A middle supporting flow transfer conveying device and method for paper cup production

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of paper cup production with middle support flow transfer conveying device and method, it is related to paper cup production conveying technical field, its device includes portal frame, and the both ends of portal frame are respectively equipped with flow frame, horizontal conveying frame, intermittent rotating rotary table is installed in flow frame, the top of rotary table is paper cup pressure zone, the outside of rotary table is middle support conveying area, and the top of portal frame is equipped with three-axis module, and the inside of portal frame is equipped with middle support storage frame, and vertical storage area is equipped in middle support storage frame, vertical conveying area, the motion end of Z axis of three-axis module is equipped with transfer support, and push rod, push plate are equipped in middle support storage frame.The application is integrated with shaping and flow function, eliminates secondary deformation risk;While using intermittent rotating component can realize high-precision station conversion, ensure multi-process timing coordination;And construct double-area linkage stacking output mechanism, ensure that paper cup is smoothly transitioned, significantly improve the integration, positioning accuracy and yield of paper cup production conveying.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of paper cup production and conveying technology, and specifically discloses a central conveying device and method for paper cup production. Background Technology

[0002] Paper cup production encompasses multiple processes, including forming, shaping, printing, testing, and packaging. These processes are typically arranged independently at different workstations. As a thin-walled, conical structure, paper cups must maintain an upright posture during transfer between processes to avoid deformation from compression, while also being stacked according to a predetermined rhythm to ensure continuous material supply from the downstream packaging equipment. The conveyor system is the core equipment for achieving this orderly transfer. Through pneumatic pushing, belt conveying, or stacking mechanisms, it stably transports individual paper cups from one process to the next, ensuring a tight connection between material flow and rhythm flow at each stage of the production line. This avoids disconnections and waiting between processes, thus guaranteeing production continuity and equipment utilization. It is an indispensable intermediate link in automated paper cup production.

[0003] Invention CN118929158B discloses a guiding conveying device and a conveying method for paper-plastic cup production. This prior art automates the conveying process before packaging by setting a feeding component, a driving component, a guiding component, and a collecting component on a collecting steel frame. The driving component removes the bottom plate, causing the paper cups to fall. After being flipped by the guiding component, they are collected by the collecting component. Invention CN119330022B discloses a paper cup conveying device for a paper cup forming machine. In this prior art, a vacuum tube is connected to the conveying equipment via a rotatable and adjustable pipe connection mechanism. The cups are counted and weighed by photoelectric sensors within a measuring mechanism. A steering motor then drives the measuring mechanism to tilt, causing the paper cups to fall into the drop inlet. They then enter the recycling bin through a guide tube, and a triangular prism-type feeding mechanism rotates to send the stacked paper cups to the conveyor belt output, thus achieving the paper cup conveying operation.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technologies still have significant functional deficiencies in practical applications. While the invention with patent number CN118929158B achieves automated guidance and collection of paper cups before packaging, its working object is already shaped finished paper cups. The device itself only performs guidance and flipping functions and lacks the ability to apply radial pressure or axial compression to the cup body for shaping. Similarly, the invention with patent number CN119330022B focuses on the stacking, collection, and conveying of paper cups. Its core is to prevent paper cups from tilting and being damaged during stacking through a clamping unit, but it does not address the elimination of residual stress after paper cup forming or the stabilization of cup dimensions.

[0005] The existing conveying devices mentioned above do not integrate a shaping function. After the paper cups are initially formed, they must first be processed by a separate shaping device before being transferred to the conveying device for stacking and circulation. This separation of processes not only increases the equipment footprint and production line complexity, but more importantly, during the transfer between the shaping and conveying processes, the residual stress has not been completely eliminated. Therefore, the cups are highly susceptible to bending and warping under external forces such as wind-driven pushing, belt conveying, or mechanical gripping, rendering the shaping process ineffective. In other words, the existing conveying devices can only realize the circulation of paper cups, but cannot simultaneously shape and maintain them during the circulation process, making it difficult to meet the dual requirements of cup shape stability and orderly circulation after forming.

[0006] Furthermore, existing paper cup conveying equipment often employs linear reciprocating motion or simple continuous rotation for station transitions, making it difficult to achieve efficient multi-station collaborative operations within a limited space. Specifically, the paper cup shaping process typically requires multiple step-by-step actions (such as outer circumferential shaping and bottom shaping), with each action needing to strictly adhere to a predetermined rhythm and maintain precise dwell time to provide sufficient operating window for each shaping action. However, the rotary tables in existing conveying devices mostly rotate continuously, with poor indexing accuracy and dwell time adjustability, failing to flexibly adapt to the timing requirements of multiple stations and actions. This leads to action conflicts or wasted waiting time during the shaping and transfer processes, reducing overall production line efficiency.

[0007] Meanwhile, after the paper cups are shaped, they still need to go through stacking and directional output to meet the feeding requirements of subsequent packaging equipment. Existing devices usually separate stacking and output into two independent modules, connected by an additional intermediate transfer mechanism. This not only increases equipment costs and potential failure points, but also lacks reliable posture maintenance methods when the paper cups are transferred from the stacking area to the horizontal conveying area. This can easily lead to cup tilting or jamming due to improper pushing force direction or unstable support, affecting the continuity of conveying and the yield rate. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the current problems of insufficient integration of paper cup production conveying devices, lack of function to complete the shaping simultaneously during the flow process, poor station conversion accuracy, poor stacking output reliability, resulting in easy secondary deformation of paper cups after forming and low process flow efficiency, this invention provides a central bearing flow conveying device and method for paper cup production.

[0009] To address the above problems, in a first aspect, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A paper cup production intermediate conveying device includes a gantry frame, with a transfer frame and a horizontal conveyor frame respectively installed at both ends of the gantry frame. An intermittently rotating turntable is installed inside the transfer frame. Above the turntable is a paper cup forming area, and outside the turntable is an intermediate conveying area. A three-axis module is installed on the top of the gantry frame, and an intermediate storage frame is installed inside the gantry frame. The intermediate storage frame includes a vertical storage area and a vertical conveying area. A transfer bracket is mounted on the Z-axis moving end of the three-axis module. The transfer bracket is used to transfer the paper cup body from the intermediate conveying area to the vertical storage area. A push rod and a push plate that move along the X-axis are installed inside the intermediate storage frame. The push rod is used to push the paper cup body from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area, and the push plate is used to push the paper cup body from the vertical conveying area into the horizontal conveyor frame.

[0010] Preferably, a first cylinder arranged along the Y-axis is fixedly installed on the transfer frame. A mold liner is fastened to the piston rod end of the first cylinder. The mold liner is used to support the paper cup body. A mold sleeve is fixedly installed on the turntable. The mold sleeve has a two-layer structure and is equipped with a pneumatic interface. The mold sleeve is used to cover and adsorb the paper cup body. A circular through slot for accommodating the turntable is opened on the top of the transfer frame. Multiple first supports distributed circumferentially are arranged on the outer side of the circular through slot. A second cylinder is installed in each first support. A shaping circular plate is fastened to the piston rod end of the second cylinder. The shaping circular plate is used to shape the bottom surface of the paper cup body.

[0011] Preferably, the turntable has a base on its outer side that is securely connected to the transfer frame. A multi-axis universal arm is mounted on the base, and a camera carrier plate is securely mounted on the top of the multi-axis universal arm. A square through slot is provided below the mold liner on the transfer frame. A carrier plate is fixedly suspended on the inner side of the transfer frame. Two DC motors are fixedly mounted on the side of the carrier plate. A clamping plate is fixedly clamped around the output shaft of each DC motor. The two clamping plates are symmetrically arranged and are hinged to a transmission plate by a pin. Two semi-closed clamps are provided on the inner side of the square through slot. The bottom of each semi-closed clamp is hinged to two transmission plates by a pin. The two semi-closed clamps are used to shape the outer circumference of the paper cup body after being combined.

