A casing removal tool

Abstract

A tool for removal of a casing from a body comprises a first end and a second end and a casing attachment configured to attach to the first end of the casing and a body attachment configured to attach to the body. A retainer is configured to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body such that when the casing attachment and body are moved apart, the casing is peeled away from the body from the first end to the second end. The body may be an electric battery module. The retainer may be a circumferential retainer configured to cause the casing attachment to move circumferentially about a centre of rotation near to the second end. The retainer may comprise a retaining slot engageable with a retaining pin. The tool may comprise a stop to prevent complete removal of the casing from the body.

Description

[0001] A casing removal tool

[0002] Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to tools for the manipulation of casings. In particular the invention relates to tools for the removal of casings from a body. More particularly the invention relates to tools for the removal of casings from an electric battery module.

[0004] Background to the Invention

[0005] Casings are important in many products, for example to provide features such as protection to dirt / liquid ingress, structural support, electromagnetic isolation and to improve the appearance of a product. To ensure a casing works well, it is important that it is securely attached to the product such that it cannot be unintentionally detached.

[0006] In many circumstances, this means that application of the casing to the product must be carefully controlled and that the casing is effectively irreversibly attached to a product, such as via a strong adhesive, which makes removal of the casing difficult.

[0007] To achieve more sustainable products and reduce manufacturing costs it is desirable to be able to recycle products and their casings. This necessitates separation of the product from the casing which, as described below, is difficult especially where the casing is relatively flexible with respect to the product as automated tools struggle to remove the casing without tearing or damaging it.

[0008] One example of a product where such a casing is required is an electric battery module. A battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells electrically connected together and then enclosed in a casing. The casing forms the outer shell of the module and protects the cells during use while also ensuring the module can be easily handled and installed. However, the casings are typically strongly adhered to the cells and once the cells are put together to form the module, the casing is relatively flexible compared to them. This makes removal of the casing from the cells during recycling or repair of a module very difficult due to the forces required to separate the casing and module needing to be large but also carefully controlled to remove the casing without damage. This has led to many existing disassembly processes involving manual labour which is not desirable from a safety perspective due to dangerous materials and chemicals inside battery cells as well as being high cost.

[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the above issues.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] According to a broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a tool for manipulating casings. The casing may comprise a first end. The casing may comprise a second end. The tool may comprise a casing attachment configured to attach to the first end of the casing. The casing may be attachable or attached to a body, for example between the first and second ends. The tool may comprise a body attachment configured to attach to the body. The second end may be attached to the body. The tool may comprise a retainer configured to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body.

[0012] Preferably, the tool is for removal of a casing from a body. The retainer may be configured to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body such that when the casing attachment and body are moved apart, the casing is peeled away from the body from the first end to the second end.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a tool for removal of a casing from a body, the casing comprising a first end and a second end, and the casing being attached to the body between the first and second ends, the tool comprising a casing attachment configured to attach to the first end of the casing and a body attachment configured to attach to the body, wherein the tool comprises a retainer configured to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body such that when the casing attachment and body are moved apart, the casing is peeled away from the body from the first end to the second end.

[0014] Advantageously, by peeling the casing from the body the tool is able to concentrate the forces acting between the casing and body to points of attachment between the casing and body closest to the first end. During peeling the casing / body are therefore separated progressively from the first to second end. As the forces are concentrated, they are more efficient at detaching the casing and body without causing unnecessary stress to the casing or body.

[0015] Peeling is facilitated by the retainer as mentioned. Beneficially, this restricts motion of casing attachment with respect to the body so that it can only be moved in ways which result in peeling of the casing from the body. This means that forces applied to the tool to move the casing attachment can be more easily controlled as they do not need to ensure the casing attachment moves in a way which peels the casing from the body given this is controlled by the retainer.

[0016] Furthermore, as the removal process is controlled more efficiently and without damage to the casing, it can be reversed to re-attach the casing to the body if desired simply by moving the casing attachment back along the same path. Additionally, the tool can be used to stabilise the body on the tool by moving the attachments with respect to each other such that the body is jammed therebetween, preferably, before a force sufficient to peel the casing from the body is provided. This allows additional tolerance between the body and attachments such that it is easier to fit the body to the tool while also enabling the tool to hold the body securely for processing robotically.

[0017] The retainer may restrict the degrees of freedom of movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body. The retainer may restrict the translational and / or rotational degrees of freedom of movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body. The retainer may limit the casing attachment to one degree of freedom of movement with respect to the body. The retainer may restrict the casing attachment to moving along a given path. The one degree of freedom may be back and forth along a path defined by the retainer. Thus, the retainer can effectively restrict the casing attachment to movement along a path which makes application of forces to the tool to remove the casing simpler and easier to apply successfully.

[0018] The casing may be relatively flexible compared to the body. The casing may be attached to the body at the first end. The casing may be attached to the body at the second end.

[0019] The retainer may engage or attach to the casing attachment. The casing attachment may be mounted to the retainer. The body attachment may be mounted to the retainer. The body may be mounted to the retainer. Thus, the retainer can be used in different ways to ensure peeling motion of the casing attachment and body.

[0020] The retainer may be a circumferential retainer configured to cause the casing attachment to move circumferentially about a centre of rotation. Thus, the circumferential retainer may restrict the casing attachment to one rotational degree of freedom of movement about the centre of rotation. Moving circumferentially about the centre of rotation may also be referred to as rotating about the centre of rotation herein. Preferably the casing attachment moves circumferentially about the centre of rotation away from the body. Thus, the tool can be more easily constructed using rotational motors and torque control can be used to ensure a suitable force is applied to the casing attachment. Of course, in other embodiments, other retainers may be used to cause the casing attachment to move on a non-circumferential path that still achieves peeling.

[0021] The retainer may be arranged to limit the movement of the casing attachment away from the body. This can ensure the casing attachment is not moved too far away from the body which could lead to damage to the body and / or casing.

[0022] The circumferential retainer may be arranged to limit the rotation of the casing attachment around the centre of rotation. The circumferential retainer may be arranged to allow the casing attachment to rotate at least 50 degrees, at least 70 degrees, or 90 degrees around the centre of rotation. The circumferential retainer may be arranged to allow the casing attachment to rotate no more than 180 degrees, no more than 135 degrees, or no more than 90 degrees around the centre of rotation. Preferably, the circumferential retainer is arranged to allow the casing attachment to rotate about 90 degrees around the centre of rotation. This allows it to more effectively remove the casing by peeling.

[0023] The centre of rotation may be positioned such that the casing is peeled off the body from the first end to the second end. The centre of rotation may be near to the second end. Preferably, the centre of rotation is at the second end. Thus, the tool is more compact as the centre of rotation is not outside the body. Furthermore, the tool is more efficient as the distance between the centre of rotation is substantially the same as the length of the casing so the detachment forces applied are more consistent during the peeling action. The circumferential retainer may comprise a peeling arm rotatably mounted to the tool at the centre of rotation. The casing attachment may be mounted to the peeling arm. The peeling arm may be configured to rotate to allow the casing attachment to move away from the body. Thus the peeling arm provides structural support to the tool between the casing attachment and centre of rotation and facilitates rotation of the casing attachment away from the body during peeling of the casing from the body.

