Flexible material stirring device for electric vehicle manufacturing

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of battery cell sorting, in particular to a flexible material stirring device for electric vehicle manufacturing, which comprises a machine base, a sorting mechanism, a feeding assembly and a testing assembly, the sorting mechanism comprises a sorting turntable, a plurality of placing grooves are formed in the side wall of the sorting turntable, and the placing grooves are used for placing battery cells; the feeding assembly is used for conveying the battery cell to the placing groove; the test assembly is used for testing the battery cell located at the placing groove so as to determine the specification of the battery cell; a plurality of slideways are arranged on the machine base, can be communicated with the placement groove and are used for receiving battery cells of different specifications; two second sorting plates are inserted into the inlet end of each slide way; and first sorting plates are inserted into the two ends of each placement groove, can slide in the direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable, and can slide to correspond to the second sorting plates corresponding to the specifications of the battery cells. Therefore, the feeding, testing and sorting processes are integrated, and the occupied space and the cost are reduced while related accessories are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery cell sorting technology, and in particular to a flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] As the core energy carrier of electric vehicle power systems, lithium batteries directly determine the vehicle's range and operational stability. The performance of lithium batteries, in turn, is highly dependent on the cell units that make them up.

[0003] In the lithium-ion battery assembly process, cell sorting is a crucial preliminary step. This step is essential due to the inherent characteristics of cell manufacturing—even under the same production processes and parameters, mass-produced cells will naturally exhibit differences in their core performance characteristics. These key characteristics include, but are not limited to, the cell's energy storage capacity, terminal voltage level, and internal resistance, which collectively determine the cell's charge / discharge efficiency, energy output stability, and cycle life. Since lithium-ion batteries require multiple cells connected in series or parallel to form a battery pack, if the cells within a pack have inconsistent performance, during charge / discharge cycles, the weaker cells will reach their charge / discharge limits first, leading to an imbalance in the overall charge / discharge of the battery pack. This not only significantly reduces the overall capacity and range of the battery pack but may also pose safety hazards due to overcharging and discharging of certain cells. Therefore, a sorting process is necessary to select cells with consistent performance for assembly.

[0004] When sorting battery cells, a sorting machine is required. In related technologies, such as Chinese patent CN108940935B, a battery cell sorting machine is disclosed, which realizes the feeding, testing and sorting of battery cells by setting up a feeding module, a testing module and a sorting module.

[0005] Although the aforementioned battery cell sorting machine can sort battery cells, it has been found in actual use that its linear sorting method requires a large number of related accessories, resulting in not only a large space occupation but also high costs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing to address the problems of large space occupation and high cost of current battery cell sorting machines.

[0007] The above objectives are achieved through the following technical solutions: A flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing includes a base, a sorting mechanism, a testing component, and a feeding component. The sorting mechanism includes a sorting turntable, which is mounted on a base and can rotate around its own axis; multiple placement slots are provided on the side wall of the sorting turntable, which are arranged circumferentially and configured to hold battery cells; a first sorting plate is inserted into both ends of each placement slot. The machine base is equipped with multiple slides arranged circumferentially along the sorting turntable, all of which can communicate with the placement slots and are configured to receive battery cells of different specifications. The battery cells can slide along the slides. Two second sorting plates are inserted at the inlet end of each slide. The two second sorting plates in the same slide are arranged symmetrically and at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second sorting plates on the same side in different slides are staggered along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second sorting plates can form a stop with the first sorting plate and can slide elastically along the radial direction of the sorting turntable. Each second sorting plate is equipped with a stop block, which can slide synchronously with the second sorting plate along the radial direction of the sorting turntable and also slide relative to the second sorting plate along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The two stop blocks in the same slide are configured to form a stop with the same battery cell. The sorting mechanism also includes a distance adjustment component, which is configured to adjust the distance between the two stop blocks in the same slide. The feeding assembly is configured to deliver the battery cells to the placement slot; The testing component is configured to test the battery cells located in the placement slot to determine the specifications of the battery cells; the first sorting plate can slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable and can slide to correspond to the second sorting plate corresponding to the specifications of the battery cells.

[0008] Furthermore, the distance adjustment component includes a first slider and a first groove. Each slide is provided with two sets of first grooves. The two sets of first grooves at the same slide are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. Each set includes two first grooves. The two first grooves in the same set are located on both sides of the same slide. The first groove has an annular structure. Each stop is provided with two first sliders. The two sliders on the same stop are unidirectionally slidably inserted into the two first grooves in the same set.

