Battery cell feeding structure of PACK assembly line

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery cell feeding structure of a PACK assembly line. The battery cell feeding structure of the PACK assembly line comprises a frame body, a clamping jaw assembly and a tray pressing assembly, the frame body is connected with an external lifting device, and is provided with a first slewing mechanism and a second slewing mechanism at an interval along a first direction; the clamping jaw assembly comprises a first clamping jaw assembly connected with the first rotating mechanism and a second clamping jaw assembly connected with the second rotating mechanism, the first clamping jaw assembly is provided with a first clamping jaw used for clamping a target battery cell, and the second clamping jaw assembly is provided with a second clamping jaw used for clamping the target battery cell; the tray pressing assembly comprises a first tray pressing assembly body and a second tray pressing assembly body, and the first tray pressing assembly body and the second tray pressing assembly body are arranged on the two sides of the multiple frame bodies in the second direction at intervals. By adopting the technology provided by the utility model, the feeding accuracy and the feeding efficiency can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of PACK battery assembly equipment, in particular to a PACK assembly line battery core feeding structure. Background Art

[0002] Cell loading is a crucial step in the battery pack assembly process. It involves picking cells from incoming material trays and transferring them to designated locations on the cell assembly line. This allows for the subsequent assembly of multiple cells in series, parallel, or a combination of these to create a battery unit with a specific voltage and capacity. Because cell loading requires transfer between two production lines or from incoming material boxes to a production line, assembly line transfer is currently the most common method.

[0003] However, the assembly line transfer method is prone to inaccurate cell transfer positioning and damage to the cells. Based on this, a Chinese invention patent (CN118220758A) discloses a cell loading system, including a transfer assembly and a transfer table. The transfer assembly is equipped with a first clamping part and a second clamping part. When the first clamping part is activated, it fixes the material frame where the cell is set, and when the second clamping part is activated, it fixes the cell. However, although the above structure improves the accuracy and precision of the transfer process, its structure is complex, and the first and second clamping parts need to work together to transfer the same cell, resulting in low production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model provides a PACK assembly line battery core loading structure to solve the problem of low efficiency of battery core loading by a robot arm in the prior art.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is to provide a PACK assembly line battery core loading structure, which includes: a frame, a clamping claw assembly and a pressing tray assembly.

[0006] The frame is connected to an external lifting device, and is provided with a first rotating mechanism and a second rotating mechanism at intervals along a first direction; the clamping jaw assembly includes a first clamping jaw assembly connected to the first rotating mechanism and a second clamping jaw assembly connected to the second rotating mechanism, wherein the first clamping jaw assembly is provided with a first clamping jaw for clamping a target battery cell, and the second clamping jaw assembly is provided with a second clamping jaw for clamping the target battery cell; the pressure tray assembly includes a first pressure tray assembly and a second pressure tray assembly, and the first pressure tray assembly and the second pressure tray assembly are arranged at intervals along the second direction on both sides of most frames.

[0007] The technical solution provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0008] The frame supports the first and second rotating mechanisms, as well as the gripper assemblies connected to them, enabling them to act as loads for the external lifting mechanism, driving the aforementioned structures to move. For example, this can move the first and second grippers that are gripping a target battery along the cell incoming line to the pack assembly line.

[0009] The first rotating mechanism is connected to the first gripper assembly, allowing the first gripper to grasp a battery cell and then rotate around the mechanism's central axis to transport the target cell. The second rotating mechanism is connected to the second gripper assembly, allowing the second gripper to grasp a battery cell and then rotate around the mechanism's central axis to transport the target cell. This means the first and second grippers can independently adjust the gripping and placement angles of the battery cell to ensure accuracy during transport. Furthermore, the addition of a first and second pressure tray assemblies allows the pallet containing the target battery cell to be pressed against, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell during transport.

