CN119610429A - Clamp and shaping equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a clamp and shaping equipment, wherein the clamp is used to clamp and transport columnar silicon rods, including a clamping mechanism and an overpressure prevention component, wherein the clamping mechanism includes a multi-directionally movable bracket, a clamping claw component arranged on the bracket, and a driving component driving the clamping claw component to clamp the silicon rod. The overpressure prevention component includes a first detector and a controller electrically connected to the first detector, wherein the first detector is installed on the bracket, and when the clamping claw component is about to release the silicon rod to a placement position, the first detector can detect foreign matter at the placement position, and the first detector can generate an abnormal signal and transmit it to the controller, and the controller can control the driving component to stop the release of the clamping claw component.

Description

Clamp and shaping equipment

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of photovoltaic material processing equipment, in particular to a clamp and shaping equipment.

Background

Crystalline silicon is an important semiconductor material or photovoltaic material and is widely used in the prior art. For example, in the production process of silicon wafers, silicon materials are firstly manufactured into silicon rods, and then the silicon rods are cut into the silicon wafers by adopting shaping equipment for subsequent use. Therefore, the silicon rod needs to be repeatedly transported in the production process of the silicon wafer. In the prior art, the silicon rod is carried through the clamp such as the mechanical arm or the clamping jaw, however, in the transferring process of the clamp when clamping materials, whether the silicon rod or other foreign matters in the position to be placed is blocked or not is often not detected, so that the materials are put down, the damage of the silicon rod caused by overpressure is caused, and the production and the use are not facilitated.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, the invention provides the clamp which can ensure that the barrier at the placement position can be accurately identified and avoided before the silicon rod is released, so that the overpressure damage of the silicon rod is effectively prevented.

According to the clamp disclosed by the embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the clamp is used for clamping and transporting the cylindrical silicon rod and comprises a clamping mechanism and an overpressure prevention assembly, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a support which moves in multiple directions, a clamping jaw assembly arranged on the support and a driving assembly for driving the clamping jaw assembly to clamp the silicon rod. The anti-overvoltage assembly comprises a first detector and a controller electrically connected with the first detector, the first detector is mounted on the support, when the clamping jaw assembly is about to release the silicon rod to a placing position, the first detector can detect foreign matters at the placing position, the first detector can generate abnormal signals and transmit the abnormal signals to the controller, and the controller can control the driving assembly to enable the clamping jaw assembly to stop releasing.

The clamp provided by the embodiment of the invention has the advantages that through the integrated overvoltage prevention assembly, the safety of the release position of the silicon rod can be detected in real time, the overvoltage damage caused by foreign matters is effectively prevented, and the stable operation of a production line is ensured. And the automatic detection and control flow reduces the need of manual intervention and improves the production efficiency. On the other hand, reducing the damage to the silicon rod means reducing the downtime and material waste caused by quality problems, and contributes to reducing the production cost in the long term.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the first detector is located above the silicon rod, the first detector being located on the front side of the silicon rod in its own direction of movement.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the support is provided with a mounting for mounting the first detector, the mounting being rotationally adjustable to change the angle of the first detector.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the mounting is provided with a mounting slot accommodating the first detector, the first detector being positionally adjustable along the mounting slot to adjust the height of the first detector.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the mounting groove is an arcuate groove.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the first detector is connected with at least two fixing rods, the two fixing rods penetrate through the arc-shaped groove, and the first detector is simultaneously adjusted in angle and height through the arc-shaped groove and fixedly connected to the mounting piece through locking of a locking nut.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the overpressure preventing assembly further comprises a buffer module, the buffer module comprises a telescopic piece, the support is mounted on the telescopic piece, and when the silicon rod is abutted against the foreign matter to move downwards, the pressure of the foreign matter on the silicon rod is transmitted to the telescopic piece through the clamping jaw assembly and the support.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the telescopic member comprises a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate connected with the bracket, the first mounting plate is arranged opposite to the second mounting plate, the first mounting plate is used as a basis for mounting the bracket, and a plurality of telescopic rods are arranged between the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the buffer module further comprises a second detector connected to the second mounting plate, the second detector being configured to acquire a distance between the second mounting plate and the first mounting plate and to transmit the distance to the controller when the telescopic rod is retracted, the controller controlling the gripping mechanism to stop when the distance is reduced to a threshold value.

