Feeding and discharging device for ferris wheel

Abstract

The application relates to a ferris wheel feeding and discharging device, characterized in that the device comprises a machine box, a driving device and a ferris wheel circulating mechanism, the machine box is hollow inside, and the ferris wheel circulating mechanism is rotationally installed inside the machine box; feeding windows and discharging windows are respectively arranged on the left and right side walls of the machine box; support frames are installed on the front and back sides of the machine box; the ferris wheel circulating mechanism comprises a circulating rotation mechanism and a plurality of material placing mechanisms installed on the circulating rotation mechanism; the two ends of the circulating rotation mechanism are rotationally installed on the support frames on the front and back sides of the machine box; and the driving device is fixedly installed on the support frame on the front or back side of the machine box and is fixedly connected with one end of the circulating rotation mechanism. The application has higher space utilization and can meet the material distribution demand under complex production scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of intelligent manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular relates to a Ferris wheel loading and unloading device. Background Technology

[0002] In the modern automotive manufacturing industry, efficient and precise material handling is crucial for ensuring the smooth operation of the production line. Currently, the automotive assembly process typically employs a multi-warehouse distributed layout, requiring assembly personnel to frequently travel between different warehouses to retrieve parts. This traditional method not only consumes significant time and physical labor but is also prone to human error, leading to incorrect or missed material handling, severely impacting production efficiency and product quality. Furthermore, traditional material warehousing models suffer from low space utilization and slow material turnover, making them ill-suited to the growing demands of intelligent and flexible production in the automotive manufacturing industry.

[0003] While existing automated material handling systems can partially replace manual material handling, they still have many limitations. For example, linear conveyor lines lack flexibility and cannot meet the material distribution needs of complex production scenarios; circular conveyor lines have drawbacks such as large footprint and inconvenient material storage and retrieval, making it difficult to achieve rapid and accurate material positioning and efficient turnover. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new type of material handling device that combines high space utilization, fast conveying efficiency, and convenient operation to solve the pain points of material management in automobile production and promote the development of the automotive manufacturing industry towards intelligence and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems existing in the background art, the present invention provides a Ferris wheel loading and unloading device, comprising: a chassis, a drive unit, and a Ferris wheel circulation mechanism. The chassis is hollow inside, and the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism is rotatably installed inside the chassis. Loading windows and unloading windows are respectively provided on the left and right side walls of the chassis. Support frames are installed on both the front and rear sides of the chassis. The Ferris wheel circulation mechanism includes: a circulation rotation mechanism and multiple material placement mechanisms installed on the circulation rotation mechanism. The two ends of the circulation rotation mechanism are respectively rotatably installed on the support frames on the front and rear sides of the chassis. The drive unit is fixedly installed on the support frame on the front or rear side of the chassis and fixedly connected to one end of the circulation rotation mechanism.

[0005] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects

[0006] This invention addresses the pain points of material management by employing an automated circular conveyor design. This effectively replaces the tedious manual process of frequent back-and-forth retrieving of materials, significantly reducing labor costs and intensity. Simultaneously, it avoids material mis-picking and omissions due to human error, significantly improving production stability and product qualification rates. Furthermore, the Ferris wheel-like circular mechanism achieves continuous material circulation through circular motion. Compared to traditional linear or circular conveyor lines, it offers higher space utilization, enabling efficient turnover of large quantities of materials within limited factory space and meeting the material distribution needs of complex production scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a front view of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0008] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention from the rear.

[0009] Figure 3 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the driving device of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the present invention after the chassis shell has been removed;

[0011] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure after the chassis shell of the present invention has been removed.

[0012] The labels for the attached figures are as follows:

[0013] 1. Chassis; 11. Loading window; 12. Unloading window; 13. Support frame; 131. Bearing seat; 132. Bearing sleeve; 133. Bearing; 2. Drive unit; 3. Ferris wheel circulation mechanism; 31. Circulating rotation mechanism; 311. Rotating drum; 312. Front turntable; 313. Rear turntable; 314. Front connecting shaft; 315. Rear connecting shaft; 316. Front window; 317. Rear window; 32. Material placement mechanism; 321. Connecting pipe; 322. Placement seat; 323. Material placement box; 324. Connecting ear plate; 4. Motor; 5. Safety light curtain. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0015] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are schematic diagrams, not actual pictures. They should not be construed as limiting the invention. To better illustrate the embodiments of the invention, some parts in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual product dimensions. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0016] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention 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, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0017] Please see Figures 1-5 This invention provides a Ferris wheel loading and unloading device, comprising: a housing 1, a drive device 2, and a Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3. The housing 1 is hollow inside, and the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3 is rotatably installed inside the housing 1. Loading windows 11 and unloading windows 12 are respectively provided on the left and right side walls of the housing 1. Support frames 13 are installed on both the front and rear sides of the housing 1. The Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3 includes: a circulation rotation mechanism 31 and multiple material placement mechanisms 32 installed on the circulation rotation mechanism 31. The two ends of the circulation rotation mechanism 31 are rotatably installed on the support frames 13 on the front and rear sides of the housing 1. The drive device 2 is fixedly installed on the support frame 13 on the front or rear side of the housing 1 and is fixedly connected to one end of the circulation rotation mechanism 31.

