Open bush assembly device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an open bush assembly device for assembling a sleeve and an open bush. The open bush assembly device comprises an assembling mechanism and a feeding mechanism. The assembling mechanism comprises a sleeve tool, a positioning mechanism, a pressing mechanism and a support. The sleeve tool is arranged on the support for placing the sleeve; the positioning mechanism comprises a positioning member arranged on the support and coaxial with the sleeve on the sleeve tool, for preventing the sleeve from moving in one axial direction and radially; the feeding mechanism comprises a gripper and a gripper driving mechanism connected to each other, the gripper is used for clamping and releasing the open bush, and the diameter of the open bush is reduced by the clamping force when the open bush is clamped, and the gripper driving mechanism is used for driving the movement of the gripper and driving the open bush coaxial with the sleeve; the pressing mechanism comprises a pressing head and a pressing driving mechanism, the pressing head is movably arranged on the support and arranged axially opposite to the sleeve, and the pressing driving mechanism is used for driving the movement of the pressing head and pressing the open bush into the sleeve by the pressing head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of mechanical equipment, and more particularly to an open bushing assembly device. Background Technology

[0002] During the assembly of open bushings, the structural characteristics of the open bushing itself make it difficult to precisely control the opening size. In actual production, the opening gap often exceeds the dimensions required by the drawings, resulting in an increased outer diameter of the open bushing, making it impossible to directly install it into the sleeve. This situation poses significant challenges to the automated assembly of open bushings.

[0003] Currently, a common solution to the problems encountered during the assembly of open bushings is as follows: First, the open bushing is manually pre-tightened and narrowed, then pre-assembled into the sleeve. Finally, the sleeve with the open bushing is placed into a press, which presses the open bushing into the specified position. The specific assembly process is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a bushing assembled on one side of a sleeve.

[0004] However, the commonly used methods described above have two significant problems: First, manually removing the open bushing for pre-tightening and then pre-assembling it requires operators to repeat this operation for extended periods, resulting in high labor intensity and easy finger pain after prolonged work. Second, the method of pre-assembling the open bushing into the sleeve and then pressing it into place in a press has a low degree of automation and low overall assembly efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] This disclosure provides an open bushing assembly apparatus.

[0006] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an open bushing assembly apparatus is provided for assembling a sleeve and an open bushing, comprising: an assembly mechanism and a feeding mechanism; the assembly mechanism includes a sleeve fixture, a positioning mechanism, a pressing mechanism, and a support; the sleeve fixture is disposed on the support for placing the sleeve; the positioning mechanism includes a positioning element disposed on the support and coaxial with the sleeve on the sleeve fixture, for preventing the sleeve from moving in one axial direction and radially; the feeding mechanism includes a connected gripper and a gripper driving mechanism, the gripper being used to grip and release the open bushing, and reducing the diameter of the open bushing by clamping force when gripping the open bushing, the gripper driving mechanism being used to drive the gripper to move and drive the open bushing to be coaxial with the sleeve; the pressing mechanism includes a pressing head and a pressing driving mechanism, the pressing head being movably disposed on the support and axially opposite to the sleeve, the pressing driving mechanism being used to drive the pressing head to move, pressing the open bushing into the sleeve through the pressing head.

[0007] According to one aspect of the technical solution of this disclosure, the open bushing assembly device automatically reduces the diameter of the open bushing by using clamping force while gripping it in the feeding mechanism. This solves the technical problem that the outer diameter of the open bushing increases due to the large opening gap, making it impossible to directly install the open bushing into the sleeve. In traditional technology, due to the structural characteristics of the open bushing, its opening size is difficult to control precisely. Manual pre-tightening and shrinking operations are not only labor-intensive but also inefficient. This disclosure integrates the shrinking and picking functions into the same mechanism, achieving automatic shrinking through the clamping force of the grippers without manual intervention, effectively reducing the labor intensity of operators. At the same time, the positioning component in the positioning mechanism is coaxially set with the sleeve, which can prevent the axial and radial movement of the sleeve during the assembly process, ensuring assembly accuracy and avoiding the positioning inaccuracy caused by manual pre-assembly followed by pressing, significantly improving the degree of automation and assembly efficiency.

[0008] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of the present disclosure, there are two pressing mechanisms, which are respectively disposed on both axial sides of the sleeve on the sleeve tooling, and the two pressing mechanisms are respectively used to press the two open bushings into the sleeve.

[0009] In this embodiment, the dual pressing mechanism is particularly suitable for the common left and right double-opening bushing structure in car door hinge products. The two pressing mechanisms are located on opposite sides of the sleeve's axial direction, enabling the assembly of the open bushings on both sides sequentially or simultaneously. During operation, after one pressing mechanism completes the pressing of the open bushing, it maintains the protruding pressure head as a positioning reference, providing a precise positioning reference for the assembly of the other open bushing. This solves the technical problem of ensuring the coaxiality of the open bushings on both sides in a double-opening bushing structure. This technical solution avoids the cumbersome process of repositioning the pre-assembled sleeve and performing a secondary pressing, as required by existing technologies. It achieves continuous automated assembly of double-opening bushings, improving production efficiency while ensuring the assembly accuracy and coaxiality requirements of the open bushings on both sides. It is particularly suitable for assembling products such as car door hinges that require high positional accuracy of the open bushings.

