Tab Bending Mechanism and Manufacturing Method of Z-shaped Tab

Abstract

The present invention discloses an ear bending mechanism and a method for manufacturing a Z-shaped ear, relating to the technical field of automation equipment. The ear bending mechanism includes: a clamping robot; a fixed seat having a placement plane for placing a battery cell assembly; a fixing plate spaced apart from the fixed seat; a first driving device disposed on the fixing plate; a pressing plate having a pressing plane and connected to the first driving device; a second driving device disposed on the fixing plate; a limiting rod connected to the second driving device; the first driving device drives the pressing plate to move downward, and presses the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane; the second driving device drives the limiting rod to move downward, so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod fits against the upper surface of the target ear; the clamping robot clamps the target ear and moves according to a preset trajectory. The ear bending mechanism disclosed by the present invention can solve the technical problems that the current bending operation for the battery cell ear generally needs to be carried out manually, resulting in low production efficiency and high labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automation equipment, and particularly relates to an ear bending mechanism and a method for manufacturing a Z-shaped ear. Background Art

[0002] The ear of a battery is a metal conductor led out from the positive and negative electrodes of the battery cell, and is used to form an external contact point when the battery is charged and discharged.

[0003] In practical applications, the ears usually need to be bent into different shapes to meet the different structural requirements of charging devices and electrical appliances. However, currently, the bending operation of the battery cell ears generally needs to be carried out manually, resulting in low production efficiency and high labor costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an ear bending mechanism, aiming to solve the technical problems that the current bending operation of the battery cell ears generally needs to be carried out manually, resulting in low production efficiency and high labor costs.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] An ear bending mechanism, the ear bending mechanism comprising:

[0007] A clamping robot;

[0008] A fixed seat, arranged at an interval from the clamping robot, the fixed seat having a placement plane for placing a battery cell assembly, and the battery cell assembly having a target ear extending horizontally outwards;

[0009] A fixing plate, arranged at an interval from the fixed seat;

[0010] A first driving device, arranged on the fixing plate;

[0011] A pressing plate, connected to the first driving device, the pressing plate having a pressing plane;

[0012] A second driving device, arranged on the fixing plate;

[0013] A limiting rod, connected to the second driving device;

[0014] The first driving device is used to drive the pressing plate to move downwards, so as to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane; the second driving device is used to drive the limiting rod to move downwards, so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod fits onto the upper surface of the target ear, and the target ear is separated into a fixed part and a bent part by the limiting rod; wherein, the bent part is located on the side of the fixed part away from the battery cell assembly;

[0015] The clamping robot is used to clamp the bent part and move along a preset trajectory.

[0016] Furthermore, the tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device and a processing module; wherein:

[0017] The image sensing device is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device is disposed on the fixing plate, the detection part of the image sensing device is used to face the target tab, the image sensing device is used to acquire the current position image of the target tab and send it to the processing module; the processing module stores the preset position image of the target tab, and the processing module is used to compare the similarity between the received current position image of the target tab and the preset position image of the target tab.

[0018] Furthermore, the tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device and a third driving device; wherein:

[0019] The third driving device is connected to the packaging device; the image sensing device is disposed on the packaging device; the packaging device is provided with an upper sealing mechanism and a lower sealing mechanism, the bottom of the upper sealing mechanism has an upper packaging part, and the top of the lower sealing mechanism has a lower packaging part;

[0020] The third driving device is used to drive the packaging device to reciprocate between the shooting station and the packaging station;

[0021] When the packaging device is at the shooting station, the image sensing device is located above the target tab and is used to acquire the current position image of the target tab;

[0022] When the packaging device is at the packaging station, the upper sealing mechanism is located above the target tab, the lower sealing mechanism is located below the target tab, the upper sealing mechanism is used to drive the upper packaging part to move downward and fit with the upper surface of the target tab, and the lower sealing mechanism is used to drive the lower packaging part to move upward and fit with the lower surface of the target tab.

[0023] Furthermore, the clamping robot includes a robot body, a pneumatic gripper, a heating tube, a first heating block and a second heating block; wherein:

[0024] The pneumatic gripper is disposed at the movable end of the robot body, the first heating block is connected to the first jaw of the pneumatic gripper, the second heating block is connected to the second jaw of the pneumatic gripper, and the heating tube is disposed on the first heating block and the second heating block;

[0025] The pneumatic gripper is used to drive the first heating block and the second heating block to clamp the bent portion.

[0026] Further, the cross-section of the pressing plate is rectangular, guide rods are provided at four corners of the pressing plate, the fixing plate is provided with a plurality of guide holes, and the guide rods are slidably engaged with the guide holes in a one-to-one correspondence; a limiting block is provided at one end of the guide rod away from the pressing plate, and a buffer pad is provided on one side of the limiting block facing the pressing plate, and the buffer pad is used to abut against the side of the fixing plate facing away from the pressing plate.

[0027] Further, the ear bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device, the fixing plate is connected to the fourth driving device, and the fourth driving device is used to drive the fixing plate to linearly move along the extending direction of the limiting rod.

