JP2018022678A - Battery take-out device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery take-out device capable of separately and reliably griping edge parts of jacket members of a plurality of batteries.SOLUTION: A battery take-out device 100 is for taking out batteries from a magazine 10 where a plurality of batteries 20 having flat shapes are aligned and accommodated. Further, the battery take-out device has guide members 110 and hands 120. The guide members are disposed at the side of the magazine and can be inserted into gaps formed between edge parts of jacket members of adjacent batteries from a direction crossing an alignment direction D1 of the batteries. The hands can freely approach to or separate from the magazine and can freely grip or release the edge parts 24 of the jacket members of the batteries. The hands grip the edge parts of the jacket members in a state in which the guide members are inserted into the gaps between the edge parts of the jacket members and move to separate from the magazine to take out the batteries.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery take-out device.

  Conventionally, a flat battery having a configuration in which a power generation element is sealed inside a film-like exterior material has been manufactured, and by collecting them in a magazine that can store a plurality of batteries, Thus, the processing is executed efficiently (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  For example, when a flat battery stored in a magazine is transferred to a stage on which another manufacturing process is performed after one manufacturing process is performed, the end of the film-like exterior material is moved by a hand. It is gripped and removed from the magazine.

JP2015-37047A

  However, the end portion of the battery-like outer packaging material of the battery is not only in a substantially flat state so that it can be easily gripped, but actually, there are cases in which the end portion of the battery is deformed with wrinkles. Even in such a case, the present inventors considered that the batteries can be removed from the magazine more smoothly if the ends of the outer packaging materials of the plurality of batteries can be gripped separately and reliably.

  This invention is made | formed based on such an idea, and it aims at providing the battery taking-out apparatus which can hold | grip the edge part of the exterior material of a some battery separately and reliably.

  In order to achieve the above object, a battery take-out device of the present invention takes out a battery from a magazine in which a plurality of flat batteries are arranged and stored, and has a guide member and a hand. The guide member is disposed on the side of the magazine, and can be inserted into the gap formed between the end portions of the exterior materials of the adjacent batteries from the direction intersecting the battery alignment direction. The hand can be moved close to and away from the magazine, and can also grip and open the end of the battery outer packaging. The hand grips the end of the exterior member with the guide member inserted in the gap between the end portions of the exterior member, moves away from the magazine, and takes out the battery.

  According to the battery take-out device having the above-described configuration, the end portions of the outer packaging materials of the plurality of batteries can be gripped separately and reliably.

It is a perspective view which shows the battery extraction apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which follows the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is the figure seen from the code | symbol III of FIG. It is the figure seen from the code | symbol IV of FIG. It is a figure which shows insertion of the guide member between the edge parts of the exterior material of a battery. It is sectional drawing which follows the VI-VI line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the guide member of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the further insertion of the guide member between the edge parts of the exterior material of a battery. It is a figure which shows the holding | grip by the hand with respect to the edge part of the exterior material of a battery. It is a figure which shows taking out of the battery from a magazine. It is sectional drawing which follows the XI-XI line of FIG. It is a figure which shows the battery extraction apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows taking out of the battery in the battery taking-out apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is an enlarged view of the guide member of 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure seen from the code | symbol XV of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the XVI-XVI line | wire of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the dimension ratio of drawing is exaggerated on account of description, and differs from an actual ratio.

<First Embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 1, the battery take-out device 100 of the first embodiment includes a guide member 110 and a hand 120 and takes out the battery 20 from the magazine 10.

  The magazine 10 stores a plurality of batteries 20 in an aligned manner. The magazine 10 includes a core 11 that is a partition member disposed between the battery 20 and the battery 20. The battery 20 is accommodated in a slot-shaped space formed between the cores 11.

  The magazine 10 is, for example, a pressure magazine used to transmit the applied pressure applied in the alignment direction D1 of the plurality of batteries 20 to each battery 20. However, the magazine 10 can store the plurality of batteries 20 in an aligned manner. If it does not specifically limit. For example, the magazine 10 may simply be a storage tool that is used to collectively transport a plurality of batteries 20 or that is used to collectively store a plurality of batteries 20.

