A positioning mechanism that can be positioned

Abstract

This utility model relates to a positioning mechanism capable of centering and positioning. It features a simple structure and ingenious design. Multiple through holes are provided on the assembly fixture, each containing a positioning reference groove and two symmetrical positioning grooves to accommodate and guide the positioning process of two products. The centering unit includes a reference rod aligned with the positioning reference groove and a centering thumb gripper module that drives the two products to move towards their respective positioning grooves. After the reference rod aligns with the positioning reference groove, the centering thumb gripper module uses this reference line to drive the two products to move into their corresponding positioning grooves. At this point, both products maintain a symmetrical distance from the positioning reference groove, thus achieving relative centering and positioning of the two products within the through holes. This mechanism can simultaneously and independently center multiple sets of two products without manual intervention, significantly improving centering efficiency and consistency. It is suitable for applications in automated production lines with high assembly precision requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of product positioning equipment, and more specifically, to a positioning mechanism capable of centering and positioning. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in product assembly and testing processes, it is often necessary to perform relative centering positioning operations on two products to ensure their assembly accuracy and consistency in subsequent processes. In practice, traditional centering positioning methods mainly rely on manual operation or simple spring-loaded positioning mechanisms. While manual centering can achieve relative positioning of two products to some extent, it suffers from low efficiency, poor positioning accuracy, and poor repeatability due to its reliance on manual judgment and adjustment, making it difficult to meet the demands of high-volume, high-precision production. Furthermore, manual operation typically only allows for independent operation on a single product, failing to achieve simultaneous centering positioning of multiple products, resulting in low overall production efficiency.

[0003] An existing technology includes a spring-loaded positioning mechanism, comprising a positioning block for initial product alignment, a spring that applies pressure to the product to hold it in the positioning position, a pressure block that works with the spring to press and position the product, a guide post to ensure vertical movement of the pressure plate or pressure block during the positioning process and prevent displacement, and a base for fixing the entire positioning mechanism. The positioning principle of this spring-loaded positioning mechanism mainly relies on the spring force and the cooperation of the mechanical structure. Its working process is as follows: the product is placed in the positioning block or positioning groove and initially aligned using the guide post or guide hole; the pressure plate or pressure block applies downward pressure under the action of the spring, pressing the product firmly onto the positioning block; the spring force keeps the product in the positioning position, preventing displacement during subsequent operations; then, the relative centering between the two products is manually adjusted for positioning.

[0004] Although this spring-loaded positioning mechanism can achieve relative centering and positioning of two products to a certain extent, it has the following obvious drawbacks in practical applications:

[0005] 1. The elastic force of the spring is affected by factors such as material fatigue and temperature changes, which can easily lead to inconsistent positioning and make it difficult to meet the requirements of high-precision assembly; therefore, the positioning accuracy is low.

[0006] 2. It usually requires manual adjustment of the pressure plate position or replacement of the spring, which is cumbersome. Moreover, this structure is not suitable for directly centering and positioning two products relative to each other, so the work efficiency is relatively low.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a positioning mechanism with a reasonable structure and accurate positioning that can simultaneously center and position two products relative to each other. Utility Model Content

[0008] To overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, this utility model provides a positioning mechanism that can center and position multiple products in batches and independently. The positioning process is automated, efficient, and accurate, and will not damage the product surface.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a positioning mechanism that can be divided and positioned, addressing the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.

[0010] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: a positioning mechanism for centering and positioning, comprising an assembly fixture for placing multiple products; the assembly fixture has multiple through holes along its length for accommodating two products; a positioning reference groove is provided at the center of the through hole between the two products; positioning grooves for placing products are symmetrically provided on both sides of the positioning reference groove in the through hole; the positioning mechanism also includes multiple centering units corresponding to the through holes; each centering unit includes a reference rod that aligns with the positioning reference groove, and a centering thumb gripper module that drives the two products in the corresponding through hole to move relative to each other into the corresponding positioning groove; adjacent products are finely adjusted by the centering unit to center and position the two products relative to each other.

