Battery holding device and detection system

Abstract

This utility model relates to a battery holding device and a detection system. The holding device includes a base, a battery support assembly, and a composite motion mechanism for realizing the lifting and rotational movements of the battery. The composite motion mechanism includes a lifting shaft for lifting the battery along an axial direction and a rotating shaft for rotating the battery in a rotational direction. The rotating shaft is rotatably supported on the base via a first bearing arranged within the base. The lifting shaft and the rotating shaft are connected to each other such that the lifting shaft can rotate with the rotating shaft but can move independently along the axial direction relative to the rotating shaft. Using the holding device and detection system of this utility model, X-ray attenuation can be reduced, image quality can be improved, and battery detection can be achieved at a faster rate. Furthermore, the lifting and rotation of the battery can be achieved simultaneously through a single composite motion mechanism, resulting in a more compact and simple overall structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, and more specifically to a battery holding device and a detection system. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of new energy vehicles, battery technology is also developing rapidly. To ensure that battery performance meets standards, is safe and reliable, and adapts to different application scenarios, battery testing is a crucial aspect.

[0003] In existing technologies, especially for holding devices used with cylindrical batteries, cups made of plastic are often employed. Due to the high density and thickness of plastic, it significantly attenuates X-rays during X-ray non-destructive testing. In particular, in known solutions, the cup often overlaps with the battery, for example, at the bottom, to prevent the battery from falling during transport. However, this overlap undesirably creates blind spots, image distortion, and reduces image quality. Furthermore, this overlapping area can prevent the detection of foreign objects at the bottom of the battery, affecting detection accuracy.

[0004] Furthermore, to achieve battery rotation for inspection of the front, sides, or back of the battery, existing holding devices typically include a rotating mechanism for rotating the battery. However, in known solutions, an additional adjustment is often required to engage the rotating mechanism with the drive unit, which reduces the cycle time and consequently lowers production efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to propose an improved holding device and detection system for batteries, especially cylindrical batteries. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this utility model is to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems and / or other problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a battery holding device is provided, the holding device comprising a base, a battery support assembly, and a composite motion mechanism for realizing lifting and rotating movements of the battery. The composite motion mechanism includes a lifting shaft for lifting the battery along an axial direction and a rotating shaft for rotating the battery in a rotational direction, wherein the rotating shaft is rotatably supported on the base via a first bearing arranged within the base; the lifting shaft and the rotating shaft are connected to each other such that the lifting shaft can rotate with the rotating shaft to drive the battery to rotate, and can move relative to the rotating shaft along the axial direction to lift the battery.

[0008] In one embodiment, the support assembly includes a support housing made of carbon fiber material, within which a battery holder is disposed that is movable relative to the support housing along an axial direction, and the battery holder supports a battery.

[0009] In one embodiment, the battery bracket is fixedly held to the top of the lifting shaft, so that when the lifting shaft moves along the axial direction under the pushing action of the cylinder, it can drive the battery bracket and the battery to move together along the axial direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the rotating shaft is in the form of a hollow shaft, allowing the lifting shaft to be inserted through the rotating shaft; a guide is fixedly provided on the lifting shaft, and a guide groove extending along the axial direction is provided on the rotating shaft, the guide extending into the guide groove and sliding along the guide groove, so that the lifting shaft can move relative to the rotating shaft along the axial direction with the aid of the guide and can rotate with the rotating shaft at the same time.

[0011] In one embodiment, the battery has a magnetic housing, and a magnet is fixedly disposed at the top end of the lifting shaft. The magnet can interact with the magnetic housing to stably hold the battery and to drive the battery to rotate when the magnet rotates together with the rotating shaft and the lifting shaft.

[0012] In one embodiment, a second bearing is provided inside the rotating shaft, and the lifting shaft passes through the second bearing; wherein, the first bearing is a ball bearing, and the second bearing is a linear bearing.

[0013] In one embodiment, an adjusting nut is fixed on the rotating shaft, and the bearing housing is fixed to the adjusting nut, so that the rotating shaft can drive the adjusting nut and the bearing housing to rotate together.

[0014] In one embodiment, the holding device includes a plurality of support components corresponding to multiple battery packs and a plurality of rotating shafts rotatably supported on the base, with a transmission gear fixedly connected to each rotating shaft. The transmission gear is intended to mesh with a corresponding drive gear to drive the corresponding rotating shaft to rotate; the transmission gears on adjacent rotating shafts are offset from each other in the axial direction.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a testing system for batteries is provided, the testing system comprising at least one testing station and a holding device as described above, wherein a driving device is provided at the testing station for driving at least a portion of all rotating shafts included in the holding device.

