JP3526715B2 - Automatic cleaning device for battery edges - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery end face automatic cleaning device used for automatically removing dust and dirt adhering to the end face of a battery assembled through various manufacturing processes. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an assembled battery, an end surface which serves as a terminal portion for both positive and negative electrodes has a manufacturing process such as battery part processing and battery assembly, a transfer conveyor used for transferring parts between these manufacturing processes, or a production amount time. Dust and dirt attached during the process of passing through a rotating disk, which is a buffer for adjusting and absorbing dynamic fluctuations, remain as they are. Although it is possible to reduce the adhesion of dust and dirt to some extent by appropriately performing daily cleaning, adjustment and repair of manufacturing equipment, it is difficult to completely eliminate it.

The dust and dirt adhering to the battery end face causes various troubles due to poor contact between the charge / discharge terminal or the characteristic measuring terminal and the battery end face in the charge / discharge step or the characteristic inspection step after the assembly is completed. Cause. For example, if the characteristics cannot be accurately measured due to the contact failure described above, it is difficult to correctly judge the evaluation of the battery, and a good battery may be determined as a defective product, or an erroneous determination that a defective battery is determined as a good product may occur. The nature becomes large. In addition, a battery in which dust or dirt adheres to the end surface of the battery significantly impairs the commercial value. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the assembled battery to completely remove dust and dirt adhering to the battery case and the end surface, and at present, a cleaning process is always provided during the manufacturing process of the battery.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional cleaning process for an AA-shaped or AAA-shaped cylindrical battery B, in which several hundreds are placed in a rectangular fixed box 1 having a depth approximately equal to the height of the battery B. The batteries B are packed in an upright posture, and the end faces of the batteries B are flush with each other. Then, a worker manually uses a waste cloth impregnated with a cleaning solvent to dust the end faces of the batteries B. And dirt are wiped off.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional cleaning process, the operator manually wipes the batteries packed in the fixed box 1 one by one to remove dust and dirt, and separates the packed batteries from each other. The procedure is performed by inverting and transferring the same to the fixed box 1 and removing dust and dirt from the opposite end surface of the battery B in the same manner. As described above, the conventional cleaning process is extremely inefficient because it all depends on the manual work of the worker, and the number of work steps is large. On the other hand, in recent years, the production amount of batteries has been increasing along with the expansion of demand, and the production speed of the batteries B has been increased year by year with the improvement of production technology. Therefore, in the battery cleaning process, the amount of work has increased remarkably along with the increase in the production amount and the increase in the production speed. The situation is becoming too large for workers to handle.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic battery end face cleaning device which can efficiently and surely automatically clean an end face of a battery.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic battery end face cleaning device according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of battery holders arranged in alignment in the carrying direction. A battery carrying mechanism for carrying the batteries in the carrying direction while holding both end faces of the battery in a state where both end faces thereof project to the side, and simultaneously for both end faces of each of the plurality of batteries carried by the battery carrying mechanism. Two strip-shaped long cleaning members arranged so as to be in contact with each other so as to be able to supply from the supply side to the winding side, and the both cleaning members are elastically pressed with a predetermined pressure to each end surface of a predetermined number of batteries. A pair of pressure adjusting mechanisms is provided, and both end surfaces of the battery are separated by the two cleaning members by a relative motion applied between the end surface of the battery and the cleaning member. Has a configuration that at the time of cleaning.

In this automatic battery edge cleaning device, the batteries are held in a plurality of battery holders in an array while being conveyed,
Two cleaning members are simultaneously pressed at a predetermined pressure by the respective pressure adjusting mechanisms on both end surfaces of the plurality of batteries being conveyed, which protrude from the battery holding portion to both sides, respectively. Both end surfaces of the battery are wiped off simultaneously by the two cleaning members by the applied relative motion. Therefore, since both end faces of each of the plurality of batteries being transported can be continuously and mechanically cleaned by the two cleaning members at the same time, the battery end faces can be cleaned extremely efficiently and automatically. . In addition, since the two cleaning members are always in contact with both end faces of each of the plurality of batteries at the same time, the distance and time for transferring the end faces of the battery while contacting the cleaning member are long, and the battery end faces are accordingly increased. Since the cleaning time of can be set long, the battery end surface can be effectively and surely cleaned.

