Clamping jaw and manipulator for transporting a refrigerator liner

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of refrigerator production, and specifically discloses a clamp jaw and manipulator for carrying the inner container of refrigerator, which comprises a telescopic part and a clamping part. The telescopic part is composed of several supporting rods, and the inside of the supporting frame has a telescopic base. The clamping part is connected with the telescopic base through telescopic supports, and the telescopic operation is realized through the connection of the telescopic supports. The clamping part comprises a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw. The clamping frame has the first clamping jaw, the second clamping jaw and a clamping guide rail. The first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw are driven by a first cylinder and a second cylinder, so that the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw can realize clamping or releasing actions. The device does not need to pause production and replace the clamp jaw when facing different specifications and sizes of the inner container of the refrigerator. The telescopic part can adapt to the size difference of the inner container in the length and height directions by adjusting the telescopic stroke. The clamping part can flexibly adjust the clamping range to match the width of the inner container and the local structural changes, so as to realize the continuous carrying of different specifications of the inner container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of refrigerator manufacturing technology, and in particular to a gripper and robotic arm for handling refrigerator inner liner. Background Technology

[0002] In the mass production of refrigerators, production lines typically employ a "one-to-one" equipment configuration, meaning a single gripper robot corresponds to one conveyor line for both the refrigerator shell and the inner liner. This ensures continuous transport of the inner liner from the production station to the assembly station, guaranteeing the continuity of the production process. While there is a one-to-one assembly relationship between the refrigerator shell and the inner liner in this production scenario, the diverse design requirements of refrigerator products often result in inner liners of different specifications and dimensions flowing along the same conveyor line.

[0003] For example, the length, width, and height of the inner liner will vary significantly for refrigerators of different capacities; even for refrigerators of the same capacity, the overall outline and local structural dimensions of the inner liner will change due to differences in the layout of the internal storage compartments and the door opening method (such as single door, double door, or side door).

[0004] However, existing gripper robots generally suffer from insufficient adaptability: most grippers have fixed gripping ranges and extension strokes, only compatible with refrigerator liners of a single size. When liners of different sizes appear on the conveyor line, to ensure stability and safety during handling, workers must pause production, manually disassemble the current gripper, and replace it with a dedicated gripper matching the new liner size. This operation not only disrupts normal production, leading to a significant decrease in production efficiency, but also results in a large amount of wasted time, especially when multiple liner sizes are produced alternately. Furthermore, the gripper replacement process requires precise calibration of the gripper's installation position; significant calibration deviations can cause clamping misalignment or dropping during subsequent liner handling, leading to damage and increased production costs. In addition, to accommodate different liner sizes, companies need to stock multiple models of dedicated grippers, which not only occupies additional storage space but also increases equipment procurement and maintenance costs, hindering lean production line management. Therefore, how to design a refrigerator inner liner handling gripper device that can adaptively adjust to different inner liner specifications without frequent gripper replacement has become a pressing technical problem in the current refrigerator manufacturing industry. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a gripper and robotic arm for handling refrigerator liners, which solves the technical problem that the existing refrigerator liner handling grippers have poor versatility and cannot be adapted to refrigerator liners of different specifications and sizes, resulting in the need for frequent gripper replacements, which not only increases equipment costs and manual operation time, but also reduces production line switching efficiency and makes it difficult to meet the technical needs of handling various types of refrigerator liners.

[0006] In a first aspect, this utility model embodiment provides a gripper for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator, comprising:

[0007] A telescopic part, and a clamping part connected to the telescopic part and capable of telescopic movement based on the telescopic part;

[0008] The telescopic part is a hollow support frame composed of several support rods, and a telescopic base is provided inside the support frame. The clamping part is connected to the telescopic base through a telescopic bracket set on the top of the clamping part, and the telescopic operation is realized through the connection between the telescopic bracket and the telescopic base.

[0009] The clamping part includes a first clamping claw and a second clamping claw disposed on both sides of the clamping frame. The clamping frame is also provided with a clamping guide rail for the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw to move closer or further away. The first clamping claw and the second clamping claw are driven by a first cylinder and a second cylinder disposed on the clamping frame, respectively, so that the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw can perform clamping or releasing actions on the clamping guide rail.