[0016] In one embodiment, the drive device includes at least two motors, at least two drive gears actuated by the at least two motors respectively, and at least one intermediate gear meshing with at least one of the drive gears. The rotating shaft can be directly driven by the drive gears or indirectly driven by the drive gears via the intermediate gears. Adjacent drive gears are staggered from each other in the axial direction, so that at least two sets of batteries can be rotated simultaneously at the detection station using the drive device.

[0017] According to the present invention, the battery holding device and detection system have the following advantages: the bearing housing of the bearing component is made of carbon fiber, which reduces the attenuation of X-rays, improves image quality, and enhances detection accuracy; the holding device is equipped with a composite motion mechanism that enables rotational and lifting motions, which can meet specific application requirements and makes the overall structure more compact and simple; since no additional adjustment is required to achieve meshing between the transmission gear on the rotating shaft and the drive gear at the detection station, the battery can be detected at a faster cycle time, thus improving detection efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other features and advantages of this utility model will become more readily understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 A perspective view showing a battery holding device and a driving device at a detection station in an engaged state according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 A perspective view of a battery holding device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 3 Show Figure 2 A half-sectional view of the retaining device along its center plane; and

[0022] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 A side view showing the holding device and the drive device at the detection station in an engaged state. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to enable those skilled in the art to more fully understand and implement the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that implementations of the present invention may not include some of these specific details. Furthermore, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described. Rather, the present invention can be conceived to be implemented with any combination of the features and elements described below, regardless of whether they relate to different embodiments. Therefore, the following aspects, features, embodiments, and advantages are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as elements or limitations of the claims unless expressly set forth in the claims.

[0024] The terms "first" and "second" are used below to describe the elements of this application. These terms are used only to distinguish the individual elements and not to limit the nature, order, or number of these elements. The terms "comprising" and "having" are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and mean that there may be additional elements / components besides those listed.

[0025] Figure 1 This diagram shows a perspective view of a battery holding device 1 and a drive device 2 at the detection station of a detection system, according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, in an engaged state. During actual detection, when the holding device 1 is moved to the detection station, the transmission device (e.g., a transmission gear, described below) in the holding device 1 engages with the drive device 2 (e.g., a drive gear), thus eliminating the additional adjustment and engagement actions required in the prior art, reducing waiting time, and resulting in a faster cycle time and higher detection efficiency.

[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the drive unit 2 at the inspection station can drive two sets of batteries 3 simultaneously, thus further improving the inspection efficiency of the batteries. See also... Figure 1 The drive unit 2 includes two motors 21 and two drive gears 22 actuated by the two motors 21 respectively. Of course, it is conceivable that more drive gears can be set in the drive unit according to actual detection needs, so that more groups of batteries can be driven at the same time to achieve higher detection efficiency.

[0027] Next, we will continue to combine references. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The specific configuration of the holding device according to the embodiments of the present utility model will be described in detail.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the holding device 1 may include a fixed base 11, a support assembly for the battery 3, and a combined motion mechanism for realizing the lifting and rotational movements of the battery 3. Specifically, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the composite motion mechanism includes a lifting shaft 12 for lifting the battery 3 along the axial direction and a rotating shaft 13 for rotating the battery in the rotational direction. The rotating shaft 13 is rotatably supported on the base 11 via a first bearing 14 (e.g., a ball bearing) arranged within the base 11. Figure 3 As shown, the rotating shaft 13 is hollow, allowing the lifting shaft 12 to be inserted through it. A second bearing 15 (e.g., a linear bearing) is disposed within the rotating shaft 13, through which the lifting shaft 12 passes to allow axial movement of the lifting shaft 12 relative to the rotating shaft 13. See also... Figure 1 and Figure 2 A guide member 121 is fixedly mounted on the lifting shaft 12, and a guide groove 131 extending along the axial direction is provided on the rotating shaft 13. The guide member 121 extends into the guide groove 131 and can slide along the guide groove 131. Thus, the lifting shaft 12 and the rotating shaft 13 can be connected to each other such that the lifting shaft 12 can rotate with the rotating shaft 13 but can move relative to the rotating shaft 13 along the axial direction. Furthermore, by utilizing a structure combining linear bearings and ball bearings, synchronous control of the two movements can be achieved, and the two movements can also be made independent of each other.

