Automatic pick-and-place assembly mechanism for small screws

Abstract

The utility model relates to an automatic material taking and assembling mechanism of small screw belongs to mechanical material taking and assembling technical field, including screw oscillation feeding box, the side of screw oscillation feeding box is equipped with mechanical arm, the mechanical arm is equipped with material taking and assembling subassembly on. Material taking and assembling subassembly includes lift cylinder seat, the upper portion of lift cylinder seat is equipped with lift cylinder, the lower extreme of lift cylinder seat is equipped with material taker, the lift cylinder seat is equipped with the tightening pressure cylinder that drives material taker to displace up and down, the tightening pressure cylinder and lift cylinder are equipped with the tightening pressure cylinder seat that slides along the lift cylinder seat up and down between. Have compact structure, high efficiency and the characteristics of good operating stability. Integrated multiple vibration feeding, multi -axis robot, visual positioning and tightening technology, can snatch four kinds of screw specifications once, and quickly, accurately assemble it to four corresponding positions of work piece, solve the efficiency bottleneck and quality consistency problem of screw assembling link in large -scale production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of mechanical material handling and assembly equipment, specifically to an automatic material handling and assembly mechanism for small screws. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional manufacturing industries such as electronics, home appliances, and toys, the assembly of small screws is usually done manually. This method suffers from inefficiency, high labor intensity, and is prone to problems such as omissions, incorrect assembly, or inconsistent tightening torque due to fatigue, affecting the stability of product quality. Although some automated equipment exists, it is often complex in structure, expensive, or has poor adaptability to screws, making it difficult to meet the flexible production needs of multi-variety, small-batch production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing an automated screw assembly mechanism that features a compact structure, high efficiency, and stable operation. Integrating multi-channel vibration feeding, multi-axis robotics, vision positioning, and tightening technology, it can simultaneously pick up four screw sizes and quickly and accurately assemble them into four corresponding positions on the workpiece, thus solving the efficiency bottleneck and quality consistency issues in screw assembly during large-scale production.

[0004] The above-mentioned technical problems of this utility model are mainly solved by the following technical solutions: An automatic screw assembly mechanism includes a screw oscillating feed box with a robotic arm on its side. The robotic arm has a screw assembly assembly component. The screw assembly assembly includes a lifting cylinder base, a lifting cylinder on its upper part, a screw feeder at its lower end, and a tightening cylinder on the lifting cylinder base to drive the screw feeder's vertical movement. A tightening cylinder seat slides along the lifting cylinder base between the tightening cylinder and the lifting cylinder.

[0005] Preferably, the material handler includes a material handling slide, which is provided with several vacuum spring material handling tubes of various specifications. The material handling slide is also provided with several vacuum connectors that correspond one-to-one with the vacuum spring material handling tubes. The lower part of the lifting cylinder seat is provided with a transverse cylinder for driving the material handling slide to move laterally.

[0006] Preferably, the robotic arm is provided with several feeding assemblies connected to the screw vibrating feeding box. Each feeding assembly includes a feeding frame with a pair of discharge troughs extending into the screw vibrating feeding box.

[0007] Preferably, the discharge trough is provided with a front pushing plate on its side, and a front pushing cylinder is provided at the rear end of the front pushing plate to drive the front pushing plate to move back and forth. The discharge trough is provided with a side pushing plate at its front end, and a side pushing cylinder is provided on the side of the side pushing plate to drive the side pushing plate to move left and right.

[0008] Preferably, the robotic arm includes a robotic arm base frame, with a rotating arm I at the upper end of the robotic arm base frame, and a rotary motor I is provided between the front end of the rotating arm I and the lifting cylinder seat.

[0009] Preferably, a rotary motor II is provided between the rotary arm I and the mechanical arm base frame, and a rotary arm II is provided between the rotary motor II and the rotary arm I.

[0010] Through the coordinated operation of two rotary motors, the robotic arm can achieve a wide range of horizontal (XY plane) movements and accurately deliver the picking and assembly components to the picking point and multiple different assembly points.

[0011] Preferably, the tightening cylinder has a guide rod that is slidably connected to the tightening cylinder seat on its side, and a spring that is connected to the guide rod is provided at the lower end of the tightening cylinder seat.

[0012] Preferably, an industrial camera is installed on the side of the lifting cylinder seat. Before material handling, the industrial camera can photograph the position of the screws on the feeding track for precise positioning; before assembly, the industrial camera can photograph the position of the screw holes on the workpiece to guide the robotic arm for precise alignment, greatly improving the success rate and accuracy of assembly.

