Reconfigurable island type production line system and process for side liquid-cooled battery module

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of power battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a reconfigurable island production line system and process for side-cooled battery modules. The system includes independently operating cell assembly modules, module assembly modules, liquid cooling plate processing modules, and block stacking modules, as well as a guiding and transporting system that flexibly connects the modules. The number and layout of the modules can be reconfigured according to production needs. The corresponding production process involves flexibly transferring materials through the guiding and transporting system within the reconfigurable island production line system, sequentially performing cell assembly, module assembly, side liquid cooling plate processing, and block stacking. This invention solves the technical problems of traditional linear production lines, such as large footprint, poor flexibility, localized failures affecting the entire system, and high reconfiguration costs, achieving a synergistic improvement in space saving, production flexibility, and system reliability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of power battery manufacturing, in particular to a reconfigurable island type production line system and process for side liquid-cooled battery modules. BACKGROUND

[0002] The thermal management performance of power batteries directly affects their charging speed, cycle life and safety. The side water cooling technology, which places a liquid cooling plate on the side of a battery cell or module for heat exchange, has become an important development direction for improving the performance of battery packs in the industry due to its high heat dissipation efficiency and good thermal management uniformity.

[0003] Currently, the battery pack assembly production lines in the industry mostly adopt traditional linear layout forms. For example, the water-cooled battery module splicing production line disclosed in the Chinese patent with the authorization announcement number CN114335665B arranges the liquid cooling plate conveying line and the module conveying line side by side. The conveying lines convey the liquid cooling plate and the battery module to a fixed position, where a handling device grabs and places them on a splicing device, clamps the liquid cooling plate between the two module surfaces, splices the double battery module with surface water cooling, and then another handling device takes it out. Although this linear layout can achieve automation, it still has the following inherent defects: (1) the production line is mostly elongated, occupying a large area and having low space utilization; (2) the workstations are rigidly connected through conveying lines, with fixed production rhythm, poor flexibility, high reconfiguration cost, and low production efficiency; (3) once a workstation fails, it directly affects the normal operation of the entire production line, resulting in low production reliability; (4) it is difficult to flexibly adapt to the assembly process of side liquid-cooled battery modules.

[0004] Therefore, for the production of side liquid-cooled battery modules, there is an urgent need for a production line system and process with high space utilization, good production flexibility and reliability, and low reconfiguration cost. SUMMARY

[0005] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of the present application is to provide a reconfigurable island type production line system and process for side liquid-cooled battery modules, which can effectively solve the technical problems of large occupied area, poor flexibility, low reliability, and high reconfiguration cost of existing battery pack production lines.

[0006] To achieve the above technical purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] One technical solution of the present application provides a reconfigurable island type production line system for side liquid-cooled battery modules, which includes battery cell grouping modules, module splicing modules, liquid cooling plate processing modules, and Block stacking modules that operate independently of each other, as well as a guide handling system that flexibly connects each module. The number and layout of each module can be reconfigured according to production requirements.

[0008] The battery cell grouping module is used for feeding, cleaning, detecting, large-area rubberizing, and stacking the battery cells into single-row short modules;

[0009] The module splicing module is used for splicing the single-row short modules into single-row long modules, and cleaning the side surfaces of the long modules;

[0010] The liquid cooling plate processing module is used for cleaning, rubberizing, and feeding the liquid cooling plates;

[0011] The Block stacking module is used for assembling the single-row long modules and the processed liquid cooling plates into battery modules;

[0012] The guided conveying system comprises a guiding system and a plurality of automatic conveying devices, and the flexible connection and material flow transfer between the automatic conveying devices and the modules are realized through the guiding system.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the battery cell grouping module comprises, in sequence along the material flow direction, a battery cell feeding unit, a battery cell cleaning unit, a blue film detecting unit, a battery cell testing unit, a large-area rubberizing unit, and a battery cell stacking unit, and the battery cell flow transfer between the units in the battery cell grouping module is realized through the ring-shaped magnetic driving line and the magnetic driving sub-tray arranged on the ring-shaped magnetic driving line.

[0014] The automatic conveying device delivers the battery cells to the battery cell feeding unit to sequentially clean and visually detect the bottom of the battery cells, and then feeds the battery cells to the ring-shaped magnetic driving line, and the battery cells flow along the magnetic driving line to the battery cell cleaning unit to be cleaned by blowing ionizing air, and cooperate with the dust removal machine to remove dust, and then the battery cells flow into the blue film detecting unit to visually photograph the blue film on the surface of the battery cells to detect the integrity of the blue film, and complete the battery cell thickness measurement, and then the battery cells flow into the battery cell testing unit to perform insulation voltage resistance test and open circuit voltage (OCV) test, and scan the code of the battery cells to bind the detection results and identity information, and then the battery cells flow into the large-area rubberizing unit to rubberize the large area of the battery cells, and after the rubberizing detection is qualified, the battery cells flow into the battery cell stacking unit to be stacked into single-row short modules, and after the plasma cleaning, the battery cells are transferred to the module splicing module by the automatic conveying device.

[0015] In some possible embodiments, the battery cell feeding unit comprises a battery cell feeding area, a bottom cleaning station, a bottom visual detection station, a six-axis robot A, a battery cell pushing table, and a spider robot, the automatic conveying device delivers the battery cells to the battery cell feeding area for temporary storage, the six-axis robot A grabs the battery cells from the battery cell feeding area to sequentially clean and detect the battery cells through the bottom cleaning station and the bottom visual detection station, and then the battery cells are conveyed to the battery cell pushing table and transferred to the ring-shaped magnetic driving line by the spider robot to flow to the battery cell cleaning unit.