[0009] Furthermore, the testing assembly includes a test piece and two annular grooves. The two annular grooves are respectively set on the two end faces of the sorting turntable, and are both coaxially arranged with the sorting turntable and connected to the placement slots. The test piece has a telescopic section, wherein the fixed end is set on the base, and the sliding end can slide elastically along the circumference of the sorting turntable. Two sliding rods are provided on the sliding end. The two sliding rods are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable, and can both slide elastically along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. Each sliding rod is provided with a contact and a first wedge. The contact can slide along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable and can be electrically connected to the electrode of the battery cell. The first wedge is inserted into the annular groove. Each annular groove is filled with a number of second wedges equal to the number of placement slots. The second wedges and placement slots are arranged alternately along the circumference, and the second wedges can form a stop fit with the first wedges.

[0010] Furthermore, the test assembly also includes a first drive element configured to provide a driving force for contact sliding.

[0011] Furthermore, a first elastic element connects the fixed end and the sliding end.

[0012] Furthermore, the feeding assembly includes a first guide plate, a second guide plate, a third guide plate, and a queuing wheel. The first guide plate, the second guide plate, the third guide plate, and the queuing wheel are all mounted on the base. The axis of the queuing wheel is parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable, and the queuing wheel can rotate around its own axis. The surfaces of the first guide plate, the second guide plate, and the third guide plate are all parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second guide plate and the third guide plate are located on opposite sides of the queuing wheel. The second guide plate is inclined. The first guide plate has a first inclined section and a parallel section. The first inclined section and the second guide plate are inclined in opposite directions. The parallel section extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the sorting turntable and is located on the same side of the queuing wheel as the third guide plate. They are parallel and spaced apart. The queuing wheel, the first guide plate, the second guide plate, and the third guide plate together form a storage and conveying channel. The storage and conveying channel is configured to store battery cells and can communicate with the placement slot.

[0013] Furthermore, the queuing wheel has a regular polygonal structure.

[0014] Furthermore, the feeding assembly also includes a second drive unit configured to provide driving force for the rotation of the queuing wheel.

[0015] Furthermore, each second sorting plate is connected to the base with a second elastic element, and under the action of the second elastic element, the second sorting plate tends to move inward.

[0016] Furthermore, the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing also includes a third drive unit configured to provide driving force for the rotation of the sorting turntable.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention relates to a flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing. By setting up a sorting turntable and a matching sorting mechanism, feeding assembly, and testing assembly, it not only changes the existing linear sorting method to a circular cyclic sorting method, thus reducing the space occupied, but also integrates the feeding, testing, and sorting processes by utilizing the special structure of the sorting mechanism, thereby reducing the space occupied and cost while reducing related accessories. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the flexible material sorting device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention during the sorting of battery cells; Figure 2 This is a front view of the flexible material sorting device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention during the sorting of battery cells. Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the sorting mechanism, testing components, and part of the base of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the sorting mechanism of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 5 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a test piece for a flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of the sorting mechanism of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention, and a portion of the base assembly. Figure 7 A front view schematic diagram of a portion of the base of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 for Figure 7 Sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 9 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the sorting mechanism of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 10 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a portion of the sorting mechanism of the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 .

[0019] in: 1. Base; 101. Mounting slot; 102. Slide rail; 201. Sorting turntable; 2011. Placement groove; 2012. Second chute; 202. First sorting plate; 2021. First wedge surface; 203. Second sorting plate; 2031. Second wedge surface; 2032. Second slider; 204. Compression spring; 205. Stop block; 2051. Sliding bar; 20511. Third chute; 2061. First slider; 2062. First chute; 20621. First section; 20622. Second section; 20623. Third section; 20624. Fourth section; 2063. Third wedge block; 2064. Elastic telescopic rod; 207. First drive cylinder; 3. Test components; 301. Test piece; 3011. Fixed end; 3012. Sliding end; 3013. Sliding rod; 3014. Contact; 3015. First wedge; 302. Annular groove; 303. Second wedge; 4. Feeding assembly; 401. First guide plate; 4011. First inclined section; 4012. Parallel section; 402. Second guide plate; 403. Third guide plate; 404. Arraying wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0021] The component designations used in this document, such as "first" and "second," are merely for distinguishing the described objects and do not have any sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage," unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description. They 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, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0023] Existing battery cell sorting machines generally adopt a linear material conveying structure. This structure requires connecting various functional modules through a long conveying path. In order to ensure the stability and accurate positioning of the battery cells during the linear conveying process, a large number of guiding, limiting and driving accessories are also required.

