Cover removal device and battery electrolyte injection equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cover removal device and battery filling equipment, where the cover removal device includes a rack and a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism includes a base, a lifting assembly, a gripping assembly, and multiple closing assemblies. When a battery that has been placed in place moves below the transport mechanism together with the tray and top cover, the gripping assembly first moves downward under the drive of the lifting assembly, and then grabs the top cover. As the gripping assembly grabs the top cover, the plugs of the multiple closing assemblies extend into the multiple filling cups, respectively, to close the drain holes of the filling cups. The gripping assembly then moves upward under the drive of the lifting assembly, removing the top cover from the tray and thereby separating the filling cups from the batteries. Since the multiple plugs respectively close the drain holes of the multiple pouring cups, even if electrolyte remains in the pouring cup, when the pouring cup is separated from the battery, the remaining electrolyte will not leak from the drain hole, thereby effectively preventing the batteries in the tray from being contaminated by the electrolyte.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure claims the priority of the Chinese patent application No. 202323067523.1, "Cover Removal Device and Battery Liquid Injection Equipment", filed with the Chinese Patent Office on November 14, 2023, and the entire content thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to the technical field of lithium battery equipment, particularly to a cover removal device and battery liquid injection equipment.

Background Art

[0003] After placing the lithium battery in the outer casing, it is necessary to put it into the battery liquid injection equipment for injecting the electrolyte. During the liquid injection operation, usually, a plurality of batteries are arranged in a tray in batches, put into the battery liquid injection equipment, and then an upper cover including a plurality of liquid injection cups is arranged above the tray. The plurality of liquid injection cups are respectively connected to the liquid injection holes of the plurality of batteries, a certain amount of electrolyte is injected into each liquid injection cup, and the electrolyte can gradually flow into the battery from the drain hole at the bottom, thereby realizing the injection of the electrolyte into the battery.

[0004] The upper cover and the liquid injection cups thereon also put the battery into an isobaric cavity to circulate positive and negative pressures and stand still, thereby promoting the absorption of the electrolyte. After the standing is completed, when the entire upper cover is removed from the tray, the battery can be transferred to the next process.

[0005] However, due to the inclination of the liquid injection cup or the blockage of the drain hole, etc., the liquid injection cannot be carried out smoothly. As a result, there may be electrolyte remaining in the liquid injection cup after the liquid injection is completed. Thus, when removing the upper cover from the tray, the electrolyte remaining in the liquid injection cup may leak and contaminate the batteries in the tray, resulting in problems such as reprocessing or discarding of the batteries, and an increase in maintenance work.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, we provide a cover removal device and a battery electrolyte injection device that can effectively prevent the electrolyte from contaminating the battery.

[0007] A cover removal device, Rack and, A transport mechanism mounted on the rack, comprising a lifting assembly, a gripping assembly, and a plurality of closing assemblies, wherein the gripping assembly can grasp and release an upper cover containing a plurality of liquid dispensing cups, and can move along the vertical direction under the drive of the lifting assembly to remove the upper cover from the tray, and each of the closing assemblies includes a stopper, The closing assembly can move together with the gripping assembly, and when the gripping assembly grips the upper cover, the plugs of the multiple closing assemblies can each extend into the multiple liquid injection cups and close the drain holes of the liquid injection cups.

[0008] In one embodiment, the gripping assembly includes a support plate, a drive member, and two opposing clamp plates, the support plate being connected to the drive end of the lifting assembly, a positioning pin being provided on one side of each clamp plate facing the other clamp plate, the two clamp plates being slidably mounted on the support plate, and the drive member being able to drive the two clamp plates toward or toward each other, so that the positioning pin is inserted into or removed from mounting holes on the side of the upper cover.

[0009] In one embodiment, the transport mechanism further includes a base plate for supporting the lifting assembly, the gripping assembly, and the closing assembly, the base plate being mounted on the rack, the gripping assembly further including a guide rod extending along the vertical direction, the base plate being provided with a linear bearing, the guide rod being slidably drilled into the linear bearing, and one end thereof being connected to the support plate.

[0010] In one embodiment, a plurality of the closing assemblies are attached to the support plate and can move along the vertical direction together with the support plate.

[0011] In one embodiment, the stopper can elastically contact the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup along the vertical direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, each of the above closing assemblies further includes a base and an elastic member, wherein the plug is slidably mounted on the base along the vertical direction, and the elastic member applies a downward tightening force to the plug.

