A steering wheel lower shield ultrasonic welding device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of steering wheel lower shroud ultrasonic welding, in particular to a steering wheel lower shroud ultrasonic welding device, which comprises a workbench, a supporting frame is fixedly installed on the top of the workbench, an electric push rod is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the top beam of the supporting frame, an ultrasonic welding machine head is fixedly connected to the output end of the electric push rod, a positioning tool is fixedly installed on the workbench below the ultrasonic welding machine head, the stable clamping of the steering wheel lower shroud is realized through the synergistic effect of multiple sets of compression cylinders and arc-shaped pressing blocks of the positioning tool, welding displacement is avoided, the shroud welding rib is quickly melted through the cooperation of the electric push rod and the ultrasonic welding machine head, the welding efficiency and quality are improved, an automatic conveying process is formed by a feeding conveying belt, a pushing assembly and a discharging conveying belt, manual intervention is reduced, the positioning stability is further strengthened through vacuum adsorption holes and a vacuum generator, welding vibration is absorbed by damping legs, and the device meets the demand of an automobile part automatic production line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ultrasonic welding technology for steering wheel lower cover, and in particular to an ultrasonic welding device for steering wheel lower cover. Background Technology

[0002] The steering wheel underbody shield is a critical protective component of a car's steering system. It needs to possess structural stability to protect the internal steering mechanism while also meeting requirements for assembly precision and aesthetic integrity. Currently, most steering wheel underbody shields adopt a split plastic structure, and their splicing and fixing mainly rely on traditional processes, such as hot plate welding, adhesive bonding, or mechanical connections (clips, screws).

[0003] Traditional processes have significant drawbacks: hot plate welding is prone to excessive melting of plastic due to localized high temperatures, resulting in overflow and deformation, affecting the appearance and assembly accuracy of the protective cover; adhesive bonding requires a long curing time, leading to low production efficiency and environmental issues due to volatile components; long-term use can easily result in adhesive failure; snap-fit ​​or screw connections require pre-reserved assembly structures in the protective cover body, increasing the complexity of mold design and relying on manual operation, making it difficult to adapt to automated production lines; furthermore, none of the above methods can guarantee the sealing and strength consistency of the welded surfaces, and long-term use can easily lead to cracking and loosening due to vibration and temperature changes, affecting protective performance.

[0004] Therefore, it is essential to provide an ultrasonic welding device for steering wheel undercovers to address the shortcomings of existing technologies. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing an ultrasonic welding device for steering wheel covers. This device achieves stable clamping of the steering wheel cover by utilizing the contour-adaptive positioning groove of the positioning fixture, the elastic buffer layer, the synergistic effect of multiple sets of clamping cylinders and arc-shaped pressure blocks, thus preventing welding displacement. The ultrasonic welding head is precisely raised and lowered by an electric push rod, which, in conjunction with the ultrasonic welding head, rapidly melts the weld ribs of the cover, improving welding efficiency and quality. The feeding conveyor belt, the pushing assembly, and the discharge conveyor belt form an automated conveying process, reducing manual intervention. The vacuum adsorption hole and vacuum generator further enhance positioning stability, and the shock-absorbing feet absorb welding vibrations. The control panel enables centralized control of the equipment and emergency shutdown. This device comprehensively solves the defects of traditional welding processes and meets the needs of automated production lines for automotive parts.

[0006] The above-mentioned objectives of this utility model are achieved through the following technical means.