[0010] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of this disclosure, the positioning mechanism further includes a connected switching member and a switching drive mechanism, the switching member being movably disposed on the bracket; the positioning member and the pressure head of one of the pressing mechanisms are disposed on the switching member; the switching drive mechanism is used to drive the switching member to move and switch the pressure head or the positioning member to be axially opposite to the sleeve; the pressing drive mechanism is also used to drive the positioning member to be fitted into the sleeve when the positioning member is axially opposite to the sleeve, preventing the sleeve from moving in one direction and radially along the axial direction.

[0011] In this embodiment, during operation, the switching drive mechanism controls the movement of the switching component, selectively aligning the positioning component or pressure head with the sleeve's axial direction. When positioning the sleeve is required, the switching component moves to the positioning position, making the positioning component coaxial with the sleeve. Subsequently, the pressing drive mechanism drives the positioning component to extend into the sleeve, achieving precise positioning of the sleeve. When pressing an open bushing is required, the switching component moves to the pressing position, aligning the pressure head with the sleeve for pressing operation. This technical solution is applicable to the assembly process of a double-opening bushing structure: first, the positioning component positions the first end of the sleeve so that one open bushing is assembled at the second end of the sleeve. After the second end of the sleeve is assembled, the switching drive mechanism drives the switching component to move, switching the pressure head to the relative position of the first end, so that the other open bushing can be pressed into the first end of the sleeve. This technical solution avoids the problem of repeatedly repositioning the sleeve in the prior art, effectively solving the technical difficulty of ensuring coaxiality during the assembly of double-opening bushings, while simplifying the equipment structure and improving assembly accuracy and efficiency.

[0012] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of this disclosure, the pressing drive mechanism includes a linear drive mechanism and a movable seat; the movable seat is movably disposed on the bracket and connected to the linear drive mechanism; the linear drive mechanism is fixedly disposed on the bracket and is used to drive the movable seat to move horizontally toward or away from the bushing fixture; the switching member is movably and vertically connected to the movable seat via a guide rail assembly; the switching drive mechanism is disposed on the movable seat and is used to drive the switching member to move vertically; the positioning member and the bushing are arranged vertically.

[0013] In this embodiment, the linear drive mechanism drives the moving seat to perform horizontal feeding motion, achieving axial displacement during the pressing process. The switching drive mechanism, mounted on the moving seat, drives the switching component to perform vertical lifting motion via a guide rail assembly, enabling the switching between the positioning component and the pressing head. This technical solution allows the horizontal movement and vertical switching actions to be independent yet coordinated, improving the stability and positioning accuracy of both the switching and pressing actions.

[0014] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of the present disclosure, the pressing mechanism further includes an elastic element disposed between the movable seat and the bracket; when the positioning member or the pressing head presses into the sleeve, the elastic element is compressed by the movable seat.

[0015] In this embodiment, when the positioning element or pressure head contacts the sleeve and begins to apply pressure, the moving seat compresses the elastic element, causing a certain elastic deformation. In actual operation, when the open bushing begins to contact the sleeve, the elastic element provides appropriate cushioning, preventing deformation or damage to the open bushing due to excessive impact force. As the pressing process progresses, the reaction force of the elastic element gradually increases, ensuring the smooth transmission of the pressing force and allowing the open bushing to enter the sleeve evenly and smoothly.

[0016] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of the present disclosure, the sleeve tooling is provided with a positioning groove adapted to the sleeve, the positioning groove extending horizontally; the pressure head is arranged axially opposite to the positioning groove.

[0017] In this embodiment, the positioning groove on the sleeve tooling is designed to precisely match the shape of the sleeve, ensuring that the sleeve maintains a stable position during assembly. The horizontally extending axial structure of the positioning groove allows the sleeve to be placed stably on the tooling, avoiding displacement caused by gravity or external forces during assembly.

[0018] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of this disclosure, the pressing drive mechanism includes a cylinder; the pressing mechanism further includes a stroke member movably disposed on the bracket and on the piston rod of the cylinder; the assembly mechanism further includes a blocking mechanism; the blocking mechanism includes a blocking member and a blocking drive mechanism; the blocking member is movably disposed on the bracket; the blocking drive mechanism is connected to the blocking member and is used to drive the blocking member to move to the movement path of the stroke member, thereby limiting the movement stroke of the stroke member and the piston rod.

[0019] In this embodiment, the blocking mechanism implements a segmented press-fit function: during the first stroke, the blocking drive mechanism drives the blocking member to move along the path of the stroke member. The blocking member blocks the stroke member, stopping the press head at a preset position, allowing the press head to pre-install the narrowed open bushing into the sleeve. After pre-installation, the blocking member retracts, and the press head continues the second stroke, fully pressing the open bushing into place. Because the opening gap of the open bushing exceeds the drawing requirements, direct press-fitting can easily lead to deformation or jamming of the open bushing. Segmented press-fitting first pre-installs the open bushing into place with a smaller force, and then completes the final press-fitting with a larger force, ensuring assembly quality and avoiding damage to the open bushing.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of the present disclosure, the gripper drive mechanism includes three sequentially connected movable modules, the moving directions of the three movable modules being orthogonal to each other, and the gripper being connected to the movable module at the end of the gripper drive mechanism.

