High-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to high-speed, high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells, comprising a frame, a loader, an edge cleaning machine, a transport mechanism, and a blanking machine. The space formed between the base, frame columns, a first profile beam, and a second profile beam is divided sequentially along the negative X direction into three zones: a loading area, a processing area, and a blanking area, each used to house the loader, edge cleaning machine, and blanking machine, respectively. The transport mechanism is mounted on the first profile beam disposed along the X direction. Compared to existing technologies, the present invention shortens the internal processing and transmission path for solar cells, achieves high processing precision, and flexibly adjusts the edge cleaning path and width. This allows for fully automatic loading, automatic alignment and edge cleaning, and automatic unloading without the need for human intervention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field related to solar cell processing, and in particular to high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells. Background Art

[0002] Edge cleaning is an important process before the airtight packaging of thin-film solar cell substrates. The main purposes of edge cleaning are twofold: one is to prevent short circuits caused by contact with the metal frame during installation of thin-film solar cells; the other is to prevent the edge film layer from detaching, resulting in failure of the airtight packaging.

[0003] Early edge cleaning processes used sandblasting, mechanical roller friction, and scraping. Sandblasting uses compressed air to entrain a spray material (sand of a certain particle size) to form a high-speed fluid that impacts the surface of thin-film solar cells at high speed, damaging and removing the film layer at the edge of the cell to achieve the purpose of edge cleaning. However, this method has obvious disadvantages. Not only are the processing conditions harsh and easily pollute the environment, but it also contaminates the cell film layer, which in turn affects the cell's photoelectric conversion efficiency. The edge cleaning effect of mechanical roller friction and scraping depends on the degree of scraper wear, resulting in extremely unstable results and low efficiency. More importantly, the roller used for mechanical roller friction and the scraper used for scraping are expensive and consumable items, which invisibly increases production costs.

[0004] In recent years, laser processing has become the main edge cleaning method for thin-film solar cells. The industry generally uses lasers in the power range of 100-1500W as the edge cleaning processing light source.

[0005] Comparative documents CN201410323999 and CN202110930087, respectively, provide a laser edge cleaning solution and equipment. The CN201410323999 solution uses a combination of mechanical handling and platform motion to transport glass for edge cleaning. This mechanical positioning method suffers from poor alignment accuracy and difficulty in precisely controlling edge cleaning dimensions. The edge cleaning process also involves secondary handling and positioning, which poses a high risk of damage to the cell and reduces processing efficiency.

[0006] The solution of application number CN202110930087 uses a low-power laser system to first scribe the dividing line, dividing the cell into an active area and an inactive area, and then uses a high-power laser system to clear the inactive area. It preferably requires eight sets of laser modules for edge cleaning. Moreover, the removal of the dividing line and the film layer in the inactive area relies on the reciprocating motion of the linear drive mechanism. Limited by the speed limit of the mechanical movement, it is difficult to improve the efficiency of the whole piece processing, and the equipment cost will be very high. In addition to these common problems, there are also problems such as the inflexible edge cleaning path.

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned defects, the designers have actively carried out research and innovation in order to create a high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells, making it more valuable for industrial use. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to solve the above technical problems, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0010] High-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells includes a frame, a loader, an edge cleaner, a conveying mechanism, a dust collection and following mechanism, and a blanking machine. The frame includes a base, a plurality of frame columns arranged on the base for support, and a first profile beam and a second profile beam arranged along the X direction and along the Y direction and connecting the frame columns. The space area formed by the base, the frame columns, the first profile beam and the second profile beam is divided into three areas along the negative X direction, namely the loading position, the processing area and the blanking area, which are used to arrange the loader, the edge cleaner and the blanking machine respectively. The conveying mechanism is mounted on the first profile beam arranged along the X direction.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the loader includes an aluminum profile frame, a conveying assembly arranged on the aluminum profile frame, a lifting mechanism arranged below the conveying assembly and fixed on the base, and a regularizing mechanism arranged on the lifting mechanism.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the transmission assembly includes a drive unit, a transmission unit and a transmission unit, and the drive unit transmits power to the transmission unit through the transmission unit; the drive unit is arranged in the middle position of the aluminum profile frame along the positive direction of Y, the transmission unit is arranged along the X direction and the drive unit is located in the middle position of the transmission unit, and a number of transmission units are evenly arranged on the aluminum profile frame along the X direction, and the transmission unit is arranged along the Y direction; the drive unit includes a loading motor, a reducer and a first transmission wheel arranged on the output shaft of the reducer; the transmission unit consists of a transmission shaft and a number of second transmission wheels arranged on the transmission shaft, wherein the transmission shaft is parallel to the wafer direction; the transmission unit consists of a transmission shaft arranged perpendicular to the wafer direction, a third transmission wheel arranged at the end of the transmission shaft, a number of transmission wheels arranged on the transmission shaft, and a number of bearings supporting the transmission shaft.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the jacking mechanism includes a centering support assembly, a jacking unit arranged on the centering support assembly, and a jacking drive module that drives the centering support assembly and the jacking unit to move along the Z-axis direction. The jacking units are evenly distributed on the mounting plate of the centering support assembly. The jacking unit includes a jacking column and a buffer plate located on the top of the jacking column.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the regularizing mechanism includes a first regularizing component and a second regularizing component; the first regularizing component regularizes the position of the battery cells along the wafer flow direction, the first regularizing component includes a fixed regularizing unit and a motion regularizing unit, the fixed regularizing unit is fixed on the mounting plate, the motion regularizing unit is connected to the lifting mechanism through the motion unit at the lower end, and under the drive of the motion unit, the motion regularizing unit can reciprocate along the X direction, and cooperate with the fixed regularizing unit that plays a position limiting role to achieve the regularization of the battery cell wafer flow direction; the second regularizing component includes a regularizing drive component and a regularizing unit arranged on both sides of the lifting mechanism along the X direction and connected to the regularizing drive component through a synchronous belt, the regularizing unit is connected to the lifting mechanism through a linear guide rail at the lower end, and the regularizing unit can move freely along the Y direction on the linear guide rail.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, a fixed stop unit is provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame along the negative X direction, and a sensor is also provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame along the positive X direction.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the conveying mechanism includes two conveying linear drive modules arranged along the X-axis direction, and a material picking module mounted on the conveying linear drive modules. The power input ends of the two conveying linear drive modules are connected to the synchronous transmission shaft, and the conveying motor transmits power to the two conveying linear drive modules through the synchronous transmission shaft. The material picking module includes a conveying frame and several clamping claw assemblies installed in the conveying frame. The material picking module is respectively connected to the movers of the conveying linear drive modules on both sides along the X direction.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the edge cleaning machine includes a base platform, an edge cleaning linear drive module installed on the base platform and capable of being driven along the X-axis and Y-axis, a laser processing component arranged on the edge cleaning linear drive module, and an imaging unit arranged at the four hollowed-out positions of the base platform; the laser processing component includes a laser, a micro-motion module base arranged in a light box, and a first reflector, a scanning galvanometer and a focusing mirror arranged on the micro-motion module base, a second reflector is arranged on one side of the focusing mirror along the positive direction of the Y-axis, and the laser emitted by the laser passes through the first reflector and enters the scanning galvanometer and the focusing mirror in sequence, and the light beam is focused by the focusing mirror and then reflected by the second reflector and emitted in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, a high-transmittance window is provided at the light outlet of the light box of the laser processing assembly, and an air blowing device is provided on one side of the high-transmittance window.

