WO2018162719A1

WO2018162719A1 - Formation system, and method for loading a formation system

Info

Publication number: WO2018162719A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/055926
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronny SEIDEL
Original assignee: Thyssenkrupp System Engineering Gmbh; Thyssenkrupp Ag
Priority date: 2017-03-10
Filing date: 2018-03-09
Publication date: 2018-09-13
Also published as: DE102017203957A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a formation system for the formation of battery cells, comprising a formation chamber inside which a contacting unit for making contact with the battery cells for the formation is arranged, and a feeding device which allows battery cells, which are placed on a workpiece holder, to be moved from outside the formation chamber into the empty space in the formation chamber and be removed therefrom.

Description

FORMATION PLANT AND METHOD FOR LOADING A FORMATION PLANT

The invention relates to a formation system for the formation of battery cells, with at least one formation chamber within which a contacting unit for contacting the battery cells for the formation is arranged and a delivery device, arranged on a workpiece carrier battery cells from outside the formation chamber in the clear space of the formation chamber retractable and extendable.

The formation designates the first charging and discharging processes of a battery cell immediately after the so-called assembly of the battery cell. For formation, a large number of individual battery cells are clamped on special goods carriers or workpiece carriers and retracted into formation chambers where they are acted upon or contacted via spring contact pins against respective contacting units. During this contact the formation takes place, which can take on the order of 12 to 24 hours. The formation chambers are lined up and stacked in an arrangement comparable to a high rack. Also, the startup and retraction of the equipped with the battery cells workpiece carriers in the formation chambers takes place, as usual in the field of high-bay warehouses, with storage and retrieval equipment. However, in the case of the formation, it is necessary that the workpiece carrier, after it has been moved into the clear space of a formation chamber, undergoes a positionally exact loading against the contacting unit. The contacting unit is arranged regularly in an upper region of the contacting cell, so that in this case the workpiece carrier must be delivered vertically upwards against the contacting unit. Conventionally, this is realized in that a separate Zustellaktuatorik is arranged in each formation chamber, which delivers the retracted workpiece carrier against the contacting unit and permanently applied. Accordingly, in this conventional formation plant, this chamber-related infeed actuation is required corresponding to the number of formation chambers provided. This means a corresponding mechanical and control engineering effort.

Proceeding from this, the object of the present invention is to provide a formation system, which takes into account the boundary conditions outlined above and reduces the mechanical and control engineering effort.

The object is achieved by a formation system for forming battery cells, comprising at least one formation chamber within which a contacting unit for contacting the battery cells for the formation is arranged, a multi-axially movable feed device, arranged with the arranged on a workpiece carrier battery cells from outside of the For- mation chamber in the clear space of the formation chamber are retractable and extendable and with the battery cells within the clear space of the formation chamber indirectly via the workpiece carrier in a contacting position against the contacting unit are acted upon.

As a result of the formation plant according to the invention, there is no longer the need to provide a separate Zustellaktuatorik for each formation chamber. On the contrary, according to the invention, there is the advantage that only one feed device must be provided for each path between formation cells stacked and stacked on both sides, which feeds the workpiece carriers into the formation chambers and immediately delivers and loads the respective workpiece carrier against the contacting unit.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that a locking unit is provided which locks the workpiece carrier in the contacting position. Preferably, the locking unit is a structural unit of the formation chamber. By locking unit ensures that the workpiece carrier for the period of formation is held securely and accurately positioned in the contacting position. In particular, this creates the prerequisite that the delivery device is not bound to the formation chamber, but can extend out of the clear space of the currently equipped with a workpiece carrier formation chamber and can equip another formation chamber with another workpiece carrier. In a concrete embodiment, the locking unit may comprise a latch arrangement which blocks a movement space of the workpiece carrier to the side remote from the contacting unit.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the locking unit can be transferred at least indirectly via the feed device from a locked position to an unlocked position. This makes it possible to construct the locking unit structurally simple, as can be dispensed with an elaborate mechanism and control for unlocking. Preferably, the feed device enters into operative connection with the latch arrangement in such a way that the latch arrangement releases the movement space of the workpiece carrier to the side remote from the contacting unit.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the feed device has two traversing units which can be moved into the clear space of the formation chamber independently of one another. As a result, a first moving part is provided in an advantageous manner, which may have a rather low positioning accuracy and rather is designed to carry the high load of the workpiece carrier. The second moving part, on the other hand, can be designed such that it has a high positioning accuracy, but this in conjunction with a nem supporting the load, at least indirectly to the formation chamber. Preferably, it is provided for the second traversing unit that it acts on the workpiece carrier in the contacting position. In a concrete embodiment, it can be provided that the moving part acts on the workpiece carrier along a vertically movable linear guide in the contacting position. Here, the load of the workpiece carrier is delivered via the moving unit and the linear guide to the formation chamber.

