Flexible pallet, conveying device, spraying device, painting line and body clamping method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle production, and particularly relates to a flexible tray, a conveying device, a spraying device, a coating production line and a body clamping method. The flexible tray comprises a support frame and a plurality of support units arranged at intervals on the support frame; wherein each support unit is capable of being telescopic in the vertical direction, so that the top end of each support unit can be adaptively abutted against the bottom wall of the vehicle body. After the vehicle body is placed on the flexible tray, each support unit is compressed to different degrees under the gravity of the vehicle body, so that the top end of each support unit can be attached to the bottom wall of the vehicle body, and flexible support of the vehicle body is realized. The flexible tray can adapt to the bottom wall configuration of different vehicle bodies, and ensure that the bottom of the vehicle body can be effectively supported at multiple positions, thereby improving the production line change efficiency and reducing the tooling management cost.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vehicle production, in particular to a flexible tray, a conveying device, a spraying device, a coating production line and a body clamping method. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a body coating production line, the body needs to be positioned, carried and conveyed by a tray to complete the processes of electrophoresis, spraying, etc. The traditional body tray is a rigid tray customized for a single vehicle model. Such a rigid tray cannot quickly adapt to the bodies of different vehicle models, resulting in low production line change efficiency and high tooling management cost. SUMMARY

[0003] The first object of the present application is to provide a flexible tray to solve the technical problem that the existing body tray cannot quickly adapt to the bodies of different vehicle models.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present application adopts the following technical solutions: A flexible tray for loading a body, comprising a support frame and a plurality of support units arranged at intervals on the support frame; Each of the support units can be telescoped in the vertical direction so that the top end of each support unit can be adaptively abutted against the bottom wall of the body to be loaded.

[0005] In some embodiments, at least two groups of lateral clamping assemblies are arranged on the support frame, the lateral clamping assemblies are arranged in pairs, each pair of lateral clamping assemblies is arranged on the two sides of the support frame along a first horizontal direction, and each pair of lateral clamping assemblies is arranged side by side along a second horizontal direction, the first horizontal direction being perpendicular to the second horizontal direction. Each group of lateral clamping assemblies comprises a clamping member and a clamping driving source for driving the clamping member to move along the first horizontal direction, and the two clamping members arranged in pairs can clamp the body therebetween.

[0006] In some embodiments, each group of lateral clamping assemblies further comprises a lead screw transmission module connected between the clamping member and the clamping driving source.

[0007] In some embodiments, each group of lateral clamping assemblies further comprises a distance measuring sensor and / or a pressure sensor arranged on the clamping member.

[0008] In some embodiments, each group of lateral clamping assemblies further comprises a flexible pad arranged on one side of the clamping member for clamping the body.

[0009] In some embodiments, the flexible pad for contacting the surface of the body is an arc surface or a profile surface adapted to the shape of the body to be loaded.

[0010] In some embodiments, each of the lateral clamping assemblies further comprises a pressure sensor, which is a piezoelectric film sensor, sandwiched between the clamping member and the flexible pad.

[0011] In some embodiments, a position detection sensor is further provided on the support frame, which is configured to detect whether the vehicle body is placed in position.

[0012] In some embodiments, one or more sets of positioning assemblies are further provided on the support frame, each of the positioning assemblies comprising a positioning column configured to be inserted into a corresponding reserved process hole on the vehicle body to be loaded.

[0013] In some embodiments, each of the positioning assemblies further comprises a positioning column driving source, the main body of which is provided on the support frame, and the power output end of which is connected to the positioning column; the positioning column driving source is configured to drive the positioning column to move up and down so as to insert or remove the corresponding reserved process hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, the support frame has a plurality of supporting blocks for supporting the bottom of the vehicle body to be loaded, wherein at least two of the supporting blocks are provided with the positioning columns.

[0015] In some embodiments, each of the support units comprises a support member and an elastic driving member, wherein: the support member is movably arranged on the support frame in the vertical direction; the elastic driving member is connected between the support member and the support frame, and is configured to provide an elastic force to drive the support member to move upward relative to the support frame.

[0016] In some embodiments, the support frame is provided with a corresponding insertion slot for each of the support units, the top of the insertion slot is open, and the lower end of each of the support members is inserted into the corresponding insertion slot.

[0017] In some embodiments, each of the support members and the corresponding insertion slot form a fluid containing cavity, and each of the fluid containing cavities has an inlet and an outlet for fluid.

[0018] In some embodiments, each of the support units further comprises a sealing ring, which is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the corresponding support member and the inner side wall of the insertion slot.

[0019] In some embodiments, each of the elastic driving members is arranged in the corresponding insertion slot. The elastic driving member is a compression spring, and two ends of the compression spring are respectively abutted against the bottom wall of the corresponding insertion slot and the support member.

[0020] In some embodiments, one or more high-pressure cavities are formed on the support frame, and each of the high-pressure cavities is communicated with a fluid supply through a pipeline assembly, the fluid supply being an air compressor or an oil pump. When the number of the high-pressure cavities is one, the high-pressure cavity is communicated with all the inlets and outlets. When the number of the high-pressure cavities is multiple, all the inlets and outlets are divided into multiple groups of inlets and outlets, and multiple high-pressure cavities and multiple groups of inlets and outlets are arranged in one-to-one correspondence, and each high-pressure cavity is communicated with all the inlets and outlets in the corresponding group of inlets and outlets.

[0021] In some embodiments, a fluid pressure sensor is arranged on the cavity wall of each high-pressure cavity.

[0022] In some embodiments, a plurality of pipe interfaces are arranged on the cavity wall of each high-pressure cavity. The pipeline assembly comprises a plurality of branch pipes, a pressure relief main pipe and a fluid input main pipe, one end of each branch pipe is connected to the pipe interface in one-to-one correspondence, the other end of each branch pipe is connected to the pressure relief main pipe and the fluid input main pipe respectively, and the fluid input main pipe is connected to the fluid supply.

[0023] In some embodiments, a first electromagnetic valve is arranged on the pressure relief main pipe, and a second electromagnetic valve is arranged on the fluid input main pipe.

[0024] A second object of the present application is to provide a conveying device comprising a conveying mechanism and any one of the flexible trays described above, the conveying mechanism being used to convey the flexible tray between different stations.

[0025] A third object of the present application is to provide a spraying device comprising a spraying mechanism and any one of the flexible trays described above, the spraying mechanism being used to perform a spraying operation on a vehicle body loaded on the flexible tray.

[0026] A fourth object of the present application is to provide a coating production line comprising any one of the flexible trays described above.

[0027] A fifth object of the present application is to provide a vehicle body clamping method applied to the flexible tray described above, the vehicle body clamping method comprising the following steps: Placing a vehicle body on the flexible tray, and the top end of each support unit is abutted against the bottom wall of the vehicle body adaptively; Fluid is introduced into each of the fluid accommodating chambers through each of the inlets and outlets until the pressure value in each of the fluid accommodating chambers reaches the target pressure parameter.

