Automatic battery cover mounting machine

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic battery capping machine, belonging to the technical field of battery production equipment. It includes a frame, a cap storage station, a cap gripping mechanism, a terminal hole oiling mechanism, a terminal straightening mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a cap placement mechanism. The conveying mechanism carries the battery casing sequentially through the terminal straightening station and the cap placement station; the width of the cap storage station is adjustable; the terminal straightening mechanism directly clamps the battery terminals; the cap gripping mechanism transfers the cap to the terminal hole oiling mechanism for oiling; and the cap placement mechanism closes the oiled cap onto the battery casing. The method includes: adjusting the cap width and stacking the caps; conveying the battery casing; gripping and oiling the caps simultaneously with terminal straightening; and the cap placement mechanism pre-picking caps and placing them immediately after the battery arrives. This invention eliminates casing tolerances and conveying deviations through direct terminal straightening; the parallel operation of multiple stations—terminal straightening, cap gripping, oiling, and cap placement—combined with cap placement pre-positioning, significantly shortens the cycle time and achieves highly efficient fully automatic capping.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of battery production equipment technology, specifically an automatic battery cover mounting machine. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of the new energy industry, the demand for power batteries and various types of storage batteries has continued to rise. The level of automation in battery manufacturing has become a key factor determining the industry's competitiveness. In the storage battery assembly process, accurately pressing the battery cover onto the battery casing is a core step to ensure battery sealing and safety. Currently, mainstream equipment in the industry has gradually adopted automated cover-pressing machines to replace manual or semi-automatic operations. These machines use conveyor rollers to move batteries between workstations and, in conjunction with vision positioning systems, mechanical blocking devices, pneumatic grippers, and other actuators, complete a series of actions such as cover storage, cover pressing, oiling, positioning, and cover placement. However, with the popularization of flexible manufacturing models involving multiple varieties and small batches, production lines need to frequently switch between different battery specifications, placing higher demands on the adaptability, positioning accuracy, and production efficiency of cover-pressing equipment.

[0003] In the actual production process of automated battery cover assembly, the core pain points lie in two main aspects: insufficient positioning accuracy of the terminal posts and low assembly cycle efficiency. Firstly, existing equipment generally uses an indirect positioning method by clamping the battery casing to position the terminal posts. However, due to manufacturing tolerances in the battery casing itself, and the random positional shifts that occur after the battery passes through multiple stations on the conveyor belt due to factors such as conveyor belt slippage and impacts from stops, directly clamping the casing cannot guarantee the final positional accuracy of the terminal posts. When the deviation between the terminal post and the center of the terminal post hole exceeds 0.4mm, mechanical interference will occur during the cover assembly process, causing the outer wall of the terminal post to scrape against the inner wall of the post hole, leading to defects such as lead ring deformation, cracking, or terminal post scratches. Secondly, existing equipment uses a sequential operation method for each process, i.e., actions such as grabbing the cover, positioning, applying oil, terminal post alignment, and placing the cover are performed in sequence. The next process can only start after the previous process is completed, causing each mechanism to frequently be in a waiting state. This queuing production method restricts the full utilization of equipment efficiency, making it difficult to further compress the cycle time and limiting overall assembly efficiency.

[0004] A search revealed that Chinese utility model patent CN207909985U discloses a battery tray positioning device, which includes a conveying baffle mechanism, a side pushing mechanism, and a positioning mechanism. The specific solution is as follows: when the battery tray reaches the predetermined work position, the conveying baffle mechanism rises to block the battery tray from being conveyed forward. Then, the side pushing mechanism pushes the battery tray to one side to the predetermined position for coarse positioning. Finally, the positioning mechanism rises to insert the positioning pin into the positioning hole at the bottom of the battery tray, thereby achieving precise positioning of the battery tray. However, this solution still has the following problems in practical applications: First, its positioning principle is an indirect positioning method of clamping the shell / tray. The positioning accuracy depends on the machining accuracy of the positioning holes on the battery tray and the placement accuracy of the battery shell on the tray. When there are manufacturing tolerances in the dimensions of the battery shell or the placement position on the tray is offset, the insertion of the positioning pin into the positioning hole cannot guarantee the actual position of the terminal post on the battery shell. The deviation of the terminal post may still exceed the allowable range, resulting in the lead ring not being able to be accurately aligned with the terminal post during the subsequent assembly of the top cover. Second, this device only solves the problem of conveying and positioning the battery tray, and does not involve the coordinated operation of processes such as gripping the top cover, applying oil to the terminal post holes, and placing the cover. The various workstations still operate in a serial manner. The gripping mechanism, positioning mechanism, and placing mechanism act in sequence. The subsequent process cannot start before the previous process is completed. The mechanism has a long waiting time, and the overall cycle time is difficult to meet the needs of efficient production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic battery cover mounting machine to solve the following technical problems mentioned in the background art: In existing technologies, the terminals are indirectly positioned by clamping the battery casing. However, due to manufacturing tolerances and transport deviations, there is a significant error between the actual and theoretical positions of the terminals, making it difficult to align the lead ring on the battery cover with the terminals. In addition, the existing equipment uses a serial operation method for each process, resulting in a long cycle time and low production efficiency.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: on the one hand: An automatic battery cover-applying machine includes: a frame, a cover storage station, a cover gripping mechanism, a terminal hole oiling mechanism, a terminal straightening mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a cover placement mechanism. in, The conveyor mechanism is mounted on the frame and is used to carry and transport the battery casings; The battery cover station is installed on the frame and is used to stack battery covers to be assembled. The width of the battery cover station is adjustable. The terminal hole oiling mechanism is installed on the frame and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism. The terminal hole oiling mechanism is used to apply oil to the terminal holes of the battery cover. The cap-grabbing mechanism is installed above the frame. The cap-grabbing mechanism is used to remove the cap of a single battery from the hopper and transfer it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism. The electrode alignment mechanism is installed above the frame and located on the side near the feed end of the conveying mechanism. The electrode alignment mechanism is used to directly clamp the electrode on the battery casing to correct the spatial position of the electrode. The cap-laying mechanism is installed on the frame and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism. The cap-laying mechanism is used to transfer the oiled battery cap to the battery casing on the conveying channel to complete the capping.

[0007] Furthermore, the storage and sealing station includes: A fixed side frame attached to the machine frame; A movable side frame capable of translation relative to the fixed side frame; A screw drive assembly is connected to the moving side frame, and the screw drive assembly is used to drive the moving side frame to move. The moving side frame is hinged with a flip-up stop bar, which has a vertical locked state and a horizontal open state.

[0008] Furthermore, the covering mechanism includes: A first track beam is horizontally fixed to the frame; a first movable seat is slidably engaged with the first track beam, the first movable seat is driven by a first power component to translate along the first track beam; a first lifting assembly is installed on the first movable seat, the first lifting assembly is driven by a second power component to drive a first gripper head to move up and down; The first gripper head has a first rotating base, a first rotary table driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable and closable first grippers mounted below the first rotary table. The opening and closing of the first grippers is driven by a clamping motor through a gear and rack pair.

[0009] Furthermore, the capping mechanism includes: A second track beam is horizontally fixed to the frame; a second movable seat is slidably engaged with the second track beam, and the second movable seat is driven by a third power component to translate along the second track beam; a second lifting assembly is installed on the second movable seat, and the second lifting assembly is driven by a fourth power component to move a second gripper head up and down. The second gripper head has a second rotating seat, a second rotary table driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable and closable second grippers mounted below the second rotary table. The opening and closing of the second grippers is driven by a clamping motor through a gear and rack pair.

[0010] Furthermore, the electrode hole oiling mechanism includes: The positioning plate has a window in the middle for the oiling assembly to pass through; Left and right centering clamping assembly, used to clamp the battery cover from the left and right sides; Front and rear centering clamping assembly, used for front and rear centering and clamping the battery cover; The oiling assembly includes at least one oiling head capable of being raised, lowered, and rotated, and an oiling nozzle for supplying lubricating oil to the oiling head; the horizontal position of the oiling head is adjusted by an adjusting screw.

[0011] Furthermore, the pole correction mechanism includes: The upper bracket is fixedly connected to the machine frame; The middle support is slidably connected to the upper support and can slide left and right relative to the upper support; Vertical cylinder, connected to the central support; The lower bracket is connected to the output end of the vertical cylinder; The orthopedic gripper, connected to the lower support, is used to clamp the battery casing terminals and adjust the position of the battery casing.

