Tightening device and battery manufacturing system

Abstract

A tightening device (100) and a battery manufacturing system. The tightening device (100) comprises: a feeding table (10) used for bearing an assembly to be tightened (200); a moving apparatus (20) capable of moving relative to the feeding table (10); a tightening apparatus (30) provided on the moving apparatus (20); and a vision apparatus (40) provided on the moving apparatus (20) and used for recognizing tightening positions (AA) of said assembly (200) on the feeding table (10). The moving apparatus (20) is used for controlling, on the basis of the tightening positions (AA) of said assembly (200) recognized by the vision apparatus (40), the tightening apparatus (30) to move to positions directly above the tightening positions (AA); and the tightening apparatus (30) is used for tightening members to be tightened to the tightening positions (AA).

Description

Tightening equipment and battery manufacturing systems

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 2024202920905, filed on February 18, 2024, entitled “Tightening Equipment and Battery Manufacturing System,” the entire text of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, and in particular to a tightening device and a battery manufacturing system. Background Art

[0004] The statements herein merely provide background information related to the present application and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0005] A battery includes a housing and multiple battery cells, which are housed within the housing. The housing typically consists of a main body and a cover. During battery manufacturing, the multiple battery cells must first be housed within the main body, and then the cover is placed over the opening of the main body and connected to the main body with screws. In related art, after the cover is positioned within the main body, a tightening gun is used to tighten the screws between the cover and the main body. However, this method has a high rate of screw tightening failures and low tightening efficiency.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the problem, the present application provides a tightening device and a battery manufacturing system, which can alleviate the problems of high tightening failure rate and low tightening efficiency.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a tightening device, comprising:

[0009] Loading table, used to carry components to be tightened;

[0010] A motion device capable of moving relative to the loading platform;

[0011] a tightening device, provided on the moving device; and

[0012] A visual device, provided on the motion device, for identifying the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened on the loading table;

[0013] Among them, the movement device is used to control the tightening device to move to just above the position to be tightened according to the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened identified by the visual device, and the tightening device is used to tighten the tightening part to the position to be tightened.

[0014] In the aforementioned tightening device, after the loading platform carries the component to be tightened, the motion device can drive the visual device close to the component to be tightened to identify the tightening position of the component to be tightened. The motion device can control the tightening device to move to the tightening position based on the tightening position, and the tightening device tightens the tightening piece to the tightening position of the component to be tightened, thereby completing the tightening operation. Because the tightening position of the component to be tightened is identified by the visual device before the tightening operation, the motion device can accurately drive the tightening device to the position directly above the tightening position, so as to successfully tighten the tightening piece to the tightening position of the component to be tightened. This reduces the proportion of tightening failures of the tightening piece, and because the tightening device automatically tightens the component to be tightened, the tightening efficiency is also improved.

[0015] In some embodiments, the tightening device includes a plurality of tightening mechanisms, all of which are spaced apart from each other, and each tightening mechanism can tighten the tightening member to a corresponding position to be tightened.

[0016] By providing a plurality of tightening mechanisms, a plurality of positions to be tightened of the assembly to be tightened can be tightened simultaneously, thereby improving the tightening efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, the tightening device further includes a variable distance adjustment mechanism, which is connected to at least one tightening mechanism and is used to adjust the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms.

[0018] When tightening operations are performed on components to be tightened of different models, since the sizes of the components to be tightened are different, the tightening positions of the components to be tightened are also different. In the case of a large number of tightening mechanisms, the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms can be adjusted through a variable distance adjustment mechanism to enable the tightening mechanism to adapt to tightening operations at different tightening positions, which can improve the adaptability of the tightening equipment.

[0019] In some embodiments, the tightening mechanism includes a mechanism body and a lifting mechanism, wherein the lifting mechanism is connected to the mechanism body and is used to drive the mechanism body to perform lifting motion.

[0020] By setting up a lifting mechanism to drive the mechanism body to perform lifting movement, on the one hand, the mechanism body can be lowered to a position close to the component to be tightened to facilitate the tightening operation. On the other hand, the mechanism body can be lifted, thereby reducing the possibility of the mechanism body colliding with other devices and being damaged when the moving device drives the tightening device to move.

[0021] In some embodiments, the motion device can drive the visual device to move along a preset direction to identify multiple to-be-tightened positions of the components to be tightened on the loading table;

[0022] The motion device is used to control the tightening device to move one by one to the top of the multiple tightening positions of the assembly to be tightened identified by the visual device, and the tightening device tightens the tightening member to each tightening position.

[0023] In the case where there are multiple positions to be tightened, a motion device is provided to drive the visual device to move along a preset direction to obtain multiple positions to be tightened of the component to be tightened, and then according to the multiple positions to be tightened, the motion device controls the tightening device to move one by one to directly above the multiple positions to be tightened, and the tightening device tightens the tightening part to each position to be tightened, which can meet the needs of tightening the multiple positions to be tightened one by one, thereby improving the success rate of tightening and thereby improving the tightening efficiency.

[0024] In some embodiments, the visual device includes at least two cameras, and all the cameras are used together to identify at least two to-be-tightened positions of the component to be tightened on the loading table.

[0025] The method of setting up at least two cameras to identify the tightening position of the component to be tightened on the loading table is not only simple, but also the viewing angle of at least two cameras is wider, which is conducive to improving the reliability of tightening position identification and can also adapt to larger-sized components to be tightened.

