Code engraving apparatus, code engraving method, and method for code engraving error prevention

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a code engraving apparatus, a code engraving method, and a method for code engraving error prevention. The code engraving apparatus comprises a feeding mechanism, which comprises at least two feeding fixtures and at least two linear guide rails that extend in a first direction and are arranged in parallel in a second direction, each feeding fixture being capable of linearly reciprocating between a first position and a second position along respective linear guide rails, and the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; a code engraving mechanism, which is located between the first position and the second position in the first direction, the at least two feeding fixtures that are loaded with workpieces to be code-engraved being capable of alternatingly passing through a code engraving area of the code engraving mechanism; a code scanning mechanism, which is located on a downstream side of the code engraving mechanism in the first direction and is used for scanning a code on a code-engraved workpiece on a feeding fixture that has moved into a code scanning area of the code scanning mechanism; and a material picking mechanism, which is used for picking up a scanned workpiece on a feeding fixture. The code engraving mechanism and the code scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism in the second direction.

Description

Coding device, coding method and coding fool-proof method

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This disclosure is based on Chinese patent application number 202410330686.4, application date March 22, 2024, and invention name “Code Engraving Device, Code Engraving Method and Code Engraving Anti-Funk Method”, and claims the priority of the Chinese patent application. The entire content of the Chinese patent application is hereby incorporated into the present disclosure as a reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a coding device, a coding method, and a coding fool-proof method. Background Art

[0004] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in life and industry. For example, new energy vehicles equipped with batteries have been widely used. In addition, batteries are also being increasingly used in energy storage fields.

[0005] During the battery manufacturing process, for traceability and management, each battery cell (cell) must be coded on its top cover and other components, ensuring that each cell has a scannable mark. After the coding is completed, verification is required. Efficiently implementing these steps using equipment is a research topic in the industry.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a coding device, coding method and coding fool-proof method with high operating efficiency, which can cyclically perform the steps of clamping, coding, scanning and sending out the workpiece, which is convenient, fast, time-saving and labor-saving.

[0008] The present disclosure is achieved through the following technical solutions.

[0009] In the first aspect, the present disclosure provides a coding device, comprising: a feeding mechanism, comprising at least two feeding fixtures and at least two linear guide rails extending along a first direction and arranged in parallel along a second direction, each feeding fixture being capable of performing linear reciprocating movement between a first position and a second position along its respective linear guide rail, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; a coding mechanism, located between the first position and the second position along the first direction, for coding the workpiece to be coded on the feeding fixture moved into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism, and at least two feeding fixtures carrying the workpiece to be coded can alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism; a code scanning mechanism, located on the downstream side of the code engraving mechanism along the first direction, for scanning the coded workpiece on the feeding fixture moved into the coding area of ​​the coding scanning mechanism; a material picking mechanism, for picking up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture; wherein the code engraving mechanism and the code scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along the second direction.

[0010] In the disclosed embodiment, since each feeding fixture moves along its own linear guide rail, the feeding fixtures are independent of each other and can be moved separately to achieve alternating coding of the workpieces clamped by each feeding fixture, which helps to realize the automatic cycle of a series of actions such as feeding, coding, scanning, and picking up materials, and also helps to improve the rhythm of the production line. Since there are at least two feeding fixtures, and the feeding fixtures alternately pass through the coding mechanism, at the same time, different operations can be performed on at least two workpieces and only one workpiece can be coded. In particular, at least two workpieces to be coded are alternately coded, which can not only suppress the risk of repeated coding on different workpieces, but also improve work efficiency. In addition, when one of the feeding fixtures is damaged or repaired, the complete operation can still be achieved through the other feeding fixtures, which helps to reduce the impact of downtime caused by damage or repair of the feeding fixture on production rhythm, production efficiency, etc. Since a picking mechanism is provided that can pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture, and the feeding fixture can move back and forth, the feeding fixture can be emptied by the picking mechanism so that a new workpiece to be engraved can be placed, thereby realizing automatic cycle operation. Since the feeding mechanism, the engraving mechanism, and the scanning mechanism are concentratedly arranged between the first position and the second position, it helps to simplify and shorten the conveying route and also helps to reduce the footprint of the device. Since the scanning mechanism and the engraving mechanism are arranged on the same side along the second direction, the feeding fixture can clamp the workpiece and make the surface to be engraved on the workpiece face the engraving mechanism. When the workpiece is engraved and moved to the scanning mechanism, the surface of the workpiece engraved with the code also faces the scanning mechanism, and there is no need to flip the workpiece, which helps to simplify the structure and operation steps of the feeding fixture.

[0011] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism further includes at least two clamp driving members for respectively driving the respective feeding clamps to move along the linear guide rail.

[0012] Because the feeding mechanism also includes a fixture driver that drives the feeding fixture, the feeding fixture can be automatically moved by the fixture driver, which helps to automate the operation and reduce the labor burden. Because each fixture driver is provided with a one-to-one correspondence with each feeding fixture, it is convenient to control and debug the movement of each feeding fixture separately.

[0013] In some embodiments, each of the feeding fixtures includes a workpiece placement slot, and the position of the workpiece placement slot of each feeding fixture along the third direction is different, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively; the code scanning mechanism includes a code scanning bracket and at least two groups of code scanning guns arranged on the code scanning bracket, and each group of the code scanning guns has a different position along the third direction, and is used to scan the engraved workpieces in the workpiece placement slots at their corresponding positions respectively.

[0014] Because the feeding fixture includes a workpiece placement slot, the workpiece is stably positioned within the slot and maintains the desired orientation of the engraved mask. Since the workpiece placement slots are positioned differently in the third direction, each set of barcode scanners corresponds to a corresponding workpiece placement slot. Therefore, each set of barcode scanners can scan independently, enabling independent scanning of workpieces in each feeding fixture, thus accelerating production cycles. Workpieces with different scanning requirements can also be placed in different positions in the workpiece placement slots to meet scanning requirements. Furthermore, at least two engraved workpieces can be scanned simultaneously.

[0015] In some embodiments, each of the feeding fixtures further includes a fixture bracket and a clamping plate arranged on the fixture bracket, the fixture bracket is slidably connected to the respective linear guide rails, and the clamping plate is formed with the workpiece placement groove.

[0016] Since the clamping plate is formed with a workpiece placement groove, the workpiece can be clamped by the workpiece placement groove and thus stably fixed on the clamping plate. Since the clamping plate is arranged on the clamp bracket, and the clamp bracket is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, the workpiece can slide along the linear guide rail with the clamp bracket.

[0017] In some embodiments, each group of the barcode scanning guns includes a first barcode scanning gun and a second barcode scanning gun arranged along a first direction, for respectively scanning the first identification code on the engraved workpiece and the second identification code engraved by the engraving mechanism.

[0018] This allows the scanning of both the first and second identification codes simultaneously, simplifying the process compared to scanning the codes separately, saving time and helping to improve production efficiency. Furthermore, the first identification code can be used to identify the workpiece's identity, reducing the risk of workpiece errors; the second identification code can be scanned to verify that the correct identification code has been engraved.

[0019] In some embodiments, the coding device further includes: a waste bin, located along the second direction on a side of the coding scanning mechanism away from the feeding mechanism, for receiving unqualified workpieces picked up by the picking mechanism.

[0020] Since the coding device also includes a waste bin, unqualified workpieces that have been scanned can be collected in the waste bin for subsequent processing.

[0021] In some embodiments, the coding device further includes: a flipping mechanism, wherein along the second direction, the waste bin and the flipping mechanism are respectively located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism, and the flipping mechanism is used to receive the qualified workpiece scanned by the material picking mechanism and flip the qualified workpiece scanned.

[0022] Since the scrap bin and the flipping mechanism are located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism along the second direction, the workpieces that pass the code scan and those that fail the code scan can be sorted by controlling the pick-up mechanism to move the workpieces toward the scrap bin or the flipping mechanism after they are clamped. This also reduces interference between the movement paths of the two workpieces. Since the flipping mechanism is used to receive the workpieces that pass the code scan picked up by the pick-up mechanism, the engraved surface of the workpiece that passes the code scan can be flipped from the side facing the engraving mechanism along the second direction to another direction, facilitating subsequent picking, moving, and other steps.

[0023] In some embodiments, the flipping mechanism includes a flipping bracket, a flipping fixture rotatably arranged on the flipping bracket, and a flipping drive connected to the flipping fixture. The flipping fixture is used to fix the scanned qualified workpiece, and the flipping drive is used to drive the flipping fixture to rotate relative to the flipping bracket to flip the scanned qualified workpiece.

[0024] As a result, the workpiece that has passed the code scan can be fixed by the flip fixture and flipped with the flip fixture, preventing the workpiece from falling or shifting during the flipping process. The workpiece that has passed the code scan can be automatically flipped by the flip drive, which helps to realize the automation of the operation and reduce the labor burden.

[0025] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism is located on one side of the feeding mechanism along the first direction, and the picking mechanism includes a picking component capable of moving along the second direction and a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively, and the picking component is used to pick up the scanned workpiece, and transfer the unqualified scanned workpiece to the waste bin and transfer the qualified scanned workpiece to the flipping mechanism.

[0026] Because the retrieving mechanism includes a retrieving assembly that can move in the second direction, and the waste bin and the flipping mechanism are located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism along the second direction, the retrieving mechanism can transport scanned workpieces to the waste bin or the flipping mechanism, thereby sorting qualified and unqualified workpieces. Because the retrieving assembly can also move in the third direction, it can pull workpieces from the feeding fixture and insert them into the waste bin and flipping mechanism, achieving fully automated operation and reducing the labor burden.

[0027] In some embodiments, the material picking mechanism also includes a first material picking guide rail capable of extending along the second direction, a material picking bracket slidably connected to the first material picking guide rail, and a second material picking guide rail capable of extending along the third direction arranged on the material picking bracket. The material picking assembly includes a material picking drive and a material picking clamp arranged on the material picking drive. The material picking drive is slidably connected to the second material picking guide rail for driving the material picking clamp to clamp or release the workpiece.

