Automatic disassembling device and method for button cell

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of battery disassembling equipment, and provides a button cell automatic disassembling device and method. The disassembling device comprises: a rack; a feeding and arranging unit arranged at one end of the rack, used for feeding button cells and arranging the button cells into a column to be conveyed to a receiving station of a material separating and conveying unit; the material separating and conveying unit arranged at the other end of the rack, used for separating the button cells arranged into a column one by one to be conveyed to a disassembling station and conveying the disassembled button cells to a discharging station; and a disassembling and ejecting unit arranged on the material separating and conveying unit, used for disassembling and ejecting the button cells in the disassembling station. The disassembling method is realized by using the disassembling device. Through the mutual cooperation among the feeding and arranging unit, the material separating and conveying unit and the disassembling and ejecting unit, the automatic disassembling of the button cells is realized, and the whole disassembling process is periodically carried out, so that the disassembling efficiency is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery disassembly equipment technology, specifically to an automatic disassembly device and method for button batteries. Background Technology

[0002] With advancements in technology and manufacturing capabilities, the electronics industry has experienced rapid growth. The proliferation of portable electronic products such as smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, and camcorders has enriched daily life and improved work efficiency. This strong demand for button batteries from these products has significantly driven the growth of portable batteries.

[0003] Button batteries, also known as micro batteries, mainly consist of five parts: a non-stainless steel metal inner cap (negative electrode), zinc powder / lithium metal (anode), a separator (impregnated electrolyte), manganese dioxide / silver oxide (cathode), and a stainless steel casing (positive electrode). As their power depletes, a large number of used button batteries are generated each year. Therefore, it is necessary to dismantle them to recover the non-ferrous metal resources they contain for reuse, and also to reduce the environmental threat caused by indiscriminate disposal or mixing with household waste for landfill disposal.

[0004] Currently, most button battery disassembly devices on the market are operated manually, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in high labor intensity for workers. Moreover, there are cases where disassembly is not completed properly (i.e., the inner cover and outer shell cannot be easily separated after disassembly), requiring secondary disassembly, which leads to low disassembly efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a device that can automatically disassemble button batteries. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an automatic button battery disassembly device and method. This solves the problems that most existing button battery disassembly devices are operated manually, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and requires high labor intensity for workers. Furthermore, there are instances where disassembly is incomplete (i.e., the inner cover and outer shell cannot be easily separated after disassembly), requiring secondary disassembly and resulting in low disassembly efficiency.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] An automatic button battery disassembly device includes:

[0009] frame;

[0010] The feeding and arranging unit is located at one end of the frame and is used to feed button batteries and arrange them in a row before conveying them to the receiving station of the dispensing and conveying unit.

[0011] A material sorting and conveying unit, located at the other end of the frame, is used to separate the button batteries arranged in rows and convey them individually to their disassembly station, and then convey the disassembled button batteries to their unloading station; and

[0012] The disassembly and ejection unit is located on the material distribution and transmission unit and is used to disassemble and eject the button batteries at the disassembly station.

[0013] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the feeding arrangement unit includes:

[0014] An open hopper is fixedly connected between a pair of upright plates on the frame and arranged away from the material distribution and transmission unit, and is used to hold button batteries to be disassembled;

[0015] The conveyor belt comprises a first motor, a drive sprocket, a chain, a driven sprocket, a drive roller, a belt, and a driven roller connected in sequence; and

[0016] The chute has two guide bars at its upper inlet and its lower outlet extends to the receiving station of the material distribution and transmission unit.

[0017] in,

[0018] The first motor is fixedly installed on the frame between a pair of vertical plates. Its output shaft rotates through one of the vertical plates and is fixedly connected to the drive sprocket. The drive roller is rotatably connected between the pair of vertical plates. One end of the roller passes through the vertical plate and is fixedly connected to the driven sprocket.

[0019] The driven roller is also rotatably connected between the pair of vertical plates and two rollers are arranged at the same height. One of the driven rollers is parallel to the top of the driving roller, and the other driven roller is parallel to the top of the driving roller, so that the belt that fits against the outside of the three and forms a circle has a vertical section and a horizontal section.

[0020] The belt has a magnet embedded in it, and its vertical section is directly opposite the opening of the open hopper so that the button battery can be attracted by the magnet in a horizontal position.

[0021] The inlet of the chute is close to the horizontal section of the belt and its width is adapted to the outer diameter of the button battery. The two guide bars extend horizontally above the horizontal section of the belt in a suspended manner to form a horn-shaped structure to guide the button batteries magnetically attached to the belt into the chute and arrange them in a row.

[0022] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, a height limiting strip arranged vertically along the belt running direction is connected between the two guide strips;

[0023] The height of the height limit strip from the horizontal section of the belt is 1.2 to 1.5 times the thickness of the button battery.

[0024] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the material distribution and transmission unit has four stations: receiving, disassembling, waiting, and unloading. These stations are evenly distributed around the axial circumference of a cylinder. The top of the cylinder is closed and connected to the lower end of the chute so that the receiving station is directly opposite the outlet of the lower end of the chute and the bottom is fixedly placed on the platform set by the frame.