[0026] In some embodiments, the tightening device further comprises a gripping device, which can be provided on the moving device;

[0027] The gripping device is used to grip the first piece to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened at the gripping position, and place the first piece to be tightened at the placement position on the loading platform so that the first piece to be tightened can be assembled with other pieces to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened on the loading platform.

[0028] By providing a grasping device that can automatically grasp the first part to be tightened and assemble it with other parts to be tightened, the assembly accuracy can be improved, thereby improving the tightening success rate. Secondly, the grasping device and the tightening device share the same motion device, which simplifies the overall structure of the tightening equipment and saves space.

[0029] In some embodiments, the motion device can be coupled with one of a gripping device or a tightening device.

[0030] Because the gripping device and tightening device cannot operate simultaneously, installing both on the motion device affects their independent operation and increases the load on the motion device. Therefore, the motion device is configured to be compatible with either the gripping device or the tightening device. This allows the gripping device to be removed from the motion device and only connected to the gripping device when the gripping device is needed to grip the first part to be tightened. Furthermore, when the tightening device is needed to perform a tightening operation, the gripping device is removed from the motion device and only connected to the tightening device. This not only improves the reliability of the independent operation of the gripping device and tightening device, but also reduces the load on the motion device.

[0031] In some embodiments, the tightening device includes a first matching structure, and the movement device includes a switching mechanism, and the switching mechanism can be matched with or separated from the first matching structure;

[0032] The gripping device includes a second matching structure, and the switching mechanism can also be matched with or separated from the second matching structure.

[0033] In this way, the switching mechanism can be used to mate with or detach from the first mate structure and the second mate structure, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of the mate between the motion device and the tightening device or the gripping device.

[0034] In some embodiments, the tightening device further comprises a pressing device, which is provided on the loading platform;

[0035] The pressing device is used to press the components to be tightened on the loading platform or separate them from the components to be tightened.

[0036] By pressing the component to be tightened on the loading table through the clamping device, the component to be tightened can be fixed before the tightening device performs the tightening operation, thereby reducing the force on the component to be tightened during the tightening process, which may cause positional offset between components and lead to tightening failure. Therefore, the success rate of tightening can be improved.

[0037] In some embodiments, the clamping device includes a clamping assembly, which includes a clamping block, a telescopic mechanism and a clamping drive mechanism. The telescopic mechanism is connected to the clamping drive mechanism and the clamping block. The telescopic mechanism is used to drive the clamping block to perform telescopic movement. The clamping drive mechanism is used to drive the clamping block to perform clamping movement to clamp the assembly to be tightened on the loading table. The direction of the clamping movement intersects with the direction of the telescopic movement.

[0038] By setting a clamping drive mechanism connected to the clamping block, the clamping block can be pressed against the component to be tightened on the loading platform, simplifying the clamping process. By setting a telescopic mechanism connected to the clamping block, on the one hand, the clamping block can be accurately pressed against the component to be tightened when extended, and on the other hand, when retracted, it will not affect the placement of the first part to be tightened by the aforementioned grasping device in the placement position, and will not affect the visual device's recognition of the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened on the loading platform.

[0039] In some embodiments, the pressing blocks include a plurality of pressing blocks, and a clearance space is formed between at least two adjacent pressing blocks, and the clearance space is used to reveal the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened.

[0040] By providing a spacing between at least two adjacent pressing blocks to form an avoidance space, the influence of the pressing blocks on the tightening operation of the tightening device on the assembly to be tightened can be reduced, making the tightening operation more reliable.

[0041] In some embodiments, the pressing device includes at least two groups of pressing components, and the at least two groups of pressing components are arranged relative to each other along the direction of telescopic movement.

[0042] In this way, compression can be formed on at least two opposite sides of the component to be compressed, thereby improving the reliability of the compression.

[0043] In some embodiments, the loading platform further includes a transport platform and a positioning mechanism. The transport platform can carry and transport the components to be tightened, and the positioning mechanism can position the components to be tightened on the transport platform.

[0044] Typically, the transport platform directly connects to the transport mechanism that transports the components to be tightened to the tightening equipment, thereby improving the manufacturing continuity of the products corresponding to the components to be tightened, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency. The provision of a positioning mechanism can more reliably position the components to be tightened on the transport platform, making it easier for other devices in the tightening equipment to perform corresponding operations on the components to be tightened.

[0045] In a second aspect, a battery manufacturing system is provided, comprising the tightening device in any of the above embodiments.

[0046] In the above-mentioned battery manufacturing system, after the loading platform carries the component to be tightened, the motion device can drive the visual device close to the component to be tightened to identify the tightening position of the component to be tightened. The motion device can control the tightening device to move to the tightening position based on the tightening position, and the tightening device tightens the tightening member to the tightening position of the component to be tightened, thereby completing the tightening operation. Because the tightening position of the component to be tightened is identified by the visual device before the tightening operation, the motion device can accurately drive the tightening device to the position directly above the tightening position to successfully tighten the tightening member to the tightening position of the component to be tightened, thereby reducing the proportion of tightening failures of the tightening member. In addition, because the tightening device is used to automatically tighten the component to be tightened, the tightening efficiency is also improved.

[0047] 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

[0048] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. 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 the drawings without creative work.

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a tightening device according to one or more embodiments.

[0050] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of the gripping device in the tightening device in FIG1 at a placement position.

[0051] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the tightening device in FIG1 , in which the tightening device is located directly above the position to be tightened.

[0052] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of the tightening device in the tightening equipment in FIG1 being placed on a bracket.

[0053] FIG5 is a side structural schematic diagram of the tightening device shown in FIG4 placed on the bracket.

