Method for assembling a power battery assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of assembly methods of power battery assembly, including sequentially respectively assembling multiple battery packs to first to N containing layer;Wherein, the step of assembling battery pack of each containing layer includes: conveying line is inserted into battery frame along first direction and is located below M containing layer;Conveying line moves upward, so that the placement surface of conveying line is protruded upward from the support surface of M containing layer to preset protruding height, conveying line conveys battery pack placed on second conveying section to first conveying section, to convey battery pack to preset position in M containing layer;Conveying line moves downward, to transfer battery pack and support on the support surface of M containing layer;Conveying line moves along second direction, to separate from battery frame.According to the assembly method of the application, the problem that automatic assembly cannot be carried out by conveying line due to insufficient layer height of containing layer can be solved, and the structure size design of conveying line can be reduced, which is limited by the layer height size of containing layer.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of batteries, in particular to a power battery assembly assembling method. BACKGROUND

[0002] At present, the assembling of the power battery assembly of new energy commercial vehicles mainly relies on manual assembling of the battery pack into the battery frame, which has problems such as low efficiency, high risk, and waste of human resources. In related technologies, some use automatic assembling equipment to transport the battery pack into the corresponding accommodation layer of the battery frame through a conveying line. However, in the related art, the structure size of the conveying line is limited by the layer height of the accommodation layer in the battery frame, resulting in low rigidity of the conveying line, which leads to unstable assembling process and makes the conveying line unable to carry heavy battery packs. In addition, when the layer height of the accommodation layer of some battery frames is insufficient, the automatic assembling method in the related art cannot be used to automatically assemble the battery pack.

[0003] Therefore, the structure size of the conveying line is limited by the layer height of the accommodation layer, resulting in low rigidity, and the insufficient layer height of the accommodation layer of the battery frame leads to the inability to automatically assemble, which is a technical problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems in the prior art. To this end, one object of the present application is to provide a power battery assembly assembling method, which can realize automatic assembling, has high assembling efficiency and saves manpower; and can solve the problem of insufficient layer height of the accommodation layer leading to the inability to use the conveying line for automatic assembling, can reduce the limitation of the structure size of the conveying line by the layer height of the accommodation layer, and is beneficial to improving the rigidity of the conveying line, thereby improving the stability of the assembling process.

[0005] The power battery assembly assembling method according to the embodiment of the present application, the power battery assembly includes a battery frame and a plurality of battery packs, the battery frame has a plurality of accommodation layers arranged in sequence along the up-down direction, at least part of the bottom surface of the accommodation layer has an accommodation layer for avoiding the conveying line, the battery pack is accommodated in the accommodation layer, and the plurality of accommodation layers are sequentially arranged from top to bottom as the first to Nth accommodation layers, N≥2 and N is an integer, the power battery assembly assembling method includes: sequentially assembling a plurality of battery packs into the first to Nth accommodation layers.

[0006] Wherein, the step of assembling the battery pack in each accommodation layer includes:

[0007] The first conveying section of the conveying line is inserted into the battery frame along a first direction and is located below the Mth containing layer, 1≤M≤N and M is an integer, and a second conveying section of the conveying line is located outside the battery frame, the second conveying section is sequentially arranged with the first conveying section along the first direction, and a conveying direction of the conveying line is consistent with the first direction;

[0008] The conveying line moves upward so that a placement surface of the conveying line protrudes upward from a support surface of the Mth containing layer to a preset protruding height, part of the conveying line is located below the Mth containing layer, and the placement surface of the conveying line and the support surface of the Mth containing layer are used to place and support the battery pack;

[0009] The conveying line conveys the battery pack placed on the second conveying section to the first conveying section to convey the battery pack to a preset position in the Mth containing layer;

[0010] The conveying line moves downward to transfer the battery pack to be supported on the support surface of the Mth containing layer;

[0011] The conveying line moves along a second direction to be separated from the battery frame, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

[0012] According to the assembling method of the power battery assembly, in the process of assembling the battery pack of the Mth containing layer, part of the conveying line is inserted into the battery frame and located below the Mth containing layer, the conveying line is lifted upward so that a placement surface of the conveying line protrudes upward from a support surface of the Mth containing layer to a preset protruding height, the battery pack placed on another part of the conveying line is conveyed to a preset position in the Mth containing layer by the conveying line, and the conveying line moves downward so that the battery pack is transferred to be supported on the support surface of the Mth containing layer under the action of gravity, thereby the battery pack can be automatically assembled to the preset position in the battery frame, and since the battery pack is conveyed into the battery frame by the conveying line, automatic assembly can be realized, the assembling efficiency is high, and manpower is saved.

