Trolley changeover control method and trolley changeover system

Abstract

Provided are a trolley changeover control method and a trolley changeover system. The trolley changeover control method comprises: when a trolley (3) to be inspected arrives at a preset position, acquiring current blueprint information of the trolley (3) to be inspected; receiving target blueprint information sent by a manufacturing execution system, and performing consistency matching on the current blueprint information and the target blueprint information; when the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, controlling a jacking mechanism (2) to execute positioning and jacking actions on the trolley (3) to be inspected, and then sending a control instruction to a robot (4), wherein the control instruction is used for controlling a gripper mechanism (1) disposed on the robot (4) to perform grasping and placing actions on at least one limiting block (32) on a pallet (31); and when the position of the at least one limiting block (32) matches a limiting block position in the target blueprint information, determining that the changeover of the trolley (3) to be inspected is successful, and controlling the jacking mechanism (2) to execute a releasing action, so as to release the trolley (3) to be inspected. In this way, labor costs and production costs can be reduced, and the production efficiency during product changeover can also be improved.

Description

Trolley type change control method and system

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on the Chinese patent application with application number 202311303894.7, application date October 10, 2023, and invention name “Car Change Control Method and System”, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby introduced into this disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of automated assembly technology, and in particular to a trolley type change control method and system. Background Art

[0004] With the continuous development of energy storage technology, the types of power batteries are increasing, and the compatibility requirements of production lines are becoming increasingly stringent. Among them, battery production lines mainly use semi-automated equipment to complete the battery processing, assembly, transportation and testing processes.

[0005] In related technologies, a transfer device is used in a battery production line to transfer battery components from the previous process to the next process for assembly. However, each transfer device can only accommodate battery components of one specification and size, and cannot automatically be compatible with products of different sizes. When the product changes, the transfer device needs to be manually replaced, resulting in low production efficiency.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure proposes a trolley model change control method and system, which can reduce labor costs and production costs, and also help improve production efficiency during product model change.

[0008] The technical solution of the present disclosure is achieved as follows:

[0009] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle type change control method, the method comprising:

[0010] When the trolley to be tested reaches a preset position, the current blueprint information of the trolley to be tested is obtained; wherein a pallet is placed on the upper surface of the trolley to be tested, and at least one limit block is provided on the pallet;

[0011] Receive the target blueprint information sent by the manufacturing execution system and match the current blueprint information with the target blueprint information;

[0012] When the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform positioning and lifting actions on the trolley to be tested, and then a control instruction is sent to the robot; wherein the control instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet;

[0013] When the position of at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, it is determined that the type change of the trolley to be tested is successful, and the jacking mechanism is controlled to perform a release action to release the trolley to be tested.

[0014] Through the above technical means, when the test vehicle reaches a preset position, the current blueprint information of the test vehicle is matched with the target blueprint information for consistency; if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, the test vehicle is automatically changed; specifically, the lifting mechanism is first controlled to perform positioning and lifting actions on the test vehicle, and then a control instruction is sent to the robot to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet; when the position of at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, the test vehicle is determined to have successfully changed its model. In this way, not only can the corresponding target blueprint information be automatically selected according to the different specifications and parameters of the parts to be transported, thereby improving data security, but also during the product matching process, the limit blocks have been replaced automatically instead of manually, and the robot's change logic is simple, eliminating the need to configure multiple sensors, thereby improving the degree of automation of the equipment, reducing labor costs and production costs, and thus improving production efficiency during product matching. In addition, by grasping and releasing at least one limit block on the pallet, it can also adapt to the parts to be transported with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving compatibility.

[0015] In some embodiments, before the vehicle to be tested reaches the preset position, the method further includes: receiving an entry request sent by the automatic guided vehicle; based on the entry request, sending an entry permission instruction to the automatic guided vehicle; wherein the entry permission instruction is used to instruct the automatic guided vehicle to pull the vehicle to be tested to move until the vehicle to be tested reaches the preset position.

[0016] Through the above technical means, when the automatic guided vehicle pulls the trolley to be tested to move, the trolley to be tested can be moved to the changing station according to the entry request sent by the automatic guided vehicle, so as to control the trolley to be tested to automatically change the type.

[0017] In some embodiments, before sending a control instruction to the robot, the method also includes: receiving the limit block position feedback from the robot; if the limit block position feedback from the robot is consistent with the limit block position in the target blueprint information, sending a control instruction to the robot; wherein the limit block position represents the hole position number corresponding to the limit block to be grasped and released by the robot.

[0018] Through the above technical means, before the robot performs the grasping and releasing action, the robot first feeds back the current hole position number to be grasped to the controller, and then performs consistency calibration. Only when the two are consistent, the controller will send control instructions to the robot, which can prevent errors and foolproofing of the limit block position, and prevent the robot from grasping the limit block with the wrong hole position number.

[0019] In some embodiments, control instructions are sent to the robot, including: sending a photo instruction to the robot, the photo instruction is used to control the visual inspection system provided on the robot to take photos of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed, and is used to compensate for the offset of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed; sending a grab and release instruction to the robot, the grab and release instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism to grab the limit block on the pallet from the position to be grasped, and control the gripper mechanism to place the limit block to the position to be placed in the pallet, so that the position of at least one limit block conforms to the corresponding limit block position in the target blueprint information.

[0020] Through the above-mentioned technical means, since the robot is provided with a gripper mechanism and a visual detection system, the controller can control the visual detection system to perform visual guidance and correction on the gripping position, and the target position to be reached by the gripper assembly in the gripper mechanism can be accurately determined according to the corresponding offset data. Therefore, according to the determined target position, the controller can control the gripper assembly to move to the target position, and then the gripper assembly can be moved to the accurate gripping position to grab and release the limit block, thereby improving the efficiency of limit block replacement or position adjustment.

[0021] In some embodiments, after determining that the vehicle to be tested has been successfully replaced, the method further includes: writing target blueprint information to the electronic tag on the vehicle to be tested through a reader; reading the newly written blueprint information of the electronic tag through a reader; if the newly written blueprint information is consistent with the target blueprint information, the vehicle to be tested is allowed to be released.

[0022] Through the above technical means, the newly written blueprint information in the electronic tag can be verified with the target blueprint information issued by the MES system to determine whether the target blueprint information is successfully written into the electronic tag of the vehicle to be tested, and it can also play a role in preventing errors and foolishness.

[0023] In some embodiments, when the trolley to be tested reaches a preset position, the method further includes: controlling a limit assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform a limit action so that the trolley to be tested stays at the preset position; wherein the limit assembly is used to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism.

[0024] Through the above technical means, when the trolley to be tested reaches the preset position, the limit assembly performs a limit action on the trolley to be tested, thereby achieving rough positioning of the trolley to be tested.

[0025] In some embodiments, the jacking mechanism further includes a positioning assembly and a jacking assembly; controlling the jacking mechanism to perform positioning and jacking actions on the trolley to be tested includes: controlling the positioning assembly to perform the positioning action, and controlling the jacking assembly to perform the jacking action, so as to complete the positioning and jacking actions of the jacking mechanism on the trolley to be tested;

[0026] Controlling the lifting mechanism to perform the releasing action includes: controlling the positioning component and the lifting component to perform the releasing action, and controlling the limit component to perform the releasing action.

[0027] By means of the above technical means, when it is determined that the trolley to be tested needs to be changed, the positioning assembly and the lifting assembly can perform positioning and lifting actions on the trolley to be tested, thereby achieving precise positioning of the trolley to be tested.

[0028] In some embodiments, before sending the control instruction to the robot, the method further includes:

[0029] Controlling the driving member to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position;

[0030] Correspondingly, after determining that the test vehicle has been successfully changed, the method further includes: controlling the driving member to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member to move to the corresponding axial positioning position in the target blueprint information.

[0031] Through this technical approach, before adjusting the limit block, the driver is first controlled to drive the transmission member to the initial position. After the limit block adjustment is completed, the driver is then controlled to drive the transmission member to the axial positioning position corresponding to the target blueprint information. This reduces the difficulty of debugging and improves the efficiency of on-site debugging.

[0032] In some embodiments, the driving member includes a first driving member in a lifting sleeve assembly provided on the lifting mechanism, and the transmission member includes a transverse transmission member provided in the tray; the driving member is controlled to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position, including: controlling the lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform a capping action so that the first driving member is connected to the transverse transmission member through the first connecting member in the lifting sleeve assembly, and controlling the first driving member to drive the first connecting member to rotate so as to drive the transverse transmission member to move to the initial position of the transverse transmission member through the first connecting member; wherein, the transverse transmission member extends along a first direction.

[0033] Through the above technical means, since the first connecting member and the first driving member are provided in the lifting sleeve assembly, the first driving member can be used to drive the first connecting member to rotate, thereby driving the transverse transmission member in the tray that is connected to the first connecting member to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the structural member in the tray that is connected to the transverse transmission member; at the same time, the first connecting member and the first driving member are both provided on the first cap assembly, and the first cap assembly can be used to drive the first connecting member to move in the direction close to the transverse transmission member in the tray, thereby causing the first connecting member to be connected to the transverse transmission member. In this way, the position of the structural member that needs to be moved in the tray can be quickly adjusted through the lifting sleeve assembly.

[0034] In some embodiments, the driving member includes a second driving member in a gripper sleeve assembly provided on the gripper mechanism, and the transmission member includes a longitudinal transmission member provided in the tray; controlling the driving member to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position, further comprising: starting the robot and controlling the robot to move from a first position to a second position; controlling the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a cap recognition action so that the second driving member is connected to the longitudinal transmission member through a second connecting member in the gripper sleeve assembly, and controlling the second driving member to drive the second connecting member to rotate so as to drive the longitudinal transmission member to move to the initial position of the longitudinal transmission member through the second connecting member; wherein, the longitudinal transmission member extends along the second direction.

[0035] Through the above technical means, since the second connecting member and the second driving member are provided in the grip sleeve assembly, the second driving member can be used to drive the second connecting member to rotate, thereby driving the longitudinal transmission member in the tray that is connected to the second connecting member to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the structural member in the tray that is connected to the longitudinal transmission member; at the same time, the second connecting member is provided on the second cap assembly, and the second cap assembly can be used to drive the second connecting member to move in a direction close to the longitudinal transmission member in the tray, thereby causing the second connecting member to be connected to the longitudinal transmission member. In this way, the grip sleeve assembly can quickly complete the adjustment of the position of another structural member in the tray that needs to be moved.