[0021] In this embodiment, the gripper drive mechanism adopts an XYZ three-axis orthogonal movement module design, forming a precise three-dimensional coordinate positioning system. The three mutually orthogonal movement modules enable the gripper to be precisely positioned at any location in space, ensuring that after gripping the open bushing, the open bushing can be accurately moved to the assembly position coaxial with the sleeve.

[0022] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of the present disclosure, the open bushing assembly apparatus further includes an open bushing feeding mechanism; the open bushing feeding mechanism includes: a vibratory feeder; a misalignment mechanism disposed at the output end of the vibratory feeder for receiving the open bushing output by the vibratory feeder and conveying the open bushing to a flipping station; a flipping mechanism including a clamping mechanism, a rotating mechanism, and a lifting mechanism, wherein the clamping mechanism is used to clamp the open bushing located at the flipping station, the rotating mechanism is connected to the clamping mechanism for driving the clamping mechanism to rotate, and the lifting mechanism is connected to the rotating mechanism for driving the rotating mechanism to move up and down.

[0023] In this embodiment, the open bushing feeding mechanism achieves fully automated feeding and orientation of the open bushings. A vibratory feeder, as a standard feeding device, arranges the randomly stacked open bushings in an orderly manner and transports them to the misalignment mechanism. The misalignment mechanism precisely transports the open bushings to the flipping station. The flipping mechanism then adjusts the posture of the open bushings through three actions: clamping, lifting, and rotating. Particularly for open bushings, their opening direction must match the assembly direction; otherwise, correct assembly is impossible. The flipping mechanism ensures that the opening direction of each open bushing is adjusted to the optimal assembly position through rotation, solving a key challenge in the automated assembly of open bushings.

[0024] According to at least one embodiment of the open bushing assembly apparatus of this disclosure, the misalignment mechanism includes a conveying component, an incoming material detection device, and a misalignment driving mechanism; the conveying component is provided with a limiting groove, the limiting groove being opposite to the output end of the vibratory feeder, for receiving the open bushing; the incoming material detection device is disposed at one end of the limiting groove opposite to the vibratory feeder, for detecting whether an open bushing exists in the limiting groove; the misalignment driving mechanism is disposed on one side of the conveying component, for driving the open bushing on the conveying component to move to the flipping station.

[0025] In this embodiment, the limiting groove restricts the posture of the open bushing during movement, preventing it from flipping or shifting during transport. The incoming material detection device monitors in real time whether there is an open bushing in the limiting groove, providing feedback signals to the control system to ensure that the misalignment drive mechanism is activated only when the open bushing reaches the designated position, pushing the open bushing to the flipping station. The incoming material detection device avoids assembly interruptions caused by untimely material supply or inaccurate positioning, improving the system's reliability and automation level. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a sleeve with an open bushing assembled on one side.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an open bushing assembly device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of an assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a front structural schematic diagram of an assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an open bushing feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of an open bushing feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100 Assembly Mechanism 110 Sleeve Fixture 111 Positioning groove 120 positioning mechanism 121 Positioning component 122 Switching Unit 123 Switching drive mechanism 130 Press-in Mechanism 131 pressure head 132 Press-in drive mechanism 132A Linear Drive Mechanism 133 trip pieces 134 mobile seats 135 Elastic Component 136 Guide rod 140 bracket 150 blocking mechanism 151 Blocking component 152 Blocking Drive Mechanism 200 feeding mechanism 210 Grippers 220 Gripper Drive Mechanism 221 X-axis moving module 222 Y-axis moving module 223 Z-axis moving module 300 Open Bushing Feeding Mechanism 310 Vibrating Plate 320 Misalignment Mechanism 321 Conveyor Component 322 Incoming Material Inspection Device 323 Misalignment Drive Mechanism 330 Tilting Mechanism 331 Clamping Mechanism 332 Rotating Mechanism 333 Lifting Mechanism 400 Open Bushing 500 sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0037] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0038] Unless otherwise stated, the exemplary implementations / embodiments shown are to be understood as providing exemplary features of various details that provide ways in which the technical concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the features of various implementations / embodiments may be additionally combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged without departing from the technical concepts of this disclosure.

[0039] In the field of automotive door hinge products, most common automotive door hinge products adopt a single-opening bushing structure. However, the automotive door hinge product involved in this disclosure has a unique left and right double-opening bushing structure, and its positioning and assembly methods are significantly different from other types of door hinge opening bushings.

[0040] In existing technologies, the opening size of open bushings is difficult to precisely control due to their structural characteristics during assembly. In actual production, the opening gap often exceeds the dimensions specified in the drawings, leading to an increase in the outer diameter of the open bushing and making it impossible to directly insert it into the sleeve. A common solution is to manually pre-tighten the open bushing before pre-assembling it into the sleeve, and then place the sleeve with the open bushing into a press to press the bushing into the designated position. However, this manual pre-tightening operation is labor-intensive and can easily cause finger pain after prolonged work. Furthermore, the method of pre-assembling the open bushing into the sleeve before pressing it into place has low automation and overall low assembly efficiency.

