A suction cup feeding machine

Abstract

This utility model discloses a suction cup-type unloading machine, including a conveyor, a mounting frame, and multiple suction cup assemblies. Each suction cup assembly includes a cavity body, a piston disc, a column, and suction cups. Multiple cavity bodies are evenly arrayed and mounted on the mounting frame. The piston disc is disposed on the cavity body, slidingly sealing against the inner wall of the cavity body, and dividing the cavity body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The upper chambers are connected to an air source, and the lower chamber is open to the atmosphere. One end of the column is fixed to the piston disc, and the other end is connected to the suction cup. The column has an air passage for penetrating the piston disc; the air passage connects the upper chamber and the suction cup. This utility model aims to solve the technical problem of existing suction cup unloading machines' inability to adapt to curved workpieces, resulting in unstable suction force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material handling machinery technology, and in particular to a suction cup type unloading machine. Background Technology

[0002] A suction cup feeding machine is an automated device that uses vacuum suction cups to grip, transport, and place workpieces such as sheet metal and plates. It offers advantages such as flexible operation, minimal damage to the workpiece surface, and high efficiency. Its working principle involves creating negative pressure within the suction cup through vacuum extraction, using atmospheric pressure to firmly adhere the workpiece, and then transferring it to the designated location via a transport mechanism.

[0003] Existing suction cup feeding machines typically employ rigid mounting or simple spring-cushioned structures for their suction cup assemblies. This structure works well when handling workpieces with flat surfaces. However, the shortcomings of such traditional structures become apparent when dealing with workpieces with curved or uneven surfaces. Specifically, a single suction cup may fail to maintain a tight seal with the curved workpiece surface, leading to air leakage, unstable suction force, and the risk of material falling off. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a suction cup feeding machine that solves the problem that existing suction cup feeding machines are unable to adapt to curved workpieces, resulting in unstable suction force.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A suction cup type unloading machine includes a conveyor, a mounting frame, and multiple suction cup assemblies; the suction cup assembly includes a cavity body, a piston disc, a column, and suction cups;

[0007] Multiple cavity bodies are uniformly arrayed and mounted on the mounting frame;

[0008] The piston disc is disposed on the cavity body and is in a sealing sliding fit with the inner wall of the cavity body, dividing the interior of the cavity body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; the multiple upper chambers are connected to an air source, and the lower chamber is in communication with the atmosphere;

[0009] One end of the column is fixed to the piston disk, and the other end is connected to the suction cup; the column has an air passage that passes through the piston disk; the air passage is used to connect the upper chamber and the suction cup.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the inner wall of the cavity body and the piston disc are combined with a sealing ring and an oil seal.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the lower chamber is connected to the atmosphere via a throttle valve.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the throttle valve is connected to the gas source signal.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, all the upper chambers of the plurality of suction cup assemblies are interconnected and connected to a gas source; all the lower chambers of the plurality of suction cup assemblies are interconnected and connected to a throttle valve.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] This invention utilizes the adaptive upward movement of the piston disc relative to the cavity body, allowing each suction cup assembly to independently adapt to the contour changes of the workpiece surface, ensuring a tight fit between the suction cup and the curved workpiece. Subsequently, by evacuating the connected upper chamber and suction cups using the air source, a stable and reliable vacuum adsorption force is established, effectively solving the problems of unstable adsorption force and easy air leakage caused by rigid installation in the prior art. It utilizes the weight of the piston disc, column, and suction cups for repositioning, eliminating the need for additional complex mechanisms, and achieving both high-efficiency and reliable adsorption while maintaining a clever and practical structure. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model 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 utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc., shown in the accompanying drawings of this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this utility model. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and purposes that this utility model can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this utility model.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the suction cup feeding machine of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view;

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the image;

[0021] Illustrations: 100, suction cup feeding machine; 110, conveyor; 120, mounting frame; 130, suction cup assembly; 131, cavity body; 132, piston disc; 133, column; 134, suction cup; 135, sealing ring; 130a, upper chamber; 130b, lower chamber; 130c, air passage. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the technical objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. It should be noted that when a component is considered to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be a component centrally located at the same time.

[0024] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0025] This utility model embodiment provides a suction cup type feeding machine 100.

