Automated ball retrieval device and automated ball retrieval system

Abstract

The utility model discloses an automatic ball fishing device and automatic ball fishing system relates to metallurgical machinery equipment technical field, including cylinder support, flange plate, cylinder base, dynamic claw and static claw, flange plate fixed connection is in one end of cylinder support, and cylinder base is installed on the cylinder support, and its inside is provided with cylinder, and static claw fixed connection is in one end of cylinder support away from flange plate, dynamic claw is connected with the piston rod end of cylinder, and is opposite to static claw and is arranged, simple structure, convenient to use, reduce the exposure time of worker in the harsh environment, liberate manpower, create more safe and good working environment, effectively reduce the damage to related equipment, reduce maintenance cost and shutdown frequency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of metallurgical machinery and equipment technology, and in particular to an automated ball-collecting device and an automated ball-collecting system. Background Technology

[0002] In the pellet production process, the pelletizing machine plays a central role. Currently, each shift requires two pelletizing workers to handle the removal of large pellets from the 12 pelletizing machines. If these large pellets are not removed in time, they can cause blockages in the pelletizing discs, thereby reducing the quality of pellet formation, decreasing output, and in severe cases, even causing equipment malfunctions.

[0003] Manual retrieval requires workers to frequently move between multiple machines, resulting in extremely high labor intensity. Moreover, workers are exposed to high noise, high dust, and extreme temperature and humidity environments for extended periods, facing safety hazards such as dust inhalation, mechanical injuries, and heatstroke, which seriously threaten their health.

[0004] When manually retrieving balls, large balls fall from a height onto the conveyor belt more than two meters below, generating tremendous impact. Frequent impacts can cause wear and tear on the conveyor belt, as well as damage to equipment below the belt, such as rollers and idlers. This significantly shortens the overall lifespan of the equipment and increases maintenance costs and downtime for repairs. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated ball-collecting device and system to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It has a simple structure, is easy to use, reduces the exposure time of workers in harsh environments, frees up manpower, creates a safer and better working environment, effectively reduces damage to related equipment, and lowers maintenance costs and downtime frequency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following solution:

[0007] This utility model provides an automated ball-collecting device, including a cylinder bracket, a flange, a cylinder base, a moving claw, and a stationary claw. The flange is fixedly connected to one end of the cylinder bracket, and the cylinder base is mounted on the cylinder bracket and has a cylinder inside. The stationary claw is fixedly connected to the end of the cylinder bracket away from the flange. The moving claw is connected to the piston rod end of the cylinder and is arranged opposite to the stationary claw.

[0008] Preferably, the movable claw is connected to the cylinder bracket via a hinge shaft, and the piston rod end of the cylinder is hinged to the middle or rear part of the movable claw via a pin shaft, forming a lever mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, the cylinder bracket has an L-shaped structure, with its short arm end connected to the flange, and its long arm end provided with the cylinder base and extending to the mounting position of the stationary claw.

[0010] Preferably, the working surfaces of the moving claw and the stationary claw are arc-shaped concave surfaces adapted to the shape of the pellet.

[0011] Preferably, the arc-shaped concave surface is provided with textures or serrations to increase friction.

[0012] This utility model also provides an automated ball-retrieval system, including a six-axis robot and a ball-retrieval device as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the ball-retrieval device is fixedly connected to the end flange of the six-axis robot via its flange.

[0013] Preferably, the system further includes a pneumatic control unit, which is connected to the cylinder of the ball-collecting device via an air pipe.

[0014] Preferably, the cylinder bracket is made of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy.

[0015] The present invention achieves the following technical advantages over the prior art:

[0016] This utility model provides an automated ball-collecting device and an automated ball-collecting system. The cylinder bracket serves as the supporting foundation for the entire ball-collecting device, providing a stable installation position for other components. The flange facilitates the connection of the ball-collecting device with a six-axis robot, enabling overall linkage. The moving claw and stationary claw are arranged opposite each other and connected to the end of the cylinder piston rod, laying the structural foundation for subsequent opening and closing actions to grasp and break the balls. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automated ball-collecting device provided by this utility model;

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Cylinder; 2. Bracket; 3. Flange; 4. Cylinder base; 5. Moving jaw; 6. Stationary jaw. Detailed Implementation

[0020] 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.

[0021] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated ball-collecting device and system to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It has a simple structure, is easy to use, reduces the exposure time of workers in harsh environments, frees up manpower, creates a safer and better working environment, effectively reduces damage to related equipment, and lowers maintenance costs and downtime frequency.

