An automatic press-fitting and discharging machine for lithium battery caps

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic press-fitting and discharging machine for lithium battery caps, which includes a frame, a moving clamping device, an upper conveyor belt, a tray feeding device, a clamping and press-fitting device, a discharging device and a control system. The middle of the frame is a working platform, which is divided into a conveying area, a clamping area and a press-fitting area according to the incoming material direction. The upper conveyor belt is installed in the conveying area. The batteries with caps placed thereon are arranged in rows in the battery trays and are sent to the clamping area through the upper conveyor belt. Then, the batteries are clamped by the moving clamping device and sent to the press-fitting area, and the press-fitting action is completed through the clamping and press-fitting device. The discharging device sends out the press-fitted batteries. By setting a battery moving clamping device to clamp the row of batteries to the press-fitting area, and then pressing the battery caps through the clamping and press-fitting device, and at the same time setting a tray feeding device and a battery discharging device to send out the empty trays from below, the whole process is fully automatic control, with high press-fitting efficiency, tight dust prevention and good press-fitting quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of lithium batteries, and in particular to an automatic pressing and discharging machine for lithium battery caps. Background Art

[0002] The battery cap of lithium battery is a key component of lithium battery, which is directly related to the reliability, service life, capacity, and safety of production and use of lithium battery by producers and consumers. Before the lithium battery sealing process, the cap needs to be pressed tightly against the steel shell. Currently, it is mostly done manually. The operator puts the welded cap on each steel shell and then puts it into the cap press machine to press it tightly. Due to the high dust prevention requirements of the battery, both manual cap placement and cap pressing require dustproof gloves, and the operation is difficult through the dust cover. In addition, the operator maintains the same posture for a long time, which has a great impact on physical and mental health. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a lithium battery cap automatic pressing and discharging machine, which automatically completes the cap placement and pressing, so as to reduce the labor intensity and improve the product quality.

[0004] The technical problem solved by the present invention can be achieved by adopting the following technical solutions:

[0005] An automatic pressing and discharging machine for a lithium battery cap, comprising: a frame, with a working platform in the middle. The working platform is divided into three zones in the incoming material direction, namely a conveying zone, a clamping zone, and a pressing zone in sequence; a moving clamping device, arranged above the clamping zone and the pressing zone, including an X-axis moving module and a suction cup gripper. The X-axis moving module includes a moving mechanism fixedly installed on the frame, a connecting block connected to the moving mechanism, and two upper and lower air cylinders installed on the connecting block. The suction cup gripper is installed below the two upper and lower air cylinders, including a gripper seat, a gripping block, and a pushing air cylinder. The gripper seat is connected to the piston rod of the upper and lower air cylinders, and a pushing air cylinder is installed at the lower end. The piston rod of the pushing air cylinder is connected to the gripping block. The gripping block is provided with a plurality of arc-shaped grooves corresponding to the battery, and each groove is internally provided with a suction cup. The suction cup is connected to a vacuum pump through an air pipe, and the vacuum pump is installed on the gripper seat; an upper conveyor belt, arranged on the conveying zone, connecting the clamping zone; a clamping and pressing device, arranged in the pressing zone, including a clamping track, a limiting chuck, and a pressing chuck. The clamping track is in the shape of a slender groove, and the limiting chuck and the pressing chuck are respectively arranged on both sides of the clamping track. The limiting chuck and the pressing chuck are connected by two slide rods and are pushed by a clamping air cylinder to clamp and limit the battery. A pressing air cylinder is arranged on the pressing chuck; a discharging device, arranged on one side of the clamping track, including a pushing block inserted into the clamping track and a discharging slide rail arranged outside the clamping track. The discharging slide rail is a linear slide rail, arranged parallel to the clamping track. One end of the moving pushing block is inserted into the clamping track, and the other end is connected to the slider of the discharging slide rail; a control system, installed on the frame, connecting the moving mechanism, the upper and lower air cylinders, the pushing air cylinder, the vacuum pump, the upper conveyor belt, the limiting air cylinder, the push plate air cylinder, the pressing air cylinder, and the discharging air cylinder.