[0029] It should be understood that utilizing a compound motion mechanism within the holding device to achieve the battery's lifting motion is highly advantageous for specific applications. For example, in actual testing processes, to adapt to different illumination angles of the testing light source (e.g., at the oblique imaging station in the applicant's novel testing system) so that the battery is within the more focused light spot range of the light source as much as possible, it is often necessary to adjust the battery's axial position. Therefore, the battery's lifting motion can meet this specific application requirement. The application of this multi-angle tomographic imaging proposed by the applicant significantly improves the sensitivity of detecting hidden defects (such as electrode misalignment, poor tab welding, and foreign particles), thereby improving testing accuracy.

[0030] See still Figure 2 and Figure 3The support assembly includes a support housing 16 made of carbon fiber, which significantly reduces X-ray attenuation and improves image quality compared to a cup housing made of plastic. A battery holder 17, movable relative to the support housing along its axial direction, is disposed within the support housing 16, and the battery holder 3 carries the battery. The battery holder 17 is fixedly held to the top end of the lifting shaft 12 (e.g., by interference fit), so that when the lifting shaft 12 moves along its axial direction under the action of a cylinder, it can move the battery holder 17 and the battery 3 together along the axial direction. See also... Figure 3 An adjusting nut 19 is fixed on the rotating shaft 13, and the bearing housing 16 is fixed to the adjusting nut 19, so that the rotating shaft 13 can also drive the adjusting nut 19 and the bearing housing 16 to rotate together.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, a magnet 18 is fixedly disposed at the top end of the lifting shaft 12. The magnet can interact with the magnetic casing (e.g., steel casing) of the battery 3, which ensures the battery remains stable during transportation. In addition, when the magnet 18 rotates together with the rotating shaft 13 and the lifting shaft 12, the magnetic attraction of the magnet 18 to the battery 3 can be used to drive the rotation of the battery.

[0032] By utilizing the magnetic attraction of magnets to the battery casing combined with the damping properties of the carbon fiber support casing, eddy current vibrations during battery rotation can be effectively suppressed. For example, when using a rare-earth permanent magnet array, a gradient magnetic field can be generated, allowing a battery with a steel casing to reach the vibration decay threshold (less than 0.005 mm / s) within 50 milliseconds, which is 80% faster than traditional mechanical clamping methods. Furthermore, the holding device according to this invention has a clamp change time of less than 0.3 seconds, which is a 92% reduction in waiting time compared to traditional pallet clamps.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the holding device 1 may include multiple support components corresponding to multiple battery packs 3 (e.g., eight battery packs shown in the figure) and corresponding multiple rotating shafts 13 rotatably supported on the base 11. A transmission gear 132 is fixedly connected to each rotating shaft 13, such that the transmission gear 132 can drive the corresponding rotating shaft 13, lifting shaft 12, and battery 3 to rotate together. Figure 1 As shown, the transmission gear 132 is designed to mesh with the drive gear 22 at the inspection station. The transmission gears 132 on adjacent rotating shafts 13 are offset from each other in the axial direction. For example, in... Figure 2As shown, all the transmission gears 132 on the rotating shafts 13 are arranged in an alternating pattern of high and low, which avoids positional interference between the individual transmission gears and ensures a more compact structure for the entire retaining device.

[0034] To accommodate the misaligned arrangement of the transmission gears in the holding device, the two drive gears 22 at the detection station of the detection system are also correspondingly misaligned in the axial direction (e.g., Figure 1 As shown, the two drive gears 22 are also arranged at different heights along the axial direction, so that the drive device 2 can simultaneously drive two adjacent sets of batteries at the detection station. For example, one of the drive gears 22 in the drive device can directly mesh with the transmission gear 132 on a rotating shaft 13 to drive the corresponding rotating shaft 13, and the other drive gear 22 can indirectly mesh with the transmission gear 132 on another rotating shaft 13 via an intermediate gear 23 to drive the corresponding rotating shaft 13.