[0007] An ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel cover is provided, including a worktable, a support frame fixedly installed on the top of the worktable, an electric push rod fixedly installed on the upper surface of the top crossbeam of the support frame, an ultrasonic welding head fixedly connected to the output end of the electric push rod, and a positioning fixture fixedly installed on the worktable below the ultrasonic welding head. The positioning fixture includes a fixture base, the top of which has a positioning groove that matches the contour of the steering wheel lower guard. The inner wall of the positioning groove has an elastic buffer layer, and at least three clamping cylinders are evenly distributed along the edge of the positioning groove. An arc-shaped pressure block is fixedly connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder, and the inner side wall of the arc-shaped pressure block fits against the outer wall of the steering wheel lower guard. A feeding conveyor belt is fixedly installed on one side of the workbench. The output end of the feeding conveyor belt extends to one side of the positioning fixture. A pushing assembly is provided between the feeding conveyor belt and the positioning fixture. The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate. The pushing cylinder is fixedly installed on the workbench, and the pushing plate is fixedly connected to the output end of the pushing cylinder. The height of the pushing plate is the same as the height of the top surface of the feeding conveyor belt. A discharge conveyor belt is fixedly installed on the other side of the workbench. The input end of the discharge conveyor belt is aligned with the other side of the positioning fixture, and the top surface of the discharge conveyor belt is lower than the bottom of the positioning groove.

[0008] Specifically, the bottom of the positioning groove is provided with several vacuum adsorption holes, the tooling base is provided with a vacuum chamber, the vacuum adsorption holes are connected to the vacuum chamber, and a vacuum generator is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the tooling base. The suction end of the vacuum generator is connected to the vacuum chamber through an air pipe.

[0009] Specifically, several shock-absorbing feet are fixedly installed at the bottom of the workbench. Each shock-absorbing foot includes a fixed sleeve, a movable rod, and a shock-absorbing spring. The fixed sleeve is fixedly connected to the bottom of the workbench. One end of the movable rod is slidably inserted into the fixed sleeve, and the other end is in contact with the ground. The shock-absorbing spring is sleeved between the fixed sleeve and the movable rod, and both ends of the shock-absorbing spring abut against the bottom of the workbench and the top of the movable rod, respectively.

[0010] Specifically, a control panel is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame. The control panel is electrically connected to the electric push rod, ultrasonic welding head, clamping cylinder, pushing cylinder, feeding conveyor belt, discharging conveyor belt and vacuum generator. The control panel is equipped with a touch screen and an emergency stop button.

[0011] This invention achieves stable clamping of the steering wheel cover by utilizing the contour-adaptive positioning groove of the positioning fixture, the elastic buffer layer, the synergistic effect of multiple sets of clamping cylinders and arc-shaped pressure blocks, thus preventing welding displacement. The ultrasonic welding head is precisely raised and lowered by an electric push rod, working in conjunction with the ultrasonic welding head to rapidly melt the weld ribs of the cover, improving welding efficiency and quality. The feeding conveyor belt, pushing assembly, and discharging conveyor belt form an automated conveying process, reducing manual intervention. Vacuum adsorption holes and a vacuum generator further enhance positioning stability, shock-absorbing feet absorb welding vibrations, and the control panel enables centralized equipment control and emergency shutdown. This comprehensive solution addresses the shortcomings of traditional welding processes and meets the needs of automated production lines for automotive parts. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the content of the drawings does not constitute any limitation on the present invention.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel lower cover according to this utility model.

[0014] from Figure 1 Including: 1. Workbench; 2. Support frame; 3. Electric push rod; 4. Ultrasonic welding head; 5. Tooling base; 6. Positioning groove; 7. Elastic buffer layer; 8. Clamping cylinder; 9. Arc-shaped pressure block; 10. Feeding conveyor belt; 11. Pushing cylinder; 12. Pushing plate; 13. Discharge conveyor belt; 14. Vacuum suction hole; 15. Vacuum chamber; 16. Vacuum generator; 17. Air pipe; 18. Fixed sleeve; 19. Movable rod; 20. Shock-absorbing spring; 21. Control panel; 22. Touch screen; 23. Emergency stop button. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described in conjunction with the following embodiments.

[0016] Example 1: like Figure 1 As shown, an ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel lower cover includes a worktable 1, a support frame 2 fixedly installed on the top of the worktable 1, an electric push rod 3 fixedly installed on the upper surface of the top crossbeam of the support frame 2, an ultrasonic welding head 4 fixedly connected to the output end of the electric push rod 3, and a positioning fixture fixedly installed on the worktable 1 below the ultrasonic welding head 4.

