A thermal composite device

Abstract

This invention provides a thermal bonding device, relating to the field of lithium battery manufacturing technology. The thermal bonding device includes a support frame, a hot-pressing belt assembly, a hot-pressing roller assembly, and a heating-driven roller assembly. The hot-pressing belt assembly and the hot-pressing roller assembly are arranged opposite each other on the support frame in a vertical direction, forming a pressing channel for the passage of a unit cell. The hot-pressing belt assembly and the hot-pressing roller assembly press the unit cell on its upper and lower sides, respectively. The heating-driven roller assembly is located on the discharge side of the pressing channel and is used for thermally bonding the unit cell. Compared to existing technologies, the unit cell conveying device provided by this invention avoids the use of Mylar film, ensures stable and non-shifting of the electrode sheets during conveying, and eliminates the need for additional Mylar film unwinding and rewinding equipment, thus reducing overall space requirements and operating costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lithium battery manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to a thermal recombination device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the thermal bonding stage, the unit cell formed by the electrode and the separator is heated in a thermal bonding baking oven and then thermally bonded through a roller assembly. During the bonding stage, Mylar film is usually used for clamping and transport to protect the electrode and prevent it from shifting. That is, Mylar film is laid on the upper and lower sides of the unit cell. After thermal bonding is completed, the Mylar film is removed. Due to the presence of the Mylar film, the unit cell is kept fixed during transportation and avoids shifting.

[0003] In the existing technology, due to the huge production volume of stacked sheets, the consumption of Mylar film increases dramatically, resulting in high costs. At the same time, replacing Mylar film and installing related equipment for unwinding and rewinding Mylar film undoubtedly increases labor costs, while also making the overall equipment more complex and redundant, increasing the overall space occupied, and increasing the downtime for changing machines. In addition, Mylar film itself is a consumable material with high costs.

[0004] In view of this, it is particularly important to design and manufacture a thermal lamination device that can replace Mylar film, ensure that the electrode sheets are stable and do not shift during transportation, and eliminate the need for additional Mylar film winding and unwinding equipment, thereby reducing the overall space occupation and operating costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermal lamination device that can replace Mylar film, while ensuring that the electrode sheet is stable and does not shift during the transportation process, and without the need for additional Mylar film winding and unwinding equipment, thus reducing the overall space occupied and operating costs.

[0006] The present invention is achieved by the following technical solution.

[0007] A thermal bonding device includes a support wall frame, a hot pressing belt assembly, a hot pressing roller assembly, and a heating drive roller assembly. The hot pressing roller assembly and the hot pressing belt assembly are arranged opposite each other on the support wall frame in a vertical direction. A bonding channel for a unit cell to pass through is formed between the hot pressing belt assembly and the hot pressing roller assembly. The hot pressing roller assembly and the hot pressing belt assembly are respectively bonded to the upper and lower sides of the unit cell. The heating drive roller assembly is arranged on the discharge side of the bonding channel and is used for thermal bonding the unit cell.

[0008] Furthermore, the hot press roller assembly includes multiple drive rollers, a heat insulation box, a drive roller frame, and multiple first heaters. The drive roller frame is disposed at the bottom of the heat insulation box. The multiple drive rollers are spaced apart and rotatably disposed on the drive roller frame. The multiple drive rollers are disposed opposite to the hot press belt assembly to form the pressing channel. The multiple first heaters are spaced apart in the heat insulation box and are staggered with the multiple drive rollers, extending between adjacent drive rollers.

[0009] Furthermore, the hot press roller assembly also includes a plurality of pressing structures, which are spaced apart on the heat insulation box and connected to the drive roller frame to provide a downward elastic force to the drive roller frame.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the pressing structures includes a linear bearing, a guide pressing shaft, and an elastic element. The linear bearing is disposed on the heat insulation box, the guide pressing shaft is movably disposed in the linear bearing and connected to the transmission roller frame, and the elastic element is connected to the heat insulation box and the transmission roller frame respectively.

[0011] Furthermore, a first temperature sensor is also provided on the heat insulation box, which is electrically connected to multiple first heaters and is used to detect the temperature of the unit cell.