[0024] Rotation of the peeling arm about the centre of rotation may define a plane of rotation. The plane of rotation may be substantially parallel to a length of the casing between its first and second ends. Thus, the peeling arm rotates the casing attachment efficiently away from the body without unnecessary movement.

[0025] The casing attachment may be mountable at different positions along the peeling arm. The casing attachment may be mountable at different attachment distances from the centre of rotation and / or second end along the peeling arm. The casing attachment may be mountable between a minimum and maximum attachment distance. The minimum attachment distance may be at least 20 mm, at least 25 mm, at least 30 mm, or at least 35 mm. The minimum attachment distance may be no more than 50 mm, no more than 45 mm, no more than 40 mm, or no more than 35 mm. The minimum attachment distance is preferably about 34 mm. The maximum attachment distance may be at least 100 mm, at least 150 mm, at least 175 mm, or at least 200 mm. The maximum attachment distance may be no more than 300 mm, no more than 250 mm, no more than 225 mm, or no more than 200 mm. The maximum attachment distance is preferably about 200 mm. The casing attachment may comprise a locking member configured to attach to different positions along the peeling arm. The peeling arm may comprise a slot extending in a radial direction away from the centre of rotation. The slot may extend between the minimum and maximum attachment distances of the casing attachment. The locking member may be configured to engage the slot. The locking member may comprise a nut configured to attach the casing attachment to the slot. Of course, many other variations on the slot and locking member may be implemented to fix the casing attachment in a certain position on the peeling arm. Thus, the casing attachment can be easily moved such that the tool can accommodate different lengths of casings, for example different types of battery modules. The circumferential retainer may comprise an arm retainer separated from the centre of rotation. The arm retainer may be engageable with the peeling arm to support the peeling arm as it rotates. The arm retainer may be configured to inhibit movement of the peeling arm out of the plane of rotation. Thus, the peeling arm is supported at more than one location during rotation, this enables it to be more cheaply constructed whilst retaining the required strength and rigidity to accurately apply the large forces needed during peeling.

[0026] The casing attachment may be mountable to the peeling arm between the centre of rotation and arm retainer. Thus, the peeling arm is supported on either side of the casing attachment which ensures better management of the forces applied through the casing attachment during peeling and furthermore less likelihood that the peeling arm will structurally fail during use.

[0027] The peeling arm may be rotatably mounted to the tool at one end. The arm retainer may engage an end of the peeling arm distal from the centre of rotation. Thus, the peeling arm’s length is minimised to ensure that the tool is compact and able to be constructed efficiently.

[0028] The retainer may comprise a retaining slot and a retaining pin. The retaining pin may be received in the retaining slot to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body. The retaining pin may comprise a locking mechanism to prevent removal of the retaining pin from the retaining slot. The locking mechanism may be one or more nuts attachable to the pin. One of the retaining pin or retaining slot may move with the casing attachment, and the other may move with the body. Thus, the only movement of the pin that is possible is back and forth along the slot which is effectively one degree of freedom and thereby easier to control. Of course, in other embodiments, the retainer may comprise other equivalent components that are not necessarily slots / pins which achieve the same results.

[0029] The arm retainer may comprise the retaining slot and retaining pin. One of the retaining pin or retaining slot may be provided on the peeling arm and the other may be fixed with respect to the body. Preferably, the retaining slot is fixed with respect to the body and the peeling arm comprises the retaining pin. The retaining slot may be provided in a base of the tool as described below. The retaining pin may be received in the retaining slot to support rotation of the peeling arm. The retaining pin may be fixed with respect to the slot so that movement of the peeling arm out of the plane of rotation is inhibited. The retaining pin may be a screw configured to hold the peeling arm and slot with respect to one another. The retaining pin may comprise at least one retaining nut, preferably two retaining nuts provided at either end with the peeling arm and slot therebetween to inhibit movement of the peeling arm out of the plane of rotation. Thus, the retaining pin and retaining slot help ensure the peeling arm rotates in a controlled manner and without movement out of the plane of rotation during peeling.

[0030] The arm retainer may be configured to limit rotation of the peeling arm around the centre of rotation. The retaining slot may define an arc corresponding to the allowed rotation of the peeling arm around the centre of rotation. Thus, the retainer can be used to simply implement the rotation limitation provided by the circumferential retainer.

[0031] The casing attachment may attach to the casing by any suitable means. The casing attachment may rotatably attach the casing to the casing attachment. The casing attachment may fix the casing with respect to the casing attachment.

[0032] The body attachment may attach to the body by any suitable means. The body attachment may attach to the body at or near the second end. The body attachment may attach to the body at a position other than the first and second ends. The body attachment may attach to the body at more than one place. The body attachment may fix the body with respect to the tool. Where the casing attachment is moved circumferentially about the centre of rotation, the body attachment may be configured to prevent rotation of the body about the centre of rotation. Thus, this ensures the tool can effectively peel the casing from the body.

[0033] The body may comprise mounting apertures. The body may be substantially rectangular, but in other embodiments may be other shapes. The body may comprise mounting apertures at each comer. The mounting apertures may define the first and / or second ends of the casing. The casing attachment and / or body attachment may each comprise pins receivable in a respective mounting aperture. Thus, the casing attachment and body attachment may be easily mountable to the casing and body respectively this makes the tool more suited for automation as the body can simply be lowered onto the pins. This is particularly relevant for electric battery modules which typically comprise mounting apertures to used during installation and handling of the module, for example when mounting the battery module into a battery pack containing several modules.

[0034] The pins may have a diameter that is slightly smaller than that of the mounting aperture. The pins may have a diameter of at least 4 mm, at least 6 mm, or at least 8 mm. The pins may have a diameter of no more than 20 mm, no more than 15 mm, no more than 10 mm, or no more than 8 mm. Preferably, the pins have a diameter of about 8 mm. The pins may have a length sufficient to attach to the casing, The pins may have a length sufficient to reach to the top of the casing and / or body, The pins may have a length of at least 50 mm, at least 100 mm, or at least 120 mm. The pins may have a length of no more than 200 mm, no more than 150 mm, or no more than 120 mm. The pins may have a length of about 120 mm or 150 mm.

[0035] The casing attachment may comprise a casing pin. The body attachment may comprise a body pin. The casing pin may comprise a bolt receivable in the slot of the peeling arm. The body pin may comprise a bolt receivable in the drive axle as described below. The bolt may comprise any suitable bolt, for example a threaded bolt such as an M6 bolt. The casing pin may have a length that is longer than the body pin, for example about 30 mm longer. This allows the casing pin to extend through the slot and be fixed to the slot by a nut. Thus, the pins can be easily and securely attached to the tool.

[0036] A lower section of the pins may comprise a skirt. The skirt may provide a flange configured to abut the mounting apertures. The skirt may therefore support the mounting apertures. The skirt may prevent over insertion of the pins into the mounting apertures. The skirt may have a diameter that is greater than that of the mounting apertures. Thus, the position of the body on the pins is better controlled.