[0017] The workbench 1 is a rectangular metal platform, and a support frame 2 is fixedly installed on its top by bolts. The support frame 2 is a steel structure frame used to support the lifting drive assembly and the ultrasonic welding head 4. The lifting drive assembly is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the top beam of the support frame 2. The output end of the lifting drive assembly is fixedly connected to the ultrasonic welding head 4. A positioning fixture is fixedly installed on the workbench 1 below the ultrasonic welding head 4. The positioning fixture is used to fix the steering wheel lower guard piece to be welded.

[0018] The ultrasonic welding head 4 includes a transducer, an amplitude transformer, and a welding mold. The transducer is fixedly connected to the lifting slider via a flange. The transducer can convert 220V AC power into high-frequency mechanical vibration of 15-20kHz. One end of the amplitude transformer is connected to the output end of the transducer via a thread to amplify the vibration amplitude, and the other end is fixedly connected to the welding mold via bolts. The lower surface of the welding mold is provided with a welding groove that matches the welding rib of the steering wheel lower guard, ensuring that the vibration energy is accurately transmitted to the welding part.

[0019] The positioning fixture includes a fixture base 5. The top of the fixture base 5 has a positioning groove 6 that matches the contour of the steering wheel lower guard. The inner wall of the positioning groove 6 is provided with an elastic buffer layer 7. At least three clamping cylinders 8 are evenly distributed on the edge of the positioning groove 6. An arc-shaped pressure block 9 is fixedly connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder 8. The inner side wall of the arc-shaped pressure block 9 fits against the outer wall of the steering wheel lower guard.

[0020] The positioning fixture includes a fixture base 5, which is fixed to the worktable 1 by bolts. The top of the fixture base 5 has a positioning groove 6 that matches the contour of the steering wheel lower guard. The depth of the positioning groove 6 is 2-3mm less than the thickness of the guard, which facilitates subsequent material pushing operations. The inner wall of the positioning groove 6 is covered with a 1mm thick elastic buffer layer 7 made of silicone material to prevent the guard from making hard contact with the positioning groove 6 and causing scratches. Three clamping cylinders 8 are evenly distributed on the edge of the positioning groove 6. The clamping cylinders 8 are fixed to the top of the fixture base 5 by brackets. Their output ends face the center of the positioning groove 6 and are fixedly connected to an arc-shaped pressure block 9. The inner side wall of the arc-shaped pressure block 9 is covered with a rubber pad. The curvature is consistent with the outer wall curvature of the steering wheel lower guard, which ensures that the guard is subjected to uniform force and is not easy to shift when clamped.

[0021] A feeding conveyor belt 10 is fixedly installed on one side of the workbench 1. The output end of the feeding conveyor belt 10 extends to one side of the positioning fixture. A pushing assembly is provided between the feeding conveyor belt 10 and the positioning fixture. The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder 11 and a pushing plate 12. The pushing cylinder 11 is fixedly installed on the workbench 1. The pushing plate 12 is fixedly connected to the output end of the pushing cylinder 11, and the height of the pushing plate 12 is the same as the height of the top surface of the feeding conveyor belt 10.

[0022] A discharge conveyor belt 13 is fixedly installed on the other side of the workbench 1. The input end of the discharge conveyor belt 13 is aligned with the other side of the positioning fixture, and the top surface of the discharge conveyor belt 13 is lower than the bottom of the positioning groove 6.

[0023] A feeding conveyor belt 10 is fixedly installed on one side of the workbench 1. The conveyor belt of the feeding conveyor belt 10 is made of food-grade PVC material. Its output end extends to the left side of the positioning fixture, and the top surface of the feeding conveyor belt 10 is the same height as the bottom of the positioning groove 6, which facilitates the stable conveying of the protective cover. A pushing assembly is provided between the feeding conveyor belt 10 and the positioning fixture. The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder 11 and a pushing plate 12. The pushing cylinder 11 is fixedly installed on the workbench 1 by a bracket, and its output direction is towards the positioning fixture. The pushing plate 12 is a rectangular plastic plate, which is fixedly connected to the output end of the pushing cylinder 11 by bolts. The height of the pushing plate 12 is the same as the top surface of the feeding conveyor belt 10. The pushing cylinder 11 can push the pushing plate 12 to push the protective cover on the feeding conveyor belt 10 into the positioning groove 6.

