Low-voltage cable branch box waterproof edge inner and outer corner automatic welding equipment and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of low-voltage cable branch box manufacturing technology, and discloses an automatic welding device for the inner and outer corners of waterproof edges of low-voltage cable branch boxes. The device includes a base, a welding torch, and a welding machine housing. It also includes an outer cover and a collection seat, respectively connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the base to form a slag collection channel; four pushing components, equidistantly arranged in a ring on the bottom wall of the outer cover, which respectively push four right-angle clamping heads to center and clamp the cable branch box; and a screw lifting assembly, vertically arranged on the bottom wall of the outer cover. This automatic welding device and method for the inner and outer corners of waterproof edges of low-voltage cable branch boxes achieves automatic angle adjustment and welding of the box body, avoids burns to personnel during welding, improves welding efficiency, avoids positioning deviation, ensures welding effect, ensures that the right-angle clamping heads are far from the welding point during welding, prevents adhesion to the right-angle clamping heads, and concentrates the welding slag for collection, preventing slag pollution of the environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of low-voltage cable branch box manufacturing technology, specifically to automatic welding equipment and method for the inner and outer corners of waterproof edges of low-voltage cable branch boxes. Background Technology

[0002] The waterproof edge (also called "waterproof eaves") of a low-voltage cable distribution box refers to a protruding structure extending outward from the edge of the box opening. It is used in conjunction with a sealing strip and its core function is to allow rainwater to flow away along the edge and not seep into the box.

[0003] The waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box is formed into a rectangular frame by bending and splicing along the box frame. Therefore, after bending and forming, there will be splicing gaps at the four right angles. When welding the inner and outer corners of the traditional waterproof edge, welding is carried out manually and semi-automatically.

[0004] In manual operation, the operator holds the low-voltage cable branch box that has been spot-welded, changes the angle of the box, and uses a handheld welding gun to weld the four corners of the waterproof edge. In semi-automatic operation, the operator holds the low-voltage cable branch box that has been spot-welded, and positions one right angle of the box against the inner right angle surface of the right angle fixture on the welding table. After positioning, the automatic welding robot arm welds the inner and outer corners of the positioned right angle. After welding, the angle of the box is adjusted so that each right angle is fitted into the right angle fixture to weld the inner and outer corners of the other right angles.

[0005] The above-mentioned semi-automatic method has the following technical drawbacks:

[0006] 1. The orientation of the box needs to be manually adjusted to achieve right angles and one-to-one positioning with the tooling, which is inefficient and prone to causing workers to be burned by flying welding slag. In addition, manual welding can easily lead to welding position deviation.

[0007] 2. If the tooling and the box are not separated during welding, the welding slag will easily adhere to the inner right-angle surface of the tooling, causing the right angle of the box and the right angle of the tooling to fail to fit tightly in the later stage, resulting in positioning displacement. In addition, the welding slag will scatter and pollute the environment. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an automatic welding device and method for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of a low-voltage cable branch box.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic welding device for the inner and outer corners of waterproof edges of low-voltage cable branch boxes, comprising a base, a welding torch, and a welding machine chassis, and further comprising:

[0010] The outer cover and the collection seat are respectively connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the base to form a welding slag collection channel;

[0011] Four pushing components are arranged in a ring at equal intervals on the bottom wall of the outer cover, which respectively push four right-angle clamping heads to clamp the cable branch box in the center;

[0012] The lead screw lifting assembly is vertically installed on the bottom wall of the outer cover, which drives the horizontally arranged linear electric guide rail to move up and down.

[0013] A rotating component is located at the guide rail slide of the linear electric guide rail, which drives the welding torch to rotate and adjust the welding angle.

[0014] A support base is located at the bottom of the base, inside the collection base, and is concentric with the outer cover;

[0015] A rotating tube passes through and rotates at the center of the support base. Its upper end is sealed and slidably connected to a movable tube, and the upper end of the movable tube is connected to a suction cup at the center.

[0016] An elastic telescopic component is disposed outside the moving tube and between the rotating tube, so that the suction cup adaptively conforms to the surface of the cable branch box;

[0017] A rotating connector is connected to the lower end of the rotating tube by rotating around the same center.

[0018] The exhaust / venting assembly is connected to the rotary connector;

[0019] A rotary drive assembly is mounted on the support base to drive the rotating tube to rotate circumferentially.

[0020] Furthermore, the base is provided with a perforation, and the base is connected between the outer cover and the collection seat through the perforation. The bottom wall of the outer cover slopes from top to bottom from the outer ring wall to the inner ring wall.

[0021] Furthermore, the collecting seat is in the shape of a frustum, with an opening at the bottom and a removable sealing cap at the opening.

[0022] Furthermore, the pushing component is an electric push rod, and the tip of the welding torch is on the same straight line as the inner right-angle center line of the right-angle clamping head.

