Label attaching apparatus and label attaching method

Abstract

The application discloses a label sticking device and a label sticking method. The label sticking device comprises a material taking part and a suction plate. The material taking part is used for placing labels. The suction plate has a label sticking surface. The label sticking surface has a suction area. The suction area is provided with a plurality of first through holes and a plurality of second through holes. The label sticking surface is located on one side of the suction plate. One end of the first through hole is communicated with the label sticking surface, and the other end is used for being communicated with a negative pressure providing mechanism. One end of the second through hole is communicated with the label sticking surface, and the other end is used for being communicated with a positive pressure providing mechanism. A mechanical arm is connected with the suction plate. The mechanical arm is used for driving the suction plate to move from the material taking part to a workpiece to be processed. The suction plate can suck the glue-coated surface of the label through the second through hole, so that the label will not be adhered to the label sticking surface, and the workpiece to be processed is prevented from lacking a bar code due to the label adhered to the label sticking surface, thereby avoiding the need for rework.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of solar photovoltaic technology, and in particular to a label affixing device and a label affixing method. Background Technology

[0002] During the production process of photovoltaic modules, a unique identification code needs to be established inside the module to trace the module's production information. Usually, the identification information is printed on the label surface of the barcode, and then the barcode is pasted onto the busbar of the photovoltaic module by a robotic arm and an adsorption plate.

[0003] In current technology, the suction plate on the robotic arm can only adhere to the label side. After the suction plate picks up the barcode, the robotic arm needs to flip the suction plate so that the label side of the barcode is facing down and the adhesive side is facing up. Then, another robotic arm lifts the battery cells connected in series with the busbar, and finally attaches the adhesive side of the barcode to the busbar. Lifting the battery cells connected in series with the busbar by the robotic arm can cause the cells to bend, potentially leading to internal cracking and resulting in defective photovoltaic modules, thus reducing the power output of the photovoltaic modules. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention proposes a label affixing device and a label affixing method, aiming to partially or completely solve the technical problem that when affixing barcodes to busbars, the connected solar cells of the busbars need to be lifted, causing the solar cells to bend, resulting in internal cracking of the solar cells, leading to defective photovoltaic modules and reduced photovoltaic module power.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application propose a label applying device, which includes a material picking unit, an adsorption plate, and a robotic arm. The material picking unit is used to place labels. The adsorption plate has a labeling surface and an adsorption area. The adsorption area is provided with a plurality of first through holes and a plurality of second through holes. The labeling surface is located on one side of the adsorption plate. One end of the first through hole is connected to the labeling surface, and the other end is used to connect to a negative pressure providing mechanism. One end of the second through hole is connected to the labeling surface, and the other end is used to connect to a positive pressure providing mechanism. The robotic arm is connected to the adsorption plate and is used to move the adsorption plate from the material picking unit to the workpiece to be processed.

[0006] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate includes a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate connected in sequence; the side of the first plate facing away from the second plate is the labeling surface; a first chamber is formed between the second plate and the first plate, the first chamber communicating with the plurality of first through holes and for communicating with the negative pressure providing mechanism; a second chamber is formed between the second plate and the third plate, the second chamber communicating with the plurality of second through holes and for communicating with the positive pressure providing mechanism.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first through hole penetrates the first plate to communicate with the first chamber.

[0008] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate further includes an extension column disposed in the first chamber, one end of the extension column being connected to the second plate and the other end being connected to the first plate; the extension column has a third through hole, one end of the third through hole being connected to the second through hole and the other end being connected through the second plate to communicate with the second chamber.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first plate has a groove on the side facing the second plate, one end of the second through hole is located at the bottom of the groove, and the extension post is inserted into the groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the labeling surface has an adsorption area, a plurality of first through-hole arrays are disposed in the adsorption area, and a plurality of second through-hole arrays are disposed in the middle of the adsorption area.

[0011] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate further includes an anti-adhesion layer disposed on the labeling surface, wherein the first through hole and the second through hole penetrate the anti-adhesion layer.

[0012] In some embodiments, the anti-adhesive layer includes at least one of a zinc oxide coating, a Teflon coating, and duct tape.

[0013] In some embodiments, the label application device further includes a material picking platform and a flipping mechanism. The material picking platform is used to place the label; the flipping mechanism is connected to the material picking part and is used to drive the material picking part to rotate from the material picking platform to the material feeding position, and the adsorption plate picks up the label on the material picking part located at the material feeding position.

