A radioactive source assembly apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of radioactive source assembly, and particularly relates to a radioactive source assembly device, which comprises a mounting platform, a three-axis driving module, a clamping jaw, a part positioning box, a plurality of jacking columns and a jacking mechanism. The mounting platform is provided with at least three positioning grooves; the part positioning box is placed in the positioning groove and is provided with a plurality of positioning holes; the plurality of jacking columns are one-to-one correspondingly arranged below the positioning holes, the top surfaces have different heights and are divided into three types of jacking column A, jacking column B and jacking column C, the heights of the top surfaces of each type are sequentially decreased, and the jacking columns of the same type are not arranged adjacent to each other; and the jacking mechanism is arranged below the mounting platform and drives the three types of jacking columns to be lifted. The present application is designed by the height difference of the jacking columns, so that the adjacent parts are at different heights after being lifted, the parts to be gripped are always isolated and protrude, the part arrangement density is greatly improved, the part positioning box replacement frequency is reduced, and the assembly efficiency and space utilization are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radioactive source assembly technology, and in particular to a radioactive source assembly device. Background Technology

[0002] The radioactive source comprises a source core, a source shell, an end plug, and a copper sleeve. The source core is a metal disc that emits radiation. The source shell, also called a source support, has the same shape as the source core and serves as its base. The end plug is a cylindrical structure that acts as a bushing for the source core, housing both the source core and the source shell. The copper sleeve is significantly larger than these three components, with a narrow central hole to accommodate the end plug, source core, and source shell. Furthermore, the copper sleeve's wall thickness is much greater than the source core's diameter, serving as a collimator for the radioactive source. The assembled radioactive source can be used for steel plate thickness measurement.

[0003] The assembly of radioactive sources must be carried out in a shielded space. The shielded space contains not only radioactive source assembly equipment, but also handling equipment, reaction equipment, pressing equipment, etc. Since the space of the shielded space is limited, the spatial dimensions and layout of the assembly equipment must be fully considered.

[0004] In response, this application proposes a more integrated radioactive source assembly device that makes full use of the shielding space. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a radioactive source assembly device, comprising: The installation platform has at least three positioning slots. A three-axis drive module is mounted on the mounting platform; The gripper is mounted on the three-axis drive module, and the three-axis drive module drives the gripper to move along the X, Y, and Z directions; A part positioning box is placed in the positioning slot and has multiple positioning holes for loading parts. Multiple lifting columns are arranged one-to-one below each of the positioning holes to push the parts out of the positioning holes; The top surfaces of the multiple lifting columns have different heights and are divided into three categories: lifting column A, lifting column B, and lifting column C. The top surface heights of each category decrease sequentially, and lifting columns belonging to the same category are arranged without being adjacent to each other. A lifting mechanism is located below the installation platform to drive the lifting columns A, B, and C to be lifted.

[0006] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism includes: A vertically arranged transmission screw is rotatably connected to the underside of the mounting platform; The guide column is fixedly installed below the mounting platform and parallel to the transmission screw; The lifting platform is slidably connected to the guide column and is threadedly engaged with the transmission screw via a transmission nut. A drive motor is fixedly installed below the mounting platform and is used to drive the transmission screw to rotate; The lifting column is installed on the upper surface of the lifting platform and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting platform.

[0007] Furthermore, the lifting platform includes a first lifting platform, a second lifting platform, and a third lifting platform arranged sequentially from top to bottom; The third lifting platform is an integral platform whose projection area covers the entire positioning slot. Both the first lifting platform and the second lifting platform are independently set small platforms, and the projection area of ​​each small platform only covers the corresponding area of ​​a single positioning slot; The lifting column A, lifting column B, and lifting column C are fixedly installed on the first lifting platform, the second lifting platform, and the third lifting platform in sequence. A first elastic support is provided between the first lifting platform and the third lifting platform; a second elastic support is provided between the second lifting platform and the third lifting platform. The transmission nut is disposed on the third lifting platform; Below the installation platform, there is a first limiting block for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform and a second limiting block for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform; The maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform is L1; The maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform is L2; L2 > L1.

[0008] Furthermore, the gripper is a three-finger gripper.

[0009] Furthermore, the gripper is provided with a guide cylinder, the opening of which faces the opening of the gripper and is coaxial with the axis of the gripper; A counterweight is slidably disposed inside the guide cylinder; The guide cylinder has a limiting boss; The limiting boss restricts the maximum distance by which the counterweight extends out of the guide cylinder; When the counterweight extends to its maximum distance, the end of the counterweight protrudes beyond the clamping end of the gripper.

[0010] Furthermore, an elastic drive member is provided between the counterweight and the guide cylinder, and the elastic drive member applies a force to the counterweight extending outward toward the guide cylinder.

