SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING BATTERY PLATES AND ARRANGEMENT THEREOF IN
5 THE PROVIDED BATTERY HOUSING
The invention relates to a system for processing
battery plates and arrangement of them in the battery
housing provided therefor. The system consists of
10 transporting devices and individual processing
stations, the battery plates to be processed being
arranged for the processing as plate stacks in clamping
cassettes.
The invention is used in the production of motor-
15 vehicle and commercial-vehicle batteries.
For the production of motor-vehicle batteries, it is
necessary to arrange a multiplicity of electrode plates
into individual battery cells that are arranged
20 separately from one another in the battery housing. In
this case, the electrode plates are combined in
individual stacks and are assigned to the battery
cells. A device for connecting individual battery
plates to form stacks and for inserting the stacks into
25 battery cases is described in AT 008 261 U1. The
individual necessary processing steps are carried out
in a total of 14 processing stations, which are
arranged one after the other. This results in an
immense space requirement for setting up such a system
30 and an immense transporting requirement during
production.
A further system for fitting out and loading battery
cases with plate stacks is described in DE 202009011262
35 U1. This solution shows that individual processing
stations are arranged around a lifting-turning table as
a compact station and the clamping cassettes that are
provided with the plates to be processed are fed from
the lifting-turning table to the individual
40 transporting stations within the compact station. Since
the processing stations are arranged in this compact
station in a permanently integrated manner, access to
these stations is not possible during production. As a
result, if there is a need for maintenance, separate
5 maintenance work is required. Furthermore, the clamping
cassette is turned in the processing station, which
requires a separate additional cycle. This prolongs the
time for the processing of the plates and the loading
of the battery housing. On account of the arrangement
10 of the compact station with the lifting-turning table
and the processing stations in a horizontal plane, the
space requirement for setting up such a system is very
great.
15 The object of the invention is to find a technical
solution with which the drawbacks of the prior art can
be overcome. The inventive solution is intended to be
distinguished by a low space requirement. With the
reduction of the cycle times, it is intended that the
20 production times and production costs are lowered.
Suitable inspection and monitoring systems are intended
to contribute to the optimized quality assurance of the
production of the battery plates and the arrangement of
them in the battery housing.
25
For necessary maintenance work on the processing
stations, it is intended that the stations are of an
easy-maintenance design, so that no significant
downtimes of the system or additional processing times
30 have to be taken up for this work either.
According to the invention, the object is achieved by
the features of claim 1. The advantageous refinements
are described in the subclaims.
35 Accordingly, the system for processing battery plates
and arrangement of them in battery housings consists of
a transporting device and individual processing
stations, the battery plates to be processed being
arranged for the processing as plate stacks in clamping
cassettes. The clamping cassettes provided with the
plate stacks are arranged in a transporting device that
is vertically aligned and in this position performs a
5 circular turning movement, so that the movement of the
clamping cassettes takes place as in the case of a
giant wheel.
This offers the advantage that there is a very low
space requirement for the transporting device.
10 Furthermore, it offers the advantage that the
individual processing stations are arranged from all
spatial planes, as above, below and laterally outside
the vertically aligned transporting device, it being
possible for them to be moved from there up to and away
15 from the positioned clamping cassette.
The fact that the processing stations can be moved away
out of the processing area at the same time provides an
efficient solution for the maintenance of the
processing stations. They can be maintained in a user-
20 friendly and time-saving way.
Provided as processing stations are an insertion box,
with at least a sixfold gripper system, for the
assignment of the battery plate stacks into the
25 clamping cassette, and also an aligning device and
clamping device for the battery plate stacks into the
clamping cassette provided by the transporting device,
a flux station, with a drying unit and tin bath, a
casting station for casting on the lead bridges, with a
30 lead bath, and a boxing station for boxing the
completely fitted-out battery plate stacks into the
battery cases provided, with at least a sixfold gripper
system.
35 The insertion box advantageously has at least a sixfold
gripper system for inserting the completely dimensioned
plate stacks from a storage buffer into the clamping
cassette 3, in order to make effective provision of the
clamping cassette with the plate stacks efficiently
possible.
The tin bath of the flux station is in this case
5 advantageously fitted out with a measuring system for
the permanent measuring of the tin bath level. This
measuring system passes on the measured value
information to the tin wire feed, so that the tin bath
level is always kept at a constant level. The
10 measurement may in practice be carried out as eddy
current measurement. This measure essentially supports
the constant keeping of a necessary tin bath level, in
order to avoid sources of error during the processing
continuously and effectively.