[0012] Furthermore, the hot-pressing belt assembly includes a support frame, a drive roller, a driven roller, a steel strip, and a second heater. The drive roller and the driven roller are rotatably disposed at both ends of the support frame. The steel strip is wound around the drive roller and the driven roller respectively. The upper surface of the steel strip corresponds to the hot-pressing roller assembly and forms the pressing channel. The second heater is disposed on the support frame and located below the steel strip in the pressing channel for heating the steel strip.

[0013] Furthermore, a second temperature sensor is also provided on the support frame. The second temperature sensor is electrically connected to the second heater and is used to detect the temperature of the steel strip.

[0014] Furthermore, the support wall frame is provided with a belt mounting frame and a roller mounting frame spaced apart along the vertical direction. The hot pressing belt assembly is disposed on the belt mounting frame, and the roller mounting frame is provided with a pressing drive component. The pressing drive component is connected to the hot pressing roller assembly and is used to drive the hot pressing roller assembly to move closer to or away from the hot pressing belt assembly.

[0015] Furthermore, guide posts are provided on both sides of the hot press roller assembly, and guide sleeves that cooperate with the guide posts are provided on both sides of the hot press belt assembly. The guide posts are movably inserted through the guide sleeves to guide the hot press roller assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, the heating-driven roller assembly includes a frame, a first hot press roller, and a second hot press roller. Both the first hot press roller and the second hot press roller are rotatably mounted on the frame, and the first hot press roller and the second hot press roller are spaced apart to form a hot press channel, which corresponds to the pressing channel.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention provides a thermal bonding device that arranges a hot-pressing belt assembly and a hot-pressing roller assembly opposite each other in the vertical direction on a supporting wall frame, forming a pressing channel between them. When conveying unit cells through this pressing channel, the hot-pressing roller assembly and the hot-pressing belt assembly press against the upper and lower sides of the unit cell, respectively, thereby limiting the unit cell from both sides and preventing it from shifting during transport, effectively protecting the unit cell. Compared to existing technologies, this invention provides a unit cell conveying device that avoids the use of Mylar film, ensures stable and non-shifting electrode sheets during transport, and eliminates the need for additional Mylar film unwinding and rewinding equipment, reducing overall space requirements and operating costs. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal composite device provided by the present invention from a first perspective.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal composite device provided by the present invention from a second perspective.

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of section III;

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hot press roller assembly;

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the intermediate clamping structure;

[0025] Figure 6 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hot-pressed belt assembly;

[0026] Figure 7 for Figure 2 A partial structural diagram of the hot-pressed belt assembly;

[0027] Figure 8 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the heating-driven roller assembly.

[0028] Icons: 100-Hot compounding device; 110-Support wall frame; 111-With mounting frame; 113-Roller mounting frame; 115-Pressure driving component; 117-Guide column; 119-Guide sleeve; 130-Hot pressing belt assembly; 131-Bearing frame; 133-Drive roller; 135-Driven roller; 137-Steel belt; 150-Hot pressing roller assembly; 151-Drive roller; 153-Insulated box; 155-Drive roller frame; 157-First heater; 158-First temperature sensor; 159-Pressure structure; 1591-Linear bearing; 1593-Guide pressing shaft; 1595-Elastic component; 170-Heating drive roller assembly; 171-Frame; 173-First hot pressing roller; 175-Second hot pressing roller. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0030] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "connected," "installed," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0035] First Embodiment

[0036] See also Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment provides a thermal lamination device 100, which can avoid the use of Mylar film, while ensuring that the electrode sheet is stable and does not move during the transportation process, effectively protecting the electrode sheet, and eliminating the need for additional Mylar film winding and unwinding equipment, thus reducing the overall space occupied and operating costs.

[0037] The thermal bonding device 100 provided in this embodiment includes a support wall frame 110, a hot pressing belt assembly 130, a hot pressing roller assembly 150, and a heating drive roller assembly 170. The hot pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot pressing roller assembly 150 are arranged opposite each other on the support wall frame 110 in the vertical direction. A pressing channel for the unit battery cell to pass through is formed between the hot pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot pressing roller assembly 150, and the hot pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot pressing roller assembly 150 are respectively pressed on the upper and lower sides of the unit battery cell. The heating drive roller assembly 170 is arranged on the discharge side of the pressing channel and is used for thermal bonding of the unit battery cell.

