Heavy screw linear conveying device

Abstract

The utility model relates to automatic conveying equipment technical field discloses a kind of heavy screw linear conveying equipment, to solve the problem of heavy, super-long screw long-distance conveying difficulty, low reliability and big noise in prior art. Including: single-chain conveying section, for receiving screw and initial conveying with flat posture;Double-chain conveying section, downstream in single-chain conveying section, form a conveying groove by two parallel chain block conveying chains, for clamping and conveying screw with vertical posture;Butt joint sliding chute, between the two, through the height difference guiding screw smoothly changes from flat posture to vertical posture and falls into conveying groove.The utility model greatly improves the stability and reliability of super-long super-heavy screw conveying by the active conveying mode of segmented posture change, realizes long-distance, low-noise, high-efficiency conveying, and can be flexibly matched with existing equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automated conveying equipment technology, and in particular to a heavy-duty screw linear conveying equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In modern industrial manufacturing, particularly in automobile manufacturing, heavy machinery assembly, and large equipment production, automated assembly lines are crucial for improving production efficiency and ensuring product quality. The automated feeding of fasteners such as screws is an indispensable part of these assembly lines. Screw conveying devices are responsible for sorting and sequencing bulk screws and transporting them at specific angles and rates to designated workstations for robots or automated equipment to pick up. Therefore, an efficient and reliable screw conveying system directly impacts the production rate and stability of the entire production line.

[0003] In the prior art, there are various screw conveying solutions. For example, Chinese patent document CN106628964A discloses a screw conveying device. This device mainly includes a feeding mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a metering and discharging mechanism. Its working principle is as follows: the rotating blades in the feeding mechanism lift the bulk screws and make them fall onto the receiving plate of the conveying mechanism; the conveying mechanism includes an inclined screw track with a track groove of a specific shape; the screws slide down the track groove under the action of gravity, and the structure of the track groove allows the screws to be arranged and conveyed with the screw head facing upwards and the threaded shaft facing downwards; finally, the screws are quantitatively discharged through the induction counter and baffle at the end of the track.

[0004] However, in practice, it has been found that the aforementioned existing technologies have significant limitations and shortcomings when dealing with specific application scenarios, especially in handling heavy, extra-long screws (such as M12×180 screws) and in situations requiring long-distance transportation. These shortcomings are specifically manifested in the following aspects: First, the conveying principles and technical objectives of existing technologies are incompatible with the requirements of long-distance conveying. The device disclosed in CN106628964A, at its core, utilizes gravity to make screws slide on an inclined track. Essentially, it is a feeder for sorting and supplying screws, with a very limited effective conveying distance and requiring a significant vertical height difference to be maintained. In many modern factory layouts, screws need to travel from an external screw feeder through a considerable distance and safety barriers to reach an internal workstation requiring a heavy-duty linear screw conveyor. For such long-distance, primarily horizontal conveying applications, a solution relying entirely on gravity is structurally difficult to implement and therefore not feasible.

[0005] Furthermore, existing mechanical structures for ultra-long and ultra-heavy screws present stability and reliability issues. Ultra-long screws have extremely high length-to-diameter ratios and high centers of gravity. When such screws slide under gravity in the open track groove of CN106628964A, they are highly susceptible to tipping or lateral jamming due to vibration or minor disturbances, leading to conveying interruptions—a phenomenon known as screw jamming. In its feeding mechanism, the process of the screw falling from the blades to the receiving plate also increases the risk of attitude instability.

[0006] Finally, existing technologies also have shortcomings in noise control. During operation, a large number of metal screws are agitated by the blades within the hopper, then fall onto the metal track, colliding and rubbing against each other, generating impact and friction noise. This solution is difficult to meet the requirements in production environments with strict noise control standards. Furthermore, when the picking process is paused, the entire conveyor line must stop, making it impossible to queue the screws at the end, which reduces the overall line efficiency. Its drive mechanism also typically lacks precise speed adjustment capabilities, making it difficult to accurately synchronize with the downstream robot's grasping frequency.

[0007] Therefore, in view of the problems of limited conveying distance, easy jamming, low reliability, high noise and low process integration in the existing technology for conveying heavy and extra-long screws, there is an urgent need to develop a new screw linear conveying solution to meet the needs of modern production with long distance, low noise, high reliability and high efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems in the prior art, this utility model provides a heavy-duty screw linear conveying device.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device includes: a single-chain conveying section for receiving screws and conveying the screws in a first posture, wherein the first posture is a flat posture in which the axis of the screw is substantially parallel to its conveying direction. A double-chain conveyor section, located downstream of the single-chain conveyor section, is used to convey the screw in a second posture, wherein the screw's axis is substantially perpendicular to its conveying direction in a vertical posture. The double-chain conveyor section includes two parallel chain block conveyor chains, and a conveying groove for accommodating and clamping the screw is formed between the two parallel chain block conveyor chains. A docking chute is provided between the outlet of the single-chain conveyor section and the inlet of the double-chain conveyor section. It is used to receive screws conveyed from the single-chain conveyor section and guide the screws into the conveying chute of the double-chain conveyor section, thereby changing the posture of the screws from the first posture to the second posture.

