Material conveying assembly and toothbrush head loading machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of material conveying assembly and toothbrush head feeding machine, relate to toothbrush head production technical field.Material conveying assembly is used to transport toothbrush head, material conveying assembly includes base and transport unit, transport unit is located at base, and transport unit includes conveyor belt, the surface of conveyor belt is evenly spaced along transport direction and is equipped with a plurality of storage sites, and each storage site is used to place a toothbrush head.The technical scheme provided by the utility model realizes the orderly transport of toothbrush head, and improves feeding reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of toothbrush head production technology, and in particular to a material conveying component and a toothbrush head feeding machine. Background Technology

[0002] In the toothbrush head production process, the feeding stage is one of the key steps. Traditional toothbrush head feeding relies mainly on manual operation, which is not only inefficient and costly, but also prone to misplacement due to the instability of manual operation, thus affecting subsequent production cycles. Therefore, automated feeding components are crucial.

[0003] Existing material handling components typically use a flat conveyor belt to transport toothbrush heads directly. However, existing material handling components cannot guarantee the orderly transport of multiple toothbrush heads. Furthermore, because the position of the toothbrush heads on the conveyor belt is not fixed, the transport of toothbrush heads between the material handling component and subsequent workstations is prone to rhythm disorder, affecting subsequent production work. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this utility model is to propose a material conveying component and a toothbrush head feeding machine, which aims to realize the orderly transportation of toothbrush heads and improve the reliability of feeding.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a material conveying assembly for transporting toothbrush heads, comprising:

[0006] Base; and

[0007] A transport unit is disposed on the base. The transport unit includes a conveyor belt. The surface of the conveyor belt is provided with a plurality of storage positions evenly spaced along the transport direction. Each storage position is used to place one toothbrush head.

[0008] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly further includes:

[0009] Positioning block, each of the storage positions is provided with one positioning block; and

[0010] The fixture is detachably provided for each of the positioning blocks, and the fixture has a placement groove on the side opposite to the positioning block.

[0011] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly further includes:

[0012] The front and back detection unit is provided with a detection position at the discharge end of the transport unit and is arranged opposite to the detection position to detect the front and back of the toothbrush head.

[0013] In one embodiment, the front and back detection unit includes:

[0014] An air blowing tube, positioned above the detection position, with its outlet facing the detection position, is used to blow air onto the head of the toothbrush head; and

[0015] An acoustic sensor is disposed near the air tube, and the acoustic sensor is used to detect the sound frequency generated by the air tube blowing air onto the head of the toothbrush head.

[0016] In one embodiment, the front and back detection unit further includes:

[0017] A fixing base is provided above the detection position. The fixing base has a groove on the side facing the detection position. The groove is opposite to the head of the toothbrush head. The air outlet of the air blowing tube and the sound sensor are both located in the groove.

[0018] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly further includes:

[0019] A positioning plate is movably disposed on the side of the detection position, and the positioning plate is used to abut against the end of the toothbrush head.

[0020] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly further includes:

[0021] Material detection elements are disposed on the side of the transport unit. Multiple material detection elements are spaced apart, and the distance between two adjacent material detection elements is equal to the distance between two adjacent storage positions. The material detection elements are used to detect whether the toothbrush head is placed in the storage position.

[0022] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly further includes:

[0023] A flipping unit is located on the side of the discharge end of the transport unit, and the flipping unit is used to flip the toothbrush head.

[0024] In one embodiment, the flipping unit includes:

[0025] Clamping components are movably provided on opposite sides of the discharge end of the transport unit; and

[0026] A drive unit is driven to connect with the two clamping members to drive the two clamping members to move closer or further apart to clamp or release the toothbrush head, and to drive the two clamping members to rotate and move up and down synchronously.

[0027] This utility model also proposes a toothbrush head feeding machine, including the material conveying component described in any of the above embodiments.

[0028] In this invention, a material conveying component is used to transport toothbrush heads. The component includes a base and a transport unit, which is located on the base. The transport unit includes a conveyor belt with multiple storage positions evenly spaced along the transport direction on its surface. Each storage position holds one toothbrush head. Compared to existing material conveying components that directly place toothbrush heads onto the conveyor belt, this invention provides storage positions on the conveyor belt, with multiple storage positions evenly spaced. Multiple toothbrush heads can be placed in multiple storage positions, allowing the conveyor belt to pre-store multiple toothbrush heads and transport them in an orderly manner, thus improving the reliability of the feeding process. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the material conveying component provided by this utility model;

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of another embodiment from another perspective;

[0032] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of one embodiment;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the material conveying component provided by this utility model;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment from another perspective;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the toothbrush head feeding machine provided by this utility model.