[0013] And, since the conveying line is inserted below the Mth containing layer in the process of assembly, the conveying line itself does not substantially occupy the height space in the Mth containing layer, and when the conveying line is lifted upward to the placement surface of the conveying line to protrude upward from the supporting surface of the Mth containing layer to a preset protruding height, part of the conveying line is still below the Mth containing layer, which can reduce the occupation of the conveying line to the layer height space of the Mth containing layer, thereby solving the problem that the conveying line cannot be used for automatic assembly due to insufficient layer height of the containing layer, and reducing the limitation of the layer height dimension of the containing layer on the structural dimension design of the conveying line, so that the thickness dimension of the conveying line in the up-down direction can be larger, and the size of the conveying line in the width direction of the conveying line can be larger, which is beneficial to improve the rigidity of the conveying line, reduce the deformation or shaking of the conveying line during conveying of the battery pack, and make the assembly process of the battery pack more stable, and the conveying line with larger rigidity can carry a larger weight of the battery pack.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the preset protruding height ranges from 3mm to 8mm.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the conveying line comprises a main line body and a conveying unit, the conveying unit is arranged on the main line body and has the placement surface, and the width of the main line body is greater than the width of the conveying unit.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, when the conveying line moves upward to make the placement surface of the conveying line protrude upward from the supporting surface of the Mth containing layer to a preset protruding height, the main line body is located below the Mth containing layer.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the conveying unit comprises a plurality of sub-conveying units, a plurality of the sub-conveying units are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the main line body, the sub-conveying units have the placement surface, and an avoiding space is defined between at least part of two adjacent sub-conveying units, the avoiding space is used to avoid the bottom structure of the Mth containing layer.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, before the first conveying section of the conveying line is inserted into the battery frame along the first direction, the following steps are further included:

[0019] The battery pack is placed on the conveying line.

[0020] The conveying line conveys the battery pack toward the direction close to the battery frame to the assembly position.

[0021] The conveying line is lifted to a height position matched with the Mth containing layer.

[0022] The battery pack is lifted upward to separate from the conveying line.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the conveyor line moves upward so that the placement surface of the conveyor line protrudes upward from the support surface of the Mth receiving layer to a preset protrusion height, the battery pack that has been lifted upward moves downward to be supported on the second conveyor section of the conveyor line.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the length direction of the battery pack is consistent with the first direction, and each of the receiving layers accommodates one battery pack.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, during the assembly of the battery pack in the first to N-1th receiving layers, the first conveying section of the conveying line is inserted into the M+1th receiving layer of the battery frame along a first direction.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the bottom of the battery frame has a clearance layer located below the Nth housing layer. During the assembly of the battery pack in the Nth housing layer, the first conveying section of the conveyor line is inserted into the clearance layer of the battery frame along the first direction.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, the height dimension of the void-avoiding layer in the vertical direction is smaller than the height dimension of the accommodating layer in the vertical direction.

[0028] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of an assembly method for a power battery assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the battery frame of a power battery assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an automated assembly equipment for assembling power battery packs according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 It is to utilize Figure 3 A schematic diagram of automated assembly equipment fitting battery packs into battery frames;

[0034] Figure 5 yes Figure 4A schematic diagram of the conveyor line of the automated assembly equipment being inserted into the battery frame.

