Battery Material Transfer Coupling for Fast Stable Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing secondary battery manufacturing processes face inefficiencies in rapidly moving materials and partially completed products between processes, necessitating improvements in manufacturing efficiency and automation.
Innovation Solution
A material transferring apparatus with a support unit, moving unit, and coupling units that allow for stable and efficient transfer of objects by maintaining contact between contact surfaces, utilizing magnetic coupling and adjustable guide frames to accommodate various sizes and shapes, and incorporating mobile robot arms for automated movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual transfer methods are used for moving materials between battery manufacturing processes, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and manufacturing efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer apparatus is divided into distinct functional modules: a support unit for holding materials, a moving unit for transportation, and coupling units for connection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling units act as intermediaries between the support unit and moving unit, enabling stable connection and transfer. The coupling protrusions and grooves serve as mediating structures that facilitate reliable material transfer without requiring complex manual handling mechanisms.
2Productivity
If rapid material transfer is implemented to improve manufacturing efficiency, then productivity increases, but alignment precision and transfer stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling units are designed with pre-formed protrusions and grooves that guide alignment before the actual transfer occurs. This preliminary alignment action ensures precision is established prior to rapid movement, preventing misalignment during high-speed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment systems with a simpler coupling mechanism based on geometric fitting between protrusions and grooves. This substitution maintains alignment precision while enabling faster transfer operations without requiring elaborate positioning mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If automated robot arms are used for material transfer, then ease of operation and productivity improve, but device complexity and initial manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support unit and moving unit are designed to self-align and self-connect through the coupling units. The geometric fitting between protrusions and grooves enables automatic positioning without requiring complex control systems or sophisticated robot programming, reducing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism uses simple geometric copies of protrusion and groove shapes that can be repeatedly manufactured with standard machining processes. This copying approach allows automated assembly without requiring complex custom tooling or programming, easing both manufacturing and operation.
4Reliability
If stable contact between support unit and moving unit is maintained during transfer, then transfer reliability improves, but friction and energy loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling units concentrate contact forces at specific localized points through the protrusion-groove interface, rather than distributing contact across large surfaces. This localized contact maintains stability at the critical connection point while minimizing overall friction and energy loss during transfer.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances manufacturing efficiency by enabling quick and stable transfer of materials, reducing alignment and setup times, and improving the convenience of battery manufacturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
The coupling protrusion and the fixed side frame may include a material containing a magnetic material
Data Source
AI summary
A material transferring apparatus for battery manufacturing includes a support unit having a support region for supporting a moving object and having a first contact surface, a moving unit having a second contact surface in contact with the support unit and moving the support unit, and coupling units provided on the support unit and the moving unit, respectively, and contacting each other before the first contact surface and the second contact surface come into contact with each other.