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Example 1

[0024] This embodiment provides an automated ball-collecting device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a cylinder 1 support 2, a flange 3, a cylinder base 4, a moving claw 5, and a stationary claw 6. The flange 3 is fixedly connected to one end of the cylinder 1 support 2. The cylinder base 4 is mounted on the cylinder 1 support 2 and houses the cylinder 1 inside. The stationary claw 6 is fixedly connected to the end of the cylinder 1 support 2 away from the flange 3. The moving claw 5 is connected to the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 1 and is positioned opposite to the stationary claw 6. This structural design ensures a stable connection between the components of the ball-retrieving device, facilitating precise ball-retrieving operations. The cylinder 1 support 2 serves as the supporting foundation for the entire ball-retrieving device, providing a stable mounting position for other components. The flange 3 facilitates the connection between the ball-retrieving device and a six-axis robot, enabling overall linkage. The moving claw 5 is positioned opposite to the stationary claw 6 and connected to the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 1, laying the structural foundation for subsequent opening and closing actions to grasp and break the balls.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the moving claw 5 is connected to the cylinder 1 bracket 2 via a hinge shaft. The piston rod end of the cylinder 1 is hinged to the middle or rear of the moving claw 5 via a pin, forming a lever mechanism. This lever mechanism design can effectively utilize the driving force of the cylinder 1, amplifying the stroke and gripping force of the moving claw 5 through the lever principle. Compared to a direct connection, the lever mechanism can increase the opening angle of the moving claw 5 even with a limited stroke of the cylinder 1, allowing the ball-collecting device to better adapt to the gripping needs of balls of different sizes. Furthermore, it can utilize the force-saving or force-amplifying characteristics of levers to improve the efficiency of gripping and crushing balls, reducing energy consumption. For example, when the ball size is large, the moving claw 5 can grip the ball more forcefully with the force amplification effect of the lever mechanism.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder 1 support 2 has an L-shaped structure. Its short arm end is connected to a flange 3, and its long arm end is equipped with a cylinder base 4 that extends to the mounting position of the stationary claw 6. This L-shaped design optimizes the spatial layout of the ball-retrieving device. The short arm end connected to the flange 3 makes it more compact when connected to a six-axis robot, reducing the overall size and facilitating installation and use in limited spaces. The long arm end extending to the mounting position of the stationary claw 6 and equipped with the cylinder base 4 rationally allocates the component positions, making the structure more regular and helping to ensure the relative positional accuracy between components. It also provides sufficient space for the movement of the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6, ensuring smooth operation of the ball-retrieving device and improving the stability and reliability of the entire device.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the working surfaces of the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6 are arc-shaped concave surfaces adapted to the shape of the pellet. This arc-shaped concave design allows for a better fit to the pellet's shape, significantly increasing the contact area between the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6 and the pellet. This not only improves the stability of gripping the pellet and prevents it from slipping during gripping, but also allows for more even pressure application to the pellet during crushing operations, making it easier to crush and improving the crushing effect. This ensures that pellets of different sizes can be handled accurately and stably during pellet retrieval.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the concave surface is provided with textures or serrations to increase friction. These textures or serrations further increase the friction between the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6 and the surface of the pellet. When gripping the pellet, the increased friction effectively prevents the pellet from sliding between the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the gripping. When crushing the pellet, the increased friction makes it more difficult for the pellet to escape from between the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6, enabling more effective pellet crushing and further improving the performance and efficiency of the pellet-collecting device.

[0029] Example 2

[0030] This embodiment also provides an automated ball-retrieving system, including a six-axis robot and a ball-retrieving device as described in any of Embodiment 1. The ball-retrieving device is fixedly connected to the end flange 3 of the six-axis robot via its flange 3. Combining the ball-retrieving device with the six-axis robot fully utilizes the flexibility and precise control capabilities of the six-axis robot. The six-axis robot can drive the ball-retrieving device to move freely and adjust its posture in three-dimensional space, accurately locating the ball pile position within the disc-shaped ball-forming machine, achieving efficient and precise ball-retrieving operations. This combination improves the automation level of the entire ball-retrieving process, reduces manual intervention, lowers the labor intensity of workers, and also improves the accuracy and efficiency of the ball-retrieving operation.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the system further includes a pneumatic control unit connected to the cylinder 1 of the ball-collecting device via an air pipe. By controlling the gas pressure and flow rate within the air pipe, the extension and retraction speed and force of the cylinder 1 can be precisely controlled, thereby precisely controlling the opening and closing actions of the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6. This allows the ball-collecting device to flexibly adjust its actions according to different working conditions and ball conditions, improving the accuracy and stability of ball grabbing and crushing, meeting diverse needs in the production process, and ensuring the efficient operation of the entire automated ball-collecting system.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder 1 support 2 is made of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy. Using this material ensures sufficient strength and stability to support all components of the ball-retrieving device while reducing the overall weight of the device. This lighter weight allows the six-axis robot to move the ball-retrieving device quickly and flexibly, improving the robot's operating efficiency and response speed, reducing its load, extending its lifespan, reducing energy consumption, and enhancing the economy and practicality of the entire automated ball-retrieving system.

[0033] Example 3

[0034] This embodiment also provides a method for using an automated ball-retrieval device.