[0024] The length of the linear material conveying path is positively correlated with the number of parts. An excessively long conveying path not only results in a large overall size of the equipment, occupying more production workshop space, but also increases the manufacturing cost and subsequent maintenance cost of the equipment due to the use of a large number of parts, which is not conducive to improving production efficiency and controlling production costs.

[0025] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible material sorting device for electric vehicle manufacturing, which is particularly suitable for sorting battery cells.

[0026] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing is configured to include a base 1, a sorting mechanism, a testing component 3, and a feeding component 4. The base 1 has an L-shaped structure and has a first horizontal section, a first arc transition section, and a first vertical section. The first horizontal section and the first vertical section are connected by an arc transition section. The first vertical section extends upward in the vertical direction, and the first horizontal section extends to the left in the horizontal direction.

[0027] The sorting mechanism includes a sorting turntable 201. To facilitate installation of the sorting turntable 201, an installation groove 101 is provided on the front sidewall of the first vertical section. The installation groove 101 is a strip-shaped structure that extends vertically and upwards to the upper end face of the first vertical section. During installation, the axis of the sorting turntable 201 extends horizontally in the front-back direction, with the upper part inserted into the installation groove 101 and the lower part embedded in the solid part of the first vertical section. Multiple placement grooves 2011 are provided on the sidewall of the sorting turntable 201. These grooves are evenly arranged circumferentially and extend parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. The sorting turntable 201 can also rotate around its own axis, facilitating the placement of battery cells in the placement grooves 2011. The feeding assembly 4 is configured to transport the battery cells to the placement grooves 2011.

[0028] Multiple slide rails 102 are provided on the front side wall of the base 1. The slide rails 102 are L-shaped strip structures and are formed simultaneously on the solid part of the first vertical section, the first arc transition section and the first horizontal section. They also have a second inclined section, a second vertical section, a second arc transition section and a second horizontal section connected in sequence. The second inclined section extends in the radial direction of the sorting turntable 201. The second vertical section is parallel to the first vertical section, the second arc transition section is parallel to the first arc transition section, and the second horizontal section is parallel to the first horizontal section. The second inclined sections of different slide rails 102 are arranged circumferentially along the sorting turntable 201 to facilitate the reception of battery cells of different specifications. The battery cells can slide along the slide rails 102.

[0029] Each placement slot 2011 has a second chute 2012 at both ends. The second chute 2012 is connected to the placement slot 2011 and extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. Each second chute 2012 has a first sorting plate 202 inserted into it. The surface of the first sorting plate 202 is perpendicular to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. At the entrance end of each slide 102, i.e., at the upper end of the second inclined section, two second sorting plates 203 are inserted. The surface of the second sorting plate 203 is perpendicular to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. The two second sorting plates 203 in the same slide 102 are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201 and are symmetrically arranged. The second sorting plates 203 on the same side in different slides 102 are staggered along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201 to facilitate different slides 102 receiving cells of different specifications. The sidewalls of the different first sorting plates 202 on the same side are all first wedge surfaces 2021, such as... Figure 2 As shown, taking the first sorting plate 202 located at the top as an example, its left side wall is the first wedge surface 2021; the side walls of different second sorting plates 203 located on the same side are all second wedge surfaces 2031. Correspondingly, the left side wall of the second sorting plate 203 is the second wedge surface 2031. The slope of the second wedge surface 2031 and the first wedge surface 2021 are the same, which facilitates the formation of a stop fit; a second elastic element is connected between the outer side wall of each second sorting plate 203 and the base 1. The number of second elastic elements can be set to two, and both can be set as compression springs 204. Under the action of the compression springs 204, the second sorting plate 203 has the tendency to elastically slide inward along the radial direction of the sorting turntable 201.

[0030] Each second sorting plate 203 has a stop block 205 on its inner side. Two stop blocks 205 in different slide rails 102 are arranged symmetrically and at equal intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. Each stop block 205 has a slide bar 2051 on both sides, extending perpendicular to the surface of the second sorting plate 203. Each slide bar 2051 has a third groove 20511, which is parallel to the slide bar 2051. Each second sorting plate 203... The sorting plate 203 and the slide bar 2051 are both provided with a second slider 2032 on the side wall of the same side. The second slider 2032 is slidably inserted into the third slide groove 20511, so that the stop block 205 can slide synchronously with the second sorting plate 203 along the radial direction of the sorting turntable 201, and can also slide relative to the second sorting plate 203 in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. The sorting mechanism also includes a distance adjustment component, which is configured to adjust the distance between the two stops 205 in the same slide rail 102.