[0054] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of the gripping device in the tightening device in FIG1 being placed on a placement bracket.

[0055] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of the clamping device in the tightening device in FIG1 .

[0056] FIG8 is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of a part A of the pressing device shown in FIG7 .

[0057] The accompanying drawings in the specific implementation manner are as follows: Tightening equipment 100, loading platform 10, transport platform 11, transport frame 111, transport wheel 112, positioning mechanism 12, moving device 20, tightening device 30, tightening mechanism 31, mechanism body 311, lifting mechanism 312, variable distance adjustment mechanism 32, translation cylinder 321, guide rail 322, slider 323, tightening bracket 33, base 331, vertical frame 332, first matching structure 34, visual device 40, camera 41, grasping device 50, suction cup 51, sub-suction cup 511, second matching structure 52, placement bracket 60, clamping device 70, clamping assembly 71, pressure block 711, telescopic mechanism 712, clamping drive mechanism 713, first connecting plate 714, second connecting plate 715, guide rod 716, buffer part 717, assembly to be tightened 200, first part to be tightened 210, second part to be tightened 220. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, 1 and / or 2 can represent: 1 exists alone, 1 and 2 exist simultaneously, and 2 exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0063] 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).

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] Currently, batteries on the market typically use metal casings, which are typically composed of a main body at the bottom and a cover at the top. During battery manufacturing, the battery cells and associated electrical components are typically placed in the main body first. The cover is then assembled with the main body and tightened with screws to complete the casing.

[0067] In the related art, manual methods are usually adopted. After the cover and the box body are combined, the screws are tightened to the combined cover and box body through a tightening gun. However, since there are many screw positions on the box cover and the box body, manual tightening usually requires visual identification of the tightening position without tightening positioning. The screws are easily screwed off course during the tightening process, resulting in a high rate of screw tightening failures. After the screws are screwed off course, they need to be unscrewed or re-tightened with new nails, and the tightening efficiency is also reduced.

[0068] In order to alleviate the problems of high screw tightening failure rate and low tightening efficiency in related technologies, a tightening device is designed in the embodiment of the present application, including a loading platform, a motion device, a tightening device and a visual device. The loading platform is used to carry the component to be tightened, the motion device can move relative to the loading platform, the tightening device is arranged on the motion device, and the visual device is arranged on the motion device for identifying the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened on the loading platform. Among them, the motion device is used to identify the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened according to the visual device, control the tightening device to move to just above the position to be tightened, and the tightening device is used to tighten the tightening member to the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened.

[0069] In this way, when the loading platform carries the component to be tightened, the motion device can drive the visual device close to the component to be tightened to identify the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened. According to the position to be tightened, the motion device controls the tightening device to move to just above the position to be tightened. The tightening device then tightens the tightening piece to the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened, thereby completing the tightening operation. Because the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened is identified by the visual device before the tightening operation, the motion device can accurately drive the tightening device to move just above the position to be tightened, so as to successfully tighten the tightening piece to the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened. Therefore, the proportion of tightening failures of the tightening piece is reduced, and because the tightening device is used to automatically tighten the component to be tightened, the tightening efficiency is also improved.

[0070] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a tightening device according to one or more embodiments. FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gripping device in the tightening device of FIG1 in the placement position. FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tightening device in FIG1 with the tightening device directly above the position to be tightened. Referring to FIG1 to FIG3 , an embodiment of the present application provides a tightening device 100, comprising a loading platform 10, a motion device 20, a tightening device 30, and a visual device 40. The loading platform 10 is used to carry the component to be tightened 200, the motion device 20 is capable of moving relative to the loading platform 10, the tightening device 30 is provided on the motion device 20, and the visual device 40 is provided on the motion device 20 and is used to identify the position AA to be tightened of the component to be tightened 200 on the loading platform 10. The motion device 20 is used to control the motion device 20 to move to directly above the position AA to be tightened based on the position AA to be tightened of the component to be tightened 200 identified by the visual device 40, and the tightening device 30 is used to tighten the tightening member to the position AA to be tightened of the component to be tightened 200.

[0071] The loading platform 10 is a carrying mechanism for carrying the components 200 to be tightened. The structural form of the loading platform 10 is not limited to a loading platform, a loading tray, a loading conveyor belt, etc.

[0072] The motion device 20 is a mechanism capable of driving the device mounted thereon to move. The motion of the motion device 20 is not limited to translation or rotation; it can also include curved motion along a predetermined direction, or a combination of multiple motions. The motion device 20 can be a manipulator, a lifting device, a horizontal movement device, or the like.

[0073] The tightening device 30 and the visual device 40 can be arranged on the motion device 20 in a fixed manner or in a detachable manner. In an embodiment of the present application, the visual device 40 is directly arranged on the motion device 20, so that it can follow the movement of the motion device 20 to correctly obtain the tightening position. In other embodiments, the visual device 40 can also be arranged on the tightening device 30, so that it can be indirectly arranged on the motion device 20 through the tightening device 30. It should be pointed out here that when the tightening device 30 is assembled on the motion device 20, it should not affect the viewing angle range of the visual device 40 to obtain the position to be tightened.

[0074] The assembly 200 to be tightened in the embodiment of the present application can be a combination of a box body and a cover, or can be other assembly to be tightened. The tightening member in the embodiment of the present application can be a screw or other tightening member. The position AA to be tightened can be the position of the screw hole.

