Battery cell stacking pitch changing mechanism and battery cell stacking equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a battery cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism and battery cell stacking equipment. The battery cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism comprises a mounting plate, a pitch-changing driving piece and a plurality of groups of pickup assemblies, the mounting plate is provided with a stacking platform for placing a plurality of battery cells to be stacked, and a pressing unit for pressing a battery cell stacking body is arranged on the stacking platform; the multiple sets of picking assemblies are sequentially arranged on the mounting plate in the first direction, each set of picking assembly comprises two clamping units which are oppositely arranged, and the two clamping units are used for clamping the two ends of a to-be-stacked battery cell correspondingly; and the variable-pitch driving part is connected with the multiple sets of picking assemblies, and under driving of the variable-pitch driving part, every two adjacent sets of picking assemblies can get close to each other, so that the distance between every two adjacent to-be-stacked battery cells is adjusted to a preset value. According to the battery cell stacking pitch changing mechanism, the distance between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked in a plurality of battery cells to be stacked can be adjusted to a preset value, and the stacking of the plurality of battery cells can be realized at one time, so that the stacking efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of power battery production equipment, and in particular to a cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism. The utility model also relates to a cell stacking device provided with the cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism. Background Art

[0002] During the production process of batteries, it is usually necessary to stack multiple cells to increase the capacity of the battery. In the related art, when stacking cells, the cells are usually in direct contact with each other. The stacking method is just to stack the cells one by one, and then apply a certain resistance to ensure the module size, and then use side panels or cable ties to constrain them.

[0003] However, for some battery modules, when stacking cells, it is necessary to control the relative position of each cell, and there is a certain gap between two adjacent cells, so that the entire battery module has no grouping force. For this battery module, the traditional stacking method is obviously no longer applicable and cannot meet its stacking requirements.

[0004] In order to meet the production requirements of the above-mentioned battery modules, the existing stacking mechanism uses a tooling fixation form to control the gap between adjacent battery cells. This method is affected by the accuracy of the battery cell pole position and requires reserved pole insertion space, which results in large deviations in the position of the battery cells and poor stacking accuracy. In addition, due to the limitations of the clamping mechanism, only two battery cells can be stacked at most, and the stacking efficiency is low. In addition, the traditional stacking mechanism relies on the positioning method of the tooling. As long as the spacing of the product changes, it is necessary to stop the machine and replace the fixture of the corresponding spacing, resulting in low equipment compatibility and low changeover efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the utility model aims to provide a battery cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism to improve the stacking efficiency of the battery cells.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the utility model is implemented as follows:

[0007] A cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism comprises a mounting plate, a pitch-changing driving member and a plurality of pickup assemblies arranged on the mounting plate;

[0008] The mounting plate has a stacking platform for placing a plurality of battery cells to be stacked, and a pressing unit for pressing the battery cell stacks stacked together is provided on the stacking platform;

[0009] A plurality of groups of the pickup assemblies are sequentially arranged on the mounting plate along a first direction, and each group of the pickup assemblies comprises two clamping units arranged opposite to each other, and the two clamping units are respectively used to clamp two ends of the battery cells to be stacked;

[0010] The variable-pitch driving member is connected to a plurality of groups of the pickup assemblies. Driven by the variable-pitch driving member, two adjacent groups of the pickup assemblies can approach each other to adjust the distance between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked to a preset value.

[0011] Furthermore, among the two opposing clamping units, at least one of the clamping units can move along the second direction to approach the other clamping unit, and each of the clamping units includes at least one pair of clamping jaws, and the two jaws in a pair of the clamping jaws are arranged at intervals along the third direction; the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are arranged orthogonally in pairs.

[0012] Furthermore, the mounting plate is provided with a first connecting plate moving along the first direction, the first connecting plate is provided with two second connecting plates moving along the second direction, and two opposite clamping units are respectively provided on the two second connecting plates.

