Bolt bearing unit, bolt pallet and bolt loading and unloading apparatus

Abstract

A bolt bearing unit, a bolt pallet and a bolt loading and unloading apparatus. The bolt bearing unit comprises a bearing seat, a magnetic member and a fixing plug, wherein a cavity is formed in the bearing seat to allow placement of a bolt, the cavity extending from the top end to the bottom end of the bearing seat; and a step portion is formed on an inner wall of the bottom of the bearing seat, the magnetic member being arranged in the cavity and located below the step portion; and the fixing plug is mounted in the cavity, one end of the fixing plug extending from the bottom end of the bearing seat into the cavity and abutting against the magnetic member. In the bolt bearing unit, a bolt is placed in the cavity of the bearing seat, and below the bolt the magnetic member is fixed by means of the joint action of the step portion and the fixing plug, such that the magnetic member interacts with the bolt, thus preventing the bolt from falling out of the bearing seat during conveying.

Description

Bolt loading units, bolt trays and bolt loading and unloading equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 18, 2023, with application number 202311748018.5 and invention name “Bolt bearing unit, bolt pallet and bolt loading and unloading equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of bolt loading on an automatic assembly production line, and in particular to a bolt bearing unit, a bolt tray, and bolt loading and unloading equipment. Background Art

[0003] Automated assembly lines often require bolts to fasten workpieces. Robots primarily rely on recognition devices to identify the bolt heads, then use a manipulator to grasp or pick up the bolts and install them on the workpiece. High-speed automated workstations require the installation of large numbers of bolts, and bolt trays are often used to reduce loading and unloading time. However, current bolt trays hold only a limited number of bolts, requiring frequent loading and unloading during production. Furthermore, bolts are prone to falling off the pallet during transport. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a bolt bearing unit, a bolt tray and bolt loading and unloading equipment to solve the technical problems in the prior art that bolts are frequently loaded and unloaded and are prone to falling during transportation.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bolt bearing unit is provided, comprising a bearing seat, a magnetic member and a fixing plug, wherein a cavity is formed in the bearing seat for placing the bolt, and the cavity extends from the top end to the bottom end of the bearing seat; a step portion is formed on the bottom inner wall of the bearing seat, the magnetic member is arranged in the cavity and is located below the step portion, and the fixing plug is installed in the cavity, and one end of the fixing plug extends from the bottom end of the bearing seat into the cavity and abuts against the magnetic member.

[0007] Furthermore, the bolt bearing unit further includes an elastic member installed in the cavity and located between the step portion and the magnetic member to adjust the distance between the magnetic member and the bolt.

[0008] Furthermore, a bolt removal groove is formed on the outer wall of the bearing seat and is oppositely arranged. The bolt removal groove is communicated with the cavity so that a robot can remove the bolt from the bolt removal groove.

[0009] A second aspect of the present invention provides a bolt tray, which includes a support plate and the above-mentioned bolt bearing units, and the number of the bolt bearing units is multiple; the multiple bolt bearing units are respectively fixed to the support plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the bolt bearing unit also includes a guide member, a boss is formed on the bottom outer wall of the bearing seat, and the guide member is installed on the boss; a plurality of first through holes are formed on the support plate, and each of the guide members is inserted into a first through hole; the boss is fixedly connected to the support plate.

[0011] Furthermore, a plurality of second through holes are formed on the supporting plate, and a portion below the boss on each supporting seat is inserted into the second through hole so that the bottom end surface of the boss abuts against the supporting plate.

[0012] A third aspect of the present invention provides a bolt loading and unloading device, comprising a base and the above-mentioned bolt tray, wherein the bolt tray is placed on the base.

[0013] Furthermore, there are multiple bolt trays, and the multiple bolt trays are evenly distributed on the base.

[0014] Furthermore, the base includes a bracket and a material transport seat, the material transport seat is placed on the bracket, and the bolt tray is fixed on the material transport seat; the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a stopper and two driving mechanisms, the driving mechanisms are respectively arranged on the adjacent two sides of the bracket, the stopper is fixed on the bracket, and the driving mechanism pushes the material transport seat in turn to make the material transport seat abut against the stopper.

