A robot for gripping a forging

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of forging equipment, and particularly discloses a mechanical hand for clamping a forging, which comprises a base, a moving mechanism, a mechanical arm and a clamping mechanism arranged at the end of the mechanical arm, the moving mechanism is used for driving the mechanical arm to move between a heating device and a forging machine, the clamping mechanism comprises a main clamping assembly, an auxiliary clamping assembly, a rope limiting assembly and a clamping driving assembly, the main clamping assembly comprises two oppositely arranged main clamping jaws, a main clamping space for accommodating a columnar forging is formed between the two main clamping jaws, and the clamping driving assembly is used for driving the two main clamping jaws to move towards each other so as to preliminarily clamp and position the columnar forging; in the process that the mechanical hand high-speed transfers the columnar forging, a steel cable continuously forms a ring embrace constraint on the lower region of the columnar forging, so that the tendency of the columnar forging to roll or deviate is reduced, and the overall transfer stability of the columnar forging is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of forging equipment technology, and more specifically to a robotic arm for clamping forgings. Background Technology

[0002] Forgings typically undergo heating, transfer, and pressing during the forging process. This is especially true for cylindrical forgings, which, after heating, require a robotic arm to transfer them from the heating equipment to the forging machine, or to be removed from the forging machine after pressing, to facilitate subsequent pressing, straightening, blanking, or turnover operations. Because the forgings reach high temperatures after heating, manual handling and processing pose significant safety risks. Therefore, using robotic arms to handle forging loading, unloading, and transfer between workstations has become a common practice in forging production lines.

[0003] Chinese patent document CN112045137B discloses a clamping device for a forging press, including a clamping base with at least two sets of clamping components symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides. The clamping components include a chain assembly, a central pushing assembly, and two end pushing assemblies. The central pushing assembly and the two end pushing assemblies jointly drive the chain assembly to bend and conform to the workpiece surface, and the chain assembly is kept taut under the action of an elastic element. This solution can form multi-point contact with the workpiece surface through the chain assembly, improving the clamping adaptability to workpieces of different shapes. Existing forging robots often use relatively arranged jaws to radially clamp cylindrical forgings, relying on the friction between the jaws and the outer circumference of the forging to achieve transfer and limiting. This type of structure can complete the basic clamping and transfer functions of forgings, and its structure is relatively intuitive, thus having a certain application basis in forging production sites.

[0004] However, further analysis of the actual transfer process of columnar forgings reveals that the surface of columnar forgings is usually covered with oxide scale after heating, and the outer circumference of the columnar forging is almost cylindrical. During rapid movement, lifting, turning, or sudden stop of the robotic arm, the columnar forging is prone to rolling or shifting between the grippers. Especially for longer columnar forgings, when the robotic arm turns or suddenly decelerates, the front and rear ends of the columnar forging tend to swing due to the difference in inertia, causing the columnar forging to deviate within the clamping mechanism. If stability is improved simply by increasing the gripping force of the grippers, it is easy to cause excessive local clamping force of the grippers, resulting in indentations on the surface of the columnar forging. Furthermore, excessive clamping force will also lead to accelerated wear of the grippers, affecting the service life of the clamping mechanism. Therefore, it is evident that existing forging robotic arms still have problems with the columnar forgings being prone to rolling and shifting, as well as insufficient clamping stability during the transfer of high-temperature columnar forgings. A clamping structure that can further form a flexible circumferential restraint on top of the initial gripping by the grippers is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a robotic arm for clamping forgings, aiming to solve the problems of easy rolling and displacement of cylindrical forgings and insufficient clamping stability during the transfer process in the prior art.

[0006] A robotic arm for clamping forgings includes a base, a moving mechanism, a robotic arm, and a clamping mechanism disposed at the end of the robotic arm. The moving mechanism drives the robotic arm to move between a heating device and a forging machine. The clamping mechanism includes a main clamping assembly, a secondary clamping assembly, a rope limiting assembly, and a clamping drive assembly. The main clamping assembly includes two opposing main jaws, forming a main clamping space between the two main jaws for accommodating a cylindrical forging. The clamping drive assembly drives the two main jaws to move towards each other to initially clamp and position the cylindrical forging. The auxiliary clamping assembly is located below the main clamping assembly and is capable of moving relative to the main clamping assembly toward the main clamping space. The rope limiting assembly includes a high-temperature resistant steel cable, which is wound between the two main grippers and connected to the auxiliary clamping assembly. When the auxiliary clamping assembly moves relative to the main clamping assembly toward the main clamping space, the auxiliary clamping assembly causes the winding path of the steel cable to change, so that the steel cable narrows toward the inner side of the main clamping space and abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the columnar forging, so that the steel cable and the main clamping assembly together form a circumferential limiting of the columnar forging.

