A pre-spot welding cutting machine for power battery tabs

Abstract

The application relates to a pre-spot welding and cutting machine for power battery tabs, which comprises a three-axis mechanical hand welding system, a battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism, a machine base, a pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism, a pressing plate mechanism and a visual detection system. The battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism is used for feeding a battery cell stacking unit to a working position and feeding the battery cell stacking unit to a discharging position after work is completed. The visual detection system is used for addressing tab positions. The pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism is used for shaping and cutting tabs. The three-axis mechanical hand welding system is used for welding the shaped and cut tabs. Compared with the prior art, the pre-spot welding and cutting machine has the advantages that the battery cell stacking unit after pre-spot welding and cutting is convenient to pass through busbar slot holes, the tab edge is neat after bending, the subsequent tab welding center weld joint is guided conveniently, the flexibility is high, the safety is high, and maintenance and repair are convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tab cutting machine, and more particularly to a pre-spot welding cutting machine for power battery tabs. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the fields of pouch power batteries and solid-state batteries, multiple formulations (such as 2P / 3P / 4P) are often used to meet different operating conditions (power density, size, energy dissipation, etc.). With technological iteration and the pursuit of cost reduction and efficiency improvement, product structures have been improved, often requiring multiple 2P / 3P / 4P electrode sheets to pass through the same busbar, followed by cutting, bending, rolling, and welding. During the cutting process of multiple electrode sheets, it is necessary to simultaneously consider the impact of different cell thicknesses, the positioning analysis of multiple cells, the warpage of the electrode sheets after cutting, the impact of cutting blade life, and the analysis of flexible switching of stacking formulations.

[0003] Currently, there are two common practices. The first involves automatically stacking battery cells into modules according to a preset formula, then placing them in a pressure-holding tray. The tray is then transferred to a manual station where workers use a comb to straighten the tabs, ensuring they converge so they can pass through the busbar slots. This method is characterized by high flexibility and compatibility with different formulas. However, it has disadvantages: it requires significant manual labor, and for stacks of 3P or more, the tabs are relatively stiff and difficult to pass through the busbar slots. Furthermore, the production line needs to be equipped with multiple manual workstations.

[0004] Secondly, the battery cells are stacked into small units (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) according to a preset formula, and the tabs are pre-folded and cut. Then, they are passed through the busbar and bent, rolled, and welded. The advantages of this method are that the small stacked units (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) are easy to position, highly flexible, and highly automated. The disadvantages are: after the small stacked units (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) are pre-folded and cut, the electrode sheets have varying degrees of inconsistent rebound. This causes the electrode sheets formed on the busbar after passing through the busbar slots and bending the tabs to be misaligned, making it difficult to find the welding center line when welding the tabs in subsequent stations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a pre-spot welding and cutting machine for power battery tabs. After the pre-spot welding and cutting of the battery cell stacking units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) by this invention, it is convenient to pass through the busbar slot holes. At the same time, after bending, the tab sealing edge is neat, which facilitates the guidance of the center weld seam of the subsequent tab welding.

[0006] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A pre-spot welding and cutting machine for power battery tabs includes a three-axis robotic welding system, a cell feeding and discharging mechanism, a machine base, a pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism, a pressure plate mechanism, and a vision inspection system.

[0008] The machine base includes a tool holder, a slide, etc.

[0009] The cell feeding and discharging mechanism is mounted on the machine base via guide rails and can move forward and backward in the X direction on the machine base. It is used to perform secondary clamping and positioning of the cell stacking unit after positioning in the previous process, and to sequentially send the cell stacking unit to the operation positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism and the three-axis robot welding system. After the operation is completed, it is used to send the cell stacking unit to the discharge position.