[0023] Furthermore, the lead screw lifting assembly includes a stand, a movable base, a servo motor, a threaded rod, and a movable seat;

[0024] A stand is vertically mounted on the bottom wall of the outer cover. A servo motor is mounted on the upper end of the stand. A movable base is mounted on the bottom wall of the stand. One end of the threaded rod is connected to the output end of the servo motor, and the other end is connected to the movable base for rotation.

[0025] The movable seat is threaded to the outside of the threaded rod and moves linearly up and down within the upright.

[0026] Furthermore, the rotating assembly includes a mounting bracket, a miniature drive motor, a bearing housing, and a shaft;

[0027] The mounting bracket is located at the guide slide of the linear electric guide rail, the bearing seat is also located at the guide slide of the linear electric guide rail, and the micro drive motor is located on the outside of the mounting bracket.

[0028] The shaft has one end located at the output end of the micro drive motor and the other end connected to the bearing seat for rotation. The welding torch is located outside the shaft and is connected to the welding machine housing via a connecting conduit.

[0029] Furthermore, the exhaust assembly includes a vacuum pump, pipes, and an automatic exhaust valve;

[0030] A vacuum pump is located on the outside of the base;

[0031] A pipe connects the vacuum pump and the rotary connector, and an automatic exhaust valve connects to the outside of the pipe.

[0032] Furthermore, the elastic telescopic component is a stainless steel spring. When the stainless steel spring is in a naturally extended state, the suction cup is higher than the upper surface of the right-angle clamping head. When the stainless steel spring is in a compressed state, the suction cup is lower than the lower surface of the right-angle clamping head.

[0033] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly includes an output motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear;

[0034] An output motor is located at the lower end of the support base, and its output end is equipped with a drive gear;

[0035] The driven gear is located concentrically outside the rotating tube and meshes with the driving gear for transmission.

[0036] The welding method of the automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box includes the following steps:

[0037] Step 1: Hold the cable branch box with the waterproof edge facing up and place it within the rectangular enclosure of the right-angle clamping head. Align the four right angles of the cable branch box with the right-angle clamping head one by one. Simultaneously start the pushing component to move the right-angle clamping head towards the side center to clamp the cable branch box horizontally in a centered position.

[0038] Step 2: After clamping and positioning the cable branch box, the elastic expansion and contraction of the elastic expansion member is used to move the moving tube inside the rotating tube, which drives the suction cup to move adaptively and fit against the bottom of the cable branch box. The exhaust and degassing assembly is then activated to allow the suction cup to adsorb and fix the cable branch box.

[0039] Step 3: After the cable branch box is fixed by adsorption, the pushing component is activated simultaneously to move the right-angle clamping head away from the cable branch box. Then, the screw lifting assembly, linear electric guide rail and rotating assembly are activated to work together to realize the vertical lifting, horizontal movement and angle adjustment of the welding gun. The welding machine box is activated to make the welding gun automatically weld the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box.

[0040] Step 4: After welding the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles, start the rotary drive assembly to drive the cable branch box to rotate in the center, so that the center lines of the other right angles of the waterproof edge correspond one by one with the welding gun. Combine the operation method in Step 3 to automatically weld the inner and outer corners of the other three right angles of the waterproof edge.

[0041] Step 5: During the welding processes in Steps 3 and 4, the welding slag falls into the outer cover on the machine base and is collected in the collection seat. After welding is completed, the collection seat is opened to process the collected welding slag.

[0042] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides an automatic welding device and method for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of a low-voltage cable branch box, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0043] 1. The automatic welding equipment and method for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box involves holding the cable branch box with the waterproof edge facing upward and placing it within the rectangular enclosure of the right-angle clamping head. The four right angles of the cable branch box are aligned with the right-angle clamping head, and the pushing component is activated simultaneously to move the right-angle clamping head towards the side center, thereby achieving a centered horizontal clamping of the cable branch box.

[0044] After clamping and positioning the cable branch box, the elastic expansion and contraction of the elastic expansion member allows the moving tube to move inside the rotating tube, causing the suction cup to move adaptively and fit against the bottom of the cable branch box. The exhaust and degassing assembly is then activated, allowing the suction cup to adsorb and fix the cable branch box.

[0045] After the cable branch box is fixed by adsorption, the pushing component is activated simultaneously to move the right-angle clamping head away from the cable branch box. Then, the screw lifting assembly, linear electric guide rail and rotating assembly are activated to work together to realize the vertical lifting, horizontal movement and angle adjustment of the welding gun. The welding machine box is activated to enable the welding gun to automatically weld the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box.

[0046] After the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles are welded, the rotary drive assembly is activated to rotate the cable branch box in the center, so that the center lines of the other right angles of the waterproof edges correspond one by one with the welding guns. The inner and outer corners of the other three right angles of the waterproof edges are automatically welded, thereby realizing automatic angle adjustment and welding of the box, avoiding burns to personnel during welding, improving welding efficiency, avoiding positioning deviation, and ensuring welding effect.