[0036] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0037] 10. Base; 20. Vibration assembly; 30. Hopper assembly; 40. Detection assembly; 50. Handling robot; 60. Material conveying assembly; 70. Unloading robot;

[0038] 100. Base; 110. Support plate;

[0039] 200. Transport unit; 210. Platform; 211. Baffle; 220. Conveyor belt; 230. Storage location; 231. Positioning block; 232. Fixture; 240. First power component;

[0040] 300. Front and back detection unit; 310. Air blowing pipe; 320. Sound sensor; 330. Fixing base; 331. Groove; 340. Positioning plate; 350. Second power component;

[0041] 400. Material detection elements;

[0042] 510. Clamping component; 521. Rotary drive component; 522. Linear drive component; 523. Mounting base; 524. Third power component; 531. Upright pole; 532. Bracket; 533. Connecting plate; 540. First detection element;

[0043] 600. Feeding bin.

[0044] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0046] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0047] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0048] In the toothbrush head production process, the feeding stage is one of the key steps. Traditional toothbrush head feeding relies mainly on manual operation, which is not only inefficient and costly, but also prone to misplacement due to the instability of manual operation, thus affecting subsequent production cycles. Therefore, automated feeding components are crucial.

[0049] Existing material handling components typically use a flat conveyor belt to transport toothbrush heads by placing them directly on the belt. However, existing material handling components cannot guarantee the orderly transport of multiple toothbrush heads, and because the positions of the toothbrush heads on the conveyor belt are not fixed, the transport rhythm is prone to become chaotic, affecting subsequent production work.

[0050] This invention proposes a material conveying component to achieve orderly transportation of toothbrush heads and improve the reliability of material feeding.

[0051] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly 60 includes a base 100 and a transport unit 200. The transport unit 200 is disposed on the base 100 and includes a conveyor belt 220. The surface of the conveyor belt 220 is provided with a plurality of storage positions 230 evenly spaced along the transport direction. Each storage position 230 is used to place a toothbrush head.

[0052] The conveying assembly 60 is used to transport toothbrush heads, which are suitable for electric toothbrushes and can be either bristle-embedded or bristle-free. The toothbrush head includes a head, a neck, and a tail, arranged sequentially. The neck connects the tail and the head. The tail of the toothbrush head gradually expands away from the neck, and the end of the tail away from the neck is used to connect to the handle of the electric toothbrush. The head of a toothbrush without bristles has bristle holes; the head of a toothbrush with bristles has bristles embedded on one side, forming a bristle section.

[0053] The base 100 provides an installation foundation and support for the material handling assembly 60. In one embodiment, the base 100 is configured as two parallel and spaced support plates 110, one side of which is fixed to the base 10 or other external mounting foundation, and the other side of which is used to install other functional structures. Of course, in other embodiments, the base 100 may also be configured as an integrally formed bracket structure, and this is not a limitation.

[0054] The transport unit 200 is the main structure of the material handling assembly 60 for transporting toothbrush heads, and the storage position 230 is used to position the toothbrush heads. In one embodiment, the transport unit 200 includes a platform 210, a first power component 240, a transmission structure, and a transmission belt. The opposite sides of the platform 210 are respectively fixed to the ends of two support plates 110 away from the base 10 or other external mounting foundations. The opposite ends of the platform 210 are the infeed end and the discharge end, respectively. The conveyor belt 220 is movably sleeved on the platform 210. The first power component 240 is located on the platform 210 and is driven by the conveyor belt 220 through the transmission structure to drive the conveyor belt 220 to rotate around the platform 210. The toothbrush head is placed at the infeed end by a robotic arm or manually, and the conveyor belt 220 moves the toothbrush head from the infeed end to the discharge end, thus realizing the transport. The first power component 240 can be configured as a motor or cylinder, and the transmission structure can be configured as a gear rack or synchronous pulley and synchronous belt, etc., without limitation. In one embodiment, the surface of the conveyor belt 220 facing away from the platform 210 is provided with storage positions 230, and multiple storage positions 230 are evenly spaced along the length of the conveyor belt 220. The conveyor belt 220 can be a conveyor belt or a conveyor chain, etc., and is not limited thereto. Thus, the storage positions 230 can position the toothbrush heads, so that the robot arm at the subsequent station can move the toothbrush heads from the storage positions 230 to the subsequent station; in addition, the evenly spaced storage positions 230 can temporarily store the toothbrush heads, ensuring the smooth movement cycle of the robot arm at the subsequent station to move the toothbrush heads from the storage positions 230 to the subsequent station.

