KR20240008668A - Gripping module and holding apparatus including same - Google Patents

Abstract

A gripping module and a gripping device including the same are disclosed.
Among these, the gripping module includes an air supply block provided with an air supply path therein; An air supply unit consisting of a head block provided at the front end of the air supply block and having a discharge passage for discharging air introduced through the air supply passage; An inner tube holder coupled to the inward side of the head block of the air supply block; an outer tube holder disposed on an outward side of the head block with the head block in between, and coupled to the inner tube holder; A removal pusher installed to allow elastic movement in a direction close to or distal to the inner tube holder; And surrounding the head portion, the inner side is airtightly coupled to the inner tube holder, and the other side is airtightly coupled to the outer tube holder, and is expanded by air pressure emitted from the head portion. A gripping tube made of flexible material grips the inner diameter portion of the retainer by the outer circumferential surface, and when the air pressure disappears, the outer diameter shrinks to a smaller size than the inner diameter of the retainer, thereby releasing the grip of the retainer.

Description

Gripping module and holding apparatus including same}

The present invention relates to a gripping module for gripping a retainer (or cage) for a bearing that has been injected from an injection mold, and a gripping device including the same.

More specifically, it relates to a tubular gripping module capable of gripping a retainer by expanding by air supply and releasing the gripping state of the retainer by contracting by releasing air, and a gripping device including the gripping module.

Bearings are parts that support parts such as axles to rotate smoothly.

For example, a ball bearing has an outer ring with a raceway formed on the inside, an inner ring with a raceway formed on the outside, balls located between the raceways of the outer ring and the inner ring to rotatably support the outer ring (or inner ring), and the spacing between the balls is constant. It is equipped with a retainer (or cage) to keep it in place.

The retainer is a plastic injection molded product with multiple ball pockets arranged in a circle.

In order to automate the collection of injected retainers, a transport means is needed to hold the retainers that have been injected from the injection mold and transport them to the loading location.

A variety of transport methods may be proposed, but a general method is to transport the retainer on which the injection mold has been completed to the packaging location via a conveyor.

However, since the retainer is not completely solidified immediately after injection, it has the problem that it can be deformed even by a mild impact during transport through the conveyor.

As an alternative to this, a tong-type gripping device can be proposed that grips and transports the injection-finished retainers one by one using a tongs method. In such a gripping device, the gripping part is made of metal or plastic material, so the shape of the immature and solidified retainer is changed during the gripping process. We still have this transformation problem.

The above-described prior art is only intended to improve understanding of the background of the present invention, and should not be taken as an admission that it corresponds to prior art already known to those skilled in the art.

(Document 1) Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1132638 (registered on March 27, 2012) (Document 2) Registered Patent Publication No. 10-0838626 (registered on June 10, 2008)

The present invention is to solve the conventional problems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a tubular gripping module that can grip a molded retainer stably and without damage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gripping device for gripping a molded retainer and its by-product, a runner.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is not limited to the technical problem mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. There will be.

One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is a gripping module for gripping a retainer injected from an injection mold, comprising: an air supply block provided with an air supply path therein; An air supply unit consisting of a head block provided at the front end of the air supply block and having a discharge passage for discharging air introduced through the air supply passage; An inner tube holder coupled to the inward side of the head block of the air supply block; an outer tube holder disposed on an outward side of the head block with the head block in between, and coupled to the inner tube holder; A ring-shaped removal pusher installed to allow elastic movement in a direction close to or distal to the inner tube holder; And surrounding the head part, the inner side is airtightly coupled to the inner tube holder, and the other side is airtightly coupled to the outer tube holder, and the outer diameter and width are adjusted by the air pressure emitted from the head part. As it expands, it grips the inner diameter portion of the retainer by its outer circumferential surface, and when the air pressure disappears, its outer diameter shrinks to a smaller size than the inner diameter of the retainer and releases the grip of the retainer; a gripping module comprising a flexible material. provided.

