US3873400A

US3873400A - Apparatus for bonding battery cover to battery container

Info

Publication number: US3873400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Takashi Tsuchida; Minoru Tateno; Nobuaki Fukuda; Takashi Shimada
Original assignee: FDK Corp
Current assignee: FDK Corp
Priority date: 1973-03-16
Filing date: 1974-03-18
Publication date: 1975-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-25
Also published as: SE405223B; FR2221820B1; IT1011602B; FR2221820A1; JPS49117936A; BE812355A

Abstract

On an upper table and a lower table arranged to rotate simultaneously about a center axis thereof, plural pairs of upper and lower presses are concentrically arranged and operated in accordance with a predetermined time sequence. The upper and lower presses have press heads for holding a battery cover and a battery container. Between one of the paired upper and lower press heads is disposed means for furnishing a bonding medium such as heat.

Description

United States Tsuchida et al.

[111 3,873,400 [4 1 Mar. 25, 1975 APPARATUS FOR BONDING BATTERY COVER TO BATTERY CONTAINER [75] Inventors: Takashi Tsuchida, Kosai; Minoru Tateno, Kawasaki; N0b uaki Fukuda, Kosai; Takashi Shimada, Toyohashi, all of Japan [73] Assignees: Fuji Electrochemical Co., Ltd., Shirnbashi, Tokyo; The Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd., Yokohama, both of Japan 221 Filed: Mar. 18,1974

21 Appl. No.: 452,341

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 16, 1973 Japan 48-30698 {52] US. Cl 156/499, 118/230, 118/266. 136/176, 156/556, 156/578 [51} Int. CL. B23b 31/00, B65c 11/04, HOlm 35/18 [58] Field of Search 156/499, 578,556; 136/175. 176; 118/266, 267, 230

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,523 7/1943 Lund 136/176 3,627,617 12/1971 Schaumburg 136/176 3,686,056 8/1972 Fiandt 136/176 3,778,314 12/1973 Kano et a1. 136/176 Primary Examiner Douglas J. Drummond [57] ABSTRACT On an upper table and a lower table arranged to rotate simultaneously about a center axis thereof, plural pairs of upper and lower presses'a're concentrically arranged and operated in accordance with a predetermined time sequence. The upper and lower presses have press heads for holding a battery cover and a batv tery container. Between one of the paired upper and lower press heads is disposed means for furnishing a bonding medium such as heat.

5 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZSIQIS FIG.|

FIG.4

I Pmimmm zsms SHEET 2 FIG.2

FIG.3

PATENTED MAR 2 5 I975 m Drive Roller Pusher35 T-l) Release Roller Brak Move Press m He in Down Drive Cra in PressUSg; 9

Move Press Suck Battery Cover(47)] |Move Press Head( UUp] Return Pre5S( -[Release Suc tion Battery Cover(47)] Move Press Head(l4c) Drive Arm(38) m Drive Arm(38)i Inward Time Actuator l riv Stopper 44? m ..Drlv

Move Press Head(l4d)UP}--[LV 5 HLS-S APPARATUS FOR BONDING BATTERY COVER TO BATTERY CONTAINER DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically bonding a battery cover to a battery container.

A battery cover and a battery container should be-reliably bonded to each other so that electrolyte in the storage battery may not leak out of the battery container. Based on such a requirement, apparatus have been proposed for accomplishing secure bonding of the battery cover to the container to prevent leakage of the electrolyte even when the battery is shaken or joggled during transportation and use. However, in a known apparatus of the kind, the battery cover is bonded to the container while they advance straightly, so that an elongated space is required for installation of the apparatus and that the bonding efficiency is not so good.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically bonding a battery cover to a battery container in a relatively small circular space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type defined above, wherein the bonding operations can be performed at high efficiency.

