Feeding method, feeding system and battery production line

Abstract

The present application provides a feeding method, a feeding system and a battery production line. The method comprises: controlling a first transport vehicle and a second transport vehicle to transport first raw materials and second raw materials to a first docking position and a second docking position, respectively; controlling a third transport vehicle to reach a third docking position; controlling a driving assembly to transfer first material carrying trays carrying the first raw materials on the first transport vehicle to a pick-up position; controlling a manipulator to transfer the first raw materials at the pick-up position to a placement position until the first material carrying trays become first empty trays; controlling the driving assembly to transfer the first empty trays onto the third transport vehicle; then, controlling the driving assembly to transfer the second raw materials to the pick-up position; controlling the manipulator to transfer the second raw materials at the pick-up position to the placement position until second material carrying trays become second empty trays; and controlling the driving assembly to transfer the second empty trays onto the first transport vehicle. In this way, the driving assembly can be controlled to reach any docking position, and each transport vehicle can carry raw materials and can also carry empty trays.

Description

Feeding method, feeding system and battery production line

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority based on Chinese patent application No. 2024100151556 filed on January 4, 2024, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of batteries, and in particular to a feeding method, a feeding system and a battery production line. [Background Technology]

[0004] Batteries are widely used in new energy applications, such as electric vehicles and new energy vehicles. These have become a new trend in the automotive industry. Battery production often involves workpiece loading, and workpiece loading efficiency has a significant impact on battery production efficiency. However, current loading efficiency is relatively low.

[0005] [Summary of the invention]

[0006] The loading method, loading system and battery production line provided in this application are intended to solve the problem of low loading efficiency in related technologies.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted in this application is to provide a feeding method applied to an automatic feeding system, the feeding method comprising:

[0008] Controlling the first transport vehicle to transport the first loading tray carrying the first raw material to the first parking space;

[0009] Controlling the second transport vehicle to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space;

[0010] Controlling a third transport vehicle to arrive at a third parking space; wherein the third transport vehicle is empty;

[0011] Controlling the driving assembly to transfer the first material loading trays on the first transport vehicle carrying the first raw material to a material removal position one by one until the first transport vehicle becomes empty;

[0012] Controlling the manipulator to transfer the first raw materials at the material taking position from the first loading tray to the material discharging position one by one until the first loading tray becomes a first empty tray;

[0013] Controlling the driving assembly to transfer the first empty trays at the material taking position to the third transport vehicle one by one until all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle are transferred to the third transport vehicle;

[0014] In response to the drive assembly transferring the last of the first empty trays at the material retrieving position, controlling the drive assembly to transfer the second material loading trays on the second transport vehicle carrying the second raw material to the material retrieving position one by one until the second transport vehicle becomes empty;

[0015] Controlling the manipulator to transfer the second raw materials at the picking position from the second loading tray to the discharge position one by one until the second loading tray becomes a second empty tray;

[0016] The driving assembly is controlled to transfer the second empty tray at the material picking position to the first transport vehicle until all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle are transferred to the first transport vehicle.

[0017] The above-described loading method can control the drive assembly to move back and forth between the material retrieving position, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. The drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need for a drive assembly to transfer raw materials and empty trays to each parking space, thereby reducing the number of components. Furthermore, by controlling the drive assembly to transfer the second empty tray at the material retrieving position to the first transport vehicle, the first transport vehicle used to carry raw materials can also accommodate empty trays. Consequently, when the third transport vehicle is full of empty trays and needs to be replaced, the robot can continue to transfer raw materials from the second transport vehicle, eliminating the need to stop and wait for the third transport vehicle to be replaced, thereby speeding up loading.

[0018] In one embodiment, in response to all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle being transferred to the third transport vehicle, the third transport vehicle is controlled to transport the first empty trays from the third parking space, and before the drive assembly transfers the last of the second empty trays at the material picking position, the third loading tray carrying the third raw material is transported to the third parking space.

[0019] In this solution, the third transport vehicle can carry the first empty tray and remove it from the third parking space. It can also carry the third raw material and transport it to the third parking space, increasing the functionality of the third transport vehicle and making the entire loading process faster. Furthermore, the drive assembly can further transfer the third raw material from the third transport vehicle to the reclaiming position, thereby replenishing the reclaiming position in a timely manner. This ensures that the robot can continuously load materials, improves the loading rate, and thus increases the production capacity (pieces per minute (PPM)) of the loading system.

[0020] In one embodiment, in response to the drive component transferring the last of the second empty trays at the material picking position, the drive component is controlled to transfer the third loading trays carrying the third raw materials on the third transport vehicle to the material picking position one by one until the third transport vehicle becomes empty; the manipulator is controlled to transfer the third raw materials at the material picking position from the third loading tray to the discharge position one by one until the third loading tray becomes the third empty tray; the drive component is controlled to transfer the third empty tray at the material picking position to the second transport vehicle until all the third loading trays on the third transport vehicle are transferred to the second transport vehicle.

[0021] In this solution, after the last second empty tray is removed, the drive assembly is controlled to further transfer the third loading tray on the third transport vehicle to the material retrieval position. The robot is then controlled to continuously transfer the third raw material from the material retrieval position to the material discharge position, ensuring continuous material loading by the robot and thereby increasing loading speed. Simultaneously, the drive assembly is controlled to transfer the third empty tray to the second transport vehicle, allowing the second transport vehicle to transport both the second raw material and the empty trays, thus increasing the functionality of the second transport vehicle.

[0022] In one embodiment, in response to all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle being transferred to the first transport vehicle, the first transport vehicle is controlled to transport the second empty tray from the first parking space, and before the drive assembly transfers the last third empty tray at the material picking position, the first loading tray carrying the first raw material is transported to the first parking space again.

