Flexible support trays for assembling and transporting flat component stacks of electrical equipment

Abstract

This invention relates to a support tray for assembling and transporting flat component stacks of electrical equipment (such as components or battery cells of hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers), particularly a flexible transfer tray used in the production of hydrogen fuel cells. The tray is characterized by comprising an integrally mounted main base plate mechanism and a main frame mechanism. The main base plate mechanism has a replaceable quick-change bottom support mechanism, and the main frame mechanism has two replaceable guide mechanisms symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the top of the main frame mechanism. Using the tray provided by this invention reduces manual labor intensity, lowers operating costs, optimizes production efficiency, and is compatible with various products. The tray disclosed in this invention is suitable for use on general product production lines, particularly on automotive hydrogen fuel cell production lines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible support tray for assembling and transporting flat component stacks of electrical equipment (such as components or battery cells of hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers). Background Technology

[0002] In the implementation of hydrogen fuel cell production lines, the main assembly process involves the alternating stacking of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and bipolar plates, followed by the pressing of the stacked layers. However, the transfer of semi-finished hydrogen fuel cells (those with only stacked layers) between the stacking and pressing equipment presents unique challenges. In these semi-finished products, the stacked layers extend significantly beyond the casing, and these layers, consisting of thousands of stacked sheets, are highly susceptible to slippage. The assembly process demands precise positioning of the stacked sheets, thus preventing any displacement or movement. The pressing process applies pressure to the stacked layers, compressing their thickness by approximately one-fifth until the final thickness is completely within the casing. Since the bipolar plates and MEAs may have small or even large deviations, misalignment relative to the proper position of each plate within the stack can easily occur. Excessive stacking deviation can lead to risks such as hydrogen leakage and product spoilage. Therefore, the stacking equipment needs to possess precise stacking capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to provide a support tray for assembling and transporting stacked flat components of electrical equipment (e.g., components or battery cells of hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers), which effectively solves all the problems in the prior art.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support tray of the type described above, wherein stacking operations can be performed effectively while ensuring that the workpiece is correctly guided to the correct position within the stack.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support tray that can easily and quickly clamp the product casing within the support tray.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support tray of the above type that can be easily adapted to different types and sizes of products as well as different heights of product housings.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support tray of the above type, which can ensure the stable position of the stacked pieces during the transfer process from the stacking station to the press station.

[0008] To achieve one or more of the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is to provide a flexible support tray for stacking flat components of electrical equipment for assembling and transporting electrical equipment, characterized in that it includes a main base plate mechanism, a main frame mechanism, a bottom quick-change support mechanism, and two guide mechanisms.

[0009] Two guiding mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides at the top of the main frame structure, wherein:

[0010] Each guide mechanism can be adjusted outwards and inwards: when adjusted outwards, the fuel cell housing can be placed into the main frame structure; when adjusted inwards, the guide mechanism can fit into the hydrogen fuel cell housing, guiding the stacked pieces into the fuel cell housing and ensuring that the stacked layers do not shift or shake.

[0011] The main base plate structure and the main frame structure are installed as one unit;

[0012] The replaceable bottom quick-change support mechanism is located on the main body base plate mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, the main body base plate mechanism includes an aluminum plate, and each of the four corners of the aluminum plate is provided with a guide wheel mechanism for cooperating with the roller conveyor; the part of the aluminum plate that contacts the roller conveyor below the edge is provided with a high-hardness wear-resistant steel strip.

[0014] Preferably, the aluminum plate is provided with polyurethane anti-collision and shock-absorbing blocks, steel impact-resistant blocks, and signs and arrows indicating the direction, wherein: the polyurethane anti-collision and shock-absorbing blocks are used to absorb the vibration generated when two flexible transfer pallets collide; the steel impact-resistant blocks are used to absorb the impact of external pneumatic stoppers on the flexible transfer pallets; and the signs and arrows indicating the direction are used to identify the direction and type of the flexible transfer pallets.

[0015] Preferably, the aluminum plate is provided with lifting and positioning holes for accurately positioning the flexible transfer tray.

