A belt-wrapping mechanism, a belt-wrapping device, and a belt-wrapping method

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of batteries, and particularly provides a sleeving mechanism, a sleeving device and a sleeving method. The sleeving mechanism comprises a belt fixing frame which receives a ring belt and fixes the ring belt; and a driving device which drives the belt fixing frame to rotate so as to sleeve the ring belt on a battery cell assembly located at a sleeving position. The sleeving mechanism provided by the application not only realizes automatic sleeving of the ring belt, but also sleeves the ring belt in a rotating manner, on one hand, ensures that the ring belt with a suitable size can be accurately and smoothly sleeved on the battery cell assembly, guarantees the operation effect that the ring belt can tightly clamp the battery cell assembly, on the other hand, simplifies the composition of the sleeving mechanism, and significantly reduces the operation complexity of sleeving the ring belt from the lower side of the battery cell assembly, improves the sleeving smoothness and sleeving efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a sleeve mechanism, sleeve device, and sleeve method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, power batteries are typically manufactured in the form of modules assembled into packs. The production of a module usually involves arranging multiple battery cells in sequence and then fitting them together as a whole using a ring-shaped steel strap. To prevent the battery cells from becoming loose or misaligned, the ring-shaped steel strap tightly binds the battery cell assembly. Therefore, when fitting the steel strap, the gap between the battery cell assembly and the steel strap is very small. Even a slight deviation in their position can make it difficult to fit the steel strap together. This is especially true when the steel strap needs to be fitted to the bottom of the battery cell assembly, requiring the steel strap to be fitted upwards from the bottom of the battery cell assembly. This operation is cumbersome and prone to jamming, making it difficult to fit smoothly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide a strapping mechanism, a strapping device including the strapping mechanism, and a strapping method to solve the problems in the prior art that steel straps are not easy to strap and are difficult to strap from below the battery cell assembly.

[0004] This application provides a belt-shoulder mechanism, including:

[0005] With a fixing frame, it receives and secures the ring belt;

[0006] A driving device drives the belt fixing frame to rotate so as to fit the ring belt onto the battery cell assembly located at the belt position.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the belt fixing frame includes at least a lower side frame for mounting a ring belt from below the cell assembly, the belt mounting position is provided with a support platform for supporting the cell assembly, the lower side frame is looped around the support platform, and under the drive of the drive device, at least a first end of the lower side frame away from the drive device can be lower than the surface of the support platform.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the mounting bracket further includes an upper frame for mounting a ring belt from above the cell assembly. The upper frame and the lower frame are rotatable toward each other to drive the ring belt to be mounted from the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly, respectively, and are rotatable toward each other to allow the cell assembly to move onto the support platform.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the second end of the framed bracket is connected to the drive device, and the second ends of the upper and lower frames are both located within the projection of the cell assembly on the vertical plane.

[0010] In one possible implementation, multiple drive devices are provided, and each is paired with one of the upper frame and the lower frame to drive the upper frame and the lower frame to rotate respectively.

[0011] Alternatively, the drive device is connected to the upper frame and the lower frame via a transmission assembly to synchronously drive the upper frame and the lower frame to rotate.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the frame with fixing has a material gripping section, which is provided with an adsorption part or a clamping part.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the material gripping section is provided with at least two sections, which form a receiving ring and have an open receiving channel.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the extension length of the adsorption portion on the gripping section is not less than the dimension of the ring belt in the extension direction of the gripping section.

[0015] In one possible implementation, under the drive of the drive device, the rotation angle of the upper frame is greater than that of the lower frame, so that the upper frame can avoid the ring belt entering the lower frame from above.

[0016] This application also provides a strapping device, comprising:

[0017] The cell delivery mechanism delivers the cell assembly to the sleeve position;

[0018] A sleeve mechanism for sleeved onto the cell assembly at the sleeve position;

[0019] The belt feeding mechanism acquires the belt and provides it to the belt feeding mechanism.

[0020] Wherein, the sleeve mechanism is the sleeve mechanism as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0021] In one possible implementation, a compression mechanism is also included, which is used to compress the cell assembly along the cell arrangement direction at the sleeve position, and the sleeve mechanism applies a ring to the cell assembly in the compressed state.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the belt feeding mechanism includes:

[0023] Tensioner assembly, fixing ring belt;

[0024] The first moving structure drives the tensioning assembly to move along the first direction to pick up or unload material;

[0025] The second moving structure drives the tensioning assembly to move in a second direction different from the first direction, so as to move the ring belt onto the rotation path of the belt fixing frame.

[0026] This application also provides a belt-wearing method applicable to the belt-wearing mechanism or belt-wearing device described above, the method comprising the following steps:

[0027] Control the upper and lower frames with fixed brackets to rotate in opposite directions, so that the first end of the upper frame away from the driving device and the first end of the lower frame away from the driving device are separated;

[0028] The control cell assembly is moved to the sleeve position;

[0029] Control the upper and lower side frames with fixing brackets to rotate towards each other, so that the first end of the upper side frame and the first end of the lower side frame are close together, and the ring belt on the upper side frame and the ring belt on the lower side frame are sleeved onto the cell assembly.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the belt feeding mechanism provides the belt to the upper and lower frames before the upper and lower frames rotate in opposite directions.

[0031] In one possible implementation, after the upper and lower side frames rotate in opposite directions, the belt feeding mechanism provides the belt to the upper side frame; after the upper and lower side frames rotate in opposite directions, and before the cell assembly moves to the sleeve position, the belt feeding mechanism provides the belt to the lower side frame.