[0031] Initially, the distance between the two stops 205 within the same slide rail 102 is less than the axial length of the battery cell, and they can simultaneously form a stop with the same battery cell, facilitating the acceptance of the battery cell. Under the action of the pitch adjustment component, when the distance between the two stops 205 within the same slide rail 102 is greater than the axial length of the battery cell, the battery cell can pass through the gap between the two stops 205 under the action of gravity and slide along the slide rail 102, thereby achieving sorting.

[0032] Test component 3 is configured to test the battery cells located in placement slot 2011 to determine the specifications of the battery cells. Once the specifications of the battery cells in placement slot 2011 are determined, the first sorting plate 202 slides parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201, causing it to slide until its surface overlaps with the surface of the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the specified battery cell specification. As the sorting turntable 201 rotates, the second sorting plates 203 located on the same side of different slides 102 are misaligned parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201, ensuring that the first sorting plate 202 in placement slot 2011 does not overlap with the surface of the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the specified battery cell specification. The second sorting plate 203 outside of 03 contacts to avoid motion interference; when the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the point where the first sorting plate 202 and the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the cell specification in the placement slot 2011 correspond, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, with the cooperation of the first wedge surface 2021 and the second wedge surface 2031, the first sorting plate 202 pushes the second sorting plate 203 to move outward, the compression spring 204 is compressed, and with the cooperation of the second slider 2032 and the third slide groove 20511, the second sorting plate 203 synchronously drives the stop block 205 to move outward.

[0033] During the outward movement of the stop 205, under the action of the spacing adjustment component, the two stop 205 move outward synchronously, thereby increasing the distance between the two stop 205 in the same slide rail 102. When the distance between the two stop 205 increases to a value greater than the axial length of the battery cell, the battery cell passes through the gap between the two stop 205 under the action of gravity and slides along the slide rail 102 corresponding to the battery cell specification, thereby achieving sorting.

[0034] When the first sorting plate 202 passes the second sorting plate 203, the compression spring 204 is released, causing the first sorting plate 202 to move inward and achieve a reset. At the same time, with the cooperation of the second slider 2032 and the third slide groove 20511, the second sorting plate 203 synchronously drives the stop block 205 to move inward. Under the action of the distance adjustment component, the two stop blocks 205 move inward synchronously and achieve a reset.

[0035] Therefore, not only is the existing linear sorting method changed to a circular loop sorting method, reducing the space occupied, but also the special structure of the sorting mechanism integrates the feeding, testing and sorting processes, reducing the number of related accessories while lowering the space occupied and cost.

[0036] To facilitate the provision of driving force for the sliding of the first sorting plate 202, a first driving cylinder 207 is inserted into each second slide groove 2012. The output shaft of the first driving cylinder 207 is vertical and fixed on the surface of the first sorting plate 202, which facilitates the sliding of the first sorting plate 202.

[0037] It is understandable that the first drive cylinder 207 can be configured as any one of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

[0038] More specifically, the distance adjustment component is configured to include a first slider 2061 and a first chute 2062. Two sets of first chute 2062 are provided at each slide rail 102. The two sets of first chute 2062 at the same slide rail 102 are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. Each set includes two first chute 2062. The two first chute 2062 in the same set are located on both sides of the same slide rail 102. The first chute 2062 has a ring structure and is perpendicular to the surface of the second sorting plate 203. It has a first segment 20621, a second segment 20622, a third segment 20623, and a fourth segment 20624 connected end to end in sequence. The first segment 20621 and the second inclined segment are arranged parallel to each other. The second segment 20622 is located in front of the first segment 20621 and extends forward at an incline. The third segment 20623 is located in front of the first segment 20621 and extends forward at an incline. The fourth segment 20624 extends horizontally in the front-back direction.

