An electric meter shell production and assembly device

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of electric meter production and assembly, and discloses an electric meter shell production and assembly device, which comprises a first conveying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism and a manipulator, a lower shell positioning assembly is arranged on the first conveying mechanism, the lower shell positioning assembly comprises a supporting plate and a fixed plate, and a upper shell guiding structure is arranged on the fixed plate; a mounting block is arranged on the manipulator, and a clamping assembly, a positioning assembly and a pressing assembly are arranged on the mounting block, the clamping assembly comprises oppositely arranged clamping pieces, the positioning assembly comprises a positioning ring and a plurality of axially elastic positioning rods, and the pressing assembly comprises a pressing block and a plurality of axially elastic pressing rods, and detection pieces are arranged in the positioning rods and the pressing rods respectively; the device can consider the guiding, hole positioning and pressing detection during the assembly of the upper shell and the lower shell, so that the assembly abnormalities can be identified in time, and the possibility of damage to the shell and internal components caused by abnormal positioning or continuous pressing can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electricity meter manufacturing and assembly technology, and specifically to an electricity meter casing manufacturing and assembly device. Background Technology

[0002] Electricity meters typically consist of an upper and lower casing that fit together. During production and assembly, components such as circuit boards and terminals are usually installed inside the lower casing to form a semi-finished product. The upper casing is then transferred to the top of the lower casing, and after positioning and pressing, the assembly of the upper and lower casings is completed. With the increasing automation of electricity meter production lines, the gripping and transfer of the upper casing, as well as the assembly of the upper and lower casings, are increasingly being completed by robotic arms and conveyor mechanisms. Since the upper and lower casings are usually injection molded, factors such as molding shrinkage, dimensional tolerances, local warping, and conveyor positioning errors can cause a certain positional deviation when the upper casing falls onto the lower casing. Additionally, burrs, injection molding residue, or other foreign matter may remain in the threaded holes and mating areas of the casing, thus affecting subsequent positioning and pressing operations.

[0003] Chinese invention patent application CN119036024A discloses an automatic assembly device and method for the nameplate on the upper casing of a single-phase electricity meter. The device includes an upper casing buffer turntable, a nameplate mounting unit, an upper casing loading robot, and an upper casing installation robot on a worktable. The robot handles the gripping of the upper casing and the automatic assembly of the upper and lower casings. The upper casing installation robot includes a robotic arm, upper casing grippers, and a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is positioned between the robotic arm and the upper casing grippers to detect the pressure during assembly. When the pressure exceeds a preset value, an alarm is triggered and assembly stops. This solution improves the automation level of electricity meter upper casing assembly and allows for the identification of abnormal situations based on overall assembly pressure.

[0004] However, when there is a positional deviation between the upper and lower shells, local interference can easily occur during the descent and pressing process of the upper shell. Simply detecting the overall assembly pressure at the robotic arm or gripper is insufficient to promptly reflect different assembly states, such as obstruction of threaded hole alignment or localized obstruction of shell pressing. Especially when there are foreign objects in the threaded holes, localized interference between the upper and lower shells, or deviations in shell dimensions, continuing positioning or pressing can easily deform or even damage the plastic shell, potentially affecting components already installed inside. Therefore, how to simultaneously ensure the guiding and positioning of the upper shell during the automatic assembly of the meter's upper and lower shells, and how to promptly identify assembly abnormalities during the positioning and pressing stages, remains a problem that existing technologies need to address. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an assembly device for the production of electric meter casings, which aims to solve the problems in the existing assembly process of the upper and lower casings of electric meters, where interference is easily caused by positional deviation when the upper casing falls, and when foreign objects block or local interference occurs during the positioning of threaded holes and the pressing of the casing, it is not easy to judge the assembly abnormality in time.

[0006] An assembly apparatus for producing electric meter casings includes a first conveying mechanism for conveying a lower casing, a second conveying mechanism for conveying an upper casing, and a robotic arm for transferring the upper casing. The first conveying mechanism is provided with a lower casing positioning assembly, which includes a support plate for supporting the lower casing and fixed plates located on both sides of the support plate. The fixed plates are provided with an upper casing guiding structure for horizontally guiding the falling upper casing. The robotic arm is equipped with a mounting block, which contains a clamping assembly, a positioning assembly, and a pressing assembly. The clamping assembly includes clamping members arranged opposite each other, which can approach each other to clamp the upper shell. The positioning assembly includes a positioning ring that moves along the assembly direction and several positioning rods disposed on the positioning ring. The positioning rods can elastically extend and retract along their own axis and are inserted into the corresponding threaded holes of the upper and lower shells in sequence as the positioning ring moves. The pressing assembly includes a pressing block that moves along the assembly direction and several pressure rods disposed below the pressing block. The pressure rods can elastically extend and retract along their own axis. Detection elements are respectively provided inside the positioning rods and pressure rods. The detection elements are used to determine whether the positioning or pressing of the upper and lower shells is abnormal based on the extension and retraction state of the positioning rods and pressure rods.

