speed and capacity.

[0017] 3. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, driven by a servo motor to precisely and intermittently rotate a turntable, combined with the flexible adaptive fitting of a roller brush assembly, ensures uniform force on the quarantine stamp and clear, complete patterns. The dye pool, sponge, and scraper form a closed-loop ink supply system, preventing dripping, contamination, and waste, and fully complying with food processing hygiene standards, thus improving product compliance. Furthermore, the end effector can simultaneously hold or lift multiple pork carcasses, and with the high-speed compound movements of the robotic arm, the efficiency of a single operation is significantly improved compared to traditional equipment. It is perfectly adapted to large-scale, continuous, and highly efficient modern pig slaughtering and processing production lines, significantly reducing manual labor intensity and improving the overall production efficiency of enterprises.

[0018] 4. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, which achieves 360° horizontal rotation through a heavy-duty double-row tapered roller bearing, eliminating dead angles in operation. Combined with the hydraulic pitch and motor-driven precise extension and retraction of the first and second loading and unloading arms, it can complete multi-dimensional compound actions, quickly adjust the spatial position of the end effector, and adapt to loading and unloading stations of different heights, angles, and orientations. It can cover multiple points of operation without the need for moving equipment, significantly improving space utilization and operational flexibility.

[0019] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first overall three-dimensional structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second overall three-dimensional structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly state of the turntable and fork support assembly of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded state structure of the turntable and fork support assembly of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the fork support assembly of the present invention; Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 5 A magnified structural diagram of part A in the diagram; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the No. 1 limiting component of the present invention; Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 7 A magnified structural diagram of part B in the diagram; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fork support assembly of the present invention; Figure 10 For the present invention Figure 9 A magnified structural diagram of part C in the diagram; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the roller brush assembly of the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Base assembly; 2. Column assembly; 3. Electrical control box; 4. Rotary body; 5. Loading / unloading arm 1; 6. Loading / unloading arm 2; 7. End effector; 71. Turntable; 72. Mounting slot; 73. Fork support assembly; 731. Sliding sleeve; 732. Lifting column; 733. Fork support arm; 734. Limiting assembly 1; 7341. Fork support tube; 7342. Air nozzle; 7343. First positioning unit; 73431. Bearing sleeve; 73432. Limiting column; 73433. Wedge block; 73434. Wedge groove; 7344. Second positioning unit; 7345. Push-pull rod; 7 346. First piston; 7347. First spring; 7348. Drive block; 735. Second limit assembly; 736. Inflation unit; 7361. Air cylinder; 7362. Second piston; 7363. Lifting rod; 7364. Second spring; 737. Air pipe; 738. Pressure relief pipe; 739. Connecting pipe; 7310. Manual pressure relief valve; 8. Servo motor; 9. Roller brush assembly; 91. Arc-shaped guide plate; 92. Movable groove; 93. Mounting base; 94. Guide rod; 95. Third spring; 96. Movable cavity; 97. Printing roller; 98. Dye pool; 99. Sponge; 910. Scraper. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] This invention provides two technical solutions: a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, specifically including the following embodiments: like Figures 1-2 The first embodiment is shown: a loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, including a base assembly 1 fixed to the ground by anchor bolts and a column assembly 2 fixedly mounted on top of it. The column assembly 2 integrates a hydraulic system and an electronic control system to work together to complete the loading and unloading operation of pork carcasses. It also includes: The electric control box 3 is fixedly installed on the side wall of the column assembly 2 and is used to realize centralized control of the start and stop of the loading and unloading arm, the switching of the action mode and the adjustment of parameters. The slewing body 4 is rotatably mounted on the top of the column assembly 2 via a heavy-duty slewing bearing, and can rotate 360 ​​degrees horizontally along the top of the column assembly 2 to adapt to various loading and unloading positions. The multi-joint robotic arm includes a first loading and unloading arm 5 rotatably mounted inside a rotary body 4. A second loading and unloading arm 6 is also rotatably mounted on the top of the first loading and unloading arm 5. Hydraulic cylinders and micro motors are respectively configured at the connection positions between the rotary body 4 and the first loading and unloading arm 5 and between the first loading and unloading arm 5 and the second loading and unloading arm 6 to drive the multi-joint robotic arm to complete a combination of pitching, swaying, angle adjustment and length extension. The end effector 7 is located at the bottom of the second loading and unloading arm 6 and rotates in a circular motion by the power input from the servo motor 8. It is used to stably hang or rigidly lift multiple white-skinned pigs at the same time, and uses the weight of the white-skinned pigs themselves to limit the position of the white-skinned pigs after they are hung, preventing the white-skinned pigs from accidentally shaking and falling off during loading and unloading. It automatically unlocks when unloading to facilitate quick unloading. The roller brush assembly 9 is located on one side of the end effector 7 and is used to move synchronously with the end effector 7 to continuously roll the quarantine stamp on the outer surface of the white-skinned pig suspended on the end effector 7, so as to realize the synchronous operation of loading and unloading and quarantine stamping.

