Patent Publication Number: US-2019198360-A1

Title: Device and method for turning cell over

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This international application claims priority of invention patent application No. 201711404936.0 filed on Dec. 22, 2017 with State Intellectual Property Office in China, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a field of solar cell technologies, and in particular, to a device and a method for turning a cell over. 
     BACKGROUND 
     For a coating process of a heterojunction solar cell, a vacuum coating device such as PVD, CVD and so on is usually used. In a process of double-sided coating of the cell, the cell is required to be coated on one single side in the coating device, and then is turned over and re-enters into the coating device to be coated on the other side. 
     In the prior art, a cell is laid on a carrier board by manual or automatic loading, and the carrier board is delivered into a process chamber through a charge platform by an automatic delivery mechanism to perform a front surface coating of the cell, and the carrier board is delivered to a discharge platform from the process chamber after the front surface coating is completed; the cell is turned over manually or collected through an automatic discharge platform into a cell cassette, and after all the cells in the cell cassette are coated on their front surfaces, the cell cassette is flipped to turn over all the cells in the cell cassette with back surfaces facing upward, and the cells are laid on the carrier board manually or through the an automatic loading mechanism, and then are re-delivered into the process chamber to be coated on the other sides; after the coating on back surfaces of the cells are completed, the cells are unloaded manually or through the automatic unloading mechanism, thereby completing the double-sided coating of the cells. 
     However, the manner in the prior art in which the cells are manually turned over would lead to a low work efficiency and a high misoperation rate, accompanied by problems such as a reduced production pace and a high breakage rate of the cells; if automatic unloading is adopted, for example, using devices such as a multi joint manipulator to unload the cells and load them again after the cells are turned over as a whole, a complicated operation process will be rendered. The overall process requires two cycles of loading and unloading of the cells, which will reduce work efficiency and retard the production process, and also lead to a problem of increasing the breakage rate of the cells. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of above, the present disclosure provides a device and a method for turning a cell over to solve the above existing problems in the prior art, simplify the turnover process, improve the production efficiency and reduce the breakage rate of the cell. 
     The present disclosure provides a device for turning a cell over, comprising: a turnover mechanism comprising a first gantry that is slidably disposed, wherein the first gantry is configured to pick up and turn over a cell; and a loading mechanism comprising a second gantry that is slidably disposed, wherein the second gantry is configured to pick up and load the cell that is turned over by the first gantry. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first gantry comprises a first support beam, a transmission arm and a first pick-up mechanism, the transmission arm is rotatably connected to the first support beam, and the first pick-up mechanism is rotatably connected to the transmission arm. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a servo motor is provided at a conjunction between the transmission arm and the first support beam and a conjunction between the transmission arm and the first pick-up mechanism respectively. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first pick-up mechanism comprises a first lifting device and a first suction disk, one end of the first lifting device is rotatably connected to the transmission arm, and the other end of the first lifting device is connected to the first suction disk. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first lifting device is a first lifting cylinder, a cylinder body of the first lifting cylinder is rotatably connected to the transmission arm, and a piston rod of the first lifting cylinder is connected to the first suction disk. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first gantry further comprises a connecting beam which is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the first lifting cylinder; the first suction disk comprises a plurality of sets of first suction disks, and the plurality of sets of first suction disks are evenly distributed on the connecting beam. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the turnover mechanism further includes first slide rails disposed on both sides of the first gantry, and the first gantry is slidably connected to the first slide rails. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vacuum pump and a sensor are disposed on the first gantry, and when the sensor detects that the first suction disk is in contact with the cell, the vacuum pump is activated to cause the first suction disk to suck up the cell. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the second gantry comprises a second support beam, a second lifting device and a second pick-up mechanism, the second lifting device is fixedly disposed on the second support beam, and the second pick-up mechanism is slidably connected to the second lifting device. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the second pick-up mechanism comprises a connecting bracket and a second suction disk, one end of the connecting bracket is connected to the second lifting device, and the other end of the connecting bracket is connected to the second suction disk. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the second lifting device comprises a servo motor, a lead screw and a stop bracket, and an output shaft of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the lead screw; the stop bracket is fixedly connected to the second support beam, the stop bracket is provided with a hollow cavity into which the lead screw extends, and a limit slot that is slidably connected to the connecting bracket is provided in a side wall of the stop bracket; one end of the connecting bracket is provided with a threaded hole that is fitted with the lead screw. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the loading mechanism further comprises second slide rails disposed on both sides of the second gantry, and the second gantry is slidably connected to the second slide rails. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vacuum pump and a sensor are disposed on the second gantry, and when the sensor detects that the second gantry is in contact with the first gantry, the vacuum pump is activated to cause the second suction disk to suck up the cell. 
