Vehicle metal plate bending mechanical arm

Abstract

The utility model provides a vehicle metal plate bending mechanical arm which comprises a front section mechanical shaft, a vacuum device is fixedly installed on the front section mechanical shaft, a negative pressure connector base is installed between the vacuum device and an installation plate, automatic adjusting actuators are symmetrically arranged on the installation plate, adsorption cross beams are symmetrically arranged on the automatic adjusting actuators, and the adsorption cross beams are connected with the vacuum device. Suction cup assemblies are installed on the adsorption cross beams and communicate with the negative pressure connector base through hoses. The front-section mechanical shaft, the second mechanical shaft and the first mechanical shaft are sequentially installed together, and the first mechanical shaft is installed on the mechanical arm base. The servo motor is used for driving the positive and negative tooth lead screw, the distance between the adsorption cross beams is automatically adjusted, and the multi-variety switching time is shortened; the sucker can be positioned in a sliding manner and is matched with a special-shaped part; the cross adsorption beams form stable support, stress is balanced, workpiece deformation is reduced, and machining quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of robotic arm technology, and in particular relates to a robotic arm for bending sheet metal in vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In the automotive sheet metal manufacturing industry, bending robotic arms serve as core equipment, undertaking the forming tasks of key components such as body structural parts, doors, and hoods. Their role is to replace manual labor with automated operations, achieving high-precision bending of sheet metal parts and improving production efficiency and product consistency.

[0003] However, existing negative pressure adsorption robotic arms have significant drawbacks in practical applications:

[0004] The adsorption layout adjustment relies on manual operation: the position and spacing of the two suction cup groups need to be manually adjusted by the operator, involving tedious steps such as disassembly, sliding, and fixing. Especially when switching between multiple products, the downtime for equipment adjustment accounts for a high proportion, making it difficult to meet the needs of flexible production.

[0005] Insufficient adaptability: The fixed layout of the suction cup assembly cannot quickly match the size changes of the sheet metal parts. The workpiece is easily unstable due to unreasonable distribution of suction points, resulting in displacement or deformation during bending, which affects the processing accuracy.

[0006] Quality fluctuations introduced by manual intervention: The randomness of manual adjustment leads to poor consistency in the suction cup layout, and uneven lateral forces are easily generated during bending, resulting in angular deviations or surface defects in sheet metal parts, requiring additional manual correction processes.

[0007] Therefore, it is essential to invent a robotic arm for bending vehicle sheet metal. Utility Model Content

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a vehicle sheet metal bending robotic arm, including a front mechanical shaft, a vacuum device, a negative pressure connector, a mounting plate, an automatic adjustment actuator, a suction beam, a suction cup assembly, a hose, a second mechanical shaft, a first mechanical shaft, and a robotic arm base. The vacuum device is fixedly installed on the front mechanical shaft, and the negative pressure connector is installed between the vacuum device and the mounting plate. Two symmetrically arranged automatic adjustment actuators are fixedly installed on the mounting plate, and two symmetrically arranged suction beams are fixedly installed on the two automatic adjustment actuators. Each suction beam is equipped with several suction cup assemblies, and each suction cup assembly is connected to the negative pressure connector via a hose. The front mechanical shaft, the second mechanical shaft, and the first mechanical shaft are installed together in sequence, wherein the first mechanical shaft is installed on the robotic arm base.

[0009] Preferably, the two automatic adjustment actuators are arranged symmetrically and parallel to each other, and two adsorption beams are installed below the two automatic adjustment actuators, which are arranged in a cross shape to form a "well" structure.

[0010] Preferably, the automatic adjustment actuator includes a housing, end caps, a bidirectional lead screw, a servo motor, and slides. End caps are fixedly installed at both ends of the housing. The bidirectional lead screw is rotatably connected to the end caps on its inner side. Either end of the bidirectional lead screw rotates through one of the end caps and is fixed to the output end of the servo motor fixedly installed outside the end cap. The bidirectional lead screw is mounted with two symmetrically arranged slides via ball nuts.

[0011] Preferably, the bidirectional lead screw has two helical sections with different directions of rotation, namely a left-handed helix and a right-handed helix, with a gap between the two sections and not joined together. Each section of the helix is ​​equipped with a slide table by means of a ball nut, and the slide table is fixedly connected to the corresponding adsorption beam.