In the above invention, the battery holder holds the battery in such a manner that the axis of the battery is oriented in the horizontal direction and is orthogonal to the battery conveying direction, and the two cleaning members are arranged in the battery conveying direction. It may be configured to be continuously or intermittently transferred in different directions.

As a result, since a large number of batteries can be transported in an efficient arrangement, the cleaning work can be performed more efficiently. Further, since the cleaning member is transported in a direction different from the battery transport direction, for example, in the direction opposite to the battery transport direction, cleaning of the batteries in contact with the cleaning member is almost completed and the finishing position is reached. When the battery reaches the condition (1), the unused and clean surface of the cleaning member is always wiped off, so that effective cleaning can be performed.

In the above invention, the cleaning member includes:
It is preferable that the cleaning liquid is supplied and impregnated in a predetermined amount by a dropping unit or a spraying unit at a position immediately before contacting the battery or a position in the middle of contact.

As a result, the cleaning member impregnated with the cleaning liquid is pressed against the end surface of the battery by the pressure adjusting mechanism at a predetermined pressure, so that oil or alkaline components such as the electrolytic solution and the sealant adhered to the end surface of the battery. After the dirt is dissolved or softened by the cleaning liquid, it is wiped off by the cleaning member. Therefore, dirt that is difficult to remove with a brush or a waste cloth can be reliably removed. In addition, if the cleaning liquid is supplied to a portion of the cleaning member which is in contact with the battery, the cleaning liquid dissolves or softens the dirt adhering to the end surface of the battery, and then the cleaning liquid is not impregnated in the cleaning member. Can be wiped off for effective cleaning.

As the cleaning liquid of the above invention, it is preferable to use a volatile solvent such as an alcohol solvent, an aqueous boric acid solution or a neutral detergent.

Therefore, if a volatile solvent is used as the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid used for cleaning the end surface of the battery does not remain on the end surface of the cleaned battery for a long time, which is convenient. Further, the stain can be effectively removed by using a boric acid aqueous solution or a neutral detergent depending on the type of stain.

In the above invention, the cleaning member is
Thickness is 0.1-0.2 mm with polypropylene as the main material
It is preferable to form the strip shape.

As a result, the cleaning member has sufficient strength so as not to be broken by the tension applied during operation, and has an excellent ability to retain the impregnated cleaning liquid. Although it is limited, it is possible to obtain a cleaning function that can effectively remove dirt on the end surface of the battery. Further, since the width of the cleaning member can be made as small as possible, the economical effect is great.

In the above invention, the pressure adjusting mechanism may be composed of an elastic body for pressing the cleaning member against the end surface of the battery, and a pressure mechanism for uniformly applying the set pressure to the entire elastic body.

As a result, the contact pressure of the cleaning member with respect to the end surface of the battery can be appropriately adjusted to the optimum value by the pressurizing mechanism, and further, the variation in the height dimension of each battery and the local thickness of the cleaning member can be suppressed. Variations and errors in mechanical processing accuracy such as variations can be absorbed by bending and elastic deformation of the elastic body, and a stable and smooth cleaning operation can be always obtained.

In the above invention, the elastic body is a felt,
It is preferable that the pressure mechanism is formed of an organic elastic material such as a rubber sheet, polyurethane rubber or foam material, and the pressure mechanism is constituted by a coil spring, a leaf spring or an air cylinder.

Accordingly, the elastic body functions to surely absorb the variation and error of the mechanical working accuracy, and the pressurizing mechanism can obtain a desired function with an inexpensive structure.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a plan view of an automatic cleaning device for an end surface of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a main part of the device, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the device. In the form, the case where it is applied to the cleaning of the AA battery B is illustrated. This automatic cleaning device includes a battery transport mechanism 2 that transports a plurality of batteries B in a transport direction F while holding them in an aligned arrangement, and a predetermined number of batteries B among the batteries B transported by the battery transport mechanism 2. Two strip-shaped long cleaning members 3 and 3 which are arranged so as to be in contact with the respective end faces and are transferred in the direction R opposite to the transport direction F, and transfer mechanisms 5 and 5 for the respective cleaning members 3 and 3. And each cleaning member 3,
The main components are pressure adjusting mechanisms 4 and 4 for elastically pressing a predetermined number of batteries 3 against the respective end faces of a predetermined number of batteries with a predetermined pressure.