[0018] In this embodiment, the operator places the parts to be assembled onto the material placement mechanism 32 through the loading window 11 on the left side of the chassis 1. After the drive device 2 is started, it drives the circulating rotation mechanism 31 to rotate, causing the material placement mechanism 32, which contains materials, to move in a circle along the trajectory of the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3. When the material placement mechanism 32 rotates to the unloading window 12 on the right side of the chassis 1, the assembly personnel can quickly remove the required parts and complete the engine assembly process. This design greatly improves production efficiency. Compared with the traditional method of frequently going back and forth between multiple material bins to retrieve parts, multiple material placement mechanisms 32 can simultaneously carry different types of parts, realizing the orderly circulation supply of multiple materials, avoiding the material confusion problem that may occur when manually retrieving parts, and improving assembly accuracy and product quality. The Ferris wheel circulation mechanism realizes continuous circulation of materials through circular motion. Compared with traditional linear or circular conveyor lines, its space utilization rate is higher, and it can complete the efficient turnover of a large number of materials in a limited factory space, meeting the material distribution needs in complex production scenarios. The support frames 13 on the front and rear sides of the chassis 1 provide stable support for the circulating rotation mechanism 31, ensuring smooth operation of the device, reducing the risk of material falling due to equipment shaking, effectively reducing material loss, and further improving production efficiency.

[0019] Preferably, the circulating rotation mechanism 31 includes: a rotating drum 311, a front turntable 312, a rear turntable 313, a front connecting shaft 314, and a rear connecting shaft 315; the front turntable 312 and the rear turntable 313 are respectively fixedly installed at both ends of the rotating drum 311; one end of the front connecting shaft 314 is fixedly connected to the front of the front turntable 312; a front window 316 and a rear window 317 are respectively provided on the front and rear side walls of the chassis 1; the other end of the front connecting shaft 314 passes through the front window 316 and is rotatably installed on the support frame 13 on the front side of the chassis 1; one end of the rear connecting shaft 315 is fixedly connected to the rear of the rear turntable 313; the other end of the rear connecting shaft 315 passes through the rear window 317 and is rotatably installed on the support frame 13 on the rear side of the chassis 1.

[0020] In this embodiment, the front turntable 312 and the rear turntable 313 securely connect the rotating drum 311. After the operator places the parts into the material placement mechanism 32, the drive device 2 drives the front connecting shaft 314 to rotate. The front connecting shaft 314 is linked with the front turntable 312, thereby driving the rotating drum 311 and the rear turntable 313 to rotate synchronously, so that the material is circulated and conveyed along a predetermined circumferential trajectory. Since the front connecting shaft 314 passes through the front window 316 on the front side of the housing 1 and is rotatably connected to the front support frame 13, and the rear connecting shaft 315 passes through the rear window 317 and is connected to the rear support frame 13, a stable rotational support structure is formed, which can maintain smooth operation. When the material placement mechanism 32 containing parts rotates to the unloading window 12, the assembly personnel can quickly pick them up and complete the seat assembly process. This structural design brings multiple advantages. First, the combination of the front turntable 312, the rear turntable 313, and the rotating drum 311 enhances the overall rigidity of the circulating rotation mechanism 31. Compared with a single rotating component, it can bear a heavier material load and adapt to the conveying needs of different weight parts in automobile production. Second, the front connecting shaft 31 and the rear connecting shaft 315 are connected to the support frame 13 through the windows on the front and rear sides of the housing 1, forming a double-support point, which effectively reduces the radial runout when the rotating drum 311 rotates, ensuring that the material placement mechanism 32 accurately stops at the unloading window 12. Third, the setting of the front window 316 and the rear window 317 facilitates the daily maintenance and repair of the circulating rotation mechanism 31 by the staff, reduces the difficulty of troubleshooting equipment failures and maintenance costs, and ensures the continuous and stable operation of the automobile production line.

[0021] Preferably, the drive device 2 includes: a motor 4, the base of which is fixedly mounted on the support frame 13 on the front or rear side of the housing 1; the rotating shaft of the motor 4 is fixedly connected to the other end of the front connecting shaft 315 or the rear connecting shaft 314.