[0037] The casing attachment and / or body attachment may freely rotate within the mounting apertures. The pins may be rotatable within the mounting apertures. This helps provide a simple yet robust construction. The body attachment may prevent rotation of the body during peeling. The body attachment may comprises two body pins receivable in two different respective mounting apertures. Thus, the body attachment can conveniently prevent rotation of the body during peeling as it is attached at two places to the tool.

[0038] The tool may comprise a prime mover. The prime mover may be configured to apply a force to the tool to cause movement of the casing attachment away from the body. The tool may be configured to receive the force applied by the prime mover and apply it between the casing attachment and body attachment to move the casing attachment and body apart. The force applied to move the casing attachment away from the body of at least 20 kN, at least 50 kN, at least 100 kN, at least 150 kN, or at least 200 kN. The force applied to move the casing attachment away from the body of no more than 300 kN, no more than 250 kN, no more than 200 kN, no more than 150 kN, or no more than 50 kN. Preferably, the maximum force applied to move the casing attachment away from the body of about 10 kN to about 100 kN, but of course it may be higher if required. Thus, the prime mover ensures the casing is able to be detached from the body, this is as the typical peeling force required may be less than 50 kN, typically much less and under 10 kN.

[0039] The prime mover may comprise a drive axle. The prime mover may be configured to apply a torque to turn the drive axle. The drive axle may define the centre of rotation. The drive axle may be fixed to the peeling arm to cause rotation of the peeling arm. The prime mover may be fixed with respect to the body / tool. The peeling arm may therefore be rotatably mounted to the tool via the prime mover. Thus, the force applied by the casing attachment can be conveniently and accurately controlled using a prime mover.

[0040] The body attachment may be mounted on the drive axle. Thus, the body attachment is simply attached to the motor and rest of the tool without requiring a separate fixing point.

[0041] The prime mover may be a motor. The motor may be connected to the drive axle via a gear box. The gear box may be configured to apply a gear ratio to control the torque of the drive axle. The gear ratio may be a reduction ratio, that is the ratio may be expressed as Taxie:Tmotor, where Taxie>Tmotor. Tax|emay be the torque of the drive axle. T motor may be the torque of the motor. The gear ratio may be at least 30: 1, at least 50:1 or at least 70:1. The gear ratio may be no more than 130:1, no more than 110:1, no more than 90:1 or no more than 70:1. The gear ratio is preferably about 70:1. Of course, the final gear ration will depend on the motor torque and the desired torque applied by the drive axle. Thus, the motor itself can apply a lower torque to the drive axle which makes this component cheaper and more reliable. In addition, the gear box allows for much finer control of the rotation of the drive axle and consequently movement of the casing attachment.

[0042] The motor could be any suitable motor, for example an electric motor or pneumatic motor or hydraulic motor. The motor is preferably an electric motor. The motor may be a stepper motor. Other types of electric motor could also be used. The motor may provide a nominal torque of about 75 Nm. The motor may have a maximum torque of about 150 Nm. Thus, the torque applied to the drive axle may be about 5,250 Nm to 10,500 Nm. The torque applied to the drive axle may be at least 5,000 Nm, at least 7,500 Nm, or at least 10,000 Nm. The torque applied to the drive axle may be no more than 20,000 Nm, no more than 15,000 Nm or no more than 10,000 Nm.

[0043] The tool may comprise a power source connected to the prime mover. The power source may be any suitable power source such as a battery, or connection to an electrical power supply. Of course, where a pneumatic motor or hydraulic motor is used, a suitable power source may be connected such as a compressed air supply or source of pressurised liquid.

[0044] The tool may comprise a computer processor. The computer processor may be connected to the power source. The computer processor may be connected to the prime mover. The computer processor may be integrated into the prime mover or any other part of the tool. The computer processor may be operable to control the prime mover to cause it to peel the casing off the body. The computer processor may be operable to control the motor. Thus, the power source and processor allow the tool to robotically remove casings from a body without manual labour. Due to the design of the tool as mentioned above, it is particularly suited to automation as fine control of large forces can be achieved via the retainer and case attachment mentioned above, especially when rotating the peeling arm to cause peeling of the casing from the body. The tool may comprise a position sensor. The position sensor may be connected to the computer processor. The position sensor may be configured to detect the position of the casing attachment. The position sensor may be configured to output signals indicative of the position of the casing attachment to the computer processor. Thus, the computer processor can better control the tool and ensure the motor / tool is not damaged during use.

[0045] The tool may comprise a stop configured to prevent complete removal of the casing from the body. The stop may allow removal of all but the second end of the casing from the body. The stop may be provided by the retainer, for example by the retaining slot and retaining pin. Thus, the casing may not be fully removed which can be advantageous when it is desired to reattach the casing to the body in future. This can also be helpful where the casing is removed to allow better access to the contents of the body but otherwise should remain with the body, for example where the body is an electric battery module, removal of the casing sides allows easier access to the battery cells for removal.

[0046] The body may have a length, width and height. The plane of rotation may be substantially parallel to the length and width of the body. The drive axle may be substantially parallel to the height of the body. The pins may extend parallel to the height of the body. Of course, the length, width and height of the body may be redefined depending on which side of the body comprises the casing that is being removed by the tool.

[0047] The body may have a length within the minimum and maximum distances between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools described below. The body may have a width within the minimum and maximum attachment distances described above. The body may have a height that is less than the length of the pins as described above. The casing may have a height that is less than the height of the body. The casing may have a height that is no more than 50 mm, no more than 30 mm, or no more than 20 mm less than the height of the body. The casing may have a height that is at least 10 mm, at least 20 mm, or at least 30 mm less than the height of the body. The casing may extend along the length of the body. The casing may extend along the width of the body. The casing for removal by the tool may extend along any one or more sides of the body. The casing for removal by the tool preferably extends along only one side of the body. Of course, the tool may be used multiple times to remove the casing from all sides of the body.

[0048] The body may be a battery module. The battery module may be substantially cuboid with a length, width and height. The battery module may have a width of at least 50 mm, or at least 100 mm. The battery module may have a width of no more than 300 mm, or no more than 200 mm. The battery module may have a width of about 150 mm. The battery module may have a length of at least 200 mm, or at least 300 mm. The battery module may have a length of no more than 500 mm, or no more than 400 mm. The battery module may have a length of about 340 mm. The battery module may have a height of at least 50 mm, or at least 100 mm. The battery module may have a height of no more than 300 mm, or no more than 200 mm. The battery module may have a height of about 110 mm. The battery module may contain a plurality of battery cells, for example 12. Of course, the tool would equally apply to battery modules with different amounts of cells. The battery cells may be arranged side by side along the length of the battery module. Thus, the tool can be used to allow easy access to the battery cells.

[0049] The casing may be formed from metal, e.g. aluminium, aluminium alloys, steel or other similar alloys, or another similar material. The casing to be removed from the battery module preferably extends across the width of the battery module. The casing may cover all external faces of the body. The casing removed by the tool may correspond to casing covering at least part of one face of the body, preferably substantially all of one face of the body.