[0023] In the above scheme, after the first transport vehicle transports away the second empty tray, before the drive component transfers away the last third empty tray at the material picking position, the first loading tray carrying the first raw material is transported to the first parking space again to replenish the raw materials in time. After the third raw material is loaded, the drive component can further transfer the first raw material from the first parking space to the material picking position, and the manipulator can continue to transfer the first raw material from the material picking position to the discharge position, thereby ensuring that the entire loading process continues, preventing the situation where there is no raw material in the three parking spaces, and effectively ensuring the loading speed.

[0024] In one embodiment, in response to the drive component transferring the last third empty tray at the material picking position, the drive component is controlled to transfer the first loading tray carrying the first raw material on the first transport cart to the material picking position one by one until the first transport cart becomes empty; the manipulator is controlled to transfer the first raw material at the material picking position from the first loading tray to the material discharging position one by one until the first loading tray becomes the first empty tray; the drive component is controlled to transfer the first empty tray at the material picking position to the third transport cart one by one until all the first loading trays on the first transport cart are transferred to the third transport cart; and in response to all the third loading trays on the third transport cart being transferred to the second transport cart, the second transport cart is controlled to transport the third empty tray from the second parking space, and transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space again before the drive component transfers the last first empty tray at the material picking position.

[0025] In the above solution, after the third raw material is loaded, the drive assembly can be controlled to transfer the first raw material from the first transport vehicle to ensure that the robot can continue loading. The second transport vehicle can also be controlled to remove the third empty tray. Before the first raw material is loaded, the second transport vehicle can be further controlled to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space. After the first raw material is loaded, the drive assembly can continue to transfer the second raw material from the second transport vehicle. At the same time, the first empty tray can be transferred to the third transport vehicle for transportation.

[0026] In one embodiment, the step of controlling the second transport vehicle to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space includes: controlling the second transport vehicle to reach the second parking space before the drive assembly transfers the last of the first empty trays at the material picking position.

[0027] The above scheme can ensure that after the loading of the first raw material is completed, the drive component can transfer the second raw material from the second transport vehicle in the second parking space to the material picking position to ensure the normal loading of the robot arm, avoid the situation where the drive component needs to wait for the second transport vehicle carrying the second raw material to arrive at the second parking space, and effectively ensure the loading speed.

[0028] In order to solve the above technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a loading system, which includes: a loading device, a transportation device and a control circuit; wherein the loading device includes a driving component, a transmission component and a manipulator; the loading device has a first parking space, a second parking space, a third parking space, a material picking position and a material discharge position; the transmission component passes through the material discharge position and is configured to take away the raw materials at the material discharge position; the transportation device includes a first transport vehicle, a second transport vehicle and a third transport vehicle; the control circuit is electrically connected to the loading device and the transportation device, respectively; wherein the control circuit is configured to control the operation of the loading system as described above in the loading method.

[0029] In the above solution, the drive assembly can move back and forth between the material retrieving position, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. That is, the drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need for a drive assembly for each parking space, thereby reducing the number of components in the entire loading system. Furthermore, the first, second, and third transport vehicles of the loading system can be used to transport raw materials to the corresponding parking spaces and also to remove empty trays. Therefore, when a transport vehicle in one parking space removes an empty tray and a transport vehicle needs to be replaced, the drive assembly can place the empty tray on a transport vehicle in another parking space, eliminating the need to wait for the transport vehicle to return, thereby speeding up loading.

[0030] In one embodiment, the first transport vehicle, the second transport vehicle and the third transport vehicle have the same carrying capacity; the first parking space, the second parking space and the third parking space are arranged on the same side of the transmission component, and along the transmission direction of the transmission component, the third parking space is arranged between the first parking space and the second parking space; the material picking position is arranged above the third parking space.

[0031] By locating the first, second, and third parking positions on the same side of the transmission assembly, the above solution prevents interference between the transmission assembly's removal of raw materials from the discharge position and the drive assembly and manipulator's transfer of raw materials. Furthermore, by locating the third parking position between the first and second parking positions and the material retrieving position above the third parking position along the transmission assembly's transfer direction, the drive assembly's movement paths for transferring the first and second raw materials are essentially identical, reducing the travel distance required by the drive assembly to transfer the first or second raw material, thereby accelerating loading.

[0032] In one embodiment, the driving component includes: a first lifting mechanism, which is provided in correspondence with the first parking position and is configured to lift the first loading tray carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle to a first preset position one by one, and to place the second empty trays at the first preset position one by one on the empty first transport vehicle; a second lifting mechanism, which is provided in correspondence with the second parking position and is configured to lift the second loading tray carrying the second raw material on the second transport vehicle to a second preset position one by one, and to place the third empty trays at the second preset position one by one on the empty second transport vehicle; along the transmission direction of the transmission component, the material picking position is provided between the first preset position and the second preset position; a third lifting mechanism, which is provided in correspondence with the third parking position and is configured to lift the second loading tray carrying the second raw material on the third transport vehicle to a second preset position one by one, and to place the third empty trays at the second preset position one by one on the empty second transport vehicle The third loading tray containing the third raw material is lifted to the picking position one by one, and the first empty trays at the picking position are placed one by one on the empty third transport vehicle; a translation mechanism is arranged above the first parking position, the second parking position and the third parking position, and can move along the transmission direction of the transmission component to any one of the first preset position, the picking position and the second preset position; the translation mechanism is configured to move the first loading tray carrying the first raw material at the first preset position to the picking position, move the second loading tray carrying the second raw material at the second preset position to the picking position, move the second empty tray at the picking position to the first preset position, and move the third empty tray at the picking position to the second preset position.

[0033] The above solution can use the lifting mechanism to lift the loading trays at the corresponding positions one by one to the preset positions, and use the translation mechanism to transfer the loading trays carrying raw materials at the preset positions to the material removal position, and transfer the empty trays at the material removal position to one of the preset positions. The lifting mechanism at the corresponding position can also be used to place the empty trays on an empty transport vehicle, thereby achieving the loading of raw materials and the removal of empty trays. At the same time, the translation mechanism can be moved to any one of the first preset position, the material removal position, and the second preset position, so that the translation mechanism can transfer raw materials at any position to the material removal position and move the empty trays at the material removal position to an empty vehicle at any position, thereby reducing the number of translation mechanisms.

