An automatic loading and unloading system for a kiln

Abstract

The application discloses a kiln automatic feeding and discharging system, and relates to the technical field of kiln feeding and discharging, which comprises a closed-loop conveying line for circulating conveying of a sagger, wherein the closed-loop conveying line comprises a sintering section located in the interior of a kiln and a loading and unloading section located in the exterior of the kiln; a recovery material frame for recovering material in the sagger after sintering; a loading conveying line for conveying the sagger; an automatic feeding mechanism comprising a discharging part arranged above the upstream section of the loading conveying line and used for filling the empty sagger with the material; a material flattening mechanism comprising a flattening part arranged above the downstream section of the loading conveying line and used for flattening the material on the top of the sagger; and a robot used for grabbing the sagger after sintering on the loading and unloading section, pouring the material in the sagger into the recovery material frame, and then placing the empty sagger on the upstream section of the loading conveying line to realize the filling of the material, and finally placing the flattened sagger on the loading and unloading section. The system can automatically complete the feeding and discharging operation, reduce the labor cost, and improve the production capacity and efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of kiln loading and unloading technology, and more specifically, to an automated kiln loading and unloading system. Background Technology

[0002] In existing kilns (such as iridium oxalate kilns), loading and unloading are mostly done manually. During production, manual labor is required to dig, fill, transport, push material carts, unpack, and unload materials, among other tasks. This method of loading and unloading has at least the following problems:

[0003] 1. Manual labor is labor-intensive and inefficient. Moreover, the production line has a large workload and requires a large number of workers, resulting in high labor costs.

[0004] 2. The on-site environment contains dust, which can easily damage people's skin, eyes, and body organs, endangering human safety.

[0005] 3. A series of tasks cannot be carried out simultaneously, resulting in low efficiency and impacting production capacity. To avoid affecting production capacity, a large number of personnel need to be added.

[0006] Therefore, how to solve the above-mentioned problems of manual loading and unloading in existing kilns is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an automated loading and unloading system for kilns, which can automatically complete loading and unloading operations to reduce labor costs and improve production capacity and efficiency.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0009] An automated kiln loading and unloading system includes:

[0010] A closed-loop conveyor line is used for circulating conveying of saggers. The closed-loop conveyor line includes a sintering section located inside the kiln and a loading and unloading section located outside the kiln.

[0011] A recycling frame is used to recycle the material inside the saggar after sintering.

[0012] A loading conveyor line for conveying the crucibles;

[0013] An automatic feeding mechanism includes a feeding section located above the upstream section of the loading conveyor line, used to fill the empty sagger with material;

[0014] A material leveling mechanism includes a flattening section, which is located above the downstream section of the loading conveyor line and is used to flatten the material on the top of the sagger.

[0015] The robot is used to grab the sintered sagger on the loading and unloading section and pour the material inside into the recycling frame. Then, the empty sagger is placed on the upstream section of the loading conveyor line to fill it. After that, the flattened sagger is placed back on the loading and unloading section.

[0016] Preferably, it further includes:

[0017] A defective sagger recovery frame is located on the side of the upstream section and upstream of the automatic feeding mechanism along the conveying direction of the upstream section;

[0018] The first pushing mechanism includes a first pushing part, which is located above the portion of the upstream section corresponding to the defective sagger collection frame and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section, for pushing the defective sagger into the defective sagger collection frame.

[0019] Preferably, the loading conveyor line is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section has a plurality of rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction;

[0020] The automated kiln loading and unloading system also includes:

[0021] The first lifting mechanism includes a first lifting part, which is located below the portion of the upstream section corresponding to the first pushing part and can move vertically through the interval, for lifting the defective sagger to detach it from the upstream section.

[0022] Preferably, the upstream section extends along a conveying direction parallel to the loading and unloading section, the recycling frame is located between the inlet end of the upstream section and the loading and unloading section, the downstream section is vertically connected to the outlet end of the upstream section and extends to a position adjacent to the loading and unloading section, and the robot's base is located in the space enclosed by the recycling frame, the upstream section and the downstream section.

[0023] Preferably, it further includes:

[0024] The second pushing mechanism includes a second pushing part, which is located above the outlet end of the upstream section and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section, for pushing the sagger into the downstream section.

[0025] Preferably, the loading conveyor line is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section has a plurality of rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction;

[0026] The automated kiln loading and unloading system also includes:

[0027] The second lifting mechanism includes a second lifting part, which is located below the outlet end of the upstream section and can move vertically through the interval to lift the sagger to detach it from the roller.

[0028] Preferably, the feeding section includes an automatic feeding bin, which is mounted above the bowl end of the upstream section via a bin support, and the feeding port of the automatic feeding bin faces downward.

[0029] Preferably, the automatic feeding mechanism further includes a vacuum feeder and a storage frame. The inlet of the vacuum feeder is connected to the inside of the storage frame through a vacuum hose, and the outlet of the vacuum feeder is connected to the inlet of the automatic unloading bin through a discharge pipe.

[0030] Preferably, the automatic feeding mechanism further includes a three-axis frame, which is mounted on the outer periphery of the storage frame. Y-axis slides are provided on both opposite sides of the top port of the three-axis frame. An X-axis slide is slidably connected between the two Y-axis slides. A Z-axis slide is slidably connected to the X-axis slide. The vacuum hose is slidably connected to the Z-axis slide.