[0013] In one embodiment, the base is columnar, and the elastic member is a compression spring fitted to the base and in contact with the plug.

[0014] In one embodiment, the system further includes a waste discharge carrier provided on the rack, the transport mechanism being able to move along a predetermined direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, thereby driving the gripping assembly to move above the waste discharge carrier, the gripping assembly moving along the vertical direction under the drive of the lifting assembly, and the gripped upper cover being placed on the waste discharge carrier.

[0015] In one embodiment, the rack is provided with a toothed rod extending along the predetermined direction, the transport mechanism further includes a base plate for supporting the lifting assembly, the gripping assembly and the closing assembly, the base plate being slidably mounted on the rack along the predetermined direction, and the transport mechanism further includes a motor mounted on the base plate and a gear connected to the motor, the gear meshing with the toothed rod, the gear rolling along the toothed rod under the drive of the motor, thereby driving the base plate to slide along the predetermined direction.

[0016] In one embodiment, the invention further includes a cleaning mechanism mounted on the rack, the cleaning mechanism being able to move along the predetermined direction up to the top of the waste discharge carrier, and cleaning a plurality of the liquid dispensing cups positioned on the top cover of the waste discharge carrier.

[0017] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism includes a second substrate, a second lifting assembly, and a cleaning assembly, wherein the second substrate is slidably mounted on the rack along the predetermined direction, the second lifting assembly and the cleaning assembly are mounted on the second substrate, the cleaning assembly can move together with the second substrate up to above the waste discharge carrier, the cleaning assembly includes a plurality of cleaning heads, each of which can extend into a plurality of liquid injection cups of the upper cover, which is mounted on the waste discharge carrier, under the drive of the second lifting assembly.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism further includes a discharge conveyor line, the washing mechanism further includes a second gripping assembly, the second gripping assembly is attached to the second substrate and can grip and release the upper cover, the second gripping assembly can move together with the second substrate to above the waste discharge carrier, moves along the vertical direction under the drive of the second lifting assembly and can grip the upper cover placed on the waste discharge carrier. The second gripping assembly can move together with the second substrate to above the discharge conveyor line, move along the vertical direction under the drive of the second lifting assembly, and place the gripped upper cover on the discharge conveyor line.

[0019] In one embodiment, a limiting ring is formed on the cleaning head, and when the cleaning head extends into the liquid injection cup, the limiting ring can contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup and cover the opening of the liquid injection cup.

[0020] In one embodiment, the limiting ring can elastically contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup along the vertical direction.

[0021] A battery electrolyte injection system, comprising a cover removal device as described in any one of the above preferred embodiments.

[0022] In the cover removal device and battery electrolyte injection system described above, when the batteries, once settled, move downward along with the tray and upper cover to the transport mechanism, first the gripping assembly can move downward under the drive of the lifting assembly, and then the gripping assembly grasps the upper cover. During the process of the gripping assembly grasping the upper cover, the plugs of the multiple closing assemblies can each extend into the multiple electrolyte cups and close the drain holes of the electrolyte cups. Subsequently, the gripping assembly can move upward under the drive of the lifting assembly to remove the upper cover from the tray on which the batteries are placed, thereby separating the electrolyte cups from the batteries. In this process, since the multiple plugs each close the drain holes of the multiple electrolyte cups, even if electrolyte remains in the electrolyte cups when separating them from the batteries, the remaining electrolyte will not leak from the drain holes, thereby effectively preventing contamination of the batteries in the tray with electrolyte.

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this application or the technical solutions of the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Clearly, the drawings in the following description are only a few embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these without any creative effort. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a cover removal device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view of the transport mechanism in the cover removal device. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a left side view of the transport mechanism. [Figure 4] It is a front view of the waste discharge carrier in the cover removal device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a left side view of the waste discharge carrier shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a front view of the cleaning mechanism in the cover removal device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a left side view of the cleaning mechanism shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram of the engagement between the tray and the upper cover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a left side view of the engagement between the tray and the upper cover shown in FIG. 8.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0025] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many ways other than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific examples disclosed below.

[0026] In the description of the present disclosure, for the sake of understanding, terms indicating orientation or positional relationship such as "center", "lateral direction", "vertical direction", "width", "length", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial direction", "diameter direction", "circumferential direction", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are used only for explaining the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements mentioned must have a specific orientation and be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations to the present disclosure.