[0036] In some embodiments, after determining that the test trolley has been successfully changed, the driving member is controlled to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member to move to the axial positioning position of the target blueprint information, including: controlling the second driving member to rotate to drive the longitudinal transmission member to reach the positioning position in the second direction of the target blueprint information, and controlling the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a separation action, and controlling the robot to return to the first position; controlling the first driving member to rotate to drive the transverse transmission member to reach the positioning position in the first direction of the target blueprint information, and controlling the lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform a separation action.

[0037] Through the above technical means, after confirming that the test trolley has successfully changed its type, it is necessary to control the transverse transmission member and the longitudinal transmission member to reach the corresponding axial positioning position. After the transverse transmission member is driven, the first cap assembly drives the first connecting member to separate from the transverse transmission member; and after the longitudinal transmission member is driven, the second cap assembly drives the second connecting member to separate from the longitudinal transmission member. In this way, the position of the structural member that needs to be moved in the pallet can be quickly adjusted through the jacking sleeve assembly and the gripping sleeve assembly.

[0038] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle changing system, comprising:

[0039] The trolley to be tested comprises a pallet and at least one limit block arranged on the pallet;

[0040] A gripper mechanism, which can be mounted on the robot's mechanical arm and has a gripper assembly, which is used to grab or place a limit block;

[0041] The jacking mechanism is arranged at a changing station for changing the type of the trolley to be tested. The jacking mechanism includes a jacking bracket and a limit assembly arranged on the jacking bracket. The limit assembly is used to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism.

[0042] Through the above-mentioned technical means, since a gripper mechanism is provided in the trolley changing system and a gripper assembly is provided in the gripper mechanism, the gripper assembly can be used to grip the limit block or place the limit block, and the gripper mechanism can be installed on the robot, and the gripper mechanism can be driven by the robot to move to drive the limit block to move, so that the limit block on the trolley to be tested can be replaced, or the position of the limit block can be adjusted; at the same time, a lifting mechanism including a limiter assembly is provided, and the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism can be limited by the limiter assembly, so that the movement of the trolley to be tested can be limited so that the trolley to be tested is parked in a preset position. In this way, in the process of replacing or adjusting the limit block by the gripper mechanism, it is convenient to quickly and accurately determine the position of the limit block to be replaced, or quickly and accurately determine the position where the limit block is to be placed, so that it is convenient to control the robot to drive the gripper mechanism to move quickly to the required position, thereby improving the efficiency of the trolley changing system in changing the trolley to be tested.

[0043] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism also includes a lifting sleeve assembly; the lifting sleeve assembly includes a first driving member, a first connecting member and a first capping assembly; wherein, the first capping assembly is arranged on the lifting bracket; the first driving member is fixed on the first capping assembly, and the first connecting member is connected to the output shaft of the first driving member; driven by the first capping assembly, the first connecting member can move toward the direction close to the transverse transmission member in the tray and be connected to the transverse transmission member; driven by the first driving member, the first connecting member can drive the transverse transmission member to rotate.

[0044] Through the above technical means, since a first connecting member is provided in the jacking sleeve assembly, and a first driving member that is transmission-connected to the first connecting member is provided, the first driving member can be used to drive the first connecting member to rotate. During the rotation of the first connecting member, the transverse transmission member in the tray that is sleeved with the first connecting member can be driven to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the structural member in the tray that is connected to the transverse transmission member; at the same time, the first connecting member and the first driving member are both provided on the first cap assembly, and the first cap assembly can be used to drive the first connecting member to move in the direction close to the transverse transmission member in the tray, thereby making the first connecting member sleeved with the transverse transmission member; after completing the driving process of the transverse transmission member, the first connecting member can also be driven to separate from the transverse transmission member by the first cap assembly. In this way, the position of the structural member that needs to move in the tray can be quickly adjusted by the jacking sleeve assembly.

[0045] In some embodiments, the jacking mechanism also includes a jacking assembly; the jacking assembly includes a jacking drive, a jacking transmission and a jacking beam; wherein, the jacking beam is slidably connected to the jacking bracket for supporting the trolley to be tested; one end of the jacking drive is connected to the jacking bracket, and the other end is connected to the jacking transmission; the jacking transmission is slidably arranged on the jacking bracket and is transmission-connected to the jacking beam; in the process of the jacking drive driving the jacking transmission to move, the jacking beam can move in the vertical direction under the action of the jacking transmission.

[0046] Through the above technical means, since a jacking beam slidably connected to a jacking bracket is provided in the jacking assembly, the jacking beam can carry and support the trolley under test; and a jacking transmission member is slidably provided on the jacking bracket, and a jacking drive member is provided between the jacking transmission member and the jacking bracket. The jacking drive member can drive the jacking transmission member to move, thereby driving the jacking beam to move in a vertical direction. In this way, when the trolley under test is in a position corresponding to the jacking mechanism, the jacking assembly in the jacking mechanism can be used to jack up the trolley under test, causing the trolley under test to move in a vertical direction, thereby separating the trolley under test from the ground and placing the trolley under test at a desired height.

[0047] In some embodiments, the limit assembly includes a limit drive and a limit member; wherein, the limit drive is fixed on the lifting bracket, and the limit member is connected to the output shaft of the limit drive; under the drive of the limit drive, the limit member can be connected to the trolley to be tested to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism.

[0048] Through the above-mentioned technical means, since a limit drive is provided in the limit assembly, the limit drive can be used to drive the limit member to move; before the trolley to be tested moves into the lifting mechanism, the limit drive can be used to move the limit member in a direction away from the center of the lifting mechanism, so that the trolley to be tested can enter the interior of the lifting mechanism; after the trolley to be tested moves into the lifting mechanism, the limit drive can be used to move the limit member in a direction close to the trolley to be tested until the limit member abuts against the trolley to be tested, thereby limiting the movement of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism, thereby limiting the trolley to be tested to a preset position.

[0049] In some embodiments, the gripper mechanism also includes a gripper sleeve assembly; the gripper sleeve assembly includes a second driving member, a second connecting member and a second cap recognition assembly; wherein, the second cap recognition assembly and the second driving member are both arranged on the robotic arm of the robot; the second connecting member is transmission-connected to the second cap recognition assembly, and the second connecting member is transmission-connected to the output shaft of the second driving member; driven by the second cap recognition assembly, the second connecting member can move toward the direction close to the longitudinal transmission member in the tray and be connected to the longitudinal transmission member; driven by the second driving member, the second connecting member can drive the longitudinal transmission member to rotate.

[0050] Through the above technical means, since a second connecting member is provided in the gripping sleeve assembly and a second driving member is provided that is transmission-connected to the second connecting member, the second driving member can drive the second connecting member to rotate. During the rotation of the second connecting member, the longitudinal transmission member in the tray that is sleeved with the second connecting member can be driven to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the structural member in the tray that is connected to the longitudinal transmission member; at the same time, the second connecting member is provided on the second recognition cap assembly, and the second recognition cap assembly can drive the second connecting member to move in a direction close to the longitudinal transmission member in the tray, thereby sleeved with the longitudinal transmission member; after completing the driving process of the longitudinal transmission member, the second connecting member can also be driven to separate from the longitudinal transmission member by the second recognition cap assembly. In this way, the gripping sleeve assembly can quickly complete the adjustment of the position of another structural member in the tray that needs to be moved.

[0051] In some embodiments, the gripper mechanism further includes a visual detection system, which can be electrically connected to the controller; the visual detection system is used to take pictures of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed, and to compensate for the offset of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed.

[0052] Through the above-mentioned technical means, since a visual detection system is provided on the gripper mechanism, the information of the target position to be reached by the gripper assembly in the gripper mechanism can be determined by the visual detection system, so that the gripper assembly can be controlled to move toward the target position according to the determined target position, and the gripper assembly can be moved to an accurate gripping position or placement position to improve the efficiency of replacing or adjusting the position of the limit block on the pallet.

[0053] The disclosed embodiments provide a trolley change control method and system, which obtains the current blueprint information of the trolley to be tested when the trolley to be tested arrives at a preset position, and matches the current blueprint information with the target blueprint information sent by the manufacturing execution system for consistency; if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, it is determined that the trolley to be tested is automatically changed; specifically, the jacking mechanism is first controlled to perform positioning and jacking actions on the trolley to be tested, and then a control instruction is sent to the robot to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet; when the position of at least one limit block is consistent with the limit block position in the target blueprint information, it is determined that the trolley to be tested has changed successfully, and the trolley is released. In this way, on the one hand, the blueprint information can be automatically issued by the manufacturing execution system and obtained through electronic tag identification, which improves data security; on the other hand, when the trolley is changed, manual replacement is transformed into automatic replacement, and the robot's change logic is simple, without the need to configure multiple sensors, which also improves the degree of automation of the equipment, while reducing labor costs and production costs, thereby improving production efficiency during product changeover; on the other hand, by controlling the pitch of the lead screw in the pallet and grabbing and releasing at least one limit block on the pallet, it can also adapt to parts to be transferred with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving compatibility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a trolley changing system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0055] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a jacking mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG3 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a jacking mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0057] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a jacking sleeve assembly provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gripper sleeve assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] FIG6 is a flow chart of a method for controlling vehicle type change according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0060] FIG7 is a second flow chart of a trolley type change control method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0061] FIG8 is a schematic top view of a structure of a position to be grasped provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0062] FIG9 is a schematic top view of a structure to be placed provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0063] FIG10 is a third flow chart of a method for controlling vehicle type change according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0064] FIG11 is a detailed flowchart of a trolley type change control method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0065] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a network framework of an automatic mold changing station provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Figure numerals: 1-gripper mechanism; 11-gripper assembly; 12-gripper sleeve assembly; 121-second driving member; 122-second connecting member; 123-second cap assembly; 1231-second sliding assembly; 12311-pulley; 12312-spline shaft; 1232-cap driving member; 124-connecting bracket; 13-visual inspection system; 2-lifting mechanism; 21-lifting bracket; 22-limiting assembly; 221-limiting driving member; 222-limiting member; 23-lifting sleeve assembly; 231-first driving member Moving part; 232-first connecting part; 233-first recognition cap assembly; 2331-first sliding assembly; 23311-guide rail; 23312-slider; 2332-sliding drive member; 234-sleeve bracket; 235-bearing seat; 24-jacking assembly; 241-jacking drive member; 242-jacking transmission member; 243-jacking beam; 3-trolley to be tested; 31-tray; 32-limiting block; 33-horizontal transmission member; 34-longitudinal transmission member; 4-robot; m-first direction; n-second direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In order to enable a more detailed understanding of the features and technical contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0068] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the art of the present disclosure. The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0069] In the following description, reference is made to “some embodiments”, which describes a subset of all possible embodiments, but it will be understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0070] It should also be pointed out that the terms "first\second\third" involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects. It can be understood that "first\second\third" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0071] It should also be noted that the term "and / or" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure is merely a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0072] It should also be pointed out that the term "multiple" involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0073] It should also be pointed out that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0074] It should also be noted that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections, electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or even internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0075] Market developments show that power batteries are increasingly being used in a wide range of applications, and their variety is also increasing. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0076] In the relevant technology, battery production lines mainly use semi-automated equipment to realize processes such as battery processing, assembly, transportation and testing. In battery production lines, transfer devices are usually used to transfer battery components from the previous process to the next process for processing, assembly, etc. However, the transfer device in the battery production line can only adapt to battery components of one specification and size, and cannot automatically be compatible with products of different sizes; when the product is changed, manual replacement is required, such as manual selection of formulas, modification of parameters, etc. At the same time, manual replacement also has the risk of missing or wrong replacement, and manual replacement is time-consuming and requires a lot of manpower, resulting in low production efficiency and high costs.