[0028] Because the first retrieving rail extends in the second direction and the retrieving bracket is slidably connected to the first retrieving rail, the retrieving bracket can move in the second direction. Because the retrieving bracket is provided with a second retrieving rail extending in the third direction and the retrieving drive member is slidably connected to the second retrieving rail, the retrieving drive member can move in both the second and third directions. Because the retrieving jaws are provided on the retrieving drive member, the workpiece can be gripped and then moved in both the second and third directions to other mechanisms for placement.

[0029] In some embodiments, the coding device further includes: a unloading mechanism, which is located on the side of the flipping mechanism away from the feeding mechanism along the second direction, and the unloading mechanism includes an unloading component capable of moving along the second direction and a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively, and the unloading component is used to pick up the flipped workpiece and transfer the flipped workpiece to the next workstation.

[0030] Because the blanking assembly can move in the third direction, it can pull the workpiece off the flip mechanism, freeing up space in the flip mechanism to accommodate the next workpiece, facilitating continuous workpiece coding. Because the blanking assembly can move in the second direction, it is located on the side of the flip mechanism away from the feeding mechanism in the second direction. Therefore, the blanking assembly can send the picked-up workpiece away from the flip mechanism until it is delivered to the next workstation and then return to continue picking up, realizing a cyclic operation, improving work efficiency, facilitating continuous production, and saving time and effort.

[0031] In some embodiments, the unloading mechanism also includes a first unloading guide rail extending along the second direction, a unloading bracket slidably connected to the first unloading guide rail, and a second unloading guide rail extending along the third direction arranged on the unloading bracket. The unloading assembly includes an unloading drive and an unloading clamp arranged on the unloading drive. The unloading drive is slidably connected to the second unloading guide rail for driving the unloading clamp to clamp or release the flipped workpiece.

[0032] Because the first unloading guide rail extends in the second direction and the unloading bracket is slidably connected to the first unloading guide rail, the unloading bracket can move in the second direction. Because the unloading bracket is provided with a second unloading guide rail extending in the third direction and the unloading drive member is slidably connected to the second unloading guide rail, the unloading drive member can move in both the second and third directions. Because the unloading jaws are provided on the unloading drive member, the workpiece can be gripped and then moved in either the second or third direction to be placed at the next workstation.

[0033] In a second aspect, the present disclosure also provides a coding method, which is applied to the coding device as described above, including: a feeding step: a feeding fixture of the feeding mechanism carries the workpiece to be coded and moves linearly along a first direction from a first position to a second position; a coding step: when the feeding fixture carries the workpiece to be coded and moves along the first direction into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism, the coding operation is performed on the workpiece to be coded by the coding mechanism; a scanning step: when the feeding fixture carries the engraved workpiece and moves along the first direction into the coding area of ​​the scanning mechanism, the engraved workpiece is scanned by the scanning mechanism, wherein the engraving mechanism and the scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along the second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; a picking step: picking up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture by the picking mechanism; wherein, in the feeding step, at least two of the feeding fixtures carry their respective workpieces to be coded and alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism.

[0034] In this way, the workpiece to be coded is sequentially moved by the feed fixture to the coding area and the scanning area, completing the workpiece's coding and scanning. The scanned workpiece is then picked up by the pick-up mechanism, freeing up space in the feed fixture for a new workpiece to be coded, facilitating continuous production. This coding method is simple and time-saving. Because the coding mechanism can only engrave one identification code at a time, and each workpiece's code needs to be unique, the workpieces to be coded alternately pass through the coding areas, allowing the coding mechanism to engrave each workpiece individually, avoiding duplicate coding.

[0035] In some embodiments, the feeding step includes: each unloaded feeding fixture returns from the second position to the first position to load the material.

[0036] Thus, the material is loaded at the first position, the code is engraved and scanned during the movement to the second position, the workpiece is taken out at the second position, the unloaded feeding fixture is restored and returns to the first position, and the steps of loading, engraving and scanning the code during the movement, and taking out the workpiece are repeated again, thereby realizing continuous production and improving production efficiency.

[0037] In some embodiments, the material picking step includes: if the scanned workpiece is unqualified, the unqualified scanned workpiece picked up is transferred to the waste bin of the coding device through the material picking mechanism; if the scanned workpiece is qualified, the qualified scanned workpiece picked up is transferred to the flipping mechanism of the coding device through the material picking mechanism.

[0038] Therefore, the material picking mechanism can classify the workpieces that pass the code scanning and the workpieces that fail the code scanning, send the workpieces that pass the code scanning to the flipping mechanism, and send the workpieces that fail the code scanning to the waste bin for separate processing later.

[0039] In some embodiments, the coding method further includes: a blanking step: picking up the flipped workpiece on the flipping mechanism through a blanking mechanism of the coding device and transferring it to the next workstation.

[0040] As a result, the unloading mechanism picks up the workpiece that has been flipped to the position that meets the requirements of the next workstation, and the unloading mechanism itself does not need to flip the workpiece again. After the unloading mechanism picks up the workpiece, the flipping mechanism vacates the position that can accommodate the new workpiece, facilitating the continuity of production.

[0041] In the third aspect, the present disclosure also provides a coding fool-proofing method, comprising: receiving coding input information; judging whether the coding input information is sendable coding information, and if the coding input information is sendable coding information, sending coding output information to the coding mechanism; if the coding input information is non-sendable coding information, not sending coding output information to the coding mechanism and issuing an alarm, wherein the sendable coding information includes a first coding character, and the coding output information includes a second coding character converted from the first coding character, the first coding character and the second coding character are different from and correspond to each other; the coding mechanism performs a coding operation on the workpiece according to the received coding output information.

[0042] By evaluating input information, only acceptable code information is sent to the engraving unit, reducing the likelihood of errors caused by manual input and minimizing losses. For unacceptable code information, an alarm is issued, prompting the operator to promptly correct the input and allow the engraving process to begin promptly. By converting the code into a second character corresponding to the first, the final engraved code maintains a uniform character format, facilitating later review and management.

[0043] In some embodiments, if the engraving input information is sendable engraving information, sending engraving output information to the engraving mechanism includes: if the engraving input information is the first engraving character, converting the first engraving character into the second engraving character corresponding to the first engraving character, and sending the second engraving character as the engraving output information to the engraving mechanism.

[0044] Thus, by determining that the engraving input information is the first engraving character, the engraving input information is confirmed as sendable engraving information, reducing the risk of incorrect engraving caused by the input person entering the first engraving character incorrectly. Moreover, by converting the engraving information into the second engraving character corresponding to the first engraving character, the character format of the final engraving is unified, making it easier to view and manage later.

[0045] In some embodiments, the first engraved characters include lowercase letters, and the second engraved characters include uppercase letters corresponding to the lowercase letters.

[0046] As a result, lowercase letters in the code input information can be converted into corresponding uppercase letters, so that only uppercase letters appear in the code output information. When inputting information, the input personnel only need to pay attention to whether the content is correct without paying attention to the form, which reduces the input burden of the input personnel.

[0047] In some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving workpiece coding information sent by the code scanning mechanism, determining whether the coding direction of the workpiece coding information is correct, and issuing an alarm if it is incorrect.

[0048] Therefore, the engraving direction of the engraved information is verified to avoid different engraving directions.

[0049] In some embodiments, the method further includes: recording the code output information sent each time, and using the recorded code output information each time as the unsendable code output information.

[0050] As a result, the engraving code of each workpiece is different, which facilitates subsequent traceability and management.

[0051] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present disclosure. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present disclosure, 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 disclosure more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present disclosure are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be considered as limiting the present disclosure. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same components. In the drawings:

[0053] FIG1 is a perspective schematic diagram of a code engraving device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG2 is a perspective schematic diagram of a coding device provided with two feeding fixtures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0055] FIG3 is a perspective schematic diagram of a code engraving device provided with a blanking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG4 is a perspective schematic diagram of FIG3 of the present disclosure from another perspective;

[0057] FIG5 is a side view of a feeding mechanism provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG6 is a front view of a coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0059] FIG7 is a side view of a coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0060] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a code engraving method provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0061] FIG9 is a schematic flow chart of an example of a feeding step provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0062] FIG10 is a schematic flow chart of an example of a material extraction step provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0063] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a process of a fool-proof code engraving method provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0064] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a fool-proof method for engraving characters provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0065] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a method for preventing workpiece coding direction errors provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0066] Explanation of the accompanying symbols: 10, feeding mechanism; 101, feeding fixture; 1011, fixture bracket; 1012, splint; 102, linear guide rail; 103, fixture drive; 11, coding mechanism; 12, code scanning mechanism; 121, code scanning bracket; 122, code scanning gun; 13, material picking mechanism; 131, material picking assembly; 132, first material picking guide rail; 133, material picking bracket; 134, second material picking guide rail; 14, waste bin; 141, bin shell; 142, pull-out box; 15, flipping mechanism; 151, flipping bracket; 152, flipping fixture; 16, unloading mechanism; 161, unloading assembly; 162, first unloading guide rail; 163, unloading bracket; 164, second unloading guide rail; X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present disclosure are 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 disclosure and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0068] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this disclosure; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used solely to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, "plurality" means more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0070] 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 disclosure. 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.

[0071] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0072] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", and "circumferential" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," 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; and can refer to internal connectivity between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0074] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact with essentially no interaction force between the two contacting parties, or contact with interaction force between the two contacting parties.

[0075] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail.

[0076] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in life and industry. For example, new energy vehicles equipped with batteries have been widely used. In addition, batteries are also being increasingly used in energy storage fields.

[0077] During the battery manufacturing process, for traceability and management, each battery cell (or battery cell) must be coded on its cover and other components, ensuring that each cell has a scannable mark. After the coding is completed, verification is required. How to implement these steps using a device is a research topic in the industry.

[0078] The present disclosure hopes to develop a coding device that can cyclically perform the steps of clamping, coding, scanning and sending out a workpiece, which is convenient, fast, time-saving and labor-saving.

