IE940996A1 - A battery pack testing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A battery pack testing apparatus (1) has a support frame (2). A pair of battery pack feed conveyors (3) are mounted spaced-apart on the support frame (2) for delivery of battery packs (10) to associated test stations (4). Each test station (4) has a clamp to grip a battery pack (10) and a test probe is engagable with the battery pack (10) to run a test sequence on the battery pack (10). A pusher (30) is operable to deliver the battery pack (10) onto a turntable (35) upon release of the clamp. The turntable (35) is rotatable to align the battery pack (10) in a desired orientation with either an outlet conveyor (6) for further processing or to a reject conveyor (7) for delivery to a reject station depending on the test result. A turntable pusher (38) is operable to discharge the battery pack (10) from the turntable (35) to the selected conveyor (6,7). <Fig.1>

Description

A Battery Pack Testing Apparatus“ This invention relates to a product testing apparatus.

Test rigs are available for testing battery packs which are taken manually from a production line and mounted in the test rig, a test is then run and the battery pack is removed and delivered for further processing such as labelling and packing or delivered to a reject bin. A problem with existing manual testing systems is that they slow down the battery production process. Further, operators must be available to manually test each unit, thus adding to the production cost.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a battery pack testing apparatus comprising:15 conveyor means for delivery of a battery pack in a desired orientation to a test station sensing means to sense location of a battery pack at the test station, clamp means operable in response to sensed location of a battery pack at the test station to engage and hold the battery pack at the test station, testing means comprising one or more probes mounted at the test station for movement between a retracted disengaged position and an engaged battery pack testing position for OPEN TC·· P > I NSPECTION SECTION 28 AND RULE 23 - 94 09 9 6 - 2 engagement with a battery pack located at the test station, each probe being connected to a controller which is operable in response to sensed location of a battery pack at the test station to move the probe into the engaged position, run a preset desirable test sequence for the battery pack and compare the result of said test sequence with a preset desired result and then move the probe to a disengaged position and release the clamp means, discharge means for delivering a battery pack from the test station to a further processing station or to a reject station in response to a positive or negative result respectively of said test sequence.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the means comprisessa pusher operable to engage and push a battery pack away from the test station, a turntable adjacent the test station, the turntable rotatable between a battery pack receiving position for reception of a battery pack delivered from the test station by the pusher and a battery pack delivery position for alignment of a battery pack in a desired orientation with an outlet conveyor or a reject conveyor, the outlet conveyor for delivery of the battery pack to the further processing station and the reject conveyor - 3 for delivery of the battery pack to the reject station, a turntable pusher operable in response to a positive or negative result of said test sequence to engage and push a battery pack from the turntable onto the outlet conveyor or the reject conveyor respectively.

In a particularly preferred embodiment each probe is mounted on a carriage which is movable on a support frame to position the probe relative to the test station, a quick release lock being provided to releasably lock the carriage on the support frame.

Preferably the carriage is slidably mounted on the support frame.

In another embodiment the clamp comprises a ram mounted on the carriage, the ram having a battery pack engaging head movable between a retracted released position and an extended clamping position for engagement with a battery pack located at the test station.

In a further embodiment the pusher at the test station has a battery pack engaging head movable across the test station to discharge a battery pack from the test station onto the turntable, the head having a stop arm movable across an inlet of the test station to close the inlet to the test station while a battery pack is being discharged from the test station.

Conveniently each probe is mounted by means of ram on the carriage for movement between the disengaged position and the engaged position. - 4 In another embodiment the sensing means comprises an optoelectric fibre sensor.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a plan view of a product testing apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a frame forming portion of the apparatus; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame; and Fig. 6 is an electrical circuit diagram for the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a battery pack testing apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 has a support frame 2 . A pair of battery pack feed conveyors 3 are mounted spaced-apart on the support frame 2, each for delivery of battery packs to associated test stations 4. At each test station 4 one or more test operations are carried out on each battery pack in turn which is then delivered by discharge means 5 to either an outlet conveyor 6 for further processing such as labelling or to a reject conveyor 7 for delivery to a reject station. -940996 - 5 The feed conveyor 3 comprises an endless belt 8 mounted around rollers and driven by a drive motor (not shown). Upstanding side walls 5 are provided at each side of the belt 8 to guide battery packs 10 in a sideways orientation towards the test station 4. The battery packs 10 are aligned in sideways orientation as they have sloped front and rear edges which would ride over each other if delivered the conveyor 3 in a longitudinal orientation. Due to the width between the sidewalls 5 and the length of the battery packs 10, the battery packs cannot turn on the conveyor 3. The battery packs 10 travel to an outlet end 11 of the conveyor 3 where they queue side by side for delivery to the test station 4. If the test station 4 is vacant a battery pack 10 enters the test station 4. If a battery pack 10 is already in the test station 4 when an oncoming battery pack 10 reaches the outlet end 11 of the conveyor 3 it abuts and is stopped by the battery pack 10 already in the test station 4.

The test station 4 has a nest 14 for reception of a battery pack 10. The nest 14 comprises a platform 15 with an upstanding stop-plate 16 at a rear end of the platform 15. A clamp is provided for retaining a battery pack in the nest 14 and in this case is provided by a clamp ram 18 mounted above the nest 14 and having a movable arm 19 with a product engaging head 20 which is movable vertically between an extended engaged position pressing the battery pack 10 against the platform 15 and a retracted related position raised above the platform 15.

