Automatic board inserting apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of circuit board automatic production equipment, and in particular to an automatic board inserting apparatus, comprising a fixed frame. The fixed frame is provided with traveling rails for a board rack vehicle to move in and out; the fixed frame is provided with a lateral movement mechanism for fixing and lifting the board rack vehicle, and then driving the board rack vehicle to laterally move left and right; the fixed frame is further provided with a board clamping and inserting mechanism; a manipulator grips a circuit board below the board clamping and inserting mechanism, and the board clamping and inserting mechanism clamps the circuit board and moves up and down to insert the circuit board into a board inserting frame of the board rack vehicle. The board clamping and inserting mechanism in the apparatus only needs to move up and down to clamp and insert boards, without the need for very high design costs. When the board clamping and inserting mechanism inserts a board into a board inserting frame and retracts to fetch another board, the lateral movement mechanism simultaneously controls the board rack vehicle to laterally move, so that the next empty board inserting frame moves directly below the board clamping and inserting mechanism to aid the board clamping and inserting mechanism in clamping the board and then inserting same directly downwards, thereby reducing the time required for automatic board insertion and improving production efficiency.

Description

An automatic plate insertion device Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated circuit board production equipment, and more particularly to an automatic board insertion device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, circuit board production is becoming increasingly automated, and automated circuit board production equipment plays a crucial role. In the automated production process, circuit board carriers serve to carry and transport circuit boards. A circuit board carrier has multiple parallel and equidistant insertion frames to secure the circuit boards, and one carrier can carry and transport multiple circuit boards. Traditionally, circuit boards are manually inserted one by one into the carrier, a time-consuming and labor-intensive method that hinders the widespread adoption of automation. Another automated method involves a robotic gripper picking up the circuit boards and inserting them one by one into the carrier. However, this process requires not only stable gripping but also extremely high positioning accuracy to reliably and precisely insert each circuit board into its corresponding insertion frame. This results in a very complex and costly robotic gripper design. Furthermore, after each insertion, the robotic gripper needs to move back and forth to retrieve the board and reposition it. The entire process of picking up, positioning, and inserting the board is done by the robotic gripper, making the insertion time for a single board very long and impacting production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the above problems, the present invention provides an automatic plate insertion device. The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is as follows:

[0004] An automatic board insertion device includes: a fixed bracket with a traveling track and a transverse track, the transverse track being located below and perpendicular to the traveling track; a board trolley with several parallel board insertion frames on it, the board trolley moving into / out of the fixed bracket via the traveling track; a board clamping mechanism electrically connected to a central controller and located directly above the transverse track, a robotic arm moving a circuit board to the area below the clamping mechanism, the clamping mechanism clamping the circuit board and moving it up and down to insert the circuit board into the board insertion frame; and a transverse mechanism including a transmission component electrically connected to the central controller and a lifting cylinder, the lifting cylinder being disposed on the transverse track and connected to the transmission component, the lifting cylinder engaging and lifting the board trolley to drive the board trolley away from the traveling track, the transmission component driving the board trolley along the transverse track via the lifting cylinder to adjust the board insertion frame to move directly below the clamping mechanism.

[0005] Furthermore, it also includes a plate alignment component disposed between the transverse track and the plate clamping mechanism. The plate alignment component has an alignment surface and a guide opening. The robot arm picks up the circuit board and moves it to the alignment surface. The plate clamping mechanism picks up the circuit board and inserts it downward into the plate frame through the guide opening.

[0006] Furthermore, the fixed bracket is equipped with a positioning sensor that is electrically connected to the central controller. The positioning sensor faces the positioning surface to sense whether the circuit board on the positioning surface is in place.

[0007] Furthermore, the clamping plate mechanism includes a pair of parallel clamping assemblies, with a vertical guide groove provided on the alignment surface. The guide groove extends from the upper end of the alignment surface to the lower end and connects to the guide opening. After clamping the plate, the clamping assemblies insert the plate downward through the guide groove.

[0008] Furthermore, a first position sensor electrically connected to the central controller is provided on the fixed bracket, and a first position trigger is provided on the clamping plate mechanism, with the first position sensor located on the moving path of the first position trigger.