[0035] Figure label:

[0036] 100. Automated assembly equipment;

[0037] 10. Equipment frame; 20. Mounting bracket; 21. Separation mechanism; 211. Support plate;

[0038] 30. Conveyor line; 301. Placement surface; 31. First conveyor section; 32. Second conveyor section; 33. Main line body; 34. Conveying unit; 341. Sub-conveying unit; 35. Clearance space;

[0039] 40. Positioning device;

[0040] 200. Conveying track;

[0041] 300. Battery frame; 51. Retaining layer; 501. Support surface; 52. Opening; 53. Clearance opening; 54. Bottom structure; 541. Reinforcing beam;

[0042] 400. Battery pack. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0044] The following is for reference. Figures 1-5 A method for assembling a power battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0045] Reference Figures 1-3According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for assembling a power battery assembly includes a battery frame 300 and a plurality of battery packs 400. The battery frame 300 has multiple receiving layers 51 arranged sequentially in a vertical direction. The battery packs 400 are received within the receiving layers 51. Each receiving layer 51 contains one or more battery packs 400. When each receiving layer 51 contains multiple battery packs 400, the multiple battery packs 400 contained in each layer can be arranged along a first direction, which is perpendicular to the vertical direction. At least one side of each receiving layer 51 of the battery frame 300 along the first direction is open, so that the battery packs 400 can enter the receiving layer 51 through the opening 52. The conveyor line 30 for conveying the battery packs 400 can also be inserted into the receiving layer 51 through the opening 52. At least a portion of the bottom surface of the receiving layer 51 has a clearance opening 53 for avoiding the conveyor line 30.

[0046] The battery frame 300 has multiple layers 51, which are arranged from top to bottom as the first to the Nth layer 51, where N ≥ 2 and N is an integer. For example, the value of N can be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. Among all the layers 51, the first layer 51 is located at the top and the Nth layer 51 is located at the bottom. By setting multiple layers 51 arranged at intervals along the vertical direction, the space in the vertical direction can be fully utilized, allowing the battery frame 300 to accommodate a larger number of battery packs 400, which is beneficial to increasing the capacity of the power battery assembly.

[0047] The assembly method for the power battery assembly includes: sequentially assembling multiple battery packs 400 into the first to Nth receiving layers 51. During the assembly of the multiple battery packs 400 into the multiple receiving layers 51, the battery packs 400 are assembled into each receiving layer 51 in a top-to-bottom order. For example, the first receiving layer 51 is assembled first, then the second receiving layer 51, and so on, until the Nth receiving layer 51 is assembled. By assembling each receiving layer 51 in a top-to-bottom order, the assembly of a battery pack 400 in an upper receiving layer 51 will not affect the assembly of a battery pack 400 in a receiving layer 51 below it.

[0048] The steps for assembling the battery pack 400 in each housing layer 51 include:

[0049] The conveyor line 30 moves along a first direction so that the first conveying segment 31 of the conveyor line 30 is inserted into the battery frame 300 along the first direction (e.g., referring to direction e1 in the figure), and the first conveying segment 31 of the conveyor line 30 is located below the Mth receiving layer 51. The second conveying segment 32 of the conveyor line 30 is located outside the battery frame 300 and is located on one side of the battery frame 300 along a second direction (e.g., referring to direction e2 in the figure). The second direction is opposite to the first direction, 1≤M≤N and M is an integer. Before the first conveying segment 31 of the conveyor line 30 is inserted into the battery frame 300 along the first direction, the conveyor line 30 can be located on one side of the battery frame 300 along the second direction. The second conveying segment 32 and the first conveying segment 31 are arranged sequentially along the first direction, and the conveying direction of the conveyor line 30 is consistent with the first direction.

[0050] The conveyor line 30 moves upward as a whole, with a portion of it passing through the clearance opening 53 on the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51. This causes the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 to protrude upward beyond the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a predetermined protrusion height. Both the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 and the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 are used to place and support the battery pack 400. The placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 is located on the upper surface of the conveyor line 30, and the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 is located on the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51. The placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 is higher than the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51. Surface 501, the preset protrusion height is the height difference in the vertical direction between the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 and the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51. In this way, during the subsequent process of the conveyor line 30 conveying the battery pack 400 into the Mth receiving layer 51 along the first direction, interference between the battery pack 400 and the bottom structure 54 of the Mth receiving layer 51, such as the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51, can be avoided. This ensures that the conveyor line 30 can smoothly convey the battery pack 400 into the Mth receiving layer 51 along the first direction, and part of the conveyor line 30 is still located below the Mth receiving layer 51.

