Vehicle door transfer device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a vehicle door transfer device which is used for an assembly line, and the assembly line is provided with a feeding station, a grabbing station, a split charging station and an assembly station which are independent of one another. The vehicle door transfer device comprises a loading mechanism used for transferring a vehicle door to a feeding station; the grabbing mechanism is arranged at the grabbing station; the hoisting mechanism is arranged at the sub-packaging station, and the hoisting mechanism is configured to be capable of reciprocating between the sub-packaging station and the assembling station; wherein the grabbing mechanism is configured to be used for grabbing the target vehicle door on the loading mechanism located on the feeding station to the hoisting mechanism located on the sub-packaging station, and the hoisting mechanism is configured to be capable of moving from the sub-packaging station to the assembling station so as to move the target vehicle door to the target vehicle body. According to the technical scheme, the vehicle door feeding efficiency can be improved, and meanwhile the labor intensity of manual operation is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive assembly technology, and in particular to a door transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] After production, the car doors need to be transported to the assembly line and assembled onto the various car bodies in sequence. Currently, on the assembly line, most of the car doors are manually loaded and assembled onto the car bodies, which is inefficient and physically demanding for the operators. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, a door transfer device is provided to improve the loading efficiency of doors while reducing the labor intensity of manual operation.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, a door transfer device is provided for use on an assembly line, the assembly line having independent loading stations, gripping stations, sub-assembly stations, and assembly stations; the door transfer device includes:

[0005] The loading mechanism is used to transfer the vehicle door to the loading station;

[0006] The gripping mechanism is located at the gripping station; and

[0007] The hoisting mechanism is located at the sub-assembly station and is configured to reciprocate between the sub-assembly station and the assembly station.

[0008] The gripping mechanism is configured to grip the target door on the loading mechanism at the loading station and transfer it to the hoisting mechanism at the sub-assembly station. The hoisting mechanism is configured to move from the sub-assembly station to the assembly station to move the target door toward the target vehicle body.

[0009] In one embodiment, the feeding station and the gripping station are spaced apart along a first direction, the gripping station and the disassembly station are spaced apart along a second direction, and the disassembly station and the assembly station are spaced apart along a third direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the gripping mechanism includes an actuator and a gripper connected to each other; the actuator is configured to drive the gripper to grip the target door from the loading mechanism and transfer the target door to the hoisting mechanism.

[0011] The actuator is configured as a robotic arm; and / or

[0012] The gripper has a recessed part, which is used to engage and limit the target door at a preset position; the recessed part is made of nylon material.

[0013] In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting body and a movable component, the movable component being disposed on the lifting body and capable of reciprocating between a sub-assembly station and an assembly station; and / or

[0014] The hoisting mechanism includes a hoisting body and a first locking member 123, which is disposed on the hoisting body and is used to fix the hoisting body located at the sub-assembly station; and / or

[0015] The lifting mechanism includes a lifting body, which includes a support portion and a sliding portion connected to each other. The support portion is used to support the target door, and the sliding portion is configured to move in a fourth direction to adjust the distance between the target door located on the support portion and the ground. The fourth direction is the vertical direction.

[0016] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism is configured as a transport vehicle, which can be used to move from the production line of the door to the assembly line to transfer the door to the loading station.

[0017] In one embodiment, the loading station has a safe area, and the door transfer device further includes:

[0018] The first detection component is used to detect whether the loading mechanism has reached the boundary of the safe area;

[0019] The second detection component is used to detect whether the door on the loading mechanism is located in a predetermined position within the safe area;

[0020] A first control unit is configured to send a first control command to the gripping mechanism in response to a first detection result of the first detection element, so as to stop the gripping mechanism from operating; and

[0021] The second control unit is configured to send a second control command to the gripping mechanism in response to the second detection result of the second detection element and the third detection result of the first detection element, so as to cause the gripping mechanism to resume operation.

[0022] In one embodiment, the door transfer device further includes a limiting component disposed at the loading station; the limiting component includes a limiting body, the limiting body having two limiting parts disposed opposite to each other along the target direction;

[0023] The loading mechanism includes a first load-bearing member, which has a load-bearing area for carrying multiple doors. The first load-bearing member has two mating parts arranged opposite to each other along the target direction on the side away from the load-bearing area. The limiting body is located on the side of the first load-bearing member away from the load-bearing area, and the two limiting parts are engaged between the two mating parts.

[0024] The target direction is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the loading mechanism when it enters the safe area of ​​the loading station.

[0025] In one embodiment, the limiting body further includes a blocking part, which is disposed on one side of the two limiting parts along the first direction. The blocking part can abut against the first carrier to provide an abutting force toward the first carrier along the first direction.

[0026] The first direction is the interval between the loading station and the gripping station.

[0027] In one embodiment, the mating part is configured as a pulley; and / or

[0028] The limiting body also includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion disposed opposite to each other along the target direction. The first guide portion is connected to the side of one limiting portion away from the blocking portion, and the end of the first guide portion away from the limiting portion is bent toward the second guide portion. The second guide portion is connected to the side of another limiting portion away from the blocking portion, and the end of the second guide portion away from the other limiting portion is bent toward the first guide portion; and / or

[0029] The limiting assembly also includes a second locking member disposed on the limiting body, which can be detachably connected to the first carrier member.

