RU2851470C1 - Device for gripping, moving, and positioning sheet material - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: construction.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to equipment for sequentially gripping, moving and positioning sheet material, such as chipboard, and can be used in furniture manufacturing in the production of upholstered furniture, in particular seat frames and sofa backrests. The device for gripping, moving and positioning sheet material comprises a frame, rail guides and carriages mounted on the frame, a device for gripping and moving sheet material 1, a frame assembly, a sheet material catcher and positioner 2, and a lifting mechanism 3 mounted under the device for gripping and moving sheet material 1. The sheet material gripping and moving device 1 consists of movable roller carriages 4 fixed on rail guides 5, connected via a structural profile 6, coupled with a ball screw drive 7, at the end of which a servomotor 8 is fixed, while a sheet material gripping and positioning unit 9 is installed on the profile 6, designed to be lifted along the mounting axis. The frame assembly for gripping and positioning sheet material 2 consists of a frame on which roller guides 13 and a pneumatic piston 14 are fixed, wherein the device for gripping, moving and positioning sheet material contains inductive and optical sensors connected to a control unit.

EFFECT: increased reliability of sheet material gripping.

1 cl, 9 dwg

Description

The field of technology to which the technical solution belongs

The invention relates to equipment for the sequential gripping, movement and positioning of sheet material (for example, chipboard), and can be used in furniture production in the manufacture of upholstered furniture, in particular, seat frames and sofa backs.

State of the art

A device for the individual dispensing of flat blanks from a stack is known from the prior art (see Author's Certificate SU 1388163, IPC B21D43/20, B65H3/46, published 15.04.1988), comprising a lifting table, a table lifting mechanism, a sensor for monitoring the upper level of the stack of blanks, connected to the table lifting mechanism, a magazine for accommodating the stack of blanks, consisting of a base and vertical guides and a cutter. In order to improve the reliability of separating the upper sheet from the stack and to simplify the design, the cutters are made in the form of friction linings installed on the inner side of the guides, in the upper part of which bevels are made facing the stack of blanks, wherein at least two of the linings are spring-loaded in the upper part.

However, in this device, the magazine for storing the stack of blanks intended for loading sheet material is loaded from above using automated equipment, which increases the amount of equipment required to perform the necessary work on this device. Also, as the number of equipment increases, so does the labor cost, which consequently increases the number of employees required to operate this equipment, and their skill level may also need to be upgraded.

A device is known for the individual separation and feeding of sheet blanks from a stack (see author's certificate SU 1541166, IPC B65N 3/24, B65N 3/00, published 02/07/1990), comprising a lifting table for placing the stack, a carriage mounted on a frame under the table with a gripping element for interacting with the end of the blank being separated, a crossbar with support rollers installed by means of vertical guide columns to ensure contact of its working surface with the blank being separated, and a drive for reciprocating movement of the carriage connected to the control unit, connected to it by means of a rod. In order to increase the reliability of operation, it has clamps installed on the cross-beam and placed on different sides of the lifting table for interaction with the corresponding ends of the product following the one being separated, and a drive from the reciprocating movement, and the carriage is equipped with a guide rod, while the cross-beam has two horizontal parallel guides for placing the carriage rod and the rod of its movement drive in them, and the vertical guides are fixed on the frame.

However, the design of this device does not allow for loading sheet material from the floor, but only via aerial loading (using lifts, forklifts, or aerial traverses), which severely limits its use. This device also requires increased metal consumption and must be housed in a large frame, limiting its integration into a conveyor and increasing the required production floor space.

A device is known for the individual separation and feeding of sheet blanks from a stack (see author's certificate SU 1668263, IPC B65N 3/08, published 07.08.1991), comprising a table for a stack of sheets, placed above the table in horizontal guides, a carriage with a gripper and a reversible carriage drive. In order to increase the reliability of sheet separation, it has a crossbar mounted on the carriage, additional grips and a mechanism for moving the crossbar in a vertical direction relative to the carriage, including a power cylinder mounted on the crossbar, a rod connected to the cylinder rod and having a longitudinal groove at one end, and two double-arm levers pivotally mounted on the crossbar, one of which is pivotally connected with the rod by its upper arm, and the other is placed in the groove of this rod by its upper arm, wherein the grips are placed on the crossbar, and two vertical guides for the crossbar are fixed on the carriage and two longitudinal grooves are made, in each of which the corresponding lever is placed with its lower arm, wherein the crossbar in the raised position is located inclined relative to the table for the stack.