[0010] Preferably, the telescopic base includes a first base plate and a second base plate disposed on both sides, and a pair of telescopic guide rails are mirror-arranged on the first base plate and the second base plate. Both sides of the telescopic bracket are connected to the telescopic guide rails by at least a pair of sliders.

[0011] Preferably, the telescopic bracket is further provided with a telescopic rack, and the support frame is further provided with a telescopic motor;

[0012] The telescopic motor is equipped with a drive gear that is fixedly connected to the drive shaft. The drive gear is connected to the telescopic rack and drives the telescopic rack when the telescopic motor is started, so as to drive the telescopic bracket to extend or retract.

[0013] Preferably, the top and bottom of the telescopic bracket are provided with a pair of anti-collision seats in a mirror shape, so that the telescopic bracket can make flexible contact with the support frame when it moves to the limit position;

[0014] The anti-collision seat is equipped with a cushioning pad made of elastic material.

[0015] Preferably, the clamping part includes a first top plate and a second top plate disposed on both sides of the top of the clamping frame, and a gap is provided between the first top plate and the second top plate for fixed connection with the telescopic bracket.

[0016] Preferably, the first cylinder and the second cylinder are fixed by the bottom of the first top plate and the second top plate, respectively, and are fixedly connected to the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw, respectively.

[0017] Preferably, the middle part of the clamping frame is further provided with an auxiliary clamping mechanism, the auxiliary clamping mechanism including a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod respectively hinged to the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw;

[0018] The auxiliary clamping mechanism further includes a rotating base disposed on the clamping frame and a rotating disk that rotates based on the rotating base;

[0019] The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are respectively hinged to both ends of the rotating disk.

[0020] Preferably, the first gripper includes a gripper body connected to the gripper guide rail via a slider, and the gripper body is further provided with a limiting plate;

[0021] The inner side of the bottom of the limiting plate is provided with an expansion guide rail, and the expansion guide rail is provided with a first clamping block and a second clamping block that can extend to both ends or retract inward based on the expansion guide rail.

[0022] The first and second gripping claws have identical structures and are arranged in a mirror image.

[0023] Secondly, a robotic arm for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator is provided, including the gripper for transporting the inner liner of the refrigerator.

[0024] The robotic arm includes a base and a first robotic arm, a second robotic arm, and a third robotic arm extending from the base.

[0025] The top of the gripper is fixedly connected to the third robotic arm so as to drive the gripper to follow the robotic arm in performing operations.

[0026] Preferably, it also includes a movable base, on which the robotic arm can move to cover a larger working area.

[0027] The gripper and robotic arm for transporting refrigerator inner liner provided by this utility model have the following beneficial effects:

[0028] From a production efficiency perspective, this device eliminates the need to pause the production line to change grippers when dealing with refrigerator liners of different sizes. Its telescopic part can adapt to the dimensional differences of the liners in the length and height directions by adjusting the telescopic stroke, and the clamping part can flexibly adjust the clamping range to match the width of the liners and local structural changes. This enables continuous handling of liners of different sizes, completely avoiding the waste of time caused by frequent gripper changes, and significantly improving the overall operating efficiency of the production line. It is especially suitable for the production of multiple liners of different sizes in alternating production, ensuring the continuity and stability of the production process. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, and these are all within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gripper used for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gripper used for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator from another angle.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a gripper and robotic arm used for handling the inner liner of a refrigerator.

[0033] Parts and their numbers in the diagram:

[0034] 100-Telescopic part, 110-Support frame, 111-Support rod, 120-Telescopic base, 121-First base plate, 122-Second base plate, 130-Telescopic bracket, 131-Telescopic guide rail, 132-Telescopic rack, 133-Telescopic motor, 134-Drive gear, 140-Anti-collision seat, 141-Buffer pad;

[0035] 200-Clamping part, 210-Clamping frame, 211-First clamping claw, 212-Clamping claw body, 213-Limiting plate, 214-First clamping block, 215-Second clamping block, 216-Expansion guide rail, 220-Second clamping claw, 230-Clamping guide rail, 241-First cylinder, 242-Second cylinder, 243-First top plate, 244-Second top plate, 245-First connecting rod, 246-Second connecting rod, 247-Rotating seat, 248-Rotating disk;