[0077] In order to solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a trolley change system and a corresponding control method. When the trolley to be tested arrives at a preset position, the current blueprint information of the trolley to be tested is matched with the target blueprint information sent by the manufacturing execution system for consistency; if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, then it is determined to perform automatic change; specifically, the controller controls the jacking mechanism to perform positioning and jacking actions on the trolley to be tested, and then controls the gripper mechanism through the robot to grab and release at least one limit block on the pallet; when the position of at least one limit block is consistent with the limit block position in the target blueprint information, it is determined that the trolley to be tested has changed successfully, and the trolley is released. In this way, on the one hand, the blueprint information can be automatically issued by the manufacturing execution system and obtained through electronic tag identification, which improves data security; on the other hand, when the trolley is changed, manual replacement is transformed into automatic replacement, and the robot's change logic is simple, without the need to configure multiple sensors, which also improves the degree of automation of the equipment, while reducing labor costs and production costs, thereby improving production efficiency during product changeover; on the other hand, by controlling the pitch of the lead screw in the pallet and grabbing and releasing at least one limit block on the pallet, it can also adapt to parts to be transferred with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving compatibility.

[0078] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0079] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a trolley changing system provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a jacking mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. The trolley changing system may include: a gripping mechanism 1 and a jacking mechanism 2; wherein the gripping mechanism 1 can be installed on the mechanical arm of the robot 4, the gripping mechanism 1 has a gripping assembly 11, the gripping assembly 11 is used to grasp or place a limit block 32 set in a tray 31 on the trolley 3 to be tested; the jacking mechanism 2 is set at a changing station for changing the trolley 3 to be tested, the jacking mechanism 2 includes a jacking bracket 21 and a limit assembly 22 set on the jacking bracket 21, the limit assembly 22 is used to limit the position of the trolley 3 to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism 2.

[0080] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the trolley changing system can be used to change the trolley 3 to be tested that carries and transports the part to be transferred, so that the trolley 3 to be tested and the part to be transferred are matched, so that the part to be transferred can be placed on the trolley 3 to be tested, and the trolley 3 to be tested can position and clamp the part to be transferred, thereby achieving smooth transportation of the part to be transferred. The trolley 3 to be tested can be in the form of a structure including a pallet 31, and a limit block 32 is provided on the pallet 31. The part to be transferred can be abutted against the limit block 32, and the limit block 32 supports the part to be transferred and limits the part to be transferred so that the part to be transferred is in a fixed position on the pallet 31.

[0081] For example, the components to be transported may be a battery pack, a lower box of the battery pack, and other components, so the trolley 3 to be tested may also be called a "Pack trolley".

[0082] A transport member may also be provided in the test trolley 3. The transport member may be a transport trolley having a load frame and wheels, and the transport trolley may be capable of traveling on a road surface. For example, the transport trolley may be an unpowered transport trolley, which may be towed by an automated guided vehicle (AGV) so that the test trolley 3 carries the component to be transferred to the desired location. The transport trolley may also be an AGV, with the tray 31 being placed on the AGV. The disclosed embodiments do not limit the specific structure of the test trolley 3.

[0083] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to replace the limit block 32 provided on the tray 31, or to adjust the position of the limit block 32 on the tray 31, a gripper mechanism 1 may be provided, and a gripper assembly 11 capable of gripping the limit block 32 may be provided in the gripper mechanism 1. For example, the gripper assembly 11 may be a structure including two gripping rods, and the gripping rods may move to achieve gripping or placement of the limit block 32. A connector that can be adapted to the robotic arm of the robot 4 may be provided in the gripper mechanism 1, so that the gripper mechanism 1 can be installed on the robotic arm of the robot 4 through the connector. For example, the robot 4 may adopt a six-axis robot, so that the six-axis robot can drive the gripper mechanism 1 to move, thereby completing the movement of the limit block 32.

[0084] In the embodiment disclosed herein, before the trolley 3 to be tested is changed, that is, before the limit block 32 on the trolley 3 to be tested is adjusted, the position of the trolley 3 to be tested needs to be limited so that the trolley 3 to be tested is in a preset position. A jacking mechanism 2 can be set on the changing station where the trolley 3 to be tested is changed, and the jacking mechanism 2 can be set to a structural form including a jacking bracket 21 and a limit assembly 22. Among them, the jacking bracket 21 can be used to support and fix the entire jacking mechanism 2, and the jacking mechanism 2 can be set at the changing station through the jacking bracket 21; the limit assembly 22 can be set on the jacking bracket 21, and the limit assembly 22 can be set to a structure that can generate movement. When the trolley 3 to be tested moves to the position where the jacking mechanism 2 is located, the limit assembly 22 can be made to move relative to the jacking bracket 21, so that the limit assembly 22 abuts against the trolley 3 to be tested, thereby limiting the trolley 3 to be tested to the position where the jacking mechanism 2 is located.

[0085] Through the above embodiments, it can be seen that, since a gripping mechanism 1 is provided in the trolley changing system, a gripping assembly 11 is provided in the gripping mechanism 1, the limit block 32 can be grasped or placed by the gripping assembly 11, and the gripping mechanism 1 can be installed on the robot 4, and the gripping mechanism 1 can be driven by the robot 4 to move, so as to drive the limit block 32 to move, so that the limit block 32 on the trolley 3 to be tested can be replaced, or the position of the limit block 32 can be adjusted; at the same time, a lifting mechanism 2 including a limit assembly 22 is provided, and the limit assembly 22 is used to move the limit block 32. The position of the trolley 3 to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism 2 can be limited, thereby limiting the movement of the trolley 3 to be tested, so that the trolley 3 to be tested can be parked in a preset position. In this way, in the process of replacing or adjusting the limit block 32 through the gripper mechanism 1, it is convenient to quickly and accurately determine the position of the limit block 32 to be replaced, or quickly and accurately determine the position where the limit block 32 is to be placed, so that it is convenient to control the robot 4 to drive the gripper mechanism 1 to move quickly to the required position, thereby improving the efficiency of the trolley changing system in changing the trolley 3 to be tested.

[0086] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a jacking mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a jacking mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a jacking sleeve assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. The jacking mechanism 2 in the trolley changing system also includes a jacking sleeve assembly 23; the jacking sleeve assembly 23 includes a first driving member 231, a first connecting member 232 and a first cap assembly 233; wherein the first cap assembly 233 is arranged on the jacking bracket 21; the first driving member 231 is fixed on the first cap assembly 233, and the first connecting member 232 is connected to the output shaft of the first driving member 231 by transmission; under the drive of the first cap assembly 233, the first connecting member 232 can move toward the direction of the transverse transmission member 33 in the tray 31 and connect with the transverse transmission member 33; under the drive of the first driving member 231, the first connecting member 232 can drive the transverse transmission member 33 to rotate. wherein the transverse transmission member 33 extends along the first direction. Exemplarily, as shown in FIG1 , m represents a first direction.

[0087] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figure 4, a sleeve bracket 234 can be provided in the jacking sleeve assembly 23, and the jacking sleeve assembly 23 can be provided on the jacking bracket 21 of the jacking mechanism 2 through the sleeve bracket 234. The first cap assembly 233 can be provided in a structural form including a first sliding assembly 2331 and a sliding drive member 2332. Among them, the first sliding assembly 2331 can include a corresponding guide rail 23311 and a slider 23312, the guide rail 23311 is fixed on the sleeve bracket 234, and the slider 23312 is slidably connected to the guide rail 23311. The sliding drive member 2332 can adopt a driving cylinder, the cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder is connected to the sleeve bracket 234, and the piston rod of the driving cylinder is connected to the slider 23312.

[0088] For example, the first connecting member 232 can be a screwdriver bit compatible with the transverse transmission member 33 on the tray 31. The first connecting member 232 can be sleeved onto the end of the screw rod on the tray 31, which serves as the transverse transmission member 33. The first connecting member 232 can be rotatably mounted on the slider 23312 in the first sliding assembly 2331. For example, a bearing seat 235 can be provided on the slider 23312, and the first connecting member 232 can be inserted into the inner hole of the inner ring of the bearing located in the bearing seat 235, so that the first connecting member 232 can rotate. The axial direction of the first connecting member 232 can be set to be the same as the extension direction of the first sliding assembly 2331.