[0007] The effect is as follows: After the main gripper initially clamps and positions the cylindrical forging, the secondary gripping assembly further pulls the steel cable inward into the main gripping space, gradually bringing the steel cable into contact with the outer circumference of the cylindrical forging, thus forming a flexible circumferential limiting structure for the lower region of the cylindrical forging. During the movement, turning, or sudden stop of the robotic arm, the steel cable continuously exerts an inward covering force on the cylindrical forging, thereby reducing the tendency of the cylindrical forging to roll or deviate under inertia. At the same time, the steel cable is a flexible limiting structure; during the contact process with the cylindrical forging, the steel cable automatically adjusts its contact state according to the outer circumference of the cylindrical forging, thus improving clamping stability and reducing surface damage caused by localized rigid pressing. Furthermore, after the steel cable and the main gripper jointly form a composite limiting structure, the cylindrical forging is constrained not only by the clamping forces on both sides during transportation but also by the lower circumferential limiting constraint, transforming the cylindrical forging from a simple friction-based limiting state to a limiting state achieved through the combined action of clamping friction and circumferential constraint. Because the steel cable remains in constant contact with the outer circumference of the columnar forging during the tightening process, it maintains stable contact with the columnar forging even when there is oxide scale, local protrusions, or dimensional errors on the surface of the columnar forging, thereby improving the adaptability to columnar forgings of different specifications.

[0008] Preferably, the secondary clamping assembly includes two opposing secondary grippers, a sliding groove is provided on the main gripper near the bottom, a sliding part that cooperates with the sliding groove is installed on the secondary gripper, and the secondary clamping assembly further includes a driving mechanism for driving the secondary grippers to slide relative to the main grippers.

[0009] The cooperation between the groove and the sliding part allows the secondary gripper to move stably relative to the main gripper, thereby ensuring that the secondary gripper continuously drives the steel cable to tighten along the predetermined path during the movement, and preventing the steel cable from deviating during the movement.

[0010] Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a hydraulic rod with two connecting rods hinged to its bottom, and the other ends of the two connecting rods are respectively hinged to two auxiliary grippers.

[0011] The hydraulic rod and two connecting rods form a linkage structure, which synchronously drives the two auxiliary grippers to move inward during the operation of the hydraulic rod. This keeps the steel cables on both sides in a synchronous tightening state, and avoids the steel cables from prematurely adhering to the columnar forging on one side, which would cause uneven stress on the columnar forging.

[0012] Preferably, the bottom end of the secondary gripper is provided with a winding rod, and the two ends of the steel cable are respectively connected to the two main grippers through connecting rods. After the steel cable passes over the two winding rods, it forms an encircling section located below the main gripping space.

[0013] By changing the winding path of the lower part of the steel cable by the winding rod, the steel cable gradually converges towards the bottom area of ​​the columnar forging during the movement of the secondary gripper, thereby forming a covering and limiting effect on the lower part of the columnar forging.

[0014] Preferably, a connecting ring is provided in the middle of the steel cable, and the connecting ring is connected to an elastic element. The elastic element is used to drive the looping section of the steel cable to reset in a direction away from the main clamping space.

[0015] The elastic element applies a continuous tension to the steel cable, causing it to automatically return to its initial relaxed state after the secondary gripper resets, thus facilitating the entry of subsequent cylindrical forgings into the main clamping space.

[0016] Preferably, there are two elastic elements, which are respectively connected to two main grippers to form an inverted U-shaped structure in the middle of the steel cable.

[0017] By using two elastic elements to stretch both sides of the steel cable, the steel cable can be stably maintained in an inverted U-shape, thereby improving the stability of the steel cable during the tightening process.

[0018] Preferably, a second winding rod is fixedly connected to the middle of the secondary gripper, and a third winding rod is fixedly connected to the main gripper. The steel cable passes through the second winding rod, the third winding rod, and the first winding rod in sequence, so as to drive the steel cable to shrink in diameter towards the inner side of the main clamping space during the movement of the secondary gripper.