15
The casting station serves for the casting on of the
lead bridges and therefore has a melting vessel divided
by a separating wall into two compartments, the molten
lead and the feeding in of lead bars for the melt being
20 provided in one half of the vessel while the other half
of the vessel serves as a settling compartment, from
which the molten lead is transferred by means of a pump
into the immersion compartment for the casting on of
the lead bridges.
25 To obtain a constant level in the settling compartment
of the melting vessel, the molten lead is pumped into
the settling compartment from the other compartment by
means of a constantly running pump. In addition, at
least one overflow bead, which additionally regulates
30 the level of the molten lead in the settling
compartment of the melting vessel, is arranged in the
separating wall between the settling compartment and
the compartment for feeding lead to the melting vessel.
This measure also serves for permanently ensuring,
35 constantly and efficiently, a casting quality in the
casting on of the lead bridges during the production
process.
In the boxing station for boxing the completely fittedout
batte.ry plate stacks into the battery cases
provided there is arranged at least one cleaning device
which serves for the cleaning of the boxing frames.
5 This cleaning device has a brush and/or spray system,
which enters the provided boxing frames by means of a
multi-axis system before the loading with the battery
plate stacks and carries out there the cleaning and
removal of dirt particles and deposits. This prevents
10 dirt particles from being able to become attached to
the plate stacks during the boxing, which performs the
boxing with little freedom of space.
This measure also serves for achieving a high quality
standard in the loading of completely prepared battery
15 stacks into prepared battery cases.
In order to increase the effectiveness of the system,
arranged at the boxing station is at least a threefold
gripper system, which removes the completely prepared
20 plate stacks from the clamping cassettes, to be precise
three stacks at the same time. After that, the plate
stacks are boxed in the battery cases. During the
transfer, the battery case is turned, so that the next
3 stacks can be inserted into the battery case.
25 Advantageously, a number of threefold gripper systems
are arranged.
The vertically aligned and circularly turning
transporting device has at least one separate turning
30 device for the clamping cassettes, which serves for
turning the clamping cassettes during the transport to
the next processing station. As a time-saving feature,
the correct positioning of the clamping cassette for
the next processing operation is performed during the
35 transport to this station, so that no necessary
additional expenditure of time is required for this.
In order to guide the individual processing stations to
the transporting device from the outside, each
processing station has if need be a separate
transporting device of its own, serving for moving back
and forth in relation to the transporting device.
5 The advantages of this technical solution for the
processing of battery stacks and arrangement of them in
the battery housings provided for this purpose are, in
particular, the possibility of a space-saving
construction of this system with a high degree of
10 continuity of the sequences in the individual
processing stages combined with continuous monitoring
to maintain quality criteria and to avoid error points
within the production process.
15 By bringing the individual processing stages out of the
transporting process, the maintenance work can be
partly carried out without any loss of cycle time by
provided replacement modules with quick-changing
devices.
20
The invention is to be explained in more detail below
on the basis of an exemplary embodiment.
In the accompanying drawing:
25 Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a system
for processing battery plates and arrangement
of them in the battery housings provided for
this purpose;
30 Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the flux
station with tin bath, tin wire feed and tin
level measuring system;
Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of the lead
35 bath (2.3.1) with the two (2.3.1.5)
compartments of the melting vessel and levelequalizing
devices;
Figure 4 shows a side view of a separating wall
(2.3.1.4) with overflow bead;
Figure 5a shows a schematic side view of the cleaning
5 device (5) for the boxing frames (2.4.3) with
their spreaders (2.4.4) ;
Figure 5b shows a schematic side view of the cleaning
device (5) in the form of a detail;
10
Figure 5c shows a schematic plan view of the boxing
station 2.4 with the cleaning system 5 for
the boxing frames (2.4.3) and spreaders
(2.4.4);
15
Exemplary embodiment:
According to Figures 1 to 5c, a system for processing
battery plates and for arranging these battery plates
20 in battery housings provided for this purpose consists
of transporting devices and individual processing
stations, such as an insertion stations, the tin bath,
the lead casting station. The battery plates to be
processed are in this case arranged for the processing
25 as defined plate stacks in a number of clamping
cassettes provided for this purpose. According to the
invention, these clamping cassettes provided with plate
stacks are arranged in a transporting device 1
performing a vertical turning movement. The individual
30 processing stations 2 . 1 - 2.n are arranged in relation
to this transporting device 1 peripherally, but outside
the circle of movement of the transporting device 1.