[0034] In order to solve the above technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a battery production line, which includes: a shell entry system and the above-mentioned loading system; the shell entry system is configured to load the battery cell into the shell; the loading system is configured to transfer the shell to the shell entry system.

[0035] In the battery production line described above, the drive assembly of the loading system can move back and forth between the material removal position, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. That is, the drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need for a drive assembly for each parking space, thereby reducing the number of components in the entire loading system. Furthermore, the first, second, and third transport vehicles of the loading system can be used to transport raw materials to the corresponding parking spaces, as well as to remove empty trays. Thus, when a transport vehicle in one parking space removes an empty tray and a transport vehicle needs to be replaced, the drive assembly can place the empty tray on a transport vehicle in another parking space without having to wait for the return of the transport vehicle that needs to be removed. This speeds up the loading process, thereby increasing the speed at which the battery cells are loaded into the housing.

[0036] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0037] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0038] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a process of a feeding method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG2 is a schematic top view of a feeding system provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG3 is a schematic side view of a feeding system provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Description of Reference Numerals

[0042] A-material picking position; B-material discharge position; 2-manipulator; 21-first transport vehicle; 22-second transport vehicle; 23-third transport vehicle; 31-first lifting mechanism; 32-second lifting mechanism; 33-third lifting mechanism; 4-transmission assembly; 5-translation mechanism; 51-translation drive servo; 52-drive rod; 53-clamping assembly; 6-detection mechanism; 7-bracket. [Specific implementation method]

[0043] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0046] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" 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).

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application 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 cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0050] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, 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 or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0051] The most common feeding method currently involves manually pushing a basket carrying workpieces to a pickup location via a trolley. A robotic arm then grabs the workpiece from the pickup location, and an empty trolley retrieves the empty basket from the unloading location. This method requires frequent manual loading and unloading, resulting in low loading efficiency.

[0052] In related technologies, there is also a fully automatic loading method, which controls the trolley to automatically push the material basket carrying the workpiece to the position to be picked up. The robot grabs the workpiece from the position to be picked up, and then places the empty material basket on the empty trolley through the driving part. After the empty trolley is filled with the empty material basket, the empty material basket is transported away.

[0053] The inventors of this application have designed a loading system comprising a first transport vehicle, a second transport vehicle, an empty vehicle positioned between the first and second transport vehicles, a first transverse mechanism, a second transverse mechanism, and a manipulator. The first transport vehicle is used to transport a first loading tray carrying a first raw material to a first parking space; the first transverse mechanism is movable between a pick-up position and the first parking space to transfer the first raw material to the pick-up position. The second transport vehicle is used to transport a first loading tray carrying a second raw material to a second parking space; the second transverse mechanism is movable between the pick-up position and the second parking space to transfer the second raw material to the pick-up position. The empty vehicle is positioned in a third parking space. The manipulator picks material from the loading tray at the pick-up position and places it in the discharge position; the empty tray at the pick-up position is placed on the empty vehicle. Once the manipulator has placed all of the first raw material (or second raw material) in the discharge position, the empty vehicle is filled with empty trays. At this point, the empty vehicle needs to be replaced, and the manipulator stops and waits. Once the empty vehicle returns to the third parking space, i.e., after the empty vehicle replacement is complete, the manipulator resets and continues picking up the second raw material (or first raw material).

[0054] However, after extensive research, the inventors discovered that the aforementioned solution requires the robot to stop loading materials and wait for the empty cart to be swapped, slowing loading speed. Furthermore, the first and second transverse mechanisms can only move between corresponding parking spaces and material removal locations, unable to reach all parking spaces. The transverse mechanisms have a short travel range, are numerous, and have limited functionality. Furthermore, the first and second transport carts can only accommodate raw materials, not empty trays; empty carts can only accommodate empty trays, not raw materials.

[0055] Based on this, the loading system provided in the embodiment of the present application has a driving component that can reach all parking spaces, and the program sets multiple transport vehicles to place raw materials and empty trays. When replacing the transport vehicle full of empty trays, the robot does not need to stop and wait, and the loading speed is faster.

[0056] The present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0057] Please refer to Figures 1-3. Figure 1 is a schematic flow chart of a loading method provided in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a loading system provided in one embodiment of the present application; and Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a loading system provided in one embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, a loading method is provided, which is applied to an automatic loading system having a first parking space, a second parking space, a third parking space, a loading position A, and a discharging position B. The loading method includes:

[0058] Step S1: controlling the first transport vehicle 21 to transport a first loading tray carrying a first raw material to a first parking space.

[0059] Step S2: controlling the second transport vehicle 22 to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space.

[0060] Step S3: Control the third transport vehicle 23 to arrive at the third parking space; wherein the third transport vehicle 23 is empty.

[0061] Step S4: controlling the driving assembly to transfer the first material loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 carrying the first raw material to the material taking position A one by one until the first transport vehicle 21 becomes empty.

[0062] Step S5: Control the robot 2 to transfer the first raw materials at the material taking position A from the first loading tray to the material discharging position B one by one until the first loading tray becomes a first empty tray.

[0063] Step S6 : controlling the driving assembly to transfer the first empty trays at the material taking position A to the third transport vehicle 23 one by one, until all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 are transferred to the third transport vehicle 23 .

[0064] Step S7: In response to the drive assembly transferring the last first empty tray from the material retrieving position A, the drive assembly is controlled to transfer the second loading trays carrying the second raw material on the second transport vehicle 22 to the material retrieving position A one by one until the second transport vehicle 22 becomes empty.

