Sliding Nozzle Plate Handling with Force-Sensed Pressing Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing plate attaching and detaching processes for sliding nozzle devices in continuous steel casting face challenges due to high temperature, heavy plate weights, and poor measurement accuracy, leading to unreliable attachment and detachment of plates to plate-receiving metal frames, especially under conditions of radiation heat, dust, and positional misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A plate holding device equipped with a pressing unit and a force sensor that performs a two-stage pressing operation to ensure reliable attachment and detachment by detecting the force threshold and adjusting the holding members' movement, preventing swingable metal frames from tilting and using a vibration mechanism to facilitate plate alignment and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual plate replacement is performed under high temperature conditions, then the operator can directly handle the plates, but the operator bears a heavy burden due to the weight of the plates (close to 30 kg) and high temperature exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated robot arm system equipped with a specialized holding device. The robot arm with parallel gripper and holding members mechanically substitutes the operator's hands, eliminating direct human exposure to high temperature and heavy weight conditions while maintaining precise plate handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a plate holding device as an intermediary between the robot arm and the plate. This holding device with engagement grooves and pressing units serves as a mediator that securely grasps the plate, allowing the robot arm to manipulate the heavy plate without direct contact, thus protecting the operator from harmful conditions
2Measurement precision
If image processing is used to measure the position of the sliding nozzle device, then the up-down and right-left directions can be measured with practical accuracy, but the front-rear direction (distance) measurement accuracy becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a laser distance meter as an intermediary measurement device to complement the camera-based image processing system. The laser distance meter specifically measures the front-rear distance with high accuracy, compensating for the deficiency in the image processing system and providing complete positional information for robot arm control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges two different measurement systems: the camera-based image processing system (for up-down and right-left positions) and the laser distance meter (for front-rear distance). By combining these systems, the patent achieves comprehensive high-accuracy three-dimensional position measurement, overcoming the limitations of either system alone
3Ease of operation
If the holding members are inserted into the gap between the plate and plate-receiving metal frame for detaching, then the plate can be removed, but the swingable metal frame may tilt or move during the operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary counter-action by using the pressing unit to press the plate in the opposite direction to the potential tilting movement of the swingable metal frame. This pre-applied counter-force prevents the frame from tilting during the detaching operation, maintaining stability while allowing plate removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by positioning and pressing the plate with the pressing unit before the actual detaching operation begins. This preliminary positioning ensures the plate is securely held and the metal frame is stabilized before the holding members are inserted into the gap, preventing unwanted movement during detachment
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a plate holding device, a plate detaching apparatus, a plate attaching apparatus and a plate attaching-detaching apparatus which are capable of reliably attaching and/or detaching a plate with respect to a plate-receiving metal frame. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate holding device 101 which comprises: a plurality of holding members 4 for holding a plate for a sliding nozzle device; widening and narrowing means to selectively widen and narrow a distance between the holding members 4; a pressing unit 9 for pressing a central region of the plate when the plate is held by the holding members 4; and a force sensor 10 for detecting a force received by the holding members 4 and/or the pressing unit 9 from the held plate, wherein the plate holding device 101 is configured to be mounted to a distal end of a robot arm 15.