[0013] This invention can achieve the following effects: This invention provides an automatic screw assembly mechanism, which, compared with existing technologies, features a compact structure, high efficiency, and good operational stability. It integrates multi-channel vibration feeding, multi-axis robotics, vision positioning, and tightening technology, enabling it to simultaneously pick up four screw sizes and quickly and accurately assemble them into four corresponding positions on the workpiece. This solves the efficiency bottleneck and quality consistency issues in screw assembly during large-scale production.

[0014] High precision and high reliability: Combining industrial camera vision positioning and two-stage push feeding ensures sub-millimeter accuracy in material handling and assembly. The floating spring design of the tightening cylinder effectively compensates for positioning errors and prevents overpressure or damage.

[0015] High efficiency: The multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm enables rapid and wide-range movement, and the vacuum material handling and automatic tightening processes are quick, greatly improving the assembly cycle time.

[0016] High flexibility: The feeder can be equipped with vacuum feed tubes of various specifications, and the robotic arm has a wide range of motion, which can easily adapt to different types of screws and different assembly stations, and is convenient for production changeover and adjustment.

[0017] Compact structure and high integration: It integrates functions such as material picking, conveying, positioning and tightening into a single automated system, reducing the equipment footprint and system complexity.

[0018] High degree of automation: It realizes a fully automated process from material supply to finished product, without the need for manual intervention, reducing labor costs and ensuring the consistency of product quality. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a frontal three-dimensional view of the structure of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of the structure of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a rear-view perspective view of the structure of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding component in this utility model.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the material handling and assembly component in this utility model.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Robotic arm; 2. Screw oscillating feeding box; 3. Material handling assembly; 4. Feeding assembly; 5. Tightening cylinder; 6. Tightening cylinder seat; 7. Lifting cylinder; 8. Rotary motor I; 9. Lifting cylinder seat; 10. Rotary arm I; 11. Rotary arm II; 12. Rotary motor II; 13. Robotic arm base frame; 14. Material handling device; 15. Industrial camera; 16. Lateral movement cylinder; 17. Material handling slide; 18. Vacuum spring material handling tube; 19. Vacuum connector; 20. Spring; 21. Guide rod; 22. Feeder frame; 23. Discharge chute; 24. Front push cylinder; 25. Front push plate; 26. Side push plate; 27. Side push cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Example: Figure 1-5As shown, an automatic screw assembly mechanism includes four screw oscillating feeding boxes 2. A robotic arm 1 is mounted on the side of each screw oscillating feeding box 2. Each robotic arm 1 includes a robotic arm base 13, with a rotating arm I 10 mounted on the upper end of the base 13. A rotary motor I 8 is positioned between the front end of the rotating arm I 10 and a lifting cylinder seat 9. A rotary motor II 12 is positioned between the rotating arm I 10 and the robotic arm base 13, and a rotating arm II 11 is positioned between the rotary motor II 12 and the rotating arm I 10. A screw assembly component 3 is mounted on the robotic arm 1, and the screw assembly component 3 includes a lifting cylinder seat 9. An industrial camera 15 is mounted on the side of the lifting cylinder seat 9. The upper part of the lifting cylinder seat 9 is equipped with a lifting cylinder 7, and the lower end of the lifting cylinder seat 9 is equipped with a material picker 14. The material picker 14 includes a material picker slide 17, which is equipped with four vacuum spring material picker tubes 18 of different specifications. The material picker slide 17 is equipped with four vacuum connectors 19 that are connected to the vacuum spring material picker tubes 18 one by one. The lower part of the lifting cylinder seat 9 is equipped with a transverse cylinder 16 for driving the material picker slide 17 to move laterally. The lifting cylinder seat 9 is equipped with a tightening cylinder 5 for driving the material picker 14 to move up and down. Between the tightening cylinder 5 and the lifting cylinder 7, there is a tightening cylinder seat 6 that slides up and down along the lifting cylinder seat 9. The side of the tightening cylinder 5 is equipped with a guide rod 21 that is slidably connected to the tightening cylinder seat 6. The lower end of the tightening cylinder seat 6 is equipped with a spring 20 that is connected to the guide rod 21.

[0027] Two feeding assemblies 4 are provided between the robotic arm 1 and the screw oscillating feeding box 2, and are connected to the screw oscillating feeding box 2. The feeding assembly 4 includes a feeding frame 22, on which a pair of discharge troughs 23 extending into the screw oscillating feeding box 2 are provided. A front pushing plate 25 is provided on the side of the discharge trough 23, and a front pushing cylinder 24 is provided at the rear end of the front pushing plate 25 to drive the front pushing plate 25 to move back and forth. A side pushing plate 26 is provided at the front section of the discharge trough 23, and a side pushing cylinder 27 is provided on the side of the side pushing plate 26 to drive the side pushing plate 26 to move left and right.

[0028] Workflow: Feeding: Screws are poured into the screw vibrating feeding box 2. Under the action of vibration, the screws are sorted along the track and enter the discharge chute 23 of the feeding assembly 4.

