LINER REPLACEMENT DEVICE, GRIPPING MECHANISM AND GRIPPING DEVICE

Abstract

A liner replacement device is configured to replace a first liner in a retaining pallet mechanism, the liner replacement device includes a storage mechanism and a liner gripping mechanism, wherein the storage mechanism is configured to store an empty pallet or a pallet carrying a second liner, and the size of the second liner is different from that of the first liner; the liner gripping mechanism is configured to grip the first liner from the retaining pallet mechanism and place it in an empty pallet, and the liner gripping mechanism is also configured to grip the second liner and place it back in the retaining pallet mechanism. The gripping mechanism includes a mounting assembly, gripping members, and a sensing assembly.A plurality of gripping members are spaced apart in a first direction and disposed on the mounting assembly, and are configured to simultaneously grip a plurality of coatings.

Description

Title of the invention: COATING REPLACEMENT DEVICE, GRIPPING MECHANISM AND GRIPPING DEVICE Technical field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of battery production, in particular to a coating replacement device, a gripping mechanism and a gripping device.

[0002] TECHNICAL CONTEXT

[0003] In the existing art, liners of different sizes are generally replaced manually inside the pallets. However, manual replacement of liners increases labor cost and the production cycle of battery cells.

[0004] In the battery cell production process, the liners in the pallets are configured to limit the positions of the battery cells. However, when processing battery cells of different sizes, it is necessary to replace the liners in the pallets. In the process of replacing liners, there may be abnormal states of the liners, which will affect the production quality of battery cells. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To solve the above drawbacks in the prior art, the present application discloses a liner replacement device, a gripping mechanism and a gripping device, which can replace the manual liner replacement method and reduce the risk of liner abnormalities, thereby reducing labor costs, shortening the battery cell production cycle and also improving the quality of battery cell production.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, according to a first aspect, the present application provides a liner replacement device, the liner replacement device is configured to replace a first liner in a retaining pallet mechanism, and the liner replacement device comprises: - a storage mechanism, the storage mechanism being configured to store an empty pallet or a pallet carrying a second liner, and the size of the second liner being different from that of the first liner; and - a coating gripping mechanism, the coating gripping mechanism being configured to grip the first coating from the mechanism of retaining pallet and placing the first liner into the empty pallet, and the liner gripping mechanism also being configured to grip the second liner and places the second liner back into the retaining pallet mechanism.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the empty pallet and the pallet carrying the second coating are transported alternately towards the storage mechanism.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the liner gripping mechanism comprises a first drive member, a second drive member and a liner gripping claw, the first drive member is configured to drive the liner gripping claw to pass between the retaining pallet mechanism and the storage mechanism, and the second drive member is configured to drive the liner gripping claw to move up or down.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the liner gripping claw is connected to the second drive member, the first drive member is connected to the liner gripping claw via the second drive member, the first drive member is configured to drive the liner gripping claw to pass between the retaining pallet mechanism and the storage mechanism in a first direction.

[0010] According to one embodiment, an abnormal condition includes the absence of the first liner in the retaining paddle mechanism, the inability of the liner gripping claw to grip the first liner or the second liner, and / or an excessive height of the second liner placed in the retaining paddle mechanism.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the detection assembly comprises a connecting base, a detection element movably disposed on the connecting base in a vertical direction, a light shielding element connected to one end of the detection element, and an opposite beam detection assembly corresponding to the light shielding element, wherein a first end of the detection element remote from the light shielding element is configured to contact the first coating or the second coating.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the opposite beam detection assembly comprises a first detection optical fiber group and a second detection optical fiber group, and in the vertical direction, the position of the first detection optical fiber group is lower than that of the second detection optical fiber group, and the light shielding member is configured to house the first detection optical fiber group or the second light detection optical fiber group.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the detection assembly further comprises an elastic element, and the elastic element is disposed on the detection element close to the first end.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the retaining paddle mechanism comprises a support member, and a first retaining plate and a second retaining plate disposed on the support member, the first retaining plate and the second retaining plate are spaced apart in a second direction, and the second retaining plate is movable in the second direction relative to the first retaining plate, and a plurality of first liners are sequentially disposed in the second direction between the first retaining plate and the second retaining plate;

[0015] The liner replacement device further comprises a release mechanism, the release mechanism is configured to drive the second retaining plate away from the first retaining plate in the second direction.

[0016] According to one embodiment, a first engagement element is disposed on a side surface of the second retaining plate opposite the first retaining plate;

[0017] The release mechanism includes a first release drive member, a second release drive member, and a second engagement member that is engaged with the first engagement member, the first release drive member is configured to drive the second engagement member to move toward the first engagement member, such that the second engagement member is engaged with the first engagement member, and the second release member is configured to drive the second engagement member to move the first engagement member in the second direction away from the first retaining plate.

[0018] According to one embodiment, an engagement portion is formed on the first engagement member, and a groove is provided on the second engagement member, and the groove engages with the engagement portion via a snap connection.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the first engagement member comprises a head and a neck connected to each other, the end of the neck remote from the head is connected to the surface of the second retaining plate opposite the first retaining plate, the engagement portion is formed on the neck, the width of the neck is less than the width of the groove, and the width of the head is greater than the width of the groove.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the liner replacement device further comprises a release mechanism, and the release mechanism is configured to drive the second retaining plate away from the first retaining plate in the second direction.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the retaining mechanism comprises a pressing drive member and a pressing member connected to the pressing drive member, the pressing drive member drives the pressing member to press against the second retaining plate and pushes the second retaining plate to move in the second direction toward the first retaining plate.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the retaining paddle mechanism further comprises a mounting member and a retaining member disposed on the support member, the mounting member is disposed on the side of the second retaining plate opposite the first retaining plate and has a predefined gap relative to the second retaining plate, and the retaining member is connected to the mounting member by a threaded connection;

[0023] The retaining mechanism further comprises a drive assembly, the drive assembly is configured to drive the retaining member to move toward the second retaining plate relative to the mounting member until the retaining member bears against the second retaining plate.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the drive assembly comprises a rotatable drive member and a rotatable gripping claw connected to the rotatable drive member, the rotatable gripping claw corresponds to the retaining member, and the rotatable drive member is configured to drive the rotatable gripping claw to drive the end of the retaining member to bear against the second retaining plate.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the liner replacement device further comprises a compartment and a transport member disposed within the compartment, the transport member is configured to transport the retaining paddle mechanism to enter the compartment at a predefined position.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the liner replacement device further comprises a limiting element disposed within the compartment, the limiting element is configured to block the retaining paddle mechanism from entering the compartment, in order to prevent the retaining paddle mechanism from moving out of the predefined position.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the liner replacement device further comprises a lifting and positioning element disposed within the compartment, and the lifting and positioning element is configured to lift and position the retaining pallet mechanism to the predefined position.

[0028] According to a second aspect, the present application discloses a gripping mechanism. The gripping mechanism comprises: - a mounting set; - a plurality of gripping elements, the plurality of gripping elements being spaced apart in a first direction and disposed on the mounting assembly, and the plurality of gripping elements being configured to simultaneously grip a plurality of coatings; and - a detection assembly, the detection assembly comprising a plurality of detection elements arranged on the mounting assembly, the number of detection elements being equal to the number of gripping elements, and the plurality of detection elements being configured to respectively detect whether the plurality of coatings are in an abnormal state.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the abnormal conditions include the absence of at least one of the plurality of coverings, the inability of at least one of the gripping elements to grip properly and / or the excessive height of at least one of the plurality of coverings.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the detection assembly further comprises a light shielding member disposed on the detection element and an opposite beam detection assembly corresponding to the light shielding member, the detection element is movably disposed on the mounting assembly in the vertical direction, and the first end of the detection element remote from the light shielding member is configured to contact the coating.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the opposite beam detection assembly comprises a first optical fiber group and a second optical fiber group spaced apart in the vertical direction, the position of the first optical fiber group in the vertical direction is lower than that of the second optical fiber group, and the light shielding member is configured to shelter the first optical fiber group or the second optical fiber group from the light.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the light in the first group of optical fibers and the second group of optical fibers is transmitted in the first direction.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the second group of optical fibers is two in number, and the two groups of the second group of optical fibers are spaced apart in the second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the light shielding element is a disc-shaped light shielding element, the disc-shaped light shielding element comprises a first sheltering area near the center and a second sheltering area near the edge, the first sheltering area is configured to shelter the second group of optical fibers from the light, and the second sheltering area is configured to shelter the first group of optical fibers from the light.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the detection assembly further comprises an elastic element, and the elastic element is disposed on the detection element close to the first end of the detection element.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the gripping member comprises a claw driving member, a first clamping claw and a second clamping claw, the claw driving member is configured to drive the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw towards each other to grip the coating or away from each other to release the coating.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the detection element is arranged between the first clamping claw and the second clamping claw.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the gripping mechanism further comprises a second drive element disposed on the support frame, and the second drive element is configured to drive the gripping element to rise or fall.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the gripping mechanism further comprises a first drive member and a second drive member, the first drive member is configured to drive the gripping member and the sensing assembly to move synchronously, and the second drive member is configured to drive the gripping member to move up or down.

