Double-connecting-rod transporter

Abstract

The utility model provides a double-connecting-rod transporter which comprises a clamping jaw assembly used for clamping and releasing a target object. And the double-connecting-rod carrying assembly is connected with the clamping jaw assembly and used for driving the clamping jaw assembly to move between the two opposite sides of the carrying machine body so as to carry out taking and placing operation on the target object. The technical problem that an existing bidirectional material carrying mechanism is complex in structure is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated food and drug processing technology, and more specifically, to a double-linkage conveyor. Background Technology

[0002] Existing bidirectional material handling mechanisms mainly employ two technical solutions: The first is a multi-joint robotic arm combined with a rotating base. The robotic arm's end effector grips the material, and the base's rotation enables reversible transport. However, this solution suffers from drawbacks such as high manufacturing costs of the actuator and long cycle times. Particularly under high-frequency transport conditions, motion inertia issues are prominent, hindering its widespread application in automated production lines. The second solution uses a stacked, multi-stage telescopic fork structure. Multiple forks extend to the picking station to complete the transfer operation. While this solution achieves bidirectional transport, the need for multi-layered nested telescopic guides and a complex drive system significantly increases the overall structural complexity, resulting in relatively high manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulties. Furthermore, the cumulative errors from the multi-stage telescopic motion affect positioning accuracy.

[0003] There is currently no effective solution to the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide a double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor to solve the technical problem of complex structure in existing bidirectional material handling mechanisms.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor is provided, comprising: a gripper assembly for gripping and releasing a target item; and a double-link conveying assembly connected to the gripper assembly for moving the gripper assembly between opposite sides of the conveyor body to perform pick-up and place operations on the target item. This structure solves the technical problem of complex structures in existing bidirectional material handling mechanisms.

[0006] In some embodiments, the dual-linkage conveying assembly includes: two parallel quadrilateral linkage mechanisms, each linkage mechanism including two adjacent active links and two adjacent passive links; and a drive structure connected to each of the two quadrilateral linkage mechanisms to drive the two adjacent active links in each linkage mechanism to rotate, thereby causing the two adjacent passive links in each linkage mechanism to rotate synchronously, enabling the gripper assembly to move horizontally between opposite sides of the conveyor body. This structure allows the gripper assembly to move smoothly across sides without changing its posture, simplifying the overall transmission mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments, the drive structure includes two drive components, each corresponding to one of the two linkage mechanisms, for driving two adjacent active linkages in each linkage mechanism to rotate synchronously in opposite directions. Each drive component includes: a drive timing belt connected to one of two meshing gears for transmitting driving force; each of the two meshing gears is coaxially connected to a rotating shaft, which is connected to the corresponding active linkage. The two meshing gears are configured to rotate synchronously in opposite directions under the driving force of the drive timing belt, thereby driving the two adjacent active linkages to rotate synchronously in opposite directions. This structure achieves synchronous reverse driving of the two sets of linkages, effectively ensuring the balance and synchronization of the gripper movement.

[0008] In some embodiments, each of the rotating shafts is provided with a driving sprocket, and each of the driven links is provided with a driven sprocket near the end where it connects to the driving link. The driving sprocket and the corresponding driven sprocket are connected by a chain drive, and the chain is disposed on the outer edge of the corresponding driving link to enable the corresponding driven link to rotate synchronously when the corresponding driving link rotates, thereby avoiding dead spots. This structure achieves amplified angular movement of the driven links, effectively avoids dead-point jamming, and improves the reliability of system operation.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rotational angular velocity of each passive link, driven by the corresponding active link, is twice the rotational angular velocity of the corresponding active link. This structure ensures smooth horizontal movement of the gripper.

[0010] In some embodiments, each of the quadrilateral linkages is an open structure, wherein two adjacent passive links are not connected to each other at the end away from the end connected to the corresponding active link, and the gripper assembly is disposed at the end of each passive link away from the corresponding active link. This structure reduces the overall space occupied by the linkage, allows for flexible arrangement of the gripper assembly, and contributes to structural lightweighting.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gripper assembly includes: a gripper, comprising a lifting gripper and a positioning gripper; a gripper cylinder mounted on a mounting base plate for providing driving force to the gripper; a connecting rod, one end connected to the piston rod of the gripper cylinder and the other end connected to the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper respectively, for driving the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper to open and close synchronously under the drive of the cylinder; and a gripper rotation shaft, passing through and connecting the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper, for providing rotational freedom for the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper. Through the above structure, stable and synchronized gripper movements are achieved, improving clamping accuracy and item adaptability.

[0012] In some embodiments, the system further includes: a chassis assembly for providing mobility to the conveying machine; a frame assembly fixedly mounted on the chassis assembly for supporting and connecting the lifting assembly; and a lifting assembly mounted on the frame assembly for driving the vertical lifting movement of the double-link conveying assembly. This structure enables the entire machine to have vertical loading and unloading capabilities, expanding the height adaptability range of the conveyed objects.

