A tray feeding and discharging device

Abstract

The application discloses a tray feeding and discharging device and belongs to the field of automatic logistics equipment. The device comprises a transmission mechanism and feeding, receiving and discharging mechanisms arranged in sequence along the transmission direction of the transmission mechanism. The feeding mechanism is used for separating the tray stacks one by one and placing them on the transmission mechanism. The receiving mechanism is used for receiving the trays and positioning them for external equipment to put materials. The discharging mechanism comprises a micro switch and a lifting assembly, and the lifting assembly can move in three directions. After the micro switch is triggered by the tray, the lifting assembly lifts the tray from below to stack it, and when the number of stacked trays reaches a threshold, the whole tray is moved out of the transmission mechanism. Through the coordinated work of the mechanisms, automatic feeding, positioning and loading of the trays and automatic stacking and discharging of the trays are realized, the structure is compact, the action is stable and reliable, manpower can be significantly saved, production efficiency is improved, and the device is suitable for various automatic production lines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated logistics equipment, and more specifically to a tray loading and unloading device. Background Technology

[0002] In automated manufacturing, especially in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, and electronic components, trays are often used to carry materials (such as heat-reducing patches, electronic chips, and pharmaceuticals) for transport and processing. To improve production efficiency, the end of the production line is usually equipped with an automatic loading and unloading device to separate, position, load, stack, and collect empty trays.

[0003] Currently, existing material tray loading and unloading methods or related devices have the following technical problems: Firstly, in many traditional production scenarios, especially on the production and packaging lines for some pharmaceutical products such as fever-reducing patches, the material receiving process at the end of the production line still relies heavily on manual operation. Specifically, one operator needs to place empty trays at the inlet of each machine, while another operator needs to manually collect and stack the full trays at the outlet. This manual receiving method is not only labor-intensive, but the repetitive nature of the work can easily lead to operator fatigue, thus affecting receiving efficiency and stacking neatness, and may even cause secondary contamination or damage to the product. Current technology lacks an integrated device that can automatically complete tray separation, positioning and loading, and automatic stacking and unloading.

[0004] Secondly, while some automated loading and unloading equipment exists on the market, it is often complex in structure, expensive, or only capable of single loading or unloading functions, lacking a streamlined solution that effectively integrates the three core processes of loading, positioning, and unloading. Particularly in the unloading stage, existing equipment often uses grippers or pushers to handle stacked trays. These methods can easily cause impact damage to the trays or materials and are difficult to execute in a continuous motion from flexible lifting and precise stacking on the conveyor line to automatic removal. Furthermore, these devices often occupy a large space and are difficult to integrate flexibly into existing production lines.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies need further development. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and provide a material tray loading and unloading device to solve the technical problem of relying heavily on manual labor in related technologies.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a material tray loading and unloading device, comprising a transmission mechanism for transporting the material tray, and along the transmission direction of the transmission mechanism, a loading mechanism, a receiving mechanism and an unloading mechanism are sequentially arranged. The feeding mechanism is used to separate empty material trays one by one and place a single material tray onto the conveying mechanism. The receiving mechanism is used to receive a single material tray sent in by the conveying mechanism and position the material tray for external equipment to put in materials. The material tray carrying the materials is conveyed by the conveying mechanism to the unloading mechanism. The feeding mechanism includes a micro switch and a lifting assembly connected by a signal. When the material tray is transported by the transmission mechanism to trigger the micro switch, the lifting assembly, which already carries the material tray stack, moves vertically from top to bottom. The original material tray stack remains above the material tray, and then descends vertically to make the material tray contact the bottommost material tray in the original material tray stack. The lifting assembly continues to move down below the material tray and supports it, and then continues to rise to lift the entire material tray stack, completing the stacking of one material tray. When the number of material tray stacks reaches a threshold, the lifting assembly carries the material tray stack and moves it along the material conveying direction, sending the material tray stack away from the transmission mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism also includes a feeding base plate, which is disposed below the conveying mechanism, and the micro switch is disposed between the feeding base plate and the conveying mechanism; The lifting assembly includes a feeding frame, a discharge slide rail, a load-bearing slide rail, and a lifting component. The feeding frame is arranged on both sides of the transmission mechanism. Each feeding frame on both sides is provided with a discharge slide rail extending along the material conveying direction. A first slider that slides in cooperation with the discharge slide rail is provided with a load-bearing slide rail extending in the vertical direction. A second slider that slides in cooperation with the load-bearing slide rail is provided with the lifting component. The lifting component and the second slider are rotatably connected. The lifting assembly is driven by a driving component, and the micro switch is signal-connected to the driving component. When the material tray is transported by the conveying mechanism to trigger the micro switch, the lifting member moves vertically from top to bottom to below the material tray. Then, the lifting member rises vertically to make the material tray contact the bottommost material tray in the stacked material trays, and continues to rise to lift the entire material tray stack, completing the stacking of one material tray. The above actions are repeated until the number of material tray stacks reaches a threshold. The slider on the discharge slide rail drives the lifting member and the material tray stack to move along the material conveying direction, sending the material tray stack away from the conveying mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the second slider is also provided with a receiving cavity, and the lifting member is provided with a through hole, through which the connecting shaft passes and is fixed on the second slider; In the initial state, part of the lifting component is located outside the receiving cavity to lift the material tray; when the lifting component passes the material tray on the conveying mechanism from top to bottom, the lifting component is squeezed by the edge of the material tray and rotates around the connecting shaft, causing the lifting component to be completely housed in the receiving cavity; after the lifting component (303) moves to below the material tray, the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting component is removed from the receiving cavity and returns to the initial state. At this time, the lifting component moves up to complete the lifting of the material tray.