[0010] The battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism includes a servo slide, a battery cell positioning mechanism, a guide rail, and a cable chain. The servo slide is mounted on the guide rail and can slide back and forth on the guide rail. One side of the cable chain is mounted on the servo slide, and the other side is mounted on the guide rail. During the movement of the servo slide, the cable chain can extend and retract to ensure normal power and air supply to the cable. The battery cell positioning mechanism is mounted on the servo slide and is bolted to the servo slide. The battery cell positioning mechanism positions and clamps the battery cells to ensure that the position does not slide during the movement of the slide. The servo slide can move to different positions to facilitate the gripping or unloading of battery cell units by robots or other mechanisms.

[0011] The pressure plate mechanism is mounted above the machine base via guide bearings and cylinders, and can move up and down in the Z direction. It is used to press the battery cell stacking units at the working positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism and the three-axis robotic welding system. The pressure plate mechanism includes a guide mechanism, a telescopic mechanism, and an electrode pressing mechanism. It is used to ensure that the battery cell position does not slip during bending, cutting, and welding, and to provide safety protection for non-working positions. The electrode pressing mechanism prevents the electrode from warping before the multi-layer electrode is pre-spot welded. It has a pre-pressing function to make the electrode move closer to the support mechanism, making the pressing operation of other mechanisms more effective. The pressure plate column mechanism is set on the machine base. One end of the guide mechanism is fixed to the pressure plate column mechanism, and the other end is fixed to the electrode pressing mechanism. The fixed end of the telescopic mechanism is fixed above the pressure plate column mechanism, and the movable end of the telescopic mechanism is fixed to the electrode pressing mechanism. Through the cooperation of the telescopic mechanism and the guide mechanism, the electrode pressing mechanism can move in the Z direction.

[0012] The vision inspection system is located above the machine base and performs vision addressing inspection. It is used to visually address and guide the welding and cutting positions of the electrode tabs before cutting and welding, control the shaping and cutting position of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism and the pre-spot welding position of the three-axis robotic welding system, and simultaneously judge the dimensional status after cutting, provide feedback on the processing results of cutting and pre-spot welding, and promptly reject non-conforming products. The vision inspection system includes a cylinder, a guide rail, a connector, a camera, and a light source. The light source is located below the connector, and the camera is located above the connector. The light source enables the camera to perform normal functional operations. The connector is fixed to the machine base via the guide rail. The movable end of the cylinder is connected to the connector, and the fixed end of the cylinder is connected to the machine base. The movement of the cylinder causes the connector to drive the camera to move along the guide rail, so that it can exit the work area after taking a picture, facilitating the functional operations of other mechanisms.

[0013] The pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism is mounted on the machine base and can reciprocate left and right in the Y direction on the machine base for shaping and cutting the electrode sheets. The pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism includes a servo feed mechanism, a pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism, and a waste collection device. The servo feed mechanism is directly connected to the machine base via a guide rail and can reciprocate servo motion in the Y direction. The pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism is located above the servo feed mechanism and can perform telescopic servo motion in the Z direction. The servo feed mechanism is used for the lateral feed of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism. The feed stroke is adjustable to facilitate pre-spot welding cutting operations at different positions for different formulation stacking units (2p / 3p / 4p, etc.). The waste collection device is located on one side of the machine base and is used to collect waste materials and manually discharge them periodically.

[0014] The pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism includes a dust extraction pipe, a lower die, an upper die, a welding pressure head telescopic mechanism, an upper die telescopic mechanism, a guide rail, and electrode pre-folding rollers. The dust extraction pipe is installed at the bottom of the pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism to collect the cut waste material. The lower die is located on one side of the bottom of the pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism to support the electrode tabs to be cut. The upper die is mounted on the upper die telescopic mechanism, which is cylinder-driven and controls the upper die to cut the electrode tabs. The upper die telescopic mechanism is mounted above the pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism via the guide rail and can drive the upper die to perform Z-axis servo motion. The welding pressure head telescopic mechanism is independently mounted on the pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism and can independently press down and clamp the electrode tabs. The lower die uses longitudinal servo feed to confirm the leveling position of different stacking units. The height of the lower die is adjustable. The electrode pre-folding roller ensures that the electrode is curved during pre-folding. The connecting blocks of the upper and lower dies are made of non-metallic materials. The welding pressure head telescopic mechanism includes a telescopic cylinder, a compression spring, and a welding copper nozzle pressure head. The welding copper nozzle pressure head is mounted on the telescopic cylinder unit through a linear guide bearing and a compression spring. The compression spring is telescopic to ensure that the pressure head always contacts the electrode tab and electrode. The telescopic cylinder is connected to the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism through a guide rail. The Z-axis movement can make the welding copper nozzle pressure head and the electrode tab and electrode contact or disconnect. The compression spring can ensure that the welding copper nozzle pressure head can press down to contact the electrode under different formulation conditions and different thickness tolerances.