[0007] The effect is as follows: when the upper shell is gripped and lowered by the robotic arm, the upper shell guide structure first guides the horizontal position of the upper shell, gradually bringing it closer to the assembly position corresponding to the lower shell. Then, the positioning rods sequentially enter the corresponding threaded holes of the upper and lower shells, further positioning the hole relationship between the two shells. The positioning rods adopt an elastic telescopic structure; when there are foreign objects in the threaded holes or the holes do not align correctly, their telescopic state can change and be identified by the detection component. During the pressing process, the pressure rod can also adapt to the surface of the upper shell through its own elastic telescopic movement, and the detection component can determine whether abnormal resistance occurs during the pressing process. Thus, the guiding, hole positioning, pressing, and abnormality detection of the upper shell form a continuous assembly process, reducing the possibility of shell deformation, breakage, and damage to internal components caused by continued forced positioning or pressing under abnormal conditions.

[0008] Preferably, the first conveying mechanism is equipped with an adhesive application mechanism, which is connected to the detection component signal. When no positioning or pressing abnormality is detected in the detection component, the adhesive application mechanism applies tape between the upper and lower shells to maintain their relative positions. When a positioning or pressing abnormality is detected, the adhesive application mechanism applies tape with a length greater than the normal tape length to mark the abnormally assembled upper and lower shells. The effect is that, in the normal assembly state, the temporary connection between the upper and lower shells with tape prevents the two shells from shifting relative to each other again after the robot arm releases its grip. When a positioning or pressing abnormality is detected, the use of tape of different lengths creates a visual marker, allowing workers to easily distinguish abnormal products in subsequent processes and perform manual inspection and handling.

[0009] Preferably, the upper shell guiding structure includes guide surface one and guide surface two. Both guide surface one and guide surface two are inclined surfaces oriented towards the falling path of the upper shell. The two guide surfaces one are respectively disposed on the two side fixing plates and guide the upper shell in the front-back direction. The two guide surfaces two are disposed opposite each other and guide the upper shell in the left-right direction. The effect is that during the falling process, the upper shell can first contact the inclined guide surfaces one and guide surface two and gradually move towards the predetermined position along the inclined surfaces. The guidance in the two directions works together to reduce the positional deviation of the upper shell relative to the lower shell in the front-back direction and the left-right direction, providing a relatively stable initial position for the subsequent positioning rod to enter the corresponding threaded hole.

[0010] Preferably, the clamping components are two clamping plates disposed opposite to each other below the mounting block. The clamping assembly also includes a driving component, which is mounted on the mounting block and is connected to the two clamping plates in a transmission manner to drive the two clamping plates to move closer or further apart from each other.

[0011] Preferably, each positioning rod includes an outer rod and an inner rod. The upper end of the outer rod is movably connected to a positioning ring, and the inner rod slides along the axial direction of the positioning rod. A positioning spring is provided between the inner rod and the outer rod, which is used to drive the inner rod to reset relative to the outer rod. The effect is that the inner rod can move axially relative to the outer rod. When the positioning rod is inserted into the threaded hole and is blocked, the inner rod can retract and compress the positioning spring, changing the rigid insertion into an elastic positioning with a buffer margin. This facilitates the detection of abnormal states during the positioning process and reduces the direct impact on the threaded hole and the housing when the positioning rod continues to move downward.

[0012] Preferably, the positioning ring has a mounting groove, and the upper end of the outer rod has a movable block. The movable block is movably disposed within the mounting groove, and the dimensions of the mounting groove in the front-back and left-right directions are larger than the corresponding dimensions of the movable block, so that the positioning rod can move within a small range relative to the positioning ring in the front-back and left-right directions. The effect is that the movable block can move within a small range in the front-back and left-right directions within the larger mounting groove, giving the positioning rod a certain lateral adjustment margin when descending with the positioning ring. The positioning rod can adapt to the hole position, thereby improving the fault tolerance when the positioning rod enters the threaded hole.