[0014] In some embodiments, the label application device further includes a conveying mechanism for conveying the workpiece to be processed, and the robotic arm drives the adsorption plate to move above the conveying mechanism.

[0015] Secondly, embodiments of this application propose a label affixing method. The label affixing method uses the label affixing device described above, and the method includes... Labels are placed on the material handling area; The first through hole of the adsorption plate is subjected to negative pressure to adsorb the label on the material taking part onto the labeling surface; The robotic arm moves the adsorption plate from the material handling section to the workpiece to be processed. The first through-hole is subjected to normal pressure, and the second through-hole is subjected to positive pressure to blow away the label adsorbed on the labeling surface to the workpiece.

[0016] In some embodiments, the step of placing a label on the material handling section includes, Place the label on the material handling platform; The flipping mechanism causes the material-picking part to face downwards, and the material-picking part is used to pick up the label on the material-picking platform; The flipping mechanism turns the material-taking section upward, with the adhesive-coated surface of the label on the material-taking section facing upward for adsorption by the adsorption plate.

[0017] In some embodiments, the steps of applying atmospheric pressure to the first through-hole and applying positive pressure to the second through-hole to blow away the label adsorbed on the labeling surface to the workpiece include, Applying normal pressure to the first through-hole and positive pressure to the second through-hole, the label adsorbed on the labeling surface is blown downwards, causing the label's marking side to adhere to the workpiece. Compared with prior art, this application has the following advantages: The label application device provided in this application embodiment uses an adsorption plate that applies negative pressure through a first through-hole to adsorb the label. After the adsorption plate affixes the label to the designated position on the workpiece, the negative pressure providing mechanism breaks the vacuum, and the first through-hole becomes atmospheric pressure, releasing the negative pressure adsorption on the label. A positive pressure is then applied through a second through-hole to blow away the label adsorbed on the labeling surface, causing the label to detach from the labeling surface and affix to the workpiece. In this way, the adsorption plate, through the second through-hole, can adsorb the adhesive surface of the label, preventing the label from sticking to the labeling surface and avoiding the need for rework due to missing barcodes on the workpiece. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for periodic cleaning of residual adhesive on the labeling surface, such as every two hours of operation, effectively improving the overall uptime of the label application device and reducing manufacturing costs. When the label is blown away by positive pressure through the second through-hole, the airflow cools and solidifies the adhesive on the label, ensuring a firm connection between the label and the workpiece. Furthermore, when the adhesive side of the label is adsorbed by the adsorption plate, with the adhesive side facing up and the label side facing down, the adsorption plate can apply the label from top to bottom. This eliminates the need to lift the workpiece, avoiding damage caused by lifting the workpiece and ensuring the yield and efficiency of the workpiece. Eliminating the need to lift the workpiece also reduces the number of working steps in the label application device and the need for corresponding robotic arms, minimizing the impact on the process cycle and making the structure of the label application device simpler.

[0018] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a label affixing device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adsorption plate according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of the adsorption plate according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a side view of the adsorption plate structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the AA section structure; Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the first plate at a first angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7This is a structural schematic diagram of the first plate at a second angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram of the second plate at a first angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of the second plate at the second angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a structural schematic diagram of the third plate at a first angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a structural schematic diagram of the third plate at the second angle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 yes Figure 1 The enlarged view at point B shows a structural schematic diagram, which is a structural schematic diagram of the connection position between the robotic arm and the adsorption plate; Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the enlarged view at point C; Figure 14 yes Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the enlarged view at point D; Figure 15 This is a structural diagram of the label; Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating the first label application method.

[0020] Figure label: 1. Adsorption plate; 11. Labeling surface; 12. First through hole; 13. Second through hole; 14. First chamber; 15. Second chamber; 16. First plate; 17. Second plate; 18. Third plate; 19. Extension column; 20. Third through hole; 21. Groove; 22. Adsorption area; 23. First assembly hole; 24. First vent hole; 25. Second vent hole; 26. Third vent hole; 27. Second assembly hole; 28. Third assembly hole; 2. Material handling platform; 3. Conveying mechanism; 4. Robotic arm; 41. Connecting block; 5. Printer; 6. Tilting mechanism; 61. Rotating shaft; 62. Material handling section; 7. Equipment support; 71. First support; 8. Label; 81. Identification surface; 82. Adhesive layer; 83. Printing area; 9. Part to be processed. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification and claims of this application may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. Furthermore, "and / or" in the specification and claims indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0023] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0024] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] One side of the barcode is the adhesive side, and the other side is the label side. When using a label applicator to attach the barcode to the busbar of a photovoltaic module, the label side of the barcode must face downwards. Since the label applicator's suction head can only pick up the label side when removing and pasting the barcode, the suction head needs to affix the barcode to the busbar from the underside.