[0028] In some embodiments, the flexible tray further includes at least two sets of lateral clamping assemblies, the lateral clamping assemblies being arranged in pairs, each pair of lateral clamping assemblies being disposed on both sides of the support frame along a first horizontal direction; each set of lateral clamping assemblies includes a clamping member and a clamping drive source for driving the clamping member to move along the first horizontal direction, the two pairs of clamping members being able to cooperate to clamp the vehicle body between them. After placing the vehicle body on the flexible tray, the vehicle body clamping method further includes the following steps: The clamping drive source is controlled to drive the clamping member toward the vehicle body at a first speed; When the distance between the clamping member and the vehicle body reaches a set distance, the clamping drive source is controlled to drive the clamping member to move toward the vehicle body at a second speed, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed; When the clamping force applied to the vehicle body by the clamping member reaches a set value, the clamping drive source is controlled to stop operating.

[0029] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The present invention provides a flexible pallet, which includes a support frame and a plurality of support units spaced apart on the support frame; wherein each support unit is capable of extending and retracting in a vertical direction so that the top of each support unit can adaptively abut against the bottom wall of the vehicle body.

[0030] Once the car body is placed on the flexible tray, each support unit is compressed to varying degrees under the weight of the car body, allowing the top of each support unit to conform to the bottom wall of the car body, thus providing flexible support. This flexible tray can adapt to the bottom wall configuration of different car body models, ensuring effective support at multiple locations on the bottom of the car body, thereby improving production line changeover efficiency and reducing tooling management costs.

[0031] The present invention also provides a conveying device, a spraying device, and a coating production line equipped with the flexible pallet. The conveying device, spraying device, and coating production line all have all the technical features and effects of the flexible pallet, which will not be described in detail here.

[0032] The present invention also provides a vehicle body clamping method for a flexible pallet; the flexible pallet includes a support frame and a plurality of support units spaced apart on the support frame, each support unit being capable of vertical extension and retraction; each support unit includes a support member and an elastic drive member, the support member being movably disposed on the support frame in the vertical direction; the elastic drive member is connected between the support member and the support frame, and is used to provide an elastic force to drive the support member to move upward relative to the support frame; the support frame is provided with insertion slots corresponding to the positions of each support unit, the top of the insertion slots being open, the lower ends of each support member being inserted into the corresponding insertion slots and the two together forming a fluid receiving cavity, each fluid receiving cavity having an inlet and outlet for fluid to enter and exit; the vehicle body clamping method includes the following steps: placing the vehicle body on the flexible pallet, with the top ends of each support unit adaptively abutting against the bottom wall of the vehicle body; filling each fluid receiving cavity through each inlet and outlet until the pressure value in each fluid receiving cavity reaches the target pressure parameter.

[0033] This method utilizes the fluid within the fluid-containing cavity to provide support to the support components, enabling the support unit to stably and effectively support the vehicle body. This avoids the problem of unstable vehicle body movement during transport or painting operations caused by insufficient rigidity of the support unit, or the problem of the vehicle body failing to be placed in the correct position due to excessive rigidity of the support unit, thus ensuring a stable vehicle body support state. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a flexible tray provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a flexible tray provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a top view of the flexible tray provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Sectional view at point AA; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support member provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pipeline assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the screw drive module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of a portion of the clamping member and the flexible pad provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 for Figure 9 Sectional view at CC; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the first mounting structure of the ranging sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a second mounting structure for the ranging sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the second mounting structure of the ranging sensor provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 for Figure 1 Enlarged view at point D; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection between the flexible tray and the control unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 A flowchart of a vehicle body clamping method provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 18 A flowchart of the bottom support step in the vehicle body clamping method provided in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 19 This is a flowchart of the lateral clamping step in the vehicle body clamping method provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Figure label: 1-Support frame; 11-Longitudinal beam; 111-First cable hole; 12-Crossbeam; 13-Support mounting base; 131-Plug-in slot; 132-Inlet / outlet; 133-High-pressure chamber; 14-Upper cover plate; 15-Lower cover plate; 151-Pipe interface; 16-First mounting base; 17-Second mounting base; 171-Base plate; 172-Column; 173-Support block; 2-Support unit; 21-Support component; 211-Annular flange; 212-Annular groove; 22-Elastic drive component; 23-Sealing ring; 3-Pipeline assembly; 31-Branch pipe; 32-Pressure relief main pipe; 33-Fluid inlet main pipe; 34-First solenoid valve; 35-Second solenoid valve; 4- Fluid pressure sensor; 5- Lateral clamping assembly; 51- Clamping component; 52- Clamping drive source; 53- Flexible pad; 531- Sensor mounting slot; 532- Second wire guide slot; 54- Distance sensor; 55- Pressure sensor; 56- Lead screw drive module; 561- Lead screw; 562- Slide block; 6-Positioning component; 61-Positioning post; 62-Positioning post drive source; 100 - Fluid supply component; 200 - Transportation agency. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. 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.

[0038] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "connection" and "installation" 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 a connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] Addressing the technical problem that traditional vehicle body pallets cannot quickly adapt to different vehicle models, the first aspect of this application provides a flexible pallet, referring to... Figures 1 to 3 The flexible pallet includes a support frame 1 and multiple support units 2 spaced apart on the support frame 1; wherein each support unit 2 is capable of extending and retracting in the vertical direction so that the top of each support unit 2 can adaptively abut against the bottom wall of the vehicle body.

[0041] Once the car body is placed on the flexible tray, each support unit 2 is compressed to varying degrees under the weight of the car body, allowing the top of each support unit 2 to conform to the bottom wall of the car body, thus providing flexible support. This flexible tray can adapt to the bottom wall configuration of different car body models, ensuring effective support at multiple locations on the bottom of the car body, thereby improving production line changeover efficiency and reducing tooling management costs.

[0042] It should be noted that the number of support units 2 can be adjusted according to actual needs. For example, for vehicles with a large bottom wall area, the number of support units 2 can be increased to improve the support points; conversely, for vehicles with a small bottom wall area, the number of support units 2 can be appropriately reduced.

[0043] It should also be noted that the arrangement of the support units 2 can be adjusted according to actual needs. The arrangement can be a rectangular array, a ring, or arranged according to the extension trajectory of the vehicle body reinforcement beam. For example, in this embodiment, all the support units 2 are divided into two groups of support unit components arranged side by side along the length of the pallet. Each group of support unit components includes multiple support units 2 arranged in a rectangular array. The two groups of support unit components are used to support the front half and the rear half of the vehicle body, respectively.