[0013] Preferably, the pressure rod includes a fixed part and a telescopic part. The fixed part is connected to the pressing block, and the telescopic part and the fixed part are slidably engaged along the axial direction of the pressure rod. A compression spring is provided between the fixed part and the telescopic part, which is used to drive the telescopic part to return to its original position relative to the fixed part. The effect is that when the pressing block descends, the telescopic part can slide relative to the fixed part and compress the compression spring, which allows the pressing force to gradually act on the upper shell, and also allows the movement state of the telescopic part to reflect whether there is any abnormal obstruction during the pressing process.

[0014] Preferably, the end of the inner rod furthest from the outer rod is pointed. As the inner rod moves downward with the positioning ring, it can insert into the threaded hole of the upper shell, and during insertion, it pushes and clears foreign objects from the threaded hole. The advantages are: the pointed end of the inner rod reduces interference during the initial stage of the positioning rod entering the threaded hole, facilitating its gradual entry into the hole; simultaneously, the end of the inner rod can push away residual injection molding material or other loose foreign objects in the threaded hole, reducing the impact of foreign objects on the positioning process.

[0015] Preferably, the lower end of the telescopic part is provided with a rubber pad for contacting the upper shell. The effect is that the pressure rod contacts the surface of the upper shell through the rubber pad, which can prevent the telescopic part from acting directly on the shell surface and reduce the possibility of scratches or indentations during the pressing process; at the same time, the rubber pad itself has a certain elastic deformation capacity, which can work together with the elastic telescopic structure of the pressure rod to play a buffering role, making the pressing process more stable.

[0016] Preferably, the mounting block is provided with a first driving member and a second driving member. The first driving member is connected to the positioning ring to drive the positioning ring to move along the assembly direction, and the second driving member is connected to the pressing block to drive the pressing block to move along the assembly direction.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. In the process of the upper shell moving to the lower shell, the present invention first guides the horizontal position of the upper shell through the upper shell guide structure, and then uses the positioning rod to enter the corresponding threaded holes of the upper shell and the lower shell in sequence to further locate the hole position relationship between the two shells, so that the external position guidance of the shell and the internal hole position positioning form a continuous fit, which can reduce the possibility of local jamming or collision caused by position deviation when the upper shell falls directly, and improve the consistency of the assembly position of the upper and lower shells.

[0018] 2. Both the positioning rod and the pressure rod adopt a structure capable of elastic expansion and contraction along their own axis. When abnormal obstruction occurs during threaded hole positioning and housing pressing, the relevant components can form a buffer through their own expansion and contraction, and the detection component can judge whether the assembly is abnormal based on their expansion and contraction status. Therefore, in the event of mismatched hole positions, foreign objects in the hole, or local interference between the upper and lower shells, abnormal information can be obtained in a timely manner, reducing the damage caused to the plastic shell and internal components by continued forced positioning or pressing.

[0019] 3. This invention combines the abnormality detection results with the adhesive application operation. Under normal circumstances, the tape is used to temporarily hold the upper and lower shells that have been positioned and pressed together, reducing the possibility of the two shells shifting again after the robot arm releases the gripper. When positioning or pressing abnormalities occur, the tape length is changed to create a clear distinction, allowing abnormal products to continue to flow with the conveyor line and be centrally inspected and processed by humans later, avoiding the need to set up a complicated sorting structure for abnormality identification. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lower shell positioning component of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lower shell positioning component and the adhesive application mechanism of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping assembly, positioning assembly, and pressing assembly of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the robotic arm of the present invention gripping the upper shell.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the upper and lower shells of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning component of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the pressing assembly of the present invention.