[0030] In one embodiment, the door transfer device further includes:

[0031] The third inspection component is used to check whether the hoisting mechanism is located at the sub-assembly station;

[0032] The fourth inspection component is used to check whether the hoisting mechanism is in an unloaded state; and

[0033] The third control unit is configured to send a third control command to the gripping mechanism in response to the fourth detection result of the third detection element and the fifth detection result of the fourth detection element, so that the gripping mechanism moves toward the loading mechanism to grip the target door and transfer it to the hoisting mechanism.

[0034] The aforementioned door transfer device is used on an assembly line, which includes independent loading stations, gripping stations, sub-assembly stations, and assembly stations. The door transfer device comprises at least a loading mechanism, a gripping mechanism, and a lifting mechanism. The loading mechanism transfers the door to the loading station. The gripping mechanism then grips the target door from the loading mechanism at the loading station to the lifting mechanism at the sub-assembly station. The lifting mechanism can reciprocate between the sub-assembly station and the assembly station, thereby transferring the target door to the assembly station. This allows for manual assembly of the target door onto the target vehicle body, improving door loading efficiency and reducing manual labor intensity. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a scenario in which the door transfer device in one embodiment of this application is applied.

[0036] Figure 2 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a door transfer device in one embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another part of the structure of the door transfer device in one embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 4 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism of the door transfer device in one embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the loading mechanism in Figure 2 from one perspective.

[0040] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0041] Door transfer device 10;

[0042] Loading mechanism 11, first bearing member 111, bearing area k, mating part 111a, second bearing member 112;

[0043] Gripper M, recess M1;

[0044] Lifting mechanism 12, lifting body 121, bearing part 121a, sliding part 121b, moving part 122, first locking part 123;

[0045] Limiting component 13, limiting body 131, limiting part 131a, blocking part 131b, first guide part 131c, second guide part 131d;

[0046] Material loading station A1, gripping station A2, disassembly station A3, assembly station A4;

[0047] First direction F1, second direction F2, third direction F3, fourth direction F4, target direction F5. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0050] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0051] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0052] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0053] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0054] As automobile manufacturing levels continue to improve, the quality of vehicle appearance must also improve accordingly. The gaps and surface defects in automotive exterior panels are two important factors affecting vehicle appearance quality. The assembly line is the final process in welding, primarily responsible for controlling the body's appearance quality and adjusting the assembly of doors. In the assembly of the body-in-white's exterior panels, door assembly has always been a challenging issue for automakers. The assembly precision of doors directly affects whether the Design Tolerance Specification (DTS) is met and the consistency of the body. Insufficient door installation precision can lead to problems such as wind noise, water leakage, and difficulty closing the doors, and also affects the aesthetics of the body. Therefore, door assembly on the assembly line is a crucial process in the welding workshop. Controlling door assembly quality requires two key aspects: first, the reasonable distribution of design errors throughout the entire vehicle manufacturing process; and second, monitoring and adjusting the door assembly process to minimize assembly errors.

[0055] Among the door installation methods used by mainstream automobile manufacturers, some companies rely entirely on manual installation. This method has obvious drawbacks: high labor intensity for operators, low ease of operation, low work efficiency, and low precision in door installation. Other companies use installation tools as an aid. Currently, the most common types of installation tools are bracket-type and suspended-type. Bracket-type installation tools are placed on the ground, requiring multiple people to operate due to their weight. Adjusting their position and direction is difficult due to uneven ground, and the ability to control installation gaps is poor. Suspended installation tools are suspended in the air. This solution solves the problem of environmental factors affecting flatness, but the difficulty of operation still exists, posing a significant challenge to human resources and production rhythm.

[0056] Based on this, this application provides a door transfer device to improve the loading efficiency of doors while reducing the labor intensity of manual operation.

[0057] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a scenario in which the door transfer device of this application is applied in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 shows a partial structural schematic diagram of the door transfer device of this application in one embodiment of the present application; and Figure 3 shows another partial structural schematic diagram of the vehicle transfer device of this application in one embodiment of the present application.

[0058] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, an embodiment of this application provides a door transfer device 10 for use on an assembly line. The assembly line has independent loading stations A1, gripping stations A2, sub-assembly stations A3, and assembly stations A4. The door transfer device 10 includes a loading mechanism 11, a gripping mechanism (not shown in the figures), and a lifting mechanism 12. The loading mechanism 11 is used to transfer the door to the loading station A1. The gripping mechanism is located at the gripping station A2. The lifting mechanism 12 is located at the sub-assembly station A3 and is configured to reciprocate between the sub-assembly station A3 and the assembly station A4. The gripping mechanism is configured to grip the target door on the loading mechanism 11 located at the loading station A1 and transfer it to the lifting mechanism 12 located at the sub-assembly station A3. The lifting mechanism 12 is configured to move from the sub-assembly station A3 toward the assembly station A4 to move the target door toward the target vehicle body.