[0016] Preferably, the top of the main frame structure is provided with quick-lifting rings and elbow clamps, wherein the quick-lifting rings are located at the four corners of the top of the main frame structure; there are two elbow clamps located on the left and right sides of the top of the main frame structure respectively, and their positions are staggered, for fixing the hydrogen fuel cell housing inside the main frame structure.

[0017] Preferably, the two guiding mechanisms have the same structure and are located on the top of the main frame structure via horizontal and vertical guide rails. The guiding mechanism can be adjusted outward and inward after its position is adjusted along the horizontal guide rail, and can be fitted with the hydrogen fuel cell housing after its position is adjusted along the vertical guide rail.

[0018] Preferably, each of the guiding mechanisms has a fixed guide bar with a fixed position and a sliding guide bar with a position that can move up and down on its front and rear sides respectively. The sliding guide bar is located above the fixed guide bar. The fixed guide bar and the sliding guide bar on the left and right guiding mechanisms are arranged opposite to each other and installed symmetrically, thereby forming a complete guide for the stacked pieces.

[0019] The sliding guide bar slides up and down in the guide groove, which is located on the guiding mechanism and contains a spring. In the initial state, the sliding guide bar is held at the top of the guide groove by the spring. When the pressing equipment presses the stacked pieces, it generates external pressure on the sliding guide bar. The external pressure overcomes the elastic force of the spring, and the sliding guide bar moves downward to the bottom of the guide groove. When the external pressure on the sliding guide bar is removed, the sliding guide bar automatically returns to the initial state under the action of the spring's restoring force.

[0020] Preferably, the fixed guide strips and the sliding guide strips on the front and rear sides of the same guiding mechanism are designed asymmetrically.

[0021] Preferably, the bottom of the fixed guide bar and the sliding guide bar is a 45-degree inclined guide rail. When the guide guide mechanism is manually placed on the hydrogen fuel cell housing along the vertical guide rail, the guide guide mechanism fits against the 45-degree inclined surface on the hydrogen fuel cell housing through the 45-degree inclined guide rail, thereby achieving the position limit of the guide guide mechanism on the horizontal guide rail.

[0022] Preferably, the bottom quick-change support mechanism includes a body, on which are provided three steel intermediate positioning pin sleeves, the upper and lower ends of which protrude from the upper and lower end faces of the body respectively; among the three positioning pin sleeves, the middle positioning pin sleeve provides a through hole, and the upper ends of the two positioning pin sleeves on its front and rear sides are respectively provided with a diamond-shaped pin and a round pin; a guide block is provided at the front and rear ends of the body, and the guide block is handle-shaped; two horizontally placed support blocks are provided on the lower end face of the body, and a horizontally placed support block is provided between two adjacent positioning pin sleeves, and the horizontally placed support block is higher than the lower end of the positioning pin sleeve.

[0023] By using the trays provided by this invention, manual labor intensity can be reduced, usage costs can be lowered, production efficiency can be optimized, and compatibility with multiple products can be achieved. The trays disclosed in this invention are suitable for use on general product production lines, particularly on automotive hydrogen fuel cell production lines.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0025] The mounting and clamping of hydrogen fuel cell products on the tray provided by this invention is quick, convenient, stable, and reliable. The tray itself is easy to operate, and its support for the stacked semi-finished hydrogen fuel cells must be stable and reliable during transport. During the pressing process of the stacked semi-finished hydrogen fuel cells, the tray guiding mechanism can automatically adjust its height and is compatible with hydrogen fuel cell products of different heights and dimensions. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the pallet;

[0027] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of a pallet with stacked workpieces;

[0028] Figure 3 Enlarged view of the guide mechanism for a pallet without workpieces;

[0029] Figure 4 Enlarged view of the guide mechanism for the workpiece housing on the pallet;

[0030] Figure 5 This is an enlarged view of the bottom quick-change support mechanism;

[0031] Figure 6 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the workpiece after it has been press-fitted onto a pallet.