[0041] Therefore, this disclosure provides an open bushing assembly device.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an open bushing assembly device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the open bushing assembly device provided in this disclosure is used to assemble an open bushing 400 and a sleeve 500, and includes: an assembly mechanism 100 and a feeding mechanism 200.

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 This is a perspective view of an assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 This is a front structural schematic diagram of an assembly mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the assembly mechanism 100 includes a sleeve tooling 110, a positioning mechanism 120, a pressing mechanism 130, and a bracket 140.

[0046] The sleeve fixture 110 is mounted on the bracket 140 and is used to hold the sleeve 500.

[0047] The positioning mechanism 120 includes a positioning element 121. The positioning element 121 is disposed on the bracket 140 and coaxial with the sleeve 500 on the sleeve tooling 110, and is used to prevent the sleeve 500 from moving in one direction along the axial direction and radially.

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] like Figure 6 As shown, the feeding mechanism 200 includes a connected gripper 210 and a gripper drive mechanism 220. The gripper 210 is used to grip and release the open bushing 400, and reduces the diameter of the open bushing 400 by clamping force when gripping the open bushing 400. The gripper drive mechanism 220 is used to drive the gripper 210 to move and drive the open bushing 400 to be coaxial with the sleeve 500.

[0050] like Figure 5 As shown, the pressing mechanism 130 includes a pressing head 131 and a pressing drive mechanism 132. The pressing head 131 is movably disposed on the bracket 140 and is axially opposite to the sleeve 500. The pressing drive mechanism 132 is used to drive the pressing head 131 to move, pressing the open bushing 400 into the sleeve 500 through the pressing head 131.

[0051] In the above technical solutions, this disclosure solves the technical problem of the outer diameter of the open bushing 400 increasing due to the opening gap size exceeding the drawing requirements by using the clamping force of the gripper 210 in the feeding mechanism 200 to automatically reduce the diameter of the open bushing 400 while gripping it. In traditional technology, due to the structural characteristics of the open bushing 400, its opening size is difficult to control precisely, and manual pre-tightening and shrinking operations are not only labor-intensive but also inefficient. This disclosure integrates the shrinking and picking functions into the same mechanism, and achieves automatic shrinking through the clamping force of the gripper 210, without manual intervention, effectively reducing the labor intensity of operators. At the same time, the positioning element 121 in the positioning mechanism 120 is coaxially set with the sleeve 500, which can prevent the sleeve 500 from moving axially and radially during the assembly process, ensuring assembly accuracy and avoiding the positioning inaccuracy problem caused by manual pre-assembly followed by pressing, significantly improving the degree of automation and assembly efficiency.

[0052] like Figure 5As shown, for example, there are two pressing mechanisms 130, respectively disposed on both axial sides of the sleeve 500 on the sleeve fixture 110. The two pressing mechanisms 130 are used to press the two open bushings 400 into the sleeve 500. During the assembly process of the double-open bushing 400 structure, the two pressing mechanisms 130 are located on both axial sides of the sleeve 500, and can sequentially complete the assembly of the two open bushings 400. In an optional embodiment, one pressing mechanism 130 is first used to press the open bushing 400 onto one end of the sleeve 500. After pressing, the pressing head 131 remains in an extended state as a positioning reference. Subsequently, the other pressing mechanism 130 presses the open bushing 400 onto the other end of the sleeve 500. This working method avoids the cumbersome process of repositioning the pre-assembled sleeve for secondary pressing in the prior art, and effectively solves the technical problem that it is difficult to ensure the coaxiality of the two open bushings 400 in the double-open bushing 400 structure.

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the positioning mechanism 120 further includes a connected switching element 122 and a switching drive mechanism 123. The switching element 122 is movably disposed on the bracket 140, such as by being connected to the bracket 140 via a guide rail assembly. The positioning element 121 and the pressure head 131 of one of the pressing mechanisms 130 are disposed on the switching element 122. The switching drive mechanism 123 is used to drive the switching element 122 to move and switch the pressure head 131 or the positioning element 121 to be axially opposite to the sleeve 500. The pressing drive mechanism 132 is also used to drive the positioning element 121 to be fitted into the sleeve 500 when the positioning element 121 is axially opposite to the sleeve 500, preventing the sleeve 500 from moving in one direction axially and radially. In this embodiment, during operation, the positioning element 121 first positions the first end of the sleeve 500, and then the pressing drive mechanism 132 drives the positioning element 121 to extend into the sleeve 500, thereby achieving precise positioning of the sleeve 500. At this time, the pressing mechanism 130 at the other end assembles the open bushing 400 at the second end. After the open bushing 400 at the second end is assembled, the switching drive mechanism 123 drives the switching component 122 to move, switching the pressing head 131 to the relative position of the first end. At this time, the positioning component 121 switches to the non-working position, and the pressing head 131 is axially opposite to the first end of the sleeve 500 to perform the pressing operation of the open bushing 400 at the first end.