[0047] 2. The automatic welding equipment and method for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box involves separating the right-angle clamp head from the cable branch box during welding. Simultaneously, the welding slag produced falls into the outer cover on the machine base and is collected in the collection seat. After welding, the collection seat is opened to process the collected welding slag, ensuring that the right-angle clamp head is far away from the welding point during welding to avoid adhesion to the right-angle clamp head. The welding slag is collected in a concentrated manner to avoid environmental pollution. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the deflection direction of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural view of the lead screw lifting assembly and rotating assembly of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 3 Side view;

[0052] Figure 5 This is a partial three-dimensional view of the structure of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 6 This is a side view of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural view of the rotary drive assembly and the exhaust assembly of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the internal structure of the collection base of the present invention.

[0056] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Perforation; 3. Outer cover; 4. Collection seat; 5. Sealing cover; 6. Pushing component; 7. Right-angle clamping head; 8. Cable branch box; 9. Stand; 10. Movable base; 11. Servo motor; 12. Threaded rod; 13. Moving seat; 14. Linear electric guide rail; 15. Mounting bracket; 16. Bearing seat; 17. Miniature drive motor; 18. Shaft; 19. Welding torch; 20. Welding machine chassis; 21. Support base; 22. Rotating tube; 23. Moving tube; 24. Suction cup; 25. Elastic telescopic component; 26. Driven gear; 27. Output motor; 28. Drive gear; 29. ​​Rotary connector; 30. Vacuum pump; 31. Pipeline; 32. Automatic exhaust valve. Detailed Implementation

[0057] 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.

[0058] Please see Figures 1 to 2 Automatic welding equipment for waterproof inner and outer corners of low-voltage cable branch boxes, including base 1, welding gun 19 and welding machine housing 20.

[0059] The base 1 is the basic support platform of this equipment. It is made of cast iron and has a support base at the bottom. It is placed on the ground to support and stabilize the equipment. A through hole 2 is opened in the center of the upper surface of the base 1. The through hole 2 is a circular through hole. The base 1 connects the space between the outer cover 3 and the collection seat 4 through the through hole 2, so that the welding slag generated during the welding process can fall from the outer cover 3 into the collection seat 4 through the through hole 2.

[0060] The outer cover 3 has a frustum structure with an upper opening diameter of 500mm, a lower opening diameter of 350mm, and a height of 200mm. The bottom wall of the outer cover 3 slopes from top to bottom from the outer ring wall to the inner ring wall at an angle of 15°. This sloping design allows the welding slag falling into the inner wall of the outer cover 3 to slide naturally down the slope to the perforation 2, avoiding the accumulation of welding slag.

[0061] The collection seat 4 is fixed to the bottom of the base 1 by bolts, located directly below the outer cover 3, and is set at the same center as the outer cover 3. The collection seat 4 has a frustum structure. The side wall of the collection seat 4 is provided with an observation window (transparent tempered glass) to facilitate observation of the amount of welding slag collected. The bottom of the collection seat 4 is threaded with a sealing cover 5, which facilitates the periodic cleaning of welding slag by opening the sealing cover 5.

[0062] The upper end of the outer cover 3 is sealed to the upper surface of the base 1 through a flange, and the upper end of the collection seat 4 is sealed to the lower surface of the base 1 through a flange. Together, the three form a closed slag collection channel to ensure that slag will not leak out and pollute the working environment during the welding process.

[0063] Four pushers 6 are arranged in a ring at equal intervals on the inner side of the bottom wall of the outer cover 3. The included angle between two adjacent pushers 6 is 90°. In this embodiment, the pushers 6 are electric push rods. The fixed end of each pusher 6 is fixed to the mounting base on the bottom wall of the outer cover 3 by bolts. The telescopic end of the pusher 6 is set towards the central axis of the outer cover 3.

[0064] Each pusher 6 has a right-angle clamping head 7 fixedly connected to its telescopic end. The right-angle clamping head 7 is L-shaped and includes a horizontal clamping surface and a vertical clamping surface. A 90° inner right angle is formed between the two clamping surfaces. The inner right angle center lines of the four right-angle clamping heads 7 intersect at the central axis of the outer cover 3, together forming a rectangular space for placing the cable branch box 8.

[0065] The tip of the welding torch 19 is on the same straight line as the inner right-angle center line of the right-angle clamp 7. That is, the welding direction of the welding torch 19 always points to the center of the rectangular space enclosed by the right-angle clamp 7, ensuring that the welding torch 19 can be accurately aligned with the right-angle inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8 during welding.

[0066] Please see Figures 2 to 4 The lead screw lifting assembly is vertically mounted on the bottom wall of the outer cover 3, and includes a stand 9, a movable base 10, a servo motor 11, a threaded rod 12, and a movable seat 13.