[0050] The battery module may be suitable for use in an electrical vehicle battery pack. The battery module may be suitable for use in battery home power and / or grid storage systems. The battery module may comprise lithium ion battery cells, such as lithium iron based cells. However, other cell types could also be used..

[0051] The tool may comprise a base. The base may form the main structural component of the tool. The base may be substantially planar. The base may extend parallel to the plane of rotation. The base may facilitate mounting of the different components of the tool to the tool. The body attachment may be attached to the base. The case attachment may be attached to the base. The prime mover may be attached to the base. The case attachment may be attached to the base via the prime mover.

[0052] The base may comprise a drive aperture. The centre of rotation may be central to the drive aperture. The drive axle may be rotatably mounted in the drive aperture. The tool may comprise a bearing configured to rotatably mount the drive axle in the drive aperture. Any suitable bearing can be used, for example a ball bearing.

[0053] The base may comprise the retaining slot. The base may comprise an access aperture extending between the retaining slot and the drive aperture. The access aperture may extend between the minimum and maximum attachment distances of the casing attachment. The access aperture may facilitate easier access to the peeling arm. The access aperture also reduces the amount of material required to form the base.

[0054] The base may be substantially rectangular. The base may have a length parallel to the length of the body when attached to the body attachment. The base may have a length of at least 100 mm, or at least 200 mm. The base may have a length of no more than 400 mm, or no more than 300 mm. The base may have a length of about 230 mm. The base may have a width of at least 200 mm, or at least 400 mm. The base may have a width of no more than 700 mm, or no more than 500 mm. The base may have a width of about 420 mm. The drive aperture may be provided towards a corner of the base. The retaining slot may extend from one side of the base to the other.

[0055] The base attachment and casing attachment may be provided on the same side of the base. The motor may be provided on an opposite side of the base from the base attachment and casing attachment. This can help to ensure the motor does not inhibit attachment of the tool to the body.

[0056] The tool may comprise a motor mounting plate that fixes the prime mover / motor with respect to the base.

[0057] The tool and its components are generally formed from a material that is stronger and more rigid than the casing and body. The tool may be configured to bear forces of at least 20 kN, at least 50 kN, at least 100 kN, at least 150 kN, at least 200 kN, at least 250 kN or at least 300 kN between the casing and body. The tool may be configured to bear forces of no more than 500 kN, no more than 400 kN, no more than 300 kN, no more than 250 kN, no more than 200 kN, no more than 150 kN, or no more than 50 kN between the casing and body. Preferably, the tool may be configured to bear forces of about 30 kN to about 300 kN between the casing and body. Thus, the tool is able to bear large forces where they are required to remove the casing from the body. Preferably, a strong machinable metal such as aluminium, titanium, steel, stainless steel, or nickel. Any one or more of the base, drive axle, peeling arm, retaining pin, case attachment and body attachment may all be formed from such a metal. The tool and its components may be formed by any suitable process, for example machining such as using computer numerical control (CNC), casting, forging, extrusion, or powder metallurgy.

[0058] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for the removal of a casing from a body comprising a support structure and the tool of the first aspect mounted to the support structure.

[0059] The apparatus may comprise more than one tool of the first aspect. Preferably, the apparatus comprises two tools of the first aspect. Thus, the apparatus is able to remove more than one casing simultaneously.

[0060] The two tools may be mounted in opposing directions on the support structure. The two tools may be mirror images of one another. Thus, the casing attachments may rotate away from one another during peeling. The two tools may be mounted with a separation distance such that one of the two tools may attach to a side of the body, and the other of the two tools may simultaneously attach to another opposite side of the body. Thus, the two tools can be used to remove casings from opposite sides of the body. In addition, as both tools are mounted to the support structure, they provide additional structural stability to one another and the body as they are both individually attached to the body.

[0061] The apparatus may be configured such that the two tools peel the casing from two sides of the body simultaneously. The apparatus may comprise a computer processor. The computer processor may be configured to control the two tools such that they peel the casing from two sides of the body simultaneously. Thus, the control logic used to control the tools can be simpler as it does not need to wait for one tool to complete peeling before instructing the other.

[0062] The support structure may comprise a frame. The tools may be mounted to the frame. The frame may be free-standing. The frame may be roughly the size of a work table. The frame may have a height of about 1 m. The frame may have a length of about 2 m. The frame may have a width of about 1.5 m. Thus, the tools are mounted to the frame and positioned within easy access, for example for manual adjustment.

[0063] The support structure may be moveable via a movement device. The movement device may comprise any known movement device as is known in the art, for example wheels, tracks or moveable legs. The movement device preferably comprises four castor wheels located at the edges of the support structure. The frame may be mounted on the movement device. Thus the support structure may be easily moved around to allow flexible positioning.

[0064] The support structure may comprise an adjustable tool mount. At least one of the two tools may be mounted to the frame via the adjustable tool mount. The adjustable tool mount may be configured to allow the separation distance of the two tools to be varied. Thus, the apparatus may be adjusted to accommodate bodies with different sizes. The minimum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools may be at least 70 mm, at least 90 mm, at least 110 mm or at least 130 mm. The minimum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools may be no more than 190 mm, no more than 170 mm, no more than 150 mm or no more than 130 mm. Preferably the minimum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools is about 130 mm. The maximum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools may be at least 300 mm, at least 350 mm, at least 400 mm, or at least 450 mm. The maximum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools may be no more than 600 mm, no more than 550 mm, no more than 500 mm, or no more than 450 mm. Preferably the maximum distance between the opposing casings to be removed by the two tools is about 470 mm. Combined with the adjustability of the casing attachment along the peeling arm means that the apparatus can accommodate a wide range of different bodies. The adjustable tool mount comprises one or more rails attached to the frame. The rails may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the casing before removal from the body. At least one of the tools may be mountable at different positions along the one or more rails. Each tool may comprise one or more rail grippers configured to mount a tool to a rail. Each rail gripped may be configured to engage a rail. Each rail gripper may enclose at least part of the rail. The base may be mounted on the rail gripper. Preferably, a rail gripper is provided at a position near to each corner of the base. Each rail gripped may comprise a screw configured to secure the tool with respect to the rail. Thus, the separation of the tools can be controlled using the rails.

[0065] Each tool may be mounted to a pair of rails. The rails may extend parallel to the length of the body. There may be a pair of rails for each tool. The pairs of rails may be arranged collinearly. Thus, the rails can more efficiently control the separation of the tools.

[0066] The apparatus may comprise a body support. The body support may be configured to support the body during peeling. The body support may be provided between the two tools. The adjustable tool mount may comprise the body support. The body support may define the minimum separation distance of the tools. The body support may be arranged to support the body at a position such that the body rests on the pin flanges described above and body support. Thus, the body is better supported during peeling of the casing.

[0067] The adjustable tool mount may further comprise one or more rail stops. The rail stops may be configured to prevent removal of a tool from the adjustable tool mount. Preferably a rail stop is provided at the ends of each rail. Where a body support is provided, a rail stop may be provided at an end of the rail distal from the body support.