[0028] Figure label: 1. First conveying mechanism; 11. Pallet; 12. Fixing plate; 121. Guide surface one; 122. Guide surface two; 2. Second conveying mechanism; 3. Robotic arm; 31. Mounting block; 32. Clamping plate; 33. Positioning ring; 331. Mounting groove; 34. Positioning rod; 341. Outer rod; 342. Inner rod; 343. Movable block; 35. Pressing block; 36. Pressing rod; 361. Fixing part; 362. Telescopic part; 363. Pressing spring; 364. Rubber pad; 37. First driving component; 38. Second driving component; 4. Adhesive application mechanism; 41. Adhesive pressing wheel; 42. Adhesive pressing wheel frame; 51. Upper shell; 52. Lower shell; 53. Threaded hole. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] like Figures 1-8 As shown, an assembly device for producing electric meter casings is mainly used to automatically transfer an upper casing 51 onto a lower casing 52, and to complete the guiding of the upper casing 51, positioning of the threaded hole 53, casing pressing, and anomaly detection during the assembly process. The device mainly includes a first conveying mechanism 1, a second conveying mechanism 2, and a robotic arm 3. The first conveying mechanism 1 is used to convey the lower casing 52, which has already been fitted with internal components. The second conveying mechanism 2 is used to sequentially convey the upper casing 51 to be assembled. The robotic arm 3 is positioned between the first conveying mechanism 1 and the second conveying mechanism 2, and is used to grab the upper casing 51 and transfer it above the lower casing 52, so that the upper casing 51 and the lower casing 52 complete subsequent positioning and pressing operations at the first conveying mechanism 1.

[0031] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the first conveying mechanism 1 is arranged along the conveying direction of the lower shell 52. The lower shell 52 moves with the first conveying mechanism 1 to the assembly position corresponding to the robot arm 3 and then stops. The first conveying mechanism 1 is provided with a lower shell positioning assembly, which is used to support and restrict the position of the lower shell 52 at the assembly station. The lower shell positioning assembly includes a support plate 11 and fixed plates 12 disposed on both sides of the support plate 11. The support plate 11 is used to support the lower shell 52, so that the lower shell 52 has stable bottom support during positioning and pressing. The two fixed plates 12 are respectively located on opposite sides of the lower shell 52, and are used to restrict its position from the periphery of the lower shell 52. Through the cooperation of the support plate 11 and the fixed plates 12, the lower shell 52 remains stable relative to the first conveying mechanism 1 after reaching the assembly position, avoiding significant movement of the lower shell 52 during the placement of the upper shell 51 by the robot arm 3 and during subsequent pressing.

[0032] The fixed plate 12 is equipped with an upper shell guide structure, which is used to initially correct the horizontal position of the upper shell 51 as it approaches the lower shell 52. The upper shell guide structure includes a guide surface 121 and a guide surface 122, both of which are inclined towards the falling path of the upper shell 51. The two guide surfaces 121 are formed on the two fixed plates 12 on both sides, and guide the upper shell 51 in the front-back direction. When the upper shell 51 deviates in the front-back direction, it first contacts the guide surface 121 on the corresponding side, and gradually moves towards the center as the robot arm 3 continues to descend. The two guide surfaces 122 are arranged opposite to each other and restrict the position of the upper shell 51 in the left-right direction, so that the left-right deviation of the upper shell 51 is adjusted. Guided by inclined planes in two directions, when the upper shell 51 moves downward under the action of the robot arm 3, even if there is a slight deviation between its horizontal position and the lower shell 52, it can first contact the corresponding guide surface and gradually move towards the predetermined assembly position along the inclined plane, completing the initial adjustment of the outer contour position and reducing the possibility of direct collision or jamming between the edge of the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the second conveying mechanism 2 is located within the picking range of the robot arm 3 and sequentially conveys the upper shell 51 along a predetermined direction. Both the first conveying mechanism 1 and the second conveying mechanism 2 can adopt existing conveyor belt structures on the production line, and their own drive and start / stop control adopt conventional methods in existing conveying equipment. During operation, the lower shell 52 is sent into the assembly station by the first conveying mechanism 1, and the upper shell 51 is sent to the gripping position by the second conveying mechanism 2. The robot arm 3 moves back and forth between the two stations, thereby enabling the upper shell 51 and the corresponding lower shell 52 to be assembled sequentially.

[0034] like Figures 2-6 As shown, the actuator of the robotic arm 3 is equipped with a mounting block 31. The mounting block 31 moves synchronously with the robotic arm 3 and serves as the common mounting base for the gripping assembly, the positioning assembly, and the pressing assembly. The gripping assembly is used to grip the upper shell 51 and drive it to complete the transfer. The positioning assembly is used to position the threaded hole 53 during the gripping of the upper shell 51 and the alignment of the upper and lower shells. The pressing assembly is used to apply a downward pressing action to the upper shell 51 after positioning. The above three components are centrally mounted on the mounting block 31, so that the robotic arm 3 can perform gripping, positioning, and pressing sequentially in one movement.

