DE3025508A1 - DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING THE COMPONENTS OF ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS AND SYSTEM FOR CARRYING OUT PRODUCTION WORK ON ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS - Google Patents

Description

Device for the automatic assembly of the individual parts of electrochemical cells and system for carrying out manufacturing work on electrochemical cells

The invention relates to automatic assembly devices and sealing electrochemical cells or elements on a serial production line. In particular The invention relates to a device for bringing together the individual parts of rechargeable electrochemical cells, for establishing the electrical connections between the electrodes of the cell and one associated with the cell cover Pole, for inserting the cover into the upper end of the cell housing which contains the electrodes, and for subsequent Closing the cell.

Electrochemical cells, in which the invention · advantageously is applicable are rechargeable cells, so-called secondary elements such as _i nickel-cadmium cells, which are housed in a cylindrical housing, wherein one of the electrical connections of the top of the cell -an formed is. In the typical configuration, which resembles a flashlight battery, the positive cell pole is formed in the lid portion of the cylindrical housing while

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the housing itself forms the negative pole. In these cells, positive and negative plate materials are cut into strip pieces cut, from which, with interposed between them Separator material, a coil is formed. The coil is then preformed into the cylindrical housing introduced through the open end of the container.

The wound plate electrodes can be of the type disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,695,935 and 4,029,856. Such Battery wrap designs include a positive electrode plate that has a curled edge, a negative one Plate that has a similar curled edge and a separator between the two plates. From the plates and The coil is formed in the separators, in which the two plates are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction. In this way the curled edge of one panel protrudes from the flat edge of the other at each end of the coil. When the wound electrode structure is inserted into the case, the negative electrode plate is with the cell case in electrical contact. That is done either by welding a flag attached to the ruffled edge of the negative Plate is connected to the bottom of the case or by laying or connecting a longitudinal edge of the negative Plate, which forms the outer turn of the wound electrodes, reached to the inner wall of the cylindrical housing.

A connecting conductor tab is crimped to the exposed Edge of the positive electrode plate welded on. This conductor lug can either be attached to the positive plate or welded on after the winding has been inserted into the housing. The ladder flag, which is described below is, serves as the electrical connection between the positive plate and the positive pole, which is on the the cell sealing lid assembly is formed.

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The invention is primarily concerned with those steps in the assembly of cells of the aforementioned type in which the cover assembly is attached to the electrode coil protruding conductor tab and then inserted into the open end of the housing, where it connects to the housing is permanently mechanically connected in tight connection with this.

In the device according to the invention, a half-finished cell, which consists of the housing, the electrode coil and the conductor tab consists, which protrudes from the upper end of the electrode coil, inserted into a switching or rotary table, the has several cell receptacles, so-called receptacles or "nests". Cells are in the recordings one by one introduced when the indexing table is indexed, whereby each cell is moved from one job to the next. In different stages of the manufacturing process the unit will be further assembled or work will be carried out on it at one or more of these locations and it is checked periodically. On the basis of this check, the unit is either moved on to further assembled or rejected, each rejection causing either subsequent work be inactivated until the cell has been removed from the assembly line or the system is stopped immediately.

Lid assemblies, which have their insulating seals, are in turn made to the welding station by a vertical moved aligned ratchet wheel, which has multiple locations, each of which has a cover assembly associated with this coated insulating seal. This cover feed wheel moves synchronously with the cell indexing table and has preferably at least one station for evenly applying a sealant to the edge of the insulating seal.

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When the cell housing units are moved to the welding station they go through a tab alignment station that automatically rotates the cell so that the Cell arrives at the welding station so that its flag is parallel to the surface of the cover to which it is to be welded is. After the welding, the cell goes to a flap of the lid, because of the lid and the conductor tab A certain orientation has been given that allows the welded lid down into the top To fold the end of the cell housing. The cell unit then moves on to a rolling station for inward bending of the upper edge of the cell housing over the top of the folded-down lid. Then it goes Cell to an automatic calibration tool, which the Further compress the cell vertically with sufficient pressure to compress the isolation gasket around the edge of the lid.

An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view

View of a typical rechargeable electrochemical cell used in the device can be assembled according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper part

an assembled cell of the type shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device according to the He

Finding the indexing table for receiving cell housings and moving them on the same through several assembly stations

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30255Q8

as well as the various units for performing work on the cell shows,

Fig. 4 in a side view and partially in

Section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 the vertical turntable for receiving and Transporting cell lid assemblies to an insulator application station and an Welding station,

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the vertical

Turntable overall on line 5-5 in Fig. 4,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6

in Fig. 4, which shows part of the device for applying cover assemblies shows the vertical turntable,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view as a whole on the

Line 7-7 in Fig. 4 showing another part of the apparatus for applying Lid assemblies pointing to the vertical turntable,

Figure 8 is a partial sectional view taken on line 8-8

in Fig. 4, the parts of the apparatus for applying sealant to the cell lid assemblies shows,

9 is an enlarged partial side view showing

the upper part of a cell and a welding device for welding the Terminal lug points to the cover assembly,

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Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a suitable

neten welding head usable in the system of Fig. 4,

11 in side view and partially in section

on the line 11-11 in Fig. 3 the device for aligning the cell terminal lugs before welding,

FIG. 12 is a partial side view similar to that in FIG

Fig. 11, which shows part of the flag aligning device,

FIG. 13 is a side view similar to that in FIG. 11;

which shows the upper part of the flag aligner in cross section,

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view on the line

14-14 in Fig. 11,

Fig. 15 is a side view in the direction of the arrow

15 in Fig. 3, which shows the lid folding device usable in the invention,

Figure 16 is a view taken in the direction of line 16-16

in Fig. 3, the one cell with a cover assembly welded to the terminal lug shows in the lid folding station, but before the lid assembly is folded down, and

FIG. 17 is a view showing the arrangement of FIG

shows, in which, however, the movable part of the lid folding device is related of the cell is in a position in

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which the lid folding process is partially ended.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a typical rechargeable electrochemical cell a cell housing 10, an electrode coil 12, which consists of a positive and a negative There is plate, which are wound with an interposed separator, a conductive terminal lug 14, which at welded to the top of the coiled positive electrode and a vented lid assembly 15, which can be received in the housing 10. An insulating ring 17 is used to cover the top of the electrode coil, and has a central hole through which the terminal lug 14 extends.