[0027] Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance or the quantity of a technical feature. Accordingly, features separated by “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, “plural” means two or more, for example, two, three.

[0028] In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the terms “attachment,” “connection,” “connection,” and “fixing” should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they may be fixed connections, removable connections, or integral connections; they may be mechanical or electrical connections; they may be direct connections or indirect connections via an intermediate medium; and they may be internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this disclosure depending on the specific context.

[0029] In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the presence of a first feature "above" or "below" a second feature means that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first and second features are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, the presence of a first feature "above," "above," and "upper side" of a second feature means that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or that the horizontal height of the first feature is greater than that of the second feature. The presence of a first feature "below," "below," and "below side" of a second feature means that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0030] When an element is thought to be “fixed” or “attached” to another element, it may be directly fixed to the other element, or an intermediate element may be present. When an element is thought to be “connected” to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or an intermediate element may be present at the same time. The terms “vertical,” “horizontal,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” and similar terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent only one embodiment.

[0031] Referring to Figure 1, this disclosure provides a cover removal device 10 and a battery electrolyte injection system. The battery electrolyte injection system includes the cover removal device 10.

[0032] The above-described battery electrolyte injection equipment is used to inject electrolyte into batteries in batches. The equipment typically includes additional components such as an electrolyte injection mechanism (not shown) and an isobaric cavity (not shown). As shown in Figures 8 and 9, first, multiple batteries (not shown) to be injected are placed in a tray 20, and an upper cover 30 is attached to the tray 20. The upper cover 30 contains multiple electrolyte injection cups 31, the number and arrangement of the cups 31 being the same as the number and arrangement of the batteries in the tray 20, and each of the multiple electrolyte injection cups 31 being connected to multiple electrolyte injection holes. After the assembly of the tray 20 and the upper cover 30 is complete, the electrolyte injection mechanism injects a fixed amount of electrolyte into each electrolyte cup 31, then moves the tray 20 and the upper cover 30 to the isobaric cavity to circulate positive and negative pressure and allow to stand, thereby promoting the flow and absorption of the electrolyte into the battery.

[0033] After the settling is complete, the tray 20 and the top cover 30 are removed from the isobaric cavity and transferred to the cover removal device 10. The cover removal device 10 removes the top cover 30 from the tray 20, separates the liquid injection cup 31 from the batteries, and the batteries, after the liquid injection is complete, are transferred to the next process along with the tray 20.

[0034] Referring together to Figures 2 and 3, the cover removal device 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a rack 100 and a transport mechanism 200.

[0035] The transport mechanism 200 includes a substrate 210, a lifting assembly 220, a gripping assembly 230, and a plurality of closing assemblies 240. The substrate 210 serves as a support and is typically a metal plate structure, and the lifting assembly 220, the gripping assembly 230, and the plurality of closing assemblies 240 are all directly or indirectly supported by the substrate 210. Since the substrate 210 is mounted on the rack 100, the transport mechanism 200 is mounted on the rack 100. Of course, in other embodiments, the lifting assembly 220, the gripping assembly 230, and the plurality of closing assemblies 240 may also be supported by the rack 100.

[0036] The gripping assembly 230 can grip and release the upper cover 30. After the battery has been placed, the tray 20 and the upper cover 30 are moved to the cover removal device 10, where they are positioned below the transport mechanism 200. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cover removal device 10 further includes a supply conveyor line 400. The tray 20 on which the batteries are placed is moved from the isobaric cavity and then placed on the supply conveyor line 400, and transported via the supply conveyor line 400 below the transport mechanism 200.

[0037] The lifting assembly 220 can be driven to move the gripping assembly 230 along the vertical direction, thereby removing the top cover 30 from the tray 20. Specifically, the lifting assembly 220 first drives the gripping assembly 230 down to approximately the same height as the top cover 30 so that the gripping assembly 230 can grasp the top cover 30. After the gripping assembly 230 has grasped the top cover 30, the lifting assembly 220 first drives the gripping assembly 230 upward so that the top cover 30 can be removed from the tray 20. The tray 20 on which the batteries are placed is then transported to the next process under the drive of the supply conveyor line 400.

[0038] The lifting assembly 220 may be a cylinder or motor cylinder structure, as long as it is attached to the substrate 210 and allows the transport mechanism 200 to move in the vertical direction.