[0028] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a Z-shaped ear, and the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped ear is applied to the ear bending mechanism as described above; the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped ear includes the following steps:

[0029] Place the battery cell assembly on the placement plane;

[0030] Drive the pressing plate to move downward through the first driving device, so as to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane;

[0031] Drive the limiting rod to move downward through the second driving device, so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod fits on the upper surface of the target ear of the battery cell assembly, and the target ear is separated into a fixed portion and a bent portion through the limiting rod;

[0032] Clamp the upper surface and the lower surface of the bent portion through the clamping opening of the clamping robot; wherein, the opening direction of the clamping opening remains horizontal;

[0033] Drive the bent portion to move upward by a first preset distance through the clamping robot;

[0034] Drive the bent portion to horizontally move a second preset distance in a direction close to the battery cell assembly through the clamping robot;

[0035] Drive the bent portion to move downward by a third preset distance through the clamping robot.

[0036] Further, the ear bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device; the fixing plate is connected to the fourth driving device;

[0037] Before the step of driving the bent portion to move downward by a third preset distance through the clamping robot, it includes:

[0038] The pressing plate is driven by the first driving device to move upward, so that the pressing plate is separated from the battery cell assembly;

[0039] The fixing plate is driven by the fourth driving device to linearly move along the extending direction of the limiting rod, so that the limiting rod is separated from the target tab.

[0040] Furthermore, the tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device and a processing module; the image sensing device is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device is disposed on the fixing plate, and the detection part of the image sensing device is used to face the target tab;

[0041] Before the step of driving the pressing plate to move downward by the first driving device to press the battery cell assembly onto the placing plane through the pressing plane, it includes:

[0042] The first position image of the target tab is acquired by the image sensing device and sent to the processing module;

[0043] The processing module determines whether the similarity between the first position image and the first preset image stored in the processing module reaches a first preset similarity threshold;

[0044] If it reaches the first preset similarity threshold, then execute the step of driving the pressing plate to move downward by the first driving device to press the battery cell assembly onto the placing plane through the pressing plane;

[0045] If it does not reach the first preset similarity threshold, then the target tab is clamped by the clamping robot to drive the target tab to perform a first position adjustment operation.

[0046] Furthermore, after the step of driving the bending part to move downward by a third preset distance by the clamping robot, it includes:

[0047] The second position image of the target tab is acquired by the image sensing device and sent to the processing module;

[0048] The processing module determines whether the similarity between the second position image and the second preset image stored in the processing module reaches a second preset similarity threshold;

[0049] If it does not reach the second preset similarity threshold, then the target tab is driven by the clamping robot to perform a second position adjustment operation.

[0050] Furthermore, the tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device and a third driving device; wherein:

[0051] The third driving device is connected to the encapsulation device; the image sensing device is disposed on the encapsulation device; the encapsulation device is provided with an upper encapsulation mechanism and a lower encapsulation mechanism, the bottom of the upper encapsulation mechanism has an upper encapsulation part, and the top of the lower encapsulation mechanism has a lower encapsulation part;

[0052] Before the step of obtaining a first position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module, it includes:

[0053] Drive the encapsulation device to move to the shooting station through the third driving device, so that the image sensing device is located above the target tab;

[0054] Before the step of obtaining a second position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module, it includes:

[0055] Drive the encapsulation device to move to the shooting station through the third driving device, so that the image sensing device is located above the target tab;

[0056] After the step of determining by the processing module whether the similarity between the second position image and a second preset image stored in the processing module reaches a second preset similarity threshold, it includes:

[0057] If it reaches the second preset similarity threshold, drive the encapsulation device to move to the encapsulation station through the third driving device, so that the upper encapsulation mechanism is located above the target tab, and the lower encapsulation mechanism is located below the target tab;

[0058] Drive the upper encapsulation part to move downward through the upper encapsulation mechanism and fit with the upper surface of the target tab, and drive the lower encapsulation part to move upward through the lower encapsulation mechanism and fit with the lower surface of the target tab to complete the encapsulation operation.

[0059] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0060] For the tab bending mechanism proposed by the present invention, the pressing plate is driven by the first driving device to press and fix the battery cell assembly on the fixing seat, and then the limiting rod is driven by the second driving device to fit on the target tab of the battery cell assembly. The limiting rod divides the target tab into a fixed part and a bent part. The clamping robot can clamp the bent part and move along a preset trajectory, so that the target tab can be folded around the limiting rod. In this way, the target tab can be bent into different shapes around the limiting rod in an automated manner, improving production efficiency while reducing labor costs. Description of the Drawings

[0061] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings.

[0062] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the tab bending mechanism of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the first partial structure of an embodiment of the tab bending mechanism of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the second partial structure of an embodiment of the tab bending mechanism of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the third partial structure of an embodiment of the tab bending mechanism of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the fourth partial structure of an embodiment of the tab bending mechanism of the present invention;

[0067] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the process of an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the bending operation of the target tab in an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab of the present invention;

[0069] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the bending operation of the target tab in another embodiment of the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab of the present invention.

[0070] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0071] Label Name Label Name 1 Clamping robot 12 First heating block 2 Fixed seat 13 Second heating block 3 Fixed plate 14 Heating tube 4 First driving device 51 Guide rod 5 Pressure plate 52 Limit block 6 Second driving device 53 Buffer pad 7 Limit rod 81 Target tab 8 Cell component 91 Upper sealing mechanism 9 Packaging equipment 92 Lower sealing mechanism 10 Image sensing device 911 Upper packaging part 11 Pneumatic gripper 921 Lower packaging part

[0072] The realization of the object, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed implementation manners

[0073] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0074] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement conditions, etc. between components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0075] In addition, if there are descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears throughout the text, its meaning includes three parallel scenarios. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scenario A, or scenario B, or the scenario where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. In addition, the technical solutions between various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art to implement. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0076] Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the embodiments of the present invention provide an ear bending mechanism, and the ear bending mechanism includes:

[0077] A clamping robot 1;

[0078] A fixed seat 2, which is arranged at an interval from the clamping robot 1. The fixed seat 2 has a placement plane for placing the battery cell assembly 8, and the battery cell assembly 8 has a target tab 81 extending horizontally outwards.