[0035] like Figures 4-6As shown, the clamping assembly includes two clamping plates 32 disposed opposite to each other below the mounting block 31, and a drive component that is pulsatorically connected to the two clamping plates 32. When the two clamping plates 32 approach each other, they clamp the upper shell 51 from both sides, allowing the upper shell 51 to move synchronously with the robot arm 3. Once the upper shell 51 has been placed in the corresponding position on the lower shell 52 and held in place, the two clamping plates 32 move away from each other to release the clamping of the upper shell 51. The drive component can be an existing drive structure capable of reciprocating linear drive.

[0036] like Figures 4-7 As shown, the positioning assembly includes a positioning ring 33 and several positioning rods 34 disposed below the positioning ring 33. A first driving member 37 is provided on the mounting block 31, which is connected to the positioning ring 33 and used to drive the positioning ring 33 to move along the assembly direction of the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52. The several positioning rods 34 move synchronously with the positioning ring 33. The positions of the several positioning rods 34 are adapted to the positions of the threaded holes 53 on the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52 that require corresponding positioning. Before the robot arm 3 grasps the upper shell 51, the positioning ring 33 moves downwards, allowing the positioning rods 34 to enter the corresponding threaded holes 53 on the upper shell 51. After the robot arm 3 moves the upper shell 51 above the lower shell 52, the positioning rods 34 can continue to enter the corresponding threaded holes 53 on the lower shell 52, establishing a corresponding relationship between the upper and lower threaded holes 53.

[0037] Each positioning rod 34 includes an outer rod 341 and an inner rod 342. The upper part of the outer rod 341 is movably connected to the positioning ring 33, and the inner rod 342 is slidably disposed at the lower part of the outer rod 341 and can move relative to the outer rod 341 along the axial direction of the positioning rod 34. A positioning spring is provided between the inner rod 342 and the outer rod 341. When the positioning rod 34 is not subjected to abnormal axial resistance, the positioning spring keeps the inner rod 342 in its initial outward extended state. When the inner rod 342 is obstructed during insertion into the threaded hole 53, the inner rod 342 can retract upward relative to the outer rod 341, compressing the positioning spring. After the external resistance is released, the positioning spring releases its elastic potential energy, allowing the inner rod 342 to return to its extended state.

[0038] like Figures 4-7As shown, mounting grooves 331 are respectively provided on the positioning ring 33 corresponding to the positions of each positioning rod 34. A movable block 343 is provided at the upper end of the outer rod 341, and the movable block 343 is movably disposed in the mounting groove 331. The internal dimensions of the mounting groove 331 in the front-back direction and the left-right direction are larger than the external dimensions of the movable block 343 in the corresponding directions. Therefore, the movable block 343 is not completely fixed in the mounting groove 331, but can move slightly within the range defined by the mounting groove 331. Therefore, when there is a small lateral positional deviation between the positioning rod 34 and the threaded hole 53 on the upper shell 51, the end of the inner rod 342 contacts the inlet of the threaded hole 53 and generates a lateral guiding effect. This, along with the outer rod 341, drives the movable block 343 to move in the mounting groove 331 until the positions of the positioning rod 34 and the threaded hole 53 are basically aligned, without the need for the robot arm 3 to perform high-precision position correction as a whole.

[0039] The inner rod 342 has a pointed end away from the outer rod 341, allowing it to gradually enter the threaded hole 53. As the positioning rod 34 descends with the positioning ring 33, the tip of the inner rod 342 first enters the threaded hole 53, and then continues to move into the hole. If there are small amounts of residual injection molding material, burrs, or other loose foreign objects remaining in the threaded hole 53, the end of the inner rod 342 can push these foreign objects away during entry, reducing their impact on subsequent positioning.

[0040] The positioning rod 34 is equipped with a detection element, which can be a displacement sensor, a pressure sensor, or a corresponding detection element capable of detecting the extension and retraction state of the inner rod 342. In this embodiment, the detection element inside the positioning rod 34 can be located inside the outer rod 341 to detect the axial movement state of the inner rod 342 relative to the outer rod 341. When the inner rod 342 smoothly enters the threaded holes 53 corresponding to the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52, the inner rod 342 and the outer rod 341 maintain a normal relative positional relationship. If the upper and lower threaded holes 53 are not correctly aligned, or if there is an obstruction in the lower threaded hole 53, the inner rod 342 will be blocked and retract relative to the outer rod 341 as the positioning ring 33 continues to descend. This causes the detection element to obtain a detection signal different from the normal positioning state, which is used to determine that there is an abnormality in the current positioning. When the detection element detects a positioning abnormality, the first driving member 37 stops driving the positioning ring 33 to move downward and no longer performs the subsequent normal pressing action.