[0012] Preferably, the suction cup assembly installed on the adsorption beam includes a slider, a mounting block, a locking bolt, a suction tube, and a suction cup. The slider is slidably installed in a groove provided on the adsorption beam. The lower end of the slider is fixedly connected to one end of the mounting block. The locking bolt installed on the mounting block is used to lock and restrict the slider. The other end of the mounting block is fixedly installed with a suction tube. The upper end of the suction tube is connected to a negative pressure connector seat through a flexible hose, and a suction cup is installed at the lower end of the suction tube.

[0013] Preferably, the suction cup assembly is equidistantly arranged along the axis of the suction beam, and the vacuum device, in conjunction with the negative pressure connector and hose, allows the suction cup to adsorb negative pressure.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] This invention uses a servo motor to drive the forward and reverse lead screws, which can synchronously control the rapid adjustment of the spacing of the adsorption beam. It can adapt to the adsorption needs of sheet metal parts of different sizes without manual intervention, and significantly shorten the switching time between multiple products.

[0016] The suction cup of this invention is slidably connected to the crossbeam via a groove, supporting rapid positioning and fixation. Operators can flexibly adjust the distribution of adsorption points according to the shape of the workpiece, improving the adaptability to irregularly shaped parts.

[0017] The cross-shaped adsorption beams of this invention form a stable support structure, which balances the force during bending, reduces the deformation of the workpiece caused by uneven stress, and improves the stability of processing quality. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the negative pressure adsorption gripper mechanism of the robotic arm of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a utility model Figure 2 A magnified schematic diagram of the structure at point A.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic adjustment actuator of this utility model.

[0022] In the picture:

[0023] 1. Front mechanical shaft, 2. Vacuum equipment, 3. Negative pressure connector seat, 4. Mounting plate, 5. Automatic adjustment actuator, 51. Housing, 52. End cover, 53. Bidirectional lead screw, 54. Servo motor, 55. Slide table, 6. Adsorption beam, 7. Suction cup assembly, 8. Hose, 9. Second mechanical shaft, 10. First mechanical shaft, 11. Robotic arm base. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front end," "rear end," "both ends," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of the utility model, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0026] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 4 As shown:

[0027] This utility model provides a vehicle sheet metal bending robotic arm, comprising a front mechanical shaft 1, a vacuum device 2, a negative pressure connector 3, a mounting plate 4, an automatic adjustment actuator 5, an adsorption beam 6, a suction cup assembly 7, a hose 8, a second mechanical shaft 9, a first mechanical shaft 10, and a robotic arm base 11. The vacuum device 2 is fixedly mounted on the front mechanical shaft 1. The negative pressure connector 3 is installed between the vacuum device 2 and the mounting plate 4. Two symmetrically arranged automatic adjustment actuators 5 are fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 4. Two symmetrically arranged adsorption beams 6 are fixedly mounted on the two automatic adjustment actuators 5. Several suction cup assemblies 7 are installed on each adsorption beam 6. Each suction cup assembly 7 is connected to the negative pressure connector 3 through a hose 8. The front mechanical shaft 1, the second mechanical shaft 9, and the first mechanical shaft 10 are installed together in sequence, wherein the first mechanical shaft 10 is mounted on the robotic arm base 11. Vacuum equipment 2, negative pressure connector seat 3, mounting plate 4, automatic adjustment actuator 5, adsorption beam 6, suction cup assembly 7, and hose 8 constitute the negative pressure adsorption gripper mechanism of the robotic arm.

[0028] Furthermore, the two automatic adjustment actuators 5 are arranged symmetrically and parallelly, and are fixed to the bottom of the mounting plate 4 with bolts. Their axes are perpendicular to the execution direction of the end of the front mechanical shaft 1. Two adsorption beams 6 are connected below the two automatic adjustment actuators 5. The two beams are fastened to the flange structure at the end of the beams by bolts through the slide table 55, forming a "well"-shaped cross support structure. The adsorption beams 6 are made of high-strength aluminum alloy profiles with prefabricated weight-reducing cavities inside and anodized surfaces. The housing 51 of the automatic adjustment actuator 5 is made of cast iron and is connected to the mounting plate 4 through shock-absorbing pads to reduce vibration transmission during the movement of the robotic arm.