[0079] A fixing plate 3, which is arranged at an interval from the fixed seat 2;

[0080] A first driving device 4, which is arranged on the fixing plate 3;

[0081] A pressing plate 5, which is connected to the first driving device 4. The pressing plate 5 has a pressing plane;

[0082] A second driving device 6, which is arranged on the fixing plate 3;

[0083] A limiting rod 7, which is connected to the second driving device 6;

[0084] The first driving device 4 is used to drive the pressing plate 5 to move downwards to press the battery cell assembly 8 onto the placement plane through the pressing plane; the second driving device 6 is used to drive the limiting rod 7 to move downwards so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod 7 fits against the upper surface of the target tab 81, and the target tab 81 is separated into a fixed part and a bent part by the limiting rod 7; wherein, the bent part is located on the side of the fixed part away from the battery cell assembly 8;

[0085] The clamping robot 1 is used to clamp the bending part and move it along a preset trajectory.

[0086] In this embodiment, the battery cell assembly 8 may include a battery cell body formed by laminating positive and negative electrode sheets, which can be applied to a soft-pack battery. The target tab 81 extends horizontally outward from the side of the battery cell body. The clamping robot 1 may specifically be a multi-axis robot, and its movable end is provided with a clamping assembly for clamping operations by means of pneumatic, electric or hydraulic drive. The fixed seat 2 may be in the shape of a flat plate shown in the figure, and the placement plane is its upper surface. The fixing plate 3 may be fixed above the fixed seat 2 through an external structure and maintain a preset distance from the placement plane. The first driving device 4 may specifically be a cylinder, and its cylinder body is fixed on the upper surface of the fixing plate 3, and the piston part passes through the fixing plate 3 and is connected to a pressing plate 5 located below the fixing plate 3, so that the pressing plane of the pressing plate 5 faces the placement plane of the fixed seat 2. The second driving device 6 may be a cylinder, and its cylinder body may be indirectly fixed to the fixing plate 3 through an adapter plate as Figure 2 shown, to ensure that the limiting rod 7 connected to its piston part is located above the target tab 81; the limiting rod 7 is horizontally arranged, and its extending direction is parallel to the surface of the target tab 81.

[0087] During the actual operation process, after placing the battery cell assembly 8 on the placement plane, the first driving device 4 can be controlled to drive the pressing plate 5 to move downward, so as to press the battery cell assembly 8 onto the placement plane to achieve the fixation of the battery cell assembly 8; then the second driving device 6 is controlled to drive the limiting rod 7 to move downward until the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod 7 fits with the upper surface of the target tab 81. At this time, the area of the target tab 81 on one side of the limiting rod 7 and close to the battery cell assembly 8 can be set as the fixed part of the target tab 81, and the area of the target tab 81 on the other side of the limiting rod 7 and far from the battery cell assembly 8 can be set as the bending part of the target tab 81; after the above-mentioned fixing and limiting operations are completed, the clamping robot 1 can be controlled to clamp the bending part of the target tab 81; under the limiting action of the limiting rod 7, when the clamping robot 1 drives the target tab 81 to move up and down, the target tab 81 can flip around the limiting rod 7. At this time, the target tab 81 forms a first crease at the limiting rod 7, so that the upward folding or downward folding of the target tab 81 can be realized; when the clamping robot 1 continues to drive the target tab 81 to move in the direction close to the battery cell assembly 8, the target tab 81 can continue to flip around the limiting rod 7 to achieve folding in half. Preferably, the clamping is realized by the clamping opening of the clamping robot 1 (specifically, the opening on the clamping jaw) fitting with the upper and lower surfaces of the bending part, and the opening direction of the clamping opening remains unchanged during the bending process. In this way, when the clamping robot 1 drives the target tab 81 to move upward (or downward) and then continues to drive the target tab 81 to move in the direction close to the battery cell assembly 8, a second crease can be formed between the clamped part of the target tab 81 and the first crease. The second crease divides the bending part into two parts. At this time, the clamping robot 1 can drive the target tab 81 to move downward (or upward) so that the two parts of the bending part fold around the first crease and the second crease until the two parts of the bending part are completely superposed with the fixed part, making the target tab 81 form a Z shape.

[0088] The above shows one of the movement trajectories of the clamping robot 1 driving the bending part to move. In actual applications, the movement trajectory can also be flexibly set according to the different structural requirements of the charging device and the electrical appliance device and stored in the storage module of the control system (such as an MCU microcontroller) for calling after the battery cell assembly 8 is fixed.

[0089] It can be understood that the above operation process is only used to illustrate the application method of the tab bending mechanism and does not constitute a limitation. In specific applications, the steps can be adjusted according to requirements. For example, before pressing the battery cell assembly 8 onto the placement plane by the pressing plate 5, the clamping robot 1 can be controlled to clamp the target tab 81 to move or adjust the target tab 81 to a preset ideal position, and then the battery cell assembly 8 is pressed and fixed.

