Cache device

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of automation equipment and provides cache equipment. The equipment comprises a conveying mechanism, a taking and placing positioning mechanism, a temporary storage mechanism and a material moving mechanism, the conveying mechanism conducts stepping type rotary motion, a plurality of jigs are evenly arranged on the periphery of the conveying mechanism, the two ends of the conveying mechanism in the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism are provided with an incoming material station and a feeding station respectively, and the incoming material station and the feeding station both correspond to the multiple jigs; the feeding station is provided with a plurality of feeding sensors, and the feeding station is provided with a plurality of feeding sensors; the incoming material sensor and the feeding sensor are electrically connected with the conveying mechanism; the material moving mechanism takes and places materials between the conveying mechanism and the temporary storage mechanism. The equipment not only can realize the automatic switching of two functions of blanking buffer storage and feeding from the buffer storage position and the function of accurately conveying materials, but also can be freely butted with an upstream production line with different numbers of discharging stations, or can be freely butted with a downstream production line with different numbers of feeding stations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of automation equipment technology, and specifically relates to a cache device. Background Technology

[0002] Buffer devices are typically placed between two production lines. They can automatically unload materials from the upstream production line and automatically feed materials into the downstream production line. For example, when the upstream production line is shut down due to reasons such as filling auxiliary materials or equipment maintenance, the buffer device can supply the stored materials to the downstream production line to ensure that the downstream production line is not affected by the upstream shutdown. Alternatively, when the downstream production line is shut down, the buffer device can receive and store materials from the upstream production line.

[0003] Most common buffer devices on the market can only transport single products or load and unload single products. The product conveyor belts are designed with the number and spacing of workstations in the upstream and downstream production lines fixed at the initial stage. When the production line is upgraded or the quantity of upstream products loaded and downstream products unloaded changes, these buffer devices are difficult to make compatible and can only be replaced, greatly increasing the upgrade cost of the production line. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies, this utility model provides a caching device, which aims to solve the technical problem of poor compatibility of existing caching devices.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a buffer device, which includes a conveying mechanism, a pick-and-place positioning mechanism, a buffering mechanism, and a material transfer mechanism. The conveying mechanism performs a step-by-step rotary motion, and a plurality of fixtures are evenly arranged on its outer periphery. A material receiving station and a material feeding station are respectively set at both ends of the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism, each corresponding to a plurality of fixtures. The material receiving station is equipped with a plurality of material receiving sensors, one material receiving sensor corresponding to one fixture; the material feeding station is equipped with a plurality of material feeding sensors, one material feeding sensor corresponding to one fixture. Both the material receiving sensors and the material feeding sensors are electrically connected to the conveying mechanism. The material transfer mechanism picks up and places materials between the conveying mechanism and the buffering mechanism.

[0006] In embodiments of this utility model, each fixture is provided with a calibration sensor, and both the material receiving station and the material feeding station are provided with calibration sensors capable of sensing the calibration sensor.

[0007] In an embodiment of this utility model, the buffer mechanism further includes a pick-and-place positioning mechanism, which is provided with multiple sets of pick-and-place positioning components. The material transfer mechanism picks and places materials between the conveying mechanism and the pick-and-place positioning mechanism, and between the pick-and-place positioning mechanism and the buffer mechanism.

[0008] In an embodiment of this utility model, the buffer mechanism includes two tray conveyor lines, two tray splitting assemblies, and a tray transfer assembly. Each tray conveyor line has a tray splitting assembly at one end along its conveying direction. The tray splitting assembly is close to the conveying mechanism, and the tray transfer assembly picks up and places trays between the two tray splitting assemblies.

[0009] In an embodiment of this utility model, the tray distribution assembly is provided with a tray placement area, and the buffer mechanism further includes a tray positioning assembly arranged around the tray placement area. The tray positioning assembly includes two sets of push positioning block groups, each set of push positioning block groups including several pairs of push blocks arranged opposite each other, and the two sets of push positioning block groups have perpendicular pushing directions.

[0010] In an embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning component includes a positioning stop and a pushing movable component arranged opposite to each other, and a first clamping component and a second clamping component arranged opposite to each other. The clamping direction of the first clamping component and the second clamping component is perpendicular to the pushing direction of the pushing movable component.

[0011] In an embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning component further includes a positioning drive component, a first linkage plate, and a second linkage plate. The positioning drive component includes a positioning synchronous wheel and a positioning synchronous belt disposed on the positioning synchronous wheel. The first linkage plate and the second linkage plate are disposed on the positioning synchronous belt and move in opposite directions. A first clamping member is mounted on the first linkage plate, and a second clamping member is mounted on the second linkage plate.

[0012] In an embodiment of this utility model, the first clamping member, the second clamping member, the positioning blocking member, and the pushing movable member together form a product positioning cavity. The pick-and-place positioning mechanism also includes a material sensor, which is disposed inside the product positioning cavity.

[0013] In an embodiment of this utility model, the conveying mechanism includes an active synchronous wheel, a driven synchronous wheel, a product synchronous belt sleeved on the active and driven synchronous wheels, and a synchronous wheel drive component that is driven and connected to the active synchronous wheel.