[0011] Furthermore, the diameter of the guide cylinder is smaller than the diameter of the source core; The end of the counterweight that protrudes from the guide cylinder is the contact end, and the diameter of the contact end is larger than the diameter of the guide cylinder but smaller than the diameter of the source core.

[0012] Furthermore, the positioning hole is configured as a two-stage stepped through hole, wherein the through hole with the larger diameter in the two-stage stepped through hole is the first through hole, and the through hole with the smaller diameter in the two-stage stepped through hole is the second through hole, and the circumferential wall of the first through hole limits the axis of the part; The second through hole extends through the part positioning box and allows the end of the lifting column to pass through.

[0013] Furthermore, the depth of the first through hole is greater than the height of the part.

[0014] Furthermore, a portion of the top surface of the lifting column has multiple extension blocks protruding radially outward; The circumferential wall of the second through hole is provided with a plurality of grooves penetrating both ends of the second through hole; The grooves correspond one-to-one with the extension blocks, allowing the extension blocks to pass through.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are reflected in the following aspects: By designing the height difference between lifting columns A, B, and C, adjacent parts are positioned at different heights after lifting, ensuring that the parts to be gripped always protrude in an isolated manner. This significantly increases the density of part arrangement, reduces the frequency of part positioning box replacement, and improves assembly efficiency and space utilization. The three-layer lifting platform, combined with elastic supports and limiting blocks, ensures that the top surface of each lifting column does not protrude beyond the top surface of the part positioning box after lifting, preventing it from becoming a clamping obstacle. Simultaneously, it provides sufficient clamping height for flat parts, reducing the impact of gripper wear on clamping reliability. The three-finger gripper, with ample operating space, enables automatic centering, ensuring that the part's axis is coaxial with the gripper's axis, thus improving assembly accuracy when inserting it into the copper sleeve mounting hole. The guide cylinder and counterweight decouple gripping accuracy from assembly accuracy; the gripper is only responsible for transport and rough placement, while the counterweight is responsible for fine placement and attitude correction, transforming the problem of suspended coaxial alignment into a problem of guided pressing, reducing reliance on the equipment's repeatability accuracy. The fit between the extension block and the groove increases the support area while retaining the axial support and circumferential limiting function of the positioning hole, improving the stability of the part after lifting. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a front view of the radiation source assembly device provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the radiation source assembly device provided by the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the radiation source assembly device provided by the present invention; Figure 4for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of point Q; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the state of the lifting column before it is raised in the structure; Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lifting column and lifting platform provided by the present invention; Figure 7 This is a front view of the lifting column and lifting platform provided by the present invention; Figure 8 This is a top view of the lifting column and lifting platform provided by the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a gripper for placing parts according to the present invention.

[0017] Reference numerals: 1. Mounting platform; 11. Positioning groove; 12. First limiting block; 13. Second limiting block; 2. Three-axis drive module; 3. Gripper; 31. Guide cylinder; 311. Limiting boss; 32. Counterweight; 321. Contact end; 33. Elastic drive component; 4. Part positioning box; 41. Positioning hole; 411. First through hole; 412. Second through hole; 4121. Groove; 5. Lifting column; 51. Lifting column A; 52. Lifting column B; 53. Lifting column C; 54. Extension block; 6. Lifting mechanism; 61. Transmission screw; 62. Guide column; 63. Lifting platform; 631. First lifting platform; 6311. First elastic support component; 632. Second lifting platform; 6321. Second elastic support component; 633. Third lifting platform; 6331. Transmission nut; 64. Drive motor. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. 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.

[0019] Example 1 Reference Figures 1 to 8 As stated above.

[0020] A radioactive source assembly device includes: an installation platform 1, on which at least three positioning slots 11 are provided; The three-axis drive module 2 is installed on the mounting platform 1; the three-axis drive module 2 can be configured as three linear drive modules to drive the gripper 3 to translate. The gripper 3 is mounted on the three-axis drive module 2; The part positioning box 4 is placed in the positioning groove 11 and has a plurality of positioning holes 41 for loading parts. Multiple lifting columns 5 are arranged one-to-one below each of the positioning holes 41 to push the parts out of the positioning holes 41; The top surfaces of the multiple lifting columns 5 have different heights and are divided into three categories: lifting column A51, lifting column B52 and lifting column C53. The top surface heights of each category decrease sequentially, and the lifting columns of the same category are arranged without being adjacent to each other. The lifting mechanism 6 is located below the installation platform 1 and is used to drive the lifting columns A51, B52 and C53 to be lifted.

