Photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment and method

Abstract

The present invention is applicable to the technical field of photovoltaic cell electroplating, and provides a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device and method. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device includes: a plating tank filled with a plating solution, provided with an inlet and an outlet opposite to the inlet; an anode member arranged in the plating tank and located below the liquid level of the plating solution; a cell moving mechanism, used to drive the cell to move from the inlet to the outlet, so that the cell moves relative to the anode member in the plating solution to achieve electroplating; a cathode conductive component, including a rotating moving part and a plurality of cathode conductive probes arranged on the rotating moving part, and the rotating moving part can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously, so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the cell and keeps synchronous movement with the cell. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device provided by the present invention can effectively improve the coating quality of the photovoltaic cell, and can greatly reduce the overall length of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of photovoltaic cell electroplating, and in particular to a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device and method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous expansion of the scale of the photovoltaic industry and the rapid development of the market, as well as the adjustment of relevant policies, the market has increasingly stringent requirements for the price of photovoltaic cells, resulting in many processes being reduced in complexity and using easily available materials. Existing solar cells usually use silver paste printed on the cells. Silver paste accounts for more than 25% of the total cost of producing solar cells, so how to solve the problem of replacing silver paste is a key point. At present, many companies use copper electroplating to replace printed silver paste. The basic principle is to let the cells pass through the cathode assembly and the anode assembly in turn, and use the method of electroplating the anode assembly.

[0003] In the prior art, the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells usually includes a plurality of electroplating areas and a plurality of conductive areas arranged in sequence along the horizontal direction, and the electroplating areas and the conductive areas are arranged alternately in sequence, and each electroplating area includes an electroplating tank containing an electroplating solution, and the electroplating solution of the electroplating tank is provided with an anode assembly connected to the positive pole of the power supply, and the conductive area includes a cathode assembly connected to the negative pole of the power supply. When the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells electroplates photovoltaic cells, the cells to be electroplated are sequentially passed through a plurality of electroplating areas and a plurality of conductive areas, and when the cells pass through a plating area and a conductive area at the same time, the cathode assembly contacts the cells, and the cells are connected to the anode assembly through the electroplating solution, so that the cathode assembly and the anode assembly form a closed loop, and at this time, the plating layer can be deposited on the surface of the cells using the electroplating principle. However, since the cell needs to pass through multiple plating areas and multiple conductive areas in sequence to complete the electroplating of the cell, the effective area utilization rate of the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells is low, resulting in a longer overall product size; moreover, since there is always a part of the cell that is not immersed in the plating solution of the plating tank and is exposed to the air during the electroplating process, it is easy to cause oxidation of the cell coating, resulting in poor quality of the photovoltaic cell coating. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device, aiming to solve the problems of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device in the prior art, such as the long product size and poor quality of the photovoltaic cell coating.

[0005] The present invention is implemented by providing a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device, comprising:

[0006] An electroplating tank, wherein the electroplating tank contains an electroplating solution, an inlet is provided at one end of the electroplating tank, and an outlet opposite to the inlet is provided at the other end of the electroplating tank;

[0007] an anode member disposed in the electroplating tank and below the surface of the electroplating solution;

[0008] A cell moving mechanism provided in the electroplating tank, used to drive the cell to move from the inlet to the outlet, so that the cell moves relative to the anode member in the electroplating solution to achieve electroplating;

[0009] The cathode conductive component arranged in the electroplating tank includes a rotating moving part driven by a driving device and a plurality of cathode conductive probes arranged on the rotating moving part. The rotating moving part can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the battery cell and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell.

[0010] Preferably, the rotating moving part is a chain or a belt, and a plurality of the cathode conductive probes are arranged in an annular array on the chain or the belt; the driving device includes a first power device and a transmission wheel connected to the first power device, and the transmission wheel cooperates with the rotating moving part to drive the rotating moving part to rotate.

[0011] Preferably, the chain or the belt is arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of the cathode conductive probes are perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the chain or the belt, so that some of the cathode conductive probes face the direction of the battery sheet.