[0010] In some embodiments, the frame further includes a guide rail extending along the first direction, and the guide rail is provided with a sliding member connected to the first rotating mechanism, wherein the sliding member can drive the first clamping jaw assembly to move along the guide rail.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, a sliding member is provided to adjust the distance between the first clamping jaw assembly and the second clamping jaw assembly, that is, the length space of the frame along the first direction is effectively utilized to increase the operating range of the first clamping jaw, and when the battery cell is too large, the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw can also cooperate with each other to jointly clamp the same battery cell.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first press tray assembly and the second press tray assembly are respectively provided with a guide assembly and an insulating press plate, wherein the guide assembly is connected to the insulating press plate and can drive the insulating press plate to move along a third direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the guide assembly includes a first guide shaft and a second guide shaft extending along a third direction, wherein a connecting member is provided between the first guide shaft and the second guide shaft.

[0014] In this technical solution, the first guide shaft drives the insulating platen in the third direction. The second guide shaft is a spring-loaded shaft that absorbs vibrations generated when the insulating platen contacts the incoming material tray, preventing damage to the battery cells. The connector ensures structural stability between the first and second guide shafts.

[0015] In some embodiments, a first destacking mechanism and a second destacking mechanism are further provided on both sides of the frame along the first direction, and the first destacking mechanism and the second destacking mechanism are provided with foam clamps facing each other along the first direction.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, when the battery cells are stored in foam boxes or the like as incoming materials, the first destacking mechanism and the second destacking mechanism can carry the external foam boxes, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are located inside the first destacking mechanism and the second destacking mechanism to facilitate the clamping and transportation of the battery cells.

[0017] In some embodiments, the jaw assembly is provided with a plurality of insulating blocks, which are respectively arranged inside the first jaw and the second jaw, and are used to correspond to the electrodes of the target battery cell clamped by the first jaw and the second jaw, thereby preventing the first jaw and the second jaw from contacting the electrodes of the battery cell when carrying the battery cell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the gripper assembly further includes a first gripper cylinder and a second gripper cylinder, wherein the first gripper cylinder is used to drive the first gripper to grip the target battery cell; and the second gripper cylinder is used to drive the second gripper to grip the target battery cell.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the first jaw and the second jaw are driven respectively by the first jaw cylinder and the second jaw cylinder, thereby realizing independent operation of the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein the cylinder drive can also provide sufficient bearing capacity for the first jaw and the second jaw.

[0020] In some embodiments, a rubber pad is further provided on the inner side of the first clamp and the second clamp along the second direction, and the rubber pad is used to abut against the outer surface of the target battery cell to prevent the first clamp and the second clamp from damaging the outer surface of the battery cell when clamping the battery cell.

[0021] In some embodiments, the clamping jaw assembly further includes a plurality of through-beam sensors, which are respectively disposed on the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw.

[0022] Using the above technical solution, the beam sensor refers to a non-contact sensor based on the photoelectric effect, including a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are respectively located on both sides of the first clamp and the second clamp to detect in real time whether the first clamp and the second clamp have clamped the battery cell.

[0023] In some embodiments, the frame is further provided with a first camera assembly and a second camera assembly spaced apart along the first direction, wherein the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly correspond one-to-one to the first fixture and the second fixture.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, a first camera assembly and a second camera assembly are set up to capture images of the battery cells, which can facilitate the detection of the surface quality of the battery cells in combination with a visual inspection system, such as whether the battery cells have defects such as cracks and deformations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. Among them:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of a PACK assembly line battery core feeding structure provided by the utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a front view of an embodiment of a battery cell loading structure for a PACK assembly line provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of a first destacking mechanism of a battery cell loading structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of a first clamping jaw assembly of a cell feeding structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a top view of an embodiment of a battery cell loading structure for a PACK assembly line provided by the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a top view of an embodiment of a tray assembly of a cell loading structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of a PACK assembly line battery core feeding structure provided by the utility model. Figure 2 .