[0024] In this example, the base assembly 1 is made of thickened steel plate welded together, and the anchor bolts are expansion bolts to secure it to the concrete ground, improving the overall stability and anti-tipping ability of the equipment and preventing the equipment from shaking during loading and unloading, which would affect the accuracy of the operation. The column assembly 2 is a hollow steel structure column with a reserved internal cavity. The hydraulic pump, hydraulic oil tank, and solenoid valve group of the hydraulic system are integrated and installed in layers with the PLC controller, relays, and wiring terminals of the electrical control system, realizing an integrated layout of hydraulic power and electrical control, reducing the messy entanglement of external pipelines, and lowering the probability of failure.

[0025] The electrical control box 3 adopts a waterproof and dustproof industrial-grade enclosure. The panel is equipped with a touch display screen, physical buttons and an emergency stop button, which can start and stop the equipment with one click, switch between manual and automatic operation modes, and adjust parameters such as the rotation speed, pitch angle and extension length of the robotic arm. The operation interface is intuitive and easy to understand, and is suitable for the complex working environment of slaughtering and processing workshops.

[0026] The heavy-duty slewing bearing between the slewing body 4 and the column assembly 2 is a double-row tapered roller bearing, which has strong load-bearing capacity and excellent wear resistance. It can withstand the overall weight of the multi-joint robotic arm and the whole pig. It can rotate horizontally 360 degrees without dead angles and can cover multiple loading and unloading stations in the workshop. It can complete the loading and unloading of whole pigs in different positions without the need for moving equipment, thus improving the flexibility of operation.

[0027] The multi-joint robotic arm adopts a double-section arm design. The first loading and unloading arm 5 and the rotating body 4, as well as the second loading and unloading arm 6 and the first loading and unloading arm 5, are all connected by hinges. The hydraulic cylinder provides high torque power to realize the large pitch and swing of the first loading and unloading arm 5. The micro motor precisely controls the rotation angle and extension length of the first loading and unloading arm 5. The two work together to complete the compound actions of pitch, swing, and extension, and precisely adjust the spatial position of the end effector 7 to adapt to loading and unloading needs at different heights and angles.

[0028] The end effector 7 is driven by a servo motor 8 to achieve 360-degree circular rotation. During actual rotation operation, the servo motor 8 drives the end effector 7 to rotate 90 degrees each time and then pauses for 10 seconds. The pause time can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual working conditions. The end effector 7 can simultaneously hang or lift multiple white-skinned pigs. In the hanging state, the weight of the white-skinned pigs triggers the self-locking structure to firmly fix the white-skinned pigs to the effector, preventing problems such as shaking, falling off, collision and damage during transportation and lifting. When unloading, the self-locking structure automatically unlocks without manual assistance, and the white-skinned pigs can quickly detach from the effector, greatly improving loading and unloading efficiency.

[0029] The roller brush assembly 9 is synchronized with the end effector 7. As it moves with the effector, it continuously contacts and rolls against the outer surface of the pork carcass, clearly imprinting the quarantine stamp on the pork carcass. There is no need to set up a separate stamping station, so that loading, unloading and transportation and quarantine stamping can be completed simultaneously, simplifying the processing process and shortening the processing cycle of pork carcasses.

[0030] like Figures 3-11 The second embodiment is shown, in which the end effector 7 includes a turntable 71 rotatably disposed at the bottom of the second loading arm 6. The top of the turntable 71 is evenly provided with a plurality of mounting slots 72, and each mounting slot 72 is provided with a fork support assembly 73 for performing the action of hanging or rigidly lifting the white carcass pig.