[0022] Preferably, bearing seats 131 are fixedly installed on the support frames 13 on the front and rear sides of the chassis 1; bearing sleeves 132 are fixedly installed on the bearing seats 131; bearings 133 are installed inside the bearing sleeves 132, and the outer circumferential side of the bearings 133 is fixedly connected to the bearing sleeves 132; the inner circumferential side of the bearings 133 is fixedly connected to the outer circumferential side of the front connecting shaft 314 or the outer circumferential side of the rear connecting shaft 315.

[0023] In this embodiment, when the drive device 2 drives the front connecting shaft 314 to rotate, the front connecting shaft 314 is tightly engaged with the bearing 133 installed in the bearing seat 131 of the front support frame 13 of the chassis 1. The inner circumferential side of the bearing 133 is fixedly connected to the outer circumferential side of the front connecting shaft 314. As the front connecting shaft 314 rotates, the bearing 133 rolls synchronously within the bearing sleeve 132. The bearing sleeve 132 is firmly fixed on the bearing seat 131, providing a stable operating space for the bearing 133, allowing the front connecting shaft 314 to rotate smoothly and stably, and driving the entire circulating rotation mechanism 31 to operate. Similarly, the rear connecting shaft 315 cooperates with the bearing structure on the rear support frame 13 of the chassis 1 to jointly ensure the smooth circulation of the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3.

[0024] Preferably, the material placement mechanism 32 includes: two connecting pipes 321, a placement seat 322, and a material placement box 323; one end of each of the two connecting pipes 321 is hinged to the front and rear side walls of the placement seat 322 respectively; the other end of each of the two connecting pipes 321 is fixedly connected to the outer side of the front turntable 312 and the rear turntable 313 respectively; and the material placement box 323 is fixedly disposed on the top of the placement seat 322.

[0025] Preferably, the upper part of the placement seat 322 is provided with a material placement groove; the lower part of the material placement box 323 is placed in the material placement groove and is adapted to the material placement groove; the front and rear side walls of the placement seat 322 adopt isosceles triangular connecting ear plates 324; the upper ends of the front and rear side walls of the placement seat 322 are hinged to one end of the two connecting pipes 321.

[0026] In this embodiment, the design of the material placement mechanism 32 makes material transportation safer and more efficient. Two connecting pipes 321 are hinged to the isosceles triangular connecting lugs 324 on the front and rear sides of the placement seat 322, and the other end is fixed to the front and rear turntables, allowing the placement seat 322 to swing flexibly. The material placement box 323 is embedded in the groove of the placement seat 322. When the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism rotates, the speed of the drive device is usually slow in the workshop for safety reasons. Therefore, by using isosceles triangular connecting lugs 324 on the front and rear side walls of the placement seat 322, and by hinged the upper end of the front and rear side walls of the placement seat 322 to one end of the two connecting pipes 321, it can be ensured that when the material placement mechanism 32 is making circular motion, the material placement box 323 always maintains a relatively horizontal state under the action of gravity (there will definitely be some swaying, but its swaying amplitude is small and can be ignored).

[0027] Preferably, the plurality of material placement mechanisms 32 are arranged radially around the front turntable 312 and the rear turntable 313. The multiple material placement mechanisms 32 arranged radially around the turntables can simultaneously support multiple sets of sealing strips, meeting the continuous retrieval requirements of the production line.

[0028] Preferably, the Ferris wheel loading and unloading device further includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the motor 4. In this embodiment, the control device can be an industrial computer, a control panel, etc.

[0029] Preferably, the Ferris wheel loading and unloading device further includes: safety light curtains 5 disposed on the left and right sides of the loading window 11 and the unloading window 12; the safety light curtains 5 are electrically connected to the control device.

[0030] Preferably, the control device is connected to the motor, which can precisely regulate the rotation speed and start / stop of the Ferris wheel's circulating mechanism. Safety light curtains 5 installed on both sides of the loading and unloading windows can send a signal to the control device when personnel or foreign objects enter the hazardous area (inside the chassis 1), causing the control device to stop the motor and prevent accidents, thus providing reliable safety for operators.

[0031] The working process of the device of the present invention is as follows:

[0032] First, the operator selects the parts to be loaded via the control device and starts the drive device 2. The drive device 2 drives the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3 to rotate cyclically, rotating the material placement mechanism (32) corresponding to the parts to the front of the loading window (11). If, during the rotation, the safety light curtain 5 detects foreign objects or personnel entering the loading window (11) or unloading window (12), the control device controls the drive device 2 to stop working and displays an alarm. After the material placement mechanism (32) corresponding to the parts rotates to the front of the loading window (11), the operator selects loading via the control device. At this time, the operator can place the parts into the material placement mechanism (32). After placement, the loading is completed. The operator can repeat the above loading process to load different parts. When the operator is unloading materials, the operator selects the parts to be unloaded through the control device and starts the drive device 2. The drive device 2 drives the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism 3 to rotate in a cycle, rotating the material placement mechanism (32) corresponding to the parts to the front of the unloading window (11). If, during the rotation, the safety light curtain 5 detects that there are foreign objects or personnel entering the loading window (11) or unloading window (12), the control device controls the drive device 2 to stop working and displays an alarm. When the material placement mechanism (32) corresponding to the parts rotates to the front of the unloading window (11), the operator selects unloading through the control device. At this time, the operator can take the parts out of the material placement mechanism (32). After unloading is completed, the operator selects unloading completion. The operator can repeat the above unloading process to unload different parts.

