A clamping and leveling method and air blowing and leveling device for lithium battery production

Abstract

The present invention discloses a clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production, wherein a lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator is provided, and a blowing and leveling device is provided on the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator, wherein the blowing and leveling device comprises a blowing pipe, which is provided on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery clamp, and the blowing pipe is provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides of the lithium battery clamp corresponding to the blowing pipe, respectively, and the distance between the leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides of the lithium battery clamp corresponding to the blowing pipe is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery; the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator clamps the air bag part of the soft-pack lithium battery through the lithium battery clamp, and then moves and places, and before the battery body part of the soft-pack lithium battery is placed in the slot of the test fixture, the blowing and leveling device is started, and the air source is blown out through the blowing pipe and then from the leveling blowing hole, so as to level and straighten the lithium battery body part on the lithium battery clamp that is tilted to the left or right. Also disclosed is a blowing and leveling device for implementing the clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to clamping and leveling of lithium batteries, and in particular to a clamping and leveling method and a blowing and leveling device for lithium battery production. Background Art

[0002] The production process of lithium batteries, especially soft-pack lithium batteries, involves testing, formation and other processes. The lithium battery needs to be clamped by a lithium battery pick-and-place robot and then placed in the corresponding slot of the test fixture. In this process, the alignment of the lithium battery is involved. Since the air bag part of the soft-pack battery is relatively hard, and the battery body is relatively light and soft, the gripper clamps the air bag part, which can easily cause the body of the lithium battery to tilt to the left or to the right, and the weight of the battery body itself is not enough to straighten and flatten the battery; if the lithium battery is deformed after being clamped, the lithium battery pick-and-place robot often cannot put the lithium battery accurately into the slot of the fixture, or it is not placed in place, causing the battery to catch fire and explode during testing and formation. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production. By arranging an air blowing and leveling device on the lithium battery picking and placing robot, the clamped lithium battery is blown and leveled before being placed in the slot of the test fixture to ensure that the lithium battery is placed correctly. The present invention also provides an air blowing and leveling device for implementing the clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production, characterized in that it includes the following steps:

[0005] 1) A lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator is provided, the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator includes a lithium battery gripper; an air blowing and leveling device is provided on the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator, the air blowing and leveling device includes an air blowing pipe, the air blowing pipe is provided on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery gripper, and the air blowing pipe is provided with leveling air holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery gripper, respectively, and the distance between the leveling air blowing holes on the left and right sides of the air blowing pipe corresponding to the lithium battery gripper is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery;

[0006] 2) The lithium battery picking and placing robot clamps the air bag part of the soft-pack lithium battery through the lithium battery clamp, and then moves it for picking and placing. Before placing the battery body of the soft-pack lithium battery into the slot of the test fixture, the air blowing and leveling device is started. The air source passes through the blowing pipe and then blows out from the leveling blowing hole. The blown air flow is located on the left and right sides of the lithium battery clamp, thereby leveling and straightening the lithium battery body part that is tilted to the left or right on the lithium battery clamp, thereby ensuring that the lithium battery body can be accurately aligned when placed in the slot of the test fixture.

[0007] Further, in step 1), the lithium battery grippers include more than two arranged, and corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers, the leveling blowing holes on the blowing pipe include more than two groups.

[0008] Further, in step 1), the blowing pipe includes a first blowing pipe and a second blowing pipe, the first blowing pipe and the second blowing pipe are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp, the first blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp, and the second blowing pipe is also respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp.

[0009] A blowing and leveling device for implementing the clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production, which is arranged on a lithium battery picking and placing robot, and the lithium battery picking and placing robot includes a lithium battery clamp. It is characterized in that the blowing and leveling device includes a blowing pipe, and the blowing pipe is arranged on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery clamp. The blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp, and the distance between the leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides of the blowing pipe corresponding to the lithium battery clamp is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery.

[0010] Furthermore, the lithium battery grippers include more than two arranged in an array, and corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers, the leveling blowing holes on the blowing pipe include more than two groups.

[0011] Furthermore, the blowing pipe includes a first blowing pipe and a second blowing pipe, and the first blowing pipe and the second blowing pipe are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp. The first blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp, and the second blowing pipe is also respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp.

[0012] Furthermore, the lithium battery picking and placing robot also includes a gripper mounting base, and more than two lithium battery grippers are arranged on the gripper mounting base. The air duct is arranged on the gripper mounting base and is located on the front or rear side of the arranged lithium battery grippers.