[0025] The cylinder is equipped with a drive assembly inside and a disc is rotatably connected to the top. The drive assembly is connected to the disc to drive the latter to rotate intermittently in one direction.

[0026] The disc has a pair of notches and a pair of round holes. The pair of notches correspond to the receiving station and the waiting station, respectively, and the pair of round holes correspond to the disassembly station and the unloading station, respectively.

[0027] Each of the aforementioned notches is equipped with a material distribution mechanism, the inlet of which can be closed after the button battery slides in and opened wide after it slides out, for the purpose of separating the button batteries arranged in rows in the chute for individual transport.

[0028] The top of the cylinder at the disassembly station is provided with a disassembly hole for receiving button batteries from the material sorting mechanism;

[0029] The top of the cylinder at the unloading station is connected to a feeding pipe. The feeding pipe extends downward from the inside of the cylinder, through the side wall of the cylinder, and then to a material box for exporting the disassembled button batteries into the material box for collection.

[0030] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the drive assembly includes a support platform, a second motor, a grooved wheel mechanism, and a cross-key shaft;

[0031] The support platform is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder;

[0032] The second motor is suspended inside the support platform, and its output axis rotates upward through the platform surface of the support platform and is then fixedly connected to the dial of the Geneva mechanism;

[0033] The grooved wheel mechanism is mounted on the platform of the support, and the middle part of its grooved wheel is fixedly connected to the cross key shaft;

[0034] The cross-shaped key shaft is inserted into the central tube of the disc that extends downward into the interior of the cylinder.

[0035] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, each side of the notch has a straight surface and a slope that are connected to each other, and the slopes on both sides of the notch are relatively outward to form a trumpet-shaped outer end;

[0036] The material dispensing mechanism includes a pair of L-shaped clips, whose corners are symmetrically located at the outer end of the notch to form the entrance of the material dispensing mechanism, and a receiving area that can only accommodate one button battery is formed at the inner end of the notch.

[0037] Each of the L-shaped clips is hinged to the connection between the straight surface and the inclined surface on one side of the notch, and is connected to the spring built into the straight surface on that side;

[0038] Under the action of the spring return force, the L-shaped clip rotates around its hinge point to fit against the inclined surface on the side, thereby opening the entrance of the material dispensing mechanism.

[0039] The spring's restoring force can only push the L-shaped clip to rotate around its hinge point, but it cannot use the L-shaped clip to clamp the button battery that has entered the receiving area and push it out.

[0040] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the dismantling and ejection unit includes:

[0041] A disassembly mechanism, installed above the cylinder, is used to disassemble the button battery in the disassembly hole; and

[0042] An ejection mechanism, installed inside the cylinder, is used to hold the button battery in place and eject the disassembled button battery from the disassembly hole into a circular hole in the disc.

[0043] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the disassembly mechanism is mainly divided into a power section and an output section;

[0044] The power unit includes a third motor, a reducer, a drive shaft, and a first crossbar connected in sequence. The third motor and the reducer are respectively fixedly mounted on a first bracket set at the top of the cylinder. One end of the drive shaft is coaxially connected to the output gear of the reducer, and the other end rotates through a hanging rod and is fixedly connected to the first crossbar. The hanging rod is suspended on a second bracket set at the top of the cylinder. The second bracket is arranged opposite to the first bracket to surround the disc.

[0045] The output section includes a second crossbar, a scissor jack, and a pressure head. The second crossbar intersects the first crossbar perpendicularly and is fixedly connected to one end of the lead screw of the scissor jack. The base of the scissor jack is fixedly suspended on the second bracket. The pressure head is fixedly connected to the working end of the scissor jack and located directly above the disassembly hole.

[0046] In one embodiment disclosed in this application, the ejection mechanism includes a support, a fourth motor, a cam, a pin, and a push rod. The support is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder and has a trapezoidal groove and a sliding hole thereon. The sliding hole communicates with the trapezoidal groove through the sliding groove.

[0047] The fourth motor is fixedly installed in the trapezoidal groove. The cam is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the fourth motor. One end of the pin is slidably engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the cam, and the other end slides through the groove and extends into the sliding hole to be inserted and connected to the lower end of the push rod. The push rod is slidably connected to the sliding hole, and its upper end extends upward to the disassembly hole.

[0048] An automatic disassembly method for button batteries, implemented using any one of the above-described automatic button battery disassembly devices, includes the following steps:

[0049] S1. Start the first motor and use a belt with embedded magnets to transfer the button batteries to be disassembled from the open hopper to the chute to be arranged in rows.

[0050] S2. The button batteries arranged in rows in the chute are separated into individual units by the material separating mechanism and then enter the receiving area.

[0051] S3. Start the second motor, drive the disc to rotate 90° through the grooved wheel mechanism to transfer a single button battery to the disassembly station, and after the button battery falls into the disassembly hole, the disc continues to rotate 90° so that a round hole is aligned with the disassembly hole.

