Spin welding fixture and welding apparatus
By separating the rotating and non-rotating gas paths in the rotating welding fixture, the problems of low manual efficiency and equipment failure in cylindrical battery production are solved, and efficient and stable automated welding is achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HAIMUXING LASER INTELLIGENT EQUIP (JIANGSU CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-10-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
Smart Images
Figure CN115592285B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of cylindrical battery manufacturing, and more particularly to a rotary welding fixture and welding equipment. Background Technology
[0002] The lithium battery industry has developed rapidly in recent years. In the production process of cylindrical batteries, the welding of current collectors is generally divided into two steps. First, the current collectors are placed one by one by manual labor. Then, the battery casings with current collectors are spot welded one by one by manual labor on a spot welding machine. This production process requires a lot of manpower, has very low work efficiency, high labor costs, and poor spot welding consistency, which can easily cause phenomena such as incomplete welding and weld explosion, resulting in a large number of defective products and unstable battery performance.
[0003] Currently, there are also some automated manifold welding equipment. In related technologies, the battery casing is clamped by a rotating mechanism and rotated relative to the laser head to reduce the degree of freedom of the laser head. However, the air pipes of the rotating mechanism are prone to entanglement during the rotation process, which can lead to machine failure and welding failure. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a rotary welding fixture that can separate the gas pipes of the rotating part from the gas pipes of the non-rotating part, thereby avoiding the situation where one end of the gas pipe connected to the rotating mechanism rotates while the other end is fixed, resulting in entanglement.
[0005] The present invention also proposes a welding device having the above-mentioned rotary welding fixture.
[0006] A rotary welding fixture according to a first aspect of the present invention, for welding a current collector to a battery casing, comprises:
[0007] Base;
[0008] A rotating mechanism, which is rotatably connected to the base;
[0009] The first actuator is disposed on the rotating mechanism;
[0010] The first cylinder is mounted on the rotating mechanism and is capable of driving the first actuator to move.
[0011] A first air guide assembly is disposed on the rotating mechanism. The first air guide assembly is provided with a first air passage, which is connected to the first cylinder.
[0012] The second air guide component is disposed on the base and slidably connected to the base. The second air guide component is provided with a second air passage, which is connected to an external air source.
[0013] Wherein, the second air guide component can slide along the base to abut against the first air guide component, so that the first air passage and the second air passage are connected, and the first cylinder can drive the first actuator to move; or, the second air guide component can slide along the base to separate from the first air guide component, the first actuator maintains its original posture, and the rotating mechanism can rotate relative to it.
[0014] The rotary welding fixture according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By providing a detachable first air guide assembly and a second air guide assembly, when the rotating mechanism is not rotating, the first air guide assembly and the second air guide assembly abut against each other to allow an external air source to connect to the first cylinder to drive the first actuator. When the rotating mechanism rotates, the first air guide assembly and the second air guide assembly separate, and the air passage structure on the rotating mechanism is not connected to the air passage structure on the base. Therefore, the air passage on the rotating mechanism can rotate with the rotating mechanism, preventing air pipe entanglement.
[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first cylinder includes a first air chamber and a second air chamber, the pressure difference between the first air chamber and the second air chamber can drive the first actuator to move, the first air passage includes a first pipe and a second pipe, the second air passage includes a third pipe corresponding to the first pipe and a fourth pipe corresponding to the second pipe, and the rotary welding fixture further includes a first control valve, the first control valve including a first check valve and a first control component;
[0016] The first one-way valve is connected to the first control component, the first air chamber, and the second pipe. When the first pipe is connected to the third pipe, the airflow in the first pipe can flow in one direction. When the airflow in the second pipe flows in, the first one-way valve remains open so that the airflow can flow out from the first pipe. One end of the first control component is connected to the first pipe, and the other end is connected to the first one-way valve, which is used to adjust the amount of airflow flowing into or out of the first air chamber.
[0017] The rotary welding fixture further includes a second control valve, which includes a second check valve and a second control component.
[0018] The second one-way valve is connected to the second control component, the second air chamber, and the first pipe. When the second pipe and the fourth pipe are connected, the airflow in the second pipe can flow in one direction. When the airflow in the first pipe flows in, the second one-way valve remains open so that the airflow can flow out of the second pipe. One end of the second control component is connected to the second pipe, and the other end is connected to the second one-way valve, which is used to adjust the amount of airflow flowing into or out of the second air chamber.
