A tubular workpiece gripping device

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of workpiece transfer technology, and in particular to a tubular workpiece clamping device, including a support assembly and a clamping assembly disposed at one end of the support assembly. The support assembly includes a support box and cylinders disposed on both sides of the support box. The clamping assembly includes a connecting plate, grippers, gripper drive components, and a protective cylinder. The protective cylinder is disposed at one end of the connecting plate, and the gripper drive component is connected to one end of the connecting plate. The grippers are slidably connected to the protective cylinder via the gripper drive component, and one end of the grippers extends from the bottom of the protective cylinder. The connecting plate and the cylinders are connected. The clamping assembly is vertically and vertically connected to the support box, and the grippers extend from the bottom of the support box. In this utility model, the support box is designed as a temporary storage bin that combines support and collection functions, realizing batch and rapid unloading of workpieces, significantly improving the output efficiency per unit time, and perfectly meeting the cycle time requirements of automated production lines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of workpiece transfer technology, and in particular to a tubular workpiece clamping device. Background Technology

[0002] A type of tubular workpiece is typically cast in a mold. After casting, the upper mold is removed, and the workpiece is lifted to a certain height by the internal structure of the lower mold. Then, the workpiece needs to be removed from the lower mold. Currently, existing clamping devices are limited in function, only capable of a simple "clamp and place" operation. The removed workpiece requires additional transfer and collection steps, making it difficult to integrate into automated production lines for continuous operation. This results in a slow overall production cycle and high costs. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the technical problems existing in the background art, the utility model provides a tubular workpiece clamping device to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows: A tubular workpiece clamping device includes a support assembly and a clamping assembly disposed at one end of the support assembly. The support assembly includes a support box and cylinders disposed on both sides of the support box, the cylinders being connected to the clamping assembly. One end of the support box is connected to a robotic arm capable of driving its movement. The clamping assembly is vertically and flexibly connected to the support box, extending from the bottom of the support box. The support assembly and the clamping assembly are connected to the upper end of a mold via the robotic arm. The clamping assembly and the support box form a storage cavity for placing the tubular workpiece. The robotic arm can drive the device to remove the clamped tubular workpiece from the mold and lift it to a safe height, then tilt it, drive the clamping assembly to retract into the support box, and release the clamping assembly to allow the workpiece to fall into the storage cavity.

[0005] Preferably, the gripping assembly includes a connecting plate, grippers, gripper drive, and a protective cylinder. The protective cylinder is disposed at one end of the connecting plate, the gripper drive is connected to one end of the connecting plate, the grippers are slidably connected to the protective cylinder through the gripper drive, and one end of the grippers extends from the bottom of the protective cylinder. The connecting plate is connected to a cylinder.

[0006] Preferably, the mold is provided with positioning holes, and positioning pins are provided on both sides of the support box, and the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes.

[0007] Preferably, the support assembly also includes side plates, which are detachably connected to both sides of the support housing. The cylinder is connected to the side plates, and the shaft end of the cylinder passes through the side plates and is connected to the connecting plate.

[0008] Preferably, one end of the support box is detachably provided with several limiting supports, and several limiting holes are provided through the connecting plate, with the limiting supports disposed in the limiting holes.

[0009] Preferably, the support assembly further includes a shielding assembly. One end of the support box is provided with a slot, and the shielding assembly is disposed on the outside of the slot. The shielding assembly includes a shielding plate, and the shielding plate and the support box are connected by a hinge.

[0010] Preferably, the shielding assembly includes a pusher, which is disposed on one side of the support housing, and one end of the pusher is hinged to the shield.

[0011] Preferably, a support hole is provided through one end of the support box, the support hole and the opening are concentric, the size of the support hole is smaller than the size of the protective cylinder, and the gripper passes through the support hole when the protective cylinder and the support box are in contact.

[0012] As a preferred option, the support box is assembled from several panels.

[0013] This utility model has the following advantages and beneficial effects: I. Integrated Collection and Batch Unloading: The support box is innovatively designed as a temporary storage bin that combines support and collection functions, realizing a continuous operation mode of "clamping and storing as needed". Combined with an automatically opening and closing shielding component, it enables batch and rapid unloading of workpieces, greatly improving the output efficiency per unit time and perfectly meeting the cycle requirements of automated production lines.