[0021] When assembling a radioactive source, it is crucial to prevent radiation leakage. Therefore, the equipment needs to be shielded or operated within a shielded room. Operating the equipment within a shielded room is obviously safer, but shielded rooms are expensive to construct and have limited space, and they also house other production equipment such as handling equipment, reaction equipment, and pressing equipment. Therefore, there are specific requirements for the size of the radioactive source assembly equipment and related equipment; the smaller the size, the more space is available to accommodate other equipment or materials.

[0022] When assembling a radioactive source, the main steps are to sequentially place the end plug, source shell, and source core into the holes of the copper sleeve. To achieve these basic installation steps, at least an installation platform 1 for placing the parts, a gripper 3 for holding the parts, and a three-axis drive module 2 for driving the gripper 3 to move forward, backward, left, right, up, and down are required.

[0023] The end plugs, source shells, and source cores are very small, with a diameter of approximately 10-14 mm. These parts are not scattered and independently placed on the mounting platform 1, but rather multiple identical parts are placed in a part positioning box 4. Each part positioning box 4 has multiple positioning holes 41. Parts are placed in these holes 41. During assembly, the three positioning slots 11 of the mounting platform 1 respectively hold the part positioning boxes 4 containing the end plugs, source shells, and source cores. The gripper 3 sequentially picks up the end plugs, source shells, and source cores from the part positioning boxes 4 and places them into the copper sleeves within the copper sleeve positioning slots 11. Once all the parts in the part positioning boxes 4 are used, a new part positioning box 4 is directly replaced. This reduces the frequency of the robotic arm feeding parts towards the mounting platform 1. Furthermore, since the positions of the parts in the part positioning boxes 4 are fixed, the gripper 3 only needs to run cyclically according to a pre-set program, eliminating the need for vision equipment to accurately identify the part positions.

[0024] However, during the use of the part positioning box 4, it was found that the parts could not be densely arranged within it; a large gap had to be maintained between the parts. Otherwise, the gripper 3 would easily touch adjacent parts when picking them up, causing the parts to shift or fall off. This resulted in the need for a larger part positioning box 4 for the same number of parts, or the need to replace the part positioning box 4 more frequently, thus reducing space utilization and assembly efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the structure of the part positioning box 4 and the assembly equipment.

[0025] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 6 - Figure 8 To address the aforementioned problems, this application proposes a radioactive source assembly device, which includes a lifting mechanism 6 and lifting columns 5. The lifting columns 5 below each part positioning box 4 are divided into three categories: lifting column A51, lifting column B52, and lifting column C53. Furthermore, the top height of lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 decreases sequentially, and lifting columns 5 belonging to the same category are arranged without being adjacent to each other.

[0026] It should be noted that the size of the positioning hole 41 of the part positioning box 4 for loading end plugs, source shells and source cores should be designed according to the size of the parts. Since the diameters of the end plugs, source shells and source cores are different, the inner diameter of the positioning hole 41 should also be adjusted accordingly to ensure that the parts remain vertical and do not wobble in the hole.

[0027] Since the end plug, source shell, and source core are of different heights, the heights of the lifting columns 5 located below the different part positioning boxes 4 are not compared. For example, if the end plug is taller than the source shell, and the bottom of the end plug is at the same level as the bottom of the source shell, lifting columns 5 of the same height can raise the end plug to the top of the part positioning box 4, but may not raise the source shell. Therefore, the height of the lifting columns 5 below the different part positioning boxes 4 needs to be set individually according to the part height to ensure that the part to be gripped is exposed above the top of the part positioning box 4 at the same height after each lifting; or, the depth of the positioning holes 41 of the different part positioning boxes 4 can be set independently so that parts of different heights are exposed above the top of the part positioning box 4 at the same height after lifting, thereby ensuring a consistent gripping position of the gripper 3.

[0028] Taking the part positioning box 4 with end plugs as an example, the top surface height of the lifting column A51 is the highest, the top surface height of the lifting column B52 is the second highest, and the top surface height of the lifting column C53 is the lowest. Furthermore, the lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 are arranged in accordance with... Figure 8The arrangement shown ensures that adjacent lifting columns 5 are at different heights, resulting in adjacent parts in the part positioning box 4 being at different heights after lifting. This effectively prevents the gripper 3 from touching adjacent parts during gripping. The end plug height is 15 mm, and the lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 differ by 3 mm in height. That is, the top surface of lifting column A51 is 3 mm higher than that of lifting column B52, and lifting column B52 is 3 mm higher than that of lifting column C53. When lifting column A51 lifts the end plug to a 3 mm protrusion, the end plug corresponding to lifting column B52 protrudes only 0 mm, and the end plug corresponding to lifting column C53 is 3 mm lower than the surface of the part positioning box 4. This ensures that no other parts protrude around the protruding part in the part positioning box 4, allowing the gripper 3 to safely grip the isolated protruding part without worrying about touching adjacent parts. Similarly, once the parts above lifting column A51 are completely removed, lifting mechanism 6 continues to lift, causing lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 to rise another 3 millimeters. At this point, the end plug corresponding to lifting column B52 protrudes 3 millimeters, and the end plug corresponding to lifting column C53 protrudes 0 millimeters, leaving the position corresponding to lifting column A51 empty. This cycle repeats; after the parts above lifting column B52 are removed, lifting mechanism 6 lifts again by 3 millimeters, and the end plug corresponding to lifting column C53 protrudes 3 millimeters. Throughout the process, gripper 3 only needs to grasp isolated protruding parts, effectively avoiding the risk of collision during the grasping process and significantly improving the stability and efficiency of assembly.

