Full-automatic tray restraint adding and releasing device and method

Abstract

The invention provides a full-automatic tray restraint adding and releasing device and method.The device comprises a restraint releasing mechanism, a cushion block carrying mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a restraint adding mechanism and a processor, in the process of adding restraint to a tray, the restraint adding mechanism is controlled to act so as to apply pressure to a pressing plate, and a space is formed between the pressing plate and the inner wall of the tray; the cushion block carrying mechanism is controlled to act, the cushion blocks at the position of the second layer are moved into the space, and tray restraining is completed; in the process of unrestraining the tray, the unrestraining mechanism is controlled to act so as to apply pressure to the pressing plate, and the pressure borne by the cushion block is relieved; the cushion block carrying mechanism is controlled to act, and the cushion blocks in the space are moved to the lifting mechanism; and the lifting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block at the first layer position to the second layer position, so that the tray is derestrained, a stable and safe operation environment is provided for the lithium battery in the charging and discharging process, and the problems of expansion and deformation caused by pressure change of the tray in the charging and discharging process are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic production lines, and in particular to a fully automatic pallet restraint and release device and method. Background Art

[0002] With the booming development of new energy vehicles, the demand for lithium batteries, as the main storage facility for clean energy, has exploded. However, lithium batteries are prone to swelling and increasing distance between the positive and negative electrodes during charging and discharging, which can increase internal resistance, cause thermal runaway and even safety accidents.

[0003] The inventors found in their research that in order to solve the problem of lithium battery expansion and improve its safety in the prior art, new processes are constantly introduced in the lithium battery manufacturing process, among which the "constraint" and "unconstraint" processes are particularly important. This process effectively inhibits battery expansion by applying external pressure to the battery at a specific stage, reduces the change in the distance between the positive and negative electrode films, thereby reducing internal resistance and improving the thermal stability and safety of lithium batteries.

[0004] However, the traditional manual restraint and release methods are complicated to operate, inefficient, and difficult to achieve precise control, which cannot meet the automated production requirements of Industry 4.0. Therefore, it is urgent to develop efficient, precise, and highly automated lithium battery restraint and release equipment to meet the needs of new processes and industrial development. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic tray restraint and release device and method to provide a stable and safe operating environment to ensure that expansion and deformation problems caused by tray pressure changes are avoided during the charging and discharging process.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a fully automatic tray restraint release device, comprising:

[0007] A release mechanism for applying pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet to relieve the pressure on the pads in the pallet;

[0008] A pad block transporting mechanism is located above the unrestraining mechanism, and is used to move the pad blocks in the tray to the lifting mechanism;

[0009] The lifting mechanism is located below the unbinding mechanism and is used to move the cushion block located at the first layer position to the second layer position, and both the first layer position and the second layer position are used to store the cushion block;

[0010] A restraining mechanism is located below the lifting mechanism and is used to apply pressure to the pressing plate on the pallet so that a space is formed between the pressing plate and the inner wall of the pallet, and the space is used to place a cushion block;

[0011] The processor is connected to the restraining mechanism, the pad transporting mechanism, the unrestraining mechanism and the lifting mechanism respectively, and the processor is used to:

[0012] During the process of restraining the pallet, the restraining mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet, so that a space is formed between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the pallet; the cushion block transporting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located at the second layer into the space, so as to complete the pallet restraint;

[0013] During the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet, the release mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet to relieve the pressure on the pad; the pad transporting mechanism is controlled to move the pad in the space to the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism is controlled to move the pad at the first layer position to the second layer position to complete the release of the pallet.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the device further includes a roller conveying mechanism, the roller conveying mechanism is located between the unconstraining mechanism and the conveying mechanism, and the roller conveying mechanism is used to convey the pallet on the conveying mechanism; the processor is connected to the roller conveying mechanism, and the processor is further used to:

[0015] Control the movement of the roller conveyor mechanism to move the pallet on the conveyor mechanism to the required work station.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the unrestraining mechanism includes: a first pressurizing assembly, a first mounting plate, a first pressurizing rod and a first pressure sensor, the first pressurizing rod is connected to the first pressurizing assembly through the first mounting plate, the first pressure sensor is arranged between the first pressurizing assembly and the first mounting plate, the processor is respectively connected to the first pressurizing assembly and the first pressure sensor, and the processor is further used for:

[0017] The first pressure component is controlled to start action, so that the first pressure rod moves towards the pressure plate. When the first pressure sensor reaches a first set pressure value, the first pressure component is controlled to stop action. The first set pressure value is the pressure value that the pad in the release tray is subjected to.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the unrestraining mechanism further includes: a hook assembly, the hook assembly is arranged on one side of the first mounting plate and is located on the same side as the first pressure rod, the processor is connected to the hook assembly, and the processor is further used for:

