High-speed welding assembly line for battery cover group

Abstract

The invention relates to a high-speed welding assembly line for a battery cover group. Comprising a cover set feeding device, a cover body concentric punching device used for punching concentric holes in cover body workpieces, a conveying line used for conveying the workpieces between stations, a mechanical arm used for carrying the workpieces, a cover set and steel shell welding device used for welding punched cover sets to steel shells and a discharging device. The cover set feeding device, the cover body concentric punching device, the cover set and steel shell welding device and the discharging device are sequentially connected and arranged through a conveying line and / or a mechanical arm according to the machining process. The invention aims to solve the problems of process splitting, insufficient precision, many welding defects, low efficiency and the like in the traditional cover group production, and provides a feasible technical scheme for realizing high-efficiency, high-precision and high-quality cover group automatic production through system integration and key station innovation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of high-speed welding assembly lines for battery cover assemblies, and more particularly, to a high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of cover assembly manufacturing, traditional assembly processes typically rely on discrete processing equipment and multiple manual transfers. The cover punching process generally employs single-pass punching or independent step-by-step punching methods, resulting in accumulated concentricity errors that affect subsequent assembly accuracy. In the welding process, the circumferential weld between the steel shell and the cover assembly often suffers from defects such as oxidation and porosity due to insufficient local protection. Existing production lines rely heavily on manual intervention or simple transfer between processes, resulting in low material handling efficiency, loose equipment layout, and limited overall automation. Especially for cover assembly products involving precision concentric hole machining and high-quality sealing welding (such as battery casings and pressure vessel covers), existing technologies struggle to balance machining accuracy, welding quality, and production cycle stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assembly. The assembly machine is designed to solve the problems of process fragmentation, insufficient precision, numerous welding defects, and low efficiency in traditional cover assembly production. Through system integration and innovation of key workstations, it provides a feasible technical solution for achieving high-efficiency, high-precision, and high-quality automated production of cover assemblies.

[0004] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assembly includes: A cover assembly feeding device is used to provide cover body workpieces; A concentric punching device for cover body is used to punch concentric holes in cover body workpieces; The cover assembly and steel shell welding device is used to weld the punched cover assembly to the steel shell; Conveyor lines are used to transfer workpieces between workstations; Robotic arms are used to move workpieces; The feeding device is used to output the finished product; The cover assembly and steel shell welding device includes an annular gas protection fixture, which is used to provide inert gas protection to the weld area of ​​the steel shell and cover assembly during welding. The cover assembly feeding device, the cover body concentric punching device, the cover assembly and steel shell welding device, and the unloading device are connected and arranged in sequence according to the processing flow through the conveyor line and / or the robot.

[0005] By integrating a cover assembly loading device, a cover body concentric punching device, a conveyor line, a robot, a cover assembly and steel shell welding device, and a unloading device, and clearly defining their connection and arrangement in the order of processing flow via the conveyor line and / or robot, a complete and efficient automated assembly production line is constructed. This design significantly improves the assembly efficiency and consistency of cover assemblies (especially those involving complex punching and high-quality welding). The cover body concentric punching device is specifically responsible for accurately machining concentric holes on the cover body, which is a key prerequisite for subsequent welding assembly. The introduction of the annular gas protection fixture is specifically for the critical step of welding the steel shell and cover assembly. It aims to effectively isolate the weld area from air contact through inert gas protection, thereby helping to reduce defects such as oxidation and porosity that may occur during welding. This plays an important role in improving the sealing performance, strength, and overall product quality of the welded joint. The combined use of the conveyor line and robot provides a flexible and reliable workpiece transfer method, realizes smooth connection between various workstations, reduces manual intervention, lowers the risk of operational errors, and helps maintain a stable production cycle. The cap assembly and steel shell welding device complete the core assembly connection, while the unloading device ensures the orderly output of the finished product. This modular and streamlined layout design not only optimizes space utilization but, more importantly, ensures the continuity and automation of the entire process from cap loading, punching, transfer, welding protection, welding, to finished product unloading, providing a fundamental guarantee for large-scale, high-quality, and high-efficiency cap assembly production. The overall solution defined in this claim embodies a systematic approach to addressing the core requirements of the cap assembly process.

[0006] Preferably, the concentric punching device for the cover body includes: The upper and lower clamping blocks, which are arranged relative to each other, constitute the workpiece clamping area. A clamping actuator that connects the upper clamping block and / or the lower clamping block to drive the relative opening and closing of the two; A small-diameter punch that slides axially into the upper clamping block; A large-diameter punch is axially slidably disposed below the lower clamping block, and a coaxial guide cavity is opened inside the large-diameter punch; Small-diameter punch drive unit that drives a small-diameter punch downwards; Large-diameter punch drive unit that drives a large-diameter punch upward; Wherein, the diameter of the small-diameter punch is smaller than the inner diameter of the coaxial guide cavity, and the lower section of the small-diameter punch can be axially inserted into the coaxial guide cavity to form a rigid guide fit, and the diameter of the lower guide channel is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the large-diameter punch.

[0007] The process employs a step-by-step punching method, first using a small-diameter punch for pre-punching, followed by a large-diameter punch for enlarging or punching annular holes. Its key advantage lies in its innovative guide fit design: after pre-punching, the lower section of the small-diameter punch can precisely insert into the coaxial guide cavity inside the large-diameter punch, forming a rigid guide fit. This design provides an extremely stable coaxial guide reference for the subsequent punching action of the large-diameter punch, effectively overcoming the concentricity deviation problem caused by positioning reference conversion or accumulated guide clearance in traditional step-by-step punching. The clamping area formed by the upper and lower clamping blocks firmly fixes the workpiece (cover workpiece) during punching, preventing workpiece movement or deformation, providing a stable support foundation for high-precision punching. The small-diameter punch drive unit and the large-diameter punch drive unit independently drive the two punches, allowing independent control of the action sequence and punching force. This ensures both the accuracy of the small-diameter punch pre-punching and the greater force required for the large-diameter punch to complete the final punching. This structural design significantly improves the concentricity and repeatability of machining concentric holes (such as the central hole and the outer annular hole) on the cover, which is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of subsequent assembly of the cover assembly and the functionality of the product. It also improves the stability and reliability of the punching process.

