An electric energy metering box convenient for automatic assembly

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of electric energy metering boxes, and discloses an electric energy metering box convenient for automatic assembly, which comprises a box body made of metal materials (stainless steel, galvanized iron, aluminum alloy), non-metal materials (PC+ABS, PC+ASA, PC+polyurea, PP+long glass fiber, SMC molding compound), a placing groove is formed in the box body, a fixing plate is arranged in the placing groove, a first fixing groove for clamping an incoming electric wire is formed in the fixing plate, a second fixing groove for clamping a zero line is formed in the fixing plate, a first mounting plate for mounting a power supply element is arranged on the surface of the fixing plate away from the bottom wall of the placing groove, a containing plate is arranged in the placing groove, a third fixing groove for clamping an outgoing electric wire is formed in the containing plate, and a through hole for the electric wire to pass through is formed in the first mounting plate and the third fixing groove. The end position of each electric wire is determined, a manipulator can accurately clamp, and an automatic device can complete the installation of the electric wire.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of electricity metering boxes, and in particular to an electricity metering box that is easy to automate. Background Technology

[0002] An electricity metering box is a box-type equipment or protection device specifically used to install and protect electricity metering instruments (such as electricity meters). The box usually needs to be equipped with multiple wires, such as copper core wires, aluminum core wires, or copper-aluminum transition wires, to achieve electrical connections between devices.

[0003] In related technologies, the electricity metering box includes a box body, and inside the box is a slot for placing electrical components. Multiple wires are placed in the slot. During the installation process, the wires are in a free state and are prone to messy phenomena such as crossing, tangling, and inconsistent directions.

[0004] As the assembly process of electricity metering boxes becomes more automated and efficient, the messy wires cause uncertainty in their end positions and spatial orientations, making it difficult for automated vision systems to reliably identify targets and for end effectors to accurately clamp and connect them. Furthermore, disordered wire bundles can interfere with automated wiring paths, hindering continuous operation. Therefore, relying on existing structures, automated equipment cannot stably and efficiently complete wire installation, still heavily depending on manual sorting and wiring, which is not only inefficient but also makes it difficult to guarantee installation consistency and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem of messy wiring hindering automated installation, this application provides an energy metering box that facilitates automated assembly.

[0006] This application provides an energy metering box that is easy to automate assembly, and adopts the following technical solution: An energy metering box for easy automated assembly includes a box body with a placement slot for power supply components. A fixing plate is provided in the placement slot. The fixing plate has a first fixing slot for clamping the incoming power line and a second fixing slot for clamping the neutral wire. A first mounting plate for mounting the power supply components is provided on the surface of the fixing plate away from the bottom wall of the placement slot. A receiving plate is provided in the placement slot, and a third fixing slot is provided on the receiving plate for clamping the outgoing power line. Both the first mounting plate and the third fixing slot have through holes for the power supply wire to pass through.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the incoming wire and neutral wire are clamped and fixed through the first and second fixing slots on the fixing plate, respectively, thus preventing the wires from being in a free state and eliminating the messy phenomena of wire crossing, tangling, and inconsistent routing. This makes the end position and spatial posture of each wire definite, orderly, and consistent, allowing the automated vision system to clearly and reliably identify each wire end, and the robotic arm to accurately clamp and connect them. At the same time, the perforations on the first mounting plate provide a regular guiding path for the wires, further standardizing the wiring; while the third fixing slot on the receiving plate clamps and fixes the outgoing wire as well, thereby creating a hierarchical and fixed wire layout within the placement slot. This global wire ordering completely eliminates the interference of disordered wire bundles on the automated wiring path, enabling automated equipment to complete the installation and connection of wires stably, continuously, and efficiently, significantly improving assembly efficiency, assembly consistency, and product reliability.

[0008] Optionally, the first fixing groove is provided with a copper-aluminum lug for connecting the incoming wire, the fixing plate is provided with fasteners for fixing the copper-aluminum lug, and the second fixing groove is provided with a busbar for connecting the neutral wire.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, copper-aluminum lugs for connecting the incoming wire are installed in the first fixing slot and fixed with fasteners, while a busbar for connecting the neutral wire is installed in the second fixing slot, achieving a standardized and modular connection terminal for the incoming and neutral wires. This ensures a high degree of uniformity in the position and shape of the wire connection points, completely eliminating the uncertainty of loose wire ends, providing a standardized interface for automated assembly equipment, allowing the vision system to quickly identify the precise positions of the copper-aluminum lugs and busbars, and enabling the end effector to accurately perform picking and tightening operations, significantly improving the first-pass success rate and connection reliability of automated wiring, solving the technological challenges of connecting dissimilar metal wires, and freeing connection quality from dependence on manual skills.