[0013] The present invention has the following advantages: by arranging an air blowing and leveling device on the lithium battery pick-up and placement manipulator, the lithium battery after being clamped can be blown and leveled to ensure the accuracy of lithium battery pick-up and placement. The structure of the air blowing and leveling device is scientific and reasonable, and the air flow is guided through the air blowing pipes located on the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp, and then the air is blown out from the leveling air holes on the air blowing pipes corresponding to the left and right sides of the lithium battery clamp. If the battery body of the lithium battery clamped by the clamp is tilted to the left or right, the air flow will blow it straight and level, which is highly practical and effective.

[0014] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lithium battery pick-and-place robot Figure 1 ;

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a local enlarged structure;

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a local enlarged structure;

[0018] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lithium battery pick-and-place robot Figure 2 ;

[0019] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a lithium battery pick-and-place robot clamping a lithium battery into a test fixture;

[0020] In the figure: lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1; lithium battery gripper 2; air blowing pipe 3; leveling air blowing hole 4; lithium battery 5; test fixture 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, counterclockwise, clockwise, circumferential, radial, axial...), then the directional indication is only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first" or "second" etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first" or "second" etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in the field to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0024] See also Figures 1 to 5 The clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0025] 1) A lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1 is provided, wherein the lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1 includes a lithium battery gripper 2; an air blowing and leveling device is provided on the lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1, wherein the air blowing and leveling device includes an air blowing pipe 3, wherein the air blowing pipe 3 is provided on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery gripper 2, and the air blowing pipe 3 is provided with leveling air holes 4 on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery gripper 2, respectively, and the distance between the leveling air holes on the left and right sides of the air blowing pipe 3 corresponding to the lithium battery gripper 2 is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery 5; on the original side, a lithium battery gripper 2 can It is applicable, but in the actual production process, there are multiple lithium battery grippers 2 on the lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1, so that multiple lithium batteries 5 can be clamped at one time. Therefore, the lithium battery grippers 2 include more than two arranged (that is, multiple arranged lithium batteries can be clamped at one time); corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers 2, the leveling blowing holes 4 on the blowing pipe 3 include more than two groups (two leveling blowing holes in each group), because the leveling blowing holes 4 need to be set on the left and right sides of each lithium battery gripper 2. In addition, in order to increase the blowing and leveling effect, two blowing pipes 3 can be used, the first blowing pipe and the second blowing pipe are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery gripper 2, the first blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides of each lithium battery gripper 2, and the second blowing pipe is also respectively provided with leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides of each lithium battery gripper 2.

[0026] 2) The lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator 1 clamps the air bag part of the soft-pack lithium battery 5 through the lithium battery gripper 2, and then moves to pick and place. Before placing the battery body of the soft-pack lithium battery 5 into the slot of the test fixture 6, the blowing and leveling device is started. The air source passes through the blowing pipe 3 and then blows out from the leveling blowing hole 4. The blown air flow is located on the left and right sides of the lithium battery gripper 2, and blows on the side of the lithium battery 5 that is tilted to the left or right on the lithium battery gripper 2, so as to level and straighten the lithium battery body part that is tilted to the left or right on the lithium battery gripper 2, thereby ensuring that the lithium battery body part can be accurately aligned when placed in the slot of the test fixture. For example, see the attached Figure 1 , 2 The first lithium battery in the picture has a crooked body and needs to be blown straight and leveled.

[0027] See also Figures 1 to 5 , a blowing and leveling device for implementing the clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production is arranged on a lithium battery picking and placing robot 1, and the lithium battery picking and placing robot 1 includes a lithium battery clamp 2, and the blowing and leveling device includes a blowing pipe 3, and the blowing pipe 3 is arranged on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery clamp 2, and the blowing pipe 3 is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp 2, and the distance between the leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides of the blowing pipe 3 corresponding to the lithium battery clamp 2 is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery 5 (it should be noted here that the distance between the leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp 2 is greater than the thickness of the clamped lithium battery 5, so that the blowing holes are not blocked by the end face of the lithium battery, so that the air blown out of the leveling blowing holes 4 will have a blowing and leveling effect on the lithium battery, otherwise the holes will be blocked by the end face of the lithium battery).

[0028] Specifically, the lithium battery grippers 2 include more than two arranged in an array, and corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers 2, the leveling blowing holes 4 on the blowing pipe 3 include more than two groups.

