Battery cell stacking workstation

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of battery cell stacking, and discloses a battery cell stacking workstation which comprises a piece taking mechanism, a transferring mechanism and a grabbing mechanism, the piece taking mechanism is used for placing a to-be-grabbed battery cell, the transferring mechanism is used for placing a battery box body, and the grabbing mechanism is arranged between the piece taking mechanism and the transferring mechanism. The grabbing mechanism is configured to grab the battery cell of the piece taking mechanism and place the battery cell into the battery box body, the grabbing mechanism comprises a mechanical arm and a mechanical gripper, the mechanical gripper is rotatably arranged on the mechanical arm, the mechanical gripper comprises a vacuum suction cup, and the vacuum suction cup is used for adsorbing the side face of the battery cell. The technical problem that single battery cells cannot be directly put into a box to be stacked by a mechanical gripper is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of battery cell stacking, and in particular to a battery cell stacking workstation. Background Art

[0002] With the maturity and development of battery technology, batteries are increasingly used in various fields. Batteries are composed of multiple cells. After the cells are produced, they usually need to be grabbed and placed inside the battery box during the off-line process to complete the production of the battery pack. However, in the related art, due to the poor flexibility of the mechanical gripper of the cell stacking workstation, when placing the cells into the battery box, the mechanical gripper is prone to interfere with the cells or the box, and the efficiency of stacking the cells into the box is low. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present application provides a battery cell stacking workstation, which solves the technical problem that the mechanical gripper of the battery cell stacking workstation has poor flexibility and easily interferes with the battery cell or the battery box when placing the battery cell into the battery box.

[0004] In order to achieve the above objectives, the main technical solutions adopted in this application include:

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides a battery cell stacking workstation, which includes a picking mechanism, a transfer mechanism and a grasping mechanism. The picking mechanism is used to place the battery cells to be grasped, and the transfer mechanism is used to place the battery case. The grasping mechanism is arranged between the picking mechanism and the transfer mechanism. The grasping mechanism is constructed to grasp the battery cells with the picking mechanism and place the battery cells into the battery case, wherein the grasping mechanism includes a robotic arm and a robotic gripper. The robotic gripper is rotatably arranged on the robotic arm. The robotic gripper includes a vacuum suction cup, which is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell.

[0006] The battery cell stacking workstation proposed in the embodiment of the present application, the grasping mechanism includes a mechanical arm and a mechanical gripper, the mechanical gripper is rotatably arranged on the mechanical arm, the mechanical gripper includes a vacuum suction cup, the vacuum suction cup is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell, can realize the tight stacking of the battery cells in the battery box, reduce the probability of collision between battery cells, greatly improve the stacking efficiency of the battery cells, and improve the operating efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation.

[0007] Optionally, the gripping mechanism further includes a sponge layer, the sponge layer is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup, and the roughness of the sponge layer is greater than the roughness of the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup.

[0008] The sponge layer is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup, and can fully contact the surface of the battery cell (especially those uneven parts or those with tiny depressions on the surface), thereby improving the sealing performance between the vacuum suction cup and the battery cell, reducing the occurrence of air leakage, and further enhancing the adsorption force of the suction cup, ensuring that the battery cell will not fall off easily during the grasping and handling process, and improving the accuracy and reliability of the mechanical gripper's handling.

[0009] Optionally, the robotic gripper also includes a first substrate and a connecting plate. The first substrate is connected to the robotic arm. The connecting plate is movably disposed on the first substrate along a first direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction. There are multiple connecting plates and vacuum suction cups, and each vacuum suction cup is disposed on the corresponding connecting plate.

[0010] There are multiple connecting plates and vacuum suction cups, and each vacuum suction cup is set on the corresponding connecting plate. The mechanical gripper can absorb multiple battery cells at the same time, improve the efficiency of battery cell stacking into boxes, reduce the time of battery cell stacking into boxes, and by accurately controlling the position of the connecting plate, it can ensure that the battery cells are accurately aligned during the stacking process, reduce the occurrence of deviation and misalignment, and improve the quality of battery cell stacking into boxes.

[0011] Optionally, the mechanical gripper also includes a variable pitch plate, which is provided with a plurality of guide grooves, and a first pin is also provided on the connecting plate, each first pin slidingly fits in a corresponding guide groove, wherein the length direction of at least part of the plurality of guide grooves has a different angle with the vertical direction.