[0065] Step S8: Control the robot 2 to transfer the second raw materials at the picking position A from the second loading tray to the discharging position B one by one until the second loading tray becomes a second empty tray.

[0066] Step S9 : controlling the driving assembly to transfer the second empty tray at the material taking position A to the first transport vehicle 21 , until all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle 22 are transferred to the first transport vehicle 21 .

[0067] The first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22, and the third transport vehicle 23 can be any small vehicle with wheels, such as an ordinary cart, a workshop material vehicle, etc. In some embodiments, the first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22, and the third transport vehicle 23 can use an automated guided vehicle (AGV) to transport raw materials. The electromagnetic or optical guidance device provided on the AGV can be used to guide the movement of the AGV, so that the AGV can move along a specified path. The amount of raw materials carried by the first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22, and the third transport vehicle 23 can be the same or different; and the first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22, and the third transport vehicle 23 can be loaded with raw materials or empty trays or not at all each time; the present application preferably loads the transport vehicle with raw materials or empty trays at a time to increase the transport efficiency of the transport vehicle. An empty vehicle refers to a vehicle that is not carrying raw materials or a tray. An empty tray refers to a tray that is not carrying raw materials.

[0068] In one embodiment, the first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22 and the third transport vehicle 23 have the same carrying capacity and are fully loaded each time. In this way, all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 are transferred to the third transport vehicle 23, and the third transport vehicle 23 is fully loaded with first empty trays.

[0069] The first, second, and third parking spaces are three specific areas in the loading system where transport vehicles can be placed. In one embodiment, the first, second, and third parking spaces are arranged in sequence, with the second parking space located in the middle. The first, second, and third raw materials can be aluminum shells, end caps, etc. The first, second, and third loading trays can be any structure capable of carrying materials, such as aluminum trays, pallets, storage boxes, etc. Each loading tray can accommodate only one raw material, a stack of raw materials, or multiple raw materials arranged in an array.

[0070] The picking position A refers to the position where the manipulator 2 picks up the raw materials. The discharge position B refers to the position where the manipulator 2 finally places the raw materials picked up from the picking position A. The picking position A and the discharge position B can be specifically defined according to the area in the space. For example, area M is designated as the picking position A, and area N is designated as the discharge position B, and there may be a gap between area M and area N. The drive assembly and the manipulator 2 may include a drive member and a clamping member or an adsorption member, etc., to pick up and transfer raw materials. In one embodiment, the discharge position B is an area on the transmission assembly 4, so that the raw materials at the discharge position B are transferred to other workstations by the transmission assembly 4. The picking position A can be the area above any one of the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. In one embodiment, the picking position A is the area above the second parking space.

[0071] The “transfer one by one” involved in the present application can be transferred one by one, or multiple materials can be transferred in groups. For example, the drive component transfers the first loading trays carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle 21 to the material picking position A one by one, or the drive component transfers the multiple first loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 to the material picking position A one by one; the manipulator 2 can transfer the first raw materials at the material picking position A to the discharge position B one by one, and the drive component can further transfer the first empty trays at the material picking position A to the corresponding empty vehicle one by one. Alternatively, when the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 are placed in multiple layers, and multiple first loading trays are placed on each layer, the drive component can also transfer all the first loading trays of one layer to the material picking position A at a time, and the manipulator 2 transfers all the first raw materials placed at the material picking position A to the discharge position B at a time, and the drive component further transfers all the first empty trays at the material picking position A to the corresponding empty vehicle each time. Alternatively, when the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle 21 are placed in multiple layers and multiple first loading trays are placed on each layer, the drive component can also transfer one first loading tray to the material picking position A at a time according to the layers, and the manipulator 2 transfers all the first raw materials placed at the material picking position A to the material discharge position B each time, and the drive component further transfers all the first empty trays at the material picking position A to the corresponding empty vehicle each time.

[0072] The above method can control the drive assembly to move back and forth between the material retrieving position A, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. The drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need to configure a drive assembly for each parking space to transfer raw materials and empty trays, thereby reducing the number of components. At the same time, by controlling the drive assembly to transfer the second empty tray at the material retrieving position A to the first transport vehicle 21, the first transport vehicle 21 used to carry raw materials can also be used to place empty trays. Therefore, when the third transport vehicle 23 is full of empty trays and needs to be replaced, the robot can continue to transfer raw materials from the second transport vehicle 22 without stopping to wait for the third transport vehicle 23 to be replaced, thereby speeding up the loading speed. In one embodiment, in response to the transfer of all the first material trays on the first transport vehicle 21 to the third transport vehicle 23, the third transport vehicle 23 is controlled to transport the first empty tray from the third parking space and transport the third material tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space before the drive assembly transfers the last second empty tray at the material retrieving position A. In this way, after the driving assembly transfers the last second empty tray at the material picking position A to the first transport vehicle 21 , it can immediately transfer the third raw material on the third transport vehicle 23 , and the robot arm 2 does not need to wait.

[0073] Among them, the third transport vehicle 23 that transports the third loading tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space and the third transport vehicle 23 that transports the first empty tray from the third parking space can be the same third transport vehicle 23, that is, after the third transport vehicle 23 transports the first empty tray from the third parking space and unloads the first empty tray, it loads the third raw material again and transports it to the third parking space; in this way, the number of transport vehicles required in the loading system can be reduced, saving costs.

[0074] Of course, in other embodiments, the third transport vehicle 23 that transports the third tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space and the third transport vehicle 23 that removes the first empty tray from the third parking space can be two different transport vehicles. In this embodiment, after the third transport vehicle 23 removes from the third parking space, the next third transport vehicle 23 can be controlled to transport the third tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space. This effectively ensures that the third raw material can be removed from the third transport vehicle 23 after the drive assembly removes the last second empty tray from the retrieving position A. Of course, the next third transport vehicle 23 can also be controlled to transport the third tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space a preset time after the third transport vehicle 23 removes from the third parking space, allowing time for cleaning, inspection, or maintenance of the third parking space. The preset time can be set based on actual conditions, as long as the third tray carrying the third raw material is transported to the third parking space before the drive assembly removes the last second empty tray from the retrieving position A.

