Safety protection device for mechanical arm of injection molding machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses an injection molding machine mechanical arm safety protection device belongs to injection molding machine protection device technical field, including injection molding machine body, its upper mechanical arm body is equipped with, and the transmission belt body is below the mechanical arm, and the transmission belt four around are equipped with protection subassembly. Protection subassembly contains the frame main part that links with injection molding machine, and the side plate is fixed on the frame, and the first, second end plate are separately arranged in the both ends of side plate, and the three are with injection molding machine and enclose transmission belt. The limit switch is fixed on the side plate and both end plate, and the first end plate top and side plate top frame are equipped with first, second grating transmitter and receiver through the connecting plate, and each element is electrically connected with the mechanical arm. When the operating personnel mistake enters the dangerous area, the shielding grating triggers the mechanical arm to stop suddenly, when the inspection and maintenance personnel dismount the side plate or end plate, the limit switch is triggered to make the mechanical arm emergency stop, and the mechanical arm continues to stop suddenly before not resetting, and double protection respectively guarantees the safety of operating and inspection and maintenance personnel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of injection molding machine protection devices, and in particular relates to a safety protection device for injection molding machine robotic arms. Background Technology

[0002] An injection molding machine robot is a mechanical device used to unload materials from an injection molding machine. By using an injection molding machine robot for unloading, the production efficiency of the injection molding machine can be effectively improved.

[0003] During the injection molding process, the robotic arm removes the finished workpiece, moves it directly above the conveyor belt, and then moves vertically downwards to place the workpiece into the conveyor belt. Because the robotic arm's range of motion is open and there are no physical isolation and safety protection measures around it, workers may be injured by the robotic arm moving vertically downwards while observing the output product below the robotic arm or walking nearby.

[0004] The robotic arm of an injection molding machine is usually located on the machine. The robotic arm has a large vertical range of motion, and the required vertical safety protection height is generally between 2m and 2.5m. If only safety light curtains are used for protection, the existing light curtain equipment cannot meet the full coverage of the vertical height range; if only fences are used for isolation, it will affect the operator's observation of the material feeding status.

[0005] Therefore, a technical solution is needed to fully protect the movement space of injection molding robots in order to solve the safety problem of injection molding robots injuring workers and causing bodily harm.

[0006] Therefore, we need to design a safety protection device for injection molding machine robotic arms to solve these problems. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem that existing injection molding robots can injure workers and cause safety accidents, and to provide a safety protection device for injection molding robots.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0009] A safety protection device for a robot arm of an injection molding machine includes an injection molding machine body, a robot arm body mounted on the injection molding machine body, a conveyor belt body positioned below the robot arm body, and protective components arranged around the conveyor belt body. The protective components include a frame body connected to the injection molding machine body, a side plate fixedly mounted on the frame body opposite to the injection molding machine body, a first end plate at one end connected to the side plate, and a second end plate at the other end. The first end plate, the second end plate, and the injection molding machine body together enclose the conveyor belt body. Limit switches are also fixedly mounted on the side plate, the first end plate, and the second end plate. A first grating transmitter and a first grating receiver are mounted on the frame body above the first end plate, and a second grating transmitter and a second grating receiver are mounted above the side plate. The limit switches, the first grating transmitter, the first grating receiver, the second grating transmitter, and the second grating receiver are all electrically connected to the robot arm body.

[0010] Preferably, a connecting plate is fixedly provided on the frame body, and the first grating transmitter, the first grating receiver, the second grating transmitter, and the second grating receiver are all connected to the frame body through the connecting plate.

[0011] This configuration provides a dedicated mounting platform for the grating transmitter and receiver, eliminating the need for direct fixation of these electronic monitoring components to the frame or protective plate. This allows for easy adjustment of the grating's installation height and angle to suit different conveyor belt sizes or robotic arm operating ranges, while also reducing the impact of protective plate vibration on the grating components and ensuring their sensing accuracy. Furthermore, the unified mounting method via the connecting plate simplifies the assembly process and reduces the difficulty of component disassembly and replacement during later maintenance.

