A polishing device for an end cover of a water heater liner

Abstract

The utility model relates to water heater processing technical field, especially a kind of polishing device for the end cap of water heater inner bag, including lifting mechanism, rotating mechanism, grabbing mechanism, polishing cutter, edge identification sensor and contact identification sensor;The top of rotating mechanism is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting part of lifting mechanism, the rotating part of rotating mechanism is connected with grabbing mechanism, the grabbing part of grabbing mechanism faces downward, and the grabbing part of grabbing mechanism is composed of at least four horizontally telescopic telescopic hook fingers;Polishing cutter is vertically fixed to the bottom of lifting mechanism, located in the lower rear of the grabbing part of grabbing mechanism;Edge identification sensor is fixed to the bottom surface of lifting part, located above polishing cutter;Contact identification sensor is fixed to the bottom of lifting mechanism, located behind polishing cutter. The end cap polishing bending or deformation problem and the problem of high software control design cost are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of water heater processing technology, and in particular to a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank. Background Technology

[0002] The side opening of the inner tank of a water heater usually needs to be sealed with an end cap before it can leave the factory. Before welding, the inner edge of the side of the end cap needs to be ground to remove burrs, oxide scale or uneven curves to ensure a smooth welding surface; or the inner edge of the side of the end cap can be ground to form a ring weld bead to match and position with the opening of the inner tank; thus ensuring the welding quality.

[0003] Given that the end caps of water heater inner tanks are typically round, oval, or circular covers, manual welding makes it difficult to ensure a regular grinding path and control the grinding thickness. This can easily lead to excessive grinding area or excessive grinding depth, causing the welded joint of the end cap to break easily. If a grinding device is used, the common method is to have a robotic arm grasp one side of the end cap (because it cannot be grasped if there is no opening in the center; if magnetic attraction is used, there is a risk of it falling off during the grinding process). Through visual recognition, the robotic arm moves the end cap to the grinding tool, bringing the edge of the end cap into contact with the grinding tool for grinding. The robotic arm then continuously rotates the edge of the end cap to complete the circumferential grinding.

[0004] However, during the grinding process, the robotic arm needs to change its gripping parts to complete the grinding of the entire circumference. Furthermore, the grinding force on the end cap is opposite to the pressing direction of the robotic arm and is located on both sides of the end cap, which can easily cause the end cap to bend or deform. More importantly, the grinding process of this device relies heavily on complex image recognition processing and the control of the robotic arm's multi-joint servo motors. For the grinding process alone, the software design investment is too large and the cost too high. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, the purpose of this utility model is to propose a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank, which solves the problems of bending or deformation during end cap grinding and the high cost of software control design.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A polishing device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank includes a lifting mechanism, a rotating mechanism, a gripping mechanism, a polishing tool, an edge recognition sensor, and a contact recognition sensor; the top of the rotating mechanism is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting part of the lifting mechanism, the rotating part of the rotating mechanism is connected to the gripping mechanism, the gripping part of the gripping mechanism faces downward, and the gripping part of the gripping mechanism is composed of at least four horizontally retractable telescopic hooks; The grinding tool is fixed vertically upward at the bottom of the lifting mechanism, located below and behind the gripping part of the gripping mechanism; The edge recognition sensor is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting unit and located above the grinding tool; the contact recognition sensor is fixed to the bottom of the lifting mechanism and located behind the grinding tool.

[0007] Furthermore, the edge recognition sensor includes a first infrared sensor and a second infrared sensor; the first infrared sensor is located above and in front of the grinding tool and is used to detect the area in front of the grinding tool; the second infrared sensor is located above and in rear of the grinding tool and is used to detect the area in front of the grinding tool.

[0008] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism includes a rotating drive unit and a movable drive unit; the top surface of the rotating drive unit is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the lifting unit, the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit is vertically downward, and the bottom end of the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit is fixedly connected to the top surface of the movable drive unit; The bottom surface of the movable drive unit is provided with a vertically downward main telescopic rod at its center; the bottom surface of the movable drive unit is provided with at least two vertically downward auxiliary telescopic rods around the main telescopic rod; the drivers of the main telescopic rod and the auxiliary telescopic rods are both integrated into the movable drive unit; the bottom end of the main telescopic rod is spherically hinged to the center of the top surface of the gripping mechanism, and the auxiliary telescopic rod is spherically hinged to the top surface of the gripping mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the contact recognition sensor is a vision sensor.