[0012] Preferably, the chain or the belt is laid flat in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of cathode conductive probes are perpendicular to the chain or the belt and face the direction of the battery sheet.

[0013] Preferably, a plurality of cathode conductive probes are fixed on the rotating moving part in sequence and at equal intervals.

[0014] Preferably, the outer surface of the cathode conductive probe is coated with insulating glue, and one end of the cathode conductive probe in contact with the battery cell is exposed.

[0015] Preferably, the battery sheet moving mechanism comprises:

[0016] Second power unit;

[0017] a sprocket or pulley connected to the second power device;

[0018] The conveying chain or conveying belt corresponding to the sprocket or the belt pulley is used to drive the battery sheet to move from the inlet to the outlet.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes:

[0020] Two first rollers are arranged in the electroplating tank and located at the entrance. The two first rollers are arranged opposite to each other up and down. At least one of the first rollers is movably arranged in the electroplating tank and can move up and down, so that the two first rollers move away from each other to open the entrance or the two first rollers move close to each other to seal the entrance. The battery cell can enter the interior of the electroplating tank from between the two first rollers.

[0021] Preferably, it also includes:

[0022] Two second rollers are arranged in the electroplating tank and located at the outlet, and the two second rollers are arranged opposite to each other up and down, and at least one of the second rollers is movably arranged in the electroplating tank and can move up and down, so that the two second rollers move away from each other to open the outlet or the two second rollers move close to each other to seal the outlet, and the battery cell can be moved out from between the two second rollers to the outside of the electroplating tank.

[0023] The present invention also provides a method for electroplating a photovoltaic cell using the above photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment, the method comprising the following steps:

[0024] The cell moving mechanism drives the cell to move from the inlet to the outlet, so that the cell enters the electroplating tank and moves relative to the anode member in the electroplating solution;

[0025] The rotating moving part drives the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously, wherein at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the battery cell and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell, so that the cathode conductive probe and the anode part form a closed loop to perform electroplating on the surface of the battery cell;

[0026] The cell moving mechanism drives the cell that has completed electroplating to move out of the outlet.

[0027] The present invention provides a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment by arranging a cathode conductive component and an anode component in the electroplating tank, and arranging a cell moving mechanism in the electroplating tank. The cathode conductive component includes a rotating moving part and a plurality of cathode conductive probes arranged on the rotating moving part. The rotating moving part can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously, so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the cell and keeps synchronous movement with the cell. When the cell moving mechanism drives the cell to move in the electroplating tank while being electroplated, the cathode conductive probe always keeps in contact with the cell, so that the cathode conductive probe and the anode always form a closed loop, so that the cell as a whole can be continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution, which greatly improves the electroplating efficiency; moreover, when the cell is moving during electroplating, the cell is always immersed in the electroplating solution to prevent the coating from being oxidized by the air, and can maintain a stable secondary current distribution on the surface of the cell, thereby increasing the uniformity of the cell coating and avoiding the problem of rough edges of the cell, thereby effectively improving the coating quality of the photovoltaic cell; in addition, the cell electroplating can be completed at one time using one electroplating tank, which can improve the utilization rate of the electroplating area and greatly reduce the overall length of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment, which is conducive to reducing production costs and reducing the occupied space of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the front view of a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the side structure of a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A schematic front view of another photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The side view structural schematic diagram of the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0033] A photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device provided by an embodiment of the present invention is provided by setting a cathode conductive component, an anode component and a cell moving mechanism in the electroplating tank. The cathode conductive component includes a rotating moving part and a plurality of cathode conductive probes arranged on the rotating moving part. The rotating moving part can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the cell and keeps synchronous movement with the cell. When the cell is moving in the electroplating tank while being electroplated, the cathode conductive probe will always keep in contact with the cell, so that the cathode conductive probe and the anode component always form a closed loop, so that the cell as a whole can be continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution, which greatly improves the electroplating efficiency; moreover, when the cell is moving during electroplating, the cell is always immersed in the electroplating solution to prevent the coating from being oxidized by the air, and can maintain a stable secondary current distribution on the surface of the cell, thereby increasing the uniformity of the cell coating and avoiding the problem of rough edges of the cell, thereby effectively improving the coating quality of the photovoltaic cell; in addition, the cell electroplating can be completed at one time using one electroplating tank, which can improve the utilization rate of the electroplating area and greatly reduce the overall length of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment, which is conducive to reducing production costs and reducing the occupied space of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment.