However, in this device, the sheet is separated from the material package by lifting it to its highest position using vacuum grippers. The sheet moves along a crossbar, and de-vacuuming occurs when the sheet is above a roller conveyor (apparently protruding like a conveyor). The device lacks a system for aligning the sheet on the conveyor, which demonstrates the impossibility of achieving the objectives of the invention.

A device for feeding sheet materials is known (see Author's Certificate SU 670517, IPC B65H 3/24, B65G 59/02, published 30.06.1979), comprising a lifting table, a follower roller with a limit switch, a carriage with a pusher, and a receiving means. In order to increase the reliability of its operation, the follower roller is installed on the carriage in front of the pusher, and the limit switch is above the carriage.

However, in this device, it is impossible for the lifting table and the “feeding” (sheet) unit to function simultaneously, namely, after the “feeding” unit of this device has moved the sheet of material onto the receiving means, it must return to its original position, only after this the lifting table can lift the sheet material upward.

Disclosure of the essence of the invention

The technical problem lies in developing a device that allows for the capture and feeding of sheet material from the loading zone to the working areas of the conveyor.

The technical result is an increase in the reliability of gripping sheet material, its movement and positioning, as well as an increase in productivity and expansion of technological capabilities.

The technical result is achieved in that the device for gripping, moving and positioning sheet material, according to the solution, contains a frame and rail guides and carriages placed on it, a device for gripping and moving sheet material 1, a frame unit for catching and positioning sheet material 2, and a lifting mechanism 3, secured under the device for gripping and moving sheet material 1; the device for gripping and moving sheet material 1 consists of movable roller carriages 4, secured on rail guides 5, connected through a structural profile 6, coupled with a ball screw transmission 7, at the end of which a servomotor 8 is secured, while on the profile 6 a unit for gripping and positioning sheet material 9 is installed, made with the possibility of lifting along the axis of fastening; The frame unit of the sheet material catcher and positioner 2 consists of a frame on which roller guides 13 and a pneumatic piston 14 are fixed, while the device contains inductive and optical sensors connected to the control unit.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is illustrated by drawings, where

Fig. 1 shows the claimed device,

Fig. 2 shows how the lifting mechanism fed the chipboard sheet into the operating area of the sheet material gripping and moving device (SMGD), and the sheet material gripping and positioning unit gripped the chipboard sheet,

Fig. 3 shows the same action as Fig. 2, only in the lateral view of the device,

Fig. 4 shows the operational moment, the chipboard sheet is moved by the UZPLM towards the frame of the sheet material catcher and positioner (RMCP),

Fig. 5 shows how the chipboard sheet moved along the rollers fixed to the RUUPL and positioned itself along the extreme side of the chain conveyor (module), while the RUUPL is in a raised position, forming an additional plane - diagonal, relative to the main horizontal plane of the conveyor itself,

in Fig. 6 – the RUUPL has moved downwards, thereby positioning the chipboard sheet on the horizontal plane of the conveyor and placing it on the roller guides mounted in the conveyor frame,

Fig. 7 shows a device for gripping and moving sheet material, outside the main module,

Fig. 8 shows a part of the unit for gripping and positioning sheet material of the device,

Fig. 9 shows the frame assembly of the catcher and positioner for sheet material - view 3/4.

The following positions are indicated on the drawings:

1. device for gripping and moving sheet material (DGLM);

2. frame unit for catching and positioning sheet material (RUUPL);

3. lifting mechanism;

4. carriage;

5. rail guide;

6. structural profile;

7. ball screw;

8. servo motor;

9. Sheet material gripping and positioning unit;

10. mating frame;

11. Inductive sensor No. 1;

12. inductive sensor No. 2;

13. roller guides on RUUPL;

14. pneumatic piston;

15. optical sensor;

16. inductive sensor no. 3;

17. inductive sensor No. 4;

18. inductive sensor of lifting table No. 5;

19. chain conveyor conductor paw;

20. chipboard sheet;

21. fastening loop;

22. frame RUUPL;

23. loop RUUPL.

