Leveling device

Abstract

The application discloses a flattening device. The flattening device comprises a separating device and a smoothing device. The separating device comprises a separating mechanism and a driving mechanism. The separating mechanism comprises a separating piece for sucking a tab. The driving mechanism is connected with the separating piece and is used for driving the separating piece to move so as to separate a single tab from a tab group. The smoothing device comprises a clamping assembly, a first driving assembly and a second driving assembly. The clamping assembly is used for abutting against the single tab separated by the separating device. The first driving assembly is connected with the clamping assembly and is used for driving the clamping assembly to move in a first direction so that the clamping assembly can approach the root of the tab close to the main body of the battery cell. The second driving assembly is used for driving the clamping assembly and the main body of the battery cell to move away from each other so that the clamping assembly can move from the root of the tab to the end of the tab away from the main body of the battery cell, so as to simulate a smoothing action and realize recovery of a bending position of the tab.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to a leveling device. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, after the electrode sheets are cut into multiple tabs, they are wound or stacked to form a battery cell. In the formed battery cell, multiple tabs overlap. Because the tabs are prone to folding during winding or stacking, one of the multiple tabs may fold. The folded tab needs to be smoothed out; otherwise, the next process cannot proceed.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, current technology typically involves manually smoothing the folded tabs. However, this method is labor-intensive and costly, and the smoothing quality depends heavily on the worker's attention and experience. Furthermore, the high volume of smoothing actions can easily lead to occupational diseases in the workers' hands. Therefore, it is necessary to research and find solutions to these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a leveling device capable of mechanized leveling of electrode tabs.

[0005] A leveling device according to an embodiment of this application includes a separating device and a smoothing device. The separating device includes a separating mechanism and a driving mechanism. The separating mechanism includes a separating member for picking up tabs. The driving mechanism is connected to the separating member and is used to drive the separating member to move, thereby separating individual tabs from a group of tabs. The smoothing device includes a clamping assembly, a first driving assembly, and a second driving assembly. The clamping assembly is used to hold a single tab separated by the separating device. The first driving assembly is connected to the clamping assembly and is used to drive the clamping assembly to move in a first direction, so that the clamping assembly can approach the tab near the root of the cell body. The second driving assembly is used to drive the clamping assembly and the cell body away from each other, so that the clamping assembly can move from the root of the tab to the end of the tab away from the cell body.

[0006] The leveling device according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects: This application achieves mechanized leveling of the tabs through the cooperation of a sorting device and a smoothing device. First, the sorting component of the sorting device picks up a single tab and drives the tab to move under the drive mechanism, so as to separate the single tab from the tab group composed of multiple tabs. Subsequently, the smoothing device drives the clamping component to approach the root of the tab near the cell body through the first drive component, and then drives the clamping component and the cell body to move away from each other through the second drive component, so that the clamping component can smooth the tab from the root to the end of the tab away from the cell body along the direction of mutual separation, so as to restore the bent part of the tab.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this application, the dispensing mechanism further includes a rotating member, the first end of which is connected to the dispensing member; the driving mechanism includes a first driving member and a bracket, the first driving member is connected to the bracket, and the first driving member is also connected to the second end of the rotating member. The first driving member is used to drive the second end to make an arc-shaped movement relative to the bracket, so that the first end drives the dispensing member to rotate.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, the driving mechanism further includes an intermediate block, the bracket is provided with an arc-shaped hole, the intermediate block is slidably disposed in the arc-shaped hole, and the two ends of the intermediate block are respectively connected to the first driving member and the second end, the first driving member is used to drive the intermediate block to slide along the arc-shaped hole.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this application, multiple arc-shaped holes and intermediate blocks are provided, with multiple arc-shaped holes spaced apart, and each intermediate block is slidably disposed in one arc-shaped hole; along the direction away from the electrode tab, the arc length of each arc-shaped hole gradually increases, and the projection of the arc-shaped hole with a shorter arc length falls within the projection of the arc-shaped hole with a longer arc length.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the first driving member has a connecting block with a connecting hole, a portion of the intermediate block is slidably disposed in the connecting hole, and when the connecting block moves linearly along a second direction, the intermediate block slides along the arc-shaped hole and slides relative to the connecting block along a third direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are coplanar.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the intermediate block includes a first clamping part, a second clamping part, a first connecting part, a second connecting part, and a through part. The two ends of the through part are respectively connected to the first clamping part and the second clamping part. The first connecting part is connected to the side of the first clamping part away from the through part, and the second connecting part is connected to the side of the second clamping part away from the through part. The through part passes through the arc-shaped hole, the first connecting part is disposed in the connecting hole, and the second connecting part is connected to the rotating member. The first clamping part and the second clamping part are respectively located on both sides of the bracket and clamp the bracket.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the first end can drive the dispensing member to move from a first position to a second position on a plane parallel to the first direction. The dispensing member in the first position picks up the tab, and the dispensing member in the second position dispenses the tab to a third position. The clamping assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member. The first clamping member and the second clamping member are disposed opposite to each other in a first direction. The first clamping member is provided with a third clamping part, and the second clamping member is provided with a fourth clamping part. There is a space between the third clamping part and the fourth clamping part for accommodating the root of the tab near the cell body. The third clamping part and the fourth clamping part extend along a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The third clamping part and the fourth clamping part are used to smooth the tab located in the third position.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the clamping assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, the first clamping member and the second clamping member being disposed opposite to each other in a first direction, and a space between the first clamping member and the second clamping member for accommodating the tab near the root of the cell body; a first driving assembly is connected to the clamping assembly and is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to move relative to each other in the first direction to increase or decrease the distance between the first clamping member and the second clamping member; the second driving assembly is used to drive the clamping assembly and the cell body away from each other, so that the first clamping member and the second clamping member can move from the root of the tab to the end of the tab away from the cell body.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, the first driving component includes a first driver, a limiting member, a first rotating member and a second rotating member. The first driver is provided with a first output end, which is capable of moving along a second direction, and the second direction intersects with the first direction.

[0015] The first clamping member includes a third clamping portion and a third connecting portion connected to each other. The second clamping member includes a fourth clamping portion and a fourth connecting portion connected to each other. The third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion extend along the second direction, and the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion extend along the first direction. The two ends of the first rotating member are rotatably connected to the third connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The two ends of the second rotating member are rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion are slidably connected to the limiting member, and the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion are capable of moving relative to the limiting member along the first direction.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, the first driving component further includes a first slider and a second slider, the first slider and the second slider being slidably connected to the limiting member, the first slider and the second slider being able to move relative to the limiting member along the first direction, one end of the first slider being fixedly connected to the third connecting portion and the other end being rotatably connected to the first rotating member, one end of the second slider being fixedly connected to the fourth connecting portion and the other end being rotatably connected to the second rotating member.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the limiting member includes a first sliding part, a second sliding part, and a limiting part. The limiting part is connected between the first sliding part and the second sliding part. The third connecting part is slidably connected to the first sliding part, and the fourth connecting part is slidably connected to the second sliding part. The limiting part is used to restrict the movement of the third connecting part and the fourth connecting part in the first direction.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, the second driving component is connected to the clamping component, and the second driving component is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the first clamping member includes a third clamping portion and a third connecting portion connected to each other, and the second clamping member includes a fourth clamping portion and a fourth connecting portion connected to each other. The third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion extend along the first direction, and the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion extend along the fourth direction, which intersects the first direction.