[0031] Preferably, the flattening part includes a flattening plate and an insertion tube disposed on its bottom end face. The flattening mechanism further includes a flattening frame and a flattening driver. The flattening frame spans across the downstream section, and the flattening driver is disposed on the top of the flattening frame and its drive shaft is vertically connected to the top end face of the horizontal flattening plate.

[0032] The automated kiln loading and unloading system provided by this utility model, in use, involves transferring sintered saggers from the sintering section to the loading and unloading section outside the kiln. The loading and unloading section transports the sintered saggers, and the robot can move flexibly within a three-dimensional space. Thus, the robot can grab the sintered saggers and empty the material inside into a recycling basket, completing the sagger unloading. The empty saggers are then placed on the upstream section of the loading conveyor line, which transports them downstream (i.e., forward). As they pass through the automatic feeding mechanism, the system automatically... The feeding section of the automatic feeding mechanism fills empty saggers with material, completing the sagger filling process. The filled saggers are then transported downstream to the downstream section. Passing through the leveling mechanism, the flattening section flattens any excess pagoda-shaped powder overflowing from the top of the sagger, completing the sagger pressing process. Finally, the robot places the flattened sagger (i.e., the refilled sagger) back onto the loading and unloading section. The loading and unloading section then transfers the refilled saggers, ready for sintering, to the sintering section inside the kiln. This cycle achieves automated loading and unloading operations in the kiln. Therefore, this automated kiln loading and unloading system reduces labor costs, minimizes environmental hazards to human safety, and improves production capacity and efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0033] 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 embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an automated kiln loading and unloading system provided by this utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the robot's structure;

[0036] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the installation of the loading conveyor line and its surrounding components;

[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first (or second) pushing mechanism in the process;

[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first lifting mechanism (or the second lifting mechanism) from one perspective;

[0039] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure from the second perspective of the first lifting mechanism (or the second lifting mechanism);

[0040] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Installation diagram of the automatic feeding hopper;

[0041] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Installation diagram of the vacuum feeder in the diagram;

[0042] Figure 9 for Figure 1 Installation diagram of the three-axis frame and storage box;

[0043] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the flattening mechanism in the diagram.

[0044] Figure label:

[0045] 1-Kiln; 2-Sagger; 3-Loading and unloading section; 4-Recovery material frame; 5-Robot; 6-Loading conveyor line; 7-Automatic feeding mechanism; 8-Leveling mechanism; 9-Defective sagger recovery frame; 10-First pushing mechanism; 11-First lifting mechanism; 12-Second pushing mechanism; 13-Second lifting mechanism;

[0046] 51-Base; 52-Six-axis robot; 53-Protective cover; 54-Clamping cylinder; 55-Clamping plate;

[0047] 61 - Upstream section; 62 - Downstream section;

[0048] 71-Automatic feeding bin; 72-Bin support; 73-Control panel; 74-Vacuum feeder; 75-Feeder support; 76-Discharge pipe; 77-Vacuum hose; 78-Three-axis frame; 79-Storage box; 710-X-axis slide; 711-Y-axis slide; 712-Z-axis slide;

[0049] 81-Plate plate; 82-Insertion tube; 83-Plank frame; 84-Plank driver;

[0050] 101-Pushing frame; 102-Pushing plate; 103-Pushing driver; 104-Mounting plate; 105-Adapter plate; 106-Linear guide rail; 107-Fixing plate; 108-Pushing sensor;

[0051] 111-Lifting frame; 112-Lifting driver; 113-Lifting connecting plate; 114-Linear bearing; 115-Guide rod; 116-Lifting plate; 117-Sensor mounting plate; 118-Lifting sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0053] The core of this utility model is to provide an automated loading and unloading system for kilns. This system can automatically complete loading and unloading operations, thereby reducing labor costs and improving production capacity and efficiency.

[0054] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation on this application.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 1 This application provides a specific embodiment of an automated kiln loading and unloading system, including a closed-loop conveyor line, a recycling frame 4, a loading conveyor line 6, an automatic feeding mechanism 7, a leveling mechanism 8, and a robot 5.

[0056] The closed-loop conveyor line is used for the cyclic conveying of the saggers 2. The closed-loop conveyor line includes a sintering section located inside the kiln 1 and a loading and unloading section 3 located outside the kiln 1.

[0057] The recycling frame 4 is used to recycle the material inside the sintered sagger 2.

[0058] The loading conveyor line 6 is used to transport the crucible 2.

[0059] The automatic feeding mechanism 7 includes a feeding section located above the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6, which is used to fill the empty sagger 2 with materials.

[0060] The material leveling mechanism 8 includes a flattening section located above the downstream section 62 of the loading conveyor line 6, which is used to flatten the material on top of the sagger 2.

[0061] Robot 5 is used to grab the sintered crucible 2 on the loading and unloading section 3 and pour the material inside into the recycling frame 4. Then, the empty crucible 2 is placed on the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6 to fill it. After that, the flattened crucible 2 is placed back on the loading and unloading section 3.