[0014] In an embodiment of this utility model, the material transfer mechanism includes a multi-material picking end, which is provided with multiple material suction cups, and the distance between two adjacent material suction cups is equal to the distance between two adjacent fixtures; and / or, the number of conveying mechanisms is multiple sets, and the multiple sets of conveying mechanisms are arranged in parallel side by side, with each set of conveying mechanisms having a material receiving station and a material feeding station.

[0015] Through the above technical solution, the caching device provided by this utility model embodiment has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] First, this equipment utilizes a step-type conveying mechanism, enabling more accurate material transport distances. Second, by sensing the quantity of material arriving at the receiving station and the quantity of material being fed at the feeding station using an incoming material sensor, the operating status of upstream and downstream production lines can be determined. This allows for timely control of the buffer mechanism's start and stop in case of malfunctions in either line, automatically switching between unloading buffer and feeding from the buffer. Furthermore, by monitoring the incoming and feeding quantities of the conveying mechanism and correspondingly controlling these quantities and the stepping distance, this equipment allows for seamless docking with upstream production lines with varying numbers of discharge stations or downstream production lines with varying numbers of infeed stations.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are provided to illustrate the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the cache device according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the material receiving station area of ​​the conveying mechanism in the embodiment of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the feeding station area of ​​the conveying mechanism according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the pick-and-place positioning mechanism according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pick-and-place positioning mechanism after removing the positioning and placement panel according to the embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cache mechanism after removing the disk transfer component according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transfer assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray distribution assembly and the tray conveyor line in the embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of the material transfer mechanism according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0029] 1. Conveying mechanism; 1a. Incoming material station; 1b. Feeding station; 11. Product timing belt; 12. Active timing pulley; 13. Timing pulley drive component; 14. Timing belt support plate.

[0030] 2. Picking and placing positioning mechanism; 21. Picking and placing positioning assembly; 211. Positioning stop; 212. Pushing movable part; 213. First clamping part; 214. Second clamping part; 215. Positioning column; 22. Positioning drive assembly; 221. Positioning synchronous wheel; 222. Positioning synchronous belt; 23. First linkage plate; 24. Second linkage plate; 25. Positioning frame; 251. Positioning guide slide rail; 26. Third linkage plate; 27. Positioning placement panel.

[0031] 3. Buffer mechanism; 31. Tray conveyor line; 311. Inlet and outlet guide; 312. Blocking element; 32. Tray splitting assembly; 321. Lifting module; 322. Tray bracket; 33. Tray transfer assembly; 331. Moving guide; 332. Tray transfer bracket; 333. Gripping element; 34. Tray positioning assembly; 341. Push positioning block assembly.

[0032] 4. Transfer mechanism; 41. Multi-material feeding end; 411. Material suction cup.

[0033] 51. Fixture; 52. Calibration sensor; 53. Calibration sensor plate; 54. Incoming material sensor; 55. Feeding sensor; 56. Material sensor.

[0034] 6. Blister tray. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0036] The caching device of this utility model is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, this utility model provides a buffer device, including a conveying mechanism 1, a buffer mechanism 3, and a material transfer mechanism 4.

[0038] The conveying mechanism 1 is used to connect with the upstream and downstream processing production lines. The buffer mechanism 3 and the transfer mechanism 4 are located on one side of the conveying mechanism 1. The transfer mechanism 4 is used to transfer the material on the conveying mechanism 1 to the buffer mechanism 3 or to transfer the material in the buffer mechanism 3 to the conveying mechanism 1. The buffer mechanism 3 is used to store the material or separate the material from the tray.

[0039] The conveying mechanism 1 can perform a stepping rotary motion. Several fixtures 51 are evenly arranged around the outer periphery of the conveying mechanism 1, each fixture 51 being used to place a single material. A material receiving station 1a and a material feeding station 1b are respectively set at both ends along the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 1. During operation, both the material receiving station 1a and the material feeding station 1b have multiple fixtures 51 corresponding to them. Each fixture 51 at the material receiving station 1a is equipped with a material receiving sensor 54, and each fixture 51 at the material feeding station 1b is equipped with a material feeding sensor 55. Both the material receiving sensor 54 and the material feeding sensor 55 are electrically connected to the conveying mechanism 1.

[0040] In this application, one conveyor mechanism 1 connects to the upstream production line via an upstream pick-and-place device and to the downstream production line via a downstream pick-and-place device. When one conveyor mechanism 1 corresponds to multiple upstream production lines, it corresponds to multiple incoming material quantities; when one conveyor mechanism 1 corresponds to multiple downstream production lines, it corresponds to multiple feeding quantities.

[0041] First, in this application, the step-type conveying of the conveying mechanism 1 enables more accurate material transmission distance; the incoming material sensor 54 senses the quantity of material arriving at the incoming material station 1a, that is, the quantity of material transferred from the upstream production line to the incoming material station 1a in one go; the feeding sensor 55 senses the quantity of material fed at the feeding station 1b, that is, the quantity of material sent from the feeding station 1b to the downstream production line in one go. Thus, the operating status of the upstream and downstream production lines can be judged based on whether material is arriving or being fed, and the start and stop of the buffer mechanism 3 can be controlled in a timely manner to realize the automatic switching between the two functions of unloading buffer and feeding from the buffer.