[0034] Embodiment 1

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 2 The embodiment of the present invention provides a photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device, comprising:

[0036] An electroplating tank 1, in which an electroplating solution is contained, an inlet 11 is provided at one end of the electroplating tank 1, and an outlet 12 opposite to the inlet 11 is provided at the other end of the electroplating tank 1;

[0037] An anode member 2 is disposed in the electroplating tank 1 and below the surface of the electroplating solution;

[0038] The cell moving mechanism 3 provided in the electroplating tank 1 is used to drive the cell 100 to move from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12, so that the cell 100 moves relative to the anode member 2 in the electroplating solution to achieve electroplating;

[0039] The cathode conductive component 4 arranged in the electroplating tank 1 includes a rotating moving part 41 driven by a driving device and a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 arranged on the rotating moving part 41. The rotating moving part 41 can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 to rotate synchronously, so that at least one cathode conductive probe 42 contacts with the battery cell 100 and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell 100.

[0040] In an embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells includes two electroplating modules, each of which includes an anode component 2, a cell moving mechanism 3 and a cathode conductive component 4. The anode component 2, the cell moving mechanism 3 and the cathode conductive component 4 of each electroplating module cooperate with each other to realize the electroplating of the cell 100, so that two electroplating modules can be used for electroplating at the same time, which can greatly improve the electroplating efficiency.

[0041] In the embodiment of the present invention, the level of the plating solution in the plating tank 1 is higher than the inlet 11 and the outlet 12 , and the battery cell 100 enters the plating tank 1 from the inlet 11 , so that the plating solution can completely cover the battery cell 100 .

[0042] In the embodiment of the present invention, the anode component 2 is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply and immersed in the electroplating solution of the electroplating tank 1, the cathode conductive probe 42 is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply, and the portion of the cathode conductive probe 42 in contact with the battery cell is immersed in the electroplating solution of the electroplating tank 1. The anode component 2 is arranged above the battery cell moving mechanism 3, and the battery cell moving mechanism 3 is used to drive the battery cell 100 to move under the anode component 2, so as to form a plating layer on the surface of the battery cell 100 facing the anode component 2.

[0043] As an embodiment of the present invention, the anode member 2 is specifically an anode titanium mesh.

[0044] As an embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell moving mechanism 3 includes:

[0045] a second power device (not shown);

[0046] A sprocket or pulley 32 connected to the second power device;

[0047] The conveyor chain or conveyor belt 33 corresponding to the sprocket or pulley 32 is used to drive the battery cell 100 to move from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12 .

[0048] In this embodiment, the second power device can be a motor, and the sprocket or pulley 32 is rotatably arranged on the side wall of the electroplating tank 1 and connected to the second power device. The second power device drives the sprocket or pulley 32 to rotate, and the sprocket or pulley 32 drives the conveying chain or conveyor belt 33 to move, so as to move the battery cell 100 on the conveying chain or conveyor belt 33 from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12, so as to realize the mobile electroplating of the battery cell 100 in the electroplating solution, and move the electroplated battery cell 100 out from the outlet 12.

[0049] As an embodiment of the present invention, the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment further includes:

[0050] Two first rollers 5 are arranged in the electroplating tank 1 and located at the entrance 11. The two first rollers 5 are arranged opposite to each other up and down. At least one first roller 5 is movably arranged in the electroplating tank 1 and can move up and down, so that the two first rollers 5 move away from each other to open the entrance 11 or the two first rollers 5 move closer to each other to seal the entrance 11. The battery cell 100 can enter the inside of the electroplating tank 1 from between the two first rollers 5.

