Soft package lithium battery framing buffer mechanism

Abstract

The utility model discloses a soft package lithium battery frame entering buffer mechanism which is composed of a base and a mechanical arm, the mechanical arm comprises a clamping jaw, a transmission rod fixing frame and a clamping air cylinder, a transmission rod is installed on the transmission rod fixing frame and connected with the base, a spring is sleeved outside the transmission rod, and the transmission rod can slide relative to the transmission rod fixing frame. The clamping plate is connected with the transmission rod fixing frame and the clamping cylinder. And the clamping plates have the effects of connecting mechanism components, supporting and improving the stability of the device. And the transmission rod enables the device to have better stability and higher precision during working. When a clamped object is placed and encounters an obstacle, the device can provide buffering, and therefore the effect of protecting the clamped object is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of automated machinery, in particular to a novel mechanical structure for buffering soft-pack lithium batteries into frames to prevent battery insertion damage. Background Art

[0002] The existing soft-pack lithium battery entry mechanism is to clamp the battery through the clamping claws, and the battery is driven and controlled by the clamping cylinder to move the battery to the corresponding position. The defect of this prior art is that there is no buffer in the downward movement of the clamping cylinder. When the battery is clamped in the wrong position, it will cause the battery to be inserted and ignited, causing the battery to be scrapped, and there is a safety hazard. Secondly, strict positioning is required before grabbing the battery and an employee is required to watch the manipulator picking station. The clamping mechanism in patent 201920507627.4 includes at least one clamp, and each of the at least one clamp includes a transmission rod, a driving device, a sensor and a manipulator for clamping objects, wherein an elastic member is provided on the outside of the outer circumferential surface of the transmission rod, and the sensor is used to sense the deformation of the elastic member, so that when the deformation of the elastic member exceeds a predetermined value, each clamp of the clamping mechanism stops moving. The problem is that the structure of the mechanism is not strong enough and the sensitivity of the induction is not high enough. Utility Model Content

[0003] The utility model aims to provide a novel mechanical structure for buffering soft-pack lithium batteries into frames to prevent battery damage. The structure is compatible with most unloading manipulators, has the same volume as the original structure, is low in cost, and is easy to install.

[0004] The technical solution of the utility model is as follows: the device is composed of a base and a manipulator, wherein the manipulator includes a clamp, a transmission rod fixing frame, and a clamping cylinder. The transmission rod is installed on the transmission rod fixing frame and connected to the base. The transmission rod is covered with a spring and can slide relative to the transmission rod fixing frame; a splint connects the transmission rod fixing frame and the clamping cylinder. When the clamp touches an obstacle, the transmission rod fixing frame moves up and slides relative to the transmission rod. The spring on the transmission rod is compressed, the stop screw approaches the proximity switch, and the device stops moving down, thereby protecting the soft-pack battery. Among them, the splint plays the role of connecting the mechanism components, supporting the function, and improving the stability of the device. The splint makes the structure of the manipulator more stable and firm, not easy to shake, and can avoid the collision of the frame due to the shaking of the manipulator device itself when clamping objects, which increases the situation of damage to the clamped objects.

[0005] Preferably, the number of transmission rods is two to four. Multiple transmission rods make the device more stable and more precise during operation, and can accurately place the clamped object at a designated location, thereby reducing the damage to the clamped object caused by the low precision of the manipulator movement, thereby improving the quality and qualified rate of the product.

[0006] Preferably, the center of the proximity switch and the center of the stop screw are located on the same vertical line. This ensures that when the clamping claw touches the frame during material unloading, the transmission rod fixing frame and the components below move upward, the spring is compressed, the distance between the stop screw and the proximity switch becomes smaller, and the distance in the vertical direction is accurate, which is a straight line distance, avoiding damage to the clamped items due to misalignment of the two and distance sensing errors. The spring plays a role in absorbing vibration and impact energy.

[0007] Preferably, when the clamping claw is subjected to an upward external force, the transmission rod fixing frame and the transmission rod make a relative sliding motion, the spring is compressed, the stop screw touches the proximity switch, and the manipulator will sound an alarm and stop moving and alarm.

[0008] Preferably, the two manipulators are controlled by their own clamping cylinders. The gripping and alarm systems of the left and right manipulators are operated separately. When the gripped object touches the frame during unloading, an alarm can be sounded to stop the movement separately without affecting the normal operation of the manipulator on the other side.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the mechanism is a bilaterally symmetrical structure, and the two manipulators are installed symmetrically on the base. The symmetrical structure can make the gravity at both ends of the base almost equal, the base is not easy to deflect, and the service life of the mechanism is extended. The symmetrical structure enhances the interchangeability of components, makes it easy to replace parts, and is more convenient for processing.