[0029] Feeding and positioning: The front push cylinder 24 pushes the screw queue forward, so that the foremost screw reaches the pick-up preparation position. Then, the side push cylinder 27 is activated to push the single screw out from the discharge chute 23 and accurately position it at the pick-up position.

[0030] Visual recognition and material handling: The robotic arm 1 moves, moving the material handling assembly 3 to above the material handling position. The industrial camera 15 takes a picture to confirm the screw position. The lifting cylinder 7 drives the material handler 14 to descend, the vacuum spring material handling tube 18 contacts the screw, the vacuum system is activated, and the screw is attracted.

[0031] Transfer: The lifting cylinder 7 retracts, and the robotic arm 1, through the coordinated movement of rotary motors I8 and II12, quickly moves the material handling assembly component 3, which is attached to the screws, directly above the workpiece to be assembled.

[0032] Assembly positioning: Industrial camera 15 takes another picture to identify the position of the screw holes on the workpiece, and robotic arm 1 makes fine adjustments to achieve precise positioning.

[0033] Pre-compression and tightening: The lifting cylinder 7 drives the feeder 14 to descend, sending the screw to the screw hole. Then, the tightening cylinder 5 is activated, and its piston rod (usually with a screwdriver bit) presses down. Under the buffering effect of the spring 20, the screw is pressed into the hole with constant pressure, while rotating to complete the tightening action.

[0034] Reset: After tightening, tightening cylinder 5 and lifting cylinder 7 rise in sequence, the vacuum system shuts off, and the screws are released. Robotic arm 1 resets and prepares for the next work cycle.

[0035] In summary, this automatic screw assembly mechanism features a compact structure, high efficiency, and good operational stability. Integrating multi-channel vibration feeding, multi-axis robotics, vision positioning, and tightening technology, it can simultaneously grasp four screw sizes and quickly and accurately assemble them into four corresponding positions on the workpiece, solving the efficiency bottleneck and quality consistency issues in screw assembly during large-scale production.

[0036] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0037] In summary, the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present utility model, but the structural features of the present utility model are not limited thereto. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present utility model are covered by the patent scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An automatic screw feeding and assembly mechanism, comprising a screw oscillating feeding box (2), characterized in that: The screw oscillating feed box (2) is provided with a mechanical arm (1) on its side, and the mechanical arm (1) is provided with a material picking assembly (3); the material picking assembly (3) includes a lifting cylinder seat (9), the upper part of the lifting cylinder seat (9) is provided with a lifting cylinder (7), the lower end of the lifting cylinder seat (9) is provided with a material picker (14), the lifting cylinder seat (9) is provided with a tightening cylinder (5) that drives the material picker (14) to move up and down, and the tightening cylinder seat (6) that slides up and down along the lifting cylinder seat (9) is provided between the tightening cylinder (5) and the lifting cylinder (7).

2. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material taker (14) includes a material taker slide (17), which is provided with several vacuum spring material taker tubes (18) of various specifications. The material taker slide (17) is provided with several vacuum connectors (19) that correspond one-to-one with the vacuum spring material taker tubes (18). The lower part of the lifting cylinder seat (9) is provided with a transverse cylinder (16) for driving the material taker slide (17) to move laterally.

3. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm (1) and the screw oscillating feed box (2) are provided with several feeding components (4) that are connected to the screw oscillating feed box (2); the feeding components (4) include a feeding frame (22), and the feeding frame (22) is provided with a pair of discharge slots (23) extending into the screw oscillating feed box (2).

4. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 3, characterized in that: The discharge trough (23) is provided with a front push plate (25) on the side, and a front push cylinder (24) is provided at the rear end of the front push plate (25) to drive the front push plate (25) to move forward and backward. The discharge trough (23) is provided with a side push plate (26) at the front section, and a side push cylinder (27) is provided on the side of the side push plate (26) to drive the side push plate (26) to move left and right.

5. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm (1) includes a robotic arm base frame (13), and a rotating arm I (10) is provided at the upper end of the robotic arm base frame (13). A rotary motor I (8) is provided between the front end of the rotating arm I (10) and the lifting cylinder seat (9).

6. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 5, characterized in that: A rotary motor II (12) is provided between the rotary arm I (10) and the mechanical arm base frame (13), and a rotary arm II (11) is provided between the rotary motor II (12) and the rotary arm I (10).

7. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tightening cylinder (5) is provided with a guide rod (21) that is slidably connected to the tightening cylinder seat (6) on the side, and a spring (20) that is connected to the guide rod (21) is provided at the lower end of the tightening cylinder seat (6).

8. The automatic feeding and assembly mechanism for small screws according to claim 1, characterized in that: An industrial camera (15) is provided on the side of the lifting cylinder seat (9).

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