[0079] Based on such a design concept, the inventors of the present disclosure designed a coding device, which includes: a feeding mechanism, including at least two feeding clamps and at least two linear guide rails extending along a first direction and arranged in parallel along a second direction, each feeding clamp can move back and forth in a straight line between a first position and a second position along its own linear guide rail, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; a coding mechanism, located between the first position and the second position along the first direction, for coding the workpiece to be coded on the feeding clamp moved into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism, and at least two feeding clamps carrying the workpiece to be coded can alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism; a scanning mechanism, located on the downstream side of the coding mechanism along the first direction, for scanning the coded workpiece on the feeding clamp moved into the coding area of ​​the scanning mechanism; a material picking mechanism, for picking up the scanned workpiece on the feeding clamp; wherein the coding mechanism and the scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along the second direction.

[0080] In the disclosed embodiment, since each feeding fixture moves along its own linear guide rail, the feeding fixtures are independent of each other and can be moved separately to achieve alternating coding of the workpieces clamped by each feeding fixture, which helps to realize the automatic cycle of a series of actions such as feeding, coding, scanning, and picking up materials, and also helps to improve the rhythm of the production line. Since there are at least two feeding fixtures, and the feeding fixtures alternately pass through the coding mechanism, at the same time, different operations can be performed on at least two workpieces and only one workpiece can be coded. In particular, at least two workpieces to be coded are alternately coded, which can not only suppress the risk of repeated coding on different workpieces, but also improve work efficiency. In addition, when one of the feeding fixtures is damaged or repaired, the complete operation can still be achieved through the other feeding fixtures, which helps to reduce the impact of downtime caused by damage or repair of the feeding fixture on production rhythm, production efficiency, etc. Since a picking mechanism is provided that can pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture, and the feeding fixture can move back and forth, the feeding fixture can be emptied by the picking mechanism so that a new workpiece to be engraved can be placed, thereby realizing automatic cycle operation. Since the feeding mechanism, the engraving mechanism, and the scanning mechanism are concentratedly arranged between the first position and the second position, it helps to simplify and shorten the conveying route and also helps to reduce the footprint of the device. Since the scanning mechanism and the engraving mechanism are arranged on the same side along the second direction, the feeding fixture can clamp the workpiece and make the surface to be engraved on the workpiece face the engraving mechanism. When the workpiece is engraved and moved to the scanning mechanism, the surface of the workpiece engraved with the code also faces the scanning mechanism, and there is no need to flip the workpiece, which helps to simplify the structure and operation steps of the feeding fixture.

[0081] The workpiece can be the top cover of a battery cell (battery cell) or the outer shell structure of a battery or battery cell (battery cell). Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that the coding device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure is not only used for coding the battery manufacturing process, but can also be used for coding other workpieces that require coding.

[0082] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a battery may include one or more battery cell assemblies for providing voltage and capacity. A battery cell assembly may include multiple battery cells, which are connected in series, parallel, or hybrid via a busbar.

[0083] In some embodiments, a battery cell assembly is generally formed by arranging a plurality of battery cells.

[0084] As an example, the battery cell assembly may be a battery module, which is formed by arranging and fixing multiple battery cells to form an independent module. As an example, the battery module may be formed by bundling multiple battery cells with a cable tie.

[0085] In some embodiments, the battery may be a battery pack, which includes a case and one or more battery cell assemblies, wherein the battery cell assemblies are housed in the case.

[0086] As an example, the battery cell assembly may be a battery module, and the battery cell assembly may be accommodated in the box by fixing the battery module in the box.

[0087] As an example, the battery cell assembly may also be housed in the box by directly fixing the plurality of battery cells to the box.

[0088] As an example, the housing may include a first housing and a second housing. The first housing and the second housing engage to form an enclosed space within the housing to house the battery cell assembly. Enclosed here means covered or closed, and can be either sealed or unsealed. The first housing may be a top cover or a bottom plate.

[0089] As an example, the box may include a top cover, a frame, and a bottom plate, wherein the top cover and the bottom plate are respectively connected to the frame to form a closed space inside the box to accommodate the battery cell assembly.

[0090] In some embodiments, the box body can be used as a part of the chassis structure of the vehicle. For example, part of the box body can become at least a part of the floor of the vehicle, or part of the box body can become at least a part of the cross beam and longitudinal beam of the vehicle.

[0091] The batteries involved in the embodiments of the present application are suitable for various electrical devices that use battery cells, such as mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, electric vehicles, electric toys, electric tools, vehicles, ships and spacecraft, etc. For example, spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles and spacecraft, etc.

[0092] In the embodiments of the present application, the battery cells may be secondary batteries, which are batteries that can be recharged to activate the active materials after discharge and continue to be used. The battery cells may be lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries, sodium metal batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, lead-acid batteries, etc., and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0093] In some embodiments, a battery cell may include a housing. The housing is used to encapsulate components such as the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The housing may be a steel housing, an aluminum housing, a plastic housing (e.g., polypropylene), a composite metal housing (e.g., a copper-aluminum composite housing), or an aluminum-plastic film.

[0094] As an example, the battery cell can be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a soft-pack battery cell or a battery cell of other shapes. The prismatic battery cell includes a square-shell battery cell, a blade-shaped battery cell, a polygonal battery, such as a hexagonal battery, etc. There is no special limitation in the present disclosure.

[0095] In some embodiments, the housing includes a top cover and a shell. The shell has an opening, and the top cover closes the opening to form a sealed space for accommodating materials such as the electrode assembly and electrolyte. The shell may have one or more openings. One or more top covers may also be provided.

[0096] The following is a description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0097] Figure 1 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of a coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of a coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure and provided with two feeding clamps; Figure 3 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of a coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure and provided with a feeding mechanism; Figure 4 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of Figure 3 of the present disclosure from another perspective; Figure 5 is a side view of the feeding mechanism provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 6 is a front view of the coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; and Figure 7 is a side view of the coding device provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0098] In the first aspect, as shown in FIG1 , the present disclosure provides a coding device, comprising: a feeding mechanism 10, comprising at least two feeding fixtures 101 and at least two linear guide rails 102 extending along a first direction X and arranged in parallel along a second direction Y, each feeding fixture 101 can move back and forth linearly between a first position and a second position along its respective linear guide rail 102, wherein the first direction X Perpendicular to the second direction Y; the coding mechanism 11 is located between the first position and the second position along the first direction X, and is used to code the workpiece to be engraved on the feeding fixture 101 moved into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism 11, and at least two feeding fixtures 101 carrying the workpiece to be engraved can alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism 11; the code scanning mechanism 12 is located on the downstream side of the coding mechanism 11 along the first direction X, and is used to scan the engraved workpiece on the feeding fixture 101 moved into the coding area of ​​the coding scanning mechanism 12; the material picking mechanism 13 is used to pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture 101, wherein the coding mechanism 11 and the code scanning mechanism 12 are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y.

[0099] The coding device includes: a feeding mechanism 10, a coding mechanism 11, a coding scanning mechanism 12 and a picking mechanism 13. The feeding mechanism 10 extends along the first direction X, and the picking mechanism 13 is located at one end of the feeding mechanism 10 in the first direction X. The end of the feeding mechanism 10 close to the picking mechanism 13 is regarded as the second position, and the end of the feeding mechanism 10 away from the picking mechanism 13 is regarded as the first position. From the first position to the second position, the coding mechanism 11 and the coding scanning mechanism 12 are arranged in sequence, that is, the coding mechanism 11 is located on the upstream side of the coding scanning mechanism 12, and the coding scanning mechanism 12 is located on the downstream side of the coding mechanism 11. The area where the coding mechanism 11 can engrave codes is the coding area, and the area where the coding scanning mechanism 12 can scan codes is the coding scanning area. Along the first direction X, they are the first position, the coding area, the coding scanning area and the second position in sequence. Among them, in the first direction X, the direction of the first position relative to the second position is the upstream side, and the direction of the second position relative to the first position is the downstream side.

[0100] The feeding mechanism 10 can clamp or release the workpiece and drive the workpiece to move along the first direction X. Specifically, the feeding mechanism 10 includes a feeding fixture 101, which can clamp the workpiece and drive the workpiece from a first position through a code engraving area and a code scanning area, and finally to a second position; and can also drive the workpiece from the second position through a code scanning area and a code engraving area, and then return to the first position.

[0101] The coding mechanism 11 can engrave a code on the workpiece to be coded in the coding area, and the coding mechanism 11 can engrave one identification code each time. When the feeding fixture 101 moves the workpiece to be coded to the coding area, the coding mechanism 11 can engrave the identification code on the workpiece.

[0102] The code scanning mechanism 12 can scan and identify the identification code on the workpiece, and each code scanning mechanism 12 can scan and identify one identification code at a time. When the feeding fixture 101 moves with the engraved workpiece to the code scanning area, the code scanning mechanism 12 can scan and identify the identification code engraved by the code engraving mechanism 11.

[0103] The pick-up mechanism 13 can grip or release a workpiece. The pick-up mechanism 13 can pick up a scanned workpiece from the feeding fixture 101 in the second position, freeing up space on the feeding fixture 101 to grip a new workpiece. Furthermore, the scanned workpiece on the pick-up mechanism 13 can be removed, allowing the pick-up mechanism 13 to continue gripping a new scanned workpiece.

[0104] In actual use, the feeding fixture 101 of the feeding mechanism 10 clamps the workpiece to be coded at the first position and drives the workpiece to be coded to the coding area. The coding mechanism 11 codes the workpiece. After the coding is completed, the feeding fixture 101 drives the coded workpiece to the scanning area. The scanning mechanism 12 scans the workpiece. After the scanning is completed, the feeding fixture 101 drives the scanned workpiece to the second position, and the picking mechanism 13 picks up the scanned workpiece. The unloaded feeding fixture 101 returns to the first position from the second position through the scanning area and the coding area, clamps the workpiece to be coded at the first position, and repeats the above steps.