[0008] Preferably, the concentric punching device for the cover further includes: A small-diameter punch is axially slidably fitted into the upper guide channel of the upper clamping block; A lower guide channel is installed through the lower clamping block and coincides with the axis of the upper guide channel; The inner wall of the coaxial guide cavity and the outer wall of the small-diameter punch form a sliding guide pair. The upper guide channel and the lower guide channel have the same diameter, which is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter punch.

[0009] The addition of an upper guide channel running through the upper clamping block and a lower guide channel through the lower clamping block, with the axes of these two channels being aligned, provides precise initial guidance for the entire movement path of the small-diameter punch. The small-diameter punch slides within the upper and lower guide channels before and during the initial punching stage, ensuring good straightness and alignment during its descent towards the workpiece and the initial punching phase. The design of the upper and lower guide channels having the same diameter, larger than the diameter of the small-diameter punch, provides necessary clearance while ensuring guiding accuracy, helping to reduce frictional resistance, allowing smooth punch movement, accommodating minor manufacturing tolerances or thermal expansion, preventing jamming, and improving the reliability of equipment operation. More importantly, this claim explicitly states that the outer wall of the small-diameter punch ultimately forms a sliding guide pair with the inner wall of the coaxial guide cavity. This means that as the small-diameter punch continues to descend and inserts into the guide cavity of the large-diameter punch, the guiding effect seamlessly transitions from the upper and lower guide channels to the more tightly fitted sliding guide pair formed by the guide cavity and the outer wall of the small-diameter punch. This dual-guide design (channel guidance + rigid punch-guide cavity guidance) ensures that the small-diameter punch maintains extremely high motion accuracy and stability throughout the entire punching stroke, especially when performing critical coaxial guiding tasks, providing double assurance for obtaining a highly concentric hole. The coordinated work of the entire guiding system makes the punching process smoother and more controllable.

[0010] Preferably, the small-diameter punch drive unit is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, the large-diameter punch drive unit is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, and the clamping actuator is a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

[0011] The specific driving methods for small-diameter punch drive units, large-diameter punch drive units, and clamping actuators are limited to hydraulic cylinders and servo electric linear actuators (for punch drives) or hydraulic cylinders and pneumatic cylinders (for clamping actuators), covering widely used and technologically mature power source solutions in industrial automation. Hydraulic cylinders provide strong driving force and good stability, making them particularly suitable for large-diameter punch drive units requiring large punching forces and clamping actuators requiring stable large clamping forces. Servo electric linear actuators excel in precise position control, speed control, and programmability, making them especially suitable for small-diameter punch drive units requiring precise control of stroke, speed, or synchronization. They are also beneficial for achieving complex punching curves and improving punching quality. Pneumatic cylinders offer advantages such as simple structure, fast response speed, convenient maintenance, and relatively low cost, making them very suitable for applications like clamping actuators where positional accuracy requirements are relatively low but rapid opening and closing actions are needed. Offering a variety of drive options allows this concentric punching device for the cover to be flexibly configured according to actual production needs (such as force requirements, speed requirements, control precision requirements, cost budgets, and existing power source conditions in the factory), enhancing the equipment's versatility and market adaptability. These mature drive technologies also ensure the equipment's reliability and ease of maintenance.

[0012] Preferably, the bottom end face of the small-diameter punch is a spherical transition structure, the inlet of the coaxial guide cavity is provided with a conical guide surface, and the top of the large-diameter punch is provided with an annular blanking blade, the inner contour of the annular blanking blade being coaxial with the coaxial guide cavity.

[0013] The bottom end face of the small-diameter punch adopts a spherical transition structure. This design effectively reduces the impact stress concentration at the moment of contact with the workpiece, allowing the punching force to act on the material more smoothly. This helps improve the quality of the punched fracture, reduces burr generation, and lowers the risk of punch tip breakage or premature wear, thereby extending the service life of the small-diameter punch. A tapered guide surface is set at the entrance of the coaxial guide cavity, providing a gradual introduction area for the small-diameter punch to enter the guide cavity. This tapered surface effectively guides the punch head to slide smoothly and accurately into the guide cavity, correcting even minor alignment deviations. This avoids impacts or jamming caused by rigid collisions, ensuring the smooth establishment of a rigid guiding fit between the small punch and the large punch guide cavity, and improving operational reliability. The top of the large-diameter punch is equipped with an annular punching blade, and its inner contour is explicitly required to be coaxial with the coaxial guide cavity. This directly guarantees the strict coaxiality between the hole punched by the large-diameter punch (usually an annular hole or a hole after reaming) and the pre-punched hole of the small-diameter punch (located at the center of the annular hole). Precise annular cutting edge design is key to obtaining high-quality, high-precision blanking profiles. The synergistic effect of these geometric features significantly improves the smoothness of the punching process, the quality of the blanking cut, the accuracy of the punch size and position (especially concentricity), and helps reduce punch wear, extending the replacement cycle of critical wear parts.

[0014] Preferably, the concentric punching device for the cover further includes a transverse ejection mechanism, the output end of which moves horizontally and ejects the punched workpiece to the conveyor line.