[0029] This embodiment differs from existing technologies that use a small number of lifting columns to switch positions to lift the parts to be clamped. Instead, it utilizes a height difference design for the lifting columns 5, allowing all parts to be lifted in isolation with only simple up-and-down movements of the lifting columns 5, without the need for horizontal movement. This saves time for the lifting columns 5 to exit the positioning hole 41 downwards and for horizontal movement, and the mechanism is simpler, eliminating the need for a horizontal drive device. This further reduces equipment costs and the accuracy requirements for repositioning the lifting columns 5 after horizontal movement.

[0030] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 6 includes a vertically arranged transmission screw 61 that is rotatably connected to the lower part of the mounting platform 1; A guide post 62 is fixedly installed below the mounting platform 1 and parallel to the transmission screw 61; A drive motor 64 is fixedly installed below the mounting platform 1; And a lifting platform 63 slidably connected along the guide column 62, wherein the lifting platform 63 is provided with a transmission nut 6331, which is threadedly engaged with the transmission screw 61; The drive transmission screw 61 of the drive motor 64 rotates, thereby driving the lifting platform 63 to move up and down along the guide column 62; The lifting column 5 is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the lifting platform 63 and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting platform 63.

[0031] Furthermore, in this application, the gripper 3 is a three-finger gripper 3. Compared to a two-finger gripper 3, the three-finger gripper 3 has an automatic centering effect for cylindrical parts: when the three fingers simultaneously converge towards the center, regardless of any slight deviation in the initial position of the part, the gripping force of the three fingers will automatically guide the part to the axis of the gripper 3, ensuring that the axis of the part is coaxial with the axis of the gripper 3 after clamping. This self-centering characteristic allows the axis of the part to be precisely aligned with the axis of the mounting hole of the copper sleeve when the gripper 3 is subsequently placed into the mounting hole, greatly improving the assembly accuracy and avoiding assembly jamming or incomplete assembly caused by part axis deviation.

[0032] However, the three-finger gripper 3 occupies more space. In this application, the lifting mechanism 6 and the lifting column 5 are provided to provide ample space around the part to be gripped. Therefore, the gripper 3 in this embodiment can be a three-finger gripper 3.

[0033] Furthermore, the positioning hole 41 of the part positioning box 4 is a two-stage stepped through hole, in which the through hole with a larger diameter is the first through hole 411 and the through hole with a smaller diameter is the second through hole 412. The part is embedded in the first through hole 411 (because the diameters of the end plug, source shell, and source core are different, the size of the positioning hole 41 of the part positioning box 4 used to load the end plug, source shell, and source core is different, and the part positioning box 4 is adjusted according to the size of the loaded part). The circumferential wall of the first through hole 411 limits the axis of the part, thereby determining the position of the part in the horizontal plane; the diameter of the second through hole 412 is larger than the diameter of the lifting column 5, but smaller than the diameter of the corresponding part, so that the end face of the second through hole 412 provides support for the part and allows the lifting column 5 to pass through.

[0034] Meanwhile, the depth of the first through hole 411 is greater than the height of the part. Compared with the prior art, where the positioning hole 41 is very shallow and the part must protrude from the positioning hole 41, in this embodiment the part can be completely submerged in the first through hole 411, allowing the part to be placed more stably in the first through hole 411 without detaching from it, which is beneficial for transportation.

[0035] Example 2 Reference Figure 1 , Figure 3 - Figure 6 .

[0036] A radioactive source assembly device, wherein the lifting platform 63 includes a first lifting platform 631, a second lifting platform 632 and a third lifting platform 633 arranged sequentially from top to bottom; The third lifting platform 633 is an integral platform whose projection area covers the entire positioning slot 11. The first lifting platform 631 and the second lifting platform 632 are both independently set small platforms, and the projection area of ​​each small platform only covers the corresponding area of ​​a single positioning slot 11; The lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 are sequentially fixedly installed on the first lifting platform 631, the second lifting platform 632, and the third lifting platform 633. A first elastic support member 6311 is provided between the first lifting platform 631 and the third lifting platform 633, and a second elastic support member 6321 is provided between the second lifting platform 632 and the third lifting platform 633; The transmission nut 6331 is disposed on the third lifting platform 633; Below the installation platform 1, there is a first limiting block 12 for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform 631 and a second limiting block 13 for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform 632; The maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform 631 is L1; The maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform 632 is L2; L2 > L1.