[0019] As a further improvement of the present invention, it also includes a dust collection following mechanism, which is arranged on the aluminum profile of the equipment cover above the conveying mechanism. The dust collection following mechanism includes a dust collection linear module that can be driven along the X-axis and Y-axis. The driving end on the dust collection linear module is connected to the dust collection drive module that can be driven along the Z-axis, and the driving end on the dust collection drive module is connected to the dust collection component.

[0020] By means of the above solution, the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0021] 1. Compared with the existing technology, the present invention has a short transmission path for processing solar cells inside the equipment, high processing accuracy, flexible and adjustable edge cleaning path and edge cleaning width, and realizes fully automatic loading, automatic alignment and edge cleaning, and automatic unloading without human intervention.

[0022] 2. During the edge cleaning process, the battery cell is clamped by the handling mechanism in one go, without the need for transfer and repeated mechanical alignment in the middle, thus minimizing the transmission path of the battery cell inside the equipment, thereby reducing damage to the thin-film solar cells during the processing, and further affecting the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery; even if the clamping claws will contact the edge film surface of the battery cell during transportation, the contact area is the area to be cleaned, and the clamping claws are designed with an anti-damage film layer, which will not damage the effective area of ​​the battery cell.

[0023] 3. The edge cleaning path and edge cleaning width can be flexibly controlled. The edge cleaning processing range completely covers the entire battery cell format, and any edge cleaning position and edge cleaning width requirements within the battery cell format can be achieved.

[0024] 4. The present invention introduces image capture technology to accurately position the battery cell. Compared with the mechanical positioning method in the existing technical solution, the positioning speed is faster and the processing accuracy is higher.

[0025] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention and implement it according to the contents of the specification, the following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle rack;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle loader;

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A partial enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0032] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Structural diagram of the middle lifting mechanism and the regularizing mechanism;

[0033] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle transport mechanism;

[0034] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0035] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the edge cleaning machine;

[0036] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of the laser processing component;

[0037] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the dust collection and following mechanism.

[0038] The meanings of the reference numerals in the figures are as follows.