[0009] Furthermore, a second position trigger is provided on the lifting cylinder, and a second position sensor electrically connected to the central controller is provided on the fixed bracket. The second position sensor is located on the movement path of the second position trigger to determine the position of the lifting cylinder moving along the transverse track.

[0010] Furthermore, the lifting cylinder is equipped with an alignment pin, and the bottom of the plate frame is equipped with an alignment hole. The alignment pin passes through the alignment hole, and the lifting cylinder completes the alignment connection and fixation of the plate frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a motor, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. A transmission belt is provided between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The transmission belt is parallel to the transverse track. The lifting cylinder is fixedly connected to the transmission belt through a fixing clamp. The motor drives the drive shaft to rotate, and the drive shaft, in conjunction with the driven shaft, drives the transmission belt to move along the transverse track.

[0012] Furthermore, a pair of laser emitters and a pair of laser receivers are installed on the fixed bracket. The laser receivers are electrically connected to the central controller. The route from the laser emitters to the laser receivers is parallel to the board frame and located on the moving path of the board frame vehicle. The distance between the laser emitters is greater than the width of one board frame and less than or equal to the distance between two board frames, in order to monitor whether the circuit board on the board frame is deformed or misaligned.

[0013] Furthermore, the trolley has rollers that roll along the travel track; the travel track includes an inlet track and an outlet track, with the inlet track near the front end of the traverse track and the outlet track near the rear end of the traverse track.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0015] This automatic board insertion device includes a fixed bracket with a traveling track for the board carriage to move up and down. A lateral movement mechanism on the fixed bracket secures and lifts the board carriage, then drives it to move laterally left and right. A board clamping mechanism is also mounted on the fixed bracket. A robotic arm grips the board and places it below the clamping mechanism, which then holds the board and moves it up and down to insert it into the board insertion frame of the board carriage. In this device, the clamping mechanism only needs to move the board up and down, requiring minimal design cost. When the clamping mechanism inserts a board into the insertion frame and then retracts to retrieve it, the lateral movement mechanism simultaneously controls the board carriage to move laterally, moving the next empty insertion frame directly below the clamping mechanism. This allows the clamping mechanism to insert the board directly downwards after clamping, reducing the time required for the automatic board insertion process and improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the automatic plate insertion device;

[0018] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the automatic plate insertion device;

[0019] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fixed bracket;

[0020] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional view and a close-up view of the flatbed truck;

[0021] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the traverse mechanism;

[0022] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the clamping plate mechanism;

[0023] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the insert alignment component.

[0024] Drawing number markings: 100, Fixed bracket; 101, Traveling track; 1011, Inlet track; 1012, Outlet track; 102, Transverse track; 103, Laser emitter; 104, Laser receiver; 200, Plate frame; 201, Insert plate frame; 202, Alignment hole; 203, Roller; 300, Transverse mechanism; 301, Transmission assembly; 3011, Motor; 3012, Driving shaft; 3013, Driven shaft; 3014, Transmission belt; 302, Lifting cylinder; 303, Alignment pin; 304, Fixed clamp; 400, Insert plate clamping mechanism; 401, Clamp assembly; 500, Insert plate alignment component; 501, Alignment surface; 502, Guide opening; 503, Guide groove. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To better understand the purpose, structure, and function of the present invention, the specific embodiments of the present invention, "an automatic plate insertion device," will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Referring to Figures 1-6, in this embodiment, the automatic board insertion device includes a fixed bracket 100, on which a traveling rail 101 and a transverse rail 102 are provided. The transverse rail 102 is located below the traveling rail 101 and perpendicular to it. The board carrier 200 moves into and out of the fixed bracket 100 via the traveling rail 101. The fixed bracket 100 is also provided with a board clamping mechanism 400 and a transverse mechanism 300. The board clamping mechanism 400 is electrically connected to the central controller and is located directly above the transverse rail 102. After the robot arm moves the circuit board to below the board clamping mechanism 400, the board clamping mechanism 400 clamps the circuit board and moves it up and down to insert the circuit board. After inserting the board frame 201, it retracts to its original position. The transverse mechanism 300 includes a transmission component 301 electrically connected to the central controller and a lifting cylinder 302. The lifting cylinder 302 is set on the transverse track 102 and fixedly connected to the transmission component 301. After the lifting cylinder 302 is positioned and docked with the board frame 200, it lifts the board frame 200, causing the board frame 200 to leave the travel track 101. Then, the transmission component 301 drives the lifting cylinder 302 to move along the transverse track 102, thereby driving the board frame 200 lifted by the lifting cylinder 302 to move along the transverse track 102. The board frame 201 that needs to be inserted into the board frame 200 is moved to directly below the board clamping mechanism 400 and the circuit board is inserted.