[0075] In this solution, the third transport vehicle 23 can carry the first empty tray and transport it from the third parking space; it can also carry the third raw material and transport it to the third parking space. This increased functionality of the third transport vehicle 23 makes the entire loading process more efficient. Furthermore, the drive assembly can further transfer the third raw material from the third transport vehicle 23 to the retrieving position A, thereby replenishing the raw material at the retrieving position A in a timely manner. This ensures that the robot 2 can continuously load materials, improves the loading rate, and thus increases the production capacity (pieces per minute, PPM) of the loading system.

[0076] In one embodiment, in response to the drive assembly transferring the last second empty tray from the material picking position A, the drive assembly is controlled to transfer the third loading trays carrying the third raw material on the third transport vehicle 23 to the material picking position A one by one until the third transport vehicle 23 is empty. The robot 2 is controlled to transfer the third raw material from the material picking position A from the third loading tray to the material discharging position B one by one until the third loading tray becomes the third empty tray. The drive assembly is controlled to transfer the third empty tray from the material picking position A to the second transport vehicle 22 until all the third loading trays on the third transport vehicle 23 have been transferred to the second transport vehicle 22. In this way, the robot 2 does not need to wait.

[0077] Among them, the drive component and the robot 2 can work in coordination. Each time the drive component transfers one or a group of third raw materials to the material picking position A, the robot 2 transfers the third raw material or the group of third raw materials to the discharge position B; at this time, the drive component transfers the corresponding third empty tray to the second transport vehicle 22; after that, the drive component moves to the third parking space and picks up the next or the next group of third raw materials again and transfers them to the material picking position A, the robot 2 continues to transfer the third raw material or the group of third raw materials to the discharge position B, at this time the drive component continues to transfer the corresponding third empty tray to the second transport vehicle 22, and then returns to the third parking space..., and repeats this cycle until all the third loading trays on the third transport vehicle 23 are transferred to the second transport vehicle 22.

[0078] In the above solution, after the last second empty tray is removed, the drive assembly is controlled to further transfer the third loading tray carried by the third transport vehicle 23 to the material pickup position A. Robot 2 is then controlled to continuously transfer the third raw material from the material pickup position A to the material discharge position B, ensuring continuous material loading by robot 2 and thereby increasing the loading speed. Simultaneously, the drive assembly is controlled to transfer the third empty tray to the second transport vehicle 22, allowing the second transport vehicle 22 to transport both the second raw material and the empty trays, thus increasing the functionality of the second transport vehicle 22.

[0079] In one embodiment, in response to all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle 22 being transferred to the first transport vehicle 21, the first transport vehicle 21 is controlled to transport the second empty tray from the first parking space, and before the drive assembly transfers the last third empty tray at the material picking position A, the first loading tray carrying the first raw material is transported to the first parking space again.

[0080] The first transport vehicle 21 that transports the first loading tray carrying the first raw material to the first parking space and the first transport vehicle 21 that transports the second empty tray from the first parking space can be the same transport vehicle or two different transport vehicles. The specific transportation method is similar to the aforementioned method of controlling the third transport vehicle 23 to transport the first empty tray from the third parking space and transporting the third loading tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space before the drive assembly removes the last second empty tray from the retrieving position A, and will not be further described here.

[0081] In the above solution, after the first transport vehicle 21 transports the second empty tray away, before the drive assembly removes the last third empty tray from the retrieving position A, it transports the first loading tray carrying the first raw material to the first parking space again to replenish the raw material in a timely manner. After the third raw material is loaded, the drive assembly can further transfer the first raw material from the first parking space to the retrieving position A, and the manipulator 2 can continue to transfer the first raw material from the retrieving position A to the discharge position B, thereby ensuring that the entire loading process continues, preventing the situation where all three parking spaces are out of raw materials, and effectively ensuring the loading speed. At the same time, the first transport vehicle 21 can carry the second empty tray and transport it from the first parking space; it can also carry the first raw material and transport it to the first parking space, increasing the function of the first transport vehicle 21 and making the entire loading process faster.

[0082] In one embodiment, in response to the drive component transferring the last third empty tray at the material picking position A, the drive component is controlled to transfer the first loading tray carrying the first raw material on the first transport cart 21 to the material picking position A one by one until the first transport cart 21 becomes an empty cart; the robot 2 is controlled to transfer the first raw material at the material picking position A from the first loading tray to the discharge position B one by one until the first loading tray becomes the first empty tray; the drive component is controlled to transfer the first empty tray at the material picking position A to the third transport cart 23 one by one until all the first loading trays on the first transport cart 21 are transferred to the third transport cart 23; and in response to all the third loading trays on the third transport cart 23 being transferred to the second transport cart 22, the second transport cart 22 is controlled to transport the third empty tray from the second parking space, and before the drive component transfers the last first empty tray at the material picking position A, the second loading tray carrying the second raw material is again transported to the second parking space.

[0083] Among them, the step of "in response to the third loading tray on the third transport vehicle 23 being completely transferred to the second transport vehicle 22, controlling the second transport vehicle 22 to transport the third empty tray from the second parking space, and transporting the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space again before the driving component transfers the last first empty tray at the material picking position A" can be performed simultaneously with the step of "in response to the driving component transferring the last third empty tray at the material picking position A, controlling the driving component to transfer the first loading tray carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle 21 to the material picking position A one by one until the first transport vehicle 21 becomes an empty vehicle; controlling the manipulator 2 to transfer the first raw material at the material picking position A from the first loading tray to the discharge position B one by one until the first loading tray becomes the first empty tray; controlling the driving component to transfer the first empty tray at the material picking position A to the third transport vehicle 23 one by one until the first loading tray on the first transport vehicle 21 is completely transferred to the third transport vehicle 23" to improve the loading efficiency.