[0062] It should be noted that the closed-loop conveyor line can circulate the saggers 2. It consists of a sintering section located inside the kiln 1 and a loading / unloading section 3 located outside the kiln 1. The sintering section is used to transport the saggers 2 inside the kiln 1, and the loading / unloading section 3 is used to transport saggers 2 that have been sintered (these saggers 2 are full and need to be unloaded) and saggers 2 to be sintered (these saggers 2 have been refilled) outside the kiln 1. The specific structural settings of the closed-loop conveyor line can be referred to the prior art. Its structure is not the focus of this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0063] like Figure 3As shown, the loading conveyor line 6 is divided into an upstream section 61 and a downstream section 62 along its conveying direction, and the two are an integrated structure. The upstream section 61 is equipped with a feeding part of an automatic feeding mechanism 7, which allows empty caskets 2 to be filled after being placed in the upstream section 61. The downstream section 62 is equipped with a flattening part of a leveling mechanism 8, which allows the filled caskets 2 to be flattened after being placed in the downstream section 62.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, robot 5 has the characteristic of flexible movement in three-dimensional space, and its movement route can be programmed to explicitly specify the orderly execution of a series of actions. Thus, in this application, robot 5 can sequentially perform the following steps: First, it grabs the sintered sagger 2 from the loading / unloading section 3 and moves it above the recycling frame 4, then flips the sagger 2 to pour the material inside into the recycling frame 4; second, it places the empty sagger 2 on the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6; third, it places the refilled sagger 2 on the loading / unloading section 3. It should also be noted that between the second and third steps, the sagger 2 will pass through the upstream section 61 and downstream section 62 sequentially to complete refilling. During this process, robot 5 can repeat the first and second steps to grab the next sintered sagger 2, pour it out, place it on the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6, and then jump to execute the third step. This allows robot 5 to operate in parallel with the automatic feeding mechanism 7 and the leveling mechanism 8, greatly improving production capacity and efficiency.

[0065] The specific steps of the automated kiln loading and unloading system in the above embodiments are as follows:

[0066] Step 1: The sintered sagger 2 is transferred from the sintering section to the loading and unloading section 3 outside the kiln 1.

[0067] Step 2: Robot 5 grabs the sintered sagger 2 on the loading and unloading section 3 and pours the material inside into the recycling box 4, thus completing the unloading of sagger 2.

[0068] Step 3: Place the empty casket 2, which has been unloaded, into the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6;

[0069] Step 4: The upstream section 61 conveys the empty sagger 2 downstream (i.e., forward);

[0070] Step 5: When passing through the automatic feeding mechanism 7, the feeding part of the automatic feeding mechanism 7 fills the empty casket 2 with the material, completing the filling of the casket 2.

[0071] Step 6: The sagger 2 with the filling material is transported to the downstream section 62. When it passes through the leveling mechanism 8, the flattening part of the leveling mechanism 8 can flatten the pagoda cone-shaped powder that overflows from the top of the sagger 2, thus completing the pressing of the sagger 2.

[0072] Step 7: Robot 5 places the flattened crucible 2 (i.e., the refilled crucible 2) back onto the loading and unloading section 3;

[0073] Step 8: The loading and unloading section 3 transfers the reloaded sagger 2 to the sintering section inside the kiln 1.

[0074] This cycle enables automated loading and unloading operations for kiln 1. Therefore, the automated loading and unloading system for kiln reduces labor costs, minimizes the impact of the production environment on human safety, and also improves production capacity and efficiency.

[0075] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred embodiment, the loading and unloading section 3 is provided with pick-up stations and placement stations at intervals along its conveying direction. The pick-up station serves as the positioning point for the robot 5 to grasp the sintered sagger 2, ensuring that the robot 5 accurately grasps the sintered sagger 2 each time. The placement station serves as the positioning point for the robot 5 to place the flattened sagger 2, ensuring that the robot 5 accurately places the flattened sagger 2 onto the loading and unloading section 3 each time. On the one hand, this enables the robot 5 to accurately grasp or place the sagger 2, which is beneficial for achieving a standardized path for the robot 5. On the other hand, it also avoids misplacement of the refilled sagger 2 and the sintered sagger 2, ensuring that the refilled sagger 2 is located in front of the sintered sagger 2.

[0076] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 1 The closed-loop conveyor line is used to circulate and transport multiple crucibles 2, with at least two crucibles 2 stacked together to form a pile. In this way, the crucibles 2 are transported in a stacked manner, which can reduce the space occupied by the conveyor line and transport more crucibles 2 under the same conveying capacity, thus greatly improving the production capacity.

[0077] In this embodiment, both the sintering section and the loading and unloading section 3 of the closed-loop conveyor line have multiple trays arranged at intervals, and stacks of saggers 2 are placed on the trays to improve the structural stability of the saggers 2 and prevent them from collapsing.

[0078] It should be noted that during the high-temperature firing process in the kiln 1, the sagger 2 may crack, deform, or become contaminated due to material or process issues. As a result, there will be defective sagger 2 on the loading and unloading section 3. If the defective sagger 2 is not promptly recovered and is instead reloaded and transported back to the kiln 1 for firing, it will affect the product quality.

