Battery sorting system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of battery sorting, in particular to a battery sorting system and method. The system comprises a conveying module which comprises a first conveying belt and a second conveying belt, the first conveying belt is used for conveying empty sorting discs to a sorting elevator, and the second conveying belt is used for receiving the sorting discs conveyed by the sorting elevator; the elevator module comprises a plurality of sorting elevators, the number of the sorting elevators is the same as the type number of the batteries to be sorted, and the sorting elevators are used for receiving empty sorting discs conveyed by the first conveying belt and descending and conveying the sorting discs to the second conveying belt after the empty sorting discs are fully loaded or sorted; and the sorting module comprises a mechanical arm and a plurality of clamping jaws arranged on the mechanical arm, the clamping jaws are used for clamping or placing the batteries, and the mechanical arm is used for moving the clamping jaws to the positions of the sorting discs on the sorting lifters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of battery sorting, and more specifically, to a battery sorting system and method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of battery production technology, the efficiency of battery production has been greatly improved, and the quality requirements for batteries have also increased. During the battery production process, the production process will cause differences in the appearance size, weight, thickness, electrolyte capacity, etc. of the battery. It is necessary to classify the batteries according to the detailed test information of the batteries and store them in different grades. The process of classifying batteries according to differences in information such as the appearance size, weight, thickness, electrolyte weight, etc. is called sorting. At present, the sorting process uses sorting tanks to sort batteries of different grades, and then transfers batteries of the same type by manual handling, which has low sorting efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0003] One object of the present disclosure is to solve the problem of low battery sorting efficiency.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery sorting system, comprising: a conveying module, comprising a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt being used to convey empty sorting trays to a sorting elevator, and the second conveyor belt being used to receive the sorting trays conveyed by the sorting elevator; an elevator module, comprising a plurality of sorting elevators, the number of the sorting elevators being the same as the number of types of batteries to be sorted, the sorting elevator being used to receive the empty sorting trays conveyed by the first conveyor belt, and after the empty sorting trays are fully loaded or sorting is completed, the sorting trays are lowered and conveyed to the second conveyor belt; a sorting module, comprising a robotic arm and a plurality of grippers arranged on the robotic arm, the grippers being used to grip or place batteries, and the robotic arm being used to move the grippers to the positions of the sorting trays on the plurality of sorting elevators.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery sorting method, which is applied to the system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and is characterized in that the method comprises: controlling multiple grippers of a robotic arm to respectively grip the batteries to be sorted; controlling the robotic arm to move to the position of a sorting disk of a first sorting type, wherein the first sorting type is any type included in the batteries to be sorted; determining an offset of the robotic arm based on the position of a first gripper and a target placement position, the first gripper being any gripper that grips a battery of the first sorting type; controlling the robotic arm to move according to the offset, and controlling the first gripper to place the battery after the first gripper moves to the target placement position.

[0006] One technical effect of the present disclosure is that it provides a battery sorting system, which can transport an empty sorting tray to a sorting elevator through a first conveyor belt so that the sorting module can sort and place the batteries. When the sorting tray is fully loaded or the sorting is completed, the elevator can be lowered to the position of the second conveyor belt to transport the sorted sorting tray to the position where it needs to be placed. In this way, the sorting and transportation of batteries are completed in the same system, which solves the problem that the batteries need to be sorted in advance and the low efficiency of manual transportation. In addition, the system has strong compatibility and can be adapted to various types of battery sorting scenarios by only adjusting the number of sorting elevators.

[0007] Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 1 is a structural block diagram of a battery sorting system according to an embodiment;

[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of a battery sorting system according to an embodiment;

[0011] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a battery sorting method according to one embodiment;

[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of a battery sorting method according to an embodiment;

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a battery sorting method according to an embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0015] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0016] Techniques and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the techniques and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0017] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0018] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0019] The present application embodiment discloses a battery sorting system 100, specifically, Figure 1 As shown, it includes a conveying module 101, including a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt is used to convey empty sorting trays to the sorting elevator, and the second conveyor belt is used to receive the sorting trays conveyed by the sorting elevator; an elevator module 102, including multiple sorting elevators, the number of which is the same as the number of types of batteries to be sorted, the sorting elevator is used to receive the empty sorting trays conveyed by the first conveyor belt, and after the empty sorting tray is fully loaded or sorting is completed, the sorting tray is lowered and conveyed to the second conveyor belt; a sorting module 103, including a robotic arm and multiple grippers arranged on the robotic arm, the grippers are used to clamp or place batteries, and the robotic arm is used to move the grippers to the positions of the sorting trays on the multiple sorting elevators.