[0015] The three-axis robotic welding system is fixed on the ground. The installation height of the three-axis robotic welding system is higher than that of other mechanisms. It can perform XYZ direction movement operations through servo axis control. It is used to weld the electrode sheets after they have been shaped and cut by the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism. It can achieve welding of different electrode tab positions and stacking formula heights. According to different welding formulas, it can flexibly accommodate weld positions and weld sizes.

[0016] The three-axis robotic welding system includes a servo three-axis robotic arm, a cable chain, a welding galvanometer, and a distance sensor. The cable chain is mounted on different axes of the servo three-axis robotic arm and can extend and retract as the robotic arm moves. The welding galvanometer is mounted on the Z-axis of the end effector of the servo three-axis robotic arm and performs welding operations as the robotic arm moves to different positions. The distance sensor is also mounted on the Z-axis of the end effector of the servo three-axis robotic arm and performs welding operations as the robotic arm moves to different positions; a laser distance sensor is preferred. This three-axis robotic welding system enables welding at different tab positions and with varying stacking heights.

[0017] Furthermore, depending on the different production cycles, the number of battery cell feeding and discharging mechanisms can be increased or the number of units that the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanisms can be increased to handle simultaneously.

[0018] Furthermore, the cell positioning mechanism includes a centering clamping mechanism and a cell large-surface suction cup grasping mechanism. The cell large-surface suction cup grasping mechanism is disposed on the cell positioning platform, which is used to support and stabilize other components. The cell large-surface suction cup grasping mechanism grasps the large surface of the cell in the Z direction to prevent slippage during movement. The centering clamping mechanism is disposed on the cell positioning platform to position and clamp the side of the cell end in the XY direction.

[0019] Furthermore, the upper and lower die-cutting molds can be moved out from the rear of the slide table for easy mold maintenance.

[0020] Furthermore, the upper and lower die-cutting molds are hollow cutting blades to prevent the already cut tabs from touching the cutting blades.

[0021] The pre-spot-welded and cut battery cell stack units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) are easy to pass through the busbar slot holes. At the same time, after bending, the tab sealing edges are neat, which facilitates the guidance of the center weld seam in the subsequent tab welding.

[0022] Working principle:

[0023] S1: Place the battery cell stacking unit (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) after the previous process is positioned onto the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism, which performs secondary clamping and positioning of the battery cells.

[0024] S2: The cell feeding and unloading mechanism sends the cell stacking units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) into the pre-spot welding and cutting station. The servo module controls the sliding to the pre-spot welding and cutting position, and the pressure plate mechanism presses and protects the large surface of the stacking unit.

[0025] S3: The vision camera in the vision inspection system locates the stacked battery cell tabs and feeds back the offset to the servo slide. The servo slide feeds to the corresponding work position, and the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism performs pre-shaping, welding head clamping, and electrode cutting in sequence. Then, the three-axis robot welding system moves to perform electrode distance measurement and pre-spot welding.

[0026] S4: After the pre-spot welding and cutting operation is completed, the clamps and pressure plates open, and the cell feeding and discharging mechanism slides the cell stacking units (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) to the discharge position. The cylinder drives the camera to take pictures and detect the cells, and provides feedback on the processing results of the cell stacking units (such as 2P / 3P / 4P, etc.).

