Modular combinable three-dimensional heating furnace

Abstract

The application provides a modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace, which is composed of a plurality of independent heating modules, an automatic fork manipulator, a feeding table, a discharging table and a cooling track line arranged in sequence according to the material transfer direction, can flexibly build a three-dimensional multi-module heating structure according to the production line design needs, and realizes a complete set of process automation process including pipe feeding and discharging, heating, heat preservation, discharging, transfer and cooling, while greatly improving the production efficiency, can effectively reduce the heat loss in the pipe transfer process, and avoid the influence of manual operation on the production rhythm and the quality of the final product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of pipe thermoforming and automated heating equipment, specifically relating to a modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the heating furnaces used in metal tube forming processes mainly include roller hearth furnaces, box furnaces, and induction heating furnaces. Due to the generally limited number of furnace chambers, they suffer from significant shortcomings in loading efficiency, process cycle matching, and automation capabilities. Furthermore, when tube heating is integrated with other processes such as loading / unloading, forming, and cooling, inconsistencies in loading / unloading positions and time consumption often occur due to insufficient automation and cycle stability, leading to uncontrollable temperature drops and product quality issues. Therefore, providing a heating furnace that is simple in structure, low in cost, highly scalable, and suitable for producing multi-specification tube products is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, and in response to the technical problems existing in this field, the present invention provides a modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace, which is composed of multiple independent heating modules, an automatic forklift robot, a loading platform, an unloading platform, and a cooling roller line arranged sequentially according to the material transfer direction; Each independent heating module has its own furnace chamber; the independent heating modules have an external load-bearing frame and can be combined according to the production line design to form a multi-layer, multi-row three-dimensional multi-module heating structure. The automatic pallet fork robot is used to move horizontally along the assembled three-dimensional multi-module heating structure to realize automatic loading and unloading of pipe fittings before and after heating. Cooling roller conveyors are used to receive heated pipes and cool them down.

[0004] Furthermore, the furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with T-shaped or strip-shaped pipe supports for placing pipes and facilitating the automatic pallet fork robot to pick up and place them.

[0005] Furthermore, the furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with a temperature control circuit consisting of electric heating elements and temperature sensors to control and regulate the heating temperature of the pipe fittings.

[0006] Furthermore, each independent heating module is equipped with an independent furnace door, which is automatically opened and closed by an electric push rod, cylinder or hydraulic cylinder; the inner liner of the furnace is made of heat-resistant steel plate or other heat-resistant materials; insulation materials are installed between the inner liner and the outer wall of the furnace and the external load-bearing frame to reduce heat loss.

[0007] Furthermore, the automatic forklift robot includes: a frame, a horizontal moving mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a forklift telescopic mechanism, a position detection unit, and a drive control module; wherein, the frame is fixed to the ground of the heating station along the assembled independent heating module, the horizontal moving mechanism is movably mounted on the frame, and is connected to the execution end in sequence through the lifting mechanism and the forklift telescopic mechanism, the position detection unit is used to detect the position of the execution end, and the drive control module controls the execution of the pipe loading and unloading action through the horizontal moving mechanism, the lifting mechanism, and the forklift telescopic mechanism to realize the transfer of pipes between the loading / unloading platform and the independent heating module.

[0008] Furthermore, the actuator of the automatic pallet robot adopts a replaceable single or multi-fork parallel structure and is equipped with a heat-resistant support surface.

[0009] Furthermore, the heating furnace also includes a central control system, which is connected to the temperature control circuit of each independent heating module and the drive control module of the automatic support fork robot to realize the corresponding heating temperature control and pipe transfer and placement action control.

[0010] Furthermore, the cooling roller line specifically adopts natural cooling or forced cooling methods to cool the pipe fittings, and has the function of cooling the pipe fittings in different areas and stages.

[0011] The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace provided by the present invention can flexibly build a three-dimensional multi-module heating structure according to the production line design needs, and realize the full set of automated processes including pipe loading and unloading, heating, heat preservation, furnace unloading, transfer and cooling. While greatly improving production efficiency, it can effectively reduce heat loss during pipe transfer and the impact of manual operation on production cycle and final product quality. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 The overall structural diagram of the modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A preferred structural diagram for a three-dimensional multi-module heating system in a heating furnace; Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of a single, independent heating module. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0014] The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace provided by this invention, such as Figure 1As shown, it consists of multiple independent heating modules, an automatic forklift robot, a loading platform, an unloading platform, and a cooling roller conveyor line arranged sequentially according to the material transfer direction; Each independent heating module has its own furnace chamber; each independent heating module has an external load-bearing frame and can be combined to form a configuration according to the production line design. Figure 2 The multi-layered, multi-column, three-dimensional, multi-module heating structure shown enables simultaneous and efficient heating of the same or multiple types of pipe fittings. The automatic pallet fork robot is used to move horizontally along the assembled three-dimensional multi-module heating structure to realize automatic loading and unloading of pipe fittings before and after heating. Cooling roller conveyors are used to receive heated pipes and cool them down.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with T-shaped or strip-shaped pipe supports for placing pipes and facilitating the automatic lifting fork robot to pick up and place them.

[0016] The furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with electric heating elements and temperature sensors, which can be set at appropriate positions on the inner wall of the furnace as needed. Together, they form a temperature control loop to control and regulate the heating temperature of the pipe fittings.

[0017] In a specific example, a single furnace chamber can be designed to bear a maximum weight of no more than 100 kg, with a maximum operating temperature of 300℃ and a furnace temperature uniformity of ±15℃. When the target temperature is 250℃, the time to rise from room temperature to the target temperature is controlled within 5 minutes, thus meeting the temperature requirements of various subsequent molding processes.