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 3 The suction cup feeding machine 100 includes a conveyor 110, a mounting frame 120, and multiple suction cup assemblies 130; the suction cup assembly 130 includes a cavity body 131, a piston disc 132, a column 133, and a suction cup 134.

[0027] Multiple cavity bodies 131 are uniformly arrayed and mounted on the mounting frame 120;

[0028] The piston disc 132 is disposed on the cavity body 131 and is in a sealing sliding fit with the inner wall of the cavity body 131, dividing the interior of the cavity body 131 into an upper chamber 130a and a lower chamber 130b; the plurality of upper chambers 130a are connected to a gas source, and the lower chambers 130b are in communication with the atmosphere;

[0029] One end of the column 133 is fixed to the piston disk 132, and the other end is connected to the suction cup 134; the column 133 has an air passage 130c that passes through the piston disk 132; the air passage 130c is used to connect the upper chamber 130a and the suction cup 134.

[0030] Specifically, in the working state, when the conveyor 110 moves the suction cup assembly 130 to the workpiece via the mounting bracket 120, and the multiple suction cups 134 contact the workpiece, the piston disc 132 can adaptively move upward relative to the cavity body 131. After the piston disc 132 contacts the workpiece, the air source is activated to evacuate the upper chamber 130a, and the workpiece is vacuum-adsorbed by the suction cups 134. Further, driven by the air source, the suction cups 134 release the workpiece. After the suction cups 134 release the workpiece, before returning to the unloading station, the suction cups 134 can reset under the gravity of the piston disc 132, the column 133, and the suction cups 134 themselves, so as to enter the workpiece picking action again.

[0031] It is understood that the technical solution of this embodiment uses the adaptive upward movement of the piston disk 132 relative to the cavity body 131 to allow each suction cup assembly 130 to independently adapt to the contour changes of the workpiece surface, ensuring that the suction cup 134 is in close contact with the curved workpiece. Subsequently, by activating the air source to evacuate the connected upper chamber 130a and suction cup 134, a stable and reliable vacuum adsorption force is established, thereby effectively solving the problem that existing suction cup 134 unloading machines are unable to adapt to curved workpieces, resulting in unstable adsorption force. The technical solution of this embodiment utilizes the self-weight of the piston disk 132, the column 133, and the suction cup 134 to achieve repositioning, without the need for additional complex mechanisms, and is ingenious and practical in structure while ensuring efficient and reliable adsorption.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveying machine 110 mainly functions as a moving component. Its specific implementation can be, but is not limited to, a multi-axis robot, a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate robot, a servo slide module, or a transport trolley. Its function is to drive the entire mounting frame 120 and suction cup assembly 130 to move in three-dimensional space to complete the gripping and placement operations from the unloading position to the unloading position.

[0033] Specifically, in this embodiment, the mounting frame 120 is used to support and fix multiple suction cup assemblies 130. It can be a welded or spliced ​​frame structure, or a spliced ​​support plate. Its function is to provide a stable mounting platform for all suction cup assemblies 130, so that the conveyor 110 can move them as a whole.

[0034] Specifically, the number of suction cup assemblies 130 can be 2, 4, 6, 8 or more. They can be arranged in a matrix or distributed in a ring or other regular geometric array. The main purpose is to keep the mounting bracket 120 as balanced as possible and to better adapt to the curved surface of the workpiece.

[0035] Specifically, the suction cup assembly 130 includes a cavity body 131, a piston disc 132, a column 133, and a suction cup 134; the cavity body 131 is typically a shell capable of forming a sealed chamber. Preferably, the cavity body 131 is a cylindrical cylinder. Further, the outer diameter of the piston disc 132 matches the inner diameter of the cavity body 131, allowing it to slide and seal against the inner wall of the cavity body 131. Optionally, an annular groove is formed on the outer periphery of the piston disc 132 for installing an O-ring seal 135 or a Glyd ring, etc., to divide the interior of the cavity body 131 into two non-ventilated upper chambers 130a and lower chambers 130b.

[0036] Specifically, the upper chamber 130a is the space above the piston disc 132, and it is connected to an air source via a pipe or air passage. The lower chamber 130b is the space below the piston disc 132 and is in communication with the atmosphere. Specifically, it can be made by opening a through hole or connecting an air pipe in the side wall or bottom of the chamber body 131, so that external air can enter and exit the lower chamber 130b.