An embodiment according to the second aspect of the invention provides a shaping device comprising a clamp as defined in any one of the preceding claims.

The shaping equipment provided by the embodiment of the invention has the advantages that the clamping device is arranged at the proper position of the shaping equipment, so that the automatic clamping, transferring and accurate placement of the silicon rod can be realized, and the efficiency and the product quality of the whole production line are improved.

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Drawings

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of a mounting member of a clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals refer to the clamping mechanism 100, the bracket 110, the jaw assembly 120, the drive assembly 130, the overpressure prevention assembly 200, the first detector 210, the fixing lever 211, the mounting member 220, the mounting groove 221, the first mounting plate 230, the second detector 231, the second mounting plate 240, and the telescopic lever 250.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to like or similar elements or elements having like or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below by referring to the drawings are illustrative only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that references to orientation descriptions such as upper, lower, front, rear, left, right, etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, are merely for convenience of description of the present invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the apparatus or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, a number means one or more, a number means two or more, and greater than, less than, exceeding, etc. are understood to not include the present number, and above, below, within, etc. are understood to include the present number. The description of the first and second is for the purpose of distinguishing between technical features only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated or implicitly indicating the precedence of the technical features indicated.

In the description of the present invention, unless explicitly defined otherwise, terms such as arrangement, installation, connection, etc. should be construed broadly and the specific meaning of the terms in the present invention can be reasonably determined by a person skilled in the art in combination with the specific contents of the technical scheme. In the description of the present invention, the descriptions of the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples," etc., mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In the description of the present specification, reference to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples," etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

Referring to fig. 1, 2 and 3, the present invention proposes a clamp for clamping a silicon rod, and specifically includes a clamping mechanism 100 and an overpressure preventing assembly 200. The clamping mechanism 100 is responsible for clamping and transferring silicon rods, and specifically comprises a multidirectional movable bracket 110, a clamping jaw assembly 120 and a driving assembly 130, wherein the bracket 110 is allowed to flexibly move in a three-dimensional space so as to adapt to the clamping requirements of silicon rods at different positions. The clamping jaw assembly 120 is arranged on the bracket 110 and is used for directly clamping the silicon rod. The driving assembly 130 provides power for the clamping jaw assembly 120, and controls the opening and closing of the clamping jaw assembly to clamp and release the silicon rod.

It should be noted that the overpressure prevention assembly 200 is used for detecting safety of the placement position before the silicon rod is released, and specifically includes a first detector 210 and a controller, wherein the first detector 210 is mounted on the bracket 110, and the first detector 210 can scan and detect whether the silicon rod or other foreign matters exist at the position when the clamping jaw assembly 120 is ready to release the silicon rod to the predetermined placement position. And the controller is electrically connected to the first detector 210 and receives signals from the detector. When the first detector 210 detects an anomaly, an anomaly signal is generated and communicated to the controller. It will be readily appreciated that the control logic referred to herein is that the control logic built into the controller is capable of immediately controlling the drive assembly 130 in response to an abnormal signal to stop the jaw assembly 120 from releasing the silicon rod, thereby avoiding over-pressure damage.

It can be appreciated that, through the integrated overpressure preventing assembly 200, the clamp provided by the invention can detect the safety of the release position of the silicon rod in real time, effectively prevent overpressure damage caused by foreign matters and ensure the stable operation of the production line. And the automatic detection and control flow reduces the need of manual intervention and improves the production efficiency. On the other hand, reducing the damage to the silicon rod means reducing the downtime and material waste caused by quality problems, and contributes to reducing the production cost in the long term.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, in order to achieve more accurate detection, a first detector 210 is located above the silicon rod at the front side in the moving direction thereof. This arrangement ensures that when the jaw assembly 120 is carrying a silicon rod close to the placement position, the first detector 210 can detect any potential obstruction in advance, providing enough time for the release of the silicon rod to cease in time.