[0029] Furthermore, the automatic adjustment actuator 5 includes a housing 51, an end cover 52, a bidirectional lead screw 53, a servo motor 54, and a slide table 55. The end cover 52 is fixed to both ends of the housing 51 by hexagonal socket head cap screws. The end cover 52 houses deep groove ball bearings to support the rotating journal of the bidirectional lead screw 53. One end of the bidirectional lead screw 53 passes through the end cover 52 and is rigidly connected to the output shaft of the servo motor 54 via a flexible coupling. The servo motor 54 is fixed to the outside of the end cover 52 by a motor mount. The surface of the bidirectional lead screw 53 is hardened, with a pitch of 10mm, and the ball nut is interference-fitted with the mounting groove of the slide table 55. The slide table 55 uses wear-resistant brass guide blocks and slides against the linear guide rails inside the housing 51.

[0030] Furthermore, the left and right helical sections of the bidirectional lead screw 53 are each 1000mm long, with a 100mm unthreaded gap in between to prevent interference between the ball nuts of the two helical sections during movement. The slide 55 is fixed to the connecting plate of the adsorption beam 6 by M8 bolts. The surface of the connecting plate is milled with positioning grooves, which cooperate with the boss structure of the slide 55 to form a high-precision positioning reference. When the servo motor 54 rotates clockwise, the ball nut of the left helical section drives the left slide 55 to move to the left, and the ball nut of the right helical section drives the right slide 55 to move to the right, thereby increasing the distance between the two adsorption beams 6; conversely, the distance decreases.

[0031] Furthermore, the surface of the adsorption beam 6 is provided with a T-shaped groove, 12mm wide and 8mm deep, into which the slider 71 of the suction cup assembly 7 is embedded. A limiting flange is provided above the slider 71 to prevent it from detaching from the adsorption beam 6. A mounting block 72 is welded below the slider 71, and an M6 threaded hole is machined on the mounting block 72 for installing a locking bolt 73. The end of the locking bolt 73 is a rubber gasket, which, when tightened, fixes the slider 71 to any position in the groove of the beam through friction. The middle section of the suction cup tube 74 is fixedly connected to one end of the mounting block 72, the upper end of the suction cup tube 74 is connected to the hose 8, and the lower end is equipped with a suction cup 75. The suction cup 75 is made of nitrile rubber, with a diameter of 50mm, and the bottom lip is designed with a wavy shape to adapt to the slight curvature of the sheet metal surface and improve the sealing performance.

[0032] Furthermore, the suction cup assemblies 7 are arranged at 100mm intervals along the axis of the adsorption beam 6, with a maximum of 8 suction cup assemblies 7 installed on a single beam. The negative pressure connector 3 is made of brass and has a built-in diversion channel. It is connected to 8 hoses 8 via quick-connect fittings, and the other end of each hose 8 is connected to the upper end of the suction cup tube 74 via a threaded interface. The vacuum device 2 uses a vortex vacuum pump with a rated vacuum of -80kPa and is fixed to the end bracket of the front mechanical shaft 1 via a flange. The negative pressure connector 3 is interconnected with the vacuum device 2. When the system is working, the vacuum device 2 provides negative pressure to all suction cups 75 through the negative pressure connector 3 and the hoses 8. The adsorption force can be adjusted in real time by the control system to adapt to the adsorption needs of sheet metal parts of different materials.

[0033] The working principle is as follows: First, the robotic arm moves the negative pressure adsorption chuck mechanism (including vacuum equipment 2, negative pressure connector seat 3, mounting plate 4, automatic adjustment actuator 5, adsorption beam 6, suction cup assembly 7 and hose 8) above the sheet metal part to be bent through the coordinated movement of the first mechanical axis 10, the second mechanical axis 9 and the front mechanical axis 1, supported by the robotic arm base 11.

[0034] Subsequently, in response to the size or shape requirements of the sheet metal parts, the two automatic adjustment actuators 5 on the mounting plate 4 are activated: the servo motor 54 drives the bidirectional lead screw 53 to rotate, and by utilizing its left and right reverse spiral structure, it drives the two slides 55 to move synchronously in opposite directions along the linear guide rail inside the housing 51, thereby adjusting the horizontal spacing of the two adsorption beams 6 and quickly forming a "well" shaped support layout that matches the sheet metal parts.

[0035] If further adaptation to irregularly shaped sheet metal parts is required, the operator manually slides the slider 71 on the suction beam 6 (along the T-shaped groove), moves the suction cup assembly 7 to the target position, and then tightens the locking bolt 73 (increasing friction through the rubber pad) to fix the position of the suction cup 75, ensuring that the suction point covers the center of gravity or key area of ​​the sheet metal part.

