An automated pair of scissors

Abstract

This utility model provides an automated shearing system, relating to the field of injection molding, comprising: a column, which is mounted near the injection molding machine via a fixing component; a horizontal column disposed on the column; and two pneumatic shears symmetrically disposed on the horizontal column. The shear heads of the two pneumatic shears are arranged opposite each other to form a cutting zone for cutting off the waste edges on the molded workpiece grasped by the robotic arm from the injection molding machine. This application, through the column, horizontal column, and opposite pneumatic shears, can immediately cut off the waste edges when the robotic arm removes the workpiece, eliminating manual trimming and intermediate steps, reducing labor costs, preventing workpiece damage, and improving production continuity and efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of injection molding, and in particular to an automated scissors. Background Technology

[0002] In the injection molding industry, injection molding machines, as core production equipment, play a crucial role in injecting molten plastic raw materials into the mold cavity, where they are cooled and solidified to form various plastic products. However, in actual production, due to factors such as mold design precision, injection process parameter settings, and raw material flowability, injection-molded workpieces often have excess waste edges. These waste edges mainly form at the mold parting surface, gate residue, and other locations.

[0003] Traditionally, after injection molding and removing the workpiece, the waste edges are not immediately processed. Instead, the workpieces with waste edges are collected and placed for manual trimming using ordinary scissors or specialized cutting tools in subsequent processes. This method has significant drawbacks: First, manual trimming requires substantial additional labor costs, and its efficiency is greatly affected by the operator's skill level and physical condition, making it difficult to guarantee a stable processing speed. Second, the time interval between workpiece molding and subsequent waste edge processing necessitates temporary storage and transfer, occupying more space and potentially causing damage due to collisions or compression during storage, further impacting product quality. More importantly, this "molding first, processing later" step-by-step operation disrupts the continuity of the entire production process, significantly reducing the overall efficiency of injection molding production and failing to meet the demands of modern industrial production for high efficiency, continuous operation, and automation.

[0004] Therefore, an automated scissors was proposed. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by using columns, horizontal columns, and opposing pneumatic shears to instantly cut off waste edges when a robotic arm removes a workpiece. This eliminates the need for manual trimming and intermediate steps, reduces labor costs, prevents workpiece damage, and improves production continuity and efficiency.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention can solve the problem of timely and automatic trimming of waste edges of injection molded parts through the following technical solution.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] An automated pair of scissors includes:

[0009] The column is installed near the injection molding machine using fasteners.

[0010] A horizontal column is installed on the column;

[0011] Two pneumatic shears symmetrically arranged on the horizontal column;

[0012] The two pneumatic shears have their shear heads positioned opposite each other to form a cutting zone, which is used to cut off the waste edges on the molded workpiece that the robot arm grabs from the injection molding machine.

[0013] Preferably, both the front and rear ends of the two pneumatic shears on opposite sides are provided with guide bevels, and the bottom of the crossbar is provided with a collection frame for collecting the cut waste edges.

[0014] Preferably, the length of the collection frame is set to be equal to that of the horizontal bar.

[0015] Preferably, the collection frame is connected to the horizontal column by a fixing structure. The fixing structure includes L-shaped brackets symmetrically arranged on both sides of the horizontal column, slots opened on both sides of the collection frame, and locking screws. The L-shaped brackets are provided with threaded holes, and the locking screws pass through the threaded holes and slots to fix the collection frame.

[0016] Preferably, the top of the L-shaped bracket is bolted to both sides of the horizontal column, and the bottom extends inward to support the bottom of the collection frame.

[0017] Preferably, the bottom of the collection frame is provided with a plurality of waste guide ports evenly distributed. The upper opening of the waste guide port is curved, and the lower opening can be selectively connected to a threaded cap or a guide channel. The bottom of the guide channel extends to the bottom material collection area.

[0018] Preferably, the inner wall of the collection frame is chamfered on all four sides, with the chamfer facing the waste outlet.

[0019] Preferably, the main body of the guide channel is made of a flexible, wear-resistant material with a smooth inner wall, wherein the material is one of polyurethane coated fabric, silicone or thermoplastic polyurethane.

[0020] Preferably, the bottom of the inner wall of the L-shaped bracket is provided with a guide groove, and guide blocks are connected to both ends of the bottom of the collection frame. The guide blocks are inserted along the guide groove to guide the installation and positioning of the collection frame.

[0021] Preferably, the horizontal column can slide up and down relative to the vertical column, and both pneumatic shears can move left and right relative to the horizontal column.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] The automated shears provided in this application, through the column, the horizontal column and the corresponding pneumatic shears, can immediately cut off the waste edges when the robot arm picks up the workpiece, eliminating manual trimming and intermediate steps, reducing labor costs, avoiding workpiece damage, and improving production continuity and efficiency.