[0039] In this embodiment, the gripping assembly 230 includes a support plate 231, a drive member 232, and two opposing clamp plates 233. The support plate 231 is connected to the drive end of the lifting assembly 220, and a positioning pin 234 is provided on one side of each clamp plate 233 facing the other clamp plate 233. The two clamp plates 233 are slidably mounted on the support plate 231, and the drive member 232 can drive the two clamp plates 233 to move closer to or further away from each other. As a result, the positioning pin 234 is inserted into or removed from a mounting hole 301 on the side of the upper cover 30 (Figure 9).

[0040] The clamp plates 233 are slidably mounted on the support plate 231 via guide rails and sliders, and the drive member 232 may be a cylinder. The two clamp plates 233 may be driven by the same drive member 232, or each may be driven by two drive members 232. Under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, the support plate 231 can move downward until the positioning pin 234 aligns with the mounting hole 301 on the side of the upper cover 30. In this case, the drive member 232 drives the two clamp plates 233 closer together so that the positioning pin 234 can be attached to the mounting hole 301, thereby the upper cover 30 To achieve the ability to grasp. Top cover 30 If it is necessary to release the clamps, the drive member 232 only needs to drive the two clamps 233 away from each other until the positioning pin 234 is removed from the mounting hole 301.

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment, the gripping assembly 230 further includes a guide rod 235 extending in the vertical direction, a linear bearing 211 provided on the substrate 210, the guide rod 235 being slidably drilled into the linear bearing 211 and one end thereof connected to the support plate 231. Typically, multiple guide rods 235 are provided and, in cooperation with the linear bearing 211, can guide the support plate 231, thereby preventing the support plate 231 from swaying during the vertical movement.

[0042] The number and arrangement of the closing assemblies 240 are typically the same as the number and arrangement of the liquid dispensing cups 31 in the upper cover 30. Under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, the closing assemblies 240 can move together with the gripping assembly 230. Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple closing assemblies 240 are attached to the support plate 231.

[0043] Furthermore, each closing assembly 240 includes a stopper 241. The stopper 241 may be rod-shaped and extend along the vertical direction. The closing assemblies 240 can move together with the gripping assembly 230, and when the gripping assembly 230 grips the upper cover 30, the stoppers 241 of the multiple closing assemblies 240 can each extend into the multiple liquid injection cups 31 to close the drain holes (not shown) of the liquid injection cups 31.

[0044] Specifically, as the lifting assembly 220 drives the gripping assembly 230 downward, the multiple closing assemblies 240 also move downward. When the gripping assembly 230 descends to a height where it can grip the upper cover 30, the multiple stoppers 241 extend into the multiple liquid injection cups 31, thereby closing the drain holes of the liquid injection cups 31.

[0045] After the gripping assembly 230 grasps the upper cover 30, the gripping assembly 230 moves upward under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, allowing the upper cover 30 to be removed from the tray 20 on which the batteries are placed, thereby separating the electrolyte cups 31 from the batteries. In this process, multiple stoppers 241 each close the drain holes of multiple electrolyte cups 31, so that even if electrolyte remains in the electrolyte cups 31, the remaining electrolyte will not leak out of the drain holes, thereby effectively preventing the batteries in the tray 20 from being contaminated by the remaining electrolyte.

[0046] In this embodiment, the stopper 241 can elastically contact the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup 31 along the vertical direction. On the one hand, the elastic contact prevents damage to the stopper 241 and the liquid dispensing cup 31 due to strong contact between the stopper 241 and the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup 31. On the other hand, because the stopper 241 elastically contacts the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup 31, it can generate a tightening force, so that the stopper 241 can maintain a secure contact with the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup 31, and the stopper 241 is not separated from the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup 31 due to factors such as shaking, thereby better achieving the objective of closing the drain hole.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each closing assembly 240 further includes a base 242 and an elastic member 243, the stopper 241 is slidably mounted on the base 242 along the vertical direction, and the elastic member 243 applies a downward tightening force to the stopper 241. When the stopper 241 contacts the bottom of the liquid filling cup 31, the elastic member 243 can elastically deform to generate a downward tightening force, thereby ensuring that the stopper 241 is securely pressed against the bottom of the liquid filling cup 31.

[0048] Clearly, in other embodiments, the stopper 241 may also be configured as a structure molded from an elastic material, and the stopper 241 may achieve elastic contact with the bottom of the pouring cup 31 by its own elasticity.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base 242 is columnar, and the elastic member 243 is a compression spring fitted to the base 242 and in contact with the plug 241. The compression spring is highly reliable and less prone to failure. In addition, the columnar base 242 can effectively restrict the compression spring, effectively preventing it from falling out or shifting position, and as a result, the reliability of the closing assembly 240 can be improved.

