Method for cleaning workpiece holder for painting battery cells, device for cleaning workpiece holder for painting battery cells, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning a workpiece holder (16) for painting battery cells, in which a coating applied to the workpiece holder (16) during the painting of the battery cells is removed by means of machining. The invention further relates to a device (40) for cleaning a workpiece holder (16) for painting battery cells and to a vehicle having a battery with at least one battery cell which is painted by means of the workpiece holder (16), the workpiece carrier is cleaned by means of the method according to the invention and / or the device (40) according to the invention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for cleaning a workpiece support for painting battery cells. The invention also relates to a device for cleaning a workpiece support for painting battery cells and to a vehicle having a battery with at least one battery cell which is painted by means of a workpiece support, which is cleaned by means of such a method and / or such a device. Background Art

[0002] During the production of the individual battery cells, the housing of the individual battery cells is painted in order to avoid short circuits between two individual battery cells and to prevent voltages from being applied to the housing.

[0003] For example, DE 10 2018 128 501 A1 discloses a method for coating battery cells of a vehicle battery, wherein the battery cells are coated with an insulating lacquer layer.

[0004] The painting of the housing is carried out in a painting and hardening station, in which the paint is first applied to the housing and then hardened. The battery cells are conveyed through the painting and hardening station via the individual workpiece supports that are pushed together. Here, the battery cells float on the workpiece supports or on the workpiece support belt formed by the workpiece supports that are pushed together with their polar side facing downward. When painting, the workpiece supports are also painted together. The wet battery cell paint is hardened in the subsequent hardening step and is therefore also attached to the workpiece supports. Before the unpainted monomer is placed on the workpiece support again for painting, the workpiece support must be cleaned of the attached paint in an additional processing step. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object underlying the present invention is to provide a method, a device and a vehicle which allow improved cleaning of workpiece supports for painting battery cells.

[0006] To achieve this object, a method having the features of claim 1 , a device having the features of claim 8 and a vehicle having the features of claim 10 are proposed.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments of the method and the device are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for cleaning a workpiece support for painting battery cells is proposed. In the method, a coating applied to the workpiece support during the painting of the battery cells is removed by mechanical processing.

[0009] The coating is removed by using a mechanical processing method to clean the workpiece support without removing the support material of the workpiece support. This always allows a uniform coating of the battery cells positioned on the workpiece support. In addition, the method according to the invention has lower operating costs than CO2 purification methods, for example (because no CO2 is required), and has a lower noise level.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, the workpiece support is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0011] Advantageously, the method is carried out directly after the painting and hardening station.

[0012] The applied coating can be an insulating varnish which is applied to the battery cells, in particular to the housings of the battery cells.

[0013] The method according to the invention, by means of which a coating applied to a workpiece support is removed, excludes the use of sandblasting, CO2 cleaning, scraping, broaching or scoring as mechanical processing, since these lead to wear of the support material and are therefore very expensive and also have a high noise level.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the coating is removed from the workpiece support by milling. The milling can be carried out in a separate device, for example a device in a milling station located downstream of the painting and hardening station. The device can be provided with a housing. Cleaning the workpiece support by means of the milling process makes it possible to carefully remove only the coating, in particular the hardened paint, from the workpiece support. As a result, no wear and therefore no wear and tear occurs on the workpiece support. As a result, uniform painting of the battery cells positioned on the workpiece support can always be achieved.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, three individual milling cutters are used for milling. In addition, two disc milling cutters and one hob milling cutter are advantageously used as individual milling cutters.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the upper side of the workpiece support is machined with a single milling cutter and the opposite longitudinal sides of the workpiece support are machined with two further single milling cutters. Advantageously, the longitudinal sides of the workpiece support are machined with the aid of the two disc milling cutters and the upper side is machined with the aid of the hobbing cutter. Advantageously, the hobbing cutter has projections with which recesses for accommodating the poles of the battery cells are cleaned.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the workpiece support is machined in such a way that the workpiece support has the original geometry or raw geometry of the workpiece support before painting. As a result, the workpiece support has the geometry that was originally produced after cleaning. Thus, the coating, in particular the hardened paint, is milled off in a targeted manner, so that the workpiece support geometry is maintained without further mechanical wear of the workpiece support material. This results in an optimization of the wear of the workpiece support, savings in spare parts management and a reduction in operating costs.