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 10. Frame; 11. First rotary mechanism; 12. Second rotary mechanism; 13. Guide rail; 130. Sliding member; 14. First destacking mechanism; 15. Second destacking mechanism; 150. Foam gripper; 16. First camera assembly; 17. Second camera assembly; 18. Electromagnetic assembly; 19. Robot connecting shaft;

[0035] 20. Gripping jaw assembly; 21. First gripping jaw assembly; 210. First gripping jaw; 211. First gripping jaw cylinder; 22. Second gripping jaw assembly; 220. Second gripping jaw; 221. Second gripping jaw cylinder; 23. Insulating block; 24. Rubber pad; 25. Through-beam sensor;

[0036] 30. Press tray assembly; 31. First press tray assembly; 32. Second press tray assembly; 33. Guide assembly; 330. First guide shaft; 331. Second guide shaft; 332. Connector; 34. Insulating press plate; 40. Target cell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] In order to facilitate the subsequent description, before describing the specific structure of the PACK assembly line battery cell feeding structure, this application first combines Figure 1 A first direction (X), a second direction (Z), and a third direction (Y) are defined. The first direction is the length of the PACK assembly line's cell loading structure when it is normally positioned, such as the X direction; the second direction is the height of the PACK assembly line's cell loading structure when it is normally positioned, such as the Z direction; and the third direction is the width of the PACK assembly line's cell loading structure when it is normally positioned, such as the Y direction. In this application, the first direction (X), the second direction (Z), and the third direction (Y) are mutually perpendicular.

[0039] It can be understood that the mutual perpendicularity in this application is not absolute perpendicularity, and the approximate perpendicularity caused by processing errors and assembly errors (for example, the angle between two structural features is 89.9°) is also within the range of mutual perpendicularity in this application.

[0040] See also Figures 1 to 2 As shown, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of a PACK assembly line cell feeding structure provided by the present application is shown. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 A front view of an embodiment of a cell loading structure for a PACK assembly line provided by the present application is shown.

[0041] In some embodiments, the PACK assembly line cell loading structure includes: a frame 10 , a clamping jaw assembly 20 and a pressing tray assembly 30 .

[0042] The frame 10 is connected to an external lifting device, and is provided with a first rotating mechanism 11 and a second rotating mechanism 12 at intervals along the first direction; the clamping jaw assembly 20 includes a first clamping jaw assembly 21 connected to the first rotating mechanism 11 and a second clamping jaw assembly 22 connected to the second rotating mechanism 12, wherein the first clamping jaw assembly 21 is provided with a first clamping jaw 210 for clamping the target battery cell 40, and the second clamping jaw assembly 22 is provided with a second clamping jaw 220 for clamping the target battery cell 40; the pressure tray assembly 30 includes a first pressure tray assembly 31 and a second pressure tray assembly 32, and the first pressure tray assembly 31 and the second pressure tray assembly 32 are arranged at intervals on both sides of most frames 10 along the second direction.

[0043] In this embodiment, the frame 10 supports the first and second rotating mechanisms 11, 12, and the gripper assemblies 20 connected thereto, enabling them to serve as the load of an external lifting mechanism, driving the aforementioned structures to move. For example, this can move the first and second gripper 210, 220 gripping a target battery along a cell incoming line to a pack assembly line.

[0044] The first rotating mechanism 11 is connected to the first gripper assembly 21, so that after the first gripper 210 grasps the battery cell, it can rotate around the central axis of the rotating mechanism and transport the target battery cell 40. The second rotating mechanism 12 is connected to the second gripper assembly 22, so that after the second gripper 220 grasps the battery cell, it can also rotate around the central axis of the rotating mechanism to transport the target battery cell 40. In other words, the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220 can independently adjust the battery cell grasping angle and placement angle to ensure accuracy during transportation. In addition, the addition of the first pressure tray assembly 31 and the second pressure tray assembly 32 can press the tray where the target battery cell 40 is located, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell during transportation.

[0045] In some embodiments, the frame 10 is further provided with a first camera assembly 16 and a second camera assembly 17 spaced apart along the first direction, wherein the first camera assembly 16 and the second camera assembly 17 correspond one-to-one to the first fixture and the second fixture.

[0046] In an embodiment of the present application, a first camera assembly 16 and a second camera assembly 17 are provided for capturing images of the battery cells. Exemplarily, the first camera assembly 16 and the second camera assembly 17 can be combined with a visual inspection system to inspect the surface quality of the battery cells, such as whether the battery cells have defects such as cracks and deformations.