[0040] According to a third aspect, the present application discloses a gripping device. The gripping device comprises: - a support frame; and - the gripping mechanism according to the second aspect, wherein the mounting assembly in the gripping mechanism is movably arranged on the support frame.

[0041] According to a fourth aspect, the present application discloses a coating replacement device. The coating replacement device comprises: - a storage mechanism, the storage mechanism having a placement position, and the placement position being configured to alternately place an empty pallet and a pallet carrying a second covering; and - the gripping device according to the third aspect, the gripping device being configured to grip a first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism in the empty pallet at the placement position, and the gripping device being also configured to grip the second liner in the pallet carrying the second liner at the placement position and replace the second liner in the retaining pallet mechanism, and the size of the second liner is different from that of the first liner.

[0042] Compared with the existing art, the present application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0043] In the present application, because the liner gripping mechanism can grip the first liner from the retaining pallet mechanism and place it in an empty pallet, the liner gripping mechanism can also grip the second liner and place it back in the retaining pallet mechanism, and the sizes of the first liner and the second liner are different. Therefore, when it is necessary to replace the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism, firstly, the liner gripping mechanism removes the first liner from the retaining pallet mechanism and places it in an empty pallet on the storage mechanism for storing the replaced first liner.After all the first liners in the retaining pallet mechanism have been placed in the empty pallets, the liner gripping mechanism removes the second liner and places it in the retaining pallet mechanism. When all the second liners in the pallets carrying the second liners have been placed back in the retaining pallet mechanism, the replacement of the liners of different sizes in the retaining pallet mechanism is completed. It can be seen that in the present application, by providing the storage mechanism and the liner gripping mechanism, the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism can be automatically replaced with the second liner, which replaces the way of manual liner replacement by operators, thereby reducing labor costs and shortening the production cycle of battery cells.

[0044] In the present application, because a plurality of gripping members are spaced apart in the first direction and arranged on the mounting assembly, and the number of detection elements in the detection assembly is equal to the number of the gripping members and their installation positions correspond to each other, and a plurality of detection elements can simultaneously detect the coatings gripped by the plurality of gripping members. In other words, a plurality of detection elements can detect whether there are abnormal states in a plurality of coatings when the plurality of gripping members respectively grip a plurality of coatings. A plurality of detection elements can also detect the gripping states of the plurality of gripping members when they grip the coatings to detect whether there are abnormal states in the plurality of coatings.Obviously, a plurality of detection elements can also detect whether there are abnormal states in the plurality. of coatings when the plurality of gripping members place a plurality of coatings. As can be seen, by providing a plurality of detection elements whose number is equal to the number of gripping members and in corresponding positions, it is possible to detect whether the plurality of coatings are in an abnormal state in a timely manner, so that the abnormal coatings can be adjusted in a timely manner to ensure the production quality of battery cells.

[0045] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be described more clearly upon reading the description of the embodiments with reference to the attached figures to illustrate the embodiments. Obviously, the attached figures in the following description are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can still obtain other figures without creative work on the basis of these attached figures.

[0047] [Fig. 1] is a top view of a compartment of the liner replacement device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] [Fig.2] is a side view of the coating gripping mechanism according to a method of carrying out this application;

[0049] [Fig.3] is a front view of the coating gripping mechanism according to a method of carrying out this application;

[0050] [Fig.4] is a top view of the coating gripping mechanism according to a method of carrying out this application;

[0051] [Fig.5] is a front view of the detection assembly according to one embodiment of this application;

[0052] [Fig.6] is a side view of the detection assembly according to one embodiment of this application;

[0053] [Fig.7] is a top view of the detection assembly according to one embodiment of this application;

[0054] [Fig.8] is a front view of the retaining pallet mechanism according to one embodiment completion of this request;

[0055] [Fig.9] is a top view of the retaining pallet mechanism according to one embodiment completion of this request;

[0056] [Fig. 10] is a front view of the release mechanism according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0057] [Fig. 11] is a side view of the release mechanism according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0058] [Fig. 12] is a top view of the release mechanism according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0059] [Fig. 13] is a front view of the retaining mechanism according to one embodiment of this application;

[0060] [Fig. 14] is a top view of the retaining mechanism according to one embodiment of this application;

[0061] [Fig. 15] is a front view of the compartment according to one embodiment of the present request;

[0062] [Fig. 16] is a schematic diagram of the pallet entry limiting component limiting the retaining paddle mechanism according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0063] [Fig. 17] is a schematic diagram of the lifting and positioning element lifting the retaining pallet mechanism according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0064] [Fig. 18] is a front view of the gripping mechanism according to a mode of completion of this request;

[0065] [Fig. 19] is a top view of the gripping mechanism according to a mode of completion of this request;

[0066] [Fig.20] is a front view of the detection assembly according to one embodiment of this application;

[0067] [Fig.21] is a side view of the detection assembly according to one embodiment of this application;

[0068] [Fig.22a] is a top view of the detection assembly according to a mode of completion of this request;

[0069] [Fig.22b] is a top view of the light shielding element according to a mode of completion of this request;

[0070] [Fig.23] is an enlarged partial schematic diagram of position A in [Fig. 18]

[0071] [Fig.24] is a side view of the gripping mechanism according to a mode of completion of this request;

[0072] [Fig.25] is a top view of the coating replacement device according to a method of carrying out this application;

[0073] Description of the reference signs:

[0074] 100-liner replacement device; 110-retaining pallet mechanism; 111-supporting member; 112-first retaining plate; 113-second retaining plate; 114-mounting member; 115-retaining member; 116-first engaging member; 1161-neck; 1162-head; 120-storage mechanism; 130-liner gripping mechanism; 131-first driving member; 132-second driving member; 133-liner gripping claw; 140-detection assembly; 141-linking base; 142-detection member; 143-element light shield; 144-opposite beam detection assembly; 1441-first detection optical fiber group; 1442-second detection optical fiber group; 145-elastic member; 150-release mechanism; 151-first release drive member; 152-second release drive member; 153-second engagement member; 1531-groove; 160-retaining mechanism; 161- pressing drive element; 162- pressing element; 163- rotating drive element; 164- rotating gripping claw; 170- compartment; 181- conveying element; 182- limiting element; 183- lifting and positioning element; lA- first coating; 1-gripping mechanism; 2-support frame; 3-mounting assembly; 4-gripping element; 41-first clamping claw; 42-second clamping claw; 40-claw driving element; 5-detection assembly; 51-detection element; 52—light shielding element; 520-first shelter area; 521-second first shelter area; 53-opposite beam detection assembly; 531-first optical fiber group; 532-second optical fiber group; 54-elastic element; 6-first driving element; 7-second driving element; 200-liner replacement equipment; 210-retaining pallet mechanism; 220-storage mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0075] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail and completely hereinafter with reference to the figures attached in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, instead of all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, any other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art without creative work should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

[0076] In the present application, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "middle", "vertical", "horizontal", "transverse" and "longitudinal" indicating orientation or position relationships are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying figures. These terms are primarily to better describe the present application and its embodiments, instead of limiting the devices, elements or components in question to achieve a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0077] In addition to being used to indicate an orientation or position relationship, some of the above terms may also be used to indicate other meanings. For example, the term "superior" may also be used to indicate a certain attachment relationship or a bonding relationship in certain cases. Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific meanings of these terms in the present application may be understood according to the specific situations.