[0015] The core function of this mechanism is to move its output end horizontally, automatically pushing the punched workpiece out of the punching station (i.e., the clamping block area) and directly placing or pushing it onto the conveyor line. The advantages of this design are mainly reflected in process automation: it eliminates the manual handling of workpieces, achieving automatic unloading after the punching process. This not only reduces the labor intensity of operators, but more importantly, it eliminates the risks of unstable cycle time, inaccurate workpiece placement, or workpiece damage that may result from manual operation. The automatic pushing action can be closely coordinated with the main cycle of the punching device (clamping-punching-releasing) to achieve rapid and continuous workpiece flow, effectively shortening the processing cycle of a single product and improving overall production efficiency. Pushing the workpiece directly onto the conveyor line ensures that it can enter the next process (such as the welding station) in a timely, accurate, and undamaged manner, guaranteeing the smoothness and continuity of the entire assembly line process. This automated unloading method improves the automation level of this station and even the entire assembly line, and is a crucial element in building unmanned or minimally manned high-efficiency production lines. This makes the concentric punching device for the cover a more complete and reliable independent automated unit.

[0016] Preferably, the annular gas protection fixture includes: The inner ring is used to fix the steel shell in an annular fixture body; An annular gas distribution chamber is located inside the tooling body and extends around its annular direction. A gas nozzle circumferential seam is provided on the distribution chamber, the circumferential seam of the nozzle surrounds the inner ring of the tooling, and the nozzle position is directly opposite the weld joint area between the steel shell and the cover assembly in the inner ring of the tooling.

[0017] The core design element lies in the annular gas distribution chamber and the surrounding annular gas nozzle seam. The annular fixture body not only provides structural support, but its inner ring also secures the steel shell assembly to be welded, ensuring the workpiece's positional stability during welding. The annular gas distribution chamber, located inside the fixture body, extends continuously around the entire circumference of the fixture. This design allows the inert protective gas introduced into the distribution chamber to be evenly distributed around the entire circumference, providing a prerequisite for subsequent uniform gas output. A key feature is the gas nozzle seam located on the distribution chamber, which also surrounds the inner ring of the fixture, and its nozzle position is precisely set to face the weld joint area between the steel shell and the cover assembly fixed within the inner ring of the fixture. This design ensures that the inert gas can be directly and evenly sprayed from a 360-degree direction around the entire circumference, through the continuous annular seam, covering the entire annular weld area. This comprehensive coverage effectively forms a stable, continuous inert gas protective layer around the welding area, maximizing the expulsion of air (especially oxygen and nitrogen). This significantly reduces oxidation and nitriding of the weld metal and heat-affected zone during welding, as well as resulting welding defects such as porosity and inclusions. The uniform protection contributes to denser, smoother weld joints with superior mechanical and sealing properties, which is crucial for cap products requiring high sealing or strength (such as battery casings and pressure vessel covers). The tooling structure is simple, reliable, and provides comprehensive protection.

[0018] Preferably, the gas nozzle circumferential seam is a continuous annular gap with a uniform width, and the gas nozzle circumferential seam is located on the outer side of the weld joint area along the radial direction of the tooling, with a radial distance between the two.

[0019] The gas nozzle circumferential seam must be a continuous annular gap of uniform width. This means that the width of the outlet remains constant throughout the entire circumference, without any interruptions or uneven widths. This consistent design is crucial for ensuring a uniform flow velocity and flow rate distribution of the inert gas along the entire weld circumference. Uniform velocity and flow rate help form a protective gas curtain of stable thickness and balanced pressure around the weld, preventing excessively fast or slow gas flow rates in localized areas due to gap width variations. This prevents weak points in the protective effect or turbulent disturbances, ensuring the integrity and stability of the gas protective layer. Another important feature is maintaining a radial (i.e., perpendicular to the weld direction) distance between the nozzle circumferential seam and the weld joint area. This spacing design offers multiple advantages: it allows the shielding gas ejected from the circumferential seam to diffuse and stabilize before reaching the weld area, contributing to a gentler and more uniform gas coverage of the weld surface and heat-affected zone; this distance buffers the initial disturbance of the gas flow, making the airflow more laminar and creating a more stable protective atmosphere; the appropriate spacing also provides sufficient space for welding operations (such as the movement of the welding torch or laser head), preventing the tooling structure from physically interfering with the welding process. This structural design comprehensively considers the gas flow characteristics and the needs of the welding operation space, contributing to a more stable, uniform, and reliable gas shielding effect, thereby improving the consistency of weld quality.

[0020] Preferably, the tooling body is provided with an axial air passage interface communicating with the distribution cavity, and the air passage interface is externally connected to an inert gas source.

[0021] A common and practical design is to install a gas path interface on the tooling body that directly connects to the internal annular gas distribution chamber. This interface is axially arranged (usually parallel to the tooling axis). An axial interface facilitates pipe connection and arrangement, allowing easy access to the gas supply line from one end or side of the tooling. This avoids spatial interference or pipe entanglement problems that might occur with radial connections around the tooling circumference, especially in applications where the tooling needs to rotate or move. The core function of this gas path interface is to efficiently and directly introduce the protective gas provided by an external inert gas source (such as argon cylinders, helium cylinders, or a centralized gas supply system in the factory) into the annular gas distribution chamber inside the tooling. As the hub for gas transmission, the gas path interface's design (such as orifice diameter and connection method) needs to ensure a sufficient gas flow and low flow resistance to meet the requirements for protective gas flow and pressure during welding. A stable and sufficient gas supply is a prerequisite for maintaining stable gas pressure within the annular distribution chamber and ensuring uniform gas ejection through the annular seam. This feature ensures that the protective gas can be smoothly and reliably delivered to the tooling, making it an indispensable element for effective welding protection. This design also facilitates the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the tooling.