[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, both the first pipe and the second pipe have a main air port and two sub-air ports. The main air port of the first pipe can be connected to the third pipe, and the main air port of the second pipe can be connected to the fourth pipe. Either of the two sub-air ports of the first pipe or the second pipe is connected to the first control valve, and the other is connected to the second control valve.
[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the rotating mechanism is provided with two branch heads and a plurality of first cylinders, the first pipe is connected to the first air chamber of the plurality of first cylinders through one of the branch heads respectively, and the second pipe is connected to the second air chamber of the plurality of first cylinders through the other branch head respectively.
[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a third control valve is provided in the first air passage. When the first air passage is connected to the second air passage, the third control valve is opened so that the airflow can flow out in the direction from the first air passage to the second air passage or flow in in the direction from the second air passage to the first air passage. When the first air passage is disconnected from the second air passage, the third control valve is closed so that the airflow is retained in the first cylinder.
[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first actuator is used to clamp the battery housing, and the first actuator defines a placement cavity for accommodating the battery housing. The rotary welding fixture further includes a second actuator and a second cylinder. The second actuator is disposed on the rotary mechanism and includes a pressure claw. The pressure claw is movable radially along the placement cavity to press the side wall of the collector plate against the side wall of the battery housing. The second cylinder is disposed on the base and connected to the external air source. The second cylinder includes a pusher. The pusher is movable relative to the base. When the second air guide assembly abuts against the first air guide assembly, the pusher abuts against the pressure claw to drive the pressure claw to separate from the side wall of the collector plate. Alternatively, when the second air guide assembly separates from the first air guide assembly, the pusher separates from the pressure claw so that the pressure claw presses against the side wall of the collector plate.
[0023] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a third actuator and a third cylinder are further included. The third cylinder includes a third air chamber and a fourth air chamber arranged sequentially. The third actuator and the third cylinder are disposed on the rotating mechanism. The third cylinder can drive the third actuator to move axially along the placement cavity to press the end face of the collecting plate. The first air guiding assembly is correspondingly provided with a fifth pipe and a sixth pipe, which are respectively connected to the third air chamber and the fourth air chamber of the third cylinder.
[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first air passage connector is provided on the end face of the first air guide assembly facing the second air guide assembly, the first air passage connector is connected to the first air passage, and a second air passage connector is correspondingly provided on the end face of the second air guide assembly facing the first air guide assembly, the second air passage connector is connected to the second air passage, and the first air passage connector and the second air passage connector can be plugged in so that the first air passage and the second air passage are connected.
[0025] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first air connector defines a conical connecting cavity, the second air connector is conical, and the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity gradually decreases along the direction from the second air guide assembly to the first air guide assembly, and the cross-sectional area of the second air connector gradually decreases; or, the first air connector is conical, the second air connector defines a conical connecting cavity, and the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity gradually increases along the direction from the second air guide assembly to the first air guide assembly, and the cross-sectional area of the second air connector gradually increases.
[0026] A welding apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention includes:
[0027] As mentioned in any of the above embodiments, a rotary welding fixture;
[0028] A laser head, which is used to emit laser light;
[0029] The laser head is positioned at a set angle so that the laser can irradiate the welding area of the collector plate, and the rotating mechanism can drive the battery casing and the collector plate to rotate so as to perform welding along the circumference of the collector plate.
[0030] The welding equipment according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: After the laser head of the welding equipment of this application is set, it does not need to rotate or move during the welding process. The rotating mechanism drives the battery housing and the collector plate to rotate, so that the laser head can perform welding along the circumference of the collector plate. Because the welding equipment of this application designs the gas path of the rotating area and the gas path of the fixed area as a separable structure, when the two gas paths are connected, an external air source delivers airflow to drive the actuator to move. When the two gas paths are disconnected, the gas path of the rotating area rotates with the rotating mechanism without affecting the gas path of the fixed area. Therefore, the possibility of gas pipe entanglement is avoided, which helps to reduce the failure rate of the welding equipment.