[0012] Preferably, a housing is fixedly installed inside the transfer frame, and a rotating disk is disposed inside the housing. A follower shaft is fastened to the top of the disk, and a power shaft is arranged at the bottom of the disk. A bracket that is fastened to the turntable is fixedly installed at the top of the follower shaft. An asynchronous motor assembly that is fastened to the transfer frame is disposed at the bottom of the housing. The output shaft end of the asynchronous motor assembly is drivenly connected to the bottom end of the power shaft. An intermittent rotation component is arranged at the top of the power shaft and the bottom side of the disk. The intermittent rotation component is used to drive the disk to rotate intermittently.

[0013] Preferably, the intermittent rotation assembly includes a half-width gear fastened to the periphery of the power shaft, a force transmission shaft arranged parallel to the power shaft on its side, a full-width gear meshing with the half-width gear on the periphery of the force transmission shaft, and a sector-shaped transmission plate fixedly installed at the top of the force transmission shaft; a circular groove is formed on the bottom surface of the disc, and multiple strip-shaped grooves connected to the circular groove and distributed at equal angles are provided around the circular groove; multiple first sliding pillars are provided on the outer side of the strip-shaped grooves and fastened to the bottom surface of the disc; while the sector-shaped transmission plate rotates, the circumferential surface of the first sliding pillar slides in cooperation with the arc surface of the sector-shaped transmission plate; a second sliding pillar is fixedly installed on the sector-shaped transmission plate, and the second sliding pillar is arranged on one side of the included angle end of the sector-shaped transmission plate; while the sector-shaped transmission plate rotates, the second sliding pillar enters the strip-shaped groove from the circular groove and slides in cooperation with it.

[0014] Preferably, the intermediate conveying area includes a second support that is fastened to the top of the transfer frame. A third cylinder arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed in the second support. A transmission gear is rotatably arranged in the second support. The transmission gear meshes perpendicularly with the piston rod of the third cylinder. A support plate is fastened to the outside of the transmission gear. A fourth cylinder is fixedly installed on the side of the support plate. A first pneumatic suction cup for sucking up the paper cup body is fastened to the end of the piston rod of the fourth cylinder.

[0015] Preferably, a third support is fixedly installed on the Z-axis moving end of the three-axis module, and a fifth cylinder arranged on the Z-axis is installed on the third support. The piston rod end of the fifth cylinder is hinged to a rotating seat through a pin. The rotating seat is fastened to the transfer bracket, and multiple second pneumatic suction cups are installed on the transfer bracket.

[0016] Preferably, a slide rod arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed at the top of the intermediate support storage rack, a slide seat is slidably fitted on the slide rod, a top plate is fixedly installed on the top of the slide seat, a sixth cylinder arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed on the side of the top of the intermediate support storage rack, the piston rod end of the sixth cylinder is fastened to the top plate, and multiple long strips are fixedly suspended at the bottom of the top plate, with the push rod installed on the long strips; a base plate arranged in the vertical storage area is fixedly installed in the intermediate support storage rack, and multiple circular holes are opened on the base plate to facilitate the passage of the paper cup body. Multiple circumferentially spaced elastic clamping strips are arranged around the periphery of each circular hole, one end of the elastic clamping strip is fixedly connected to the inner side wall of the base plate, and the other end of the elastic clamping strip extends outward from the circular hole.

[0017] Preferably, a belt arranged in the vertical conveying area is rotatably installed in the intermediate support storage frame. The belt is arranged along the Z-axis. A stepper motor for driving the belt to rotate is provided at the bottom of the intermediate support storage frame. A plate frame is fixedly clamped on the belt. Multiple support bars are fixedly installed on the plate frame. The support bars are all arranged on the outside of the push plate. A seventh cylinder arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed inside the intermediate support storage frame. The piston rod of the seventh cylinder is fastened to the push plate. The arrangement height of the push plate is higher than the arrangement height of the horizontal conveying frame.

[0018] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a method for conveying and transferring paper cups in a central carrier, the method comprising: S1. Place the paper cup body around the mold liner, and use two semi-clamping fixtures to shape the outer circumferential panel of the paper cup body. Then, after the paper cup body is fed into the mold sleeve, the shaping round plate shapes the bottom panel of the paper cup body as the turntable rotates intermittently. S2. The first pneumatic suction cup in the central conveying area picks up the inner side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body. The piston rod of the third cylinder drives the fourth cylinder to change from being arranged along the X-axis to being arranged along the Z-axis. Under the combined drive of the three-axis module and the fifth cylinder, the second pneumatic suction cup on the transfer bracket picks up the outer side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body and sends the paper cup body into the inner side of the elastic clamping strip in the vertical storage area, thereby transferring the paper cup body from the central conveying area to the vertical storage area. S3. The sixth cylinder drives the top plate and the long strip plate to move along the X-axis direction. The push rod pushes the paper cup body through the round hole through the base plate, so that the paper cup body is placed on the support strip, thereby pushing the paper cup body from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area. S4. By controlling the belt rotation, the arrangement height of the board frame is adjusted, and the push plate is driven by the seventh cylinder to move along the X-axis, so that the push plate pushes the paper cup body from the vertical conveying area to the horizontal conveying frame, so that the horizontal conveying frame performs horizontal conveying operation of the paper cup body along the X-axis.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention integrates two major functional modules on the transfer frame: outer peripheral shaping and bottom shaping. Outer peripheral shaping uses a DC motor to drive a semi-closed clamping fixture to close the mold, applying uniform radial pressure to the outer peripheral wall of the paper cup body, effectively eliminating residual circumferential stress after molding. Bottom shaping is achieved by five second cylinders arranged circumferentially along the turntable, driving a shaping disc to complete five stages of progressive pressing as the paper cup rotates intermittently with the turntable, ensuring a sufficiently stable bottom shape. All of the above shaping processes are completed inside the transfer frame. The shaped paper cup directly enters the central conveyor area, eliminating the need for secondary transfer between independent shaping equipment and conveying devices. This fundamentally avoids the risk of the paper cup bending or warping again in its semi-finished state due to external forces such as wind pushing, belt conveying, or mechanical gripping. The integrated design allows for seamless connection between shaping and transfer. The paper cups have a stable shape and precision when they leave the transfer rack. The shaping effect is not affected by subsequent conveying processes, which greatly improves the consistency and yield of finished products. At the same time, it reduces the equipment footprint and production line complexity, and solves the problem of secondary deformation caused by the separation of shaping and conveying processes in existing technologies.

[0020] 2. This invention designs an intermittent rotation assembly consisting of a half-width gear, a full-width gear, a sector-shaped transmission plate, and a disc bottom structure. The toothed and toothless parts of the half-width gear alternately mesh with and disengage from the full-width gear. When disengaged, the sector-shaped transmission plate is stationary, the second sliding column is located in the circular groove, and the disc and turntable are in a stable stationary phase. When meshed, the sector-shaped transmission plate rotates, the second sliding column slides from the circular groove into the strip groove, and drives the disc to rotate precisely before re-entering the stationary phase. The above-mentioned mechanical intermittent transmission structure instantly cuts off the driving force after each rotation, and achieves self-locking by utilizing the smooth arc surface of the half-width gear and the cooperation of the first sliding column, eliminating the overshoot and jitter phenomena of traditional continuous rotation or linear reciprocating systems during station switching. Furthermore, the first, second, and fourth cylinders and the multi-axis universal arm arranged on the outside of the turntable can sequentially complete the feeding, five bottom pressing, material picking and flipping, and visual inspection within the dwell window period. The timing of each action is closely connected and does not interfere with each other, which greatly improves the positioning accuracy and cycle stability of multi-station collaborative operation.