[0019] After completing the tray release, control the first pressurizing component to execute the first state action, so that the hook component moves towards the pressure plate, when the hook component is connected to the pressure plate; control the first pressurizing component to execute the second state action, so that the hook component moves away from the pressure plate, when the pressure plate and the lithium battery reach a preset distance, control the first pressurizing component to stop the action.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the restraint mechanism includes: a second pressurizing assembly, a second mounting plate, a second pressurizing rod and a second pressure sensor, the second pressurizing rod is connected to the second pressurizing assembly through the second mounting plate, the second pressure sensor is arranged between the second pressurizing assembly and the second mounting plate, the processor is respectively connected to the second pressurizing assembly and the second pressure sensor, and the processor is further used for:

[0021] The second pressurizing assembly is controlled to start action, so that the second pressurizing rod moves towards the pressure plate. When the second pressure sensor reaches a second set pressure value, the second pressurizing assembly is controlled to stop action. The second set pressure value is equal to the first set pressure value. The second set pressure value is the pressure value at which the lithium batteries in the tray are squeezed to prevent expansion and deformation.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, the pad transport mechanism includes: a translation assembly, a lifting assembly and a clamping assembly, one end of the lifting assembly is connected to the translation assembly, and the other end is connected to the clamping assembly, the processor is respectively connected to the translation assembly, the lifting assembly and the clamping assembly, and the processor is also used for:

[0023] Control the movement of the translation component to make the lifting component located at the pad position in the tray; control the movement of the clamping component to clamp or release the pad; control the movement of the lifting component to move the pad to the lifting mechanism.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, the lifting mechanism includes: a driving motor, a transmission assembly and a positioning rod, the positioning rod and the driving motor are respectively connected to the transmission assembly, the processor is connected to the driving motor, and the processor is used to:

[0025] The driving motor is controlled to move so that the positioning rod drives the cushion block located at the first layer position to move to the second layer position.

[0026] In an optional embodiment, a groove for storing a cushion block is provided on the positioning rod.

[0027] In an optional embodiment, the roller conveying mechanism includes: a check member, a blocking assembly and a plurality of rollers, the check member is arranged above the roller, the blocking assembly is slidably connected to the roller and is located below the roller, the processor is respectively connected to the driving member and the blocking assembly of the roller, and the processor is further used for:

[0028] The driving member of the control roller starts to move, and moves the tray to the working position; when the tray contacts the non-return member, the driving member of the control roller stops moving; the blocking component is controlled to move, and the blocking component is located above the roller.

[0029] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a fully automatic tray restraint and release method, which is applied to a processor in the fully automatic tray restraint and release device as described above, and the method includes:

[0030] During the process of restraining the pallet, the restraining mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet, so that a space is formed between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the pallet; the cushion block transporting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located at the second layer into the space, so as to complete the pallet restraint;

[0031] During the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet, the release mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet to relieve the pressure on the pad; the pad transporting mechanism is controlled to move the pad in the space to the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism is controlled to move the pad at the first layer position to the second layer position to complete the release of the pallet.

[0032] The embodiment of the present invention provides a fully automatic tray restraint and release device and method, which uses a restraint mechanism to apply pressure to the tray, thereby preventing the lithium battery from expanding and deforming when squeezed; a pad block is placed inside the tray by a pad block transporting mechanism to ensure that the lithium battery will not be deformed due to tray pressure relief during the charging and discharging process; a restraint release mechanism applies pressure to the tray to release the pressure of the pad block in the tray, and the pad block is taken out by the pad block transporting mechanism, and the restraint release mechanism pulls out the pressure plate on the tray to increase the distance between the pad block and the lithium battery, making it convenient for subsequent equipment to take the lithium battery out of the tray; a stable and safe operating environment is provided for the lithium battery during the charging and discharging process by the restraint mechanism, the pad block transporting mechanism and the restraint release mechanism, thereby ensuring that expansion and deformation problems caused by changes in tray pressure are avoided during the charging and discharging process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a fully automatic tray restraint and release device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A state diagram of restraining a tray provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a roller conveying mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a restraint mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0038] Figure 5A schematic structural diagram of a cushion block transporting mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a lifting mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0040] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a release mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 8 A schematic flow chart of a fully automatic tray restraint and release method provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0042] Explanation of the main component symbols: 100-pad transport mechanism; 110-translation assembly; 120-lifting assembly; 130-clamping assembly; 200-releasing mechanism; 210-first pressurizing assembly; 220-first pressure sensor; 230-first mounting plate; 240-first pressurizing rod; 250-hook assembly; 300-lifting mechanism; 310-drive motor; 320-transmission assembly; 330-positioning rod; 400-restraining mechanism; 410-second pressurizing assembly; 420-second pressure sensor; 430-second mounting plate; 440-second pressurizing rod; 500-roller conveying mechanism; 510-check piece; 520-roller; 530-blocking assembly; 600-tray; 610-pad; 620-pressure plate; 630-partition; 640-lithium battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, 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 here 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 claimed invention, 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 belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] In the prior art, with the improvement of lithium battery safety, the latest lithium battery production process has added restraint and release processes, which effectively prevents the lithium battery from expanding during the charging and discharging process. The distance between the positive and negative electrode films increases, resulting in an increase in the internal resistance of the lithium battery, which ultimately causes the lithium battery to heat up and cause thermal runaway. The traditional manual restraint and release methods are complex to operate, inefficient, and difficult to achieve precise control, and cannot meet the technical problems of the automated production requirements of Industry 4.0. Based on this, the present invention provides a fully automatic tray restraint and release device and method, which applies pressure to the tray by adopting a restraint mechanism to prevent the lithium battery from expanding and deforming when it is squeezed; places the pad inside the tray by a pad transporting mechanism to ensure that the lithium battery will not be deformed due to the pressure release of the tray during the charging and discharging process; applies pressure to the tray by a restraint release mechanism to release the pressure of the pad in the tray, takes out the pad by the pad transporting mechanism, and pulls out the pressure plate on the tray by the restraint release mechanism to increase the distance between it and the lithium battery, making it convenient for subsequent equipment to take the lithium battery out of the tray, providing a stable and safe operating environment for the lithium battery during the charging and discharging process, and ensuring that the expansion and deformation problems caused by the pressure change of the tray are avoided during the charging and discharging process.

