A feeding device

Abstract

The utility model relates to battery production technical field discloses a kind of feeding devices, including the first pickup piece and the second pickup piece of relative arrangement, when the first pickup piece picks up material in material taking station simultaneously, the second pickup piece releases material in material releasing station;Feed mechanism corresponds to material taking station, for storing material and feeding material to material taking station;Conveying mechanism corresponds to material releasing station, for receiving and conveying material, the utility model is realized by the first pickup piece and the second pickup piece of relative arrangement the synchronous execution of material taking and material releasing action, solved the problem that traditional single manipulator feeding material taking cannot be synchronized, need to wait for next station to complete, substantially compress production rhythm, significantly improve feeding efficiency, by conveying mechanism temporary storage and conveying material, without additional manual intervention or transition medium, can directly adapt to the demand of new energy automobile battery large-scale production, overall improve the continuity and adaptability of production process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery production technology, and in particular to a feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, the supply of batteries for these vehicles continues to rise. Traditional manual cell loading and single-arm robotic loading methods cannot adequately meet current production demands. Traditional manual loading is inefficient and inherently dangerous, while single-arm robotic loading cannot simultaneously grasp and remove materials, wasting production time and resulting in low efficiency. Furthermore, traditional robotic arms lack a transitional transfer medium between themselves and the production line, leading to waiting time for material placement before the next workstation completes its task. This further wastes production time. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a feeding device to solve the problems in the prior art, enabling continuous, synchronous, and efficient cell top cover patch feeding, aiming to meet the urgent needs of large-scale power battery production for high cycle time and high stability.

[0004] This utility model provides a feeding device, including: The transfer mechanism includes a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member arranged opposite to each other. The first pick-up member and the second pick-up member are configured to reciprocate between a material picking station and a material discharging station. When the first pick-up member picks up material at the material picking station, the second pick-up member releases material at the material discharging station. The feeding mechanism, corresponding to the picking station, is used to store materials and supply them to the picking station; The conveying mechanism, corresponding to the feeding station, is used to receive and convey the material released by the first or second pickup.

[0005] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the feeding device further includes a frame for supporting at least one of the transfer mechanisms and at least one of the feeding mechanisms.

[0006] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the transfer mechanism further includes a rotary drive component, which is used to synchronously drive the first picking component and the second picking component to reciprocate between the picking station and the unloading station.

[0007] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the first pick-up member and the second pick-up member are arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees with respect to the rotation center of the rotary drive member.

[0008] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the first and second picking components include any one of a vacuum chuck, an electromagnetic chuck, or a flexible gripper.

[0009] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the frame is provided with a lifting drive, the transfer mechanism is connected to the output end of the lifting drive, and the lifting drive is used to drive the transfer mechanism to move up and down in the vertical direction to approach or move away from the material picking station.

[0010] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a hopper and a lifting drive, the hopper is used to store materials, the output end of the lifting drive extends into the hopper, and the lifting drive is used to lift the materials in the hopper to the picking station.

[0011] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the feeding mechanism further includes a first sensor for detecting whether the material has arrived at the material receiving station.

[0012] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the feeding mechanism further includes a second sensor for detecting the material level in the hopper.

[0013] In the feeding device described above, preferably, the conveying mechanism is a conveyor belt, a synchronous belt, or a pallet circulation line.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, this utility model achieves synchronous execution of material picking and unloading actions through the relatively arranged first and second picking components. This solves the problem that material picking and unloading cannot be synchronized in traditional single robotic arms and that it is necessary to wait for the next station to complete. It significantly reduces the production cycle time, significantly improves material loading efficiency, and eliminates the safety hazards of manual operation. In addition, by temporarily storing and transporting materials through the conveying mechanism, no additional manual intervention or transition medium is required. It can be directly adapted to the needs of large-scale production of new energy vehicle batteries, and improves the continuity and adaptability of the production process as a whole. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the feeding device provided in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 2 is Another perspective view of the feeding device provided in the embodiment of this utility model.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10. Transfer mechanism; 11. First pickup component; 12. Second pickup component; 13. Rotation drive component; 14. Lifting drive component; 20. Feeding mechanism; 21. Hopper; 22. Lifting drive; 23. Material; 24. First sensor; 30. Conveying mechanism; 40. Rack. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0018] See Figure 1-2 As shown, this embodiment provides a feeding device, including a transfer mechanism, a feeding mechanism 20, and a conveying mechanism 30, wherein: The transfer mechanism 10 includes a first pickup 11 and a second pickup 12 disposed opposite to each other. The first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 are configured to reciprocate between a material picking station and a material discharging station. When the first pickup 11 picks up material 23 at the material picking station, the second pickup 12 releases material 23 at the material discharging station. The feeding mechanism 20, corresponding to the material picking station, is used to store material 23 and supply material 23 to the material picking station. The conveying mechanism 30, corresponding to the material discharging station, is used to receive and convey material 23 released by the first pickup 11 or the second pickup 12. In the embodiments provided in this application, the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 achieve simultaneous material picking and unloading, eliminating the time spent by a single robotic arm traveling back and forth between two workstations and waiting, shortening the work cycle, and improving feeding efficiency. The conveying mechanism 30 can be arranged between two workstations on the production line to transport and temporarily store the material 23 taken from the feeding mechanism 20 without waiting for downstream processing to complete, reducing the waiting time for the robotic arm to unload, ensuring the continuous and smooth operation of the production line, and improving the overall production line cycle time. The feeding mechanism 20 can supply the material 23 to the picking station, so that the first pickup 11 or the second pickup 12 can directly pick up the material 23 when it arrives at the picking station, avoiding missed picking or picking failure. The whole process does not require manual intervention, eliminating the safety hazards of manual operation, and avoiding the problems of low efficiency and fatigue of manual labor.

