Automatic feeding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875075-B2
Application number	US-201816212769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

An automatic feeding system adapted to arrange a variety of components having different shapes comprises a storage apparatus and a first conveying device. The storage apparatus includes loaded storage devices loaded with the components and unloaded storage devices unloaded with the components. The first conveying apparatus includes a pair of first support frames disposed opposite to each other, a loading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to convey the unloaded storage devices to a loading position to load the components thereon and change the unloaded storage devices to loaded storage devices, and an unloading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to receive the loaded storage devices conveyed from the loading position. The unloading conveying apparatus conveys the unloaded storage devices to the loading conveying apparatus after the components on the loaded storage devices are picked up by a pick-up apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic feeding system adapted to arrange a variety of components having different shapes, comprising:
a storage apparatus including a plurality of loaded storage devices loaded with the components and a plurality of unloaded storage devices unloaded with the components; and
a first conveying apparatus including:
a pair of first support frames disposed opposite to each other;
a loading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to convey the unloaded storage devices to a loading position to load the components thereon and change the unloaded storage devices to loaded storage devices;
an unloading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to receive the loaded storage devices conveyed from the loading position, the unloading conveying apparatus configured to convey the unloaded storage devices to the loading conveying apparatus after the components on the loaded storage devices are picked up by a pick-up apparatus; and
a plurality of engaging devices each configured to slidably engage the storage devices with a guide rail of the loading conveying apparatus or the unloading carrying apparatus, each of the plurality of engaging devices includes a sliding plate frictionally engaged with and driven by the loading conveying apparatus or the unloading carrying apparatus along the guide rail.

2. The automatic feeding system of claim 1 , wherein the loaded storage devices and the unloaded storage devices are conveyed by the first conveying apparatus at different moving speeds.

3. The automatic feeding system of claim 1 , wherein the loading conveying apparatus includes a first conveyor belt, a plurality of first rotatory rollers mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive the first conveyor belt to move circularly, and a first motor mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive at least one of the first rotatory rollers to rotate, and the unloading conveying apparatus includes a second conveyor belt, a plurality of second rotatory rollers mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive the second conveyor belt to move circularly, and a second motor mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive at least one of the second rotatory rollers to rotate.

4. The automatic feeding system of claim 3 , wherein the first conveying apparatus further comprises a detecting assembly configured to detect a state of the storage apparatus located on the unloading conveying apparatus.

5. The automatic feeding system of claim 4 , wherein, when the detecting assembly detects a loaded state of the storage apparatus, the second motor is configured to stop rotation such that the components can be picked up by the pick-up apparatus, and when the detecting assembly detects an unloaded state of the storage apparatus, the second motor is configured to drive the second conveyor belt to move at a speed higher than that of the first conveyor belt.

6. The automatic feeding system of claim 4 , wherein the detecting assembly includes a light source mounted within the first support frames and configured to emit light to the storage apparatus and a light receiver mounted above the storage apparatus and configured to determine the loaded state or the unloaded state of the components on the storage apparatus based on a light beam received from the light source through the storage apparatus.

7. The automatic feeding system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a loading apparatus configured to provide the variety of components;
a dispersing apparatus configured to disperse the components unloaded from the loading apparatus into a plurality of separated components; and
a posture adjusting apparatus configured to adjust the component received from the dispersing apparatus to a predetermined posture and move the component in the predetermined posture to the storage apparatus.

8. The automatic feeding system of claim 7 , further comprising a recycling apparatus configured to convey the components dropped from the dispersing apparatus, the posture adjusting apparatus, and the storage apparatus to the loading apparatus.

9. The automatic feeding system of claim 7 , further comprising an identifying apparatus configured to identify a type and a posture of the component on the storage apparatus, the pick-up apparatus is adapted to pick up a respective component based on an identification result of the identifying apparatus.

10. The automatic feeding system of claim 9 , wherein the identifying apparatus includes a second support frame and a camera mounted on the second support frame, the camera is configured to identify an image of the component stored on the storage apparatus.

11. An automatic feeding system adapted to arrange a variety of components having different shapes, comprising:
a storage apparatus including a plurality of loaded storage devices loaded with the components and a plurality of unloaded storage devices unloaded with the components; and
a first conveying apparatus including a pair of first support frames disposed opposite to each other, a loading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to convey the unloaded storage devices to a loading position to load the components thereon and change the unloaded storage devices to loaded storage devices, and an unloading conveying apparatus mounted between the first support frames and configured to receive the loaded storage devices conveyed from the loading position, the unloading conveying apparatus configured to convey the unloaded storage devices to the loading conveying apparatus after the components on the loaded storage devices are picked up by a pick-up apparatus,
wherein the loading conveying apparatus includes a first conveyor belt, a plurality of first rotatory rollers mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive the first conveyor belt to move circularly, and a first motor mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive at least one of the first rotatory rollers to rotate, and the unloading conveying apparatus includes a second conveyor belt, a plurality of second rotatory rollers mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive the second conveyor belt to move circularly, and a second motor mounted on the first support frame and configured to drive at least one of the second rotatory rollers to rotate, and
wherein the first conveying apparatus includes:
a plurality of engaging devices each configured to engage the storage device to the first conveyor belt or the second conveyor belt, each of the plurality of engaging devices is driven by the first conveyor belt or the second conveyor belt; and
a guide rail mounted on the first support frames and surrounding the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, the guide rail is slidably engaged with the storage apparatus and the storage apparatus is held on the guide rail while moving circularly with the first conveyor belt or the second conveyor belt.

12. The automatic feeding system of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of engaging devices includes:
a base mounted on the storage apparatus;
a driven mechanism engaged with the first conveyor belt and/or the second conveyor belt, the engaging device is driven to move by the first conveyor belt or the second conveyor belt; and
a holding mechanism configured to hold the guide rail on the engaging device, the storage apparatus is driven to move circularly along the guide rail by the first conveyor belt or the second conveyor belt.

13. The automatic feeding system of claim 12 , wherein the driven mechanism includes a sliding

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
• Te Connectivity Corp

Inventors

• Wang Changjun
• Zhang Dandan
• Lu Roberto Francisco-Yi
• Deng Yingcong
• Hu lvhai

Classifications

• B23P19/001 Primary

  Article feeders for assembling machines (screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045) · CPC title

• G05B2219/39479

  Grip, release again to put object in correct position in tray, regrip and move · CPC title

• G05B2219/40007

  Optimize sequence of pick and place operations upon arrival of workpiece on conveyor · CPC title

• B21D43/18 Primary

  by means in pneumatic or magnetic engagement with the work · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title