A lift type pushing mechanism for briquette appearance detection

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of lifting type pushing mechanism for briquette appearance detection, the end of conveying mechanism is set in the entrance of cylindrical surface detection mechanism, including lifting guide device and pushing rod device;The lifting guide device is connected in the end of conveying mechanism, for lifting the briquette conveyed to position to the position matched with the entrance of cylindrical surface detection mechanism;The pushing rod device is placed in lifting guide device and conveying mechanism above, for pushing briquette after lifting into cylindrical surface detection mechanism.The utility model realizes the collaborative control of initiative lifting and pushing of briquette transmission process by the introduction of rigid structure, effectively solve the problem of not smooth connection caused by the different shaft of feed caused by the bearing briquette when the transmission of relatively soft traditional belt and the problem such as low detection efficiency and inaccurate counting caused by the stagnation of briquette in the end of conveying, significantly improve the continuity, stability and accuracy of briquette appearance detection process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to nuclear fuel pellet appearance inspection equipment, specifically, to a lifting and pushing mechanism for pellet appearance inspection. Background Technology

[0002] In the production and manufacturing process of nuclear fuel pellets, the detection of visual defects is a crucial step in ensuring the safe operation of the reactor. Currently, the most commonly used automated detection solution in the industry is the cylindrical inspection mechanism. This mechanism typically consists of multiple industrial cameras arranged around a conveyor channel, which achieves 360° all-around image acquisition and defect identification through the continuous transmission of the pellets within the channel.

[0003] The conveyor channel itself has no driving capability; it only provides a guide groove structure to carry the chip. The propulsion force of the chip through the detection channel depends entirely on the thrust provided by the front-end conveyor mechanism. Specifically, the chip moves forward on the conveyor mechanism by belt friction; however, when the chip enters the unpowered section between the end of the conveyor mechanism and the entrance of the detection channel, its movement changes: the chip first stagnates in this area, and then the thrust is applied by the subsequent continuously conveyed chip, pushing the stagnant chip into the detection channel in a "back-to-forward" manner.

[0004] This passive approach has revealed two major problems in practice:

[0005] Firstly, a small number of chips at the end of each batch often fail to pass through the inspection channel completely due to a lack of sustained thrust. They frequently require additional assistance or rely on the push of the next batch of chips to complete the inspection. This directly leads to inaccurate batch counting, affecting the precision of production management, and may result in missed or duplicate counting of qualified chips.

[0006] Secondly, due to the limited friction between the cartridge and the conveying mechanism, if the length of this unpowered section is not properly designed, an excessive number of stuck cartridges will significantly increase the pushing resistance. This not only affects the smoothness of the conveying mechanism but also causes the cartridges to accumulate and jam in the transition area, forcing the detection process to be interrupted and severely reducing the overall operating efficiency of the equipment.

[0007] Therefore, existing technologies suffer from problems such as discontinuous chip propulsion, inaccurate detection counting, and insufficient system stability. There is an urgent need for a pushing mechanism that can achieve active and smooth chip transition in order to improve the reliability and efficiency of the detection system. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides a lifting and pushing mechanism for chip appearance inspection. Through a transitional structural design, it can actively and smoothly push the chip into the inspection mechanism, thereby improving inspection efficiency and accuracy.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0010] A lifting and pushing mechanism for inspecting the appearance of core blocks is provided at the end of the conveying mechanism at the entrance of the cylindrical inspection mechanism, and includes a lifting guide device and a pushing rod device. The lifting guide device is connected to the end of the conveying mechanism and is used to lift the core block that has been conveyed to the position to match the entrance of the cylindrical inspection mechanism. The pushing rod device is placed above the lifting guide device and the conveying mechanism and is used to push the lifted core block into the cylindrical inspection mechanism.

[0011] Specifically, the lifting and guiding device includes a lifting bracket, a continuing transmission mechanism, a lifting guide groove, and a jacking mechanism; the lifting bracket and the continuing transmission mechanism are used to continue the end of the conveying mechanism, and the continuing transmission mechanism adopts a double belt method; the lifting guide groove is located above the continuing transmission mechanism; the jacking mechanism is placed at a lower position on the lifting bracket and is used to lift the core block upward along the lifting guide groove from the lower side of the continuing transmission mechanism.

[0012] Specifically, the lifting mechanism includes a cylinder, a lifting head, and a lifting guide plate; the cylinder serves as the lifting power source; the lifting head is located at the movable end of the cylinder; and the lifting guide plate is mounted on the lifting head and matches the lifting guide groove.

