A pole piece taking and cooperating control method and a taking device

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of pole piece taking cooperation control method and taking device, the taking device includes magazine, jacking mechanism and pickup mechanism, the pickup mechanism and the first rotating motor and the second rotating motor are respectively arranged below magazine, the method includes: obtaining the inclination angle of the pole lug side of the uppermost pole piece in magazine relative to the opposite side;According to the inclination angle, based on the preset rotation angle distribution strategy, the inclination angle is split into the angle of support rod and magazine needs to rotate;Control first rotating mechanism and second rotating mechanism rotate.The application is compensated to the inclination angle of the uppermost pole piece in magazine by setting rotating mechanism below pickup mechanism and magazine, and improves the success rate of taking piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of lithium battery manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a method and device for coordinated control of electrode material handling. Background Technology

[0002] The statements in this section are merely background information related to the present invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] The stacking machine is a core piece of equipment in the lithium battery manufacturing process. The feeding section, as the initial stage of the entire stacking process, plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality of subsequent lithium batteries. Using a cartridge-based feeding method is a common approach. Figure 1 As shown, a typical system includes a magazine 10 for stacking electrode plates, a tray 20 and a lifting rod 30 for lifting the electrode plates inside the magazine upwards, and a pickup mechanism 40 for picking up the electrode plates inside the magazine. Because the electrode plates have a thinned area on the tab side, when a large number of electrode plates are stacked in the magazine, the uppermost electrode plates may tilt towards the tab side, as shown in the figure. Since the electrode plates are very thin, if the multiple suction cups on the pickup mechanism cannot be directly aligned with the electrode plates to perform the pickup operation, pickup may fail, or the picked-up electrode plates may be uneven.

[0004] Of course, the above problems can be avoided by placing fewer electrodes in the magazine, but this would require frequent magazine switching. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a method and device for coordinated control of electrode material handling.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, some embodiments of the present invention provide a method for coordinated control of electrode material handling, applied to a material handling device, the material handling device including a magazine, a lifting mechanism, and a picking mechanism, characterized in that a first rotary motor and a second rotary motor are respectively arranged below the picking mechanism and the magazine, and the method includes:

[0007] Obtain the tilt angle of the tab side of the topmost electrode plate in the magazine relative to the opposite side;

[0008] Based on the tilt angle, and using a preset rotation angle allocation strategy, the tilt angle is divided into the angles that the support rod and the magazine need to rotate.

[0009] Control the rotation of the first rotating mechanism and the second rotating mechanism.

[0010] In some embodiments, the height difference between the pole lug side and the opposite side is calculated by measuring the distance between the pole lug side and the opposite side from above the magazine; the tilt angle of the pole lug side relative to the opposite side is calculated based on the height difference.

[0011] In some embodiments, the height difference between the pole lug side and the opposite side is calculated by measuring the height of the pole lug side and the height of the opposite side inside the magazine; the tilt angle of the pole lug side relative to the opposite side is calculated based on the height difference.

[0012] In some embodiments, based on the number of remaining pole pieces in the magazine, the rolling thickness during production, and the width and thickness of the thinned area on the pole piece side, a preset tilt angle calculation model is used to calculate the tilt angle of the uppermost pole piece's tab side relative to the opposite side in the current magazine.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rotation angle allocation strategy is as follows: determine whether the tilt angle is greater than a first angle threshold; if not, the rotation angle of the support rod is the tilt angle; if so, the rotation angle of the support rod is the first angle threshold, and the difference between the tilt angle and the first angle threshold is used as the rotation angle of the magazine; wherein, the first angle threshold and the second angle threshold are the thresholds for the rotation of the support rod and the rotation of the magazine, respectively.

[0014] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a material handling device, which includes a magazine, a lifting mechanism, a picking mechanism, and a controller. A first rotary motor and a second rotary motor are respectively disposed below the picking mechanism and the magazine. The controller is configured to execute the method described.

[0015] In some embodiments, distance sensors are provided on both sides of the suction cup on the support rod above the magazine, or in the non-interference area of ​​the space above the magazine, corresponding to the tab side and the opposite side; or, height sensors are provided on the uprights on both sides of the magazine; the aforementioned distance sensors or height sensors are connected to the controller.

[0016] In some embodiments, distance sensors are provided on both sides of the suction cup on the support rod above the magazine, or in the non-interference area of ​​the space above the magazine, corresponding to the tab side and the opposite side; or, height sensors are provided on the uprights on both sides of the magazine; the aforementioned distance sensors or height sensors are connected to the controller.