[0015] Furthermore, the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a guide wheel assembly, and the guide wheel assembly is installed on one of the driving mechanisms so that the material transport base moves along the guide wheel assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a transport vehicle and a first matching sensor, the material transport base is placed on the transport vehicle to transport the material transport base to the bracket, and the first matching sensor is installed on the bracket; the first matching sensor includes a first transmitter and a first receiver, and the material transport base is placed between the first transmitter and the first receiver.

[0017] Furthermore, the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a second matching sensor, which includes a second transmitter and a second receiver, and is respectively installed on the bracket. The robot grabs the bolt and moves between the second transmitter and the second receiver to identify the bolt.

[0018] The bolt carrier unit provided by the present invention places the bolt within the cavity of the carrier seat. A magnetic member is secured beneath the bolt via a stepped portion and a fixed plug. The magnetic member interacts with the bolt to prevent the bolt from falling out of the carrier seat during transport. Multiple bolt carrier units can be secured to a pallet, allowing for greater numbers of bolts to be accommodated compared to existing bolt positioning techniques. This resolves the technical issue of frequent loading and unloading during production and prevents bolts from falling off the pallet during transport. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a bolt bearing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG1 ;

[0022] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a bolt tray according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a bolt loading and unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure numerals: 1. Bolt; 2. Bearing seat; 21. Boss; 3. Elastic member; 4. Magnetic member; 5. Guide member; 6. Fixing plug; 7. Bolt removal groove; 8. Transport vehicle; 9. Support plate; 10. Stop member; 11. Material transport seat; 12. Bolt tray; 13. Second counter-beam sensor; 14. Driving mechanism; 15. Guide wheel assembly; 16. Bracket; 17. First counter-beam sensor; 18. Guide block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to help those skilled in the art better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed on” or “set on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly set on the other element; when an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0027] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" or "several" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0029] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for people familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the conditions under which this application can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantive technical significance. Any structural modification, change in proportional relationship or adjustment of size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this application without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by this application.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a bolt bearing unit, including a bearing seat 2, a magnetic member 4 and a fixing plug 6. A cavity is formed in the bearing seat 2 to place the bolt 1, and the cavity extends from the top end to the bottom end of the bearing seat 2; a step portion is formed on the bottom inner wall of the bearing seat 2, the magnetic member 4 is arranged in the cavity and is located below the step portion, and the fixing plug 6 is installed in the cavity, and one end of the fixing plug 6 extends from the bottom end of the bearing seat 2 into the cavity and abuts against the magnetic member 4.

[0031] Referring to Figure 2 , in the embodiment of the present application, the support base 2 can be configured as a cylinder or other shape. A cylindrical support base 2 can save space when secured to a pallet, increasing the number of bolts 1 that can be placed on the pallet. The cavity within the support base 2 extends along the axis of the support base 2, extending from the top to the bottom of the support base 2. Bolts 1 of different sizes can be supported using support bases 2 of different heights. The position of the step and the length of the fixing plug 6 can also be adjusted to accommodate bolts 1 of varying sizes.

[0032] In the embodiment of the present application, the cavity diameter of the bearing seat 2 from the top to the bottom can be set to be consistent, and the step portion protrudes from the inner wall of the bearing seat 2. It can also be set to form a step portion by reducing the inner diameter of the cavity as shown in Figure 2. The function of the step portion is to limit the magnetic part 4. The interaction between the magnetic part 4 and the bolt 1 can limit the movement of the bolt 1 in the vertical direction during transportation. The shape of the magnetic part 4 can be a circular cylinder, a cylinder, or other shapes that can be placed in the cavity, which is not limited here. The connection relationship between the fixing plug 6 and the cavity is not limited, and can be screwed or clamped. The fixing plug 6 can be a solid structure or a hollow structure as shown in Figure 2, which is not limited. The upper end of the fixing plug 6 extends into the cavity and abuts against the magnetic part 4. The fixing plug 6 and the step portion work together to fix the magnetic part 4.

