Clamping mechanism

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, and particularly discloses a clamping mechanism which comprises a rack, a battery cell end part clamping assembly, an outer end plate clamping assembly, a battery cell side edge clamping assembly and a side plate clamping assembly, the battery cell end part clamping assembly, the outer end plate clamping assembly, the battery cell side edge clamping assembly and the side plate clamping assembly are respectively connected with the rack, and the battery cell end part clamping assembly and the battery cell side edge clamping assembly are used for jointly clamping a battery cell group; the battery cell end part clamping assembly is arranged between the two outer end plate clamping assemblies, and the battery cell end part clamping assembly is used for clamping an outer end plate; the battery cell side edge clamping assembly is arranged between the two side plate clamping assemblies, and the side plate clamping assemblies are used for clamping side plates. All the components are integrated, one-time grabbing feeding or discharging of a plurality of parts can be achieved at the same time, the machining and manufacturing efficiency of batteries is improved, meanwhile, the space occupied by equipment is reduced, and compatibility is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a clamping mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the cell stacking process of the new energy square shell module, the left end plate, right end plate, side plate and cell group need to be paired and assembled. Before assembly, the left end plate, right end plate, side plate and cell need to be transferred by a gripper mechanism. The traditional gripper mechanism can only transfer the middle end plate, left end plate, right end plate, side plate or cell group individually, which is inefficient and has great limitations in compatibility during production. It often requires multiple mechanisms to be set up to cooperate in loading or unloading, which does not occupy a lot of space and is difficult to meet the processing of different models of square shell modules. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is: how to solve the problems of low efficiency and poor compatibility in the existing technology.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a clamping mechanism having a first direction and a second direction that intersect each other, the clamping mechanism comprising:

[0005] frame;

[0006] A cell end clamping assembly is connected to the frame and is used to clamp the cell assembly on both sides in the second direction;

[0007] Two external end plate clamping assemblies are respectively connected to the frame. The two external end plate clamping assemblies are spaced apart along the second direction. The cell end clamping assembly is provided between the two external end plate clamping assemblies. The external end plate clamping assemblies are used to clamp the external end plates.

[0008] A cell side clamping assembly is connected to the frame, and the cell side clamping assembly is used to clamp the cell assembly on both sides in a first direction;

[0009] Two side plate clamping assemblies are respectively connected to the frame. The two side plate clamping assemblies are spaced apart along the first direction. The cell side clamping assembly is provided between the two side plate clamping assemblies. The side plate clamping assembly is used to clamp the side plate.

[0010] More preferably, the cell end clamping assembly includes a first end clamping unit and a second end clamping unit, the first end clamping unit and the second end clamping unit are respectively connected to the frame, the first end clamping unit and the second end clamping unit are spaced apart along the second direction, and the first end clamping unit and the second end clamping unit are used to adapt to the length of the cell group and clamp the cell group when they approach each other along the second direction.

[0011] More preferably, the first end clamping unit includes:

[0012] A first driving component, which is connected to the frame;

[0013] A lead screw is rotatably mounted on the frame, the lead screw extends along the second direction, and one end of the lead screw is connected to the output end of the first drive member;

[0014] The sliding assembly is slidably connected to the frame and is connected to the lead screw and the first gripper respectively. The first driving member drives the sliding assembly to move along the second direction through the lead screw, so as to move the first gripper.

[0015] More preferably, the first gripper is slidably connected to the frame, and the first end clamping unit further includes a second driving member. The second driving member is connected to the sliding assembly, and the output end of the second driving member is connected to the first gripper. The second driving member is used to drive the first gripper to move toward the second end clamping unit to clamp the battery cell assembly.

[0016] More preferably, the second end clamping unit includes:

[0017] Second gripper;

[0018] The third driving member is connected to the frame, and its output end is connected to the second gripper. The third driving member can drive the second gripper to move toward the first end clamping unit to clamp the battery cell assembly.

[0019] More preferably, the cell end clamping assembly has at least two components, and the at least two cell end clamping assemblies are spaced apart along the second direction;

[0020] The clamping mechanism further includes:

[0021] A mid-end plate clamping assembly is disposed on the frame, and the mid-end plate clamping assembly is located between two adjacent cell end clamping assemblies for clamping the mid-end plate.