[0026] In current technology, the steps of a label application device affixing barcodes to the busbars of photovoltaic modules include: a printer printing identification information onto the marking surface of the barcode; the barcode being transported to a waiting platform via a conveyor belt; a label suction head on a first robotic arm picking up the barcode from the waiting platform and flipping it so that the marking surface is facing down; a second robotic arm lifting the connected solar cells on the busbar; the first robotic arm moving horizontally under the busbar; and the first robotic arm driving the label suction head to connect the adhesive surface of the barcode to the busbar from bottom to top, thus affixing the barcode to the busbar. Afterwards, the first robotic arm retracts, and the second robotic arm flattens the connected solar cells on the busbar. Using this label application device to affix barcodes requires lifting the solar cells, which can cause them to bend, potentially leading to internal cracking and resulting in defective photovoltaic modules, reducing their power output.

[0027] To avoid bending the solar cells when lifting them, which could lead to internal cracking, some label suction heads adhere to the adhesive side of the barcode when picking it up. In this case, the label side of the barcode faces downwards, and the suction head applies the barcode to the busbar from top to bottom. However, the suction head has vacuum suction holes. When these holes adhere to the adhesive side of the barcode, adhesive residue remains, causing the barcode to stick to them. This results in missing barcodes inside the photovoltaic module, requiring rework and regular cleaning of the residue, such as every two hours of operation, impacting overall equipment uptime and increasing manufacturing costs.

[0028] Reference Figures 1 to 15 As shown, this application provides a label application device. When the label is removed and applied, the adsorption plate 1 in the label application device can adsorb the adhesive surface of the label. The adsorption plate 1 can apply the label from top to bottom, so there is no need to lift the solar cell, which can avoid damage to the solar cell caused by lifting the solar cell and ensure the yield and power of the photovoltaic module. In addition, the label will not stick to the adsorption plate 1, which can avoid the lack of barcode inside the photovoltaic module, improve the overall utilization rate of the device, and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0029] In some embodiments, the label application device includes a material handling section 62, an adsorption plate 1, and a robotic arm 4. The material handling section 62 is used to place the label 8. The adsorption plate 1 has a labeling surface 11, which has an adsorption area 22. The adsorption area 22 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 12 and a plurality of second through holes 13. The labeling surface 11 is located on one side of the adsorption plate 1. One end of the first through hole 12 is connected to the labeling surface 11, and the other end is used to connect to a negative pressure providing mechanism. One end of the second through hole 13 is connected to the labeling surface 11, and the other end is used to connect to a positive pressure providing mechanism. The robotic arm 4 is connected to the adsorption plate 1 and is used to move the adsorption plate 1 from the material handling section 62 to the workpiece 9 to be processed.

[0030] In use, the label applicator of this embodiment places a label 8 on the material picking section 62. The robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 to the material picking section 62, where the adsorption plate 1 contacts the label 8 on the material picking section 62. A negative pressure is applied at the first through hole 12 to adsorb the label 8 onto the labeling surface 11. Then, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 from the material picking section 62 to the workpiece 9. After the adsorption plate 1 contacts the workpiece 9 and affixes the label 8 to the designated position on the workpiece 9, the negative pressure providing mechanism breaks the vacuum. The first through hole 12 becomes atmospheric pressure, and the second through hole 13 becomes positive pressure to blow away the label 8 adsorbed on the labeling surface 11, thus affixing the label 8 to the workpiece 9.

[0031] In the label application device of this application embodiment, the adsorption plate 1 applies negative pressure through the first through hole 12 to adsorb the label 8. After the adsorption plate 1 pastes the label 8 to the designated position of the workpiece 9, the negative pressure providing mechanism breaks the vacuum, and the first through hole 12 becomes normal pressure, releasing the negative pressure adsorption on the label 8. The second through hole 13 becomes positive pressure to blow away the label 8 adsorbed on the labeling surface 11, so that the label 8 detaches from the labeling surface 11 and is pasted on the workpiece 9. In this way, the adsorption plate 1 can adsorb the adhesive surface of the label 8 through the second through hole 13, so that the label 8 will not stick to the labeling surface 11. This avoids the label 8 sticking to the labeling surface 11, which would cause the workpiece 9 to be processed to lack a barcode and require rework. It also eliminates the need to clean the adhesive residue on the labeling surface 11 periodically, such as every 2 hours of operation, effectively improving the overall utilization rate of the label application device and reducing manufacturing costs. When the label 8 is blown off by positive pressure at the second through hole 13, the airflow has a cooling and solidification effect on the adhesive on the label 8, so that the label 8 is firmly connected to the workpiece 9. Furthermore, when the adsorption plate 1 adsorbs the adhesive surface of the label 8, the adhesive surface of the label 8 faces upward and the marking surface of the label 8 faces downward. The adsorption plate 1 can apply the label 8 from top to bottom, which eliminates the need to lift the workpiece 9, thus avoiding damage to the workpiece 9 and ensuring the yield and efficiency of the workpiece 9. Eliminating the need to lift the workpiece 9 also reduces the number of working steps of the label application device and the need to set up corresponding robotic arms, reducing the impact on the process cycle and making the structure of the label application device simpler.