[0078] Furthermore, the terms "fix", "provide", "connect" and "attach" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection (link), a removable connection or an integral structure; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate support or an internal connection between two devices, elements or components. Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application may be understood according to the specific situations.

[0079] Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and others are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements or components (the specific types and structures may be the same or different), and are not used to indicate or imply a relative importance and quantity of the indicated devices, elements or components. Unless otherwise indicated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0080] The technical solution of the present application will be described in more detail below through the specific embodiments and the attached figures.

[0081] Referring to [Fig. 1], the embodiment of the present application provides a liner replacement device 100, the liner replacement device is configured to replace a first liner IA in a retaining pallet mechanism 110. The liner replacement device 100 comprises a storage mechanism 120 and a liner gripping mechanism 130. Wherein, the storage mechanism 120 is configured to store an empty pallet or a pallet carrying a second liner, and the size of the second liner is different from that of the first liner IA.The liner gripping mechanism 130 is configured to grip the first liner 1A from the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and place the first liner 1A in the empty pallet, and the liner gripping mechanism 130 is also configured to grip the second liner and place the second liner back in the retaining pallet mechanism 110.

[0082] In which, because the above-mentioned retaining paddle mechanism 110 is equipped with the first liner 1A, it is possible to place the battery cells in the first liner 1A to limit the battery cells. However, when the sizes of the battery cells are different, it is necessary to replace the first liner 1A in the retaining paddle mechanism 110 to meet the limiting requirements of the different-sized battery cells. There is no only one installation position for the first coating IA in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, or there are multiple installation positions for the first coating IA. However, considering the actual processing efficiency of the battery cells, by providing multiple installation positions for the first coating 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, the installation of multiple first coatings IA can simultaneously limit multiple battery cells to ensure the processing efficiency of the battery cells.

[0083] According to this embodiment, because the liner gripping mechanism 130 can grip the first liner 1A from the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and place it in an empty pallet, the liner gripping mechanism 130 can also grip the second liner and place it back in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, and the sizes of the first liner 1A and the second liner are different. Therefore, when it is necessary to replace the first liner 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, firstly, the liner gripping mechanism 130 removes the first liner 1A from the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and places it in an empty pallet on the storage mechanism 120 to store the replaced first liner 1A.After all the first liners 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 have been placed in the empty pallets, the liner gripping mechanism 130 removes the second liner and places it in the retaining pallet mechanism 110. When all the second liners in the pallets carrying the second liners have been placed back in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, the replacement of the liners of different sizes in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 is completed. It can be seen that according to this embodiment, by providing the storage mechanism 120 and the liner gripping mechanism 130, the first liner 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 can be automatically replaced with the second liner, which replaces the manner of manual replacement of the liner by operators, thereby reducing labor costs and shortening the production cycle of battery cells.

[0084] It should be noted that the first coating 1A and the second coating mentioned above do not mean that the solution of this embodiment can only realize the replacement of coatings having these two sizes. The first coating 1A and the second coating are simply named to distinguish two coatings of different sizes, and those skilled in the art should not understand them as limitations on the sequence or quantity of replacement of the coatings.

[0085] In addition, optionally, the empty pallets and the pallets carrying the second coating can be placed simultaneously in the storage mechanism 120 or placed alternately in the storage mechanism 120. This will be explained below in mainly taking the example that the empty pallets and the pallets carrying the second coating are placed alternately in the storage mechanism 120 for illustration.

[0086] According to some embodiments, the empty pallet and the pallet carrying the second coating are transported alternately towards the storage mechanism 120.

[0087] Because the empty pallets and the pallets carrying the second liner are moved alternately to the storage mechanism 120, when replacing liners of different sizes in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, the empty pallets move to the storage mechanism 120. Then, the liner gripping mechanism 130 picks up all the first IA liners in the pallet retaining mechanism 110 and places them in the empty pallets. When the empty pallets are fully loaded with the replaced first IA liners, the empty pallets carrying the first IA liners are moved out of the storage mechanism 120. Then, the pallets carrying the second liners move to the storage mechanism 120.Then, the liner gripping mechanism 130 replaces all the second liners into the retaining pallet mechanism 110, so that the retaining pallet mechanism 110 completes the process of replacing the first liner 1A with the second liner, and at the same time simplifies the movement path of the liner gripping mechanism 130.

[0088] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the liner gripping mechanism 130 comprises a first drive member 131, a second drive member 132 and a liner gripping claw 133, the first drive member 131 is configured to drive the liner gripping claw 133 to pass between the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and the storage mechanism 120, and the second drive member 132 is configured to drive the liner gripping claw 133 to move up or down.

[0089] In this regard, the first drive element 131 and the second drive element 132 both include, but are not limited to, linear motors, telescopic cylinders, and the like.

[0090] According to this embodiment, when it is necessary to replace the first liner 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 with the second liner, firstly, the first drive member 131 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to move above the retaining pallet mechanism 110. Then, the second drive member 132 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to descend until the liner gripping claw 133 grips the first liner 1A. After that, the second drive member 132 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to ascend. Then, by doing so that the first drive member 131 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to move to the first placement position 120a, the process of removing the first liner 1A from the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and replacing it at the first placement position 120a is completed.

[0091] Next, the first drive member 131 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to move above the second placement position 120b. Next, the second drive member 132 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to descend to grip the second liner. Next, the second drive member 132 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to ascend. Finally, the first drive member 131 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to move toward the retaining pallet mechanism 110, and the second drive member 132 drives the liner gripping claw 133 to drive the second liner to be installed inside the retaining pallet mechanism 110. Now, the replacement of the first liner 1A and the second liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 is completed.

[0092] It can be seen that the control process for performing the replacement of the first liner 1A and the second liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 110 using the liner gripping mechanism 130 in this embodiment is simple and easy to execute.

[0093] In addition, the coating gripping claw 133 comprises a first claw and a second claw which are movably connected. The coating gripping mechanism 130 also comprises two claw driving members. The two claw driving members are connected to the first claw and the second claw respectively. The two claw driving members may act together to control the first claw and the second claw to move towards each other so that the coating gripping claw 133 can grip the first coating 1A or the second coating, or the two claw driving members may act together to control the first claw and the second claw to move away from each other so that the coating gripping claw 133 can release the first coating 1A or the second coating.

[0094] Obviously, the coating gripping mechanism 130 is not limited to the above structure. According to some other possible embodiments, the coating gripping mechanism 130 may also be a robot arm.

[0095] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the coating gripper claw 133 is connected to the second drive member 132, the first drive member 131 is connected to the coating gripper claw 133 via the second drive member 132, the first drive member 131 is configured to drive the coating gripper claw 133 to pass between the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and the storage mechanism 120 in the first direction.

[0096] Wherein, the first direction mentioned above refers to the direction indicated by the arrow X in [Fig.l].

[0097] By using the first drive member 131 to drive the liner gripping claw 133 to pass in the first direction between the retaining pallet mechanism 110 and the storage mechanism 120, a movement trajectory of the liner gripping claw 133 driven by the first drive member 131 can be simplified, thereby reducing the difficulty of controlling the liner gripping mechanism 130 when replacing the first liner 1A and the second liner.

[0098] In addition, by connecting the first drive member 131 to the liner gripping claw 133 via the second drive member 132, the connecting structure of the liner gripping claw 133 can be simplified, and at the same time, the structural compactness of the liner replacement device 100 can be improved.

[0099] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig. 3], the liner gripping mechanism 130 also comprises a detection assembly 140, the detection assembly 140 is configured to detect whether the first liner IA or the second liner is in an abnormal state.

[0100] Wherein, the above-mentioned sensing component 140 may be position sensors, pressure sensors, laser detectors and others.

