Multi-station battery casing processing device

Abstract

This invention relates to a multi-station battery casing processing device, comprising a worktable with a stamping station, a rotary cutting station, and a grinding station arranged sequentially on the worktable. Movable arms are mounted on both sides of the worktable, and grippers are mounted on the movable arms. The movable arms drive the grippers to sequentially transfer the battery casing between the stations. The grinding station has a grinding die with an upward-facing cavity, within which the battery casing is vertically movable. A grinding block is positioned opposite the opening of the grinding die. As the battery casing rises, the distance between the top R-corner of the battery casing and the grinding block gradually decreases until they come into contact, progressively grinding the burrs at the R-corner. During the lifting and lowering of the battery casing relative to the grinding die, the grinding block remains fixed, and the battery casing gradually approaches the grinding block, with only the burrs at the top R-corner of the battery casing gradually approaching and being ground. In one stroke of the battery casing, automated grinding of the R-corner burrs is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery casing molding, and in particular to a multi-station battery casing processing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the battery casing processing flow, progressive dies are commonly used equipment to achieve key processes, and can effectively complete the stamping, shaping and rotary cutting operations of the battery casing. Taking the patent technology with publication number CN106890901B, entitled "A Multi-station Processing System and Processing Method for Stainless Steel Casing of New Energy Battery", as an example, its core design idea is to gradually achieve the complete forming of the battery casing through multi-station collaborative operation.

[0003] From the perspective of specific process connections, before the battery casing is blanked, it usually needs to undergo a rotary cutting process. The core function of this process is to precisely control the height of the battery casing through the rotary cutting process to ensure that it meets the preset size standard. At present, battery casing rotary cutting technology has formed a mature existing technology system. For example, the technical solution disclosed in the patent with publication number CN211588189U, entitled "A Casing Rotary Cutting Device", is a typical application example of rotary cutting equipment in this field.

[0004] However, after the battery casing is rotary cut, burrs will be generated at the opening of the battery casing. In the early stages, the operators failed to discover the pattern of burr generation, so they usually used manual grinding to complete the burr removal operation. This method is not only inefficient, but also difficult to ensure the consistency of processing.

[0005] As research and development progressed, researchers gradually grasped the formation pattern of burrs through repeated observation and analysis: burrs consistently appear at the R-corner of the top of the battery casing and extend horizontally outwards. Further research combined this with the working principle of the rotary cutting die (as shown in Figure 1). Figure 10 As shown, it was found that when the battery case is placed in the rotary cutting die, the movement trajectory of the rotary cutting edge 001 is "first moving upward and then resetting, then moving to the left and then resetting". During this movement, the rotary cutting edge 001 fails to completely cover the cross-sectional area of ​​the battery case 01, resulting in the formation of burrs 02 in the upper left corner of the battery case 01 that is not covered by the cutting edge 001. This discovery clarifies the core reason for the generation of burrs 02.

[0006] To address this issue, researchers explored several solutions focused on "automated burr removal." One solution involved increasing the planar motion stroke of the battery casing within the rotary cutting die. By extending the stroke, the cutting edge could completely cover the cross-sectional area of ​​the battery casing, thus preventing burr formation at the source. However, this solution has significant limitations in practical applications: firstly, it requires substantial modifications to the existing mold structure, resulting in a complex modification process and high costs; secondly, due to the thin wall thickness of the battery casing, increasing the planar motion stroke leads to greater stress on the casing during movement, easily causing tensile deformation and ultimately resulting in a significant increase in the defect rate of battery casing production. Therefore, this solution cannot meet actual production needs.

[0007] In summary, how to achieve automated removal of burrs from battery casings has become an urgent problem for researchers in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is: how to achieve automated removal of burrs on battery casings.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0010] The present invention is a multi-station processing device for battery casings, including a worktable, on which a stamping station, a rotary cutting station, and a grinding station are arranged in sequence. Movable arms are arranged on both sides of the worktable, and grippers are arranged on the movable arms. The movable arms drive the grippers to transfer the battery casings sequentially at each station.