It should be noted that, in the clamping mechanism 100 provided by the present invention, the fixing of the silicon rod is specifically achieved by clamping two ends of the silicon rod, and the bracket 110 is specifically a cuboid disposed along the axis of the silicon rod, so that the moving direction of the silicon rod may be along the axis of the silicon rod or a direction perpendicular to the axis of the silicon rod in the horizontal direction, so that one or more first detectors 210 may be provided, and when one is provided, the first detector 210 is usually provided at one side of the bracket 110 along the length direction, and when necessary, the position adjustment may be achieved by disassembling and assembling according to the actual moving direction. The first detector 210 is disposed at two ends and two sides of the support 110, so as to detect whether there is a foreign object at different placement positions when moving the support 110 in different directions in the horizontal direction, thereby ensuring that the silicon rod is not damaged due to contact with the foreign object.

It is understood that the first detector 210 may be a laser ranging sensor. The laser ranging sensor calculates the distance to the obstacle by emitting a laser beam and measuring the time it is reflected back. When the jaw assembly 120 carries the silicon rod near the predetermined placement position, the laser ranging sensor is activated in advance and emits a laser beam to scan the placement area. If the sensor detects the presence of an obstacle, i.e. the laser beam is reflected back and the calculated distance is less than the preset safe distance, it immediately generates an abnormal signal and transmits it to the controller. The controller receives the signal and immediately controls the driving assembly 130 to stop the releasing action of the clamping jaw assembly 120, so as to avoid collision between the silicon rod and the obstacle.

In other embodiments, the first detector 210 employs a machine vision camera. The camera recognizes and analyzes obstacles in the image by capturing an image of the placement area and using an image processing algorithm. When the jaw assembly 120 carries the silicon rod near the placement position, the machine vision camera will begin capturing images and analyzing the object profile, color, etc. in the images in real time. If the camera recognizes that an object similar to the shape or color of the silicon rod exists in the image, the camera generates an abnormal signal and transmits the abnormal signal to the controller. It should be noted that, the first detector 210 of the present invention may also use a variety of different sensors such as an ultrasonic sensor, a diffuse reflection sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. to implement the function, and the specific selection of which sensor depends on factors such as requirements of application scenarios, cost budget, and technical feasibility.

To increase the flexibility of the detection, a rotatable adjustment mount 220 is provided on the bracket 110. The mount 220 not only provides a secure mounting base for the first detector 210, but also allows the user to adjust the angle of the detector as desired to ensure optimal detection range and accuracy. Further, the mounting member 220 is provided with a mounting groove 221 along the height direction, the mounting groove 221 is a long groove, the first detector 210 is fixedly connected to the mounting groove 221 through a screw, a nut and other fasteners, and the height can be adjusted along the length direction of the mounting groove 221 and also in the vertical direction, so that the flexibility of the first detection assembly is improved, and the monitoring requirements of silicon rods with different sizes, different production environments and different foreign matters are adapted.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, in other embodiments, the mounting groove 221 is an arc groove, and the arc groove is disposed obliquely upward or downward from one side of the bracket 110 toward the front end of the moving direction of the bracket 110, and this arc groove allows not only angular adjustment of the detector in the horizontal plane but also height adjustment thereof in the vertical direction.

Specifically, the starting end of the arc-shaped groove is located at a lower position, while the end is located at a higher position. When it is desired to adjust the height of the first detector 210, it can be slid up the channel to the desired position. To fix the position of the detector we use a combination of a fixing bar 211 and a locking nut. One end of the fixing rod 211 is connected with the detector, and the other end passes through the arc-shaped groove and extends out of the groove. In the part extending out of the groove, a locking nut is arranged, and the fixing rod 211 can be tightly fixed on the groove body by screwing the locking nut, so that the position of the detector after adjustment is ensured to be stable.