[0010] Optionally, the first mounting plate is provided with a partition, the partition is provided with a mounting component, the partition is located on the side of the first mounting plate away from the fixed plate, and the partition is fixed in the placement groove by the mounting component.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, and by setting a partition on the first mounting plate and installing the partition in the placement slot, the internal installation space is effectively divided. The partition not only provides independent and stable installation areas for different electrical components, preventing accidental interference between wires or structures, but more importantly, it provides clear visual and physical partitioning for the automated assembly process. The robotic arm can use this obvious feature of the partition for positioning and path planning, accurately placing different electrical components into designated areas, realizing parallel or sequential automated assembly of multiple stations and multiple parts, further optimizing assembly cycle time and operational safety.

[0012] Optionally, the fixing plate has a receiving groove that communicates with the first fixing groove, the receiving plate is located in the receiving groove, and the receiving plate is located on the side of the second fixing groove away from the bottom wall of the placement groove.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, a receiving groove is opened on the fixing plate, and the receiving plate for clamping the outgoing wire is placed in the receiving groove, located above the second fixing groove, forming a layered layout of the incoming and outgoing wires in vertical space. This structure isolates different types of wires on different planar layers, physically eliminating the possibility of entanglement, contact, or signal interference between the incoming and outgoing wires. For automated equipment, this clear layered design greatly simplifies the 3D recognition difficulty of the vision system and allows the robot to operate independently at different layer heights without interference, creating conditions for the synchronous or asynchronous automated deployment of multi-layer wire harnesses.

[0014] Optionally, the receiving plate is provided with a second mounting plate, which is located on the side of the receiving plate away from the fixing plate. The second mounting plate is used for mounting electrical components, and the second mounting plate and the first mounting plate are coplanar.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, and by setting a second mounting plate that is coplanar with the first mounting plate, a continuous and flat mounting plane for electrical components is extended above the receiving plate area. This integrated plane eliminates height differences and step differences in the mounting surfaces, greatly facilitating the picking, placing, and installing of components by automated equipment. When the automated robotic arm grasps the component to be installed and moves it towards the plane, the consistent coplanar reference ensures that each component can be accurately and smoothly attached and fixed without the need for complex posture adjustments or height compensation. This not only simplifies automated programming and control but also significantly improves the planar accuracy and speed of assembly.

[0016] Optionally, the first mounting plate and the fixing plate are detachably connected by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes two positioning strips. The positioning strips are disposed on the first mounting plate and are inclined toward the other positioning strip. The fixing plate has a positioning groove for the positioning strips to be inserted. When the positioning strips are inserted into the positioning grooves, the first mounting plate is mounted on the fixing plate.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, during installation, only a pressing force perpendicular to the plate surface needs to be applied. The inclined positioning strip will deform and generate a guiding force to slide into the positioning groove. Once inserted into place, it forms a self-locking mechanism, ensuring a firm and reliable connection. This process is fully compatible with the direct action of automated pressing equipment or robotic arms, eliminating the need for complex operations such as manual alignment and screw tightening. It achieves "one-click installation" in seconds, greatly improving assembly efficiency and connection consistency, and reducing the requirements of automated equipment for complex precision such as torque control.

[0018] Optionally, the fixed plate is provided with an elastic element, and the receiving plate is located on the deformation path of the elastic element; when the receiving plate is installed on the fixed plate, the elastic element compresses the receiving plate.

[0019] By employing the above technical solution, the elastic element installed on the fixed plate applies compressive force during the installation of the receiving plate, effectively eliminating gaps caused by assembly tolerances. This elastic preload not only ensures the receiving plate remains stable and fixed, but also reliably clamps the wires even under vibration or temperature changes, preventing loosening after long-term use. During automated assembly, the compression-rebound characteristics of the elastic element provide immediate tactile or torque feedback. Automated equipment can accurately determine whether the receiving plate is installed in the correct position by detecting positional force or displacement signals, ensuring that the assembly quality is qualified on the first attempt.