[0089] In another example, the first driving member 231 can be a servo motor and a reducer structure, where both the servo motor and the reducer are fixed to the slider 23312, and the reducer is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor, and the output shaft of the reducer is in driving connection with the first connecting member 232. In this way, the servo motor can drive the reducer to rotate, thereby driving the first connecting member 232 to rotate.

[0090] Through the above embodiment, it can be seen that since a first connecting member 232 is provided in the jacking sleeve assembly 23, and a first driving member 231 is provided which is transmission-connected to the first connecting member 232, the first driving member 231 can be used to drive the first connecting member 232 to rotate. During the rotation of the first connecting member 232, the transverse transmission member 33 in the tray 31 which is sleeved with the first connecting member 232 can be driven to rotate, so that the position of the structural member in the tray 31 which is connected to the transverse transmission member 33 can be adjusted; at the same time, the first connecting member 232 and the first driving member 231 are both provided on the first cap assembly 233, and the first connecting member 232 can be driven by the first cap assembly 233 to move in the direction close to the transverse transmission member 33 in the tray 31, so that the first connecting member 232 can be sleeved with the transverse transmission member 33; after completing the driving process of the transverse transmission member 33, the first connecting member 232 can also be driven to separate from the transverse transmission member 33 by the first cap assembly 233. In this way, the position of the structural member that needs to move in the tray 31 can be quickly adjusted through the lifting sleeve assembly 23.

[0091] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the jacking mechanism 2 also includes a jacking assembly 24; the jacking assembly 24 includes a jacking drive 241, a jacking transmission 242 and a jacking beam 243; wherein, the jacking beam 243 is slidably connected to the jacking bracket 21, for supporting the trolley 3 to be tested; one end of the jacking drive 241 is connected to the jacking bracket 21, and the other end is connected to the jacking transmission 242; the jacking transmission 242 is slidably set on the jacking bracket 21, and is transmission-connected to the jacking beam 243; in the process of the jacking drive 241 driving the jacking transmission 242 to move, the jacking beam 243 can move in the vertical direction under the action of the jacking transmission 242.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to facilitate supporting the trolley 3 to be tested, a lifting beam 243 can be provided in the lifting assembly 24. The lifting beam 243 can be provided as a bar-shaped columnar structure, and the columnar lifting beam 243 can be connected to the lifting bracket 21 by a sliding connection. For example, a guide rail and a slider in a sliding connection can be used, the guide rail can be fixed to the lifting bracket 21, and the lifting beam 243 can be fixedly connected to the slider to slide the lifting beam 243 to the lifting bracket 21. The lifting beam 243 can be provided as a structure that slides in the vertical direction, and two parallel lifting beams 243 can be provided on the lifting bracket 21.

[0093] For example, the lifting transmission member 242 can be slidably mounted on the lifting bracket 21. For example, a guide rail can be fixedly mounted on the lifting bracket 21, and a slide groove adapted to the guide rail can be provided on the lifting transmission member 242, so that the lifting transmission member 242 can be slidably connected to the lifting bracket 21 via the slide groove and the guide rail. The lifting transmission member 242 can be configured as a wedge-shaped block having an inclined surface, and the inclined surface can be transmission-connected to the lifting beam 243. Then, when the lifting transmission member 242 moves along its long axis, the inclined surface can cause the lifting beam 243 to move in the vertical direction.

[0094] In another example, the lifting drive member 241 can be configured to include a driving cylinder, the cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder is connected to the lifting bracket 21, and the piston rod of the driving cylinder is connected to the lifting transmission member 242. The lifting transmission member 242 can then be driven by the driving cylinder to move.

[0095] Through the above embodiment, it can be seen that since a lifting beam 243 is provided in the lifting assembly 24 and is slidably connected to the lifting bracket 21, the lifting beam 243 can carry and support the trolley 3 to be tested; and a lifting transmission member 242 is slidably provided on the jacking bracket 21, and a lifting drive member 241 is provided between the lifting transmission member 242 and the jacking bracket 21, and the lifting drive member 241 can drive the lifting transmission member 242 to move, thereby driving the lifting beam 243 to move in the vertical direction. In this way, when the trolley 3 to be tested is in a position corresponding to the lifting mechanism 2, the trolley 3 to be tested can be lifted by the lifting assembly 24 in the lifting mechanism 2, so that the trolley 3 to be tested moves in the vertical direction, thereby separating the trolley 3 from the ground and placing the trolley 3 to be tested at a desired height.

[0096] In some embodiments, the limiting assembly 22 in the jacking mechanism 2 includes a limiting driving member 221 and a limiting member 222; wherein, the limiting driving member 221 is fixed on the jacking bracket 21, and the limiting member 222 is connected to the output shaft of the limiting driving member 221; under the drive of the limiting driving member 221, the limiting member 222 can be connected to the trolley 3 to be tested to limit the position of the trolley 3 to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism 2.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG2 , a limit drive 221 can be provided in the limit assembly 22, and the limit drive 221 can be a driving cylinder. The limit member 222 can be provided in a structural form having a limit protrusion, and the limit protrusion is fixed on the piston rod of the driving cylinder, and the limit member 222 can be driven to move by the driving cylinder. For example, in the direction of movement of the trolley 3 to be tested, that is, along the long axis direction of the jacking mechanism 2, a group of limit assemblies 22 are respectively provided at both ends of the jacking bracket 21. In this way, when the trolley 3 to be tested moves to the inside of the jacking mechanism 2, the two limit members 222 in the two groups of limit assemblies 22 can be respectively abutted against the front end and the rear end of the trolley 3 to be tested, thereby limiting the movement of the trolley 3 to be tested.

[0098] Through the above embodiments, it can be seen that since the limiting drive 221 is provided in the limiting assembly 22, the limiting drive 221 can be used to drive the limiting member 222 to move; before the trolley 3 to be tested moves into the jacking mechanism 2, the limiting drive 221 can be used to make the limiting member 222 move in a direction away from the center of the jacking mechanism 2, so that the trolley 3 to be tested can enter the interior of the jacking mechanism 2; after the trolley 3 to be tested moves into the jacking mechanism 2, the limiting drive 221 can be used to make the limiting member 222 move in a direction close to the trolley 3 to be tested, until the limiting member 222 abuts against the trolley 3 to be tested, which can limit the movement of the trolley 3 to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism 2, thereby limiting the trolley 3 to be tested to a preset position.

[0099] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5 , a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a gripper sleeve assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As shown in FIG2 and FIG5 , a gripper sleeve assembly 12 can also be provided in the gripper mechanism 1 of the trolley changing system; the gripper sleeve assembly 12 includes a second driving member 121, a second connecting member 122, and a second capping assembly 123; wherein the second capping assembly 123 and the second driving member 121 are both provided on the robot arm 4; the second connecting member 122 is transmission-connected to the second capping assembly 123, and the second connecting member 122 is transmission-connected to the output shaft of the second driving member 121; driven by the second capping assembly 123, the second connecting member 122 can move toward the direction close to the longitudinal transmission member 34 in the tray 31 and be connected to the longitudinal transmission member 34; driven by the second driving member 121, the second connecting member 122 can drive the longitudinal transmission member 34 to rotate. wherein the longitudinal transmission member 34 extends along the second direction. For example, as shown in FIG1 , n represents the second direction.

[0100] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first direction m and the second direction n have an angle therebetween. For example, the first direction m is a horizontal axis direction, and the second direction n is a vertical axis direction. In this case, the angle between the first direction m and the second direction n is 90 degrees.

[0101] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG5 , a connecting bracket 124 may be provided in the gripper sleeve assembly 12, and the gripper sleeve assembly 12 may be provided on the robotic arm of the robot 4 via the connecting bracket 124. The second cap assembly 123 may be provided in a structural form including a second sliding assembly 1231 and a cap driving member 1232. The second sliding assembly 1231 may include a pulley 12311 and a spline shaft 12312. The pulley 12311 is rotatably provided on the connecting bracket 124. A spline slot adapted to the spline shaft 12312 is provided on the pulley 12311. The spline shaft 12312 is inserted into the spline slot, and the spline shaft 12312 can slide along the axial direction of the spline slot. The cap driving component 1232 can adopt a driving cylinder, connecting the cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder with the connecting bracket 124, and rotatably connecting the piston rod of the driving cylinder with the other end of the spline shaft 12312. The spline shaft 12312 can be driven to reciprocate along the axial direction of the spline shaft 12312 by the piston rod, and the spline shaft 12312 can also rotate, but the piston rod will not rotate with the spline shaft 12312.

[0102] For example, the second connecting member 122 can be a screwdriver bit that is compatible with the longitudinal transmission member 34 on the tray 31. The second connecting member 122 can be sleeved onto the end of the screw rod on the tray 31 that serves as the longitudinal transmission member 34. The second connecting member 122 can be connected to the spline shaft 12312, for example, by being fixedly mounted on one end of the spline shaft 12312. This allows the second connecting member 122 to move toward the longitudinal transmission member 34 via the second cap assembly 123.

[0103] In another example, the second driving member 121 can be a servo motor and a reducer. The servo motor and the reducer are both fixed to the connecting bracket 124, and the reducer is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor. The output shaft of the reducer is then connected to the pulley 12311 using a belt drive. In this way, the servo motor can drive the reducer to rotate, thereby driving the pulley 12311 to rotate, and thus driving the second connecting member 122 to rotate.

[0104] Through the above embodiment, it can be seen that since the second connecting member 122 is provided in the gripper sleeve assembly 12, and the second driving member 121 is provided which is transmission-connected to the second connecting member 122, the second driving member 121 can drive the second connecting member 122 to rotate. During the rotation of the second connecting member 122, the longitudinal transmission member 34 in the tray 31 which is sleeved with the second connecting member 122 can be driven to rotate, thereby adjusting the position of the structural member in the tray 31 which is connected to the longitudinal transmission member 34. At the same time, the second connecting member 122 is provided on the second cap assembly 123, and the second cap assembly 123 can drive the second connecting member 122 to move in a direction close to the longitudinal transmission member 34 in the tray 31, thereby sleeved with the longitudinal transmission member 34. After the longitudinal transmission member 34 is driven, the second connecting member 122 can be driven to separate from the longitudinal transmission member 34 by the second cap assembly 123. In this way, the gripper sleeve assembly 12 can quickly complete the position adjustment of another structural member in the tray 31 that needs to be moved.