[0032] According to the belt-fitting mechanism provided in this application, after the battery cell assembly is conveyed to the belt-fitting position, the belt fixing frame rotates the belt, causing the belt to fit onto the battery cell assembly during rotation and tighten around it. This not only achieves automatic belt-fitting but also facilitates the fitting of the belt onto the battery cell assembly by using a rotating fitting method. The belt is fitted at an angle, with one end fitted first and the other end fitted later, making it easier to fit onto the battery cell assembly. This avoids the problem of difficulty in fitting the belt due to a small gap between the belt and the battery cell assembly, which makes high-precision alignment difficult. It also avoids the problem of increasing the belt size due to difficulty in fitting, which leads to poor tightening effect after the belt is fitted. This ensures that a belt of appropriate size can be accurately and smoothly fitted onto the battery cell assembly. Especially when fitting the belt from below, the rotating fitting method allows the battery cell assembly to move to the belt-fitting position, i.e., the position within the inner ring of the belt, facilitating smooth belt fitting, reducing the tediousness of fitting the belt from below, and improving the smoothness of fitting. This ensures the smooth fitting of the belt onto the battery cell assembly and the effective tightening of the belt. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the belt-wearing mechanism in an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the belting process of the belting mechanism in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a frontal view of the sleeve device in an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a top view of the composition of the strapping device in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the components of the belt feeding mechanism in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 6 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the extrusion mechanism in an embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 1-6 middle:

[0040] 10. Battery cell assembly; 20. Ring belt; 1. Belt feeding mechanism; 11. Belt fixing frame; 101. Upper side frame; 102. Lower side frame; 12. Drive device; 13. Support platform; 2. Ring belt feeding mechanism; 21. Belt tensioning assembly; 201. First belt tensioning unit; 202. Second belt tensioning unit; 22. First moving structure; 23. Second moving structure; 3. Extrusion mechanism; 31. Frame; 32. Limiting baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Please refer to the attached document. Figure 1-6 This application provides a strapping mechanism 1 for automatically fitting a loop strap 20 onto a cell assembly 10. The strapping mechanism 1 includes a strap fixing frame 11 and a driving device 12. Figure 1As shown, the belt fixing frame 11 receives and fixes the ring belt 20, while the driving device 12 is connected to the belt fixing frame 11 and drives the belt fixing frame 11 to rotate, causing the belt fixing frame 11 to rotate with the ring belt 20. During the rotation, the ring belt 20 is fitted onto the cell assembly 10. Of course, there is a fitting position on the rotation path of the ring belt 20 on the belt fixing frame 11, and the cell assembly 10 is located at the fitting position. Thus, when the fixing bracket 11 rotates with the ring belt 20, the ring belt 20 can be fitted onto the cell assembly 10 in an inclined posture, with one end fitting first and the other end fitting later. Compared to the ring belt 20 moving in a straight up and down manner, it can be fitted onto the cell assembly 10 more smoothly. It will not encounter jamming due to the size of the ring belt 20 being very similar to that of the cell assembly 10 and the difficulty of alignment when fitting in a straight line. This improves the smoothness of the ring belt 20 fitting and avoids the problem of the ring belt 20 being enlarged due to the close size of the ring belt 20 and the difficulty of fitting, which ultimately leads to poor ring clamping effect.

[0043] Furthermore, especially when the ring belt 20 is fitted from below the battery cell assembly 10, only one drive device 12 needs to be set at one end of the belt fixing frame 11. Compared with the prior art, which requires multiple drive devices 12 to maintain the horizontality of the ring belt 20 during vertical movement, the belt fitting mechanism 1 of this application has a simple structure, occupies little space, and facilitates the avoidance of the battery cell assembly 10 during loading. When the ring belt 20 is fitted from below, the fitting position is located above the inner ring of the ring belt 20. The belt fixing frame 11 can be rotated to allow the battery cell assembly 10 to move directly to the fitting position along the feeding direction, that is, to a position that is opposite to and slightly higher than the inner ring of the ring belt 20. In other words, the fitting position can be located in the extension direction of the conveyor line, rather than on one side of the width direction (when the ring belt 20 moves in a straight line, because drive devices 12 need to be set at both ends, the fitting position between the two drive devices 12 must be on one side of the conveyor line, that is, in the width direction of the conveyor line, the battery cell assembly 10 needs to move laterally from the conveyor line to the fitting position between the two drive devices 12). Therefore, in this application, the battery cell assembly 10 can be directly moved from the conveyor line to the belt mounting position located downstream of the conveyor line without the battery cell assembly 10 needing to change direction (i.e., change to a direction different from the incoming material direction) on the conveyor line. Thus, no other device is needed to perform the reversing movement operation of the battery cell assembly 10. It can be seen that the belt mounting mechanism 1 of this application, which mounts the ring belt 20 by rotation, not only requires fewer drive devices 12 and has a simpler overall structure, but also simplifies the operation steps of mounting the ring belt 20 from below the battery cell assembly 10, eliminating the need for a matching reversing movement device for the battery cell assembly 10. Overall, it significantly simplifies multiple structures and the cumbersome steps of mounting the ring belt 20.

