Automatic discharging device

Abstract

The utility model provides an automatic discharging device. The device is used for automatically discharging workpieces to be welded and comprises a base, a stock bin, a discharging table and a pushing assembly. The pushing assembly, the stock bin and the discharging table are sequentially arranged on the base in the workpiece pushing-out direction. The bin is used for containing workpieces, a pushing opening is formed in the side, close to the pushing assembly, of the bin, and a discharging opening is formed in the side, close to the discharging table, of the bin. The material pushing assembly comprises a material pushing air cylinder and a material pushing plate, the material pushing plate is installed at the power output end of the material pushing air cylinder, and the material pushing plate is driven by the material pushing air cylinder to go deep into the stock bin along the material pushing opening so as to push the workpieces in the stock bin to the discharging table along the discharging opening. The automatic material spitting device can realize automatic material spitting, effectively reduces the labor cost, and is beneficial to improving the safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of workpiece processing technology, and more specifically, to an automatic feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] Projection welding is a type of resistance welding. Compared to resistance spot welding, it differs in that projection points are pre-machined on the workpiece, or features on the workpiece that concentrate current, such as surfaces or chamfers, are used as the contact points during welding. The contact through these projection points increases the pressure and current density per unit area during welding.

[0003] In related technologies, projection welding is mostly done manually in a semi-automatic manner, where the workpiece is placed manually on the unloading table, and then a robotic arm clamps the workpiece for welding. This method has high labor costs and poor safety.

[0004] In view of the above, this application is hereby submitted. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic feeding device that can automatically feed materials without the need for manual handling of workpieces, thereby effectively reducing labor costs and improving safety.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives of this utility model, the following technical solution is adopted:

[0007] This utility model provides an automatic feeding device for automatically feeding out workpieces to be welded. The device includes: a base, a hopper, a feeding platform, and a feeding pusher assembly; the feeding pusher assembly, the hopper, and the feeding platform are arranged sequentially on the base along the workpiece feeding direction.

[0008] The hopper is used to place the workpiece, and a push port is provided on the side of the hopper near the push assembly, and a discharge port is provided on the side of the hopper near the discharge platform;

[0009] The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate. The pushing plate is installed at the power output end of the pushing cylinder. Driven by the pushing cylinder, the pushing plate extends into the hopper along the pushing port to push the workpiece in the hopper onto the discharge platform along the discharge port.

[0010] For example, the workpiece is provided with a positioning hole; a positioning cylinder is provided above the discharge platform, and a positioning pin is installed at the output end of the positioning cylinder; when the workpiece moves from the hopper to the discharge platform, the positioning cylinder drives the positioning pin to insert into the positioning hole.

[0011] For example, it also includes a drive cylinder, on which the base is mounted, and the drive cylinder is used to drive the base to move between a loading position and a discharging position.

[0012] For example, the pushing assembly further includes a mounting base fixed to the base, and the pushing cylinder is mounted on the mounting base;

[0013] A guide block is installed on one end of the mounting base near the hopper, and a guide groove is opened at the bottom of the guide block, with the pusher plate located in the guide groove.

[0014] For example, the bottom of the hopper and the bottom of the discharge port are both flush with the top of the discharge platform, and the height of the pusher plate does not exceed the workpiece located at the bottom of the hopper.

[0015] For example, the top of the hopper is provided with a loading port, and the length and width of the hopper cross-section are adapted to the workpiece.

[0016] For example, a first sensor is installed on the discharge platform, which is used to sense whether the workpiece is placed on the discharge platform.

[0017] For example, a second sensor is installed at the bottom of the hopper, which is used to sense whether the workpiece is stored in the hopper.

[0018] For example, the top of the discharge platform is recessed downward to form a placement groove for placing the workpiece.

[0019] For example, the discharge platform has a slot on the side away from the hopper.

[0020] Compared to existing technologies, the above-mentioned technical solution can automatically push workpieces from the hopper to the discharge platform using a pushing component. This eliminates the need for manual placement of workpieces on the discharge platform, effectively reducing labor costs, lowering the probability of workplace accidents, and improving safety. Furthermore, this automated discharge method reduces human error caused by repetitive tasks and can be used continuously for extended periods, contributing to improved work efficiency and a lower error rate due to human error. Applying this device to projection welding can enhance the automation integration of the entire projection welding process, reduce human intervention, improve the stability and consistency of the projection welding process, and lower production costs.