[0044] Furthermore, referring to Figure 4 and Figure 5 Each support unit 2 includes a support member 21 and an elastic drive member 22, wherein: the support member 21 is movably disposed on the support frame 1 in the vertical direction; the elastic drive member 22 is connected between the support member 21 and the support frame 1, and is used to provide an elastic force to drive the support member 21 to move upward relative to the support frame 1.

[0045] Optionally, the elastic drive member 22 can be one of a compression spring, a torsion spring, or a tension spring. The elastic drive member 22 only needs to provide the elastic force to drive the support member 21 to move upward, ensuring that the support member 21 rises to its limit height position when no external force is applied. This application does not limit the specific structural form of the elastic drive member 22.

[0046] In order to limit the lifting trajectory of the support member 21 relative to the support frame 1, the support frame 1 is provided with a plug-in slot 131 corresponding to the position of each support unit 2. The top of the plug-in slot 131 is open, and the lower end of each support member 21 is inserted into the corresponding plug-in slot 131.

[0047] The scheme of supporting the vehicle body solely based on the rigidity of the support unit 2 itself has the following problems: if the rigidity of the support unit 2 is too large, the vehicle body may not be able to be placed in the correct position when the weight of the vehicle body placed on it is small; conversely, if the rigidity of the support unit 2 is too small, the supporting force on the vehicle body may be insufficient, resulting in vehicle body swaying and instability. To solve this problem, in some embodiments, each support member 21 and its corresponding insertion slot 131 form a fluid receiving cavity, and each fluid receiving cavity has an inlet / outlet 132 for fluid to enter and exit. A certain amount of gas or oil can be filled into the fluid receiving cavity through the inlet / outlet 132. The pressure generated by the gas or oil increases the overall rigidity of the support unit 2, making the overall rigidity of the support unit 2 adaptable to the currently loaded vehicle body.

[0048] In this embodiment, the elastic drive member 22 mainly functions to drive the support member 21 to rise and reset, and also provides initial support for the vehicle body, ensuring that the top of the support member 21 fits against the vehicle body. The supporting force of the support member 21 on the vehicle body is mainly provided by the fluid pressure in the fluid accommodating cavity.

[0049] In some embodiments, each support unit 2 further includes a sealing ring 23, which is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the corresponding support member 21 and the inner sidewall of the insertion groove 131. The sealing ring 23 is used to improve the sealing performance of the fluid receiving cavity, thereby improving the pressure holding effect of the fluid receiving cavity.

[0050] Reference Figure 6 In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings of this application (hereinafter collectively referred to as "this embodiment"), the outer circumference of the support member 21 is integrally formed with an annular flange 211, and the outer circular surface of the annular flange 211 is recessed with an annular groove 212. The sealing ring 23 is embedded in the corresponding annular groove 212, and the annular groove 212 limits the sealing ring 23 to prevent the sealing ring 23 from shifting or falling out. In other embodiments, the sealing ring 23 may also be embedded in the inner sidewall of the corresponding insertion groove 131.

[0051] In some embodiments, each elastic drive member 22 is disposed in a corresponding insertion slot 131; the elastic drive member 22 is a compression spring, and its two ends abut against the bottom wall of the corresponding insertion slot 131 and the support member 21, respectively. In the above structure, the insertion slot 131 can restrict the position of the elastic drive member 22, so that the elastic drive member 22 provides a directionally stable elastic force to the support member 21.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, one or more high-pressure chambers 133 are formed on the support frame 1, and each high-pressure chamber 133 is connected to a fluid supply component 100 through a pipeline assembly 3. The fluid supply component 100 is an air compressor or an oil pump.

[0053] When there is only one high-pressure chamber 133, the high-pressure chamber 133 is connected to all the inlets and outlets 132.

[0054] When there are multiple high-pressure chambers 133, all inlets and outlets 132 are divided into multiple inlet and outlet groups. Multiple high-pressure chambers 133 are set up one-to-one with multiple inlet and outlet groups. Each high-pressure chamber 133 is connected to all inlets and outlets 132 in the corresponding inlet and outlet group.

[0055] The technical solution of connecting a large cavity (high pressure cavity 133) with multiple small cavities (fluid containment cavities) can simplify the pipeline layout and keep the internal pressure of each small cavity uniform, avoiding the situation where the pressure of each small cavity is different.

[0056] Combination Figure 7 In this embodiment, there are multiple high-pressure chambers 133, and each high-pressure chamber 133 has several pipe interfaces 151 on its chamber wall. The pipeline assembly 3 includes several branch pipes 31, a pressure relief main pipe 32, and a fluid input main pipe 33. One end of each branch pipe 31 is connected to a pipe interface 151, and the other end of each branch pipe 31 is connected to the pressure relief main pipe 32 and the fluid input main pipe 33, respectively. The fluid input main pipe 33 is connected to the fluid supply component 100. The pressure relief main pipe 32 is used to discharge gas or oil from the high-pressure chamber 133, and the fluid input main pipe 33 is used to fill the high-pressure chamber 133 with gas or oil.

[0057] Based on the above structure, a first solenoid valve 34 is installed on the pressure relief main pipe 32, and a second solenoid valve 35 is installed on the fluid input main pipe 33. When it is necessary to discharge gas or oil from the high-pressure chamber 133, the first solenoid valve 34 is opened and the second solenoid valve 35 is closed; when it is necessary to fill gas or oil into the high-pressure chamber 133, the second solenoid valve 35 is opened and the first solenoid valve 34 is closed.

[0058] In some embodiments, a fluid pressure sensor 4 is provided on the cavity wall of each high-pressure chamber 133.

[0059] When in use, the flexible clamp can introduce a set amount of gas or oil into the high-pressure chamber 133 to maintain a preset pressure, thereby enabling each support unit 2 to provide appropriate support force to the vehicle body to be loaded. A fluid pressure sensor 4 is installed on the wall of the high-pressure chamber 133. The fluid pressure sensor 4 can detect the fluid pressure inside the high-pressure chamber 133 in real time and feed the fluid pressure signal back to the external control unit. The external control unit can control the opening or closing of the first solenoid valve 34 and the second solenoid valve 35 respectively according to the pressure value fed back by the fluid pressure sensor 4, thereby realizing dynamic closed-loop regulation of the internal pressure of the high-pressure chamber 133.

[0060] The installation location of the fluid supply unit 100 can be flexibly selected; it can be fixed to the support frame 1, or installed on other racks or the ground. The fluid supply unit 100 is connected to the high-pressure chamber 133 on the support frame 1 via pipeline to deliver compressed air. This arrangement allows for flexible installation, and the installation position of the fluid supply unit 100 can be adjusted according to the site space layout, reducing the load on the support frame 1 and facilitating equipment inspection and maintenance.