[0067] The support 9 is a square steel pipe welded structure, vertically welded to the bottom wall of the outer cover 3. The servo motor 11 is located at the upper end of the support 9, and the movable base 10 is located at the bottom wall of the support 9. The threaded rod 12 is a trapezoidal screw with a diameter of 20mm and a lead of 5mm. The upper end of the threaded rod 12 is connected to the output end of the servo motor 11 through a coupling, and the lower end is connected to the thrust bearing in the movable base 10 for rotation.

[0068] The movable seat 13 is a square slider with a trapezoidal threaded hole inside that mates with the threaded rod 12. The movable seat 13 is sleeved on the outside of the threaded rod 12 and moves linearly up and down on the linear guide rail inside the stand 9.

[0069] A linear electric guide rail 14 is bolted to the right side surface of the movable seat 13. The linear electric guide rail 14 is arranged laterally, and the guide rail slide of the linear electric guide rail 14 can slide laterally along the guide rail.

[0070] The rotating assembly is located at the guide rail slide of the linear electric guide rail 14 and includes a mounting bracket 15, a micro drive motor 17, a bearing seat 16, and a shaft 18.

[0071] Mounting bracket 15 is fixed to the upper surface of the guide slide of linear electric guide rail 14 by bolts, bearing seat 16 is fixed to the right side surface of the guide slide of linear electric guide rail 14 by bolts, and micro drive motor 17 is mounted to the right side surface of mounting bracket 15 by bolts. Micro drive motor 17 is equipped with a reducer.

[0072] The shaft 18 is a solid stainless steel shaft. The right end of the shaft 18 is connected and fixed to the output end of the micro drive motor 17 via a coupling. The left end is connected and rotated to the bearing seat 16 via a deep groove ball bearing. The welding torch 19 is located outside the shaft 18 and is fixedly connected to the shaft 18 via a clamp. The nozzle direction of the welding torch 19 can be adjusted with the rotation of the shaft 18, with an adjustment range of 0°-270°. The welding torch 19 is connected to the welding machine housing 20 via a connecting conduit (high temperature resistant silicone tube, inner diameter 8mm). The welding machine housing 20 is bolted to the right side of the base 1.

[0073] Please see Figures 5 to 8 The support base 21 is located at the bottom of the base 1, inside the collection seat 4, and is set at the same center as the outer cover 3. The support base 21 is a circular flange structure and is fixed to the lower surface of the base 1 by four anchor bolts.

[0074] The rotating tube 22 is a stainless steel tube that runs through and rotates at the center of the support 21. The middle part of the rotating tube 22 is connected to the center hole of the support 21 through two angular contact ball bearings, which ensures that the rotating tube 22 can rotate flexibly in the support 21 and bear axial and radial loads at the same time.

[0075] The movable tube 23 is a stainless steel tube, which is sealed and slidably connected to the upper end of the rotating tube 22. A sealing ring (O-ring rubber sealing ring) is provided between the movable tube 23 and the rotating tube 22 to ensure that the movable tube 23 does not leak air when sliding up and down in the rotating tube 22. Four vertical sliding grooves are opened on the inner wall of the rotating tube 22. The movable tube 23 slides vertically in a sealed manner without rotating in the vertical sliding grooves. A sealing rubber gasket is provided in the vertical sliding groove to ensure a sealing effect for the sliding between them. A suction cup 24 is connected to the center of the upper end of the movable tube 23. The suction cup 24 is a circular rubber suction cup. The upper surface of the suction cup 24 is provided with an annular protrusion for adhering to the bottom surface of the cable branch box 8.

[0076] The elastic telescopic component 25 is located between the outside of the moving tube 23 and the top of the rotating tube 22. In this embodiment, the elastic telescopic component 25 is a stainless steel spring. When the stainless steel spring is in a naturally extended state, the suction cup 24 is about 10-80mm higher than the upper surface of the right-angle clamping head 7. When the stainless steel spring is in a compressed state, the suction cup 24 is about 5-60mm lower than the lower surface of the right-angle clamping head 7, ensuring that the suction cup 24 can adaptively fit the bottom of the cable branch box 8 of different thicknesses.

[0077] The rotary connector 29 rotates around the center and connects to the lower end surface of the rotary tube 22. The connector 29 is a pneumatic rotary connector that maintains airflow while rotating continuously.

[0078] The vacuum pump assembly includes a vacuum pump 30, a pipe 31, and an automatic exhaust valve 32.

[0079] The vacuum pump 30 is bolted to the front surface of the base 1. The pipe 31 is a stainless steel pipe with an inner diameter of 10mm. It connects the air intake of the vacuum pump 30 to the lower end of the rotary connector 29 and passes through the collection seat 4. The automatic exhaust valve 32 is connected to the outside of the pipe 31. The automatic exhaust valve 32 is a solenoid valve. It is normally closed. When it is necessary to release the adsorption, the solenoid valve is energized and opened. The outside air enters the pipe 31 through the automatic exhaust valve 32, which breaks the vacuum between the suction cup 24 and the cable branch box 8 and achieves rapid separation.

