TWM652984U - Tray feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

A tray feeder includes a conveyor belt and a lifting mechanism. The conveyor belt is used to convey the tray to a release position. The lifting mechanism includes a lifter, which is used to support the tray and move the tray upward when the tray moves to the release position; and a pusher, which is used to push the tray in a transverse direction so that the tray is positioned in the transverse direction relative to the conveyor belt. By setting the lifter supporting the tray, even if the tray itself is not strong enough, the tray will not be bent by the picking tool when the picking tool picks up the assembly from the tray. Furthermore, by setting the pusher, the tray can be properly positioned in the transverse direction so that the picking tool can properly take out the assembly from the tray.

Description

Tray Feeder

The invention relates to a conveying equipment, in particular to a pallet feeder.

Conventional tray feeders include a conveyor belt for transporting a tray carrying a plurality of components, after which the tray is transported to a release position and the components are removed, for example, by a robot arm.

However, the conveyor belt of the traditional pallet feeder is only supported on the transverse edge of the pallet, leaving the center of the pallet unsupported. If the pallet is not strong enough, when the robot arm picks up the assembly from the pallet, the force applied by the robot arm will cause the pallet to bend, and the assembly left on the pallet will be displaced due to the deformation of the pallet.

In addition, the relative displacement between the pallet and the conveyor belt from the lateral direction of the conveyor belt to the forward direction is not restricted, so that the pallet may not be properly positioned in the lateral direction, making it impossible for the robot arm to properly pick up the assembly.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tray feeder that can solve at least one problem of the prior art.

The practical new type of tray feeder includes a conveyor belt and a lifting mechanism, wherein the conveyor belt is used to convey the tray to the release position, and the lifting mechanism includes a lifter, which is used to support the tray and move the tray upward when the tray moves to the release position; and a push member, which is used to push the tray in a horizontal direction so that the tray is positioned in the horizontal direction relative to the conveyor belt.

In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism further includes a restricting member, the pushing member and the restricting member are respectively located on two opposite sides of the pallet, the restricting member includes a guide surface, and the restricting member includes a guide surface on the pallet. During the upward displacement process driven by the lifter, the guide surface is used for the pallet to abut in the transverse direction.

In one embodiment, the guide surface is an inclined surface.

In one embodiment, the lifter includes a platform and a lift drive connected to the platform for driving the platform, and the platform is used to move upward to support and move the tray.

In one embodiment, the tray has a bottom edge, and the upward displacement of the tray is limited by the bottom edge of the tray abutting against the bottom end of the limiting member.

In one embodiment, the tray feeder further includes a distribution mechanism and a frame, the distribution mechanism includes a support unit, the support unit includes a receiving member that can be driven to move up and down, the frame includes a plurality of tray guides, which cooperate to define a holding space for holding the tray, the receiving member is used to receive one tray at the bottom of the holding space at a time, and transport it to the release position through the conveyor belt.

In one embodiment, the dispensing mechanism further includes a maintenance unit, the maintenance unit includes a plurality of maintenance cylinders and a plurality of bolts driven by the maintenance cylinders, the bolts can be The driver extends into the maintenance space and retracts out of the maintenance space. The bolt extends into the maintenance space and stops under the penultimate tray located at the bottom. The receiving member accepts all the bottom trays. The tray is placed on the conveyor belt.

In one embodiment, the receiving member can be driven to be in the highest position, the middle position and the lowest position. In the highest position, the receiving member supports the trays stacked in the holding space. In the middle position, the tray at the bottom of the holding space is located below the bolt, so that the bolt can be driven to extend into the holding space to be partially located below the second-to-last tray at the bottom, and the receiving member receives the tray at the bottom of the holding space. In the lowest position, the tray received by the receiving member is placed on the conveyor belt.

In one embodiment, the support unit further includes a vacuum nozzle disposed on the receiving member, which is used to absorb the tray on the receiving member.