The cover is overall disk-shaped and is an assembly of a main body part 19, a pole or terminal arrow 20 and a reclosable valve consisting of a spring 21 and a valve disc 23 and excess relieves internal cell pressures through holes 25, 26 in the lid assembly. The conductive flag 14 is so attached to the The bottom of the cover is welded so that the cover forms the positive pole of the cell, while the housing with the wound negative electrode is connected via a suitable device (not shown) and thereby the negative Pole forms. The cover assembly and the cell housing closes a disk-shaped insulator 28, which is also used for serves to electrically isolate the cover from the housing. This Insulator 28 is around the lid edge between the circumferential groove 30 and the rolled upper edge 31 of the housing compressed.

The invention relates to the assembly of the cover with the cell housing and the subsequent closing of the Cell.

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String description and horizontal turntable

Referring to Fig. 3, the cell assembly apparatus as described above receives partially completed cells Cells 39 from other manufacturing processes, these cells arriving on a conveyor track 40. The cells 3 have 9 an ungroove housing, which has an electrode coil and a terminal lug welded to it, which extends upwards extending to the open end of the housing from the top of the positive electrode.

The movement of the partially completed cells on the Lane 40 is controlled by suitable means (not shown) so that, for example, a cell is temporarily can be stopped in a station 42 which has a fluid electrolyte releases into the open end of the cell. This electrolyte is in the separator material between the electrode plates adsorbed. After the electrolyte is added, the partially completed cell sets its own Away to the end of the lane, whereupon a dispensing mechanism (not shown) is furthest forward Cell allows gravity to fall into the open cell receptacle 43, which is attached to a rotatable indexing table 44 which transports the cells from the point of application to the point of application.

The indexing table 44 has twenty-four such receptacles, one in each of twenty-four spatially separated ones Positions on the table perimeter. For convenience, each position has been numbered in FIG. 1, with the position No. 1 is the position in which a cell is placed in the receptacle 43 directly under the web 40.

All operations that are carried out in the automatically operating device of FIG. 3 are carried out under the control

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Execution of a digital controller, such as the controller 5TI from Texas Instruments, Inc. Such regulator or Controllers are known in the industry. Generally they receive input signals from the manufacturing operations, that are controlled and generate output signals that the Initiate or otherwise control the operation of the existing machines and components. The controller receives in the same way Input signals from sensors that are distributed around the indexing table in order to detect empty receptacles, faulty components, to recognize incorrectly executed operations, etc. This information is stored in a built-in shift register in the Controller stored and used to monitor the status of a cell unit in a particular receptacle. Consequently such a shift register could have twenty-four storage positions for storing the presence or absence of a binary bit representing a particular condition associated with conscious reception.

In connection with the receptacle in position no. 1 in FIG. 3, a photosensitive sensor 46 is located at the end of the web 40 used to determine if a partially completed Cell from the conveyor track has been correctly received by the receptacle. If this is not the case, a signal is generated and sent to the shift register (not shown) associated with the controller so that no further operations are executed, as far as this recording is concerned, if this is switched through the remaining twenty-three positions will. The indexing table rotates step by step by predetermined steps, i.e. it performs 1/24 of a turn per Step out. After each step movement, the table remains for a short period of time (the dwell time) while operations are performed on the cells in the recordings.

The first step on the partially completed

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Cell takes place in position # 4 where the top insulator 17 is inserted into the top of the cell. the Figs. 1 and 2 show that when this insulator is in place, it removes the exposed edges of the electrode coil in the substantially covered, with the upwardly protruding terminal lug received in the central hole of the insulator is. In position no. 5, the presence of an insulator 17 in the cell is indicated by the downward stroke of a probe 48 determined. If an isolator is not present, the probe sends an inactive signal to the correct input of the shift register, and this cell is therefore not locked. Instead, she is allowed to go to the rest of the stations without any further operations being performed on it, and it is stored in position No. 23 as a defective cell or ejected as a cell to be reworked. If the probe 48, the absence of an isolator for senses two or more than two consecutive cells, the machine is automatically switched off because of this condition indicates the absence of an isolator feed or other problem that should be corrected. as well each of the sensors downstream can be programmed to generate an inactive signal or the machine can be programmed immediately turns off when it senses a fault or when it detects an excessive degree of abnormality.

In position no. 8, the cell housing is grooved on its upper periphery by the downward stroke of a tool that is actuated by a Nutungs.einheit 50. Again represents a sensor assigned to the grooving station determines whether the cell is jammed in the tool or is properly released from it Has. A deadlock condition signals that the entire machine must be switched off. At this point the Cell ready for attaching its cover assembly to the terminal lug protruding upwards. Before that can happen however, the flag must be properly aligned so that it

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is correctly aligned parallel to the lower surface of the lid when the cell arrives at the welding station. That is necessary because cells placed on the indexing table have an arbitrary terminal lug orientation. In the invention, tail alignment is done in position # 10 with a tail aligner 52. The manner in which this is done is described in detail in connection with Figures 11-14.