[0051] As an embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal electroplating equipment for photovoltaic cells also includes: two second rollers 6 arranged in the electroplating tank 1 and located at the outlet 12, the two second rollers 6 are arranged opposite to each other up and down, and at least one of the second rollers 6 is movably arranged in the electroplating tank 1 and can move up and down, so that the two second rollers 6 move away from each other to open the outlet 12 or the two second rollers 6 move close to each other to seal the outlet 12, and the cell 100 can be moved out from between the two second rollers 6 to the outside of the electroplating tank 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the two first rollers 5 and the two second rollers 6 can be arranged inside the electroplating tank 1, or can be arranged outside the electroplating tank 1. Preferably, the two first rollers 5 and the two second rollers 6 are arranged inside the electroplating tank 1 at the same time.

[0053] In this embodiment, when the cell moving mechanism 3 drives the cell 100 to enter the inside of the electroplating tank 1 from the entrance 11, the cell 100 enters from the entrance 11 and pushes the two first rollers 5 away from each other to open the entrance 11, so that the cell 100 smoothly enters the inside of the electroplating tank 1. After the cell 100 completely enters the inside of the electroplating tank 1, the two first rollers 5 move closer to each other to seal the entrance 11 to prevent the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 1 from flowing out from the entrance 11. On the one hand, the two first rollers 5 guide the cell 100 when it enters the inside of the electroplating tank 1, so that the cell 100 smoothly enters the electroplating tank 1; on the other hand, the two first rollers 5 can seal the entrance 11 to prevent the electroplating solution from flowing out from the entrance 11, thereby preventing the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 1 from flowing out.

[0054] In this embodiment, when the cell 100 is electroplated, the cell moving mechanism 3 drives the cell 100 to move out of the electroplating tank 1 from the inside to the outside of the electroplating tank 1, and the cell 100 pushes the two second rollers 6 away from each other, and the cell 100 passes between the two second rollers 6 and moves out of the electroplating tank 1 from the outlet 12. After the cell 100 is completely moved out of the electroplating tank 1, the two second rollers 6 move closer to each other to seal the outlet 12 to prevent the electroplating solution in the electroplating tank 1 from flowing out of the outlet 12. On the one hand, the two second rollers 6 guide the cell 100 when it moves out of the electroplating tank 1 from the inside to the outside of the electroplating tank 1, so that the cell 100 can be moved out smoothly; on the other hand, the two second rollers 6 can seal the outlet 12 to prevent the electroplating solution from flowing out of the outlet 12.

[0055] As an embodiment of the present invention, of the two first rollers 5, the upper first roller 5 is movably disposed in the electroplating tank 1, and the lower first roller 5 is fixedly disposed in the electroplating tank 1. When the battery cell 100 enters the inside of the electroplating tank 1 from the entrance 11, the battery cell 100 enters from the entrance 11 and pushes the upper first roller 5 to move upward, so that the two first rollers 5 move away from each other to open the entrance 11. After the battery cell 100 enters the inside of the electroplating tank 1, the upper first roller 5 moves downward under the action of its own gravity, so that the two first rollers 5 are close to each other again to seal the entrance 11, and its structure is simple and the implementation cost is low.

[0056] In another embodiment, the two first rollers 5 can also be movably arranged in the electroplating tank 1 at the same time, and the two first rollers 5 are connected to the electroplating tank 1 through a spring respectively. When the battery cell 100 enters the electroplating tank 1 from the entrance 11, the battery cell 100 simultaneously pushes the two first rollers 5 away from each other and compresses the spring. After the battery cell 100 enters the electroplating tank 1, the two first rollers 5 approach each other to seal the entrance 11 under the action of the spring. The two first rollers 5 can make close contact with each other by using the spring force, so that the sealing effect of the entrance 11 is better.

[0057] As an embodiment of the present invention, of the two second rollers 6, the upper second roller 6 is movably disposed in the electroplating tank 1, and the lower second roller 6 is fixedly disposed in the electroplating tank 1. When the electroplating of the battery cell 100 is completed, the battery cell moving mechanism 3 drives the battery cell 100 to move out of the electroplating tank 1 from the inside of the electroplating tank 1, and the battery cell 100 pushes the upper second roller 6 to move upward, so that the two second rollers 6 move away from each other to open the outlet 12. After the battery cell 100 is completely moved out of the electroplating tank 1, the upper second roller 6 moves downward under the action of its own gravity, so that the two second rollers 6 are close to each other again to seal the outlet 12. The structure is simple and the implementation cost is low.

