A battery transfer vehicle and a battery transfer system

Abstract

The application discloses a battery transfer carrier and a battery transfer system, which comprise a support body, a variable-distance assembly, a carrier main body and a plurality of sliding members. The variable-distance assembly comprises a guide member arranged on the support body and the sliding members in sliding cooperation with the guide member. The sliding members are at least two and can be driven to slide along the guide member. The carrier main body is arranged on the sliding members and is used for carrying single batteries. The distance between any two adjacent carrier main bodies can be adjusted by the sliding members. The sliding members of the variable-distance assembly can be driven to slide along the guide member. Since the carrier main body is arranged on the sliding members, the single batteries on the carrier main body can also be moved, and then the distance between the single batteries is changed, so that the single batteries can be adjusted to appropriate intervals according to the paint spraying and drying processes. In the paint spraying station, the single batteries keep a compact layout, and in the drying station, the single batteries are fully expanded, so that the whole production line meets the best process requirements, the structure is most compact, and the space utilization rate is highest.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and more specifically, to a battery transport carrier and a battery transport system. Background Technology

[0002] A single battery cell generally consists of a battery casing and a battery cell housed inside the casing. The battery cell is the core component of a single battery cell, composed of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and an electrolyte. The battery casing is the outermost protective structure of a single battery cell, serving to house and protect the internal components.

[0003] To ensure the safe and stable operation of individual battery cells, insulation is typically applied to the outside of the battery casing. During charging and discharging, the electrodes of a single battery cell carry high voltages. Insulation effectively prevents current conduction between the battery casing and external conductors, preventing short circuits and avoiding serious safety issues such as performance degradation, overheating, or even fire and explosion.

[0004] One existing insulation treatment method involves spraying insulating varnish onto the outer surface of the battery casing using a painting robot. Except for the cover plate containing the terminals, which doesn't require insulating varnish, the other four sides and one end face of each individual battery cell need to be coated with insulating varnish. Currently, to facilitate painting each surface, multiple paint booths are used, each equipped with a painting robot to paint the corresponding surface of each individual battery cell. A drying station is located downstream of the paint booths to dry the varnish layer on the surface of the individual battery cells.

[0005] Typically, multiple individual batteries are transported between paint booths and drying stations using battery transfer vehicles to sequentially complete the painting and drying of each surface. To avoid wasting insulating varnish, the individual batteries are spaced relatively close together. However, this close spacing hinders the drying of the varnish layer.

[0006] Therefore, how to meet the spacing requirements during the painting and drying of individual battery cells is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a battery transport carrier to meet the spacing requirements during the painting and drying of individual batteries;

[0008] Another objective of this application is to provide a battery transfer system having the aforementioned battery transfer carrier.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0010] The first aspect of this application provides a battery transport vehicle, comprising:

[0011] Support structure;

[0012] The pitch-changing assembly includes a guide member disposed on the support body and a sliding member that slidably engages with the guide member. There are at least two sliding members, and they are capable of sliding along the guide member under drive.

[0013] The carrier body is mounted on the sliding member and is used to carry a single battery cell. The distance between any two adjacent carrier bodies can be adjusted by the sliding member.

[0014] The battery transport carrier provided in this application can move individual batteries to various painting and drying stations to complete the painting and drying processes on the corresponding surfaces. The sliding component of the pitch-changing assembly can slide along the guide component under drive. Since the main body of the carrier is set on the sliding component, it can also move the individual batteries on the main body of the carrier, thereby changing the distance between the individual batteries. This allows the individual batteries to be adjusted to a suitable spacing according to the painting and drying processes.

[0015] At the painting station, the spacing between individual cells can be reduced, meaning the painting robot can cover the surface of each cell to be painted in a short distance. This reduces the robot's travel distance and improves painting efficiency. Simultaneously, the more compact layout helps create a more stable and uniform paint mist environment, reducing paint mist scattering and waste caused by excessive spacing. This ensures the coating thickness and consistency of each cell and lowers paint consumption costs.

[0016] Variable pitch modules can paint and dry individual cells within the optimal spacing range for different cell models. When switching between producing cells of different sizes or shapes, the spacing of individual cells can be adjusted using variable pitch modules, improving the flexibility of the production line and adapting to the modern manufacturing trend of small-batch, multi-variety production.

[0017] At the drying station, the spacing between individual cells can be increased, allowing the curing unit's light to reach all surfaces of the cells from more angles. This minimizes shadows between adjacent cells, ensuring that the coating on all surfaces of each cell cures simultaneously and uniformly. The ultraviolet light from the curing unit directly and efficiently reaches the surface of the individual cells, maximizing energy utilization. This allows for shorter curing times or lower lamp power, directly reducing electricity costs and extending the lifespan of the curing unit.