[0013] Furthermore, a first slide rail is provided on the mounting plate; the variable pitch drive component includes a servo motor and a lead screw transmission connected to the servo motor; the first connecting plate is slidably arranged on the first slide rail, and the first connecting plate is transmission connected to the lead screw, and the first connecting plate receives the rotation of the lead screw and can move along the first slide rail.

[0014] Furthermore, the pressing unit includes a first pressing plate located above the battery cell stack, and the first pressing plate can move downward to press the top of the battery cell stack.

[0015] Furthermore, a battery cell centering device is provided on the mounting plate, and the battery cell centering device includes a plurality of groups of centering components arranged at intervals along the first direction, each group of the centering components corresponds one-to-one to the battery cells to be stacked, and each group of the centering components can respectively center the symmetric planes in the thickness direction of each battery cell to be stacked.

[0016] Furthermore, each centering assembly has a centering slot that can be raised and lowered; in the raised position of the centering slot, two large faces of the battery cells to be stacked abut against the slot walls of the centering slot. The opposite slot walls of the centering slot are respectively clamped on the two large faces of the battery cells to be stacked.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the following advantages:

[0018] The battery cell stacking variable pitch mechanism described in the utility model, by setting a plurality of picking components arranged in sequence along a first direction, and setting a variable pitch driving member to drive the plurality of picking components, and making two adjacent groups of picking components approach each other, can adjust the spacing between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked among the plurality of battery cells to be stacked to a preset value, thereby realizing the stacking of a plurality of battery cells at a time, improving the stacking efficiency, and having a good use effect.

[0019] In addition, at least one of the two opposing clamping units can approach the other clamping unit, which can provide a larger space for loading the battery cells to prevent interference during the loading process, and on the other hand, facilitate the clamping and fixing of the battery cells by the clamping unit, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the spacing value between two adjacent battery cells. A pair of clamping claws of the clamping unit can respectively press against the upper and lower ends of the battery cells to be stacked, thereby clamping and fixing the battery cells to be stacked.

[0020] Secondly, the first connecting plate and two second connecting plates are provided, and the two opposite clamping units are provided on the two second connecting plates respectively, so that the two clamping units can be moved along the first direction, and the two clamping units can be moved closer to or farther from each other along the second direction to pick up or release the battery cells to be stacked. By providing the first slide rail and providing the variable pitch drive member with a servo motor and a lead screw, the servo mechanism is used for variable pitch, which can improve the variable pitch accuracy and stacking accuracy, and the servo mechanism can be used for stepless adjustment to achieve one-key adjustment of the spacing, thereby improving the conversion efficiency and the compatibility of the equipment.

[0021] Furthermore, the clamping unit adopts a first pressing plate, so that the stack of battery cells after the distance change can be clamped to prevent the battery cells from tilting or moving. The battery cell centering device is set to adjust the positions of multiple battery cells to be stacked on the stacking platform. Moreover, the setting of multiple centering components can center the symmetric planes in the thickness direction of each battery cell to be stacked, so that when the battery cell is positioned, it will not be affected by the position of the pole, and the spacing value between two adjacent battery cells can be better guaranteed.

[0022] In addition, the centering slots are matched with the two large surfaces of the battery cells to be stacked, which has the characteristics of simple structure and easy design and implementation. Moreover, the lifting and lowering settings of each centering slot and the clamping units are matched, so that each battery cell to be stacked can be individually centered, so that the centering degree of each battery cell to be stacked can be ensured, which is conducive to ensuring the spacing between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked.

[0023] Another object of the utility model is to provide a battery cell stacking device, comprising a frame, and the battery cell stacking distance changing mechanism, tray loading mechanism, battery cell transfer mechanism and battery cell holding mechanism as described above, which are arranged on the frame; the tray loading mechanism is used to transport the module tray to a preset position; the battery cell transfer mechanism is used to transfer the battery cell stack after distance change to the module tray; the battery cell holding mechanism is used to position and hold the battery cell stack on the module tray.

[0024] Furthermore, the battery cell holding mechanism includes a plurality of second pressing plates disposed above the battery cell stack, and each of the second pressing plates can move downward and individually press each of the battery cells in the battery cell stack.