[0032] Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure to ensure the tray is compatible with workpieces from other machine models. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The specific embodiments illustrated herein have been developed for use in conjunction with stacking devices forming the subject matter of a co-pending application of the same applicant. To make the invention more apparent and understandable, the invention is further described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0034] like Figure 1As shown in this embodiment, a flexible transfer tray used in the production process of hydrogen fuel cells includes a main base plate mechanism 001, a main frame mechanism 002, a bottom quick-change support mechanism 003, and two guiding mechanisms 004. The main base plate mechanism 001 and the main frame mechanism 002 are installed together and form the basic main structure. The bottom quick-change support mechanism 003 for supporting hydrogen fuel cell products is installed on the main base plate mechanism 001. Two guiding mechanisms 004 are installed on the top of the main frame mechanism 002, which can be adjusted outward and inward: after adjusting outward, the fuel cell housing can be quickly placed into the main frame mechanism 002; after adjusting inward, the guiding mechanism 004 can fit against the hydrogen fuel cell housing, guiding the stacked plates into the fuel cell housing and ensuring that the stacked layers do not shift or shake. The bottom quick-change support mechanism 003 and the guiding mechanism 004 can be selected according to the different heights of the hydrogen fuel cell products. Both can be quickly replaced without tools, meeting the needs of rapid switching between multiple models, increasing the tray's flexibility and compatibility, and achieving flexible compatibility with hydrogen fuel cell products of different heights.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the main body of the base plate mechanism 001 is an aluminum plate 201, which meets the requirements of high strength and light weight. The aluminum plate 201 is designed with lifting and positioning holes for precise positioning of the pallet provided by this invention. A guide wheel mechanism 202 is installed at each of the four corners of the aluminum plate 201, making the pallet provided by this invention run more smoothly on the roller conveyor. Polyurethane anti-collision and shock-absorbing blocks 203, steel impact-resistant blocks 207, and identification plates and arrows indicating direction 208 are also installed on the aluminum plate 201. When two pallets disclosed in this invention collide with each other, the polyurethane anti-collision and shock-absorbing blocks 203 can absorb the vibration generated by the collision impact. When the pallet disclosed in this invention is used in conjunction with an external pneumatic stop, the steel impact-resistant blocks 207 can increase the service life of the pallet. The identification plates and arrows indicating direction 208 allow personnel to quickly identify the direction and type of the pallet disclosed in this invention. The portion of the aluminum plate 201 below the edge that contacts the roller conveyor uses high-hardness wear-resistant steel strips 204 to increase the service life of the pallet disclosed in this invention.

[0036] The main frame structure 002 includes a main square steel welded frame 205, which is welded from steel to ensure the strength of the pallet. The top of the main square steel welded frame 205 has four quick-lifting rings 206, facilitating pallet transfer and pallet loading / unloading as disclosed in this invention. In this embodiment, the main square steel welded frame 205 is welded from ordinary steel, resulting in high strength and low cost. The right side of the main square steel welded frame 205 is fixed both top and bottom to increase strength, while the left side is only fixed at the bottom and open at the top, reserving operating space for the gripper of the robot to automatically handle the hydrogen fuel cell. Two elbow clamps 303 are installed on the top of the main square steel welded frame 205 for quickly securing the hydrogen fuel cell casing.

[0037] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the guiding mechanism 004 is fixed to the top of the main frame mechanism 002 via horizontal guide rail 301 and vertical guide rail 302. Its position can be adjusted along the horizontal and vertical guide rails 301 and 302. The guiding mechanism 004 can slide inwards and outwards, as well as upwards and downwards, on the main frame mechanism 002 via the horizontal and vertical guide rails 301 and 302. This facilitates quick loading and unloading of battery products and ensures compatibility with various battery specifications, while also providing convenient adjustment. Before loading the hydrogen fuel cell housing, the guiding mechanism 004 needs to be moved outwards along the horizontal guide rail 301 to the horizontal limit 306 at the end of the guide rail. At this point, the spring pin 316 will engage with the V-groove 317, preventing the pallet guiding mechanism from wobbling along the guide rail 301. The hydrogen fuel cell housing can then be loaded into the pallet. After loading, the fuel cell housing can be quickly and manually clamped by the elbow clamp 303. After unlocking the spring-loaded pin 305, the guide mechanism 004 can be placed on the hydrogen fuel cell housing by holding the handle 314 along the vertical guide rail 302. Then, the spring-loaded pin 305 can be manually inserted again to completely lock the position of the guide mechanism 004 on the vertical guide rail 302. Using the spring-loaded pin 305 to quickly lock or unlock the positioning point can meet the requirements of rapid and accurate positioning.