[0022] More preferably, the outer end plate clamping assembly includes:

[0023] Two fourth grippers are movably connected to the frame, and the two fourth grippers are spaced apart along the first direction; and...

[0024] The fifth driving member is connected to the frame, and the output end of the fifth driving member is connected to one or two of the fourth grippers. The fifth driving member is used to drive the two fourth grippers to move towards each other along the first direction to grip the outer end plate.

[0025] More preferably, the cell side clamping assembly includes:

[0026] Two third grippers, the two third grippers being spaced apart along the first direction; and,

[0027] A fourth driving member is connected to the frame, and the output end of the fourth driving member is connected to one or two of the third grippers. The fourth driving member is used to drive the two third grippers to move towards each other along the first direction to clamp the battery cell assembly.

[0028] More preferably, the clamping mechanism has a third orientation;

[0029] The cell side clamping assembly also includes:

[0030] A pin member for connecting the frame and the third gripper in the third direction to restrict the movement of the third gripper in the first direction;

[0031] The third direction intersects with the first direction and the second direction, respectively.

[0032] More preferably, the clamping mechanism has a third orientation; the side plate clamping assembly includes:

[0033] The sixth drive unit is connected to the frame;

[0034] A bracket, connected to the output end of the sixth driving member, the sixth driving member capable of driving the bracket to move along the third direction; and...

[0035] At least two gripper cylinders are connected to the bracket, and the at least two gripper cylinders are spaced apart along the second direction. The gripper cylinders are used to grip the side plate.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the clamping mechanism provided by this utility model has the following advantages:

[0037] This invention features an outer end plate clamping assembly at both ends of a frame to hold the outer end plate, a cell end clamping assembly and a cell side clamping assembly to hold the cell from a second direction and a first direction respectively, and a side plate clamping assembly to hold the side plate. By integrating the cell end clamping assembly, outer end plate clamping assembly, cell side clamping assembly and side plate clamping assembly onto the frame, it can simultaneously perform one-time gripping and loading or unloading of the side plate, left end plate, right end plate and cell, improving the battery processing and manufacturing efficiency. At the same time, the integration reduces the space occupied by the equipment and lowers the equipment cost. Furthermore, this application can clamp the cell from the first direction and the second direction, and can be used to clamp different models of cells, with strong compatibility, and can meet the continuous production needs of 1A1B cell packs and other products on the same production line. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism described in this utility model.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism described in this utility model (without a protective cover).

[0040] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the clamping mechanism described in this utility model.

[0041] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a clamping mechanism described in this utility model.

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first end clamping unit of this utility model.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second end clamping unit of this utility model.

[0044] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the outer end plate clamping assembly described in this utility model.

[0045] Figure 8 This is a utility model Figure 4 The main view.

[0046] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell side clamping assembly described in this utility model.

[0047] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the pin component described in this utility model.

[0048] Figure 11 This is a structural schematic diagram of the side plate clamping assembly described in this utility model.

[0049] Figure 12This is an assembly diagram of the frame, the battery cell side clamping assembly, and the side plate clamping assembly described in this utility model.

[0050] Figure 13 This is a partial side view of a clamping mechanism described in this utility model.

[0051] Figure label:

[0052] 10. Frame; 11. Flange connector; 12. Protective cover;

[0053] 20. Cell end clamping assembly; 21. First end clamping unit; 211. First driving member; 212. Lead screw; 213. Sliding assembly; 213a. Lead screw slider; 213b. First slider; 213c. Connector; 214. First gripper; 215. First slide rail; 216. Second driving member; 217. Second slider; 22. Second end clamping unit; 221. Third driving member; 222. Second gripper;

[0054] 30. Battery cell side clamping assembly; 31. Fourth driving component; 32. Third gripper; 33. Pin component; 331. Cylinder; 332. Pin; 333. Limiting component;

[0055] 40. Outer end plate clamping assembly; 41. Second slide rail; 42. Third slider; 43. Fourth gripper; 44. Fifth drive component;

[0056] 50. Side plate clamping assembly; 51. Sixth drive component; 52. Bracket; 53. Gripper cylinder;

[0057] 60. Mid-end plate clamping assembly;

[0058] 100. Battery cell pack;

[0059] 200. Side panel;

[0060] 300. Outer end plate;

[0061] 400, Mid-range board. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this utility model, but are not intended to limit its scope.

