A material transport unit
By introducing a limiting device into the material handling unit to precisely limit the rotation angle of the six-axis robot, the safety hazard of collisions caused by excessive rotation during material handling is solved, thus improving production safety and equipment stability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN KEDING TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing six-axis robots, lacking horizontal rotation limit devices, are prone to collisions with surrounding shelves or materials due to excessive rotation during material handling, posing a safety hazard.
A material handling unit was designed, including a material handling component, a linear guide rail, a sliding plate, and a limiting device. The rotation angle of the material handling robot is precisely limited by the limiting strip and the limiting block to avoid collisions.
It effectively avoids collisions between the six-axis robot and surrounding materials, improves production safety and equipment stability, reduces production interruptions and equipment maintenance costs caused by collisions, and enhances the anti-interference capability of the mechanical system.
Smart Images
Figure CN224529939U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material transport device technology, and in particular to a material transport unit. Background Technology
[0002] In modern industrial production, automated and intelligent production models have become the mainstream development trend. Various advanced production equipment and systems have emerged to improve production efficiency, reduce labor costs, and ensure product quality. Six-axis robots, due to their flexibility and practicality, are widely used in material handling, assembly, and other processes. During material handling, six-axis robots are often paired with sliding structures to allow them to move flexibly within a certain range, meeting the production needs of different workstations. This is of great significance for improving the automation level and operational efficiency of the entire production system. Existing technologies have produced many such sliding buffer structures, such as the enclosed ground rail feeding system disclosed in patent number CN202122158060.4. This system includes a ground rail and a sliding plate mounted on the upper end of the ground rail. A drive mechanism is installed on the upper end of the sliding plate to propel it along the ground rail. A cable chain with a wire harness is installed on one side of the ground rail. A six-axis robot can be mounted on the sliding plate. During operation, the drive mechanism drives the sliding plate, enabling the six-axis robot to move along the ground rail, improving robot utilization efficiency and achieving automated production.
[0003] In actual working conditions, when a six-axis robot performs loading and unloading operations, it often needs to rotate its picking end to be perpendicular to the material. However, the aforementioned loading system does not have a limit device for the horizontal rotation of the six-axis robot. This makes it easy for the six-axis robot to rotate out of the safe zone during lateral rotation due to control accuracy and operational errors. Especially in the case of stacked or side-by-side materials, the six-axis robot may collide with surrounding shelves and materials due to excessive rotation, posing a serious safety hazard. Therefore, a material handling unit that can solve the above problems is proposed. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a material transport unit that can effectively solve the aforementioned problems.
[0005] To achieve the above requirements, the technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is as follows:
[0006] A material handling unit is provided, including a material handling assembly, a linear slide rail, a central control panel for controlling the linear slide rail and the material handling assembly to handle materials, and a slide plate slidably mounted on the linear slide rail; the material handling assembly includes a mounting base fixedly mounted on the slide plate, and a material handling robot for handling materials; the picking end of the material handling robot is detachably provided with a gripper assembly for clamping materials; the lower end of the material handling robot is horizontally provided with a mounting plate, and a rotating shaft is vertically provided on the lower surface of the mounting plate, the lower end of the rotating shaft being fixedly rotatably mounted in the mounting base; the lower surface of the mounting plate is also provided with a first limiting block; the upper surface of the mounting base is also provided with a limiting strip, one end of the limiting strip being laterally rotatably mounted on the mounting base, and the other end extending to the rotation trajectory of the first limiting block; both sides of the limiting strip are provided with second limiting blocks to limit the rotation angle of the limiting strip; when the first limiting block pushes the limiting strip to abut against one of the second limiting blocks, the picking end of the material handling robot is perpendicular to the material.
[0007] This utility model discloses a material transport unit, wherein the gripper assembly includes a material detection component, a fixed plate detachably mounted on the picking end of a material handling robot, a first clamping plate and a second clamping plate that are laterally slidably mounted on the fixed plate, and a driving component for driving the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate to move; the fixed plate is provided with a first guide rail and a second guide rail that respectively guide the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate; the movable ends of the first guide rail and the second guide rail are respectively fixedly connected to the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate.
[0008] The present invention discloses a material transport unit, wherein the driving component is a finger cylinder; the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are both L-shaped; the lateral ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are respectively fixedly connected to the two movable ends of the finger cylinder; the longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate extend horizontally forward, and a material clamping area is provided between the two longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate.