[0020] In the embodiment of the present application, the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt can be two independent conveyor belts, the first conveyor belt is mainly used to convey empty sorting discs, and the second conveyor belt is used to convey fully loaded or sorted sorting discs. In one example, the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt can be arranged in two layers with different heights.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present application, the conveying module also includes a lifting and transverse moving mechanism, which is arranged on the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt; the lifting and transverse moving mechanism is used to lift the sorting disc on the first conveyor belt and transport it to the position of the sorting elevator, or to receive the sorting disc transported by the sorting elevator and place it on the second conveyor belt.

[0022] In an example, Figure 2 As shown, a lifting and transverse movement mechanism is also provided on the conveyor belt, which can lift the sorting disc from the conveyor belt and transversely move it to the sorting elevator. It can also receive the sorting disc transported by the sorting elevator and place it on the second conveyor belt.

[0023] In one example, the system may also be provided with a plurality of sorting elevators, which may be provided close to the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt. In this embodiment, after the sorting elevator receives an empty sorting tray, the manipulator may prevent the battery from being moved to the position of the sorting elevator and place the battery. In one example, after the sorting elevator receives an empty sorting tray, it may also raise the sorting tray to the highest position.

[0024] In this embodiment, the number of sorting elevators can be consistent with the number of types of batteries to be sorted. A sorting tray can be placed on each sorting elevator through the first conveyor belt as a sorting tray for batteries of that type. In order for the robot arm to sort the batteries, when the sorting tray on the sorting elevator is fully loaded or the sorting is completed, the sorting elevator can be controlled to descend, and the sorting tray can be conveyed to the first conveyor belt, and the first conveyor belt can transport it.

[0025] In one example, the sorting module may include a mechanical arm and a plurality of grippers disposed on the mechanical arm. The grippers may extend downward and grip the battery to be sorted, and retract the grippers after gripping the battery. The mechanical arm may be controlled to move to the position of the sorting elevator, and then the grippers gripping the battery of the corresponding type may be controlled to place the battery.

[0026] In one example, multiple grippers on the robot arm can be arranged in an array, with each row and column being set in a fixed number. The number of grippers on the rows and columns can be set as required, and a certain distance can also be set between the grippers.

[0027] In one example, the sorting module further includes a moving mechanism, and the mechanical arm can be arranged on the moving mechanism, and the moving mechanism drives the mechanical arm to move. In this example, the specific form of the moving mechanism can be set according to actual conditions, for example, the moving mechanism can be a mechanism that moves via a ground rail, or a mechanism that moves via wheels, etc.

[0028] In one example, the system may also include a third conveyor belt for conveying batteries to be sorted. The batteries to be sorted may be placed in a sorting tray. The third conveyor belt may convey the sorting tray of the batteries to be sorted to an elevator at the material picking position of the robot arm. The robot arm's gripper grips the batteries. After picking up the materials, the elevator drives the empty sorting tray down and conveys it to the fourth conveyor belt, which then carries it away. The sorting tray loaded with batteries to be sorted may be compatible with the multiple grippers on the robot arm. The multiple grippers of the robot arm may grip all batteries on the sorting tray of batteries to be sorted once or multiple times.

[0029] In one example, before the sorting module grabs the battery to be sorted, the control module of the system can pre-acquire the type information of the battery to be sorted, providing a basis for the subsequent placement of the battery. After the battery is grabbed, the position of the robot arm is determined according to the type information, and the batteries to be sorted are placed on the sorting plate of the corresponding type in sequence, until all the batteries to be sorted are sorted by the gripper, and then return to the material picking position to grab the batteries to be sorted.

[0030] The present application discloses a battery sorting method, such as Figure 3 As shown, it can be applied to any battery sorting system in the battery sorting system embodiment, including steps S11 to S14.

[0031] Step S11, controlling the multiple grippers of the robot arm to respectively grip the batteries to be sorted.

[0032] In this embodiment, each gripper of the robot arm can grip a battery to be sorted.

[0033] Step S12, controlling the robot arm to move to the position of a first sorting type sorting plate, wherein the first sorting type of batteries to be sorted includes any type.

[0034] In an example of this embodiment, before controlling the robot arm to move to the position of the first type of sorting disk, the method further includes: acquiring battery information of the batteries to be sorted, and determining the types of the batteries to be sorted according to the battery information.