In the battery transfer mechanism 2, as shown in FIG. 3, an endless transfer conveyor 9 is wound around a drive sprocket 7 and a driven sprocket 8 and fed forward. , The axis of the battery B is in the transport direction F.
On the other hand, a timing belt-shaped belt 10 in which groove-shaped battery holding portions 11 that are fitted and held in an arrangement orthogonal to the horizontal direction are recessed at equal intervals is joined. Belt 10
1 and FIG.
As is clearly shown in, the height dimension of the battery B is set smaller. Therefore, the battery B is held by the battery holding portion 11 in a state where both ends of the battery B are projected to the side of the belt 10. The battery B is fed from the battery supply chute 12,
The batteries are sequentially fitted into the respective battery holders 11 that are sent along with the transportation of the conveyor 9, and are held in a predetermined arrangement.

The cleaning member 3 is made of polypropylene as a main material and is formed in a long strip shape having a thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. The cleaning member 3 is fed from the supply reel 13 and wound on the take-up reel 14. The transfer mechanism 5 for the cleaning member 3 includes a direction changing roller 17 for changing the cleaning member 3 fed from the supply reel 13 in a state along a horizontal plane to a direction along a vertical plane, and a pair of guide rollers 1.
8, 19 and a transfer driving roller 21 that is rotationally driven by the geared motor 20 shown in FIG. 3, and a pinch roller 22 that presses the cleaning member 3 against the transfer driving roller 21 to reliably transfer the transfer force to the cleaning member 3. It is composed by.

The pressure adjusting mechanism 4 includes an elastic body 23 for pressing the cleaning member 3 against the end surface of the battery B, and the elastic body 2.
A combination of two types of elastic pressurizing members with the compression coil spring 24 that evenly applies the set pressure to the whole of No. 3 has a pressurizing force adjusting function. Elastic body 23
Is formed of an organic elastic material such as felt, rubber sheet, polyurethane rubber or foam material, and these are supported by the following configurations.

That is, on both sides of the battery transport mechanism 2,
Supports 27, 27 are fixed in an arrangement along the transport direction F, and two support shafts 28 are arranged in parallel with each other in each support 27, and a slide bush 29 shown in FIG. It is slidably supported via a cantilever type. The pressure head 3 having a length facing the plurality of (7 in this embodiment) batteries transported by the battery transport mechanism 2 is provided at the tips of the support shafts 28, 28.
Both ends of 0 are fixed in an arrangement parallel to the transport direction F. The elastic body 23 is fitted in a recess on the front surface of the pressure head 30 and fixed by an adhesive means or a clamp means, and is wound around a support shaft 28 and interposed between the pressure head 30 and the support body 27. By receiving the biasing force of the compression coil spring 24, the cleaning member 3 is pressed against each end surface of the predetermined number of batteries B being transported. The contact pressure of the cleaning member 3 against the end surface of the battery B is set to a predetermined value by the spring constant of the compression coil spring 24. In other words, the compression coil spring 24 is selected and mounted so that the cleaning member 3 can be pressed against the end surface of the battery B with a predetermined pressure.

A cleaning liquid supply device 31 for supplying a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid to the cleaning member 3 is disposed immediately before the cleaning member 3 is pressed against the end surface of the battery B by the pressure adjusting mechanism 4. As the cleaning liquid, a volatile solvent such as an alcohol solvent is used in this embodiment, but as for the stain, which differs depending on the type of the battery B, the stain can be effectively removed by using a boric acid aqueous solution or the like. Further, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning member 3 by a predetermined amount by the dropping means or the spraying means.

Next, the operation of the automatic cleaning device will be described. The batteries B are sequentially fitted into the battery holding units 11 that are sequentially sent as the transporting conveyor 9 is forwarded, when these battery holding units 11 reach below the battery supply chute 12, While being held in a predetermined arrangement by the battery holder 11 in an aligned state, they are conveyed at a constant speed in the conveying direction. On the other hand, the cleaning member 3 is unrolled from the supply reel 13 by the drive of the geared motor 20 and is changed in direction in the vertical direction via the direction change roller 17, and then, is connected to the pressure adjusting mechanism 4 via the guide roller 18. For example, 300 to 500 toward the end face of the battery B
It is continuously transferred at a constant speed of mm / min. Also,
The cleaning member 3 is impregnated with the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply device 31 in a predetermined amount at a position immediately before being pressed against the end surface of the battery B by the pressure adjusting mechanism 4.