[0027] In this embodiment, when the automatic plate insertion device is working, the lifting cylinder 302 of the lateral movement mechanism 300 first docks and positions with the plate carrier 200, lifting the plate carrier 200 so that it is separated from the travel track 101 for lateral movement. Then, the transmission component 301 drives the lifting cylinder 302 to move along the lateral movement track 102, thereby driving the plate carrier 200 to move laterally, so that the first empty plate insertion frame 201 at the foremost end of the plate carrier 200 is located directly below the plate clamping mechanism 400. Then, the robotic arm connected to the central controller picks up the circuit board and moves the circuit board vertically downward to the plate clamping mechanism 400. Below, the clamping plate mechanism 400 moves downward to clamp the circuit board. The robot releases, and the clamping plate mechanism 400 continues to move downward, inserting the circuit board into the first empty insertion plate frame 201 and then retracting to its original position. During this process, the robot picks up the circuit board again and moves it below the clamping plate mechanism 400. At the same time, the lateral movement mechanism 300 drives the board frame 200 to move laterally by a small step, so that the second empty insertion plate frame 201 is located directly below the clamping plate mechanism 400. Then the clamping plate mechanism 400 repeats the above-mentioned up and down clamping and retraction actions until the insertion plate frames 201 of the board frame 200 are filled with circuit boards. Since the clamping and insertion mechanism 400 only needs to move up and down to clamp and insert the plate, it does not need to move laterally to grab the plate and reposition it precisely. The clamping and insertion mechanism 400 can use a common up and down insertion mechanism, which is low in cost. Furthermore, the insertion device of the present invention achieves the alignment of the insertion frame 201 by adjusting the position of the plate frame 200 through the lateral movement mechanism 300, which does not require the clamping and insertion mechanism 400 to align. The lateral movement mechanism 300 adjusts the alignment, the robot arm picks up and transfers the plate, and the clamping and insertion mechanism 400 retracts to prepare for clamping the plate. These actions are performed simultaneously, which can save the time used for automatic insertion and improve production efficiency.

[0028] Referring further to Figures 1, 2, 6, and 7, in this embodiment, the automatic board insertion device also includes a board alignment member 500 disposed between the transverse track 102 and the board clamping mechanism 400. The board alignment member 500 has an alignment surface 501 and a guide opening 502. The robotic arm picks up the circuit board and moves it to the alignment surface 501. The alignment surface 501 ensures that the picked-up circuit board is vertically downward when placed below the board clamping mechanism 400. Then, the board clamping mechanism 400 picks up the circuit board and inserts it downward into the board frame 201 through the guide opening 502. The guide opening 502 not only improves the accuracy of the circuit board insertion into the board frame 201, but also prevents the circuit board from shaking when inserted downward into the board frame 201, thus improving the stability of the board insertion process.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fixed bracket 100 is provided with a positioning sensor electrically connected to the central controller. The positioning sensor faces the alignment surface 501. The positioning sensor can sense whether the robot arm has moved the circuit board to the alignment surface 501 and whether there is a circuit board on the alignment surface. It then sends the information back to the central controller, which processes it and controls the actions of other components. The clamping plate mechanism 400 includes a pair of parallel clamping head assemblies 401 to clamp the circuit board more stably. The alignment surface 501 is provided with a vertical guide groove 503. The guide groove 503 extends from the upper end of the alignment surface 501 to the lower end and connects to the guide opening 502. After clamping the plate, the clamping head assembly 401 moves downward through the guide groove 503 and inserts the circuit board into the plate frame 201 through the guide opening 502. The guide groove 503 can prevent the clamping head assembly 401 from shaking when moving downward, further improving the stability of the plate insertion of the clamping plate mechanism 400.

