An automated feeding apparatus

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic feeding equipment, which comprises a positioning and correcting mechanism, the positioning and correcting mechanism comprises a pushing and clamping assembly and a positioning plate, the positioning plate is provided with a profiling cavity for positioning a material piece, the pushing and clamping assembly comprises a bottom plate, a first driving member, a pushing plate and a positioning member, the first driving member is arranged on the bottom plate, the pushing plate is movably installed on the bottom plate, the pushing plate is in transmission connection with the driving member, the positioning member is installed on the pushing plate and corresponds to the profiling cavity, the pushing plate is driven by the first driving member to move relative to the bottom plate along a first direction, and simultaneously drives the positioning member to move along the first direction and press against the material piece in the profiling cavity, and a vacuum suction monitoring mechanism is used for detecting the material piece pressed by the positioning member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automated production technology, and in particular to an automated feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] In automated production processes, the accuracy of component loading directly affects the stability of subsequent processes and product quality. This is especially true in the loading of smaller metal parts (e.g., approximately 2.60mm × 2.25mm, "D" shaped structures), where high precision is required for picking and placing the parts.

[0003] Currently, quick-change trays are commonly used for loading smaller metal parts. These trays typically position the parts using contoured cavities. Due to machining tolerances, the contoured cavities of the quick-change tray generally employ a clearance fit structure to allow for smooth insertion and removal of the parts. However, this clearance fit leads to disordered posture and irregular position of the parts within the cavity, potentially causing offset, tilting, or rotation. In actual automated material handling processes, when the picking mechanism picks up parts from the quick-change tray, problems such as inaccurate picking position, missed picking, or picking up the wrong part can easily occur, affecting assembly accuracy. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an automated feeding device that can accurately position and correct the position of the material.

[0005] This utility model provides an automated feeding device, which includes a positioning and correction mechanism. The positioning and correction mechanism includes a pushing component and a positioning plate. The positioning plate is provided with a contoured cavity for positioning the material. The pushing component includes a base plate, a first driving component, a push plate, and a positioning component. The push plate is movably mounted on the base plate and is driven by the first driving component. The positioning component is mounted on the push plate and corresponds to the contoured cavity. The push plate can move relative to the base plate in a first direction under the drive of the first driving component, and at the same time, it drives the positioning component to move in the first direction to press against the material in the contoured cavity.

[0006] In one embodiment, the positioning member includes a positioning rod near the push plate and a positioning block away from the push plate. The push plate has a guide hole, and the positioning rod is movably inserted into the guide hole. The pressing assembly also includes a guide slide rail disposed between the base plate and the push plate, and the push plate is movably connected to the base plate through the guide slide rail.

[0007] In one embodiment, the push-tightening assembly further includes a first elastic element sleeved on the positioning rod and a first limiting element disposed at one end of the positioning rod away from the positioning block. One end of the first elastic element abuts against the positioning block, and the other end abuts against the push plate. The first limiting element is located outside the guide hole, and the outer diameter of the first limiting element is larger than the diameter of the guide hole.

[0008] In one embodiment, the contoured cavity includes a flared guide ramp at the top and a positioning area and a positioning boundary at the bottom. The outline of the positioning area matches the shape of the workpiece, and the positioning boundary is connected to the positioning area and located on the side of the positioning area closer to the positioning workpiece.

[0009] In one embodiment, multiple contoured cavities are provided, which are arranged along the length direction of the positioning plate. The pushing assembly includes multiple positioning members, which are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the push plate and their positions correspond to each of the contoured cavities.

[0010] In one embodiment, the automated feeding equipment further includes a vacuum suction monitoring mechanism, which is used to detect and confirm the position of the material being pressed by the positioning member.

[0011] In one embodiment, the vacuum suction monitoring mechanism includes a top plate, a second driving member, a suction bracket, and a suction member. The suction member is disposed on the suction bracket and corresponds to the contoured cavity. The second driving member is tractively connected to the suction bracket. The suction bracket can move along a second direction under the drive of the second driving member, and at the same time, it drives the suction member to move along the second direction toward the material in the contoured cavity. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the suction device includes a suction rod body near the suction bracket and a suction head connected to the suction rod body and away from the suction bracket. The suction rod body is connected to an external air source, and the suction head is used to contact the material in the contour cavity and detect and confirm the position of the material.