[0079] To avoid the above problems, as a further preferred option based on the above embodiments, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 3 This application also includes a defective sagger recovery frame 9 and a first pusher mechanism 10.

[0080] The defective sagger recovery frame 9 is located on the side of the upstream section 61 and upstream of the automatic feeding mechanism 7 along the conveying direction of the upstream section 61; the first pushing mechanism 10 includes a first pushing part, which is located above the portion of the upstream section 61 corresponding to the defective sagger recovery frame 9 and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section 61, for pushing the defective sagger 2 into the defective sagger recovery frame 9.

[0081] Thus, between steps 4 and 5 above, that is, before the empty cassette 2 on the upstream section 61 passes the automatic feeding mechanism 7, step 41 is also included. Specifically, the empty cassette 2 can be detected manually or by a defect detection instrument to see if it has defects. If the empty cassette 2 has defects, the first pushing part of the first pushing mechanism 10 can push the defective cassette 2 into the defective cassette recycling frame 9 and then reset it to wait for the next defective cassette 2 to be pushed. If the empty cassette 2 does not have defects, the first pushing part of the first pushing mechanism 10 does not operate.

[0082] Thus, this application utilizes the defective sagger recycling frame 9 and the first feeding mechanism 10 to recycle the defective sagger 2 before filling, thereby ensuring product quality while avoiding material waste. Moreover, the defective sagger 2 is uniformly collected in the defective sagger recycling frame 9, which facilitates reprocessing and reuse, saving production costs.

[0083] Regarding the specific structure of the first pushing mechanism 10, as a further preferred embodiment based on the above embodiments, please refer to... Figure 4 The first pushing mechanism 10 also includes a pushing frame 101, which spans across the upstream section 61 and has a channel between it and its top for the crucible 2 to pass through. The first pushing part includes a pushing plate 102 and a pushing driver 103. The pushing driver 103 is located on the top of the pushing frame 101 and connected to the pushing plate 102. The pushing plate 102 is located above and adjacent to the top surface of the upstream section 61. The pushing plate 102 can move horizontally along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section 61 under the action of the pushing driver 103. It should also be noted that the initial position of the pushing plate 102 is located on one side of the upstream section 61 to avoid the pushing plate 102 obstructing the passage of the defect-free crucible 2.

[0084] In this embodiment, the pusher driver 103 is a rodless cylinder. The rodless cylinder extends horizontally along the conveying direction of the vertical upstream section 61 and is located at the top of the pusher frame 101. The piston of the rodless cylinder is connected to the pusher plate 102 through a connector. The pusher driver 103 adopts the above configuration, which can save installation space.

[0085] Furthermore, the connector includes a mounting plate 104 and an adapter plate 105. The mounting plate 104 is disposed on the piston, and the bottom end of the mounting plate 104 is connected to the adapter plate 105. The adapter plate 105 extends downward and connects to a pusher plate 102 that extends along the conveying direction of the upstream section 61. This arrangement ensures that the pusher plate 102 is adjacent to the top surface of the upstream section 61 and maximizes the contact area with the defective crucible 2, thereby ensuring that the defective crucible 2 is pushed into the defective crucible recovery frame 9.

[0086] In this embodiment, the top of the pusher frame 101 is also provided with a linear guide rail 106 located below the pusher driver 103. The linear guide rail 106 extends horizontally along the conveying direction of the vertical upstream section 61, and the mounting plate 104 is also slidably mounted on the linear guide rail 106. In this way, the linear guide rail 106 can play a precise guiding role when the mounting plate 104 drives the pusher plate 102 to move, effectively preventing the pusher plate 102 from tilting during movement, thereby ensuring that the pusher plate 102 accurately pushes the defective crucible 2 into the defective crucible recycling frame 9.

[0087] In this embodiment, the top of the pusher frame 101 is equipped with pusher sensors 108 at both ends of the rodless cylinder via fixing plates 107. The pusher sensors 108 are used to sense the piston of the rodless cylinder. When the piston moves in any direction, the pusher sensors 108 can respond in time and output a position signal to the control unit to ensure that the control unit can accurately determine whether the piston has reached the preset position.

[0088] In this process, when a pusher sensor 108 adjacent to the defective crucible recycling frame 9 senses the piston, it indicates that the pusher plate 102 has completed pushing the material. Afterward, the control unit will control the rodless cylinder to drive the pusher plate 102 to reset. When another pusher sensor 108 away from the defective crucible recycling frame 9 senses the piston, it indicates that the pusher plate 102 has completed resetting. This makes it easy to determine the position of the pusher plate 102 in order to control the action of the pusher plate 102, thereby ensuring that the pusher plate 102 completes pushing the material and resets after pushing the material.

[0089] It should be noted that the defective crucible 2 is in continuous contact with the upstream section 61. When the defective crucible 2 is pushed down, the static friction between it and the upstream section 61 must be overcome, which can easily cause the upstream section 61 to drag the defective crucible 2, resulting in the defective crucible 2 not falling off. Moreover, the defective crucible 2 is also easily affected by horizontal inertial force, and at the moment of being pushed down, it may deviate along the conveying direction of the upstream section 61 and fall outside the defective crucible recycling frame 9.