[0018] Each independent heating module is equipped with an independent furnace door, which is automatically opened and closed by an electric push rod, cylinder, or hydraulic cylinder. The furnace liner is made of heat-resistant steel plate or other heat-resistant materials. Insulation material is installed between the inner liner and the outer wall of the furnace, as well as between the outer load-bearing frame and the furnace door. The furnace door and the automatic support fork robot can be controlled in a coordinated manner to achieve automatic and rapid opening and closing and pipe loading and unloading, which not only ensures the efficiency of pipe transfer but also minimizes heat loss.

[0019] The automatic forklift robot includes: a frame, a horizontal moving mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a fork extension mechanism, a position detection unit, and a drive control module. The frame is fixed to the ground of the heating station along the assembled independent heating module. The horizontal moving mechanism is movably mounted on the frame and connected to the execution end in sequence through the lifting mechanism and the fork extension mechanism. The position detection unit is used to detect the position of the execution end, and the drive control module controls the loading and unloading of pipes through the horizontal moving mechanism, the lifting mechanism, and the fork extension mechanism to realize the transfer of pipes between the loading / unloading platform and the independent heating module.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the actuator of the automatic forklift robot adopts a replaceable single or multi-fork parallel structure and is provided with a heat-resistant support surface, which can realize the handling of a single pipe of a larger specification or the synchronous handling of multiple pipes.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the heating furnace further includes a central control system, which is connected to the temperature control circuit of each independent heating module and the drive control module of the automatic support fork robot, to realize the corresponding heating temperature control and pipe transfer and placement action control.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling roller line specifically employs natural cooling or forced cooling methods to cool the pipe fittings, and has the function of cooling the pipe fittings in different areas and stages.

[0023] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the heating furnace can be used to perform the following complete set of pipe fitting processing procedures: Step 1: The pipes enter the loading platform, where they are temporarily stored and arranged. The platform also uses sensors to confirm the quantity, location, and availability of the pipes.

[0024] Step 2: The central control system automatically selects the target independent heating module based on the idle status, current temperature, loaded weight, and process task of each furnace.

[0025] Step 3: The automatic support fork robot takes the pipe from the loading platform and sends it into the target furnace. Then the target furnace door opens automatically, the robot places the pipe on the furnace support structure and then exits, and the furnace door closes.

[0026] Step 4: The heating module heats up and maintains the temperature according to the set temperature curve. The pipes remain stationary in the furnace. Uniform heating is achieved through thermal radiation generated by the electric heating element and air convection in the furnace.

[0027] Step 5: After the pipe reaches the set temperature or the holding time, the main control system issues a furnace discharge command, and the automatic support fork robot moves to the corresponding furnace chamber to remove the heated pipe.

[0028] Step six: The robotic arm transfers the pipe to the unloading platform, which connects with the cooling roller conveyor line, allowing the pipe to automatically enter the cooling section.

[0029] Step seven: The pipe fittings are cooled on the cooling roller conveyor line. Depending on the process requirements, the cooling roller conveyor line can use natural cooling, air cooling, or zoned temperature-controlled cooling to achieve the required temperature drop rate and discharge temperature.

[0030] Step 8: The system records the furnace number, heating temperature, holding time, unloading time, cooling time, and abnormal alarm information of the pipe fittings, realizing full-process data traceability.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the embodiments of the present invention does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace, characterized in that: It consists of multiple independent heating modules, an automatic forklift robot, a loading platform, a unloading platform, and a cooling roller conveyor line arranged sequentially according to the material transfer direction; Each independent heating module has its own furnace chamber; the independent heating modules have an external load-bearing frame, and can be combined according to the production line design to form a multi-layer, multi-row three-dimensional multi-module heating structure. The automatic pallet fork robot is used to move horizontally along the assembled three-dimensional multi-module heating structure to realize automatic loading and unloading of pipe fittings before and after heating. Cooling roller conveyors are used to receive heated pipes and cool them down.

2. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with T-shaped or strip-shaped pipe supports for placing pipes and facilitating the automatic lifting fork robot to pick up and place them.

3. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The furnace chamber of the independent heating module is equipped with a temperature control circuit consisting of electric heating elements and temperature sensors to control and regulate the heating temperature of the pipe fittings.

4. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Each independent heating module is equipped with an independent automatic opening and closing furnace door. The furnace liner is made of heat-resistant steel plate or other heat-resistant materials. Insulation materials are installed between the inner liner and the outer wall of the furnace, as well as the external load-bearing frame, to reduce heat loss.

5. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic forklift robot includes: a frame, a horizontal moving mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a fork extension mechanism, a position detection unit, and a drive control module. The frame is fixed to the ground of the heating station along the assembled independent heating module. The horizontal moving mechanism is movably mounted on the frame and connected to the execution end in sequence through the lifting mechanism and the fork extension mechanism. The position detection unit is used to detect the position of the execution end, and the drive control module controls the loading and unloading of pipes through the horizontal moving mechanism, the lifting mechanism, and the fork extension mechanism to realize the transfer of pipes between the loading / unloading platform and the independent heating module.

6. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The actuator of the automatic pallet fork robot adopts a replaceable single or multi-fork parallel structure and is equipped with a heat-resistant support surface.

7. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The heating furnace also includes a central control system, which is connected to the temperature control circuit of each independent heating module and the drive control module of the automatic support fork robot to realize the corresponding heating temperature control and pipe transfer and placement action control.

8. The modular and combinable three-dimensional heating furnace as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The cooling roller line uses natural cooling or forced cooling to cool the pipe fittings, and has the function of cooling the pipe fittings in different areas and stages.

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