[0058] In another embodiment, the two second rollers 6 can also be movably arranged in the electroplating tank 1 at the same time, and the two second rollers 6 are connected to the electroplating tank 1 through a spring respectively. When the battery cell 100 moves out of the electroplating tank 1 from the inside to the outside of the electroplating tank 1, the battery cell 100 simultaneously pushes the two second rollers 6 away from each other and compresses the spring. After the battery cell 100 is completely moved out of the electroplating tank 1, the two second rollers 6 approach each other to the sealed outlet 12 under the action of the spring. The two second rollers 6 can make close contact with each other by using the spring force, so that the sealing effect of the outlet 12 is better.

[0059] As an embodiment of the present invention, the rotating moving part 41 is a chain or a belt, and a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are arranged in a circular array on the chain or the belt; the driving device includes a first power device (not shown), and a transmission wheel 401 connected to the first power device, and the transmission wheel 401 cooperates with the rotating moving part 41 to drive the rotating moving part 41 to rotate.

[0060] In this embodiment, when the rotating moving member 41 is a chain, the driving wheel 401 is a sprocket; when the rotating moving member 41 is a belt, the driving wheel 401 is a pulley. The cathode conductive probe 42 is fixed by a chain or a belt, and the chain or the belt has a long plane structure, so that multiple cathode conductive probes 42 can be kept in contact with the battery cell 100 at the same time, so that the electrical contact between the cathode conductive probe 42 and the battery cell 100 is more stable.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first power device can be a motor, and the transmission wheel 401 is rotatably arranged on the side wall of the electroplating tank 1 and connected to the first power device. The first power device drives the transmission wheel 401 to rotate, and the transmission wheel 401 drives the chain or belt to rotate, so that the multiple cathode conductive probes 42 on the chain or belt rotate simultaneously. During the rotation of the multiple cathode conductive probes 42, the cathode conductive probes 42 and the battery cell 100 maintain the same moving speed, so that there is always at least one cathode conductive probe 42 in contact with the battery cell 100 and keep moving forward synchronously with the battery cell 100, so that the battery cell 100 always maintains electrical contact with the cathode conductive probe 42 during the electroplating movement, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 and the anode member 2 form a closed loop, so that the battery cell 100 as a whole is continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution.

[0062] The number of the plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 is not limited. The denser the arrangement of the plurality of cathode conductive probes 42, the more cathode conductive probes 42 will contact the battery cell 100 during the battery cell electroplating process, so as to achieve better electrical contact performance. Figure 1 The number of cathode conductive probes 42 shown in FIG. 4 is 32, and Figure 1 In the state shown in FIG. 1 , 13 cathode conductive probes 42 are in contact with the battery cell 100 at the same time.

[0063] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are fixed on the rotating member 41 in sequence and at equal intervals, so that the plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are evenly distributed on the rotating member 41 .

[0064] As an embodiment of the present invention, the chain or belt is arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are perpendicular to the outer circumference of the chain or belt, so that part of the cathode conductive probes 42 are oriented toward the battery cell 100 .

[0065] In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the transmission wheel 401 is parallel to the horizontal direction, so that the transmission wheel 401 drives the chain or belt to rotate in the vertical plane. During the rotation of the chain or belt, the cathode conductive probe 42 facing the battery cell 100 contacts the battery cell 100 and moves forward synchronously with the battery cell 100, so that the battery cell 100 always maintains electrical contact with the cathode conductive probe 42 during the electroplating movement.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 As another embodiment of the present invention, the chain or belt may also be laid flat in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are perpendicular to the chain or belt and face the direction of the battery cell 100 at the same time.

[0067] In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the transmission wheel 401 is perpendicular to the horizontal direction, so that the transmission wheel 401 drives the chain or belt to rotate on the horizontal plane. During the rotation of the chain or belt, the cathode conductive probes 42 on both sides of the chain or belt can contact the battery cell 100 at the same time, making the electrical contact between the cathode conductive probes 42 and the battery cell 100 more stable.