The object is further achieved by a method for feeding a tool carrier equipped with battery cells into a formation system with a system as described, with the following steps:

· Retraction of the tool carrier into the clear space of the formation chamber by means of the attachment device;

^• Contact the battery cells indirectly via the workpiece carrier in the contacting position against the contacting unit by means of the feed device.

An advantageous embodiment of the method provides for locking the tool carrier in the contacting position.

An advantageous embodiment of the method provides for unlocking of the tool carrier by means of the delivery device.

An advantageous embodiment of the method provides for retraction of the tool carrier into the clear space of the formation chamber by means of one of the two moving units.

The invention is explained below with further features, details and advantages with reference to the accompanying figures. The figures illustrate only exemplary embodiments of the invention. Show here

1 shows a formation plant by way of example based on a formation chamber and a delivery device;

Figure 2 is an illustration of the delivery device;

Figure 3 shows a detail of a locking unit of the delivery device and

Figures 4 to 9 are respective side views of the formation plant of Figure 1 in different positions of a delivery process of the battery cells.

FIG. 1 shows a formation system 10, for which only one formation chamber 12 is shown by way of example. The formation chamber 12 may be formed by a cuboidal volume, wherein the outer boundary may be formed by a support structure 14, which is expediently composed of interconnected profile elements. The cuboidal volume within the formation chamber 12 should be referred to as a clear space. A contacting unit 16 is provided, which is preferably arranged in an upper region of the formation chamber 12. The contacting unit 16 usually comprises a plurality of charging cards and the spring contact pins, via which the contact is made to the poles of the battery cells. Furthermore, the formation system 10 comprises a feed unit 18, which can be moved in several axes. First, the feed unit 18, as long as it has not yet retracted into the clear space of the formation chamber 12, are moved along an x-axis and along a z-axis on one side of the formation chamber. As already described in the introduction, a formation installation 10 is regularly composed of a multiplicity of formation chambers 12 arranged side by side and stacked one on top of the other. In addition, a plurality of mutually parallel, stacked rows are regularly provided, so that in each case passages are formed between these rows, in which the feed unit can move both along the x-axis and the z-axis, to each of the formation chambers 12 with a workpiece carrier to equip and remove the workpiece carrier after the formation of the battery cells.

In FIG. 1, the feed unit 18 is shown in a position in front of the formation chamber 12, that is to say the feed unit 18 or parts thereof are not located in the clear space of the formation chamber 12. The feed unit 18 can comprise two moving units 20 and 30. In one possible refinement, the first traversing unit 20 may include _two telescopic forks 22i and 22 ₂ aligned parallel to one another and displaceable along the x-axis. As will be described later, the telescopic forks 22 ^ 22 ₂ are adapted to grip a pallet-like carrier element or to receive and this both to move in the aisles between rows and stacked formation chambers 12, as retract in the clear space of each formation chamber 12th

The second displacement unit 30 is initially also displaceable along the x-axis, so that it can also, when it is positioned in front of a formation chamber 12, enter the clear space of the respective formation chamber 12. Furthermore, the second displacement unit 30 is also displaceable along the z-axis, as will be described later. Furthermore, the formation chamber 12 comprises a linear guide 50, which is preferably also arranged in the clear space of the formation chamber 12. In the case of the preferred embodiment of the contacting unit 16 arranged in an upper region of the formation chamber 12, the linear guide 50 is a vertical guide which is movable at least over a partial height of the formation chamber 12. About the linear guide 50, a lifting table 52 is guided vertically movable. FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the second moving part 30, the linear guide 50 and the lifting table 52 which can be displaced vertically via the linear guide 50. For better illustration, parts of the support structure 14 are hidden. It can be provided that the second moving part 30 comprises three drives 32, 34, 38. First, a piston-cylinder unit 32 may be provided, which is operated pneumatically, hydraulically or electromechanically and via which the second displacement unit 30 can be driven along the x-axis. Then, a trained as an electrically driven spindle gear drive 34 may be provided which drives a vertically extendable lifting ram 36 to move over the lifting ram 36 the lifting table 52 in the vertical direction, that is along the linear guide 50. Finally, a drive 38 may be provided, which may also be embodied as an electrically driven spindle gear and which can transfer a locking pawl 40 from a locked position to an unlocked position. It is provided that the locking pawl 40 is pivotally supported on the linear guide 50 and with respect to the lifting table 52 can take the locked or unlocked position. Furthermore, a locked position can be understood to mean a blocking of a vertical movement of the lifting table 52 to vertically below. For a locking of the lifting table 52 forms a locking pin 54, which projects into the linear guide 50 and the vertically extending movement space overlaps with the movement space of the locking pawl 40.