[0011] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes an assembly fixture comprising an upper mounting strip, a lower mounting strip, and a locking assembly for locking the upper mounting strip onto the lower mounting strip; the lower surface of the upper mounting strip is provided with a plurality of upper grooves; the upper surface of the lower mounting strip is provided with a plurality of lower grooves corresponding to and communicating with the upper grooves; the upper grooves and the corresponding lower grooves surround each other to form the through hole;

[0012] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes a plurality of positioning and pressure-holding modules on the upper mounting strip that correspond one-to-one with the through holes; the positioning and pressure-holding module includes a limiting member that corresponds to the positioning reference groove and positions the two products left and right to prevent them from moving outward from the through holes, and two elastic pressure-holding members that are respectively disposed on both sides of the limiting member and elastically pressurize the two products in the through holes.

[0013] The positioning mechanism of this utility model further includes a pressing component for pressing and fixing the upper mounting strip onto the lower mounting strip;

[0014] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes a pressing component comprising a pressing plate movably disposed above the upper mounting strip, and a lifting module that drives the pressing plate to move along the Z-axis.

[0015] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes a centering thumb gripper module comprising two gripping blocks and a dual-actuator drive motor for driving the two gripping blocks to move closer or further apart. Each gripping block has a forward-extending thumb drive rod at its front end. A reference rod is located between the two thumb drive rods. When the two gripping blocks are in position, the two thumb drive rods close together or move closer to each other and are inserted between the two products within the corresponding through holes via a moving drive. The two products are then driven by the dual-actuator drive motor to push the two thumb drive rods outward relative to each other, thereby centering and positioning the two products relative to the positioning reference groove.

[0016] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes movable plates on both the left and right sides of the assembly fixture, and a moving drive to move the movable plates closer to or further away from the assembly fixture; the movable plates are provided with a plurality of centering units arranged side by side.

[0017] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes a channel between the two movable plates for the assembly fixture to pass through; the assembly fixture moves closer to or further away from the channel via an external transfer component.

[0018] In the positioning mechanism of this utility model, the movement trajectory of the split thumb gripper module is perpendicular to the movement trajectory of the assembly fixture.

[0019] The positioning mechanism of this utility model includes a limiting plate fixedly provided on one or both sides of the movable plate; a buffer elastic element that cooperates with the limiting plate to limit movement is provided on one side of the movable plate on the moving path of the limiting plate; when the limiting plate abuts against the buffer elastic element, the two thumb drive rods simultaneously extend into the two products in the through hole.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: The positioning mechanism with splitting and positioning capability has a simple structure and ingenious design. It uses the positioning reference groove within the through hole as the splitting reference between two products. The alignment of the reference rod in the splitting unit with the positioning reference groove ensures the consistency of the reference during the splitting process. The splitting thumb gripper module drives the two products to move towards their respective positioning grooves using the positioning reference groove as a reference line until they are in place. At this point, both products maintain the same distance from the reference groove, achieving relative splitting and positioning of the two products within the through hole, thus meeting the splitting requirements of the two products during production. This mechanism can simultaneously and independently split multiple sets of two products without manual intervention, significantly improving splitting efficiency and consistency. It is suitable for applications in automated production lines with high assembly precision requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the utility model will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. 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.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a positioning mechanism capable of centering and positioning according to a preferred embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a top view of the centering unit 20 in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly fixture 10 in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Internal structure diagram;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the split thumb gripper module 22 of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this utility model are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0028] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0029] "Multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms indicating orientation, such as "up, down, front, back, left, right, upper end, lower end, longitudinal," etc., are all based on the posture and position of the device or equipment described in this solution during normal use.

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, a clear and complete description will be provided below in conjunction with the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0032] A preferred embodiment of this utility model provides a positioning mechanism capable of centering and positioning, such as... Figure 1-5 As shown, the assembly fixture 10 includes multiple products for placement; the assembly fixture 10 has multiple through holes 11 along its length; in this embodiment, two products are grouped together, and each through hole 11 can accommodate a group of products; a positioning reference groove 12 is provided at the center of the through hole 11 between the two products, which serves as a centering reference between the two products to achieve initial separation of the two products; positioning grooves 13 for placing products are symmetrically provided on both sides of the positioning reference groove 12 in the through hole 11; the positioning mechanism also includes multiple centering units 20 corresponding to the through holes 11; the centering unit 20 includes a reference rod 21 that aligns with the positioning reference groove 12, and a centering thumb gripper module 22 that drives the two products in the corresponding through hole 11 to move relative to each other into the corresponding positioning groove 13; adjacent products can be finely adjusted through the centering unit 20 to achieve relative centering positioning of the two products in the through hole.