[0044] Thus, the strapping mechanism 1 provided in this application uses a rotating strapping method to strap the ring 20, allowing the ring 20 to be strapped in an inclined posture with one end strapped first and the other end strapped later. This makes it easier to strap onto the cell assembly 10. On the one hand, whether strapping is done from above or below the cell assembly 10, the strapping process will not encounter any jamming or collision with the cell assembly 10, ensuring that the ring 20 is smoothly strapped onto the cell assembly 10. Compared to the strapping method that moves the ring 20 vertically, this avoids the problem of difficulty in strapping due to the small gap between the ring 20 and the cell assembly 10, and also avoids the problem of poor tightening effect after strapping is strapped due to the need to increase the size of the ring 20 due to difficulty in strapping. Furthermore, it reduces the strapping jamming and damage caused by the easy collision between the ring 20 and the cell assembly 10 during vertical strapping. This invention eliminates the risks of damaging the battery cell assembly 10, ensuring that the appropriately sized loop belt 20 can be accurately and smoothly fitted onto the battery cell assembly 10 regardless of whether it is fitted from above or below, and ensuring that the loop belt 20 can tightly grip the battery cell assembly 10. On the other hand, it overcomes the problem of not being able to fit the loop belt 20 from below the battery cell assembly 10. The fitting mechanism 1 of this application only requires a drive device 12 at one end of the belt fixing frame 11 for the rotation fitting method, instead of setting it at both ends of the belt fixing frame 11. This makes it easy for the battery cell assembly 10 to move to the fitting position, that is, the position in the inner ring of the loop belt 20. There is no need for other devices to lift the battery cell assembly 10 from the conveyor line and move it to the fitting position. The battery cell assembly 10 can be directly moved from the conveyor line to the fitting position, which facilitates the smooth fitting of the loop belt 20, significantly reducing the cumbersomeness of fitting the loop belt 20 from below and improving the smoothness of fitting.

[0045] When fitting the ring belt 20, the ring belt 20 can be fitted from above the top of the cell assembly 10 to the top end of the cell assembly 10, or from below the bottom of the cell assembly 10 to the bottom end of the cell assembly 10. It can also be fitted from both the top and bottom sides of the cell assembly 10.

[0046] To facilitate the fitting of the ring strap 20 from below, in some embodiments, the fixing frame 11 includes at least a lower frame 102 for fitting the ring strap 20 from below the cell assembly 10. A support platform 13 may be provided at the fitting position to support the cell assembly 10; in other words, the support platform 13 forms the fitting position. The support platform 13 lifts the cell assembly 10, raising it to allow rotation space for the ring strap 20 fitted from below. The horizontal cross-sectional dimension of the support platform 13 is smaller than the inner ring dimension of the ring strap 20, so that the ring strap 20 on the lower frame 102 can fit around the support platform 13. Driven by the driving device 12, the lower frame 102 rotates with the ring strap 20, allowing the first end of the lower frame 102 (i.e., the end away from the driving device 12) to a position lower than the surface of the support platform 13. Thus, at least one end of the ring belt 20 (referred to as the first end, the same below) is located below the surface of the support platform 13, which facilitates the movement of the battery cell assembly 10 onto the support platform 13. When the battery cell assembly 10 moves onto the support platform 13, it is located in the inner ring of the ring belt 20. The first end of the ring belt 20 is lower than the battery cell assembly 10, and the second end can be higher than the surface of the support platform 13. Thus, when the ring belt 20 rotates, the lower end moves up, which means it can loop around the battery cell assembly 10 from below.

[0047] With this setup, only a support platform 13 is needed to support the battery cell assembly 10. The battery cell assembly 10 is placed on the support platform 13, and the ring belt 20 can be rotated to achieve the operation of putting the ring belt 20 on from below the battery cell assembly 10. No other device is needed to lift the battery cell assembly 10, which simplifies the structure and reduces the cumbersome operation of putting the ring belt 20 on from below the battery cell assembly 10.

[0048] In some embodiments, the strapping mechanism 1 with a fixing frame 11 includes not only a lower frame 102 but also an upper frame 101. The upper frame 101 is used to fit the loop strap 20 from above the cell assembly 10, and the lower frame 102 is used to fit the loop strap 20 from below the cell assembly 10, thus allowing the loop strap 20 to be fitted from both the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly 10. Figure 2As shown, the upper frame 101 and lower frame 102 can rotate towards each other to drive the ring belts 20 to be fitted onto the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly 10 respectively, and can also rotate in opposite directions to allow the cell assembly 10 to move onto the support platform 13. When the cell assembly 10 is in the fitted position, it will be located between the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102. The upper frame 101 and lower frame 102 can be fitted onto the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly 10, each fitting one ring belt 20 onto the cell assembly 10. With this arrangement, on the one hand, the upper and lower ends of the cell assembly 10 are secured with ring belts 20, making the whole assembly more stable; on the other hand, the synchronous fitting of the two ring belts 20 can be achieved, significantly improving the fitting efficiency. Of course, depending on the working requirements, the upper and lower belt fixing frames 11 can also be fitted sequentially.

[0049] After the upper and lower rings 20 are fitted onto the cell assembly 10, the distance between the rings 20 is less than the height of the cell assembly 10. In other words, the fixing bracket 11 needs to rotate the rings 20 until the distance between the upper and lower sets of rings 20 is less than the height of the cell assembly 10 before they can be properly fitted.

[0050] Therefore, in some embodiments, when the fixing frame 11 includes an upper side frame 101 and a lower side frame 102 spaced apart, the second end of both the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 is connected to the driving device 12, which is located on one side of the fixing frame 11 in the horizontal direction. Both the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 rotate around their respective second ends. Simultaneously, the second ends of the ring band 20 on the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 are both located above the support platform 13, and the vertical distance between them is less than the height of the battery cell assembly 10. Figure 2 As shown, the rotation centers of the upper and lower sets of ring belts 20 (i.e., the second ends mentioned above) are both located above the support platform 13 and below the top surface of the cell assembly on the support platform 13. That is, the distance between the two rotation centers is less than the height of the cell assembly 10. In other words, the second end of the ring belt 20 on the upper frame 101 is also a ring belt (and is also the rotation center of the ring belt), and the second end of the ring belt 20 on the lower frame 102 (also the rotation center of the ring belt) is located within the projection of the cell assembly 10 in the vertical plane (the projection formed on the vertical plane by light incident from the horizontal direction).