[0059] Loading station A1 refers to the location where the loading mechanism 11 stores multiple car doors when they are transferred to the assembly line. Grabbing station A2 refers to the location of the grabbing mechanism. Sub-assembly station A3 refers to the location of the hoisting mechanism 12 when it is hoisting the target car door. Assembly station A4 refers to the location where the hoisting mechanism 12 transfers the target car door to the target vehicle body. Loading mechanism 11 refers to a moving tool capable of transporting car doors. Grabbing mechanism refers to a grabbing tool capable of grabbing car doors and transferring them along a predetermined path. Hoisting mechanism 12 refers to a lifting device capable of lifting and transferring a single car door off the ground.

[0060] It should be noted that the assembly line can be set up in the assembly workshop. The loading mechanism 11 can be placed directly on the ground at the loading station A1, and the gripping mechanism can also be directly installed on the gripping station A2. The hoisting mechanism 12 can be installed on the overhead slide rail in the assembly workshop, so that the hoisting mechanism 12 can reciprocate between the sub-assembly station A3 and the assembly station A4. In this embodiment, the hoisting mechanism 12 can be manually moved to move the target door to the vicinity of the target vehicle body, and then the target door can be manually assembled onto the target vehicle body. In other embodiments, a drive component can be set to drive the hoisting structure 12 to move, and the specific choice can be made according to the actual situation. In this embodiment, the target door refers to the door assembly without window glass, which is convenient for the gripping mechanism to grip the window frame of the target door, or for the hoisting mechanism 12 to hoist the window frame of the target door. The target vehicle body refers to the body-in-white, that is, the vehicle body that has been welded but not yet painted.

[0061] In this embodiment, a loading mechanism 11 is used to transfer the car door to the loading station A1. A gripping mechanism then grips the target car door on the loading mechanism 11 at the loading station A1 and onto the hoisting mechanism 12 at the sub-assembly station A3. The hoisting mechanism 12 can reciprocate between the sub-assembly station A3 and the assembly station A4, thereby transferring the target car door to the assembly station A4. This allows for manual assembly of the target car door onto the target vehicle body at the assembly station A4, improving the loading efficiency of the car door. Furthermore, the transfer and assembly process of the car door combines human and machine capabilities, enhancing the intelligence level of this process, thereby reducing labor intensity, increasing ease of operation, and reducing production cycle time.

[0062] In some embodiments, the loading station A1 and the gripping station A2 are spaced apart along a first direction F1, the gripping station A2 and the disassembly station A3 are spaced apart along a second direction F2, and the disassembly station A3 and the assembly station A4 are spaced apart along a third direction F3.

[0063] Specifically, the first direction F1, the second direction F2, and the third direction F3 can be parallel to each other, that is, the loading station A1, the gripping station A2, the disassembly station A3, and the assembly station A4 are arranged alternately along the same direction, as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the first direction F1 intersects with the second direction F2, and the first direction F1 is parallel to the third direction F3. Or, the first direction F1 is parallel to the second direction F2, and the first direction F1 intersects with the third direction F3. The arrangement of the first direction F1, the second direction F2, and the third direction F3 can be determined according to actual needs. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions, as long as the operations at each station do not interfere with each other.

[0064] Referring to Figure 4, Figure 4 shows a partial structural schematic diagram of the gripping mechanism in a door transfer device according to one embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, the gripping mechanism includes an actuator (not shown) and a gripping member M connected to each other. The actuator is configured to drive the gripping member M to grip the target door from the loading mechanism 11 and transfer the target door to the lifting mechanism 12.

[0065] It should be noted that the actuator refers to the robot that performs the transfer operation. The gripper M refers to the component used to grip the target door. In this embodiment, the gripper M can be configured as a fork, which can be fixed to the robot's flange by bolts or other components. In other embodiments, the gripper M can be configured as a clamping gripper, which can be set according to the actual situation. Specifically, the actuator can drive the gripper M to grip the outermost door on the loading mechanism 11, i.e., the target door, and then transfer it according to a predetermined path to place the target door on the lifting mechanism 12. In this way, by using the gripping mechanism to assist in loading the door, human-machine collaboration can be achieved, reducing the labor intensity of the operator.

[0066] Furthermore, the actuator is configured as a robotic arm. Specifically, the actuator can be a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, capable of performing various positional and orientation changes in three-dimensional space. This facilitates the gripping mechanism in gripping the target door on the loading mechanism 11 according to a predetermined path, and transferring it to the hoisting mechanism 12 according to the predetermined path, thereby improving the loading efficiency of the door and reducing the intensity of manual operation.

[0067] Referring further to Figure 4, the gripper M is provided with a recess M1, which is used to engage and limit the target door at a preset position. The recess M1 is made of nylon. Specifically, the gripper M is configured as a fork, with two opposing fork arms, each with a recess M1. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the recess M1 along its extension direction can be triangular; in other embodiments, the cross-section of the recess M1 along its extension direction can also be rectangular or trapezoidal, and this embodiment does not impose any limitations. When the gripper M picks up the target door, the fork arms can contact the window frame of the target door, and the inner part of the window frame engages with the recess M1 on the fork arm, thereby engaging and limiting the target door and preventing it from slipping off the fork arm. Furthermore, the recess M1 is made of nylon material. Specifically, the recess M1 can be made of nylon material. Nylon material is softer and has greater damping than metal materials such as iron, which can prevent the target car door from being bumped or hit, and can also prevent the target car door from sliding during transportation.