[0038] After the guide mechanism 004 is placed on the fuel cell housing, it fits against the 45-degree inclined surface of the product via the 45-degree inclined guide rail 310, thus completely limiting its position on the horizontal guide rail 301. When the tray is used with external equipment, its position is precisely fixed by the positioning pin hole 312 on the top surface of the guide mechanism 004 and the positioning pin hole 311 fixed to the top of the main frame mechanism 002. Each guide mechanism 004 has a fixed guide bar 307 and a sliding guide bar 308 that can move up and down on its front and rear sides, respectively. The sliding guide bar 308 is above the fixed guide bar 307, and the fixed guide bar 307 and sliding guide bar 308 on the front and rear sides adopt an asymmetrical design. The fixed guide bar 307 and sliding guide bar 308 on the left and right guide mechanisms 004 are arranged opposite each other and symmetrically installed, thus forming complete guidance for the stacked plates. In this embodiment, the bottom of the fixed guide bar 307 and the sliding guide bar 308 is a 45-degree inclined guide rail 310. The contact end of the guide bar with the battery casing is connected at a 45-degree angle, resulting in a smoother connection. The sliding guide bar 308 slides up and down within the guide groove 313, which is located on the guide mechanism 004. The spring 309 is fully confined within the guide groove 313, with maximum limits both downward and upward. Under normal circumstances, the sliding guide bar 308 remains at the top under the action of the spring 309. However, when the pressing equipment presses the stacked sheets, the pressure generated by the pressing equipment acts on the sliding guide bar 308, overcoming the elastic force of the spring 309, causing the sliding guide bar 308 to move downward to the bottom of the guide groove 313. When the external pressure acting on the sliding guide bar 308 is removed, the sliding guide bar 308 automatically returns to the top of the guide groove 313 under the restoring force of the spring 309.

[0039] In this embodiment, the guide mechanism 004 itself can be quickly replaced as a whole, and uses wing bolts, which makes it convenient for operators to replace other machine parts without tools.

[0040] like Figure 5As shown, the bottom quick-change support mechanism 003 includes a main body with three steel intermediate positioning pin sleeves 405, enabling convenient, accurate, and quick positioning during quick changes. The upper and lower ends of the positioning pin sleeves 405 protrude from the upper and lower end faces of the main body, respectively. The middle positioning pin sleeve 405 has a through hole, and a diamond-shaped pin 401 and a round pin 402 are fixed to the upper ends of the two positioning pin sleeves 405 on its front and rear sides, respectively. The two work together to completely position the product. A guide block 403 is provided at each of the front and rear ends of the main body. The guide block 403 is handle-shaped, serving both to secure the side of the product and as a handle for easy manual handling. Two horizontally placed support blocks 404 are provided on the lower end face of the main body. A horizontally placed support block 404 is placed between two adjacent positioning pin sleeves 405, and the horizontally placed support block 404 is higher than the lower end of the positioning pin sleeve 405. When manually handling and placing the bottom quick-change support mechanism 003, the horizontally placed support block 404 protects the positioning pin sleeve 405 from impact and ensures that the bottom quick-change support mechanism 003 can be placed stably during replacement. For different models, quick-change bottom support mechanisms of varying heights can be replaced entirely. By changing the heights of the positioning pin sleeve 405 and the horizontally placed support block 404, quick-change support mechanisms supporting hydrogen fuel cell products of different heights can be manufactured.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the workpiece after the pallet has been pressed. At this time, the guide mechanism moves outward, the elbow clamp opens, the top cover is also installed after the workpiece is pressed, and the fuel cell can be manually moved out of the pallet or moved out of the frame opening by a robot.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pallet compatible with other machine models. As shown in the figure, the height of the new workpiece is shorter than that of the main machine model workpiece. It can be quickly compatible with other machine models by simply replacing the quick-change support mechanism at the bottom.