[0063] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings are used only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0064] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0065] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0066] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0067] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0068] like Figures 1-13 As shown, this embodiment provides a clamping mechanism having a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z that intersect each other.

[0069] In some implementations, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect each other perpendicularly.

[0070] It should be noted that, taking power batteries as an example, a power battery pack is usually composed of a stack of cell packs 100, side plates 200, and outer end plates 300 (including left and right end plates). The purpose of this clamping mechanism is to enable the simultaneous gripping and loading or unloading of cell packs 100, side plates 200, and outer end plates 300 (including left and right end plates) in one operation, thereby improving the processing and manufacturing efficiency of the battery.

[0071] In a specific embodiment, the clamping mechanism includes a frame 10, a cell end clamping assembly 20, a cell side clamping assembly 30, an outer end plate clamping assembly 40, and a side plate clamping assembly 50. The cell end clamping assembly 20 is connected to the frame 10 and is used to clamp the cell assembly 100 on both sides in the second direction Y. Two outer end plate clamping assemblies 40 are provided, each connected to the frame 10, and are spaced apart along the second direction Y. A cell end clamping assembly 20 is provided between the two outer end plate clamping assemblies 40, and the outer end plate clamping assembly 40 is used to clamp the outer end plate 300. The cell side clamping assembly 30 is connected to the frame 10 and is used to clamp the cell assembly 100. On both sides of the first direction X; there are two side plate clamping assemblies 50, which are respectively connected to the frame 10. The two side plate clamping assemblies 50 are spaced apart along the first direction X. A cell side clamping assembly 30 is provided between the two side plate clamping assemblies 50. The side plate clamping assembly 50 is used to clamp the side plate 200. In this way, the cell end clamping assembly 20, the outer end plate clamping assembly 40, the cell side clamping assembly 30 and the side plate clamping assembly 50 are integrated on the frame 10. It can realize the simultaneous gripping and loading or unloading of the side plate 200, the outer end plate 300 (including the left end plate and the right end plate) and the cell group 100, thereby improving the battery processing and manufacturing efficiency. At the same time, the integration can reduce the space occupied by the equipment and reduce the equipment cost.

[0072] It should be noted that the cell pack 100 is composed of multiple individual cells stacked along the second direction Y.

[0073] In another embodiment, if the power battery pack is composed of stacked 1A1B cell groups, a middle end plate 400 is required between the two cell groups 100 (1A1B cells). Therefore, the clamping mechanism needs to simultaneously clamp and load the side plate 200, outer end plate 300 (including left and right end plates), two cell groups 100 (1A1B cells), and middle end plate 400 before stacking. For this purpose, the clamping mechanism also includes a middle end plate clamping assembly 60, which is disposed on the frame 10. At least two cell end clamping assemblies 20 are provided, spaced apart along the second direction Y. The middle end plate clamping assembly 60 is located between two adjacent cell end clamping assemblies 20 and is used to clamp the middle end plate 400. As can be seen, this embodiment integrates the mid-end plate clamping assembly 60, the cell end clamping assembly 20, the outer end plate clamping assembly 40, the cell side clamping assembly 30, and the side plate clamping assembly 50 onto the frame 10. This enables the simultaneous gripping and loading or unloading of the side plate 200, the outer end plate 300 (including the left and right end plates), the mid-end plate 400, and two sets of cell groups 100 (1A1B cells) in one operation, improving the battery processing and manufacturing efficiency. At the same time, the integration into one unit reduces the space occupied by the equipment and lowers the equipment cost.

[0074] In addition, this application can clamp the battery cell assembly 100 from the first direction X and the second direction Y, and can be used to clamp different models of battery cells. It has strong compatibility and can meet the continuous production needs of 1A1B battery cells and other products on the same production line.