On the other hand, the beginning of the arc-shaped groove which is inclined downwards is positioned at a higher position, while the end is positioned at a lower position. When it is desired to lower the height of the first detector 210, it can be slid down the channel to the desired position. Likewise, to fix the position of the detector, a combination of the fixing lever 211 and the lock nut is used. One end of the fixing rod 211 is connected with the detector, and the other end passes through the arc-shaped groove and extends out of the groove, and the position of the detector is fixed by screwing the locking nut.

In the embodiment, the target height and angle of the first detector 210 are determined according to the detection requirement. The detector is then placed at the beginning or end of the arcuate slot and slid along the slot body to the target location. During the sliding process, we can preliminarily determine whether the height and angle thereof meet the requirements by observing the position change of the first detector 210. When the detector is slid to the target position, one end of the fixing lever 211 is connected to the detector, and the other end passes through the arc-shaped groove and protrudes out of the groove. Then, a locking nut is installed at a portion protruding out of the groove, and the locking nut is screwed to fix the position of the lever 211, the detector is fixed, and the height and angle are also precisely adjusted. By employing a combination of the arc-shaped groove, the fixing lever 211 and the locking nut, precise adjustment of the height and angle of the first detector 210 can be easily achieved. Not only improves the accuracy and the flexibility of detection, but also reduces the adjustment difficulty and the maintenance cost.

Referring to fig. 3, it should be noted that, in order to more firmly mount the first detector 210 on the mounting member 220, the first detector 210 is provided with at least two fixing rods 211, and the two fixing rods 211 pass through the arc-shaped groove and are locked on the mounting member 220 by the locking nut, so as to ensure that the adjusted position of the first detector 210 is stable.

In order to prevent the silicon rod from being damaged by contacting the foreign matter during the releasing process when the first detector 210 misjudges or detects no foreign matter, the overpressure preventing assembly 200 further includes a buffer module. Specifically, the bumper module includes a telescoping member to which the bracket 110 is mounted. When the silicon rod is about to contact with the foreign matter, the pressure to the silicon rod can be reduced through the buffer effect of the telescopic piece, so that the damage risk is reduced.

Specifically, the telescopic member is composed of a first mounting plate 230 and a second mounting plate 240, and the first mounting plate 230 and the second mounting plate 240 are disposed opposite to each other. Specifically, the second mounting plate 240 is disposed on a side of the bracket 110 facing away from the jaw assembly 120, and the first mounting plate 230 is disposed on a side of the second mounting plate 240 facing away from the bracket 110. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1, the first mounting plate 230 is disposed above the first mounting plate 230, wherein the first mounting plate 230 is coupled to a mechanism that drives the entire gripping mechanism 100 in a multi-directional motion as a basis for the mounting of the bracket 110, and the second mounting plate 240 is directly coupled to the bracket 110. Between the first mounting plate 230 and the second mounting plate 240, a plurality of telescoping rods 250 are provided to provide the necessary cushioning and support.

It should be noted that the telescopic rod 250 is composed of a plurality of mutually nested rods, and the rods are in telescopic movement through sliding connection or hydraulic driving. When the silicon rod is subjected to external pressure, the pressure is transmitted to the second mounting plate 240 through the bracket 110 and then to the telescopic rod 250, and the telescopic rod 250 can absorb and disperse the pressure through its telescopic movement after being pressed. Particularly when a sliding connection is used, the telescopic rod 250 can respond quickly and adjust the length of the telescopic rod, so that the pressure exerted on the silicon rod is effectively relieved. In extreme cases, such as when the silicon rod is subjected to excessive impact or pressure, the telescoping rod 250 can act as a protective mechanism to absorb these impact or pressure and prevent the silicon rod from being damaged.