[0101] In addition, the above-mentioned detection component 140 is configured to detect whether the first liner 1A or the second liner is in an abnormal state. It will be understood that when the liner gripping mechanism 130 grips the first liner 1A, the detection component 140 will first detect the first liner 1A in the retaining pallet mechanism 110. If the detection component 140 detects that no first liner 1A is at the corresponding gripping position of the liner gripping mechanism 130, this indicates that the first liner 1A at that gripping position is abnormal. Or, when gripping the second liner at the second placement position 120b, likewise, the detection component 140 can detect whether the second liner exists.If, after the liner gripping mechanism 130 grips the second liner and places it in the retaining pallet mechanism 110, the detection component 140 will detect the placed second liner again. If the height of the second liner is higher than a predefined height, it means that the second liner is too high and must be adjusted to ensure the preparation quality of the battery cells.

[0102] With regard to timely reminder about abnormalities of the first coating 1A and the second coating in abnormal states, an alarm and / or a warning light electrically connected to the detection element 140 may be provided, reminders may be given by an audible alarm or a flashing indicator light.

[0103] Therefore, by providing the detection component 140, the abnormalities of the first coating IA and the second coating can be detected in time, thereby ensuring the quality of battery cell production.

[0104] According to some embodiments, the abnormal condition includes the absence of the first liner 1A in the retaining paddle mechanism 110, the inability of the liner gripping claw 133 to grip the first liner 1A or the second liner, and / or an excessive height of the second liner placed in the retaining paddle mechanism 110.

[0105] Thus, the detection component 140 can detect whether there is an abnormality in the state of the first coating 1A or the second coating when the coating gripping claw 133 grips the first coating 1A or the second coating. The detection component 140 can also detect whether there is an abnormality in the state of the first coating 1A or the second coating gripped by the coating gripping claw 133. In addition, the detection component 140 can also detect whether the placed first coating 1A or the second coating is too high, which reflects the completeness of the detection component 140 in detecting the first coating 1A and the second coating in different states.

[0106] According to some possible embodiments, referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the detection assembly 140 comprises a connecting base 141, a detection element 142 movably disposed on the connecting base 141 in the vertical direction, a light shielding element 143 connected to the end of the detection element 142, and an opposite beam detection assembly 144 corresponding to the light shielding element 143. A first end of the detection element 142, which is far away from the light shielding element 143, is configured to contact the first coating 1A or the second coating, in order to judge whether the first coating 1A or the second coating is missing or abnormally too high depending on whether the light shielding element 143 houses the opposite beam detection assembly 144.

[0107] Because the sensing element 142 is movably disposed on the connecting base 141, the light shielding element 143 is connected to the end of the sensing element 142, and the end of the sensing element 142 away from the light shielding element 143 is configured to contact the first coating 1A or the second coating. Therefore, when the first coating 1A or the second coating is missing, the detection element 142 cannot be pushed up, and the light shielding element 143 will of course not be lifted. When the first coating IA or the second coating is too high, the detection element 142 is excessively pushed up, and then the light shielding element 143 is lifted relatively high. It can be seen that, by using the light shielding element 143 to block the light emitted by the opposite beam detection assembly 144 at different positions, it can be judged whether the first coating IA and the second coating are in the above abnormal states.

[0108] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig. 6], the opposite beam detection assembly 144 comprises a first detection optical fiber group 1441 and a second detection optical fiber group 1442. In the vertical direction, the position of the first detection optical fiber group 1441 is lower than that of the second detection optical fiber group 1442. The light shielding member 143 is configured to shelter the first detection optical fiber group 1441 or the second detection optical fiber group 1442 from the light. That is, the light shielding member 143 can shelter the first detection optical fiber group 1441 when the first coating 1A or the second coating is missing or when the coating gripping claw 133 fails to grasp the first coating 1A or the second coating.The light shielding element 143 may also house the second group of detection optical fibers 1442 when the first IA coating or the second coating is greater than the predefined position.

[0109] Therefore, by providing the first group of detection optical fibers 1441 and the second group of detection optical fibers 1442, it is possible to simultaneously detect whether there are abnormalities such as missing, empty gripping, or too high gripping for the first coating 1A and the second coating. Compared with the solutions of the relevant technologies in which several groups of detection assemblies 140 are provided to separately detect the missing and excessive situations of the first coating 1A and the second coating, this embodiment makes it possible to reduce the number of detection assemblies 140, simplify the structure of the detection assemblies 140, and improve the diversity of detection functions of the detection assemblies 140.

[0110] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig.5] and 6, the sensing assembly 140 further comprises an elastic element 145, and the elastic element 145 is disposed on the sensing element 142 near the first end.

[0111] Because the end of the sensing element 142 remote from a light shielding cap is in contact with the first coating IA or the second coating, by arranging the elastic member 145 on the sensing element 142 close to the first end, a rigid contact between the sensing element 142 and the first coating IA and the second coating can be made into flexible contact, thus achieving the purpose of protecting the first IA coating and the second coating.

[0112] In addition, the elastic element 145 may be a spring, a leaf spring, a rubber part and others.

[0113] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig. 8] and 9, a plurality of first liners 1A are provided, and the plurality of first liners 1A are arranged in sequence in the second direction. The retaining paddle mechanism 110 comprises a support member 111 as well as a first retaining plate 112 and a second retaining plate 113 which are arranged on the support member 111. The first retaining plate 112 and the second retaining plate 113 are spaced apart in the second direction, and the second retaining plate 113 is movable in the second direction relative to the first retaining plate 112. A plurality of first liners 1A are assembled between the first retaining plate 112 and the second retaining plate 113.

[0114] Wherein, the second direction may be parallel to the first direction, or perpendicular to the first direction, or an included angle is formed between the second direction and the first direction. In this embodiment, the second direction refers to the direction indicated by the arrow Y in [Fig.8].

[0115] In addition, the first several IA coatings refer to two or more first IA coatings.

[0116] Because the second retaining plate 113 can move relative to the first retaining plate 112 in the second direction, it is possible to adjust the position of the second retaining plate 113. On the one hand, it is convenient for the assembly of the plural first liners 1A. On the other hand, the assembly of liners of different sizes can be accommodated between the first retaining plate 112 and the second retaining plate 113.

[0117] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1, 9, 10, 11 and 12, the liner replacement device further comprises a release mechanism 150, and the release mechanism 150 is configured to cause the second retaining plate 113 to move away from the first retaining plate 112 in the second direction.

[0118] Therefore, by providing the release mechanism 150, when replacing the first liner IA in the retaining paddle mechanism 110 with the second liner, firstly, the release mechanism 150 can drive the second retaining plate 113 to move in the second direction away from the first retaining plate 112, so as to increase the distance between the several first liners IA, which is convenient for the liner gripping mechanism 130 to grip the first liner IA and also convenient for installing the second liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 110.

[0119] According to certain embodiments, with reference to FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12, a first engagement member 116 is provided on a side surface of the second retaining plate 113 opposite the first retaining plate 112. The release mechanism 112 comprises a first release drive member 151, a second release drive member 152 and a second engagement member 153 which is engaged with the first engagement member 116, the first release drive member 151 is configured to drive the second engagement member 153 to move toward the first engagement member 116 so that the second engagement member 153 is engaged with the first engagement member 116, the second release drive member 152 is configured to drive the second engagement member 153 to move the first engagement member 116 in the second direction away from the first retaining plate 112.

[0120] Therefore, when the first liner 1A in the retaining paddle mechanism 110 is to be replaced with the second liner, firstly, the first disengagement drive member 151 drives the second engagement member 153 to move toward the first engagement member 116 until it is engaged with the second engagement member 153. Then, the second disengagement drive member 152 drives the second engagement member 153 to drive the first engagement member 116 to move in the second direction away from the first retaining plate 112, thereby driving the second retaining plate 113 to move in the direction away from the first retaining plate 112, thereby providing a space for removing the first liner 1A and installing the second liner.

[0121] It can be seen that using the release drive members according to this embodiment, the retaining paddle mechanism 110 and the release mechanism 150 can be controlled independently of each other, and the release mechanism 150 can be controlled to drive the second retaining plate 113 to move.

[0122] In addition, the first release drive member 151 and the second release drive member 152 may be motors, cylinders, and other drive devices.

[0123] Obviously, according to certain other embodiments, the release mechanism 150 may also comprise a telescopic cylinder. The telescopic end of the telescopic cylinder is connected to the second retaining plate 113. By controlling the extension of the telescopic end of the telescopic cylinder, the second retaining plate 113 can be driven to move in the direction away from the first retaining plate 112.