[0039] 100 rack 200 loader

[0040] 300 Edge Cleaner 400 Transport Mechanism

[0041] 500 Dust collection follower 600 Unloader

[0042] 110 base 120 rack column

[0043] 130 first profile beam 140 second profile beam

[0044] 150 foot cup 210 aluminum profile frame

[0045] 211 Fixed stop unit 212 Sensor

[0046] 220 Transmission component 221 Drive unit

[0047] 2211 Feeding drive motor 2212 Reducer

[0048] 2213 First transmission wheel 222 Transmission unit

[0049] 2221 Drive shaft 2222 Second drive wheel

[0050] 223 Conveyor unit 2231 Conveyor shaft

[0051] 2232 Transmission wheel 2233 Third transmission wheel

[0052] 2234 bearing 230 lifting mechanism

[0053] 231 Centering support assembly 2311 Mounting plate

[0054] 232 Lifting Unit 2321 Lifting Column

[0055] 2322 buffer plate 233 lifting drive module

[0056] 240 Regularization mechanism 241 First regularization component

[0057] 2411 Fixed regular unit 2412 Motion regular unit

[0058] 242 Second regularization component 2421 Regularization drive component

[0059] 2422 Regular Unit 310 Base Platform

[0060] 320 Cleaning Linear Drive Module 330 Laser Processing Components

[0061] 331 Laser 332 Micro-switch module base

[0062] 333 First reflecting mirror 334 Scanning galvanometer

[0063] 335 Focusing mirror 336 Second reflecting mirror

[0064] 337 High Transmittance Window 338 Air Blowing Device

[0065] 340 Imaging Unit 410 Handling Linear Drive Module

[0066] 411 Synchronous drive shaft 412 Transport motor

[0067] 420 Reclaiming Module 421 Transport Frame

[0068] 422 Gripper Assembly 510 Dust Collection Linear Module

[0069] 520 Dust collection assembly 530 Dust collection drive module DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0071] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention generally described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0072] Example

[0073] like Figures 1 to 11 As shown,

[0074] The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells includes a frame 100, a loader 200, an edge cleaning machine 300, a conveying mechanism 400 and a blanking machine 600. The frame 100 includes a base 110, a plurality of frame columns 120 arranged on the base 110 for support, and a first profile beam 130 and a second profile beam 140 arranged along the X direction and along the Y direction and connecting the frame columns 120. The space area formed by the base 110, the frame columns 120, the first profile beam 130 and the second profile beam 140 is divided into three areas along the negative X direction, namely the loading position, the processing area and the blanking area, which are respectively used to arrange the loader 200, the edge cleaning machine 300 and the blanking machine 600. The conveying mechanism 400 is mounted on the first profile beam 130 arranged along the X direction. A plurality of foot cups 150 are provided at the bottom of the base 110.

[0075] Preferably, the loader 200 includes an aluminum profile frame 210, a conveying assembly 220 arranged on the aluminum profile frame 210, a lifting mechanism 230 arranged below the conveying assembly 220 and fixed on the base 110, and a regularizing mechanism 240 arranged on the lifting mechanism 230.

[0076] Preferably, the transmission assembly 220 includes a driving unit 221, a transmission unit 222 and a transmission unit 223, wherein the driving unit 221 transmits power to the transmission unit 223 through the transmission unit 222; the driving unit 221 is arranged in the middle position of the aluminum profile frame 210 along the positive Y direction, the transmission unit 222 is arranged along the X direction and the driving unit 221 is located in the middle position of the transmission unit 222, and a plurality of transmission units 223 are evenly arranged on the aluminum profile frame 210 along the X direction, and the transmission units 223 are arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission units 223, wherein the transmission unit 223 is ... X direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission units 223, wherein the transmission unit 223 is arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission units 223, wherein the transmission unit 223 is arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission units 223, wherein the transmission unit 223 is arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission units 223, wherein the transmission unit 223 is arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit 221 includes a plurality of transmission It includes a loading motor 2211, a reducer 2212 and a first transmission wheel 2213 arranged on the output shaft of the reducer; the transmission unit 222 consists of a transmission shaft 2221 and several second transmission wheels 2222 arranged on the transmission shaft 2221, wherein the transmission shaft 2221 is parallel to the wafer flow direction; the transmission unit 223 consists of a transmission shaft 2231 arranged perpendicular to the wafer flow direction, a third transmission wheel 2233 arranged at the end of the transmission shaft 2231, several transmission wheels 2232 arranged on the transmission shaft 2231 and several bearings 2234 supporting the transmission shaft 2231.

[0077] Preferably, the lifting mechanism 230 includes a centering support assembly 231, a lifting unit 232 arranged on the centering support assembly 231, and a lifting drive module 233 that drives the centering support assembly 231 and the lifting unit 232 to move along the Z-axis direction. The lifting units 232 are evenly distributed on the mounting plate 2311 of the centering support assembly 231. The lifting unit 232 includes a lifting column 2321 and a buffer plate 2322 located at the top of the lifting column 2321.

[0078] Preferably, the regularization mechanism 240 includes a first regularization component 241 and a second regularization component 242; the first regularization component 241 regularizes the position of the battery cells along the wafer flow direction, and the first regularization component 241 includes a fixed regularization unit 2411 and a motion regularization unit 2412. The fixed regularization unit 2411 is fixed on the mounting plate 2311, and the motion regularization unit 2412 is connected to the lifting mechanism 230 through the motion unit at the lower end. Under the drive of the motion unit, the motion regularization unit 2412 can be The regularization of the cell flow direction is achieved by reciprocating motion along the X direction in cooperation with the fixed regularization unit 2411 which plays a position limiting role; the second regularization component includes a regularization drive component 2421 and regularization units 2422 which are arranged on both sides of the lifting mechanism 230 along the X-axis direction and connected to the regularization drive component 2421 through a synchronous belt. The regularization unit 2422 is connected to the lifting mechanism 230 through a linear guide rail at the lower end, and the regularization unit 2422 can move freely along the Y direction on the linear guide rail.

[0079] Preferably, a fixed stopping unit 211 is provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame 210 along the negative X direction, and a sensor 212 is further provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame 210 along the positive X direction.