According to the present invention, thereis provided an apparatus for bonding a cover member of a storage battery to a battery container, comprising:

an upper table and a lower table arranged to rotate simultaneously about a center axis thereof;

a plurality of upper press means concentrically arranged on said upper table with respective press heads projecting below said upper table, each of said press heads having means for retaining said battery cover;

a plurality of lower press means concentrically arranged on said lower table with respective press heads projecting above said lower table to face with said press heads of said upper press means, each of said press heads of said lower press means having means for setting the battery container to a predetermined position;

means for operating both of said upper and lower press means in accordance with a predetermined time sequence; and

means for furnishing a bonding medium to at least one of bonding faces of said battery cover and container, said furnishing means being disposed between one of the paired upper and lower press heads.

Preferably, the both of said upper and lower press means are operated by air sequence control system, in which compressed air is fed through the axis of the upper and lower tables.

The aforementioned and additional objects and features of the present invention will become clearly apparent from the detailed description of an embodiment thereof, which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of an apparatus showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the sequence of operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6a 6d are views showing the sequence of operation in the first battery cover bonding step;

FIGS. 7a 7c are views showing the sequence of operation in the secondary battery cover bonding step;

FIG. 8 is a view showing the operation in the third battery cover bonding step; and

FIGS. 9a 9c are views showing the sequence of operation in the. fourth battery cover bonding step.

Referring first to structural features of the present apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an upper disk I and a lower, disk 2 are connected to each other by a plurality of poles 3 extending between the

disks

1 and 2 at circumferences thereof. 'Through the center of the upper and

lower disks

1 and 2 vertically extended is a stationary shaft 4 erected on a base 5. The stationary shaft 4 also passes through a hollow shaft 6 and a rotary cylinder 8 secured to the upper disk 1. The hollow shaft 6 is rotatable about the stationary shaft 4 by

bearings

7, 7a and is secured at its upper end with the lower disk 2 and at its lower end with a spur gear 9 which in turn is engaged with a toothed gear 10 connected to a known rotary actuator 11. The gear ratio of the spur gear 9 and the toothed gear 10 is 3zl, so that, by energizing the rotary actuator 11 to rotate the toothed gear 10 as much as 270, the both

disks

1 and 2 are rotated simultaneously as much as The rotary cylinder 8 hermetically encloses the stational shaft 4 and is rotatable thereabout by a bearing 8a.

On the upper disk 1 and the lower disk 2 are concentrically disposed four pairs of upper and

lower presses 12a

12d and 13a 13d, each pair being opposite to each other. Each upper press 12 has an upper press head 14 projecting below the upper disk 1 and-each lower press 13 has a lower press head 15 projecting above the lower disk 2, the upper and

lower press heads

14 and 15 being arranged to face with each other.

Provided on each of the lower press 15 are a back stopper plate 16, a side stopper plate 17, and a side press plate 18 opposite to the side stopper plate 17. The back stopper plate 16 and the side stopper plate 17 define a back line and a side line of a predetermined setting position of a battery container, referred hereinafter. The side press plate 18 is connected to a piston rod of a cramping air cylinder 19, so that the side press plate 18 is movable toward and away from the side stopper plate 17.

As shown in FIG. 4, each upper press head 14 is provided on its underside with a recess 20, which acts against the upper sides of a battery cover (referred I hereinafter), when the upper press head 14 is moved FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; v

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partially cut away, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned side view showing a suction means in an upper press head;

down, to regulate the position of the battery cover. The upper press head 14 is also provided on its underside within the recess 20 with a plurality of vacuum suction members 21 made of rubber or the like, through each of which a vacuum passage 22 extends into the press head 14 and opens to the side surface of the press head 14. The open end of the vacuum passage 22 is communicated through a flexible tube and a control valve (not shown) to a vacuum chamber 23 in the rotary cylinder 8 secured to the center of the upper disk 1 and rotatable to the stationary shaft 4-. The vacuum chamber 23 is communicated to a vacuum source (not shown) through a pipe 24 extending through the stationary shaft 4. The upper press head 14 is so constructed that, when the upper press head 14 is moved down and contacts to the battery cover, it can regulate the position of the cover and suck it up by vacuum.

In an alternative structure (not shown), in place of the vacuum suction means, the upper press head 14 may be provided with a grip which can catch liquid injection openings in the battery cover.

