Control system and method for battery cell welding using adapter piece

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of batteries. Provided are a control system and method for battery cell welding using an adapter piece. The control system comprises: a first feeding apparatus, which is used for conveying a first top cover to a first pick-up position; a second feeding apparatus, which is used for conveying a second top cover to the first pick-up position during the process of the first feeding apparatus returning to a feeding position; a third feeding apparatus, which is used for conveying a first battery cell and a second battery cell to a second pick-up position; a conveying apparatus, which is used for conveying the first top cover, the second top cover, the first battery cell and the second battery cell to a welding apparatus; and the welding apparatus, which is used for welding the first top cover to the first battery cell and welding the second top cover to the second battery cell. In the present application, the control system realizes uninterrupted continuous feeding by means of two groups of feeding apparatuses, thereby shortening the waiting time for the feeding of top covers, and increasing the efficiency of a production line.

Description

Control system and control method for welding battery core adapters

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on January 10, 2024, with application number 202410039585.1 and application name “Control system and control method for welding battery cell adapter sheets”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application belongs to the field of battery technology, and in particular relates to a control system and a control method for welding battery cell adapters. Background Art

[0003] With economic development, battery technology has become a major research focus in the new energy vehicle sector. The top cover and battery cell are crucial components of the battery. Welding the cell and top cover together using adapters is a crucial step in the battery cell production process. Existing welding equipment has a simple structure and low production efficiency, posing a challenge in achieving efficient welding between the cell and the top cover.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a control system and a control method for welding battery cell adapters, which can maximize the production rhythm and production capacity of the entire equipment and improve production efficiency.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control system for welding a battery cell adapter, the control system comprising:

[0007] A first loading device, used for conveying the first top cover to the first material extraction position;

[0008] The second loading device is used to transport the second top cover to the first unloading position when the first loading device returns to the loading position;

[0009] A third loading device is used to transport the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the second material extraction position;

[0010] A conveying device, used for transporting the first top cover, the second top cover, the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the welding device;

[0011] The welding device is used for welding the first top cover to the first battery core and welding the second top cover to the second battery core.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, after the top cover and battery cells are loaded, they are transported to the welding device via a conveying device, where they are welded. The first loading device and the second loading device are both capable of loading the top cover. While the first loading device is loading the first top cover and unloading the empty tray to load the next top cover, the second loading device can transport the second top cover to the first loading position. The two sets of loading devices enable uninterrupted and continuous loading, reducing waiting time for loading the top cover and improving production line efficiency.

[0013] In some embodiments, the conveyor is annular, with the first, second, third, and welding devices positioned sequentially on different sides of the conveyor along its direction of travel. This rational arrangement of workstations allows for smooth automated welding of the battery cells and top covers, while reducing the space occupied by the entire production line.

[0014] The conveying device can be a magnetic guide rail. Magnetic guide rails, also known as magnetic levitation guide rails, can quickly transfer the top cover and battery cell materials to the welding station for adapter welding, reducing time wasted in the logistics process. In addition, compared with ordinary belt conveyors, magnetic guide rails have higher speeds and less wear and tear due to long-term operation.

[0015] In some embodiments, a first tray and a second tray are placed on the conveyor device. The first tray is used to secure the first top cover and the first battery cell, and the second tray is used to secure the second top cover and the second battery cell. The first tray and the second tray flow through the first material extraction position in sequence. After the first tray receives the first top cover and the second tray receives the second top cover, the first tray and the second tray flow through the second material extraction position in sequence, with the first tray receiving the first battery cell and the second tray receiving the second battery cell. The trays are provided with fixed structures in the shape of the top cover and the battery cell, thereby accurately and stably securing the top cover and the battery cell to the trays of the conveyor device. This allows the battery cell adapter and the top cover to be precisely matched, avoiding the occurrence of welding defective products due to insufficient matching accuracy, reducing the output of defective battery cells, thereby improving production efficiency and saving manpower and material costs.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control system further includes a coding device and a coding drawstring. The coding drawstring is disposed between the first material extraction position and the conveying device, and the coding device is disposed in the direction of movement of the coding drawstring. The coding device is used to encode information on the first top cover and information on the second top cover. Coding facilitates subsequent welding, traceability, and production management.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control system further comprises: a first detection device for detecting whether the first top cover and the second top cover after the coding are qualified. The coded drawstring passes through the coding device and the first detection device in sequence along the running direction.

[0018] In some embodiments, the control system further comprises a first blanking device for placing unqualified engraved top caps detected by the first inspection device. The first blanking device is positioned at the tail end of the engraved drawstring and adjacent to the engraved drawstring. After the top caps are engraved, the first inspection device is used to inspect the top caps, and any unqualified top caps resulting from the engraving are promptly removed and placed on the first blanking device. This prevents unqualified cells from being stacked on unqualified top caps during subsequent cell stacking, thereby avoiding waste of unqualified cells and facilitating detection of unqualified products.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control system further comprises: a first gripping device for placing the first and second top covers at the first material removal position onto the coding drawstring; and a second gripping device for transferring the coded first and second top covers to the conveyor. Both the first and second gripping devices are gripping robots, which enable the transfer of the top covers between different positions, providing greater flexibility and adapting to incoming materials of varying heights and frequencies.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first top cover or the second top cover includes a first surface and a second surface. During the coding process, the first surface is the surface facing vertically upward, while during the welding process, the second surface is the surface facing vertically upward. The control system further includes: a flipping mechanism for simultaneously flipping the first and second top covers 180 degrees after coding, so that the second surfaces face vertically upward after flipping; a second gripping device for transferring the flipped first and second top covers to a conveying device; and the flipping mechanism is located below the second gripping device. Using the flipping mechanism to flip the coded top cover can simultaneously meet the process requirements of top cover welding and top cover coding.

[0021] In some embodiments, the flipping mechanism is specifically used to flip the first top cover after the code is engraved and the second top cover after the code is engraved at the same time, which can improve the production line efficiency.

[0022] In some embodiments, the flipping angle of the flipping mechanism is 180°.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control system further includes a first dust removal device and a second unloading device; the second unloading device is used to transport the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover; the first dust removal device is located along the transport path of the second unloading device; and the first dust removal device is used to clean the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover. The dust removal device removes post-weld slag and floating dust generated during logistics operations, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the battery cell and preventing slag and floating dust from affecting the quality of the battery cell.

[0024] In some embodiments, the control system further includes a second dust removal device and a third unloading device; the third unloading device is used to transport the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover; the second dust removal device is located along the transport path of the third unloading device; and the second dust removal device is used to clean the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover. By providing two sets of dust removal devices and two sets of battery cell unloading devices, battery cell cleaning and unloading can be completed more efficiently, improving production line efficiency.