[0031] In this example, the fork support assembly 73 includes a sliding sleeve 731 fixedly installed inside the mounting groove 72. A lifting column 732 is slidably installed inside the sliding sleeve 731. A fork support arm 733 is fixedly installed through the lifting column 732. A first limit component 734 and a second limit component 735 are respectively installed at both ends of the fork support arm 733. An inflation unit 736 is installed on both sides of the outer wall of the sliding sleeve 731. The two inflation units 736 and the first limit component 734 or the second limit component 735 at the corresponding positions are connected by an air pipe 737. They are used to input high-pressure air into the first limit component 734 or the second limit component 735 at the corresponding positions to drive the positioning operation of the white carcass pig. A pressure relief pipe 738 is fixedly installed below the outer wall of the two inflation units 736. A connecting pipe 739 is fixedly installed at the top of the two pressure relief pipes 738. A manual pressure relief valve 7310 for releasing the internal gas to the outside is fixedly installed inside the connecting pipe 739.

[0032] The fork support arm 733 is a horizontally arranged long rod, with both ends extending to the outside of the turntable 71. The first limiting component 734 and the second limiting component 735 are symmetrically distributed at both ends of the fork support arm 733, forming a double-sided positioning structure. When hanging a pork carcass, the legs or body of the pork carcass are inserted into the fork support arm 733, and the limiting components at both ends clamp and position it simultaneously, ensuring that the pork carcass is located in the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344, and will not shift to the sides.

[0033] The inflation unit 736 is symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the sliding sleeve 731 and remains fixed with the sliding sleeve 731. When the lifting column 732 slides up and down, it triggers the inflation unit 736 to work and generate high-pressure air. The air pipe 737 is a high-pressure explosion-proof hose with high pressure resistance and good sealing performance, which can stably deliver high-pressure air to the first limit component 734 and the second limit component 735 to provide power for the limit components.

[0034] The pressure relief pipe 738 is internally connected to the inflation unit 736. The two pressure relief pipes 738 converge through the connecting pipe 739. The manual pressure relief valve 7310 is a knob valve. Rotating it can quickly release the high-pressure air in the inflation unit 736 and the limiting component. After the air is released, the limiting component automatically resets, releasing the positioning of the pork carcass and achieving rapid unloading.

[0035] In this example, the first limiting component 734 and the second limiting component 735 have the same structure. The first limiting component 734 includes a fork support tube 7341 fixedly connected to one end of the fork support arm 733. An air nozzle 7342 communicating with the interior of the fork support tube 7341 is fixedly disposed on the outer wall near the fork support arm 733. The inner sides of the fork support tube 7341 are respectively provided with a first positioning unit 7343 and a second positioning unit 7344 with the same structure. A push-pull rod 7345 slides through the interior of the unit. A first piston 7346 is slidably mounted at one end of the push-pull rod 7345, between the second positioning unit 7344 and the air nozzle 7342. A first spring 7347 is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the push-pull rod 7345, between the second positioning unit 7344 and the first piston 7346. Two drive blocks 7348 are fixedly mounted on the outer walls of the push-pull rod 7345 opposite to both the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344. The air nozzle 7342 is connected to an air pipe 737 to input high-pressure air from the inflation unit 736 into the forklift tube 7341, pushing the first piston 7346 towards the second positioning unit 7344. The first limiting component 734 and the second limiting component 735 adopt a symmetrical and isomorphic design, which is simple to manufacture, highly interchangeable, and allows for direct replacement of parts during maintenance, reducing maintenance costs. The fork support tube 7341 is a hollow metal tube that is welded and sealed to the end of the fork support arm 733, forming a sealed air chamber inside. The air nozzle 7342 is a quick connector that is plugged into and disconnected from the air tube 737, making installation convenient, with excellent sealing performance and no air leakage.

[0036] The first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344 are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the forklift 7341, and together they achieve double-sided clamping and positioning of the pork carcass with uniform positioning force.

[0037] The first spring 7347 is a compression spring, which is normally in an extended state and pushes the first piston 7346 to reset. When the high-pressure air is released, the elastic force of the first spring 7347 can quickly pull the push-pull rod 7345 back to its initial position. The drive block 7348 on the push-pull rod 7345 cooperates with the wedge groove 73434 at the corresponding position. When the push-pull rod 7345 pushes the drive block 7348 to move towards the tip of the fork holder 7341, the limiting post 73432 will be pushed out to protrude from the outer wall of the fork holder 7341. When the push-pull rod 7345 moves, it triggers the clamping action of the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344.