[0030] More specifically, in this embodiment, a first position sensor electrically connected to the central controller is provided on the fixed bracket 100, and a first position trigger is provided on the clamping plate mechanism 400. The first position sensor is located on the moving path of the first position trigger. When the clamping plate mechanism 400 inserts the plate downward, the first position trigger moves and passes the first position sensor. The information sensed by the first position sensor is used to confirm whether the clamping plate mechanism 400 has inserted the circuit board into place, and to sense whether the clamping plate mechanism 400 has retracted into place.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second position trigger is provided on the lifting cylinder 302, and a second position sensor electrically connected to the central controller is provided on the fixed bracket 100. The second position sensor is located on the moving path of the second position trigger. When the lifting cylinder 302 moves laterally, it drives the second position trigger to move. When the second position trigger passes the second position sensor, the position coordinates of the lifting cylinder 302 can be determined, which facilitates the central control system to position it. And through the transmission component 301, the plate frame 200 is precisely controlled to move, so that each insert frame 201 moves accurately to directly below the clamping plate mechanism 400.

[0032] Referring further to Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the lifting cylinder 302 is provided with an alignment pin 303, and the bottom of the plate frame 200 is provided with an alignment hole 202. The lifting cylinder 302 passes through the alignment pin 303 into the alignment hole 202 to complete the alignment connection and fixation of the plate frame 200, preventing the plate frame 200 from shaking when the lifting cylinder 302 drives the plate frame 200 to move left and right.

[0033] Referring further to Figure 5, in this embodiment, the transmission assembly 301 includes a motor 3011, a driving shaft 3012, and a driven shaft 3013. A transmission belt 3014 is provided between the driving shaft 3012 and the driven shaft 3013. The transmission belt 3014 is parallel to the transverse track 102. The lifting cylinder 302 is fixedly connected to the transmission belt 3014 through a fixing clamp 304. The motor 3011 drives the driving shaft 3012 to rotate. The driving shaft 3012, in conjunction with the driven shaft 3013, drives the transmission belt 3014 to drive the transmission. The transmission belt 3014 drives the lifting cylinder 302 to move along the transverse track 102.

[0034] Referring further to Figures 1-3, in this embodiment, a pair of laser emitters 103 and a pair of laser receivers 104 are provided on the fixed bracket 100. The laser receivers 104 are electrically connected to the central controller. The path from the laser emitters 103 to the laser receivers 104 is parallel to the insert frame 201, and the path from the laser emitters 103 to the laser receivers 104 is located on the moving path of the board frame 200. The distance between the laser emitters 103 is greater than the width of one insert frame 201 and less than or equal to the distance between two insert frames 201. When the insert frame 201 is inserted into the circuit board and moves forward one position, the two laser beams of the laser emitters 103 sandwich the insert frame 201 in the middle. Whether the laser receivers 104 receive the laser beams is used to determine whether the circuit board on the insert frame 201 is misaligned or bent.

[0035] More specifically, referring to Figures 1-4, in this embodiment, the board carrier 200 has rollers 203 that roll along the carriage track 101. The carriage track 101 includes an inlet track 1011 and an outlet track 1012. The inlet track 1011 is near the front end of the transverse track 102, and the outlet track 1012 is near the rear end of the transverse track 102. During the automated production process, the board carrier 200 enters the fixed bracket from the inlet track 1011. Then, the transverse mechanism 300 lifts the board carrier 200 so that it leaves the inlet track 1011 and moves it laterally to fill the circuit board. After that, the transverse mechanism 300 continues to move laterally and places the board carrier 200 on the outlet track 1012. The board carrier 200 moves out of the fixed bracket 100 through the outlet track 1012. This makes the automated production process smoother and improves the efficiency of automated production.