[0068] As another embodiment of the present invention, the rotating moving part 41 can also be a roller, and a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 are arranged in a circular array on the outer circumference of the roller, and the driving device directly or indirectly drives the roller to rotate. The rotating axis of the roller can be perpendicular to the horizontal direction or parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0069] In this embodiment, the driving device drives the roller to rotate so that the multiple cathode conductive probes 42 on the roller rotate around the rotating shaft of the roller at the same time. During the rotation of the multiple cathode conductive probes 42, at least one cathode conductive probe 42 will always be in contact with the battery cell 100 and move forward synchronously with the battery cell 100, so that the battery cell 100 always maintains electrical contact with the cathode conductive probe 42 during the electroplating movement, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 and the anode member 2 form a closed loop, so that the battery cell 100 as a whole can be continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution.

[0070] As an embodiment of the present invention, the electroplating tank 1 is further provided with a cleaning chamber (not shown) located on one side of the rotating moving part 41 for cleaning the cathode conductive probe 42. A stripping liquid is provided in the cleaning chamber, and the rotating moving part 41 can drive the cathode conductive probe 42 to move into the cleaning chamber for cleaning. The stripping liquid can be nitric acid, sulfuric acid, or hydrogen peroxide. The stripping liquid is used to strip a small amount of electroplated copper on the surface of the cathode conductive probe 42 during the electroplating process to avoid affecting the contact between the cathode conductive probe 42 and the battery cell 100.

[0071] As an embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface of the cathode conductive probe 42 is coated with insulating glue, and the end of the cathode conductive probe 42 that contacts the battery cell 100 is exposed, so that only the position where the cathode conductive probe 42 contacts the battery cell 100 is exposed to prevent electroplating from occurring at other positions of the cathode conductive probe 42.

[0072] As an embodiment of the present invention, the insulating adhesive may be Teflon, PVC or other non-conductive adhesive.

[0073] As an embodiment of the present invention, the cathode conductive probe 42 can be set as an integrated structure or composed of multiple sections of plug-in structure. Among them, when the cathode conductive probe 42 is composed of multiple sections of plug-in structure, it is convenient to plug in a cathode conductive probe 42 of a suitable length according to the requirements of the coating thickness, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 can correspond to different coating thicknesses and has good universal performance.

[0074] As an embodiment of the present invention, the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment further includes:

[0075] A collecting tank 7, in which the electroplating tank 1 is disposed, and the collecting tank 7 is used to collect the electroplating solution overflowing from the inlet 11 or the outlet 12;

[0076] The recovery pump 8 is arranged in the collecting tank 7 , and the water inlet of the recovery pump 8 is connected with the inside of the collecting tank 7 through the first pipeline 81 , and the water outlet of the recovery pump 8 is connected with the inside of the electroplating tank 1 through the second pipeline 82 .

[0077] In the present embodiment, since a small amount of plating liquid may overflow from the inlet 11, the outlet 12 or the top opening of the plating tank 1 when the battery cell 100 enters and exits the plating tank 1, the plating liquid flowing out of the plating tank 1 is collected by the collecting tank 7, and the plating liquid in the collecting tank 7 is pumped back into the plating tank 1 by the recovery pump 8, so that the plating liquid can be recycled and the plating liquid in the plating tank 1 can be continuously replenished, so that the liquid level of the plating liquid in the plating tank 1 is maintained in a constant range, so that the plating of the battery cell 100 remains reliable, and the plating of the battery cell 100 is made more uniform.

[0078] The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment provided by the present invention drives the cell 100 to be electroplated from the inlet 11 into the electroplating tank 1 through the cell moving mechanism 3 when electroplating the photovoltaic cell, and drives the rotating moving part 41 to rotate through the driving device, and the rotating moving part 41 drives multiple cathode conductive probes 42 to perform synchronous rotation, so that at least one cathode conductive probe 42 contacts the cell 100 and keeps synchronous movement with the cell 100, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 and the anode part 2 always form a closed loop, and the electroplating of the cell is realized. When the cell is electroplated while moving in the electroplating tank 1, until the electroplating of the cell is completed, the cell moving mechanism 3 drives the electroplated cell 100 to move out from the outlet 12.