Connecting the cell cover assembly to the terminal lug takes place in station no. 13. In this operation, the cell with its correct one becomes the lower surface of the Cover assembly parallel aligned terminal lug brought into line with the cover assembly, which by a vertical, rotatable indexing plate 54 (Fig. 4 and 5) is transported into the welding station. A welding head 55 (cf. Fig. 10), which has two welding electrodes 56, 57, is then moved forward so that the flexible terminal lug 14 presses against the cover 15. After a delay, the welding current is switched on and the terminal lug on mechanically and electrically attached to the cover. Following another brief delay, the electrodes are withdrawn and at the same time pivoted out of the line of movement of the advancing cells. The welded one The lid is then pushed away from the spindle that holds it. After the cover assembly, which is now attached to the terminal lug is welded on, is located in front of the spindle and is free of this, the cell is back in its receptacle lowered, in which it can then be moved to the next station.

In station # 14, the cell meets a photoelectric one Detector 59 which senses the presence or absence of a welded lid assembly. When a properly welded cover assembly is detected

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an active status signal is forwarded for this particular recording, and the presence of such a signal causes the next operation to be performed. This operation persists is to fold the welded lid down into the open upper end of the cell housing. At the end of this Step 2, the cell has the configuration shown in FIG. 2, in which the lid assembly and the insulating gasket 28 are located in the upper inner area of the housing 10.

After exiting the lid flipping device 60 in station # 15, the cell moves to station # 16 by rolling the top edge 31 of the housing over the top of the isolator disk 28. This is done by the downward stroke of a rolling tool 62a actuated by a rolling unit 62. Again, a deadlock detector monitors the status of the tool to determine a jammed condition and signals the stop of the indexing table, when an abnormal condition is detected. In position no. 19, the last production step is a calibration tool 63 brought down over the cell. A detector is placed in the calibration station to detect any blockage of the tool can be determined by a cell.

In position no. 21 of the indexing table, the cell is subjected to an electrical test by a device 65. the electrical monitoring device contains, in short, a probe that comes down in contact with the poles of the cell is brought. While the probe is in contact with the poles, a high constant current pulse of short duration is applied to the cell poles applied so that an increased charge voltage is formed between the cell poles. Before, during and after feeding of this current, the cell voltage is checked and compared with predetermined maxima and minima. In most cases this single measurement and the comparison result in an indication of short circuits, low resistance, insufficient electrolyte material and insufficient cell voltage. At

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At the end of this electrical test, the cells start moving to one of two ejector chutes, which are arranged in positions No. 22 and No. 23. The cells will ejected upwards and fall into vertically downward moving troughs, with the acceptable cells in the Position No. 22 in the channel 66 and the rejected cells in position No. 23 in the channel 67.

Recall that the shift register is in the main controller the status of all cells from the point of insertion in position # 1 via the ejection station in position no. As long as the recording position retains an active signal, the cell is considered acceptable viewed and applied via channel 66 in station no. If for some reason a recording one Inactive status is assigned, this cell is in the position No. 23 ejected into channel 67. An inactive status belongs to all recording positions that are empty or contain defective or incomplete cells.

Vertical turntable

Figures 4 and 5 show in detail the vertical ratchet wheel or turntable 54 that controls the lid assemblies transported synchronously with the horizontal indexing table. The vertical turntable comprises a total of a wheel or a disk 70, on the circumference of which several equally spaced spindles 71 are arranged. There are twenty-four spindles, accordingly the number of positions on the indexing table. Each spindle receives and carries a lid assembly 15 from the receiving point to a liquid sealant applicator 73 and then to the position in which the terminal lug of the cell is welded to the lower surface of the cover will. In Fig. 4 is the position in which the lid is received

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is referred to as position # 1. The vertical turntable rotates clockwise, as indicated by an arrow, and the position numbers therefore increase clockwise at. The vertical turntable moves in steps, as does the horizontal indexing table. While the movement dwell time, the operations on the lid assemblies are performed. Thus, during the dwell time, a Cover placed on the spindle in position # 1. In position no.2, a sensor (not shown) determines whether a part has been applied correctly. If two consecutive states are recognized in which none The system is switched off because the lid applicator is not working properly indicates.

In position no. 3 of the vertical turntable, the Insulator disk 28 attached to the cover assembly brought into contact with the face of a rotating wheel 74, which is coated with a pitch-like sealant. As the spindle approaches position # 3, it will (in in the manner described in more detail below) in a direction opposite to the direction of the sealant application wheel rotated so that a uniform coating of sealant is applied to the outer edge of the cup-shaped insulator 28 will. In this context, the application wheel is somewhat stepped, so that the coating material also on one small part of the underside of the insulator is applied. After exiting the sealant applicator 73 in station # 3, the spindle continues to rotate so that the lid assembly rotates quickly and smoothly distributed coating on the cup-shaped insulator is guaranteed. The rapid turning of the lid assembly will continued to station # 6 until the coating had sufficient time to harden for a run-down or Dripping of the coating material is excluded. In the

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Position Nr> 22 a detector (not shown) senses the presence or the absence of a lid assembly on the spindle. A "lid present" status allows this Perform the next operation. However, if there is no cover, the corresponding receptacle can be placed on the horizontal Table will be given an inactive status so that no further operations will be performed on this partially completed one Cell can be tried during the transport of the same.

The next operation is performed on the lid assembly when it reaches position # 23. This is the welding position and the center of the spindle is vertically in line with the center of the cell receptacle in the Position no. 13 on the horizontal indexing table. Because the horizontal indexing table and the vertical indexing table are synchronous work, the lid assembly 15 is stationary in position # 23 of the vertical turntable when the cell housing 10 is stationary in position No. 13. During the dwell time, the cell is raised vertically, as shown in Fig. 4 is shown in order to bring the upwardly projecting terminal lug 14 into congruence with the lower surface of the cover part 15.

