IES65600B2

IES65600B2 - A product testing apparatus

Info

Publication number: IES65600B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Enda Brennan
Original assignee: Enda Brennan
Priority date: 1994-07-22
Filing date: 1994-07-22
Publication date: 1995-11-01
Also published as: IES940589A2; GB9515145D0; GB2291737A

Abstract

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) having a clamp to grip a battery pack (10) in response to sensed location at the test station and a test probe engageable with the battery pack (10) to run a test sequence on the battery pack (10), and a pusher (30) is operable to deliver the battery pack (10) onto a turntable (35) after disengagement and retraction of the probe and release of the clamp, the turntable (35) being 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).

Description

This invention relates to a product testing apparatus.

The invention particularly relates to the testing of battery packs. 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 the existing manual testing system is that it slows 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 product testing apparatus, comprising conveyor means for delivery of a product to a test station, testing means for carrying one or more test operations on the product at the test station and discharge means for delivering the product 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 or tests carried out on the product.

In one embodiment of the invention, the testing means comprises one or more probes mounted at the test station for movement between a retracted disengaged position and an engaged product testing position.

Preferably each probe is movable by means of a ram between the disengaged position and the engaged position. , · - 2 In a particularly preferred embodiment each probe is r mounted on a carriage which is movable on a support frame to position the probe relative to the test station.

Ideally, the carriage is slidably mounted on the support 5 frame. Preferably a quick release lock is enqagable between the carriage and the support frame to releasably lock the carriage on the support frame.

In a further embodiment, each probe is connected to a controller which is operable to generate a desirable test sequence for the product and to compare the result of said test sequence on the product with a pre-set desired result, the controller being connected to the discharge means for operation of the discharge means in response to the test result.

In another embodiment the test station has a nest for reception of the product and sensing means is provided to sense location of a product in the nest, said sensing means being connected to the controller for operation of a test sequence in response to location of a product in the nest. Conveniently, the sensing means may be provided by an opto-electric fibre sensor.

Preferably means is provided to secure a product in the nest. Preferably said means is a clamp. Ideally the clamp comprises a ram having a product-engaging head movable between a retracted released position and a clamping position.

,« In another embodiment the discharge means comprises a pusher mounted adjacent the test station, the pusher <4 operable to push a product from the test station onto a turntable, the turntable rotatable to align an outlet of the turntable for discharge of the product to the further processing station or the reject station.

Conveniently the turntable has an associated pusher operable to engage and discharge a product from the turntable.

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 whichsFig. 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 product testing apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 has a support frame 2. A pair of product feed conveyors 3 are mounted on the support frame 2 for delivery of products to associated test stations 4. At each test station 4 one or ». more test operations are carried out on the product 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.

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 4 to guide the products, in this case, 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.

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 engaged position pressing the battery pack 10 against the platform 15 and a raised disengaged position.

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 retracted disengaged position and an engaged position engaging a battery pack in the nest 14. The ram 24 is mounted on a carriage 25 which in turn is slidably mounted on the support frame 2. A quick release locking bolt 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 turntable 35 has a channel section bed 36 for reception of a battery pack 10. The turntable 36 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 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 3 to the test station 4. Upon entering the nest 14, location of a battery pack 10 in the nest 14 is detected 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 23 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 in an automatic fashion.

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

CJ\BRENNMU2B CRUICKSHANK & CO. - 7 CIATMS

Claims

1. A product testing apparatus for testing battery packs comprising: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 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 ine&ns j 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. 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. 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.

2. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the carriage is slidably mounted on the support frame, and preferably each probe is mounted by means of a ram on the carriage for movement between the

3. 5 disengaged position and the engaged position, and preferably the sensing means comprises an optoelectric fibre sensor. 5. A battery pack testing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the

4. 10 accompanying drawings. CRUICKSHANK & CO. ,/6 (FORMAL) \ S656C0 316 (FORMAL) * Γ· Η