[0075] After the loading platform 10 carries the component to be tightened 200, the motion device 20 can drive the visual device 40 to approach the component to be tightened 200 to identify the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200. The motion device 20 can control the tightening device 30 to move to the tightening position AA according to the tightening position AA. The tightening device 30 then tightens the tightening piece to the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200, thereby completing the tightening operation. Because the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200 is identified by the visual device 40 before the tightening operation, the motion device 20 can accurately drive the tightening device 30 to the position above the tightening position AA, so as to successfully tighten the tightening piece to the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200. This reduces the proportion of tightening failures of the tightening piece, and because the tightening device 30 is used to automatically tighten the component to be tightened 200, the tightening efficiency is also improved.

[0076] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. According to some embodiments of the present application, the loading platform 10 includes a transport platform 11 and a positioning mechanism 12. The transport platform 11 can carry and transport the component to be tightened 200, and the positioning mechanism 12 can position the component to be tightened 200 on the transport platform 11.

[0077] The transport platform 11 refers to a mechanism having both transport and load-bearing functions. When the component 200 to be tightened is placed on the transport platform 11 , the transport platform 11 can transport the component 200 to be tightened to a preset position.

[0078] The positioning mechanism 12 is a mechanism capable of positioning the assembly 200 to be tightened on the transport platform 11 at a predetermined position. The positioning mechanism 12 can position the assembly 200 to be tightened by blocking the movement of the assembly 200 on the transport platform 11. Specifically, the positioning mechanism 12 may include a blocking block, a blocking plate, etc.

[0079] Typically, the transport platform 11 can directly interface with the transport mechanism that transports the component 200 to be tightened to the tightening apparatus 100, thereby improving the manufacturing continuity of the product corresponding to the component 200 to be tightened, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency. The positioning mechanism 12 can more reliably position the component 200 to be tightened on the transport platform 11, facilitating other devices of the tightening apparatus 100 to perform corresponding operations on the component 200 to be tightened.

[0080] Specifically, the transport platform 11 includes a transport frame 111 and a plurality of transport wheels 112 . At least a portion of each transport wheel 112 protrudes from a surface of the transport frame 111 to carry and transport the components 200 to be tightened.

[0081] The plurality of transport wheels 112 may actively rotate to transport the components 200 to be tightened, or a driving member may be used to push the components 200 to be tightened to slide on the plurality of transport wheels 112 .

[0082] In some embodiments, the positioning mechanism 12 includes a telescopic member capable of telescopic movement. When the positioning mechanism 12 positions the component to be tightened 200 on the transport platform 11, the telescopic member can extend from the surface of the transport platform 11 and abut against one side of the component to be tightened 200.

[0083] Specifically, the telescopic members include at least two, and the at least two telescopic members are spaced apart from each other along the transport direction of the transport platform 11 , and a positioning position for positioning the assembly to be tightened 200 is formed between the at least two telescopic members.

[0084] When there is no need to position the assembly 200 to be tightened, the telescopic member can be retracted.

[0085] In some embodiments, the positioning mechanism 12 may be disposed below the transport platform 11 . The transport platform 11 may be provided with a connecting hole for the telescopic member to pass through. The telescopic member may extend or retract to the surface of the transport platform 11 through the connecting hole.

[0086] Please refer to FIG. 1 . According to some embodiments of the present application, the motion device 20 includes a robot arm, and the tightening device 30 and the visual device 40 are both disposed on the robot arm.

[0087] Compared with other motion devices, the robot takes up less space, is more flexible in movement, is more conducive to moving to the tightening position accurately, and improves the reliability of tightening.

[0088] 3 and 4 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the tightening device 30 includes a plurality of tightening mechanisms 31 , all of which are spaced apart from each other, and each tightening mechanism 31 can tighten the tightening member to the corresponding tightening position AA of the assembly 200 to be tightened.

[0089] By providing a plurality of tightening mechanisms 31 , a plurality of positions AA to be tightened of the assembly to be tightened 200 can be tightened simultaneously, thereby improving the tightening efficiency.

[0090] It should be noted here that the visual device 40 can identify multiple positions AA to be tightened of the assembly 200 to be tightened, so that the multiple tightening mechanisms 31 can tighten the multiple positions AA to be tightened of the assembly 200 to be tightened at the same time.

[0091] In an embodiment of the present application, the tightening device 30 includes two tightening mechanisms 31 , and the two tightening mechanisms 31 are arranged at an interval.

[0092] Furthermore, the tightening device 30 further includes a variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 , which is connected to at least one tightening mechanism 31 and is used to adjust the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms 31 .

[0093] When tightening operations are performed on components 200 of different models to be tightened, since the sizes of the components 200 to be tightened are different, the tightening positions AA of the components 200 to be tightened are also different. In the case of a large number of tightening mechanisms 31, the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms 31 can be adjusted by the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 to enable the tightening mechanism 31 to adapt to the tightening operations of different tightening positions AA, which can improve the adaptability of the tightening device 100.

[0094] Specifically, the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 may be a translation variable distance adjustment mechanism, which may move horizontally to adjust the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms 31 .

[0095] In an embodiment of the present application, the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 includes a translation cylinder 321 , which is connected to a tightening mechanism 31 and is used to push the tightening mechanism 31 away from or towards another adjacent tightening mechanism 31 .

[0096] The translation of the translation cylinder 321 is smooth, so that the distance change between the tightening mechanism 31 and another tightening mechanism 31 is smooth.

[0097] Furthermore, the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 also includes a guide rail 322 and a slider 323. The slider 323 connects the translation cylinder 321 and the tightening mechanism 31, and the slider 323 slides with the guide rail 322. The guide rail 322 is used to guide the slider 323 to move along the translation direction of the translation cylinder 321.