[0027] The present invention has independent servo feed pre-spot welding and cutting machines for both sides of the battery cell, which can achieve asynchronous cutting and pre-spot welding actions on both sides of the battery cell.

[0028] In this invention, the cut electrode fragments from the cutting mechanism are sent to the waste bin via a slide.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0030] (1) After pre-spot welding and cutting according to the present invention, the battery cell stacking units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) can easily pass through the busbar slots. Simultaneously, after bending, the tab edges are neatly sealed, facilitating the guidance of the center weld seam during subsequent tab welding. The technical effect of this solution is achieved through the cooperation of various components: the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism is used to feed the battery cell stacking units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) into the pre-spot welding and cutting station; the pressure plate mechanism is used to press the battery cell stacking units and prevent electrode warping; the vision inspection system is used to locate the electrode position and control the cutting and pre-spot welding positions; the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism is used to shape and remove excess electrode pieces; and the three-axis robotic welding system is used to weld the shaped and removed electrode pieces. Therefore, the electrode pieces of the battery cell stacking units in subsequent workstations are in bundle form, rather than divergent, making it easier to pass through the busbar assembly for subsequent processing.

[0031] (2) High flexibility: Since the equipment is modular, different types and lengths of battery cells can be cut by changing different pressure heads or die-cutting molds.

[0032] (3) Stable and reliable: The invention uses an electric motor as the power source and pre-spot welds and cuts to the same position, which solves the problem of inconsistent reference.

[0033] (4) High safety: Since the upper and lower die connecting blocks in the invention are all made of non-metallic materials, the hollow structure of the cutter ensures that the positive and negative poles of the battery cell cannot be connected to form a circuit during the cutting process, thus eliminating the short circuit situation caused by improper installation in the prior art.

[0034] (5) Convenient inspection and maintenance: The welding pressure head uses a compression spring floating connection to ensure that the pressure head contacts the product. At the same time, the position of the upper support for shaping is adjustable, which is convenient for debugging. The cutting blade can be disassembled and removed from the rear space, which is convenient for maintenance work when performing wear repair and inspection. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism system for power battery tabs.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a three-axis robotic welding system.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure plate mechanism.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vision inspection system.

[0041] Figure 7 A detailed structural diagram of the support and pressing mechanism for the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism.

[0042] Reference numerals: 100, Three-axis robotic welding system; 200, Battery cell feeding / unloading mechanism; 300, Machine base; 400, Pre-bending / pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism; 500, Pressure plate mechanism; 600, Vision inspection system; 1, Column support; 2, Servo three-axis robotic arm; 3, Laser rangefinder sensor; 4, Welding galvanometer; 121, Cable chain one; 122, Guide rail one; 123, Battery cell positioning mechanism; 124, Servo slide table; 141, Machine base; 142, Waste collection device; 143, Valve island and connecting plate; 144, Cable chain two; 145, Servo feed slide table; 146, Electrode lower support machine. Structure; 147. Pre-spot welding, cutting, and pressing mechanism; 151. Pressure plate column support; 152. Pressure plate; 153. Electrode pressing mechanism; 154. Guide mechanism; 155. Telescopic mechanism; 161. Vision steel structure support; 162. Cable chain three; 163. Vision connection support; 164. Vision camera and light source; 165. Telescopic cylinder; 166. Guide rail two; 41. Dust extraction pipe; 42. Electrode pre-folding roller; 43. Lower die; 44. Upper die; 45. Welding copper nozzle pressure head; 46. Compression spring; 47. Welding pressure head telescopic mechanism; 48. Upper die telescopic mechanism; 49. Guide rail three. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Component models, material names, connection structures, control methods, algorithms, and other features not explicitly described in this technical solution are considered common technical features disclosed in the prior art.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] This embodiment provides a pre-spot welding and cutting machine for power battery tabs, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a three-axis robotic welding system 100, a battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200, a machine base 300, a pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400, a pressure plate mechanism 500, and a vision inspection system 600.