Cleaning member 3 impregnated with this cleaning liquid
Is a uniform pressure applied to each end surface of a predetermined number of batteries B by the pressure adjusting mechanism 4, for example, 1.5 to 3 kgf as a whole.
The battery B is transferred in the direction R opposite to the carrying direction F while being pressed by the pressing force. In this way, the relative motion is applied between the battery B and the cleaning member 3, so that a predetermined number of the batteries B among the continuously transferred batteries B have two cleaning members at each end surface. Since it is cleaned simultaneously by 3, the battery B can be cleaned very efficiently.

Here, since the cleaning member 3 impregnated with the cleaning liquid is pressed against the end surface of the battery B by the pressure adjusting mechanism 4 at a predetermined pressure, the cleaning liquid is the electrolytic solution or the sealant attached to the end surface of the battery B. It dissolves or softens stains such as oil or alkaline components. Since the dissolved or softened stain is wiped off by the cleaning member 3, it is possible to effectively remove all stains generated in the battery manufacturing process, including stains that are difficult to remove with a brush or a waste cloth. Further, since the cleaning member 3 is transferred in the direction R opposite to the carrying direction F of the battery B, the battery B located in the foremost stage of the carrying direction F among the batteries B in contact with the cleaning member 3. That is, the battery B that has almost completely been cleaned and has reached the finishing position is always wiped off with an unused and clean surface of the cleaning member 3.

If the cleaning liquid is supplied to a portion of the cleaning member 3 which is in contact with the battery B, stains softened or dissolved by the cleaning liquid can be removed.
It can be wiped off with an unused and clean surface, and more effective cleaning can be performed.

Further, in this automatic cleaning device, since the cleaning member 3 is always in contact with the end surface of each of the predetermined number of batteries B, the distance and time during which the end surface of the battery B is transferred while contacting the cleaning member 3. Is longer, and the end surface of the battery B can be sufficiently cleaned. Further, the contact pressure of the cleaning member 3 with respect to the end surface of the battery B is set to a predetermined value by selecting the compression coil spring 24 having an appropriate spring constant, and the contact pressure between the pressure head 30 having a predetermined length and a pair. With the compression coil spring 24, the end surfaces of the batteries B are uniformly acted on. Moreover, since the cleaning member 3 is pressed against the end surface of the battery B through the elastic body 23 formed of an organic elastic material, the height dimension of each battery B is varied and the cleaning member 3 has a local thickness. Variations in mechanical processing accuracy and errors such as variations in the thickness or differences in end face shapes on the positive side and the negative side of the battery B can be absorbed by the bending or elastic deformation of the elastic body 23. With these, dust and dirt on the end surface of the battery B can be removed more effectively and smoothly.

Further, as described above, the cleaning member 3
Battery B while pressing it against the end surface of battery B with a predetermined pressure
Since the length of contact with the end surface of the cleaning member 3 is large, the cleaning member 3 is easily broken due to a large tension generated by the frictional force. On the other hand, in the above-mentioned automatic cleaning device, since the cleaning member 3 is made of polypropylene as a main material and is formed into a strip shape with a thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 mm, the cleaning member 3 has a tension applied during operation. Has sufficient strength to not break due to
Furthermore, it has a function of effectively removing dirt on the end surface of the battery B.

Further, since the cleaning member 3 is arranged so that the length of the cleaning member 3 that is turned by the guide roller 18 and directly pulled is short, excessive tension does not act.

Further, the cleaning member 3 described above has an excellent ability to hold the impregnated cleaning liquid, and it is possible to obtain a required cleaning function while minimizing the supply amount of the cleaning liquid. Can be as small as possible. On the other hand, the pressure head 30 has a length that allows the cleaning member 3 to contact the end surfaces of the battery B of about 5 to 15 at the same time, and the diameter of the end surface of the battery B varies depending on the production amount of the battery B and the like. It is preferable to set the width to about 2 to 4 times. In the above embodiment, since a volatile solvent such as an alcohol solvent is used as the cleaning liquid, the solvent does not remain on the end surface of the battery B after cleaning for a long time.

In order to prevent the cleaning member 3 from breaking due to tension, an auxiliary drive belt is run between the cleaning member 3 and the elastic body 23 to assist the transfer of the cleaning member. You may Further, it is preferable that the cleaning liquid supply device 31 be provided with an electromagnetic valve or a flow rate adjusting valve between the cleaning liquid tank and the supply nozzle in order to control the supply amount and the supply timing of the cleaning liquid more accurately.