[0090] It can be seen that based on the above settings, the target tab 81 on the battery cell assembly 8 can be bent into different shapes according to actual requirements in an automated manner without manual folding, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs at the same time.

[0091] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device 10 and a processing module (not shown in the figure); where:

[0092] The image sensing device 10 is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device 10 is disposed on the fixing plate 3, and the detection part of the image sensing device 10 is used to face the target tab 81. The image sensing device 10 is used to acquire the current position image of the target tab 81 and send it to the processing module; the processing module stores the preset position image of the target tab 81, and the processing module is used to compare the similarity between the received current position image of the target tab 81 and the preset position image of the target tab 81.

[0093] The image sensing device 10 can be a CCD camera; the processing module can specifically be a module with storage, image processing, and analysis functions in an MCU microcontroller. The operation of comparing the similarity between the current position image of the target tab 81 and the preset position image of the target tab 81 can specifically be to detect whether the placement position and angle of the target tab 81 before the bending operation are consistent with the preset placement position and angle, and to detect whether the folding size and folding angle of the target tab 81 after the bending operation are consistent with the preset size and angle; for example, it can be performed by comparing whether a certain side line of the target tab 81 in the current position image is parallel to the corresponding side line in the preset position image, and comparing whether the overlapping area of the target tab 81 in the current position image and the target tab 81 in the preset position image is greater than the preset area threshold, etc. In actual applications, it only needs to achieve the purpose of confirming whether the target tab 81 is placed in place or folded in place. Based on the above similarity comparison operation, it can provide a reference for subsequent adjustment of the placement position and folding of the target tab 81 by the clamping robot 1, thereby improving the placement and folding accuracy of the target tab 81 and further improving the finished product quality of the battery cell assembly 8.

[0094] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device 9 and a third driving device; where:

[0095] The third driving device is connected to the packaging device 9; the image sensing device 10 is disposed on the packaging device 9; the packaging device 9 is provided with an upper sealing mechanism 91 and a lower sealing mechanism 92. The bottom of the upper sealing mechanism 91 has an upper packaging part 911, and the top of the lower sealing mechanism 92 has a lower packaging part 921;

[0096] The third driving device is used to drive the packaging device 9 to reciprocate between the photographing station and the packaging station;

[0097] When the packaging device 9 is located at the photographing station, the image sensing device 10 is located above the target tab 81 and is used to acquire an image of the current position of the target tab 81;

[0098] When the packaging device 9 is located at the packaging station, the upper sealing mechanism 91 is located above the target tab 81, and the lower sealing mechanism 92 is located below the target tab 81. The upper sealing mechanism 91 is used to drive the upper packaging part 911 to move downward and fit with the upper surface of the target tab 81, and the lower sealing mechanism 92 is used to drive the lower packaging part 921 to move upward and fit with the lower surface of the target tab 81.

[0099] After the bending operation on the target tab 81 is completed, a packaging operation needs to be performed on the battery cell assembly 8, specifically, the aluminum plastic film provided on the battery cell assembly 8 is coated and fixed on the surface of the battery cell assembly 8 by means of heat sealing or the like. As Figure 5 shown, the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 can be slidably connected to the fixed bracket of the packaging device 9 through a guide rail slider assembly, and the image sensing device 10 can also be arranged on the fixed bracket of the packaging device 9, and there is a distance difference between the image sensing device 10 and the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 on the driving path of the third driving device, so as to ensure that the operation of the image sensing device 10 to acquire the image of the current position of the target tab 81 does not interfere with the packaging operation of the packaging device 9 on the target tab 81; The third driving device may specifically include linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder and corresponding transmission mechanisms.

[0100] The upper packaging part 911 is specifically an upper sealing head, and the upper packaging part 911 can be driven by linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder on the upper sealing mechanism 91; the lower packaging part 921 is specifically a lower sealing head, and the lower packaging part 921 can be driven by linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder on the lower sealing mechanism 92; after the bending operation of the target tab 81 is completed, the third driving device drives the packaging device 9 to move to the packaging station, and the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 move towards each other under the drive of the corresponding driving devices, so that the upper packaging part 911 and the lower packaging part 921 are respectively attached to the upper and lower sides of the battery cell assembly 8, so that the aluminum plastic film on the battery cell assembly 8 and the battery cell assembly 8 can be pressed against each other to achieve packaging.

[0101] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the clamping robot 1 includes a robot body, a pneumatic gripper 11, a heating tube 14, a first heating block 12 and a second heating block 13; wherein:

[0102] The pneumatic gripper 11 is arranged at the movable end of the robot body. The first heating block 12 is connected to the first jaw of the pneumatic gripper 11, and the second heating block 13 is connected to the second jaw of the pneumatic gripper 11. The heating tube 14 is arranged on the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13.

[0103] The pneumatic gripper 11 is used to drive the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 to clamp the bending part.

[0104] After the bending operation of the target tab 81 is completed by the tab bending mechanism provided in this embodiment, the next packaging process needs to be carried out on the battery cell assembly 8, and this packaging process needs to be carried out in a heat-sealing manner in cooperation with the aluminum-plastic film. Based on this, by setting the heating tube 14, the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 can be preheated, so that after the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 are driven by the pneumatic gripper 11 to clamp the bending part, the heat of the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 can be transferred to the target tab 81. When the temperature of the target tab 81 reaches a certain temperature threshold, it is more conducive to the subsequent heat packaging operation of the battery cell assembly 8 and the aluminum-plastic film.