[0051] The conveyor line 30 conveys the battery pack 400 placed on the second conveyor section 32 to the first conveyor section 31 to convey the battery pack 400 to a preset position in the Mth receiving layer 51. The battery pack 400 can be placed on the second conveyor section 32 of the conveyor line 30 before the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height. The battery pack 400 can also be placed on the second conveyor section 32 of the conveyor line 30 after the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height. After the battery pack 400 is conveyed to the preset position in the Mth receiving layer 51, it can be locked and fixed in the Mth receiving layer 51 by fasteners or the like.

[0052] The conveyor line 30 moves downward as a whole to transfer the battery pack 400 to the support surface 501 of the M-level receiving layer 51. During the downward movement of the conveyor line 30, the conveyor line 30 separates from the battery pack 400 and no longer serves to support the battery pack 400. At this time, the battery pack 400 automatically falls onto the support surface 501 of the M-level receiving layer 51 under its own gravity. Thus, by moving downward through the conveyor line 30, the battery pack 400 can be easily transferred to the support surface 501 of the M-level receiving layer 51. The conveyor line 30 can move downward until it does not interfere with the battery frame 300 when moving in the second direction.

[0053] The conveyor line 30 moves along the second direction to separate from the battery frame 300. The first conveying section 31 of the conveyor line 30 moves out of the battery frame 300, so that the conveyor line 30 moves along the second direction to one side of the battery frame 300 along the second direction, so as to facilitate the subsequent assembly of the lower receiving layer 51. The second direction is opposite to the first direction.

[0054] The conveyor line 30 can be a conveyor belt to transport the battery pack 400. The movement of the conveyor line 30 along the first or second direction can be achieved by driving the conveyor line 30 with a first drive mechanism, and the movement of the conveyor line 30 along the up and down direction can be achieved by driving the conveyor line 30 with a second drive mechanism.

[0055] For example, in some embodiments, the automated assembly equipment 100 for assembling power battery assemblies may include an equipment stand 10, a mounting bracket 20, a first drive mechanism, a second drive mechanism, and a conveyor line 30. Both the first and second drive mechanisms may include motors, which may be servo motors. The mounting bracket 20 is movably mounted on the equipment stand 10. The first drive mechanism is mounted on the equipment stand 10 and connected to the mounting bracket 20 to drive the mounting bracket 20 to move up and down. The second drive mechanism and the conveyor line 30 are both mounted on the mounting plate. The conveyor line 30 is movable relative to the mounting plate along a first or second direction. The second drive mechanism is connected to the conveyor line 30 to drive the conveyor line 30 to move relative to the mounting plate along the first or second direction. Since the conveyor line 30 is mounted on the mounting bracket 20, when the first drive mechanism drives the mounting bracket 20 to move up and down, the conveyor line 30 moves up and down synchronously with the mounting bracket 20.

[0056] The battery frame can be transported to the position of the battery pack 400 to be assembled by an AGV trolley, or it can be transported to the position of the battery pack 400 to be assembled by a conveyor track 200.

[0057] The automatic assembly equipment 100 may also include a positioning device 40 for locking the battery frame 300. After the battery frame is transported to the position of the battery pack 400 to be assembled, the positioning device 40 can lock the battery frame 300 to prevent swinging and for precise positioning.

[0058] According to the assembly method of the power battery assembly of the present invention, during the assembly of the battery pack 400 of the Mth receiving layer 51, a portion of the conveyor line 30 is inserted into the battery frame 300 and located below the Mth receiving layer 51. The conveyor line 30 is then raised upward until the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height. Then, the battery pack 400 placed on another portion of the conveyor line 30 is conveyed to a preset position in the Mth receiving layer 51 through the conveyor line 30. The battery pack 400 moves downward through the conveyor line 30, so that it is transferred and supported on the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 under its own gravity. Thus, the battery pack 400 can be automatically assembled into the preset position in the battery frame 300. Since the battery pack 400 is conveyed into the battery frame 300 by using the conveyor line 30, automated assembly can be achieved, resulting in high assembly efficiency and saving manpower.