[0032] In the embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 15 As shown, one side of the label 81 is a printing area 83, on which identification information is printed. The other side of the label 81 is provided with an adhesive layer 82, which has a certain degree of stickiness. The label 8 is attached to the workpiece 9 to be processed through the adhesive layer 82 on the label 81.

[0033] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate 1 includes a first plate 16, a second plate 17, and a third plate 18 connected in sequence; the side of the first plate 16 facing away from the second plate 17 is a labeling surface 11; a first chamber 14 is provided between the second plate 17 and the first plate 16, the first chamber 14 is connected to a plurality of first through holes 12 and is used to connect with a negative pressure providing mechanism; a second chamber 15 is provided between the second plate 17 and the third plate 18, the second chamber 15 is connected to a plurality of second through holes 13 and is used to connect with a positive pressure providing mechanism.

[0034] In this embodiment, multiple first through holes 12 are connected to the negative pressure providing mechanism through the first chamber 14, and multiple second through holes 13 are connected to the positive pressure providing mechanism through the second chamber 15. This eliminates the need for each first through hole 12 to be connected to the negative pressure providing mechanism, and each second through hole 13 to be connected to the positive pressure providing mechanism, thus simplifying the structure of the adsorption plate 1. Furthermore, using two chambers for communication with the negative pressure providing mechanism and the positive pressure providing mechanism respectively prevents mutual interference between the two chambers. For example, the time required for the air pressure inside the chamber to change from negative to positive pressure is reduced, further decreasing the production cycle time. Moreover, the first chamber 14 and the second chamber 15 are formed by stacking the first plate 16, the second plate 17, and the third plate 18 in sequence, offering the advantage of a simple structure. Moreover, the structure of each plate does not need to be complex to form the first chamber 14 and the second chamber 15.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first plate 16 is a plate-shaped structure, and the first through hole 12 penetrates the first plate 16 to communicate with the first chamber 14, which has the advantage of simple structure.

[0036] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate 1 further includes an extension column 19 disposed in the first chamber 14, one end of the extension column 19 being connected to the second plate 17 and the other end being connected to the first plate 16; the extension column 19 has a third through hole 20, one end of the third through hole 20 being connected to the second through hole 13, and the other end passing through the second plate 17 to communicate with the second chamber 15.

[0037] In this embodiment, the extension column 19 is disposed in the first chamber 14 along the direction from the second plate 17 to the first plate 16, and the second chamber 15, the third through hole 20 and the second through hole 13 are sequentially connected by the third through hole 20 on the extension column 19. This has a simple structure and the gas path in the adsorption plate 1 is also simple.

[0038] In some embodiments, the first plate 16 has a groove 21 on the side facing the second plate 17, one end of the second through hole 13 is located at the bottom of the groove 21, and the extension post 19 is inserted into the groove 21.

[0039] One end of the third through hole 20 in the adsorption plate 1 is located on the end face of the extension column 19. When the extension column 19 is inserted into the groove 21, the third through hole 20 can communicate with the second through hole 13.

[0040] In this embodiment, the extension post 19 is inserted into the groove 21, which limits the extension post 19 and ensures that the third through hole 20 and the second through hole 13 are connected. Furthermore, the groove wall of the groove 21 also acts as a seal, sealing the connection between the third through hole 20 and the second through hole 13.

[0041] It is understandable that, in order to further ensure the sealing of the connection between the third through hole 20 and the second through hole 13, a gasket, sealing ring, etc. can be set between the extension post 19 and the groove 21 for sealing, or the extension post 19 can be interference-fitted into the groove 21 to achieve sealing.