[0041] like Figures 4-8As shown, the pressing assembly includes a pressing block 35 and several pressing rods 36 disposed below the pressing block 35. A second driving member 38 is disposed on the mounting block 31 and is connected to the pressing block 35. The second driving member 38 is used to drive the pressing block 35 to move up and down along the assembly direction. The several pressing rods 36 move synchronously with the pressing block 35. In this embodiment, the several pressing rods 36 are disposed corresponding to the four corner areas of the upper and lower shells, so that different areas of the upper shell 51 can be subjected to downward force during the pressing process. After the upper shell 51 has completed the position correction by the guide surface 121, the guide surface 122 and the positioning rod 34, the pressing block 35 moves downward again, so that each pressing rod 36 contacts the upper surface of the upper shell 51 and transmits the downward force of the pressing block 35 to the upper shell 51, so that the upper shell 51 gradually completes the pressing with the lower shell 52.

[0042] Each pressure rod 36 includes a fixed part 361 and a telescopic part 362. The upper end of the fixed part 361 is connected to the pressing block 35, and the telescopic part 362 is disposed at the lower part of the fixed part 361 and can slide along the axial direction of the fixed part 361. A compression spring 363 is provided between the fixed part 361 and the telescopic part 362. In the initial state, the compression spring 363 keeps the telescopic part 362 extending downward. When the lower end of the telescopic part 362 contacts the upper shell 51, the pressing block 35 continues to descend, and the telescopic part 362 is subjected to the reaction force of the upper shell 51 and moves upward relative to the fixed part 361, while compressing the compression spring 363.

[0043] A rubber pad 364 is provided at the lower end of the telescopic part 362. When the pressure rod 36 moves downward, the rubber pad 364 is the first part to contact the surface of the upper shell 51. The rubber pad 364 can reduce the rigid contact between the end of the pressure rod 36 and the plastic upper shell 51, and together with the compression spring 363, form an elastic buffer. As the compression block 35 continues to descend, the telescopic part 362 gradually retracts relative to the fixed part 361, so that the compression force is transmitted to the upper shell 51 more smoothly through the compression spring 363 and the rubber pad 364, thereby reducing the possibility of localized concentrated force causing indentations or damage to the shell surface.

[0044] The pressure rod 36 also has a detection element inside. In this embodiment, the detection element can be located inside the fixed part 361 to detect the axial movement state of the telescopic part 362 relative to the fixed part 361. During normal pressing, as the pressing block 35 descends according to the set stroke, the telescopic part 362 and the fixed part 361 form a relative movement state corresponding to the normal pressing process. When there are foreign objects, injection molding residues, or local structural interference between the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52, the axial resistance of the corresponding pressure rod 36 changes, and its telescopic state differs from the normal pressing state. The detection element outputs an abnormal signal based on this change, thereby determining that the pressing has not been completed normally. When the detection element detects a pressing abnormality, the second driving member 38 stops driving the pressing block 35 to move downward.

[0045] like Figures 2-8 As shown, the first conveying mechanism 1 is equipped with multiple sets of adhesive application mechanisms 4. In this embodiment, the multiple sets of adhesive application mechanisms 4 are respectively arranged at the four corners of the pallet 11, and the positioning rods 34 and pressure rods 36 are respectively provided at the four corner areas of the upper and lower shells. The adhesive application mechanism 4 includes a pressure roller 41 and a pressure roller frame 42. The pressure roller 41 is rotatably mounted on the pressure roller frame 42 via a wheel axle. The tape supply, fixed-length conveying and cutting parts of the adhesive application mechanism 4 adopt the conventional structure in existing automatic adhesive application devices, and this embodiment will not further limit its specific internal structure.

[0046] The detection components located in the positioning rod 34 and pressure rod 36 at the same corner position can establish a signal connection with the corresponding adhesive application mechanism 4. When the detection result is normal, multiple adhesive application mechanisms 4 apply tape of normal length between the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52 at their respective positions, creating a temporary hold between the upper and lower shells after positioning and pressing. When the robot arm 3 releases its grip and the clamping plate 32 leaves the upper shell 51, the tape prevents the upper shell 51 from shifting significantly horizontally relative to the lower shell 52 again, reducing the risk of misalignment of the aligned threaded holes 53 due to friction from the clamping plate 32 during the robot arm 3's withdrawal process.