[0124] According to some embodiments, an engagement portion is formed on the first engagement member 116, and a groove 1531 is provided on the second engagement member 153, and the groove 1531 engages with the engagement portion via a snap connection.

[0125] Thus, because the structure of the groove 1531 is simple and easy to process, by using the interlocking portion between the groove 1531 and the engagement portion for the second engagement member 153 to engage with the first engagement member 116, the interlocking structure between the second engagement member 153 and the first engagement member 116 can be simplified.

[0126] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the first engagement member 116 comprises a head 1162 and a neck 1161 connected to each other, the end of the neck 1161 remote from the head 1162 is connected to the surface of the second retaining plate 113 opposite the first retaining plate 112, the engagement portion is formed on the neck 1161, the width of the neck 1161 is less than the width of the groove 1531, and the width of the head 1162 is greater than the width of the groove 1531.

[0127] Wherein, the width direction of the groove 1531 mentioned above refers to the direction from one groove wall to the other of the two opposite groove walls of the groove 1531, i.e., the direction indicated by the arrow xl in [Fig. 10]. The width directions of the neck 1161 and the head 1162 are identical and both refer to the direction perpendicular to the direction from the neck 1161 to the head 1162, i.e., the direction indicated by the arrow x2 in [Fig. 9].

[0128] Because the width of the neck 1161 is smaller than that of the groove 1531 and the width of the head 1162 is larger than that of the groove 1531, when the groove 1531 corresponds to the neck 1161 and the first engagement member 116 is driven to move in the direction away from the first retaining plate 112, the head 1162 can prevent the groove 1531 from disengaging from the neck 1161, thereby ensuring the stability of the engagement when the second engagement member 153 drives the first engagement member 116 to move.

[0129] According to some possible embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1, 13 and 14, the liner replacement device 100 further comprises a retaining mechanism 160, and the retaining mechanism 160 is configured to drive the second retaining plate 113 to move toward the first retaining plate 112 in the second direction.

[0130] Therefore, by providing the retaining mechanism 160, after the replacement of the first liner 1A and the second liner in the retaining paddle mechanism 110 is completed, the second retaining plate 113 can be driven to move toward the first retaining plate 112 until the plurality of second liners are pressed firmly, thereby completing the second liner retention, which facilitates the processing of battery cells of sizes suitable for the second liner.

[0131] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the retaining mechanism 14 comprises a pressing drive member 161 and a pressing member 162 connected to the pressing drive member 161, the pressing drive member 161 drives the pressing member 162 to press against the second retaining plate 113 and to urge the second retaining plate 113 to move in the second direction toward the first retaining plate 112.

[0132] Therefore, by providing the pressing drive member 161 and the pressing member 162 connected to the pressing drive member 161, when the replacement of the first liner 1A and the second liner is completed, the pressing drive member 161 can drive the pressing member 162 to push the second retaining plate 113 to move toward the first retaining plate 112 to firmly press the second liner located between the first retaining plate 112 and the second retaining plate 113, which is convenient for processing battery cells of sizes suitable for the second liner.

[0133] Wherein, the pressing drive element 161 may be drive elements such as a linear motor or a telescopic cylinder.

[0134] After the replacement of the first liner 1A and the second liner is completed, the pressing drive member 161 drives the pressing member 162 to push the second retaining plate 113 to firmly press onto the second liner. At this time, if the power applied by the pressing drive member 161 to the pressing member 162 is removed, the second retaining plate 113 will still move in the direction away from the first retaining plate 112, so that a gap is formed between two adjacent second liners.In order to ensure the stability of the second coating after the driving force of the pressing drive member 161 is removed, according to some possible embodiments, referring to FIGS. 9, 13 and 14, the retaining paddle mechanism 110 further comprises a mounting member 114 and a retaining member 115 disposed on the support member 111, the mounting member 114 is disposed on the side of the second retaining plate 113 opposite the first retaining plate 112 and forms a predefined space with the second retaining plate 113, and the retaining member 115 is connected to the mounting member 114 by . a threaded connection. The retaining mechanism 160 further comprises a drive assembly, the drive assembly is configured to drive the retaining member 115 to move toward the second retaining plate 113 relative to the mounting member 114 until the retaining member 115 bears against the second retaining plate 113.

[0135] In this regard, the retaining member 115 may move relative to the mounting member 114, and it is understood that the retaining member 115 may rotate helically, move linearly, and so forth relative to the mounting member 114.

[0136] Because the mounting member 114 is disposed on the side of the second retaining plate 113 away from the first retaining plate 112 and forms a predetermined gap with the second retaining plate 113, the retaining member 115 is movably disposed on the mounting member 114, and the drive assembly drives the retaining member 115 to move relative to the mounting member 114 toward the second retaining plate 113 until it abuts against the second retaining plate 113. Therefore, once the retaining member 115 abuts against the second retaining plate 113, even if the acting force applied by the drive assembly is removed, the retaining member 115 still abuts against the second retaining plate 113, thereby ensuring the stability of the second retaining plate 113 for retaining the second coating.

[0137] According to some possible embodiments, the retaining member 115 is threadedly connected to the mounting member 114. The drive assembly includes a rotatable drive member 163 and a rotatable gripping claw 164 connected to the rotatable drive member 163, the rotatable gripping claw 164 corresponds to the retaining member 115, and the rotatable drive member 163 is configured to drive the rotatable gripping claw 164 to drive the end of the retaining member 115 to bear against the second retaining plate 113.

[0138] Because the retaining member 115 is connected to the mounting member 114 by a threaded connection, the rotary gripping claw 164 can cooperate with the retaining member 115, and the rotary driving member 163 can drive the rotary gripping claw 164 to rotate, so that the end of the retaining member 115 moves toward the second retaining plate 113 until it abuts against the second retaining plate 113. Therefore, once the end of the retaining member 115 abuts against the second retaining plate 113, even if the rotational power applied by the rotary driving member 163 is removed, the retaining member 115 still abuts against the second retaining plate 113, thereby ensuring the stability of the second retaining plate 113 for retaining the second coating.

[0139] However, when requiring the second retaining plate 113 to move in the direction away from the first retaining plate 112, it is necessary to first drive the retaining member 115 to rotate to form a gap between the end of the retaining member 115 and the second retaining plate 113, so as to reserve space for the movement of the second retaining plate 113.

[0140] For example, the pressing element 162 consists of two pressing rods arranged at an interval, and the rotating gripping claw is located between the two pressing rods.

[0141] In addition, the above-mentioned rotary drive element 163 may be a synchronous motor, asynchronous motor and others.

[0142] The above-mentioned retaining member 115 may be designed according to the magnitude of the retaining force to ensure that the pressure resistance of the first retaining plate 112 and the second retaining plate 113 on the first liner 1A or the second liner is appropriate and facilitates disassembly.

[0143] The above-mentioned retaining element 115 may be a lead screw, a screw and others.

[0144] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the liner replacement device further comprises a compartment 170 and a transport member 181 disposed within the compartment 170, and the transport member 181 is configured to transport the retaining paddle mechanism 110 to enter the compartment 170 at a predefined position.

[0145] Wherein, the conveying element 181 includes, but is not limited to, conveyor belts, conveyor rollers, and the like.

[0146] Therefore, by providing the conveying member 181, the movement direction of the retaining pallet mechanism 110 can be guided to prevent the retaining pallet mechanism 110 from drifting off its trajectory. Meanwhile, it can also improve the convenience for the retaining pallet mechanism 110 to enter the compartment 170.

[0147] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the liner replacement device further comprises a limiting element 182 disposed within the compartment 170, the limiting element 182 is configured to block the retaining paddle mechanism 110 from entering the compartment 170, in order to prevent the retaining paddle mechanism 110 from moving out of the predefined position.

[0148] Therefore, after the retaining pallet mechanism 110 enters the compartment 170, firstly, the retaining pallet mechanism 110 is placed on the conveying member 181 and is conveyed by the conveying member 181 to the predefined position. In order to prevent the retaining pallet mechanism 110 from continue to advance, a limiting member 182 will be provided at the preset position to prevent the retaining pallet mechanism 110 from continuing to advance in its moving direction, so that the retaining pallet mechanism 110 can be accurately installed at the preset position inside the compartment 170, thereby ensuring the effect of replacing the first liner IA and the second liner.