[0061] Continue to refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 In this embodiment, the support frame 1 includes two parallel and spaced longitudinal beams 11, and a crossbeam 12 and a support mounting base 13 welded between the two longitudinal beams 11. The number of crossbeams 12 and support mounting bases 13 can be adjusted as needed. The upper surface of the support mounting base 13 is recessed to form a plurality of insertion slots 131, and the lower surface of the support mounting base 13 is recessed to form a flow collection groove. The bottom of each insertion slot 131 is provided with an inlet and outlet 132 that communicates with the flow collection groove.

[0062] Furthermore, the support frame 1 also includes an upper cover plate 14 and a lower cover plate 15. The number of upper cover plates 14 and lower cover plates 15 is the same as that of the support mounting base 13, and the three are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The upper cover plate 14 is disposed on the upper surface of the support mounting base 13, and the upper cover plate 14 is provided with multiple clearance through holes. The multiple clearance through holes correspond one-to-one with multiple insertion slots 131 and are coaxially connected. The upper end of the support member 21 extends out from the corresponding clearance through hole, and the annular flange 211 of the support member 21 can abut against the solid area around the clearance through hole to prevent the lower end of the support member 21 from coming out of the slot. The lower cover plate 15 is disposed on the lower surface of the support mounting base 13 and covers the slot of the collection groove. The lower cover plate 15 and the collection groove together form a high-pressure chamber 133. The lower cover plate 15 is provided with a pipe interface 151 and a fluid pressure sensor 4.

[0063] The corresponding set of upper cover plate 14, lower cover plate 15 and support mounting base 13 can be fixed to each other by bolts and matching washers and nuts. In order to improve the sealing of the connection position of the three, sealing gaskets are provided between the contact surface of the upper cover plate 14 and the contact surface of the support mounting base 13 and the lower cover plate 15 and the support mounting base 13.

[0064] In some embodiments, the longitudinal beam 11 is a hollow profile with a first cable passage hole 111 that connects to its inner cavity. The inner cavity of the longitudinal beam 11 forms a cable routing channel, through which the cables of the flexible tray can pass through the first cable passage hole 111 and run inside the longitudinal beam 11, and be uniformly connected to the external control unit and power supply.

[0065] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4The flexible tray also includes at least two lateral clamping assemblies 5 mounted on the support frame 1. The lateral clamping assemblies 5 are arranged in pairs, with each pair of lateral clamping assemblies 5 located on both sides of the support frame 1 along a first horizontal direction. Each pair of lateral clamping assemblies 5 is arranged side by side along a second horizontal direction, with the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction being perpendicular to each other. Each set of lateral clamping assemblies 5 includes a clamping member 51 and a clamping drive source 52 for driving the clamping member 51 to move along the first horizontal direction. The two pairs of clamping members 51 can cooperate to clamp the vehicle body between them.

[0066] Optionally, the clamping drive source 52 can be one of a motor, a cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder, and its specific structural form is not limited.

[0067] In this embodiment, the clamping drive source 52 is a motor, and each set of lateral clamping components 5 further includes a lead screw transmission module 56 connected between the clamping member 51 and the clamping drive source 52. (Refer to...) Figure 8 The lead screw drive module 56 includes a lead screw 561 and a slide 562 mounted on the lead screw 561. The lead screw 561 is connected to the output shaft of the clamping drive source 52 via a coupling. The slide 562 can reciprocate along the axial direction of the lead screw 561 during rotation. The clamping member 51 is fixed to the slide 562 with bolts. During the start-up process of the clamping drive source 52, the clamping drive source 52 drives the lead screw 561 to rotate, causing the slide 562 and the clamping member 51 to move synchronously along the axial direction of the lead screw 561. The lead screw drive module 56 has the characteristics of high positioning accuracy and continuously adjustable stroke, and can accurately control the movement stroke and clamping position of the clamping member 51.

[0068] Reference Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, each lateral clamping assembly 5 further includes a pressure sensor 55 mounted on the clamping member 51. The pressure sensor 55 is used to detect the pressure value applied by the clamping member 51 to the vehicle body to be loaded in real time and feeds back the pressure signal to the external control unit; the external control unit adjusts the position of the clamping member 51 according to the pressure value fed back by the pressure sensor 55 to avoid excessive pressure damaging the vehicle body or insufficient pressure causing vehicle body instability.

[0069] Reference Figures 11 to 13 In some embodiments, each lateral clamping assembly 5 further includes a distance sensor 54 mounted on the clamping member 51. The distance sensor 54 can be a laser distance sensor or other types of distance sensors. The distance sensor 54 is used to detect the distance between the clamping member 51 and the vehicle body to be loaded in real time, and feeds the distance signal back to the external control unit; the external control unit adjusts the moving speed and / or stopping position of the clamping member 51 according to the distance value fed back by the distance sensor 54, so as to realize the controllable adjustment of the clamping action.

[0070] In some embodiments, each set of lateral clamping components 5 further includes a flexible pad 53, which is mounted on one side of the clamping member 51 for clamping the vehicle body.

[0071] Furthermore, the flexible pad 53 is used to contact the surface of the vehicle body, which is either curved or conforms to the shape of the vehicle body to be loaded. The flexible pad 53 can be made of elastic materials such as rubber, polyurethane, or silicone. It relies on its own elasticity to buffer the clamping force and prevent the clamping part 51 from rigidly contacting the vehicle body, thus avoiding damage to the vehicle body surface.

[0072] Continue to refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 55 is a piezoelectric thin-film sensor, which is sandwiched between the clamping member 51 and the flexible pad 53. In other embodiments, the pressure sensor 55 may also be a spoke-type pressure sensor or other types of pressure sensors.

[0073] Specifically, the flexible pad 53 is fixed to the clamping member 51 by bolts. The side of the flexible pad 53 near the clamping member 51 is recessed to form a sensor mounting groove 531 and a second wire passage groove 532 that connects the sensor mounting groove 531 and the outer surface of the flexible pad 53. The piezoelectric film sensor is attached to the bottom of the sensor mounting groove 531, and the cable of the piezoelectric film sensor passes through the second wire passage groove 532 and is connected to the external control unit.

[0074] Piezoelectric thin-film sensors operate based on the piezoelectric effect: when a piezoelectric thin film is subjected to mechanical pressure, it deforms under the external force, generating a corresponding charge within it. The pressure magnitude can be calculated by collecting this charge signal. Piezoelectric thin-film sensors offer the following advantages: they are lightweight, thin, and flexible, allowing for close placement between the clamping component 51 and the flexible pad 53; they have a fast response speed, making them suitable for dynamic pressure detection; and they are small in size, requiring minimal installation space.

[0075] In this embodiment, the piezoelectric thin-film sensor is arranged within the space formed by the clamping member 51 and the flexible pad 53. The elastic deformation of the flexible pad 53 presses the piezoelectric thin film, enabling it to detect the pressure applied to the vehicle body. This arrangement protects the piezoelectric thin-film sensor, preventing it from directly contacting the vehicle body and causing wear damage, thus effectively extending the sensor's service life. In other embodiments, the piezoelectric thin-film sensor can also be attached to the outer surface of the flexible pad 53 to further improve pressure sensing sensitivity.