[0013] In one embodiment, the suction head has a suction surface on the side away from the suction rod body, and the suction surface has a suction groove adapted to the shape of the material. The suction groove is connected to the air passage inside the suction rod body. The outer periphery of the suction surface has a plurality of positioning teeth for positioning the material during detection. The periphery of the contour cavity has a first clearance hole for the positioning teeth to pass through, and the positioning element has a second clearance hole for the positioning teeth to pass through.

[0014] In one embodiment, a second limiting member is provided at the end of the suction rod away from the suction head. The suction rod is movably inserted into the suction bracket, and the second limiting member is located outside the suction bracket. At the same time, a second elastic member is sleeved on the suction rod, and the two ends of the second elastic member abut against the suction head and the suction bracket, respectively.

[0015] This utility model provides an automated feeding device. By setting a positioning plate with a contoured cavity and a corresponding pushing component, the push plate drives the positioning component to move along a first direction under the drive of a first driving component. This provides directional pressure on the material located in the contoured cavity, thereby achieving precise positioning and posture correction of the material and ensuring that the material is in a standard position before being picked up. This structure can effectively eliminate the material position deviation caused by clearance fit, avoid problems such as inaccurate positioning, missed picking, or reverse placement, and improve the stability and accuracy of feeding small metal parts. At the same time, the overall structure is compact, the transmission is reliable, and it is suitable for integration into various automated feeding devices. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of an automated feeding device provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2a A schematic diagram of the push-tightening assembly provided in a preferred embodiment of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2b for Figure 2a A magnified view of region A in the middle.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the push plate provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning component provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5a This is a schematic diagram of the positioning plate provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5b for Figure 5a A magnified view of region B in the middle.

[0024] Figure 5c This is a schematic diagram of a part placed in a contoured cavity.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum suction monitoring mechanism provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7a This is a schematic diagram of the suction device provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7b for Figure 7a A magnified view of region C in the middle.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the material provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure label: 1. Push-tightening assembly; 2. Positioning plate; 3. Vacuum suction monitoring mechanism; 4. Positioning and correction mechanism; 5. Material; 11. Base plate; 12. First driving component; 13. Push plate; 14. Positioning component; 15. Guide slide rail; 16. First elastic component; 17. First limiting component; 131. Guide hole; 141. Positioning rod body; 142. Positioning block; 143. Second clearance hole; 21. Contouring cavity; 211. Positioning area; 212. Positioning boundary; 213. First clearance hole; 214. Guide slope; 31. Top plate; 32. Second driving component; 33. Suction bracket; 34. Suction component; 35. Guide rod; 341. Suction rod body; 342. Suction head; 343. Second elastic component; 344. Suction surface; 345. Suction groove; 346. Positioning tooth; 51. Arc edge; 52. Straight edge; 53. Clearance groove. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific embodiments of this utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the description of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0031] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," and "connect," etc., 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 mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” and “outer,” etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification, and 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0033] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used merely to distinguish elements with similar properties, not to indicate or imply relative importance or a specific order.

[0034] The terms “include,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, which includes not only the elements listed but also other elements not expressly listed.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 This utility model provides an automated feeding device, which includes a positioning and correction mechanism 4 and a vacuum suction monitoring mechanism 3. The positioning and correction mechanism 4 is used to accurately position and correct the posture of the material 5. The positioning and correction mechanism 4 includes a pushing assembly 1 and a positioning plate 2. The positioning plate 2 is provided with a plurality of contoured cavities 21 for positioning the material 5 (see figure). Figure 5a ).like Figures 2a-2b As shown, the pressing assembly 1 includes a base plate 11, a first driving member 12, a push plate 13, and multiple positioning members 14. The first driving member 12 is mounted on the base plate 11, and the push plate 13 is movably mounted on the base plate 11 and is connected to the first driving member 12 in a transmission manner. The multiple positioning members 14 are mounted on the push plate 13 and correspond to the positions of multiple contoured cavities 21, respectively.