[0022] Preferably, the feeding device includes a linear feeding track and a pneumatic manipulator, and the unloading device includes a rotating gripper and a translating slide.

[0023] The feeding device employs a combination of a linear feeding track and a pneumatic manipulator. The linear feeding track (such as a vibratory feeder track, belt conveyor, or linear module-driven feeder) transports the cover workpieces in an orderly, directional, and continuous manner to the designated pick-up position, providing a stable source for automatic feeding. The pneumatic manipulator accurately picks up the cover workpiece from the end of the track or a designated position and quickly and precisely places it into the next process (such as a punching station or conveyor line). Pneumatic actuators offer advantages such as rapid action, relatively simple structure, and controllable cost, making them ideal for this type of high-repetition, high-cycle-rate picking and placing task. The unloading device uses a combination of a rotary gripper and a translational slide. The rotary gripper reliably picks up the finished workpiece after welding. The translational slide (such as a cylinder-driven slide, a lead screw module, or a linear motor-driven slide) provides horizontal linear motion capability. This combination allows the grippers to move the workpiece from the welding station or conveyor line via the translational movement of the slide table after gripping it, and transport it to a designated unloading area (such as a basket, conveyor belt, or other collection device). The rotary grippers may also have rotational freedom, facilitating adjustments to the workpiece's posture to meet unloading requirements. This structural design enables automated gripping, transfer, and placement of finished products, replacing manual handling. The combination of a linear feed rail + pneumatic manipulator (loading) and a rotary gripper + translational slide table (unloading) is a mature and efficient material handling solution in automated production lines. They ensure rapid, accurate, and reliable workpiece handling during loading and unloading, seamlessly integrating with the overall automated process of the assembly machine, reducing manual intervention points, and improving the overall efficiency and operational stability of the production line.

[0024] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: This high-speed welding and assembly line for battery cover assemblies integrates a cover assembly feeding device, a concentric punching device for the cover body, a conveyor line, a robotic arm, a cover assembly and steel shell welding device, and a unloading device. These components are coordinated and linked according to the processing flow via the conveyor line and robotic arm, creating a complete automated production line. This layout brings the following improvements: 1. Process automation and efficiency improvement: The coordinated transfer of conveyor lines and robotic arms replaces manual intervention, realizing the full-process automation of cover feeding, punching, welding protection, welding and finished product unloading, which helps to reduce process waiting time and improve production continuity.

[0025] 2. High-precision concentric hole machining: The concentric punching device for the cover body adopts a step-by-step punching combined with a rigid guiding structure (the small-diameter punch is inserted into the guide cavity of the large-diameter punch). Through the linkage of the two punches and precision guidance, it helps to improve the machining accuracy and repeatability of concentric holes (such as center holes and annular holes), providing a reliable foundation for subsequent assembly.

[0026] 3. Welding quality optimization: The innovative annular gas shielding fixture, through the continuous gas nozzle ring around the weld and the internal annular distribution cavity, helps to form a uniform and stable inert gas shielding layer, reducing oxidation and porosity defects in the weld area, and playing a positive role in improving the sealing performance and strength of the welded joint.

[0027] 4. Enhanced stability and reliability: The dual-guide design of the punching device (upper / lower guide channels + punch-guide cavity cooperation) and the stable support of the clamping mechanism help improve the stability of the punching process; the uniform air outlet design of the welding protection fixture helps ensure the consistency of the protection effect; the selection of mature drive solutions (hydraulic / servo / pneumatic) provides a guarantee for the reliable operation of the equipment.

[0028] 5. Modular and flexible production: Each functional module (feeding, punching, protection, welding, unloading) is connected through standardized interfaces (conveyor line / robotic arm), with a clear layout, easy maintenance and adjustment, and adaptable to the production needs of different specifications of cover assemblies.

[0029] 6. Reduce the impact of human factors: Automatic feeding (linear track + pneumatic robot), automatic unloading (lateral push mechanism), automatic unloading (rotary gripper + translation slide) and robot handling help reduce the risk of human error and improve product consistency.

[0030] Overall, this assembly machine is designed to solve problems such as fragmented processes, insufficient precision, numerous welding defects, and low efficiency in traditional cap assembly production. Through system integration and innovation in key workstations, it provides a feasible technical solution for achieving high-efficiency, high-precision, and high-quality automated production of cap assemblies. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2This is a structural diagram of a concentric punching device for the cover body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the core component of the concentric punching device for the cover body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of an annular gas protection fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the core component of an annular gas protection fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Labeling Explanation: 1000 Concentric Punching Device for Cover Body, 1100 Upper Clamping Block, 1110 Upper Guide Channel, 1200 Lower Clamping Block, 1210 Lower Guide Channel, 1300 Small Diameter Punch, 1310 Spherical Transition Structure, 1400 Large Diameter Punch, 1410 Coaxial Guide Cavity, 1411 Conical Guide Surface, 1420 Annular Cutting Blade, 1500 Small Diameter Punch Drive Unit, 1600 Large Diameter Punch Drive Unit, 2000 Annular Gas Protection Fixture, 2100 Annular Fixture Body, 2110 Axial Gas Path Interface, 2200 Annular Gas Distribution Cavity, 2300 Gas Nozzle Annular Slit, 3000 Cover Assembly Loading Device, 4000 Unloading Device, 5000 Conveyor Line, 6000 Robot Arm, 7000 Cover Assembly and Steel Shell Welding Device. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0039] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the figures, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this application is in use, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly understood by those skilled in the art. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not 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 application.