  The guide members 110 are disposed on both sides of the magazine 10 and can be moved toward and away from the magazine 10 from both sides in a direction intersecting the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20.

  A plurality of guide members 110 are provided and are arranged in parallel with the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20. Each of the plurality of guide members 110 moves so as to approach the magazine 10 and is inserted into each of the gaps between the batteries 20.

  The hand 120 is provided so as to be close to and away from the magazine 10, and the battery 20 can be gripped and opened by an openable / closable tip. Each of the plurality of batteries 20 is gripped at two locations by a pair of hands 120 that are provided apart from each other in a direction crossing the alignment direction D1. Further, the hands 120 adjacent to each other in the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20 are provided with their positions shifted in a direction intersecting the alignment direction D1. Thereby, since the hands 120 are arranged with a narrow interval in the alignment direction D1, the apparatus can be made compact.

  The guide member 110 and the hand 120 are driven by, for example, a driving device including an actuator, and the operation is controlled by a control device such as a PC.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the battery 20 includes a power generation element 21 that charges and discharges electric power, a pair of electrode tabs 22 that are electrically connected to the power generation element 21, and an exterior member 23 that seals the power generation element 21. Have a different shape. The battery 20 is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery.

  The power generation element 21 has, for example, a configuration in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked via a separator. Here, for example, the positive electrode has a configuration in which a positive electrode active material is disposed on both surfaces of a positive electrode current collector, and the negative electrode has a configuration in which a negative electrode active material is disposed on both surfaces of a negative electrode current collector, for example. Moreover, although a separator contains a liquid electrolyte, for example, the structure of the electric power generation element 21 is not specifically limited.

  One of the pair of electrode tabs 22 is a positive electrode tab, and the other is a negative electrode tab. These are drawn from the same one side of the outer periphery of the exterior member 23 having a rectangular shape, but are not limited to this, and one electrode tab 22 from one of the two opposite sides of the outer periphery of the exterior member 23. May be drawn and another electrode tab 22 may be drawn from the other side.

  The packaging material 23 is a laminate film in which a resin film such as polypropylene or nylon (registered trademark) is disposed on the surface of a metal foil such as Al foil or Ni foil. The exterior member 23 seals the power generation element 21 by, for example, heat-sealing the outer periphery in a state of being wrapped so as to sandwich the power generation element 21.

  An end portion 24 (end portion of the exterior material) constituting one side of the outer periphery of the exterior material 23 protrudes from the magazine 10, and the battery 20 is removed from the magazine 10 by being gripped and pulled by the hand 120. It is taken out.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the end 24 is not only in a substantially flat and straight state so that the hand 120 can be easily gripped, but actually, the end 24 is deformed with a habit so as to wave, Some are inclined toward the portion 24. In such a case, the hand 120 may not be able to grip the end portion 24 to be gripped, or may accidentally grip a plurality of adjacent end portions 24 together, which is not preferable.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the end portion 24 is corrected by the guide member 110. When the core 11 is disposed between the batteries 20 and separated from each other, a gap is formed between the end 24 and the end 24, and the guide member 110 is inserted into the gap. Thus, the end 24 is corrected.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the guide member 110 includes a distal end portion 111 provided on the distal end side in the insertion direction D <b> 2 into the gap between the end portions 24, and a base portion 112 that is continuous therewith.