[0105] Preferably, a thermocouple connected to the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 can also be set to detect the temperature values of the first heating block 12 and the second heating block 13 in real time, so as to achieve the effect of accurate temperature control.

[0106] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the cross section of the pressing plate 5 is rectangular. Guide rods 51 are provided at the four corners of the pressing plate 5. The fixing plate 3 is provided with a plurality of guide holes, and the guide rods 51 are slidably matched with the guide holes one by one; a limit block 52 is provided at one end of the guide rod 51 away from the pressing plate 5, and a buffer pad 53 is provided on the side of the limit block 52 facing the pressing plate 5. The buffer pad 53 is used to abut against the side of the fixing plate 3 facing away from the pressing plate 5.

[0107] Through the sliding fit of the guide rod 51 and the guide hole, the pressing plate 5 can be guided and limited, improving the synchronism of the four corners of the pressing plate 5 pressing on the battery cell assembly 8, thereby improving the parallelism between the pressing plane and the surface to be pressed of the battery cell assembly 8, ensuring that the pressing plane and the surface to be pressed of the battery cell assembly 8 are in surface contact, and effectively avoiding damage to the battery cell assembly 8 due to point contact or line contact between the pressing plane and the surface to be pressed of the battery cell assembly 8 (that is, during the downward pressing of the pressing plate 5, a certain part of the pressing plane first contacts the battery cell assembly 8).

[0108] By setting the limit block 52, it is possible to prevent the guide rod 51 from disengaging from the guide hole due to incorrect travel setting, thereby avoiding the separation of the pressing plate 5 from the fixed plate 3. By setting the buffer pad 53, it is possible to prevent damage to related devices caused by the collision between the limit block 52 and the fixed plate 3. Among them, the buffer pad 53 can be selected from springs, rubber pads, PU rubber pads, etc., and only needs to play a buffering effect through its elastic action, and is not limited here.

[0109] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , the tab bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device (not shown in the figure), the fixed plate 3 is connected to the fourth driving device, and the fourth driving device is used to drive the fixed plate 3 to move linearly along the extension direction of the limit rod 7.

[0110] By setting the fourth driving device, when it is not necessary to use the limit rod 7 to limit the bending operation of the target tab 81, the fixed plate 3 can be driven to move horizontally away from the battery cell assembly 8 in a timely manner, so as to drive the limit rod 7 connected to the fixed plate 3 to separate from the target tab 81. In this way, it is possible to avoid the situation that after the clamping robot 1 folds the target tab 81 around the limit rod 7 subsequently, it is difficult to extract the limit rod 7 from the folded target tab 81 because the target tab 81 completely wraps the limit rod 7, and it is also possible to avoid the situation that the target tab 81 is damaged due to the forced extraction of the limit rod 7.

[0111] Correspondingly, referring to Figures 1 to 7 , the embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab, and this method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab is applied to the tab bending mechanism in any of the above embodiments; this method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab includes the following steps:

[0112] S1, placing the battery cell assembly 8 on a placement plane;

[0113] S2, driving the pressing plate 5 to move downward through the first driving device 4, so as to press the battery cell assembly 8 onto the placement plane through the pressing plane;

[0114] S3, driving the limit rod 7 to move downward through the second driving device 6, so that the cylindrical surface of the limit rod 7 fits the upper surface of the target tab 81 of the battery cell assembly 8, and separating the target tab 81 into a fixed part and a bent part through the limit rod 7;

[0115] S4, clamping the upper surface and the lower surface of the bent part through the clamping opening of the clamping robot 1; wherein, the opening direction of the clamping opening remains horizontal;

[0116] S5, driving the bent part to move upward by a first preset distance through the clamping robot 1;

[0117] S6, driving the bent part to move horizontally toward the battery cell assembly 8 by a second preset distance through the clamping robot 1;

[0118] S7, drive the bending part to move downward by a third preset distance through the clamping robot 1.

[0119] The battery cell assembly 8 may include a battery cell body formed by laminating positive and negative electrode sheets, which can be applied to a soft-pack battery. The target tab 81 extends horizontally outward from the side of the battery cell body. The clamping robot 1 may specifically be a multi-axis robot, and its movable end is provided with a clamping assembly for clamping operation by means of pneumatic, electric or hydraulic drive. The fixed seat 2 may be in the shape of a flat plate shown in the figure, and the placement plane is its upper surface. The fixing plate 3 may be fixed above the fixed seat 2 through an external structure and maintain a preset distance from the placement plane. The first driving device 4 may specifically be selected as a cylinder, and its cylinder part is fixed on the upper surface of the fixing plate 3, and the piston part passes through the fixing plate 3 and is connected to a pressing plate 5 located below the fixing plate 3, so that the pressing plane of the pressing plate 5 faces the placement plane of the fixed seat 2. The second driving device 6 may be selected as a cylinder, and its cylinder part may be indirectly fixed on the fixing plate 3 through an adapter plate as shown in Figure 2 so as to ensure that the limiting rod 7 connected to its piston part is located above the target tab 81; the limiting rod 7 is horizontally arranged, and its extending direction is parallel to the surface of the target tab 81.