[0090] To avoid the above problems, as a further preferred option based on the above embodiments, please refer to... Figure 3The loading conveyor line 6 is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section 61 has a plurality of rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction; this application also includes a first lifting mechanism 11, which includes a first lifting part, which is located below the portion of the upstream section 61 corresponding to the first pushing part and can move vertically through the spaced parts, for lifting the defective sagger 2 to detach it from the upstream section 61.

[0091] The loading conveyor line 6 adopts a roller conveyor line. On the one hand, the roller conveyor line can operate continuously and stably, with high conveying efficiency and strong load-bearing capacity. Moreover, it can be flexibly arranged into straight lines, curves, and other forms, making the layout flexible. On the other hand, the upstream section 61 of the roller conveyor line has multiple rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction. The interval between adjacent rollers can provide a channel for the first lifting part to move up and down.

[0092] A first lifting section is provided below the portion of the upstream section 61 covered by the first pushing section (i.e., the pushing plate 102). The first lifting section can move vertically through the gap to lift the defective crock 2 and remove it from the upstream section 61. Thus, in step 41 above, if the empty crock 2 is defective, before the first pushing mechanism 10 is activated, the first lifting section lifts the defective crock 2 and removes it from the upstream section 61. Then, the first pushing mechanism 10 pushes the defective crock 2 into the defective crock collection frame 9 to avoid frictional resistance interfering with the movement of the defective crock 2 and the defective crock 2 causing inertial displacement, thereby effectively ensuring that the defective crock 2 falls into the defective crock collection frame 9.

[0093] Regarding the specific structure of the first lifting mechanism 11, as a further preferred embodiment based on the above-described embodiments, please refer to... Figure 5 and Figure 6 The first lifting mechanism 11 also includes a lifting frame 111, a lifting driver 112, and a lifting connecting plate 113. The lifting frame 111 is located below the portion of the upstream section 61 corresponding to the first pushing part. The lifting driver 112 is located on top of the lifting frame 111 and its driving axis is connected upward to the bottom end face of the lifting connecting plate 113 to drive the lifting connecting plate 113 to move vertically. The first lifting part includes a plurality of lifting plates 116. The plurality of lifting plates 116 are equally spaced and at the same height on the top surface of the lifting connecting plate 113 along the conveying direction of the upstream section 61. Thus, under the drive of the lifting driver 112, the plurality of lifting plates 116 can be lifted and supported relatively smoothly for the pushing plate 102 to push it down.

[0094] In this embodiment, linear bearings 114 are installed at the four corners of the lifting frame 111 corresponding to the lifting connecting plate 113. Guide rods 115 are inserted into the linear bearings 114 and slide vertically with them, and the guide rods 115 are fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting connecting plate 113. Thus, during the movement of the lifting connecting plate 113, the guide rods 115 provide guidance and support, ensuring that the lifting connecting plate 113 moves smoothly vertically, thereby ensuring that the first lifting part moves smoothly vertically and preventing the defective crock 2 from falling off the first lifting part.

[0095] Furthermore, the drive shaft of the lifting driver 112 is vertically connected to the middle of the lifting connecting plate 113, and the lifting connecting plate 113 and the multiple lifting plates 116 are all horizontally arranged. In this arrangement, the driving force of the lifting driver 112 can be evenly distributed to each lifting plate 116 through the lifting connecting plate 113, eliminating eccentric torque, preventing the risk of lateral overturning, and effectively preventing the defective saucer 2 from falling off from the first lifting part.

[0096] In this embodiment, a sensor mounting plate 117 is provided at the top position of the lifting frame 111 next to the lifting connecting plate 113. A lifting sensor 118 is provided on the sensor mounting plate 117 to sense the position of the lifting plate 116 and transmit it to the control unit. The control unit controls the lifting driver 112 to operate according to the obtained position information of the lifting plate 116, so as to ensure that the lifting plate 116 moves according to the specified vertical stroke, avoid the lifting plate 116 not moving up to the correct position, which would cause the pusher plate 102 to be unable to contact the defective cassette 2, and avoid the lifting plate 116 not descending to the correct position after the defective cassette 2 falls off, which would cause the defect-free cassette 2 to pass through normally.

[0097] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 3 The upstream section 61 extends along the conveying direction of the parallel loading and unloading section 3. The recycling frame 4 is located between the inlet end of the upstream section 61 and the loading and unloading section 3. The downstream section 62 is vertically connected to the outlet end of the upstream section 61 and extends to a position adjacent to the loading and unloading section 3. The robot's base 51 is located in the space enclosed by the recycling frame 4, the upstream section 61 and the downstream section 62.

[0098] This configuration offers two advantages. First, the upstream section 61 and downstream section 62 of the recycling frame 4 and the loading conveyor line 6 form a U-shaped space, resulting in a compact structure that saves space. Simultaneously, the U-shaped space allows the robot 5 to cover the entire operating range. Second, the robot 5 performs a series of actions within the U-shaped space, including picking up the sintered saggers 2, emptying the saggers 2, placing empty saggers 2, and refilling the saggers 2. This shortens the travel distance for the robot 5 to grasp and place the saggers 2, improving its working efficiency and making it suitable for high-frequency loading and unloading operations.