[0010] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism includes a gripping drive unit and a push plate; the top surface of the gripping drive unit is connected to the bottom end of the rotating part of the rotating mechanism; the telescopic hooks are evenly arranged on the periphery of the gripping drive unit; a vertically downward pressing telescopic rod is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the gripping drive unit; the bottom end of the pressing telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the center of the top surface of the push plate; the maximum downward travel distance of the pressing telescopic rod does not exceed the height of the telescopic hooks. The actuators for the telescopic hook and the clamping telescopic rod are both integrated into the gripping drive unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the telescopic hook includes a horizontal telescopic rod, a long clamping block, and a short clamping block; the long clamping block is vertically arranged, one end of the horizontal telescopic rod is connected to the side of the gripping drive unit, the other end of the horizontal telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the upper end of the long clamping block, the lower end of the long clamping block is fixedly connected to the upper end of the short clamping block, and the lower end of the short clamping block is inclined towards the push plate side.

[0012] Furthermore, the extension lines of the short clamp and the long clamp form an included angle B, the value of which is between 10° and 20°.

[0013] Furthermore, the grinding tool is a spherical tool.

[0014] Furthermore, the grinding tool is driven by a rotary motor.

[0015] The technical solution provided by this utility model can include the following beneficial effects: (1) By gripping the end cap with at least four telescopic hooks, the end cap can be effectively prevented from bending or deforming due to grinding force.

[0016] (2) By using edge recognition sensors and contact recognition sensors for fixed-point recognition instead of image recognition processing of robotic arms, end caps and grinding tools, the software design for recognition is effectively reduced. In addition, simple lifting, rotating and telescopic functions replace the multi-joint control of the robotic arm, which significantly simplifies the software design for control. The software design can be completed with a small core and small memory MCU or PLC to realize all linkage actions, which greatly reduces the software and hardware costs. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a right view of a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank, according to one embodiment of this utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 Is it like this? Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank.

[0019] Figure 3 Is it like this? Figure 1 The diagram shows the working state of a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank.

[0020] Figure 4 Is it like this? Figure 1 An enlarged view of point A shown.

[0021] The components include: lifting mechanism 1, rotating mechanism 2, gripping mechanism 3, grinding tool 4, edge recognition sensor 5, contact recognition sensor 6, lifting part 11, telescopic hook 31, first infrared sensor 51, second infrared sensor 52, rotating drive part 21, moving drive part 22, main telescopic rod 23, auxiliary telescopic rod 24, gripping drive part 32, push plate 33, pressing telescopic rod 34, horizontal telescopic rod 311, long clamping block 312, and short clamping block 313. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this utility model. Furthermore, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of these features, used to distinguish and describe features, without any order or emphasis.

