Marine lithium battery pack automatic assembly production line and assembly method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a marine lithium battery pack automatic assembly production line and an assembly method thereof. The production line comprises a conveying device, station trays, an off-line device and tool systems, the station trays are arranged on the conveying device and used for transporting battery packs, the off-line device is used for conveying the assembled battery packs to an off-line warehouse or transferring the assembled battery packs to other procedures, and the tool systems comprise the first tool system and the second tool system. The detection devices are distributed on the two sides or the same side of the conveying device and used for assembling and detecting all parts of the battery; according to the whole assembly line, battery pack shell online, communication interface and cable connection single battery hoisting, single battery fixing, battery pack management and control BMS module box installation, accessory installation, insulation detection, a communication detection station and an offline station are adopted, and each station completes battery pack assembly through a corresponding assembly tool of a tool system; the conveying device comprises a speed chain conveying mechanism and eight jacking and rotating devices arranged on the first eight stations respectively.

Description

Technical Field:

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of marine power systems, and in particular to an automatic assembly production line for marine lithium battery packs and an assembly method thereof. Background Art:

[0002] As Figure 1 、 2 shown, a marine lithium battery pack includes a battery body 11, a battery pack control BMS module system 12, a communication interface 13, a housing 14, and assembly accessories 15. The battery body 11 is connected to the battery pack control BMS module system 12 through a signal line, and the communication interface 13 is connected to the battery pack control BMS module system 12 through a communication line. The battery pack control BMS module system 12 includes a power supply module and a controller. The controller has the function of intelligently managing and maintaining each battery unit. One end of the controller is connected to the RS485 communication interface and the CAN communication interface in the communication interface 13 to ensure data transmission and instruction exchange between the battery pack and other systems. The other end of the controller is connected to the acquisition module in the battery body 11; the acquisition module transmits the battery module condition data to the controller, and the power supply module is directly connected to the controller to ensure the energy supply and operation of the entire system.

[0003] The housing 14 includes a bottom plate 141, a side plate 142, a cover plate 143, and a panel 144. The battery body 11, the battery pack control BMS module system 12, and the communication interface 13 are fixed at corresponding internal positions through threaded connections. The main function is to carry and protect the battery module to ensure its safe and stable operation. The assembly accessories 15 include a breathable explosion-proof valve, a bar code, positive and negative power sockets, a copper bar, a battery module, and a battery pack control BMS module.

[0004] During the production process of the battery pack, it is necessary to accurately position each component for fixed assembly. The existing manual assembly method with the aid of a conveying unit / line and electric auxiliary tools has high requirements for the professional level of operators, and does not fundamentally solve the problems of high assembly error rate, low efficiency, high labor intensity, and high cost caused by many components and wiring. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a battery pack assembly production line to avoid missing assembly, reduce the assembly error rate, improve production efficiency, and reduce production costs.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the prior art has proposed a device for facilitating the quick assembly of battery packs. In the battery pack assembly solution, the battery pack assembly equipment and the battery pack production line in Patent CN118645673A propose to use an assembly robot to perform the operations of covering or assembling the battery modules at the same station, with higher assembly efficiency, stronger compatibility, and higher automation. However, this patent only provides solutions for the covering and assembling processes of the battery modules, and does not cover all the assembly process operations of the battery pack, including the installation of communication interfaces, power sockets and connecting copper bars, the installation of the battery pack control BMS module, the installation of accessories, and insulation and communication detection. In addition, no specific solution is given on how to position the battery modules at the covering and assembling stations. Summary of the Invention:

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a highly automated and safe battery pack production line and its assembly method to reduce production costs, improve the assembly efficiency of the battery pack, and ensure product safety.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a marine lithium battery pack automatic assembly production line, including a conveying device, a station tray, a offline device, and a tool system. A number of station trays are arranged on the conveying device for transporting the battery pack. The offline device is used to convey the battery pack to the warehouse offline or transfer it to other processes after the assembly is completed. The tool system includes Tool System 1 and Tool System 2, which are distributed on both sides or the same side of the conveying device and are used for the assembly and detection of various parts of the battery.

[0008] The entire assembly line includes a total of nine stations, which are, in sequence, Station 1: Battery pack housing on-line, Station 2: Communication interface and cable connection, Station 3: Single battery hoisting, Station 4: Single battery fixing, Station 5: Installation of the battery pack control BMS module box, Station 6: Accessory installation, Station 7: Insulation detection, Station 8: Communication detection station, and Station 9: Offline station. Each station completes the assembly of the battery pack through the corresponding assembly tools of the tool system.

[0009] The conveying device includes a double-speed chain transmission mechanism and eight lifting and rotating devices respectively arranged at the first eight stations. The lifting and rotating devices are used to lift and rotate the station tray. Through the lifting operation of the lifting and rotating devices, the station tray is lifted to the upper position for installation operations or lowered to the lower position to cooperate with the double-speed chain transmission mechanism. The upper position of the station tray is used for the assembly of the battery pack, and the lower position of the station tray is used for the transfer of the battery pack stations. When the station tray is in the upper position, the lifting and rotating device can drive the station tray to rotate 180°.