[0076] Continue to refer to Figures 11 to 13 This application provides two installation schemes for the ranging sensor 54: The first option is: the ranging sensor 54 is screwed and fixed to the clamping part 51, and the detection end of the sensor is unobstructed and faces directly towards the vehicle body.

[0077] The second option is as follows: the ranging sensor 54 is also fixed on the clamping member 51, and the flexible pad 53 has a through hole. The detection end of the ranging sensor 54 is directly opposite the through hole, so that the sensor can emit light towards the vehicle body through the through hole.

[0078] The two installation schemes for the distance sensor 54 described above can be selected according to the actual working conditions. The second scheme provides protection for the distance sensor 54, reducing external interference. When the flexible tray is used in spray painting, the second scheme is preferred. The flexible pad 53 shields the detection end of the distance sensor 54, preventing paint from adhering to the sensor surface, avoiding paint contamination and obstruction of the detection end, and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the distance sensor 54's detection results.

[0079] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 3 In this embodiment, the support frame 1 further includes a plurality of first mounting seats 16, the number of which is the same as the number of lateral clamping components 5 and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence; the first mounting seats 16 are fixed on the longitudinal beam 11, and the lateral clamping components 5 are mounted on the corresponding first mounting seats 16 by screws. The first mounting seats 16 are preferably fixed to the longitudinal beam 11 by welding, but of course, the first mounting seats 16 can also be fixed to the longitudinal beam 11 by bolts.

[0080] In some embodiments, the flexible tray further includes a positioning detection sensor mounted on the support frame 1, which is used to detect whether the vehicle body is in place. The positioning detection sensor can be a photoelectric switch or a limit switch, which can be triggered after the vehicle body is positioned relative to the flexible tray and output a vehicle body positioning signal to an external control unit. After receiving the positioning signal, the control unit initiates subsequent clamping actions on the vehicle body. Of course, the positioning detection sensor can also be omitted, and the position of the vehicle body on the tray can also be detected by the aforementioned distance sensor 54, thereby determining whether the vehicle body is in place.

[0081] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 3 In some embodiments, the flexible pallet also includes one or more positioning components 6 assembled on the support frame 1, each positioning component 6 including a positioning post 61, which is used to insert into the corresponding reserved process hole on the vehicle body to be loaded.

[0082] Combination Figure 14 The support frame 1 has multiple support blocks 173 for supporting the bottom of the vehicle body to be loaded, and at least two of the support blocks 173 are provided with positioning posts 61. The positioning posts 61 can be inserted into the reserved process holes on the vehicle body to complete the initial support and positioning of the vehicle body. The support blocks 173 with positioning posts 61 can be adaptively adjusted according to the position of the reserved process holes of different vehicle models to meet the positioning requirements of multiple vehicle models.

[0083] In some embodiments, each positioning assembly 6 further includes a positioning post drive source 62. The main body of the positioning post drive source 62 is mounted on the support frame 1, and its power output end is connected to the positioning post 61. The positioning post drive source 62 is used to drive the positioning post 61 to rise and fall, so that the positioning post 61 can be inserted into or removed from the corresponding reserved process hole. Optionally, the positioning post drive source 62 is one of an electric push rod, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. In this embodiment, the positioning post drive source 62 is a servo electric cylinder with a built-in encoder, which can provide feedback on the real-time position of the positioning post 61.

[0084] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 14 In this embodiment, the support frame 1 further includes a plurality of second mounting seats 17, each of which is fixed to the longitudinal beam 11 by bolts or welding. The second mounting seat 17 includes a base plate 171 fixed to the bottom of the longitudinal beam 11, a column 172 fixed to the base plate 171 and extending vertically, and a support block 173 fixed to the top of the column 172. A positioning column drive source 62 is installed on some or all of the columns 172, and a positioning column 61 is provided at the power output end of the positioning column drive source 62. The positioning column 61 slides up and down through the through hole on the support block 173.

[0085] The fixing method between the base plate 171 and the longitudinal beam 11 can be flexibly selected according to the on-site assembly conditions. When the base plate 171 will interfere with the assembly of the lower cover plate 15, bolt connection is preferred between the base plate 171 and the longitudinal beam 11 to facilitate the installation of the lower cover plate 15; when the base plate 171 will not interfere with the assembly of the lower cover plate 15, welding is preferred between the base plate 171 and the longitudinal beam 11, as welded connections have good overall integrity and higher structural rigidity.

[0086] Setting up a positioning post drive source 62 to drive the positioning post 61 to slide up and down has the following functions: It allows selective control of the lifting and lowering actions of some positioning posts 61 for different vehicle models, and adjustment of the lifting and lowering positions of the positioning posts 61, thereby meeting the positioning requirements of multiple vehicle models. For example, there are eight posts 172, each with a set of positioning components 6 installed; depending on the different vehicle models, some positioning components 6 are selectively activated to adapt to the process hole layout of different vehicle models.

[0087] Reference Figure 15 In this embodiment, each sensor, each solenoid valve, and each drive source is electrically connected to an external control unit. During operation, the external control unit receives signals collected by each sensor and outputs corresponding control signals to the solenoid valves and drive sources, thereby realizing automatic control of the flexible tray's movement.

[0088] In some embodiments, the flexible tray further includes a flexible cable chain, through which various cables of the flexible tray are threaded and connected to an external control unit. The flexible cable chain can constrain and protect the cables, moving synchronously with the support frame 1 to prevent the cables from being pulled, bent, worn, or entangled during equipment operation; at the same time, it can organize the cable arrangement, prevent the cables from coming into contact with paint or metal debris, thus preventing aging and damage to the cables and improving the reliability of the cables and production line operation.

[0089] The flexible pallet can be configured with or without a flexible cable chain depending on its conveying method. When the flexible pallet needs to be transported back and forth between workstations, it is preferable to configure the flexible pallet with a flexible cable chain; when the flexible pallet does not need to move back and forth (for example, when the support frame 1 is fixedly installed at a certain workstation), the flexible pallet may not be configured with a flexible cable chain to simplify the structure and reduce equipment costs.

[0090] In summary, the flexible pallet provided in this embodiment has at least the following advantages: (1) Through multiple arrays of support units 2 that can be vertically extended and retracted, adaptive fitting of different three-dimensional body contours can be achieved; (2) By providing a fluid accommodating cavity at the bottom of each support member 21, the overall stiffness of the support unit 2 can be adjusted by relying on the pressure generated by the gas or oil in the fluid accommodating cavity, so that the overall stiffness of the support unit 2 can be adapted to the currently loaded vehicle body. (3) The travel of the clamping part 51 in the lateral clamping assembly can be adaptively adjusted according to the change of the side curvature of the vehicle body. At the same time, closed-loop control is performed based on the force feedback from the pressure sensor 55, so as to provide appropriate lateral clamping force for the vehicle body of different models and avoid the risk of vehicle body deformation or paint damage. (4) The positioning column 61 is driven by a servo electric cylinder to perform precise preliminary positioning and encoder closed-loop feedback, eliminating manual adjustment errors and realizing accurate and repeatable positioning of the reference position of different vehicle models. (5) Each functional unit (positioning, support, clamping) is controlled in a unified intelligent collaborative manner through an external control unit, which realizes automatic identification of vehicle information, parameter calling and full-process sequence control within the production cycle, thereby improving the work efficiency of the production line.