[0068] The apparatus may comprise a robotic arm. The robotic arm may be mounted to the support structure, preferably to the frame. The robotic arm may be mounted at or towards the centre of the frame. The robotic arm may be configured to mount and / or demount the body to / from the tool or tools. The apparatus may comprise a holding device. The holding device may be configured to hold objects, such as the body, casing or parts of the body. The robotic arm may be operable to use the holding device to mount / demount the parts to / from the tools. The holding device may be any suitable holding device, such as a suction cup holding device. Thus, the disassembly process can be further automated by a robotic arm which can mount / demount parts easily due to it being attached to the body via the pins only.

[0069] The apparatus may comprise a cutting device. The cutting device may be configured to cut through a part of the body and define the first end of the casing. The cutting device may be configured to cut adjacent to a mounting aperture of the body. The cutting device may be mountable to the robotic arm. The robotic arm may be operable to cut the body / casing using the cutting device. The cutting device may be any suitable cutting device such as a circular saw. Thus, the casing can be peeled away without damaging the rest of the body as it is separated from it by the cut.

[0070] The apparatus may comprise a loading area. The loading area may be mounted to the frame. The loading area may be configured to store parts of the body / casing / battery module. The loading area may be raised above the frame. The loading area may comprise a flat surface. Thus, the loading are provides a useful zone for storage of components and materials.

[0071] The apparatus may comprise an enclosure. The enclosure may be configured to be mounted to and fit over the support structure. The enclosure may be configured to provide a safety screen to prevent hazards leaving the apparatus. Such hazards could be projectiles in the event of structural defects in the body, casing or tool, hazardous liquids and gases, fire, etc.

[0072] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing a casing from a body using the tool of the first aspect or the apparatus of the second aspect, the method comprising attaching the casing attachment to the first end of the casing and the body attachment to the body, and then applying a force to move the casing attachment away from the body as permitted by the retainer and peel the casing from the body.

[0073] The method comprising engaging the casing attachment and / or body with the retainer to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body. The method comprising rotating the peeling arm away from the body. The method may comprise cutting a part of the body to define a first end of the casing.

[0074] The method may comprise using two tools to remove two parts of the casing simultaneously.

[0075] The method may comprise moving the casing attachment back towards the body and re-attaching the casing to the body. The method may comprise welding the casing (back) together to re-attach it to the body.

[0076] The method may be a method of removing a casing from a battery module.

[0077] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of disassembling a battery pack comprising one or more battery modules each containing a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising opening the battery pack and removing a battery module, removing the casing of the battery module using the method of the third aspect, and accessing the battery cells.

[0078] Thus, the present invention provides an efficient way to disassembly a battery pack and the battery modules within it.

[0079] The method may comprise moving the casing attachment with respect to the body attachment until the body is jammed therebetween. Thus, as the body is jammed on the tool, the body (battery module) can be more easily processed by a robot as the body can’t move during processing. Aspects of the invention may therefore include a method of stabilising an object / body on a tool, optionally including any feature described herein. In such aspects, the casing attachment may be replaced with a second body attachment that is not necessarily attached to the casing of the body. Thus, in an aspect the invention provides a tool for mounting a body, the tool comprising first and second body attachments and a retainer, wherein the retainer is configured to restrict movement of the first and second body attachments such that movement of the first and second body attachments with respect to each other causes jamming of the body onto the tool. This aspect may include any one or more features of the tools / apparatus as described herein.

[0080] The method may comprise removing internal control electronics of the battery module. The tool of the first aspect and apparatus of the second aspect may of course include any one or more features of one another optional or otherwise. The methods of the third to fifth aspects may of course include any one or more features of one another optional or otherwise. In addition, the methods of the third and fourth aspects may each include any one or more features of the first and second aspects optional or otherwise.

[0081] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0082] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0083] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for removal of a casing from a battery module without the battery module shown;

[0084] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with an enclosure fitted;

[0085] Figure 3 is a perspective view of two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 mounted to an adjustable tool mount;

[0086] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 attached to a battery module and before removal of the casing;

[0087] Figure 5 is a rear plan view of the two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 attached to a battery module and before removal of the casing;

[0088] Figure 6 is a top plan view of the two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 attached to a battery module and before removal of the casing;

[0089] Figure 7 is a top plan view of the two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 attached to a battery module and during removal of the casing (bending / peeling of the casing exaggerated to aid interpretation); and

[0090] Figure 8 is a top plan view of the two tools of the apparatus of Figure 1 attached to a battery module and during after of the casing.

[0091] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 an apparatus for the removal of a casing from a body is shown, in this embodiment, the apparatus 100 is for removal of a casing from an electric battery module 1 and forms a workstation to allow this to be completed. The apparatus 100 comprises two tools 200 for removal of the casing 1 from the battery module 1 as described below.

[0092] The apparatus 100 comprises a support structure comprising a frame 101, movement device in the form of four castor wheels 102, a loading area 103, and adjustable tool mount 104. The apparatus also comprises a robotic arm 105, cutting device 107, holding device 108, and enclosure 109.

[0093] The frame 101 is roughly the size of a work table and thus has a height, length and width of about 1 m, about 2 m, and about 1.5 m respectively. The frame 101 provides the main structure of the support structure and at each corner is mounted onto one of the castor wheels 102 such that the entire apparatus 100 can be moved easily. The castor wheels 102 can ofcourse be locked to prevent inadvertent movement of the apparatus 100.

[0094] The loading area 103 is mounted on the frame 101 in one comer. The loading area 103 comprises a raised flat surface that can be used to store battery module components 103a during operation, for example battery cells, casing etc.

[0095] The adjustable tool mount 104 is also mounted on the frame 101. The adjustable tool mount 104 supports the two tools 200 and allows the separation distance of them to be varied. The structure and function of the tool mount 104 is described further below. In this embodiment, tool mount 104 is provided in a comer of the frame at the same point along the length, of the frame 101 as the loading area 103 but across the width, of course the position of it is exemplary and could be varied.

[0096] The robotic arm 105 is mounted to the centre of the frame 101. This allows the robotic arm to more easily access items on the frame. The robotic arm is configured to use the cutting and holding devices 107, 108 respectively to hold and cut the battery module 1 as described further below.

[0097] The holding device 108 is mounted to the frame 101 adjacent to the loading area 103 along the length of the frame 101. The holding device 108 comprises a suction cup holding device that allows it to hold the battery module 1 by sucking it onto the holding device 108. Of course, in other embodiments the type of holding device could be varied as could its position on the frame. The cutting device 107 is mounted next to the holding device 108 distal the loading area 103. The cutting device 107 is configured to cut through the battery module 1 as described below. In this embodiment, the cutting device 107 is a circular saw but other types of cutting device could be used, such as a jigsaw. The position of the cutting device on the frame could also be varied.

[0098] In other embodiments, the robotic arm, loading area, cutting and holding devices may each not be provided on the frame or could be provided at different locations as required.