[0037] There are three types of parts being gripped: end plugs, source shells, and source cores. The source shells and source cores are relatively flat and about 3 mm thick. In Example 1, the movement pattern of the lifting column 5 during the gripping process is described using the end plug as an example. In order not to add additional control logic and drive components to the lifting mechanism 6, all the lifting columns 5 move synchronously through a lifting platform 63.

[0038] In other words, the lifting distance of the push end plug of the lifting column 5 is equal to the lifting distance of the push source core of the lifting column 5. The purpose of lifting the parts in this application is to ensure that there are no obstacles around the parts being grasped, thereby allowing more parts to be loaded into the entire parts positioning box 4. When the top surface of the lifting column B52 is flush with the top surface of the part positioning box 4, the lifting column A51 will inevitably protrude from the top surface of the part positioning box 4. At this time, the lifting column 5 itself becomes an obstacle around the part being gripped. Therefore, the lifting column A51 cannot protrude from the top surface of the part positioning box 4. However, in the single-layer platform scheme of Embodiment 1, in order to achieve this requirement, it is necessary to ensure that the lifting distance of the lifting platform 63 is less than one-third of the thickness of the part with the smallest thickness, that is, one-third of the thickness of the source core. The thickness of the source core is only 3 mm, and the part protrudes from the top surface of the part positioning box 4 by less than 1 mm. Such a short clamping position makes clamping very difficult. If there is slight wear on the edge of the finger of the gripper 3, or if the gripper 3 does not descend sufficiently along the Z-axis, the gripper 3 will be unable to grip the part, or the poor clamping effect will cause the part to fall during the movement of the gripper 3.

[0039] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 6 is further improved by setting the lifting platform 63 as a three-layer structure, consisting of a first lifting platform 631, a second lifting platform 632, and a third lifting platform 633 from top to bottom. The lifting column A51 is fixed in the first lifting platform 631, the lifting column B52 is fixed in the second lifting platform 632, and the lifting column C53 is fixed in the third lifting platform 633.

[0040] During assembly, the drive motor 64 drives the transmission screw 61 to rotate, causing the third lifting platform 633 to move upward along the guide column 62. In the initial stage, the first elastic support 6311 and the second elastic support 6321 are both in an uncompressed state. The third lifting platform 633 pushes the first lifting platform 631 through the first elastic support 6311 and pushes the second lifting platform 632 through the second elastic support 6321 to rise synchronously, thereby driving the lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 to rise together, pushing the parts above them out of the positioning holes 41. When the lifting platform 63 rises to the point where the first lifting platform 631 abuts the first limit block 12, the first lifting platform 631 reaches the maximum lifting distance L1. At this time, the top surface of the lifting column A51 is flush with or nearly flush with the top surface of the part positioning box 4, and the source core above the lifting column A51 can protrude at least 3 mm from the top surface of the part positioning box 4. Compared to clamping conditions where the part protrudes by less than 1 mm, the 3 mm protrusion distance significantly reduces the clamping difficulty of the gripper 3. Even if there is some wear on the edge of the finger of the gripper 3, it can reliably clamp the part, ensuring the stability and reliability of the clamping.

[0041] Reference Figure 3 - Figure 7Subsequently, the third lifting platform 633 continues to rise under the drive of the transmission screw 61. Since the first lifting platform 631 is blocked by the first limiting block 12 and cannot continue to rise, the first elastic support member 6311 is compressed, and the lifting column A51 stops rising and remains flush with the top surface of the part positioning box 4. Simultaneously, the second elastic support member 6321 continues to push the second lifting platform 632 and the lifting column B52 fixed thereon upwards, and the parts above the lifting column B52 continue to be pushed out. When the second lifting platform 632 abuts the second limiting block 13, it reaches the maximum lifting distance L2. Since L2 > L1, the top surface of the lifting column B52 also rises to a position flush with or nearly flush with the top surface of the part positioning box 4, fully pushing out the parts above it. The lifting column C53 fixed to the third lifting platform 633 continues to rise with the third lifting platform 633 until the parts above it are pushed out to the preset height.

[0042] Through the above three-layer time-sharing lifting structure, the lifting columns A51, B52, and C53 stop rising in stages, so that the top surface of each lifting column 5 is ultimately kept at a position not exceeding the top surface of the part positioning box 4, and will not become an obstacle when the gripper 3 approaches the part. At the same time, it ensures that each part has sufficient clamping height when it is ejected, reducing the clamping difficulty.

