Battery cell loading clamp

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of electric core production equipment, disclose a kind of electric core feeding clamp, for picking up the multiple electric cores arranged at preset interval interval on tray;The feeding clamp includes pedestal, and a plurality of side-by-side arrangement clamping mechanisms are provided on the pedestal, each clamping mechanism corresponds to an electric core, and at least a part of clamping mechanism reciprocates along the arrangement direction by drive mechanism;Visual positioning member and height measuring member are provided on the pedestal, to position the position of each clamping mechanism corresponding clamping electric core.The utility model can effectively improve the grasping positioning precision of clamp, avoid grasping failure and motion interference, to effectively guarantee production safety and stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of battery cell production equipment, and in particular relates to a battery cell feeding fixture. Background Technology

[0002] In the automated production process of lithium-ion batteries and other battery cells, the cell loading process is a crucial step connecting cell storage with subsequent assembly and testing. The core of its execution is the cell loading fixture. Currently, the commonly used ordinary cell loading fixtures in the industry, due to their limited functional design and insufficient structural optimization, are unable to meet the current production requirements of high precision, high safety, and high efficiency. They exhibit significant deficiencies, particularly in positioning accuracy, as detailed below: Existing fixtures typically only have basic clamping functions, relying on the physical constraints of the foam grids on the battery cells for passive positioning. However, dimensional tolerances and deformations exist in the foam grids during manufacturing and use, causing errors in the clamping position during actual operation. This reduces the success rate of gripping, leading to interference or even collisions between the fixture and the battery cells / pallets, causing equipment damage or battery cell damage. Consequently, production safety and stability are affected, resulting in reduced production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this utility model discloses a battery cell loading fixture, which can effectively improve the gripping and positioning accuracy of the fixture, avoid gripping failure and motion interference, thereby effectively ensuring production safety and stability.

[0004] The specific technical solution of this utility model is as follows: A battery cell loading fixture for picking up multiple battery cells arranged at preset intervals on a tray; The feeding fixture includes a base, on which a plurality of clamping mechanisms are arranged side by side, each clamping mechanism corresponding to a battery cell, and at least a portion of the clamping mechanisms reciprocate along the arrangement direction by a drive mechanism. The base is equipped with a visual positioning component and a height measuring component to locate the position of each clamping mechanism corresponding to the clamped battery cell.

[0005] This application enables simultaneous gripping of multiple battery cells, significantly improving loading efficiency. It is suitable for high-cycle production scenarios where battery cells are arranged at preset intervals on a tray, effectively matching the batch operation requirements of automated production lines. Furthermore, the clamping mechanism in this application has position adjustment capabilities, accommodating battery cell arrangement spacing of different specifications, thereby effectively expanding the application scenarios of the loading fixture. In addition, this application achieves accurate identification and coordinate compensation of each battery cell position through a combination of visual positioning and height detection, overcoming positioning errors caused by foam grid size deviations, thereby improving the gripping success rate, avoiding collisions between the fixture and the battery cells and trays, and ensuring the safety of the equipment and products.

[0006] Preferably, the number of clamping mechanisms is odd, and the multiple clamping mechanisms are configured as clamping group one, intermediate clamping mechanism, and clamping group two; or, the number of clamping mechanisms is even, and the multiple clamping mechanisms are configured as clamping group one and clamping group two. The intermediate clamping mechanism is fixedly connected to the base, and the clamping group one, clamping group two, and base are slidably connected; the number of clamping mechanisms in clamping group one is the same as the number of clamping mechanisms in clamping group two, and there is relative movement between clamping group one and clamping group two in the arrangement direction.

[0007] This application adopts a symmetrical group layout to achieve linkage between the first and second clamping groups on both sides. This helps to maintain the mechanical balance and motion stability of the entire feeding fixture during the clamping process, prevents cell position deviation caused by unilateral offset, and further improves the consistency of gripping and positioning.

[0008] Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a lead screw and a motor, with both ends of the lead screw rotatably connected to the base, and the lead screw and the motor being connected in a transmission connection; The lead screw is provided with a first threaded section and a second threaded section, the first threaded section and the second threaded section have opposite directions, the first threaded section is threadedly connected to the first clamping assembly, and the second threaded section is threadedly connected to the second clamping assembly.

[0009] This application uses a lead screw to drive two sets of clamping groups to achieve opposite or backward movement. The structure is compact and the transmission accuracy is high, ensuring that the clamping groups on both sides move synchronously, effectively avoiding the deviation or jamming of the battery cell due to asynchrony.