[0019] By using multiple winding rods to change the winding path of the steel cable, the steel cable gradually moves towards the inner side of the main clamping space during the movement of the secondary gripper, and continuously adheres to the outer circumferential surface of the columnar forging during the closing process, thereby forming a stable circumferential limiting structure.

[0020] Preferably, the inner side of the main gripper is provided with an arc-shaped clamping surface adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the columnar forging, and a high-temperature resistant anti-slip layer is provided on the arc-shaped clamping surface.

[0021] By setting the arc-shaped clamping surface, the contact area between the main jaw and the columnar forging can be increased, and the friction between the main jaw and the columnar forging can be improved with the high-temperature resistant anti-slip layer, thereby improving the initial clamping stability of the columnar forging.

[0022] Preferably, there are two sets of main clamping components and two sets of auxiliary clamping components. The two sets of main clamping components are symmetrically arranged front and back, and each set of main clamping components is respectively provided with a set of auxiliary clamping components.

[0023] By setting two sets of main clamping components and auxiliary clamping components at the front and rear, independent limiting structures are formed on both the front and rear sides of the columnar forging, thereby reducing the back-and-forth swaying of the columnar forging during the transfer process.

[0024] Preferably, there are two steel cables, which are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the columnar forging, and both steel cables can abut against the outer peripheral surface of the columnar forging to form a synchronous circumferential restraint on the front and rear sides of the columnar forging.

[0025] By setting two steel cables at the front and rear, the two steel cables simultaneously cover and constrain the front and rear ends of the columnar forging, thereby improving the overall stability of the columnar forging during high-speed transportation and reducing the risk of the columnar forging tilting or falling off.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. The present invention forms a composite limiting structure by using the main gripper and the steel cable together. During the high-speed transfer of the columnar forging by the robot, the steel cable continuously forms a circumferential constraint on the lower part of the columnar forging, thereby reducing the tendency of the columnar forging to roll or deviate and improving the overall transfer stability of the columnar forging.

[0027] 2. The steel cable in this invention is a flexible limiting structure. During the tightening process, the steel cable automatically adjusts its fit according to the outer contour of the columnar forging. Therefore, while improving the clamping stability, it also reduces the surface damage caused by local rigid pressing.

[0028] 3. The present invention sets two sets of steel cable limiting structures at the front and rear, so that both ends of the columnar forging form independent circumferential limiting, thereby reducing the back-and-forth swing of the columnar forging during the turning or emergency stop of the robot arm and improving the stability of the long columnar forging during the transportation process. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a side view of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a top view of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Sectional view at point AA.

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Sectional view at point BB.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the secondary gripper in this invention.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in this invention clamping a cylindrical forging.

[0036] Figure label: 1. Main clamping assembly; 11. Main gripper; 12. Main clamping space; 13. Slide groove; 14. Arc-shaped clamping surface; 2. Secondary clamping assembly; 21. Secondary gripper; 22. Sliding part; 23. Drive mechanism; 231. Hydraulic rod; 232. Connecting rod; 3. Rope limiting assembly; 31. Steel cable; 32. Winding rod one; 33. Connecting rod; 34. Encircling section; 35. Connecting ring; 36. Elastic element; 37. Winding rod two; 38. Winding rod three; 4. Columnar forging. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0038] like Figures 1-7As shown, a robotic arm for clamping forgings includes a base, a moving mechanism, a robotic arm, and a clamping mechanism at the end of the robotic arm (the base, moving mechanism, and robotic arm are all common existing structures and are therefore not shown in the figure). The moving mechanism is mounted on the base, the robotic arm is mounted on the moving mechanism, and the clamping mechanism is mounted at the end of the robotic arm. The moving mechanism adopts a two-dimensional moving structure formed by the cooperation of a transverse guide rail and a longitudinal guide rail. The transverse guide rail is fixedly mounted on the base, and the longitudinal guide rail is slidably mounted on the transverse guide rail. The robotic arm is fixedly mounted on the moving end of the longitudinal guide rail. The moving mechanism uses a servo motor to drive a gear and rack mechanism to move the longitudinal guide rail (a screw drive structure or a chain drive structure can also be used), thereby enabling the robotic arm to reciprocate between the heating equipment and the forging equipment. The robotic arm adopts a high-strength cantilever structure, and reinforcing ribs are set inside the robotic arm to improve the load-bearing capacity of the robotic arm for high-temperature heavy columnar forgings 4. A rotary drive structure is provided between the robotic arm and the gripping mechanism. The rotary drive structure adopts a rotary bearing combined with a servo motor drive structure (a hydraulic rotary drive structure can also be used), so that the gripping mechanism can rotate relative to the robotic arm to facilitate the angle adjustment of the columnar forging 4.