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a fully automatic tray restraint release device provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the device includes: a release mechanism 200, a pad transport mechanism 100, a lifting mechanism 300, a restraining mechanism 400 and a processor, wherein the pad transport mechanism 100 is located above the release mechanism 200, the lifting mechanism 300 is located below the release mechanism 200, and the restraining mechanism 400 is located below the lifting mechanism 300, and the processor is connected to the restraining mechanism 400, the pad transport mechanism 100, the release mechanism 200 and the lifting mechanism 300 respectively; the release mechanism 200 is used to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 on the tray 600 to release the tray 600. The pressure on the pad 610; the pad transport mechanism 100 is used to move the pad 610 in the tray 600 to the lifting mechanism 300; the lifting mechanism 300 is located below the unconstraining mechanism 200, and is used to move the pad 610 located at the first layer position to the second layer position, and the first layer position and the second layer position are both used to store the pad 610; the restraining mechanism 400 is located below the lifting mechanism 300, and is used to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 on the tray 600, so that a space is formed between the pressure plate 620 and the inner wall of the tray 600, and the space is used to place the pad 610; the processor is used to:

[0046] During the process of restraining the pallet 600, the restraining mechanism 400 is controlled to act so as to apply pressure to the pressing plate 620 on the pallet 600, so as to form a space between the pressing plate 620 and the inner wall of the pallet 600; the cushion block transporting mechanism 100 is controlled to act so as to move the cushion block 610 located at the second layer into the space, thereby completing the restraint of the pallet 600;

[0047] During the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet 600, the release mechanism 200 is controlled to operate so as to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 on the pallet 600 to relieve the pressure on the cushion block 610; the cushion block transporting mechanism 100 is controlled to operate so as to move the cushion block 610 located in the space to the lifting mechanism 300; the lifting mechanism 300 is controlled to move the cushion block 610 located at the first layer position to the second layer position, thereby completing the release of the pallet 600.

[0048] The fully automatic tray restraint and release device provided by the embodiment of the present invention is mainly divided into two working processes of restraining and releasing the tray 600, wherein pressure is applied to the tray 600 by the restraining mechanism 400, so as to prevent the lithium battery 640 from expanding and deforming when being squeezed, and then the pad 610 is placed inside the tray 600 by the pad transporting mechanism 100, to ensure that the lithium battery 640 will not be deformed due to the pressure relief of the tray 600 during the charging and discharging process; pressure is applied to the tray 600 by the release mechanism 200, so as to release the pressure of the pad 610 on the tray 600, and then the pad 610 is removed by the pad transporting mechanism 100, and the release mechanism 200 then pulls out the pressure plate 620 on the tray 600, so as to increase the distance between it and the lithium battery 640, so as to facilitate the subsequent equipment to remove the lithium battery 640 from the tray 600, and provide a stable and safe operating environment for the lithium battery 640 during the charging and discharging process, to ensure that the expansion and deformation problems caused by the pressure change of the tray 600 are avoided during the charging and discharging process.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, Figure 2 is a state diagram for restraining the tray 600, such as Figure 2 As shown, the tray 600 includes a tray 600 body, a partition 630 and a pressure plate 620. The partition 630 is located above the tray 600 body, and the pressure plate 620 is located at one end of the partition 630. In the process of restraining the tray 600, a plurality of lithium batteries 640 are first placed in the gap between the partition 630, and pressure is applied to the pressure plate 620 by the restraining mechanism 400 to form a space between the pressure plate 620 and the inner wall of the tray 600 body. When the applied pressure reaches a preset pressure value, the pad 610 is placed in the space by the pad transporting mechanism 100 to complete the restraining operation of the tray 600.