[0105] In some embodiments, a visual detection system 13 can also be set in the gripper mechanism 1 of the trolley changing system, and the visual detection system 13 can be electrically connected to the controller; the visual detection system 13 is used to take pictures of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed, and to compensate for the offset of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed.

[0106] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in the process of replacing or adjusting the position of the limit block 32 on the pallet 31 by the gripper assembly 11 in the gripper mechanism 1, it is necessary to determine whether the position of the gripper assembly 11 is accurate. As shown in FIG1 , a visual detection system 13 can be provided in the gripper mechanism 1 to determine the exact target position of the position to which the gripper assembly 11 is to move through the visual detection system 13. The visual detection system 13 can be connected to the controller by wire or wireless means, and the controller can be a lower computer in the production line, such as a programmable logic controller (PLC), which is a computer device that can be used to control the movement of each component.

[0107] Exemplarily, the visual inspection system 13 can be configured to include a structure including a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. The CCD camera can be used to take a picture of the position to be grasped where the limit block 32 is located. The image of the position to be grasped is used to calculate and determine the first offset of the position to be grasped, so that the offset compensation of the position to be grasped can be performed based on the first offset. That is, the target position of the position to be grasped can be determined based on the first offset and the position to be grasped, and then the robot 4 can be controlled to move to drive the gripper assembly 11 in the gripper mechanism 1 to move to the target position of the position to be grasped. Alternatively, the CCD camera can be used to take a picture of the position to be placed where the limit block 32 is located. The image of the position to be placed is used to calculate and determine the second offset of the position where the limit block 32 is to be placed, so that the offset compensation of the position to be placed can be performed based on the second offset. That is, the target position of the position to be placed can be determined based on the second offset and the position to be placed, and then the robot 4 can be controlled to move to drive the gripper assembly 11 in the gripper mechanism 1 to move to the target position of the position to be placed.

[0108] Through the above embodiments, it can be seen that since a visual detection system 13 is provided on the gripping mechanism 1, the positions of the positions to be gripped and the positions to be placed can be visually guided and corrected by the visual detection system 13, and the information of the target position to be reached by the gripping assembly 11 in the gripping mechanism 1 can be accurately determined according to the corresponding offset data, so that the gripping assembly 11 can be controlled to move toward the target position according to the determined target position, and the gripping assembly 11 can be moved to the accurate gripping position or placement position, so as to improve the efficiency of replacing or adjusting the position of the limit block 32 on the tray 31.

[0109] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to FIG6 , which shows a flow chart of a trolley type change control method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG6 , the method may include:

[0110] S601: When the vehicle to be tested arrives at a preset position, the current blueprint information of the vehicle to be tested is obtained.

[0111] It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiments, the method is applied to a controller. The controller can be a PLC in a production line. Automatically changing the model of the test vehicle using the PLC can reduce labor and production costs, resulting in higher production efficiency.

[0112] It should also be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, a pallet is placed on the upper surface of the test vehicle, and the pallet is used to carry the parts to be transferred. The test vehicle serves as a transfer device, which can transfer the parts of the previous process to the next process for processing, assembly, etc.

[0113] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one limit block is provided on the pallet, and the at least one limit block is used to limit the position of the component to be transferred on the pallet.

[0114] Here, the components to be transported may be battery packs, battery pack boxes (specifically, lower boxes), and other components, so the trolley to be tested may also be called a "Pack trolley."

[0115] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle to be tested may be towed and moved by an automatic guided vehicle.

[0116] In some embodiments, before the vehicle to be tested reaches the preset position, the method further includes: receiving a station entry request sent by the automatic guided vehicle; and sending an entry permission instruction to the automatic guided vehicle based on the station entry request.

[0117] Among them, the entry permission instruction is used to instruct the automatic guided vehicle to pull the vehicle to be tested to move until the vehicle to be tested reaches the preset position.

[0118] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the automatic guided vehicle sends a request to the controller to enter the station; after the controller allows entry, the automatic guided vehicle pulls the vehicle to be tested to enter the conversion station.

[0119] It's also worth noting that within the changeover station, the AGV travels along a predetermined route, with sensor pads positioned at pre-set locations. As the AGV pulls the vehicle under test to the pre-set location, the sensor device on the vehicle receives a signal from the sensor pads, signaling that the AGV has arrived, meaning the vehicle has reached the pre-set location.

[0120] In some embodiments, the vehicle to be tested is further provided with an electronic tag. Obtaining the current blueprint information of the vehicle to be tested may include: after the vehicle to be tested arrives at a preset position, reading the blueprint information in the electronic tag through a reader / writer to obtain the current blueprint information of the vehicle to be tested.

[0121] Here, the electronic tag can be a radio frequency identification chip (RFID), which is placed on the bottom surface of the tray. In this way, when the vehicle to be tested arrives at the preset position, the controller can identify the electronic tag to read the current blueprint information of the vehicle to be tested.

[0122] S602: Receive target blueprint information sent by the manufacturing execution system, and perform consistency matching between the current blueprint information and the target blueprint information.

[0123] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the target blueprint information may be sent to the controller by a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), wherein the MES system is deployed in a host computer or a server.

[0124] Here, the MES system is used to obtain output information from multiple production facilities. This information includes the production time of multiple products produced by these facilities and identification marks indicating whether these products are qualified. The MES system includes production process monitoring, focusing on the material flow and quality indicators within production processes and processes. Based on real-time production process data and leveraging the MES system's configuration technology, it enables real-time monitoring of production progress, process quality, and material consumption in production areas such as the production workshop, power and energy workshop, auxiliary material warehouse, and finished product warehouse. The production process monitoring system can generate pre-configured alarms when anomalies are detected. This helps the company's production command and dispatch department coordinate production, optimize scheduling, and improve production responsiveness. Furthermore, based on production process monitoring, the MES system organizes and coordinates production based on the specific production processes of various industries, tracks production process data, and assesses various production indicators. Through data analysis, it optimizes production processes, enables planning and tracking, and analyzes and manages production data. Managers can gain real-time insights into the inputs and outputs of the entire factory, optimize production decisions, and minimize production time, errors, and the costs associated with manual and repetitive data entry. The main functions include subsystems such as production planning management, production organization, workshop assessment and personnel management, and production data analysis.

[0125] It should also be noted that in the disclosed embodiments, the automatic model change of the test vehicle primarily refers to automatic recipe switching. Recipe invocation not only retains the manual selection function but also adds the ability for the MES system to automatically issue the target blueprint information. By having the MES system issue the target blueprint information, data security can be improved.

[0126] In this way, after the current blueprint information of the vehicle under test and the target blueprint information issued by the MES system are read through RFID, the current blueprint information can be matched with the target blueprint information. If the two are consistent, the vehicle under test can be released directly; if the two are inconsistent, the vehicle under test needs to be automatically changed, or the recipe is automatically switched.

[0127] S603: When the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform positioning and lifting actions on the vehicle to be tested, and then a control instruction is sent to the robot; wherein the control instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet.

[0128] It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, the pallet is located on the upper surface of the test vehicle. During the transport of the test vehicle, the at least one stopper serves to limit and support the components to be transported. In other words, the at least one stopper not only limits the position of the components to be transported on the pallet but also provides support for the components to be transported on the pallet.

[0129] It should also be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, the recipe can be used to memorize the position of the limit block. Thus, the automatic recipe switching here specifically refers to automatically changing the position of the limit block according to the target blueprint information corresponding to the recipe, so as to achieve automatic model change of the vehicle to be tested.

[0130] It should also be noted that in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the lifting mechanism may include a limit assembly, a positioning assembly, and a lifting assembly. Before the controller sends a control instruction to the robot, for the positioning action of the lifting mechanism, see Figure 7, the method may include:

[0131] S701: Control the limit assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform the limit action.

[0132] S702: When the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, the positioning component is controlled to perform a positioning action, and the lifting component is controlled to perform a lifting action.

[0133] In some embodiments, a limit assembly is used to limit the position of the trolley under test relative to the lifting mechanism. When the trolley under test reaches a preset position, the controller controls the limit assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform a limiting action so that the trolley under test stays at the preset position.

[0134] Exemplarily, the position limiting assembly may include a position limiting driver and a position limiting member. The position limiting driver may be front and rear clamping cylinders fixed to the lifting mechanism, and the position limiting member may be a trolley clamping mechanism (or "trolley clamping block") connected to the front and rear clamping cylinders. Thus, when the trolley under test reaches a preset position, the front and rear clamping cylinders may extend, driving the trolley clamping mechanism to clamp the trolley under test, thereby controlling the trolley under test to remain at the preset position and achieve coarse positioning of the trolley under test.

[0135] Furthermore, if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, the vehicle to be tested needs to be precisely positioned. Specifically, the controller controls the positioning component to perform the positioning action and the lifting component to perform the lifting action to complete the positioning and lifting action of the vehicle to be tested by the lifting mechanism.

[0136] For example, the positioning assembly can be a positioning pin cylinder fixed to the jacking mechanism, and the lifting assembly can be a lifting cylinder fixed to the jacking mechanism. Thus, if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, i.e., if it is determined that the vehicle under test needs to be remodeled, the controller controls the positioning pin cylinder to extend and the lifting cylinder to lift, completing the cylinder action and achieving precise positioning of the vehicle under test.

[0137] It should also be noted that in the embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to reduce the difficulty of debugging, before the controller sends a control instruction to the robot, it is also necessary to control the driving member to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to the initial position.

[0138] In some embodiments, the driving member may include a first driving member in a lifting sleeve assembly provided on the lifting mechanism, and the transmission member may include a transverse transmission member provided in the tray. Referring to FIG. 7 , the method further includes:

[0139] S703: Control the lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform the capping action, so that the first driving member is connected to the transverse transmission member through the first connecting member in the lifting sleeve assembly, and control the first driving member to drive the first connecting member to rotate, so that the first connecting member drives the transverse transmission member to move to the initial position of the transverse transmission member.