[0025] In some embodiments, the control system further includes: a third gripping device, which is used to place the unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the second unloading device into the first unqualified product area, and to place the unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the third unloading device into the second unqualified product area; the first unqualified product area and the second unqualified product area are arranged in an overlapping manner, and the first unqualified product area and the second unqualified product area are located at the tail end of the transportation path of the second unloading device and the third unloading device, and are arranged at right angles to the second unqualified product area and the third unqualified product area. Distinguishing between the first unqualified product area and the second unqualified product area can accurately distinguish the NG battery cells on the two lines of the second unloading device and the third unloading device, which is convenient for traceability and equipment detection. The overlapping arrangement of the first unqualified product area and the second unqualified product area can save the space required for NG pull tapes, leaving more space for subsequent cutting and changing of the factory.

[0026] In some embodiments, the third gripping device is further used to place the qualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the second and third unloading devices into a qualified product area. The qualified product area is a movable buffer position driven by a servo.

[0027] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control method for welding a battery cell adapter, the method comprising:

[0028] The first top cover is conveyed to the first material extraction position by the first loading device;

[0029] When the first loading device is retracted to the loading position, the second top cover is transported to the first unloading position by the second loading device;

[0030] The first top cover and the second top cover are received by the conveying device, and the first top cover and the second top cover are transported to the second material taking position;

[0031] The first battery cell and the second battery cell are transported to the second material removal position by the third loading device;

[0032] The first battery cell and the second battery cell are received at the second material extraction position by a conveying device, and the first top cover and the first battery cell, the second top cover and the second battery cell are transported to the welding device in sequence;

[0033] The first top cover is welded to the first battery cell, and the second top cover is welded to the second battery cell by a welding device.

[0034] Based on the above technical solution, after the top cover and battery cells are loaded, they are transported to the welding device via a conveying device, where they are welded. The first loading device and the second loading device are both capable of loading the top cover. While the first loading device is loading the first top cover and unloading the empty tray to load the next top cover, the second loading device can transport the second top cover to the first loading position. The two sets of loading devices enable uninterrupted and continuous loading, reducing waiting time for loading the top cover and improving production line efficiency.

[0035] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling a coding device to engrave a code on the first top cover and a coding device to engrave a code on the second top cover before the first top cover and the second top cover are transferred to the conveying device. The coding facilitates subsequent welding, traceability, and production management.

[0036] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting, by a first detection device, whether the first top cover after the code engraving and the second top cover after the code engraving are qualified products.

[0037] In some embodiments, the method further includes: if the top cover after coding is a qualified product, transporting the top cover after coding to a welding device via a conveying device; if the top cover after coding is a failed product, moving the failed top cover after coding to a first unloading device. After the top cover coding is completed, the top cover is inspected using a first inspection device, and the NG top cover caused by coding is promptly removed and placed on the first unloading device. This prevents the OK battery cells from being stacked on the NG top cover when the battery cells are subsequently stacked, thus avoiding waste of the OK battery cells and facilitating the detection of NG products.

[0038] In some embodiments, the coding device is arranged in the running direction of the coding drawstring, and the method also includes: placing the first top cover and the second top cover located at the first material picking position onto the coding drawstring through a first grabbing device; and transferring the engraved first top cover and the engraved second top cover to the conveying device through a second grabbing device.

[0039] In some embodiments, the first top cover or the second top cover includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being the surface facing vertically upward during coding, and the second surface being the surface facing vertically upward during welding. The method further comprises: after coding the first and second top covers, simultaneously flipping the coded first and second top covers via a flipping mechanism, so that the second surfaces face vertically upward after flipping. Using the flipping mechanism to flip the coded top covers can simultaneously meet the process requirements of top cover welding and top cover coding.

[0040] In some embodiments, flipping the first top cover and the second top cover after the code engraving by using a flipping mechanism includes: flipping the first top cover and the second top cover after the code engraving at the same time by using the flipping mechanism.

[0041] In some embodiments, the flipping angle of the flipping mechanism is 180°.

[0042] In some embodiments, the method further includes: transporting the first battery cell welded to the first top cover to a first dust removal device via a second unloading device; and cleaning the first battery cell welded to the first top cover via the first dust removal device. The dust removal device removes post-weld slag and floating dust generated during logistics operations, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the battery cell and preventing the quality of the battery cell from being affected by welding slag and floating dust.

[0043] In some embodiments, the method further includes: transporting the second battery cell welded to the second top cover to a second dust removal device via a third unloading device; and cleaning the second battery cell welded to the second top cover via the second dust removal device. Providing two sets of dust removal devices and two sets of battery cell unloading devices allows for more efficient battery cell cleaning and unloading, thereby improving production line efficiency.

[0044] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting whether the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a qualified product; if the first battery cell welded to the first top cover is a unqualified product, placing the first battery cell welded to the first top cover in a first unqualified product area by a third grasping device; if the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a unqualified product, placing the second battery cell welded to the second top cover in a second unqualified product area by a third grasping device; if the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a qualified product, placing the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover in a qualified product area by a third grasping device. Distinguishing between the first unqualified product area and the second unqualified product area can accurately distinguish between the NG battery cells on the second and third unloading device lines, facilitating traceability and equipment testing.

[0045] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a device for welding a battery cell adapter, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the method described in the second aspect when executing the computer program.

[0046] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes the method described in the second aspect.

[0047] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the computer program product runs on a computer, it implements the method described in the second aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or descriptions of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a product to be welded provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a control system for welding a battery cell adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a top cover loading device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a flip mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a blanking buffer area provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG7 is a flow chart of a control method for welding a battery cell adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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 indicate 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 two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] With economic development, battery technology has become a major research area in the new energy vehicle sector. The top cover and battery cells are crucial components of the battery. During lithium battery production, the top cover information must be recorded through coding. The coded top cover and the battery cells with their A and B sides open are then stacked together. The cell adapters and top covers are aligned, stacked, and welded together. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a product to be welded. 1-1 in Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the battery cells and adapters before welding. Two battery cells a are symmetrically arranged, with an adapter b pre-welded between the tabs f of cell a. 1-2 in Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the top cover before welding. The top cover c is positioned between the two battery cells a and secured to the adapter by welding.

[0062] Existing welding equipment has a simple structure, slow transmission rate, and low production efficiency, making it difficult to meet the ever-increasing production speed of adapters. In addition, the competition in the lithium battery industry is becoming increasingly fierce, and all parties have increasingly stringent requirements for the output and quality of lithium battery products. How to efficiently complete the welding of battery cells and top covers is a problem that needs to be solved.

