An adaptive picking mechanism

Abstract

The application discloses an adaptive material taking mechanism and belongs to the field of automatic equipment, which is used to solve the problem of how to improve the material taking efficiency. The adaptive material taking mechanism comprises a moving frame, an acquisition assembly, a distance measuring device, an elastic element and a moving mechanism. The moving frame comprises at least two mounting portions, and the mounting portions are provided with guide structures; the acquisition assembly is provided on each mounting portion in the same number as the mounting portions, each acquisition assembly comprises an acquisition piece, and the acquisition piece is slidably connected with the guide structure of the mounting portion; the distance measuring device is provided on different acquisition pieces; the elastic element is arranged between the acquisition assembly and the moving frame; and the moving mechanism is connected with the moving frame. When the moving mechanism drives the acquisition piece to move towards the product, products with different heights will first contact the corresponding acquisition pieces, and when the acquisition piece continues to move, the elastic element is compressed, so that at least two acquisition pieces can adapt to products with different heights and are at different heights to obtain products with different heights.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated equipment, and in particular to an adaptive material handling mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated production, the material handling mechanism is a key component for realizing the automatic grasping and transfer of products, and its performance directly affects the operating efficiency of the entire production equipment.

[0003] Existing material handling mechanisms have significant limitations in the automatic product gripping process. In actual production, products are typically placed in batches, and the height at which they are placed often varies. As a result, existing material handling mechanisms can only perform the gripping action on one acupoint (i.e., the product placement position) at a time.

[0004] In today's increasingly demanding production speed environment, this single-cavity material handling method severely restricts the equipment's working efficiency, becoming a bottleneck in improving production efficiency. Specifically, when production tasks are urgent and the equipment needs to quickly complete product grabbing and transfer to achieve high output, the single-cavity material handling mechanism can only handle one product at a time, failing to fully utilize the equipment's working cycle, resulting in a slow overall production pace and making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale, high-efficiency production.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0007] This application provides an adaptive material handling mechanism that can solve the problem of low material handling efficiency in the prior art.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0010] An adaptive material handling mechanism is provided, the adaptive material handling mechanism comprising:

[0011] A movable frame, the movable frame including at least two mounting parts, the mounting parts being provided with a guide structure;

[0012] The number of acquisition components is the same as the number of mounting parts, and each acquisition component is disposed in each mounting part. Each acquisition component includes an acquisition element, and the acquisition element is slidably connected to the guide structure of the mounting part.

[0013] At least two ranging devices are respectively installed on different acquisition components to detect the distance between each acquisition component and the product;

[0014] An elastic element is disposed between the acquisition component and the movable frame;

[0015] A moving mechanism, connected to the moving frame, is used to drive the moving frame to move and to drive the acquiring component to move toward the product direction to acquire the product;

[0016] When the moving mechanism drives the acquiring component to move toward the product, products of different heights will first come into contact with the corresponding acquiring component. As the acquiring component continues to move, the elastic element is compressed, so that at least two acquiring components can adapt to products of different heights and be at different heights to acquire products of different heights.

[0017] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the acquiring component further includes a driving mechanism, which is disposed on the mounting portion and connected to the acquiring component, for driving the acquiring component to move up and down to adjust the height of the acquiring component.

[0018] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the guiding structure is a guide sleeve, the acquiring component is provided with a guide rod, and the guide rod is slidably connected to the guide sleeve.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the acquiring component is provided with a connecting plate, the connecting plate is fixedly disposed at the bottom end of the guide rod, and the acquiring member is disposed at the bottom end of the connecting plate; the elastic element is a compression spring, the compression spring is sleeved on the guide rod and located between the connecting plate and the mounting part, and the compression spring is compressed when the acquiring member contacts products of different heights and continues to move.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the ranging device is an ultrasonic ranging sensor and is disposed on the connecting plate.

[0021] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the number of ranging devices is the same as the number of acquiring components, and each ranging device is respectively disposed on the corresponding acquiring component for detecting the distance between each acquiring component and the product.

[0022] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the material handling component is a suction cup.

[0023] According to at least one embodiment of the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application, the moving mechanism is a robotic arm.