[0052] S4. Start the third motor to rotate forward, and use the scissor jack to move the pressure head down to squeeze the button battery in the disassembly hole to complete the disassembly; at the same time, the next button battery enters the corresponding receiving area through another material distribution mechanism;

[0053] S5. Start the fourth motor, which drives the push rod to move upward through the cam to push the disassembled button battery out of the disassembly hole into a round hole in the disc. Then the push rod moves down to the original position and repeats the process. At the same time, the third motor reverses and drives the pressure head to move up to the original position through the scissor jack.

[0054] S6. The disc continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the waiting station. At the same time, the next button battery moves to the disassembly station and falls into the disassembly hole.

[0055] S7. The disc continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the unloading station, where it falls into the material box through the unloading tube to complete the unloading; at the same time, S4 is executed.

[0056] S8. Repeat steps S5 to S7 to complete the disassembly and unloading of all button batteries.

[0057] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0058] 1. Through the cooperation of the three units—the feeding and arranging unit, the disassembly and conveying unit, and the disassembly and ejection unit—automatic disassembly of button batteries is achieved. Moreover, the entire disassembly process is carried out periodically, resulting in high disassembly efficiency.

[0059] 2. Through the cooperation of the belt with embedded magnets, the guide strip and the height limit strip, the button batteries can be ensured to enter the chute in a single layer and single row, which is beneficial to the subsequent sorting and disassembly of the button batteries.

[0060] 3. The second motor drives the grooved wheel mechanism to achieve unidirectional intermittent rotation of the disc, which effectively ensures the accuracy and efficiency of the movement of the button battery between the four workstations, and can greatly improve the disassembly efficiency of the button battery.

[0061] 4. By utilizing the relative rotation of a pair of L-shaped clips within the notch and the spring's reset, the inlet size of the dispensing mechanism is adjusted, enabling the dispensing of button batteries. The structure is simple and highly practical.

[0062] 5. Through the reducer in the power section and the scissor jack in the output section, a large torque can be output to use the pressure head to crush the button battery, which completely solves the problem of incomplete disassembly and the need for secondary disassembly, thus improving disassembly efficiency.

[0063] 6. The push rod is controlled by a cam to move up and down repeatedly, which realizes the disassembly and ejection of the button battery. It is a clever design with two uses and strong practicality. Attached Figure Description

[0064] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0065] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0066] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0067] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0068] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified schematic diagram of section A in the middle;

[0069] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Front view structural diagram;

[0070] Figure 6A three-dimensional structural diagram of the material distribution and conveying unit hidden in the cylinder and the material unloading and ejection unit;

[0071] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified schematic diagram of the B section in the middle;

[0072] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the driving component;

[0073] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the ejection mechanism.

[0074] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0075] 100. Rack; 110. Vertical plate; 120. Platform;

[0076] 200. Feeding arrangement unit; 210. Open hopper; 220. Conveyor belt; 221. First motor; 222. Drive sprocket; 223. Chain; 224. Driven sprocket; 225. Driven roller; 226. Belt; 227. Driven roller; 230. Chute; 231. Guide bar.

[0077] 300. Material distribution and conveying unit; 310. Cylinder; 311. First support; 312. Second support; 313. Hanging rod; 314. Semi-circular side cover; 320. Drive assembly; 321. Support platform; 322. Second motor; 323. Grooved wheel mechanism; 324. Cross key shaft; 330. Disc; 340. Material distribution mechanism; 341. L-shaped clamp; 350. Feeding pipe;

[0078] 400. Material ejection unit; 410. Power unit; 411. Third motor; 412. Reducer; 413. Drive shaft; 414. First crossbar; 420. Output unit; 421. Second crossbar; 422. Scissor jack; 423. Pressure head; 430. Ejection mechanism; 431. Support; 432. Fourth motor; 433. Cam; 434. Pin; 435. Push rod. Detailed Implementation

[0079] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0080] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0081] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0082] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0083] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0084] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0085] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0086] See Figures 1-9As shown, in one aspect, the present invention provides an automatic disassembly device for button batteries, comprising:

[0087] 100 racks;

[0088] The feeding and arranging unit 200 is located at one end of the frame 100 and is used to feed button batteries and arrange them in a row before conveying them to the receiving station of the distributing and conveying unit 300.

[0089] The material sorting and conveying unit 300, located at the other end of the frame 100, is used to separate the button batteries arranged in rows and convey them individually to their disassembly station, and to convey the disassembled button batteries to their unloading station; and

[0090] The disassembly and ejection unit 400 is located on the material distribution and transmission unit 300 and is used to disassemble and eject the button batteries at the disassembly station.

[0091] Specifically, the feeding arrangement unit 200 includes:

[0092] An open hopper 210 is fixedly connected between a pair of upright plates 110 on the frame 100 and is arranged away from the material distribution and transmission unit, and is used to hold button batteries to be disassembled.

[0093] Conveyor belt 220 includes a first motor 221, a drive sprocket 222, a chain 223, a driven sprocket 224, a drive roller 225, a belt 226, and a driven roller 227 connected in sequence; and

[0094] The chute 230 has two guide bars 231 at its upper inlet and extends to the receiving station of the material distribution and transmission unit 300 at its lower outlet.