  The guide member 110 has an inclined surface 113 that is inclined with respect to the alignment direction D <b> 1 of the battery 20 at the distal end portion 111. The inclined surface 113 is widened toward the base 112 from the tip 111.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the guide member 110 moves in the insertion direction D <b> 2, the end 24 that has been deformed and deviated from the proper gripping position hits the inclined surface 113. As the guide member 110 further moves in the insertion direction D2, the deformed end portion 24 is guided along the inclined surface 113 and is corrected to an appropriate gripping position in the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the tip 111 has a shape that widens toward the base 112 in a cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5 (a cross section orthogonal to the alignment direction D <b> 1 of the battery 20). doing. With this configuration, the guide member 110 expands the correction range of the end 24 in the surface direction 24b toward the edge 24a as the guide member 110 moves in the insertion direction D2.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the guide member 110, the outer surfaces 114 and 115 positioned on opposite sides in the direction D3 orthogonal to the insertion direction D2 and also orthogonal to the alignment direction D1 of the battery 20 are circular so that they are convex. It has a curved shape in an arc. The guide member 110 has a flat surface 116 at the base 112. The flat surface 116 is continuous with the inclined surface 113 of the distal end portion 111.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the plane 116 is parallel to the insertion direction D2 and orthogonal to the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20. The guide member 110 further moves in the insertion direction D2 after the end portion 24 is corrected to an appropriate gripping position by the inclined surface 113, and contacts the end portion 24 at the plane 116. The guide member 110 stops when it comes into contact with the end portion 24 on the flat surface 116 and maintains the end portion 24 in a corrected state.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9, the hand 120 moves to grip the end portion 24. After the hand 120 grips the end portion 24, the guide member 110 moves backward to move away from the end portion 24 to the retracted position.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the hand 120 moves away from the magazine 10 to take out the battery 20. The hand 120 may take out all of the plurality of batteries 20 stored in the magazine 10 at the same time, or may take them out one by one. Alternatively, one set of the plurality of batteries 20 may be taken out at the same time, and then another set may be taken out at the same time.

  The removed battery 20 is transferred to another stage where a manufacturing process such as degassing or roll pressing is performed, for example. Alternatively, the removed battery 20 may be stored in the magazine 10 again. As an example in this case, the battery 20 taken out from the magazine 10 is stored in the magazine 10 again after the product information is read by the barcode attached to the outer surface.

  When the battery 20 is taken out and stored, the guide member 110 is in the retracted position and thus does not hinder them. Further, since the electrode tab 22 protruding from the battery 20 is also guided by the outer surfaces 114 and 115 of the guide member 110, it is difficult to be caught by the guide member 110.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the electrode tab 22 is guided along the arc shape of the outer surfaces 114 and 115 even if it contacts the guide member 110 when the battery 20 is taken out and stored. It is difficult to get caught by the guide member 110. The electrode tab 22 passes between the guide member 110 and the guide member 110 when the battery 20 is taken out and stored.

  Next, the function and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  According to the battery take-out device 100 of the present embodiment, the guide member 110 corrects the deformed end portion 24 to an appropriate gripping position, so that each end portion 24 of the plurality of batteries 20 is separately separated by the hand 120. And it can grasp reliably.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the guide members 110 are disposed on both sides of the magazine 10, whereby each end portion 24 is not limited to the portion where the guide members 110 on both sides are in contact with each other but the guide members between them. A portion where 110 does not contact is also easily corrected to a more appropriate gripping position. For this reason, it becomes easy to hold | grip each edge part 24 separately and reliably.

  Unlike the present embodiment, as a method for flattening the deformed end portion 24 so as to be easily gripped, the end portion 24 is pressed in advance before the battery 20 is stored in the magazine 10. It is also conceivable to store the battery 20 with the portion 24 already corrected in the magazine 10. However, in this case, a press machine must be prepared separately, which may increase the size of the equipment.

  On the other hand, the battery take-out device 100 of the present embodiment includes the guide member 110, and it is not necessary to press the end portion 24 and plastically deform it into a flat state. it can.

  The guide member 110 includes an inclined surface 113, whereby a force is easily applied to the alignment direction D <b> 1 of the battery 20 on the end portion 24 that is displaced from the proper gripping position. For this reason, the position of the end portion 24 in the alignment direction D1 can be reliably corrected.

  Further, since the tip end portion 111 has a tapered shape due to the inclined surface 113, the tip end portion 111 can be reliably inserted into the gap between the end portions 24.