[0024] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application include at least the following:

[0026] The adaptive material handling mechanism of this application mainly consists of a moving frame, a material handling component, a distance measuring device, an elastic element, and a moving mechanism. The moving frame has at least two mounting sections, each with a guide structure. The number of material handling components is the same as the number of mounting sections, each mounted on a separate mounting section, and their material handling parts are slidably connected to the guide structure of the mounting section. The distance measuring device is mounted on different material handling parts and is used to detect the distance between the material handling part and the product. The elastic element is located between the material handling components and the moving frame. The moving mechanism is connected to the moving frame and can drive the moving frame to move, as well as drive the material handling parts to move towards the product. When the moving mechanism drives the material handling parts to move towards the product, products of different heights will first contact the corresponding material handling parts. As the material handling parts continue to move, the elastic element is compressed, allowing at least two material handling parts to adapt to products of different heights and thus be positioned at different heights, thereby handling products of different heights. The adaptive material handling mechanism of this application has at least two material handling components, each with a material handling part, which can correspond to products at different acupoints. Theoretically, it can perform material handling operations on multiple products simultaneously, overcoming the limitations of single-acupoint material handling. Meanwhile, the adaptive material handling mechanism of this application utilizes elastic elements and slidably connected picking components. When the moving mechanism drives the picking component to move towards the product, products of different heights first contact the corresponding picking components. As the picking component continues to move, the elastic element is compressed, allowing the picking component to adapt to products of different heights, thus achieving the picking of products of different heights. This adaptive height method enables the mechanism to handle products of different heights simultaneously, eliminating the need for picking products one by one due to differences in product height, as is the case with existing technologies. This greatly improves material handling efficiency and meets the needs of large-scale, high-efficiency production. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a first-view perspective perspective view of the adaptive material handling mechanism in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the adaptive material handling mechanism from a second viewpoint in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 This is the front view of the adaptive material handling mechanism in the embodiments of this application.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 1. Movable frame; 11. Guide structure; 111. Guide sleeve; 12. Mounting part;

[0033] Acquire component 2, acquire part 21, drive mechanism 22, guide rod 23, connecting plate 24;

[0034] Distance measuring device 3;

[0035] Elastic element 4;

[0036] Mobile mechanism 5.

[0037] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0039] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0040] When a component is referred to as being "on" or "above" another component, "connected to," or "joined to" another component, the component may be directly on, directly connected to, or directly joined to the other component, or there may be intermediate components. However, when a component is referred to as being "directly on" another component, "directly connected to," or "directly joined to" another component, there are no intermediate components. Therefore, the term "connection" can refer to a physical connection, an electrical connection, etc., and may or may not have intermediate components.

[0041] For descriptive purposes, this disclosure may use spatial relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “down,” “above,” “above,” “higher,” and “side (e.g., in a “sidewall”)” to describe the relationship between one component and another component as shown in the accompanying drawings. In addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings, the spatial relative terms are also intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use, operation, and / or manufacture. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, a component described as “below” or “under” another component or feature would subsequently be positioned “above” said other component or feature. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both “above” and “below” orientations. Furthermore, the device may be otherwise positioned (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), thus interpreting the spatial relative descriptive terms used herein accordingly.

[0042] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well. Furthermore, when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” and variations thereof are used in this specification, it indicates the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, parts, components, and / or groups thereof, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, parts, components, and / or groups thereof. It should also be noted that, as used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and other similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than as terms of degree, thus explaining the inherent biases in measurements, calculated values, and / or provided values ​​that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0043] There is an urgent need in this field to develop a mechanism that can simultaneously pick up material from two cavities to significantly improve the material picking speed; can also realize single-cavity material picking operation according to actual production needs; and can also adapt to situations where the product heights of the two cavities are different, ensuring that the material picking task can be completed stably, accurately, and efficiently under various complex working conditions, thereby achieving true adaptive material picking.

[0044] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this embodiment provides an adaptive material handling mechanism.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a first-view perspective perspective view of the adaptive material handling mechanism in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the adaptive material handling mechanism from a second viewpoint in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 This is the front view of the adaptive material handling mechanism in the embodiments of this application.

[0046] See Figures 1 to 3As shown, the adaptive material handling mechanism of this embodiment includes: a moving frame 1, a material handling component 2, a distance measuring device 3, an elastic element 4, and a moving mechanism 5.

[0047] The mobile frame 1 serves as the mounting base for the acquisition component 2 and includes at least two mounting parts 12 for mounting the acquisition component 2. Each mounting part 12 is provided with a guide structure 11 for guiding the acquisition component 2.