[0010] Preferably, at least two drive mechanisms are arranged perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the clamping mechanisms.

[0011] The arrangement of multiple drive mechanisms can enhance the rigidity of the overall structure, share the load, and prevent motion jitter or positioning drift caused by cantilever effect. As a result, this application is also applicable to working conditions with large spans and multiple cells being fed at the same time. Such working conditions require bearing a large weight, so this structure can further improve structural stability and motion stability.

[0012] Preferably, the lead screw has a segmented structure, including a first screw body and a second screw body, wherein the first screw body is connected to the second screw body via a coupling. The first lever body is provided with a threaded section one, and the second lever body is provided with a threaded section two.

[0013] The segmented structure of the lead screw facilitates processing, transportation, and assembly, while also enabling modular maintenance. The coupling connection can compensate for alignment errors within a certain range, improve the reliability of the feeding fixture, and effectively reduce the installation accuracy requirements.

[0014] Preferably, the clamping mechanism includes a self-locking cylinder and a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw detachably connected to the self-locking cylinder. The self-locking cylinder drives the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw to move relative to each other in order to clamp or release the battery cell. The base is equipped with a detection element for detecting whether there is a battery cell to be clamped at the current location of the clamping mechanism.

[0015] The self-locking cylinder can maintain clamping force in the event of a power outage, preventing the battery cell from falling off due to accidental power failure or air supply failure, thus improving safety and system reliability. Since the first and second grippers can be detachably connected to the self-locking cylinder, they can be quickly replaced according to the battery cell size, improving the adaptability and maintenance convenience of the fixture. The detection component can effectively prevent the clamping mechanism from gripping empty.

[0016] Preferably, the base is also provided with a diffuse reflection sensor for monitoring whether the battery cell has detached from the clamping mechanism; And / or, the base is also provided with a position sensor for monitoring the position of the clamping mechanism.

[0017] The diffuse reflection sensor can detect whether the battery cell is in place, preventing the clamping mechanism from missing or causing abnormal material handling; the position sensor can realize the actual displacement of the clamping mechanism and determine whether there is a positional deviation, thereby further improving the motion accuracy.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes an alarm, which is communicatively connected to a diffuse reflection sensor and / or a position sensor.

[0019] When the clamping mechanism is detected to have missed a gripper or to have abnormal material feeding, and / or to have its position deviated, the alarm will be triggered, allowing staff to handle the situation promptly and reducing downtime and material loss.

[0020] Preferably, the first gripper and the second gripper are provided with an anti-slip layer.

[0021] The protective layer can increase the friction between the first and second grippers and the surface of the battery cell, preventing the battery cell from slipping or loosening during the transfer process and ensuring the stability of the battery cell transfer process.

[0022] Preferably, the base is provided with a top support component, which is a telescopic mechanism used to support the tray.

[0023] The battery cells are placed in the placement slots of the tray. Therefore, there may be a lot of friction between the battery cells and the placement slots. As a result, when the loading clamp is lifted, the tray may tilt or even tip over. After setting up the top support component, the tray can be positioned when clamping the battery cells, ensuring the original posture of the tray, thereby better meeting the battery cell gripping requirements and effectively ensuring the safety of transportation.

[0024] Compared with existing technologies, this utility model addresses the technical defects of existing clamps that rely on passive positioning with foam grids, resulting in large grasping coordinate errors and high collision risks. It introduces visual positioning and height compensation, and combines them with an adjustable clamping mechanism spacing design, fundamentally eliminating positioning errors and collision risks, while achieving excellent compatibility and operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view; Figure 3 for Figure 1 The front view; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a tray.

[0026] In the diagram: 1-Battery cell; 2-Tray; 3-Base; 4-Clamping mechanism; 5-Vision positioning component; 6-Height measuring component; 7-Matching part; 8-Clamping assembly one; 9-Clamping assembly two; 10-Lead screw; 11-Motor; 12-Slider; 13-Slide rail; 14-Lever body one; 15-Lever body two; 16-Coupling; 17-Self-locking cylinder; 18-Gripper one; 19-Gripper two; 20-Positioning pin; 21-Quick release bolt; 22-Detection component; 23-Anti-slip layer; 24-Diffuse reflection sensor; 25-Top support component; 26-Placement slot. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0028] like Figures 1-5 As shown, a battery cell loading fixture is used to pick up multiple battery cells 1 arranged at preset intervals on a tray 2. The loading fixture includes a base 3, on which a plurality of clamping mechanisms 4 are arranged side by side, each clamping mechanism 4 corresponding to a battery cell 1. At least a portion of the clamping mechanisms 4 reciprocate along the arrangement direction by a drive mechanism. The base 3 is provided with a visual positioning component 5 and a height measuring component 6 to locate the position of each clamping mechanism 4 corresponding to the clamped battery cell 1.

