Gripping mechanism and workpiece transfer device

Abstract

This application discloses a clamping mechanism and a workpiece transfer device. The clamping mechanism includes a movable plate and at least two clamping assemblies arranged along a first direction. Each clamping assembly includes a clamping structure and a driving member. The clamping structure includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member disposed opposite to each other along the first direction. The first clamping member includes at least one first jaw, and the second clamping member includes at least two second jaws, with an accommodating space formed between adjacent second jaws. The driving member is connected to the clamping structure and is used to drive the first and second clamping members to open / close along the first direction to release or clamp the workpiece. Along the first direction, when the first and second clamping members are open, the first jaw of one clamping assembly extends into the accommodating space of the other clamping assembly. This not only avoids interference that occurs when adjacent clamping assemblies clamp workpieces, but also makes the overall structure of the clamping mechanism more compact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of new energy battery production technology, and specifically relates to a clamping mechanism and a workpiece transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of power battery production, the high-density arrangement of battery cells has a significant impact on the structural design of the clamping mechanism. In related technologies, when multiple battery cells are closely arranged in the horizontal direction, the clamping components of the clamping mechanism increase the spacing between adjacent components to avoid spatial interference during the opening and closing of the clamping claws. This results in a larger overall structure of the clamping mechanism, occupying too much production line space. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a clamping mechanism and a workpiece transfer device, which not only avoids interference when adjacent clamping components clamp workpieces, but also makes the overall structure of the clamping mechanism more compact.

[0004] The clamping mechanism proposed in this application includes a movable plate and at least two clamping components mounted on the movable plate, wherein the at least two clamping components are arranged along a first direction;

[0005] The clamping assembly includes:

[0006] The clamping structure includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member disposed opposite to each other along the first direction. The first clamping member includes at least one first gripper, and the second clamping member includes at least two second grippers, with an accommodating space formed between adjacent two second grippers.

[0007] A driving member is connected to the clamping structure. The driving member is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to open / close along the first direction to release or clamp the workpiece.

[0008] Along the first direction, in two adjacent clamping assemblies, when the first clamping member and the second clamping member are open, the first jaw of one of the clamping assemblies extends into the receiving space of the other clamping assembly.

[0009] Optionally, the first gripper includes a first gripping section and a second gripping section connected to the first gripping section, the second gripping section forming a first angle with the first gripping section, and the opening of the first angle facing the second gripper;

[0010] The second gripper includes a third gripping section and a fourth gripping section connected to the third gripping section. The third gripping section and the fourth gripping section form a second angle, and the opening of the second angle faces the first gripper.

[0011] Optionally, the first clamping section and the second clamping section are provided with an anti-slip layer on the side facing the second gripper; the third clamping section and the fourth clamping section are provided with an anti-slip layer on the side facing the first gripper.

[0012] Optionally, the clamping assembly further includes:

[0013] Mounting base, the mounting base being disposed on the driving component;

[0014] An adsorption element is mounted on the mounting base and located between the first clamping element and the second clamping element. The adsorption element is used to adsorb the circumferential surface of the workpiece.

[0015] Optionally, the surface of the adsorption element that contacts the workpiece is curved.

[0016] Optionally, the clamping assembly further includes a guide structure disposed between the movable plate and the driving member, the guide structure comprising:

[0017] A guide rail is connected to the movable plate, and the guide rail is arranged in a vertical direction;

[0018] A sliding member, which is movably disposed on the guide rail;

[0019] The bracket is connected to the sliding member, and the bracket is connected to the mounting base through the driving member. The sliding member moves relative to the guide rail along the vertical direction to drive the bracket to move.

[0020] Optionally, the clamping mechanism further includes a first sensor disposed on the movable plate, the first sensor being used to detect whether the sliding member moves a distance on the guide rail exceeding a preset value.

[0021] Optionally, the bracket has a through hole, and the clamping assembly further includes a support member and an elastic member. The support member is installed in the through hole and connected to the movable plate. The elastic member is sleeved on the support member and located on the side of the bracket closer to the movable plate. The elastic member is in a compressed state.

[0022] Optionally, the clamping assembly further includes a second sensor connected to the drive member, the second sensor being used to detect whether the first clamping member and the second clamping member are clamping the workpiece.

[0023] The workpiece transfer device proposed in this application includes a clamping mechanism and a moving mechanism as described in any of the above embodiments. The moving mechanism is connected to the movable plate of the clamping mechanism, and the moving mechanism is used to realize the movement of the clamping mechanism.