[0041] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0042] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] This embodiment provides a high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assemblies, including: The 3000 cover assembly feeding device is used to supply cover body workpieces; The cover body concentric punching device 1000 is used to punch concentric holes on the cover body workpiece; 5000 conveyor line is used to transfer workpieces between workstations; The 6000 robotic arm is used for handling workpieces. The cover assembly and steel shell welding device 7000 is used to weld the punched cover assembly to the steel shell. The 4000 feeding device is used to output finished products; The cover assembly and steel shell welding device includes an annular gas protection fixture 2000, which provides inert gas protection to the weld area between the steel shell and the cover assembly during welding. The cover assembly feeding device 3000, the cover body concentric punching device 1000, the cover assembly and steel shell welding device 7000, and the unloading device 4000 are connected and arranged in the order of processing flow via a conveyor line 5000 and / or a robot 6000.

[0044] By integrating a cover assembly loading device 3000, a cover body concentric punching device 1000, a conveyor line 5000, a robot arm 6000, a cover assembly and steel shell welding device 7000, and a unloading device 4000, and clearly defining their connection and arrangement in the processing sequence via the conveyor line 5000 and / or the robot arm 6000, a complete and efficient automated assembly production line is constructed. This design significantly improves the assembly efficiency and consistency of cover assemblies (especially those involving complex punching and high-quality welding). The cover body concentric punching device 1000 is specifically responsible for accurately machining concentric holes on the cover body, which is a key prerequisite for subsequent welding assembly. The introduction of the annular gas protection fixture 2000 is specifically for the critical step of welding the steel shell and cover assembly. It aims to effectively isolate the weld area from air contact through inert gas protection, thereby helping to reduce defects such as oxidation and porosity that may occur during welding. This plays an important role in improving the sealing performance, strength, and overall product quality of the welded joint. The combined use of conveyor line 5000 and robotic arm 6000 provides a flexible and reliable workpiece transfer method, achieving smooth connection between various workstations, reducing manual intervention, lowering the risk of operational errors, and helping to maintain a stable production rhythm. The cover assembly and steel shell welding device 7000 complete the core assembly connection, while the unloading device 4000 ensures the orderly output of finished products. This modular and streamlined layout design not only optimizes space utilization but, more importantly, ensures the continuity and automation of the entire process from cover loading, punching, transfer, welding protection, welding to finished product unloading, providing a fundamental guarantee for large-scale, high-quality, and high-efficiency cover assembly production. The overall solution defined in this claim embodies a systematic approach to addressing the core requirements of the cover assembly process.

[0045] In this embodiment, the concentric punching device 1000 for the cover body includes: The upper clamping block 1100 and the lower clamping block 1200 are arranged opposite to each other to form the workpiece clamping area; A clamping actuator that connects the upper clamping block 1100 and / or the lower clamping block 1200 to drive the relative opening and closing of the two; A small-diameter punch 1300 is axially slidingly fitted to the upper clamping block 1100; A large-diameter punch 1400 is axially slidably disposed below the lower clamping block 1200, and a coaxial guide cavity 1410 is formed inside the large-diameter punch 1400. Small-diameter punch drive unit 1500 that drives the small-diameter punch 1300 downward; Large-diameter punch drive unit 1600 that drives the large-diameter punch 1400 upward; The small-diameter punch 1300 has a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the coaxial guide cavity 1410, and the lower section of the small-diameter punch 1300 can be axially inserted into the coaxial guide cavity 1410 to form a rigid guide fit. The diameter of the lower guide channel 1210 is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the large-diameter punch 1400.

[0046] The process employs a step-by-step punching method. First, a small-diameter punch 1300 performs pre-punching, followed by a large-diameter punch 1400 for enlarging or punching annular holes. Its key advantage lies in its innovative guide fit design: after pre-punching, the lower section of the small-diameter punch 1300 can precisely insert into the coaxial guide cavity 1410 inside the large-diameter punch 1400, forming a rigid guide fit. This design provides an extremely stable coaxial guide reference for the subsequent punching action of the large-diameter punch 1400, effectively overcoming the concentricity deviation problem caused by the conversion of the positioning reference or the accumulation of guide clearance in traditional step-by-step punching. The clamping area formed by the upper clamping block 1100 and the lower clamping block 1200 can firmly fix the workpiece (cover workpiece) during the punching process, preventing workpiece movement or deformation, and providing a stable support foundation for high-precision punching. The small-diameter punch drive unit 1500 and the large-diameter punch drive unit 1600 independently drive the two punches, allowing for independent control of the action sequence and punching force. This ensures both the accuracy of the small punch's pre-punching and the greater force required for the large punch to complete the final punching. This structural design significantly improves the concentricity and repeatability accuracy of machining concentric holes (such as the center hole and the outer annular hole) on the cover body, which is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of subsequent cover assembly and product functionality. It also enhances the stability and reliability of the punching process.

[0047] In this embodiment, the concentric punching device 1000 for the cover body further includes: The small-diameter punch 1300 is axially slidably fitted into the upper guide channel 1110 through the upper clamping block 1100; The lower guide channel 1210 is disposed through the lower clamping block 1200 and coincides with the axis of the upper guide channel 1110; The inner wall of the coaxial guide cavity 1410 and the outer wall of the small diameter punch 1300 form a sliding guide pair. The upper guide channel 1110 and the lower guide channel 1210 have the same diameter, which is larger than the diameter of the small diameter punch 1300.