[0018] The battery transport carrier provided in this application adjusts the individual cells to a suitable distance at different workstations through a pitch-changing component, so that the individual cells maintain a compact layout at the painting station and are fully extended at the drying station, so that the entire production line meets the best process requirements while having the most compact structure and the highest space utilization.

[0019] A second aspect of this application provides a battery transfer system, comprising:

[0020] The battery transport carrier is the battery transport carrier as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the support body is provided with a lever;

[0021] The transfer drive device includes a walking power device and a telescopic plug disposed on the walking power device. The telescopic plug is used to connect with the lever, and the walking power device is used to drive the battery transfer carrier to move.

[0022] A variable pitch drive device is installed at the variable pitch station and is used to drive the sliding member to move.

[0023] The battery transfer system provided in this application has all the technical effects of the aforementioned battery transfer carrier, which will not be elaborated further here. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery transport vehicle disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a front view of the battery transport vehicle disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a side view of the battery transport vehicle disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the plug-in device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a partial enlarged view of the vehicle body disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0030] The meanings of the various reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0031] 100 - Support body; 101 - Clearance groove; 110 - Altering block; 120 - Traveling wheel;

[0032] 200 - Pitch control assembly; 210 - Sliding component; 220 - Guide component;

[0033] 300 - Rotating device; 310 - Rotating shaft;

[0034] 400 - Connector assembly; 410 - Support base; 420 - Mounting plate; 430 - Guide head; 440 - Connector assembly; 441 - First air supply connector; 442 - Air return connector; 443 - Second air supply connector; 444 - Negative pressure connector;

[0035] 500 - Vehicle body; 510 - Negative pressure suction cup; 520 - Vehicle support; 521 - Mounting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0036] This application discloses a battery transport carrier to meet the spacing requirements during the painting and drying of individual batteries;

[0037] This application also discloses a battery transfer system having the above-described battery transfer carrier.

[0038] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the application are shown in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0039] Multiple individual batteries are transported between various paint booths (i.e., painting stations) and drying stations using a battery transfer vehicle to sequentially complete the painting and drying of each surface. Typically, five surfaces of a single battery cell require painting, so five paint booths are set up sequentially, with each booth dedicated to painting one surface. Downstream from the five paint booths is the drying station, where the cells are cured and dried after painting of all five surfaces.

[0040] To avoid wasting insulating varnish, the spacing between individual cells cannot be too large, so as to prevent the paint mist sprayed by the painting robot from scattering and being wasted through the gaps between the cells. The curing device in the drying station cures the paint layer on the surface of the cells with ultraviolet light. If the spacing between the cells is too small, the individual cells will block each other from the ultraviolet light, creating shadow areas on the back side. This will cause the coating in these areas to not cure or to cure incompletely, resulting in quality problems such as stickiness and insufficient hardness.

[0041] Based on this, this application discloses a battery transport carrier to meet the spacing requirements during the painting and drying of individual batteries.

[0042] like Figures 1-3 As shown, the battery transport vehicle disclosed in this application includes a support body 100, a pitch control assembly 200, and a vehicle body 500.

[0043] The support body 100 may be equipped with active or passive walking wheels 120. These wheels 120 may be self-powered, for example, connected to a drive motor, allowing them to rotate actively and move the support body 100, the pitch-changing assembly 200, and the vehicle body 500. Alternatively, the wheels 120 may be unpowered, with external equipment pushing the support body 100 to roll along corresponding tracks, thus moving the support body 100, the pitch-changing assembly 200, and the vehicle body 500. Multiple wheels 120 are typically used; some may be designed as powered active wheels, while others may be designed as unpowered passive wheels; all wheels 120 may be designed as powered active wheels, or all wheels 120 may be designed as unpowered passive wheels.

[0044] It should be noted that the support body 100 may not be equipped with the traveling wheels 120, and other walking mechanisms may be used, such as using external equipment to transport the battery transfer carrier to different workstations. The support body 100 may also slide with a track and be pushed between different workstations by external equipment.

[0045] The pitch-changing assembly 200 includes a guide member 220 disposed on the support body 100 and a sliding member 210 slidably engaged with the guide member 220. The guide member 220 can be a guide rail laid on the support body 100 or a track groove disposed on the support body 100. The sliding member 210 slidably engages with the guide member 220, allowing it to move along the extending direction of the guide member 220.