[0059] Furthermore, since the conveyor line 30 is inserted below the Mth receiving layer 51 during assembly, the conveyor line 30 itself does not occupy much height space within the Mth receiving layer 51. Even when the conveyor line 30 is raised until its placement surface 301 protrudes above the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height, a portion of the conveyor line 30 still remains below the Mth receiving layer 51. This reduces the space occupied by the conveyor line 30 in the height of the Mth receiving layer 51, thus solving the problem of insufficient height of the receiving layer 51 preventing the use of a conveyor line. The automatic assembly of the conveyor line 30 can also reduce the limitations of the layer height of the accommodating layer 51 on the structural dimension design of the conveyor line 30. This allows for a larger thickness of the conveyor line 30 in the vertical direction and a larger width of the conveyor line 30, which helps to improve the rigidity of the conveyor line 30 and reduce deformation or shaking during the conveying of the battery pack 400. This makes the assembly process of the battery pack 400 more stable, and the more rigid conveyor line 30 can support the heavier battery pack 400.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present invention, the preset protrusion height ranges from 3mm to 8mm. For example, the preset protrusion height can be 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, or 8mm. By setting the preset protrusion height range to 3mm to 8mm, the possibility of interference between the conveyor line 30 and the battery frame 300 during the process of conveying the battery pack 400 to the receiving layer 51 due to an excessively small preset protrusion height can be avoided. This better ensures that the conveyor line 30 conveys the battery pack 400 into the receiving layer 51. Furthermore, it avoids the possibility of interference between the battery pack 400 and the top of the corresponding receiving layer 51 due to the conveyor line 30 occupying too much space in the height direction of the receiving layer 51 if the preset protrusion height is too large. It also avoids the limitation on the height dimension of the conveyed battery pack 400 due to occupying too much space in the height direction of the receiving layer 51.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figures 2-5The conveyor line 30 includes a main body 33 and a conveyor unit 34. The conveyor unit 34 is disposed on the main body 33 and has a placement surface 301. The main body 33 is used to support the conveyor unit 34. The main body 33 may include a conveyor drive assembly for driving the conveyor unit 34. The conveyor unit 34 may include a conveyor belt. The width of the main body 33 is greater than the width of the conveyor unit 34. The widths of the main body 33 and the conveyor unit 34 refer to the dimensions in a third direction (refer to direction e3 in the attached figure). This third direction intersects the vertical direction and is perpendicular to the first direction. By including the main body 33 and the conveyor unit 34 disposed on the main body 33, and by making the main body 33 wider, the rigidity of the conveyor line 30 is improved. This reduces deformation or shaking during the conveying of the battery pack 400, making the conveying process of the battery pack 400 more stable.

[0062] Specifically, when the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that its placement surface 301 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height, the main line body 33 is located below the Mth receiving layer 51. This arrangement ensures that the wider main line body 33 is located in the Mth receiving layer 51, while allowing the narrower conveyor unit 34 to pass upward through the clearance opening 53 on the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51. This reduces the vertical space occupied by the conveyor line 30 in the Mth receiving layer 51, while allowing the narrower conveyor unit 34 to pass through the clearance opening 53 on the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51 more smoothly. This reduces the probability of interference with the battery frame 300 during the upward movement of the conveyor line 30 until its placement surface 301 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to the preset protrusion height.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figures 2-5 The conveying unit 34 includes multiple sub-conveying units 341, which are spaced apart along the extension direction of the main line 33. Each sub-conveying unit 341 may include a conveyor belt and has a placement surface 301. At least some adjacent sub-conveying units 341 define a clearance space 35 for avoiding the bottom structure 54 of the Mth receiving layer 51. By configuring the conveying unit 34 as multiple sub-conveying units 341 spaced apart along the extension direction of the main line 33, and defining a clearance space 35 between at least some adjacent sub-conveying units 341 for avoiding the bottom structure 54 of the Mth receiving layer 51, interference between the conveying unit 34 and the battery frame 300 can be avoided during the upward movement of the conveying line 30 until the placement surface 301 of the conveying line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height. This ensures that the conveying line 30 moves upward as a whole to the set height position.