[0020] Optionally, the elastic element is located on the moving path of the positioning strip inserting into the positioning groove, and the receiving plate is provided with a positioning hole for the positioning strip to pass through; when the receiving plate is installed on the fixed plate, the positioning hole is located on the moving path of the positioning strip inserting into the positioning groove.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, and by placing the elastic element on the insertion path of the positioning strip, and by opening positioning holes on the receiving plate for the positioning strip to pass through, the installation process of the first mounting plate and the receiving plate is cleverly combined into one. During automated assembly, a single press of the first mounting plate drives the positioning strip to pass through the positioning holes of the receiving plate and insert into the positioning slot of the fixing plate. During this process, the positioning strip presses the receiving plate into place and compresses the elastic element. This "one press, multiple fixations" linkage structure allows two parts that originally needed to be fixed separately to be precisely positioned and reliably locked simultaneously in one stroke, minimizing assembly steps and cycle time. It is a core technical means to improve the continuity of automated assembly and simplify the equipment's motion programming and structure.

[0022] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: The incoming wire and neutral wire are clamped and fixed by the first and second fixing slots on the fixing plate, respectively, preventing the wires from being in a free state and eliminating the messy phenomena of wire crossing, tangling, and inconsistent routing. This makes the end position and spatial posture of each wire definite, orderly, and consistent, allowing the automated vision system to clearly and reliably identify each wire end, and the robotic arm to accurately clamp and connect them. At the same time, the perforations on the first mounting plate provide a neat guiding path for the wires, further standardizing the wiring; while the third fixing slot on the receiving plate clamps and fixes the outgoing wire as well, thus creating a hierarchical and fixed wire layout within the placement slot. This global wire ordering completely eliminates the interference of disordered wire bundles on the automated wiring path, enabling automated equipment to complete the installation and connection of wires stably, continuously, and efficiently, significantly improving assembly efficiency, assembly consistency, and product reliability.

[0023] By placing the elastic element on the insertion path of the positioning strip and creating positioning holes in the receiving plate for the positioning strip to pass through, the installation process of the first mounting plate and the receiving plate is cleverly combined into one. During automated assembly, a single press of the first mounting plate drives the positioning strip to pass through the positioning holes in the receiving plate and insert into the positioning slot of the fixing plate. During this process, the positioning strip presses the receiving plate into place and simultaneously compresses the elastic element. This "one press, multiple fixations" linkage structure allows two parts that originally needed to be fixed separately to be precisely positioned and reliably locked simultaneously in one stroke, minimizing assembly steps and cycle time. It is a core technical means to improve the continuity of automated assembly and simplify the arrangement and structure of equipment actions. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the receiving plate in Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 3 This is an exploded view highlighting the first mounting plate in Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the partition plate in Embodiment 1 of this application; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram highlighting the structure of the first mounting plate in Embodiment 2 of this application; Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the receiving plate in Embodiment 2 of this application; Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Enlarged schematic diagram of part B.

[0025] Reference numerals: 1. Housing; 11. Placement slot; 2. Fixing plate; 21. First fixing slot; 22. Second fixing slot; 23. Copper-aluminum lug; 24. Fastener; 25. Wiring busbar; 26. Receiving slot; 261. Elastic element; 262. Elastic inclined surface; 27. Positioning slot; 3. Receiving plate; 31. Third fixing slot; 32. Elastic hole; 33. Receiving slot; 34. Positioning hole; 4. First mounting plate; 41. Through hole; 42. Partition; 421. Mounting component; 422. Mounting strip; 423. Mounting slot; 43. Positioning strip; 5. Second mounting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-9 This application will be described in further detail. Example 1

[0027] This embodiment discloses an energy metering box that is easy to automate assembly. (Refer to...) Figure 1 An energy metering box that is easy to automate assembly includes a box body 1, on which a placement slot 11 for placing electrical components is provided. The box body 1 is made of metal materials (stainless steel, galvanized iron, aluminum alloy) and non-metallic materials (PC + ABS, PC + ASA, PC + polyurea, PP + long glass fiber, SMC molding compound).

[0028] Reference Figure 2 A fixing plate 2 is fixedly connected to the placement slot 11 by bolts. The fixing plate 2 has multiple first fixing slots 21, the walls of which are used to clamp the incoming wire. The fixing plate 2 also has multiple second fixing slots 22, the walls of which are used to clamp the neutral wire.

