A soft-pack battery sorting mechanism

Abstract

This application relates to the field of battery sorting machine technology and discloses a soft-pack battery sorting mechanism, including a conveyor and a robotic arm mounted on a base plate and an upper surface. The robotic arm is positioned above the conveyor and is used to transfer the batteries. An electric push rod is installed at the working end of the robotic arm. This soft-pack battery sorting mechanism adjusts the distance between the auxiliary suction cup and the main suction cup through a bidirectional lead screw. Combined with the flexible connection of a rectangular corrugated tube, the adsorption area can dynamically expand or shrink according to the battery size. The main suction cup covers the core area of ​​the battery, while the auxiliary suction cup is simultaneously adjusted to the edge of the battery, forming a distributed adsorption layout. This ensures uniform distribution of adsorption force and effectively solves the problem of battery pack detachment or encapsulation film deformation caused by insufficient coverage area of ​​the fixed suction cup. It is especially suitable for the highly compatible sorting of large-size soft-pack batteries.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery sorting machine technology, specifically a soft-pack battery sorting mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Soft-pack lithium batteries use aluminum-plastic film as a flexible packaging material, which has advantages such as high energy density and strong morphological plasticity, and are widely used in consumer electronics, new energy vehicles and energy storage fields.

[0003] An existing patent (publication number: CN221714982U) discloses a soft-pack battery sorting machine, including a feeding mechanism. A first positioning mechanism is located at one end of the feeding mechanism, a testing mechanism at the end of the first positioning mechanism, and a second positioning mechanism at the other end of the testing mechanism. The first positioning mechanism, the testing mechanism, and the second positioning mechanism are connected by a battery transport mechanism. A cutting mechanism is located above the second positioning mechanism, a sorting conveyor belt is located on one side of the cutting mechanism, a discharging mechanism is located above the sorting conveyor belt, and a machine platform is located on the side of the sorting conveyor belt. The advantages of this invention are: 1. Multifunctional: cutting and testing / sorting are integrated; 2. High applicability: the center positioning method of the positioning mechanism can adapt to soft-pack batteries of various sizes; 3. Simple structure and strong compatibility; it can also be directly and quickly integrated with existing production lines, improving production line efficiency.

[0004] The aforementioned mechanism can adapt to various sizes of pouch batteries through the center positioning method of the positioning mechanism. After the test, the unloading mechanism moves above the second positioning mechanism, picks up the pouch battery, and transports it to the flat belt of the sorting conveyor. However, the unloading mechanism uses suction to adsorb the pouch battery. However, for batteries of different sizes, the adsorption area of ​​the fixed suction cup is difficult to completely cover the battery surface, resulting in uneven distribution of adsorption force. This can easily cause the battery pack to fall off or the encapsulation film to deform. In particular, the stability of large-size battery sorting is significantly reduced. Although the suction cup achieves basic adsorption, it lacks an effective support mechanism for the bottom of the battery. When the robotic arm accelerates or decelerates, the battery pack may tilt or slip due to inertia, resulting in reduced sorting accuracy or even equipment shutdown. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this application provides a soft-pack battery sorting mechanism that has advantages such as stable material feeding and solves the problems mentioned in the background technology.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: a soft-pack battery sorting mechanism, comprising a conveyor and a robotic arm mounted on a base plate and an upper surface, the robotic arm being positioned above the conveyor for transferring batteries, an electric push rod being mounted at the working end of the robotic arm, the electric push rod being perpendicular to the conveyor, a connecting frame being fixedly mounted at the output end of the electric push rod, a main suction cup being fixedly connected below the connecting frame, secondary suction cups being respectively provided at both ends of the main suction cup, a rectangular corrugated tube being provided between the two secondary suction cups and the main suction cup, each secondary suction cup being fixedly connected to the main suction cup through an adjacent rectangular corrugated tube, a set of distributed suction holes being provided at the bottom of each secondary suction cup and the main suction cup, the distance between the two secondary suction cups and the main suction cup being adjustable;

[0007] Each of the two auxiliary suction cups, located at opposite ends, is equipped with a support component for supporting the bottom of the battery pack.

[0008] Furthermore, a connecting pipe is fixedly connected to one side of the main suction cup, and the connecting pipe is connected to the air supply equipment through an external hose.