Between the upper press head 14b and the lower press head 15b is disposed a thermoplate secured to the stationary shaft 4 in parallel to the upper and

lower disks

1 and 2. The thermoplate 25 is heated by conductive wires and controlled to a predetermined temperature by a thermostatt, both of them being provided in an insulated tube 26 extending through the stationary shaft 4 and connected to the thermoplate 25.

In an alternative embodiment, in place of the thermoplate 25, a spongy adhesive or solvent retainer plate may be employed. In such an embodiment, a pipe for supplying adhesive or solvent may be provided in place of the tube 26 for the conductive wires and thermostatt.

Also, provided through the stationary shaft 4 is a pipe 27 for supplying compressed air into each of the air cylinders of the upper and

lower presses 12a

12d and 13a 13d. The pipe 27 opens to a compressed air chamber 28 in the rotary cylinder 8, from which the compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder through flexible tubes and control valves (not shown).

Adjacent to the periphery ofthe lower disk 2 are provided a feed conveyer means 29, a delivery conveyer means 30, and a stopper means 31, all of them being supported on a

frame

32a, 32b, 32c to be substantially on the same level as the lower disk 2. The delivery conveyer means 30 and the stopper means 31 are angularly spaced from the feed conveyer means 29 as much as 90 about the stationary shaft 4.

The feed conveyer means 29 comprises conveyer rollers 33 disposed in the tangential direction of the lower disk 2, a stopper plate 34 provided at the end of the conveyer rollers 33, and an air cylinder 35 having a pushing rod 36 extendable onto the lower press head 15a beyond the conveyer rollers 33.

The delivery conveyer means 30 comprises delivery rollers 37 disposed in the radial direction of the lower disk 2, an arm 38 having a pair of pivoted hooks 39 at one end thereof, and an air cylinder 40 of which piston rod 41 is connected to the other end of the arm 38, which is projected through an elongated opening 32d in the frame 32c.

The stopper means 31 comprises a stopper block 42 connected to a piston rod 43 of an air cylinder 44 and guided by a pair of guide plates 45. The stopper block 42 is pressed against one of block receiving members 46 projecting under the lower disk 2 at circumferential portions adjacent to each air cylinder of the lower press 13.

Now, we refer tothe present process for bonding a battery cover 47 to a battery container 48, both of which are made of thermoplastic resin. In the present embodiment, an air' sequential control system is employed as shown in FIG. 5 to operate all of the presses by compressed air supplied through the stationary shaft 4.

In the first step for feeding the battery cover 47 and container 48 onto the lower disk 2, the battery container 48 on which the battery cover 47 is detachably placed is transferred by rollers 33 of the feed conveyer means 29, while the pushing rod 36 of the air cylinder 35 is at the retracted position, and collides 'with the stopper plate 34. The stopper plate 34 is provided with a limit air valve LV-l which is actuated to operate a brake (not shown) of the rollers 33 when the battery container 48 collided therewith. Accordingly, the successive battery containers are stopped on the rollers 33 until the brake is released. Then, the compressed air is fed into the air cylinder 35, so that the battery container 48 is pushed against the back stopper plate 16a on the lower press head 15a by the pushing rod 36. After a predetermined time has passed by an air timer T-l, the pushing rod 36 of the cylinder 35 retracts, and the brake for the rollers 33 is released for the successive battery container. Then, a limit switch LS-l operable by the retraction of the pushing rod 36 is made ON.

At the first section of the

disks

1 and 2, when the battery container 48 collides against the back stopper plate 16a (FIG. 6a) a limit air valve LV-2 provided thereon is actuated to feed the compressed air into the cramping air cylinder 19a, so that the battery container 48 is pressed against the side stopper plate 17a (FIG. 6b). The side stopper plate 17a has a limit air valve LV-3 thereon, so that when the battery container 48 is pressed against the plate 17a, the valve LV-3 is actuated to feed the compressed air into the air cylinder of the upper press 12a, thereby lowering the press head 14a thereof (FIG. The press head 14a has a limit air valve LV-4 in the recess 20 at the underside thereof and is arranged to be actuated when the battery cover 47 contacts thereto. When the valve LV-4 is actuated,