[0075] In some embodiments, since it is necessary to simultaneously grip two sets of battery cell groups 100 (1A1B battery cells), to ensure the gripping balance and stability of the two sets of battery cell groups 100, two battery cell end clamping assemblies 20 are preferably provided. The two battery cell end clamping assemblies 20 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, and the two battery cell end clamping assemblies 20 are respectively located at both ends of the middle end plate clamping assembly 60. Each set of battery cell end clamping assemblies 20 includes a first end clamping unit 21 and a second end clamping unit 22. The first end clamping unit 21 and the second end clamping unit 22 are respectively connected to the frame 10. The first end clamping unit 21 and the second end clamping unit 22 are arranged at intervals in the second direction Y. Since each battery cell group 100 is composed of multiple battery cell units stacked along the second direction Y, the arrangement of the first end clamping unit 21 and the second end clamping unit 22 can flexibly adapt to the actual length of the battery cell group 100 and clamp the battery cell group 100 when they are close to each other along the second direction Y. This allows each battery cell end clamping assembly 20 to adapt to the stacking length of different battery cell groups 100 in the second direction Y, thereby satisfying the effective clamping and loading or unloading of battery cell groups 100 of different sizes.

[0076] Compared to the clamping method where one side of the clamping assembly is fixed and the other side moves to clamp, the first end clamping unit 21 and the second end clamping unit 22 of this application can move from both ends of the battery cell assembly 100 toward each other to achieve stable clamping of the battery cell assembly 100. The clamping is faster and more adaptable to battery cell assemblies 100 of different sizes, thus improving clamping efficiency.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the two cell end clamping assemblies 20 respectively clamp two sets of cell groups 100 (1A1B cells).

[0078] In some embodiments, the first end clamping unit 21 includes a first driving member 211, a lead screw 212, a first slide rail 215, a sliding assembly 213, and a first gripper 214. The first driving member 211 is connected to the frame 10. The lead screw 212 is rotatably mounted on the frame 10, extends along the second direction Y, and one end of the lead screw 212 is connected to the output end of the first driving member 211. The first slide rail 215 extends along the second direction Y and is disposed on the frame 10. Component 213 is connected to lead screw 212 and first slide rail 215 respectively. First drive member 211 drives sliding component 213 to move along first slide rail 215 through lead screw 212. First gripper 214 is connected to first slide rail 215 and sliding component 213. This enables first drive member 211 to drive first gripper 214 to move along first slide rail 215 to clamp or release battery cell assembly 100, thereby realizing loading or unloading of battery cell assembly 100.

[0079] In some embodiments, the sliding assembly 213 includes a lead screw slider 213a, a first slider 213b, and a connector 213c. The lead screw slider 213a is connected to the lead screw 212, the first driving member 211 can drive the lead screw slider 213a to move along the second direction Y, the first slider 213b is slidably connected to the first slide rail 215, and the connector 213c is used to connect the first slider 213b and the lead screw slider 213a. Thus, the connector 213c can restrict the rotational joint of the lead screw slider 213a, so that the lead screw slider 213a can only move along the second direction Y, thereby driving the first gripper 214 to move in the second direction Y.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the first driving component 211 is preferably a servo motor. By controlling the lead screw 212 through the servo motor, the movement accuracy of the lead screw slider 213a in the second direction Y can be precisely controlled. At the same time, the control method of using a servo motor and lead screw 212 can improve the movement stroke of the first gripper 214 in the second direction Y, thereby meeting the clamping requirements of different models of battery cell assembly 100, realizing rapid model changeover, and improving the processing efficiency of battery cell assembly 100.

[0081] In some embodiments, to further improve the clamping effect on the battery cell assembly 100, the first end clamping unit 21 further includes a second driving member 216 and a second slider 217; wherein, the second driving member 216 is connected to the first slider 213b; the second slider 217 is slidably connected to the first slide rail 215, the first gripper 214 is connected to the first slide rail 215 through the second slider 217, the output end of the second driving member 216 is connected to the first gripper 214, and the second driving member 216 can drive the first gripper 214 to move along the second direction Y toward the second end clamping unit 22. By adding the second driving member 216 and the second slider 217, the clamping effect is further improved. Block 217 can use the second driving member 216 to further drive the first gripper 214 to move along the second direction Y, thereby achieving the clamping of the battery cell assembly 100 by the first gripper 214; thus, when a change of model is required, the first driving member 211 can drive the first gripper 214 to move a larger range in the second direction Y, and then the second driving member 216 can drive the first gripper 214 to further clamp the battery cell assembly 100, thereby improving the flexibility and clamping firmness of the clamping mechanism, so that the clamping mechanism can adapt to the length of different battery cell assemblies 100, and thus be compatible with the effective clamping and loading or unloading of different models of battery cell assemblies 100.

[0082] In the above embodiments, the second driving member 216 is preferably a cylinder.