[0036] After the vacuum equipment 2 is started, the negative pressure is transmitted through the flow channel of the negative pressure connector seat 3 to each suction cup tube 74 via the hose 8, and finally acts on the suction cup 75; the wavy suction cup 75 made of nitrile rubber fits tightly against the surface of the sheet metal part to form a sealed cavity, and the workpiece is firmly fixed by negative pressure adsorption.

[0037] The robotic arm continues to move the fixed sheet metal parts precisely to the bending machine station through multi-axis coordinated motion; during the bending process, the control system monitors the movement trajectory of the mechanical axis and the negative pressure value of the suction cup 75 in real time (if the suction force is insufficient, the vacuum degree will be automatically increased) to ensure that the workpiece is stable and without displacement.

[0038] After bending is completed, vacuum equipment 2 stops outputting negative pressure, suction cup 75 separates from the workpiece, robotic arm places the bent part in the unloading area, and then each mechanical axis resets, waiting for the next operation instruction.

[0039] Any technical solution that achieves the above-mentioned technical effects by utilizing the technical solution described in this utility model, or by designing a similar technical solution inspired by the technical solution described in this utility model, falls within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A vehicle panel bending robot, comprising: The system includes a front mechanical shaft (1), a vacuum device (2), a negative pressure connector (3), a mounting plate (4), an automatic adjustment actuator (5), an adsorption beam (6), a suction cup assembly (7), a hose (8), a second mechanical shaft (9), a first mechanical shaft (10), and a robotic arm base (11). The vacuum device (2) is fixedly installed on the front mechanical shaft (1). The negative pressure connector (3) is installed between the vacuum device (2) and the mounting plate (4). Two symmetrically arranged automatic adjustment actuators (5) are fixedly installed on the mounting plate (4). Two symmetrically arranged adsorption beams (6) are fixedly installed on the two automatic adjustment actuators (5). Several suction cup assemblies (7) are installed on each adsorption beam (6). Each suction cup assembly (7) is connected to the negative pressure connector (3) through a hose (8). The front mechanical shaft (1), the second mechanical shaft (9), and the first mechanical shaft (10) are installed together in sequence, wherein the first mechanical shaft (10) is installed on the robotic arm base (11).

2. The mechanical arm for bending sheet metal of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The two automatic adjustment actuators (5) are arranged symmetrically and parallel to each other, and two adsorption beams (6) are installed below the two automatic adjustment actuators (5), which are arranged in a cross shape to form a "well" structure.

3. The mechanical arm for bending sheet metal of a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein: The automatic adjustment actuator (5) includes a housing (51), an end cover (52), a bidirectional lead screw (53), a servo motor (54), and a slide (55). The two ends of the housing (51) are respectively fixedly installed with end covers (52). The bidirectional lead screw (53) provided inside the housing is rotatably connected to the end cover (52). Any end of the bidirectional lead screw (53) rotates through one of the end covers (52) and is fixed to the output end of the servo motor (54) fixedly installed outside the end cover (52). The bidirectional lead screw (53) is equipped with two symmetrically arranged slides (55) through ball nuts.

4. The mechanical arm for bending sheet metal of a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein: The bidirectional lead screw (53) has two helices with different directions of rotation, namely a left-hand helix and a right-hand helix. The two helices are spaced apart and do not connect together. Each helix is ​​equipped with a slide (55) by ball nuts. The slide (55) is fixedly connected to the corresponding adsorption beam (6).

5. The mechanical arm for bending sheet metal of a vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein: The suction cup assembly (7) installed on the adsorption beam (6) includes a slider (71), a mounting block (72), a locking bolt (73), a suction tube (74), and a suction cup (75). The slider (71) is slidably installed in the groove provided on the adsorption beam (6). The lower part of the slider (71) is fixedly connected to one end of the mounting block (72). The locking bolt (73) installed on the mounting block (72) is used to lock and restrict the slider (71). The other end of the mounting block (72) is fixedly installed with a suction tube (74). The upper end of the suction tube (74) is connected to the negative pressure connector seat (3) through a hose (8). The lower end of the suction tube (74) is equipped with a suction cup (75).

6. The mechanical arm for bending sheet metal of a vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein: The suction cup assembly (7) is equidistantly arranged along the axis of the adsorption beam (6), and the vacuum device (2), together with the negative pressure connector seat (3) and the hose (8), allows the suction cup (75) to adsorb negative pressure.

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