[0063] To this end, the present application provides a control system, control method and device for welding battery cell adapters, which combines a variety of loading gantry grippers, clamps, flipping mechanisms, grabbing robots and conveyor belts, and magnetic drive guide rails, and can undertake more complex transmission tasks of adapter battery cells and top covers, realizing the rapid flow of battery cell and top cover materials between different workstations, and maximizing the production rhythm and production capacity of the entire equipment.

[0064] FIG2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a control system for welding a cell adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application. The control system described in the embodiment of the present application includes a top cover loading device 1, a cell loading device 2, a conveying device 3, a welding device 4, and a discharge device 5. The top cover loading device 1 is used for loading the top cover, the cell loading device 2 is used for loading the cell, the conveying device 3 is used to receive the loaded top cover and cell, and to transfer the top cover and cell to the welding device 4. The welding device 4 welds the top cover and cell, and the discharge device 5 discharges the welded cell.

[0065] The conveyor 3 is annular, with the top cover loading device 1, the battery cell loading device 2, the welding device 4, and the battery cell unloading device 5 sequentially arranged on four sides of the conveyor 3. Through the rational layout of different workstations, the battery cells and top covers can be smoothly and automatically welded, and the space occupied by the entire production line is reduced.

[0066] Continuing to refer to Figures 2 and 3, Figure 3 shows a structural schematic diagram of a top cover loading device 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, the top cover loading device 1 includes a loading frame 10, a first loading device 11, a second loading device 12, a first grasping robot 13, a transverse servo 14, and a loading trolley 15. The top cover is carried in a material tray and stacked on the loading trolley 15 to continuously transport the top cover to the first loading device 11 and the second loading device 12. The loading trolley can adopt a well-known structure, which can be separated from the main structure of the top cover loading device. A notch is provided at the top of the loading frame 10, and the material tray can pass through the notch, and the transverse servo 14 can move back and forth at the notch of the loading frame 10. The loading trolley 15 is placed at the bottom of the loading frame 10. The position where the loading trolley 15 cooperates with the first loading device 11 is the loading position corresponding to the first loading device 11, and the position where the loading trolley 15 cooperates with the second loading device 12 is the loading position corresponding to the second loading device 12.

[0067] Preferably, the first loading device 11 includes a loading area 111 and a unloading area 112. The loading area 111 uses a roller conveyor line to move the tray equipped with the first top cover sent by the loading trolley 15 to the material tray picking position of Group A, and the tray equipped with the first top cover is lifted to the height of the Group A transverse servo 14 by the lifting servo of Group A. Then the fixed cylinder of the transverse servo 14 of Group A extends, and the fixed suction cup is vacuumed to fix the tray equipped with the first top cover. The transverse servo 14 moves the tray equipped with the first top cover horizontally to the first picking position corresponding to the bottom of the first grasping robot 13. The first grasping robot 13 grasps the first top cover on the tray and places the first top cover to the next position, such as on the conveying device 3 or the coding draw belt mentioned later. After completing the grabbing of the first top cover of the tray, the empty tray is sent to the unloading position of group A through the transverse servo 14 of group A, and the empty tray is sent to the roller conveyor line through the lifting servo, and the roller conveyor line moves downward to complete the unloading of the empty tray.

[0068] The second loading device 12 includes a loading area 121 and an unloading area 122. When the first loading device 11 completes the loading of the first top cover and unloads the empty tray in preparation for transporting the tray with the next top cover, the loading area 121 uses a roller conveyor line to move the tray with the second top cover delivered by the loading trolley 15 to the B group tray picking position. The B group lifting servo lifts the tray with the second top cover to the height of the B group transverse servo 14. Then the fixed cylinder of the B group transverse servo 14 extends, the fixed suction cup is vacuumed, and the tray with the second top cover is fixed. The transverse servo 14 transversely moves the tray with the second top cover to the corresponding first picking position below the first grasping robot 13. Then, the first grasping robot 13 grasps the second top cover on the tray and places the second top cover to the next position.

[0069] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, only the left side of Figure 3 is described as the first loading device and the right side is the second loading device, but this is not limited to this.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present application, a combination of a servo shaft and a roller conveyor line is used to transport the material tray carrying the top cover to the first material picking position, and two sets of loading devices (a first loading device 11 and a second loading device 12) are used to achieve uninterrupted continuous loading. In the process of the first loading device 11 completing the loading of the first top cover and unloading the empty material tray and installing the next top cover, the first grasping robot 13 does not need to wait, but grasps the second top cover brought by the second loading device 12 and places it to the next position. In the process of picking up and placing the second top cover, the first loading device 11 completes the operation of releasing the empty material tray and picking up the material, reducing the waiting time of the first grasping robot 13 to grasp the top cover and improving the production line efficiency.

[0071] Continuing to refer to Figure 2, preferably, the top cover loading device 1 can also include a coding pull belt 16, a coding device 17 and a second grabbing robot 18. The running direction of the coding pull belt 16 is set parallel to the moving direction of the transverse servo 14. The head end of the coding pull belt 16 in the running direction corresponds to the first grabbing robot 13, and the tail end of the coding pull belt 16 in the running direction corresponds to the second grabbing robot 18. The coding device 17 is set above the coding pull belt 16. The first grabbing robot 13 grabs the first top cover from the first material picking position and transfers the first top cover to the coding pull belt 16. The coding pull belt 16 transports the first top cover to the coding device 17. The coding device 17 engraves the information of the first top cover to facilitate subsequent welding, traceability and production management. The second grabbing robot 18 transfers the coded first top cover to the conveying device 3. Similarly, the coding device 17 also engraves the information of the second top cover, and the second grabbing robot 18 transfers the coded second top cover to the conveying device 3. No further details are given here. The first grasping robot corresponds to the first grasping device, and the second grasping robot corresponds to the second grasping device.

[0072] In some embodiments, two coding devices 17 may be provided to simultaneously code the first top cover and the second top cover.

[0073] Continuing to refer to Figure 2, preferably, the top cover loading device 1 can also include a first detection device and a top cover unloading drawstring 19 (also called a top cover NG drawstring, corresponding to the first unloading device). The top cover unloading drawstring 19 is arranged at right angles to the coding drawstring 16. The first detection device is arranged on the coding drawstring 16, and between the coding device 17 and the second grasping robot 18. The first detection device is used to detect whether the top cover after coding is a qualified product. After the coding device 17 engraves the code on the first top cover, the first detection device is used to detect the first top cover. If the first top cover is a qualified product (OK), the second grasping robot 18 grasps the first top cover and places the first top cover on the conveying device 3, and then the first top cover flows to the battery cell loading station; if the first top cover is a defective product (NG), the second grasping robot 18 grasps the first top cover and places the first top cover on the top cover unloading drawstring 19, and then moves the first top cover out of the production line. The second top cover is similar to the first top cover and will not be described in detail here. After the top cover is engraved, a robot can be used to promptly remove the NG top cover produced by the engraving and place it on the NG pull strap of the top cover, so as to avoid stacking OK batteries on the NG top cover and turning them into NG products when the batteries are stacked later. This can avoid wasting OK batteries and facilitate the detection of NG products.