[0009] The above solution uses a gas supply device to precisely control the internal air pressure of the suction cup, enabling rapid adsorption and release. At the same time, the adsorption force can be adjusted to adapt to battery packs of different weights or materials, avoiding deformation of the battery pack due to excessive adsorption force.

[0010] Furthermore, a bidirectional lead screw is rotatably connected between the two inner sidewalls of the connecting frame, and an adjusting frame is threaded to both ends of the bidirectional lead screw. The two adjusting frames are horizontally slidably connected to the bottom of the connecting frame, and the bottom ends of the two adjusting frames are fixedly connected to the top of the adjacent auxiliary suction cups. One end of the bidirectional lead screw is fixedly connected to the output end of an external motor.

[0011] With the above scheme and settings, when the motor drives the bidirectional lead screw to rotate, the two adjustment brackets move synchronously in opposite directions along the lead screw axis, thereby precisely adjusting the distance between the auxiliary suction cup and the main suction cup, achieving rapid matching with the battery pack size, and improving the efficiency of automated adjustment.

[0012] Furthermore, the supporting assembly includes two shaft plates, which are fixedly connected to one end of the auxiliary suction cup. A rotating shaft is rotatably connected between the two shaft plates, and an arc-shaped claw is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the rotating shaft. The bottom end of the arc-shaped claw is set as a cylindrical structure.

[0013] With the above solution, by setting up the support component, when the secondary suction cup adsorbs the side of the battery pack, the arc-shaped claw can automatically fit into the bottom edge of the battery pack to form a secondary support, preventing the battery pack from falling when the adsorption fails, and providing redundant protection, especially during the transfer process of the robotic arm.

[0014] Furthermore, the bottom end of the arc-shaped claw is configured as a cylindrical structure.

[0015] The above solution, through the cylindrical structure, reduces frictional resistance with the bottom of the battery pack, avoiding localized stress concentration caused by hard contact, which could lead to scratches on the battery pack surface.

[0016] Furthermore, the bottom of both the auxiliary suction cup and the main suction cup is fixedly connected with rubber pads, and each rubber pad has a through hole with its adjacent suction holes on the same axis and of the same diameter.

[0017] The above solution increases the friction between the suction cup and the battery pack surface, preventing slippage during adsorption. At the same time, the alignment of the through hole and the adsorption hole ensures efficient air pressure transmission. The soft rubber can also adapt to slight unevenness on the battery pack surface, improving adsorption reliability.

[0018] Furthermore, a mounting frame is installed on the upper surface of the base plate, and a channel for battery transportation is provided between the inner top wall of the mounting frame and the upper surface of the conveyor belt.

[0019] With the above solution, the robotic arm is mounted on the upper surface of the mounting frame, providing a stable mounting reference for the robotic arm and ensuring the accuracy of the adsorption position.

[0020] Furthermore, the outer surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor is slidably connected with two limiting groove rings, and two adjusting plates are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the bottom plate. A bidirectional threaded rod is rotatably connected between the two adjusting plates. The bottom part of the two limiting groove rings is threadedly connected to both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod, and one end of the bidirectional threaded rod is fixedly connected to the external motor output end.

[0021] The above solution allows for adjustment of the distance between the two limiting groove rings. When the motor drives the bidirectional threaded rod to rotate, the two limiting groove rings move synchronously in opposite directions, thereby adapting to battery packs of different widths, preventing the battery packs from shifting laterally during transport, ensuring that they accurately enter the working range of the robotic arm, and improving the automation and fault tolerance of the sorting process.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] This soft-pack battery sorting mechanism uses a bidirectional screw to drive the adjustment of the distance between the auxiliary suction cup and the main suction cup. Combined with the flexible connection of the rectangular corrugated tube, the adsorption area can dynamically expand or shrink according to the battery size. The main suction cup covers the core area of ​​the battery, while the auxiliary suction cup is simultaneously adjusted to the edge of the battery, forming a distributed adsorption layout. This ensures that the adsorption force is evenly distributed, effectively solving the problem of battery pack detachment or encapsulation film deformation caused by insufficient coverage area of ​​the fixed suction cup. It is especially suitable for high-compatibility sorting of large-size soft-pack batteries.