[0024] The waste guide bevel and collection frame added in this application utilize the sliding of the waste edge for partial collection, avoiding accumulation; the fixed structure ensures that the collection frame is installed stably and is adjustable; the waste guide port and guide channel facilitate centralized processing of waste edge, the inner wall is chamfered to prevent accumulation, and the flexible channel has strong adaptability, which can further improve practicality and automation. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments 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 these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a partially disassembled structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a bottom-view, disassembled structural diagram of the collection frame of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the horizontal column and L-shaped bracket of this utility model.

[0030] Drawing number explanation: 1. Column; 11. Fixing component; 2. Horizontal column; 3. Pneumatic shears; 4. Cutting area; 41. Waste guide bevel; 5. Collection frame; 51. Chamfer; 52. Waste guide port; 521. Threaded cap; 53. Groove; 6. Guide channel; 7. L-shaped bracket; 71. Locking screw; 72. Guide groove; 73. Guide block. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The following description is intended to disclose the present invention so that those skilled in the art can implement it. The preferred embodiments described below are merely examples, and other obvious modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the present invention defined in the following description can be used in other embodiments, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0033] Those skilled in the art should understand that in the disclosure of this utility model, the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or position based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the purpose of simplifying the description of this utility model and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0034] It is understood that the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple, and the term "a" should not be understood as a limitation on the number. Example

[0035] Please see Figure 1-3 An automated shear includes: a column 1, which is installed near an injection molding machine; a horizontal column 2 disposed on the column 1; two pneumatic shears 3 symmetrically disposed on the horizontal column 2; the shear heads of the two pneumatic shears 3 are arranged opposite each other to form a cutting zone 4, which is used to cut off the waste edges on the molded workpiece gripped by the robot arm from the injection molding machine.

[0036] The automated shear assembly of this application is used in conjunction with an injection molding machine and a robotic arm to achieve real-time automatic shearing of waste edges from injection-molded workpieces. It mainly includes components such as a column 1, a horizontal column 2, pneumatic shears 3, and a collection frame 5. These components work together to achieve efficient and automated waste edge processing.

[0037] The upright column 1 serves as the supporting foundation for the entire device and is stably installed on the ground or frame near the injection molding machine via fasteners 11. Fasteners 11 can be expansion bolts or high-strength anchor bolts to ensure that the upright column 1 does not wobble during equipment operation. The horizontal column 2 is connected to the upright column 1, and a lifting and adjusting mechanism is provided between them, such as a slide rail and slider driven by a servo motor, or a screw and nut structure, allowing the horizontal column 2 to move up and down relative to the upright column 1 to adapt to different workpiece gripping positions and waste edge trimming requirements.

[0038] Two pneumatic shears 3 are symmetrically mounted on the horizontal column 2. A lateral adjustment rail is provided between the mounting base and the horizontal column 2, allowing the pneumatic shears 3 to move left and right on the horizontal column 2. This facilitates adjusting the distance between the two shear heads according to the position and width of the waste edge on different workpieces. The shear heads of the two pneumatic shears 3 are positioned opposite each other, forming a cutting zone 4 for cutting off the waste edge. When the robot arm picks up the molded workpiece from the injection molding machine and moves it to this zone, the pneumatic shears 3 can quickly move to cut off the waste edge.

[0039] To optimize the waste edge handling process, both the front and rear ends of the two pneumatic shears 3 are equipped with guide bevels 41 on opposite sides. The guide bevels 41 are inclined and can guide part of the waste edge to slide downwards after it is cut off, avoiding a large amount of waste edge remaining on the shear head or the horizontal column 2. The bottom of the horizontal column 2 is equipped with a collection frame 5 to collect the cut waste edge. The length of the collection frame 5 is set to be equal to that of the horizontal column 2, so as to maximize the collection of waste edge falling from below the horizontal column 2.

[0040] The collection frame 5 is connected to the horizontal column 2 via a specific fixing structure. This fixing structure includes L-shaped brackets 7 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the horizontal column 2, slots 53 on both sides of the collection frame 5, and locking screws 71. The top of the L-shaped brackets 7 is bolted to both sides of the horizontal column 2, and the bottom extends inward, not only supporting the bottom of the collection frame 5, but also having a guide groove 72 on its inner bottom wall. Guide blocks 73 are connected to both ends of the bottom of the collection frame 5. During installation, the guide blocks 73 are inserted along the guide grooves 72 to accurately guide the installation and positioning of the collection frame 5. The L-shaped brackets 7 have threaded holes, and the locking screws 71 pass through the threaded holes and the slots 53 on both sides of the collection frame 5 to firmly fix the collection frame 5. At the same time, the design of the slots 53 facilitates fine-tuning of the installation height of the collection frame 5.

[0041] The bottom of the collection frame 5 is evenly provided with several waste guide openings 52. The upper opening of the waste guide opening 52 is curved to reduce the obstruction when waste edges slip down; the lower opening can be connected to a threaded cap 521 or a guide channel 6 according to actual needs. When connected to the guide channel 6, its bottom extends to the bottom material collection area, which facilitates the centralized collection of waste edges. The inner wall of the collection frame 5 is provided with chamfers 51 on all four sides, and the chamfers 51 face the waste guide openings 52, which can guide the waste edges in the collection frame 5 to gather in the waste guide openings 52 and prevent waste edges from accumulating in the corners.