[0105] At least two feeding fixtures 101 are provided. Each feeding fixture 101 is separated from each other by a distance when moving, so that no more than one feeding fixture 101 enters the coding area for coding at a time. Each feeding fixture 101 passes through the coding area once when moving from the first position to the second position, and passes through the coding area again when returning from the second position to the first position. When the workpiece on any feeding fixture 101 is being coded in the coding area, only the feeding fixture 101 that is being coded can exist in the coding area; when the coding mechanism 11 is not engraving, multiple feeding fixtures 101 can exist in the coding area. In order to simplify the operation steps and improve the operation efficiency, the feeding fixtures 101 can be separated from each other by a certain distance and moved according to the same movement pattern, so that the feeding fixtures 101 pass through the coding mechanism 11 alternately.

[0106] Optionally, multiple feeding fixtures 101 are arranged along the first direction X. The feeding fixture 101 located upstream can start moving first. After moving a certain distance, the next feeding fixture 101 located downstream of the feeding fixture 101 starts moving. Each feeding fixture 101 moves at intervals in the first direction X. When the last feeding fixture 101 located downstream reaches the second position, all feeding fixtures 101 return to the first position. Alternatively, multiple feeding fixtures 101 can be arranged at intervals along the first direction X at the first position, then moved downstream together. After all feeding fixtures 101 reach the second position, they return to the first position together.

[0107] Alternatively, multiple feeding fixtures 101 are arranged along a second direction Y. The multiple feeding fixtures 101 start moving from the first position at different time points. The feeding fixture 101 that reaches the second position first returns to the first position, then clamps a new workpiece at the first position before moving to the second position, and the cycle repeats. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0108] Thus, at the same time, different operations can be performed on at least two workpieces while only one workpiece is being coded. In particular, the coding of at least two workpieces to be coded can be performed alternately, which can not only reduce the risk of repeated coding on different workpieces, but also improve work efficiency. In addition, when one feeding fixture 101 is damaged or repaired, the remaining feeding fixture 101 can still complete the operation, which helps to reduce the impact of downtime caused by damage or repair of the feeding fixture 101 on production cycle time and production efficiency.

[0109] The feeding mechanism 10 includes at least two linear guides 102. The multiple linear guides 102 are arranged in parallel along a second direction Y, and each linear guide 102 extends along a first direction X. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. The end of the linear guide 102 away from the retrieving mechanism 13 is the first position, which is the initial position of the feeding fixture 101. The workpiece is secured to the feeding fixture 101 in the first position. The end of the linear guide 102 closer to the retrieving mechanism 13 is the second position, where the scanned workpiece is removed from the feeding fixture 101 in the second position.

[0110] Optionally, the number of linear guide rails 102 is the same as the number of feeding fixtures 101. A feeding fixture 101 is disposed on each linear guide rail 102, and the feeding fixture 101 is freely movable on the linear guide rail 102. Similarly, the number of linear guide rails 102 is less than the number of feeding fixtures 101. At least two feeding fixtures 101 are disposed on at least one linear guide rail 102, and each feeding fixture 101 is spaced apart and movable in the first direction X. This disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the number of linear guide rails 102.

[0111] Optionally, each feeding fixture 101 has different positions in the second direction Y and the third direction Z. At least two feeding fixtures 101 can be moved simultaneously into the code engraving area or the code scanning area, with each feeding fixture 101 corresponding to a different code engraving mechanism 11 or code scanning mechanism 12, so that at least two workpieces can be coded or scanned simultaneously and independently. Alternatively, each feeding fixture 101 can be separated from each other by a distance during movement, so that no more than one feeding fixture 101 enters the code engraving area or the code scanning area at a time, so that the workpieces can be coded or scanned independently and alternately.

[0112] Since each feeding fixture 101 moves along its own linear guide rail 102, the feeding fixtures 101 are independent of each other and can move separately to achieve alternating coding of the workpieces clamped by each feeding fixture 101, which helps to realize the automatic cycle of a series of actions such as feeding, coding, scanning, and picking up materials, and also helps to improve the rhythm of the production line.

[0113] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 , the feeding mechanism 10 further includes at least two fixture driving members 103 for respectively driving the respective feeding fixtures 101 to move along the linear guide rail 102 .

[0114] The feeding mechanism 10 also includes a fixture driver 103, of which at least two are provided. Optionally, each fixture driver 103 corresponds to each feeding fixture 101, with each fixture driver 103 connected to a feeding fixture 101 to drive the feeding fixture 101 to move along the first direction X. Similarly, one fixture driver 103 can be connected to at least two feeding fixtures 101, causing the connected feeding fixtures 101 to move synchronously. Each feeding fixture 101 is separated from each other by a certain distance in the first direction X, such that when a workpiece is being coded, only one feeding fixture 101 is present within the coding area.

[0115] The clamp driver 103 may be a cylinder, the cylinder barrel of which is disposed at one end of the linear guide 102, and an end cap capable of moving along the first direction X is connected to the feeding clamp 101, thereby pushing and pulling the feeding clamp 101 along the first direction X. The clamp driver 103 may also be a structure in which a rolling screw and a motor are combined, wherein a screw having a threaded surface extends along the first direction X, the output shaft of the motor is connected to the screw, a ball nut is sleeved on the screw, and the feeding clamp 101 is connected to the ball nut. The motor drives the screw to rotate, and the ball nut drives the feeding clamp 101 to move along the first direction X. The clamp driver 103 may also be a structure in which a rack and a motor are combined. The clamp driver 103 may be any form or component that satisfies the reciprocating movement of the feeding clamp 101 along the first direction X. The present disclosure does not impose any special limitation on the specific form of the clamp driver 103.

[0116] Since the feeding mechanism 10 also includes a fixture driver 103 for driving the feeding fixture 101, the feeding fixture 101 can be automatically moved under the action of the fixture driver 103, which helps to realize the automation of the operation and reduce the labor burden. Since each fixture driver 103 is respectively provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each feeding fixture 101, it is convenient to control and debug the movement of each feeding fixture 101 separately.

[0117] As the workpiece moves along with the feed fixture 101, it first passes through the engraving area of ​​the engraving mechanism 11 and then the scanning area of ​​the scanning mechanism 12. In the engraving area, the surface of the workpiece to be engraved faces the engraving mechanism 11, which then engraves the workpiece. After engraving is complete, the engraved workpiece is conveyed to the scanning area. In the scanning area, the engraved surface of the workpiece faces the scanning mechanism 12, which then scans the workpiece.

[0118] Specifically, the engraving mechanism 11 includes a code engraver. The code engraver's transmitting end must be oriented toward the workpiece surface to be coded. The code scanning mechanism 12 includes a code scanning gun 122. The transmitting end of the code scanning gun 122 must be oriented toward the workpiece surface to scan the code. To simplify the operation, the transmitting end of the code scanning gun 122 and the transmitting end of the code engraver can be oriented in the same direction, allowing for both code engraving and scanning without flipping the workpiece.

[0119] Optionally, the code engraving mechanism 11 and the code scanning mechanism 12 are arranged on the same side of the feeding mechanism 10 in the second direction Y, and the code scanning gun 122 and the code engraving device can be located on the same side of the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y, or on the same side of the feeding mechanism 10 along the third direction Z. Similarly, the code engraving mechanism 11 and the code scanning mechanism 12 are respectively arranged on both sides of the feeding mechanism 10 in the second direction Y, and the code scanning gun 122 and the code engraving device are located on the same side of the feeding mechanism 10 along the third direction Z.

[0120] Among them, the feeding mechanism 10, the code engraving mechanism 11, the code scanning mechanism 12 and the material taking mechanism 13 are all fixed on the ground, the first direction X and the second direction Y are perpendicular to each other and parallel to the ground, and the third direction Z is perpendicular to the ground.

[0121] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, since each feeding fixture 101 moves along its own linear guide rail 102, the feeding fixtures 101 are independent of each other and can be moved separately to achieve alternating coding of the workpieces clamped by each feeding fixture 101, which helps to realize the automatic cycle of a series of actions such as feeding, coding, scanning, and picking up materials, and also helps to improve the rhythm of the production line. Since there are at least two feeding fixtures 101, and the feeding fixtures 101 alternately pass through the coding mechanism 11, at the same time, different operations can be performed on at least two workpieces and only one workpiece can be coded. In particular, at least two workpieces to be coded are coded alternately, which can not only suppress the risk of repeated coding on different workpieces, but also improve work efficiency. In addition, when one of the feeding fixtures 101 is damaged or repaired, the complete operation can still be achieved through the other feeding fixtures 101, which helps to reduce the impact of downtime caused by damage or repair of the feeding fixture 101 on production rhythm, production efficiency, etc. Since a picking mechanism 13 is provided that can pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture 101, and the feeding fixture 101 can move back and forth, the feeding fixture 101 can be emptied by the picking mechanism 13 so that a new workpiece to be engraved can be placed, thereby realizing automatic cyclic operation. Since the feeding mechanism 10, the engraving mechanism 11 and the scanning mechanism 12 are concentratedly arranged between the first position and the second position, it helps to simplify and shorten the conveying route, and also helps to reduce the floor space of the device. Since the scanning mechanism 12 and the engraving mechanism 11 are arranged on the same side along the second direction Y, the feeding fixture 101 can clamp the workpiece and make the surface to be engraved on the workpiece face the engraving mechanism 11. When the workpiece is engraved and moved to the scanning mechanism 12, the surface of the workpiece engraved with the code also faces the scanning mechanism 12, and there is no need to flip the workpiece, which helps to simplify the structure and operation steps of the feeding fixture 101.

[0122] In some embodiments, each feeding fixture 101 includes a workpiece placement slot, and the position of the workpiece placement slot of each feeding fixture 101 along the third direction Z is different, and the third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y respectively; the code scanning mechanism 12 includes a code scanning bracket 121 and at least two groups of code scanning guns 122 arranged on the code scanning bracket 121, and each group of code scanning guns 122 has a different position along the third direction Z, and is used to scan the engraved workpieces in the workpiece placement slots at their corresponding positions respectively.