[0020] The second drive assembly includes a second driver, a swing member, a second rotating shaft, a first connector, and a second connector. The second driver is provided with a second output end, which is capable of moving along the fourth direction. The two ends of the swing member are rotatably connected to the second output end and the second rotating shaft, respectively. One end of the first connector is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft, and the other end is fixedly connected to the third connector. One end of the second connector is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft, and the other end is fixedly connected to the fourth connector. The second output end is capable of driving the third clamping part and the fourth clamping part to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

[0021] The first driving component is rotatably connected to the third connecting part, and / or the first driving component is rotatably connected to the fourth connecting part, wherein the first driving component is capable of restricting the movement of the third connecting part and the fourth connecting part on the plane perpendicular to the first direction.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this application, the first driving assembly includes a first driver, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a limiting member, a first sliding member, and a second sliding member. The first driver has a first output end, which is capable of moving along the fourth direction. The two ends of the first rotating member are rotatably connected to the third connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The two ends of the second rotating member are rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The first sliding member and the second sliding member are slidably connected to the limiting member, and are capable of moving relative to the limiting member along the first direction. The first sliding member is located between the first connecting member and the third clamping portion. One end of the first sliding member is rotatably connected to the third connecting portion, and the other end is rotatably connected to the first rotating member. The first sliding member is capable of restricting the movement of the third connecting portion on the plane perpendicular to the first direction. The second sliding member is located between the second connecting member and the fourth clamping portion. One end of the second sliding member is rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion, and the other end is rotatably connected to the second rotating member. The second sliding member is capable of restricting the movement of the fourth connecting portion on the plane perpendicular to the first direction.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this application, the smoothing device further includes a third driving component, the third driving component being provided with a third output end, the third output end being movable along a fourth direction, the fourth direction intersecting the first direction, the clamping component and the first driving component being connected to the third output end, or the clamping component, the first driving component and the second driving component being connected to the third output end.

[0024] According to some embodiments of this application, the smoothing device further includes a fourth driving component, the fourth driving component having a fourth output terminal, the fourth output terminal being rotatable about a fourth direction, the fourth direction intersecting the first direction, the clamping component and the first driving component being connected to the fourth output terminal, or the clamping component, the first driving component and the second driving component being connected to the fourth output terminal.

[0025] Additional aspects and advantages of this application 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 this application. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the battery cell;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the battery cell;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the second embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the third embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the fifth embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the sixth embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a partial schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the seventh embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a partial schematic diagram of the dispensing device according to the eighth embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the intermediate block in the dispensing device according to the ninth embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 12This is a schematic diagram of the dispensing component and rotating component in a dispensing device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the smoothing device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Enlarged view of point a in the middle;

[0041] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the smoothing action of the smoothing device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of a smoothing device according to another embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of a leveling device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure label:

[0045] The components include: a sorting device 10, a smoothing device 20, a battery cell 30, a tab 31, a battery cell body 32, a bending part 33, and a conveying device 40.

[0046] Distributor mechanism 100, distributor component 110, vacuum nozzle 111, rotating component 120, first end 121, second end 122;

[0047] Drive mechanism 200, first drive component 210, connecting block 220, connecting hole 221, bracket 230, arc hole 231, intermediate block 240, first clamping part 241, second clamping part 242, first connecting part 243, second connecting part 244, through part 245, clamping block 250;

[0048] Positioning mechanism 300, main body 310, protrusion 320;

[0049] First rotating shaft 400;

[0050] Clamping assembly 500, first clamping member 510, third clamping part 511, third connecting part 512, second clamping member 520, fourth clamping part 521, and fourth connecting part 522;

[0051] First drive assembly 600, first driver 610, first output terminal 611, first rotating member 620, second rotating member 630, first sliding member 640, second sliding member 650, limiting member 660, first sliding part 661, second sliding part 662, limiting part 663;

[0052] Second drive assembly 700, second driver 710, second output terminal 711, swing member 720, second rotating shaft 730, first connector 740, second connector 750;

[0053] Third drive component 800, third output terminal 810;

[0054] Fourth drive component 900, fourth output terminal 910. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The embodiments of this application 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 this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0056] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application 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 limitations on this application.

[0057] In the description of this application, "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.

[0058] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0059] In the description of this application, 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 this application. 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.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1This diagram illustrates the stacked arrangement of multiple tabs 31 of the battery cell 30 after the electrode sheets are wound into a battery cell 30. These multiple tabs 31 form a tab group. Because the tabs 31 may bend during the winding process, such as at their corners, each tab 31 needs to be separated and smoothed out. In existing technology, separating the tabs 31 is mainly done manually. For details on how the tabs 31 are separated, please refer to... Figure 2 , Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a tab 31 being pried open. It should be noted that the tab 31 is made of thin metal and will not return to its original shape after being folded. Addressing the problems of manual smoothing in related technologies, which involves high labor intensity, high labor costs, low efficiency, and difficulty in guaranteeing quality, this application designs a leveling device. The leveling device includes a separating device and a smoothing device. The separating device separates individual tabs from a group of tabs, and the smoothing device smooths the separated tabs, thereby achieving mechanized leveling of the tabs.

[0061] The smoothing device and leveling equipment of this application according to the accompanying drawings are described below. It should be noted that in the drawings, the left-right direction represents the first direction, the front-back direction represents the fourth direction, and the up-down direction represents the fifth direction. Figure 15 The swing of the clamping component 500 is shown in the middle using dashed lines and arrows. Figure 16 and Figure 17 The center axis of rotation of the fourth output terminal 910 is shown by the dotted line.

[0062] Reference Figure 17 The leveling device according to an embodiment of this application includes a separating mechanism 10 and a smoothing mechanism 20. The separating mechanism 100 is used to separate individual tabs 31 in a group of tabs, and the smoothing mechanism 20 is used to smooth the individual tabs 31 separated by the separating mechanism 10. This application achieves mechanized leveling of the tabs 31 through the cooperation of the separating mechanism 10 and the smoothing mechanism 20.

[0063] Please refer to Figure 3In some embodiments, the separating device 10 includes a separating mechanism 100 and a driving mechanism 200. The separating mechanism 100 includes a separating element 110, and the driving mechanism 200 is connected to the separating element. The driving mechanism 200 is used to drive the separating element 110 to move, thereby separating individual tabs 31 in the tab group. The smoothing device 20 includes a clamping assembly 500, a first driving assembly 600, and a second driving assembly 700. The first driving assembly 600 is connected to the clamping assembly 500 and is used to drive the clamping assembly 500 to move in a first direction, so that the clamping assembly 500 can approach the tab 31 near the root of the cell body 32. The second driving assembly 700 is used to drive the clamping assembly 500 and the cell body 32 away from each other, so that the clamping assembly 500 can move from the root of the tab 31 to the end of the tab 31 away from the cell body 32.

[0064] First, the separating component 110 of the separating device 10 picks up a single tab 31 and, driven by the drive mechanism 200, moves the tab 31 to separate the single tab 31 from the tab group composed of multiple tabs 31. Then, the smoothing device 20 drives the clamping component 500 to approach the base of the tab 31 near the cell body 32 via the first drive component 600. Afterward, the second drive component 700 drives the clamping component 500 and the cell body 32 to move away from each other, so that the clamping component 500 can smooth the tab 31 from the base to the end of the tab 31 away from the cell body 32 in the direction of moving away from each other, so as to restore the bent part 33 of the tab 31.