Preferably, when the grip tube is expanded, the removal pusher is pressed by the expansion force and retracts in the direction of the inner tube holder, and when the grip tube is contracted, it is advanced and grasped in the direction of the outer tube holder by the restoring elastic force of the spring. It may further include removing the retainer located on the outer diameter of the tube by pushing it.

Preferably, the removal pusher and the inner tube holder are connected by a guide pin, and a spring is interposed between the removal pusher and the inner tube holder of the guide pin, and the guide pin includes a fastening screw portion fastened to the removal pusher; A guide part integrated with the fastening screw part and slidably penetrating the inner tube holder through a gap between the removal pusher and the inner tube holder; It may be composed of a finishing bolt fastened to the end of the guide portion in the inner direction of the inner tube holder.

Preferably, an inclined pressure surface pressed by the inflatable grip tube may be provided on a surface of the removal pusher corresponding to the inner surface of the grip tube.

Another aspect of the present invention is a base plate; a plurality of gripping modules according to any one of claims 1 to 4 arranged in a square manner on the base plate; and a runner gripping module that is supported on the base plate and separately grips the runner between the retainers gripped by the gripping module.

Preferably, it may further include an air distributor for evenly distributing air to each gripping module while being supported on the base plate.

Preferably, the runner gripping module includes a housing fixed to the base plate; Clamps partially installed on one side of the housing and selectively holding the runner; and a tong driving member provided inside the housing, which retracts or opens the tongs.

Preferably, the tong driving member is a pneumatic cylinder, and the timing of pneumatic input and discharge of pneumatic pressure into the pneumatic cylinder may be controlled by a control unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a bearing retainer made of plastic that has not completely solidified immediately after molding is completed can be held stably and without damage by the air pressure of a flexible grip tube, thereby increasing reliability of the gripping process. there is.

In addition, the present invention can grip not only the retainer but also the runner generated during the molding process of the retainer, so that the necessary and unnecessary parts can be separated and recovered during the transport process of the molded product. Therefore, it contributes to process automation.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

1 is an overall perspective view of the gripping device according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view from the bottom of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the gripping module according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the head block, which is a part of the air supply unit according to the present invention;
Figure 5a is a combined cross-sectional view of the holding device according to the present invention, showing a state in which the retainer is held;
Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of the holding device according to the present invention with the retainer removed;
Figure 5c is a cross-sectional view of the holding device according to the present invention with the retainer removed.

The present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is therefore not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts that are not related to the description are omitted, and similar parts are given similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected (connected, contacted, combined)" with another part, this means not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" with another member in between. "Includes cases where it is. Additionally, when a part is said to “include” a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but that other components can be added, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

The terms used herein are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The attached Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of the gripping device according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the gripping module according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing above, the holding device 100 according to the present invention holds the bearing retainer (also referred to as 'cage', hereinafter collectively referred to as 'retainer') (1) that has been injected from an injection mold stably and without damage. It is for this purpose.

This gripping device 100 may include a base plate 200 and a gripping module 300.

The base plate 200 may be made of a flat metal material to firmly support the gripping module 300. Here, the metal base plate may have perforations 210 formed in other parts of the metal base plate except for the part where the gripping module 300 is coupled to reduce weight and material.

The gripping module 300 is a core component of the present invention, and serves to grip and release the retainer 1 while being installed on the base plate 200.

In this embodiment, it is illustrated that the gripping module 300 consists of a total of four. The four gripping modules have the same configuration and can be appropriately arranged on the base plate 200 according to the number of retainers taken out. In this case, an air distributor 390 may be installed to evenly distribute air to each gripping module 300.

The gripping module 300 may be specifically composed of an air supply unit 310, an inner tube holder 330, an outer tube holder 350, and a gripping tube 370.