[0010] As a preferred solution, the first tool system includes a first robot, a first gantry manipulator, a plasma cleaning head, a first workbench, a bar code box, a second robot, a positive and negative power socket box, a fourth gantry manipulator, a battery module box; a third robot, a first three-coordinate manipulator, a second three-coordinate manipulator, a front cover plate, a first insulation detector, and a offline device;

[0011] The second tool system includes a second gantry manipulator, a second workbench, a breathable explosion-proof valve box, a third gantry manipulator, a second wire locking machine, a copper bus bar box, a robot and an automatic wire locking tool one, a robot and a wire locking machine tool two, a BMS module box; a barcode scanner, an automatic marking machine; a second insulation detector; a communication performance detection device.

[0012] As a preferred solution, at the first station, there are provided the first robot, the first gantry manipulator, the second gantry manipulator, the plasma cleaning head, the first workbench, the second workbench, the breathable explosion-proof valve box, and the bar code box; the first workbench and the second workbench are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first station of the conveying device and are used for storing assembly tools and assembly connectors. The first robot is arranged at the front end of the conveying line, and the breathable explosion-proof valve box is arranged beside the robot. The first robot is used to transfer the breathable explosion-proof valve in the breathable explosion-proof valve box to the inside of the housing and install it; at the first station, two sets of the first gantry manipulators are also provided, which are symmetrically arranged on the first workbench and the second workbench and are used to pick up bolts and connect and fix the communication interfaces; the plasma cleaning head and the bar code box are arranged on the first workbench, and the communication interface is arranged on the second workbench. The first gantry manipulator is used to paste the bar code in the bar code box at the designated position of the battery pack. The plasma cleaning head is arranged in front of the first manipulator and is used for automatically cleaning the battery pack housing.

[0013] As a preferred solution, at the second station, there are provided the second robot, the third gantry manipulator, the second wire locking machine, the positive and negative power socket box, and the copper bus bar box; the second robot and the third gantry manipulator are arranged on both sides of the conveying line and are respectively used to grab the power socket and the copper bus bar in the positive and negative power socket box and the copper bus bar box and send them to the designated positions; the second wire locking machine is located beside the third gantry manipulator to automatically lock the power socket and the copper bus bar at the designated positions.

[0014] As a preferred solution, at the third station, there are provided the fourth gantry manipulator and the battery module box. The fourth gantry manipulator is arranged above the conveying line and is used to hoist the battery module in the battery module box to the designated position inside the housing.

[0015] As a preferred solution, at the fourth station, there are provided the third robot, the robot and the automatic wire locking tool one. The third robot and the robot and the automatic wire locking tool one are located on both sides of the conveying line and are used to place the positive and negative connection copper bus bars of the module into the designated positions and complete the connection between the battery module and the bottom plate of the battery pack housing.

[0016] As a preferred solution, a coordinate measuring robot I, a robot, a wire locking machine tool II and a BMS module box are provided at station five. The coordinate measuring robot I is arranged above the conveyor line and is used to hoist the battery pack control BMS module in the BMS module box to a specified position in the housing. The robot and the wire locking machine II are used to fix the battery pack control BMS module.

[0017] As a preferred solution, a barcode scanner, a coordinate measuring robot II, a front cover plate and an automatic marking machine are provided at station six. The barcode scanner and the automatic marking machine are located at one end of the station and are used to input the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module and battery pack control BMS module and to affix labels. The coordinate measuring robot II is located at the other end of the station and is used to pick up and install the front cover plate. At station seven, an insulation detector I and an insulation detector II are provided. The insulation detector I and the insulation detector II are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the station and are used to perform insulation detection on the battery pack.

[0018] As a preferred solution, a communication performance detection device and an offline device are provided at station eight. The communication performance detection device is arranged at the end of the entire production line and is used to comprehensively detect and evaluate the performance of the battery pack communication equipment to ensure that it meets the design requirements and industry standards. The offline device is used to hoist the battery pack after the detection is completed to station nine for warehousing or integrated assembly.

[0019] Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a method for assembling a battery pack by the above-mentioned marine lithium battery automatic assembly production line.

[0020] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is a method for assembling a battery pack by a marine lithium battery automatic assembly production line, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0021] Step 1: Power on and start

[0022] Power on and start the assembly production line, and the battery pack housing is fed onto the line.

[0023] Step 2: Clean the battery pack housing and install the communication interface

[0024] S21: Use the conveying device to convey the battery pack housing to the station tray placed at station one, and the lifting and rotating device performs lifting or rotating operations on the station tray.