[0099] It should be noted that the upstream section 61 and the downstream section 62 of the loading conveyor line 6 are arranged in an L-shape perpendicular to each other. The conveying directions of the upstream section 61 and the downstream section 62 are different, and they are perpendicular to each other on the horizontal plane. Thus, when the sagger 2 moves to the outlet end of the upstream section 61, it will continue to maintain its original straight-line movement direction, instead of naturally turning and moving to the downstream section 62.

[0100] To enable the sagger 2 to move from the upstream section 61 to the downstream section 62, as a further preferred embodiment based on the above-described embodiment, please refer to... Figure 3 This application also includes a second pushing mechanism 12, which includes a second pushing part. The second pushing part is located above the outlet end of the upstream section 61 and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section 61, for pushing the sagger 2 into the downstream section 62.

[0101] Thus, between steps 5 and 6 above, that is, after the filling of the sagger 2 is completed and before it is conveyed to the downstream section 62, there is also step 51, which is that the second pushing part of the second pushing mechanism 12 can abut against the sagger 2 that has been filled and move horizontally along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section 61 (that is, along the conveying direction of the downstream section 62) to push the sagger 2 into the downstream section 62, thereby realizing the movement of the sagger from the upstream section 61 to the downstream section 62.

[0102] It should be noted that the second pushing mechanism 12 and its included second pushing part have the same specific structure as the first pushing mechanism 10 and its included first pushing part described above. Except that the pushing frame 101 of the second pushing mechanism 12 is positioned across the very end of the upstream section 61 to avoid interfering with the passage of the sagger 2, the arrangement of the other components is also the same, and the connection relationship between the components can be referred to the first pushing mechanism 10 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0103] It should be noted that the filling crucible 2 is in continuous contact with the upstream section 61. When the crucible 2 is pushed down, the static friction between it and the upstream section 61 must be overcome. This can easily cause the upstream section 61 to drag the crucible 2, resulting in the crucible 2 getting stuck and unable to move smoothly to the downstream section 62.

[0104] To avoid the above problems, as a further preferred option based on the above embodiments, please refer to... Figure 3 The loading conveyor line 6 is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section 61 has a plurality of rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction; this application also includes a second lifting mechanism 13, which includes a second lifting part, which is located below the outlet end of the upstream section 61 and can move vertically through the spaced rollers to lift the sagger 2 to detach it from the rollers.

[0105] A second lifting section is provided below the portion of the upstream section 61 covered by the second pushing section (i.e., the pushing plate 102). The second lifting section can move vertically through the gap to lift the crucible 2 away from the upstream section 61. Thus, in step 51 above, before the second pushing mechanism 12 is activated, the second lifting section lifts the crucible 2 away from the upstream section 61. Then, the second pushing mechanism 12 pushes the crucible 2 onto the downstream section 62 to avoid frictional resistance interfering with the movement of the crucible 2, thereby ensuring that the filled crucible 2 moves smoothly onto the downstream section 62.

[0106] It should be noted that the second lifting mechanism 13 and its included second lifting part have the same specific structure as the first lifting mechanism 11 and its included first lifting part described above. Except that the lifting frame 111 of the second lifting mechanism 13 is located below the part of the upstream section 61 corresponding to the second pushing part, the arrangement of the other components is also the same, and the connection relationship between the components can be referred to the first lifting mechanism 11 described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0107] Regarding the specific structure of robot 5, as a further preferred embodiment based on the above embodiments, please refer to... Figure 2 The robot 5 includes a six-axis robot 52, a base 51, and a gripper assembly. The six-axis robot 52 has six degrees of freedom, allowing it to move 360 ​​degrees in space without blind spots, enabling complex gripping actions and ensuring the smooth loading and unloading of the crucible 2. The six-axis robot 52 is mounted on the base 51, which is rigidly connected to the ground via anchor bolts, forming a reaction force fulcrum to support the six-axis robot 52 and prevent it from tipping over due to imbalance. The gripper assembly is located at the end of the six-axis robot 52 furthest from the base 51 and is used to grip the crucible 2.

[0108] In this embodiment, the clamping assembly includes a protective cover 53, a clamping cylinder 54, and two clamping plates 55. The protective cover 53 is located at the end of the six-axis robot 52 and covers the outer periphery of the clamping cylinder 54 to protect it from external environmental interference. It also acts as a vibration damper, preventing vibrations from the robot 5 from being transmitted to the clamping cylinder 54, ensuring its stability and consequently the stability of the crucible 2. The first clamping plate 55 is located at one end of the protective cover 53 along its length. The output shaft of the clamping cylinder 54 extends along the length of the protective cover 53 and passes through it to connect to the second clamping plate 55. The two clamping plates 55 are positioned opposite each other. The clamping cylinder 54 moves the second clamping plate 55 relative to the first clamping plate 55 to adjust the distance between them, thereby clamping or releasing the crucible 2.

[0109] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 7The feeding section includes an automatic feeding bin 71, which is mounted above the bowl end of the upstream section 61 via a bin support 72, and the discharge port of the automatic feeding bin 71 faces downward.

[0110] The automatic feeding hopper 71 can automatically discharge materials from the outlet without manual intervention, which helps improve production efficiency and reduce the intensity of manual labor. The automatic feeding hopper 71 can be a screw hopper adapted for precise quantitative feeding of fine particles and powders. Of course, other structural types can also be adopted, and can be adapted to customer needs.