[0050] After the transport mechanism 200 removes the upper cover 30 from the tray 20, it is necessary to retrieve the upper cover 30 for subsequent battery electrolyte injection. Before that, however, the electrolyte remaining in the injection cup 31 must be drained.

[0051] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the cover removal device 10 further includes a waste discharge carrier 500 provided on the rack 100, and the transport mechanism 200 can move along a predetermined direction vertically in the vertical direction, thereby driving the gripping assembly 230 to move above the waste discharge carrier 500, and the gripping assembly 230 moves along the vertical direction under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, so that the gripped upper cover 30 can be placed on the waste discharge carrier 500.

[0052] Specifically, the predetermined direction refers to the left-right direction shown in Figure 1. The waste discharge carrier 500 can support the upper cover 30 without obstructing the drain hole of the liquid injection cup 31 inside the supported upper cover 20. After the transport mechanism 200 removes the upper cover 30 from the tray 20, the substrate 210 can move along the predetermined direction until the transport mechanism 200 is positioned above the waste discharge carrier 500. Then, the lifting assembly 220 drives the gripping assembly 230 down, and the gripping assembly 230 releases the grasped upper cover 30 and places the upper cover 30 on the waste discharge carrier 500 until the upper cover 30 is in contact with or nearly in contact with the waste discharge carrier 500. Finally, the lifting assembly 220 drives the gripping assembly 230 up, and the transport mechanism 200 returns to its original position to perform the removal operation on the next upper cover 30.

[0053] After the gripping assembly 230 releases the upper cover 30 and rises, the stopper 241 is also removed from the liquid injection cup 31, thereby opening the drain hole of the liquid injection cup 31. In this case, any electrolyte remaining in the liquid injection cup 31 can drain out through the drain hole. After all the electrolyte remaining in the liquid injection cup 31 has been completely drained, the upper cover 30 can be removed from the waste discharge assembly and recovered.

[0054] Referring together to Figures 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the waste discharge carrier 500 includes a perforated mounting plate 510, a liquid collection tank 520, a liquid discharge pipeline 530, and a liquid storage tank 540. The perforated mounting plate 510 is used to support the upper cover 30, and its surface is provided with a plurality of liquid discharge nozzles 511 which can be connected to the drain hole of the liquid injection cup 31. The liquid collection tank 520 is located below the perforated mounting plate 510 and communicates with the liquid discharge pipeline 530. The electrolyte remaining in the liquid injection cup 31 flows out through the drain hole and enters the liquid collection tank 520 via the liquid discharge nozzles 511, and is then guided to the liquid storage tank 540 for collection via the liquid discharge pipeline 530. The liquid discharge pipeline 530 can also be connected to an external pump device (not shown) to pump out the waste liquid in the liquid storage tank 540.

[0055] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, specifically, in this embodiment, the rack 100 is provided with a gear rod 110 extending in a predetermined direction, and the substrate 210 is slidably mounted on the rack 100 in the predetermined direction. The transport mechanism 200 further includes a motor 250 attached to the substrate 210 and a gear 260 connected to the motor 250, the gear 260 meshing with the gear rod 110, and the gear 260 rolling along the gear rod 110 under the drive of the motor 250, thereby driving the substrate 210 to slide in the predetermined direction.

[0056] The gear 260 may be rotatably mounted to the substrate 210 via a rotating shaft, bearings, etc. When the gear 260 rolls along the tooth rod 110 under the drive of the motor 250, it can drive the substrate 210 to slide along a predetermined direction, thereby driving the lifting assembly 220, the gripping assembly 230, the closing assembly 240, and the upper cover 30 gripped by the gripping assembly 230 to move along a predetermined direction.

[0057] Because the drain hole of the electrolyte cup 31 may be clogged, the remaining electrolyte cannot naturally drain out through the drain hole by gravity. Also, after prolonged use, a lot of dirt may accumulate on the inner wall of the electrolyte cup 31. In this case, it is necessary to further clean the multiple electrolyte cups 31 inside the upper cover 30 before retrieving the upper cover 30 in the waste discharge carrier 500.