[0021] 3. This invention establishes a dual-zone linkage mechanism of a vertical storage area and a vertical conveying area within the central storage rack. In the vertical storage area, elastic clamping strips utilize their own elasticity to flexibly clamp and stack the paper cups. Driven by the sixth cylinder, a pusher rod guides the paper cups through the circular holes in the substrate along the X-axis. The axial pushing force coincides with the paper cup's axis, eliminating the risk of cup tilting during the pushing process. In the vertical conveying area, a belt, driven by a stepper motor, precisely adjusts the height of the rack, allowing multiple support strips to successively support the paper cups falling from the vertical storage area. Each support strip provides uniform support to the outer periphery of the paper cup, preventing localized deformation of thin-walled paper cups under pressure. Subsequently, the seventh cylinder drives a pusher plate to horizontally push the paper cups to the horizontal conveying rack along the X-axis. During the pushing process, the bottom of the paper cup maintains surface contact with the support strips until it smoothly transitions to the conveyor belt surface. The above-described complete process, from elastic clamping to layer-by-layer transfer and stable horizontal output, ensures that the paper cups are subjected to reasonable force direction and stable and reliable support throughout the entire stacking and output process. This eliminates the skewing and jamming caused by improper pushing force direction or unstable support in the intermediate transfer process of traditional independent stacking and output modules, thus ensuring the continuity of conveying and the yield rate. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall device structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the top structure of the transfer frame of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement structure of the circular and square through slots of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the transfer frame of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the semi-closed clamp installation structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the housing mounting structure of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the follower shaft and the power shaft of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the intermittent rotation component of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the second sliding column auxiliary structure of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the first pneumatic suction cup mounting structure of the present invention; Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the transfer bracket of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the fifth cylinder mounting structure of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the top plate and the base plate of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic clamping strip installation structure of the present invention; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the plate frame mounting structure of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Gantry, 2. Transfer frame, 3. Horizontal conveyor frame, 4. Turntable, 5. Three-axis module, 6. Central support rack, 7. Transfer bracket, 8. Paper cup body, 9. Push rod, 10. Push plate, 11. First cylinder, 12. Mold liner, 13. Mold sleeve, 14. Circular through slot, 15. First support, 16. Second cylinder, 17. Shaping circular plate, 18. Base, 19. Multi-axis universal arm, 20. Camera carrier plate, 21. Square through slot, 22. Carrier plate, 23. DC motor, 24. Clamping plate, 25. Transmission plate, 26. Semi-closed clamp, 27. Housing, 28. Disc, 29. Follower shaft, 30. Power shaft, 31. Bracket, 32. Asynchronous motor assembly, 33. Intermittent rotation component, 330 1. Half-width gear; 3302. Force transmission shaft; 3303. Full-width gear; 3304. Sector-shaped transmission plate; 3305. Circular groove; 3306. Strip-shaped slide groove; 3307. First sliding column; 3308. Second sliding column; 34. Second support; 35. Third cylinder; 36. Transmission gear; 37. Support plate; 38. Fourth cylinder; 39. First pneumatic suction cup; 40. Third support; 41. Fifth cylinder; 42. Rotary seat; 43. Second pneumatic suction cup; 44. Sliding rod; 45. Sliding block; 46. Top plate; 47. Sixth cylinder; 48. Long strip plate; 49. Base plate; 50. Circular hole; 51. Elastic clamping strip; 52. Belt; 53. Stepper motor; 54. Plate frame; 55. Support strip; 56. Seventh cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0024] This specific embodiment provides a central conveying device for paper cup production, such as... Figures 1-15As shown, the system includes a gantry frame 1, which serves as the main support. The gantry frame 1 is welded from high-strength steel profiles, and its bottom is fixed to the workshop floor by universal locking wheels to ensure the rigidity and stability of the entire machine during high-speed operation. The span of the gantry frame 1 is determined according to the actual layout of the production line, and a transfer frame 2 and a horizontal conveyor frame 3 are respectively installed at its two ends. The transfer frame 2 is a frame structure with a platform on top, used to support the forming and preliminary shaping of paper cups. The horizontal conveyor frame 3 is an independent belt conveyor module, with a conveyor belt running along the X-axis inside, used to continuously feed the stacked paper cup bodies 8 to subsequent packaging equipment.

[0025] The transfer frame 2 is equipped with an intermittently rotating turntable 4. The turntable 4 has a circular, disc-shaped structure. The space above the turntable 4 is defined as the paper cup forming area, where all actions for shaping the outer and bottom panels of the paper cup are completed. The outer area of ​​the turntable 4 is defined as the intermediate conveying area, located on the side of the transfer frame 2 closest to the gantry frame 1. This area is used to remove the shaped paper cup body 8 from the turntable 4 and perform a rotation, preparing it for subsequent transfer. A three-axis module 5 is installed on the top of the gantry frame 1. This module 5 is a commercially available standard gantry-type linear motion module, equipped with high-precision ball screws and servo motors in the X, Y, and Z axes, providing high-speed, high-precision spatial positioning capabilities. An intermediate storage rack 6 is located inside the gantry frame 1. This rack is a vertical frame structure, welded from stainless steel plates. Its interior is divided into a vertical storage area and a vertical conveying area along the X-axis from front to rear. The vertical storage area is used for batch temporary storage of paper cup bodies 8 that have completed their shaping but have not yet entered the horizontal conveying area. The vertical conveying area is used to transport the paper cup bodies 8 to a height flush with the horizontal conveyor frame 3. The Z-axis motion end of the three-axis module 5 is equipped with a transfer bracket 7; the transfer bracket 7 has a frame structure, and its lower surface has multiple vacuum suction cup mounting positions arranged in an array. As the core execution component, the transfer bracket 7 is responsible for batch grabbing and transferring the paper cup bodies 8 from the central conveying area to the vertical storage area.

[0026] To ensure the orderly flow of the paper cup body 8 within the storage rack, the central storage rack 6 is equipped with push rods 9 and push plates 10 that move along the X-axis. Push rods 9 consist of multiple parallel cylindrical rods with guide rounded corners at their front ends, used to smoothly push the paper cup body 8 from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area. Push plate 10 is a rectangular flat plate with a polyurethane buffer layer adhered to its surface to prevent scratching the surface of the paper cup body 8 during the pushing process. Push plate 10 is responsible for ultimately pushing the paper cup body 8 from the vertical conveying area to the horizontal conveying rack 3, thus completing the entire closed-loop flow. Push rods 9 and push plates 10 are spatially arranged at different heights, and their pushing strokes along the X-axis are staggered, ensuring no temporal interference and guaranteeing the unidirectional and orderly flow of the paper cup body 8 between the vertical storage area and the vertical conveying area.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 A first cylinder 11, arranged along the Y-axis, is fixedly mounted on the transfer frame 2. This first cylinder 11 is a double-acting standard cylinder, and its cylinder body is securely connected to the frame plate of the transfer frame 2 via an L-shaped mounting bracket. A mold liner 12 is securely connected to the piston rod end of the first cylinder 11 via a floating joint. The floating joint compensates for the coaxiality error between the piston rod and the mold liner 12, preventing piston rod bending or premature wear of the seals due to installation deviations. The mold liner 12 is a frustoconical metal block whose outer diameter matches the inner diameter of the paper cup body 8. Its outer surface is mirror-polished and plated with a hard chrome layer, ensuring a surface roughness Ra value of no more than 0.4 μm. In the initial state, the paper cup body 8 is fitted around the mold liner 12, with the outer peripheral wall of the mold liner 12 fitting against the inner peripheral wall of the paper cup body 8, providing internal support. The upper end face of the mold liner 12 is machined with a tapered guide angle to facilitate smooth fitting of the paper cup body 8.