[0024] The clamping mechanism and workpiece transfer device provided in this application embodiment allow the first gripper in two adjacent clamping components to extend into the accommodating space of another component when multiple clamping components grip multiple workpieces arranged along a first direction. This staggered embedding method ensures that the first and second grippers remain complementary during opening and closing, thus avoiding interference caused by the synchronous opening of the first and second grippers of adjacent clamping components. Since the movement trajectory of the first gripper is at least partially confined within the accommodating space, the distance between adjacent clamping components is reduced, making the clamping mechanism more compact and reducing its space occupation on the workpiece production line. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application 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 application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A of the clamping mechanism.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first clamping member and the second clamping member provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the clamping assembly provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective.

[0032] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0033] Clamping mechanism 100, movable plate 10, clamping assembly 20;

[0034] Clamping structure 21, first clamping member 211, first mounting part 2112, first gripper 2111, first clamping section 2111a, second clamping section 2111b, first included angle 2111c, second clamping member 212, second mounting part 2123, second gripper 2121, third clamping section 2121a, fourth clamping section 2121b, second included angle 2121c, accommodating space 2122;

[0035] Drive component 22, mounting base 23, suction component 24;

[0036] Guide structure 25, guide rail 251, sliding component 252, bracket 253, through hole 2531;

[0037] Limiting block 254, support member 26, elastic member 27, second sensor 28, first sensor 30.

[0038] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0041] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0042] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used in this application specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0043] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0044] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A of the clamping mechanism 100. The clamping mechanism 100 provided in this application embodiment includes a movable plate 10 and at least two clamping components 20 mounted on the movable plate 10. The at least two clamping components 20 are arranged along a first direction X.

[0045] The clamping assembly 20 includes a clamping structure 21 and a driving member 22. The clamping structure 21 includes a first clamping member 211 and a second clamping member 212 disposed opposite to each other along a first direction X. The first clamping member 211 includes at least one first gripper 2111, and the second clamping member 212 includes at least two second grippers 2121, with an accommodating space 2122 formed between adjacent two second grippers 2121.

[0046] The drive member 22 is connected to the clamping structure 21. The drive member 22 is used to drive the opening / closing of the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 to release or clamp the workpiece 200. Along the first direction X, in two adjacent clamping assemblies 20, when the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 are opened, the first jaw 2111 of one clamping assembly 20 is embedded in the receiving space 2122 of the other clamping assembly 20.

[0047] The clamping mechanism 100 can be used in a workpiece transfer device to clamp workpieces. The workpiece transfer device may include a drive mechanism, on which a movable plate 10 is mounted. The drive mechanism drives the movable plate 10 to move, which can be horizontal movement, vertical Z-axis movement, or rotation, etc. The drive mechanism may be a robotic arm, etc.

[0048] The movable plate 10 can be made of high-strength aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and high-strength. In actual production, multiple mounting holes can be provided on the movable plate 10, and it can be fixed to the drive mechanism with bolts. On the surface of the movable plate 10, at least two clamping components 20 are arranged in a linear array. To adapt to the clamping mechanism 10, the workpieces to be clamped are also arranged in a linear array along the first direction X.

[0049] Taking workpiece 200 as an example of a battery cell, the clamping assembly 20 is used to clamp the battery cell. There are at least two battery cells, and the spacing between two adjacent clamping assemblies 20 matches the arrangement size of the battery cells. When the battery cells in the first direction X are arranged in sequence, multiple clamping assemblies 20 can move synchronously to achieve efficient clamping and conveying. For example, 14 battery cells are closely arranged along the first direction X at the material handling station. The 14 clamping assemblies 20 of the clamping mechanism 100 are arranged in the same way on the movable plate 10. One clamping mechanism 100 can grab and transport 14 battery cells at a time.

[0050] In some embodiments, multiple battery cell groups are arranged at the material handling station along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction X. Multiple cells in each battery cell group are arranged along the first direction X. To facilitate simultaneous gripping of the cells, multiple gripping components 20 of the gripping mechanism 100 are arranged in the same manner on the movable plate 10, allowing the gripping mechanism 100 to grasp and transport multiple cells at a time.

[0051] For example, three battery cell groups are arranged along the second direction at the material handling station, each group containing six batteries, and the six batteries are arranged along the first direction X. The 18 clamping components 20 of the clamping mechanism 100 are arranged in the same manner on the movable plate 10, and the clamping mechanism 100 can grasp and transport 18 batteries at a time. The batteries include, but are not limited to, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, blade batteries, or irregularly shaped batteries, etc., and are not limited here.