[0033] The bolt bearing unit provided in the embodiment of the present application places a bolt 1 within the cavity of a bearing seat 2. A magnetic member 4 is fixed below the bolt 1 via a stepped portion and a fixing plug 6, allowing the magnetic member 4 to interact with the bolt 1 to prevent the bolt 1 from falling out of the bearing seat 2 during transportation. By securing multiple bolt bearing units to a pallet, a greater number of bolts 1 can be accommodated compared to conventional bolt positioning techniques, resolving the technical issue of frequent loading and unloading during production and preventing bolts 1 from falling off the pallet during transportation.

[0034] In some embodiments, the bolt bearing unit further includes an elastic member 3, which is installed in the cavity and located between the step portion and the magnetic member 4 to adjust the distance between the magnetic member 4 and the bolt 1. In the embodiment of the present application, the shape of the elastic member 3 is not limited, and it can be placed in the cavity and abut against the step portion and the magnetic member 4 respectively. The elastic member 3 can be a spring. By placing the elastic member 3 between the magnetic member 4 and the step portion and adjusting the connection between the fixing plug 6 and the inner wall of the bearing body, the distance between the magnetic member 4 and the bolt 1 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the effect of the magnetic member 4 on the bolt 1.

[0035] In some embodiments, bolt removal grooves 7 are formed on the outer wall of the support base 2, and are connected to the cavity, allowing a robot to remove the bolt 1 from the bolt removal grooves 7. Referring to Figure 1, the bolt removal grooves 7 are arranged on the outer wall of the support base 2, and are connected to the cavity, forming an escape space to facilitate the robot to grasp or absorb the bolt 1.

[0036] A second aspect of the present invention provides a bolt pallet comprising a support plate 9 and the aforementioned bolt-bearing units, wherein the bolt-bearing units are multiple and each is fixed to the support plate 9. Referring to FIG3 , in the present invention, the structural design of the bolt-bearing units enables the placement of more bolts 1 on the support plate 9, thereby reducing the frequency of loading and unloading. Bolts of the same or different sizes can be placed on the same support plate 9, using the corresponding bolt-bearing units.

[0037] In some embodiments, the bolt bearing unit also includes a guide member 5, a boss 21 is formed on the bottom outer wall of the bearing seat 2, and the guide member 5 is installed on the boss 21; a plurality of first through holes are formed on the support plate 9, and each guide member 5 is inserted into a first through hole; the boss 21 is fixedly connected to the support plate 9.

[0038] In the prior art, the positioning of the bolts on the pallet is poor, and the robot gripper is also prone to interfere with the bolts. Referring to Figure 2, in the embodiment of the present application, a boss 21 is formed at the bottom of the bearing seat 2, and a guide member 5 is installed on the boss 21. When the bolt bearing unit is installed on the pallet 9, the guide member 5 is first inserted into the first through hole on the pallet 9, and then the boss 21 is fixed to the pallet 9, which can guide the installation of the bearing seat 2 and make the multiple bearing seats 2 on the pallet 9 face the same direction, which is convenient for the robot to clamp or absorb the bolts 1, and will not interfere with the bearing seat 2. The number of guide members 5 can be multiple, and a plurality of first through holes can be correspondingly provided on the pallet 9. The fixing method of the boss 21 and the pallet 9 is not limited, and can be screwed or clamped.

[0039] Furthermore, a plurality of second through holes are formed on the support plate 9, and the portion below the boss 21 on each bearing seat 2 is inserted into the second through hole so that the bottom end surface of the boss 21 abuts the support plate 9. Referring to Figure 3, the portion of the bearing seat 2 below the boss 21 passes through the second through hole so that the bottom end surface of the boss 21 abuts the support plate 9, thereby further facilitating the fixation between the boss 21 and the support plate 9; and the bearing seat 2 is fixed to the support plate 9 via the boss 21, making the connection between the two more stable.

[0040] In a third aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a bolt loading and unloading device is provided, comprising a base and the bolt tray, wherein the bolt tray is placed on the base. To prevent the position of the bolt tray on the base from changing, the bolt tray can be fixed to the base.

[0041] Furthermore, there are multiple bolt trays, each evenly spaced on the base. In this embodiment of the present application, placing multiple bolt trays on the base can further increase the number of bolts 1, thereby further reducing the frequency of loading and unloading. The evenly spaced bolt trays can prevent interference with the manipulator when gripping or sucking the bolts 1.