[0012] Specifically, each first pin is slidably fitted in a corresponding guide groove, wherein at least part of the multiple guide grooves have different angles between the length direction and the vertical direction. By adjusting the position of the first pin in the guide groove, the spacing between the cells can be accurately controlled, the cells can be stacked neatly and stably, the quality of the cell stacking can be ensured, and the probability of cell dislocation and displacement can be reduced. Moreover, such a simple structural setting is often more durable, which prolongs the service life of the mechanical gripper and reduces the replacement frequency.

[0013] Optionally, along the first direction, the pitch variable plate is sequentially arranged with a first guide groove group and a second guide groove group, each of the first guide groove group and the second guide groove group includes a plurality of guide grooves, and from the direction of the second guide groove group to the first guide groove group, the angle between the length direction of the plurality of guide grooves in the first guide groove group and the vertical direction gradually increases, and from the direction of the first guide groove to the second guide groove group, the angle between the length direction of the plurality of guide grooves in the second guide groove group and the vertical direction gradually increases.

[0014] From the second guide groove group to the first guide groove group, the angle between the length direction and the vertical direction of the multiple guide grooves in the first guide groove group gradually increases, and from the first guide groove group to the second guide groove group, the angle between the length direction and the vertical direction of the multiple guide grooves in the second guide groove group gradually increases. In this way, the mechanical gripper can reasonably adjust the distance between the battery cells according to the specifications and dimensions of the battery cells and the battery box, and keep the changing distance between the battery cells equal, so that the battery stacking workstation can adapt to the specifications and stacking requirements of different battery cells, thereby expanding the range of applicable battery cells of the battery stacking workstation.

[0015] Optionally, the gripping mechanism further includes a first driving member, the first driving member is fixed to the first base plate, and a driving end of the first driving member is connected to the pitch variable plate.

[0016] The driving end of the first driving member is connected to the pitch variable plate. The first driving member can accurately control the position of the pitch variable plate, thereby ensuring the positioning accuracy of the mechanical gripper when grasping the battery cell. This high-precision positioning helps to reduce errors in the battery cell stacking process and improve the stacking accuracy of the battery cells into the box.

[0017] Optionally, the pickup mechanism includes a first bracket, a pickup tray and a straightening mechanism, the pickup tray is arranged on the first bracket, and the straightening mechanism is movably arranged on the first bracket to adjust the spacing between multiple battery cells on the pickup tray.

[0018] The straightening mechanism can be movably arranged on the first bracket to adjust the spacing between multiple battery cells on the pickup tray. Through precise adjustment of the straightening mechanism, it can be ensured that the battery cells maintain a consistent arrangement and spacing when stacked, reducing the probability of squeezing and collision between the battery cells, and reducing the probability of damage to the battery cells during transportation and stacking.

[0019] Optionally, the straightening mechanism includes a second substrate, a second driving member, a third driving member and a plurality of straightening plates, the driving end of the second driving member is connected to the second substrate to drive the second substrate to move in a vertical direction, the plurality of straightening plates are arranged at intervals along a first direction and are movably arranged on the second substrate, the third driving member is connected to the plurality of straightening plates to drive the plurality of straightening plates to move in the first direction, and a plurality of hollow portions for the straightening plates to pass through are provided on the picking tray.

[0020] By driving the second substrate to move in the vertical direction through the second driving member and driving the multiple straightening plates to move in the first direction through the third driving member, the position and movement of the straightening plates can be accurately controlled to ensure that the battery cells are correctly positioned and straightened during the stacking process, thereby improving the stacking accuracy and stability and improving the operating efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation.

[0021] Optionally, the gripping mechanism further includes a visual recognition mechanism, and the visual recognition mechanism is used to identify the position of the battery cell to be gripped on the pickup tray.

[0022] The gripping mechanism also includes a visual recognition mechanism, which can capture images of the battery cells on the pickup tray in real time, and identify the contours, positions and postures of the battery cells through image processing algorithms, ensuring that the gripping mechanism can accurately grasp the target battery cells and avoid misgrasping or missing grasps.

[0023] Optionally, the transfer mechanism includes a transfer trolley and a limiting mechanism, and the battery box is arranged on the transfer trolley.