[0035] In one example, before controlling the robotic arm to sort the batteries, the battery information of the clamped batteries to be sorted can be obtained in advance. The battery information may include the size, weight, thickness, electrolyte weight and other information of the batteries, so that the batteries to be sorted can be classified according to the information.

[0036] In this embodiment, after the multiple grippers of the robot arm have gripped the batteries to be sorted, the robot arm can be controlled to move to the position of a sorting tray of a type included in the batteries to be sorted, so as to place the batteries of this type.

[0037] Step S13, determining the offset of the robot arm based on the position of the first gripper and the target placement position, the first gripper being any gripper that grips a battery of the first sorting type.

[0038] In an example of this embodiment, the placement positions of multiple grippers and sorting disks are arranged in an array, and the robot arm is controlled to move to the position of a sorting disk of a first sorting type, including: controlling the robot arm to move so that the gripper array moves to the target position, so that a gripper in the gripper array is aligned with a placement position of the sorting disk at a first position.

[0039] In this embodiment, a plurality of clamps can be arranged in an array, and any type of sorting disk can also be arranged in an array. The arrangement of the clamps can be the same as or different from that of the sorting disk. The number or placement of the clamps in each row and column can be set according to requirements.

[0040] In this embodiment, controlling the robot arm to move to the position of the sorting disk of the first sorting type may be controlling the robot arm to move so that only one gripper in the gripper array is aligned with a placement position of the sorting disk, so that the offset of the robot arm for placing the battery can be further determined based on the aligned position and a preset algorithm.

[0041] In one example of this embodiment, the offset of the robotic arm is determined based on the position of the first gripper and the target placement position, including: determining a first offset of the first position in the first direction and a second offset in the second direction relative to the first gripper position; determining a third offset of the target placement position in the first direction and a fourth offset in the second direction relative to the first position; taking the sum of the first offset and the third offset as the offset of the robotic arm in the first direction, and taking the sum of the second offset and the fourth offset as the offset of the robotic arm in the second direction.

[0042] In one example, after aligning a clamp of the clamp array with the placement position of the sorting disk, the offset of the aligned position in two directions, i.e., the horizontal and vertical directions, relative to the position of the first clamp can be further determined, and at the same time, the offset of the target placement position of the battery on the first clamp relative to the first position in two directions can be determined. After adding the offsets in the two directions, the offsets of the robot arm in the two directions when aligning the first clamp with the target placement position are obtained, so as to subsequently control the robot arm to move according to the offsets and place the battery.

[0043] In another example of this embodiment, controlling the robot arm to move to the position of a sorting disk of a first sorting type includes: respectively obtaining the numbers of each clamp in the clamp array and each placement position in the placement position of the sorting disk, the numbers are compiled based on a preset numbering rule, the preset numbering rule includes, in the same column, the numbers increase from the head of the column to the end of the column, and the head of the next column is the end of the previous column plus one; controlling the movement of the robot arm so that the position of the clamp with the largest number of the robot arm is aligned with the placement position with the smallest number of the sorting disk of the first type.

[0044] In one example, the numbering of each clamp and each sorting plate placement position can be based on the same preset numbering rule. For example, the numbering part can be as follows: Figure 4As shown, the preset rule can be that in the same column, the numbers increase from the column head to the column tail, and the column head of the next column is the column tail of the previous column plus one. After obtaining the gripper number and the position number of the sorting disk, the robot arm can be controlled to move so that the position of the gripper with the largest number of the robot arm is aligned with the position with the smallest number in the sorting disk, that is, the gripper stops above the corresponding placement position.

[0045] After the robot arm is moved to the position of the sorting tray, the offset of the robot arm can be further determined according to the position of the gripper of the robot arm that has gripped the battery corresponding to the sorting tray and the expected placement position on the sorting tray, so as to place the battery later.

[0046] In one example of the present embodiment, the offset of the robot arm is determined based on the position of the first gripper and the target placement position, including: determining the fifth offset in the first direction and the sixth offset in the second direction of the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robot arm relative to the position of the first gripper; determining the seventh offset in the first direction and the eighth offset in the second direction of the target placement position relative to the smallest-numbered placement position of the first type of sorting disk; taking the sum of the fifth offset and the seventh offset as the offset of the robot arm in the first direction, and taking the sum of the sixth offset and the eighth offset as the offset of the robot arm in the second direction.