[0095] The first motor 221 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100 between a pair of upright plates 110. Its output shaft rotates through one upright plate 110 and is fixedly connected to the drive sprocket 222. The drive roller 225 is rotatably connected between the pair of upright plates 110. One end of the drive roller 225 passes through one upright plate 110 and is fixedly connected to the driven sprocket 224. The driven roller 227 is also rotatably connected between the pair of upright plates 110, and two rollers are arranged at the same height. One driven roller 227 is parallel to the drive roller 225 and directly above it. The other driven roller 227 is parallel to the drive roller 225 and diagonally above it, so that it fits against the outside of the three rollers and forms a circle. The belt 226 has a vertical section and a horizontal section; the belt 226 is embedded with a magnet, and its vertical section is directly opposite the opening of the open hopper 210 (the two together enclose the button battery to be disassembled) so that the button battery is attracted by the magnet in a flat position (that is, the button battery is laid flat so that one side of it is attached to the belt 226); the entrance of the chute 230 is close to the horizontal section of the belt 226 and its width is adapted to the outer diameter of the button battery; two guide bars 231 extend horizontally above the horizontal section of the belt 226 in a suspended manner to form a funnel-shaped structure to guide the button batteries magnetically attracted on the belt 226 into the chute 230 and arrange them in rows.

[0096] The button batteries to be disassembled are poured into the open hopper 210. Under the magnetic force of the magnets embedded in the belt 226, some of the button batteries will first adhere to the vertical section of the belt 226 in a flat position. When feeding is needed, the first motor 221 is started, which drives the belt 226 from its vertical section to the horizontal section through the drive sprocket 222, chain 223, driven sprocket 224 and drive roller 225, so that the button batteries follow the belt 226. As the belt 226 moves... The remaining button batteries in the open hopper 210 will gradually move towards the belt 226 under the magnetic force of the magnet and continue to adhere to the vertical section of the belt 226. The button batteries will gradually move towards the entrance of the chute 230 under the guidance of the two guide bars 231 with a horn-shaped structure on the horizontal section of the belt 226. Finally, they will leave the belt 226 and enter the chute 230 to be arranged in a row. Under their own gravity, they will slide down the chute 230 to the receiving station of the material distribution and transmission unit 300.

[0097] It should be noted that the magnets embedded in the belt 226 are specially customized, and their magnetic force is specifically designed to attract only one button battery per unit area (such as the side area of ​​a button battery). This avoids the phenomenon of button batteries being stacked on the vertical section of the belt 226.

[0098] Meanwhile, to prevent the button batteries from stacking on the horizontal section of the belt 226, a height-limiting bar (not shown in the figure) is connected between the two guide bars 231, arranged vertically along the running direction of the belt 226. The height of the height-limiting bar above the horizontal section of the belt 226 is 1.2 to 1.5 times the thickness of the button battery. In this way, stacked button batteries will be stopped by the height-limiting bar and will eventually enter the chute 230 in a single layer. That is to say, through the cooperation of the belt 226 with embedded magnets, the guide bars 231, and the height-limiting bar, it can be ensured that the button batteries enter the chute 230 in a single layer and single row, which is beneficial for the subsequent sorting and disassembly of the button batteries.