[0029] In this embodiment, the base 3 is provided with a mating part 7, which can be connected to an external transfer mechanism. The external transfer mechanism can drive the overall battery cell 1 to move synchronously during loading. In this embodiment, the battery cells 1 on the tray 2 are stacked at intervals in a cubic array in three-dimensional space. The loading clamp picks up a certain row of battery cells 1 at a time. In this embodiment, a controller is provided, which can be a PLC or a computer host, etc. The controller can drive the various moving parts and process the data. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the visual positioning component 5 is a camera, and the height measuring component 6 is a distance sensor.

[0030] Therefore, as a usage method, after the production line starts, the controller performs self-checks on the vision positioning component 5 and the height measuring component 6 to ensure that each component is normal; the clamping mechanism 4 is also reset to its initial position through the drive mechanism. The battery cell 1 receiving tray 2 first moves to the gripping station of the loading fixture. During this process, the vision positioning component 5 takes pictures of the coordinates of multiple battery cells 1 in the tray 2 and feeds back to the controller to generate coordinate compensation data. The height measuring component 6 measures the top surface height of each battery cell 1 in turn and feeds back to the controller to generate height compensation data. Therefore, the controller can control the operation of the external transfer mechanism based on these two sets of data, so that each clamping mechanism 4 can correspond to the battery cell 1 matched by that clamping mechanism 4, thereby realizing a one-to-one corresponding gripping action. After forming multiple sets of mutually cooperating clamping mechanisms 4 and battery cells 1, the relative positions of the clamping mechanisms 4 and battery cells 1 may be consistent or inconsistent, but both can meet the requirements for stable transfer of battery cells 1. It can be seen that this embodiment can avoid setting up a telescopic mechanism, effectively maintaining the miniaturization, lightweight, and low cost of the loading mechanism.

[0031] like Figures 1-3As shown, in this embodiment, the number of clamping mechanisms 4 is odd, and the multiple clamping mechanisms 4 are configured as clamping group one 8, intermediate clamping mechanism 4, and clamping group two 9. The intermediate clamping mechanism 4 is fixedly connected to the base 3, and clamping group one 8, clamping group two 9, and base 3 are slidably connected. The number of clamping mechanisms 4 in clamping group one 8 is the same as the number of clamping mechanisms 4 in clamping group two 9, and there is relative movement between clamping group one 8 and clamping group two 9 in the arrangement direction. In this embodiment, clamping group one 8 and clamping group two 9 have opposite directions of movement during the operation of the driving mechanism, thereby maintaining the overall balance of the entire loading fixture. Furthermore, the drive mechanism includes a lead screw 10 and a motor 11. The two ends of the lead screw 10 are rotatably connected to the base 3, and the lead screw 10 and motor 11 are connected in a transmission connection. The lead screw 10 is provided with a first threaded section and a second threaded section, with opposite thread directions. The first threaded section is threadedly connected to a first clamping assembly 8, and the second threaded section is threadedly connected to a second clamping assembly 9. This structure is simple, practical, and has high transmission efficiency. Furthermore, at least two drive mechanisms are arranged perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the clamping mechanisms 4. If the arrangement direction of the clamping mechanisms 4 is a first direction, then the arrangement direction of the drive mechanisms is a second direction, with the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. This further improves the transfer stability between the clamping mechanisms 4 and the base 3 and further avoids deviation of the transfer path.

[0032] In this embodiment, the clamping mechanism 4, which is movably arranged on the base 3, is slidably connected to the base 3 through the slide rail 13 and the slider 12. Specifically, the clamping mechanism 4 is provided with the slider 12, and the base 3 is provided with the slide rail 13 along the arrangement direction of the clamping mechanism 4. Thus, through the sliding cooperation of the slider 12 and the slide rail 13, the movable clamping mechanism 4 has a stable movement capability.

[0033] In some embodiments of this example, the number of clamping mechanisms 4 is even, and multiple clamping mechanisms 4 are configured as clamping group one 8 and clamping group two 9. In this case, it is equivalent to the above embodiment with one less intermediate clamping mechanism 4 fixedly connected to the base 3. The usage principle of this embodiment is the same as that of this embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, to reduce alignment errors, the lead screw 10 has a segmented structure, including a first screw body 14 and a second screw body 15. The first screw body 14 is connected to the second screw body 15 via a coupling 16. The first screw body 14 is provided with a first threaded section, and the second screw body 15 is provided with a second threaded section. The structure is simple and easy to assemble.