[0016] In the above scheme, the automatic handling device carries the battery cell to the battery cell loading area, the six-axis robot A picks up the battery cell from the battery cell loading area and transfers it above the bottom cleaning station and the bottom visual detection station, respectively cleans and detects the bottom of the battery cell, and after the cleaning and detection are completed, the six-axis robot A places the battery cell on the battery cell push table, and the spider robot picks up the battery cell from the battery cell push table and places it on the battery cell cleaning unit.

[0017] Further, the blue film detection unit includes a first blue film detection station, a battery cell overturning mechanism, and a second blue film detection station; the first blue film detection station detects the blue film on one side and the large face of the battery cell through a visual camera, then the battery cell overturning mechanism adjusts the posture of the battery cell on the annular magnetic drive line, and completes the battery cell thickness measurement, and then the second blue film detection station takes a visual photo of the blue film on the other side and the large face, detects whether the blue insulating film is damaged, dirty, or unevenly pasted, and ensures that the battery cell insulation and appearance are normal.

[0018] Further, the battery cell testing unit includes a first testing station and a second testing station; the first testing station performs an insulation voltage test on the battery cell to check whether the external insulation performance of the battery cell is good and whether a serious hidden danger such as internal micro-short circuit occurs; the second testing station performs a code scanning OCV test on the battery cell, acquires and binds the battery cell ID by scanning the two-dimensional code or barcode on the battery cell, measures the open circuit voltage of the battery cell, and screens out battery cells with abnormal voltage. The battery cell testing unit uploads the detection result to the background system, associates the detection result with the battery cell ID and the battery module ID, and ensures that the data is traceable.

[0019] In some possible embodiments, an NG reflux unit is further arranged between the battery cell testing unit and the large face adhesive pasting unit, the NG reflux unit includes an NG battery cell classification station, an empty tray transfer mechanism, and a reflux magnetic drive line, the reflux magnetic drive line independently operates with the annular magnetic drive line, the NG battery cell after the detection of the battery cell testing unit enters the NG battery cell classification station, the empty tray transfer mechanism transfers the empty magnetic drive sub-tray to the reflux magnetic drive line and then automatically refluxes to the loading end of the annular magnetic drive line, thereby forming a closed-loop logistics and reducing manual intervention, and the production rhythm can also be balanced.

[0020] In some possible embodiments, the large face adhesive pasting unit includes an adhesive pasting machine and an adhesive pasting detection station, the adhesive pasting machine is used for pasting adhesive on the large face of the battery cell, and the adhesive pasting detection station is used for detecting the adhesive pasting condition of the battery cell, and after the detection is qualified, the battery cell is transferred to the battery cell stacking unit;

[0021] The battery cell stacking unit includes a stacking mechanism, a six-axis robot B, a plasma cleaning station, and a module transfer station, the stacking mechanism is used for stacking the adhesive-pasted battery cells into a single-row short module, the six-axis robot B picks up the single-row short module to the plasma cleaning station for cleaning, and then transfers the single-row short module to the module transfer station, and the automatic handling device transfers the single-row short module out of the station.

[0022] The electric core polarity adjusting mechanism is further arranged before the large-area rubberizing unit in the application, and the electric core testing unit is used to transfer the qualified electric core to the large-area rubberizing unit through the annular magnetic driving line, and the electric core polarity adjusting mechanism is used to detect and adjust the electric core polarity, so that the positive and negative poles of the electric core meet the assembly requirements of the battery module.

[0023] The manual rubberizing station is further arranged between the rubberizing detection station and the electric core stacking unit in the application, and the products with rubberizing detection NG are repaired, cleaned or re-rubberized on site, so that the materials that are misjudged or can be repaired are salvaged, and the overall good product rate is improved.

[0024] In some possible embodiments, the liquid cooling plate processing module comprises a liquid cooling plate feeding unit, a liquid cooling plate gluing unit and a liquid cooling plate transfer unit, the liquid cooling plate feeding unit is used to clean and feed the liquid cooling plate, the liquid cooling plate gluing unit is used to glue the liquid cooling plate and visually detect the glued surface, and the liquid cooling plate transfer unit is used to transfer the liquid cooling plate with qualified gluing detection to the automatic conveying device outlet.

[0025] In some possible embodiments, the liquid cooling plate feeding unit comprises a liquid cooling plate warehouse, a six-axis robot C, a liquid cooling plate cleaning device, a cap pulling mechanism and a transfer line body, the six-axis robot C is used to convey the liquid cooling plate between the liquid cooling plate warehouse, the liquid cooling plate cleaning device, the cap pulling mechanism and the transfer line body, and the cap pulling mechanism is used to pull the cap of the plug-in interface of the liquid cooling tube on the liquid cooling plate;

[0026] The liquid cooling plate gluing unit comprises a six-axis robot D, a gluing and detection mechanism and a liquid cooling plate buffer table, the six-axis robot D is used to convey the liquid cooling plate between the transfer line body, the gluing and detection mechanism and the liquid cooling plate buffer table, and the gluing and detection mechanism is used to glue and visually detect the liquid cooling plate;

[0027] The liquid cooling plate transfer unit comprises a six-axis robot E and a liquid cooling plate transfer station, and the six-axis robot E is used to convey the glued liquid cooling plate between the liquid cooling plate buffer table and the liquid cooling plate transfer station.