[0050] In an optional embodiment, the device also includes a roller conveying mechanism 500, which is located between the release mechanism 200 and the conveying mechanism, and the roller conveying mechanism 500 is used for the tray 600 on the conveying mechanism; the processor is connected to the roller conveying mechanism 500, and the processor is also used to: control the action of the roller conveying mechanism 500 to move the tray 600 on the conveying mechanism to the required work station.

[0051] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the roller conveying mechanism 500 includes a check member 510, a blocking assembly 530 and a plurality of rollers 520, the check member 510 is arranged above the roller 520, the blocking assembly 530 is slidably connected to the roller 520 and is located below the roller 520, and the processor is respectively connected to the driving member of the roller 520 and the blocking assembly 530, and the processor is also used for: controlling the driving member of the roller 520 to start action and move the tray 600 to the working position; when the tray 600 contacts the check member 510, controlling the driving member of the roller 520 to stop action; and controlling the blocking assembly 530 to act so that the blocking assembly 530 is located above the roller 520.

[0052] Furthermore, the check member 510 is used to prevent the tray 600 from rebounding after being blocked in place, causing the position positioning to be offset; the blocking assembly 530 is used to block and position the tray 600, and retracts after the tray 600 is restrained or released (that is, the blocking assembly 530 is located under the roller 520) to square the tray 600, so that the tray 600 can be moved to the next workstation for transportation.

[0053] Among them, the check member 510 is located on one side of the conveying assembly composed of multiple rollers 520, and is arranged opposite to the blocking assembly 530. The blocking assembly 530 is located at the starting position of the conveying direction of the conveying assembly. The blocking assembly 530 includes a lifting member and a blocking member. One end of the blocking member is fixedly connected to one end of the lifting member. The lifting member is located below the roller 520. The lifting member drives the blocking member to make a linear motion close to or away from the roller 520, thereby realizing two states in which the blocking member is located above or below the roller 520. When the blocking assembly 530 is needed to position the tray 600, the lifting member drives the blocking member to move in a direction close to the roller 520, so that the blocking member is located above the roller 520; when the conveying assembly needs to move the tray 600 to the next workstation, the lifting member drives the blocking member to move in a direction away from the roller 520, so that the blocking member is located below the roller 520.

[0054] Specifically, the roller conveying mechanism 500 is mainly used to dock with the conveying mechanisms in front and behind the device to realize the conveyance of the pallet 600. The blocking assembly 530 and the check member 510 in the roller conveying mechanism 500 can block the pallet 600 in four positions, making it convenient for other mechanisms in the device to perform corresponding operations on the pallet 600.

[0055] In an optional implementation, Figure 4 As shown, the restraint mechanism 400 includes: a second pressurizing component 410, a second mounting plate 430, a second pressurizing rod 440 and a second pressure sensor 420. The second pressurizing rod 440 is connected to the second pressurizing component 410 through the second mounting plate 430. The second pressure sensor 420 is arranged between the second pressurizing component 410 and the second mounting plate 430. The processor is respectively connected to the second pressurizing component 410 and the second pressure sensor 420. The processor is also used to: control the second pressurizing component 410 to start action, so that the second pressurizing rod 440 moves in a direction close to the pressure plate 620. When the second pressure sensor 420 reaches a second set pressure value, the second pressurizing component 410 is controlled to stop action. The second set pressure value is equal to the first set pressure value. The second set pressure value is the pressure value at which the lithium battery 640 in the tray 600 is squeezed to prevent expansion and deformation.

[0056] Furthermore, the second pressurizing component 410 can adopt a linear pressurizing component, which uses electricity, gas or liquid as a power source to provide power to drive the second pressurizing rod 440 to move closer to or away from the tray 600, thereby achieving a pressurizing action, wherein the second pressurizing component 410 can adopt an electric cylinder component, a cylinder component or a hydraulic cylinder component.

[0057] Specifically, the second pressure sensor 420 in the restraint mechanism 400 is mainly used to monitor the pressure between the second mounting plate 430 and the second pressurizing assembly 410 in real time, thereby indirectly detecting the pressure of the second pressurizing assembly 410 on the pallet 600; the second mounting plate 430 is mainly used to install the second pressure sensor 420 and the second pressurizing rod 440; the second pressurizing rod 440 is mainly used to contact the pressure plate 620 inside the pallet 600 and apply pressure to the pressure plate 620; the second sensor can monitor the pressure output by the second pressurizing assembly 410 in real time to achieve closed-loop pressure control.