[0028] To achieve the shaping of the outer perimeter panel of the paper cup body 8, such as Figures 3 to 5As shown, the transfer frame 2 has a square through slot 21. This square through slot 21 extends vertically through the frame plate of the transfer frame 2. The frame of the transfer frame 2 is bolted to a carrier plate 22, which is a vertically arranged rectangular steel plate. Two symmetrically arranged DC motors 23 are fixedly mounted on the carrier plate 22. Both DC motors 23 are miniature brushed DC geared motors with a rated voltage of 24V and an output speed of 30rpm. Each motor's output shaft has a flat keyway. A clamping plate 24 is fixedly clamped to the output shaft of each DC motor 23. The clamping plate 24 is a long strip of metal, and its internal mounting holes are connected to the output shaft of the DC motor 23 via a key. Each clamping plate 24 is hinged to a transmission plate 25 via a pin. The transmission plate 25 is a long strip of connecting rod with hinge holes at both ends. Two semi-closed clamps 26 are hinged together by a common pin, and the bottom of each semi-closed clamp 26 is hinged to a transmission plate 25 by a pin. The semi-closed clamps 26 have a semi-frustum-shaped structure, with their inner walls machined with a tapered surface matching the outer circumference of the paper cup body 8. A silicone pad is covered on the surface to protect the surface of the paper cup body 8 from damage during pressure application. When the two DC motors 23 start synchronously and their output shafts rotate in opposite directions, the two semi-closed clamps 26 are driven to rotate in opposite directions around the common hinge pin and eventually close, completely enclosing the outer circumference of the paper cup body 8, thus achieving precise pressure and shaping of the outer circumference panel. During the shaping process, the silicone pad undergoes uniform elastic deformation, evenly transmitting pressure to the entire outer circumference of the paper cup body 8, effectively eliminating residual circumferential stress after the paper cup body 8 is formed. After the shaping is completed, the DC motor 23 reverses, and the semi-closed clamp 26 opens and retracts into the square through slot 21. The opening angle of the semi-closed clamp 26 is determined by the length of the transmission plate 25 and the rotation angle of the clamping plate 24, which is used to ensure that the paper cup body 8 can be released from the wrapping area of ​​the semi-closed clamp 26 without interference.

[0029] After the outer periphery is shaped, the piston rod of the first cylinder 11 extends, pushing the paper cup body 8 along the Y-axis into the mold sleeve 13 fixedly installed on the turntable 4. The mold sleeve 13 has a double-layer cylindrical structure, with an outer stainless steel support shell and an inner copper alloy guide sleeve, forming an annular air cavity between the inner and outer layers. The end of the mold sleeve 13 is machined with a tapered support surface that matches the bottom shape of the paper cup body 8. Multiple circumferentially evenly distributed air holes are opened on the side wall of the mold sleeve 13. These air holes are connected to the annular air cavity, which is connected to an external air source device through a pipeline, i.e., the mold sleeve 13 is equipped with a pneumatic interface. When the external air source device is started, a negative pressure is formed in the annular air cavity, which firmly adsorbs the outer wall of the paper cup body 8 onto the inner wall of the mold sleeve 13 through the air holes, and separates it from the mold liner 12. The inner wall of the mold sleeve 13 is also processed with fine annular textures to increase the coefficient of friction with the outer wall of the paper cup body 8 during adsorption, and to prevent the paper cup body 8 from moving axially during the rotation of the turntable 4.

[0030] Subsequently, the shaping components on the transfer rack 2 shape the bottom surface of the paper cup body 8. Please refer to... Figure 3 The top of the transfer frame 2 has a circular through slot 14 for accommodating the turntable 4. The diameter of the circular through slot 14 is larger than the diameter of the turntable 4, with a uniform gap of 3mm to 5mm between them to ensure that the turntable 4 does not come into contact with the through slot wall during intermittent rotation. Multiple first supports 15 are arranged circumferentially on the outside of the circular through slot 14; in this embodiment, five are provided. Each first support 15 is an inverted L-shaped cast aluminum part, fastened to the table surface of the transfer frame 2 by hexagonal bolts. A second cylinder 16 is embedded in the horizontal arm of each first support 15. The second cylinder 16 is a thin double-acting cylinder with its piston rod extending horizontally outward; the end of the piston rod is fastened to a shaped circular plate 17 by a threaded connection. When the turntable 4 intermittently rotates the mold sleeve 13, which holds the paper cup body 8, to each of the second cylinder 16 positions, the piston rod of the second cylinder 16 extends, driving the shaping disc 17 to contact the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8 and applying a preset pressure to the bottom panel. This pressure value is controlled between 0.3MPa and 0.5MPa by adjusting the air supply pressure of the second cylinder 16, and the pressing time is maintained between approximately 0.5 seconds and 1 second, completing the bottom surface shaping. The five second cylinders 16 are arranged sequentially along the rotation direction of the turntable 4, so that the paper cup body 8 undergoes five bottom surface pressings as it passes through the five positions of 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, and 225°, thereby ensuring the sufficiency and uniformity of the bottom surface shaping. It should be noted that the air supply pressure of the five second cylinders 16 can be adjusted independently. The operator can differentiate the pressing force of each position according to the different paper cup materials and thicknesses to achieve the best shaping effect.

[0031] In addition, such as Figure 2As shown, at the 315° station (before the 225° station and after the 270° station), a base 18 is fixedly connected to the transfer frame 2 on the outer side of the turntable 4. The base 18 is a circular steel block, fixed to the table surface of the transfer frame 2 by four bolts. A multi-axis universal arm 19 is mounted on the base 18. The multi-axis universal arm 19 consists of three articulated arms connected by two ball joints, allowing for adjustment and locking at any angle in space. A camera carrier plate 20 is fixedly mounted at the top of the multi-axis universal arm 19, and the camera carrier plate 20 has a standard threaded hole array for mounting an industrial camera. At this station, the industrial camera can perform visual inspection on the paper cup body 8 that has been shaped and flipped to a vertical position to identify defects such as wrinkles, cracks, or stains, providing data support for subsequent quality control.

[0032] To achieve timing coordination of multiple workstations and multiple actions, this invention designs a high-precision intermittent rotation assembly. Please refer to... Figures 6 to 9 The transfer frame 2 has a housing 27 fixedly installed inside. The housing 27 is a cylindrical casting, and its bottom is fastened to the lower crossbeam of the transfer frame 2. A rotating disc 28 is disposed inside the housing 27. The disc 28 is made of high-carbon steel and is hardened to improve surface wear resistance. The gap between its outer diameter and the inner diameter of the housing 27 is controlled between 0.05mm and 0.1mm, constituting a precision sliding fit. A follower shaft 29 is fastened to the top center of the disc 28. The follower shaft 29 extends vertically upwards, and its upper end is fastened to the lower surface of the turntable 4 via a bracket 31. A power shaft 30 is arranged at the bottom of the disc 28, and the power shaft 30 is coaxially arranged with the follower shaft 29. An asynchronous motor assembly 32, which is fastened to the transfer frame 2, is disposed at the bottom of the housing 27. The asynchronous motor assembly 32 is a horizontally mounted geared motor integrated machine. The output end of the asynchronous motor assembly 32 is connected to the bottom end of the power shaft 30 through a flexible coupling.