[0024] The arc-shaped claw support component at the end of the auxiliary suction cup automatically fits into the bottom edge of the battery pack during the adsorption process, forming a support. When the robotic arm accelerates, decelerates, or encounters vibration, the support component can counteract the effect of inertial force on the battery pack, preventing it from tilting or slipping. The cylindrical bottom structure further reduces the frictional resistance with the bottom of the battery pack, avoiding scratches while ensuring smooth support movements.

[0025] The rubber pad at the bottom of the suction cup is aligned with the adsorption holes through distributed through holes, which not only ensures the efficiency of air pressure transmission, but also utilizes the deformation ability of soft rubber to adapt to the slight unevenness of the battery pack surface, thereby improving the adsorption reliability. Combined with the precise adjustment of the adsorption force by the air supply equipment, it can be used for battery packs of different weights or materials.

[0026] The bidirectional threaded rod driven limiting groove ring on the surface of the conveyor belt can quickly adjust the spacing to adapt to battery packs of different widths, prevent lateral deviation during transportation, and allow the sorting mechanism to directly connect to production lines of different specifications, reducing manual intervention and improving the fault tolerance and production efficiency of the automated process. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a front view of the overall structure of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the connecting frame in this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the main suction cup and the auxiliary suction cup of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the main suction cup and the auxiliary suction cup structure of this application.

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 1. Base plate; 2. Conveyor; 3. Robotic arm; 4. Electric actuator; 5. Connecting frame; 6. Main suction cup; 7. Auxiliary suction cup; 8. Rectangular corrugated pipe; 9. Adsorption hole;

[0035] 10. Support assembly; 1001. Shaft plate; 1002. Rotating shaft; 1003. Arc-shaped chuck;

[0036] 11. Connecting pipe; 12. Rubber pad; 13. Through hole; 14. Mounting bracket; 15. Limiting groove ring; 16. Adjusting plate; 17. Two-way threaded rod; 18. Two-way lead screw; 19. Adjusting bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 This embodiment of a soft-pack battery sorting mechanism includes a base plate 1 and a conveyor 2 and a robotic arm 3 mounted on the upper surface. The robotic arm 3 is positioned above the conveyor 2 for transferring batteries. An electric push rod 4 is mounted on the working end of the robotic arm 3, and the electric push rod 4 is perpendicular to the conveyor 2. A connecting frame 5 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the electric push rod 4. A main suction cup 6 is fixedly connected below the connecting frame 5. Secondary suction cups 7 are respectively provided at both ends of the main suction cup 6. A rectangular corrugated tube 8 is provided between each of the two secondary suction cups 7 and the main suction cup 6. Each auxiliary suction cup 7 is fixedly connected to the main suction cup 6 via an adjacent rectangular corrugated tube 8. Each auxiliary suction cup 7 and the main suction cup 6 has a set of distributed suction holes 9 at its bottom. The distance between the two auxiliary suction cups 7 and the main suction cup 6 can be adjusted. For larger battery packs, the suction position can be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the two auxiliary suction cups 7, ensuring that the main suction cup 6 and the auxiliary suction cups 7 cover different areas of the battery pack simultaneously, avoiding the battery pack from falling off due to insufficient suction area, and improving compatibility with battery packs of different specifications.

[0039] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 Both the auxiliary suction cup 7 and the main suction cup 6 are fixedly connected to a rubber pad 12 at their bottom. Each rubber pad 12 has a through hole 13 with its adjacent suction holes 9 on the same axis and the same diameter. The rubber pad 12 can increase the friction between the suction cup and the surface of the battery pack and prevent slippage during the adsorption process. At the same time, the through hole 13 is aligned with the adsorption hole 9 to ensure the air pressure transmission efficiency. The soft rubber can also adapt to the slight unevenness of the battery pack surface and improve the adsorption reliability.

[0040] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4Each of the two auxiliary suction cups 7 has a support component 10 at one end that is far apart from each other, which is used to support the bottom of the battery pack. With the above configuration, for larger battery packs, the support component 10 can provide auxiliary support from the bottom during the adsorption process, preventing the battery pack from tilting or slipping due to gravity or inertia. This is especially suitable for ensuring stability in high-speed sorting scenarios. One side of the main suction cup 6 is fixedly connected to a connecting pipe 11. The connecting pipe 11 is connected to an air supply device through an external hose. The air supply device can precisely control the air pressure inside the suction cup to achieve rapid adsorption and release. At the same time, the adsorption force can be adjusted to adapt to battery packs of different weights or materials, avoiding deformation of the battery pack due to excessive adsorption force.