In one embodiment, the tray feeder further includes a storage container, the storage container stores the dispensing mechanism and the frame, and the storage container has an opening located on a side away from the far end of the lifting mechanism. , the pallet is moved out of the pallet feeder via the opening via the conveyor belt.

The beneficial effect of the utility model is that: through the setting of the lifter supporting the tray, even if the tray itself is not strong enough, the tray will not be bent by the picking tool when the picking tool picks up the assembly from the tray. Furthermore, through the setting of the push member, the tray can be properly positioned in the horizontal direction so that the picking tool can properly take out the assembly from the tray.

1:Tray

11: Bottom edge

2: Conveyor belt

21: Conveyor belt

3:Lifting mechanism

31: Lifter

311:Platform

312: Lifting drive

32: Push piece

33: Restricted items

331:Guide surface

332: bottom

4: Distribution agency

41:Support unit

411: First cylinder

412:Second cylinder

413: Acceptance items

414: Vacuum nozzle

42:Maintenance unit

421: Maintain cylinder

422: Bolts

5: Frame

50: Maintaining space

51:Pallet guide

6: Storage container

61:Open your mouth

7: Sensing unit

71: First sensor

72: Second sensor

73:Third sensor

74:Fourth sensor

Other features and functions of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating an embodiment of a tray feeder of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a lifting mechanism of the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a platform and a pusher of the lifting mechanism; FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating that the platform moves a tray upward; FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating that the pusher pushes the tray toward a limiting member; FIG. 6 is a partial three-dimensional diagram illustrating that a distribution mechanism of the embodiment Mechanism; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a receiving member of the distribution mechanism in a highest position; FIG. 8 is a side view showing the receiving member in a middle position; FIG. 9 is a side view showing that the bolt of the distribution mechanism of the embodiment extends into a holding space; FIG. 10 is a side view showing that the receiving member is in a lowest position; FIG. 11 is a three-dimensional view showing another embodiment of the tray feeder according to the utility model; and FIG. 12 is a three-dimensional view showing a sensing unit of the tray feeder according to the utility model.

The utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, an embodiment of the tray feeder according to the present invention is used to transport trays 1 each carrying at least one assembly, and includes a conveyor belt 2 and a lifting mechanism 3, the conveyor belt 2 is used to transport the trays 1 along the way, and the lifting mechanism 3 is located on the conveying path of the conveyor belt 2 and includes a lifter 31, a push member 32 and a limiter 33. In one embodiment, the conveyor belt 2 includes two conveyor belts 21 spaced apart from each other along a transverse direction across the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 2, and in one embodiment, the lifter 31 includes a platform 311 and a lifting driver 312 connected to the platform 311 and used to drive the platform 311 to rise and fall.

When the conveyor belt 2 transports the pallet 1, the platform 311 is spaced apart from the pallet 1. When the pallet 1 is conveyed by the conveyor belt 2 to the release position where the platform 311 is located below the pallet 1, the conveyor belt 2 stops.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the platform 311 then moves upward to support and move the pallet 1 , and separate the pallet 1 upward from the conveyor belt 2 . In one embodiment, the restricting member 33 is located on the movement path of the pallet 1 and includes a guide surface 331 . When the pallet 1 is driven upward by the platform 311 , the guide surface 331 can provide space for the pallet in the lateral direction. 1. In one embodiment, the guide surface 331 is an inclined plane that matches the outer edge of the pallet 1 and is inclined in the up and down direction, and the pallet 1 may have a bottom edge 11 for abutting a bottom end 332 of the restriction member 33 To limit the upward displacement of pallet 1.

The push member 32 and the limit member 33 are located on opposite sides of the pallet 1, respectively. See Figure 5. After the pallet 1 is separated from the conveyor belt 2 and supported by the platform 311, the push member 32 pushes the pallet 1 toward the limit member 33, so that the pallet 1 is clamped between the push member 32 and the limit member 33 to be positioned relative to the conveyor belt 2. In this way, a picking tool (not shown) can properly pick up the assembly from the pallet 1. After the pallet 1 is released, that is, after all the assemblies of the pallet 1 have been taken, the push member 32 retracts, and the platform 311 descends to place the pallet 1 on the conveyor belt 2.