[0055] In this invention, a material conveying component 60 is used to transport toothbrush heads. The material conveying component 60 is equipped with a base 100 and a transport unit 200. The transport unit 200 is located on the base 100 and includes a conveyor belt 220. Multiple storage positions 230 are evenly spaced along the transport direction on the surface of the conveyor belt 220, each storage position 230 for holding one toothbrush head. Compared to the prior art where the material conveying component 60 directly places the toothbrush heads onto the conveyor belt 220, this invention provides storage positions 230 on the conveyor belt 220, and multiple storage positions 230 are evenly spaced. Multiple toothbrush heads can be placed one-to-one into multiple storage positions 230, allowing the conveyor belt 220 to pre-store multiple toothbrush heads and transport them in an orderly manner, thus improving the reliability of the feeding process.

[0056] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment, the platform 210 is long enough to accommodate 3 to 8 evenly spaced storage positions 230, resulting in a total of 6 to 16 evenly spaced storage positions 230 on the conveyor belt 220. However, during actual operation, because the conveyor belt 220 continuously rotates around the platform 210, it will move the same storage position 230 from an upward position to a downward position and then back to an upward position, repeating this cycle. Therefore, not all storage positions 230 can operate simultaneously; toothbrush heads cannot be placed in all storage positions 230 at the same time. Toothbrush heads can only be placed in the upward-facing storage positions 230 while the conveyor belt 220 is moving. Therefore, the actual number of operating storage positions 230 is between 3 and 8. The spacing between two adjacent storage positions 230 can be flexibly set according to actual operating efficiency and the length of the platform 210, and is not limited here. Of course, in other embodiments, the number of storage positions 230 can also be flexibly set according to actual usage, and is not limited here.

[0057] In this way, by limiting the number of storage positions 230, toothbrush heads can be pre-stored while avoiding excessively long transportation routes, saving space and improving reliability.

[0058] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly 60 further includes a positioning block 231 and a fixture 232. Each storage position 230 is provided with a positioning block 231. Each positioning block 231 is detachably provided with a fixture 232. The fixture 232 has a placement groove on the side opposite to the positioning block 231.

[0059] In one embodiment, the positioning block 231 is used to mark and position the storage position 230. The positioning block 231 is fixed to the surface of the conveyor belt 220 to provide an installation base for the fixture 232. In one embodiment, the length of the fixture 232 is less than the overall length of the toothbrush head. The placement groove of the fixture 232 protrudes from both ends of the fixture 232, which can avoid the neck of the toothbrush head, making it easier for the robot arm of the subsequent station to grasp the neck of the toothbrush head. In one embodiment, when the toothbrush head transported by the material conveying component 60 is a toothbrush head without bristles, the shape of the placement groove at one end of the fixture 232 is set to fit the shape of the head of the toothbrush head without bristles, in order to accommodate the head of the toothbrush head without bristles, so as to prevent the toothbrush head without bristles from shaking or even rotating in the placement groove. The placement groove at the other end of the fixture 232 is configured as an arc-shaped groove, and the tail part of the toothbrush head without bristles fits into the arc-shaped groove. In another embodiment, when the toothbrush head transported by the conveying assembly 60 is a pre-embedded toothbrush head, the placement slots at both ends of the fixture 232 are configured as arc-shaped slots. The two arc-shaped slots respectively engage with the portion where the head meets the neck and the portion where the neck meets the tail to position the pre-embedded toothbrush head. The fixture 232 can be installed on the positioning block 231 by vacuum adsorption, magnetic attraction, snap-fit, or bolts, etc., without limitation. Of course, in other embodiments, the fixture 232 can also be directly and detachably installed on the conveyor belt 220; the placement slots of the fixture 232 can be flexibly set according to actual needs, without limitation.