[0025] S22: Automatically clean it with a plasma cleaning head, use the gantry robot 1 to take out the battery pack barcode from the barcode box and paste it at the specified position, and then use the gantry robot 2 to pick up and install the communication interface; The robot arranged at the front end of the conveyor line sends the ventilation explosion-proof valve in the ventilation explosion-proof valve box into the shell and assembles it, waiting for instructions to enter Station 2;

[0026] Step 3: Install the power socket and connecting copper bar

[0027] S31: The station tray drives the battery pack shell together with the assembled accessories to reach Station 2 along the conveyor line. The robot 2 and the gantry robot 3 respectively grab the positive and negative power sockets and connecting copper bars from the positive and negative power socket boxes and send them to the specified positions in the shell;

[0028] S32: The wire locking machine 2 performs automatic wire locking work. After assembly, it enters the third station;

[0029] Step 4: Hoist the battery module

[0030] The station tray drives the battery pack shell together with the assembled accessories to reach Station 3 along the conveyor line, and then the gantry robot 4 hoists 4 battery modules one by one and locates them according to the set positions;

[0031] Step 5: Fix the battery module

[0032] S51: After the station tray drives the battery pack shell together with the assembled accessories to reach Station 4 along the conveyor line, use the robot and the automatic wire locking tool 1 to complete the connection between the 4 battery modules and the battery pack shell bottom plate;

[0033] S52: The robot 3 places the module positive and negative connection copper bars in the specified positions, and then uses the robot and the automatic wire locking tool 1 to fasten and install them;

[0034] Step 6: Install the battery pack control BMS module

[0035] The station tray drives the battery pack shell together with the assembled accessories to reach Station 5 along the conveyor line. At Station 5, the three-coordinate robot 1 sends the battery pack control BMS module in the BMS module box to the specified position, and completes the installation of the BMS module through the robot and the wire locking machine tool 2;

[0036] Step 7: Install accessories

[0037] S71: The station tray drives the battery pack shell together with the assembled accessories to reach Station 6 along the conveyor line. After being transported to Station 6, manually assist in wiring the wires and data lines, installing the short-circuit copper bars and accessories for the battery modules;

[0038] S72: Use a barcode scanner to input the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module, and the BMS module for battery pack control; use a three-coordinate manipulator to automatically install the front cover plate; use an automatic marking machine to mark the housing.

[0039] Step Eight: Insulation Detection

[0040] The station tray drives the battery pack housing together with the assembled accessories and transports them to Station Seven along the conveyor line. Use Insulation Detector One and Insulation Detector Two to perform insulation detection on the battery pack. If it meets the standard, proceed to Step Nine; if not, make adjustments and then perform the detection again until the requirements are met and then proceed to Step Nine.

[0041] Step Nine: Communication Detection

[0042] The station tray drives the battery pack housing together with the assembled accessories and transports them to Station Eight along the conveyor line. Use a communication performance detection device to comprehensively detect and evaluate the performance of the battery pack communication equipment. If it meets the design requirements and industry standards, proceed to the next step; if not, make repairs and then perform the detection again until the requirements are met and then proceed to Step Ten.

[0043] Step Ten: Battery Pack Offline

[0044] The station tray drives the battery pack housing together with the assembled accessories and transports them to Station Nine along the conveyor line; use an offline device to clamp the battery pack after the detection and take it off the production line for warehousing or integrated assembly; for the warehousing operation, execute Step S101, and for the integrated assembly, execute Step S102.

[0045] S101: Warehousing

[0046] The entrance trolley takes the battery pack from Station Nine and sends it to the warehouse for storage, and then execute Step Eleven.

[0047] S102: Shelving

[0048] The shelving trolley takes the battery pack from Station Nine and performs a shelving operation on it. Then check whether the shelving is completed and whether there is any omission between the battery racks. If there are problems, re-shelve it. After the shelving is completed, execute Step Eleven.

[0049] Step Eleven: End

[0050] After assembling one battery pack, the assembly production line completes one cycle. If continuous assembly is required, repeat Steps Two - Ten; otherwise, end the assembly.

[0051] Beneficial Effects:

[0052] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0053] 1. By standardizing the assembly process flow of marine lithium battery packs and developing their automatic assembly production lines, the tool systems are distributed on both sides of the conveying device, which is conducive to simultaneous operation of different processes at the same station, improving the assembly efficiency. It can provide a "one"-type or "L"-type layout according to the shape of the workshop, reducing the layout length of the production line, effectively utilizing space and saving costs.

[0054] 2. The conveying device for lithium battery pack assembly adopts a double-speed chain drive mechanism. By configuring precise gear designs and positioning stoppers, smooth transmission at higher transmission speeds is achieved, improving the transmission efficiency. Through the coordinated operation of the positioning stopper and the lifting and rotating device, the positioning of the lithium battery pack at the assembly station is realized.

[0055] 3. Since the marine lithium battery pack will sway with the ship during use, by formulating standard assembly processes for automatic assembly of the battery pack, the consistency of the battery pack assembly quality is improved, ensuring stable installation and reducing the risk of use failures.