[0080] Preferably, the transport mechanism 400 includes two transport linear drive modules 410 arranged along the X-axis direction, and a material picking module 420 mounted on the transport linear drive module 410. The power input ends of the two transport linear drive modules 410 are connected to the synchronous transmission shaft 411, and the transport motor 412 transmits power to the two transport linear drive modules 410 through the synchronous transmission shaft 411. The material picking module 420 includes a transport frame 421 and a plurality of clamping jaw assemblies 422 installed in the transport frame 421. The material picking module 420 is respectively connected to the movers of the transport linear drive modules 410 on both sides along the X direction.

[0081] Preferably, the edge cleaning machine 300 includes a base platform 310, an edge cleaning linear drive module 320 installed on the base platform 310 and drivable along the X-axis and Y-axis, a laser processing component 330 arranged on the edge cleaning linear drive module 320, and an imaging unit 340 arranged at the four hollow positions of the base platform 310; the laser processing component 330 includes a laser 331, a micro-motion module base 332 arranged in a light box, and a first reflector 333, a scanning galvanometer 334 and a focusing mirror 335 arranged on the micro-motion module base 332, and a second reflector 336 is arranged on one side of the focusing mirror 335 along the positive direction of the Y-axis. The laser emitted by the laser 331 passes through the first reflector 333 and enters the scanning galvanometer 334 and the focusing mirror 335 in turn. The light beam is focused by the focusing mirror 335 and then reflected by the second reflector 336, and is emitted in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal.

[0082] Preferably, a high-transmittance window piece 337 is provided at the light outlet of the light box of the laser processing assembly 330 , and an air blowing device 338 is provided on one side of the high-transmittance window piece 337 .

[0083] Preferably, it also includes a dust collection following mechanism 500, which is arranged on the aluminum profile of the equipment cover above the conveying mechanism 400. The dust collection following mechanism 500 includes a dust collection linear module 510 that can be driven along the X-axis and Y-axis. The driving end on the dust collection linear module 510 is connected to the dust collection driving module 530 that can be driven along the Z-axis, and the driving end on the dust collection driving module 530 is connected to the dust collection component 520.

[0084] Specific implementation of the present invention:

[0085] Figure 1The overall structure of a high-speed, high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells in one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, it can be seen that the device mainly includes: a frame 100, a loader 200, an edge cleaning machine 300, a conveying mechanism 400, a dust collection and following mechanism 500, and a discharger 600. All the mechanisms are installed on the frame according to a certain spatial relationship according to the processing path, thereby forming a unified whole. After the solar cell enters the equipment, it is initially regularized and positioned on the loader 200. Then, the conveying mechanism 400 transports the cell to the processing position of the edge cleaning machine 300. The edge cleaning machine 300 performs target positioning on the edge of the cell and then begins the edge cleaning operation according to preset parameters. After the edge cleaning is completed, the conveying mechanism 400 transports the cell to the discharge area, and the discharger 600 completes the unloading and outflow.

[0086] Combine Figure 1-2 The frame 100 of an embodiment of the present invention is described. The frame 100 includes a base 110, a plurality of frame columns 120 arranged on both sides of the base for supporting purposes, and a first profile beam 130 and a second profile beam 140 connecting the frame columns 120 horizontally and vertically. The spatial area formed by the base 110, the frame columns 120, the first profile beam 130 and the second profile beam 140 is divided into three areas, namely the loading position, the processing area and the unloading area. They are used to arrange the loading machine 200, the edge cleaning machine 300 and the unloading machine 600 respectively. In addition, the conveying mechanism 400 is mounted on the first profile beam 130, and the dust collection follower mechanism 500 is arranged on the outer cover aluminum profile crossbeam above the conveying mechanism (not shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the frame columns 120 can be made of square steel or aluminum profile. When designed, the frame columns 120 can be fine-tuned along the Y direction to ensure that the two conveying linear drive modules 410 of the conveying mechanism 400 are parallel. There is a foot cup 150 at the support point under the base to facilitate the overall level adjustment of the equipment.

[0087] See Figure 3-6 The loader 200 includes: an aluminum profile frame 210, a conveying assembly 220 arranged on the profile frame, a lifting mechanism 230 arranged below the conveying assembly, and a tidying mechanism 240 arranged on the lifting mechanism.

[0088] The main function of the conveying assembly 220 is to transport the battery cells entering the device, and it mainly includes a drive unit 221, a transmission unit 222, and a conveying unit 223. The drive unit 221 includes a loading motor 2211, a reducer 2212, and a first transmission wheel 2213 arranged on the output shaft of the reducer; the transmission unit 222 mainly consists of a transmission shaft 2221 and a plurality of second transmission wheels 2222 arranged on the transmission shaft; wherein the transmission shaft is parallel to the wafer flow direction, and the drive unit 221 is arranged in the middle position of the transmission unit; the conveying unit 223 consists of a conveying shaft 2231 arranged perpendicular to the wafer flow direction, a third transmission wheel 2233 arranged at the end of the conveying shaft 2231, a plurality of conveying wheels 2232 arranged on the conveying shaft 2231, and a plurality of bearings 2234 supporting the conveying shaft 2231. The drive unit 221 and the transmission unit 222 can be connected by a synchronous belt, a belt, a chain or a magnetic wheel. In this case, the transmission wheel can be a synchronous pulley, a pulley, a sprocket or a magnetic wheel; the transmission unit 222 and the transmission unit 223 can also be connected by gears or magnetic wheels. In this case, the transmission wheel corresponds to a gear or a magnetic wheel. The length of the transmission shaft 2231 can be determined according to the size of the battery cell, and the number and spacing of the transmission units, as well as the number of transmission wheels on the transmission unit can be determined according to the transmission distance, transmission stability, etc. Taking into account factors such as the equipment use environment, in this embodiment, the loader drive unit 221 and the transmission unit 222 transmit power through gears, and the transmission unit and the transmission unit transmit power through magnetic wheels.