[0149] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig. 17], the liner replacement device further comprises a lifting and positioning element 183 disposed within the compartment 170, and the lifting and positioning element 183 is configured to lift and position the retaining paddle mechanism 110 to the predefined position.

[0150] Therefore, in the process in which the retaining pallet mechanism 110 enters the compartment 170, the lifting and positioning member 183 descends to facilitate the retaining pallet mechanism 110 to enter the compartment 170. When the retaining pallet mechanism 110 reaches the preset position, the lifting and positioning member 183 is configured to lift the retaining pallet mechanism 110 so that the retaining pallet mechanism 110 is at the preset height, which is convenient for gripping performed by the liner gripping mechanism 130.

[0151] Additionally, optionally, the lifting and positioning element 183 comprises a lifting cylinder. In the compartment 170, trajectory switches are also provided for positioning detection and positioning pins. Thus, the trajectory switches can detect whether the retaining pallet mechanism 110 is in place, and the positioning pins are configured to limit the lifting height of the retaining pallet mechanism 110.

[0152] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, the embodiment of the present application also provides a gripping mechanism 1, and the gripping mechanism 1 comprises a mounting assembly 3 and a plurality of gripping members 4 and a detection assembly 5. The gripping member 4 is plural in number, and the plurality of gripping members 4 are spaced apart in a first direction and disposed on the mounting assembly 3. The plurality of gripping members 4 are configured to simultaneously grip multiple coatings. The detection assembly 5 comprises a plurality of detection elements 51 disposed on the mounting assembly 3. The number of detection elements 51 is equal to the number of gripping members 4, and the plurality of detection elements 51 are configured to respectively detect whether the plurality of coatings is in an abnormal state.

[0153] Here, the term "a plurality of" mentioned above refers to a quantity of three or more.

[0154] The above-mentioned mounting assembly 3 comprises a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate arranged on the first mounting plate. The gripping elements 4 are arranged on the first mounting plate, and the sensing elements 51 are arranged on the second mounting plate, or the mounting assembly 3 comprises a mounting frame and a mounting plate arranged on the mounting frame.

[0155] Furthermore, the first direction mentioned above refers to the direction indicated by the arrow xl in [Fig. 19].

[0156] Because a plurality of gripping members 4 are spaced apart in the first direction and arranged on the mounting assembly 3, and the number of detection elements 51 in the detection assembly 5 is equal to the number of the gripping members 4, the plurality of detection elements 51 can simultaneously detect the coatings gripped by the plurality of gripping members 4. In other words, the plurality of detection elements 51 can detect whether there are abnormal states in the plurality of coatings when the plurality of gripping members 4 respectively grip the plurality of coatings. The plurality of detection elements 51 can also detect the gripping states of the plurality of gripping members 4 when gripping the coatings to detect whether there are abnormal states in the plurality of coatings.Obviously, the plurality of detection elements 51 can also detect whether there are abnormal states in the plurality of coatings when the plurality of gripping elements 4 place the plurality of coatings. As can be seen, by providing a plurality of detection elements 51 whose number is equal to the number of gripping elements 4 and in corresponding positions, it is possible to detect whether the plurality of coatings are in an abnormal state in a timely manner, so that the abnormal coatings can be adjusted in a timely manner to ensure the production quality of battery cells.

[0157] According to some embodiments, the abnormal conditions include the absence of at least one of the plurality of coverings, the inability of at least one of the plurality of gripping elements 4 to grip properly and / or the excessive height of at least one of the plurality of coverings.

[0158] Accordingly, when the gripping members 4 grip a plurality of coatings, a plurality of detection elements 51 in the detection assembly 5 can simultaneously detect whether the coatings to be gripped are placed at too high a level. When the gripping members 4 have gripped the coatings, a plurality of detection elements 51 can simultaneously detect whether there is a situation where a plurality of gripping members 4 fail to grip properly. When the gripping members 4 place a plurality of gripped coatings, a A plurality of detection elements 51 can simultaneously detect whether a plurality of gripped coatings are placed at too high a level. It can be seen that by using the detection assembly 5, it is possible to detect whether there are abnormal states in the coatings before they are gripped, in the gripping process, and after they are placed, thereby improving the completeness of detection by the detection assembly 5.

[0159] Furthermore, the above-mentioned coatings may refer to the coatings that need to be replaced, i.e., the first coating, or may also refer to the coatings to be replaced, i.e., the second coating.

[0160] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig.20], the detection assembly 5 further comprises a light shielding member 52 disposed on the end of the detection element 51, and an opposite beam detection assembly 53 corresponding to the light shielding member 52. The first end of the detection element 51 remote from the light shielding member 52 is configured to contact the coating and the detection element 51 is movably disposed on the mounting assembly 3 in the vertical direction.

[0161] Here, the vertical direction refers to the direction indicated by the arrow Y in [Fig.20],

[0162] In addition, the light shielding element 52 corresponds to the opposite beam detection assembly 53 mentioned above, which means that the light shielding element 52 can block optical signals emitted by the opposite beam detection assembly 53.

[0163] Because the sensing element 51 can move in the vertical direction, the first end of the sensing element 51 is provided with a light-shielding member 52 and the second end contacts the coating. Therefore, when the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly or the coating is missing, the sensing element 51 will not be able to contact the coating, and the light-shielding member 52 will then be in a lower position. When the coating is placed at too high a level, the sensing element 51 protrudes further from the mounting assembly 3, i.e., the light-shielding member 52 is in a higher position. Thus, the situations where the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly, the coating is missing, and the coating is placed at too high a level can be determined based on the light-shielding position of the light-shielding member 52.This structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0164] Obviously, the above-mentioned detection assembly 5 is not limited to the above structure. The detection assembly 5 may also comprise a laser sensor, a height sensor, a limit switch and others.

[0165] According to one embodiment, referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, the opposite beam detection assembly 53 comprises a first optical fiber group 531 and a second optical fiber group 532 spaced apart in the vertical direction, the position of the first optical fiber group 531 in the vertical direction is lower than that of the second optical fiber group 532, and the light shielding member 52 is configured to shield the first optical fiber group 531 or the second optical fiber group 532 from light. That is, the light shielding member 52 can shelter the first group of optical fibers 531 from the light when the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly or the covering is missing, and the light shielding member 52 can also shelter the second group of optical fibers 532 from the light when the covering is placed too high.

[0166] Because the first optical fiber group 531 is lower than the second optical fiber group 532 in the vertical direction, when the light shielding member 52 is located in a relatively low position, it may block the light emitted by the first optical fiber group 531, which shows that the sensing element 51 is not in contact with the coating, i.e., there is a situation where the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly or the coating is missing. When the light shielding member 52 is located in a relatively high position, it may block the light emitted by the second optical fiber group 532, which shows that the sensing element 51 is lifted by the coating, i.e., there is a situation where the element is placed at too high a level.

[0167] It can be seen that by matching the light shielding member 52 to the first group of optical fibers 531 or the second group of optical fibers 532, it will be possible to determine whether the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly, whether the coating is missing, and whether the coating is placed at too high a level. Compared with the prior art in which multiple sensors are provided to determine whether the gripping member 4 fails to grip properly and whether the coating is placed at too high a level, costs are reduced.

[0168] In addition, the first optical fiber group 531 and the second optical fiber group 532 both comprise at least one optical fiber.

[0169] According to some embodiments, the gripping mechanism 1 also comprises a controller and a warning device electrically connected to the controller. The controller is electrically connected to the first group of optical fibers 531 and the second group of optical fibers 532 respectively, and the warning device can give an alarm when the light shielding element 52 blocks the first group of optical fibers 531 or the second group of optical fibers 532.

[0170] Here, the above-mentioned controller includes, but is not limited to, a single-chip microcomputer controller, a PLC controller, a CPU controller and others.

[0171] Therefore, when the light-paying member 52 blocks the first optical fiber group 531, the first optical fiber group 531 can transmit a signal to the controller, and the controller can control the warning device to give an alarm according to the signal transmitted by the first optical fiber group 531. Similarly, when the light-shielding member 52 blocks the second optical fiber group 532, the second optical fiber group 532 can transmit a signal to the controller, and the controller can control the warning device to give an alarm according to the signal transmitted by the second optical fiber group 532. Thus, it is possible to promptly remind personnel to check the abnormal situations of the coating in different states.