[0083] In some embodiments, the second end clamping unit 22 includes a third drive member 221 and a second gripper 222; wherein the third drive member 221 is connected to the frame 10, the second gripper 222 is movably connected to the frame 10, and the second gripper 222 is connected to the output end of the third drive member 221. The third drive member 221 is used to drive the second gripper 222 to move toward the first end clamping unit 21 along the second direction Y; thereby, when the first gripper 214 and the second gripper 222 approach each other in the second direction Y, effective clamping of the battery cell assembly 100 can be achieved in the second direction Y.

[0084] It should be noted that the way the second gripper 222 is movably connected to the frame 10 can refer to the slide rail + slider method used by the first gripper 214, and will not be described in detail here.

[0085] In other embodiments, to avoid mechanical friction between the first gripper 214 and the second gripper 222 and the battery cell assembly 100 during the clamping process, which could lead to damage to the battery cell assembly 100, a rubber pad can be provided on the side surface of the first gripper 214 and the second gripper 222 facing the battery cell assembly 100. The rubber pad can prevent damage to the battery cell assembly 100 while stably clamping it.

[0086] In some embodiments, to further improve the clamping stability of the battery cell assembly 100 during the clamping and transfer process, the battery cell side clamping assembly 30 includes a fourth driving member 31 and two third grippers 32; wherein, the two third grippers 32 are spaced apart along the first direction X, and the fourth driving member 31 is connected to the frame 10; specifically, the output end of the fourth driving member 31 is connected to one or two third grippers 32, and the fourth driving member 31 can drive the two third grippers 32 to move towards each other along the first direction X to clamp the battery cell assembly 100; thus, after the battery cell end clamping assembly 20 clamps the battery cell assembly 100 from the second direction Y, the battery cell side clamping assembly 30 clamps the battery cell assembly 100 from the first direction X, which can improve the clamping stability of the battery cell assembly 100 and prevent the battery cell assembly 100 from falling off during the transfer process.

[0087] In the above embodiments, if the output end of the fourth driving member 31 is connected to one third gripper 32, then the fourth driving member 31 is configured as two, and each fourth driving member 31 drives one third gripper 32 to move along the first direction X. At this time, the fourth driving member 31 can be a single-axis motor or a single-piston rod cylinder. If the output end of the fourth driving member 31 is connected to two third grippers 32, then the fourth driving member 31 is configured as one, that is, one fourth driving member 31 drives two third grippers 32 to move towards or away from each other along the first direction X. At this time, the fourth driving member 31 can be a dual-axis motor or a dual-piston rod cylinder.

[0088] In the above embodiments, a rubber pad can also be provided on the side surface of the third gripper 32 facing the battery cell assembly 100 to avoid mechanical friction between the third gripper 32 and the battery cell assembly 100, thereby ensuring the processing quality of the battery cell assembly 100.

[0089] In some embodiments, to prevent the battery cell assembly 100 from falling off during the transfer process, the battery cell side clamping assembly 30 also includes a pin member 33. The pin member 33 is used to connect the frame 10 and the third gripper 32 in the third direction Z to limit the movement of the third gripper 32 in the first direction X, thereby preventing the battery cell assembly 100 from falling off due to loosening of the third gripper 32 during the clamping process caused by power failure.

[0090] Specifically, the pin component 33 includes a cylinder 331, a pin 332, and a limiting member 333. The cylinder 331 is connected to the frame 10. The pin 332 is located at the output end of the cylinder 331. The limiting member 333 is located on the third gripper 32. The limiting member 333 has a limiting hole. The pin 332 and the limiting hole are arranged opposite each other in the third direction Z. The cylinder 331 can drive the pin 332 to insert or withdraw from the limiting hole in the third direction Z. When the third gripper 32 clamps the battery cell assembly 100, the cylinder 331 drives the pin 332 to insert into the limiting hole of the limiting member 333 in the third direction Z, thereby locking the third gripper 32 and ensuring that the third gripper 32 always stably clamps the battery cell assembly 100 in the first direction X. In the event of transfer or power failure, the battery cell assembly 100 will not fall and be damaged.

[0091] In some implementations, the third gripper 32 can also have a limiting hole directly provided, eliminating the need for the limiting member 333 and reducing costs.