[0029] Reference Figure 2The fixing plate 2 is provided with multiple copper-aluminum lugs 23, each of which is placed in a different first fixing groove 21 and second fixing groove 22. Multiple fasteners 24, which are bolts, are provided on each copper-aluminum lug 23. The copper-aluminum lugs 23 are fixed to the fixing plate 2 by bolts, and the incoming power line is fixed to the fixing plate 2 through the copper-aluminum lugs 23. A busbar 25 is provided in the second fixing groove 22, and the busbar 25 is fixed to the fixing plate 2 by bolts. The busbar 25 provides a neutral wire connection.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 A receiving groove 26 is formed on the surface of the fixing plate 2 away from the bottom wall of the placement groove 11, and the receiving groove 26 extends along the height direction of the box body 1. A receiving plate 3 is provided in the receiving groove 26, and the receiving plate 3 is fixedly connected to the fixing plate 2 by bolts. A third fixing groove 31 is formed on the receiving plate 3, and the groove wall of the third fixing groove 31 is used to clamp the outgoing wire. An opening is formed on the receiving plate 3 for the incoming wire to pass through.

[0031] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 The placement slot 11 is provided with a first mounting plate 4 and a second mounting plate 5. The first mounting plate 4 is located on the surface of the fixing plate 2 away from the bottom wall of the placement slot 11, and the second mounting plate 5 is located on the surface of the receiving plate 3 away from the bottom wall of the placement slot 11. The first mounting plate 4 and the second mounting plate 5 are coplanar, and the first mounting plate 4 abuts against the second mounting plate 5. Both the first mounting plate 4 and the second mounting plate 5 have through holes 41 for power supply lines to pass through. The first mounting plate 4 is for mounting a circuit breaker, and the second mounting plate 5 is for mounting a power meter. The first mounting plate 4 and the second mounting plate 5 can be fixedly connected to the fixing plate 2 with bolts.

[0032] Reference Figure 4 The first mounting plate 4 is provided with a partition 42, which is used to divide the space in the placement slot 11.

[0033] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The partition 42 is provided with a mounting component 421, which includes a bolt. An mounting strip 422 is integrally formed on the wall of the placement groove 11. The mounting strip 422 has a mounting groove 423 for bolt threaded connection. The bolt passes through the partition 42 and is threaded into the mounting groove 423, thereby fixing the partition 42 within the placement groove 11. The partition 42 is located on the side of the first mounting plate 4 away from the fixed plate 2, and the partition 42 abuts against the first mounting plate 4, thereby fixing the first mounting plate 4 to the fixed plate 2.

[0034] The implementation principle of Example 1 is as follows: First, the fixing plate 2 is installed in the placement groove 11, then the incoming wire and the neutral wire are installed in the first fixing groove 21, then the receiving plate 3 is placed, the outgoing wire is installed in the second fixing groove 22, then the first mounting plate 4 and the second mounting plate 5 are placed at the fixing plate 2, and finally the partition plate 42 is installed in the placement groove 11 with bolts. Example 2

[0035] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that the first mounting plate 4 and the fixed plate 2 are detachably connected by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes two positioning strips 43, which are integrally formed between the first mounting plate 4 and the fixed plate 2, and the positioning strips 43 are inclined towards the other positioning strip 43.

[0036] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fixing plate 2 has a positioning groove 27 for the positioning strip 43 to be inserted. When the positioning strip 43 is inserted into the positioning groove 27, the first mounting plate 4 is fixed to the fixing plate 2.

[0037] Reference Figure 9 An elastic element 261 is fixedly connected to the wall of the receiving groove 26. The elastic element 261 includes an elastic strip, which has the ability to deform elastically. The deformation path of the elastic strip is located within the receiving groove 26. An elastic inclined surface 262 is formed on the surface of the elastic strip away from the bottom wall of the receiving groove 26. The distance between the elastic inclined surface 262 and the bottom wall of the receiving groove 26 gradually increases along the direction from the elastic strip to the wall of the receiving groove 26.

[0038] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The receiving plate 3 has an elastic hole 32, and the wall of the elastic hole 32 is used to abut against the elastic strip. The elastic inclined surface 262 is located at the installation path of the receiving plate 3 in the receiving groove 26.

[0039] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 When the receiving plate 3 is installed in the receiving groove 26, the wall of the elastic hole 32 in the receiving plate 3 is deformed by the elastic inclined surface 262, so that the elastic element 261 can squeeze the wall of the elastic hole 32, so that the elastic element 261 can fix the receiving plate 3 and fix the receiving plate 3 on the fixing plate 2.