[0042] The main body of the guide channel 6 is made of a flexible and wear-resistant material with a smooth inner wall, such as polyurethane coated fabric, silicone or thermoplastic polyurethane. This type of material not only has good wear resistance and extends service life, but also adapts to different installation environments due to its flexibility, making it easy to adjust the guide path.

[0043] Working principle

[0044] First, during the installation and commissioning phase, based on the injection molding machine's ejection position, the robot's gripping height, and the position of the workpiece waste edge, the height of the horizontal column 2 is adjusted using the lifting adjustment mechanism between the vertical column 1 and the horizontal column 2. The spacing between the two pneumatic shears 3 is adjusted using the lateral adjustment rails on the horizontal column 2 to ensure that the shearing zone 4 corresponds to the position of the workpiece waste edge. Simultaneously, the installation position and height of the collection frame 5 are adjusted, and the guide channel 6 is connected to the waste outlet 52 or a threaded cover 521 is installed according to the material collection requirements.

[0045] After the injection molding machine completes the injection molding of the workpiece, the robotic arm picks up the molded workpiece with waste edges and removes it from the injection molding machine. Following a preset path, the workpiece is moved to the cutting zone 4 of the automated shears, so that the waste edges on the workpiece are positioned between the shear heads of the two pneumatic shears 3. At this time, the pneumatic shears 3 receive a control signal, and the two shear heads quickly close, cutting off the waste edges.

[0046] The cut waste edges, under their own weight and the thrust of the pneumatic shears 3, slide down the guide bevel 41 on the pneumatic shears 3 into the collection frame 5 below. The chamfer 51 on the inner wall of the collection frame 5 guides the waste edges to gather at the bottom guide port 52. The waste edges enter the guide channel 6 through the guide port 52 and slide down along the guide channel 6 to the material collection area on the bottom, achieving centralized collection of waste edges. If some guide ports 52 are connected to threaded covers 521, they can be opened and cleaned periodically as needed.

[0047] Throughout the process, after the waste edge is cut off, the robotic arm transports the trimmed workpiece to the next process, while the automated shears are ready to receive the next workpiece with waste edge. This cycle repeats continuously, realizing the automation and continuity of waste edge processing in injection molding production, effectively improving production efficiency, reducing labor costs, and reducing the risk of workpiece damage.

[0048] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The purpose of the present invention has been fully and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and explained in the embodiments. Without departing from the stated principles, the implementation of the present invention may have any variations or modifications.

Claims

1. An automated pair of scissors, characterized in that, include: The column (1) is installed near the injection molding machine by means of a fastener (11); The horizontal column (2) is set on the column (1); Two pneumatic shears (3) are symmetrically arranged on the horizontal column (2); The two pneumatic shears (3) are arranged opposite each other to form a cutting zone (4), which is used to cut off the waste edges on the molded workpiece that the robot arm grabs out from the injection molding machine.

2. The automated scissors according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both of the two pneumatic shears (3) are provided with waste guide bevels (41) on the front and rear ends of opposite sides, and the bottom of the cross column (2) is provided with a collection frame (5) for collecting the cut waste edges.

3. The automated scissors according to claim 2, characterized in that: The length of the collection box (5) is set to be equal to that of the horizontal bar (2).

4. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 2, characterized in that: The collection frame (5) is connected to the horizontal column (2) by a fixing structure. The fixing structure includes an L-shaped bracket (7) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the horizontal column (2), a slot (53) opened on both sides of the collection frame (5), and a locking screw (71). The L-shaped bracket (7) has a threaded hole, and the locking screw (71) passes through the threaded hole and the slot (53) to fix the collection frame (5).

5. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 4, characterized in that: The top of the L-shaped bracket (7) is bolted to both sides of the horizontal column (2), and the bottom extends inward to support the bottom of the collection frame (5).

6. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the collection box (5) is uniformly provided with several waste guide ports (52). The upper opening of the waste guide port (52) is curved, and the lower opening can be selectively connected to a threaded cap (521) or a guide channel (6). The bottom of the guide channel (6) extends to the bottom material collection area.

7. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner wall of the collection box (5) is provided with chamfers (51) on all four sides, with the chamfers (51) facing the guide waste outlet (52).

8. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 6, characterized in that: The main body of the guide channel (6) is made of a flexible, wear-resistant material with a smooth inner wall, which is one of polyurethane coated fabric, silicone or thermoplastic polyurethane.

9. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner wall of the L-shaped bracket (7) has a guide groove (72) at the bottom. The bottom ends of the collection frame (5) are connected to guide blocks (73). The guide blocks (73) are inserted along the guide groove (72) to guide the installation and positioning of the collection frame (5).

10. An automated pair of scissors according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal column (2) can slide up and down relative to the vertical column (1), and both pneumatic shears (3) can move left and right relative to the horizontal column (2).

Images