[0111] In addition, the automatic feeding bin 71 is positioned above the outlet end of the upstream section 61. Thus, after the automatic feeding bin 71 fills the crucible 2, the second lifting mechanism 13 and the second pushing mechanism 12 can immediately cooperate to push the filled crucible 2 into the downstream section 62. This eliminates the need for the filled crucible 2 to continue to be transported in the upstream section 61, reducing the length of the upstream section 61 of the loading conveyor line 6, saving space, and also improving the efficiency of the loading conveyor line 6 in transporting the crucible 2.

[0112] In this embodiment, a control panel 73 is provided on the hopper support 72. The control panel 73 can control and monitor the automatic feeding hopper 71. The control panel 73 typically integrates a start / stop button for operating the automatic feeding hopper 71 to start and stop, and displays the real-time operating status of the automatic feeding hopper 71. In addition, the control panel 73 can also serve as an interface for parameter setting and data interaction of the automatic feeding hopper 71. Operators can input parameters through the control panel 73 to achieve precise control of the automatic feeding hopper 71.

[0113] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 8 The automatic feeding mechanism 7 also includes a vacuum feeder 74 and a storage frame 79. The inlet of the vacuum feeder 74 is connected to the inside of the storage frame 79 through a vacuum hose 77, and the outlet of the vacuum feeder 74 is connected to the inlet of the automatic unloading bin 71 through a discharge pipe 76.

[0114] When the system is running, if the material in the automatic feeding bin 71 is lower than the required material quantity, the material in the storage box 79 can be sucked into the vacuum feeder 74 through the vacuum hose 77. The vacuum feeder 74 then transports the sucked material into the automatic feeding bin 71, realizing automatic replenishment of the automatic feeding bin 71, ensuring that the system can run without interruption and realize continuous production. At the same time, no manual intervention is required for replenishment, reducing the intensity of manual labor.

[0115] In addition, the use of a vacuum feeder 74 to transport materials effectively isolates pollutants from the external environment, reducing the defect rate of products caused by impurities. Moreover, the feed inlet of the vacuum feeder 74 is connected to the storage frame 79 through a vacuum hose 77. The vacuum hose 77 can prevent material from escaping and causing environmental pollution and material loss. Furthermore, the flexible vacuum hose 77 can effectively absorb and isolate the vibration of the vacuum feeder 74, ensuring the stability of the storage frame 79.

[0116] In this embodiment, the vacuum feeder 74 is mounted on a feeder bracket 75. The feeder bracket 75 supports the vacuum feeder 74, ensuring its stable installation and preventing displacement due to vibrations generated during material transport, thus ensuring production safety. Furthermore, the feeder bracket 75 can be detachably mounted on the ground using bolts or other fasteners, facilitating the movement of the vacuum feeder 74 to adapt to different process requirements.

[0117] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 9 The automatic feeding mechanism 7 also includes a three-axis frame 78, which is mounted on the outer periphery of the storage frame 79. The top ports of the three-axis frame 78 are provided with Y-axis slides 711 on both sides. An X-axis slide 710 is slidably connected between the two Y-axis slides 711. A Z-axis slide 712 is slidably connected to the X-axis slide 710. A vacuum hose 77 is slidably connected to the Z-axis slide 712.

[0118] The X-axis slide 710, Y-axis slide 711, and Z-axis slide 712 form a three-axis slide. The X-axis slide 710 is typically a horizontal transverse movement axis, responsible for left-right movement; the Y-axis slide 711 is typically a horizontal longitudinal movement axis, responsible for forward-backward movement; and the Z-axis slide 712 is typically a vertical movement axis, responsible for up-down movement. The three-axis slide can be driven by servo motors, stepper motors, or linear motors, allowing each axis to have independent drive capability. Thus, the vacuum hose 77 can move along the X, Y, and Z axes on the three-axis frame 78, enabling adjustable position of the vacuum hose 77. This facilitates flexible docking of the vacuum hose 77 with the vacuum feeder 74, and allows the vacuum hose 77 to move quickly within the storage box 79 like a vacuum cleaner, improving material suction efficiency and effectively preventing dead zones in the storage box 79 that could lead to material residue and waste.

[0119] Based on the above embodiments, as a further preferred option, please refer to... Figure 10 The flattening part includes a flattening plate 81 and an insertion tube 82 disposed on its bottom end face. The flattening mechanism 8 also includes a flattening frame 83 and a flattening driver 84. The flattening frame 83 spans across the downstream section 62, and the flattening driver 84 is disposed on the top of the flattening frame 83 and its drive shaft is vertically connected to the top end face of the horizontal flattening plate 81.