[0013] Specifically, the lifting guide groove is provided with a guide block near the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

[0014] Specifically, the pusher device includes a pusher bracket, a linear guide rail, a drive motor, a pusher arm, and a pusher rod; the pusher bracket is mounted on the machine body; the linear guide rail is mounted on the pusher bracket and runs along the pusher direction; the drive motor is used to drive the linear guide rail; the pusher arm is disposed on the movable end of the linear guide rail; and the pusher rod is disposed on the pusher arm and matches the inlet position of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

[0015] Specifically, the push rod is equipped with a push head.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] (1) The present invention cleverly sets up a lifting guide device and a push rod device for the transition of the transfer of the pellet at the end of the conveying mechanism at the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism, so as to realize the active and smooth transition of the pellet from the conveying mechanism to the detection channel. Its structure is reasonable and the control precision is high. It has significant advantages in improving the detection accuracy and enhancing the system operation stability, and is suitable for promotion and application in nuclear fuel pellet appearance inspection equipment.

[0018] (2) This utility model adopts a rigid lifting structure with lifting guide plate and lifting guide groove to replace the original passive transmission method that relies on belt friction. This avoids the problem that the relatively soft belt may fall in the middle when carrying a lot of core blocks, resulting in inaccurate feeding docking. It realizes the accurate positioning of the core block from the conveying plane to the height of the detection entrance, ensuring that it enters the detection area in a stable posture, and improves the image acquisition quality and defect recognition accuracy.

[0019] (3) By setting up a push rod device driven by a servo motor, this utility model realizes the active and uniform pushing of the core block, replacing the original passive pushing mode that relies on the subsequent core block to push, thereby completely solving the problem of the core block at the end of the batch being stuck due to insufficient pushing force, and ensuring the accuracy of the core block detection and counting for each batch.

[0020] (4) By changing the unpowered transition zone to an actively controlled lifting and pushing process, this utility model enables the chip blocks to enter the detection channel one by one in an orderly manner, thereby effectively avoiding the accumulation and stagnation of chip blocks at the channel entrance, significantly improving the continuity and stability of equipment operation, improving the overall detection efficiency, and reducing the frequency of shutdown intervention caused by jamming. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one side of the lifting guide device in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lifting guide device in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting guide groove in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the push rod device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the application structure of an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0030] Example

[0031] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the lifting and pushing mechanism for inspecting the appearance of the core block is located at the end of the conveying mechanism 40 at the entrance of the cylindrical surface inspection mechanism 30, and includes a lifting guide device 10 and a pushing rod device 20. The lifting guide device is connected to the end of the conveying mechanism and is used to lift the core block to a position that matches the entrance of the cylindrical surface inspection mechanism. The pushing rod device is located above the lifting guide device and the conveying mechanism and is used to push the lifted core block into the cylindrical surface inspection mechanism.

[0032] The lifting and guiding device mainly consists of a lifting bracket 11, a connecting transmission mechanism 12, a lifting guide trough 13, and a jacking mechanism 14. The lifting bracket 11 serves as the load-bearing foundation of the entire device and is made of high-strength, corrosion-resistant material (such as stainless steel), exhibiting excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance. It can be integrally formed or assembled from multiple thick plates. This embodiment is described using a combined structure. First, a vertically positioned main side plate is installed and fixed via a bottom support plate, serving as the overall foundation. Then, an upper side plate and a lower side plate are arranged parallel to each other on one side of the main side plate, and are installed and fixed between them via a horizontal connecting plate or horizontal connector, thus forming an internal installation space between the main side plate and the upper and lower side plates. For example, the upper side plate is fixedly connected to the main side plate at the upper position via a horizontal connector, forming protection for the connecting transmission mechanism and a base for the lifting guide trough. The lower side plate is fixedly connected to the main side plate at the lower position via a horizontal connecting plate, forming protection for the main body of the jacking mechanism. The separate arrangement of the upper and lower side plates also facilitates individual maintenance of the internal mechanisms in different parts.

[0033] The continuing transmission mechanism 12 directly connects to the end of the preceding conveying mechanism and is located in the upper part of the internal installation space of the lifting bracket. Its main body uses a double-belt system, meaning two parallel polyurethane conveyor belts rotate synchronously. The spacing between the two belts stably positions the core block and provides slight lateral constraint during transport, preventing the core block from rolling or deflecting. The beginning of the continuing transmission mechanism connects to the end of the preceding conveying mechanism via a conventional transmission method, such as a drive wheel and a short transition belt connecting to the end drive wheel of the conveying mechanism. This drive wheel can be independently driven by a motor and kept synchronized with the conveying mechanism, or it can be driven by the transition belt without a motor, forming a driven relationship synchronized with the conveying mechanism. The end of the continuing transmission mechanism is located near the entrance of the cylindrical detection mechanism and is equipped with a driven wheel connected to the lifting bracket. The double belts are wound between the drive wheel and the driven wheel to form a channel for the continued transmission of the core block. During the operation of the continuing transmission mechanism, the core block entering its beginning is gradually transported to its end position under the action of the double belts.