[0098] By providing the guide rail 322 and the slider 323 , the stability of the translational motion of the tightening mechanism 31 in the translation cylinder 321 can be improved.

[0099] In some embodiments, the tightening device 30 includes a tightening bracket 33 , and all tightening mechanisms 31 and the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 can be arranged on the tightening bracket 33 .

[0100] In order not to affect the tightening operation of the tightening mechanism 31 , all the tightening mechanisms 31 can be arranged on the same side of the tightening bracket 33 , while the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 is arranged on the side of the tightening bracket 33 away from the tightening mechanism 31 .

[0101] Specifically, the tightening bracket 33 includes a base 331 and a vertical frame 332. The vertical frame 332 is located on one side of the base 331 and is connected to the base 331 at its bottom. The entire tightening mechanism 31 is located outside the vertical frame 332, and the variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 is located on the base 331.

[0102] 5 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the tightening mechanism 31 includes a mechanism body 311 and a lifting mechanism 312 . The lifting mechanism 312 is connected to the mechanism body 311 and is used to drive the mechanism body 311 to perform lifting motion.

[0103] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 312 drives the mechanism body 311 to move up and down in the Z direction shown in Figure 1. The variable distance adjustment mechanism 32 adjusts the distance between at least two tightening mechanisms 31 in a direction perpendicular to the lifting movement direction of the lifting mechanism 312.

[0104] By setting up a lifting mechanism 312 to drive the mechanism body 311 to perform lifting movement, on the one hand, the mechanism body 311 can be lowered to a position close to the component 200 to be tightened to facilitate the tightening operation. On the other hand, the mechanism body 311 can be lifted to reduce the possibility of the mechanism body 311 colliding with other devices and being damaged when the moving device 20 drives the tightening device 30 to move.

[0105] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism 312 may include a lifting drive cylinder. In other embodiments, it may also be a lifting drive hydraulic cylinder.

[0106] In some embodiments, the mechanism body 311 may be a tightening gun capable of tightening the fastener to the to-be-tightened position AA of the to-be-tightened assembly 200. The tightening gun may be an electric tightening gun or a pneumatic tightening gun.

[0107] Specifically, when the tightening gun works to drive the tightening member to tighten to a preset torque, the tightening of the tightening member can be completed.

[0108] Referring to Figures 1 and 3 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the motion device 20 is capable of driving the visual device 40 to move along a preset direction to identify multiple tightening positions AA of the component 200 to be tightened on the loading platform 10. The motion device 20 is used to control the tightening device 30 to move one by one to directly above the multiple tightening positions AA of the component 200 to be tightened, based on the multiple tightening positions AA identified by the visual device 40. The tightening device 30 then tightens the fastener to each tightening position AA.

[0109] Typically, the assembly 200 to be tightened includes multiple positions AA to be tightened, so that the assembly 200 to be tightened has a tight connection relationship. If the tightening device 30 tightens all the positions AA to be tightened at the same time, once one of the positions AA to be tightened fails to be tightened, all the tightening positions AA need to be tightened again, which will reduce the tightening efficiency. Therefore, when there are multiple positions AA to be tightened, the motion device 20 is set to drive the visual device 40 to move along a preset direction to obtain multiple positions AA to be tightened of the assembly 200 to be tightened. Then, based on the multiple positions AA to be tightened, the motion device 20 controls the tightening device 30 to move one by one to the top of the multiple positions AA to be tightened. The tightening device 30 tightens the tightening member to each position AA to be tightened, which can meet the requirements of tightening the multiple positions AA to be tightened one by one, thereby improving the success rate of tightening and thus improving the tightening efficiency.

[0110] For example, when the positions AA to be tightened of the component 200 to be tightened include seven positions AA to be tightened arranged at intervals along the length direction of the component 200 to be tightened, the motion device 20 can drive the visual device 40 to move along the length direction of the component 200 to be tightened, so as to identify the seven positions AA to be tightened of the component 200 to be tightened in turn. The motion device 20 then controls the tightening device 30 to move to the first position AA to be tightened according to the seven positions AA to be tightened, and the tightening device 30 performs the corresponding tightening operation. After the tightening is completed, the motion device 20 drives the tightening device 30 to move to the second position AA to be tightened, and the tightening device 30 performs the corresponding tightening operation. This is repeated until the tightening operation of the seventh position AA to be tightened is completed.

[0111] Please refer to FIG. 1 again. According to some embodiments of the present application, the visual device 40 includes at least two cameras 41 . All the cameras 41 are used to jointly identify at least two positions AA to be tightened of the assembly 200 to be tightened on the loading table 10 .

[0112] The camera 41 can obtain image information of the component to be tightened 200 by taking pictures, and then identify the position AA to be tightened of the component to be tightened 200 based on the image information.

[0113] The method of setting at least two cameras 41 to identify the tightening position AA of the component 200 to be tightened on the loading table 10 is not only simple, but also the viewing angle of at least two cameras 41 is wider, which is conducive to improving the reliability of tightening position identification, and can also adapt to larger-sized components 200 to be tightened.

[0114] Specifically, all cameras 41 are spaced apart from each other. The arrangement of all cameras 41 can be determined based on the position AA to be tightened on the component to be tightened 200. For example, in an embodiment of the present application, two cameras 41 are included. When the motion device 20 drives the cameras 41 to the photographing position, the two cameras 41 are spaced apart from each other along the width direction of the component to be tightened 200. In this way, the two cameras 41 can identify at least two positions AA to be tightened in the width direction of the component to be tightened 200.