[0048] An upper guide channel 1110 extending through the upper clamping block 1100 and a lower guide channel 1210 extending through the lower clamping block 1200 are added, and the axes of these two channels are required to coincide. This provides precise initial guidance for the entire movement path of the small-diameter punch 1300. Before and during the initial punching stage, the small-diameter punch 1300 slides within the upper guide channel 1110 and the lower guide channel 1210, ensuring good straightness and alignment during its descent towards the workpiece and the initial punching stage. The design of the upper guide channel 1110 and the lower guide channel 1210 having the same diameter, which is larger than the diameter of the small-diameter punch 1300, provides necessary clearance while ensuring guiding accuracy. This helps reduce frictional resistance, allows smooth punch movement, accommodates minor manufacturing tolerances or thermal expansion, prevents jamming, and improves the reliability of equipment operation. More importantly, this claim explicitly states that the outer wall of the small-diameter punch 1300 ultimately forms a sliding guide pair with the inner wall of the coaxial guide cavity 1410. This means that as the small-diameter punch 1300 continues to descend and inserts into the guide cavity of the large-diameter punch 1400, the guiding action seamlessly transitions from the upper and lower guide channels to a more tightly fitted sliding guide pair formed by the guide cavity and the outer wall of the small-diameter punch 1300. This dual-guiding design (channel guidance + punch-guide cavity rigid guidance) ensures that the small-diameter punch 1300 maintains extremely high motion accuracy and stability throughout the entire punching stroke, especially when performing critical coaxial guiding tasks, providing double assurance for ultimately obtaining a highly concentric hole. The coordinated operation of the entire guiding system makes the punching process smoother and more controllable.

[0049] In this embodiment, the small-diameter punch drive unit 1500 is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, the large-diameter punch drive unit 1600 is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, and the clamping actuator is a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

[0050] The specific driving methods for the small-diameter punch drive unit 1500, the large-diameter punch drive unit 1600, and the clamping actuator are limited to hydraulic cylinders and servo electric actuators (for punch drives) or hydraulic cylinders and pneumatic cylinders (for clamping actuators), covering widely used and technologically mature power source solutions in industrial automation. Hydraulic cylinders provide strong driving force and good stability, making them particularly suitable for large-diameter punch drive units 1600 that require large punching forces and clamping actuators that require stable large clamping forces. Servo electric actuators excel in precise position control, speed control, and programmability, making them especially suitable for small-diameter punch drive units 1500 that require precise control of stroke, speed, or synchronization. They are also beneficial for achieving complex punching curves and improving punching quality. Pneumatic cylinders offer advantages such as simple structure, fast response speed, convenient maintenance, and relatively low cost, making them very suitable for applications like clamping actuators that require relatively low positional accuracy but fast opening and closing actions. Offering a variety of drive options allows the 1000 concentric punching device for the cover to be flexibly configured according to actual production needs (such as force requirements, speed requirements, control precision requirements, cost budgets, and existing power source conditions in the factory), enhancing the equipment's versatility and market adaptability. These mature drive technologies also ensure the equipment's reliability and ease of maintenance.

[0051] In this embodiment, the bottom end face of the small diameter punch 1300 is a spherical transition structure 1310, the entrance of the coaxial guide cavity 1410 is provided with a conical guide surface 1411, and the top end of the large diameter punch 1400 is provided with an annular cutting blade 1420, the inner contour of the annular cutting blade 1420 is coaxial with the coaxial guide cavity 1410.

[0052] The bottom end face of the small-diameter punch 1300 adopts a spherical transition structure 1310. This design effectively reduces the impact stress concentration at the moment of contact with the workpiece, allowing the punching force to act on the material more smoothly. This helps improve the quality of the punched fracture, reduces burr generation, and lowers the risk of punch tip breakage or premature wear, thereby extending the service life of the small-diameter punch 1300. A tapered guide surface 1411 is provided at the entrance of the coaxial guide cavity 1410, providing a gradual introduction area for the small-diameter punch 1300 to insert into the guide cavity. This tapered surface effectively guides the punch head to slide smoothly and accurately into the guide cavity, correcting even minor alignment deviations. It avoids impacts or jamming caused by rigid collisions, ensuring the smooth establishment of a rigid guiding fit between the small punch and the large punch guide cavity, and improving operational reliability. The large-diameter punch 1400 features an annular cutting edge 1420 at its tip, with its inner contour explicitly required to be coaxial with the coaxial guide cavity 1410. This directly ensures strict coaxiality between the hole punched by the large-diameter punch 1400 (typically an annular hole or a hole after reaming) and the pre-punched hole (located at the center of the annular hole) of the small-diameter punch 1300. Precise annular cutting edge design is key to obtaining high-quality, high-precision punching profiles. The synergistic effect of these geometric features significantly improves the smoothness of the punching process, the quality of the punched fracture, the accuracy of the punching size and position (especially concentricity), and helps reduce punch wear, extending the replacement cycle of critical wear parts.

[0053] In this embodiment, the concentric punching device 1000 for the cover body also includes a transverse ejection mechanism, whose output end moves horizontally and ejects the punched workpiece to the conveyor line 5000.

[0054] The core function of this mechanism is to move its output end horizontally, automatically pushing the punched workpiece from the punching station (i.e., the clamping block area) and directly placing or pushing it onto conveyor line 5000. The advantages of this design are mainly reflected in process automation: it eliminates the manual handling of workpieces, achieving automatic unloading after the punching process. This not only reduces the labor intensity of operators, but more importantly, it eliminates the risks of unstable cycle time, inaccurate workpiece placement, or workpiece damage that may result from manual operation. The automatic pushing action can be closely coordinated with the main cycle of the punching device (clamping-punching-releasing) to achieve rapid and continuous workpiece flow, effectively shortening the processing cycle of a single product and improving overall production efficiency. Pushing the workpiece directly to conveyor line 5000 ensures that it can enter the next process (such as the welding station) in a timely, accurate, and undamaged manner, guaranteeing the smoothness and continuity of the entire assembly line process. This automated unloading method improves the automation level of this station and even the entire assembly line, and is a crucial element in building unmanned or minimally manned high-efficiency production lines. This makes the 1000 concentric punching device for the cover a more complete and reliable independent automated unit.

