Method of collecting and stacking a plurality of steel sheets

Abstract

This invention discloses a method for collecting a plurality of iron core fragments, comprising: moving a fixture to a predetermined position using a transport module; after the fixture has been moved to the predetermined position, lifting the fixture using a lifting platform to move the fixture away from the transport module; collecting the plurality of iron core fragments falling from above using the fixture; during the collection of the plurality of iron core fragments, driving the fixture to rotate by a predetermined angle using a rotating module; lowering the fixture using the lifting platform to return the fixture to the transport module; moving the fixture away from the predetermined position using the transport module; and buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core fragments using a buffer module when the fixture is rotated, lifted, lowered and / or transported.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an efficient and automated production process, and more particularly to a method for collecting a plurality of iron core laminations. Prior Technology

[0002] The collection, measurement, and alignment of loose iron core sheets are typically done manually, a process that is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. Although some processes have been automated, utilizing jigs and conveyor belts to collect the loose iron core sheets, the conveyor belts require significant space and it is difficult to accurately position the jigs. Furthermore, the punch press must frequently stop and restart to accommodate jig changes or alignment, which not only increases energy consumption but may also shorten the equipment's lifespan, thus necessitating further improvements. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One objective of this invention is to provide a method for collecting a plurality of iron core fragments to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses a method for collecting a plurality of iron core fragments, comprising: moving a fixture to a predetermined position using a transport module; after the fixture is moved to the predetermined position, lifting the fixture using a lifting platform to move the fixture away from the transport module; collecting the plurality of iron core fragments falling from above using the fixture; during the collection of the plurality of iron core fragments, driving the fixture to rotate by a predetermined angle using a rotating module; lowering the fixture using the lifting platform to move the fixture back to the transport module; and moving the fixture away from the predetermined position using the transport module; and buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core fragments using a buffer module when the rotating module drives the fixture to rotate by the predetermined angle, when the lifting platform lifts or lowers the fixture, and / or when the transport module transports the fixture.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes, when the fixture collects the plurality of iron core pieces falling from above, the fixture uses two cylindrical positioning pins that are oppositely arranged to be inserted into two slots of each iron core piece, and the two positioning pins abut against the walls of the two slots in the radial and circumferential directions of each iron core piece, so as to limit the plurality of iron core pieces.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, lifting the fixture using the lifting platform to move the fixture away from the transport module includes moving the lifting platform from a lower limit position to an upper limit position to lift the fixture, thereby moving the fixture away from the transport module, and lowering the fixture using the lifting platform to return the fixture to the transport module includes moving the lifting platform from the upper limit position to the lower limit position to lower the fixture, thereby returning the fixture to the transport module.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes moving the lifting platform from the upper limit position to a rotation position before the rotating module drives the fixture to rotate by the predetermined angle, thereby moving the fixture away from the buffer module.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rotational position is located between the upper limit position and the lower limit position.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, using the buffer module to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces includes using the buffer module to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces in a magnetic manner.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the buffer module is used to buffer the falling of a plurality of iron core pieces by magnetic attraction. This includes using at least one magnetic attractor of the buffer module located at at least a portion of the iron core pieces that has a greater thickness from one of the outer edges of the iron core pieces to provide magnetic attraction to the plurality of iron core pieces, thereby buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the buffer module is used to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces, and the buffer module is used to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces in a stop manner.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, using the buffer module to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces in a stop manner includes using at least one telescopic stop member of the buffer module to provide support force to the plurality of iron core pieces, thereby buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, moving the jig to the predetermined position using the transport module includes moving the jig to the predetermined position using at least one speed chain of the transport module, and moving the jig away from the predetermined position using the transport module includes moving the jig away from the predetermined position using the at least one speed chain of the transport module.