[0046] There are at least two sliding members 210, and they are capable of sliding along the guide member 220 under drive. Figure 1 In the illustrated scheme, there are four sliding members 210. This embodiment does not limit the specific number of sliding members 210; those skilled in the art can design the number of sliding members 210 based on the number of individual batteries the battery transport vehicle needs to carry. The vehicle body 500 is directly or indirectly mounted on the sliding members 210. The vehicle body 500 is used to carry individual batteries, and the distance between any two adjacent vehicle bodies 500 can be adjusted via the sliding members 210.

[0047] Each sliding member 210 can move along the guide member 220. Therefore, the position of each sliding member 210 on the guide member 220 can be controlled according to the needs, thereby controlling the distance between each sliding member 210, that is, controlling the distance between the vehicle body 500 and the individual batteries on the vehicle body 500.

[0048] In summary, the battery transport carrier disclosed in this application can move between various workstations, moving individual batteries to various painting and drying workstations to complete the painting and drying processes on the corresponding surfaces. The sliding member 210 of the pitch-changing assembly 200 can be driven to slide along the guide member 220. Since the carrier body 500 is disposed on the sliding member 210, it can also move the individual batteries on the carrier body 500, thereby changing the distance between the individual batteries. This allows the individual batteries to be adjusted to a suitable spacing according to the painting and drying processes.

[0049] At the painting station, the spacing between individual cells can be reduced, meaning the painting robot can cover the surface of each cell to be painted in a short distance. This reduces the robot's travel distance and improves painting efficiency. Simultaneously, the more compact layout helps create a more stable and uniform paint mist environment, reducing paint mist scattering and waste caused by excessive spacing. This ensures the coating thickness and consistency of each cell and lowers paint consumption costs.

[0050] The variable pitch assembly 200 can also paint and dry individual cells within the optimal spacing range for different models. When it is necessary to switch to producing cells of different sizes or shapes, the spacing of individual cells can be adjusted through the variable pitch assembly 200, improving the flexibility of the production line and adapting to the modern manufacturing trend of small batches and multiple varieties.

[0051] At the drying station, the spacing between individual cells can be increased, allowing the curing unit's light to reach all surfaces of the cells from more angles. This minimizes shadows between adjacent cells, ensuring that the coating on all surfaces of each cell cures simultaneously and uniformly. The ultraviolet light from the curing unit directly and efficiently reaches the surface of the individual cells, maximizing energy utilization. This allows for shorter curing times or lower lamp power, directly reducing electricity costs and extending the lifespan of the curing unit.

[0052] The battery transport carrier disclosed in this application uses a pitch-adjusting component 200 to adjust the individual batteries to a suitable distance at different workstations, so that the individual batteries maintain a compact layout at the painting station and are fully extended at the drying station. This makes the entire production line meet the best process requirements while having the most compact structure and the highest space utilization.

[0053] In one specific embodiment of this application, the battery transfer carrier may further include a rotating device 300, which is disposed on the sliding member 210, i.e., when the sliding member 210 moves, it can drive the rotating device 300 to move. The carrier body 500 is disposed on the rotation axis 310 of the rotating device 300 (e.g., Figure 5As shown, the rotating device 300 can drive the carrier body 500 and the individual battery cells on the carrier body 500 to rotate, thereby changing the surface of the individual battery cells facing the painting robot.

[0054] For example, the carrier body 500 may include working postures such as a first posture and a second posture spaced 90° apart, and the rotating device 300 is used to drive the carrier body 500 to switch between the first posture and the second posture. For example, when the carrier body 500 is in the first posture, the large surface of the casing of the single battery it carries (the surface with the larger area in the side of the casing) faces the painting robot, and when the carrier body 500 is in the second posture, the small surface of the casing of the single battery it carries (the surface with the smaller area in the side of the casing) faces the painting robot.

[0055] In this embodiment, the carrier body 500 only needs to switch between a first posture and a second posture, with an angle interval of 90° between the two postures. For example, when the carrier body 500 is in the first posture, the two large surfaces of the casing can be painted in two separate paint booths. Within these two paint booths, the painting robot can be positioned on different sides of the individual battery cells to paint the two large surfaces of the casing separately. Correspondingly, when painting the two smaller surfaces of the casing is required, the carrier body 500 needs to be rotated to the second posture to paint the two smaller surfaces of the casing in two separate paint booths. Within these two paint booths, the painting robot can be positioned on different sides of the individual battery cells to paint the two smaller surfaces of the casing separately.