[0006] Preferably, a front stop block is arranged in the clamping zone. The front stop block is controlled by a front stop air cylinder, and the front stop air cylinder is installed on a Y-axis slide rail, and the Y-axis slide rail is fixed on the frame; two side limiting rods, side lifting blocks, and side lifting air cylinders are arranged on both sides of the clamping zone. The front stop air cylinder and the side lifting air cylinder are connected to the control system.

[0007] Preferably, it further includes a tray feeding device. The tray feeding device includes a lifting air cylinder, a lifting plate, a discharging platform, a pushing mechanism, and a lower conveyor belt. The discharging platform and the lower conveyor belt are correspondingly arranged directly below the clamping zone and the upper conveyor belt. The lifting air cylinder is installed below the center of the clamping zone, and the piston rod is connected to the lifting plate. The pushing mechanism is arranged at the front end of the discharging platform and is a cylinder-driven push plate structure, which pushes the tray falling onto the discharging platform onto the lower conveyor belt for feeding; the lifting air cylinder and the pushing mechanism are connected to the control system.

[0008] Preferably, vertical limiting rods are arranged between the clamping zone and the discharging platform, and side limiting rods are arranged on both sides of the discharging platform.

[0009] Preferably, the channel of the clamping track is in the form of a fold angle, and the fold angle is arc-shaped.

[0010] Preferably, the piston rod of the clamping cylinder is connected to a pressing plate. The pressing plate is L-shaped. Slide rods are installed at both ends of the vertical side of the L shape, and the limiting chuck is installed below the horizontal side of the L shape. The limiting chuck is a wavy groove-shaped push plate, and each groove corresponds to each side of the battery one by one. The pressing chuck includes a clamping block, a pressing seat and a pressing cylinder. The clamping block and the pressing seat are fixed on the slide rod, and the pressing cylinder is installed on the pressing seat. There are multiple pressing cylinders. A pressing block is installed below the pressing seat, and the piston rod of the pressing cylinder is connected to the pressing block.

[0011] Preferably, the pressing block is made of non-rigid material.

[0012] Preferably, a proximity switch is provided at the front end of the picking area, and the upper conveyor belt is controlled to start and stop by a stepping motor.

[0013] In the present invention, a battery moving and picking device is provided to pick up a row of batteries to the pressing area, and then the battery cap is pressed by a clamping and pressing device. At the same time, a tray feeding device and a battery discharging device are provided to send out an empty tray from below. The whole process is fully automatic control, with high pressing efficiency, tight dust prevention and good pressing quality. Description of the Drawings

[0014] Figure 1 is the overall schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 is the overall schematic diagram of another angle of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 is the schematic diagram of the moving and picking device.

[0017] Figure 4 is the schematic diagram of the other side of the moving and picking device.

[0018] Figure 5 is the structural schematic diagram of the picking area.

[0019] Figure 6 is the structural schematic diagram of the tray feeding device.

[0020] Figure 7 is the structural schematic diagram of the clamping and pressing device.

[0021] Figure 8 is the structural schematic diagram of the discharging device.

[0022] In the figure, 1 is the frame, 2 is the mobile clamping device, 3 is the upper conveyor belt, 4 is the tray feeding device, 5 is the clamping and pressing device, 6 is the discharging device, 11 is the conveying area, 12 is the clamping area, 13 is the pressing area, 121 is the front stop block, 122 is the front stop cylinder, 123 is the Y-axis slide rail, 124 is the side limit rod, 125 is the side lifting block, 126 is the side lifting cylinder, 21 is the X-axis moving module, 22 is the suction cup gripper, 211 is the moving mechanism, 212 is the connecting block, 213 is the up and down cylinder, 221 is the gripper seat, 222 is the gripping block, 223 is the pushing cylinder, 224 is the suction cup, 225 is the vacuum pump, 41 is the lifting cylinder, 42 is the lifting plate, 43 is the discharging platform, 44 is the pushing mechanism, 45 is the lower conveyor belt, 51 is the clamping track, 52 is the limit chuck, 53 is the pressing chuck, 54 is the slide bar, 55 is the clamping cylinder, 56 is the pressing plate, 531 is the clamping block, 532 is the pressing seat, 533 is the pressing cylinder, 61 is the moving push block, 62 is the discharging slide rail. Detailed implementation mode