By setting the platform 311 of the lifter 31 supporting the tray 1, even if the tray 1 itself is not strong enough, the tray 1 will not be bent by the picking tool when the picking tool picks up the assembly from the tray 1. Furthermore, by setting the push member 32, the tray 1 can be properly positioned in the horizontal direction so that the picking tool can properly take out the assembly from the tray 1.

Referring to Figures 1, 6 and 7, the tray feeder may further include a distribution mechanism 4 for distributing multiple trays 1 one at a time, and a frame 5 for maintaining the trays 1. In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism 3 and the distribution mechanism 4 are respectively located at the two ends of the conveying path of the conveyor belt 2.

The distribution mechanism 4 includes a support unit 41 and a maintenance unit 42. In one embodiment, the support unit 41 includes a first cylinder 411, a second cylinder 412 and a receiving member 413. The first cylinder 411 and the second cylinder 412 Connected in series, the receiving member 413 can be driven by the first cylinder 411 and the second cylinder 412 to displace between a highest position (see Figure 7), an intermediate position (see Figures 8 and 9) and a lowest position (see Figure 10) . In one embodiment, the maintenance unit 42 includes a plurality of maintenance cylinders 421 and a plurality of bolts 422 which are respectively connected to and driven by the maintenance cylinder 421. In one embodiment, the frame 5 includes a plurality of pallet guides. Parts 51 cooperate to define a holding space 50 for holding the pallet 1 . The bolt 422 can be driven to extend into the holding space 50 and retracted out of the holding space 50. The bolt 422 extends into the holding space 50 and stops under the second-to-last pallet 1 located at the bottom. The receiving member 413 accepts the bottom pallet 1. The pallet 1 is placed on the conveyor belt 2 , and the receiving member 413 is used to receive the pallet 1 located at the bottom of the holding space 50 one at a time, and transport it to the release position through the conveyor belt 2 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , first, the receiving member 413 is at the highest position, and a plurality of trays 1 are stacked one on top of another in the holding space 50 and supported by the receiving member 413 , and the bolt 422 is retracted from the holding space 50 .

Referring to FIG. 8 , the receiving member 413 then descends to the middle position so that the tray 1 at the bottom of the holding space 50 is located below the bolt 422 .

Next, referring to FIG. 9 , the bolt 422 is then driven to extend into the holding space 50 when the receiving member 413 is maintained in the middle position so as to be partially located below the second-to-last tray 1 at the bottom, while the receiving member 413 still receives the tray 1 at the bottom of the holding space 50.

Referring to FIG. 10 , the receiving member 413 then receives only the lowest pallet 1 when the remaining pallets 1 are supported by the bolt 422 and moves to the lowest position to place the lowest pallet 1 on the conveyor belt 2 .

By removing the bolt 422 from the maintenance space 50 and by moving the receiving member 413 back to the highest position, the aforementioned actions can be repeated, so that the receiving member 413 receives one pallet 1 located at the bottom of the maintaining space 50 at a time, and passes The conveyor belt 2 is transported to the release position.

In one embodiment, the support unit 41 may include a plurality of vacuum nozzles 414, which are disposed on the receiving member 413 and are used to absorb the tray 1 located on the receiving member 413, for example, to absorb the bottom edge 11 of the tray 1. The vacuum nozzles 414 are turned on when the bottom tray 1 is lowered from the receiving member 413, and are turned off when the bottom tray 1 is located on the conveyor belt 2.