[0014] In summary, this invention not only accurately moves the fixture to the correct position to ensure smooth collection of iron core pieces, but also allows the punch press to operate continuously without frequent shutdowns and restarts. Furthermore, during buffering, the slots of the iron core pieces automatically align with the positioning pins of the fixture due to differences in magnetic resistance, ensuring that the positioning pins of the fixture smoothly insert into the slots of the iron core pieces after the buffering is released. Therefore, this invention can save the manpower and time previously required for manual piece picking, alignment, shaping, and counting, and has advantages such as high efficiency, energy saving, and extended equipment lifespan. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an automated system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the fixture in an embodiment of the present invention when collecting loose iron core pieces. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the buffer module of the present invention buffering the falling iron core pieces. Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for collecting loose iron core fragments according to an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0016] The directional terms used below, such as up, down, left, right, front, or back, are for reference only. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the invention. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the term "connection" as used herein includes any direct or indirect electrical or structural connection means. Therefore, if the text describes a first device connected to a second device, it means that the first device can be directly structurally connected to the second device, or indirectly structurally connected to the second device through other devices or connection means.

[0017] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of an automated system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the automated system 1 includes at least one jig 10, a conveying module 11, a lifting platform 12, a rotating module 13, and a buffer module 14. The conveying module 11 can be used to move the jig 10, which is used to collect iron core loose pieces 2, to or away from a predetermined position located below the punch press. After the fixture 10 is moved to the predetermined position, the lifting platform 12 can be used to lift the fixture 10 so that the fixture 10 leaves the transport module 11, or to lower the fixture 10 so that the fixture 10 returns to the transport module 11. The rotating module 13 can be set on the lifting platform 12 and used to drive the fixture 10 to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the iron core piece 2 falling on the fixture 10 so that the positioning features on the fixture 10 are aligned with the positioning features of the iron core piece 2 and / or to compensate for the thickness of the iron core piece 2. The buffer module 14 is set on the falling path of the iron core piece 2 and used to buffer the falling of the iron core piece 2.

[0018] Specifically, please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the jig 10 of the present invention collecting iron core pieces 2. As shown in Figure 2, the jig 10 includes two positioning pins 100 arranged opposite each other as positioning features. For ease of processing, the two positioning pins 100 can be cylindrical. When collecting the iron core pieces 2 falling from above, the jig 10 inserts the two positioning pins 100 into the two slots 20 of the iron core pieces 2 as positioning features, and makes the two positioning pins 100 abut against the hole walls of the two slots 20 in the radial and circumferential directions of the iron core pieces 2, so as to limit the iron core pieces 2.

[0019] Furthermore, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of the buffer module 14 of this embodiment of the invention buffering the falling iron core fragments 2. As shown in Figure 3, the buffer module 14 includes a cylinder 140, at least one magnetic attractor 141, and at least one telescopic stop 142. The cylinder 140 provides a channel for the iron core fragments 2 to pass through. The magnetic attractor 141 and the telescopic stop 142 are disposed in the cylinder 140 and are used to buffer the falling iron core fragments 2 by means of magnetic deceleration and support stop, respectively. Preferably, in this embodiment, the buffer module 14 includes four magnetic attractors 141 and four telescopic stop 142. Each magnetic attractor 141 can be an electromagnet for providing magnetic attraction force. The telescopic stop 142 can be driven by, for example, air pressure or hydraulic pressure, to extend and retract radially relative to the cylinder 140 to provide support force for the iron core fragments 2. Preferably, the inner diameter of the cylinder 140 can be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the iron core piece 2, and the difference between the inner diameter of the cylinder 140 and the outer diameter of the iron core piece 2 can be set between 0.05 and 3 mm. As shown in Figure 3, each magnetic attractor 141 can be located at the part with a larger thickness in the radial direction corresponding to the iron core piece 2. This arrangement can not only avoid the magnetic attraction force provided by the magnetic attractor 141 due to excessive air magnetic resistance, but also produce the effect of automatically correcting the orientation of the iron core piece 2 (that is, aligning the positioning pin 100 of the fixture 10 with the slot 20 of the iron core piece 2). In addition, the azimuth angles of the four magnetic attractors 141 relative to the center of the iron core piece 2 can be 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees, and 315 degrees, respectively. This arrangement can not only slow down the falling speed of the iron core piece 2 under the action of magnetic force, but also make the iron core piece 2 rub against the cylinder 140, thereby producing a buffering effect. Furthermore, the position of the telescopic stop 142 can be slightly lower than the position of the magnetic attractor 141. That is, the falling iron core fragment 2 can be slowed down by the magnetic force of the magnetic attractor 141 and then stopped by the telescopic stop 142. When the telescopic stop 142 extends inward from the cylinder 140, the extension length of the telescopic stop 142 can be greater than the difference between the inner diameter of the cylinder 140 and the outer diameter of the iron core fragment 2, so that the telescopic stop 142 can contact and support the iron core fragment 2 from below. In addition, the azimuth angles of the four telescopic stops 142 relative to the center of the iron core fragment 2 can be 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees respectively, thereby further reducing the possibility of the iron core fragment 2 falling accidentally. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In another embodiment, the buffer module may not include a telescopic stop and may only include four magnetic attractors, whose azimuth angles relative to the center of the iron core sheet 2 may be 45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees respectively.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the conveying module 11 can be a conveyor with a double-speed chain. The double-speed chain can effectively increase the speed of the conveying fixture 10, thereby reducing the number of iron core pieces 2 required for buffering in the buffer module 14 during fixture rotation, displacement, or replacement. In other words, the volume of the buffer module 14 can be reduced at the same stroke speed, or a higher stroke speed can be achieved with the same volume.