[0036] 300 - Robotic arm, 310 - Base, 320 - First robotic arm, 330 - Second robotic arm, 340 - Third robotic arm, 350 - Mobile seat. Detailed Implementation

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application 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 "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. Unless otherwise specified, embodiments of the present invention and the various features thereof can be combined with each other, all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] Please see Figure 1 This utility model provides a gripper for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator. As consumer demand for personalized and diversified refrigerator products continues to rise, refrigerator manufacturers are gradually shifting from the traditional single-specification, large-batch production model to a flexible production model with multiple specifications and batches. Under this model, the same refrigerator shell and inner liner conveyor line within the same production workshop needs to frequently switch between producing refrigerator products of different volumes and structural designs.

[0040] For example, the previous product was a 200L single-door refrigerator liner, the next product might be a 350L side-by-side refrigerator liner, and the product after that might be a 180L three-door refrigerator liner, with significant differences in size between the different specifications of the liner.

[0041] However, existing gripper robots used for inner liner handling mostly have fixed-size core structures. The travel of the telescopic part 100 is limited by the length of the fixed guide rail, making it impossible to flexibly adjust according to the height and depth of the inner liner. The gripper spacing of the clamping part 200 is fixed by bolts, which can only accommodate inner liners of a single width. If adjustment is needed, the bolts must be removed and repositioned, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. In scenarios where multiple specifications of inner liners are produced alternately, each time the inner liner specifications are changed, the operator must first stop the machine, then use tools to disassemble the fixed parts on the grippers, adjust the position of the limit block of the telescopic guide rail 131 or the gripper spacing, and then repeatedly test the clamping stability to ensure that the inner liner will not fall due to excessively loose clamping or deform due to excessively tight clamping. This process usually takes 15-30 minutes. If the production line changes specifications 3-4 times a day, the cumulative downtime can reach 45-120 minutes, which seriously restricts the production cycle.

[0042] Therefore, this embodiment provides a gripper for transporting refrigerator liners that can adapt to different refrigerator liner sizes.

[0043] In this embodiment, the gripper includes a telescopic part 100 and a clamping part 200 connected to the telescopic part 100 and capable of telescopic movement based on the telescopic part 100; the telescopic part 100 is a hollow support frame 110 composed of a plurality of support rods 111, and a telescopic base 120 is provided inside the support frame 110; the clamping part 200 is connected to the telescopic base 120 through a telescopic bracket 130 provided on the top of the clamping part 200, and the telescopic operation is realized through the connection between the telescopic bracket 130 and the telescopic base 120; The clamping part 200 includes a first clamping claw 211 and a second clamping claw 220 disposed on both sides of the clamping frame 210. The clamping frame 210 is also provided with a clamping guide rail 230 for the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 to move closer or further away. The first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 are driven by a first cylinder 241 and a second cylinder 242 disposed on the clamping frame 210, respectively, so that the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 perform clamping or releasing actions on the clamping guide rail 230.

[0044] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2When moving the refrigerator liner, the first step is to adjust the extension and retraction of the telescopic part 100. This stage aims to adjust the spatial position of the clamping part 200 according to the placement, height, or depth of the refrigerator liner, ensuring that the clamping part 200 can be accurately aligned with the liner. The telescopic part 100 of the clamp is based on a hollow support frame 110, which is constructed from several support rods 111, ensuring structural stability while reducing overall weight to lower energy consumption. When the position of the clamping part 200 needs to be adjusted, the telescopic bracket 130, as the core component connecting the clamping part 200 and the telescopic base 120, will move linearly based on the telescopic base 120. The telescopic base 120 provides stable motion track support for the telescopic bracket 130. The clamping part 200 extends or retracts synchronously with the telescopic bracket 130 through a fixed connection at the top. For example, when the inner liner is placed far away, the telescopic bracket 130 extends outward along the telescopic base 120, bringing the clamping part 200 closer to the inner liner. When the inner liner is small or the transportation path needs to be shortened, the telescopic bracket 130 retracts inward along the telescopic base 120, adjusting the clamping part 200 to a suitable working position, thereby achieving flexible adaptation of the clamping part 200 in spatial position.