[0033] An intermittent rotation assembly 33 is arranged at the top of the power shaft 30 and on the bottom side of the disk 28. This assembly specifically includes the following components and their mating relationships. Please refer to the following for details. Figure 8 and Figure 9A half-width gear 3301 is fastened to the periphery of the power shaft 30 via a flat key and an axial retaining ring. The tooth coverage angle of the half-width gear 3301 is approximately 180°, with the remaining 180° being a smooth arc surface without tooth groove machining. A force transmission shaft 3302 is arranged parallel to the side of the power shaft 30. The force transmission shaft 3302 is rotatably mounted in the internal mounting groove of the housing 27 via a seated bearing. A full-width gear 3303, which meshes with the half-width gear 3301, is fitted around the force transmission shaft 3302. The full-width gear 3303 is a complete 360° gear. A sector-shaped transmission plate 3304 is fixedly mounted on the top of the force transmission shaft 3302. The outer arc surface of the sector-shaped transmission plate 3304 is ground, with a surface roughness Ra value not exceeding 0.8μm. A circular groove 3305 is formed on the bottom surface of the disc 28. The center of the circular groove 3305 coincides with the rotation center of the disc 28. The outer periphery of the circular groove 3305 is provided with multiple strip-shaped grooves 3306 that are connected to it and distributed at equal angles. In this embodiment, there are 8 strip-shaped grooves 3306, and the included angle between two adjacent strip-shaped grooves 3306 is 45°. The depth of the strip-shaped grooves 3306 is the same as that of the circular groove 3305, and their side walls are hardened to improve wear resistance. The outer side of the strip-shaped grooves 3306 is provided with multiple first sliding posts 3307 that are fastened to the bottom surface of the disc 28 by threads.

[0034] A second sliding post 3308 is fixedly mounted on the sector-shaped transmission plate 3304. The second sliding post 3308 is arranged on one side of the included angle end of the sector-shaped transmission plate 3304, and its diameter is adapted to the width of the strip-shaped groove 3306, and its height is consistent with the depth of the circular groove 3305. The top of the second sliding post 3308 is rounded to facilitate smooth entry into the strip-shaped groove 3306.

[0035] The working logic of the intermittent rotation component 33 is as follows: the asynchronous motor assembly 32 drives the power shaft 30 and the half-width gear 3301 to rotate continuously at a constant speed. When the smooth arc surface of the half-width gear 3301 is opposite to the full-width gear 3303, the two disengage, and the force transmission shaft 3302 and the sector transmission plate 3304 are in a stationary state. At this time, the second sliding column 3308 is located in the circular groove 3305, without moving any strip groove 3306, and the disc 28 and the turntable 4 are in a stationary phase. As the power shaft 30 continues to rotate, the teeth of the half-width gear 3301 begin to mesh with the full-width gear 3303, driving the full-width gear 3303 to rotate through a certain angle, and the force transmission shaft 3302 drives the sector transmission plate 3304 to rotate synchronously. During the rotation of the sector-shaped transmission plate 3304, its outer arc surface slides in contact with the circumference of the first sliding column 3307, providing guidance and stability. Simultaneously, the second sliding column 3308 slides from the circular groove 3305 into an adjacent strip groove 3306 and slides along the strip groove 3306, thereby causing the disc 28 to rotate by a fixed angle, 45° in this embodiment. When the second sliding column 3308 slides out of the strip groove 3306 and re-enters the circular groove 3305, the teeth of the half-width gear 3301 disengage from the full-width gear 3303, and the disc 28 re-enters the dwell phase. This cycle repeats, achieving a precise and fixed dwell time interval for the turntable 4 after each 45° rotation. This dwell time is determined by the arc length of the toothless portion of the half-width gear 3301. In this embodiment, the ratio of dwell time to rotation time is 2:1, meaning 1 second of rotation and 2 seconds of dwell time, for a total cycle time of 3 seconds. This intermittent motion method has the advantages of more compact structure, lower manufacturing cost and greater adjustability of dwell time.

[0036] Correspondingly, eight mechanical components are arranged sequentially along the circumference of the outer side of the turntable 4, starting from 0° angle: a first cylinder 11, five second cylinders 16, a fourth cylinder 38, and a multi-axis universal arm 19. Specifically, the first cylinder 11 is positioned at the 0° station and is used to push the mold liner 12 containing the paper cup body 8 into the mold sleeve 13; the five second cylinders 16 are positioned at 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, and 225° stations respectively, and are used to press and shape the bottom surface of the paper cup body 8 five times; the fourth cylinder 38 is positioned at the 270° station and is used to remove the shaped paper cup body 8 from the mold sleeve 13 and flip it over; the multi-axis universal arm 19 is positioned at the 315° station for visual inspection. The angle distribution of the above eight stations perfectly matches the 45° step distance of the intermittent rotation component 33, ensuring that each station has sufficient time to perform actions during its stay on the turntable 4.

[0037] When the paper cup body 8 has completed its shaping and rotated to the 270° position with the turntable 4, it enters the intermediate conveyor area. Please refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 10The intermediate conveying area includes a second support 34 fixedly connected to the top platform of the transfer frame 2. A third cylinder 35, arranged along the X-axis, is fixedly installed inside the second support 34. A transmission gear 36 is also rotatably mounted inside the second support 34. The transmission gear 36 is mounted via a shaft passing through both sides of the second support 34. Deep groove ball bearings are fitted at both ends of the shaft to ensure flexible rotation. The tooth surface of the transmission gear 36 meshes perpendicularly with a rack segment mounted on the piston rod end of the third cylinder 35, forming a rack and pinion transmission pair. When the piston rod of the third cylinder 35 extends or retracts along the X-axis, it drives the transmission gear 36 to rotate forward and backward around its shaft, with a rotation angle range of 0° to 90°. A support plate 37 is fixedly connected to the outside of the transmission gear 36, and the support plate 37 is fixed to the end face of the transmission gear 36. A fourth cylinder 38 is fixedly installed on the side of the support plate 37. The fourth cylinder 38 is a double-acting cylinder, and its piston rod end is fastened with a first pneumatic suction cup 39 for sucking up the paper cup body 8 through a quick-change connector. The first pneumatic suction cup 39 is a corrugated tube type vacuum suction cup.

[0038] At the 270° workstation, when the turntable 4 is stationary, the paper cup body 8 in the mold sleeve 13 has completed the shaping of its entire bottom surface, and the pneumatic interface of the mold sleeve 13 is switched to the blowing state, i.e., the vacuum adsorption is released, and a slight positive pressure is applied to help the paper cup body 8 detach. At this time, the piston rod of the fourth cylinder 38 is in the extended state, and the first pneumatic suction cup 39 extends into the interior of the paper cup body 8, contacts the inner side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8, and initiates vacuum adsorption. Subsequently, the piston rod of the third cylinder 35 moves, driving the support plate 37 and the fourth cylinder 38 to rotate upward 90° along the Y-axis direction through gear and rack transmission, so that the fourth cylinder 38 changes from a horizontal state to a vertical state, with its piston rod pointing vertically upward, and the paper cup body 8 adsorbed by the first pneumatic suction cup 39 rotates accordingly. In this posture, it is convenient for the subsequent transfer bracket 7 to grasp it. Meanwhile, at the 315° workstation, the industrial camera installed on the camera carrier plate 20 at the top of the multi-axis universal arm 19 can acquire side wall images of the paper cup body 8 in this posture, realizing online inspection of appearance quality.

[0039] like Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, a third support 40 is fixedly installed on the Z-axis moving end of the three-axis module 5. A fifth cylinder 41 arranged along the Z-axis is installed on the third support 40. The fifth cylinder 41 is a double-guide rod cylinder. The piston rod end of the fifth cylinder 41 is hinged to a rotating seat 42 by a pin. The rotating seat 42 is hinged to the piston rod end of the fifth cylinder 41 by a horizontal pin, so that the rotating seat 42 can swing around the horizontal pin in the vertical plane. The rotating seat 42 is bolted to the transfer bracket 7. The transfer bracket 7 is a rectangular frame on which multiple second pneumatic suction cups 43 are installed. The number of second pneumatic suction cups 43 corresponds one-to-one with the number of circular holes 50 on the substrate 49 in the vertical storage area. In this embodiment, there are twelve, arranged in a three-row, four-column matrix. The diameter of the suction cups of the second pneumatic suction cups 43 is smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8, and is used to adsorb the outer side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8.