[0046] Three-axis robotic welding system 100, such as Figure 2As shown, the system includes a column support 1, a servo three-axis robot 2, a laser rangefinder 3, a welding galvanometer 4, and a cable chain. The cable chain is mounted on different axes of the servo three-axis robot 2 and can extend and retract as the robot moves. The welding galvanometer 4 is mounted on the Z-axis of the servo three-axis robot 2 and performs welding operations as the robot moves to different positions. The laser rangefinder 3 is also mounted on the Z-axis of the servo three-axis robot and performs welding operations as the robot moves to different positions. This three-axis robot welding system enables welding at different tab positions and stacking heights. The servo three-axis robot 2 can be adjusted for different strokes to facilitate welding at different positions and heights. The laser rangefinder 3 provides feedback on the defocusing amount required for welding. The three-axis robotic welding system 100 is fixed on the ground. The installation height of the three-axis robotic welding system 100 is higher than that of other mechanisms. It can perform XYZ direction movement operations through servo axis control. It is used to weld the electrode sheets after they have been shaped and cut by the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400. It can achieve welding of different electrode tab positions and stacking formula heights. According to different welding formulas, it can flexibly accommodate weld positions and weld sizes.

[0047] The battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200 includes a cable chain 121, a guide rail 122, a battery cell positioning mechanism 123, and a servo slide 124, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the servo slide 124 is mounted on the guide rail and can slide back and forth on the guide rail 122. One side of the drag chain 121 is mounted on the servo slide 124 and the other side is mounted on the guide rail 122. During the movement of the servo slide 124, the drag chain 121 can extend and retract to ensure normal power and air supply to the cable. The battery cell positioning mechanism 123 is mounted on the servo slide 124 and is bolted to the servo slide 124.

[0048] The cell positioning mechanism 123 positions and clamps the two sets of cells to ensure that the position does not slip during the movement of the slide table. The servo slide table 124 can move to different positions to facilitate the robot or other mechanisms to grasp or release the cell units. The cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200 is mounted on the base 300 via the guide rail 122 and can move forward and backward in the X direction on the base 300. It is used to perform secondary clamping and positioning of the cell stacking units after the previous process, and to sequentially send the cell stacking units to the operation positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400 and the three-axis robot welding system 100. After the operation is completed, it is used to send the cell stacking units to the discharge position.

[0049] The pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400 is mounted on the machine base 300 and can reciprocate left and right in the Y direction on the machine base 300. It is used to shape and cut the electrode sheets. The pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400 includes a servo feed slide 145, a pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147, and a waste collection device 142. The servo feed slide 145 is directly connected to the machine base 300 through a guide rail. The servo feed slide 145 can reciprocate servo motion in the Y direction. The pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 is located above the servo feed slide 145 and can perform telescopic servo motion in the Z direction. The servo feed slide 145 is used for the lateral feed of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400. The feed stroke is adjustable to facilitate the pre-spot welding cutting operation of different formula stacking units (2p / 3p / 4p, etc.) at different positions. The waste collection device 142 is located on one side of the machine base 300 and is used to collect waste and manually discharge it periodically.