  The tip 111 has a shape that widens toward the base 112 in a cross section (cross section orthogonal to the alignment direction D <b> 1 of the battery 20) along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. As a result, at the end portion 24, as the guide member 110 is inserted, a range to be corrected is expanded in the surface direction 24b (see FIG. 6). For this reason, it is easy to correct the entire surface of the end portion 24.

  Further, the distal end portion 111 is widened toward the base portion 112 in a cross section (cross section orthogonal to the alignment direction D1 of the battery 20) along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5, in other words, toward the distal end side. Since the shape is tapered, the distal end portion 111 can be reliably inserted into the gap between the end portions 24.

  Since the guide member 110 is in contact with the end portion 24 at the flat surface 116 and supports the end portion 24 in a wider range, the corrected end portion 24 can be reliably maintained in that state.

  The guide member 110 has outer surfaces 114 and 115, and when the battery 20 is taken out or stored from the magazine 10, the electrode tab 22 is guided by the battery 20, thereby preventing the electrode tab 22 from being caught on the guide member 110. it can.

  Further, the guide member 110 moves backward to the retracted position before the battery 20 is taken out. For this reason, the battery 20 to be taken out hardly interferes with the guide member 110, and the battery 20 can be taken out smoothly.

Second Embodiment
As shown in FIG. 12, the battery take-out device 200 of the second embodiment has a guide member 210 that is different from the first embodiment. About another structure, since this embodiment is the same as that of 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected and the overlapping description here is abbreviate | omitted.

  The guide member 210 has a hinge 201 on the proximal end side opposite to the distal end side. About the other structure, the guide member 210 is substantially the same as the guide member 110 of 1st Embodiment. The guide member 210 operates in the same manner as the guide member 110 of the first embodiment to correct the end portion 24 to an appropriate gripping position, but the operation after the hand 120 grips the end portion 24 is the first embodiment. Different from form.

  The guide member 210 does not retract before the battery 20 is taken out as in the first embodiment, and remains stationary at the position where the end 24 is corrected.

  And as shown in FIG. 13, the guide member 210 rotates toward the taking-out direction of the battery 20 with the taking-out of the battery 20. The guide member 210 is in contact with the power generation element 21 that is thicker than the end portion 24 as the battery 20 is taken out, and is rotated by the hinge 201 using the dynamic friction force therebetween. You may rotate using the force from the drive source.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the hinge 201 includes a shaft 202 to which the base end of the guide member 210 is rotatably attached, and a support portion 203 that supports the shaft 202 and the base end of the guide member 210. Further, the hinge 201 has a rotation spring 204 wound around the shaft 202 and having one end connected to the guide member 210.

  The movable range of the guide member 210 with the shaft 202 as the rotation center is defined by the support portion 203 and is 90 ° from the horizontal direction to the side where the battery 20 is taken out, but in a state where no external force is applied, The guide member 210 is urged in the horizontal direction by the rotation spring 204.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the hinge 201 is provided in each of the plurality of guide members 210, and each guide member 210 is individually rotatable. When one desired battery 20A is taken out, the guide member 210 adjacent to the battery 20A rotates.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the rotation range of the guide member 210 when the battery 20A is taken out is the maximum at the tip 217 of the guide member 210 when viewed from the alignment direction D1 of the batteries 20 (see FIG. 15). Thus, it is preferable to reach the edge 25 of the battery 20 adjacent to the battery 20A.

  At this time, the rotation angle θ of the guide member 210 is, for example, 6 °, but is not limited thereto. For example, the rotation angle θ can be adjusted by changing the biasing force of the rotation spring 204 provided in the hinge 201. Further, the guide member 210 returns to the horizontal direction after the battery 20A is taken out by the urging force of the rotating spring 204.

  Although an example in which only one desired battery 20A is taken out has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of batteries 20 may be taken out simultaneously. In the present embodiment, the plurality of guide members 210 can be individually rotated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the plurality of guide members 210 may all be rotated in conjunction with each other.

  Next, the function and effect of this embodiment will be described.