[0051] The upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102, along with the ring belts 20, rotate around the rotation center. Thus, the first ends of the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate away from each other, increasing the distance between the first ends of the two sets of ring belts 20. In other words, the two fixed frames and the first ends of the two sets of ring belts 20 open up, and the two sets of ring belts 20 tilt towards each other, forming a shape similar to... Figure 2The figure-eight shape shown allows the battery cell assembly 10 to enter the space between the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 and be positioned in the belt sleeve position, such as on the support platform 13. After the battery cell assembly 10 enters the space between the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 along the material feeding direction, which is also the direction from the first end to the second end of the belt fixing frame 11, the end of the battery cell assembly 10 closest to the drive device 12 is already positioned between the upper and lower sets of ring belts 20, as shown. Figure 2 As shown, this means that after the battery cell assembly 10 enters between the upper and lower sets of loops 20, one end of the loop 20 is already inside the inner ring of the loop 20, and one end of the loop 20 is already fitted onto the battery cell assembly 10. Then, the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate towards each other, bringing the first ends of the upper and lower sets of loops closer together, so that both sets of loops 20 are fitted onto the battery cell assembly 10. The whole process is smooth and fast.

[0052] With this configuration, the drive device 12 only needs to be located at the end of the fixed frame 11 away from the material feeding direction of the cell assembly 10. The ring belt 20 only needs to be driven by one drive device 12 and can be fully fitted onto the cell assembly 10 by rotating around a rotation center.

[0053] The drive device 12 that drives the belt fixing frame 11 to rotate can be, but is not limited to, a motor, cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or other power component. When the belt fixing frame 11 includes an upper frame 101 and a lower frame 102, multiple drive devices 12 can be provided, one-to-one with the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102, with each belt frame having an independent drive device 12 capable of independent rotation. In this way, the belt loop 20 can be fitted from above or below the cell assembly 10 individually, or it can be fitted simultaneously or sequentially from both above and below.

[0054] Alternatively, a single drive unit 12 can be provided, connected to both the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 via a transmission assembly, synchronously driving the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 to rotate. For example, the drive unit 12 is a cylinder with two piston rods, and the transmission assembly is a scissor fork structure, including two transmission rods hinged together in the middle. The two piston rods are vertically arranged and hinged to one end of the two transmission rods respectively, while the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 are hinged to the other ends of the two transmission rods respectively. In this way, the two piston rods extend and retract synchronously, causing the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 to rotate synchronously, either moving closer or further apart.

[0055] The fixing frame 11 has a gripping section, which has an adsorption or clamping part to adsorb or clamp the ring belt 20. There may be one, two or more gripping sections. In some embodiments, the fixing frame 11 has at least two gripping sections to adsorb or clamp two opposite or adjacent sections of the ring belt 20, thereby fixing the ring belt 20 while maintaining the ring belt 20 in a good open state.

[0056] In some embodiments, at least two gripping sections of the retaining frame 11 are arranged circumferentially along the ring belt 20 to form a receiving groove with an opening for accommodating the ring belt 20. An adsorption or clamping portion is provided on the inner wall of the receiving groove. Thus, the ring belt 20 can be in a taut state when on the retaining frame 11. The receiving groove has an opening and is a through groove. Therefore, the ring belt 20 can enter or leave the receiving groove vertically; that is, the ring belt 20 can be fed vertically onto the retaining frame 11 for fixation, and after being fitted onto the battery cell assembly 10, the retaining frame 11 can rotate to separate from the ring belt 20. Alternatively, the ring belt 20 can also enter the receiving groove from the opening. The opening in the receiving groove also allows for dimensional variation in the ring belt 20; even if the ring belt 20 has dimensional tolerances or slight deviations, it can still be fixed within the receiving groove.

[0057] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fixing frame 11 has three gripping sections arranged sequentially along the circumference. The three gripping sections enclose a receiving groove with an opening on one side and a vertical through-type shape. The receiving groove is used to receive the ring belt 20 and maintain the ring belt 20 in a taut state.

[0058] The material-grabbing sections are strip-shaped, and the receiving groove formed by three material-grabbing sections can be rectangular, circular, or elliptical with one side open, matching the shape of the ring belt 20 in its open state. The fixing frame 11 is shaped like a U-shaped or U-shaped block laid horizontally, making the entire structure simpler and without other parts in the vertical direction, which is very convenient for feeding the ring belt 20. Furthermore, the material-grabbing sections, or the groove walls of the receiving groove, are provided with adsorption or clamping parts to adsorb or clamp the ring belt 20 in at least three sections, allowing the ring belt 20 to expand outward and facilitating smooth assembly.

[0059] In some embodiments, the material-grabbing section has an adsorption part, such as an adsorption part on the end face of the material-grabbing section that accommodates the channel wall. The adsorption part can be a magnetic block and / or a negative pressure adsorption port. The fixing frame 11 fixes the ring belt 20 by adsorbing the outer side of the ring belt 20. With this configuration, the fixing frame 11 only adsorbs and fixes the ring belt 20 from the outside. When the ring belt 20 is wrapped around the cell assembly 10, there are no components interfering with the inner side of the ring belt 20, and the part fixing the ring belt 20 does not occupy the inner space of the ring belt 20, which is more conducive to the wrapping of the ring belt 20. Moreover, after the ring belt 20 is wrapped around the cell assembly 10, the fixing frame 11 and the ring belt 20 are also easy to separate.