[0023] The following describes the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but the implementation modes of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0024] To improve the pressing efficiency, the present invention needs to place the battery with the cap placed thereon in a tray, and then clamp it in rows to the pressing area for pressing. In this embodiment, the specification of the tray for placing the battery is 16×20, and the clamping and pressing operation of 16 batteries in a row is completed each time.

[0025] Figures 1 to 8 It is a preferred solution of the present invention, including the frame 1, the mobile clamping device 2, the upper conveyor belt 3, the tray feeding device 4, the clamping and pressing device 5, the discharging device 6 and a control system (not shown in the figure).

[0026] The frame 1 is divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower. The upper part is used to install the mobile clamping device 2, the middle part is the working platform, which is equipped with the upper conveyor belt 3, the clamping and pressing device 5 and the discharging device 6, and the lower part is equipped with the tray feeding device 4 and the control system. The outside of the entire frame 1 is covered with a dust-proof cover except for the feeding and discharging places, effectively preventing dust.

[0027] The working platform is divided into 3 working areas in the incoming material direction, which are the conveying area 11, the clamping area 12 and the pressing area 13 in sequence, and the advancing direction is set as forward. The conveying area 11 is equipped with the upper conveyor belt 3. The batteries with caps placed thereon are placed in the battery trays in rows and sent to the clamping area 12 through the upper conveyor belt 3. Then, the batteries are clamped to the pressing area 13 by the mobile clamping device 2, and the pressing action is completed by the clamping and pressing device 5, and the discharging device 6 sends out the pressed batteries. A proximity switch (not shown in the figure) is provided at the front end of the clamping area 12. The upper conveyor belt 3 is controlled to start and stop by a stepping motor (not shown in the figure). The proximity switch and the stepping motor are connected to the control system. When the tray enters the clamping area 12 until it touches the proximity switch, the control system controls the stepping motor to stop working and the upper conveyor belt 3 to stop feeding.

[0028] The picking area 12 is provided with a front stop block 121, which is controlled by a front stop cylinder 122 (the piston rod of the front stop cylinder 122 is connected to the front stop block 121). The front stop cylinder 122 is installed on a Y-axis slide rail 123, and the Y-axis slide rail 123 is a linear slide rail fixed to the frame 1. When the tray is sent to the picking area 12, the front stop block 121 is pushed out to block the forward movement of the tray. At the same time, the Y-axis slide rail 123 drives the front stop cylinder 122 and the front stop block 121 to move back and forth along the front end of the tray to ensure that the tray has no tilt when it is sent into the picking area 12. Two side limit rods 124 are provided on both sides of the picking area 12, and the side limit rods 124 are fixed to the frame to limit both sides of the tray. Side lifting blocks 125 and side lifting cylinders 126 are respectively provided on both sides of the picking area 12. The side lifting cylinders 126 are fixed to the frame 1, and the piston rods are connected to the side lifting blocks 125. The side lifting blocks 125 are L-shaped, with the short side of the L connected to the side lifting cylinders 126. When the tray enters the picking area 12, the side lifting cylinders 126 are pushed out, and the long side of the L of the side lifting blocks 125 is inserted under the tray to play a lifting role. Similarly, the front stop block 121 is also L-shaped, with one side for limiting and the other side for lifting.

