Guard plate insertion device

Abstract

A guard plate insertion device for inserting a guard plate into a battery and into the housing of the battery, characterized by comprising: a guard plate library for storing and neatly arranging the guard plates; a guard plate discharging part for discharging the guard plates in the guard plate library one by one to a predetermined position; a battery holding part for holding the battery; and a guard plate insertion part for taking out the guard plate from the guard plate discharging part at the predetermined position and then inserting the taken-out guard plate into the battery through relative displacement with the battery holding part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guard plate insertion device for inserting a guard plate into a battery case during battery production. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, batteries as power sources for personal computers, mobile phones, game consoles, electric vehicles, etc. have attracted much attention.

[0003] The above-mentioned batteries generally include a case, a guard plate, a sealing plate assembly, and power generation elements (including positive and negative plates, a separator, etc.) sealed in a closed cavity formed by the metal case and the sealing plate assembly. The guard plate is installed between the case and the sealing plate assembly to protect the battery case.

[0004] The battery assembly process is generally as follows: First, the power generation elements are inserted into the metal case, then the guard plate is inserted into the case, and then the cover plate is welded to the case. After injecting electrolyte into the metal case through the liquid injection hole provided on the cover plate, the liquid injection hole is sealed by welding a sealing bolt, thus completing the battery assembly.

[0005] Since the guard plate is small in size, irregular in shape, and needs to allow the lead wire to pass through when inserted into the case, and has high requirements for insertion accuracy, for a long time, it has been a manual operation, that is, it is necessary to manually take out the guard plate, make placement preparations, and then insert the guard plate.

[0006] During the process of taking the guard plate, since the guard plate component is small and thin, a relatively large-sized vibratory bowl is usually required to align the guard plates, which requires a separate space for placing the vibratory bowl. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] Manually inserting the guard plate into the battery case is easily affected by the individual differences and mistakes of the operator, resulting in quality problems of the battery. In addition, the traditional vibratory bowl requires a large amount of space.

[0009] The present invention is completed in view of the problems in the related art, and its purpose is to provide a low-cost and compact guard plate insertion device that can accurately and reliably complete the automatic alignment feeding and insertion of the guard plate, avoiding quality problems caused by manual operation. At the same time, it also saves one operator, saves the space of a large vibratory bowl in the traditional concept, and does not require complex electrical control technology, greatly reducing the maintenance cost.

[0010] Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a guard plate insertion device for inserting a guard plate into a battery case, characterized by comprising:

[0012] A guard plate storage that stores guard plates and arranges them neatly;

[0013] A guard plate discharging part that discharges the guard plates in the guard plate storage one by one to a predetermined position;

[0014] A battery holding part that holds the battery;

[0015] A guard plate inserting part that takes out the guard plate from the guard plate discharging part at the predetermined position, and then inserts the taken-out guard plate into the battery through relative displacement with the battery holding part.

[0016] The second form of the present invention is that in the first form, the guard plate storage is a cartridge with a guard plate inlet and outlet facing downward.

[0017] The guard plate discharging part is arranged below the guard plate storage and has a groove that is consistent with the shape and height of one guard plate. The guard plate falls from the guard plate inlet and outlet of the guard plate storage into the groove.

[0018] The guard plate discharging part discharges the guard plates one by one to the predetermined position by lateral movement.

[0019] The third form of the present invention is that in the second form, the guard plate storage is provided with a detachable baffle at the guard plate inlet and outlet.

[0020] The fourth form of the present invention is that in the first or second form, the cartridge is a transparent cartridge.

[0021] The fifth form of the present invention is that in the first to third forms, an insertion ruler for inserting the guard plate is provided in the guard plate storage.

[0022] The sixth form of the present invention is that in the first to third forms, the guard plate inserting part takes out the guard plate from the guard plate discharging part by sucking up the guard plate from the predetermined position by using a suction cup.

[0023] The seventh form of the present invention is that in the first to third forms, there is a straightening mechanism for straightening the leads of the battery.

[0024] The eighth form of the present invention is that in the seventh form, the straightening mechanism is a clamping jaw.

[0025] The ninth form of the present invention is that in the first to third forms, there is a guiding groove for guiding the guard plate when inserting the guard plate.