[0055] In this embodiment, the annular gas protection fixture 2000 includes: The inner ring is used to fix the steel shell in an annular fixture body 2100; An annular gas distribution cavity 2200 is formed inside the tooling body 2100 and extends around its annular direction. A gas nozzle circumferential seam 2300 is provided on the distribution cavity 2200. The nozzle circumferential seam 2300 surrounds the inner ring of the tooling, and the nozzle position is directly opposite the weld joint area between the steel shell and the cover assembly in the inner ring of the tooling.

[0056] The core of its design lies in the annular gas distribution chamber 2200 and the surrounding annular gas nozzle seam 2300. The annular fixture body 2100 not only provides structural support, but its inner ring also serves to fix the steel shell assembly to be welded, ensuring the positional stability of the workpiece during the welding process. The annular gas distribution chamber 2200, opened inside the fixture body 2100, extends continuously around the circumference of the entire fixture. This design allows the inert protective gas entering the distribution chamber to be evenly distributed around the entire circumference, providing a prerequisite for subsequent uniform gas output. A key feature is the gas nozzle seam 2300 located on the distribution chamber 2200, which also surrounds the inner ring of the fixture, and its nozzle position is precisely set to face the weld joint area between the steel shell and the cover assembly fixed in the inner ring of the fixture. This design ensures that the inert gas can be directly and evenly sprayed from a 360-degree direction around the entire circumference, through the continuous annular seam, to cover the entire annular weld. This comprehensive coverage effectively forms a stable, continuous inert gas protective layer around the welding area, maximizing the expulsion of air (especially oxygen and nitrogen). This significantly reduces oxidation and nitriding of the weld metal and heat-affected zone during welding, as well as resulting welding defects such as porosity and inclusions. The uniform protection contributes to denser, smoother weld joints with superior mechanical and sealing properties, which is crucial for cap products requiring high sealing or strength (such as battery casings and pressure vessel covers). The tooling structure is simple, reliable, and provides comprehensive protection.

[0057] In this embodiment, the gas nozzle annular gap 2300 is a continuous annular gap with a uniform width. The gas nozzle annular gap 2300 is located on the outer side of the weld joint area along the radial direction of the tooling, and a radial distance is formed between the two.

[0058] The gas nozzle annular seam 2300 is required to be a continuous annular gap of uniform width. This means that the width of the outlet remains constant throughout the entire circumference, without any interruptions or uneven widths. This consistent design is crucial for ensuring a uniform outflow velocity and flow rate distribution of the inert gas along the entire weld circumference. Uniform velocity and flow rate help form a protective gas curtain of stable thickness and balanced pressure around the weld, preventing excessively fast or slow gas flow rates in localized areas due to variations in gap width. This prevents weak points in the protective effect or turbulent disturbances, ensuring the integrity and stability of the gas protective layer. Another important feature is that the nozzle annular seam 2300 maintains a radial (i.e., perpendicular to the weld direction) distance from the weld joint area. This spacing design offers multiple advantages: it allows the shielding gas ejected from the circumferential seam to diffuse and stabilize before reaching the weld area, contributing to a gentler and more uniform gas coverage of the weld surface and heat-affected zone; this distance buffers the initial disturbance of the gas flow, making the airflow more laminar and creating a more stable protective atmosphere; the appropriate spacing also provides sufficient space for welding operations (such as the movement of the welding torch or laser head), preventing the tooling structure from physically interfering with the welding process. This structural design comprehensively considers the gas flow characteristics and the needs of the welding operation space, contributing to a more stable, uniform, and reliable gas shielding effect, thereby improving the consistency of weld quality.

[0059] In this embodiment, the tooling body 2100 is provided with an axial air passage interface 2110 that communicates with the distribution cavity 2200, and the air passage interface 2110 is connected to an inert gas source.

[0060] A gas interface 2110, directly connected to the internal annular gas distribution chamber 2200, is provided on the tooling body 2100. The axial arrangement of this interface (usually parallel to the tooling axis) is a common and practical design. An axial interface facilitates pipe connection and arrangement, allowing easy access to the gas supply line from one end or side of the tooling, avoiding spatial interference or pipe entanglement problems that might occur with radial connections around the tooling circumference. This is especially convenient in applications where the tooling needs to rotate or move. The core function of this gas interface 2110 is to efficiently and directly introduce protective gas from an external inert gas source (such as argon cylinders, helium cylinders, or a centralized gas supply system in the factory) into the annular gas distribution chamber 2200 inside the tooling. As the hub for gas transmission, the gas interface 2110's design (such as orifice diameter and connection method) needs to ensure a sufficient gas flow and low flow resistance to meet the requirements for protective gas flow and pressure during welding. A stable and sufficient gas supply is a prerequisite for maintaining stable gas pressure within the annular distribution chamber 2200 and ensuring uniform gas ejection through the annular seam. This feature ensures that the protective gas can be delivered smoothly and reliably into the tooling, which is an indispensable part of achieving effective welding protection. This design also facilitates the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the tooling.

[0061] In this embodiment, the feeding device 3000 includes a linear feeding track and a pneumatic manipulator, and the unloading device 4000 includes a rotating gripper and a translational slide.