An opto-electric sensor (not shown) is provided to detect location of a battery pack on the platform 15.

A test probe assembly 22 is also mounted above the nest 14. The test probe assembly 22 has a probe head 23 vertically movable by means of a ram 24 between a - 6 retracted disengaged position and an engaged position engaging a battery pack 10 in the nest 14. The ram 24 is mounted on a carriage 25 which in turn is slidably mounted on the support frame 2 for vertical movement on the support frame. A quick release locking bolt (not shown) is provided on the carriage 25 engagable with the frame 2 to releasably lock the carriage 25 on the frame 2.

The probe head 23 and the opto-electric location sensor are connected to a controller (not shown).

Mounted adjacent each test station 4 is a pusher ram 30 having a pusher head 31 movable across the platform 15 to push a battery pack 10 from the platform 15 onto an adjacent turntable 35. The pusher head 31 is L-shaped having a front end 32 and a rearwardly extending stop arm 33. The width of the front end 32 is such that as the pusher head 31 moves across the platform 15 the stop arm engages and holds a battery pack 10 queueing at the outlet end 11 of the conveyor 3 preventing entry to the test station 4 while the tested battery pack 10 is being discharged onto the turntable 35. The turntable 35 has a channel section bed 36 for reception of a battery pack 10. The turntable 35 is also operably connected to the controller. The turntable 35 is rotatable to align an inlet of the turntable 35 with an outlet of the nest 14. Rotation of the turntable 35 through 90° aligns an outlet of the turntable 35 with either the conveyor 6 or the reject conveyor 7. A turntable pusher ram 38 having a movable head 39 is operable to engage and push a battery pack 10 from the turntable 35 onto to one of the conveyors 6, 7.

In use, battery packs 10 are delivered along the conveyor to the test station 4. Upon entering the nest 14, location of a battery pack 10 in the nest 14 is detected - 7 by the location sensor and the controller then operates the clamp ram 18 to firmly clamp the battery pack 10 in the nest 14. Then the ram 24 is operated to engage the probe 23 with the battery pack 10 and the controller runs a test sequence on the battery pack 10 to check if it is functioning correctly.

If the battery pack 10 passes the test the probe 2 3 and clamp ram 18 are retracted and with the turntable 35 aligned with an outlet of the nest 14 the pusher ram 30 pushes the battery pack 10 onto the turntable 35. The turntable 35 is then swivelled through 90° and the ram 38 operated to push the battery pack 10 onto the conveyor 6 for delivery to a labelling station.

Should the battery pack fail the test then prior to rotating the turntable 35 into alignment with the nest 14 the head 39 of the ram 38 is extended. Subsequent to picking up the battery pack 10, the turntable 35 is then rotated into alignment with the reject conveyor 7 and upon retraction of the head 39, the battery pack 10 is discharged onto the reject conveyor 7 for delivery to a reject station.

It will be appreciated that the present invention allows a product, in particular a battery pack, to be readily easily and quickly tested. Conveniently the testing apparatus can be mounted at an outlet end of a battery pack production line to test battery packs produced.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (9)

1. A battery pack testing apparatus comprising:conveyor means for delivery of a battery pack in a desired orientation to a test station, 5 sensing means to sense location of a battery pack at the test station, clamp means operable in response to sensed location of a battery pack at the test station to engage and hold the battery pack 10 at the test station, testing means comprising one or more probes mounted at the test station for movement between a retracted disengaged position and an engaged battery pack testing position for 15 engagement with a battery pack located at the test station, each probe being connected to a controller which is operable in response to sensed location of a battery pack at the test 20 station to move the probe into the engaged position, run a preset desirable test sequence for the battery pack and compare the result of said test sequence with a preset desired result and then move the probe to a 25 disengaged position and release the clamp means, discharge means for delivering a battery pack from the test station to a further processing station or to a reject station in response to ® 4 0 9 9 β - 9 a positive or negative result respectively of said test sequence.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the discharge means comprises :a pusher operable to engage and push a battery pack away from the test station, a turntable adjacent the test station, the turntable rotatable between a battery pack receiving position for reception of a battery pack delivered from the test station by the pusher and a battery pack delivery position for alignment of a battery pack in a desired orientation with an outlet conveyor or a reject conveyor, the outlet conveyor for delivery of the battery pack to the further processing station and the reject conveyor for delivery of the battery pack to the reject station, a turntable pusher operable in response to a positive or negative result of said test sequence to engage and push a battery pack from the turntable onto the outlet conveyor or the reject conveyor respectively.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each probe is mounted on a carriage which is movable on a support frame to position the probe relative to the test station, a quick release lock being provided to releasably lock the carriage on the support frame. - 10

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the carriage is slidably mounted on the support frame.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the clamp comprises a ram mounted on the carriage, the ram having a battery pack engaging head movable between a retracted released position and an extended clamping position for engagement with a battery pack located at the test station.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the pusher at the test station has a battery pack engaging head movable across the test station to discharge a battery pack from the test station onto the turntable, the head having a stop arm movable across an inlet of the test station to close the inlet to the test station while a battery pack is being discharged from the test station.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each probe is mounted by means of a ram on the carriage for movement between the disengaged position and the engaged position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sensing means comprises an optoelectric fibre sensor.

9. A battery pack testing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.