[0042] In some embodiments, the extension column 19 and the second plate 17 are integrally formed, so the adsorption plate 1 is simply composed of the first plate 16, the second plate 17, and the third plate 18 stacked together, resulting in a simple structure. It is understood that the extension column 19 and the second plate 17 can also be connected using welding or other connection methods.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first plate 16 is a cuboid plate component, the side of the first plate 16 facing away from the second plate 17 is the labeling surface 11, a plurality of first through holes 12 are arrayed in the adsorption area 22, and a plurality of second through holes 13 are arrayed in the middle of the adsorption area 22.

[0044] In this embodiment, the array of multiple first through holes 12 arranged in the adsorption area 22 can uniformly and have a large adsorption area, thus better adsorbing the label 8. The array of multiple second through holes 13 arranged in the middle of the adsorption area 22 can release air in the middle to blow off the label 8, ensuring that the label 8 can be blown off. This avoids the label 8 sticking to the labeling surface 11, which would result in the missing barcode on the workpiece 9, requiring rework and causing problems with the overall operating rate of the device.

[0045] In some embodiments, a first mounting hole 23 is provided on the outer periphery of the first plate 16, the first mounting hole 23 being used to connect with the second plate 17 and the third plate 18.

[0046] In some embodiments, the second plate 17 has a first groove on the side facing the first plate 16, and the first plate 16 covers the opening of the first groove to form a first chamber 14. The outer periphery of the second plate 17 is provided with a second mounting hole 27, which is used to connect with the first plate 16 and the third plate 18.

[0047] In some embodiments, the side wall of the second plate 17 is further provided with a first vent 24 and a second vent 25, which are used to communicate with the negative pressure providing mechanism. In this embodiment, the negative pressure providing mechanism can be a mechanism in the label affixing device or a mechanism in the production line, as long as it can bring the first chamber 14 and the first through hole 12 into a negative pressure state. The negative pressure providing mechanism is a conventional component, such as a vacuum generator, and is selected according to the usage requirements. The negative pressure providing mechanism needs to have a vacuum state so that the first through hole 12 is under negative pressure, and also needs to have a vacuum breaking state so that the first through hole 12 is at normal pressure, thereby releasing the adsorption of the label 8.

[0048] In some embodiments, the third plate 18 has a second groove on the side facing the second plate 17, and the second plate 17 covers the second groove to form a second chamber 15. Each of the first plate 16, the second plate 17 and the third plate 18 has a simple structure, thereby simplifying the structure of the adsorption plate 1 and the gas path.

[0049] The outer periphery of the third plate 18 is provided with a third mounting hole 28. After the first plate 16, the second plate 17 and the third plate 18 are stacked, the first mounting hole 23, the second mounting hole 27 and the third mounting hole 28 correspond to each other in sequence, allowing fasteners such as bolts to pass through to connect the first plate 16, the second plate 17 and the third plate 18.

[0050] In some embodiments, a third vent 26 is also provided on the side wall of the third plate 18. The third vent 26 is used for connection to the positive pressure providing mechanism. The positive pressure providing mechanism can be a mechanism in the label attaching device or a mechanism in the production line, as long as it can ensure that the second chamber 15 and the second through hole 13 are in a positive pressure state. The negative pressure providing mechanism is a conventional component, such as an air compressor, and is selected according to the specific application requirements.

[0051] In some embodiments, the adsorption plate 1 further includes an anti-adhesion layer disposed on the labeling surface 11, with the first through hole 12 and the second through hole 13 penetrating the anti-adhesion layer.

[0052] The embodiment of this application, by setting an anti-adhesion layer, can prevent adhesive residue on the label 8 from remaining on the labeling surface 11, thus avoiding the need for regular removal of adhesive and affecting the overall operating rate of the device. Furthermore, when the first through-hole 12 is at atmospheric pressure to release the negative pressure adsorption on the label 8, the label 8 is blown away by its own gravity and the positive pressure of the second through-hole 13, effectively ensuring that the label 8 moves away from the labeling surface 11, thus jointly preventing the label 8 from sticking to the labeling surface 11.

[0053] It is understood that the anti-adhesive layer has various structures. For example, in some embodiments, the anti-adhesive layer includes at least one of zinc oxide coating, Teflon coating, and duct tape.

[0054] In this embodiment, the zinc oxide coating is a multifunctional layer that combines anti-sticking and protection. The microstructure of the zinc oxide coating reduces the surface energy of the material, making it non-stick. Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating is a typical low-surface-energy non-stick coating, effectively preventing adhesives from adhering to its surface. The chamois tape achieves physical anti-sticking through its surface microstructure, effectively reducing the actual contact area with adhesives and thus preventing adhesive adhesion.