[0036] like Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, component 5 is a D-shaped metal part with an irregular semi-circular structure and a small size, approximately 2.60mm × 2.25mm. The front of component 5 is a flat plane, while the back of component 5 is recessed towards the front to form a clearance groove 53. One side of component 5 has an arc-shaped edge 51, and the other side has a straight edge 52. The arc-shaped edge 51 is used for installation or assembly positioning, and the straight edge 52 is used to abut against the positioning component 14 to achieve position correction. Due to the thin and light structure and small size of component 5, there is an issue of unstable posture during processing and assembly. If the component is directly picked up by vacuum suction, positional deviation or flipping may easily occur, affecting the subsequent assembly accuracy.

[0037] During operation, part 5 is pre-placed within the contoured cavity 21 of the positioning plate 2. For example... Figures 5a-5cAs shown, the shape of the contouring cavity 21 matches the outer contour of the workpiece 5. It includes a flared guide ramp 214 at the top and a positioning area 211 and a positioning boundary 212 at the bottom. The guide ramp 214 is composed of a tapered ramp that gradually narrows, used to initially guide the workpiece 5 when it is placed into the contouring cavity 21, allowing the workpiece 5 to slide into the positioning area 211 along the guide ramp 214. The positioning boundary 212 is connected to the positioning area 211 and is located on the side of the positioning area 211 near the positioning member 14. The positioning boundary 212 is used to cooperate with the positioning member 14 during the positioning and correction process to accurately correct the straight edge 52 of the workpiece 5. Subsequently, the first drive member 12 is activated, driving the push plate 13 to move towards the positioning plate 2 along the first direction D1. The push plate 13 drives the positioning member 14 to move forward synchronously. After the positioning block 142 at the front end of the positioning component 14 contacts the part 5 inside the contour cavity 21, it pushes the part 5 laterally and corrects its posture. Through contact pressure, the straight edge 52 of the part 5 coincides with the positioning boundary 212 of the contour cavity 21, thereby completing precise positioning. During the continuous pressing process of the positioning component 14, the arc-shaped edge 51 of the part 5 is confined within the contour cavity 21, while the straight edge 52 is stably pressed against the positioning block 142, achieving double-sided limiting positioning and ensuring that the part 5 meets the requirements in both planar position and posture direction.

[0038] like Figure 3-4 As shown, in this embodiment, the positioning member 14 includes a positioning rod 141 near the push plate 13 and a positioning block 142 away from the push plate 13. The positioning rod 141 and the positioning block 142 are integrally formed. A guide hole 131 is provided in the push plate 13, and the positioning rod 141 is movably inserted into the guide hole 131 to maintain the stability of the movement direction of the positioning member 14 during the movement of the push plate 13, thereby ensuring the repeatability accuracy of the positioning action.

[0039] To ensure smoother and more reliable overall movement of the push-clamping assembly 1, a guide rail 15 is provided between the base plate 11 and the push plate 13. The push plate 13 is movably connected to the base plate 11 via the guide rail 15, achieving precise guided movement along the first direction D1 and preventing the push plate 13 from shifting or tilting during linear movement. The cooperation between the guide rail 15 and the guide hole 131 makes the positioning action of the push-clamping assembly 1 smoother. The positioning component 14 maintains alignment with the contour cavity 21 throughout the driving process, improving the correction accuracy of the material part 5. Through the cooperation between the positioning rod 141 and the guide hole 131, and the cooperation between the push plate 13 and the guide rail 15, the reciprocating motion of the push plate 13 under the action of the first driving component 12 is ensured to have good straightness and parallelism. Even in the case of continuous batch positioning of material parts 5, the posture of each material part 5 can be accurately pushed and corrected.