[0010] Furthermore, an elastic element is provided between the receiving cavity and the lifting member to push the lifting member out of the receiving cavity.

[0011] Furthermore, there are two lifting components located on the same side of the transmission mechanism, and a linkage component is provided between the two lifting components on the same side.

[0012] Furthermore, the lifting member includes a limiting part and a supporting part. The limiting part penetrates the receiving cavity and extends between the second slider and the unloading frame. The through hole is located at the junction of the limiting part and the supporting part. The supporting part extends from the through hole in a direction away from the limiting part. The center of gravity of the lifting member is located at the through hole or between the through hole and the supporting part. In the initial state, under its own weight, the supporting part extends horizontally to the outside of the receiving cavity to support the material tray. At this time, the limiting part engages with the second slider. When the supporting part passes the material tray vertically from top to bottom, the edge of the material tray applies a squeezing force to the supporting part, causing the supporting part to rotate around the through hole into the receiving cavity. After the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting part is dislodged from the receiving cavity and returns to the initial state.

[0013] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism includes a feeding side plate, a lifting assembly, and a clamping assembly; The feeding side plates are arranged on both sides of the conveying mechanism, and clamping components are respectively provided on the feeding side plates. The clamping components are arranged opposite to each other and are located above the conveying mechanism. The lifting components are arranged on both sides of the conveying mechanism and are located between the feeding side plate and the conveying mechanism; After the lifting assembly lifts the entire empty material tray stack upwards, the clamping assembly clamps the second tray from bottom to top in the empty material tray stack. Then, the lifting assembly lowers the bottom tray and places it on the conveying mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, at least two sets of the lifting components on each side are provided at intervals.

[0015] Furthermore, the receiving mechanism includes a receiving bracket and a slide rail that slides in cooperation with the receiving bracket, the slide rail being arranged in a vertical direction; The receiving bracket includes a bracket base, a bracket crossbeam connected to the bracket base, and a support rod perpendicular to the bracket base. The bracket base slides with the slide rail to achieve vertical movement, and the support rod is located outside the transmission mechanism. The receiving mechanism also includes a fixing plate, on which a driving device is provided for driving the receiving bracket to move in the vertical direction; The support rod rises and receives the tray fed by the transmission mechanism, positioning the tray for external equipment to put in materials. Once the amount of materials put in reaches a threshold, the support rod descends and places the tray carrying the materials back onto the transmission mechanism, which then transports it to the unloading mechanism.

[0016] The present invention also includes a material tray loading and unloading device, which further includes a controller, and the controller is signal-connected to the lifting assembly, clamping assembly, driving device, lifting assembly and transmission mechanism respectively.

[0017] Beneficial effects: 1. This invention integrates a feeding mechanism, a receiving mechanism, a discharging mechanism, and a transmission mechanism that runs through them, to construct a complete automated production line from automatic separation of material trays, positioning and loading to automatic stacking and unloading. This device can greatly reduce traditional manual material receiving operations, reduce the manpower requirement on the production line from at least two people to one person, achieve a significant reduction of 50% in manpower, greatly reduce labor costs, and improve production cycle and overall efficiency.

[0018] 2. In the feeding stage, a "lifting-clamping-falling" separation method is adopted, which combines lifting and clamping components to avoid hard friction and achieve gentle and precise separation of the material trays. In the unloading stage, the unloading mechanism utilizes a three-way movable lifting component and micro-switches to achieve flexible lifting and precise stacking of the material trays; in particular, by setting up lifting components with wedge-shaped surfaces and elastic elements, a purely mechanical lifting function of unidirectional avoidance and reverse locking is achieved, effectively avoiding rigid impact and protecting the material trays and the materials inside.

[0019] 3. The transmission mechanism is arranged at the bottom of all functional mechanisms, forming an assembly line layout that is compact and occupies little space. Each mechanism (loading, receiving, and unloading) can operate in parallel or in a continuous flow. For example, when the receiving mechanism is positioning and loading, the transmission mechanism can transport the next empty tray to the bottom of the loading mechanism to wait, while the previously loaded tray is transported to the unloading mechanism for stacking. The waiting time between each action is extremely short, ensuring the continuity of the production process. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram from one perspective of the material tray loading and unloading device used in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram from another perspective of the material tray loading and unloading device used in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Top view of part of the structure; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Cross-sectional view at point AA; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of a section at point B.