[0079] Among them, when the cell moving mechanism 3 drives the cell to move in the electroplating tank 1 while performing electroplating, the cathode conductive probe 42 will always keep in contact with the cell 100 for conductivity, so that the cell 100 as a whole can be continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution, which greatly improves the electroplating efficiency; moreover, when the cell 100 is moving for electroplating, the cell 100 is always immersed in the electroplating solution, and the plating layer is prevented from being oxidized by the air, and the secondary distribution of the current on the surface of the cell 100 can be maintained stable, which increases the uniformity of the plating layer of the cell 100, and at the same time can avoid the problem of rough edges of the cell 100, thereby effectively improving the plating quality of the photovoltaic cell 100, and the cell 100 is always immersed in the plating solution for electroplating, and the cell 100 can be electroplated at one time using one electroplating tank 1, which improves the utilization rate of the electroplating area and can greatly reduce the overall length of the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment. Moreover, compared with the vertical electroplating equipment, the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment of the present invention does not need to use a vertical electroplating chuck to clamp the cell 100, thereby avoiding causing a large amount of fragments to the cell 100 and reducing the probability of fragmentation.

[0080] Embodiment 2

[0081] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for electroplating a photovoltaic cell using the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment of the first embodiment, the method comprising the following steps:

[0082] a. The cell moving mechanism 3 drives the cell 100 to move from the inlet 11 toward the outlet 12, so that the cell 100 enters the electroplating tank 1 and moves relative to the anode member 2 in the electroplating solution;

[0083] In this step, the battery cell moving mechanism 3 drives the battery cell 100 from the inlet 11 into the electroplating tank 1, and the battery cell moving mechanism 3 continues to drive the battery cell 100 to move the battery cell 100 from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12, so that the battery cell 100 moves relative to the anode member 2 in the electroplating solution, and at the same time cooperates with the rotating moving member 41 to drive multiple cathode conductive probes 42 to make a rotational movement, so that the cathode conductive probes 42 maintain contact with the battery cell 100, so that the battery cell 100 is completely immersed in the electroplating solution for electroplating.

[0084] b. The rotating moving part 41 drives a plurality of cathode conductive probes 42 to rotate synchronously, wherein at least one cathode conductive probe 42 contacts the battery cell 100 and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell 100, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 and the anode part 2 form a closed loop to perform electroplating on the surface of the battery cell 100;

[0085] In this step, when the cell 100 is moving in the electroplating tank 1 while being electroplated, the rotating moving part 41 continuously drives the multiple cathode conductive probes 42 to rotate, so that at least one cathode conductive probe 42 contacts the cell 100 and keeps synchronous movement with the cell 100, so that there is always a cathode conductive probe 42 in contact with the cell 100, so that the cathode conductive probe 42 and the anode part 2 always form a closed loop, so that the cell 100 as a whole is continuously electroplated in the electroplating solution, which greatly improves the electroplating efficiency; moreover, when the cell 100 is moving for electroplating, the cell 100 is always immersed in the electroplating solution, and the plating layer is prevented from being oxidized by the air, and the secondary distribution of the current on the surface of the cell 100 can be maintained, which increases the uniformity of the plating layer of the cell 100, and at the same time can avoid the problem of rough edges of the cell 100, thereby effectively improving the plating quality of the photovoltaic cell 100.

[0086] c. The cell moving mechanism 3 drives the electroplated cell 100 to move out from the outlet 12 .

[0087] In this step, the battery cell 100 is electroplated while being moved in the electroplating tank 1. When the battery cell moving mechanism 3 drives the electroplated battery cell 100 to move out from the outlet 12, the electroplating of the battery cell 100 is completed. The battery cell moving mechanism 3 moves the electroplated battery cell 100 from the outlet 12 to the outside of the electroplating tank 1 so as to carry out the next processing step of the battery cell 100.