The air supply unit 310 includes an air supply block 311, one end of which is coupled to the base plate 200 and an air supply passage 311a provided therein, and the air supply block 311 provided at the other end of the air supply block. It may be composed of a head block 312 having a discharge passage 312a that discharges air introduced through the supply passage.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the discharge passage 312a of the head block 312 includes a central passage 312a-1 in communication with the air supply passage 311a, and a radial passage from the central passage. It may be composed of a radiation passage (312a-2), and the outlet of the radiation passage (312a-2) may be arranged radially on the outer peripheral surface of the head block (312).

The inner tube holder 330 and the outer tube holder 350 serve to support the grip tube 370, and the inner tube holder 330 is connected to the head block 312 of the air supply block 311. It is disposed on the inward side, and the outer tube holder 350 is disposed on the outward side of the head block with the head block 312 interposed therebetween. Also, the inner tube holder 330 and the outer tube holder 350 can be coupled to each other using bolts or the like while maintaining a predetermined gap.

Here, a coupling rib 331 may be provided at the edge of the inner tube holder 330. The coupling rib 331 is used to elastically support the removal pusher, which will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the grip tube 370 is installed to surround the outside of the head block 312, and its inner and outer sides can be coupled to the inner and outer tube holders 330 and 350, respectively.

The grip tube 370 is made of a flexible material such as silicone or rubber that guarantees airtightness, and its outer diameter (d) and width (w) are expanded by the air pressure flowing from the head block 312. As the outer diameter expands, the inner diameter (1a) of the retainer (1) is gripped by air pressure, and when the air supply is stopped, the outer diameter shrinks and the grip of the retainer (1) is released.

Since the grip tube 370 is uniformly expanded by the air pressure radially ejected from the radial passage 312a-2, the entire inner peripheral surface of the retainer 1 can be stably gripped when the retainer 1 is gripped.

Therefore, during transportation of the retainer 1, arbitrary removal of the retainer due to unstable grip can be prevented, and stable posture can be maintained during movement due to stable grip.

The grip tube 370 may be provided with openings 371 on the inner and outer surfaces opposite each tube holder for screw coupling between the inner tube holder 330 and the outer tube holder 350.

Here, the grip tube 370 may be fused to the inner and outer tube holders 330 and 350 to seal the opening 371. Because the grip tube 370 can be easily melted by heating due to the nature of the material, fusion with each of the tube holders 330 and 350 can be easily performed. However, as a bonding method, not only a fusion method but also an adhesive method can be applied, and of course, other bonding methods can also be applied if the conditions for confidentiality are satisfied.

The holding device 100 according to the present invention may further include a removal pusher 380 for completely removing the retainer 1 in a released state from the holding device by pushing it.

The removal pusher 380 has a ring shape and is located on the outer peripheral surface of the gripping tube 370.

When the grip tube 370 is expanded, the removal pusher 380 is pressed by the expansion force in the width direction and retracts in the direction of the inner tube holder 330. When the grip tube 370 is contracted, it is moved by the restoring force of the spring 386. As it moves forward in the direction of the outer tube holder 350, the retainer (1) whose gripping force has been released is pushed and removed.

Here, it is preferable that an inclined pressing surface 381, which is pressed by the gripping tube 370 that expands in the width direction, is provided on a portion of the removal pusher 380 that corresponds to the inner surface of the gripping tube 370.

Meanwhile, the removal pusher 380 and the inner tube holder 330 may be connected by a guide pin 385.

The guide pin 385 is integrated with the fastening screw portion 385a fastened to the removal pusher 380 and passes through the gap between the removal pusher 380 and the inner tube holder 330 to the inner side. It may be composed of a guide portion (385b) that slides through the coupling rib (331) of the tube holder, and a finishing bolt (385c) fastened to the end of the guide portion (385b) in the inner direction of the inner tube holder (330). there is.