[0058] The restraining mechanism 400 is mainly used for the restraining process of the tray 600, which is as follows: the second pressurizing component 410 drives the second mounting plate 430 to move, thereby driving the second pressurizing rod 440 to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 in the tray 600, so that the partition 630 and the lithium battery 640 in the push plate are subjected to squeezing pressure. When the second pressure sensor 420 monitors that the output pressure value of the second pressurizing component 410 reaches the second preset pressure value, the second pressurizing component 410 stops applying pressure. At this time, a space is formed between the pressure plate 620 and the inner wall of the tray 600. The pad 610 located at the second layer position is moved to the space through the pad transporting mechanism 100, thereby preventing the partition 630 and the lithium battery 640 in the tray 600 from rebounding and releasing pressure after the restraining mechanism 400 is retracted.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, the pad transport mechanism 100 includes: a translation assembly 110, a lifting assembly 120 and a clamping assembly 130, one end of the lifting assembly 120 is connected to the translation assembly 110, and the other end is connected to the clamping assembly 130, the processor is respectively connected to the translation assembly 110, the lifting assembly 120 and the clamping assembly 130, the processor is also used to: control the movement of the translation assembly 110 to make the lifting assembly 120 located at the position of the pad 610 in the tray 600; control the movement of the clamping assembly 130 to clamp or release the pad 610; control the movement of the lifting assembly 120 to move the pad 610 to the lifting mechanism 300.

[0060] Specifically, in the present application, the translation assembly 110 drives the lifting assembly 120 to move forward and backward by means of a motor plus a belt or a chain; the lifting assembly 120 realizes the up and down movement of the clamping assembly 130 by means of a motor plus a lead screw; the clamping assembly 130 realizes the clamping or loosening of the cushion block 610 by means of a clamping cylinder. The cushion block transporting mechanism 100 is mainly used to take the cushion block 610 out of the pallet 600 or put the cushion block 610 into the pallet 600 after the pallet 600 is restrained or released, and then move the cushion block 610 to the lifting mechanism 300, and then move the cushion block 610 to the second layer position by the lifting mechanism 300, so that the cushion block 610 forms a complete closed loop.

[0061] It should be noted that the device in the present application is divided into two layers, the upper layer is the first layer, and the lower layer is the second layer. The first layer mainly completes the unconstraining process of the tray 600, and the second layer mainly completes the restraining process of the push plate. After the tray 600 is unconstrained, the pad transport mechanism 100 moves the pad 610 to the lifting mechanism 300, and the lifting mechanism 300 moves the pad 610 located at the first layer position to the second layer position, so that when the tray 600 is restrained later, it is convenient for the pad transport mechanism 100 to quickly obtain the pad 610.

[0062] Furthermore, a clamping piece is provided above the cushion block 610 , and the clamping assembly 130 in the cushion block transporting mechanism 100 completes the transportation of the cushion block 610 by clamping the clamping piece of the cushion block 610 .

[0063] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 6 As shown, the lifting mechanism 300 includes: a driving motor 310, a transmission assembly 320 and a positioning rod 330, the positioning rod 330 and the driving motor 310 are respectively connected to the transmission assembly 320, and the processor is connected to the driving motor 310, and the processor is used to: control the action of the driving motor 310 so that the positioning rod 330 drives the pad 610 located at the first layer position to move to the second layer position.

[0064] Furthermore, a groove for storing the cushion block 610 is provided on the positioning rod 330 , and the cushion block 610 is placed in the groove to achieve connection between the cushion block 610 and the positioning rod 330 .

[0065] Furthermore, the transmission assembly may be a belt assembly or a chain assembly.

[0066] Specifically, in the present application, the drive motor 310 is used as a power source to provide rotational power to the transmission assembly 320, and the drive motor 310 drives the transmission assembly to move, thereby driving the positioning rod 330 to make linear movements up and down; the positioning rod 330 is mainly used to cache and position the cushion block 610. The lifting mechanism 300 transports the cushion block 610 from the first layer of the device to the second layer, realizing the circulation of the cushion block 610 between the unconstraining mechanism 200 and the restraining mechanism 400, thereby forming a closed loop.