[0054] In one alternative embodiment, the switching element 122 adopts a slider structure and is driven by a cylinder to achieve horizontal movement, which can quickly complete the function switching between the positioning element 121 and the pressure head 131.

[0055] like Figure 5As shown, in an optional embodiment, both the positioning member 121 and the pressure head 131 include a shaft segment that extends into the sleeve 500 to radially limit the sleeve 500, and also include a shoulder structure fixed to one end of the shaft segment. The shoulder structure is used to block one end of the sleeve 500 to limit the movement of the sleeve 500 in one axial direction.

[0056] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of the press-fit drive mechanism 132, the press-fit drive mechanism 132 includes a linear drive mechanism 132A and a movable seat 134. The movable seat 134 is movably mounted on the bracket 140 and connected to the linear drive mechanism 132A. The linear drive mechanism 132A is fixedly mounted on the bracket 140 and is used to drive the movable seat 134 to move horizontally toward or away from the sleeve tooling 110. The switching element 122 is vertically and movably connected to the movable seat 134 via a guide rail assembly. The switching drive mechanism 123 is mounted on the movable seat 134 and is used to drive the switching element 122 to move vertically. The positioning element 121 and the sleeve 500 are arranged vertically. In this embodiment, the press-fit drive mechanism 132 adopts a modular design, separating the horizontal movement function from the vertical switching function. The linear drive mechanism 132A is responsible for driving the movable seat 134 to perform horizontal feed movement, realizing axial displacement during the press-fit process. The switching drive mechanism 123 is mounted on the movable seat 134 and drives the switching component 122 to move vertically through the guide rail assembly, thereby realizing the function switching between the positioning component 121 and the pressure head 131.

[0057] In one alternative implementation, the guide rail assembly uses linear bearings in conjunction with the guide rail to ensure smooth switching and repeatability of positioning accuracy, with positioning error controlled within a preset range.

[0058] like Figure 5 As shown, exemplarily, the pressing mechanism 130 also includes an elastic element 135. The elastic element 135 is disposed between the movable seat 134 and the bracket 140, such as being sleeved on the guide rod of the bracket 140. When the positioning element 121 or the pressing head 131 presses into the sleeve 500, the elastic element 135 is compressed by the movable seat 134. In this embodiment, the elastic element 135 is installed as a buffer element between the movable seat 134 and the bracket 140, forming an adaptive pressing system. When the positioning element 121 or the pressing head 131 contacts the sleeve 500 and begins to apply pressure, the movable seat 134 compresses the elastic element 135, producing a certain elastic deformation. In an optional embodiment, the elastic element 135 is a helical spring, the elastic coefficient of which is selected according to the material and size of the open bushing 400 to provide appropriate buffering force. The use of the elastic element 135 makes the pressing process no longer a rigid contact, but rather has a certain degree of flexibility, avoiding deformation or damage to the open bushing 400 due to excessive impact force.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, exemplarily, the sleeve fixture 110 is provided with a positioning groove 111 adapted to the sleeve 500, and the positioning groove 111 extends horizontally; the pressure head 131 is axially opposite to the positioning groove 111. In this embodiment, the positioning groove 111 on the sleeve fixture 110 is designed to precisely match the shape of the sleeve 500, which can ensure that the sleeve 500 maintains a stable position during assembly. The horizontally extending structural feature of the positioning groove 111 allows the sleeve 500 to be placed stably on the fixture, avoiding displacement caused by gravity or external forces during assembly.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, in one embodiment of the press-in drive mechanism 132, the press-in drive mechanism 132 includes a cylinder. The press-in mechanism 130 also includes a stroke member 133, which is movably disposed on the bracket 140 and connected to the piston rod or guide rod 136 of the cylinder. The guide rod 136 is directly or indirectly connected to the piston rod and slides in cooperation with a linear bearing on the frame. The assembly mechanism 100 also includes a blocking mechanism 150. The blocking mechanism 150 includes a blocking member 151 and a blocking drive mechanism 152. The blocking member 151 is movably disposed on the bracket 140. The blocking drive mechanism 152 is connected to the blocking member 151 and is used to drive the blocking member 151 to move along the movement path of the stroke member 133, limiting the travel of the piston rod of the stroke member 133 and the blocking drive mechanism 152. In this embodiment, the cylinder, as the press-in drive mechanism 132, provides stable and reliable press-in power, driving the stroke member 133 to move axially via the piston rod. The blocking mechanism 150 realizes the segmented pressing function: during the first segment of the stroke, the blocking drive mechanism 152 first drives the blocking member 151 to move to the moving path of the stroke member 133. The blocking member 151 blocks the stroke member 133, causing the pressing head 131 to stop at a preset position, allowing the pressing head 131 to pre-install the narrowed open bushing 400 into the sleeve 500. After the pre-installation is completed, the blocking member 151 retracts, releasing the restriction on the stroke member 133, and the pressing head 131 continues the second segment of the stroke, fully pressing the open bushing 400 into place.