[0024] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] The following is combined Figures 1 to 4 This invention describes a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank includes a lifting mechanism 1, a rotating mechanism 2, a gripping mechanism 3, a grinding tool 4, an edge recognition sensor 5, and a contact recognition sensor 6; the top of the rotating mechanism 2 is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting part 11 of the lifting mechanism 1, the rotating part of the rotating mechanism 2 is connected to the gripping mechanism 3, the gripping part of the gripping mechanism 3 faces downward, and the gripping part of the gripping mechanism 3 is composed of at least four horizontally retractable telescopic hooks 31; The grinding tool 4 is fixed vertically upward at the bottom of the lifting mechanism 1, located below and behind the gripping part of the gripping mechanism 3; Edge recognition sensor 5 is fixed to the bottom surface of lifting part 11, above the grinding tool 4; contact recognition sensor 6 is fixed to the bottom of lifting mechanism 1, behind the grinding tool 4.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank is provided, such as... Figure 1As shown, the working process of the grinding device is as follows: After the gripping part of the gripping mechanism 3 grips the end cap, the horizontal position of the end cap is adjusted by the horizontal extension and retraction of the telescopic hook 31 until the edge recognition sensor 5 (such as an infrared reflection sensor, visual sensor, etc.) recognizes the overlap between the edge of the end cap and the grinding tool 4 above the grinding tool 4 (it can be installed on the bottom surface of the lifting part 11 above, and rises and falls with the lifting part 11, which is beneficial for the edge recognition sensor 5 to limit the detection distance). Then the lifting mechanism 1 drives the lifting part 11 to descend, adjusting the height of the end cap until it contacts the recognition sensor. Sensor 6 (such as infrared reflection sensor, vision sensor, etc.) detects the contact between the edge of the end cap and the grinding tool 4 behind the grinding tool 4; finally, the grinding tool 4 is turned on, and the rotating mechanism 2 drives the rotating part to drive the gripping mechanism 3 to rotate slowly, so that the grinding tool 4 grinds along the edge of the end cap in a cycle. During this process, the edge recognition sensor 5 also continuously identifies the overlap between the edge of the end cap and the grinding tool 4. When there is no overlap, the horizontal position of the end cap is adjusted in time by the telescopic hook 31 to maintain the overlap, so as to adapt to the edge rotation change when the end cap is an elliptical plate cover or a cover.

[0029] In summary, firstly, by using at least four telescopic hooks 31 to grip the end cap centripetally, bending or deformation of the end cap due to grinding stress can be effectively avoided; secondly, by using edge recognition sensor 5 and contact recognition sensor 6 for point recognition instead of image recognition processing of the robotic arm, end cap, and grinding tool, the software design for recognition is effectively reduced. In addition, by using simple lifting, rotating, and telescopic functions, the multi-joint control of the robotic arm is replaced, which significantly simplifies the software design for control. The software design can be completed with a small-core MCU or PLC with small memory to achieve all linkage actions, greatly reducing software and hardware costs.

[0030] Furthermore, the edge recognition sensor 5 includes a first infrared sensor 51 and a second infrared sensor 52; the first infrared sensor 51 is located above and in front of the grinding tool 4 and is used to detect the area in front of the grinding tool 4; the second infrared sensor 52 is located above and in rear of the grinding tool 4 and is used to detect the area behind the grinding tool 4.

[0031] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 and 3 As shown, to simplify the data processing difficulty of edge recognition, it is preferable to use two infrared sensors in combination for edge positioning. The first infrared sensor 51 is in front of the grinding tool 4 to identify whether the end cap has entered the tool range, and the second infrared sensor 52 is behind the grinding tool 4 to identify and limit the end cap from being pushed forward by the telescopic hook 31 and deviating from the edge grinding part of the end cap. The software only needs to determine whether there is a reflected signal feedback from the two infrared sensors.

[0032] It should be noted that there are various types of infrared sensors. For example, the setting method for an integrated transmitter and receiver infrared sensor is as follows: Figure 1 and 3 As shown; if the transmitting and receiving are separated into two devices, then one device should be placed on top and the other on the bottom. The specific placement should be adjusted according to the actual model selection.

[0033] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism 2 includes a rotating drive unit 21 and a movable drive unit 22; the top surface of the rotating drive unit 21 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the lifting unit 11, the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit 21 is vertically downward, and the bottom end of the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit 21 is fixedly connected to the top surface of the movable drive unit 22. The bottom surface of the movable drive unit 22 is provided with a vertically downward main telescopic rod 23 at its center; around the main telescopic rod 23, the bottom surface of the movable drive unit 22 is provided with at least two vertically downward auxiliary telescopic rods 24; the actuators of the main telescopic rod 23 and the auxiliary telescopic rods 24 are both integrated into the movable drive unit 22; the bottom end of the main telescopic rod 23 is spherically hinged to the center of the top surface of the gripping mechanism 3, and the auxiliary telescopic rods 24 are spherically hinged to the top surface of the gripping mechanism 3.