[0089] The lifting mechanism 230 includes a centering support assembly 231, a lifting unit 232 mounted on the centering support assembly, and a lifting drive module 233 that drives the centering support assembly and the lifting unit. The lifting mechanism 230 is located below the conveyor assembly 220 and is fixed to the frame base. The drive module 233 drives the entire mechanism to move in the Z direction, enabling the transmission of the solar cells in this direction. The lifting units 232 are evenly distributed on the mounting plate 2311 of the centering support assembly 231 and primarily include lifting columns 2321 and buffer plates 2322 located at the tops of the lifting columns. The buffer plates 2322 primarily prevent hard contact between the lifting units and the thin-film solar cells during the lifting process, thereby protecting the cells from damage. The Z-direction installation height of the lifting units 232 is adjustable, ensuring that the ends of all lifting units 232 can be adjusted to the same plane, thus preventing uneven force on the cells during lifting. Furthermore, the number and distribution of the lifting units 232 are determined by the size of the cells.

[0090] The jacking drive module 233 is calibrated with three positions in the Z direction from bottom to top, namely the loading avoidance position, the regularization position and the discharge position. When in the loading avoidance position, the upper end of the jacking unit 232 is just below the transmission plane, which can ensure unimpeded transmission of the battery cells; the regularization position is above the loading avoidance position. At this time, the lifting height of the battery cell is higher than the transmission plane but lower than the conveying mechanism. Under the action of the regularization mechanism, the battery cell undergoes a simple position correction. It prevents the battery cell from hitting the conveying mechanism due to position deviation. The discharge position is at the highest position. At this time, the height of the battery cell is exactly flush with the height when the jaws of the conveying mechanism are closed, and the jaws can just clamp the edge of the battery cell when closed, and will not cause obvious deformation of the battery cell.

[0091] In an embodiment of the present invention, the regularization mechanism 240 includes a first regularization component 241 and a second regularization component 242. The first regularization component 241 regularizes the position of the battery cells along the wafer flow direction, and mainly includes a fixed regularization unit 2411 and a motion regularization unit 2412. The fixed regularization unit 2411 is fixed on the mounting plate 2311; the motion regularization unit 2412 is connected to the lifting mechanism through the motion unit at the lower end. Driven by the motion unit, the motion regularization unit 2412 can reciprocate along the X direction, and cooperate with the fixed regularization unit 2411 that plays a position limiting role to achieve regularization of the wafer flow direction of the battery cells. The motion unit can be a cylinder or an electric cylinder. In other embodiments, the first regularization component can also adopt two groups of motion regularization units 2412, which are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the lifting mechanism. The second regularization component 242 regularizes the position of the battery cells along the direction perpendicular to the wafer flow direction. Similarly, the second regularization component can adopt the same structure as the first regularization mechanism. More preferably, a method of using a motor and a synchronous belt to drive the regularization units on both sides can be used. Its structure includes a drive component 2421 and a regularization unit 2422 arranged on the front and rear sides of the lifting mechanism 230 and connected to the drive component through a synchronous belt. The drive component 2421 includes a motor, an active synchronous pulley arranged on the motor output shaft, a synchronous belt, and a driven synchronous pulley whose axis is installed parallel to the active wheel axis. The regularization unit 2422 is connected to the lifting mechanism 230 through a linear guide rail at the lower end, and the regularization unit 2422 can slide smoothly within the length of the linear guide rail. The second regularization mechanism drives the synchronous belt through the motor to drive the regularization units connected on both sides of the synchronous belt to move toward each other, thereby realizing the regularization of the battery cell position in a direction perpendicular to the wafer flow direction. Its advantages are high control accuracy, more accurate positioning, and a large regularization range, which is fully compatible with battery cells of different sizes.

[0092] A fixed stop unit 211 is provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame 210 along the negative X direction, the main purpose of which is to limit the position of the battery cell on the loader to facilitate subsequent regular positioning.

[0093] A sensor 212 is provided at the feeding end of the feeding mechanism to sense the position of the battery cell. The sensor type may be a photoelectric sensor or a mechanical contact sensor. Preferably, a photoelectric sensor is selected here.

[0094] See Figure 7-8 The transport mechanism 400 includes two transport linear drive modules 410 installed parallel to the frame 100 along the X direction, and a material picking module 420 mounted on the linear drive mechanism. The power input ends of the two transport linear drive modules 410 are connected by a synchronous transmission shaft 411, and the transport motor 412 transmits power to the two transport linear drive modules 410 through the synchronous transmission shaft 411. The linear drive unit here can also be in the form of an electric cylinder module or a linear motor. The travel range of the transport linear drive module 410 covers three workstations of the equipment, and can transport the battery cells to the loading position, processing position and unloading position. The material picking module 420 mainly includes a transport frame 421 and a number of clamping jaw assemblies 422 installed in the transport frame. The two ends of the material picking module are respectively connected to the mover of the parallel linear drive mechanism 410. The clamping jaw assembly 422 is connected to the transport frame 421 through a mounting plate, and the clamping jaw assembly 422 can be opened and closed 180 degrees; a buffer sheet is provided on the clamping jaws of the clamping jaw assembly to prevent the battery cell and the thin film coating on the battery cell from being damaged when the air gripper clamps the battery cell.