[0037] Furthermore, the column 133 is connected to the piston disc 132 by welding or threading, and the suction cup 134 is connected to the column 133 by interference fit or by cable ties or clamps. The column 133 has an internal air passage 130c; specifically, the air passage 130c can be formed by drilling or internal pipes. The suction cup 134 is used to contact the workpiece surface. It is typically made of an elastic material. Optionally, the suction cup 134 is made of rubber, silicone, or polyurethane.

[0038] Optionally, the gas source is a vacuum generator used to evacuate the upper chamber 130a, and when the gas source stops evacuating, the gas pressure in the upper chamber 130a is approximately atmospheric pressure.

[0039] Optionally, when the workpiece needs to be released, the air source can be switched to blowing mode to restore the air pressure in the upper chamber 130a.

[0040] In one embodiment of this application, the inner wall of the cavity body 131 and the piston disc 132 are connected by a sealing ring 135 and an oil seal. It is understood that this sealing method, combining the sealing ring 135 and the oil seal, ensures the self-tightening characteristics and low-friction characteristics of the piston disc 132, achieving a reliable and efficient balance between dynamic sliding and sealing between the piston disc 132 and the inner wall of the cavity body 131.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the lower chamber 130b is connected to the atmosphere via a throttle valve (not shown). It is understood that by adding a throttle valve to control the connection between the lower chamber 130b and the atmosphere, the piston disc 132 is optimized for releasing the workpiece. The throttling effect effectively suppresses the rapid descent of the piston disc 132 under gravity, enabling a smooth and shock-free reset. Furthermore, the throttle valve ensures that the air pressure in the lower chamber 130b changes more slowly than the air pressure at the suction cup 134 during workpiece adsorption, thus improving the adsorption effect.

[0042] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, the throttle valve is connected to the gas source signal.

[0043] Specifically, during the adsorption stage, when the adsorption operation begins, the host computer or controller issues a command to start the gas source. Simultaneously, the throttle valve receives a command to close or reduce its opening, which greatly restricts or cuts off the channel connecting the lower chamber 130b to the atmosphere. This, in turn, improves the vacuum efficiency of the upper chamber 130a and the suction cup 134.

[0044] Furthermore, during the reset phase of the suction cup 134, when the workpiece is transported to the target position and needs to be released, the host computer or controller sends a command to the air source to stop vacuuming or switch to blowing air. At the same time, the throttle valve receives a command to open or increase its opening. At this time, the ventilation channel of the lower chamber 130b is opened, allowing external air to enter the lower chamber 130b through the throttle valve.

[0045] In one embodiment, all the upper chambers 130a of the plurality of suction cup assemblies 130 are interconnected and all are connected to a gas source; all the lower chambers 130b of the plurality of suction cup assemblies 130 are interconnected and all are connected to a throttle valve.

[0046] Understandably, the above setup simplifies the gas path structure, reduces costs, and makes maintenance easier.

[0047] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A suction cup type feeding machine, characterized in that, It includes a conveyor, a mounting frame, and multiple suction cup assemblies; each suction cup assembly includes a cavity body, a piston disc, a column, and suction cups. Multiple cavity bodies are uniformly arrayed and mounted on the mounting frame; The piston disc is disposed on the cavity body and is in a sealing sliding fit with the inner wall of the cavity body, dividing the interior of the cavity body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; the multiple upper chambers are connected to an air source, and the lower chamber is in communication with the atmosphere; One end of the column is fixed to the piston disk, and the other end is connected to the suction cup; the column has an air passage that passes through the piston disk; the air passage is used to connect the upper chamber and the suction cup.

2. The suction cup feeding machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the cavity body is connected to the piston disc by a sealing ring and an oil seal.

3. The suction cup feeding machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The lower chamber is connected to the atmosphere via a throttle valve.

4. The suction cup feeding machine as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The throttle valve is connected to the gas source signal.

5. The suction cup feeding machine as described in claim 3, characterized in that, All the upper chambers of the plurality of suction cup assemblies are interconnected and connected to a gas source; all the lower chambers of the plurality of suction cup assemblies are interconnected and connected to a throttle valve.

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