The guide pin 385 is in a state where it can slide in the thickness direction of the coupling rib 331 within the elastic range of the spring 386, and the guide pin 385 is removed by the fastening screw portion 385a and the pusher 380. Since it is in a fastened state, the removal pusher 380 can also move elastically together with the guide pin 390.

Therefore, when the grip tube 370 is expanded, the removal pusher 380 compresses the spring 386 by the expansion pressure and moves in a direction closer to the inner tube holder 330, and when the grip tube 370 is contracted, As the expansion pressure disappears, the removal pusher 380 moves forward while being dominated by the elastic force of the spring 386, and in this process, the retainer 1 in a state in which the grip is released is pushed outward from the grip tube 370 to be removed. do.

The gripping device 100 according to the present invention may further include a runner gripping module 395 for gripping the runner 2 located between the four retainers 1.

The runner gripping module 395 includes a housing 395a fixed on the base plate 200, a tongs 395b that is partially installed on one side of the housing and selectively grips the runner 2, and , provided inside the housing 395a, may be configured in detail with a tongs driving member (not shown) that retracts or opens the tongs (395b).

Here, it is preferable that the inner surface of the tongs 395b be uneven or knurled to enhance the gripping force.

Additionally, a pneumatic (or hydraulic) cylinder may be applied to the tongs driving member, and the operation of the tongs driving member may be controlled by the control unit (c).

The control unit (c) controls the advance and retreat of the tongs driving member, ultimately controlling the retraction and opening of the tongs (395b). Therefore, when picking up the runner (2), the tongs (395b) are opened, when gripping the runner (2), the tongs (395b) are retracted, and when dropping the runner (2), the tongs (395b) are opened. The operation of is controlled according to established rules.

For reference, the four retainers may be connected by a runner (2). The runner (2) serves as a supply channel for supplying molten molding material when molding the four retainers (1) in the injection mold (h). Since it is an unnecessary part for the function of the product, it is used after molding is completed. It must be removed. The runner can be separated from the retainer by the function of the injection mold itself when ejecting, but if it is not recovered, it will disturb the area around the injection mold, so after gripping the runner (2) by the runner gripping module 395, It has the effect of dropping the runner into a runner recovery bin for separate recovery.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The attached FIG. 4 is a combined cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, showing a state in which air is supplied to the air tube, and FIG. 5 is a combined cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, showing a state in which air is discharged from the air tube.

First, referring to FIG. 4, when holding the retainer 1, place the holding device 100 in front of the ejection port of the injection mold (h), and then place the ejected retainer 1 on the outer peripheral surface of the holding tube 370. Place it on top.

In this state, when air is supplied through the air supply passage (311a) of the air supply block (311), the supplied air is supplied to the grip tube (370) through the radiation passage (312a-2) of the head block (312). Releases air inside.

When air is released into the grip tube 370, the outer diameter (d) and width (w) of the grip tube are expanded by air pressure. As the outer diameter (d) expands toward the inner diameter (1a) of the retainer (1), the inner diameter of the retainer (1) is held by the expansion pressure, and the expansion of the width (w) pushes the removal pusher (380) into the inner tube holder ( 330) direction is applied. Accordingly, the removal pusher 380 is moved toward the inner tube holder 330 while compressing the spring 386.

As a result, the gripping of the retainer 1 by the gripping device 100 is completed. This gripping structure enables stable gripping by generally gripping the inner diameter portion of the retainer (1) by the air pressure of the gripping tube (370), and since gripping is not done by mechanical pressure, it prevents deformation and damage of the retainer (1). It can also be prevented.

Meanwhile, along with the gripping of the retainer 1 by the gripping tube 370, the tongs 395b of the runner gripping module 395 are retracted by the tongs driving member to also grip the runner 2.

Next, when removing the retainer (1), move the gripping device (100) to an appropriate location using a transfer robot, etc., and then cut off the air supply to the air supply block (311), thereby reducing the air pressure in the gripping tube (370). As this disappears, the grip tube shrinks.