[0055] In some implementations, refer to Figure 12 As shown, the lower end of the robotic arm 4 is fixedly connected to the adsorption plate 1 through a structure such as the connecting block 41. This part can refer to conventional technology, and will not be described in detail in the embodiments of this application.

[0056] In some implementations, refer to Figure 13 As shown, the label application device also includes a material picking platform 2 and a flipping mechanism 6. The material picking platform 2 is used to place the label 8. The flipping mechanism 6 is connected to the material picking part 62. The flipping mechanism 6 is used to drive the material picking part 62 to rotate from the material picking platform 2 to the feeding position. The adsorption plate 1 picks up the label 8 on the material picking part 62 located at the feeding position.

[0057] In this embodiment, the label 8 placed on the picking platform 2 has its marking side facing upwards and its adhesive side facing the picking platform 2. A flipping mechanism 6 is used to flip the label 8 so that its marking side faces downwards and its adhesive side faces upwards for adsorption by the adsorption plate 1. When the flipping mechanism 6 is working, it causes the picking section 62 to face downwards, and the picking section 62 is used to adsorb the label 8 on the picking platform 2. Then, the flipping mechanism 6 flips the picking section 62 180 degrees to the feeding position, where the picking section 62 faces upwards, and the adhesive side of the label 8 on the picking section 62 faces upwards for adsorption by the adsorption plate 1.

[0058] The structure of the material-taking section 62 capable of adsorbing the label 8 can refer to conventional technology. For example, one side of the material-taking section 62 is provided with an adsorption hole, which is connected to a vacuum generator. When the material-taking section 62 needs to adsorb the label 8, the vacuum generator draws a vacuum to create a negative pressure at the adsorption hole for adsorption. When the adsorption plate 1 picks up the label 8, the vacuum generator breaks the vacuum so that the adsorption plate 1 can pick up the label 8 from the material-taking section 62.

[0059] In some embodiments, the label application device further includes a printer 5, with the label 8 disposed on the first side of the picking platform 2. The printer 5 is used to print information on the marking surface of the label 8 and to transport the printed label 8 to the picking platform 2, with the marking surface of the label 8 on the picking platform 2 facing upwards.

[0060] In some embodiments, the label application device further includes a conveying mechanism for conveying the workpiece 9. The robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 above the conveying mechanism, so that the adsorption plate 1 can apply the label 8 to the workpiece 9 from top to bottom without lifting the workpiece 9. This avoids damage to the workpiece 9 caused by lifting it, and ensures the yield and efficiency of the workpiece 9.

[0061] In some embodiments, the label application device further includes an equipment bracket 7, which is equipped with a material picking platform 2, a conveying mechanism 3, a robotic arm 4, a printer 5, a flipping mechanism 6, etc. The equipment bracket 7 can support and fix the material picking platform 2, the conveying mechanism 3, the robotic arm 4, the printer 5, and the flipping mechanism 6.

[0062] The equipment support 7 is also provided with a first support 71, and the flipping mechanism 6 is connected to the material handling platform 2 through the first support 71.

[0063] In some embodiments, the flipping mechanism 6 includes a mechanism body and a rotating shaft 61 connected to the mechanism body. The side of the mechanism body away from the rotating shaft 61 is connected to the material picking part 62. The rotating shaft 61 is rotatably connected to the first bracket 71 and is also connected to a drive mechanism such as a motor. The operation of the drive mechanism such as the motor can cause the rotating shaft 61 to rotate, thereby causing the material picking part 62 to flip 180°.

[0064] This application also provides a label affixing method. The label affixing method uses the label affixing device described above. The label affixing method includes the following steps, referring to... Figure 16 As shown.

[0065] S01, Place label 8 on the material handling section 62.

[0066] In this step, a label 8 is placed on the picking section 62, and the label 8 is picked up by the adsorption plate 1. Since the label 8 placed on the picking platform 2 has its marking side facing up and its adhesive side facing the picking platform 2, the flipping mechanism 6 is needed to flip the label 8 so that the marking side of the label 8 faces down. Thus, step S01 also includes the following steps: S011, Place a label 8 on the material handling platform 2, with the label face upwards and the adhesive side facing the material handling platform 2.

[0067] S012, the flipping mechanism 6 makes the picking part 62 face downward, and the picking part 62 is used to adsorb the label 8 on the picking platform 2; wherein, the picking part 62 is the marking surface of the label 8.