[0017] In some embodiments, a QR code is affixed to the outer surface of the magazine, the QR code records the process data, and a corresponding scanning device is set in the non-interference area of ​​the outer space of the magazine, the scanning device being connected to the controller.

[0018] The above one or more technical solutions have the following beneficial effects:

[0019] A rotating mechanism is installed below both the pickup mechanism and the magazine to coordinate the rotation angle of the two and compensate for the tilt caused by the thickness accumulation effect. The support rod of the suction cup in the pickup mechanism is controlled to be parallel to the top electrode when picking up the electrode, so that the multiple suction cups in the pickup mechanism can make full contact with the electrode plane, ensuring the uniformity of force on the electrode and thus improving the success rate of picking up the electrode. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an existing magazine-type feeding device;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the arrangement of two rotating mechanisms in one or more embodiments of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the electrode material handling and collaborative control method in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram, 10 is the magazine, 20 is the tray, 30 is the lifting rod, 40 is the support rod, 401 is the first rotating mechanism, 50 is the support part, 60 is the side wall, 70 is the bottom plate, and 80 is the second rotating mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0026] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] Where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0028] As described in the background section, since the tab side of the electrode is relatively thin, when the number of electrode stacks in the magazine increases, the cumulative effect of the thickness will cause the electrode to tilt, resulting in electrode retrieval failure or uneven electrode retrieval affecting the quality of the electrode.

[0029] To solve the above problems, a rotating mechanism can be added above the pickup mechanism or below the magazine. By rotating the pickup mechanism or magazine, the tilt caused by the thickness accumulation effect can be compensated. The support rod with suction cups in the pickup mechanism is controlled to be parallel to the top electrode when picking up the electrode. This allows multiple suction cups in the pickup mechanism to make full contact with the electrode plane, ensuring the uniformity of force on the electrode and thus improving the success rate of picking up the electrode.

[0030] However, with this method, when there are many pole pieces stacked inside the magazine and the tilt angle is large, a significant tilt angle is required for the pickup mechanism or the magazine itself. Understandably, if the tilt angle of the support rod containing the suction cups in the pickup mechanism exceeds a certain angle, the stability during pole piece pickup will be affected. For the magazine, to avoid damaging the pole pieces inside, the requirement for rotational stability is extremely high. Understandably, if the tilt angle of the magazine exceeds a certain angle, the pole pieces inside the magazine may shift, which is detrimental to pole piece quality assurance.

[0031] Based on this, this embodiment discloses a collaborative control method for electrode picking. A rotating mechanism is provided below both the picking mechanism and the magazine, and the rotation angles of the two are coordinated to prevent unstable picking due to excessive angles in one of them. Specifically, the lithium battery stacking machine includes: a magazine 10 for stacking electrodes, a tray 20 and a lifting rod 30 for lifting the electrodes in the magazine upwards, a picking mechanism for picking up the electrodes in the magazine, and a controller. The picking assembly includes a robotic arm, a support rod 40 connected to the end of the robotic arm, and a vacuum adsorption mechanism disposed on the support rod. A first rotating mechanism 401 is disposed between the end of the robotic arm and the support rod, and a second rotating mechanism 80 is disposed below the magazine. The controller is connected to the lifting rod 30, the robotic arm, and the vacuum adsorption mechanism.

[0032] The controller is configured to execute the electrode material handling collaborative control method, including the following steps:

[0033] Step 1: Obtain the tilt angle of the tab side of the topmost electrode plate in the magazine relative to the opposite side.

[0034] The method for obtaining the tilt angle of the uppermost electrode in the magazine includes at least: the height difference between the tab side and the opposite side of the uppermost electrode, and the process data information of the electrode.

[0035] In step 1 above, the height difference between the tab side and the opposite side of the uppermost electrode can be measured using any of the following methods:

[0036] (1) Use a distance sensor.

[0037] As a specific implementation method, distance sensors are respectively installed on both sides of the lower surface of the support rod (both sides of the suction cup) to measure the distances d1 and d2 between the support rod in a horizontal state and the uppermost electrode tab side and its opposite side. The height difference between the uppermost electrode tab side and its opposite side is obtained by subtracting the distances.

[0038] As another specific implementation method, a distance sensor is added to the non-interference area of ​​the outer space of the magazine space to measure the distances d1 and d2 between the support rod in the horizontal state and the uppermost electrode tab side and its opposite side, respectively. The height difference between the uppermost electrode tab side and its opposite side is obtained by subtracting the distances.