[0060] In some embodiments, the length of the adsorption portion on the gripping section is not less than the dimension of the ring belt 20 in that direction. For example, if the ring is rectangular, the length of the adsorption portion on the gripping section corresponding to the length direction of the ring belt 20 is not less than the length of the ring belt 20, and the length of the adsorption portion on the gripping section corresponding to the width direction of the ring belt 20 is not less than the width of the ring belt 20. In this way, the ring belt 20 can be opened to its maximum extent, which is conducive to smooth assembly.

[0061] Embodiments of this application also provide a strapping device. For example... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the strapping device includes a conveying mechanism for conveying materials, a strapping feeding mechanism 2 for providing the strapping 20, and a strapping mechanism 1 for fitting the strapping 20 onto the materials. This strapping mechanism 1 is the same as the strapping mechanism 1 described in the above embodiment. This strapping device is used in battery production to automatically fit the strapping 20 onto the cell assembly 10, completing the production of the cell module. This application uses the fitting of the strapping 20 onto the cell assembly 10 as an example for explanation. The conveying mechanism is used to convey the cell assembly 10, hereinafter referred to as the cell conveying mechanism. The cell conveying mechanism conveys the cell assembly 10 to the strapping position at the strapping mechanism 1. The strapping feeding mechanism 2 obtains the strapping 20 from the material receiving position and moves the open (the strapping 20 is usually a steel strip, which has its own rigidity, so it is always in an open state) strapping 20 to the material supply position, providing the strapping 20 to the strapping mechanism 1. The belt-feeding mechanism 1 receives the belt 20 provided by the belt-feeding mechanism 2 and fits the belt 20 onto the cell assembly 10 at the belt-feeding position. Thus, the belt-feeding device provided in this application can automatically complete operations such as belt 20 feeding, cell feeding, and belt 20 fitting. It fits the belt 20 onto the cell assembly 10 by rotating the belt, ensuring smooth fitting. The belt 20 can be fitted not only from above but also from below the cell assembly 10, without jamming, smoothly and efficiently. This ensures that the appropriately sized belt 20 can be accurately and smoothly fitted onto the cell assembly 10, guaranteeing a tight fit between the belt 20 and the cell assembly 10, thus improving fitting smoothness and efficiency. The derivation process of this beneficial effect is basically the same as that of the belt-feeding mechanism 1 described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] Furthermore, the sleeve device also includes a compression mechanism 3. The compression mechanism 3 is used to clamp the cell assembly at the sleeve position and compress the cell assembly 10 along the cell arrangement direction, so that the cells in the cell assembly 10 are tightly fitted together, reducing the overall size of the cell assembly 10. In use, the compression mechanism 3 can first compress the cell assembly 10, and then the sleeve mechanism 1 drives the ring belt 20 to rotate, fitting the ring belt 20 onto the compressed cell assembly 10. In this way, the gap between the ring belt 20 and the cell assembly 10 can be increased to a certain extent, making it easier to fit the ring belt 20, improving the smoothness, efficiency, and success rate of fitting on the first attempt, and increasing the fitting efficiency.

[0063] Furthermore, after the battery cell assembly 10 is conveyed to the sleeve position by the battery cell conveying mechanism, the extrusion mechanism 3 clamps and extrudes the battery cell assembly 10. The extrusion mechanism 3 is also located at the sleeve position and only needs to be located at the sleeve position without needing to move its position. The sleeve device of this application extrudes the battery cell assembly 10 and sleeves the ring belt 20 at the sleeve position, which is simple and has high sleeve efficiency.

[0064] The belt feeding mechanism 2 includes a belt tensioning assembly 21, a first moving structure 22, and a second moving structure 23, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the tensioning assembly 21 is used to acquire and fix the ring belt 20 and to tension the ring belt 20 outward; the first moving structure 22 drives the tensioning assembly 21 to move along the first direction to pick up or unload material; the second moving structure 23 drives the tensioning assembly 21 to move along the second direction to move between the picking position and the feeding position to move the ring belt 20 onto the rotation path of the belt fixing frame 11; wherein, the first direction and the second direction have an included angle, such as being perpendicular, for example, the first direction is the vertical direction and the second direction is the horizontal direction.

[0065] Both the first moving structure 22 and the second moving structure 23 include power components and linear moving components, such as a motor and lead screw nut assembly, a motor and synchronous belt assembly, a cylinder and guide rail slider assembly, etc. The tensioning belt assembly 21 is fixed to the moving end of either the first moving structure 22 or the second moving structure 23. Taking the fixed end of the first moving structure 22 as an example, the first moving structure 22 is entirely mounted on the moving end of the second moving structure 23. Thus, the second moving structure 23 drives the first moving structure 22 and the tensioning belt assembly 21 to move as a whole, moving between the feeding position and the picking position. The first moving structure 22 drives the tensioning belt assembly 21 to move up and down to pick up or feed material. For example, after the tensioning belt assembly 21 moves horizontally to the picking position, it moves downward to pick up the ring belt 20 and opens the ring belt 20. Then it moves to the feeding position, above the belt fixing frame 11, and then moves downward to transfer the ring belt 20 onto the belt fixing frame 11.