[0028] The six-axis robot C grabs the liquid cooling plate from the liquid cooling plate warehouse, places the liquid cooling plate in the liquid cooling plate cleaning device to perform plasma cleaning on the glued surface, then transfers the cleaned liquid cooling plate to the cap pulling mechanism to pull the cap of the plug-in interface of the liquid cooling tube on the liquid cooling plate, then the six-axis robot C transfers the liquid cooling plate to the transfer line body, the six-axis robot D grabs the liquid cooling plate from the transfer line body, places the liquid cooling plate in the gluing and detection mechanism to glue and visually detect the liquid cooling plate, then the six-axis robot D transfers the liquid cooling plate with qualified detection to the liquid cooling plate buffer table, then the six-axis robot E transfers the liquid cooling plate in the liquid cooling plate buffer table to the liquid cooling plate transfer station, and the glued liquid cooling plate is conveyed out of the station by the automatic conveying device and enters the Block stacking module.

[0029] Furthermore, the liquid cooling plate coating unit is also equipped with a coating failure station to buffer liquid cooling plates that fail the coating process. A manual operation position can be reserved here for on-site adjustments to the failed coating plates, or an automated transport device can remove the failed coating plates from the station. A six-axis robot D transfers liquid cooling plates that fail the coating and inspection mechanisms to the coating failure station.

[0030] In some possible implementations, the Block stacking module includes an adhesive-coated product loading unit, a liquid cooling pipe loading unit, and a Block stacking device. The adhesive-coated product loading unit is used to load a single row of long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates to the stacking workstation. The liquid cooling pipe loading unit is used to adjust the orientation of the liquid cooling pipes and load them to the Block stacking device. The Block stacking device is used to assemble the single row of long modules, adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates, and liquid cooling pipes to form a side-liquid-cooled battery module.

[0031] Furthermore, the adhesive-coated product loading unit includes a loading station and a six-axis robot F for gripping single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates. Different automated handling devices transport the single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates to their respective storage positions in the loading station. The six-axis robot F grips the single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates from the loading station and places them into the Block stacking device. The liquid cooling pipe loading unit includes a liquid cooling pipe loading station, a six-axis robot G for gripping liquid cooling pipes, a four-axis robot, and a liquid cooling pipe attitude adjustment mechanism. The four-axis robot grips the liquid cooling pipes from the loading station and places them into the liquid cooling pipe attitude adjustment mechanism to adjust the liquid cooling pipe's attitude. The adjusted liquid cooling pipes are then transferred by the six-axis robot G to the Block stacking device. After the single-row long modules, adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates, and liquid cooling pipes are stacked in the Block stacking device, the automated handling device transports the battery modules to a manual inspection station for inspection and approval before they leave the station.

[0032] This invention also provides a side-cooled battery module manufacturing process using any of the above-mentioned reconfigurable island production line systems, wherein the following steps are performed in the reconfigurable island production line system:

[0033] S1. Cell assembly process: In the cell assembly module, the cells are sequentially loaded, cleaned, inspected, and glued on the large surface, and the qualified cells are stacked to form a single row of short modules.

[0034] S2, Module assembly process: In the module assembly module, at least two single-row short modules are spliced ​​into a single-row long module, and the assembled long module is scanned and its sides are cleaned.

[0035] S3, Liquid Cooling Plate Processing: Cleaning, adhesive application, and inspection are performed on the liquid cooling plate in the liquid cooling plate processing module;

[0036] S4, Block Stacking Process: In the Block stacking module, the single row of long modules and the glued liquid cooling plate are combined with the liquid cooling pipe to form a side-cooled battery module.

[0037] The guidance system controls the automatic transport device to transfer battery cells, single-row short modules, single-row long modules, liquid cooling plates and battery modules between modules based on the real-time status and production instructions of each module in the reconfigurable island production line system.

[0038] In some possible implementations, step S1 above, which involves testing the battery cell, specifically includes the following sub-steps:

[0039] S11. Cleaning and initial visual inspection of the bottom of the battery cell: Clean the bottom of the battery cell and take visual photos of the cleaned bottom of the battery cell to detect defects in the bottom appearance.

[0040] S12. Multi-sided blue film inspection of battery cell: Visually scan multiple sides and large surfaces of the battery cell to detect the integrity of its surface blue film.

[0041] S13. Cell performance testing: Insulation withstand voltage test and open circuit voltage test are performed on the cell to determine its electrical safety and performance status;

[0042] S14. Information binding and NG sorting: Bind the above test results with the cell identity information, sort and remove NG cells that fail the test, and automatically return the empty cell tray to the loading end through the return magnetic drive line.

[0043] The reconfigurable island production line system and process for side-cooled battery modules provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0044] (1) High space utilization and flexible layout: The present invention adopts a modular island design, abandoning the traditional linear layout. The core functional modules can operate independently and be flexibly arranged, which significantly saves the equipment floor space. The number and location of each functional module can be quickly increased, decreased or reorganized according to the production capacity requirements, thus achieving a high space utilization and flexible layout.

[0045] (2) The system has high reliability and achieves fault isolation: the modules in the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention are connected by a flexible logistics system. When a single module fails, the guidance system can direct the automatic handling device to detour and redistribute the task. The remaining modules can still operate in a degraded manner, thus achieving fault isolation and avoiding the risk of the entire traditional production line stopping. This significantly improves the stability and availability of the production system.