[0033] This centering and positioning mechanism features a simple structure and ingenious design. It uses a positioning reference groove within a through-hole as the centering reference between two products. Alignment of the reference rod in the centering unit with the positioning reference groove ensures consistency of the reference during the centering process. The centering thumb gripper module drives the two products to move towards their respective positioning grooves using the positioning reference groove as a reference line until they are in position. At this point, both products maintain the same distance from the reference groove, achieving relative centering and positioning of the two products within the through-hole, thus meeting the centering requirements of the production process. This mechanism can simultaneously and independently center multiple sets of two products without manual intervention, significantly improving centering efficiency and consistency. It is suitable for applications in automated production lines with high assembly precision requirements.

[0034] Furthermore, the assembly fixture 10 includes an upper mounting strip 101, a lower mounting strip 102, and a locking assembly 103 that locks the upper mounting strip 101 onto the lower mounting strip 102. In this embodiment, the locking assembly 103 can adopt a screw connection, an elastic snap-fit ​​structure, or other forms as used in the prior art, which helps to improve the detachability and ease of installation of the assembly fixture. The lower surface of the upper mounting strip 101 is provided with multiple upper grooves 111; the upper surface of the lower mounting strip 102 is provided with multiple lower grooves 112 that correspond to and communicate with the upper grooves 111; the upper grooves 111 and the corresponding lower grooves 112 surround each other to form a through hole 11. The separate design of the upper and lower mounting strips, and the through hole can be in an open state, facilitates the insertion of products from above into the lower grooves by operators or automated equipment, improving operational convenience. This structural design is reasonable, facilitates product insertion and positioning, and improves the versatility, adjustability, and structural stability of the assembly fixture.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper mounting strip 101 is provided with multiple positioning and pressure-holding modules 14 corresponding one-to-one with the through holes 11. Each positioning and pressure-holding module 14 includes a limiting member 141 corresponding to the positioning reference groove 12 and positioning the two products left and right to prevent them from moving outward from the through holes 11, and two elastic pressure-holding members 142 respectively disposed on both sides of the limiting member 141 and elastically pressurizing the two products within the through holes 11. In this embodiment, the limiting member 141 is a vertically arranged fork-shaped structure, with its front and rear limiting feet located on the left and right sides of the through hole, respectively, and the limiting feet positioned above the centering unit 20 to avoid interference with the centering unit 20. The elastic pressure-holding member 142 can be a spring, airbag, elastic pad, or a positioning post combined with a spring, as used in the prior art. Two elastic pressure-holding components 142 apply uniform elastic pressure to the two products in the through hole, so that the products can keep tightly attached to the bottom surface of the through hole, preventing shaking or falling off, and improving the overall clamping stability. That is, the limiting component 141 is responsible for positioning in the lateral (left and right) direction, while the elastic pressure-holding component 142 provides elastic clamping in the longitudinal (front and back) direction, forming a bidirectional constraint, effectively preventing the products from shifting or sliding during the centering process, improving positioning accuracy and stability, and is suitable for high-precision assembly requirements in automated production lines.

[0036] Furthermore, the positioning mechanism also includes a pressing assembly 30 that presses and fixes the upper mounting strip 101 onto the lower mounting strip 102. The pressing assembly 30 can apply vertical pressure to the upper mounting strip 101 and the lower mounting strip 102, making them tightly joined together, reducing relative displacement caused by external forces or vibrations, thereby ensuring the alignment accuracy between the upper groove 111 and the lower groove 112, avoiding the displacement of the through hole 11 due to installation gaps, and thus improving the accuracy of product centering and positioning.