[0099] The enclosure 109 comprises a sheets of material configured to be mountable to the frame 101 to enclose the loading area 103, adjustable tool mount 104 and tools 200, robotic arm 105, cutting device 107, and holding device 108, as shown in Figure 2. The enclosure 109 is configured to provide a safety screen to prevent hazards leaving the apparatus. Such hazards could be projectiles in the event of structural defects in the battery, casing or tool, hazardous liquids and gases, fire, etc.

[0100] Referring to Figures 4 to 8, the battery module 1 is an electric battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells la enclosed by casing. The module 1 is cuboid comprising a top 2 and a bottom 3, and a casing covering each of its other four faces. Two lateral casings, a right casing 4, and a left casing 5, cover the opposing lateral sides across a width of the module 1, and two longitudinal casings, a rear casing 6, and a front casing 7, cover the opposing longitudinal sides along the length of the module 1.

[0101] In this embodiment, the battery cells la are planar and are stacked along the length of the module 1 with each cell la spanning the entire width / height of the module 1. At either end of the module 1, the lateral casings 4, 5 are adhered to the module such that they cannot be easily removed. In this embodiment, the casings 4-7 are formed from sheets of steel to provide adequate protection for the battery cells in use.

[0102] In this embodiment, as is common for many battery modules, the battery module 1 comprises four mounting apertures. The mounting apertures are provided at the comers of the module 1 around its sides. Starting at the corner between the left casing 5 and front casing 7 then moving clockwise when looking down on the top n Figure 6 there is: a front-left aperture 57, a front-right aperture 47, a rear-right aperture 46 and a rear- left aperture 56 respectively. The mounting apertures are provided to enable the module 1 to be easily installed and handled in use.

[0103] Referring to Figures 3 to 8, the tools 200 are configured to remove the left and right casings 5, 4 from the battery module 1 as described below. In this embodiment, the apparatus comprises two tools, a left tool 200a for removal of the left casing 5 and a right tool 200b for removal of the right casing 4. Of course, in other embodiments only one tool may be used and the battery module mounted / demounted and a side of casing removed until the desired parts of casings are removed.

[0104] Both the left and right tools 200a, 200b are identical apart from being mirror images of one another. Consequently, only the left tool 200a is described but the features of it equally apply to the right tool 200b.

[0105] The left tool 200a comprises a base 201 which forms the main structural component of the tool 200a. The base 201 is planar and is rectangular to accommodate the different components of the tool 200a as described below. The base 201 has a length parallel to the length of the module 1 of about 230 mm and a width of about 420 mm. Of course, the sizes may vary depending on the configuration of the tool.

[0106] The tool 200a comprises a casing attachment in the form of a casing pin 202 configured to attach the tool to the casing to be removed, that is the left casing 5 for the left tool 200a. The tool 200a also comprises a body attachment comprising a body pin 203 configured to attach the tool to the battery module, or the body. In this embodiment, the casing pin 202 and body pin 203 are sized and positioned to be received in the mounting apertures at either end of the casing being removed. So for the left tool 200a, the casing pin 202 is received in the front-left aperture 57 and the body pin 203 is received in the rear- left aperture 56.

[0107] In this embodiment, the body attachment further comprises the body pin 203 of the other tool, i.e. the body attachments of the left and right tools 200a, 200b both comprise the body pin 203 of both tools 200a, 200b. This ensures that the module 1 cannot rotate about the centre of rotation as described below.

[0108] Thus, as described above, in this embodiment, the left casing 5 can be defined as having a first end at the front left- aperture 57 and a second end at the rear-left aperture 56. The casing 5 is also attached to the module 1 between the first and second ends.

[0109] In this embodiment, the pins 202, 203 have a diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the mounting apertures, so about 8 mm. The casing pin has a length of about 150 mm and the body pin has a length of about 120 mm.

[0110] In this embodiment, both pins 202, 203 comprise a skirt 202a, 203a at a lower section of the pins 202, 203. The skirt 202a, 203a provides a flange that is larger than the diameter of the apertures and prevents over insertion of the pins 202, 203 into the apertures as described below.

[0111] In this embodiment, the tool 200a comprises a circumferential retainer configured to restrict movement of the casing pin 202 with respect to the module 1 such that the casing pin 202 follows a circumferential path about a centre of rotation. Movement of the casing pin 202 is therefore restricted to a single rotational degree of freedom about the centre of rotation. The circumferential retainer comprises a peeling arm 204 rotatably mounted to the tool 200a at the centre of rotation, which in this embodiment is defined at the second end of the casing 5 which is also the position of the body pin 203.

[0112] In this embodiment, the body pin 203 is mounted to the peeling arm 204 via a threaded M6 bolt (not shown) that fits into the peeling arm 204.

[0113] In this embodiment, the casing pin 202 is also mounted to the peeling arm 204. The peeling arm 204 comprises a slot 205 extending radially outward along the peeling arm 204 from the body pin 203. The casing pin 202 comprises an extended threaded M6 bolt (not shown) that extends through the slot 205 and is engaged by a locking member in the form of a nut (not shown) to secure the casing pin 202 to the peeling arm 204. The provision of the slot 205 allows the casing pin 202 to be moved along the peeling arm 204 and secured at different positions, defining different attachment distances between the centre of rotation / second end / body pin 203 and the casing pin 202. Once secured, the casing pin 202 has only one rotational degree of freedom about the centre of rotation due to the peeling arm 204. Of course, the casing pin 202 may be able to rotate about its axis, but this does not affect operation of the tool. This conveniently allows the tool 200a and apparatus 100 to be used for different sizes of battery module.

[0114] In this embodiment, the slot 205 extends along the peeling arm 204 to allow a minimum attachment distance of about 34 mm and a maximum attachment distance of about 200 mm.

[0115] In this embodiment, the circumferential retainer comprises an arm retainer in the form of a retaining slot 206 provided in the base 201 and a retaining pin 207 provided in an end of the peeling arm 204 distal from the centre of rotation. This further supports and guides movement of the casing pin 202 and module 1. In this embodiment, the casing pin 202 is thereby mounted between the centre of rotation and retaining pin 207 and is thereby supported on both sides. This increases the force that can be safely and accurately exerted by the casing pin 202 on the casing 5.

[0116] In this embodiment, the retaining pin 207 extends through a through hole (not shown) in the end of the peeling arm 204 and retaining slot 206. Nuts on either end of the retaining pin 207 ensure that the peeling arm 204 cannot move out of its plane of rotation away from the retaining slot 206 and thus the peeling arm 204 is stabilised and supported.

[0117] In this embodiment, the retaining slot 206 defines an arc extending around 90 degrees and together with the pin retaining pin 207 defines the range of rotation of the peeling arm 204 around the centre of rotation. Thus a stop is provided to prevent over rotation of the peeling arm 204.

[0118] In this embodiment, the base also comprises drive aperture 208 with the centre of rotation arranged centrally in the drive aperture. The drive aperture 208 comprises a ball bearing (not shown) which facilitates the rotatable mounting of the peeling arm 204 on the base 201.

[0119] In this embodiment, between the retaining slot 206 and drive aperture 208 there is provided an access aperture 209 in the base 201. The access aperture 209 extends between the minimum and maximum attachment distances of the casing pin 202 and through all angles accessible by the peeling arm 204. The access aperture 209 provides improved access to the tool 200a components and also reduces the total amount of material required to manufacture the base 201.