[0040] The transfer bracket 7 has two working postures: horizontal and vertical. In the horizontal posture, the lower surface of the transfer bracket 7 is parallel to the ground, and all the second pneumatic suction cups 43 are vertically downward. In the vertical posture, the transfer bracket 7 rotates 90° around the hinge pin of the rotating seat 42, its lower surface is perpendicular to the ground, and all the second pneumatic suction cups 43 are horizontally oriented to the side. The posture switching is controlled by the extension and retraction of the piston rod of the fifth cylinder 41; when the piston rod of the fifth cylinder 41 extends, the rotating seat 42 swings forward around the pin, so that the transfer bracket 7 is in the horizontal posture; when the piston rod retracts, the rotating seat 42 swings in the reverse direction, so that the transfer bracket 7 switches to the vertical posture. During operation, the three-axis module 5 first drives the transfer bracket 7, which is in the horizontal posture, to move above the middle support conveying area, so that the second pneumatic suction cups 43 are facing the outer side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8 with the cup opening facing upward after flipping; the fifth cylinder 41 drives the transfer bracket 7 downward, and the second pneumatic suction cups 43 contact the bottom surface of the paper cup body 8 and start suction. After adsorption is complete, the piston rod of the fifth cylinder 41 retracts, causing the transfer bracket 7 to switch to a vertical posture. At this time, the opening of the paper cup body 8 faces the horizontal direction, i.e., towards the central support storage rack 6. Subsequently, the three-axis module 5 carries the transfer bracket 7 and the paper cup body 8 along the X and Z axes, delivering the paper cup body 8 into the vertical storage area of ​​the central support storage rack 6. Throughout the process, the X and Z axes of the three-axis module 5 move in tandem to ensure that the paper cup body 8 does not collide with the substrate 49 when entering the storage area.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 13 and Figure 14The core component within the vertical storage area is a base plate 49 fixedly installed inside the intermediate storage rack 6. The base plate 49 is an aluminum alloy flat plate, with its four corners securely connected to the side walls of the intermediate storage rack 6 via L-shaped corner brackets. After installation, the base plate 49 is in a vertical position. The base plate 49 has multiple circular holes 50 for the paper cup body 8 to pass through. The diameter of the circular holes 50 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the paper cup body 8 to ensure that the paper cup body 8 can pass through without obstruction. In this embodiment, there are twelve circular holes 50 arranged in a three-row, four-column matrix, their positions corresponding one-to-one with the arrangement of the second pneumatic suction cups 43 on the transfer bracket 7. Each circular hole 50 is surrounded by multiple circumferentially spaced elastic clamping strips 51. One end of each elastic clamping strip 51 is fixedly connected to the inner side wall of the base plate 49 by rivets, and the other end extends cantilevered outwards from the circular hole 50 and is slightly bent to form a claw-like structure. Four elastic clamping strips 51 are evenly distributed around the circular hole 50, forming a circular channel. When the transfer bracket 7 pushes the paper cup body 8 into the circular hole 50, the edge of the cup body 8 contacts the elastic clamping strips 51, forcing the elastic clamping strips 51 to elastically open outward. After the paper cup body 8 passes through, the elastic clamping strips 51 return to their original position. Multiple paper cup bodies 8 can be stacked sequentially in the same circular hole 50 to form a stack of paper cups.

[0042] When the number of paper cup bodies 8 in a certain circular hole 50 reaches a preset saturation value, a workstation change is required. A sliding rod 44 arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed at the top of the intermediate support storage rack 6. The sliding rod 44 consists of two parallel chrome-plated tubes, each with a sliding seat 45 slidably fitted on it. The sliding seat 45 is a linear bearing seat containing a self-lubricating linear bearing. A top plate 46 is bolted to the top of the sliding seat 45. The top plate 46 is a rectangular steel plate. A sixth cylinder 47 arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed on the side of the top of the intermediate support storage rack 6. The sixth cylinder 47 is a double-acting cylinder, and its piston rod end is fastened to the side end face of the top plate 46 via a floating joint. When the piston rod of the sixth cylinder 47 extends or retracts, it drives the top plate 46 and the fixed sliding seat 45 to slide back and forth along the sliding rod 44 in the X-axis direction. Several long strips 48 are fixedly suspended at the bottom of the top plate 46. There are four long strips 48, arranged at equal intervals along the Y-axis. Each long strip 48 has multiple push rods 9 fixedly mounted on its surface. The push rods 9 are cylindrical plastic rods, and their positions correspond one-to-one with the circular holes 50 on the base plate 49. When the top plate 46 moves along the positive X-axis under the drive of the sixth cylinder 47, the push rods 9 pass through the circular holes 50, pushing the stacked paper cup bodies 8 inside it out one by one out of the clamping range of the elastic clamping strips 51.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 15The paper cup body 8 falls into the vertical conveying area after passing through the circular hole 50 of the substrate 49. The vertical conveying area is arranged inside the intermediate support frame 6 and is located directly below the substrate 49. A belt 52 arranged along the Z-axis is rotatably installed in the vertical conveying area. The belt 52 is a synchronous toothed belt, which is wound around two synchronous pulleys. The upper pulley is installed on the top crossbeam of the intermediate support frame 6, and the lower pulley is installed on the bottom crossbeam of the intermediate support frame 6. A stepper motor 53 is provided at the bottom of the intermediate support frame 6. The output shaft of the stepper motor 53 is connected to the axle of the lower pulley through a coupling to drive the belt 52 to make precise stepping rotation. A plate frame 54 is fixedly clamped on the belt 52 by a special clamping block. Multiple layers of support bars 55 are fixedly installed on the plate frame 54. The support bars 55 are arranged at equal intervals along the Z-axis on the plate frame 54, and the layer spacing is greater than the maximum outer diameter of a single paper cup body 8. The arrangement of each layer of support bars 55 corresponds to the pushing height range of the pusher plate 10. Initially, the plate frame 54 is at its highest position, and the uppermost support bar 55 is flush with the lower edge of the circular hole 50 on the substrate 49. The paper cup body 8 pushed out by the pusher rod 9 falls exactly on this layer of support bar 55. As this layer of paper cup body 8 is pushed away by the pusher plate 10, the stepper motor 53 drives the belt 52 to rotate one layer interval, causing the next layer of support bar 55 to rise to the receiving position, and so on, moving down layer by layer.

[0044] The push plate 10 is positioned at a height higher than the horizontal conveyor frame 3. The push plate 10 is fixedly mounted on the end of the piston rod of the seventh cylinder 56. The seventh cylinder 56 is arranged along the X-axis inside the intermediate support storage frame 6, and its cylinder body is fixed to the side wall of the intermediate support storage frame 6 via a mounting base. The seventh cylinder 56 is a double-acting cylinder, with its piston rod extending towards the horizontal conveyor frame 3. When the plate frame 54 is adjusted to its position, the piston rod of the seventh cylinder 56 extends, driving the push plate 10 to move along the X-axis. The front end of the push plate 10 contacts the bottom of the paper cup body 8, pushing it horizontally off the support bar 55 and onto the conveyor belt surface of the horizontal conveyor frame 3. After the push plate 10 completes one push, the piston rod retracts, awaiting the next push command.