[0043] Once assembly is complete, the drive motor 64 reverses, the third lifting platform 633 descends, the first elastic support 6311 and the second elastic support 6321 gradually return to their original state, and each lifting platform and lifting column 5 resets in sequence, preparing for the next assembly cycle.

[0044] It should be noted that the third lifting platform 633 is a large, integrated platform whose projected area covers the three positioning slots 11 on the mounting platform 1. The transmission nut 6331 is fixed to the third lifting platform 633, and its overall lifting is driven by the transmission screw 61. The first lifting platform 631 and the second lifting platform 632, however, do not need to be large platforms covering the three positioning slots 11. Instead, each positioning slot 11 requiring layered lifting is supported by a separate small platform, resulting in three first lifting platforms 631 and three second lifting platforms 632. Each small platform is fixed with a corresponding lifting column A51 or lifting column B52 below the positioning slot 11. This design reduces the material usage and motion load of the platforms while ensuring that the layered lifting actions below each positioning slot 11 are independent and do not interfere with each other.

[0045] Furthermore, for parts like end plugs that are relatively thick, even if the lifting column 5 is raised by 3 mm, the lifting distance is less than one-third of the thickness of the end plug itself. After being raised, the lifting columns A51 and B52 remain within the positioning hole 41 and do not protrude from the top surface of the part positioning box 4. Therefore, there is no need to set up the above-mentioned layered lifting structure below it. The lifting column C53 fixed to the third lifting platform 633 can be used to lift directly, thereby simplifying the equipment structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0046] Example 3 Reference Figure 4 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 9 As stated above.

[0047] The gripper 3 is provided with a guide cylinder 31, the opening of the guide cylinder 31 faces the opening of the gripper 3 and is coaxial with the axis of the gripper 3; A counterweight 32 is slidably disposed inside the guide cylinder 31; The guide cylinder 31 has a limiting boss 311; The limiting boss 311 limits the maximum distance by which the counterweight 32 extends out of the guide cylinder 31; When the counterweight 32 extends to its maximum distance, the end of the counterweight 32 protrudes from the clamping end of the gripper 3.

[0048] In this embodiment, a guide cylinder 31, a counterweight 32, and a limiting boss 311 are added to the gripper 3 to achieve smooth release and precise placement of the part from the gripper 3 to the copper sleeve mounting hole.

[0049] In the initial state, the counterweight 32 tends to extend completely out of the guide cylinder 31 due to its own weight. The guide cylinder 31 is provided with a limiting boss 311, which limits the maximum distance that the counterweight 32 extends. When the counterweight 32 extends to the maximum distance, the end of the counterweight 32 protrudes from the clamping end of the gripper 3.

[0050] When the gripper 3 descends to grip the part, the end of the counterweight 32 protrudes from the gripper 3, so the end face of the counterweight 32 contacts the top surface of the part first. The gripper 3 continues to descend, and the counterweight 32 retracts into the guide cylinder 31. After the gripper 3 reaches its position, it grips the outer circumferential surface of the part. The gripper 3 then lifts, at which point the end face of the part provides support to the counterweight 32. Thanks to the improvement of the lifting mechanism 6 in Embodiment 2, the gripper 3 can grip stably, and even if additional pressure is applied to the part, there is no need to worry about the part falling. The gripper 3 moves above the copper sleeve receiving hole, descends, and delivers the source core to the vicinity of the receiving hole. The bottom surface of the source core approaches or slightly contacts the edge of the hole, completing the coarse positioning.

[0051] Furthermore, when the gripper 3 opens, the lateral clamping force on the source core is released. At this point, there will inevitably be a difference in the time it takes for the three clamping points to separate from the part. Therefore, the part is most prone to flipping at this time, causing it to fall without its surface being parallel to the horizontal plane. To address this, this embodiment provides a counterweight 32 and a guide cylinder 31. The guide cylinder 31 ensures the stability of its own descent. Under the downward thrust of its own weight, the contact end 321 of the counterweight 32 abuts against the upper surface of the source core, preventing the source core from falling freely and instead pushing it. Since the source core is a flat, circular piece, the downward thrust applied by the contact end 321 of the counterweight 32 to the upper surface of the source core can automatically correct any slight horizontal deviation of the source core, making its posture more horizontal and ensuring that the axis of the source core is coaxial with the axis of the receiving hole.