[0080] The rotary drive assembly is mounted on the support base 21 and includes an output motor 27, a drive gear 28, and a driven gear 26.

[0081] The output motor 27 is bolted to the lower outer side of the support base 21. It has a planetary reducer with a reduction ratio of 1:10. The output end of the output motor 27 is fixed with a drive gear 28, which is a spur gear with a module of 2 and 20 teeth.

[0082] Driven gear 26 is located at the lower outer end of rotating tube 22 with the same center. It meshes with driving gear 28 for transmission. Driven gear 26 is a spur internal gear with a module of 2 and 60 teeth. The gear ring is fixed to the outer wall of rotating tube 22. Through the meshing transmission between driving gear 28 and driven gear 26, rotating tube 22 rotates in a circle at 1 / 3 speed, ensuring that the four right angles are aligned with welding torch 19 in sequence.

[0083] The welding method of the automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box includes the following steps:

[0084] Step 1: Hold the cable branch box 8 with the waterproof edge facing up and place it within the rectangular enclosed space of the right-angle clamping head 7, ensuring that the four right angles of the cable branch box 8 correspond one-to-one with the right-angle clamping head 7. Simultaneously activate the pushing component 6 to move the right-angle clamping head 7 towards the side center, thus centering and horizontally clamping the cable branch box 8.

[0085] Step 2: After clamping and positioning the cable branch box 8, the elastic expansion and contraction of the elastic expansion member 25 is used to move the moving tube 23 within the rotating tube 22, causing the suction cup 24 to move adaptively and fit against the bottom of the cable branch box 8. The exhaust and degassing assembly is then activated, allowing the suction cup 24 to adsorb and fix the cable branch box 8.

[0086] Step 3: After the cable branch box 8 is fixed by adsorption, the pusher 6 is started simultaneously to move the right-angle clamp 7 away from the cable branch box 8. Then, the screw lifting assembly, the linear electric guide rail 14 and the rotating assembly are started to cooperate with each other to realize the vertical lifting, horizontal movement and angle adjustment of the welding gun 19. The welding machine box 20 is started to make the welding gun 19 automatically weld the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8.

[0087] Step 4: After welding the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles, start the rotary drive assembly to drive the cable branch box 8 to rotate in the center, so that the center lines of the other right angles of the waterproof edge correspond one by one with the welding gun 19. Combine the operation method of step 3 to automatically weld the inner and outer corners of the other three right angles of the waterproof edge.

[0088] Step 5: During the welding processes in Steps 3 and 4, the welding slag falls into the outer cover 3 on the machine base 1 and is collected in the collection seat 4. After the welding is completed, the collection seat 4 is opened to process the collected welding slag.

[0089] Detailed installation and usage steps and working principle:

[0090] Step 1: Place and hold horizontally.

[0091] The operator holds the cable branch box 8 with the waterproof edge facing upwards and places the cable branch box 8 into the rectangular space enclosed by the right-angle clamping head 7 through the upper opening of the outer cover 3. When placing it, the four right angles of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8 should correspond one-to-one with the four right-angle clamping heads 7.

[0092] The four pushers 6 (electric push rods) are activated simultaneously. The telescopic ends of the four pushers 6 extend outwards at the same time, pushing the four right-angle clamping heads 7 to move towards the four corners of the cable branch box 8. Since the four pushers 6 are arranged in a ring at equal distances and move synchronously, the four right-angle clamping heads 7 move towards the center of the circle at the same time, clamping the four right corners of the cable branch box 8 horizontally in a centered manner. The clamping force is controlled by the thrust of the electric push rod, which ensures that the clamping is stable and will not damage the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8.

[0093] Working principle: The synchronous extension of the four pushing parts 6 utilizes the principle of force composition and decomposition to converge the clamping forces in four directions to the geometric center of the cable branch box 8, achieving automatic centering and positioning without the need for manual adjustment of the box's orientation, thus avoiding the problems of low efficiency and easy deviation in manual alignment in existing technologies.

[0094] Step 2: Bottom adsorption and fixation.

[0095] After the cable branch box 8 is horizontally clamped and positioned, the moving tube 23 moves inside the rotating tube 22 with the help of the elastic telescopic member 25 (stainless steel spring). Since there is a gap between the bottom of the cable branch box 8 and the suction cup 24, the stainless steel spring is compressed, which drives the moving tube 23 to move, so that the suction cup 24 moves adaptively and fits tightly against the bottom surface of the cable branch box 8.

[0096] After the suction cup 24 is attached, the vacuum pump 30 is started. The vacuum pump 30 uses the air passage between the pipe 31, the rotary connector 29, the rotating tube 22 and the moving tube 23 to vacuum the space where the suction cup 24 is attached to the cable branch box 8, so that the cable branch box 8 is firmly attached and fixed to the central axis of the rotating tube 22.