[0012] Preferably, the main frame is a cuboid frame structure assembled from aluminum profiles, and the connecting plate is connected to the main frame through fasteners.

[0013] This design features a rectangular frame structure made of aluminum profiles. Aluminum profiles are lightweight, high-strength, and corrosion-resistant, ensuring the structural stability of the protective frame, resisting external impacts, and reducing the load on the injection molding machine. Furthermore, the standardized splicing design of the aluminum profiles makes the frame assembly and disassembly more convenient, allowing for flexible adjustment of the frame specifications according to the actual size of the conveyor belt, thus enhancing adaptability. The connecting plates are connected to the frame via fasteners, further improving installation stability and facilitating disassembly or adjustment of the connecting plate position as needed, meeting the grating installation requirements in different scenarios.

[0014] Preferably, the limit switch is fixed on the side plate, the first end plate and the second end plate inside the frame body, and handles are respectively provided on the side plate, the first end plate and the second end plate outside the frame body.

[0015] This configuration, fixing the limit switch to the protective plate inside the frame body, allows the switch to be closer to the core operating area of ​​the conveyor belt and robot arm. When the inner side of the protective plate is subjected to collision, compression, or abnormal deformation, the limit switch can detect and trigger a stop signal more quickly and accurately, reducing response delay. Simultaneously, the inner mounting method prevents the limit switch from being exposed to the external environment, reducing the risk of damage or false triggering due to external impacts, dust accumulation, etc., thus improving the stability and service life of the limit switch. The handle facilitates movement of the side and end plates.

[0016] Preferably, the first end plate is close to the feeding section of the conveyor belt body, the second end plate is close to the discharge end of the conveyor belt body, and the height of the second end plate does not exceed the height of the first end plate.

[0017] This configuration, with the first end plate near the feeding section and the second end plate near the discharging end, effectively protects critical points in material handling, preventing accidental insertion of personnel's limbs during feeding and material falling or being accidentally touched during discharging. The design of the second end plate not exceeding the height of the first end plate ensures basic protection at the discharging end while providing more convenient observation and operational space. It avoids excessively high end plates obstructing vision or hindering material removal, achieving a balance between safety and operational convenience, and ultimately, production efficiency.

[0018] The advantages and positive effects of this utility model are:

[0019] 1. This utility model provides a safety protection device for injection molding robot. When the operator accidentally walks into the dangerous area of ​​the robot's movement, he will first touch the safety light curtain, which will interlock the robot to stop in an emergency, thereby ensuring the personal safety of the operator.

[0020] 2. The present invention provides a safety protection device for injection molding robot. When maintenance personnel need to perform maintenance work in an isolated area, they need to remove the side plate and end plate first. When the side plate and end plate are removed, the limit switch will be triggered. The limit switch will interlock the robot to stop in an emergency. In addition, the robot will always be in an emergency stop state until the maintenance work is completed or the side plate or end plate is not reset, thereby ensuring the safety of maintenance personnel. Attached Figure Description

[0021] 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.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the protective component of this utility model.

[0024] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0025] 1. Injection molding machine body; 2. Robotic arm body; 3. Conveyor belt body; 4. Protective components; 401. Frame body; 402. Side plate; 403. First end plate; 404. Second end plate; 405. Handle; 406. Limit switch; 407. First grating transmitter; 408. First grating receiver; 409. Connecting plate; 410. Second grating transmitter; 411. Second grating receiver. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, 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. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Example 1: As Figures 1-2 As shown, a safety protection device for a robot arm of an injection molding machine includes an injection molding machine body 1, a robot arm body 2 mounted on the injection molding machine body 1, and a conveyor belt body 3 positioned below the robot arm body 2. To prevent interference between the robot arm body 2 and external personnel or objects during operation, protective components 4 are arranged around the conveyor belt body 3. The protective components 4 include a frame body 401 connected to the injection molding machine body 1, which serves as the protective foundation supporting various protective structures. A side plate 402 is fixedly mounted on the frame body 401 opposite to the injection molding machine body 1. A first end plate 403 is mounted at one end connected to the side plate 402, and a second end plate 404 is mounted at the other end. The first end plate 403, the second end plate 404, and the injection molding machine body 1 together enclose the conveyor belt body 3, forming a closed protective space. To achieve the protective triggering function, limit switches 406 are fixedly installed on the side plate 402, the first end plate 403, and the second end plate 404. A first grating transmitter 407 and a first grating receiver 408 are installed on the frame body 401 above the first end plate 403. A second grating transmitter 410 and a second grating receiver 411 are installed above the side plate 402. The limit switches 406, the first grating transmitter 407, the first grating receiver 408, the second grating transmitter 410, and the second grating receiver 411 are all electrically connected to the robot body 2. When the limit switch 406 is triggered or the grating beam is blocked, the signal is directly transmitted to the robot body 2, controlling it to stop immediately, thereby ensuring the safety of the operator.