[0091] Reference Figure 16A second aspect of this application provides a conveying device, which includes a conveying mechanism 200 and a flexible pallet provided in any of the above embodiments. The conveying mechanism 200 is used to transport the flexible pallet between different workstations. During operation, after the flexible pallet is clamped onto the vehicle body, an external control unit sends a vehicle body fixing ready signal to the conveying mechanism 200, controlling the conveying mechanism 200 to perform the conveying operation. After the conveying operation is completed, the external control unit controls the flexible pallet to release the vehicle body so that the vehicle body can be removed, and the conveying device prepares for the next cycle.

[0092] Figure 16 The square frame on the upper side of the pallet represents the vehicle body. The conveying mechanism 200 can be one or a combination of several of the following: roller conveyor, overhead crane conveyor, belt conveyor, and chain conveyor. The conveying mechanism 200 can drive the flexible pallet carrying the vehicle body to move and transport between various workstations to complete processes such as loading, positioning, clamping, spraying, electrophoresis, and unloading, thereby realizing automated transfer between workstations.

[0093] A third aspect of this application provides a painting apparatus, which includes a painting mechanism and a flexible tray provided in any of the above embodiments. The painting mechanism is used to perform painting operations on a vehicle body loaded on the flexible tray.

[0094] The painting mechanism can be a painting robot. During the operation of this painting device, after the flexible tray is clamped onto the car body, the external control unit sends a car body fixing ready signal to the painting robot, controlling the painting robot to perform the painting operation; after the painting operation is completed, the external control unit controls the flexible tray to leave the painting station or release the car body so that the car body can be moved away and the painting device is ready for the next cycle.

[0095] It should be noted that when the flexible tray is used in the painting device, the clamping member 51 is clamped at the position of the vehicle body that does not need to be painted (such as the process boss at the bottom of the vehicle body, the reinforcing beam at the bottom of the vehicle body, etc.); in addition, the detection end of the ranging sensor 54 should be hidden inside the flexible pad 53.

[0096] A fourth aspect of this application provides a coating production line that includes the flexible pallet provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0097] Furthermore, the coating production line includes a conveying device, a spraying device, and an electrophoresis device. The conveying device can drive a flexible pallet loaded with the car body to move between the electrophoresis device, the spraying device, and other devices, so that the car body on the flexible pallet can complete electrophoresis treatment, spraying, and other processes in sequence, realizing continuous automated operation of car body coating.

[0098] The painting production line also includes a control unit. The control unit uses a PLC as the main controller. Its digital input module connects to the vehicle body positioning detection sensor, safety door locks, and other switching signals. Its analog input / dedicated module connects to the various sensors on the flexible tray. Its high-speed counter or bus interface connects to the encoders of each servo motor. Its output connects to the servo drivers of each solenoid valve and drive source via a bus. The main controller has an interface for communication with the workshop manufacturing execution system, used to receive vehicle model information commands and provide feedback on the tray status.

[0099] In some embodiments, the painting production line also includes a human-machine interface, which is communicatively connected to the main controller. Operators can use the human-machine interface (e.g., a touch screen) to select vehicle models, set parameters, monitor status, and diagnose faults.

[0100] The core control process of this control unit is as follows: The PLC stores the formulas for different vehicle models; during operation, the PLC obtains the vehicle model code from the MES system or through the touch screen via the bus and loads the corresponding formula; then, the control unit executes the following in sequence: 1) Detect whether the vehicle body is in place; 2) Start all positioning columns 61 to rise according to the formula coordinates; 3) After confirming that all positioning columns 61 are in place, start the air compressor or oil pump to inflate the high-pressure chamber 133 according to the formula force parameters, and start all lateral clamping components 5 to perform the clamping process according to the formula position and force parameters; 4) Monitor the status of all sensors. When all sensors report that positioning and clamping are completed, the PLC outputs a vehicle body clamping completion signal to the conveying mechanism 200 or the painting robot to control the conveying mechanism 200 to perform the conveying operation or control the painting robot to perform the painting operation; 5) After the conveying or painting is completed, each drive source of the flexible tray receives the release command and safely releases the vehicle body according to the opposite action.

[0101] The conveying device, spraying device, and coating production line possess at least all the technical features and effects of the aforementioned flexible pallet, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0102] The fifth aspect of this application provides a vehicle body clamping method applied to the above-described flexible pallet. Using this method, in the initial state of the flexible pallet: the two paired clamping members 51 are at their maximum distance, the positioning post 61 is at its lowest position (its entire structure is located below the top surface of the support block 173), the first solenoid valve 34 is open and the second solenoid valve 35 is closed, and all sensors are in real-time detection mode.

[0103] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 17 The vehicle body clamping method includes the following steps: S1. Obtain the current vehicle model and call the control program corresponding to that vehicle model. Different vehicle models correspond to a set of independent control program parameters. The control program includes the target pressure parameters of the high-pressure chamber 133, the target lifting position of the positioning column 61, and the target clamping force parameters of the side clamping assembly 5.

[0104] The following are some methods to obtain the current vehicle model: Method 1: Set up a QR code or barcode on the vehicle body and read the vehicle model information using a barcode scanner; Method 2: Manually input the vehicle model number into the human-machine interface; Method 3: Detect the vehicle body feature dimensions using the sensors on the flexible tray itself and automatically identify the vehicle model.

[0105] After vehicle model recognition is completed, the control unit calls the preset control program that matches the recognized vehicle model and outputs the corresponding control commands to control each drive source and solenoid valve to perform positioning, support and clamping operations adapted to the vehicle model.

[0106] S2. Place the vehicle body on the flexible tray, with the top of each support unit 2 adaptably abutting against the bottom wall of the vehicle body.

[0107] Specifically, the car body can be suspended from top to bottom on each support block 173 and each support unit 2 of the flexible pallet using a crane conveying mechanism. During this process, each support unit 2 is compressed to different degrees under the gravity of the car body. After the car body is placed on the support block 173, each support member 21, under the action of the elastic drive member 22, has its top end attached to the bottom wall of the car body, thus achieving initial support for the car body.

[0108] S3. When the vehicle body positioning detection sensor is triggered, the vehicle body positioning detection sensor outputs a vehicle body positioning signal to the external control unit. After receiving the positioning signal, the control unit starts the subsequent clamping and fixing operation of the vehicle body.