[0042] Specifically: If the feeding sensor 55 detects that the amount of material at the feeding station 1b has not decreased, meaning that the material has not been removed, and determines that the downstream production line has stopped, then when the upstream production line continues to transfer material to the conveying mechanism 1, the transfer mechanism 4 transfers the material from the receiving station 1a to the buffer mechanism 3 for storage. If the receiving sensor 54 detects that the amount of material at the receiving station 1a has not increased, meaning that no new material has been added, and determines that the upstream production line has stopped, then the transfer mechanism 4 grabs the pre-stored material from the buffer mechanism 3 and places it on the conveying mechanism 1 to continue supplying material to the downstream production line.

[0043] Furthermore, due to the adoption of step-type conveying, the spacing between each fixture can be guaranteed to be equal, improving the accuracy of the movement distance of each fixture, and enabling automatic adjustment of the conveying step distance (movement distance). Therefore, if multiple parallel upstream production lines correspond to one conveying mechanism 1, the station spacing between two adjacent upstream production lines is A, and the station spacing between two adjacent fixtures of conveying mechanism 1 is B, the multi-station spacing docking relationship of this application can be: A = nB, where n is an integer of 1, 2, 3... If multiple parallel upstream production lines correspond to multiple conveying mechanisms 1, and the station spacing between two aligned fixtures of two adjacent conveying mechanisms 1 is C, this application can also satisfy A = C, while conventional belt conveyors, roller conveyors, chain conveyors, steel belt conveyors, etc., can only satisfy A = C, that is, can only satisfy the docking of front and rear conveyor lines with the same station spacing.

[0044] Secondly, this application senses and monitors the incoming and outgoing material quantity of the conveying mechanism 1. By controlling the conveying distance of each step of the conveying mechanism 1 and the material quantity taken up by the downstream pick-up and place device each time, the conveying mechanism 1 can freely connect with upstream production lines with different numbers of outgoing stations. Alternatively, by controlling the conveying distance of each step of the conveying mechanism 1 and the material quantity released by the upstream pick-up and place device each time, it can freely connect with downstream production lines with different numbers of incoming stations.

[0045] Specifically:

[0046] (1) When the material receiving station 1a senses that the quantity of material is m, the conveying mechanism 1 will perform step conveying at a distance of m fixtures / step.

[0047] For example: when the incoming quantities are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 pieces respectively, the conveying mechanism 1 conveys the materials at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 fixture intervals / steps;

[0048] (2) When the feeding station 1b senses that the feeding quantity is n, the conveying mechanism 1 will convey the material at n fixture spacing / step, or first n1 fixture spacing / step, then n2 fixture spacing / step, and n1+n2=n, and convey the material in this rhythm.

[0049] For example, when the feeding quantities are 1, 2, and 3 pieces respectively, the upstream pick-and-place device feeds the incoming material station 1a at 1, 2, and 3 pieces / time respectively, and the conveying mechanism 1 conveys the material at 1, 2, and 3 fixture intervals / steps.

[0050] When the feeding quantities are 4, 5, and 6 pieces respectively, the upstream pick-and-place device feeds (2+2) pieces / 2 times, (3+2) pieces / 2 times, and (3+3) pieces / 2 times to the incoming material station 1a. The conveying mechanism 1 conveys the material at a distance of (2+2) jigs / step, (3+2) jigs / step, and (3+3) jigs / step.

[0051] Furthermore, this application senses the incoming material quantity and the feeding quantity of the conveying mechanism 1. When the incoming material quantity and the feeding quantity are different, by controlling the quantity of material that the upstream pick-and-place device puts into the incoming material station 1a each time, the quantity of material that the downstream pick-and-place device takes away from the feeding station 1b each time, and controlling the distance that the conveying mechanism 1 advances step by step, the conveying mechanism 1 can be kept running and continuously and stably connected with the upstream and downstream production lines.

[0052] Specifically:

[0053] (1) When the incoming material quantity is less than the feeding quantity, the upstream pick-and-place device is controlled to feed material twice at each incoming material station 1a, and the downstream pick-and-place device picks material once at the feeding station 1b, and the sum of the two incoming material quantities is equal to the feeding quantity once.

[0054] For example: when the upstream production line can feed a maximum of 3 pieces at a time, while the downstream production line needs to pick up 4 pieces at a time, the conveying mechanism is controlled to convey in a cycle of feeding 2 pieces → moving 2 jigs apart → feeding 2 more pieces → moving 2 jigs apart → picking up 4 pieces.

[0055] When the upstream production line can feed a maximum of 3 pieces at a time, while the downstream production line needs to pick up 5 pieces at a time, the process is as follows: feed 3 pieces → move 3 jig spacings → feed 2 more pieces → move 2 jig spacings → pick up 5 pieces, and so on in a cyclical manner.

[0056] (2) When the quantity of incoming material is greater than the quantity of material delivered, material is loaded once at the incoming material station 1a and material is taken twice at the delivery station 1b, and the quantity of incoming material once is equal to the sum of the quantities of material delivered twice.

[0057] For example, if the upstream production line feeds 5 pieces at a time, while the downstream production line can only pick up a maximum of 3 pieces at a time, then the process is as follows: feed 5 pieces → move 3 jig spacings → pick up 3 pieces → move 2 jig spacings → pick up 2 pieces, and so on in a cyclical manner.