[0095] Based on the product processing flow, the transport mechanism is calibrated to three workstations: the pick-up position, the processing position, and the unloading position. During loading, the transport mechanism 400 pre-positions the pick-up position and opens the gripper assembly 422. The cell is then transported by the lifting mechanism 230 to the unloading position, also known as the transport mechanism pick-up position. At this point, the cell is positioned centrally within the transport mechanism frame 421, and the gripper assembly 422 closes to grip the cell edge. The number of gripper units is determined based on cell size to avoid insufficient support and deformation of the cell due to too few gripper units.

[0096] The conveying mechanism then transports the cell to the processing position for edge cleaning. During the operation, the clamping jaw assembly 422 can open and close the clamping jaws in sequence according to the real-time position of the laser processing point and the pre-set control nodes, so as to avoid the clamping jaw blocking the laser and causing edge cleaning residues. After the edge cleaning is completed, the cell will be transported to the unloading position by the conveying mechanism 400 and unloaded with the cooperation of the unloading machine 600. The cell is clamped once by the conveying mechanism throughout the entire processing flow, and there is no need for transfer and repeated mechanical alignment in the middle, which minimizes the transmission path of the cell inside the equipment, thereby reducing damage to the thin-film solar cell during the edge cleaning process.

[0097] See Figure 9-10The edge cleaning mechanism 300 is arranged in the processing area of ​​the equipment, including a base platform 310, a edge cleaning linear drive module 320 installed on the base platform 310 and drivable along the X-axis and Y-axis, a laser processing component 330 arranged on the linear drive module 320, and an imaging unit 340 arranged at the four corners of the base. The edge cleaning linear drive module 320 includes an X-axis and a Y-axis, wherein the X-axis is parallel to the feeding direction and the Y-axis is perpendicular to the feeding direction. The X-axis is stacked on the Y-axis, and the laser processing component is arranged on the X-axis. The edge cleaning linear drive module 320 can adopt a servo screw module or a linear motor module. Preferably, this embodiment uses a linear motor module for drive.

[0098] The edge cleaning linear drive module 320, loaded with the laser processing assembly 330, can move within the base's dimensions, ensuring the laser processing module's range of motion fully covers the solar cell surface being processed. The vertical dual-axis structure of the edge cleaning linear drive module 320 not only allows edge cleaning along the cell edge but also allows for coating removal along any path and width within the cell's surface, providing greater control flexibility.

[0099] The laser processing assembly 330 includes a laser 331, a micro-motion module base 332 disposed in a light box, and a first reflector 333, a scanning galvanometer 334, and a focusing mirror 335 disposed on the micro-motion module base. A second reflector 336 is disposed directly in front of the focusing mirror 335. In this embodiment of the present invention, the power of the laser 331 is selected to be in the range of 200-1500W. The laser light emitted by the laser 331 passes through the first reflector 333 and then enters the scanning galvanometer 334 and the focusing mirror 335 in sequence. After being focused by the focusing mirror 335, the light beam is reflected by the second reflector 336 and emitted in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal. By controlling the movement of the micro-motion module base 332 and adjusting the distance between the focusing mirror 335 and the second reflector 336, the position of the laser processing focus relative to the cell can be adjusted.

[0100] To prevent contamination of the optical components within the light box and maintain its tightness, a high-transmittance window 337 is installed at the laser processing assembly's light outlet. Furthermore, an air blowing device 338 is located next to the light outlet. The air outlet is linear, and high-speed air is ejected from the outlet, forming a protective barrier that prevents dust from accumulating on the high-transmittance window.

[0101] Four imaging units 340 are installed in the hollow part of the base platform. The installation position of the imaging unit 340 is fixed, and the rectangle formed by the connecting line of the center of the imaging lens is exactly equal to the size of the battery cell. When the battery cell reaches the processing position, the four corners of the battery cell are exactly in the center of the field of view. The adjustment base of the imaging unit can fine-tune the relative position of the imaging unit. Before performing the edge cleaning processing action, the imaging unit 340 first captures the four corners of the battery cell for positioning, obtains the coordinate position of the battery cell in the absolute coordinate system of the processing system, and then the system performs matching calculations based on the precise position of the battery cell obtained, controls the relative position of the laser processing point on the battery cell, and thus achieves high-precision processing.

[0102] Furthermore, backlight sources are provided near each corner of the battery cell to facilitate accurate imaging of the battery cell in the camera and smooth target positioning.

[0103] Furthermore, an air knife assembly may be provided at the end of the lens of the imaging unit to provide a high-speed airflow barrier at a certain distance above the lens, thereby preventing dust from depositing on the camera lens and affecting the imaging quality.