[0115] In some embodiments, each camera 41 is used to obtain a position AA of the component 200 to be tightened.

[0116] Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 6, according to some embodiments of the present application, the tightening device 100 further includes a gripping device 50, which can be provided on the motion device 20. The gripping device 50 is used to grip a first piece to be tightened 210 in the assembly to be tightened 200 at a gripping position, and place the first piece to be tightened 210 at a placement position on the loading platform 10, so that the first piece to be tightened 210 is assembled with other pieces to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened 200 on the loading platform.

[0117] It is understood that the grabbing position and the placement position are two different positions. The first piece to be tightened 210 can be pre-placed at the grabbing position for grabbing by the grabbing device 50. For example, if the first piece to be tightened 210 is a cover, the grabbing position can be a storage location for stacking the first pieces to be tightened 210. The grabbing device 50 can grab the first piece to be tightened 210 stacked on top each time. Of course, the grabbing position can also only hold one first piece to be tightened 210.

[0118] The placement position can be pre-placed with other parts to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened 200, so that the grasping device 50 can assemble the grasped first part to be tightened 210 with the other parts to be tightened at the placement position, thereby facilitating subsequent tightening operations. For example, the assembly to be tightened 200 also includes a second part to be tightened 220, which is a box body.

[0119] By setting up a grasping device 50, it is possible to automatically grasp the first part to be tightened 210 and assemble it with other parts to be tightened, thereby improving the assembly accuracy and thereby improving the tightening success rate. Secondly, the grasping device 50 and the tightening device 30 share the same motion device 20, which simplifies the overall structure of the tightening equipment 100 and saves space.

[0120] Specifically, the tightening device 100 may be provided with a placement bracket 60 at a corresponding grasping position, and the placement bracket 60 may place the first piece to be tightened 210 for grasping by the grasping device 50 .

[0121] In some embodiments, the gripping device 50 may include a suction cup 51, and the first piece to be tightened 210 is sucked by the suction cup 51. Specifically, the suction cup 51 may include a plurality of sub-suction cups 511, and the sub-suction cups 511 are arranged at intervals.

[0122] In other embodiments, the grasping device 50 may also be a clamping claw, a magnetic element, etc.

[0123] Please refer to FIG. 1 , and in combination with FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , further, the movement device 20 can be matched with one of the grasping device 50 or the tightening device 30 .

[0124] Because the gripping device 50 and the tightening device 30 cannot operate simultaneously, placing both on the motion device 20 affects their independent operation and increases the load on the motion device 20. Therefore, the motion device 20 is configured to be compatible with either the gripping device 50 or the tightening device 30. This allows the motion device 20 to be detached from the tightening device 30 and only connected to the gripping device 50 when the gripping device 50 is needed to grip the first part 210 to be tightened. Furthermore, when the tightening device 30 is needed to perform a tightening operation, the gripping device 50 is detached from the motion device 20 and only connected to the tightening device 30. This not only improves the reliability of the independent operation of the gripping device 50 and the tightening device 30, but also reduces the load on the motion device 20.

[0125] Specifically, the tightening device 30 includes a first matching structure 34 , and the movement device 20 includes a switching mechanism that can be matched with or separated from the first matching structure 34 of the tightening device 30 .

[0126] Likewise, the gripping device 50 includes a second coupling structure 52 , and the switching mechanism can be coupled with or separated from the second coupling structure 52 of the motion device 20 .

[0127] In this way, the switching mechanism can be used to mate with or detach from the first mate structure 24 and the second mate structure, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of the mate between the movement device 20 and the tightening device 30 or the grasping device 50 .

[0128] In some embodiments, the switching mechanism may be a suction mechanism that attracts the first or second matching structure by suction to mate with the tightening device 30 or the motion device 20. In other embodiments, the switching mechanism may be a magnetic attraction mechanism that attracts the first or second matching structure by magnetic force to mate with the tightening device 30 or the motion device 20.

[0129] 3 , according to some embodiments of the present application, the tightening device 100 further includes a pressing device 70, which is disposed on the loading platform 10. The pressing device 70 is used to press or separate the assembly 200 to be tightened on the loading platform 10.

[0130] The pressing device 70 is capable of pressing the assembly to be tightened 200 so that the positional relationship between the components of the assembly to be tightened 200 can be maintained and the overall position of the assembly to be tightened 200 can be fixed.

[0131] The clamping device 70 can clamp in the combination direction of the components of the assembly 200 to be tightened. For example, when the components of the assembly 200 to be tightened are combined in the vertical direction, the clamping device 70 can clamp in the vertical direction. When the components of the assembly 200 to be tightened are combined in the horizontal direction, the clamping device 70 can clamp in the horizontal direction. Of course, the clamping device 70 can also clamp the assembly 200 to be tightened in multiple directions at the same time.

[0132] By pressing the component 200 to be tightened on the loading platform 10 through the clamping device 70, the component 200 to be tightened can be fixed before the tightening device 30 performs the tightening operation, thereby reducing the force on the component 200 to be tightened during the tightening process, which may cause positional offset between components and lead to tightening failure. Therefore, the success rate of tightening can be improved.

[0133] Specifically, the pressing operation of the pressing device 70 can be performed at any time after the gripping device 50 places the first piece to be tightened 210 at the placement position so that the first piece to be tightened 210 is assembled with other pieces to be tightened in the assembly 200 to be tightened, and before the tightening device 30 tightens the tightening piece to the tightening position AA of the assembly 200 to be tightened. In the embodiment of the present application, after the gripping device 50 places the first piece to be tightened 210 at the placement position, the pressing device 70 presses the assembly 200 to be tightened on the loading table 10.