vacuum is applied to the battery cover 47 through the suction member 21 in the recess 20. After a short time period has passed by an air timer T-2, the upper press head 14a of the press 12a is moved up, lifting the battery cover 47 along with the upward movement of the press head 14a (FIG. 6d). Vertically extended from the corners of the press head 14a through the upper disk 1 are a plurality of guide rods 49 to which a limit air valve LV-5 is provided to be actuated at the upper lifted position of the upper press head 14a to stop the latter. A limit switch LS-2 is similarly provided to be made ON when the upper press head 14a is moved up.

In the second step at the second section of the disks, a compressed air is fed into the air cylinder of the upper press 12b when the limit air valve LV-4 referred in the first step is actuated, so that the battery cover 47 descends along with the downward movement of the upper press head'14b (FIG. 7a) and comes to contact with the thermoplate 25. The press head 14b has at its underside a limit air valve LV-6 projecting downwardly from the outside of the recess 20. The valve LV-6 is actuated when the underside of the battery cover 47 contacts to the thermoplate 25 and, thereby, energizes an air timerT-3. After a predetermined time has passed by the timer T-3, the compressed air is fed into the cylinder of the lower press 13b to move up the lower press head 15b so as to contact the battery container 48 with the thermoplate 25 (FIG. 7b) and an air timer T4 is energized, during which the battery cover 47 and container 48, both made of thermoplastic resin, are partially molten by the thermoplate 25. After a predetermined time has passed by the timer T-4, both of the upper and lower press heads 14b and 15b are moved up and down, respectively, and separated from the thermoplate 25 (FIG. 7c), thereby actuating limit air valves LV-S and LV-7 provided on

guide rods

49 and 50 of the upper and lower press heads 14b and 1512 at the upper and lower positions thereof, respectively. The limit air valves LV-S and LV-7 make limit switches LS-3 and LS-4 ON.

In the third step at the third section of the disks, the compressed air is fed into the air cylinder of the upper press 12c after the timer T-4 referred in the second step has been actuated, so that the upper press head 140 is moved down. Thus, the battery cover 47 is pressed against the battery container 48 for a predetermined time period by a Timer T-5 with the result that the molten parts of the battery cover and container are integrally bonded together (FIG. 8). After the predetermined time has passed by the time T-S, the vacuum suction having been applied to the battery cover 47 is released.

In the fourth section of the disks, the upper press head 14d, is moved up (FIG. 9a) and the side press 19d releases clamping after a predetermined time has passed by a timer T-6 (FIG. 9b). By the upward movement of the press head 14d, the limit air valve LV-S as well as a limit switch LS-S is actuated. The limit switch LS-S energizes a solenoid air valve SV-2, so that the compressed air is fed into the air cylinder 40 of the de livery conveyer means 30. Then, the arm 38 moves inwardly toward the stationary shaft 4 and the pivoted hooks 39 catches the back surface of the battery container. At this position, the outer end of the arm projecting through the elongated opening 32d contacts and actuates a limit air valve LV-8 provided at the inner end of the opening 32d, so that the compressed air is fed into the cylinder 40 to move the arm 38 outwardly, thereby unloading the battery container with the battery cover onto the delivery rollers 37. At the retracted position of the arm 38, a limit switch LS-6 is made ON.

As will be easily understood from the flow chart in FIG. 5 and descriptions, all of the above steps are performed simultaneously at four different sections of the disk. As is shown in the flow chart in FIG. 5, when all of the limit switches LS-l, LS-2, LS-3, LS-4 and LS-6 are made ON, the rotary actuator 11 is driven to rotate the disks as much as 90 in the clockwise direction shown by an arrow. By the rotation of the toothed gear 10, a limit switch LS-7 is made ON to operate the stopper 44 for the

disks

1, 2 and to release the clutch in the actuator 11. When the stopper block 42 is pressed against the block receiving member 46, a limit air valve LV-9 provided in each receiving member 46 is actuated to operate AND elements in the second, third and fourth battery cover bonding steps. At the same time when the stopper block 42 is pressed, a limit switch LS-8 provided on the supporting frame 32b adjacent the block 42 is also actuated, which in turn actuates a solenois air valve SV-l in the first step.