[0074] It should be noted that the first detection device may be a charge coupled device (CCD) camera.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first detection device may also be provided on the second grasping robot 18 , and the second grasping robot 18 performs detection after grasping the top cover.

[0076] Continuing to refer to Figures 2 and 4, preferably, the top cover feeding device 1 may further include a flipping mechanism 110, which is arranged at the tail end of the coding drawstring 16 and is located below the second grasping robot 18. The coding drawstring 16 passes through the first grasping robot 13, the coding device 17, the first detection device and the flipping mechanism 110 in sequence along the transportation direction. The flipping mechanism 110 is used to flip the first top cover after coding and the second top cover after coding. When the top cover after coding reaches the flipping mechanism 110, the flipping mechanism 110 grabs the top cover after coding and flips it. After the flipping is completed, the second grasping robot 18 grabs the top cover after coding and places the top cover after coding on the NG drawstring or the conveying device 3 according to the detection result of the first detection device.

[0077] Due to the production process requirements, the direction of the top cover coding and the direction of the adapter welding are different. For example, the top cover can be divided into side A and side B. The coding is performed on side A and the welding is performed on side B. When coding, the direction of side A is vertically upward, and when welding, the direction of side B is vertically upward. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a flip operation on the top cover to be welded after coding. In the embodiment of the present application, a flip mechanism 110 is used to flip the top cover after the coding is completed, which can simultaneously meet the process requirements of the top cover welding and the top cover coding. The angle between side A and side B can be 180° or 90°, and this application does not limit this. Accordingly, the flip angle of the flip mechanism 110 can be 180° or 90°.

[0078] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a flipping mechanism 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The flipping mechanism 110 includes two groups, a first flipping assembly 1101 and a second flipping assembly 1102. The first flipping assembly 1101 and the second flipping assembly 1102 are flipped through a rotating shaft. The first flipping assembly 1101 includes a first clamping part, and the second flipping assembly 1102 includes a second clamping part. They are divided into upper and lower sides of the rotating shaft in a direction perpendicular to the coding drawstring 16. The first clamping part and the second clamping part are located on the same side, such as the lower side. When the first top cover and the second top cover arrive below the flipping mechanism 110, the first clamping part clamps the first top cover, and the second clamping part clamps the second top cover, so that the first top cover and the second top cover are flipped at the same time. The second grasping robot 18 may include two grippers arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, which can grasp the first top cover and the second top cover at the same time, and place the first top cover and the second top cover on the conveying device 3, thereby realizing rapid transportation of the top covers.

[0079] Furthermore, the first flip assembly 1101 may further include a third clamping portion, and the second flip assembly 1102 may further include a fourth clamping portion, and the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion are located on the same side. The first clamping portion and the third clamping portion are arranged opposite to each other, and the second clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion are arranged opposite to each other. After the first clamping portion clamps the first top cover and the second clamping portion clamps the second top cover, the flip mechanism 110 flips up and down so that the second grasping robot 18 grabs the first top cover and the second top cover from the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion. At this time, the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion flip from the upper side to the lower side and can continue to clamp the subsequent top cover. Thus, when the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion flip to the lower side to clamp the new top cover, the second grasping robot 18 can grab the subsequent top cover from the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion, which can improve the efficiency of top cover transportation and reduce the waiting time of the second grasping robot 18.

[0080] It should be understood that in some embodiments, the code position 17 can be set on the side of the top cover, with the welding surface always facing upward, and thus there is no need to set up the flip mechanism 110. In some embodiments, the flip mechanism 110 includes a first flip component 1101 or a second flip component 1102 to flip the first top cover and the second top cover in sequence, and the second grasping robot 18 transfers the first top cover and the second top cover in sequence.

[0081] Continuing to refer to Figure 2, the battery cell loading device 2 includes a conveyor belt (not shown in the figure) and a first gantry gripper 21. The conveyor belt can be arranged parallel to and adjacent to the top cover unloading pull belt 19. The battery cell loading device 2 uses the conveyor belt to transport the first battery cell and the second battery cell completed in the previous process to the battery cell loading gantry station (second material removal position), uses the first gantry gripper 21 to grab the battery cell, and places the first battery cell and the second battery cell on the conveying device 3 in sequence.

[0082] Continuing to refer to Figures 2 and 5, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a conveying device provided in an embodiment of the present application. A first tray 31 and a second tray 32 are placed on the conveying device 3. The trays are made into fixed structures in the shape of a top cover and a battery cell. The top cover can be placed in a groove in the tray that accommodates the top cover, and the battery cell can be placed in a groove in the tray that accommodates the battery cell, which is used to fix the top cover and the battery cell to achieve precise pairing. When the conveying device 3 brings the first tray 31 and the second tray 32 to the top cover material picking position 33 corresponding to the top cover loading device 1, the second grasping robot 18 places the first top cover and the second top cover that have completed the coding into the fixed structures of the first tray 31 and the second tray 32 respectively, or when the conveying device 3 brings the first tray 31 and the second tray 32 to the first material picking position, the first grasping robot 13 places the first top cover and the second top cover into the fixed structures of the first tray 31 and the second tray 32 respectively. After receiving the top cover, the conveyor device 3 continues to move, and the tray flows to the cell loading position 34 corresponding to the cell loading device 2. The first cell is moved to the first tray 31 where the first top cover is placed, and the second cell is moved to the second tray 32 where the second top cover is placed, and the conveyor device 3 continues to convey the top cover and the cell to the welding device 4 along the conveying path. In the embodiment of the present application, by making a fixed structure in the shape of the top cover and the cell in the tray, and utilizing the combination of the second grasping robot, the flipping mechanism, the conveyor device, the conveyor belt in the cell loading device and the first gantry gripper, it is possible to accurately and stably fix the coded top cover on the tray of the conveyor device, and accurately and stably fix the cell on the tray to which the top cover has been added, so that the adapter and the top cover are accurately matched, avoiding the occurrence of welding NG products due to insufficient matching accuracy, reducing the output of NG cells, thereby improving production efficiency and saving manpower and material costs.

[0083] Furthermore, the conveying device 3 is a magnetically driven guide rail, also known as a magnetic levitation guide rail, which can quickly transfer the top cover and battery cell materials to the welding station for adapter welding. In the embodiment of the present application, the use of magnetically driven guide rails can transfer pallets between different stations as quickly as possible, reducing time wasted in the logistics process. In addition, compared with ordinary belt conveyors, magnetically driven guide rails have higher speeds and less wear and tear due to long-term operation.