[0040] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8The receiving plate 3 has a receiving groove 33. A raised strip is integrally formed on the surface of the first mounting plate 4, which can be inserted into the receiving groove 33 to increase the relative stability between the first mounting plate 4 and the fixing plate 2. Two positioning holes 34 are formed on the wall of the receiving groove 33 for the positioning strip 43 to be inserted. When the first mounting plate 4 is installed on the fixing plate 2, a portion of the first mounting plate 4 can be located within the receiving groove 33, and the first mounting plate 4 can abut against the surface of the receiving plate 3.

[0041] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 First, the receiving plate 3 is installed in the receiving groove 26. Then, the first mounting plate 4 is installed on the fixed plate 2, so that the positioning strip 43 passes through the positioning hole 34 and is inserted into the positioning groove 27, allowing the first mounting plate 4 to further limit the receiving plate 3 and prevent the receiving plate 3 from shaking in the receiving groove 26 and the first mounting plate 4 from shaking at the fixed plate 2.

[0042] The implementation principle of Example 2 is as follows: First, the receiving plate 3 is installed in the receiving groove 26. Then, the first mounting plate 4 is installed on the fixed plate 2, so that the positioning strip 43 passes through the positioning hole 34 and is inserted into the positioning groove 27, allowing the first mounting plate 4 to further limit the receiving plate 3. The second mounting plate 5 is installed on the fixed plate 2, so that the second mounting plate 5 limits the receiving plate 3.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," "third," and similar terms used in this application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms "an" or "a" and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" or "including" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. "Above," "below," "left," "right," etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0044] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the design concept of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An energy metering box that is easy to automate assembly, comprising a box body (1), wherein the box body (1) is provided with a placement slot (11) for placing electrical components, characterized in that: The placement slot (11) is provided with a fixing plate (2). The fixing plate (2) has a first fixing slot (21) for clamping the incoming wire and a second fixing slot (22) for clamping the neutral wire. The surface of the fixing plate (2) away from the bottom wall of the placement slot (11) is provided with a first mounting plate (4) for installing power supply components. The placement slot (11) is provided with a receiving plate (3). The receiving plate (3) has a third fixing slot (31) for clamping the outgoing wire. The first mounting plate (4) and the third fixing slot (31) are both provided with through holes (41) for the power supply wire to pass through.

2. The power metering box for easy automated assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first fixing groove (21) is provided with a copper-aluminum lug (23) for connecting the incoming wire, and the fixing plate (2) is provided with a fastener (24) for fixing the copper-aluminum lug (23). The second fixing groove (22) is provided with a busbar (25) for connecting the neutral wire.

3. The energy metering box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first mounting plate (4) is provided with a partition (42), and the partition (42) is provided with a mounting component (421). The partition (42) is located on the side of the first mounting plate (4) away from the fixing plate (2). The partition (42) is fixed in the placement groove (11) by the mounting component (421).

4. The energy metering box for easy automated assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing plate (2) has a receiving groove (26) that connects to the first fixing groove (21). The receiving plate (3) is located in the receiving groove (26) and is located on the side of the second fixing groove (22) away from the bottom wall of the placement groove (11).

5. The energy metering box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The receiving plate (3) is provided with a second mounting plate (5), which is located on the side of the receiving plate (3) away from the fixing plate (2). The second mounting plate (5) is used for power supply component installation. The second mounting plate (5) and the first mounting plate (4) are coplanar.

6. The energy metering box according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first mounting plate (4) and the fixing plate (2) are detachably connected by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes two positioning strips (43). The positioning strips (43) are disposed on the first mounting plate (4) and are inclined toward the other positioning strip (43). The fixing plate (2) has a positioning groove (27) for the positioning strips (43) to be inserted. When the positioning strips (43) are inserted into the positioning grooves (27), the first mounting plate (4) is mounted on the fixing plate (2).

7. The energy metering box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixed plate (2) is provided with an elastic element (261), and the receiving plate (3) is located on the deformation path of the elastic element (261); when the receiving plate (3) is installed on the fixed plate (2), the elastic element (261) squeezes the receiving plate (3).

8. The energy metering box according to claim 7, characterized in that: The elastic element (261) is located on the moving path of the positioning strip (43) inserted into the positioning groove (27), and the receiving plate (3) is provided with a positioning hole (34) for the positioning strip (43) to pass through; when the receiving plate (3) is installed on the fixing plate (2), the positioning hole (34) is located on the moving path of the positioning strip (43) inserted into the positioning groove (27).

Images