[0036] It is understood that the present invention has been described through some embodiments, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes or equivalent substitutions can be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, under the teachings of the present invention, these features and embodiments can be modified to adapt to specific situations and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

Claims

1. An automatic plate insertion device, characterized in that, include: A fixed bracket (100) is provided with a traveling rail (101) and a transverse rail (102), wherein the transverse rail (102) is located below the traveling rail (101) and perpendicular to the direction of the traveling rail (101); A plate frame trolley (200) is provided with several parallel insert plate frames (201), and the plate frame trolley (200) moves into / out of the fixed bracket (100) via the traveling rail (101); The insert plate mechanism (400) is electrically connected to the central controller and is located directly above the transverse track (102). The robot moves the circuit board to the underside of the insert plate mechanism (400). The insert plate mechanism (400) moves up and down to clamp the circuit board and insert the circuit board into the insert plate frame (201). The transverse mechanism (300) includes a transmission assembly (301) electrically connected to the central controller and a lifting cylinder (302). The lifting cylinder (302) is disposed on the transverse track (102) and connected to the transmission assembly (301). The lifting cylinder (302) engages with and lifts the plate carriage (200) to drive the plate carriage (200) away from the travel track (101). The transmission assembly (301) drives the lifting cylinder (302) to slide along the transverse track (102), thereby driving the plate carriage (200) to move along the transverse track (102) to adjust the insert frame (201) to be directly below the clamping plate mechanism (400).

2. The automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a plate alignment member (500) disposed between the transverse track (102) and the plate clamping mechanism (400). The plate alignment member (500) has an alignment surface (501) and a guide opening (502). The robot grips the circuit board and moves it to the alignment surface (501). The plate clamping mechanism (400) clamps the circuit board and inserts it downward into the plate frame (201) through the guide opening (502).

3. The automatic plate insertion device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixed bracket (100) is provided with a positioning sensor that is electrically connected to the central controller. The positioning sensor faces the positioning surface (501) to sense whether the circuit board on the positioning surface (501) is in place.

4. The automatic plate insertion device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The clamping plate mechanism (400) includes a pair of parallel clamping assemblies (401). A vertical guide groove (503) is provided on the alignment surface (501). The guide groove (503) extends from the upper end of the alignment surface (501) to the lower end and connects to the guide opening (502). The clamping assemblies (401) clamp the plates through the guide groove (503) and insert downwards.

5. An automatic plate insertion device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixed bracket (100) is provided with a first position sensor that is electrically connected to the central controller, and the clamping plate mechanism (400) is provided with a first position trigger. The first position sensor is located on the moving path of the first position trigger.

6. The automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting cylinder (302) is provided with a second position trigger, and the fixed bracket (100) is provided with a second position sensor electrically connected to the central controller. The second position sensor is located on the moving path of the second position trigger to determine the position of the lifting cylinder (302) on the transverse track (102).

7. An automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting cylinder (302) is provided with a positioning pin (303), and the bottom of the plate frame (200) is provided with a positioning hole (202). The positioning pin (303) passes through the positioning hole (202), and the lifting cylinder (302) completes the positioning connection and fixation of the plate frame (200).

8. An automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (301) includes a motor (3011), a drive shaft (3012), and a driven shaft (3013). A transmission belt (3014) is provided between the drive shaft (3012) and the driven shaft (3013). The transmission belt (3014) is parallel to the transverse track (102). The lifting cylinder (302) is fixedly connected to the transmission belt (3014) through a fixing clamp (304). The motor (3011) drives the drive shaft (3012) to rotate. The drive shaft (3012) cooperates with the driven shaft (3013) to drive the transmission belt (3014) to drive. The transmission belt (3014) drives the lifting cylinder (302) to move along the transverse track (102).

9. An automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pair of laser emitters (103) and a pair of laser receivers (104) are provided on the fixed bracket (100). The laser receivers (104) are electrically connected to the central controller. The optical path from the laser emitter (103) to the laser receiver (104) is parallel to the insert frame (201) and located on the moving path of the plate frame vehicle (200). The distance between the laser emitters (103) is greater than the width of one insert frame (201) and less than or equal to the distance between two insert frames (201).

10. An automatic plate insertion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trolley (200) has rollers (203) that roll along the travel track (101); the travel track (101) includes an inlet track (1011) and an outlet track (1012), the inlet track (1011) being close to the front end of the traverse track (102) and the outlet track (1012) being close to the rear end of the traverse track (102).

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