[0084] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned control system also includes a correction mechanism, which is arranged in the running direction of the magnetic drive guide rail. After receiving the top cover and battery cells, the magnetic drive guide rail sends the tray with the top cover and battery cells fixed to the correction mechanism. The correction mechanism corrects the position of the top cover and battery cells, thereby further improving the pairing accuracy.

[0085] After position correction, the magnetically driven guide rail moves the tray with the top cover and cells secured to it to the welding device 4 for welding. The welding process is laser welding, specifically, galvanometer welding. The welding device 4 can be equipped with two welding stations, allowing simultaneous welding of the top cover cells in the first tray and the top cover cells in the second tray. After welding the adapter plate and top cover, the magnetically driven guide rail transfers the tray to the corresponding post-weld cell removal station 35 of the unloading device 5. The second gantry gripper of the unloading device 5 grabs the welded cells from the tray on the magnetically driven guide rail and transfers them to the tray of the unloading device 5 for further processing. After the cells are removed, the tray on the magnetically driven guide rail moves to a buffer position, awaiting the next round of top cover loading. The magnetically driven guide rail provides two buffer positions, and trays are transferred on the magnetically driven guide rail in groups of two. If the second gantry gripper fails to remove the cells in time, they can be manually removed from the buffer position.

[0086] Continuing with Figure 2 , the unloading device 5 includes a second gantry gripper 50, a second unloading device 51, a third unloading device 52, and an unloading buffer 53. Both the second and third unloading devices 51, 52 transport the battery cells via a pull belt. The second and third unloading devices 51, 52 are positioned adjacent and parallel to the coding pull belt 16. The second gantry gripper 50 is positioned between the magnetically driven guide rails and the second and third unloading devices 51, 52. After the adapter and top cover are welded, the magnetically driven guide rail transfers the pallet to the post-weld cell retrieval position 35. The second gantry gripper 50 grabs the welded first cell from the first pallet on the magnetically driven guide rail and places it on the pallet on the pull belt of the second unloading device 51. Simultaneously, the second gantry gripper 50 grabs the welded second cell from the second pallet on the magnetically driven guide rail and places it on the pallet on the pull belt of the third unloading device 52. Sensors are installed at the head ends of the second and third unloading devices 51, 52. These sensors determine whether welded cells are placed on the pull belt. If so, the pull belt moves forward one unit, moving the next set of empty pallets to the post-weld cell retrieval position. The pull belt continues to move forward along the operating direction, ultimately delivering the welded first and second cells to the unloading buffer area 53.

[0087] Continuing to refer to Figure 2, preferably, the above-mentioned unloading device 5 in the embodiment of the present application also includes a first dust removal device 54 and a second dust removal device 55. The first dust removal device 54 is arranged on the transportation path of the second unloading device 51, and is used to clean the battery cells on the second unloading device 51 (such as the first battery cells after welding is completed). The second dust removal device 55 is arranged on the transportation path of the third unloading device 52, and is used to clean the battery cells on the third unloading device 52 (such as the second battery cells after welding is completed). By cleaning the welding slag after welding and the floating dust generated during the logistics operation through the dust removal device, the cleanliness of the battery cells can be ensured, and the quality of the battery cells can be prevented from being affected by welding slag and floating dust.

[0088] Continuing to refer to Figure 2, preferably, the above-mentioned control system in the embodiment of the present application also includes a dispensing device 56 and a dispensing device 57. The dispensing device 56 is arranged on the transportation path of the second unloading device 51, and the dispensing device 57 is arranged on the transportation path of the third unloading device 52. The dispensing device 56 and the dispensing device 57 both include a pre-dispensing CCD station, a dispensing station, and a post-dispensing CCD station. After completing the post-weld dust removal, the battery cells on the second unloading device 51 are sent to the dispensing device 56 through a pull belt for pre-dispensing CCD, dispensing, and post-dispensing CCD in sequence. The battery cells on the third unloading device 52 are sent to the dispensing device 57 through a pull belt for pre-dispensing CCD, dispensing, and post-dispensing CCD in sequence. Among them, the pre-dispensing CCD is used to detect whether the welding is qualified. If the welding is unqualified, it will pass directly at the dispensing station without dispensing. Dispensing is used to strengthen the welding strength. The post-dispensing CCD is used to detect whether the dispensing is qualified. By setting multiple CCD positions, NG products generated in different processes can be accurately distinguished.

[0089] Referring to Figures 2 and 6, Figure 6 shows a schematic structural diagram of a blanking buffer provided in an embodiment of the present application. The blanking buffer 53 includes a third gantry gripper 530, a first buffer 531, a second buffer 532, a third buffer (not shown in the figure), and a fourth gantry gripper 533. The first buffer 531 is used to place unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the second blanking device 51; the second buffer 532 is used to place unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the third blanking device 52; and the third buffer is used to place qualified battery cells after welding. The first buffer 531 and the second buffer 532 are configured as pull straps (battery cell NG pull straps), and the third buffer is a movable buffer position driven by a servo. Distinguishing between the first and second buffer positions can accurately distinguish between the NG battery cells on the second and third blanking devices 51, 52, facilitating traceability and equipment detection. Furthermore, the first buffer area 531 and the second buffer area 532 are arranged in an overlapping manner, which can save the space required for NG strips and leave more space for subsequent cutting and changing of strips in the factory.

[0090] After completing dust removal, pre-glue CCD, glue dispensing, and post-glue CCD, the second and third unloading devices 51 and 52 continue to transport the battery cells to the unloading buffer area 53. The third gantry gripper 530 grabs the soldered battery cells from the trays of the second and third unloading devices 51 and 52. If the soldered battery cells are OK, the third gantry gripper 530 places them in the third buffer area. The fourth gantry gripper 533 then places the OK cells in the third buffer area in the unloading process, transferring them to the next step. If the soldered battery cells are NG, the third buffer area moves, exposing the discharge port of the NG battery cell pull strap. The third gantry gripper 530 then places the NG battery cells from the second unloading device 51 in the first buffer area 531 and the NG battery cells from the third unloading device 52 in the second buffer area 532. The length of the first buffer area 531 is smaller than that of the second buffer area 532 , and the head of the second buffer area 532 is not blocked, so that the NG battery cell can be placed on the second buffer area 532 .