[0018] For flawless painting of the battery cells, it is necessary that the workpiece support has the geometry it originally produced, since the painting process reacts very sensitively to the smallest geometric changes or adjustments of the application unit to the battery cells. If the geometry of the workpiece support is changed due to the cleaning process, the battery cells to be painted no longer stand openly on the workpiece support as before. As a result, the application parameters of the application unit originally set for the initial geometry of the workpiece support are invalid, since the battery cells are then stood in a different orientation relative to the application unit and thus no longer meet the product requirements to be achieved by painting. Since the workpiece support has its original geometry after mechanical processing, the product requirements imposed by the painting are met.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the workpiece support is produced by means of machining, in which an initial geometry or original geometry is introduced into the blank, wherein the initial geometry or original geometry is used as the initial dimension for machining the workpiece support. Thus, initially the blank, for example a rectangular block made of polytetrafluoroethylene, is milled into the geometry, in which, for example, recesses are milled into the rectangular polytetrafluoroethylene block and / or the longitudinal sides of the polytetrafluoroethylene block are machined. The adjusted milling positions are stored and subsequently adopted for the single milling cutter to remove the coating. Thus, the workpiece support is milled in a targeted manner after the painting and hardening station, and the initial workpiece support geometry is thus maintained without additional mechanical wear on the workpiece support material, in particular the polytetrafluoroethylene material. In addition, the manufacturing costs for the workpiece support are reduced, since only one block is required that is milled into the workpiece support geometry by the milling station.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, a recess for accommodating a battery cell is introduced as a starting geometry in the blank. The poles of the battery cell are inserted into the recess. Advantageously, the recess is introduced into the upper side of the blank. It is also advantageous if the recess is introduced into the blank by means of a hobbing cutter. For this purpose, the hobbing cutter can have a projection.

[0021] According to a further aspect of the invention, a device for cleaning workpiece supports for painting battery cells is provided, which has a machining device for carrying out the method according to the invention.

[0022] The apparatus may be configured as a milling station, which is located downstream of the painting and hardening station. The apparatus may be provided with an enclosure.

[0023] Advantageously, the machining device has three individual milling cutters. Furthermore, advantageously, the machining device has a hob and two disc milling cutters. Advantageously, the longitudinal sides of the workpiece support are machined with the two disc milling cutters, and the upper side of the workpiece support is machined with the hob. Advantageously, the hob has a projection, with which a recess for accommodating the poles of the battery cells is introduced into the workpiece support or the recess is cleaned.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the device has a workpiece support production station upstream of the painting and hardening station, which has a machining device for introducing geometric structures into the blank.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, the machining device has three individual milling cutters, two of which are designed as disc milling cutters and one of which is designed as a hob milling cutter.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided which has a battery with at least one battery cell which is painted by means of a workpiece support which is cleaned by means of the method according to the invention and / or the device according to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The vehicle, the device for cleaning a workpiece support for painting battery cells, the method for cleaning a workpiece support for painting battery cells, and further features and advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments schematically shown in the drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 A vehicle having a battery formed from battery cells is shown;

[0029] Figure 2 A workpiece support for painting battery cells is shown together with the battery cells arranged thereon;

[0030] Figure 3 Shown manufactured in Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a workpiece support shown in FIG.

[0031] Figure 4 an enlarged view showing an apparatus for cleaning and / or manufacturing a workpiece support; and

[0032] Figure 5 Schematic diagram showing a painting and hardening station and a downstream device for cleaning the workpiece support. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] exist Figure 1 1 , a vehicle 10 is shown which is driven by an electric motor (not shown) which is supplied with electric energy by a battery 12 .

[0034] The battery 12 has multiple Figure 2 The battery cells 14 are schematically shown in FIG. The battery cells 14 , in particular the housings 15 of the battery cells 14 , are painted in order to avoid short circuits between two adjacent battery cells 14 and to avoid voltage being applied to the battery cells 14 .

[0035] In order to paint the battery cells 14, the battery cells are placed on a workpiece support 16, such as Figure 2 For this purpose, the workpiece support 16 has a recess 18 into which the poles 20 of the battery cells 14 are inserted. The housing 15 of the battery cells 14 rests on the upper side 22 of the workpiece support 16 .