[0048] The number of acquisition components 2 is the same as the number of mounting parts 12, and they are respectively set in each mounting part 12. Each acquisition component 2 includes an acquisition element 21, which is slidably connected to the guide structure 11 of the mounting part 12 so as to move up and down relative to the moving frame 1.

[0049] At least two ranging devices 3 are provided, each disposed on a different acquiring component 21, for detecting the distance between each acquiring component 21 and the product. It can be understood that a ranging device 3 can detect the height of only one acquiring component 21, or it can simultaneously detect the height of at least two acquiring components 21 that move synchronously and are at the same height.

[0050] The elastic element 4 is disposed between the acquisition component 2 and the moving frame 1, and can be an elastic element such as a spring or a rubber ring.

[0051] The moving mechanism 5 is connected to the moving frame 1 and is used to drive the moving frame 1 to move and drive the acquiring component 21 to move in the product direction to acquire the product.

[0052] When the moving mechanism 5 drives the acquisition component 21 to move toward the product direction, products of different heights will first come into contact with the corresponding acquisition component 21. As the acquisition component 21 continues to move, the elastic element 4 is compressed, so that at least two acquisition components 21 can adapt to products of different heights and be at different heights to acquire products of different heights.

[0053] To adjust the initial height of the acquiring component 21, the acquiring assembly 2 also includes a drive mechanism 22. The drive mechanism 22 is located on the mounting part 12 and connected to the acquiring component 21, used to drive the acquiring component 21 to move up and down, thereby adjusting its height. The drive mechanism 22 can be a linear drive unit such as an existing cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or lead screw module. Its main body is fixed to the mounting part 12, and its drive end is located on the acquiring component 21. When the height of the acquiring component 21 needs to be adjusted, the drive mechanism 22 is activated, using its own power output to drive the acquiring component 21 to move up and down along the guide structure 11, thus achieving precise adjustment of the height of the acquiring component 21. This further enhances the flexibility and precision of the height adjustment of the acquiring component 21. In addition to relying on the elastic element 4 to adapt to products of different heights, the drive mechanism 22 can also actively and precisely adjust the height of the acquiring component 21 to better adapt to various complex product placement situations and material handling requirements, improving the accuracy and success rate of material handling. Simultaneously, when the moving mechanism 5 only has a horizontal movement function, the drive mechanism 22 can also serve as a power source to drive the acquiring component 21 to press down on the product to acquire it.

[0054] In one embodiment of the aforementioned guide structure 11, the guide structure 11 is a guide sleeve 111, and the acquiring component 2 is provided with a guide rod 23, which is slidably connected to the guide sleeve 111. When the acquiring component 21 moves under the action of the moving mechanism 5 or the driving mechanism 22, the guide rod 23 slides within the guide sleeve 111, providing precise guidance for the movement of the acquiring component 21 and ensuring that the acquiring component 21 can only move along the axial direction of the guide sleeve 111 without deviation.

[0055] In another embodiment of the above-mentioned guide structure 11, the guide structure 11 is a guide rail, and the acquisition component 2 is provided with a slider that is adapted and connected to the guide rail.

[0056] Furthermore, the acquiring component 2 is equipped with a connecting plate 24, which is fixedly mounted on the bottom end of the guide rod 23. The acquiring component 21 is mounted on the bottom end of the connecting plate 24. The elastic element 4 is a compression spring, which is sleeved on the guide rod 23 and located between the connecting plate 24 and the mounting part 12. When the acquiring component 21 contacts products of different heights and continues to move, the compression spring is compressed, and the spring undergoes elastic deformation, providing the acquiring component 21 with buffering and the ability to adapt to different heights. The design of the connecting plate 24 facilitates the installation and fixing of the acquiring component 21, making the connection between the acquiring component 21 and the guide rod 23 more stable. As an elastic element 4, the compression spring can effectively buffer the impact force when the acquiring component 21 contacts the product, protecting the product and the acquiring component 21 from damage. At the same time, through the elastic deformation of the compression spring, the acquiring component 21 can adapt to products of different heights, improving the versatility and adaptability of the picking mechanism.