[0024] By placing the battery boxes on the transfer cart, the battery cell stacking workstation realizes the automatic transfer of battery cells and battery boxes, greatly reducing the time and labor intensity of manual handling, thereby improving the overall production efficiency. The transfer cart can quickly and accurately transfer the battery boxes from one workstation to another, reducing the production downtime caused by waiting for transfer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery cell stacking workstation provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mechanical gripper is provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Side view of

[0029] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pickup mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A top view of

[0031] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Side view of

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the transfer mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0034] Workstation 100; pick-up mechanism 110; first bracket 111; pick-up tray 112; straightening mechanism 113; transfer mechanism 120; transfer trolley 121; limit mechanism 122; grasping mechanism 130; mechanical arm 131; mechanical gripper 132; vacuum suction cup 133; sponge layer 134; battery box 140; first substrate 150; connecting plate 160; variable pitch plate 170; guide groove 180; first guide groove group 181; second guide groove group 182; first pin 190; first driving member 200; second substrate 210; second driving member 220; third driving member 230; straightening plate 240; hollow portion 250; base 270; first section 280; second section 290; third section 300; first direction X; vertical direction Y. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as those commonly understood by technicians in the technical field of this application; the terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application or the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order or a primary and secondary relationship.

[0037] Reference to "embodiments" in this application means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", and "attached" 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 direct connection, or an indirect connection 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 this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0039] The term "and / or" in this application is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0040] The term "multiple" as used in this application refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple sheets" refers to more than two sheets (including two sheets).

[0041] With the maturity and development of battery technology, batteries are increasingly used in various fields. As an important component of batteries, cells usually need to be grabbed and placed in the battery box during the off-line process after production to complete the production of battery packs. The boxing process is not only related to the assembly efficiency of the battery, but also directly affects the overall performance and safety of the battery.

[0042] During the process of battery cell placement, precise positioning and guidance between the battery cell and the battery box is the key to ensuring the quality of battery assembly. Traditional battery cell placement technology has problems such as complex mechanical gripper structure and easy friction of the battery cell, which not only increases the difficulty of placing the battery cell in the box, but also may damage the battery cell and affect its performance.

[0043] In the related art, when a mechanical gripper grabs a battery cell, it needs to use a clamp to grab the battery cell. The mechanical gripper has poor flexibility and low degree of freedom. When placing the battery cell into a battery box, the mechanical gripper easily interferes with the battery cell or the box, resulting in low efficiency in stacking the battery cells into the box.

[0044] In view of this, in order to solve the technical problem that the mechanical gripper of the battery stacking workstation has poor flexibility and easily interferes with the battery cell or the battery box when placing the battery cell into the battery box, and at the same time to improve the efficiency of stacking the battery cells into the box, some embodiments of the present application provide a battery stacking workstation, which includes a pickup mechanism, a transfer mechanism, and a gripping mechanism.

[0045] The picking mechanism is used to place the battery cells to be picked up, and the transfer mechanism is used to place the battery box. The grabbing mechanism is arranged between the picking mechanism and the transfer mechanism. The grabbing mechanism is constructed to grab the battery cells with the picking mechanism and place the battery cells into the battery box. The grabbing mechanism includes a mechanical arm and a mechanical gripper. The mechanical gripper is rotatably arranged on the mechanical arm. The mechanical gripper includes a vacuum suction cup, and the vacuum suction cup is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell.

[0046] In the above scheme, the grasping mechanism includes a robotic arm and a robotic gripper. The robotic gripper is rotatably arranged on the robotic arm. The robotic gripper includes a vacuum suction cup. The vacuum suction cup is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell, which can realize the tight stacking of the battery cells in the battery box, reduce the probability of collision between battery cells, greatly improve the stacking efficiency of the battery cells, and improve the operating efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation.

[0047] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a battery cell stacking workstation according to an embodiment of the present application as an example.

[0048] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery cell stacking workstation 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mechanical gripper 132 is provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Side view of Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pickup mechanism 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A top view of Figure 6 for Figure 4 Side view of Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the transfer mechanism 120 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present application, the battery cell stacking workstation 100 includes a picking mechanism 110, a transfer mechanism 120 and a gripping mechanism 130. The picking mechanism 110 is used to place the battery cells to be picked up, the transfer mechanism 120 is used to place the battery box 140, and the gripping mechanism 130 is arranged between the picking mechanism 110 and the transfer mechanism 120. The gripping mechanism 130 is constructed to grip the battery cells with the picking mechanism 110 and place the battery cells into the battery box 140, wherein the gripping mechanism 130 includes a robotic arm 131 and a robotic gripper 132, the robotic gripper 132 is rotatably arranged on the robotic arm 131, and the robotic gripper 132 includes a vacuum suction cup 133, and the vacuum suction cup 133 is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell.