[0021] Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flowchart of the method for collecting iron core fragments 2 according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the method includes the following steps:

[0022] Step S1: The jig 10 is moved to a predetermined position using the transport module 11, wherein the buffer module 14 buffers the falling of the iron core pieces 2 during the process of the transport module 11 moving the jig 10 to the predetermined position;

[0023] Step S2: After the fixture 10 is moved to the predetermined position, the fixture 10 is lifted by the lifting platform 12, thereby lifting the fixture 10 away from the transport module 11. The lifting platform 12 lifts the fixture 10 by moving from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, and the buffer module 14 buffers the falling of the iron core pieces 2 during the process of the lifting platform 12 lifting the fixture 10.

[0024] Step S3: Use jig 10 to collect the iron core fragments 2 falling from above. During the collection of iron core fragments 2, use rotating module 13 to drive jig 10 to rotate by a predetermined angle to compensate for the thickness of the iron core fragments 2. Before rotating module 13 drives jig 10 to rotate by the predetermined angle, lifting platform 12 can move down from the upper limit position to the rotating position. Buffer module 14 can buffer the falling iron core fragments 2 before lifting platform 12 leaves the upper limit position, and stops buffering the falling iron core fragments 2 only after jig 10 has finished rotating and lifting platform 12 has returned to the upper limit position.

[0025] Step S4: The lifting platform 12 lowers the fixture 10, thereby returning the fixture 10 to the transport module 11. The lifting platform 12 lowers the fixture 10 by moving from its upper limit position to its lower limit position, and the buffer module 14 buffers the falling of the iron core pieces 2 during the descent of the fixture 10 by the lifting platform 12.

[0026] Step S5: Use the transport module 11 to move the fixture 10 away from the predetermined position, wherein the buffer module 14 buffers the falling of the iron core pieces 2 during the process of the transport module 11 moving the fixture 10 away from the predetermined position.

[0027] The following describes the above method. In steps S1-S2, the automation system 1 can use the transport module 11 to move the fixture 10 to a predetermined position. After the fixture 10 is moved to the predetermined position, the lifting platform 12 can be used to lift the fixture 10, thereby removing the fixture 10 from the transport module 11. The lifting platform 12 moves from the lower limit position to the upper limit position to push the fixture 10 upward away from the transport module 11. It is worth mentioning that, in the above process, since the fixture 10 is not yet ready to collect the loose iron core pieces 2, in order to avoid spending extra manpower and time to pick up the scattered iron core pieces 2, the automation system 1 can use the buffer module 14 to buffer the fall of the completed stamping iron core pieces 2, so that the punch press can continue to stamp and process new iron core pieces 2 without stopping the machine to wait for the fixture 10 to be ready. The structure and operating principle of the buffer module 14 are as described above, and will not be repeated here for the sake of simplicity.