[0038] In this example, the first positioning unit 7343 includes a bearing sleeve 73431 fixedly disposed inside the fork support tube 7341. Limiting posts 73432 are symmetrically slidably disposed on both sides of the inner side of the bearing sleeve 73431. The end of the limiting post 73432 away from the push-pull rod 7345 slides through the fork support tube 7341 and extends to the outside. A wedge block 73433 is fixedly disposed on the end of the limiting post 73432 near the push-pull rod 7345. A wedge groove 73434 is provided on the opposite sidewall of the two wedge blocks 73433. The driving blocks 7348 located in the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344 are slidably disposed in the wedge groove 73434 at the corresponding positions. A wedge groove 73434 is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the limiting post 73432 between the wedge block 73433 and the inner wall of the bearing sleeve 73431. The top of the limiting post 73432 and the outer wall of the forklift tube 7341 are on the same plane. The bearing sleeve 73431 is fixed inside the forklift tube 7341, providing sliding support for the limiting post 73432, ensuring that the limiting post 73432 can only move radially and will not deviate. The limiting posts 73432 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bearing sleeve 73431. Under normal conditions, the top of the limiting post is flush with the outer wall of the forklift tube 7341, with no protrusions, to prevent the pork carcass from being scratched when hanging. When clamped, the limiting post 73432 extends outward, inserting into the soft tissue of the pork carcass or clamping the body to achieve stable positioning.

[0039] The wedge block 73433 is fixedly connected to the limiting post 73432. The wedge groove 73434 is an inclined surface. When the driving block 7348 slides along the wedge groove 73434, the axial thrust of the push-pull rod 7345 is converted into the radial extension force of the limiting post 73432 by utilizing the inclined surface transmission principle. The transmission is smooth and the clamping force is adjustable.

[0040] The reset spring is sleeved outside the limiting post 73432 and is normally in a compressed state. When the drive block 7348 resets, the elastic force of the reset spring pushes the wedge block 73433 to drive the limiting post 73432 to retract into the fork support tube 7341, restoring the initial flush state and releasing the positioning of the white carcass pig. The entire reset process does not require external force and responds quickly.

[0041] In this example, the inflation unit 736 includes an air cylinder 7361 fixedly mounted on the side wall of the sliding sleeve 731. A second piston 7362 is slidably mounted inside the air cylinder 7361. A lifting rod 7363 is fixedly mounted on the top of the second piston 7362. The top end of the lifting rod 7363 slides through the air cylinder 7361 and is fixedly connected to the side wall of the lifting rod 732. A second spring 7364 is provided between the inner cavity of the air cylinder 7361 and the second piston 7362 to assist the second piston 7362 in moving upward and resetting. The top end of the air pipe 737 is fixedly mounted through the bottom of the air cylinder 7361 and extends into its interior. A pressure relief nozzle communicating with its interior is also fixedly mounted on the side wall of the air cylinder 7361. The pressure relief nozzle is connected to the pressure relief pipe 738.

[0042] The air cylinder 7361 is a sealed high-pressure air cylinder made of wear-resistant sealing material with a smooth inner wall. The second piston 7362 fits tightly against the inner wall of the air cylinder 7361, ensuring no air leakage during sliding and allowing for rapid compression of air to generate high-pressure gas. The lifting rod 7363 is rigidly connected to the lifting column 732. When the pork carcass is hung on the fork support arm 733, its own weight causes the lifting column 732 to slide downwards. This, in turn, pushes the second piston 7362 downwards within the air cylinder 7361 via the lifting rod 7363, compressing the air inside the cylinder to generate high pressure. Inflation is achieved using the pork's own weight, eliminating the need for an external air source. This design is energy-efficient and structurally simple.

[0043] The second spring 7364 is a return spring. After the pork carcass is unloaded, the lifting column 732 loses its gravitational pressure, and the elastic force of the second spring 7364 pushes the second piston 7362 upward, causing the lifting column 732 and the fork support arm 733 to return to their original positions, preparing for the next loading and unloading. The pressure relief nozzle and pressure relief pipe 738 are sealed together. When the manual pressure relief valve 7310 is opened, the high-pressure air in the air cylinder 7361 can be quickly discharged through the pressure relief nozzle and pressure relief pipe 738, ensuring that the inflation unit quickly returns to its original position.