[0061] like Figure 6As shown, exemplarily, the gripper drive mechanism 220 includes three sequentially connected moving modules. The moving directions of the three moving modules are mutually orthogonal, and the gripper 210 is connected to the moving module at the end of the gripper drive mechanism 220. In this embodiment, the three moving modules are an X-axis moving module 221, a Y-axis moving module 222, and a Z-axis moving module 223. The gripper drive mechanism 220 adopts an XYZ three-axis orthogonal moving module design, forming a precise three-dimensional coordinate positioning system. The three mutually orthogonal moving modules enable the gripper 210 to be precisely positioned at any location in space, ensuring that after gripping the open bushing 400, the open bushing 400 can be accurately moved to the assembly position coaxial with the sleeve 500.

[0062] In one alternative implementation, the moving module employs a servo motor coupled with a ball screw or a cylinder-driven module.

[0063] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an open bushing feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 This is a perspective view of an open bushing feeding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] like Figure 1 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, to achieve automatic feeding, the open bushing assembly device also includes an open bushing feeding mechanism 300. The open bushing feeding mechanism 300 includes a vibratory feeder 310, a misalignment mechanism 320, and a flipping mechanism 330. The misalignment mechanism 320 is located at the output end of the vibratory feeder 310 and is used to receive the open bushings 400 output by the vibratory feeder 310 and transport the open bushings 400 to the flipping station. The flipping mechanism 330 includes a clamping mechanism 331, a rotating mechanism 332, and a lifting mechanism 333. The clamping mechanism 331 is used to clamp the open bushings 400 located at the flipping station and can be a clamping cylinder. The rotating mechanism 332 is connected to the clamping mechanism 331 and is used to drive the clamping mechanism 331 to rotate. The lifting mechanism 333 is connected to the rotating mechanism 332 and is used to drive the rotating mechanism 332 to move up and down. The rotating mechanism 332 can be a rotary cylinder. In this embodiment, the open bushing feeding mechanism 300 achieves fully automatic feeding and orientation processing of the open bushings 400. The vibratory feeder 310 arranges the randomly stacked open bushings 400 into an orderly manner and conveys them to the misalignment mechanism 320. The misalignment mechanism 320 precisely conveys the open bushings 400 to the flipping station; the flipping mechanism 330 then completes the posture adjustment of the open bushings 400 through three actions: clamping, lifting, and rotating. In an optional embodiment, the rotation angle of the flipping mechanism 330 is 90° to ensure that the opening direction of the open bushings 400 matches the assembly direction.

[0065] like Figure 8As shown, exemplarily, the misalignment mechanism 320 includes a conveyor 321, an incoming material detection device 322, and a misalignment drive mechanism 323. The conveyor 321 is provided with a limiting groove. The limiting groove is connected to the output end of the vibratory feeder 310, used to receive the open bushing 400 and restrict the movement of the open bushing 400. A flipping station is provided at the rear end of the limiting groove. The incoming material detection device 322 is located at the end of the limiting groove that is connected to the vibratory feeder 310, used to detect whether the open bushing 400 is present in the limiting groove. The misalignment drive mechanism 323 is located on one side of the conveyor 321, used to drive the open bushing 400 on the conveyor 321 to move to the flipping station. The limiting groove restricts the posture of the open bushing 400 during movement. The incoming material detection device 322 monitors in real time whether there is an open bushing 400 in the limiting groove, providing feedback signals to the control system.

[0066] In one alternative embodiment, the misalignment drive mechanism 323 is a linear cylinder fixed to the frame. The incoming material detection device 322 uses a photoelectric sensor, and the misalignment drive mechanism 323 uses a cylinder to drive a push rod. The end of the push rod is provided with a soft material to avoid damage to the opening bushing 400.

[0067] The working process of the open bushing assembly device of the above technical solution is as follows: First, the vibrating plate 310 in the open bushing feeding mechanism 300 arranges the randomly stacked open bushings in an orderly manner through vibration, and then conveys the open bushings one by one into the limiting groove of the misalignment mechanism 320. The incoming material detection device 322 of the misalignment mechanism 320 monitors in real time whether there are open bushings in the limiting groove. When an open bushing is detected to be in place, the misalignment drive mechanism 323 is activated, precisely moving the open bushing along the limiting groove to the flipping station.

[0068] Subsequently, the flipping mechanism 330 begins operation: the lifting mechanism 333 first descends to the working position, and the clamping mechanism 331 firmly clamps the open bushing located at the flipping station to prevent displacement during subsequent flipping; then, the lifting mechanism 333 rises, raising the clamped open bushing to a suitable height; finally, the rotating mechanism 332 drives the clamping mechanism 331 to rotate 90°, adjusting the opening direction of the open bushing to a suitable assembly position. After flipping, the open bushing is in a state awaiting retrieval by the feeding mechanism 200. This process fully realizes the automatic orientation processing of the open bushing, replacing the manual pre-tightening and narrowing operation in traditional technology, effectively solving the problem of high labor intensity for operators.

[0069] Next, the assembly stage of the left-side open bushing begins: Once the system confirms that the flipping mechanism 330 has prepared the open bushing, the feeding mechanism 200 starts working: the Z-axis moving module 223 of the gripper drive mechanism 220 descends, causing the gripper 210 to reach the picking position. The gripper 210 closes, gripping the open bushing on the flipping mechanism 330, and simultaneously, the clamping force of the gripper 210 automatically reduces the diameter of the open bushing, completing the narrowing operation.