[0028] In step S3, when the automation system 1 uses the fixture 10 to collect the iron core fragments 2 falling from above, the lifting platform 12 is in the upper limit position, and the two positioning pins 100 of the fixture 10 are respectively inserted into the two slots 20 of the iron core fragments 2 and abut against the hole walls of the two slots 20 in the radial and circumferential directions of the iron core fragments 2 to restrict the rotation and / or translation of the iron core fragments 2. After the two positioning pins 100 are respectively inserted into the two slots 20 of each buffered iron core fragment 2, the buffer module 14 can stop buffering the falling of the iron core fragments 2 to allow the iron core fragments 2 to fall smoothly onto the chassis of the fixture 10 for collection. Furthermore, during the collection of the loose iron core pieces 2, the thickness of the loose iron core pieces 2 may vary due to differences in thickness between the center and sides of the coil and / or stamping burrs. Therefore, the automation system 1 can use the rotary module 13 to drive the fixture 10 to rotate by a predetermined angle (e.g., 180 degrees) to ensure that the height of the stacked loose iron core pieces 2 is evenly distributed, thus avoiding height differences on different sides of the stacked loose iron core pieces 2 and compensating for the thickness of the loose iron core pieces 2. It is worth mentioning that when the rotary module 13 drives the fixture 10 to rotate, since the fixture 10 is not yet ready to collect the loose iron core pieces 2, in order to avoid spending extra manpower and time to pick up the scattered loose iron core pieces 2, the automation system 1 can use the buffer module 14 to buffer the fall of the stamped loose iron core pieces 2, allowing the punch press to continue stamping new loose iron core pieces 2 without stopping the machine to wait for the fixture 10 to finish rotating. Preferably, before the rotating module 13 drives the fixture 10 to rotate by a predetermined angle, the lifting platform 12 can move down from the upper limit position to the rotating position, and the buffer module 14 can buffer the falling of the iron core fragments 2 before the lifting platform 12 leaves the upper limit position, so that when the lifting platform 12 moves down from the upper limit position to the rotating position, the positioning pin 100 of the fixture 10 can be withdrawn from the slot 20 of the buffered iron core fragments 2, ensuring that the fixture 10 is less likely to interfere or collide during rotation. The buffer module 14 can stop buffering the falling of the iron core fragments 2 only after the fixture 10 has finished rotating and the lifting platform 12 has moved up from the rotating position to the upper limit position, so as to allow the iron core fragments 2 to fall smoothly onto the chassis of the fixture 10 for collection. Preferably, the rotating position can be located between the upper limit position and the lower limit position and can be slightly lower than the upper limit position.

[0029] In steps S4-S5, when the fixture 10 is in a fully loaded state (for example, when the number of iron core pieces 2 collected by the fixture 10 is detected by the sensor to reach a predetermined number), the automation system 1 can use the lifting platform 12 to lower the fixture 10, so that the fixture 10 returns to the transport module 11. The lifting platform 12 is moved from the upper limit position to the lower limit position so that the fixture 10 is lowered back to the transport module 11 and detached from the lifting platform 12. Then, the automation system 1 can use the transport module 11 to move the fixture 10 away from the predetermined position, for example, to move the fixture 10 to the next workstation for the bonding operation required for the post-processing of the iron core pieces 2, such as pressurizing / heating / cooling. It is worth mentioning that, in the above process, since the next unloaded fixture 10 is not yet ready to collect the loose iron core pieces 2, in order to avoid spending extra manpower and time to pick up the scattered iron core pieces 2, the automated system 1 can use the buffer module 14 to buffer the fall of the iron core pieces 2 that have been stamped, so that the punch press can continue to stamp and process new iron core pieces 2 without stopping the machine to wait for the arrival of the next fixture 10.