[0088] A method for electroplating a photovoltaic cell provided by an embodiment of the present invention drives the cell moving mechanism to move in a plating tank, and drives multiple cathode conductive probes to perform rotational motion through a rotating moving part, so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the cell and keeps synchronous movement with the cell. When the cell moves in the plating tank while being electroplated, the cathode conductive probe always keeps in contact with the cell, so that the cathode conductive probe and the anode member always form a closed loop, so that the cell as a whole is continuously electroplated in the plating solution, which greatly improves the electroplating efficiency; moreover, when the cell moves for electroplating, the cell is always immersed in the plating solution, so that the plating layer is prevented from being oxidized by the air, and a stable secondary current distribution on the surface of the cell can be maintained, which increases the uniformity of the cell plating layer, and at the same time can avoid the problem of rough edges of the cell, thereby effectively improving the plating quality of the photovoltaic cell.

[0089] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device, characterized in that: include: An electroplating tank, wherein the electroplating solution is contained in the electroplating tank, an inlet is provided at one end of the electroplating tank, and an outlet opposite to the inlet is provided at the other end of the electroplating tank; an anode member disposed in the electroplating tank and below the surface of the electroplating solution; The cell moving mechanism provided in the electroplating tank includes a sprocket or a pulley, and a conveying chain or a conveying belt corresponding to the sprocket or the pulley, wherein the conveying chain or the conveying belt is used to drive the cell to move from the inlet to the outlet, so that the cell moves relative to the anode member in the electroplating solution to realize electroplating; The cathode conductive component arranged in the electroplating tank includes a rotating moving part driven by a driving device and a plurality of cathode conductive probes arranged on the rotating moving part. The rotating moving part can drive the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously so that at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the battery cell and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell. The rotating moving part is a chain or a belt, or a roller. The plurality of cathode conductive probes are arranged in a circular array on the chain or the belt, or the plurality of cathode conductive probes are arranged in a circular array on the outer circumference of the roller.

2. A photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving device comprises a first power device and a transmission wheel connected to the first power device, and the transmission wheel cooperates with the rotating moving part to drive the rotating moving part to rotate.

3. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain or belt is arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of cathode conductive probes are perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the chain or belt, so that some of the cathode conductive probes face the direction of the battery sheet.

4. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain or belt is laid flat in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of cathode conductive probes are perpendicular to the chain or belt and face the direction of the battery sheet.

5. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of cathode conductive probes are fixed on the rotating moving part in sequence and at equal intervals.

6. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the cathode conductive probe is coated with insulating glue, and one end of the cathode conductive probe contacting the battery cell is exposed.

7. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery sheet moving mechanism comprises: A second power device is connected to the sprocket or pulley.

8. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: Two first rollers are arranged in the electroplating tank and located at the entrance. The two first rollers are arranged opposite to each other up and down. At least one of the first rollers is movably arranged in the electroplating tank and can move up and down, so that the two first rollers move away from each other to open the entrance or the two first rollers move close to each other to seal the entrance. The battery cell can enter the interior of the electroplating tank from between the two first rollers.

9. The photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: Also includes: Two second rollers are arranged in the electroplating tank and located at the outlet, and the two second rollers are arranged opposite to each other up and down, and at least one of the second rollers is movably arranged in the electroplating tank and can move up and down, so that the two second rollers move away from each other to open the outlet or the two second rollers move close to each other to seal the outlet, and the battery cell can be moved out from between the two second rollers to the outside of the electroplating tank.

10. A method for electroplating photovoltaic cells using the photovoltaic cell horizontal electroplating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: The cell moving mechanism drives the cell to move from the inlet to the outlet, so that the cell enters the electroplating tank and moves relative to the anode member in the electroplating solution; The rotating moving part drives the plurality of cathode conductive probes to rotate synchronously, wherein at least one cathode conductive probe contacts the battery cell and keeps synchronous movement with the battery cell, so that the cathode conductive probe and the anode part form a closed loop to perform electroplating on the surface of the battery cell; The cell moving mechanism drives the cell that has completed electroplating to move out of the outlet.

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