[0099] The material conveying unit 300 has four stations: receiving, disassembling, waiting, and unloading. These stations are evenly distributed around the circumference of a cylinder 310 (i.e., spaced 90° apart). The top of the cylinder 310 is closed and connected to the lower end of the chute 230 so that the receiving station is directly opposite the lower outlet of the chute 230. The bottom of the cylinder 310 is fixedly placed on the platform 120 of the frame 100. A drive assembly 320 is installed inside the cylinder 310, and a disc 330 is rotatably connected to the top. The drive assembly 320 is connected to the disc 330 to drive the latter to rotate intermittently in one direction. The disc 330 has a pair of notches and a pair of holes. The pair of notches correspond to the receiving station and the waiting station, respectively. A pair of circular holes correspond to the disassembly station and the unloading station, respectively. A material distribution mechanism 340 is installed in each notch. Its inlet can be closed after the button battery slides in and opened after it slides out. It is used to separate the button batteries arranged in rows in the chute 230 into individual pieces (i.e., one at a time) for transport. The top of the cylinder 310 at the disassembly station is provided with a disassembly hole for receiving the button batteries from the material distribution mechanism 340. The top of the cylinder 310 at the unloading station is connected to a material unloading pipe 350. The material unloading pipe 350 extends downward from the inside of the cylinder 310, out of the side wall of the cylinder 310, and into a material box (not shown in the figure) for exporting the disassembled button batteries into the material box for collection.At the receiving station, a button battery slides from the lower outlet of the chute 230 into the dispensing mechanism 340 under its own gravity. The inlet then closes, and the drive assembly 320 drives the disc 330 to rotate intermittently in one direction, thus carrying the button battery intermittently along the top of the cylinder 310. As the disc 330 rotates, the current notch is offset from the lower outlet of the chute 230, and the outer edge of the disc 330 blocks the lower outlet of the chute 230, preventing the battery from being distributed within the chute 230. The stacked button batteries continue to slide out; when the disc 330 rotates 90° so that the current notch reaches the disassembly station, the disc 330 stops, and the button batteries in the sorting mechanism 340 fall into the disassembly hole at the top of the cylinder 310 under their own gravity. The inlet of the sorting mechanism 340 opens wider and resets; then, the disc 330 continues to rotate 90° and stops so that one of the circular holes is aligned with the disassembly hole (and centered therewith). At this time, the disassembly ejection unit 400 is activated, first aligning the disassembly... The button battery in the disassembly hole is disassembled and then pushed out of the disassembly hole into the circular hole. At the same time, the other notch rotates to the receiving station, and the next button battery continues to slide from the lower outlet of the chute 230 into the corresponding dispensing mechanism 340. Then, the disc 330 continues to rotate 90° and stops, and continues to move along the top of the cylinder 310 to the waiting station through the circular hole with the disassembled button battery. At the same time, the next button battery moves to the disassembly station and falls into the disassembly hole, and the corresponding dispensing mechanism 340 resets. Then, the disc 330 continues to rotate 90° and stops. At this time, the disassembled button battery moves to the unloading station and falls into the material box through the unloading pipe 350 under its own gravity, thus completing the disassembly process. At the same time, the other circular hole is aligned with the disassembly hole, so that the next button battery is disassembled and pushed out by the disassembly ejection unit 400. The initial notch reaches the receiving station and resets to receive the third button battery through its corresponding dispensing mechanism 340. By repeating this process, multiple button batteries can be disassembled.

[0100] See Figure 8As shown, the drive assembly 320 includes a support platform 321, a second motor 322, a Geneva mechanism 323, and a cross-key shaft 324. The support platform 321 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cylinder 310. The second motor 322 is suspended inside the support platform 321, and its output shaft rotates upward through the platform surface of the support platform 321 before being fixedly connected to the dial of the Geneva mechanism 323. The Geneva mechanism 323 is mounted on the platform surface of the support platform 321, and its Geneva wheel is fixedly connected to the cross-key shaft 324 in the middle. The cross-key shaft 324 is inserted into the center tube of the disc 330 extending downward into the cylinder 310. It should be noted that the Geneva mechanism 323 mainly consists of a dial with a cylindrical pin and a Geneva wheel. It is often used to convert the continuous rotation of the driving element (dial) into the unidirectional periodic rotation of the driven element (Generated wheel) with pauses. Its specific structure and operation process are prior art and will not be described in detail here. In other words, by driving the grooved wheel mechanism 323 through the second motor 322 to achieve the unidirectional intermittent rotation of the disc 330, the accuracy and efficiency of the button battery movement between the four workstations are effectively guaranteed, which can greatly improve the disassembly efficiency of the button battery.

[0101] See Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, each side of the notch has a straight surface and an inclined surface connected to each other. The inclined surfaces on both sides of the notch expand outward to form a trumpet-shaped outer end. The dispensing mechanism 340 includes a pair of L-shaped clips 341, whose corners are symmetrically located at the outer end of the notch to form the entrance of the dispensing mechanism 340, and forming a receiving area at the inner end of the notch that can only accommodate one button battery. Each L-shaped clip 341 is hinged at the connection between the straight surface and the inclined surface on one side of the notch, and is connected to a spring (not shown in the figure) built into the straight surface on that side. Under the action of the spring's restoring force, the L-shaped clip 341 rotates around its hinge point to fit against the inclined surface on that side and open the entrance of the dispensing mechanism 340 (i.e., the initial state of the dispensing mechanism 340). The spring's restoring force can only push the L-shaped clip 341 to rotate around its hinge point, but cannot use the L-shaped clip 341 to clamp the button battery entering the receiving area and push it outward. When a button battery slides into the dispensing mechanism 340 from the lower outlet of the chute 230 under its own weight and enters the receiving area, the downward inertia of the button battery, after overcoming the spring's restoring force, pushes a pair of L-shaped clips 341 away from the inclined surfaces on both sides of the notch and rotates around their hinge points to fit against the straight surface on the corresponding side of the notch. At this time, the spring is compressed, and the corners of the pair of L-shaped clips 341 move closer together, closing the entrance of the dispensing mechanism 340 and preventing subsequent button batteries from sliding into the notch from the lower outlet of the chute 230 and entering the receiving area (dispensing mechanism 340), thus achieving dispensing. Afterward, as the disc 330 rotates 90° and stops, the button batteries in the receiving area fall into the disassembly hole at the top of the cylinder 310 under their own weight. The spring returns to its original position, opening the entrance of the dispensing mechanism 340 and returning to the initial state to receive the next button battery. In other words, by using the relative rotation of a pair of L-shaped clips 341 within the notch and the reset of the spring to adjust the inlet size of the dispensing mechanism 340, the dispensing of button batteries is achieved. The structure is simple and highly practical.