[0172] In addition, the above-mentioned warning device may be a warning light, a buzzer and others.

[0173] According to some embodiments, the light in the first group of optical fibers 531 and the second group of optical fibers 532 is transmitted in the first direction.

[0174] Because a plurality of gripping members 4 are spaced apart in the first direction and the plurality of detection elements 51 are arranged corresponding to a plurality of gripping members 4 in the first direction, in order to improve the effect of detecting the existence of abnormal states in the coatings gripped by a plurality of gripping members 4 by a plurality of detection elements 51 simultaneously, the light in the first optical fiber group 531 and the second optical fiber group 532 is configured to be transmitted in the first direction.

[0175] Because the light shielding member 52 may shield the second optical fiber group 532 from light when the liner is placed at too high a level, in order to improve the detection accuracy of placing the liner too high, it is necessary to detect two opposite sides of the liner. In other words, when one side of the liner in the first direction is lifted while the other side is at the normal height, if only one side of the liner is detected in this case, it is easy to treat the liner with the other side lifted as the normally placed liner, which will affect the subsequent installation and processing of the battery cells. On this basis, according to some embodiments, the second optical fiber group 532 comprises two groups, and the two groups of the second optical fiber group 532 are spaced apart in the second direction.The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and both the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0176] Here, the first direction refers to the direction indicated by the arrow xl in [Fig.22a], and the second direction refers to the direction indicated by the arrow yl in [Fig.22a]. The first direction and second direction mentioned above are not strictly in accordance with what shown in [Fig.22a]. In order to improve the accuracy of coating detection, preferably the second direction corresponds to the direction of the coating length.

[0177] Therefore, according to this embodiment, because two groups of the second optical fiber groups 532 are spaced apart in the second direction, the two groups of the second optical fiber groups 532 can respectively detect both sides of the coating in the second direction, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting too high placement of the coating.

[0178] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig.22b], the light shielding element 52 is a disc-shaped light shielding element, the disc-shaped light shielding element includes a first sheltering area near the center and a second sheltering area near the edge, the first sheltering area is configured to shelter the second group of optical fibers 532 from the light, and the second sheltering area is configured to shelter the first group of optical fibers 531 from the light.

[0179] Because the disc-shaped light shielding member includes a first sheltering area 520 near the center and a second sheltering area 521 near the edge and the first sheltering area 520 can shelter the second optical fiber group 532 from light while the second sheltering area 521 can shelter the first optical fiber group 531 from light, by providing one light shielding member 52, it is possible to realize the light shielding for the first optical fiber group 531 and the second optical fiber group 532 respectively. Compared to providing two independent light shielding members 52, the number of components of the detection assembly 5 is reduced, while simplifying the assembly process of the detection assembly 5.

[0180] According to some embodiments, referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, the sensing assembly 5 further comprises an elastic element 54, and the elastic element 54 is disposed on the sensing element 51 close to the first end of the sensing element 51.

[0181] Due to the first end of the sensing element 51 away from the light shielding element 52 making contact with the coating to determine whether the coating is placed at too high a level, whether the coating is missing, or whether the gripping element 4 fails to grip properly, when the elastic member 54 is arranged on the light shielding element 52 close to the first end of the sensing element 51, which allows the sensing element 51 to make contact with the coating using the elastic member 54, thereby transforming a rigid contact between the sensing element 51 and the coating into a flexible contact, playing a role in protecting the coating, and avoiding damage to the structure of the coating caused by the relatively large abutting force applied by the sensing element 51 to the coating.

[0182] In addition, the aforementioned elastic member 54 includes, but is not limited to, elastic members such as rubber pads, spring plates, and springs.

[0183] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig.23], the gripping element 4 comprises a claw driving element 40, a first clamping claw 41 and a second clamping claw 42, the claw driving element 40 is configured to drive the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 to move towards each other to grip the coating or away from each other to release the coating. The sensing element 51 is disposed between the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42.

[0184] Here, the above-mentioned claw driving element may be an opening-closing cylinder, or may also be a telescopic cylinder, a linear motor and others.

[0185] For example, two claw driving members 40 are provided, and the two claw driving members 40 are connected to the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 respectively. When it is necessary to grip the coating, the two claw driving members 40 respectively drive the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 to move towards each other to grip the coating. When it is necessary to release the coating, the two claw driving members 40 respectively drive the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 to move away from each other so that the coating is released from the gripping member 4. That is, the two claw driving members 40 operate together to control the opening or closing of the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42.

[0186] In addition, the gripping member 4 further comprises a first mounting plate and a second mounting plate. A plurality of first clamping claws 41 are disposed on the first mounting plate, and a plurality of second clamping claws 42 are disposed on the second mounting plate. One of the two claw driving members 40 is connected to the first mounting plate and the other is connected to the second mounting plate. Thus, the two claw driving members 40 can respectively control the opening or closing of a plurality of first clamping claws 41 and a plurality of second clamping claws 42.

[0187] Because the sensing element 51 is disposed between the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42, when the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 approach each other to grip the coating, the detection element 51 can detect whether there is a situation where the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 fail to grip properly. When the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 move away from each other to release the coating, the coating will be placed at the placement position, and then the detection element 51 can detect whether the placed coating is placed too high. Thus, when the detection element 51 is arranged between the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42, it is possible to detect the state of the coating in time when the first clamping claw 41 and the second clamping claw 42 are in different states, thereby improving the accuracy and speed of detection.

[0188] According to some embodiments, referring to [Fig.24], the gripping mechanism further comprises a first drive member 6 and a second drive member 7, the first drive member 6 is configured to drive the gripping member 4 and the detection assembly 5 to move synchronously, and the second drive member 7 is configured to drive the gripping member 4 to move up or down.

[0189] Wherein, the first drive element 6 and the second drive element 7 may both be telescopic cylinders, linear motors and others.

[0190] By providing the first drive member 6, when the gripping member 4 is driven to grip or place the liner, the detection assembly 5 can detect in time the existence of abnormal states in the liners in the process of gripping and placing. With the aid of the second drive member 7, when the gripping member 4 grips the liner, the second drive member 7 can drive the gripping member 4 to descend and grip the liner, and then drive the gripping member 4 to ascend. Likewise, this also applies to the process of placing the liner.

[0191] There are several connection relationships between the second drive member 7 and the first drive member 6. For example, the second drive member 7 and the first drive member 6 are independent of each other and are respectively connected to the gripping member 4, or the second drive member 7 is connected to the first drive member 6 and the second drive member 7 is connected to the gripping member 4. The following will be explained mainly taking the example that the second drive member 7 is connected to the first drive member 6 for illustration.

[0192] According to certain embodiments, the gripping element 4 is arranged on the second drive element 7 and the second drive element 7 is arranged on the first drive element 6.

[0193] Therefore, when the first drive member 6 drives the second drive member 7 to move, the second drive member 7 and the gripping member 4 can move synchronously, thereby improving the compactness of the installation structure of the first drive member 6 and the second drive member 7.

[0194] The embodiment of the present application also provides a gripping device, the gripping device comprises a support frame 2 and a gripping mechanism 1. In which, the mounting assembly 3 in the gripping mechanism 1 is movably arranged on the support frame 2.

[0195] In particular, because the detection assembly 5 and the gripping member 4 in the gripping mechanism 1 are both arranged on the mounting assembly 3, the first driving member 6 is connected to the mounting assembly 3. Thus, when the first driving member 6 drives the mounting assembly 3 to move, it can simultaneously drive the detection assembly 5 and the gripping member 4 to move synchronously, thereby improving the integrity of the movement of the detection assembly 5 and the gripping member 4.

[0196] In addition, the sensing element 51 in the sensing assembly 5 is movably disposed on the mounting assembly 3 in the vertical direction. The feasible schemes include: a through hole extending in the vertical direction is opened on the mounting assembly 3, and the sensing element 51 is movably inserted into the through hole, or an installation part is disposed on the mounting assembly 3, a through hole extending in the vertical direction is provided on the installation part, and the sensing element 51 is movably inserted into the through hole.