[0025] Furthermore, the frame is provided with a lifting mechanism for lifting the module tray to the preset position; and / or, the module tray is provided with a slidable beam, the beam having a first position for pressing on the battery cell stack and a second position for releasing the pressure on the battery cell stack, and the frame is provided with an unlocking mechanism, which can unlock the beam located at the second position to the first position to keep the battery cell stack on the module tray.

[0026] The battery cell stacking equipment of the utility model can adjust the distance between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked to a preset value by adopting the above-mentioned battery cell stacking variable distance mechanism, and can realize the stacking of multiple battery cells at one time, thereby improving the battery cell stacking efficiency. In addition, in conjunction with the tray loading mechanism, the battery cell transfer mechanism and the battery cell holding mechanism, the battery cell stacking efficiency can be further greatly improved, and the production efficiency of the battery module can be improved. The setting of the battery cell holding mechanism can facilitate the positioning and holding of the battery cell stack after the variable distance on the module tray, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the battery cell stacking.

[0027] In addition, the battery cell holding mechanism adopts multiple second pressure plates, and each second pressure plate can individually press each battery cell in the battery cell stack, which is conducive to ensuring the relative position of each battery cell and the relative position of the battery cell stack that is subsequently transported. The jacking mechanism is set up to facilitate the precise delivery of the module tray to the preset position. A sliding beam is set on the module tray, which can be pressed on the top of the battery cell stack under the drive of the unlocking mechanism. At this time, it is conducive to releasing the compression between the battery cell holding mechanism and the battery cell stack, and after the battery cell stacking is completed, it is also conducive to the offline of the module tray. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The accompanying drawings constituting a part of the present invention are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The illustrative embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model from a first viewing angle;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model from a second viewing angle;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a variable pitch drive member according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the pickup assembly according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the centering mechanism described in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of a compression unit according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell stacking device according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram of the tray loading mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0037] Fig. 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of the jacking mechanism described in an embodiment of the utility model;

[0038] Fig.10 This is a structural schematic diagram of the battery cell transport mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0039] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grabbing unit according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0040] Fig.12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell holding mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0041] Fig.13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the module tray according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0042] Fig.14 This is a diagram showing the cooperation structure of the module tray and the unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0043] Fig.15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the unlocking mechanism according to an embodiment of the utility model;

[0044] Description of reference numerals:

[0045] 1. Mounting plate; 2. Stacking platform; 3. Pick-up assembly; 4. Pressing unit; 5. Variable pitch drive; 6. Cell centering device;

[0046] 101, first slide rail; 102, first connecting plate; 103, second connecting plate; 104, second slide rail; 105, third connecting plate; 106, third slide rail; 107, fourth connecting plate; 401, first pressing plate; 402, lifting drive device; 501, servo motor; 502, lead screw; 601, centering assembly; 6011, centering slot; 602, linear bearing; 603, connecting column;

[0047] 1a, frame; 11, tray loading mechanism; 12, battery cell transfer mechanism; 13, battery cell holding mechanism; 14, lifting mechanism; 15, module tray; 16, crossbeam; 141, fixed base plate; 142, lifting plate; 143, fourth slide rail; 144, sliding connecting plate; 1421, roller; 1441, wedge-shaped sliding surface; 121, grabbing unit; 1211, bearing part; 1212, clamping block; 131, vertical driving device; 132, second pressing plate; 151, first positioning hole; 152, second positioning hole; 161, positioning column; 162, elastic member; 17, unlocking mechanism; 171, unlocking driving device; 172, unlocking part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0049] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer" and the like indicating orientation or positional relationship, they are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, if there are terms such as "first" and "second", they are also used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0050] In addition, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, the terms "installation", "connection", "connection" and "connector" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in combination with specific circumstances.

[0051] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with embodiments.

[0052] Embodiment 1

[0053] The present embodiment relates to a cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism, which can improve the stacking efficiency of the cell.