Fig. 4 shows in cross section the edge of the indexing table 44 including the receptacle 43 in station no. 13 and an actuator 76 for lifting the cell in the receptacle to the appropriate height for welding. These As shown, the actuator includes a support arm 77 supported by a support platform 78. A controllable air cylinder 80 contains a piston 81 which can be extended upwards through the base of the receptacle is to come into contact with the bottom of the partially completed cell case 10 and the cell case lift to the desired vertical height. The air cylinder piston has a magnetic one at its upper end Tip 82 with a U-shaped configuration. The magnetized tip stabilizes the cell using magnetic forces

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during the time: during which it was lifted out of the recording is. In this regard, the inner wall of the receptacle is tapered outwardly near its upper end so that they Returning the cell to the receptacle assists when the piston is lowered. The piston also has a stop part 84, which can be brought into contact with the underside of the indexing table 44 when the air cylinder piston reaches its desired level Extended position reached.

During the time that the air cylinder piston 81 is extended and the cell is in its correct vertical position for welding, the weld head 55 quickly brought into contact with the terminal lug and switched on the welding current. Then the welding head withdrawn, the lid assembly is released from the spindle in position # 23 of the vertical turntable and the air cylinder piston is withdrawn so that he brings the cell back into the receptacle with the cover now attached to it. The horizontal indexing table will then indexed to bring the next cell to welding station # 13. At the same time, the vertical turntable is also used 54 indexed so that the next lid assembly is in the welded position in position # 23 of the vertical Turntable is brought.

In the final station, station # 24, of the vertical turntable, any lid assemblies that are in position No. 23 either not welded on or not released, removed to free the spindle, before receiving a lid assembly from the applicator which will now be described.

The application device shown in Figures 4, 6 and 7 is basically composed of an inclined horizontal track 86 through which a plurality of vertically oriented lid assemblies 15 with the insulator washers attached to them

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28 are conveyed by gravity to the application station in position no. 1 of the vertical turntable. At the end of the inclined track, the cover make the transition from horizontal to vertical in a track section 89. At If necessary, the inclined track can be jogged to get a Ensure proper feeding of the lid assemblies, and can be tilted at a smaller angle than shown (e.g. a few degrees from the horizontal).

At the lower end of the track section 89 is a horizontally extending mechanical part 87, the one cylindrical guide channel 90 which aligns the lowermost lid assembly with the spindle in position # 1 brings. According to FIG. 7, the cover assembly, when it reaches the guide channel, is elastically biased by two Finger 9 2 held. At the right time during the dwell period of the vertical turntable, an air cylinder 93 is actuated so that the punch 94 is at the end of its piston urges the lid assembly past the resilient fingers and through the guide channel 90 into contact with the spindle. Of the The piston of the air cylinder is then withdrawn, allowing the next lid assembly to be in place at the end to fall off the track to be applied to the next following spindle.

It should be noted that the insulator disk associated with the cover 15 28 can be automatically applied to the lid during the movement to the vertical table top. That can be done by bringing the cover 15 and the isolator disks 28 into mutual congruence in separate raceways and then in a manner similar to the application on the spindles of the vertical turntable, an air cylinder with the Is brought into contact with the isolator washer in order to push it over the edge of the lid. Therefore they would unite Enter cover assemblies into track 86.

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The details of the spindles 71 on the vertical rotary plate 54 and the manner in _f to which the cover assemblies are retained on the spindles are in the cross-sectional viewing of. Fig. 5 (sheet no. 1 of the drawings) can be seen most clearly. The vertical turntable has a hub portion 96 and an integral plate portion 70 of machined steel. There are twenty-four equally spaced projections 99 on the periphery of the plate, each of which carries one of the spindles. The vertical turntable is driven via a shaft which is keyed to a second hub 100 which is part of an overload clutch 101. Drive energy is coupled to the vertical turntable 54 from a drive device (not shown) via the coupling 101. The front hub part 9 6 of the turntable and the plate part 70 are provided with six channels 103 which extend radially outward from the center of the hub. A pneumatic swivel fitting device 104 protrudes from the front of the hub to allow the connection of a pneumatic line in which a vacuum is established. This negative pressure or vacuum is brought into communication with each of the twenty-four spindles via the radially extending channels 103 and the curved channels 105 which interconnect all of the spindles.

Each spindle 71 is supported by a rotatable spindle drive shaft 107 which is rotatably supported in a bearing 108, which is supported by the projection 99. At the rear of the protrusion is a toothed belt pulley 110 at the rear attached to the spindle drive shaft and separated from the projection by a spacer ring 111. The spindle itself and its associated drive shaft contain a central bore 113 into which an ejector pin 114 is displaceable which is spring loaded in the retracted position as shown. The front portion 114a of the The pin has a smaller diameter. He is in one

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Ring magnet 116 slidably received, which is firmly held in the end of the spindle. Vacuum is the front end the spindle via the channel 118 formed in the bearing 108 and the hole 119 which extends through the drive shaft into the central bore of the spindle is fed. This negative pressure is via the central bore 113 of the spindle drive shaft to the cap-shaped spindle end forwarded.

When a cover assembly with its associated cover insulator is followed by the cover application actuator is pushed up against the end of the spindle, a vacuum is created which has sufficient force to close the lid assemblies to be held on the spindle as it is transported through the vertical turntable. It is recognizable, that the top of the lid assembly touches or almost touches the magnetic element at the end of the spindle, so that the magnetic forces retain the lid assembly on the spindle in the event of partial loss of the Support vacuum. The ejector pin that is in the spindle is slidably mounted, is actuated after the welding process, so that the cover assembly after welding is released from the vacuum and the magnet. For this purpose, the ejector pin has an enlarged, rounded one End portion 114b at the rear, which is passed through the piston of the release air cylinder device 120 is detected, which in the lower part of Fig. 5 at the rear of the vertical Turntable can be seen. The air cylinder for removing the lid is operated by the digital controller.