[0012] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism includes: The frame is connected inside the machine rack; Conveyor rollers, several conveyor rollers are arranged in parallel on the frame; Side guide wheel assembly, connected to both sides of the conveyor roller on the frame; A blocking and positioning component is attached to one side of the frame. The pushing component is connected to the side of the frame opposite to the blocking and positioning component; The lifting assembly is connected to the bottom of the frame and includes a lifting cylinder and a support block connected to the output end of the lifting cylinder.

[0013] on the other hand: A method for covering a battery case, using an automatic battery cover covering machine as described in any of the preceding claims, comprising: Step 1: Adjust the width of the storage cover station and stack multiple battery covers in the storage cover station; Step 2: Place the battery casing at the feed end of the conveying mechanism, and the conveying mechanism will transport the battery casing forward; Step 3: When the battery casing reaches the terminal post alignment station, the terminal post alignment mechanism is activated, clamping the battery terminal post for position correction. At the same time, the cover grabbing mechanism takes out a battery cover from the cover storage station and transfers it to the terminal post hole oiling mechanism. Step 4: The terminal hole lubrication mechanism clamps and positions the battery cover and applies lubricating oil to the terminal holes; Step 5: The cover placement mechanism removes the oiled battery cover from the terminal hole oiling mechanism and transfers it to the top of the cover placement station; Step Six: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism descends and places the battery cover on the battery casing to complete the closing process. Step 7: The conveying mechanism delivers the covered battery out, and steps 3 to 6 are repeated.

[0014] Furthermore, the following steps are included in the parallel operation: The battery casing is continuously conveyed, passing sequentially through the terminal post straightening station and the cover placement station; While the terminal position of the current battery casing is being corrected at the terminal alignment station, at least two of the following operations are performed in parallel: The cap-grabbing mechanism grabs the next battery cap from the cap storage station and transfers it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism. The terminal hole oiling mechanism positions and applies oil to the battery cap that has been placed. The cap-releasing mechanism transfers the previous battery cap that has been oiled from the terminal hole oiling mechanism to the top of the cap-releasing station. Once the current battery casing has completed the terminal post correction and reached the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism immediately places the prepared battery cover onto the battery casing. Among them, the four actions of pole correction, gripping and transfer, positioning and oiling, and cap placement and transfer can overlap in time.

[0015] Furthermore, it includes the following cyclical steps: The first step is to use the cap-grabbing mechanism to pre-grab a battery cap from the cap storage station and place it on the terminal hole oiling mechanism for positioning and oiling. The second step involves the electrode hole oiling mechanism applying oil to the battery cover while the cover placement mechanism moves above the electrode hole oiling mechanism to wait for the next step. At the same time, the conveying mechanism transports the battery casing that has completed electrode correction to the cover placement station. The third step is to immediately grab the oiled battery cover after the oiling is completed and move it to the top of the cover placement station to wait. The fourth step is for the cover-grabbing mechanism to return to the cover-collecting station, grab the next battery cover and place it again on the terminal hole oiling mechanism to start a new round of oiling. Fifth step: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism descends to cover the battery casing with the top cover, and then the cover placement mechanism rises and returns to the terminal hole oiling mechanism, repeating the third step. Each battery cover required for each cover placement action is pre-oiled and ready before the battery casing arrives at the cover placement station.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: In this invention, the terminal post alignment mechanism directly clamps the battery terminal post instead of the casing, eliminating the influence of casing manufacturing tolerances and transportation deviations, ensuring accurate alignment between the battery cover lead ring and the terminal post, and significantly reducing the assembly defect rate.

[0017] Multiple actions such as pole alignment, cap gripping, oiling, and cap placement can be performed in parallel or overlapped. With the cap placement mechanism in place in advance, a continuous flow operation is formed, effectively shortening the overall machine cycle time.

[0018] Multiple processes, such as storage, transfer, straightening, oiling, and lid placement, are integrated into one machine, reducing intermediate transfer links and the machine's footprint.

[0019] The width of the battery cover station is adjustable to accommodate different battery cover models, making the replacement process simple and quick. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the conveying mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a second schematic diagram of the conveying mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the storage cap station of the present invention; Figure 6 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the pole correction mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a second schematic diagram of the pole correction mechanism of the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the cover-grabbing mechanism of the invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the first gripping head of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the lid-releasing mechanism of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the second gripping head of the present invention; Figure 12 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the electrode hole oiling mechanism of the present invention; Figure 13 This is the second schematic diagram of the electrode hole oiling mechanism of the present invention.

[0021] The markings in the diagram are: 1-frame, 2-conveying mechanism, 3-cap storage station, 4-pole column straightening mechanism, 5-cap gripping mechanism, 6-cap placement mechanism, 7-pole column hole oiling mechanism; 201-Frame, 202-Pushing assembly, 203-Support block, 204-Side guide wheel assembly, 205-Blocking and positioning assembly, 206-Conveying roller, 207-Lifting assembly; 301-Fixed side frame, 302-Moving side frame, 303-Stop bar, 304-Screw drive assembly; 401-Upper bracket, 402-Middle bracket, 403-Lower bracket, 404-Vertical cylinder, 405-Orthopedic gripper; 501-First track beam, 502-First movable seat, 503-First lifting assembly, 504-First gripper head, 505-First rotary table, 506-First gripper, 507-First rotating seat; 601-Second track beam, 602-Second lifting assembly, 603-Second gripper head, 604-Second moving seat, 605-Second rotary table, 606-Second gripper, 607-Second rotating seat; 701-Positioning plate, 702-Oil application head, 703-Oil application assembly, 704-Oil drip nozzle, 705-Left and right centering clamping assembly, 706-Front and rear centering clamping assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Example 1: An automatic battery cover mounting machine, such as Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, it includes a frame 1, a cap storage station 3, a cap gripping mechanism 5, an electrode hole oiling mechanism 7, an electrode straightening mechanism 4, a conveying mechanism 2, and a cap placement mechanism 6.

[0024] The conveying mechanism 2 is installed on the frame 1 and is used to carry and transport the battery casing, so that the battery casing passes through the terminal post straightening station and the cover placement station in sequence.

[0025] The battery cover storage station 3 is installed on the frame 1 and is used to stack the battery covers to be assembled. Its width can be adjusted to accommodate different models of battery covers.

[0026] The terminal hole lubrication mechanism 7 is installed on the frame 1 and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is specifically used to lubricate the terminal holes of the battery cover.

[0027] The cap-grabbing mechanism 5 is installed above the frame 1 and is used to remove a single battery cap from the cap storage station 3 and transfer it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7.

[0028] The electrode alignment mechanism 4 is installed above the frame 1 and located on the side near the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is used to directly clamp the electrode on the battery casing to correct the spatial position of the electrode, thereby eliminating positional errors caused by manufacturing tolerances of the battery casing or conveying deviations.

[0029] The cover-laying mechanism 6 is installed on the frame 1 and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is used to transfer the oiled battery cover to the battery casing on the conveying mechanism 2 to complete the closing.

[0030] The various mechanisms work together to achieve fully automated operation from top cover storage, conveying, pole alignment, top cover oiling to final closing.

[0031] By integrating multiple functions into one device, the device footprint and intermediate transfer links are reduced. At the same time, the positioning accuracy is improved by directly acting on the pole rather than the housing through the pole correction mechanism 4.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the storage cover station 3 specifically includes a fixed side frame 301 fixed to the frame 1, a movable side frame 302 that can translate relative to the fixed side frame 301, and a screw drive assembly 304 connected to the movable side frame 302. The screw drive assembly 304 is used to drive the movable side frame 302 to move, thereby realizing the adjustment of the storage width.

[0033] A hinged, flip-up stop bar 303 is mounted on the movable side frame 302. The stop bar 303 has an upright locked state and a horizontal open state. In the upright locked state, the stop bar 303 can prevent stacked top covers from slipping off from the side; in the horizontal open state, the operator can easily put stacked top covers into the storage space.

[0034] In use, rotate the handwheel at the end of the lead screw, and the lead screw will drive the moving side frame 302 to move along the guide rail. The width can be precisely controlled by the pointer and scale. After flipping the stop bar 303, the top cover can be quickly installed.