[0123] The feeding fixture 101 includes a workpiece placement slot. The workpiece placement slot includes two first surfaces spaced apart from each other along a first direction X, thereby confining the workpiece between the two first surfaces. Optionally, the two first surfaces are configured to move toward or away from each other, thereby clamping or releasing the workpiece.

[0124] Furthermore, the workpiece placement slot further includes a second surface for supporting the workpiece. The first surface is spaced apart from the second surface along the first direction X. Optionally, the workpiece placement slot further includes a third surface, perpendicular to the first and second surfaces, for limiting the position of the workpiece in the second direction Y.

[0125] Each workpiece placement slot has a different position along the third direction Z, that is, the workpiece placement slot is located at different heights relative to the ground. The workpiece placement slots are arranged at different heights within the coding area so that workpieces in all workpiece placement slots can be coded when passing through the coding area.

[0126] The barcode scanning mechanism 12 includes a barcode scanning bracket 121 and a barcode scanning gun 122. The barcode scanning bracket 121 is used to support and fix the barcode scanning gun 122, with the firing end of the barcode scanning gun 122 facing the feeding mechanism 10. At least two groups of barcode scanning guns 122 are provided, and the height of each group of barcode scanning guns 122 corresponds to the height of a workpiece placement slot.

[0127] Since the feeding fixture 101 includes a workpiece placement slot, the workpiece can be stably limited in the slot and the engraved surface can be kept in a desired orientation. Since the positions of the workpiece placement slots in the third direction Z are different, each group of barcode scanning guns 122 corresponds one-to-one to each workpiece placement slot. Therefore, each group of barcode scanning guns 122 can scan the code relatively independently, so that the workpieces in each feeding fixture 101 can be scanned without interfering with each other, which is conducive to speeding up the production rhythm. Workpieces with different scanning requirements can also be placed in workpiece placement slots at different positions to meet the scanning requirements. In addition, at least two coded workpieces can be scanned at the same time. In some embodiments, each feeding fixture 101 also includes a fixture bracket 1011 and a splint 1012 arranged on the fixture bracket 1011. The fixture bracket 1011 is slidably connected to its respective linear guide rails 102, and the splint 1012 is formed with a workpiece placement slot.

[0128] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , each feeding fixture 101 further includes a fixture bracket 1011 and a clamping plate 1012 disposed on the fixture bracket 1011 . The fixture bracket 1011 is slidably connected to its respective linear guide rail 102 , and the clamping plate 1012 is formed with a workpiece placement groove.

[0129] The feeding fixture 101 also includes a fixture bracket 1011 and a clamping plate 1012. One side of the fixture bracket 1011 in the third direction Z is connected to the clamping plate 1012, and the other side of the fixture bracket 1011 in the third direction Z is slidably connected to the linear guide rail 102. A workpiece placement groove is formed on the side of the clamping plate 1012 in the second direction Y close to the coding mechanism 11. The height of the fixture bracket 1011 of each feeding fixture 101 is different from each other, so that the position of the workpiece placement groove formed by each clamping plate 1012 in the third direction Z is different. Among them, the height of the fixture bracket 1011 refers to the length of the fixture bracket 1011 in the third direction Z.

[0130] Since the clamping plate 1012 is formed with a workpiece placement groove, the workpiece can be clamped by the workpiece placement groove and thus stably fixed on the clamping plate 1012. Since the clamping plate 1012 is provided on the clamp bracket 1011, and the clamp bracket 1011 is slidably connected to the linear guide rail 102, the workpiece can slide along the linear guide rail 102 with the clamp bracket 1011.

[0131] In some embodiments, each group of barcode scanners 122 includes a first barcode scanner and a second barcode scanner arranged along the first direction X, for respectively scanning the first identification code on the engraved workpiece and the second identification code engraved by the engraving mechanism 11 .

[0132] Optionally, each set of barcode scanners 122 includes a second barcode scanner, which is used to scan the second identification code engraved by the engraving mechanism 11. Furthermore, each set of barcode scanners 122 also includes a first barcode scanner, which is used to scan the first identification code. The first identification code is an identification code inherent to the workpiece, such as an incoming material code. The first identification code and the second identification code can be associated. After the engraved workpiece arrives at the scanning area, the first and second barcode scanners can respectively and simultaneously scan the first and second identification codes on the workpiece.

[0133] Workpieces from different manufacturers or production batches may have different locations on their first identification codes. First workpieces with the same first identification code location can be placed in the same workpiece placement slot each time. Within a set of barcode scanners 122 corresponding to the workpiece placement slot, the first and second barcode scanners are positioned to correspond to the first and second identification codes, respectively. Second workpieces from a different batch, with their first identification codes located in different locations, can be placed in a different workpiece placement slot each time. Within a set of barcode scanners 122 corresponding to the workpiece placement slot, the first and second barcode scanners are positioned to correspond to the first and second identification codes, respectively.

[0134] This allows the scanning of both the first and second identification codes simultaneously, simplifying the process compared to scanning the codes separately, saving time and helping to improve production efficiency. Furthermore, the first identification code can be used to identify the workpiece's identity, reducing the risk of workpiece errors; the second identification code can be scanned to verify that the correct identification code has been engraved.

[0135] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, 6 and 7, the coding device further includes: a waste bin 14, which is located on the side of the scanning mechanism 12 away from the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y, and is used to receive unqualified workpieces picked up by the picking mechanism 13.

[0136] The coding device also includes: a waste bin 14, which is arranged on the side of the code scanning mechanism 12 away from the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y. The waste bin 14 includes a bin shell 141 and a pull-out box 142, the bin shell 141 is constructed as a box body, and the pull-out box 142 is placed in the bin shell 141. An opening is provided on one side surface of the bin shell 141, and the pull-out box 142 can be pulled out of the bin shell 141 or pushed into the bin shell 141 through the opening. The pull-out box 142 is constructed as a box body with an opening on one side, and the opening faces the side of the third direction Z. The material picking mechanism 13 picks up the workpiece that fails the code scanning and places the workpiece into the box body through the opening of the box body. Optionally, a limiting member is constructed in the box body to limit the workpiece in the box body.

[0137] Since the coding device further includes a waste bin 14 , unqualified workpieces that have undergone coding scanning can be collected in the waste bin 14 for subsequent processing.

[0138] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6, the coding device further includes: a flipping mechanism 15. Along the second direction Y, the waste bin 14 and the flipping mechanism 15 are respectively located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism 10. The flipping mechanism 15 is used to receive the qualified workpiece scanned by the material picking mechanism 13 and flip the qualified workpiece scanned.

[0139] The coding device further includes: a flipping mechanism 15 , which is arranged on a side of the feeding mechanism 10 away from the code scanning mechanism 12 along the second direction Y, that is, the waste bin 14 and the flipping mechanism 15 are respectively located on both sides of the feeding mechanism 10 .

[0140] In actual use, on the feeding mechanism 10, the surface of the workpiece to be coded faces the side of the second direction Y closer to the coding mechanism 11. The picking mechanism 13 picks up the workpiece without changing its orientation and conveys it to the waste bin 14 or the flipping mechanism 15. After receiving the workpiece, the flipping mechanism 15 flips the workpiece to any orientation, such as the coded surface facing the side of the third direction Z or the side of the coded surface facing the side of the second direction Y away from the coding mechanism 11. The present disclosure does not impose any specific restrictions on the flipping angle of the workpiece by the flipping mechanism 15.

[0141] Since the scrap bin 14 and the flipping mechanism 15 are located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y, the classification of workpieces that pass the code scan and workpieces that fail the code scan can be achieved by controlling the picking mechanism 13 to move the workpiece toward the scrap bin 14 or the flipping mechanism 15 after the workpiece is clamped, and the interference between the movement paths of the workpieces that pass the code scan and the workpieces that fail the code scan can be reduced. Since the flipping mechanism 15 is used to receive the workpieces that pass the code scan picked up by the picking mechanism 13, the engraved surface of the workpiece that passes the code scan can be flipped from the side facing the engraving mechanism 11 along the second direction Y to other directions, so as to facilitate subsequent picking, moving, and other steps.

[0142] In some embodiments, the flipping mechanism 15 includes a flipping bracket 151, a flipping fixture 152 rotatably arranged on the flipping bracket 151, and a flipping drive connected to the flipping fixture 152. The flipping fixture 152 is used to fix the workpiece that has passed the code scanning, and the flipping drive is used to drive the flipping fixture 152 to rotate relative to the flipping bracket 151 to flip the workpiece that has passed the code scanning.

[0143] The flip mechanism 15 includes a flip bracket 151, a flip fixture 152, and a flip driver. The flip fixture 152 is provided on one side of the flip bracket 151 in the third direction Z. The flip fixture 152 can secure the workpiece. The flip fixture 152 can be constructed in the same structure as the feeding fixture 101.

[0144] Optionally, the flipping driver is a motor. The flipping fixture 152 is connected to the motor's output shaft, causing the motor to drive the flipping fixture 152 to flip. Similarly, the flipping driver is a cylinder. One side of the flipping fixture 152 is hinged to the flipping bracket 151. A cylinder is positioned between the flipping bracket 151 and the flipping fixture 152. The cylinder's movement causes the flipping fixture 152 to flip.

[0145] Thus, the workpiece that has passed the code scanning can be fixed by the flipping fixture 152 and flipped along with the flipping fixture 152, preventing the workpiece that has passed the code scanning from falling or shifting during the flipping process. The workpiece that has passed the code scanning can be automatically flipped under the action of the flipping drive, which helps to realize the automation of the operation and reduce the labor burden.

[0146] In some embodiments, the picking mechanism 13 is located on one side of the feeding mechanism 10 along the first direction X. The picking mechanism 13 includes a picking component 131 that can move along the second direction Y and the third direction Z. The third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y, respectively. The picking component 131 is used to pick up the scanned workpieces, transfer the unqualified scanned workpieces to the waste bin 14, and transfer the qualified scanned workpieces to the flipping mechanism 15.