[0040] Furthermore, the push-tightening assembly 1 also includes a first elastic element 16 sleeved on the outside of the positioning rod 141 and a first limiting element 17 disposed at the end of the positioning rod 141 away from the positioning block 142. One end of the first elastic element 16 abuts against the positioning block 142, and the other end abuts against the push plate 13. Under the action of the first elastic element 16, the positioning block 142 can generate elastic expansion and contraction displacement along the first direction D1. The first limiting element 17 is located outside the guide hole 131, and the outer diameter of the first limiting element 17 is larger than the diameter of the guide hole 131. When the positioning rod 141 passes through the guide hole 131, the first limiting element 17 can prevent the positioning rod 141 from coming out of the guide hole 131, ensuring the reliability and safety of the positioning structure.

[0041] During the positioning process, the first driving component 12 drives the push plate 13 to move forward along the first direction D1. The push plate 13 drives the positioning block 142 to move towards the contour cavity 21 via the positioning rod 141. When the positioning block 142 contacts the material 5 inside the contour cavity 21, the positioning block 142 flexibly presses against the material 5 under the compression action of the first elastic component 16 to prevent rigid collision. This structure makes the material 5 more evenly stressed while being pushed, and can complete the position and orientation correction without damaging the surface of the material 5.

[0042] In this embodiment, multiple contoured cavities 21 are arranged sequentially along the length of the positioning plate 2 to simultaneously accommodate multiple parts 5 to be positioned. The pressing assembly 1 is provided with multiple positioning elements 14, which are arranged sequentially along the length of the push plate 13, and their positions correspond one-to-one with each contoured cavity 21.

[0043] When the first driving component 12 drives the push plate 13 to move along the first direction D1, multiple positioning components 14 move synchronously towards the positioning plate 2 under the drive of the push plate 13, respectively pushing and correcting the material parts 5 located in the corresponding contour cavities 21. Since each positioning component 14 has the same stroke and the same force, it can simultaneously complete the positioning action of the multi-station material parts 5, thereby realizing multi-point synchronous positioning operation. This structure significantly improves positioning efficiency and is suitable for continuous and batch feeding production scenarios.

[0044] Furthermore, the vacuum suction monitoring mechanism 3 is used to detect and confirm the position status of the material 5 after it has been positioned and corrected. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the vacuum suction monitoring mechanism 3 includes a top plate 31, a second driving member 32, a suction bracket 33, and a suction member 34. The second driving member 32 is mounted on the bottom of the top plate 31, the suction bracket 33 is mounted on the output end of the second driving member 32, and the suction member 34 is fixedly mounted on the suction bracket 33. The position of the suction member 34 corresponds to the contour cavity 21 on the positioning plate 2. The second driving member 32 is connected to the suction bracket 33 and can drive the suction bracket 33 and the suction member 34 to reciprocate along the second direction D2.

[0045] During operation, after the material part 5 is corrected by the pushing assembly 1, the straight edge 52 of the material part 5 coincides with the positioning boundary 212 of the contour cavity 21. Subsequently, the second drive component 32 is activated, driving the suction bracket 33 and the suction component 34 to descend along the second direction D2. The suction head 342 of the suction component 34 contacts the surface of the material part 5 in the contour cavity 21, and the system determines whether the material part 5 is in the correct position by adsorption or vacuum detection. If the suction component 34 can stably adsorb the material part 5, it indicates that the posture of the material part 5 is correct and the positioning accuracy meets the requirements; if the adsorption is unsuccessful or not firm, it can be determined that the positioning of the material part 5 at this station is abnormal, and the system can reposition or reject it according to the detection results.

[0046] In this design, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are perpendicular to each other, ensuring that the positioning and detection actions are completed independently along different axes, thus avoiding interference between mechanisms. By adding a detection step between the positioning and picking processes, the positioning status of the material 5 can be confirmed in real time, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of subsequent picking and assembly operations.

[0047] like Figure 7a As shown, in one embodiment, the suction member 34 includes a suction rod 341 and a suction head 342. The suction rod 341 is arranged along the second direction D2, with its upper end connected to the suction bracket 33 and the suction head 342 fixedly installed at its lower end. The suction head 342 is made of flexible material, with a suction port at its end, and is connected to an external air source through an air passage inside the suction rod 341. The air source switches between adsorption and release states through a control valve, enabling the suction head 342 to perform vacuum adsorption or exhaust release operations at different work positions.