[0045] The horizontal conveyor frame 3 is an independent belt conveyor module. Its frame is constructed of aluminum alloy profiles, and the conveyor belt is a flat PVC belt with an anti-slip pattern. It can be driven by an AC geared motor. When the paper cup body 8 is pushed onto the conveyor belt by the pusher plate 10, the paper cup body 8 lands smoothly on the conveyor belt and moves along the X-axis to the subsequent packaging equipment. The horizontal conveyor frame 3 is equipped with guide plates to prevent skewing.

[0046] The foregoing has described in detail an embodiment of a central conveyor system for paper cup production. Based on the central conveyor system for paper cup production described in the above embodiment, this invention also provides a corresponding central conveyor system method for paper cup production, comprising the following steps: S1: The paper cup body 8 is placed around the mold liner 12. The DC motor 23 drives the semi-closed clamp 26 to close the mold and shape the outer panel of the paper cup body 8. Then, the first cylinder 11 sends the paper cup body 8 into the mold sleeve 13. The turntable 4 passes through multiple second cylinder 16 stations in sequence under the drive of the intermittent rotation component 33, so that the shaping round plate 17 presses and shapes the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8 at multiple angles.

[0047] S2: After the shaping is completed, the first pneumatic suction cup 39 in the central conveying area picks up the inner side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8, and flips the paper cup body 8 to a vertical state through the cooperation of the third cylinder 35 and the transmission gear 36; then, through the joint drive of the three-axis module 5 and the fifth cylinder 41, the second pneumatic suction cup 43 on the transfer bracket 7 picks up the outer side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body 8, and sends the paper cup body 8 into the inner side of the elastic clamping strip 51 in the vertical storage area, completing the transfer from the central conveying area to the vertical storage area.

[0048] S3: The sixth cylinder 47 drives the top plate 46 and the long strip plate 48 to move along the X-axis direction. The push rod 9 pushes the paper cup body 8 through the round hole 50 through the base plate 49, so that the paper cup body 8 is placed on the support bar 55, thereby pushing the paper cup body 8 from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area.

[0049] S4: By controlling the rotation of the belt 52, the arrangement height of the plate frame 54 is adjusted so that the push plate 10 is flush with the paper cup body 8. The push plate 10 is driven to move along the X-axis direction by the seventh cylinder 56, pushing the paper cup body 8 from the vertical conveying area to the horizontal conveying frame 3. The horizontal conveying frame 3 completes the final horizontal conveying operation along the X-axis direction.

[0050] Compared with existing technologies, this invention addresses industry challenges such as insufficient integration, lack of synchronous shaping function during paper cup production and conveying, poor accuracy of workstation switching, and poor reliability of stacked output. Through a series of innovative mechanical structure and control system designs, it achieves revolutionary performance improvements.

[0051] Firstly, by integrating the outer peripheral shaping mechanism of the semi-clamping fixture 26 and the bottom shaping mechanism driven by five second cylinders 16 onto the transfer frame 2, the paper cup body 8 sequentially completes the outer peripheral panel shaping and five bottom surface pressing shaping within the transfer frame 2. After shaping, it directly enters the intermediate conveyor area without intermediate transfer steps. This highly integrated process design fundamentally avoids the risk of bending and local warping of the paper cup due to secondary transfer between independent shaping equipment and conveying devices, ensuring that the paper cup maintains stable shape accuracy throughout the entire transfer process, significantly improving the consistency of the shaping effect and the yield rate.

[0052] Meanwhile, the intermittent rotation assembly 33 of this invention, composed of a half-width gear 3301, a full-width gear 3303, a sector-shaped transmission plate 3304, a circular groove 3305, and a strip-shaped slide 3306, enables the turntable 4 to rotate intermittently in precise 45° increments by alternating engagement and disengagement of the toothed and toothless portions of the half-width gear 3301, in conjunction with the alternating sliding in and out of the second slide column 3308 between the circular groove 3305 and the strip-shaped slide 3306. The rotational driving force is instantly cut off after each rotation, achieving a stable stationary state. This mechanical self-locking mechanism eliminates the overshoot and jitter phenomena that occur during station switching in traditional continuous rotation or linear reciprocating systems, allowing each station mechanism to complete precise shaping operations within a window of absolute stillness, significantly improving the positioning accuracy and cycle stability of multi-station collaborative operations. The eight mechanical components arranged on the outer side of the turntable 4 each perform their respective functions and are closely linked in sequence, realizing efficient and coordinated operation of the entire process of outer perimeter shaping, five bottom surface pressing, material handling in the middle support, and visual inspection.

[0053] Furthermore, this invention establishes a dual-zone linkage mechanism between the vertical storage area and the vertical conveying area within the intermediate support rack 6. The elastic clamping bar 51 enables the elastic clamping and stacking of paper cups, the push rod 9 completes the axial fixed-point pushing, the belt 52 and stepper motor 53 precisely adjust the support height of the support bar 55, and the push plate 10 finally pushes the paper cups horizontally into the horizontal conveying rack 3. Throughout the stacking and transfer process, the paper cups maintain an upright posture, and the pushing force direction is consistent with the paper cup's axial direction, eliminating the cup tilting and jamming phenomena caused by improper pushing force direction or unstable support in the intermediate transfer stage of traditional independent stacking and output modules. The layer-by-layer support design of the support bar 55 ensures uniform and stable support for various specifications of products, from thin-walled lightweight paper cups to thick-walled heavy-duty paper cups, preventing localized pressure deformation and achieving a smooth and reliable transition of the paper cups from the stacking area to the horizontal conveying rack.

[0054] Finally, this device also demonstrates superior process adaptability and technological foresight. Operators can flexibly adjust the air supply pressure of the five second cylinders 16 to change the bottom-forming pressing force according to the taper, wall thickness, and diameter specifications of different paper cups, ensuring optimal matching of forming parameters. Simultaneously, by adjusting the motion path of the three-axis module 5 and the adsorption parameters of the transfer bracket 7, it can easily adapt to the gripping and transfer needs of paper cups of different sizes. The aforementioned modular and adjustable parameter design concept gives this device strong continuous adaptability, easily compatible with the production processes of more paper cup specifications in the future, demonstrating a long equipment lifespan and broad market promotion value. In conclusion, this invention has very broad application prospects.

[0055] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A transshipment and conveying device for paper cup production, comprising a gantry (1), characterized in that, The gantry (1) is equipped with a transfer frame (2) and a horizontal conveyor frame (3) at both ends. A rotating turntable (4) is installed inside the transfer frame (2). Above the turntable (4) is a paper cup forming area, and outside the turntable (4) is a central conveyor area. A three-axis module (5) is installed on the top of the gantry (1). A central storage rack (6) is installed inside the gantry (1). The central storage rack (6) contains a vertical storage area and a vertical conveyor area. The Z-axis moving end of the three-axis module (5) is equipped with a transfer bracket (7). The transfer bracket (7) is used to transfer the paper cup body (8) from the central support conveying area to the vertical storage area. The central support storage frame (6) is provided with a push rod (9) and a push plate (10) that move along the X-axis. The push rod (9) is used to push the paper cup body (8) from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area. The push plate (10) is used to push the paper cup body (8) from the vertical conveying area to the horizontal conveying frame (3).

2. The paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer frame (2) is fixedly installed with a first cylinder (11) arranged along the Y-axis. The piston rod end of the first cylinder (11) is fastened to a mold liner (12). The mold liner (12) is used to support the paper cup body (8). The turntable (4) is fixedly installed with a mold sleeve (13). The mold sleeve (13) has a two-layer structure and is equipped with a pneumatic interface. The mold sleeve (13) is used to cover and adsorb the paper cup body (8). The top of the transfer frame (2) is provided with a circular through groove (14) for accommodating the turntable (4). The outer side of the circular through groove (14) is provided with a plurality of first supports (15) distributed along the circumference. Each first support (15) is equipped with a second cylinder (16). The piston rod end of the second cylinder (16) is fastened to a shaping circular plate (17). The shaping circular plate (17) is used to shape the bottom surface of the paper cup body (8).