[0120] In this embodiment, the motion of the driver is provided by a motor 210. The motor 210 comprises an electric stepper motor 211, gearbox 212, drive axle (not shown) and motor mounting plate 213. Of course, in other embodiments the driver may be powered in a variety of different ways such as via chain drive etc.

[0121] In this embodiment, the stepper motor 211 is fixably mounted to the underside of the base 201 via the motor mounting plate 213 directly beneath the drive aperture 208. The stepper motor 211 is therefore on the other side of the base 201 from the peeling arm 204 and module 1. This is convenient as it ensures there is plenty of space for mounting the module 1 to the tool 200a but in other embodiments, the arrangement could be changed.

[0122] The gearbox 212 is provided between the stepper motor 211 and the drive aperture 208 and the drive axle extends from the gearbox 212 through the drive aperture 208 to the peeling arm 204. The gearbox 212 is arranged to receive drive from the stepper motor 211 and drive the drive axle via a reduction gear ratio. That is, one turn of the stepper motor 211 is converted to less than one turn of the drive axle. This results in the torque on the drive axle, Taxie, being greater than the torque of the stepper motor 211, T motor- The gear ratio is expressed as Taxie:Tmotor and in this embodiment is 70:1, thus the torque on the drive axle is 70 times that of the stepper motor 211. This has the advantage of ensuring that the stepper motor 211 can be sourced more cheaply and with lower torque output and still achieve the required peeling force and also enable much finer control of the rotation of the peeling arm 204 as the magnitude of any error in the rotation of the stepper motor 211 is reduced by the gearbox 212 and gear ratio applied.

[0123] In this embodiment, the stepper motor 211 provides a nominal torque of about 75 Nm, has a maximum torque of 150 Nm and a maximum speed of 6,500 rpm. Consequently, the final torque applied to the drive axle is in the range of 5,250 Nm to 10,500 Nm with a maximum speed of 92 rpm. With an attachment distance of 35 mm to 200 mm, the peeling force applied between the casing pin 202 and module 1 is therefore in the range of 26 kN to 300 kN. The force will also vary during peeling as the point of attachment between the casing and module furthest from the centre of rotation decreases. Of course, in other embodiments, the final torque required will depend on the casing 5 and module 1 as well as the position of the casing pin 202 along the peeling arm 204.

[0124] In this embodiment, the adjustable tool mount 104 comprises two pairs of rails, a left pair of rails 110a, and a right pair of rails 110b each associated with a respective tool 200a, 200b. The two rails in a pair of rails 110a, 110b are the same length and arranged parallel to one another extending parallel to the length of the module 1 when fitted into the tools 200a, 200b. The two rails in a pair 110a, 110b extend under the front / rear edges of the base 201 of their respective tool 200a, 200b. The front / rear edges corresponding to the front / rear faces of the module or front and rear casings 7, 6.

[0125] The two pairs of rails 110a, 110b are arranged collinearly and are separated and attached to each other by a body support 111. The body support 111 is a rectangular bar that provides the minimum required separation between the rails 110a, 110b and further extends upwards to the same height as the skirts 202a, 203a of the casing pin 202 and body pin 203. Thus, the body support 111 abuts the module 1 in use and provides further structural support for it.

[0126] Each tool 200a, 200b is mountable to their respective pair of rails 110a, 100b via four rail grippers 112 provided under the corners of the tool’s base 201. The rail grippers 112 enable the tool 200a, 200b to be slid along the rails 110a, 110b and a screw

[0127] 113 is provided to fix the position of the tool on the rails. Thus, the separation between the tools 200a, 200b can be varied to suit different sizes of module 1. In this embodiment, the tool 200a, 200b separation can be varied to accommodate a distance between the left and right casings 5, 4 of about 130 mm to about 490 mm. Of course, in other embodiments, the rails and tools may be arranged to allow for different sizes battery modules.

[0128] In this embodiment, the adjustable tool mount 104 further comprises rail stops

[0129] 114 provided at the outer ends of each rail distal from the body support 111. The rail stops 114 prevent removal of the tools 200a, 200b from the tool mount 104. In this embodiment, the apparatus 100 is connected to a power source in the form of an external power supply (not shown) for example a connection to an electrical power grid. This allows power to be supplied to the robotic arm 105 and tools 200.

[0130] In this embodiment, a computer processor (not shown) is provided and is connected to, and operable to control, the robotic arm 205. The computer processor is connected to the stepper motors 211 of the left and right tools 200a, 200b and is further operable to control the stepper motors 211. A position sensor (not shown) is provided on each tool 200a, 200b to allow the computer processor to identify the position of each arm 205 and ensure that the motors and tools can be efficiently controlled.

[0131] To construct the apparatus 100, first the tools 200 are constructed. The left and right tools 200a, 200b are constructed in the same way, just with a mirrored orientation of their components and shapes, so only the construction of the left tool 200a is described.

[0132] The left tool 200a is constructed by first machining the different components such as the base 201, peeling arm 204, case pin 202, body pin 203 and retaining pin 207 from a suitable metal, for example aluminium or stainless steel. Of course, other materials and manufacturing methods can also be employed.

[0133] The stepper motor 211 is then connected to the gear box 212 and drive axle, and mounted to the base 201 via the motor mounting plate 213 with the ball bearing supporting the drive axle in the drive aperture 208. This can be done for example by screwing the plate 213 to the base 201.

[0134] The peeling arm 204 can then be mounted to the drive axle and the case pin 202 and body pin 203 attached to the peeling arm 204 using the threaded bolts at their ends and described above. Finally, the retaining pin 207 can be inserted into the through hole and retaining slot 206 and secured in place with nuts on either end.

[0135] Once both tools 200a, 200b are constructed, the pairs of rails 110a, 110b, rail grippers 112, rail stops 114, and body support 111 are also machined from metal such as aluminium. The pairs of rails 110a, 110b are arranged collinearly either side of the body support 111 and fixed to the body support, for example by nuts and bolts or screws. The rail grippers 112 are then attached to the base 201 by screwing into place. The tools 200a, 200b can then be slid onto the respective rails from the ends distal the body support 111. The rail stops 114 are then fixed to the ends of the rails 110a, 110b to prevent the tools 200a, 200b from being removed from them and the tools 200a, 200b can be fixed in place using the screws 113.

[0136] Next, or in parallel, the frame 101, loading area 103 and enclosure can either be provided or constructed using known methods, for example machining of metal as described above. The castor wheels 103, robotic arm 105, cutting device 107 and holding device 108 may be provided, for example castor wheels from Ross Castors Ltd, England, KR10_R1100 Robotic Arm from KUKA Aktiengesellschaft, Germany , with a tool changer obtained from Linghang Robot Co., Ltd, China, a hand-held circular saw / angle grinder from Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH 2021, Germany, and suction cups from RS Components Ltd, England.

[0137] The components can then be fixed together by screwing / bolting each component to the frame to form the apparatus 100. Finally, the power supply and processor can be provided and connected to the one another, the robotic arm and tools.