[0035] Device installation: The cylinder 1 bracket 2 is used as a support base and connected to the end of the six-axis robot via flange 3 (to cooperate with the six-axis robot to complete the ball retrieval operation). The stationary claw 6 is fixedly connected to the end of the cylinder 1 bracket 2 away from the flange 3. The cylinder 1 is installed on the cylinder 1 bracket 2 using the cylinder base 4. The moving claw 5 is connected to the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 1 and is set opposite to the stationary claw 6. If the moving claw 5 is connected to the cylinder 1 bracket 2 via a hinge shaft, and the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 1 is hinged to the middle or rear of the moving claw 5 via a pin to form a lever mechanism, then the hinge installation of the corresponding components needs to be completed.

[0036] Positioning and capturing the ball:

[0037] The ball-collecting device is driven by a six-axis robot and positioned in three-dimensional space to locate the ball pile inside the disc-shaped ball-making machine.

[0038] When cylinder 1 actuates, it pushes the end of the piston rod. Since the moving claw 5 is connected to the end of the piston rod of cylinder 1 (if a lever mechanism is used, the movement stroke and gripping force of the moving claw 5 are amplified through the lever principle), the moving claw 5 moves towards the stationary claw 6. The working surfaces of the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6 are arc-shaped concave surfaces adapted to the shape of the ball, and the two fit the shape of the ball to grip it. Because the arc-shaped concave surface is provided with textures or serrations to increase friction, the greater friction force can effectively ensure that the ball does not slip or fall during the gripping process.

[0039] Pellet crushing (if required): Continue to control cylinder 1 to push the moving claw 5 and stationary claw 6 to apply pressure to the pellets. The moving claw 5 and stationary claw 6 apply pressure evenly to the pellets. Due to the increased friction, the pellets are more difficult to break free, thus easily achieving the pellet crushing operation.

[0040] Release the ball and reset: The piston rod of cylinder 1 is pulled back, the moving claw 5 moves away from the stationary claw 6 and returns to the initial position, the ball is released, one ball retrieval and possible ball breakage operation is completed, and the next positioning ball retrieval operation is awaited.

[0041] Example 4

[0042] This embodiment also provides a method for using an automated ball-retrieval system.

[0043] System setup: Based on the automated ball retrieval device, the ball retrieval device is fixedly connected to the end flange 3 of the six-axis robot through its flange 3, and the pneumatic control unit is connected to the cylinder 1 of the ball retrieval device through an air pipe.

[0044] System control: The pneumatic control unit controls the gas pressure and flow rate in the air pipe, and precisely controls the extension speed and force of cylinder 1 according to different working conditions and pellet conditions, thereby accurately controlling the opening and closing actions of the moving claw 5 and the stationary claw 6, as well as the grasping and crushing force and speed of the pellet retrieval device.

[0045] Ball retrieval operation:

[0046] The six-axis robot drives the ball-collecting device connected to it to move freely and adjust its posture in three-dimensional space, accurately positioning itself to the ball pile inside the disc ball-making machine.

[0047] The moving claw 5 and stationary claw 6 of the ball-collecting device grasp the target ball and perform possible crushing operations (same as the grasping and crushing process of the automated ball-collecting device).

[0048] Continuous operation: After the ball retrieval operation is completed, the system continues the next ball retrieval cycle according to the system settings, repeating operations such as positioning, grabbing, crushing (if necessary), and resetting to complete the entire automated ball retrieval process. Throughout the system operation, the use of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy materials for cylinder 1 and bracket 2 reduces the overall weight, which facilitates the six-axis robot to drive the ball retrieval device to move quickly and flexibly, improving the system's operating efficiency.

[0049] This utility model uses specific examples to illustrate its principles and implementation methods. The above description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core idea of ​​this utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the idea of ​​this utility model. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. An automated ball-collecting device, characterized in that, The device includes a cylinder bracket, a flange, a cylinder base, a moving claw, and a stationary claw. The flange is fixedly connected to one end of the cylinder bracket. The cylinder base is mounted on the cylinder bracket and contains a cylinder. The stationary claw is fixedly connected to the end of the cylinder bracket away from the flange. The moving claw is connected to the end of the piston rod of the cylinder and is positioned opposite to the stationary claw.

2. The automated ball-collecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable claw is connected to the cylinder bracket via a hinge shaft, and the piston rod end of the cylinder is hinged to the middle or rear of the movable claw via a pin shaft, forming a lever mechanism.

3. The automated ball-retrieval device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cylinder bracket has an L-shaped structure, with its short arm end connected to the flange and its long arm end equipped with the cylinder base and extending to the mounting position of the stationary claw.

4. The automated ball-retrieval device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working surfaces of the moving and stationary claws are arc-shaped concave surfaces adapted to the shape of the pellet.

5. The automated ball-retrieval device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The concave surface of the arc is provided with textures or serrations to increase friction.

6. An automated ball-retrieval system, characterized in that, The invention includes a six-axis robot and a ball-retrieval device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ball-retrieval device is fixedly connected to the end flange of the six-axis robot via its flange.

7. The automated ball-retrieval system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system also includes a pneumatic control unit, which is connected to the cylinder of the ball-collecting device via an air pipe.

8. The automated ball-retrieval system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cylinder bracket is made of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy.

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