[0066] like Figure 5As shown, the tensioning assembly 21 includes a first tensioning unit 201 and a second tensioning unit 202, which tension the ring belt 20 from two different directions. For example, the first tensioning unit 201 includes at least two sets of spaced-apart, oppositely spaced transverse brace fixed ends, and a first opening force member that drives the at least two sets of transverse brace fixed ends to move closer or further apart. Driven by the first opening force member, the at least two sets of transverse brace fixed ends can move apart, opening or pulling the ring belt 20 apart along its length direction. The second tensioning unit 202 includes at least two sets of longitudinal brace fixed ends, and a second opening force member that drives the at least two sets of longitudinal brace fixed ends to move closer or further apart. Driven by the second opening force member, the at least two sets of longitudinal brace fixed ends can move apart, opening or pulling the ring belt 20 apart along its width direction. The length direction and width direction of the ring belt 20 are two perpendicular directions, for example, the length and width directions of a rectangle, two perpendicular radial directions of a circle, or the major and minor axis directions of an ellipse. In this way, the ring belt can be tightened by 20.

[0067] The horizontal and / or vertical fixed ends can be spreading members that extend into the inner side of the ring 20 to spread the ring 20, or they can be adsorbent members that adsorb the outer side of the ring 20 to pull it apart, or they can be grippers that clamp the ring 20 to pull it apart. In some embodiments, the horizontal fixed end can be a spreading member with two sets of spreading members spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, which is also the length direction of the ring 20. In each set, there are at least two spreading members arranged along a second horizontal direction, which is also the width direction of the ring 20. In this way, the ring 20 can be spread into a rectangular shape, suitable for fitting a cuboid-shaped battery cell assembly 10. The vertical fixed end is an adsorbent member that adsorbs the outer side of the ring 20 and pulls the ring 20 outward in the width direction to prevent the ring 20 from concave, so that the ring 20 is well tightened and opened to its maximum extent. The belt feeding mechanism 2 keeps the belt 20 in a taut state. After being supplied to the belt sleeve mechanism 1, the belt fixing frame 11 on the belt sleeve mechanism 1 receives and maintains the taut belt 20, so that the belt 20 can be in a good taut state, which makes it easy to smoothly loop onto the battery cell assembly 10.

[0068] The first and second opening power components can be any of the following: cylinder, motor, hydraulic cylinder, etc.

[0069] The main body of the belt feeding mechanism 2 is located on one side of the rotation path of the belt fixing frame 11, which is also the side of the incoming material direction or conveying direction of the battery cell assembly 10, and is located in the width direction of the belt fixing frame 11 and the support platform 13. The belt tensioning assembly 21 can move to or near the rotation path of the belt fixing frame 11 to provide the belt 20 to the belt fixing frame 11. In this way, during feeding, the upper side frame 101, which is located at a higher position, can be rotated to make way, so as to facilitate feeding to the lower side frame 102, which is located at a lower position.

[0070] For example, during loading, the upper side frame 101 can be loaded first, and then the upper side frame 101 can rotate to the side of the belt sleeve position, for example, rotate 90 degrees to 180 degrees to avoid obstruction. Then, the belt tensioning assembly 21 of the belt feeding mechanism 2 moves the belt 20 to above the lower side frame 102, providing the belt 20 to the lower side frame 102. After that, the upper side frame 101 rotates back. Alternatively, the upper side frame 101 can first avoid obstruction and load the lower side frame 102. After the upper side frame 101 rotates back and is located above the lower side frame 102, the belt feeding mechanism 2 then loads the upper side frame 101. Then, the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate in opposite directions and open into a figure-eight shape. The battery cell assembly 10 moves into the support platform 13, and the extrusion mechanism 3 extrudes the battery cell assembly 10. The upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate in opposite directions and fit the upper and lower ring belts 20 onto the battery cell assembly 10.

[0071] like Figure 6 As shown, the extrusion mechanism 3 includes limiting baffles 32, a telescopic force, and an extrusion force. At least two limiting baffles 32 are provided, spaced apart and facing each other, with the space between them used to accommodate the battery cell assembly 10. The extrusion force is used to move at least one limiting baffle 32 in a direction approaching or moving away from the other limiting baffles 32, so that the at least two limiting baffles 32 approach each other and extrude the battery cell assembly 10.

[0072] The frame 31 of the extrusion mechanism 3 can be set on one side of the sleeve position. When the limiting baffle 32 clamps the battery cell assembly 10, it will be in the feeding direction of the battery cell assembly 10. Therefore, at least the limiting baffle 32 near the battery cell conveying mechanism is telescopically set. Driven by the telescopic force, it moves back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the battery cell assembly 10 to avoid the battery cell assembly 10 when it is conveyed, allowing the battery cell assembly 10 to enter the gap space between the two limiting baffles 32. After the battery cell assembly 10 enters the gap space between the front and rear limiting baffles 32, the limiting baffle 32 that avoids the battery cell assembly 10 returns to its original position. Then, the extrusion force drives the limiting baffle 32, which is set to move along the gap direction, to move and reduce the gap space, thus extruding the battery cell assembly 10.

[0073] Both the extrusion power and the extension power can be generated by power components such as motors, cylinders, and hydraulic cylinders.

[0074] Both the extrusion mechanism 3 and the belt feeding mechanism 2 are located on one side of the belt sleeve position. Therefore, in some embodiments, the extrusion mechanism 3 and the belt feeding mechanism 2 are integrated. For example, the belt feeding mechanism 2 is mounted on the frame 31 of the extrusion mechanism 3. The frame 31 is located on the belt sleeve position side, which is also on one side of the belt fixing frame 11 and support platform 13 in the width direction, and extends along the length direction of the belt fixing frame 11 and support platform 13. The limiting baffle 32 is located on the side of the frame 31 facing the belt sleeve position, that is, on one side of the frame 31 in the horizontal direction. The base of the belt feeding mechanism 2, for example, the fixed end of the second moving structure 23, is located on the top surface of the frame 31, that is, above the frame 31. In this way, the two mechanisms are integrated, resulting in a compact structure, saving space, and occupying a reasonable position without causing operational interference.