[0068] Referring again to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the hoisting mechanism 12 includes a hoisting body 121 and a moving part 122. The moving part 122 is disposed on the hoisting body 121 and can reciprocate between the sub-assembly station A3 and the assembly station A4.

[0069] Specifically, the lifting body 121 refers to the component capable of lifting the target car door. The specific structure of the lifting body 121 can be configured according to actual conditions, as long as it can achieve the lifting of the target car door. The moving component 122 refers to the component used for sliding. For example, the moving component 122 can be two pulleys installed on the lifting body 121, and then the two pulleys can be installed on the overhead rails in the assembly workshop, so that the lifting body 121 can move back and forth between the sub-assembly station A3 and the assembly station A4. In this way, it is convenient to transfer a single target car door from the sub-assembly station A3 to the assembly station A4, which facilitates manual assembly.

[0070] In some embodiments, the hoisting mechanism 12 includes a hoisting body 121 and a first locking member 123. The first locking member 123 is disposed on the hoisting body 121 and is used to fix the hoisting body 121 located at the sub-assembly station A3.

[0071] Specifically, the first locking element 123 refers to a component that can fix the hoisting body 121 to the sub-assembly station A3. For example, the first locking element 123 can be a cylinder and a clamp. The cylinder drives the clamp to open or close, thereby unlocking or locking the first locking element 123. The first locking element 123 is provided on the hoisting body 121. A ground-mounted fixing frame can be set around the sub-assembly station A3. When the hoisting mechanism 12 is located at the sub-assembly station A3, the first locking element 123 is locked to the fixing frame. That is, the cylinder drives the clamp to close, and the clamp clamps the fixing frame, thereby fixing the hoisting body 121 on the sub-assembly station A3. Thus, when the gripping mechanism transfers the target car door to the lifting body 121, the lifting body 121 is not easily moved. After the gripping mechanism stably places the target car door on the lifting body 121, the first locking member 123 can be unlocked, and then the lifting mechanism 12 can be moved from the sub-assembly station A3 to the assembly station A4, thereby helping to improve the stability and safety of the car door transfer operation.

[0072] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism 12 includes a lifting body 121, which includes a support portion 121a and a sliding portion 121b connected to each other. The support portion 121a is used to support the target vehicle door, and the sliding portion 121b is configured to move along a fourth direction F4 to adjust the distance between the target vehicle door located on the support portion 121a and the ground. The fourth direction F4 is a vertical direction.

[0073] It should be noted that the supporting part 121a refers to the component used to support the target car door. For example, the supporting part 121a can be constructed as a fork arm structure. In this embodiment, the supporting part 121a may be provided with a groove, which has the same function as the aforementioned recess M1, for engaging and limiting the target car door. The sliding part 121b refers to the component used to drive the supporting part 121a to move along the fourth direction F4 (i.e., the vertical direction). For example, the sliding part 121b can be constructed as a slide rail structure. Specifically, after the gripping mechanism grips the target car door onto the supporting part 121a of the lifting body 121, the lifting mechanism 12 can be transferred from the sub-assembly station A3 to the assembly station A4 by manually sliding the moving part 122. Here, the sliding part 121b of the lifting body 121 can be manually slid according to the height of the target car body located at the assembly station A4 to adjust the distance, i.e., the height, between the target car door and the ground, so as to adapt to the height of the target car body. This makes it easier to manually adjust the height of the target door so that it can be better fitted onto the target vehicle body.

[0074] Referring again to Figure 2, in some embodiments, the loading mechanism 11 is configured as a transport vehicle, which can be used to move from the production line of the door to the assembly line to transfer the door to the loading station A1.

[0075] It should be noted that the assembly mechanism is configured as a transport vehicle, which can be an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) or a manually guided transport vehicle, depending on the actual situation. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions. Specifically, the car doors are produced centrally on the production line, and then the car doors are centrally transferred to the assembly line via the loading mechanism 11, thereby transferring the car doors to the loading station A1. This facilitates the subsequent loading and assembly of the car doors.

[0076] In some embodiments, the loading station A1 has a safety zone, and the door transfer device 10 further includes a first detection element (not shown), a second detection element (not shown), a first control unit (not shown), and a second control unit (not shown). The first detection element is used to detect whether the loading mechanism 11 has reached the boundary of the safety zone. The second detection element is used to detect whether the door on the loading mechanism 11 is located at a predetermined position within the safety zone. The first control unit is configured to send a first control command to the gripping mechanism in response to a first detection result of the first detection element, so as to stop the gripping mechanism from operating. The second control unit is configured to send a second control command to the gripping mechanism in response to a second detection result of the second detection element and a third detection result of the first detection element, so as to resume the gripping mechanism from operating.