[0058] Furthermore, when the incoming material quantity and the feeding quantity are different, and the quantity of material that the upstream pick-and-place device puts into the incoming material station 1a each time and the quantity of material that the downstream pick-and-place device takes away from the feeding station 1b each time cannot be changed, the incoming material speed of the upstream production line and the receiving material speed of the downstream production line must be the same. That is, the production capacity of the upstream production line and the downstream production line must be the same so that the conveying mechanism 1 can simultaneously and continuously and stably connect with the upstream and downstream production lines.

[0059] Specifically: If the incoming material cycle time CT1 is X pieces per T1 second (i.e., CT1 = X pieces / T1 second), and the feeding cycle time CT2 is Y pieces per T2 second (i.e., CT2 = Y pieces / T2 second), then when X = Y, T1 = T2. When the incoming material quantity X differs from the feeding quantity Y, the following conditions must be met for the conveying mechanism 1 to simultaneously connect and transport materials to both the upstream and downstream production lines.

[0060] (1) When X = nY (n is a positive integer), then for each material arrival and n feedings, T1 = nT2;

[0061] For example, when a single incoming material consists of 6 pieces and a single feeding consists of 2 pieces, as long as the incoming material consists of 6 pieces each time, and the material is fed 3 times each time, with 2 pieces fed each time, the front and back connections can be completed. In this case, T1 = 3T2.

[0062] (2) When nX = Y (n is a positive integer), then every n times of material arrival and feeding, T2 = nT1;

[0063] For example: when 2 pieces are received at a time and 8 pieces are fed at a time; as long as 2 pieces are received each time, and 8 pieces are fed every 4 times, the front and back docking can be completed. At this time, T2 = 4T1.

[0064] (3) When X≠Y, X≠nY, and Y≠nX (n is a positive integer), then it is guaranteed that X is received each time and Y is received each time, and X is fed each time and Y is fed each time. At this time, T2=Y / X*T1.

[0065] For example: if 2 pieces are received at a time and 7 pieces are fed at a time, the front and rear connections can be completed as long as 2 pieces are received each time and 7 pieces are fed at a time, every 7 times. In this case, T2 = 7 / 2T1 = 3.5T1.

[0066] In a further embodiment, both the receiving station 1a and the feeding station 1b are equipped with a calibration sensor 52, and each fixture 51 is equipped with a calibration sensing plate 53. The calibration sensor 52 is used to sense the calibration sensing plate 53.

[0067] It should be noted that in the existing technology, due to reasons such as slippage of the synchronous belt, the tension of the conveying mechanism will vary at different positions along its conveying direction, resulting in inaccurate conveying position. This causes the position of the conveying mechanism and the position of the fixture to deviate after each step movement. When the error accumulates, it is more likely to cause the material to be unable to be conveyed to the accurate position.

[0068] In this embodiment, calibration sensors are installed at the material receiving station 1a and the material feeding station 1b, respectively. During the first startup, the calibration sensor 53 of fixture A is positioned at the front calibration sensor, and fixture B is positioned at the rear calibration sensor, with a distance of X between fixtures A and B. After the conveyor mechanism 1 has been running for a certain period, if the front and rear calibration sensors no longer simultaneously detect the fixtures, it indicates a shift in the relative positions of the front and rear fixtures. At this point, fixture C, closest to the front calibration sensor, is moved towards the front calibration sensor, and fixture D, closest to the rear calibration sensor, is moved towards the rear calibration sensor, until both the front and rear calibration sensors simultaneously detect fixtures C and D, thus completing the automatic calibration. After calibration, the conveyor mechanism 1 continues to run, and the two calibration sensors continue to monitor the accuracy of each fixture's position, thus reflecting the precision of each step distance. If, after calibration, the two calibration sensors still cannot simultaneously detect the fixtures, and this occurs repeatedly, it is considered that the conveyor belt of the conveyor mechanism 1 has aged and deformed, requiring replacement.

[0069] Once the calibration sensor 52 detects that each fixture 51 is in the correct position on the conveying mechanism 1, the incoming material sensor 54 / feeding material sensor 55 then detects the incoming material quantity and the feeding material quantity respectively, and then determines whether there is a product in the corresponding fixture 51 and records the product position.

[0070] Preferably, the incoming material sensor 54 and the feeding sensor 55 can be fiber optic sensors. The fiber optic sensors are mounted on the conveying mechanism 1 and located at the bottom of the fixture 51. The fixture 51 has a through hole in the middle. The fiber optic sensors detect the passage of the fixture 51 through the through hole to achieve the detection of the fixture 51. The calibration sensor 52 can be a slotted photoelectric sensor, which senses the fixture 51 by sensing the sensing plate at the bottom of each fixture 51.

[0071] like Figure 1 and Figure 9 As shown, the buffer device also includes a pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2, which has multiple sets of pick-and-place positioning components 21 for positioning and aligning multiple materials. The material transfer mechanism 4 includes a multi-material picking end 41, which can simultaneously pick up multiple materials on the conveying mechanism 1. The multi-material picking end 41 is used to pick up and place materials between the conveying mechanism 1 and the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2, and between the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 and the buffer mechanism 3.

[0072] When both upstream and downstream production lines are operating normally, the conveying mechanism 1 can facilitate the normal transport of materials between them.

[0073] When the downstream production line stops, the materials of the upstream production line can be temporarily stored in the buffer mechanism 3 through the conveying mechanism 1 and the material transfer mechanism 4 to realize the buffer feeding function and ensure the normal operation of the upstream production line for a period of time.