[0034] In this embodiment, considering that the edge of the cover is beveled, grinding by simply contacting the grinding tool 4 (taking a spherical tool as an example) downwards can easily result in shallow grinding at the top and deep grinding at the bottom; it is even impossible to achieve the desired texture on some end cap edges. Therefore, as Figure 2 As shown, in the rotating mechanism 2, in addition to the rotation drive unit 21 for driving the gripping mechanism 3 to rotate as a whole, a movable drive unit 22 is preferably provided to drive the gripping mechanism 3 to simulate joint movement. Meanwhile, to simplify the control of the joint movement, it is preferable to use a vertically arranged main telescopic rod 23 and auxiliary telescopic rod 24 to realize the joint movement. Since both the main telescopic rod 23 and the auxiliary telescopic rod 24 are spherically hinged to the gripping mechanism 3, the up-and-down extension / retraction of the auxiliary telescopic rod 24 (e.g., one side of the auxiliary telescopic rod 24 rises, and the other side descends) will drive the gripping mechanism 3 to rotate spherically around the main telescopic rod 23 (the up-and-down extension / retraction of the main telescopic rod 23 is generally used for fine-tuning or tilting), thereby allowing the edge of the end cap to perform grinding actions in multiple directions along the grinding tool 4, for example... Figure 3 The tilting and polishing action shown is simple to control, and the main telescopic rod 23 and the auxiliary telescopic rod 24 can be controlled by a driver (such as a cylinder, motor, etc.) to control the extension and retraction of each telescopic rod (generally, only one fixed ratio cycle is needed for one texture or one polishing method), without the need to study multi-joint collaborative algorithms like a robotic arm.

[0035] Furthermore, the contact recognition sensor 6 employs a vision sensor.

[0036] In this embodiment, since the gripping mechanism 3 can contact the grinding tool 4 in all directions under the control of the main telescopic rod 23 and the auxiliary telescopic rod 24, the contact recognition sensor 6 preferably adopts a visual sensor image to grasp the contact moment. Only one image feature needs to be grasped, and the algorithm is relatively simple.

[0037] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 3 includes a gripping drive unit 32 and a push plate 33; the top surface of the gripping drive unit 32 is connected to the bottom end of the rotating part of the rotating mechanism 2, and telescopic hooks 31 are evenly arranged on the periphery of the gripping drive unit 32. A vertically downward pressing telescopic rod 34 is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the gripping drive unit 32, and the bottom end of the pressing telescopic rod 34 is fixedly connected to the center of the top surface of the push plate 33. The maximum downward travel distance of the pressing telescopic rod 34 does not exceed the height of the telescopic hooks 31. The actuators for the telescopic hook 31 and the clamping telescopic rod 34 are both integrated into the gripping drive unit 32.

[0038] In this embodiment, in order to further counteract the force exerted by the grinding tool 4 on the end cap during grinding, it is preferable to provide a push plate 33 in the palm surrounded by the telescopic hook 31. While the telescopic hook 31 grips the end cap, the push plate 33 is pressed against the top surface of the end cap by the telescopic rod 34. Especially when the end cap is a cover, it is easy to move upward during grinding if only the telescopic hook 31 is used to grip it, so the push plate 33 is needed to press it down.

[0039] Furthermore, the telescopic hook 31 includes a horizontal telescopic rod 311, a long clamping block 312, and a short clamping block 313; the long clamping block 312 is vertically arranged, one end of the horizontal telescopic rod 311 is connected to the side of the gripping drive unit 32, the other end of the horizontal telescopic rod 311 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the long clamping block 312, the lower end of the long clamping block 312 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the short clamping block 313, and the lower end of the short clamping block 313 is inclined toward the push plate 33.

[0040] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, the telescopic hook 31 is preferably composed of a horizontal telescopic rod 311 and a C-shaped hook 312. The horizontal telescopic rod 311 is responsible for the horizontal displacement of the C-shaped hook 312, and the long clamping block 312 and the short clamping block 313 are responsible for reaching down to hook the end cap. The long clamping block 312 is set vertically to form a certain reaching down to hook the cover-type end cap, while the short clamping block 313 is set at an angle to prevent the end cap from sliding down after being hooked.