[0197] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 1 according to the embodiment of the present application may have the same structure as any of the gripping mechanisms 1 in the above embodiments and may provide the same or similar beneficial effects. For specific details, be sure to refer to the descriptions in the above embodiments, and the details will not be repeated here in the embodiment of the present application.

[0198] Referring to [Fig.25], the embodiment of the present application also provides a liner replacement device, the liner replacement device comprises a storage mechanism 220 and the gripping device mentioned above. The storage mechanism 220 has a placement position, and the placement position is configured to alternately placing an empty pallet and a pallet carrying a second liner. The gripping device is configured to grip the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 210 towards the placement position, and the gripping device is also configured to grip the second liner in the pallet carrying the second liner at the placement position and replace it in the retaining pallet mechanism 210.

[0199] In this embodiment, when it is necessary to replace the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 210, firstly, the gripping device removes the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 210 and places it in the empty pallet at the placing position. Then, the gripping device removes the second liner in the pallet carrying the second liner at the placing position and places it in the retaining pallet mechanism 210, thus, the replacement of the liners of different sizes in the retaining pallet mechanism 210 is completed.It can be seen that according to this embodiment, by providing the storage mechanism 220 and the liner gripping mechanism, the first liner in the retaining pallet mechanism 210 can be automatically replaced with the second liner, which replaces the way of manual liner replacement by operators, thereby reducing labor costs and shortening the battery cell production cycle.

[0200] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, instead of limiting it; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments mentioned above, those skilled in the art will understand that it is possible to propose modifications to the technical solutions described in the preceding embodiments, or equivalent replacements on some or all of the technical features; and such modifications or replacements do not take the spirit of the corresponding technical solutions out of the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

Claims

1. A liner replacement device, characterized in that the liner replacement device is configured to replace a first liner (IA) in a retaining pallet mechanism (110), and comprises: - a storage mechanism (120), the storage mechanism (120) being configured to store an empty pallet or a pallet carrying a second liner, and the size of the second liner being different from that of the first liner (IA); and - a liner gripping mechanism (130), the liner gripping mechanism (130) being configured to grip the first liner (IA) from the retaining pallet mechanism (110) and place the first liner (IA) in the empty pallet, and the liner gripping mechanism (130) being also configured to grip the second liner and place the second liner back in the retaining pallet mechanism (110).

2. A coating replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the empty pallet and the pallet carrying the second coating are transported alternately to the storage mechanism (120).

3. A liner replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the liner gripping mechanism (130) comprises a first drive member (131), a second drive member (132) and a liner gripping claw (133), the first drive member (131) is configured to drive the liner gripping claw (133) to pass between the retaining pallet mechanism (110) and the storage mechanism (120), and the second drive member (132) is configured to drive the liner gripping claw (133) to move up or down.

4. A coating replacement device according to claim 3, characterized in that the coating gripping claw (133) is connected to the second drive member (132), the first drive member (131) is connected to the coating gripping claw (133) via the second drive member (132), the first drive member (131) is configured to drive the coating gripping claw (133) to pass between the mechanism of retaining pallet (110) and the storage mechanism (120) in the first direction.

5. A liner replacement device according to claim 3, characterized in that the liner gripping mechanism 130 further comprises a detection assembly (140) configured to detect whether the first liner (IA) or the second liner is in an abnormal state.

6. A liner replacement device according to claim 5, characterized in that the abnormal condition comprises the absence of the first liner (IA) in the retaining pallet mechanism (110), the inability of the liner gripping claw (133) to grip the first liner (IA) or the second liner, and / or an excessive height of the second liner placed in the retaining pallet mechanism (110).

7. A coating replacement device according to claim 5, characterized in that the detection assembly (140) comprises a connecting base (141), a detection element (142) movably disposed on the connecting base (141) in a vertical direction, a light shielding element (143) connected to one end of the detection element (142), and an opposite beam detection assembly (144) corresponding to the light shielding element (143), a first end of the detection element (142) away from the light shielding element (143) is configured to contact the first coating (IA) or the second coating.

8. A coating replacement device according to claim 7, characterized in that the opposite beam detection assembly (144) comprises a first detection optical fiber group (1441) and a second detection optical fiber group (1442), and in the vertical direction, the position of the first detection optical fiber group (1441) is lower than that of the second detection optical fiber group (1442), and the light shielding member (143) is configured to shelter the first detection optical fiber group (1441) or the second detection optical fiber group (1442) from the light.

9. A liner replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining paddle mechanism (110) comprises a support member (111), and a first retaining plate (112) and a second retaining plate (113) arranged on

10.

11. the support member (111), the first retaining plate (112) and the second retaining plate (113) are spaced apart in a second direction, and the second retaining plate (113) is movable in the second direction relative to the first retaining plate (112), and a plurality of first liners (IA) are sequentially arranged in the second direction between the first retaining plate (112) and the second retaining plate (113); the liner replacement device further comprises a release mechanism (150), and the release mechanism (150) is configured to drive the second retaining plate (113) to move in the second direction away from the first retaining plate (112); the liner replacement device further comprises a retaining mechanism (160), and the retaining mechanism (160) is configured to drive the second retaining plate (113) to move toward the first retaining plate (112) in the second direction. A liner replacement device according to claim 9, characterized in that a first engagement element (116) is arranged on a side surface of the second retaining plate (113) opposite the first retaining plate (112); the release mechanism (150) comprises a first release drive member (151), a second release drive member (152) and a second engagement member (153) which is engaged with the first engagement member (116), the first release drive member (151) is configured to drive the second engagement member (153) to move towards the first engagement member (116) so that the second engagement member (153) is engaged with the first engagement member (116), the second release drive member (152) is configured to drive the second engagement member (153) to move the first engagement member (116) away from the first retaining plate (112) in the second direction. A coating replacement device according to claim 10, characterized in that the first engagement element (116) comprises a head (1162) and a neck (1161) connected to each other, the end of the neck (1161) remote from the head (1162) is connected to the surface of the second retaining plate (113) opposite the first retaining plate (112), the engaging portion is formed on the neck (1161), the width of the neck (1161) is less than the width of the groove (1531), and the width of the head (1162) is greater than the width of the groove (1531).

12. A liner replacement device according to claim 9, characterized in that the retaining mechanism (160) comprises a pressing drive member (161) and a pressing member (162) connected to the pressing drive member (161), the pressing drive member (161) drives the pressing member (162) to press against the second retaining plate (113) and push the second retaining plate (113) to move in the second direction toward the first retaining plate (112).

13. A liner replacement device according to claim 9, characterized in that the retaining paddle mechanism (110) further comprises a mounting member (114) and a retaining member (115) disposed on the support member (111), the mounting member (114) is disposed on the side of the second retaining plate (113) opposite the first retaining plate (112) and has a predefined gap relative to the second retaining plate (113), and the retaining member (115) is connected to the mounting member (114) by a threaded connection; the retaining mechanism (160) further comprises a drive assembly, the drive assembly is configured to drive the retaining member (115) to move toward the second retaining plate (113) relative to the mounting member (114) until the retaining member (115) bears against the second retaining plate (113).

14. A liner replacement device according to claim 13, characterized in that the drive assembly comprises a rotary drive member (163) and a rotary gripping claw (164) connected to the rotary drive member (163), the rotary gripping claw (164) corresponds to the retaining member (115), and the rotary drive member (163) is configured to drive the rotary gripping claw (164) to drive the end of the retaining member (115) to bear against the second retaining plate (113).

15. A liner replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the liner replacement device further comprises a compartment (170) and a transport member (181) disposed within the compartment (170), the transport member (181) is configured to transport the retaining pallet mechanism (110) to enter the compartment (170) at a predefined position; the liner replacement device further comprises a limiting element (182) disposed inside the compartment (170), the limiting element (182) is configured to block the retaining paddle mechanism (110) from entering the compartment (170), in order to prevent the retaining paddle mechanism (110) from moving out of the predefined position; the liner replacement device further comprises a lifting and positioning element (183) disposed within the compartment (170), and the lifting and positioning element (183) is configured to lift and position the retaining pallet mechanism (110) to the predefined position.

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