[0077] It should be noted that, in addition to transferring the doors on the loading mechanism 11, the gripping mechanism can also be used to transfer other parts to be assembled. Since gripping station A2 and loading station A1 are generally close together, a safety zone can be set up at loading station A1 to improve safety monitoring of the gripping mechanism's operation. A safety zone refers to an area requiring safety protection.

[0078] The first detection element can be configured as a safety light curtain. Its principle is to use a photoelectric sensor to detect the presence of the loading mechanism 11 or a person, thereby facilitating the control of the gripping mechanism's operation. Specifically, in some embodiments, a safety gate can be installed at the entrance of the safety area, and the first detection element, i.e., the safety light curtain, can be installed on the safety gate to detect in real time whether an object has reached the safety area of ​​the loading station A1. The first detection result indicates that a target has been detected at the boundary of the safety area, and the third detection result indicates that no target has been detected at the boundary of the safety area. It should be noted that the target can refer to the loading mechanism 11 or a person.

[0079] The second detection element can be configured as a photoelectric proximity switch. Its principle is to utilize the blocking or reflection of a light beam by the object being detected (i.e., the door on the loading mechanism 11). A synchronous circuit is then activated to detect the presence or absence of the object, thus determining whether the door on the loading mechanism 11 has reached a predetermined position within the safe area. Specifically, in some embodiments, a floor-mounted fixed frame can be set around the loading station A1, and the second detection element can be installed in a suitable position on this fixed frame to detect whether the door on the loading mechanism 11, having entered the safe area, is located at a predetermined position within the safe area. This facilitates the actuator of the gripping mechanism rotating along a predetermined path to the vicinity of the predetermined position to grip the target door. The second detection result indicates that the door on the loading mechanism 11 has been detected as being at the predetermined position. It should be noted that there can be multiple second detection components. The positions of some second detection components can be reasonably set to detect whether the doors on the loading mechanism 11 have reached the predetermined position. In addition, the positions of other second detection components can be reasonably set to detect whether the loading mechanism 11 is in an unloaded state, that is, whether all the doors on the loading mechanism 11 have been grabbed. The positions of the multiple second detection components can be specifically set according to the actual predetermined positions; this embodiment does not impose any limitations. This improves the intelligence of the door loading operation.

[0080] The first control unit and the second control unit can be integrated into the same controller, or they can be implemented by two independent controllers. It should be noted that both controllers can be integrated into the gripping mechanism. The first control command is used to control the gripping mechanism to stop operation. The second control command is used to control the gripping mechanism to resume operation. Signal transmission between the first detection element and the first and second control units can be achieved by setting a wired communication module or a wireless communication module, and signal transmission between the second detection element and the second control unit can also be achieved. In this embodiment, all control units can be integrated into one controller, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) using an industrial Ethernet wired communication network. The control program adopts a modular design, and I / O modules can be arranged on the first and second detection elements to achieve wired communication, allowing the controller to control the operation of the gripping mechanism based on the detection results of the first and second detection elements.

[0081] Specifically, in this embodiment, the loading mechanism 11 is configured as a manually guided transport vehicle. When the first detection element detects that the loading mechanism 11 has reached the boundary of the safe area, it generates a first detection result and transmits it to the first control unit. The first control unit then sends a first control command to the gripping mechanism to control it to stop operating. This operation can refer to a rotation operation or a gripping operation. When the loading mechanism 11 enters the safe area under manual guidance and the door reaches a predetermined position, the second detection element can display that the door is in the predetermined position by setting an indicator light and generate a second detection result to transmit to the second control unit. At this time, the operator determines that the door on the loading mechanism 11 is in the predetermined position according to the indicator light and can then exit the safe area. If the first detection element detects that there is no target at the boundary of the safe area, it generates a third detection result and transmits it to the second control unit. The second control unit then responds to the second and third detection results and sends a second control command to the gripping mechanism to resume operation. In this way, by setting the first detection element, the area requiring safety protection can be isolated, which provides protection for both the workers and the loading mechanism 11. By setting a second detection element, it is possible to detect whether the door on the loading mechanism 11 has reached the predetermined position, thereby facilitating the actuator of the gripping mechanism to rotate along a predetermined path to the vicinity of the predetermined position in order to grip the target door, which helps to improve the accuracy of the gripping mechanism operation.

[0082] See Figure 5 Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the door transfer device 10 further includes a limiting component 13 disposed at the loading station A1. The limiting component 13 includes a limiting body 131, which has two limiting portions 131a disposed opposite to each other along the target direction F5. The loading mechanism 11 includes a first carrier member 111, which has a carrier area k for carrying multiple doors. The first carrier member 111 has two mating portions 111a disposed opposite to each other along the target direction F5 on the side away from the carrier area k. The limiting body 131 is located on the side of the first carrier member 111 away from the carrier area k, and the two limiting portions 131a are engaged between the two mating portions 111a. The target direction F5 is perpendicular to the travel direction of the loading mechanism 11 when it enters the safe area of ​​the loading station A1.