[0046] (3) Synergistic improvement of production efficiency and quality assurance: In the cell assembly module, the present invention achieves full traceability by bottom cleaning and initial inspection, blue film detection, insulation withstand voltage and OCV test, and data binding, which ensures the quality of incoming cells. At the same time, the module achieves closed-loop logistics through the ring magnetic drive line, which effectively improves the production cycle and overall efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0047] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the reconfigurable island production line system in this invention;

[0049] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the cell assembly module in the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the module assembly module in the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the liquid cooling plate processing module in the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the Block stacking module in the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 6 This is a process flow diagram of the reconfigurable island production line system of the present invention for producing side-cooled liquid battery modules.

[0054] Explanation of the labels in the diagram:

[0055] 100. Battery cell assembly modules;

[0056] 110. Battery cell loading unit; 111. Battery cell loading area; 112. Bottom cleaning station; 113. Bottom vision inspection station; 114. Six-axis robot A; 115. Battery cell pusher; 116. Spider-arm robot;

[0057] 120. Battery cell cleaning unit;

[0058] 130. Blue film detection unit; 131. First blue film detection station; 132. Cell flipping mechanism; 133. Second blue film detection station;

[0059] 140. Cell testing unit; 141. First test station; 142. Second test station;

[0060] 150. Large-area adhesive application unit; 151. Adhesive application machine; 152. Adhesive application inspection station;

[0061] 160. Cell stacking unit; 161. Stacking mechanism; 162. Six-axis robot B; 163. Plasma cleaning station; 164. Module transfer station;

[0062] 170. Circular magnetic drive line; 171. Magnetic drive sub-tray;

[0063] 180. NG return unit; 181. NG cell sorting station; 182. Empty pallet transfer mechanism; 183. Return magnetic drive line;

[0064] 190. Cell polarity adjustment mechanism;

[0065] 200. Module assembly module; 210. Module assembly mechanism; 220. Module cleaning mechanism;

[0066] 300. Liquid cooling plate processing module;

[0067] 310. Liquid-cooled plate loading unit; 311. Liquid-cooled plate storage bin; 312. Six-axis robot C; 313. Liquid-cooled plate cleaning device; 314. Cap removal mechanism; 315. Transfer line;

[0068] 320. Liquid-cooled plate gluing unit; 321. Six-axis robot D; 322. Glue application and inspection mechanism; 323. Liquid-cooled plate buffer station; 324. Glue application NG station;

[0069] 330. Liquid-cooled plate transfer unit; 331. Six-axis robot E; 332. Liquid-cooled plate transfer station;

[0070] 400. Block stacking module; 410. Glue-coated product loading unit; 411. Loading station; 412. Six-axis robot F; 420. Liquid cooling pipe loading unit; 421. Liquid cooling pipe loading station; 422. Six-axis robot G; 423. Four-axis robot; 424. Liquid cooling pipe attitude adjustment mechanism; 430. Block stacking device;

[0071] 500. Automated handling equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0072] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention will be presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0073] This invention designs a reconfigurable island-type production line system for side-cooled battery modules, and a production process for side-cooled battery modules based on this production line system.

[0074] Side-cooled battery modules are based on traditional battery modules. After the cells are glued to the large surface, they are stacked into a single row of long modules. Then, a liquid cooling plate (usually a water cooling plate) is sandwiched between the sides of the two long modules. The liquid cooling plate is changed from the traditional bottom position to one or more sides of the battery module. The main cooling surface is switched from the bottom of the cell to the side of the cell, which can cool the cell more directly, significantly reduce the cell temperature, and also improve the internal space utilization of the battery pack.

[0075] refer to Figure 1 One embodiment of the present invention provides a reconfigurable island production line system suitable for assembling side-cooled battery modules, including a cell assembly module 100, a module assembly module 200, a liquid cooling plate processing module 300, and a block stacking module 400 that operate independently, as well as multiple guiding and transport systems that flexibly connect the modules. The cell assembly module 100 is used for loading, cleaning, inspecting, applying adhesive to large surfaces of the cells, and stacking them into a single row of short modules; the module assembly module 200 is used for assembling the single row of short modules into a single row of long modules, scanning the assembled long modules to confirm their polarity, and cleaning the sides of the long modules; the liquid cooling plate processing module 300 is used for cleaning, applying adhesive, and loading the liquid cooling plate; and the block stacking module 400 is used for assembling the single row of long modules and the processed liquid cooling plate into battery modules. The guided transport system includes a guide system and multiple automated transport devices 500. The automated transport devices 500 are preferably AGVs or AMR intelligent transport robots. The guide system communicates and controls the connection between each automated transport device 500 and each module to achieve flexible connection and material flow. In this embodiment, within the reconfigurable island production line system, the number of cell assembly modules 100, module assembly modules 200, liquid cooling plate processing modules 300, and block stacking modules 400 can be set to one or more. The number and layout of each module can be quickly reconfigured according to production needs. Through the deep integration of the reconfigurable island layout and the flexible logistics system, synergistic optimization is achieved in terms of space, efficiency, reliability, flexibility, and cost.