The outer diameter of the contracted grip tube 370 becomes smaller than the inner diameter of the retainer 1, so that the grip of the retainer is released, and the pressing force applied to the removal pusher 380 disappears due to the contraction of the width w. The removal pusher 380 is pushed outward by the tensile elastic force of the compressed spring 386.

As the removal pusher 380 is pushed outward, the retainer 1 located on the grip tube 370 is pushed outward in a chain reaction, thereby removing the retainer.

Meanwhile, during the process of moving the gripping device 100 using a transfer robot or the like to remove the retainer 1, the tongs 395b of the runner gripping module 395 are opened by the tongs driving member. Accordingly, the grip of the runner 2 is released, allowing the runner to be recovered separately.

The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical idea of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible to those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but are for illustrative purposes, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted in accordance with the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

1: Retainer 1a: Inner diameter
2: Runner h: Injection mold
100: gripping device 200: base plate
300: Gripping module 310: Air supply unit
311: air supply block 312: head block
330: inner tube holder 350: outer tube holder
370: Holding tube 380: Removal pusher
385: guide pin 386: spring
390: Air distributor 395: Runner grip module

Claims (8)

A gripping module for gripping a retainer injected from an injection mold,
An air supply block with an internal air supply path; An air supply unit consisting of a head block provided at the front end of the air supply block and having a discharge passage for discharging air introduced through the air supply passage;
an inner tube holder coupled to the inward side of the head block of the air supply block;
an outer tube holder disposed on an outward side of the head block with the head block in between, and coupled to the inner tube holder;
A ring-shaped removal pusher installed to allow elastic movement in a direction close to or distal to the inner tube holder; and
Surrounding the head part, the inner side is airtightly coupled to the inner tube holder, and the other side is airtightly coupled to the outer tube holder, and the outer diameter and width are adjusted by the air pressure emitted from the head part. A gripping module made of a flexible material that grips the inner diameter portion of the retainer by its outer circumferential surface as it expands, and when the air pressure disappears, its outer diameter shrinks to a smaller size than the inner diameter of the retainer and releases the grip of the retainer.
In claim 1,
The removal pusher is,
When the grip tube is expanded, it is pressed by the expansion force and retracts in the direction of the inner tube holder, and when the grip tube is contracted, it advances in the direction of the outer tube holder by the restoring elastic force of the spring, and the grip tube located on the outer diameter portion of the grip tube A gripping module that further includes removing the retainer by pushing it.
In claim 2,
The removal pusher and the inner tube holder are connected by a guide pin, and a spring is intervened in the section between the removal pusher of the guide pin and the inner tube holder,
The guide pin is,
A fastening screw portion fastened to the removal pusher;
A guide part integrated with the fastening screw part and slidably penetrating the inner tube holder through a gap between the removal pusher and the inner tube holder;
A gripping module further comprising a finishing bolt fastened to an end of the guide portion in the inner direction of the inner tube holder.
In claim 2,
The gripping module is provided with an inclined pressure surface pressed by the inflatable gripping tube on a surface of the removal pusher corresponding to the inner surface of the gripping tube.
base plate;
a plurality of gripping modules according to any one of claims 1 to 4 arranged in a square manner on the base plate; and
A gripping device comprising: a runner gripping module that is supported on the base plate and separately grips the runner between the retainers gripped by the gripping module.
In claim 5,
The gripping device further includes an air distributor supported on the base plate to evenly distribute air to each of the gripping modules.
In claim 5,
The runner gripping module is,
a housing fixed to the base plate;
Clamps partially installed on one side of the housing and selectively holding the runner; and
A gripping device comprising: a tong driving member provided inside the housing and retracting or opening the tongs.
In claim 7,
The clamp driving member is a pneumatic cylinder, and the timing of pneumatic input and discharge of pneumatic pressure into the pneumatic cylinder is controlled by a control unit.

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