[0047] In one example, after aligning the position of the largest-numbered jaw with the smallest-numbered placement position on the sorting disk, the offset of the aligned position in two directions, i.e., the horizontal and vertical directions, relative to the position of the first jaw can be further determined, and at the same time, the offset of the target placement position of the battery on the first jaw relative to the first position in two directions can be determined. After adding the offsets in the two directions, the offsets of the robot arm in the two directions when aligning the first jaw with the target placement position are obtained, so as to subsequently control the robot arm to move according to the offsets and place the battery.

[0048] In an example of the present embodiment, determining the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robot arm relative to the position of the first gripper at the fifth offset in the first direction and the sixth offset in the second direction includes: determining the ratio of the number of the first gripper to the number of rows of the gripper array; when the ratio is not an integer, the fifth offset is the difference between the number of columns of the gripper array and the ratio rounded up, and the sixth offset is the difference between the number of rows of the gripper array and the remainder of the ratio; when the ratio is an integer, the fifth offset is the difference between the number of columns of the gripper array and the ratio, and the sixth offset is 0.

[0049] In one example, the offset between the position of the largest-numbered gripper and the first gripper of the robot arm can be determined based on the ratio of the number of the first gripper to the number of rows in the gripper array, that is, to determine whether the first gripper belongs to the gripper in the last row. When the ratio is not an integer, that is, when the first gripper is not the gripper in the last row, the fifth offset of the robot arm in the first direction is the difference between the number of columns in the gripper array and the ratio rounded up. The sixth offset in the second direction is the difference between the number of rows in the gripper array and the remainder of the ratio. For example, Figure 4 As shown, the first jaw is numbered 11, the number of jaw columns is 6, the number of jaw rows is 4, and the ratio of the number of the first jaw to the number of rows of the jaw array is 11 / 4. In this case, the fifth offset of the robotic arm in the first direction is 3, and the sixth offset of the robotic arm in the second direction is 1.

[0050] In another example, when the ratio is an integer, that is, when the first gripper is the gripper in the last row, the fifth offset of the robot arm in the first direction is the difference between the number of columns of the gripper array and the ratio, and the sixth offset is 0. Figure 4 As shown, the first gripper is numbered 12, the number of gripper columns is 6, the number of rows is 4, and the ratio of the number of the first gripper to the number of rows of the gripper array is 3. In this case, the fifth offset of the robot arm in the first direction is 3, and the sixth offset of the robot arm in the second direction is 1.

[0051] In an example of the present embodiment, determining the seventh offset in the first direction and the eighth offset in the second direction of the target placement position relative to the placement position with the smallest number on the first type of sorting disk includes: determining the ratio of the number of the target placement position to the number of rows of the placement position array; when the ratio is not an integer, the seventh offset is the ratio rounded down, and the eighth offset is the difference between the remainder of the ratio and 1; when the ratio is an integer, the seventh offset is the difference between the ratio and 1, and the eighth offset is the difference between the number of rows of the placement position array and 1.

[0052] In one example, determining the offset between the target placement position and the placement position with the smallest number can be determined based on the ratio of the target placement position number to the number of rows in the placement position array, that is, determining whether the target placement position belongs to the last row of placement positions. When the ratio is not an integer, that is, when the target placement position is not the last row of placement positions, the seventh offset of the robot arm in the first direction is the ratio of the target placement position number to the number of rows in the placement position array rounded down. The eighth offset in the second direction is the difference between the remainder of the ratio of the target placement position number to the number of rows in the placement position array and 1. For example, Figure 4As shown, the target placement position is numbered 11, the number of placement position rows is 5, and the ratio of the target placement position number to the number of placement position rows array is 11 / 5. In this case, the seventh offset of the robotic arm in the first direction is 2, and the sixth offset of the robotic arm in the second direction is 0.

[0053] In another example, when the ratio is an integer, that is, when the target placement position is the placement position of the last row, the seventh offset of the robot arm in the first direction is the difference between the ratio and 1, and the eighth offset is the difference between the number of rows in the placement position array and 1. Figure 4 As shown, the target placement position number is 15, and the ratio of the target placement position number to the number of rows of the placement position array is 3. In this case, the sixth offset of the robotic arm in the first direction is 2, and the eighth offset of the robotic arm in the second direction is 4.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this example, the first direction may be the row direction of the clamp array or the placement position array, and the second direction may be the column direction of the clamp array or the placement position array. The reference unit of the offset may be the placement position.