[0056] 4. Greatly reduces the labor cost, reduces the labor intensity of personnel, and at the same time reduces the safety hazards during the installation process:

[0057] 5. Realizes the automatic installation of marine battery packs, reduces the assembly and handling time of battery packs, and improves the production efficiency. Description of the Drawings:

[0058] Figure 1 It is a composition diagram of the battery device of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 2 It is a top view of the battery pack housing of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 3 It is a layout diagram of the automatic assembly line of the battery pack of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the conveying device of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Station 1 of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Station 2 of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Station 3 of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Station 4 of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of Station 5 of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 10Schematic diagram of Structure of Station Six of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of Structure of Station Seven of the present invention;

[0069] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of Structure of Station Eight of the present invention;

[0070] Figure 13 Automatic assembly flowchart of the battery pack of the present invention;

[0071] In the figure: 11 - battery body, 12 - battery pack control BMS module system, 13 - communication interface, 14 - housing, 141 - bottom plate, 142 - side plate, 143 - cover plate, 144 - front panel; 15 - assembly fittings, 100 - conveying device, 101 - double-speed chain conveyor mechanism, 102 - lifting and rotating device, 103 - positioning stopper; 200 - station tray, 300 - offline device, 400a - tool system one, 400b - tool system two;

[0072] 411 - robot one, 412a - gantry manipulator one, 412b - gantry manipulator two, 413 - plasma cleaning head, 414a - workbench one, 414b - workbench two, 421 - robot two, 422 - gantry manipulator three, 423 - wire locking machine two, 431 - gantry manipulator four, 441 - robot three, 442 - robot and automatic wire locking tool one; 451 - three-coordinate manipulator one, 452 - robot and wire locking machine tool two, 461 - barcode scanner, 462 - three-coordinate manipulator two, 463 - front cover plate, 464 - automatic marking machine; 471 - insulation detector one, 472 - insulation detector two; 481 - communication performance detection device, 482 - offline device;

[0073] 151 - breathable explosion-proof valve box, 152 - barcode box, 1521 - positive and negative power socket box, 1522 - copper busbar box; 1531 - battery module box; 1551 - BMS module box; Specific embodiments:

[0074] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0075] As Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown in the figure, the automatic assembly line of the lithium battery pack consists of a conveying device 100, a station tray 200, a offline device 300, and a tool system 400. It can be arranged in a "one" shape or an "L" shape according to the shape and area of the workshop. The station tray 200 is arranged on the conveying device 100 for transporting the battery pack. The offline device 300 is used to convey the assembled battery pack to the offline for warehousing or transfer to other processes after assembly. The tool system 400 includes a tool system one 400a and a tool system two 400b, which are distributed on both sides of the conveying device 100 for assembling and detecting each part of the battery. It is the key system to ensure the successful assembly of the battery pack. It can also be set on the same side of the conveying device 100. The layout on both sides can shorten the length of the assembly line to adapt to different workshop sizes;

[0076] The method for arranging the assembly line stations and equipment is as follows:

[0077] Sort the assembly processes according to the principle of "from the inside to the outside, from the bottom to the top", calculate the time used for each process and form a time sequence from small to large:

[0078] t 1 ≤t 2 ≤…≤t n ;

[0079] Calculate the average value and group the processes:

[0080] (i = 1, 2,..., n)

[0081] Select 2 - 5 process combinations in ascending order and calculate the average value t mp ;

[0082] Compare t m and t mp and |t m - t mp | ≤ δ;

[0083] Among them, δ is the allowable difference, which is determined according to the actual expected efficiency of the production line. It can also be made smaller through multiple screenings to improve production efficiency;

[0084] When the above process combination is determined, the total number of stations N of the production line can be determined, and then the layout of the production line and the design of the equipment layout can be carried out. The layout result of this embodiment is as follows, where the maximum error between T 1 ~T 9 is 3.5s.

[0085]

[0086] The entire assembly line is divided into nine workstations, namely the battery pack housing feeding (Workstation 1), communication interface and cable connection (Workstation 2), single battery hoisting (Workstation 3), single battery fixing (Workstation 4), battery pack control BMS module box installation (Workstation 5), accessory installation (Workstation 6), insulation detection (Workstation 7), communication detection workstation (Workstation 8), and offline workstation (Workstation 9). The battery pack assembly is completed by the corresponding assembly tools of the tool system 400 at each workstation. Each workstation details the assembly process, and the assembly tools are arranged on both sides of the production line for simultaneous operation, which is conducive to the capacity balance of the assembly production line, ensuring that the assembly time of different workstations is as balanced as possible and improving efficiency.