A detail of the locking pawl 40, whose interaction with the locking pin 54 of the lifting table 52 and the unlocking by the drive 38 of the second moving part 30 is shown in FIG 3. In Figure 3a) is a locked position of the lifting table 52, which in this position in a vertical upper position is shown, and in the figure 3b), an unlocked position of the lifting table 52 is shown, wherein the lifting table 52, however, is still shown in the vertically upper position. The locking pawl 40 is preferably pivotably articulated about a pivot axis S on the linear guide 50. At the locking pawl 40, a locking cam 42 is arranged, which can take over the pivoting of the locking pawl 40 at least two positions. Furthermore, the locking pawl 40 is acted upon by spring means 44 in the shown, that is the locked, position. On the side remote from the pivot axis S, the drive 38 of the second moving part 30 can move or pivot the locking pawl 40 from the locked position to the unlocked position, as shown in FIG. 3b). For this purpose, the drive 38 has a vertically extendable lifting ram 46 which can engage at least indirectly under the end remote from the pivot axis S end of the locking pawl 40 and pivots the locking pawl 40 in the present counterclockwise direction via an extension movement. As a result of this pivotal movement, the locking cam 42 moves out of the range of movement of the locking pin 54 of the lifting table 52, so that the locking pin 54 is released to the bottom vertically and the lifting table 52 can perform a movement along the linear guide 50. For this unlocking, it is expedient if the lifting table 52 is raised at least minimally, for example 1 mm to 3 mm, vertically via the drive 34 in order to release the locking cam 42 of the locking pawl 40 and the locking pin 54 of the lifting table 52 from one another. The locking pawl 40, the spring means 44, the locking cam 42 and the locking pin 54 may be collectively referred to as a locking unit 28.

FIGS. 4 to 9 show side views of a formation installation 10 in different positions. FIG. 4 shows a first position of a feed operation of battery cells 102 clamped on a workpiece carrier 100 in order to supply them to a formatting process. Furthermore, it can be provided that the workpiece carrier 100 is held on a support member 104, which may for example have the dimensions of a standard Euro-pallet and may be made of aluminum. In the following, only the workpiece carrier 100 will be referred to, without repeatedly mentioning the battery cells 102 and the carrier element 104 clamped on it in each case. The workpiece carrier 100 is received in the position shown by the telescopic forks 22 ^ 22 _{2 of} the first moving part 20 and placed in front of the formation chamber 12 to be retracted into this. It is preferably provided that there is no objective connection between the feed unit 18 and the formation chamber 12 in this position.

5 shows a further position of a Zustellvorgangs in which the workpiece carrier is retracted 100 in the clear space of the formation chamber 12 via the telescopic forks 22 ^ 22. ₂ In this position, the battery cells 102 have no contact with the contacting unit 16. Furthermore, the second moving part 30 has been retracted into the clear space of the formation chamber 12. 6 shows a further position of a Zustellvorgangs in which the workpiece holder was lowered 100 via the telescopic forks 22 _\, 22 _2, so that the work piece carrier 100, there is a support surface in the formation chamber 12 for conditioning and is here about carried from the formation chamber 12th In addition, the second moving unit 30 comes to rest on a contact surface 24 of the formation chamber 12. Following this, the telescopic forks 22 _\ drive, 22 ₂ free from the workpiece carrier 100 and finally out of the sparse room of the formation chamber.