[0051] Before the battery cells are put into the box, the battery cells to be put into the box, that is, the battery cells to be grabbed, will be placed on the picking mechanism 110, the battery box 140 is arranged on the transfer mechanism 120, and the grabbing mechanism 130 is arranged between the picking mechanism 110 and the transfer mechanism 120. The grabbing mechanism 130 grabs the battery cells from the picking mechanism 110 and then grabs the battery cells into the battery box 140. The grabbing mechanism 130 is arranged between the picking mechanism 110 and the transfer mechanism 120, which can reduce the grabbing movement stroke of the grabbing mechanism 130 and improve the stacking efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation 100.

[0052] The grasping mechanism 130 includes a robotic arm 131 and a robotic gripper 132. The robotic gripper 132 is disposed at one end of the robotic arm 131. The robotic gripper 132 is rotatably disposed on the robotic arm 131, that is, the robotic gripper 132 and the robotic arm 131 can rotate relative to each other. The grasping mechanism 130 can directly contact the battery cell through the robotic gripper 132, and the robotic gripper 132 grasps the battery cell. Therefore, when the grasping structure grasps the battery cell, the battery cell can also rotate relative to the robotic arm 131 without rotating the robotic arm 131. The robotic arm 131 may include multiple sections, and relative rotation may occur between the multiple sections. For example, the robotic arm 131 may include a base 270, a first section 280, a second section 290 and a third section 300. The base 270 is connected to the floor, one end of the first section 280 is connected to the base 270, and the other end of the first section 280 is connected to the second section 290. The first section 280 is rotatably set on the base 270, one end of the second section 290 is connected to the first section 280, and the other end of the second section 290 is connected to the third section 300. The third section 300 is rotatably set at the other end of the second section 290, one end of the third section 300 is connected to the second end, and the other end of the third section 300 is connected to the robotic gripper 132. The robotic gripper 132 is rotatably set in the third section 300. In this way, the rotation of the robotic arm 131's own mechanism can be used to drive the free movement of the battery cell, thereby improving the flexibility of the robotic gripper 132.

[0053] The mechanical gripper 132 also includes a vacuum suction cup 133, which is used to absorb the side of the battery cell. The vacuum suction cup 133 can absorb any surface of the battery cell, so that the battery cell is less damaged by the gripping, avoiding the scratches and deformation problems that may be caused by traditional mechanical clamping, which is conducive to maintaining the integrity and performance of the battery cell. Moreover, the vacuum suction cup 133 is used to absorb the battery cell, and the vacuum suction cup 133 can adapt to different sizes and specifications of battery cells, expanding the scope of application of the mechanical gripper 132.

[0054] When the mechanical gripper 132 uses the vacuum suction cup 133 to absorb the surface of the battery cell, it can absorb any surface of the battery cell, and the battery cell can enter the battery box 140 at any angle and posture. Since the vacuum suction cup 133 only absorbs one surface of the battery cell, when the mechanical gripper 132 transfers the battery cell to the battery box 140 for stacking, the vacuum suction cup 133 of the mechanical gripper 132 will not collide with the internal structure of the battery box 140 such as the beam, nor will it collide with the battery cells that have been stacked in the battery box 140, so that the function of stacking the battery cells in the box can be realized.

[0055] Specifically, the grasping mechanism 130 includes a robotic arm 131 and a robotic gripper 132. The robotic gripper 132 is rotatably disposed on the robotic arm 131. The robotic gripper 132 includes a vacuum suction cup 133. The vacuum suction cup 133 is used to adsorb the side of the battery cell, thereby enabling the battery cells to be tightly stacked in the battery box 140, reducing the probability of collision between battery cells, greatly improving the stacking efficiency of the battery cells, and improving the operating efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation 100.

[0056] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the gripping mechanism 130 further includes a sponge layer 134 , which is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup 133 , and the roughness of the sponge layer 134 is greater than the roughness of the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup 133 .

[0057] The sponge layer 134 is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup 133, that is, when the mechanical gripper 132 uses the vacuum suction cup 133 to grab the battery cell, the sponge layer 134 is in direct contact with the battery cell. During the production process of the battery cell, in order to protect the battery cell structure or ensure that the battery cell can operate normally, a blue film or foam is often affixed to the surface of the battery cell. The surface with the blue film is a smooth surface, and the surface with the foam is a rough surface. The roughness of each surface is different. Therefore, a sponge layer 134 is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup 133. Due to its softness and plasticity, the sponge layer 134 can be well in contact with the surface of the battery cell (especially those parts that are uneven or have slight depressions on the surface), thereby improving the sealing performance between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the battery cell. This close contact helps to reduce air leakage, thereby enhancing the adsorption force of the suction cup, and ensuring that the battery cell will not fall off easily during the grasping and handling process.