[0035] The design of storage cover station 3 allows for quick adjustment of storage width with just one handwheel during type change, making operation convenient; the flip design of the stop lever 303 balances filling convenience and storage reliability.

[0036] like Figure 8 as well as Figure 9 As shown, the cover-grabbing mechanism 5 includes a first track beam 501 horizontally fixed to the frame 1 and a first movable seat 502 slidably engaged with the first track beam 501. The first movable seat 502 is driven by a first power component to translate along the first track beam 501. A first lifting assembly 503 mounted on the first movable seat 502 is driven by a second power component to move a first gripping head 504 up and down. The first power component can be a belt or lead screw driven by a servo motor; the second power component can be a cylinder or a lead screw motor.

[0037] The first gripper head 504 has a first rotating seat 507, a first rotary disk 505 driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable first grippers 506 mounted below the first rotary disk 505. The opening and closing of the first grippers 506 is driven by a clamping motor through a gear and rack pair.

[0038] In use, the moving seat moves horizontally above the storage cover station 3, the gripping head descends, and the clamping motor drives the gear rack to make the two grippers close synchronously to clamp the top cover. Then it rises and moves horizontally to the pole hole oiling mechanism 7, and descends to release and complete the placement. The rotary motor can adjust the direction of the top cover as needed.

[0039] In the design of the cover gripping mechanism 5, the gear rack and pinion, together with the guide rail, ensure that the grippers open and close synchronously and the gripping force is stable, thus preventing the cover from slipping or being damaged; the independent rotation function makes the direction of the cover adjustable to adapt to different assembly requirements.

[0040] like Figure 10 as well as Figure 11 As shown, the structure of the cap-laying mechanism 6 is similar to that of the cap-gripping mechanism 5. It also includes a second track beam 601 horizontally fixed to the frame 1, a second movable seat 604 slidably engaged with the second track beam 601 and driven by a third power component, a second lifting assembly 602 mounted on the second movable seat 604 and driven by a fourth power component, and a second gripping head 603. The second gripping head 603 has a second rotating seat 607, a second rotary disk 605, and a pair of openable and closable second grippers 606. The opening and closing drive also uses a clamping motor in conjunction with a gear and rack pair. Its working principle is similar to that of the cap-gripping mechanism 5, but its movement range covers the worktable of the electrode hole oiling mechanism 7 and the cap-laying station of the conveying mechanism 2. The cap-laying mechanism 6 grabs the oiled cap from the worktable of the oiling mechanism, transfers it above the cap-laying station, and lowers it for placement after the battery casing is in place.

[0041] The lid-laying mechanism 6 adopts the same modular design as the lid-gripping mechanism 5, reducing spare parts costs; the synchronous opening and closing of the grippers and the rotation function ensure the accuracy and stability of the lid-laying angle.

[0042] like Figure 12 as well as Figure 13 As shown, the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 includes a positioning plate 701, a left-right centering clamping group 705, a front-back centering clamping group 706, and an oiling assembly 703. A window for the oiling assembly to pass through is provided in the center of the positioning plate 701. The left-right centering clamping group 705 and the front-back centering clamping group 706 are used to clamp the battery cover from the left-right and front-back directions, respectively, to precisely fix it on the positioning plate 701.

[0043] The oiling assembly 703 includes at least one oiling head 702 that can be raised, lowered and rotated, and an oil drip nozzle 704 that supplies lubricating oil to the oiling head 702; the position of the oiling head 702 in the horizontal direction is adjusted by an adjusting screw to accommodate the spacing of different pole holes.

[0044] In use, the cover gripping mechanism 5 places the upper cover on the positioning plate 701, and the front and rear cylinders and left and right screws clamp the upper cover. According to the model of the upper cover, the adjusting screw drives the oiling head 702 to move directly below the pole hole. The oil dripping nozzle 704 drips lubricating oil onto the oiling head 702. Then the oiling head 702 rises and rotates, passes through the window of the positioning plate 701 and enters the pole hole. After completing the uniform oiling, it descends and resets.

[0045] The electrode hole oiling mechanism 7 completes positioning and oiling in the same station, avoiding transfer errors; the oiling head 702 can be raised, lowered, rotated and horizontally adjusted to adapt to various electrode hole sizes and positions, and the oiling is uniform and consistent.

[0046] like Figure 6 as well as Figure 7 As shown, the pole correction mechanism 4 includes an upper support 401 fixed to the frame 1, a middle support 402 slidably connected to the upper support 401 and slidable relative to the upper support 401, a vertical cylinder 404 connected to the middle support 402, a lower support 403 connected to the output end of the vertical cylinder 404, and a correction gripper 405 connected to the lower support 403.

[0047] The orthopedic gripper 405 is used to directly clamp the positive and negative terminals on the battery casing, thereby adjusting the actual position of the battery casing in the horizontal plane.

[0048] In use, after the battery casing is transported to the correction station and lifted and positioned, the middle support 402 moves left and right according to the approximate position of the terminal post. The vertical cylinder 404 pushes the lower support 403 to descend, and the straightening gripper 405 closes to clamp the terminal post. The precise centering characteristic of the gripper forces the terminal post to be in the predetermined position, thereby indirectly adjusting the posture of the entire battery casing. After holding for a few seconds, it is released and lifted.

[0049] The design of the pole alignment mechanism 4 directly clamps the pole instead of the housing, eliminating the influence of housing tolerance and conveying deviation, which greatly improves the positional accuracy of the pole and ensures that the lead ring and pole are accurately aligned when the cover is placed later.

[0050] like Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, the conveying mechanism 2 includes a frame 201, several conveying rollers 206 arranged parallel to each other on the frame 201, side guide wheel assemblies 204 connected to both sides of the conveying rollers 206 on the frame 201, a blocking and positioning assembly 205 connected to one side of the frame 201, a pushing assembly 202 connected to the side of the frame 201 opposite to the blocking and positioning assembly 205, and a lifting assembly 207 connected to the bottom of the frame 201. The lifting assembly 207 includes a lifting cylinder and a support block 203 connected to the output end of the lifting cylinder.

[0051] During use, the roller rotates continuously, driving the battery casing forward. When the battery reaches the designated station, such as the correction station or the cap placement station, the cylinder of the blocking positioning component 205 extends a baffle to block the battery, and the cylinder of the pushing component 202 pushes the battery from the side towards the side guide wheel assembly 204 to achieve lateral positioning. Then, the lifting cylinder of the lifting component 207 lifts the battery off the roller, stabilizing it so that it can be corrected or capped. After completion, the lifting and lowering are completed, the blocking is retracted, and the battery continues to move forward.

[0052] The conveyor mechanism 2 integrates conveying, blocking, side pushing, and lifting, and its positioning is stable and reliable; the side guide wheel group 204 has an adjustable width to adapt to different battery specifications; the lifting function avoids the interference of the rotating drum on stationary operations.

[0053] How to use: Step 1: According to the model of the battery to be assembled, adjust the width of the storage cover station 3, stack multiple battery covers in the storage cover station 3, and close the stop lever 303.

[0054] Step 2: Place the battery casing at the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2, and start the conveying mechanism 2 to transport the battery casing forward.

[0055] Step 3: When the battery casing reaches the terminal post correction station, the terminal post correction mechanism 4 is activated to clamp the battery terminal post and correct its position; at the same time, the cover gripping mechanism 5 takes out a battery cover from the cover storage station 3 and transfers it to the terminal post hole oiling mechanism 7.

[0056] Step 4: The terminal hole lubrication mechanism 7 clamps and positions the battery cover and applies lubricating oil to the terminal hole.

[0057] Step 5: The cover placement mechanism 6 removes the oiled battery cover from the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 and transfers it to the top of the cover placement station.

[0058] Step 6: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism 6 descends and places the battery cover on the battery casing to complete the closing.

[0059] Step 7: The conveying mechanism 2 delivers the covered battery, and then repeats steps 3 to 6 to achieve continuous production.

[0060] Specifically, in step three, the terminal post alignment and cap gripping actions can be performed in parallel or sequentially, but overall they form an assembly line. In step four, the oiling action includes sub-steps such as clamping, dripping oil, and rotating and lifting for oiling. Between steps five and six, the cap placement mechanism 6 can move into position in advance to wait, thereby reducing the waiting time after the battery casing arrives.