[0120] In this embodiment, the two side columns of the flat material frame 83 are respectively located on both sides of the downstream section 62, and the top column of the flat material frame 83 is located above the downstream section 62, so that a channel for the sagger 2 to pass through is left between the flat material frame 83 and the downstream section 62. The flat material actuator 84 is located on the top column of the flat material frame 83, and the drive shaft of the flat material actuator 84 is vertically connected to the top surface of the horizontal pressure plate 81. The bottom surface of the pressure plate 81 has an insertion tube 82. Thus, when the sagger 2 with the filling completed passes through the flat material frame 83, the flat material actuator 84 drives the pressure plate 81 to move downward. The pressure plate 81 first drives the insertion tube 82 to press down on the top of the powder tower piled on the top of the sagger 2, and finally the horizontal pressure plate 81 flattens it, so that the material in the sagger 2 is evenly distributed, avoiding local looseness or tightness that would affect the sintering effect.

[0121] It should be noted that the closed-loop conveyor line, the loading conveyor line 6, the automatic feeding mechanism 7, the leveling mechanism 8, the robot 5, the first pushing mechanism 10, the first lifting mechanism 11, the second pushing mechanism 12, and the second lifting mechanism 13 of this application are all signal-connected to the control unit (e.g., a computer system), so that each device executes the corresponding action according to the preset logic program, thereby realizing the coordinated and automated operation of each device.

[0122] In this specification, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity from several other entities, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0123] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0124] The above provides a detailed description of an automated kiln loading and unloading system provided by this utility model. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this utility model without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. An automated loading and unloading system for a kiln, characterized in that, include: A closed-loop conveyor line is used for circulating conveying of saggers (2). The closed-loop conveyor line includes a sintering section located inside the kiln (1) and a loading and unloading section (3) located outside the kiln (1). A recycling frame (4) is used to recycle the material inside the saggar (2) after sintering; A loading conveyor line (6) is used to transport the crucible (2); The automatic feeding mechanism (7) includes a feeding section located above the upstream section (61) of the loading conveyor line (6) for filling the empty sagger (2) with materials. The material leveling mechanism (8) includes a flattening part, which is located above the downstream section (62) of the loading conveyor line (6) and is used to flatten the material on the top of the sagger (2). Robot (5) is used to grab the sintered sagger (2) on the loading and unloading section (3) and pour the material inside into the recycling frame (4). Then, the empty sagger (2) is placed on the upstream section (61) of the loading conveyor line (6) to achieve filling. After that, the flattened sagger (2) is placed back on the loading and unloading section (3).

2. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The defective sagger recovery frame (9) is located on the side of the upstream section (61) and upstream of the automatic feeding mechanism (7) along the conveying direction of the upstream section (61); The first pushing mechanism (10) includes a first pushing part, which is located above the portion of the upstream section (61) corresponding to the defective sagger collection frame (9) and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section (61) to push the defective sagger (2) into the defective sagger collection frame (9).

3. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The loading conveyor line (6) is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section (61) has multiple rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction; The automated kiln loading and unloading system also includes: The first lifting mechanism (11) includes a first lifting part, which is located below the portion of the upstream section (61) corresponding to the first pushing part and can move vertically through the interval, for lifting the defective sagger (2) to detach it from the upstream section (61).

4. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upstream section (61) extends along the conveying direction parallel to the loading and unloading section (3), the recycling frame (4) is located between the inlet end of the upstream section (61) and the loading and unloading section (3), the downstream section (62) is vertically connected to the outlet end of the upstream section (61) and extends to a position adjacent to the loading and unloading section (3), and the base (51) of the robot (5) is located in the space enclosed by the recycling frame (4), the upstream section (61) and the downstream section (62).

5. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The second pushing mechanism (12) includes a second pushing part, which is located above the outlet end of the upstream section (61) and can be horizontally moved along the conveying direction perpendicular to the upstream section (61) to push the sagger (2) into the downstream section (62).

6. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The loading conveyor line (6) is a roller conveyor line, and its upstream section (61) has multiple rollers spaced apart along the conveying direction; The automated kiln loading and unloading system also includes: The second lifting mechanism (13) includes a second lifting part, which is located below the outlet end of the upstream section (61) and can move vertically through the interval, for lifting the sagger (2) to detach it from the roller.

7. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feeding section includes an automatic feeding bin (71), which is mounted above the bowl end of the upstream section (61) via a bin support (72), and the discharge port of the automatic feeding bin (71) faces downward.

8. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The automatic feeding mechanism (7) also includes a vacuum feeder (74) and a storage box (79). The inlet of the vacuum feeder (74) is connected to the inside of the storage box (79) through a vacuum hose (77), and the outlet of the vacuum feeder (74) is connected to the inlet of the automatic unloading bin (71) through a discharge pipe (76).

9. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The automatic feeding mechanism (7) also includes a three-axis frame (78), which is mounted on the outer periphery of the storage frame (79). The top ports of the three-axis frame (78) are provided with Y-axis slides (711) on both sides. An X-axis slide (710) is slidably connected between the two Y-axis slides (711). A Z-axis slide (712) is slidably connected to the X-axis slide (710). The vacuum hose (77) is slidably connected to the Z-axis slide (712).

10. The automated kiln loading and unloading system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The flattening part includes a flattening plate (81) and an insertion tube (82) disposed on its bottom end face. The flattening mechanism (8) also includes a flattening frame (83) and a flattening driver (84). The flattening frame (83) spans across the downstream section (62). The flattening driver (84) is disposed on the top of the flattening frame (83) and its drive shaft is vertically connected to the top end face of the flattening plate (81) which is horizontal.

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