[0039] Each stop 205 and slide bar 2051 is provided with a first slider 2061 on the same side wall. The first slider 2061 is an elastic telescopic structure, and its telescopic direction is perpendicular to the slide bar 2051. A third wedge 2063 is inserted into each first segment 20621 near the second segment 20622. The lowest point of the wedge surface of the third wedge 2063 is located near the fourth segment 20624, so that the first slider 2061 can only move unidirectionally along the loop path of the first segment 20621, the second segment 20622, the third segment 20623, the fourth segment 20624, and the first segment 20621. Each stop 205... Two elastic telescopic rods 2064 are provided on each of the 5 components. The elastic telescopic rods 2064 are perpendicular to the surface of the second sorting plate 203 and can form a stop with the base 1. When the first slider 2061 slides along the second segment 20622 and the third segment 20623, the elastic telescopic rods 2064 are compressed. After the first slider 2061 slides along the third segment 20623 to the connection between the third segment 20623 and the fourth segment 20624, the elastic telescopic rods 2064 are released, causing the first slider 2061 to slide along the fourth segment 20624 to the connection between the fourth segment 20624 and the first segment 20621, thus achieving a reset.

[0040] Initially, the first slider 2061 is located at the connection point between the first segment 20621 and the fourth segment 20624.

[0041] During the process of the second sorting plate 203 synchronously driving the stop block 205 to move outward, the first slider 2061 first slides along the first segment 20621 and then passes over the third wedge block 2063; when the second sorting plate 203 moves outward to the limit position, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the first segment 20621 and the second segment 20622.

[0042] Subsequently, the compression spring 204 is released, and the second sorting plate 203 simultaneously drives the stop block 205 to move inward to its reset position. During the inward movement of the stop block 205, under the obstruction of the third wedge block 2063, the first slider 2061 first slides along the second segment 20622, driving the front stop block 205 forward and the rear stop block 205 backward. The elastic telescopic rod 2064 is compressed, increasing the distance between the two stop blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. The second slider 2032 then slides along the third segment 20623, continuing to drive the front stop block 205 forward and the rear stop block 205 backward. The elastic telescopic rod 2064 is further compressed, further increasing the distance between the two stop blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. The spacing between the two blocks 205 increases to a value greater than the axial length of the battery cell. Under the influence of gravity, the battery cell passes through the gap between the two blocks 205 and slides along the slide rail 102 corresponding to the battery cell specification, thus achieving sorting. After the second sorting plate 203 is reset, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the third segment 20623 and the fourth segment 20624. As the elastic telescopic rod 2064 is released, it drives the front block 205 to move backward and the rear block 205 to move forward, thereby reducing the spacing between the two blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. After the blocks 205 are reset, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the first segment 20621 and the fourth segment 20624.

[0043] More specifically, the test component 3 is configured to include a test piece 301 and two annular grooves 302. The two annular grooves 302 are respectively disposed on the two end faces of the sorting turntable 201, and are both coaxially disposed with the sorting turntable 201 and communicate with the placement groove 2011. The test piece 301 has a telescopic section, wherein the fixed end 3011 is disposed on the base 1, and the sliding end 3012 can slide along the circumference of the sorting turntable 201 and is connected to the fixed end 3011 through a first elastic element, such as a first spring, to facilitate elastic sliding. Sliding rods 3013 are provided at both the front and rear ends of the sliding end 3012. The sliding rods 3013 extend along the radial direction of the sorting turntable 201 and can slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201, and are connected to the fixed end 3011 through a second spring. The moving end 3012 is connected to facilitate elastic sliding. Each sliding rod 3013 has a contact 3014 and a first wedge 3015 on the inner side wall of the end away from the sliding end 3012. The contact 3014 can slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201 and can be electrically connected to the electrode of the battery cell, which facilitates the testing of the battery cell to determine its specifications. The first wedge 3015 is inserted into the annular groove 302 and can slide along the annular groove 302. Each annular groove 302 is equipped with a number of second wedges 303 equal to the number of placement slots 2011. The second wedges 303 and placement slots 2011 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. The wedge surface slope of the second wedge 303 is equal to the wedge surface slope of the first wedge 3015, which facilitates the formation of a stop fit.

[0044] To facilitate the provision of driving force for the sliding of contact 3014, test assembly 3 is configured to also include a first driving component, which can be configured as a second driving cylinder. Each sliding rod 3013 is provided with a second driving cylinder. The output shaft of the second driving cylinder is perpendicular to the sliding rod 3013 and is set inward, and is fixed on the contact 3014 to facilitate the sliding of contact 3014.