[0074] When the upstream production line stops, the material in the buffer mechanism 3 can be transferred to the downstream production line through the transfer mechanism 4 to realize the buffer unloading function and ensure the normal operation of the downstream production line for a period of time.

[0075] Since the material transfer mechanism 4 can simultaneously grab materials from multiple conveyor mechanisms 1, multiple sets of pick-and-place positioning components 21 need to be installed on the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2. These components 21 allow for the orientation positioning of the multiple materials grabbed by the material transfer mechanism 4. Positioning the materials ensures that they are neatly arranged and without deviation when transferred from the conveyor mechanism 1 to the buffer mechanism 3. Alternatively, when materials are moved from the buffer mechanism 3 to the feeding station 1b, the pick-and-place positioning components 21 ensure the correct orientation of the materials at the feeding station 1b. This positioning capability allows for compatibility with production lines requiring high positioning accuracy, expanding the application scenarios.

[0076] With the upgrading of upstream and downstream production lines, the quantity of material received at the receiving station 1a and the quantity of material discharged at the feeding station 1b of the conveying mechanism 1 may differ. The loading and unloading buffer device in this utility model sets the receiving station 1a and the feeding station 1b of the conveying mechanism 1 to simultaneously include multiple fixtures 51, and sets the movement of the conveying mechanism 1 to a stepping motion. When the quantity of material received at the receiving station 1a and the quantity of material discharged at the feeding station 1b are different, this device can easily achieve compatibility by changing the stepping rhythm of the conveying mechanism 1.

[0077] like Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, the buffer mechanism 3 includes multiple sets of tray conveyor lines 31, multiple sets of tray assemblies 32, and tray transfer assemblies 33. Each tray conveyor line 31 has a tray assembly 32 at one end along its conveying direction. The tray assemblies 32 are close to the conveying mechanism 1, and the tray transfer assembly picks up and places trays between two tray assemblies 32. Through the multiple sets of tray conveyor lines 31 and multiple sets of tray assemblies 32, the flow of empty blister trays 6 and full blister trays 6 is realized.

[0078] Specifically, the transfer assembly 33 includes a movable guide 331 disposed between the multi-group transfer assemblies 32, a transfer bracket 332 slidably engaged with the movable guide 331, and a drive component for driving the transfer assembly 33 to move on the movable guide 331. The movable guide 331 can be a slide rail or a chute, and the drive component can be a motor, a cylinder, etc. The transfer bracket 332 is provided with a gripping member 333 for gripping the blister tray 6, which can simultaneously accommodate multiple materials. When the equipment is performing buffer loading operation, the material transfer mechanism 4 first places the material positioned by the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 into the empty blister tray 6. When the blister tray 6 is full of material, the tray transfer bracket 332 will grab the full blister tray 6 and convey it to one of the tray assembly 32. When the number of blister trays 6 stacked by the tray assembly 32 reaches the preset number, the tray assembly 32 will transfer the stacked blister trays 6 to the corresponding tray conveyor line 31. Then the tray conveyor line 31 will move the blister trays 6 to the designated area for storage.

[0079] Understandably, for some production lines with low positioning accuracy requirements, the material transfer mechanism 4 can directly transfer the material from the incoming material station 1a to the empty blister tray 6, or directly take the material from the full blister tray 6 and place it at the feeding station 1b.

[0080] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in an embodiment of this utility model, the multi-group tray assembly 32 needs to be configured such that at least one group tray assembly 32 is used to stack empty blister trays 6, and at least another group tray assembly 32 is used to stack blister trays 6 filled with materials. For example, taking two groups of tray assemblies 32 and tray conveyor lines 31 as an example, one group tray assembly 32 needs to be configured to stack blister trays 6 filled with materials, and the other group tray assembly 32 needs to be configured to stack empty blister trays 6.

[0081] When performing buffer loading operation, one set of material tray conveyor line 31 and tray distribution assembly 32 can transfer the empty blister tray 6 to the transfer assembly 33. After the transfer mechanism 4 fills the empty blister tray 6, the transfer assembly 33 can transfer the blister tray 6 filled with material to another set of tray distribution assemblies 32 for stacking and storage.

[0082] Alternatively, during the buffer unloading operation, one set of material tray conveyor line 31 and tray distribution assembly 32 can transfer the blister tray 6 filled with materials to the transfer assembly 33. After the material transfer mechanism 4 removes the materials from the blister tray 6, the transfer assembly 33 will transfer the empty blister tray 6 to another set of tray distribution assemblies 32, and finally store it through the corresponding conveyor line of the other set of tray distribution assemblies 32.

[0083] The flow of empty and fully loaded blister trays 6 is achieved through multiple tray conveyor lines 31 and multiple tray assembly 32.

[0084] like Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, the tray-separating assembly 32 is provided with a tray placement area, and the buffer mechanism 3 further includes a tray positioning assembly 34 arranged around the tray placement area. The tray positioning assembly 34 includes two sets of push positioning block groups 341, each set of push positioning block groups 341 including several pairs of opposing push blocks, and the pushing directions of the two sets of push positioning block groups 341 are perpendicular. By setting the tray positioning assembly 34, the posture of the blister tray 6 can be positioned when the tray transfer assembly 33 picks up and places the blister tray 6 from the tray-separating assembly 32, thereby facilitating the tray transfer assembly 33 to accurately grasp the blister tray 6, ensuring that the subsequent material transfer mechanism 4 accurately picks up the material from the blister tray 6, or ensuring that the subsequent material transfer mechanism 4 accurately places the material into the blister tray 6.