[0024] On the other side of the workbench 1, a discharge conveyor belt 13 is fixedly installed. The material of the discharge conveyor belt 13 is the same as that of the feeding conveyor belt 10. Its input end is aligned with the right side of the positioning fixture. The top surface of the discharge conveyor belt 13 is 5mm lower than the bottom of the positioning groove 6, so that the protective cover can slide smoothly into the discharge conveyor belt 13 after welding and be transported to the next process.

[0025] The bottom of the positioning groove 6 is provided with several vacuum adsorption holes 14. The tooling base 5 is provided with a vacuum chamber 15. The vacuum adsorption holes 14 are connected to the vacuum chamber 15. A vacuum generator 16 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the tooling base 5. The suction end of the vacuum generator 16 is connected to the vacuum chamber 15 through an air pipe 17.

[0026] The bottom of the positioning groove 6 is evenly provided with a vacuum adsorption hole 14. The tooling base 5 is provided with an annular vacuum chamber 15. All vacuum adsorption holes 14 are connected to the vacuum chamber 15. The outer wall of the tooling base 5 is fixedly installed with a vacuum generator 16 by a bracket. The suction end of the vacuum generator 16 is connected to the vacuum chamber 15 through an air pipe 17. When working, it can generate a negative pressure of -0.06 to -0.08 MPa in the vacuum chamber 15. The protective cover is firmly adsorbed into the positioning groove 6 through the vacuum adsorption hole 14, which further improves the positioning stability.

[0027] Several shock-absorbing feet are fixedly installed at the bottom of the workbench 1. Each shock-absorbing foot includes a fixed sleeve 18, a movable rod 19, and a shock-absorbing spring 20. The fixed sleeve 18 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the workbench 1. One end of the movable rod 19 is slidably inserted into the inside of the fixed sleeve 18, and the other end is in contact with the ground. The shock-absorbing spring 20 is sleeved between the fixed sleeve 18 and the movable rod 19, and both ends of the shock-absorbing spring 20 abut against the bottom of the workbench 1 and the top of the movable rod 19, respectively.

[0028] A control panel 21 is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame 2. The control panel 21 is electrically connected to the electric push rod 3, the ultrasonic welding head 4, the clamping cylinder 8, the pushing cylinder 11, the feeding conveyor belt 10, the discharging conveyor belt 13 and the vacuum generator 16. The control panel 21 is equipped with a touch screen 22 and an emergency stop button 23.

[0029] A shock-absorbing support foot is fixedly installed at each of the four corners of the bottom of the workbench 1. The shock-absorbing support foot includes a fixed sleeve 18, a movable rod 19, and a shock-absorbing spring 20. The fixed sleeve 18 is a metal cylinder that is fixedly connected to the bottom of the workbench 1 by bolts. The movable rod 19 is a metal rod with one end slidably inserted into the inside of the fixed sleeve 18 and the other end fixedly connected to a rubber pad by bolts, which contacts the ground. The shock-absorbing spring 20 is sleeved between the fixed sleeve 18 and the movable rod 19, with both ends abutting against the bottom of the workbench 1 and the top of the movable rod 19, respectively. It can absorb the vibration generated by ultrasonic welding and avoid equipment resonance from affecting welding accuracy or damaging parts.

[0030] A control panel 21 is fixedly mounted on the front side of the support frame 2 via a bracket. The control panel 21 has a built-in PLC controller and is electrically connected to the servo motor of the lifting drive assembly, the transducer of the ultrasonic welding head 4, the clamping cylinder 8, the pushing cylinder 11, the drive motor of the feeding conveyor belt 10, the drive motor of the discharging conveyor belt 13, and the vacuum generator 16 via wires. The front of the control panel 21 is equipped with a touch screen 22 and an emergency stop button 23. The touch screen 22 can be used to set welding parameters and display the operating status of the equipment. The emergency stop button 23 is a red mushroom-shaped button. When pressed, it can immediately cut off the power to all motors and cylinders to ensure operational safety.