[0056] The painting robot's spraying stroke is designed based on the precise position and orientation of the individual cells. Even a slight, unintended rotation during the spraying process can cause misalignment between the spray gun trajectory and the cell surface, resulting in serious painting defects such as uneven coating, missed areas, or paint buildup. During the curing and drying process, the individual cells must maintain a fixed relative position to the light source to ensure uniform energy reception; any rotation will lead to localized poor curing or uneven drying.

[0057] Based on this, in a specific embodiment of this application, the rotating device 300 includes an attitude locking pin, and the carrier body 500 has an attitude locking hole. The attitude locking pin is inserted into the attitude locking hole to lock the carrier body 500 in working postures such as the first posture and the second posture. That is, except when the rotating device 300 drives the carrier body 500 to rotate, the attitude locking pin is always inserted into the attitude locking hole, locking the carrier body 500 in the first posture and the second posture. When it is necessary for the carrier body 500 to switch between the first posture and the second posture, the attitude locking pin is withdrawn from the attitude locking hole, completing the unlocking of the carrier body 500. After the posture adjustment is completed, the attitude locking pin extends out and inserts into the attitude locking hole, completing the locking of the carrier body 500.

[0058] The attitude locking pin can be an electric pin, driven by either a linear motor or an electromagnetic drive. Electromagnetic drive means the pin is attracted by an electromagnet, causing it to disengage from the attitude lock hole; when the electromagnet is de-energized, a spring pushes the pin out and inserts it back into the attitude lock hole, completing the locking. The attitude locking pin can also be a pneumatic pin, driven by a cylinder. Compressed gas is injected to activate the cylinder, causing the pin to extend or retract, thus locking and unlocking the vehicle body 500.

[0059] This application embodiment provides a mechanical locking mechanism by setting a posture locking pin, which fundamentally eliminates any accidental rotation caused by vibration, airflow, or equipment inertia, thus providing a foundation for high-quality process results.

[0060] Without the attitude locking pin, the rotating device 300 would need to continuously provide torque to hold the carrier body 500 in place, resisting minor impacts or vibrations that might occur during painting. Over time, this would cause wear and tear on the rotating device 300, affecting its accuracy. The attitude locking pin bears all the holding torque, significantly reducing the burden on the rotating device 300, allowing it to operate only when rotation is needed, thus extending its service life and ensuring repeatability.

[0061] When the vehicle body 500 needs to rotate, the control system only needs to issue a command to retract the pin, then control the rotating device 300 to rotate to the target angle, and finally issue a command to extend the pin. During the painting and drying process, the control system no longer needs to allocate computing resources to the rotating device 300 to monitor or maintain its position, simplifying the control logic and reducing debugging complexity.

[0062] In one specific embodiment of this application, the battery transport carrier may further include a plug-in connector 400 for connecting to an external gas supply plug-in device, and the rotating device 300 is a pneumatic rotating device, that is, the rotating device 300 may be a pneumatic motor that outputs rotational power by introducing compressed gas.

[0063] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the connector device 400 includes a connector assembly 440, which includes a first air supply connector 441 and a return air connector 442. The first air supply connector 441 and the return air connector 442 are respectively connected to two air ports of the rotating device 300. The first air supply connector 441 is used to input compressed gas into one air port of the rotating device 300, and discharge it through the other air port of the rotating device 300 to the return air connector 442, and then discharge it from the return air connector 442.

[0064] The external air supply connector is equipped with an air passage connector that connects to the first air supply connector 441 and the return air connector 442. The external air supply connector can be installed at the corresponding workstation, that is, an external air supply connector is installed in each paint booth to connect with the connector device 400 of the battery transfer carrier to complete the air passage and thus supply power to the rotating device 300.

[0065] In this embodiment, the battery transport vehicle does not drag any air hoses as it moves on the track. This completely avoids the risks of wear, cracking, kinking, and detachment of air hoses caused by long-term dragging, which is one of the main causes of air circuit failures and line stoppages.

[0066] The battery transport vehicle only requires the installation of a single plug-in connector 400 and a connected pneumatic rotating device. It eliminates the need for complex, long tubing and cable chains, resulting in a simpler structure that makes the battery transport vehicle lighter, more robust, and less expensive to manufacture. This significantly reduces potential points of failure, leading to a substantial improvement in operational stability and lifespan.