[0085] In embodiments of this utility model, the jacking blocks can be driven by cylinders, electric cylinders, etc., or in the jacking positioning block group 341, one side of the jacking block is fixed and the other side reciprocates.

[0086] like Figure 1 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, a height difference may exist between the material tray conveyor line 31 and the tray transfer assembly 33. The tray splitting assembly 32 can be vertically raised and lowered and includes a vertically extending lifting module 321 and a material tray bracket 322 disposed on the lifting module 321. The lifting module 321 can drive the material tray bracket 322 to move vertically up and down. The material tray bracket 322 is used to support the blister tray 6 to move back and forth between the material tray conveyor line 31 and the tray transfer assembly 33. By raising and lowering the tray splitting assembly 32, it is convenient to perform stacking operations on the blister trays 6.

[0087] Specifically, when starting the stacking operation, the tray holder 322 can be raised to the same height as the tray transfer assembly 33. Each time the tray transfer assembly 33 picks up a blister tray 6 and places it onto the tray holder 322, the tray holder 322 is lowered by a preset distance. Through the cyclical cooperation between the tray transfer assembly 33 and the tray holder 322, the blister trays 6 can be stacked vertically on the tray holder 322. Each time the tray transfer assembly 33 picks up a blister tray 6 and places it onto the tray holder 322, the tray positioning assembly 34 can position the blister tray 6. The positioning by the tray positioning assembly 34 ensures that the blister trays 6 are neatly stacked on the tray holder 322.

[0088] When the tray support 322 descends to the same height as or below the height of the tray conveyor line 31, the blister trays 6 stacked on the tray support 322 will be transferred to the tray conveyor line 31. Through the transfer of the tray conveyor line 31, the stacked blister trays 6 can be transferred to a designated area for storage.

[0089] When the stacked blister trays 6 need to be removed, the tray holder 322 can be lowered to the same height as or below the tray conveyor line 31. Then, the tray conveyor line 31 is controlled to run in reverse, moving the stacked blister trays 6 above the tray holder 322. Then, the tray holder 322 is controlled to rise gradually. Every time the tray holder 322 rises by a preset distance, the tray transfer component 33 is controlled to pick up the topmost blister tray 6 of the tray holder 322. This operation is repeated until the blister trays 6 on the tray holder 322 are completely removed.

[0090] like Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, the material tray conveyor line 31 is further provided with inlet and outlet guide members 311 on both sides, which can guide the transferred blister tray 6. The inlet and outlet guide members 311 can be vertically installed guide plates.

[0091] like Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, a blocking element 312 is also provided at the end of the material tray conveyor line 31. The blocking element 312 can block the blister tray 6 when it moves to the designated storage area of ​​the material tray conveyor line 31.

[0092] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in an embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning component 21 includes a positioning stop 211 and a pushing movable component 212 arranged opposite to each other, and a first clamping component 213 and a second clamping component 214 arranged opposite to each other. The clamping direction of the first clamping component 213 and the second clamping component 214 is perpendicular to the pushing direction of the pushing movable component 212. The first clamping component 213, the second clamping component 214, the positioning stop 211, and the pushing movable component 212 together form a product positioning cavity. The four sides of the material can be positioned by the first clamping component 213, the second clamping component 214, the positioning stop 211, and the pushing movable component 212.

[0093] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning component 21 further includes a positioning drive component 22, a first linkage plate 23, and a second linkage plate 24. The first linkage plate 23 and the second linkage plate 24 are driven to move by the positioning drive component 22. The first clamping member 213 in the pick-and-place positioning component 21 is installed on the first linkage plate 23, and the second clamping member 214 is installed on the second linkage plate 24. Along the extension direction of the first linkage plate 23 / second linkage plate 24, the movement of the first linkage plate 23 and the second linkage plate 24 drives the positioning and clamping of the first clamping member 213 and the second clamping member 214.

[0094] In embodiments of this utility model, the positioning drive assembly 22 can be a cylinder push rod assembly, an electric cylinder push rod assembly, a motor synchronous belt assembly, etc. Taking the motor synchronous belt assembly as an example, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the positioning drive assembly 22 can consist of a positioning drive motor, a positioning timing belt 222, and two sets of positioning timing pulleys 221. Figure 5 Only one component is shown. The positioning synchronous belt 222 is arranged in a closed loop and wound between two sets of positioning synchronous pulleys 221. The positioning synchronous belt 222 is provided with opposite first belt body and second belt body. When the positioning synchronous belt 222 moves, the first belt body and the second belt body move in opposite directions. For example, when the first belt body moves to the left, the second belt body moves to the right. Multiple first clamping members 213 are provided on the first belt body and multiple second clamping members 214 are provided on the second belt body.