To prevent extreme cases and minimize the damage to the silicon rod, a second detector 231 is attached to the second mounting plate 240. When the telescopic rod 250 is retracted by the pressure, the second detector 231 records the distance between the second mounting plate 240 and the first mounting plate 230 and transmits this information to the controller. When the distance is reduced to a preset threshold, the controller immediately controls the gripping mechanism 100 to stop to prevent further damage.

The second detector 231 may be a proximity switch, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, or the like.

In other embodiments, the buffer module may be a strut and spring mechanism designed to further absorb and disperse the impact forces that the silicon rod may encounter during release, thereby protecting the silicon rod from damage.

Specifically, the strut is used as a main bearing component of the buffer module, and is made of a high-strength and wear-resistant material, such as stainless steel or alloy steel, one end of the strut is connected with the bracket 110 or the clamping jaw assembly 120, the other end of the strut is connected with a spring, and the spring is connected with a mechanism for driving the whole clamping mechanism 100 to move. The spring is used as a key component of the buffer module and is responsible for absorbing and storing impact force and gradually releasing the impact force. When the silicon rod encounters an obstacle during release or it is desired to slow down the impact force, the strut will first come into contact with the obstacle and be under pressure. With the increase of the pressure, the sliding column can move backwards along the axial direction of the sliding column, simultaneously compresses the spring, maximally slows down and disperses the pressure applied to the silicon rod, and ensures that the silicon rod is not seriously damaged due to strong pressure.

The second aspect of the invention also provides shaping equipment, and by installing the clamp at a proper position of the shaping equipment, the automatic clamping, transferring and accurate placement of the silicon rod can be realized, so that the efficiency and the product quality of the whole production line are improved.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. A clamp for gripping and transporting a cylindrical silicon rod, comprising:

the clamping mechanism comprises a multidirectional movable bracket, a clamping jaw assembly arranged on the bracket and a driving assembly for driving the clamping jaw assembly to clamp the silicon rod;

The anti-overvoltage assembly comprises a first detector and a controller electrically connected with the first detector, wherein the first detector is installed on the support, when the clamping jaw assembly is about to release the silicon rod to a placing position, the first detector can detect foreign matters at the placing position, the first detector can generate abnormal signals and transmit the abnormal signals to the controller, and the controller can control the driving assembly to enable the clamping jaw assembly to stop releasing.

2. The jig according to claim 1, wherein the first detector is located above the silicon rod, the first detector being located on a front side of the silicon rod in a moving direction thereof.

3. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein the bracket is provided with a mounting for mounting the first detector, the mounting being rotationally adjustable to change the angle of the first detector.

4. A clamp according to claim 3, wherein the mounting is provided with a mounting slot for receiving the first detector, the first detector being positionally adjustable along the mounting slot to adjust the height of the first detector.

5. The clamp of claim 4, wherein the mounting slot is an arcuate slot.

6. The fixture of claim 5, wherein the first detector is connected to at least two fixing rods, both fixing rods pass through the arc-shaped groove, and the first detector is simultaneously adjusted in angle and height through the arc-shaped groove and fixedly connected to the mounting piece through locking nut locking.

7. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the overpressure prevention assembly further comprises a buffer module, the buffer module comprises a telescopic member, the bracket is mounted on the telescopic member, and when the silicon rod is abutted against a foreign body to be moved downwards, the pressure of the foreign body on the silicon rod is transmitted to the telescopic member through the clamping jaw assembly and the bracket.

8. The clamp of claim 7, wherein the telescoping member comprises a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate coupled to the bracket, the first mounting plate being disposed opposite the second mounting plate and acting as a basis for the mounting of the bracket, a plurality of telescoping rods being disposed between the first and second mounting plates.

9. The clamp of claim 8, wherein the buffer module further comprises a second detector coupled to the second mounting plate, the second detector configured to capture a distance between the second mounting plate and the first mounting plate and communicate to the controller when the telescoping rod is retracted, the controller configured to control the clamping mechanism to stop when the distance is reduced to a threshold value.

10. A shaping device comprising a clamp as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.