[0011] The grinding station is equipped with a grinding die, which has an upward-facing cavity. The battery case is located within the cavity and can be raised and lowered. A grinding block is positioned opposite the opening of the grinding die. As the battery case rises, the distance between the top R-corner of the battery case and the grinding block gradually decreases and comes into contact, thereby gradually grinding the burrs at the R-corner of the battery case.

[0012] Furthermore, the polishing block includes: a polishing body, wherein a polishing groove is formed on the side of the polishing body near the battery casing, the polishing groove is distributed in arc-shaped segments in any cross-sectional direction, and rounded corner segments are connected to both ends of the arc-shaped segments; along the height direction of the polishing groove, the rounded corner segments are offset towards the R-angle of the battery casing; the rounded corner segments at the top surface of the polishing groove are in close contact with the R-angle of the battery casing, and a gap is formed between the arc-shaped segments and the sidewall of the battery casing.

[0013] Furthermore, driving sources are provided on opposite sides of the grinding die, and the output end of the driving source is connected to the corresponding grinding block through a connecting plate. The two grinding blocks move horizontally closer or further apart under the drive of the corresponding driving source.

[0014] Furthermore, a support plate is provided inside the mold cavity, and a gas spring is provided at the bottom of the support plate to allow it to return to its original position after being pressed down.

[0015] Furthermore, a punch is provided above the mold cavity. The punch can be inserted into the opening of the battery casing and drive the battery casing and support plate to be pressed into the mold cavity.

[0016] Furthermore, a fixing block is provided at one end of the connecting plate near the grinding block, and the fixing block and the grinding block are connected by a guide post that is horizontally oriented towards the grinding block. An elastic element is provided between the opposing surfaces of the fixing block and the grinding block.

[0017] Furthermore, the guide posts and elastic elements are distributed on the left and right sides of the fixing block and the grinding block.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention is a multi-station processing device for battery casings. After the existing progressive die rotary cutting die, an automated grinding station is added. This station cleverly utilizes the inherent timing of the progressive die to precisely process burrs at the R-corner of the battery casing. The specific workflow is as follows: Before the battery casing begins to rise relative to the grinding die, the grinding block is driven by a drive source to precisely move to a preset working position. When the gas spring drives the battery casing upward, the battery casing and the grinding block gradually approach each other. At this time, the burrs at the top R-corner of the battery casing will fully contact the grinding block, thus completing the automated grinding operation. Crucially, the grinding block adopts a hollow wall structure design. This special structure ensures that it only contacts the R-corner of the battery casing, effectively preventing damage caused by contact between the sidewall of the battery casing and the grinding block, while also allowing the rounded corner area of ​​the grinding block to form concentrated and stable grinding pressure on the R-corner of the battery casing. Based on this design advantage, the R-corner can be ground in one go during a single rise of the battery casing. The efficient removal of burrs eliminates the need for manual burr removal in traditional production, improving production efficiency and ensuring consistent appearance quality of the battery casing. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the burr forming process for the battery casing;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the grinding die structure;

[0022] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the grinding block;

[0023] Figure 4 These are structural diagrams of the grinding block at different cross-sections;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure at different cross-sections where the two grinding blocks fit into the battery casing;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the part of the punch in this embodiment;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this embodiment in conjunction with the punch;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the fit between the fixing block and the grinding block;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of this embodiment;

[0029] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the battery casing rising relative to the polishing block;

[0030] Figure 11 This is a picture of a battery casing with burrs. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, illustrating only the basic structure of the invention, and therefore only show the components relevant to the invention.

[0032] See Figure 9 This embodiment is a multi-station processing device for battery casings, including a worktable 100. The worktable 100 is provided with a stamping station, a rotary cutting station, and a grinding station in sequence. Movable arms 6 are provided on both sides of the worktable 100. The movable arms 6 are provided with grippers 61. The movable arms 6 drive the grippers 61 to transfer the battery casing 01 sequentially at each station.

[0033] The stamping station is equipped with a stamping die, the rotary cutting station is equipped with a rotary cutting die 101, and the grinding station is equipped with a grinding die 1. The grinding die 1 has an upward-facing cavity 11, and the battery case 01 is located in the cavity 11 in a height-adjustable manner.