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic feeding device according to an embodiment of this application, viewed from one perspective.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic feeding device according to an embodiment of this application from another perspective.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the discharge platform according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the silo according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the positioning pin and the workpiece before the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the positioning pin and the workpiece after the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a guide block according to an embodiment of this application.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Drive cylinder; 2. Base; 3. Mounting seat; 4. Pushing cylinder; 5. Pushing plate; 6. Hopper; 601. Discharge port; 602. Pushing port; 603. Loading port; 7. Top plate; 8. Column; 9. Positioning cylinder; 10. Positioning pin; 11. Workpiece; 1101. Positioning hole; 12. Discharge platform; 1201. Placement slot; 13. Guide block; 1301. Guide groove; 14. First sensor; 15. Second sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the following description, numerous details are provided to enable a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the following description pertains only to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which may be practiced without one or more of these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features well-known in the art have not been described.

[0032] As described above, in related technologies, projection welding is mostly semi-automatic manual welding, where workers manually place the workpiece onto the unloading table, and then a robotic arm clamps the workpiece for welding. This method requires an operator for each device to handle the loading, resulting in high labor costs. Furthermore, this loading method is prone to human error due to repetitive manual work, affecting work efficiency. Additionally, this method places the operator close to the welding station, increasing the probability of workplace accidents and compromising safety. To address at least some of the above technical problems, this application provides an automatic unloading device that can automatically unload materials, helping to reduce labor costs and improve safety.

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this utility model, the following description is provided in the form of specific embodiments.

[0034] Example

[0035] See also Figure 1-7 This embodiment provides an automatic feeding device for automatically feeding out workpieces 11 to be welded. The device includes: a base 2, a hopper 6, a feeding platform 12, and a feeding pusher assembly. The feeding pusher assembly, the hopper 6, and the feeding platform 12 are arranged sequentially on the base 2 along the feeding direction of the workpieces 11.

[0036] The hopper 6 is used to hold workpiece 11. For example... Figure 3-4 As shown, the hopper 6 has a push port 602 near the pusher assembly and a discharge port 601 near the discharge platform 12. In this embodiment, multiple workpieces 11 can be placed in the hopper 6, and the multiple workpieces 11 are placed in the hopper 6 in a stacked manner. The size of the hopper 6 can be set as needed; for example, the hopper 6 can store 80-120 workpieces 11.

[0037] The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder 4 and a pushing plate 5. The pushing plate 5 is installed at the power output end of the pushing cylinder 4. Driven by the pushing cylinder 4, the pushing plate 5 extends into the hopper 6 along the pushing port 602 to push the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 onto the discharge platform 12 along the discharge port 601.

[0038] The pusher cylinder 4 can be any existing or future-developed cylinder capable of linear motion. For example, a dual-axis cylinder, a tri-axis cylinder, etc., can be used. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the pusher cylinder 4 is a dual-shaft cylinder.

[0039] In this embodiment, when workpiece 11 needs to be output, the pusher cylinder 4 drives the pusher plate 5 to move forward. The pusher plate 5 extends into the hopper 6 along the pusher port 602. The workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 is pushed by the pusher plate 5 and moves to the discharge platform 12 through the discharge port 601. After the workpiece 11 is pushed into place (i.e., automatic discharge is completed), the pusher cylinder 4 retracts, driving the pusher plate 5 to move back to its original position (i.e., the pusher plate 5 moves backward to its initial position). In actual working scenarios, the robotic arm of the next process can directly clamp the workpiece 11 from the discharge platform 12. The pusher cylinder 4 works continuously, so that after the robotic arm takes away the workpiece 11, the next workpiece 11 can be pushed onto the discharge platform 12. Thus, uninterrupted fully automatic discharge can be achieved. During the entire discharge process, the operator only needs to pay attention to the number of workpieces 11 in the hopper 6 of each device. Therefore, one operator can manage multiple devices simultaneously, which can effectively reduce labor costs.