[0092] In some embodiments, since it is necessary to simultaneously grip the outer endplates 300 (including the left endplate and the right endplate), two outer endplate clamping assemblies 40 are provided. The two outer endplate clamping assemblies 40 are spaced apart along the second direction Y and are respectively located at both ends of the frame 10. Specifically, each outer endplate clamping assembly 40 includes a fifth drive member 44 and two fourth grippers 43. The two fourth grippers 43 are spaced apart along the first direction X and are movably connected to the frame 10. The fifth drive member 44 is connected to the frame 10, and the output end of the fifth drive member 44 is connected to one or two fourth grippers 43. The fifth drive member 44 is used to drive the two fourth grippers 43 to move towards each other along the first direction X to clamp the outer endplates 300, thereby achieving stable clamping of the outer endplates 300.

[0093] In the above embodiments, if the output end of the fifth driving member 44 is connected to one fourth gripper 43, then the fifth driving member 44 is configured as two, and each fifth driving member 44 drives one fourth gripper 43 to move along the first direction X. At this time, the fifth driving member 44 can be a single-axis motor or a single-piston rod cylinder. If the output end of the fifth driving member 44 is connected to two fourth grippers 43, then the fifth driving member 44 is configured as one, that is, one fifth driving member 44 drives two fourth grippers 43 to move towards or away from each other along the first direction X. At this time, the fifth driving member 44 can be a dual-axis motor or a dual-piston rod cylinder.

[0094] In the above embodiments, in order to avoid mechanical friction between the fourth gripper 43 and the outer end plate 300, a rubber pad can also be provided on the side surface of the fourth gripper 43 facing the outer end plate 300.

[0095] In some embodiments, to ensure the balance and flexibility of the fourth gripper 43 in clamping the outer end plate 300, the outer end plate clamping assembly 40 further includes a second slide rail 41 and a third slider 42; wherein, the second slide rail 41 extends along the first direction X and is disposed on the frame 10, the third slider 42 is slidably disposed on the second slide rail 41, and the fourth gripper 43 is connected to the third slider 42; by setting the second slide rail 41 and the third slider 42, the balance and flexibility of the fourth gripper 43 in moving in the first direction X can be effectively improved.

[0096] In some embodiments, the side plate clamping assembly 50 includes a sixth drive member 51, a bracket 52, and a gripper cylinder 53; wherein, the sixth drive member 51 is connected to the frame 10, the bracket 52 is connected to the output end of the sixth drive member 51, the sixth drive member 51 can drive the bracket 52 to move along the third direction Z, the gripper cylinder 53 is connected to the bracket 52, and the gripper cylinder 53 is used to clamp the side plate 200, that is, the gripper cylinder 53 is driven by the sixth drive member 51 to rise or fall in the third direction Z, thereby realizing the synchronous loading or unloading of the side plate 200 and the cell assembly 100, realizing the one-time loading or unloading of the cell module, and improving the loading or unloading efficiency.

[0097] In some embodiments, to ensure the stability and balance of the side plate 200 clamping, at least two gripper cylinders 53 are provided, and the at least two gripper cylinders 53 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, so as to make the clamping of the side plate 200 more stable and not cause the side plate 200 to become unbalanced.

[0098] It should be noted that the term "at least two" means that the number of gripper cylinders 53 can be 2, 3, 4, ..., 7, 8, or even more, and can be reasonably arranged according to the actual length or weight of the side plate 200.

[0099] In some embodiments, since the side plate 200 is relatively thin, the gripper cylinder 53 is preferably a pneumatic gripper cylinder, which simplifies the structural design; in other embodiments, the gripper cylinder 53 can also grip the side plate 200 in the manner of the fourth gripper 43 in this embodiment.

[0100] In some embodiments, the clamping mechanism further includes an I / O remote module located on the frame 10. The I / O remote module is configured to collect data from the cell end clamping assembly 20, the cell side clamping assembly 30, the outer end plate clamping assembly 40, the side plate clamping assembly 50, and the middle end plate clamping assembly 60 and transmit it to a control center (such as a PLC) via wired or wireless means. It also transmits commands received from the control center to the aforementioned components for execution, thereby realizing a flexible data acquisition and control process to meet the needs of clamping different models of cells.

[0101] In some embodiments, the clamping mechanism further includes a flange connector 11, which is connected to the frame 10 and configured to connect to a robotic arm or robot. It should be noted that the robotic arm is preferably a six-axis robotic arm to improve flexibility and meet the transfer requirements of the clamping mechanism, such as the ability of the robotic arm to raise, lower, or rotate the clamping mechanism.