[0120] During the actual operation process, referring to Figure 7 the operation schematic diagrams of the above steps S4 to S7 shown, under the limiting action of the limiting rod 7, when the clamping robot 1 drives the target tab 81 to move upward by a first preset distance, the target tab 81 can flip around the limiting rod 7. At this time, a first crease is formed at the limiting rod 7 of the target tab 81, so that the upward folding of the target tab 81 can be realized; when the clamping robot 1 continues to drive the target tab 81 to move a second preset distance in the direction close to the battery cell assembly 8, the target tab 81 can continue to flip around the limiting rod 7, and since the opening direction of the clamping opening remains unchanged during the bending process (shown as always remaining horizontal and facing the battery cell assembly 8), at this time, a second crease can be formed between the clamped part of the target tab 81 and the first crease, and the second crease divides the bent part into two parts; then, the clamping robot 1 continues to drive the target tab 81 to move downward by a third preset distance, so that the above two parts of the bent part fold around the first crease and the second crease until the two parts of the bent part are completely laminated with the fixed part, making the target tab 81 form a Z shape.

[0121] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 8 , the tab bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device (not shown in the figure); the fixing plate 3 is connected to the fourth driving device;

[0122] Before step S7, it includes:

[0123] S071, drive the pressing plate 5 to move upward through the first driving device 4, so that the pressing plate 5 is separated from the battery cell assembly 8;

[0124] S072, drive the fixed plate 3 to linearly move along the extension direction of the limit rod 7 through the fourth driving device, so that the limit rod 7 is separated from the target tab 81.

[0125] Refer to Figure 8 In the operation schematic diagram shown, by setting the fourth driving device, when it is not necessary to use the limit rod 7 to limit the bending operation of the target tab 81, the fixed plate 3 can be timely driven to move away from the battery cell assembly 8, thereby driving the limit rod 7 connected to the fixed plate 3 to be separated from the target tab 81. In this way, it can be avoided that after step S7 is completed, it is difficult for the limit rod 7 to be withdrawn from the folded target tab 81 due to the target tab 81 completely covering the limit rod 7, and it can also be avoided that the target tab 81 is damaged due to the forced withdrawal of the limit rod 7.

[0126] Optionally, refer to Figures 1 to 8 , the tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device 10 and a processing module (not shown in the figure); the image sensing device 10 is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device 10 is disposed on the fixed plate 3, and the detection part of the image sensing device 10 is used to face the target tab 81;

[0127] Before step S2, it includes:

[0128] S021, obtain the first position image of the target tab 81 through the image sensing device 10 and send it to the processing module;

[0129] S022, judge whether the similarity between the first position image and the first preset image stored in the processing module reaches the first preset similarity threshold through the processing module;

[0130] S023, if the first preset similarity threshold is reached, execute step S2;

[0131] S024, if the first preset similarity threshold is not reached, clamp the target tab 81 through the clamping robot 1 to drive the target tab 81 to perform the first position adjustment operation.

[0132] The image sensing device 10 can be selected as a CCD camera; the processing module can specifically be a module in the MCU microcontroller with storage, image processing, and analysis functions. To determine whether the similarity between the first position image and the first preset image stored in the processing module reaches the first preset similarity threshold, specifically, it can be to compare whether the parallelism between a certain side line of the target tab 81 in the first position image and the corresponding side line in the first preset image reaches the preset parallelism threshold, and compare whether the overlapping area between the target tab 81 in the first position image and the target tab 81 in the first preset image is greater than the preset area threshold, etc. In actual applications, it only needs to achieve the purpose of confirming whether the target tab 81 is placed in place.

[0133] Based on the above similarity comparison operation, it can provide a reference for the subsequent first position adjustment operation of the target tab 81 by the clamping robot 1, thereby improving the placement accuracy of the target tab 81, providing a more accurate benchmark for the subsequent bending operation of the target tab 81, and further improving the finished product quality of the battery cell assembly 8.

[0134] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 8 , the tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device 10 and a processing module (not shown in the figure); the image sensing device 10 is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device 10 is disposed on the fixing plate 3, and the detection portion of the image sensing device 10 is used to face the target tab 81;

[0135] After step S7, it includes:

[0136] S8, obtaining a second position image of the target tab 81 through the image sensing device 10 and sending it to the processing module;

[0137] S9, determining whether the similarity between the second position image and the second preset image stored in the processing module reaches the second preset similarity threshold through the processing module;

[0138] S10, if it does not reach the second preset similarity threshold, driving the target tab 81 to perform a second position adjustment operation through the clamping robot 1.

[0139] To determine whether the similarity between the second position image and the second preset image stored in the processing module reaches the second preset similarity threshold, specifically, it can be to compare whether the distance between a certain side line (such as the crease line) of the target tab 81 in the second position image and the corresponding side line in the second preset image is less than the preset distance threshold, and whether the parallelism reaches the preset parallelism threshold, etc. In actual applications, it only needs to achieve the purpose of confirming whether the target tab 81 is folded in place.

[0140] Based on the above similarity comparison operation, it can provide a reference for the subsequent second position adjustment operation of the target tab 81 by the clamping robot 1, thereby improving the folding accuracy of the target tab 81 and further improving the finished product quality of the battery cell assembly 8.