[0040] In practical work scenarios, multiple devices (e.g., two) of this application can be used in conjunction with a robotic arm for welding. In this way, after the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 of one device is used up, the next device can continue to discharge material, thereby ensuring the continuity of welding work.

[0041] The above solution utilizes a pusher assembly to automatically push the workpiece 11 from the hopper 6 onto the discharge platform 12. This eliminates the need for manual placement of the workpiece 11 onto the discharge platform 12, effectively reducing labor costs, lowering the probability of workplace accidents, and improving safety. Furthermore, this automated material discharge method reduces human error caused by repetitive tasks and allows for continuous operation over extended periods, contributing to increased work efficiency and a lower error rate due to human error. Applying this device to projection welding can enhance the automation integration of the entire projection welding process, reduce human intervention, improve the stability and consistency of the projection welding process, and lower production costs.

[0042] See also Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 In this embodiment, a positioning hole 1101 is provided on the workpiece 11; a positioning cylinder 9 is provided above the discharge platform 12, and a positioning pin 10 is installed at the output end of the positioning cylinder 9; when the workpiece 11 moves from the hopper 6 to the discharge platform 12, the positioning cylinder 9 drives the positioning pin 10 to insert into the positioning hole 1101.

[0043] Similar to the pusher cylinder 4, the positioning cylinder 9 can be any existing or future-developed cylinder capable of linear motion. For example, a dual-axis cylinder, a tri-axis cylinder, etc., can be used. Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the positioning cylinder 9 is a three-axis cylinder.

[0044] In such Figure 5In the embodiment shown, columns 8 are fixed on both sides of the discharge platform 12, and a top plate 7 is fixed on the top of the two columns 8. The positioning cylinder 9 is fixed on the top plate 7.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the lower end of the positioning pin 10 gradually tapers towards the discharge platform 12. This facilitates the insertion of the positioning pin 10 into the positioning hole 1101. It can be understood that a hole matching the size of the positioning pin 10 can be provided on the discharge platform 12 to prevent the top surface of the discharge platform 12 from obstructing the insertion of the positioning pin 10 into the positioning hole 1101, which will not be elaborated further.

[0046] In this embodiment, when workpiece 11 moves from the hopper 6 to the discharge platform 12, the positioning cylinder 9 drives the positioning pin 10 downward until it inserts into the positioning hole 1101 of workpiece 11. Thus, the positioning pin 10 can be used to position workpiece 11 on the discharge platform 12. In actual operation, when the robotic arm of the next process grips workpiece 11, the positioning cylinder 9 drives the positioning pin 10 upward to move it away from the positioning hole 1101. After the positioning pin 10 leaves the positioning hole 1101, the robotic arm can remove workpiece 11.

[0047] In the above scheme, by setting the positioning pin 10, the workpiece 11 on the discharge table 12 can be accurately positioned, thereby ensuring the consistency of the position of the workpiece 11 on the discharge table 12, which can ensure that the robotic arm of the next process can accurately clamp the workpiece 11, which can effectively ensure production efficiency.

[0048] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the device in this embodiment also includes a drive cylinder 1, with a base 2 mounted on the drive cylinder 1. The drive cylinder 1 drives the base 2 to move between the loading position and the unloading position. The drive cylinder 1 can be any existing or future-developed cylinder capable of linear motion. For example, a dual-axis cylinder, a three-axis cylinder, or a rodless cylinder can be used. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the drive cylinder 1 is a rodless cylinder.

[0049] by Figure 1 Let's take an example to illustrate. Figure 1 In the diagram, the left side can be considered the discharge position, and the right side can be considered the loading position. When the number of workpieces 11 in the hopper 6 is insufficient (e.g., the number of workpieces 11 is 0), the drive cylinder 1 can drive the base 2 to move to the loading position. At this time, the hopper 6 on the base 2 moves accordingly to the loading position, where the operator can load workpieces into the hopper 6. After loading is completed, the drive cylinder 1 can drive the base 2 to move to the discharge position, and the pusher cylinder 4 pushes the workpieces 11 in the hopper 6 to the discharge platform 12. This ensures that the operator can load workpieces into the hopper 6 from a safe position, which helps to further prevent workplace accidents.