[0067] Furthermore, the battery transport vehicle also includes a direction switching valve, which includes a first valve port, a second valve port, a third valve port, and a fourth valve port. The two air ports of the rotating device 300 are the first air port and the second air port, respectively. The first air supply connector 441 is connected to the first valve port, the air return connector 442 is connected to the second valve port, the third valve port is connected to the first air port, and the fourth valve port is connected to the second air port.

[0068] The directional switching valve includes a first state and a second state. When the directional switching valve is in the first state, the first valve port is connected to the third valve port and the second valve port is connected to the fourth valve port. When the directional switching valve is in the second state, the first valve port is connected to the fourth valve port and the second valve port is connected to the third valve port.

[0069] In this embodiment, by setting a direction switching valve, the compressed gas can be switched between the first and second air ports of the rotating device 300 as needed. For example, when the rotating device 300 needs to rotate clockwise, the direction switching valve can be switched to the first state, allowing the compressed gas to enter the first air port of the rotating device 300, thus rotating the rotating device 300 90° clockwise. When the rotating device 300 needs to rotate counterclockwise, the direction switching valve can be switched to the second state, allowing the compressed gas to enter the second air port of the rotating device 300, thus rotating the rotating device 300 90° counterclockwise.

[0070] It should be noted that the direction switching valve may not be required, and the rotating device 300 can rotate 90° each time in the same direction.

[0071] In one specific embodiment of this application, the battery transport carrier may further include a first switching valve, which is disposed between the first gas supply connector 441 and the first valve port. In this embodiment, the first switching valve can cut off the connection between the gas source and the rotating device 300. When it is necessary to control the rotation of the rotating device 300, the first switching valve is opened; otherwise, the first switching valve is in a cut-off state. With this configuration, it is not necessary to cut off the gas source; only the state of the first switching valve needs to be controlled.

[0072] The pitch control assembly 200 can move the carrier body 500 to the target position, but the transmission system itself has slight elastic deformation and play. When the painting robot starts working, or when there is vibration on the production line, these slight play can cause minor changes in the position of the carrier body 500. For high-precision painting, this is enough to affect the uniformity of the coating.

[0073] In this embodiment, the variable pitch assembly 200 may further include a guide rail clamp, which is connected to the sliding member 210 and is used to clamp or release the guide member 220. The guide rail clamp can clamp the guide member 220 with a huge clamping force, rigidly locking the sliding member 210 onto the guide member 220, forming a stable mechanical reference, completely eliminating errors at the ends of all transmission chains, and ensuring the absolute fixation of the spatial position of each individual battery cell.

[0074] The guide rail clamp acts as a mechanical lock, locking the sliding member 210. This eliminates the need for the variable-pitch drive mechanism, which drives the sliding member 210, to generate damping for locking after movement. This significantly reduces the load on critical transmission components and extends the service life of the variable-pitch drive mechanism. The guide rail clamp is typically a normally closed type; once locking is required, it will remain locked even if the entire system suddenly loses power, preventing movement of the vehicle body 500.

[0075] In this embodiment, the guide rail clamp is a pneumatic guide rail clamp, and the connector assembly 440 may further include a second air supply connector 443, which is connected to the air supply port of the guide rail clamp. The external air supply plug-in device is provided with an air passage connector that plugs into and connects to the second air supply connector 443.

[0076] After the external air supply plug-in device is plugged into the plug-in connector device 400, the corresponding air connector on the external air supply plug-in device is plugged into and connected to the second air supply connector 443, thus realizing the connection between the external air source and the guide rail clamp, thereby controlling the opening and closing state of the guide rail clamp. That is, when the pitch change assembly 200 needs to change the spacing of each individual battery, the guide rail clamp releases the guide member 220. After the pitch change assembly 200 completes the spacing adjustment of each individual battery, the air supply to the guide rail clamp is disconnected, the guide rail clamp clamps the guide member 220, and locks the sliding member 210 in the corresponding position.

[0077] Furthermore, the battery transport carrier may also include a second switching valve, which is located between the second air supply connector 443 and the air supply port of the guide rail clamp. In this embodiment, the second switching valve can cut off the connection between the air source and the guide rail clamp. When it is necessary to control the guide rail clamp to release the guide member 220, the second switching valve is opened; otherwise, the second switching valve is in the cut-off state. With this configuration, it is not necessary to cut off the air source; only the state of the second switching valve needs to be controlled.

[0078] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in a specific embodiment of this application, the carrier body 500 is a negative pressure adsorption carrier, and the connector assembly 440 includes a negative pressure connector 444, which is connected to the negative pressure port of the carrier body 500. The external air supply plug-in device is provided with an air passage connector that is plugged into and connected to the negative pressure connector 444.