[0097] Working principle: The adaptive adjustment function of the elastic telescopic component 25 enables the suction cup 24 to adapt to the differences in bottom flatness of different types of cable branch boxes 8, and the rotating connector 29 ensures that the pipe 31 does not get tangled when the rotating tube 22 rotates.

[0098] Step 3: Clamping release and welding operation.

[0099] After the cable branch box 8 is fixed by adsorption, the four pushing parts 6 are retracted simultaneously, so that the right-angle clamping head 7 is away from the cable branch box 8 and the right-angle clamping head 7 is completely separated from the cable branch box 8, so as to avoid the welding slag adhering to the inner right-angle surface of the right-angle clamping head 7 during welding.

[0100] Then, the servo motor 11 is started to work, driving the threaded rod 12 to rotate on the movable base 10. The movable seat 13 moves up and down in a straight line within the upright 9 through the threaded connection with the threaded rod 12, driving the linear electric guide rail 14 to perform vertical lifting and lowering adjustment, which is used to align the height position of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8.

[0101] At the same time, the guide rail slide of the linear electric guide rail 14 moves laterally along the guide rail to realize the lateral position adjustment of the welding gun 19, which is used to align with the right-angle horizontal position of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8.

[0102] The micro drive motor 17 operates, driving the shaft 18 to rotate on the bearing seat 16, causing the welding torch 19 to rotate around the axis of the shaft 18, adjusting the welding angle to align with the inner or outer angle of the right angle of the waterproof edge.

[0103] The three motion axes (vertical lifting, horizontal movement, and angle adjustment) work together to ensure that the welding torch 19 is precisely aligned with the welding position of the inner or outer corner of one of the right angles on the waterproof edge of the cable branch box 8. After alignment, the welding machine housing 20 is started, and the welding torch 19 automatically welds the inner and outer corners of the right angle in sequence.

[0104] Working principle: The screw lifting assembly provides high-precision vertical positioning, the linear electric guide rail 14 provides horizontal positioning, and the rotating assembly provides angle adjustment. The three components constitute a three-axis linkage system, which realizes the precise three-dimensional positioning of the welding torch 19 in space. The right-angle clamping head 7 has been completely removed before welding, which completely solves the problem of positioning displacement caused by welding slag adhesion in the existing technology.

[0105] Step 4: Rotate and weld the remaining three right angles.

[0106] After the welding of the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles is completed, the output motor 27 is started. The output motor 27 drives the drive gear 28 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission between the drive gear 28 and the driven gear 26, the rotating tube 22, the moving tube 23 and the cable branch box 8 on the suction cup 24 are driven to rotate in a central circle.

[0107] Combining the operation method of step three (adjusting the height of the screw lifting assembly, adjusting the lateral position of the linear electric guide rail 14, and adjusting the angle of the rotating assembly), the inner and outer corners of the remaining three right angles of the waterproof edge are automatically welded in sequence. After all four right angles are welded, the output motor 27 stops working.

[0108] Working principle: The rotary drive assembly smoothly rotates the cable branch box 8 by reducing torque through gear reduction, avoiding cracking of unsolidified weld points caused by high-speed rotation. The suction cup 24 remains in an adsorbing state throughout the rotation process, ensuring that the cable branch box 8 will not shift or fall off during rotation. The automatic exhaust valve 32 opens after all welding is completed, breaking the vacuum and separating the cable branch box 8 from the suction cup 24 for easy removal.

[0109] Step 5: Collection and cleaning of welding slag.

[0110] During the welding process in steps three and four, the welding slag produced by welding splashes down from the welding point. Since the right-angle clamping head 7 is far away from the welding area, the welding slag will not adhere to the clamping head. The welding slag falls into the outer cover 3 on the upper surface of the machine base 1, and slides naturally along the 15° inclined surface of the bottom wall of the outer cover 3 to the perforation 2, and then falls into the collection seat 4 through the perforation 2.

[0111] After all welding is completed, the operator opens the sealing cover 5, pours the welding slag in the collection seat 4 into the waste recycling bin, and then closes the sealing cover 5 to complete one complete welding operation cycle.

[0112] Working principle: The frustum-shaped structure of the outer cover 3 and the 15° inclined bottom wall utilize the principle of gravity to realize the automatic guidance and sliding of welding slag. The perforation 2 serves as a welding slag channel connecting the outer cover 3 and the collection seat 4. The collection seat 4 serves as a welding slag storage container. The three together form a complete welding slag collection channel, realizing a clean welding process.

[0113] To achieve fully automated control of the above welding methods, this equipment also includes a PLC control system and a touch screen human-machine interface.

[0114] The PLC control system serves as the core controller, and is electrically connected to each actuator.

[0115] Control logic flow,

[0116] The PLC control system has a built-in welding control program, and its main logic flow is as follows:

[0117] (1) Initialization stage: After the equipment is powered on, the PLC executes the self-test program to confirm that each actuator is in the initial position (pushing part 6 retracts, moving seat 13 is in the upper position, linear electric guide rail 14 is in the middle position, welding gun 19 is at zero angle, rotating tube 22 is at zero angle), and the touch screen displays "Equipment ready".