[0076] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The battery cell assembly module 100 includes a battery cell feeding unit 110, a battery cell cleaning unit 120, a blue film detection unit 130, a battery cell testing unit 140, a large-area adhesive application unit 150, and a battery cell stacking unit 160 arranged sequentially along the material flow direction. The battery cells in the battery cell assembly module 100 are connected by a ring magnetic drive line 170 and a magnetic drive sub-tray 171 on the ring magnetic drive line 170 to achieve battery cell flow. During operation, the automatic conveying device 500 transports the battery cells to the battery cell loading unit 110 for sequential cleaning and visual inspection of the bottom of the cells. The cells are then loaded onto the annular magnetic drive line 170, where they flow to the battery cell cleaning unit 120 for ion air cleaning and dust removal. Next, the cells enter the blue film detection unit 130 for visual inspection of the blue film surface to check its integrity and simultaneously measure its thickness. The cells then enter the battery cell testing unit 140 for insulation withstand voltage and open circuit voltage (OCV) tests, and the results and identification information are scanned and bound to the cells. Finally, the cells enter the large-area adhesive application unit 150 for adhesive application to the large surface of the cells. After passing the adhesive application inspection, the cells enter the battery cell stacking unit 160 for stacking into a single row of short modules. After plasma cleaning, they are transferred to the module assembly module 200 via the automatic conveying device 500.

[0077] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The battery cell loading unit 110 includes a battery cell loading area 111, a bottom cleaning station 112, a bottom vision inspection station 113, a six-axis robot A114, a battery cell pusher 115, and a spider robot 116. The automated handling device 500 transports the battery cells to the battery cell loading area 111 for temporary storage. The six-axis robot A114 picks up the battery cells from the loading area 111 and sequentially cleans and removes dust by blowing ion air through the bottom cleaning station 112, removing surface foreign objects. Then, the bottom vision inspection station 113 uses a high-resolution industrial camera to quickly take pictures of the bottom of the cleaned battery cells to identify whether there are any appearance defects such as scratches, contamination, electrolyte leakage traces, or terminal damage. The battery cells are then transported to the battery cell push table 115, where the spider robot 116 transfers the battery cells to the annular magnetic drive line 170. The battery cells are then carried by the magnetic drive sub-tray to the battery cell cleaning unit 120 for further cleaning. Dust is simultaneously removed by blowing ion air and a dust collector to remove particulate matter and dust adsorbed on the battery cells and battery cell tray, and to prevent contaminants from being brought into the module.

[0078] In some embodiments, the cell pusher 115 can adopt a dual-cell feeding pusher design with "one for backup" or alternating operation. When a cell on one cell pusher is picked up and fed, the other cell pusher can simultaneously perform pre-positioning or buffering of the cell, which can eliminate feeding waiting time, ensure the continuity and stability of production cycle, improve production efficiency, and at the same time avoid the situation where the normal operation of the entire production line is affected by the failure of one cell pusher.

[0079] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The blue film detection unit 130 includes a first blue film detection station 131, a cell flipping mechanism 132, and a second blue film detection station 133. The first blue film detection station 131 uses a vision camera to detect the blue film on one side and the large surface of the cell. Then, the cell flipping mechanism 132 picks up the cell on the annular magnetic drive wire 170 and adjusts its posture, while simultaneously measuring the cell thickness. Then, the second blue film detection station 133 takes visual pictures of the blue film on the other side and the large surface to detect whether there are defects such as damage, dirt, uneven adhesion, etc. in the blue insulating film, ensuring that the cell insulation and appearance are normal.

[0080] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The cell testing unit 140 includes a first testing station 141 and a second testing station 142. The first testing station 141 performs insulation withstand voltage tests on the cells to verify the external insulation performance of the cells and whether serious hidden dangers such as micro-short circuits have occurred internally. The second testing station 142 performs OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) tests on the cells by scanning the QR code or barcode on the cells to obtain and bind the cell ID, and simultaneously measures the open circuit voltage of the cells to screen out cells with abnormal voltage. The cell testing unit 140 uploads the test results to the background system and associates them with the cell ID and battery module ID to ensure data traceability.

[0081] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 Between the cell testing unit 140 and the large-area adhesive application unit 150, there is also an NG return unit 180. The NG return unit 180 includes an NG cell sorting station 181, an empty pallet transfer mechanism 182, and a return magnetic drive line 183. The return magnetic drive line 183 is set up and operates independently of the annular magnetic drive line 170. The return magnetic drive line 183 connects the empty pallet transfer mechanism 182 and the cell loading unit 110 at the loading end of the annular magnetic drive line 170. After being tested by the cell testing unit 140, the NG cells are moved out of the main line by the system command robot or sorting mechanism and enter the NG cell sorting station 181. The empty pallet transfer mechanism 182 transfers the empty magnetic drive sub-pallet 171 to the return magnetic drive line 183 and then automatically returns it to the cell loading unit 110, thus forming a closed-loop logistics, reducing manual intervention, and balancing the production cycle.

[0082] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2The large-area adhesive application unit 150 includes an adhesive application machine 151 and an adhesive application inspection station 152. The adhesive application machine 151 is used to apply adhesive to the large surface of the battery cell, and the adhesive application inspection station 152 is used to inspect the adhesive application status of the battery cell. After passing the inspection, the battery cell is transferred to the battery cell stacking unit 160. The battery cell stacking unit 160 includes a stacking mechanism 161, a six-axis robot B162, a plasma cleaning station 163, and a module transfer station 164. The stacking mechanism 161 is used to stack the adhesive-coated battery cells into a single row of short modules. The six-axis robot B162 picks up the single row of short modules and places them in the plasma cleaning station 163 for cleaning. Then, the single row of short modules is transferred to the module transfer station 164, where it is transferred out of the station by an automatic handling device 500.