[0068] S013, the flipping mechanism 6 makes the picking part 62 face upward, with the label 8 on the picking part 62 facing downward and the adhesive side facing upward for adsorption by the adsorption plate 1.

[0069] In this step, the flipping mechanism 6 flips the picking part 62 180° so that the picking part 62 faces upward, and the label 8 on the picking part 62 faces downward and the adhesive side faces upward for the adsorption plate 1 to adsorb.

[0070] S02, a negative pressure is applied to the first through hole 12 of the adsorption plate 1 to adsorb the label 8 on the material taking part 62 onto the labeling surface 11. In this step, the adhesive surface of the label 8 is adsorbed onto the labeling surface 11.

[0071] S03, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 from the material handling section 62 to the workpiece 9 to be processed.

[0072] In this step, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1. The movement path can be varied. For example, after the adsorption plate 1 adsorbs the label 8, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 upward and then horizontally to the position where the label 8 needs to be pasted on the workpiece 9. The robotic arm 4 then moves the adsorption plate 1 downward until it contacts the workpiece 9 so that the label 8 can be pasted on the workpiece 9.

[0073] S04, the first through hole 12 of the adsorption plate 1 is subjected to normal pressure, and the second through hole 13 is subjected to positive pressure to blow away the label 8 adsorbed on the labeling surface 11 to the workpiece 9 to be processed.

[0074] In this step, the negative pressure supply mechanism breaks the vacuum, so that the first through hole 12 is at normal pressure, releasing the negative pressure adsorption on the label 8. Under the combined action of its own gravity and the positive pressure blowing off the label 8 at the second through hole 13, the label 8 is detached from the labeling surface 11 and sticks to the workpiece 9 to be processed. This effectively avoids the label 8 sticking to the labeling surface 11, which would cause the workpiece 9 to lack a barcode and require rework, thus affecting the overall operating rate of the device.

[0075] Since the adsorption plate 1 can adsorb the adhesive surface of the label 8, the label 8 can be applied from top to bottom. In this way, the second through hole 13 is under positive pressure to blow away the label 8 adsorbed on the labeling surface 11, so that the marking surface 81 of the label 8 sticks to the workpiece 9 to be processed.

[0076] In some embodiments, the label applicator further includes a printer 5, a material-picking platform 2, a flipping mechanism 6, and a conveying mechanism 3. The printer 5 is disposed on a first side of the material-picking platform 2, the conveying mechanism 3 is disposed on a second side of the material-picking platform 2, and the flipping mechanism 6 is connected to the material-picking platform 2 to flip the label 8 on the material-picking platform 2 by means of a flipping material-picking part 62. The label applicator method using the label applicator includes the following steps: S11, use printer 5 to print identification information on the marking surface of label 8, and transfer label 8 to material handling platform 2.

[0077] S12, the flipping mechanism 6 makes the picking part 62 face downward. After the picking part 62 adsorbs the label 8 on the picking platform 2, the flipping mechanism 6 flips the picking part 62 180° so that the marking side of the label 8 on the picking part 62 faces downward and the adhesive side faces upward for the adsorption plate 1 to adsorb.

[0078] S13, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 to above the material taking part 62, and the first through hole 12 of the adsorption plate 1 is under negative pressure to adsorb the label 8 on the material taking part 62 onto the labeling surface 11.

[0079] In this step, when the orientation of the label 8 is inconsistent with the orientation of the label on the workpiece 9, the robotic arm 4 drives the adsorption plate 1 to rotate, for example, by rotating the adsorption plate 1 by 90°, so that the orientation of the label 8 on the adsorption plate 1 is the same as the orientation of the label on the workpiece 9.

[0080] S14, the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 horizontally above the workpiece 9, and the robotic arm 4 moves the adsorption plate 1 downward to stick the label 8 onto the workpiece 9. At the same time, the first through hole 12 is at normal pressure and the second through hole 13 is at positive pressure to blow away the label 8 adsorbed on the labeling surface 11 to the workpiece 9.

[0081] S15, the robotic arm 4 drives the adsorption plate 1 to rise and move horizontally, thus completing one label 8 pasting.

[0082] In this embodiment, when the workpiece 9 is a series-connected battery cell, the label application method eliminates the need to lift the battery cell, effectively preventing secondary damage during lifting, improving photovoltaic module yield, and significantly reducing the defect rate (e.g., by more than 0.03%). Furthermore, the elimination of the battery cell lifting robotic arm simplifies the label application device structure and reduces the cycle time, for example, from 13.5 seconds to 11.3 seconds, thereby improving the overall production line utilization rate.