[0019] See Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the feeding device also includes a frame 40 for supporting at least one transfer mechanism 10 and at least one feeding mechanism 20. Both the transfer mechanism and the feeding mechanism 20 are mounted on the frame 40. The modular design facilitates direct embedding of the device into the battery production line without the need for individual adjustments to the docking positions of each component with the production line, thus improving adaptation efficiency. By deploying multiple transfer mechanisms and feeding mechanisms 20, the device can adapt to the feeding needs of multi-station and multi-specification battery cell top covers, further improving feeding efficiency.

[0020] See Figure 2As shown, in order to realize the reciprocating movement of the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 between the picking station and the unloading station, the transfer mechanism 10 also includes a rotary drive 13. The rotary drive 13 is used to synchronously drive the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 to reciprocate between the picking station and the unloading station. The rotary drive 13 adopts a rotary cylinder. The first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 are integrated on the same mounting plate and connected to the output shaft of the rotary cylinder. By synchronously driving the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 to rotate through a rotary cylinder, it can be ensured that the movement angle and speed of the two pickups are completely synchronized, avoiding the action deviation that may occur due to independent driving. In this embodiment, the picking station and the unloading station are also arranged opposite to each other, that is, the feeding mechanism 20 and the conveying mechanism 30 are arranged opposite to each other. The first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 are arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees with respect to the rotation center of the rotary drive 13.

[0021] See Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, both the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 are vacuum suction cups. The vacuum suction cups are connected to a vacuum generator through an air pipe, and the adsorption and release of the material 23 are achieved by switching the vacuum on and off. Of course, in another embodiment, the first pickup 11 and the second pickup 12 can also be electromagnetic suction cups or flexible grippers, which are not limited here.

[0022] See Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, a lifting drive 14 is provided on the frame 40. The transfer mechanism 10 is connected to the output end of the lifting drive 14. The lifting drive 14 is used to drive the transfer mechanism 10 to move up and down in the vertical direction to approach or move away from the material picking station. The lifting drive 14 adopts a linear module. The fixed end of the transfer mechanism 10 is connected to the sliding part of the linear module. The function of driving the transfer mechanism 10 down through the linear module is to facilitate the picking up of material 23. After the picking action is completed, the function of the lifting transfer mechanism 10 is to raise the material 23 to a safe height before rotation to avoid interference with surrounding components on the rotation path. In addition, during the rising or falling process, the rotary cylinder can simultaneously prepare for or execute the rotation action to reduce idle time.

[0023] See Figure 1-2As shown in some embodiments of this application, the feeding mechanism 20 includes a hopper 21 and a lifting drive 22. The hopper 21 is used to store materials 23, and the output end of the lifting drive 22 extends into the hopper 21. The lifting drive 22 is used to lift the materials 23 in the hopper 21 to the picking station. The hopper 21 is arranged above the frame 40, and the lifting drive 22 adopts a servo push rod device and is arranged below the frame 40. The hopper 21 serves as a buffer, storing a certain amount of materials 23, providing a buffer for materials 23 in continuous production. The output shaft of the servo push rod device extends from below the hopper 21 and abuts against the materials 23. The lifting cylinder pushes the materials 23 to the fixed picking station in sequence, so that it cooperates with the transfer mechanism 10, so that the first picker 11 or the second picker 12 can pick up materials at the same height and position each time, which greatly improves the success rate of picking up materials and the repeatability of positioning accuracy, and ensures the continuity and rhythm of material supply 23.

[0024] See Figure 1 As shown, depending on the usage scenario, it can be set to pick up at least one material 23 at a time. In this embodiment, the picked-up material 23 is a battery cell top cover patch. Therefore, two sets of battery cell top cover patches are stacked in the hopper 21. The first picking member 11 and the second picking member 12 each have two symmetrically arranged vacuum suction cups, so that two battery cell top cover patches can be picked up at a time and released at the same time.