[0058] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the cover removal device 10 further includes a cleaning mechanism 300 attached to the rack 100, the cleaning mechanism 300 can move along a predetermined direction up to the waste discharge carrier 500, and can also clean the multiple liquid dispensing cups 31 of the upper cover 30 located on the waste discharge carrier 500.

[0059] The cleaning mechanism 300 can clean the liquid injection cup 31 by blowing, water jetting, or a combination thereof, thereby achieving the objective of cleaning the drain hole and the inner wall of the liquid injection cup 31.

[0060] Referring together to Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 300 includes a second substrate 310, a second lifting assembly 320, and a cleaning assembly 340, wherein the second substrate 310 is mounted on the rack 100 along a predetermined direction, and the cleaning assembly 340 includes a plurality of cleaning heads 341, each of which can extend into a plurality of liquid injection cups 31 of the upper cover 30, which is placed on the waste discharge carrier 500, under the drive of the second lifting assembly 320.

[0061] Both the second lifting assembly 320 and the cleaning assembly 340 are mounted on the second substrate 310 and move together with the second substrate 310 along a predetermined direction, and can be driven to move the cleaning assembly 340 above the waste discharge carrier 500. Subsequently, the second lifting assembly 320 can be driven to move the cleaning assembly 340 downward until the multiple cleaning heads 341 each extend into the multiple liquid dispensing cups 31.

[0062] Specifically, the cleaning assembly 340 further includes elements such as a confluence block 342 and a fluid control valve 343, where multiple cleaning heads 341 communicate with the confluence block 342, and the fluid control valve 343 can control whether or not the fluid flows into the confluence block 342. After the cleaning heads 341 extend into the liquid injection cup 31, the fluid control valve 343 opens, allowing the cleaning fluid to enter the confluence block 342, and the cleaning fluid can be sprayed out from the cleaning heads 341 to clean the liquid injection cup 31.

[0063] The structure of the cleaning mechanism 300 is almost the same as that of the transport mechanism 200, the only difference being that the closing assembly 240 is replaced by the cleaning assembly 340. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 300 further includes a second motor 350 attached to the second substrate 310 and a second gear 360 connected to the second motor 350, the second gear 360 meshing with the tooth rod 110, the second gear 360 rolling along the tooth rod 110 under the drive of the second motor 350, thereby driving the second substrate 310 to slide along a predetermined direction.

[0064] Similarly, the second gear 360 may be rotatably mounted to the second substrate 310 via a rotating shaft, bearings, etc. When the second gear 360 rolls along the rod 110 under the drive of the second motor 350, it can drive the second substrate 310 to slide along a predetermined direction, thereby driving the lifting assembly 220 and the closing assembly 240 to move along a predetermined direction.

[0065] In this embodiment, a limiting ring 3411 is formed on the cleaning head 341, and the limiting ring 3411 can contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup 31 and cover the opening of the liquid injection cup 31 when the cleaning head 341 extends into the liquid injection cup 31.

[0066] The limiting ring 3411 can be integrally molded with the cleaning head 341. Since the limiting ring 3411 can cover the opening of the liquid injection cup 31, it is possible to prevent the cleaning solution from splashing out of the opening of the liquid injection cup 31 during the cleaning process, and since the wastewater generated by cleaning is discharged only through the drain hole of the liquid injection cup 31, the working environment can be effectively kept clean.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the limiting ring 3411 can elastically contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup 31 along the vertical direction. On the one hand, the elastic contact prevents damage to the liquid injection cup 31 due to strong contact between the limiting ring 3411 and the opening edge of the liquid injection cup 31. On the other hand, the elastic contact can generate a clamping force, so that the limiting ring 3411 can maintain secure contact with the opening edge of the liquid injection cup 31, and the limiting ring 3411 is not separated from the liquid injection cup 31 due to factors such as shaking, thereby better achieving the objective of covering the opening of the liquid injection cup 31.

[0068] Similarly, the limiting ring 3411 elastically contacts the opening edge of the liquid injection cup 31 due to a tightening force provided by a second elastic member 344, such as a compression spring.

[0069] In this embodiment, the cover removal device 10 further includes a discharge conveyor line 600, and the cleaning mechanism 300 further includes a second gripping assembly 330. The second gripping assembly 300 is attached to the second substrate 310 and can grip and release the upper cover 30. The second gripping assembly 330 can move together with the second substrate 310 to above the waste discharge carrier 500, and can move vertically under the drive of the second lifting assembly 320 to grip the upper cover 30 placed on the waste discharge carrier 500. The second gripping assembly 330 can move together with the second substrate 310 to above the discharge conveyor line 600, and can move vertically under the drive of the second lifting assembly 320 to place the gripped upper cover 30 on the discharge conveyor line 600.