[0087] The described conveying device 100 includes a double-speed chain transmission mechanism 101 and eight lifting and rotating devices 102 and positioning stoppers 103 respectively arranged at the first eight workstations. The double-speed chain transmission mechanism 101 can control the moving speed of the lithium battery pack as needed through a chain structure and a reliable gear transmission device, and stop at the assembly workstations where it needs to stay. This structure has high positioning accuracy and can withstand large pressure and impact, ensuring the stability of the conveying process; the lifting and rotating device 102 is used for the lifting and rotating functions of the workstation tray 200. The workstation tray 200 is set to the upper and lower positions through the lifting and rotating device 102. When in the upper position, the lifting and rotating device 102 rotates the workstation tray 200 by 180° through rotation. The upper position of the workstation tray 200 is used for battery pack assembly, and the lower position is used for battery pack workstation transfer. The workstation tray 200 is rotated to the 180° position for easy tool system assembly operation; the positioning stopper 103 can be a blocking cylinder. When the workpiece moves with the double-speed chain to the predetermined position (right side) of the lifting and rotating device 102, the stopper will quickly rise to block the workpiece and make it stop. Subsequently, the lifting and rotating device 102 rises, thus ensuring that the lithium battery pack is assembled at the accurate position.

[0088] The described tool system 400a includes robot 411, gantry manipulator 412a, plasma cleaning head 413, workbench 414a, barcode box 152, robot 421, positive and negative power socket box 1521, gantry manipulator 431, battery module box 1531; robot 441, three-coordinate manipulator 451, three-coordinate manipulator 462, front cover plate 463, insulation detector 471, offline device 482;

[0089] The described tool system 400b includes gantry manipulator 412b, workbench 414b, breathable explosion-proof valve box 151, gantry manipulator 422, wire locking machine 423, copper row box 1522, robot and automatic wire locking tool 442, robot and wire locking machine tool 452, BMS module box 1551; barcode scanner 461, automatic marking machine 464; insulation detector 472; communication performance detection device 481;

[0090] As shown Figure 5 in the figure, the first station includes a robot 411, a gantry manipulator 412a, a gantry manipulator 412b, a plasma cleaning head 413, a workbench 414a, a workbench 414b, a ventilation explosion-proof valve box 151, and a barcode box 152. The workbench 414a and the workbench 414b are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first station of the conveying device 100 and are used to store assembly tools and assembly connectors. The robot 411 is arranged at the front end (entrance) of the conveying line, and the ventilation explosion-proof valve box 151 is arranged on the right side of the robot 411. The robot 411 is used to transfer the ventilation explosion-proof valve in the ventilation explosion-proof valve box 151 into the housing 14 and install it. Two sets of gantry manipulators are provided, including the gantry manipulator 412a and 412b, which are symmetrically arranged on the workbench 414a and the workbench 414b and are used to pick up bolts and connect and fix the communication interface 13. The plasma cleaning head 413 and the barcode box 152 are arranged on the workbench 414a, and the communication interface 13 is arranged on the workbench 414b. The gantry manipulator 412a is used to paste the barcode in the barcode box 152 at the specified position of the battery pack. The plasma cleaning head 413 is arranged in front of the manipulator 412 and is used to automatically clean the battery pack housing 14;

[0091] As shown Figure 6 in the figure, the second station includes a robot 421, a gantry manipulator 422, a wire locking machine 423, a positive and negative power socket box 1521, and a copper busbar box 1522. The robot 421 and the gantry manipulator 422 are arranged on both sides of the conveying line and are used to respectively grab the power sockets and copper busbars in the positive and negative power socket boxes 1522 and the copper busbar box 1522 and send them to the specified positions. The wire locking machine 423 is located at one end and is mainly used to automatically lock the power sockets and copper busbars at the specified positions;

[0092] As shown Figure 7 in the figure, the third station includes a gantry manipulator 431 and a battery module box 1531. The gantry manipulator 431 is arranged above the conveying line and is used to hoist the battery module in the battery module box 1531 to the specified position in the housing 14;

[0093] As shown Figure 8 in the figure, the fourth station includes a robot 441 and a robot and automatic wire locking tool 442. The robot 441 and the robot and automatic wire locking tool 442 are located on both sides of the conveying line and are mainly used to place the positive and negative connection copper busbars of the module in the specified positions and complete the connection between the battery module and the bottom plate of the battery pack housing 14;

[0094] As shown Figure 9As shown in the figure, Station Five includes a three-coordinate manipulator 451, a robot and a wire-locking machine tool 452, and a BMS module box 1551. The three-coordinate manipulator 451 is arranged above the conveyor line and is used to lift the battery pack management and control BMS module (battery pack management and control system) in the BMS module box 1551 to a specified position in the housing 14. The robot and the wire-locking machine 452 are used to fix the battery pack management and control BMS module.

[0095] As Figure 10 shown in the figure, Station Six includes a barcode scanner 461, a three-coordinate manipulator 462, a front cover plate 463, and an automatic marking machine 464. The barcode scanner 461 and the automatic marking machine 464 are located at one end of the station and are used to input the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module, and battery pack management and control BMS module and to affix labels. The three-coordinate manipulator 462 is located at the other end of the station and its main function is to pick up and install the front cover plate 463.

[0096] As Figure 11 shown in the figure, Station Seven includes an insulation detector 471 and an insulation detector 472. The insulation detector 471 and the insulation detector 472 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the station and are used to perform insulation detection on the battery pack, which not only ensures the safe operation of the battery pack but also protects the safety of personnel.