[0058] The sponge layer 134 acts as a buffer layer between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the battery cell, which can effectively reduce the direct contact between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the surface of the battery cell, thereby reducing the risk of scratches or damage caused by excessive adsorption force of the vacuum suction cup 133 or uneven surface of the battery cell. This is of great significance for protecting the integrity of the battery cell surface, especially when handling delicate or expensive battery cells.

[0059] In addition, the surface of the battery cell may vary due to factors such as production process and material differences. The design of the sponge layer 134 enables the vacuum suction cup 133 to better adapt to battery cells with different surface conditions, thereby improving the versatility and flexibility of the gripping mechanism 130. Whether the surface is smooth or rough, the sponge layer 134 can provide stable adsorption force to ensure smooth gripping and handling of the battery cell. The sponge layer 134 is arranged on the outside of the vacuum suction cup 133 to help reduce the shaking or instability caused by the poor contact between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the surface of the battery cell, which is very important for ensuring the safety of the battery cell during the gripping and handling process. In addition, the sponge layer 134 can also play a certain protective role, reducing the number and intensity of direct friction or collision between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the surface of the battery cell, thereby extending the service life of the vacuum suction cup 133, and further reducing the maintenance cost of the workstation 100.

[0060] Specifically, the sponge layer 134 is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup 133, and can fully contact the surface of the battery cell (especially those uneven parts or those with tiny depressions on the surface), thereby improving the sealing performance between the vacuum suction cup 133 and the battery cell, reducing the occurrence of air leakage, and further enhancing the adsorption force of the suction cup, ensuring that the battery cell will not fall off easily during the grasping and transportation process, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the mechanical gripper 132 in transportation.

[0061] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In the embodiment of the present application, the mechanical gripper 132 also includes a first substrate 150 and a connecting plate 160. The first substrate 150 is connected to the mechanical arm 131. The connecting plate 160 is movably disposed on the first substrate 150 along a first direction X. The first direction X is perpendicular to the vertical direction Y. There are multiple connecting plates 160 and vacuum suction cups 133, and each vacuum suction cup 133 is disposed on a corresponding connecting plate 160.

[0062] The robotic gripper 132 includes a first substrate 150 and a connecting plate 160. The first substrate 150 is connected to the robotic arm 131. The first substrate 150 can rotate relative to the robotic arm 131. The connecting plate 160 can move relative to the first substrate 150 along a first direction X. The first direction X is perpendicular to the vertical direction Y. It can be understood that when the connection between the robotic arm 131 and the robotic gripper 132 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the first direction X is perpendicular to the vertical direction Y.

[0063] There are multiple connecting plates 160 and vacuum suction cups 133, and each vacuum suction cup 133 is correspondingly arranged on the connecting plate 160. Along the first direction X, multiple connecting plates 160 can be arranged at intervals. When the mechanical gripper 132 grabs the battery cells, multiple vacuum suction cups 133 can correspondingly grab multiple battery cells, which can improve the efficiency of the mechanical gripper 132 in grabbing the battery cells, thereby improving the efficiency of the battery cells being put into the box.

[0064] For example, for different types of battery cells or batteries, the distance between two adjacent battery cells inside the battery box 140 may be different. In the first direction X, the distance between two adjacent connecting plates 160 is adjustable, thereby achieving adjustable distance between two adjacent battery cells. The mechanical gripper 132 can adapt to different types of battery cells or batteries, thereby expanding the scope of application of the battery stacking workstation 100.

[0065] Specifically, there are multiple connecting plates 160 and vacuum suction cups 133, and each vacuum suction cup 133 is arranged on the corresponding connecting plate 160. The mechanical gripper 132 can absorb multiple battery cells at the same time, thereby improving the efficiency of battery cell stacking and reducing the battery cell stacking time. In addition, by accurately controlling the position of the connecting plate 160, it can ensure that the battery cells are accurately aligned during the stacking process, reduce the occurrence of deviation and misalignment, and improve the stacking quality of the battery cells.