[0070] Subsequently, the X-axis moving module 221 of the gripper drive mechanism 220 moves, causing the entire loading mechanism 200 to avoid the position of the flipping mechanism 330. The Z-axis moving module 223 rises, raising the gripper 210 holding the narrowed opening bushing to a safe height. Next, the Y-axis moving module 222 moves, transporting the narrowed opening bushing to the pre-installed position on the left side of the sleeve 500 on the sleeve tooling 110.

[0071] After the open bushing reaches the pre-installed position, the positioning member 121 of the positioning mechanism 120 extends, precisely fixing the inner center of the sleeve 500, preventing the sleeve 500 from moving in one axial direction and radially. Simultaneously, the blocking member 151 of the blocking mechanism 150 extends and moves into the movement path of the travel member 133; the pressing drive mechanism 132 (including a cylinder) drives the pressing head 131 to perform the first stroke, pre-installing the open bushing on the gripper 210 into the sleeve 500. That is, the blocking drive mechanism 152 drives the blocking member 151 to move into the movement path of the travel member 133, limiting the travel stroke of the blocking drive mechanism 152.

[0072] After pre-assembly, the press-in drive mechanism 132 retracts first, followed by the retraction of the blocking component 151 of the blocking mechanism 150, releasing the restriction on the travel component 133. Subsequently, the press-in drive mechanism 132 drives the press head 131 again for a second full-stroke press-in, completely pressing the open bushing into the sleeve 500. After pressing in place, the press head 131 remains extended, serving as a positioning reference for the sleeve 500, providing a precise positioning benchmark for the subsequent assembly of the right-side open bushing. This segmented press-in process achieves segmented press-in functionality, effectively solving the assembly difficulties caused by the open bushing's opening gap exceeding the drawing requirements.

[0073] Next, we proceed to the assembly stage of the right-side open bushing: After the left-side opening bushing assembly is completed, the feeding mechanism 200 starts again to assemble the right-side opening bushing: the Z-axis moving module 223 of the gripper drive mechanism 220 descends, the gripper 210 picks up the new opening bushing, and at the same time, the opening bushing is automatically shrunken by the clamping force.

[0074] Unlike the assembly on the left, in the first step, the X-axis moving module 221 of the gripper drive mechanism 220 moves to avoid the flipping mechanism 330. After the Z-axis moving module 223 rises, the gripper 210 performs a 180° rotation to adjust the orientation of the open bushing. Subsequently, the X-axis moving module 221 moves to the right side, and the Y-axis moving module 222 moves to the right pre-installed position of the sleeve 500 on the sleeve fixture 110.

[0075] Before assembly on the right side, the switching component 122 of the positioning mechanism 120 descends, and the switching drive mechanism 123 is used to drive the switching component 122 to move and switch the pressure head 131 or the positioning component 121 to be axially opposite to the sleeve 500, so that the right pressure head 131 is precisely aligned with the center of the sleeve 500, ensuring that the pressing direction is consistent with the axis of the sleeve 500.

[0076] Next, the blocking member 151 of the blocking mechanism 150 extends to prepare for segmented pressing. The pressing drive mechanism 132 drives the right pressing head 131 to perform the first stroke, pre-installing the open bushing on the gripper 210 into the sleeve 500. After pre-installation, the pressing drive mechanism 132 retracts, and the blocking member 151 also retracts, releasing the stroke restriction. Subsequently, the pressing drive mechanism 132 drives the pressing head 131 again to perform the second full-stroke pressing, completely pressing the right open bushing into the sleeve 500, completing the entire assembly process.

[0077] Throughout the entire process, when assembling the right-side open bushing, the press head 131, which has already been pressed into place on the left side, remains extended, serving as a positioning reference for the sleeve 500 and ensuring the coaxiality of the double-opening bushing. Furthermore, during the pressing process, the elastic element 135 in the pressing mechanism 130 is compressed when the press head 131 presses into the sleeve 500, providing appropriate cushioning and preventing deformation or damage to the open bushing due to excessive impact force. The positioning groove 111 on the sleeve tooling 110 ensures that the sleeve 500 maintains a stable position during assembly. The press head 131 and the positioning groove 111 are axially opposite each other, ensuring that the pressing direction is completely aligned with the axis of the sleeve 500.

[0078] In summary, this device achieves automatic feeding through the open bushing feeding mechanism 300, and automatically completes the narrowing operation while gripping the open bushing through the gripper 210 of the feeding mechanism 200. The segmented pressing and dual-sided cooperative positioning are achieved through the double pressing mechanism 130 and the switching positioning mechanism 120, thus fully realizing the automated assembly of the open bushing. This effectively solves the problems of high labor intensity, low automation, and low efficiency mentioned in the background art. The entire working process is smooth and efficient, with all technical features working together to ensure assembly accuracy and product quality. The open bushing assembly device disclosed here achieves fully automated assembly of the open bushing 400. Its main advantages include: the open bushing feeding mechanism 300 achieves automatic feeding, and the gripper 210 automatically completes the narrowing operation while gripping the open bushing 400, replacing the manual pre-tightening narrowing process and significantly reducing the labor intensity of operators. The segmented pressing and elastic buffer design effectively solves the assembly problem caused by the open bushing 400's opening gap size exceeding the drawing requirements. Next, the cooperation of the dual pressing mechanism 130 and the switching positioning mechanism 120 enables the precise assembly of the double-opening bushing 400 structure, ensuring the coaxiality requirements of the two-sided opening bushing 400. The combination of the fully automatic feeding system and the precise three-dimensional positioning system significantly improves assembly efficiency and automation.