[0010] Furthermore, the width of the conveying groove is set to be greater than the diameter of the threaded rod of the conveyed screw and less than the diameter of the screw head, so that the threaded rod is suspended in the groove and the screw head is supported by the upper surface of the chain blocks of the two chain block conveying chains.

[0011] Furthermore, a pusher plate and an inlet sensor are provided at the entrance of the single-chain conveyor section. The inlet sensor is used to detect the screw position, and the pusher plate pushes the screws one by one onto the single-chain conveyor section according to the screw position.

[0012] Furthermore, the outlet end of the single-chain conveyor section is higher than the inlet end of the double-chain conveyor section in the vertical direction, forming a height difference, and the docking chute is an arc-shaped or inclined guide channel that utilizes the height difference.

[0013] Furthermore, the docking groove is a V-shaped guide structure.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a lifting mechanism disposed at the end of the double-chain conveyor section, the lifting mechanism being used to clamp and lift the screw that has reached the end; and an end sensor is provided at the end of the double-chain conveyor section, the end sensor being used to detect the screw in place and to control the clamping and lifting actions of the lifting mechanism in conjunction with the screw.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a turntable nail separator located at the end of the double-chain conveyor section.

[0016] Furthermore, the single-chain conveyor section is a linear vibrating conveyor section, a belt conveyor section, or a chain plate conveyor section.

[0017] Furthermore, the chain block conveying chain of the dual-chain conveying section is a chain plate conveying line or a chain plate conveying line with partitions.

[0018] Furthermore, the chain blocks constituting the chain block conveyor chain have surfaces that contact the screws made of a low-friction coefficient material, so that the screws can stop while the chain block conveyor chain continues to run when they are not removed at the end station, allowing subsequent screws to queue up and wait in the double-chain conveyor section.

[0019] Furthermore, the single-chain conveyor section and the double-chain conveyor section are driven by a drive motor, which is a servo motor, pneumatic motor, stepper motor, brushed motor or geared motor.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The present invention provides a heavy-duty screw linear conveying device that utilizes the most stable posture of the screw at different stages for conveying, which solves the problem that ultra-long and ultra-heavy screws are prone to tipping over due to their high center of gravity and large length-to-diameter ratio, and has a high success rate in screw insertion.

[0021] 2. The heavy-duty screw linear conveyor provided by this utility model adopts chain block active conveying, which overcomes the problem of relying on gravity sliding and can realize long-distance horizontal conveying, meeting the needs of long-distance material feeding in modern factories.

[0022] 3. This utility model provides a heavy-duty linear screw conveyor, which adopts a chain block conveyor chain structure and is driven by a DC brushless motor. Compared with traditional vibratory feeders or metal track friction solutions, it operates smoothly with extremely low noise and vibration. The chain block design allows for the formation of a screw buffer queue at the end, improving the coordination efficiency with downstream processes. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall device.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic diagram of the pusher mechanism and the single-chain conveyor section mechanism.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of the docking slide mechanism.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of the double-chain conveyor section mechanism.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism.

[0029] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows: 10. Single-chain conveyor section; 11. Push plate; 12. Inlet sensor; 20. Double-chain conveyor section; 21. Conveying trough; 22. Chain block conveyor chain; 30. Docking chute; 40. Lifting mechanism; 50. Drive motor. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are not all embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0031] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement and numerical expressions of the components and steps described in these embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model.

[0032] The following description of exemplary embodiments is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention or its application or use in any way. Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail herein, but where applicable, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of this specification.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a heavy-duty screw linear conveyor. Its core technical solution lies in using a segmented, actively conveying strategy that alters the conveying posture to address the stability, reliability, and noise issues of ultra-long and ultra-heavy screws (such as M12×180 specifications) during long-distance conveying. The overall structure of the heavy-duty screw linear conveyor mainly includes a single-chain conveying section 10, a docking chute 30, a double-chain conveying section 20, an end-lifting mechanism 40, and a drive module.