[0061] The method has a clear process and the actions are seamlessly connected, achieving fully automatic lid mounting.

[0062] It also includes steps for the following parallel tasks: The battery casing is continuously conveyed, passing sequentially through the terminal post straightening station and the cap placement station; while the terminal post position of the current battery casing is corrected at the terminal post straightening station, at least two of the following operations are performed in parallel: The cap-grabbing mechanism 5 picks up the next battery cap from the cap storage station 3 and transfers it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7. The terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 positions and applies oil to the positioned battery cap. The cap-placing mechanism 6 transfers the previously oiled battery cap from the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 to above the cap-placing station. When the current battery casing completes terminal post correction and arrives at the cap-placing station, the cap-placing mechanism 6 immediately places the ready battery cap onto the battery casing. The four actions of terminal post correction, grabbing and transferring, positioning and oiling, and cap-placing can overlap in time.

[0063] For example, while the first battery is undergoing terminal alignment, the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 is already picking up the cap of the second battery and starting to apply oil; when the first battery arrives at the cap-laying station, the cap-laying mechanism 6 already has the oiled second cap in hand, ready to be placed directly. This parallel operation mode maximizes equipment utilization, shortens cycle time, and enables multiple stations to work simultaneously, significantly improving overall machine efficiency.

[0064] It also includes the following cyclical steps: The first step is to use the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 to pre-grab a battery cap from the cap storage station 3 and place it on the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 for positioning and oiling.

[0065] In the second step, while the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 is applying oil to the battery cover, the cover placement mechanism 6 moves above the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 to wait for its turn. At the same time, the conveying mechanism 2 transports the battery casing that has completed the terminal correction to the cover placement station.

[0066] The third step is to immediately grab the oiled battery cover after the oiling is completed and move it to the top of the cover placement station to wait.

[0067] The fourth step is for the cover-grabbing mechanism 5 to return to the cover-collecting station 3, grab the next battery cover and place it again on the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 to start a new round of oiling.

[0068] Fifth step: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism 6 descends to cover the battery casing with the top cover, and then the cover placement mechanism 6 rises and returns to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7, repeating the third step.

[0069] Each battery cover required for each cover placement action is pre-oiled and ready before the battery casing arrives at the cover placement station.

[0070] This method emphasizes a pre-fetching and pre-oiling strategy. The cap-placement mechanism 6 always retrieves the pre-oiled caps in advance and waits for the batteries to arrive at the cap-placement station, rather than waiting until the batteries arrive before retrieving the caps. This allows the cap-placement action to be completed almost instantly, eliminating the waiting time for the cap-placement mechanism 6. Combined with the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 in the fourth step, which simultaneously performs the next cap retrieval and oiling, a highly efficient continuous flow is formed. This method minimizes the idle time of each mechanism, achieving continuous flow operation, and is particularly suitable for high-speed automated production lines.

[0071] Example 2: An automatic battery cover-adding machine includes a frame 1 assembled by welding or bolting. A conveying mechanism 2 is mounted longitudinally on the frame 1. The conveying mechanism 2 includes multiple conveying rollers 206 driven by a motor, a set of side guide wheels 204 with adjustable width on both sides, a blocking and positioning component 205, a pushing component 202, and a lifting component 207 respectively provided at the electrode post straightening station and the cover-adding station.

[0072] A storage lid station 3 is fixedly installed on the left or right side of the frame 1. The storage lid station 3 includes a fixed side frame 301 fixed to the frame 1 and a movable side frame 302, forming a storage space between them. The movable side frame 302 is driven by a lead screw, and a handwheel is installed at the end of the lead screw. Rotating the handwheel will cause the movable side frame 302 to move horizontally, and the width can be precisely adjusted by a pointer and a scale. Multiple flip-up stop bars 303 are hinged to the movable side frame 302. The top of the stop bars 303 is locked to the top frame by a pin. When opened, the stop bars 303 swing horizontally outward.

[0073] Two parallel and independent track beams are installed above the frame 1: the first track beam 501 spans the working area of ​​the cap storage station 3 to the pole hole oiling mechanism 7; the second track beam 601 spans the pole hole oiling mechanism 7 to the cap placement station. A cap gripping mechanism 5 is installed on the first track beam 501, and a cap placement mechanism 6 is installed on the second track beam 601. Both the cap gripping mechanism 5 and the cap placement mechanism 6 adopt a modular design: the moving seat is driven by a servo motor to move horizontally along the track beam via a synchronous belt; the lifting assembly is driven by a servo motor to move up and down by a lead screw or cylinder; the gripping head includes a rotating base, a rotary table driven by a rotary motor, and left and right grippers driven by a clamping motor via a gear and rack, with rubber pads on the inner side of the grippers.

[0074] The pole post hole oiling mechanism 7 is installed on the frame 1 near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2, below the second track beam 601. This mechanism includes a horizontal positioning plate 701 with a waist-shaped window in the center. A positioning cylinder is installed on each of the front and rear sides of the positioning plate 701, with the cylinder piston rod connected to a push plate. An adjustable positioning screw is installed on each of the left and right sides of the positioning plate 701, with a rubber clamping head fixed to the end of the screw. A mounting plate is fixed below the positioning plate 701, with a slide rail and a double-sided adjusting screw with opposite rotation directions, driven by an adjusting motor. Two adjusting seats are symmetrically mounted on the adjusting screw and slide along the slide rail. Each adjusting seat has a lifting cylinder fixed to it, with the piston rod of the lifting cylinder connected to a movable seat. An oiling motor and an oiling head 702 are mounted on the movable seat. The adjusting seat also has a dripping cylinder, with the dripping nozzle 704 aligned with the oiling head 702. An oil pump supplies oil through a hose.

[0075] The pole correction mechanism 4 is installed on the side above the frame 1 near the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2, located downstream of the first track beam 501 but installed independently. This mechanism includes an upper support 401 fixed to the frame 1, with an I-shaped guide rail at its bottom; a middle support 402 slidably connected to the upper support 401 via a slider and driven horizontally by an upper adjusting screw; a vertical cylinder 404 fixed to the middle support 402, with its piston rod connected to a lower support 403; a lower adjusting screw mounted on the lower support 403, with opposite threads on both sides; two movable sliders threadedly connected to the lower adjusting screw and sliding along the guide rail on the lower support 403; and an arc-shaped corrective gripper 405 fixed to each movable slider. Handwheels or servo motors can be installed at the ends of both the upper and lower adjusting screws.

[0076] Complete workflow: Changeover Preparation: Based on the battery model being produced, rotate the handwheel at storage cap station 3 to move the moving side frame 302 to the appropriate position, with the pointer pointing to the corresponding scale. Simultaneously, adjust the width of the side guide wheel sets 204 on both sides of the conveying mechanism 2, as well as the relevant adjusting screws of the electrode post alignment mechanism 4 and the electrode post hole oiling mechanism 7, to the preset positions. If the equipment is equipped with servo adjustment, the formula parameters can be directly retrieved on the control panel.

[0077] Storage cover: Remove the pin from the stop lever 303 at the storage cover station 3, and flip the stop lever 303 outward to the horizontal open position. The operator places a stack of battery covers into the storage space one by one. Then, return the stop lever 303 to its upright position and insert the pin to lock it.

[0078] Start the cycle: Press the start button to start the control system to execute the automatic cycle.

[0079] Battery casing conveying and terminal alignment: The upstream equipment places the battery casing at the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2. The conveying roller 206 rotates, and the battery moves forward. When the sensor detects that the battery has reached the terminal alignment station, the positioning cylinder of the blocking positioning component 205 extends the baffle, pushing the component 202 to push the battery towards the side guide wheel assembly 204 to complete the lateral positioning. Subsequently, the lifting cylinder of the lifting component 207 lifts the battery and removes it from the roller. Terminal alignment mechanism 4 operation: The upper adjusting screw drives the middle bracket 402 to move so that the alignment gripper 405 is roughly aligned with the terminal. The vertical cylinder 404 descends, and the lower adjusting screw drives the alignment gripper 405 to precisely close and clamp the positive and negative terminals, holding for 2-3 seconds, using the centering characteristics of the gripper to forcibly correct the terminal position. Then the alignment gripper 405 releases, the vertical cylinder 404 rises, the lifting component 207 descends, the blocking cylinder retracts, and the battery continues to move forward.