[0045] The clamping action of the clamping unit 200 then begins. In this stage, the relative movement of the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 is driven to grasp the refrigerator liner. The clamping frame 210 of the clamping unit 200 provides the mounting base for the entire clamping structure. The clamping guide rail 230 on it provides guiding constraints for the movement of the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220, ensuring that the two claws can only move in the direction of approaching or moving away from the liner, thus preventing deviation. After the clamping part 200 is adjusted to a suitable position directly in front of the inner liner via the telescopic part 100, the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 mounted on the clamping frame 210 are activated simultaneously: the first cylinder 241 drives the first clamping claw 211 to move along the clamping guide rail 230 towards the inner liner, and the second cylinder 242 drives the second clamping claw 220 to move along the clamping guide rail 230 in the same direction (i.e., towards the inner liner). The two claws move closer to each other symmetrically until they are tightly fitted to the two sides of the inner liner. The stable pressure output by the cylinders is used to clamp and fix inner liners of different widths. If the inner liner is wider, the movement stroke of the two cylinders driving the claws will increase accordingly; if the inner liner is narrower, the movement stroke will be shortened, thus adapting to the clamping requirements of inner liners of different specifications.

[0046] Finally, after the grippers have moved the inner liner (e.g., placed it into the refrigerator shell) and reached the target position, the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 start in reverse, respectively driving the first gripping claw 211 and the second gripping claw 220 to move away from the inner liner along the gripping guide rail 230 until the two grippers are completely separated from the inner liner, thus releasing the inner liner. Simultaneously, the telescopic part 100, according to the spatial constraints of the target position, can retract the gripping part 200 to its initial working position via the telescopic bracket 130 along the telescopic base 120, preparing for the next handling cycle. Throughout the entire operation, the spatial position adjustment of the telescopic part 100 and the gripping force and range adjustment of the gripping part 200 work in tandem, enabling automated handling of inner liners of different sizes without manual intervention, ensuring operational efficiency and stability.

[0047] Specifically, during the telescopic adjustment phase, the linear movement of the telescopic bracket 130 along the telescopic base 120 flexibly adjusts the spatial position of the clamping part 200. This adapts to the positional requirements of the inner liner due to differences in placement distance and height. Furthermore, in conjunction with the clamping action, the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 drive the gripper to adjust its travel along the clamping guide rail 230, accommodating the clamping needs of inner liners of different widths. Without replacing the gripper or disassembling and adjusting the fixing components, seamless switching from narrow, small-sized inner liners to wide, large-sized inner liners can be achieved, perfectly adapting to the alternating multi-specification conditions in refrigerator production and overcoming the limitations of traditional fixed-size grippers that require one gripper per specification.

[0048] Furthermore, the entire workflow requires no manual intervention. From aligning the telescopic part 100 with the inner liner and the clamping part 200 gripping it, to releasing and resetting after handling, all operations are automated, eliminating time-consuming steps such as stopping, disassembling, and calibration when switching traditional grippers. On the other hand, the coordination between telescopic adjustment and clamping action is smooth, shortening the single handling cycle. Especially in multi-batch, small-volume production scenarios, it can ensure the continuous operation of the production line and effectively improve the overall production cycle.

[0049] In actual operation, there is no need to keep multiple sets of spare grippers, which reduces the cost of gripper procurement and storage space occupation; in terms of maintenance costs, automated adjustment reduces manual operation, thereby reducing labor costs and wear and tear during gripper disassembly and installation.

[0050] Furthermore, the telescopic base 120 includes a first base plate 121 and a second base plate 122 disposed on both sides. A pair of telescopic guide rails 131 are mirror-displayed on the first base plate 121 and the second base plate 122. The telescopic bracket 130 is connected to the telescopic guide rails 131 on both sides through at least a pair of sliders.