[0064] For example, in some embodiments, the bottom structure 54 of the Mth receiving layer 51 may include a reinforcing beam 541, which may extend in a third direction. The reinforcing beam 541 may be used to strengthen the structural strength and rigidity of the battery frame 300 and reduce the deformation and sway of the battery frame 300. When the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a predetermined protrusion height, at least a portion of the reinforcing beam 541 on the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51 may be accommodated within the aforementioned clearance space 35.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figures 1-3 Before inserting the first conveying section 31 of the conveyor line 30 into the battery frame 300 along the first direction, the following steps are also included:

[0066] The battery pack 400 is placed on the conveyor line 30. For example, the battery pack 400 can be placed on the conveyor line 30 by manually operating a lifting device or a main robotic arm. The battery pack 400 can be positioned by a preliminary positioning mechanism.

[0067] The conveyor line 30 transports the battery pack 400 toward the assembly position in a direction close to the battery frame 300. The conveyor line 30 transports the battery pack 400 along the first direction, causing the battery pack 400 to move toward the battery frame 300 until the battery pack 400 is transported to the assembly position. At this time, the battery pack 400 is still supported on the conveyor line 30. The conveyor line 30 and the battery pack 400 are both located on one side of the battery frame 300 along the first direction.

[0068] The conveyor line 30 is raised or lowered to a height position matching the Mth receiving layer 51. By determining the height position of the Mth receiving layer 51, the height position of the conveyor line 30 is adjusted. For example, the conveyor line 30 can be raised to a height position matching the Mth receiving layer 51, or the conveyor line 30 can be lowered to a height position matching the Mth receiving layer 51. When the conveyor line 30 is raised or lowered to a height position matching the Mth receiving layer 51, the first conveying section 31 of the conveyor line 30 can be inserted into the battery frame 300 along the first direction and located below the Mth receiving layer 51. For example, the upper surface of the conveyor line 30 is lower than the bottom surface of the Mth receiving layer 51 and adjacent to the Mth receiving layer 51.

[0069] The battery pack 400 is lifted upwards to separate it from the conveyor line 30. After the battery pack 400 is separated from the conveyor line 30, it is convenient to insert the conveyor line 30 into the battery frame 300 along the first direction. During the process of driving the conveyor line 30 to insert into the battery frame 300 along the first direction, the conveyor line 30 is in an unloaded state, which requires less driving force, reduces energy loss, and also reduces the impact of the conveyor line 30 on the battery pack 400 during its movement along the first direction. For example, it may cause the position of the battery pack 400 to change, resulting in inaccurate subsequent assembly of the battery pack 400. This helps to ensure the accuracy of the battery pack 400 assembly.

[0070] For example, the automatic assembly equipment 100 may also include a separation mechanism 21, which is mounted on the aforementioned mounting bracket 20. The separation mechanism 21 includes a support plate 211, which can move up and down relative to the mounting bracket 20. When the conveyor line 30 is raised to a height position matching the Mth receiving layer 51, the support plate 211 is located below the battery pack 400. By moving the support plate 211 upward, the battery pack 400 can be lifted upward, thereby separating the battery pack 400 from the conveyor line 30.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figures 1-3 After the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that its placement surface 301 protrudes upward beyond the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height, the lifted battery pack 400 moves downward to be supported on the second conveyor section 32 of the conveyor line 30. By moving the conveyor line 30 upward until its placement surface 301 protrudes upward beyond the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height, and then placing the battery pack 400 on the second conveyor section 32 of the conveyor line 30, the conveyor line 30 is in an unloaded state during the upward movement of the conveyor line 30. This reduces the requirement for driving force, reduces energy loss, and also reduces the impact of the upward movement of the conveyor line 30 on the battery pack 400. For example, it may cause changes in the position of the battery pack 400, resulting in inaccurate subsequent assembly of the battery pack 400. This helps to ensure the accuracy of the battery pack 400 assembly.