[0060] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting positioning block 231 and fixture 232, enables the toothbrush head to be stably placed in storage position 230, further ensuring the orderly transportation of toothbrush heads and improving the reliability of material conveying component 60; and the positioning block 231 and fixture 232 are detachably connected, so that fixture 232 can be replaced according to different sizes and types of toothbrush heads, improving the flexibility of material conveying component 60.

[0061] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment, the material conveying component 60 further includes a front and back detection unit 300. The discharge end of the conveying unit 200 is provided with a detection position. The front and back detection unit 300 is arranged opposite to the detection position and is used to detect the front and back of the toothbrush head.

[0062] Because toothbrush heads are placed at the feed end manually or by robotic arms, it's impossible to guarantee that all toothbrush heads face the same direction. This is especially true for un-bristled toothbrush heads. The difference between the front and back of an un-bristled toothbrush head lies in the bristle implantation hole on the front of the head, while the back does not. When the feeding assembly 60 transports un-bristled toothbrush heads, it's necessary to check both sides to ensure that the front of the un-bristled toothbrush head is facing upwards (i.e., the bristle implantation hole is facing upwards) for subsequent processing.

[0063] In one embodiment, a detection position is provided above the stage 210, located between the discharge end and the feed end and close to the discharge end. The front and back detection unit 300 is located above and close to the detection position. When the fixture 232 with the un-bristled toothbrush head reaches the detection position, the front and back detection unit 300 detects the head of the un-bristled toothbrush head to determine the front and back of the un-bristled toothbrush head.

[0064] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the front and back detection unit 300 includes an air blowing pipe 310 and an acoustic sensor 320. The air blowing pipe 310 is located above the detection position, with its air outlet facing the detection position. The air blowing pipe 310 is used to blow air onto the head of the toothbrush head. The acoustic sensor 320 is located close to the air blowing pipe 310 and is used to detect the sound frequency generated by the air blowing pipe 310 onto the head of the toothbrush head.

[0065] In one embodiment, one end of the air blowing pipe 310 is connected to an air blowing device, and the other end of the air blowing pipe 310 extends above and close to the detection position. The air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 faces the conveyor belt 220 so as to be opposite the head of the un-bristled toothbrush head that has arrived at the detection position. Since the front of the un-bristled toothbrush head has bristle holes and the back is only a smooth surface, when the air blowing pipe 310 blows air onto the front of the head of the un-bristled toothbrush head, the airflow will emit a first sound frequency when it comes into contact with the bristle holes; when the air blowing pipe 310 blows air onto the back of the head of the un-bristled toothbrush head, the airflow will emit a second sound frequency when it comes into contact with the smooth surface. The first sound frequency and the second sound frequency are different. The sound sensor 320 can detect the sound frequency generated by the air tube 310 blowing air onto the head of the toothbrush head without bristles in real time. The sound sensor 320 has a preset frequency range, which includes a first sound frequency but excludes a second sound frequency. By detecting whether the sound frequency is within the preset frequency range in real time, the front and back of the toothbrush head without bristles can be determined. The first and second sound frequencies can be obtained during actual operation and testing, and the preset frequency range can be flexibly set according to the first and second sound frequencies and the actual situation. There are no restrictions here.

[0066] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting a front and back detection unit 300, which includes an air blowing pipe 310 and an acoustic sensor 320, can accurately detect the front and back of the toothbrush head without bristles by using sound frequency, thereby improving the reliability of the feeding component 60.

[0067] Please see Figure 3In one embodiment, the front and back detection unit 300 further includes a fixing seat 330, which is located above the detection position. The fixing seat 330 has a groove 331 on the side facing the detection position. The groove 331 is arranged opposite to the head of the toothbrush head. The air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 and the sound sensor 320 are both located in the groove 331.