[0034] A grinding block 2 is provided opposite to the opening of the grinding die 1. During the process of the battery case 01 rising, the distance between the top R corner 1-1 of the battery case 01 and the grinding block 2 gradually decreases and comes into contact, so as to gradually grind the burrs 02 at the R corner 1-1 of the battery case 01.

[0035] In this embodiment, see Figure 9 A grinding station was added after the rotary cutting die 101. The grinding station is equipped with a grinding die 1 to grind the burrs 02 at the R-angle 1-1 of the battery casing 01. For details, see [link to details]. Figure 2 During the process of the battery case 01 rising and falling relative to the grinding die 1, the battery case 01 gradually approaches the grinding block 2, and the burr 02 at the top R-angle 1-1 of the battery case 01 gradually approaches the grinding block 2 and is ground. In one stroke of the battery case 01, the automatic grinding of the burr 02 at the R-angle 1-1 can be achieved.

[0036] It should be noted that the battery casing 01 is only polished during the rising process. During the polishing process, the burrs come into contact with the polishing groove 22. After polishing, the burrs 02 fall downwards due to their own weight, reducing the probability of the burrs 02 entering the battery casing 01 and avoiding the need for subsequent cleaning of the battery casing 01.

[0037] If the battery casing 01 comes into contact with the polishing block 2 during the descent process, it will inevitably cause the polishing block 2 to come into contact with the side wall of the battery casing 01, resulting in damage to the side wall of the battery casing 01.

[0038] See Figure 3 In some possible embodiments, to illustrate the specific structure of the polishing block 2, this embodiment uses the polishing block 2 comprising: a polishing body 21, wherein the polishing body 21 has a polishing groove 22 opened outward on the side near the battery case 01, the polishing groove 22 is distributed in arc-shaped segments 23 in any cross-sectional direction, and rounded corner segments 24 are connected to both ends of the arc-shaped segments; along the height direction of the polishing groove 2, the rounded corner segments 24 are offset and gradually approach the R angle 1-1 of the battery case 01; the rounded corner segments 24 at the top surface of the polishing groove 2 are in close contact with the R angle of the battery case 01, and a gap 1-2 is formed between the arc-shaped segments 23 and the side wall of the battery case 01;

[0039] In this embodiment, during the upward movement of the battery casing 01, the burrs 02 at the R-angle 1-1 gradually approach and are polished by the rounded corner segment 24. After the top surface of the battery casing 01 is flush with the top surface of the polishing block 2, the R-angle 1-1 of the battery casing 01 matches the rounded corner segment 24. That is, the arc and arc length of the top surface of the polishing groove 22 match the R-angle 1-1 of the battery casing 01, thus completely removing the burrs 02 and polishing the burrs 02 at the R-angle 1-1 of the battery casing 01. The polishing block 22 can achieve the polishing of the battery casing 01 in the width direction. The two R-angles 1-1 are polished simultaneously. Along the cross-section of the polishing groove 2 from top to bottom, the curvature of the rounded corner segment 24 remains unchanged, while the arc length gradually increases and moves away from the R-angle 1-1 of the battery case 01. For example, for the R-angle 1-1 at the upper left corner of the battery case 01, the rounded corner segment 24 is gradually offset from the bottom to the upper left. While keeping the curvature of the rounded corner segment 24 unchanged, the arc length gradually increases, and the top of the battery case 01 can enter from the bottom of the polishing groove 22 and gradually make the R-angle 1-1 contact the rounded corner segment 24 for polishing.

[0040] See Figure 4 The figures show cross-sectional views of the grinding block 21 at different heights, namely at grinding blocks AA, BB, CC, DD, and EE. In the figures, the arc length of the rounded corner segment 24 at AA is less than the arc length at BB, less than the arc length at CC, less than the arc length at DD, and less than the arc length at EE.

[0041] See Figure 5 , 10 The diagram shows the battery casing during its ascent, in conjunction with the polishing block 21. During the ascent, the distance between the rounded corner segment 24 and the R-angle 1-1 at the upper left corner of the battery casing 01 continuously decreases, and polishing is performed.