[0070] Since the discharge conveyor line 600 and the waste discharge assembly are spaced apart, the upper cover 30 can be moved to a designated position to be collected. After the second gripping assembly 330 moves above the waste discharge carrier 500, the second lifting assembly 320 first drives the second gripping assembly 330 and the cleaning assembly 340 down until the second gripping assembly 330 grasps the upper cover 30 and the multiple cleaning heads 341 extend into the multiple liquid injection cups 31 to clean them, and the cleaning of the liquid injection cups 31 is completed, and then the second lifting assembly 320 drives the second gripping assembly 330 up. When driven in this manner, the upper cover 30 can be raised from the waste discharge carrier 500, and subsequently, the second substrate 310 moves along the discharge conveyor line 600 in a predetermined direction until the second gripping assembly 330 moves above the discharge conveyor line 600, and finally, the second lifting assembly 320 is driven to lower the second gripping assembly 330 and release the upper cover 30, thereby positioning the upper cover 30 on the discharge conveyor line 600 for collection.

[0071] It should be noted that in another embodiment, the upper cover 30 can be removed directly from the waste discharge carrier 500 to facilitate recovery.

[0072] The structure of the second gripping assembly 330 may be the same as that of the gripping assembly 230. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second gripping assembly 330 includes a second support plate 331, a second drive member 332, and two opposing second clamping plates 333. The second support plate 331 is connected to the drive end of the second lifting assembly 320, and a second positioning pin 334 is provided on one side of each second clamping plate 333 facing another second clamping plate 333, so that the two second clamping plates 333 are slidably mounted on the second support plate 331, and the second drive member 332 can drive the two second clamping plates 333 toward or toward each other, so that the second positioning pin 334 is inserted into or removed from a mounting hole 301 on the side of the upper cover 30 (Figure 9).

[0073] The second clamp plate 333 is slidably mounted on the second support plate 331 via a guide rail and slider, and the second drive member 332 may be a cylinder. The two second clamp plates 333 may be driven by the same second drive member 332, or each may be driven by two second drive members 332. Under the drive of the second lifting assembly 320, the second support plate 331 can move downward until the second positioning pin 334 aligns with the mounting hole 301 on the side of the upper cover 30. In this case, the second drive member 332 drives the two second clamp plates 333 closer together so that the second positioning pin 334 can be attached to the mounting hole 301, thereby lifting the upper cover 30 To achieve the ability to grasp it. Top cover 30 If it is necessary to release the clamps, the second drive member 332 only needs to drive the two second clamps 333 away from each other until the second positioning pin 334 is removed from the mounting hole 301.

[0074] In the cover removal device 10 and battery fluid injection equipment described above, when the battery, after being placed in a stable position, moves downward along with the tray 20 and upper cover 30 to the transport mechanism 200, first the gripping assembly 230 can move downward under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, and then the gripping assembly 230 can grasp the upper cover 30. During the process in which the gripping assembly 230 grasps the upper cover 30, the plugs 241 of the multiple closing assemblies 240 can each extend into the multiple fluid injection cups 31 and close the drain holes of the fluid injection cups 31. Subsequently, when the gripping assembly 230 moves upward under the drive of the lifting assembly 220, the upper cover 30 can be removed from the tray 20 on which the battery is placed, and as a result, the fluid injection cups 31 are separated from the battery. In this process, each of the multiple stoppers 241 closes the drain holes of the multiple electrolyte cups 31. Therefore, when separating the electrolyte cups 31 from the batteries, even if electrolyte remains in the electrolyte cups 31, the remaining electrolyte will not leak out of the drain holes, thereby effectively preventing the batteries in the tray 20 from being contaminated by the electrolyte.

[0075] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined in any way, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments described above will be explained; however, as long as such combinations of technical features are inconsistent, they should be considered to be within the scope of protection of this specification.

[0076] The embodiments described above represent only a few embodiments of the present disclosure, and although their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claims of the invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and these also fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent in this disclosure is based on the claims.