[0065] Specifically, the clamping assembly 500 does not necessarily need to perform the clamping action on the tab 31 independently. For example, the clamping assembly 500 may include a support rod (not shown in the figure), which is located on the same side as the separating member 110. Since the separated tab 31 is subjected to the suction force of the separating member 110, when the support rod abuts against the tab 31, the tab 31 is also subjected to two forces in opposite directions. That is, the abutting force of the support rod is opposite to the suction force of the separating member 110, which can also play a similar role to clamping. Alternatively, the separating member 110 stops attracting after separating the tab 31 into place, and the deformation force of the support rod and the tab itself can also play a similar role to clamping, as long as the separating member 110 can smooth out the bent part.

[0066] In this embodiment, after the sorting device 10 completes the picking up and separating of the tab 31, the first drive component 600 drives the abutment rod close to the root of the tab 31. Subsequently, the second drive component 700 drives the abutment rod away from the cell body 32, thereby causing the drive rod to move from the root to the end relative to the tab 31, completing the smoothing of the bent portion 33. The abutment rod can directly abut against the tab 31 or be at a certain distance from it. The abutment rod only needs to be sufficient to smooth the bent portion 33 of the tab 31. On the other hand, in embodiments where the sorting component 110 and the abutment rod work together, it is necessary to control the relative position of the abutment rod and the sorting component 110 to avoid interference. This can be achieved through manual adjustment or other driving means, which will not be described in detail here.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the sorting device 10 includes a sorting mechanism 100 and a drive mechanism 200. The sorting mechanism 100 includes a sorting member 110 and a rotating member 120. The sorting member 110 is used to pick up the electrode tab 31, and the first end 121 of the rotating member 120 is connected to the sorting member 110. The drive mechanism 200 includes a first drive member 210 and a bracket 230. The first drive member 210 is connected to the bracket 230 and is also connected to the second end 122 of the rotating member 120. The first end 121 and the second end 122 refer to the two opposite ends of the rotating member 120, as detailed in the following references. Figure 3 The first driving member 210 is used to drive the second end 122 to make an arc-shaped movement relative to the bracket 230, so that the first end 121 drives the distributor 110 to rotate. For details, please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The dispensing mechanism 100's dispensing component 110 can pick up the tabs 31. The first end 121 of the rotating component 120 is connected to the dispensing component 110, and the second end 122 is connected to the first driving component 210. The first driving component 210 can drive the second end 122 to perform an arc-shaped movement relative to the support 230. When the second end 122 performs this arc-shaped movement, the first end 121 opposite to it can rotate, thereby driving the dispensing component 110 to rotate. Since the dispensing component 110 picks up the tabs 31, when the dispensing component 110 rotates, the tabs 31 can also rotate relative to their own base, achieving a page-turning effect. In this way, the dispensing device 10 can separate a single tab 31 from a group of tabs composed of multiple tabs 31, thus providing working space for the smoothing action of the smoothing device 20.

[0068] Reference Figures 13 to 17The smoothing device 20 includes a clamping assembly 500, a first driving assembly 600, and a second driving assembly 700. The clamping assembly 500 includes a first clamping member 510 and a second clamping member 520, which are disposed opposite to each other in a first direction. A space is provided between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to accommodate the tab 31 near the root of the cell body 32. The first driving assembly 600 is connected to the clamping assembly 500 and is used to drive the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to move relative to each other in the first direction, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to allow them to approach the root of the tab 31 that has been separated by the separating device. The second driving assembly 700 is used to drive the clamping assembly 500 and the cell body 32 away from each other. The first driving component 600 drives the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to perform a clamping action, which enables the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to clamp the base of the tab 31. Then, the second driving component 700 drives the clamping component 500 and the cell body 32 to move away from each other, so that the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can smooth the tab 31 from the base to the end of the tab 31 away from the cell body 32 in the direction of moving away from each other, so as to restore the bent part 33 of the tab 31.

[0069] The sorting device 10 and the smoothing device 20 can sort and smooth each tab 31 connected to the battery cell body 32, or they can be identified manually or by an image recognition system so that the smoothing device 20 only smooths the tabs 31 that are bent. It is understood that since the tabs 31 can be sorted, manual identification and identification by an image recognition system are easy to implement and easy to ensure identification accuracy.

[0070] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 17 The leveling equipment also includes a conveyor device 40, which can be a conveyor belt, to convey the battery cells 30 to be leveled to the corresponding positions of the sorting device 10 and the leveling device 20 for leveling. Multiple sorting devices 10 and leveling devices 20 can be arranged in the conveying direction of the conveyor device 40, with each sorting device 10 and leveling device 20 corresponding to one another, to level the tabs 31 of multiple battery cells 30, or to level the anode and cathode tabs of a single battery cell 30 sequentially. The conveyor device 40 can serve as a second drive component 700 of the leveling device 20, driving the movement of the battery cells 30 in the conveying direction to move the clamping component 500 away from the battery cell body 32.

[0071] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 13 and Figure 17 The first end 121 can drive the distributor 110 to move from a first position to a second position on a plane parallel to the first direction. See details [link / reference needed]. Figure 4 , Figure 4 The distributor 110 is in the first position, and in this first position, the distributor 110 picks up the tab 31. See details... Figure 5 , Figure 5 The distributor 110 is in the second position, and the electrode 31 is in the third position. The distributor 110, in the second position, distributes the electrode 31 to the third position. (Refer to...) Figure 13 and Figure 17 The first clamping member 510 is provided with a third clamping part 511, and the second clamping member 520 is provided with a fourth clamping part 521. There is a space between the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 for accommodating the base of the electrode 31 near the cell body 32. The third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 extend along a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 are used to smooth the electrode 31 located in a third position. By setting the posture and direction of the sorting device 10 and the smoothing device 20, the mutual cooperation between the sorting device 10 and the smoothing device 20 can be facilitated, ensuring the flattening of the electrode 31.

[0072] It should be noted that since the positions of each electrode 31 in the electrode group are different in the third direction, the third position of different electrodes 31 is different when sorting different electrodes 31. The second position of the sorting component 110 is adjusted according to the sorted electrodes 31 to avoid interference with the electrodes 31 of the previous sorting.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 It should be added that the first driving component 210 can be a cylinder or a linear motor. (See reference...) Figures 4 to 6 The rotating component 120 can be rod-shaped, and it is threadedly connected to the distributing component 110. When the distributing component 110 picks up the tab 31, the first driving component 210 drives the second end 122 of the rotating component 120 to move in an arc relative to the bracket 230, and the first end 121 can be rotated as the center of the arc. Specifically, when multiple tabs 31 are stacked, the tabs 31 are usually horizontal, as shown in the following figure. Figure 1 After the distributor 110 flips the electrode tab 31, the electrode tab 31 will form an angle with the horizontal plane. See reference [link / reference needed] for details. Figure 2 This angle is usually between 45 and 90 degrees. After each tab 31 is opened by the sorting device 10, the staff can observe whether the corners of the tab 31 are folded or bent.