[0013] In some embodiments, the mobility is provided by any of the following driving forces: a track motor mounted on the conveyor, a chain drive mechanism, or a toothed thrust mechanism. This structure provides diverse mobility options, facilitating flexible deployment according to different site conditions.

[0014] In some embodiments, the conveying machine is further configured to move along a ground track or, in the absence of a track, along a preset path under the drive of the moving power. The ground track is a parallel double-rail structure used to guide the movement of the conveying machine. This structure effectively improves the linear accuracy and operational stability of the conveying machine's movement.

[0015] The technical solution of this application reduces the structural complexity of the handling machine and improves handling efficiency, making it particularly suitable for automated scenarios involving bidirectional rapid material handling. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the double-link handling assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the gripper assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0021] 1. Chassis assembly; 2. Frame assembly; 3. Lifting assembly; 4. Double linkage conveying assembly; 5. Gripper assembly; 6. Ground rail; 7. Control assembly; 41. Drive motor; 42. Drive synchronous belt; 43. Active linkage; 44. Active rotating shaft; 45. Active gear; 46. Passive linkage; 47. Synchronous rotating shaft; 48. Active sprocket; 49. Chain; 40. Passive sprocket; 8. Bucket; 51. Gripper pad; 52. Gripper cylinder; 53. Positioning clamping pad; 54. Mounting base plate; 55. Bucket lifting gripper; 56. Gripper rotating shaft; 57. Linkage; 58. Positioning gripper. Detailed Implementation

[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] 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, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0024] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0025] This embodiment provides a double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor, which is mainly used to clamp and move barrel-shaped items or other target items between the left and right sides. It is suitable for scenarios such as food and pharmaceutical industries where high stability and cleanliness are required during handling.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor includes a gripper assembly 5, a double-link conveying assembly 4, a chassis assembly 1, a frame assembly 2, a lifting assembly 3, a ground rail 6, and a control assembly 7.

[0027] The gripper assembly 5 is used to grip and release target items, such as a stainless steel bucket 8, and includes: a mounting base plate 54, a gripper cylinder 52, a connecting rod 57, a bucket-lifting gripper 55, a positioning gripper 58, a gripper rotation shaft 56, a gripper pad 51, and a positioning clamping pad 53. The gripper cylinder 52 is mounted on the mounting base plate 54, and one end of its piston rod is connected to both the bucket-lifting gripper 55 and the positioning gripper 58 via the connecting rod 57. The cylinder's action drives the connecting rod 57, causing both grippers to open and close simultaneously. The gripper pad 51 and the positioning clamping pad 53 are placed on the gripping surface to reduce local stress and prevent scratches on the item during gripping. The gripper rotation shaft 56 provides the necessary rotational freedom to ensure the gripper's compliant posture during gripping. Through this structure, the gripper assembly 5 achieves precise gripping and safe release of the target item, improving gripping reliability and avoiding gripping damage.

[0028] The double-link handling assembly 4 is the core mechanism of this application. Its structure consists of two parallel open quadrilateral linkage mechanisms. Each linkage mechanism includes two adjacent active linkages 43 and two adjacent passive linkages 46. One end of the active linkage 43 is hinged to the handling frame assembly 2 through a fixed connection and connected to the active rotation shaft 44. The end of the passive linkage 46 away from the active linkage 43 is hinged to the gripper assembly 5.

[0029] Each linkage mechanism is open, and the free ends of the passive linkage 46 are not connected, so the entire linkage structure does not form a closed quadrilateral. The principle of driving the gripper to move is as follows: the two active linkages 43 rotate synchronously in opposite directions around a fixed point, which drives the passive linkage 46 hinged to them to rotate in the same direction with an amplified angle, thereby driving the gripper assembly 5 to move horizontally and flip-by-flip between the left and right sides of the conveyor.

[0030] With the above structure, the movement trajectory of the gripper assembly 5 forms a horizontal linear path, and the gripping posture remains stable, ensuring that the items do not tilt or slide during the handling process, making it suitable for stable pick-and-place operations in high-cleanliness environments.

[0031] The drive structure includes two drive components, which act on two linkage mechanisms respectively, to ensure that the gripper assembly 5 operates in a balanced and symmetrical manner throughout the entire structure.