[0051] Specifically, the telescopic base 120 is configured as a first base plate 121 and a second base plate 122 on both sides, and a pair of telescopic guide rails 131 are arranged in a mirror image on both sides. At the same time, the telescopic bracket 130 is connected to the telescopic guide rails 131 on both sides through at least a pair of sliders. This configuration plays a key supporting role in the stability, accuracy and adaptability of the gripper telescopic operation. From the perspective of structural stability, the symmetrically distributed first base plate 121 and second base plate 122 provide a balanced installation foundation for the telescopic guide rails 131, avoiding guide rail deviation caused by unilateral force. The mirror-shaped telescopic guide rails 131, together with the connection between the sliders on both sides and the telescopic bracket 130, allow the telescopic bracket 130 to be guided and constrained synchronously on both sides when moving, preventing tilting and jamming due to uneven force on one side, ensuring that the telescopic bracket 130 keeps stable when moving the clamping part 200, and avoiding the impact of shaking on the gripping accuracy of the inner tube.

[0052] Furthermore, in terms of motion precision, the cooperation between a pair of telescopic guide rails 131 and the slider forms a dual-guide structure. Compared with single-sided guidance, this significantly reduces radial runout during the movement of the telescopic bracket 130, making the control of the telescopic stroke more precise. The extension or retraction distance of the clamping part 200 can be precisely adjusted according to the placement position of the inner liner, ensuring that the clamping part 200 can be accurately aligned with the inner liner and reducing gripping failures caused by positional deviations. In terms of adaptability and durability, the contact area between the dual-sided slider and the guide rail is larger, which can distribute the weight pressure of the telescopic bracket 130 and the clamping part 200, reduce the wear rate of a single slider, and extend the service life of the components. At the same time, the stable guide structure also allows the telescopic bracket 130 to adapt to the handling needs of inner liners of different weights. Even when handling larger and heavier inner liners, the dual-sided guidance can ensure the reliability of the movement process, further improving the applicability of the gripper in handling scenarios of inner liners of various sizes.

[0053] Further, please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The telescopic bracket 130 is also provided with a telescopic rack 132, and the support frame 110 is also provided with a telescopic motor 133; the telescopic motor 133 is provided with a drive gear 134 fixedly connected to the drive shaft, the drive gear 134 is connected to the telescopic rack 132 in a transmission connection, and drives the telescopic rack 132 when the telescopic motor 133 is started, so as to drive the telescopic bracket 130 to extend or retract.

[0054] When the gripper needs to adjust the spatial position of the clamping part 200 (such as moving closer to or further away from the refrigerator liner), the telescopic motor 133 mounted on the support frame 110 is first started. The telescopic motor 133, as the power source, has its drive shaft rotating synchronously with the motor's startup, and the direction of rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise) can be flexibly switched according to actual telescopic needs. Since the drive gear 134 is fixedly connected to the drive shaft of the telescopic motor 133, the rotation of the drive shaft directly drives the drive gear 134 to rotate synchronously, realizing the transmission of power from the motor to the gear.

[0055] At this time, because the drive gear 134 and the telescopic rack 132 set on the telescopic bracket 130 are meshed and connected, the rotation of the drive gear 134 will be converted into the linear motion of the telescopic rack 132: if the telescopic motor 133 drives the drive gear 134 to rotate clockwise, the meshing telescopic rack 132 will drive the telescopic bracket 130 to extend along the telescopic guide rail 131 away from the support frame 110, and then pull the clamping part 200 connected to the telescopic bracket 130 to extend synchronously until it reaches the target position aligned with the inner liner of the refrigerator; if it needs to be retracted, the telescopic motor 133 drives the drive gear 134 to rotate counterclockwise, and the telescopic rack 132 will drive the telescopic bracket 130 to retract along the telescopic guide rail 131 towards the support frame 110, and the clamping part 200 will then reset or be adjusted to a closer working position.

[0056] Furthermore, the top and bottom of the telescopic bracket 130 are provided with a pair of anti-collision seats 140 in a mirror shape, so that the telescopic bracket 130 makes flexible contact with the support frame 110 when it moves to the limit position; the anti-collision seat 140 is provided with a buffer pad 141 made of elastic material.

[0057] Specifically, when the telescopic support 130 moves to its limit position near or far from the support frame 110 under the drive of the telescopic motor 133, the buffer pad 141 on the anti-collision seat 140 can contact the support frame 110 before the main body of the telescopic support 130. Utilizing the deformation characteristics of the elastic material itself, it absorbs the impact force generated by the movement, preventing rigid collisions between the telescopic support 130 and the support frame 110 that could cause structural damage. Simultaneously, the flexible contact effectively reduces noise generated at the moment of collision, improves the stability and safety of equipment operation, and extends the service life of the entire telescopic adjustment mechanism.