[0026] The tenth form of the present invention is that in the first to third forms, the battery is a square battery and the guard plate is a square guard plate. Description of the Drawings

[0027] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall structure of the guard plate insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the structure of the guard plate magazine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the structure of the guard plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the structure of the guard plate extraction part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the structures of the guard plate insertion part, the alignment and guiding part, and the battery holding part according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the structures of the guard plate insertion part, the alignment and guiding part, and the battery holding part from another angle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Symbol Explanation

[0034] 1. Guard plate insertion device

[0035] 2. Guard plate magazine

[0036] 21. Insertion ruler

[0037] 22. Inlet and outlet

[0038] 23. Baffle

[0039] 3. Guard plate extraction part

[0040] 31. Fixed part

[0041] 32. Movable part

[0042] 33. Groove

[0043] 35. I-beam

[0044] 4. Guard plate insertion part

[0045] 41. Horizontal movement part

[0046] 42. Vertical movement part

[0047] 43. Adsorption part

[0048] 5. Alignment and guiding part

[0049] 51. Lead alignment part

[0050] 52. Guard plate guiding part

[0051] 522. Guide incision

[0052] 6. Battery holding part

[0053] 7. Workpiece conveyor line

[0054] 8. Guard plate

[0055] 81. Lead wire jack

[0056] 9. Substrate

[0057] 11. Battery

[0058] 111. Lead wire

[0059] 15. Truss Detailed implementation manners

[0060] Next, the implementation manners of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

[0061] Referring to the attached Figures 1 to 6 , the implementation manners of the present invention will be described.

[0062] Figure 1 Fig.

[0063] As Figure 1 shown, in the guard plate insertion device, there is a substrate 9, a workpiece conveyor line 7 fixed on the substrate 9, and a truss 15 erected above the workpiece conveyor line 7 and orthogonal to the workpiece conveyor line 7. Among them, the workpiece conveyor line 7 is located on one side below the truss 15. The workpiece conveyor line 7 conveys the battery 11 as the workpiece.

[0064] Near the end of the truss 15 opposite to the workpiece conveyor line 7, a guard plate magazine 2 is suspended on a support leg 72 erected from the substrate 9. The guard plate magazine 2 is detachably installed on the support leg 72 with the inlet and outlet 22 described later facing downward.

[0065] A guard plate extraction part 3 is provided below the guard plate magazine 2. The guard plate extraction part 3 is fixed to the substrate 9 by an I-beam 35. As Figure 4 shown, the guard plate extraction part 3 includes a fixed part 31 fixed on the I-beam 35 and a movable part 32. The movable part 32 relatively moves with the fixed part 31 by, for example, fitting a guide rail into a guide groove. In the present embodiment, the movable part 32 can move in the direction of the workpiece conveyor line 7.

[0066] As Figure 1 shown, on the side of the truss 15 close to the guard plate magazine 2, the guard plate insertion device 1 further has a guard plate insertion part 4 provided on the truss 15 and capable of horizontally moving along the truss 15. To illustrate the movement of the guard plate insertion part 4, in Figure 1A guard plate inserting part 4 is drawn at each end of the truss 15. The guard plate inserting part 4 located at one side of the guard plate storage 2 takes out the guard plate from the guard plate taking-out part 3, and then moves horizontally along the truss 15 to just above the workpiece conveying line 7. Although two guard plate inserting parts 4 are shown in the figure, in actual operation, only one guard plate inserting part 4 moves from one end of the truss 15 to the other end to perform the operation.

[0067] In the guard plate inserting device 1, the position for inserting the guard plate 8 into the battery 11 is referred to as the assembly position. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the assembly position is located above the workpiece conveying line 7 and directly opposite to the guard plate taking-out portion 3. At the assembly position, there is also a straightening guide portion 5 for guiding the guard plate 8 when it is inserted and straightening the lead of the battery 11.

[0068] In addition, the panel inserting device 1 further includes a battery holding portion 6 for holding the battery 11 delivered from the workpiece output line 7 at an assembly position.

[0069] In the following, each part of the guard plate inserting device 1 is described in detail.

[0070] (Guardboards and Guardboard Libraries)

[0071] like Figure 2 As shown, the guard plate library 2 in this embodiment is used to store Figure 3 The material box for the square guard plate 8 of the square battery shown is preferably a transparent material box to facilitate observation of the condition of the guard plate inside. The guard plate storage 2 can be freely disassembled or replaced from the guard plate insertion device 1, such as Figure 2 As shown, the guard plate storehouse 2 has a ruler 21, an inlet and outlet 22, and a baffle 23 disposed at the inlet and outlet 22 in a detachable manner. The guard plates 8 are neatly stacked and arranged in the guard plate storehouse 2 with the ruler 21 as the axis. The ruler 21 can ensure that the guard plates 8 are loaded into the guard plate storehouse 2 and taken out from the guard plate storehouse 2 in a stable posture, and the shape and size of the inlet and outlet 22 match the shape and size of the guard plates. In this embodiment, one inlet and outlet 22 is provided, but two inlets and outlets can also be provided, which are respectively provided at the two ends of the guard plate storehouse 2.

