Method and gripper system for lifting individual film

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for lifting an individual film (21) of flexible construction from a stack (1) having a plurality of films (20), in which method the individual film (21) arranged at the end of the stack (1) is drawn in in a first method step and the individual film (21) is bent in a second method step in such a way that the individual film (21) is bent in the first method step. In this way, the individual film (21) is separated from the adjacent film (22) of the stack (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for lifting a single flexible film of the type described in the independent claim. The invention also relates to a gripper system. Background Art

[0002] In particular, during the production of battery cells or fuel cells, it is necessary to lift individual flexible films from a stack. Such a stack comprises a plurality of individual films placed directly on top of one another and thus stacked one on top of another.

[0003] The prior art for this is, for example, laid-open patent application DE 10 2007 039 759. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A method for lifting a single flexible film having the features of the independent claim offers the advantage that a single flexible film can be reliably lifted from a stack of a plurality of films.

[0005] For this purpose, the invention provides a method for lifting a single flexible film from a stack comprising a plurality of films.

[0006] In this case, in a first method step, such individual films arranged at the end of the stack are sucked off.

[0007] Furthermore, in a second method step, the individual films are bent in such a way that they are separated from the adjacent films of the stack. In particular, the individual films are partially separated from the adjacent films. In a final, third method step, the individual films can be lifted from the stack, in particular in such a way that they are completely separated from the adjacent films.

[0008] Advantageous developments and improvements of the device specified in the independent claim are achieved by means of the measures listed in the dependent claims.

[0009] In particular, the films of the stack are flat and partially electrostatically charged, so adjacent films often cling to each other, and in methods known from the prior art, two or even more films are often simultaneously grasped or lifted from the stack. The method according to the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the known prior art and enables reliable and targeted individual grasping of individual films or lifting them from the stack. In other words, it is possible to reliably remove or lift individual films from a supplied stack of multiple films, in particular for the production of battery or fuel cells.

[0010] A flexibly constructed membrane can be understood to mean a membrane which, when rotated in a gravitational field, is deformed solely by its weight.

[0011] The stack comprising a plurality of membranes is expediently a stack comprising a plurality of membranes of a battery cell or a fuel cell. In other words, this means that the plurality of membranes of the stack is used to produce a battery cell or a fuel cell.

[0012] Advantageously, the thin film of the stack is made of a metallic material. In particular, the thin film can be made of aluminum or copper, for example. In addition, the thin film can also include additives such as graphite and / or lithium and / or a coating.

[0013] Particularly preferably, the suction of the film in the first method step is configured by means of a vacuum. It should be noted here that other forms of suction, such as the attachment realized by means of an adhesive attachment, can also be configured.

[0014] It should also be noted here that the adjacent films are separated from the absorbed and bent individual films due to their inherent rigidity. The adjacent films resist bending and strive to maintain their original shape.

[0015] The invention also relates to a gripper system for lifting individual flexibly constructed films.

[0016] The gripper system has a suction element with a suction surface which is designed to pick up individual films.

[0017] Furthermore, the gripper system has a bending element with a bending edge which is designed to bend the individual films.

[0018] In this case, the suction element can be moved relative to the bending element in such a way that the suction surface can be moved relative to the bending edge.

[0019] The suction element and the bending element are advantageously arranged on a base element, in particular a base plate. Furthermore, the suction element is arranged on the base element in such a way that the suction surface can be moved relative to the base element, and the bending element is fixedly positioned on the base element. The base element can advantageously serve as a gripping element for a user.

[0020] The suction element is expediently arranged on the base element by means of a sliding bearing.

[0021] Particularly advantageously, the gripper system has a plurality of suction elements and a plurality of bending elements. Here, the suction elements and the bending elements are respectively assigned to each other in pairs. In addition, the corresponding suction elements are arranged adjacent to the outer edge of the flexible film.

[0022] It should be noted here that the method according to the invention or the embodiment according to the invention of the gripper system can also be used to lift flexible printed circuit boards in which the conductor tracks are accommodated in a film. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description.

[0024] in:

[0025] Figure 1 shows the first suction method step of the method according to the invention, which is carried out by means of an embodiment of the gripper system according to the invention.

[0026] Figure 2 The second bending method step of the method according to the invention is shown by means of an embodiment of the gripper system according to the invention, and

[0027] Figure 3 The third method step is shown, in which the sucked and bent film is lifted from the stack by means of an embodiment of the gripper system according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figures 1 to 3 The sequence of the method according to the invention for lifting a single flexible film 21 from a stack 1 of films 20 is shown. The stack 1 of films 20 is in particular a stack 10 of films 23 of battery or fuel cells.

[0029] The film 21 to be lifted is arranged at the end of the stack 1. In other words, the single film 21 to be lifted is the uppermost film 21 of the stack 1.

[0030] The films 20 , 21 , 22 of the stack consist in particular of the metallic material 4 .