[0044] In this example, the roller brush assembly 9 includes an arc-shaped guide plate 91 detachably mounted on the outer wall of the second loading and unloading arm 6 and a movable groove 92 formed on its side wall. A mounting seat 93 is slidably mounted inside the movable groove 92. Guide rods 94 are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower sides of the mounting seat 93 near the movable groove 92. The guide rods 94 slide through the movable groove 92 and are fixedly mounted with limit plates. A third spring 95 is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the guide rods 94 between the movable groove 92 and the mounting seat 93. A movable groove is formed on the side wall of the mounting seat 93 away from the movable groove 92. The movable cavity 96 contains a printing roller 97 that is rotatably mounted therein. The outer wall of the printing roller 97 has a printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp. The inner wall of the movable cavity 96 has a dye pool 98. A sponge 99 is fixedly mounted inside the dye pool 98. The sponge 99 absorbs dyeing liquid to maintain the continuous printing ability of the printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp. A scraper 910 is also fixedly mounted on the inner wall of the movable cavity 96 to scrape off the dyeing liquid from the surface of the printing roller 97 except for the printing groove area for the epidemic prevention stamp. Both the sponge 99 and the scraper 910 are in contact with the outer wall of the printing roller 97.

[0045] The arc-shaped guide plate 91 is detachably mounted on the outer wall of the second loading and unloading arm 6 by bolts. Its curvature matches the rotation trajectory of the end effector 7, ensuring that the roller brush assembly 9 is always in contact with the surface of the pork carcass. The movable groove 92 is a long strip-shaped sliding groove. The mounting base 93 can slide along the arc direction inside. The guide rod 94 cooperates with the limiting plate to limit the sliding stroke of the mounting base 93 and prevent it from falling off.

[0046] The third spring 95 is a buffer spring that always applies an outward elastic force to the mounting base 93, so that the printing roller 97 fits tightly against the surface of the white-carcass pig. Even if the surface of the white-carcass pig is uneven, the quarantine stamp can be printed clearly, while avoiding hard squeezing that could damage the white-carcass pig.

[0047] The movable cavity 96 provides rotation space for the printing roller 97. The printing grooves on the outer wall of the printing roller 97 have uniform depth and clear patterns. Different printing rollers with different patterns can be replaced according to quarantine requirements. The dye pool 98 contains a sponge 99, which continuously absorbs food-grade dyeing liquid. When the printing roller 97 rotates, it comes into contact with the sponge 99 and automatically absorbs the dyeing liquid, ensuring that there is always sufficient dyeing liquid in the printing grooves.

[0048] The scraper 910 is made of flexible rubber and fits tightly against the outer wall of the printing roller 97. When rotating, it scrapes away excess printing liquid outside the printing groove, preventing the printing liquid from contaminating the non-stamped area of ​​the white carcass and ensuring that the quarantine stamp is printed neatly and in accordance with the hygiene requirements of food processing.

[0049] In this embodiment, the downward displacement of the lifting column 732 is linearly positively correlated with the output air pressure of the inflation unit 736, so that the positioning clamping force of the first limit component 734 and the second limit component 735 adaptively adjusts according to the weight of the pork carcass; when the weight of the pork carcass exceeds the preset threshold, the inflation unit 736 automatically reaches the maximum air pressure and triggers pressure holding; when the weight of the pork carcass is lower than the preset threshold, the clamping force is reduced synchronously.