[0104] See Figure 11 The dust collection following mechanism 500 is mainly used to follow and collect the smoke and dust generated during the edge cleaning process. Its movement is driven by the dust collection linear module 510, in which the Y-axis module is composed of two parallel linear modules, and its direction is perpendicular to the feeding direction; the X-axis is mounted on the two linear modules of the Y-axis and is perpendicular to the Y-axis. The travel range of the dust collection linear module 510 is determined according to the size of the battery cell to ensure that it can completely cover the width of the battery cell, thereby realizing the dust collection port to follow the entire path of the laser edge cleaning process. One end of the dust collection component 520 is connected to the dust collection equipment through a pipeline, and the other end is designed to be trumpet-shaped, and the inside of the trumpet is coated with a laser absorption layer. The trumpet-mouth shape not only plays a role in gathering the smoke and dust generated during the processing follow-up, but its inner wall coating can also block and absorb the laser, preventing the laser from penetrating the battery cell and propagating into the interior of the equipment.

[0105] Furthermore, the dust collection and following mechanism 500 is mounted on the aluminum profile of the equipment cover above the conveying mechanism 400 (not shown in the figure).

[0106] Furthermore, in order to further move the dust collecting component 520 closer to the laser processing point to improve the dust collection effect, a dust collecting drive module 530 is added at the connection between the dust collecting component 520 and the X-axis to enable the dust collecting rod to move in the Z-axis direction. The drive module can be a cylinder or an electric cylinder. Preferably, a cylinder is used in this embodiment.

[0107] During the edge cleaning operation, the system controls the dust collection and filtration equipment to start, and the dust collection linear module 510 drives the dust collection component to move above the battery cell according to the pre-set path and speed, and promptly extracts the harmful smoke and dust generated during the edge cleaning process.

[0108] In order to avoid duplicate designs, the overall structure of the unloading mechanism 600 is consistent with that of the loading mechanism 200. The main difference is that the unloading mechanism 600 cancels the regularization mechanism. The jacking mechanism of the unloading mechanism 600 is mainly calibrated with two positions, namely the receiving position and the discharging position, where the receiving position is the position where the jacking mechanism extends, and the corresponding discharging is the position where the jacking mechanism retracts to the position where the jacking unit is lower than the conveying plane. After the edge cleaning process is completed, the conveying mechanism transports the battery cell to the unloading area of ​​the machine, and the jacking mechanism of the unloading mechanism extends to the receiving position. At this time, the upper end of the jacking unit just contacts the lower surface of the battery cell. The conveying claws are then released, and the battery cell is supported by the jacking mechanism. The jacking mechanism then retracts to the discharging position, and the battery cell is transported to the conveying plane of the unloading machine. Under the transmission of the conveying assembly, the unloading of the battery cell is completed.

[0109] To prevent the cell from colliding with the lifting unit and causing unusual noise after the handling jaws release the material, a buffer pad can be installed at the end of the lifting unit. The pad can be made of a soft material such as silicone or polyurethane.

[0110] Furthermore, a sensor is also provided on the transmission line of the unloading mechanism. The sensor can be a mechanical contact sensor or a photoelectric sensor. Preferably, a photoelectric sensor is used in this embodiment.

[0111] The following is a further explanation of the complete processing flow of the high-precision fully automatic edge cleaning equipment: When the solar cell enters the loading mechanism, it is first detected by the sensor on the loading mechanism, the conveying mechanism is activated, and the cell is transported forward by the conveying wheel. The cell is then stopped by the stop unit, and the conveying mechanism stops working. The loading and lifting mechanism lifts the cell to the loading and straightening position, and the X / Y straightening mechanism straightens the posture of the cell. The lifting mechanism then continues to transfer the cell to the discharge position. At this time, the conveying mechanism is already waiting at the material position on the machine. The open claws on the conveying mechanism close and clamp the edge of the cell. The straightening mechanism then returns to the waiting position for straightening, and returns to the loading waiting position with the lifting mechanism. At the same time, the conveying mechanism transports the cell to the edge cleaning processing position on the machine.

[0112] At the edge cleaning position, the imaging system targets and locates the four corners of the cell, acquiring the cell's absolute coordinates in the processing coordinate system. The system then performs precision edge cleaning on all four sides of the solar cell, following the pre-loaded edge cleaning path and width. Simultaneously, the dust collection tracking system drives the Z axis to the dust collection position and performs dust collection operations above the laser processing point in real time. After processing, the cell is transported by the handling mechanism to the machine's unloading position. The unloading lifting mechanism then rises to the receiving position, and the lifting unit lifts the cell's lower surface. The handling jaws then release, and the cell follows the lifting mechanism back to the unloading position, where it is unloaded by the conveyor wheel.

[0113] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like to indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly referring to the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0114] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be internal communication between two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by specific circumstances.