[0032] Each drive assembly includes: a drive timing belt 42, a pair of meshing gears 45, and a drive rotating shaft 44 coaxially arranged therewith. The drive timing belt 42 is connected to one of the gears 45 and is powered by a drive motor 41. This gear 45 rotates in the opposite direction to the other meshing gear 45, thus driving the two drive rotating shafts 44 to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0033] In some implementations, a single-motor drive structure can be adopted, in which the drive motor 41 drives the gear 45 on one side through the drive synchronous belt 42, and drives the gear on the other side and its corresponding active rotating shaft 44 to rotate synchronously in opposite directions through the gear meshing structure, thereby achieving coordinated control of the two rotating shafts under a single power source.

[0034] In other embodiments, a dual-motor independent drive structure can be adopted, that is, an independent drive motor 41 is set on the active rotation shaft 44 corresponding to the two gears 45 respectively, so that the two rotation shafts are driven by their respective motors, so as to achieve a higher precision or more flexible control method.

[0035] The active rotating shaft 44 is connected to the active connecting rod 43. Through rotation, the active connecting rod 43 is driven to rotate around a fixed point, thereby achieving symmetrical deformation of the entire linkage mechanism. As a result, the gripper assembly 5 can be smoothly flipped from one side to the other.

[0036] A synchronous rotating shaft 47 is also provided between the two gears 45 to further maintain the synchronization of the angular velocity between the two active rotating shafts 44, thereby enhancing the rigidity and transmission stability of the mechanism.

[0037] With the above structure, the two linkage mechanisms operate synchronously and coordinate their movements, ensuring a stable transition of the grippers and effectively avoiding the shaking or misalignment problems caused by the asynchrony of the left and right grippers.

[0038] The sprocket drive structure is used to avoid dead spots. Each driving shaft 44 is equipped with a driving sprocket 48, and the corresponding driven link 46 is equipped with a driven sprocket 40 near the connection point of the driving link 43. The two are connected by a chain 49.

[0039] Chain 49 is positioned at the outer edge of the active link 43 to avoid interference with the link structure. Chain 49 transmission ensures synchronous rotation of the passive link 46 and amplifies the rotation angle of the active link 43 through the sprocket mechanism, enabling the passive link 46 to rotate at twice the angle, thereby increasing the travel distance of the gripper assembly 5.

[0040] The above structure not only amplifies the output displacement but also improves the transmission efficiency and stability of the mechanism, making it suitable for handling larger items or applications requiring a wider working range.

[0041] The lifting assembly 3 is located within the frame assembly 2 and includes any of the following drive forms: screw mechanism, synchronous belt mechanism, or chain mechanism, used to drive the double-link conveying assembly 4 to move up and down in the vertical direction.

[0042] The lifting assembly 3 can be equipped with a counterweight structure to create torque balance when lifting heavy objects, reduce the load on the drive motor 41, and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0043] The above structure enables the gripper assembly 5 to be vertically adjustable, allowing for accurate handling of items at different heights and expanding its applicable scenarios.

[0044] The moving and guiding structure is used to move and guide the transporter. The bottom of the transporter is equipped with a chassis assembly 1, which moves laterally along the ground rail 6 by means of a track motor, chain drive, or toothed thrust.

[0045] The ground rail 6 consists of two parallel guide rails, providing guidance and stable support to prevent the transporter from deviating from its path or tilting. The bottom of the transporter is equipped with rollers or guide structures adapted to the ground rails, allowing the transporter to travel smoothly on the ground rails 6. In other embodiments, in areas requiring high flexibility or where track laying is not feasible, the transporter can be configured to travel on trackless ground. In this case, one or more preset paths are pre-stored, and the current position and direction of travel are obtained through an onboard positioning system (e.g., LiDAR, visual recognition, inertial navigation, or magnetic navigation) to achieve path tracking and dynamic adjustment. The system can automatically adjust the travel route based on the current positioning information and path deviation to ensure the transporter moves accurately along the predetermined path.

[0046] The above structure enables the material handling machine to operate at multiple points, allowing for efficient switching between multiple workstations. It is suitable for flexible production lines and bulk material delivery applications.

[0047] The control component 7 includes a power interface, control circuit, signal receiving module, status monitoring module and actuator control module, which are used to receive user input or host computer commands and control the movement of gripper assembly 5, drive structure, lifting assembly 3 and chassis assembly 1.

[0048] The control component 7 is programmable and has functions such as automatic positioning, travel limit, and fault alarm, enabling one-click start and operation of handling tasks.

[0049] The above structure enhances the automation level and intelligent control capabilities of the entire machine, meeting the requirements of flexible scheduling and efficiency for different work processes.

[0050] In summary, the double-link bidirectional horizontal transporter provided in this embodiment, through its unique double parallelogram open link structure, sprocket angle amplification mechanism, gripper synchronous drive system, and multiple selectable lifting and moving structures, achieves bidirectional horizontal transport while ensuring a compact structure, stable operation, and precise clamping. It effectively solves the technical problems of complex transport mechanism structure, asynchronous action, and unstable path in the prior art.