[0054] In terms of overall structure, the cell stacking pitch changing mechanism of this embodiment is as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it mainly includes a mounting plate 1, a variable pitch driving member 5 and a plurality of pickup components 3 arranged on the mounting plate 1.

[0055] Among them, a stacking platform 2 for placing multiple battery cells to be stacked is provided on the mounting plate 1, and a pressing unit 4 for pressing the battery cell stacks stacked together is provided on the stacking platform 2. Multiple groups of pickup components 3 are arranged on the mounting plate 1 in sequence along the first direction, and each group of pickup components 3 includes two clamping units arranged opposite to each other, and the two clamping units are respectively used to clamp the two ends of the battery cells to be stacked. The variable pitch drive member 5 is transmission-connected to the multiple groups of pickup components 3. Under the drive of the variable pitch drive member 5, each group of pickup components 3 can approach each other to adjust the spacing between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked to a preset value.

[0056] At this time, by setting up a plurality of picking components 3 arranged in sequence along the first direction and setting up a variable pitch driving member 5 to drive the plurality of picking components 3, and making the two opposite clamping units clamp the two ends of the battery cells to be stacked, and making the two adjacent groups of picking components close to each other, the distance between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked in the plurality of battery cells to be stacked can be adjusted to a preset value, so that the stacking of multiple battery cells can be achieved at one time, thereby improving the stacking efficiency.

[0057] It should be noted that the battery cells to be stacked in this embodiment are preferably long sheet structures, and the battery cells have two opposite end faces and two large faces, as well as two side faces adjacent to and opposite to the large faces. When placed, one of the side faces of the battery cells to be stacked abuts against the stacking platform 2, that is, the thickness direction of the battery cells to be stacked is set along the first direction. In addition, it should be noted that the first direction, the second direction and the third direction of this embodiment are specifically as shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0058] For specific structure, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , and combined with Figure 3As shown, in the battery cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism of this embodiment, the mounting plate 1 is used to provide installation and layout space for multiple pickup components 3 and pitch-changing drive components 5. In specific applications, the mounting plate 1 can be fixed on the frame 1a, for example. A stacking platform 2 is provided on the mounting plate 1, and the stacking platform 2 is preferably spaced apart from the mounting plate 1, and the stacking platform 2 is used to place multiple battery cells to be stacked. Moreover, in order to facilitate the compaction and positioning of the battery cell stack after the pitch change, in this embodiment, a compaction unit 4 is provided on the stacking platform 2.

[0059] In this embodiment, multiple groups of pickup components 3 are arranged in sequence along the first direction, and each group of pickup components 3 includes two clamping units arranged opposite to each other, so as to ensure the smooth loading of the battery cells and better clamping and fixing of the battery cells to be stacked. At least one of the two clamping units can move along the second direction to approach the other clamping unit, and each clamping unit includes at least one pair of clamping claws, and the two claws in a pair of clamping claws are arranged at intervals along the third direction. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are arranged orthogonally in pairs.

[0060] In this embodiment, as a preference, the two opposing clamping units can move synchronously in opposite directions to approach or move away from each other. Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the mounting plate 1 is provided with a first connecting plate 102 that moves along the first direction, and the first connecting plate 102 is provided with two second connecting plates 103 that move along the second direction, and the two opposite clamping units are respectively provided on the two second connecting plates 103. At this time, the two clamping units are arranged on the two second connecting plates 103 respectively, and the two opposite clamping units can be moved towards each other and approached by the movement of the second connecting plates 103 along the second direction, so as to approach the battery cells to be stacked and clamp the battery cells to be stacked. And by the movement of the first connecting plate 102 along the first direction, the adjacent groups of pickup components 3 are made to approach or move away from each other, so as to adjust the spacing value between the battery cells to be stacked.