[0109] S4. The control unit controls the positioning column drive source 62 to start, driving the positioning column 61 to rise and insert into the reserved process hole on the vehicle body, thereby achieving the initial positioning of the vehicle body.

[0110] In step S4, depending on the vehicle model, the corresponding positioning column drive source 62 is selected to start and drive the positioning column 61 to rise to a height position that matches the current vehicle body.

[0111] S5. Clamp and secure the vehicle body. This step includes a lateral clamping step and a bottom support step.

[0112] The lateral clamping step and the bottom support step can be performed either sequentially or simultaneously. Preferably, the bottom support step is performed before the lateral clamping step, that is, the lateral clamping step is performed after the vehicle body is stably placed on the flexible tray.

[0113] Reference Figure 18 The bottom support step includes: Fluid is introduced into each fluid receiving chamber through each inlet and outlet 132 until the pressure value in each fluid receiving chamber reaches the target pressure parameter; specifically, the control unit controls the first solenoid valve 34 to close and controls the second solenoid valve 35 to open, and fluid is introduced into the high pressure chamber 133 through the fluid supply component 100, and the fluid in the high pressure chamber 133 enters each fluid receiving chamber through each inlet and outlet 132. When the fluid pressure sensor 4 detects that the pressure value in the high-pressure chamber 133 has reached the target pressure parameter, the control unit controls the first solenoid valve 34 and the second solenoid valve 35 to close simultaneously, so that the high-pressure chamber 133 and each fluid accommodating chamber are in a pressure-maintaining state. At this time, each support unit 2, together with the support block 173, supports the vehicle body to ensure that the support force on the vehicle body meets the requirements.

[0114] In some embodiments, the fluid supply unit 100 is an air compressor, and an air storage tank is mounted on the fluid input main pipe 33. During operation, the air compressor continuously compresses air and delivers it to the air storage tank for storage, and the air storage tank plays a role in stabilizing pressure and storing energy. When the high-pressure chamber 133 needs air supply, the second solenoid valve 35 is opened, and the air storage tank outputs compressed air to the high-pressure chamber 133 through the fluid input main pipe 33, buffering the pressure fluctuations caused by the start and stop of the air compressor and maintaining stable air pressure in the pipeline.

[0115] The overhead crane conveying mechanism can release the vehicle body after the bottom support step is completed; before the bottom support step is completed, the overhead crane conveying mechanism and the support block 173 jointly support the vehicle body, reduce the downward pressure of the vehicle body on the support block 173, and prevent the second mounting seat 17 from being crushed by the vehicle body.

[0116] Reference Figure 19 The lateral clamping step includes: The control unit controls the clamping drive source 52 to start, driving the clamping member 51 to move toward the vehicle body at a first speed; When the ranging sensor 54 detects that the distance between the clamping member 51 and the vehicle body reaches a set distance (e.g., 5mm), the control unit controls the clamping drive source 52 to drive the clamping member 51 to move toward the vehicle body at a second speed, which is less than the first speed. When the pressure sensor 55 detects that the clamping force applied to the vehicle body by the clamping member 51 has reached the set value, the control unit controls the clamping drive source 52 to stop operating.

[0117] In this method, the clamping component 51 adopts a two-stage speed control. In the initial stage of clamping, the clamping component 51 moves towards the vehicle body at a relatively fast speed to shorten the idle travel time and improve work efficiency; when the clamping component 51 is close to the vehicle body, it switches to a low-speed feed mode to reduce the contact impact of the clamping component 51 on the surface of the vehicle body, prevent excessive clamping force from damaging the surface of the vehicle body, and at the same time facilitate the accurate acquisition of signals by the pressure sensor 55 and the distance sensor 54, ensuring that the lateral clamping assembly 5 applies appropriate clamping force to the vehicle body.

[0118] When the lateral clamping step and the bottom support step are completed, that is, when the detection values ​​of fluid pressure sensor 4 and pressure sensor 55 both reach the set values, it indicates that the car body clamping is complete. At this time, the car body is stably placed on the pallet, and subsequent painting or conveying operations can be carried out.

[0119] Once the painting or conveying operation is completed, each drive source of the flexible pallet receives a release command and safely releases the vehicle body in the opposite manner.

[0120] In some embodiments, releasing the vehicle body specifically includes the following steps: Step 1: The control unit controls the positioning post drive source 62 to start, driving the positioning post 61 to descend, so that the positioning post 61 moves out of the corresponding process hole; Simultaneously with, before or after this step, the control unit controls the clamping drive source 52 to start, driving the clamping member 51 to leave the vehicle body at a first speed (or greater than the first speed); Step 2: After the positioning column 61 and the clamping component 51 have both left the vehicle body, remove the vehicle body from the flexible pallet; this step can be done by using an overhead crane conveying mechanism to lift the vehicle body. Step 3: The control unit controls the first solenoid valve 34 to open and the second solenoid valve 35 to close, so that the high-pressure chamber 133 and each fluid accommodating chamber are in a depressurized state, ready for the next clamping operation.

[0121] Step three can be omitted. That is, after completing step two, the next clamping operation can be performed directly.

[0122] Without setting step three: In the initial state, both the first solenoid valve 34 and the second solenoid valve 35 of the flexible tray are in the closed state; in step S2, during the process of placing the vehicle body on the flexible tray, the control unit dynamically adjusts the opening and closing of the first solenoid valve 34 according to the pressure value fed back by the fluid pressure sensor 4, so as to ensure that the vehicle body can be placed in place and avoid the problem that the internal pressure of the fluid accommodating cavity is too large, which would cause the stiffness of the support unit 2 to be too large, thus causing the vehicle body to not be placed in place.

[0123] The advantage of setting step three is that during the process of placing the vehicle body on the pallet, the high-pressure chamber 133 and each fluid accommodating chamber are in a depressurized state. The gas or oil in the chamber can be discharged outward while the support 21 is descending, thereby avoiding the internal pressure of the high-pressure chamber 133 and each fluid accommodating chamber from affecting the descent of the support 21 and ensuring that the vehicle body can be placed in place.

[0124] The advantage of not setting step three is that, in the step of filling each fluid accommodating cavity with fluid, since the high pressure cavity 133 and each fluid accommodating cavity are already filled with fluid, this step only requires adding a small amount of fluid to the cavity, or this step can be omitted directly, thereby improving clamping efficiency; in addition, it can also avoid the problem of the second mounting base 17 being crushed.

[0125] In summary, the vehicle body clamping method provided in this application provides each support unit 2 with support stiffness adapted to the current vehicle body model through a fluid accommodating cavity. The overall stiffness of the support unit 2 is adjusted by filling the cavity with gas or oil to regulate the cavity pressure, thereby adapting to the support requirements of different vehicle body models. Furthermore, this method utilizes a lateral clamping assembly 5 to complete the vehicle body clamping operation. The clamping component 51 employs a two-stage speed control—faster at the front and slower at the back—to achieve precise closed-loop control of the clamping position and clamping force, ensuring reliable vehicle body clamping.