[0140] In the disclosed embodiment, the first driving member may be a first servo motor, and the first connecting member may be a first batch head (or a first sleeve). In other words, the lifting sleeve assembly may include a first servo motor and a first batch head connected to a rotating shaft of the first servo motor. Furthermore, the transverse transmission member may be a first screw, and the transverse transmission member extends along a first direction.

[0141] In this way, the controller can control the sleeve cylinder on the lifting mechanism to extend and perform the cap recognition function, so that the first batch of heads aligns with the first screw. Specifically, the lifting sleeve assembly can be moved along the axial direction of the rotating shaft toward the first screw, so that the first batch of heads and the first screw are connected. The controller then controls the first servo motor to drive the first batch of heads to rotate, thereby driving the first screw to its initial position.

[0142] Furthermore, the driving member may further include a second driving member provided in a gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism, and the transmission member may further include a longitudinal transmission member provided in the tray. In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7 , the method further includes:

[0143] S704: Start the robot and control the robot to move from the first position to the second position.

[0144] S705: Control the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a cap recognition action, so that the second driving member is connected to the longitudinal transmission member through the second connecting member in the gripper sleeve assembly, and control the second driving member to drive the second connecting member to rotate, so that the second connecting member drives the longitudinal transmission member to move to the initial position of the longitudinal transmission member.

[0145] In the disclosed embodiment, the second driving member may be a second servo motor, and the second connecting member may be a second bit (or second sleeve). In other words, the gripper sleeve assembly may include a second servo motor and a second bit connected to the rotational shaft of the second servo motor. Furthermore, the longitudinal transmission member may be a second screw, and the longitudinal transmission member extends along the second direction.

[0146] Here, the first direction and the second direction have an angle therebetween. For example, the first direction is a horizontal axis direction, and the second direction is a vertical axis direction. In this case, the angle between the first direction and the second direction is 90 degrees.

[0147] In the disclosed embodiment, the first position of the robot is the robot's origin, and the second position of the robot is the rotational working position of the longitudinal transmission member. In other words, if the controller allows the second drive member to operate, the robot must first be started and then moved to the rotational working position of the second screw.

[0148] In this way, the controller can control the sleeve on the gripper mechanism to perform a cap recognition function, aligning the second bit with the second screw. Specifically, the gripper sleeve assembly as a whole can move along the axial direction of the rotating shaft toward the second screw, so that the second bit is sleeved on the second screw. The controller then controls the second servo motor to drive the second bit to rotate, thereby driving the second screw to its initial position.

[0149] In some embodiments, to prevent errors and foolishness in the position of the limit block, the target blueprint information issued by the MES system can also be used for error and foolproof judgment. Specifically, before sending a control instruction to the robot, the method also includes: receiving the limit block position feedback from the robot; if the limit block position feedback from the robot is consistent with the limit block position in the target blueprint information, sending a control instruction to the robot; wherein the limit block position indicates the hole position number corresponding to the limit block to be picked up and released by the robot.

[0150] In this disclosed embodiment, the controller can instruct the robot's gripper to grab a stopper corresponding to a specific hole number based on the stopper position in the target blueprint. Before grabbing, the robot also reports the hole number to be grabbed to the controller. A consistency calibration is then performed. Only when the two numbers match does the controller send control instructions to the robot, preventing it from grabbing a stopper corresponding to the incorrect hole number.

[0151] In some embodiments, if the hole position number fed back by the robot is consistent with the hole position number in the target blueprint information, the controller can send a control instruction to the robot. Specifically, it can include:

[0152] Send a photo command to the robot, which is used to control the visual inspection system set on the robot to take photos of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed, and to compensate for the offset of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed;

[0153] Send a grab and release instruction to the robot. The grab and release instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism to grab the limit block on the pallet from the position to be grabbed, and control the gripper mechanism to place the limit block to the position to be placed in the pallet, so that the position of at least one limit block matches the corresponding limit block position in the target blueprint information.

[0154] In the disclosed embodiment, the visual inspection system is specifically provided on the gripper mechanism of the robot. The visual inspection system is a structure including a CCD camera, so the visual inspection system can be referred to as a "CCD camera" or a "gripper camera."

[0155] In a specific embodiment, for the gripper mechanism to grab the limit block from the position to be grabbed, specifically: after the visual detection system on the robot is moved to the photographing position of the position to be grabbed, the controller can send a first photographing instruction to the robot; wherein the first photographing instruction is used to instruct the visual detection system to take a photo of the position to be grabbed; after the visual detection system completes the photographing of the position to be grabbed, the visual detection system is controlled to calculate according to the first image taken to determine the first offset of the position to be grabbed; then the initial position of the position to be grabbed is compensated according to the first offset to determine the target position of the position to be grabbed; then the controller sends a first grasping instruction to the robot to control the gripper mechanism to move to the position to be grabbed and after moving to the target position of the position to be grabbed, the gripper mechanism is controlled to grab the limit block on the position to be grabbed based on the first grasping instruction. For example, Figure 8 is a schematic top view of the structure of a position to be grabbed provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8 , the first offset at this time may include: an offset in the X-axis direction of -0.457, an offset in the Y-axis direction of -0.483, and an angular offset of 0.406.

[0156] In another specific embodiment, for the gripper mechanism to place a limit block at the position to be placed, specifically: after the visual detection system on the robot is moved to the photographing position of the position to be placed, the controller can send a second photographing instruction to the robot; wherein the second photographing instruction is used to instruct the visual detection system to take a photograph of the position to be placed; after the visual detection system completes the photographing of the position to be placed, the visual detection system is controlled to calculate based on the second image taken to determine the second offset of the position to be placed; then the initial position of the position to be placed is compensated according to the second offset to determine the target position of the position to be placed; then the controller sends a first placement instruction to the robot to control the gripper mechanism to move to the position to be placed and after moving to the target position of the position to be placed, the gripper mechanism is controlled to place a limit block at the position to be placed based on the first placement instruction. For example, Figure 9 is a schematic top view of a structure of a position to be placed provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 9, the second offset at this time may include: an offset in the X-axis direction of -0.623, an offset in the Y-axis direction of 0.253, and an offset in the angle of -0.033.

[0157] Through the above embodiment, since the robot is provided with a gripper mechanism and a visual detection system, the controller can control the visual detection system to perform visual guidance correction on the gripping position or placement position, and the target position to be reached by the gripper assembly in the gripper mechanism can be accurately determined according to the corresponding offset data. Thus, according to the determined target position, the controller can control the gripper assembly to move toward the target position, and then the gripper assembly can be moved to the accurate gripping position or placement position to grip and place the limit block.

[0158] S604: When the position of at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, it is determined that the type change of the trolley to be tested is successful, and the jacking mechanism is controlled to perform a release action to release the trolley to be tested.

[0159] It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, after determining that the test vehicle has successfully changed its model, it is necessary to control the driving member to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member to move to the axial positioning position of the target blueprint information. The second driving action can be the reverse action of the first driving action. For example, the first driving action instructs the driving member to drive the transmission member to move along the first axial direction, and the second driving action instructs the driving member to drive the transmission member to move in the opposite direction of the first axial direction.

[0160] In some embodiments, after determining that the test vehicle has successfully changed its type, the driving member is controlled to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member back to the axial positioning position of the target blueprint information. Referring to Figure 10, the method may include:

[0161] S1001: Control the second driving member to rotate to drive the longitudinal transmission member to reach the positioning position in the second direction in the target blueprint information, control the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a separation action, and control the robot to return to the first position.

[0162] S1002: Control the first driving member to rotate to drive the transverse transmission member to reach the positioning position in the first direction in the target blueprint information, and control the lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism to perform a separation action.

[0163] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the axial positioning position includes a first direction positioning position and a second direction positioning position. For example, the first direction positioning position may be an X-axis positioning position, and the second direction positioning position may be a Y-axis positioning position.

[0164] In this way, if at least one of the limit blocks is successfully replaced, the robot's gripper sleeve assembly first performs the cap recognition action, and then the second drive member (i.e., the second servo motor) performs absolute position positioning to move the second screw rod to the Y-axis positioning position of the target blueprint information, and then controls the gripper sleeve assembly to perform the separation action to separate the second screw rod from the corresponding bit; and after the second screw rod moves into place, it is also necessary to control the robot to return to the first position (i.e., the robot's origin). Immediately afterwards, the first drive member (i.e., the first servo motor) performs absolute position positioning to move the first screw rod to the X-axis positioning position of the target blueprint information, and then controls the lifting sleeve assembly to perform the separation action to separate the first screw rod from the corresponding bit.

[0165] Furthermore, after the transmission member returns to the axial positioning position of the target blueprint information, it is necessary to control the lifting mechanism to perform the release action. In some embodiments, referring to FIG10 , the method further includes:

[0166] S1003: Control the positioning assembly and the lifting assembly to perform the release action.

[0167] S1004: Control the limit component to perform the release action.

[0168] It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the trolley to be tested is successfully changed, when controlling the jacking mechanism to perform the releasing action, it can include: controlling the positioning component, the jacking component and the limit component to perform the releasing action respectively, that is, controlling the positioning pin cylinder and the jacking cylinder on the jacking mechanism to retract, and then controlling the front and rear cylinders on the jacking mechanism to retract to release the trolley to be tested.

[0169] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, when releasing the vehicle to be tested, the following steps may also be included: clearing the workstation data, and the AGV pulling the vehicle to be tested away from the station.

[0170] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, before releasing the vehicle to be tested, it is necessary to confirm that the electronic tag has been updated with the target blueprint information. In some embodiments, the method may further include:

[0171] Write the target blueprint information to the electronic tag on the vehicle to be tested through the reader;

[0172] Read the newly written blueprint information of the electronic tag through the reader;

[0173] If the newly written blueprint information is consistent with the target blueprint information, the vehicle to be tested is allowed to be released.

[0174] That is to say, after the test vehicle is successfully changed, the target blueprint information can be written into the electronic tag on the test vehicle, and then the newly written blueprint information can be re-identified through RFID, and the newly written blueprint information can be verified with the target blueprint information issued by the MES system. If the two are consistent, it is confirmed that the electronic tag is written successfully, and the test vehicle is allowed to be released.