[0058] Further, please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The clamping part 200 includes a first top plate 243 and a second top plate 244 disposed on both sides of the top of the clamping frame 210. A gap is provided between the first top plate 243 and the second top plate 244 for fixed connection with the telescopic bracket 130.

[0059] Furthermore, the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 are fixed to the bottom of the first top plate 243 and the second top plate 244, respectively, and are fixedly connected to the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220, respectively. The middle part of the clamping frame 210 is also provided with an auxiliary clamping mechanism, which includes a first connecting rod 245 and a second connecting rod 246 that are respectively hinged to the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220; the auxiliary clamping mechanism also includes a rotating seat 247 disposed on the clamping frame 210 and a rotating disk 248 that rotates based on the rotating seat 247; the first connecting rod 245 and the second connecting rod 246 are respectively hinged to both ends of the rotating disk 248.

[0060] When the clamping part 200 grips the refrigerator liner, the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 achieve precise drive through a preset installation structure. Since the first cylinder 241 is fixed to the bottom of the first top plate 243 and the second cylinder 242 is fixed to the bottom of the second top plate 244, and the first top plate 243 and the second top plate 244 are stably connected to the top of the clamping frame 210, this fixing method provides a solid support foundation for the cylinders and avoids positional displacement of the cylinders during the driving process. When it is necessary to clamp the liner, the control system sends a drive signal to the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 simultaneously. The piston rod of the first cylinder 241 extends and directly pushes the first clamping claw 211, which is fixed to it, to move along the clamping guide rail 230 towards the liner. At the same time, the piston rod of the second cylinder 242 extends synchronously and pushes the second clamping claw 220, which is fixed to it, to move along the clamping guide rail 230 in the same direction. The two clamping claws gradually approach the liner in a symmetrical manner until they are tightly fitted with both sides of the liner, completing the initial clamping action. If the inner liner needs to be released, the piston rods of the first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 retract synchronously, pulling the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 back to their original positions along the clamping guide rail 230 away from the inner liner.

[0061] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2During the movement of the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220, the auxiliary clamping mechanism forms a synchronous constraint through the hinged linkage of multiple components, further ensuring the stability of the clamping action. When the first clamping claw 211 moves inward, the first connecting rod 245 hinged to it will change its angle accordingly, pulling the rotating disk 248 hinged to its other end to rotate clockwise around the rotating seat 247. When the rotating disk 248 rotates, the second connecting rod 246 hinged to its other end will be pushed synchronously, driving the second clamping claw 220 to move inward. This linkage process ensures that the moving distance of the first clamping claw 211 and the second clamping claw 220 remains consistent, avoiding clamping deviation caused by one side moving too fast or too slow. Conversely, when the gripper returns to its original position, the first gripper 211 pulls the first connecting rod 245, causing the rotating disk 248 to rotate counterclockwise around the rotating base 247. The second connecting rod 246 simultaneously pulls the second gripper 220 back to its original position, thus maintaining the synchronicity of the two grippers' movements.

[0062] In this embodiment, the cylinder is directly fixed by the top plate, which makes installation and disassembly convenient. There is no need to disassemble the main body of the clamping frame 210 for later maintenance. The auxiliary clamping mechanism achieves linkage only through hinges, without complex transmission components (such as gears and chains), resulting in a low failure rate and low replacement cost for worn parts (such as hinge shafts), effectively reducing the maintenance difficulty and cost of long-term use of the equipment.

[0063] Furthermore, the first gripper 211 includes a gripper body 212 connected to the gripper guide rail 230 via a slider, and a limiting plate 213 is also provided on the gripper body 212; an expansion guide rail 216 is provided on the inner side of the bottom of the limiting plate 213, and a first gripping block 214 and a second gripping block 215 are provided on the expansion guide rail 216, which can extend to both ends or retract inward based on the expansion guide rail 216; the first gripper 211 and the second gripper 220 have the same structure and are arranged in a mirror image.