[0084] The second transport vehicle 22 that transports the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space and the second transport vehicle 22 that removes the third empty tray from the second parking space can be the same transport vehicle or two different transport vehicles. The specific transportation method is similar to the aforementioned method of controlling the third transport vehicle 23 to remove the first empty tray from the third parking space and transporting the third loading tray carrying the third raw material to the third parking space before the drive assembly removes the last second empty tray from the retrieving position A, and will not be further described here.

[0085] In the above solution, after the third raw material is loaded, the drive assembly can be controlled to transfer the first raw material from the first transport vehicle 21 to ensure that the robot 2 can continue loading. The second transport vehicle 22 can also be controlled to remove the third empty tray. Before the first raw material is loaded, the second transport vehicle 22 can be further controlled to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space. After the first raw material is loaded, the drive assembly can continue to transfer the second raw material from the second transport vehicle 22. At the same time, the first empty tray can be transferred to the third transport vehicle 23 for transportation.

[0086] In one embodiment, the step of controlling the second transport vehicle 22 to transport the second loading tray carrying the second raw material to the second parking space includes: controlling the second transport vehicle 22 to arrive at the second parking space before the driving assembly transfers the last first empty tray at the material picking position A away.

[0087] The above scheme can ensure that after the loading of the first raw material is completed, the driving component can transfer the second raw material from the second transport vehicle 22 in the second parking space to the material picking position A to ensure the normal loading of the manipulator 2, avoiding the situation where the driving component needs to wait for the second transport vehicle 22 carrying the second raw material to arrive at the second parking space, and effectively ensuring the loading speed.

[0088] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2 to 3, Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a feeding system provided in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a feeding system provided in one embodiment of the present application. A feeding system is provided, which includes a feeding device, a transportation device and a control circuit (not shown). The feeding device includes a drive assembly, a transmission assembly 4 and a manipulator 2. The feeding device has a first parking space, a second parking space, a third parking space, a material picking position A and a material discharge position B; the transmission assembly 4 passes through the material discharge position B and is configured to take away the raw materials at the material discharge position B. The transportation device includes a first transport vehicle 21, a second transport vehicle 22 and a third transport vehicle 23. The control circuit is electrically connected to the feeding device and the transportation device, respectively; and the control circuit is configured to control the operation of the feeding system according to the feeding method provided in the above embodiment.

[0089] The loading device may further include a bracket 7, which defines a first space area, a second space area and a third space area to serve as a first parking space, a second parking space and a third parking space respectively.

[0090] In the aforementioned loading system, the drive assembly can move back and forth between the material retrieving position A, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. This means the drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need for a dedicated drive assembly for each parking space. This reduces the number of components in the entire loading system. Furthermore, the first, second, and third transport vehicles 21, 22, and 23 of the loading system can be used to both transport raw materials to the corresponding parking spaces and remove empty trays. Thus, if a transport vehicle in one parking space removes an empty tray and a new transport vehicle needs to be replaced, the drive assembly can place the empty tray on a transport vehicle in another parking space, eliminating the need to wait for the return of the transport vehicle that needs to be removed, thereby speeding up loading.

[0091] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the first transport vehicle 21, the second transport vehicle 22 and the third transport vehicle 23 have the same carrying capacity; the first parking space, the second parking space and the third parking space are arranged on the same side of the transmission component 4, and along the transmission direction of the transmission component 4, the third parking space is arranged between the first parking space and the second parking space; the material picking position A is arranged above the third parking space.

[0092] The carrying capacity of the first, second, and third transport vehicles 21, 22, and 23 refers to the total number of trays that can be carried by the transport vehicles. "Above" the third parking space refers to the height of the loading system, where the height of the retrieving position A is higher than the highest point in the space containing the third parking space. Along the transport direction of the conveyor assembly 4, the distance between the center of the third parking space and the center of the first parking space is the first distance, and the distance between the center of the third parking space and the center of the second parking space is the second distance. The first distance and the second distance may be the same or different.

[0093] By locating the first, second, and third parking positions on the same side of the conveyor assembly 4, the above solution prevents interference between the conveyor assembly 4 removing the raw materials from the discharge position B and the drive assembly and robot 2 transferring the raw materials. Furthermore, by locating the third parking position between the first and second parking positions along the conveyor assembly 4's transport direction and placing the material retrieving position A above the third parking position, the difference in the movement paths of the drive assembly transferring the first and second raw materials can be minimized, reducing the travel distance of the drive assembly transferring the first or second raw materials and accelerating loading.

[0094] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2 and 3 , the drive assembly further includes a first lifting mechanism 31, a second lifting mechanism 32, and a third lifting mechanism 33. The first lifting mechanism 31 is positioned corresponding to the first parking position and is configured to lift first loading trays carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle 21 one by one to a first preset position, and to place second empty trays at the first preset position one by one onto the empty first transport vehicle 21. The second lifting mechanism 32 is positioned corresponding to the second parking position and is configured to lift second loading trays carrying the second raw material on the second transport vehicle 22 one by one to a second preset position, and to place third empty trays at the second preset position one by one onto the empty second transport vehicle 22. Along the transport direction of the transport assembly 4, a material removal position A is positioned between the first preset position and the second preset position. The third lifting mechanism 33 is positioned corresponding to the third parking position and is configured to lift third loading trays carrying the third raw material on the third transport vehicle 23 one by one to the material removal position A, and to place first empty trays at the material removal position A one by one onto the empty third transport vehicle 23. The translation mechanism 5 is disposed above the first, second, and third parking spaces and moves along the transport direction of the transport assembly 4 to any one of the first preset position, the material removal position A, and the second preset position. The translation mechanism 5 is configured to move the first loading tray carrying the first raw material at the first preset position to the material removal position A, move the second loading tray carrying the second raw material at the second preset position to the material removal position A, move the second empty tray at the material removal position A to the first preset position, and move the third empty tray at the material removal position A to the second preset position.