The sealant application device 73 is shown in FIG. 8. As mentioned above, fluid sealing material is applied to the edge of the insulating disk 28 by an application wheel 74. This wheel is powered by a motor 121 continuously driven, which is attached to a frame 122

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is. At the front of this frame there is a reservoir 123 which contains the liquid sealant 124. As the applicator wheel 74 rotates, it picks up liquid sealant 124 from the reservoir. The reservoir 123 has a cover 125 having a slot through which the rotating wheel 74 protrudes. It can be seen that the application wheel 74 is stepped at its edge, so that sealing material not only on the edge of the isolator disk 28, but also on one Part of the lower surface is applied.

When the spindle carrying the cover assembly to be overcoated is near wheel 74, will the toothed belt pulley 110 on the back of this spindle detected by a drive belt 128. According to FIG. 4, the drive belt 128 is driven by a pulley 129, which is connected to the drive motor 127 and is guided over a series of pulleys 130-132. The pulleys 131 and 132 are arranged so that the drive pulleys 110 on the rear of the spindles in the spindle positions No. 3-6 can be caught by the moving pulley. As a result, all spindles which are gripped by the toothed belt in these positions, rotate, as mentioned above.

Welding head

9 is an enlarged view showing the relative positions of the welding head 55 that is the cover assembly to be welded bearing spindle 71, the cell housing and the receptacle 43 on the indexing table shows. The welding head is a commercially available one Product available from Unitek, Inc., details of which are shown in perspective view for convenience of Fig. 10 are shown. The welding head 55 has two conductive, current carrying electrode support blocks for each of the two welding electrodes 56, 57, the electrode 56 being the

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positive welding electrode and electrode 57 is the counter electrode. Upper support blocks 140 are opposed to each other clamped together around weld head actuation shaft 142. Lower support blocks 143 pass through the upper support blocks 144 Leaf springs are elastically attached, which are screwed to the front and rear surfaces of the blocks 143. These Leaf springs are approximately 0.38 mm (0.015 inches) thick and made from spring steel. Blocks 140 and 143 have one spacing of about 0.76 mm (1/32 inch) with the gap between them being opposite one another Blocks contains one or more insulating layers 147.

Welding electrodes 56, 57 are attached between the lower support blocks 143 and lower blocks 148, the insulating layers 147 are also arranged between the opposing support blocks 148.

The operating shaft 142 is driven by an air cylinder 150 driven. To perform a weld, the air cylinder 150 is actuated to cover the entire weld head moved forward to the terminal lug 14 and the cover 15. The leaf springs 145 ensure an elastic coupling between the rigid shaft 142 and the welding electrodes 56, 57, so that the welding electrodes themselves on the cover 15 can align. After the weld is complete, the air cylinder 150 withdraws the shaft 142. The shaft 142 is Slidably received in a sleeve 151, the two spiral grooves 152, each of which receives a laterally protruding pin 153 which is attached to the shaft 142. if As the shaft 142 is withdrawn, the spiral grooves 152 cam pivot the entire weld head 55 around the axis of the shaft 142. This moves the welding head 55 out of the path of the line of movement of the cells when they move off be switched from one position to the next, pivoted out.

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Terminal lug alignment device

Figures 11-14 show in detail the tail aligner 52. It includes a stand 155 which has a lower horizontal plate 156 and an upper horizontal plate 157 carries, which by a spacer block 159 at a distance are held and attached to each other. The lower plate carries an actuator arm 160, one of which is a total of cylindrical block 161 protrudes downwards, which protrudes downwards through a hole 162 in the lower support plate 156. The block 161 carries two flat, divergent finger elements 164, which are formed from spring steel. These finger elements form a type of forceps and can be converted into that shown in FIG Position can be moved together.

The block 161 is grooved on opposite sides of a circumference so that it receives two vertical rods 166,167 extending downwardly from a bearing block 170. The bearing block 170 is in turn in a low-friction Bearing 171 (Fig. 13) rotatably mounted on the piston

172 of an air cylinder 173 is attached. On the lower one At the end of the rods 166, 167 there is attached a finger actuator 174 which is basically a block with a having a narrow slot which has a transverse dimension which corresponds approximately to the total thickness of the two finger elements 174. It can thus be seen that when the air cylinder

173 is actuated, the piston 172 of which moves downwards. This in turn moves the vertical rods 166, 167 moved down to cause a downward stroke of the slotted finger actuator 174. This moves both of them Finger members 164 of the forceps assembly together as shown in FIG.

11 and 12 show that the vertical axis of movement of the terminal lug alignment device 52 is coaxial in one

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Line with a receptacle 43 of the indexing table 44 is. This is the recording in station no. the switching sequence. When the cell is properly positioned to be grasped by fingers 164, a closure is used the finger for rotating the entire housing when the fingers grasp the flat, upwardly projecting terminal lug 14. In Figure 11, the finger members 164 are in the open position shown before the detection of the terminal lug 14. In Fig. 12, the finger elements are in the fully closed position Position shown with the terminal lug 14 and the cell housing 10 have been rotated to such a position that the terminal lug between the closed finger elements 164 and located parallel to them.

It has been found that in order to achieve consistent, reliable alignment of the cell housing, a low friction Support surface for the cell housing should be provided. For this purpose the device has an air cylinder 180, which is arranged below the indexing table in such a way that its piston 181, when actuated, moves upwards into the Hole in the bottom of the receptacle 43 moves. The end of the piston 181 ends in a ball bearing 182 on which a magnetic End portion 184 is attached. The magnetic tip 184 holds and stabilizes the cell by magnetic forces the housing when it is lowered into the receptacle 43 upon retraction of the air cylinder piston 181. That Ball bearing 182 forms a low friction pivot bearing, which enables the cell to be rotated on the terminal lug 14 projecting upwards while exerting very little forces. The upwardly widening walls of the receptacle 43 also serve to eliminate friction with the cell housing 10.