[0138] In use, the battery module 1 is provided with the casing attached. In this example, the battery module 1 is a lithium ion battery containing 12 cells la, for example one suitable for use in an electric vehicle. It has a length of about 340 mm, a width of about 150 mm and a height of about 110 mm. The tool separation is adjusted using the rails such that the casing and body pins matches the separation of the left and right sided apertures of the module 1. The casing and body pin separation is adjusted by repositioning the casing pin 202 in the slot 205 of the peeling arm 204 such that the separation matches the separation of the front and rear apertures of the module 1.

[0139] The module 1 is then placed onto the casing and body pins of the tools 200a, 200b by hand. Alternatively, the module 1 may be held by the robotic arm 105 via the holding device 108 and mounted to the tools 200a, 200b robotically.

[0140] In this embodiment, the top 2 of the module has been removed prior to mounting to the tools 200a, 200b as has any internal control electronics such as PCB boards. However, the method may include using the robotic arm 105 to remove the control electronics, for example by disconnecting them using a screw driver and removing with the holding device 108. Preferably, prior to use of the robotic arm 105, the processor instructs the stepper motors 211 to rotate the peeling arms 204 away from the module 1 until the module 1 is jammed onto the casing and body pins. This ensures that the module 1 cannot move on the pins, which would otherwise happen given the mounting apertures are larger than the pins to allow easy placement of the module 1 on the pins. If the module 1 was not jammed in place, it could move which would cause errors and inefficiency during processing using the robotic arm 105.

[0141] In this embodiment, the robotic arm 105 then connects to the cutting device 107 and uses it to cut through the module adjacent and left of the front-right aperture 47. This cut extends through the front casing 7 completely such that it is not connected to the right casing 4.

[0142] Next, and as shown in Figures 6 to 8, the processor instructs the stepper motors 211 to simultaneously rotate the peeling arms 204 away from the module 1. This causes the casing pins 202 to rotate away from the module 1 and as they are attached to the left and right casings 4, 5. This rotation causes peeling of the casings 4, 5 away from the module 1 from the front apertures 57, 47 to the rear apertures 56, 46. This is because the force is concentrated at the furthest point from the centre of rotation where the casings 4, 5 are still attached to the module 1. Thus, as the peeling arms 204 rotate, the concentration of force progressively moves along the side edges of the module 1 and the casings 4, 5 as they separate. This is shown best in Figures 6 to 8, and the peeling action is of course exaggerated in Figure 7 and where the casing is made of steel, it will typically be peeled off without significant bending and in the first few degrees of rotation of the peeling arms 204.

[0143] In other embodiments, the two tools 200a, 200b could operate sequentially rather than simultaneously however this is not preferred as the control software required is more complex given one tool will need to wait for the other to complete their rotation operation.

[0144] In this embodiment, the front casing 7 is not otherwise attached to the module 1 and so is also removed by the left tool 200a as it is still connected to the left casing 5. Where it is attached in other embodiments, a second cut could be made to separate the left casing 5 from the front casing 7 and allow the left casing 5 to be removed without the front casing 7.

[0145] Once the peeling arms 204 have completed rotation, the cells of the module 1 can be more easily accessed for further processing or recycling. In this embodiment, the casing is not completely removed from the module 1 as it still remains attached adjacent to the rear-left and rear-right apertures 56, 46. Thus, the rotation process can be reversed to re-attach the casings 5, 4 to the left and right sides of the module 1 respectively. Adhesive can be applied to the cut made in the casing by the cutting device as mentioned above to re-seal the module 1. The one or more embodiments are described above by way of example only.

[0146] Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A tool for removal of a casing from a body, the casing comprising a first end and a second end, and the casing being attached to the body between the first and second ends, the tool comprising a casing attachment configured to attach to the first end of the casing and a body attachment configured to attach to the body, wherein the tool comprises a retainer configured to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body such that when the casing attachment and body are moved apart, the casing is peeled away from the body from the first end to the second end.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the body is an electric battery module comprising a plurality of electric battery cells.

3. The tool of claim 1 or 2 wherein the retainer engages or attaches to the casing attachment to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body.

4. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the retainer is a circumferential retainer configured to cause the casing attachment to move circumferentially about a centre of rotation near to the second end such that the casing is peeled off the body from the first end to the second end.

5. The tool of claim 4 wherein the centre of rotation is at the second end.

6. The tool of claim 4 or 5 wherein the circumferential retainer comprises a peeling arm rotationally mounted to the tool at the centre of rotation, wherein the casing attachment is mounted to the peeling arm and the peeling arm is configured to rotate to allow the casing attachment to move away from the body.

7. The tool of claim 6 wherein the casing attachment is mountable at different positions along the peeling arm.

8. The tool of any of claims 4 to 7 wherein the circumferential retainer comprises an arm retainer separated from the centre of rotation, the arm retainer being engageable with the peeling arm to support the peeling arm as it rotates.

9. The tool of claim 8 wherein the casing attachment is mountable to the peeling arm between the centre of rotation and arm retainer.

10. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the retainer comprises a retaining slot engageable with a retaining pin to restrict movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body.

11. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the tool comprises a prime mover comprising a drive axle, the prime mover being configured to apply a torque to turn the drive axle, wherein the tool is arranged such that rotation of the drive axle causes movement of the casing attachment with respect to the body.

12. The tool of claim 11 comprising a computer processor connected to the prime mover, the computer processor operable to control the prime mover to cause it to apply a force to the drive axle and peel the casing off the body.

13. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the casing is relatively flexible compared to the body.

14. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the body comprises mounting apertures defining the first and / or second ends of the casing and the casing attachment and / or body attachment comprise pins receivable in respective mounting apertures.

15. The tool of any preceding claim wherein the tool comprises a stop configured to prevent complete removal of the casing from the body.

16. The tool of claim 15 wherein the casing is attached to the body at the second end and the stop allows removal of all but the second end of the casing from the body.

17. An apparatus for the removal of a casing from a body comprising a support structure and the tool of any preceding claim mounted to the support structure.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 comprising two tools according to any preceding claim mounted in opposing directions on the support structure and with a separation distance such that one of the two tools may attach to a side ofthe body, and the other of the two tools may simultaneously attach to an opposite side of the body.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the support structure comprises an adjustable tool mount, at least one of the two tools being mounted to the adjustable tool mount, the adjustable tool mount being configured to allow the separation distance of the two tools to be varied.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the adjustable tool mount comprises one or more rails and one, or both, of the two tools are mountable at different positions along the rails.

21. An apparatus according to any of claims 17 to 20 wherein the apparatus is configured such that the two tools peel the casing from two sides of the body simultaneously.

22. An apparatus according to any of claims 17 to 21 further comprising a cutting device configured to cut through a part of the body and define the first end of the casing.

23. A method of removing a casing from a body by peeling the casing from the body using the tool of any of claims 1 to 16 or the apparatus of any of claims 17 to 22, the method comprising attaching the casing attachment to the first end of the casing and the body attachment to the body, and then applying a force to move the casing attachment away from the body as permitted by the retainer and peel the casing from the body.

Images