[0175] In some embodiments, when the current blueprint information is consistent with the target blueprint information, the method further includes: controlling the jacking mechanism to perform a releasing action to release the vehicle to be tested.

[0176] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when controlling the jacking mechanism to perform the releasing action, it may include: controlling the limit assembly to perform the releasing action, that is, controlling the front and rear cylinders on the jacking mechanism to retract to release the trolley to be tested.

[0177] This embodiment provides a method for controlling trolley type change, specifically a trolley automatic type change control scheme that automatically selects a corresponding recipe, automatically identifies the trolley type, and performs visual correction and error prevention. When the current blueprint information identified by the electronic tag on the trolley under test is inconsistent with the target blueprint information issued by the manufacturing execution system, an automatic type change is determined. Specifically, a controller controls a lifting mechanism to position and lift the trolley under test, and then a robot controls a gripper mechanism to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet. When the position of at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, the type change of the trolley under test is determined to be successful, and the trolley is released. In this way, on the one hand, the blueprint information can be automatically issued by the manufacturing execution system and obtained through electronic tag identification, which improves data security; on the other hand, when the trolley is changed, manual replacement is transformed into automatic replacement, and the robot's change logic is simple, without the need to configure multiple sensors, which also improves the degree of automation of the equipment, while reducing labor costs and production costs, thereby improving production efficiency during product changeover; on the other hand, by controlling the pitch of the lead screw in the pallet and grabbing and releasing at least one limit block on the pallet, it can also adapt to parts to be transferred with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving compatibility.

[0178] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the trolley change control method of the aforementioned embodiment, taking the pack trolley as an example, this is mainly applied to the field of automated pack assembly, especially the automatic change station of the pack trolley. Referring to Figure 11, it shows a detailed flow diagram of a trolley change control method provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, the detailed flow may include:

[0179] S1101: The mold change station starts.

[0180] S1102: The vehicle to be tested enters the station.

[0181] S1103: The trolley to be tested is in place.

[0182] S1104: Front and rear clamping cylinders for clamping.

[0183] S1105: Determine whether the current blueprint information is consistent with the target blueprint information issued by the MES system.

[0184] S1106: The positioning pin cylinder extends and the lifting cylinder lifts.

[0185] S1107: The sleeve of the lifting mechanism extends.

[0186] S1108: The X-axis servo motor rotates the X-axis screw to the initial position.

[0187] S1109: Robot starts.

[0188] S1110: The Y-axis servo motor rotates the Y-axis screw to the initial position.

[0189] S1111: The position of all limit blocks has been replaced.

[0190] S1112: The Y-axis servo motor rotates the Y-axis screw to the Y-axis positioning position, and the robot returns to the origin.

[0191] S1113: The X-axis servo motor rotates the X-axis screw to the X-axis positioning position.

[0192] S1114: The positioning pin cylinder retracts and the lifting cylinder retracts.

[0193] S1115: Write the target blueprint information to the vehicle to be tested.

[0194] S1116: Release the vehicle to be tested and clear the workstation data.

[0195] S1117: The front and rear clamping cylinders retract and the trolley to be tested leaves the station.

[0196] S1118: The mold change station is completed.

[0197] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, for S1105, if the judgment result is consistent, then S1117 is executed, that is, the front and rear clamping cylinders are retracted, and the trolley to be tested leaves the station; if the judgment result is inconsistent, then S1106 to S1116 are executed until the trolley to be tested is released and the workstation data is cleared.

[0198] It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiments, a control solution for automatic trolley changeover is provided, which enables rapid cutting and pulling. This solution can be implemented by controlling a robot through a PLC, enabling multifunctional system control of the trolley under test, including screw pitch change, limit block replacement, and automatic recipe switching. The rapid cutting and pulling function is primarily embodied in: firstly, replacing manual limit block replacement with automated robot replacement; secondly, replacing recipe modification with automatic delivery of target blueprint information by the MES system.

[0199] It should also be noted that, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the limit block can also be called a positioning block, which is made of polyoxymethylene (POM) material, so the limit block can also be called a "POM block".

[0200] In some embodiments, based on FIG11 , the specific operations of the vehicle type change control method are as follows:

[0201] Step 1: The AGV sends an entry request to the PLC. After the PLC allows entry, the AGV drags the vehicle to be tested into the changeover station.

[0202] Step 2: After the AGV is in place, the front and rear clamping cylinders on the jacking mechanism are clamped to achieve the initial positioning of the vehicle to be tested.

[0203] Step 3: The electronic tag reader reads the current blueprint information of the vehicle to be tested and sends it to the PLC for matching with the target blueprint information issued by the MES system.

[0204] Step 4: Determine whether the current model information read by the PLC through the electronic tag is consistent with the target model information issued by the MES system. If the current model information read by the PLC through the electronic tag is inconsistent with the target model information issued by the MES system, it means that the vehicle under test needs to be remodeled. Conversely, if they are consistent, it means that the vehicle under test does not need to be remodeled.

[0205] Step 5: When the current blueprint information read by the PLC through the electronic tag is inconsistent with the target blueprint information issued by the MES system, the PLC controls the positioning pin cylinder on the jacking mechanism to extend and the jacking cylinder to lift, that is, the cylinder action is completed to achieve precise positioning of the trolley to be tested.

[0206] Step 6: The PLC controls the extension of the sleeve cylinder on the lifting mechanism to perform the capping function, aligning the first bit with the first screw. For example, the PLC controls the X-axis servo motor to rotate the bit capping function, which may be 10% forward to align the bit with the first screw. The X-axis servo motor rotates the first screw at high speed to return it to its original position, and then rotates it at low speed to return it to zero.

[0207] Step 7: When the PLC allows the Y-axis to operate, the robot starts and moves to the second screw rotation position. The Y-axis sleeve performs the cap recognition function to align the second batch head with the second screw. The Y-axis servo motor rotates the second screw back to its original position at high speed and then rotates the second screw back to zero at low speed.

[0208] Step 8: The PLC determines whether the hole position number in the target blueprint information is consistent with the hole position number fed back by the robot. If the two are consistent, the robot's gripper mechanism will grab and release the part on the limit block.

[0209] Step 9. When all limit blocks are successfully changed according to the corresponding target blueprint information, the sleeve on the robot's gripper mechanism searches for the cap, and the Y-axis servo motor performs absolute position positioning. After it is in place, the robot completes its work and returns to the origin.

[0210] Step 10: The X-axis servo motor performs absolute positioning. When it is in position, the sleeve cylinder on the lifting mechanism retracts.

[0211] Step 11: The positioning pin cylinder and the lifting cylinder retract; then the target blueprint information after the change is electronically written, and the verification reading is performed again to match the target blueprint information issued by the MES system.

[0212] Step 12: Retract the front and rear cylinders on the lifting mechanism, release the trolley to be tested, and clear the workstation data.

[0213] In the disclosed embodiment, a control scheme for automatic change of pack trolleys is provided, which can automatically select the corresponding formula, automatically identify the trolley type, and visually correct deviations and prevent errors and foolproofing. On the one hand, the formula can be matched with the blueprint information issued by the MES system and the blueprint information read by the electronic tag. If they are consistent, they are automatically released; if they are inconsistent, they are automatically changed; on the other hand, manual change is changed to automatic change, the robot change logic is simple, and it is fully automated without human participation. Moreover, the change of the position of the limit block can be identified, determined and guided by the visual detection system; on the other hand, the structure is simple and the logic is clear, and there is no need to configure multiple sensors; on the other hand, while retaining the manual selection function, the automatic issuing function of the MES system is added; on the other hand, the front and rear stations and the pack trolley change station operate in parallel, which greatly improves efficiency; that is, in multi-station production, there is no need to wait for the trolley change time; on the other hand, by rotating the lead screw with a servo motor to change the pitch and changing the position of the limit block, it can adapt to all box sizes of existing products and has good compatibility.

[0214] In the disclosed embodiment, the offset data is provided by the visual detection system on the robot, as specifically shown in FIG8 and FIG9 . The position of the limit block can also be automatically identified based on vision and correction can be performed. This can adapt to different blueprint information, size, height and other requirements, thereby improving production efficiency during product changeover.

[0215] In some embodiments, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a network framework for an automatic mold change station provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 12, the network framework 120 may include a robot 4, a valve island 1201, a distributed input / output module 1202, a visualization device 1203, a remote input / output module 1204, a servo controller 1205, a PLC controller 1206, an MES server 1207, a visual inspection system 13, and a video monitoring system 1208. The robot 4 may be a six-axis robot, and the visualization device 1203 may be a human-machine interface (HMI) device.

[0216] In FIG. 12 , the servo controller 1205 includes a servo driver 12051 and a servo motor 12052 . The PLC controller 1206 can drive the servo motor 12052 to operate via the servo driver 12051 .

[0217] In FIG12 , the visual inspection system 13 includes a visual host 131 and a CCD camera 132 , and the PLC controller 1206 can send a photo taking instruction to the CCD camera 132 through the visual host 131 .

[0218] In Figure 12, the video monitoring system 1208 includes a monitoring host 12081, a camera 12082 and a monitor 12083. The PLC controller 1206 can also control the rotation of the camera 12082 and send a photo-taking instruction through the monitoring host 12081. The captured image can be displayed on the monitor 12083.

[0219] It should be noted that the bold black line in FIG12 represents the Profinet communication mode, the dotted line in FIG12 represents the Ethernet communication mode, and the dashed line in FIG12 represents the USB / serial port-based communication mode.

[0220] It should also be noted that the PLC controller 1206 is based on the Profinet communication method and can communicate with the robot 4, valve island 1201, distributed input and output module 1202, visualization device 1203, remote input and output module 1204, and servo controller 1205; the PLC controller 1206 is based on the Ethernet communication method and can communicate with the MES server 1207, visual inspection system 13 and video monitoring system 1208.

[0221] For example, for the automatic mold changing station, the protocol modes included in the network topology structure can be specifically referred to in Table 1.