[0074] The following describes how the second end 122 achieves its arc-shaped movement relative to the support 230. Please refer to... Figure 3 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 200 further includes an intermediate block 240. The support 230 is provided with an arc-shaped hole 231, the center of which is opposite to the first end 121 (i.e., the center of the arc-shaped hole 231 coincides with the endpoint of the first end 121). The arc-shaped hole 231 is arc-shaped on the support 230, and its curvature and length can be determined according to the length of the rotating member 120 and the angle at which the tab 31 needs to be flipped. The intermediate block 240 is slidably disposed in the arc-shaped hole 231, and its two ends are respectively connected to the first drive member 210 and the second end 122. The first drive member 210 is used to drive the intermediate block 240 to slide along the arc-shaped hole 231. Specifically, the first drive member 210 drives the intermediate block 240 to move. Since the middle part of the intermediate block 240 is disposed in the arc-shaped hole 231, the intermediate block 240 will move along the hole wall of the arc-shaped hole 231, thus performing an arc-shaped movement. Furthermore, because the intermediate block 240 is connected to the second end 122 of the rotating member 120, the second end 122 of the rotating member 120 can move in an arc shape relative to the bracket 230. It is conceivable that the arc length of the arc hole 231 is limited, which can play a limiting role and prevent the rotating member 120 from rotating too much and breaking the tab 31 when the first driving member 210 goes out of control.

[0075] Furthermore, when the first driving component 210 is a cylinder, cylinders are relatively inexpensive and can be used extensively. However, cylinders can only move linearly and cannot perform arc-shaped movements. Therefore, to achieve arc-shaped movements when the first driving component 210 is a cylinder, a connecting hole 221 can be provided in the connecting block 220. For details, please refer to... Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the first drive member 210 has a connecting block 220, which is movable along a second direction. The connecting block 220 has a connecting hole 221, and a portion of an intermediate block 240 is slidably disposed in the connecting hole 221. When the connecting block 220 moves linearly along the second direction, the intermediate block 240 slides along an arcuate hole 231, and the intermediate block 240 slides relative to the connecting block 220 along a third direction. Specifically, the connecting hole 221 has a profile extending along a third direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are coplanar to ensure smoothing after splitting. Please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 7This illustrates that before the tab 31 is folded, the intermediate block 240 is at the initial end of the arc-shaped hole 231. At this time, one end of the intermediate block 240 is located in the middle of the connecting hole 221. After the connecting block 220 drives the intermediate block 240 to move, the rotating component 120 and the distributing component 110 can fold the tab 31 at a certain angle. Please refer to... Figure 5 and Figure 8 At this time, the middle block 240 is located at one end of the connecting hole 221, slightly below the middle of the connecting hole 221. Through the linear movement of the connecting block 220 and the gradual downward or upward movement of the middle block 240 on the connecting hole 221 (the movement trajectory of the connecting block 240 is an arc), the arc-shaped movement of the rotating part 120 is finally achieved.

[0076] Furthermore, since one end of the intermediate block 240 is connected to the first driving member 210 and the other end is connected to the rotating member 120, and the intermediate block 240 passes through the arc-shaped hole 231, when the first driving member 210 drives one end of the intermediate block 240 to move, the other end of the intermediate block 240 may respond more slowly, resulting in one end of the intermediate block 240 remaining stationary while the other end moves. Therefore, this situation needs to be avoided. One method is to use a clamping part on the intermediate block 240 to clamp the bracket 230. Specifically, please refer to... Figure 9 and Figure 11 In some embodiments, the intermediate block 240 includes a first clamping portion 241, a second clamping portion 242, a first connecting portion 243, a second connecting portion 244, and a through portion 245. The two ends of the through portion 245 are respectively connected to the first clamping portion 241 and the second clamping portion 242. The first connecting portion 243 is connected to the side of the first clamping portion 241 opposite to the through portion 245, and the second connecting portion 244 is connected to the side of the second clamping portion 242 opposite to the through portion 245. The through portion 245 passes through the arc-shaped hole 231, the first connecting portion 243 is disposed in the connecting hole 221, and the second connecting portion 244 is connected to the rotating member 120. The first clamping portion 241 and the second clamping portion 242 are located on both sides of the bracket 230 and clamp the bracket 230. Thus, when the first connecting portion 243 is driven by the first driving member 210, the second connecting portion 244 can also move synchronously and drive the rotating member 120 to move. Furthermore, after the first clamping part 241 and the second clamping part 242 are respectively clamped on both sides of the bracket 230, they can assist the middle block 240 to slide more smoothly in the arc-shaped hole 231. The clamping of the bracket 230 by the first clamping part 241 and the second clamping part 242 can be referred to as follows: Figure 6 .

[0077] Furthermore, to ensure smoother movement of the rotating component 120 when it moves in an arc relative to the support 230, multiple arc-shaped holes 231 and intermediate blocks 240 can be provided. For details, please refer to... Figure 7 In some embodiments, multiple arc-shaped holes 231 and intermediate blocks 240 are provided. Each intermediate block 240 has a rotating member 120 and a first driving member 210 connected to its two ends, respectively. Multiple arc-shaped holes 231 are spaced apart, and each intermediate block 240 is slidably disposed within one arc-shaped hole 231. Along the direction away from the tab 31, the arc length of each arc-shaped hole 231 gradually increases, and the projection of the shorter arc-shaped hole 231 falls within the projection of the longer arc-shaped hole 231. Taking two arc-shaped holes 231 and two intermediate blocks 240 as an example, of the two arc-shaped holes 231, one arc-shaped hole 231 has a longer arc length, and the other arc-shaped hole 231 has a shorter arc length. The distance between the longer arc-shaped hole 231 and the tab 31 is greater than the distance between the shorter arc-shaped hole 231 and the tab 31. Only in this way can the same arc of movement of the two intermediate blocks 240 be guaranteed when the two intermediate blocks 240 move in the two arc holes 231 respectively, so that the two intermediate blocks 240 can jointly drive the rotating part 120 to move.

[0078] The above mentioned method uses the connecting block 220 to cause the intermediate block 240 to drive the rotating component 120 in an arc-shaped motion. Additionally, there is another method where the first rotating shaft 400 rotates to drive the rotating component 120 in an arc-shaped motion. For details, please refer to... Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 200 further includes a first rotating shaft 400. The two ends of the first rotating shaft 400 are respectively connected to a first driving member 210 and an intermediate block 240. The first driving member 210 drives the first rotating shaft 400 to rotate, causing the intermediate block 240 to rotate within the arc-shaped hole 231. The first rotating shaft 400 can be disposed opposite to the rotating member 120; that is, along the radial direction of the first rotating shaft 400, the projection of the first rotating shaft 400 overlaps with the projection of the rotating member 120, or the projection of the first rotating shaft 400 falls on the projection of the rotating member 120. The first rotating shaft 400 and the rotating member 120 are located on opposite sides of the bracket 230. When the first driving member 210 drives the first rotating shaft 400 to rotate, one end of the first rotating shaft 400 moves in an arc with the connection point between the first driving member 210 and the first rotating shaft 400 as the arc center, causing the other end of the first rotating shaft 400 to perform an arc-shaped movement. The first rotating shaft 400 drives the intermediate block 240 to make an arc-shaped movement in the arc-shaped hole 231, which in turn causes the second end 122 to make an arc-shaped movement. When the second end 122 makes an arc-shaped movement, the first end 121 is connected to the distributor 110, which can flip the tab 31, making it convenient for staff to check the condition of the tab 31.

[0079] In some embodiments, when the rotating member 120 makes an arc-shaped movement, the movement amplitude of the second end 122 is greater than that of the first end 121. It is conceivable that when the movement amplitude of the second end 122 is greater than that of the first end 121, even if the arc-shaped movement trajectory of the second end 122 is large, the rotation of the first end 121 will be smaller, thus protecting the tab 31 from being broken.