[0062] The feeding device 3000 employs a combination of a linear feeding track and a pneumatic manipulator. The linear feeding track (such as a vibratory feeder track, belt conveyor, or linear module-driven feeder) transports the cover workpieces in an orderly, directional, and continuous manner to the designated pick-up position, providing a stable source for automatic feeding. The pneumatic manipulator accurately picks up the cover workpiece from the end of the track or a designated position and quickly and precisely places it into the next process (such as a punching station or conveyor line 5000). Pneumatic actuators offer advantages such as rapid action, relatively simple structure, and controllable cost, making them ideal for this type of high-repetition, high-cycle-rate picking and placing task. The unloading device 4000 uses a combination of a rotary gripper and a translational slide. The rotary gripper reliably picks up the finished workpiece after welding. The translational slide (such as a cylinder-driven slide, a lead screw module, or a linear motor-driven slide) provides horizontal linear motion capability. This combination allows the grippers to move the workpiece from the welding station or conveyor line 5000 via the translational movement of the slide after gripping it, and transport it to a designated unloading area (such as a basket, conveyor belt, or other collection device). The rotary grippers may also have rotational freedom, facilitating adjustments to the workpiece's posture to meet unloading requirements. This structural design enables automated gripping, transfer, and placement of finished products, replacing manual handling. The combination of a linear feed rail + pneumatic manipulator (loading) and a rotary gripper + translational slide (unloading) is a mature and efficient material handling solution in automated production lines. They ensure rapid, accurate, and reliable workpiece handling during loading and unloading, seamlessly integrating with the overall automated process of the assembly machine, reducing manual intervention points, and improving the overall efficiency and operational stability of the production line.

[0063] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A high-speed welding assembly line for battery cover assemblies, characterized in that, include: The cover assembly feeding device (3000) is used to provide cover body workpieces; A concentric punching device (1000) for punching concentric holes in a cover workpiece; The cover assembly and steel shell welding device (7000) is used to weld the punched cover assembly to the steel shell; Conveyor line (5000) is used to transfer workpieces between workstations; A robotic arm (6000) is used to move workpieces; The feeding device (4000) is used to output finished products; The cover assembly and steel shell welding device includes an annular gas protection fixture (2000), which is used to provide inert gas protection to the weld area of ​​the steel shell and the cover assembly during welding; the cover assembly feeding device (3000), the cover body concentric punching device (1000), the cover assembly and steel shell welding device (7000), and the unloading device (4000) are connected and arranged in the order of processing flow through the conveyor line (5000) and / or the robot (6000).

2. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The concentric punching device (1000) for the cover body includes: The upper clamping block (1100) and the lower clamping block (1200) are arranged opposite to each other to form the workpiece clamping area. A clamping actuator that connects the upper clamping block (1100) and / or the lower clamping block (1200) to drive the two to open and close relative to each other; A small-diameter punch (1300) is axially slidingly fitted to the upper clamping block (1100). A large-diameter punch (1400) is axially slidably disposed below the lower clamping block (1200), and a coaxial guide cavity (1410) is opened inside the large-diameter punch (1400). Small diameter punch drive unit (1500) that drives the small diameter punch (1300) downward. Large-diameter punch drive unit (1600) that drives the large-diameter punch (1400) upward. The small-diameter punch (1300) has a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the coaxial guide cavity (1410), and the lower section of the small-diameter punch (1300) can be axially inserted into the coaxial guide cavity (1410) to form a rigid guide fit.

3. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The concentric punching device (1000) for the cover body also includes: The upper guide channel (1110) is provided through the upper clamping block (1100), and the small diameter punch (1300) slides axially in the upper guide channel (1110). The lower guide channel (1210) is disposed through the lower clamping block (1200) and coincides with the axis of the upper guide channel (1110). The inner wall of the coaxial guide cavity (1410) and the outer wall of the small diameter punch (1300) form a sliding guide pair. The upper guide channel (1110) and the lower guide channel (1210) have the same diameter, which is larger than the diameter of the small diameter punch (1300). The diameter of the lower guide channel (1210) is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the large diameter punch (1400).

4. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The small-diameter punch drive unit (1500) is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, the large-diameter punch drive unit (1600) is a hydraulic cylinder or a servo electric push rod, and the clamping actuator is a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.

5. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The bottom end face of the small diameter punch (1300) is a spherical transition structure (1310), the entrance of the coaxial guide cavity (1410) is provided with a conical guide surface (1411), and the top of the large diameter punch (1400) is provided with an annular cutting blade (1420). The inner contour of the annular cutting blade (1420) is coaxial with the coaxial guide cavity (1410).

6. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The concentric punching device (1000) for the cover body also includes a transverse ejection mechanism, whose output end moves horizontally and ejects the punched workpiece to the conveyor line (5000).

7. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The annular gas protection fixture (2000) includes: The inner ring is used to fix the annular tooling body (2100) of the steel shell. An annular gas distribution chamber (2200) is located inside the tooling body (2100) and extends around its annular direction. A gas nozzle annular seam (2300) is provided on the distribution cavity (2200). The nozzle annular seam (2300) surrounds the inner ring of the tooling, and the nozzle position is directly opposite the weld joint area between the steel shell and the cover assembly in the inner ring of the tooling.

8. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The gas nozzle annular seam (2300) is a continuous annular seam with a uniform width. The gas nozzle annular seam (2300) is located on the outer side of the weld joint area along the radial direction of the tooling, and a radial distance is formed between the two.

9. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The tooling body (2100) is provided with an axial air passage interface (2110) that communicates with the distribution cavity (2200), and the air passage interface (2110) is connected to an inert gas source.

10. The high-speed welding assembly line for the battery cover assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding device (3000) includes a linear feeding track and a pneumatic manipulator, and the unloading device (4000) includes a rotating gripper and a translational slide.

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