[0047] When any abnormal positioning or pressing is detected at any corner, the corresponding adhesive application mechanism 4 applies a longer adhesive tape, which is clearly different in length from the tape on normal workpieces. The abnormal workpiece can then proceed to the subsequent inspection station via the first conveyor mechanism 1. Workers can identify the abnormal product based on the longer adhesive tape and further inspect the threaded holes 53, housing joints, or internal foreign objects in the corresponding area based on the corner where the longer tape is located, thereby reducing the need for aimless, piecemeal inspection of the entire housing.

[0048] Based on the above-described device, the working process and working principle of the present invention are as follows: Before the device operates, the pallet 11 carries the lower shell 52 to be assembled. The positioning ring 33 and the pressing block 35 are both in the raised position. The positioning rod 34 is kept extended under the action of the positioning spring, and the pressing rod 36 is also kept extended under the action of the pressing spring 363. The clamping plates 32 are in a separated state so that the robot arm 3 can move to the second conveying mechanism 2. The first conveying mechanism 1 stops after conveying the lower shell 52 to the corresponding position on the pallet 11. At the same time, the second conveying mechanism 2 conveys the upper shell 51 to the gripping position of the robot arm 3, so that the next assembly cycle has the corresponding upper shell 51 and lower shell 52.

[0049] After the robotic arm 3 moves above the upper shell 51, the first drive unit 37 drives the positioning ring 33 to move downwards, causing several positioning rods 34 to enter the threaded holes 53 of the upper shell 51 respectively. The positioning rods 34 adapt to the hole position deviation by moving within a small range in the mounting groove 331 through the movable block 343, and the inner rods 342 gradually enter the threaded holes 53, while pushing against any foreign objects that may be present in the threaded holes 53. After the positioning rods 34 are in place, the drive unit drives the two clamping plates 32 to move closer to each other and clamp the upper shell 51. The robotic arm 3 then rises and moves, causing the upper shell 51 to disengage from the second conveying mechanism 2 and move above the lower shell 52.

[0050] As the robotic arm 3 continues to move the upper shell 51 downwards, guide surfaces 121 and 122 first correct its front-to-back and left-to-right positions, allowing the upper shell 51 to gradually enter the corresponding assembly area of ​​the lower shell 52. Simultaneously, the positioning rod 34 further aligns with the threaded hole 53 of the lower shell 52. When the positioning rod 34 can normally enter the threaded hole 53 of the lower shell 52, the upper shell 51 continues to descend onto the lower shell 52. If a positioning rod 34 is blocked, the corresponding inner rod 342 retracts and compresses the positioning spring, causing an abnormal detection result at that location, which is then transmitted to the adhesive applicator 4 at the corresponding corner.

[0051] When the positioning is normal, the second drive component 38 drives the pressing block 35 to move downwards, and several pressing rods 36 simultaneously approach the upper shell 51. The rubber pad 364 first contacts the upper shell 51, and then the telescopic part 362 moves upwards relative to the fixed part 361 and compresses the pressing spring 363, causing the upper shell 51 to gradually press down on the lower shell 52. The detection components inside the pressing rods 36 simultaneously detect their telescopic state. When the movement state of each pressing rod 36 conforms to the normal pressing process, the pressing of the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52 is completed; if an abnormal change occurs at any point, it is determined that there is a pressing abnormality at that position.

[0052] After completing the corresponding positioning and pressing tests, the adhesive applicator 4 performs the corresponding adhesive applicator action based on the test results. When the test results are normal, the adhesive applicator 4 presses a normal length of adhesive tape between the upper shell 51 and the lower shell 52, so that the upper shell 51 will not shift significantly after the clamping plate 32 is released from the clamping position due to the withdrawal of the robot arm 3; if a positioning or pressing abnormality is detected, a longer length of adhesive tape is applied to form an abnormality mark. After the adhesive applicator is completed, the clamping plate 32 is released from the clamping position, the positioning ring 33 and the pressing block 35 are reset, the robot arm 3 leaves the current workstation, and the assembled meter shell enters the subsequent process with the first conveying mechanism 1.