[0014] II. Precise Positioning and Stable Clamping: The precise alignment of the positioning pins on both sides of the support box with the positioning holes of the mold ensures absolute alignment between the device and the mold before each clamping operation. The grippers move under the rigid guidance of the protective cylinder and the auxiliary limiting of the support holes, effectively suppressing sway and vibration. This allows the clamping force to be applied precisely and controllably to the workpiece, greatly reducing the risk of damage during the removal process. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 2 This is a mold structure diagram of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the support box of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Another perspective structural diagram; Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the clamping component of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the gripper of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the support assembly of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 8 This is a left view of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a tubular workpiece clamping device proposed in this utility model.

[0016] Reference numerals: 1-Support assembly, 11-Support box, 111-Opening, 112-Support hole, 12-Cylinder, 13-Side plate, 14-Positioning pin, 15-Limiting support, 16-Padded block, 17-Connecting module, 2-Clamping assembly, 21-Connecting plate, 211-Limiting hole, 22-Clamping claw, 23-Clamping claw drive component, 24-Protective cylinder, 3-Mold, 31-Positioning hole, 32-Workpiece, 41-Blinding plate, 42-Hinge, 43-Pushing component, 44-Connecting component, 441-Hinge block, 442-Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0017] 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. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of this utility model, but not all embodiments.

[0018] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example like Figures 1-9 As shown, a tubular workpiece clamping device includes a support assembly 1 and a clamping assembly 2 disposed at one end of the support assembly 1. The support assembly 1, as the foundation and driving part of the device, mainly includes a support box 11, a cylinder 12, a side plate 13, and a blocking assembly. The clamping assembly 2, as the execution part, mainly includes a connecting plate 21, a gripper 22, a gripper driving component 23, and a protective cylinder 24.

[0020] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9As shown, the support box 11 is a hollow box-shaped structure formed by bolting together several metal plates, possessing sufficient rigidity to support the components and resist operational deformation. A connection module 17 for connecting to a robotic arm is located at the top of the support box 11. Through this connection module 17, the entire device can be moved in three-dimensional space by the industrial robotic arm. A through opening 111 is provided on the upper surface of the support box 11. The diameter of this opening 111 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the protective cylinder 24, providing space for the movement of the gripping assembly 2.

[0021] There are two side plates 13, which are detachably connected to the two side walls of the support box 11 by bolts. The cylinder body of the cylinder 12 is mounted on the side plate 13. The piston rod of the cylinder 12 passes through the corresponding through hole on the side plate 13, and the ends of the piston rods of the two cylinders 12 are connected to the connecting plate 21 of the clamping assembly 2 by threads or pins, which can synchronously push the connecting plate 21 and the entire clamping assembly 2 to move in the vertical direction.

[0022] like Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, in the clamping assembly 2, the connecting plate 21 is designed as a plate structure with a recessed area in the middle, and its two ends are respectively connected to the piston rod ends of the two cylinders 12. The specific connection method is as follows: inwardly recessed clamping openings are machined at both ends of the connecting plate 21, and a special connecting block is detachably embedded in the clamping opening. The connecting block has a protrusion in the middle that matches the shape of the clamping opening to ensure no relative wobbling after engagement. An internally threaded hole is machined axially at the center of the connecting block. The piston rod end of the cylinder 12 is machined with a matching externally threaded section. During assembly, the piston rod end is screwed into the internally threaded hole of the connecting block, and the two are securely connected through the threaded pair. This connection structure, through the modular design of "connecting plate 21 - connecting block - piston rod," achieves a detachable connection between the cylinder 12 and the connecting plate 21.

[0023] This design allows for fine-tuning of the connecting block's position during assembly to compensate for installation errors and ensure the synchronization of the cylinders 12 on both sides. At the same time, if the threads wear out or the connecting block is damaged after long-term use, it can be quickly replaced locally, greatly improving the maintainability and service life of the equipment and avoiding the need to replace the entire connecting plate 21 or cylinder 12 assembly due to local damage, thus effectively reducing maintenance costs.