[0095] The pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 also includes a positioning frame 25, which has two sets of positioning guide rails 251. The first linkage plate 23 is slidably mounted on one set of positioning guide rails 251 and connected to one of the first belt body and the second belt body. The second linkage plate 24 is slidably mounted on the other set of positioning guide rails 251 and connected to the other of the first belt body and the second belt body. By driving the positioning synchronous wheel 221 to rotate by a motor, the synchronous movement of the first linkage plate 23 and the second linkage plate 24, as well as the synchronous movement of the multiple first clamping members 213 and the multiple second clamping members 214, can be achieved. By the mutual approach or distance between the first clamping members 213 and the second clamping members 214, the material can be clamped or released.

[0096] like Figure 5 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, in order to facilitate the clamping of materials, the first clamping member 213 and the second clamping member 214 are provided with vertically extending positioning posts 215.

[0097] Similarly, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a third linkage plate 26 can also be set on the positioning frame 25, and multiple pushing movable parts 212 are set on the third linkage plate 26 and driven by driving parts such as motors and cylinders, so that the synchronous movement of multiple pushing movable parts 212 can be realized.

[0098] like Figure 4 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 further includes a material sensor 56, which is disposed in the product positioning cavity and used to detect whether there is a product in the product positioning cavity.

[0099] like Figure 4As shown, in an embodiment of this utility model, the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 further includes a positioning placement panel 27, which is used to support the material in the product positioning cavity.

[0100] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in an embodiment of this utility model, the conveying mechanism 1 includes a driving synchronous pulley 12, a driven synchronous pulley, a product synchronous belt 11 sleeved on the driving synchronous pulley 12 and the driven synchronous pulley, and a synchronous pulley drive component 13 drivenly connected to the driving synchronous pulley 12. The synchronous pulley drive component 13 can be a servo motor. The product synchronous belt 11 can be a nut synchronous belt, which has evenly arranged embedded nut holes for mounting fixtures 51. Each fixture 51 has a calibration sensing plate 53 mounted on its back.

[0101] like Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of this utility model, the conveying mechanism 1 further includes a timing belt support plate 14 for supporting the product timing belt 11.

[0102] like Figure 9 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, a plurality of material suction cups 411 are provided on the multi-material picking end 41. In order to facilitate the picking of materials on the product timing belt 11, the distance between any two adjacent material suction cups 411 is equal to the distance between adjacent fixtures 51 on the product timing belt 11.

[0103] like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this utility model, there are multiple sets of conveying mechanisms 1, arranged side by side in parallel. Each set of conveying mechanisms 1 is equipped with an incoming material station 1a and a feeding material station 1b. By setting multiple sets of conveying mechanisms 1, it is possible to connect with upstream or downstream production lines at more stations, thereby improving material conveying efficiency.

[0104] The advantages of the equipment will be explained below by combining the complete working process of the equipment.

[0105] I. For example Figure 1 As shown, when the upstream and downstream production lines are in normal production, the conveying mechanism 1 is in normal stepping motion. The upstream pick-and-place device will place the materials from the upstream production line into the material receiving station 1a of the conveying mechanism 1 in sequence, and the downstream pick-and-place device will transfer the materials from the feeding station 1b to the downstream production line in sequence.

[0106] When the upstream and downstream pick-up and drop-off devices pick up and drop off different quantities each time, the controller will control the stepping rhythm of the conveyor mechanism 1 according to the different quantities, so that the conveyor mechanism 1 can connect with the upstream production line and / or the downstream production line to continue production.

[0107] Operating at the aforementioned rhythm ensures continuous placement of materials on fixture 51. Furthermore, as the production line iterates, changes in the quantity of incoming and outgoing materials can be accommodated simply by altering the production rhythm of conveyor mechanism 1.

[0108] II. Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, when the upstream production line stops and the downstream production line is operating normally, the conveyor mechanism 1 stops running. At the same time, the buffer mechanism 3, the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2, and the transfer mechanism 4 work together to perform a buffer unloading operation. The buffer unloading operation specifically includes:

[0109] The controller first controls the corresponding tray conveyor line 31 to operate, moving the stack of blister trays loaded with materials above the tray holder 322. The tray holder 322 is raised to a preset height so that the transfer assembly 33 can precisely grasp the topmost blister tray 6 of the stack. Each time the transfer assembly 33 removes a blister tray 6 from the tray holder 322, the tray holder 322 rises one unit of the preset distance. The transfer assembly 33 moves the blister tray 6 loaded with materials to a designated position, facilitating the material handling mechanism 4 to retrieve the materials from the blister tray 6. The material handling mechanism 4, after retrieving the materials, can first place them on the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2 for positioning, and then transfer them to the feeding station 1b. The downstream pick-and-place device continuously removes the materials placed by the transfer mechanism 4 at the feeding station 1b and places them into the downstream production line to ensure the material supply of the downstream production line.

[0110] After the material transfer mechanism 4 has removed all the material from a certain blister tray 6, the tray transfer assembly 33 will transfer the empty blister tray 6 to another tray distribution assembly 32, and pick up a new blister tray 6 filled with material from the previous tray distribution assembly 32. The other tray distribution assembly 32 can achieve the stacking operation of empty blister trays 6 by gradually sinking down.