[0021] The above figures include the following reference numerals: 1. Feeding mechanism; 101. Feeding side plate; 102. Lifting assembly; 103. Clamping assembly; 2. Receiving mechanism; 201. Receiving bracket; 202. Slide rail; 203. Bracket chassis; 204. Bracket beam; 205. Support rod; 206. Fixing plate; 3. Unloading mechanism; 301. Unloading frame; 302. Discharge slide rail; 303. Lifting component; 304. Load-bearing slide rail; 305. Unloading base plate; 306. Micro switch; 307. Receiving cavity; 308. Connecting shaft; 4. Transmission mechanism. Detailed Implementation

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

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a tray loading and unloading device is provided. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1 to 6 ,include: The conveying mechanism 4 for transporting material trays is further provided with a feeding mechanism 1, a receiving mechanism 2 and a discharging mechanism 3 in sequence along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 4. The feeding mechanism 1 is used to separate empty material trays one by one and place a single material tray on the conveying mechanism 4. The receiving mechanism 2 is used to receive a single material tray sent by the conveying mechanism 4 and position the material tray for external equipment to put in materials. The material tray carrying the materials is conveyed by the conveying mechanism (4) to the unloading mechanism (3). The feeding mechanism 3 includes a micro switch 306 and a lifting assembly connected by a signal. When the material tray is transported by the transmission mechanism 4 to trigger the micro switch 306, the lifting assembly, which already carries the material tray stack, moves vertically from top to bottom. The original material tray stack remains above the material tray, and then descends vertically to make the material tray contact the bottommost material tray in the original material tray stack. The lifting assembly continues to move down to below the material tray and supports it. It then continues to rise to lift the entire material tray stack, completing the stacking of one material tray. When the number of material tray stacks reaches a threshold, the lifting assembly carries the material tray stack and moves it along the material conveying direction, sending the material tray stack away from the transmission mechanism 4.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 1 First, the entire process of separating, transferring, positioning, loading, re-stacking, and removing the pallets from their stacked state is fully automated, significantly improving production efficiency. Second, the unloading mechanism 3 accurately senses the pallet's arrival at its destination via a microswitch 306 and drives a three-way movable lifting component, achieving flexible lifting and precise stacking of individual pallets and avoiding damage to the pallets or materials from hard impacts. Finally, when the stacked quantity reaches the target, the lifting component automatically removes the entire stack of pallets, completing batch unloading and freeing up space for the next production cycle, ensuring the continuity of the production line.

[0025] The "signal connection" refers to an electrical connection, meaning the signal output terminal of the microswitch 306 is connected to the signal input terminal of the controller, and the signal output terminal of the controller is connected to the driving component (such as a servo motor or cylinder) of the lifting assembly. The transmission mechanism 4 is preferably a double-row chain conveyor or belt conveyor, with gaps or side spaces to accommodate the movement of the lifting assembly. The lifting assembly can be made of metal (such as 45# steel) to provide sufficient structural strength.

[0026] In some other embodiments, the feeding mechanism 3 further includes a feeding base plate 305, which is disposed below the transmission mechanism 4, and the micro switch 306 is disposed between the feeding base plate 305 and the transmission mechanism 4. The lifting assembly includes a feeding frame 301, a discharge slide rail 302, a load-bearing slide rail 304, and a lifting member 303. The feeding frame 301 is disposed on both sides of the transmission mechanism 4. Both sides of the feeding frame 301 are provided with discharge slide rails 302 extending along the material conveying direction. A first slider that slides in cooperation with the discharge slide rail 302 is provided with the load-bearing slide rail 304 extending vertically. A second slider that slides in cooperation with the load-bearing slide rail 304 is provided with the lifting member 303. The lifting member 303 is rotatably connected to the second slider. The lifting assembly is driven by a driving component, and the micro switch 306 is signal-connected to the driving component. When the material tray is transported by the transmission mechanism 4 to trigger the micro switch 306, the lifting member 303 moves vertically from top to bottom to below the material tray. Then, the lifting member 303 rises vertically to make the material tray contact the bottommost material tray in the stacked material trays, and continues to rise to lift the entire material tray stack, completing the stacking of one material tray. The above actions are repeated until the number of material tray stacks reaches a threshold. The slider on the discharge slide rail 302 drives the lifting member 303 and the material tray stack to move along the material conveying direction, sending the material tray stack away from the transmission mechanism 4.

[0027] Furthermore, assuming that the tray is the first tray that the lifting member 303 is about to carry, when there is no tray stack on the lifting member 303, when the tray is transported by the transmission mechanism 4 to trigger the micro switch 306, the lifting member 303 moves vertically from top to bottom to below the tray, and then rises to lift the tray as a whole, thus completing the carrying of the first tray.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 4-6 The material unloading frame 301 is positioned on both sides of the transmission mechanism 4. The specific connection methods and spatial layout of the material unloading slide rail 302, the load-bearing slide rail 304, and the lifting component 303 achieve the following beneficial effects: First, the material unloading base plate 305 provides a stable mounting foundation for the micro switch 306, ensuring its precise location below the material tray and reliable triggering. Second, the combination of the material unloading slide rail 302 (horizontal longitudinal), the load-bearing slide rail 304 (vertical), and the lifting component 303 (lateral) constructs a stable three-axis motion system, enabling precise gripping, stacking, and removal of the material tray in three-dimensional space, with smooth movements and accurate positioning. Finally, the stacked material trays are moved out along the material unloading slide rail 302, achieving automated storage of the material unloading process and facilitating docking with subsequent AGV carts or material carts.