[0102] The dismantling and ejection unit 400 includes:

[0103] The disassembly mechanism, installed above the cylinder 310, is used to disassemble the button battery in the disassembly hole; and

[0104] The ejection mechanism 430 is installed inside the cylinder 310 and is used to hold the button battery and eject the disassembled button battery from the disassembly hole into a round hole in the disc 330.

[0105] Specifically, the disassembly mechanism is mainly divided into a power unit 410 and an output unit 420; see [link / reference] Figure 4As shown, the power unit 410 includes a third motor 411, a reducer 412, a drive shaft 413, and a first crossbar 414 connected in sequence. The third motor 411 and the reducer 412 are respectively fixedly mounted on the first bracket 311 provided at the top of the cylinder 310. One end of the drive shaft 413 is coaxially connected to the output gear of the reducer 412, and the other end rotates through a hanging rod 313 and is fixedly connected to the first crossbar 414. The hanging rod 313 is suspended on the second bracket 312 provided at the top of the cylinder 310. The second bracket 312 is arranged opposite to the first bracket 311 to surround the disc 330; see also Figure 6 As shown, the output section 420 includes a second cross rod 421, a scissor jack 422, and a pressure head 423. The second cross rod 421 intersects the first cross rod 414 perpendicularly and is fixedly connected to one end of the lead screw of the scissor jack 422. The base of the scissor jack 422 is fixedly suspended on the second bracket 312. The pressure head 423 is fixedly connected to the working end of the scissor jack 422 and is located directly above the disassembly hole.

[0106] After the button battery falls into the disassembly hole, the third motor 411 is started to rotate forward. The reducer 412 slows down the rotation and increases the output torque, causing the drive shaft 413 and the first crossbar 414 to rotate synchronously. The rotation of the first crossbar 414 drives (pushes) the second crossbar 421 to rotate. The screw of the scissor jack 422 rotates accordingly, causing the working end of the scissor jack 422 to move downwards (the downward movement distance is approximately equal to the thickness of the disc 330 or the button battery, which is very small, so the second crossbar 421 and the first crossbar 414 can still...). Maintaining the cross-pushing positional relationship, the output torque is further amplified using the lever principle. The pressure head 423 then passes downwards through the circular hole of the disc 330 and extends into the disassembly hole to squeeze the button battery held by the ejector mechanism 430. This causes the inner cover and outer casing to move closer together (the components between them move radially), thus opening the outer casing and facilitating disassembly for subsequent processing. Afterwards, the third motor 411 rotates in the opposite direction, driving the pressure head 423 out of the disassembly hole and upwards above the circular hole of the disc 330, ready for the arrival of the next button battery. In other words, through the reducer 412 of the power unit 410 and the scissor jack 422 of the output unit 420, a large torque can be output to use the pressure head 423 to squeeze and disassemble the button battery, completely solving the problem of incomplete disassembly requiring secondary disassembly and improving disassembly efficiency.

[0107] See Figure 9As shown, the ejection mechanism 430 includes a support 431, a fourth motor 432, a cam 433, a pin 434, and a push rod 435. The support 431 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder 310 and has a trapezoidal groove and a sliding hole. The sliding hole is connected to the trapezoidal groove through the sliding groove. The fourth motor 432 is fixedly installed in the trapezoidal groove. The cam 433 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the fourth motor 432. One end of the pin 434 is slidably engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the cam 433, and the other end slides through the sliding groove and extends into the sliding hole to be inserted and connected to the lower end of the push rod 435. The push rod 435 is slidably connected to the sliding hole, and its upper end extends upward to the disassembly hole. After the button battery is disassembled by the pressure head 423, the fourth motor 432 starts as the pressure head 423 moves upward, driving the cam 433 to rotate. This causes the pin 434 to slide within the groove, pulling the push rod 435 out of the sliding hole and upward, thus pushing the disassembled button battery out of the disassembly hole into a circular hole in the disc 330. Afterward, the cam 433 continues to rotate, and the push rod 435 moves downward to the disassembly hole and retracts into the sliding hole, ready for the next button battery. Therefore, the combination of the grooved wheel mechanism 323 and the cam 433 drives the entire disassembly process periodically. In other words, by controlling the up-and-down reciprocating movement of the push rod 435 through the cam 433, the disassembly and ejection of the button battery are achieved—a clever and practical design with two functions.

[0108] In this embodiment, the first motor 221, the second motor 322, the third motor 411, and the fourth motor 432 are all preferably servo motors, and the reducer 412 is preferably a two-stage gear reducer.

[0109] See Figure 1 As shown, the cylinder 310 is provided with a semi-circular side cover 314, which can be opened to maintain and service the internal drive assembly 320 and ejection mechanism 430.

[0110] On the other hand, the present invention provides an automatic disassembly method for button batteries, which is implemented using the automatic disassembly device described above, and specifically includes the following steps:

[0111] S1. Start the first motor 221 and use the belt 226 with embedded magnets to transfer the button batteries to be disassembled in the open hopper 210 to the chute 230 to be arranged in a row.