[0064] Example 2

[0065] Please see Figure 3 This utility model provides a robotic arm 300 for transporting refrigerator inner liner, including the gripper for transporting refrigerator inner liner as described in embodiment 1; the robotic arm 300 includes a base 310 and a first robotic arm 320, a second robotic arm 330 and a third robotic arm 340 extending from the base 310; the top of the gripper is fixedly connected to the third robotic arm 340 so as to drive the gripper to follow the robotic arm 300 to perform operations.

[0066] Furthermore, it also includes a movable base 350, on which the robotic arm 300 can move to cover a larger working area.

[0067] In this embodiment of the utility model, the robotic arm 300 and the gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner form a linkage operation system with mobile coverage, precise adjustment, and stable gripping through structural fixation and motion coordination.

[0068] When it is necessary to move refrigerator liners in different locations (such as liners at different workstations on a production line or in different storage areas of a warehouse), the overall position of the robotic arm 300 is first adjusted via the movable base 350. The movable base 350 can drive the entire robotic arm 300 (including the base 310, each robotic arm, and grippers) to move horizontally along a preset track or the ground, flexibly adjusting the starting point of the robotic arm 300 according to the actual placement of the liners. For example, after the liner at the left workstation is picked up, the movable base 350 can drive the robotic arm 300 to move to the right workstation without disassembling and reinstalling the robotic arm 300, thus covering a larger working area and adapting to the needs of multi-workstation, large-area liner handling, solving the problem of limited working range of traditional fixed robotic arms 300.

[0069] After the robotic arm 300 reaches the vicinity of the target work area via the moving base 350, the first robotic arm 320, the second robotic arm 330, and the third robotic arm 340 extended from the base 310 further precisely adjust the spatial posture and position of the gripper through multi-joint linkage: the first robotic arm 320 uses the base 310 as a fixed base point and can rotate 360° around the base 310 or swing up and down, driving the subsequent robotic arm and gripper to achieve a large-scale spatial transfer, such as moving the gripper from the initial standby position to the area directly in front of the inner liner;

[0070] The second robotic arm 330 is connected to the end of the first robotic arm 320. Through the extension, retraction, and rotation of its joints, it can further reduce the distance between the gripper and the inner liner, achieving a transition from coarse to fine adjustment. For example, based on the height difference of the inner liner, the vertical height of the gripper can be adjusted to ensure that the gripper and the side of the inner liner are at the same horizontal level. The third robotic arm 340, as a component directly connected to the gripper, has its end fixed to the top of the gripper. Through fine angle adjustments (such as tilting forward and backward, or turning left and right), the gripping part 200 of the gripper can be precisely aligned with the gripping surface of the inner liner to ensure the stability of subsequent gripping actions. For example, when the inner liner is not perpendicular due to a slight tilt of the conveyor line, the third robotic arm 340 can finely adjust the angle of the gripper to keep the first gripper 211, the second gripper 220 parallel and in contact with the side of the inner liner.

[0071] After the robotic arm 300 precisely positions the gripper next to the inner liner through the adjustment of multiple robotic arms, the gripper begins to perform the grasping action. The extension part 100 of the gripper adjusts the extension length of the clamping part 200 according to the depth of the inner liner by moving the extension bracket 130 along the extension base 120, ensuring that the clamping part 200 can penetrate into the appropriate position on both sides of the inner liner. The first cylinder 241 and the second cylinder 242 of the clamping part 200 drive the corresponding gripper to move along the clamping guide rail 230, and with the synchronous constraint of the auxiliary clamping mechanism, stably clamp the inner liner. After the gripper completes the grasping, the first robotic arm 320, the second robotic arm 330, and the third robotic arm 340 of the robotic arm 300 work together again, and through the extension, extension and rotation of the joints, they move the gripper and the inner liner to the target position. After reaching the target position, the clamping part 200 of the gripper releases the inner liner, and then the robotic arm 300 resets through the cooperation of multiple robotic arms and the moving seat 350, returning to the working area of ​​the next inner liner, completing a complete work cycle.

[0072] Throughout the entire process, the robotic arm 300 provides the gripper with flexible spatial movement and positioning capabilities, while the gripper adapts to the gripping needs of different sized inner liners through its own structure. The two work together to achieve full-process automation from large-scale coverage to precise operation, greatly improving the efficiency and adaptability of refrigerator inner liner handling.