[0068] In one embodiment, the platform 210 has baffles 211 on its two opposite outer sides. When the toothbrush head is placed on the fixture 232, the two baffles 211 are located near the tail and head of the toothbrush head, respectively. One end of the fixing seat 330 is located near the baffle 211 near the head of the toothbrush head and above the detection position. The fixing seat 330 has a groove 331, the opening of which is used to face the head of the toothbrush head without bristles when it reaches the detection position. In one embodiment, the fixing seat 330 and the baffle 211 are detachably connected. Specifically, in one embodiment, the baffle 211 has a strip-shaped mounting hole, and the fixing seat 330 is detachably installed in the strip-shaped mounting hole by fasteners such as bolts. The fixing seat 330 can be removed by removing the fasteners, and the position of the fixing seat 330 relative to the strip-shaped mounting hole can also be changed, that is, the position of the fixing seat 330 can be adjusted so that the distance between the fixing seat 330 and the fixture 232 can accommodate both toothbrush heads with and without bristles. Of course, in other embodiments, the fixing base 330 may also be fixed to the baffle 211, and this is not a limitation. In one embodiment, when the fixture 232 with the bristleless toothbrush head is placed and reaches the detection position, the fixing base 330 is positioned close to the fixture 232. The sound sensor 320 is disposed in the groove 331 and the detection end of the sound sensor 320 is flush with the opening of the groove 331. The air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 is located in the groove 331 and there is a gap between it and the opening of the groove 331, so that the air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 is not on the same plane as the detection end of the sound sensor 320, so that the sound sensor 320 can more accurately locate the sound source generated by the airflow blown out by the air blowing pipe 310 contacting the head of the bristleless toothbrush head.

[0069] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting a fixing base 330 with a groove 331 and the air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 located in the groove 331, ensures that the airflow blown by the air blowing pipe 310 can accurately act on the head of the toothbrush head without bristles, reducing external interference. The sound sensor 320 is located in the groove 331 and the detection end is flush with the groove opening of the groove 331, which can better capture the sound frequency generated during the blowing process and improve the accuracy of detection; and the air outlet of the air blowing pipe 310 is not located on the same plane as the detection end of the sound sensor 320, so that the sound sensor 320 can more accurately detect the sound frequency generated by the air blowing pipe 310 on the head of the toothbrush head without bristles, further improving the accuracy of detection.

[0070] Please see Figures 2 to 4In one embodiment, the feeding assembly 60 further includes a positioning plate 340, which is movably disposed on the side of the detection position and is used to abut against the end of the toothbrush head.

[0071] In one embodiment, a second power member 350 is provided on the baffle 211 near the tail of the toothbrush head. The second power member 350 is located on the side of the detection position, and a positioning plate 340 is provided on the side of the output shaft of the second power member 350 facing the detection position. The extension and retraction movement of the output shaft of the second power member 350 causes the positioning plate 340 to move closer to or away from the detection position. The second power member 350 can be configured as a motor, a cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder, etc., and is not limited here. Of course, in other embodiments, positioning plates 340 can also be provided on both baffles 211, located on both sides of the detection position. The positioning of the toothbrush head is achieved by the mutual approach of the two positioning plates 340, and is not limited here.

[0072] When the fixture 232 containing the un-embedded toothbrush head reaches the detection position, the conveyor belt 220 pauses transport. The second power unit 350 drives the positioning plate 340 to approach the detection position. Because the placement groove of the fixture 232 is designed to fit the head of the un-embedded toothbrush head, the positioning plate 340, when approaching the detection position, can abut against the tail of the un-embedded toothbrush head. The positioning plate 340, in cooperation with the placement groove, can position the un-embedded toothbrush head, preventing it from shaking during the front and back inspection process. After the inspection is completed, the second power unit 350 drives the positioning plate 340 away from the detection position to reset the positioning plate 340, thus preventing it from obstructing the continued transport of the un-embedded toothbrush head.

[0073] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting the positioning plate 340, can position the toothbrush head that has reached the detection position, avoiding the airflow from the air pipe 310 from causing the un-bristled toothbrush head to shake and affect the detection results, thus further ensuring the accuracy of the detection.

[0074] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly 60 further includes a material detection element 400 disposed on the side of the conveying unit 200. Multiple material detection elements 400 are spaced apart, and the distance between two adjacent material detection elements 400 is equal to the distance between two adjacent storage positions 230. The material detection element 400 is used to detect whether a toothbrush head is placed in the storage position 230.