[0134] Referring to Figures 7 and 8 , according to some embodiments of the present application, a clamping device 70 includes a clamping assembly 71, which includes a clamping block 711, a telescopic mechanism 712, and a clamping drive mechanism 713. The telescopic mechanism 712 and the clamping drive mechanism 713 are both connected to the clamping block 711. The telescopic mechanism 712 is used to drive the clamping block 711 to perform a telescopic movement, and the clamping drive mechanism 713 is used to drive the clamping block 711 to perform a clamping movement to clamp the component 200 to be tightened on the loading platform 10, with the direction of the clamping movement intersecting with the direction of the telescopic movement.

[0135] Specifically, after the gripping device 50 places the first component to be tightened 210 at the placement position, the telescopic mechanism 712 of the clamping assembly 71 drives the pressing block 711 to extend, and the clamping drive mechanism 713 of the clamping assembly 71 drives the pressing block 711 to press the component to be tightened 200 on the loading platform 10. After the tightening device 30 tightens the tightening component to the tightening position AA, the clamping drive mechanism 713 of the clamping assembly 71 drives the pressing block 711 to release the component to be tightened 200 on the loading platform 10, and the telescopic mechanism 712 of the clamping assembly 71 drives the pressing block 711 to retract.

[0136] The direction of the pressing movement may be the Z direction shown in FIG. 1 , and the direction of the telescopic movement may be the Y direction shown in FIG. 1 .

[0137] By setting a clamping drive mechanism 713 connected to the pressure block 711, the pressure block 711 can press the component to be tightened 200 on the loading platform 10, simplifying the clamping process. By setting a telescopic mechanism 712 connected to the pressure block 711, on the one hand, the pressure block 711 can be accurately pressed on the component to be tightened 200 when extended, and on the other hand, when retracted, it will not affect the placement of the first to-be-tightened part 210 in the placement position by the aforementioned grasping device 50, and will not affect the visual device 40 in identifying the to-be-tightened position AA of the component to be tightened 200 on the loading platform 10.

[0138] Furthermore, the pressing blocks 711 include a plurality of pressing blocks 711 , and an avoidance space AA is formed between at least two adjacent pressing blocks 711 . The avoidance space AA is used to expose the position AA to be tightened of the assembly 200 to be tightened.

[0139] By providing a spacing between at least two adjacent pressing blocks 711 to form an avoidance space, the influence of the pressing blocks 711 on the tightening operation of the tightening device 30 on the assembly to be tightened 200 can be reduced, making the tightening operation more reliable.

[0140] In addition, each pressing block 711 can press different positions of the assembly 200 to be tightened on the loading platform 10. Specifically, each pressing block 711 is arranged in sequence along the X direction shown in FIG1 .

[0141] In some embodiments, a clearance space is formed between each two adjacent pressing blocks 711. In other embodiments, some pressing blocks 711 may not be spaced apart, or may be spaced apart but without forming the clearance space. In this way, the reliability of the clamping can be improved by increasing the clamping area of ​​the clamping device 70 on the assembly 200 to be tightened.

[0142] In some embodiments, the telescopic mechanism 712 can be connected to the pressing block 711 through the pressing drive mechanism 713. That is, when the telescopic mechanism 712 performs telescopic movement, it can drive the pressing drive mechanism 713 to move, and further drive the pressing block 711 to move.

[0143] Specifically, the clamping assembly 71 further includes a first connecting plate 714, to one end of which all the clamping blocks 711 are connected. The first connecting plate 714 is connected to the movable end of the clamping drive mechanism 713. Furthermore, the clamping assembly 71 further includes a second connecting plate 715, to which the clamping drive mechanism 713 is mounted, and the second connecting plate 715 is connected to the movable end of the telescopic mechanism 712.

[0144] The pressing drive mechanism 713 and the telescopic mechanism 712 can both be drive cylinders, drive oil cylinders, etc. that perform linear motion.

[0145] In order to improve the smoothness of the clamping movement driven by the clamping drive mechanism 713 to drive all the clamping blocks 711, in an embodiment of the present application, the clamping assembly 71 also includes a plurality of guide rods 716, which pass through the second connecting plate 715 and are connected to the first connecting plate 714, for guiding the first connecting plate 714 to move along the clamping direction.

[0146] In some embodiments, the pressing assembly 71 further includes a buffer 717 , which is disposed between the first connecting plate 714 and the second connecting plate 715 .

[0147] By providing the buffer member 717 , the force between the first connecting plate 714 and the second connecting plate 715 when the pressing drive mechanism 713 drives all the pressing blocks 711 to release the assembly to be pressed 200 can be reduced, thereby reducing mechanical damage.

[0148] The buffer member 717 can be a buffer cylinder, a buffer spring, etc.

[0149] According to some embodiments of the present application, the pressing device 70 includes at least two groups of pressing assemblies 71, and the at least two groups of pressing assemblies 71 are arranged relatively to each other along the direction of telescopic movement.

[0150] In this way, compression can be formed on at least two opposite sides of the component to be compressed 200, thereby improving the reliability of the compression.

[0151] In order to more clearly understand the working principle of the tightening device of the embodiment of the present application, the working process of the tightening device is described in detail below:

[0152] The loading table 10 loads the second part to be tightened 220. After loading is completed, the moving device 20 connects to the grasping device 50 and grasps the first part to be tightened 210 at the grasping position. The moving device 20 drives the first part to be tightened 210 to move above the second part to be tightened 220 and assembles it with the second part to be tightened 220.