[0083] It should be noted that the limiting component 13 is fixed on the ground at a predetermined position in the safety area, and the shape of the limiting body 131 can be set according to actual needs. The limiting part 131a has a plate-like structure. The first bearing member 111 refers to the component on the loading mechanism 11 used to support the bottom of the door. In this embodiment, the loading mechanism 11 also includes a second bearing member 112, which is a component used to support the inner part of the window frame of the door. It should be noted that both the first bearing member 111 and the second bearing member 112 are provided with multiple grooves. The material of the grooves can be nylon. The function of the grooves is the same as that of the recess M1, so as to facilitate the locking and limiting of the door. The target direction F5 is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the loading mechanism 11 when it enters the safety area of ​​the loading station A1. The target direction F5 can be regarded as a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first direction F1.

[0084] Specifically, the first support member 111 has a support area k, which is the area used to place and support multiple vehicle doors. On the side of the first support member 111 opposite to the support area k, i.e., its bottom, are two mating parts 111a arranged opposite each other along the target direction F5. These mating parts 111a can be constructed as plate-like structures. When the vehicle door on the loading mechanism 11 is located at a predetermined position within the safety area of ​​the loading station A1, the limiting body 131 is located on the side of the first support member 111 opposite to the support area k, and the two mating parts 111a engage with each other, thereby limiting the loading mechanism 11 in the target direction F5 and preventing its movement.

[0085] Referring again to Figure 2, in some embodiments, the limiting body 131 further includes a blocking part 131b, which is disposed on one side of the two limiting parts 131a along the first direction F1. The blocking part 131b can abut against the first carrier 111 to provide a resisting force towards the first carrier 111 along the first direction F1. The first direction F1 is the interval direction between the loading station A1 and the gripping station A2.

[0086] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the blocking part 131b can be constructed as a block structure. In other embodiments, the blocking part 131b can also be constructed as a plate structure, and there is no limitation here. The blocking part 131b is provided on one side of the two limiting parts 131a along the first direction F1. When the door on the loading mechanism 11 is located at the predetermined position of the loading station A1, the blocking part 131b can abut against one side of the first bearing member 111 along the first direction F1, thereby providing an abutting force towards the first bearing member 111 along the first direction F1. In this way, the loading mechanism 11 is limited in the first direction F1 to prevent it from moving.

[0087] Furthermore, the mating part 111a is configured as a pulley. It should be noted that, in the two mating parts, the pulley on one mating part 111a is arranged opposite to the pulley on the other mating part 111a. In this embodiment, a guide block can be installed on the ground of the loading station A1. When the loading mechanism 11 enters the safe area, the casters on the loading mechanism 11 that are in contact with the ground can approach the surface of the guide block to guide the direction of travel of the loading mechanism 11. Furthermore, when the loading mechanism 11 enters the safe area, the two mating parts 111a on the first carrier 111 can correspond to the two limiting parts 131a on the limiting body 131. During the movement of the loading mechanism 11, the pulley of each mating part 111a can slide into contact with the surface of the corresponding limiting part 131a, thereby reducing the frictional force when the two mating parts 111a and the two limiting parts 131a engage. Consequently, during the movement of the loading mechanism 11, the first carrier 111 can abut against the blocking part 131b of the limiting body 131. This facilitates the engagement of the loading mechanism 11 with the limiting assembly 13, thereby limiting the loading mechanism 11 and fixing the door on the loading mechanism 11 to the predetermined position of the loading station A1 as much as possible.

[0088] In some embodiments, the limiting body 131 further includes a first guide portion 131c and a second guide portion 131d disposed opposite to each other along the target direction F5. The first guide portion 131c is connected to the side of a limiting portion 131a opposite to the blocking portion 131b, and the end of the first guide portion 131c away from the limiting portion 131a is bent toward the second guide portion 131d. The second guide portion 131d is connected to the side of another limiting portion 131a opposite to the blocking portion 131b, and the end of the second guide portion 131d away from the other limiting portion 131a is bent toward the first guide portion 131c. It should be noted that both the first guide portion and the second guide portion 131d can be constructed as a plate-like structure. Specifically, when the loading mechanism 11 enters the safe area, one of the mating parts 111a on the first carrier 111 can be opposite to the first guide part 131c of the limiting body 131, and the other mating part 111a can be opposite to the second guide part 131d of the limiting body 131. During the movement of the loading mechanism 11, the two mating parts 111a can smoothly engage with the two limiting parts 131a under the guidance of the first guide part 131c and the second guide part 131d, so as to facilitate the engagement operation between the loading mechanism 11 and the limiting component 13.

[0089] In some embodiments, the limiting component 13 further includes a second locking member (not shown in the figure) disposed on the limiting body 131. The second locking member is detachably connected to the first carrier member 111. It should be noted that the second locking member is a component used to lock the loading mechanism 11. For example, the second locking member can be a cylinder and a clamp. The cylinder controls the opening or closing of the clamp to realize the locking or unlocking of the second locking member. Specifically, the second locking member is disposed on the lower side of the limiting body 131. After the first carrier member 111 of the loading mechanism 11 abuts against the blocking part 131b of the limiting body 131, the clamp extends through the second locking member to lock a part of the structure of the first carrier member 111, thereby realizing the detachable connection between the second locking member and the first carrier member 111. This facilitates fixing the door on the loading mechanism 11 to a predetermined position at the loading station A1, so that the gripping mechanism can accurately grip the target door.