[0050] The pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 includes a dust suction pipe 41, a lower die 44, an upper die 43, a welding pressure head telescopic mechanism 47, an upper die telescopic mechanism 48, a guide rail 49, and an electrode pre-folding roller 42. The dust suction pipe 41 is installed at the bottom of the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 to collect the cut waste material. The lower die 44 is located on one side of the bottom of the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 to support the electrode tabs to be cut. The upper die 43 is mounted on the upper die telescopic mechanism 48, which is driven by a cylinder. The upper die telescopic mechanism 48 controls the upper die 44 to cut the electrode sheet. The upper die telescopic mechanism 48 is mounted above the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 via guide rail 3 49, and can drive the upper die 43 to perform Z-axis servo motion. The welding pressure head telescopic mechanism 47 is independently mounted on the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147, and can independently press down and clamp the electrode tab. The electrode sheet and the lower die 44 adopt longitudinal servo feed to confirm the leveling position of different stacking units. The height of the lower die 44 is adjustable. The electrode sheet pre-folding roller 42 is used to ensure that the electrode sheet is curved during pre-folding. The connecting blocks of the upper die 43 and the lower die 44 are made of non-metallic materials. The welding pressure head telescopic mechanism 47 includes a telescopic cylinder 165, a compression spring 46, and a welding copper nozzle pressure head 45. The welding copper nozzle pressure head 45 is mounted on the telescopic cylinder 165 unit through a linear guide bearing and a compression spring 46. The compression spring 46 can extend and retract to ensure that the pressure head always contacts the electrode tab and electrode sheet. The telescopic cylinder 165 is connected to the pre-spot welding cutting and pressing mechanism 147 through a guide rail 3 49. The Z-axis movement can make the welding copper nozzle pressure head 45 and the electrode tab and electrode sheet contact or disconnect. The compression spring 46 can ensure that the welding copper nozzle pressure head 45 can press down to contact the electrode sheet under different formulation conditions and different thickness tolerances.

[0051] Pressure plate mechanism 500, such as Figure 5As shown, the device includes a pressure plate column support 151, a pressure plate 152, an electrode pressing mechanism 153, a guide mechanism 154, and a telescopic mechanism 155. These components ensure that the battery cell position does not slip during bending, cutting, and welding, and provide safety protection for non-operating positions. The electrode pressing mechanism 153 prevents the electrode from warping before pre-spot welding of multi-layer electrode sheets. It has a pre-pressing function, allowing the electrode sheets to move closer to the support mechanism, making the pressing operations of other mechanisms more effective. The pressure plate column support 151 is mounted on the machine base 300. One end of the guide mechanism 154 is fixed to the pressure plate column support 151, and the other end is fixed to the electrode pressing mechanism 153. The fixed end of the telescopic mechanism 155 is fixed above the pressure plate column support 151, and the movable end of the telescopic mechanism 155 is fixed to the electrode pressing mechanism 153. Through the cooperation of the telescopic mechanism 155 and the guide mechanism 154, the electrode pressing mechanism 153 can move in the Z direction.

[0052] The pressure plate mechanism 500 is mounted above the base 300 via guide bearings and cylinders, and can move up and down in the Z direction. It is used to press the battery cell stacking unit at the working position of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400 and the three-axis robotic welding system 100. The pressure plate mechanism 500 has two functions: first, to ensure that the pressure plate 152 contacts the product and prevent the battery cell position from slipping during the cutting or tab pressing process; second, to provide safety protection for the battery cell surface during the tab cutting or welding process.

[0053] Visual inspection system 600, such as Figure 6 As shown, the system includes a vision steel structure support 161, a drag chain 162, a vision connection support 163, a vision camera and light source 164, a telescopic cylinder 165, and a guide rail 166. The light source enables the camera to perform normal operation. The vision steel structure support 161 is fixed to the base 300 via the guide rail 166. The movable end of the cylinder is connected to the vision steel structure support 161, and the fixed end of the cylinder is connected to the base 300. The movement of the cylinder causes the vision steel structure support 161 to move the vision camera and light source 164 along the guide rail 166, so that after taking a picture, they can leave the work area to facilitate the functional operation of other mechanisms.

[0054] The vision inspection system 600 is located above the base 300. The vision inspection system 600 has two functions: first, to provide visual addressing guidance for the electrode welding and cutting positions before cutting and welding; and second, to judge the cutting dimensions of the cell stacking units (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) in the length direction after cutting and to promptly reject NG (non-conforming products).

[0055] Working principle:

[0056] S1: Place the battery cell stacking unit, which has been positioned in the previous process, onto the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200. The battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200 performs secondary clamping and positioning of the battery cells.