[0029] The driving components may include three independent servo motors that drive the discharge slide rail 302, the load-bearing slide rail 304, and the lifting component 303 respectively. Each motor is connected to a corresponding lead screw and nut pair to drive the slider to move. The phrase "set between the transmission mechanisms 4" means that the discharge base plate 305 is located between two parallel conveyor chains, with its top surface slightly lower than the bearing surface of the conveyor chains, to avoid interfering with the normal transmission of the material tray, while ensuring that the contact of the micro switch 306 is pressed down when the material tray passes by.

[0030] In some other embodiments, the second slider is further provided with a receiving cavity 307, the lifting member 303 is provided with a through hole, and the connecting shaft 308 passes through the through hole and is fixed on the second slider; In the initial state, part of the lifting component is located outside the receiving cavity to support the material tray; when the lifting component 303 passes the material tray on the transmission mechanism 4 from top to bottom, the lifting component 303 is squeezed by the edge of the material tray and rotates around the connecting shaft 308, causing the lifting component to be completely housed in the receiving cavity 307; after the lifting component (303) moves to the bottom of the material tray, the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting component 303 is removed from the receiving cavity 307 and returns to the initial state. At this time, the lifting component moves up to complete the material tray lifting.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 2-6 Specifically, a receiving cavity 307, a through hole, and a connecting shaft 308 are designed to allow the lifting component 303 to be rotatably connected to the slider, achieving the following beneficial effects: First, it realizes the "one-way passage, reverse locking" function of the lifting component 303. When the lifting component 303 moves downward, it automatically avoids the material tray by utilizing the squeezing force of the material tray edge (rotating into the receiving cavity 307), avoiding a rigid collision with the material tray; when the lifting component 303 is lifted upward, it automatically resets under the action of gravity and locks into the bottom of the material tray, without the need for additional power or sensors. This purely mechanical structure is simple, reliable, and inexpensive. Second, this solution cleverly solves the problem of limited space required for the lifting component 303 to extend from below the material tray, resulting in a compact structure and smooth operation.

[0032] The connecting shaft 308 and the through hole are clearance-fitted, allowing the lifting member 303 to rotate freely around the connecting shaft 308. The receiving cavity 307 is a groove or opening on the slider, and its shape and size should be larger than the rotating part of the lifting member 303 to ensure that it can be fully accommodated. In its natural state (when not subjected to external force), the lifting member 303 should rely on its own weight to make one end hang down or be kept horizontal by an elastic element, but its lowest point should be lower than the edge of the tray so as to support the tray. When the lifting member 303 descends, the edge of the tray pushes the lifting member 303 upward to rotate into the receiving cavity 307; after passing through, the lifting member 303 rotates downward to reset under the action of gravity, thereby supporting the tray.

[0033] In some other embodiments, an elastic element is provided between the receiving cavity 307 and the lifting member for pushing the lifting member 303 out of the receiving cavity 307.

[0034] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 2 and 3 The lifting component 303 is provided with an active reset force, ensuring that it can quickly and reliably eject from the receiving cavity 307 and return to the lifting position after passing through the tray. This avoids situations where the lifting component 303 gets stuck in the receiving cavity 307 and cannot reset due to friction, insufficient gravity, or the tray being too light. Secondly, the elastic element can also provide a certain preload force, keeping the lifting component 303 stable during the lifting process, reducing shaking, and improving the stability and reliability of stacking.

[0035] The elastic element is preferably a compression spring or a torsion spring. If it is a compression spring, one end rests against the inner wall of the receiving cavity 307, and the other end rests against the back of the lifting member 303; if it is a torsion spring, it is sleeved on the connecting shaft 308, with one end fixed to the slider and the other end fixed to the lifting member 303. The elastic force of the elastic element should be sufficient to overcome the weight and rotational friction of the lifting member 303, but not so great as to prevent the lifting member 303 from being pushed into the receiving cavity 307 by the material tray.

[0036] In some other embodiments, there are two lifting members 303 located on the same side of the transmission mechanism, and a linkage is provided between the two lifting members 303 on the same side.

[0037] By adopting the above technical solution, and by setting two lifting components 303 and two receiving cavities 307 on each side, the support area and number of support points for the tray are increased, making the lifting more stable. This is especially suitable for trays that are long or have uneven weight distribution, avoiding the problem of tray tilting or falling that may be caused by single-point lifting. The setting of the linkage component ensures that the two lifting components 303 on the same side move synchronously, eliminating the phenomenon of uneven force on the tray caused by the asynchronous movement of the two lifting components 303, improving the stability of the stacking process and the neatness of the tray stacking. This structure achieves synchronization through a purely mechanical linkage method, without the need to add additional motors or sensors, reducing control complexity, cost and failure rate, while ensuring the reliability and real-time performance of the action.

[0038] Specifically, the linkage is a rigid connecting rod structure, with its two ends rotatably connected to the middle of two lifting components 303 via pins. When one lifting component 303 is rotated under force, the connecting rod drives the other lifting component 303 to rotate synchronously at the same angle. The linkage is made of 45# steel, with a blackened surface treatment to improve wear resistance and rust prevention. Each lifting component 303 is rotatably mounted on the slider of the load-bearing slide rail 304 via its respective connecting shaft 308. The connecting shaft 308 is a cylindrical pin structure, and its fit with the through hole on the lifting component 303 is H8 / f7 clearance fit, ensuring flexible rotation and reliable axial positioning.