[0035] During actual testing, the conveying device moves the holding device carrying the battery to at least one testing station of the testing system. At this time, the transmission gear on the selected rotating shaft of the holding device immediately meshes with the drive gear at the corresponding testing station (without additional engagement time). This drives the drive gear to rotate via a motor, which in turn drives the transmission gear, and consequently the rotating shaft, the housing, the battery holder, and the battery itself, thus satisfying the testing requirements for different parts of the battery at the same testing station. Furthermore, to accommodate the illumination angle of the testing light source at a specific station (e.g., a 45° angled testing angle), a cylinder can be used to push the lifting shaft, thereby lifting the battery holder and the battery to ensure the battery is in optimal testing condition. To make the lifting shaft movement smoother, a buffer spring 4 can be fitted on the outside of the lifting shaft 12. Figure 2 As shown. It should be understood that the achievable adaptive height adjustment range is 80-130 mm, and therefore the technical solution of this utility model can be extended to large-size cylindrical batteries such as 4680, 4695 and 46120.

[0036] According to the present invention, the battery holding device and detection system have the following advantages: the bearing housing of the bearing component is made of carbon fiber, which reduces the attenuation of X-rays, improves image quality, and enhances detection accuracy; the holding device is equipped with a compound motion mechanism that enables rotational and lifting motions, which can meet specific application requirements and makes the overall structure more compact and simple; since no additional adjustment is required to mesh the transmission gear on the rotating shaft with the drive gear at the detection station, the battery can be detected at a faster cycle time, thus improving detection efficiency.

[0037] It should be noted that the embodiments described above should be considered exemplary only, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. By considering the contents of this specification, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. The true scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery holding device, characterized in that, The holding device (1) includes a base (11), a support assembly for the battery (3), and a compound motion mechanism for realizing the lifting and rotational movements of the battery. The compound motion mechanism includes a lifting shaft (12) for lifting the battery along the axial direction and a rotating shaft (13) for rotating the battery along the rotational direction. The rotating shaft is rotatably supported on the base via a first bearing (14) arranged in the base. The lifting shaft and the rotating shaft are connected to each other such that the lifting shaft can rotate with the rotating shaft to drive the battery to rotate, and can move relative to the rotating shaft along the axial direction to lift the battery.

2. The holding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support assembly includes a support housing (16) made of carbon fiber material, and a battery bracket (17) that can move relative to the support housing along the axial direction is provided inside the support housing, and the battery bracket carries a battery (3).

3. The holding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The battery bracket (17) is fixedly held to the top of the lifting shaft (12), so that when the lifting shaft moves along the axial direction under the pushing action of the cylinder, it can drive the battery bracket (17) and the battery (3) to move together along the axial direction.

4. The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The rotating shaft (13) is in the form of a hollow shaft, so that the lifting shaft (12) can be inserted through the rotating shaft; a guide (121) is fixedly provided on the lifting shaft, and a guide groove (131) extending along the axial direction is provided on the rotating shaft. The guide extends into the guide groove and can slide along the guide groove, so that the lifting shaft can move relative to the rotating shaft along the axial direction with the aid of the guide and can rotate with the rotating shaft at the same time.

5. The holding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery (3) has a magnetic housing, and a magnet (18) is fixedly provided at the top of the lifting shaft (12). The magnet can interact with the magnetic housing to stabilize the battery and drive the battery to rotate when the magnet rotates with the lifting shaft.

6. The holding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A second bearing (15) is provided inside the rotating shaft (13), and the lifting shaft passes through the second bearing; wherein the first bearing is a ball bearing and the second bearing is a linear bearing.

7. The holding device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, An adjusting nut (19) is fixed on the rotating shaft (13), and the bearing housing (16) is fixed to the adjusting nut, so that the rotating shaft can drive the adjusting nut and the bearing housing to rotate together.

8. The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The holding device (1) includes a plurality of support components corresponding to the plurality of batteries (3) and a plurality of rotating shafts (13) rotatably supported on the base (11), with a transmission gear (132) fixedly connected to each rotating shaft, the transmission gear being designed to mesh with a corresponding drive gear (22) to drive the corresponding rotating shaft to rotate; the transmission gears on adjacent rotating shafts are offset from each other in the axial direction.

9. A detection system for batteries, characterized in that, The detection system includes at least one detection station and a holding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a driving device (2) is provided at the detection station, the driving device being used to drive at least a portion of all the rotating shafts included in the holding device.

10. The detection system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The drive device (2) includes at least two motors (21), at least two drive gears (22) actuated by the at least two motors respectively, and at least one intermediate gear (23) meshing with at least one of the drive gears. The rotating shaft can be directly driven by the drive gears or indirectly driven by the drive gears via the intermediate gears. Adjacent drive gears (22) are staggered from each other in the axial direction, so that at least two sets of batteries (3) can be rotated simultaneously using the drive device (2) at the detection station.

Images