[0029] The front stop cylinder 122, the Y-axis slide rail 123 and the side lifting cylinder 126 are all connected to the control system through lines. In the initial state, both the front stop cylinder 122 and the side lifting cylinder 126 are in the extended state. When the tray enters the picking area 12, it is lifted and limited. After the tray enters, the Y-axis slide rail 123 reciprocates to ensure the accuracy of the tray position. Then the picking device 2 moves to start the operation until the picking operation of all the batteries in the tray is completed. Finally, the front stop cylinder 122 and the side lifting cylinder 126 retract, and the tray is sent out by the tray sending device 4.

[0030] The mobile clamping device 2 moves above between the clamping area 12 and the pressing area 13, and includes an X-axis moving module 21 and a suction cup gripper 22. The X-axis moving module 21 includes a moving mechanism 211 fixedly installed on the rack 1, a connecting block 212 connected to the moving mechanism, and an up-and-down cylinder 213 installed on the connecting block 212. The moving mechanism 211 is two sets of linear guide rails, arranged on both sides above from the clamping area 12 to the pressing area 13, and two up-and-down cylinders 213 are also arranged. The suction cup gripper 22 is installed below the two up-and-down cylinders 213, and includes a gripper seat 221, a gripping block 222, and a pushing cylinder 223. The gripper seat 221 is installed on the piston rod of the up-and-down cylinder 213, and the pushing cylinder 223 is installed at the lower end. The piston rod of the pushing cylinder 223 is connected to the gripping block 222, and two pushing cylinders 223 are also arranged. The gripping block 222 is provided with a plurality of arc-shaped grooves corresponding to the battery, which match the shape of the outer side of the battery. Each groove of the gripping block 222 is internally provided with a suction cup 224. Two suction cups 224 can be correspondingly arranged for each battery. The suction cup 224 is connected to a vacuum pump 225 through an air pipe, and the vacuum pump 225 is also installed at the lower end of the gripper seat 221. The pushing cylinder 223 pushes the gripping block 222 forward. After approaching the battery, it is sucked on the outer side wall of the battery through the suction cup 224, and the battery can be lifted up.

[0031] The X moving module 21, the suction cup gripper 22, the up-and-down cylinder 213, and the vacuum pump 225 are all connected to the control system. The control system first controls the moving mechanism 211 of the X moving module 21 to drive the suction cup gripper 22 to move above the batteries in the first row of the tray. Then, the piston rod of the up-and-down cylinder 213 extends to lower the gripping block 222 to both sides of the battery. After the suction cup gripper 22 drives the gripping block 222 to approach the battery, the vacuum pump 225 is started, and the suction cup 224 sucks and holds the battery. Then, the piston rod of the up-and-down cylinder 213 retracts, and the moving mechanism 211 moves to the pressing area. The piston rod of the up-and-down cylinder 213 extends again, the vacuum pump 225 stops, the suction cup 224 releases, and the battery falls into the pressing area. A moving instruction group of the X moving module 21 is set in the control system. After each clamping operation is completed, the moving length of the X moving module 21 will increase by the battery station where a tray is placed for the clamping operation of the next row of batteries. After the clamping of the last row of batteries is completed, the instruction of the control system returns to the initial state to start the mobile clamping of the batteries in the next tray.

[0032] Below the picking area 12, there is a tray feeding device 4. The tray feeding device 4 includes a lifting cylinder 41, a lifting plate 42, a discharging platform 43, a pushing mechanism 44 and a lower conveyor belt 45. The discharging platform 43 and the lower conveyor belt 45 are correspondingly arranged directly below the picking area 12 and the upper conveyor belt 3. The lifting cylinder 41 is installed below the center of the picking area 12, and the piston rod is connected to the lifting plate 42. After the tray enters the picking area 12, the lifting cylinder 41 drives the lifting plate 42 to rise to provide lower support for the tray. After the picking operation is completed, the lifting cylinder 41 drives the lifting plate 42 and the tray to descend together until the tray falls onto the discharging platform 43. The pushing mechanism 44 is arranged at the front end of the discharging platform 43 and is a cylinder-driven push plate to push the tray falling onto the discharging platform 43 onto the lower conveyor belt 45 for feeding. A number of vertical limiting rods can be arranged between the picking area 12 and the discharging platform 43, and side limiting rods are also arranged on both sides of the discharging platform to ensure the accurate discharging position of the tray. The lifting cylinder 41 and the pushing mechanism 44 are both connected to the control system.