[0025] See Figure 2 Furthermore, the feeding mechanism 20 also includes a first sensor 24 for detecting whether the material 23 has reached the picking station and a second sensor (not shown in the figure) for detecting the quantity of material 23 in the hopper 21. When the first sensor 24 detects that the material 23 has reached the picking station at a preset height, the transfer mechanism 10 receives a signal and causes the first picking member 11 and the second picking member 12 to perform picking and releasing actions respectively. This can avoid missed grabbing or grabbing failure due to the material 23 not being in place, thereby improving the grabbing success rate. The first sensor 24 can specifically be a photoelectric sensor or a proximity sensor.

[0026] The second sensor is a material shortage sensor, which can be installed at the bottom of the hopper 21. It can issue an early warning of insufficient stock and replenish the hopper 21 in a timely manner. Specifically, it can be a photoelectric sensor, pressure sensor, or distance sensor, etc., without limitation. It should be noted that the connection methods or circuits of the above-mentioned sensors, driving components and control systems are all common existing technologies in the field of industrial automation, and will not be described in detail here.

[0027] See Figure 1-2 As shown in this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 30 uses a conveyor belt with speed adjustment function. Of course, in other embodiments, a synchronous belt or a tray circulation line can also be used.

[0028] Based on the above embodiments, the working principle of the feeding device of this utility model is as follows: The lifting drive 22 lifts the top material 23 in the hopper 21 to the picking station, and the lifting drive 14 drives the transfer mechanism 10 to descend, so that the first picking member 11 and the second picking member 12 are close to the picking station and the unloading station, respectively.

[0029] The first pickup 11 picks up the material 23 at the picking station, while the second pickup 12 releases the picked-up material 23 to the conveying mechanism 30 at the discharging station, thus achieving synchronous execution of picking up and discharging.

[0030] After the synchronous pick-up and drop-off action is completed, the lifting drive 14 drives the transfer mechanism 10 to rise to a safe height, and the rotation drive 13 drives the entire transfer mechanism 10 to rotate 180 degrees. This action causes the first pick-up piece 11, which has adsorbed new material 23, to rotate above the material discharge station, while the second pick-up piece 12, which has completed the material discharge, rotates synchronously above the material pick-up station.

[0031] The lifting drive 14 drives the transfer mechanism 10 to descend again, repeating the above synchronous pick-up and place-down action.

[0032] The conveying mechanism 30 continuously transports the received material 23 to the next station. By repeating the above steps, the device achieves fully automatic, continuous, and synchronous feeding of the battery cell top cover patch.

[0033] The circuits and controls involved in this utility model are all existing technologies, and will not be described in detail here.

[0034] The above description, based on the embodiments shown in the drawings, details the structure, features, and effects of this utility model. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model, but the scope of implementation of this utility model is not limited to what is shown in the drawings. Any changes made in accordance with the concept of this utility model, or modifications to equivalent embodiments, that do not exceed the spirit covered by the specification and drawings, shall be within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A feeding device, characterized in that, include: The transfer mechanism includes a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member arranged opposite to each other. The first pick-up member and the second pick-up member are configured to reciprocate between a material picking station and a material discharging station. When the first pick-up member picks up material at the material picking station, the second pick-up member releases material at the material discharging station. The feeding mechanism, corresponding to the picking station, is used to store materials and supply materials to the picking station; The conveying mechanism, corresponding to the feeding station, is used to receive and convey the material released by the first or second pickup.

2. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding device further includes a frame for supporting at least one of the transfer mechanisms and at least one of the feeding mechanisms.

3. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer mechanism further includes a rotary drive component, which is used to synchronously drive the first pick-up component and the second pick-up component to reciprocate between the pick-up station and the unload station.

4. The feeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first pickup and the second pickup are arranged symmetrically at 180 degrees with respect to the rotation center of the rotary drive.

5. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second pickups include any one of a vacuum chuck, an electromagnetic chuck, or a flexible gripper.

6. The feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The frame is equipped with a lifting drive, and the transfer mechanism is connected to the output end of the lifting drive. The lifting drive is used to drive the transfer mechanism to move up and down in the vertical direction to get closer to or away from the material picking station.

7. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism includes a hopper and a lifting drive. The hopper is used to store materials, and the output end of the lifting drive extends into the hopper. The lifting drive is used to lift the materials in the hopper to the material picking station.

8. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism also includes a first sensor for detecting whether the material has arrived at the material receiving station.

9. The feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism also includes a second sensor for detecting the material level in the hopper.

10. The feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism is a conveyor belt, a synchronous belt, or a pallet circulation line.

Images