3. The paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The turntable (4) has a base (18) that is fastened to the transfer frame (2) on its outer side. A multi-axis universal arm (19) is installed on the base (18), and a camera carrier plate (20) is fastened to the top of the multi-axis universal arm (19). A square through slot (21) is provided below the mold liner (12) on the transfer frame (2). A carrier plate (22) is fixedly suspended on the inner side of the transfer frame (2), and two DC power supplies are fixedly installed on the side of the carrier plate (22). The motor (23) has a clamping plate (24) fixedly clamped around the output shaft of each DC motor (23). The two clamping plates (24) are arranged symmetrically and are hinged to the transmission plates (25) by pins. The inner side of the square through slot (21) is provided with two semi-closed clamps (26) that are hinged to each other by pins. The bottom of each semi-closed clamp (26) is hinged to the two transmission plates (25) by pins. The two semi-closed clamps (26) are combined to shape the outer circumference of the paper cup body (8).

4. The paper cup production intermediate conveyor device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal housing (27) of the transfer frame (2) is fixedly installed. A rotating disk (28) is provided inside the housing (27). A follower shaft (29) is fastened to the top of the disk (28). A power shaft (30) is arranged at the bottom of the disk (28). A bracket (31) that is fastened to the turntable (4) is fixedly installed at the top of the follower shaft (29). An asynchronous motor assembly (32) that is fastened to the transfer frame (2) is provided at the bottom of the housing (27). The output shaft end of the asynchronous motor assembly (32) is connected to the bottom end of the power shaft (30). An intermittent rotation component (33) is arranged at the top of the power shaft (30) and the bottom side of the disk (28). The intermittent rotation component (33) is used to drive the disk (28) to rotate intermittently.

5. A paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The intermittent rotation assembly (33) includes a half-width gear (3301) fastened to the periphery of the power shaft (30). A force transmission shaft (3302) is arranged parallel to the side of the power shaft (30). A full-width gear (3303) meshes with the half-width gear (3301) and drives the force transmission shaft (3302). A fan-shaped transmission plate (3304) is fixedly installed at the top of the force transmission shaft (3302). A circular groove (3305) is formed on the bottom surface of the disc (28). Multiple strip-shaped grooves (3306) communicating with and distributed at equal angles are provided around the circular groove (3305). Multiple first sliding pillars (3307) are provided on the outer side of the groove (3306) and are fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the disc (28). When the fan-shaped transmission plate (3304) rotates, the circumferential surface of the first sliding pillar (3307) slides in cooperation with the arc surface of the fan-shaped transmission plate (3304). A second sliding pillar (3308) is fixedly provided on the fan-shaped transmission plate (3304). The second sliding pillar (3308) is arranged on one side of the included angle end of the fan-shaped transmission plate (3304). When the fan-shaped transmission plate (3304) rotates, the second sliding pillar (3308) enters the strip groove (3306) from the circular groove (3305) and slides in cooperation with it.

6. The paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The middle conveying area includes a second support (34) that is fastened to the top of the transfer frame (2). A third cylinder (35) arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed in the second support (34). A transmission gear (36) is rotatably arranged in the second support (34). The transmission gear (36) meshes perpendicularly with the piston rod of the third cylinder (35). A support plate (37) is fastened to the outside of the transmission gear (36). A fourth cylinder (38) is fixedly installed on the side of the support plate (37). A first pneumatic suction cup (39) for sucking up the paper cup body (8) is fastened to the end of the piston rod of the fourth cylinder (38).

7. The paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Z-axis moving end of the three-axis module (5) is fixedly mounted with a third support (40), and a fifth cylinder (41) arranged on the Z-axis is mounted on the third support (40). The piston rod end of the fifth cylinder (41) is hinged to a rotating seat (42) by a pin. The rotating seat (42) is tightly connected to the transfer bracket (7). Multiple second pneumatic suction cups (43) are mounted on the transfer bracket (7).

8. The paper cup production intermediate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the storage rack (6) is fixedly installed with a slide rod (44) arranged along the X-axis. A slide seat (45) is slidably fitted on the slide rod (44). A top plate (46) is fixedly installed on the top of the slide seat (45). A sixth cylinder (47) arranged along the X-axis is fixedly installed on the side of the top of the storage rack (6). The piston rod end of the sixth cylinder (47) is fastened to the top plate (46). Multiple long strips (48) are fixedly suspended at the bottom of the top plate (46). The push rod (9) Installed on a long strip (48); a base plate (49) arranged in the vertical storage area is fixedly installed in the central support storage rack (6). The base plate (49) has a plurality of round holes (50) for the paper cup body (8) to pass through. Each round hole (50) is surrounded by a plurality of circumferentially spaced elastic clamping strips (51). One end of the elastic clamping strip (51) is fixedly connected to the inner side wall of the base plate (49), and the other end of the elastic clamping strip (51) extends toward the periphery of the round hole (50).

9. A paper cup production intermediate conveyor device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intermediate support storage rack (6) is rotatably mounted with a belt (52) arranged in the vertical conveying area. The belt (52) is arranged along the Z-axis. The bottom of the intermediate support storage rack (6) is provided with a stepper motor (53) for driving the belt (52) to rotate. A plate frame (54) is fixedly clamped on the belt (52). Multiple support bars (55) are fixedly installed on the plate frame (54). The support bars (55) are all arranged on the outside of the push plate (10). The interior of the intermediate support storage rack (6) is fixedly mounted with a seventh cylinder (56) arranged along the X-axis. The piston rod of the seventh cylinder (56) is fastened to the push plate (10). The arrangement height of the push plate (10) is higher than the arrangement height of the horizontal conveying rack (3).

10. A method for conveying paper cups in production using a central conveyor system, comprising the central conveyor system for paper cup production according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method includes: S1. Place the paper cup body (8) around the mold liner (12), and use two semi-clamping fixtures (26) to shape the outer circumferential panel of the paper cup body (8). Then, after the paper cup body (8) is sent into the mold sleeve (13), the shaping round plate (17) shapes the bottom panel of the paper cup body (8) when the turntable (4) rotates intermittently. S2. The first pneumatic suction cup (39) in the central conveying area picks up the inner side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body (8). The piston rod of the third cylinder (35) drives the fourth cylinder (38) to change from being arranged along the X-axis direction to being arranged along the Z-axis direction. Under the combined drive of the three-axis module (5) and the fifth cylinder (41), the second pneumatic suction cup (43) on the transfer bracket (7) picks up the outer side of the bottom panel of the paper cup body (8) and sends the paper cup body (8) into the inner side of the elastic clamping strip (51) in the vertical storage area, thereby transferring the paper cup body (8) from the central conveying area to the vertical storage area. S3. The sixth cylinder (47) drives the top plate (46) and the long strip plate (48) to move along the X-axis direction. The push rod (9) pushes the paper cup body (8) through the round hole (50) through the base plate (49) so that the paper cup body (8) is placed on the support bar (55), thereby pushing the paper cup body (8) from the vertical storage area to the vertical conveying area. S4. By controlling the rotation of the belt (52), the arrangement height of the plate frame (54) is adjusted, and the push plate (10) is driven to move along the X-axis direction by the seventh cylinder (56), so that the push plate (10) pushes the paper cup body (8) from the vertical conveying area to the horizontal conveying frame (3), so that the horizontal conveying frame (3) performs horizontal conveying operation on the paper cup body (8) along the X-axis direction.

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