[0072] (Guard plate removal part)

[0073] like Figure 1 and 4 As shown, in the guard plate insertion device 1, the guard plate removal part 3 is located below the guard plate storage 2. As described above, the guard plate removal part 3 has a fixed part 31 and a movable part 32, the fixed part 31 is fixed relative to the guard plate insertion device 1, and the movable part 32 reciprocates relative to the fixed part 31 in the direction toward the assembly position on the workpiece conveying line 7.

[0074] The movable part 32 of the guard plate extraction part 3 is formed in a long strip shape, and a groove 33 for placing the guard plate 8 is formed on the upper surface of the movable part 32. The shape and size of the groove 33 match those of one guard plate 8, and the height is the same as that of the guard plate 8. When the movable part 32 moves below the guard plate library 2, the groove 33 is directly opposite to the guard plate 8 about to fall in the guard plate library 2, ensuring that only one guard plate 8 falls into the groove 33 due to its own gravity each time and is stably placed in the groove 33. After the guard plate 8 enters the groove 33, the movable part 32 of the guard plate extraction part 3 moves towards the assembly position and reaches below the guard plate insertion part 4 at this end of the guard plate library 2.

[0075] (Guard plate insertion part)

[0076] As Figure 1 shown, the guard plate insertion part 4 can move horizontally on the truss 15. Specifically, as Figure 5 shown, the guard plate insertion part 4 has a horizontal movement part 41, a vertical movement part 42, and a guard plate adsorption part 43.

[0077] As Figure 1 shown, the guard plate insertion part 4 moves horizontally on the truss 15 through the horizontal movement part 41, and the guard plate adsorption part 43 fixed on the vertical movement part 42 moves up and down through the vertical movement part 42.

[0078] When the guard plate insertion part 4 reaches one end of the guard plate library 2 on the truss 15, the guard plate adsorption part 43 is exactly vertically opposite to the groove 33 of the movable part 32 of the guard plate extraction part 3 that moves horizontally out from below the guard plate library 2. At this time, the movable part 32 stops moving, and the vertical movement part 42 moves downward to make the guard plate adsorption part 43 approach the guard plate 8 in the groove 33 of the movable part 32 of the guard plate extraction part 3. The guard plate adsorption part 43 adsorbs the guard plate 8 from the groove 33 of the guard plate extraction part 3 by the suction force of the suction cup, for example. After that, the vertical movement part 42 moves upward to lift the guard plate 8. Then, the movable part 32 retreats in the opposite direction of the guard plate library 2 to perform the operation of taking out the next guard plate. On the other hand, the horizontal movement part 41 moves horizontally along the truss 15 to one side of the workpiece conveying line 7 and transfers the guard plate 8 adsorbed by the guard plate adsorption part 43 to the assembly position (as Figure 5 shown).

[0079] (Alignment guiding part)

[0080] As Figure 5 shown, at the assembly position, an alignment guiding part 5 is also provided. The alignment guiding part 5 includes a lead alignment part 51 and a guard plate guiding part 52.

[0081] A guide notch 522 is formed in the guard plate guiding portion 52 to guide the guard plate when the guard plate is inserted, ensuring that the lead insertion hole 81 in the guard plate is aligned with the lead 111 of the battery. The lead aligning portion 51 is formed in a jaw shape to align the lead 111 by clamping the lead of the battery 11 before the guard plate is inserted, preventing the lead from being bent and unable to pass through the hole in the middle of the guard plate smoothly.

[0082] The positional relationship between the guard plate guiding portion 52 and the lead aligning portion 51 is determined according to the relative positional relationship between the guard plate and the lead in the battery.

[0083] When the battery 11 is conveyed to the assembling position, it is positioned and held by the battery holding portion 6 described later. The guard plate guiding portion 52 and the lead aligning portion 51 move to directly above the battery 11 for alignment. At the same time, the guard plate adsorbing portion 43 adsorbing the guard plate 8 moves to directly above the battery 11. Then, the lead aligning portion 51 moves away, the guard plate adsorbing portion 43 releases the guard plate 8, and the guard plate 8 passes through the guard plate guiding portion 52 and drops onto the housing of the battery 11 to complete the insertion operation of the guard plate.

[0084] (Battery holding portion)

[0085] As Figure 1 、 Figure 5 shown, when the battery is in the assembling position, it is positioned and held by the battery holding portion 6. The battery holding portion 6 positions and holds the battery by advancing and retreating relative to the battery.