[0083] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 The adhesive applicator 151 has two stations, one for standby or alternating operation. While one station is applying structural adhesive or double-sided tape to the large surface of the battery cell, the other station can simultaneously peel off the release film, significantly improving the adhesive application cycle time. If one station fails, the other station can continue to operate normally without affecting the normal operation of the production line. The stacking mechanism 161 adopts a dual-module stacking station, one for standby or alternating operation, thereby improving the efficiency of stacking battery cells into a single row of short modules and avoiding line stoppages due to malfunctions.

[0084] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 Before the large-area adhesive bonding unit 150, there is also a cell polarity adjustment mechanism 190. The cells that pass the test by the cell testing unit 140 are transferred to the large-area adhesive bonding unit 150 through the annular magnetic drive line 170. The cell polarity is tested and adjusted by the cell polarity adjustment mechanism 190 to ensure that the positive and negative terminals of the cells meet the battery module assembly requirements.

[0085] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 A manual adhesive application station can also be set up between the adhesive application inspection station 152 and the cell stacking unit 160. For products that fail the adhesive application inspection, on-site repair, cleaning or re-application can be performed to salvage misjudged or repairable materials and improve the overall yield rate.

[0086] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 The module assembly module 200 includes a module assembly mechanism 210 and a module cleaning mechanism 220. The automatic transport device 500 transports the single-row short modules to the module assembly mechanism 210. The module assembly mechanism 210 assembles two single-row short modules into a single-row long module. The polarity of the assembled long module is confirmed by scanning the code. At the same time, the module cleaning mechanism 220 performs plasma cleaning on the sides of the assembled long module. Finally, the automatic transport device 500 transports the long module to the liquid cooling plate processing module 300.

[0087] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4The liquid cooling plate processing module 300 includes a liquid cooling plate loading unit 310, a liquid cooling plate gluing unit 320, and a liquid cooling plate transfer unit 330. The liquid cooling plate loading unit 310 cleans and loads the liquid cooling plate, the liquid cooling plate gluing unit 320 applies glue to the liquid cooling plate and performs visual inspection on the glued surface, and the liquid cooling plate transfer unit 330 transfers the liquid cooling plate that has passed the glue application inspection to the automatic handling device 500 for exit.

[0088] Among them, reference Figure 4 The liquid-cooled plate loading unit 310 includes multiple liquid-cooled plate storage bins 311, a six-axis robot C312, a liquid-cooled plate cleaning device 313, a cap-removing mechanism 314, and a transfer line 315. The six-axis robot C312 is used to transport liquid-cooled plates between the liquid-cooled plate storage bins 311, the liquid-cooled plate cleaning device 313, the cap-removing mechanism 314, and the transfer line 315. The cap-removing mechanism 314 is used to remove the caps from the connectors of the liquid-cooled tubes on the liquid-cooled plates. The liquid-cooled plate gluing unit 320 includes a six-axis robot D321, a gluing and inspection mechanism 322, and a liquid-cooled plate buffer platform 323. The six-axis robot D321 is used to transport liquid-cooled plates between the transfer line 315, the gluing and inspection mechanism 322, and the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform 323. The gluing and inspection mechanism 322 is used to apply gluing and perform visual inspection on the liquid-cooled plates. The liquid-cooled plate transfer unit 330 includes a six-axis robot E331 and a liquid-cooled plate transfer station 332. The six-axis robot E331 is used to transport the glued liquid-cooled plate between the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform 323 and the liquid-cooled plate transfer station 332.

[0089] During operation, the six-axis robot C312 picks up a liquid-cooled plate from the liquid-cooled plate storage 311 and places it in the liquid-cooled plate cleaning device 313 for plasma cleaning of the adhesive-coated surface. Then, the cleaned liquid-cooled plate is transferred to the cap removal mechanism 314 to remove the caps from the liquid-cooled tube connectors on the liquid-cooled plate. After that, the six-axis robot C312 transfers the liquid-cooled plate to the transfer line 315. The six-axis robot D321 picks up the liquid-cooled plate from the transfer line 315 and places it in the adhesive coating and inspection mechanism 322 for adhesive coating and visual inspection. Then, the six-axis robot D321 transfers the qualified liquid-cooled plate to the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform 323. Then, the six-axis robot E331 transfers the liquid-cooled plate in the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform 323 to the liquid-cooled plate transfer station 332. The adhesive-coated liquid-cooled plate is then transported out of the station and into the Block stacking module 400 by the automatic handling device 500.

[0090] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5 The liquid cooling plate gluing unit 320 can also be equipped with a NG (Not Acceptable) gluing station 324 to buffer liquid cooling plates that are not accepted for gluing. A manual operation position is reserved here for on-site adjustments of the NG liquid cooling plates, or the NG liquid cooling plates can be removed from the station by an automatic transport device 500. A six-axis robot D321 transfers liquid cooling plates that fail the gluing and inspection mechanism 322 to the NG gluing station 324.

[0091] In this invention, the liquid cooling plate is preferably a water-cooled plate, and the coolant is preferably an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol / propylene glycol. The liquid cooling plate storage tank 311 is used to store various water-cooled plates used in the battery module, such as the front water-cooled plate, the rear water-cooled plate, and the middle water-cooled plate, and multiple loading positions are set according to the actual production line needs.