[0097] As Figure 12 shown in the figure, Station Eight includes a communication performance detection device 481 and a downline device 482. The communication performance detection device 481 is arranged at the end of the entire production line and its main function is to comprehensively detect and evaluate the performance of the battery pack communication equipment to ensure that it meets the design requirements and industry standards;

[0098] The downline device 482 is used to lift the battery pack after the detection is completed to Station Nine for warehousing or integrated assembly. By using the battery pack production line of the present invention, the cooperation between the conveyor line and the corresponding operation robots effectively improves the automation degree of battery pack production, reduces the manual participation, and is also convenient for improving the accuracy in the production process, and can solve the technical problem of the low automation degree of battery pack production in the prior art;

[0099] As Figure 13 shown in the figure, the method for assembling a battery pack by using the marine lithium battery automatic assembly production line provided by the present invention specifically includes the following steps:

[0100] Step 1: Power on and start

[0101] Power on and start the assembly production line, and the battery pack housing is on the line;

[0102] Step 2: Clean the battery pack housing and install the communication interface

[0103] S21: Use the conveying device 100 to convey the battery pack housing 14 to the station tray 200 placed at station one, and the lifting and rotating device 102 performs lifting or rotating operations on the station tray 200;

[0104] S22: Automatically clean it through the plasma cleaning head 413, use the gantry robot one 412a to take out the battery pack barcode from the barcode box 152 and paste it at the designated position, and then use the gantry robot two 412b to pick up and install the communication interface 13; The robot 411 arranged at the front end of the conveying line sends the ventilation explosion-proof valve in the ventilation explosion-proof valve box 151 into the housing 14 and assembles it, waiting for instructions to enter station two;

[0105] Step Three: Install the power socket and connecting copper bar

[0106] S31: The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled accessories to reach station two along the conveying line. The robot two 421 and the gantry robot three 422 respectively grab the positive and negative power sockets and the connecting copper bar 1522 from the positive and negative power socket boxes 1521 and send them to the designated positions inside the housing;

[0107] S32: The wire locking machine two 423 performs automatic wire locking work, and after assembly, it enters the third station;

[0108] Step Four: Hoist the battery module

[0109] After the station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled accessories to reach station three along the conveying line, the gantry robot four 431 hoists 4 battery modules one by one and locates them according to the set positions;

[0110] Step Five: Fix the battery module

[0111] S51: After the station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled accessories to be conveyed to station four along the conveying line, use the robot and the automatic wire locking tool one 442 to complete the connection between the 4 battery modules and the battery pack housing bottom plate;

[0112] S52: The robot three 441 places the module positive and negative connection copper bars in the designated positions, and then uses the robot and the automatic wire locking tool one 442 to fasten and install them;

[0113] Step Six: Install the battery pack control BMS module

[0114] The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled accessories to be conveyed to station five. At station five, the three-coordinate robot one 451 sends the battery pack control BMS module in the BMS module box 1551 to the designated position, and completes the installation of the BMS module through the robot and the wire locking machine tool two 452;

[0115] Step Seven: Fitting Installation

[0116] S71: The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled fittings and is conveyed to Station Six along the conveyor line. After being transported to Station Six, manual assistance is provided for the wiring harness of the electric wire and data line, the short-circuit copper bar for the battery module, and the fitting installation;

[0117] S72: Use the barcode scanner 461 to input the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module, and battery pack control BMS module; Use the three-coordinate manipulator 462 to automatically install the front cover plate 463; The automatic marking machine 464 marks a label on the housing;

[0118] Step Eight: Insulation Detection

[0119] The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled fittings and is conveyed to Station Seven along the conveyor line. The battery pack is subjected to insulation detection by the insulation detector one 471 and the insulation detector two 472. If it meets the standard, proceed to Step Nine; if not, make adjustments and then detect again until the requirements are met and then proceed to Step Nine;

[0120] Step Nine: Communication Detection

[0121] The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled fittings and is conveyed to Station Eight along the conveyor line. The performance of the battery pack communication equipment is comprehensively detected and evaluated by the communication performance detection device 481. If it meets the design requirements and industry standards, proceed to the next step; if not, make handling and then detect again until the requirements are met and then proceed to Step Ten;

[0122] Step Ten: Battery Pack Offline

[0123] The station tray 200 drives the battery pack housing 14 together with the assembled fittings and is conveyed to Station Nine along the conveyor line; Use the offline device 482 to clamp and take out the detected battery pack from the production line for warehousing or integrated assembly; For the warehousing operation, execute Step S101, and for the integrated assembly, execute Step S102;

[0124] S101: Warehousing

[0125] The inlet trolley takes out the battery pack from Station Nine and sends it to the warehouse for storage, and then executes Step Eleven;

[0126] S102: Shelving

[0127] The shelving trolley takes out the battery pack from Station Nine and performs the shelving operation on it. Then check whether the shelving is completed and whether there is any omission between the battery racks. If there are problems, re-shelve. After the shelving is completed, execute Step Eleven;

[0128] Step Eleven: End

[0129] After completing the assembly of a battery pack, the assembly production line completes a cycle. If continued assembly is required, repeat steps two to ten; otherwise, end the assembly.