[0038] In this embodiment, both the hot pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot pressing roller assembly 150 have heating functions. Together, they heat and bake the unit cell in the pressing channel. The heated unit cell is then pressed by the heating-driven roller assembly 170 to obtain a high-precision electrode.

[0039] The thermal lamination device 100 provided in this embodiment forms a pressing channel through a hot-pressing belt assembly 130 and a hot-pressing roller assembly 150, thereby replacing the related structure of Mylar film and avoiding the cost of consumables. During the thermal lamination process, the hot-pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot-pressing roller assembly 150 are used to bond and heat the unit cells, ensuring no relative movement between electrodes or between electrodes and the separator. Finally, high-precision unit cells are obtained by heating and driving the rollers. In addition, it saves equipment space and reduces equipment costs.

[0040] The support wall frame 110 is provided with a belt mounting frame 111 and a roller mounting frame 113 spaced apart along the vertical direction. The hot pressing belt assembly 130 is mounted on the belt mounting frame 111. The roller mounting frame 113 is provided with a pressing drive component 115. The pressing drive component 115 is connected to the hot pressing roller assembly 150 and is used to drive the hot pressing roller assembly 150 to move closer to or away from the hot pressing belt assembly 130.

[0041] In this embodiment, the pressing drive 115 is a pressing cylinder, and the piston rod of the pressing cylinder is connected to the hot pressing roller assembly 150 to drive the hot pressing roller assembly 150 to rise or fall. In addition, the pressing cylinder is mounted vertically on the roller mounting frame 113, and the roller mounting frame 113 is cantilevered above the hot pressing roller assembly 150.

[0042] In this embodiment, guide posts 117 are provided on both sides of the hot press roller assembly 150, and guide sleeves 119 that cooperate with the guide posts 117 are provided on both sides of the hot press belt assembly 130. The guide posts 117 are movably inserted through the guide sleeves 119 to guide the hot press roller assembly 150. Specifically, through the cooperation of the guide posts 117 and the guide sleeves 119, the hot press roller assembly 150 can move up and down in the vertical direction, improving the motion accuracy.

[0043] In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, guide sleeves 119 may be provided on both sides of the hot press roller assembly 150, and guide posts 117 may be provided on both sides of the hot press belt assembly 130. The guide posts 117 and guide sleeves 119 cooperate to achieve the guiding function.

[0044] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5The hot press roller assembly 150 includes multiple drive rollers 151, a heat insulation box 153, a drive roller frame 155, multiple first heaters 157, and multiple pressing structures 159. The drive roller frame 155 is disposed at the bottom of the heat insulation box 153. The multiple drive rollers 151 are rotatably disposed on the drive roller frame 155 at intervals, and the multiple drive rollers 151 are disposed opposite to the hot press belt assembly 130 to form a pressing channel. The multiple first heaters 157 are disposed at intervals inside the heat insulation box 153, and the multiple first heaters 157 are staggered with the multiple drive rollers 151 and extend between adjacent drive rollers 151. The multiple pressing structures 159 are disposed at intervals on the heat insulation box 153 and connected to the drive roller frame 155 to provide a downward elastic force to the drive roller frame 155.

[0045] In this embodiment, the multiple transmission rollers 151 are all free rollers, which roll under the support and drive of the unit battery cell, while the hot-pressing belt assembly 130 is the driving component, which can drive the unit battery cell to move.

[0046] It should be noted that the heat insulation box 153 is composed of a series of heat insulation plates and safety partitions. The first heater 157 is an infrared heater, which can heat the adjacent transmission roller 151 and the unit cell, thereby realizing the heating function.

[0047] Each clamping structure 159 includes a linear bearing 1591, a guide pressing shaft 1593, and an elastic element 1595. The linear bearing 1591 is mounted on the heat insulation box 153. The guide pressing shaft 1593 is movably mounted in the linear bearing 1591 and connected to the transmission roller frame 155. The elastic element 1595 is connected to both the heat insulation box 153 and the transmission roller frame 155. Specifically, a limit cap is provided at the top of the guide pressing shaft 1593 to prevent the guide pressing shaft 1593 from dislodging from the linear bearing 1591.