[0153] At this point, the gripping device 50 is removed from the motion device 20, and the motion device 20 is then connected to the tightening device 30. The motion device 20 drives the visual device 40 on the tightening device 30 to directly above the component to be tightened 200, identifying the tightening position AA of the component 200. After identification, the clamping device 70 compresses above the first part to be tightened 210, pressing the component 200 onto the loading platform 10. After tightening, the tightening device 30 tightens the part to the tightening position AA. After the tightening operation is completed, the clamping device 70 is separated from the component 200.

[0154] In addition, an embodiment of the present application further provides a battery manufacturing system, comprising the tightening device 100 in any of the above embodiments.

[0155] After the loading platform 10 carries the component to be tightened 200, the motion device 20 can drive the visual device 40 to approach the component to be tightened 200 to identify the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200. The motion device 20 can control the tightening device 30 to move to the tightening position AA according to the tightening position AA. The tightening device 30 then tightens the tightening piece to the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200, thereby completing the tightening operation. Because the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200 is identified by the visual device 40 before the tightening operation, the motion device 20 can accurately drive the tightening device 30 to the position above the tightening position AA, so as to successfully tighten the tightening piece to the tightening position AA of the component to be tightened 200. This reduces the proportion of tightening failures of the tightening piece, and because the tightening device 30 is used to automatically tighten the component to be tightened 200, the tightening efficiency is also improved.

[0156] In the embodiment of the present application, the assembly 200 to be tightened is a box body and a box cover.

[0157] In some embodiments, the battery manufacturing system also includes module assembly equipment and transfer equipment. The module assembly equipment is used to assemble the battery module into the box body. The transfer equipment is used to transfer the box body assembled with the battery module to the tightening equipment 100. The tightening equipment 100 is used to tighten the box body and the box cover with screws to form a battery pack.

[0158] Furthermore, the battery manufacturing system also includes testing equipment, which is used to perform performance tests on battery packs, including voltage tests, current tests, insulation tests, etc.

[0159] 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 tightening device comprising: Loading table, used to carry components to be tightened; A motion device capable of moving relative to the loading platform; a tightening device, provided on the movement device; as well as A visual device, provided on the motion device, for identifying the position to be tightened of the component to be tightened on the loading platform; The movement device is used to control the tightening device to move to just above the position to be tightened of the assembly to be tightened identified by the visual device, and the tightening device is used to tighten the tightening member to the position to be tightened.

2. The tightening device according to claim 1, wherein The tightening device includes a plurality of tightening mechanisms, all of which are arranged at intervals from each other, and each of the tightening mechanisms can tighten the tightening member to the corresponding position to be tightened.

3. The tightening device according to claim 2, wherein: The tightening device further includes a variable distance adjustment mechanism, which is connected to at least one of the tightening mechanisms and is used to adjust the distance between at least two of the tightening mechanisms.

4. The tightening device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The tightening mechanism includes a mechanism body and a lifting mechanism, wherein the lifting mechanism is connected to the mechanism body and is used to drive the mechanism body to perform lifting motion.

5. The tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The motion device is capable of driving the visual device to move along a preset direction to identify a plurality of to-be-tightened positions of the to-be-tightened component on the loading platform; The movement device is used to control the tightening device to move one by one to just above the multiple positions to be tightened of the assembly to be tightened identified by the visual device, and the tightening device tightens the tightening member to each position to be tightened.

6. The tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The visual device includes at least two cameras, and all of the cameras are used together to identify at least two to-be-tightened positions of the to-be-tightened component on the loading platform.

7. The tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The tightening device further comprises a gripping device, which can be arranged on the moving device; The grasping device is used to grasp the first part to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened at a grasping position, and place the first part to be tightened at a placement position on the loading platform, so that the first part to be tightened can be assembled with other parts to be tightened in the assembly to be tightened on the loading platform.

8. The tightening device according to claim 7, wherein: The movement device can be coupled with one of the gripping device or the tightening device.

9. The tightening device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The tightening device includes a first matching structure, and the movement device includes a switching mechanism, and the switching mechanism can be matched with or separated from the first matching structure; The gripping device includes a second matching structure, and the switching mechanism can also be matched with or separated from the second matching structure.

10. The tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The tightening device further comprises a pressing device, which is arranged on the loading platform; The pressing device is used to press the component to be tightened on the loading platform or separate it from the component to be tightened.

11. The tightening device according to claim 10, wherein The clamping device includes a clamping assembly, which includes a clamping block, a telescopic mechanism and a clamping drive mechanism. The telescopic mechanism is connected to the clamping drive mechanism and the clamping block. The telescopic mechanism is used to drive the clamping block to perform telescopic movement. The clamping drive mechanism is used to drive the clamping block to perform clamping movement to clamp the assembly to be tightened on the loading platform. The direction of the clamping movement intersects with the direction of the telescopic movement.

12. The tightening device according to claim 11, wherein The pressing blocks include a plurality of pressing blocks, and a clearance space is formed between at least two adjacent pressing blocks. The clearance space is used to reveal the position to be tightened of the assembly to be tightened.

13. The tightening device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The pressing device includes at least two groups of pressing components, and the at least two groups of pressing components are arranged relatively along the direction of the telescopic movement.

14. The tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The loading platform further includes a transport platform and a positioning mechanism. The transport platform can carry and transport the component to be tightened, and the positioning mechanism can position the component to be tightened on the transport platform.

15. A battery manufacturing system comprising the tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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