[0057] S2: The cell feeding and unloading mechanism 200 sends the cell stacking unit into the pre-spot welding and cutting station. The servo module controls the sliding to the pre-spot welding and cutting position, and the pressure plate mechanism 500 presses and protects the large surface of the stacking unit.

[0058] S3: The vision inspection system 600 performs position addressing on the stacked battery cell tabs and feeds back the offset to the servo slide 124. The servo slide 124 is fed to the corresponding working position. The pre-bending and pre-spot welding cutting mechanism 400 performs pre-shaping, welding head clamping, and electrode cutting in sequence. Then, the three-axis robotic welding system 100 moves to perform electrode distance measurement and pre-spot welding.

[0059] S4: After the pre-spot welding and cutting operation is completed, the clamps and pressure plates open, and the cell feeding and discharging mechanism 200 slides the cell stacking unit to the discharge position. The cylinder drives the camera to take pictures and detect the process, providing feedback on the processing results of the cell stacking unit.

[0060] The various components work together to make it easy for the electrode plates of the battery cell stacking unit (2P / 3P / 4P, etc.) to pass through the busbar slot holes, and the electrode tab bending and welding processes make the electrode tab end faces flush after cutting.

[0061] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and use the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pre-spot welding and cutting machine for power battery tabs, characterized in that, The three-axis mechanical hand welding system, the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism, the machine base, the pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism, the pressing plate mechanism, and the visual detection system are included. The battery cell feeding and discharging mechanism is installed on the machine base through a guide rail and can move forward and backward in the X direction on the machine base, is used for secondary clamping and positioning of the battery cell stacking unit positioned in the previous process, and sequentially sends the battery cell stacking unit to the working positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism and the three-axis mechanical hand welding system, and is used for sending the battery cell stacking unit to the discharging position after the work is completed. The pressing plate mechanism is installed above the machine base through a guide bearing and an air cylinder and can move up and down in the Z direction, is used for pressing the battery cell stacking unit at the working positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism and the three-axis mechanical hand welding system. The visual detection system is arranged above the machine base, performs visual addressing detection, is used for visual addressing guidance of the tab welding and cutting positions before cutting and welding, controls the shaping and cutting positions of the pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism and the pre-spot welding positions of the three-axis mechanical hand welding system, and is used for feedback of the processing results of cutting and pre-spot welding and timely rejection of unqualified products. The pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism is arranged on the machine base and can reciprocally move left and right in the Y direction on the machine base, is used for shaping and cutting of the tab, and includes a servo feeding mechanism, a pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism, and a waste collecting device. The three-axis mechanical hand welding system is fixed on the ground, the installation height of the three-axis mechanical hand welding system is higher than those of other mechanisms, the three-axis mechanical hand welding system can be controlled to move in the XYZ directions through a servo shaft, and is used for welding of the tab shaped and cut by the pre-bending and pre-spot welding and cutting mechanism. The pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism includes a dust suction pipeline, a lower knife die, an upper knife die, a welding pressing head telescopic mechanism, an upper knife die telescopic mechanism, a guide rail, and a tab pre-bending roller. The dust suction pipeline is installed at the bottom of the pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism and is used for suction and collection of the waste after cutting. The lower knife die is arranged at one side of the bottom of the pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism and is used for supporting the tab to be cut. The upper knife die is arranged on the upper knife die telescopic mechanism, the upper knife die telescopic mechanism controls the upper knife die to cut the tab, and the upper knife die telescopic mechanism is installed above the pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism through a guide rail and can drive the upper knife die to move in the Z direction. The welding pressing head telescopic mechanism is independently arranged on the pre-spot welding and cutting and pressing mechanism and can independently press and clamp the tab. The lower knife die is longitudinally servo fed, is used for confirming the leveling positions of different stacking units, and is adjustable in height. The tab pre-bending roller is used for ensuring that the tab is bent in an arc shape during pre-bending. ​ The connecting blocks of the upper die and the lower die are non-metallic materials; The welding pressure head telescopic mechanism comprises a telescopic cylinder, a compression spring and a welding copper nozzle pressure head; The welding copper nozzle pressure head is installed on the telescopic cylinder unit through a linear guide bearing and a compression spring, and the compression spring can be telescopically displaced to ensure that the pressure head always contacts the tab sheet; The telescopic cylinder is connected to the pre-point welding cutting and pressing mechanism through a guide rail, and Z-direction movement can make the welding copper nozzle pressure head contact or not contact the tab sheet; The compression spring can ensure that the welding copper nozzle pressure head can contact the tab sheet under different formula working conditions and different thickness tolerances; The pressing plate mechanism comprises a pressing plate stand column mechanism, a guide mechanism, a telescopic mechanism and a tab sheet pressing mechanism; The pressing plate stand column mechanism is arranged on the machine base; One end of the guide mechanism is fixed to the pressing plate stand column mechanism, and the other end is fixed to the tab sheet pressing mechanism; The fixed end of the telescopic mechanism is fixed above the pressing plate stand column mechanism, and the movable end of the telescopic mechanism is fixed to the tab sheet pressing mechanism; Through cooperation of the telescopic mechanism and the guide mechanism, the tab sheet pressing mechanism can move in the Z direction; The visual detection system comprises a cylinder, a guide rail, a connecting piece, a camera and a light source; The light source is arranged below the connecting piece, and the camera is arranged above the connecting piece, so that the camera can normally work through the light source; The connecting piece is fixed to the machine base through a guide rail, the movable end of the cylinder is connected to the connecting piece, the fixed end of the cylinder is connected to the machine base, and movement of the cylinder drives the connecting piece and the camera to move along the guide rail, so that the camera can exit the working area after shooting and other mechanisms can work normally.