[0039] The clamping mechanism includes a main clamping assembly 1, a secondary clamping assembly 2, a rope limiting assembly 3, and a clamping drive assembly. The main clamping assembly 1 is used to initially clamp and position the cylindrical forging 4. The secondary clamping assembly 2 is used to drive the rope limiting assembly 3 to form a circumferential tightening action. The rope limiting assembly 3 is used to form a flexible circumferential limiting action on the cylindrical forging 4. The clamping drive assembly is used to drive the main clamping assembly 1 to perform opening and closing movements.

[0040] The main clamping assembly 1 includes two opposing main jaws 11, forming a main clamping space 12 between the two main jaws 11 for accommodating the cylindrical forging 4. The clamping drive assembly drives the two main jaws 11 to move towards each other to initially clamp and position the cylindrical forging 4. The main jaws 11 have an overall arc-shaped structure, and their inner sides are provided with arc-shaped clamping surfaces 14 that are adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical forging 4. By providing arc-shaped clamping surfaces 14, the contact area between the main jaws 11 and the cylindrical forging 4 can be increased, thereby reducing local contact pressure and improving clamping stability. Since the columnar forging 4 is at a high temperature during transport, a high-temperature resistant anti-slip layer is provided on the arc-shaped clamping surface 14 of the main gripper 11. This high-temperature resistant anti-slip layer uses a heat-resistant alloy particle layer (or a wear-resistant ceramic layer or an anti-slip tooth layer structure). This layer increases the friction between the main gripper 11 and the columnar forging 4, thereby reducing the possibility of slippage during clamping. The clamping drive assembly uses a hydraulic drive structure (not shown in the figure), including a hydraulic cylinder and a drive connector. The hydraulic cylinder is mounted at the end of the robotic arm, and its output end is connected to both main grippers 11, thus driving the two main grippers 11 to open and close synchronously during the extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder. Compared to a pneumatic drive structure, the hydraulic drive structure can provide greater output force, making it more suitable for clamping high-temperature, heavy-duty columnar forgings 4.

[0041] When the cylindrical forging 4 is clamped using only the main gripper 11, the cylindrical forging 4 is mainly limited by the friction between the main gripper 11 and its outer peripheral surface. When the robotic arm is moving at a constant speed, the cylindrical forging 4 is relatively stable under the force, and the main gripper 11 can stably clamp the cylindrical forging 4. However, when the robotic arm starts rapidly or decelerates suddenly, the cylindrical forging 4 will tend to move relative to the main gripper 11 under the action of inertia. Since the cylindrical forging 4 is cylindrical, it is easy for it to roll around its axis after being subjected to force, and the lower part of the cylindrical forging 4 is also prone to sliding outward along the lower side of the main gripper 11. If the stability is improved by increasing the clamping force of the main gripper 11, it is easy to cause excessive local clamping force of the main gripper 11, which will form indentations on the surface of the cylindrical forging 4, and excessive clamping force will also easily lead to increased local wear of the main gripper 11. Therefore, this embodiment further includes a secondary clamping component 2 and a rope limiting component 3 to further form a flexible circumferential limiting on the columnar forging 4 after the main jaw 11 completes the initial clamping.

[0042] The secondary clamping assembly 2 is located below the main clamping assembly 1, and includes two opposing secondary grippers 21. The main gripper 11 has a groove 13 near its bottom, and the secondary grippers 21 are equipped with sliding parts 22 that cooperate with the groove 13. The sliding parts 22 slide along the groove 13, allowing the secondary grippers 21 to move relative to the main gripper 11. The groove 13 is inclined along the length of the main gripper 11, so during movement, the secondary grippers 21 not only move towards the main clamping space 12 but also generate a certain upward motion component, thus enabling the secondary grippers 21 to synchronously pull the steel cable 31 towards the bottom of the columnar forging 4.