[0045] Understandably, the second drive cylinder can be configured as any one of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

[0046] During operation, the sorting turntable 201 rotates. When the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the point where the first wedge 3015 and the second wedge 303 engage, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, under the engagement of the first wedge 3015 and the second wedge 303, the sorting turntable 201 synchronously drives the sliding end 3012 to rotate, causing the sliding end 3012 to extend beyond the fixed end 3011. The first spring is stretched to ensure that the contact 3014 can rotate synchronously with the battery cell, thereby ensuring the detection time. At the same time, the second drive cylinder is activated, and the output shaft of the second drive cylinder extends, driving the contact 3014 closer to the battery cell until the contact 3014 contacts the electrode of the battery cell and conducts electricity. The battery cell can then be tested to determine its specifications. When the sliding end 3012 extends to its limit position, the first spring is stretched to its limit position. At this time, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, the second wedge 303 slides relative to the first wedge 3015. Under the push of the second wedge 303, the sliding rod 3013 moves away from the battery cell, and the second spring is stretched. When the first wedge 3015 passes the second wedge 303, the first spring is released, causing the sliding end 3012 to reset. The second spring is released, causing the sliding rod 3013 to reset. At the same time, the second drive cylinder is activated, and the output shaft of the second drive cylinder retracts, causing the contact 3014 to reset.

[0047] More specifically, the feeding assembly 4 is configured to include a first guide plate 401, a second guide plate 402, a third guide plate 403, and a queuing wheel 404. The first guide plate 401, second guide plate 402, third guide plate 403, and queuing wheel are all inserted into the mounting slot 101 and are all located above the sorting turntable 201. The axis of the queuing wheel 404 is parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. The queuing wheel 404 can rotate around its own axis and can be a regular polygonal structure, such as a regular hexagon. The surfaces of the first guide plate 401, second guide plate 402, and third guide plate 403 are all parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. The second guide plate 402 and third guide plate 403 are located on the upper and lower sides of the queuing wheel 404, respectively. The second guide plate 402 is positioned along the right... The first guide plate 401 is inclined upwards, and the third guide plate 403 is vertically arranged. The first guide plate 401 has a first inclined section 4011 and a parallel section 4012. The first inclined section 4011 is inclined in the upper left direction, opposite to the inclined direction of the second guide plate 402, and is arranged lower than the second guide plate 402. The parallel section 4012 is vertically arranged, parallel to the third guide plate 403, and located to the left of the third guide plate 403. It is spaced apart from the third guide plate 403 and located on the same side of the queuing wheel 404. The queuing wheel 404, the first guide plate 401, the second guide plate 402 and the third guide plate 403 together form a storage and conveying channel. The storage and conveying channel is configured to store battery cells and can communicate with the placement slot 2011.

[0048] To facilitate the provision of driving force for the rotation of the queuing wheel 404, the feeding assembly 4 is configured to also include a second driving component, which can be configured as a first driving motor or a hydraulic motor. Taking the second driving component as a first driving motor as an example, the first driving motor is installed on the rear side wall of the first horizontal section, with the motor shaft facing forward horizontally and coaxially fixedly inserted into the queuing wheel 404, so as to facilitate driving the queuing wheel 404 to rotate.

[0049] During use, the battery cells are first stacked vertically in the storage and conveying channel. Under the influence of gravity, the battery cells tend to move downwards, but because the bottommost battery cell is in contact with the side wall of the sorting turntable 201, the battery cell cannot move downwards. Then, the first drive motor is started at the same time, which drives the sorting turntable 201 to rotate. The first drive motor drives the queuing wheel 404 to rotate, and the queuing wheel 404 pushes the battery cells upwards. When the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the point where the placement trough 2011 and the storage and conveying channel are connected, the battery cells fall into the placement trough 2011 under the influence of gravity, thus realizing material conveying.

[0050] In other embodiments, to facilitate the provision of driving force for the rotation of the sorting turntable 201, the flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing also includes a third driving member, which can be configured as a second driving motor or a hydraulic motor. Taking the third driving member as a second driving motor as an example, the second driving motor is installed on the rear side wall of the first horizontal section, with the motor shaft facing forward horizontally and coaxially fixedly inserted into the sorting turntable 201, so as to facilitate driving the sorting turntable 201 to rotate.

[0051] In other embodiments, the queuing wheel 404 may also be configured as a disc-shaped structure.

[0052] In other embodiments, to improve the yield of sorted battery cells, a vision sensor is provided on the fixed end 3011. The vision sensor is used to detect whether there are defects on the surface of the battery cell, and one of the slides 102 is set to collect battery cells with surface defects, ensuring that the other slides 102 collect battery cells without surface defects.