[0066] In some embodiments, a sliding track is disposed on the first substrate 150 , and the plurality of connecting plates 160 are movably disposed on the sliding track.

[0067] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In the present embodiment, the mechanical gripper 132 further includes a pitch change plate 170, on which a plurality of guide grooves 180 are arranged, and a first pin 190 is further arranged on the connecting plate 160, each first pin 190 is slidably fitted in a corresponding guide groove 180, wherein at least part of the length directions of the plurality of guide grooves 180 have different angles with the vertical direction Y.

[0068] The mechanical gripper 132 also includes a pitch-variable plate 170, which is connected to the first substrate 150. The pitch-variable plate 170 is provided with a plurality of pitch-variable guide grooves 180. The connecting plate 160 is provided with a first pin 190, which is fixedly connected to the connecting plate 160. When the position of the first pin 190 changes, the position of the connecting plate 160 will also change. It can be understood that the vacuum suction cup 133 is provided on the connecting plate 160. When the position of the first pin 190 changes, the position of the battery cell adsorbed by the vacuum suction cup 133 will also change accordingly.

[0069] Each first pin 190 is slidably fitted in the corresponding guide groove 180. When the first pin 190 moves relatively in the corresponding guide groove 180, for example, the first pin 190 moves along the length direction of the guide groove 180 (actually, the position in the direction of the variable pitch plate 170 changes, thereby driving the position of the guide groove 180 to change), the position of the first pin 190 in the vertical direction Y changes, then the position of the first pin 190 in the first direction X will also change.

[0070] Each first pin 190 is slidably fitted in the corresponding guide slot 180, wherein the length direction of at least part of the plurality of guide slots 180 has a different angle with the vertical direction Y, that is, the length direction of each guide slot 180 may have a different angle with the vertical direction Y. For example, the length direction of each guide slot 180 and the vertical direction Y may be reasonably set to move the angle, so that the pitch-changing plate 170 moves, and each guide slot 180 moves in the vertical direction Y, thereby changing the position of the first pin 190 in the horizontal direction, and the distance between two adjacent first pins 190 may always be equal, so that when the pitch-changing plate 170 moves in the vertical direction Y, two adjacent battery cells may also move in the first direction X, and the distance between two adjacent battery cells remains equal.

[0071] Specifically, each first pin 190 is slidably matched in the corresponding guide groove 180, wherein the length direction of at least part of the plurality of guide grooves 180 has a different angle with the vertical direction Y. By adjusting the position of the first pin 190 in the guide groove 180, the spacing between the cells can be accurately controlled, the neatness and stability of the stacking of the cells into the box can be maintained, the quality of the cell stacking can be ensured, and the probability of the cells being misaligned and offset can be reduced. Moreover, such a simple structural setting is often more durable, which prolongs the service life of the mechanical gripper 132 and reduces the replacement frequency.

[0072] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, along the first direction X, the pitch variable plate 170 is sequentially arranged with a first guide groove group 181 and a second guide groove group 182. The first guide groove group 181 and the second guide groove group 182 both include a plurality of guide grooves 180. From the second guide groove group 182 to the first guide groove group 181, the angle between the length direction of the plurality of guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the vertical direction Y gradually increases. From the first guide groove group 181 to the second guide groove group 182, the angle between the length direction of the plurality of guide grooves 180 in the second guide groove group 182 and the vertical direction Y gradually increases.

[0073] The first guide groove group 181 and the second guide groove group 182 are arranged in sequence on the pitch change plate 170. Along the direction from the second guide groove group 182 to the first guide groove group 181, the angle between the length direction of the plurality of guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the vertical direction Y gradually increases, that is, the larger the distance between the guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the second guide groove group 182, the larger the angle between the guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the vertical direction Y, and the smaller the distance between the guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the second guide groove group 182, the smaller the angle between the guide grooves 180 in the second guide groove group 182. Similarly, the changing rule of the guide grooves 180 in the second guide groove group 182 is also the same, and the embodiments of the present application will not be repeated.

[0074] Specifically, from the second guide groove group 182 to the first guide groove group 181, the angle between the length direction of the multiple guide grooves 180 in the first guide groove group 181 and the vertical direction Y gradually increases, and from the first guide groove group 181 to the second guide groove group 182, the angle between the length direction of the multiple guide grooves 180 in the second guide groove group 182 and the vertical direction Y gradually increases. In this way, the mechanical gripper 132 can reasonably adjust the distance between the battery cells according to the specifications and dimensions of the battery cells and the battery box, and keep the changing distance between the battery cells equal, so that the battery stacking workstation 100 can adapt to the specifications and stacking requirements of different battery cells, thereby expanding the range of applicable battery cells of the battery stacking workstation 100.