[0075] In one embodiment, material detection elements 400 are disposed on baffles 211, and both baffles 211 are provided with multiple material detection elements 400. The multiple material detection elements 400 on the two baffles 211 are arranged opposite each other in pairs, and the distance between two adjacent material detection elements 400 on one baffle 211 is equal to the distance between two adjacent storage positions 230. In one embodiment, the fixture 232 for placing un-bristled toothbrush heads is provided with a clearance channel, which is connected to the placement groove for accommodating the head of the un-bristled toothbrush head, so that the material detection elements 400 can detect whether the fixture 232 is placed with an un-bristled toothbrush head. In one embodiment, no material detection elements 400 are provided on opposite sides of the detection position to avoid the positioning plate 340 and the front and back detection unit 300. When the toothbrush head transported by the material conveying assembly 60 is a toothbrush head without bristles, it can be determined whether the fixture 232 containing the toothbrush head has reached the detection position based on the detection results of the material detection element 400 near the detection position, the speed of the conveyor belt 220, and the spacing of the storage positions 230. The number of material detection elements 400 can be flexibly set according to the number of storage positions 230 and actual conditions, and is not limited here. In one embodiment, the material detection element 400 is configured as a fiber optic sensor. Of course, in other embodiments, the material detection element 400 can also be configured as a photoelectric sensor or a vision sensor, etc., and is not limited here.

[0076] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting up material detection elements 400, can avoid the storage position 230 being idle; there are multiple material detection elements 400, and multiple material detection elements 400 can simultaneously detect multiple storage positions 230 and can verify each other, thereby improving the detection efficiency and reliability of material detection and improving the reliability of the material conveying component 60.

[0077] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly 60 further includes a flipping unit disposed on the side of the discharge end of the conveying unit 200, the flipping unit being used to flip the toothbrush head.

[0078] Because toothbrush heads are placed at the feed end manually or by robotic arms, it's impossible to guarantee that all toothbrush heads face the same direction. This is especially true for pre-embedded toothbrush heads, which are typically placed with the bristles facing down at the feed end. When the conveying assembly 60 transports pre-embedded toothbrush heads, they need to be flipped to ensure the bristle-side is facing up, facilitating subsequent operations.

[0079] In one embodiment, a flipping position is also provided above the stage 210. The flipping position is located near the discharge end and between the discharge end and the detection position. The flipping unit is located on the side of the flipping position. When the fixture 232 with the bristle-embedded toothbrush head is placed to the flipping position, the flipping unit flips the bristle-embedded toothbrush head so that the front of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head faces upward.

[0080] In one embodiment, when the toothbrush head transported by the conveying component 60 is a toothbrush head with bristles, the fixing seat 330 is positioned away from the fixture 232, or the fixing seat 330 can be disassembled, and the front and back detection unit 300 does not detect the toothbrush head with bristles; when the toothbrush head transported by the conveying component 60 is a toothbrush head without bristles, the flipping unit does not flip the toothbrush head without bristles, the conveying component 60 is provided with a discharge bin 600, which is located below the discharge end of the conveying unit 200, and the toothbrush head without bristles with the back facing up falls directly into the discharge bin 600.

[0081] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the flipping unit includes a clamping member 510 and a driving member. A clamping member 510 is movably provided on each of the opposite sides of the discharge end of the transport unit 200. The driving member is driven to be connected to the two clamping members 510 to drive the two clamping members 510 to move closer or further away from each other to clamp or release the toothbrush head, and to drive the two clamping members 510 to rotate and rise and fall synchronously.