[0111] III. Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, when the downstream production line stops and the upstream production line is operating normally, the conveying mechanism 1 operates normally. The upstream pick-and-place device will place the materials from the upstream production line sequentially at the receiving station 1a of the conveying mechanism 1, and after being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 1, they will arrive at the feeding station 1b. At the same time, the buffer mechanism 3, the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2, and the material transfer mechanism 4 cooperate to perform a buffer feeding operation, which specifically includes:

[0112] The controller first controls the corresponding tray conveyor line 31 to operate, moving the empty blister tray stack to above the tray holder 322. The tray holder 322 is raised to a preset height so that the transfer assembly 33 can precisely grasp the topmost blister tray 6 of the stack. Each time the transfer assembly 33 removes an empty blister tray 6 from the tray holder 322, the tray holder 322 rises one unit of the preset distance. After the transfer assembly 33 moves the empty blister tray 6 to the designated position, the material transfer mechanism 4 first retrieves the material from the feeding station 1b and places it on the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2. After being positioned by the pick-and-place positioning mechanism 2, it is then transferred to the empty blister tray 6. Once the blister tray 6 is full of material, the transfer assembly 33 transfers it to another tray-splitting assembly 32 for stacking operations and retrieves a new empty blister tray 6 from the previous tray-splitting assembly 32.

[0113] By using the buffer loading and unloading operations of the buffer mechanism 3, the other production line can continue to operate normally for a period of time when one of the upstream or downstream production lines stops.

[0114] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0115] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly 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, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; 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 explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0116] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0117] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A caching device, characterized in that, It includes a conveying mechanism (1), a buffer mechanism (3), and a material transfer mechanism (4); The conveying mechanism (1) performs a stepping rotary motion, and a plurality of fixtures (51) are evenly arranged on its outer periphery. The conveying mechanism (1) is provided with a material receiving station (1a) and a material feeding station (1b) at both ends along its conveying direction. The material receiving station (1a) and the material feeding station (1b) each correspond to a plurality of fixtures (51). The material receiving station (1a) is provided with a plurality of material receiving sensors (54), and one material receiving sensor (54) corresponds to one fixture (51). The material feeding station (1b) is provided with a plurality of material feeding sensors (55), and one material feeding sensor (55) corresponds to one fixture (51). The material receiving sensors (54) and the material feeding sensors (55) are both electrically connected to the conveying mechanism (1). The material transfer mechanism (4) picks up and places materials between the conveying mechanism (1) and the buffer mechanism (3).

2. The caching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the fixtures (51) is provided with a calibration sensor (53), and the receiving station (1a) and the feeding station (1b) are each provided with a calibration sensor (52) capable of sensing the calibration sensor (53).

3. The caching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer mechanism (3) includes two tray conveyor lines (31), two tray splitting assemblies (32) and a tray transfer assembly (33). Each tray conveyor line (31) has a tray splitting assembly (32) at one end along its conveying direction. The tray splitting assembly (32) is close to the conveying mechanism (1). The tray transfer assembly picks up and places trays between the two tray splitting assemblies (32).

4. The caching device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tray distribution assembly (32) is provided with a tray placement area, and the buffer mechanism (3) further includes a tray positioning assembly (34) arranged around the tray placement area. The tray positioning assembly (34) includes two sets of push positioning block groups (341). Each set of push positioning block groups (341) includes several pairs of push blocks arranged opposite each other. The two sets of push positioning block groups (341) are pushed in a perpendicular direction.

5. The caching device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pick-and-place positioning mechanism (2), which is provided with multiple pick-and-place positioning components (21). The material transfer mechanism (4) picks and places materials between the conveying mechanism (1) and the pick-and-place positioning mechanism (2), and between the pick-and-place positioning mechanism (2) and the buffer mechanism (3).

6. The caching device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pick-and-place positioning component (21) includes a positioning stop (211) and a pushing movable component (212) arranged opposite to each other, and a first clamping component (213) and a second clamping component (214) arranged opposite to each other. The clamping direction of the first clamping component (213) and the second clamping component (214) is perpendicular to the pushing direction of the pushing movable component (212).

7. The caching device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pick-and-place positioning component (21) further includes a positioning drive component (22), a first linkage plate (23), and a second linkage plate (24). The positioning drive component (22) includes a positioning synchronous wheel (221) and a positioning synchronous belt (222) disposed on the positioning synchronous wheel (221). The first linkage plate (23) and the second linkage plate (24) are disposed on the positioning synchronous belt (222) and move in opposite directions. The first clamping member (213) is mounted on the first linkage plate (23), and the second clamping member (214) is mounted on the second linkage plate (24).

8. The caching device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first clamping member (213), the second clamping member (214), the positioning blocking member (211), and the pushing movable member (212) together form a product positioning cavity. The pick-and-place positioning mechanism (2) also includes a material sensor (56), which is disposed in the product positioning cavity.

9. The caching device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism (1) includes an active synchronous pulley (12), a driven synchronous pulley, a product synchronous belt (11) sleeved on the active synchronous pulley (12) and the driven synchronous pulley, and a synchronous pulley drive component (13) drivenly connected to the active synchronous pulley (12).

10. The caching device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The material handling mechanism (4) includes a multi-material picking end (41), which is provided with a plurality of material suction cups (411). The distance between two adjacent material suction cups (411) is equal to the distance between two adjacent fixtures (51). And / or, The number of conveying mechanisms (1) is multiple sets, and the multiple sets of conveying mechanisms (1) are arranged side by side in parallel. Each set of conveying mechanisms (1) is provided with the material receiving station (1a) and the material feeding station (1b).

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