Though not shown in the drawings, known proximity switches are provided on the stationary shaft 4 and the lower disk 2 such that, when the disks are intermittently rotated as much as 90, the

presses

12a, and 13a, for example, take over the movements of the

presses

12b, 13b in the succeeding step in accordance with the flow chart in FIG. 5. Thus, the battery cover bonding operations are automatically repeated.

The foregoing embodiment of the present invention employs an intermittent rotating system using four pairs of upper and lower presses, and hence four units of batteries are treated simultaneously at the respective steps. However, the present invention is not restricted to such embodiment. It is possible to employ six pairs of upper and lower presses at angular intervals of and to turn the disks intermittently as much as 60, In such a case, the bonding of the battery cover to the battery container can be performed through the third to fifth movements, i.e. during the half rotation of the disks, to prolong the pressure contact time, or, alternatively, it is possible to allocate time for cooling or drying treatment.

Many other modifications and alterations may be made within the spirit of the present invention.

' What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for bonding a cover member of a storage battery to a battery container, comprising:

a plurality of upper press means concentrically arranged on said upper table with respective press heads projecting below said upper table, each of said press heads having means for lifting said battery cover;

a plurality of lower press means concentrically arranged on said lower table with respective press heads projecting above said lower table to face with said press heads of said upper press means, each of said press heads of said lower means having means for setting the battery container to a predetermined position;

stationary plate means for contacting at least one of the bonding faces of said battery cover and container by which said face is rendered capable of bonding, said plate means being disposed between one of the paired upper and lower press heads.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conveyer means for feeding the battery cover and container onto said lower press head, a delivery means for discharging said battery cover and container from said lower press head, said conveyer means and delivery means being disposed adjacent to the periphery of said lower table with an angular interval about the center axis thereof, and means for intermittently rotating said upper and lower table to locate circumferentially adjacent two lower press heads closely to said conveyer means and delivery means in turn.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim I, wherein said press operating means is an air sequential control system comprising a compressed air feeding pipe extending through a stationary shaft along the center axis of said tables, a rotary cylinder hermetically enclosing said stationary shaft and rotatable thereabout together with said tables, said compressed air feeding pipe being open in said rotary cylinder, and a number of flexible pipes and air valves through which the compressed air is fed into each of said presses from said rotary cylinder under sequential control. 7

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery cover and container are made of thermoplastic resin, and said bonding medium furnishing means is a thermoplate against which bonding faces of said battery cover and container are pressed.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bonding medium furnishing means is a spongy plate on which an adhesive or solvent is supplied through a stationary shaft at the axial center of the tables and with which bonding faces of said battery cover and container contact.

Claims

1. In apparatus for bonding a cover member of a storage battery to a battery container, comprising: an upper table and a lower table arranged to rotate simultaneously about a center axis thereof; a plurality of upper press means concentrically arranged on said upper table with respective press heads projecting below said upper table, each of said press heads having means for lifting said battery cover; a plurality of lower press means concentrically arranged on said lower table with respective press heads projecting above said lower table to face with said press heads of saId upper press means, each of said press heads of said lower means having means for setting the battery container to a predetermined position; means for operating both of said upper and lower press means in accordance with a predetermined time sequence; and stationary plate means for contacting at least one of the bonding faces of said battery cover and container by which said face is rendered capable of bonding, said plate means being disposed between one of the paired upper and lower press heads.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said press operating means is an air sequential control system comprising a compressed air feeding pipe extending through a stationary shaft along the center axis of said tables, a rotary cylinder hermetically enclosing said stationary shaft and rotatable thereabout together with said tables, said compressed air feeding pipe being open in said rotary cylinder, and a number of flexible pipes and air valves through which the compressed air is fed into each of said presses from said rotary cylinder under sequential control.