[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description
[0032] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:
[0033] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the rotary welding fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the insertion state of the first air guiding component and the second air guiding component in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation state of the first air guiding component and the second air guiding component in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gas path structure of the rotary welding fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Figure label:
[0038] Base 100, rotating mechanism 200, first actuator 300, first covering 310, second covering 320, placement cavity 330, second actuator 350, pressure claw 360, elastic element 370, third actuator 380, first cylinder 400, first air chamber 401, second air chamber 402, branch head 410, second cylinder 450, first air guide assembly 500, first air passage 501, first pipe 510, second pipe 520, main air port 530, sub-air port 540, fifth pipe 550, sixth pipe 560, first air connector 570, second air guide assembly 600, second air connector 610, first control valve 700, first check valve 710, first control assembly 720, second control valve 750, second check valve 760, second control assembly 770. Detailed Implementation
[0039] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.
[0040] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.
[0041] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.
[0042] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.
[0043] In the description of this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
[0044] The first aspect of this application proposes a rotary welding fixture that can separate the air passage pipes of the rotating part from those of the non-rotating part. During the rotary welding process, the cylinder on the rotating mechanism 200 is not connected to an external air source, thereby avoiding the situation where one end of the air pipe connected to the rotating mechanism 200 rotates while the other end is fixed, leading to entanglement. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1As shown, the rotary welding fixture includes a base 100, a rotating mechanism 200, a first actuator 300, a first cylinder 400, a first air guide assembly 500, and a second air guide assembly 600. The rotating mechanism 200 is rotatable relative to the base 100. The first actuator 300, the first cylinder 400, and the first air guide assembly 500 are all mounted on the rotating mechanism 200 and can rotate with the rotating mechanism 200 when the rotating mechanism 200 rotates.
[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 A second actuator 350 is hidden within the rotating mechanism 200. The first actuator 300 is mounted on the rotating mechanism 200. In this embodiment, the first actuator 300 is a mechanism for pressing the battery casing, including an arc-shaped first covering 310. A second covering 320 is correspondingly mounted on the rotating mechanism 200 and is fixedly mounted thereon. The first covering 310 and the second covering 320 define a placement cavity 330. It should be noted that the first covering 310 and the second covering 320 are not necessarily semi-circular arcs; they can also be... Figure 2 The arc shown indicates that the placement cavity 330 is not necessarily a closed, complete cylindrical cavity; it can also be a racetrack-shaped cavity. The placement cavity 330 is used to accommodate the battery casing. The length of the placement cavity 330 does not need to exceed the length of the battery casing; it can be less. The function of the placement cavity 330 is to clamp and fix the battery casing. Therefore, provided that the battery casing can be clamped and fixed, it can be partially located within the placement cavity 330. After the battery casing is inserted into the placement cavity 330, the first covering member 310 is driven to move, causing the first covering member 310 and the second covering member 320 to close together. This gradually reduces the cross-sectional area of the placement cavity 330 until the first covering member 310 and the second covering member 320 respectively abut against the battery casing, thus fixing the battery casing. After the current collector is welded to the battery casing, the first covering member 310 and the second covering member 320 gradually move away from each other, causing the cross-sectional area of the placement cavity 330 to gradually increase, allowing the battery casing to be removed from the placement cavity 330. In some embodiments, the first actuator 300 may also include a first covering member 310 and a second covering member 320, both of which are movable relative to the base 100, thereby clamping or releasing the battery casing. In other embodiments, the first actuator 300 may also be a mechanism for performing other actions; this application does not limit the specific function of the first actuator 300. The first cylinder 400 can drive the first actuator 300 to move, so that the first actuator 300 clamps or releases the battery casing.