[0035] like Figure 4As shown, specifically in this embodiment, the clamping mechanism 4 includes a self-locking cylinder 17, and two grippers 18 and 19 detachably connected to the self-locking cylinder 17. The self-locking cylinder 17 drives the grippers 18 and 19 to move relative to each other to clamp or release the battery cell 1. If a common general-purpose cylinder is used as the driving force, the clamping force output is small, and the cylinder does not have a self-locking function when the air supply is cut off. When producing heavy battery cells 1, the clamping force may not be able to match the weight of the battery cell 1. At this time, the battery cell 1 is prone to loosening or even falling off. The falling of the battery cell 1 not only causes material loss, but may also cause the production line to stop, increasing the production risk. Therefore, the self-locking cylinder 17 can effectively avoid the above risks. Since gripper 18 and gripper 29 are detachably connected to the self-locking cylinder 17, they meet the requirements of modular design. Their structure and dimensions can be replaced according to actual needs, satisfying the production requirements of different manufacturers and models of battery cells 1. In other words, when the production line switches to different specifications or manufacturers of battery cells 1, there is no need to replace the entire clamping mechanism 4, thus saving replacement time and reducing the storage cost of gripper spare parts. To better achieve quick release, gripper 18 and gripper 29 are both connected to the pneumatic part of the self-locking cylinder 17 via a quick-release mechanism; the quick-release mechanism includes a positioning pin 20 and a quick-release bolt 21. The combination of positioning pin 20 and quick-release bolt 21 allows for quick installation, positioning, and disassembly of gripper 18 and gripper 29, effectively shortening the assembly and disassembly time.

[0036] In this embodiment, the base 3 is equipped with a detection element 22 for detecting whether there is a battery cell 1 to be clamped at the current position of the clamping mechanism 4. The detection element 22 can be a photoelectric sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. Since multiple battery cells 1 are arranged in a three-dimensional array on the tray 2, in each planar layer, the battery cells 1 are arranged in a rectangular array, so that the battery cells 1 in each column or row are arranged in a straight line, and the preset number of each column or row is fixed. Based on this structural feature, if the detection element 22 detects that there is a missing battery cell 1 in a certain column or row, the loading fixture can prioritize grabbing the battery cells 1 in other complete columns or rows that meet the preset number, thereby realizing adaptive scheduling for the missing battery cells 1, avoiding the interruption of the overall operation due to local material shortage, and effectively ensuring the continuity of the loading process and the stability of the production cycle; during the transfer of battery cells 1, the missing battery cells 1 can be replenished, and then the returned loading fixture can be used for clamping and transfer.

[0037] Therefore, as a usage method, during the clamping stage of the battery cell 1, the controller drives the motor 11 to operate based on the data fed back by the visual positioning component 5 and the height measuring component 6. The motor 11 drives the lead screw transmission, causing the clamping mechanism 4 to move directly above the target battery cell 1. Then, the self-locking cylinder 17 outputs clamping force to clamp the battery cell 1. To better improve clamping stability, the first gripper 18 and the second gripper 19 are provided with an anti-slip layer 23. Typically, the anti-slip layer 23 is a highly wear-resistant anti-slip silicone pad, which increases the friction between the first gripper 18, the second gripper 19 and the battery cell 1, preventing the battery cell 1 from sliding.

[0038] In existing technologies, the clamping mechanism 4 lacks both cell 1 position detection and clamping mechanism 4 position detection. On one hand, if the cell 1 accidentally falls during gripping or loading, manual inspection is required, potentially delaying the response. On the other hand, if the clamping mechanism 4 as a whole, or the grippers 18 and / or 19 within it, experiences positional shifts due to long-term use (e.g., wear on transmission components), the shifted portion can continuously cause collisions, mis-gripping, and other problems, resulting in extremely low safety. Therefore, in this embodiment, the base 3 is also equipped with a diffuse reflection sensor 24 to monitor whether the cell 1 has detached from the clamping mechanism 4; the base 3 is also equipped with a position sensor (not shown in the figure) to monitor the position of the clamping mechanism 4. Furthermore, an alarm is also included, which is communicatively connected to the diffuse reflection sensor 24 and / or the position sensor.