  Since the guide member 210 of the present embodiment rotates, it does not hinder the removal of the battery 20 without retreating as in the first embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to save the time for retracting the guide member 210 and shorten the process time required for taking out the battery 20.

  In the present embodiment, since each of the plurality of guide members 210 is individually rotatable, when one battery 20A is taken out, the guide member 210 adjacent to the battery 20A is rotated, but another guide other than that is provided. Member 210 does not rotate and remains stationary. Therefore, in another battery 20 different from the battery 20A to be taken out, the end 24 is easily maintained at an appropriate gripping position.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the guide member 210 that rotates with the removal of one battery 20 </ b> A also has a maximum rotation range until the leading edge 217 reaches the edge 25 of the adjacent battery 20. For this reason, also in the battery 20 adjacent to the battery 20A to be taken out, the guide member 210 is not completely separated from the end portion 24, and the end portion 24 is maintained at an appropriate gripping position.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the guide members 110 and 210 are disposed on both sides of the magazine 10, but the present invention is not limited to this form. The present invention includes, for example, a configuration in which the guide members 110 and 210 are arranged only on one side of the magazine 10.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the guide members 110 and 210 have the circular-shaped outer surfaces 114 and 115, this invention also includes the form with which only one of them was provided, and the form without them.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although each battery 20 is hold | gripped by the two hands 120, this invention is not limited to this. For example, each battery may be held by one hand, or may be held by three or more hands.

10 magazines,
11 Core,
20 batteries,
21 power generation elements,
22 electrode tabs,
23 Exterior material,
24 End of exterior material,
25 Battery edge,
100, 200 battery take-out device,
110, 210 guide members,
111 tip,
112 base,
113 inclined surface,
114, 115 an outer surface having an arc shape,
116 plane,
120 hands,
201 hinge,
202 axes,
203 support,
204 Rotating spring,
217 The most advanced guide member
D1 battery alignment direction,
D2 guide member insertion direction,
D3 A direction orthogonal to the insertion direction of the guide member and the alignment direction of the batteries.

Claims (9)

A battery take-out device for taking out the battery from a magazine in which a plurality of batteries having a flat shape are arranged and stored,
A guide member that can be inserted from a direction that intersects the alignment direction of the batteries, with respect to a gap that is disposed on the side of the magazine and formed between the ends of the outer packaging materials of the adjacent batteries.
A hand that can be moved close to and away from the magazine, and that can grip and open the end of the outer packaging material of the battery,
The hand grips an end portion of the exterior material in a state where the guide member is inserted in the gap between the end portions of the exterior material, and moves away from the magazine to take out the battery. Take-out device.   The battery take-out device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is retracted before taking out the battery.   The battery take-out device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member rotates in the take-out direction of the battery as the battery is taken out.   The battery take-out device according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of guide members, wherein each of the plurality of guide members is individually rotatable.   The maximum rotation range of the guide member when taking out one battery is the edge of the other battery adjacent to the one battery when the leading edge of the guide member is viewed from the alignment direction of the battery. The battery take-out device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein The guide member has an inclined surface inclined with respect to the alignment direction of the battery at a distal end portion provided on the distal end side in the insertion direction into the gap,
The battery take-out device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inclined surface is diverging from the tip portion toward a base portion connected to the tip portion.   The guide member has a distal end portion provided on the distal end side in the insertion direction into the gap and a base portion continuous therewith, and the base portion is parallel to the insertion direction and orthogonal to the battery alignment direction. The battery take-out device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the battery take-out device has a flat surface. The guide member has a distal end portion provided on the distal end side in the insertion direction into the gap, and a base portion continuous therewith,
8. The battery take-out device according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion has a shape that widens toward the base portion in a cross section orthogonal to the alignment direction of the batteries.   The guide member has an arc shape so that at least one of two outer surfaces located on opposite sides in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction into the gap and also orthogonal to the battery alignment direction is convex. The battery take-out device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the battery take-out device has a curved shape.