[0080] The upper cover is grasped, positioned, and oiled: While step 4 is being performed, the cover grasping mechanism 5 takes the cover from the cover storage station 3. Specifically: the moving seat moves above the cover storage station 3, the lifting component descends, the clamping motor drives the gripper to close and grasp the uppermost cover, the lifting component rises, the moving seat moves horizontally to above the positioning plate 701 of the pole hole oiling mechanism 7, descends and releases, and places the upper cover on the positioning plate 701.

[0081] The pole post hole lubrication mechanism 7 operates as follows: Front and rear positioning cylinders extend, and left and right positioning screws push the clamping head, precisely fixing the upper cover onto the positioning plate 701. Based on the upper cover model, the motor-driven adjusting screw is adjusted so that the two lubrication heads 702 are aligned directly below the two pole post holes. The dripping cylinder pushes the dripping nozzle 704 to drip a measured amount of lubricating oil onto the lubrication heads 702. Subsequently, the lifting cylinder pushes the movable seat upwards, allowing the lubrication heads 702 to pass through the window of the positioning plate 701 and enter the pole post hole. Simultaneously, the lubrication motor drives the lubrication heads 702 to rotate, evenly applying lubricating oil to the hole wall. After lubrication is complete, the lubrication heads 702 descend and reset.

[0082] Pre-grabbing of the cap: While or after the oiling process is underway, the cap-laying mechanism 6 moves above the positioning plate 701 of the pole post hole oiling mechanism 7, grabs the oiled cap, and then moves horizontally above the cap-laying station to wait. At the same time, the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 returns to the cap storage station 3, grabs the next cap, and places it back on the positioning plate 701 to begin the next round of positioning and oiling.

[0083] Lid Placement: After correction, the battery casing continues to advance along the conveyor mechanism 2 to the lid placement station. The blocking, side-pushing, and lifting mechanisms at this station activate again to position the battery casing. The lid placement mechanism 6 descends, accurately placing the oiled top cover onto the battery casing. The grippers release and rise to their reset position. Then, the lid placement mechanism 6 returns to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 to pick up the next oiled top cover.

[0084] Finished product output: The lifting component 207 at the cap placement station descends, the blocking mechanism retracts, and the conveying roller 206 delivers the capped battery to the next process.

[0085] Cycle: Repeat steps 4 to 8 to achieve continuous automatic production.

[0086] This embodiment achieves fully automated integrated operation of cap storage, straightening, oiling, and cap placement through the above structure and process. The pole straightening mechanism 4 acts directly on the pole, ensuring high precision; the handwheel at the cap storage station 3 allows for rapid cap changeover; cap gripping and cap placement are performed in parallel and in a time-sharing manner, and with the pre-oiling strategy, the overall cycle time can be controlled at 6-8 seconds per cap, significantly improving production efficiency and changeover flexibility.

[0087] Example 3: In Example 2, the width adjustment of the storage cap station 3 relies on manually rotating a handwheel. Although this is faster than the traditional disassembly and assembly method, it still requires manual operation, and the scale readings are subject to human error, making it difficult to achieve one-click automated type change. Furthermore, if the upper and lower adjusting screws of the pole post correction mechanism 4 are manually adjusted, manual intervention is also required, making it difficult to quickly adapt to frequent switching of multiple battery models. Additionally, the width adjustment of the side guide wheel assembly 204 in the conveying mechanism 2 is also mostly manual, increasing type change time and labor intensity.

[0088] This embodiment provides an automatic battery cover replacement machine with a fully automatic and rapid type change function, which adds the following technical features based on Embodiment 2: The handwheel at storage cap station 3 is replaced with a servo motor, which is connected to a lead screw via a coupling or synchronous belt. The servo motor driver communicates with the control system, which stores storage cap width parameters corresponding to different battery models. When the operator selects a model on the touchscreen, the control system automatically controls the servo motor to rotate, using an encoder to provide position feedback, thus precisely moving the moving side frame 302 to the target width. Simultaneously, laser rangefinders or magnetic scales are installed on the moving side frame 302 and the fixed side frame 301 to achieve closed-loop control with an adjustment accuracy of ±0.1mm.

[0089] The upper and lower adjusting screws of the electrode post correction mechanism 4 are connected to the first and second stepper motors, respectively. Based on the selected battery model, the control system automatically calculates the distance the upper adjusting screw should move to ensure the orthopedic gripper 405 is approximately aligned with the electrode post; simultaneously, it calculates the stroke of the lower adjusting screw to ensure the orthopedic gripper 405 clamps the electrode post precisely after closing. Both stepper motors automatically reach their positions without manual adjustment.

[0090] The side guide wheel assemblies 204 on both sides of the conveying mechanism 2 are connected to a transverse moving plate, which is driven by a third servo motor via a lead screw. Similarly, the control system automatically adjusts the guide wheel spacing according to the model to accommodate battery casings of different widths. Furthermore, the mounting base of the blocking positioning assembly 205 is also adjusted along the conveying direction via an electric lead screw to accommodate batteries of different lengths.

[0091] In the pole hole oiling mechanism 7, the positioning screw of the left and right centering clamping group 705 is also driven by a small stepper motor to achieve automatic centering and clamping; the cylinder stroke of the front and rear centering clamping group 706 can be controlled by a proportional valve to adapt to the top cover of different lengths.

[0092] In operation, the operator inputs or scans the battery model on the host computer interface, and the control system retrieves the corresponding formula parameters, including the width of the storage cap, the spacing between the terminals, the correction position, the conveying width, and the distance between the front and rear obstructions. Subsequently, the system sequentially drives each servo motor / stepper motor, causing all adjustable components to automatically move to the set position. After the sensors provide a feedback signal indicating the position is reached, the system indicates that the changeover is complete and production can begin.

[0093] This embodiment achieves fully automated one-click battery changeover, further reducing changeover time from several minutes with manual adjustment to less than 30 seconds, while eliminating human error and improving repeatability. Simultaneously, the precise control of the servo motor allows the equipment to adapt to more battery specifications, making it particularly suitable for mixed-product production lines. Furthermore, all adjustment parameters can be stored and recalled, reducing the technical requirements for operators.

[0094] Example 4: In Example 2, when the terminal post straightening mechanism 4 clamps and straightens the terminal post, the battery casing is lifted and suspended by the lifting component 207 of the conveying mechanism 2, and is constrained in the horizontal plane only by lateral push and blocking positioning. When the straightening gripper 405 closes to clamp the terminal post, if the initial alignment deviation between the gripper and the terminal post is large, the gripper may push the terminal post to one side, resulting in excessive force on the root of the terminal post and a risk of damage. At the same time, after long-term operation, the oiling head 702 of the terminal post hole oiling mechanism 7 may wear or the oil supply may be unstable, resulting in uneven oiling and affecting the subsequent assembly quality, and the existing equipment lacks detection methods.

[0095] This embodiment provides an automatic battery cover mounting machine with flexible correction and oiling quality detection functions, and adds the following technical features based on Embodiment 2: Pressure sensors are installed on the inner side of the orthopedic gripper 405 of the pole correction mechanism 4, where it contacts the pole. Each gripper is independently equipped with a small cylinder or spring buffer device. When the gripper closes, it first contacts the pole with a small preload, and the pressure sensor detects the actual contact force. The control system determines whether the pole is aligned based on the pressure difference between the left and right grippers: if the pressure on the left is significantly greater than that on the right, it indicates that the pole is off to the left. The control system then uses the servo motor of the upper adjusting screw to perform closed-loop adjustment by finely adjusting the horizontal position of the middle bracket 402 to balance the pressure on both sides. When the pressure on both sides is equal and reaches the set threshold, the maximum clamping force is applied and locked for several seconds. In addition, a floating connection mechanism, such as a ball joint or elastomer, is provided between the lower bracket 403 and the orthopedic gripper 405, allowing the gripper to adapt to the small tilt angle of the pole within a small range, avoiding rigid pulling.

[0096] A miniature industrial camera or coaxial lens is installed near the window of the positioning plate 701 of the electrode hole oiling mechanism 7, with the lens facing upwards, to capture an image of the electrode hole on the bottom surface of the top cover. After oiling is completed and before the cover-releasing mechanism 6 picks it up, the control system triggers the camera to take a picture, and the image processing algorithm analyzes the oil film coverage area and uniformity on the inner wall of the electrode hole. If insufficient oil or uneven coating is detected, the system issues an alarm and marks the top cover as a defective product. The cover-releasing mechanism 6 then transfers it to the waste box, while the cover-grabbing mechanism 5 picks up a new top cover for touch-up coating.