[0039] (2) Use height sensors. Height sensors are installed on both sides of the magazine column to measure the height of the tab side of the top electrode and the opposite side, respectively. The height difference between the tab side and the opposite side of the top electrode is obtained by subtracting the height difference.

[0040] The aforementioned distance sensor or height sensor is connected to the controller.

[0041] It is understood that the placement of the aforementioned distance or height sensors can also be achieved in other ways. Furthermore, the method of measuring height difference is not limited to the two types of sensors mentioned above. As long as the height difference or tilt angle can be measured, it is acceptable. For example, the height difference or tilt angle can also be calculated based on a CCD industrial camera or machine vision.

[0042] In addition to obtaining the height difference through direct measurement as described above, the tilt angle of the top electrode can also be calculated using process data information based on the electrode sheets. As a specific implementation, a QR code is affixed to the magazine, containing process data of the electrode sheets within the magazine. This process data includes the roll forming thickness, the width and thickness of the thinning area on the tab side, and the number of electrode sheets in the magazine. When removing electrodes from the magazine, the process data is first obtained by scanning the QR code, and the tilt angle of the tab side of the top electrode sheet relative to the opposite side is calculated based on this process data.

[0043] As a specific implementation method, the method for calculating the tilt angle of the tab side of the topmost electrode relative to the opposite side based on the process data is as follows: a preset tilt angle calculation model is used to calculate the tilt angle of the tab side of the topmost electrode relative to the opposite side in the current magazine based on the number of remaining electrodes in the magazine, the rolling thickness during production, and the width and thickness of the thinning area on the electrode side.

[0044] The preset tilt angle calculation model can be constructed by the following method: taking multiple magazines as samples and ensuring that the parameters of the electrode sheets in each magazine are the same, while the parameters of the electrode sheets in multiple magazines are different; for each magazine, measuring and obtaining sample data, including the tilt angle of the top electrode sheet when the number of stacked electrode sheets in each magazine is different; taking the tilt angle of the top electrode sheet as the dependent variable, and taking the number of stacked electrode sheets, the rolling thickness during production, and the width and thickness of the side thinning area of ​​the electrode sheet as independent variables, to establish the tilt angle calculation model.

[0045] Step 2: Based on the tilt angle and a preset rotation angle allocation strategy, the tilt angle is divided into the angles at which the support rod and the magazine need to rotate.

[0046] Because the magazine's rotation control requires high stability and the rotation angle should not be too large, larger rotation angles are preferentially allocated to the support rod. Based on this idea, through testing, and without affecting the stability of the device, a first angle threshold and a second angle threshold are set as the thresholds for the support rod rotation and magazine rotation, respectively. The rotation angle allocation strategy is as follows:

[0047] (1) Determine whether the tilt angle is greater than the first angle threshold. If not, the rotation angle of the support rod is the tilt angle. If yes, proceed to step (2).

[0048] (2) The rotation angle of the support rod is taken as the first angle threshold, and the difference between the tilt angle and the first angle threshold is taken as the rotation angle of the magazine.

[0049] Step 3: Control the rotation of the first and second rotating mechanisms so that the uppermost pole piece inside the magazine is parallel to the support rod.

[0050] Step 4: Send a control command to the lifting drive motor to control the picking component to pick up the topmost electrode and transport it to the designated location.

[0051] More specifically, when the top electrode is removed and placed above the magazine, the support rod of the pickup assembly is controlled to return to a horizontal state before being transported to the designated location.

[0052] Because the relative rotation between the pickup mechanism and the magazine causes relative displacement between the magazine opening and the pickup mechanism, the position where the electrode is picked up by the electrode pickup mechanism may be biased towards the opposite side of the electrode tab, resulting in uneven force on the electrode and potentially damage to the electrode. Therefore, in this embodiment, the offset between the vertical line of the support rod and the vertical line of the uppermost electrode is calculated based on the relative rotation angle between the support rod and the magazine. When the offset exceeds a set threshold, the robotic arm is controlled to compensate for the offset in the horizontal direction.

[0053] Step 5: Control the pickup assembly and magazine to return to their initial positions.

[0054] Step 6: Repeat steps 1-5 until all the electrode plates in the current magazine have been removed.