[0141] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 to 8 , the tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device 9 and a third driving device; wherein:

[0142] The third driving device is connected to the packaging device 9; the image sensing device 10 is arranged on the packaging device 9; the packaging device 9 is provided with an upper sealing mechanism 91 and a lower sealing mechanism 92, the bottom of the upper sealing mechanism 91 has an upper packaging part 911, and the top of the lower sealing mechanism 92 has a lower packaging part 921;

[0143] Before step S021, it includes:

[0144] S0210, driving the packaging device 9 to move to the shooting station through the third driving device, so that the image sensing device 10 is located above the target tab;

[0145] Before step S8, it includes:

[0146] S08, driving the packaging device 9 to move to the shooting station through the third driving device, so that the image sensing device 10 is located above the target tab;

[0147] After step S9, it includes:

[0148] S11, if the second preset similarity threshold is reached, driving the packaging device 9 to move to the packaging station through the third driving device, so that the upper sealing mechanism 91 is located above the target tab and the lower sealing mechanism 92 is located below the target tab;

[0149] S12, driving the upper packaging part 911 to move downward through the upper sealing mechanism 91 to fit with the upper surface of the target tab, and driving the lower packaging part 921 to move upward through the lower sealing mechanism 92 to fit with the lower surface of the target tab to complete the packaging operation.

[0150] After the bending operation for the target tab 81 is completed, a packaging operation needs to be performed on the battery cell assembly 8, specifically, heat-sealing the aluminum-plastic film provided on the battery cell assembly 8 to wrap and fix it on the surface of the battery cell assembly 8. As Figure 5As shown in the figure, the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 can be slidably connected to the fixed bracket of the packaging device 9 through a guide rail slider assembly. The image sensing device 10 can also be arranged on the fixed bracket of the packaging device 9, and there is a distance difference between the image sensing device 10 and the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 on the driving path of the third driving device, so as to ensure that there is no mutual interference between the operation of the image sensing device 10 to obtain the image of the current position of the target tab 81 and the packaging operation of the packaging device 9 on the target tab 81; the third driving device may specifically include linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder and corresponding transmission mechanisms.

[0151] The upper packaging part 911 is specifically an upper sealing head, and the upper packaging part 911 can be driven by linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder on the upper sealing mechanism 91; the lower packaging part 921 is specifically a lower sealing head, and the lower packaging part 921 can be driven by linear driving devices such as a lead screw motor and a cylinder on the lower sealing mechanism 92. In the specific implementation process, after the battery cell assembly 8 is placed on the placement plane and after the bending operation for the target tab 81 is completed, the packaging device 9 can be driven by the third driving device to move to the shooting station, so as to perform the operation of obtaining the position image of the target tab 81 through the image sensing device 10; when it is confirmed that the target tab 81 has met the preset bending requirements, the third driving device drives the packaging device 9 to move to the packaging station, and the upper sealing mechanism 91 and the lower sealing mechanism 92 move towards each other under the drive of the corresponding driving devices, so that the upper packaging part 911 and the lower packaging part 921 are respectively attached to the upper and lower sides of the battery cell assembly 8, so that the aluminum plastic film on the battery cell assembly 8 can be pressed together with the battery cell assembly 8 to achieve packaging.

[0152] It should be noted that other contents of the ear bending mechanism and the Z-shaped ear manufacturing method disclosed in the present invention can be referred to the prior art and will not be elaborated here.

[0153] The above are only optional embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention accordingly. All equivalent structural transformations made under the concept of the present invention by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ear bending mechanism, characterized in that, The tab bending mechanism includes: A clamping robot with a clamping opening, and the opening direction of the clamping opening remains horizontal. A fixed seat, which is arranged at an interval from the clamping robot. The fixed seat has a placement plane for placing the battery cell assembly, and the battery cell assembly has a target tab extending horizontally outwards. A fixing plate, which is arranged at an interval from the fixed seat. A first driving device, which is arranged on the fixing plate. A pressing plate, which is connected to the first driving device. The pressing plate has a pressing plane. A second driving device, which is arranged on the fixing plate. A limiting rod, which is connected to the second driving device. The limiting rod is located above the target tab and is horizontally arranged, and the extending direction of the limiting rod is parallel to the surface of the target tab. The first driving device is used to drive the pressing plate to move downwards, so as to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane. The second driving device is used to drive the limiting rod to move downwards, so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod fits onto the upper surface of the target tab, and the target tab is separated into a fixed part and a bent part by the limiting rod. Wherein, the bent part is located on the side of the fixed part away from the battery cell assembly. The clamping robot is used to clamp the bent part by fitting the upper and lower surfaces of the bent part through the clamping opening, and the clamping robot is used to drive the bent part to move upwards in sequence to form a first crease, move horizontally in the direction close to the battery cell assembly to form a second crease, and move downwards to overlap with the fixed part, so as to bend the target tab into a Z shape.

2. The tab bending mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device and a processing module. Wherein: The image sensing device is communicatively connected to the processing module. The image sensing device is arranged on the fixing plate, and the detection part of the image sensing device is used to face the target tab. The image sensing device is used to acquire the current position image of the target tab and send it to the processing module. The processing module stores the preset position image of the target tab, and the processing module is used to compare the similarity between the received current position image of the target tab and the preset position image of the target tab.