[0053] Based on the above embodiments, the usage principle and working process of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: First, the battery cells are stacked vertically in the storage and conveying channel. Under the influence of gravity, the battery cells tend to move downwards. However, because the bottom battery cell is in contact with the side wall of the sorting turntable 201, it cannot move downwards. Then, the first drive motor and the second drive motor are started simultaneously. The first drive motor drives the queuing wheel 404 to rotate, and the queuing wheel 404 pushes the battery cells upwards. Utilizing the special structure of the storage and conveying channel, the battery cells are arranged side by side between the parallel section 4012 and the third guide plate 403. The second drive motor drives the sorting turntable 201 to rotate. When the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the point where the placement trough 2011 and the storage and conveying channel are connected, the bottom battery cell falls into the placement trough 2011 under the influence of gravity, thus realizing material conveying.

[0054] When the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the engagement of the first wedge 3015 and the second wedge 303, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, under the engagement of the first wedge 3015 and the second wedge 303, the sorting turntable 201 synchronously drives the sliding end 3012 to rotate, causing the sliding end 3012 to extend beyond the fixed end 3011. The first spring is stretched to ensure that the contact 3014 can rotate synchronously with the battery cell, thereby ensuring the detection time. At the same time, the second drive cylinder is activated, and the output shaft of the second drive cylinder extends, driving the contact 3014 closer to the battery cell until the contact 3014 contacts and conducts electricity with the electrode of the battery cell. Subsequently, the battery cell can be processed. The test is conducted to determine the specifications of the battery cell. When the sliding end 3012 extends to its limit position, the first spring is stretched to its limit position. At this time, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, the second wedge 303 slides relative to the first wedge 3015. Under the push of the second wedge 303, the sliding rod 3013 moves away from the battery cell, and the second spring is stretched. When the first wedge 3015 passes the second wedge 303, the first spring is released, causing the sliding end 3012 to reset. The second spring is released, causing the sliding rod 3013 to reset. At the same time, the second drive cylinder is activated, and the output shaft of the second drive cylinder retracts, causing the contact 3014 to reset.

[0055] Once the specifications of the battery cells in the placement slot 2011 are determined, the first drive cylinder 207 is activated, causing the first sorting plate 202 to slide along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. This causes the first sorting plate 202 in the placement slot 2011 to slide until its surface coincides with the surface of the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the specified battery cell specification. As the sorting turntable 201 rotates, the second sorting plates 203 located on the same side in different slides 102 are misaligned along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable 201. This ensures that the first sorting plate 202 in the placement slot 2011 will not overlap with the surface of the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the specified battery cell specification. The second sorting plate 203, which is separate from the first sorting plate 203, comes into contact to avoid motion interference. When the sorting turntable 201 rotates to the point where the first sorting plate 202 and the second sorting plate 203 corresponding to the cell specification in the placement slot 2011 are aligned, as the sorting turntable 201 continues to rotate, the first sorting plate 202 pushes the second sorting plate 203 outward with the cooperation of the first wedge surface 2021 and the second wedge surface 2031. The compression spring 204 is compressed, and with the cooperation of the second slider 2032 and the third slide groove 20511, the second sorting plate 203 synchronously drives the stop block 205 to move outward.

[0056] During the process of the second sorting plate 203 synchronously driving the stop block 205 to move outward, the first slider 2061 first slides along the first segment 20621 and then passes over the third wedge block 2063; when the second sorting plate 203 moves outward to the limit position, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the first segment 20621 and the second segment 20622.

[0057] Subsequently, the compression spring 204 is released, and the second sorting plate 203 simultaneously drives the stop block 205 to move inward to its reset position. During the inward movement of the stop block 205, under the obstruction of the third wedge block 2063, the first slider 2061 first slides along the second segment 20622, driving the front stop block 205 forward and the rear stop block 205 backward. The elastic telescopic rod 2064 is compressed, increasing the distance between the two stop blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. The second slider 2032 then slides along the third segment 20623, continuing to drive the front stop block 205 forward and the rear stop block 205 backward. The elastic telescopic rod 2064 is further compressed, further increasing the distance between the two stop blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. The spacing between the two blocks 205 increases to a value greater than the axial length of the battery cell. Under the influence of gravity, the battery cell passes through the gap between the two blocks 205 and slides along the slide rail 102 corresponding to the battery cell specification, thus achieving sorting. After the second sorting plate 203 is reset, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the third segment 20623 and the fourth segment 20624. As the elastic telescopic rod 2064 is released, it drives the front block 205 to move backward and the rear block 205 to move forward, thereby reducing the spacing between the two blocks 205 in the same slide rail 102. After the blocks 205 are reset, the first slider 2061 moves to the connection between the first segment 20621 and the fourth segment 20624.