[0055] By coordinating the rotation angles of the pickup mechanism and the magazine, the instability of the pickup or displacement of the electrode plates inside the magazine caused by excessive rotation of the pickup mechanism alone is avoided, thus improving the pickup success rate and ensuring the flatness of the electrode plates during pickup and transfer.

[0056] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a material handling device employing the above method, comprising: a magazine 10 for stacking electrode sheets, a tray 20 and a lifting rod 30 for lifting the electrode sheets inside the magazine upwards, a picking mechanism 40 for picking up the electrode sheets inside the magazine, and a controller. The picking assembly includes a robotic arm, a support rod connected to the end of the robotic arm, and a vacuum adsorption mechanism disposed on the support rod.

[0057] The controller is connected to the lifting mechanism, the robotic arm, and the vacuum adsorption mechanism, respectively.

[0058] In some embodiments, the feeding device further includes a table on which the magazine 10 is disposed.

[0059] The magazine 10 has an opening at the center of its bottom surface. The lifting mechanism includes a support plate 20, a lifting rod 30, and a lifting drive motor. The support plate is larger than the opening on the bottom surface of the magazine but smaller than the bottom surface area. The lifting rod 30 is connected to the bottom of the support plate 20 and is connected to the lifting motor. Under the action of the lifting motor, the lifting rod 30 can drive the support plate 20 to rise or fall within the magazine 10, thereby lifting the electrode plates inside the magazine 10.

[0060] Furthermore, since the rotation of the magazine causes the opening to tilt, the magazine sidewall on the pole lug side may obstruct the pickup mechanism when tilted. To avoid this problem, in some embodiments, the plane where the magazine opening is located is set to be tilted, with the pole lug side corresponding to the side with the lowest sidewall height.

[0061] Understandably, an opening is also provided on the platform corresponding to the center opening on the bottom surface of the magazine 10, for accommodating the lifting mechanism. The lifting drive motor of the lifting mechanism is located below the platform, but it can also be located in other positions. The lifting drive motor can be a cylinder motor or a linear motor, as long as it can achieve the function of driving the lifting rod 30 to lift. No limitation is made here.

[0062] In some embodiments, the picking assembly includes a robotic arm, a support rod, and a vacuum adsorption mechanism. As a specific implementation, the robotic arm base is fixed to a table surface, and the end of the robotic arm is connected to the support rod, enabling control of the support rod's vertical and horizontal movement. Vertically, the support rod is raised and lowered to pick up and lower the electrode sheet; horizontally, it transfers the electrode sheet to the next production line. A groove is formed on the lower surface of the support rod, and at least two suction cups are arranged within the groove. The suction cups are aligned in a straight line, and their inner cavities are connected to an air compressor via a vacuum generator. By using multiple suction cups, uniform force distribution on the electrode sheet is ensured.

[0063] like Figure 2 As shown, a rotating mechanism is provided between the end of the robotic arm and the support rod, and below the magazine 10, which are respectively referred to as the first rotating mechanism and the second rotating mechanism.

[0064] The first rotating mechanism enables the support rod to rotate in a vertical plane and is connected to the controller. The initial position of the support rod is directly above the magazine 10 and is horizontal. In one specific implementation, the rotating mechanism employs a servo rotary motor, which can be adjusted in angle as needed. The rotary motor drives the support rod to rotate via a reduction gear.

[0065] The second rotating mechanism enables the magazine 10 to rotate in a vertical plane, and the rotating mechanism is connected to the controller. The initial position of the magazine 10 is horizontal. In one specific implementation, the magazine 10 has a supporting housing on its outer side, the supporting housing including a side wall 60 and a base plate 70. A supporting portion 50 is provided between the bottom surface of the magazine and the base plate 70. The supporting portion can be a single, integrally formed block, ring-shaped and filled between the bottom surface of the magazine and the base plate 70, or it can be multiple blocks, evenly filled between the bottom surface of the magazine and the base plate 70. The side wall 60 is connected to the supporting portion 50 and the base plate 70 respectively by fasteners, preferably screws, but other fastening methods can also be used, without specific limitation. The base plate 70 is connected to the bottom of the lifting rod 30, providing support for the lifting rod 30. Specifically, the lifting rod 30 is an electric lifting rod, and the motor part can be embedded in the base plate 70. The base plate 70 is connected to a rotating mechanism below, specifically, the rotating mechanism is a rotary servo motor 80.