[0075] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the grabbing mechanism 130 further includes a first driving member 200 , which is fixed to the first substrate 150 , and a driving end of the first driving member 200 is connected to the pitch variable plate 170 .

[0076] The gripping mechanism 130 further includes a first driving member 200 , which is disposed on the first substrate 150 . A driving end of the first driving member 200 is connected to the pitch variable plate 170 . The first driving member 200 can drive the pitch variable plate 170 to move in the vertical direction Y.

[0077] Specifically, the driving end of the first driving member 200 is connected to the pitch variable plate 170, and the first driving member 200 can accurately control the position of the pitch variable plate 170, thereby ensuring the positioning accuracy of the mechanical gripper 132 when grasping the battery cell. This high-precision positioning helps to reduce errors in the battery cell stacking process and improve the stacking accuracy of the battery cells into the box.

[0078] Moreover, for a battery cell production line, the production plan or battery cell specifications may need to be adjusted. The first driving member 200 is fixed to the first substrate 150, and the driving end of the first driving member 200 is connected to the variable pitch plate 170, so that the battery cell stacking workstation 100 can quickly respond to production changes and maintain the continuity and stability of the production line.

[0079] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the pickup mechanism 110 includes a first bracket 111, a pickup tray 112 and a straightening mechanism 113. The pickup tray 112 is arranged on the first bracket 111, and the straightening mechanism 113 is movably arranged on the first bracket 111 to adjust the spacing between multiple battery cells on the pickup tray 112.

[0080] The straightening mechanism 113 is movably arranged on the first bracket 111 to adjust the spacing between the multiple cells on the pickup tray 112. Through the precise adjustment of the straightening mechanism 113, it is possible to ensure that the cells maintain a consistent arrangement and spacing when stacked, thereby reducing the probability of squeezing and collision between the cells and the probability of damage to the cells during transportation and stacking. Moreover, the straightening mechanism 113 can also adjust the position of the cells on the pickup tray 112 in advance according to the preset distance between the cells in the battery box 140, thereby reducing the waiting time of the cell stacking workstation 100 and improving the operating efficiency of the cell stacking workstation 100.

[0081] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the straightening mechanism 113 includes a second substrate 210, a second driving member 220, a third driving member 230 and a plurality of straightening plates 240. The driving end of the second driving member 220 is connected to the second substrate 210 to drive the second substrate 210 to move in the vertical direction Y. The plurality of straightening plates 240 are arranged at intervals along the first direction X and are movably arranged on the second substrate 210. The third driving member 230 is connected to the plurality of straightening plates 240 to drive the plurality of straightening plates 240 to move in the first direction X. The picking tray 112 is provided with a plurality of hollow portions 250 for the straightening plates 240 to pass through.

[0082] Along the first direction X, multiple straightening plates 240 are arranged at intervals on the second substrate 210, and multiple hollow portions 250 for the straightening plates 240 to pass through are arranged on the pickup tray 112. It can be understood that multiple straightening plates 240 pass through the hollow portions 250 and then move in the first direction X. Each hollow portion 250 corresponds to a battery cell. Multiple straightening plates 240 can adjust the distance between multiple battery cells, and then the position of the battery cells can be adjusted before the mechanical gripper 132 grabs the battery cells, thereby reducing the waiting time during the transportation process of the mechanical gripper 132 and improving the operation efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation 100.

[0083] Specifically, by driving the second substrate 210 to move in the vertical direction Y through the second driving member 220, and driving the plurality of straightening plates 240 to move in the first direction X through the third driving member 230, the position and movement of the straightening plates 240 can be precisely controlled to ensure that the battery cells are correctly positioned and straightened during the stacking process, thereby improving the stacking accuracy and stability, and improving the operating efficiency of the battery cell stacking workstation 100.

[0084] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the grabbing mechanism 130 further includes a visual recognition mechanism, which is used to identify the position of the battery cell to be grabbed on the pickup tray 112.