Implementation of the invention

The claimed device comprises a frame and rail guides and carriages placed thereon, a sheet material gripping and moving device 1, a frame assembly for catching and positioning sheet material 2, and a lifting mechanism 3, implemented in the form of a lifting table (Fig. 1). The sheet material gripping and moving device (SGM) 1 is secured above the lifting mechanism 3.

The UZPLM 1 consists of carriages 4 secured on rail guides 5 connected via a structural profile 6, coupled with a ball screw transmission (BSP) 7 and a servomotor 8. A unit for gripping and positioning sheet material 9 and a system of sensors (sensor No. 1 11 and sensor No. 2 12) are installed on the profile (Fig. 7-8).

The frame unit for catching and positioning sheet material (RUUPL) 2 consists of a frame made of a welded profile pipe with roller guides 13, a pneumatic piston 14, and at least one optical sensor 15 (Fig. 9).

The mechanical action of the claimed device is controlled by inductive sensors No. 3-No. 5 16-18 and optical sensors 15 based on one control unit.

The frame of the bed is made of a 60x60 profile pipe (options are possible, for example, a 40x40 profile pipe and others) connected to each other by electric arc welding with a structural profile fixed to it.

The device is built into a chain conveyor.

The device works as follows.

In the sheet material loading area, on the lifting mechanism (table) 3, 20 sheets of chipboard 2000x725 (various sizes are possible, an example of a chipboard sample is given in the description) are unloaded in the amount of 20 pieces (depending on the design options of this modular device, the number of sheets can vary, both up and down).

In this case, in the loading zone the material is folded into an unaligned pile, and in the working zone of the conveyor, the material must be pre-aligned (positioned) along the longitudinal part of the conveyor (conveyor).

Next, the modular device is manually activated, activating the sheet material stack lifting mechanism. The mechanism lifts the stack of blanks until it touches the sheet material gripping and positioning unit 9 of the sheet material gripping and handling device 1 (SMD).

The sheet material gripping and positioning unit 9 consists of four identical parts. Each part is made in the form of two strips connected at the top by a crossbar. On one end side, the strips are made pointed. A wheel is fixed between the strips on the side of the pointed part. The parts of the unit 9 are fixed evenly from each other, on a structural profile (Figs. 2-3, 7). In turn, the structural profile 6 is fixed on movable roller carriages 4 installed on rail guides 5, the movement along which is carried out by means of a ball screw 7, at the end of which a servomotor 8 is fixed. This device is inseparable and represents a "sheet material gripping and positioning unit (SMU)."

In two parts of the sheet material gripping and positioning unit 9 (central) inductive sensors 11, 12 are installed, which signal the control unit when the lifting table needs to stop lifting upward, and the UZPLM needs to take the sheet of material into the working area; sensor No. 1 11 - maximum lifting of unit 9 - in order to avoid software or mechanical errors and other force majeure circumstances, shows the control unit the maximum possible lifting angle of the UZPLM unit 9 (that is, if the table does not stop lifting in time, it will break unit 9). When the sheet metal contacts unit 9, the parts of unit 9 rise. The outer edges of the parts are secured in "fastening loops" 21, which ensure lift along the fastening axis, while the other edges are free and unsecured, resting on mating frames 10. This lift is detected by inductive sensors No. 2 and 12, located along the lift line of unit 9. These sensors send a signal to the control unit (CU). The CU uses software and computing logic, receives this signal, and activates the drive mounted on the ball screw, moving unit 9 toward the edge of the sheet metal, allowing the sharp corners of the parts to engage the edge of the chipboard sheet. When the sheet is hooked, the unit 9 drops down under its own weight, this is enough to break the signal circuit of the inductive sensor No. 2 12, which will be read by the control unit as the fact that the unit 9 has been secured to the edge of the chipboard sheet, and, consequently, will start the servomotor on the ball screw 7 to reverse rotation, which will attract the structural profile 6, with the unit 9 installed on it, thereby moving the chipboard sheet into the operating zone of the frame unit of the catcher and the positioner of the sheet material 2, located on the chain conveyor (Fig. 4). Two inductive sensors 16 and 17 are mounted on the perpendicularly fixed structural profile 6; they respond to the movement of the UZPLM 1. Inductive sensor #3 16 is located near the lifting table; it sends a signal to the control unit that the UZPLM 1 is in the material loading zone and, therefore, is ready to perform its function. Inductive sensor #4 17 is fixed at the other end of the module, located on a plane parallel to the edge of the ball screw 7, on which the servomotor is mounted; this sensor signals the control unit that the UZPLM 1 has reached its extreme point on the ball screw 7, therefore, the material sheet should be placed on the RUUPL 2.