[0091] In summary, the embodiment of the present application provides a control system for welding battery cell adapters, which can undertake more complex transmission work of adapter cells and top covers, and realizes the accurate placement of the coded top cover on the tray of the magnetic levitation guide rail return line, and the accurate placement of the battery cells on the battery cell incoming material conveyor belt on the tray with the top cover already installed, so that the adapter and the top cover are accurately matched, avoiding the occurrence of welding NG products due to insufficient matching progress accuracy, and meeting the process requirements of aligning the battery cell and the cover plate before welding required for adapter welding. NG products generated by each part can be eliminated in a timely manner, because the NG of the previous process affects the quality of the product of the subsequent process, causing unnecessary material waste, and improving the overall product quality. In addition, through the grasping robot and the gantry gripper, the flexibility of the top cover and battery cells to flow between workstations with different heights and different incoming material frequency requirements can be achieved.

[0092] Based on the above-mentioned control system for welding battery cell adapters, an embodiment of the present application provides a control method for welding battery cell adapters. The control method is completed by a controller, which can be a programmable logic controller (PLC). As shown in Figure 7, the control method includes S701-S706.

[0093] S701, transporting the first top cover to the first material removal position through the first loading device.

[0094] S702, when the first loading device returns to the loading position, the second top cover is transported to the first unloading position by the second loading device.

[0095] S703: Receive the first top cover and the second top cover through the conveying device, and transport the first top cover and the second top cover to the second material taking position.

[0096] S704: The first battery cell and the second battery cell are transported to the second material removal position by the third loading device.

[0097] S705: Receive the first battery cell and the second battery cell at the second material extraction position through the conveying device, and transport the first top cover and the first battery cell, the second top cover and the second battery cell to the welding device in sequence.

[0098] S706 , welding the first top cover to the first battery cell and welding the second top cover to the second battery cell using a welding device.

[0099] The first loading device and the second loading device refer to the above content. In some embodiments, after the first top cover and the second top cover are conveyed to the first material picking position, the first top cover and the second top cover can be transferred to the conveying device by the first grasping robot. The conveying device receives the first top cover and the second top cover at the first material picking position and transports the first top cover and the second top cover to the second material picking position. After the third loading device conveys the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the second material picking position, the conveying device receives the first battery cell and the second battery cell at the second material picking position and transports the first top cover and the first battery cell, the second top cover and the second battery cell to the welding device in sequence. Then the welding device welds the first top cover to the first battery cell and welds the second top cover to the second battery cell. At this time, the coding device can be set at other positions on the ring of the transportation device, or the top cover can be coded before loading.

[0100] In some embodiments, after the first top cover and the second top cover are conveyed to the first material taking position, the first top cover and the second top cover can be transferred to the coding drawstring by the first grasping robot, and the second grasping device at the tail end of the coding drawstring transfers the first top cover and the second top cover to the conveying device, which receives the first top cover and the second top cover at the top cover material taking position and transports the first top cover and the second top cover to the second material taking position. After the third loading device conveys the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the second material taking position, the conveying device receives the first battery cell and the second battery cell at the second material taking position and transports the first top cover and the first battery cell, the second top cover and the second battery cell in sequence to the welding device, and then the welding device welds the first top cover to the first battery cell, and welds the second top cover to the second battery cell. At this time, the coding device is set on the coding drawstring.

[0101] In the embodiment of the present application, after the top cover and the battery cell are loaded, the top cover and the battery cell are transported to the welding device by the conveying device, and the top cover and the battery cell are welded by the welding device. Among them, the first loading device and the second loading device can both load the top cover. When the first loading device completes the loading of the first top cover and unloads the empty material tray and loads the next top cover, the second loading device can transport the second top cover to the first loading position. The two sets of loading devices (the first loading device and the second loading device) achieve uninterrupted and continuous loading, reducing the waiting time for loading the top cover and improving the production line efficiency.

[0102] In some embodiments, the method further includes: before the first top cover and the second top cover are transferred to the conveying device, controlling the coding device to engrave a code on the first top cover and to engrave a code on the second top cover.

[0103] Specifically, after the first and second top covers are conveyed to the first material collection position, the first gripping robot transfers the first and second top covers at the first material collection position to the coding drawstring. The coding device is arranged in the running direction of the coding drawstring. After the first and second top covers are conveyed to the coding drawstring, the coding device engraves the code on the first top cover and the second top cover. After the coding is completed, the second gripping robot can transfer the coded first and second top covers to the conveying device. Before the top covers are sent to the conveying device, the coding device engraves information on the top covers to facilitate the production management of the top cover batteries.

[0104] In some embodiments, after the top cover is coded, the method further includes: detecting whether the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover are qualified products by a first detection device.

[0105] Specifically, after the first and second top covers are conveyed to the first material picking position, the first gripping robot transfers the first and second top covers of the first material picking position to the coding drawstring. The coding device engraves the code on the first top cover and the second top cover. After the coding is completed, the first detection device detects whether the engraved first and second top covers are qualified products. If the engraved top cover is an OK product, the second gripping robot places the OK top cover on the conveying device and transports it to the welding device through the conveying device; if the engraved top cover is an NG product, the second gripping robot places the NG top cover on the top cover NG drawstring and removes the NG top cover from the production line through the top cover NG drawstring. By promptly removing the NG top cover generated by coding and placing it on the top cover NG drawstring, it is possible to avoid stacking OK cells on the NG top cover and turning them into NG products when the cells are stacked later. This can avoid wasting OK cells and facilitate the detection of NG products.

[0106] In some embodiments, the first top cover or the second top cover includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction when engraving, and the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction when welding. The above method also includes: after engraving the first top cover and the second top cover, controlling the flipping mechanism to flip the first top cover and the second top cover after engraving, and after flipping, the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction.

[0107] Specifically, after the first top cover and the second top cover are conveyed to the first material picking position, the first grasping robot transfers the first top cover and the second top cover of the first material picking position to the coding drawstring, and the coding drawstring passes through the coding device, the first detection device and the flipping mechanism in sequence. The coding device engraves the code on the first top cover and the second top cover. After the coding is completed, the first detection device detects whether the first top cover after the coding and the second top cover after the coding are qualified products. Then the coding drawstring transports the first top cover and the second top cover to the flipping mechanism. The flipping mechanism flips the first top cover after the coding and the second top cover after the coding in sequence. The second grasping robot transfers the flipped first top cover and the second top cover to the conveying device in sequence. In the embodiment of the present application, the top cover is first coded, and then the flipping mechanism is used to flip the top cover after the coding is completed, which can simultaneously meet the process requirements of top cover welding and top cover coding.

[0108] In some embodiments, flipping the first top cover and the second top cover after the code engraving by using a flipping mechanism includes: flipping the first top cover and the second top cover after the code engraving at the same time by using the flipping mechanism.