In operation, when index table 44 is in the dwell period, air cylinder 180 is actuated to move its piston extend and the cell housing 10 upwards in a posi-

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tion for the detection by the finger elements 164 to move. After the piston 181 is fully extended, the air cylinder 173 becomes the tail aligner actuated, whereby the rods 166, 167 and the finger actuator block 174 are moved down to the Fingers close. When fingers 164 close, capture they the terminal lug 14 and thus the cell housing is rotated, until the terminal lug 14 is parallel to the fingers 164. Actuating air cylinder 173 is now inactivated to remove rods 166, 167 and finger actuator 174 move up to allow fingers 164 to spring open. The cell lifting actuator 180 is now inactivated so that the piston 181 is lowered and the cell housing is allowed to move fully down to its rest position within the receptacle 43.

Because of the provision of a low-friction pivot bearing for the cell housing 10 during the terminal lug alignment, the cell can be rotationally aligned by very small Forces are exerted on the somewhat fragile terminal lug 14. Nevertheless, the terminal lug 14 should essentially be oriented at right angles to the plane of fingers 164, it can be seen that the fingers 164 could be prevented from closing or, instead, the terminal lug 14 could be compressed because the forces exerted by fingers 164 in this case are generally parallel to the edges the connecting lug 14 would act.

An angular alignment of the terminal lug is necessary to rule out possible damage due to this situation sensed prior to actuation of the tab aligner 52 by a photoelectric detector such as is located in position No. 9 of the turntable. This detector (not shown) is designed so that it emits an electrical signal when the angle formed between the plane of the terminal lug and a reference plane

030065/0818

exceeds a predetermined reference angle. Such a signal can be _{generated (} for example, by directing a light beam at the location of the terminal lug protruding upwards in station No. 9 of the indexing table so that if the angle of the connecting lug exceeds the reference angle, the light beam is interrupted. A photodetector speaks responds to the interrupted beam of light and generates an electrical signal which is fed to the controller so that a timed command signal is generated to realign the finger members 164 before they close.

The command signal causes the piston 186 of the actuating air cylinder 187 retracted and thereby moved from its normal position (Figures 11 and 14) to its retracted position (Fig. 13) is moved. The piston 186 is at its free end by a pivot 189 with the lever part 16Oa of the actuating arm 160 connected. The movement of the lever 160a acts against the rods 166, 167, so that the entire Finger locking mechanism in its support point in the Bearing 171 is rotated about the axis of the air cylinder piston 172. The support block 161, the rods 166, 167 and the finger locking element 174 therefore all rotate 90 degrees to realign the finger elements 164 90 degrees. In the after Rotating the realignment position is the angle between the plane of the terminal lug and the planes of the fingers 164 is reduced to a very small value, which the finger elements 164 allows the terminal lug 14 to close without obstruction or damage. When in the closed With the fingers held in position, the air cylinder 187 is actuated around its piston 186 and the actuating arm 160 to return to normal positions. This returns the finger elements 164 to their normal rotational position, before the air cylinder 173 is inactivated to withdraw its piston and the elements attached to it, so that the finger elements are opened and the

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Terminal lug 14 is released. The fingers are in this Realignment position held while air cylinder 173 is inactivated to open finger members 164. Subsequently, the cell housing is lowered into its receptacle, so that the terminal lug of the finger elements 164 is exempt. The air cylinder 187 is then actuated to actuate its piston 186 and actuator arm 160 in FIG return to normal positions, which is done before the horizontal table indexes to the next position will.

The terminal lug aligner works retrospectively considered in normal mode when the actuating air cylinder is 187 is in the position shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 14. As long as the angle between the plane of the terminal lug 14 and the reference plane are not exceeds a predetermined reference angle, the actuating air cylinder remains in the normal position. In practice, the reference angle will be around 75 ° to 80 °, measured against a plane parallel to the plane of the finger elements 164. When the reference angle through the terminal lug is exceeded, the actuation air cylinder 187 is actuated prior to the closing of the fingers 164 and then prior to opening the finger and the lowering of the cell housing into its rest position in the receptacle 43 into its normal position brought back.

Lid folding device

15 shows a front view of the lid folding device, which is designated by the reference number 60 in FIG. 3. This device is located in station no.15 of the horizontal rotary indexing table 44. Due to the cell housing alignment by the terminal lug alignment device 52 cells that reach station no. 15 are arranged so that the terminal lug 14 and the cover 15 are in one plane

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lie, which is parallel to the radius of the indexing table 44 as a whole.

The lid folding device contains a total of a vertical support frame 190, which has an actuating device 191 which, when actuated, causes the output shaft 192 to rotate about its axis. At the end of this Shaft is attached to a cover receiving part 193, a lever part 194 on the shaft 192 and a cover receiving arm part 195 has. The actuator 191 includes a rotary actuated air cylinder, the output of which is connected to the shaft. The actuating device 191 is a double-acting one Device so that when it is operated, it causes the lid flip part 193 to move out of the normal position Position shown in Fig. 15 rotates in one full motion to a position 90 degrees from the normal position away.

The lid receiving part 195 of the rotatable part 193 has a Machined surface 199 which is adapted to the geometry of the cover 15 as a whole. According to FIG. 17 is the Surface 199 partially delimited by a circular lip 200, with which the edge of the isolator disk 28, which is the Cell cover 15 is assigned, can be brought into contact. Part of the surface 199 is cut away at the point 201, so that the upwardly protruding cover 15 indexed under the cover receiving part 193 and into its can reach stationary position. The position of the cell in this indexed position in relation to the cover receiving part 193 is best seen in FIG. The cover 15 is located slightly outside the axis of the cell housing 10 and must, so that it can be folded over, both rotated for insertion into the open upper end of the housing as well as being moved downwards.