[0079] After the external air supply plug-in device is plugged into the plug-in connector device 400, the corresponding air circuit connector on the external air supply plug-in device is plugged into the negative pressure connector 444 to achieve the connection between the external negative pressure device and the carrier body 500, thereby controlling the negative pressure adsorption state of the carrier body 500 so as to stably adsorb the single battery onto the carrier body 500.

[0080] Furthermore, the battery transfer carrier may also include a third switching valve, which is located between the negative pressure connector 444 and the negative pressure port of the carrier body 500. In this embodiment, the third switching valve can disconnect the connection between the negative pressure device and the carrier body 500. The third switching valve is opened only when it is necessary to control the carrier body 500 to adsorb and fix individual batteries; otherwise, the third switching valve is in a closed state. With this configuration, it is not necessary to disconnect the negative pressure device; only the state of the third switching valve needs to be controlled.

[0081] In this embodiment, the carrier body 500 includes a carrier support 520 and a negative pressure suction cup 510. The carrier support 520 is mounted on a rotating shaft 310, allowing the rotating shaft 310 to drive the carrier support 520 to rotate. The carrier support 520 has a mounting hole 521, and the negative pressure suction cup 510 is disposed in the mounting hole 521. The suction surface of the negative pressure suction cup 510 extends beyond the upper surface of the carrier support 520, ensuring that when a single battery is placed on the upper surface of the carrier support 520, it can first contact the negative pressure suction cup 510 and be adsorbed by it.

[0082] Furthermore, there can be at least two negative pressure suction cups 510, arranged symmetrically along the axis of rotation 310. Taking two negative pressure suction cups 510 as an example, the two negative pressure suction cups 510 are arranged symmetrically along the axis of rotation 310. Of course, there can also be more than two negative pressure suction cups 510. When there is an even number of negative pressure suction cups 510, the number of rotation axes 310 on both sides of rotation 310 is the same and they are arranged symmetrically; when there is an odd number of negative pressure suction cups 510, the number of rotation axes 310 on both sides of rotation 310 is the same and they are arranged symmetrically, and a negative pressure suction cup 510 is placed in the middle, with the axis of the middle negative pressure suction cup 510 being coaxial with the axis of rotation 310.

[0083] The negative pressure suction cup 510 is used to adsorb the cover surface of the single cell, that is, the surface where the electrode post is provided. In order to prevent the electrode post from interfering with the upper surface of the carrier support 520, a clearance hole is provided on the upper surface of the carrier support 520. When adsorbing and fixing the single cell, the electrode post is inserted into the clearance hole.

[0084] In one specific embodiment of this application, the connector device 400 may further include a support base 410 and a mounting plate 420. The support base 410 is fixed to the support body 100, the mounting plate 420 is fixed to the support base 410, and the connector assembly 440 is disposed on the mounting plate 420.

[0085] Two support bases 410 can be provided, respectively located on both sides of the mounting plate 420, that is, the mounting plate 420 is fixed by both sides of the mounting plate 420. The connection between the support base 410 and the mounting plate 420 and the support body 100 can be fixed by fasteners for easy assembly and disassembly.

[0086] Furthermore, the connector assembly 400 also includes a guide head 430 that engages with a guide hole on an external air supply connector. The guide head 430 is mounted on the mounting plate 420, and its end away from the mounting plate 420 has a tapered guide head. The cross-sectional area of ​​the tapered guide head gradually decreases from near the mounting plate 420 to away from the mounting plate 420. The length of the guide head 430 is greater than the length of the connector assembly 440.

[0087] The guide head 430 adopts a tapered guide head design, and its length is greater than that of the connector assembly 440. When there is a slight positional deviation between the plug-in device 400 and the external air supply plug-in device, the guide head 430 will contact the guide hole first. That is, when the guide head 430 contacts the guide hole, the connector assembly 440 and the external air supply plug-in device still have a certain distance.

[0088] The tapered guidance of the guide head 430 automatically corrects the center position, pulling the connector assembly 440 to the correct mating position. This reduces the manufacturing and positioning accuracy requirements of the entire mechanical system, saving costs. The guide head 430 first performs coarse positioning, ensuring that the precision connector assembly 440 is concentric and coaxial when it contacts, thus achieving a smooth, impact-free mating. This greatly reduces wear on the sealing ring and connector body of the connector assembly 440, extending its service life. The guide head 430 ensures that each mating action is smooth and completed in one go, guaranteeing production continuity and high efficiency.