[0067] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 7 As shown, the release mechanism 200 includes: a first pressure component 210, a first mounting plate 230, a first pressure rod 240 and a first pressure sensor 220. The first pressure rod 240 is connected to the first pressure component 210 through the first mounting plate 230. The first pressure sensor 220 is arranged between the first pressure component 210 and the first mounting plate 230. The processor is connected to the first pressure component 210 and the first pressure sensor 220 respectively. The processor is also used to: control the first pressure component 210 to start action, so that the first pressure rod 240 moves in a direction close to the pressure plate 620. When the first pressure sensor 220 reaches a first set pressure value, the first pressure component 210 is controlled to stop action. The first set pressure value is the pressure value borne by the pad 610 in the release tray 600.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, the release mechanism 200 also includes: a hook assembly 250, the hook assembly 250 is arranged on one side of the first mounting plate 230 and is located on the same side as the first pressure rod 240, the processor is connected to the hook assembly 250, and the processor is also used to: after completing the release of the tray 600, control the first pressure assembly 210 to perform a first state action, so that the hook assembly 250 moves in a direction close to the pressure plate 620, when the hook assembly 250 is connected to the pressure plate 620; control the first pressure assembly 210 to perform a second state action, so that the hook assembly 250 moves away from the pressure plate 620, when the preset distance between the pressure plate 620 and the lithium battery 640 is reached, control the first pressure assembly 210 to stop the action.

[0069] Furthermore, the first pressurizing component 210 can adopt a linear pressurizing component, which uses electricity, gas or liquid as a power source to provide power to drive the first pressurizing rod 240 to move closer to or away from the tray 600, thereby achieving a pressure relief action, wherein the first pressurizing component 210 can adopt an electric cylinder assembly, a cylinder assembly or a hydraulic cylinder assembly, etc.

[0070] Specifically, in the present application, the first pressure sensor 220 in the release mechanism 200 is mainly used to monitor the pressure between the first mounting plate 230 and the first pressurizing assembly 210 in real time, thereby indirectly detecting the pressure of the first pressurizing assembly 210 on the pallet 600; the first mounting plate 230 is mainly used to install the first pressure sensor 220 and the first pressurizing rod 240; the first pressurizing rod 240 is mainly used to contact the pressure plate 620 inside the pallet 600 and apply pressure to the pressure plate 620; the first sensor can monitor the pressure output by the first pressurizing assembly 210 in real time to achieve closed-loop pressure control.

[0071] The release mechanism 200 is mainly used for the release process of the tray 600, and the process is as follows: the first pressure component 210 drives the first mounting plate 230 to move, thereby driving the first pressure rod 240 to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 in the tray 600, so that the pressure on the pad 610 in the tray 600 is released, and then the pad 610 in the tray 600 is taken out through the pad transport mechanism 100, and then the hook component 250 is connected to the pressure plate 620 in the tray 600, and the first pressure component 210 drives the pressure plate 620 to move away from the lithium battery 640, thereby driving the partition 630 in the tray 600 to move and increase the distance between the lithium battery 640, so as to facilitate the removal of the lithium battery.

[0072] The specific process of the fully automatic tray restraint and release device of the present application to restrain and release the tray 600 is as follows:

[0073] First, the tray 600 is transported to a designated position (i.e., a workstation of the roller transport mechanism 500) by the roller transport mechanism 500, and the tray 600 is positioned by using the blocking assembly 530 and the check member 510;

[0074] In the first layer position of the device, the first pressure rod 240 is driven by the release mechanism 200 to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 on the tray 600, and the first pressure sensor 220 is used to monitor the pressure of the first pressure component 210 in real time. When the first pressure component 210 reaches the first set pressure value, the release mechanism 200 stops applying pressure, and the pressure on the cushion block 610 on the tray 600 is completely released. Then, the cushion block transporting mechanism 100 on the first layer moves the clamping assembly 130 to the top of the cushion block 610, clamps the cushion block 610, and transports the cushion block 610 to the positioning rod 330 on the lifting mechanism 300 for cache positioning, and then The lifting mechanism 300 then moves the cushion block 610 to the second layer position to wait for grabbing; then, after the cushion block 610 in the tray 600 is taken out, the release mechanism 200 begins to connect the hook assembly 250 with the pressure plate 620, and the first pressurizing assembly 210 begins to drive the hook assembly 250 to begin to retract, thereby pulling the pressure plate 620 outward, and the partition 630 and lithium batteries on the tray 600 are also taken out together, until the pressure plate 620 is completely pulled out, and a gap is formed between each partition 630 and the lithium battery, and the first pressurizing assembly 210 stops moving; finally, the roller conveying mechanism 500 conveys the tray 600 to the next workstation to take the lithium batteries out of the tray 600.

[0075] In the second layer position of the device, the second pressure rod 440 is driven by the restraining mechanism 400 to apply pressure to the pressure plate 620 on the tray 600, and the second pressure sensor 420 is used to monitor the pressure of the second pressure component 410 in real time. When the second pressure component 410 reaches the second set pressure value, the restraining mechanism 400 stops applying pressure. At this time, the pressure is also transmitted to each partition 630 and lithium battery in the tray 600 through the pressure plate 620, and since each lithium battery is in the same force direction, the pressure on each lithium battery is basically the same. At this time, since the pressure plate 620, partition 630 and lithium battery in the tray 600 have been squeezed to one side, a space is formed between the pressure plate 620 and the inner wall of the tray 600. In order to prevent the pressure plate 620, partition 630 and lithium battery from rebounding and releasing pressure due to lack of support after the restraining mechanism 400 is retracted, the cushion block 610 is needed to fill this space. The pad block 610 moved from the first layer position to the second layer position is clamped by the pad block transport mechanism 100 and moved to above the tray 600, and then the pad block 610 is placed in the spatial position to complete the restraint of the tray 600. Finally, the roller conveying mechanism 500 conveys the tray 600 to the next station to charge and discharge the lithium battery, thereby providing a stable and safe operating environment for the lithium battery during the charging and discharging process, ensuring that expansion and deformation problems caused by pressure changes in the tray 600 are avoided during the charging and discharging process.