     The present disclosure further provides a method for turning a cell over, comprising: providing a turnover mechanism, the turnover mechanism comprising a first gantry that is slidably disposed, the first gantry being configured to pick up and turn over a cell; and providing a loading mechanism, wherein the loading mechanism comprises a second gantry that is slidably disposed, and the second gantry is configured to pick up and load the cell that is turned over by the first gantry. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first gantry comprises a first support beam, a transmission arm and a first pick-up mechanism which are sequentially connected, and after the cell is picked up by the first pick-up mechanism, the transmission arm is caused to be rotated relative to the first support beam and the first pick-up mechanism is caused to be rotated relative to the transmission arm so as to turn over the cell by 180 degrees. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, after the cell is picked up and turned over by the first gantry, the second gantry is caused to be in contact with the first gantry to pick up the cell that is turned over by the first gantry. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, after the cell that is turned over by the first gantry is picked up by the second gantry, the cell picked up is laid on a carrier board by the second gantry. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, before the cell picked up is laid on the carrier board by the second gantry, the first gantry is caused to restore to a state before performing turnover. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sliding direction of the second gantry is caused to be parallel to a sliding direction of the first gantry. 
     The device and the method for turning a cell over provided by the present disclosure has realized automation of turnover and laying of the cell through cooperation of the first gantry with the second gantry, and solved the problem of production efficiency being affected by manual turnover and laying desired in the prior art, meanwhile, realized timely turnover and laying of the cell on the carrier board, and the common turnover after the cells are collected into the cell cassette is not required, thereby simplifying the turnover process effectively and improving the production pace. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Specific implementations of the present disclosure will be further described detailedly below in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view showing a device for turning a cell over according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view showing a first gantry; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view showing the first gantry; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view showing a second gantry; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view showing the second gantry; 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing a state of the first gantry before performing turnover; 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing a state of the first gantry after performing turnover; 
         FIG. 8  is a view showing a state in which the cell on the first gantry is picked up by the second gantry; 
         FIG. 9  is a view showing a state in which the cell is laid on the carrier board. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SIGNS 
       10 —device for turning cell over;  20 —turnover mechanism;  30 —loading mechanism;  100 —carrier board;  200 —first gantry;  210 —first support beam;  220 —transmission arm;  230 —first lifting device;  240 —first suction disk;  250 —connecting beam;  260 —servo motor;  270 —overhang portion;  280 —first pick-up mechanism;  300 —second gantry;  310 —second support beam;  320 —servo motor;  330 —stop bracket;  340 —second suction disk;  350 —connecting bracket;  360 —second lifting device;  370 —second pick-up mechanism;  380 —lead screw;  400 —first slide rails;  500 —second slide rails;  600 —cell. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative only, and are not explained to be a restriction to the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a device  10  for turning a cell over, comprising a turnover mechanism  20  and a loading mechanism  30 , wherein the turnover mechanism  20  comprises a first gantry  200  that is slidably disposed, and the first gantry  200  is configured to pick up and turn over a cell  600 ; wherein the loading mechanism  30  comprises a second gantry  300  that is slidably disposed, and the second gantry  300  is configured to pick up and load the cell  600  that is turned over by the first gantry  200  to lay the cell  600  turned over on a carrier board  100 . For example, the cell  600  is a monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous sheet made from semiconductor materials such as silicon, germanium and so on. 