[0090] In this embodiment, the direction of the device mechanism is considered forward, and the opposite direction is considered rearward. Among the multiple second detection elements, some of the second detection elements can be positioned close to the blocking part 131b of the limiting body 131. When the foremost end of the first carrier 111 abuts against the blocking part 131b, these second detection elements can detect that the door on the loading mechanism 11 is in a predetermined position. The second detection element sends this detection result, i.e., the second detection result, to the second control unit. The second control unit can control the second locking element to lock by setting a wired communication module or a wireless communication module, i.e., by controlling the cylinder to drive the clamp to close, so as to realize the automatic locking function of the second locking element. In addition, the second detection component of another part can be set close to the side and rear of the loading mechanism 11. When the door on the first carrier 111 is completely grabbed, the second detection component of this part sends the detection result to the second control unit. The second control unit can remotely control the second locking component to unlock, that is, control the cylinder to drive the clamp to open, so as to facilitate the loading mechanism 11 to exit from the loading station A1 for the centralized transfer of the next batch of doors.

[0091] In this embodiment, all control units can be integrated into a single controller, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) and use an industrial Ethernet network as the wired communication network. The control program adopts a modular design, and I / O modules are arranged on the first locking member 123 to achieve wired communication, so that the controller can control the operation of the second locking member according to the detection result of the second detection member.

[0092] In some embodiments, the door transfer device 10 further includes a third detection element (not shown), a fourth detection element (not shown), and a third control unit (not shown). The third detection element is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism 12 is located at the sub-assembly station A3. The fourth detection element is used to detect whether the lifting mechanism 12 is in an unloaded state. The third control unit is configured to send a third control command to the gripping mechanism in response to the fourth detection result and the fifth detection result of the third detection element, causing the gripping mechanism to move toward the loading mechanism 11 to grip the target door and transfer it to the lifting mechanism 12.

[0093] It should be noted that the third detection component refers to a component used to detect the position status of the lifting mechanism 12. For example, the third detection component can be configured as a photoelectric proximity switch to detect whether the lifting mechanism 12 is located on the sub-assembly station A3. The fourth detection result means that the third detection component detects that the lifting mechanism 12 is located on the sub-assembly station A3. The fourth detection component refers to a component used to detect whether the load-bearing part 121a of the lifting mechanism 12 is in an unloaded state. For example, the fourth detection component can be configured as a photoelectric proximity check to detect whether there is a load-bearing door on the load-bearing part 121a of the lifting mechanism 12. The fifth detection result means that the fourth detection component detects that the load-bearing part 121a is in an unloaded state. In some specific embodiments, a ground-based fixed frame is provided around the sub-assembly station A3, and the third and fourth detection components can be placed on the fixed frame to achieve the above functions. In addition, the third control unit, the second control unit, and the first control unit can be integrated into the same controller, or they can be implemented by three independent controllers. The third control command refers to the command to control the gripping mechanism to perform a gripping operation. Signal transmission between the third and fourth detection elements and the third control unit can be achieved by setting up wired or wireless communication modules. In this embodiment, all control units can be integrated into a single controller, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) using an industrial Ethernet network for wired communication. The control program adopts a modular design, and I / O modules can be arranged on the third and fourth detection elements to achieve wired communication. This allows the controller to control the operation of the gripping mechanism based on the detection results of the third and fourth detection elements.

[0094] Specifically, the third control unit, in response to the fourth and fifth detection results of the third and fourth detection components, sends a third control command to the gripping mechanism, causing the gripping mechanism to move along a predetermined path toward the loading mechanism 11 to grip the target door and transfer it to the lifting mechanism 12 along the predetermined path. Thus, by setting the third and fourth detection components, the gripping operation of the gripping mechanism is made safer, the overall accuracy of the door loading operation is improved, and intelligent control is achieved.

[0095] In this embodiment, the third and fourth detection elements can be used in conjunction with the first locking element 123. Specifically, a wired or wireless communication module can be provided between the third control unit and the first locking element 123, so that after receiving the fourth detection result, the third control unit controls the first locking element 123 to lock, that is, controls the cylinder to drive the clamp to close, thereby fixing the position of the hoisting body 121. When the third control unit receives the fifth detection result, it controls the first locking element 123 to unlock, that is, controls the cylinder to drive the clamp to open, so that the hoisting body 121 can move. In this way, intelligent control can be realized, so that the first locking element 123 can realize the functions of automatic locking and automatic unlocking.

[0096] In this embodiment, all control units can be integrated into a single controller, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC) and use an industrial Ethernet network as the wired communication network. The control program adopts a modular design, and I / O modules can be arranged on the first locking member 123 to achieve wired communication. This allows the controller to control the operation of the first locking member 123 based on the detection results of the third and fourth detection members.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the programmable logic controller is selected as a fail-safe type. It uses user-edited safety programs to calculate and execute fail-safe input or output modules to complete the safety processing of on-site information on the assembly line. For example, it controls emergency stop buttons and safety light curtains to restore or maintain the safety status of the system.