[0085] The gripping mechanism 130 also includes a visual recognition mechanism, which can capture images of the battery cells on the pickup tray 112 in real time, and identify the contour, position and posture of the battery cells through an image processing algorithm, thereby ensuring that the gripping mechanism 130 can accurately grasp the target battery cells and avoid misgrasping or missing. During the production process, the specifications and stacking requirements of the battery cells may change, and the visual recognition mechanism can sense these changes in real time and adjust the gripping strategy to adapt to new production requirements, so that the battery stacking workstation 100 can better respond to production changes and maintain the continuity and stability of the production line.

[0086] Moreover, through the precise positioning of the visual recognition mechanism, the grasping mechanism 130 can avoid damage to the battery cell during the grasping process. This protective measure helps to improve the production quality of the battery cell and reduce the defective rate.

[0087] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 120 includes a transfer cart 121 and a limiting mechanism 122 , and the battery box 140 is disposed on the transfer cart 121 .

[0088] By placing the battery box 140 on the transfer cart 121, the battery cell stacking workstation 100 realizes the automated transfer of battery cells and battery boxes 140, greatly reducing the time and labor intensity of manual handling, thereby improving the overall production efficiency. The transfer cart 121 can quickly and accurately transfer the battery box 140 from one workstation 100 to another workstation 100, reducing the production downtime caused by waiting for transfer.

[0089] It should also be noted that the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, commodity or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, commodity or device. In the absence of more restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprises a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, commodity or device including the elements.

[0090] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the system embodiment, since it is basically similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the method embodiment.

[0091] The above is only an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0092] Although the embodiments of the present application have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application, and such modifications and variations are all within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery cell stacking workstation, characterized in that: include: The picking mechanism is used to place the battery cells to be picked up; A transfer mechanism for placing a battery box; A grabbing mechanism is disposed between the pickup mechanism and the transfer mechanism, and the grabbing mechanism is configured to grab the battery cell with the pickup mechanism and place the battery cell into the battery box; Wherein, the grasping mechanism comprises a mechanical arm and a mechanical gripper, wherein the mechanical gripper is rotatably arranged on the mechanical arm, and the mechanical gripper comprises a vacuum suction cup, and the vacuum suction cup is used to adsorb the side surface of the battery core.

2. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping mechanism further comprises a sponge layer, the sponge layer is attached to the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup, and the roughness of the sponge layer is greater than the roughness of the outer surface of the vacuum suction cup.

3. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical gripper further comprises a first substrate and a connecting plate, the first substrate is connected to the mechanical arm, the connecting plate is movably arranged on the first substrate along a first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction; There are multiple connecting plates and multiple vacuum suction cups, and each vacuum suction cup is arranged on the corresponding connecting plate.

4. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mechanical gripper also includes a pitch-changing plate, on which a plurality of guide grooves are arranged; The connecting plate is also provided with a first pin, each of which is slidably fitted in a corresponding guide slot, wherein at least a portion of the length directions of the plurality of guide slots have different angles with the vertical direction.

5. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 3, characterized in that: Along the first direction, a first guide slot group and a second guide slot group are sequentially arranged on the pitch variable plate, and the first guide slot group and the second guide slot group each include a plurality of the guide slots; From the direction of the second guide groove group to the first guide groove group, the angle between the length direction and the vertical direction of the multiple guide grooves in the first guide groove group gradually increases, and from the direction of the first guide groove to the second guide groove group, the angle between the length direction and the vertical direction of the multiple guide grooves in the second guide groove group gradually increases.

6. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 4, characterized in that: The grabbing mechanism further includes a first driving member, which is fixed to the first base plate, and a driving end of the first driving member is connected to the pitch-changing plate.

7. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pickup mechanism includes a first bracket, a pickup tray and a straightening mechanism; The pickup tray is arranged on the first bracket, and the straightening mechanism is movably arranged on the first bracket to adjust the spacing between the plurality of battery cells on the pickup tray.

8. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The straightening mechanism comprises a second base plate, a second driving member, a third driving member and a plurality of straightening plates; The driving end of the second driving member is connected to the second substrate to drive the second substrate to move in the vertical direction. The plurality of straightening plates are arranged at intervals along the first direction and are movably arranged on the second substrate. The third driving member is connected to the plurality of straightening plates to drive the plurality of straightening plates to move in the first direction. The picking tray is provided with a plurality of hollow portions for the straightening plates to pass through.

9. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grabbing mechanism further comprises a visual recognition mechanism, and the visual recognition mechanism is used to recognize the position of the battery cell to be grabbed on the pickup tray.

10. The battery cell stacking workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer mechanism includes a transfer trolley and a limiting mechanism, and the battery box is arranged on the transfer trolley.

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