[0072] For example, when the automatic assembly equipment 100 includes the separation mechanism 21 described above, after the conveyor line 30 moves upward so that the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height, the support plate 211 moves downward, thereby driving the battery pack 400 to move downward synchronously until the battery pack 400 falls on the second conveying section 32 of the conveyor line 30. The support plate 211 continues to move downward to separate from the battery pack 400, thereby transferring the battery pack 400 to the second conveying section 32 of the conveyor line 30.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figure 3 The length direction of the battery pack 400 is aligned with the first direction, and each receiving layer 51 accommodates one battery pack 400. By aligning the length direction of the battery pack 400 with the first direction and the length direction of the conveyor line 30, it is convenient to place the battery pack 400 on the conveyor line 30 and to facilitate the conveyor line 30 to transport the battery pack 400 along the first direction into the battery frame 300. Furthermore, by accommodating one battery pack 400 per receiving layer 51, the space of each receiving layer 51 can be fully utilized, increasing the energy density of each receiving layer 51, thereby contributing to an increase in the energy density of the power battery assembly.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, during the assembly of the battery pack 400 into the first to N-1th receiving layers 51, the first conveying segment 31 of the conveying line 30 is inserted into the M+1th receiving layer 51 of the battery frame 300 along a first direction. Each of the first to N-1th receiving layers 51 has a receiving layer 51 below it. Thus, during the assembly of the battery pack 400 into the first to N-1th receiving layers 51, the space of the lower receiving layer 51 located below and adjacent to the receiving layer 51 to be assembled can be fully utilized, allowing the conveying line 30 to be inserted into the lower receiving layer 51.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, the bottom of the battery frame 300 has a clearance layer located below the Nth receiving layer 51. During the assembly of the battery pack 400 into the Nth receiving layer 51, the first conveying section 31 of the conveyor line 30 is inserted into the clearance layer of the battery frame 300 along a first direction. For the Nth receiving layer 51 located at the bottom, by providing a clearance layer at the bottom of the battery frame 300 and below the Nth receiving layer 51, the conveyor line 30 can be inserted into the clearance layer during the assembly of the battery pack 400 into the Nth receiving layer 51. This allows the battery pack 400 to be assembled into the corresponding receiving layer 51 by lifting the conveyor line 30 from below as described above.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present invention, the height of the clearance layer in the vertical direction is smaller than the height of the receiving layer 51 in the vertical direction. For example, the height of the clearance layer in the vertical direction can be slightly larger than the thickness of the conveying line 30 in the vertical direction, so that the conveying line 30 can be smoothly inserted into the clearance layer and smoothly moved out of the clearance layer. For example, the height of the clearance layer in the vertical direction can be half the height of the receiving layer 51 in the vertical direction. By making the height of the clearance layer in the vertical direction smaller than the height of the receiving layer 51 in the vertical direction, wasted space within the battery frame 300 can be avoided, making the structure of the battery frame 300 more compact.

[0077] The following reference Figures 1-5 A method for assembling a battery powertrain according to some embodiments of the present invention is described.

[0078] Reference Figures 1-5 In this embodiment, taking one battery pack 400 per layer 51 as an example, the method of assembling the battery powertrain includes sequentially assembling multiple battery packs 400 into the first to Nth layers 51. The steps for assembling the battery pack 400 into each layer 51 are as follows:

[0079] Step A1: Place the battery pack 400 on the conveyor line 30;

[0080] Step A2: Conveyor line 30 transports battery pack 400 toward the assembly position in a direction close to battery frame 300;

[0081] Step A3: Raise the conveyor line 30 to a height position that matches the Mth receiving layer 51;

[0082] Step A4: Lift the battery pack 400 upwards to separate it from the conveyor line 30;

[0083] Step A5: The first conveying section 31 of the conveying line 30 is inserted into the battery frame 300 along the first direction and is located below the Mth receiving layer 51;

[0084] Step A6: The conveyor line 30 moves upward so that the placement surface 301 of the conveyor line 30 protrudes upward from the support surface 501 of the Mth receiving layer 51 to a preset protrusion height;

[0085] Step A7: The battery pack 400, which has been lifted upwards, moves downwards to be supported on the second conveyor section 32 of the conveyor line 30;

[0086] Step A8: Conveyor line 30 transports the battery pack 400 placed on the second conveyor section 32 to a preset position in the Mth receiving layer 51;

[0087] Step A9: The conveyor line 30 moves downward to transfer the battery pack 400 to the support surface 501 of the M receiving layer 51.