[0095] The first lifting mechanism 31, the second lifting mechanism 32, and the third lifting mechanism 33 are used to lift the loading tray to separate the loading tray from the corresponding transport vehicle and lift the loading tray to a preset position. Before and after the lifting mechanism lifts the loading tray, although the height of the loading tray changes, it remains in the corresponding parking position. Taking the first lifting mechanism 31 as an example, the first lifting mechanism 31 can lift the first loading tray to the first preset position by lifting the first loading tray, so that the translation mechanism 5 can pick up the first loading tray and move it to the material collection position A. After the first lifting mechanism 31 lifts the first loading tray, the height of the first loading tray changes along the height direction of the loading mechanism, but the first loading tray remains in the first parking position.

[0096] In one embodiment, the first lifting mechanism 31, the second lifting mechanism 32, and the third lifting mechanism 33 may include a lifting arm and a driving member. The lifting arm is connected to the driving member and can be inserted between the transport vehicle and the loading tray. The driving member can drive the lifting arm to move upward, thereby lifting the loading tray to a predetermined position. The driving member can also drive the lifting arm downward to prepare for the next lift or to place an empty tray loaded thereon onto the corresponding transport vehicle.

[0097] Of course, in other embodiments, the first lifting mechanism 31, the second lifting mechanism 32, and the third lifting mechanism 33 may include lifting claws and a driving member, wherein the lifting claws are connected to the driving member, the lifting claws grasp the loading tray, and the driving member drives the lifting claws to move up and down, thereby lifting the loading tray to a preset position, or moving it downward from the preset position to grasp the loading tray or place an empty tray on a corresponding transport vehicle. The driving member may be a linear electric cylinder, a linear pneumatic cylinder, a linear oil cylinder, etc.

[0098] In some embodiments, the translation mechanism 5 further moves the empty tray at the material collection position A to a preset position with an empty vehicle and places the empty tray on the corresponding lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism then descends to place the empty tray it carries on the corresponding empty vehicle. For example, the translation mechanism 5 further moves a second empty tray to the first preset position. The first lifting mechanism 31 at the first preset position carries the second empty tray and begins to move downward to place the second empty tray on the first transport vehicle 21. The translation mechanism 5 can be a conveyor belt, roller conveyor, chain plate conveyor, etc.

[0099] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 or 3 , the translation mechanism 5 may include a translation drive servo 51, a drive rod 52, and a clamping assembly 53. The drive rod 52 is connected to the translation drive servo 51 and moves along the transport direction of the transport assembly 4, driving the drive rod 52 to any one of a first preset position, a material removal position A, and a second preset position. The clamping assembly 53 is mounted on the drive rod 52 and moves synchronously with the drive rod 52. The clamping assembly 53 is used to clamp the loading tray.

[0100] In one specific embodiment, the clamping assembly 53 includes multiple cylinders spaced circumferentially to secure the loading tray. In one embodiment, the number of cylinders may be four, with each cylinder positioned opposite the other, and the line connecting the two opposing cylinders intersecting, for example, perpendicularly. In other embodiments, the clamping assembly 53 may include claws to grasp the loading tray. Alternatively, the clamping assembly 53 may further include an adsorbent to adsorb the loading tray.

[0101] In some specific embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 3. The loading mechanism also includes a detection mechanism 6, which is provided on the clamping assembly 53 and is electrically connected to the clamping assembly 53 and the translation drive servo 51, respectively, for detecting whether the loading tray is in place. In response to the detection mechanism 6 detecting that the loading tray is in place, the clamping assembly 53 clamps the loading tray, and the translation drive servo 51 drives the drive rod 52 to move to the material picking position A or drives the drive rod 52 to move to any one of the first parking position to the third parking position. Among them, there can be multiple detection mechanisms 6, and multiple detection mechanisms 6 are arranged opposite to each other in pairs; the clamping assembly 53 clamps the loading tray in response to multiple detection mechanisms 6 detecting the loading tray. In this way, the situation where the loading tray is not fully in place but the clamping assembly 53 has already clamped the loading tray can be reduced, resulting in the loading tray not being clamped or the clamping assembly 53 not clamping the loading tray can be reduced.

[0102] The above scheme can use the lifting mechanism to lift the loading trays at the corresponding positions one by one to the preset positions, and use the translation mechanism 5 to transfer the loading trays carrying raw materials at the preset positions to the material collection position A, and transfer the empty trays at the material collection position A to one of the preset positions. The lifting mechanism at the corresponding position can also be used to place the empty trays on an empty transport vehicle, thereby achieving the loading of raw materials and the removal of empty trays. At the same time, the translation mechanism 5 can be moved to any one of the first preset position, the material collection position A, and the second preset position, so that the translation mechanism 5 can transfer raw materials at any position to the material collection position A, and move the empty trays at the material collection position A to an empty vehicle at any position, thereby reducing the number of translation mechanisms 5.

[0103] In one embodiment, a battery production line is provided, comprising a shell insertion system and the aforementioned loading system. The shell insertion system is configured to insert battery cells into shells; the loading system is configured to transfer the shells to the shell insertion system. Battery cells can be used in batteries, which are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power stations, but are also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment, aerospace, and other fields.

[0104] The drive assembly of the battery production line described above can move back and forth between the material retrieving position A, the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space. The drive assembly can reach all parking spaces, eliminating the need for a drive assembly to transfer raw materials and empty trays to each parking space, thereby reducing the number of components. Furthermore, by controlling the drive assembly to transfer the second empty tray at the material retrieving position A to the first transport vehicle 21, the first transport vehicle 21, which is used to carry raw materials, can also accommodate empty trays. Consequently, when the third transport vehicle 23 is full of empty trays and needs to be replaced, the robot can continue transferring raw materials without stopping to wait for the third transport vehicle 23 to be replaced, thereby speeding up the loading process.