[0051] The operation procedure of the double-link bidirectional horizontal conveyor is described below.

[0052] First, under the drive command of the control component 7, the chassis assembly 1 moves along the ground rail 6 to the material handling position where the target barrel 8 is located. Then, the double-link conveying assembly 4 is activated. The active link 43 rotates around the active rotating shaft 44 under the drive of the drive motor 41 and the drive synchronous belt 42, causing the passive link 46 to extend, thereby pushing the gripper assembly 5 to the position of the barrel 8. The gripper cylinder 52 actuates, and the drive link 57 drives the barrel lifting gripper 55 to close with the positioning gripper 58, clamping the barrel 8 through the gripper pad 51 and the positioning clamping pad 53, completing the positioning and clamping. Next, the lifting assembly 3 is activated. The double-linkage conveying assembly 4 is driven to rise to a specified height. After clamping and lifting, the double-linkage conveying assembly 4 retracts under reverse drive, causing the gripper assembly 5 and the gripped bucket 8 to retract to one side of the conveyor body. The chassis assembly 1 moves again, moving the conveyor to the unloading station. The double-linkage conveying assembly 4 starts again, and the gripper assembly 5 extends forward with the passive link 46. The gripper cylinder 52 moves in the reverse direction, causing the bucket lifting gripper 55 and the positioning gripper 58 to release, thereby releasing the bucket 8. Subsequently, the double-linkage conveying assembly 4 retracts back to the initial position, completing one complete conveying process.

[0053] Through the above operation process, the entire picking and placing process achieves fully automated handling with precise clamping, smooth movement, and high efficiency, effectively reducing labor costs and improving production efficiency.

[0054] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0055] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0056] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A double-linkage conveyor, characterized in that, include: Gripper assembly for gripping and releasing target items; A double-link conveying assembly, connected to the gripper assembly, is used to drive the gripper assembly to move between opposite sides of the conveyor body to perform pick-up and put-down operations on the target item; The dual-link conveying assembly includes: Two parallel quadrilateral linkage mechanisms, each linkage mechanism including two adjacent active linkages and two adjacent passive linkages; The drive structure is connected to the two quadrilateral linkages respectively, and is used to drive the two adjacent active links in each linkage to rotate, so as to drive the two adjacent passive links in each linkage to rotate synchronously, thereby enabling the gripper assembly to move horizontally between the opposite sides of the conveyor body.

2. The conveying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive structure includes two drive components, each corresponding to one of the two linkage mechanisms, for driving two adjacent active links in each linkage mechanism to rotate synchronously in opposite directions; wherein each drive component includes: The drive timing belt connects to one of two meshing gears to transmit driving force; The two meshing gears are each coaxially connected to a rotating shaft, which is connected to a corresponding drive link. The two meshing gears are configured to rotate synchronously in opposite directions under the drive force of the drive timing belt, so as to drive the two adjacent drive links to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

3. The conveying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the rotating shafts is provided with a driving sprocket, and each of the driven links is provided with a driven sprocket near the end of its connection with the driving link; the driving sprocket and the corresponding driven sprocket are connected by a chain drive, and the chain is set on the outer edge of the corresponding driving link to make the corresponding driven link rotate synchronously when the corresponding driving link rotates, so as to avoid dead points.

4. The conveying machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotational angular velocity of each passive link, driven by the corresponding active link, is twice the rotational angular velocity of the corresponding active link.

5. The conveying machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the quadrilateral linkages is an open structure, wherein two adjacent passive links are not connected to each other at the end away from the end connected to the corresponding active link, and the gripper assembly is disposed at the end of each passive link away from the corresponding active link.

6. The conveying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The gripper assembly includes: Grippers, including bucket lifting grippers and positioning grippers; A gripper cylinder, mounted on a mounting base plate, is used to provide driving force for the gripper. The connecting rod is connected at one end to the piston rod of the gripper cylinder and at the other end to the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper, respectively, and is used to drive the lifting gripper and the positioning gripper to open and close synchronously under the drive of the cylinder; The gripper rotation axis passes through and connects the bucket lifting gripper and the positioning gripper, providing rotational freedom for the bucket lifting gripper and the positioning gripper.

7. The conveying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A chassis assembly for providing mobility to the transporter; The frame component is fixedly mounted on the chassis component and is used to support and connect the lifting component; A lifting assembly, mounted on the frame assembly, is used to drive the vertical lifting movement of the double-link conveying assembly.

8. The conveying machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The driving force for movement is provided in any of the following forms: a track motor, a chain drive mechanism, or a toothed thrust mechanism mounted on the conveyor.

9. The conveying machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transporter is also configured to move along a ground track or along a preset path when there is no track, driven by the moving power. The ground track is a parallel double guide rail structure used to guide the movement of the transporter.

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