[0061] As a preferred implementation, in this embodiment, a plurality of first slide rails 101 arranged at intervals are provided on the mounting plate 1, and the first connecting plate 102 is slidably provided on the plurality of first slide rails 101, and the provision of the plurality of first slide rails 101 can be beneficial to improving the stability of the first connecting plate 102 moving along the first slide rail 101. The variable pitch drive member 5 specifically includes a servo motor 501, and a lead screw 502 that is transmission-connected to the servo motor 501. The first connecting plate 102 is transmission-connected to the lead screw 502, and the first connecting plate 102 can move along the first slide rail 101 by receiving the rotation of the lead screw 502. At this time, the lead screw 502 is driven to rotate by the servo motor 501, and is transmission-connected to the lead screw 502 through the threaded structure on the first connecting plate 102, and at the same time, under the guiding action of the first slide rail 101, the first connecting plate 102 can accurately move along the first direction.

[0062] In this embodiment, the variable pitch drive member 5 uses a servo motor 501 and a lead screw 502. The use of a servo mechanism for variable pitch can improve the pitch accuracy and stacking accuracy. The stepless adjustment of the servo mechanism can achieve one-click adjustment of the spacing, thereby improving the conversion efficiency and the compatibility of the equipment.

[0063] In addition, second slide rails 104 are respectively provided at both ends of the first connecting plate 102, the extension direction of the second slide rails 104 is arranged along the second direction, and the two second connecting plates 103 are respectively slidably arranged on the second slide rails 104. The second connecting plates 103 are driven to move along the second slide rails 104 by a driving device, wherein the driving device can be, for example, a cylinder, a linear motor, or a linear module.

[0064] The clamping unit of this embodiment specifically includes a column fixed on the second connecting plate 103, and a pair of clamping claws are arranged on the column. The pair of clamping claws includes two claw bodies arranged at intervals along the third direction. The two claw bodies can be opened and closed to clamp the two opposite sides of the battery cells to be stacked. In a specific implementation, it can be, for example, a cylinder clamping claw.

[0065] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a cell centering device 6 is provided on the mounting plate 1, and the cell centering device 6 can adjust the positions of multiple cells to be stacked on the stacking platform 2. Specifically, the cell centering device 6 includes multiple groups of centering components 601 arranged at intervals along the first direction, each centering component 601 corresponds to a cell to be stacked one by one, and each centering component 601 can respectively center the symmetric plane in the thickness direction of each cell to be stacked. At this time, the setting of multiple centering components 601 can simultaneously center the symmetric planes in the thickness direction of multiple cells to be stacked, and when positioning the cells, it can be unaffected by the position of the poles, and can better ensure the spacing value between two adjacent cells.

[0066] Continue to view Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, each centering component 601 has a centering groove 6011 that can be raised and lowered, and the opposite groove walls of the centering groove 6011 are respectively clamped on the two large surfaces of the battery cells to be stacked. The centering groove 6011 is used to match the two large surfaces of the battery cells to be stacked, which has the characteristics of simple structure and easy design and implementation. Moreover, the lifting and lowering settings of each centering groove 6011 and each matching clamping unit enable each battery cell to be stacked to be individually centered, so that the centering degree of each battery cell to be stacked can be guaranteed, thereby facilitating the spacing between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked.

[0067] Specifically, still Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, multiple groups of centering components 601 are arranged on the third connecting plate 105, and the third connecting plate 105 is slidably arranged on the mounting plate 1 through the connecting column 603 and the linear bearing 602. The third connecting plate 105 can move up and down along the connecting column 603 by being driven by a driving member arranged on the mounting plate 1, so that the centering groove 6011 moves up and down, and when in the rising position, the opposite groove walls of the centering groove 6011 are respectively clamped on the two large surfaces of the stacked battery cells.

[0068] See also Figure 6 As shown, the pressing unit 4 of this embodiment includes a first pressing plate 401 located above the battery cell stack, and the first pressing plate 401 can move downward to press the top of the battery cell stack. In this way, the battery cell stack after the distance change is pressed by the first pressing plate 401 to effectively prevent the battery cell from tilting or moving.

[0069] In a specific implementation, the stacking platform 2 is provided with a third slide rail 106, a fourth connecting plate 107 is slidably provided on the third slide rail 106, a lifting drive device 402 is provided on the fourth connecting plate 107, and a first pressing plate 401 is provided at the power output end of the lifting drive device 402. At this time, driven by the lifting drive device 402, the first pressing plate 401 can move downward to press the battery cell stack.