[0088] In step A10, the conveyor line 30 moves in the second direction to separate from the battery frame 300.

[0089] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "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 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 invention.

[0090] In the description of this invention, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0091] In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0092] In the description of this invention, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or it may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them.

[0093] In the description of this invention, the terms "above," "over," and "on top" for the first feature and the second feature include the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicating that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature.

[0094] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0095] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand 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 claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a power battery assembly, characterized in that, The power battery assembly includes a battery frame and multiple battery packs. The battery frame has multiple layers arranged sequentially in a vertical direction. At least some of the layers have clearance openings on their bottom surfaces to avoid the conveyor lines. The battery packs are housed within the layers. The multiple layers are arranged from top to bottom as the first to the Nth layers, where N ≥ 2 and N is an integer. The assembly method of the power battery assembly includes: sequentially assembling the multiple battery packs into the first to the Nth layers. The step of assembling the battery pack in each of the receiving layers includes: The first conveying section of the conveyor line is inserted into the battery frame along the first direction and is located below the Mth receiving layer, and the second conveying section of the conveyor line is located outside the battery frame, 1≤M≤N and M is an integer. The second conveying section and the first conveying section are arranged sequentially along the first direction, and the conveying direction of the conveyor line is consistent with the first direction. The conveyor line moves upward so that the placement surface of the conveyor line protrudes upward from the support surface of the Mth receiving layer to a preset protrusion height. A portion of the conveyor line is located below the Mth receiving layer. Both the placement surface of the conveyor line and the support surface of the Mth receiving layer are used to place and support the battery pack. The conveyor line transports the battery pack placed on the second conveyor section to the first conveyor section, so as to transport the battery pack to a preset position within the Mth receiving layer; The conveyor line moves downward to transfer the battery pack to the support surface of the Mth receiving layer; The conveyor line moves in a second direction to separate from the battery frame, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.

2. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset protrusion height ranges from 3mm to 8mm.

3. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor line includes a main body and a conveyor unit. The conveyor unit is disposed on the main body and has the placement surface. The width of the main body is greater than the width of the conveyor unit. When the conveyor line moves upward so that the placement surface of the conveyor line protrudes upward from the support surface of the Mth receiving layer to a preset protrusion height, the main line body is located below the Mth receiving layer.

4. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conveying unit includes multiple sub-conveying units, which are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the main body. Each sub-conveying unit has a placement surface, and at least a portion of two adjacent sub-conveying units define an avoidance space, which is used to avoid the bottom structure of the Mth receiving layer.

5. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before inserting the first conveying section of the conveyor line into the battery frame along the first direction, the following steps are also included: Place the battery pack on the conveyor line; The conveyor line transports the battery pack toward the assembly position in a direction close to the battery frame; The conveyor line is raised or lowered to a height position matching that of the Mth accommodating layer; The battery pack is lifted upwards to separate it from the conveyor line.

6. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, After the conveyor line moves upward so that the placement surface of the conveyor line protrudes upward from the support surface of the Mth receiving layer to a preset protrusion height, the battery pack, which has been lifted upward, moves downward to be supported on the second conveyor section of the conveyor line.

7. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length direction of the battery pack is consistent with the first direction, and each of the housing layers houses one battery pack.

8. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, During the assembly of the battery pack in the first to N-1th receiving layers, the first conveying section of the conveyor line is inserted into the M+1th receiving layer of the battery frame along the first direction.

9. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The bottom of the battery frame has a clearance layer, which is located below the Nth housing layer. During the assembly of the battery pack in the Nth housing layer, the first conveying section of the conveyor line is inserted into the clearance layer of the battery frame along the first direction.

10. The assembly method of the power battery assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The height dimension of the air-proof layer in the vertical direction is smaller than that of the housing layer in the vertical direction.

Images