FIG. 7 shows a further position of a feed process, in which the workpiece carrier 100 has been lifted by way of the second moving unit 30 and thus is acted upon by the contacting unit 16. The lifting takes place via the drive 34 and the drive thereof vertically extendable lifting punch 36. Preferably, a transmission element 26 is provided for indirect transmission of the lifting movement of the Hubstempels 36 on a cantilever 56 of the lifting table 52. It is expedient in this case if the surface of the power transmission from the lifting ram 36 or the transmission element 26 on the cantilever 56 is arranged substantially vertically aligned with the surface of the power transmission of the second moving part 30 on the contact surface of the formation chamber 12. This ensures that no or at least only slight tilting moments are introduced to the second moving part 30 and are not passed on to the delivery unit 18. 7, the lifting table 52 and the locking pawl 40 have assumed the locked position described in connection with FIG. In this locked position, the battery cells 102 are acted upon by the lifting table 52 and the workpiece carrier 100 against the contacting unit 16. The feed unit 18 is now able according to the invention to equip further formation chambers 12 with workpiece carriers 100 or to extend the workpiece carriers 10 from the formation chamber 12 after the formation has taken place. According to the invention, this possibility is realized in that the second moving unit 30 can act on the workpiece carriers 100 against the contacting unit 16 and the formation chamber 12 is able via the locking unit 28 to hold the workpiece carrier 100 in the contacted position for the formation process or arrest. After that, the delivery unit 18 is free again for other assembly operations.

FIG. 8 shows a further position of a feed process in which lift table 52 is further locked in a vertically upper position with respect to formation chamber 12 and battery cells 102 are contacted against contacting unit 16 and feed unit 18 is completely extended out of the clear space of formation cell 12 , In this state, the workpiece carrier 100 and thus also the battery cells 102 are in a contacting position with respect to the contacting unit 16 and the formation process of the battery cells 102 can be carried out, which may take on the order of 12 to 24 hours.

FIG. 9 shows a further position of a feed operation, in which the second moving unit 30 has again been moved into the clear space of the formation chamber 12 in order to remove the workpiece carrier 100 from the formation chamber 12 after the formation of the battery cells 102. In the illustrated position of the Zustellvorgangs take the lift table 52 and the locking pawl 40 described in connection with the figure 3b) unlocked position to each other by the locking pawl 40 is pivoted via the drive 38 in the counterclockwise direction and released from the locking pin 54 of the lifting table 52 becomes. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 formation plant

12 formation chamber

14 supporting structure

16 contacting unit

18 delivery unit

20 positioning unit

22 telescopic fork

24 contact surface

26 transmission element

28 locking unit

30 positioning unit

32 piston-cylinder unit

34 drive

36 lifting rams

38 drive

40 locking pawl

42 locking cam

44 spring means

46 lifting pistons

50 linear guide

52 lift table

54 locking pin

56 cantilever

100 workpiece carriers

102 battery cells

104 carrier element

Claims

claims

1. Formation plant (10) for the formation of battery cells (102), comprising

at least one formation chamber (12) is arranged within the one contacting unit (16) for contacting the battery cells (102) for the formation,

a multiaxially movable feed device (18), with the on a workpiece carrier (100) arranged battery cells (102) from outside the formation chamber (12) in the clear space of the formation chamber (12) are retractable and extendable and with the battery cells (102) within of the clear space of the formation chamber (12) indirectly via the workpiece carrier (100) in a contacting position against the contacting unit (16) are acted upon.

2. formation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a locking unit (28) is provided which locks the workpiece carrier (100) in the contacting position.

3. formation system (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking unit (28) at least indirectly via the feed device (18) from a locked position into an unlocked position can be transferred.

4. formation system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the feed device (18) has two independently in the clear space of the formation chamber (12) retractable traversing units (20, 30).

5. formation system (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that one of the two traversing units (20, 30) acts on the workpiece carrier (100) in the contacting position.

6. formation system (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the positioning unit (30) acts on the workpiece carrier (100) along a vertically movable linear guide (50) in the contacting position.

7. Method for feeding a tool carrier (100) equipped with battery cells (102) into a formation system (12) having a system according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps:

• Retraction of the tool carrier (100) in the clear space of the formation chamber (12) by means of the feed device (18);

• contacting the battery cells (102) indirectly via the workpiece carrier (100) in the Contacting position against the contacting unit (16) by means of the Zustellvor- direction (18).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized by locking the tool carrier (100) in the contacting position.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized by unlocking the tool carrier (100) by means of the feed device (18).

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by retracting the tool carrier (100) in the clear space of the formation chamber (12) by means of one of the two traversing units (20, 30).