[0105] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A feeding method, applied to an automatic feeding system, the feeding method comprising: Controlling a first transport vehicle to transport a first loading tray carrying a first raw material to a first parking position; Controlling a second transport vehicle to transport a second loading tray carrying a second raw material to a second parking position; Controlling a third transport vehicle to reach a third parking position; wherein the third transport vehicle is an empty vehicle; Controlling a driving component to transfer the first loading trays carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle to a material taking position one by one until the first transport vehicle becomes an empty vehicle; Controlling a manipulator to transfer the first raw material at the material taking position from the first loading tray to a material placing position one by one until the first loading tray becomes a first empty tray; Controlling the driving component to transfer the first empty trays at the material taking position to the third transport vehicle one by one until all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle are transferred to the third transport vehicle; In response to the driving component transferring the last first empty tray at the material taking position away, controlling the driving component to transfer the second loading trays carrying the second raw material on the second transport vehicle to the material taking position one by one until the second transport vehicle becomes an empty vehicle; Controlling the manipulator to transfer the second raw material at the material taking position from the second loading tray to the material placing position one by one until the second loading tray becomes a second empty tray; Controlling the driving component to transfer the second empty trays at the material taking position to the first transport vehicle until all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle are transferred to the first transport vehicle.

2. The feeding method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: In response to all the first loading trays on the first transport vehicle being transferred to the third transport vehicle, controlling the third transport vehicle to transport the first empty trays away from the third parking position and transporting a third loading tray carrying a third raw material to the third parking position before the driving component transfers the last second empty tray at the material taking position away.

3. The feeding method according to claim 2, wherein The method further comprises: In response to the driving component transferring the last second empty tray at the material taking position away, controlling the driving component to transfer the third loading trays carrying the third raw material on the third transport vehicle to the material taking position one by one until the third transport vehicle becomes an empty vehicle; Controlling the manipulator to transfer the third raw material at the material taking position from the third loading tray to the material placing position one by one until the third loading tray becomes a third empty tray; Controlling the driving component to transfer the third empty trays at the material taking position to the second transport vehicle until all the third loading trays on the third transport vehicle are transferred to the second transport vehicle.

4. The feeding method according to claim 3, wherein The method further comprises: In response to all the second loading trays on the second transport vehicle being transferred to the first transport vehicle, controlling the first transport vehicle to transport the second empty trays away from the first parking position and transporting the first loading trays carrying the first raw material to the first parking position again before the driving component transfers the last third empty tray at the material taking position away.

5. The feeding method according to claim 4, wherein, The method further comprises: In response to the driving component transferring the last third empty tray at the material taking position away, control the driving component to transfer the first material trays carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle to the material taking position one by one until the first transport vehicle becomes empty; Control the manipulator to transfer the first raw material at the material taking position from the first material tray to the material discharging position one by one until the first material tray becomes a first empty tray; Control the driving component to transfer the first empty trays at the material taking position to the third transport vehicle one by one until all the first material trays on the first transport vehicle are transferred to the third transport vehicle; and In response to all the third material trays on the third transport vehicle being transferred to the second transport vehicle, control the second transport vehicle to transport the third empty tray away from the second parking space, and transport the second material trays carrying the second raw material to the second parking space again before the driving component transfers the last first empty tray at the material taking position away.

6. The feeding method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The step of controlling the second transport vehicle to transport the second material trays carrying the second raw material to the second parking space includes: Controlling the second transport vehicle to reach the second parking space before the driving component transfers the last first empty tray at the material taking position away.

7. A feeding system, comprising: A feeding device, including a driving component, a transmission component, and a manipulator; The feeding device has a first parking space, a second parking space, a third parking space, a material taking position, and a material discharging position; The transmission component passes through the material discharging position and is configured to take away the raw material at the material discharging position; A transport device, including a first transport vehicle, a second transport vehicle, and a third transport vehicle; A control circuit, electrically connected to the feeding device and the transport device respectively; wherein, the control circuit is configured to control the feeding system to work according to the feeding method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. The feeding system according to claim 7, wherein, The load capacities of the first transport vehicle, the second transport vehicle, and the third transport vehicle are the same; the first parking space, the second parking space, and the third parking space are arranged on the same side of the transmission component, and along the transmission direction of the transmission component, the third parking space is arranged between the first parking space and the second parking space; the material taking position is arranged above the third parking space.

9. The feeding system according to claim 8, wherein, The driving component includes: A first lifting mechanism, arranged corresponding to the first parking space, configured to lift the first material trays carrying the first raw material on the first transport vehicle to a first preset position one by one, and place the second empty trays at the first preset position on the empty first transport vehicle one by one; The second lifting mechanism, which is arranged corresponding to the second parking space, is configured to lift the second material trays carrying the second raw materials on the second transporter to the second preset position one by one, and place the third empty trays at the second preset position on the empty second transporter one by one; along the transmission direction of the transmission assembly, the material taking position is arranged between the first preset position and the second preset position; The third lifting mechanism, which is arranged corresponding to the third parking space, is configured to lift the third material trays carrying the third raw materials on the third transporter to the material taking position one by one, and place the first empty trays at the material taking position on the empty third transporter one by one; The translation mechanism is arranged above the first parking space, the second parking space and the third parking space, and can move to any one of the first preset position, the material taking position and the second preset position when moving along the transmission direction of the transmission assembly; the translation mechanism is configured to move the first material tray carrying the first raw material at the first preset position to the material taking position, move the second material tray carrying the second raw material at the second preset position to the material taking position, move the second empty tray at the material taking position to the first preset position, and move the third empty tray at the material taking position to the second preset position.

10. A battery production line, comprising: A case loading system configured to load the battery cells into the cases; The feeding system according to any one of claims 7-9, configured to transport the cases to the case loading system.

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