[0039] In some other embodiments, the lifting member includes a limiting part and a supporting part. The limiting part passes through the receiving cavity and extends between the second slider and the unloading frame. A through hole is located at the junction of the limiting part and the supporting part. The supporting part extends from the through hole in a direction away from the limiting part. The center of gravity of the lifting member is located at the through hole or between the through hole and the supporting part. In the initial state, under its own gravity, the supporting part extends horizontally to the outside of the receiving cavity to support the material tray. At this time, the limiting part engages with the second slider. When the supporting part passes the material tray vertically from top to bottom, the edge of the material tray applies a squeezing force to the supporting part, causing the supporting part to rotate around the through hole into the receiving cavity. After the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting member 303 is dislodged from the receiving cavity 307 and returns to the initial state.

[0040] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 3 The support component is made of 40Cr alloy steel, which undergoes quenching and tempering to achieve a surface hardness of HRC48-52, and is nitrided to improve surface wear resistance. The upper part of the support section has a flat supporting surface, and the lower part has an arc-shaped clearance surface. The radius of curvature of the arc surface is determined according to the edge height and thickness of the material tray (preferably R15-R30mm, the specific value must match the material tray).

[0041] The through hole is located at the junction of the limiting part and the supporting part. The supporting part extends from the through hole in a direction away from the limiting part. The center of gravity of the lifting member is located at the through hole or between the through hole and the supporting part. A connecting shaft 308 is provided in the through hole. A torsion spring is sleeved on the connecting shaft 308 to provide torque to reset the lifting member to the horizontal lifting position (the torque is controlled within the range of 0.5-2 N·m, adjusted according to the weight of the material tray).

[0042] The above solution achieves the following beneficial effects: First, the structure of the support part of the lifting component, combined with the design of the lower curvature center, realizes a purely mechanical function of "one-way avoidance and reverse self-locking"—when the lifting component 303 moves downward with the load-bearing slide rail 304, the arc-shaped avoidance surface of the support part contacts the side of the material tray and automatically rotates upward under the extrusion force to enter the receiving cavity 307, avoiding rigid collision with the material tray; when the lifting component descends to below the material tray, it automatically resets to the horizontal position under the action of the torsion spring force and its own gravity, at which point the material tray moves downward. When in motion, the tray is held in place by the flat support surface of the lifting component, ensuring reliable lifting. Secondly, the curvature center of the arc-shaped avoidance surface is located at the bottom, ensuring a self-locking characteristic—the heavier the tray, the tighter the lifting component holds, preventing it from coming loose due to vibration and effectively preventing the tray from slipping during stacking. Thirdly, the lifting component has a simple and reliable structure, requiring no additional power source or complex sensors to complete the avoidance and lifting actions, significantly reducing equipment costs and maintenance difficulty. At the same time, it avoids impact damage to the tray and internal materials (such as heat-reducing patches), protecting product quality.

[0043] In some other embodiments, the feeding mechanism 1 includes a feeding side plate 101, a lifting assembly 102, and a clamping assembly 103; The feeding side plate 101 is disposed on both sides of the transmission mechanism 4, and the feeding side plate 101 is respectively provided with clamping components 103. The clamping components 103 on both sides are arranged opposite to each other, and the clamping components 103 are located above the transmission mechanism 4. The lifting assembly 102 is disposed on both sides of the transmission mechanism 4 and is located between the loading side plate 101 and the transmission mechanism 4. After the lifting assembly 102 lifts the entire empty material tray stack upwards, the clamping assembly 103 is used to clamp the second material tray from bottom to top in the empty material tray stack; then the lifting assembly 102 carries the bottommost material tray down and places it on the transmission mechanism 4.

[0044] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 1 First, a "lift-clamp-drop" method for separating trays is provided, enabling the stable separation of individual trays one by one from the bottom of the stack and precise placement onto the conveying mechanism 4. Second, the clamping component 103 always clamps the second-to-last tray, while the lifting component 102 only lifts the bottom tray. This division of labor ensures clear force distribution and stable, reliable operation, effectively avoiding problems such as jamming or multiple trays being pulled together that might occur when directly removing the trays. Third, this structure makes full use of vertical space, is compact, and is suitable as an inlet module for automatic loading and unloading devices.

[0045] The drive source for the lifting assembly 102 and the clamping assembly 103 needs to be clearly defined, such as a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder. The lifting assembly 102 should have at least two lifting points to smoothly lift the material trays. The clamping assembly 103 is preferably a gripper cylinder, and its gripper front end can be equipped with a rubber pad to increase friction and protect the material trays. The control logic should be as follows: the controller first controls the lifting assembly 102 to lift the entire stack of material trays to a set height; then controls the clamping assembly 103 to move and clamp the second to last material tray; finally, controls the lifting assembly 102 to descend, so that the bottommost material tray falls onto the transmission mechanism 4.