[0115] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. High-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells, characterized by: The invention comprises a frame (100), a material loader (200), an edge cleaning machine (300), a transport mechanism (400) and a material blanking machine (600); the frame (100) comprises a base (110), a plurality of frame columns (120) arranged on the base (110) for supporting, and a first profile beam (130) and a second profile beam (140) arranged along the X direction and along the Y direction and connected to the frame columns (120); a space area formed between the base (110), the frame columns (120), the first profile beam (130) and the second profile beam (140) is divided into three areas along the negative direction of the X axis, namely, a material loading position, a processing area and a material blanking area, which are respectively used to arrange the material loader (200), the edge cleaning machine (300) and the material blanking machine (600); the transport mechanism (400) is mounted on the first profile beam (130) arranged along the X direction; The loading machine (200) comprises an aluminum profile frame (210), a conveying assembly (220) arranged on the aluminum profile frame (210), a lifting mechanism (230) arranged below the conveying assembly (220) and fixed on the base (110), and a tidying mechanism (240) arranged on the lifting mechanism (230); The transmission assembly (220) comprises a driving unit (221), a transmission unit (222) and a transmission unit (223); the driving unit (221) transmits power to the transmission unit (223) via the transmission unit (222); the driving unit (221) is arranged at a middle position on one side of the aluminum profile frame (210) along the positive Y direction; the transmission unit (222) is arranged along the X direction and the driving unit (221) is located at a middle position of the transmission unit (222); a plurality of transmission units (223) are evenly arranged on the aluminum profile frame (210) along the X direction, and the transmission units (223) are arranged along the Y direction; the driving unit (221) ) comprises a feeding motor (2211), a reducer (2212) and a first transmission wheel (2213) arranged on the output shaft of the reducer; the transmission unit (222) consists of a transmission shaft (2221) and a plurality of second transmission wheels (2222) arranged on the transmission shaft (2221), wherein the transmission shaft (2221) is parallel to the wafer flow direction; the transmission unit (223) consists of a transmission shaft (2231) arranged perpendicular to the wafer flow direction, a third transmission wheel (2233) arranged at the end of the transmission shaft (2231), a plurality of transmission wheels (2232) arranged on the transmission shaft (2231), and a plurality of bearings (2234) supporting the transmission shaft (2231).

2. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The jacking mechanism (230) comprises a centering support assembly (231), a jacking unit (232) arranged on the centering support assembly (231), and a jacking drive module (233) for driving the centering support assembly (231) and the jacking unit (232) to move along the Z-axis direction; the jacking units (232) are evenly distributed on the mounting plate (2311) of the centering support assembly (231); and the jacking unit (232) comprises a jacking column (2321) and a buffer sheet (2322) located on the top of the jacking column (2321).

3. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning equipment for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The regularization mechanism (240) includes a first regularization component (241) and a second regularization component (242); the first regularization component (241) regularizes the position of the battery cells along the wafer flow direction, and the first regularization component (241) includes a fixed regularization unit (2411) and a motion regularization unit (2412), wherein the fixed regularization unit (2411) is fixed on the mounting plate (2311), and the motion regularization unit (2412) is connected to the lifting mechanism (230) via the motion unit at the lower end. When driven by the motion unit, the motion regularization unit (2412) reciprocates along the X direction, and cooperates with the fixed regularization unit (2411) that plays a position limiting role to realize the regularization of the battery cell flow direction; the second regularization component includes a regularization drive component (2421) and a regularization unit (2422) arranged on both sides of the lifting mechanism (230) along the X direction and connected to the regularization drive component (2421) through a synchronous belt, the regularization unit (2422) is connected to the lifting mechanism (230) through a linear guide rail at the lower end, and the regularization unit (2422) can move freely along the Y direction on the linear guide rail.

4. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fixed stop unit (211) is provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame (210) along the negative X direction, and a sensor (212) is also provided on one side of the aluminum profile frame (210) along the positive X direction.

5. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transport mechanism (400) includes two transport linear drive modules (410) arranged along the X direction, and a material picking module (420) mounted on the transport linear drive module (410). The power input ends of the two transport linear drive modules (410) are connected to the synchronous transmission shaft (411). The transport motor (412) transmits power to the two transport linear drive modules (410) through the synchronous transmission shaft (411). The material picking module (420) includes a transport frame (421) and a plurality of clamping claw assemblies (422) installed in the transport frame (421). The material picking module (420) is connected to the movers of the transport linear drive module (410) on both sides along the X direction.

6. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The edge cleaning machine (300) comprises a base platform (310), an edge cleaning linear drive module (320) mounted on the base platform (310) and capable of driving along the X-axis and the Y-axis, a laser processing assembly (330) arranged on the edge cleaning linear drive module (320), and an imaging unit (340) arranged at the four hollowed-out corners of the base platform; the laser processing assembly (330) comprises a laser (331), a micro-motion module base (332) arranged in a light box, and an imaging unit (340) arranged at the micro-motion module base (331). A first reflector (333), a scanning galvanometer (334) and a focusing mirror (335) are provided on the movable module base (332). A second reflector (336) is provided on one side of the focusing mirror (335) along the positive direction of the Y axis. The laser light emitted by the laser (331) passes through the first reflector (333) and then enters the scanning galvanometer (334) and the focusing mirror (335) in sequence. The light beam is focused by the focusing mirror (335) and then reflected by the second reflector (336) and emitted in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction.

7. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 6, characterized in that: A high-transmittance window piece (337) is provided at the light outlet of the light box of the laser processing component (330), and an air blowing device (338) is provided on one side of the high-transmittance window piece (337).

8. The high-speed and high-precision edge cleaning device for thin-film solar cells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The device further comprises a dust collection following mechanism (500), the dust collection following mechanism (500) being arranged on the aluminum profile of the equipment cover above the transport mechanism (400), the dust collection following mechanism (500) comprising a dust collection linear module (510) drivable along the X-axis and the Y-axis, the driving end of the dust collection linear module (510) being connected to a dust collection driving module (530) drivable along the Z-axis, and the driving end of the dust collection driving module (530) being connected to a dust collection assembly (520).

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