[0102] In other embodiments, the clamping mechanism may also be provided with a protective cover 12 on the frame 10 to provide dust and water protection for each component and avoid affecting the clamping accuracy.

[0103] The working process of this utility model is as follows: Please refer to... Figures 1 to 13 In the previous process, after the cell assembly 100, side plate 200, outer end plate 300, and middle end plate 400 are in place, a signal is sent to the robot. The robot drives the clamping mechanism to move directly above the cell assembly 100. The first drive member 211 drives the first gripper 214 to move along the second direction Y, so that the distance between the first gripper 214 and the second gripper 222 meets the clamping requirements of the cell assembly 100, thus achieving the changeover. Then, the second drive member 216 drives the first gripper 214 to move along the second direction Y to clamp the cell assembly 100, and the third drive member 221 drives the second gripper 222 to move along the second direction Y to clamp the cell assembly 100. That is, the first gripper 214 and the second gripper 222 move closer to each other in the second direction Y. Effective clamping of the battery cell assembly 100: After the battery cell end clamping assembly 20 clamps the battery cell assembly 100 from the second direction Y, the battery cell side clamping assembly 30 clamps the battery cell assembly 100 from the first direction X. This improves the stability of the clamping of the battery cell assembly 100 and prevents the battery cell assembly 100 from falling during the transfer process. After the third gripper 32 clamps the battery cell assembly 100, the cylinder 331 drives the pin 332 to insert into the limiting hole of the limiting member 333 along the third direction Z, thereby locking the third gripper 32 and ensuring that the third gripper 32 always stably clamps the battery cell assembly 100 in the first direction X. In the event of transfer or power failure, the battery cell assembly 100 will not fall and be damaged. Thus, the clamping of the battery cell assembly 100 is completed.

[0104] While clamping the battery cell assembly 100, the two fourth grippers 43 move closer along the first direction X to achieve stable clamping of the outer end plate 300; similarly, the middle end plate clamping assembly 60 can achieve stable clamping of the middle end plate 400; the sixth drive unit 51 drives the gripper cylinder 53 to descend in the third direction Z until the gripper cylinder 53 can clamp the side plate 200; thus, the side plate, left end plate, right end plate, middle end plate and battery cell assembly are picked up and loaded in one go, and transferred to the stacking assembly platform by the robot, or transferred from the stacking assembly platform to the next process.

[0105] In summary, this utility model embodiment provides a clamping mechanism that clamps a middle end plate 400 by providing a middle end plate clamping assembly 60 on the frame 10, clamps an outer end plate 300 by providing outer end plate clamping assemblies 40 at both ends of the frame 10, clamps a battery cell end clamping assembly 20 and a battery cell side clamping assembly 30 from the second direction Y and the first direction X respectively, and clamps a side plate clamping assembly 50 to clamp a side plate 200. Therefore, this application integrates the middle end plate clamping assembly 60 and the battery cell end clamping assembly 30... The component 20, the outer end plate clamping component 40, the cell side clamping component 30, and the side plate clamping component 50 are integrated on the frame 10, which can simultaneously realize the one-time gripping and loading or unloading of the side plate, left end plate, right end plate, middle end plate, and cell, improving the processing and manufacturing efficiency of the battery. At the same time, the integration can reduce the space occupied by the equipment and reduce the equipment cost. Furthermore, this application can clamp the cell group 100 from the first direction X and the second direction Y, and can be used to clamp different models of cells, with strong compatibility, and can meet the continuous production needs of 1A1B cells and other products on the same production line.

[0106] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of this utility model, and these improvements and substitutions should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model. The basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model have been shown and described above. For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that this utility model is not limited to the details of the above preferred embodiments. The embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Therefore, it is intended that all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included within this utility model.