Referring again to Figure 11, in one embodiment, the tray feeder may also include a storage container 6 that accommodates the dispensing mechanism 4 and the frame 5. The storage container 6 has an opening 61 located on one side of the far end of the lifting mechanism 3. The pallet 1 can be removed from the pallet feeder via the opening 61 via the conveyor belt 2 after the assembly has been released. It should be noted that the container 6 is not an essential component and may be omitted in other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 12 again, in one embodiment, the tray feeder may further include a sensing unit 7, wherein the sensing unit 7 includes a first sensor 71, a second sensor 72, a third sensor 73, and a fourth sensor 74. The first sensor 71 is disposed on the side of the lifting mechanism 3 away from the frame 5 to sense the tray 1 at the release position. The second sensor 72 is disposed below the receiving member 413 to sense the tray 1 at the bottom of the frame 5. The third sensor 73 is disposed on one of the tray guides 51 of the frame 5 to sense whether the number of trays 1 stacked on the frame 5 is still sufficient. The fourth sensor 74 is disposed on the side of the conveyor belt 2 away from the lifting mechanism 3 to sense the tray moving out of the tray feeder.

However, the above is only an example of the implementation of this new model, and it cannot be used to limit the scope of the implementation of this new model. All simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application of this new model and the content of the patent specification are still within the scope of this new patent.

2: Conveyor belt

3: Lifting mechanism

4: Distribution agency

5: Frame

Claims (10)

A tray feeder comprises: a conveyor belt for conveying a tray to a release position; and a lifting mechanism, including a lifter for supporting the tray and moving the tray upward when the tray moves to the release position; and a push member for pushing the tray in a lateral direction so that the tray is positioned in the lateral direction relative to the conveyor belt. The pallet feeder according to claim 1, wherein the lifting mechanism further includes a restricting member, the pushing member and the restricting member are respectively located on two opposite sides of the pallet, and the restricting member includes A guide surface for the tray to abut in the transverse direction during the upward displacement of the tray driven by the lifter. A tray feeder as described in claim 2, wherein the guide surface is an inclined surface. A tray feeder as described in claim 2, wherein the lifter includes a platform and a lift drive connected to the platform for driving the platform, and the platform is used to move upward to support and move the tray. The tray feeder according to claim 2, wherein the tray has a bottom edge, and the bottom edge of the tray abuts against a bottom end of the limiting member to limit the upward displacement of the tray. The pallet feeder according to claim 1, wherein the pallet feeder further includes a distribution mechanism and a body, the distribution mechanism includes a support unit, the support unit includes a support unit that can be driven to lift and displace. The receiving member, the frame body includes a plurality of tray guides, which cooperate to define a maintenance space for maintaining the tray, and the receiving member The component is used to receive the pallet located at the bottom of the maintenance space one at a time, and transport it to the release position through the conveyor belt. The pallet feeder according to claim 6, wherein the dispensing mechanism further includes a maintenance unit, the maintenance unit includes a plurality of maintenance cylinders and a plurality of bolts driven by the maintenance cylinders, the bolts It can be driven to extend into the maintenance space and retract to exit the maintenance space. The bolt extends into the maintenance space and stops under the penultimate tray located at the bottom. The receiving piece accepts the bottom of the pallet and placed on the conveyor belt. The pallet feeder of claim 7, wherein the receiving member can be driven to a highest position, a middle position and a lowest position, and in the highest position, the receiving member supports stacking in the maintaining space. When the tray is in the intermediate position, the lowermost tray in the maintenance space is located below the bolt, so that the bolt can be driven to extend into the maintenance space to be partially located at the bottom below the penultimate pallet, and the receiving member accepts the pallet located at the bottom of the maintenance space. When it is in the lowest position, the pallet received by the receiving member is placed on on the conveyor belt. The pallet feeder according to claim 6, wherein the support unit further includes a vacuum nozzle provided on the receiving member for sucking the pallet located on the receiving member. The tray feeder as described in claim 6, wherein the tray feeder further comprises a container, the container accommodates the distribution mechanism and the frame, the container has an opening on one side far from the lifting mechanism, and the tray is moved out of the tray feeder through the opening via the conveyor belt.

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