[0034] The lifting guide 13 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the lifting bracket, directly above the connecting transmission mechanism. Specifically, the lifting guide 13 can be configured as a pair of parallel L-shaped guide bars, which are respectively inverted and placed on the inner sides of the upper part of the main side plate and the upper side plate, with a gap between the two guide bars. This gap matches the diameter of the core block, and can be slightly larger than the core block diameter, allowing the core block to move flexibly within the gap while being accurately positioned, thus providing accurate guidance during vertical lifting and subsequent pushing of the core block. The lifting guide 13 can be made of mirror-polished stainless steel to ensure an extremely low coefficient of friction and excellent wear resistance. At the end of the lifting guide 13, near the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism, a guide block 15 is designed. The guide block is made of austenitic stainless steel and has a groove in the middle that runs along the axial direction of the core block and matches its shape. The end of the groove aligns with the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism, and the beginning of the groove aligns with the position of the lifted core block. This ensures that the lifted core block can accurately enter the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism under the push of the pusher device. Simultaneously, the bottom of the guide block has a certain thickness, extending to the upper side of the double belt at the end of the connecting conveyor mechanism. Without affecting the belt rotation, it limits the incoming core block at the end of the connecting conveyor mechanism. As the belt moves, the incoming core blocks stop at the bottom of the guide block and gradually arrange themselves into a row. When a certain number of core blocks are arranged, the lifting mechanism activates, lifting one row of core blocks at a time. Then, the pusher device activates, pushing one row of core blocks at a time so that they enter and pass through the cylindrical surface detection mechanism for inspection. In a further configuration, a sensor can be placed near the beginning of the transmission mechanism to detect whether the number of arranged core blocks has reached a set number, which can then be used as a trigger condition for the lifting mechanism to operate.

[0035] The lifting mechanism 14 is located in the lower part of the internal installation space of the lifting bracket, below the connecting transmission mechanism. The lifting mechanism includes a cylinder 16, a lifting head 17, and a lifting guide plate 18. The cylinder is vertically mounted with its movable end facing upwards, serving as the lifting power source. A double-acting cylinder can be selected, driven by an external air source and control system. The lifting head is fixedly connected to the movable end of the cylinder, serving as a component placement platform. The lifting guide plate is T-shaped, with its bottom fixedly connected to the lifting head. Its upper width matches the axial length of the row of core blocks to be lifted. One end of the guide plate is basically flush with the head of the guide block vertically and does not interfere with the guide block during operation, while the other end does not interfere with the push... Based on the interference of the material rod device, the lifting guide plate has a sheet-like cross-section with a thickness smaller than the gap between the two belts. During installation, it extends into the gap between the two belts and roughly corresponds to the center position of the gap of the lifting guide groove. When the cylinder is in the retracted state, the upper end of the lifting guide plate is below the core block position, which does not affect the core block transmission. After the cylinder extends, it lifts a row of core blocks from bottom to top along the lifting guide groove until the upper end face of the lifting guide plate is flush with the groove of the guide block. This ensures that the core block can smoothly pass through the guide block and enter the cylindrical detection mechanism during the subsequent pushing process.

[0036] The pusher rod device 20 is mounted above the lifting guide device and the conveying mechanism, and mainly consists of a pusher bracket 21, a linear guide rail 22, a drive motor 23, a pusher arm 24, and a pusher rod 25. The pusher bracket 21 serves as the mounting base for the pusher rod device, connected to the body of the testing equipment via a robust steel frame / plate structure. This allows the main moving parts of the pusher rod device to be suspended above the lifting guide device and the conveying mechanism, facilitating the pusher action.

[0037] The linear guide 22 can be a high-precision ball screw linear module, which is installed on the pusher bracket. The guiding direction of the linear guide is along the pushing direction of the pusher rod device, that is, the same as the axial direction of the core block on the transmission mechanism. The stroke of the linear guide is specifically configured according to the equipment size and the number of core blocks in a single batch for inspection, mainly covering the entire distance from the pusher preparation position to passing through the inspection channel.

[0038] The drive motor 23 can be a high-response servo motor, which is usually installed at the end of the linear guide and connected to the lead screw of the linear guide through a coupling to drive the movement of the linear guide.