[0052] The driving component 22 includes, but is not limited to, pneumatic fingers and servo motors, etc. When the driving component 22 is activated, it drives the first gripper 211 and the second gripper 212 to move towards or away from each other, thereby opening and closing the grippers.

[0053] The first clamping member 211 may include a first mounting portion 2112, one end of which is connected to the driving member 22 by bolts, and the other end is connected to the first gripper 2111. The second clamping member 212 may include a second mounting portion 2123, one end of which is connected to the driving member 22 by bolts, and the other end is connected to the second gripper 2121.

[0054] Multiple clamping components 20 are arranged along a first direction X, with the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 in each clamping component 20 arranged in an asymmetrical staggered layout. When the clamping members are in the open state, the first gripper 2111 of the clamping component 20 on the left can be inserted into the accommodating space 2122 of the clamping component 20 on the right, thereby reducing the center distance between two adjacent clamping components 20. This layout allows multiple clamping components 20 to work together on the same horizontal plane, simultaneously clamping multiple workpieces, and the clamping structures 21 of two adjacent clamping components 20 will not interfere with each other during the clamping process.

[0055] Based on actual application production, to adapt to different spatial or directional requirements, the clamping structure 21 can support clamping in both the horizontal and vertical Z directions. Taking the workpiece 200 as a cylindrical battery cell as an example, the drive mechanism can control the clamping mechanism 100 to move along the axial direction of the cylindrical battery cell to approach and grasp the battery cell; this clamping method is vertical Z-direction clamping. The drive mechanism can also control the clamping mechanism 100 to move along the radial direction of the cylindrical battery cell to approach and grasp the battery cell; this clamping method is horizontal Z-direction clamping.

[0056] The clamping mechanism 100 and workpiece transfer device provided in this application embodiment allow the first gripper 2111 of two adjacent clamping components 20 to extend into the accommodating space 2122 of the other component during the clamping process of the clamping mechanism 100 gripping the workpiece 200. The staggered embedding method ensures that the first gripper 211 and the second gripper 212 remain complementary during the opening and closing process, thereby avoiding interference caused by the synchronous opening of the first gripper 211 and the second gripper 212 of adjacent clamping components 20. Since the movement trajectory of the first gripper 2111 is at least partially restricted within the accommodating space 2122, the spacing between adjacent clamping components 20 is reduced, making the structure of the clamping mechanism 100 more compact and thus reducing the space occupied by the clamping mechanism 100 on the workpiece production line.

[0057] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 provided in the embodiments of this application. Optionally, the first clamping jaw 2111 includes a first clamping segment 2111a and a second clamping segment 2111b connected to the first clamping segment 2111a. The second clamping segment 2111b forms a first angle 2111c with the first clamping segment 2111a, and the opening of the first angle 2111c faces the second clamping jaw 2121. The second clamping jaw 2121 includes a third clamping segment 2121a and a fourth clamping segment 2121b connected to the third clamping segment 2121a. The third clamping segment 2121a and the fourth clamping segment 2121b form a second angle 2121c, and the opening of the second angle 2121c faces the first clamping jaw 2111.

[0058] In this way, the first gripper 2111 and the second gripper 2121 can form a V-shaped structure. The V-shaped gripper design of the clamping assembly 20 can adapt to workpieces 200 of different sizes. When clamping workpieces 200 of different sizes, the contact points between the outer contour of the workpiece 200 and the first clamping section 2111a and the second clamping section 2111b of the first gripper 2111 will automatically slide along the inclined side. The contact points between the outer contour of the workpiece 200 and the third clamping section 2121a and the fourth clamping section 2121b of the second gripper 2121 will automatically slide along the inclined side, thereby adaptively adjusting to achieve stable clamping of workpieces 200 of different sizes by the clamping assembly 20.

[0059] Please see Figure 3 Optionally, both the first clamping section 2111a and the second clamping section 2111b facing the second gripper 2121 are provided with an anti-slip layer. The third clamping section 2121a and the fourth clamping section 2121b facing the first gripper 2111 are also provided with an anti-slip layer. In this way, the anti-slip layer can increase the friction between the first gripper 2111 and the second gripper 2121 and the workpiece 200, preventing the workpiece 200 from falling off during clamping.