[0046] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the dashed lines represent part of the air passages inside the first air guide assembly 500. The first air guide assembly 500 is provided with a first air passage 501. One end of the first air passage 501 is connected to the first cylinder 400, and the other end corresponds to the second air passage (not shown) of the second air guide assembly 600. One end of the second air passage of the second air guide assembly 600 is connected to an external air source, and the other end corresponds to the first air passage 501 of the first air guide assembly 500. It should be noted that the first air guide assembly 500 is mounted on the rotating mechanism 200 and can rotate with the rotating mechanism 200, while the second air guide assembly 600 is mounted on the base 100 and does not rotate with the rotating mechanism 200. If a duct is used to connect the first air guide assembly 500 and the second air guide assembly 600, the problem of duct entanglement will inevitably occur. Therefore, in this application, the second air guide assembly 600 is configured to slide in connection with the base 100. Specifically, before or after laser welding, the second air guide assembly 600 slides along the base 100 to abut against the first air guide assembly 500, so that the first air passage 501 and the second air passage are connected. Then, the external air source drives the first cylinder 400 to work, and the first cylinder 400 drives the first covering part 310 of the first actuator 300 to move downwards. The first actuator 300 can be moved to press the battery casing, or the first cover 310 of the first actuator 300 can be moved upward to loosen the battery casing. Before laser welding, the second air guide assembly 600 slides along the base 100 to separate from the first air guide assembly 500. The first air guide assembly 500 has a pressure holding function, which can prevent airflow from flowing out. As a result, the first cylinder 400 remains unchanged in its original state, and the first actuator 300 also remains unchanged in its original posture, that is, it stops moving and maintains a constant pressing force on the battery casing. At this time, the rotating mechanism 200 can rotate so that the laser can weld along the circumference of the battery casing.
[0047] Based on the above, the rotary welding fixture of this application, by providing a detachable first air guide assembly 500 and a second air guide assembly 600, allows the first air guide assembly 500 and the second air guide assembly 600 to abut against each other when the rotary mechanism 200 is not rotating, enabling an external air source to connect to the first cylinder 400 to drive the first actuator 300. When the rotary mechanism 200 rotates, the first air guide assembly 500 and the second air guide assembly 600 separate, and the air passage structure on the rotary mechanism 200 is not connected to the air passage structure on the base 100. Consequently, the air passage on the rotary mechanism 200 can rotate with the rotary mechanism 200, preventing the air pipe from becoming entangled.
[0048] In some embodiments, a third control valve (not shown in the figure) is provided in the first air passage 501. When the first air passage 501 is connected to the second air passage, the third control valve is opened so that the airflow can flow out in the direction from the first air passage 501 to the second air passage or flow in in the direction from the second air passage to the first air passage 501. When the first air passage is disconnected from the second air passage, the third control valve is closed so that the airflow is retained in the first cylinder 400. Specifically, a distance sensor can be installed on the first air guide assembly 500 to sense the distance between the first air guide assembly 500 and the second air guide assembly 600, and feed this information back to the third control valve. The third control valve then controls the opening and closing of the first air passage 501 to allow airflow in or out. When not welding, the first air passage 501 and the second air passage are connected, allowing airflow to flow in or out of the first cylinder 400. During rotary welding, the first air guide assembly 500 and the second air guide assembly 600 separate, and the third control valve prevents airflow from the first cylinder 400, ensuring that the air pressure in the first cylinder 400 remains constant during rotary welding, thus keeping the battery casing clamped during rotation. By using the third control valve, pressure maintenance in the first cylinder 400 can be achieved with a relatively simple air passage structure.
[0049] In other embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the first cylinder 400 includes a first air chamber 401 and a second air chamber 402. The first air chamber 401 and the second air chamber 402 are located on both sides of the piston of the first cylinder 400, respectively. The pressure difference between the first air chamber 401 and the second air chamber 402 can drive the first actuator 300 to move. When the pressure in the first air chamber 401 decreases and the pressure in the second air chamber 402 increases, the piston moves towards the first air chamber 401. When the pressure in the first air chamber 401 increases and the pressure in the second air chamber 402 decreases, the piston moves towards the second air chamber 402. The first air passage 501 includes a first pipe 510 and a second pipe 520. The second air passage includes a third pipe and a fourth pipe. The third pipe and the first pipe 510 are correspondingly arranged, and the fourth pipe and the second pipe 520 are correspondingly arranged. After the first air guiding assembly 500 and the second air guiding assembly 600 come into contact, the first pipe 510 and the third pipe are connected, and an external air source can fill or draw air into the first air chamber 401. That is, the airflow can flow in from the third pipe to the first pipe 510, or flow out from the first pipe 510 to the third pipe. Similarly, the second pipe 520 and the fourth pipe are connected, and an external air source can fill or draw air into the second air chamber 402. That is, the airflow can flow in from the fourth pipe to the second pipe 520, or flow out from the second pipe 520 to the fourth pipe. When the airflow flows in, the pressure in the air chamber increases, and when the airflow flows out, the pressure in the air chamber decreases. Therefore, the airflow directions in the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520 are opposite. When the airflow flows out of the first pipe 510, the airflow flows into the second pipe 520; when the airflow flows in of the first pipe 510, the airflow flows out of the second pipe 520.