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When the part 193 is rotated by about 10 °, as shown in FIG. 1, the surface 199 contacts the upper edge of the rim of the isolator disk 28. Subsequently, when the part 193 continues to rotate clockwise, the isolator disk becomes 28 guided by its contact with the surface 199 rotating and thus rotated and moved downwards at the same time, when the part 193 rotates. When the part 193 is rotated approximately 45-50 ° as shown in Fig. 17, the edge of the isolator disk 28 contacts the lip 200 and the cover assembly is thus firmly seated in the cover receiving part 195. The lid assembly then follows a curved path so that the center of the lid assembly is in line with the pivot arc of rotation passing through the axis of the cell housing 10. The lid will thus be coaxial with the axis of the cell 10 when the lid receiving part 193 has rotated a full 90 degrees. At this At point, the lid assembly sits in the open end of the cell, essentially in the position shown in FIG Section is shown.

It can be seen that the cover receiving part 193 is constructed in this way is that its surface does not have the sealant coating 202 (that represented by the shaded area in the figures is) touched, scratched or otherwise disturbs. It can also be seen that the pivotable part 193 is the cover assembly detected in such a way that the lid assembly first begins a rotational movement to flex the flexible Terminal lug 14 before any downward movement of the cover assembly initiate. This ensures correct curving and folding of the terminal lug 14 when the entire cover assembly is moved to the open end of the housing.

After the cover receiving part 193 fully in a substantially horizontal position has been adjusted, the actuator 191 is reversed, which the part 193 in

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returns to the vertical position of FIG.

It has been found that the cell assembly device described above increases the efficiency of the manufacture of rechargeable electrochemical cells. This efficiency includes a higher manufacturing speed, a minimized need for manual assembly steps, a better one Cell performance, which is partly due to a lower Variability in the quality of the items is due to a higher quality rate with less produced faulty cells and the ability to monitor each cell as it progresses through the manufacturing process.

In the described embodiments, pneumatic Devices used to induce the mechanical movement of cells or machine parts. It can, however electric actuators can also be used for the same purposes. In addition, other sensing devices can be included in can be used with the entire device. Instead of photoelectric sensors, mechanical sensors can easily be used be used. As another example, the devices for rotating the spindles on the vertical turntable be adapted to other drive devices. Instead of one Belt drives, for example, gear drives can be used. Other lid applicators are also supported of the hand.

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Claims (30)