[0107] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in the embodiments can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A clamping mechanism having intersecting first directions (X) and second directions (Y), characterized in that, The clamping mechanism includes: Rack (10); A cell end clamping assembly (20) is connected to the frame (10) and is used to clamp the cell assembly (100) on both sides in the second direction (Y). Two external end plate clamping assemblies (40) are respectively connected to the frame (10). The two external end plate clamping assemblies (40) are spaced apart along the second direction (Y). The cell end clamping assembly (20) is provided between the two external end plate clamping assemblies (40). The external end plate clamping assembly (40) is used to clamp the external end plate (300). A cell side clamping assembly (30) is connected to the frame (10) and is used to clamp the cell assembly (100) on both sides in the first direction (X). Two side plate clamping assemblies (50) are respectively connected to the frame (10). The two side plate clamping assemblies (50) are spaced apart along the first direction (X). The cell side clamping assembly (30) is provided between the two side plate clamping assemblies (50). The side plate clamping assembly (50) is used to clamp the side plate (200).

2. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cell end clamping assembly (20) includes a first end clamping unit (21) and a second end clamping unit (22). The first end clamping unit (21) and the second end clamping unit (22) are respectively connected to the frame (10). The first end clamping unit (21) and the second end clamping unit (22) are spaced apart along the second direction (Y). The first end clamping unit (21) and the second end clamping unit (22) are used to adapt to the length of the cell group (100) and clamp the cell group (100) when they approach each other along the second direction (Y).

3. The clamping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end clamping unit (21) includes: A first drive unit (211) is connected to the frame (10); A lead screw (212) is rotatably mounted on the frame (10), the lead screw (212) extends along the second direction (Y), and one end of the lead screw (212) is connected to the output end of the first drive member (211); The sliding assembly (213) and the first gripper (214) are slidably connected to the frame (10) and connected to the lead screw (212) and the first gripper (214) respectively. The first drive member (211) drives the sliding assembly (213) to move along the second direction (Y) through the lead screw (212) so that the first gripper (214) moves.

4. The clamping mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first gripper (214) is slidably connected to the frame (10). The first end clamping unit (21) further includes a second drive member (216). The second drive member (216) is connected to the sliding assembly (213), and the output end of the second drive member (216) is connected to the first gripper (214). The second drive member (216) is used to drive the first gripper (214) to move toward the second end clamping unit (22) to clamp the battery cell assembly (100).

5. The clamping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second end clamping unit (22) includes: Second gripper (222); The third drive unit (221) is connected to the frame (10), and the output end of the third drive unit (221) is connected to the second gripper (222). The third drive unit (221) can drive the second gripper (222) to move toward the first end clamping unit (21) to clamp the battery cell assembly (100).

6. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cell end clamping assembly (20) has at least two, and the at least two cell end clamping assemblies (20) are spaced apart along the second direction (Y); The clamping mechanism further includes: A mid-end plate clamping assembly (60) is disposed on the frame (10). The mid-end plate clamping assembly (60) is located between two adjacent cell end clamping assemblies (20) and is used to clamp the mid-end plate (400).

7. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer end plate clamping assembly (40) includes: Two fourth grippers (43) are movably connected to the frame (10), and the two fourth grippers (43) are spaced apart along the first direction (X); and, The fifth drive unit (44) is connected to the frame (10). The output end of the fifth drive unit (44) is connected to one or two of the fourth grippers (43). The fifth drive unit (44) is used to drive the two fourth grippers (43) to move towards each other along the first direction (X) to grip the outer end plate (300).

8. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cell side clamping assembly (30) includes: Two third grippers (32), the two third grippers (32) being spaced apart along the first direction (X); and, The fourth drive unit (31) is connected to the frame (10). The output end of the fourth drive unit (31) is connected to one or two of the third grippers (32). The fourth drive unit (31) is used to drive the two third grippers (32) to move towards each other along the first direction (X) to clamp the battery cell assembly (100).

9. The clamping mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism has a third orientation (Z); The cell side clamping assembly (30) also includes: A pin member (33) is used to connect the frame (10) and the third gripper (32) in the third direction (Z) to restrict the movement of the third gripper (32) in the first direction (X); The third direction (Z) intersects with the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y), respectively.

10. The clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism has a third orientation (Z); the side plate clamping assembly (50) includes: The sixth drive unit (51) is connected to the frame (10); A bracket (52) is connected to the output end of a sixth drive member (51), the sixth drive member (51) being capable of driving the bracket (52) to move along the third direction (Z); and, At least two gripper cylinders (53) are connected to the bracket (52), and the at least two gripper cylinders (53) are spaced apart along the second direction (Y). The gripper cylinders (53) are used to grip the side plate (200).

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