[0009] This utility model discloses a material transport unit, which further includes a shelf with multiple material storage positions. A material detection component includes a material identification device for identifying materials, a material position identification device for confirming the material position within a material clamping area, and a material storage position identification device for detecting the material storage status at each storage position. A long, narrow mounting bracket is provided on a fixed plate, with one end of the bracket away from the fixed plate positioned above the material clamping area. The material identification device is mounted on the mounting bracket, with its detection end facing vertically downwards. The material position identification device is mounted on the fixed plate, with its detection end along the longitudinal direction of the first and second clamping plates. The material storage position identification device is located on the transverse end of the second clamping plate, with its detection end facing the material clamping area. The material identification device, material storage position identification device, and material position identification device are all electrically connected to a central control unit.
[0010] This utility model discloses a material transport unit in which the shelf is long and is arranged along the length of a straight slide rail.
[0011] This utility model discloses a material transport unit, wherein the linear slide rail includes a housing with an open top and a slide rail body disposed within the housing; a boss is provided on the bottom surface of the housing, and the slide rail body is disposed on the upper surface of the boss; a rack is provided on the side wall of the boss along the length direction of the housing; a drive motor is provided on the mounting plate, the rotating end of the drive motor is vertically downward and passes through the slide plate and is disposed within the housing; a gear that meshes with the rack is provided on the rotating end of the drive motor, and the drive motor is electrically connected to the central control panel.
[0012] This utility model discloses a material transport unit, wherein a drag chain is provided between two slide rail bodies, and the drag chain is arranged along the length direction of the outer shell; one end of the drag chain near the material handling robot extends out of the outer shell and bends toward the mounting base, and is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the slide plate; a terminal block for electric connection to the material handling robot is provided on the side wall of the mounting base facing the extended end of the drag chain.
[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0014] The material transport unit provided by this utility model precisely limits the horizontal rotation angle of the material handling robot by setting up a mounting base, a limiting strip, a first limiting block, and a second limiting block. This effectively avoids collisions between the six-axis robot and surrounding shelves and materials due to excessive rotation during loading and unloading operations, eliminating safety hazards and providing more reliable safety for personnel and equipment on the production site. It maintains the smooth and orderly production process, reduces production interruptions and equipment maintenance costs caused by collisions, and greatly improves the safety of material transport.
[0015] Secondly, the application of limit devices enhances the anti-interference capability of the entire mechanical system. In complex industrial environments, limiting the lateral swing amplitude of the robot arm reduces equipment vibration caused by external vibrations or operational errors, improving the durability and reliability of the equipment. This stability allows the six-axis robot to maintain efficient and stable operation during material handling between different workstations, providing a more reliable foundation for the production system, contributing to long-term stable automated production, and improving operational stability during material transportation. Attached Figure Description
[0016] 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.
[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view of a material transport unit according to this utility model.
[0018] Figure 2 This is a right view of a material handling component in a material transport unit according to this utility model.
[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A.
[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 BB cross-sectional view.
[0021] Figure 5 This is a front cross-sectional view of a linear slide rail in a material transport unit according to this utility model.
[0022] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a gripper assembly in a material transport unit according to this utility model.
[0023] Figure 7 This is a right view of a gripper assembly in a material transport unit according to this utility model.
[0024] In the diagram: 1. Material handling assembly; 10. Mounting base; 100. Limiting strip; 101. Second limiting block; 11. Material handling robot; 110. Mounting plate; 111. Rotating shaft; 112. First limiting block; 113. Wiring board; 2. Linear slide rail; 20. Slide plate; 21. Housing; 22. Slide rail body; 23. Boss; 24. Rack; 25. Drive motor; 26. Gear; 27. Cable chain; 28. Slider; 3. Gripper assembly; 300. Material identification device; 301. Material position identification device; 302. Material storage position identification device; 31. Fixing plate; 32. First clamping plate; 33. Second clamping plate; 34. Drive component; 35. First guide slide rail; 36. Second guide slide rail; 37. Material clamping area; 38. Mounting frame; 4. Shelf; 40. Material storage position; 5. Central control panel. Detailed Implementation
[0025] 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.
[0026] 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 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.
[0027] "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.
[0028] Furthermore, the terms indicating orientation, such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "upper end," "lower end," and "longitudinal," are all based on the posture and position of the device or equipment described in this solution during normal use.
[0029] 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.
[0030] A preferred embodiment of this utility model provides a material transport unit, such as... Figures 1-7 As shown, the system includes a material handling assembly 1, a linear guide rail 2, a control panel 5 for controlling the linear guide rail 2 and the material handling assembly 1 to handle materials, and a sliding plate 20 slidably mounted on the linear guide rail 2. The material handling assembly 1 includes a mounting base 10 fixedly mounted on the sliding plate 20 and a material handling robot 11 for handling materials. The material handling robot 11 has a detachable gripper assembly 3 for clamping materials at its picking end. The lower end of the material handling robot 11 has a horizontally mounted mounting plate 110, and a vertically mounted rotating shaft 112 on the lower surface of the mounting plate 110. The lower end of the rotating shaft 112... The fixed-axis rotating part is located within the mounting base 10; a first limiting block 112 is also provided on the lower surface of the mounting plate 110; a limiting strip 100 is also provided on the upper surface of the mounting base 10, one end of the limiting strip 100 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 10, and the other end extends to the rotation trajectory of the first limiting block 112; a second limiting block 101 is provided on both sides of the limiting strip 100 to limit the rotation angle of the limiting strip 100; when the first limiting block 112 pushes the limiting strip 100 to abut against one of the second limiting blocks 101, the picking end of the material handling robot 11 is perpendicular to the material.