[0024] like Figures 3-5 , Figure 9As shown, the protective cylinder 24 is a cylindrical structure, with one end vertically fixed to the lower surface of the connecting plate 21 by bolts. The axis of the protective cylinder 24 coincides with the axis of the opening 111 of the support box 11. The grippers 22 are two Y-shaped clamping blocks connected to the inner cavity of the protective cylinder 24 by gripper drive 23 and extending from the lower end of the protective cylinder 24. The gripper drive 23 is preferably a pneumatic finger, the body of which is fixed to the top of the inside of the protective cylinder 24 and fixedly connected to the connecting plate 21 by bolts. Its output end is connected to the grippers 22, which can drive the grippers 22 to slide inside the protective cylinder 24, causing the two clamping blocks to move away from or towards each other, realizing the opening and closing action at the bottom port of the protective cylinder 24. The protective cylinder 24 provides guidance and protection for the grippers 22. The gripping assembly 2 and the support box 11 form a storage cavity for placing the tubular workpiece 32.

[0025] like Figure 1 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, several pads 16 are provided at the upper end of the support box 11. Limiting supports 15 pass through the pads 16 and connect to the support box 11. The limiting supports 15 are stepped shaft-like structures, vertically fixed to the upper panel of the support box 11 by threaded connections, and evenly distributed around the opening 111. A corresponding limiting hole 211 is provided on the connecting plate 21. The limiting hole 211 is a smooth hole, and its inner diameter forms a sliding fit with the outer diameter of the smooth rod section of the limiting support 15. When the cylinder 12 drives the connecting plate 21 to move downwards, the limiting support 15, within the limiting hole 211, finally contacts the upper surface of the connecting plate 21, thereby limiting the maximum downward stroke of the connecting plate 21 and providing hard limiting and protection.

[0026] It is worth noting that the pad 16, as a prefabricated standard module, has the core function of precisely adjusting the installation reference height of the limit support 15. By selecting pads 16 of different thicknesses, the initial gap between the shoulder surface at the top of the limit support 15 and the upper surface of the connecting plate 21 can be directly changed, thereby steplessly and precisely setting and changing the maximum downward stroke of the gripping assembly 2. This design decouples the stroke adjustment function from the core structural component, achieving a high degree of modularity. When production requirements change and the working stroke of the gripper 22 needs to be adjusted, there is no need to replace or process the complex support box 11 or the limit support 15; simply replacing the pad 16 of a specific specification is sufficient to quickly complete the adjustment, greatly improving the equipment's adaptability to different process requirements and the efficiency of adjustment and maintenance.

[0027] Two positioning pins 14 are provided, with their lower ends tapered for guidance. The positioning pins 14 are vertically fixed to the two sides of the support housing 11 by bolts. Positioning holes 31, precisely matching the positioning pins 14, are provided at corresponding positions on the mold 3. When the robotic arm lowers the device close to the mold 3, the positioning pins 14 first insert into the positioning holes 31, achieving precise positioning of the device and ensuring that the gripper 22 can accurately align with the tubular workpiece 32 in the cavity of the mold 3.

[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, one end of the support box 11 is provided with a slot structure that extends through one side, and a blocking component is provided on the outside of the slot in the support box 11. The blocking component mainly includes a blocking plate 41, a hinge 42, and a pusher 43. The blocking plate 41 is a plate that matches the shape of the slot, and one side of it is hinged to the support box 11 through the hinge 42, so that the blocking plate 41 can rotate around the hinge 42 axis to realize the opening and closing of the slot. The pusher 43 is a small linear cylinder or electric push rod. Its cylinder body is bolted to the outside of the support box 11. A connector 44 is provided between the pusher 43 and the cover plate 41. The connector 44 includes two block-shaped hinge blocks 441 and a connecting rod 442. The middle of the hinge block 441 has a through slot structure, forming a U-shaped fork structure. The two ends of the connecting rod 442 are rotatably connected to the slot structures of the two hinge blocks 441 respectively. One hinge block 441 is threaded to the end of the piston rod, and the other hinge block 441 is bolted to the cover plate 41 to control the extension and retraction of the pusher 43. The linear motion of its piston rod is converted into the rotational motion of the cover plate 41 around the axis of the hinge 42 through the hinge block 441 and the connecting rod 442, thereby driving the cover plate 41 to achieve automatic opening and closing. When not in operation, the slot is closed to prevent dust and other foreign objects from entering the box.