[0130] The above embodiments are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and some of the embodiments in which they are applied, and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several modifications and improvements can be made, and these all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic assembly production line for marine lithium battery packs, including a conveying device, a station tray, a down-line device, and a tool system. Several station trays are arranged on the conveying device for transporting battery packs. The down-line device is used to transport the battery packs offline for storage or transfer to other processes after assembly. The tool system includes a tool system 1 and a tool system 2, which are distributed on both sides or on the same side of the conveying device and are used for assembly and testing of various parts of the battery; Features: The entire assembly line includes nine stations, namely, Station 1: battery pack shell on-line, Station 2: communication interface and cable connection, Station 3: single cell hoisting, Station 4: single cell fixation, Station 5: battery pack control BMS module box installation, Station 6: accessories installation, Station 7: insulation detection, Station 8: communication detection station and Station 9: offline station. Each station completes the battery pack assembly through the corresponding assembly tools of the tool system; The conveying device includes a double-speed chain transmission mechanism and eight lifting and rotating devices respectively arranged at the first eight workstations. The lifting and rotating devices are used to lift and rotate the workstation pallet. The workstation pallet is lifted to an upper position for installation operation or lowered to a lower position coordinated with the double-speed chain transmission mechanism through the lifting and rotating device. The upper position of the workstation pallet is used for battery pack assembly, and the lower position of the workstation pallet is used for battery pack workstation transmission. When the workstation pallet is in an upper position, the lifting and rotating device can drive the workstation pallet to rotate 180°.

2. The automatic assembly line for marine lithium battery packs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tool system 1 includes a robot 1, a gantry manipulator 1, a plasma cleaning head, a workbench 1, a barcode box, a robot 2, a positive and negative power socket box, a gantry manipulator 4, and a battery module box; a robot 3, a three-coordinate manipulator 1, a three-coordinate manipulator 2, a front cover, an insulation tester 1, and a down-line device; The tool system 2 includes gantry manipulator 2, workbench 2, breathable explosion-proof valve box, gantry manipulator 3, wire locking machine 2, copper busbar box, robot and automatic wire locking tool 1, robot and wire locking machine tool 2, BMS module box; barcode scanner, automatic marking machine; insulation tester 2; communication performance testing device.

3. The automatic assembly line of a marine lithium battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: The workstation one is provided with the robot one, gantry manipulator one, gantry manipulator two, plasma cleaning head, workbench one, workbench two, breathable explosion-proof valve box, and barcode box; workbench one and workbench two are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the conveying device workstation one, and are used to store assembly tools and assembly connectors, the robot one is arranged at the front end of the conveying line, the breathable explosion-proof valve box is arranged next to the robot, and the robot one is used to transfer the breathable explosion-proof valve in the breathable explosion-proof valve box into the shell and install it; two sets of gantry manipulators one are also provided at the workstation one, which are symmetrically arranged on workbench one and workbench two, and are used to take bolts and connect and fix the communication interface; the plasma cleaning head and the barcode box are arranged on workbench one, and the communication interface is arranged on workbench two, the gantry manipulator one is used to stick the barcode in the barcode box to the specified position of the battery pack, and the plasma cleaning head is arranged in front of the manipulator one, and is used to automatically clean the battery pack shell.

4. The automatic assembly line for marine lithium battery packs according to claim 3, characterized in that: The workstation 2 is provided with the robot 2, the gantry manipulator 3, the wire locking machine 2, the positive and negative power socket box, and the copper busbar box; the robot 2 and the gantry manipulator 3 are arranged on both sides of the conveyor line, and are respectively used to grab the power sockets and copper busbars in the positive and negative power socket box and the copper busbar box and send them to the designated positions; the wire locking machine 2 is located next to the gantry manipulator 3 to automatically lock the power sockets and copper busbars at the designated positions.

5. The automatic assembly line for marine lithium battery packs according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gantry manipulator 4 and the battery module box are provided at the three workstations. The gantry manipulator 4 is arranged above the conveyor line and is used to lift the battery module in the battery module box to the designated position in the shell.

6. The automatic assembly line for marine lithium battery packs according to claim 5, characterized in that: The robot three, robot and automatic wire locking tool one are installed at four locations of the workstations. The robot three, robot and automatic wire locking tool one are located on both sides of the conveyor line and are used to place the positive and negative electrode connecting copper bars of the module into designated positions and complete the connection between the battery module and the bottom plate of the battery pack shell.

7. The automatic assembly line of a marine lithium battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that: The workstation five is provided with the three-coordinate manipulator one, the robot and the thread locking machine tool two, and the BMS module box. The three-coordinate manipulator one is arranged above the conveyor line and is used to lift the battery pack control BMS module in the BMS module box to the designated position in the shell. The robot and the thread locking machine two are used to fix the battery pack control BMS module.