[0118] (2) Clamping stage: After the operator presses the "start" button, the PLC outputs a signal to the four pushers 6 to extend synchronously. When the current sensor detects that the thrust reaches the corresponding current value, the pushers 6 stop, and the clamping is completed. After a delay of 0.5 seconds, the PLC outputs a signal to start the vacuum pump 30. When the vacuum level is detected to reach the predetermined value, the output is maintained, and the adsorption is completed.

[0119] (3) Welding stage: The PLC outputs a signal to retract the pusher 6. After retraction, the PLC controls the servo motor 11 to rotate according to the preset welding parameters, so that the moving seat 13 is lowered to the welding height. The PLC controls the linear electric guide rail 14 to move laterally to the welding position. The PLC controls the micro drive motor 17 to rotate, so that the welding gun 19 is adjusted to the welding angle. After it is in position, the PLC outputs a signal to the welding machine chassis 20. The welding current sensor monitors the welding current in real time. When the current deviation exceeds ±5%, the PLC automatically adjusts the welding machine parameters to compensate. After the time for a single right angle welding is up, the welding is completed.

[0120] (4) Rotation stage: The PLC outputs a signal to rotate the motor 27. The PLC's built-in encoder provides feedback and precisely controls the rotating tube 22 to rotate 90° so that the next right angle is aligned with the welding gun 19. After the rotation is in place, the welding stage is repeated. After all four right angles are welded, the PLC outputs a signal to open the automatic exhaust valve 32. After a delay of 3 seconds, the vacuum pump 30 is turned off to adsorb and release.

[0121] (5) Reset phase: The PLC controls each actuator to return to its initial position.

[0122] Summary of beneficial effects:

[0123] Compared with the prior art, the automatic welding equipment and method for waterproofing the inner and outer corners of low-voltage cable branch boxes provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0124] 1. Fully automatic angle adjustment improves welding efficiency and quality.

[0125] This invention uses a rotary drive assembly (output motor 27, drive gear 28, driven gear 26) to drive the cable branch box 8 to rotate in a central circle, so that the four waterproof edges are aligned with the welding gun 19 at right angles in sequence. There is no need to manually adjust the position of the box. Compared with the manual alignment operation in the existing semi-automatic method, the welding efficiency is improved. At the same time, it avoids the welding position deviation problem that is easy to occur when manually stabilizing the welding, and improves the welding qualification rate.

[0126] 2. The clamping and welding processes are separated, eliminating tooling contamination and positioning displacement.

[0127] Before welding, the present invention drives the right-angle clamping head 7 to completely detach from the cable branch box 8, realizing the physical separation of the clamping mechanism from the welding area. Welding slag will not adhere to the inner right-angle surface of the right-angle clamping head 7, avoiding the problem in the prior art where the right-angle clamping head 7 cannot be tightly fitted with the right angle of the box due to the accumulation of welding slag, resulting in positioning displacement. At the same time, the operator does not need to hold the box to weld, completely eliminating the safety hazard of welding slag burning the workers.

[0128] 3. Adaptive bottom adsorption, compatible with multiple cabinet sizes.

[0129] This invention utilizes the elastic extension and contraction of the elastic telescopic component 25 (stainless steel spring) to enable the suction cup 24 to adaptively conform to the bottom of the cable branch box 8 with different thicknesses and flatnesses. Combined with the vacuum adsorption of the exhaust and degassing components, the cable branch box 8 is firmly fixed. Compared with the existing technology where the box is placed on the welding table and positioned by gravity, the adsorption and fixing method of this invention is not limited by the weight of the box or the placement angle, and has stronger compatibility.

[0130] 4. Welding slag is collected centrally, making it clean and environmentally friendly.

[0131] The present invention uses a welding slag collection channel composed of an outer cover 3, a perforation 2, and a collection seat 4. The welding slag is automatically guided by gravity on the 15° inclined surface of the bottom wall of the outer cover 3 and then automatically slides into the collection seat 4 for centralized storage. Compared with the existing technology where welding slag is scattered on the welding table and the ground, the present invention achieves a cleaner welding process, reduces the amount of subsequent cleaning work, and improves the working environment.

[0132] 5. Three-axis linkage for precise positioning, ensuring consistent welding.

[0133] This invention uses a three-axis linkage system consisting of a lead screw lifting assembly, a linear electric guide rail 14, and a rotating assembly to achieve precise three-dimensional positioning of the welding torch 19. Combined with the closed-loop control of the PLC control system, the welding parameters at the four right angles are completely consistent, ensuring the stability and consistency of the welding quality.