[0031] This utility model achieves stable clamping of the steering wheel cover by utilizing the contour-adaptive positioning groove 6 of the positioning fixture, the elastic buffer layer 7, the synergistic effect of multiple sets of clamping cylinders 8 and arc-shaped pressure blocks 9, thus preventing welding displacement. The ultrasonic welding head 4 is precisely raised and lowered by the electric push rod 3, which, together with the ultrasonic welding head 4, enables the welding ribs of the cover to melt quickly, improving welding efficiency and quality. The feeding conveyor belt 10, the pushing assembly and the discharge conveyor belt 13 form an automated conveying process, reducing manual intervention. The vacuum adsorption hole 14 and the vacuum generator 16 further enhance positioning stability. The shock-absorbing feet absorb welding vibration. The control panel 21 enables centralized control of the equipment and emergency shutdown. Overall, it solves the defects of traditional welding processes and is adapted to the needs of automated production lines for automotive parts.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this utility model without departing from the essence and scope of the technical solutions of this utility model.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel underbody cover, characterized in that: The device includes a workbench, a support frame fixedly installed on the top of the workbench, an electric push rod fixedly installed on the upper surface of the top crossbeam of the support frame, an ultrasonic welding head fixedly connected to the output end of the electric push rod, and a positioning fixture fixedly installed below the ultrasonic welding head on the workbench. The positioning fixture includes a fixture base, the top of which has a positioning groove that matches the contour of the steering wheel lower guard. The inner wall of the positioning groove has an elastic buffer layer, and at least three clamping cylinders are evenly distributed along the edge of the positioning groove. An arc-shaped pressure block is fixedly connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder, and the inner side wall of the arc-shaped pressure block fits against the outer wall of the steering wheel lower guard. A feeding conveyor belt is fixedly installed on one side of the workbench. The output end of the feeding conveyor belt extends to one side of the positioning fixture. A pushing assembly is provided between the feeding conveyor belt and the positioning fixture. The pushing assembly includes a pushing cylinder and a pushing plate. The pushing cylinder is fixedly installed on the workbench. The pushing plate is fixedly connected to the output end of the pushing cylinder, and the height of the pushing plate is the same as the height of the top surface of the feeding conveyor belt. A discharge conveyor belt is fixedly installed on the other side of the workbench. The input end of the discharge conveyor belt is aligned with the other side of the positioning fixture, and the top surface of the discharge conveyor belt is lower than the bottom of the positioning groove.

2. The ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel undercover according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the positioning groove is provided with a number of vacuum adsorption holes, the tooling base is provided with a vacuum chamber, the vacuum adsorption holes are connected to the vacuum chamber, and a vacuum generator is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the tooling base. The suction end of the vacuum generator is connected to the vacuum chamber through an air pipe.

3. The ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel undercover according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the workbench is fixedly equipped with several shock-absorbing feet. Each shock-absorbing foot includes a fixed sleeve, a movable rod, and a shock-absorbing spring. The fixed sleeve is fixedly connected to the bottom of the workbench. One end of the movable rod is slidably inserted into the fixed sleeve, and the other end is in contact with the ground. The shock-absorbing spring is sleeved between the fixed sleeve and the movable rod, and both ends of the shock-absorbing spring abut against the bottom of the workbench and the top of the movable rod, respectively.

4. The ultrasonic welding device for a steering wheel undercover according to claim 3, characterized in that: A control panel is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame. The control panel is electrically connected to the electric push rod, the ultrasonic welding head, the clamping cylinder, the pushing cylinder, the feeding conveyor belt, the discharging conveyor belt, and the vacuum generator. The control panel is equipped with a touch screen and an emergency stop button.

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