[0041] Furthermore, the extensions of the short clamping block 313 and the long clamping block 312 form an included angle B, the value of which ranges from 10° to 20°.

[0042] In this embodiment, if the angle of the hook formed by the short clamping block 313 and the long clamping block 312 is too small, it will not be able to hook the end cap; if it is too large, it will hinder the grinding of the edge of the end cap. Therefore, a hook angle of 10° to 20° is preferred.

[0043] Furthermore, the grinding tool 4 is a spherical tool.

[0044] In this embodiment, the grinding tool 4 is a spherical tool, which can ensure that the edge of the end cap can be ground no matter which angle it comes into contact with the grinding tool 4.

[0045] Furthermore, the grinding tool 4 is driven by a rotary motor.

[0046] In this embodiment, since the grinding tool 4 is a spherical tool, the preferred grinding driving method is rotation.

[0047] Other components and operations of the grinding device for the end cap of the inner tank of a water heater according to the present invention are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0048] In this specification, the terms "embodiment," "example," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0049] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank, characterized in that: It includes a lifting mechanism, a rotating mechanism, a gripping mechanism, a grinding tool, an edge recognition sensor, and a contact recognition sensor; the top of the rotating mechanism is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting part of the lifting mechanism, the rotating part of the rotating mechanism is connected to the gripping mechanism, the gripping part of the gripping mechanism faces downward, and the gripping part of the gripping mechanism is composed of at least four horizontally retractable telescopic hooks; The grinding tool is fixed vertically upward at the bottom of the lifting mechanism, located below and behind the gripping part of the gripping mechanism; The edge recognition sensor is fixed to the bottom surface of the lifting unit and located above the grinding tool; the contact recognition sensor is fixed to the bottom of the lifting mechanism and located behind the grinding tool.

2. The grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The edge recognition sensor includes a first infrared sensor and a second infrared sensor; the first infrared sensor is located above and in front of the grinding tool and is used to detect the area in front of the grinding tool; the second infrared sensor is located above and in rear of the grinding tool and is used to detect the area in front of the grinding tool.

3. The grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism includes a rotating drive unit and a movable drive unit; the top surface of the rotating drive unit and the bottom surface of the lifting unit are fixedly connected, the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit is vertically downward, and the bottom end of the rotating rod of the rotating drive unit is fixedly connected to the top surface of the movable drive unit; The bottom surface of the movable drive unit is provided with a vertically downward main telescopic rod at its center; the bottom surface of the movable drive unit is provided with at least two vertically downward auxiliary telescopic rods around the main telescopic rod; the drivers of the main telescopic rod and the auxiliary telescopic rods are both integrated into the movable drive unit; the bottom end of the main telescopic rod is spherically hinged to the center of the top surface of the gripping mechanism, and the auxiliary telescopic rod is spherically hinged to the top surface of the gripping mechanism.

4. The grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact recognition sensor is a vision sensor.

5. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping mechanism includes a gripping drive unit and a push plate; the top surface of the gripping drive unit is connected to the bottom end of the rotating part of the rotating mechanism; the telescopic hooks are evenly arranged on the periphery of the gripping drive unit; a vertically downward pressing telescopic rod is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the gripping drive unit; the bottom end of the pressing telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the center of the top surface of the push plate; the maximum downward travel distance of the pressing telescopic rod does not exceed the height of the telescopic hooks. The actuators for the telescopic hook and the clamping telescopic rod are both integrated into the gripping drive unit.

6. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: The telescopic hook includes a horizontal telescopic rod, a long clamping block, and a short clamping block; the long clamping block is vertically arranged, one end of the horizontal telescopic rod is connected to the side of the gripping drive unit, the other end of the horizontal telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the upper end of the long clamping block, the lower end of the long clamping block is fixedly connected to the upper end of the short clamping block, and the lower end of the short clamping block is inclined towards the push plate side.

7. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 6, characterized in that: The extensions of the short clamp and the long clamp form an angle B, the value of which is between 10° and 20°.

8. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grinding tool is a spherical tool.

9. A grinding device for the end cap of a water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grinding tool is driven by a rotary motor.

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