[0070] The cell stacking variable pitch mechanism of this embodiment can stack 4 cells at a time. It is understandable that by adjusting the number of pick-up components 3 arranged along the first direction and the number of clamping components arranged along the first direction, stacking operations on more cells can be achieved.

[0071] The battery cell stacking distance-changing mechanism of this embodiment, when in use, the battery cells to be stacked are placed on the stacking platform 2, and then each group of centering components 601 is moved up to the raised position, so that each centering groove 601 aligns and shapes each battery cell to be stacked, and then each clamping unit is moved along the second direction to clamp and fix each stacked battery cell, and each clamping unit is moved along the first direction to adjust the distance between two adjacent stacked battery cells to a preset value.

[0072] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, it is preferred to use a group of centering components 601 close to the pressing unit 4 as a reference, that is, the battery cell centered by the centering component 601 is used as a reference. At this time, a group of pickup components 3 close to the pressing unit 4 is fixed, and the other groups of pickup components 3 all move closer to or away from the group of pickup components 3.

[0073] The cell stacking pitch-changing mechanism of the present embodiment can not only improve the stacking efficiency, but also is not affected by the position of the poles during stacking and can improve the stacking accuracy, thus having a very good use effect.

[0074] Embodiment 2

[0075] This embodiment relates to a battery cell stacking device, which has an overall structure such as Figure 7 As shown, the battery cell stacking device includes a frame 1a, and a battery cell stacking distance changing mechanism, a tray loading mechanism 11, a battery cell transporting mechanism 12 and a battery cell holding mechanism 13 as described in the first embodiment, which are arranged on the frame 1a.

[0076] The tray loading mechanism 11 is used to transport the module tray 15 to a preset position. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the tray loading mechanism 11 and the stacking platform 2 are respectively arranged at the two ends of the frame 1a, and the tray loading mechanism 11 includes two loading rails extending along the first direction. The tray is arranged on the two loading rails, and the tray can be transported to a preset position with the movement of the loading rails.

[0077] As a preferred implementation, in this embodiment, a lifting mechanism 14 for lifting the module tray 15 to the preset position is provided below the preset position. Fig. 9 As shown, the lifting mechanism 14 includes a fixed base plate 141 disposed on the frame 1a, and a lifting plate 142 disposed on the fixed base plate 141. The fixed base plate 141 is provided with a fourth slide rail 143, and the fourth slide rail 143 is extended and arranged along the first direction. In addition, a sliding connection plate 144 is provided on the fourth slide rail 143, and a wedge-shaped sliding surface 1441 is provided on the sliding connection plate 144. A roller 1421 is provided on the lifting plate 142, and the roller 1421 is slidably matched with the wedge-shaped sliding surface 1441, so that when the sliding connection plate 144 slides along the fourth slide rail 143, the roller 1421 moves along the wedge-shaped sliding surface 1441, thereby realizing the rise and fall of the lifting plate 142.

[0078] The cell transport mechanism 12 of this embodiment is used to transport the cell stack after the distance change to the module tray 15. The cell transport mechanism 12 is located above the stacking platform 2 and the tray loading mechanism 11. Figure 8 and Fig.10 As shown, the battery cell transport mechanism 12 includes a transport robot assembly sliding along a first direction, and the transport robot assembly has two grasping units 121 arranged opposite to each other, and the two grasping units 121 are respectively used to grasp the two ends of the battery cell stack along a second direction.

[0079] like Fig.11As shown, each grabbing unit 121 includes a bearing portion 1211 for holding the bottom of the battery cell stack, and a pressing block 1212 that can move close to the bearing portion 1211. The pressing block 1212 can be pressed on the top of the battery cell stack, so that the battery cell stack can be clamped between the bearing portion 1211 and the pressing block 1212, and the relative position of each battery cell in the battery cell stack can be ensured. Through the clamping of the bearing portion 1211 and the pressing block 1212, and through the movement of the grabbing unit 121, the battery cell stack after the distance change can be transferred to the module tray 15.