3. The tab bending mechanism according to claim 2, wherein The tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device and a third driving device. Wherein: The third driving device is connected to the packaging device. The image sensing device is arranged on the packaging device. The packaging device is provided with an upper sealing mechanism and a lower sealing mechanism. The bottom of the upper sealing mechanism has an upper packaging part, and the top of the lower sealing mechanism has a lower packaging part. The third driving device is used to drive the packaging device to reciprocate between the shooting station and the packaging station. When the packaging device is located at the shooting station, the image sensing device is located above the target tab and is used to acquire the current position image of the target tab. When the encapsulation device is located at the encapsulation station, the upper encapsulation mechanism is located above the target tab, and the lower encapsulation mechanism is located below the target tab. The upper encapsulation mechanism is used to drive the upper encapsulation part to move downward and fit with the upper surface of the target tab, and the lower encapsulation mechanism is used to drive the lower encapsulation part to move upward and fit with the lower surface of the target tab.

4. The tab bending mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping robot includes a robot body, a pneumatic gripper, a heating tube, a first heating block, and a second heating block; wherein: The pneumatic gripper is arranged at the movable end of the robot body. The first heating block is connected to the first jaw of the pneumatic gripper, the second heating block is connected to the second jaw of the pneumatic gripper, and the heating tube is arranged on the first heating block and the second heating block; The pneumatic gripper is used to drive the first heating block and the second heating block to clamp the bent part.

5. The tab bending mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The cross-section of the pressing plate is rectangular. Guide rods are provided at the four corners of the pressing plate. The fixing plate is provided with a plurality of guide holes, and the guide rods are slidably fitted with the guide holes one by one; a limiting block is provided at the end of the guide rod away from the pressing plate, and a buffer pad is provided on the side of the limiting block facing the pressing plate. The buffer pad is used to abut against the side of the fixing plate facing away from the pressing plate.

6. The tab bending mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tab bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device. The fixing plate is connected to the fourth driving device, and the fourth driving device is used to drive the fixing plate to move linearly along the extending direction of the limiting rod.

7. A method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab, characterized in that, The method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab is applied to the tab bending mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6; the method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab includes the following steps: Place the battery cell assembly on the placement plane; Drive the pressing plate to move downward through the first driving device, so as to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane; Drive the limiting rod to move downward through the second driving device, so that the cylindrical surface of the limiting rod fits with the upper surface of the target tab of the battery cell assembly, and the target tab is separated into a fixed part and a bent part by the limiting rod; Clamp the upper surface and the lower surface of the bent part through the clamping opening of the clamping robot; wherein, the opening direction of the clamping opening remains horizontal; Drive the bent part to move upward by a first preset distance through the clamping robot; Drive the bent part to move horizontally by a second preset distance in a direction close to the battery cell assembly through the clamping robot; Drive the bent part to move downward by a third preset distance through the clamping robot.

8. The method for manufacturing a Z-shaped tab according to claim 7, characterized in that The tab bending mechanism further includes a fourth driving device; the fixing plate is connected to the fourth driving device; Before the step of driving the bent part to move downward by a third preset distance through the clamping robot, it includes: Drive the pressing plate to move upward through the first driving device, so that the pressing plate is separated from the battery cell assembly; Drive the fixing plate to move linearly along the extending direction of the limiting rod through the fourth driving device, so that the limiting rod is separated from the target tab.

9. The method for manufacturing the Z-shaped tab according to claim 7, wherein The tab bending mechanism further includes an image sensing device and a processing module; the image sensing device is communicatively connected to the processing module; the image sensing device is disposed on the fixing plate, and the detection portion of the image sensing device is used to face the target tab; Before the step of driving the pressing plate to move downward by the first driving device to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane, it includes: Obtaining a first position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module; Judging by the processing module whether the similarity between the first position image and a first preset image stored in the processing module reaches a first preset similarity threshold; If the first preset similarity threshold is reached, execute the step of driving the pressing plate to move downward by the first driving device to press the battery cell assembly onto the placement plane through the pressing plane; If the first preset similarity threshold is not reached, clamp the target tab by the clamping robot to drive the target tab to perform a first position adjustment operation; And / or, after the step of driving the bending portion to move downward by a third preset distance by the clamping robot, it includes: Obtaining a second position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module; Judging by the processing module whether the similarity between the second position image and a second preset image stored in the processing module reaches a second preset similarity threshold; If the second preset similarity threshold is not reached, drive the target tab to perform a second position adjustment operation by the clamping robot.

10. The method for manufacturing the Z-shaped tab according to claim 9, wherein The tab bending mechanism further includes a packaging device and a third driving device; wherein: The third driving device is connected to the packaging device; the image sensing device is disposed on the packaging device; the packaging device is provided with an upper sealing mechanism and a lower sealing mechanism, the bottom of the upper sealing mechanism has an upper packaging portion, and the top of the lower sealing mechanism has a lower packaging portion; Before the step of obtaining a first position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module, it includes: Driving the packaging device to move to the shooting station by the third driving device so that the image sensing device is located above the target tab; Before the step of obtaining a second position image of the target tab by the image sensing device and sending it to the processing module, it includes: Driving the packaging device to move to the shooting station by the third driving device so that the image sensing device is located above the target tab; After the step of judging by the processing module whether the similarity between the second position image and a second preset image stored in the processing module reaches a second preset similarity threshold, it includes: If the second preset similarity threshold is reached, drive the packaging device to move to the packaging station by the third driving device so that the upper sealing mechanism is located above the target tab and the lower sealing mechanism is located below the target tab; Drive the upper encapsulation part to move downward through the upper sealing mechanism and fit with the upper surface of the target tab, and drive the lower encapsulation part to move upward through the lower sealing mechanism and fit with the lower surface of the target tab to complete the encapsulation operation.

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