     When the cell  600  is delivered to a preset position of a discharge platform or a conveyor belt after a front surface of the cell  600  is coated, the first gantry  200  picks up and turns over the cell  600 , and the second gantry  300  picks up the cell  600  turned over when being in contact with the first gantry  200  and lays the sheet  600  turned over on the carrier board  100 , and the carrier board  100  carrying the cell  600  turned over is delivered to a charge platform through an automatic delivery device for the cell  600  to be coated on a back surface. Therefore, the device  10  for turning the cell over has realized automation of turnover and laying of the cell  600 , thereby solving the technical problem that the production efficiency is affected by manual turnover and laying of the cell desired in the prior art, and meanwhile realizing timely turnover and laying of the cell  600  on the carrier board  100 , without collecting the cells  600  into the cell cassette together and turning them over as a whole, thereby simplifying the turnover process and improving the production pace. 
     Referring to both  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the first gantry  200  comprises a first support beam  210 , a transmission arm  220  and a first pick-up mechanism  280 , the first support beam  210  has an overhang portion  270  that overhangs vertically downward, the transmission arm  220  is rotatably connected to the overhang portion  270  of the first support beam  210 , and the first pick-up mechanism  280  is rotatably connected to the transmission arm  220 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the first gantry  200  moves to above the cell  600  to be picked up, the cell  600  may be picked up by the first pick-up mechanism  280 ; as shown in  FIG. 7 , after the cell  600  is picked up, the transmission arm  220  is rotated to a position perpendicular to the overhang portion  270  of the first support beam  210 , meanwhile, the first pick-up mechanism  280  carrying the cell  600  is rotated to a position perpendicular to the transmission arm  220 , thereby realizing the turnover of the cell  600  by 180 degrees to facilitate the picking-up of the second gantry  300 . 
     In the present embodiment, the transmission arm  220  and the first pick-up mechanism  280  are controllable to rotate by a servo motor  260 . Specifically, the servo motor  260  is disposed at a conjunction between the transmission arm  220  and the first support beam  210  (the overhang portion  270  of the first support beam  210 ) and a conjunction between the transmission arm  220  and the first pick-up mechanism  280  respectively, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Specifically, referring to  FIG. 3 , the first pick-up mechanism  280  includes a first lifting device  230  and a first suction disk  240 , one end of the first lifting device  230  is rotatably connected to the transmission arm  220 , and the other end of the first lifting device  230  is connected to the first suction disk  240 . Before picking up the cell  600  placed on the carrier board  100 , the first gantry  200  maintains the state as shown in  FIG. 3 , at this time, the first lifting device  230  is controlled to push the first suction disk  240  to move so that the first suction disk  240  sucks up the cell  600 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ; in one embodiment, a vacuum pump and a sensor are disposed on the first gantry  200 , and when the sensor detects that the first suction disk  240  is in contact with the cell  600 , the vacuum pump is activated to cause the first suction disk  240  to suck up the cell  600 . 
     Of course, the first pick-up mechanism may also include a mechanical clamp to achieve clamping and releasing of the cell  600  by controlling opening and closing of the clamp, but a clamping force of the mechanical clamp is not easy to be controlled, and thus the cell  600  is easy to be damaged; since the suction disk adopts a principle of controlling an air pressure to realize the picking-up of the cell  600 , the cell  600  is not easy to be damaged but is easy to be controlled. 
     Specifically, the first lifting device  230  is a first lifting cylinder, a cylinder body of the first lifting cylinder is rotatably connected to the transmission arm  220 , and a piston rod of the first lifting cylinder is connected to the first suction disk  240 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first gantry  200  further includes a connecting beam  250  which is fixedly connected with the piston rod of the first lifting cylinder; the first suction disk  240  comprises a plurality of sets of first suction disks, and the plurality of sets of first suction disks  240  are evenly distributed on the connecting beam  250 . 