[0080] In order to ensure the accuracy of the movement of the battery cell transport mechanism 12, in this embodiment, the battery cell transport mechanism 12 includes a drive motor arranged on the frame, and a gear rack transmission member connected to the drive motor. The power output end of each grabbing unit 121 and the gear rack assembly, so that the drive motor drives the gear to move along the rack, and drives each grabbing unit 121 to move, so as to transport the battery cell stack. In addition, a grating ruler for detecting the moving position of each grabbing unit 121 is also provided on the frame, so that the accuracy of the movement of the battery cell transport mechanism 12 can be further improved, and it is beneficial to ensure the spacing between the subsequent battery cell stacks.

[0081] The cell holding mechanism 13 of this embodiment is used to position and hold the cell stack on the module tray 15. Fig.12 As shown, the battery cell holding mechanism 13 includes a plurality of second pressing plates 132 disposed above the battery cell stack, the plurality of second pressing plates 132 are disposed corresponding to the plurality of battery cells, and each second pressing plate 132 can move downward and individually press each battery cell in the battery cell stack.

[0082] In a specific implementation, a plurality of vertical driving devices 131 are provided on the frame 1a, and a second pressure plate 132 is provided at the power output end of each vertical driving device 131. In this way, the battery cell stack transferred to the module tray 15 by the battery cell transfer mechanism 12 can be individually compressed by each corresponding second pressure plate 132 in the battery cell stack, thereby ensuring the relative position of each battery cell and facilitating the relative position of the subsequently transferred battery cell stack.

[0083] In addition, if Fig.13 As shown, in this embodiment, a slidable beam 16 is provided on the module tray 15, and the beam 16 has a first position where it is pressed against the battery cell stack and a second position where it is released from the pressure on the battery cell stack. An unlocking mechanism 17 is provided on the frame 1a, and the unlocking mechanism 17 can unlock the beam 16 located at the second position to the first position to keep the battery cell stack on the module tray 15.

[0084] Specifically, both ends of the crossbeam 16 are connected to the two end plates of the module tray 15, and a sliding structure is provided between the crossbeam 16 and the end plate, so that the crossbeam 16 can move along the second direction, and a positioning column 161 is fixedly provided on the crossbeam 16. At the same time, a plurality of positioning holes arranged at intervals are provided on the bottom wall of the module tray 15, that is, a plurality of first positioning holes 151 and a plurality of second positioning holes 152. When the positioning column 161 is positioned at the first positioning hole 151, the crossbeam 16 is in the first position, and when the positioning column 161 is positioned at the second positioning hole 152, the crossbeam 16 is in the second position.

[0085] In addition, an elastic member 162 is provided between the cross beam 16 and the end plate, and under the action of the elastic member 162, the positioning column 161 can be positioned on the bottom wall of the module tray 15. Also, under the action of the elastic member 162, the distance between the cross beam 16 and the bottom wall of the module tray 15 is smaller than the height of the battery cell stack, so that when in the second position, the cross beam 16 can be pressed against the battery cell stack, so that the battery cell stack is kept on the module tray 15.

[0086] In this embodiment, see Fig.14 and Fig.15 As shown, the unlocking mechanism 17 arranged on the frame 1a includes an unlocking driving device 171, and the power output end of the unlocking driving device 171 is provided with an unlocking part 172 that can be lifted and lowered, and the unlocking part 172 can be inserted into the unlocking hole of the crossbeam 16. By lifting the unlocking part 172, the elastic member 162 stores energy, and the positioning column 161 is released from the first positioning hole 151. And under the drive of the unlocking driving device 171, the crossbeam 16 is pushed to move until the positioning column 161 is aligned with the second positioning hole 152. At this time, by the descent of the unlocking part 172 and the release of energy of the elastic member 162, the positioning column 161 is positioned in the second positioning hole 152, and the unlocking driving device 171 moves to the initial position. In this way, the pressing between the battery cell holding mechanism 13 and the battery cell stack can be released, and the battery cell stack can be better kept on the module tray 15. At the same time, after the battery cell stacking is completed, it is also beneficial to the module tray 15 to be unloaded.