[0053] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An assembly apparatus for producing an electric meter casing, comprising a first conveying mechanism (1) for conveying a lower casing (52), a second conveying mechanism (2) for conveying an upper casing (51), and a robotic arm (3) for transferring the upper casing (51), characterized in that, The first conveying mechanism (1) is provided with a lower shell positioning assembly. The lower shell positioning assembly includes a support plate (11) for carrying the lower shell (52) and a fixing plate (12) located on both sides of the support plate (11). The fixing plate (12) is provided with an upper shell guiding structure for horizontally guiding the falling upper shell (51). The robotic arm (3) is provided with a mounting block (31), which is provided with a clamping assembly, a positioning assembly and a pressing assembly. The clamping assembly includes clamping members arranged opposite to each other, which can approach each other to clamp the upper shell (51). The positioning assembly includes a positioning ring (33) that moves along the assembly direction and several positioning rods (34) provided on the positioning ring (33). The positioning rods (34) can elastically extend and retract along their own axis and are inserted into the corresponding threaded holes (53) of the upper shell (51) and the lower shell (52) in sequence as the positioning ring (33) moves. The pressing assembly includes a pressing block (35) that moves along the assembly direction and several pressing rods (36) provided below the pressing block (35). The pressing rods (36) can elastically extend and retract along their own axis. The positioning rods (34) and pressing rods (36) are respectively provided with detection elements. The detection elements are used to determine whether the assembly of the upper shell (51) and the lower shell (52) is abnormal based on the extension and retraction state of the positioning rods (34) and pressing rods (36).

2. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first conveying mechanism (1) is equipped with a tape applicator (4), which is connected to the detection component signal. When the detection component does not detect any positioning or pressing abnormality, the tape applicator (4) applies tape between the upper shell (51) and the lower shell (52) to maintain the relative position of the upper shell (51) and the lower shell (52). When the detection component detects any positioning or pressing abnormality, the tape applicator (4) applies tape with a length greater than the tape length under normal conditions to mark the abnormally assembled upper shell (51) and lower shell (52).

3. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper shell guide structure includes guide surface one (121) and guide surface two (122). Guide surface one (121) and guide surface two (122) are both inclined surfaces that are inclined towards the falling path of the upper shell (51). The two guide surfaces one (121) are respectively set on the two fixed plates (12) on both sides and guide the upper shell (51) in the front-back direction. The two guide surfaces two (122) are set opposite to each other and guide the upper shell (51) in the left-right direction.

4. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping components are two clamping plates (32) arranged opposite to each other below the mounting block (31). The clamping assembly also includes a driving component, which is mounted on the mounting block (31) and connected to the two clamping plates (32) in a transmission manner to drive the two clamping plates (32) to move closer or further apart from each other.

5. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each positioning rod (34) includes an outer rod (341) and an inner rod (342). The upper end of the outer rod (341) is movably connected to the positioning ring (33). The inner rod (342) and the outer rod (341) slide together along the axial direction of the positioning rod (34). A positioning spring is provided between the inner rod (342) and the outer rod (341). The positioning spring is used to drive the inner rod (342) to reset relative to the outer rod (341).

6. The meter casing production and assembly apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning ring (33) has an installation groove (331), and the upper end of the outer rod (341) has a movable block (343). The movable block (343) is movably set in the installation groove (331), and the dimensions of the installation groove (331) in the front-back direction and the left-right direction are larger than the corresponding dimensions of the movable block (343), so that the positioning rod (34) can move a small range relative to the positioning ring (33) in the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

7. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure rod (36) includes a fixed part (361) and a telescopic part (362). The fixed part (361) is connected to the pressing block (35). The telescopic part (362) and the fixed part (361) slide together along the axial direction of the pressure rod (36). A compression spring (363) is provided between the fixed part (361) and the telescopic part (362). The compression spring (363) is used to drive the telescopic part (362) to reset relative to the fixed part (361).

8. The meter casing production and assembly device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inner rod (342) is pointed at the end away from the outer rod (341). When the inner rod (342) moves downward with the positioning ring (33), it can be inserted into the threaded hole (53) of the upper shell (51) and pushes and cleans the foreign objects in the threaded hole (53) during the insertion process.

9. The meter casing production and assembly apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lower end of the telescopic part (362) is provided with a rubber pad (364) for contacting the upper shell (51).

10. The meter casing production and assembly apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting block (31) is provided with a first driving member (37) and a second driving member (38). The first driving member (37) is connected to the positioning ring (33) to drive the positioning ring (33) to move along the assembly direction. The second driving member (38) is connected to the pressing block (35) to drive the pressing block (35) to move along the assembly direction.

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