[0109] The flipping mechanism may include a first flipping component and a second flipping component. The coded pull strap transports the first top cover and the second top cover to the flipping mechanism. The first flipping component in the flipping mechanism grabs the first top cover, and the second flipping component grabs the second top cover. The first top cover and the second top cover after engraving can be flipped at the same time. The second grabbing robot can grab the flipped first top cover and the second top cover at the same time from the flipping mechanism, and place the first top cover and the second top cover on the conveying device, thereby realizing the rapid transportation of the top covers.

[0110] The flipping angle of the flipping mechanism can be 180° or 90°, which is not limited in this application.

[0111] In some embodiments, the conveying device is a circular magnetic guide rail. The magnetic guide rail can be used to move the incoming materials between different workstations as quickly as possible. Compared with ordinary belt conveyors, the magnetic guide rail has a higher speed and less wear and tear due to long-term operation.

[0112] In some embodiments, a tray is placed on the conveying device, and the tray is made into a fixed structure in the shape of a top cover and a battery cell. The top cover can be placed in a groove in the tray that accommodates the top cover, and the battery cell can be placed in a groove in the tray that accommodates the battery cell, which is used to fix the top cover and the battery cell to achieve precise pairing. Before the conveying device transports the first top cover, the second top cover, the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the welding device, the above method also includes: after the second grasping robot grasps the top cover, determining whether the tray on the conveying device has reached the top cover picking position; if the tray on the conveying device has reached the top cover picking position, the second grasping robot places the engraved first top cover and the engraved second top cover on the tray of the conveying device; if the tray on the conveying device has not reached the top cover picking position, repeatedly determining whether the tray on the conveying device has reached the top cover picking position; after the battery cell reaches the battery cell picking position, determining whether the tray on the conveying device has reached the battery cell picking position and placed the top cover; if the tray on the conveying device has reached the battery cell picking position and the top cover has been placed in the tray, the first battery cell and the second battery cell are transferred to the tray of the conveying device by the first gantry grasper; otherwise, repeatedly determining whether the tray has reached the battery cell picking position and placed the top cover; then the conveying device transports the received first top cover, second top cover, first battery cell and second battery cell to the welding device. In this way, it can be ensured that the top cover is accurately placed on the tray on the conveying device, and that the battery cells are accurately placed on the tray to which the top cover has been added.

[0113] In some embodiments, after welding the top cover and the battery cell, the above method further includes: transporting the first battery cell welded to the first top cover to the first dust removal device through the second unloading device; and cleaning the first battery cell welded to the first top cover through the first dust removal device. Specifically, the transport device transports the battery cell welded to the top cover to the post-welding unloading area, and the second gantry gripper places the first battery cell welded to the first top cover on the second unloading device. The second unloading device is a pull belt, and the first dust removal device is provided on the pull belt. The pull belt moves to transport the first battery cell welded to the first top cover to the first dust removal device, and the first dust removal device cleans the first battery cell welded to the first top cover. By cleaning the post-welding slag and floating dust generated during the logistics operation, the cleanliness of the battery cell can be ensured, and the quality of the battery cell can be prevented from being affected by welding slag and floating dust.

[0114] In some embodiments, after welding the top cover and the battery cell, the above method further includes: transporting the second battery cell welded to the second top cover to a second dust removal device via a third unloading device; and cleaning the second battery cell welded to the second top cover via the second dust removal device. Specifically, the transport device transports the battery cell welded to the top cover to the post-welding unloading area, and the second gantry gripper places the second battery cell welded to the second top cover onto the third unloading device. The third unloading device is a pull belt, and a second dust removal device is provided on the pull belt. The pull belt moves to transport the second battery cell welded to the second top cover to the second dust removal device, and the second dust removal device cleans the second battery cell welded to the second top cover. By providing two sets of battery cell unloading pull belts and dust removal devices, the second battery cell can be cleaned when the first battery cell is cleaned, which can speed up the production rhythm of the equipment and improve production efficiency.

[0115] In some embodiments, the above method also includes: detecting whether the battery cell after being welded to the top cover is a qualified product; in the case that the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover is an unqualified product, the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover is placed in a first unqualified product area by a third grasping device; in the case that the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover is an unqualified product, the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover is placed in a second unqualified product area by a third grasping device; in the case that the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover is a qualified product, the first battery cell after being welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell after being welded to the second top cover is placed in a qualified product area by a third grasping device.

[0116] A second detection device (e.g., a CCD camera) may be provided on each of the second and third blanking devices, and the second detection device may be used to detect whether the welded cells transported by the second blanking device are qualified products. If the welded cells transported by the second blanking device are unqualified products, the unqualified products on the second blanking device may be placed in the first unqualified product area (first buffer area) by the third gantry gripper (third grabbing device). In addition, the second detection device may be used to detect whether the welded cells transported by the third blanking device are qualified products. If the welded cells transported by the third blanking device are unqualified products, the unqualified products on the third blanking device may be placed in the second unqualified product area (second buffer area) by the third gantry gripper. If the welded cells on the second or third blanking device are qualified products, the qualified products may be placed in the qualified product area (third buffer area) by the third gantry gripper.

[0117] In some embodiments, the second detection device includes a pre-glue dispensing CCD and a post-glue dispensing CCD. The pre-glue dispensing CCD and the post-glue dispensing CCD are located between the pre-glue dispensing CCD and the post-glue dispensing CCD. The pre-glue dispensing CCD is used to detect whether the battery cell welded to the top cover is a qualified product. If the pre-glue dispensing CCD detects that it is qualified, glue is dispensed, and then the post-glue dispensing CCD is performed. If the post-glue dispensing CCD detects that it is qualified, the qualified product is placed in the third buffer area through the third gantry gripper. If the pre-glue dispensing CCD detects that it is unqualified, glue is not dispensed, and the unqualified product is placed in the first buffer area or the second buffer area through the third gantry gripper. If the post-glue dispensing CCD detects that it is unqualified, the unqualified product is placed in the first buffer area or the second buffer area through the third gantry gripper. By setting multiple CCD positions, it is possible to accurately distinguish NG products produced by different processes.

[0118] In summary, the control method for welding the battery cell adapter provided by the embodiment of the present application can undertake the more complex transmission work of the adapter cell and the top cover, and realizes the accurate placement of the coded top cover on the tray of the magnetic levitation guide rail return line, and the accurate placement of the battery cell on the battery cell incoming material conveyor on the tray with the top cover already installed, so that the adapter and the top cover are accurately matched, avoiding the occurrence of welding NG products due to insufficient matching progress accuracy, and meeting the process requirements of aligning the battery cell and the cover plate before welding required for adapter welding. The NG products generated by each part can be eliminated in time, because the NG of the previous process affects the product quality of the subsequent process, causing unnecessary material waste, and improving the overall product quality. In addition, through the grasping robot and the gantry gripper, the flexibility of the top cover and the battery cell to flow between stations with different heights and different incoming material frequency requirements can be achieved.