[0112] S2. The button batteries arranged in the chute 230 are separated into individual cells by the material separating mechanism 340 and then enter the receiving area.

[0113] S3. Start the second motor 322, drive the disc 330 to rotate 90° through the grooved wheel mechanism 323 to transfer a single button battery to the disassembly station, and after the button battery falls into the disassembly hole, the disc 330 continues to rotate 90° so that a round hole is aligned with the disassembly hole.

[0114] S4. Start the third motor 411 to make it rotate forward, and drive the pressure head 423 to move down through the scissor jack 422 to squeeze the button battery in the disassembly hole to complete the disassembly; at the same time, the next button battery enters the corresponding receiving area through another material distribution mechanism 340.

[0115] S5. Start the fourth motor 432, which drives the push rod 435 to move upward through the cam 433 to push the disassembled button battery out from the disassembly hole into a round hole in the disc 330. Then the push rod 435 moves down to its original position and repeats the process. At the same time, the third motor 411 reverses and drives the pressure head 423 to move upward to its original position through the scissor jack 422.

[0116] S6, the disk 330 continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the waiting station, while the next button battery moves to the disassembly station and falls into the disassembly hole;

[0117] S7, the disc 330 continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the unloading station, where it falls into the material box through the unloading tube 350 to complete the unloading; at the same time, S4 is executed;

[0118] S8. Repeat steps S5 to S7 to complete the disassembly and unloading of all button batteries.

[0119] In summary, the present invention achieves automatic disassembly of button batteries through the cooperation of the three units: the feeding and arranging unit 200, the distributing and conveying unit 300, and the disassembly and ejection unit 400. Moreover, the entire disassembly process is carried out periodically, resulting in high disassembly efficiency.

[0120] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical solutions of the present invention. Any technical solution that can be implemented based on the above embodiments without creative effort should be considered to fall within the scope of protection of the patent of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic disassembly device for button batteries, characterized in that, include: frame; The feeding and arranging unit is located at one end of the frame and is used to feed button batteries. After the batteries are arranged in rows by chutes, they are transported to the receiving station of the material distribution and transmission unit. A material sorting and conveying unit, located at the other end of the frame, is used to separate the button batteries arranged in rows and convey them individually to their disassembly station, and then convey the disassembled button batteries to their unloading station; and The disassembly and ejection unit is located on the material distribution and transmission unit and is used to disassemble and eject the button batteries at the disassembly station. The material distribution and transmission unit has four stations: receiving, disassembling, waiting, and unloading. These stations are evenly distributed around the circumference of a cylinder. The top of the cylinder is closed and connected to the lower end of the chute so that the receiving station is directly opposite the lower outlet of the chute and the bottom is fixedly placed on the platform set by the frame. The disc has a pair of notches and a pair of round holes. The pair of notches correspond to the receiving station and the waiting station, respectively, and the pair of round holes correspond to the disassembly station and the unloading station, respectively. The top of the cylinder at the disassembly station is provided with a disassembly hole for receiving button batteries from the material sorting mechanism; The unloading and ejection unit includes: A disassembly mechanism, installed above the cylinder, is used to disassemble the button battery in the disassembly hole; and An ejection mechanism, installed inside the cylinder, is used to hold the button battery in place and eject the disassembled button battery from the disassembly hole into a circular hole in the disc. The disassembly mechanism is divided into a power section and an output section; The power unit includes a third motor, a reducer, a drive shaft, and a first crossbar connected in sequence. The third motor and the reducer are respectively fixedly mounted on a first bracket set at the top of the cylinder. One end of the drive shaft is coaxially connected to the output gear of the reducer, and the other end rotates through a hanging rod and is fixedly connected to the first crossbar. The hanging rod is suspended on a second bracket set at the top of the cylinder. The second bracket is arranged opposite to the first bracket to surround the disc. The output section includes a second crossbar, a scissor jack, and a pressure head. The second crossbar intersects the first crossbar perpendicularly and is fixedly connected to one end of the lead screw of the scissor jack. The base of the scissor jack is fixedly suspended on the second bracket. The pressure head is fixedly connected to the working end of the scissor jack and is located directly above the disassembly hole. The ejection mechanism includes a support, a fourth motor, a cam, a pin, and an ejector rod. The support is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder and has a trapezoidal groove and a sliding hole. The sliding hole communicates with the trapezoidal groove through the sliding groove. The fourth motor is fixedly installed in the trapezoidal groove. The cam is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the fourth motor. One end of the pin is slidably engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the cam, and the other end slides through the groove and extends into the sliding hole to be inserted and connected to the lower end of the push rod. The push rod is slidably connected to the sliding hole, and its upper end extends upward to the disassembly hole.