[0082] In one embodiment, two clamping members 510 are located on opposite sides of the flip position, and two baffles 211 avoid the two clamping members 510. Both clamping members 510 are connected to a driving member, which can drive the two clamping members 510 to translate, rotate, and lift, wherein the rotation angle is 180 degrees. In one embodiment, the driving member includes two sets of driving units, which are located on opposite sides of the flip position and are driven and connected to the two clamping members 510 one-to-one. In one embodiment, one set of driving units includes a linear driving member 522 and a rotation driving member 521; the other set of driving units includes a first linear driving member 522 and a mounting base 523, and the two first linear driving members 522 of the two sets of first driving members are located on opposite sides of the flip position. One of the clamping members 510 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 523 via a rotating shaft. The mounting base 523 is driven to the output shaft of a linear drive member 522. The extension and retraction of the output shaft of the linear drive member 522 causes the mounting base 523 and the clamping member 510 to move toward the flip position. The other clamping member 510 is located on the output shaft of a rotary drive member 521. The housing of the rotary drive member 521 is driven to the output shaft of the other linear drive member 522. The rotation of the output shaft of the rotary drive member 521 causes the clamping member 510 to rotate. The extension and retraction of the output shaft of the linear drive member 522 causes the rotary drive member 521 and the clamping member 510 to move toward the flip position. In this embodiment, the two first linear drive members 522 operate synchronously, enabling the two clamping members 510 to move synchronously. When the two clamping members 510 approach each other, they can abut against both ends of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head to clamp it. At this time, the rotary drive member 521 drives one clamping member 510 to rotate, which can cause the bristle-embedded toothbrush head to flip and cause the other clamping member 510 to rotate relative to the mounting base 523. Of course, in other embodiments, the linear drive member 522, the rotary drive member 521, and the mounting base 523 can also be connected by a gear rack or worm gear structure; or both sets of drive units may include one linear drive member 522 and one rotary drive member 521. Here, there is no limitation.

[0083] In one embodiment, the drive unit is mounted on the base 10 or other external mounting base via a first bracket. The first bracket includes two brackets 532 and two uprights 531. The brackets 532 are fixed to the base 10 or other external mounting base, and the two uprights 531 are slidably mounted on the two brackets 532 in a one-to-one correspondence. Two linear drive members 522 are respectively disposed at the end of one upright 531. The drive unit also includes a third power member 524, which is mounted on the base 10 or other external mounting base and connected to the other end of the two uprights 531 via a connecting plate 533. The extension and retraction of the output shaft of the third power member 524 drives the two uprights 531 to move relative to the brackets 532, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the clamping member 510. The linear drive member 522, the rotary drive member 521, and the third power member 524 can all be configured as motors or cylinders, etc., and no limitation is imposed here.

[0084] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the two clamping members 510 are respectively configured to conform to the opposite end faces of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head. In one embodiment, one clamping member 510 is configured to conform to the end face structure of the head of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head, and the other clamping member 510 is configured to conform to the end face structure of the tail of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head. Specifically, in one embodiment, one clamping member 510 has a notch with opposite side walls inclined, the notch being used to abut against the end of the head of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head away from the tail. The other clamping member 510 has an annular groove, the size of which is adapted to the size of the tail of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head away from the head, so that when the clamping member 510 approaches the bristle-embedded toothbrush head, the tail of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head can extend into the annular groove.

[0085] In one embodiment, the material conveying assembly 60 is further provided with a first detection element 540, which is located on the side of the platform 210 and close to the flipping position. The first detection element 540 is used to detect whether the bristle-embedded toothbrush head has been flipped completely, that is, to detect whether the bristles of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head are facing upwards. The first detection element 540 can be configured as an infrared sensor or a photoelectric sensor, etc., and there is no limitation here.

[0086] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment, by setting a flipping unit, can realize the flipping of the bristle-embedded toothbrush head, which facilitates subsequent operations and improves the reliability of the material conveying component 60; by setting the clamping member 510 in a contoured manner, the clamping member 510 can avoid damaging the bristle-embedded toothbrush head, thus improving the reliability of the flipping unit.

[0087] Please see Figure 6This utility model also proposes a toothbrush head feeding machine, including the material conveying component 60 of the above embodiments. The specific structure of the material conveying component 60 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this toothbrush head feeding machine adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0088] In one embodiment, the toothbrush head feeding machine further includes a base 10 and a hopper assembly 30, a vibration assembly 20, a detection assembly 40, a handling robot 50, and a discharging robot 70 disposed on the base 10. The hopper assembly 30 is used to store the bristle-embedded toothbrush heads and convey them to the vibration assembly 20; the vibration assembly 20 is disposed near the feeding end of the hopper assembly 30 and is used to arrange the toothbrush heads; the detection assembly 40 is located directly above the vibration assembly 20 and is used to detect whether there are arranged toothbrush heads on the vibration assembly 20; the handling assembly 60 is disposed on the base 10 and its feeding end is disposed near the vibration assembly 20; the handling robot 50 moves between the vibration assembly 20 and the handling assembly 60; the discharging robot 70 is disposed above the handling assembly 60 and is used to move the handling assembly 60 to the discharge end for subsequent workstations.