[0080] Furthermore, the following describes how the distributor 110 draws in the electrode 31. For details, please refer to... Figure 12 In some embodiments, the sorting component 110 includes a vacuum nozzle 111. The vacuum nozzle 111 is used to pick up the tabs 31, and a vacuum pump is used to connect to the vacuum nozzle 111 and evacuate air. The vacuum nozzle 111 is shaped like a flat cone. The material of the vacuum nozzle 111 can be rubber. The vacuum nozzle 111 is connected to a vacuum pump, such as a vacuum pump, via a pipeline. During operation, the vacuum pump extracts the gas between the vacuum nozzle 111 and the surface of the tab 31, creating a negative pressure in the space between the vacuum nozzle 111 and the surface of the tab 31, thereby causing the vacuum nozzle 111 to firmly adhere to the surface of the tab 31. It can also cause the tab 31 to fold. The vacuum nozzle 111 can complete the entire transport process without damaging the product or raw materials; therefore, the vacuum nozzle 111 is unlikely to damage the tab 31 during the folding process. Furthermore, it is conceivable that when the vacuum nozzle 111 picks up the tab 31, the middle position of the vacuum nozzle 111 and the tab 31 is in contact. In addition, the vacuum nozzle 111 and the air pump have a relatively simple structure and low operating cost.

[0081] Furthermore, before the vacuum nozzle 111 picks up the tab 31, the rotating member 120 and the separating member 110 can be positioned above the tab 31, and then the rotating member 120 is moved downwards, so that the vacuum nozzle 111 and the surface of the tab 31 come into contact. After the separating device 10 flips one tab 31, it needs to fold the next tab 31. At this time, the vacuum nozzle 111 releases the previous tab 31, moves upwards, and then positions itself above the next tab 31. The vacuum nozzle 111 then moves downwards to contact the tab 31. Therefore, in some embodiments, the two ends of the rotating member 120 along its own length direction are a first end 121 and a second end 122, respectively. The rotating member 120 can move relative to the intermediate block 240 along its length direction, so that the first end 121 moves away from or closer to the tab 31.

[0082] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the drive mechanism 200 further includes a second drive member for driving the rotating member 120 to move along its own length direction so that the first end 121 moves away from or closer to the tab 31.

[0083] Furthermore, the specific structure for the second driving member to drive the second end 122 to move can be as follows: In some embodiments, the rotating member 120 passes through the intermediate block 240, and the second end 122 is connected to the second driving member. The second driving member is used to drive the second end 122 to move relative to the intermediate block 240 in a direction from the first end 121 to the second end 122, so that the first end 121 moves away from or closer to the tab 31. The second driving member is disposed on the top of the intermediate block 240, and the rotating member 120 passes through the intermediate block 240 and is connected to the second driving member. The second driving member can be a cylinder, thereby driving the rotating member 120 to rise and fall.

[0084] It should be noted that, in addition to the aforementioned drive mechanism 200, a second drive component can be provided, which can drive the rotating component 120 to move closer to or away from the tab 31. Alternatively, the distributing component 110 and the rotating component 120 can be connected by threads. Through this threaded connection, the distributing component 110 can be raised or lowered relative to the rotating component 120.

[0085] In addition to the aforementioned drive mechanism 200, a second drive member can be provided, which can drive the rotating member 120 to move closer to or further away from the tab 31. In some embodiments, the rotating member 120 is threadedly connected to the intermediate block 240, and the rotating member 120 rotates about its own central axis to move along its length. This method can also achieve the movement of the dispensing member 110 closer to or further away from the tab 31. Specifically, the rotating member 120 is threadedly connected to the intermediate block 240. Thus, rotating the rotating member 120 can control the rotating member 120 and the dispensing member 110 to move closer to or further away from the tab 31.

[0086] Further, please refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, the sorting device 10 further includes a positioning mechanism 300, which is used to place and position the battery cell 30. The positioning mechanism 300 is located below the bracket 230. The positioning mechanism 300 can be a base, which includes a body portion 310 and a protrusion 320. The protrusion 320 connects to the body portion 310 and protrudes to form a groove. The size of the groove can be equal to the size of the battery cell 30, so that the battery cell 30 can be placed exactly in the groove. After the battery cell 30 is placed on the positioning mechanism 300, the positioning facilitates the sorting component 110 to separate the stacked tabs 31.

[0087] In some embodiments of the smoothing device, the first drive assembly 600 can be selected as a conventional finger cylinder in the art. The first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 are respectively connected to the piston rod of the finger cylinder to realize the parallel approach and distance of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 in a first direction, thereby realizing the clamping action and the release operation. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the first driver 610 can be configured as two motors, with the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 respectively connected to one motor. The motors can respectively drive the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to rotate around an axis, so that the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can move closer to each other in a first direction through rotation. It is understandable that when the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 perform the clamping action, they can abut against both sides of the electrode tab 31 to clamp the electrode tab 31. Alternatively, the first clamping member 510 and / or the second clamping member 520 can also have a certain gap with the electrode tab 31, as long as they can abut against the bent part 33 of the electrode tab 31 to achieve smoothing.

[0088] The second drive assembly 700 can be connected to the battery cell 30 or to the clamping assembly 500 to achieve mutual separation between the clamping assembly 500 and the battery cell body 32, allowing the clamping assembly 500 to smooth the battery cell from the root to the end of the tab 31. The second drive assembly 700 can be selected from conventional linear motors, drive rods, torsional motors, etc., as long as they can achieve mutual separation between the battery cell body 32 and the clamping assembly 500.

[0089] The first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can be configured as a rectangular block, a wedge block, or other shapes that facilitate clamping. See details. Figure 13 and Figure 15 In some embodiments, the cross-section of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 is circular or elliptical, so that the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can extend into a strip cylinder, so that the contact surface between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 and the tab 31 is smooth, reducing the possibility of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 damaging the tab 31.

[0090] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14In some embodiments, the first driving assembly 600 includes a first driver 610, a limiting member 660, a first rotating member 620, and a second rotating member 630. The first driver 610 is provided with a first output terminal 611, which is movable along a fourth direction, intersecting the first direction. The first clamping member 510 includes a third clamping portion 511 and a third connecting portion 512 connected to each other. The second clamping member 520 includes a fourth clamping portion 521 and a fourth connecting portion 522 connected to each other. The third clamping portion 511 and the fourth clamping portion 521 extend along the fourth direction, and the third connecting portion 512 and the fourth connecting portion 522 extend along the first direction. The two ends of the first rotating member 620 are rotatably connected to the third connecting portion 512 and the first output terminal 611, respectively. The two ends of the second rotating member 630 are rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion 522 and the first output terminal 611, respectively. The third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 are slidably connected to the limiting member 660, and the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 can move relative to the limiting member 660 in a first direction. Through the cooperation of the first driver 610, the limiting member 660, the first rotating member 620, the second rotating member 630 and the limiting member 660, the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 can be driven to move closer and further apart by a single first driver 610.

[0091] Specifically, the first rotating member 620 is located between the first output end 611 and the third clamping part 511, and the second rotating member 630 is located between the first output end 611 and the fourth clamping part 521. The rotation axis of the first rotating member 620 relative to the first output end 611 and the rotation axis of the first rotating member 620 relative to the third connecting part 512 are both parallel to the fifth direction. The rotation axis of the second rotating member 630 relative to the first output end 611 and the rotation axis of the second rotating member 630 relative to the fourth connecting part 522 are both parallel to the fifth direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and also perpendicular to the fourth direction.