[0039] Therefore, as a usage method, during the clamping and feeding of battery cell 1, after battery cell 1 is clamped, the diffuse reflection sensor 24 detects in real time whether battery cell 1 exists between gripper 18 and gripper 19. If battery cell 1 is not detected, it means that battery cell 1 has fallen. In this case, the diffuse reflection sensor 24 immediately sends a signal to the controller, triggering the audible and visual alarm of the alarm device, and the production line stops running, awaiting manual intervention. At the same time, the position sensor monitors the position coordinates of the clamping mechanism 4 in real time. If the position shifts due to wear or loosening of components caused by transmission, the position sensor immediately sends an alarm signal to the controller, thereby triggering the audible and visual alarm of the alarm device, and the production line stops running, awaiting manual intervention. If the detection is normal in the above process, the clamping mechanism 4 opens after reaching the feeding station, completing the feeding of battery cell 1.

[0040] like Figures 1-3As shown, in this embodiment, a top support component 25 is provided on the base 3. The top support component 25 is a telescopic mechanism used to support the tray 2. The top support component 25 can extend and retract in the vertical direction; in other words, its direction of movement is in the third direction, and the first, second, and third directions are perpendicular to each other. After the clamping mechanism 4 clamps the battery cell 1, the top support component 25 extends and acts on the tray 2. With the action of the external transfer mechanism, the tray 2 maintains a preset posture, thereby making it safer and easier to remove the battery cell 1 from the placement slot 26 of the tray 2. To simplify the installation mechanism, the detection element 22 can be set on the top support component 25.

[0041] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be noted that the above preferred embodiments should not be considered as limitations on this utility model, and the scope of protection of this utility model should be determined by the scope defined in the claims. For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A battery cell loading fixture, characterized in that, Used to pick up multiple cells (1) arranged at preset intervals on a tray (2); The feeding fixture includes a base (3), on which a plurality of clamping mechanisms (4) are arranged side by side. Each clamping mechanism (4) corresponds to a battery cell (1), and at least a portion of the clamping mechanisms (4) reciprocate along the arrangement direction by a drive mechanism. The base (3) is provided with a visual positioning component (5) and a height measuring component (6) to locate the position of each clamping mechanism (4) corresponding to the clamping cell (1).

2. The battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of clamping mechanisms (4) is odd, and multiple clamping mechanisms (4) are configured as clamping group one (8), intermediate clamping mechanism (4), and clamping group two (9); or, the number of clamping mechanisms (4) is even, and multiple clamping mechanisms (4) are configured as clamping group one (8) and clamping group two (9). The intermediate clamping mechanism (4) and the base (3) are fixedly connected, and the clamping group one (8), the clamping group two (9) and the base (3) are slidably connected; the number of clamping mechanisms (4) in the clamping group one (8) is the same as the number of clamping mechanisms (4) in the clamping group two (9), and the clamping group one (8) and the clamping group two (9) have relative movement in the arrangement direction.

3. The battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a lead screw (10) and a motor (11). The two ends of the lead screw (10) are rotatably connected to the base (3), and the lead screw (10) and the motor (11) are connected in transmission. The lead screw (10) is provided with a first thread section and a second thread section. The first thread section and the second thread section have opposite directions. The first thread section is threaded to the first clamping assembly (8), and the second thread section is threaded to the second clamping assembly (9).

4. The battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 3, characterized in that, At least two drive mechanisms are arranged perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the clamping mechanism (4).

5. A battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The lead screw (10) has a segmented structure, including a first screw body (14) and a second screw body (15). The first screw body (14) is connected to the second screw body (15) through a coupling (16). Among them, the first bar body (14) is provided with a threaded section one, and the second bar body (15) is provided with a threaded section two.

6. A battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism (4) includes a self-locking cylinder (17) and a first clamp (18) and a second clamp (19) detachably connected to the self-locking cylinder (17). The self-locking cylinder (17) drives the first clamp (18) and the second clamp (19) to move relative to each other to clamp the battery cell (1) or release the battery cell (1). The base (3) is provided with a detection element (22) for detecting whether there is a battery cell (1) to be clamped at the current position of the clamping mechanism (4).

7. A battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The base (3) is also provided with a diffuse reflection sensor (24) for monitoring whether the battery cell (1) is detached from the clamping mechanism (4); And / or, the base (3) is also provided with a position sensor for monitoring the position of the clamping mechanism (4).

8. A battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an alarm that is communicatively connected to a diffuse reflection sensor (24) and / or a position sensor.

9. A battery cell loading fixture as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The first gripper (18) and the second gripper (19) are provided with an anti-slip layer (23).

10. A battery cell loading fixture as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The base (3) is provided with a top support component (25), which is a telescopic mechanism used to support the tray (2).

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