[0047] Combine Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 A schematic three-dimensional structure diagram of an embodiment of a first destacking mechanism 14 of a cell loading structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the present application is shown.

[0048] In some embodiments, the frame 10 is further provided with a first destacking mechanism 14 and a second destacking mechanism 15 on both sides along the first direction. The first destacking mechanism 14 and the second destacking mechanism 15 are provided with foam clamps 150 facing each other along the first direction.

[0049] In some application scenarios, the battery cells are loaded in foam boxes, and the first destacking mechanism 14 and the second destacking mechanism 15 can be used to transfer the external foam box. At the same time, the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220 located inside the first destacking mechanism 14 and the second destacking mechanism 15 can transfer the internal battery cells, thereby integrating multiple steps into the same device to improve the loading efficiency. For example, combined with Figure 3 As shown, the first destacking mechanism 14 and the second destacking mechanism 15 are provided with a slide cylinder to drive the foam clamping claw 150 to move along the first direction, wherein the foam clamping claw 150 is also provided with a plastic pad 24.

[0050] join Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 A schematic three-dimensional structure diagram of an embodiment of a first clamping jaw assembly 21 of a cell feeding structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the present application is shown.

[0051] In some embodiments, the jaw assembly 20 is equipped with multiple insulating blocks 23, which are respectively disposed within the first jaw 210 and the second jaw 220. These insulating blocks 23 are used to correspond to the electrodes of the target battery cells 40 being gripped by the first and second jaws 210, 220, thereby preventing the first and second jaws 210, 220 from contacting the electrodes of the battery cells when handling the battery cells. Exemplarily, the insulating blocks 23 are insulating sintered steel blocks, which are blocks of insulating material made of polyoxymethylene (POM). They combine the high strength, high rigidity, excellent wear resistance, and fatigue resistance of sintered steel with the electrical insulation properties of insulating materials.

[0052] In some embodiments, combined Figure 1 As shown, the clamp assembly 20 further includes a first clamp cylinder 211 and a second clamp cylinder 221 . The first clamp cylinder 211 is used to drive the first clamp 210 to clamp the target battery cell 40 ; the second clamp cylinder 221 is used to drive the second clamp 220 to clamp the target battery cell 40 .

[0053] In the embodiment of the present application, the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220 are driven respectively by the first clamping jaw cylinder 211 and the second clamping jaw cylinder 221, thereby realizing independent operation of the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220, wherein the use of cylinder drive can also provide sufficient bearing capacity for the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220.

[0054] In some embodiments, a rubber pad 24 is further provided on the inner side of the first clamp 210 and the second clamp 220 along the second direction. The rubber pad 24 is used to abut against the outer surface of the target battery cell 40 to prevent the first clamp 210 and the second clamp 220 from causing damage to the outer surface of the battery cell when clamping the battery cell.

[0055] In some embodiments, the clamping jaw assembly 20 further includes a plurality of through-beam sensors 25 , which are respectively disposed on the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220 .

[0056] In the embodiment of the present application, the beam sensor 25 refers to a non-contact sensor based on the photoelectric effect, including a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are respectively located on both sides of the first clamp 210 and the second clamp 220 to detect in real time whether the first clamp 210 and the second clamp 220 have clamped the battery cell.

[0057] Combine Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 A top view of an embodiment of a cell loading structure for a PACK assembly line provided by the present application is shown.

[0058] In some embodiments, the frame 10 is further equipped with a solenoid valve assembly, comprising multiple solenoid valves connected to various components (e.g., the first gripping assembly and the second gripping assembly), to facilitate overall control and testing during subsequent maintenance. Furthermore, the frame 10 is connected to an external lifting mechanism or robot using a robot connecting shaft 19.

[0059] See also Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 A top view of an embodiment of a tray assembly of a cell loading structure of a PACK assembly line provided by the present application is shown.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first press tray assembly 31 and the second press tray assembly 14 are respectively provided with a guide assembly 33 and an insulating press plate 34 . The guide assembly 33 is connected to the insulating press plate 34 and can drive the insulating press plate 34 to move along the third direction.