[0048] To ensure smooth movement and accurate positioning of the suction support 33 during lifting and lowering, the vacuum suction monitoring mechanism 3 is also equipped with a guiding and buffering structure. The guiding structure includes a guide rod 35 mounted on the top plate 31. The guide rod 35 is positioned along the second direction D2 and movably passes through the suction support 33. The guide rod 35 limits and guides the suction support 33 during its up-and-down movement, preventing it from swaying or tilting, thus ensuring that the suction component 34 can be accurately aligned with the material 5 within the contour cavity 21. Additionally, a second limiting member 36 is provided at the end of the suction rod 341 furthest from the suction head 342. The suction rod 341 is movably inserted into the suction support 33, while the second limiting member 36 is located outside the suction support 33. The second limiting member 36 prevents the suction rod 341 from detaching from the suction support 33, allowing the suction component 34 to be mounted on the suction support 33. A second elastic member 343 is also fitted onto the suction rod 341. The two ends of the second elastic element 343 abut against the suction head 342 and the suction bracket 33 of the suction element 34, respectively. When the suction element 34 descends and contacts the surface of the material 5, the second elastic element 343 is compressed to form a buffer, so that the suction element 34 can absorb the impact force caused by height error or slight deviation while maintaining the adsorption stability, and avoid the material 5 being pushed away or damaged.

[0049] like Figure 7b As shown, a suction surface 344 is provided on the side of the suction head 342 away from the suction rod 341. The suction surface 344 has a planar structure, and multiple positioning teeth 346 are evenly distributed along its outer circumference. The positioning teeth 346 are raised structures used to cooperate with the outer edge of the material 5 during detection or suction to achieve auxiliary position limitation. Two symmetrical suction grooves 345 are provided at the center of the suction surface 344, and the shape of the suction grooves 345 is adapted to the shape of the material 5.

[0050] To make the suction more stable, the suction groove 345 is designed as an arc-shaped groove that matches the material 5. So that during suction, the flat side of the material 5 fits tightly with the suction groove 345, and the outer edge is limited by the positioning teeth 346, achieving a dual positioning effect of surface and edge.

[0051] The suction groove 345 is connected to the air passage inside the suction rod 341. When the external air source generates negative pressure, the airflow enters the suction groove 345 through the suction rod 341 to form a vacuum suction force, firmly adsorbing the material 5 onto the suction surface 344. When the air source is switched to positive pressure or normal pressure, the material 5 can be smoothly removed from the suction surface 344. After the material 5 is precisely positioned and corrected by the push-tightening assembly 1, the second drive component 32 drives the suction bracket 33 to descend vertically, so that the suction head 342 contacts the upper surface of the material 5. The control valve opens the negative pressure channel, and the air source forms a vacuum suction force through the air passage inside the suction rod 341, thereby realizing the adsorption detection of the material 5. When the material 5 is placed in the correct direction, the suction groove 345 is tightly attached to the flat front of the material 5, the vacuum suction force is stable, and the suction head 342 can firmly adsorb the material 5. If the material 5 is placed in the wrong direction, the suction groove 345 will form a cavity with the clearance groove 53 on the back of the material 5, and an effective vacuum cannot be established, so the adsorption action fails. This design enables simultaneous detection and identification of both sides of the material during the picking process, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of subsequent handling or assembly.

[0052] Furthermore, a first clearance hole 213 is provided around the contoured cavity 21 on the positioning plate 2 for the positioning teeth 346 on the suction head 342 to pass through. A second clearance hole 143 is provided on the positioning block 142, corresponding to the position of the positioning teeth 346 on the suction head 342, to ensure that the positioning teeth 346 can pass smoothly through the periphery of the contoured cavity 21 and the positioning block 142 without interfering with the positioning member 14 and the contoured cavity 21 during the descent of the suction head 342.