[0048] In this embodiment, the elastic element 1595 is a compression spring, which abuts against the heat insulation box 153 and the transmission roller frame 155 respectively. The two ends of the transmission roller frame 155 are provided with rotating brackets, and the two ends of the transmission roller 151 are rotatably connected to the two transmission brackets respectively. The multiple transmission rollers 151 are arranged along the same horizontal plane.

[0049] In this embodiment, a first temperature sensor 158 is also provided on the heat insulation box 153. The first temperature sensor 158 is electrically connected to multiple first heaters 157 and is used to detect the temperature of the unit cell. The first temperature sensor 158 is an infrared temperature sensor. The surface temperature of the unit cell is detected by the infrared temperature sensor, and the heating temperature of the first heaters 157 is adjusted reasonably according to the surface temperature of the unit cell to adjust the edge temperature of the unit cell to the optimal temperature.

[0050] In this embodiment, the surface of the drive roller 151 is coated with a protective layer. Specifically, the surface of the drive roller 151 is coated with a layer of Teflon. The Teflon prevents the electrode diaphragm from sticking and increases the wear resistance of the drive roller 151. Under the guidance of the linear bearing 1591, the drive roller 151 is pressed onto the unit cell by the elastic force of the compression spring.

[0051] See Figure 6 The hot-pressing belt assembly 130 includes a support frame 131, a drive roller 133, a driven roller 135, a steel strip 137, and a second heater (not shown). The drive roller 133 and the driven roller 135 are rotatably mounted at both ends of the support frame 131. The steel strip 137 is wound around the drive roller 133 and the driven roller 135, respectively. The upper surface of the steel strip 137 corresponds to the hot-pressing roller assembly 150 and forms a pressing channel. The second heater is mounted on the support frame 131 and located below the pressing channel, and is used to heat the steel strip 137. Specifically, the second heater is an infrared heater, which heats the steel strip 137 and transfers the heat to the unit cell through the steel strip 137 to achieve the effect of thermal bonding.

[0052] In this embodiment, the active roller 133 is connected to a drive motor. Driven by the drive motor, the active roller 133 drives the steel belt 137 to move, thereby realizing the active movement of the steel belt 137.

[0053] In this embodiment, the steel strip 137 has the characteristics of good surface quality and high dimensional accuracy. Therefore, the use of steel strip 137 can also ensure that there is no relative movement between electrodes or between electrodes and separators. In addition, the surface of steel strip 137 is also coated with a protective layer. Specifically, the surface of steel strip 137 is coated with a layer of Teflon. The Teflon prevents the electrodes and separators from sticking together and increases the wear resistance of steel strip 137.

[0054] In this embodiment, a second temperature sensor (not shown) is also provided on the support frame 131. The second temperature sensor is electrically connected to the second heater and is used to detect the temperature of the steel strip 137. Specifically, the second temperature sensor is a membrane temperature sensor. The temperature of the steel strip 137 is detected by the membrane temperature sensor, thereby indirectly determining the temperature of the unit cell. The heating temperature of the second heater is reasonably adjusted based on the temperature of the steel strip 137.

[0055] See Figure 7 The steel strip 137 has openings at intervals to guide the steel strip 137 and prevent slippage. The corresponding steel rollers cooperate with the steel strip 137 by means of embedded balls or other processes to prevent deviation and slippage, ensuring that the battery cell unit after hot pressing is a qualified product.

[0056] See Figure 8The heating drive roller assembly 170 includes a frame 171, a first hot press roller 173 and a second hot press roller 175. The first hot press roller 173 and the second hot press roller 175 are rotatably mounted on the frame 171, and the first hot press roller 173 and the second hot press roller 175 are spaced apart to form a hot press channel, which corresponds to the pressing channel.

[0057] In this embodiment, the unit cell is rolled by the first hot pressing roller 173 and the second hot pressing roller 175, and the completed unit cell enters the next process.

[0058] The working principle of the thermal bonding device 100 provided in this embodiment is as follows: After the pressing cylinder presses down with the steel roller hot pressing assembly, the unit battery material enters between the hot pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot pressing roller assembly 150 through the feeding roller. At this time, the steel belt 137 rotates clockwise, tightly clamping the unit battery material entering the cavity for heating and baking. After being conveyed for a certain distance, it enters the heating drive roller assembly 170 for rolling. After completion, the unit battery material enters the next process.