[0041] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The support assembly 10 includes two shaft plates 1001, which are fixedly connected to one end of the auxiliary suction cup 7. A rotating shaft 1002 is rotatably connected between the two shaft plates 1001. An arc-shaped claw 1003 is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the rotating shaft 1002. The bottom end of the arc-shaped claw 1003 is set as a cylindrical structure. With the setting of the support assembly 10, when the auxiliary suction cup 7 adsorbs the side of the battery pack, the arc-shaped claw 1003 can automatically fit the bottom edge of the battery pack to form secondary support, preventing the battery pack from falling when the adsorption fails. It provides redundant protection, especially during the transfer process of the robotic arm 3. The bottom end of the arc-shaped claw 1003 is set as a cylindrical structure. The cylindrical structure reduces the frictional resistance with the bottom of the battery pack and avoids local stress concentration caused by hard contact, which could lead to scratches on the surface of the battery pack.

[0042] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 A bidirectional lead screw 18 is rotatably connected between the two inner sidewalls of the connecting frame 5. An adjusting bracket 19 is threaded to both ends of the bidirectional lead screw 18. The two adjusting brackets 19 are horizontally slidably connected to the bottom of the connecting frame 5. The bottom ends of the two adjusting brackets 19 are fixedly connected to the top of the adjacent auxiliary suction cup 7. One end of the bidirectional lead screw 18 is fixedly connected to the output end of an external motor. With the above configuration, when the motor drives the bidirectional lead screw 18 to rotate, the two adjusting brackets 19 move synchronously in opposite directions along the axis of the lead screw, thereby accurately adjusting the distance between the auxiliary suction cup 7 and the main suction cup 6, achieving rapid matching with the battery pack size, and improving the efficiency of automatic adjustment.

[0043] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3A mounting frame 14 is installed on the upper surface of the base plate 1. A channel for battery transport is provided between the inner top wall of the mounting frame 14 and the upper surface of the belt of the conveyor 2. The robotic arm 3 is installed on the upper surface of the mounting frame 14, providing a stable mounting reference for the robotic arm 3 and ensuring the accuracy of the adsorption position. Two limiting groove rings 15 are slidably connected to the outer surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor 2. Two adjusting plates 16 are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the base plate 1. A bidirectional threaded rod 17 is rotatably connected between the two adjusting plates 16. The bottom part of the two limiting groove rings 15 is threaded to both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod 17. One end of the bidirectional threaded rod 17 is fixedly connected to the external motor output end. Through the above settings, the distance between the two limiting groove rings 15 can be adjusted. When the motor drives the bidirectional threaded rod 17 to rotate, the two limiting groove rings 15 move synchronously in opposite directions, thereby adapting to battery packs of different widths, preventing the battery packs from shifting laterally during transport, ensuring that they accurately enter the working range of the robotic arm 3, and improving the automation and fault tolerance of the sorting process.

[0044] The working principle of the above embodiment is as follows: First, the working end of the robotic arm 3 is moved to above the product of the existing external inspection mechanism. The electric push rod 4 pushes the connecting frame 5 to descend vertically. The main suction cup 6 and the auxiliary suction cup 7 approach the surface of the battery pack simultaneously. The external motor drives the bidirectional lead screw 18 to rotate, which drives the two adjusting frames 19 to move synchronously along the lead screw axis, adjusting the distance between the auxiliary suction cup 7 and the main suction cup 6 so that the main suction cup 6 covers the core area in the middle of the battery pack, and the auxiliary suction cup 7 covers the two side edge areas, forming a distributed adsorption layout. The rectangular corrugated tube 8 between the main suction cup 6 and the auxiliary suction cup 7 automatically extends and retracts with the adjustment of the distance, ensuring that the adsorption hole 9 is always in contact with the surface of the battery pack, avoiding air leakage or uneven adsorption force due to changes in the distance. The air supply device draws air through the connecting pipe 11, and the main suction cup 6, auxiliary suction cup 7 and A negative pressure is formed inside the rectangular corrugated pipe 8, and the adsorption holes 9 tightly adsorb the surface of the battery pack. The rubber pad 12 is aligned with the adsorption holes 9 through the through holes 13. The deformation ability of the soft rubber adapts to the slight unevenness of the battery pack surface, improving the adsorption reliability. During the lifting stage, the external motor drives the arc-shaped claw 1003 to flip, so that it flips to the bottom edge of the battery pack. The cylindrical bottom structure reduces frictional resistance and forms secondary mechanical support to prevent the battery pack from tilting or slipping due to inertia or vibration during the transfer of the robotic arm 3. The electric push rod 4 retracts, and the suction cup lifts the battery pack vertically. The adsorption force and the supporting force work together to ensure that the battery pack remains horizontal during the transfer. The robotic arm 3 drives the battery and places it between the two limiting groove rings 15 of the conveyor 2 for transport to the next process.