[0092] The following is the specific process by which the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 perform the clamping action: the first output end 611 retracts backward and moves in the fourth direction away from the first clamping member 510. Driven by the first output end 611, the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 tend to move in the fourth direction away from the first clamping member 510. Since the limiting member 660 restricts the movement of the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522, the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 can only move in the first direction. Since the two ends of the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 are rotatably connected, the force applied by the first output end 611 in the fourth direction will be partially converted into a force in the first direction. The first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 change from a state of mutual inclination to gradually becoming parallel to each other. The third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 gradually approach each other under the drive of the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630, realizing the clamping operation.

[0093] The specific processes of the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 are the same as the specific process of realizing the clamping action. It is only necessary to make the first output end 611 extend forward and move in the fourth direction along the direction close to the first clamping member 510.

[0094] Further details can be found by referring to [the relevant documentation]. Figure 14 The limiting member 660 includes a first sliding portion 661, a second sliding portion 662, and a limiting portion 663. The limiting portion 663 is connected between the first sliding portion 661 and the second sliding portion 662. A third connecting portion 512 is slidably connected to the first sliding portion 661, and a fourth connecting portion 522 is slidably connected to the second sliding portion 662, so as to realize the relative movement of the third connecting portion 512 and the fourth connecting portion 522 in a first direction. The limiting portion 663 is used to restrict the movement of the third connecting portion 512 and the fourth connecting portion 522 in the first direction, so as to control the distance between the third clamping portion 511 and the fourth clamping portion 521 and prevent the third clamping portion 511 and the fourth clamping portion 521 from being over-clamped. Furthermore, the limiting part 663 can control the posture of the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630, such that the distance between the end of the first rotating member 620 connected to the first output terminal 611 and the end of the second rotating member 630 connected to the first output terminal 611 is smaller than the distance between the end of the first rotating member 620 connected to the third connecting part 512 and the end of the second rotating member 630 connected to the second connecting member 750, so that the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 are in the following position: Figure 14 The figure-eight shape shown is to prevent the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 from moving to a parallel state, which would cause the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 to be locked due to the restriction of the limiting member 660 when the first output end 611 extends.

[0095] Specifically, in this embodiment, the two sides of the limiting part 663 can respectively abut against the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522. The sliding connection between the limiting member 660 and the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 can be achieved through the cooperation of a hole-shaft structure. That is, the first sliding part 661 is provided with one of the hole structure or shaft structure, and the third connecting part 512 is provided with the other hole structure or shaft structure. Similarly, the second sliding part 662 is provided with one of the hole structure or shaft structure, and the fourth connecting part 522 is provided with the other hole structure or shaft structure.

[0096] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 As an improvement to the above solution, the first drive assembly 600 further includes a first slider 640 and a second slider 650. The first slider 640 and the second slider 650 are slidably connected to the limiting member 660, respectively. The first slider 640 and the second slider 650 are capable of moving relative to the limiting member 660 in a first direction. One end of the first slider 640 is fixedly connected to the third connecting part 512, and the other end is rotatably connected to the first rotating member 620. One end of the second slider 650 is fixedly connected to the fourth connecting part 522, and the other end is rotatably connected to the second rotating member 630. By using the first slider 640 as the connection structure between the third connecting part 512 and the first rotating member 620, and by using the second slider 650 as the connection structure between the fourth connecting part 522 and the second rotating member 630, the connection structure can be optimized, reducing the structural requirements of the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522, and providing enhanced structural strength.

[0097] Specifically, to facilitate the clamping operation of the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 on the tab 31 and reduce the positioning difficulty, the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 are usually made thinner. The third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 are usually formed by bending, so that the first clamping member 510 is formed into the third connecting part 512 and the third clamping part 511, and the second clamping member 520 is formed into the fourth connecting part 522 and the fourth clamping part 521. If the third connecting part 512 needs to achieve a sliding connection with the limiting member 660 and a rotational connection with the first rotating member 620, the connection difficulty is high. Similarly, the connection difficulty of the fourth connecting part 522 will also be high, and the structural strength of the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 is also limited. Therefore, by setting the first slider 640 and the second slider 650 as intermediate connecting parts, it is easier to connect and the connection difficulty is reduced. In addition, the materials and volume of the first slider 640 and the second slider 650 are easier to adjust, which can further enhance the structural strength.

[0098] Based on this embodiment, the limiting member 660 may also be provided with a limiting part 663. In this case, the two sides of the limiting part 663 abut against the first sliding member 640 and the second sliding member 650 respectively, so as to adjust the distance between the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 in the first direction, and to adjust the posture of the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630, so that the first rotating member 620 and the second rotating member 630 are maintained in a figure-eight shape.

[0099] Reference Figures 13 to 15 In some embodiments, the second drive assembly 700 is connected to the clamping assembly 500, and the second drive assembly 700 is used to drive the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. Since the bending of the tab 31 usually occurs at the corner, that is, a triangular fold is often formed at the bending part 33, if the clamping assembly 500 smooths the bending part 33 by translating in the up and down direction, the bending part of the tab 31 is prone to breakage and damage. However, smoothing by swinging can further mimic the operation of a human hand smoothing along the bending direction of the bending part 33, which can further reduce the probability of damage to the tab 31 during smoothing and ensure the yield of the battery cell.

[0100] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 In some embodiments, the second drive assembly 700 includes a second driver 710 and a sliding rod (not shown in the figure). The sliding rod includes a third sliding portion and a fourth sliding portion. The third sliding portion is slidably connected to the fourth sliding portion. A first clamping member 510 is fixedly connected to the third sliding portion, and a second clamping member 520 is fixedly connected to the fourth sliding portion. The first drive assembly 600 includes a first driver 610. The first driver 610 is connected to the sliding rod and is used to drive the third sliding portion to move relative to the fourth sliding portion in a first direction.

[0101] The second driver 710 is connected to the sliding rod and is used to drive the sliding rod to rotate. Through the cooperation of the first driver 610 and the sliding rod, the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can move relative to each other in a first direction. Furthermore, through the cooperation of the second driver 710 and the driving rod, the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can rotate around the sliding rod, so that the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can swing. Through the swinging action, a smoothing operation can be performed from the root to the end of the tab 31.

[0102] Specifically, the cooperation between the sliding rod and the first driver 610 enables relative movement between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 in a first direction. The first driver 610 can be connected to the first sliding part 661, and the second sliding part 662 is relatively fixed in position in the first direction. The first driver 610 drives the first sliding part 661 to move, thus moving the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 closer or further apart. Similarly, the first driver 610 can be connected to the second sliding part 662, and the first sliding part 661 is relatively fixed in position in the first direction. The second driver 710 can be a torsional motor, allowing the driving rod to rotate around its axis, thereby causing the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 to swing.

[0103] It is understandable that when the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 swing, although the distance between the rotating shaft and the cell body 32 remains relatively constant, the distance between the swinging part and the cell body 32 can change. Therefore, in this application, in addition to the separation movement between the clamping assembly 500 as a whole and the cell body 32 being considered as moving away from each other, the swinging of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 should also be considered as the mutual separation between the clamping assembly 500 and the cell body 32.