From there, the processing stations 2.1 - 2.n are
arranged such that they can be respectively brought up
35 to the position of the clamping cassette 3 positioned
by the transporting device 1 by means of separate
transporting devices 4. Thus, the first processing
station, the insertion box 2.1, comprises at least a
sixfold gripper system for assigning the plate stacks
from a storage buffer into the clamping cassette 3, an
aligning device for aligning and for bending the plate
lugs and a clamping device for clamping the plate
5 stacks for the insertion into the clamping cassette 3
provided by the transporting device 1.
By vertical turning of the transporting device 1, the
clamping cassette 3 provided with plate stacks arrives
10 at the position of the second processing station, the
flux station 2.2. By means of a horizontal slide as a
separate transporting device 4 of the flux station 2 -2,
the latter is taken with the arranged tin bath 2.2.1
and the integrated measuring system 2.2.1.1, which
15 operates as an eddy current measuring process, for the
continuous measurement of the tin bath level, and the
tin bath feed 2 -2.1.2 to the clamping cassette 3. For
optimally regulating the tin bath level, the measuring
system 2.2.1.1 and the tin bath feeds 2.2.1.2 are
20 coupled to one another in terms of information
technology. Both the tin bath 2.2.1 and the
additionally arranged drying device can in this case be
brought up vertically to the transporting device 1 by
means of the separate transporting device 4. In
25 addition, the tin bath 2.2.1 can be brought up in a
vertical direction to the clamping cassette 3. Before
entering, the latter is turned as it travels downward,
and can enter thus the tin bath 2.2.1 brought up from
below. After the drying, the clamping cassette is
30 transported by the transporting device to the
processing station 3 as a result of the vertical
turning movement.
In the casting station 2.3, the casting on of the lead
bridges is performed. For this purpose, the casting
35 station 2.3 has a lead bath 2.3.1 with a melting vessel
2.3.1.2. The melting vessel 2.3.1.2 is in turn divided
by a separating wall 2.3.1.4 into two partcompartments.
In the one vessel half, the feeding in of
lead bars for the molten lead is performed. In the
other vessel half, the settling of the molten lead is
performed. The lead is constantly pumped from the one
vessel half into the settling compartment of the
5 melting vessel 2.3.1.2 by means of a pump 2.3.1.3. At
least one overflow bead 2.3.1.5, which additionally
regulates the level of the molten lead in the settling
compartment of the melting vessel by a permanent
overflow, since the surfaces of the levels of lead in
10 the two compartments of the melting vessel 2.3 -1.2 are
at different heights, is arranged in the separating
wall 2.3.1.4 between the settling compartment and the
compartment for feeding lead to the melting vessel
2.3.1.1.
15 From the settling compartment of the melting vessel
2.3.1.2, the molten lead, of very good quality, passes
by means of a further pump into a casting mold 2.3.1.1,
where the casting on of the lead bridges is performed.
For this purpose, the casting station 2.3 has an
20 additional vertical transporting device 4 for bringing
the casting mold 2.3.1.1 up to the clamping cassette 3.
An additional horizontal displacing device as
transporting device 4 provides the possibility of
exchanging the entire casting mold 2.3.1.1 for
25 maintenance and/or repair work, so that the processing
sequence of the transporting device does not have to be
interrupted.
After the casting on of the bridges of lead, the
clamping cassette 3 is transported by means of the
30 transporting device 1, by vertical turning thereof, to
the position of the boxing station 2.4 for the boxing
of the completely fitted-out battery plate stacks into
the provided battery cases.
For this purpose, the boxing station 2.4 has at least a
35 threefold gripper system 2 -4.1 and a cleaning device. 5
which serves for the cleaning of the boxing frames 5.1.
This cleaning device serves for cleaning the spreaders
2.4.4, of the boxing frames 2.4.3, which become
contaminated by the constant use. The cleaning station
5 has a brush 5.1 and/or spray system 5.2, which enters
the provided boxing frames by means of a multi-axis
system before the loading with the battery plate stacks
5 and performs and reliably carries out there the
cleaning and removal of dirt particles and deposits in
3D directions.