[0031] In this embodiment, the gripper assembly 3 includes a material detection assembly, a fixed plate 31 detachably mounted on the picking end of the material handling robot 11, a first clamping plate 32 and a second clamping plate 33 both laterally slidably mounted on the fixed plate 31, and a driving member 34 for driving the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33 to move; the fixed plate 31 is provided with a first guide rail 35 and a second guide rail 36 respectively guiding the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33; the movable ends of the first guide rail 35 and the second guide rail 36 are fixedly connected to the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33 respectively.
[0032] The fixed plate 31 is detachably connected to the material handling robot 11 by bolts, allowing users to replace various grippers and adapt to different working conditions by changing different types of grippers, thus having good practicality and versatility.
[0033] In this embodiment, the driving component 34 is a finger cylinder; the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33 are both L-shaped; the lateral ends of the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33 are respectively fixedly connected to the two movable ends of the finger cylinder; the longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33 extend horizontally forward, and a material clamping area 37 is provided between the two longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33.
[0034] In this embodiment, the material transport unit also includes a shelf 4, on which multiple material storage positions 40 are provided; the material detection component includes a material identification device 300 for identifying materials, a material position identification device 301 for confirming the position of materials in the material clamping area 37, and a material storage position identification device 302 for detecting whether materials are stored in the material storage positions 40; wherein, the material identification device 300 is a barcode scanner, the material position identification device 301 is a photosensitive sensor, and the material storage position identification device 302 is an ultrasonic sensor.
[0035] A long, narrow mounting bracket 38 is provided on the fixed plate 31, with one end of the mounting bracket 38 away from the fixed plate 31 positioned above the material clamping area 37. A material identification device 300 is mounted on the mounting bracket 38, with its detection end facing vertically downwards. A material position identification device 301 is mounted on the fixed plate 31, with its detection end positioned along the length of the longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate 32 and the second clamping plate 33. A material storage position identification device 302 is mounted on the transverse end of the second clamping plate 33, with its detection end facing the material clamping area 37. The material identification device 300, the material storage position identification device 302, and the material position identification device 301 are electrically connected to the central control panel 5.
[0036] In the process of handling materials, the material identification device 300, the material location identification device 301, and the material storage identification device are used to identify the material category, production batch, and other information. The material identification device 300 is often marked with a number during the handling process. The material identification device 300 is often marked with a number on the upper surface of the material. Therefore, in this utility model, the detection end of the material identification device 300 is set downwards.
[0037] During operation, the central control unit 5 controls the material handling robot 11 to slide to the designated position on the linear guide rail 2. The material storage position identification device 302 is an ultrasonic sensor, with its detection end facing the material storage position 40 on the shelf 4 and set horizontally. It is used to detect whether the corresponding material is placed on the material storage position 40 on the shelf 4 and transmit the signal back to the central control unit 5. The central control unit 5 controls the material handling robot 11 to move, aligning the material gripping area 37 of the gripper with the material and positioning the material within the material gripping area 37. The barcode scanner is existing technology, used to scan and identify the number on the material. After successful identification, the gripper assembly 3 clamps the material. The material position identification device 301 is a photosensitive sensor, with its detection end set vertically downward. When the material is clamped in place within the material gripping area 37, the detection end of the material position identification device 301 will be blocked by the material. The material position identification device 301 transmits an electrical signal to the central control unit 5 to ensure the stability and accuracy of the material gripping.
[0038] In this embodiment, the shelf 4 is long and narrow and is arranged along the length of the linear slide rail 2. This arrangement of the shelf 4 has the advantages of small footprint and simple operation and easy maintenance when used in conjunction with the linear slide rail 2 assembly.
[0039] In this embodiment, the linear slide rail 2 includes a housing 21 with an open top and a slide rail body 22 disposed inside the housing 21. A boss 23 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 21, and the slide rail body 22 is disposed on the upper surface of the boss 23. A rack 24 is provided on the side wall of the boss 23 along the length direction of the housing 21. A drive motor 25 is provided on the mounting plate 110. The rotating end of the drive motor 25 is vertically downward and passes through the slide plate 20 and is disposed inside the housing 21. A gear 26 that meshes with the rack 24 is provided on the rotating end of the drive motor 25. The drive motor 25 is electrically connected to the central control panel 5. When the material handling robot 11 slides on the slide rail, the central control panel 5 drives the gear 26 to rotate, and the gear 26 meshes with the rack 24 to drive the material handling robot 11 to slide. It has the characteristics of simple structure and reliable operation.