[0098] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0099] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle door transfer device, characterized in that: The vehicle door transfer device is used in an assembly line, and the assembly line is provided with a loading station, a grabbing station, a subpackaging station and an assembly station which are independent of each other; the vehicle door transfer device comprises: A loading mechanism, used for transferring the vehicle door to the loading station; A gripping mechanism, disposed at the gripping station; and A hoisting mechanism, disposed at the sub-packaging station, wherein the hoisting mechanism is configured to be able to reciprocate between the sub-packaging station and the assembly station; Wherein, the grabbing mechanism is configured to be able to be used to grab the target vehicle door on the loading mechanism located at the loading station to the lifting mechanism located at the subassembly station, and the lifting mechanism is configured to be able to move from the subassembly station toward the assembly station to move the target vehicle door toward the target vehicle body.

2. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The loading station and the grabbing station are arranged at intervals along the first direction, the grabbing station and the subpackaging station are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the subpackaging station and the assembling station are arranged at intervals along the third direction.

3. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grabbing mechanism comprises an actuator and a grabbing member connected to each other; the actuator is configured to be used to drive the grabbing member to grab a target door from the loading mechanism and transfer the target door to the hoisting mechanism; Wherein, the actuator is configured as a robotic arm; and / or The grabbing member is provided with a recessed portion, and the recessed portion is used to clamp and limit the preset position of the target door; wherein the recessed portion is made of nylon material.

4. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hoisting mechanism comprises a hoisting body and a moving part, wherein the moving part is arranged on the hoisting body and can reciprocate between the sub-packaging station and the assembly station; and / or The hoisting mechanism comprises a hoisting body and a first locking member, wherein the first locking member is arranged on the hoisting body, and the first locking member is used to fix the hoisting body located at the subassembly station; and / or The lifting mechanism includes a lifting body, which includes a load-bearing portion and a sliding portion connected to each other, the load-bearing portion is used to carry the target vehicle door, and the sliding portion is configured to be able to move along a fourth direction to adjust the size of the target vehicle door located on the load-bearing portion from the ground; the fourth direction is a vertical direction.

5. The vehicle door transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The loading mechanism is configured as a carrier vehicle, and the loading mechanism can be used to move from the production line of the vehicle door to the assembly line to transfer the vehicle door to the loading station.

6. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The loading station has a safety area, and the door transfer device also includes: A first detection member, used to detect whether the loading mechanism has reached the boundary of the safety area; a second detection member, used to detect whether the vehicle door on the loading mechanism is located at a predetermined position within the safety area; A first control unit is configured to send a first control instruction to the gripping mechanism in response to a first detection result of the first detection member, so as to stop the gripping mechanism from operating; and The second control unit is configured to send a second control instruction to the gripping mechanism in response to the second detection result of the second detection member and the third detection result of the first detection member, so as to enable the gripping mechanism to resume operation.

7. The vehicle door transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The door transfer device further comprises a limit assembly arranged at the loading station; the limit assembly comprises a limit body, and the limit body is provided with two limit parts arranged opposite to each other along the target direction; The loading mechanism comprises a first bearing member, the first bearing member having a bearing area for bearing the plurality of vehicle doors, and the first bearing member having a side away from the bearing area provided with two matching parts arranged opposite to each other along the target direction; the limiting body is located at a side of the first bearing member away from the bearing area, and the two limiting parts are clamped between the two matching parts; The target direction and the travel direction of the loading mechanism when entering the safety area of ​​the loading station are perpendicular to each other.

8. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The limiting body further includes a blocking portion, which is disposed on one side of the two limiting portions along the first direction, and the blocking portion can abut against the first bearing member to provide an abutting force to the first bearing member along the first direction; The first direction is the spacing direction between the loading station and the grabbing station.

9. The vehicle door transfer device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The mating portion is configured as a pulley; and / or The limiting body further comprises a first guide portion and a second guide portion which are arranged opposite to each other along the target direction, wherein the first guide portion is connected to a side of one of the limiting portions away from the blocking portion, and an end of the first guide portion away from the limiting portion is bent toward the second guide portion; the second guide portion is connected to a side of the other limiting portion away from the blocking portion, and an end of the second guide portion away from the other limiting portion is bent toward the first guide portion; and / or The limiting assembly further includes a second locking member disposed on the limiting body, and the second locking member can be detachably connected to the first bearing member.

10. The vehicle door transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The door transfer device also includes: A third detection member is used to detect whether the hoisting mechanism is located at the sub-packaging station; a fourth detection member, used to detect whether the hoisting mechanism is in an unloaded state; and The third control unit is configured to send a third control instruction to the grabbing mechanism in response to the fourth detection result of the third detection member and the fifth detection result of the fourth detection member, so that the grabbing mechanism moves toward the loading mechanism to grab the target door and transfer it to the lifting mechanism.

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