[0042] The arc-shaped segment 23 is designed to prevent the grinding groove 22 from contacting the vertical side wall of the battery case 01, which would cause friction and scratches on the side wall of the battery case 01. This ensures that during the grinding process of the burrs 02, only the rounded segment 24 will contact the top R-corner 1-1 of the battery case 01.

[0043] See Figure 2 In some possible embodiments, driving sources 3 are provided on opposite sides of the grinding die 1, and the output end of the driving source 3 is connected to the corresponding grinding block 2 through the connecting plate 31. The two grinding blocks 2 are horizontally close to or far away under the drive of the corresponding driving source 3.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the battery case 01 is descending in the grinding die 1, in order to avoid contact between the grinding block 2 and the battery case 01, the drive source 3 moves the grinding block 2 to a position away from each other through the connecting plate 31. Before the battery case 01 rises, the drive source 3 brings the two grinding blocks 2 closer to each other. At this time, from the downward projection perspective, the outer contour of the battery case 01 matches the contour of the rounded corner segment 24 of the grinding block 2.

[0045] It should be noted that the drive source 3 can be a cylinder, an electric motor, or a servo motor, etc.

[0046] See Figure 6 In some possible embodiments, after the battery case 01 is pressed into the mold cavity 11, in order to raise the battery case 01, this embodiment adopts a support plate 4 provided in the mold cavity 11, and a gas spring 41 is provided at the bottom of the support plate 4 to allow it to return to its original position after being pressed down.

[0047] In this embodiment, the battery case 01 is pressed into the mold cavity 11 along with the support plate 4. The gas spring 41 is in a compressed state. Then the gas spring 41 returns to its original position, causing the battery case 01 and the support plate 4 to rise slowly. During the process of the battery case 01 being raised, it gradually comes into contact with the grinding block 2 for grinding. It should be noted that when the support plate 4 rises to its limit, the upper surface of the support plate 4 is flush with the upper surface of the grinding die 1, which facilitates the removal of the battery case 01 after grinding or the insertion of it before grinding.

[0048] See Figure 6 , 7 In some possible embodiments, how to press the battery case 01 into the mold cavity 11, this embodiment adopts a punch 5 set above the mold cavity 11. The punch 5 can be inserted into the opening of the battery case 01 and drive the battery case 01 and the support plate 4 to be pressed into the mold cavity 11.

[0049] In this embodiment, the punch 5 is fixedly connected to the upper template 004. When the punch 5 moves downward, it can be inserted into the opening of the battery case 01 and drive the battery case 01 and the support plate 4 to be pressed into the opening of the battery case 01 simultaneously. When the punch 5 moves upward, the battery case 01 moves upward with the punch 5 under the action of the support plate 4 and the gas spring 41. The punch 5 ensures that the battery case 01 does not deviate during the upward movement.

[0050] It should be noted that the punch 5 can be used with the upper template, and the grinding die 1 can be placed on the worktable 100. After the battery case 01 is rotary cut, the battery case 01 in the next grinding process can be pressed into the mold cavity 11 for grinding at the R angle 1-1 of the battery case 01.

[0051] See Figure 8 In some possible embodiments, since the power source drives the two grinding blocks to approach each other and accurately adjust the grinding blocks to one side of the mold cavity, this places high precision requirements on the power source. In order to achieve burr grinding while reducing the stroke accuracy of the power source, this embodiment adopts a fixed block 33 at one end of the connecting plate 31 near the grinding block 2. The fixed block 33 and the grinding block 2 are connected by a guide post 34 that is horizontally oriented towards the grinding block 2. An elastic element 32 is provided between the fixed block 33 and the opposite surfaces of the grinding block 2.

[0052] In this embodiment, a fixing block 33 is connected to one end of the connecting plate 31. The fixing block 33 and the grinding block 2 are connected by a guide post 34. An elastic element 32 is also connected between the fixing block 33 and the grinding block 2. When the power source 3 drives the two grinding blocks 2 to approach each other, the distance between the two grinding blocks 2 is less than the length of the battery shell 01. When the battery shell 01 rises, the grinding blocks 2 gradually move away from each other due to the rise of the battery shell. The elastic element 32 is in a compressed state. The elastic element 32 needs to release the elastic force to make the grinding blocks 2 fit against the R angle 1-1 of the battery shell 01 for grinding. That is, the two grinding blocks 2 are passively adjusted left and right to achieve flexible grinding of the battery shell 01. This reduces the stroke accuracy of the power source 3.