[0057] The aforementioned ranging device 3 can be an ultrasonic ranging sensor, mounted on the connecting plate 24. When the ultrasonic ranging sensor is working, it emits ultrasonic waves towards the product. The ultrasonic waves are reflected back after encountering the product. The sensor receives the reflected waves and calculates the time difference between emission and reception. Based on the speed of ultrasonic waves in air, it calculates the distance between the acquiring component 21 and the product. The ultrasonic ranging sensor has advantages such as high measurement accuracy, fast response speed, and non-contact measurement. Mounted on the connecting plate 24, it accurately measures the distance between the acquiring component 21 and the product, providing accurate distance information for the moving mechanism 5 and the drive mechanism 22 to control the movement of the acquiring component 21. This helps achieve precise material handling and improves material handling efficiency and quality.

[0058] For example, the number of ranging devices 3 is the same as the number of acquisition components 2. Each ranging device 3 is respectively set on the corresponding acquisition component 2 and is used to detect the distance between each acquisition component 21 and the product. Each ranging device 3 works independently, detecting the distance between the corresponding acquisition component 21 and the product, and feeding back the detected distance information to the control system. This allows for real-time and accurate acquisition of the distance information between each acquisition component 21 and the corresponding product. The control system can then control the movement of each acquisition component 21 according to the distance of different acquisition components 21, realizing independent material handling operations for products of different heights. This further improves the adaptability of the material handling mechanism to products of different heights and the flexibility of material handling.

[0059] For example, the acquiring component 21 is a suction cup. When the moving mechanism 5 drives the acquiring component 21 close to the product, a negative pressure is formed inside the suction cup through the vacuum system (such as a vacuum pump), thereby generating an adsorption force that firmly adheres the product to the suction cup, thus acquiring the product. When it is necessary to place the product in a designated position, air is injected into the suction cup through the vacuum system to eliminate the negative pressure and separate the product from the suction cup.

[0060] For example, the moving mechanism 5 is a robotic arm. The robotic arm has multiple degrees of freedom and can move flexibly in three-dimensional space. By precisely controlling each joint of the robotic arm through the control system, the robotic arm can perform actions such as movement, rotation, and extension, thereby driving the moving frame 1 and the picking component 21 to the designated product position and completing the picking and placing operations.

[0061] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment / mode," "some embodiments / modes," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment / mode or example is included in at least one embodiment / mode or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / mode or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments / modes or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments / modes or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments / modes or examples.

[0062] 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 at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0063] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make other changes or modifications based on the above disclosure, and these changes or modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An adaptive pick-up mechanism, characterized in that, include: A movable frame, the movable frame including at least two mounting parts, the mounting parts being provided with a guide structure; The number of acquisition components is the same as the number of mounting parts, and each acquisition component is disposed in each mounting part. Each acquisition component includes an acquisition element, and the acquisition element is slidably connected to the guide structure of the mounting part. At least two ranging devices are respectively installed on different acquisition components to detect the distance between each acquisition component and the product; An elastic element is disposed between the acquisition component and the movable frame; A moving mechanism, connected to the moving frame, is used to drive the moving frame to move and to drive the acquiring component to move toward the product direction to acquire the product; When the moving mechanism drives the acquiring component to move toward the product, products of different heights will first come into contact with the corresponding acquiring component. As the acquiring component continues to move, the elastic element is compressed, so that at least two acquiring components can adapt to products of different heights and be at different heights to acquire products of different heights.

2. The adaptive take-off mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The acquisition component further includes a drive mechanism, which is disposed on the mounting part and connected to the acquisition component, for driving the acquisition component to move up and down to adjust the height of the acquisition component.

3. The adaptive takeoff mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The guiding structure is a guide sleeve, and the acquisition component is provided with a guide rod, which is slidably connected to the guide sleeve.

4. The adaptive takeoff mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The acquisition component is provided with a connecting plate, which is fixedly disposed at the bottom end of the guide rod, and the acquisition part is disposed at the bottom end of the connecting plate; the elastic element is a compression spring, which is sleeved on the guide rod and located between the connecting plate and the mounting part. When the acquisition part contacts products of different heights and continues to move, the compression spring is compressed.

5. The adaptive takeoff mechanism of claim 4, wherein, The ranging device is an ultrasonic ranging sensor and is mounted on the connecting plate.

6. The adaptive take-off mechanism of claim 5, wherein, The number of ranging devices is the same as the number of acquisition components. Each ranging device is set on the corresponding acquisition component and is used to detect the distance between each acquisition component and the product.

7. The adaptive takeoff mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The item being acquired is a suction cup.

8. The adaptive takeoff mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The moving mechanism is a robotic arm.

Images