[0046] In some other embodiments, at least two sets of the lifting components 102 on each side are provided at intervals.

[0047] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 1 By setting the number of lifting components 102 on each side to at least two sets, the following beneficial effects are achieved: First, multi-point support (e.g., a total of four sets) significantly increases the support area and stability of the stacked trays, preventing the trays from tilting, swaying, or even tipping over due to instability of the center of gravity during lifting and lowering, which is especially suitable for trays that are heavy or large in size. Second, multi-point drive makes the force distribution more uniform, reduces the load on each lifting component 102, and helps to improve the service life and reliability of the entire feeding mechanism 1.

[0048] "Intermittently arranged" means that on the same side, multiple lifting components 102 (such as two electric cylinders) are arranged back and forth along the material conveying direction, and they are synchronously controlled by the same controller to ensure the consistency of their actions.

[0049] In some other embodiments, the receiving mechanism 2 includes a receiving bracket 201 and a slide rail 202 that cooperates with the receiving bracket 201, the slide rail 202 being arranged in a vertical direction; The receiving bracket 201 includes a bracket base 203, a bracket beam 204 connecting the bracket base 203, and a support rod 205 perpendicular to the bracket base 203. The bracket base 203 slides with the slide rail 202 to achieve vertical movement. The support rod 205 is located outside the transmission mechanism 4. The receiving mechanism 2 also includes a fixing plate 206, on which a driving device is provided for driving the receiving bracket 201 to move in the vertical direction; The support rod 205 rises and receives the tray fed by the transmission mechanism 4, positioning the tray for external equipment to put in materials. After the amount of materials put in reaches a threshold, the support rod 205 descends and places the tray carrying the materials back on the transmission mechanism 4, which then transports it to the unloading mechanism 3.

[0050] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 2 First, the liftable receiving bracket 201 smoothly lifts and precisely positions the material tray from the support rod 205, creating a stable and interference-free working surface for the robot or manual placement of materials. Second, after receiving the material, the bracket lowers and returns the material tray to the transmission mechanism 4, completing the complete receiving process of "receiving-positioning and loading-returning," ensuring the accuracy of the loading process and the smooth connection of the entire process.

[0051] The specific type and connection relationship of the drive device need to be clearly defined. For example, the drive device can be a lifting motor, whose output shaft is connected to a vertical lead screw via a coupling. A nut is fitted on the lead screw, and this nut is fixedly connected to the support base 203 of the receiving bracket 201. When the motor rotates forward, it drives the receiving bracket 201 to rise; when the motor rotates in reverse, it drives the receiving bracket 201 to fall. The top of the support rod 205 should have a flat surface or groove to support the edge of the material tray. The "external equipment" can be an automated robotic arm or a manually operated workstation.

[0052] In some other embodiments, two support rods 205 are provided at intervals, with the two support rods 205 located at the two ends of the bracket chassis 203, and the upper parts of the two support rods 205 located in the same plane.

[0053] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 2By setting two support rods 205 and defining their position and coplanarity, the following beneficial effects are achieved: First, the double support rod 205 structure ensures stable support for the material tray while maximizing the open space below the tray, facilitating the passage of the conveyor mechanism 4 and simplifying cleaning and maintenance. Second, the two support rods 205 are located at both ends of the chassis and are coplanar at their upper parts, forming a stable and defined support plane. This ensures that the tray remains horizontal after being lifted, preventing material slippage or inaccurate positioning due to unilateral tilting. This structure is simple, lightweight, and has a fast response speed.

[0054] "The upper parts are located in the same plane" means that the top surfaces of the two support rods 205 need to be at the same horizontal height during processing and installation, so as to jointly form a virtual support plane. The spacing between the two support rods 205 should be set according to the width of the tray, usually slightly smaller than the width of the tray, so that the edge of the tray can be firmly rested on the support rods 205.

[0055] In some other embodiments, the material tray loading and unloading device further includes a controller, which is signal-connected to the lifting assembly 102, the clamping assembly 103, the driving device, the lifting assembly, and the transmission mechanism 4, respectively.

[0056] By adopting the above technical solution, please refer to Figure 1 This application achieves centralized, precise, and coordinated control of all actions (lifting, clamping, lifting and receiving, three-way lifting, and transmission) of the entire loading and unloading device. The controller can automatically coordinate the sequence and timing of actions of each mechanism according to preset program logic (e.g., based on the trigger signal of micro switch 306 or internal timer), ensuring seamless connection of each link, avoiding equipment failure or production accidents caused by action conflicts, and realizing a high degree of automation and intelligence.

[0057] The controller is preferably a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a microcontroller. Its signal input terminals are connected to the microswitch 306, various limit switches, position sensors, etc.; its signal output terminals are connected to the control interfaces of various driving components (such as the motor driver and the solenoid valve coil of the cylinder). By writing the corresponding control program, automated control of the entire device can be achieved. It must be clearly stated that all signal connections are electrical connections.