[0073] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the 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 or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A gripper for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator, characterized in that, include: Telescopic part (100), and clamping part (200) connected to telescopic part (100) and capable of telescopic movement based on telescopic part (100); The telescopic part (100) is a hollow support frame (110) composed of several support rods (111), and a telescopic base (120) is provided inside the support frame (110). The clamping part (200) is connected to the telescopic base (120) through a telescopic bracket (130) provided on the top of the clamping part (200), and the telescopic operation is realized through the connection between the telescopic bracket (130) and the telescopic base (120). The clamping part (200) includes a first clamping claw (211) and a second clamping claw (220) disposed on both sides of the clamping frame (210). The clamping frame (210) is also provided with a clamping guide rail (230) for the first clamping claw (211) and the second clamping claw (220) to move closer or further away. The first clamping claw (211) and the second clamping claw (220) are driven by a first cylinder (241) and a second cylinder (242) disposed on the clamping frame (210) respectively, so that the first clamping claw (211) and the second clamping claw (220) can perform clamping or releasing actions on the clamping guide rail (230).

2. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic base (120) includes a first base plate (121) and a second base plate (122) disposed on both sides. A pair of telescopic guide rails (131) are mirror-image disposed on the first base plate (121) and the second base plate (122). At least one pair of sliders connects the two sides of the telescopic bracket (130) to the telescopic guide rails (131).

3. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 2, characterized in that, The telescopic bracket (130) is also provided with a telescopic rack (132), and the support frame (110) is also provided with a telescopic motor (133); The telescopic motor (133) is provided with a drive gear (134) fixedly connected to the drive shaft. The drive gear (134) is connected to the telescopic rack (132) and drives the telescopic rack (132) when the telescopic motor (133) is started, so as to drive the telescopic bracket (130) to extend or retract.

4. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top and bottom of the telescopic bracket (130) are provided with a pair of anti-collision seats (140) in a mirror shape, so that when the telescopic bracket (130) moves to the limit position, it makes flexible contact with the support frame (110); The anti-collision seat (140) is provided with a buffer pad (141) made of elastic material.

5. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping part (200) includes a first top plate (243) and a second top plate (244) disposed on both sides of the top of the clamping frame (210), and a gap is provided between the first top plate (243) and the second top plate (244) for fixed connection with the telescopic bracket (130).

6. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first cylinder (241) and the second cylinder (242) are fixed by the bottom of the first top plate (243) and the second top plate (244), respectively, and are fixedly connected to the first clamping claw (211) and the second clamping claw (220), respectively.

7. The gripper for transporting the refrigerator liner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The middle part of the clamping frame (210) is also provided with an auxiliary clamping mechanism, which includes a first connecting rod (245) and a second connecting rod (246) respectively hinged to the first clamping claw (211) and the second clamping claw (220); The auxiliary clamping mechanism further includes a rotating base (247) disposed on the clamping frame (210) and a rotating disk (248) rotating based on the rotating base (247); the first connecting rod (245) and the second connecting rod (246) are respectively hinged to the two ends of the rotating disk (248).

8. The gripper for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first gripper (211) includes a gripper body (212) connected to the gripper guide rail (230) via a slider, and the gripper body (212) is also provided with a limiting plate (213); The bottom inner side of the limiting plate (213) is provided with an expansion guide rail (216), and the expansion guide rail (216) is provided with a first clamping block (214) and a second clamping block (215) that can extend to both ends or retract inward based on the expansion guide rail (216). The first gripper (211) and the second gripper (220) have the same structure and are arranged in a mirror image.

9. A robotic arm for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator, comprising the grippers for transporting the inner liner of a refrigerator as described in any one of claims 1-8; characterized in that, The robotic arm (300) includes a base (310) and a first robotic arm (320), a second robotic arm (330) and a third robotic arm (340) extending from the base (310); The top of the gripper is fixedly connected to the third robotic arm (340) to drive the gripper to follow the robotic arm (300) to perform operations.

10. The robotic arm for handling the inner liner of a refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a movable base, on which the robotic arm (300) can move to cover a larger work area.

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