[0029] Specifically, the blowing pipe 3 includes a first blowing pipe and a second blowing pipe, and the first blowing pipe and the second blowing pipe are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp 2. The first blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides corresponding to each lithium battery clamp 2, and the second blowing pipe is also respectively provided with leveling blowing holes 4 on the left and right sides corresponding to each lithium battery clamp 2.

[0030] Specifically, the lithium battery picking and placing robot 1 also includes a gripper mounting base 7, and more than two lithium battery grippers 2 are arranged on the gripper mounting base 7. The air duct 3 is arranged on the gripper mounting base 7 and is located on the front side or rear side of the arranged lithium battery grippers 2.

[0031] More specifically, the lithium battery pick-and-place robot 1 is provided with two gripper mounting bases 7 , and each gripper mounting base 7 is provided with a plurality of lithium battery grippers 2 arranged in an array.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that the air blowing and leveling device is suitable for the modification of various types of lithium battery pick-and-place robots. In addition, the structure of the lithium battery pick-and-place robot generally includes X, Y, and Z axis moving components and corresponding gripper opening and closing drive components. The moving components can be motors, slide rails, blocks, screw rod structures, or cylinders, slide rail slider structures, or other moving drive structures. The gripper opening and closing drive components can be motor screw rod-driven opening and closing, or cylinder-driven opening and closing. In order to facilitate the layout of the air blowing pipeline, the embodiment of the present application adopts a long, one-piece gripper mounting base, so that the air blowing pipeline can be well arranged on the front and back sides of a whole row of grippers. In short, except for the long, one-piece gripper mounting base, the other parts of the pick-and-place robot are conventional technologies in the field, and are not the content required for protection in this application, so they will not be elaborated here.

[0033] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Other clamping and leveling methods and blowing and leveling devices for lithium battery production obtained by adopting the same or similar technical features as the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production, characterized in that: The steps include: 1) A lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator is provided, the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator includes a lithium battery gripper; an air blowing and leveling device is provided on the lithium battery pick-and-place manipulator, the air blowing and leveling device includes an air blowing pipe, the air blowing pipe is provided on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery gripper, and the air blowing pipe is provided with leveling air holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery gripper, respectively, and the distance between the leveling air blowing holes on the left and right sides of the air blowing pipe corresponding to the lithium battery gripper is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery; 2) The lithium battery pick-and-place robot clamps the air bag part of the soft-pack lithium battery through the lithium battery clamp, and then moves it for pick-and-place. Before placing the battery body of the soft-pack lithium battery into the slot of the test fixture, start the air blowing and leveling device. The air source passes through the air blowing pipe and then blows out from the leveling air blowing hole. The blown air flow is located on the left and right sides of the lithium battery clamp, thereby leveling and straightening the lithium battery body part that is tilted to the left or right on the lithium battery clamp.

2. The clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 1), the lithium battery grippers include more than two arranged in an array, and corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers, the leveling blowing holes on the blowing pipe include more than two groups.

3. The clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: In step 1), the blowing pipe includes a first blowing pipe and a second blowing pipe, the first blowing pipe and the second blowing pipe are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp, the first blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp, and the second blowing pipe is also respectively provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp.

4. An air blowing and leveling device for implementing the clamping and leveling method for lithium battery production according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is arranged on a lithium battery pick-and-place robot, the lithium battery pick-and-place robot comprising a lithium battery gripper, characterized in that: The air blowing and leveling device includes an air blowing pipe, which is arranged on the front side or the rear side of the lithium battery clamp. The air blowing pipe is respectively provided with leveling air blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp. The distance between the leveling air blowing holes on the left and right sides of the air blowing pipe corresponding to the lithium battery clamp is greater than the thickness of the lithium battery.

5. The air blowing and leveling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lithium battery grippers include more than two arranged in an array, and corresponding to the more than two arranged lithium battery grippers, the leveling blowing holes on the blowing pipe include more than two groups.

6. The air blowing and leveling device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The blowing pipe includes a first blowing pipe and a second blowing pipe, which are respectively located at the front and rear sides of the lithium battery clamp. The first blowing pipe is provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp, and the second blowing pipe is also provided with leveling blowing holes on the left and right sides corresponding to the lithium battery clamp.

7. The air blowing and leveling device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lithium battery picking and placing robot also includes a gripper mounting base, and more than two lithium battery grippers are arranged on the gripper mounting base. The air blowing duct is arranged on the gripper mounting base and is located at the front side or the rear side of the arranged lithium battery grippers.

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