[0058] Working principle: After the equipment completes initialization and parameter settings, manual loading is performed first. The operator places a stack of empty trays (e.g., 20 trays) on the lifting component 102 of the loading mechanism 1. At this time, the lifting component 102 is in an upward state to support the entire stack of trays, while the clamping component 103 is in a retracted and released state. Subsequently, the equipment automatically enters the tray separation and placement cycle: the controller controls the lifting component 102 to lift the entire stack of empty trays upward to the preset separation height, and then controls the clamping components 103 on both sides to extend and clamp the second empty tray from the bottom up from both sides, keeping the clamping position fixed. Next, the controller controls the lifting component 102 to slowly descend, so that the bottom empty tray falls with the lifting component 102 and is finally placed smoothly on the transmission mechanism 4 below, while the second and subsequent trays are firmly fixed in the air by the clamping components 103. Then, the transmission mechanism 4 is activated, conveying the first empty tray forward. At the same time, the lifting component 102 rises again to support the stack of trays fixed by the clamping component 103 (at this time, the original third tray becomes the new bottom tray). The clamping component 103 is released, ready to enter the next separation cycle.

[0059] After the empty tray is separated, it enters the transfer and positioning receiving stage. The transfer mechanism 4 transports a single empty tray from the loading area to the receiving area. Once the empty tray has fully entered the receiving mechanism 2 area, the controller controls the drive device (lifting motor) of the receiving mechanism 2 to reverse, driving the receiving bracket 201 to rise along the vertical slide rail 202. The two support rods 205 on the receiving bracket 201 smoothly lift the empty tray from below, detaching it from the surface of the transfer mechanism 4. The receiving bracket 201 continues to lift the empty tray to the preset loading height and maintains stability. At this point, the tray is precisely positioned, ready to be loaded with heat-reducing patches. External automated equipment (such as the transport end of the heat-reducing patch production line) or manual operation sequentially places the heat-reducing patch products into the tray. Since the tray has been lifted by the receiving bracket 201, the transfer mechanism 4 can continue to transport other trays without interference.

[0060] After loading is complete, the feeding and stacking process begins. For example, after each tray is loaded with 200 heat-reducing patches, the controller controls the lifting motor to rotate forward, driving the receiving bracket 201 to descend and placing the tray full of heat-reducing patches back onto the transmission mechanism 4. The transmission mechanism 4 restarts, conveying the tray full of heat-reducing patches towards the lower feeding mechanism 3. When the front edge of the tray touches the micro switch 306 on the lowering plate 305, the micro switch 306 is triggered, sending a position signal to the controller. The controller then controls the lifting component to move: First, the lifting component 303 moves vertically downward under the drive of the load-bearing slide rail 304. During the descent, the wedge-shaped inclined surface of the lifting component 303 contacts the side of the tray, is squeezed and rotates upward around the connecting shaft 308, retracting into the receiving cavity 307 to avoid the tray; when the lifting component 303 descends below the bottom of the tray, it pops out of the receiving cavity 307 and resets itself by its own weight or the elastic force of the elastic element. Next, the lifting component 303 moves horizontally towards the center of the tray, extending into the bottom of the tray. Then, the lifting component 303 moves upward, supporting the tray filled with heat-reducing patches from below and lifting it a short distance.

[0061] When the next tray filled with heat-reducing patches triggers the microswitch 306 again, the lifting component 303 performs the actions of lowering, resetting, extending, and rising again, lifting the new tray until it contacts the bottom of the previous tray, and continuing to rise to lift the entire tray stack. This process repeats, increasing the stack height by one tray with each new tray. When the number of trays in the stack reaches a preset threshold (e.g., 10), the lifting component 303 stops rising and stacking, but remains in the lifting state. At this time, the discharge slide rail 302 starts moving horizontally, and its slider drives the entire load-bearing slide rail 304, the lifting component 303, and the stacked trays filled with heat-reducing patches on the lifting component 303 to move along the material conveying direction, smoothly delivering the entire stack of trays out of the unloading mechanism 3, for example, to an external material cart or AGV. After the removal is completed, the lifting component resets, ready for the next stacking cycle.

[0062] It is worth noting that the circuits, electronic components, and modules involved in this invention are all existing technologies, which can be fully implemented by those skilled in the art, and need not be elaborated upon. The content protected by this invention does not involve improvements to the software and methods.

[0063] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0064] Optionally, specific examples in this embodiment can refer to the examples described in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] The sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0066] In the above embodiments of this application, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0067] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A material tray loading and unloading device, comprising a conveying mechanism (4) for transporting the material tray, characterized in that, Along the transmission direction of the transmission mechanism (4), a feeding mechanism (1), a receiving mechanism (2), and a discharging mechanism (3) are also arranged in sequence. The feeding mechanism (1) is used to separate empty material trays one by one and place a single material tray on the conveying mechanism (4). The receiving mechanism (2) is used to receive a single material tray sent by the conveying mechanism (4) and position the material tray for external equipment to put in materials. The material tray carrying the material is conveyed by the conveying mechanism (4) to the unloading mechanism (3). The feeding mechanism (3) includes a micro switch (306) connected by a signal and a lifting component; when the tray is transported to trigger the micro switch (306), the lifting component, which already carries the tray stack, moves vertically from top to bottom, and the original tray stack remains above the tray. Then, it descends vertically to make the tray contact the bottom tray of the original tray stack. The lifting component continues to move down to below the tray and supports it. It continues to rise to lift the entire tray stack, completing the stacking of one tray. When the number of tray stacks reaches a threshold, the lifting component carries the tray stack and moves it along the material conveying direction, sending the tray stack away from the transmission mechanism (4).

2. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (3) also includes a feeding base plate (305), which is disposed below the transmission mechanism (4), and the micro switch (306) is disposed between the feeding base plate (305) and the transmission mechanism (4); The lifting assembly includes a feeding frame (301), a discharge slide rail (302), a load-bearing slide rail (304), and a lifting component (303). The feeding frame (301) is arranged on both sides of the transmission mechanism (4). Both sides of the feeding frame (301) are provided with discharge slide rails (302) extending along the material conveying direction. The first slider that slides in cooperation with the discharge slide rail (302) is provided with the load-bearing slide rail (304) extending in the vertical direction. The second slider that slides in cooperation with the load-bearing slide rail (304) is provided with the lifting component (303). The lifting component (303) is rotatably connected to the second slider. The lifting assembly is driven by a driving component, and the micro switch (306) is signal-connected to the driving component; When the material tray is transported by the transmission mechanism (4) to trigger the micro switch (306), the lifting member (303) moves vertically from top to bottom to below the material tray. Then the lifting member (303) rises vertically to make the material tray contact the bottommost material tray in the stacked material trays, and continues to rise to lift the entire material tray stack, completing the stacking of one material tray. The above actions are repeated until the number of material tray stacks reaches the threshold. The slider on the discharge slide rail (302) drives the lifting member (303) and the material tray stack to move along the material conveying direction, sending the material tray stack away from the transmission mechanism (4).

3. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second slider is also provided with a receiving cavity (307), and the lifting member (303) is provided with a through hole. The connecting shaft (308) passes through the through hole and is fixed on the second slider. In the initial state, part of the lifting component is located outside the receiving cavity to lift the material tray; when the lifting component (303) passes the material tray on the transmission mechanism (4) from top to bottom, the lifting component (303) is squeezed by the edge of the material tray and rotates around the connecting shaft (308), causing the lifting component to be completely housed in the receiving cavity (307); after the lifting component (303) moves to below the material tray, the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting component (303) is removed from the receiving cavity (307) and returns to the initial state. At this time, the lifting component moves up to complete the lifting of the material tray.

4. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, An elastic element is provided between the receiving cavity (307) and the lifting member, which is used to push the lifting member (303) out of the receiving cavity (307).

5. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 3, characterized in that, There are two lifting components (303) located on the same side of the transmission mechanism, and a linkage is provided between the two lifting components (303) on the same side.

6. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lifting member includes a limiting part and a supporting part. The limiting part passes through the receiving cavity and extends between the second slider and the unloading frame (301). The through hole is located at the junction of the limiting part and the supporting part. The supporting part extends from the through hole in a direction away from the limiting part. The center of gravity of the lifting member is located at the through hole or between the through hole and the supporting part. In the initial state, under its own gravity, the supporting part extends horizontally to the outside of the receiving cavity to support the material tray. At this time, the limiting part engages with the second slider. When the supporting part passes the material tray vertically from top to bottom, the edge of the material tray applies a squeezing force to the supporting part, causing the supporting part to rotate around the through hole into the receiving cavity. After the squeezing force is eliminated, the lifting member (303) is removed from the receiving cavity (307) and returns to the initial state.

7. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (1) includes a feeding side plate (101), a lifting assembly (102), and a clamping assembly (103). The loading side plate (101) is arranged on both sides of the transmission mechanism (4), and the loading side plate (101) is respectively provided with clamping components (103). The clamping components (103) are arranged opposite to each other and are located above the transmission mechanism (4). The lifting assembly (102) is arranged on both sides of the transmission mechanism (4) and is located between the loading side plate (101) and the transmission mechanism (4); After the lifting assembly (102) lifts the entire empty pallet stack upwards, the clamping assembly (103) clamps the second pallet from bottom to top in the empty pallet stack, and then the lifting assembly (102) carries the bottom pallet down and places it on the transmission mechanism (4).

8. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lifting assembly (102) on each side is provided with at least two sets at intervals.

9. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving mechanism (2) includes a receiving bracket (201) and a slide rail (202) that slides in cooperation with the receiving bracket (201), the slide rail (202) being arranged in a vertical direction; The receiving bracket (201) includes a bracket base (203), a bracket crossbeam (204) connecting the bracket base (203), and a support rod (205) perpendicular to the bracket base (203). The bracket base (203) slides with the slide rail (202) to achieve vertical movement. The support rod (205) is located outside the transmission mechanism (4). The receiving mechanism (2) further includes a fixing plate (206), on which a driving device is provided for driving the receiving bracket (201) to move in the vertical direction; The support rod (205) rises and receives the tray fed by the transmission mechanism (4), positioning the tray for external equipment to put in materials. After the amount of materials put in reaches the threshold, the support rod (205) falls and places the tray carrying the materials back on the transmission mechanism (4), which then transports it to the unloading mechanism (3).

10. The material tray loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material tray loading and unloading device also includes a controller, which is connected to the lifting assembly (102), clamping assembly (103), driving device, lifting assembly and transmission mechanism (4) respectively.

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