[0029] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, a support hole 112 is also machined on the bottom panel of the support box 11. The support hole 112 is concentrically arranged with the opening 111, and its size is smaller than the outer diameter of the protective cylinder 24 but larger than the contracted outer diameter of the gripper 22. When the lower end face of the support box 11 is in contact with the mold 3, the support hole 112 and the workpiece 32 are aligned. The gripper 22 clamps the workpiece 32 from the position of the support hole 112. Since the size of the support hole 112 is smaller than the outer diameter of the protective cylinder 24, the support hole 112 can limit the clamping component 2. During the clamping of the workpiece 32, the lower end of the protective cylinder 24 is supported on the outside of the support hole 112, reducing the vibration of the clamping component 2 during operation and making the whole structure more stable during operation.

[0030] When the robotic arm drives the device to remove the tubular workpiece 32 from the mold 3 and lift it to a safe height, it tilts. The cylinder 12 drives the gripper 22 to rise and retract into the support box 11. The gripper drive 23 controls the gripper 22 to release, and the workpiece 32 falls naturally under gravity, entering the cavity inside the support box 11 through the upper opening for temporary storage. This operation is repeated, and the workpiece 32 gradually accumulates inside the box. When the material collection is completed, the protective cylinder 24 is reattached to the outside of the support hole 112, closing most of the cavity of the support hole 112 and preventing the workpiece 32 inside the support box 11 from sliding out of the support hole 112.

[0031] When the number of workpieces 32 collected inside the box reaches a preset quantity, the robotic arm moves the device above the designated unloading point. At this time, the control pusher 43 extends fully, driving the cover 41 to rotate significantly around the hinge 42 to a fully open state, completely exposing the slot of the supporting box 11. Subsequently, the robotic arm adjusts the device's posture, tilting the box towards the slot, and the workpieces 32 accumulated inside the box automatically slide out from the slot under gravity, completing the batch unloading. After unloading, the device returns to a horizontal posture, the cover 41 closes, and a new round of gripping and collecting operations can begin.

[0032] The above content is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. For those skilled in the art, the present utility model can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A tubular workpiece clamping device, characterized in that: The device includes a support assembly and a gripping assembly disposed at one end of the support assembly. The support assembly includes a support housing and cylinders disposed on both sides of the support housing, the cylinders being connected to the gripping assembly. One end of the support housing is connected to a robotic arm capable of moving it. The gripping assembly is vertically and flexibly connected to the support housing, extending from the bottom of the support housing. The support assembly and the gripping assembly are connected at the upper end of the mold via the robotic arm. The clamping assembly and the support box form a storage cavity for placing tubular workpieces. The robotic arm can drive the device to remove the clamped tubular workpiece from the mold and lift it to a safe height, then tilt it, drive the clamping assembly to retract into the support box, and release the clamping assembly to let the workpiece fall into the storage cavity.

2. The tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping assembly includes a connecting plate, grippers, gripper drive, and a protective cylinder. The protective cylinder is disposed at one end of the connecting plate, the gripper drive is connected to one end of the connecting plate, the grippers are slidably connected to the protective cylinder through the gripper drive, and one end of the grippers extends out from the bottom of the protective cylinder. The connecting plate is connected to a cylinder.

3. The tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mold is provided with positioning holes, and positioning pins are provided on both sides of the support box, and the positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes.

4. The tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support assembly also includes side plates, which are detachably connected to both sides of the support box. The cylinder is connected to the side plates, and the shaft end of the cylinder passes through the side plates and is connected to the connecting plate.

5. A tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: One end of the support box is detachably provided with several limiting supports, and several limiting holes are provided through the connecting plate, with the limiting supports disposed in the limiting holes.

6. The tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The support assembly also includes a shielding assembly. One end of the support box is provided with a slot, and the shielding assembly is located on the outside of the slot. The shielding assembly includes a shielding plate, and the shielding plate and the support box are connected by a hinge.

7. A tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The shielding assembly includes a pusher, which is disposed on one side of the support housing, and one end of the pusher is hinged to the shield.

8. A tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A support hole is provided through one end of the support box. The support hole and the opening are concentric. The size of the support hole is smaller than the size of the protective cylinder. When the protective cylinder and the support box are in contact, the gripper passes through the support hole.

9. A tubular workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support box is assembled from several plates.

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