[0050] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 The feeding assembly also includes a mounting base 3, which is fixed to the base 2, and the feeding cylinder 4 is mounted on the mounting base 3. Figure 2 , 7 As shown, a guide block 13 is installed on the end of the mounting base 3 near the hopper 6. A guide groove 1301 is opened at the bottom of the guide block 13, and the pusher plate 5 is located in the guide groove 1301.

[0051] In this embodiment, the pusher plate 5 can move back and forth relative to the guide groove 1301. The guide groove 1301 can guide the pusher plate 5, ensuring that the pusher plate 5 can accurately enter the push port 602 to complete the push during the push operation, thereby ensuring that the device can work stably for a long time.

[0052] In this embodiment, the bottom of the hopper 6 and the bottom of the discharge port 601 are flush with the top of the discharge platform 12, and the height of the pusher plate 5 does not exceed the height of the lowest workpiece 11 in the hopper 6. Therefore, each time material is pushed, the pusher plate 5 pushes the lowest workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 onto the discharge platform 12. After the pusher plate 5 moves backward away from the hopper 6, the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 moves downward under gravity. This effectively ensures the continuity of material pushing.

[0053] In some implementations of this embodiment, the height of the top of the discharge port 601 does not exceed the height of the second workpiece from bottom to top in the hopper 6. Therefore, when the pusher plate 5 pushes the material, it can prevent the second workpiece from being pushed out along with the bottom workpiece, ensuring pushing accuracy.

[0054] In some implementations of this embodiment, the height of the top of the pusher port 602 does not exceed the height of the second workpiece from bottom to top in the hopper 6. This prevents the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 from being pulled out of the hopper 6 by the pusher plate 5 when it moves back to its initial position.

[0055] like Figure 2 As shown, a loading port 603 is provided at the top of the hopper 6, and the length and width of the hopper 6 are adapted to the workpiece 11. This arrangement facilitates loading by the operator, and by setting the length and width of the hopper 6 to be adapted to the workpiece 11, misalignment of the workpiece 11 can be avoided when it moves downward due to gravity during the pushing process, thus ensuring the stability of the pushing process.

[0056] In this embodiment, the hopper 6 has an opening on the side near the pusher assembly. This opening allows the operator to easily observe whether the stacked workpieces 11 in the hopper 6 are neat and tidy, and to easily adjust or remove the workpieces 11.

[0057] Continue reading Figure 3 The top of the discharge table 12 is recessed downward to form a placement groove 1201 for placing the workpiece 11. The shape of the placement groove 1201 is adapted to the shape of the workpiece 11, thereby further improving the positional accuracy of the workpiece 11 on the discharge table 12.

[0058] Continue reading Figure 3 The discharge platform 12 has a slot on the side away from the hopper 6. The slot facilitates the robotic arm in the next process to grip the workpiece 11.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, a first sensor 14 is installed on the discharge platform 12. The first sensor 14 is used to sense whether a workpiece 11 is placed on the discharge platform 12. In this embodiment, when the first sensor senses that a workpiece 11 is placed on the discharge platform 12, it can send a signal to the positioning cylinder 9. After receiving the signal, the positioning cylinder 9 drives the positioning pin 10 to move downward so that the positioning pin 10 is inserted into the positioning hole 1101. This helps to ensure the reliability of the automated operation of the device.

[0060] The sensors described herein (including the first and second sensors) can be any existing or future-developed sensor capable of detecting the presence of workpiece 11. For example, the sensor can be a photoelectric contact switch.

[0061] like Figure 4 As shown, a second sensor 15 is installed at the bottom of the hopper 6. The second sensor 15 is used to sense whether there is a workpiece 11 in the hopper 6. When the second sensor detects that there is no workpiece 11 in the hopper 6, the pushing cylinder 4 stops operating. At the same time, the drive cylinder 1 can be used to drive the base 2 to move to the loading position so that the operator can replenish the workpiece 11 into the hopper 6. In an embodiment not shown in this document, the device may also include an alarm. When the second sensor detects that there is no workpiece 11 in the hopper 6, the alarm can sound an alarm to remind the operator to replenish the workpiece in time.