     It should be noted that a plurality of laying regions for laying the cells  600  are provided on the carrier board  100 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , and in the embodiment, the number of the laying regions is thirty arranged in six rows and five columns, hence, thirty cells  600  can be coated simultaneously; the connecting beam  250  may be a transverse beam, and in the embodiment, the connecting beam  250  is provided with six first suction disks  240  each corresponding to one laying region, thereby simultaneously turning the cells  600  over in the same column, thereby effectively improving the production efficiency. 
     It should be understood that the laying regions for the cells may be in any number, as long as it does not hinder the turning-over and loading operations of the cells. For example, the number of the laying regions is 4×5=20, 6×6=36, 5×8=40, 6×7=42 and so on. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the turnover mechanism  20  further includes first slide rails  400  disposed on both sides of the first gantry  200 , and the first gantry  200  is slidably connected to the first slide rails  400 . For example, two first slide rails  400  are symmetrically disposed in parallel with each other on both sides of the first gantry  200 . 
     Usually, the carrier board  100  is placed right below the first gantry  200 . At this time, laying regions in each column of the carrier board  100  are parallel to the first gantry  200 , and after the cells  600  in laying regions of the first column are turned over, the first gantry  200  may slide along the first rails  400  to the next column of laying regions, thereby facilitating movement and control of the first gantry  200 . 
     Further, referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the second gantry  300  includes a second support beam  310 , a second lifting device  360  and a second pick-up mechanism  370 . The second lifting device  360  is fixedly disposed on the second supporting beam  310 , and the second pick-up mechanism  370  is slidably connected to the second lifting device  360 . After the cell  600  is turned over by the first gantry  200 , the second pick-up mechanism  370  is controlled by the second lifting device  360  to be in contact with the first suction disk  240  and pick up the cell  600  on the first suction disk  240 , as shown in  FIG. 8 ; then, the first gantry  200  is controlled to restore to a state before performing turnover so as to prevent the movement of the second pick-up mechanism  370  carrying the cell  600  from being blocked; after the first gantry  200  restores to the state before performing turnover, the second pick-up mechanism  370  is controlled by the second lifting device  360  to move in a direction toward the carrier  100  so as to lay the cell  600  turned over on the carrier board  100 , as shown in  FIG. 9 ; after the laying is completed, the second pick-up mechanism  370  is controlled to return to a position before picking up the cell  600 , and the second gantry  300  and the first gantry  200  are controlled to move to a position of the next column of cells to be turned over, thereby realizing continuous turning-over and laying of the cells  600 . 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the second pick-up mechanism  370  includes a connecting bracket  350  and a second suction disk  340 . One end of the connecting bracket  350  is connected to the second lifting device  360 , and the other end of the connecting bracket  350  is connected to the second suction disk  340 . Wherein, the connecting bracket  350  and the second suction disk  340  can be rotatably connected to each other to adjust an angle of the second suction disk  340  so that the second suction disk  340  is in contact fit with the first suction disk  240 ; certainly, the connecting bracket  350  and the second suction disk  340  can also be fixedly connected to each other to ensure the stability of a position of the second suction disk  340 . Specific connection manner ought to meet the requirements of the contact fit between the second suction disk  340  and the first suction disk  240 , which is not limited in this embodiment. 
     In one embodiment, a vacuum pump and a sensor may be disposed on the second gantry  300 , and when the sensor detects that the second gantry  300  abuts against the first gantry  200  (namely, the second suction disk  340  abuts against the first suction disk  240 ), the vacuum pump is activated to cause the second suction disk  340  to suck up the cell  600  that is turned over by the first suction disk  240 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the second lifting device includes a servo motor  320 , a stop bracket  330  and a lead screw  380 , an output shaft of the servo motor  320  is fixedly connected to the lead screw  380 ; the stop bracket  330  is fixedly connected to the second support beam  310 , the stop bracket  330  is provided with a hollow cavity into which the lead screw extends, and a limit slot that is slidably connected to the connecting bracket  330  is disposed in a sidewall of the stop bracket  330 ; one end of the connecting bracket  350  is provided with a thread hole that is fitted with the lead screw  380 . When the servo motor  320  is activated, the lead screw  380  can be driven by the output shaft of the servo motor  320  to rotate. Since the connecting bracket  350  is in screwed connection with the lead screw  380 , the connecting bracket  350  is movable in an axial direction of the lead screw  380 ; wherein the one end of the connecting bracket  350  that is provided with the threaded hole is slidably fitted with the limit slot, thereby preventing the second suction disk  340  from excessively moving while ensuring the accuracy of the movement of the second suction disk  340 . 