[0055] In an example of the present embodiment, determining the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robot arm relative to the position of the first gripper at the fifth offset in the first direction and the sixth offset in the second direction also includes: in the case where there is a gap between adjacent grippers in the first direction in the gripper array, correcting the fifth offset based on preset parameters, wherein the corrected fifth offset is the product of the fifth offset before correction and the preset parameter, and the preset parameter is the sum of the number of placement positions corresponding to the interval and 1; in the case where there is a gap between adjacent grippers in the second direction in the gripper array, correcting the sixth offset based on preset parameters, wherein the corrected sixth offset is the product of the sixth offset before correction and the preset parameter, and the preset parameter is the sum of the number of placement positions corresponding to the interval and 1.

[0056] In an example, Figure 5As shown, during the setting process of the gripper array, the volume or thickness of the battery may be taken into consideration. At this time, there may be a gap between each row and each column. If there is a gap between the grippers in the row direction of the gripper array, the fifth offset can be corrected. If there is a gap between the grippers in the column direction, the sixth offset can be corrected. For example, the first gripper is numbered 11, and the fifth offset of the robot arm in the first direction before correction is 3. In this case, it is necessary to correct it by using the preset parameters. The number of placement positions corresponding to the gap between the grippers in the first direction is 1, the preset parameter is 2, and the fifth offset of the robot arm in the first direction before correction after correction is 6. Similarly, when there is a gap in the second direction, the sixth offset can also be corrected in the same way.

[0057] Step S14, controlling the robot arm to move according to the offset, and controlling the first gripper to place the battery after the first gripper moves to the target placement position.

[0058] In an example of this embodiment, after controlling the movement of the robotic arm according to the offset, the method also includes: determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second jaw exceeds the boundary of the sorting disk, and the second jaw is a jaw that clamps the first type of battery outside the first jaw; when the placement position corresponding to the second jaw does not exceed the range of the sorting disk, determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second jaw is an idle position; and controlling the first jaw and the second jaw to place the battery.

[0059] In one example, after the first gripper is moved to the target placement position, it is also possible to calculate whether the other grippers of the robot arm that have gripped batteries of the corresponding gear can be placed at the same time as the first gripper, so as to enhance the sorting efficiency. First, determine whether the placement position of the gripper that has gripped the battery of this type is outside the boundary of the sorting disk.

[0060] In an example of the present embodiment, determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second gripper exceeds the boundary of the sorting disk includes: when the first parameter is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to the number of rows of the placement position array, the placement position corresponding to the second gripper does not exceed the boundary in the first direction, wherein the first parameter is the sum of the number of rows of the second gripper, the negative number of rows of the first gripper, and the number of rows of the target placement position; when the second parameter is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to the number of columns of the placement position array, the placement position corresponding to the second gripper does not exceed the boundary in the second direction, and the second parameter is the sum of the number of columns of the second gripper, the negative number of columns of the first gripper, and the number of columns of the target placement position.

[0061] In one example, for any gripper that grips the battery at the same level as the first gripper, it can be determined whether the gripper exceeds the sorting plate in terms of row or column. Figure 4As shown, if the first gripper is numbered 11, the second gripper is numbered 12, and the target placement position is numbered 11, then the first parameter is the sum of the second gripper row number 4, the negative first gripper row number -3, and the target placement position row number 1, that is, 2. At this time, the first parameter is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to the placement position array row number 5, and it can be determined that the second gripper does not exceed the range of the sorting disk in the row direction. Similarly, the second parameter is the sum of the second gripper column number 3, the negative first gripper column number -3, and the target placement position column number 3, that is, 3. At this time, the second parameter is greater than 1 and less than or equal to the placement position array column number, and it can be determined that the second gripper does not exceed the range of the sorting disk in the row direction.

[0062] In an example of this embodiment, when the position of the second clamp does not exceed the boundary of the sorting disk, it can be further determined whether the placement position corresponding to the second clamp is an idle position. In one example, the number of rows of the placement position corresponding to the second clamp is the first parameter, and the number of columns is the second parameter. The corresponding placement position number can be determined based on the first parameter and the second parameter, so as to determine whether the corresponding position of the sorting disk has been loaded with batteries in the background.

[0063] In one example, the above steps may be repeated continuously to determine all the grippers that can be placed together with the first gripper, and place them together to improve the sorting efficiency.