[0030] Since the grating transmitter and receiver need to be precisely aligned and easy to adjust, a connecting plate 409 is fixedly provided on the frame body 401. The first grating transmitter 407, the first grating receiver 408, the second grating transmitter 410 and the second grating receiver 411 are all connected to the frame body 401 through the connecting plate 409. The connecting plate 409 provides a stable mounting reference for the grating elements, ensuring that they maintain a relatively fixed positional relationship with the frame body 401.

[0031] To balance structural strength and assembly flexibility, the main frame 401 is a cuboid frame structure assembled from aluminum profiles. The splicing characteristics of the aluminum profiles can adapt to the size requirements of the conveyor belt body 3. The connecting plate 409 is connected to the main frame 401 via fasteners. The connection method of the fasteners allows the connecting plate 409 to be adjusted in position according to the grating adjustment requirements and can form a stable connection with the aluminum profile frame. This achieves the first line of physical protection for the dangerous areas of the robot body 2's movement.

[0032] To ensure that the limit switch 406 accurately senses the abnormal state of the protective plate, the limit switch 406 is fixed on the side plate 402, the first end plate 403, and the second end plate 404 inside the frame body 401. The inner installation position allows the limit switch 406 to directly contact the force-bearing surface of the protective plate. When the protective plate is displaced by internal or external forces, the limit switch 406 can be triggered to operate immediately. The handles 405 on the side plate 402 and the end plate facilitate the removal of the side plate 402 and the end plate during maintenance.

[0033] Based on the material flow path of the conveyor belt body 3, the first end plate 403 is close to the feeding section of the conveyor belt body 3 to protect the material input area, and the second end plate 404 is close to the discharge end of the conveyor belt body 3 to protect the material output area. The height of the second end plate 404 does not exceed the height of the first end plate 403. This satisfies the basic protection requirements of the discharge end and reserves operating space for material removal operations, adapting to the loading and unloading process of the conveyor belt.

[0034] In this embodiment, the limit switch 406 is connected in series to one input channel of the safety relay on the injection molding machine body 1. The PNP output terminal of the first safety light curtain receiver is connected in series to the PNP output terminal of the second safety light curtain receiver, which is then connected to the other input channel of the safety relay. The normally open output terminal of the safety relay is then connected in series to the original emergency stop circuit of the robot arm. This ensures that any action of the limit switch 406, the first safety light curtain, or the second safety light curtain will trigger an emergency stop of the robot arm.

[0035] The working process of this embodiment is as follows: Initial stage: After the injection molding machine body 1 is started, the robot body 2 enters the standby state, and the conveyor belt body 3 is simultaneously ready and begins to operate at a preset speed to transport materials. At this time, the frame body 401, which is assembled from aluminum profiles, serves as the basic load-bearing structure. Its connected side plates 402, first end plates 403, and second end plates 404 have formed an enclosing space, enclosing the conveyor belt body 3 and completing the initial deployment of physical protection.

[0036] Meanwhile, the limit switch 406 fixed on the inner protective plate of the frame body 401 is in an untriggered initial state. The first grating transmitter 407 and the first grating receiver 408, the second grating transmitter 410 and the second grating receiver 411, which are installed on the frame body 401 through the connecting plate 409, are all powered on and started. The transmitter continuously emits infrared beams, and the receivers receive the beams in real time, forming two grating protective barriers covering the top of the first end plate 403 and the top of the side plate 402. All monitoring elements are electrically connected to the robot body 2 and transmit status signals in real time.