[0061] Furthermore, the guide assembly 33 includes a first guide shaft 330 and a second guide shaft 331 extending along the third direction, wherein a connecting member 332 is provided between the first guide shaft 330 and the second guide shaft 331 .

[0062] In this embodiment, the first guide shaft 330 is used to drive the insulating pressure plate 34 to move along the third direction. The second guide shaft 331 is a spring-loaded shaft that absorbs vibrations generated when the insulating pressure plate 34 contacts the incoming material tray, preventing damage to the battery cells. The connector 332 ensures structural stability between the first guide shaft 330 and the second guide shaft 331.

[0063] See also Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of a PACK assembly line cell feeding structure provided by the present application is shown. Figure 2 .

[0064] In some embodiments, the frame 10 further includes a guide rail 13 extending along the first direction. The guide rail 13 is provided with a sliding member 130 connected to the first rotating mechanism 11 , wherein the sliding member 130 can drive the first clamping jaw assembly 21 to move along the guide rail 13 .

[0065] In the embodiment of the present application, a sliding member 130 is provided to adjust the distance between the first clamping jaw assembly 21 and the second clamping jaw assembly 22, that is, the length space of the frame 10 along the first direction is effectively utilized to increase the operating range of the first clamping jaw 210, and when the scale of the battery cell is too large, the first clamping jaw 210 and the second clamping jaw 220 can also cooperate with each other to jointly clamp the same battery cell.

[0066] The above description is only an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A PACK assembly line battery cell feeding structure, characterized in that: include: A frame body, the frame body being connected to an external lifting device and having a first slewing mechanism and a second slewing mechanism spaced apart along a first direction; a jaw assembly, the jaw assembly comprising a first jaw assembly connected to the first rotary mechanism and a second jaw assembly connected to the second rotary mechanism, wherein the first jaw assembly is provided with a first jaw for clamping a target battery cell, and the second jaw assembly is provided with a second jaw for clamping the target battery cell; The press tray assembly includes a first press tray assembly and a second press tray assembly. The first press tray assembly and the second press tray assembly are spaced apart along the second direction on both sides of the plurality of frames.

2. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame further includes a guide rail extending along the first direction, and the guide rail is provided with a sliding member connected to the first rotating mechanism, wherein the sliding member can drive the first clamping jaw assembly to move along the guide rail.

3. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first pressing tray assembly and the second pressing tray assembly are respectively provided with a guide assembly and an insulating pressing plate. The guide assembly is connected to the insulating pressing plate and can drive the insulating pressing plate to move along the third direction.

4. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The guide assembly includes a first guide shaft and a second guide shaft extending along a third direction, wherein a connecting member is provided between the first guide shaft and the second guide shaft.

5. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame is further provided with a first destacking mechanism and a second destacking mechanism on both sides along the first direction. The first destacking mechanism and the second destacking mechanism are provided with foam clamps facing each other along the first direction.

6. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The clamping jaw assembly is provided with a plurality of insulating blocks, which are respectively arranged inside the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw and are used to correspond to the electrodes of the target battery cell clamped by the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw.

7. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The clamping jaw assembly further includes a first clamping jaw cylinder and a second clamping jaw cylinder, wherein the first clamping jaw cylinder is used to drive the first clamping jaw to clamp the target battery cell; the second clamping jaw cylinder is used to drive the second clamping jaw to clamp the target battery cell.

8. The PACK assembly line cell feeding structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Rubber pads are further provided on the inner sides of the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw along the second direction, and the rubber pads are used to abut against the outer surface of the target battery cell.

9. The battery cell feeding structure for a PACK assembly line according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The clamping jaw assembly further includes a plurality of through-beam sensors, which are respectively arranged on the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw.

10. The battery cell feeding structure of a PACK assembly line according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The frame is further provided with a first camera assembly and a second camera assembly at intervals along the first direction, wherein the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly correspond one-to-one to the first fixture and the second fixture.

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