[0042] In some embodiments, the base includes a bracket 16 and a material transport seat 11, the material transport seat 11 is placed on the bracket 16, and the bolt tray is fixed on the material transport seat 11; the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a stopper 10 and two driving mechanisms 14, and the driving mechanisms 14 are respectively provided on the adjacent two sides of the bracket 16, the stopper 10 is fixed on the bracket 16, and the driving mechanism 14 pushes the material transport seat 11 in turn to make the material transport seat 11 abut against the stopper 10.

[0043] In the embodiment of the present application, the drive mechanism 14 may include a cylinder and a push plate, with the push plate being fixed to the piston rod of the cylinder. The drive mechanism 14 may also be a motor and a push plate. The function of the drive mechanism 14 is to push the material transport base 11 to move on the bracket 16. Drive mechanisms 14 are respectively provided on two adjacent sides of the bracket 16, capable of driving the material transport base 11 in the negative direction of the X axis and the negative direction of the Y axis respectively. The two drive mechanisms 14 respectively position the bolt tray in the negative direction of the X axis and the negative direction of the Y axis.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present application, a stopper 10 is provided on the bracket 16, and the material transport seat 11 abuts against the stopper 10 after moving. At this time, the pallet fixed on the material transport seat 11 reaches a preset position. The driving mechanism 14 cooperates with the stopper 10 to improve the positioning accuracy of the bolt 1 on the pallet. The stopper 10 can be an integral structure, and as shown in FIG4 , it is L-shaped and can act as a stopper in the negative direction of the X-axis and the negative direction of the Y-axis respectively. The stopper 10 can also be a split structure. Referring to FIG4 , the driving mechanisms 14 are respectively provided on the adjacent two sides of the bracket 16, and the stopper 10 is provided at the diagonal angle of the bracket 16 between the two driving mechanisms 14 to cooperate with the two driving mechanisms 14.

[0045] Furthermore, the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a guide wheel assembly 15, which is installed on one of the driving mechanisms 14 so that the material transport base 11 moves along the guide wheel assembly 15. In the embodiment of the present application, the guide wheel assembly 15 is provided to reduce the friction between the material transport base 11 and the push plate of the driving mechanism 14. At this time, the order in which the driving mechanism 14 pushes the material transport base 11 needs to be fixed. That is, the driving mechanism 14 with the guide wheel assembly 15 installed first pushes the material transport base 11 to move and position, and then the driving mechanism 14 without the guide wheel assembly 15 installed pushes the material transport base 11 to position in another direction. The above-mentioned arrangement facilitates the movement of the material transport base 11 along the guide wheel assembly 15 when the driving mechanism 14 without the guide wheel assembly 15 installs pushes the material transport base 11, thereby reducing the wear on the push plate.

[0046] In some embodiments, the bolt loading and unloading equipment further includes a transport vehicle 8 and a first through-beam sensor 17. The material transport base 11 is placed on the transport vehicle 8 to transport the material transport base 11 to the bracket 16. The first through-beam sensor 17 is mounted on the bracket 16. The first through-beam sensor 17 includes a first transmitter and a first receiver, and the material transport base 11 is placed between the first transmitter and the first receiver.

[0047] In this embodiment of the present application, the transport vehicle 8 may be an AGV. The material transport base 11 and the bolt tray secured to the material transport base 11 are placed on the transport vehicle 8, which transports them to the center of the bracket 16 and places them on the bracket 16. After the material transport base 11 and the bolt tray are placed on the bracket 16, positioning is performed. A first beamforming sensor 17 is provided on the bracket 16, with a first transmitter and a first receiver located on either side of the material transport base 11. When the signal between the first transmitter and the first receiver is disconnected, it indicates that the material transport base 11 has been placed on the bracket 16.

[0048] In some embodiments, the bolt loading and unloading equipment further includes a second beam sensor 13 , which includes a second transmitter and a second receiver, and is respectively mounted on a bracket 16 . The robot grasps the bolt 1 and moves between the second transmitter and the second receiver to identify the bolt 1 .