[0037] During the operation phase: The robotic arm 2 executes actions such as material picking, injection molding, and unloading according to the program, placing the processed material onto the conveyor belt 3. The material moves along the conveyor belt from the loading section near the first end plate 403 to the discharge end near the second end plate 404. During this process, the enclosed protective plates prevent external personnel or foreign objects from entering the work area. The two light grating barriers remain in a normal sensing state. At this time, the light beams are not blocked or the limit switches 406 are not triggered by external forces, and relevant status signals are continuously transmitted to the robotic arm 2. The robotic arm 2 and the conveyor belt 3 maintain a normal operating rhythm. Since the height of the second end plate 404 does not exceed that of the first end plate 403, the operator can conveniently observe the material transfer situation in the safe area at the discharge end and complete the subsequent material picking preparation without touching the protective area.

[0038] Triggering Phase: The protective device will immediately activate the linkage protection when the following abnormal conditions occur:

[0039] When maintenance personnel remove one or all of the side plate 402, the first end plate 403, or the second end plate 404, the limit switch 406 is triggered, causing the robot body 2 to stop in an emergency.

[0040] If a person accidentally inserts a limb into the grating area above the first end plate 403, the corresponding grating receiver will be unable to receive the light beam, and will quickly generate an interrupt signal and send it to the robot body 2, triggering the robot body 2 to stop in an emergency, so as to avoid the limb or foreign object from colliding with the operating robot.

[0041] When the position of the connecting plate 409 is adjusted due to equipment vibration or debugging needs, if the grating is misaligned and the beam is blocked, the shutdown protection will also be triggered to prevent the grating from failing and causing safety hazards.

[0042] The above description provides a detailed account of one embodiment of the present invention. However, this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. All equivalent variations and improvements made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should still fall within the patent coverage of the present invention.

Claims

1. A safety guard for an injection molding machine robot, comprising an injection molding machine body (1), a robot body (2) is arranged on the injection molding machine body (1), a conveying belt body (3) is arranged below the robot body (2), characterized in that: A protective assembly (4) is provided around the conveyor belt body (3). The protective assembly (4) includes a frame body (401) connected to the injection molding machine body (1). A side plate (402) is fixedly provided on the frame body (401) opposite to the injection molding machine body (1). A first end plate (403) is provided at one end connected to the side plate (402), and a second end plate (404) is provided on the other side. The first end plate (403), the second end plate (404), and the injection molding machine body (1) together enclose the conveyor belt body (3). Limit switches (406) are also fixedly installed on the first end plate (403) and the second end plate (404). A first grating transmitter (407) and a first grating receiver (408) are installed on the frame body (401) above the first end plate (403). A second grating transmitter (410) and a second grating receiver (411) are installed above the side plate (402). The limit switches (406), the first grating transmitter (407), the first grating receiver (408), the second grating transmitter (410) and the second grating receiver (411) are all electrically connected to the robot body (2).

2. A safety shield for a robot of an injection molding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting plate (409) is fixedly installed on the frame body (401). The first grating emitter (407), the first grating receiver (408), the second grating emitter (410) and the second grating receiver (411) are all connected to the frame body (401) through the connecting plate (409).

3. A safety shield for a robot of an injection molding machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main frame (401) is a cuboid frame structure assembled from aluminum profiles, and the connecting plate (409) is connected to the main frame (401) through fasteners.

4. The safety shield for an injection molding machine robot of claim 1 wherein: The limit switch (406) is fixed on the side plate (402), the first end plate (403) and the second end plate (404) inside the frame body (401), and handles (405) are respectively provided on the side plate (402), the first end plate (403) and the second end plate (404) outside the frame body (401).

5. The safety shield for an injection molding machine robot of claim 1 wherein: The first end plate (403) is close to the feeding section of the conveyor belt body (3), the second end plate (404) is close to the discharge end of the conveyor belt body (3), and the height of the second end plate (404) does not exceed the height of the first end plate (403).

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