[0052] Under the continuous thrust of the counterweight 32, the source core slides smoothly downward along the wall of the receiving hole and eventually falls completely into the receiving hole. During this process, the counterweight 32 gradually retracts into the guide cylinder 31 due to the space above the receiving hole. After the source core is completely in place, the gripper 3 drives the guide cylinder 31 and the counterweight 32 to rise and reset. The elastic drive member 33 pushes the counterweight 32 back out to its maximum extension distance, ready for the next round of assembly.

[0053] In traditional assembly methods, the gripper 3 is responsible for both stably gripping the parts and accurately placing them into the mounting holes, placing extremely high demands on the repeatability of the gripper 3 and the visual guidance system. In this embodiment, however, the gripper 3 is only responsible for transporting and roughly placing the parts, while the counterweight 32 is responsible for the fine placement and attitude correction of the parts. This transforms a challenging "suspended coaxial alignment" problem into a simpler "guided pressing" problem, significantly reducing the reliance on equipment precision and greatly improving the assembly success rate.

[0054] Furthermore, an elastic drive member 33 is provided between the counterweight 32 and the guide cylinder 31, and the elastic drive member 33 applies a force to the counterweight 32 that extends outward toward the guide cylinder 31.

[0055] In this embodiment, the elastic drive member 33 is a compression spring, which is disposed inside the guide cylinder 31, with one end abutting the closed end of the guide cylinder 31 and the other end abutting the top end of the counterweight 32. When the counterweight 32 retracts due to the support of the top surface of the part, the compression spring is compressed synchronously, storing elastic potential energy.

[0056] It should be noted that although the counterweight 32's own weight is sufficient to extend it out of the guide cylinder 31 without external support, in actual assembly, relying solely on gravity to drive the counterweight 32 outward results in a speed close to the normal falling speed of the part, and the falling distance is very short. Therefore, it is difficult for the counterweight 32 to guarantee stable contact with the upper surface of the part due to the acceleration of its own weight. However, with the addition of the elastic drive member 33, the rebound force of the elastic drive member 33 is superimposed on the weight of the counterweight 32, driving the counterweight 32 to extend outward at a faster speed, enabling the counterweight 32 to stably contact the part.

[0057] Example 4 Reference Figure 2 - Figure 6 As shown.

[0058] When the part is lifted to the desired clamping height, it is supported by the top surface of the lifting column 5. Ideally, the part should protrude completely from the positioning hole 41. When the part protrudes completely from the positioning hole 41, the circumferential direction of the part loses the constraint of the positioning hole 41. If the support surface provided by the lifting column 5 is not stable enough at this time, the part is at risk of tipping over. However, the core and shell diameters are small, and the positioning hole 41 is a stepped hole, requiring an end face for supporting the core and shell, and also a hole for the lifting column 5 to pass through. Therefore, for the cylindrical lifting column 5, the end face diameter of the lifting column 5 is necessarily smaller than the core diameter. Since the core and shell diameters are already very small, the support surface of the lifting column 5 for the core and shell is very small. During equipment operation, continuous micro-vibrations can easily cause the part to be gripped to shift or tilt.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of extension blocks 54 protrude radially outward in a portion of the top surface of the lifting column 5; The circumferential wall of the second through hole 412 is provided with a plurality of grooves 4121 penetrating both ends of the second through hole 412; The groove 4121 corresponds one-to-one with the extension block 54, and the extension block 54 is embedded in the groove 4121 and slides with it.

[0060] Preferably, there are three extension blocks 54, which are evenly distributed in a circular array along the top surface of the lifting column 5, with an included angle of 120° between adjacent extension blocks 54. Correspondingly, the number of grooves 4121 corresponds one-to-one with the extension blocks 54, also being three and distributed in a circular array on the circumferential wall surface of the second through hole 412.

[0061] By extending a portion of the top surface of the lifting column 5 radially outward, three extension blocks 54 are formed. The extension blocks 54 and the top surface of the lifting column 5 together constitute a larger support area, thereby providing a larger support surface for the part. This significantly improves the stability of the part when it is lifted to the clamping height and effectively reduces the risk of part displacement or tilting caused by equipment micro-vibration.

[0062] It should be noted that the top surface of the lifting column 5 is not directly expanded as a whole, but only a portion extends radially to form an extension block 54. This is because the lifting column 5 needs to pass through the first through hole 411 and the second through hole 412 during the lifting process. The stepped end face of the first through hole 411 needs to provide axial support for the part, and the inner wall of the second through hole 412 needs to provide circumferential restraint for the part. If the end face of the lifting column 5 is directly enlarged, the enlarged end face of the lifting column 5 will completely cover the stepped end face of the first through hole 411, meaning that when the part is not being lifted, it can only be supported by the end face of the lifting column 5 alone. This reduces or even eliminates the contact area between the part and the stepped end face of the first through hole 411, which is detrimental to the initial positioning accuracy of the part in the positioning hole 41. Similarly, if the end face of the lifting column 5 is enlarged to be flush with the inner wall of the second through hole 412, the circumferential restraint effect of the inner wall of the second through hole 412 on the part will be eliminated.