[0076] Figure 8A schematic diagram of a process flow of a fully automatic tray restraint and release method provided by an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 8 As shown, the method is applied to the processor in the above-mentioned fully automatic tray restraint and release device, and the method includes the following steps:

[0077] During the process of restraining the pallet:

[0078] Step S110, controlling the restraining mechanism to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the tray so that a space is formed between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the tray;

[0079] Step S120, controlling the cushion block transport mechanism to move the cushion blocks located at the second layer into the space, thereby completing the pallet restraint;

[0080] During the unconstraint process of the pallet:

[0081] Step S210, controlling the release mechanism to act so as to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the tray to release the pressure on the cushion block;

[0082] Step S220, controlling the cushion block transporting mechanism to move the cushion block located in the space to the lifting mechanism;

[0083] Step S230: Control the lifting mechanism to move the pad located at the first layer position to the second layer position, thereby completing the release of the pallet.

[0084] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0085] Control the movement of the roller conveyor mechanism to move the pallet on the conveyor mechanism to the required work station.

[0086] In an optional embodiment, during the process of releasing the restraint of the tray, the process further includes:

[0087] The first pressure component is controlled to start action, so that the first pressure rod moves towards the pressure plate. When the first pressure sensor reaches a first set pressure value, the first pressure component is controlled to stop action. The first set pressure value is the pressure value that the pad in the release tray is subjected to.

[0088] In an optional embodiment, during the process of releasing the restraint of the tray, the process further includes:

[0089] After completing the tray release, control the first pressurizing component to execute the first state action, so that the hook component moves towards the pressure plate, when the hook component is connected to the pressure plate; control the first pressurizing component to execute the second state action, so that the hook component moves away from the pressure plate, when the pressure plate and the lithium battery reach a preset distance, control the first pressurizing component to stop the action.

[0090] In an optional embodiment, the process of restraining the tray further includes:

[0091] The second pressurizing assembly is controlled to start action, so that the second pressurizing rod moves towards the pressure plate. When the second pressure sensor reaches a second set pressure value, the second pressurizing assembly is controlled to stop action. The second set pressure value is equal to the first set pressure value. The second set pressure value is the pressure value at which the lithium batteries in the tray are squeezed to prevent expansion and deformation.

[0092] In an optional embodiment, during the process of releasing the restraint of the tray, the process further includes:

[0093] Control the movement of the translation component to make the lifting component located at the pad position in the tray; control the movement of the clamping component to clamp or release the pad; control the movement of the lifting component to move the pad to the lifting mechanism.

[0094] In an optional embodiment, during the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet, the process further includes: controlling the drive motor to move so that the positioning rod drives the cushion block located at the first layer position to move to the second layer position.

[0095] In an optional embodiment, during the process of releasing the restraint of the tray, the process further includes: a groove for storing a cushion block is provided on the positioning rod.

[0096] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0097] The driving member of the control roller starts to move, and moves the tray to the working position; when the tray contacts the non-return member, the driving member of the control roller stops moving; the blocking component is controlled to move, and the blocking component is located above the roller.

[0098] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application has the same implementation principle and technical effects as those in the aforementioned device embodiment. For the sake of brief description, for matters not mentioned in the method embodiment, reference may be made to the corresponding contents in the aforementioned device embodiment.

[0099] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0100] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the positions or positional relationships in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific position, be constructed and operated in a specific position, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0101] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" 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 it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0102] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only specific implementations of the present invention, which are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them. The protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in the field should understand that any technician familiar with the technical field can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the above embodiments within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, or can easily think of changes, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein; and these modifications, changes or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. They should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A fully automatic pallet restraint and release device, characterized in that: include: A release mechanism for applying pressure to a pressure plate on the pallet to release the pressure on the pads in the pallet; A pad block transport mechanism, located above the unconstraining mechanism, and used to move the pad blocks in the tray to the lifting mechanism; The lifting mechanism is located below the unconstraining mechanism and is used to move the cushion block located at the first layer position to the second layer position, and both the first layer position and the second layer position are used to store the cushion block; A restraining mechanism, located below the lifting mechanism, is used to apply pressure to the pressing plate on the tray so as to form a space between the pressing plate and the inner wall of the tray, and the space is used to place the cushion block; A processor is connected to the restraining mechanism, the pad transporting mechanism, the unrestraining mechanism and the lifting mechanism respectively, and the processor is used to: During the process of restraining the pallet, the restraining mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet so that a space is formed between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the pallet; the cushion block transporting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located at the second layer position into the space to complete the pallet restraint; During the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet, the release mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet to relieve the pressure on the pad; the pad transporting mechanism is controlled to move the pad located in the space to the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism is controlled to move the pad located at the first layer position to the second layer position to complete the release of the pallet.

2. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: It also includes a roller conveying mechanism, which is located between the unconstraining mechanism and the conveying mechanism, and is used to convey the tray on the conveying mechanism; the processor is connected to the roller conveying mechanism, and the processor is also used to: The roller conveying mechanism is controlled to move the tray on the conveying mechanism to a desired workstation.

3. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The release mechanism includes: a first pressurizing assembly, a first mounting plate, a first pressurizing rod and a first pressure sensor, wherein the first pressurizing rod is connected to the first pressurizing assembly through the first mounting plate, the first pressure sensor is arranged between the first pressurizing assembly and the first mounting plate, the processor is connected to the first pressurizing assembly and the first pressure sensor respectively, and the processor is further used for: The first pressure component is controlled to start action, so that the first pressure rod moves towards the pressure plate. When the first pressure sensor reaches a first set pressure value, the first pressure component is controlled to stop action. The first set pressure value is the pressure value for relieving the pad in the tray.

4. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The unbinding mechanism further includes: a hook assembly, the hook assembly is arranged on one side of the first mounting plate and is located on the same side as the first pressure rod, the processor is connected to the hook assembly, and the processor is further used for: After completing the release of the tray, the first pressurizing component is controlled to perform a first state action to make the hook component move towards the pressure plate, when the hook component is connected to the pressure plate; the first pressurizing component is controlled to perform a second state action to make the hook component move away from the pressure plate, when the pressure plate and the lithium battery reach a preset distance, the first pressurizing component is controlled to stop the action.

5. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The restraint mechanism includes: a second pressurizing assembly, a second mounting plate, a second pressurizing rod and a second pressure sensor, wherein the second pressurizing rod is connected to the second pressurizing assembly through the second mounting plate, the second pressure sensor is arranged between the second pressurizing assembly and the second mounting plate, the processor is connected to the second pressurizing assembly and the second pressure sensor respectively, and the processor is further used for: The second pressurizing assembly is controlled to start action, so that the second pressurizing rod moves in a direction close to the pressure plate. When the second pressure sensor reaches a second set pressure value, the second pressurizing assembly is controlled to stop action. The second set pressure value is equal to the first set pressure value. The second set pressure value is the pressure value at which the lithium batteries in the tray are squeezed to prevent expansion and deformation.

6. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The pad transport mechanism comprises: a translation assembly, a lifting assembly and a clamping assembly, one end of the lifting assembly is connected to the translation assembly, and the other end is connected to the clamping assembly, the processor is respectively connected to the translation assembly, the lifting assembly and the clamping assembly, and the processor is also used for: The translation component is controlled to move so that the lifting component is located at the pad position in the tray; the clamping component is controlled to clamp or release the pad; and the lifting component is controlled to move the pad to the lifting mechanism.

7. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The lifting mechanism comprises: a driving motor, a transmission assembly and a positioning rod, wherein the positioning rod and the driving motor are respectively connected to the transmission assembly, and the processor is connected to the driving motor, and the processor is used to: The driving motor is controlled to move so that the positioning rod drives the cushion block located at the first layer position to move to the second layer position.

8. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The positioning rod is provided with a groove for storing the cushion block.

9. The fully automatic pallet restraint and release device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roller conveying mechanism comprises: a check member, a blocking assembly and a plurality of rollers, wherein the check member is arranged above the roller, the blocking assembly is slidably connected to the roller and is located below the roller, the processor is respectively connected to the driving member of the roller and the blocking assembly, and the processor is further used for: The driving member of the roller is controlled to start to move, and the tray is moved to the working position; when the tray contacts the return stop member, the driving member of the roller is controlled to stop moving; and the blocking component is controlled to move so that the blocking component is located above the roller.

10. A fully automatic tray restraint and release method, characterized in that: A processor used in a fully automatic tray restraint and release device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising: During the process of restraining the pallet, the restraining mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet so that a space is formed between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the pallet; the cushion block transporting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located at the second layer into the space to complete the pallet restraint; During the process of releasing the restraint of the pallet, the release mechanism is controlled to apply pressure to the pressure plate on the pallet to relieve the pressure on the cushion block; the cushion block transporting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located in the space to the lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism is controlled to move the cushion block located at the first layer position to the second layer position to complete the release of the pallet.

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