End effector for torpedo car capping robot and capping method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025345943-A1
Application number	US-202318878849-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2023
Priority date	Jun 27, 2022
Publication date	Nov 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An end effector for a torpedo car capping robot and a capping method thereof. which effector and method belong to the field of robot control. The end effector at least comprises: a pickup and release unit, a buffer unit, a heat preservation cover distance measurement unit, an end effector structure protection unit and a pneumatic execution unit. The capping method comprises: by means of a heat preservation cover visual system, identifying the center of a heat preservation cover at the current position to be subjected to picking up, feeding back the center to a robot system, and a pickup center position of an end effector moving to the position right above the center of the heat preservation cover; by means of a numerical value which is fed back by a heat preservation cover distance measurement unit, driving the robot system to descend with the end effector and pick up the heat preservation cover; and a tank opening visual system identifying the current direction of a tank opening of a torpedo car, feeding back data to the robot system, guiding the robot system to move to the position above the tank opening, and releasing the heat preservation cover, so as to complete a capping operation. A robot is automatically guided to perform accurate capping operation on a tank opening of a torpedo car, thereby ensuring the safety of an operation device and an operated object during the whole operation process.

First claim

1 . An end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car, wherein the end effector comprises:
1) a picking and releasing unit, configured to pick up and release a thermal insulation cover; comprising: a suction cup for picking up and releasing the thermal insulation cover, and a retractable air pipe for providing compressed gas and a guide rod for fixing the retractable air pipe; wherein the retractable air pipe is fitted into the guide rod, so that the retractable air pipe can only move in an axial direction of the guide rod; 2) a buffer unit, configured to connect the suction cup with a component mounting plate on the end effector; comprising: a buffer support rod that can make a compression stroke between the suction cup and the component mounting plate and a buffer support rod bushing that increases a contact stroke between the buffer support rod and the component mounting plate; wherein an L-shaped stopper is fixed above the buffer support rod bushing; the buffer support rod is distributed in four holes on the component mounting plate, and the four holes are arranged in a square or rectangular shape; the diameter of the four holes on the component mounting plate is slightly larger than the diameter of the buffer support rod; and a detection device is arranged on the component mounting plate; 3) a thermal insulation cover distance detection unit, configured to detect a relative distance between the thermal insulation cover and the component mounting plate; comprising: a laser rangefinder for performing detection; wherein the component mounting plate has a rectangular hole in a distance monitoring area of the laser rangefinder, so that a detection beam of the laser rangefinder can be directed directly below the component mounting plate; 4) an end effector structure protection unit, configured to detect a compression amount of the buffer support rod; comprising: a photoelectric sensor for performing detection; wherein a group of photoelectric sensors comprises two, and the two photoelectric sensors are fixedly installed between a fixing bracket and the component mounting plate; the two photoelectric sensors in a single group are arranged up and down, and are fixedly installed toward an axis direction of the end effector; 5) a pneumatic actuator unit, configured to control a flow direction of the compressed gas inside the suction cup; comprising: a two-position three-way solenoid valve and double-head two-group connectors for performing air path control; wherein an air inlet of the two-position three-way solenoid valve is connected to the compressed gas, and the two air outlets are respectively connected to the double-head two-group connectors, one of the double-head two-group connectors is connected to magnetic force generating ports of the four suction cups, and the other double-head two-group connector is connected to magnetic force eliminating ports of the four suction cups, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the suction cups through the two-position three-way solenoid valve; 6) an end effector protective cover shell unit, configured to provide closed protection for components set inside the end effector; comprising: an angle steel frame for reinforcing the frame structure and a sealing plate for enclosing the components at the front end of the end effector, and a suction cup protective cover shell to prevent direct collision with the suction cup during movement; and 7) a heat dissipation unit, configured to block high-temperature exhaust gas and dust to be outside the end effector; comprising: a gas distribution block for performing gas distribution and a retractable and bendable air pipe nozzle, wherein the connected air path is dispersed through the gas distribution block and then connected to the air pipe nozzle respectively, the compressed gas released by the air pipe nozzle blocks the high-temperature exhaust gas and dust in the working environment to be outside the end effector.

2 . The end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein the end effector further comprises a thermal insulation cover/tank opening visual system used for identifying a center position of the thermal insulation cover/tank opening at the pick-up position, and feeding back the center position to the robot system; comprising: a thermal insulation cover visual camera and/or a tank opening visual camera.

3 . The end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein the suction cup is a permanent magnetic pneumatic suction cup or an electromagnetic suction cup.

4 . The end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein the buffer support rod and the suction cup are connected and fixed by a ball joint.

5 . The end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein the buffer support rod bushing is fixedly installed between the component mounting plate and the buffer support rod.

6 . The end effector of the robot for capping a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein, in the end effector structure protection unit, the detection device fixed on the component mounting plate is a photoelectric sensor.

7 . The end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , wherein the suction cup protective cover shell in the end effector protective cover shell unit has a lower end whose horizontal plane is higher than the horizontal plane of the bottom surface of the suction cup in the extreme pressing position.

8 . A capping method of the end effector for a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 1 , comprising at least the following steps:
1) after the end effector moves to the top of the thermal insulation cover, identifying, by the thermal insulation cover visual system, the center of the thermal insulation cover at the current pick-up position, and feeding back to the robot system, and moving the pickup center of the end effector to be directly above the center of the thermal insulation cover; 2) driving the robot system by using the value fed back by the thermal insulation cover distance detection unit to descend with the end effector and pick up the thermal insulation cover, and in this process, if a measurement deviation of the value fed back by the thermal insulation cover distance detection unit occurs and causes the descent stroke to be too large, thereby endangering the mechanical structure of the end effector, monitoring, by the end effector structure protection unit, a compression amount of the buffer unit at all times, and when the compression amount reaches the critical compression amount, sending out information and driving the robot system to stop descending and lift upwards; and 3 . when the end effector moves to the top of the tank opening of the torpedo car, identifying, by the tank opening visual system, a current position of the tank opening of the torpedo car, and feeding back data to the robot system, and after guiding the robot system to move to the top of the tank opening of the torpedo car, completing a capping operation by releasing the thermal insulation cover.

9 . The capping method of the end effector of a robot for capping for a torpedo car according to claim 8 , wherein the capping method specifically comprises the following steps:
1) after the end effector moves to the top of the thermal insulation cover, activating the thermal insulation cover visual camera, and taking a photo of the thermal insulation cover and identifying to find a center position; thereafter, feeding back, by the thermal insulation cover visual camera, coordinates of the center position of the thermal insulation cover to the robot system; 2) after the robot system moves the end effector to

Assignees

• Baoshan Iron & Steel

Inventors

• Wu Ruimin
• Shen Chen
• Huang Tianmao
• Ye Changhong
• Dong Wei
• Sun Guowei
• Li Yabei
• Sun Huimin
• Yang Saidan

Classifications

• C21B3/10

  Slag pots; Slag cars · CPC title

• B25J19/0079

  using an internal pressure system · CPC title

• B25J15/0625

  provided with a valve · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B65G2201/0214

  Articles of special size, shape or weigh · CPC title