[0119] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, an embodiment of the present application further provides a device for welding a battery cell adapter, comprising: a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the above-mentioned method when executing the computer program.

[0120] To achieve the above objectives, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes the above method.

[0121] The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media sets. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium. The semiconductor medium can be a solid state drive (SSD).

[0122] The above-described 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 of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A control system for welding the cell connecting piece, characterized in that The control system includes: A first feeding device for conveying a first top cover to a first picking position; A second feeding device for conveying a second top cover to the first picking position during the process of the first feeding device retracting to the feeding position; A third feeding device for conveying a first battery cell and a second battery cell to a second picking position; A conveying device for transporting the first top cover, the second top cover, the first battery cell, and the second battery cell to a welding device; The welding device for welding the first top cover to the first battery cell and welding the second top cover to the second battery cell.

2. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying device is annular, and the first feeding device, the second feeding device, the third feeding device, and the welding device are sequentially arranged on different sides of the conveying device along the running direction of the conveying device.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein A first tray and a second tray are placed on the conveying device. The first tray is used to fix the first top cover and the first battery cell, and the second tray is used to fix the second top cover and the second battery cell. The first tray and the second tray flow through the first picking position successively. After the first tray receives the first top cover and the second tray receives the second top cover, the first tray and the second tray flow through the second picking position successively. The first tray receives the first battery cell, and the second tray receives the second battery cell.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein The control system further includes a coding device and a coding tape; The coding tape is arranged between the first picking position and the conveying device; The coding device is arranged in the running direction of the coding tape; The coding device is used to code the information of the first top cover and code the information of the second top cover.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein The control system further includes: A first detection device for detecting whether the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover are qualified products; The coding tape sequentially passes through the coding device and the first detection device along the running direction.

6. The control system according to claim 5, characterized in that The control system further includes: A first discharging device for placing the unqualified coded top covers detected by the first detection device; The first discharging device is arranged at the tail of the coding tape and is adjacent to the coding tape.

7. The control system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that, The control system further includes: A first grasping device for placing the first top cover and the second top cover located at the first picking position onto the coding tape; A second grasping device for transferring the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover to the conveying device.

8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein Both the first top cover and the second top cover include a first surface and a second surface. During coding, the first surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction, and during welding, the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction. The control system further includes: A flipping mechanism for flipping the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover. After flipping, the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction; The second grasping device is specifically used to transfer the flipped coded first top cover and the flipped coded second top cover to the conveying device; The flipping mechanism is located below the second grasping device.

9. The control system according to claim 8, wherein The flipping mechanism is specifically used to flip the first top cover after coding and the second top cover after coding simultaneously.

10. The control system according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The flipping angle of the flipping mechanism is 180°.

11. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system further includes a first dust removal device and a second blanking device; The second blanking device is used to transport the first battery cell welded to the first top cover; The first dust removal device is arranged on the transportation path of the second blanking device; The first dust removal device is used to clean the first battery cell welded to the first top cover.

12. The control system according to claim 11, wherein The control system further includes a second dust removal device and a third blanking device; The third blanking device is used to transport the second battery cell welded to the second top cover; The second dust removal device is arranged on the transportation path of the third blanking device; The second dust removal device is used to clean the second battery cell welded to the second top cover.

13. The control system according to claim 12, wherein, The control system further includes: A third grasping device, which is used to place the unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the second blanking device into the first non-conforming product area, and place the unqualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the third blanking device into the second non-conforming product area; The first non-conforming product area and the second non-conforming product area are arranged overlapping up and down. The first non-conforming product area and the second non-conforming product area are located at the tail of the transportation paths of the second blanking device and the third blanking device, and are arranged at a right angle to the second blanking device and the third blanking device.

14. The control system according to claim 13, wherein The control system further includes: The third grasping device is also used to place the qualified battery cells welded to the top cover from the second blanking device and the third blanking device into the qualified product area.

15. A control method for welding the cell connection piece, characterized in that, The method includes: Transport the first top cover to the first picking position through the first feeding device; During the process of the first feeding device retracting to the feeding position, transport the second top cover to the first picking position through the second feeding device; Receive the first top cover and the second top cover through the conveying device, and transport the first top cover and the second top cover to the second picking position; Transport the first battery cell and the second battery cell to the second picking position through the third feeding device; Receive the first battery cell and the second battery cell at the second picking position through the conveying device, and transport the first top cover and the first battery cell, the second top cover and the second battery cell to the welding device in sequence; Weld the first top cover and the first battery cell through the welding device, and weld the second top cover and the second battery cell.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein The method further includes: Before the first top cover and the second top cover are transferred to the conveying device, control the coding device to perform coding on the first top cover and perform coding on the second top cover.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The method further includes: Detect whether the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover are qualified products through the first detection device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein The method further includes: When the coded top cover is a qualified product, transport the coded top cover to the welding device through the conveying device; When the coded top cover is a non-conforming product, move the non-conforming coded top cover to the first blanking device.

19. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that The coding device is arranged in the running direction of the coding tape. The method further includes: Placing the first top cover and the second top cover located at the first material taking position onto the coding tape through the first grasping device; Transferring the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover to the conveying device through the second grasping device.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein Both the first top cover and the second top cover include a first surface and a second surface. When coding, the first surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction, and when welding, the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction. The method further includes: After coding the first top cover and the second top cover, flipping the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover through a flipping mechanism. After flipping, the second surface is the surface facing upward in the vertical direction.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein Flipping the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover through a flipping mechanism includes: Simultaneously flipping the coded first top cover and the coded second top cover through the flipping mechanism.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that, The flipping angle of the flipping mechanism is 180°.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein The method further includes: Transporting the first battery cell welded to the first top cover to the first dust removal device through the second blanking device; Cleaning the first battery cell welded to the first top cover through the first dust removal device.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein The method further includes: Transporting the second battery cell welded to the second top cover to the second dust removal device through the third blanking device; Cleaning the second battery cell welded to the second top cover through the second dust removal device.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein The method further includes: Detecting whether the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a qualified product; In the case where the first battery cell welded to the first top cover is a non - qualified product, placing the first battery cell welded to the first top cover in the first non - qualified product area through the third grasping device; In the case where the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a non - qualified product, Placing the second battery cell welded to the second top cover in the second non - qualified product area; In the case where the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover is a qualified product, placing the first battery cell welded to the first top cover or the second battery cell welded to the second top cover in the qualified product area through the third grasping device.

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