[0053] During the suction or inspection process, the second drive unit 32 drives the suction bracket 33 and the suction head 342 to descend vertically. The positioning teeth 346 on the suction head 342 enter the contour cavity 21 area through the first clearance hole 213, and at the same time pass through the space above the positioning block 142 through the second clearance hole 143, so that the positioning teeth 346 can accurately contact the outer edge of the workpiece 5 without colliding with the positioning block 142 or the inner wall of the contour cavity 21 in the push assembly 1.

[0054] This structure ensures that the suction and positioning / correction actions can be safely and coordinated within the same space: when the suction head 342 descends, the positioning teeth 346 first provide auxiliary limiting for the workpiece 5, and then the suction groove 345 achieves vacuum adsorption of the workpiece 5, completing the posture correction and suction of the workpiece 5. By setting the first clearance hole 213 and the second clearance hole 143, interference between mechanisms can be effectively avoided, improving the stability and reliability of multi-station synchronous positioning and suction.

[0055] In this embodiment, multiple suction components 34 can be configured and arranged sequentially along the length of the suction bracket 33, each corresponding to one of the multiple contoured cavities 21 on the positioning plate 2. During descent, the multiple suction components 34 simultaneously enter the corresponding contoured cavity 21 area, and contact the surface and outer edge of the material part 5 through the suction groove 345 and positioning teeth 346 of the suction head 342, achieving synchronous adsorption and attitude correction of the material parts 5 at multiple workstations. Each suction component 34 is controlled for adsorption via an independent air path or a unified air source control valve, ensuring stable adsorption of each material part 5. Detection and material handling actions are performed synchronously, thereby achieving automated batch feeding operations and improving production efficiency.

[0056] The entire positioning correction and detection process in this embodiment includes the following steps: When the positioning process begins, the first drive unit 12 is activated, driving the push plate 13 to move towards the positioning plate 2 along the first direction D1. Multiple positioning elements 14 on the push plate 13 advance simultaneously, and the front end face of the positioning block 142 abuts against the straight edge 52 of the workpiece 5. With the abutment of the positioning block 142, the straight edge 52 of the workpiece 5 precisely aligns with the positioning boundary 212 of the contoured cavity 21, and the curved edge 51 is guided to the correct positioning angle, achieving precise lateral positioning and attitude correction of the workpiece 5.

[0057] During the tightening process, the positioning rod 141 can slide smoothly in the guide hole 131, and the positioning block 142 forms a flexible clamping on the material 5 under the action of the first elastic element 16, avoiding deformation or scratches of the metal material 5 due to excessive compression. After positioning is completed, the material 5 is stably confined to the accurate position of the contour cavity 21, with a uniform posture.

[0058] The detection phase then begins. The second driving component 32 drives the suction bracket 33 to descend along the second direction D2, maintaining vertical stability under the constraint of the guide rod 35. The suction component 34, cushioned by the second elastic component 343, makes flexible contact with the upper surface of the material 5. At this time, the control valve opens, and the air source forms a vacuum suction through the suction rod 341, causing the suction head 342 to fit tightly against the surface of the material 5. If the material 5 is facing upwards, the suction groove 345 is completely in contact with its flat surface, forming an effective vacuum adsorption, and the detection system determines that the adsorption is successful. If the material 5 is placed upside down, a gap is formed between the suction groove 345 and the clearance groove 53 on the back of the material 5, making it impossible to establish a vacuum, and the detection system determines that the adsorption has failed.

[0059] Through the feedback of the adsorption signal, the system can confirm in real time whether the material 5 is placed in the correct orientation and whether the positioning is correct. After the detection is completed, the suction bracket 33 rises, and the suction component 34 carries the successfully adsorbed material 5 away from the contour cavity 21 and transfers it to the next process, realizing automated feeding or assembly.

[0060] Through the above process, the positioning and correction mechanism can complete the continuous operation of automatic positioning, posture correction, forward and reverse detection, and material handling of part 5 in a single cycle. The whole action is coordinated and smooth, with high positioning accuracy, which greatly improves the reliability and production efficiency of automated feeding of small metal parts 5.