[0050] When in use, the base assembly 1 is fixed to the concrete ground with anchor bolts, the electrical control box 3 is started to complete the system self-test, the rotating body 4 is controlled to rotate 360° along the top of the column assembly 2, and at the same time, the first loading arm 5 and the second loading arm 6 are driven to complete the pitching and telescopic compound action, and the end actuator 7 is precisely moved to the white carcass waiting to be loaded and unloaded. Next, the legs of the pork carcass are inserted through the tip of the fork holder 7341 of the fork holder assembly 73 and slid between the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344. Then, the pork carcass is completely released from the placement platform. The pork carcass' own weight drives the lifting column 732 to descend along the sliding sleeve 731. The lifting column 732 pushes the second piston 7362 through the lifting rod 7363 to compress and generate gas in the air cylinder 7361. The high-pressure gas enters the fork holder 7341 through the air pipe 737 and the air nozzle 7342, pushing the first piston 7346 to move the push-pull rod 7345. The drive block 7348 slides along the wedge groove 73434, pushing out the limiting posts 73432 of the first positioning unit 7343 and the second positioning unit 7344. The first limiting assembly 734 and the second limiting assembly 735 simultaneously complete the position limitation of the pork carcass. The first spring 7347 and the second spring 7364 simultaneously store energy. The servo motor 8 drives the turntable 71 to rotate intermittently, simultaneously driving the white carcass pigs to rotate synchronously. Each rotation is 90 degrees, causing the positions of the four fork support assemblies 73 to switch and work, suspending multiple white carcass pigs on multiple fork support assemblies 73 in sequence; while the roller brush assembly 9 is linked with the second loading and unloading arm 6, the third spring 95 pushes the mounting seat 93 to slide adaptively along the movable groove 92, so that the printing roller 97 always keeps in contact with the surface of the white carcass pig; when the printing roller 97 rotates, it continuously dips into the printing liquid of the sponge 99 in the dye pool 98, and the scraper 910 scrapes off the excess printing liquid, thus completing the roller printing of the quarantine stamp; Next, when all the forklift assemblies 73 are fully loaded with pork carcasses, the first loading arm 5 and the second loading arm 6 can be controlled to perform a combined pitching and telescopic movement, precisely moving the end effector 7 to the unloading position for the pork carcasses. Then, the servo motor 8 is controlled again to drive the turntable 71 to rotate at 90-degree intervals, so that each forklift assembly 73 with pork carcasses is facing the unloading position. Then, the manual pressure relief valve 7310 on the forklift assembly 73 at that position is turned, and the high-pressure gas is quickly released through the pressure relief pipe 738 and the connecting pipe 739; the first spring 7347 drives the push-pull rod 7345 to reset, and the limit post 73432 retracts into the forklift support 7341. Except for the limit position; the second spring 7364 pushes the second piston 7362 upward, driving the lifting column 732 and the fork support arm 733 to reset. The pork carcass is no longer blocked by the limit column 73432 and can slide off the end actuator 7 to complete the unloading. After the pork carcass on one of the fork support assemblies 73 is unloaded, the servo motor 8 is controlled to drive the turntable 71 to rotate, so that the other fork support assembly 73 with pork carcass is rotated to the unloading position. The manual pressure relief valve 7310 on the fork support assembly 73 at this position is turned again to release the position limit of the pork carcass and unload it to the unloading position. This process is repeated to unload the pork carcass on other fork support assemblies 73.

[0051] Finally, the No. 1 loading arm 5, the No. 2 loading arm 6, and the slewing machine body 4 are controlled by the electrical control box 3 to return to the initial position, completing a single operation cycle.

[0052] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0053] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses, comprising a base assembly fixed to the ground by anchor bolts and a column assembly fixedly mounted on top thereon, wherein the column assembly integrates a hydraulic system and an electronic control system to cooperate in completing the loading and unloading operations of pork carcasses, characterized in that, Also includes: The slewing machine body is rotatably mounted on the top of the column assembly via a heavy-duty slewing bearing, and can rotate 360 ​​degrees horizontally along the top of the column assembly to adapt to various loading and unloading positions. A multi-joint robotic arm includes a first loading and unloading arm rotatably disposed within a rotary body, and a second loading and unloading arm rotatably disposed on the top of the first loading and unloading arm. Hydraulic cylinders and micro motors are respectively configured at the connection positions between the rotary body and the first loading and unloading arm and between the first loading and unloading arm and the second loading and unloading arm to drive the multi-joint robotic arm to complete a composite action of pitching, swaying, angle adjustment and length extension. The end effector is located at the bottom of the second loading and unloading arm and rotates in a circle using the power input from the servo motor. It is used to stably hang or rigidly lift multiple white-skinned pigs at the same time, and uses the weight of the white-skinned pigs themselves to limit the position of the white-skinned pigs after they are hung, preventing the white-skinned pigs from accidentally shaking and falling off during loading and unloading. It automatically unlocks when unloading to facilitate quick unloading. The roller brush assembly is located on one side of the end effector and is used to move synchronously with the end effector to continuously roll and press the quarantine stamp on the outer surface of the white-skinned pigs suspended on the end effector, so as to realize the synchronous operation of loading and unloading and quarantine stamping.

2. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an electrical control box, which is fixedly installed on the side wall of the column assembly, and is used to realize centralized control of the loading and unloading arm's start and stop, action mode switching and parameter adjustment; The end effector includes a turntable rotatably mounted at the bottom of the second loading arm. The top of the turntable has multiple mounting slots evenly distributed, and each mounting slot is equipped with a fork support assembly for performing the action of hanging or rigidly lifting the pork carcass.

3. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fork support assembly includes a sliding sleeve fixedly installed inside the mounting groove. A lifting column is slidably installed inside the sliding sleeve, and a fork support arm is fixedly inserted through the lifting column. A first limiting component and a second limiting component are respectively installed at both ends of the fork support arm. Inflation units are installed on both sides of the outer wall of the sliding sleeve. The two inflation units and the first or second limiting component at the corresponding position are connected by air pipes, which are used to input high-pressure air into the first or second limiting component at the corresponding position to drive the positioning operation of the white carcass pig. A pressure relief pipe is fixedly installed below the outer wall of the two inflation units. A connecting pipe is fixedly installed at the top of the two pressure relief pipes. A manual pressure relief valve for releasing the internal gas to the outside is fixedly installed inside the connecting pipe.

4. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first and second limiting components have the same structure. The first limiting component includes a fork support tube fixedly connected to one end of the fork support arm. An air nozzle communicating with the interior of the fork support tube is fixedly installed on the outer wall near the fork support arm. The inner sides of the fork support tube are respectively provided with a first positioning unit and a second positioning unit with the same structure. A push-pull rod slides through the interior of the first and second positioning units. A first piston is slidably installed at one end of the push-pull rod between the second positioning unit and the air nozzle. A first spring is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the push-pull rod between the second positioning unit and the first piston. Two drive blocks are fixedly installed on the outer wall of the push-pull rod opposite to the first and second positioning units.

5. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first positioning unit includes a bearing sleeve fixedly disposed inside the forklift support. Limiting posts are symmetrically and slidably disposed on both sides of the inner side of the bearing sleeve. The end of the limiting post away from the push-pull rod slides through the forklift support and extends to the outside. A wedge block is fixedly disposed on the end of the limiting post near the push-pull rod. Wedge grooves are provided on the opposite sidewalls of the two wedge blocks. The driving blocks located in the first positioning unit and the second positioning unit are slidably disposed in the wedge grooves at the corresponding positions. A wedge groove is slidably disposed on the outer wall of the limiting post between the wedge block and the inner wall of the bearing sleeve.

6. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inflation unit includes an air cylinder fixedly mounted on the side wall of the sliding sleeve. A second piston is slidably and sealed inside the air cylinder. A lifting rod is fixedly mounted on the top of the second piston. The top end of the lifting rod slides through the air cylinder and is fixedly connected to the side wall of the lifting rod. A second spring is provided between the inner cavity of the air cylinder and the second piston to assist the second piston in moving upward and resetting. The top end of the air pipe is fixedly mounted through the bottom of the air cylinder and extends into its interior. A pressure relief nozzle connected to the interior of the air cylinder is also fixedly mounted on the side wall of the air cylinder. The pressure relief nozzle is connected to the pressure relief pipe.

7. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roller brush assembly includes an arc-shaped guide plate detachably mounted on the outer wall of the second loading and unloading arm and a movable groove opened on its side wall. A mounting seat is slidably mounted inside the movable groove. Guide rods are fixedly mounted on the upper and lower sides of the mounting seat near the movable groove. The guide rods slide through the movable groove and are fixedly mounted with limit plates. A third spring is slidably sleeved on the outer wall of the guide rod and located between the movable groove and the mounting seat.

8. The loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 7, characterized in that: A movable cavity is formed on the side wall of the mounting base away from the movable groove. A printing roller is rotatably arranged in the movable cavity. A printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp is formed on the outer wall of the printing roller. A dye pool is formed on the inner wall of the movable cavity. A sponge is fixedly arranged inside the dye pool. The sponge absorbs dyeing liquid to maintain the continuous printing ability of the printing groove for the epidemic prevention stamp. A scraper is also fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the movable cavity for scraping the dyeing liquid off the surface of the printing roller except for the printing groove area of ​​the epidemic prevention stamp. Both the sponge and the scraper abut against the outer wall of the printing roller.

9. A loading and unloading arm for processing pork carcasses according to claim 3, characterized in that: The downward displacement of the lifting column is linearly positively correlated with the output air pressure of the inflation unit, so that the positioning and clamping force of the first and second limit components can be adaptively adjusted according to the weight of the pork carcass. When the weight of the pork carcass exceeds the preset threshold, the inflation unit automatically reaches the maximum air pressure and triggers pressure holding. When the weight of the pork carcass is lower than the preset threshold, the clamping force is reduced synchronously.

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