[0083] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0084] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0085] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A label affixing device, characterized in that, The label application device includes, The material handling section (62) is used to place labels (8); An adsorption plate (1) has a labeling surface (11) and an adsorption area (22). The adsorption area (22) is provided with a plurality of first through holes (12) and a plurality of second through holes (13). The labeling surface (11) is located on one side of the adsorption plate (1). One end of the first through hole (12) is connected to the labeling surface (11), and the other end is used to connect to the negative pressure providing mechanism. One end of the second through hole (13) is connected to the labeling surface (11), and the other end is used to connect to the positive pressure providing mechanism. The robotic arm (4) is connected to the adsorption plate (1) and is used to move the adsorption plate (1) from the material handling part (62) to the workpiece (9) to be processed.

2. The label affixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption plate (1) includes a first plate (16), a second plate (17) and a third plate (18) connected in sequence. The side of the first plate (16) facing away from the second plate (17) is the labeling surface (11); A first chamber (14) is provided between the second plate (17) and the first plate (16). The first chamber (14) communicates with the plurality of first through holes (12) and is used to communicate with the negative pressure providing mechanism. A second chamber (15) is provided between the second plate (17) and the third plate (18). The second chamber (15) communicates with the plurality of second through holes (13) and is used to communicate with the positive pressure providing mechanism.

3. The label affixing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first through hole (12) penetrates the first plate (16) to communicate with the first chamber (14).

4. The label affixing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adsorption plate (1) further includes an extension column (19) disposed in the first chamber (14), one end of the extension column (19) being connected to the second plate (17) and the other end being connected to the first plate (16); The extension column (19) has a third through hole (20), one end of which is connected to the second through hole (13), and the other end passes through the second plate (17) to communicate with the second chamber (15).

5. The label affixing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first plate (16) has a groove (21) on the side facing the second plate (17), the second through hole (13) is located at the bottom of the groove (21), and the extension post (19) is inserted into the groove (21).

6. The label affixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plurality of first through holes (12) are arranged in an array in the adsorption region (22), and a plurality of second through holes (13) are arranged in an array in the middle of the adsorption region (22).

7. The label affixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption plate (1) further includes an anti-adhesion layer disposed on the labeling surface (11), and the first through hole (12) and the second through hole (13) penetrate the anti-adhesion layer.

8. The label affixing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The anti-adhesive layer includes at least one of zinc oxide coating, Teflon coating, and duct tape.

9. The label affixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The label application device also includes, Material handling platform (2) is used to place the label (8); The flipping mechanism (6) is connected to the material taking part (62). The flipping mechanism (6) is used to drive the material taking part (62) to rotate from the material taking platform (2) to the feeding position. The adsorption plate (1) picks up the label (8) on the material taking part (62) located at the feeding position.

10. The label affixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The label application device also includes a conveying mechanism for conveying the workpiece (9) to be processed, and the robotic arm (4) drives the adsorption plate (1) to move above the conveying mechanism.

11. A label affixing method, characterized in that, The method uses the label application device as described in any one of claims 1-10, and the method includes, A label (8) is placed on the material handling section (62); The first through hole (12) of the adsorption plate (1) is subjected to negative pressure to adsorb the label (8) on the material taking part (62) onto the labeling surface (11). The robotic arm (4) drives the adsorption plate (1) from the material handling part (62) to the workpiece (9) to be processed; The first through hole (12) is subjected to normal pressure, and the second through hole (13) is subjected to positive pressure to blow away the label (8) adsorbed on the labeling surface (11) to the workpiece (9).

12. The label affixing method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The step of placing a label (8) on the material handling section (62) includes, Place the label (8) on the material handling platform (2); The flipping mechanism (6) makes the picking part (62) face downwards, and the picking part (62) is used to pick up the label (8) on the picking platform (2). The flipping mechanism (6) makes the material taking part (62) face upward, and the adhesive surface of the label (8) on the material taking part (62) faces upward for the adsorption plate (1) to adsorb.

13. The label affixing method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The steps of applying normal pressure to the first through-hole (12) and positive pressure to the second through-hole (13) to blow away the label (8) adsorbed on the labeling surface (11) to the workpiece (9) include, The first through hole (12) is subjected to normal pressure, and the second through hole (13) is subjected to positive pressure, so as to blow away the label (8) adsorbed on the labeling surface (11) downward, so that the marking surface (81) of the label (8) is stuck on the workpiece (9).

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