[0079] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment / mode," "some embodiments / modes," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment / mode or example is included in at least one embodiment / mode or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / mode or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments / modes or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments / modes or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments / modes or examples.

[0080] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make other changes or modifications based on the above disclosure, and these changes or modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An open bushing assembly device for assembling a sleeve and an open bushing, characterized in that, include: Assembly mechanism and feeding mechanism; The assembly mechanism includes a sleeve tooling, a positioning mechanism, a pressing mechanism, and a support; The sleeve fixture is mounted on the bracket and is used to hold the sleeve; The positioning mechanism includes a positioning element, which is disposed on the bracket and coaxial with the sleeve on the sleeve tooling, and is used to prevent the sleeve from moving in one direction along the axial direction and radially. The feeding mechanism includes a connected gripper and a gripper driving mechanism. The gripper is used to grip and release the open bushing, and reduces the diameter of the open bushing by clamping force when gripping the open bushing. The gripper driving mechanism is used to drive the gripper to move and drive the open bushing to be coaxial with the sleeve. The pressing mechanism includes a pressing head and a pressing drive mechanism. The pressing head is movably disposed on the bracket and is axially opposite to the sleeve. The pressing drive mechanism is used to drive the pressing head to move, and press the open bushing into the sleeve through the pressing head.

2. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are two pressing mechanisms, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the sleeve on the sleeve tooling. The two pressing mechanisms are used to press the two open bushings into the sleeve.

3. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism also includes a connected switching component and a switching drive mechanism, wherein the switching component is movably disposed on the bracket; The positioning member and the pressure head of one of the pressing mechanisms are disposed on the switching member; the switching drive mechanism is used to drive the switching member to move and switch the pressure head or positioning member to be axially opposite to the sleeve; The press-in drive mechanism is also used to drive the positioning member to fit into the sleeve when the positioning member is axially opposite to the sleeve, thereby preventing the sleeve from moving in one direction along the axial direction and radially.

4. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pressing drive mechanism includes a linear drive mechanism and a movable seat; the movable seat is movably disposed on the bracket and connected to the linear drive mechanism; the linear drive mechanism is fixedly disposed on the bracket and is used to drive the movable seat to move horizontally toward or away from the sleeve tooling. The switching component is movably connected to the movable base via a guide rail assembly; the switching drive mechanism is disposed on the movable base and is used to drive the switching component to move up and down. The positioning element and the sleeve are arranged vertically.

5. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressing mechanism further includes an elastic element disposed between the movable seat and the bracket; when the positioning element or the pressing head presses into the sleeve, the elastic element is compressed by the movable seat.

6. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve tooling is provided with a positioning groove adapted to the sleeve, and the positioning groove extends horizontally; the pressure head is arranged axially opposite to the positioning groove.

7. The open bushing assembly apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pressing drive mechanism includes a cylinder; The pressing mechanism further includes a stroke member, which is movably disposed on the bracket and on the piston rod of the cylinder; The assembly mechanism further includes a blocking mechanism; the blocking mechanism includes a blocking component and a blocking drive mechanism. The blocking member is movably disposed on the bracket; the blocking drive mechanism is connected to the blocking member and is used to drive the blocking member to move to the movement path of the stroke member, thereby limiting the movement stroke of the stroke member and the piston rod.

8. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper drive mechanism includes three sequentially connected moving modules. The moving directions of the three moving modules are orthogonal to each other. The gripper is connected to the moving module at the end of the gripper drive mechanism.

9. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The open bushing assembly device further includes an open bushing feeding mechanism; the open bushing feeding mechanism includes: Vibratory feeder; A misalignment mechanism is provided at the output end of the vibratory feeder to receive the open bushing output by the vibratory feeder and to transport the open bushing to the flipping station. The flipping mechanism includes a clamping mechanism, a rotating mechanism, and a lifting mechanism. The clamping mechanism is used to clamp the open bushing located at the flipping station. The rotating mechanism is connected to the clamping mechanism and is used to drive the clamping mechanism to rotate. The lifting mechanism is connected to the rotating mechanism and is used to drive the rotating mechanism to move up and down.

10. The open bushing assembly device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The misalignment mechanism includes a conveyor, an incoming material detection device, and a misalignment drive mechanism; The conveying component is provided with a limiting groove, which is connected to the output end of the vibratory plate and is used to receive the open bushing. The incoming material detection device is located at one end of the limiting groove that is connected to the vibratory plate, and is used to detect whether there is an open bushing in the limiting groove. The misalignment drive mechanism is located on one side of the conveyor and is used to drive the open bushing on the conveyor to move to the flipping station.

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