[0050] The rotary welding fixture also includes a first control valve 700 and a second control valve 750, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first control valve 700 is a pilot-operated control valve, including a first check valve 710 and a first control component 720. Specifically, the first check valve 710 has three ports, two of which are connected to the first control component 720 and the first air chamber 401 respectively, and the other port is connected to the second pipe 520. When the first pipe 510 is connected to the third pipe, the airflow in the first pipe 510 can flow in one direction. When the first pipe 510 and the third pipe are separated, the airflow cannot flow out of the first pipe 510 due to the obstruction of the first check valve 710, thus maintaining a constant air pressure in the first air chamber 401. When the airflow in the second pipe 520 flows in, that is, when the airflow in the first pipe 510 flows out, the airflow in the second pipe 520 keeps the first check valve 710 open, so that the airflow can flow out of the first pipe 510. The first control component 720 is connected to the first pipe 510 and the first check valve 710 to regulate the speed of airflow in or out of the first air chamber 401.
[0051] Similarly, the second control valve 750 is also a pilot-operated control valve, including a second check valve 760 and a second control component 770. The second control component 770 can control the opening of the second check valve 760. Specifically, the three ports of the second check valve 760 are respectively connected to the second control component 770, the second air chamber 402, and the first pipe 510. When the second pipe 520 and the fourth pipe are connected, the airflow in the second pipe 520 can flow in one direction. When the second pipe 520 and the fourth pipe are separated, the airflow cannot flow out of the second pipe 520 due to the obstruction of the second check valve 760, so as to achieve constant air pressure in the second pipe 520. When the airflow in the first pipe 510 flows in, that is, when the airflow in the second pipe 520 flows out, the airflow in the first pipe 510 keeps the second check valve 760 open, so that the airflow can flow out of the second pipe 520. The second control component 770 is connected to the second pipe 520 and the second check valve 760 to regulate the speed of airflow in or out of the second air chamber 402.
[0052] Based on the above, since the airflow directions in the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520 are opposite, when airflow flows in from one side, it can trigger the one-way valve on the other side to open so that airflow from the other side can flow out, thereby realizing the piston movement of the first cylinder 400 to drive the first actuator 300. Compared with setting a third control valve, this embodiment does not require additional sensors or electronic control components. The first control valve 700 and the second control valve 750 do not need to rely on sensor feedback or electrical signals from electronic control components to realize the airflow in and out of the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520. The opposite airflow directions in the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520 are sufficient to enable the first cylinder 400 to work when the first air passage 501 and the second air passage are connected, and to maintain pressure when the first air passage 501 and the second air passage are disconnected. Therefore, there is no need to debug the sensors or electronic control components, and the first control valve 700 and the second control valve 750 will not fail due to damage or failure of electronic control components or sensors, resulting in high reliability.
[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, both the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520 have a main air port 530 and two sub-air ports 540. The main air port 530 of the first pipe 510 can be connected to the third channel, and the main air port 530 of the second pipe 520 can be connected to the fourth channel. Either of the two sub-air ports 540 of the first pipe 510 or the second pipe 520 is connected to the first control valve 700, and the other is connected to the second control valve 750. Airflow can flow in from the main air port 530 and then branch into two streams of airflow that flow to the first control valve 700 and the second control valve 750 respectively. For example, one stream of airflow flows through the first one-way valve 710 and flows into the first air chamber 401 in one direction, and the other stream of airflow flows to the second control component 770 and causes the second one-way valve 760 to open so that the airflow in the second pipe 520 can flow out. Since both the first pipe 510 and the second pipe 520 are located within the first air guide assembly 500, the airflow is collected by opening a main air port 530 on the first air guide assembly 500, and the airflow is branched by opening a sub-air port 540. There is no need to set additional airflow branch heads or other components on the first air guide assembly 500, which reduces the number of parts in the rotary welding fixture and simplifies the assembly process.