[0045] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0046] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A soft package battery sorting mechanism, comprising a bottom plate (1) and an upper surface mounted conveyor (2) and a mechanical arm (3), characterized in that: The robotic arm (3) is positioned above the conveyor (2) and is used to transfer the battery. The working end of the robotic arm (3) is equipped with an electric push rod (4). The electric push rod (4) is set perpendicular to the conveyor (2). The output end of the electric push rod (4) is fixedly equipped with a connecting frame (5). The bottom of the connecting frame (5) is fixedly connected to a main suction cup (6). The two ends of the main suction cup (6) are respectively equipped with auxiliary suction cups (7). A rectangular corrugated tube (8) is set between the two auxiliary suction cups (7) and the main suction cup (6). Each auxiliary suction cup (7) is fixedly connected to the main suction cup (6) through the rectangular corrugated tube (8) adjacent to it. A set of distributed suction holes (9) are opened at the bottom of each auxiliary suction cup (7) and the main suction cup (6). The distance between the two auxiliary suction cups (7) and the main suction cup (6) can be adjusted. Each of the two auxiliary suction cups (7) is provided with a support component (10) for supporting the bottom of the battery pack at one end that is far apart from each other.

2. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 1, wherein: One side of the main suction cup (6) is fixedly connected to a connecting pipe (11), which is connected to the air supply equipment through an external hose.

3. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 1, wherein: A bidirectional lead screw (18) is rotatably connected between the two inner sidewalls of the connecting frame (5). An adjusting frame (19) is threaded to both ends of the bidirectional lead screw (18). The two adjusting frames (19) are horizontally slidably connected to the bottom of the connecting frame (5). The bottom ends of the two adjusting frames (19) are fixedly connected to the top of the adjacent auxiliary suction cup (7). One end of the bidirectional lead screw (18) is fixedly connected to the output end of an external motor.

4. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The supporting component (10) includes two shaft plates (1001), which are fixedly connected to one end of the auxiliary suction cup (7). A rotating shaft (1002) is rotatably connected between the two shaft plates (1001). An arc-shaped claw (1003) is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the rotating shaft (1002). The bottom end of the arc-shaped claw (1003) is set as a cylindrical structure.

5. A soft-pack battery sorting mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom end of the arc-shaped claw (1003) is set as a cylindrical structure.

6. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 4, wherein: The bottom of the auxiliary suction cup (7) and the main suction cup (6) are both fixedly connected with rubber pads (12), and each rubber pad (12) has a through hole (13) with its adjacent suction holes (9) on the same axis and the same diameter.

7. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 1, wherein: A mounting frame (14) is installed on the upper surface of the base plate (1). A channel for battery transportation is provided between the inner top wall of the mounting frame (14) and the upper surface of the belt of the conveyor (2). A robotic arm (3) is installed on the upper surface of the mounting frame (14).

8. The soft-pack battery sorting mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The outer surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor (2) is slidably connected with two limiting groove rings (15), and two adjusting plates (16) are fixedly installed on the upper surface of the base plate (1). A bidirectional threaded rod (17) is rotatably connected between the two adjusting plates (16). The bottom part of the two limiting groove rings (15) is threadedly connected to both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod (17), and one end of the bidirectional threaded rod (17) is fixedly connected to the motor output end of the outside.

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