[0089] In one embodiment, the toothbrush head feeding machine further includes a control system, which is electrically connected to each functional component to control the operation of each functional component. The control system includes a controller and a processing unit, and its specific functions are mainly implemented through logic algorithms, which are not limited here.

[0090] After the hopper assembly 30 transports and combs the toothbrush heads, the toothbrush heads fall from the discharge end of the hopper assembly 30 to the vibration assembly 20. When the detection assembly 40 detects that there are arranged toothbrush heads on the vibration assembly 20, the control system controls the handling robot 50 to transport all the arranged toothbrush heads on the vibration assembly 20 to the storage position 230 of the material conveying assembly 60.

[0091] When the toothbrush head is a non-bristle toothbrush head, the conveyor belt 220 of the material conveying component 60 moves the non-bristle toothbrush head to the detection position. The control system controls the front and back detection unit 300 to detect the front and back of the non-bristle toothbrush head. When the detected front of the non-bristle toothbrush head is facing up, the conveyor belt 220 of the material conveying component 60 continues to move the toothbrush head to the discharge end. The control system controls the unloading robot 70 to move the non-bristle toothbrush head to the subsequent work station. When the detected back of the non-bristle toothbrush head is facing up, the conveyor belt 220 of the material conveying component 60 continues to move the toothbrush head to the discharge end, causing it to fall into the unloading bin 600.

[0092] When the toothbrush head is a pre-embedded toothbrush head, the pre-embedded toothbrush head is picked up by the handling robot 50 with the bristles facing down and placed in the storage position 230 of the material conveying component 60. The conveyor belt 220 of the material conveying component 60 moves the pre-embedded toothbrush head to the flipping position. The control system controls the flipping unit to clamp and rotate the pre-embedded toothbrush head 180 degrees so that its front side faces up, that is, the bristles face up. When the first detection unit detects that the flipping unit has completed the flipping, the control system controls the unloading robot 70 to move the pre-embedded toothbrush head to the subsequent work station.

[0093] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the scope of protection of the present utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present utility model and the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A material conveying assembly for transporting toothbrush heads, characterized in that, include: Base; and A transport unit is disposed on the base. The transport unit includes a conveyor belt. The surface of the conveyor belt is provided with a plurality of storage positions evenly spaced along the transport direction. Each storage position is used to place one toothbrush head.

2. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material conveying assembly also includes: Positioning block, each of the storage positions is provided with one positioning block; and The fixture is detachably provided for each of the positioning blocks, and the fixture has a placement groove on the side opposite to the positioning block.

3. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material conveying assembly also includes: The front and back detection unit is provided with a detection position at the discharge end of the transport unit and is arranged opposite to the detection position to detect the front and back of the toothbrush head.

4. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The front and back detection unit includes: An air blowing tube, positioned above the detection position, with its outlet facing the detection position, is used to blow air onto the head of the toothbrush head; and An acoustic sensor is disposed near the air tube, and the acoustic sensor is used to detect the sound frequency generated by the air tube blowing air onto the head of the toothbrush head.

5. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The front and back detection unit also includes: A fixing base is provided above the detection position. The fixing base has a groove on the side facing the detection position. The groove is opposite to the head of the toothbrush head. The air outlet of the air blowing tube and the sound sensor are both located in the groove.

6. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The material conveying assembly also includes: A positioning plate is movably disposed on the side of the detection position, and the positioning plate is used to abut against the end of the toothbrush head.

7. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material conveying assembly also includes: Material detection elements are disposed on the side of the transport unit. Multiple material detection elements are spaced apart, and the distance between two adjacent material detection elements is equal to the distance between two adjacent storage positions. The material detection elements are used to detect whether the toothbrush head is placed in the storage position.

8. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material conveying assembly also includes: A flipping unit is located on the side of the discharge end of the transport unit, and the flipping unit is used to flip the toothbrush head.

9. The material conveying assembly as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The flipping unit includes: Clamping components are movably provided on opposite sides of the discharge end of the transport unit; and A drive unit is driven to connect with the two clamping members to drive the two clamping members to move closer or further apart to clamp or release the toothbrush head, and to drive the two clamping members to rotate and move up and down synchronously.

10. A toothbrush head feeding machine, characterized in that, Includes the material handling assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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