[0060] The anti-slip layer can be made of non-metallic elastic materials, including but not limited to polyurethane, silicone, and Teflon, to increase the coefficient of friction with the surface of the workpiece 200, ensuring that the workpiece 200 will not shift or fall due to slippage during handling. The non-metallic elastic material also prevents damage to the workpiece 200 due to static electricity or leakage during clamping. Furthermore, the anti-slip layer made of elastic material avoids direct contact between the metal surface of the clamping section and the workpiece 200, reducing indentations or scratches on the surface of the workpiece 200.

[0061] In some embodiments, the anti-slip layer may have serrated or wavy anti-slip textures, which can also increase the friction between the first gripper 2111 and the second gripper 2121 and the workpiece 200.

[0062] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping component 20 provided in the embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the clamping assembly 20 provided in an embodiment of this application. Optionally, the clamping assembly 20 further includes a mounting base 23 and an adsorption member 24. The mounting base 23 is disposed on the driving member 22. The adsorption member 24 is mounted on the mounting base 23 and is located between the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212. The adsorption member 24 is used to adsorb the circumferential surface of the workpiece 200. The adsorption member 24 cooperates with the clamping structure 21 to form a composite clamping of the workpiece 200. When one clamping method fails, the other clamping method remains effective, further improving the stability of the clamping assembly 20 in clamping the workpiece 200.

[0063] The adsorption component 24 can be an electromagnetic adsorption module or a vacuum suction cup, etc., and is not limited here. Taking the adsorption component 24 as a suction cup as an example, the clamping assembly 20 may also include a vacuum generator integrated inside the mounting base 23, and the air outlet of the vacuum generator is connected to the suction cup through an air pipe. The vacuum generator removes the air between the suction cup and the surface of the workpiece 200 to form a stable adsorption force, ensuring that the workpiece 200 will not fall off during the transfer process. The suction cup can be made of flexible materials such as silicone, which can fit tightly against the surface of the workpiece 200.

[0064] Optionally, the surface of the adsorption element 24 that contacts the workpiece 200 is curved. When the workpiece 200 is cylindrical or spherical or other curved shapes, the curved design of the adsorption element 24 can better fit the circumferential contour of the workpiece 200, thereby increasing the contact area, improving the reliability of adsorption, and avoiding adsorption failure due to insufficient contact area.

[0065] Optionally, the clamping assembly 20 further includes a guide structure 25 disposed between the movable plate 10 and the driving member 22. The guide structure 25 includes a guide rail 251, a slider 252, and a bracket 253. The guide rail 251 is connected to the movable plate 10 and is arranged along the vertical direction Z. The slider 252 is movably disposed on the guide rail 251. The bracket 253 is connected to the slider 252 and is connected to the mounting base 23 through the driving member 22. The slider 252 moves relative to the guide rail 251 along the vertical direction Z to drive the bracket 253 to move.

[0066] Thus, the guide structure 25 can provide guidance for the clamping assembly 20 in the vertical direction Z, preventing the clamping structure 21 from shifting in the horizontal direction during the clamping process and affecting the clamping effect of the clamping assembly 20.

[0067] The guide rail 251 can be fixedly connected to the movable plate 10 by bolts or welding. The sliding member 252 can be a linear bearing or a slider guide pair that cooperates with the guide rail 251. The sliding member 252 is driven by a linear motor and can move along the guide rail 251 in the vertical direction Z. One end of the bracket 253 is bolted to the sliding member 252, and the other end is connected to the mounting base 23 through the drive member 22, forming a stable force transmission path.

[0068] In actual operation, the drive mechanism first moves the movable plate 10, causing the clamping mechanism 100 to move closer to the workpiece 200. For example, the drive mechanism moves the clamping mechanism 100 along the first direction X to directly above the workpiece 200, and then drives the clamping mechanism 100 to descend to a height close to the workpiece 200. Subsequently, based on the distance between the clamping structure 21 and the workpiece 200, the sliding member 252 can be controlled to move downward along the vertical direction Z, thereby driving the bracket 253 and the clamping structure 21 to move downward synchronously until the adsorption member 24 contacts the circumferential surface of the workpiece 200 for adsorption. At the same time, the drive member 22 controls the opening and closing of the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 to grasp the workpiece 200.