[0147] Because the retrieving mechanism 13 includes a retrieving assembly 131 that can move along the second direction Y, and the waste bin 14 and the flipping mechanism 15 are located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y, the retrieving mechanism 13 can transport scanned workpieces to the waste bin 14 or the flipping mechanism 15, thereby achieving the classification of workpieces that pass the code scan and workpieces that fail the code scan. Because the retrieving assembly 131 can also move along the third direction Z, the retrieving assembly 131 can pull the workpiece out of the feeding fixture 101 and insert the workpiece into the waste bin 14 and the flipping mechanism 15, achieving fully automated operation and reducing the labor burden.

[0148] In some embodiments, the material picking mechanism 13 also includes a first material picking guide rail 132 capable of extending along the second direction Y, a material picking bracket 133 slidably connected to the first material picking guide rail 132, and a second material picking guide rail 134 capable of extending along the third direction Z arranged on the material picking bracket 133. The material picking assembly 131 includes a material picking drive and a material picking claw arranged on the material picking drive. The material picking drive is slidably connected to the second material picking guide rail 134 for driving the material picking claw to clamp or release the workpiece.

[0149] The retrieving mechanism 13 also includes a first retrieving rail 132, a retrieving bracket 133, and a second retrieving rail 134. The first retrieving rail 132 extends along the second direction Y, and the retrieving bracket 133 is slidably connected to the first retrieving rail 132, enabling the retrieving bracket 133 to move along the second direction Y. The retrieving bracket 133 extends along the third direction Z, and is provided with a second retrieving rail 134 extending along the third direction Z. The retrieving assembly 131 is slidably connected to the second retrieving rail 134, enabling the retrieving assembly 131 to move along the third direction Z.

[0150] The retrieving assembly 131 includes a retrieving drive and a retrieving jaw. The retrieving jaw is slidably connected to the second retrieving guide rail 134, enabling movement of the retrieving jaw along the third direction Z. At least two retrieving jaws are provided, and the two retrieving jaws can move toward or away from each other under the drive of the retrieving drive to achieve gripping or releasing of the workpiece. The retrieving drive can be a structure composed of a rolling screw and a motor, a rack and a motor, or a cylinder. The present disclosure does not impose any particular restrictions on the specific form of the retrieving drive.

[0151] Optionally, the picking assembly 131 includes a vacuum suction member capable of sucking or releasing the workpiece.

[0152] Because the first retrieving guide rail 132 extends along the second direction Y and the retrieving bracket 133 is slidably connected to the first retrieving guide rail 132, the retrieving bracket 133 is movable in the second direction Y. Because the retrieving bracket 133 is provided with a second retrieving guide rail 134 extending along the third direction Z, and the retrieving drive member is slidably connected to the second retrieving guide rail 134, the retrieving drive member is movable in both the second direction Y and the third direction Z. Because the retrieving jaws are provided on the retrieving drive member, a workpiece can be gripped and then moved along both the second direction Y and the third direction Z to other mechanisms for placement thereon.

[0153] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, the coding device further includes: a blanking mechanism 16, which is located on the side of the flipping mechanism 15 away from the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y. The blanking mechanism 16 includes a blanking component 161 that can move along the second direction Y and the third direction Z. The third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y, respectively. The blanking component 161 is used to pick up the flipped workpiece and transfer the flipped workpiece to the next workstation.

[0154] The coding device also includes a blanking mechanism 16. The blanking mechanism 16 is located on the side of the flipping mechanism 15 away from the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y, and extends along the second direction Y. The blanking mechanism 16 includes a blanking assembly 161, which is located on the side of the flipping mechanism 15 in the third direction Z. The blanking assembly 161 is movable in the third direction Z, allowing it to move closer to or further away from the flipping mechanism 15. The blanking assembly 161 is also movable in the second direction Y, allowing it to move the workpiece along the second direction Y to the next workstation. The next workstation can be a welding station.

[0155] Because the blanking assembly 161 can move along the third direction Z, it can pull the workpiece off the flipping mechanism 15, freeing up space in the flipping mechanism 15 to accommodate the next workpiece, facilitating continuous workpiece coding. Because the blanking assembly 161 can move along the second direction Y, it is located on the side of the flipping mechanism 15 away from the feeding mechanism 10 along the second direction Y. Therefore, the blanking assembly 161 can send the picked-up workpiece away from the flipping mechanism 15 until it is delivered to the next workstation and then return to continue picking up, thus achieving a cyclic operation, improving work efficiency, facilitating continuous production, and saving time and effort.

[0156] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 3, the unloading mechanism 16 also includes a first unloading guide rail 162 extending along the second direction Y, a unloading bracket 163 slidingly connected to the first unloading guide rail 162, and a second unloading guide rail 164 extending along the third direction Z arranged on the unloading bracket 163. The unloading assembly 161 includes an unloading drive and an unloading clamp arranged on the unloading drive. The unloading drive is slidingly connected to the second unloading guide rail 164 for driving the unloading clamp to clamp or release the flipped workpiece.

[0157] The blanking mechanism 16 further includes a first blanking rail 162, a blanking bracket 163, and a second blanking rail 164. The first blanking rail 162 extends in the second direction Y, and the blanking bracket 163 is slidably connected to the first blanking rail 162, enabling movement in the second direction Y. The blanking bracket 163 extends in the third direction Z, and is provided with a second blanking rail 164 extending in the third direction Z. The blanking assembly 161 is slidably connected to the second blanking rail 164, enabling movement in the third direction Z.

[0158] The blanking assembly 161 includes a blanking drive and a blanking clamp. The blanking clamp is slidably connected to the second blanking guide rail 164, so that the blanking clamp can move along the third direction Z. At least two blanking clamps are provided, and the two blanking clamps can move closer to or farther from each other under the drive of the blanking drive to achieve clamping or releasing of the workpiece. Furthermore, the blanking clamp can be constructed to be able to rotate around an axis parallel to the third direction Z. The blanking drive can be a structure in which a rolling screw and a motor are combined, or a structure in which a rack and a motor are combined, or a cylinder. The present disclosure does not impose any special restrictions on the specific form of the blanking drive.

[0159] Optionally, the blanking assembly 161 includes a vacuum suction member capable of sucking or releasing the workpiece.

[0160] Because the first unloading rail 162 extends in the second direction Y and the unloading bracket 163 is slidably connected to the first unloading rail 162, the unloading bracket 163 is movable in the second direction Y. Because the unloading bracket 163 is provided with a second unloading rail 164 extending in the third direction Z and the unloading drive is slidably connected to the second unloading rail 164, the unloading drive is movable in both the second direction Y and the third direction Z. Because the unloading jaws are provided on the unloading drive, the workpiece can be gripped and then moved in either the second direction Y or the third direction Z to be placed at the next workstation.

[0161] The following describes the method of using the code engraving device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0162] Figure 8 is a flow chart of a coding method provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 9 is a flow chart of an example of a feeding step provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 10 is a flow chart of an example of a material taking step provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0163] In a second aspect, as shown in FIG8 , the present disclosure further provides a code engraving method, which is applied to the code engraving device described above, comprising:

[0164] S1: feeding step: the feeding fixture of the feeding mechanism carries the workpiece to be coded and moves linearly along the first direction from the first position to the second position;

[0165] S2: Coding step: When the feeding fixture carries the workpiece to be coded and moves along the first direction into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism, the coding mechanism performs a coding operation on the workpiece to be coded;

[0166] S3: Scanning step: When the feeding fixture carries the coded workpiece and moves along the first direction into the scanning area of ​​the scanning mechanism, the coded workpiece is scanned by the scanning mechanism;

[0167] The code engraving mechanism and the code scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along the second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction;

[0168] S4: Picking step: Pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture through the picking mechanism;

[0169] In the feeding step S1 , at least two feeding fixtures carry their respective workpieces to be coded and alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism.

[0170] Optionally, the feeding fixture 101 does not move continuously while carrying the workpiece to be coded. The feeding fixture 101 may stay for a period of time when it reaches the coding area and continue to move after the coding is completed.

[0171] Also optionally, the feeding fixture 101 stays for a period of time when it reaches the code scanning area, and continues to move after the code scanning is completed.

[0172] After the feeding fixture 101 reaches the second position, it stays for a period of time to wait for the picking mechanism 13 to pick up the scanned workpiece.

[0173] When the feeding fixture 101 carries the workpiece to be engraved through the engraving area for engraving, there is only one feeding fixture 101 in the engraving area. After the feeding fixture 101 leaves the engraving area, the next feeding fixture 101 carries the workpiece to be engraved through the engraving area for engraving. Each time the workpiece to be engraved is engraved, there can only be one workpiece to be engraved in the engraving area.

[0174] Thus, the workpiece to be coded is moved to the coding area and the scanning area in sequence by the feeding fixture 101, completing the coding and scanning of the workpiece. The scanned workpiece is then picked up by the material picking mechanism 13, so that the feeding fixture 101 has a position that can accommodate a new workpiece to be coded, which is conducive to continuous production. The coding method has simple steps and saves time and effort. Since the coding mechanism 11 can only engrave one identification code at a time, and the code of each workpiece needs to be different, the workpiece to be coded passes through the coding area alternately, so that the coding mechanism 11 engraves the workpiece to be coded separately to avoid repeated coding.

[0175] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9 , the feeding step S1 includes:

[0176] S12: Each unloaded feeding fixture returns from the second position to the first position to load the material.

[0177] After the feeding fixture 101 reaches the second position, the material taking mechanism 13 takes away the scanned workpiece to make room for the feeding fixture 101. The empty feeding fixture 101 moves from the second position to the first position until it reaches the first position and stops, and then uses the feeding fixture 101 to clamp a new workpiece to be engraved.

[0178] After returning to an empty position, each feeding fixture 101 can return to the first position without stopping when returning through the code engraving area and the code scanning area. Optionally, the speed at which the feeding fixture 101 returns from the second position to the first position is greater than the speed at which the feeding fixture 101 moves from the first position to the second position.

[0179] Thus, the material is loaded at the first position, the code is engraved and scanned during the movement to the second position, the workpiece is taken out at the second position, and the unloaded feeding fixture 101 returns to the first position, and the steps of loading, engraving and scanning the code during the movement, and taking out the workpiece are repeated again, thereby realizing continuous production and improving production efficiency.