[0058] By repeating the above process, continuous sorting of battery cells can be achieved.

[0059] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0060] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing, characterized in that, The flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing includes a base, a sorting mechanism, a testing component, and a feeding component; The sorting mechanism includes a sorting turntable, which is mounted on a base and can rotate around its own axis; multiple placement slots are provided on the side wall of the sorting turntable, which are arranged circumferentially and configured to hold battery cells; a first sorting plate is inserted into both ends of each placement slot. The machine base is equipped with multiple slides arranged circumferentially along the sorting turntable, all of which can communicate with the placement slots and are configured to receive battery cells of different specifications. The battery cells can slide along the slides. Two second sorting plates are inserted at the inlet end of each slide. The two second sorting plates in the same slide are arranged symmetrically and at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second sorting plates on the same side in different slides are staggered along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second sorting plates can form a stop with the first sorting plate and can slide elastically along the radial direction of the sorting turntable. Each second sorting plate is equipped with a stop block, which can slide synchronously with the second sorting plate along the radial direction of the sorting turntable and also slide relative to the second sorting plate along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The two stop blocks in the same slide are configured to form a stop with the same battery cell. The sorting mechanism also includes a distance adjustment component, which is configured to adjust the distance between the two stop blocks in the same slide. The feeding assembly is configured to deliver the battery cells to the placement slot; The testing component is configured to test the battery cells located in the placement slot to determine the specifications of the battery cells; the first sorting plate can slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable and can slide to correspond to the second sorting plate corresponding to the specifications of the battery cells.

2. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance adjustment assembly includes a first slider and a first groove. Two sets of first grooves are provided at each slide. The two sets of first grooves at the same slide are arranged at intervals along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. Each set includes two first grooves. The two first grooves in the same set are located on both sides of the same slide. The first groove has a ring structure. Two first sliders are provided on each stop. The two sliders on the same stop are unidirectionally slidably inserted into the two first grooves in the same set.

3. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The testing assembly includes a test piece and two annular grooves. The two annular grooves are respectively set on the two end faces of the sorting turntable, and are both coaxially arranged with the sorting turntable and connected to the placement slots. The test piece has a telescopic section, with the fixed end set on the base and the sliding end capable of elastically sliding along the circumference of the sorting turntable. The sliding end is provided with two sliding rods, which are spaced apart along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable and are both capable of elastically sliding along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. Each sliding rod is provided with a contact and a first wedge. The contact can slide along a direction parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable and can be electrically connected to the electrode of the battery cell. The first wedge is inserted into the annular groove. Each annular groove is filled with a number of second wedges equal to the number of placement slots. The second wedges and placement slots are arranged alternately along the circumference, and the second wedges can form a stop with the first wedges.

4. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The test assembly also includes a first drive element configured to provide a driving force for contact sliding.

5. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 3, characterized in that, A first elastic element connects the fixed end and the sliding end.

6. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding assembly includes a first guide plate, a second guide plate, a third guide plate, and a queuing wheel. The first guide plate, the second guide plate, the third guide plate, and the queuing wheel are all mounted on the base. The axis of the queuing wheel is parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable, and the queuing wheel can rotate around its own axis. The surfaces of the first guide plate, the second guide plate, and the third guide plate are all parallel to the axis of the sorting turntable. The second guide plate and the third guide plate are located on opposite sides of the queuing wheel. The second guide plate is inclined. The first guide plate has a first inclined section and a parallel section. The first inclined section and the second guide plate are inclined in opposite directions. The parallel section extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the sorting turntable and is located on the same side of the queuing wheel as the third guide plate. They are parallel and spaced apart. The queuing wheel, the first guide plate, the second guide plate, and the third guide plate together form a storage and conveying channel. The storage and conveying channel is configured to store battery cells and can communicate with the placement slot.

7. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 6, characterized in that, The queuing wheels have a regular polygonal structure.

8. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 6, characterized in that, The feeding assembly also includes a second drive unit configured to provide driving force for the rotation of the queuing wheel.

9. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each second sorting plate is connected to the base by a second elastic element, which causes the second sorting plate to tend to move inward under the action of the second elastic element.

10. The flexible feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible material feeding device for electric vehicle manufacturing also includes a third drive unit configured to provide driving force for the rotation of the sorting turntable.

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