[0059] In summary, the thermal bonding device 100 provided in this embodiment arranges a hot-pressing belt assembly 130 and a hot-pressing roller assembly 150 opposite each other in the vertical direction on a supporting wall frame, forming a pressing channel between them. When conveying the unit cell through the pressing channel, the hot-pressing belt assembly 130 and the hot-pressing roller assembly 150 press against the upper and lower sides of the unit cell, respectively, thereby limiting the unit cell from both sides and preventing it from shifting during conveying, effectively protecting the unit cell. Compared with the prior art, the unit cell conveying device provided in this embodiment can avoid the use of Mylar film, ensure the stability of the electrode sheet during conveying without shifting, and eliminates the need for additional Mylar film winding and unwinding equipment, reducing the overall space occupied and operating costs.

[0060] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal composite device, characterized in that, The device includes a support wall frame, a hot pressing belt assembly, a hot pressing roller assembly, and a heating drive roller assembly. The hot pressing roller assembly and the hot pressing belt assembly are arranged opposite each other on the support wall frame in the vertical direction. A pressing channel for the unit cell to pass through is formed between the hot pressing belt assembly and the hot pressing roller assembly. The hot pressing roller assembly and the hot pressing belt assembly are respectively used to press the unit cell on the upper and lower sides. The heating drive roller assembly is located on the discharge side of the pressing channel and is used for thermal bonding of the unit cell. The hot-pressing strip assembly includes a support frame, a drive roller, a driven roller, a steel strip, and a second heater. The drive roller and the driven roller are rotatably disposed at both ends of the support frame. The steel strip is wound around the drive roller and the driven roller respectively. The upper surface of the steel strip corresponds to the hot-pressing roller assembly and forms the pressing channel. The second heater is disposed on the support frame and located below the pressing channel for heating the steel strip. The steel strip has openings spaced apart, and the corresponding steel rollers cooperate with the steel strip by means of embedded balls to guide the steel strip and prevent slippage. The hot press roller assembly includes multiple drive rollers, a heat insulation box, a drive roller frame, and multiple first heaters. The drive roller frame is disposed at the bottom of the heat insulation box. The multiple drive rollers are spaced apart and rotatably disposed on the drive roller frame. The multiple drive rollers are disposed opposite to the hot press belt assembly to form the pressing channel. The multiple first heaters are spaced apart in the heat insulation box and are staggered with the multiple drive rollers, extending between two adjacent drive rollers for bonding and heating the unit cell. The hot press roller assembly also includes multiple pressing structures, which are spaced apart on the heat insulation box and connected to the drive roller frame to provide a downward pressing force to the drive roller frame; Each of the pressing structures includes a linear bearing, a guide pressing shaft, and an elastic element. The linear bearing is disposed on the heat insulation box, the guide pressing shaft is movably disposed in the linear bearing and connected to the transmission roller frame, the elastic element is connected to the heat insulation box and the transmission roller frame respectively, and a limit cap is provided at the top end of the guide pressing shaft to prevent the guide pressing shaft from dislodging from the linear bearing.

2. The thermal composite device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat insulation box is also equipped with a first temperature sensor, which is electrically connected to multiple first heaters and is used to detect the temperature of the unit cell.

3. The thermal composite device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame is also equipped with a second temperature sensor, which is electrically connected to the second heater and is used to detect the temperature of the steel strip.

4. The thermal composite device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support wall frame is provided with a belt mounting frame and a roller mounting frame spaced apart along the vertical direction. The hot pressing belt assembly is mounted on the belt mounting frame, and a pressing drive is provided on the roller mounting frame. The pressing drive is connected to the hot pressing roller assembly and is used to drive the hot pressing roller assembly to move closer to or away from the hot pressing belt assembly.

5. The thermal composite device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Guide posts are provided on both sides of the hot press roller assembly, and guide sleeves that cooperate with the guide posts are provided on both sides of the hot press belt assembly. The guide posts are movably inserted through the guide sleeves to guide the hot press roller assembly.

6. The thermal composite device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating-driven roller assembly includes a frame, a first hot press roller, and a second hot press roller. Both the first hot press roller and the second hot press roller are rotatably mounted on the frame, and the first hot press roller and the second hot press roller are spaced apart to form a hot press channel, which corresponds to the pressing channel.

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