[0069] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism 100 provided in another embodiment of this application. Optionally, the clamping mechanism 100 further includes a first sensor 30 disposed on the movable plate 10. The first sensor 30 is used to detect whether the moving distance of the slider 252 on the guide rail 251 exceeds a preset value. When the moving distance of the slider 252 in the vertical direction Z exceeds the preset value, it can be detected by the first sensor 30. When an abnormality is detected, an emergency stop signal is immediately triggered, and the user can promptly troubleshoot the clamping mechanism 100 based on the emergency stop signal.

[0070] The first sensor 30 can be a high-precision photoelectric sensor or a proximity sensor, and is fixedly mounted on the movable plate 10. Taking the photoelectric sensor as an example, the photoelectric sensor includes a transmitter and a receiver, which are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the movable plate 10 along the first direction X. The transmitter continuously emits infrared light, and the receiver is always ready to capture the light signal.

[0071] Under normal operating conditions, the light from the photoelectric sensor can smoothly travel from the transmitter to the receiver. However, when the clamping assembly 20 malfunctions, the sliding member 252 will move beyond the preset value. The sliding member 252 will move into the optical path between the transmitter and receiver of the photoelectric sensor, blocking the infrared light. The receiver of the photoelectric sensor will not receive the light, thus detecting that the sliding member 252 has moved beyond the preset value on the guide rail 251.

[0072] During the downward movement of the clamping structure 21 to clamp the workpiece 200, if the downward stroke of the sliding member 252 driving the clamping structure 21 exceeds the normal range, the clamping force or pressure will exceed the design threshold, resulting in overpressure of the clamping assembly 20. When the clamping structure 21 moves downward, if it is not correctly aligned with the workpiece 200 along the first direction X, and the downward stroke of the sliding member 252 driving the clamping structure 21 is too large, it may accidentally press against the surface of the workpiece 200 or other components, resulting in accidental pressure interference of the clamping assembly 20. When the adsorption member 24 has reached the preset adsorption position of the workpiece 200, if the control of the sliding member 252 fails, it will continue to drive the clamping structure 21 downward, exceeding the preset position range. In all three cases mentioned above, the movement distance of the sliding member 252 on the guide rail 251 exceeds the preset value.

[0073] The displacement of the slider 252 is monitored by the first sensor 30. When the displacement of the slider 252 exceeds the preset value, the operator can be promptly reminded to troubleshoot the fault, so as to avoid damage to the workpiece 200 due to abnormal pressure, and at the same time prevent the clamping assembly 20 from being damaged due to continuous abnormal operation.

[0074] Optionally, the guide structure 25 may also include a limiting block 254, which is installed at the bottom of the guide rail 251. The limiting block 254 is used to limit the movement of the slider 252 in the vertical direction Z, so as to avoid damage caused by the clamping structure 21 pressing the workpiece 200 due to excessive displacement of the slider 252.

[0075] Optionally, the bracket 253 has a through hole 2531, and the clamping assembly 20 also includes a support member 26 and an elastic member 27. The support member 26 is installed in the through hole 2531 and connected to the movable plate 10. The elastic member 27 is sleeved on the support member 26 and located on the side of the bracket 253 close to the movable plate 10. The elastic member 27 is in a compressed state.

[0076] The support member 26 is used to constrain the deformation direction of the elastic member 27, so that the elastic member 27 deforms along the length direction of the support member 26, that is, the vertical direction Z, to avoid the positioning deviation of the clamping structure 21 caused by the bending of the elastic member 27.

[0077] When the sliding member 252 moves downward in the vertical direction Z, thereby causing the bracket 253 and the clamping structure 21 to move downward synchronously, the adsorption member 24 contacts the circumferential surface of the workpiece 200 for adsorption. Due to the buffering effect of the elastic member 27, the adsorption member 24 can flexibly conform to the surface of the workpiece 200, automatically adapting to the dimensional deviation or positioning error of the workpiece 200, and avoiding damage to the workpiece 200 from hard collisions. When the clamping assembly 20 accidentally collides with an obstacle, the elastic member 27 can be further compressed to absorb the impact energy, preventing damage to the clamping assembly 20.

[0078] Optionally, the clamping assembly 20 further includes a second sensor 28 connected to the drive member 22, the second sensor 28 being used to detect whether the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 are clamping the workpiece 200.

[0079] During the process of gripping or transferring workpiece 200, the second sensor 28 can detect in real time whether the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 are clamping workpiece 200. If the clamping member is detected to be clamping workpiece 200, the moving mechanism can drive the clamping mechanism 100 to move according to the preset moving path; if the clamping member is detected not to be clamping workpiece 200, the moving mechanism can be paused or the moving path can be adjusted. This effectively avoids the wasted power of the moving mechanism when the clamping member is unloaded, saving power resources.