[0054] In some embodiments, a plurality of first actuators 300 are provided to uniformly press the battery casing at multiple angles and in multiple directions. Consequently, a plurality of first cylinders 400 are correspondingly provided on the rotating mechanism 200. To achieve unified control of the plurality of first cylinders 400, two branch heads 410 are correspondingly provided on the rotating mechanism 200, such as... Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the branch head 410 has a main inlet and the same number of branch inlets as the first cylinder 400. The main inlet of one branch head 410 is connected to the first pipe 510, and the branch inlets are sequentially connected to the first air chambers 401 of the multiple first cylinders 400. The main inlet of another branch head 410 is connected to the second pipe 520, and the branch inlets are sequentially connected to the second air chambers 402 of the multiple first cylinders 400. This allows airflow into and out of the multiple first cylinders 400 through a single first pipe 510 and a single second pipe 520. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, two first actuators 300 are provided, which are located on both sides of the first covering member 310, so that a uniform clamping force can be applied to fix the battery casing.
[0055] In some embodiments, the first actuator 300 is used to clamp the battery housing, and the first actuator 300 defines a placement cavity 330 for receiving the battery housing. For example... Figure 1As shown, the rotary welding fixture also includes a second actuator 350 and a second cylinder 450. The second actuator 350 is disposed on the rotary mechanism 200 and includes a pressure claw 360. The pressure claw 360 can move radially along the placement cavity 330 to press the side wall of the collector plate against the side wall of the battery housing. The second cylinder 450 is disposed on the base 100 and connected to an external air source. The second cylinder 450 includes a pusher that can move relative to the base 100. When the second air guide assembly 600 abuts against the first air guide assembly 500, the pusher abuts against the pressure claw 360 to drive the pressure claw 360 to separate from the side wall of the collector plate. Alternatively, when the second air guide assembly 600 separates from the first air guide assembly 500, the pusher separates from the pressure claw 360 so that the pressure claw 360 presses against the side wall of the collector plate.
[0056] Based on the above, the first actuator 300 can fix the battery casing, and the second actuator 350 can press the side wall of the collector plate onto the battery casing for welding purposes. The first cylinder 400 corresponding to the first actuator 300 can maintain pressure during rotational welding to keep the battery casing clamped. The second actuator 350 can automatically press the flange of the collector plate against the inner wall of the battery casing without the need for the second cylinder 450 to drive it, thus avoiding interference with the rotational action caused by the second cylinder 450. Furthermore, since the second cylinder 450 is mounted on the base 100, it can be connected to an external air source via an air pipe. The second cylinder 450 will not rotate with the rotation of the rotating mechanism 200, thus eliminating the risk of entanglement. A specific implementation may be as follows: the pressure claw 360 is connected to the elastic member 370. In both the pressed and released states, the elastic member 370 is in a stretched state. The pressure claw 360 extends into the interior of the battery housing. Since the pressure claw 360 and the elastic member 370 are arranged sequentially from the center to the periphery of the placement cavity 330, the pressure claw 360 has a tendency to move toward the inner wall of the battery housing. Without the pushing force of the pusher, the pressure claw 360 can press the flange of the current collector onto the inner wall of the battery housing.
[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the rotary welding fixture also includes a third actuator 380 and a third cylinder. The third cylinder includes a third air chamber and a fourth air chamber arranged sequentially. The third actuator 380 and the third cylinder are mounted on the rotary mechanism 200. The third cylinder can drive the third actuator 380 to move axially along the placement cavity 330, so that the third actuator 380 presses against the end face of the collector plate, thereby preventing the pressure claw 360 of the second actuator 350 from scratching the end face of the collector plate during its movement. The first air guide assembly 500 has only a fifth pipe 550 and a sixth pipe 560, which are respectively connected to the third air chamber and the fourth air chamber of the third cylinder. The working principle of the third actuator 380 and the third cylinder is similar to that of the first actuator 300 and the first cylinder 400, and will not be described in detail here. The third actuator 380 can protect the end face of the collector plate, which helps to reduce workpiece damage caused by the movement of the tooling fixture during the welding process.