[0075] The cell conveying mechanism receives the cell assembly 10 transported by the conveyor line and conveys the cell assembly 10 to the tape mounting position. When a support platform 13 is provided at the tape mounting position, and the cell assembly 10 needs to be transferred to the support platform 13 by the cell conveying mechanism, the cell conveying mechanism includes at least a pushing component. The pushing component includes a pushing power and a pushing part, such as a pusher plate, to push the cell assembly 10 onto the support platform 13. The pusher plate can move linearly to push the cell assembly 10 linearly, or it can rotate. The conveyor line that transports the cell assembly 10 is not lower than the height of the support platform 13, for example, it is flush with the support platform 13. The conveyor line can extend to the support platform 13. When the cell assembly 10 moves to the end of the conveyor line, near the support platform 13, the pushing component pushes the cell assembly 10 onto the support platform 13.

[0076] When the conveyor line does not extend to the support platform 13, the cell conveying mechanism may include a lifting assembly, a power assembly, and the aforementioned pushing assembly. The lifting assembly is used to receive and lift the cell assembly 10 transported by the conveyor line. For example, the conveyor line includes two spaced conveyor belts, and the cell assembly 10 is placed on the two conveyor belts. The lifting assembly includes a pallet and a lifting power source that drives the pallet to rise and fall. The pallet is located at the end of the conveyor line and between the two conveyor belts. When the conveyor belts transport the cell assembly 10 above the pallet, the pallet moves upward under the drive of the lifting power, lifting the cell assembly 10 and causing it to detach from the conveyor line. Of course, the lifting assembly can also be used only to receive the battery cell assembly 10 conveyed by the conveyor line. For example, the lifting assembly includes multiple idlers arranged along the conveying direction of the conveyor line and located at the end of the conveyor line. Driven by the conveying force of the conveyor line, one end of the battery cell assembly 10 is pushed onto the lifting assembly. As it is pushed, the idlers rotate, reducing the friction, so that the battery cell assembly 10 can be pushed onto the arranged idlers by the conveyor line.

[0077] Then, the power unit drives the lifting assembly to move horizontally to transport the battery cell assembly 10 to the tape mounting position, until the pallet or roller abuts against the support platform 13 at the tape mounting position. The push assembly then moves the battery cell assembly 10, pushing it from the lifting assembly onto the support platform 13. In this way, the transfer of the battery cell assembly 10 to the support platform 13 at the tape mounting position is automatically completed.

[0078] The power assembly can be a linear module, such as a motor and lead screw assembly, or a cylinder and guide rail assembly, or a motor and synchronous belt assembly, etc. The pushing assembly includes the pushing power and a pushing component connected to the power end of the pushing power. The pushing component can be a push plate, which fits flush with the end face of the battery cell assembly 10, pushing smoothly without damaging the battery cell assembly 10. The pushing power can be a cylinder, motor, hydraulic cylinder, or other power component.

[0079] In some embodiments, the support platform 13 includes a base and a plurality of rotating rollers arranged along the feeding direction (also the length direction) of the battery cell assembly 10, each rotating roller being rotatably mounted on the base. When the pushing component pushes the battery cell assembly 10, one end of the battery cell assembly 10 first moves onto the rotating roller. As it is pushed, the rotating roller rotates, reducing friction and allowing the battery cell assembly 10 to be quickly transferred to the support platform 13, while also preventing damage to the battery cell assembly 10 due to friction.

[0080] Thus far, the above embodiments have described the implementation process of receiving the battery cell assembly 10, transferring it to the sleeve position, automatically feeding the ring belt 20, and automatically assembling it.

[0081] Embodiments of this application also provide a battery production system, including a conveyor line for transporting cell assemblies 10, and a strapping device as described in any of the above embodiments. The conveyor line transports cell assemblies 10 from other workstations to a cell conveying mechanism. Thus, the battery production system automatically completes the entire strapping process, including automatic transport of the cell assemblies 10, automatic feeding of the belt 20, and automatic strapping.

[0082] Embodiments of this application also provide a strapping method applicable to the strapping mechanism 1 as described in any of the preceding embodiments or the strapping device as described in any of the preceding embodiments. The method includes the following steps:

[0083] The upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 of the control belt fixing bracket 11 rotate in opposite directions, so that the first end of the upper frame 101 away from the drive device 12 and the first end of the lower frame 102 away from the drive device 12 are far apart.

[0084] The control cell assembly 10 is moved to the sleeve position;

[0085] Control the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 to rotate towards each other, so that the first end of the upper frame 101 and the first end of the lower frame 102 are close together, and the ring belt 20 on the upper frame 101 and the ring belt 20 on the lower frame 102 are fitted onto the cell assembly 10.

[0086] With this configuration, the method allows for simple and quick simultaneous, individual, or sequential banding from above and below the battery cell assembly 10 via rotation. The process is simple, fast, and efficient, and also improves the smoothness of banding. The derivation process of this beneficial effect is basically the same as that of the derivation process of the beneficial effect of the banding mechanism 1 or the banding device described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0087] As for feeding the ring belt 20 onto the belt fixing frame 11 for fixation, the ring belt feeding mechanism 2 can provide the ring belt 20 to the upper side frame 101 and lower side frame 102 before the upper side frame 101 and lower side frame 102 rotate in opposite directions. Then, the upper side frame 101 and lower side frame 102 rotate in opposite directions, opening into a figure-eight shape, allowing the battery cell assembly 10 to enter the belt sleeve position and move onto the support platform 13. By controlling the upper side frame 101 and lower side frame 102 to rotate towards each other, the ring belt 20 on the upper side frame 101 and the ring belt 20 on the lower side frame 102 can be sleeved onto the battery cell assembly 10.