[0097] A cleaning station is set up next to the oiling mechanism, including a cleaning head with a brush and oil-absorbing cotton. Every certain number of times, such as 100 times, the lifting cylinder moves the oiling head 702 to the cleaning station, where the brush and oil-absorbing cotton remove any residual old oil and impurities from the oiling head 702. A miniature flow meter is added to the oil supply line of the drip nozzle 704 to monitor the amount of oil dripped each time in real time. When the flow rate is lower than the set value, the dripping time is automatically increased or an alarm is triggered to replace the oil container.

[0098] During use, after the battery casing is lifted, the terminal post alignment mechanism 4 first contacts the terminal post with low pressure. The difference in pressure between the two pressure sensors drives the upper adjusting screw for micron-level automatic alignment until pressure balance is achieved. This process avoids damage caused by the clamps forcibly closing when the terminal post is initially misaligned. After alignment, the clamps are locked and corrected with a set pressure. After oiling, a camera captures an image of the terminal post hole. Edge detection and grayscale analysis are used to determine the oil film coverage; if it is satisfactory, the cap is placed; otherwise, it is rejected. The oiling head 702 self-cleans periodically, and the oil dripping volume is monitored in real time to ensure consistent oiling.

[0099] This embodiment achieves flexible correction through pressure sensors and closed-loop control, effectively preventing damage to the terminal posts, especially suitable for terminal posts made of softer materials or thin-walled battery casings. Visual inspection and automatic patching functions ensure oiling quality and prevent assembly defects caused by insufficient oil. Automatic cleaning and flow monitoring extend the service life of the oiling head 702, reduce the frequency of manual maintenance, and further improve the stability and automation level of the equipment.

[0100] Example 5: An automatic battery capping machine includes a frame 1 and a conveying mechanism 2, a cap storage station 3, a cap gripping mechanism 5, a terminal hole oiling mechanism 7, a terminal correction mechanism 4, and a cap placement mechanism 6 mounted on the frame 1. The overall dimensions of the equipment are 2600mm (length) × 1900mm (width) × 2100mm (height), with a worktable height of 780±30mm. It adopts a left-in, right-out conveying direction. The main body is made of Q235 carbon steel and coated with traffic blue 5017. The equipment is suitable for various AGM batteries, including L0 to L6, G31, and EFB models, with battery lengths ranging from 170mm to 394mm and widths from 173mm to 175mm.

[0101] Battery cover storage station 3 is fixed to the left side of frame 1 and is used to stack battery covers to be assembled. Its specific structure includes: a fixed side frame 301 fixed to frame 1, a movable side frame 302 capable of translating relative to the fixed side frame 301, and a screw drive assembly 304 connecting the movable side frame 302. The screw drive assembly 304 uses a manual ball screw, with a handwheel at its input end. Rotating the handwheel drives the movable side frame 302 to move, thereby adjusting the storage width. A flip-up stop 303 is hinged to the movable side frame 302. The stop 303 has a vertical locking state and a horizontal open state. When open, battery covers can be inserted sequentially; when closed, it prevents the covers from slipping off. Battery cover storage station 3 has 8 parallel storage stations, each capable of storing 30 battery covers. The width of all 8 stations can be uniformly adjusted using a single handwheel, and the changeover time is completed within 15 seconds. The moving side frame 302 and the fixed side frame 301 are equipped with pointers and scales to indicate the adjustment positions corresponding to each battery model. The storage rack adopts a chrome-plated optical shaft and structural component splicing method, with a surface roughness Ra0.4µm and Rockwell hardness R65-75, which minimizes resistance to the up-and-down movement of the battery cover and does not damage the battery cover. The battery cover storage station 3 is also equipped with mechanical safety interlocks and safety baffles to ensure absolute safety when manually placing the battery cover.

[0102] The cap-grabbing mechanism 5 is mounted above the frame 1 and is used to remove a single battery cap from the cap storage station 3 and transfer it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7. Its specific structure includes: a first track beam 501 horizontally fixed to the frame 1, and a first movable seat 502 slidably engaged with the first track beam 501. The first movable seat 502 is driven by a 400W servo motor and a synchronous belt to move horizontally along the first track beam 501. A first lifting assembly 503 mounted on the first movable seat 502 is driven by a 400W servo motor and a lead screw, causing the first gripping head 504 to move up and down. The first gripping head 504 has a first rotating seat 507, a first rotary disk 505 driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable and closable first grippers 506 mounted below the first rotary disk 505. The opening and closing of the first grippers 506 is driven by a stepper motor through a gear and rack pair. The contact area between the grippers and the battery cap is treated with a surface plasticizing process, resulting in a hardness lower than the battery cap material and a surface roughness Ra of 0.8µm, preventing scratches on the battery cap. During battery model changeover, the clamping distance, rotation angle, and other parameters of the cap gripping mechanism 5 are automatically matched by the control system according to the battery model, requiring no manual adjustment. The translational stroke of the cap gripping mechanism 5 covers the material picking position of the cap storage station 3 to the material loading position of the electrode post hole oiling mechanism 7.

[0103] The cap-laying mechanism 6 is mounted above the frame 1 and arranged independently of the cap-gripping mechanism 5. It is used to grab the oiled cap from the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 and transfer it to the battery casing on the conveying mechanism 2 to complete the capping. Its specific structure includes: a second track beam 601 horizontally fixed to the frame 1, and a second moving seat 604 slidably engaged with the second track beam 601. The second moving seat 604 is driven by a 400W servo motor and synchronous belt to move horizontally along the second track beam 601. The second lifting assembly 602 mounted on the second moving seat 604 is driven by a 400W servo motor and lead screw to drive the second gripping head 603 to move up and down. The second gripping head 603 has a second rotating seat 607, a second rotary disk 605 driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable and closable second grippers 606 mounted below the second rotary disk 605. The opening and closing of the second grippers 606 is driven by a stepper motor through a gear and rack pair. The movement range of the cap placement mechanism 6 covers the material picking position of the pole hole oiling mechanism 7 and the cap placement position of the cap placement station on the conveying mechanism 2. The electric gripper will automatically match the clamping size according to the cap model, without the need for manual parameter input.

[0104] The terminal hole lubrication mechanism 7 is mounted on the frame 1 and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is used to apply lubricating oil to the terminal holes of the battery cover. Its specific structure includes a positioning plate 701, a left and right centering clamping group 705, a front and rear centering clamping group 706, and an oiling assembly 703.

[0105] The positioning plate 701 has a window (waist-shaped hole) in the middle for the oiling assembly to pass through. The front and rear centering clamping assembly 706 includes positioning cylinders and push plates mounted on the front and rear sides of the positioning plate 701, used to clamp the top cover from the front and rear directions. The left and right centering clamping assembly 705 includes fixing heads, positioning screws, and clamping heads mounted on the left and right sides of the positioning plate 701. The positioning screws are threadedly connected to the fixing heads, and the clamping heads are made of polyurethane or rubber. During model changeover, manual adjustment of the left and right positioning screws can be completed in a single station within 20 seconds, and a scale display is provided.

[0106] The oiling assembly 703 is located below the positioning plate 701 and includes a mounting plate, an adjusting screw, a connector, a movable seat, an adjusting seat, and a lifting cylinder. The mounting plate is fixedly connected to the positioning plate 701, the connector is fixedly connected to the mounting plate, the adjusting screw is rotatably connected to the connector, and the adjusting seat is slidably connected to the mounting plate and threadedly connected to the adjusting screw. The adjusting screw is a single screw with opposite turns on both sides, driven by a 400W servo motor. Two adjusting seats are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the adjusting screw and move synchronously towards or away from each other. A lifting cylinder is fixed on each adjusting seat, and the piston rod of the lifting cylinder is connected to the movable seat. The movable seat is equipped with an oiling motor and an oiling head 702. The oiling head 702 is a felt brush head, customized according to the taper shape of the pole hole. The adjusting seat is also equipped with an oil dripping device, including an oil dripping cylinder and an oil dripping nozzle 704, which is aligned with the oiling head 702. The fully automatic lubricating oil pump supplies oil to the drip nozzle 704 through pipelines. The amount of oil dripped is controlled according to the number of batteries entering the system, with a standard of 5 drops of oil per 50 batteries. An oil receiving trough is provided below the oiling assembly 703 to prevent lubricating oil from dripping and contaminating the equipment.