[0180] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10 , the material taking step S4 includes:

[0181] S41: If the scanned workpiece is unqualified, the unqualified scanned workpiece is picked up by the material picking mechanism and transferred to the waste bin of the coding device;

[0182] S42: If the scanned workpiece is qualified, the picked-up qualified scanned workpiece is transferred to the flipping mechanism of the coding device through the material picking mechanism.

[0183] If the scanned workpiece is unqualified, the picking mechanism 13 transfers the picked unqualified scanned workpiece to the waste bin 14 of the coding device. A sensor is provided in the waste bin 14, which can automatically issue a warning when the waste bin 14 is full.

[0184] If the scanned workpiece is qualified, the picked-up qualified scanned workpiece is transferred to the flipping mechanism 15 of the coding device through the material taking mechanism 13, and the flipping mechanism 15 flips the scanned workpiece.

[0185] Thus, the material picking mechanism 13 can classify the workpieces that pass the code scanning and the workpieces that fail the code scanning, send the workpieces that pass the code scanning to the flipping mechanism 15, and send the workpieces that fail the code scanning to the waste bin 14 for separate processing later.

[0186] In some embodiments, referring to FIG10 , the coding method further includes:

[0187] S5: Unloading step: The unloading mechanism of the coding device picks up the turned workpiece on the turning mechanism and transfers it to the next station.

[0188] The unloading assembly 161 of the unloading mechanism 16 moves along the third direction Z to the flip mechanism 15, grabs the scanned workpiece, and moves away from the flip mechanism 15 along the third direction Z. The unloading mechanism 16 then moves the scanned workpiece along the second direction Y to the next station.

[0189] Thus, the blanking mechanism 16 picks up the workpiece that has been turned to the position that meets the requirements of the next station, and the blanking mechanism 16 itself does not need to turn the workpiece again. After the blanking mechanism 16 picks up the workpiece, the turning mechanism 15 vacates the position that can accommodate new workpieces, which is convenient for production continuity.

[0190] The following describes a foolproof method for coding provided by the present disclosure, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Foolproofing refers to preventing and correcting erroneous behaviors, which in the present embodiment can include preventing and correcting coding errors, and preventing workpieces with coding errors from entering the normal process.

[0191] Figure 11 is a flow chart of a fool-proof method for code engraving provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a fool-proof method for code character engraving provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a fool-proof method for workpiece code engraving direction provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0192] In a third aspect, as shown in FIG11 , the present disclosure further provides a method for foolproofing a code engraving process, comprising:

[0193] S6: receiving the code input information;

[0194] S7: Determine whether the code input information is code information that can be sent.

[0195] S71: If the code engraving input information indicates that the code engraving information can be sent, the code engraving output information is sent to the code engraving mechanism.

[0196] S72: If the code engraving input information indicates that the code engraving information cannot be sent, the code engraving output information is not sent to the code engraving mechanism and an alarm prompt is issued;

[0197] The transmittable engraving information includes a first engraving character, and the engraving output information includes a second engraving character converted from the first engraving character, wherein the first engraving character and the second engraving character are different and correspond to each other;

[0198] S8: The coding mechanism performs coding operation on the workpiece according to the received coding output information.

[0199] The input personnel inputs the coding input information into the device, and the device receives the coding input information and determines whether the coding input information is transmittable coding information. If the coding input information is transmittable coding information, the device sends the coding output information to the coding mechanism 11, and the coding mechanism 11 receives the coding output information and performs coding operations on the workpiece according to the coding output information; if the coding input information is non-transmittable coding information, the coding output information is not sent to the coding mechanism 11, and an alarm prompt is issued. The coding input information, etc. can be input through input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and touch screen. In some embodiments, the device includes a processing unit, and the processing unit may include an information transceiver unit, a processor, etc. The processing unit can receive, send, and judge the above-mentioned coding information, and can also cause the alarm device to sound an alarm, etc. The alarm can be in the form of at least one of sound and light.

[0200] Optionally, the code engraving fool-proofing method is applied to the code engraving device as described above.

[0201] By judging the input information, only the engraving information that can be sent is sent to the engraving mechanism 11, which reduces the probability of engraving errors caused by manual input errors and reduces the losses caused by engraving errors. For engraving information that cannot be sent, an alarm will be issued to remind the input personnel to correct the input information in time so that the engraving operation can start in time.

[0202] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG12 , step S71 includes:

[0203] S711: If the engraving input information is a first engraving character, convert the first engraving character into a second engraving character corresponding to the first engraving character, and send the second engraving character as engraving output information to the engraving mechanism.

[0204] The code information that can be sent includes the first code character. If the code input information includes the first code character, all the first code characters are converted into second code characters, and the code output information including the second code character is sent to the code engraving mechanism 11. The first code character and the second code character correspond one to one.

[0205] Thus, by determining that the engraving input information is the first engraving character, the engraving input information is confirmed as sendable engraving information, reducing the risk of incorrect engraving caused by the input person entering the first engraving character incorrectly. Moreover, by converting the engraving information into the second engraving character corresponding to the first engraving character, the character format of the final engraving is unified, making it easier to view and manage later.

[0206] In some embodiments, the first inscribed characters include lowercase letters, and the second inscribed characters include uppercase letters corresponding to the lowercase letters.

[0207] As a result, lowercase letters in the code input information can be converted into corresponding uppercase letters, so that only uppercase letters appear in the code output information. When inputting information, the input personnel only need to pay attention to whether the content is correct without paying attention to the form, which reduces the input burden of the input personnel.

[0208] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG13 , the code engraving fool-proofing method further includes:

[0209] S9: Receive the workpiece coding information sent by the code scanning mechanism, and judge whether the coding direction of the workpiece coding information is correct. If it is not correct, an alarm prompt is issued.

[0210] The device receives the workpiece engraving information sent by the code scanning mechanism 12 and determines whether the engraving direction of the workpiece engraving information is correct. If it is correct, there is no response; if it is incorrect, an alarm prompt is issued.

[0211] Optionally, the workpiece coding information is obtained by scanning with a first barcode scanner and a second barcode scanner. The workpiece coding information includes the first workpiece coding information scanned by the first barcode scanner and the second workpiece coding information scanned by the second barcode scanner. If the orientation of the first workpiece coding information and the second workpiece coding information are inconsistent, the coding direction is incorrect and an alarm is issued, allowing personnel to check and correct the orientation of subsequent workpiece placements.

[0212] Optionally, if the directions of the coding information of the first workpiece and the coding information of the second workpiece are inconsistent, the coding direction is incorrect, an alarm is issued and an unqualified instruction is sent to the material picking mechanism 13; the material picking mechanism 13 receives the unqualified instruction and sends the workpiece to the waste bin 14.

[0213] Furthermore, if it is incorrect, a stop command can be sent to the engraving mechanism 11, and the engraving mechanism 11 stops engraving after receiving the stop command; a return command can also be sent to the feeding mechanism 10, and the feeding fixture 101 of the feeding mechanism 10 returns to the first position after receiving the return command.

[0214] Therefore, the engraving direction of the engraved information is verified to avoid different engraving directions.

[0215] In some embodiments, the method further includes: recording the code output information sent each time, and using the recorded code output information each time as the unsendable code output information.

[0216] As a result, the engraving code of each workpiece is different, which facilitates subsequent traceability and management.

[0217] The code engraving device includes: a code engraving circulation line (feeding mechanism 10), a code engraving station (code engraving mechanism 11), a code scanning station (code scanning mechanism 12), a code engraving transfer station (material taking mechanism 13), a top cover flipping station (flipping mechanism 15) and a top cover loading station (unloading mechanism 16).

[0218] The coding circulation line (feeding mechanism 10) is a structure that transports the top cover (workpiece) to the coding area and the scanning area. The coding circulation line (feeding mechanism 10) includes two servo transverse shifting axes and a top cover fixing fixture (feeding fixture 101), and the two top cover fixing fixtures (feeding fixtures 101) are vertically distributed up and down, that is, the two feeding fixtures 101 have different positions in the third direction Z. The top cover fixing fixture (feeding fixture 101) includes a limit block with a guide, that is, the feeding fixture 101 includes a workpiece placement slot. The top cover (workpiece) is guided to enter when it is placed, in other words, the workpiece is inserted into it in accordance with the inner surface of the workpiece placement slot. Among them, the workpiece is placed on the top cover fixing fixture (feeding fixture 101) by a four-axis robot, and the servo transverse shifting axis includes a linear guide rail 102 and a fixture drive 103.

[0219] The coding station (coding mechanism 11) is vertically installed in the middle area of ​​the feeding mechanism 10. The coding machine vertically illuminates the surface of the top cover (workpiece) to be coded. When the feeding mechanism 10 delivers the workpiece to the coding area, the coding machine starts and performs coding. Although the two feeding fixtures 101 are located at different positions in the third direction Z, they are both located within the light output range of the coding machine, so normal coding can be achieved on the workpiece on the feeding fixture 101.

[0220] The code scanning station (code scanning mechanism 12) is located in the rear end area (downstream side) of the code engraving circulation line (feeding mechanism 10) and consists of two parts, namely, the two sets of code scanning guns 122 are located at different positions along the third direction Z. Each set of code scanning guns 122 includes a first code scanning gun and a second code scanning gun, which ultimately scan the workpieces on the upper and lower top cover fixing fixtures (feeding fixture 101). Among them, the identification codes on the workpieces are the incoming battery core code (first identification code) and the engraved code (second identification code), and the two codes need to be bound.

[0221] The code engraving transfer station (feeding mechanism 13) is located above the end (second position) of the code engraving circulation line (feeding mechanism 10). It consists of a transverse axis (first feed rail 132), a lifting axis (second feed rail 134), and a feed clamp. The feed clamp is responsible for removing the engraved top cover (workpiece) from the top cover fixing fixture (feeding fixture 101). If the workpiece fails the code scan, the feed clamp moves along the first feed rail 132 toward the waste bin 14 and places the workpiece there. If the top cover passes the code scan, the feed clamp moves along the first feed rail 132 to the next station and places the workpiece there.