[0086] (Operation process of the guard plate insertion device 1)

[0087] Next, the operation process of the guard plate insertion device 1 will be described.

[0088] The guard plate magazine 2 pre-loaded with the guard plate 8 is installed on the guard plate insertion device 1 with the inlet and outlet 22 of the guard plate facing downward. The baffle 23 on the guard plate inlet and outlet is pulled out, and the guard plate 8 drops into the groove 33 of the movable portion 32 of the guard plate taking-out portion 3 below due to gravity. Since the shape and size of the groove 33 match those of the guard plate 8 and the height is the same as that of the guard plate 8, only one guard plate 8 can enter the groove 33 each time and be stably placed in the groove 33.

[0089] After that, the movable portion 32 of the guard plate taking-out portion 3 horizontally moves from below the guard plate magazine 2 to the predetermined position for handing over the guard plate with the guard plate insertion portion 4. The guard plate insertion portion 4 horizontally moves on the truss 15 to the predetermined position for handing over the guard plate through the horizontal movement portion 41, and the guard plate adsorbing portion 43 fixed on the up-and-down movement portion 42 moves up and down through the up-and-down movement portion 42. The guard plate adsorbing portion 43 sucks up the guard plate 8 from the groove 33 of the guard plate taking-out portion 3 by suction at the predetermined position for handing over the guard plate.

[0090] The retainer insertion part 4 of the pick-up retainer 8 is moved to the other end of the truss 15 through the horizontal movement part 41 and reaches the assembly position. At the same time, the movable part 32 of the retainer extraction part 3 retracts to below the retainer magazine 2 to extract the next retainer.

[0091] At the assembly position, the battery 11 conveyed on the workpiece conveying line 7 is held at this assembly position by the battery holding part 6. The lead aligning part 51 and the retainer guiding part 52 of the alignment guiding part 5 move to align the guiding notch 522 with the position of the battery 11 where the retainer 8 is to be placed, and the lead of the battery 11 is aligned by the jaws of the lead aligning part 51. The retainer suction part 43 moves downward, inserts the retainer 8 into the housing of the battery, and then moves upward.

[0092] After the assembly of the retainer 8 is completed, the horizontal movement part 41 of the retainer insertion part 4 moves along the truss 15 towards one end of the retainer magazine 2 and returns to the position where the retainer is transferred with the retainer extraction part 3 again. The lead aligning part 51 and the retainer guiding part 52 of the alignment guiding part 5 and the battery holding part 6 are respectively retracted to await the next installation process of the retainer 8.

[0093] The structure shown in the above embodiment represents an example of the content of the present invention, and can also be combined with other known technologies, and a part of the structure can also be omitted or changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0094] For example, in the above embodiment, the retainer magazine is a cartridge for storing square retainers for square batteries, but it is not limited to square, and a retainer magazine with a corresponding shape can be used according to the shapes of the battery and the retainer. In addition, in the above embodiment, the retainer insertion part sucks the retainer by suction, but the retainer can also be extracted by adhesion force or a mechanism that engages with the retainer.

[0095] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the above specific examples. Those skilled in the art can think of various deformations or modifications within the scope of the claims attached later, and these deformation examples and modification examples also belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A guard plate insertion device for inserting a guard plate into the housing of a battery, characterized in that, comprising: a guard plate magazine for storing guard plates and arranging them neatly; a guard plate discharging part for discharging the guard plates in the guard plate magazine one by one to a predetermined position; a battery holding part for holding the battery; and a guard plate inserting part for taking out the guard plate from the guard plate discharging part at the predetermined position, and then inserting the taken-out guard plate into the battery through relative displacement with the battery holding part; the guard plate magazine is a cartridge with a guard plate inlet and outlet facing downward; the guard plate discharging part is arranged below the guard plate magazine and has a groove consistent with the shape and height of one guard plate, and the guard plate falls into the groove from the guard plate inlet and outlet of the guard plate magazine; the guard plate discharging part discharges the guard plates one by one to the predetermined position by lateral movement.

2. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guard plate magazine is provided with a detachable baffle at the guard plate inlet and outlet.

3. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge is a transparent cartridge.

4. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that a inserting ruler for inserting the guard plate is arranged in the guard plate magazine.

5. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guard plate inserting part takes out the guard plate from the guard plate discharging part by sucking up the guard plate from the predetermined position by using a suction cup.

6. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a straightening mechanism for straightening the leads of the battery.

7. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 6, characterized in that the straightening mechanism is a clamping jaw.

8. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a guiding groove for guiding the guard plate when inserting the guard plate.

9. The guard plate inserting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery is a square battery and the guard plate is a square guard plate.

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