[0080] The second sensor 28 may include, but is not limited to, a diffuse reflection photoelectric sensor, an infrared sensor, or a pressure sensor, etc. For example, the second sensor 28 may be an optical sensor. When the first clamping member 211 and the second clamping member 212 successfully clamp the workpiece 200, the light signal of the optical sensor will change, thereby realizing detection.

[0081] In addition, the second sensor 28 can also be used to detect whether there is a workpiece 200 at the picking station. During the picking process, when the clamping assembly 20 moves to the picking station under the drive of the moving mechanism, the second sensor 28 can be used to detect whether there is a workpiece 200 at the picking station. If there is a workpiece 200 at the picking station, the sensing signal emitted by the second sensor 28 will be reflected or triggered by the workpiece 200. The second sensor 28 will convert the detected signal into an electrical signal and transmit it to the control system, indicating that there is material at the picking station. The drive unit 22 controls the clamping structure 21 to perform the gripping action. Conversely, if the picking station is empty, the sensor cannot receive the feedback signal, and the control system will determine that there is no material and suspend or adjust the action of the clamping structure 21 to avoid invalid gripping.

[0082] The workpiece transfer device proposed in this application includes the clamping mechanism 100 and the moving mechanism described in any of the above embodiments. The moving mechanism is connected to the movable plate 10 of the clamping mechanism 100 and is used to move the clamping mechanism 100. Since the workpiece transfer device of this application adopts the clamping mechanism 100 described above, it has at least the beneficial effects of the clamping mechanism 100 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0083] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the inventive concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A clamping mechanism, characterized in that, It includes a movable plate and at least two clamping assemblies mounted on the movable plate, wherein the at least two clamping assemblies are arranged along a first direction; The clamping assembly includes: The clamping structure includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member disposed opposite to each other along the first direction. The first clamping member includes at least one first gripper, and the second clamping member includes at least two second grippers, with an accommodating space formed between adjacent two second grippers. A driving member is connected to the clamping structure. The driving member is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to open / close along the first direction to release or clamp the workpiece. Along the first direction, in two adjacent clamping assemblies, when the first clamping member and the second clamping member are open, the first jaw of one of the clamping assemblies extends into the receiving space of the other clamping assembly.

2. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first gripper includes a first gripping section and a second gripping section connected to the first gripping section. The second gripping section forms a first angle with the first gripping section, and the opening of the first angle faces the second gripper. The second gripper includes a third gripping section and a fourth gripping section connected to the third gripping section. The third gripping section and the fourth gripping section form a second angle, and the opening of the second angle faces the first gripper.

3. The clamping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first clamping section and the second clamping section are both provided with an anti-slip layer on the side facing the second gripper; the third clamping section and the fourth clamping section are both provided with an anti-slip layer on the side facing the first gripper.

4. The clamping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The clamping assembly further includes: Mounting base, the mounting base being disposed on the driving component; An adsorption element is mounted on the mounting base and located between the first clamping element and the second clamping element. The adsorption element is used to adsorb the circumferential surface of the workpiece.

5. The clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The surface of the adsorption element that contacts the workpiece is curved.

6. The clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping assembly further includes a guide structure disposed between the movable plate and the driving member, the guide structure comprising: A guide rail is connected to the movable plate, and the guide rail is arranged in a vertical direction; A sliding member, which is movably disposed on the guide rail; The bracket is connected to the sliding member, and the bracket is connected to the mounting base through the driving member. The sliding member moves relative to the guide rail along the vertical direction to drive the bracket to move.

7. The clamping mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism also includes a first sensor mounted on the movable plate, which is used to detect whether the sliding member moves a distance on the guide rail that exceeds a preset value.

8. The clamping mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bracket has a through hole, and the clamping assembly also includes a support member and an elastic member. The support member is installed in the through hole and connected to the movable plate. The elastic member is sleeved on the support member and located on the side of the bracket closer to the movable plate. The elastic member is in a compressed state.

9. The clamping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The clamping assembly further includes a second sensor connected to the drive member, the second sensor being used to detect whether the first clamping member and the second clamping member are clamping the workpiece.

10. A workpiece transfer device, characterized in that, include: The clamping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9; A moving mechanism is provided, which is connected to the movable plate of the clamping mechanism, and is used to move the clamping mechanism.

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