Claims

1. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device, characterized in that, The application relates to a fuel cell stack assembly device, which comprises a main body bottom plate mechanism and a main body frame mechanism, wherein a replaceable bottom quick-change support mechanism is arranged on the main body bottom plate mechanism, two replaceable guide mechanisms are arranged on the top of the main body frame mechanism, and the two guide mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on the left and right of the top of the main body frame mechanism. Each guide mechanism can be adjusted outward and inward, the fuel cell shell can be placed into the main body frame mechanism after outward adjustment, and the guide mechanism can be combined with the fuel cell shell after inward adjustment, thereby playing a guiding role in placing the stacked sheets into the fuel cell shell and ensuring that the stacked layers do not displace or shake.

2. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The main body bottom plate mechanism comprises an aluminum plate, four corners of the aluminum plate are respectively provided with a guide wheel mechanism for cooperating with a roller way, and the part of the edge of the aluminum plate which contacts the roller way is provided with a high-hardness wear-resistant steel strip.

3. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, Polyurethane anti-collision damping blocks, steel anti-collision blocks and signboards are arranged on the aluminum plate, wherein the polyurethane anti-collision damping blocks are used for absorbing the vibration generated when the two flexible support trays collide, and the steel anti-collision blocks are used for absorbing the impact of an external pneumatic stopper on the flexible support trays.

4. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 2, characterized in that, The aluminum plate is provided with lifting positioning holes for accurately positioning the flexible support trays.

5. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the main body frame mechanism is provided with quick hoisting rings and elbow clamps, the quick hoisting rings are arranged at the four corners of the top of the main body frame mechanism, the elbow clamps are arranged on the left and right sides of the top of the main body frame mechanism and are staggered with each other, and the elbow clamps are used for fixing the fuel cell shell in the main body frame mechanism.

6. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 1, characterized in that, The two guide mechanisms are the same in structure, are arranged on the top of the main body frame mechanism through horizontal guide rails and vertical guide rails, are adjusted along the horizontal guide rails to realize outward and inward adjustment, and are adjusted along the vertical guide rails to realize combination with the fuel cell shell.

7. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 6, characterized in that, The front and back sides of each guide mechanism are respectively provided with a fixed guide strip and a sliding guide strip which can move up and down, the sliding guide strip is arranged above the fixed guide strip, the fixed guide strips and the sliding guide strips on the left and right guide mechanisms are oppositely arranged and symmetrically installed, thereby forming complete guidance to the stacked sheets. The sliding guide strip slides up and down in a guide groove arranged on the guide mechanism, the guide groove is provided with a spring, in the initial state, the sliding guide strip is kept at the uppermost part of the guide groove under the action of the spring, when the stacked sheets are pressed by the pressing equipment and external pressure is generated on the sliding guide strip, the external pressure overcomes the elastic force of the spring, and the sliding guide strip runs downward to the lowermost part of the guide groove, and when the external pressure on the sliding guide strip is eliminated, the sliding guide strip automatically returns to the initial state under the action of the spring restoring force.

8. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fixed guide strips and the sliding guide strips on the front and back sides of the same guide mechanism are asymmetrically designed.

9. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 7, characterized in that, The bottom of the fixed guide strip and the sliding guide strip is a 45-degree inclined guide rail, when the guide mechanism is put on the fuel cell shell along the vertical guide rail by manual operation, the guide mechanism is combined with the 45-degree inclined surface on the fuel cell shell through the 45-degree inclined guide rail, so that the position of the guide mechanism on the horizontal guide rail is limited.

10. A flexible support tray for assembling and transporting a stack of flat components of an electrical device as defined in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom quick-change support mechanism comprises a body, three steel intermediate positioning pin sleeves are arranged on the body, the upper and lower ends of the positioning pin sleeves respectively protrude from the upper and lower end faces of the body, among the three positioning pin sleeves, the intermediate positioning pin sleeve provides a through hole, the upper ends of the two positioning pin sleeves on the front and rear sides of the intermediate positioning pin sleeve are respectively provided with a rhombic pin and a circular pin, the front and rear ends of the body are respectively provided with a guide block, the guide block is in the shape of a handle, the lower end face of the body is provided with two horizontal placement support blocks, one horizontal placement support block is arranged between every two adjacent positioning pin sleeves, and the horizontal placement support blocks are higher than the lower end portions of the positioning pin sleeves.

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