[0092] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5 The Block stacking module 400 includes an adhesive-coated product loading unit 410, a liquid cooling pipe loading unit 420, and a Block stacking device 430. The adhesive-coated product loading unit 410 is used to load a single row of long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates into the Block stacking device 430. The liquid cooling pipe loading unit 420 is used to adjust the posture of the liquid cooling pipes and load them into the Block stacking device 430. The Block stacking device 430 is used to assemble the single row of long modules, adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates, and liquid cooling pipes to form a side-liquid-cooled battery module.

[0093] Further, refer to Figure 6 The adhesive-coated product loading unit 410 includes a loading station 411 and a six-axis robot F412 for gripping single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates. Different automated handling devices 500 transport the single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates to their respective storage positions in the loading station 411. The six-axis robot F412 grips the single-row long modules and adhesive-coated liquid cooling plates from the loading station 411 and places them in the Block stacking device 430. The liquid cooling pipe loading unit 420 includes a liquid cooling pipe loading station 421, a six-axis robot G422 for gripping liquid cooling pipes, a four-axis robot 423, and a liquid cooling pipe attitude adjustment mechanism 424. The four-axis robot 423 grips the liquid cooling pipes from the liquid cooling pipe loading station 421 and places them in the liquid cooling pipe attitude adjustment mechanism 424 to adjust the attitude of the liquid cooling pipes. The adjusted liquid cooling pipes are then transferred by the six-axis robot G422 to the Block stacking device 430. After the single-row long module, the glued liquid cooling plate and liquid cooling pipe are stacked in the Block stacking device 430, the automatic transport device 500 transports the battery module to the manual inspection station 440 for inspection and exit after passing the inspection.

[0094] refer to ​ In one embodiment of the present invention, a side-cooled battery module manufacturing process using the reconfigurable island production line system of any of the above embodiments is also provided, wherein the following steps are performed in the reconfigurable island production line system:

[0095] S1. Cell assembly process: In the cell assembly module 100, the cells are sequentially loaded, cleaned, inspected, and glued on the large surface, and the qualified cells are stacked to form a single row of short modules.

[0096] S2, Module assembly process: In the module assembly module 200, at least two single-row short modules are assembled into a single-row long module, and the assembled long module is scanned and its sides are cleaned.

[0097] S3, Liquid Cooling Plate Processing: Cleaning, adhesive application, and inspection are performed on the liquid cooling plate in the liquid cooling plate processing module 300;

[0098] S4, Block stacking process: In the Block stacking module 400, the single row of long modules and the glued liquid cooling plate are combined with the liquid cooling pipe to assemble a side liquid-cooled battery module.

[0099] The guidance system controls the automatic transport device 500 to transfer battery cells, single-row short modules, single-row long modules, liquid cooling plates and battery modules between modules based on the real-time status and production instructions of each module in the reconfigurable island production line system.

[0100] Furthermore, in step S1 above, the cell testing specifically includes the following sub-steps:

[0101] S11. Cleaning and initial visual inspection of the bottom of the battery cell: Clean the bottom of the battery cell and take visual photos of the cleaned bottom of the battery cell to detect defects in the bottom appearance.

[0102] S12. Multi-sided blue film inspection of battery cell: Visually scan multiple sides and large surfaces of the battery cell to detect the integrity of its surface blue film.

[0103] S13. Cell performance testing: Insulation withstand voltage test and open circuit voltage test are performed on the cell to determine its electrical safety and performance status;

[0104] S14. Information binding and NG sorting: Bind the above test results with the cell identity information, sort and remove NG cells that fail the test, and automatically return the empty cell tray to the loading end through the return magnetic drive line.

[0105] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention by utilizing the methods and techniques disclosed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable island production line system for side-cooled liquid-cooled battery modules, characterized in that, It includes independently operating cell assembly modules (100), module assembly modules (200), liquid cooling plate processing modules (300) and block stacking modules (400), as well as a flexible guiding and handling system that connects the modules. The number and position layout of each module can be reconfigured according to production needs. The battery cell assembly module (100) is used to load, clean, test, apply adhesive to large areas of the battery cells, and stack them into a single row of short modules. The battery cell assembly module (100) includes a battery cell feeding unit (110), a battery cell cleaning unit (120), a blue film detection unit (130), a battery cell testing unit (140), a large-area adhesive application unit (150), and a battery cell stacking unit (160) arranged sequentially along the material flow direction. The battery cells in the battery cell assembly module (100) are connected by a ring magnetic drive line (170) and a magnetic drive sub-tray (171) on the ring magnetic drive line (170). The module assembly module (200) is used to assemble a single row of short modules into a single row of long modules, and at the same time clean the sides of the long modules. The liquid cooling plate processing module (300) is used for cleaning, applying adhesive, and loading the liquid cooling plate; The liquid-cooled plate processing module (300) includes a liquid-cooled plate loading unit (310), a liquid-cooled plate gluing unit (320), and a liquid-cooled plate transfer unit (330). The liquid-cooled plate loading unit (310) cleans and loads the liquid-cooled plate. The liquid-cooled plate gluing unit (320) applies glue to the liquid-cooled plate and performs visual inspection on the glued surface. The liquid-cooled plate transfer unit (330) transfers the liquid-cooled plate that has passed the glue application inspection to the automatic handling device (500) for exit. The Block stacking module (400) is used to assemble a single row of long modules and the processed liquid cooling plate into a battery module. The Block stacking module (400) includes a coating product loading unit (410), a liquid cooling pipe loading unit (420), and a Block stacking device (430). The coating product loading unit (410) is used to load a single-row long module and a coated liquid cooling plate to the Block stacking device (430). The liquid cooling pipe loading unit (420) is used to adjust the attitude of the liquid cooling pipe and load it to the Block stacking device (430). The Block stacking device (430) is used to assemble the single-row long module, the coated liquid cooling plate, and the liquid cooling pipe to form a side-cooled battery module. The guided transport system includes a guide system and multiple automatic transport devices (500). The guide system controls the flexible connection and material flow between each automatic transport device (500) and each module.