[0064] In an example of this embodiment, step S12 to step S14 can be repeated continuously until all the batteries to be sorted clamped by the multiple grippers are sorted, and then the multiple grippers are controlled to clamp the next batch of batteries to be sorted.

[0065] In this example, a battery sorting method is provided, which can align the gripper of any battery that has clamped the target gear with the target placement position in the sorting plate of the target gear, so that the battery of the gear can be placed by the gripper later. The battery sorting and placement is realized, and this method can be adapted to sorting plates of any specifications and clamps of any specifications of the robot arm, with stronger compatibility and adaptability to various specifications. After the specifications of the sorting plate or the clamp of the robot arm are changed, there is no need to re-plan the algorithm, thereby improving the sorting efficiency.

[0066] Each embodiment in the present disclosure 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 device and equipment embodiments, since they are basically similar to the method embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the method embodiments.

[0067] The above describes specific embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recorded in the claims can be performed in an order different from that in the embodiments and still achieve the desired results. In addition, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or continuous order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0068] The embodiments of the present disclosure may be systems, methods and / or computer program products. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium carrying computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0069] A computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions used by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical encoding device, such as a punch card or a raised structure in a groove on which instructions are stored, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium is not to be interpreted as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., a light pulse through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted through a wire.

[0070] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network can include copper transmission cables, optical fiber transmissions, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions for storage in the computer-readable storage medium in each computing / processing device.

[0071] The computer program instructions for performing the operation of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-related instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" language or similar programming languages. Computer-readable program instructions may be executed completely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as an independent software package, partially on a user's computer, partially on a remote computer, or completely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., using an Internet service provider to connect via the Internet). In some embodiments, an electronic circuit, such as a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), may be personalized by utilizing the state information of a computer-readable program instruction, and the electronic circuit may execute a computer-readable program instruction, thereby realizing various aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0072] Various aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems) and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0073] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine, so that when these instructions are executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram is generated. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other equipment to work in a specific manner, so that the computer-readable medium storing the instructions includes a manufactured product, which includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0074] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operating steps are performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0075] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of an instruction, and a part of a module, a program segment or an instruction contains one or more executable instructions for realizing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or the flowchart, and the combination of the boxes in the block diagram and / or the flowchart can be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or can be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. It is well known to those skilled in the art that it is equivalent to implement it by hardware, implement it by software, and implement it by combining software and hardware.

[0076] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A battery sorting system, characterized in that: include: A conveying module, comprising a first conveying belt and a second conveying belt, wherein the first conveying belt is used to convey empty sorting discs to a sorting elevator, and the second conveying belt is used to receive the sorting discs conveyed by the sorting elevator; An elevator module, comprising a plurality of sorting elevators, the number of which is the same as the number of types of batteries to be sorted, the sorting elevators being used to receive an empty sorting tray conveyed by the first conveyor belt, and to lower the sorting tray and convey it to the second conveyor belt after the empty sorting tray is fully loaded or sorting is completed; The sorting module comprises a mechanical arm and a plurality of clamps arranged on the mechanical arm, wherein the clamps are used to clamp or place batteries, and the mechanical arm is used to move the clamps to the positions of the sorting plates on the plurality of sorting elevators.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The conveying module further comprises a lifting and traversing mechanism, and the lifting and traversing mechanism is arranged on the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt; The lifting and transverse movement mechanism is used to lift the sorting disc on the first conveyor belt and transport it to the position of the sorting elevator, or to receive the sorting disc transported by the sorting elevator and place it on the second conveyor belt.

3. A battery sorting method, applied to the system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The method comprises: Controlling multiple grippers of the robot arm to respectively grip the batteries to be sorted; Control the robot arm to move to the position of a sorting plate of a first sorting type, wherein the first sorting type is any type included in the batteries to be sorted; Determining an offset of the robot arm based on a position of a first gripper and a target placement position, the first gripper being any gripper that grips a battery of the first sorting type; The robot arm is controlled to move according to the offset, and after the first gripper moves to the target placement position, the first gripper is controlled to place the battery.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that Before controlling the robot arm to move to the position of the first type of sorting disk, the method further includes: The battery information of the battery to be sorted is acquired, and the types of the battery to be sorted are determined according to the battery information.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The placement positions of the plurality of clamps and the sorting disk are arranged in an array, and the controlling the robot arm to move to the position of the sorting disk of the first sorting type comprises: The robot arm is controlled to move so that the clamp array moves to a target position, so that a clamp in the clamp array is aligned with a placement position of the sorting disk at a first position.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Determining the offset of the robotic arm based on the position of the first gripper and the target placement position includes: determining a first offset of the first position relative to the first jaw position in a first direction and a second offset in a second direction; Determine a third offset amount of the target placement position relative to the first position in the first direction and a fourth offset amount in the second direction; The sum of the first offset and the third offset is used as the offset of the robot arm in the first direction, and the sum of the second offset and the fourth offset is used as the offset of the robot arm in the second direction.

7. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The placement positions of the plurality of clamps and the sorting disk are arranged in an array, and the controlling the robot arm to move to the position of the sorting disk of the first sorting type comprises: Respectively obtaining numbers of each clamping claw in the clamping claw array and each placement position in the placement position of the sorting disk, wherein the numbers are compiled based on a preset numbering rule, wherein the preset numbering rule includes that in the same column, the numbers are incremented from the column head to the column tail, and the column head of the next column is the column tail of the previous column plus one; The robot arm is controlled to move so that the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robot arm is aligned with the placement position of the smallest-numbered sorting disk of the first type.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that Determining the offset of the robotic arm based on the position of the first gripper and the target placement position includes: Determine a fifth offset in the first direction and a sixth offset in the second direction of the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robotic arm relative to the position of the first gripper; Determine a seventh offset in the first direction and an eighth offset in the second direction of the target placement position relative to the placement position with the smallest number on the first type of sorting disk; The sum of the fifth offset and the seventh offset is used as the offset of the robot arm in the first direction, and the sum of the sixth offset and the eighth offset is used as the offset of the robot arm in the second direction.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The step of determining the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the robot arm relative to the position of the first gripper by a fifth offset in the first direction and a sixth offset in the second direction comprises: Determining a ratio of the number of the first gripper to the number of rows of the gripper array; When the ratio is not an integer, the fifth offset is the difference between the number of columns of the clamp array and the ratio rounded up, and the sixth offset is the difference between the number of rows of the clamp array and the remainder of the ratio; When the ratio is an integer, the fifth offset is the difference between the number of columns of the clamp array and the ratio, and the sixth offset is 0.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The step of determining the target placement position relative to the placement position with the smallest number of the first type of sorting disks by the seventh offset in the first direction and the eighth offset in the second direction comprises: Determining a ratio of the number of the target placement position to the number of rows of the placement position array; When the ratio is not an integer, the seventh offset is the ratio rounded down, and the eighth offset is the difference between the remainder of the ratio and 1; When the ratio is an integer, the seventh offset is the difference between the ratio and 1, and the eighth offset is the difference between the number of rows of the placement position array and 1.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that After controlling the mechanical arm to move according to the offset, the method further includes: Determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second clamping jaw exceeds the boundary of the sorting plate, the second clamping jaw being a clamping jaw outside the first clamping jaw that clamps the first type of battery; When the placement position corresponding to the second clamping jaw does not exceed the range of the sorting disk, determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second clamping jaw is an idle position; The first gripper and the second gripper are controlled to place a battery.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The step of determining whether the placement position corresponding to the second clamping jaw exceeds the boundary of the sorting disk includes: When the first parameter is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to the number of rows of the placement position array, the placement position corresponding to the second gripper does not exceed the boundary in the first direction, wherein the first parameter is the sum of the number of rows of the second gripper, the negative number of rows of the first gripper, and the number of rows of the target placement position; When the second parameter is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to the number of columns of the placement position array, the placement position corresponding to the second gripper does not exceed the boundary in the second direction, and the second parameter is the sum of the number of columns of the second gripper, the negative number of columns of the first gripper, and the number of columns of the target placement position.

13. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The step of determining the position of the largest-numbered gripper of the mechanical arm relative to the position of the first gripper by a fifth offset in the first direction and a sixth offset in the second direction also includes: In the case where there is a gap between adjacent jaws in the first direction in the jaw array, the fifth offset is corrected based on a preset parameter, wherein the corrected fifth offset is the product of the fifth offset before correction and the preset parameter, and the preset parameter is the sum of the number of placement positions corresponding to the gap and 1; In the case where there is a gap between adjacent jaws in the second direction in the jaw array, the sixth offset is corrected based on a preset parameter, wherein the corrected sixth offset is the product of the sixth offset before correction and a preset parameter, and the preset parameter is the sum of the number of placement positions corresponding to the gap and 1.

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