[0061] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0062] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated feeding device, characterized in that, The automated feeding equipment includes a positioning and correction mechanism (4), which includes a push-tightening component (1) and a positioning plate (2). The positioning plate (2) is provided with a contoured cavity (21) for positioning the material (5). The push-tightening component (1) includes a base plate (11), a first driving component (12), a push plate (13), and a positioning component (14). The push plate (13) is movably mounted on the base plate (11). The push plate (13) is connected to the first driving component (12) in a transmission manner. The positioning component (14) is mounted on the push plate (13) and corresponds to the contoured cavity (21). The push plate (13) can move relative to the base plate (11) in a first direction (D1) under the drive of the first driving component (12), and at the same time, it drives the positioning component (14) to move in the first direction (D1) to press the material (5) in the contoured cavity (21).

2. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning component (14) includes a positioning rod (141) near the push plate (13) and a positioning block (142) away from the push plate (13). The push plate (13) has a guide hole (131) and the positioning rod (141) is movably inserted into the guide hole (131). The pushing assembly (1) also includes a guide slide rail (15) between the base plate (11) and the push plate (13). The push plate (13) is movably connected to the base plate (11) through the guide slide rail (15).

3. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The push-tightening assembly (1) further includes a first elastic element (16) sleeved on the positioning rod (141) and a first limiting element (17) disposed at one end of the positioning rod (141) away from the positioning block (142). One end of the first elastic element (16) abuts against the positioning block (142) and the other end abuts against the push plate (13). The first limiting element (17) is located outside the guide hole (131) and the outer diameter of the first limiting element (17) is larger than the diameter of the guide hole (131).

4. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The contoured cavity (21) includes a flared guide slope (214) at the top and a positioning area (211) and a positioning boundary (212) at the bottom. The outline of the positioning area (211) matches the shape of the material. The positioning boundary (212) is connected to the positioning area (211) and is located on the side of the positioning area (211) close to the positioning element (14).

5. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The contoured cavity (21) is provided in multiple ways. The multiple contoured cavities (21) are arranged along the length direction of the positioning plate (2). The pushing assembly (1) includes multiple positioning elements (14). The multiple positioning elements (14) are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the push plate (13) and their positions correspond to each of the contoured cavities (21).

6. The automated feeding equipment as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The automated feeding equipment also includes a vacuum suction monitoring mechanism (3), which is used to detect and confirm the position status of the material (5) pressed by the positioning member (14).

7. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The vacuum suction monitoring mechanism (3) includes a top plate (31), a second driving member (32), a suction bracket (33), and a suction member (34). The suction member (34) is disposed on the suction bracket (33) and corresponds to the contour cavity (21). The second driving member (32) is connected to the suction bracket (33) in a transmission manner. The suction bracket (33) can move along the second direction (D2) under the drive of the second driving member (32), and at the same time, it drives the suction member (34) to move along the second direction (D2) toward the material (5) in the contour cavity (21). The first direction (D1) is perpendicular to the second direction (D2).

8. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The suction device (34) includes a suction rod (341) near the suction bracket (33) and a suction head (342) connected to the suction rod (341) and away from the suction bracket (33). The suction rod (341) is connected to an external air source, and the suction head (342) is used to contact the material (5) in the contour cavity (21) and detect and confirm the position of the material (5).

9. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The suction head (342) has a suction surface (344) on the side away from the suction rod (341). The suction surface (344) has a suction groove (345) that matches the shape of the material (5). The suction groove (345) is connected to the air passage in the suction rod (341). The outer periphery of the suction surface (344) has a plurality of positioning teeth (346) for positioning the material (5) during detection. The periphery of the contour cavity (21) has a first clearance hole (213) for the positioning teeth (346) to pass through. The positioning member (14) has a second clearance hole (143) for the positioning teeth (346) to pass through.

10. The automated feeding equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, A second limiting member (36) is provided at one end of the suction rod (341) away from the suction head (342). The suction rod (341) is movably inserted into the suction bracket (33). The second limiting member (36) is located outside the suction bracket (33). At the same time, a second elastic member (343) is sleeved on the suction rod (341). The two ends of the second elastic member (343) abut against the suction head (342) and the suction bracket (33) respectively.

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