[0089] Furthermore, the guide head 430 can be a floating design to achieve a more effective guiding effect. Two or more guide heads 430 can be set to further improve the guiding and centering effect.

[0090] In one specific embodiment of this application, the battery transport carrier moves along a first direction, and along a second direction, both sides of the support body 100 are provided with plug-in devices 400, with the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. This arrangement allows the plug-in devices 400 on the corresponding sides to be plugged in when spraying paint layers on the two parallel surfaces of a single battery cell, eliminating the need to rotate the carrier body 500 during the painting process. For example, after spraying a large surface of the casing, the external air supply plug-in device of the paint booth is disconnected from the plug-in device 400 on the first side; the battery transport carrier moves to the next paint booth, at which point the external air supply plug-in device of that booth is plugged in with the plug-in device 400 on the second side, without needing to rotate the carrier body 500.

[0091] This application also discloses a battery transfer system, which includes a battery transfer carrier, a transfer drive device, and a variable pitch drive device.

[0092] The battery transfer carrier is any of the battery transfer carriers described above, and the support body 100 is provided with a lever 110. The battery transfer system disclosed in this application, having the aforementioned battery transfer carrier, possesses all the technical effects of the aforementioned battery transfer carrier, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0093] The transfer drive device includes a walking power unit and a telescopic plug mounted on the walking power unit. The telescopic plug is used to connect with the lever 110. The walking power unit is used to drive the battery transfer vehicle to move. The walking power unit may include a drive motor and a gear and rack mechanism. A gear is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor, and a rack is arranged along the moving direction of the battery transfer vehicle. The gear and rack mesh, so that after the drive motor outputs power, the walking power unit and movement can be realized through the gear and rack mechanism. Furthermore, since the telescopic plug of the walking power unit is inserted into the slot of the lever 110, the transfer drive device is connected to the battery transfer vehicle, thereby driving the battery transfer vehicle to move. The battery transfer vehicle's wheels 120 can reduce the friction force when the battery transfer vehicle moves.

[0094] The transfer drive device can also be of other structures, and this embodiment does not limit the specific type of transfer drive device.

[0095] A pitch-changing drive unit is located at the pitch-changing station to drive the sliding component 210 to move. The pitch-changing station is located before the first paint booth and before the last paint booth and the drying station. In other words, the pitch-changing station is located upstream of the first paint booth and upstream of the drying station. That is, before the battery transport carrier enters the first paint booth, the spacing between the individual cells needs to be adjusted to a suitable spacing for painting; before entering the drying station, the spacing between the individual cells needs to be adjusted to a suitable spacing for curing and drying.

[0096] The variable pitch drive device can be a linear motor, located at the variable pitch station and below the support 100. The linear motor may include multiple movers corresponding one-to-one with each sliding member 210. Each sliding member 210 has a corresponding insertion hole for a pin on one of the movers. When the pin on the mover is inserted into the insertion hole of the sliding member 210, the mover and sliding member 210 are connected, allowing the linear motor's movers to move the sliding members 210. The support 100 has an avoidance groove 101 that mates with the pin on the mover to prevent interference between the support 100 and the pin on the mover.

[0097] Furthermore, an air supply plug-in device can be installed on the walking power unit, that is, the air supply plug-in device is directly installed on the walking power unit. The air supply plug-in device can be pushed out by the push device. When the air supply plug-in device is in the pushed-out state, it can be plugged into the plug-in connector device 400. The walking power unit is used to drive the battery transfer vehicle to move.

[0098] As illustrated in this application, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements. An element defined by the phrase "comprising an..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, product, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0099] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0100] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0101] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to this application without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A battery transport vehicle, characterized in that, include: Support body (100); The pitch control assembly (200) includes a guide (220) disposed on the support (100) and a sliding member (210) slidably engaged with the guide (220), wherein there are at least two sliding members (210) and they are capable of sliding along the guide (220) by being driven. The carrier body (500) is disposed on the sliding member (210). The carrier body (500) is used to carry a single battery cell. The distance between any two adjacent carrier bodies (500) can be adjusted by the sliding member (210).

2. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support (100) is provided with walking wheels (120) for active or passive movement.

3. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a rotating device (300), which is disposed on the sliding member (210), and the vehicle body (500) is disposed on the rotating shaft (310) of the rotating device (300).

4. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating device (300) includes a posture locking pin, and the carrier body (500) has a posture locking hole. The posture locking pin is inserted into the posture locking hole to lock the carrier body (500) in a working posture.

5. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a plug-in connector (400) for connecting to an external air supply plug-in device, wherein the rotating device (300) is a pneumatic rotating device; The plug-in device (400) includes a connector assembly (440), which includes a first air supply connector (441) and an air return connector (442), which are respectively connected to two air ports of the rotating device (300). The external air supply connector is provided with an air passage connector that is connected to the first air supply connector (441) and the return air connector (442).

6. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a direction switching valve, which includes a first valve port, a second valve port, a third valve port and a fourth valve port, and the two air ports of the rotating device (300) are the first air port and the second air port, respectively; The first gas supply connector (441) is connected to the first valve port, the gas return connector (442) is connected to the second valve port, the third valve port is connected to the first gas port, and the fourth valve port is connected to the second gas port. The directional switching valve includes a first state and a second state. When the directional switching valve is in the first state, the first valve port is connected to the third valve port and the second valve port is connected to the fourth valve port. When the directional switching valve is in the second state, the first valve port is connected to the fourth valve port and the second valve port is connected to the third valve port.

7. The battery transport vehicle as described in claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a first switching valve, which is disposed between the first gas supply connector (441) and the first valve port.

8. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The pitch assembly (200) also includes a guide rail clamp connected to the slide member (210) for clamping or releasing the guide member (220).

9. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The guide rail clamp is a pneumatic guide rail clamp, and the connector assembly (440) includes a second air supply connector (443), which is connected to the air supply port of the guide rail clamp. The external air supply plug-in device is provided with an air passage connector that is plugged into and connected to the second air supply connector (443).

10. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a second switching valve, which is disposed between the second air supply connector (443) and the air supply port of the guide rail clamp.

11. The battery transfer carrier as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The carrier body (500) is a negative pressure adsorption carrier, and the connector assembly (440) includes a negative pressure connector (444), which is connected to the negative pressure port of the carrier body (500). The external air supply device is equipped with an air passage connector that is connected to the negative pressure connector (444).

12. The battery transport vehicle as described in claim 11, characterized in that, It also includes a third switching valve, which is disposed between the negative pressure connector (444) and the negative pressure port of the vehicle body (500).

13. The battery transport vehicle as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The vehicle body (500) includes a vehicle support (520) and a negative pressure suction cup (510). The vehicle support (520) is disposed on the rotating shaft (310). The vehicle support (520) is provided with a mounting hole (521). The negative pressure suction cup (510) is disposed in the mounting hole (521), and the suction surface of the negative pressure suction cup (510) extends out of the upper surface of the vehicle support (520).

14. The battery transport vehicle as described in claim 13, characterized in that, There are at least two negative pressure suction cups (510), which are arranged symmetrically along the axis of the rotation axis (310).

15. The battery transport carrier as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The mating connector device (400) further includes: A support base (410) is fixed to the support body (100); Mounting plate (420) is fixed on support base (410), and connector assembly (440) is disposed on mounting plate (420).

16. The battery transport vehicle as described in claim 15, characterized in that, The plug-in device (400) further includes a guide head (430) that is plugged into a guide hole on the external air supply plug-in device. The guide head (430) is disposed on the mounting plate (420) and has a tapered guide head at one end away from the mounting plate (420). The cross-sectional area of ​​the tapered guide head gradually decreases from the direction close to the mounting plate (420) to the direction away from the mounting plate (420). The length of the guide head (430) is greater than the length of the connector assembly (440).

17. The battery transport vehicle as described in any one of claims 5-16, characterized in that, The battery transport carrier moves along a first direction, and along a second direction, the plug-in device (400) is provided on both sides of the support (100), and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

18. A battery transfer system, characterized in that, include: The battery transport carrier is the battery transport carrier as described in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the support body (100) is provided with a lever (110). The transfer drive device includes a walking power device and a telescopic plug disposed on the walking power device. The telescopic plug is used to connect with the lever (110). The walking power device is used to drive the battery transfer vehicle to move. A variable pitch drive device is installed at the variable pitch station and is used to drive the sliding member (210) to move.

19. A battery transfer system, characterized in that, include: The battery transport carrier is the battery transport carrier as described in any one of claims 5-17, wherein the support body (100) is provided with a lever (110). The transfer drive device includes a walking power device, a telescopic plug and an air supply plug device disposed on the walking power device. When the telescopic plug is in the extended state, it can be connected to the push block (110). When the air supply plug device is in the pushed-out state, it can be connected to the plug connector device (400). The walking power device is used to drive the battery transfer vehicle to move. A variable pitch drive device is installed at the variable pitch station and is used to drive the sliding member (210) to move.

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