[0134] 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. An automatic welding device for the inner and outer corners of waterproof edges of low-voltage cable branch boxes, comprising a base, a welding torch, and a welding machine housing, characterized in that, Also includes: The outer cover and the collection seat are respectively connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the base to form a welding slag collection channel; Four pushing components are arranged in a ring at equal intervals on the bottom wall of the outer cover, which respectively push four right-angle clamping heads to clamp the cable branch box in the center; The lead screw lifting assembly is vertically installed on the bottom wall of the outer cover, which drives the horizontally arranged linear electric guide rail to move up and down. A rotating component is located at the guide rail slide of the linear electric guide rail, which drives the welding torch to rotate and adjust the welding angle. A support base is located at the bottom of the base, inside the collection base, and is concentric with the outer cover; A rotating tube passes through and rotates at the center of the support base. Its upper end is sealed and slidably connected to a movable tube, and the upper end of the movable tube is connected to a suction cup at the center. An elastic telescopic component is disposed outside the movable tube and between the rotating tube, so that the suction cup adaptively conforms to the surface of the cable branch box; A rotating connector is connected to the lower end of the rotating tube by rotating around the same center. The exhaust / venting assembly is connected to the rotary connector; A rotary drive assembly is mounted on the support base to drive the rotating tube to rotate circumferentially.

2. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base is provided with a through hole, and the base is connected between the outer cover and the collection seat through the through hole. The bottom wall of the outer cover slopes from top to bottom from the outer ring wall to the inner ring wall.

3. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collecting base is in the shape of a frustum, with an opening at the bottom and a removable sealing cap at the opening.

4. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pushing component is an electric push rod, and the tip of the welding torch is on the same straight line as the inner right-angle center line of the right-angle clamping head.

5. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lead screw lifting assembly includes a stand, a movable base, a servo motor, a lead screw, and a movable seat; A stand is vertically mounted on the bottom wall of the outer cover. A servo motor is mounted on the upper end of the stand. A movable base is mounted on the bottom wall of the stand. One end of the threaded rod is connected to the output end of the servo motor, and the other end is connected to the movable base for rotation. The movable seat is threaded to the outside of the threaded rod and moves linearly up and down within the upright.

6. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating assembly includes a mounting bracket, a miniature drive motor, a bearing housing, and a shaft; The mounting bracket is located at the guide slide of the linear electric guide rail, the bearing seat is also located at the guide slide of the linear electric guide rail, and the micro drive motor is located on the outside of the mounting bracket. The shaft has one end located at the output end of the micro drive motor and the other end connected to the bearing seat for rotation. The welding torch is located outside the shaft and is connected to the welding machine housing via a connecting conduit.

7. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum pump assembly includes a vacuum pump, pipes, and an automatic exhaust valve. A vacuum pump is located on the outside of the base; A pipe connects the vacuum pump and the rotary connector, and an automatic exhaust valve connects to the outside of the pipe.

8. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic telescopic component is a stainless steel spring. When the stainless steel spring is in its naturally extended state, the suction cup is higher than the upper surface of the right-angle clamping head. When the stainless steel spring is in its compressed state, the suction cup is lower than the lower surface of the right-angle clamping head.

9. The automatic welding equipment for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of the low-voltage cable branch box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary drive assembly includes an output motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear; An output motor is located at the lower end of the support base, and its output end is equipped with a drive gear; The driven gear is located concentrically outside the rotating tube and meshes with the driving gear for transmission.

10. A welding method for an automatic welding device for the inner and outer corners of the waterproof edge of a low-voltage cable branch box, characterized in that... The welding method includes the following steps: Step 1: Hold the cable branch box with the waterproof edge facing up and place it within the rectangular enclosure of the right-angle clamping head. Align the four right angles of the cable branch box with the right-angle clamping head one by one. Simultaneously start the pushing component to move the right-angle clamping head towards the side center to clamp the cable branch box horizontally in a centered position. Step 2: After clamping and positioning the cable branch box, the elastic expansion and contraction of the elastic expansion member is used to move the moving tube inside the rotating tube, which drives the suction cup to move adaptively and fit against the bottom of the cable branch box. The exhaust and degassing assembly is then activated to allow the suction cup to adsorb and fix the cable branch box. Step 3: After the cable branch box is fixed by adsorption, the pushing component is activated simultaneously to move the right-angle clamping head away from the cable branch box. Then, the screw lifting assembly, linear electric guide rail and rotating assembly are activated to work together to realize the vertical lifting, horizontal movement and angle adjustment of the welding gun. The welding machine box is activated to make the welding gun automatically weld the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles of the waterproof edge of the cable branch box. Step 4: After welding the inner and outer corners of one of the right angles, start the rotary drive assembly to drive the cable branch box to rotate in the center, so that the center lines of the other right angles of the waterproof edge correspond one by one with the welding gun. Combine the operation method in Step 3 to automatically weld the inner and outer corners of the other three right angles of the waterproof edge. Step 5: During the welding processes in Steps 3 and 4, the welding slag falls into the outer cover on the machine base and is collected in the collection seat. After welding is completed, the collection seat is opened to process the collected welding slag.

Images