[0033] The clamping and pressing device 5 includes a clamping track 51, a limiting chuck 52 and a pressing chuck 53. The clamping track 51 is in the shape of a slender groove and is only for placing a row of batteries, with a height approximately half of the height of the battery, so that the batteries placed inside will not fall. The limiting chuck 52 and the pressing chuck 53 are respectively arranged above both sides of the clamping track 51. The limiting chuck 52 and the pressing chuck 53 are connected by two sliding rods 54 and are pushed by a clamping cylinder 55 to clamp and limit the batteries. The piston rod of the clamping cylinder 55 is connected to a pressing plate 56. The pressing plate 56 is in an L shape. The two ends of the vertical side of the L are installed with sliding rods 54, and the limiting chuck 52 is installed below the horizontal side of the L. The limiting chuck 52 is a wavy groove-shaped push plate, and each groove corresponds to the side of each battery one by one. The pressing chuck 53 includes a clamping block 531, a pressing seat 532 and a pressing cylinder 533. The clamping block 531 and the pressing seat 532 are fixed on the sliding rods 54, and the pressing cylinder 533 is installed on the pressing seat 532. The pressing cylinder 533 can be a single large cylinder, and all battery caps are pressed by a large pressing plate, but this kind of pressing is prone to uneven pressing and cannot ensure that all caps are pressed in place. In this embodiment, the number of pressing cylinders 533 is set according to the number of batteries. It can be that one cylinder presses 1-3 battery caps. A number of holes (not shown in the figure) for the piston rod of the pressing cylinder 533 to pass through are opened above the pressing seat 532 corresponding to the pressing cylinder 533. The piston rod of the pressing cylinder 533 passes through the holes, and a pressing block (not shown in the figure) is installed below the pressing seat 532. Each battery corresponds to a pressing block, and the pressing block is made of a non-rigid material, such as rubber, soft plastic, etc., to avoid damaging the cap during pressing.

[0034] The channel of the clamping track 51 is in the form of a fold angle, and the fold angle is arc-shaped. An unloading device 6 is provided at the initial end of the Y-axis. The unloading device 6 includes a moving push block 61 inserted into the clamping track 51 and an unloading slide rail 62 arranged outside the clamping track 51. The unloading slide rail 62 is a linear slide rail, arranged parallel to the clamping track 51. One end of the moving push block 61 is inserted into the clamping track 51, and the other end is connected to the slider of the unloading slide rail 62.

[0035] The clamping cylinder 55, the pressing cylinder 533 and the unloading slide rail 62 are all connected to the control system. After the moving clamping device 2 places the battery into the clamping track 51, the clamping cylinder 55 acts, and the limit clamping head 52 and the clamping block 531 clamp the battery. Then, the pressing cylinder 533 performs pressing. After the pressing is completed, the clamping cylinder 55 and the pressing cylinder 533 return to their original positions, and the unloading slide rail 62 acts. The moving push block 61 pushes the battery out along the clamping track 51.