[0088] Alternatively, the belt 20 can be fed after the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 have rotated in opposite directions. For example, if the upper side frame 101 makes a clearance maneuver, it is also after the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 have rotated in opposite directions, and before the battery cell assembly 10 moves to the sleeve position, that the belt feeding mechanism 2 provides the belt 20 to the lower side frame 102.

[0089] The feeding of the upper side frame 101 is carried out after the upper side frame 101 and the lower side frame 102 rotate in opposite directions, and before the battery cell assembly 10 moves to the sleeve position, or after the battery cell assembly 10 moves to the sleeve position, the ring belt feeding mechanism 2 provides the ring belt 20 to the upper side frame 101.

[0090] The entire belt feeding process can be described as follows: the belt feeding mechanism 2 feeds the belt feeding mechanism 1, the battery cell conveying mechanism receives the battery cell assembly 10 and transports the battery cell assembly 10, the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate in opposite directions, the battery cell conveying mechanism moves the battery cell assembly 10 onto the support platform 13, the extrusion mechanism 3 extrudes the battery cell assembly 10 on the support platform 13, and the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 rotate towards each other and each puts the belt 20 onto the battery cell assembly 10.

[0091] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0092] The components and devices described in this application are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the accompanying drawings. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these components and devices can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the words “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0093] It should also be noted that in the apparatus and equipment of this application, the components can be disassembled and / or reassembled. These disassemblies and / or reassemblies should be considered as equivalent solutions of this application.

[0094] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0095] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

[0096] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A belt-sleeving mechanism, characterized in that, include: With a fixing frame, it receives and secures the ring belt; A driving device drives the belt fixing frame to rotate, wherein the belt has a sleeve position on the rotation path of the belt. When the belt fixing frame rotates with the belt, the belt can be sleeved onto the battery cell assembly located at the sleeve position in an inclined posture with one end first and the other end later. The fixing frame includes at least a lower frame for mounting a ring strap from below the battery cell assembly. A support platform for supporting the battery cell assembly is provided at the mounting position. The ring strap on the lower frame can loop around the support platform. Under the drive of the driving device, at least the first end of the lower frame away from the driving device can be lower than the surface of the support platform.

2. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting bracket also includes an upper frame for mounting a ring belt from above the cell assembly. The upper frame and the lower frame are rotatable toward each other to drive the ring belt to be mounted from the upper and lower sides of the cell assembly, respectively, and are rotatable toward each other to allow the cell assembly to move onto the support platform.

3. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The second end of the upper frame and the second end of the lower frame are both connected to the driving device, and the second end of the ring on the upper frame and the second end of the ring on the lower frame can both be located within the projection of the cell assembly on the vertical plane.

4. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple drive devices are provided, and each is paired with one of the upper frame and the lower frame to drive the upper frame and the lower frame to rotate respectively; Alternatively, the drive device is connected to the upper frame and the lower frame via a transmission assembly to synchronously drive the upper frame and the lower frame to rotate.

5. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The frame with a fixing bracket has a material gripping section, and the material gripping section is provided with an adsorption part or a clamping part.

6. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The material grabbing section is provided with at least two sections, which form a receiving ring and have an open receiving channel.

7. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The extension length of the adsorption section on the material gripping section is not less than the dimension of the ring belt in the extension direction of the material gripping section.

8. The sleeve mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Driven by the drive device, the upper frame rotates at a greater angle than the lower frame, so that the upper frame can avoid the belt from entering the lower frame from above.

9. A strapping device, characterized in that, include: The cell delivery mechanism delivers the cell assembly to the sleeve position; A sleeve mechanism for sleeved onto the cell assembly at the sleeve position; The belt feeding mechanism acquires the belt and provides it to the belt feeding mechanism. The sleeve mechanism is the sleeve mechanism according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. The sleeve device as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a compression mechanism for compressing the cell assembly along the cell arrangement direction at the sleeve position, and the sleeve mechanism for sleeves the ring onto the cell assembly in the compressed state.

11. The sleeve device as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The belt feeding mechanism includes: Tensioner assembly, fixing ring belt; The first moving structure drives the tensioning assembly to move along the first direction to pick up or unload material; The second moving structure drives the tensioning assembly to move in a second direction different from the first direction, so as to move the ring belt onto the rotation path of the belt fixing frame.

12. A method for attaching a strap, characterized in that, The method applicable to the sleeve mechanism according to any one of claims 2-8 includes the following steps: Control the upper and lower frames with fixed brackets to rotate in opposite directions, so that the first end of the upper frame away from the driving device and the first end of the lower frame away from the driving device are separated; The control cell assembly is moved to the sleeve position; Control the upper frame and the lower frame to rotate towards each other, so that the first end of the upper frame and the first end of the lower frame are close together, and the ring belt on the upper frame and the ring belt on the lower frame are fitted onto the cell assembly.

13. The method of strapping as described in claim 12, characterized in that, Before the upper and lower side frames rotate in opposite directions, the belt feeding mechanism supplies the belt to the upper and lower side frames.

14. The method of strapping as described in claim 12, characterized in that, After the upper and lower frames rotate in opposite directions, the belt feeding mechanism provides the belt to the upper frame. After the upper and lower frames rotate in opposite directions, and before the battery cell assembly moves to the sleeve position, the belt feeding mechanism provides the belt to the lower frame.

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