[0010] Preferably, when the clamping jaws clamp the battery, the clamping plates of the clamping jaws move toward each other; when the clamping jaws release the battery, the clamping plates of the clamping jaws move away from each other. The clamping plates of the clamping jaws are controlled by a clamping cylinder. In addition, when the spring is compressed, the mechanism moves upward, and the clamping jaws also move vertically upward and downward.

[0011] Preferably, the clamping jaw is located below the clamping cylinder. The clamping jaw cylinder controls the movement of the clamping jaw to clamp or put down the clamped object.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the utility model can clamp soft-pack batteries. When the manipulator touches an obstacle during unloading, the obstacle prevents the manipulator from moving downward, the distance between the stop screw and the proximity switch becomes smaller, the spring compression plays a buffering role, the stop screw and the proximity switch touch, and the mechanism stops moving. In this way, the soft-pack lithium battery can be prevented from being damaged during the unloading process, resulting in quality problems and safety hazards of the battery. The risk of leakage of the placed soft-pack lithium battery is improved, and the production efficiency and benefits of the enterprise are improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a front view of the assembly structure of one embodiment of the utility model.

[0014] Figure 2It is a side view of the assembly structure of one embodiment of the utility model.

[0015] Figure 3 It is an enlarged view of the local structure of an embodiment of the utility model.

[0016] The following are marked in the attached figure: 1. Base; 2. Proximity switch; 3. Stop screw; 4. Transmission rod; 5. Spring; 6. Clamp; 7. Transmission rod fixing bracket; 8. Clamping cylinder; 9. Clamping claw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] It is to be understood that the embodiments provided are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention may be implemented in a variety of selectable forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The drawings do not have to be drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show the details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to apply the present invention in many ways. The present invention may be implemented in many different forms, and on the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the content of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.

[0019] A soft-pack lithium battery frame buffer mechanism, the structure is bilaterally symmetrical, and is composed of a clamping jaw 9, a clamping jaw cylinder 8, a transmission rod fixing plate 7, and a clamping plate 6. The transmission rod 4 is mounted on the transmission rod fixing frame 7 and connected to the base 1, and the transmission rod outer sleeve is provided with a spring 5; the stop screw 3 is located above one side of the transmission rod fixing frame; the proximity switch 2 is located below the base; the clamping plate connects the transmission rod fixing frame and the clamping cylinder; and a clamping jaw is installed below the clamping cylinder. The stop screw is installed on the cylinder fixing plate, close to the clamping plate. The center of the stop screw and the proximity switch are located on the same vertical line. The clamping cylinder controls the movement of the clamping jaw, clamps the soft-pack lithium battery, and places it in the specified battery frame to complete the battery unloading process step.

[0020] The number and type of the clamping jaws 9 can be changed according to actual conditions, and the clamping jaws 9 are controlled by the clamping cylinder 8 and can move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The vertical direction refers to the direction based on gravity, and the horizontal direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0021] The clamping jaw 9 can be suitable for clamping objects of different thicknesses. A cushioning rubber pad or a silicone pad can be designed on the inner side of the clamping jaw 9, which not only increases friction to prevent the clamped object from slipping and falling, but also plays a cushioning role to protect the surface of the clamped object.

[0022] When the clamping jaw 9 clamps the battery, the clamping plates of the clamping jaw 9 move closer to each other; when the clamping jaw releases the battery, the clamping plates of the clamping jaw 9 move away from each other. It can be used to clamp soft-pack batteries and place them in the battery frame. The use of this new type is not limited to clamping soft-pack batteries, but can also clamp other objects.

[0023] The shape of the clamp is a flat plate. When clamping the soft-pack lithium battery, the contact area with the soft-pack lithium battery is large and the pressure is small, so the soft-pack lithium battery will not leak due to excessive force when the clamp is clamped. The shape of the clamp can also be a claw shape, which can clamp the soft-pack lithium battery well. The surface of the clamp is relatively rough, and the large friction can prevent the soft-pack lithium battery from slipping due to insufficient friction during the clamping process.

[0024] The manipulator is installed on the base 1, and the manipulator and the base 1 are connected together through a transmission rod 4. The transmission rod 4 is covered with a spring 5, which can absorb vibration and impact energy. The three transmission rods 4 can improve the stability of the device and the accuracy of the movement of the device, and can also play an anti-interference role. When the soft-pack lithium battery is squeezed, the clamping claw 9 and the clamping cylinder 8 will stop moving vertically downward, the spring 5 will be compressed, the distance between the proximity switch 2 and the stop screw 3 will be reduced, the device will sound an alarm, and the manipulator will stop moving. This improves the risk of leakage of the placed soft-pack lithium battery and improves the production efficiency and profit margin of the enterprise.