[0066] To measure the height difference between the tab side and its opposite side, as a specific implementation, distance sensors are installed on both sides of the suction cup on the support rod above the magazine, or in the non-interference area of ​​the space above the magazine, corresponding to the tab side and its opposite side. After measuring the distances between the two distance sensors and the tab side and its opposite side, the difference is calculated to obtain the height difference.

[0067] As another specific implementation, height sensors are installed on the two uprights on both sides of the magazine; the aforementioned distance sensors or height sensors are connected to the controller. After measuring the distances between the two distance sensors and the tab side and its opposite side, the difference is calculated to obtain the height difference.

[0068] To directly calculate the tilt angle of the electrode side relative to its opposite side, a QR code is affixed to the outer surface of the magazine. This QR code records the manufacturing data. A corresponding scanning device is installed in the non-interference area outside the magazine, and this scanning device is connected to the controller. Based on the manufacturing data, the number of remaining electrode plates in the magazine, and a preset tilt angle calculation model, the tilt angle of the uppermost electrode plate is obtained.

[0069] The aforementioned QR code can be obtained in the following way: Before electrode processing, relevant process data information is uploaded to the MES system or other data system. This data is written into the QR code, which is then affixed to the magazine's scanning area. It is understood that scanning the QR code can be achieved by setting up a scanning device in a non-interference area outside the magazine, or by using a handheld barcode scanner; no limitation is made here.

[0070] The above method can be modified based on the existing magazine-type feeding device, and the cost is low.

[0071] While the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for coordinated control of electrode material handling, applied to a material handling device, the material handling device comprising a magazine, a lifting mechanism, and a picking mechanism, characterized in that, The pickup mechanism and the magazine are respectively equipped with a first rotary motor and a second rotary motor below them. The method includes: Obtain the tilt angle of the tab side of the topmost electrode plate in the magazine relative to the opposite side; Based on the tilt angle, and using a preset rotation angle allocation strategy, the tilt angle is divided into the angles that the support rod and the magazine need to rotate. Control the rotation of the first and second rotating mechanisms; The rotation angle allocation strategy is as follows: determine whether the tilt angle is greater than the first angle threshold; if not, the rotation angle of the support rod is the tilt angle; if so, the rotation angle of the support rod is the first angle threshold, and the difference between the tilt angle and the first angle threshold is used as the rotation angle of the magazine; wherein, the first angle threshold and the second angle threshold are the thresholds for the rotation of the support rod and the rotation of the magazine, respectively.

2. The electrode material handling and control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The height difference between the pole side and the opposite side is calculated by measuring the distance between the pole side and the opposite side from above the magazine; the tilt angle of the pole side relative to the opposite side is calculated based on the height difference.

3. The electrode material handling and control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The height difference between the pole lug side and the opposite side is calculated by measuring the height of the pole lug side and the opposite side inside the magazine; the tilt angle of the pole lug side relative to the opposite side is calculated based on the height difference.

4. The electrode material handling and control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the number of remaining pole pieces in the magazine, the rolling thickness during production, and the width and thickness of the thinned area on the pole piece side, a preset tilt angle calculation model is used to calculate the tilt angle of the uppermost pole piece's tab side relative to the opposite side in the current magazine.

5. The electrode material handling and control method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the relative rotation angle between the support rod and the magazine, the offset between the vertical line of the support rod and the vertical line of the uppermost pole piece is calculated. If the offset is greater than a set threshold, the pickup mechanism is controlled to compensate for the offset in the horizontal direction.

6. A material handling device, characterized in that, The material handling device includes a magazine, a lifting mechanism, a picking mechanism, and a controller. A first rotary motor and a second rotary motor are respectively disposed below the picking mechanism and the magazine. The controller is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-5.

7. The material handling device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The magazine is provided with a support housing on its outer side. The support housing includes a side wall and a bottom plate. A support part is provided between the bottom surface of the magazine and the bottom plate. The side wall is connected to the support part and the bottom plate respectively by fasteners. The bottom plate is connected to the bottom of the lifting rod and the bottom of the bottom plate is connected to the rotating mechanism.

8. The material handling device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The magazine is located above the suction cups on both sides of the support rod, or in the non-interference area above the magazine, with distance sensors installed on the corresponding tab side and the opposite side; or, height sensors are installed on the uprights on both sides of the magazine; the aforementioned distance sensors or height sensors are connected to the controller.

9. The material handling device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, A QR code is affixed to the outer surface of the magazine. The QR code records process data. A corresponding scanning device is set in the non-interference area of ​​the outer space of the magazine. The scanning device is connected to the controller.

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