Battery Cell Docking Mechanism With Integrated Flipping and Loading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing battery production line efficiency is low due to the need for multiple manipulators to perform gripping, flipping, and placing operations sequentially, resulting in reduced loading efficiency of battery cells onto conveyor lines.
Innovation Solution
A docking apparatus is introduced, comprising a first docking mechanism with a base, a flipping assembly, and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly grips the battery cell in one attitude and flips it over to another attitude for synchronized attitude adjustment and loading onto the conveyor line, replacing the need for multiple manipulators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple manipulators are used to perform gripping, flipping, and placing operations sequentially, then the battery cell loading operation can be completed, but the loading efficiency of battery cells decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines gripping, flipping, and placing operations into a single manipulator with integrated functions. The manipulator includes a gripper assembly for gripping battery cells and a flipping assembly with flipping plates that can rotate to achieve different attitudes (first attitude for gripping, second attitude for placing). This merging of multiple operations into one device eliminates the need for multiple sequential manipulators, thereby improving loading efficiency while reducing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator is designed with multi-functionality to perform gripping, flipping, and placing operations. The flipping assembly can rotate the gripper assembly between a first attitude (for gripping battery cells from the feeding mechanism) and a second attitude (for placing cells onto the conveyor line). This universal design allows one manipulator to replace multiple specialized manipulators, improving productivity without increasing device complexity
2Productivity
If multiple manipulators are used to perform step-by-step operations, then the battery cell loading operation can be completed, but the production efficiency of battery production decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator with integrated gripping and flipping assemblies enables continuous operation by performing gripping, flipping, and placing in a seamless sequence without requiring transfer between multiple manipulators. The flipping plates can rotate to switch between first and second attitudes, allowing the manipulator to continuously pick up battery cells from the feeding mechanism and place them onto the conveyor line without interruption, thereby reducing cycle time and improving production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding mechanism is designed to pre-position battery cells in a ready-to-grasp state, and the manipulator is pre-configured with both gripping and flipping assemblies in the correct positions. The flipping plates are positioned to enable immediate rotation to the required attitude, eliminating setup time between operations. This preliminary preparation allows the manipulator to execute the complete gripping-flipping-placing sequence without delays, reducing time loss and improving production efficiency
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This application provides a docking apparatus (1000), a battery production line (10), and a battery cell loading method. The docking apparatus (1000) includes a first docking mechanism (100). The first docking mechanism (100) includes a first base (110), a first flipping assembly (130), and a first gripper assembly (140), where the first flipping assembly (130) is configured to be capable of driving the first gripper assembly (140) to flip over to a first attitude or a second attitude. The docking apparatus (1000) of embodiments of this application can perform attitude flipping on battery cells (2000) loaded and load them onto conveyor lines (3000), so it takes place of a plurality of manipulators to load battery cells (2000). This effectively improves the efficiency of loading battery cells (2000) onto the conveyor lines (3000), and thus ensures the efficiency of battery production.