[0058] In some embodiments, a first air passage connector 570 is provided on the end face of the first air guide assembly 500 facing the second air guide assembly 600, and the first air passage connector 570 is connected to the first air passage 501, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the first air connector 570 protrudes from the end face and defines a connecting cavity inside. In other embodiments, the first air connector 570 may also be embedded within the first air passage 501. The second air guide assembly 600 has a corresponding second air connector 610 on its end face facing the first air guide assembly 500. The second air connector 610 connects to the second air passage. The second air connector 610 protrudes from the end face, and the first air connector 570 and the second air connector 610 can be inserted to connect the first air passage 501 and the second air passage. Furthermore, when the second air guide assembly 600 slides to a set position, the first air connector 570 and the second air connector 610 are inserted, and an external air source can connect to the cylinder on the rotating mechanism 200 to enable each actuator to operate.
[0059] Furthermore, to facilitate insertion, the first air connector 570 defines a conical connecting cavity, and the second air connector 610 is also conical in shape. Multiple sealing rings are provided on its outer circumference to enhance sealing performance and reduce the possibility of air leakage after insertion. Along the direction from the second air guide assembly 600 to the first air guide assembly 500, the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity gradually decreases, and the cross-sectional area of the second air connector 610 also gradually decreases. Therefore, during insertion, when the second air connector 610 is initially inserted into the connecting cavity, its outer diameter is much smaller than the inner diameter of the connecting cavity, facilitating alignment and insertion. During insertion, the second air connector 610 abuts against the inner wall of the connecting cavity and continuously corrects its center position, ensuring that after the second air connector 610 and the connecting cavity are inserted and fixed, the second air connector 610 can connect the first air passage 501 and the second air passage. In other embodiments, the first air connector 570 is conical, and the second air connector 610 defines a conical connecting cavity. Along the direction from the second air guide assembly 600 to the first air guide assembly 500, the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity and the second air connector 610 gradually increases, based on the same principle. This arrangement is beneficial for the alignment and insertion of the second air connector 610 and the first air connector 570.
[0060] The second aspect of this application provides a welding device including a rotary welding fixture and a laser head as mentioned in any of the above embodiments. The rotary welding fixture is used to fix the battery casing and the collector plate, and can drive the battery casing and the collector plate to rotate along a rotation axis. The laser head is at a set angle so that the laser can irradiate the welding area of the collector plate. After the laser head is set, it does not need to rotate or move during the welding process. The rotating mechanism 200 drives the battery casing and the collector plate to rotate so that the laser head can perform welding along the circumference of the collector plate. The welding device of this application has a separable structure for the air path of the rotating area and the air path of the fixed area. When the two air paths are connected, the external air source delivers airflow to drive the actuator to move. When the two air paths are disconnected, the air path of the rotating area rotates with the rotating mechanism 200 without affecting the air path of the fixed area. Therefore, the possibility of air pipe entanglement is avoided, which helps to reduce the failure rate of the welding device.
[0061] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.
Claims
1. A rotary welding fixture for welding current collectors to a battery casing, characterized in that, include: Base; A rotating mechanism, which is rotatably connected to the base; A first actuator is disposed on the rotating mechanism. The first actuator includes a first cover and a second cover, the first cover and the second cover defining a placement cavity for accommodating the battery housing. The first cover and the second cover can be relatively close to each other to press the battery housing, or relatively far apart to release the battery housing. The first cylinder is mounted on the rotating mechanism and is capable of driving the first actuator to move. A first air guide assembly is disposed on the rotating mechanism. The first air guide assembly is provided with a first air passage, which is connected to the first cylinder. The second air guide component is disposed on the base and slidably connected to the base. The second air guide component is provided with a second air passage, which is connected to an external air source. Wherein, the second air guide component can slide along the base to abut against the first air guide component, so that the first air passage and the second air passage are connected, and the first cylinder can drive the first actuator to move; or, the second air guide component can slide along the base to separate from the first air guide component, the first actuator maintains its original posture, and the rotating mechanism can rotate relative to it; The rotary welding fixture further includes a second actuator and a second cylinder. The second actuator is disposed on the rotary mechanism and includes a pressure claw for extending into the battery housing. The pressure claw is capable of radial movement along the placement cavity and is used to press the side wall of the collector plate against the side wall of the battery housing. The second cylinder is disposed on the base and connected to the external air source. The second cylinder includes a pusher member, which is capable of moving relative to the base. When the second air guide assembly abuts against the first air guide assembly, the pusher member abuts against the pressure claw to drive the pressure claw to separate from the side wall of the collector plate. Alternatively, when the second air guide assembly separates from the first air guide assembly, the pusher member separates from the pressure claw so that the pressure claw presses against the side wall of the collector plate. It also includes a third actuator and a third cylinder. The third cylinder includes a third air chamber and a fourth air chamber arranged in sequence. The third actuator and the third cylinder are disposed on the rotating mechanism. The third cylinder can drive the third actuator to move along the axial direction of the placement cavity to press the end face of the collecting plate. The first air guide assembly is correspondingly provided with a fifth pipe and a sixth pipe, which are respectively connected to the third air chamber and the fourth air chamber of the third cylinder.
2. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cylinder includes a first air chamber and a second air chamber. The pressure difference between the first air chamber and the second air chamber can drive the first actuator to move. The first air passage includes a first pipe and a second pipe. The second air passage includes a third pipe corresponding to the first pipe and a fourth pipe corresponding to the second pipe. The rotary welding fixture also includes a first control valve. The first control valve includes a first check valve and a first control component. The first one-way valve is connected to the first control component, the first air chamber, and the second pipe. When the first pipe is connected to the third pipe, the airflow in the first pipe can flow in one direction. When the airflow in the second pipe flows in, the first one-way valve remains open so that the airflow can flow out from the first pipe. One end of the first control component is connected to the first pipe, and the other end is connected to the first one-way valve, which is used to adjust the amount of airflow flowing into or out of the first air chamber. The rotary welding fixture further includes a second control valve, which includes a second check valve and a second control component. The second one-way valve is connected to the second control component, the second air chamber, and the first pipe. When the second pipe and the fourth pipe are connected, the airflow in the second pipe can flow in one direction. When the airflow in the first pipe flows in, the second one-way valve remains open so that the airflow can flow out of the second pipe. One end of the second control component is connected to the second pipe, and the other end is connected to the second one-way valve, which is used to adjust the amount of airflow flowing into or out of the second air chamber.
3. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first pipe and the second pipe have a main air port and two sub-air ports. The main air port of the first pipe can be connected to the third pipe, and the main air port of the second pipe can be connected to the fourth pipe. Either of the two sub-air ports of the first pipe or the second pipe is connected to the first control valve, and the other is connected to the second control valve.
4. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism is provided with two branch heads and multiple first cylinders. The first pipe is connected to the first air chamber of the multiple first cylinders through one of the branch heads, and the second pipe is connected to the second air chamber of the multiple first cylinders through the other branch head.
5. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, A third control valve is provided in the first air passage. When the first air passage is connected to the second air passage, the third control valve is opened so that the airflow can flow out in the direction from the first air passage to the second air passage or flow in in the direction from the second air passage to the first air passage. When the first air passage is disconnected from the second air passage, the third control valve is closed so that the airflow is retained in the first cylinder.
6. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first air connector is provided on the end face of the first air guide component facing the second air guide component. The first air connector is connected to the first air passage. A second air connector is provided on the end face of the second air guide component facing the first air guide component. The second air connector is connected to the second air passage. The first air connector and the second air connector can be plugged in to connect the first air passage and the second air passage.
7. The rotary welding fixture according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first air connector defines a conical connecting cavity, and the second air connector is conical. Along the direction from the second air guide assembly to the first air guide assembly, the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity gradually decreases, and the cross-sectional area of the second air connector gradually decreases; or, the first air connector is conical, and the second air connector defines a conical connecting cavity. Along the direction from the second air guide assembly to the first air guide assembly, the cross-sectional area of the connecting cavity gradually increases, and the cross-sectional area of the second air connector gradually increases.
8. Welding equipment, characterized in that, include: The rotary welding fixture as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; A laser head, which is used to emit laser light; The laser head is positioned at a set angle so that the laser can irradiate the welding area of the collector plate, and the rotating mechanism can drive the battery casing and the collector plate to rotate so as to perform welding along the circumference of the collector plate.