[0031] The method is carried out here with the aid of an embodiment of the gripper system 9 according to the invention.

[0032] The gripper system 9 comprises a suction element 50 . Such a suction element 50 has a suction surface 51 which is designed to suction an individual film 21 .

[0033] Furthermore, the gripper system 9 comprises a bending element 60. Such a bending element 60 has a bending edge 61 which is designed for bending a single film 21. In other words, the film 21 to be lifted is bent around the bending edge 61.

[0034] The suction element 50 can be moved relative to the bending element 60 in such a way that the suction surface 51 can be moved relative to the bending edge 61. In particular, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be seen, the suction element 50 can be shortened. This allows the suction surface 51 to be preferably initially arranged below the bending edge 61 in the height direction and then, after shortening, to be arranged above the bending edge 61. In other words, the suction element 50 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the bending element 60.

[0035] Preferably, the suction element 50 and the bending element 60 are arranged on the base element 7, in particular on the base plate 71. In this case, the suction element 50 is arranged on the base element 7 in such a way that the suction surface 51 can be moved relative to the base element 7 and the bending element 60 is fixedly positioned on the base element 7.

[0036] Furthermore, the suction element 50 is arranged on the base element 7 by means of a sliding bearing 8 .

[0037] It should also be noted that the gripper system 9 has a plurality of suction elements 50 and a plurality of bending elements 60. The suction elements 52 and bending elements 62 are each assigned to one another in pairs, and the respective suction element 52 is arranged adjacent to the outer edge 24 of the flexibly designed film 21.

[0038] In particular Figure 1 In the first method step shown in , a single film 21 is suctioned. The film 21 to be lifted is preferably suctioned using a vacuum. For this purpose, the suction element 50 is placed on the film 21 to be lifted so that the suction surface 51 preferably directly contacts the film 21 to be lifted. Subsequently or during this time, a vacuum is preferably applied. This creates adhesion of the film 21 to be lifted to the suction surface 51.

[0039] In particular Figure 2 In the second method step shown in , the individual films 21 are bent. The individual films 21 are bent in such a way that they are separated from the adjacent films 22 of the stack 1. In particular, the film 21 to be lifted is bent in such a way that it is at least partially separated from the adjacent films 22 in the edge region adjacent to the outer edge 21. To this end, the suction element 50 is moved relative to the bending element 60 so that the suction surface 51, with the attached film 21 to be lifted, is arranged above the bending edge 61. The film 21 to be lifted is thereby bent at the bending edge 61. The bending edge 61 thus directly contacts the film 21 to be lifted. The film 21 to be lifted thus adheres to the suction surface 51 during the bending process.

[0040] It should be noted that the attachment of the film 21 to be lifted should not be understood solely as always establishing direct contact at the same point on the film 21 to be lifted. On the contrary, during or after the bending, a certain distance can be formed between the suction surface 51 and the film 21 to be lifted during suction by means of vacuum, or the film 21 to be lifted can be displaced relative to the suction surface 51.

[0041] In particular Figure 3 In the third method step shown in FIG, the film 21 to be lifted is lifted and, if necessary, finally separated, in particular completely, from the adjacent film 22 .

Claims

1. A method for lifting a single flexible film (21) from a stack (1) of a plurality of films (20), wherein: In a first method step, a single film (21) arranged at the end of the stack (1) is sucked in, and In a second method step, the individual films (21) are bent in such a way that they are separated from the adjacent films (22) of the stack (1).

2. The method according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The stack (1) having a plurality of membranes (20) is a stack (10) having a plurality of membranes (23) of a battery cell or a fuel cell.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, It is characterized by: The thin films (20, 21, 22) of the stack (1) are made of a metal material (4).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, It is characterized by: The suction of the film (21) in the first method step is carried out by means of a vacuum.

5. A gripper system, configured to lift a single flexible film (21), comprising: a suction element (50) having a suction surface (51) configured to suction the individual film (21); and a bending element (60) having a bending edge (61) configured to bend (61) the single film (21), It is characterized by: The suction element (50) is movable relative to the bending element (60) in such a way that the suction surface (51) is movable relative to the bending edge (61).

6. Gripping system according to claim 5, It is characterized by: The suction element (50) and the bending element (60) are arranged on a base element (7), in particular a base plate (71), wherein the suction element (50) is also arranged on the base element (7) in such a way that the suction surface (51) can be moved relative to the base element (7) and the bending element (60) is fixedly positioned on the base element (7).

7. Gripping system according to any one of the preceding claims 5 or 6, It is characterized by: The suction element (50) is arranged on the base element (7) by means of a sliding bearing (8).

8. Gripping system according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 7, It is characterized by: The gripper system (9) has a plurality of suction elements (50) and a plurality of bending elements (60), wherein the suction elements (52) and bending elements (62) are respectively assigned to each other in pairs and the respective suction elements (52) are arranged adjacent to the outer edge (23) of the flexibly constructed film (21).

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