[0034] Single-chain conveyor section 10 is the starting part of the conveyor system, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the single-chain conveyor section 10 preferably consists of a single chain block conveyor chain 22. Its inlet can directly interface with the pusher plate 11 mechanism of an existing heavy-duty screw stepper feeder. The pusher plate 11 mechanism can also interface with existing heavy-duty screw stepper feeders. Alternatively, other feeding methods can be used, such as a lifting feeder or a hopper buffer mechanism. The pusher plate 11 pushes up only one screw at a time. The inlet sensor 12 at the inlet is used to detect whether the screw is in place. When the inlet sensor 12 has a signal, the pusher plate 11 does not move, ensuring that there is only one screw in a conveying section and preventing screw stacking. In this conveying section, the screw is conveyed in a first posture, which is a lying posture, specifically, a posture parallel to the conveying direction along its axis. This posture is most stable for screws with a very large length-to-diameter ratio, preventing overturning or tipping in the initial stage of conveying, thus eliminating the need for a rejection mechanism. In this invention, the single-chain conveyor section 10 can also be replaced by other linear conveying devices known to those skilled in the art, such as linear vibrating conveyor sections, belt conveyor sections, chain plate conveyor sections, or chain plate conveyor sections with partitions.

[0035] The docking chute 30 connects the outlet of the single-chain conveyor section 10 and the inlet of the double-chain conveyor section 20. For example... Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the preferred structure is that the outlet of the single-chain conveyor section 10 is slightly higher in vertical height than the inlet of the double-chain conveyor section 20, forming a height difference. The docking chute 30 is an arc-shaped or inclined channel. Utilizing this height difference and the weight of the screw itself, it guides the flat screw coming from the end of the single-chain conveyor section 10 to slide smoothly and change its posture, ultimately falling into the conveying groove 21 of the double-chain conveyor section 20 in a second posture. The second posture is the vertical posture, specifically, the posture perpendicular to the conveying direction along its axis. The shape of the chute is optimized to correct the screw posture and ensure that the screw accurately enters the groove. Preferably, to improve the accuracy of guidance, the docking chute 30 can also be designed as a V-shaped guide structure.

[0036] The double-chain conveyor section 20 is the main body of the conveying system and the long-distance conveying part, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the double-chain conveyor section 20 consists of two completely parallel and synchronously operating chain block conveyor chains 22. A conveyor groove 21 is formed between the two chain block conveyor chains 22. The width of the conveyor groove 21 is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the screw thread shank, but smaller than the diameter of the screw head. When the screw falls vertically into the mating groove 30, the screw thread shank is suspended in the groove, while the screw head rests reliably on the upper surface of the chain blocks of the two chain block conveyor chains 22, and is held and driven forward by the two chain block conveyor chains 22. This vertical conveying method is stable, has no risk of jamming, and facilitates passage through factory safety barriers, ultimately reaching the designated workstation. Preferably, the chain block conveyor chains 22 of the double-chain conveyor section 20 can also be replaced by other structures such as chain plate conveyor lines or chain plate conveyor lines with partitions.

[0037] The lifting mechanism 40 is located at the end of the double-chain conveyor section 20. For example... Figure 5 As shown, when the screw is conveyed to the end position, the clamping device of the lifting mechanism 40 clamps the shank or head of the screw and lifts it upward to a certain height, so that it is separated from the double-chain conveyor section 20 and reaches a height and position that is convenient for subsequent processes, such as the gripping of a robot hand. Preferably, the end mechanism can also be replaced by a turntable nail sorter or other forms of sorting and picking devices.

[0038] The entire conveying equipment is driven by a drive motor 50. In this embodiment, the drive motor 50 is preferably a low-noise, low-vibration 24V DC brushless motor. The motor is equipped with a controller, which allows for precise adjustment of the conveying speed via a program or control panel to match the needs of different production rates, providing good adaptability. Preferably, other types of drive motors 50 can also be selected according to actual working conditions, such as servo motors, pneumatic motors, stepper motors, brushed motors, or geared motors. The conveyor chain is preferably a chain block type conveyor chain, with the surface of the chain blocks made of engineering plastics or similar materials with a low coefficient of friction. This design reduces operating noise. Furthermore, when the end station pauses picking up screws and the screws are blocked and stop in front of the lifting mechanism 40, the chain block conveyor chain 22 with low friction characteristics can still continue to run under the screws, and subsequent screws will queue up behind them. This improves conveying efficiency and the overall coordination of the line.