[0049] During the production process, the manipulator may grab at an empty position or grab improperly, resulting in the failure to pick up the bolt 1. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the bolt 1 before using it to fix the workpiece, otherwise it is easy to damage the workpiece surface. In the embodiment of the present application, the travel of the manipulator after grabbing the bolt 1 passes between the second transmitter and the second receiver of the second beam sensor 13, referring to Figure 4, so that the interruption of the transmission signals of the two can be used to determine whether the manipulator has grabbed the bolt 1, so as to facilitate timely alarm.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, a pallet in place sensor is also installed on the stopper 10 to determine whether the material transport base 11 has been placed on the bracket 16. A guide block 18 can be installed at a position opposite to the stopper 10 for guiding the transport vehicle 8 when placing the pallet.

[0051] The embodiment of the present application solves the problem that the bolts 1 are easy to fall off the pallet 9 during transportation by designing the structure of the bolt bearing unit and the connection method between the bolt bearing unit and the pallet 9, and improves the positioning accuracy of the manual assembly pallet through the positioning of the drive mechanism 14 and the stopper 10, avoiding interference with the robot; the operator can replace the bolt pallet in advance, fill it with bolts 1 and place it in the vertical warehouse, which greatly reduces the time the workstation waits for the bolts 1 to be loaded during automatic production line production, realizes the function of automatic loading and unloading of the bolt pallet, and improves the production efficiency of the production line; avoids the problem of surface damage of the workpiece caused by the robot grasping empty space.

[0052] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A bolt bearing unit, characterized in that: It includes a bearing seat, a magnetic part and a fixing plug. A cavity is formed in the bearing seat to place the bolt, and the cavity extends from the top end of the bearing seat to the bottom end; a step portion is formed on the bottom inner wall of the bearing seat, the magnetic part is arranged in the cavity and is located below the step portion, and the fixing plug is installed in the cavity, and one end of the fixing plug extends from the bottom end of the bearing seat into the cavity and abuts against the magnetic part.

2. The bolt bearing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bolt bearing unit further includes an elastic member installed in the cavity and located between the step portion and the magnetic member to adjust the distance between the magnetic member and the bolt.

3. The bolt bearing unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The outer wall of the bearing seat is formed with bolt removal grooves which are arranged opposite to each other. The bolt removal grooves are communicated with the cavity so that a manipulator can remove the bolt from the bolt removal grooves.

4. A bolt tray, characterized in that: The bolt tray includes a support plate and the bolt bearing unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and the number of the bolt bearing units is multiple; the multiple bolt bearing units are respectively fixed on the support plate.

5. The bolt tray according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bolt bearing unit also includes a guide member, a boss is formed on the bottom outer wall of the bearing seat, and the guide member is installed on the boss; a plurality of first through holes are formed on the support plate, and each of the guide members is inserted into one of the first through holes; the boss is fixedly connected to the support plate.

6. The bolt tray according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of second through holes are formed on the support plate, and a portion below the boss on each of the bearing seats is inserted into the second through hole so that the bottom end surface of the boss abuts against the support plate.

7. A bolt loading and unloading device, characterized in that: It comprises a base and the bolt tray according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the bolt tray is placed on the base.

8. The bolt loading and unloading equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: There are multiple bolt trays, and the multiple bolt trays are evenly arranged on the base.

9. The bolt loading and unloading equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The base includes a bracket and a material transport seat, the material transport seat is placed on the bracket, and the bolt tray is fixed on the material transport seat; the bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a stopper and two driving mechanisms, the driving mechanisms are respectively arranged on the adjacent two sides of the bracket, the stopper is fixed on the bracket, and the driving mechanism successively pushes the material transport seat to make the material transport seat abut against the stopper.

10. The bolt loading and unloading equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a guide wheel assembly, which is installed on one of the driving mechanisms to enable the material transport seat to move along the guide wheel assembly.

11. The bolt loading and unloading equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: The bolt loading and unloading equipment further includes a transport vehicle and a first beam sensor, the material transport base is placed on the transport vehicle to transport the material transport base to the bracket, and the first beam sensor is installed on the bracket; The first beam sensor includes a first transmitter and a first receiver, and the material transport base is placed between the first transmitter and the first receiver.

12. The bolt loading and unloading equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The bolt loading and unloading equipment also includes a second beam sensor, which includes a second transmitter and a second receiver, and is respectively installed on the bracket. The robot grabs the bolt and moves between the second transmitter and the second receiver to identify the bolt.

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