[0104] Reference Figures 13 to 15In some embodiments, the first clamping member 510 includes a third clamping portion 511 and a third connecting portion 512 connected to each other, and the second clamping member 520 includes a fourth clamping portion 521 and a fourth connecting portion 522 connected to each other, the third connecting portion 512 and the fourth connecting portion 522 extending along a first direction, and the third clamping portion 511 and the fourth clamping portion 521 extending along a fourth direction. The second drive assembly 700 includes a second driver 710, a swing member 720, a second rotating shaft 730, a first connector 740, and a second connector 750. The second driver 710 is provided with a second output end 711, which is capable of moving along a fourth direction. The two ends of the swing member 720 are rotatably connected to the second output end 711 and the second rotating shaft 730, respectively. One end of the first connector 740 is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 730, and the other end is fixedly connected to the third connecting part 512. One end of the second connector 750 is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 730, and the other end is fixedly connected to the fourth connecting part 522. The second output end 711 can drive the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. The first drive assembly 600 is rotatably connected to the third connecting portion 512, and / or the first drive assembly 600 is rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion 522. The first drive assembly 600 can restrict the movement of the third connecting portion 512 and the fourth connecting portion 522 on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. Through the cooperation of the second driver 710, the swing member 720, the second rotating shaft 730, the first connecting member 740, the second connecting member 750, and the first drive assembly 600, the swinging action of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can be realized. Through the swinging action, the smoothing operation from the root to the end of the tab 31 can be realized.

[0105] It should be noted that, under the constraint of the first drive assembly 600, the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 can only move along the first direction and rotate around the axis.

[0106] Specifically, the second rotating shaft 730, the swing member 720, and the second output end 711 are connected sequentially in the fourth direction. The swing member 720, the first connecting member 740, and the second connecting member 750 are arranged sequentially in the first direction, and the rotation axes at the rotational connections at both ends of the swing member 720 are both axially in the first direction. The first drive assembly 600 can be a telescopic rod. Since the first drive assembly 600 has a self-locking function, when the first drive assembly 600 self-locks, for example, when the telescopic rod is locked, the movement of the corresponding connected third connecting part 512 or fourth connecting part 522 on a plane perpendicular to the first direction can be limited. The self-locking function of the first drive assembly 600 can be easily implemented using existing technology, and will not be elaborated here.

[0107] The following is a detailed process of how the second output end 711 drives the clamping assembly 500 to achieve a swinging motion: The second output end 711 retracts backward, and the swing member 720, driven by the second output end 711, tends to move along the fourth direction. Since the movement of the third connecting part 512 and the fourth connecting part 522 on the plane perpendicular to the first direction is restricted by the first driving assembly 600, and both ends of the swing member 720 are rotatably connected to the second output end 711 and the second rotating shaft 730 respectively, the swing member 720 performs a rotational swinging motion. The movement causes the first connector 740 to rotate around the third connector 512 and the second connector 750 to rotate around the fourth connector 522. Since the third connector 512 and the fourth connector 522 are fixedly connected to the first connector 740 and the second connector 750 respectively, the third connector 512 and the fourth connector 522 rotate around the axis under the drive of the first connector 740 and the second connector 750, thereby realizing the swinging action of the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521, and smoothing the tab 31.

[0108] The principle of the second output terminal 711 driving the clamping component 500 to swing and reset is the same; it can be achieved simply by having the second driver 710 extend forward.

[0109] It should be noted that, referring to Figure 15 The clamping component 500, shown by a solid line, is in its initial position, i.e., its position before it swings. The clamping component 500, shown by a dashed line, is in its swing position after it begins to swing. See details... Figure 13 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 The second driver 710 is essentially capable of driving the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 from... Figure 15 The initial position of the clamping part 511 or the fourth clamping part 521 can swing upwards to smooth the bend of the tab 31, or it can swing downwards to smooth the bend of the tab 31. Only the relative position of the tab 31 and the smoothing device 20 needs to be adjusted. For example, [the text abruptly ends here]. Figure 15 If the tab 31 is rotated 180 degrees, the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 should swing downwards to smooth it out.

[0110] Furthermore, based on this embodiment, the first driving assembly 600 includes a first driver 610, a first rotating member 620, a second rotating member 630, a limiting member 660, a first sliding member 640, and a second sliding member 650. The first driver 610 is provided with a first output terminal 611. The principle of achieving relative movement between the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 in the first direction through the cooperation of the first output terminal 611, the first rotating member 620, the second rotating member 630, the limiting member 660, the first sliding member 640, and the second sliding member 650 is the same as that in the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here. The first sliding member 640 is located between the first connecting member 740 and the third clamping part 511, and the second sliding member 650 is located between the second connecting member 750 and the fourth clamping part 521. The first slider 640 drives the third clamping part 511 to move in the first direction by abutting against the third clamping part 511 and the first connecting member 740. The second slider 650 drives the fourth clamping part 521 to move in the first direction by abutting against the fourth clamping part 521 and the second connecting member 750. Furthermore, since the oscillation of the third clamping part 511 and the fourth clamping part 521 is required, the first slider 640 is rotatably connected to the third connecting part 512, and the second slider 650 is rotatably connected to the fourth connecting part 522. The oscillation of the third clamping part 511 and the oscillation of the fourth clamping part 521 are controlled by the second output end 711 and related mating structures, thus preventing random oscillation.

[0111] Through the cooperation of the first drive component 600 and the second drive component 700 in this embodiment, the first output terminal 611 of the first driver 610 and the second output terminal 711 of the second driver 710 can both move along the fourth direction to realize the clamping action and swinging action of the clamping component 500. On the basis of realizing the smoothing operation of the tab 31, the structural configuration of the smoothing device 20 is optimized, making the structure of the smoothing device 20 more compact, and the structure of each component is simple, making it easy to control costs.

[0112] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 16In some embodiments, the smoothing device 20 further includes a third drive component 800, which is provided with a third output terminal 810. The third output terminal 810 is movable in a fourth direction. The clamping component 500 and the first drive component 600 are both connected to the third output terminal 810. By moving the third output terminal 810 of the third drive component 800, the position of the clamping component 500 and the first drive component 600 as a whole in the fourth direction can be adjusted so that the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 can move in the fourth direction. This allows the root of the tab 31 to be aligned between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 in the first direction, and then it can move in the fourth direction to make the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 in place. This optimizes the action of the clamping component 500 and reduces the positioning difficulty, thereby reducing unnecessary interference between the clamping component 500 and the tab 31.

[0113] In one embodiment where the second drive component 700 is connected to the clamping component 500, the second drive component 700 is also connected to the third output terminal 810 to ensure that the function of the second drive component 700 is properly realized.

[0114] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 16 In some embodiments, the smoothing device 20 further includes a fourth drive assembly 900, which has a fourth output terminal 910. The fourth output terminal 910 is rotatable around a fourth direction. The clamping assembly 500 and the first drive assembly 600 are both connected to the fourth output terminal 910. Through the fourth output terminal 910, the clamping assembly 500 and the first drive assembly 600 can swing around the fourth direction to further adjust the position and orientation of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520, improve the positioning accuracy of the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520, and ensure that the end of the tab 31 is located between the first clamping member 510 and the second clamping member 520 in the first direction.

[0115] In one embodiment where the second drive component 700 is connected to the clamping component 500, the second drive component 700 is also connected to the fourth output terminal 910 to ensure that the function of the second drive component 700 is properly realized.