[0043] The secondary clamping assembly 2 also includes a drive mechanism 23 for driving the movement of the secondary grippers 21. The drive mechanism 23 includes a hydraulic rod 231, with two connecting rods 232 hinged to its bottom. The other ends of the two connecting rods 232 are respectively hinged to the two secondary grippers 21. The hydraulic rod 231 is located between the two main grippers 11. When the hydraulic rod 231 moves, it synchronously drives the two secondary grippers 21 to move along the slide groove 13 via the two connecting rods 232. Since the two connecting rods 232 form a linkage structure with the two secondary grippers 21 respectively, the two secondary grippers 21 can move inward synchronously during the movement of the hydraulic rod 231, thereby avoiding inconsistent tension of the steel cables 31 on both sides. If the two auxiliary grippers 21 move asynchronously, the steel cable 31 may come into contact with the columnar forging 4 on one side first during the tightening process, which will result in uneven local force on the columnar forging 4, and may even push the columnar forging 4 to shift to the other side. Therefore, after the synchronous linkage structure is formed by the connecting rod 232, the two steel cables 31 can always maintain a synchronous tightening state.

[0044] The rope limiting assembly 3 includes a high-temperature resistant steel cable 31. The steel cable 31 adopts a heat-resistant steel wire rope structure (or a heat-resistant metal braided rope structure) to improve the strength and wear resistance of the steel cable 31 in high-temperature environments. The steel cable 31 is wound between two main grippers 11 and connected to the auxiliary gripping assembly 2. Specifically, a winding rod 32 is provided at the bottom of the auxiliary gripper 21, a winding rod 37 is fixedly connected to the middle of the auxiliary gripper 21, and a winding rod 38 is fixedly connected to the main gripper 11. The steel cable 31 passes through the winding rod 37, the winding rod 38 and the winding rod 32 in sequence to form an encircling section 34 located below the main gripping space 12. The two ends of the steel cable 31 are connected to the two main grippers 11 through connecting rods 33.

[0045] When the secondary gripper 21 is not in motion, the steel cable 31 is in a relatively relaxed state. At this time, the loop section 34 formed by the steel cable 31 is located below the main clamping space 12, thus not affecting the entry of the columnar forging 4 into the main clamping space 12. Since the steel cable 31 forms a folded winding structure through multiple winding rods, the change in the position of the winding rods during the movement of the secondary gripper 21 can synchronously change the winding path of the steel cable 31. When the secondary gripper 21 begins to move inward, the second winding rod 37 first causes the middle area of ​​the steel cable 31 to shift, at which time the loop section 34 of the steel cable 31 begins to move closer to the bottom area of ​​the columnar forging 4. As the secondary gripper 21 continues to move, the position of the first winding rod 32 changes further, and the lower area of ​​the steel cable 31 gradually tightens upward, thus causing the steel cable 31 to form a tendency to cover the lower area of ​​the columnar forging 4. Meanwhile, since the winding rod 38 is fixedly mounted on the main clamp 11, the winding rod 38 forms a guiding function during the tightening process of the steel cable 31, so that the steel cable 31 always moves along the predetermined path toward the outer circumference of the columnar forging 4, thereby avoiding the steel cable 31 from deviating or tangling during the tightening process.

[0046] After the main gripper 11 completes the initial clamping of the cylindrical forging 4, the hydraulic rod 231 actuates, driving the two auxiliary grippers 21 to move along the slide groove 13 towards the main clamping space 12 via the connecting rod 232. During the movement of the auxiliary grippers 21, the winding path of the steel cable 31 changes accordingly because the positions of the first winding rod 32 and the second winding rod 37 change synchronously. As the auxiliary grippers 21 continue to move inward, the annular section 34 of the steel cable 31 located below the main clamping space 12 gradually converges towards the inside of the main clamping space 12 and gradually contacts the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical forging 4. Since the steel cable 31 is a flexible structure, it can automatically adjust its fit according to the outer circumferential contour of the cylindrical forging 4 after contacting it.