[0033] In summary, this invention addresses the pain points of material management by effectively replacing the tedious manual operation of frequent back-and-forth retrieving of parts through an automated circular conveyor design. This significantly reduces labor costs and intensity, while also preventing material mis-picking or omissions due to human error, thus significantly improving production stability and product qualification rates. Furthermore, the Ferris wheel-like circular mechanism achieves continuous material circulation through circular motion. Compared to traditional linear or circular conveyor lines, it offers higher space utilization, enabling efficient turnover of large quantities of materials within limited factory space and meeting the material distribution needs of complex production scenarios.

[0034] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A Ferris wheel loading and unloading device, characterized in that, include: The machine includes a chassis (1), a drive device (2), and a Ferris wheel circulation mechanism (3). The chassis (1) is hollow inside, and the Ferris wheel circulation mechanism (3) is rotatably installed inside the chassis (1). The left and right side walls of the chassis (1) are respectively provided with a loading window (11) and a unloading window (12). Support frames (13) are installed on both the front and rear sides of the chassis (1). The Ferris wheel circulation mechanism (3) includes a circulation rotation mechanism (31) and multiple material placement mechanisms (32) installed on the circulation rotation mechanism (31). The two ends of the circulation rotation mechanism (31) are respectively rotatably installed on the support frames (13) on the front and rear sides of the chassis (1). The drive device (2) is fixedly installed on the support frame (13) on the front or rear side of the chassis (1) and fixedly connected to one end of the circulation rotation mechanism (31). The circulating rotation mechanism (31) includes: a rotating drum (311), a front turntable (312), a rear turntable (313), a front connecting shaft (314), and a rear connecting shaft (315); the front turntable (312) and the rear turntable (313) are respectively fixedly installed at both ends of the rotating drum (311); one end of the front connecting shaft (314) is fixedly connected to the front of the front turntable (312); a front window (316) and a rear window (317) are respectively provided on the front and rear side walls of the chassis (1); the other end of the front connecting shaft (314) passes through the front window (316) and is rotatably installed on the support frame (13) on the front side of the chassis (1); one end of the rear connecting shaft (315) is fixedly connected to the rear of the rear turntable (313); the other end of the rear connecting shaft (315) passes through the rear window (317) and is rotatably installed on the support frame (13) on the rear side of the chassis (1); The material placement mechanism (32) includes: two connecting pipes (321), a placement seat (322), and a material placement box (323); one end of the two connecting pipes (321) is hinged to the front and rear side walls of the placement seat (322); the other end of the two connecting pipes (321) is fixedly connected to the outer side of the front turntable (312) and the rear turntable (313), respectively; the material placement box (323) is fixedly installed on the top of the placement seat (322).

2. The Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive device (2) includes: a motor (4), the base of which is fixedly mounted on the support frame (13) on the front or rear side of the chassis (1); the rotating shaft of the motor (4) is fixedly connected to the other end of the front connecting shaft (314) or the rear connecting shaft (315).

3. The Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Bearing seats (131) are fixedly installed on the support frames (13) on the front and rear sides of the chassis (1); bearing sleeves (132) are fixedly installed on the bearing seats (131); bearings (133) are installed inside the bearing sleeves (132), and the outer circumferential side of the bearings (133) is fixedly connected to the bearing sleeves (132); the inner circumferential side of the bearings (133) is fixedly connected to the outer circumferential side of the front connecting shaft (314) or the outer circumferential side of the rear connecting shaft (315).

4. The Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The placement seat (322) is provided with a material placement groove on its upper part; the lower part of the material placement box (323) is placed in the material placement groove and is adapted to the material placement groove; the front and rear side walls of the placement seat (322) are made of isosceles triangular connecting ear plates (324); the upper ends of the front and rear side walls of the placement seat (322) are hinged to one end of two connecting pipes (321).

5. A Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of material placement mechanisms (32) are arranged radially around the front turntable (312) and the rear turntable (313).

6. A Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The Ferris wheel loading and unloading device also includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the motor (4).

7. A Ferris wheel loading and unloading device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The Ferris wheel loading and unloading device also includes: safety light curtains (5) set on the left and right sides of the loading window (11) and unloading window (12); the safety light curtains (5) are electrically connected to the control device.

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