[0087] The cell stacking device of this embodiment, by adopting the cell stacking variable distance mechanism of the first embodiment, can adjust the distance between two adjacent cells to be stacked to a preset value, and can realize the stacking of multiple cells at one time, thereby improving the cell stacking efficiency. In addition, in conjunction with the tray loading mechanism 11, the cell transfer mechanism 12 and the cell holding mechanism 13, the cell stacking efficiency and stacking accuracy can be further greatly improved, thereby improving the production efficiency of the battery module.

[0088] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cell stacking pitch changing mechanism, characterized in that: It includes a mounting plate, and a plurality of pickup assemblies and variable pitch drive members; The mounting plate is provided with a stacking platform for placing a plurality of battery cells to be stacked, and the stacking platform is provided with a pressing unit for pressing the battery cell stacks stacked together; A plurality of groups of the pickup assemblies are sequentially arranged on the mounting plate along a first direction, and each group of the pickup assemblies comprises two clamping units arranged opposite to each other, and the two clamping units are respectively used to clamp two ends of the battery cells to be stacked; The variable-pitch driving member is connected to a plurality of groups of the pickup assemblies. Driven by the variable-pitch driving member, two adjacent groups of the pickup assemblies can approach each other to adjust the distance between two adjacent battery cells to be stacked to a preset value.

2. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the two opposing clamping units can move along the second direction to approach the other clamping unit, and each clamping unit includes at least one pair of clamping jaws, and two jaws in a pair of the clamping jaws are spaced apart along the third direction; The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are arranged orthogonally in pairs.

3. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mounting plate is provided with a first connecting plate moving along the first direction, the first connecting plate is provided with two second connecting plates moving along the second direction, and two opposite clamping units are respectively provided on the two second connecting plates.

4. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mounting plate is provided with a first slide rail; The variable pitch driving member includes a servo motor and a lead screw transmission-connected to the servo motor; The first connecting plate is slidably disposed on the first slide rail, and the first connecting plate is transmission-connected to the lead screw. The first connecting plate can move along the first slide rail by receiving the rotation of the lead screw.

5. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressing unit includes a first pressing plate located above the battery cell stack, and the first pressing plate can move downward to press the top of the battery cell stack.

6. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A battery cell centering device is provided on the mounting plate, and the battery cell centering device includes a plurality of groups of centering components arranged at intervals along the first direction, each group of the centering components corresponds one-to-one to the battery cells to be stacked, and each group of the centering components can respectively center the symmetric planes in the thickness direction of each battery cell to be stacked.

7. The cell stacking pitch changing mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: Each of the centering components has a centering slot that can be raised and lowered; In the raised position of the centering groove, two large surfaces of the battery cells to be stacked abut against the groove wall of the centering groove, and the opposite groove walls of the centering groove are respectively clamped on the two large surfaces of the battery cells to be stacked.

8. A battery cell stacking device, characterized in that: It comprises a frame, and a cell stacking distance changing mechanism, a tray loading mechanism, a cell transporting mechanism and a cell holding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which are arranged on the frame; The tray loading mechanism is used to transport the module tray to a preset position; The battery cell transport mechanism is used to transport the battery cell stack after the distance change to the module tray; The battery cell holding mechanism is used to position and hold the battery cell stack on the module tray.

9. The battery cell stacking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The battery cell holding mechanism includes a plurality of second pressing plates arranged above the battery cell stack, each of the second pressing plates can move downward and individually press each of the battery cells in the battery cell stack.

10. The battery cell stacking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The frame is provided with a lifting mechanism for lifting the module tray to the preset position; and / or, The module tray is provided with a slidable crossbeam, and the crossbeam has a first position where it is pressed against the battery cell stack and a second position where it is released from the pressure on the battery cell stack. The frame is provided with an unlocking mechanism, and the unlocking mechanism can unlock the crossbeam at the second position to the first position to keep the battery cell stack on the module tray.

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