2. The reconfigurable island production line system for side-cooled battery modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery cell loading unit (110) includes a battery cell loading area (111), a bottom cleaning station (112), a bottom vision inspection station (113), a six-axis robot A (114), a battery cell pusher (115), and a spider robot (116). The automatic handling device (500) transports the battery cells to the battery cell loading area (111) for temporary storage. The six-axis robot A (114) picks up the battery cells from the battery cell loading area (111) and cleans and inspects them sequentially through the bottom cleaning station (112) and the bottom vision inspection station (113). Then, the battery cells are transported to the battery cell pusher (115) and transferred by the spider robot (116) to the annular magnetic drive line (170) and then transferred to the battery cell cleaning unit (120).

3. The reconfigurable island production line system for side-cooled battery modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, An NG return unit (180) is also provided between the cell testing unit (140) and the large-area adhesive application unit (150). The NG return unit (180) includes an NG cell sorting station (181), an empty pallet transfer mechanism (182), and a return magnetic drive line (183). The return magnetic drive line (183) operates independently from the annular magnetic drive line (170). NG cells that have been tested by the cell testing unit (140) enter the NG cell sorting station (181). The empty pallet transfer mechanism (182) transfers the empty magnetic drive sub-pallet (171) to the return magnetic drive line (183) and then automatically returns it to the loading end of the annular magnetic drive line (170).

4. The reconfigurable island production line system for side-cooled battery modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large-area adhesive application unit (150) includes an adhesive application machine (151) and an adhesive application detection station (152). The adhesive application machine (151) is used to apply adhesive to the large surface of the battery cell, and the adhesive application detection station (152) is used to detect the adhesive application status of the battery cell. The cell stacking unit (160) includes a stacking mechanism (161), a six-axis robot B (162), a plasma cleaning station (163), and a module transfer station (164). The stacking mechanism (161) is used to stack the coated cells into a single row of short modules. The six-axis robot B (162) picks up the single row of short modules and places them in the plasma cleaning station (163) for cleaning. Then, the single row of short modules is transferred to the module transfer station (164).

5. The reconfigurable island production line system for side-cooled battery modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid-cooled plate loading unit (310) includes a liquid-cooled plate storage (311), a six-axis robot C (312), a liquid-cooled plate cleaning device (313), a cap-removing mechanism (314), and a transfer line (315). The six-axis robot C (312) is used to transport liquid-cooled plates between the liquid-cooled plate storage (311), the liquid-cooled plate cleaning device (313), the cap-removing mechanism (314), and the transfer line (315). The cap-removing mechanism (314) is used to remove the caps from the connectors of the liquid-cooled pipes on the liquid-cooled plate. The liquid-cooled plate coating unit (320) includes a six-axis robot D (321), a coating and inspection mechanism (322), and a liquid-cooled plate buffer platform (323). The six-axis robot D (321) is used to transport liquid-cooled plates between the transfer line (315), the coating and inspection mechanism (322), and the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform (323). The coating and inspection mechanism (322) is used to apply adhesive and perform visual inspection on the liquid-cooled plates. The liquid-cooled plate transfer unit (330) includes a six-axis robot E (331) and a liquid-cooled plate transfer station (332). The six-axis robot E (331) is used to transport the glued liquid-cooled plate between the liquid-cooled plate buffer platform (323) and the liquid-cooled plate transfer station (332).

6. A side-cooled battery module manufacturing process using a reconfigurable island production line system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The following processes are performed on a reconfigurable island production line system: S1. Cell assembly process: In the cell assembly module (100), the cells are sequentially fed, cleaned, inspected, and glued on the large surface, and the qualified cells are stacked to form a single row of short modules; S2, Module assembly process: In the module assembly module (200), at least two single-row short modules are assembled into a single-row long module, and the assembled long module is scanned and its sides are cleaned. S3, Liquid Cooling Plate Processing: Cleaning, gluing, and inspection are performed on the liquid cooling plate in the liquid cooling plate processing module (300); S4, Block stacking process: In the Block stacking module (400), a single row of long modules and a coated liquid cooling plate are assembled into a side-cooled battery module. The guidance system controls the automatic transport device (500) to transfer cells, single-row short modules, single-row long modules, liquid cooling plates and battery modules between modules based on the real-time status and production instructions of each module in the reconfigurable island production line system.

7. The manufacturing process for a side-cooled liquid-cooled battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step S1, which involves testing the battery cell, specifically includes the following sub-steps: S11. Cleaning and initial visual inspection of the bottom of the battery cell: Clean the bottom of the battery cell and take visual photos of the cleaned bottom of the battery cell to detect defects in the bottom appearance. S12. Multi-sided blue film inspection of battery cell: Visually scan multiple sides and large surfaces of the battery cell to detect the integrity of its surface blue film. S13. Cell performance testing: Insulation withstand voltage test and open circuit voltage test are performed on the cell to determine its electrical safety and performance status; S14. Information binding and NG sorting: The cell scanning binds the above test results with the cell identity information, sorts and removes the NG cells that fail the test, and automatically returns the empty cell tray to the loading end through the return magnetic drive line.

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