[0063] Furthermore, since the end plug is relatively long, a portion of the end plug is always in the positioning hole 41 during the lifting process, so there is no risk of tilting or shifting. Therefore, the lifting column 5 and positioning hole 41 suitable for the end plug do not need to be equipped with extension block 54 and groove 4121 structure.

[0064] Furthermore, the top surface of the lifting column 5 can be made of rubber to provide better anti-slip properties.

[0065] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "center," "top," "bottom," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "inner side," and "outer side," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. "Inner side" refers to the interior or enclosed area or space. "Outer perimeter" refers to the area surrounding a specific component or specific area.

[0066] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," "third," or "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0067] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "assembly" 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 direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0068] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that "-" and "~" represent a range of two values, and this range includes the endpoints. For example, "AB" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B. "A~B" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B.

[0070] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character "、" generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0071] 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 the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A radioactive source assembly device, characterized in that, include: The installation platform has at least three positioning slots. A three-axis drive module is mounted on the mounting platform; The gripper is mounted on the three-axis drive module, and the three-axis drive module drives the gripper to move along the X, Y, and Z directions; A part positioning box is placed in the positioning slot and has multiple positioning holes for loading parts. Multiple lifting columns are arranged one-to-one below each of the positioning holes to push the parts out of the positioning holes; The top surfaces of the multiple lifting columns have different heights and are divided into three categories: lifting column A, lifting column B, and lifting column C. The top surface heights of each category decrease sequentially, and lifting columns belonging to the same category are arranged without being adjacent to each other. A lifting mechanism is located below the installation platform to drive the lifting columns A, B, and C to be lifted.

2. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes: A vertically arranged transmission screw is rotatably connected to the underside of the mounting platform; The guide column is fixedly installed below the mounting platform and parallel to the transmission screw; The lifting platform is slidably connected to the guide column and is threadedly engaged with the transmission screw via a transmission nut. A drive motor is fixedly installed below the mounting platform and is used to drive the transmission screw to rotate; The lifting column is installed on the upper surface of the lifting platform and rises and falls synchronously with the lifting platform.

3. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting platform includes a first lifting platform, a second lifting platform, and a third lifting platform arranged sequentially from top to bottom; The third lifting platform is an integral platform whose projection area covers the entire positioning slot; Both the first lifting platform and the second lifting platform are independently set small platforms, and the projection area of ​​each small platform only covers the corresponding area of ​​a single positioning slot; The lifting column A, lifting column B, and lifting column C are fixedly installed on the first lifting platform, the second lifting platform, and the third lifting platform in sequence. A first elastic support is provided between the first lifting platform and the third lifting platform; a second elastic support is provided between the second lifting platform and the third lifting platform. The transmission nut is disposed on the third lifting platform; Below the installation platform, there is a first limiting block for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform and a second limiting block for limiting the maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform; The maximum lifting distance of the first lifting platform is L1; The maximum lifting distance of the second lifting platform is L2; L2 > L1.

4. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper is a three-finger gripper.

5. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper is provided with a guide cylinder, the opening of which faces the opening of the gripper and is coaxial with the axis of the gripper; A counterweight is slidably disposed inside the guide cylinder; The guide cylinder has a limiting boss; The limiting boss restricts the maximum distance by which the counterweight extends out of the guide cylinder; When the counterweight extends to its maximum distance, the end of the counterweight protrudes beyond the clamping end of the gripper.

6. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, An elastic drive member is provided between the counterweight and the guide cylinder, and the elastic drive member applies a force to the counterweight extending outward toward the guide cylinder.

7. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The diameter of the guide cylinder is smaller than the diameter of the source core; The end of the counterweight that protrudes from the guide cylinder is the contact end, and the diameter of the contact end is larger than the diameter of the guide cylinder but smaller than the diameter of the source core.

8. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning hole is configured as a two-stage stepped through hole. The through hole with the larger diameter in the two-stage stepped through hole is the first through hole, and the through hole with the smaller diameter in the two-stage stepped through hole is the second through hole. The circumferential wall of the first through hole limits the axis of the part. The second through hole extends through the part positioning box and allows the end of the lifting column to pass through.

9. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The depth of the first through hole is greater than the height of the part.

10. The radioactive source assembly equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, A portion of the top surface of the lifting column has multiple extension blocks protruding radially outward; The circumferential wall of the second through hole is provided with a plurality of grooves penetrating both ends of the second through hole; The grooves correspond one-to-one with the extension blocks, allowing the extension blocks to pass through.

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