[0107] During operation, the top cover is placed on the positioning plate 701, the front and rear positioning cylinders extend to clamp the top cover, and the left and right positioning screws or servo centering module push the clamping head to complete the centering and clamping of the top cover; the adjusting motor drives the adjusting screw to align the two oiling heads 702 directly below the pole hole; the oil dripping nozzle 704 drips lubricating oil onto the oiling head 702; the lifting cylinder pushes the movable seat to rise, so that the oiling head 702 passes through the window and enters the pole hole, while the oiling motor drives the oiling head 702 to rotate to complete the oiling; after completion, the oiling head 702 descends to reset.

[0108] The electrode post straightening mechanism 4 is installed above the frame 1 and located on the side near the feed end of the conveying mechanism 2. It is used to directly clamp the electrode posts on the battery casing to correct their spatial position. Its specific structure includes: an upper support 401 fixed to the frame 1, a middle support 402 slidably connected to the upper support 401, a vertical cylinder 404 connected to the middle support 402, a lower support 403 connected to the output end of the vertical cylinder 404, and a straightening gripper 405 connected to the lower support 403. The middle support 402 can slide left and right relative to the upper support 401, and its horizontal position is adjusted by the upper adjusting screw driven by the first stepper motor. The vertical cylinder 404 is used to drive the lower support 403 and the straightening gripper 405 to rise and fall. The straightening gripper 405 uses a four-jaw cylinder; the four grippers close synchronously to clamp the positive and negative electrode posts of the battery casing. The distance between the two straightening grippers 405 is adjusted by the lower adjusting screw driven by the second stepper motor. The threads on both sides of the lower adjusting screw rotate in opposite directions to achieve synchronous alignment. The blocking and positioning device at the terminal post correction station uses manual lead screw adjustment, allowing for single-station type change adjustment within 30 seconds. It also features pointers indicating the adjustment position for each battery model. The overall structure is a frame type, with four linear guide rails ensuring smooth vertical movement. After terminal post correction, the two lead rings on the battery cover can be easily aligned with the terminals. The center distance between the positive and negative terminals ranges from 130mm to 332mm, with a correction tolerance controlled within ±0.5mm.

[0109] The conveying mechanism 2 is mounted on the frame 1 and is used to carry and transport battery casings. Its specific structure includes: a frame 201, several conveying rollers 206 arranged in parallel on the frame 201, side guide wheel sets 204 connected to both sides of the conveying rollers 206 on the frame 201, a blocking and positioning assembly 205 connected to one side of the frame 201, a pushing assembly 202 connected to the side of the frame 201 opposite to the blocking and positioning assembly 205, and a lifting assembly 207 connected to the bottom of the frame 201.

[0110] The conveyor roller 206 utilizes an existing roller conveyor line, with an adjustable conveying speed of 0-5 m / min. The side guide wheel assembly 204 adopts a roller structure with rubber rings on the rollers. Its installation dimensions are consistent with existing anti-scratch wheels, effectively preventing battery scratches. The blocking and positioning assembly 205 includes a mounting base, adjusting screw, positioning and blocking cylinder, and positioning baffle. The blocking position is adjusted via a handwheel, and pointers indicate the adjustment position for each battery model. Changeover time can be controlled within 50 seconds. The pushing assembly 202 includes a pushing cylinder and a push plate. The contact surface between the push plate and the battery is made of 20mm thick polyurethane material, with a hardness lower than the battery tray, preventing battery scratches. The lifting assembly 207 includes a lifting cylinder and a support block 203 connected to the output end of the lifting cylinder. When the battery reaches the workstation and is blocked and positioned, the lifting assembly 207 lifts the battery away from the roller, preventing the roller from rubbing against and scratching the bottom of the battery tray.

[0111] The electrical control system uses a PLC as the main controller, equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen. The servo drive system consists of eight 400W servo motors, used for the translation and lifting of the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 and the cap-releasing mechanism 6 at cap storage station 3, the spacing adjustment of the pole hole oiling mechanism 7, and the spacing adjustment of the pole straightening mechanism 4. Stepper motors are used for the opening, closing, and rotating mechanisms of the grippers. Two-position five-way valves are used. The power supply is AC380V 50Hz three-phase five-wire, with a total power of 5.2KW and an air source pressure of 0.4-0.6MPa. The electrical control box has an IP5 protection rating and is equipped with a self-locking emergency switch, providing power failure and overload protection. The control system supports the storage and retrieval of eight sets of process parameters, with three-level password management (operator / administrator / engineer), while the program itself has no password. The equipment is compatible with the entire production line's IT interface, enabling data interaction.

[0112] Workflow: Based on the battery model to be produced, the operator selects the corresponding formula on the touchscreen, and the control system automatically calls up the parameters. Simultaneously, manual adjustments are made: rotating the handwheel at storage cap station 3 to adjust the storage width, adjusting the obstruction position of conveyor mechanism 2, adjusting the front and rear positioning of the electrode hole oiling mechanism 7, and adjusting the obstruction position of the electrode alignment mechanism 4. The entire changeover time is controlled within 15 minutes.

[0113] Open lever 303 at storage compartment 3. Manually place the battery covers into the 8 storage compartments one by one, like placing books. Each compartment can store 30 battery covers. Close lever 303 and lock it.

[0114] The battery casing enters from the feed end of the conveyor mechanism 2 and first reaches the terminal post straightening station. The blocking and positioning component 205 extends its baffle, and the pushing component 202 pushes the battery towards the side guide wheel assembly 204 to complete lateral positioning. The lifting component 207 lifts the battery away from the roller. The terminal post straightening mechanism 4 operates as follows: the central support 402 moves to align the straightening gripper 405 with the terminal post; the vertical cylinder 404 descends; the four-jaw cylinder closes to clamp the terminal post, holding for 2-3 seconds before releasing; the vertical cylinder 404 rises; the lifting component 207 descends; and the blocking component retracts. After straightening, the center distance tolerance of the terminal posts is controlled within ±0.5mm.

[0115] While the pole post is being calibrated, the cap-grabbing mechanism 5 picks up a cap from the cap storage station 3 and transfers it to the positioning plate 701 of the pole post hole oiling mechanism 7. The front and rear positioning cylinders extend, and the left and right positioning screws clamp the cap. The adjusting motor drives the oiling head 702 to align with the pole post hole, the oil dripping nozzle 704 drips oil onto the oiling head 702, and the lifting cylinder pushes the oiling head 702 upward and rotates to complete the oiling process. After oiling, the oiling head 702 descends to its original position.

[0116] After the oiling is completed, the cap placement mechanism 6 immediately grabs the oiled cap and moves it above the cap placement station to wait. At the same time, the cap grabbing mechanism 5 returns to the cap storage station 3, grabs the next cap and places it on the positioning plate 701 again to start the next round of positioning and oiling.

[0117] After correction, the battery casing arrives at the cover placement station, where the blocking, side-pushing, and lifting mechanisms reposition the battery. The cover placement mechanism 6 descends, precisely placing the cover onto the battery casing, and the grippers release and rise to reset. Then, the cover placement mechanism 6 returns to the terminal hole oiling mechanism 7 to pick up the next cover that has been oiled.

[0118] The cap-laying station is raised and lowered, blocked and retracted, and the conveyor roller 206 sends the capped battery out to the next process.

[0119] This embodiment has the following beneficial effects: High-efficiency parallel operation: The four actions of pole alignment, top cover gripping, positioning and oiling, and top cover pre-gripping overlap in time, and the overall cycle time is controlled within 15 seconds, meeting the production efficiency requirement of 4 pieces / minute.

[0120] Quick changeover: At storage station 3, a single handwheel can simultaneously adjust the width of 8 stations. Each adjustment position is equipped with pointers and scale markings. With the automatic parameter calling of the servo system, the changeover time is controlled within 15 minutes, which is far less than that of traditional equipment.