[0053] See Figure 8 In some possible embodiments, the guide post 34 and the elastic element 32 are distributed on the left and right sides of the fixing block 33 and the grinding block 2;

[0054] In this embodiment, guide posts 34 are provided on the left and right sides of the fixing block 33 and the grinding block 2, and elastic elements 32 are respectively provided on the inner side of the two guide posts 34. The two elastic elements 32 are symmetrically arranged between the fixing block 33 and the grinding block 2. In this way, when the battery shell 01 is being ground, under the action of the elastic elements 32, the grinding block 2 is always parallel to the side wall of the battery shell 01, ensuring that the movement of the grinding block 2 is linear and avoiding contact between the grinding block 2 and the side wall of the battery shell 01, which would cause damage to the side wall of the battery shell 01.

[0055] Working principle:

[0056] First, the linkage of the gripper 61 and the movable arm 6 transfers the battery case 01, which is on the previous rotary cutting die 101, to the support plate 4 of the grinding die 1 via the gripper 61. Then, the upper template 004 drives the punch 5 to descend, pressing the battery case 01 and the support plate 4 into the die cavity 11. After the battery case 01 descends to its limit position, the power source 3 drives the two grinding blocks 2 to approach each other, and the punch 5 moves upward. The battery case 01, together with the support plate 4, rises under the action of the gas spring 41. During the rising process of the battery case 01, the burrs 02 at the top of the R-angle 1-1 of the battery case 01 gradually contact the rounded corner section 24 of the grinding block 2 and are ground. After the grinding is completed, the two grinding blocks 2 move away from each other, and the linkage of the gripper 61 and the movable arm 6 removes the ground battery case 01, realizing the automated grinding of the burrs 02 at the R-angle of the battery case 01.

[0057] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-station battery casing processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a worktable, on which a stamping station, a rotary cutting station, and a grinding station are arranged in sequence. Movable arms are arranged on both sides of the worktable, and grippers are arranged on the movable arms. The movable arms drive the grippers to transfer the battery case sequentially at each station. The grinding station is equipped with a grinding die, which has an upward-facing cavity. The battery case is located in the cavity and can be raised and lowered. A grinding block is provided opposite to the opening of the grinding die. During the process of the battery case rising, the distance between the top R-corner of the battery case and the grinding block gradually decreases and comes into contact, so as to gradually grind the burrs at the R-corner of the battery case. The polishing block includes: a polishing body, wherein the polishing body has a polishing groove on the side facing outward near the battery casing, the polishing groove is distributed in arc-shaped segments in any cross-sectional direction, and rounded corner segments are connected to both ends of the arc-shaped segments; along the height direction of the polishing groove, the rounded corner segments are offset towards the R-angle of the battery casing. The rounded corner section at the top surface of the polishing groove is in contact with the R-corner of the battery casing, and a gap is formed between the arc-shaped section and the side wall of the battery casing.

2. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grinding die has a drive source on each of its opposite sides. The output end of the drive source is connected to the corresponding grinding block through a connecting plate. The two grinding blocks move horizontally closer or further apart under the drive of the corresponding drive source.

3. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support plate is provided inside the mold cavity, and a gas spring is provided at the bottom of the support plate so that it can be pressed down and then reset.

4. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, A punch is provided above the mold cavity. The punch can be inserted into the opening of the battery case and drive the battery case and support plate to be pressed into the mold cavity.

5. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, A fixing block is provided at one end of the connecting plate near the grinding block. The fixing block and the grinding block are connected by a guide post that is horizontally oriented towards the grinding block. An elastic element is provided between the opposite surfaces of the fixing block and the grinding block.

6. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive source is a pneumatic cylinder, an electric cylinder, or a servo motor.

7. The multi-station battery casing processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide posts and elastic elements are distributed on the left and right sides of the fixing block and the grinding block.

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