Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Grohmann Engineering Gmbh

Charles W McClure

Yhu-Tin Lin

Erik B Golm

Andrew P Oury

Klaus Grohmann

Lothar Thommes

Barton W McLaughlin

A multi-tasking end effector system includes a base frame connected to a robot arm of a robot. A first shaft is rotatably supported on the base frame. A first pin-wheel assembly is rotatably mounted to the shaft at a first end of the base frame. Multiple first die assemblies are mounted to the first pin-wheel assembly. A second pin-wheel assembly is rotatably mounted to the shaft at a second end of the base frame. Multiple second die assemblies are mounted to the second pin-wheel assembly and individually oriented in mirror image configuration to one of the multiple first die assemblies. An index motor rotates the first shaft and co-rotates paired and mirror image die assemblies. First and second tab-bending actuators mounted to the base frame are operated to bend opposed cell tabs of a battery cell positioned between the first and second pin-wheel assemblies.

Multi-tasking end effector

A modular battery pack and method of making a battery pack. Prismatic can battery cells are interspersed with cooling frames along a stacking axis within a housing such that numerous a cell-frame assemblies, each with a cooling path, are formed. Resiliently-biased sealing members on the frames are arranged such that they remain out of the way of a footprint defined by the joined cells and frames to promote ease of high-speed cell-to-frame assembly. Upon formation of the cell-frame assembly and subsequent placement into the housing with inner walls that press against the protruding ends of the sealing member, the sealing member is forced by the housing to come into contact engagement with a corresponding surface of the edge of the battery cell. The generally linear, planar contact surface formed by the contact engagement promotes the formation of a sealing surface that makes it harder for introduced cooling air to escape. By this sealing member construction, cell-frame assemblies may be produced with high-speed automated assembly techniques that may have both large manufacturing tolerances prior to assembly and substantially gap-free cell-to-cooling frame contacting surfaces after assembly.

Cell cooling frames with cantilevered side seals

A device and to a method for stacking plate-like products into a straight, cylindrical stack having an upper and a lower side and at least two side surfaces arranged at a distance from each other. In order to create a desired pretension in the stack already during stacking, which can even be maintained when individual products are added, the plate-like products are lifted against gravity from the bottom to the top into a stack nest, the products are held in the stack nest by applying a force on the side surfaces thereof to prevent dropping in the direction of gravity. While the force application is maintained, further products are added to the stack in the stack nest from the bottom side.

Method and device for stacking

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White Lake, MI, United States of America

Charles W McClure