[0040] Please refer to the appendix. Figure 5The boss 23 is elongated and is set along the length of the outer shell 21; there are two bosses 23, which are respectively set on the two opposite inner walls of the outer shell 21. The upper surface of the two bosses 23 is provided with a slide rail body 22 along the length of the boss 23. A slider 28 is slidably mounted on the slide rail body 22. The upper surface of the slider 28 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the slide plate 20.
[0041] In this embodiment, a drag chain 27 is provided between the two slide rail bodies 22. The drag chain 27 is arranged along the length direction of the outer shell 21. One end of the drag chain 27 near the material handling robot 11 extends out of the outer shell 21 and bends toward the mounting base, and is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the slide plate 20. A wiring board 113 that is electrically connected to the material handling robot 11 is provided on the side wall of the mounting base facing the protruding end of the drag chain 27. The wiring board 113 is arranged directly opposite the protruding end of the drag chain 27, and has the characteristics of compact structure.
[0042] 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 material transport unit, characterized in that, The device includes a material handling assembly, a linear slide rail, a central control panel for controlling the material handling of the linear slide rail and the material handling assembly, and a sliding plate slidably mounted on the linear slide rail. The material handling assembly includes a mounting base fixedly mounted on the sliding plate and a material handling robot for handling materials. The material handling robot has a detachable gripper assembly for clamping materials at its picking end. The lower end of the material handling robot has a horizontal mounting plate, and a rotating shaft is vertically mounted on the lower surface of the mounting plate. The lower end of the rotating shaft is rotatably mounted within the mounting base. A first limiting block is also provided on the lower surface of the mounting plate. The upper surface of the mounting base is also provided with a limiting strip. One end of the limiting strip is rotatably mounted on the mounting base, and the other end extends to the rotation trajectory of the first limiting block. Both sides of the limiting strip are provided with second limiting blocks to limit the rotation angle of the limiting strip. When the first limiting block pushes the limiting strip to abut against one of the second limiting blocks, the picking end of the material handling robot is perpendicular to the material.
2. The material transport unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper assembly includes a material detection component, a fixed plate detachably mounted on the picking end of the material handling robot, a first clamping plate and a second clamping plate that are laterally slidable on the fixed plate, and a driving component that drives the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate to move; the fixed plate is provided with a first guide rail and a second guide rail that respectively guide the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate; the movable ends of the first guide rail and the second guide rail are fixedly connected to the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate, respectively.
3. The material transport unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving component is a finger cylinder; both the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are L-shaped; the lateral ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate are respectively fixedly connected to the two movable ends of the finger cylinder; the longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate extend horizontally forward, and a material clamping area is provided between the two longitudinal ends of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate.
4. The material transport unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The material transport unit also includes a shelf with multiple material storage positions. The material detection component includes a material identification device for identifying materials, a material position identification device for confirming the position of materials within the material clamping area, and a material storage position identification device for detecting the storage status of materials in the material storage positions. The fixed plate is provided with a long, narrow mounting bracket, with one end of the mounting bracket away from the fixed plate positioned above the material clamping area. The material identification device is mounted on the mounting bracket, with its detection end facing vertically downwards. The material position identification device is mounted on the fixed plate, with its detection end positioned along the longitudinal direction of the first clamping plate and the second clamping plate. The material storage position identification device is located on the transverse end of the second clamping plate, with its detection end facing the material clamping area. The material identification device, the material storage position identification device, and the material position identification device are all electrically connected to the central control unit.
5. The material transport unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The shelf is long and narrow and is arranged along the length of the linear slide rail.
6. The material transport unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear slide rail includes an outer shell with an open top and a slide rail body disposed within the outer shell; a boss is provided on the bottom surface of the outer shell, and the slide rail body is disposed on the upper surface of the boss; a rack is provided on the side wall of the boss along the length direction of the outer shell; a drive motor is provided on the mounting plate, and the rotating end of the drive motor is vertically downward and passes through the slide plate and is disposed within the outer shell; a gear that meshes with the rack is provided on the rotating end of the drive motor, and the drive motor is electrically connected to the central control panel.
7. The material transport unit according to claim 6, characterized in that, A drag chain is provided between the two slide rail bodies, and the drag chain is arranged along the length direction of the housing; the end of the drag chain near the material handling robot extends out of the housing and bends toward the mounting base, and is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the slide plate; a terminal block for electrical connection with the material handling robot is provided on the side wall of the mounting base facing the protruding end of the drag chain.