     Of course, the number and the arrangement position of the second suction disk  340  correspond to those of the first suction disk  240  and thereby the turning-over and laying of the cell  600  can be achieved via the contact fit between the first suction disk  240  and the second suction disk  340 . 
     It can be understood that, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in order to facilitate the movement and control of the second gantry  300 , the loading mechanism  30  may further include second slide rails  500  disposed on both sides of the second gantry  300 , and the second gantry  300  is slidably connected to the second slide rails  500 . For example, two second slide rails  500  are symmetrically disposed in parallel with each other on both sides of the second gantry  300 . 
     In one embodiment, in order to reduce interference and ensure abutment, a direction in which the second rails  500  extend (the sliding direction of the second gantry  300 ) is parallel to a direction in which the first rails  400  extend (the sliding direction of the first gantry  200 ). 
     It should be emphasized that the first slide rails  400  as shown in  FIG. 1  are disposed on an inner side of the second slide rails  500 , however, in the case that the picking-up, turning-over and loading of the cell are not affected, the slide rails  400  can also be disposed on an outer side of the second slide rails  500 . 
     The present disclosure further provides a method for turning a cell over, comprising: providing a turnover mechanism  20 , the turnover mechanism  20  comprising a first gantry that is slidably disposed, the first gantry being configured to pick up and turn over the cell  600 ; and providing a loading mechanism  30 , wherein the loading mechanism  30  comprises a second gantry  300  that is slidably disposed, and the loading mechanism  30  is configured to pick up and load the cell  600  that is turned over by the first gantry  200 . 
     In the method for turning a cell over according to the present disclosure, the first gantry  200  comprises a first support beam  210 , a transmission arm  220  and a first pick-up mechanism  280  which are sequentially connected, and after the cell  600  is picked up by the first pick-up mechanism  280 , the transmission arm  220  is caused to be rotated relative to the first support beam  210  and the first pick-up mechanism  280  is caused to be rotated relative to the transmission arm  220  so as to turn over the cell 600 by 180 degrees. 
     In the method for turning a cell over according to the present disclosure, after the cell  600  is picked up and turned over by the first gantry  200 , the second gantry  300  is caused to abut against the first gantry  200  to pick up the cell  600  that is picked up by the first gantry  200 . 
     In the method for turning a cell over according to the present disclosure, after the cell  600  that is turned over by the first gantry  200  is picked up by the second gantry  300 , the cell  600  turned over is laid on a carrier board  100  by the second gantry  300 . 
     In the method for turning a cell over according to the present disclosure, before the cell  600  picked up is laid on the carrier board  100  by the second gantry  300 , the first gantry  200  is caused to restore to a state before performing turnover. 
     In the method of turning a cell over according to the present disclosure, a sliding direction of the second gantry  300  is caused to be parallel to a sliding direction of the first gantry  200 . 
     The device and the method for turning a cell over provided by the present disclosure has realized automation of turnover and laying of the cell via the contact fitting between the first gantry and the second gantry, and solved the problem of the production efficiency being affected by manual turnover and laying of the cell desired in the prior art, and meanwhile realizing timely turnover and laying of the cell on the carrier board, and it is not required to collect the cells into the cell cassette together and turn them over as a whole, thereby effectively simplifying the turnover process and improving the production pace. 
     The structures, features and effects of the present disclosure have been described in detail above based on the embodiments as shown in the drawings. The above description is given only for preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, however, the present disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments as shown in the drawings. The modifications made in accordance with the concept of the present disclosure, or equivalents to the modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.