[0047] As the secondary gripper 21 moves further, the coverage area of ​​the steel cable 31 on the outer periphery of the columnar forging 4 gradually increases, thus forming a circumferential restraint on the lower region of the columnar forging 4. Since the steel cable 31 and the main gripper 11 together form a covering structure for the columnar forging 4, the tendency for the columnar forging 4 to roll downwards or shift during transport can be reduced. Simultaneously, because the steel cable 31 is a flexible restraint structure, it can automatically adjust its contact state according to the outer periphery of the columnar forging 4 during continuous tensioning, thereby avoiding localized rigid pressure. When the surface of the columnar forging 4 has oxide scale, localized protrusions, or dimensional errors, the steel cable 31 can still maintain a stable fit with the columnar forging 4, thereby improving its adaptability to columnar forgings of different specifications.

[0048] When the robotic arm moves the cylindrical forging 4 rapidly, the forging 4 will tend to swing outward due to inertia. At this time, the main gripper 11 mainly forms radial limits on the left and right sides of the cylindrical forging 4, while the steel cable 31 forms an upward covering constraint on the lower part of the cylindrical forging 4. Since the steel cable 31 forms a ring structure after tightening, when the cylindrical forging 4 is subjected to inertia, the steel cable 31 will continuously exert an inward covering force on the lower part of the cylindrical forging 4, thereby reducing the tendency of the cylindrical forging 4 to roll outward. Especially when the robotic arm makes a sudden stop, the cylindrical forging 4 is prone to move forward under inertia. At this time, the steel cable 31 and the main gripper 11 together form a composite limiting structure, thereby reducing the risk of the cylindrical forging 4 slipping.

[0049] During the process of clamping the columnar forging 4 and transferring it with the robotic arm, the external force state of the columnar forging 4 changes with the movement of the robotic arm. When the robotic arm moves smoothly, the columnar forging 4 is mainly subjected to the combined action of its own weight, the clamping force of the main gripper 11, and the binding constraint force of the steel cable 31. The main gripper 11 forms radial pressure on both sides of the columnar forging 4, while the steel cable 31 forms auxiliary abutment in the upper and middle area of ​​the outer periphery of the columnar forging 4, so that the columnar forging 4 maintains a relatively stable position within the main clamping space 12. When the robotic arm accelerates, decelerates, or turns, the columnar forging 4 has a rolling tendency relative to the main gripper 11 due to inertia. This rolling tendency is not simply falling downwards, but rather manifests as the outer periphery of the forging attempting to slide circumferentially along the arc-shaped clamping surface 14. At this time, the steel cable 31 is attached to the upper part of the outer periphery of the columnar forging 4, which can block the circumferential sliding trend, making it difficult for the columnar forging 4 to continue rolling between the main jaws 11, so that the clamping force of the main jaws 11 no longer bears the entire anti-rolling effect alone.

[0050] The steel cable 31 does not support the columnar forging 4 from the bottom, but rather forms a clamp-like constraint by adhering to the upper outer periphery. When the columnar forging 4 tends to shift due to inertia, its outer peripheral surface applies a reaction force to the side of the steel cable 31. This reaction force is transmitted along the steel cable 31 to the winding rod and the secondary gripper 21, and then through the secondary gripper 21, the sliding part 22, and the main gripper 11 to the main body of the clamping mechanism. Therefore, the offset load of the columnar forging 4 can be shared by the steel cable 31, the secondary gripper 21, and the main gripper 11. Through this force transmission path, the columnar forging 4 no longer relies solely on the friction between the two main grippers 11 to maintain its position, but is simultaneously constrained by the outer periphery formed by the steel cable 31, reducing the risk of slippage caused by oxide scale peeling, smooth surfaces, or insufficient local contact of the clamping surface.

[0051] For a long cylindrical forging 4, a single clamping position is insufficient to completely restrict the forging's axial swing. In this embodiment, two steel cables 31 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the cylindrical forging 4, acting on the front and rear outer peripheral positions of the cylindrical forging 4 respectively. When the robotic arm turns or stops abruptly, the front and rear ends of the cylindrical forging 4 will tend to deflect due to differences in inertia. The two steel cables 31 respectively engage and limit the corresponding positions, thus forming two spaced constraint points along the axial direction of the cylindrical forging 4. The two spaced constraint points can jointly resist the swing tendency of the cylindrical forging 4, making it less likely for the cylindrical forging 4 to swing with one clamping position as a fulcrum. Compared to a structure that relies on only one clamping position or one steel cable 31 for limitation, the limitation by two steel cables 31 at the front and rear positions enables the cylindrical forging 4 to maintain a more stable axial posture during transport.