[0222] The top cover flipping station (flipping mechanism 15) is located below the code engraving transfer station (feeding mechanism 13) and consists of a tooling (flipping fixture 152) for clamping the top cover (workpiece) and a flipping cylinder (flipping drive). When the workpiece that has passed the code scanning is transported to the top of the flipping fixture 152, the flipping fixture 152 is in a vertical state, which is convenient for the workpiece to be placed. After the workpiece is placed, the flipping fixture 152 clamps the workpiece under the action of the cylinder, and then the flipping fixture 152 flips, flipping the workpiece into place, which is convenient for unloading at the next station.

[0223] The top cover loading station (unloading mechanism 16) includes a traverse axis (first unloading guide 162), a lift axis (second unloading guide 164), and a rotation axis. The unloading mechanism 16 transfers the correctly oriented workpiece from the flip mechanism 15 to the welding fixture station. The rotation axis is responsible for aligning the top cover horizontally to the same orientation as the welding fixture.

[0224] The waste bin 14 is composed of a pull-out box 142 and a bin shell 141. Unqualified workpieces that have been scanned can be placed in the pull-out box 142 in order, and an alarm will be issued when the box is full.

[0225] The code engraving fool-proofing method is used to prevent mistakes in engraving uppercase and lowercase letters, engraving forbidden characters, engraving direction, and engraving duplicate codes.

[0226] The engraving software is mainly responsible for preventing mistakes in the case of engraved letters. When lowercase letters are entered in the engraving characters, uppercase letters will always be engraved.

[0227] To prevent mistakes when disabling characters in coding, when we need to disable certain characters, the backend of the coding software will prohibit the writing of these characters. They cannot be written in the conventional way, and the coding software will alarm.

[0228] The code engraving direction is foolproof. During the code scanning stage, the code will be scanned and the direction of the code engraving will be detected. When the opposite direction is detected, the machine will alarm and discharge the workpiece into the waste bin 14.

[0229] To prevent duplicate codes from being engraved, the engraving program will first perform a program error-proofing on the code to be engraved. The engraving software will verify the barcode with the LOG file that comes with the program to determine that the engraving program has not performed the engraving work of this barcode before. Only after the verification is completed will the engraving machine be allowed to emit light. When the engraving is completed, the engraved code will be scanned at the scanning station. After the scanning is completed, the barcode information will be written to the host computer. During the unloading process of the workpiece, the barcode of the battery cell will be verified by the MES host computer system, and the barcode will also be prevented from being made a mistake. If the barcode has appeared on the production system, or the naming rule of the barcode does not meet the specifications of the machine, the workpiece will be discharged into the waste bin 14.

[0230] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they may modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions and are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts.

Claims

1. A coding device, comprising: A feeding mechanism comprising at least two feeding fixtures and at least two linear guide rails extending along a first direction and arranged in parallel along a second direction, wherein each feeding fixture is capable of linearly reciprocating along its respective linear guide rail between a first position and a second position, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; an engraving mechanism, located between the first position and the second position along the first direction, for engraving a workpiece to be engraved on the feeding fixture moved into the engraving area of ​​the engraving mechanism, wherein at least two feeding fixtures carrying the workpiece to be engraved can alternately pass through the engraving area of ​​the engraving mechanism; a code scanning mechanism, located along the first direction and downstream of the code engraving mechanism, for scanning the engraved workpiece on the feeding fixture moved into the code scanning area of ​​the code scanning mechanism; A picking mechanism, used to pick up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture; Wherein, the code engraving mechanism and the code scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along the second direction.

2. The coding device according to claim 1, wherein: The feeding mechanism further includes at least two fixture driving members for respectively driving the respective feeding fixtures to move along the linear guide rail.

3. The coding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Each of the feeding fixtures includes a workpiece placement slot, and the workpiece placement slots of each of the feeding fixtures are located at different positions along a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively; The code scanning mechanism includes a code scanning bracket and at least two groups of code scanning guns arranged on the code scanning bracket. The positions of the code scanning guns in each group along the third direction are different, and are used to scan the engraved workpieces in the workpiece placement slots at their corresponding positions respectively.

4. The coding device according to claim 3, wherein: Each of the feeding fixtures further includes a fixture bracket and a clamping plate arranged on the fixture bracket. The fixture bracket is slidably connected to the respective linear guide rails, and the clamping plate is formed with the workpiece placement groove.

5. The coding device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: Each group of the barcode scanning guns includes a first barcode scanning gun and a second barcode scanning gun arranged along a first direction, and is used to scan the first identification code on the engraved workpiece and the second identification code engraved by the engraving mechanism respectively.

6. The coding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: Also includes: The waste bin is located along the second direction on a side of the scanning mechanism away from the feeding mechanism, and is used to receive the unqualified workpieces picked up by the picking mechanism.

7. The coding device according to claim 6, wherein: Also includes: The flipping mechanism is configured such that, along the second direction, the waste bin and the flipping mechanism are respectively located on opposite sides of the feeding mechanism, and the flipping mechanism is configured to receive the scanned qualified workpiece picked up by the picking mechanism and flip the scanned qualified workpiece.

8. The coding device according to claim 7, wherein: The flipping mechanism includes a flipping bracket, a flipping fixture rotatably arranged on the flipping bracket, and a flipping drive connected to the flipping fixture. The flipping fixture is used to fix the workpiece that has passed the code scanning, and the flipping drive is used to drive the flipping fixture to rotate relative to the flipping bracket to flip the workpiece that has passed the code scanning.

9. The coding device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The material taking mechanism is located on one side of the material feeding mechanism along the first direction, The picking mechanism includes a picking component that can move along the second direction and the third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively. The picking component is used to pick up the scanned workpiece, transfer the unqualified scanned workpiece to the waste bin, and transfer the qualified scanned workpiece to the flipping mechanism.

10. The coding device according to claim 9, wherein: The material picking mechanism further includes a first material picking guide rail capable of extending along the second direction, a material picking bracket slidably connected to the first material picking guide rail, and a second material picking guide rail disposed on the material picking bracket capable of extending along the third direction. The material picking assembly includes a material picking drive and a material picking claw arranged on the material picking drive. The material picking drive is slidably connected to the second material picking guide rail and is used to drive the material picking claw to clamp or release the workpiece.

11. The coding device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein: Also includes: A material discharge mechanism, along the second direction, the material discharge mechanism is located on a side of the flip mechanism away from the feeding mechanism, The blanking mechanism includes a blanking assembly that can move along the second direction and the third direction, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction respectively, and the blanking assembly is used to pick up the flipped workpiece and transfer the flipped workpiece to the workpiece. Go to the next workstation.

12. The coding device according to claim 11, wherein: The blanking mechanism further includes a first blanking guide rail extending along the second direction, a blanking bracket slidably connected to the first blanking guide rail, and a second blanking guide rail provided on the blanking bracket and extending along the third direction. The blanking assembly includes a blanking drive and a blanking clamp provided on the blanking drive. The blanking drive is slidably connected to the second blanking guide rail and is used to drive the blanking clamp to clamp or release the flipped workpiece.

13. A code engraving method, applied to the code engraving device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising: Feeding step: a feeding fixture of the feeding mechanism carries the workpiece to be coded and moves linearly from a first position to a second position along a first direction; Coding step: when the feeding fixture carries the workpiece to be coded and moves along the first direction into the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism, the coding mechanism performs a coding operation on the workpiece to be coded; Scanning step: when the feeding fixture carries the engraved workpiece and moves along the first direction into the scanning area of ​​the scanning mechanism, the engraved workpiece is scanned by the scanning mechanism, wherein the engraving mechanism and the scanning mechanism are both located on the same side of the feeding mechanism along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; Picking step: picking up the scanned workpiece on the feeding fixture through the picking mechanism; Wherein, in the feeding step, at least two feeding fixtures carry their respective workpieces to be coded and alternately pass through the coding area of ​​the coding mechanism.

14. The coding method according to claim 13, wherein: The feeding step includes: each unloaded feeding fixture returns from the second position to the first position to load the material.

15. The coding method according to any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein: The material taking step comprises: If the scanned workpiece is unqualified, the unqualified scanned workpiece is picked up and transferred to the waste bin of the coding device through the material picking mechanism; if the scanned workpiece is qualified, the qualified scanned workpiece is picked up and transferred to the flipping mechanism of the coding device through the material picking mechanism.

16. The coding method according to claim 15, wherein: The coding method further comprises: Unloading step: picking up the turned workpiece on the turning mechanism through the unloading mechanism of the coding device and transferring it to the next station.

17. A foolproof method for engraving a code, comprising: Receive code input information; Determining whether the engraving input information is transmittable engraving information, and if so, sending engraving output information to the engraving mechanism; and if the engraving input information is not transmittable engraving information, not sending the engraving output information to the engraving mechanism and issuing an alarm, wherein the transmittable engraving information includes a first engraving character, and the engraving output information includes a second engraving character converted from the first engraving character, the first engraving character and the second engraving character being different and corresponding to each other; The coding mechanism performs a coding operation on the workpiece according to the received coding output information.

18. The foolproof method for engraving a code according to claim 17, wherein: If the code engraving input information is code engraving information that can be sent, sending code engraving output information to the code engraving mechanism includes: If the code engraving input information is the first code engraving character, the first code engraving character is converted into a second code engraving character corresponding to the first code engraving character, and the second code engraving character is sent to the code engraving mechanism as the code engraving output information.

19. The foolproof method for engraving a code according to claim 17 or 18, wherein: The first engraved characters include lowercase letters, and the second engraved characters include uppercase letters corresponding to the lowercase letters.

20. The foolproof method for engraving a code according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein: Also includes: Receive the workpiece coding information sent by the code scanning mechanism, determine whether the coding direction of the workpiece coding information is correct, and if not, issue an alarm prompt.

21. The foolproof method for engraving a code according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein: Also includes: Record the code output information sent each time, The engraving code output information recorded each time is used as the unsendable engraving code information.

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