[0062] The above solution, by setting up a second sensor 15, can automatically detect whether the workpieces 11 in the hopper 6 are exhausted. This serves as an automated prompt, reminding operators to replenish the workpieces 11 in a timely manner, which helps reduce downtime and improve production efficiency. Furthermore, the prompt signal from the second sensor can provide a reference signal for the operation of the drive cylinder 1 and the pusher cylinder 4, preventing the pusher cylinder 4 from pushing without load and ensuring that the drive cylinder 1 moves the hopper 6 to the loading position in a timely manner. This helps save energy and ensures continuous production.

[0063] The working principle of the device in this embodiment is as follows: First, the pushing cylinder 4 drives the pushing plate 5 to push the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 onto the discharge platform 12. After the workpiece 11 moves onto the discharge platform 12, the positioning cylinder 9 drives the positioning pin 10 to insert into the positioning hole 1101 of the workpiece 11 to complete the positioning of the workpiece 11 on the discharge platform 12. The robotic arm of the next process can remove the workpiece 11 from the discharge platform 12. After the workpiece 11 is removed from the discharge platform 12, the above process can be repeated to move the next workpiece 11 to the discharge platform 12, thereby realizing automatic discharge. When the workpiece 11 in the hopper 6 needs to be replenished, the driving cylinder 1 drives the base 2 to return to the loading position to wait for loading. At this time, the operator can load the workpiece 11 into the hopper 6 through the loading port 603 of the hopper 6.

[0064] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", and "bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0065] For ease of description, relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," and "above" are used here to describe the regional positional relationship of one or more components or features shown in the figures to other components or features. It should be understood that relative terms include not only the orientation of the component as depicted in the figure but also different orientations during use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, "above" or "above other components or features" will include cases where the component is "below" or "under" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." Furthermore, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and this document intends to include all such cases.

[0066] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, components, parts, and / or combinations thereof.

[0067] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0068] This application has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the scope of the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic dispensing device, characterized in that, The device is used for automatically discharging workpieces to be welded, and comprises a base, a hopper, a discharging table and a pushing assembly; the pushing assembly, the hopper and the discharging table are sequentially arranged on the base in a workpiece pushing direction; The hopper is used for placing the workpieces, and a pushing opening is arranged on a side of the hopper close to the pushing assembly; a discharging opening is arranged on a side of the hopper close to the discharging table; The pushing assembly comprises a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate, the pushing plate is installed on a power output end of the pushing cylinder, and the pushing plate is driven by the pushing cylinder to penetrate into the hopper through the pushing opening, so as to push the workpieces in the hopper to the discharging table through the discharging opening.

2. The automatic spitting device according to claim 1, characterized in that A positioning hole is arranged on the workpiece; a positioning cylinder is arranged above the discharging table, and a positioning pin is installed on an output end of the positioning cylinder; when the workpiece is moved from the hopper to the discharging table, the positioning cylinder drives the positioning pin to penetrate into the positioning hole.

3. The automatic spitting device according to claim 1, wherein A driving cylinder is further arranged, the base is installed on the driving cylinder, and the driving cylinder is used for driving the base to move between a loading position and a discharging position.

4. The automatic spitting device according to claim 1, wherein The pushing assembly further comprises a mounting seat, the mounting seat is fixed on the base, and the pushing cylinder is installed on the mounting seat; A guide block is installed on an end of the mounting seat close to the hopper, a guide groove is formed in a bottom of the guide block, and the pushing plate is located in the guide groove.

5. The automatic spitting device according to claim 1, wherein The bottom of the hopper and the bottom of the discharging opening are flush with a top of the discharging table, and the height of the pushing plate does not exceed the workpiece located at the lowermost position in the hopper.

6. The automatic spitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that A loading opening is arranged on a top of the hopper, and the length and width of a cross section of the hopper are matched with the workpiece.

7. The automatic spitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that A first sensor is installed on the discharging table, and the first sensor is used for sensing whether the workpiece is placed on the discharging table.

8. The automatic spitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that A second sensor is installed on the bottom of the hopper, and the second sensor is used for sensing whether the workpiece is stored in the hopper.

9. The automatic spitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The top of the discharging table is concave downward to form a placing groove for placing the workpiece.

10. The automatic spitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A slot is arranged on a side of the discharging table away from the hopper.

Images