[0222] Table 1

[0223] Here, only open protocols are used between the MES server and the wireline server, while the S7 protocol or open protocols can be used between the device server and the workstation, or between the workstation and the AGV server. The S7 protocol is a communication protocol integrated into the Siemens S7 series PLC. It is a specially optimized communication protocol that runs above the transport layer (session layer / presentation layer / application layer). Its information transmission can be based on a parallel computing communication protocol (Message Passing Interface, MPI) network, a program bus (PROFIBUS) network, or an Ethernet network. In other words, the S7 protocol is the standard protocol used for communication between Siemens S7 series products. Its advantage is that both communicating parties can establish a communication connection through the S7 protocol, regardless of whether they are on the same MPI bus, the same PROFIBUS bus, or the same industrial Ethernet.

[0224] Through the above embodiments, the specific implementation of the aforementioned embodiments is elaborated in detail. It can be seen that through the technical solutions of the aforementioned embodiments, the technical solutions of the embodiments disclosed herein can make the equipment more automated (from manual replacement to machine replacement), improve data security (through the MES system and electronic tag identification to issue blueprint information), be more efficient (reduce the manpower and rhythm of changeover), and have better compatibility (by controlling the pitch change of the lead screw in the pallet and performing the grabbing and releasing action on at least one limit block on the pallet, it can adapt to the components to be transferred with different specifications and parameters).

[0225] It should be noted that, in this disclosure, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0226] The serial numbers of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure are for description only and do not represent the advantages or disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0227] The methods disclosed in the several method embodiments provided in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method embodiments.

[0228] The features disclosed in the several product embodiments provided in this disclosure can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new product embodiments.

[0229] The features disclosed in several method or device embodiments provided in this disclosure may be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method embodiments or device embodiments.

[0230] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure, and they should all be covered by the protection scope of the present disclosure. Industrial Applicability

[0231] In the disclosed embodiment, through the above technical means, when the trolley to be tested reaches a preset position, the current blueprint information of the trolley to be tested is matched with the target blueprint information for consistency; if the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, then the trolley to be tested is automatically changed; specifically, the lifting mechanism is first controlled to perform positioning and lifting actions on the trolley to be tested, and then a control instruction is sent to the robot to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to grasp and release at least one limit block on the pallet; when the position of at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, the trolley to be tested is determined to have successfully changed its model. In this way, not only can the corresponding target blueprint information be automatically selected according to the components to be transported with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving data security, but also during the product matching process, the limit blocks have been replaced automatically instead of manually, and the robot change logic is simple, without the need to configure multiple sensors, which also improves the degree of automation of the equipment, while reducing labor costs and production costs, thereby improving production efficiency during product matching; in addition, by grasping and releasing at least one limit block on the pallet, it can also adapt to components to be transported with different specifications and parameters, thereby improving compatibility.

Claims

1. A trolley type change control method, wherein: The method comprises: When the trolley to be tested reaches a preset position, the current blueprint information of the trolley to be tested is obtained; wherein a tray is placed on the upper surface of the trolley to be tested, and at least one limit block is provided on the tray; Receiving target blueprint information sent by a manufacturing execution system, and matching the current blueprint information with the target blueprint information for consistency; When the current blueprint information is inconsistent with the target blueprint information, after controlling the lifting mechanism to perform positioning and lifting actions on the trolley to be tested, a control instruction is sent to the robot; wherein the control instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism provided on the robot to perform a gripping and releasing action on at least one limit block on the pallet; When the position of the at least one limit block matches the limit block position in the target blueprint information, it is determined that the type change of the trolley to be tested is successful, and the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform a release action to release the trolley to be tested.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Before the vehicle to be tested reaches a preset position, the method further includes: Receive a station entry request sent by an automatic guided vehicle; Based on the station entry request, a station entry permission instruction is sent to the automatic guided vehicle; wherein the station entry permission instruction is used to instruct the automatic guided vehicle to pull the vehicle to be tested to move until the vehicle to be tested reaches a preset position.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Before sending the control instruction to the robot, the method further includes: Receiving the limit block position fed back by the robot; If the limit block position fed back by the robot is consistent with the limit block position in the target blueprint information, a control instruction is sent to the robot; wherein the limit block position indicates the hole position sequence number corresponding to the limit block to be grasped and released by the robot.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The sending of control instructions to the robot comprises: Sending a photographing instruction to the robot, wherein the photographing instruction is used to control a visual inspection system provided on the robot to take a photograph of a position to be grasped and a position to be placed, and to perform offset compensation on the positions of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed; A grab and release instruction is sent to the robot, wherein the grab and release instruction is used to control the gripper mechanism to grab the limit block on the pallet from the position to be grabbed, and control the gripper mechanism to place the limit block to the position to be placed in the pallet, so that the position of at least one limit block conforms to the corresponding limit block position in the target blueprint information.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: After determining that the vehicle to be tested has been successfully remodeled, the method further includes: Write the target blueprint information into the electronic tag on the vehicle to be tested through a reader / writer; Read the newly written blueprint information of the electronic tag through the reader; If the newly written blueprint information is consistent with the target blueprint information, the vehicle to be tested is allowed to be released.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: When the vehicle to be tested reaches a preset position, the method further includes: The limiting assembly on the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform a limiting action so that the trolley to be tested stays at the preset position; wherein the limiting assembly is used to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The lifting mechanism also includes a positioning component and a lifting component; The controlling the lifting mechanism to perform positioning and lifting actions on the trolley to be tested comprises: controlling the positioning component to perform positioning actions, and controlling the lifting component to perform lifting actions, so as to complete the positioning and lifting actions of the trolley to be tested by the lifting mechanism; The controlling the lifting mechanism to perform the releasing action includes: controlling the positioning assembly and the lifting assembly to perform the releasing action, and controlling the limiting assembly to perform the releasing action.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: Before sending the control instruction to the robot, the method further includes: Controlling the driving member to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position; Correspondingly, after determining that the test vehicle has been successfully changed, the method further includes: controlling the driving member to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an axial positioning position corresponding to the target blueprint information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The driving member comprises a first driving member arranged in a lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism, and the transmission member comprises a transverse transmission member arranged in the tray; The controlling the driving member to perform a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position includes: The lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform a capping action, so that the first driving member is connected to the transverse transmission member through the first connecting member in the lifting sleeve assembly, and the first driving member is controlled to drive the first connecting member to rotate, so as to drive the transverse transmission member to move to the initial position of the transverse transmission member through the first connecting member; wherein, the transverse transmission member The movable member extends along a first direction.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The driving member includes a second driving member arranged in a gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism, and the transmission member includes a longitudinal transmission member arranged in the tray; the control driving member performs a first driving action to drive the transmission member to move to an initial position, and further includes: Starting the robot and controlling the robot to move from a first position to a second position; Control the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a cap recognition action so that the second driving member is connected to the longitudinal transmission member through the second connecting member in the gripper sleeve assembly, and control the second driving member to drive the second connecting member to rotate, so as to drive the longitudinal transmission member to move to the initial position of the longitudinal transmission member through the second connecting member; wherein, the longitudinal transmission member extends along the second direction.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: After determining that the test vehicle is successfully changed, controlling the driving member to perform a second driving action to drive the transmission member to move to the axial positioning position of the target blueprint information includes: Control the second driving member to rotate so as to drive the longitudinal transmission member to reach the positioning position in the second direction in the target blueprint information, control the gripper sleeve assembly on the gripper mechanism to perform a separation action, and control the robot to return to the first position; The first driving member is controlled to rotate to drive the transverse transmission member to reach the positioning position of the first direction in the target blueprint information, and the lifting sleeve assembly on the lifting mechanism is controlled to perform a separation action.

12. A trolley changing system, wherein: include: The trolley to be tested comprises a tray and at least one limit block arranged on the tray; A gripper mechanism, which can be installed on the mechanical arm of the robot, has a gripper assembly, and the gripper assembly is used to grasp or place the limit block; The jacking mechanism is arranged at a changing station for changing the mold of the trolley to be tested. The jacking mechanism comprises a jacking bracket and a limit assembly arranged on the jacking bracket. The limit assembly is used to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the jacking mechanism.

13. The trolley changing system according to claim 12, wherein: The lifting mechanism further includes a lifting sleeve assembly; the lifting sleeve assembly includes a first driving member, a first connecting member and a first cap assembly; wherein, The first cap recognition component is arranged on the lifting bracket; the first driving member is fixed on the first cap recognition component, and the first connecting member is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the first driving member; Driven by the first cap recognition component, the first connecting member can move toward the direction close to the transverse transmission member in the tray and be connected to the transverse transmission member; driven by the first driving member, the first connecting member can drive the transverse transmission member to move.

14. The trolley changing system according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The lifting mechanism further includes a lifting assembly; the lifting assembly includes a lifting drive member, a lifting transmission member and a lifting beam; wherein, The jacking beam is slidably connected to the jacking bracket for supporting the trolley to be tested; one end of the jacking drive member is fixed to the jacking bracket, and the other end is connected to the jacking transmission member; the jacking transmission member is slidably arranged on the jacking bracket and is transmission-connected to the jacking beam; in the process of the jacking drive member driving the jacking transmission member to move, the jacking beam moves in a vertical direction under the action of the jacking transmission member.

15. The trolley changing system according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein: The gripper mechanism further comprises a gripper sleeve assembly; the gripper sleeve assembly comprises a second driving member, a second connecting member and a second cap assembly; wherein, The second cap recognition component is arranged on the mechanical arm of the robot; the second driving member is fixed on the second cap recognition component, and the second connecting member is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the second driving member; Driven by the second cap recognition assembly, the second connecting member can move toward the direction close to the longitudinal transmission member in the tray and be connected to the longitudinal transmission member; driven by the second driving member, the second connecting member can drive the longitudinal transmission member to move.

16. The trolley changing system according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein: The gripper mechanism also includes a visual detection system, which can be electrically connected to the controller; the visual detection system is used to take pictures of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed, and to compensate for the offset of the position to be grasped and the position to be placed.

17. The trolley changing system according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein: The limit assembly includes a limit driving member and a limit member; wherein, The limit driving member is fixed on the lifting bracket, and the limit driving member is connected to the output shaft of the limit driving member; under the drive of the limit driving member, the limit driving member can be connected to the trolley to be tested to limit the position of the trolley to be tested relative to the lifting mechanism.

Images