[0025] The base plays a supporting and fixing role. The manipulator is fixed in position to complete the unloading work. The base fixes each manipulator so that each manipulator is on the same horizontal line, so that the manipulator can simultaneously clamp the soft-pack lithium batteries placed on the same horizontal line, and the soft-pack lithium batteries can also be placed in the battery frame on the same horizontal line when unloading.

[0026] When the number of transmission rods 4 is four, the device will have higher stability and higher precision, higher rigidity, and can be applied to high-precision processing, measurement and calibration, etc. However, a larger number of transmission rods 4 will have a greater inertial force and increase the deadweight of the device. The number of transmission rods 4 can also be two, which reduces the production cost of the manipulator.

[0027] The transmission rod 4 is a smooth cylindrical shape, with the upper end fixed on the base 1 and the lower end connected to the transmission rod fixing frame 7. The transmission rod fixing frame 7 can slide relative to the transmission rod 4. The surface of the transmission rod 4 is smooth and the friction is small. When the transmission rod fixing frame 7 is subjected to an upward force, it can slide upward relative to the lower end of the transmission rod 4. The transmission rod can guide the movement of the manipulator, making the movement of the manipulator more stable. The movement in the vertical direction can be achieved by sleeve connection.

[0028] The spring 5 is connected to the upper and lower ends of the transmission rod 4. The base 1 remains stationary. When the transmission rod fixing frame 7 encounters an obstacle and moves upward, the spring 5 will be compressed to absorb the transmitted force and play a buffering role. The transmission rod is slidably connected to the transmission rod bracket and the base.

[0029] When the clamping cylinder 8 controls the clamping jaws 9 to clamp the soft-pack lithium battery and the material is deviated and touches the battery frame, the clamping jaws 9 will drive the clamping cylinder 8 to move upward, and the clamping cylinder 8 drives the connected clamping plate, which is connected to the transmission rod fixing frame 7, so that the lower half of the manipulator moves up until the proximity switch 2 touches the stop screw 3, the movement stops, and an alarm is sounded. The centers of the stop screw 3 and the proximity switch 2 are located on the same vertical line, which is parallel to the transmission rod. Therefore, the distance between the proximity switch 2 and the stop screw 3 is the smallest, and it can also avoid the situation where the spring 5 is compressed to the extreme and the proximity switch 2 and the stop screw 3 do not touch.

[0030] The stop screw 3 can be installed on the top surface of the transmission rod fixing frame 7 or on the bottom surface of the base; similarly, the proximity switch 2 can be installed on the top surface of the transmission rod fixing frame 7 or on the bottom surface of the base. As long as the two are located on the same vertical line and can touch each other, the alarm can be sounded and the robot can stop moving.

[0031] The function of the stop screw 3 is to utilize the friction between the threads to fix the component, the transmission rod fixing frame and the clamping plate to achieve the effect of preventing loosening or stopping.

[0032] The clamping plate connects the clamping cylinder 8 and the transmission rod fixing frame 7, playing a supporting role, making the structure of the manipulator more stable and firm, not easy to shake, and can avoid the situation where the soft-pack lithium battery is bumped into the frame due to the shaking of the manipulator device itself when clamping the soft-pack battery, thereby increasing the risk of leakage of the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0033] The width of the clamping plate is greater than the width of the clamping cylinder 8. The width of the clamping plate is large, the overall strength is large, and the bending resistance is large, which plays a supporting and fixing role. When the manipulator is subjected to external force, the clamping plate prevents the device from shaking and vibrating, so that the manipulator can safely place the clamped object at the specified position.

[0034] The material of the splint can be metal, alloy or carbon fiber, so that the splint has a high structural strength. The inside of the splint can be hollow, thereby reducing the weight of the splint itself and reducing the production cost. Under the premise of ensuring sufficient structural strength, the weight of the splint can be reduced as much as possible, and the structure is similar to that of I-shaped steel.

[0035] The utility model has a symmetrical structure, and the interchangeability of each component is strong, and the replacement of parts is also convenient. At the same time, the symmetrical structure can make the gravity borne by the two ends of the base almost equal, the base is not easy to deflect, and the service life of the mechanism is extended.