2. The pre-welding and cutting machine for the tab of the power battery according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three-axis mechanical hand welding system comprises a servo three-axis mechanical hand, a drag chain, a welding vibration mirror and a distance measuring sensor; The drag chain is arranged on different shafts of the servo three-axis mechanical hand and can be telescopically displaced with movement of the servo three-axis mechanical hand; The welding vibration mirror is arranged on the Z shaft at the end of the servo three-axis mechanical hand, and can perform welding work when the servo three-axis mechanical hand moves to different positions; The distance measuring sensor is arranged on the Z shaft at the end of the servo three-axis mechanical hand, and can perform welding work when the servo three-axis mechanical hand moves to different positions; The three-axis mechanical hand welding system can realize welding of different tab positions and stacking formula heights.

3. The pre-welding and cutting machine for the tab of the power battery according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric core feeding and discharging mechanism comprises a servo sliding table, an electric core positioning mechanism, a guide rail and a drag chain; The servo sliding table is arranged on the guide rail and can slide forward and backward on the guide rail; One side of the drag chain is arranged on the servo sliding table, and the other side is arranged on the guide rail, so that the drag chain can be telescopically displaced during movement of the servo sliding table to ensure normal power supply and gas supply of the cable; The electric core positioning mechanism is installed on the servo sliding table and is fixedly connected to the servo sliding table through bolts.

4. The pre-welding and cutting machine for battery tab according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electric core positioning mechanism comprises a center clamping mechanism, an electric core positioning table and an electric core large surface suction disc suction mechanism. The large surface suction mechanism of the battery cell is arranged on the battery cell positioning table to suck the Z direction of the large surface of the battery cell to prevent sliding during movement. The center clamping mechanism is arranged on the battery cell positioning table to position and clamp the X and Y directions of the end side of the battery cell.

5. The pre-welding and cutting machine for battery tab according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper cutter die and the lower cutter die are hollow cutting tools, which are used to avoid the contact between the already cut tabs and the cutter.

6. The pre-welding and cutting machine for battery tab according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper cutter die and the lower cutter die can be removed from the rear side of the sliding table for cutter die maintenance.

7. The pre-welding and cutting machine for battery tab according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanisms is multiple, and the battery cell feeding and discharging mechanisms simultaneously process multiple battery cell stacking units.

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