[0037] In this embodiment, the pressing assembly 30 includes a pressure plate 31 movably disposed above the upper mounting strip 101, and a lifting module 32 that drives the pressure plate 31 to move along the Z-axis. The lifting module 32 is a telescopic cylinder or a linear drive motor, as used in the prior art. The lifting module 32 can flexibly adjust the lifting height of the pressure plate 31 according to the height of different products or installation requirements. The uniform pressure applied by the pressure plate 31 to the upper mounting strip 101 ensures a tight fit between the upper mounting strip 101 and the lower mounting strip 102, improving the structural stability and rigidity of the entire positioning mechanism.

[0038] In this embodiment, the centering thumb gripper module 22 includes two gripping blocks 221 and a dual-actuator drive motor 222 that drives the two gripping blocks 221 to move closer or further apart. The front end of each gripping block 221 has a forward-extending thumb drive rod 223. In this embodiment, the thumb drive rod 223 is a slender rod-shaped structure. A reference rod 21 is located between the two thumb drive rods 223. When the two gripping blocks 221 are close together, the two thumb drive rods 223 close together or move closer to each other and are inserted between the two products in the corresponding through holes 11 via the movement drive 23. The two products are driven by the dual-actuator drive motor 222 to push the two thumb drive rods 223 outwards relative to each other, thereby centering the two products relative to the positioning reference groove 12.

[0039] The two clamping blocks 221 are driven synchronously to move closer or further apart by a dual-actuator drive motor 222. The thumb drive rod 223 at the front end of the clamping blocks can be inserted between the products, achieving centering positioning through a spreading action. Specifically, the reference rod 21 is located between the two thumb drive rods 223. When the clamping blocks 221 are closed in place, the thumb drive rods 223 spread out with the reference rod as the reference line, thereby driving the two products to center around the reference groove 12 as the center of symmetry. This design ensures that the two products are symmetrically distributed in the through hole 11, improving the consistency and symmetry of positioning and avoiding errors caused by human operation. The entire centering process of this module is controlled by the dual-actuator drive motor, requiring no manual intervention, significantly improving the positioning accuracy, consistency, and automation level, and is particularly suitable for batch, high-speed, and high-precision automated production lines.

[0040] Multiple centering units 20 can be all arranged on the same side of the assembly fixture 10 to suit space-constrained applications. Alternatively, the multiple centering units 20 in this invention can also be arranged on both sides of the assembly fixture 10, enabling simultaneous centering operations on multiple product groups with high efficiency. Specifically, both the left and right sides of the assembly fixture 10 are provided with movable plates 24, and a moving drive 23 for driving the movable plates 24 to move closer to or away from the assembly fixture 10; multiple centering units 20 are arranged side by side on the movable plates 24. The moving drive 23 is a telescopic cylinder or a linear drive motor in the prior art.

[0041] Furthermore, a channel 25 is provided between the two movable plates 24 for the assembly fixture 10 to pass through; the assembly fixture 10 moves closer to or further away from the channel 25 via an external transfer component. By setting the channel 25 and combining it with external transfer components (such as robotic arms, conveyor belts, AGVs, etc.) to move the assembly fixture 10, automatic entry and exit of products before and after centering and positioning can be achieved, reducing manual intervention and improving the automation level and production efficiency of the overall process. Through the above structure, the assembly fixture 10 can smoothly enter / exit the centering area between the movable plates 24, facilitating seamless integration with upstream and downstream processes (such as inspection, assembly, packaging, etc.), which is conducive to building a compact, modular automated production line.

[0042] Furthermore, the movement trajectory of the centering thumb gripper module 22 is perpendicular to the movement trajectory of the assembly fixture 10. This perpendicular trajectory design allows the centering action and the entry / exit actions of the assembly fixture to be performed independently without interference. For example, while the assembly fixture enters the centering area, the gripper module can begin performing the centering positioning action, thereby achieving parallel and coordinated actions, improving overall work efficiency and positioning accuracy. Moreover, this movement trajectory maximizes the use of equipment space, reduces interference between functional modules, and makes the overall structure more compact, making it suitable for application in space-constrained automated production lines.