[0036] In order to produce the initial geometry or raw geometry of the workpiece carrier part 16, a rectangular blank 24 made of polytetrafluoroethylene is machined, as shown in Figure 3 To this end, with the help of Figure 4 The blank 24 is machined by a machining device 26 shown in FIG.

[0037] The machining device 26 has three individual milling cutters 28, wherein one milling cutter 28 is designed as a hob cutter 30 and two milling cutters 28 are designed as disc cutters 32. The two disc cutters 32 machine the opposite longitudinal sides 36 of the workpiece support 16. The hob cutters 30 machine the upper side 22 of the workpiece support 16, in particular the hob cutters 30 introduce the recess 18 into the upper side 22 of the workpiece support 16. For this purpose, Figure 4 As shown, the hob 30 has a protrusion 34 .

[0038] exist Figure 5 Schematically shown in FIG. 1 is a painting and hardening station 40 , in which the battery cells 14 arranged on the workpiece carrier 16 are first coated, in particular painted, and subsequently the applied coating 37 , in particular the paint 39 , is hardened.

[0039] During the painting of the battery cells 14, the workpiece holder 16 is also painted. In order to remove the hardened paint 39 from the workpiece holder 16, a device 40 for cleaning the workpiece holder 16 is connected downstream of the painting and hardening device 38, such as in Figure 5 As schematically shown in FIG. 40, the device 40 has Figure 440, in particular its machining device 26, which has a hob cutter 30 and two disc milling cutters 32, mills the workpiece support 16 to the initial geometry or original geometry. For this purpose, the milling positions of the hob cutter 30 and the disc milling cutter 32 set during the production of the workpiece support 16 are used for the machining device 26. As a result, only the adhering, hardened paint 39 is milled off in a targeted manner, and the initial geometry or original geometry of the workpiece support 16 is maintained without additional mechanical wear on the workpiece support material, in particular the polytetrafluoroethylene material.

[0040] After the workpiece carrier 16 has been freed of the adhering, hardened lacquer 39 , it can be equipped again with new battery cells 14 and subsequently conveyed to a painting and hardening station 38 , as schematically shown in FIG. Figure 5 As indicated by arrows in FIG.

[0041] The device 40 and the method for cleaning the workpiece support 16 are characterized in that the adhering, hardened paint 39 is milled off in a targeted manner by milling the workpiece support 16 to its initial geometry or original geometry. The workpiece support geometry is thereby maintained without additional mechanical wear of the workpiece support material. In addition, the wear of the workpiece support 16, the costs for spare parts management and the operating costs are reduced.

[0042] Reference numerals list

[0043] 10 Vehicles

[0044] 12 Batteries

[0045] 14 Battery Cells

[0046] 15 Housing

[0047] 16 Workpiece support

[0048] 18 concavity

[0049] 20 poles

[0050] 22 upper side

[0051] 24 Blanks

[0052] 26 Mechanical processing equipment

[0053] 28 Single milling cutter

[0054] 30 Hobbing cutter

[0055] 32 Disc Milling Cutter

[0056] 34 protrusion

[0057] 36 longitudinal side

[0058] 37 Coating

[0059] 38 Painting and hardening stations

[0060] 39 Paint

[0061] 40 Equipment

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a workpiece support (16) for painting battery cells, wherein: A coating (37) applied to the workpiece support (16) during the painting of the battery cells is removed by mechanical machining.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating (37) is removed from the workpiece carrier (16) by means of milling (28).

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that For milling, three single milling cutters (28) are used.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The upper side (22) of the workpiece support (16) is machined with one individual milling cutter (28), and the opposite longitudinal sides (36) of the workpiece support (16) are machined with two other individual milling cutters (28).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The workpiece support (16) is machined so that the workpiece support (16) has its original geometry before painting.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The workpiece support (16) is produced by means of mechanical processing in that a starting geometry is introduced into a blank (24), which serves as starting dimensions for mechanical processing of the workpiece support (16).

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that A recess (18) for receiving a battery cell (14) is introduced into the blank (24) as a starting geometry.

8. A device (40) for cleaning a workpiece support (16) for painting battery cells, the device comprising a machining device (26) for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

9. The device (40) according to claim 8, characterized in that The machining device (26) has three single milling cutters (28).

10. A vehicle (10) having a battery (12) with at least one battery cell (14), which is painted by means of a workpiece support (16) which is cleaned by means of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and / or a device (40) according to any one of claims 8 or 9.

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