[0030] Compared to previous technologies, this invention not only accurately moves the fixture to the correct position to ensure smooth collection of iron core pieces, but also allows the punch press to operate continuously without frequent shutdowns and restarts. Furthermore, during buffering, the slots of the iron core pieces automatically align with the positioning pins of the fixture due to differences in magnetic resistance, ensuring that the positioning pins of the fixture smoothly insert into the slots of the iron core pieces after the buffering is released. Therefore, this invention can save the manpower and time previously required for manual picking, alignment, shaping, and counting, and has advantages such as high efficiency, energy saving, and extended equipment lifespan. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims of the present invention shall be covered by the present invention.

[0031] 1: Automation System

[0032] 10:Jig

[0033] 100: Positioning pin

[0034] 11: Transport Module

[0035] 12: Lifting Platform

[0036] 13: Rotating Module

[0037] 14: Buffer Module

[0038] 140: Cylinder

[0039] 141: Magnetic components

[0040] 142: Telescopic stop

[0041] 2: Loose iron core sheets

[0042] 20: Slot

[0043] S1, S2, S3, S4, S5: Steps

Claims

1. A method for collecting a plurality of iron core pieces, comprising: moving a fixture to a predetermined position using a transport module; after the fixture is moved to the predetermined position, moving a lifting platform from a lower limit position to an upper limit position to lift the fixture, thereby removing the fixture from the transport module, and when the lifting platform moves from the lower limit position to the upper limit position, the fixture is pushed upward by the lifting platform away from the transport module; collecting the plurality of iron core pieces falling from above using the fixture; during the collection of the plurality of iron core pieces, driving the fixture to rotate by a predetermined angle using a rotating module; moving the lifting platform from the upper limit position to the lower limit position to lower the fixture, thereby returning the fixture to the transport module, and when the lifting platform moves from the upper limit position to the lower limit position, the fixture descends back to the transport module and disengages from the lifting platform; The transport module is used to move the fixture away from the predetermined position; and when the rotating module drives the fixture to rotate at the predetermined angle, when the lifting platform raises or lowers the fixture, and / or when the transport module transports the fixture, a buffer module is used to buffer the fall of the plurality of iron core pieces.

2. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising: when the fixture collects the plurality of iron core pieces falling from above, the fixture uses two opposing cylindrical positioning pins inserted into two slots of each iron core piece, such that the two positioning pins abut against the walls of the two slots in the radial and circumferential directions of each iron core piece, to limit the plurality of iron core pieces.

3. The method as described in claim 2, further comprising moving the lifting platform from the upper limit position to a rotational position before the rotating module drives the fixture to rotate the predetermined angle, thereby moving the fixture away from the buffer module.

4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein the rotational position is located between the upper limit position and the lower limit position.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces using the buffer module includes buffering the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces using the buffer module in a magnetic manner.

6. The method as described in claim 5, wherein the use of the buffer module to buffer the fall of the plurality of iron core pieces in a magnetic manner comprises using at least one magnetic element of the buffer module located at at least a portion of the radial direction corresponding to each iron core piece to provide magnetic attraction to the plurality of iron core pieces, thereby buffering the fall of the plurality of iron core pieces.

7. The method as described in claim 5, wherein using the buffer module to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces further comprises using the buffer module to buffer the falling of the plurality of iron core pieces in a stop manner.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein using the buffer module to buffer the fall of the plurality of core pieces in a stop manner comprises using at least one telescopic stop of the buffer module to provide support force to the plurality of core pieces, thereby buffering the fall of the plurality of core pieces.

9. The method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein moving the jig to the predetermined position using the transport module includes moving the jig to the predetermined position using at least one speed chain of the transport module, and moving the jig away from the predetermined position using the transport module includes moving the jig away from the predetermined position using the at least one speed chain of the transport module.

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