[0043] Furthermore, a limiting plate 26 is fixedly provided on one or both sides of the movable plate 24; a buffer elastic element 27 is provided on one side of the movable plate 24 along the moving path of the limiting plate 26, which cooperates with the limiting plate 26 for limiting; when the limiting plate 26 and the buffer elastic element 27 abut, the two thumb drive rods 223 simultaneously extend into the two products in the through hole 11. Through the cooperation of the limiting plate 26 and the buffer elastic element 27, the action of the centering thumb gripper module 22 (i.e., the two thumb drive rods 223 simultaneously insert between the two products) can be precisely triggered when the movable plate 24 moves to the designated position, thereby ensuring the synchronous action of the two gripper modules and improving the symmetry and accuracy of the centering process of the two products. The buffer elastic element 27 (such as a spring, rubber pad, etc.) can play a buffering role when the movable plate 24 contacts the limiting plate 26, effectively absorbing the impact force during the movement, preventing structural damage or product scratches caused by hard collisions, and improving the service life and operational safety of the equipment.

[0044] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A positioning mechanism capable of centering and positioning, characterized in that, The assembly fixture includes an assembly jig for placing multiple products; the assembly jig has multiple through holes along its length for accommodating two products; a positioning reference groove is provided at the center of each through hole between two products; positioning grooves for placing products are symmetrically provided on both sides of the positioning reference groove in each through hole; the positioning mechanism also includes multiple centering units corresponding to each through hole; each centering unit includes a reference rod that aligns with the positioning reference groove, and a centering thumb gripper module that drives two products in the corresponding through hole to move relative to each other into the corresponding positioning groove; adjacent products are finely adjusted by the centering unit to center and position the two products relative to each other.

2. The positioning mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The assembly fixture includes an upper mounting strip, a lower mounting strip, and a locking assembly for locking the upper mounting strip onto the lower mounting strip; the lower surface of the upper mounting strip is provided with a plurality of upper grooves; the upper surface of the lower mounting strip is provided with a plurality of lower grooves corresponding to and communicating with the upper grooves; the upper grooves and the corresponding lower grooves surround each other to form the through hole.

3. The positioning mechanism according to claim 2, wherein The upper mounting strip is provided with a plurality of positioning and pressure-holding modules corresponding one-to-one with the through holes; the positioning and pressure-holding module includes a limiting member corresponding to the positioning reference groove and positioning the two products left and right to prevent them from moving outward from the through holes, and two elastic pressure-holding members respectively disposed on both sides of the limiting member and elastically holding the two products in the through holes.

4. A positioning mechanism according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterised in that, The positioning mechanism also includes a pressing component that presses and fixes the upper mounting strip onto the lower mounting strip.

5. The positioning mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that The pressing assembly includes a pressure plate movably disposed above the upper mounting strip, and a lifting module that drives the pressure plate to move along the Z-axis.

6. The positioning mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The centering thumb gripper module includes two gripping blocks and a dual-actuator drive motor that drives the two gripping blocks to move closer or further apart. Each gripping block has a forward-extending thumb drive rod at its front end. A reference rod is located between the two thumb drive rods. When the two gripping blocks are in position, the two thumb drive rods close together or move closer to each other and are inserted between the two products within the corresponding through-hole via a moving drive. The two products are then driven by the dual-actuator drive motor to push the two thumb drive rods outward relative to each other, thereby centering the two products relative to the positioning reference groove.

7. The positioning mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that The assembly fixture is provided with movable plates on both the left and right sides, and a moving drive to move the movable plates closer to or away from the assembly fixture; the movable plates are provided with a plurality of centering units arranged side by side.

8. The positioning mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, A channel is provided between the two movable plates for the assembly fixture to pass through; the assembly fixture is brought closer to or away from the channel by an external transfer component.

9. The positioning mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The movement trajectory of the split thumb gripper module is perpendicular to the movement trajectory of the assembly fixture.

10. A positioning mechanism according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that A limiting plate is fixedly provided on one or both sides of the movable plate; a buffer elastic element is provided on one side of the movable plate on the moving path of the limiting plate, which cooperates with the limiting plate to limit the movement; when the limiting plate abuts against the buffer elastic element, the two thumb drive rods simultaneously extend into the two products in the through hole.

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