[0126] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible pallet for loading vehicle bodies, characterized in that, It includes a support frame and multiple support units spaced apart on the support frame; Each of the support units is capable of extending and retracting in the vertical direction so that the top of each support unit can adaptively abut against the bottom wall of the vehicle body to be loaded.

2. The flexible pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least two lateral clamping assemblies mounted on the support frame. The lateral clamping assemblies are arranged in pairs, with each pair of lateral clamping assemblies located on both sides of the support frame along a first horizontal direction. Each pair of lateral clamping assemblies is arranged side by side along a second horizontal direction, with the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction being perpendicular to each other. Each of the lateral clamping assemblies includes a clamping member and a clamping drive source for driving the clamping member to move along the first horizontal direction, and the two clamping members arranged in pairs can cooperate to clamp the vehicle body between them.

3. The flexible pallet according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the lateral clamping assemblies further includes a lead screw drive module connected between the clamping member and the clamping drive source.

4. The flexible pallet according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the lateral clamping assemblies further includes a distance sensor and / or a pressure sensor mounted on the clamping member.

5. The flexible pallet according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the lateral clamping assemblies further includes a flexible pad, which is mounted on the side of the clamping member used to clamp the vehicle body.

6. The flexible pallet according to claim 5, characterized in that, The flexible pad is used to contact the vehicle body surface, which is either curved or a shape adapted to the shape of the vehicle body to be loaded.

7. The flexible pallet according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the lateral clamping assemblies further includes a pressure sensor, which is a piezoelectric thin film sensor, and the piezoelectric thin film sensor is clamped between the clamping member and the flexible pad.

8. The flexible pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a positioning detection sensor mounted on the support frame, which is used to detect whether the vehicle body is in place.

9. The flexible pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes one or more positioning components mounted on the support frame, each of the positioning components including a positioning post, which is used to insert into the corresponding reserved process hole on the vehicle body to be loaded.

10. The flexible pallet according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each group of positioning components also includes a positioning column drive source. The main body of the positioning column drive source is mounted on the support frame, and its power output end is connected to the positioning column. The positioning column drive source is used to drive the positioning column to rise and fall, so that the positioning column can be inserted into or removed from the corresponding reserved process hole.

11. The flexible pallet according to claim 9, characterized in that, The support frame has multiple support blocks for supporting the bottom of the vehicle body to be loaded, wherein at least two of the support blocks are provided with the positioning posts.

12. The flexible pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, Each of the support units includes a support member and an elastic drive member, wherein: The support member is movably mounted on the support frame in the vertical direction; The elastic drive element is connected between the support member and the support frame to provide an elastic force that drives the support member to move upward relative to the support frame.

13. The flexible pallet according to claim 12, characterized in that, The support frame is provided with a plug-in slot corresponding to the position of each support unit. The top of the plug-in slot is open, and the lower end of each support member is inserted into the corresponding plug-in slot.

14. The flexible pallet according to claim 13, characterized in that, Each of the support members and the corresponding insertion slots form a fluid receiving cavity, and each of the fluid receiving cavities has an inlet and outlet for fluid to enter and exit.

15. The flexible pallet according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each of the support units also includes a sealing ring sandwiched between the outer periphery of the corresponding support member and the inner wall of the insertion groove.

16. The flexible pallet according to claim 14, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned elastic driving components is respectively disposed in the corresponding insertion slot; The elastic driving component is a compression spring, with its two ends abutting against the bottom wall of the corresponding insertion slot and the support component, respectively.

17. The flexible pallet according to claim 14, characterized in that, One or more high-pressure chambers are formed on the support frame, and each of the high-pressure chambers is connected to a fluid supply component through a pipeline assembly, wherein the fluid supply component is an air compressor or an oil pump. When there is only one high-pressure chamber, the high-pressure chamber is connected to all the inlets and outlets; When there are multiple high-pressure chambers, all the inlets and outlets are divided into multiple inlet and outlet groups. The multiple high-pressure chambers are arranged one-to-one with the multiple inlet and outlet groups, and each high-pressure chamber is connected to all the inlets and outlets in the corresponding inlet and outlet group.

18. The flexible pallet according to claim 17, characterized in that, A fluid pressure sensor is installed on the wall of each of the high-pressure chambers.

19. The flexible pallet according to claim 17, characterized in that, Each of the high-pressure chambers has several pipe interfaces on its cavity wall; The piping assembly includes several branch pipes, a pressure relief main pipe, and a fluid input main pipe. One end of each branch pipe is connected to the pipe interface, and the other end of each branch pipe is connected to the pressure relief main pipe and the fluid input main pipe, respectively. The fluid input main pipe is connected to the fluid supply component.

20. The flexible pallet according to claim 19, characterized in that, A first solenoid valve is installed on the pressure relief main pipe, and a second solenoid valve is installed on the fluid input main pipe.

21. A conveying device, characterized in that, It includes a conveying mechanism and a flexible pallet as described in any one of claims 1 to 20, the conveying mechanism being used to transport the flexible pallet between different workstations.

22. A spraying device, characterized in that, The system includes a painting mechanism and a flexible tray as described in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the painting mechanism is used to perform painting operations on a vehicle body loaded on the flexible tray.

23. A coating production line, characterized in that, Including the flexible pallet as described in any one of claims 1 to 20.

24. A method for clamping a vehicle body, characterized in that, The vehicle body clamping method, applied to the flexible pallet according to any one of claims 14 to 20, includes the following steps: The vehicle body is placed on the flexible tray, and the top of each of the support units adaptably abuts against the bottom wall of the vehicle body; Fluid is introduced into each of the fluid accommodating chambers through each of the inlets and outlets until the pressure value in each of the fluid accommodating chambers reaches the target pressure parameter.

25. The vehicle body clamping method according to claim 24, characterized in that, The flexible tray also includes at least two sets of lateral clamping assemblies, which are arranged in pairs. Each pair of lateral clamping assemblies is located on both sides of the support frame along the first horizontal direction. Each set of lateral clamping assemblies includes a clamping member and a clamping drive source for driving the clamping member to move along the first horizontal direction. The two pairs of clamping members can cooperate to clamp the vehicle body between them. After placing the vehicle body on the flexible tray, the vehicle body clamping method further includes the following steps: The clamping drive source is controlled to drive the clamping member toward the vehicle body at a first speed; When the distance between the clamping member and the vehicle body reaches a set distance, the clamping drive source is controlled to drive the clamping member to move toward the vehicle body at a second speed, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed; When the clamping force applied to the vehicle body by the clamping member reaches a set value, the clamping drive source is controlled to stop operating.

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