[0116] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A leveling device for leveling the tabs connected to the battery cell body, characterized in that, include: The sorting device includes a sorting mechanism and a driving mechanism. The sorting mechanism includes a sorting component for picking up electrode tabs. The driving mechanism is connected to the sorting component. Multiple electrode tabs are stacked to form an electrode tab group. The driving mechanism is used to drive the sorting component to move in order to separate individual electrode tabs in the electrode tab group. The smoothing device includes a clamping assembly, a first driving assembly, and a second driving assembly. The clamping assembly is used to hold a single tab separated by the sorting device. The first driving assembly is connected to the clamping assembly and is used to drive the clamping assembly to move in a first direction so that the clamping assembly can approach the tab near the root of the cell body. The second driving assembly is used to drive the clamping assembly and the cell body away from each other so that the clamping assembly can move from the root of the tab to the end of the tab away from the cell body.

2. The leveling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dispensing mechanism further includes a rotating component, the first end of which is connected to the dispensing component; the driving mechanism includes a first driving component and a bracket, the first driving component is connected to the bracket, and the first driving component is also connected to the second end of the rotating component. The first driving component is used to drive the second end to make an arc-shaped movement relative to the bracket, so that the first end drives the dispensing component to rotate.

3. The leveling equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driving mechanism further includes an intermediate block. The bracket is provided with an arc-shaped hole. The intermediate block is slidably disposed in the arc-shaped hole, and the two ends of the intermediate block are respectively connected to the first driving member and the second end. The first driving member is used to drive the intermediate block to slide along the arc-shaped hole.

4. The leveling equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Multiple arc-shaped holes and intermediate blocks are provided, with the multiple arc-shaped holes spaced apart. Each intermediate block is slidably disposed in one of the arc-shaped holes. Along the direction away from the electrode tab, the arc length of each arc-shaped hole gradually increases, and the projection of the arc-shaped hole with the shorter arc length falls within the projection of the arc-shaped hole with the longer arc length.

5. The leveling equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first driving member has a connecting block with a connecting hole. A portion of the intermediate block is slidably disposed in the connecting hole. When the connecting block moves linearly along a second direction, the intermediate block slides along the arc-shaped hole and slides relative to the connecting block along a third direction. The second direction and the third direction are perpendicular, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are coplanar.

6. The leveling equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The intermediate block includes a first clamping part, a second clamping part, a first connecting part, a second connecting part, and a through part. The two ends of the through part are respectively connected to the first clamping part and the second clamping part. The first connecting part is connected to the side of the first clamping part away from the through part, and the second connecting part is connected to the side of the second clamping part away from the through part. The through part passes through the arc-shaped hole, the first connecting part is disposed in the connecting hole, and the second connecting part is connected to the rotating member. The first clamping part and the second clamping part are respectively located on both sides of the bracket and clamp the bracket.

7. The leveling equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end can drive the separating member to move from a first position to a second position on a plane parallel to the first direction. The separating member in the first position picks up the tab, and the separating member in the second position separates the tab to a third position. The clamping assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member. The first clamping member and the second clamping member are arranged opposite to each other in a first direction. The first clamping member is provided with a third clamping part, and the second clamping member is provided with a fourth clamping part. There is a space between the third clamping part and the fourth clamping part for accommodating the root of the tab near the cell body. The third clamping part and the fourth clamping part extend along a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The third clamping part and the fourth clamping part are used to smooth the tab located in the third position.

8. The leveling equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The clamping assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are disposed opposite to each other in a first direction, and there is a space between the first clamping member and the second clamping member for accommodating the root of the electrode near the cell body; The first driving component is connected to the clamping component and is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to move relative to each other in the first direction, so as to increase or decrease the distance between the first clamping member and the second clamping member; the second driving component is used to drive the clamping component and the cell body to move away from each other, so that the first clamping member and the second clamping member can move from the root of the tab to the end of the tab away from the cell body.

9. The leveling equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first driving component includes a first driver, a limiting member, a first rotating member, and a second rotating member. The first driver is provided with a first output end, which is capable of moving along a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The first clamping member includes a third clamping portion and a third connecting portion connected to each other. The second clamping member includes a fourth clamping portion and a fourth connecting portion connected to each other. The third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion extend along the fourth direction, and the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion extend along the first direction. The two ends of the first rotating member are rotatably connected to the third connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The two ends of the second rotating member are rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion are slidably connected to the limiting member, and the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion are capable of moving relative to the limiting member along the first direction.

10. The leveling equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first driving component further includes a first slider and a second slider, which are slidably connected to the limiting member. The first slider and the second slider are capable of moving relative to the limiting member along the first direction. One end of the first slider is fixedly connected to the third connecting part and the other end is rotatably connected to the first rotating member. One end of the second slider is fixedly connected to the fourth connecting part and the other end is rotatably connected to the second rotating member.

11. The leveling equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The limiting member includes a first sliding part, a second sliding part, and a limiting part. The limiting part is connected between the first sliding part and the second sliding part. The third connecting part is slidably connected to the first sliding part, and the fourth connecting part is slidably connected to the second sliding part. The limiting part is used to restrict the movement of the third connecting part and the fourth connecting part in the first direction.

12. The leveling equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second drive component is connected to the clamping component, and the second drive component is used to drive the first clamping member and the second clamping member to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

13. The leveling equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first clamping member includes a third clamping portion and a third connecting portion connected to each other, and the second clamping member includes a fourth clamping portion and a fourth connecting portion connected to each other. The third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion extend along the first direction, and the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion extend along the fourth direction, which intersects the first direction. The second drive assembly includes a second driver, a swing member, a second rotating shaft, a first connector, and a second connector. The second driver is provided with a second output end, which is capable of moving along the fourth direction. The two ends of the swing member are rotatably connected to the second output end and the second rotating shaft, respectively. One end of the first connector is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft, and the other end is fixedly connected to the third connector. One end of the second connector is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft, and the other end is fixedly connected to the fourth connector. The second output end is capable of driving the third clamping part and the fourth clamping part to swing on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. The first driving component is rotatably connected to the third connecting portion, and / or the first driving component is rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion. The first driving component is capable of restricting the movement of the third connecting portion and the fourth connecting portion on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

14. The leveling equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first driving assembly includes a first driver, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a limiting member, a first sliding member, and a second sliding member. The first driver has a first output end, which is capable of moving along the fourth direction. The two ends of the first rotating member are rotatably connected to the third connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The two ends of the second rotating member are rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion and the first output end, respectively. The first sliding member and the second sliding member are slidably connected to the limiting member, and are capable of moving relative to the limiting member along the first direction. The first sliding member is located between the first connecting member and the third clamping portion, with one end rotatably connected to the third connecting portion and the other end rotatably connected to the first rotating member. The first sliding member can restrict the movement of the third connecting portion on a plane perpendicular to the first direction. The second sliding member is located between the second connecting member and the fourth clamping portion, with one end rotatably connected to the fourth connecting portion and the other end rotatably connected to the second rotating member. The second sliding member can restrict the movement of the fourth connecting portion on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

15. The leveling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The smoothing device further includes a third driving component, which has a third output end. The third output end is capable of moving along a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The clamping component and the first driving component are both connected to the third output end, or the clamping component, the first driving component, and the second driving component are all connected to the third output end.

16. The leveling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The smoothing device further includes a fourth driving component, which has a fourth output end. The fourth output end is capable of rotating around a fourth direction, which intersects with the first direction. The clamping component and the first driving component are both connected to the fourth output end, or the clamping component, the first driving component, and the second driving component are all connected to the fourth output end.

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