[0036] The clamping cylinder 8 is the power output of the entire mechanical gripper. It is connected to the transmission rod fixing frame 7 by a clamping plate 6. The clamping plate plays the role of connecting support. The clamping cylinder is the power source of the entire device. The clamping plate can be provided with structures such as reinforcing ribs, which can play the role of enhancing strength; it can also be provided with grooves. The structure of adding grooves can reduce the weight of the overall structure of the manipulator and save production costs. The setting of grooves and reinforcing ribs can change the stress condition of the clamping plate, so that the clamping plate has higher support capacity and bending resistance, making it less prone to deformation and having higher structural strength.

[0037] The transmission rod limits the direction of movement of the robot, and it can only move in the vertical direction. The spring is also compressed in the vertical direction. The outer side of the transmission rod has a smooth surface, and the surface of the hole where the transmission rod fixing frame and the transmission rod slide is also smooth. The transmission rod and the transmission rod fixing frame are clearance-matched. If necessary, lubricating oil can be added for lubrication to avoid the situation where the device is stuck during the unloading process due to the rough surface, which may cause the soft-pack lithium battery to be damaged. At the same time, a smooth surface can reduce energy loss, save energy, and reduce production costs.

[0038] Each clamping cylinder 8 is provided with an air source connector, and each cylinder is connected to an external air source through the air source connector, so that the clamping claw 9 is controlled by the cylinder. The manipulator can perform reciprocating up and down motion in the vertical direction. The automation of soft-pack lithium battery clamping and positioning improves the production efficiency of the battery module and reduces the labor cost. At the same time, the battery module is clamped in two directions, which improves the reliability of clamping, improves the welding accuracy, and reduces the unqualified rate of products.

[0039] Under the control of the clamping cylinder 8, the two clamping plates of the clamping jaws 9 move inwards during clamping to complete the clamping of the soft-pack lithium battery; during the unloading process, the two clamping plates move outwards to complete the unloading process of the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0040] The utility model can be installed with a photoelectric sensor, and when the photoelectric sensor senses a signal, the movement of the entire device can be controlled. The photoelectric sensor can be connected to the clamping cylinder. The proximity switch 2 can also determine the distance between the stop screw 3 and the proximity switch by means of photoelectric sensing, position sensing, distance sensing, etc., to ensure the sensitivity of the device and prevent the soft-pack lithium battery from being damaged during the unloading process. In addition, the parallel manipulator can simultaneously complete the clamping and unloading tasks of multiple soft-pack lithium batteries, and perform movement tasks in the vertical and horizontal directions at the same time, which effectively saves time costs and also avoids the problem of space being occupied by using multiple sets of manipulators.

[0041] The material of the device can be aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel, etc., which can make the device have strong structural strength. Sufficient mechanical strength can ensure that the manipulator can complete the process of loading and unloading soft-pack lithium batteries, and the manipulator has a long service life and can complete loading and unloading safely. The use of aluminum as a material can reduce the deadweight of the manipulator; the use of steel as a material can ensure that the manipulator has a high structural strength and avoid bending, deformation and other situations that affect the work of the manipulator.

[0042] The above-mentioned embodiments only express the implementation methods of the utility model, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this field, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the utility model, and these all belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model patent shall be based on the attached claims.

Claims

1. A soft-pack lithium battery frame buffer mechanism, comprising a base (1) and a manipulator, characterized in that: The manipulator comprises a clamping claw (9), a transmission rod fixing frame (7) and a clamping cylinder (8); a transmission rod (4) is mounted on the transmission rod fixing frame (7) and connected to a base (1); a spring (5) is provided on the transmission rod (4); and the transmission rod (4) is slidably connected to the transmission rod fixing frame (7); The clamping plate (6) connects the transmission rod fixing frame (7) and the clamping cylinder (8).

2. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the transmission rods (4) is two to four.

3. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entry buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A stop screw (3) and a proximity switch (2) are installed on the transmission rod fixing frame (7) and the base (1).

4. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The center of the proximity switch (2) and the center of the stop screw (3) are located on the same vertical line.

5. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the clamping claw (9) is subjected to an upward external force, the transmission rod fixing frame (7) and the transmission rod (4) perform a relative upward sliding movement, the spring (5) is compressed, the stop screw (3) touches the proximity switch (2), the manipulator stops moving and an alarm is sounded.

6. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two manipulators, which are placed symmetrically on the base.

7. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The two manipulators are controlled by respective clamping cylinders (8).

8. The soft-pack lithium battery frame-entering buffer mechanism according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The clamping claw (9) is located below the clamping cylinder (8).

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