Furthermore, if a boric acid aqueous solution is used as the cleaning liquid depending on the type of dirt, the dirt can be effectively removed. However, when an aqueous solution of boric acid is used, it is necessary to provide a simple post-treatment mechanism for preventing it from remaining so as to prevent the generation of rust.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a main part of an automatic battery end face cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the cleaning member 3 is transported in a diagonally downward direction R, which is different from the transport direction F. As a result, the entire width direction of the cleaning member 3 can be effectively utilized, and an unused and clean portion of the cleaning member 3 is brought into contact with the end surface of any battery B which comes into contact with the cleaning member 3. It will be. With this configuration, the cleaning liquid is impregnated in the portion of the cleaning member 3 that contacts the battery B on the front side in the transport direction F, and the portion that contacts the battery B on the rear side in the transport direction F is not impregnated with the cleaning liquid. It becomes possible to contact the end surface of B. As a result, after the dirt adhering to the battery is dissolved or softened by the cleaning liquid, the dirt dissolved or softened by the portion of the cleaning member 3 not impregnated with the cleaning liquid can be wiped off, which is even more effective. Can be cleaned. In this case, it is preferable that the cleaning member 3 be intermittently transferred by a predetermined length at regular intervals.

[0038]

According to the automatic battery end face cleaning device of the present invention, both end faces of each of a plurality of batteries being conveyed can be continuously and mechanically cleaned by the cleaning member at the same time. The cleaning of the surface can be done very efficiently and automatically. Further, since the cleaning member is always in contact with both end faces of each of the plurality of batteries at the same time, the cleaning time of the battery end face is increased by the distance and time for transferring the end face of the battery while contacting the cleaning member. It can be set long, and both ends of the battery can be cleaned effectively.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an automatic battery end face cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cut side view of the same device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a main part of an automatic battery end surface cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional battery end face cleaning step.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Battery transport mechanism 3 cleaning members 4 Pressure adjustment mechanism 11 Battery holder 13 Supply reel (supply side) 14 Take-up reel (take-up side) 23 Elastic body 24 Compression coil spring (pressurizing mechanism) 31 Cleaning liquid supply device B battery F transport direction R Reverse direction

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-8-148155 (JP, A) JP-A-8-136128 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01M 6/00-6/22 H01M 10/00-10/40 C23G 3/00

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of battery holders are arranged in alignment in the carrying direction, and the batteries are carried in the carrying direction while holding the batteries in the respective battery holders with both end surfaces thereof protruding laterally. And a long strip-shaped belt provided so as to be able to supply from the supply side to the winding side, arranged so as to simultaneously contact both end surfaces of each of the plurality of batteries conveyed by the battery conveyance mechanism. The cleaning member includes a cleaning member and a pair of pressure adjusting mechanisms that elastically press the cleaning members against the end faces of a predetermined number of batteries with a predetermined pressure, and apply between the end face of the battery and the cleaning member. The automatic cleaning device for the end face of the battery is characterized in that both end faces of the battery are simultaneously cleaned by the two cleaning members by the relative movement. 2. The battery holding unit holds the battery in a position in which the axis of the battery is oriented in the horizontal direction and is orthogonal to the battery carrying direction, and the two cleaning members are different in direction from the battery carrying direction. The automatic cleaning device for the battery end surface according to claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaning device is for continuous or intermittent transfer. 3. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning member is supplied with a predetermined amount of the cleaning liquid by a dropping unit or a spraying unit at a position immediately before or in the middle of contact with the battery to impregnate the cleaning liquid. Automatic end face cleaning device. 4. The automatic cleaning device for battery end faces according to claim 3, wherein a volatile solvent such as an alcohol solvent, an aqueous solution of boric acid, or a neutral detergent is used as the cleaning liquid. 5. The automatic cleaning device for a battery end surface according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member is made of polypropylene as a main material and is formed in a band shape having a thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. 6. The pressure adjusting mechanism comprises an elastic body that presses the cleaning member against the battery end surface, and a pressure mechanism that uniformly applies a set pressure to the entire elastic body. Item 6. The automatic cleaning device for battery end face according to any one of items 5. 7. The battery end surface according to claim 6, wherein the elastic body is formed of an organic elastic material such as felt, rubber sheet, polyurethane rubber or foam material, and the pressing mechanism is a coil spring, a leaf spring or an air cylinder. Automatic cleaning device.