[0039] The complete workflow of this embodiment is as follows: Step 1: An inlet sensor 12 is installed at the entrance of the single-chain conveyor section 10. Upon receiving a feeding request, the instruction pusher 11 pushes a screw out of the feeder and places it on the single-chain conveyor section 10. At this time, the screw is in a flat position. The inlet sensor 12 simultaneously detects and ensures that only one screw exists in a conveying section to prevent stacking. Subsequently, the drive motor 50 drives the single-chain conveyor section 10 to smoothly convey the screw backward. The motor can run continuously throughout the entire conveying process.

[0040] Step 2: When the screw reaches the end of the single-chain conveyor section 10, it will naturally slide forward due to the height difference and enter the docking chute 30. Guided by the chute, the screw changes from a horizontal position to a vertical position and falls accurately into the conveying groove 21 of the lower double-chain conveyor section 20.

[0041] Step 3: The screws falling into the conveyor trough 21 are held by two parallel chain conveyor chains 22 and transported forward stably in a vertical position. This double-chain conveyor section 20 can be designed to any length as needed, passing through obstacles such as safety fences, and delivering the screws to the target workstation at a distant location.

[0042] Step 4: When the screw reaches the end of the double-chain conveyor section 20, the end sensor is triggered, and the conveyor chain can pause or continue operation according to the control logic. Simultaneously, the lifting mechanism 40 starts, clamps the screw, and lifts it to the preset pickup point, awaiting the next assembly operation by the automated equipment. When the screw reaches the end of the double-chain conveyor section 20, the end sensor is triggered during assembly, and the chain conveyor chain 22 can pause or continue operation according to the control logic. Simultaneously, the lifting mechanism 40 starts, clamps the screw, and lifts it to the preset pickup point, awaiting the next assembly operation by the equipment.

[0043] The above specific embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to examples, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solution of this utility model without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this utility model, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device, characterized in that, include: A single-chain conveyor section (10) is used to receive screws and convey them in a first posture, wherein the first posture is a flat posture in which the axis of the screw is substantially parallel to its conveying direction. A double-chain conveyor section (20) is located downstream of the single-chain conveyor section (10) and is used to convey the screw in a second posture, wherein the second posture is a vertical posture in which the axis of the screw is substantially perpendicular to its conveying direction. The double-chain conveyor section (20) includes two parallel chain block conveyor chains (22), and a conveyor groove (21) for accommodating and clamping the screw is formed between the two parallel chain block conveyor chains (22). A docking chute (30) is provided between the outlet of the single-chain conveying section (10) and the inlet of the double-chain conveying section (20) for receiving screws conveyed from the single-chain conveying section (10) and guiding the screws into the conveying groove (21) of the double-chain conveying section (20), thereby changing the posture of the screws from the first posture to the second posture.

2. The heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the conveying groove (21) is set to be greater than the diameter of the thread rod of the conveyed screw and less than the diameter of the screw head, so that the thread rod is suspended in the groove and the screw head is supported by the upper surface of the chain blocks of the two chain block conveying chains (22).

3. The heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The single-chain conveyor section (10) is provided with a push plate (11) and an inlet sensor (12) at the entrance. The inlet sensor (12) is used to detect the screw position, and the push plate (11) pushes the screws one by one onto the single-chain conveyor section (10) according to the screw position.

4. The heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outlet end of the single-chain conveyor section (10) is higher than the inlet end of the double-chain conveyor section (20) in the vertical direction, forming a height difference, and the docking chute (30) is an arc-shaped or inclined guide channel that utilizes the height difference.

5. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The docking groove (30) is a V-shaped guide structure.

6. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a lifting mechanism (40) located at the end of the double-chain conveying section (20), the lifting mechanism (40) being used to clamp and lift the screw that has reached the end; and an end sensor is provided at the end of the double-chain conveying section (20), the end sensor being used to detect the screw in place and to control the clamping and lifting action of the lifting mechanism (40) in conjunction with the action.

7. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a turntable nail splitter located at the end of the double-chain conveyor section (20).

8. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The single-chain conveyor section (10) is a linear vibration conveyor section, a belt conveyor section, or a chain plate conveyor section.

9. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The chain block conveying chain (22) of the double chain conveying section (20) is a chain plate conveying line or a chain plate conveying line with partitions.

10. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The chain blocks that make up the chain block conveyor chain (22) have surfaces that contact the screws made of a low coefficient of friction material, so that the screws can stop when they are not removed at the end station and the chain block conveyor chain (22) continues to run, so that subsequent screws can be queued up and wait in the double chain conveyor section (20).

11. A heavy-duty screw linear conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The single-chain conveyor section (10) and the double-chain conveyor section (20) are driven by a drive motor (50), which is a servo motor, pneumatic motor, stepper motor, brushed motor or geared motor.

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