[0039] The pusher arm 24 is fixedly mounted on the movable end of the linear guide rail. It can be made of lightweight aluminum alloy to reduce motion inertia and improve the dynamic response of the system. Its shape and size can be determined according to the distance between the linear guide rail and the lifting guide device to ensure that the push-pull rod 25 mounted on it can match the entry position of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

[0040] The pusher rod 25 is mounted on the pusher arm and aligned with the entry position of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism. The pusher rod can be configured as a round rod, with its axis substantially aligned with the entry axis of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism. Its length can be determined based on the specific equipment, and it must cover the entire distance from the pusher preparation position to the point of passing through the detection channel. A pusher head 26 is located at the front end of the pusher rod. The pusher head is made of soft polyurethane material, which can evenly distribute pressure during pushing and absorb minor impacts, effectively preventing damage to the end face of the core block. In further improvements, an adjustable clamp can be configured on the pusher arm to mount the pusher rod, facilitating fine-tuning of its position to accommodate core blocks of different diameters.

[0041] The usage process of this utility model is as follows: The front conveying mechanism continuously conveys the core blocks to the follow-up conveying mechanism of this device and continues to convey them. The first core block of this batch stops when it contacts the guide block. Subsequent core blocks are arranged in a row after the first core block after the conveying. When the number of core blocks in the row reaches the set standard, the cylinder is activated, and the lifting blades raise the entire row of core blocks along the lifting guide groove to the push position, aligning it with the groove of the guide block and the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism. Then, the drive motor of the push rod device drives the linear guide rail to move, driving the push arm and push rod forward, and smoothly pushing the entire row of core blocks one by one into the cylindrical surface detection mechanism for detection. The last core block in the row is also pushed through the cylindrical surface detection mechanism by the push rod. After the entire row of core blocks is lifted, the front end of the lifting guide plate is positioned at the upper end of the double belt, preventing the core blocks from continuing to enter the lifting position of the continuation transmission mechanism. During the pushing process, when the last core block of the row enters the guide block, the lifting mechanism can be reset, allowing the lifting position of the continuation transmission mechanism to continue receiving core block arrangement. When the last core block is completely pushed, the push rod is reset, and the next batch of the entire row of core blocks can be arranged. This process of lifting and pushing core blocks continues, achieving continuous and efficient operation of core block detection.

[0042] Through the above process, this utility model not only achieves active and stable pellet delivery in its design, but also fundamentally solves all the shortcomings of the prior art through the refined design of key components and the advanced control system, greatly improving the reliability, efficiency and safety of nuclear fuel pellet appearance inspection.

[0043] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Any changes made based on the design principles of this utility model, or any non-creative changes made on this basis, shall fall within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A lifting and pushing mechanism for inspecting the appearance of core blocks, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism, located at the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism, includes a lifting guide device and a pusher device. The lifting guide device is connected to the end of the conveying mechanism and is used to lift the conveyed core block to a position matching the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism. The pusher device is located above the lifting guide device and the conveying mechanism and is used to push the lifted core block into the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

2. The lifting and pushing mechanism for core block appearance inspection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and guiding device includes a lifting bracket, a continuing transmission mechanism, a lifting guide groove, and a jacking mechanism. The lifting bracket and the continuing transmission mechanism are connected to the end of the conveying mechanism, so that the core block conveyed by the conveying mechanism continues to be conveyed to a set position on the continuing transmission mechanism. The continuing transmission mechanism adopts a double belt transmission structure. The lifting guide groove is located on the upper side of the continuing transmission mechanism and matches the entrance position of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism. The jacking mechanism is placed at a lower position on the lifting bracket and is used to lift the core block upward along the lifting guide groove from the lower side of the continuing transmission mechanism.

3. The lifting and pushing mechanism for core block appearance inspection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a cylinder, a lifting head, and a lifting guide plate; the cylinder serves as the lifting power source; the lifting head is located at the movable end of the cylinder; the lifting guide plate is installed on the lifting head and matches the lifting guide groove.

4. The lifting and pushing mechanism for core block appearance inspection according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting guide groove is equipped with a guide block near the entrance of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

5. The lifting and pushing mechanism for core block appearance inspection according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The pusher device includes a pusher bracket, a linear guide rail, a drive motor, a pusher arm, and a pusher rod; the pusher bracket is mounted on the machine body; the linear guide rail is mounted on the pusher bracket and runs along the pusher direction; the drive motor drives the linear guide rail; the pusher arm is disposed on the movable end of the linear guide rail; the pusher rod is disposed on the pusher arm and matches the inlet position of the cylindrical surface detection mechanism.

6. The lifting and pushing mechanism for core block appearance inspection according to claim 5, characterized in that, The push rod is equipped with a push head.

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