Dr. rer. not. Horst Schüler ⁶ ^ ⁰ Frankfurt / Main ι <· ■ "?" ■ PATENT ADVOCATE W-. 41 Me./Vo./he. Telephone (0611) 235555 λ / η ο j- r η ο Telex: 04-16759 mapat d O U A 3 «J Postal check account: 282420-602 Frankfurt / M. Bank account: 225/0389 Deutsche Bank AG ₁ Frankfurt / M. 8424-6OBA-1O7 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY 1 River Road
Schenectady, NY / USA Patent claims: '1 / Device for the automatic assembly of the individual parts of electrochemical cells on a mass production basis, each cell being a cell housing, an electrode assembly contained in the housing and has an electrical terminal lug connected between the electrode assembly and a cover part which closes the cell and forms an electrical pole of the same, characterized by: a cell indexing device (44) having a plurality of locations for holding and transporting cells (39) through a plurality Work stations, which include an insertion station (No. 1), an intermediate welding station (No. 13) and an ejection station (66, 67 No. 23, 24), the housing (10) each containing an electrode assembly (12) which has a terminal lug (14) extending therefrom to the open end of the cell housing; a ceiling / assembly indexing device (54) having a plurality of Places for picking up and transporting several Cover assemblies from an application point to a welding 030065/0818 synchronize with the cell switching device, where the lid assembly indexing device is arranged and operates to insert a lid assembly into each Brings cell housing that reaches the weld, with the inserted cover assembly in a line with the terminal lug is attached to the cell housing in the welding station assigned; and a welding device (55) for mechanically and electrically connecting the terminal lug to the cover assembly in the welding station. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the indexing devices (44, 54) each have a rotary movement as a result of which the cell parts transported through them follow a curved path. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cell and cover assembly switching devices (44, 54) have a rotational movement about axes which are substantially perpendicular to one another. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotating cell indexing device (44) the cells (39) transported in a horizontal plane and that the rotating cover assembly indexing device (54) cover assemblies transported in a vertical plane. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that that the cover assembly indexing device (54) has several cover assembly holding devices (71), which can be moved cyclically with her through the application point and a welding point, that a device (86, 89, 90) is provided, which conveys the cover assemblies in sequence to a position that is in one 030065/0818 is in line with the holding device at the application site; and that a device (80) is provided which the Bringing lid assembly into contact with the holding device while the lid assembly and the holding device are in one Line and are stationary. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover assembly holding devices (71) each have a suction head (113) which receives a cover assembly in a substantially sealed manner, and that the cover assembly indexing device (54) means (103-105, 120) for exerting suction on each suction head so that the Lid assemblies are releasably retained for transport from the application point to the weld point. 7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cover assembly holding devices each have a rotatable A spindle (71) which can receive a cover assembly for rotation about the spindle axis, that a sealant applicator (73) downstream of the application site and next to the path of the spindles for dispensing a liquid sealant for closing the interface formed when the cell housing (10) and the lid assembly are connected to one another, is arranged, and that the spindle located next to the application device rotates the lid assemblies held therein in contact with the sealant, thereby the edge surface of the cover assemblies to be coated with sealant. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by a device (121) for rotating the spindle (71), which the cover assembly keeps what sealant is applied to. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the spindle turning device (121) causes the spindles (71) at a selected downstream switch point 030065/0818 rotating the sealant applicator (73), thereby causing the lid assembly retained by the downstream spindle rotates to help distribute sealant over the coated surface of the lid assembly. 10. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the spindles (71) are each assigned a drive part (107) and that the spindle rotating device (121) comprises a drive device (110, 127, 129-131) which is driven by the drive part the spindle at selected indexing parts is detectable. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the Drive device for rotating the spindle (71) comprises an endless belt which is passed through the drive device the spindle can be tangentially detected. 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that that the cell housing (10) are transported in one plane that the cover assembly and the to be welded to it Terminal lugs (14) are offset from one another in the welding station, and that a device (180) is provided is the one during the cell case and lid assembly indexing device (44, 54) are stationary, the cell housing moves in a direction around its associated Bring connection lug for welding with the cover assembly in coverage. 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that each cell housing (10) upright in a receptacle (43) is transported, which is adapted to the cell housing geometry and has a through hole and that the cell case moving device (180) has an actuating member which can be passed through the through hole, 030065/0818 to touch the bottom of the case and this case
to move axially in the receptacle to the cover assembly to be welded. 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized by a magnetic device (82), which is movable with the actuator (180) and with the cell housing (10) during the movement of the same can be brought into contact. 15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by a terminal lug alignment device (52) which is shown in
a workstation is arranged, which is in front of the
Welding station is located and which, when actuated, detects the cell housing (10) and aligns it by rotating so that the terminal lug (14) assigned to the cell housing has a predetermined geometric orientation with respect to the cover assembly to be connected to it. 16. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the terminal lug aligning device (52) contains two flat, parallel finger elements (164) which are between an open
Position in which they are free from the connection lug (14),
and a closed position in which the finger elements grasp the terminal lug and move into an orientation parallel thereto, are controllably movable. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized by means for sensing any angular orientation of the terminal lug (14) which exceeds a reference angle, and by
a device (160, 160a, 187, 189) responsive to the sensing device and the parallel finger elements
(164) rotates from a normal position to a displaced position so that the orientation angle of the terminal lug is reduced from the reference angle before the finger elements were closed, and for returning the finger elements 030065/0818 elements in their normal position before opening them. 18. Apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, characterized by a Device (182) for supporting the cell housing (10) on a low-friction rotatable surface (171) during detection the connecting lug (14) through the finger elements (164). 19. Apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the Support device (181, 182) between a normal position in which the cell is moved by the cell indexing device (44) is held, and an extended position in which the cell is moved so that its associated terminal lug 14 is brought into alignment with the cover assembly to be welded to it, is movable. 20. Device according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized by a lid folding device (60) which is in a work station downstream of the welding station of the cell housing switching device (44) is arranged and controllable is actuated to the welded to the terminal lug (14) Detect cover assembly and translate and rotate into the open end of the cell housing to bring while this is stationary. 21. Apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the Lid folding device (60) contains: a lid receiving part (193) which is positioned between a rest position, in which it is free from the lid assembly and a second position over the open end of the cell housing (10) is controllably pivotable and has a lid receiving control surface (199) defining an upper edge portion of the lid assembly detected and then rotates the cover assembly relative to the cell axis and the terminal lug attached to it (14) deformed when the lid receiving part pivots toward the open end of the cell housing. 030065/0818 22. Apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the cover receiving part (193) has a lip part (200) which delimits the control surface (199) and can be touched through the upper edge part of the cover assembly, so that the cover assembly sits on the control surface, that the center of the lid assembly is in line with the arc of pivoting movement passing through the axis of the cell. 23. Device according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that that the welding device contains: a welding head (55) with at least one welding electrode (56, 57); a device (142, 150-153) for the controllable positioning of the welding head for welding on the connecting lug (14) the lid assembly; and a device assigned to the welding head (140, 145, 143) for resiliently coupling the welding electrode to an actuating device (142) along the direction of movement of the welding electrode to the lid assembly. 24. Device according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that that the welding device comprises: a welding head (55) with at least one welding electrode (56, 57); and a device for the controllable positioning of the welding head for welding the connecting lug (14) to the Lid assembly, the positioning device including an actuator (142, 150) having one axial to the Welding point has reciprocating piston, and a cam device (151-153), which with the piston during its axial movement can be brought into contact, around the welding head around the axis of the piston from a first Position in which the welding head guides the cells in the 030065/0818 Cell housing switching device (44) releases, and the Welding position. 25. System for carrying out manufacturing work on electrochemical Cells that have a cell housing that has a flat part extending lengthways from them protruding, characterized by a housing alignment device with the following features: means for holding a cell can (10) to be aligned; and means for sensing the flat portion of a cell, comprising two flat, parallel finger elements (164) which controllable from an open position in which they are free of the flat part of the cell to a closed position are movable, the finger elements touching the flat part of the cell and between them in a parallel to them Rotate orientation. 26. System according to claim 25, characterized in that the means for detecting the cell part (14) includes: a device (161), the finger elements (164) on a End of the same carries so that the free ends thereof are divergent with respect to each other; a finger element locking member (174) having a slot which slidably receives the finger elements; and means (172, 173) for moving the finger element locking means (174) to the divergent free ends of the finger elements to thereby move them together. 27. System according to claim 25 or 26, characterized by means (187) for the selected rotation of the cell part (14) sensing means so that the finger elements (164) are aligned by rotation with respect to the cell part (14) will. 28. System according to one of claims 25 to 27, characterized in that 030065/0818 indicates that the cell holding device (43) has a cell support surface (184) which in a low-friction Bearing (182) is rotatably mounted. 29. System according to claim 28, characterized by a device (181) for axially moving the cell housing (10) from a first position in which it is supported by the finger elements (164) is free to a second position in which it is longitudinally in line with the finger elements so that it can be grasped by the finger elements. 30. System according to one of claims 27 to 29, characterized in that that the rotating device contains: means (170) for rotatably supporting the finger element locking means (174); and a rotatable actuating arm (160) which carries the finger support device (161) and the finger element locking device for longitudinal movement of the same relative to the axis of rotation of the actuating arm slidably receives, whereby a rotation of the actuating arm causes a rotation of the finger elements (164) and the finger element locking device and thereby a longitudinal movement of the Finger locking element allowed in the rotated position. 030065/0818