[0121] Precise positioning: The terminal post correction mechanism 4 directly clamps the terminal post instead of the housing, with a correction tolerance of ±0.5mm, so that the lead ring on the battery cover can be easily aligned with the terminal post, and the heat sealing failure rate caused by equipment problems is 0PPM.

[0122] Safe and reliable: Storage station 3 is equipped with mechanical safety interlocks and safety barriers. Inspection doors and windows are provided at the front and rear of the equipment. The control system has three-level password management, emergency stop, power failure protection and overload protection functions.

[0123] Compact and integrated: The main production line has only two stations: terminal post straightening and battery cover placement. The terminal post hole oiling position is aligned with the battery cover positioning position, saving space. All processes are integrated into one machine, greatly shortening the debugging time.

[0124] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "coaxial," "bottom," "one end," "top," "middle," "other end," "upper," "side," "top," "inner," "front," "center," "both ends," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0125] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," "connection," "fixing," "screw connection," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components. Unless otherwise explicitly limited, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0126] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic battery cover attaching machine, characterized in that, include: The machine frame (1), the cap storage station (3), the cap gripping mechanism (5), the pole hole oiling mechanism (7), the pole straightening mechanism (4), the conveying mechanism (2), and the cap placement mechanism (6); in, The conveying mechanism (2) is mounted on the frame (1) and is used to carry and transport the battery casing; The battery cover station (3) is installed on the frame (1). The battery cover station (3) is used to stack the battery cover to be assembled. The width of the battery cover station (3) can be adjusted. The electrode hole oiling mechanism (7) is installed on the frame (1) and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism (2). The electrode hole oiling mechanism (7) is used to apply oil to the electrode holes of the battery cover. The cap-grabbing mechanism (5) is installed above the frame (1). The cap-grabbing mechanism (5) is used to remove the cap of a single battery from the hopper and transfer it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7). The electrode alignment mechanism (4) is installed above the frame (1) and located on the side near the feed end of the conveying mechanism (2). The electrode alignment mechanism (4) is used to directly clamp the electrode on the battery casing to correct the spatial position of the electrode. The cover-laying mechanism (6) is installed on the frame (1) and located on the side near the discharge end of the conveying mechanism (2). The cover-laying mechanism (6) is used to transfer the oiled battery cover to the battery casing on the conveying channel to complete the cover-laying.

2. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Storage station (3) includes: Fixed side frame (301) to the frame (1); A movable side frame (302) capable of translating relative to the fixed side frame (301); A screw drive assembly (304) is connected to the moving side frame (302), and the screw drive assembly (304) is used to drive the moving side frame (302) to move; Among them, the movable side frame (302) is hinged with a flip-up stop bar (303), which has a vertical locking state and a horizontal open state.

3. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover-grabbing mechanism (5) includes: A first track beam (501) is horizontally fixed to the frame (1); a first movable seat (502) is slidably engaged with the first track beam (501), the first movable seat (502) is driven by a first power component to translate along the first track beam (501); a first lifting assembly (503) is installed on the first movable seat (502), the first lifting assembly (503) is driven by a second power component to drive a first gripping head (504) to move up and down; The first gripper head (504) has a first rotating seat (507), a first rotary table (505) driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable first grippers (506) mounted below the first rotary table (505). The opening and closing of the first grippers (506) is driven by a clamping motor through a gear and rack pair.

4. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover-laying mechanism (6) includes: A second track beam (601) is horizontally fixed to the frame (1); a second movable seat (604) is slidably engaged with the second track beam (601), the second movable seat (604) is driven by a third power component to translate along the second track beam (601); a second lifting assembly (602) is installed on the second movable seat (604), the second lifting assembly (602) is driven by a fourth power component to drive a second gripping head (603) to move up and down; The second gripper head (603) has a second rotating seat (607), a second rotary table (605) driven by a rotary motor, and a pair of openable second grippers (606) mounted below the second rotary table (605). The opening and closing of the second grippers (606) is driven by a clamping motor through a gear and rack pair.

5. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pole hole oiling mechanism (7) includes: Positioning plate (701), with a window in the middle for the oiling assembly (703) to pass through; left and right centering clamping assembly (705) for clamping the battery cover from the left and right; Front and rear centering clamping assembly (706) is used for front and rear centering and clamping the battery cover; The oiling assembly (703) includes at least one oiling head (702) capable of being raised, lowered, and rotated, and an oiling nozzle (704) for supplying lubricating oil to the oiling head (702); the position of the oiling head (702) in the horizontal direction is adjusted by an adjusting screw.

6. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pole correction mechanism (4) includes: The upper bracket (401) is fixedly connected to the frame (1); The middle support (402) is slidably connected to the upper support (401) and can slide left and right relative to the upper support (401); A vertical cylinder (404) is connected to a central support (402); The lower bracket (403) is connected to the output end of the vertical cylinder (404); The orthopedic gripper (405) is connected to the lower bracket (403). The orthopedic gripper (405) is used to clamp the battery housing terminal to adjust the position of the battery housing.

7. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism (2) includes: The frame (201) is connected to the frame (1); Conveyor rollers (206), a plurality of conveyor rollers (206) are arranged in parallel on the frame (201); Side guide wheel assembly (204) is connected to both sides of the conveyor roller (206) on the frame (201); A blocking positioning component (205) is connected to one side of the frame (201); The pushing component (202) is connected to the frame (201) on the side opposite to the blocking positioning component (205); The lifting assembly (207) is connected to the bottom of the frame (201). The lifting assembly (207) includes a lifting cylinder and a support block (203) connected to the output end of the lifting cylinder.

8. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic battery cover closing machine is used to close the battery box cover. The battery box closing methods include: Step 1: Adjust the width of the storage cover station (3) and stack multiple battery covers in the storage cover station (3); Step 2: Place the battery casing at the feed end of the conveying mechanism (2), and the conveying mechanism (2) will transport the battery casing forward; Step 3: When the battery casing reaches the terminal post correction station, the terminal post correction mechanism (4) is activated to clamp the battery terminal post for position correction. At the same time, the cover grabbing mechanism (5) takes out a battery cover from the cover storage station (3) and transfers it to the terminal post hole oiling mechanism (7). Step 4: The electrode hole lubrication mechanism (7) clamps and positions the battery cover and applies lubricating oil to the electrode holes; Step 5: The cover placement mechanism (6) takes the oiled battery cover out from the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) and transfers it to the top of the cover placement station; Step 6: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism (6) descends and places the battery cover on the battery casing to complete the closing. Step 7: The conveying mechanism (2) delivers the covered battery out, and repeats steps 3 to 6.

9. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps for parallel jobs: The battery casing is continuously conveyed, passing sequentially through the terminal post straightening station and the cover placement station; While the terminal position of the current battery casing is being corrected at the terminal alignment station, at least two of the following operations are performed in parallel: The cap grabbing mechanism (5) grabs the next battery cap from the cap storage station (3) and transfers it to the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7). The terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) positions and applies oil to the battery cap that has been placed. The cap placement mechanism (6) transfers the previous battery cap that has been oiled from the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) to the top of the cap placement station. When the current battery casing completes the pole post correction and reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism (6) immediately places the prepared battery cover on the battery casing; Among them, the four actions of pole correction, gripping and transfer, positioning and oiling, and cap placement and transfer can overlap in time.

10. The automatic battery cover mounting machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, Includes the following cyclical steps: The first step is to use the cap grabbing mechanism (5) to grab a battery cap from the cap storage station (3) in advance and place it on the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) for positioning and oiling; In the second step, during the process of applying oil to the battery cover by the electrode hole oiling mechanism (7), the cover placement mechanism (6) moves above the electrode hole oiling mechanism (7) to wait for the next step, while the conveying mechanism (2) conveys the battery casing that has completed electrode correction to the cover placement station. The third step is to immediately grab the oiled battery cover after the oiling is completed and move it to the top of the cover placement station to wait. The fourth step is for the cover grabbing mechanism (5) to return to the cover storage station (3), grab the next battery cover and place it again on the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) to start a new round of oiling; Fifth step: When the battery casing reaches the cover placement station, the cover placement mechanism (6) descends to cover the battery casing with the top cover, and then the cover placement mechanism (6) rises and returns to the terminal hole oiling mechanism (7) to repeat the third step. Each battery cover required for each cover placement action is pre-oiled and ready before the battery casing arrives at the cover placement station.

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