2. The automatic button battery disassembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding arrangement unit includes: An open hopper is fixedly connected between a pair of upright plates on the frame and arranged away from the material distribution and transmission unit, and is used to hold button batteries to be disassembled; The conveyor belt comprises a first motor, a drive sprocket, a chain, a driven sprocket, a drive roller, a belt, and a driven roller connected in sequence; and The chute has two guide bars at its upper inlet and its lower outlet extends to the receiving station of the material distribution and transmission unit. in, The first motor is fixedly installed on the frame between a pair of vertical plates. Its output shaft rotates through one of the vertical plates and is fixedly connected to the drive sprocket. The drive roller is rotatably connected between the pair of vertical plates. One end of the roller passes through the vertical plate and is fixedly connected to the driven sprocket. The driven roller is also rotatably connected between the pair of vertical plates and two rollers are arranged at the same height. One of the driven rollers is parallel to the top of the driving roller, and the other driven roller is parallel to the top of the driving roller, so that the belt that fits against the outside of the three and forms a circle has a vertical section and a horizontal section. The belt has a magnet embedded in it, and its vertical section is directly opposite the opening of the open hopper so that the button battery can be attracted by the magnet in a horizontal position. The inlet of the chute is close to the horizontal section of the belt and its width is adapted to the outer diameter of the button battery. The two guide bars extend horizontally above the horizontal section of the belt in a suspended manner to form a horn-shaped structure to guide the button batteries magnetically attached to the belt into the chute and arrange them in a row.

3. The automatic disassembly device for button batteries according to claim 2, characterized in that: A height limiting strip is connected between the two guide strips and arranged perpendicularly to the direction of belt travel; The height of the height limit strip from the horizontal section of the belt is 1.2 to 1.5 times the thickness of the button battery.

4. The automatic button battery disassembly device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The cylinder is equipped with a drive assembly inside and a disc is rotatably connected to the top. The drive assembly is connected to the disc to drive the latter to rotate intermittently in one direction. Each of the aforementioned notches is equipped with a material distribution mechanism, the inlet of which can be closed after the button battery slides in and opened wide after it slides out, for the purpose of separating the button batteries arranged in rows in the chute for individual transport. The top of the cylinder at the unloading station is connected to a feeding pipe. The feeding pipe extends downward from the inside of the cylinder, through the side wall of the cylinder, and then to a material box for exporting the disassembled button batteries into the material box for collection.

5. The automatic disassembly device for button batteries according to claim 4, characterized in that: The drive assembly includes a support platform, a second motor, a grooved wheel mechanism, and a cross-key shaft; The support platform is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cylinder; The second motor is suspended inside the support platform, and its output axis rotates upward through the platform surface of the support platform and is then fixedly connected to the dial of the Geneva mechanism; The grooved wheel mechanism is mounted on the platform of the support, and the middle part of its grooved wheel is fixedly connected to the cross key shaft; The cross-shaped key shaft is inserted into the central tube of the disc that extends downward into the interior of the cylinder.

6. The automatic disassembly device for button batteries according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each side of the notch has a straight surface and a slope that are connected to each other, and the slopes on both sides of the notch expand outward to form a trumpet-shaped outer end; The material dispensing mechanism includes a pair of L-shaped clips, whose corners are symmetrically located at the outer end of the notch to form the entrance of the material dispensing mechanism, and a receiving area that can only accommodate one button battery is formed at the inner end of the notch. Each of the L-shaped clips is hinged to the connection between the straight surface and the inclined surface on one side of the notch, and is connected to the spring built into the straight surface on that side; Under the action of the spring return force, the L-shaped clip rotates around its hinge point to fit against the inclined surface on the side, thereby opening the entrance of the material dispensing mechanism. The spring's restoring force can only push the L-shaped clip to rotate around its hinge point, but it cannot use the L-shaped clip to clamp the button battery that has entered the receiving area and push it out.

7. A method for automatically disassembling a button battery, implemented using the automatic button battery disassembly device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: S1. Start the first motor and use a belt with embedded magnets to transfer the button batteries to be disassembled from the open hopper to the chute to be arranged in rows. S2. The button batteries arranged in rows in the chute are separated into individual units by the material separating mechanism and then enter the receiving area. S3. Start the second motor, drive the disc to rotate 90° through the grooved wheel mechanism to transfer a single button battery to the disassembly station, and after the button battery falls into the disassembly hole, the disc continues to rotate 90° so that a round hole is aligned with the disassembly hole. S4. Start the third motor to rotate forward, and use the scissor jack to move the pressure head down to squeeze the button battery in the disassembly hole to complete the disassembly; at the same time, the next button battery enters the corresponding receiving area through another material distribution mechanism; S5. Start the fourth motor, which drives the push rod to move upward through the cam to push the disassembled button battery out of the disassembly hole into a round hole in the disc. Then the push rod moves down to the original position and repeats the process. At the same time, the third motor reverses and drives the pressure head to move up to the original position through the scissor jack. S6. The disc continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the waiting station. At the same time, the next button battery moves to the disassembly station and falls into the disassembly hole. S7. The disc continues to rotate 90°, moving the disassembled button battery to the unloading station, where it falls into the material box through the unloading tube to complete the unloading; at the same time, S4 is executed. S8. Repeat steps S5 to S7 to complete the disassembly and unloading of all button batteries.

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