[0052] During the unloading process, the secondary gripper 21 moves in the opposite direction under the action of the drive mechanism 23, and the steel cable 31 gradually releases its contact constraint on the upper and middle areas of the outer periphery of the columnar forging 4 as the secondary gripper 21 moves. After the steel cable 31 is released from contact, the elastic element 36 drives the connecting ring 35 to reset, so that the steel cable 31 detaches from the outer peripheral surface of the columnar forging 4 and returns to its initial open state; then the main gripper 11 moves in opposite directions to release the columnar forging 4. This release sequence ensures that the steel cable 31 is released from its outer peripheral limit first, and the main gripper 11 releases its radial clamping afterward, which can prevent the columnar forging 4 from suddenly falling or dragging and rubbing against the steel cable 31 when the steel cable 31 is still in a contact state, thus making the unloading process smoother. In this way, in one clamping, transfer and unloading cycle, the main gripper 11 is responsible for initial positioning and main load bearing, the steel cable 31 is responsible for additional limit and anti-rolling constraint during the transfer stage, and the elastic element 36 is responsible for resetting the steel cable 31, and the three form a continuous cooperation relationship.

[0053] To facilitate the automatic return of the steel cable 31 to its initial state after the limit is completed, a connecting ring 35 is provided in the middle of the steel cable 31 in this embodiment, and the connecting ring 35 is connected to the elastic element 36. In this embodiment, the elastic element 36 adopts a tension spring structure (or an elastic rubber band structure), and the number of elastic elements 36 is set to two. The two elastic elements 36 are respectively connected to the two main grippers 11, thereby forming an inverted U-shaped structure in the middle of the steel cable 31. When the secondary gripper 21 moves inward, the looping section 34 of the steel cable 31 gradually closes under the action of the secondary gripper 21. At this time, the elastic element 36 is stretched and continuously accumulates elastic potential energy. When the secondary gripper 21 resets, the elastic element 36 releases the elastic potential energy and drives the looping section 34 of the steel cable 31 to reset away from the main clamping space 12, thereby restoring the steel cable 31 to its initial relaxed state for the next clamping operation. As the steel cable 31 gradually opens outward during the reset process, the steel cable 31 will not continuously rub against the surface of the columnar forging 4 during the unloading process, thereby reducing the wear between the steel cable 31 and the columnar forging 4.

[0054] In this embodiment, both the main clamping assembly 1 and the auxiliary clamping assembly 2 are configured in two sets. The two sets of main clamping assemblies 1 are symmetrically arranged front and rear, and each set of main clamping assemblies 1 is respectively equipped with one set of auxiliary clamping assemblies 2. Correspondingly, the number of steel cables 31 is set to two, and the two steel cables 31 are arranged back and forth at intervals along the axial direction of the columnar forging 4. Since the columnar forging 4 has a long length, if only a single steel cable 31 is used for limiting, the columnar forging 4 may still swing back and forth during the transfer process. In this embodiment, by setting two steel cables 31 at the front and rear, the two steel cables 31 form synchronous circumferential limiting on the front and rear sides of the columnar forging 4, thereby reducing the swing and deflection of the columnar forging 4 during high-speed transfer. Especially during the rapid start-up, stop or turning of the robotic arm, the two steel cables 31 respectively constrain the front and rear ends of the columnar forging 4, thereby improving the overall transfer stability of the columnar forging 4 and reducing the risk of the columnar forging 4 tilting or falling off.

