Machine for the Automatic Assembling of a Plurality of Components

A machine for the automatic, continuous-cycle assembling of a plurality of components for making an assembly, the machine comprising:

• a conveyor, which is movable to transport a first of the plurality of components along a working path through a succession of advances alternated with a corresponding succession of pauses to define a corresponding plurality of working stations;
• a conveyor actuator, configured to drive the conveyor so it moves intermittently between the working stations of the plurality of working stations;
• one or more manipulating units, each positioned in a respective working station along the working path and each configured to perform a corresponding operation on the components in a working zone of the respective working station,
• wherein each manipulating unit includes an interface element which is movable along a manipulating trajectory between a working position, where it is inside the corresponding working zone, and a rest position, where it is outside the corresponding working zone, and an actuating unit which is configured to move the interface element between the working position and the rest position, and
• wherein at least one manipulating unit is configured to pick up a second component of the plurality of components and to assemble it with the first component positioned on the conveyor;
• and
• a control unit, configured to electronically control the conveyor actuator in response to a synchronization signal, wherein the actuating units include actuators which are electronically controllable and wherein the control unit is programmed to control a movement of the actuating units according to a predetermined law of motion, defining the manipulating trajectory of each interface element, and synchronously with the synchronization signal.

A method for the automatic, continuous-cycle assembling of a plurality of components for making an assembly, the method comprising the following steps:

• transporting, on a conveyor, a first of the plurality of components along a working path through a succession of advances alternated with a corresponding succession of pauses to define a corresponding plurality of working stations;
• actuating a conveyor actuator to drive the conveyor so it moves intermittently between the working stations of the plurality of working stations;
• with one or more manipulating units, performing a corresponding operation on the components in a working zone of the respective working station;
• wherein at least one of the operations is an operation of assembling a second component with the first component;
• with an actuating unit, moving an interface element of each of the one or more manipulating units between a working position, where it is inside the corresponding working zone, and a rest position, where it is outside the corresponding working zone;
• and
• with a control unit, electronically controlling the conveyor actuator and the actuating units in response to a synchronization signal and according to a predetermined law of motion to define the manipulating trajectory of each interface element, and synchronously with the synchronization signal.

A machine for the automatic, continuous-cycle assembling of a plurality of components for making an assembly, the machine comprising:

• a conveyor, which is movable to transport a first of the plurality of components along a working path through a succession of advances alternated with a corresponding succession of pauses to define a corresponding plurality of working stations;
• a conveyor actuator, configured to drive the conveyor so it moves intermittently between the working stations of the plurality of working stations;
• one or more manipulating units, each positioned in a respective working station along the working path and each configured to perform a corresponding operation on the components in a working zone of the respective working station,
• wherein each manipulating unit includes an interface element which is movable along a manipulating trajectory between a working position, where it is inside the corresponding working zone, and a rest position, where it is outside the corresponding working zone, and an actuating unit which is configured to move the interface element between the working position and the rest position, and
• wherein at least one manipulating unit is configured to pick up a second component of the plurality of components and to assemble it with the first component positioned on the conveyor;
• the machine comprising a plurality of sensors configured to detect one or more physical quantities on the assembled components.