Also in this material feed zone, a chain of inductive sensors is installed along the lifting mechanism's travel (i.e., up and down), with three (sensors No. 5 through 18). The first lower sensor indicates that the table is in the lower position; the middle sensor indicates that the lifting table is operational and is currently being raised or lowered; the third sensor, the upper one, indicates that the lifting table mechanism has reached the highest vertical position required for subsequent process operations.

After the sheet has been removed from the stack of sheet material, it ends up in the working area of the chain conveyor, on the RUUPL 2, which consists of a frame 22 with roller guides fixed to it, the far edge of which is secured to the "fastening loop" 23, which provides the axis of rotation, and the second edge is secured to the rod of the pneumatic piston (pneumatic piston) 14, which allows this edge to rise and fall, creating a diagonal or horizontal plane (Fig. 5-6). This unit, at the time the part enters it, is raised by the pneumatic piston 14, from the main horizontal plane of the conveyor, creating an additional diagonal plane, driven into this position by one of the sensors (it should also be noted that the lifting of the unit is carried out in a certain clock time period). The sheet of material rolls along roller guides, with which the unit is equipped, installed in the direction of movement of the chipboard sheet, and under its own weight is pressed against the opposite side of the RUUPL frame, thereby ensuring its smooth descent and positioning along the edge of the modular conveyor (device).

Optical sensor 18, mounted on structural profile 15, at the opposite end from the material loading area, alerts the control unit of this. The sensor detects the presence of a sheet on the RUUPL. The control unit, upon receiving the signal, lowers the RUUPL with the sheet on it. The RUUPL is positioned 40 mm below the main frame of the chain conveyor module (this dimension may vary in different versions of this device), and the sheet is then placed in the chain conveyor's jig. It is picked up by the rear jig's foot 19, which advances the chipboard sheet 20 to the next module for subsequent necessary processing operations.

The use of a ball screw to move the UZLPM ensures a smoother feed of sheet material (without jerking), which helps minimize malfunctions in the device.

The servo motor on the ball screw enables stops and starts without delays, can increase and decrease the rotation speed, and, therefore, increase or decrease the speed of feeding parts from the lifting table to the working area of the conveyor - depending on the technological tasks.

The claimed device can be built into a conveyor (transporter), which allows for the combined feeding of sheet material from a stack (pallet) into the operating area of the conveyor (conveyor), while simultaneously performing alignment, that is, positioning, along the edge of the sheet material.

Claims (1)

A device for gripping, moving and positioning sheet material, characterized in that it contains a frame and rail guides and carriages placed on it, a device for gripping and moving sheet material 1, a frame unit for catching and positioning sheet material 2, and a lifting mechanism 3 secured under the device for gripping and moving sheet material 1, the device for gripping and moving sheet material 1 consists of movable roller carriages 4 secured on rail guides 5 connected through a structural profile 6 coupled with a ball screw transmission 7, at the end of which a servomotor 8 is secured, while on the profile 6 a unit for gripping and positioning sheet material 9 is installed, made with the possibility of lifting along the fastening axis, the frame unit for catching and positioning sheet material 2 consists of a frame on which roller guides 13 and a pneumatic piston 14 are secured, wherein the device contains inductive and optical sensors connected to the unit management.