The advantages of the present invention are summarized
10 in a technical solution for the processing and
arrangement of battery plates in provided battery
housings that is distinguished by a low space
requirement, has a high degree of monitoring functions
and quality assurance measures for the processing
15 sequences in the individual processing stations,
operates efficiently and, as a result of the assignment
of additional transporting devices to the individual
processing stations, reduces the time expenditure for
repair and maintenance tasks enormously. In particular,
20 the measures for improving the quality assurance
contribute to permanently and reliably inspecting and
controlling all of the processing steps for the
production and loading of the battery plate stacks, so
that the system delivers a high degree of high-quality
25 and completely loaded battery cases.
List of designations
Transporting device for clamping cassettes
processing stations
Insertion box
Sixfold gripper system
Flux station
Tin bath
Measuring system for tin level
Tin wire feed
Casting station
Lead bath
Casting mold
Melting vessel
Pump
Separating wall
Overflow bead
2.4 Boxing station
2.4.1 Threefold gripper
2.4.3 Boxing frame
2.4.4 Spreaders
3 Clamping cassettes
4 Separate transporting devices of the
processing stations
5 Cleaning device
5.1 Brush system
5.2 Spray system
Patent claims
A system for processing battery plates and
arrangement of them in battery housings, consisting
of transporting devices and individual processing
stations, such as insertion stations, a tin bath, a
lead casting station, the battery plates to be
processed being arranged for the processing as
plate stacks in a number of clamping cassettes
provided for this purpose, characterized
in that the clamping cassettes provided with the
plate stacks are arranged in a transporting device
(1) that is vertically aligned and in this position
turns in a circular manner,
in that the individual processing stations (2.1 -
2. n) are arranged above, below and/or laterally
outside the transporting device that turns in a
vertically aligned circular movement and, from
there, can be respectively brought up to the
position of the clamping cassette positioned
processing station (2.1 - 2 .n) .
2. The system for processing battery plates and
arrangement of them in battery housings as claimed
25 in claim 1, characterized in that
- an insertion box 2 1) , with at least a six£ old
gripper system, an aligning device and clamping
device for the battery plate stacks into the
clamping cassette (3) provided by the
transporting device (1) ,
- a flux station (2.2), with a drying device and
tin bath and the tin bath (2.2.1) of the flux
station (2.2) is fitted out a measuring system
(2.211 , which serves for measuring the tin
level, and a tin wire feed (2.2.1.2), which is
coupled thereto in terms of information
technology,
- a casting station (2.3) for casting on the lead
bridges, with a lead bath 2 3.1) , in which a
pump (2.3.1.3) which serves for permanently
equalizing the level of the molten lead is
arranged between the immersion compartment
(2.3.1.1) and the melting vessel (2.3.1.2), and
at least one overflow bead (2.3.1.5) which
regulates the level of the molten lead is
arranged in the separating wall (2.3.1.4)
between the immersion compartment (2.3.1.1) and
the melting vessel (2.3.1.2), and
- a boxing station (2.4) for boxing the completely
fitted-out battery plate stacks into the battery
cases provided, with at least a threefold
gripper system and a cleaning device (5) which
serves for the cleaning of the boxing frames
(2 -4.3) with its spreaders (2.4.4),
are arranged as processing stations (2.1 - 2 .n)
around the vertically aligned transporting device
(1) and movably in relation thereto by means of
additional transporting devices (4) arranged
separately at the processing stations (2.1 - 2.72).
3. The system for processing battery plates and
25 arrangement of them in battery housings as claimed
in either of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that
a separate turning device for the clamping
cassettes, which for turning the clamping cassettes
during the transport to the next processing station
3 0 (2.1 - 2.n), is arranged on the vertically aligned
and circularly turning transporting device.
4. The system for processing battery plates and
arrangement of them in battery housings as claimed
in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the
measuring system (2.211 , which is arranged in
the tin bath (2.2.1) and serves for measuring the tin level, is formed as an eddy current measuring system.
5. The system for processing battery plates and arrangement of them in battery housings as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each processing station (2.1 - 2.n) has if need be a separate transporting device (4) of its own, serving for moving back and forth in relation to the transporting device.
6. The system for processing battery plates and arrangement of them in battery housings as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, Characterized in in that the cleaning device (5) is formed a brush and/or spray head system (5.1, 5.2), this system being arranged on over movement devices with a number of turing and movement axes.