Claims

1. A cover removal device, Rack and, A transport mechanism mounted on the rack, comprising a lifting assembly, a gripping assembly, and a plurality of closing assemblies, wherein the gripping assembly can grasp and release an upper cover containing a plurality of liquid dispensing cups, and can move vertically under the drive of the lifting assembly to remove the upper cover from the tray, and each of the closing assemblies includes a stopper, A cover removal device characterized in that the closing assembly can move together with the gripping assembly, and when the gripping assembly grips the upper cover, the plugs of the multiple closing assemblies can each extend into the multiple liquid injection cups to close the drain holes of the liquid injection cups.

2. The cover removal device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping assembly includes a support plate, a drive member, and two opposing clamp plates, the support plate being connected to the drive end of the lifting assembly, a positioning pin being provided on one side of each clamp plate facing the other clamp plate, the two clamp plates being slidably mounted on the support plate, and the drive member being able to drive the two clamp plates toward or toward each other, so that the positioning pin is inserted into or removed from a mounting hole on the side of the upper cover.

3. The cover removal device according to claim 2, wherein the transport mechanism further includes a base plate for supporting the lifting assembly, the gripping assembly and the closing assembly, the base plate being mounted on the rack, the gripping assembly further includes a guide rod extending along the vertical direction, the base plate being provided with a linear bearing, the guide rod being slidably drilled into the linear bearing and one end thereof being connected to the support plate.

4. The cover removal device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a plurality of the closing assemblies are attached to the support plate and can move together with the support plate along the vertical direction.

5. The cover removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stopper can elastically contact the bottom of the liquid dispensing cup along the vertical direction.

6. The cover removal device according to claim 5, wherein each closing assembly further comprises a base and an elastic member, the plug being slidably mounted on the base along the vertical direction, and the elastic member applying a downward tightening force to the plug.

7. The cover removal device according to claim 6, characterized in that the base is columnar, and the elastic member is a compression spring fitted to the base and in contact with the plug.

8. A cover removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a waste discharge carrier provided on the rack, wherein the transport mechanism can move along a predetermined direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, thereby driving the gripping assembly to move above the waste discharge carrier, and the gripping assembly moves along the vertical direction under the drive of the lifting assembly, and can place the gripped upper cover on the waste discharge carrier.

9. The cover removal device according to claim 8, wherein the rack is provided with a toothed rod extending along the predetermined direction, the transport mechanism further includes a base plate for supporting the lifting assembly, the gripping assembly and the closing assembly, the base plate being slidably mounted on the rack along the predetermined direction, and the transport mechanism further includes a motor mounted on the base plate and a gear connected to the motor, the gear meshing with the toothed rod, the gear rolling along the toothed rod under the drive of the motor, thereby driving the base plate to slide along the predetermined direction.

10. The cover removal device according to claim 8, further comprising a cleaning mechanism attached to the rack, wherein the cleaning mechanism can move along a predetermined direction to above the waste discharge carrier and can clean a plurality of liquid dispensing cups arranged on the upper cover of the waste discharge carrier.

11. The cover removal device according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning mechanism includes a second substrate, a second lifting assembly, and a cleaning assembly, wherein the second substrate is slidably mounted on the rack along the predetermined direction, the second lifting assembly and the cleaning assembly are mounted on the second substrate, the cleaning assembly can move together with the second substrate up to above the waste discharge carrier, and the cleaning assembly includes a plurality of cleaning heads, the plurality of cleaning heads can extend into a plurality of liquid injection cups of the upper cover, each mounted on the waste discharge carrier, under the drive of the second lifting assembly.

12. The washing mechanism further includes a discharge conveyor line, and the washing mechanism further includes a second gripping assembly, the second gripping assembly being mounted on the second substrate and capable of gripping and releasing the upper cover, the second gripping assembly being able to move together with the second substrate above the waste discharge carrier, moving along the vertical direction under the drive of the second lifting assembly and capable of gripping the upper cover placed on the waste discharge carrier, The cover removal device according to claim 11, characterized in that the second gripping assembly can move together with the second substrate to above the discharge conveyor line, and can move along the vertical direction under the drive of the second lifting assembly, thereby placing the gripped upper cover on the discharge conveyor line.

13. The cover removal device according to claim 11, characterized in that a limiting ring is formed on the cleaning head, and the limiting ring can contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup and cover the opening of the liquid injection cup when the cleaning head extends into the liquid injection cup.

14. The cover removal device according to claim 13, characterized in that the limiting ring can elastically contact the opening edge of the liquid injection cup along the vertical direction.

15. Battery electrolyte injection equipment, comprising a cover removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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