[0036] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not impose any limitation on the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic press-fitting and discharging machine for lithium battery caps, characterized in that, it includes: a frame with a working platform in the middle. The working platform is divided into three zones in the incoming material direction, namely a conveying zone, a clamping zone, and a press-fitting zone in sequence; a moving clamping device, arranged above the clamping zone and the press-fitting zone, including an X-axis moving module and a suction cup gripper. The X-axis moving module includes a moving mechanism fixedly installed on the frame and two upper and lower air cylinders installed on the moving mechanism. The suction cup gripper is installed below the two upper and lower air cylinders, including a gripper seat, a gripping block, and a pushing air cylinder. The gripper seat is connected to the piston rod of the upper and lower air cylinders, and a pushing air cylinder is installed at the lower end. The piston rod of the pushing air cylinder is connected to the gripping block. The gripping block is provided with a plurality of arc-shaped grooves corresponding to the battery, and each groove is internally provided with a suction cup. The suction cup is connected to a vacuum pump through an air pipe, and the vacuum pump is installed on the gripper seat; an upper conveyor belt, arranged on the conveying zone and connected to the clamping zone; a clamping and press-fitting device, arranged in the press-fitting zone, including a clamping track, a limiting chuck, and a press-fitting chuck. The clamping track is in the shape of a slender groove. The limiting chuck and the press-fitting chuck are respectively arranged on both sides of the clamping track. The limiting chuck and the press-fitting chuck are connected by two slide rods and are pushed by a clamping air cylinder to clamp and limit the battery. A press-fitting air cylinder is provided on the press-fitting chuck; a discharging device, arranged on one side of the clamping track, including a moving push block inserted into the clamping track and a discharging slide rail arranged outside the clamping track. The discharging slide rail is a linear slide rail and is arranged parallel to the clamping track. One end of the moving push block is inserted into the clamping track, and the other end is connected to the slider of the discharging slide rail; a control system, installed on the frame and connected to the moving mechanism, the upper and lower air cylinders, the pushing air cylinder, the vacuum pump, the upper conveyor belt, the limiting air cylinder, the push plate air cylinder, the press-fitting air cylinder, and the discharging air cylinder; a front stop block is provided in the clamping zone. The front stop block is controlled by a front stop air cylinder. The front stop air cylinder is installed on a Y-axis slide rail, and the Y-axis slide rail is fixed on the frame; two side limiting rods, side lifting blocks, and side lifting air cylinders are provided on both sides of the clamping zone. The front stop air cylinder and the side lifting air cylinder are connected to the control system; It further includes a tray feeding-out device, which includes a lifting air cylinder, a lifting plate, a discharging platform, a pushing mechanism, and a lower conveyor belt. The discharging platform and the lower conveyor belt are correspondingly arranged directly below the clamping zone and the upper conveyor belt. The lifting air cylinder is installed below the center of the clamping zone, and the piston rod is connected to the lifting plate. The pushing mechanism is arranged at the front end of the discharging platform and is a cylinder-driven push plate structure to push the tray falling onto the discharging platform onto the lower conveyor belt for feeding out; the lifting air cylinder and the pushing mechanism are connected to the control system; The channel of the clamping track is in a corner form, and the corner is arc-shaped.

2. An automatic press-fitting and discharging machine for lithium battery caps according to claim 1, characterized in that: There is a vertical limiting rod between the clamping zone and the discharging platform, and side limiting rods are provided on both sides of the discharging platform.

3. An automatic press-fitting and discharging machine for lithium battery caps according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston rod of the clamping cylinder is connected to a pressing plate. The pressing plate is L-shaped. Slide rods are installed at both ends of the vertical side of the L shape, and the limiting chuck is installed below the horizontal side of the L shape. The limiting chuck is a wave-grooved push plate, and each groove corresponds to each side of the battery one by one. The pressing chuck includes a clamping block, a pressing seat, and a pressing cylinder. The clamping block and the pressing seat are fixed on the slide rods, and the pressing cylinder is installed on the pressing seat. There are multiple pressing cylinders. A pressing block is installed below the pressing seat, and the piston rod of the pressing cylinder is connected to the pressing block.

4. An automatic pressing and discharging machine for lithium battery caps according to claim 3, characterized in that: the pressing block is made of non-rigid material.

5. An automatic pressing and discharging machine for lithium battery caps according to claim 1, characterized in that: a proximity switch is provided at the front end of the picking area, and the upper conveyor belt is controlled to start and stop by a stepping motor.

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