[0055] The working process of this embodiment is as follows: First, the moving mechanism drives the robotic arm to move to the discharge position of the heating equipment. The clamping drive assembly drives the two main grippers 11 to open, allowing the cylindrical forging 4 to enter the main clamping space 12. Subsequently, the clamping drive assembly drives the two main grippers 11 to move towards each other, thereby initially clamping and positioning the cylindrical forging 4. After the initial clamping is completed, the hydraulic rod 231 is activated. The hydraulic rod 231 drives the two auxiliary grippers 21 to move along the slide groove 13 towards the main clamping space 12 in a synchronized manner through the two connecting rods 232. During the movement of the auxiliary grippers 21, the winding rod 1 32, the winding rod 2 37, and the winding rod 38 jointly change the winding path of the steel cable 31, causing the circumferential section 34 of the steel cable 31 located below the main clamping space 12 to gradually retract inward. As the steel cable 31 gradually retracts, the steel cable 31 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical forging 4, and gradually forms a flexible circumferential restraint on the lower region of the cylindrical forging 4. Because the steel cable 31 can automatically adjust its fit according to the outer contour of the cylindrical forging 4, it can reduce the risk of local crushing damage while ensuring the limiting effect. After the steel cable 31 has completed its limiting function, the moving mechanism drives the robotic arm to transfer the cylindrical forging 4 from the heating equipment to the forging equipment. During the transfer process, the main gripper 11 and the steel cable 31 together form a composite limiting structure for the cylindrical forging 4, thereby reducing the possibility of the cylindrical forging 4 rolling, shifting, or falling off. After the cylindrical forging 4 reaches the designated position, the hydraulic rod 231 resets, the secondary gripper 21 moves outward, and the steel cable 31 returns to its initial relaxed state under the action of the elastic element 36. Then the main gripper 11 opens, thereby completing the unloading of the cylindrical forging 4.

[0056] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A robotic arm for clamping forgings, comprising a base, a moving mechanism, a robotic arm, and a clamping mechanism disposed at the end of the robotic arm, wherein the moving mechanism is used to drive the robotic arm to move between a heating device and a forging machine, characterized in that: The clamping mechanism includes a main clamping assembly, a secondary clamping assembly, a rope limiting assembly, and a clamping drive assembly. The main clamping assembly includes two opposing main jaws, forming a main clamping space between them for accommodating the cylindrical forging. The clamping drive assembly drives the two main jaws to move towards each other to initially clamp and position the cylindrical forging. The secondary clamping assembly is located below the main clamping assembly and can move relative to the main clamping assembly towards the main clamping space. The rope limiting assembly includes a high-temperature resistant steel cable, which is wound between the two main jaws and connected to the secondary clamping assembly. When the secondary clamping assembly moves relative to the main clamping assembly towards the main clamping space, the secondary clamping assembly causes the winding path of the steel cable to change, so that the steel cable narrows towards the inner side of the main clamping space and abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical forging, so that the steel cable and the main clamping assembly together form a circumferential limiting of the cylindrical forging.

2. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary clamping assembly includes two opposing secondary grippers. The main gripper has a groove near its bottom. The secondary grippers are equipped with sliding parts that cooperate with the groove. The secondary clamping assembly also includes a drive mechanism for driving the secondary grippers to slide relative to the main grippers.

3. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a hydraulic rod with two connecting rods hinged to its bottom. The other ends of the two connecting rods are respectively hinged to two secondary grippers.

4. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom end of the secondary gripper is provided with a winding rod. The two ends of the steel cable are respectively connected to the two main grippers through connecting rods. After the steel cable passes over the two winding rods, it forms an encircling section located below the main gripping space.

5. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 4, characterized in that, A connecting ring is provided in the middle of the steel cable, and the connecting ring is connected to an elastic element. The elastic element is used to drive the loop section of the steel cable to reset in a direction away from the main clamping space.

6. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of elastic elements is two, and the two elastic elements are respectively connected to the two main grippers to form an inverted U-shaped structure in the middle of the steel cable.

7. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 6, characterized in that, A second winding rod is fixedly connected to the middle of the secondary gripper, and a third winding rod is fixedly connected to the main gripper. The steel cable passes through the second winding rod, the third winding rod, and the first winding rod in sequence, so as to drive the steel cable to shrink in diameter towards the inner side of the main clamping space during the movement of the secondary gripper.

8. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner side of the main jaw is provided with an arc-shaped clamping surface that is adapted to the outer peripheral surface of the columnar forging, and a high-temperature resistant anti-slip layer is provided on the arc-shaped clamping surface.

9. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the main clamping assembly and the auxiliary clamping assembly are in two sets. The two sets of main clamping assemblies are symmetrically arranged front and back, and each set of main clamping assemblies is respectively provided with a set of auxiliary clamping assemblies.

10. The robotic arm for clamping forgings according to claim 9, characterized in that, The number of steel cables is two, and the two steel cables are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the columnar forging. Both steel cables can abut against the outer peripheral surface of the columnar forging to form a synchronous circumferential restraint on the front and rear sides of the columnar forging.

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