8. The automatic assembly line of a marine lithium battery pack according to claim 7, characterized in that: The workstation 6 is provided with the barcode scanner, three-coordinate robot 2, front cover, and automatic marking machine. The barcode scanner and automatic marking machine are located at one end of the workstation, and have the function of inputting the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module and battery pack management and control BMS module and labeling; the three-coordinate robot 2 is located at the other end of the workstation, and is used to clamp the front cover and install it; the workstation 7 is provided with the insulation tester 1 and the insulation tester 2, and the insulation tester 1 and the insulation tester 2 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the workstation, and are used to perform insulation testing on the battery pack.

9. The automatic assembly line of a marine lithium battery pack according to claim 8, characterized in that: The workstation eight is provided with the communication performance detection device and the offline device. The communication performance detection device is arranged at the end of the entire production line, and is used to comprehensively detect and evaluate the performance of the battery pack communication equipment to ensure that it meets the design requirements and industry standards; the offline device is used to lift the battery pack after the inspection and send it to the workstation nine for warehousing or integrated assembly.

10. The automatic assembly line of a marine lithium battery pack according to claim 9, characterized in that: A method for assembling a battery pack on an automatic assembly production line for marine lithium batteries specifically comprises the following steps: Step 1: Power on and start The assembly line is powered on and the battery pack shell is put on line; Step 2: Clean the battery pack shell and install the communication interface S21: Use a conveying device to convey the battery pack shell to a station tray placed on station one, and the lifting and rotating device lifts or rotates the station tray; S22: Automatically clean it with a plasma cleaning head, use gantry robot 1 to take out the battery pack barcode from the barcode box and paste it at the designated position, and then use gantry robot 2 to pick up and install the communication interface; the robot arranged at the front end of the conveyor line delivers the breathable explosion-proof valve in the breathable explosion-proof valve box to the inside of the shell and assembles it, waiting for instructions to enter station 2; Step 3: Install the power socket and connect the copper busbar S31: The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories along the conveyor line to station 2, and robot 2 and gantry manipulator 3 grab the positive and negative power sockets and connecting copper bars from the positive and negative power socket boxes and send them to the designated positions in the shell; S32: The second thread locking machine performs automatic thread locking and enters the third station after assembly is completed; Step 4: Lifting the battery module The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories along the conveyor line to station three, where the gantry manipulator four hoists the four battery modules one by one and seats them according to the set positions; Step 5: Fix the battery module S51: After the station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled parts to the station four along the conveyor line, the robot and the automatic thread locking tool 1 are used to complete the connection between the four battery modules and the bottom plate of the battery pack shell; S52: Robot 3 places the positive and negative copper bars of the module into the designated position, and then fastens and installs them through the robot and automatic thread locking tool 1; Step 6: Install the battery pack control BMS module The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories to the station five along the conveyor line. At the station five, the battery pack control BMS module in the BMS module box is delivered to the designated position by the three-coordinate manipulator one, and the BMS module is installed by the robot and the thread locking machine tool two. Step 7: Accessories Installation S71: The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories to the sixth station along the conveyor line. After being transported to the sixth station, the wiring harness of the wires and data cables, the short-circuit copper bar of the battery module and the accessories are installed manually; S72: Use a barcode scanner to input the QR code information of the battery pack, battery module and battery pack control BMS module; use a three-coordinate robot to automatically install the front cover; and use an automatic marking machine to mark the shell; Step 8: Insulation test The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories to the seventh station along the conveyor line. The battery pack is tested for insulation by using insulation tester 1 and insulation tester 2. If it meets the standard, proceed to step nine. If it does not meet the standard, adjust it and test it again until it meets the requirement, then proceed to step nine. Step 9: Communication detection The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled accessories to the eighth station along the conveyor line. The communication performance detection device is used to comprehensively detect and evaluate the performance of the battery pack communication equipment. If it meets the design requirements and industry standards, it will proceed to the next step. If it does not meet the requirements, it will be processed and tested again until it meets the requirements and proceed to step ten. Step 10: Battery pack offline The station tray drives the battery pack shell and the assembled parts to be transported to station nine along the conveyor line; the battery pack after inspection is clamped by the offline device and leaves the production line for storage or integrated assembly; the storage operation executes step S101, and the integrated assembly executes step S102; S101: Warehousing The entrance cart takes out the battery pack from station nine and sends it to the warehouse for storage, and then executes step eleven; S102: On the shelf The loading trolley takes out the battery pack from station nine and loads it on the shelf, then checks whether the loading is completed and whether there are any omissions between the battery racks. If there are any problems, re-shelf it. After the loading is completed, go to step eleven; Step 11: End After completing the assembly of a battery pack, the assembly line completes a cycle. If assembly continues, repeat steps 2 to 10; otherwise, the assembly is terminated.

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